Lastly, some scruple the present translation of the Book of Psalms, the metre being so low and fiat, and coming so far short of David's original. I confess this is a defect that needeth public redress and reformation. But it is good to make use of present means, though weak, when we have no better ; as the martyrs did of the first trans- lations of the Bible, which in many places were faulty and defective. At least, it is far more safe to sing the psalms as now translated than to join in the raw, passionate, and revengeful eructations of our modern psalmists. Besides, for those that conscientiously and modestly scruple this, the Lord hath provided some help by the more excellent translations of Sands, Ptous, Barton, and others. Thus I have showed how many ways the devil seeketh to divert men from this comfortable ordinance. 1 confess a psalmodical history would be of great use and profit, and might be easily collected by them that are versed in antiquity ; but our leisure and present intendment will not now permit it.
Ver. 14. Is any sich among you ? let him call for the elders of the church; and let thempray over him, anointing him loith oil hi the name of the Lord.
Haying given general directions, he descendeth now to particulars, instanceth in one special kind of afflictions, in sickness. (1.) He sup- poseth the case as likely to be frequent among them, ' Is any sick among you ? ' (2.) Proposeth the duty — (1st.) Of the sick Christian, 'let him call for the eklers of the church.' (2d.) Of the elders, which is twofold — [1.] One ordinary and immutable, ' let him pray
446 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [JaS. V. 14.
over him.' [2.] The other temporary, and suiting with the gifts of those times, ' anointing him Avith oil in the name of the Lord.'
Tliis scripture hath occasioned much controversy. Though in this exercise I would mainly pursue what is practical, yet when a matter lieth obvious and fair, like the angel in the way of Balaam, it cannot be avoided without some dispute and discussion: I shall therefore first open the phrases, then clear the controversy, then give you the observable notes.
7s any sick among you, dadevei rh iv v/jllv ; ' is any weak,' and ' without strength? ' so the word signifieth. Sickness is often expressed l)y this word aci-06V6L<i, Mat. x. 8; rjaOevijae, he was sick unto death, Phil. ii. 26, 27 ; in the next verse the apostle changeth the word, the l)rayer of faith shall save Ku/jLvovra, ' him that laboureth ' under a disease; we translate 'the sick.' From this change of the word the Papists collect that extreme unction is not to be administered but to those that are mortally sick ; but Cajetan, a cardinal of theirs, well replieth, that James doth not say ' is any sick unto death? ' but ' is any sick ? ' It is true, there is somewhat in the change of the word ; it showeth that the ciders must not be sent for upon every light occa- sion, as soon as the head or foot acheth, as Serarius scoff eth at our exposition, but in such grievous diseases wherein there is danger and great pain ; though it be an abuse of the Papists to interpret it of exti-eme danger, and when the body is half carcassed.
Let him call, irpoaKokeadaOoy. — The motion coming from them is a call which we cannot withstand.
The ciders. — The word is of a promiscuous use; sometimes it is put for our ancestors and those that lived before us : Heb. xi. 2, ol irpea- /SvTepot, ' the elders obtained a good report ; ' that is, the fathers of the Old Testament : so Mat. xv. 2, ' the tradition of the elders ; ' so it cannot be taken in this place. Sometimes it is put for elders in years and wisdom, 1 Tim. v. 1, 2, ' elder men,' and 'elder women.' Aretius saith such are here understood, any ancient and discreet Christians in the vicinage; i but that is a private opinion without ground; the a{)Ostle saith, tt pea^vrepoixi tt}? eKKKea[a<i, ' the elders of the church.' Thirdly, tlien, there are elders by office. Now the term elder is given to all the offices and administrations in the church, from the apostle to the deacon ; apostles, pastors, teachers, ruling brethren, deacons, are all called elders. Principally here is understood that order of elders who are elsewhere called bishojjs, whether ruling or teaching elders, chiefly the latter. In sickness we call in the best helps, and it is to be supposed that the best gifts reside in them who are called to teacli in the church ; and to add the greater seal to their ministry, and to supply the want of physicians, many of them were endued with the gift (;f healing. Now mark, he saith, plurally, rov'i Trpea-jSvTepov^, ' the elders,' because, saith Grotius, in those eastern countries seven elders were usually called to this service. Certainly in the primitive times there was great love in the several churches and societies of the faithful, and many elders would go to one sick man. Some say it is an enallar/e, let him call the elders of the church ; that is, one of the ciders, as if the speech did imply the order rather than