Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

II. Its effects

1. These are defiling—

[Sin, as soon as ever it is conceived in the heart, defiles the soul: but when it is uttered by the lips," it defileth the whole body." Utterance gives solidity and permanency to that which before existed in idea, and might have passed away: and, inasmuch as the tongue has every other member at its command to execute, according to their several powers, the things it has divulged, the whole man is become a partaker of its guilt and defilement. And, though all its communications are not equally polluting, yet is there a stain left by means of them, a stain which nothing but the Redeemer's blood can ever wash away.]

2. Destructive

[To such an astonishing degree has this fire gained the ascendant, that it has "inflamed the whole course of nature." Look at individuals; what malignant passions has it kindled in them! Visit families; what animosities, and inextinguishable feuds has it produced! Survey churches; and you will find the unhallowed fire burning even in the sanctuary of God; and sometimes too, even in the very censers of his ministers'. Cast your eyes round upon whole nations; and you will perceive that, times without number, it has kindled the flames of war, and spread desolation through the globe.]

To prove that this account is not exaggerated, we shall point out,

III. The reason of its producing these effects-
The tongue "itself is set on fire of hell"—

[Satan is the source and author of all the evils that proceed from the tongue. Does it falsify? behold it does so at the instigation of that wicked fiend," the father of lies"." Does it discourage men from the prosecution of their duty? It does so as the devil's agenti. Does it accuse and scandalize the people of God? Who but Satan is the author of such calumnies? Does it disseminate error? the propagator of that error is Satan's minister, however he be transformed into

d Eccles. v. 6. Mark vii. 20-23.

e By means of heretics, cavillers, and proud disputers, and others who cause divisions and dissensions.

f Alluding to Lev. x. 1.

What has not been perpetrated during the French Revolution under the influence of those two words, liberty and equality!

h Acts v. 3. John viii. 44.

k Rev. xii. 10.

i Matt. xvi. 23.

an angel of light'. Does it encourage any bad design? It is the devil himself who speaks by itm. In every sin that it commits, it is actuated by "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in all the children of disobedience "." Its whole "wisdom is earthly, sensual, devilish"." It comes from hell, and leads to hell: and, if God were to withdraw his restraints here, as he does in hell, it would speedily produce a very hell upon earth.]

This alone can account for the effects that proceed from it

[Doubtless the wickedness of the heart may account for much: but, if the flames were not fanned by satanic agency, we can scarcely conceive that they should rage with such an irresistible force, and to such a boundless extent.]

INFER

1. How great must be the evil of the human heart!

Yet

[The heart is the fountain, in which "the evil treasure isP;" the tongue is only the channel in which it flows. If the channel then be so vile, what must the fountain be? every one of us has this tongue in his mouth, and this heart in his bosom and, if God should leave us without restraint, there is not one of us but would proclaim all the evil of his heart, as much as the most lothesome sensualist, or most daring blasphemer.]

:

2. How much do we need the influences of the Holy Spirit!

[It is absolutely impossible for man to tame this unruly member. Yet restrained it must be, if ever we would be saved. What then shall we do? Shall we sit down in despair? God forbid. The Holy Spirit will help our infirmities, and Christ will give us his Spirit if we call upon him. Let us then look to Christ; and we shall prove by sweet experience, that his " grace is sufficient for us," and that through him, strengthening us, we can do all things "."]

3. How careful should we be of every word we

utter!

[Immense injury may we do by one unguarded word. We may take away a character which we can never restore, or

[blocks in formation]

inflict a wound which we can never heal. On this account we should "set a watch before the door of our lips." Nor is this a matter of expediency merely, but of necessity; for God has warned us that we shall give account of every idle word, and that by our words we shall be justified, and by our words we shall be condemned. Let us then be utterly purposed that our mouth shall not offend". Let our tongue be as choice silver, or a tree of life, to enrich and comfort the Lord's people. Let our speech be always with grace seasoned with salt," for the honour of God, and the good of our fellowcreaturesb.]

x Ps. cxli. 3. z Ps. xvii. 3.

[ocr errors]

▾ Matt. xii. 36, 37. and v. 22. last clause. a Prov. x. 20. and xv. 4.

b Col. iv. 6. Eph. iv. 29.

MMCCCLXVIII.

INFLUENCE OF WISDOM UPON THE CONDUCT.

