telling us so: "If any man," says St. James, "think himself," &c. What reasons have we not, therefore, to consider the restraint and discipline, to which we are to subject ourselves in the use we are to make of our tongues; and need I ask your attention to the considerations which Christian morality presents to us on so important a subject? That we may derive advantage from these considerations, let us pray, that, whilst my voice will reach your ears, the grace of the Most High may impress them upon your hearts, in order that you may avoid the multiplied sins, into which an unbridled tongue would be sure to betray us.

BODY OF THE SUBJECT.

Motives for restraining the tongue.

1. Quote various texts, with some words of comment on each, viz.: Matt. xii. 36, 37; James, i. 19; i. 26; iii. 2, &c. 2. The influence of the tongue in our entire moral guidance. Show this from St. James, iii. 2, 3, 4, where the Apostle compares it to a bridle in the governing a horse, and to a helm in the direction of a ship.

3. The great and extensive evil it is capable of doing. Compared in this respect to a fire (James, iii. 5, 6). Show the comparison by a spark of fire setting a whole forest in flames, on one side, and the tongue, on the other, lighting up enmity, &c., between mankind; after which, dwell on the words (a)" The tongue is a fire;" (b) “a world of iniquity," (c) "placed among our members, which defileth the whole body" (d)" inflaming the wheel of our nativity," i.e. the whole course of our life from our very birth, or the time we become capable of using it; (e) “being set on fire by hell."

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4. The difficulty of restraining the tongue shown from comparison with beasts and birds and serpents, all of which can be tamed, and subjected to restraint,

whereas "the tongue no man can tame." (Fames, iii. 8.) Wherefore, the Apostle calls it "an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison" (Ibid.), somewhat like a mad dog, that cannot be tamed, and goes ahead spreading on all sides by his bite the deadly poison, which has set him mad. Whence the Psalmist (Ps. xiii. 3), “ The poison of asps is under their lips."

5. How unnatural it is, lending itself, one time, to God to bless Him, and, at another, to the devil, to curse men made to the likeness of God. There is nothing in nature so strange and anomalous. A fountain sends forth only one kind of water, whereas, "from the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing." (James, iii. 10, 11.) Again, a fruit-tree yields only one kind of fruit. If it be a fig-tree, it produces only figs, and not grapes as well, or if a vine, it produces grapes and not figs at the same time, and, if the fountain be bitter, it cannot yield sweet water. In all these instances nature acts uniformly, the like producing the like, but the tongue is an exception to the order of nature, producing fruits and effects of different and opposite kinds. Oh! what reason have we not to say with the Apostle, "My brethren, these things ought not to be" (Ibid. 10), and to pray with the Psalmist, "Q Lord, deliver my soul from wicked lips, and a deceitful tongue." (Ps. cxix. 2.)

From what kinds of words are we to restrain our tongues.

Ist. From all words of irreverence towards God, His angels and saints, religion and holy things, towards persons devoted to the service of religion, as bishops, priests, &c., &c.

2ndly. From all words injurious to our neighbour, such as calumny, detraction, &c., as also from untruths of every kind.

3rdly. From words of vanity respecting ourselves in speaking of what we did, or said, having in view our own commendation or praise.

4thly. From all contentiousness, contradictions, and interruption of others in our conversation, and intercourse with them, as well as all retaliation on account of hurtful words addressed to ourselves. (Quote 1 Cor. xi. 16, as also Matt. v. 11, 12.)

5thly. From all raillery, bantering and pleasantry hurtful to the feelings of others.

6thly. From all frivolity and levity, mindful of our Saviour's words (Matt. xii. 36).

Means for restraining and disciplining the tongue.

Ist. To speak little, leaving the conversation very much to others, and taking part in it only as far as edification, politeness, and proper regard for others require. (Quote James, i. 19; Prov. x. 19; Imitation of Christ, Bk. 1, chap. x. 1, 3, also chap. xx. 2.)

2ndly. To observe circumspection (a) as to the end or purpose of speaking; (b) the persons spoken to, the company in which we speak, and our own position with respect to such persons or company; (c) the time. (Quote Eccl. iii. 7; Eccli. xx. 7—xxi. 8.)

3rdly. To pray with David, Ps. cxl. 3, and with Solomon, Eccli. xxii. 33, and take special account of our words in our daily examination of conscience, as also in our examination before confession.

CONCLUSION.

Recapitulate the points, ending with an exhortation.

Consult Imitation of Christ, Bk. 1. chaps. x. and xx.; Rodriguez," Christian Perfection," vol. 2, Second Treatise, chap. viii.; Bourdaloue's "Spiritual Retreat," on Conversations with our Neighbour.

Pious anecdote to be introduced wherever it may be judicious.

It is related of St. Pambo the hermit, who lived in the fourth century, that having left the world so very young, that he had not learned to read, he asked one of the hermits to teach him some Psalms, that he would recite by heart. The first lesson was the words, "I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue," from the 38th Psalm. The holy youth was so struck with these words of Divine Wisdom, that he said, "that is enough for the present, and when I will have learned this first lesson, I shall come back for another." However, he did not return, and six months after the old hermit meeting him asked why he did not come to get a new lesson. "O," said Pambo, "I have not yet learned the lesson you have given me;" and later on in life he told a friend of his, that it had taken him nineteen years to master it. It was not the words merely he had to learn, nor even the sense and meaning of them, but he had to put in practice the lesson they contained, so as to bring his tongue under complete restraint, in such a way as to speak only when he had some useful occasion for speaking, and to speak then in such a manner as not to offend with his tongue, which, according to St. James, is the test and proof of a perfect man.

THE NINTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife."

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods."-Exod. xx. 17.

INTRODUCTION.

These words, so familiar to you all, announce the ninth and tenth Commandments of God. They forbid even the desire of what the sixth and seventh Commandments forbid in act and deed. There are many Christians, who do not consider themselves guilty of a sin, unless they commit it by word or deed, taking no account of their inward thoughts or desires, although we are taught from our infancy, that sin is any wilful thought, as well as any wilful deed or word contrary to the law of God. This error is more general with respect to the sins against the sixth and seventh Commandments than those opposed to the others. Therefore, the Almighty, desirous that we should go to the source of the evil, adds the ninth and tenth Commandments, in order to meet the devil at the very threshold, so to say, of our soul, and reject his temptations by turning away our thoughts, desires, and intentions from them, so as to withhold all consent from them in the interior of our souls.

us.

[Bespeak attention and invoke a blessing.]

See, therefore, the importance of the subject before

How many are led every day into sin because they do not watch over their interior. How often have we ourselves sinned for want of this vigilance over the inward workings of our souls? Give me,