Modest Expressions

A quote from John Bunyan about how Scriptural principles provide us with a general template of sorts by which we ought to govern our reading, writing, speaking, and thinking (this is not a promotion of Bunyan as a true Christian).


“‘And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.’


Now we are come to the generation of mankind. ‘Adam knew his wife’:  A modest expression; and it should teach us, in all such matters where things are discoursed of, that are either the fruits of sin, or the proper effects of man’s natural infirmities, there to endeavour the use of such expressions, as neither to provide to lust, nor infect us with evil and uncivil communication. ‘Adam knew his wife’; Jacob, Samson, David, and others, are said to go in unto them.


So as to our natural infirmities of the stool, the scripture expression is, ‘When thou goest abroad to ease thyself, thou shalt turn again and cover that which cometh from thee’: Modest and bashful expressions, and such as become the godly, being those that are furthest off of occasioning evil, and nearest to an intimation, that such infirmities bespeak us infirm and imperfect creatures” (John Bunyan).