Behold how great a matter a little JireJcindleth. — Another similitude, to show that great inconveniences come from the abuse of so small a member. A man would think that words, that pass away with the breath in which they are uttered, had not such a weight and deadly
284 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [Jas. III. 5.
influence; but, saitli the apostle, a little fire kintllcth much wood. ►!>mall thin<;s arc not to be neglected in nature, art, religion, or i)rovi- dence. In nature, matters of moment grow up from small beginnings. Nature lovetli to have the cause and seed of everything small : a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ; thin exhalations descend in great showers ; small breaches in a sea-bank let in great inundations, &c.
Notes out of this verse are these: —
Ohs. 1. A usual sin of the tongue is boasting. Sometimes the pride of the heart shooteth out by the eyes ; therefore we read of ' haughty eyes,' and ' a proud look,' Prov. vi. 17 ; but usually it is dis- played in our speech. The tongue trumpeteth it out— (1.) In bold vaunts. Ilabshakeh threatened he would make them ' eat their own dung, and drink their own piss.' So Isa. xiv. 13, ' I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God ; I will sit upon the mount of the congregation, on the sides of the north.' He threateneth battle against God himself, and then against his people. See Hannah's dissuasion, 1 Sam. ii. 3, ' Talk no more exceeding proudly ; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth,' i^^-c. (2.) In a proud osten- tation of our own worth and excellency : ' Is not this great Babel, whicli I have built?' First we entertain our spirits with whispers of vanity and suppositions of applause ; and then the rage of vainglory is so great, that we trumi)et out our own shame. It is against reason that a man should be judge in his own cause. In the Olympic Games the wrestlers did not put the crowns upon their own heads ; that which is lawful praise in another's lips, in our own is but boasting. (3.) In contemptuous challenges of God and man. Of God : ' Who is the God of the Hebrews, that I should let you go ?'and Fs. xii. 4, ' Our tongues are our own ; who is lord over us ? ' Of man : Daring, provoking speeches are recorded in the word. Solomon saith, Frov. xviii. G, ' A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.' Cartwright on that place instanccth in those forms of irritation or pro- vocation. Do <in iliou dursf, and, TJiou sordid fellow ; whicli he saith are as the alarum of war, and as drums to beat up to the battle. (4.) Bragging promises, as if they could achieve and accom])lish great mat- ters above the reach of their gifts and strength : ' I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil,' &c., Exod. xv.
Obs. 2. Small things are to be regarded ; and we must not consider matters in their beginning only, but progress, and ultimate issue. Alittle sin doth a great deal of mischief, and a little grace is of great efHcacy : Eccles. X. 13, ' The beginning of a foolisli man's speech is foolishness, but the latter end is foolish madness.' At first men toy, wrangle, for sport and ])astime, but afterward, break out into furious passion, and so from folly go on to madness. Contention at first is but as a spark, but afterwards it being fomented and blown up by unsober spirits, it 'devouretli the great deep,' Amos vii. 4, ])utteth whole kingdoms into combustion : Frov. xvii. 14, ' The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water :' it is ea.sy to open the sluices and let it out, but who can call the floods back again ? Strife is sometimes compared to fire, sometimes to water ; they are l)Oth unmerciful elements when once they are let loose : Frov. xxvi. 21, ' A man given to strife is as fire to the coals : ' when the burning is once begun, it is easily propagated and
JaS. III. G.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 285
continued So heresy at first is inconsiderable, but it creepeth like a gangrene from one place to another, till it hath destroyed the whole body. Arius, a small Alexandrian spark, enkindled all the world in a flame.^ So also providence beginneth great matters upon small oc- casions. Luther's reformation was occasioned by opposing pardoners. Men begin to quarrel one with another about trifles ; and God infer- reth great mutations and changes of states and kingdoms.'- The young men's playing may prove bitterness in the issue, 2 Sam. ii. 26. Christ's kingdom at first was despised, a poor tender branch, a little stone crumbled from the mountains ; but afterwards it ' filled the whole earth/ Dan. ii. 37. Well, then, out of all this — (1.) Learn not to neglect evils that are small in their rise and original ; resist sin betimes, Eph. iv, 27 ; give no place to Satan. You know not the utmost issue of Satan's tyranny and encroachment. So for contention, neither meddle ^ with it at all, or leave off betime. So for heresy ; ' take the little foxes,' Cant. ii. 15. Watch over the first and most modest appearances of error : ' I did not give jjlace, not for an hour,' saith the apostle, Gal. ii. 5. (2.) Learn not to despise the low beginnings of providence and deliverance : there is a ' day of small things,' Zech. iv. 10. God useth to go on when he hath begun a good work. Philpot said. The martyrs had kindled such a light in England as should not easily go out.