Go to now, _ye_ rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon _you_. Ver. 1. _Go to now, ye rich men_] Those rich wretches mentioned James 2:6,7, that blasphemed God and oppressed men. _Magna cognatio ut rei sic nominis, divitiis et vitiis._ Weep and howl] Better weep here, where... [ Continue Reading ]
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Ver. 2. _Your riches are corrupted_] Being subject to vanity and violence, Matthew 6:19. See the note there. Provide yourselves therefore bags that wax not old; treasure that faileth not, &c.,Luke 12:33 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Ver. 3. _And shall eat your flesh_] _i.e._ With hell-fire, which shall consume your flesh, nay, your souls, with etern... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ver. 4. _Kept back by fraud crieth_] Bloodshed, Genesis 4:10, unnatural lust, Genesis 18:21, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ver. 5. _Ye have lived in pleasure_] Ye have lain melting in sensual delights, which have drawn out your spirits, and dissolved them, τρυφη, of θρυπτω . _ Upon earth_] No place of plea... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye have condemned _and_ killed the just; _and_ he doth not resist you. Ver. 6. _Ye have condemned and killed_] Take it either properly, or metaphorically of usurers and extortioners, that not only rob, but ravish the poor that are fallen into their nets,Psalms 10:9, that is, their bonds, debts, mor... [ Continue Reading ]
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Ver. 7. _Be patient therefore_] _q.d._ You poor oppressed ones, hold out faith and patience. Yo... [ Continue Reading ]
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Ver. 8. _For the coming_] SeeJames 5:7. And he when he comes shall set all to rights. We shall see so much reason in his proceedings, which now we comprehend not, that we shall yield him the "only wise God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Ver. 9. _Grudge not, &c._] μη στεναζετε, groan not, grumble not, grow not sour and sullen one to another. _ Lest ye be condemned_] As Sarah had been, if the Lord had come, as she desired him... [ Continue Reading ]
Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Ver. 10. _For an example of suffering_] Examples very much affect us, as they did many of the martyrs. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 5:12 _"_ " _A bove maiori discit arare mino... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. Ver. 11. _We count them happy_] If they suffer as they should do, not else. Mithridates showed long patience, such as it was, forced... [ Continue Reading ]
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and _your_ nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. Ver. 12. _But above all things_] Swear not in jest, lest ye go to hell in earnest. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 5:3... [ Continue Reading ]
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Ver. 13. _Is any among you afflicted?_] Any one may, for grace is no target against affliction. _ Let him pray_] Not only because prayer is suitable to a sad disposition, but because it is the conduit of comfort, and hath... [ Continue Reading ]
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: Ver. 14. _Is any man sick?_] "Behold, he whom thou lovest is sick," said Martha to our Saviour, John 11:3. _Si amatur, quomodo infirmatur, _ saith Augustine.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Ver. 15. _And the prayer of faith_] The Greek word for prayer hath its denomination from well pouring out the heart, or from well cleaving to God. _a_ Afflictions... [ Continue Reading ]
Confess _your_ faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Ver. 16. _Confess your faults_] To any such godly friend, as can both keep counsel and give counsel. Oftentimes the very opening of men's grievances... [ Continue Reading ]
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. Ver. 17. _Subject to like passions_] For he fled at the threats of Jezebel, _Factus seipso imbecillior, _ saith one; and he... [ Continue Reading ]
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. Ver. 18. _And the earth brought forth_] When the roots and fruits seemed all dried up, and the land past recovery. But prayer never comes too late, because God never doth.... [ Continue Reading ]
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Ver. 19. _If any do err from, &c._] Err about fundamentals, fall into deadly heresy, damnable, Peter calleth it, 2 Peter 2:1 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. Ver. 20. _Shall save a soul_] A high honour to have any hand in such a work. _ Cover a multitude_] _i.e._ He shall be a means that God shall cover them.... [ Continue Reading ]