AUG 24 1917 E M31 AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER. GOOD READER, It is usual with those that publish books, to premise somewhat by way of excuse and acknowledgment of the unworthiness of what they publish; which, setting aside the modest sense that every man should have of his own endeavours, seemeth not to be without crime. If it be unworthy, the excuse will not make it better or more passable; for this is to adventure upon a crime against conviction, and (if we may allude to a matter so weighty) is somewhat like Pilate's case, who washed his hands, and yet condemned Christ. Usually, such professions are but counterfeit, and that praise which men seem to neglect, or beat back at the first hop, they readily take at next rebound, which certainly is a vain and wicked artifice in divine matters; for, besides the hypocrisy, there is a disparagement done to the precious truths which they publish, whilst they would seem to weaken the esteem of them, that they may the more plausibly promote their own honour. The best that can be said is, that every man in public would appear in a better dress than common infirmity will allow; and to this work we come, not out of choice, but constraint. For my own part (though I know apologies of this nature are little credited), I can freely profess, that I had no itch to appear in public, as conceiving my gifts fitter for private edification; and, being humbled with the constant burthen of four times a week preaching, what could I do? And if I had a mind to divulge my labours, some will wonder that I made choice of this subject, which was conceived in my very youth, and without the least aim of any further publication than to the auditory that then attended upon it; but, it being an entire piece, and being persuaded by the renewed importunity of many gracious ministers and Christians, that it might conduce somewhat to public benefit, I was willing to be deaf to all considerations of my own credit and fame. Wherein is that to be accounted of, so one poor soul receive comfort and profit? The epistle of Jude was with this licensed to the press; but, being wearied with this and the constant returns of my other employment, and hearing that another learned brother* intendeth to publish his elaborate meditations on that epistle, I shall confine my thoughts to that privacy to which I had intended these, had they not been thus publicly drawn forth. The matter herein delivered, will, I conceive, be found holy and useful. If any expression should be found that savoureth not of true piety, or suiteth not with reverence to God, charity to men, or zeal of good works, I do from my soul wish it expunged, and shall upon conviction take the next occasion to retract it. I know some are prejudiced against endeavours of this kind, as if nothing could be said but what hath been said already. For my part, I pretend to nothing novel; and, though *Mr. Jenkins. no other things can be said, yet they may be more explained, and with more liveliness of phrase and expression, every truth receiving some savour from the vessel through which it passeth; and yet I may speak it without arrogance, some arguments thou wilt find improved for thy further edification; and therefore I suppose (though there be now some glut) this book may crowd forth in the throng of Comments. I confess I have made use of those that have formerly written upon this epistle, and upon others' instigation, that the work might be more complete, more than I at first intended; and yet I hope I cannot be said to "boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand" (2 Cor. x. 16). For thy direction in this work, I do entreat thee to compare the notes with the exposition, especially if thou dost at any time stick at the genuineness of any point. "Well then," so often repeated, is the usual note of the use or practical inference. If the style seem too curt and abrupt, know that I sometimes reserved myself for a sudden inculcation and enlargement. For the great controversy of Justification, I have handled it as largely as the epistle would give leave, and the state of the auditory would bear. Had I been aware of some controversies grown since amongst us, I should have said more; yet, take it altogether, enough is said as to my sense, and for vindicating this epistle. If some passages be again repeated, which I suppose will seldom fall out, impute it to the multitude of my employment. I never saw the work all together; and, my thoughts being scattered to so many subjects throughout the week, I could not always so distinctly remember what I had written. In short, if thou receivest any benefit, return me but the relief of thy prayers for an increase of abilities, and a faithful use of them to the Lord's glory; and I shall be abundantly recompensed. PROLEGOMENA, OR A PREFACE, WHEREIN, BESIDES AN EXPLICATION OF THE TITLE, SEVERAL NECESSARY PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS ARE HANDLED AND DISCUSSED. I INTEND, by the assistance of God's Holy Spirit, in the weekly returns of this lecture, to handle the Epistle of James. It is full of useful and practical matter. I have the rather chosen this Scripture, that it may be an allay to those comforts which, in another exercise, I have endeavoured to draw out of the fifty-third of Isaiah. I would at the same time carry on the doctrine both of faith and manners, and show you your duties together with your encouragements, lest with Ephraim you should only love to tread out the corn, and refuse to break the clods (Hosea x. 11). We are all apt to divorce comfort from duty, and to content ourselves with a barren and unfruitful knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Pet. i. 8), as if all that he required of the world, were only a few naked, cold, and inactive apprehensions of his merit, and all things were so done for us, that nothing remained to be done by us. This is the wretched conceit of many in the present age; and therefore either they abuse the sweetness of grace to looseness, or the power of it to laziness. Christ's merit and the Spirit's efficacy are the common-places from which they draw all the defences and excuses of their own wantonness and idleness. It is true God hath opened an excellent treasure in the church to defray the debts of humble sinners, and to bear the expenses of the saints to heaven; but there is nothing allowed to wanton prodigals, who spend freely and sin lavishly upon the mere account of the riches of grace; as in your charitable