02.01. Chapter 1 - Verse 12

James 1:12. 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.

Here the apostle concludeth all the former discourse with a general sentence. I shall despatch it very briefly, because the matter of it often occurreth in this epistle.

Blessed; that is, already blessed. They are not miserable, as the world judgeth them: it is a Christian paradox, wherein there is an allusion to what is said, Job 5:17, ‘Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth;’ it is a wonder, and therefore he calleth the world to see it—Behold! So the apostle, in an opposition to the judgment of the world, saith, Blessed. Is the man, ἀνὴρ.—The word used is only proper to the masculine sex, and therefore some¹ have forced and obtruded some misshapen conceits upon this scripture; whereas throughout the epistle we shall observe our apostle delighteth in the use of this word for both sexes; as ver. James 1:23, ἄνδρι παρακύψαντι, ‘A man beholding his face,’ &c., intending a man or woman, for it answereth to the Hebrew word isch, under which the woman also was comprehended. That endureth, ὃς ὑπομένει—that is, that patiently and constantly beareth. A wicked man suffereth, but he doth not endure: they suffer, but unwillingly, with murmuring and blasphemy; but the godly man endureth; that is, beareth the affliction with patience and constancy; without murmuring, fainting, or blaspheming. Enduring is taken in a good sense; as Hebrews 12:7, ‘If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons.’ God is not perceived to deal as a father, but when the affliction is patiently borne, which the apostle calleth enduring there.

¹ ‘Beatus vir, non mollis vel effœminatus, sed vir, dictus a virtute animi, virore fidei, vigore spei.’—Aquinas in locum.

Temptation.—Affliction is so called, as before; in itself it is a punishment of sin, but to the godly but a trial; as death, the king of terrors, or highest of afflictions, is in itself the wages of sin, but to them, the gate of eternal life. For when he is tried, δόκιμος γενόμενος.—The word is often translated approved: Romans 14:18, ‘Approved of man;’ it is δόκιμος. So 1 Corinthians 11:19, ‘That δόκιμοι, they which are approved may be made manifest;’ so here, when he is made or found approved, that is, right and sound in the faith; it is a metaphor taken from metals, whose excellence is discerned in the fire.

He shall receive; that is, freely; for though none be crowned without striving, 2 Timothy 2:5, yet they are not crowned for striving; as in the scripture it is said in many places, God will give every man according to his work, yet not for his work, for such passages do only imply (as Ferus,² a Papist, also granteth) that as evil works shall not remain unpunished, so neither shall good works be unrewarded.

