02.03. Chapter 3 - Verse 16
James 3:16. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work.
He proveth that such devilish wisdom as serveth envy and strife cannot be good wisdom, for it bringeth forth quite contrary effects; that is for holiness and meekness, this is for confusion and profaneness. The sentence may be understood either in a public or private reference.
First, In a private reference; and then the sense is, that in what heart soever envy and contention reigneth, there is also great disorder and wickedness; and then the note is:—
Obs. That an envious and contentious spirit is an unquiet and wicked spirit. (1.) It is an unquiet and disorderly spirit: ‘Envy is the rottenness of the bones;’ nothing more discomposeth the mind. The contentment and felicity of others proveth our sorrow. An envious man is his own Achan, the worst sort of cannibal, that not only troubleth, but ‘eateth his own flesh,’ Proverbs 11:17. (2.) An envious spirit is a wicked spirit: there is no wickedness but they will undertake and accomplish it; it is a raging passion, that putteth men upon sad inconveniences. We gave you a catalogue of the fruits of it before. The devil worketh upon nothing so much as envy and discontent: such a spirit is fit for Satan’s lure. Well, then, look to the first stirrings of it, and check it as soon as the soul beginneth to look sour upon another’s happiness and advancement; you do not know how far the devil may carry you. The first instances that we have of sin are Adam’s pride and Cain’s envy: the first man was undone by pride, and the second debauched by envy. The whole world, though otherwise empty of men, could not contain two brothers when one was envied. Pride gave us the first merit of death, and envy the first instance of it; the one was the mother, the other the midwife of human ruin. Adam was a sinner, but Cain a murderer; there envy tasted blood, and ever since it is glutted with it. Cain’s envy tasted the blood of Abel, but Saul’s thirsted for David’s, and Joab’s gorged itself with that of Abner and Amasa. And still, if the severity of laws restrain it from blood, it pineth if it be not fed with injury.
Secondly, It may be understood in a public sense, that among such a people, where envy and strife reigneth, there will be confusions, and tumults, and seditions, and all licentiousness. Strife followeth envy, and sedition followeth strife, and all manner of wickedness is the fruit of sedition.
Obs. 1. That where envy and strife is, there will be tumults and confusions. Ill affections divide as much as ill opinions. Lust is the great makebait. An envious proud spirit may undo a commonwealth. Look to your hearts then; it is a sad thing to be the plague and pests of your country: if you would not be noted with such a black coal, mortify your vile affections. We learn hence, also, that religion is a friend to civil peace; it striketh not only at disorder in the life, but lusts in the heart, at envy and pride, the privy roots of contention. Why should the world hate it? It represented a God who is ‘the God of peace, and not of confusion,’ 1 Corinthians 14:33. It holdeth forth a gospel that is ‘the gospel of peace,’ Acts 10:36. It establisheth a wisdom which prescribeth all ways of peace, Hebrews 12:14; Romans 12:18. It increaseth the number of the godly, who do best in any community; mortified spirits are most peaceable. Pride, envy, self-seeking, hurry others into confusions, and they shake all to serve their own lusts and interests.
Obs. 2. Through confusion and contention every evil work aboundeth. Wickedness then taketh heart and courage, and acteth without restraint. This day is this scripture fulfilled before our eyes; we need no other comment but our own experience. Envy maketh us quarrel one with another, and quarrelling openeth a gap to all looseness. Never had the devil such a harvest in England as since these unhappy differences; one party debauching the country with vice, another poisoning it with error. Christ hath got some ground indeed; but when shall the dregs of the war be purged out? Thus usually it is; in the midst of contentions laws are silent, religion loseth its awe, and then men do what is right in their own eyes. There cannot be a better argument than experience to make us see the benefit of public order and peace.