are like a broken vessel, and he will hold no knowledge as long as he liveth" (Ecclus. xxi. 14). What is obtained in and through doubt is lost in doubt; but from faith to faith is the rule of the true receiving and stedfast holding fast of grace.

Does, then, this severe conclusion take away again all the consolation of the gracious promise? God forbid! We should not give up all asking in despair, because some doubt still adheres to our petition. St James manifestly speaks only of a predominant believing or doubting, which rules the soul: if only our faith, which asks, doubt not, the weak heart may have many assaults which disparage not the reality of that faith. Our faithful Father demands not of His children perfection, before they have in the way of prayer pressed onward to it. He not merely hears strong faith; all actual believing avails as such before Him. Begin therefore boldly, and go on with greater boldness, to pray thyself into perfect faith; let thy little measure of faith withstand thy doubt, and pray against its being reckoned as thine. This is the art of believing supplication, which we must learn by perpetual practice. Thus, then, let us ask of God all that is lacking to us; especially wisdom, and that wisdom which trials require. Then shall we more and more abundantly obtain that which will create pure joy.

III.

THE REJOICING OF THE LOWLY AND THE EXALTED.

(Ch. i. 9-12.)

But let the brother of low degree glory in his exaltation: but the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.

If we sought to do justice to every sentence and word of this Epistle we should be for ever beginning anew, and even then should not exhaust the fulness of any one of them. How might we preach on that single "all joy!" which resounds in

the midst of our tribulation! What an amazing word is that connected with it- Count it pure joy when we fall into temptations! That is the work of faith, the same faith by which, anticipating the future, we already reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God (Rom. vi. 11). Further, patience must hold fast its work, and accomplish it as a perfect work; thus the truly fundamental work is patience and waiting, by which alone we become perfect and entire. How much might be said upon this point too! Similarly, we have not done full justice to the paragraph vers. 6-8; for St James speaks very significantly concerning doubting, progressively indicating two meanings of the word: first, the doubting in asking simply; and then doubting as a permanent condition or character of a man's life and walk. Of the former, he begins by saying: He that doubteth, even in this individual supplication-so that doubt triumphs over the faith, instead of faith triumphing over the doubt will not at least in this petition receive anything. For, the petitioner who would receive must be calm before God, not driven hither and thither like a wave of the sea. He then strengthens this, and passes over to the second meaning: Let not that man, who shows himself thus a doubter before God, think that he shall receive anything; that is, on account of his prayer, which was in reality no prayer, and as such could not be granted. Else, indeed, how much do we all receive from the Lord without our prayer, not only in earthly, but also heavenly gifts! For, how otherwise could we ever extricate ourselves from the tribulation and sorrow of our evil unbelieving heart? Faith, awakened by prevenient gifts, says, This was of thy giving, O Lord! and thus learns to ask for more. But, finally, St James speaks of a man, who, instead of being a man in the energy and courage of faith, continually gives up half his heart to doubt; and the half-hearted faith, which he thinks he has, is therefore none, and comes to nothing. All the result in this case is a perpetual wavering and vacillation in his variable and distracted way. This would furnish matter for a specific meditation; but that we must leave to those who would prosecute the subject, lest it should too long interrupt the connection of the Epistle. Let us now consider how the demand to ask is followed immediately by a challenge to glorying.

Obviously the same is meant that is written elsewhere, Let

him that glorieth glory in the Lord! (1 Cor. i. 31). St James expressly directs his word against all false boasting; for, when he speaks of the exaltation of the lowly, and the humiliation of the rich, he makes all stand on the same level before God, who alone exalts and lays low. He that asks of God in faith shall receive! This had preceded, and accordingly one might expect to hear-Let him, then, to whom it hath been given, so that he has become rich in gifts and graces, not glory; but the word takes the opposite turn-But let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation! The rich, on the other hand, receives the direction, as warning rather than encouragement, Let him rejoice in his being made low! And, because this is the more striking, let us take our start from it rather than the former.

