Jam. iii. 6. The tongue is afire, a world of iniquity : so is the tongue among our members, that it defdetli the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature ; and it is set on fire of hell.
AMONGST the most important of all subjects must be reckoned the government of the tongue. The consideration of it is well calculated to convince the profane, to pluck off the mask from hypocrites, to humble the sincere, and to edify every description of persons. St. James, who intended his epistle as a corrective to the abuses that prevailed in the Chris- tian Church, insisted strongly upon this subject : and, in the words before us, has given us such a description of the tongue, as, if it had proceeded from any other than an inspired writer, would have been deemed a libel upon human nature. In order that the text may be fully understood, we shall shew,
I. The true character of the human tongue —
The Apostle tells us " it is a fire" —
[Fire, in its original formation, was intended for the good of man ; and, when subordinated to his wishes, is highly bene- ficial : but its tendency is to consume and to destroy. Thus the tongue was at first made for the Creator's praise ; but through the introduction of sin, that member, which was, and, if well used, yet is, the glory of mana, is become " an instru- ment of unrighteousness" and all iniquity.
Fire also, even the smallest spark, is capable of producing incalculable mischief; such mischief as it may not be in the power of man to repair. Thus also will one single motion of the tongue b. It may so irritate and inflame a man, as to change him instantly into a savage beast, or an incarnate devil : and, if the whole world should labour to remedy the evil, it would mock their endeavours.]
He further adds that it is " a world of iniquity" —
[There is not any sin whatever, which does not stand in the nearest connexion with the tongue, and employ it in its service. Search the long catalogue of sins against God ; then inspect those against our neighbour ; and, lastly, those against ourselves ; and there will not be found one, no, not one, that
has not the tongue as its principal allyc All iniquities
whatsoever centre in it, and are fulfilled by it : so justly is it called, " A world of iniquity."]
Its character will yet further appear by consider- ing*
a Ps. lvii. 8. b ver. 3, 4. c See Rom. iii. 13, 14.