Matthew Poole and continuators on James 4

1 FRom whence come wars, and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts , that war in your members ?

Either it may be understood properly of Insurrections, and Tumults, in which, possibly, some carnal Professors might be engaged; or rather Strife and Contention about outward things, Wranglings among themselves, and going to Law, especially before unbelieving Judges, 1 Cor. 6.1.

Gr. Pleasures, i. e. those Lusts whereof Pleasure is the end, which is therefore put for the Lusts themselves: he means the over-eager Desire of Riches, worldly Greatness, carnal Delights, Tit. 3.3. where Lusts and Pleasures go together.

Oppose and tumultuate against Reason, Conscience, Grace, Rom. 7.23. and 1 Pet. 2.11.

Not only the Members of the Body, but Faculties of the Soul, exercised by them: all the Parts of Man unrenewed, Col. 3.5. which are used as Weapons of Unrighteousness, Rom. 6.13.

Marginal references: Or, brawlings.; Or. pleasures. so. v. 3.

2 Ye lust and have not , ye kill , and desire to have , and cannot obtain ; ye fight and war , yet ye have not , because ye ask not .

Passionately and greedily desire.

Either soon lose, or rather, cannot get what ye so lust after.

some Copies have it, ye envy, and many suppose that to be the better reading, as agreeing with the Context, and with v. 14. of chap. 3. Envy being the Cause of Strife there, and joyned with Emulation, or a Desire of having, here. We read it according to other Copies, ye kill, which, if he speaketh of Wars in a proper sense, v. 1. was, no doubt, the Effect of them; and if he speak only of Strife and Contentions, yet they might proceed so far, that the Death of some (tho not intended) might be the Consequ[illegible: 2 letters]t of them, and [illegible: 1 word] by them. Or, he may mean their murderous Desires, killing Men in their Hearts, wishing for, and gaping after their Death, that they might gain by it; and this agrees with what he speaks of, the Frustration of their greedy Desires, none being more frequently disappointed of their Hopes than they that hope [illegible: 1 span] Gainers by other Men's Deaths.

Or, [illegible: 1 span] ambitiously affect to have what ye see others have, grieving that they should have more than you.

Viz. That which ye envy others having.

You wrangle and quarrel with your Neighbours for what they have, that ye may get it for your selves.

Ye are still needy, tho still craving; your Lusts are infinite, and insatiable in themselves, and no way helpful to you.

Viz. of God by Prayer, who hath promised to give to them that ask, Matth. 7.7. not to them that war and fight. Insteed of humble seeking to God for what ye want, ye would extort it by force or fraud, from one another.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word].

3 Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss , that ye may consume it upon your ‖ lusts .

He prevents an Objection, q. d. admit you do pray for the good things ye want; or, tho you pray for them:

Tho you pray for good things, yet you do not pray well, or in a right manner, not according to God's Will, 1 Iohn 3.14. and therefore ye are not to complain of not being heard.

You[illegible: 1 letter] pray for the things of this Life only, that you may have wherewith to please the Flesh, and gratifie your carnal Appetites, and so an evil end spoils good means; and while you would have God [illegible: 1 letter]erve yo[illegible: 2 letters] lusts, you lose your Prayers.

Marginal references: Joh 27.9. and 35.12. Psal. 18.41. Isa. 1.15. Jer. 11.11. Zech. 7.13.; Psal. 66.18. 1 John 3.22.

4 Ye adulterers, and adulteresses , know ye nor , that the friendship of the world , is enmity with God ? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God .

He means Adulterers and Adulteresses, in a spiritual sense, i. e. worldly-minded Christians, who being, by Profession, married to the Lord, yet gave up those Affections to the things of the World, which were due to God only. The like Expression is used, Matth. 12.39. and 16.4.

Ye o[illegible: 1 letter]ght to know, and cannot but know.

Inordinate Affection to the World, Addictedness, or Devotedness to the Things, or Men of the World.

