Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, James · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
HEre Saint Iames, according to his manner, returneth to ſpeake againſt filthineſſe, impugned alſo, chap. 1. verſ. 21. not giuing ouer yet the purſuit of malice and enuy, but taxing them together likewiſe, ſo ariſing to pride, verſ. 6. the fountaine of theſe euill affections, annexing exhortations to repentance and humility and vnity, meeting with them, that for want of conſideration beare themſelues vponupon their owne power to goe and to doe any thing at this time and that, and ſpeake accordingly, as though they were not vnderunder God and at his diſpoſe, verſ. 13. VnderUnder whoſe hand hee had before exhorted them to ſubmit themſelues, verſ. 7. So that, as Pareus noteth,Pareus. here is nothing more done, but the argument of the tongue proſecuted, from the well-ſprings of the vnrulineſſe and wickedneſſe whereof, malice, enuy, luſt, pride and ignorance, hee diſſwadeth by other reaſons; concluding, that being thus informed, if hereafter they ſhould not doe better, their ſinne would proue much greater.
IAMES Chapter 4. Verſe 1, 2, 3.
Whence are warres and fightings amongst you? are they not euen hence, from your pleaſures, that warre in your members? Verſ. 2. Ye luſt and hauehave not, ye kill, &c.
BY Warres here vnderſtand their priuate contentions,Pareus in Iac. 4. or their bringing of one another before heathen Iudges, touched 1 Cor. 6. but rather the firſt, becauſe they are ſaid to be amongſt them. By pleaſures vnderſtand luſts,1 Pet. 2.11. as Peter ſpeaking to the ſame purpoſe rendreth it, abſtaine from fleſhly luſts that warre againſt the ſoule. They are called pleaſures, becauſe they are ſweet and pleaſant to a corrupt minde, and a mans owne pleaſure is reſpected herein. The members, wherein they warre, are the faculties of the minde corrupted, which bee members of the old man.Verſ. 2. Ye luſt and hauehave not; that is, though couetous men get riches, yet they are rather a curſe than a bleſſing vntounto them, neither hauehave they them but for a puniſhment oft times. Yee kill, or rather ye enuy, for foreign is put for foreign, according to Beza, by the fault of the Scribe. Becauſe ye aske not; that is, ye doe not ſeeke to obtaine by prayer to God, which is the right way to attaine his bleſſing, but by your owne wicked waies of ſtriuing and enuying.Verſ. 3. Ʋerſ. 3. Ye aske and receiue not: this is added, becauſe ſome worldlings doe pray after a ſort, but their prayers preuaile not, becauſe they pray for ſuch things, as whereby their fleſhly luſts may bee ſatisfied, and not with any regard to bee more inabled to doe good and to glorifie God.Mayer. Piſcator. Piſcator agreeth almoſt in all with Pareus, ſhewing that the Syriacke for pleaſures readeth luſts. Verſ. 3.OnelyOnly he expoundeth theſe words, that ye may ſpend it vponupon your luſts, of ſuch luſts that be in adulterers and whores, whom he nameth, verſ. 4. and here maketh way vntounto it. Others reade luſts for pleaſures:Tho. Aquinas. G…rran. and whereas he ſaith, ye luſt, ye kill, ye warre, verſ. 2. they expound the firſt, as hauing reference to a mans goods through couetouſneſſe; the ſecond, to his perſon by hatred; the third, a fruit of the two former. That which followeth, ye aske to ſpend it vponupon your luſts, they expound either of a prepoſterous louelove to worldly things, or of an asking of ſuperfluities: in other things they differ not. Some expound pleaſures of dainty meats, or coſtly buildings,Oecum…n. v. 1. &c. wherein they tooke pleaſure: and theſe words, ye kill, of killing the ſoule, if it be ſo read, reading it rather, ye enuy, as Pareus and Piſcator doe.
To come now to the reſoluing of the doubts of this place.
1 Touching warres and fightings, it is cleare, as all agree, that warres properly are not meant, for Chriſtians were not then permitted to hauehave weapons or armour, but priuate wranglings and ſtrifes.
