Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, James · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
THe former words of this Chapter hauehave little difficulty in them, and therefore I will runne them ouer briefly.Verſ. 1. Verſe 1. The twelue Tribes vntounto which hee writeth, ſaid to be ſcattered abroad, or in diſperſion, are the beleeuers of eueryevery Tribe, now expelled from Ieruſalem by CLAVDIVS CESAR, as hath beene already touched. But it is to be vnderſtood, that ten of the twelue Tribes were ſtill in that baniſhment vnderunder Salmanaſar King of Aſſyria: for wee reade not of the returne of any,2 Kings 17. but of the two Tribes and an halfe in the dayes of Exra and Nehemiah, or at any time ſince, and therefore it is likely that the Apoſtle had reſpect to that diſperſion alſo, if happely his Epiſtle ſhould come to any of their hands. Verſe 2. he comforteth them in their troubles, firſt, by reſoluing them what theſe troubles are, viz. the triall of your faith, verſ. 3. Secondly, by ſhewing the effect of this triall, patience. Thirdly, the benefit of this patience, perfection, when a man being tried is found to hauehave patience indeed. Fourthly, how we may be ſo wiſe, as for the good that is in trouble, being conſidered, to vſe ſuch conſtant patience, verſe 5. Aske wiſdome of God. Fiftly, by ſhewing what vaine and inconſtant things riches are, for which there is no cauſe but to ioy, notwithſtanding the loſſe of them, verſ. 10, 11. Sixtly, by propounding the Crowne of life, as the reward of troubles bein-borne patiently, verſ. 12. Touching the firſt of theſe, temptations are the triall of our Faith, whether wee will beleeue in God when hee ſeemes to neglect vsus or to bee againſt vsus. Touching the ſecond and third,Verſe 3, 4. trying of a man worketh patience, if he hath faith, becauſe then he quietly beareth the Croſſe laid vponupon him, which to doe is Patience, and this patient bearing with conſtancy is the next thing to be lookt vntounto, which who ſo doth, neuer being weary, is a perfect wiſe man, and wanteth not the ſpirituall wiſdome to ſee into the benefit of temptations.Verſ. 5. And for the fourth, the words are plaine and eaſie, there muſt be no wauering through vnbeliefe in our ſeeking vntounto God, but wee muſt firmely beleeue, that God is, and that hee can ſupply all our wants: hee that doubteth of this is a wauering minded man, who is vnconſtant in all his waies, and therefore ſuch conſtant holding on in time of temptation cannot be expected at his hands. Touching the fift, there is ſome more difficulty in the words, and therefore I will ſet downe the diuerſity of Expoſitions herevpon.
IAMES Chapter I. Verſe 9, 10.
Let the brother of low degree reioyce in his exaltation. But the rich in his humiliation, becauſe, as the flower of the graſſe, he paſſeth away.
Tho. Aquin. in Iac. Gorran.HEre is ſhewed the manner of perfect patience, namely, when a poore deiected man glorieth not onelyonly inwardly and in himſelfe, but outwardly in reſpect of others through the hope that he hath of future exaltation: for it is promiſed, that he which humbleth himſelfe, ſhall be exalted. That which followeth of the rich man glorying in his humiliatiō is expounded by the Gloſſe, as ſpoken ironically, Let him reioyce in his humiliation and fall to come, for his pride, and louelove of worldly riches. Or elſe it may be vnderſtood of a voluntary humiliation in doing dutie to the poore through humility.
Oecum. in Iac.The Apoſtle hauing ſhewed who is fluctuating like the Sea in his prayers, now teacheth how a man may be ſtable and ſteddy, viz. if being poore, that is, deiected in a ſenſe of his owne ſpirituall pouerty, he perſeuereth in this his humiliation, which indeed will produce all good vntounto him. By the rich hee meaneth the proud and ſupercilious, to whom he aſcribeth humility, becauſe whileſt he exalteth himſelfe, hee is in a lowe and baſe eſtate; his meaning is, that hee ſhould be confounded herein, though hee would not vſe the word, left hee ſhould ſeeme too harſh.
The Apoſtle doth not here, as ſome thinke, enter vponupon a new argument touching the rich and the poore, but repeateth in other words what he propounded before, verſ. 2. about reioycing in temptations, adding ſome new reaſons, after that of faithfull prayer brought in, as it were by a parentheſis. Hee that is vnderunder temptations is humbled by the Lord, and this the Lords humbling of him is ioyned with exaltation in his fauour to be his ſonne, and an inheritour of his heauenly kingdome, which none aduerſity can depriue him of. Let the poore therefore, that is, the deiected reioyce in this his ſpirituall exaltation by adoption and grace, as Paul did, Rom. 8.35.