² Ferus in Mat. in cap. 16. v. 27. A crown of life.—It is usual in scripture to set forth the gifts of God by a crown, sometimes to note the honour that God putteth upon the creatures: ‘Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour,’ Psalms 8:5; sometimes to note the all-sufficiency of God’s love. It is as a crown; on every side there are experiences of it: so it is said, Psalms 103:4, ‘He crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies:’ but most usually it is applied to the heavenly estate:—(1.) Partly to note the honour of it, as a crown is the emblem of majesty; and so it noteth that imperial and kingly dignity to which we are advanced in Christ: Luke 22:29, ‘I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me.’ Christ, that left us the cross, hath left us his crown also: one of Christ’s legacies to the church is his own cross; therefore Luther saith, Ecclesia est hœres crucis—the church is heir of the cross. So you see in this place he saith διατίθημι, I do by will and testament—so the word signifieth—dispose a kingdom to you; and that is one reason why heavenly glory is expressed by a crown. (2.) To note the endless and perpetual fulness that is in it: roundness is an emblem of plenty and perpetuity; there is somewhat on every side, and there is no end in it: so Psalms 16:11, ‘In thy presence is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore.’ (3.) To note that it is given after striving; it was a reward of conquest; there was a crown set before those that ran a race: to which use the apostle alludeth, 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, ‘They which run a race run all, but one receiveth the prize: so run that ye may obtain. Now, they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible;’ that is, in the races and Isthmic games near Corinth, the reward was only some garland of flowers and herbs, which soon faded; but we run for an incorruptible crown of glory; or, as another apostle calleth it, ‘A crown of glory that fadeth not away,’ 1 Peter 5:4. Thus you see why heaven is expressed by a crown; now sometimes it is called ‘a crown of glory,’ to note the splendour of it; sometimes ‘a crown of righteousness,’ 2 Timothy 4:8, to note the ground and rise of it, which is God’s truth engaged by a promise, called God’s righteousness in scripture: sometimes it is called ‘a crown of life,’ as Revelation 2:10, ‘Be faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life;’ because it is not to be had but in eternal or everlasting life: or else, to note the duration of it; it is not a dying, withering crown, as the garland of flowers, but a living crown, such as will flourish to all eternity. Which the Lord hath promised.—This is added, partly to show the certainty of it—we have the assurance of a promise; partly to note the ground of expectation—not by virtue of our own merits, but God’s promise. Now there is no particular promise alleged, because it is the general drift of the whole word of God. In the law there is a promise of mercy: ‘To a thousand generations, to them that love him,’ Exodus 20:6. When all things were ‘after the manner of a carnal commandment,’ the expressions of the promises were also carnal; and that is the reason why, in the Old Testament, the blessings of the promises are expressed by ‘a fat portion,’ ‘long life,’ and a ‘blessing upon posterity;’ for all these expressions were not to be taken in the rigour of the letter, but as figures of heavenly joys and eternal life: and therefore, what was in the commandment, ‘mercy to a thousand generations, to them that love him,’ is in the apostle, ‘a crown of life to them that love him,’ the mystery of the expression being opened and unveiled. To them that love him.—A usual description of the people of God. But why them that love him, rather than them that serve or obey him, or some other description? I answer—(1.) Because love is the sum of the whole law, and the hinge upon which all the commandments turn: this is the one word into which the Decalogue is abridged; therefore Paul saith, Romans 13:10, that ‘love is πλήρωμα νόμου, the fulfilling of the law.’ (2.) Because it is the great note of our interest in Christ: faith giveth a right in the promises, and love evidenceth it; therefore is it so often specified as the condition of the promises, the condition that evidenceth our interest in them; as James 2:5, ‘The kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him.’ He doth not say ‘fear him,’ or ‘trust in him,’ though these graces also are implied, but chiefly ‘to them that love him.’ So Romans 8:28, ‘All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose:’ where love of God, you see, is made the discovery both of effectual calling and election. (3.) Be cause patience is the fruit of love: Nihil est quod non tolerat qui perfecte diligit—he that loveth much will suffer much: and therefore when the apostle speaketh of enduring temptations, he encourageth them by the crown of life promised to them that love God: a man would not suffer for him, unless he did love him.

I shall give you the notes briefly.

Obs. 1. Afflictions do not make the people of God miserable. There is a great deal of difference between a Christian and a man of the world: his best estate is vanity, Psalms 39:5; and a Christian’s worst is happiness. He that loveth God is like a die; cast him high or low, he is still upon a square:³ he may be sometimes afflicted, but he is always happy. There is a double reason for it:—

³ ‘Τετράγωνος ἀνὴρ.—Arist.’

1. Because outward misery cannot diminish his happiness.

2. Because sometimes it doth increase it.

1. Afflictions cannot diminish his happiness: a man is never miserable till he hath lost his happiness. Our comfort lieth much in the choice of our chiefest good. They that say, ‘Happy is the people that is in such a case,’ Psalms 144:12-15; that is, where there is no complaining in their streets, sheep bringing forth thousands, garners full, oxen strong to labour, &c., they may be soon miserable: all these things may be gone, with an easy turn of providence, as Job lost all in an instant. But they that say, ‘Happy is the people whose God is the Lord,’ that is, that count it their happiness to enjoy God, when they lose all, they may be happy, because they have not lost God. Our afflictions discover our choice and affections; when outward crosses are the greatest evil, it is a sign God was not the chiefest good; for our grief, in the absence of any comfort, is according to the happiness that we fancied in the enjoyment of it. One that hath setup his rest in God can rejoice in his interest, ‘though the fields should yield no meat, and the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there should be no herd in the stalls.’ These are great evils, and soon felt by a carnal heart; yet the prophet, in the person of all believers, saith, Habakkuk 3:18, ‘I will joy in the Lord, and rejoice in the God of my salvation.’ In the greatest defect and want of earthly things there is happiness, and comfort enough in a covenant-interest.

