want many earthly comforts ; but they have the promises of the living God. " Their afflictions may abound ; but their consolations also abound by Christ." Whereinsoever they may be supposed to labour under any disadvantage, they have every thing that they need, treasured up for them in Christ Jesus; and out of his fulness they receive, in the time and mea- sure which he knows to be best for them. Poor they may be in this world's goods ; but they are enriched with " the un^ searchable riches of Christ."
Now let the poor say whether they have not reason to re- joice. Surely if they estimate their state aright, they may well " rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorified ^"]
That the rich have equal reason to rejoice in their humiliation, is, though less obvious, not at all less true —
[What a mercy is it to them, that they are brought to see the vanity of all their earthly distinctions. In their unenlight- ened state, they have no conception how contemptible those things are, which they suppose to be of such mighty conse- quence. What is an high-sounding title, or a large estate, to a man that in a few hours is about to launch into eternity ? Yet that is the real condition of all : >«e are like the grass, which by the influence of the sun and rain is brought forth rapidly into gay luxuriance, but by an eastern blast is withered in an hour. Every thing we possess is perishing ; and we ourselves also are fading away in the midst of our enjoyments'. Ungodly men do not like to reflect on these things ; but the true Christian delights to realize them in his soul : and he well deserves our warmest congratulations, who has learned to estiT mate earthly things by the standard of truth.
It is also a mercy to the opulent servants of God, that tliey are made to knoiv wherein true honour and happiyiess co7isist. That which may be possessed by the vilest, as well as by the best of men, can never constitute the chief good of man. But to be restored to the favour of God, to live in the enjoyment of his presence, to possess his image on our souls, to glorify him in the world, and to be growing up into a meetness for his everlasting inheritance, this is honour, this is happiness : and oh ! what a mercy is it to see and feel this ! Happy art thou, whoever thou art, that hast lost thy relish for earthly vanities, and art brought to set thine affections upon things above !
Finally, it is a mercy past all conception to have for their portion an inheritance that shall never fade. Were they
instantly,
' SeeHab. iii. 17, 18.
' This is particularly noticed in the text, and amplified in the verse that follows it.