Pareus in Jac.Let the rich man, &c. I doe not thinke with ſome that this is an exhortation of the rich to humility, for that is done afterwards Chap. 5. But the rich here is he that is not humbled by reaſon of his proſperous eſtate: in willing him to reioyce in his humiliation, he meaneth, that he ſhould prepare himſelfe and be ready to ſuffer for Chriſt, when hee ſhould be called thereunto, and herein ſeeke matter of true ioy, that in minde he was humbled to beare Chriſts croſſe, and to follow him, whenſoeuer it ſhould come, and in that he had a fellow-feeling of the miſeries of others in their ſufferings. And that they who were for the preſent in proſperity, might be the rather moued to this humiliation, he ſheweth their fleeting eſtate and condition, euen like the flower of the field. The poore here is the poore in ſpirit, whoſe exaltation is, that his is the kingdome of heauen, Math. 5. The rich made lowe, is he that ſuffereth the loſſe of his goods, being made herein like vntounto Chriſt, who being of heauenly glory became poore, and abaſed himſelfe; and his followers wee are when wee ſhew patience in the loſſe of worldly wealth,Vt à terrenis depreſſio eſt ad Deum exaltatio, ita ad diuitias exaltatio eſt à Deo depreſſio. Pugnant ex oppoſito Coelum, terra, paupertas, diuitiae: aeterna, caduca: Deus, mundus: exaltatio ad mandum, exaltatio ad Deum: depreſſio à mundo, depreſſio à Deo. reioycing in this conformity vntounto him. For to be depreſſed in the world is to be exalted to God-ward, and to be exalted in the world is to be depreſſed to God-ward. For theſe are contraries, heauen and earth, pouerty and riches, eternall and fading, God and the world, exaltation to God, exaltation to the world, depreſſion from the world, depreſſion from God; if thou loueſt the earth, thou loſeſt heauen; if riches, the pouerty of Chriſt; if fading things, eternall; if exaltation to the world, exaltation to God.
*Mayer. 1 Cor. 4.17.Though the Expoſitours alleaged differ in words, yet the ſenſe rendred by them all is almoſt one and the ſame. By the poore I vnderſtand with Pareus and Piſcator, a man vnderunder affliction, according to that which was ſpoken before, verſ. 2. he is bidden to reioyce in his exaltation, that is, the glory to come: for the momentany afflictions of this life doe worke vntounto vsus a ſurpaſſing weight of glory. The rich muſt ioy in his humiliation, that is, according to Piſcator, if hee hath an humble minde in the middeſt of his riches, whereby he maketh himſelfe equall to the poore. For, contrary to the manner of the world, he aſcribeth exaltation to the poore, and humiliation to the rich, who hath good cauſe yet to humble himſelfe by reaſon of the vanity of his riches, being like vntounto the flower of the field. That of Oecumen. followed by Faber, applying it to the poore in ſpirit, doth not agree ſo well here, becauſe poore is oppoſed to rich, which is meant of worldly riches, and therefore the poore here is one poore and brought lowe in the world.
This would be noted,Note. that we may not be carried on according to the manner of the world; to be ouerwhelmed with ſorrow in time of aduerſity, and neuer to be ſo merry as when worldly wealth floweth in, as though happineſſe conſiſted in theſe things. For this is a meere deluſion. The onelyonly true and ſolid ioy is in the future exaltation in heauen, the way vntounto which is by poeurty and croſſes in this world, and in an humble minde here in the middeſt of worldly wealth.
CHAP. I. VERS. 13.14.
Let no man being tempted, ſay, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted of euill, & he tempteth no man. 14 But eueryevery one is tempted, being drawne away by his owne concupiſcence, and inticed. 15. Then luſt hauing conceiued bringeth forth ſinne, but ſinne perfected breedeth death.
Tho. Aqui. in Iacob. Gorran.Hauing ſpoken hitherto of externall temptations, now hee ſpeaketh of internall, that is, euill cogitations ſuggeſted to the minde, whereby a man is enticed and drawne to euill, theſe come not from God, but from our ſpirituall enemies. God indeed is ſaid to tempt Abraham, Geneſ. 22. Deut. 12.and likewiſe to tempt the people of Iſrael: but it is to be vnderſtood that there is a twofold temptation, the one of triall, the other of deceit; by the firſt God tempteth, that men may be more purified, as the gold being tried in the fire; but not by the other. The Deuill tempteth thus, that he may deceiue vsus, the fleſh that it may allure vsus, and the world that it may draw vsus away. Concupiſcence within a man as originall tinder,Rom. 7. Gal. 5. otherwiſe called the law of the members, and the fleſh luſting againſt the ſpirit, that tempteth by drawing away from good, and enticing to euill, for by theſe two words are ſet forth the two termes, the terme from which, and the terme vntounto which; the right way from which, and the wrong way vntounto which;Aug. Peccatum eſt, ſpreto incommutabili bono, commutabili bono adhaerere. or the immutable good from which, and the mutable good vntounto which. Ob. The deuill tempteth ſometimes, and therefore not concupiſcence onelyonly. Sol. Although the deuill tempteth, yet he can doe nothing if concupiſcence were not, euen as wood is not kindled by blowing, vnleſſe there be fire.