2 Touching their pleaſures, Pareus hath alſo cleared it ſufficiently, and the members, wherein they fight, are the inward faculties of the minde, acting the part of contention by the tongue, hands, feet, and the other members of the body.
3 Touching the word tranſlated vulgarly, ye kill, but by ſome, ye enuy; Oecumenius and Gagneus both affirme,Gagneus. that there are ſome Greeke Copies, wherein it is foreign, which if it bee ſo, I could eaſily aſſent to the pretended fault of the Scribe, otherwiſe to reade it, ye kill may well ſtand as Thomas Aquinas hath expounded it, ye kill by hating.
4 Touching this, that they are ſaid not to hauehave, when the worſt worldlings get riches, it is alſo well reſolued already by Pareus.
5 Touching asking, whereunto he ſeemeth to counſell them, he ſpeaketh not ſo, as intimating, that being thus ill diſpoſed they ſhould preuaile, if they did aske, but to teach the right way of obtaining Gods bleſſings which they needed, viz. if they would ſeeke them, not by euill luſting after them in a worldly manner, but by right prayer vntounto God.
6 Touching the asking and not hauing, this is not contradictory to that, Mat. 7. Aske and you ſhall hauehave, Faber in …ac. 4. Spiritus ſ…enus Orat rup…d Deum …, …es autem carnis malus.but rather an expoſition thereof, if ye aske rightly, that is, with a ſpirituall and heauenly minde. To which purpoſe one ſpeaketh notably; The Spirit of Faith is a good Oratour before God, but the ſenſe of the fleſh an ill one. He that hath this Spirit, is mortified together with Chriſt, and ſo doth not fight, ſtriue, & enuy, but what he needeth he asketh in the Spirit of Faith, and receiueth as much as is ſufficient for his ſpirituall life. Now the minde that is ſpirituall, doth not aske worldly things for the louelove which it hath to abound herein to liue the more deliciouſly to the pampering of the body, but for neceſſary vſes, that a man may liue to glorifie God, and to doe good herewith. They which doe otherwiſe, ſhall not ſpeed, though they aske and beg moſt importunately. To ſpend vponupon their pleaſures, then is, not onelyonly for neceſſity, or that they may hauehave wherewithall to doe deeds of charity, but that they may hauehave ſuperfluity and ſo maintaine themſelues, according to the pompous manner of this world, which who ſo hath, being a worldling and without grace, ruſheth into fleſhly pleaſures properly ſo called, as the Sodomites, whoſe ſtate is deſcribed to be ſuch,Ezech. 16.49. as that they had fulneſſe of bread. And thus I aſſent vntounto Piſcator, that theſe kinde of pleaſures are principally meant here, though I ſee all others goe another way, expounding the words following of adulterers and adultereſſes by the ſpirituall adultery.
Note that the originall of all troubles and ſtirres in the world are the worldly and euill affections of men,Note. which are ingendered through an ouer-great pleaſure taken in worldly things, that we may not ſuffer our minds to be taken vp with ſuch delight herein, but acknowledging their vanity, bee mortified in this regard, ſo ſhall we be free from the helliſh affections of enuy and hatred, with which whoſoeuer is tainted can hauehave no comfort to God-ward, ſeeing he is a carnall man, and ſo in the way of perdition.
Note againe,Note. what great deceit there is in worldly pleaſures: though they fawne vponupon vsus, and there appeareth nothing but delight, yet they worke our owne members againſt our ſoules, for hereby they fight againſt them; and therefore let no man, that loueth his ſoule, bee bewitched with them, or let them hauehave place in him, no more than he will receiue a deadly enemy into his houſe or bed-chamber.
Note laſtly,Note. that the onelyonly ſure way to obtaine what wee need for this life, is to pray for it, and that with a ſincere heauenly end, and not a carnall; they that by tugging and ſtriuing, by wrangling and coueting ſeeke it, hauehave it not, either being fruſtrated of their deſire by a iuſt iudgement, or being without the vſe of it, becauſe they are mancipated to the world, and ſo hauehave no comfort thereof, but onelyonly toile, care, and ſorrow, according to that ſaying, Inopem me copia fecit.
