The first Chapter.
Iames the servant of God, and of the lord Iesus Christ, sendeth
greeting to the xij. tribes which are scattered here and there. My
brethren, count it exceeding joy when ye fall into diverse temptations,
remembering how that the trying of your faith bringeth patience: and
let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and sound,
that nothing be lacking unto you.
If any that is among you lack wisdom, let him ask of God (which giveth
to all men without doubleness, and casteth no man in the teeth:) and it
shall be given him: but let him ask in faith, and waver not. For he
that doubteth is like the waves of the sea, tossed of the wind, and
carried with violence. Neither let that man think that he shall receive
any thing of God. A wavering minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, and the
rich in that he is made low. For even as the flower of the grass shall
he vanish away. The son riseth with heat, and the grass is withered,
and his flower fallen away, and the beauty of the fashion of it is
perished: even so shall the rich man perish in his abundance.
Happy is the man that endureth in temptation, for when he is tried he
shall receive the crown of life, which the lord hath promised to them
that love him.
Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God: for God
tempteth not unto evil: he tempteth no man: But every man is tempted
drawn away, and enticed of his own concupiscence. Then when lust hath
conceived, she bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth
forth death.
Erre not my dear brethren. Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is
from above and cometh down from the father of light, with whom is no
variableness, neither is he changed unto darkness.
Of his own will begat he us with the word of life, that we should be
the first [fruits] of his creatures.
Wherefore dear brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak,
and slow to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh not that which is
righteous before God.
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness, all superfluity of maliciousness,
and receive with meekness the word that is grafted in you, which is
able to save your souls: And see that ye be doers of the word and not
hearers only, deceiving your own selves [with sophistry]. For if any
hear the word, and do it not, he is like unto a man that beholdeth his
bodily face in a glass. For as soon as he hath looked on himself, he
goeth his way, and hath immediately forgotten what his fashion was: but
whosoever looketh in the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein
(if he be not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work) he shall be
happy in his deed.
If any man among you seem devout, and refrain not his tongue: but
deceive his own heart, this man's devotion is in vain. Pure devotion
and undefiled before God the father, is this: To visit the friendless,
{fatherless} and widows in their adversity, and to keep himself
unspotted from {of} the world.
The .ij. Chapter.
Brethren have not the faith of our lord Iesus Christ the lord of glory
in respect of persons. If there come into your company a man with a
golden ring, and in goodly apparel and there come in also a poor man in
vile raiment, and ye have a respect to him that weareth the gay
clothing and say unto him: Sit thou here in a good place: and say unto
the poor, stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: are ye not
even partial in yourselves, and have judged after evil thoughts?
Hearken my dear beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this
world, which are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he
promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Are not
the rich they which oppress you: and they which draw you before judges?
Do not they speak evil of that good name that is called on over you?
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture which saith: Thou
shalt love thine neighbour as thyself, ye do well: but if ye regard one
person more than another, ye commit sin, and are rebuked of the law as
transgressors. Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet fail in one
point, he is guilty in all. For he that said: Thou shalt not commit
fornication, said also: thou shalt not kill. Though thou shalt do no
fornication, yet if thou kill, thou art a transgressor of the law. So
speak ye, and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
For there shall be judgement merciless to him that sheweth no mercy,
and mercy rejoiceth against judgement: What availeth it my brethren,
though a man say he hath faith, when he hath no deeds? Can faith save
him? If a brother or a sister be naked or destitute of daily food, and
one of you say unto them: Depart in peace, God send you warmness and
food: notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful
to the body: what helpeth it them? Even so faith, if it have no deeds
is dead in itself.
But one shall say: Thou hast faith, and I have deeds: Shew me thy faith
by thy deeds: and I will shew thee my faith by my deeds. Believest thou
that there is one God? Thou doest well. The devils also believe and
tremble.
Wilt thou understand o thou vain man, that faith without deeds is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified of his deeds when he offered Isaac
his son upon the altar? Thou seest how that faith wrought with in his
deeds, and through the deeds was the faith made perfect. And the
scripture was fulfilled which saith: Abraham believed God, and it was
reputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of
God. Ye see then how that of deeds a man is justified, and not of faith
only. Likewise also was not Raab the harlot justified when she received
the messengers, and sent them out another way? For as the body, without
the spirit is dead, even so faith without deeds is dead.
The .iij. Chapter.
My brethren, be not every man a master, Remembering how that we shall
receive the more damnation. For in many things we sin all. If a man sin
not in word, he is a perfect man and able to tame all the body. Behold
we put bits into the horses' mouths that they should obey us, and we
turn about all the body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so
great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a
very small helm, whithersoever the violence of the governor will: even
so the tongue is little member and boasteth great things.
Behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth, and the tongue is
fire, and a world of wickedness. So is the tongue set among our
members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth a fire all that
we have of nature, and is itself set afire, even of hell.
All the natures of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and things of
the sea, are meeked and tamed of the nature of man. But the tongue can
no man tame. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. Therewith
bless we God the father, and therewith curse we men which are made
after the similitude of God. Out of one mought proceedeth blessing and
cursing. My brethren these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain
send forth at one place sweet water, and bitter also? Can the fig tree,
my brethren, bear olive berries: other a vine bear figs? So can no
fountain give both salt water and fresh also. Who is wise and endued
with learning among you? Let him shew the works of his good
conversation in meekness that is coupled with wisdom. But if ye have
bitter envying and strife in your hearts, rejoice not: neither be liars
against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above: but is
earthy, and natural, and devilish: For where envying and strife is,
there is unstableness, and all manner of evil works: but the wisdom
that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to
be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, and
without simulation: yee, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in
peace, of them that keep peace.
The .iiij. Chapter.
From whence cometh war, and fighting among you? come they not here
hence? even of your voluptuousness that raineth in your members. Ye
lust, and have not. Ye envy and have indignation, and cannot come by
it. Ye fight and war, and have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask and have
not, because ye ask amiss, for to consume it upon your voluptuousness.
Ye advoutrers, and women that break matrimony: know ye not how that the
friendship of the world is enmity to godward? Whosoever will be friend
of the world, is made the enemy of God. Do ye suppose that the
scripture saith in vain: The spirit that dwelleth in you, lusteth even
contrary to envy: but giveth more grace.
Submit yourselves to God, and resist the devil, and he will flye from
you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands
ye sinners, and purge your hearts ye wavering minded. Suffer
afflictions: sorrow ye and weep. Let your laughter be turned to
mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Cast down yourselves before the
lord, and he shall lift you up. Backbite not one another, brethren. He
that backbiteth his brother, and he that judgeth his brother,
backbiteth the law, and judgeth the law: but and if thou judge the law,
thou art not an observer of the law: but a judge. There is one law
giver, which is able to save and to destroy. What art thou that judgest
another man?
Go to now ye that say: today and tomorrow let us go into such a city
and continue there a year and buy, and sell, and win: and yet cannot
tell what shall happen tomorrow. For what thing is your life? it is
even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away:
For that ye ought to say: if the lord will and if we live, let us do
this or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings. All such rejoicing
is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth how to do good, and doth it not,
it is sin.
The .v. Chapter.
Go to now ye rich men. Weep, and howl on your wretchedness that shall
come upon you. Your riches is corrupt, your garments are motheaten.
Your gold and your silver are cankered, and the rust of them shall be a
witness unto you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have
heaped treasure together in your last days: Behold the hire of the
laborers which have reaped down your fields (which hire is of you kept
back by fraud) crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped, are
entered into the ears of the lord Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on
the earth and in wantonness. Ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day
of slaughter. Ye have condemned and have killed the just, and he hath
not resisted you.
Be patient therefore brethren, unto the coming of the lord. Behold the
husband man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long
patience there upon, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be
ye also patient therefore, and settle your hearts, for the coming of
the lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another brethren, lest ye
be dampned. Behold the judge standeth before the door. Take (my
brethren) the prophets for an ensample of suffering adversity, and of
long patience, which spake in the name of the lord. Behold we count
them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Iob, and have
known what end the lord made. For the lord is very pitiful, and
merciful.
But above all things my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither
by earth, neither by any other oath. Let your saying be yee yee, and
nay nay: lest ye fall into hypocrisy. Is there any among of you that is
evil vexed? let him pray. Is there any among you that is merry? let him
sing psalms. Is there any man diseased among you? Let him call for the
seniors of the congregation, and let them pray over him, and anoint him
with oil in the name of the lord: and the prayer of faith shall save
the sick, and the lord shall raise him up: and if he have committed
sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Knowledge your faults one to another: and pray one for another, that ye
may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man availeth much, if it be
fervent. Helias was a man in danger to tribulation as we are, and he
prayed in his prayer, that it might not rain: and it rained not on the
earth by the space of three years and six months. And again he prayed,
and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
Brethren if any of you err from the truth, and another convert him, let
the same know, that he which converted the sinner from going astray out
of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide the multitude
of sins.
The end of the pistle of Saynct Iames.