A   Iames the seruaunt of God ∧ of the Lorde Ies&us; Christ, sendeth gretyng to the twelue trybes which are scattered abroade. &cross2; My brethren, count it for an excedyng ioye, when ye fall &ibar;to diuers temptacyons: knowyng this, that ^note the trying of your fayth gendreth pacience: and let pacience haue her parfect worke, that ye maye be parfecte and sounde, lackyng nothyng.

If eny of you lacke wysdome, ^note let hym aske of him that geueth it: eu&ebar; God, which geueth to all men indiffer&ebar;tlye, and casteth no man in the teeth: and it shalbe geuen h&ibar;. But let him aske in fayth, and wauer not, For he that douteth, is lyke a waue of the see, which is tost of the wyndes and caryed with viol&ebar;ce. Nether let that man thinke, that he shall receaue eny th&ibar;g of the Lorde. A wauerynng mynded man, is vnstable in all his wayes. Let the brother which is of lowe degre reioyce whan he is exalted. B   Agayne: let hym that is riche, reioyce whan he is made lowe. ^noteFor euen as the flower of the grasse, shall he passe awaye. For as þe; sonne ryseth with heat, ∧ the grasse wydereth, ∧ hys flower falleth awaye, and the beautie of the fassyon of it perissheth: euen so shall the rich man perisshe in his wayes.

Happy is the man that endureth temptacyon: for when he is tryed, he shall receaue the crowne of lyfe, which the Lorde hath promysed to them that loue hym. &cross3;

Let no man saye when he is tempted, that he is t&ebar;pted of God, for as God can not be tempted with euill, so nether he hymselfe tempt the eny man. ^note But euery man is t&ebar;pted, whan he is drawne awaye, ∧ entysed of hys awne concupiscence. Then, when lust hath conceaued, C   she bryngeth forth synne: ∧ synne when it is finisshed, bryngeth forth deeth. Do not erre my deare brethren, ^note &cross2; Euery good gyfte, and euery parfayt gyft, is from aboue, and commeth downe fr&obar; the father of lyghtes &wt; whome is no variablenes, nether is he chaunged vnto darcknes. ^noteOf hys awne wyll begat he vs with the worde of trueth, that we shulde be the fyrst frutes of hys creatures.

Wherfore (deare brethren) ^note let euery m&abar; be swyfte to heare, slowe to speake, slowe to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh not that which is ryghteous before God.

^noteWherfore laye a parte all fylthynes ∧ superfluyte of maliciousnes, and receaue &wt; meknes, the worde that is graffed in you, which is able to saue your soules. &cross3;

D   &cross2; And ^note se that ye be doars of the worde ∧ not hearers onely, deceauing your awne selues. For ^note yf eny man heare the worde and declareth not the same by his workes, he is lyke vnto a man beholding his bodely face in a glasse. For assone as he hath loked on hym selfe, he goeth his waye, ∧ forgetteth immediatly what hys fassyon was. ^noteBut who so loketh in the parfayt lawe of libertye, and contynueth therin (yf he be not a forget full hearer, but a doar of the worke) the same shalbe happye in his dede.

If eny man among you seme to be deuoute ∧, refrayneth not hys t&obar;g, but deceaueth hys awne hert, thys mannes deuocy&obar; is in vayne. Pure deuocyon and vndefyled before God the father, is this: to visyt the fatherlesse ∧ widdowes in theyr aduersyte, ∧ to kepe h&ibar; selfe vnspotted of the worlde. &cross3; ¶ The second Chapter. ¶ He for byddeth to haue eny respect of persones, and not to boast of fayth where no dedes are.

A   My brethren, esteme not the fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christ þe; Lorde of glory ^note &wt; respecte of pers&obar;s. For if ther come into youre company a man wearyng a gold&ebar;ryng, clothed in goodly aparell, and ther come in also a poore m&abar; in vyle raym&ebar;t, ∧ ye haue a respecte to him that weareth the gaye clothing, and say vnto him: Syt thou here in a good place: and saye vnto the poore: stande thou there, or syt here vnder my fote stole: are ye not parciall in youre selues, and haue iudged after euyll thoughtes?