CHAP. 4. VER. 4.
Ye adulterers and adultereſſes, know yee not, that the amity of the world is the enmity of God, &c. Verſ. 5. or thinke ye, that the Scripture ſaith in vaine, the ſpirit that dwelleth in vsus luſteth vntounto enuy, &c.
Mayer.All Expoſitors almoſt agree in the ſenſe of theſe words, except it be about the place of Scripture alleaged. Ye adulterers, this they expound by ſpirituall adultery, as I hauehave already touched, though I ſee no reaſon but that hee may meane this vice properly, according to Piſcator, becauſe hee ſpeaketh ſo much of pleaſure, as well as of bitter enuying and ſtrife, for they altogether warre againſt the ſoule, though I grant indeed, that his maine ſcope here is to impugne a maleuolous and ſpleenaticke diſpoſition, yet there is nothing to hinder, but that they which were ſo ſenſuall might be libidinous; and therefore it was not impertinent, but tended to the aggrauating of their ſinne,2 Pet. 2.14. the more to call them adulterers and adultereſſes, as Saint Peter taxeth corrupt profeſſors to hauehave eyes full of adultery; and as we may gather from thence and Saint Iudes Epiſtle, it was an vſuall blemiſh of ſuch kinde of perſons. But he proceedeth no further here, but onelyonly nameth them by this vice, and then goeth forward in his argument againſt being ſo worldly minded, the amity of the world is the enmity of God. Oecumenius yeeldeth a good reaſon of this,Oecumen. becauſe that he, which is ſo intent to the world, muſt needs neglect God and godlineſſe; and to neglect or remiſly to carry a mans ſelfe towards any, is to hate him, for this is a fruit of hatred:Th. Aquinas. Pareus. ſo that the louelove of the world here is to louelove it in exceſſe, or to louelove the corruption that beareth ſway here, which is vnderſtood alſo by the world, 1 Ioh. 2.15. for this is an enemy to God, and maketh him Gods enemy, that is infected with it.
Touching the place alleaged,Verſe. 5. becauſe there is no ſuch ſentence to be found, diuers hauehave coniectured diuerſly: ſome that it is alluded to Numb. 11.29. where Moſes ſaith to Ioſhua, Iuninus paral.Enuieſt thou for my ſake, ſome vntounto Gen. 6.5. All the imaginations of mans heart are onelyonly euill continually, as Pareus reporteth; and ſome, that theſe words are to bee referred to thoſe that went before,Th. Aquinas. Gorr…n. the amity of the world is the enmity of God; for by the words following he proueth this, the ſpirit that dwelleth in vsus, luſteth vntounto enuy. For this is as much in effect as if he had ſaid, is an enemy to Gods Spirit, for as much as the Spirit of God is againſt enuying; but our owne ſpirit, which is worldly, is carryed to enuy. And then the Scripture alleaged is brought to this purpoſe, as if he had ſaid; Thinke yee that the holy Scripture doth in vaine diſſwade from the louelove of the world, for in this kinde it ſpeaketh, Deut. 7.3. Thou ſhalt make no leagues with them, and Rom. 12.2. Bee not conformed to this world. Faber. Stap. Gagneus.Some referre this ſaying to Exod. 20. I the Lord thy God am a ielous God, the Spirit of God that dwelleth in you, enuieth that ye ſhould be ioined to any other but vntounto himſelfe, ſeeing he doth offer more grace than any other vntounto vsus; as it followeth, but he giueth more grace, &c. the world giueth nothing of worth, but taketh away, but God giueth his holy Spirit and Son vntounto vsus here,Piſcator. and life euerlaſting hereafter. Some vnderſtanding the Spirit of God that dwelleth in vsus alſo, doe yet referre it vntounto Numb. 11.29. reading it interrogatiuely, doth it luſt vntounto enuy? as if he ſhould ſay it doth not, for it did not in Moſes, when Eldad and Medad prophecied in the Hoſt,Pareus. for he forbad it vntounto Ioſhuah, or elſe vntounto Exod. 25.8. ch. 29.45. Ier. 7.3. I will dwell in the midſt of the children of Iſrael, rendring the ſenſe thus, the ſpirit that is often ſaid to dwell in vsus, luſteth againſt, that is, hareth and carrieth vsus