1 15 By him therefore let us offer the facrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his Name. 16 But to do good and to communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 15. By him therefore, as your A. D. 63. perfect High Priest and Interceffor, offer up your constant Prayers and Thanksgivings to God; which the Prophet calls, The Calves, or Fruits of our Lips, Hof. xiv. 2. 16. And, to your Christian Prayers and Praises, be sure to add that great Duty of Charity and Beneficence toward each other, without Partiality and Distinction; a Sacrifice far better and more acceptable to God than all the Burnt-Offerings upon the Jewish Altar. 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your selves: for they watch for your fouls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for * this 17. Pay all just Regard to the Rules and Admonitions of your prefent || Bishops and Spiritual Guides. || See Ver. 7. Remember how great their Charge over you is. Be therefore so tractable under their Discipline and Admonitions, that they may have the Comfort of giving a good Account of you, at the Great Day of Judgment; and not fee all their Pains loft upon you; which would be a your selves, as well as a Mortification 18 & 19. Let Me have a special Share in your Prayers. Beseech God for Success in my Ministry, and Deliverance from my Adversaries. And though I make no question, but to go through my Apostleship, with a U good For that would be unprofitable for you; ἀλυσιτελές, very flatly translated, it bears the same Sense with τὰ μὴ καθηκοντα, Rom. ii. 28 As that is to be render'd abominable things, fo this signifies a most dangerous and fatal thing. See Ephef. v. 11. the Note there. And compare Rom. iii. 12. Ver. 18. We trust we have a good Conscience- It is a very Ellyptical Expreffion. His Meaning is thus to be supplied; viz. " In preaching both to Jews and Gentiles, I assure myself, I act " agreeably to my Apoftolick Commission; whatever hard Cen"fures fome Zealots may pass upon me." A.D. 63. this that I may be tend to procure my of peace, that brought ing covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his fight, through Jesus Chrift, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 22 And I beseech of the Matter, and 23 Know ye that is set at liberty, with 24 Salute all them good Confcience, and an undaunted Courage; yet I defire the Concurrence of your Prayers, which may Deliverance from several approaching me the more speedily to you. 20 & 21. And, in the mean time, may God, the Author of all Peace and Happiness, who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the Dead, and thereby declared Him the Saviour and Governour of His Church, accepting of his Blood as the Ratification of the New and Gracious Covenant of the Gospel, for our perfect Pardon and Redemption: May He confirm and strengthen you in all true Obedience, giving you all the Means and Advantages of Saving Religion, by Jesus Christ ; to whom be ascribed all Honour and Glory for Ever. Amen. 22. I request, dear Brethren, you would not think the Arguments I have here used, for your constant Perseverance in Chriftianity, too long and tedious. I have couched them in as short a Compass as the Importance my great Affection to you, would 23. Také Notice, that our Christian Brother Timothy is releafed from his Confinement: And I am in hopes, we may shortly come together, and pay a Vifit to your Church. 24. My hearty Christian Love to all your Spiritual Governours. All the Christians of Rome, and other Parts of Italy, falute you all. 25. The Divine Love and Favour be with your whole Church. Amen. A PARA A PARAPHRASE §. 1. ΟΝ ΤΗЕ GENERAL EPISTLE OF St. JAMES. The PREFACE. HE Clearest Accounts from Antiquity, The Author. ascribe this Epistle to James the Son of Alpheus, or Cleopas, the Brother of Jude, and confequently Coufin-German to our Blessed Lord, being called the Lord's Brother, as that word in the Jewish Language was usually appropriated to all Near Relations. He was, moreover, stiled James the Lefs, to diftinguish Him from the other James, who, from his great Age, was denominated James the Greater, or Elder. And, lastly, from his extraordinary Sanctity and Devotion, he went under the Character of James the Just; and was by the Apostles, chosen Bishop of Ferusalem. § 2. The exact Distinction of