Harken my deare beloued brethr&ebar;. Hath not God chosen the poore of thys worlde, soch as are ryche in faythe, ∧ heyres of the kyngdome, whych he promysed to th&ebar; that loue hym? B   But ye haue despysed the poore. Do not rych m&ebar; execute tyrannye vp&obar; you, and draw you before the iudgement seates. Do not they speake euyll of that good name which is called vpon ouer you?

Yf ye fulfyll the royall lawe, accordynge to the scripture. ^note(Thou shalte loue thyne neghboure as thy selfe) ye do well. But yf ye regarde one person more then another, ye commyt synne, ∧ are rebuked of þe; lawe, as transgressours. Whosoeuer shall kepe þe; whole lawe, ∧ ^note yet fayle in one poynt, he is gyltie of all. C   For he þt; sayd: Thou shalt not commyt adulterye, sayde also þu; shalt not kyll. Though thou do none adulterye, yet yf thou kyll, thou art become a transgressor of þe; lawe. So speake ye, and so do, as they that shalbe iudged by the lawe of libertye. For he shal haue iudgem&ebar;t without mercy ^note that sheweth no mercy: and mercy reioyseth agaynst iudgement. &cross3;

What auayleth it my brethren, though a m&abar; saye he hath fayth, yf he haue no dedes? C&abar; fayth saue him If a brother or a syster be naked ∧ destitute of dayly fode, ∧ one of you saye vnto them: departe in peace, God s&ebar;d you warmnes ∧ fode, not &wt;st&abar;dyng ye geue th&ebar; not those thinges which are nedful to the body, what shal it helpe? Euen so fayth, yf it haue no dedes: is deed in it selfe:

But some m&abar; wyll saye: þu; hast fayth, ∧ I haue dedes: shewe me thy fayth by thy dedes: ∧ I will shewe the my fayth by my dedes. D   Beleuest þu; that ther is one god? Thou doest well. The deuyls also beleue, ∧ tr&ebar;ble.

But wilt þu; vnderstande. (O thou vayne man) þe; fayth without dedes is deed? Was not Abrah&abar; oure father iustifyed thorow workes, wh&ebar; he had ^note offered Isaac his s&obar;ne vp&obar; the aulter? Thou seest, how that fayth wrought &wt; his dedes, ∧ through the dedes was the fayth made parfecte: ∧ þe; scripture was fulfylled, which sayth: ^note Abrah&abar; beleued God, and it was reputed vnto hym for ryghtewesnes: ∧ he was called þe; frende of God. &cross2; Ye se then how that of dedes a m&abar; is iustifyed, and not of fayth onely. Lykewyse also, was not Raab the harlot iustifyed thorow workes, ^note when she had receaued the messengers, and had sent th&ebar; out another waye? For as the body, wythout the sprete is deed, euen so fayth wythout workes is deed also. &cross3; ¶ The .iii. Chapter. ¶ What good and euell commeth thorow the tonge. The dutie of soch as be lerned The difference betwixte the wysdome of the Gospell, ∧ the wysdome of the worlde.

A   My brethren, ^note be not euery m&abar; a master, knowinge how þt; we shal receaue þe; greater damnaci&obar;: for in many thinges we synne all. ^noteIf a man synne not in worde, þe; same is a perfecte m&abar;, ∧ able also to tame all þe; body. Beholde, we put bittes in to þe; horses mouthes, þt; they maye obeye vs, ∧ we turne aboute all the body of th&ebar;. Beholde also þe; shyppes, whych though they be so great, ∧ are dryu&ebar; of fearce wyndes, yet are they turned about wyth a very small helme whyther soeuer þe; violence of þe; gouerner will. Euen so the tonge is a lytel member also, and boasteth great thynges.