againſt enuy; Of all theſe expoſitions it is hard to ſay, which is to be preferred, and the place muſt needs be confeſſed to bee moſt intricate. But that expoſition, whereby it is ſaid, that the Spirit of God is here meant, though it be moſt commonly imbraced, ſeemeth to me to be moſt improbable, becauſe he, that is, God, who offereth more grace, verſ. 6. is oppoſed to the ſpirit here ſpoken of, for an aduerſatiue particle but is vſed, as if he ſhould hauehave ſpoken of two contraries; thus is our ſpirit inclined, but God preſcribeth otherwiſe. Againe, it were a ſtrange ſpeech to ſay, that the ſpirit luſteth to enuy, if the meaning were, is iealous, as Faber rendreth it, ſeeing enuy is the corruption ſo much in this Epiſtle impugned, and therefore, if he would hauehave ſpoken a word, which ſhould carry a good ſenſe, he would hauehave choſen ſome other, and not hauehave vſed this, which was neuer yet taken but in an ill ſenſe. And to expound foreign by foreign, as Pareus doth, vntounto by againſt is as ſtrange, neither doe the next words currantly follow any of both theſe expoſitions, for ſo it ſhould rather hauehave beene therefore, or for he giueth more grace, I preferre therefore that expoſition which interpreteth the ſpirit that dwelleth in vsus, of that ſpirit which all men hauehave in common, the ſpirit of naturall life; for eueryevery man that liueth, liueth by a ſpirit, which is the ſoule; for when this departeth out of the body, the ſpirit is ſaid to goe to God that gaue it,Eccl. 12.…. and this is called the ſpirit of the world, and as it is now corrupt, ſince the fall of Adam, is oppoſed to Gods Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.12. By the ſpirit then dwelling in vsus, I vnderſtand our naturall corruption, which is vſually ſet forth by the name of a ſpirit; as for example, that corruption, whereby we are vnfaithfull and doe not beleeue, is called The ſpirit of bondage, Rom. 8.15. That, whereby men hauehave beene carried away to idolatry, is called The ſpirit of whoredome, Hoſ. 4.12. That, whereby men are blinded to goe on in ſinne, without looking at the danger, is called The ſpirit of a deepe ſleepe, Eſay 29.10. And this corruption is ſaid to dwell in vsus, euen when we are regenerate, Rom. 7.20. And in regard that it is an infection in the ſoule and ſpirit, ſometime a man infected herewith, is called foreign, 1 Cor. 2.14. naturall from foreign, ſignifying the ſoule; and becauſe he is carried hereby to carnall things, and it vttereth it ſelfe by the fleſhly members of the body, ſometime he is called foreign, carnall, as 1 Cor. 3.41. And if we vnderſtand by the ſpirit dwelling in vsus this corruption, we ſhall eaſily finde out the Scripture, where thus much in effect is ſet forth, though not in the ſame words, viz. Gal. 5.17. for there is ſhewed, how the fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and vntounto what this luſting tendeth, when hee enumerateth the particular fruits thereof, and amongſt the reſt enuy and ſtrife. And being thus vnderſtood, all things agree here moſt notably. For it is as if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid, Hereby it appeareth, that to bee linked vntounto the world, by being like affected, as the men of the world are, is to be ſhaken off from God, as being in enmity with him, becauſe the corruption whereby the world is carried, as by their ſpirit, here therefore called The ſpirit dwelling in vsus, luſteth vntounto enuy, fighting and ſtriuing to bee moſt eminent, and in higheſt place: but God inclineth the contrary way, viz. to humility by promiſing grace to the humble, and threatning the proud, that out of their pride breake out into ſuch vnchriſtian brabbles and ſtirres. This ſentence, He reſiſteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble, is taken out of Prouerbs 3.34. where though the words be a little different in the Hebrew, yet according to the Septuagints, they are the very ſame here alleaged.
