06s. 4. That it is good to oppose the glory of our hopes against the abasure of our sufferings. Here are trials, but we look for a crown of glory. This is the way to counterpoise the temptation, and in the
^ 'Deus nihil coronat nisi dona sua.' — Aur/., lib. v. hom. 14.
^ 'Miserum te judico quod nunquam fuisti miser; transistis sine adversario vitam; nemo sciet quid potueris ; ne tu quidem ipse ; opus est ad notitiam sui experimento, quas quisque posset nisi tentando non didicit.' — Sen. lib. de Provid., cap. 4.
80 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [J AS. I. 12.
conflict between the flesh and spirit, to come in to the relief of the better part. Thus Paul saith, the inward man is strengthened, ' When we look not to the things that are seen, but the things that are not seen ; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal,' 2 Cor. iv. 18. A direct opposi- tion of our hopes to our sufterings maketh them seem light and easy. Thus our Saviour biddeth us consider, ' When you are persecuted for righteousness' sake, yours is the kingdom of God,' Mat. v. 10. Though ye be deprived of all you have, yet ye cannot be deprived of heaven. Remember, heaven is still yours. You may lose an estate, but you have an assurance of a crown of glory. Thus Basil speaketh of some martyrs that were cast out all night naked in a cold frosty time, and were to be burned the next day, how they comforted themselves in this manner : ' The winter is sharp, but paradise is sweet ; here we shiver for cold, but the bosom of Abraham will make amends for all,' &c.^ Well, then, make use of this heavenly wisdom ; consider your hopes, the glory of them, the truth of them.
1. The glory of them. There are two things trouble men in their sufferings — disgrace and death. See what provision God hath made against these fears : he hath promised a crown against the ignominy of your sufferings, and against temporal death a crown of life. A man can lose nothing for God, but it is abundantly recompensed and made up again ; the crown of thorns is turned into a crown of glory, and losing of life is the ready way to save it, Mat. x. 39. Thus, it is good, you see, to oppose our hopes to our sorrows, and not altogether to look to the present dangers and sufferings, but to the crown, the crown of life that is laid up for us. 2 Extreme misery, without hope of redress, overwhelmeth the soul ; and, therefore, the promises do everywhere oppose a proper comfort to that case where the feeling is like to be sorest, that faith may have a present and ready answer to such extremities as sense urgeth ; as Stephen, in the midst of his sufferings, ' looked steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,' Acts vii. 55. There was somewhat of miracle and extraordinary ecstasy in that vision, the glory of heaven being not only represented to his soul, but to his senses ; but it was a })ledge of that which falleth out ordinarily in the sufferings of God's children, for their hearts are then usually raised to a more fixed and distinct consideration of their hopes, whereby the danger and temptation is defeated and overcome. It is very observable that when Moses and Elijah came to speak with Christ about his sufferings, they appeared in such forms of glory as did allay the sharpness of the message ; for it is said, Luke ix. 31, ' They appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem ; ' intimating that the crown of thorns should put us in mind of the crown of glory ; and when we are clothed with shame and sorrow, we should think of the shining gar- ments ; for the messengers of tlie cross were apparelled with a shin- ing glory.
^ ' Apifjiiis 6 xf 'MW>', dXXi yXvKui 6 irapdoeKros' dXyeivr] 7) /utjcis, dXX 7j5e2a i] iirdXavan. fuKpbv dya/xe ivufiiv Kal 6 KiXiroi Tj/xds Od\\l/ei tov TrarpLdpxov,' &c. — Basil ad 40 Martyr. 2 Tericula non respicit martyr, corouaa respicit.' — Basil, ubi supra.
JaS. I. 12.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 81
2. The truth of them. It is not only a * crown of gloiy ' that you expect, but a ' crown of righteousness,' 2 Tim. iv. 8, that is, which the righteous God will surely bestow upon you ; for though God maketh the promise in grace, yet it being once made, his truth, which is often called his righteousness in scripture, obligeth him to perform it.^ Well, then, consider thus : I have the promise of the righteous God to assure me, and shall I doubt or draw back ? He is too holy ,to deceive — 'God that cannot lie,' Titus i. 2 ; so immutable and faithful that he cannot repent and change his mind, Num. xxiii. 19 ; so omnipotent and able that he cannot be disappointed and hindered, Job ix. 12 ; so gracious that he will not forget : ' Hath he said, and shall he not do it ? Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good ? ' Oh ! that our trust were as sure as his promises, and there were no more doubt to be made of our interest than of his truth ! Every promise is built upon four pillars: God's justice or holiness, which will not sutler him to deceive ; his grace or goodness, which will not suffer him to forget ; his truth, which will not suffer him to change ; his powder, which maketh him able to accomplish.