B   Beholde, how gret a thynge a lytell fyre kyndleth, and the tonge is fyre, eu&ebar; a world of wyckednes. So is the tonge set amonge oure membres, that it defyleth the whole body, and setteth a fyre all that we haue of nature, and is it selfe set a fyre euen of hell.

All the natures of beastes, and &obar;f byrdes, and of serpentes, ∧ thinges of þe; see are meked and tamed of the nature of man. But þe; tonge can no man tame. It is an vnruely euyll, full of deedly poyson. C   Ther &wt; blesse we God the father, and therwith cursse wemen, ^note which are made after the (ymage and) symilitude of God. Out of one mouth proceadeth blessing and cursyng. My brethr&ebar;, these th&ibar;ges ought not so to be. Doth a fountayne send forth at one place swete water and bytter also. Can the fygge tree (my brethren) beare olyue beries: ether a a vyne beare fygges? So can no fountayne geue bothe salt water ∧ fresshe also. Yf eny m&abar; be wyse ∧ endued &wt; knowledge am&obar;ge you, let hym shewe his workes out of good conuersacion with mekenes of wysdome.

But yf ye haue bytter enuyeng ∧ stryfe in your herte, reioyce not: nether be lyars agaynst the trueth: For soch wysdome descendeth not fr&obar; aboue: but is erthy, naturall, ∧ diuelisshe. D   For wher enuy&ebar;g ∧ strife is, there is vnstablenes, ∧ all m&abar;ner of euyll workes. But þe; wysdome þt; is fr&obar; aboue, is first pure, th&ebar; peasable, g&ebar;tle, ∧ easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good frutes, without iudging, without simulacion: yee, ∧ þe; frute

of ryghtewesnes is sowen in peace, of them that mayntene peace. ¶ The .iiii. Chapter. ¶ Warre and fightyng commeth of volupteousnesse. The frend shyppe of the world is cumytte before God. An exhortacyon to flye sclaunder and the vanytie of thys lyfe.

A   From whence c&obar;meth warre, and fyghtyng am&obar;ge you? come they not here hence? euen of youre lustes, that fight in your membres? Ye lust, and haue not. Ye enuye ∧ haue indignacyon, ∧ can not obtayne. Ye fight ∧ warre. Ye haue not because ye aske not. Ye aske and receaue not, because ye aske amysse: euen to consume it vpon your lustes. Ye aduouterars, and wemen þe; breke matrimonye: knowe ye not how that ^note the fr&ebar;dshyp of the worlde is enmytie &wt; God? whosoeuer therfore wilbe a fr&ebar;de of þe; worlde, is made þe; enemye of God. Ether do ye thynke þt; the scripture sayth in vayne. The sprete þe; dwelleth in vs, lusteth euen c&obar;trary to enuy: but geueth more grace (wherfore he sayeth: God resisteth the proude, but geueth grace vnto the lowely.)

B   Submit your selues therfore to God: but ^note resyst þe; deuyll, and he will flye from you. Drawe nye to God, and he will drawe nye to you. Cl&ebar;se your h&abar;des ye siners, ∧ pourge your hertes ye waueryng mynded. Suffre afflictions ∧ mourne, ∧ wepe. Let your laughter be turned to mournyng, ∧ youre ioye to heuynes. ^noteHumble youre selues &ibar; þe; sight of þe; lord, ∧ he shal lyft you vp. Backbyte not one another, brethren. He þt; backbyteth his brother, ∧ he þt; iudgeth hys brother, backbyteth the lawe, and iudgeth the lawe. But ∧ yf þu; iudge þe; lawe, þu; art not an obseruer of þe; lawe: but a iudge. Ther is one lawe geuer (and iudge) which is able to saue and to destroye. ^noteWhat art thou þt; iudgest another? C   Go to now ye that saye: ^note to daye and to morow let vs go into soch a citye, and continue there a yeare, and bye and sell, and wynne: ∧ yet can not ye tell, what shall happen on þe; morow. For what thing is your lyfe? It is euen a vapour, that apereth for a lytell time, and then vanissheth awaye: For that ye ought to saye: ^note yf the Lord will, and yf we lyue, let vs do this or that. But now ye reioyce in your boastynges. All soch reioysynge is euyll. Therfore ^note to hym that knoweth how to do good, &abar;d doth it not, to hym it is synne. ¶ The .v. Chapter. ¶ He threateneth the wycked ryche men, exhorteth vnto pacience, to beware of swearing. One to knowledge his fautes to another, one to praye for another, and one to laboure to bring another to the trueth.