Reſiſt the Deuill and he will flie from you; Verſe 7.this reſiſtance is made by Faith, 1 Pet. 5.8. and by other parts of the ſpirituall Armature, Epheſ. 6.12. But it is not to be thought, that hee will for euer be gone, when he is thus reſiſted, for he will returne againe and make new aſſaults, but hee muſt alwaies bee thus reſiſted,Verſ. 8. and ſo we ſhall preuaile againſt him. Draw neere to God; this is, by reformation of our hearts and liues, as is immediatly expreſſed, and by lamenting our ſinnes paſt, verſ. 9.
Speake not one againſt another, Verſ. 11.hee that ſpeaketh againſt a brother and iudgeth him, ſpeaketh againſt the Law, &c. Hauing exhorted to a courſe of reconciliation to God, he now intreateth of vnity amongſt themſelues, and forbearing one to detract from another, or to impeach another wrongfully. Hee that doth thus,Leu. 19.16. ſpeaketh againſt the Law, becauſe in the Law it is forbidden to goe about as a Tale-bearer againſt a mans neighbour, and in carrying himſelfe herein, as contemptuous of the Law he taketh vponupon him, as it were, as a Iudge ouer the Law, ſo farre is he from ſubmitting to the obedience thereof, whereas indeed there is but one Iudge, namely God, whoſe Office, whilſt he thus vſurpeth, hee may iuſtly feare a future condemnation by him. And in this expoſition all Interpreters generally doe agree.
Note,Note. that to be wedded to our owne wills and waies is to be at enmity with God, for ſo much as our waies and Gods waies are diametrically contrary the one to the other; our ſpirit, as the ſpirit of the world generally doth, carrieth vsus to enuy and all euill affections, but God would faine draw vsus to humility. Wherefore let vsus renounce our owne wills and luſts, and hearken to the Lord, that we may hauehave his louelove, and not continue in enmity with him, the heat of whoſe anger all the world is not able to beare.
Note againe,Note. that there is no pacification to bee had with God, without reformation from our euill waies. We muſt draw neare vntounto him, that he may draw neere vntounto vsus, as the Prodigall did, Luk. 15. For God is eueryevery where (ſaith Auguſtine) and therefore we draw neere vntounto him, not by places,Auguſt. Deus vbique eſt, cui non locis, ſed moribus appr… pinquamus. but by manners. We muſt bee humble, and weepe, and lament for our ſinnes, whereas we hauehave before laughed and been merry in committing them.
Note againe, that to be conuerted to the Lord,Note. is to reſiſt the Deuill, with whom a man is as long as he remaineth in his ſinnes: neither is he ſuch a formidable enemy, that wee ſhould feare for his great power to encounter with him; for being reſiſted, he flieth away.
Note laſtly,Note. that how poore and contemptible ſoeuer any Neighbour is, yet we are to feare to ſpeake againſt him, and to vilifie and diſgrace him, becauſe this is to vſurpe not ouer a poore man, and one neglected by vsus, but ouer the Law, as if we were Gods; that God the great Iudge of all will neuer endure, ſeeing the Law commeth from him, and hee will bee reuenged vponupon all contempt offered againſt his owne Law.
Touching that which followeth in this Chapter, verſ. 13,Verſ. 13. Th. Aquma. it agreeth well to the matter in hand, which is againſt the eager ſeeking after worldly things with enuying and much ſtrife. For if the ſhortneſſe and vncertainty of this life were conſidered, it would coole our heat this way, ſeeing it is moſt vaine to trouble our ſelues ſo much about that which we cannot not tell whether wee ſhall enioy a day longer or no. And therefore this rebuke is fitly added here, that they did behaue themſelues ſo, as if they had the power of their owne liues, the frailty of this life being notably ſet forth, and now that they know to doe well,Gregor. Vbi maius eſt donum ſ…ientiae, ibi tranſgreſſor maiori ſubiacet …uq…e. if they doe it not, he ſaith, it is ſinne, that is, the greater ſinne and more damnable, according to Gregory. who ſaith, Where greater knowledge is giuen, there the offender is ſubiect to a greater puniſhment, becauſe knowledge is by him contemned, Luk. 12. Ioh. 15.22.