Are we to understand that St James means the rich in the ordinary, external meaning of the word? Doubtless he thinks first of all of them, as the continuation of the discourse, compared with other passages in it which have to do with the rich of this world, shows: ch. ii. 6, 7, v. 1-5. Particularly in that last closing passage he predicts, as here in the beginning, though much more keenly, the passing away, and rusting, and perishing of all their possessions. There is no ground, therefore, of boasting in them: Let not the rich man glory in his riches! (Jer. ix. 23). Those who put their trust in their riches are told in the forty-ninth Psalm, that as man abideth not in his honour, but must leave his wealth to others, while his own soul is not redeemed, he is like the beast which perisheth—unless he have that wisdom and understanding which God would impart to both low and high, rich and poor together. "As the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth!" How often is this the case during the course of the rich man's life; how certain is it in the end! For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass (1 Pet. i. 24). Boast not thyself then, O rich man! Thou art set in slippery places (Ps. lxxiii. 18). In the midst of thy business (this is St James' word) thou shalt fade away while forming thy plans in this or that place to buy and sell, thy life will vanish! (ch. iv. 13, 14). But of such rich men St James is not here speaking; he refers assuredly to a brother who is rich

-only to such can he attribute a boasting or rejoicing. And what rejoicing? Let the brother that is rich rejoice that he is made low! Mark that well! Rejoice in this, that thou knowest the Lord, who dealeth in mercy upon earth, and giveth grace to the humble; that thou hast seen the danger, and escaped the snare of riches, and art no longer a camel too large for the needle's eye; that thou hast found security against destruction, and a better hope than fleeting riches can afford. It is the curse of all whom the old serpent deceives to go upon the earth like him, and like him to eat the dust. Rejoice that thou hast learned this; rejoice in thy lowliness before God as a spiritually poor man, who is not wanting in His spiritual gifts; so that, as a brother of the poor, thou art also an inheritor of the kingdom, and rich in God!

Does St James' word further mean, only taking the external riches as a figure, a spiritually rich man too? This we may certainly assume, but it must be rightly understood. He cannot refer to the Pharisee, who flatters himself in the riches and virtues of his own possession; for he is not a brother, and in no sense made low, has no lowliness in which he may rejoice. He means the Christian who is a true believer and has received grace; and distinctively such a believer as is already beyond others rich in gifts. And to him he warningly says, Rejoice not as a wise man in thy wisdom, as a strong man in thy strength, as a rich man in thy riches; rejoice rather in the Lord, of whose mercy and grace all this comes, as a brother of the blessed who glorify God in all His gifts. Fancy not that thou hast securely thine own what has been given thee; think not thyself merely in thy wisdom a teacher of others, and in thy fulness a giver to others, forget not thyself continually anew to seek grace for grace. Otherwise thou rejoicest in thy own pride, and all such rejoicing is evil (ch. iv. 16). Otherwise, in the heat of temptation, even thy spiritual branch will fade away; all will be again taken from thee; and thou thyself mayest perish in thy pride. Take David's humility before the ark of the covenant as thy pattern, who said to Saul's proud daughter: "Before the Lord, who chose me before thy father, will I play and rejoice; and I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight; and of the maid-servants which thou hast scorned will I be had in honour!" (2 Sam. vi.

20, 21). Note well what is still lacking in thy spiritual riches; and learn to rejoice most gladly in thine infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in thee (2 Cor. xii. 9). Then alone wilt thou be able safely to say with the same Apostle, I can be high and abound without loss to my abasement (Phil. iv. 12). Then wilt thou say with the Psalmist, "Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me" (Ps. cxxxi. 1). But let the brother who has been rich, and has not retained his lowliness of heart, take shame to himself instead of rejoicing; let him abase himself, and be clothed again with humility! For God resisteth the proud, while He giveth grace to the humble. Therefore the exhortation still is-Humble yourselves under the hand of God, and He will exalt you (Jas. iv. 6–10; 1 Pet. v. 5, 6). This makes the high and the rich the same as the low and the poor; and so must it be in the presence of the Lord.

But let the brother who is low rejoice in that he is exalted! This we shall now understand aright, and no longer think of false self-exaltation. Those who humble themselves will God exalt in due time. And this time is for faith already come. This word low is certainly meant by St James in the spiritual sense; he intends it for consolation, because he has so sharply distinguished between faith and doubt that many a poor, weak brother might be made anxious by his words. Is thy faith yet weak? Is this among the hardest of thy trials, that thou art still inwardly assaulted by unbelief and doubt? that thou art not as rich in the prayed-for wisdom and patience as thou fain wouldst be? Nevertheless, if thou hast any faith at all, let it inspire thee with a cheerful courage; for to the poor, who as yet have nothing, is promised all things; they shall assuredly receive all they need, if they mourn over sin, and hunger and thirst after righteousness. Blessed is that glorying which rises out of deep lowliness into the exaltation of God: I may and I can ask and receive; what my faith hopes to receive it hath already; I am poor in myself, but rich in God!-And art thou in this state of mind poor and lowly in external things? Thou art nevertheless a brother; and every rich man who, from a false respect of persons, fails to recognise thee as such, will be liable to condemnation for that. Be not anxious, as if thy God, who giveth thee the kingdom, could neglect or forsake