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21. The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
The heart is the proper seat of wisdom.† There “it dwells with prudence.”† Their combined exercise is essential to the completeness of a Christian profession. Intellectual wisdom without a prudential application tends to no practical end. The pervading want of prudence gives needless offense to the gospel, and destroys influential weight of character. Often also do spiritual affections run to waste for want of prudent direction or discipline. Moral habits from this defect become either morbid or hardened. There is either a superstitious scrupulousness, or a reckless indifference; sometimes conscience about everything, sometimes about nothing. Prudent wisdom gives consistency to the whole system. The eye directs the foot, and we walk safely upon firm ground. ‘Bright and sparkling parts are like diamonds, which may adorn the proprietor, but are not necessary for the good of the world. Whereas common sense’ (substantially identified with prudent wisdom) ‘is like current coin. We have every day in the ordinary occurrences of life occasion for it. And if we would but call it into action, it would carry us much greater lengths than we seem to be aware of.’†
These internal qualities gain increasing acceptance from external gifts. “When we are enriched with all utterance, as well as with all knowledge” (1 Corinthians 1:5); when we are enabled to clothe our thoughts in a flowing style and clear expression; this doubtless gives a great advantage in communicating knowledge. (Ecclesiastes 12:10, 11.) The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. Ambrose's mellifluous eloquence arrested and gradually brought conviction to Augustine's mind.† Yet much more does this advantage belong to ‘the sweet words of consolation, which come forth of a godly trust.’† Wisdom is in the heart, as in a treasury; and “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”† When therefore “the heart is inditing a good matter, speaking of the things touching the King; the tongue,” like the Apostle's† — without any adventitious attractiveness, is “the pen of a ready writer.”† And when without measure “grace was poured upon the lips”† of the King himself, what wonder that he should have constrained the admiration,† and fixed the attention,† of his hearers! How inestimable the privilege of his true disciples to sit at his feet, increasing learning from the sweetness of his lips!
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