72 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [JaS. I. 11.
lieat ariseth. In the text it is (let me open that by the way) ?;\to9 am Tc3 Kavawvi, the sun with a burning wind, so in the original ; for Kavaoiv^ the word used here, is usually put here for a scorching wind, which, in the hot and eastern countries, was wont to accompany the rising of the sun ; as Jonah iv. 8, ' It came to pass, when the sun did begin to arise, God prepared a vehement east wind ; ' and, therefore, do we read of ' the drying east wind,' Ezek. xvii. 10 ; and in many places of Hosea. It was a hot, piercing wind that blasted all things, and was the usual figure of God's judgments ; and so the psalmist saith, ' The wind passeth over it, and it is gone,' Ps. ciii. 16. But tliis by tlie way, because I omitted it in the exposition. When, I say, you walk in a garden or field, as Isaac did, to meditate, Gen. xxiv. 63, think thus with yourselves : Here is a goodly show and paintry ; but alas ! these things are but for a season ; they would fade away of their own accord, but the breath of the east wind will soon dry them up ; so are all worldly comforts like flowers in the spring, good in their season, but very vanishing and perishing,
Ohs. 2. That our comforts are perishing in themselves, but espe- cially when the hand of providence is stretched out against them. The flower fadeth of itself, but chiefly when it is scorched by the glowing, burning east wind. Our hearts should be loose at all times from outward things, but especially in times of public desolation ; it is a sin against providence to affect great things : when God is over- turning all, then there is a burning heat upon the flowers, and God is gone forth to blast worldly glory : Jer. xlv. 4, 5, ' The Lord saith, I will pluck up this whole land, and seekest thou great things for thyself ?'_ that is, a prosperous condition in a time of public desola- tion ; it is as if a man should be planting flowers when there is a wind gone forth to blast them. Well, then, take heed you do not make providence your enemy, then your comforts will become more perishing. ^ You cannot then expect a comfortable warmth from God, but a burning heat. There are three sins especially by which you make providence your enemy, and so the creatures more vain.
1. AVhen you abuse them to serve your lusts. Where there is I)ride and wantonness, you may look for a burning ; certainly your flowers will be scorched and dried up. Pleasant Sodom, when it was given to ' pride, and idleness, and fulness of bread,' met with a burn- ing heat indeed, Ezek. xvi. 49 : in Salvian's phrase,^ God will rain hell out of heaven rather than not visit for such sins.
2. When you make them objects of trust. God can brook no rivals ; trust being the fairest and best respect of the creatures, it must not be intercepted, but ascend to God. If you make idols of the creatures, God will make nothing of them; the fire of God's jealousy is a burn- ing heat. God took away from Judah the staff and the stay, Isa. iii. ] ; that is, that which they made so, excluding him ; for that is the case in the context. So when you trust in your wealth, as if it must needs be well with your families, and you were secured against all judgments, and turns of providence ; certainly God will take away the staff and the stay, and show that riches are but dead helps, when they are preferred before the living God, 1 Tim. vi. 17.
^ ' Pluit Qehennam e coelo.' — isalvian de Provid.
JaS. I. 11.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 73
3. When you get them by wrong means. "Wealth thus gotten is flesh (like the eagles from the altar) with a coal in it, that devoureth the whole nest : Hab. ii. 9, * Woe be to him that coveteth an evil covetousness, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be de- livered from the power of evil' You think it is a ready way to advance you ; no, this is the ready way to ruin all : James v. 3, ' Your gold and silver shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire;' that is, draw the fire and burning heat of God's wrath upon yourselves and families.
From that his loays.
Ohs. 3. Worldly men pursue wealth with great care and industry. The rich turneth hither and thither, he hath several ways whereby to accomplish his ends. In self-denial, covetousness is the ape of grace ; it ' suffereth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,' 1 Cor. xiii. 6, 7. What pains do men take for things that perish ! Do but observe their incessant care, earnest labour, and unwearied industry, and say, how well would this suit with the heavenly treasure ! It is a pity a plant that would thrive so well in Canaan should still grow in the soil of Egypt ; that the zealous earnestness of the soul should be misplaced, and we should take more pains to be rich unto the world than to be rich towards God. Luke xii. 21. Man fallen is but the ana- gram of man in innocency, he hath the same affections and delights, only they are transposed and misplaced ; therefore do we offend in the measure, because we mistake in the object. Or else, secondly, observe their pains and care, and say thus : Shall a lust have more power upon them than the love of God upon me ? I have higher motives, and a reward more sure, Pro v. xi. 18 ; they are more earnest for an earthly purchase, and to heap up treasure to themselves, than I am to enrich my soul with spiritual and heavenly excellences. Surely grace is an active thing, of as forcible an efficacy as corruption ; why then do we act with such difference and disproportion ? The fault is not in grace, but in ourselves. Grace is like a keen weapon in a child's hand ; it maketh little impression because it is weakly wielded. Worldly men have the advantage of us in matter of principle, but we have the advantage of them in matter of motive ; we have higher motives, but they more entire principles, for what they do, they do with their whole heart ; but our principles are mixed, and therefore grace worketh with a greater faintness than corruption doth. But, however, it is sad. Pambus, in ecclesiastical history, wept when he saw a harlot dressed with much care and cost, partly to see one take so much pains for her own undoing, partly because he had not been so careful to please God as she had been to please a wanton lover. And truly when we see men ' cumber themselves with much serving,' and toiling and bustling up and down in the world, and all for riches that 'take themselves wings and fly away,' we may be ashamed that we do so little for Christ, and they do so much for wealth, and that we do not lay out our strength and earnestness for heaven with any proportion to what they do for the world.