If it be the purpose and Resolution of a Man's Heart to get in with the World, tho perhaps he cannot obtain its Favour; he courts it, tho it be coy to him.

Exerciseth Hostility against God, by adhering to an Interest so contrary to him.

Marginal references: John 15.19, and 17.14. Gal. 1.10.; Alienates the Soul from God, and God from it, 1 Iohn 2.15.; John 15.19, and 17.14. Gal. 1.10.

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain , the spirit that dwelleth in us, lusteth to envy ?

Gr. Emptily, or vainly, i. e. to no purpose. This Question hath the force of a Negation, q. d. it doth not speak in vain. Quest. What is it which the Scripture doth not speak in vain? Answ. Either those Truths he had been speaking of before, particularly in the former Verse, That the Friendship of the World, i[illegible: 1 letter] E[illegible: 2 letters]ity with God: Or, that which follows in this Verse, the Spirit that dwelleth in us ▪ &c.

Either the Spirit of God, who is said to dwell in Believers, 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. or the Spirit of Men, viz. as defiled by Sin, and acted by the Devil, who works in Men, while Children of Disobedience, and then it is the same as corrupt Nature.

Either is vehemently carried out to Envy, or makes us lust, and carrieth us out to it; or lusteth against Envy. So the Greek Preposition is often used, as Luke 20.19. Eph. 6.11. Heb. 12.4.

Under Envy he comprehends all other fleshly Lusts, but instanceth in this particularly, as having been speaking of it before, ch. 3. v. 14, 16. and because it hath so near a Connection with other Lusts, whereof it is the Cause, o[illegible: 1 letter] Concomitant, and so is a principal Member of the Old Man. This latter Clause may either be read interrogatively or affirmatively; and then according as we take Spirit, either for the Spirit of God, or the human Spirit, the sense of the Words may be, either, 1. Doth the Spirit of God, that dwelleth in us, lust unto Envy, i. e. incline and dispose us to so base an Affection? The Answer is understood, No, and confirmed by the next Words, he giveth more Grace, gives freely, liberally, and therefore doth not make us envy others any Good they have. Nothing is more contrary to the Spirit of God, who abounds in his Gifts to us, than to make us envy others, theirs. Or, 2ly, we may understand it, without any Interrogation, taking the Preposition to signifie against, and then the sense is, That good Spirit which is in us, teacheth us better things, than Strife and Envy, &c. for it lusteth against Envy, i. e. makes us lust against it, carries out our Hearts to hate, and resist it. And this well agrees with what follows; the Spirit, &c. lusts against Envy, but he gives more Grace, viz. than to envy the Good of others. Or, 3. if Spirit here be understood of the Spirit of Man, corrupt Nature, the sense is plain, as the words lie; Man's Spirit (especially by the Instigation of the Devil) lusts, or strongly inclines to Envy, and consequently to other Wickednesses, but he (that is, God v. 4.) gives more Grace. Quest. Where is any such Sentence to be found in the Scripture? Ans. No where in so many words: but which soever of these ways we take the words, we find the Sense in the Scripture. Ioshuah's envying Eldad, and Medad's Prophesying, for Moses's sake, seems to be an instance of this lust, Num. 11.29. (compared with Gen. 6.5. and 8.21. where the general Inclination of Man's Heart by Nature, is said to be evil) and Moses his not envying them, an instance of the two former.

Marginal references: See Gen. 6.5. and 8.21.; Or, enviously.

6 But he giveth more grace : wherefore he saith , God resisteth the proud , but giveth grace to the humble .

Either the Spirit of God, if Spirit in the former Verse be understood of the Spirit of God, or God, if Spirit be there taken for the Spirit of Man.

Either, tho we, according to our natural Inclination, be envious, yet God (or his Spirit) is bountiful and liberal; or God gives to those that are renewed, more Grace than to be hurried on by their own old Spirit, to Envy, Strife, and such like Lusts.