the Person, helps much The Time. to determine the Date of his Epistle: It being certain, from Jofephus, That this James suffered Martyrdom, under the High Priesthood of Ananus, and Procuratorship of Albinus, viz. in the Year of Christ LXII. This Epiftle must bear Date before that Time; and is most probably placed by Dr. Mills in, or just before, the Year LX. U2 § 3. About The Occasion. § 3. About this Time, the Predictions of our Saviour, and of St. Paul, in his Second Epistle to the Theffalonians, concerning the Temper and Behaviour of the Jewish Nation, as Tokens of their approaching Destruction, were growing on apace towards an Accomplishment. False Prophets and pretended Meffiahs were numberless; their furious Perfecution against the Christians was either actually begun, or drew very near; and, as Their Rage improved to its utmost Heat, the Love of many Christians began to wax cold. In fine, they had fo corrupted their own Religion, became so Furious against all other People, and fo Malicious, even to one another, that it could not but be a certain Conclufion, The Judge was not far from the Door. These Circumstances gave Occafion to this Apostle, the Refidentiary of the Circumcifion in Judea, to indite this Epiftle, partly to the Infidel, and partly to the Believing, Jews. With the Former, his Purpose was, to Correct their haughty Errors, foften their ungoverned Zeal, and reform their indecent Usages in Religion. The Latter he was to Comfort, under the Hardships they then did, or shortly were to fuffer for their Christianity; to warn them from several of the Prejudices and Practices of their Perfecutors; to which their former Education, or present Afflictions might render them too prone; and to fpirit them up to a pure and patient Profeffion of the Gospel. The feveral Turns and Applications of his Argument to one, or the other, of these Parties, shall be observed, with as much Clearness, as can be gathered from the Context of each Passage; several whereof, after the manner of Eastern Writing, may, at first sight, seem directed to them Both, promiscuoufly, and without Distinction. To whom? There is one particular Passage (Chap. ii. 14. to the End) that seems clearly levelled against the Doctrine of the Hereticks, called Simonians, or Followers of Simon Magus, who, as Irenæus tells us (Lib. II. Cap. 20.) affirmed, Liberos eos esse agere quæ velint; fecundum enim Gratiam Salvari Homines, non fecundum justas Operas; i. e. "That They might Live and Act as they pleased; " because Men were to be saved by Grace, and not ac"cording to their good Works." § 4. It was directed to the Jews and Jewish Converts of the Dispersion: Yet, as that to the Hebrews was intended * See Pref. to the Heb. tended for the general Benefit of all the Scattered Tribes, General? § 5. And lastly, as this, and the following Epistles Why called were Written, not to any One, but to Several Chriftian Churches; it is, upon that account, commonly thought, they are called Catholick, or General Epistles. CHAP. I. The CONTENTS. The Title and Salutation, to the Foreign Jews, and Jewish Christians. He begins with the Latter; exhorting them to a chearful and good Improvement of present Troubles and Persecutions; as the highest Perfection of a Christian Life. Prayer, with steddy Faith in God, through Chrift, the Means to attain that Perfection. Advice to the Poor, and to fuch as are despoiled of their Riches, for the Sake of Christianity. The Uncertainty of Riches, and the Benefit of well improved Trials and Temptations. A Warning not to impute any Sin (particularly that of Apostacy) to God, who permits Temptations to befal them; but to the wilful Indulgence of their own Worldly and Vicious Inclinations. God, the Author of all Spiritual Blessings, cannot be answerable for the Cowardise and Defaults of Men. An Inference from thence, against the furious Temper, and violent Disputes of some Judaizing Christians. Against the pernicious Error of the Jewish Zealots, about the Efficacy of mere Faith, or External Profeffion of Religion without a fuitable Practice. Against Railing and Contention. Charity in Words and Actions, a Principal Branch of true Religion. I. Domini 60. • Ames, Ames, Bishop of Ferusalem, a Written Anno Worshipper of the True God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, sendeth this E U 3 piftle: |