broils and tumults with his neighbors, has but little prospect of
living to old age, and certainly no hope of seeing good days. He is in
a constant hell. Here then we see the beauty and propriety of our
text: "What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he
may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking
guile; depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

The first _condition_ for a long life is, "keep thy tongue from evil
and thy lips from speaking guile." But the question arises, in what
sense can the violation of that _condition_ have any effect upon the
length of life? The answer is at hand--the slanderer is ever a busy
body in other men's matters. He is secretly endeavoring to injure his
neighbors. He circulates falsehoods about them from house to house.
One and another hears the reports put into circulation. They call upon
the author for an explanation of his conduct. Involved in trouble,
arising from fear, guilt and mortification, he tells a thousand
falsehoods to clear up one. All this preys upon his inmost vitals,
while perhaps with another, whom he has slandered, he is involved in a
quarrel, and it terminates in a settled hatred; and a third case
becomes an incurable distemper of rancour and revenge. Here is a man
who by slander has rendered his existence wretched. He is like the
troubled ocean whose waters find no rest.

There is but little hope of his reaching the common age of man.
Instead of seeing good days he is walking in the regions of night and
wo. Says the wise man, "where there is no fuel the fire goeth out, so
where there is no tattler, strife ceaseth." Yes, "where there is
envying and strife, there is confusion and every evil work."

Violent anger excites powerfully the caloric in the human system,