^ Camer, lib. de notis verbi Dei.
- ' Non periclitor dicere ipsas scripturoB ita dispositas esse, ut materiara subministra- rent hsereticia.' — Tertul,
JaS. I. 21.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 151
it do not fall like seed on the stony jf^round, so as it cannot take root. You will know it thus: — (1.) If it be ingrafted, it will be X6709 Kap- irocfiopovfievot;, ' a fruitful word,' Col. i. 6 ; it will spring up in your conversation; the 'stalk of wickedness/ Ezek. vii. 11, will not grow so much as the word. (2.) The graft draweth all the sap of the stock to itself. All your affections, purposes, cares, thoughts, will serve the word : Eom. vi. 17, ek 6v irapehoOrjTe tvttov SiSa'xrj'i- They were delivered over into the stamp and mould of the word that was delivered to them. All affections and motions of the spirit are cast into the mould of religion.
Obs. 10. That the word in God's hand is an instrument to save our souls. It is sometimes called ' the word of truth/ at other times, ' the word of life / the one noteth the quality of it, the other the fruit of it. It is' called ' the power of God,' Rom. i. 16, and 'the arm of the Lord :' Isa. liii. 1, ' Who hath believed our report? to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ? ' By our report God's arm is conveyed into the soul. The use to which God hath deputed the word should beget a reverence to it. The gospel is a saving word ; let us not despise the simplicity of it. Gospel truths should not be too plain for our mouths, or too stale for your ears. ' I am not ashamed of the gospel/ saith the apostle, ' for it is the power of God to salvation.'
Obs. 11. That the main care of a Christian should be to save his soul. This is propounded as an argument why w^e should hear the word ; it wall save your souls. Usually our greatest care is to gratify the body, Solomon saith, ' All a man's labour is for the mouth ;' that is, to support the body in a decent state. Oh ! but consider this is but the worser part ; and who would trim the scabbard and let the sword rust ? Man is in part an angel, and in part a beast. Why should we please the beast in us, rather than the angel ? In short, your greatest fear should be for the soul, and your greatest care should be for the soul. Your greatest fear : Mat, x, 28, ' Fear not them that can destroy the body, but fear him that can cast both body and soul into hell fire.' There is a double argument. The body is but the worser part, and the body is alone ; but on the other side, the soul is the more noble part, and the state of the body dependeth upon the well or ill being of the soul : he is ' able to cast both soul and body/ &c., and therefore it is the greatest imprudence in the world, out of a fear of the body, to betray the soul. So your greatest care, riches and splendour in the world, these are the conveniences of the body, and what good will they do you, when you come to be laid in the cold silent grave ? Mat. xvi. 26, ' What profit hath a man, if he win the whole world, and lose his own soul?' It is but a sorry exchange that, to hazard the eternal welfare of the soul for a short fruition of the world. So Job xxvii. 8, ' What is the hope of the hypoci'ite, though he hath gained, when God taketh his soul ?' There is many a carnal man that pursueth the world with a fruitless and vain attempt ; they 'rise early, go to bed late, eat the bread of sorrows;' yet all will not do. But suppose they have gained and taken the prey in hunting, yet what will it profit him w^hen body and soul must part, and though the body be decked, yet the soul must go into misery and darkness, without any furniture and provision for another life ?
152 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTKS, [JaS. I. 22,
what liope will liis gain miiii.Nter to him ? Oh ! that we were wise to consider these things, that we would make it our work to provide for the soul, to clothe the soul lor another world, that we would wait upon God in the word, that our souls may be furnisheil with every si)iritual and heavenly excellency, that we may not be ' found naked,' saith the apostle, 2 Cor. v. 3.
Obs. 12. That they that have received the word must receive it again : though it were ingrafted in them, yet receive it that it may save your 8ouls. God hath deputed it to be a means not only of regeneration, but salvation ; and therefore, till we come to heaven, we must use this help. They that live above ordinances, do not live at all, spiritually, graciously. Painted fire needeth no fuel. The word, though it be an immortal seed, yet needeth constant care and watering. But of this before,