bequests, when you leave monies in the way of a stock, it is to encourage men in an honest calling, not to feed riot and excess. Whoever left a sum for drunkards; or a stock to be employed in dicing and gaming? Again, I confess whatever grace doth, it doth freely; we have grace for grace* (John i. 16); that is, grace for grace's sake. But there is a difference between merit and means. A schoolmaster may teach a child gratis, freely, and yet he must take pains to get his learning. And there is a difference between causality and order. Mercy is never obtained but in the use of means: Wisdom's dole is dispensed at Wisdom's gate (Prov. viii. 34). But the use of means doth not oblige God to give mercy: there are conditions which only show the way of grace's working. Again, I grant that closing with Christ is an excellent duty, and of the highest importance in religion. But in Christ there are no dead and sapless branches. Faith is not an idle grace; wherever it is, it fructifieth in good works. To evince all this to you, I have chosen to explain this epistle; the apostle wrote it upon the same reason; to wit, to prevent or check their misprisions who cried up naked apprehensions for faith, and a barren profession, for true religion. Such unrelenting lumps of sin and lust were there even in the primitive times, gilded with the specious name of Christians. The epistle in our translation beareth title thus: "The Epistle General of James,” in the Greek, Ιακώβε το Αποτόλε Επιτολὴ Καθολική, The Catholic or General Epistle of James the Apostle; for the clearing of which, before I enter upon the body of the epistle, give me leave to premise these questions:1. Whether this epistle be of Divine authority? 2. Concerning the subordinate author or instrument James, what James this was? 3. What was the time of writing it? 4. The persons to whom it was written? 5. What is the occasion, matter, and scope of it? 6. The reason of that term in the title, Catholic or General ? First, Concerning the Divine authority of this epistle, I desire to discuss it with reverence and trembling. It is dangerous to loosen foundation stones. I should wholly have omitted this part of my work, but that the difference is so famous; and to conceal known adversaries, is an argument of fear and distrust. The Lord grant that the cure be not turned into a snare, and that vain men may not unsettle themselves by what is intended for an establishment! That which gave occasion to doubt of this epistle, was some passages in Jerome and Eusebius, in which they seem, at least by reporting the sense of others, to infringe the authority of it, I shall give you the passages, and then show you what little reason there is why they should justle James out of the Canon. The passage of Eusebius runneth thus, Και τὰ κατα τον Ιάκω * Xápiv ȧvrì xápirog' id est, non pro ullo merito, sed ex mera bonitate, quod alibi distinctius enunciat apostolus, Xapioμara kata τhv xapiv, Rom. xii. 6. `Grot. in locum. βον, ἃ ἡ πρώτη τῶν ἐπιτολῶν τῶν ὀνομαζομένων καθολικῶν εἶναι λέγεται, ἰσέον ὡς νοθεύεται μὲν· ὁ πολλοὶ γῆν τῶν πάλαι αυτῆς ἐμνημόνευσαν, ὡς ἐδὲ τῆς λεγομένης Ιέδα, μίας και αυτῆς ἔσης τῶν λεγομένων καθολικῶν· ὅμως δ ̓ ἴσμεν καὶ ταύτας μετα τῶν dóiπwv ev mλeisais ekkλŋoiais,* &c. That is, "And these things concerning James, whose epistle that is reported to be, which is the first among the epistles called universal; yet we are to understand that the same is not void of suspicion;t for many of the ancients make no mention thereof; nor of Jude, being also one of the seven called universal; yet, notwithstanding, we know them to be publicly read in most churches." So far Eusebius. The other passage of Jerome is this: Jacobus unam tantum scripsit epistolam, quæ et ipsa ab alio quodam sub ejus nomine edita esse asseritur, licet paulatim tempore procedente obtinuerit authoritatem; that is, "James wrote but one epistle, which is also said to be put forth by another in his name, though, by little and little, in process of time it gained authority in the church." These are the clauses which first begat a doubt of this epistle; but without reason, these two authors reporting the sense of others rather than their own. And, if any part of Scripture should be laid aside because some have questioned it, the Devil would soon obtain his purpose. One time or another, the greatest part of it hath been impeached by men of a wicked and unsober wit, who, when they could not pervert the rule, to gratify their purposes, reflected a scorn and contempt upon it. Now, it would exceedingly furnish the triumphs of hell, if we should think their private quarrels to be warrant sufficient to weaken our faith, and besides disadvantage the church by the loss of a most considerable part of the Canon; for the case doth not only concern this epistle, but divers others; as the second of Peter, the second and third epistles of John, the book of the Revelation, the last chapter of Mark,§ some passages in the twenty-second of Luke, the beginning of the eighth of John, some passages in the fifth chapter of the first epistle of John. Where would profaneness stay, and, if this liberty should be allowed, the flood of atheism stop its course? But, besides all this, why should a few private testimonies prejudice the general consent of the church, which hath transmitted this epistle to us together with other parts of the New Testament? For, if we go to external testimony, there is no reason but the greater number should carry it. It were easy to instance in councils and Fathers, who, by a unanimous suffrage, have commended this epistle to the faith and reverence of the church. Those canons which commonly go under the name of the apostles** (though I build not much upon that testimony), decreed it to be received for Scripture so the council of Laodicea, can. 59; so of Milevis, cap. 7; so the third council of Carthage, cap. 47; of Orange, cap. 25; concilium Cabilonense, cap. 33; of Toledo, cap. 3. So for the consent of the most ancient Fathers, by whom it is quoted as Scripture, as by Ignatius, Epist. Euseb., lib. ii., Hist. Eccles., cap. 23. † So Dr. Hamner rendereth that clause ἰσέον μὲν ὡς νοθέυεται. Hieron. in Catal, Eccles, Script. § See Hieron., Quæst. 3, ad Hedibium et Euthymium. || Sextus Senensis, Bibl. Sanct., lib. i., cap. 23, 24. Hieron., Adversus Pelagianos, lib. ii. ** See Caranza's Summa Conciliorum, p. 7. + Eusebius himself differenceth it from those that are plainly spurious, lib. iii., Eccles. Hist., cap. 25. |