Matthew Poole and continuators on James 3:6

6 And the tongue is a fire , a world of iniquity: So is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body q, and setteth on fire the course of nature ; and it is set on fire of hell.

The Application of the Similitude in the foregoing Words. The Tongue is a Fire, i. e. hath the force of Fire, and resembles it in the Mischief it doth.

A[illegible: 1 letter] Heap, or Aggregation of Evils (as the natural World is an Aggregation of many several Beings) as we say, an Ocean, or a World of Troubles, meaning, a great Multitude of them. And the Words may be understood, either with an Ellipsis of the word matter, expressed just before, and supplied here; and the pointing a little altered, they may be thus read, And the Tongue is a Fire, a World of Iniquity (or an unrighteous World, viz. which lies in Wickedness, 1 Iohn 5.19.) is the matter, namely, which it inflames. A wicked World is fit Fuel for a wicked Tongue, and soon catcheth the Fire which it kindles: Or, rather as they stand plainly without any such Defect: The Tongue is a World of Iniquity, i. e. an Heap or Mass of various sorts of Sins; tho it be but a little piece of Flesh, yet it contains a whole Word of Wickedness in it, or is as full of Evils, as the World is of Bodies.

Or, setteth on Fire the Wheel of Geniture, or Nativity (in allusion to a Wheel set on fire by a violent rapid motion) meaning the Course of Nativity, i. e. the natural Course of Life, as the Face of Nativity or Geniture, ch. 1.23. for the natural Face; the sense is, it inflames with various Lusts, Wrath, Malice, Wantonness, Pride, &c. the whole Course of Man's Life, so that there is no State, nor Age free from the Evils of it. Whereas other Vices either do not extend to the whole Man, or are abated with Age, or worn away with length of time; the Vices of the Tongue reach the whole Man, and the whole time of his life.

i. e. By the Devil, the Father of Lyes and Slanders, and other Tongue-sins, Iob 1.10. Iohn 8.44. Rev. 12.10. the Tongue being the Fire, the Devil, by the Bellows of Temptations, inflames it yet more, and thereby kindles the Fire of all Mischiefs in the World.

Infecteth the whole Man with Sin, Eccles. 5.6. as being the cause of Sin committed by all the Members of the Body; for tho Sin begin in the Soul, yet it is executed by the Body, which therefore seems here put (as v. 2.) for the Man.

Marginal references: Mat. 15.11, 18, 19. Mark. 7.15, 20, 23.