Concupiſcence when it hath conceiued bringeth forth ſinne, &c.] The degrees of temptation are here noted out; firſt, there is delight alluring; ſecondly, conſent conceiuing; thirdly, worke performing; fourthly, cuſtome perfecting. Luſt conceiueth by the deuill, who is (as it were) the father, and luſt the mother; this conception is by the conſent of the will, or by delight. Bringeth forth ſinne, that is, into act, Pſal. 7. It is perfected by cuſtome, and then death commeth, that is, it becommeth guilty of eternall damnation,Rom. 6. for the wages of ſin is death. But why is death aſſigned only to cuſtome? doth not ſinne delighted in, or conſented vntounto, and acted, bring forth death alſo? Anſw. Yes doubtleſſe, but it is moſt properly ſaid thus of cuſtome in ſin, becauſe in ſuch there appeare no ſignes of life, & there is little hope of his returne, but in ſuch as ſometime fall into ſin there are ſignes of life, though more in the conſenter,verſ. 17. fewer in the acter of ſinne. EueryEvery beſt guift, and eueryevery perfect guift. This is added further, to proue that no euill temptation is from God, becauſe good onelyonly commeth from him; which hee ſheweth, firſt from the copiouſneſſe of his guifts; ſecondly, from his immutable goodneſſe; thirdly, from his liberality towards vsus, in begetting vsus; fourthly, from their own iudgement. Touching the degrees here ſet forth, the good are temporall guifts, the better naturall, the beſt gracious. The beſt guift of grace, and the perfect guift of glory. The firſt is called a thing giuen, becauſe it is in the way; the other a guift without end in our Countrey. The father of lights, that is, the author of all graces, which are the lights of the ſoules.
Occum. in Iac.By temptation here vnderſtand that which ariſeth from a mans owne ſinnes and intemperance, whereby trouble is brought vponupon him, and fluctuation of the minde; now when trouble is brought thus vponupon a man, it is not a temptation from God, but from his owne concupiſcence.
Mayer. Auguſt. de verbis Domini. Eſt temptatio inducens peccatum, qua Deus nominem tentat, eſt & tentatio probans fidem, qua tentare Deus hominem dignatur.Pareus, Faber, Piſcator, Gagneus, and all others, that I hauehave ſeene, follow Tho. Aquinas, vnderſtanding here that inward temptation that is to euill, of which it ſeemed good to the Apoſtle to ſpeake, becauſe he had commended temptations before. For of outward temptations of trouble comming vponupon a man by his own default it cannot be meant, as Oecum. would hauehave it, becauſe it is temptation to euill, of which it is ſpoken here, as is expreſſed, when it is added, God is not tempted of euill, and the ſequell of this temptation is plainly ſaid to be ſin, not outward trouble in the world.
If it be demanded, in what ſenſe God is ſaid to be vntemptible of euill,Pareus. the Latins reade it intentator malorum. Pareus & ſome others, take it both actiuely and paſſiuely, but becauſe the actiue immediatly followeth, He tempteth no man, I thinke that it is to be vnderſtood paſſiuely only. The meaning is, that our malice cānot ſtir vp euil in him, neither doth he tempt any man to euill; as Occum. hath noted, was the ſaying of an Heathen,Numen & De…s ne que , ipſ… moleſtias habet, ne que alijs exhibel. 2 Sam. 24. God the diuine Maieſty neither is himſelfe troubled, nor bringeth troubles vponupon others. Ob. He hardened Pharaohs heart, & whō he will hee hardeneth; and hee moued Dauid to number the people. Sol. With Pareus I ſay, that God doth not by tempting make any man euill, but vponupon ſuch as are already euill he ſendeth the iudgement of being hardened to the doing of more euill, that hee may in the end receiue the greater damnation. Reade more touching this point vponupon Rom. 9. and Auguſt. de bone perſeuerantiae & Epiſt. 146. ad Conſentium.