God saith, viz. in the Scripture: Or it may be taken indefinitely, and impersonally, for it is said; The particular place he refers to, is Prov. 3.34. according to the Translation of the LXX, which, not only Iames, but other New-Testament VVriters frequently follow.

It is a military Term. God sets himself, as in Battel, against the Proud, defying, beating down, exposing to Contempt, and destroying them. He is so far from giving them more Gifts, that he rather spoils them, as sworn Enemies, of what they have.

Those that by reason of the Gifts God hath given them, lift themselves above others: Solomon, in the parallel place, calls them Scorners; it being the usual Guize of those that think over-well of themselves, to despise others, and even contemn the VVarnings and Judgments of God himself, which may well draw him out to fight against them.

Not only gives Favour and Honour in the sight of Men, to those that are lowly in their own Eyes, but especially furnisheth them with Grace for the overcoming, and mortifying their carnal Desires, and remaining Corruptions.

Marginal references: 1 Pet. 5.5.

7 Submit your selves therefore to God: Resist the devil , and he will flie from you .

Viz. Voluntarily and freely, and that not only in a way of Obedience to all his Commands, but (which is chiefly meant here) in a way of Humility, and sense of your VVeakness, and Emptiness, and need of his Grace.

Both because of the Danger of Pride (opposed, in the former Verse, to Humility) be resists the Proud; and because of the Benefit that comes by Humility, he gives Grace to the humble.

By Faith, and the rest of the spiritual Armour, Ephes. 6.13, 14. &c. Or, resists, i. e. comply not with his Motions and Temptations.

The Head and Leader of fleshly Lusts. These likewise are military Terms. Having spoken before of Strife and Contention, he directs here with whom we may, and with whom we may not contend. He had commended Modesty toward Men; they are our Equals, we must not lift our selves above them, nor envy nor strive with them; here he adviseth to Submission to God as our Supreme Governour, we must not contend with him; and to open VVar with the Devil as our great Enemy, our Contention must be with him.

As to that particular Assualt in which you resist him; and tho he return again, and tempt you again, yet you still resisting, he will still be overcome; ye are never conquered so long as you do not consent.

Marginal references: Eph. 4.27. 1 Pet. 5.9.

8 Draw nigh to God , and he will draw nigh to you : Cleanse your hands , ye sinners , and purifie your hearts ye double-minded .

By Faith, which is a coming to God, Heb. 7.25. by true Repentance, which is a returning to God, Hos. 14.1 Mal. 3.7. and by fervent Prayer to him for the help of his Grace, Psal. 25.1.

By the Manifestation of his Grace, and Favour to you, particularly giving you strength against the Devil and your Lusts.

Reform your Actions, amend your lives. Hands, the principal Instruments of Bodily Actions, being but for the Actions themselves; cleanness of Hands signifies the Innocency of the outward Conversation, Iob 22.30. Psalm 26.6. and 24.3. Isa. 33.15, 16.

You that are openly, and notoriously vicious, whose Wickedness appears in your ordinary Practices: So such are called, Matth. 11.19. Mark 2.15. Luke 7.37. and 15.2. Iohn 9.31.

Your Thoughts and inward Affections, from whence the Evils of your outward Actions proceed, Isa. 55.7. See 1 Pet. 1.22. and 1 Iohn 3.3.

Either by the former he understands the Profane, and by these, Hypocrites, or the same by both, viz. such as had wicked Hearts, and led wicked Lives; only he shews wherein true Repentance consists, viz. in the Reformation both of the inward and outward Man.

Marginal references: 2 Chro. 15.2.; Isa. 1.16.; Chap. 1.8.

9 Be afflicted , and mourn , and weep : let your laughter be turned into mourning , and your joy into heaviness .

Humble your selves for your Sins (before-mentioned) and in the Sense of Wrath approaching, if ye do not

with inward Sorrow of Heart.

Shew your inward Grief by weeping, the usual Expression, and Sign of it.

Your carnal rejoycing in what you get by sinful Courses, v. 1, 2. lusting, warring, fighting.

