' ' Singulos dies singulas vitas puta, et quotidie deuiitur aliqua pars vit» ; Lunc ipsum quem vivimua diem cum morte dividimus.' — Seneca. 2 See Samuel Bochartus his Phalcy, the second part.
JaS. IV. 13.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 389
neither be too much in the world, nor too confidant of your own industry.
Ohs. 2. From the scope of the whole verse, that it is a vain thing to promise ourselves great matters without the leave of providence. To say, ' We will go,' ' we will do thus and thus,' it is vain ; for we are not lords of our lives, nor lords of our own actions: Ps. xxxi. 15, My times are in thy hand ;' so Prov. xxvii. 1, ' Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.' To-day we are, and to-morrow not : we cannot tell what may be in the womb of the next morning. So for our actions : ' Their works are in the hand of God,' Eccles. ix. 1. The performance of them, and the success of them ; we need counsel and a blessing. The prophet speaks of it as of a known case, Jer. x. 23, ' 0 Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself ; it is not in the sons of men to direct their steps.' But'' when do men promise themselves great matt ers without the leaveo providence ? I answer — Many ways : the principal are these — (1.) When they undertake things without prayer. You may speak of suc- cess when you have asked God's leave : Job xxii. 28, ' Acquaint thy- self with God, then thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be estab- lished.' (2.) When they are too confident of future contingencies and events, without any submission and reservation of the will of God, and boast upon mere human likelihoods : see Exod. xv. 11 ; and Judges, v. 28 30 ; so 1 Kings xx. 10, 11, ' The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria suffice for handfuls for all the people ; and the king of Israel said, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast as he that putteth it off.' He would plunder Samaria so bare that he would not leave any dust there ; but God disappointed him. (3.) When men's endeavours are set up in God's stead, we think all de- pendeth upon the course of sublunary causes, and so neglect God. (4.) When men promise themselves a time to repent hereafter. i Many think within themselves, I will follow my pleasure and profits, and then spend my old age in a devout and retired privacy; first build, and trade, and bustle in the world, and adjourn God to the aches and dull phlegm of their age. Foolish man decreeth all future events as if all were in his own hands. Well, then, in all cases remember God ; it is useful for princes and men employed in counsels for public wel- fare. How often do they prove unhappy because they do not seek God ! We should ask counsel of the oracle before we take it from one another. The heathens saw a need to begin with God.- So for soldiers ; how soon is a battle turned ! It is not for you to say, ' I will pursue, I will overtake,' &c. Solomon saith, ' The battle is not always to the strong,' Eccles. ix. So for traders ; you must not say, I will send out a ship and get gain : how often are carnal presumptions checked ! So for Christians ; do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus ; you cannot believe, repent when you will, nor pray as you will. Samson was mistaken when he said, ' I will go forth and shake myself as at other
^ ' Audies plerosque dicentes, a quinquagesimo in otium secedam, sexagesimus annug ab officiis me demittet ; et quam tandem longioris vitaj praedam accipis ? Quis ista sicuti disponis ire patiatur ? ' — Seneca de Brcvitate Vita.
^ ' A Jove principium.'
390 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [JaS. IV. 14.
times.' The natural exercise of your faculties, and the divine assist- ances of grace, do all hang upon God's good pleasure.
Ver. 14. Whereas ye know not luhat shall he upon the morroiu. For 2uhat is your life ^ It is even a va2)our, that appcareth for alittle time, and then vanisheth aioay.
Having discovered their carnal presumption, he now disproveth it by two arguments :— (1.) The casualties of the next day ; (2.) The uncertainty of their own lives. Both which give a notable check to sucli fond confidence.
Whereas ye knoiv not ivhat shall he on the morrow. — As if he had said, You talk of a long time, and you know not what shall happen the next day. Every day bringeth new providences and events with it. But you will say, Is it simply unlawful to provide for the morrow, or for time to come ? I answer — No ; Solomon biddeth us learn of the ant, Prov. vi. 6-8, ' Consider her ways, and be wise ; she pro- videtli her meat in summer, and gathereth her food in harvest ; ' so Prov. XXX. 25. It is but a wise foresight to secure ourselves against visible inconveniences. Joseph is commended for laying up food in the cities against the years of famine. Gen. xli. 35. And it was the practice of the apostles to lay up in store for the brethren at Jerusalem against the famine foretold by Agabus, Acts xi. 29. Only remember this must be done with caution ; such provision must not arise from distrust, or a thought prejudicial to the care of providence, Mat. vi. 30. It must not hinder us from the great care of our lives, provision for heaven, Mat. vi. 35. It must be with submission to God. God may soon disappoint all ; and after we have caught in hunting, we may not roast.