The Duty of Hearers; Practical Religion. A. D. 61.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,
he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he
beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner
of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and
continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the
work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem
to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart,
this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God
and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,
and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
In this part of the chapter we are required,
I. To restrain the workings of passion. This lesson we should learn
under afflictions; and this we shall learn if we are indeed begotten again
by the word of truth. For thus the connection stands--An angry and hasty
spirit is soon provoked to ill things by afflictions, and errors and ill
opinions become prevalent through the workings of our own vile and vain
affections; but the renewing grace of God and the word of the gospel teach
us to subdue these: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift
to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, v. 19. This may refer, 1. To the
word of truth spoken of in the verse foregoing. And so we may observe,
It is our duty rather to hear God's word, and apply our minds to understand
it, than to speak according to our own fancies or the opinions of men,
and to run into heat and passion thereupon. Let not such errors as that
of God's being the occasion of men's sin ever be hastily, much less angrily,
mentioned by you (and so as to other errors); but be ready to hear and
consider what God's word teaches in all such cases. 2. This may be applied
to the afflictions and temptations spoken of in the beginning of the chapter.
And then we may observe, It is our duty rather to hear how God explains
his providences, and what he designs by the, than to say as David did in
his haste, I am cut off; or as Jonah did in his passion, I do well to be
angry. Instead of censuring God under our trials, let us open our ears
and hearts to hear what he will say to us. 3. This may be understood as
referring to the disputes and differences that Christians, in those times
of trial, were running into among themselves: and so this part of the chapter
may be considered without any connection with what goes before. Here we
may observe that, whenever matters of difference arise among Christians,
each side should be willing to hear the other. People are often stiff in
their own opinions because they are not willing to hear what others have
to offer against them: whereas we should be swift to hear reason and truth
on all sides, and be slow to speak any thing that should prevent this:
and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath; for a soft answer
turneth away wrath. As this epistle is designed to correct a variety of
disorders that existed among Christians, these words, swift to hear, slow
to speak, slow to wrath, may be very well interpreted according to this
last explication. And we may further observe from them that, if men would
govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. When Moses's spirit
was provoked, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. If we would be slow to
speak, we must be slow to wrath.
II. A very good reason is given for suppressing: For the wrath of man
worketh not the righteousness of God, v. 20. It is as if the apostle had
said, "Whereas men often pretend zeal for God and his glory, in their heat
and passion, let them know that God needs not the passions of any man;
his cause is better served by mildness and meekness than by wrath and fury."
Solomon says, The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the cry
of him that ruleth among fools, Eccl. ix. 17. Dr. Manton here says of some
assemblies, "That if we were as swift to hear as we are ready to speak
there would be less of wrath, and more of profit, in our meetings. I remember
when a Manichee contested with Augustine, and with importunate clamour
cried, Hear me! hear me! the father modestly replied, Nec ego te, nec tu
me, sed ambo audiamus apostolum--Neither let me hear thee, nor do thou
hear me, but let us both hear the apostle." The worst thing we can bring
to a religious controversy is anger. This, however it may pretend to be
raised by a concern for what is just and right, is not to be trusted. Wrath
is a human thing, and the wrath of man stands opposed to the righteousness
of God. Those who pretend to serve the cause of God hereby show that they
are acquainted neither with God or his cause. This passion must especially
be watched against when we are hearing the word of God. See 1 Pet. ii.
1, 2.
III. We are called upon to suppress other corrupt affections, as well
as rash anger: Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,
v. 21. The word here translated filthiness signifies those lusts which
have the greatest turpitude and sensuality in them; and the words rendered
superfluity of naughtiness may be understood of the overflowings of malice
or any other spiritual wickednesses. Hereby we are taught, as Christians,
to watch against, and lay aside, not only those more gross and fleshly
dispositions and affections which denominate a person filthy, but all the
disorders of a corrupt heart, which would prejudice it against the word
and ways of God. Observe, 1. Sin is a defiling thing; it is called filthiness
itself. 2. There is abundance of that which is evil in us, to be watched
against; there is superfluity of naughtiness. 3. It is not enough to restrain
evil affections, but they must be cast from us, or laid apart. Isa. xxx.
22, Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say, Get
you hence. 4. This must extend not only to outward sins, and greater abominations,
but to all sin of thought and affection as well as speech and practice;
pasan rhyparian--all filthiness, every thing that is corrupt and sinful.
5. Observe, from the foregoing parts of this chapter, the laying aside
of all filthiness is what a time of temptation and affliction calls for,
and is necessary to the avoiding of error, and the right receiving and
improving of the word of truth: for,
IV. We are here fully, though briefly, instructed concerning hearing
the word of God.
1. We are required to prepare ourselves for it (v. 21), to get rid of
every corrupt affection and of every prejudice and prepossession, and to
lay aside those sins which pervert the judgment and blind the mind. All
the filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, before explained, must,
in an especial manner, be subdued and cast off, by all such as attend on
the word of the gospel.
2. We are directed how to hear it: Receive with meekness the engrafted
word, which is able to save your souls. (1.) In hearing the word of God,
we are to receive it--assent to the truths of it--consent to the laws of
it; receive it as the stock does the graft; so as that the fruit which
is produced may be, not according to the nature of the sour stock, but
according to the nature of that word of the gospel which is engrafted into
our souls. (2.) We must therefore yield ourselves to the word of God, with
most submissive, humble, and tractable tempers: this is to receive it with
meekness. Being willing to hear of our faults, and taking it not only patiently,
but thankfully, desiring also to be molded and formed by the doctrines
and precepts of the gospel. (3.) In all our hearing we should aim at the
salvation of our souls. It is the design of the word of God to make us
wise to salvation; and those who propose any meaner or lower ends to themselves
in attending upon it dishonour the gospel and disappoint their souls. We
should come to the word of God (both to read it and hear it), as those
who know it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth,
Rom. i. 16.
3. We are taught what is to be done after hearing (v. 22): But be you
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Observe
here, (1.) Hearing is in order to doing; the most attentive and the most
frequent hearing of the word of God will not avail us, unless we be also
doers of it. If we were to hear a sermon every day of the week, and an
angel from heaven were the preacher, yet, if we rested in bare hearing,
it would never bring us to heaven. Therefore the apostle insists much upon
it (and, without doubt, it is indispensably necessary) that we practice
what we hear. "There must be inward practice by meditation, and outward
practice in true obedience." Baxter. It is not enough to remember what
we hear, and to be able to repeat it, and to give testimony to it, and
commend it, and write it, and preserve what we have written; that which
all this is in order to, and which crowns the rest, is that we be doers
of the word. Observe, (2.) Bare hearers are self-deceivers; the original
word, paralogizomenoi, signifies men's arguing sophistically to themselves;
their reasoning is manifestly deceitful and false when they would make
one part of their work discharge them from the obligation they lie under
to another, or persuade themselves that filling their heads with notions
is sufficient, though their hearts be empty of good affections and resolutions,
and their lives fruitless of good works. Self-deceit will be found the
worst deceit at last.
4. The apostle shows what is the proper use of the word of God, who
they are that do not use it as they ought, and who they are that do make
a right use of it, v. 23-25. Let us consider each of these distinctly.
