Divers admonitions, as Chap. xiii. to charity, chastity, &c. 28 Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire. CHAP. XIII. 1 Divers admonitions, as to charity, 4 to chastity, 5 to avoid covetousness, 7 to regard God's preachers, 9 to take heed of strange dectrines, 10 to confess Christ. LET brotherly love continue. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels a unawares. 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. 4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 5 Let your conversation b be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. a Entertained angels, Paul here refers to Gen. xviii. 2. b Conversation, behaviour. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation; 8 Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, & forever. 9 Be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines; for it is a good thing, that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 10 We have an altar, c whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 14 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the' sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burnt without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth, therefore, unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 15 By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. 16 But to do good, and to We bave an altar, &c. We have a sacrifice, that is, Jesus Christ, of which they have no right to eat, who think to obtain pardon by Jewish rites, performed in the tabernacle. communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you. 18 Pray for us; for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to do honestly. 19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, admonitions. 21 Make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing, in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever & ever. Amen. 22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation; for I have written a letter unto you in a few words. 23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. 24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. 25 Grace be with you all. Amen. T Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy. PREFATORY REMARKS TO THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. St. James, the author of this Epistle, surnamed the less or younger, was the son of Alpheus, or according to the Hebrew orthography and pronunciation, Cleophas. He was a relation of Jesus Christ; and because the Jews called relation brethren, he is called the Lord's brother. He was eminent among the Apostles, and was appointed to reside in Jerusalem, and to superintend the churches there; hence by the ancients he was stiled bishop of Jerusalem. There are various conjectures concerning his death; the general opinion however is, that he suffered martyrdom A. D. 62, a short time after he wrote this Epistle. As many of the converted Jews were formerly of the sect of the Pharisees, who held the doctrines of fate, they brought in Of rejoicing under Chap. i. the cross, &c. to the Christian church, not only these, but other errors, which the corrupt part of the nation had built on them; such as, that God is the author of sin, and that whoever professes the true religion, is sure of salvation, whatever be his temper or moral conduct. In these mistaken notions the converted Jews seem to have been confirmed by certain passages in Paul's Epistles, which they wrested to their own destruction. These pernicious errors, so ruinous to the souls of men, and so dishonourable to the character of God, were, in the first ages of Christianity, the source of an extreme corruption of manners, which prevailed among some sects of Christians, particularly among the Simonians, Nicolaitans, and other Jewish heretics, to which there are frequent allusions in the apostolical Epistles. Wherefore to expose the dangerous tendency of these errors, and to guard the faithful against them, the apostles, Peter, James, John, and Jude, wrote the seven Epistles called catholic or general; none of which however more strongly opposes these false doctrines, than St. James in this Epistle. THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. CHAP. I. 4 We must rejoice under the cross, 5 ask wisdom of God, 19 hear the word, and do thereafter. 27 What true religion is. JA AMES, a servant of God & of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad,a greeting. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations ;b 3 Knowing this, that the a Scattered abroad. At this time the Jews were very numerous, and found in most of the cities of Europe and Asia; to these James addresses this Epistle. b Temptations, trials, affliction and persecution for the sake of the Gospel; for we are directed to pray against temptations. trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of lack wisyou dom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed: 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double-minded c man is unstable in all his ways. c Double-minded, having two minds or opinions, without fixed principles. Ask wisdom of God. James. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted; 10 But the rich, in that he is made low; because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11 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. 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. 13 Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man; 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,d with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, d Lights, all spiritually good things. What true religion is, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls: 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,e and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion, and unde e Law of liberty. The Gospel is delivers man from the slavery of called the law of liberty, because it passion, the burdensome rites of the Mosaic law, and the punishment of sin. filed before God and the Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. CHAP II. 14 1 We must not regard the rich, and despise the poor. Faith without works 17 is dead. MY brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly, a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment ; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool; 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts Pa Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the king dom, which he hath promised to them, that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment-seats? Do not they blaspheme a Judges of evil thoughts; judges possessed of evil thoughts. Rich men threatened. that worthy name by the which ye are called 8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.b 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwith b Is guilty of all. Some have been unable to perceive the justness of this passage; but it is very evident that a person, who will deliberately commit any one sin, would also, if under a proportionally strong temptation, commit any other. |