Exchange your carnal Joy for godly Sorrow.

To the same purpose as laughter, before: by it he means their pleasing themselves in the success of their Unrighteousness, the Gain of their Rapine and Violence.

The same as Mourning, or an outward Expression of it in the Dejection of the Countenance, which usually proceeds from Shame or Sorrow (and the Greek word signifies both.) whereas Joy and Confidence make Men lift up their Heads or Faces, Ezra 9.6. Iob ▪ 10.15. and 11.15. and 22.26. Luke 21.28.

Marginal references: Matth. 5.4.

10 Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord , and he shall lift you up .

The same Duty pressed again only with respect to the more internal part of it, the Debasement of the Heart, lest they should rest too much in the outward Exercises before-mentioned. They did lift up themselves through Pride and Emulation, and he shews them the best way to the truest Exaltation, viz. Humility, Matth. 23.12. Prov. 15.33. and 18.1[illegible: 1 letter].

Sincerely, as in the presence of the Searcher of Hearts.

As to your outward state and Enjoiments so far as God sees good for you; but however, in Grace here, and Glory hereafter, Luke 14.11.

Marginal references: Luke 18.14. 1 Pet. 5.6.

11 Speak not evil one of another , brethren: He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law : but if thou judg the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judg .

Viz. unless in the way of an Ordinance, by Reproof, Admonition, &c. Lev. 5.1. 1 Cor. 1.11. and 11.18. and 2 Cor. 11.13. and 2 Tim. 4.14, 13. He forbids all Detraction, rigid censuring, and rash judging the Hearts and Lives of others, when Men condemn whatever doth not su[illegible: 1 letter]e with their Notions, or Humours, and make their own Moroseness the Rule of other Men's manners.

Finds fault with, and condemns him for those things, which the Law doth not condemn in him, or forbid to him, Rom. 14.3, 4.

Viz. either, 1. By his practising and approving what the Law condemns, i. e. this very Censoriousness and Detraction; or, 2. by condemning that which the Law allows, he condemns the Law for allowing it, taxing it as too short and imperfect.

If thou, not only judgest thy Brother, and therein invadest the Law's Office, (whose part it is to judg him) but judgest him for what the Law doth not forbid him, and therein judgest the Law it self, as insufficient, and not strict enough; Thou dost cast off the Law's Government, disown its Superiority, exempt thy self from any Subjection to it, and make thy self meerly a Judge of it.

Marginal references: Matth. 7.1. Luke. 6.37. Rom. 2.1. 1 Cor. 4.5.

12 There is one law-giver , who is able to save, and to destroy : Who art thou that judgest another ?

One Absolute, Supreme, Universal and Spiritual Law-giver, and who can simply, and directly bind Men's Consciences, and make Laws for their Souls, Pro. 8.15, 16. Isa. 33.22. Acts 4.19. By this he intimates, that they did invade God's Right, who took upon them a legislative Power in prescribing to other Men's Consciences, and making their own Will the Rule of the others Duty.

Both temporally and eternally, Deut. 32.39. 1 Sam. 2.6. and Isa. 43.13. whereas other Law-givers cannot save or destroy Mens Souls, nor so much as their Lives, without God's concurrence.

What a sorry Creature, a Man, a Worm, that thou shouldst lift up thy self into God's Place, and make thy self a Judge of one not subject to thee?

The Servant of another Master, Rom. 14.4. It is a fond thing for thee to take upon thee the Power of a Judge, when thou hast no power of saving or destroying, rewarding or punishing.

Marginal references: Rom. 14.4.

13 Go to now, ye that say , To day, or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy, and sell, and get gain .

Either this is a Note of Transition, or of command to Inferiors, or rather of Admonition to such as are stupid or rash, and tends to the awakening their Attention, and stirring them up to the Consideration of their Duty, Danger, &c.

Either with your Mouths, or in your Hearts.

Not let us go, but we will go, in the Indicative Mood; noting the Peremptoriness of their Purposes, and their presuming upon future times, and things, which were not in their Power.