2 If it be demanded what concupiſcence is, and whether it be not a ſinne, becauſe hee ſeemeth here to make it but the cauſe of ſinne, and how temptation is aſcribed onelyonly to concupiſcence, when as the deuill alſo tempteth, and ſo doth the world too? I anſwer to the firſt, that concupiſcence is generally agreed vponupon to be that originall inclination vntounto euill, which we draw from the loines of our firſt Parents. To the ſecond, that (S. Paul himſelfe being the teacher) it is ſinne,Rom. 7. and ſuch a ſinne as is condemned in the tenth Commandement, though Popiſh Writers mince it, and ſay that it is not truely and properly ſinne, but the cauſe of ſinne, and by the Apoſtle Paul called ſinne therefore figuratiuely and improperly. But I hauehave ſpoken of this before in the proper place. To the third Aquinas hath anſwered well already, wherein it is generally conſented, that luſt is the next and immediate cauſe of ſinne alwaies, other tempters worke but by our luſt. The deuill could not hauehave preuailed againſt Eue, had ſhe not been drawn by her owne deſire, and ſtirred vp, when ſhe looked vponupon the forbidden fruit. Faber addeth,Faber. that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of men void of all grace, and liuing onelyonly by ſenſe, like the brute beaſt, whom to carry away to ſinne luſt alone is ſufficient, for ſo much as the ſoule lieth dead as it were in ſuch, and ſo they are carried any whither by ſenſe, euen as a dead Marriner in a ſhip toſſed by the waues of the Sea.
3 If it be demanded in what manner luſt worketh vntounto ſin, and whether death be not due till ſinne is perfected by cuſtome, becauſe hee ſaith, ſinne being perfected bringeth forth death. I anſwer that it worketh by a falſe perſwaſion and delight, as the fiſh is drawne by the bait, and therefore the word foreign, taken from a bait is vſed, he is drawne away from good by thinking it not good, and hauing in him a kinde of auerſneſſe there-from, and allured to euill through the ſweet and good apprehended to be therein.
Touching death,Tho. Aquin. the iſſue of ſinne being perfected, Tho. Aquinas hath anſwered it well already, that ſinne perfected is ſaid to bring forth death, becauſe there is not that likelihood of being conuerted and turned from ſinne in ſuch as are growne to a cuſtome of ſinning, as in theſe that hauehave ſometime ſinned onelyonly:Ier. 13.23. yea the Prophet ſpeaketh of it as impoſſible, Can a Blackmore put away his blackneſſe, or a Leopard his ſpots? ſo they that hauehave accuſtomed to doe euill cannot learne to doe well. Pareus.Pareus ſaith, that it is ſaid ſo becauſe that euen in the iudgement of men ſinne comming into act deſerueth death.Faber. Faber, becauſe it is not deadly, if in the conception it be diſliked and withſtood. Popiſh Writers gather from hence, that luſt is no ſinne, and that the firſt motions vntounto ſinne are not ſinne, and that motions vntounto ſinne with ſome conſent are not mortall ſinnes, that is, worthy of death, but veniall. But that luſt is ſinne is plaine; firſt, becauſe the Law ſaith, Thou ſhalt not luſt: ſecondly, becauſe S. Paul calleth it ſinne, Rom. 7.12. thirdly, becauſe it is the cauſe of ſinne, and by the Law of God, not onelyonly ſinne, but the cauſe and the degrees of it are forbidden. Secondly, that the firſt motions are ſinne is plaine alſo, becauſe they draw a man from good, and intice him to euill, and ſo are the materiall and efficient cauſe of ſinne, and cenſured therefore by Saint Paul, as ſinne, Rom. 7.8, 17. And therefore thirdly, much more motions with ſome conſent are ſinne, and worthy of death, ſeeing this is the wages of eueryevery ſinne, yea,Rom. 5.13. euen of the mother of ſinne, Luſt, before that it breaketh forth into act.
