James 4:17

Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, &c.— "Perhaps some of you, who so much value yourselves for your uncommon wisdom and knowledge, may object and say, These are plain obvious truths, and what we knew so well before, that there was no occasion to speak of them. But, in answer to such an objection, I would observe, that I have now carefully put you in mind of these things; and therefore, if you do not practise accordingly, you will be the more criminal. For he who knows what is good and excellent, and at the same time does not practise accordingly, his sin is aggravated, and his punishment will be the greater." See Matthew 11:20; Matthew 11:30. Luke 12:47. John 9:41; John 13:17; John 15:22; John 15:24.

Inferences.—Alas! What dreadful work do the lusts of pride, covetousness, and envy make in the world! Hence proceed wars, and all manner of discords that are destructive to civil and religious society, and to a man's own soul: they carry him into wicked desires and attempts, which can turn to no good account; and either make him cast off prayer, or pervert its ends in asking temporal advantages, that he may gratify his own corruptions, instead of glorifying God and doing good with them. No wonder that such carnal prayers are not answered.—O what an enemy to God, what an adulterous disaffection to him in professors of his name, is an excessive fondness for any thing of this world! How justly does the scripture condemn this sensual temper, which naturally works in man! And how contrary is it to the suggestions and influences of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in true believers, and freely gives grace, with all needful increases of it, to humble souls; but rejects the proud with abhorrence and disdain! How unsuitable to our creaturely dependance and Christian character is it, to form and prosecute schemes for this world, without a religious sense of, and dependance on the providence of God; as if our times and the success of our affairs lay in our own hands, though life itself is but as a vapour that soon vanishes away! Surely every thing ought to be undertaken with an eye to God, and submission to his will. A contrary way of thinking and talking is a vain-glorious boast, dishonourable to God, and injurious to ourselves and others. It is indeed a scandal to the Christian name, that all or any of the forementioned impieties should be found among gospel professors; and it is a high aggravation of their sin to go against the light of their own consciences in practising them. O how earnest should we be in our addresses to God for his grace, to enable us to submit to his commanding and disposing will, and in bewailing our iniquities, and humbling ourselves before him for them! And what encouragement have we, in this way, to hope for his reviving presence and liftings up! And if, in a dependance on divine strength, we resist the temptations of the devil, he will find us too hard for him, and flee, like a conquered enemy, before us. But how cautious should we be, never to imitate his temper, and give him an advantage over us, by slandering, censuring, and condemning our Christian brethren for little things, or things that may be allowable in them! This is to set up for judges, instead of obeyers of the law; and is a violation of its requirements to love them as ourselves; yea, is an invasion of God's prerogative, who alone is able effectually to vindicate its authority: O may it be unto our salvation, and not to our destruction!

REFLECTIONS.—1st, Inordinate desire after earthly things, is the usual ground of contention; against this therefore the apostle warns them.

1. He ascribes to this the wars or contentions which then were notorious among them. From whence come wars and fightings among you? which some suppose has reference to the many seditions of the Jewish people against the Roman government; but rather refers to the contentions of law-suits which were maintained by those who made a profession of Christianity, and which were so unbecoming the name they bore; come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Yes: to the pride and covetousness of your hearts do these owe their origin, and tend to the ruin of religion, and the peace of the church, provoking God to withdraw his Spirit from you. Ye lust, and long to gratify your criminal passions, and have not what you grasp after: ye kill, impatient to inherit, and wishing those dead whom you expect to succeed; and desire to have, grasping covetously after abundance, and cannot obtain; disappointment blasts your pursuits: ye fight and war, contending fiercely for superiority, wealth, and victory; yet ye have not, your schemes and designs are defeated, because ye ask not, neglecting to seek counsel of God in your enterprizes, and not desiring his direction and blessing. And ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss: neither praying for right things, nor with a right view, but eager after earthly gain; that ye may consume it upon your lusts, not to employ it for God's glory and the good of mankind. Note; (1.) Nothing is more contrary to the spirit of Christianity, than covetousness and fierce disputes. (2.) They who do not seek God's blessing, justly meet with disappointment in one way or other in all their enterprizes. (3.) To ask amiss is as bad as not to ask at all; nor may we expect an answer to those prayers which worldly-mindedness and selfishness, not God's glory, dictates.

