"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." Psalm
xxxiv:12-14.
Self-preservation and the desire of protracting the momentary span of
life is the first principle of our nature, or is at least so
intimately interwoven with our constitution as to appear inherent. So
powerful is this desire, that in defiance of pain and misery, it
seldom quits us to the last moments of our existence. To endeavor to
lengthen out our lives is not only desirable, but is a duty enjoined
upon us in the scriptures, and is most beautifully and forcibly
expressed in our text.
We might here introduce many observations of a philosophical character
on _air_ and _climate, meat_ and _drink, motion_ and _rest, sleeping_
and _watching, &c._ and show how sensibly they contribute to health;
and we might furnish many examples of long life, but we pass these,
and proceed to notice the affections of the mind upon which our text
is grounded.
The due regulation of the passions contributes more to health and
longevity than climate, or even the observance of any course of diet.
Our Creator has so constituted our natures, that _duty, health,
happiness_ and _longevity_ are inseparably blended in the same cup. To
suppress, and finally subdue all the passions of malice, anger, envy,
jealousy, hatred and revenge, and to exercise (till they become
familiar) all the noble passions of tenderness, compassion, love, hope
and joy, is a duty that heaven solemnly enjoins upon us, and in the
performance of which our years will be multiplied. But we must guard
not only our moral natures from the ravages of the corroding and
revengeful passions, but also our physical natures by observing the
strictest rules of temperance in _eating, drinking, cleanliness_ and
_exercise_.
The book of God commands us to "be temperate in all things." The
observance of this duty gives us a firm constitution, robust health,
and prepares us to participate in all the innocent and rational
enjoyments of life. Here we may witness the goodness of the Divine
Being in uniting our duty, happiness and interest in one; and so
firmly are they wedded together, and so absolutely does each depend
upon the other that they cannot exist alone. They are alike laid in
ruins the moment they are separated. If we trace this idea still
further, we witness the same wise arrangement, and the same
incomprehensible skill and goodness of the Author of our being in the
constitution of our mental natures. In these also he has wholly united
our duty, happiness and longevity in one. Jesus says, "Love your
enemies; bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and
pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you, that ye
may be the children of your Father in heaven." Paul says--"Let all
bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put
away from you, with all malice, and be ye kind one to another, tender
hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you."
Here then is our duty plainly pointed out. If we will exercise this
spirit of benignity to our enemies, subdue all our revengeful
passions, and indulge a spirit of love and friendship, of meekness and
cheerfulness towards our friends and neighbors, we shall not only be
happy as our natures can bear, not only revel in all the rational
enjoyments this life can impart, but we shall in the common course of
providence live to old age. All those, with very few exceptions, who
have lived to 80, 90, and 100 years, have been remarked for their
equanimity. They were mild spirited, kind, cheerful, and of such a
temperament, that neither misfortune, nor any outward circumstances,
that agitated the world, could disturb their heaven-born repose.
Thus we see that the path of duty, enjoined in the sacred scriptures,
is not only the path of peace and joy, but conducts to a good old age.
The goodness of the Divine Being is most strikingly exemplified in
uniting health and temperance, happiness and longevity, and our duty
to our fellow creatures, all in one.
Long life and good days, however, depend more upon the state of our
minds than upon almost any other circumstance. He who lives in fear
and trouble arising from any cause whatever; whether from
contemplation of endless misery in the future world, or from the
apprehension that his earthly prospects will be blasted and his
fortune laid in ruins--or if he is continually involved in quarrels,
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,
boils the blood, and in this state throws it suddenly upon the brain.
The powerful shock propels it instantly to the exterior surface, and
torrent-like contracts it back again in redoubled fury upon the brain,
and leaves the countenance pale and ghastly. It deranges in a great
measure the mind, and unfits it for useful action. It darts its
electric fire of vengeance along the optic nerve, expands the retina,
and gives to every object a magnified and false appearance, while the
very eye-balls by a wild and savage glare proclaim the dreadful storm
that is raging within, and pouring the poisonous streams of premature
death through all the healthful channels of existence! It suddenly
braces the nervous system, and then on the opposite extreme leaves it
depressed and weakened. It gradually brings on rheumatic complaints,
and lays the whole system open to the most formidable and painful
disorders that afflict the human race. It cannot have escaped medical
observation that fevers and consumptions are much more frequent among
persons who are very irritable and exercise little or no rule over
their passions, than among those who are of a mild temperament, either
naturally, or from early restraint and education.
There is a connexion between the mind and the body so subtle that it
has hitherto eluded the eagle-eye of Physiology, and will perhaps
remain inscrutible forever to human comprehension. But that this
connexion exists is fully demonstrated by medical experience, and
observation. Many bodily disorders derange the mind, and have in many
instances totally destroyed it. So on the other hand diseases of the
mind effect the body in return, and _grief, despair_ and _melancholy_
have so preyed upon the vitals as to emaciate the body, and bring it
to the grave. It is not uncommon that consumptions are brought on by
_trouble_ of mind, by _guilt_, and by _melancholy_ and _grief_. And
many instances have occurred, where persons in excessive violent anger
have dropped down dead. What is so dreadful, when carried to extreme,
must be very injurious to health, and long life, when indulged
frequently and even moderately.
There being then such an intimate connexion between the mind and body,
and so many thousands of ways in which one alternately acts upon, and
effects the other, and brings millions to an untimely grave, we see at
once the propriety of not only guarding our health by temperance in
eating and drinking, but more particularly by avoiding troubles of a
mental character. These are generally brought upon individuals,
families and neighborhoods, by the bad use of the tongue. Would you
live long that you may see good days? Then keep thy tongue from evil,
and thy lips from speaking guile, seek peace and pursue it. Avoid
every species of iniquity that would have a tendency to blast your own
or the peace of others. Avoid it as you would the poisonous
exhalations of the Bohon Upas, and fly it as you would the dreadful
Samiel of the Arabian desert.