Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

[LV. Ben.]

On the words of the Gospel, Matthew 5:22 , “Whosoever shall say to his brother, you fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.”

1. The section of the Holy Gospel which we just now heard when it was read, must have sorely alarmed us, if we have faith; but those who have not faith, it alarmed not. And because it does not alarm them, they are minded to continue in their false security, as knowing not how to divide and distinguish the proper times of security and fear. Let him then who is leading now that life which has an end, fear, that in that life which is without end, he may have security. Therefore were we alarmed. For who would not fear Him who speaks the truth, and says, “Whosoever shall say to his brother, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” Yet “the tongue can no man tame.” Man tames the wild beast, yet he tames not his tongue; he tames the lion, yet he bridles not his own speech; he tames all else, yet he tames not himself; he tames what he was afraid of, and what he ought to be afraid of, in order that he may tame himself, that he does not fear. But how is this? It is a true sentence, and came forth from an oracle of truth, “But the tongue can no man tame.”