ix. 1); he does not mean "This time I lie not," but that he always speaks the truth. Therefore our lips should utter Yea or Nay only when the matter is yea or nay; that is, our speech should be true, a testimony to be depended upon. If it is impossible always to attain this, because we may be mistaken, we should at least to the best of our ability be conscientious in our convictions. That which we do not certainly know, we should not so certainly testify; when we know not the yea or nay of the matter, we should qualify our utterance.

But the word of Christ and St James means still more We should say Yea or Nay, where yea or nay is the fact, or at least in our heart's thought concerning it; that is, indeed, not merely these two words, yet without useless superfluity of words in addition. Consequently, as much as in us lies, if necessity do not constrain, we should use a simple, short, striking character of discourse. How much force and emphasis is thrown away among us in the many words which we heap up to supply the place of this! We all use too many words, without necessity and to our hurt. Simple words are forcible; the command or prohibition is more likely to be heard if expressed in decisive and firm words. How often does the father, still oftener the mother, among you complain-I have told my child many times over, but he will not hear! But it is your fault, because you are accustomed to speak many times over; learn to speak once with effect. The soldiers of the centurion at Capernaum went or came because they heard the plain word of command— Go! Come! Do this! (Matt. viii. 9). So accustom yourselves to speak firmly and decisively. And this leads, finally, to the last point—Abide by your yea or nay, when once it has been spoken; let your speech be consistent and firm, not vacillating -first then nay, yea, in word or deed. Not that we would approve of or recommend that firmness of selfishness which knows only-What I have said, I have said! If your first yea or nay was precipitate, and if it would be sin to hold to it, then no sinful oath ought to bind us; otherwise Herod would have been obliged to slay John the Baptist for his oath's sake. But the great point is to speak nothing but what may be maintained, with reservation of circumstances which are in the power of God alone. So St Paul excuses himself, that God's own hindrance prevented him from keeping his promise to the Corin

thians: he had fully intended to keep it, and says-The things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea, yea, and nay, nay, at once? (2 Cor. i. 17).

Brethren, exercise yourselves diligently, through the Divine grace, in the sanctification of your words in the truth-that ye fall not into hypocrisy! So Luther read the text, and it gives a good sense-That ye do not, as the children of God, make yourselves partakers in the guilt of the hypocrisy, lying, insincerity, and falsity, from which in the world springs the multitude of unchecked words. But St James probably wroteThat ye may not fall into condemnation; that ye may not before God and man be responsible for unconsidered and idle words.

XXX.

PRAYING AND SINGING.

(Ch. v. 13.)

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

The beautiful and pregnant saying with which St James continues, speaks further of the right use of the tongue; yet he goes back at once to the heart, from the ground of which, as before men, so also before God, our speech should come in its sincerity and simplicity, according to the spirit of our mind. We say very properly that praying is the best and holiest use of our tongue; therefore St James opposes to its shameful misuse in vain swearing the sincere words of the heart. We are reminded of Luther's Catechism-that we should not "take the name of God without purpose, but call upon it in all our need, pray to it, worship it, and thank it." The whole clause gives us an answer to the question which might arise, why St James attributes prayer only to those who are afflicted. We observe, that he means especially the prayer of supplication, to which our word petition strictly corresponds. But the singing of

psalms is also prayer. It is even the loftiest, noblest prayer, in which we, needy and therefore selfish mortals, become like the angels, who have nothing to pray for on their own behalf, but praise God without intermission. Yea, should not and ought not every petition to pass over into thanksgiving, in its confident and joyful Amen? Is any merry? let him sing psalms:-let him not think that he has nothing to say to God because nothing now oppresses him, and he lacks nothing—as if God was a God only for times of need!

Further, let us very carefully look at the words, that we may rightly understand them, and not too literally press their letter. We may be afflicted without any external or especial distress, only through trial and exercise of heart; but we ought to be merry, or of good courage, even in the midst of trial, and count it pure joy to go through the discipline which our patience willingly accepts-without praying against it, or even at first finding it needful to pray for consolation and strength. Finally, we should always become joyful and of merry heart before God, even if we are not yet so; we should always continue and end with praise and thanksgiving what began with supplication and petition. And why not in some sense begin with it? Again, if our merry spirit does not spring from faith, if our peace and joy of heart is not sound and pure before God, then there would be far more need to pray against temptation, to supplicate for the spiritual gifts in which we are wanting. We see that St James does not forbid our inverting the words: If any man suffer, let him teach and encourage himself by songs of praise and thankfulness, that he may strengthen or obtain a good courage in trial. Is any merry? let him be very careful to be sure that his joy is sound, and pray to be defended from sinful joy. For in joy and sorrow our heart and mouth should be always directed only to God; even the merry singing of the joyous should be a singing of psalms, that is, a praying. This is the proper meaning of this beautiful saying, and makes it very like another-Pray without ceasing! (1 Thess. v. 17).

