of Cajetan and Eraſmus) in Luther, who, (zho' in his after-writings he was more modeſt ) at firſt ſpoke ſlightly of 1t ;, and ſome of bis more early Followers were of his Mind. But arfor the Ancients, (admitting tbe two foremen-. zioned Authors, writ their own Senſe, and not as ſome think, and their Words cited by Brochmand, and others, may well mp7. the Opinion of other Men ) why ſhould not this Epiſtle, being unqueſtionably recerved by moſt of the Fathers,and primitrve Chriſtians before Euſebius or Jerom were born,and many Councils, be more effettual to prove its being Canonical. than the doubts of a few to perſuade us to the contrary ? What do we find in it diſagreeable ts the Dottrine of the Goſpel, unbecoming _ of an Apoſtle, or the Holy Ghoſ?s enditing ? Hath it not the ſame Ma- jeftp,Purity,Spirituality, Efficacy and Power on Men's Conſciences that other Scriptures have ? To Cajetan and Eraſmus we oppoſe the Univerſality, not only of Proteſtants, but of Papiſts themſelves , and to Luther,al! the Mo- dern Lutherans,zoho now generally receive it. That which drew Luther himſelf to rejef (to ſpeak a little of that as heing of weight was,partly the ſeeming difference between James and Paul 7 the Point of Fuſtification, which will be ſpoken to in the y audi o Chapter , and partly his ſpeaking nothing (tho be wrote to Chriftians) of the Death,or Merits,or Reſurrettion of Chriſt &c.Whereas,mndeed ho! he is more ſparing in handling Evangelical Dottrines,yet Several he roueheth upon : What doth he mean but the Goſpel of Chriſt by the engraffed Word,chap. 1.21. and Law of Liberty,v.25. And who doth he underſtand by the Judge, chap.5,9. but Chriſt ? and whoſe coming doth he ſpeak of, v. 7. but Chriſt's ? And how expreſly doth he mention the Faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, chap. 2. 1 © But the truth is, the Perſons for whom this Epiſtle ſeems deſigned, and the Scope of the Writer, calls for ſuch a toay of Writing as here we have. He bends himſelf mainly againſt a licentions,ſenſual ſort of Profeſſors,uho boaſted of 1 be Name of Faith, but wanted the Thing, and (berng rather Libertines than Saints ) blemiſbed the Chriſtian Profeſfuon with unſuitable Prattice. Theſe be takes upon him to corrett,and evinceth their Faith and Religion ( being barren of good Works) to be vain. It was not therefore neceſſary he ſhould ſo largely inſiſt upon the Dottrine of Faith,when Þ1s chief Deſign was 10 reform Manners. Paul having many times to do with Men of Pharaſaical Spirits, or ſuch as were difficultly weaned fromJudaiſm and an Opinion of Self-righteouſneſs.makes it his buſineſs to ſettle the Dottrine of Grace,and Fuſtification by Faith. And why may not James having to do with thoſe,who ( probably, and as Auſtin thinks,niſunderſtanding Paul) abuſed the Doffrine of Grace, and turned it into an Occaſion of Licentiou/, neſs, be allowed to tax that abuſe,and inſiſt the more fully on matters of Praftice,and preſs them to live up to their Faith,and
bring forth Fruiis anſwerable tothat holy Truth they had recerved?Remedies muſt be ſuited ro Diſeaſes * There ' m , bs | HE
iii
. 6. I Bu. 0%. 6. i. 3%. Fi... 3. Ye Ya. Be ai. Pe Ho.
Chap. 1.
* Matth. 5.
Affts 5. 41s Heb.10.34* he calls them, that the kindneſs of his Compellation might ſweeten
Pet. 1.6,
FUMES.
little need to urge a Solifidian to rely on Grace of which he already preſumes, as to perſwade a Phariſce of the ne: ceffity of good Works.yupon which of FA elf he lays but too much Pref. 4 perf 4
But as the Authority of this Epiſtle hath been queſtioned formerly.though with little reaſon,ſo the Penman of it is full doubted of,perbaps with more : However this Queſtion ts leſs material, we need not be over-ſollicitons to know what Amanuenſis the Spirit of God made uſe of in pennimg it, fo long as we find the Impreſs of God upon it. It 1s certain, that this James was not the Son of Zebedee, whom Herod had beheaded (if Chronolog y fail not) before the writing of this Epiſtle, AQs 12. 1. It is not certain, that there were three Jame's, two of them Apo: files, and the third (called blias, and James the Juſt) ONe of the Seventy Diſciples , the Scripture mentioning but two, on the Son of Ziebedeeghe other of Alpheus, ca/led the Brother of the Lord, G7. i. 19. as being of kin ro bis Family, and ſaid- ro be a Pillar, Gal.-2. 9. and joyned with Peter and John. And though ſome have thought the James there mentioned, to have been the third ſames'called Oblias, and one of the Seventy ; yet it is more. probable, thet be was indeed. no other than the Son of Aalpheus,and one of the Twelve : Nor is it likely, that one of the Seventy: Diſciples ſhould be numberedgas one of the three Pillars, and therein preferred above fo many Apoſtles. This Gomes therefore, == the whole, Itake to be the Pen-man of this Epiſtle; and his not calling
himſelf an A
oftle, need not be objetted agaih/t his being ſo,” when he doth no more in- omitting it than Paul doth in
Jour of bis Boles viz. to the Phillipians, both ro the Theſſalonians, and that ro Philemon.
Why this Epiſtle rs called General, 1s much queſtioned, and a ſatisfattory Reaſon not eaſily given. Some think, becauſe it ' is not inſcribed to tiny particular Church,or Perſon, as Payls are. But then why are the two latter Epr- files of, John reckoned among. the Catholigk, or general ones, though diretted to particular. Perſons,and that to the Hebrews not counted among them, though it: have no ſuch particular Inſcription £ Others think, that this, and. the {ix other were called Catholick upon their cathotick,or general Reception,and Approbation aniong the Churches, in
oppoſition to the Epiſtles of Barnabas, Jgnarius, Clemens, '&c. which never were received as any part of the Ca- non. Theſe are the beſt Reaſons of this Title 1.meet with ; which is the more probable, let the, Reader judge. \The matter of this Epiſt/e is, in amanner, wholly pradical, but very variows ; though: chiefly.either correfive of the Vices and Abuſes.robich bad crept imo the Converſations of Profeſſers ; or Monnory and Hortatory , partly ro awaken the drowzy among them out of their Stupidneſs and Security, and ſtir them up to the prattice of their
neglefted Duty (70 which be points them particularly, by minding them of pt vacying Ju fewade fincere and humble Believers to Patience under 1ribwlatzons and
F/ ſoment) and partly to per- pprefftonsby propounding unto them ſui-