' See Mr Liirrougb's his ' Lord of HoBts; ' and Dr Chappel on !'«. ciii. '21.
JaS. V. 4.] UPON THE EPISTLK OF JAMES. 411
things. God's command reacheth from tlio lii<^hest angel to the lowest creatures. The angels are principally called (lod's host ; see 1 Kings xxii. 9 ; Luke ii. 14. And of what power are they, since one angel destroyed in a night a hundred fourscore and five thousand, 2 Kings xix. 3.5. Then the heavens are intended : Isa. xxxiv. 9, ' All the hosts of the stars shall be dissolved.' That which Peter calleth cttol- ;i^eta, the elements, the prophet calleth the hosts. So it is said. Judges v. 20, ' The stars in their courses fought against Sisera ; ' that is, by their influence and efficacy upon the clouds and meteors. For Jose- phus, speaking of that battle, saith ^ that there suddenly fell a storm mixed with hail, which the wind drove against thefacesof the Canaanites, and took away their sight, and benumbed their hands, that they could not hold their targets, or fling their darts ; but beating upon the backs of the Israelites, it emboldened them the more. So, also, men are called God's hosts ; as Israel, Exod. xii. 41 ; and it is said, ' He mustereth the host of the battle,' Isa. xiii. 9. Nay, lower creatures, locusts, are called God's army, Joel ii. ; and God is said to reserve the snow and hail against the day of battle. Job xxxviii. 22, 23. Against Egypt he sent armies of frogs, and lice, and flies ; against the idola- trous people armies of lions, 2 Kings xvii. Nay, God can arm the humours of thy body against thee, cause thine own passions and thoughts to fall upon thee like so many armed men. He needeth no forces from without ; there is enough to overwhelm man in the reflec- tions of his own conscience. Oh ! then, do not contend with him that can command legions, and draw omnipotency about thy ears : ' shall the potsherds of tlie earth strive with the Lord of hosts ? ' Isa. xlv. 9. Oh ! how sad is it, that when all the creatures serve God, your hearts only should war against him ! that the Lord of hosts should not be lord of your souls !
Ohs, 6. From that iheh- cries are come into the ears of the Lord of hosts ; that is, he hath taken notice of their wrong, and will take care to avenge their quarrel. The note is, that the Lord of hosts is the poor's avenger ; the God of angels and thunders is the God that comforteth them are cast down. You may be high and rich in the world, able to contest with poor creatures and crush them ; but can you contend with the Almighty ? Oh ! take heed of wronging the poor- est servants of God. Christ speaketh of offending his little ones, Mat. xviii. 10 ; as little as they are, they have a great champion. The worm Jacob is looked after by the Lord of hosts. So the poor, the servant, the widow, the fatherless, they are called his people, as belong- ing chiefly to his care : ' They eat up my people as bread.' Take heed what you do ; your poor servants have a master in heaven that will call you to an account. Jerusalem is threatened with captivity for their breach of covenant and unkindness to their servants, Jer. xxxiv. 11 ; therefore defraud them not, leave them not shiftless. God will visit this sin upon many gentlemen who turn ofi" their old servants shift- less and helpless, and have more care of their dogs than of them. Oh ! see what an avenger they have, one that is powerful enough. A good man should have a care of his beast, Prov. xii. 10, much more of his servants.
^ .Tosephus, Antiq. Judseor., lib. v. cap. (>.
412 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [JaS. Y. 5.
Ver. 5. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, andheemuanton ; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day o/slaia/hter.
The apostle instanceth in another discovery of the wicked abuse of their riches, and that is sensual or delicate livinsj. In matter of cliarit}', or giving the poor their due, tliey were si)aring and tenacious enougli, but did easily and largely hivish out their substance upon })leasures and the gratifications of the flesh ; like that epicure in the Gospel, tliat fared deliciously every day, but denied a crumb to Lazarus the beggar, Luke xvi. 19. Thus lusts, thougli they dispute every inch with grace, do easily give way to succeeding corruptions.
Ye have lived iji pleasuj-e. — The word significth indulging the deli- cacies and delights of the senses, in meats, drinks, and apparel.
Obs. 1. A sin very natural to us. There were but two common parents of all mankind, Adam the protoplast, and Noah the restorer, and both miscarried by appetite ; the one fell by eating, and the other by drinking. We had need be careful. Christ saith, ' Take heed of surfeiting and drunkenness ' to his own disciples, Luke xxi. 34.
Obs. 2. The sin is natural to all, but chiefly incident to the rich. There is, I confess, a difference in tempers ; wealth maketh some covetous, and others prodigal , but the usual sin in the rich is luxury. Pride, idleness, and fulness of bread were the sins of Sodom, and they are usually found in great men's houses ; they should be the more wary.