Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

CHAPTER XII. 189
charity makes it so : for charity only never offends.
Concupiscence produces nothing but what is evil
and makes the evil heart and the evil treasure.
" 36. But I say unto you, That every idle word
that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof
in the day of judgment."
It is no small matter to know how to rule the
tongue, and to restrain the unprofitable use thereof.
God would not have us doubt, but that he will demand
an account of it. And if he demand it of
every vain, idle, and unprofitable word, how much
more then of every calumnious, impure, and offensive
word, contrary to religion and charity, &c. ? How
terrible is this exactness of the divine justice !— the
very thought of which should be enough to dry up
the source of such a multitude of words, which have
no necessity, no usefulness to excuse them.
** 37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified,
and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."
There are few who conceive how instrumental
the tongue is to salvation or condemnation. VVe
count words as nothing—and yet eternity depends
upon them !
Set a guard, O Lord, upon my imouth,
and reduce my tongue under an absolute subjection
to thyseli !
Sect. VI. Jonas a Si^n. The Ninevites, The
Queen of the South,
" 38. f Then certain of the scribes and of the
Pharisees answered, saying. Master, we would see a
sign from thee."
Incredulity, pride, and curiosity, have never proofs
enough of the truth. Learned men have particular