2. He solemnly warns them against intimate connection with the world that lieth in wickedness. Ye adulterers and adulterers, whose affections are alienated from Christ, to whom ye were once espoused; know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? all undue attachment to the pleasures, interests, honours of the world, and delight in the company of the worldly-minded, are utterly inconsistent with fidelity to God, and real friendship with him; nay, are virtually a profession of enmity against him. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, and at all events is resolved to keep fair with the men of the world, he is, and must be, the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, in many passages describing the deadly corruption of the natural heart, The spirit that dwelleth in us, lusteth to envy? and, till renewed by grace, is ever with a longing eye regarding the superior prosperity and influence of others, and grasping after the like abundance: this spirit must therefore be mortified, or we must be condemned with the world.

3. He directs them how to overcome the world. But he, even God, giveth more grace than the world can give snares, and hath infinitely greater riches to bestow than this poor earth can proffer. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, who make flesh their arm, and place their happiness and confidence in worldly things, vain of their own wisdom, riches, or attainments; these he fights against, blasts their designs, and ruins their confidences: but he giveth grace unto the humble, who, sensible of their own wants and weakness, bow down at his feet for relief. Submit yourselves therefore to God, to his guidance and government, obedient to his will and word, resigned to his providence, and content with the portion which he allots you, whatever it be. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you, as a vanquished foe, unable to contend with those who have put on the whole armour of God, and appear resolved to fight manfully under Christ's banner. Draw nigh to God, in fervent prayer for help, and he will draw nigh to you, with comfort, strength, and salvation, in every time of need, and will make you more than conquerors.

4. He exhorts them to put away every evil thing, and with real penitence to return to God. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, in the atoning blood of Jesus, that you may lift them up with acceptance before the throne of grace; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded, from pride, envy, covetousness, and hypocrisy; seeking that grace which can alone be effectual for this blessed purpose. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep over the deep corruption and sinfulness of your hearts, and under a sense of your past grievous departures from God. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness, ashamed and confounded at your past baseness, ingratitude, and unfaithfulness to a dying Redeemer. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, acknowledging your vileness, and imploring his pardoning grace and help; and he shall lift you up with the arms of his love, and recover you from your backslidings, and restore you to his favour. Note; (1.) They who would find acceptance with God must approach him as cleansed, or desiring to be cleansed, with atoning blood, and without hypocrisy desiring indeed to be received into the arms of his mercy. (2.) They who have unfaithfully departed from God, need with shame, remorse, and mourning, return to him, humbling their souls before him, that he may lift them up. (3.) None perish, who cast themselves at the footstool of divine mercy, and continue to cleave to the Divine Redeemer: it is God's delight to revive the spirit of the humble, and to heal the broken-hearted.

2nd, The former subject is resumed, concerning the right government of the tongue; and we are,
1. Warned against all reviling and rash censure. Speak not evil one of another, brethren; inventing falsehoods, exposing the infirmities, publishing the failings, divulging the secrets, aggravating the offences, or detracting from the excellencies, one of another. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, in things which God hath left indifferent, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; arraigning the wisdom, equity, and goodness of the Lawgiver, as if he permitted what he ought to condemn: but if thou arrogantly judge the law, and pretend to decide what is fit to be enjoined, and what not, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy; invested with supreme authority to enact laws, able to reward the faithful, and punish the disobedient. This is his prerogative; to invade it, is the highest insolence. Who art thou, a poor, despicable, perishing worm, that judgest another, and darest thus to usurp the throne of God? Note; (1.) Where we cannot in conscience speak well of a person, it is our duty at least to be silent. (2.) Since God hath reserved for himself to determine concerning men's everlasting state, and has given us his law as our only rule of duty, it becomes us to make nothing sin, which he has not declared to be evil; nor ought we to erect another court of judicature over our brethren, where men's opinions, not the word of God, are to decide.

2. He inculcates constant dependance upon divine Providence. Go to now, ye who forget your entire dependance upon God's disposal of you, and that say, with self-sufficiency and disregard of him, To-day or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy, and sell, and get gain; as if your time, and the success of your enterprizes, were in your own hands, and dependent upon your own wisdom and diligence. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow, or whether you shall live to the rising of another sun. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away; so fleeting, so transitory is it, and every hour in jeopardy; the consideration of which should teach you to speak less confidently. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that; adding this humble proviso, and owning your dependance for life, ability, or success in every enterprize, upon him, in whose hands your breath is, and whose are all your ways. But now ye rejoice in your boastings, and talk as if you were ceasing to be creatures under the care and keeping of your great Creator. All such rejoicing in your own self-sufficiency is evil, very offensive to God, and bringing great guilt upon your souls. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin; highly aggravated, as he wilfully opposes the dictates of his own conscience, and treasures up wrath against the day of wrath. Note; (1.) In all our ways we should consider God, and in every undertaking beg his blessing, and commit ourselves to his guidance. (2.) When we know better, and do worse, we are most inexcusable, and shall lie down under peculiar condemnation.