4 If it be demanded, what is meant by eueryevery good gift, and by eueryevery perfect gift? It is to bee vnderſtood, that there are two different words vſed to expreſſe theſe gifts, foreign, and then foreign, in the Latine tranſlation, datum & donum, and for good there it is read eueryevery beſt gift, which alſo pleaſeth Beza beſt. I doe not finde any diſtinction to be made amongſt Expoſitors betwixt theſe two, but onelyonly in Thomas Aquinas, Beza, Piſcat. Tho Aquin. Gorran. Faber.which hath beene already ſet downe. Moſt hold, that ſpirituall gifts only are meant here, which alone are truly good and perfect; and this is moſt agreeable to the ſcope of the place, which is, to teach that no euill is ſuggeſted to the minde by God. For he that is the Author of all good and grace vntounto vsus, cannot be the Author of euill alſo.Pareus. Pareus vnderſtandeth all other good things of this life alſo, and ſo the infinite goodneſſe of God is yet more ſet forth. The gifts of grace, according to ſome, are ſaid to bee perfect, becauſe they tend to the perfecting of the new man; but I thinke rather, that the word foreign is turned into foreign, to ſhew Gods vnchangeableneſſe in his gifts, and foreign into foreign, to ſhew that his gifts are altogether good for vsus, and not euill or hurtfull any way, as the gifts of men are. The Father of Lights. God is ſaid to be Light,Faber. and ſo is the Sonne, and ſo is the holy Ghoſt, and according to this we confeſſe him in the Church to be Light of Light, and here the Father of Lights; not becauſe hee begetteth theſe Lights, but amongſt the Lights he is Father,Auguſt. de speculo. and an effect of this light is grace ſeaſoning the hearts of the faithfull. He may alſo be ſaid to be the Father of Lights,Deus omnipotens curſus temporis dici nocti: que alternatione apud te nequaquam variatur, hoc vere eſt foreign, ſo. per conuerſ. ſolis & reciprocat. a tropico in tropicum: hoc autem in d…o non fit, quia… pud cum nulla nox eſt, dies autem perpetua, quia lux eſt ind fi… e…s. Aug. l. b. 1. de Ciuit. dei. with reference to the Sunne, Moone, and Starres, by the influence whereof the earth is made fruitfull. With whom there is no mutation or ſhadow of change. This S. Auguſtine hath notably expounded, ſaying, Almighty God is no whit varied towards thee, by the change of the courſe of the time, of the night and of the day. There is indeed a ſhadow of change in the Sunne, when it returneth from tropicke to tropicke, but it is not ſo with God, who is a neuer-failing light, and in whom is no darkneſſe: for in alluding to the Sun mouing between the Tropicks, no doubt but the Apoſtle vſeth the word foreign. And this ſerueth to anſwer an obiection, But God may vary, though now all good commeth from him. Sol. No, there is no variation or ſhadow of changing in him. Auguſtine elſewhere turneth foreign into foreign a moment, ſaying, that there is not any change in God not for a moment of time. If ſuch places of Scripture be obiected, as wherein God is ſaid to repent, and not to do what he had threatned. It is anſwered, that herein change is attributed vntounto him per foreign, in regard of the euent; and in threatning, and not doing accordingly, he changed not, becauſe his threatnings are alwaies conditionall. If it be ſaid further, that he altered the ſeruice ſometime conſtituted by him in the time of Moſes:
Anſ. It was conſtituted but till the comming of the Meſſiah, as is plaine, Dan. 9.24.
Note that God is not the author of euill to any man,Note. but he is vntounto himſelfe the author thereof. God is all good and only good, and therefore it ſtandeth not with his goodneſſe to ſuggeſt euill vntounto any man. He indeed made man with all his powers and faculties, who is now euill, but by his creation he was good:Eccl. 7.29. For God made man righteous, but he hath ſought vntounto himſelfe many inuentions. Nothing is more obuious amongſt men, than to impute their ſinfull and wicked diſpoſition vntounto God; the Manichees attributed it to the euill matter of which they were made;Hom. Odyſ lib. 1. and Homer bringeth in Iupiter complaining of the malice of old being in mans nature; but this is a blaſphemous aſſertion, and to be abhorred amongſt Chriſtians.
Note again,Note. that man is drawn to ſin by being deceiued, like the ſilly fiſh or bird, he thinketh that profitable or pleaſing, which indeed is not ſo. Wherefore eueryevery one muſt labour to be wiſe, that he may iudge of things aright, & this very conſideration ſhould pull vsus backe from ſin, that the thing which we are running to is not that which it ſeemeth to be. In the green graſſe of ſinne, where we thinke to ſleepe ſweetly for a time, and then to riſe againe, there lyeth lurking a fell venemous Serpent that will ſting vsus to death; vnderunder the Sugar of ſinne there is deadly poyſon.
Note againe to our comfort,Note. that there is no enemy that can preuaile to hurt vsus by temptation without, if we by our owne luſt be not hurtfull to our ſelues within. And the deadly hurt of ſinne commeth in firſt by ill motions conceiued and delighted in in the minde, ſo that giuegive way to theſe, and ſinne will follow, and death after ſinne. It is in vaine to hatch the Cockatrice egge, and then to ſay, I will keepe it from hurting me; if thou wouldſt not be hurt by ſinne, doe not hatch and conceiue it by euill thoughts and imaginations, Mark. 7.21.
Laſtly note, that God,Note. as he is not Author of euill to any man, ſo he is the Author of all good to eueryevery man. None are born gracious, but his grace is a light lighted at the great light, the Father of Lights; and this is the comfort of all ſuch as are truly inlightened by him, that their light being deriued from his and ſo the ſame with it, though by infinite degrees more imperfect, is immutable and neuer fading till it bringeth them to euerlaſting light.Ioh 4. Hee that drinketh of this water ſhall neuer thirſt againe, but it ſhall bee a riuer of water flowing out of his belly to euerlaſting life.