2. Sometimes afflictions increase their happiness, as they occasion more comfort and further experience of grace: God seldom afflicteth in vain. Such solemn providences and dispensations leave us better or worse, the children of God gain profit by them, for it is God’s course to recompense outward losses with inward enjoyments: 2 Corinthians 1:5, ‘For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also consolation aboundeth by Christ;’ that is, inward comforts and experiences, according to the rate of outward sufferings. Now he hath not the heart of a Christian that can think himself more happy in temporal commodities than spiritual experiences: a wilderness that giveth us more of God is to be preferred above all the pleasures and treasures of Egypt. Learn, then, that they may be blessed whom men count miserable. They are not always happy to whom all things happen according to their desires, but they that endure evil with victory and patience; the world judgeth according to outward appearance, and therefore is often mistaken. Nemo atiorum sensu miser est, sed suo, saith Salvian⁴—a godly man’s happiness, or misery, is not to be judged by the world’s sense or feeling, but his own; his happiness and yours differ. The apostle saith, 1 Corinthians 15:19, ‘If our hopes were only in this world, we were of all men most miserable;’ if worldly enjoyments were our blessedness, a Christian might not only be miserable, but ‘most miserable.’ The main difference between a worldly man and a gracious man is in their chiefest good and their utmost end; and therefore a worldly man cannot judge of a spiritual man’s happiness. But, saith the apostle, 1 Corinthians 2:15, ‘The spiritual man judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man:’ you think that their estate is misery, but they know that yours is vanity. You cannot judge them, but by the light of the Spirit they judge all things. They that count God their chiefest good know no other evil but the darkening of his countenance; in all other cases, ‘Blessed is he that endureth:’ they lose nothing by affliction, but their sins.

⁴ Sal. de Gub. Dei, lib. 1.

Obs. 2. Of all afflictions those are sweetest which we endure for Christ’s sake. The apostle saith, ‘Blessed are they that endure temptation;’ that is, persecution for religion’s sake. The immediate strokes of providence are more properly corrections; the violences of men against us are more properly trials; there is comfort and blessedness in corrections, namely, when we receive profit by them: Psalms 94:12, ‘Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, Lord, and instructest out of thy law.’ Mark, when the chastening is from the Lord, there is comfort in it, if there be instruction in it: but it is far more sweet when we are merely called to suffer for a good conscience: Matthew 5:10, ‘Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.’ There is the blessedness more clear. Corrections aim at the mortifying of sin, and so are more humbling: but trials aim at the discovery of grace, and so are more comfortable. Corrections imply guilt; either we have sinned, or are likely to sin, and then God taketh the rod in hand. But trials befall us, that the world may know our willingness to choose the greatest affliction before the least sin, and therefore must needs be matter of more joy and blessedness to us. In short, corrections are a discovery and silent reproof of our corruptions; but trials a discovery and public manifestation of our innocency, not a reproof, so much as an honour and grace to us. Well, then, when you are called to suffer for Christ, apply this comfort: it is a blessed thing to endure evil for that cause; only be sure your hearts be upright, that it be for Christ indeed, and your hearts be right with Christ.

1. That it be for Christ. It is not the blood and suffering that maketh the martyr, but the cause. We are all apt to entitle our quarrel to Christ, therefore we should go upon the more sure grounds. The glory of our sufferings is marred when there is somewhat of an evil deed in them, 1 Peter 4:15. And we cannot be so cheerful as in a cause purely religious; evils are not welcomed that come mixed in our thoughts, partly trial, and partly punishment.

2. That your heart be right for Christ. The form of religion may many times draw a persecution upon itself, as well as the power, the world hateth both, though the form less. Oh! how sad is it that a man cometh to suffer, and he hath nothing to bear him out but an empty form. Either such kind of persons ‘make shipwreck of a good conscience,’ or else, out of an obstinacy to their faction, do but sacrifice a stout body to a stubborn mind; or, which is worse, have nothing to support them but the low principles of vainglory and worldly applause. Oh! consider, there is no blessedness in such sufferings; then may you suffer cheerfully when you appeal to God’s omnisciency for your uprightness, as they do in the psalm, ‘The Lord knoweth the secrets of the heart; yea, for thy sake are we slain all the day long.’ Psalms 44:21-22. Can you appeal to the God that knoweth secrets, and say, For thy sake are we exposed to such hazards in the world?

