From whence _come_ wars and fightings among you? _come they_ not hence, _even_ of your lusts that war in your members? Ver. 1. _From whence come wars_] That is, word wars, needless and endless strifes and contentions. The Greek word πολεμοι properly signifies quarrels that cause much bloodshed. _... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ver. 2. _Ye lust and have not_] viz. To the satisfying of your lusts; for that is an endless piece of work. Lust still cries Give, give; and is ever sick of a spiritual drop... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume _it_ upon your lusts. Ver. 3. _Ye ask and receive not_] Ye ask and miss, because ye ask amiss. It is the manner that makes or mars an action.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Ver. 4. _Ye adulterers and adulteresses_] You that have your hearts full of harlotry, that go a whoring from God after the creature... [ Continue Reading ]
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? Ver. 5. _That the Scripture saith in vain_] No, it doth not only say, but do; not only convince us that an evil and an envious spirit possesseth us (such a spirit as lusteth to have other men's abilities e... [ Continue Reading ]
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Ver. 6. _But he giveth_] Or, "it," that is, the Scripture "giveth," &c., transforming us into the same image, and conforming us to the heavenly pattern by the Spirit that breatheth in it. _ God... [ Continue Reading ]
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Ver. 7. _Submit yourselves therefore to God_] Gr. υποταγητε, set yourselves under him, not above him; as the proud person doth, James 4:6. Sit at his feet to receive his law, as scholars sat at the feet of their teache... [ Continue Reading ]
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse _your_ hands, _ye_ sinners; and purify _your_ hearts, _ye_ double minded. Ver. 8. _Draw nigh to God_] viz. In duty, and he will draw nigh to you in mercy. Sanctify him, Leviticus 10:3, and he will satisfy you, Psalms 91:16. The very Turks are... [ Continue Reading ]
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and _your_ joy to heaviness. Ver. 9. _Be afflicted_] ταλαιπωρησατε. or, Be miserable; ye are so, but see yourselves to be so. Or, afflict yourselves, viz. with voluntary sorrows for your sins. See that ye be active here. _... [ Continue Reading ]
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Ver. 10. _Humble yourselves_] He beats often upon this most needful but much neglected duty of humiliation, and all is little enough; there being nothing that more goes against the heart and the hair with us, than to go downward;... [ Continue Reading ]
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of _his_ brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. Ver. 11. _Speak not evil, &c._] As Ezekiel's hearers did of him "by the wa... [ Continue Reading ]
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Ver. 12. _There is one lawgiver_] What dost thou then do perking into his place, by censuring and defaming another; is not this to be a pope in thine own cause, exalting thyself above God, 2 Thessalonians... [ Continue Reading ]
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Ver. 13. _We will go into such, &c._] As if they were petty gods within themselves, and needed not to call God into counsel, or to take his leave along with them. But... [ Continue Reading ]
Whereas ye know not what _shall be_ on the morrow. For what _is_ your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Ver. 14. _Ye know not what, &c._] God delights to cross such vain boasters, and to confute their confidences, that speak and live as if their l... [ Continue Reading ]
For that ye _ought_ to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. Ver. 15. _If the Lord will, &c._] εαν Θεος εθελη. So Socrates taught Alcibiades to say, "If God will," &c. And another could say, " _Nullius est felix conatus et utilis unquam,_ Consilium si non detque iuvetque Deu... [ Continue Reading ]
But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Ver. 16. _In your boastings_] Of long life and suitable success. God will shoot an arrow at such suddenly, Psalms 64:9, as he did at the rich fool, Nebuchadnezzar, Haman, Herod, Sennacherib, and other braggarts.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth _it_ not, to him it is sin. Ver. 17. _To him that knoweth_] Lest they should reply, we know all this, that except we live and God list, we can do nothing. Do ye know to do well, saith he, and do it not? this increaseth your guilt. Sin against know... [ Continue Reading ]