Such a man has, as it were, two souls, of which the one holds one opinion, the other holds another. Ecclesiasticus ii. 12, ova} xapd/atg ds/Xu/g, ytai yips} srapn/jjsvaicy %ai a/u,aprwXGj sKificifoovri srri dvo rptfiovc : u Woe be to fearful hearts , and faint hands , and the sinner that goeth two ways!” — anaruvrarog, unstable) For he does not obtain Divine direction by prayer : and being destitute of wisdom , he is at variance with himself and with others. Comp. ch. iii. 16.
9. K avydsdta d'e, but let him glory) The best remedy against double-
mindedness (br^vyiav) or a divided soul. The word u glorying ” occurs also, ch. ii. 13, iii. 14, iv. 16. — 6 a deXp'og, the brother) James thinks it befitting to apply this title to the lowly rather than the rich. — 6 ruKuvbg, of low degree) poor and tempted. — in his ex- altation) The apostle proposes to speak of the lowly and the rich : he shortly afterwards treats of the rich, *ver. 11 ; and then of the lowly, ver. 12 : being about to treat of each subject more fully in ch. y. The design of the whole Epistle is, to reduce all things to an equable footing. Comp. ch. ii. 1, v. 13. "T^/og, blessedness,
the crown of life, that fadeth not away.
10. n Xovctog, the rich) A Synecdoche for every one that is flourish- ing and gay. — Iv rjj ramivutei, in that he is brought low) This is strictly construed with xuvydsOu, let the rich man rejoice. Compare 2 Cor. xii. 9 ; 2 Sam. vi. 22. Ta<xuvu<ng does not denote the fading away of the rich man, but the lowliness of mind which arises from the sight of that fading away. — or/ ug, because as) u As the flower of the field — the fashion of it perish eth ; the Protasis : u so shall the rich man fade awayf ver. 11 ; the Apodosis. — av6og yoprov , the flower of the grass) That part of the grass which is most pleasant to the sight, the flower, 1 Pet. i. 24.
11. 5 AvsrsiXi — axujXzroy the sun is risen — it perisheth) Here are four circumstances (turning points) : the first is the cause of the second, the third of the fourth. — xavsuvi) the mid-day a heat ” and parching wind, which follows the “ rising ” of the sun. A grada- tion.— yj sv^rpsmiUy the comeliness) which is in the flower. — irope/ccig, his goings) In other places evvop/u, u abundance of resources” [success in one’s ways or goings ], is attributed to the rich ; but the apostle uses the simple word, and that too in the plural number, on account of the burdensome greatness (extent) of his undertakings. Ucpsia, a journey, from nopevoiuui, u I go,” as /Satr/Xs/a from /3a etXtvu. I attri- bute no weight to the reading rroptoug.1 — fiupuvdijffsruiy shall fade away) in death.
1 It was necessary to bring forward this reading in the Appar. p. 728, because