Obs. 3. From that when he is tried, note that before crowning there must be a trial. We have no profit at all by the affliction, neither grace nor glory, till there be some wrestling and exercise; for grace, the apostle showeth plainly, Hebrews 12:11, ‘It yieldeth the quiet fruits of righteousness, τοῖς γεγυμνασμένοις, to them that are exercised thereby.’ The pleasantness and blessedness is not found by and by, but after much struggling and wrestling with God in prayer, long acquaintance with the affliction. So for glory, the apostle showeth here, ‘when he is proved, he shall receive a crown.’ In the building of the temple the stones were first carved and hewed, that the sound of hammer might not be heard in God’s house; so the living stones are first hewn before they are set in the New Jerusalem. The apostle saith, 2 Timothy 2:5, ‘If a man strive for masteries, he is not crowned unless he strive lawfully;’ that is, unless he perform the conditions and laws of the exercise in which he is engaged, he cannot expect the reward; so neither can we from God till we have passed through all the stages of Christianity. The trial doth not merit heaven, but always goeth before it. Before we are brought to glory, God will first wean us from sin and the world, which the apostle calleth a being ‘made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light,’ Colossians 1:12. And this work is helped on by many afflictions. Those serve to make us meet for the communion of saints, not to merit it. When God crowneth us, he doth but crown his own gifts in us.⁵ Well, then, bear your trials with the more patience. It is said, Acts 14:22, that Paul ‘confirmed the souls of the disciples, showing that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God.’ It is the common lot. There is none goeth to heaven without their trial. As the way to Canaan lay through a howling wilderness and desert, so the path to heaven lieth through much affliction. He that passeth his life without trial knoweth not himself, nor hath no opportunity to discover his uprightness.^{6 5} ‘Deus nihil coronat nisi dona sua.’ Aug., lib. v. horn. 14.

⁶ ‘Miserum te judico quod nunquam fuisti miser; transistis sine adversario vitam; nemo sciet quid potueris; ne tu quidem ipse; opus est ad notitiam sui experimento, quæ quisque posset nisi tentando non didicit.’—Sen. lib. de Provid., cap. 4.

Obs. 4. That it is good to oppose the glory of our hopes against the abasure of our sufferings. Here are trials, but we look for a crown of glory. This is the way to counterpoise the temptation, and in the conflict between the flesh and spirit, to come in to the relief of the better part. Thus Paul saith, the inward man is strengthened, ‘When we look not to the things that are seen, but the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal,’ 2 Corinthians 4:18. A direct opposition of our hopes to our sufferings maketh them seem light and easy. Thus our Saviour biddeth us consider, ‘When you are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, yours is the kingdom of God.’ Matthew 5:10. Though ye be deprived of all you have, yet ye cannot be deprived of heaven. Remember, heaven is still yours. You may lose an estate, but you have an assurance of a crown of glory. Thus Basil speaketh of some martyrs that were cast out all night naked in a cold frosty time, and were to be burned the next day, how they comforted themselves in this manner: ‘The winter is sharp, but paradise is sweet; here we shiver for cold, but the bosom of Abraham will make amends for all,’ &C.⁷ Well, then, make use of this heavenly wisdom; consider your hopes, the glory of them, the truth of them.

⁷ ‘Δριμὺς ὁ χείμων, ἀλλὰ γλυκὺς ὁ παράδεισος· ἀλγεινὴ ἣ μήνις, ἀλλ ἡδεῖα ἡ ἀπόλαυσις. μικρὸν ἀναμείνωμεν καὶ ὁ κόλπος ἡμᾶς θάλψει τοῦ πατριάρχου,’ &c.—Basil ad 40 Martyr.

