himself and God? Did you never say that "it was to be wished he should
go to Rome," until at last life became intolerable,--until he was
thrown more and more in upon himself; found himself, like his
Redeemer, in this world alone, but unable like his Redeemer, calmly to
repose upon the thought that his Father was with him? Then a stern
defiant spirit took possession of his soul, and there burst from his
lips, or heart, the wish for _rest_--rest at any cost,--peace
anywhere, if even it is to be found only in the bosom of the Church of
Rome!


II. The guilt of this license.

The first evil consequence is the harm that a man does himself: "so is
the tongue among the members, that it defiles the whole body." It is
not very obvious, in what way a man does himself harm by calumny. I
will take the simplest form in which this injury is done; it effects a
dissipation of spiritual energy. There are two ways in which the steam
of machinery may find an outlet for its force: it may work, and if so
it works silently; or it may escape, and that takes place loudly, in
air and noise. There are two ways in which the spiritual energy of a
man's soul may find its vent: it may express itself in action,
silently; or in words, noisily: but just so much of force as is thrown
into the one mode of expression, is taken from the other.

Few men suspect how much mere talk fritters away spiritual
energy,--that which should be spent in action, spends itself in words.
The fluent boaster is not the man who is steadiest before the enemy;
it is well said to him that his courage is better kept till it is
wanted. Loud utterance of virtuous indignation against evil from the