Jam. iii. 13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

THE government of the tongue is of all things the most difficult; because every evil that is in the heart seeks for vent through that organ. A man who should be able so to controul it that no unadvised word should ever escape from his lips, would be a perfect man. Yet, if a man profess to be religious, and have not so much self-government as to impose an habitual restraint upon his tongue, he deceives his own soul, and his religion is vain. The gift of speech is to be improved for God by holy and heavenly communications, and the man who suffers it to be a vehicle of sin, discovers himself to be a hypocrite before God. The inconsistency of such conduct is obvious. "A fountain cannot send forth both fresh water and bitter; nor can a tree bear both olives and figs" so neither can a renewed heart bear such different and discordant fruits". Whoever therefore professes godliness, should take care that no such inconsistency be found in him. "Who is a wise man,

a Jam. i. 26.

b ver. 9-12.

and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom."

In these words we see,

I. The proper character of Christians

When we say that the Christian is "a wise man, and endued with knowledge," we seem to be guilty of great arrogance; since it is a notorious fact, that the great majority of religious persons, as St. Paul himself acknowledges, are of the lower orders of society, whose talents and attainments are extremely limited. And even where the disadvantages of education are not so great, it is often found that "the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." How then can we presume to designate the godly by such inappropriate and high-sounding names? I answer, That the wisdom of this world is in God's estimation, folly; and that his people alone deserve the titles that are here assigned them. They are wise and intelligent,

1. As fearing God—

[They all without exception fear God. This is the lowest attainment that will justify any pretensions to true piety. And what is said of it by holy Job? "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." Here then at once is their character fixed by the testimony of God himself. And to them does it belong exclusively for of all others the Prophet Jeremiah says, "They have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in theme?" They may possess much which passes under that name: they may be skilled in arts and sciences, even as Solomon himself: yet they shew that they are fools and idiots, as it respects the things of God. They shew that they know not the true end of their being: they know not wherein real happiness consists: they know not the value of an immortal soul: they know not the judgment that awaits them, or the importance of preparing for it. Their views are circumscribed by the things of time and sense; and of heaven and heavenly things they have no knowledge." Their wisdom and knowledge, such as it is, only perverts them." Hence of them it is said, that "madness

c 1 Cor. i. 26-28.

e Jer. viii. 9.

d Job xxviii. 28.
f Isai. xlvii. 10.

is in their hearts while they lives." But of the Lord's people, how ignorant soever they may be of other matters, it may be said, as on this very ground it was said of the Jews of old, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."]

2. As instructed by God himself—

"

[This also is peculiar to them, and abundantly vindicates their title to the character given them in the text. To them universally, and to them exclusively, does that promise belong, "They shall all be taught of God." They are taught of God, who by his Spirit has "opened the eyes of their understanding,' and "brought them out of darkness into the marvellous light of his Gospel!." To them he has given a spiritual discernment, whereby they are enabled to discern the things of the Spiritm. He has given to them such views of Christ as "flesh and blood could never have revealed to them"." "Wonderful things are they enabled to behold in God's law." They seewhat others have no conception of the spirituality of that law, extending to every thought and desire of the heart. They see in that glass the unsearchable wickedness of their own hearts; their just desert of God's wrath and indignation; their utter need of a Saviour; the suitableness of Christ to their extreme necessities, and his sufficiency for all their wants. "They have an understanding given them to know Him that is true; and, in consequence of that, they are in Him that is true, even in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true God and eternal life." To them are made known things which from all eternity were hid in God; and things which the natural man, whatever be his endowments, cannot receive or know: yea, though they be in every other respect mere "babes, to them God has revealed what he has hid from the wise and prudents:" so that, whilst the man of learning, that is wise in his own conceit, looks down upon them with contempt as weak and foolish, they see the vanity of all his boasted wisdom, and they pity the blindness of his deluded mind. See how strongly all this is asserted by the Apostle Paul: "He that is spiritual (however destitute he may be of human learning) judgeth all things: yet he himself is judged of no man: (he estimates rightly the state of others, whilst they can form no just estimate of his :) for who (what carnal man) hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we (we who are taught of God) have the mind of

Eccl. ix. 3.

k Eph. i. 17, 18.

n Matt. xvi. 16, 17. q 1 John v. 20.

h Deut. iv. 6.
1 1 Pet. ii. 9.

• Ps. cxix. 18.

r 1 Cor. ii. 7, 8, 14.

i John vi. 45. m 1 Cor. ii. 9-12. P 1 Kings viii. 38. s Matt. xi. 25.

« ForrigeFortsæt »