CHAP. 1. VERS. 18.
Of his owne will begat hee vsus by the Word of truth, that we might be a certaine firſt fruits of his creatures. 19. Wherefore (my beloued brethren) let eueryevery one be ſwift to heare, &c.
Leſt any man ſhould thinke that the good which commeth from God vntounto vsus is for our merits, this is added,Tho. Aquin. i…. Iacob. Of his owne will begat he vsus by the Word of truth: ſo Titus 2. for the Word is as the ſeed, Mat. 13. That wee ſhould be the beginning of the creatures; that is, in the recreation or regeneration, as it is ſaid of Behemoth in Iob, that he was the beginning of the creatures,Iob 40. viz. of Creation. We that are regenerate, are the beginning of the creation of all things againe in glory, for hereafter the whole creation ſhall be reſtored to the glorious liberty of the ſonnes of God. Or we are ſaid to be the beginning of the creatures,Rom. 8. in reſpect of the principality ouer the creatures; reſtored in the regenerate, which was loſt by Adam in his fall. But yee know, my beloued brethren. This is the concluſion of all, they of their owne knowledge knew God to bee the Author of all good. But let eueryevery man be ſwift to heare, that is, that he may know how to carry himſelfe in temptations outward or inward, whereof it hath beene ſpoken hitherto, let him with all readineſſe attend to the Word of God, whereby hee is begotten vntounto God, and not onelyonly heare it, but doe it, as it followeth. Slow to ſpeake, ſlow to wrath. Here he remoueth the impediments; firſt the outward: in Pythagoras his Schoole, ſilence was inioyned for fiue yeere; ſo hee that will heare profitably muſt heare in ſilence;Cato. Jmpedit ira animum ne poſſit cernere verum. then the inward, as Cato ſaith, anger hindereth the minde that it cannot ſee the truth. Anger here may bee taken both for zeale, for a man muſt not haſtily through zeale be moued, but maturely and vponupon due conſideration: and for a deſire of reuenge, vntounto which a man muſt be ſlow, that is, no way prone. The anger of man doth not worke the righteouſneſſe of God: More is vnderſtood here than is ſpoken, for he that is angry with his brother vnaduiſedly, Mat. 5.22.is culpable of iudgement. And hee pitcheth particularly vponupon righteouſneſſe, becauſe in anger there is a pretence of righteouſneſſe; or elſe in generall it is meant of righteouſneſſe, to breed which in vsus the word is preached amongſt vsus, verſ. 26. If any man ſeemeth to be religious, not refraining his tongue, but deceiuing his heart, &c. Hauing hitherto preſſed to doe the Word which we heare, he returneth now againe to the tongue; by the intemperate ſpeech whereof, our faith and good workes, to which we are prouoked by hearing, are hindred, that they cannot come to perfection, and therefore he impugneth the licentiouſneſſe of the tongue againe. The word religious is taken from religatio, a binding againe to God by receiuing his Inſtructions, from whom hee was before diuided: or a binding againe together to hold good inſtructions, as a veſſell is bound together by hoopes that it may hold wine that was looſe before. Not refraining his tongue, that is, by diſcreet taciturnity; for the tongue being ſet in a watry place hath moſt neede of binding: but deceiuing his owne heart, whilſt he thinketh that he ſhall not be puniſhed for his licentious tongue, or elſe whilſt his heart and tongue are diuided, he thinking one thing and ſpeaking another. Such religion is vaine and vnprofitable. The pure religion and vndefiled, Pure by the intention of the heart, vndefiled by the execution of the worke; or pure internally in a mans ſelfe, vndefiled externally in regard of others: before God and the Father, that is, the Sonne and the Father: to viſit the fatherleſſe, &c. that is, to be charitable to the poore, one particular being put for the generall; and to keepe a mans ſelfe vnſpotted of the world, that is, by not louing the world, for the world is called, Mundus pure quaſi non mundus, not pure but defiling thoſe that louelove it.
That which Thom. Aquin. according to the vulgar Latine,Mayer. readeth, initium quoddam creaturarum, is in the Greek, foreign, the firſt fruits, which were moſt holy, and the chiefe part for eſtimation of the crop; this is rendred by other words in 1 Pet. 1.3. He hath begotten vsus of his great mercy, to a liuely hope and inheritance incorruptible, &c. v. 9. that which he readeth, according to the vulgar Latine, but y… know, is not in the Greeke at all, but foreign, wherefore. This Text and the words following to the end of this Chapter, are now eaſie to be vnderſtood by the expoſition already ſet downe.
