Ohs. 8. From that he is exalted. That grace is a preferment and exaltation ; even those of low degree may be thus exalted. All the comforts of Christianity are such as are riddles and contradictions to the flesh : poverty is preferment ; servants are freemen, the Lord's freemen, 1 Cor. vii. 22. The privileges of Christianity take off all the ignominy of the world. Christian slaves and vassals are yet delivered from the tyranny of Satan, the slavery of sin ; therefore he saith they are ' the Lord's freemen.' So James ii. 5, ' Hath not God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in fiiith ? ' Spiritual treasure and inward riches are the best. A Christian's life is full of mysteries ; poor, and yet rich, base, and yet exalted ; shut out of the world, and yet admitted into the company of saints and angels ; slighted, yet dear to God ; the world's dirt, and God's jewels. In one place it is said, 1 Cor. iv. 13, ' We are counted as the scurf and off-scouring of the earth ; ' and in another, Mai. iii. 17, ' I will make up my jewels.' Not a foot of land, yet an interest in the land of promise, a share in the inheritance of the saints in light ; you see -everything is amply made up in another way. Do but consider the nature of your privi- leges, and you cannot but count them a preferment. You are called to be ' sons of God : ' John i. 12, ' He vouchsafed them i^ovalav, the privilege or prerogative to become the sons of God ;' so also, ' members of Christ,' and what a door of hope doth that open to you ; so also ' heirs of the promises,' 'joint-heirs with Christ,' Rom. viii. 17 ; so also ' partakers of the divine nature,' 2 Peter i. 4 : and what a privilege is that, that we should be severed from the vile world, and gilded with glory, when we might have stood like rotten posts ! that we should be united to Christ, when, like dried leaven,! we might have been driven to and fro throughout the earth. Well, then : —
1. Never quarrel with providence. Though you have not other things, rejoice in this, that you have the best things. Sole adoption is worth all the world. Do not complain that you have not the gold, if you have the kiss, I allude to that knov/n story in Xenophon. Never envy the world's enjoyments, no, though you see men wicked and undeserving. To murmur under any such pretence is but dis-
^ Qu. ' leaves ' ? — Ed.
JaS. I. 10.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 65
guised envy. Consider God hath called you to another advancement. You sin against the bounty of God if you do not value it above all the pomp and glory of the creatures. They are full and shining, but your comforts are better and more satisfying : 1 Tim. vi. 6, ' Godliness with contentment is great gain ; ' or it may be read, ' Godliness is great gain with contentment/ in opposition to worldly gain. Men may gain much, but they are not satisfied ; but godliness is such a gain as bringeth contentment and quiet along with it ; for I suppose that place of the apostle is parallel to that of Solomon : Prov. x. 22,
* The blessing of God maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.'
2. Kefresh your hearts with the sense of your privileges. You that are the people of God are exalted in your greatest abasures. Are you naked? You may be 'arrayed in fine linen,' Kev. xix. 8, which is
* SiKaico/jLara, the righteousnesses of the saints : ' that plural word im- plieth justification and sanctification. Are you hungry ? God's moun- tain will yield you ' a feast of fat things, a feast of wines upon the lees well refined,' Isa. xxv. 6 : wines on the lees are most generous and sprightly. Are you thirsty ? You have ' a well of water springing up to everlasting life,' John iv. 14. Are you base ? You have glory, you have a crown. The word useth these expressions to show that all your wants are made up by this inward supply.
Obs. 9. Observe more particularly, that the greatest abasures and sufferings for Christ are an honour to us : Acts v. 41, ' They rejoiced they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.' It was an act of God's grace to put this honour upon them. Well, then, do not look upon that as a judgment which is a favour. Eeproaches for Christ are matter of thanksgiving rather than discontent. In ordi- nary sufferings God's people have this comfort, that as nothing cometh without merit, so nothing goeth away without profit. But here, what- ever is done to them is an honour, and an high vouchsafement. Oh ! how happy are the people of God, that can suffer nothing from God or men, but what they may take comfort in !
Ver. 10. Bid the rich, in that he is made loio : because as the flower of the grass he shall pass aiuay.