[God has thus distinguished the poor, in order to stain the pride of man. Men, if they are exalted above their fellow- creatures in wealth or dignity, are ready to conceive that they are as great in the eyes of God as they are in their own eyes. They think themselves (I had almost said) above God himself: they are too wise to learn of God, and too great to be con- trolled by him. God therefore pours contempt on them, as they do on himr. He will let them see that their possessions or endowments, however great, are not a child's portion, but only as crumbs cast to the dogs. He will render the poor as superior to them in spiritual things, as they are to the poor in temporal things : he will " lift up the beggar from the dung- hill, and set him among the princes s," while he casts down the mighty from their thrones to the lowest abyss of shame and misery.
Moreover, in thus distinguishing the poor, God further
m John vii. 48. n 1 Cor. i. 26 — 28.
° How many will open their pews to a rich or well-dressed person, that would suffer a poor man, however pious or infirm, to " stand " during the whole service, without ever offering him a seat, when they had room enough to accommodate many ! Yea, how many rich per- sons will absent themselves from the ordinances, and lock up their pews, to prevent their being occupied ! What would St. James have said to these things ? See ver. 2 — 4, 9.
p Matt. xi. 5. i Mark xii. 37.
1 1 Sam. ii. 30. s 1 Sam. ii. 8.