Jam. i. 8. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
IT is a generally-acknowledged truth, that the mind constitutes the man. In human friendships, an insincere profession of regard will not stand a severe trial ; but will fail us, when we most need a firm sup- port. In religion too, if the heart be not right with God, we shall never persevere amidst the difficulties and dangers with which we shall be encompassed. That our faith will be tried, is certain ; and that we shall need support from above, is certain : I may add too, that, if we be " strong in faith, giving glory to
God," we shall derive such aid from above, as shall carry us through all our temptations, how great soever they may be, and make us " more than con- querors" over all our enemies. But, if we are of a doubtful mind, we shall never finally maintain our steadfastness ; but shall draw back when dangers threaten us, and faint when trials come upon us ; for " the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways."
Let us endeavour,
I. To ascertain the character here specified —
The Apostle is speaking solely respecting confi- dence in God : to that therefore we shall confine our observations. Were we to enter at large into the character of a " double-minded man," we should have a vast field before us, sufficient to occupy our attention through many discourses : but by adhering simply to the view proposed to us in the text, we shall best consult the scope of the Apostle's argument, and the edification of your minds.
" The double-minded man" then is one,
1. Whose reliance on God is not simple —
[There is in every man a proneness to self-dependence : and, in matters of ordinary occurrence, no man, except the truly pious, will look higher than to himself for wisdom to guide him, or for strength to succour him. Even when obstacles arise which call for the intervention of a superior power, he will cry unto his God for help : but he will not " pray in faith," because he still " leans to his own understanding," and is unable to " commit his way entirely to the Lord." As there were in the days of old those who " swore by Jehovah and by Malcham tooa," and those who " feared the Lord and yet served other gods" at the same timeb, so the double-minded man will rely on the Lord, but will rely on himself also ; and make God and himself successively or conjointly the objects of his hope, as the variations of his mind, or the urgency of his necessities, may seem to require.
We must however distinguish between a prudent use of means, and a divided ground of hope : for confidence in God is on no account to supersede the use of prudent means. Jacob
a Zeph. i. 5. b 2 Kings xvii. 33, 41.