My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Ver. 2. Count it all joy] The world wondereth (saith Mr Philpot the martyr) how we can be so merry in such extreme misery. But our God is omnipotent, who turneth misery into felicity. Believe me, there is no such joy in the world as the people of Christ have under the cross; I speak it by experience, &c. He counted it so upon mature deliberation, as the apostle here adviseth.
All joy] That is, full joy (by a Hebraism), complete and perfect; such as is the joy of merchants when they see their ships come laden in.
When ye fall into] Not go in step by step, but are precipitated, plunged. Or when ye fall among, as he that went down towards Jericho fell among thieves,Luke 10:30. When ye are so surrounded that there is no escaping them, being distressed, as David was, Psalms 116:3 .
Into divers temptations] Crosses seldom come single (Catenata piorum crux), as neither do mercies, but trooping and treading one upon the heels of another. a After rain cometh clouds, Ecclesiastes 12:2. As in April, no sooner is one shower unburdened, but another is brewed. And when the apostle calleth them temptations, he meaneth such afflictions as will put us hard to it, and show what metal we are made of; pressing and piercing crosses.
a Aliud ex alio malum. Teren.