John Trapp on James 3

CHAP. III. Verſe 1. Be not many maſters]

MAſters of opinions, that boldly obtrude upon others their own placits, and will not have them diſputed or debated:Praeſat, in[illegible: 2 letters]. Sent. Eſt ipſiſſimum Dei verbum. Hoſius. Such are the Sorboniſts, who rejoyce to be called, Magistri notri Pariſienſes, our Maſters of Paris. Bacon the Carmelite was called, Doctor reſolutiſſimus, becauſe he would endure no gueſſing or may be's. The Popes paraſites perſwade the people, that what interpretation ſoever he gives of Scripture, be it right or wrong, it is without further triall to be received, as the very word of God.

Verſe 2. For in many things, &c.] This is,Euphormio. Triste mortulitatis privilegium, the ſad priviledge of man-kinde, as one phraſeth it, to have leave to offend ſometimes. Every Pomgranate hath at leaſt one rotten grain within it, ſaid Crates. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. And it is the honour of God alone to be perfect, ſaith Plato. Hierom pronounceth a curſe upon him that ſhall ſay, that the fulfilling of the whole law is impoſſible to any. But Patres legendi eum venia; Hierome was out in this, and too blame.

A perfect man] That is, A prudent man, Pſ. 37.30, 31.

Verſe 3. That they may obey us] Horſes, aſſ[illegible: 1 letter]s, camels, elephants, God in great wiſdome for the uſe of man, hath made without galls, that they might with the more eaſe be made tame and ſerviceable.

Verſe 4. Whither ſoever the governour] Johnſton. de Nat. conſtant. Peterent coelum navibus Belgae, ſi navibus petipoſſet, ſaith one.

Verſe 5. Boasteth great things] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. It doth magnifically lift upit ſelf, as an untamed horſe doth his head. It exalts it ſelf and exults of great things. It walketh thorow the earth, and faceth the very heavens, Pſal. 73.9. It can run all the world over, and bite at every body: being as a ſharp raſour, that doth deceit, that inſtead of ſhaving the hair cutteth the throat, Pſalms 52.2.

Verſe 6. A world of iniquity] A new found world. Not a city or a countrey only, but a world of iniquity, a ſink, a ſea of ſin, wherein there is not only that Leviathan, but creeping things innumerable.

The courſe of nature] Gr.Pſ[illegible: 1 letter]l. 104.46. The wheel of our nativity. Their breath as fire devoureth, Iſa. 33.10.

And it is ſet on fire of hell] That is, of the devil (called elſwhere the gates of hell) as the holy Ghoſt (on the other ſide) ſet on ſire the Apoſtles tongues with zeal, that flame of God, Cant 86. Act. 2.3. Evil ſpeech is the devils drivell: a ſlanderer carries the devils pack.

Verſe 7. For every kinde of beasts, &c.] See the Note on Heb. 2.7.

Verſe 8. But the tongue, &c.] Where then are our Juſticiaries with their pretended perfection? Davids heart deceived him, Pſal. 39.1. I ſaid I will look to my waies, I will bridle my tongue. But preſently after, he ſhews how ſoon he brake his word, My heart was hot, &c. and I ſpake with my tongue. Pambus in the eccleſiaſticall hiſtory, could never take out that one leſſon read him out of Pſal. 39.1.

An unruly evil] There be but five vertues of the tongue reckoned by Philoſophers. But there are 24. ſeverall ſinnes of the tongue, as Peraldus recounteth them. The Arabians have a proverb, Cave ne feriat lingua tua collum tuum. Take heed thy tongue cut not thy throat. An open mouth is oft a purgatory to the maſter.

Verſe 9. Therewith bleſſe we God] And ſo make our tongues our glory.

Therewith curſe we men] Yea the beſt of men; as Co[illegible: 1 letter]e and his complices fear not to object to Moſes the meek, with one breath, pride, ambition, and uſurpation of authority.

Verſe 10. Out of the ſame mouth] As it did once out of the mouth of Pope Julius the ſecond: who in the battle of Ravenna on Eaſter-day between him and the French, as he ſate by the fire reading of his praiers,Annal Gallic. and having news of the defeat, he ſlung away his book, ſaying, Sit ergo gallus in nomine diabolorum. The devil take the French. Is not this that mouth that ſpeaketh great things, and blaſphemies? Rev. 13.5.

Verſe 11. Doth a f[illegible: 1 letter]untain ſend forth] The fountain or rather the botch of ſenſuall and ſinfull pleaſure doth. Sin is a bitter-ſweet, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. the poiſon of aſpes, which firſt tickleth, and then killeth. All creature comforts are dulcis acerbitas, ſaith one.Tertull. Amariſſima voluptas, ſaith another.

Principium dulce eſt, at finis amor is amarus: Leata venire Venus, triſtis abire ſolet.

Verſe 12. Both yeeld ſalt water and freſh] That is ſtrange that is reported of the rivers of Peru, that after they have run into the main ſea, yea, ſome write 20 or 30, miles, Abbots his Geog. they keep themſelves unmixt with the ſalt water: ſo that a very great way within the ſea, men may take up as freſh water, as if they were near the land. But that is as ſure as ſtrange that an eye witneſſe reporteth of the Danuby and Sava (two great rivers in Hungary) that their waters meeting mingle no more then water and oyl: Blunts vo[illegible: 1 letter]age. p. 10. ſo that near the middle of the river I have gone in a boat (ſaith mine authour) and taſted of the Danuby, as clear and pure as a well: then putting my hand not an inch further, I have taken of the Sava, as troubled is a ſtreet-channel, taſting the gravel in my teeth. Thus they run 60 miles together, &c.

Verſe 13. Who is a wiſe man] Not he that words it moſt: for in multiloquio ſtultiloguium, and as any one is more wiſe, he is more ſparing of his cenſures, but every fool will be medling.

With meekneſſe of wiſdome] As it is ſaid of Athanaſius, that he was high in worth, and humble in heart; N[illegible: 1 letter]zianz, in en[illegible: 1 letter]om Athana. a Load-ſtone in his ſweet, gentle, drawing nature, and yet an Adamant in his wiſe and ſtout deportment towards thoſe that were evil.

Verſe 14. Bitter envying] Properly ſo called; for it ſlows from the gall, it ſhews that the man is in the gall of bitterneſſe, and of kinne to the ſtar called Wormwood, Revel. 8.11. It is alſo an evil, wherein is ſteeped the venome of all other vices.

Glory not] viz. Of your wiſdome.

Lie not againſt the truth] As if ye were true Chriſtians, when in truth you are not ſo.

Verſe 15. Earthly, ſenſuall] Here's a true character of carnall wiſdome: The world is a pearl in its eyes, in cannot ſee God.

Verſe 16. Eaſie to be entreated] Tractable, docible, not as horſe and mule that muſt be ruled with rigour, not with reaſon, Pſal; 32.9.

Verſe 18. Is ſown in peace] Only we muſt not think to ſow and reap, all in day.