Touching the cohering of the firſt words with that which went before, here is an inſtance how the greateſt good commeth from God vntounto vsus, for hee of his owne will begat vsus againe by the word, putting life of grace into vsus, and not neceſſarily, but of his owne will, to extoll his grace the more.
Touching theſe words, that we might be a certaine firſt fruits of his creatures, the firſt expoſition of Thom. Aquinas, applying it to the renouation of the creatures to come, may well agree vntounto it: yet ſome by the creatures vnderſtanding rather,Pareus. the reſt of the Iewes and Gentiles not yet conuerted, expound the firſt fruits of his creatures thus: By begetting vsus he hath taken vsus as his owne peculiar people from amongſt others yet left in their vnbeleefe, euen as the firſt fruits were that little quantitie of corne which being taken from out of the whole crop, were thenceforth accounted more holy than the reſt. For ſo the Greekes expound foreign.Faber. Some expound it, the firſt fruits of the ſpirituall creature, that is, the firſt to whom the word of God hath come for our regeneration when as a world of people are yet behind, and this did ſerue notably to ſtirre vp to newneſſe of life, and this I aſſent to as moſt genuine.
Touching the coherence of the next words,Verſ. 19. Pareus. Faber. Piſcator. wherefore let eueryevery man be ſwift to heare, &c. it is plaine, and therefore agreed vponupon by almoſt all, ſeeing that by the word God doth beget vsus, let eueryevery man be ready to heare this good word. If by the word, whereby we are begotten, the Sonne of God were meant, as Oecumen. expoundeth it, this inference would not come in ſo fitly: if with Thom. Aquinas you referre theſe words to the temptations before ſpoken of, the coherence will be further fetcht, but yet good: but I ſubſcribe to the other rather.
Touching the words added, Slow to ſpeake, ſlow to wrath, here is both ſilence inioyned in hearing the word of God, that being ſowne in the heart in ſilence and meekneſſe, it may take rooting in vsus, and alſo refraining from the office of teaching others, till that we be throughly taught our ſelues, and are plainly by the Spirit of God ſtirred vp to this office. And becauſe nothing doth make a man ſo vnfit to ſpeake in Gods cauſe, as anger and the diſtemper of the minde by heat, hee that teacheth muſt refraine from anger and vſe patience, for the anger of man doth not worke the righteouſneſſe of God, that is, the righteouſneſſe of this new and ſpirituall life.Faber. Thus ſome. And this is in effect the ſame with that of Thom. Aquinas, but more full.Oecumen. Some expound ſwiftneſſe to heare, of hearing to doe,Pareus. Oecumen. but this is brought in afterwards, verſ. 22. And ſome apply ſlowneſſe to ſpeake, to ſpeaking of any thing which a man heareth taught, before that he doth well vnderſtand it, for thus he may ſoone fall into errour and draw in others with him alſo; and ſlowneſſe to wrath, to a mans being angry with ſuch as doe not in eueryevery point conſent with him, or being angry at ſuch reprehenſions as whereby he is iuſtly taxed. For the anger of man doth not worke the righteouſneſſe of God; that is, ſaith the ſame Author, doth not perſwade or moue men ſo, as that thereby they are wonne vntounto God, or elſe it is ſinne, for all vnaduiſed anger is ſuch. And all this indeed is moſt genuine alſo.
Touching the words following, verſ. 21. &c. of receiuing the word with meekneſſe, here is further expreſſed, what was meant by ſlow to ſpeake: when a man in ſilence and meekneſſe of ſpirit heareth the Word of God, and not only taking heed of anger, but of all filthineſſe alſo, applyeth himſelfe vntounto the hearing of the Word: the like vntounto this is 1 Pet. 2.1, 2.
Touching the laſt words, v. 26, 27. Some expound the word foreign, a knowledge of the ſecrets of the Law,Oecumen. and an exact obſeruing thereof. Now if any man thinketh himſelfe to be ſuch, & refraineth not his tongue from ſpeaking againſt his Neighbour, his Religion is vaine, for the Law not onelyonly tieth the tongue from ſpeaking againſt a mans Neigbbour, but commandeth mercy to be ſhewed euen to an enemy in his neceſſity; if thine enemies beaſt be fallen vnderunder his burthen, thou ſhalt helpe to lift him vp againe. Deceiuing his owne heart, that is, his conſcience, whilſt he thinketh himſelfe religious & is not. But the word foreign here vſed, commeth indeed from worſhip, and comprehendeth both foreign, and foreign, Pareus.as Pareus hath noted, and therefore the worſhip of Angels is called foreign, and will-worſhip foreign, Col. 2.18, 23. But the Latine tranſlation, which Th. followeth, is religio, and the word is vſually in Engliſh rendred Religion; whereupon the annotation before going is not impertinent.
