02.03. Chapter 3 - Verse 05

James 3:5. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things: behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

Even so the tongue is a little member.—Here is the reddition of the similitude; the tongue is a bridle and rudder, small in bulk, and yet of great use. The apostle’s word is μεγαλαυχεῖ, ‘boasteth great things;’ this indeed is the proper signification of the word. By the force of the context James should have said, ‘doth great things;’ for the thing to be proved was, that he that can govern his tongue is able to govern his whole body. To take off the prejudice that might arise against such a proposition, he produceth two similitudes, wherein he would insinuate that things little by good management may be of great use; and thereupon, in the accommodation of the similitudes to the present purpose, he should have inferred that the little member the tongue, well ordered, can do great things; that is, the government of it is of singular use in man’s life. But he rather, and that according to the use of the apostles, repeateth the main proposition in such terms as imply another argument. ‘And boasteth great things:’ as if he had said, The tongue witnesseth for itself; for by it men trumpet out their confidences and presumptions, and boast they can bring great things to pass. And he instanceth in boasting, not only as most accommodate to his matter, but—(1.) Because it is the usual sin of the tongue; this is a member that most of all serveth pride, a sin from whence most of the errors and miscarriages of the tongue proceed. (2.) Because this is usually the sin of those that have no command of their spirits and actions. Hypocrites and vain men are proud boasters. ‘Flattering lips,’ and ‘the tongue that speaketh proud things,’ are joined together, Psalms 12:3. So Proverbs 14:3, ‘In the mouth of the foolish is the rod of pride.’ True grace humbleth, false puffeth up.

Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth.—Another similitude, to show that great inconveniences come from the abuse of so small a member. A man would think that words, that pass away with the breath in which they are uttered, had not such a weight and deadly influence; but, saith the apostle, a little fire kindleth much wood. Small things are not to be neglected in nature, art, religion, or providence. In nature, matters of moment grow up from small beginnings. Nature loveth to have the cause and seed of everything small: a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; thin exhalations descend in great showers; small breaches in a sea-bank let in great inundations, &c.

Notes out of this verse are these:—

Obs. 1. A usual sin of the tongue is boasting. Sometimes the pride of the heart shooteth out by the eyes; therefore we read of ‘haughty eyes,’ and ‘a proud look,’ Proverbs 6:17; but usually it is displayed in our speech. The tongue trumpeteth it out—(1.) In bold vaunts. Rabshakeh threatened he would make them ‘eat their own dung, and drink their own piss.’ So Isaiah 14:13, ‘I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit upon the mount of the congregation, on the sides of the north.’ He threateneth battle against God himself, and then against his people. See Hannah’s dissuasion, 1 Samuel 2:3, ‘Talk no more exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth,’ &c. (2.) In a proud ostentation of our own worth and excellency: ‘Is not this great Babel, which I have built?’ First we entertain our spirits with whispers of vanity and suppositions of applause; and then the rage of vainglory is so great, that we trumpet out our own shame. It is against reason that a man should be judge in his own cause. In the Olympic Games the wrestlers did not put the crowns upon their own heads; that which is lawful praise in another’s lips, in our own is but boasting. (3.) In contemptuous challenges of God and man. Of God: ‘Who is the God of the Hebrews, that I should let you go?’ and Psalms 12:4, ‘Our tongues are our own; who is lord over us?’ Of man: Daring, provoking speeches are recorded in the word. Solomon saith, Proverbs 18:6, ‘A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.’ Cartwright on that place instanceth in those forms of irritation or provocation, Do an’ thou durst, and, Thou sordid fellow; which he saith are as the alarum of war, and as drums to beat up to the battle. (4.) Bragging promises, as if they could achieve and accomplish great matters above the reach of their gifts and strength: ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil,’ &c., Exodus 15:1-27.

Obs. 2. Small things are to be regarded; and we must not consider matters in their beginning only, but progress, and ultimate issue. A little sin doth a great deal of mischief, and a little grace is of great efficacy: Ecclesiastes 10:13, ‘The beginning of a foolish man’s speech is foolishness, but the latter end is foolish madness.’ At first men toy, wrangle, for sport and pastime, but afterward, break out into furious passion, and so from folly go on to madness. Contention at first is but as a spark, but afterwards it being fomented and blown up by unsober spirits, it ‘devoureth the great deep,’ Amos 7:4, putteth whole kingdoms into combustion: Proverbs 17:14, ‘The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water,’ it is easy to open the sluices and let it out, but who can call the floods back again? Strife is sometimes compared to fire, sometimes to water; they are both unmerciful elements when once they are let loose: Proverbs 26:21, ‘A man given to strife is as fire to the coals:’ when the burning is once begun, it is easily propagated and continued. So heresy at first is inconsiderable, but it creepeth like a gangrene from one place to another, till it hath destroyed the whole body. Arius, a small Alexandrian spark, enkindled all the world in a flame.¹ So also providence beginneth great matters upon small occasions. Luther’s reformation was occasioned by opposing pardoners. Men begin to quarrel one with another about trifles; and God inferreth great mutations and changes of states and kingdoms.² The young men’s playing may prove bitterness in the issue, 2 Samuel 2:26. Christ’s kingdom at first was despised, a poor tender branch, a little stone crumbled from the mountains; but afterwards it ‘filled the whole earth,’ Daniel 2:35. Well, then, out of all this—(1.) Learn not to neglect evils that are small in their rise and original; resist sin betimes, Ephesians 4:27; give no place to Satan. You know not the utmost issue of Satan’s tyranny and encroachment. So for contention, neither meddle³ with it at all, or leave off betime. So for heresy; ‘take the little foxes,’ Song of Solomon 2:15. Watch over the first and most modest appearances of error: ‘I did not give place, not for an hour,’ saith the apostle, Galatians 2:5. (2.) Learn not to despise the low beginnings of providence and deliverance: there is a ‘day of small things,’ Zechariah 4:10. God useth to go on when he hath begun a good work. Philpot said, The martyrs had kindled such a light in England as should not easily go out.

¹ ‘In Alexandria una scintilla fuit, sed quia non statim oppressa est, totuna orbem ejus flamma populata est.’—Hieron.

² ‘Penes reges est inferre bellum; penes autem Deum terminare.’

³ Qu. ‘either meddle not’? ED.