1. The glory of them. There are two things trouble men in their sufferings—disgrace and death. See what provision God hath made against these fears: he hath promised a crown against the ignominy of your sufferings, and against temporal death a crown of life. A man can lose nothing for God, but it is abundantly recompensed and made up again; the crown of thorns is turned into a crown of glory, and losing of life is the ready way to save it, Matthew 10:39. Thus, it is good, you see, to oppose our hopes to our sorrows, and not altogether to look to the present dangers and sufferings, but to the crown, the crown of life that is laid up for us.⁸ Extreme misery, without hope of redress, overwhelmeth the soul; and, therefore, the promises do everywhere oppose a proper comfort to that case where the feeling is like to be sorest, that faith may have a present and ready answer to such extremities as sense urgeth; as Stephen, in the midst of his sufferings, ‘looked steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,’ Acts 7:55. There was somewhat of miracle and extraordinary ecstasy in that vision, the glory of heaven being not only represented to his soul, but to his senses; but it was a pledge of that which falleth out ordinarily in the sufferings of God’s children, for their hearts are then usually raised to a more fixed and distinct consideration of their hopes, whereby the danger and temptation is defeated and overcome. It is very observable that when Moses and Elijah came to speak with Christ about his sufferings, they appeared in such forms of glory as did allay the sharpness of the message; for it is said, Luke 9:31, ‘They appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem;’ intimating that the crown of thorns should put us in mind of the crown of glory; and when we are clothed with shame and sorrow, we should think of the shining garments; for the messengers of the cross were apparelled with a shining glory.

⁸ ‘Pericula non respicit martyr, coronas respicit.’—Basil, ubi supra.

2. The truth of them. It is not only a ‘crown of glory’ that you expect, but a ‘crown of righteousness,’ 2 Timothy 4:8, that is, which the righteous God will surely bestow upon you; for though God maketh the promise in grace, yet it being once made, his truth, which is often called his righteousness in scripture, obligeth him to perform it.⁹ Well, then, consider thus: I have the promise of the righteous God to assure me, and shall I doubt or draw back? He is too holy to deceive— ‘God that cannot lie,’ Titus 1:2; so immutable and faithful that he cannot repent and change his mind, Numbers 23:19; so omnipotent and able that he cannot be disappointed and hindered, Job 9:12; so gracious that he will not forget: ‘Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? ‘Oh! that our trust were as sure as his promises, and there were no more doubt to be made of our interest than of his truth! Every promise is built upon four pillars: God’s justice or holiness, which will not suffer him to deceive; his grace or goodness, which will not suffer him to forget; his truth, which will not suffer him to change; his power, which maketh him able to accomplish.

⁹ ‘Promittendo se debitorem fecit.’—Aug.

Obs. 5. Lastly, That no enduring is acceptable to God but such as doth arise from love. The crown which God hath promised, he doth not say, ‘to them that suffer,’ but ‘to them that love him.’ A man may suffer for Christ, that is, in his cause, without any love to him, but it is nothing worth: 1 Corinthians 13:3, ‘If I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.’ Through natural stoutness and stubbornness men may be constant in their way, and, as I said before, yield a stout body to a stubborn mind; and yet, when they are burning in the fires, their souls burn with no zeal or love to God’s glory. There are many who would die for Christ if they were put to it, yet will not quit a lust for him. Vicious persons that die in a good cause are but like a dog’s head cut off for sacrifice. Well, then, do not think that mere suffering will excuse a wicked life. It is observable that Christ saith last of all, ‘Blessed are they that suffer for righteousness’ sake,’ Matthew 5:10, as intimating that a martyr must have all the preceding graces; first, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are the pure in heart;’ then, ‘Blessed are they that suffer.’ First, grace is required, and then martyrdom. The victory is less over outward inconveniences than inward lusts; for these, being more rooted in our nature, are more hardly overcome. Under the law the priests were to search the beasts brought for burnt-offerings, whether scabbed or mangy, &c. A burnt-offering, if scabby, is not acceptable to God. In short, that love that keepeth the commandments is best able to make us suffer for them. Philosophy may teach us to endure hardships, as Calanus in Curtius willingly offered his body to the fires; but grace only can teach us to overcome lusts. We read of many that, out of greatness or sullenness of spirit, could offer violence to nature, but were at a loss when they came to deal with a corruption; so easy is it to cut off a member rather than a lust, and to withstand an enemy rather than a temptation! Therefore the scriptures, when they set out an outward enemy, though never so fierce, call him flesh, ‘with them is an arm of flesh;’ but when they speak of the spiritual combat, they make it a higher work, and of another nature: ‘We fight not against flesh and blood,’ &c., Ephesians 6:12. Learn then to do for God, that you may the better die for him; for a wicked man, as he profaneth his actions, so his sufferings—his blood is but as swine’s blood, a defilement to the altar.

Other notes might be observed out of this verse, but they may be collected either out of the exposition, or supplied out of observations on chap. 2 ver. 5, where suitable matter is discussed.