And able to bridle the tohole body. — By body, Grotius under- standeth the church, which is called ' the body,' 1 Cor. xii. 20, Eph. iv. 12 ; and he maketh the sense out thus : He that can bridle him- self in disputation is able to govern the church ; an exposition curious, but strange to this context. By bridling the body is meant, then, governing all his other actions, which are expressed here by the term body, because they are acted by the members of the body, eyes, hands, feet, &c. Why he pitcheth so much weight upon this matter of governing the tongue, I shall show you in the observations.
Obs. 1. None are absolutely freed and exempted from sinning : 1 John i. 8, * If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.' The doctrine of the Catharists is a lying doctrine : Prov. xx. 9, ' Who can say I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin ? ' Solomon maketh a challenge to all the world. IMany may say so boldly, but who can say so truly ? All of us offend in many things, and many of us in all things. There is in all a cursed root of bitterness,- which God dotli mortify, but not nullify ; it is cast down, but not cast out. Like the wild fig-tree, or ivy in the wall,3 cut off slump, body, bough, and branches, yet some
^ ' Mtj XaXe?;' to. ndraia, eloevai Koipov kclI ixirpa Kal \6yov avayKawv Kal eiriKpiaiv eixTToxov, p-T] \d\ilv appvdfjLWS, /xtj x'^^^-i^^" ^o^^ e yrvyxdpovras ry ff<pobpdTjp-i..' — Nyssenus, irepl einrouas.
'■' ' Habitat, sed non regnat ; manet, sed non dominatur ; evulsum qtiodammodo, nee tamen expulsum ; dejectum, sed non prorsus ejectum tamen.— Bern. in Psal. xc, serm. 10.
■* Similitudo Procli apud Epipban. Hserea 64.
278 AN ExrosiTiox. with notes, [Jas. III. 2.
strings or otlicr will sprout out again, till the wall be plucked down : God will have it so, till we come to heaven. Well, then — (1.) Walk with more caution; you carry a sinning heart about you. As long as there is fuel for a temptation, we cannot be secure ; he that hath gunpowder about him will be afraid of sparkles. (2.) Censure with the more tenderness ; give every action the allowance of human frailty, Gal. vi. 1. We all need forgiveness ; without grace thou mightest fall into the same sins. (3.) Be the more earnest with God for grace ; God will keep you still dependent, and beholden to his power: ' Who shall deliver me r* ' Hom. vii. (4.) Magnify the love of God with the more praise. Paul groaneth under his corruptions, Rom. vii., latter end ; and then admireth the happiness of those that are in Christ, Rom. viii. 1 : they have so many sins, and yet none are damnable.
Obs. 2. The sins of the best are many. The apostle saith, ' We offend.' God would not abolish and destroy all at once. There is a prayer against outward enemies, Fs. lix. 11, ' Slay them not, lest my people forget : scatter them by thy power ; and bring them down, 0 God, our shield.' He would not have them utterly destroyed, but some relics preserved as a memorial. ISo God dcaleth in respect of sin ; it is brought down, but not wholly slain ; something is still left as a monument of the divine grace ; as Peter of Alexandria, when he destroyed the rest of the idols, left one that was most monstrous and misshapen to put them in mind of their former idolatry. God will still honour free grace ; the condition of his own people is mixed, light chequered with darkness; those tliat walk in the light may stumble. Oh ! then — (1.) Be not altogether dismayed at the sight of failings. A godly person observed that Christians were usually to blame for three things : — They seek ibr that in themselves which they can only iind in Christ ; for that in the law which shall only be had in the gosi)el ; and that upon earth which shall only be enjoyed in heaven. We complain of sin ; and when shall the earthly estate be free ? You shouhl not nuu'nuu-, but run to your Advocate. You complain, and so do all that have the lirst-fruits of the Spirit: 1 Peter V. 9, ' All these things are accomplished in your brethren that are in the flesh.' They are all tioubled with a busy devil, a corrupt heart, and a naughty world. (2.) However, bewail these failings, the evils that abound in your hearts, in your duties, that you cannot serve God as entirely as you served Satan ; your evil works were merely evil, but your good are not purely good; there your heart was poured out, e^e-xyB-qaav, Jude 11, here it is restrained; there is tilthiness in your righteousness, Isa. Ixiv.
Obs. o. To be able to bridle tiie tongue is an argument of some growth and hapjoy progress in grace. You shall see not only our apostle, but the scrii)ture everywhere niaketh it a matter of great weight and moment: Prov. xviii. 21, ' Death and life are in the power of the tongue.' Upon tiie right or ill using of it a man's safety doth depend. And lest you should think the scripture only intendeth tem- poral safety or ruin, see Mat. xii. 37, ' By thy words shalt thou be justified, and by thy words condemned.' One of the prime things that shall be brought forih to judgment are your words. So Prov.