This Epistle (as the rest folovving) is directed specially, as S. Augustine saith, against the errour of only faith, vvhich some held at that time also, by misconstruing S. Paules vvordes. Yea not only that, but many other errours (vvhich then also vvere annexed vnto it, as they are novv) doth this Apostle here touche expresly.

He saith therfore, that not only faith, but also good vvorkes are necessarie: that not only faith, but also good vvorkes do iustifie: that they are actes of Religion, or seruice and vvorship of God: that to keepe al the commaundements of God, and so to abstaine from al mortal sinne, is not impo&esset;ible, but necessarie: that God is not author of sinne, no not so much as of tentation to sinne: that vve must stay our selues from sinning, vvith feare of our death, of the Iudgement, of hel: and stirre our selues to doing of good, vvith our revvard that vve shall haue for it in heauen. These pointes of the Catholike faith he commendeth earnestly vnto vs, inueighing vehemently against them that teach the c&obar;trarie errors. Hovvbeit he doth vvithal admonish not to neglect such, but to seeke their conuersion, shevving them hovv meritorious a thing that is. Thus then he exhorteth generally to all good vvorkes, & dehorteth from al sinne. but yet also namely to certaine, & from certaine: as, from acception of persons, from detraction and rash iudging, from concupisc&ebar;ce and loue of this vvorld, from svvearing: and, to praier, to almes, to humilitie, confe&esset;ion and penance: but most copiously to patience in persecution.

^noteNovv, vvho this Iames vvas: It is not he, vvhose feast the Church keepeth the 25 of Iulie, vvhich vvas S. Iohns brother, and vvhose martyrdom vve haue Act. 12, but he, vvhom the Church vvorshippeth the first of Maie, vvho is called Frater Domini, our lordes brother, and brother to Iude, and vvhich vvas the first Bishop of Hierusalem, of vvhom vve reade Act. 15 & 21. and also Gal. 2. of vvhose vvonderful austeritie and puritie of life, the Ecclesiasticall stories do report. Euseb. li. 2. c. 12.. Hiero. in Catalogo.

Therfore as the old High-priest had povver and charge ouer the Ievves, not only in Hierusalem and Iurie, but also dispersed in other Countries (as vve vnderstand Act. 9. v. 1, & 2.) so S. Iames likevvise, being Bishop of Hierusalem, and hauing care not only of those Ievves vvith vvhom he vvas resident there in Iurie, but of al the rest also, vvriteth this Epistle, To the tvvelue tribes that are in. dispersion. and in them, to al Christians vniuersally dispersed through the vvorld. ^note

THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF IAMES THE APOSTLE. ^note Catholike Epistle. The vvord Catholike though in the title of this Epistle & the rest folovving (called The Catholike Epistles) it be not vvholy in the same sense, as it is in the Creede: yet the Protestants so feare and abhorre the vvord altogether, that in some of their Bibles they leaue it cleane out, although it be in the Greeke, and in some they had rather translate ridiculously thus, The general Epistle &c. vvhereas these are famously knovven and [Subnote: Euseb. li. 2. hist. c. 22.] specified in antiquitie, by the name of Catholike Epistles, for that they are vvritten to the vvhole Church, not to any peculiar people or person, as S. Paules are. [Subnote: The Protestants abhorre the vvord Catholike.]

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