(1.) The use we are to make of God's word may be learnt from its being
compared to a glass, in which a man may behold his natural face. As a looking-glass
shows us the spots and defilements upon our faces, that they may be remedied
and washed off, so the word of God shows us our sins, that we may repent
of them and get them pardoned; it shows us what is amiss, that it may be
amended. There are glasses that will flatter people; but that which is
truly the word of God is no flattering glass. If you flatter yourselves,
it is your own fault; the truth, as it is in Jesus, flatters no man. Let
the word of truth be carefully attended to, and it will set before you
the corruption of your nature, the disorders of your hearts and lives;
it will tell you plainly what you are. Paul describes himself as in sensible
of the corruption of his nature till he saw himself in the glass of the
law (Rom. vii. 9): "I was alive without the law; that is, I took all to
be right with me, and thought myself not only clean, but, compared with
the generality of the world, beautiful too; but when the commandment came,
when the glass of the law was set before me, then sin revived, and I died--then
I saw my spots and deformities, and discovered that amiss in myself which
before I was not aware of; and such was the power of the law, and of sin,
that I then perceived myself in a state of death and condemnation." Thus,
when we attend to the word of God, so as to see ourselves, our true state
and condition, to rectify what is amiss, and to form and dress ourselves
anew by the glass of God's word, this is to make a proper use of it. (2.)
We have here an account of those who do not use this glass of the word
as they ought: He that beholds himself, and goes his way, and straightway
forgets what manner of man he was, v. 24. This is the true description
of one who hears the word of God and does it not. How many are there who,
when they sit under the word, are affected with their own sinfulness, misery,
and danger, acknowledge the evil of sin, and their need of Christ; but,
when their hearing is over, all is forgotten, convictions are lost, good
affections vanish, and pass away like the waters of a land-flood: he straightway
forgets. "The word of God (as Dr. Manton speaks) discovers how we may do
away our sins, and deck and attire our souls with the righteousness of
Jesus Christ. Maculæ sunt peccata, quæ ostendit lex; aqua est
sanguis Christi, quem ostendit evangelium--Our sins are the spots which
the law discovers; Christ's blood is the laver which the gospel shows."
But in vain do we hear God's word, and look into the gospel glass, if we
go away, and forget our spots, instead of washing them off, and forget
our remedy, instead of applying to it. This is the case of those who do
not hear the word as they ought. (3.) Those also are described, and pronounced
blessed, who hear aright, and who use the glass of God's word as they should
do (v. 25): Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
therein, &c. Observe here, [1.] The gospel is a law of liberty, or,
as Mr. Baxter expresses it, of liberation, giving us deliverance from the
Jewish law, and from sin and guilt, and wrath and death. The ceremonial
law was a yoke of bondage; the gospel of Christ is a law of liberty. [2.]
It is a perfect law; nothing can be added to it. [3.] In hearing the word,
we look into this perfect law; we consult it for counsel and direction;
we look into it, that we may thence take our measures. [4.] Then only do
we look into the law of liberty as we should when we continue therein--"when
we dwell in the study of it, till it turn to a spiritual life, engrafted
and digested in us" (Baxter)--when we are not forgetful of it, but practice
it as our work and business, set it always before our eyes, and make it
the constant rule of our conversation and behaviour, and model the temper
of our minds by it. [5.] Those who thus do, and continue in the law and
word of God, are, and shall be, blessed in their deed; blessed in all their
ways, according to the first psalm, to which, some think, James here alludes.
He that meditates in the law of God, and walks according to it, the psalmist
says, shall prosper in whatsoever he does. And he that is not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work which God's word sets him about, James says,
shall be blessed. The papists pretend that here we have a clear text to
prove we are blessed for our good deeds; but Dr. Manton, in answer to that
pretence, puts the reader upon marking the distinctness of scripture-phrase.
The apostle does not say, for his deeds, that any man is blessed, but in
his deed. This is a way in which we shall certainly find blessedness, but
not the cause of it. This blessedness does not lie in knowing, but in doing
the will of God. John xiii. 17, If you know these things, happy are you
if you do them. It is not talking, but walking, that will bring us to heaven.
V. The apostle next informs us how we may distinguish between a vain
religion and that which is pure and approved of God. Great and hot disputes
there are in the world about this matter: what religion is false and vain,
and what is true and pure. I wish men would agree to let the holy scripture
in this place determine the question: and here it is plainly and peremptorily
declared,
1. What is a vain religion: If any man among you seemeth to be religious,
and bridleth not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion
is vain. Here are three things to be observed:-- (1.) In a vain religion
there is much of show, and affecting to seem religious in the eyes of others.
