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THE THEME OF THE EPISTLE OF JAMES This Epistle, as the rest following, is directed specially, as Augustine says, against the error of faith alone, which some held at that time also, by misconstruing Paul's words. Yea not only that, but many other errors, which then also were annexed unto it, as they are now, does this Apostle here touch expressly. He says therefore, that not only faith, but also good works are necessary: that not only faith, but also good works do justify: that they are acts of Religion, or service and worship of God: that to keep all the commandments of God, and so to abstain from all mortal sin, is not impossible, but necessary: that God is not author of sin, no not so much as of temptation to sin: that we must stay ourselves from sinning, with fear of our death, of the judgment, of hell: and stir ourselves to the doing of good, with our reward that we shall have for it in heaven. These points of the Catholic faith he commends earnestly unto us, inveighing vehemently against them that teach the contrary errors. Howbeit he does withal admonish not to neglect such, but to seek their conversion, showing them how meritorious a thing that is. Thus then he exhorts generally to all good works, and refrain from all sin, but yet also namely to certain, and from certain: as, from acception of persons, from detraction, and rash judging, from concupiscence and love of this world, from swearing: and, to prayers, to aims, to humility, confession, and penance: but most copiously to patience in persecution. Now, who this James was: It is not he, whose feast the Church keeps the 25th of July, which was John's brother, and whose martyrdom we have Act. 12. but he, whom the Church honors the first of May, who is called Frater Domini, our Lord's brother, and brother to Jude, and which was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, of whom we read Act. 15. and 21. and also Gal. 2. of whose wonderful austerity and purity of life, the Ecclesiastical stories do report (Euseb. lib. 2. c. 22. Hiero. in Cutalogo). Therefore as the old high Priest had power and charge over the Jews, not only in Jerusalem and Jewry, but also dispersed in other countries, as we understand Act. 9. v. 1, and 2. so James likewise, being Bishop of Jerusalem, and having care not only of those Jews with whom he was resident there in Jewry, but of all the rest also, writes this Epistle, To the twelve tribes that are in dispersion, and in them, to all Christians universally dispersed through the world. THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF JAMES THE APOSTLE Catholic Epistle The word Catholic though in the title of this Epistle, and the rest following called the Catholic Epistles, it be not wholly in the same sense, as it is in the Creed: yet the Protestants so fear and abhor the word altogether, that in some of their Bibles they leave it clean out, although it be in the Greek, and in some they had rather translate ridiculously thus, The general Epistle etc. whereas these are famously known and specified in antiquity, by the name of Catholic Epistles, for that they are written to the whole Church, not to any peculiar people or persons as Paul's are. The Church reads these Catholic or Canonical Epistles in order at Mattins, from the 4th Sunday after Easter until Whitsunday. |