He doth not condemn Merchants travelling into other Countries, nor trading there, nor designing Gain by their Trade, nor forcasting their Business, but their promising themselves the Continuance of their Life, the accomplishing their Designs, and the Success of their Labours, without respect to God's Providence and Direction, as if their times, and their Works, were in their own Hands, not in his.

Marginal references: Prov. 27.1. Luke 12.18.

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow : For what is your life ? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Whether ye your selves shall continue till then, or what else shall then be, or not be. In vain do ye boast of whole Years, when ye cannot command the Events of one Day.

This Question implies Contempt, as 1 Sam. 25.10. Psalm 144.3, 4.

Like a Vapour, frail, uncertain, and of short continuance; and then how vain are those Counsels and Purposes that are built upon no more sure a Foundation, than your own Lives?

Marginal references: Or, for it is.; Job 7.7. See ch. 1.10.

15 For that ye ought to say , If the Lord will , we shall live , and do this, or that.

It is the real Acknowledgment of God's Providence, and the Dependance of all our Affairs upon him, which is here required; and this is to be done, either expresly with the Mouth in such like Forms of Speech as this is, so far as is needful for our glorifying God, and distinguishing our selves from those that are profane, as hath been customary with the Saints in Scripture, Acts 18.21. Rom. 1.10. and other places, but always inwardly, and in the Heart.

i. e. With his providential, or directive Will, which as yet we do not know, and therefore we say, If the Lord will: for all our Counsels and Determinations must be regulated by his preceptive, or directive Will, which we do know; and therefore with respect to that Will, we are not to say, We will do this, or that, if God will, i. e. commands it, but we must first see that it be commanded, and then resolve to do it, if God will, that is, if in his Providence he shall permit us.

Some read the words, if the Lord will, and we shall live, we will do this, or that; and then the latter copulative, and, is redundant, and the sense is, That all our Actions depend not only upon our living, but upon God's Willing. God may permit us to live, and yet not permit us to do this or that. But if we take the words according to our reading, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that, the meaning is, That both our Life and Actions depend upon the Will of God, nor the one, nor the other is in our Power. And so here is a double Check to the vain Boasts of those that were so peremptory in their Resolutions, without considering the Frailty of their own Lives, or the Dependance of their Actions upon God's Will, when both the one, and the other, are at his dispose.

Marginal references: 1 Cor. 4.19.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings : All such rejoicing is evil .

Or, glory. Ye please your selves with them.

Viz. of your carnal Projects, and Hopes of what you intend to do, and expect to get, q. d. you vainly boast of your Designs and successes, without taking notice of God's Providence, under the Government of which you and your Affairs all are.

Both as being contrary to the Word, which assures us so often, that it is vain to promise our selves long life, or Prosperity in our worldly Business, without God's leave and Blessing, Psalm 127.1. Prov. 16.9, 33. and likewise as proceeding from Pride and Security.

Marginal references: 1 Cor. 5.6.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good , and doth it not, to him it is sin .

Rom. 1.20, 21, 32. and 2.17, 18, 23.

Either this may relate to all that the Apostle had been before speaking of, q. d. I have admonished you of your Duty, and now ye know what ye are to do; and therefore if you do it not, it will be your Sin: Or, it may refer to what he was immediately before discoursing of, and may be spoken to prevent an Objection. They might say, he taught them no more than what they knew already; and that they acknowledged God's Providence in all things. To this he replies, That if they knew their Duty, they ought to practise it, and so actually submit themselves, and their Affairs to the Conduct of that Providence; and their not doing it, now that they knew it, would the rather be their Sin.

i. e. Sin indeed, or (as we say) Sin with a Witness, a greater Sin, and which hath more of the Nature of Sin in it, or is more highly aggravated by being against Knowledge, and so is punishable with the severer Vengeance, than if done out of Ignorance, Luke 12.47. See the like Expression, Iohn 9.41. and 15.22, 24.