The Pulpit Commentary — James — Section 59

know this e.leo from your experience? Let loose the word, and you have let loose the feeling; conquer the word, and you have conquered the feeling. So, then, the illustra- tions: the bridle, the helm. And the tongue, a little member, boasteth great things. 2. For harm. (Vere. 5-8.) The remarks under this head have been partly anticipated above. Let loose the word, and you have let loose the passions. An unbridled tongue ie an unbridled nature. Unchecked speech ie unchecked wickedness. Yee; the activities of the man and the interior impulses are alike let loose for harm if the tongue be uncontrolled. Illustrations: fire among wood. So the "world of iniquity," defiling the body, setting on fire the wheel of nature, and itself set on fire of hell I And then? Tame the tongue, and tame the nature, who may I Even ravenous and noxious creatures are not untame.ble as that is ; a restless evil ; full of deadly poison. So the psalmist (cxl. 3). And your experience? A subtle, insinuating poison, which works its way into your whole nature, and infects all social joy. II. 'l'HE INCONSISTENCY OF UNBRIDLED SPEECH. Picture their quarrelsome assemblies again: their invectives against one another, their common virulence towards the Gentile Christian Churches. And withal hymns to God I That is, hate and love in the same heart together, and all essentially towards God himself (ver. 9) I The inconsistency (ver. 10). So illustrations: fountain, tree ( vers. 11, 12). These contrarieties, impos- sible in nature, oan exist in us I And yet in truth they cannot. For ours is one nature. Can salt water yield fresh (ver. 12)? Neither can a cursing nature bless, or a. hating nature love. And so our very praise is vitiated, and our worship becomes blasphemy. Oh, what are our dangers daily in this matter of speech ! And perhaps, to shun them, we say we will hold our peace, even from good (Ps. xxxi.x.). Nay, but we must rather learn of him who was meelt and lowly in heart. And so our speech shall be pure as his was, and our turbulent nature shall find rest.-T. F. L. Vere. 13-18.-Wiadom, true and false. The temptation to be "teachers" (ver. 1) arose from the notion that they possessed wisdom. How shall they show this wisdom, how shall they even use it, if they may not teach? The life is to be at once the practice and the manifestation of a wisdom that is true (ver. 13). James here reverts to his earlier theme (eh. i. 6); and we have for our consideration-The false wisdom and the true, in their origin, nature, and fruits. I. THE F ALBE WISDOM. 1. What was the nature of the false wisdom which prompted them to much speaking P It was nothing other than the spirit of faction and jea.lousy--competing with one another for precedence; envying one another. And this was a lying against the truth ! What truth? Their brotherhood in Christ, and the love which such brotherhood required. Such false wisdom was: (1) Earthly : it pertained altogether to the corrupt ways of this world. (2) Sensual: it was prompted, not by the spirit which God had ma.de his home, but by the passions (see critical notes). (3) Devilish: they were as demoniacs, in their ungoverned rage and wild clamouringa. 2. What were thefruiu of such wisdom as this 1 "Confusion." Think of their assemblies, with the wrangling, cursing, and swearing I so also confusion in all the relations of social life. '' And e'l'ery vile deed;" for what would not men descend to, to further their base, party aims? 3. What was the origin of such. wisdom P "Not from above:" no, indeed, but rather "set on fire of hell" I II. THE TRUE WISDOM. 1. Its nature. "First pure : " for at any cost, even at the cost of peaceableness, e. Christian must be true. So Christ, even though it involved the " woes" of Matt. xxiii. ; even though it involved the cross I And his followers likewise (Matt. x, 34). "Then peaceable," as against the jarrings and discords of the false wisdom; "gentle," as against fact.ion and jealousy; "easy to be entreated," as against the sullen resentments shown by those who imagine themselves to be offended; "with- out variance," i.e. fickleness of purpose; and "without hypocrisy," to which double- mindedness so easily leads. 2. Its fruits. Peace, as opposed to confusion; and thtJ good fruits of mercy, e.s opposed to vile deeds. 3. It.~ origin. "From above:" yes, 1rom the l!'ather of lightl! (eh. i.17). So the tongues of fire (Acts il. 3). Who is a wise ruan? Alas, who I Ilut let u~ ask of God, who giveth liberally; remembering that " he that winneth souls is wise," and that "they that be wise shall shine as the brightnee3 of the firmament, r,nd , .• as the stars for ever and ever" (Prov. 1i, 80; Dan, xii. 3),-'l'. F. L.  THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAM!l:S, [ctr, l\', 1-11,