A   Go to now ye ryche men. Wepe, &abar;d howle on your wretchednes þt; shal come vp&obar; you. Your riches is corrupte, your garmentes are motheaten, Youre golde ∧ syluer is cankred, and the rust of the shalbe a wytnes vnto you, ∧ shall eate youre flesshe as it were fyre.

Ye haue heaped treasure together (euen wrath to your selues) in your last dayes: Beholde ^note þe; hyre of labourers which haue reaped downe youre feldes (which hyre is of you kept backe by fraude) cryeth: ∧ the cryes of th&ebar; which haue reaped, are entred in to þe; eares of þe; Lord Sabaoth. Ye haue lyued in pleasure on the erthe, ∧ bene want&abar;. Ye haue norysshed youre hertes, as &rhand; in a daye of slaughter. Ye haue condempned and kylled the iust, and he hath not resisted you.

B   &cross2; Be paci&ebar;t therfore brethren, vnto þe; c&obar;mynge of þe; Lord. Beholde, þe; husb&abar;de man wayteth for þe; precyous frute of the earth, ∧ hath l&obar;ge paci&ebar;ce ther vp&obar;, vntyll he receaue þe; early ∧ the latter rayne. Be ye also pacient therfore, and settle youre hertes, for the commynge of þe; Lorde draweth nye. Grudge not one agaynst another brethren lest ye be damned. Beholde, þe; iudge st&abar;deth before the dore. Take (my brethren) þe;. Prophetes for an ensample of suffer&ibar;ge aduersytie, and of pacience, which spake in þe; name of the Lorde. &cross3; Beholde, ^note we counte th&ebar; happy which endure. Ye haue heard of the pacience of Iob, and haue know&ebar; what ende the Lorde made. For the Lord is very pitiefull and mercyfull.

C   But aboue all thynges my brethren ^note sweare not, nether by heu&ebar;, nether by earth, nether eny other othe. Let your yee be yee, &abar;d your naye naye: lest ye fall &ibar;to ypocrisy, If any of you be vexed, let h&ibar; praye. If eny of you be mery, let him synge Psalmes. If eny be diseased amonge you, let hym call for the elders of the congregacyon, and let th&ebar; praye ouer him, ∧ ^note anoynte him with oyle in the name of the Lorde, and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sycke, and the Lord shal rayse him vp: and yf he haue commytted synnes, they shalbe forgeuen hym.

D   &cross2; Knowledge youre fautes one to another: and praye one for another, þt; ye maye be healed. For the seru&ebar;t prayer of a ryghteous man auayleth moch. Helyas was a man vnder infirmitees euen as we are, and he prayed in his prayer that it myght not rayne: ^note and it rayned not on the earthe by þe; space of thre yeares ∧ syxe m&obar;ethes. And he prayed agayne, and the heau&ebar; gaue rayne, and the earth brought forth her frute.

Brethren, yf eny of you do erre from the trueth and another conuert hym, let the same knowe that he which c&obar;uerteth the synner from goyng a straye out of hys waye, shall saue a soule from deeth, and shal hyde the multitude of synnes. ¶ The ende of the epistle of Saynt Iames

Previous section

Next section