Reas. 2. Because of the natural proneness that is in us to offend with the tongue : censuring is a pleasing sin, extremely compliant with nature. How prepense the nature of man is to it I shall show you in the third chapter. Speech is the discovery of reason ; corruption soon runneth out that way. Well, then, watch over it ; the more natu- ral corruptions are, the more care should we use to suppress them : Ps. xxxix. 1, ' I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue.' There needeth special caution for that ; and as you should watch, so you should pray, and desire God to watch over your watch- ing : Ps. cxli. 3, ' Set a watch before my mouth, keep the door of my lips.' The awe of God is a great restraint.
Reas. 3. Because it was the sin of that age, as appeareth by his frequent dissuasives. See ver. 19 ; so chap, iii.^^er totum ; so chap. iv. ver. l],&c. The note is — It is an ill sign to be carried away with the evil of the times. It is a description of wicked men, Ei)h. ii. 2, that they ' walked according to the course of this world ;' in the original, Kar alcbva, according to the age, as the manner of the times went. So Rom. xii. 2: 'Be not conformed to this world ;' rw alfavi tovtw, ' to this age;' the meaning is, do not get into the garb of the times. So 2 Cliron. xvii. 4, ' He walked after the trade of Israel.' Many do so ; they walk after the fashion and trade of the country and times wherein tliey live. Oh ! consider, this is the sure note of a vain profession. Sins, when they grow common, become less odious ; and therefore slight spirits commit them without remorse.
JaS. I. 26.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 171
Ecus. 4. Because it seemeth so small a sin, and having laid aside j^crosser sins, they did the more securely continue in the practice of it. They were not adulterers, drunkards ; and therefore, flattering them- selves with a show of holiness, they did the more freely censure and detract from others. Note, indulgence in the least sin cannot stand with grace. Your ' religion is vain ' if you do not ' refrain your tongue.' They are miserably mistaken that hope to redeem their souls from the guilt of one sin by abstaining from the practice of another. Some are precise in small things, that they may be excused for non- observance of ' the weightier things of the law ; ' as the stomach, when it cannot digest solid food, naturally desireth to fill itself with water, or such light stuff as breedeth nought but wind. The Pharisees ' tithed mint and cummin,' &c. Others avoid grosser sins, and hope that it is an excuse for other corruptions that are not so odious. We all plead, ' Is it not a little one, and my soul shall live?'
Beas. 5. Because this is usually the hypocrite's sin. Hypocrites, of all others, are least able to bridle their tongue ; and they that seem to be religious, are most free in censuring ; partly because, being ac- quainted with the guilt of their own spirits, they are most apt to sus- pect others. Nazianzen saith of his father, ovre to tcov irovqpwv avTo^ irapahexn — he being of an innocent and candid soul, was less apt to think evil of others ; and he giveth this reason, jSpahv jap eiV virovoLav KaKov,'ro 7rp6<; KaKiav Svo-klvijtov — goodness is least suspicious, and plain hearts think all like themselves. Partly because they use to be much abroad that are so little at home. Censuring is a trick of the devil, to take off the care from their own hearts ; and therefore, to excuse indignation against their own sins, their zeal is passionate in declaim- ing against the sins of others. Gracious hearts reflect most upon themselves ; they do not seek what to reprove in others, but what to lament in themselves. Partly because they are not so meek and gentle as true Christians. When a man is sensible of his own failings, he is very tender in reflecting upon the weaknesses of others : Gal. vi. 1, 'Ye which are spiritual, restore him with meekness.' They which are most spiritual are most tender to set a fallen Christian in joint again, KaTapTL(^€T6, Partly because an hypocrite is a proud person : he would have every one to be his own foil, and therefore he blemisheth others. Diotrephes would be prating against John, because he ' loved the pre- eminence,' 3 John .9, 10. Partly because hypocrites are best at their tongue, and therefore cannot bridle it. When men make religion a talk, their way is to blemish others ; it is a piece of their religion. The Lord give you to discern into your own souls, whether these dis- positions be in you or no.
Beas. 6. Because there is such a quick intercourse between the tongue and the heart, that the tongue is the best discovery of it ; and therefore, saith the apostle, is ' their religion vain,' if they ' cannot bridle their tongues.' Seneca said, that the speech is the express image of the heart ; and a greater than he said, ' Out of the abun- dance of the heart the mouth speaketh.' The quality of many men's religion may be discerned by the iutemperateness of their language ; words are but the excrements and overflow of their wickedness. A man may soon discern of what religion they are, saith Parens of the