CHAP·3· t~pontheEpiftleof ]AM E s. . V11RS.6. 365' :r,~ood work. Phi/pot [aid,The Martyrs had~ndied[Hcha light } in Enghmd, M foqH/d not eajiJ go out., ,.. ' ¥erfe.6. Anathetsnguds4fire, a\Vorldofiniquity: foi4 ih-e tongue among the members,. th~et it dtftleth the whole hotly, anafitttth OH jir.e the.CoHr{e ofmttHre, ana it is [et on fire ofhell•. Here beapplie.th the fimilitnde of a littlefire to an evil tongue; And t'he tongtu iJ ~t fire,&c. I £hall open the phrafes that are moft difficult. A Wor/dQf iniquity,] :Things that ~re exuberant and abound~ ing, are expre!fedby this proverbial fpeech, a W-orld: It implieth) that the force and power of the tongue eo hurt is very great; . as . the world is full of all kindof things, fo the tongue of all kiildof" fin.. ' · . So is the tongue ameng the membtrs,] That is, of fo great re– gard; ,ds but one,and that a (mall member among therefl:, and yet t of fuch acurfed influence, tha~ it often draweth guilt upon allthe reil of the members. · Th11t it defilcth thewhole bo-dy,J ,Ephraim Syrm nnderfiandeth · this claufe wichont ·a figure; he thinketh 'cis _an ·allufion to the pu– nilhment ofLeprofie,with which Miriamand Aaro?~were fmiccen for the abufe of their tongues : But that agreeth norwith this pl~ce. The meaning is.therefore, it blotteth ~nd infeCl:eth the whole man . with,fin and guilt, and fo poffibly there may be an allufion to what is·faid Ecclef. 5..6. Snjfer not thy .mouth to caufe thy jfefh to fin. I Where by flefh is meant the wh9/e maH; as alfo,here by body·: which term the Apoftlc ufedbefore, Verf.3. and with good advice .. . 1. Becaufe he fpeakcch of the tongue, which is amember of the boi dy,and fo the, rather carrieth the expreffion in terms fuitable. 2. Be– caufe fin, , th.ough it beginneth in the Soul, is executed and accoln– plilhed by the body ; and 'tis fome grace, when we ~annat fiop it . in the concupi{ciblc, to.fiop it in the locomotive power; ifnot in ) _ the luft, yet in the mnnbers. Or 3· 13ody, becaufe of chatrefem– blance the Scriptures make between the fms ofall--the members, and a body .; and therefore the conrfe of our actionSj• whether good or bad,are expre[ed by thisterm ; as Mat.6. "22.-"'he light ofthe bo- } J.J is the eye; and therefore if,tiJe qe hefing~e, the wbole body iJ Aaa 3 fnll
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