As pure and choice silver giveth a clear and sweet sound, so the tongue of the wise soundeth sweetly and pleasantly in the ears of men. It is also as choice silver, because therewith he is ready to buy the hearts of men to virtue and goodness. But the heart of a fool being of little worth, hence it is that he buys it not. . . . Now if the tongue of the just be as choice silver, his heart must needs be of fine gold. And if the heart of the wicked be little worth, his tongue must needs be worth nothing at all. Well therefore it were, if that the wicked would get the just man's tongue to be his heart; or else get the tongue of the just to infuse some of his metal into his heart; for that is able to put worth into it, and from thence to derive worth into his tongue also. The proverbial sense is, that the excellent words of wisdom work not upon a foolish heart, that having not worth to value the worth of it.--_Jermin._ +I. By a just man is meant+--1. _A renewed man,_ for naturally our lips are polluted. "I am a man of unclean lips," etc. (Isa. vi. 5). Sin of the tongue is most frequent, and that not without difficulty avoided. The corruption of men by nature is described (Rom. iii. 13). This is man's true character, as he is in his natural estate. The pure lip is the fruit of God's converting grace (Zeph. iii. 9). 2. _A man furnished with knowledge of the things which concern his duty;_ for every renewed man is an enlightened man (Prov. xv. 2). Unless a man understand his duty, how shall he speak of it? 3. _The renewed man is a mortified man;_ for otherwise he will only stickle for opinions, and be one of the disputers of this world, but will not warm men's hearts and excite them to practise. That must be first upon the heart which will afterwards be upon the tongue; and unless the heart be cleaned the tongue will not be cleansed. If the heart be upon the world, the tongue will be upon the world (1 John iv. 5). 4. _This renewed man must be biassed with a love of God and Christ and heaven before he can edify others._ To restrain the tongue from evil is not enough, we must do good. To heartwarming discourse, faith is necessary. +II. His discourse is as choice silver.+ 1. _For purity._ Choice silver is that which is refined from all dross, and there is much evil bewrayed by the tongue, such as lying, railing, ribaldry (Eph. iv. 29), cursing, idle discourse, etc. 2. _For external profit._ Money is very profitable for worldly uses, the discourse of a good man is very profitable to others. +III. By a wicked man is meant one that is not regenerate or renewed by the Holy Spirit.+ They are of several sorts. 1. _Some have great natural abilities,_ as Ahithophel (2 Samuel xvi. 23), yet his heart was nothing worth. 2. _Some have plausible shows of piety,_ but that will not help the matter (Matt. xxiii. 27, 28). 3. _Partial obedience availeth not_ (2 Chron. xxv. 2). Amaziah was right in the matter, and he did many things right, but his heart was nothing worth.