2. As operating in the soul, it disposes and qualifies us to obey that law —
[The Gospel duly received, does not merely convince the judgment, but engages the affections; and at the same time that it gives a new taste, it imparts a vital energy ; whereby we are enabled to " put off the old man, which is corrupt ac- coi'ding to the deceitful lusts, and to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." It is an engine of vast power : it is " mighty through God to
the pulling down of the strong-holds of sin and Satan : it casts down all towering imaginations, and every thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God ; and brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ a."
Now all this is implied in the text. It is taken for granted, that religion, duly operating, will enable us to " bridle the tongue." But, to regulate the tongue, we must of necessity " keep and rectify the heart," since " out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speakethV If therefore the not bridling of the tongue argues our religion to be vain, it is evident, that the proper office of religion is to bring the whole soul into subjection to God's law, and to render us conformed to the perfect example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It will make us to aspire after this, and to strive for it, and in a considerable measure to attain it. I say, in a considerable measure ; because perfection, sinless perfection, is not to be attained by such corrupt and feeble creatures as we. " The wildest beasts have been so tamed as almost to have changed their nature : but the tongue can no man tamec," so as never in any instance to offend with it. Not even Moses, or Job, or Paul, attained such perfection as that. But still, as to any predominant habit of sin, we shall be delivered from it, if we are truly upright before God ; and shall be enabled to say with David, " I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue : I will keep my mouth with a bridle," when most tempted and provoked to speak unadvisedly with my lipsd.]
From hence we can be at no loss to determine,
II. The state of those in whom its appropriate influ- ence is not found —
The declaration in our text may be accounted harsh ; and particularly as made to persons who were considered as eminent in the Church of Christ. But it is true ; and must be delivered, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear. Mark,
1. What is here supposed —
[It is supposed that a man may seem to others to be reli- gious, and may be fully persuaded in his own mind that he is so ; and yet have so little government of his tongue, as to prove that he deceives his own heart, and that his religion is vain. And is this a supposition that is not warranted in fact ? Would to God it were so ! but he can know very little of the Chris- tian world, divided as it is into innumerable sects and parties,
a 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. h Matt. xii. 34.
c Jam. iii. 7, 8. d Ps. xxxix. 1.