But, inasmuch as the praying of the afflicted is more familiar to us, and more frequently urged, let us turn our consideration especially now to the following clause concerning the psalmsinging of the merry. This is really the main thing which St. James intends; and he only presupposes the former, or lays it

as a foundation, in order to build upon it the word-But let not him who is not afflicted forget to speak to God in his heart. We shall hear further presently about the praying of the man in affliction; let us therefore dwell now only upon the text-Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

In the original this last is only a single word, which we cannot reproduce—Let him psalm, or praise, that is, his God. But, in order that we may thoroughly deal with this great saying, let us divide the word according to our translation, and ask first whether it might be said generally-Is any merry? let him sing! We answer, Assuredly; for the singing is necessarily included and recognised in the praise of psalms. That the joyful should sing, is as natural as that the afflicted should pray-rather, more natural. Song as the expression of cheerfulness is something universal in human nature; there were always, both in Israel and among all other nations, songs of joy. Hence it is constantly mentioned in the prophets, by whom joyous singing is used as a frequent figure, even as they threaten that God will take away the song of the bridegroom and the bride, and so forth. The singing of men is in itself good and noble. The same God who furnished the birds of heaven with the notes wherein they unconsciously praise their Creator, gave to man the power to sing. We all know how highly Luther, for example, estimated the gift and the art of song. Let him to whom it is granted, rejoice therein; let him who lacks it seek if possible to excite it, for it is a good gift of the Creator generally belonging to our human nature. Let our children learn to sing in the schools, even as they learn to read. Our fathers sang more in all the affairs of life than we do; our times are in this respect less fresh, and artless, and joyous. There are many among us who never sing except when adding their voices to the voice of the Church-and therefore they sing so badly there. Not that a harsh song from a good heart is unacceptable to God; but He should have our best. And as David in his day took care that there should be practised singers for the sanctuary, we also should make provision for the Church's service of song, that God may have in all respects a perfect offering. How gracious and lovely is the congregation, singing with the heart acceptable songs!

We will not, however, hasten on to this at once, but take one

sentence by its clauses. Is any merry? let him sing—but what? Ah, this gives us occasion to bring to mind much that is unprofitable! How miserably is noble music desecrated in the service of sin, so that the wood, or the metal, or the strings, might well mourn as creatures of God over their misuse! And how is glorious music perverted and desecrated upon the tongue of man, when it is prostituted to filthy songs? The dancing in old times around the golden calf was an abomination before God, and so is much that is like it among His people now. There are songs enough provided for the merry, which must be classed at least among those foolish jestings which in the saints so unworthily take the place of thanksgiving (Eph. v. 4). Of them Solomon's word holds good-It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man even to hear the song of fools (Eccles. vii. 5). And there are impure and shameful songs heard in our streets, by which a wicked spirit, roaring out of the inflamed throats of the debauched, pollutes even the days of the Lord in Christian communities! How ought such singers to be abashed and confounded, when they attempt to open the same lips in sacred songs before God! Christians, be on your guard continually against them, and take care to check in your children the faintest complacency in them. Further, there are so-called decent and reputable songs which express worldly joy in, it may be, a very refined manner, though they are altogether impure, unspiritual, contrary to God, and without Christ: they either altogether forget the Lord, or misuse His holy name; they spring from the lust of the flesh, from carnal and creaturely merriment; that is all that they can express, and to that they cannot fail more or less to allure. But all the joy of a Christian should be sanctified in God; natural joy is ever a dangerous thing, since the evil nature is so apt to mingle with it. Therefore, as we sanctify suffering by prayer, and banish the sadness of the heart by seeking the true consolation, so should we also means St James-retain and sanctify the merry spirit by holy song before God. All our joy should be with praise and thanksgiving in His presence.

How so then? Should we have in our lips only songs which expressly utter praise and thanksgiving to God? Certainly not, dear brethren; and he who should wish this injunction to be fulfilled in such pharisaic literality would do great injustice to