_IT IS NOT AGREEABLE TO CHRIST'S PROFESSION, TO REGARD THE RICH PARTIALLY, AND DESPISE THE POOR BRETHREN: RATHER WE ARE TO BE LOVING AND MERCIFUL; AND NOT TO BOAST OF FAITH, WHERE NO DEEDS ARE; WHICH IS BUT A DEAD FAITH, THE FAITH OF DEVILS, AND NOT THAT OF ABRAHAM AND RAHAB._ _Anno Domini 60._ TH... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH RESPECT OF PERSONS.— The word Προσωποληψια signifies the respect of persons in judgment, not purely according to the merits of the cause, but according to external respects which relate not to it. As for instance, 1st, The dread of any man's power, or the fear of what he may do to us if we judg... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO YOUR ASSEMBLY— That here the apostle speaks of consistories for civil judicatures, is argued, 1st, From the accepting of persons, James 2:1 which in the Old Testament and the New, as often as it is applied to men, respects human judicatures. 2nd, From the _footstool_ mentioned, James 2:3 which... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE YE NOT THEN PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES,— _Do you not put a difference, or discrimination among yourselves_ on those accounts which are foreign to the cause? That this is the frequent sense of the words διακρινομενοι and διακρινεσθαι, see Acts 15:9 where the words ουδεν διεκρινε are rendered, _He put... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH NOT GOD CHOSEN THE POOR, &C.— Christianity was not spread by the power or contrivance of courtiers and great men, or to advance a secular interest; but the God and Father of all chose this method in his infinitewisdom for the reformation and renovation of all who will yield to be saved by grace... [ Continue Reading ]
WORTHY— _Honourable._... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE FULFIL THE ROYAL LAW— The whole of the apostle's argument depends upon that sacred maxim so frequently introduced in a direct or indirect manner by the infallibly inspired writers of the New Testament, _That love is the fulfilling of the law._ St. James considers the whole duty of man to man a... [ Continue Reading ]
SO SPEAK YE, AND SO DO, &C.— "Let it therefore be your care, that ye so speak and so act as those that shall be judged by the law of liberty, by the glorious gospel, which is a dispensation that sets us at liberty from the bondage of the Jewish ritual, and directs us to all the branches of that virt... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SHALL HAVE JUDGMENT WITHOUT MERCY, &C.— "For he whose faith does not work by love, according to the grace and obligation of the gospel, so as to shew compassion to his poor brethren, shall pass under a severe sentence of condemnation and wrath, to be executed upon him in the day of judgment,... [ Continue Reading ]
_JAMES 2:14_.— The _Jews_ retained the highest reverence for their law, and would adhere to it as the method of justification or acceptance with God, even after the coming of the gospel of Christ. Whereas the apostles assured them, that _faith,_ or the gospel method, was the only way in which they c... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SO FAITH, IF IT HATH NOT WORKS, &C.— See the preceding note. St. Paul (says Dr. Heylin,) had used the term _faith_ as it was understood in the Jewish schools; (and still in our own schools, where it is said, _"Objectum formale fidei, est veritas prima;"_) and as our Lord often used it, particul... [ Continue Reading ]
SHEW ME THY FAITH, &C.— "You talk mightily of your faith, without giving any proof of its sincerity; and I, on the contrary, instead of taking up with high swelling words and professions of faith, have evangelical works of love and obedience to bear witness that my faith has its proper influence upo... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU BELIEVEST THAT THERE IS ONE GOD;— All that is said from this place to James 2:23 is by way of answer to the inquiry made James 2:18 namely, which was the way to manifest that a man had true faith;—by words and actions, and every other mode of evidencing holy tempers and dispositions.... [ Continue Reading ]
O VAIN MAN!— The word Κενε answers to the Syriac word _Raca,_ Matthew 5:22 which is there condemned, when it proceeded from unjust anger, and was used by way of insult and reproach; but here it is used out of compassion and good will to the person, and as a grave and just reproof of a very dangerous... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS NOT ABRAHAM OUR FATHER JUSTIFIED— "Take an instance of the truth of what I have advanced under Divine inspiration, in the most celebrated of all the patriarchs; I mean, the instance of Abraham, our great and illustrious father: was he not plainly justified by works, when, in consequence of that... [ Continue Reading ]
BY WORKS WAS FAITH MADE PERFECT?— Faith is not perfect, without producing good works, wherever there is an opportunity for it, after men have believed: but, in such an instance as that of the thief upon the cross, there is no opportunity for manifesting the truth of faith by a pious holy life; becau... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SCRIPTURE WAS FULFILLED, &C.— The passage here referred to, is recorded Genesis 15:6 and is there applied to Abraham's firm trust in the promise of God, concerning a son and heir. Now that was about fifty years before his binding Isaac as a victim upon the altar (Genesis 22:9; Genesis 22:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SEE THEN, &C.— "You see then by this instance of the great father of the faithful, if the characters of the children are to be estimated in the same manner as those of the father, _that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only:_ it is by no means enough that the great principles of reli... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS NOT RAHAB—JUSTIFIED BY WORKS,— It ought to be observed, that _Rahab_ is not here celebrated for "lying, and betraying her country to its enemies," as some have objected. With respect to _lies,_ they are every where condemned in the Holy Scriptures, and the truth is represented as sacred and invi... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AS THE BODY, &C.— "And on such principles must all others expect justification and salvation; _for as the body, without the spirit,_ is but a _dead_ carcase, how fair and entire soever it may appear, and will at length fall into putrefaction and dissolution; so such a _faith_ as remains without... [ Continue Reading ]