Now the vnruly tongue is one principall thing to diſcouer an heart void of true Religion, becauſe out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh, and men are apt to thinke it the lighteſt offence to laſh out with the tongue, and therefore the Apoſtle maketh this in ſpeciall a note of vaine religion, hauing all reference to what was ſaid before, verſ. 19. But deceiuing his owne heart, that is, as Thomas Aquinas hath already taught, by thinking that this ſhall be paſſed ouer without being counted any ſuch great fault. Touching the duty of mercy here oppoſed vntounto the licentiouſneſſe of the tongue, whereunto is ioyned, to keepe a mans ſelfe vnſpotted of the world, I aſſent vntounto Oecumenius, that true Religion is not only not in tongue to be grieuous vntounto others, but to be helpfull indeed to them in diſtreſſe; and becauſe when the diſtreſſed are commended to our charity, in the Word of God, they are ſet forth vnderunder the name of widowes and fatherleſſe, theſe are mentioned here, all charity in generall being meant. By the world ſome vnderſtand the fleſh,Faber. Stap. Pareus. to keepe a mans ſelfe vnſpotted of which, is, not to bring forth the fruits of the fleſh, a Catalogue of which fruits is Gal. 5.17. for of thoſe that bring forth ſuch fruits the world doth conſiſt, but I rather preferre that of Thomas Aquinas touching the louelove of the world, wherewith he that is ſpotted knoweth none other excellency but in riches and honours here, and therefore behaueth himſelfe accordingly, ſhewing all reſpect to the worldly great ones, and neglecting the beſt Chriſtians who are poore: againſt which ſomething followeth immediatly, chap. 2. Now it is ſaid to be vndefiled before God, God being here oppoſed vntounto man, that is, not in the account of man, who may be deceiued, but of God, whom none can deceiue. Whereas no mention is made of faith in Ieſus Chriſt, it is to be vnderſtood, that he ſpeaketh according to the neceſſity of thoſe to whom he wrote, who in all likelihood did beare themſelues altogether vponupon faith, not regarding to ſhew forth the power of Religion in the workes of mercy and holineſſe, as appeareth alſo further in the next Chapter; which, to put vsus out of doubt herein, is alſo begun with a mention of the Faith of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
Note,Note. that the very remembrance of our Chriſtian calling ſhould ſtirre vsus vp mightily vntounto holineſſe, ſeeing wee are of Gods owne good will graciouſly made a certaine firſt fruits vntounto God, that is, conſecrated and ſet apart from others that be not Chriſtians, vntounto him. To pollute our ſelues now therefore will be taken far more hainouſly, euen as if a common perſon ſhould hauehave laid violent hands vponupon Gods firſt fruits or offerings. For this was horribly puniſhed euen in the Prieſts ſonnes, 1 Sam. 2.
Note againe,Note. that the Doctrines of Chriſtianity, together with the grounds whereupon they are ſoundly founded, are not ſo eaſily and ſoone apprehended, as that a man may by and by broach vntounto others what he heareth or readeth, and with eagerneſſe purſue ſuch new vndigeſted tenents: but great deliberation is herein to be vſed. Be ſwift to heare, ſlow to ſpeake, ſlow to wrath.
Note againe,Note. that it is moſt neceſſary for a Teacher to be Maſter of his paſſions, and to vſe meekneſſe in inſtructing others, as alſo he is exhorted, 2 Tim. 2.24. becauſe the anger of man doth not worke the righteouſneſſe of God. He that is haſty and paſſionate ſhall not be able to teach others with profit: for they will rather take that which commeth from him, as proceeding of ſpleene and hatred than of louelove, and ſo it ſhall fall to the ground without any good effect of turning them to righteouſneſſe, which God is wont to worke by the due and right teaching of his Word.
Note alſo from the Doctrine about the true and vaine Religion,Note. that how little ſoeuer men make account of vnaduiſed ſpeeches in their anger, yet they doe indeed ouerturne all their Religion; hereby alone, if there were nothing elſe, it becommeth vaine and vnprofitable vntounto them: ſee Mat. 5.22, &c.
Note againe, that workes of mercy are ſo neceſſary,Note. that without them no man can proue his Religion to be true and good: this is the pure Religion before God, howſoeuer one void of workes may ſeeme ſo before men. That onelyonly is a liuely faith that is accompanied with workes.
Note laſtly, that the world is a defiling thing,Note. a man cannot eſteeme of and louelove the riches and honours thereof, but there will bee ſome aſperſion vponupon him hereby, 1 Ioh. 2.15. The truly pure religious man is he that is mortified to the world, Gal. 6.14.and the world vntounto him.