This, I think, is mentioned in a manner that should fix our thoughts on
the word seemeth. When men are more concerned to seem religious than really
to be so, it is a sign that their religion is but vain. Not that religion
itself is a vain thing (those do it a great deal of injustice who say,
It is in vain to serve the Lord), but it is possible for people to make
it a vain thing, if they have only a form of godliness, and not the power.
(2.) In a vain religion there is much censuring, reviling, and detracting
of others. The not bridling the tongue here is chiefly meant of not abstaining
from these evils of the tongue. When we hear people ready to speak of the
faults of others, or to censure them as holding scandalous errors, or to
lessen the wisdom and piety of those about them, that they themselves may
seem the wiser and better, this is a sign that they have but a vain religion.
The man who has a detracting tongue cannot have a truly humble gracious
heart. He who delights to injure his neighbour in vain pretends to love
God; therefore a reviling tongue will prove a man a hypocrite. Censuring
is a pleasing sin, extremely complaint with nature, and therefore evinces
a man's being in a natural state. These sins of the tongue were the great
sins of that age in which James wrote (as other parts of this epistle fully
show); and it is a strong sing of a vain religion (says Dr. Manton) to
be carried away with the evil of the times. This has ever been a leading
sin with hypocrites, that the more ambitious they have been to seem well
themselves the more free they have been in censuring and running down others;
and there is such quick intercourse between the tongue and the heart that
the one may be known by the other. On these accounts it is that the apostle
has made an ungoverned tongue an undoubted certain proof of a vain religion.
There is no strength nor power in that religion which will not enable a
man to bridle his tongue. (3.) In a vain religion a man deceives his own
heart; he goes on in such a course of detracting from others, and making
himself seem somebody, that at last the vanity of his religion is consummated
by the deceiving of his own soul. When once religion comes to be a vain
thing, how great is the vanity!
2. It is here plainly and peremptorily declared wherein true religion
consists: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this,
v. 27. Observe, (1.) It is the glory of religion to be pure and undefiled;
not mixed with the inventions of men nor with the corruption of the world.
False religions may be known by their impurity and uncharitableness; according
to that of John, He that doeth not righteousness is not of God neither
he that loveth not his brother, 1 John iii. 10. But, on the other hand,
a holy life and a charitable heart show a true religion. Our religion is
not (says Dr. Manton) adorned with ceremonies, but purity and charity.
And it is a good observation of his that a religion which is pure should
be kept undefiled. (2.) That religion is pure and undefiled which is so
before God and the Father. That is right which is so in God's eye, and
which chiefly aims at his approbation. True religion teaches us to do every
thing as in the presence of God; and to seek his favour, and study to please
him in all our actions. (3.) Compassion and charity to the poor and distressed
from a very great and necessary part of true religion: Visiting the fatherless
and widow in their affliction. Visiting is here put for all manner of relief
which we are capable of giving to others; and fatherless and widows are
here particularly mentioned, because they are generally most apt to be
neglected or oppressed: but by them we are to understand all who are proper
objects of charity, all who are in affliction. It is very remarkable that
if the sum of religion be drawn up to two articles this is one--to be charitable
and relieve the afflicted. Observe, (4.) An unspotted life must accompany
an unfeigned love and charity: To keep himself unspotted from the world.
The world is apt to spot and blemish the soul, and it is hard to live in
it, and have to do with it, and not be defiled; but this must be our constant
endeavour. Herein consists pure and undefiled religion. The very things
of the world too much taint our spirits, if we are much conversant with
them; but the sins and lusts of the world deface and defile them very woefully
indeed. John comprises all that is in the world, which we are not to love,
under three heads: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life; and to keep ourselves unspotted from all these is to keep
ourselves unspotted from the world. May God by his grace keep both our
hearts and lives clean from the love of the world, and from the temptations
of wicked worldly men.
