A woe to the rich that oppress the poor. Exhortations to patience and to avoid swearing. Of the anointing the sick, confession of sins and fervour in prayer.
By the damnatiō to come vpon the vnmerciful riche, he exhorteth the persecuted to patience and by their ovvne revvard, and by examples. 12 Not to svveare at all 〈◊◊〉 talke. talke. • In affliction, to pray: in prosperitie, to sing: in sicknes, to call for the Priests, and that they pray ouer them and anoile them vvith oile: and 〈◊◊〉 the sicke persons confesse their sinnes. 19 Finally, hovv meritorious it is, to conuert the erring vnto the Catholike faith, or the sinner to amendment of life.
1Go to now, ye rich men: weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you.Su via, o ricchi, piangete, alzate le strida a motivo delle miserie, che verranno sopra di voi.GOE to novv ye riche men, vveepe, hovvling in your miseries vvhich shal come to you.Agite nunc divites, plorate ululantes in miseriis vestris, quæ advenient vobis. 2Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are motheaten.Le vostre ricchezze si sono imputridite: e le vostre vestimenta sono state rose dalle tignuole.Your riches are corrupt: and your garmentes are eaten of mothes.Divitiæ vestræ putrefactæ sunt, et vestimenta vestra a tineis comesta sunt. 3Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days.L'oro, e l'argento vostro si è irrugginito: e la loro ruggine sarà una testimonianza contro di voi, e quasi fuoco divorerà le vostre, carni. Vi avete adunato tesoro d'ira negli ultimi giorni.Your gold and siluer is rusted: and their iust shal be for a testimonie to you, and shal eate your flesh as fire. You haue stored to your selues vvrath in the last daies.Aurum et argentum vestrum æruginavit: et ærugo eorum in testimonium vobis erit, et manducabit carnes vestras sicut ignis. Thesaurizastis vobis iram in novissimis diebus. 4Behold the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you, crieth: and the cry of them hath entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.Ecco, che la mercede degli operaj, i quali han mietuto le vostre possessioni, frodata da voi alza le grida: e il clamore di essi è penetrato nelle orecchie del Signor degli eserciti.Behold the hire of the vvorkemen that haue reaped your fields, vvhich is defrauded of you, crieth: and their crie hath entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabboth.Ecce merces operariorum, qui messuerunt regiones vestras, quæ fraudata est a vobis, clamat: et clamor eorum in aures Domini sabbaoth introivit. 5You have feasted upon earth: and in riotousness you have nourished your hearts, in the day of slaughter.Siete vissuti banchettando sopra la terra, e nelle delizie avete nudriti i vostri cuori pel di della immolazione.You haue made merie vpon the earth: and in riotousnes you haue nourished your hartes in the day of slaughter.Epulati estis super terram, et in luxuriis enutristis corda vestra in die occisionis. 6You have condemned and put to death the Just One: and he resisted you not.Avete condannato, e ucciso il giusto, ed egli non vi fe' resistenza.You haue presented, and slaine the iust one: and he resisted you not.Addixistis, et occidistis justum, et non resistit vobis.
7Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth: patiently bearing till he receive the early and latter rain.Siate adunque pazienti, o fratelli, fino alla venuta del Signore. Mirate, come l'agricoltore aspetta il prezioso frutto della terra, soffrendo con pazienza, fino a tanto che riceva (il frutto) primaticcio, e il serotino.Be patient therfore brethren, vntil the comming of our Lord. Behold, the husband man expecteth the pretious fruite of the earth: patiently bearing til he receiue the timely and the latevvard.Patientes igitur estote, fratres, usque ad adventum Domini. Ecce agricola exspectat pretiosum fructum terræ, patienter ferens donec accipiat temporaneum et serotinum. 8Be you therefore also patient and strengthen your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand.Siate adunque pazienti anche voi, e rinfrancate i vostri cuori: perché la venuta del Signore è vicina.Be you also patient, and confirme your hartes: because the comming of our Lord vvil approche'.Patientes igitur estote et vos, et confirmate corda vestra: quoniam adventus Domini appropinquavit. 9Grudge not, brethren, one against another, that you may not be judged. Behold the judge standeth before the door.Non vogliate, o fratelli, borbottare gli uni contro gli altri, affin di non essere condannati. Ecco, che il giudice sta alla porta.Grudge not brethren one against an other: that you be not iudged. Behold, the iudge standeth before the gate.Nolite ingemiscere, fratres, in alterutrum, ut non judicemini. Ecce judex ante januam assistit. 10Take, my brethren, for an example of suffering evil, of labour and patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.Prendete, o fratelli, per modello a sopportare i mali, e i disastri, e alla pazienza, i profeti, che hanno parlato nel nome del Signore.Take an example, brethren, of labour and patience, the prophetes: vvhich spake in the name of our Lord.Exemplum accipite, fratres, exitus mali, laboris, et patientiæ, prophetas qui locuti sunt in nomine Domini. 11Behold, we account them blessed who have endured. You have heard of the patience of Job and you have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is merciful and compassionate.Ecco, che beati chiamiamo lor, che patirono. Avete udito la sofferenza di Giobbe, e avete veduta la fine del Signore, dappoiché misericordioso egli il Signore, e usa misericordia.Behold vve accoūt them blessed that haue suffered. The sufferance of Iob you haue heard, and the end of our Lord you haue seen, because our Lord is merciful and pitieful.Ecce beatificamus eos qui sustinuerunt. Sufferentiam Job audistis, et finem Domini vidistis, quoniam misericors Dominus est, et miserator.
12But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath. But let your speech be: Yea, Yea: No, No: that you fall not under judgment.Sopra tutto, fratelli miei, non vogliate giurare né pel cielo, né per la terra, né qualsivoglia altro giuramento. Ma sia il vostro parlare: così è, così è: non è così, non è così: affinchè non cadiate in condannazione.But before al things my brethren, svveare not, neither by heauen, nor by earth, nor other othe whatsoeuer. But let your talke be, yea, yea: no, no: that you fall not vnder iudgement.Ante omnia autem, fratres mei, nolite jurare, neque per cælum, neque per terram, neque aliud quodcumque juramentum. Sit autem sermo vester: Est, est: Non, non: ut non sub judicio decidatis. 13Is any of you sad? Let him pray: Is he cheerful in mind? Let him sing.Havvi tra di voi chi sia in tristezza? Faccia orazione: è tranquillo? Salmeggi.Is any of you in heauinesse? let him pray. Is he of a cheereful hart? let him sing.Tristatur aliquis vestrum ? oret. Æquo animo est ? psallat. 14Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.Havvi egli tra voi chi sia ammalato? Chiami i preti della Chiesa, e facciano orazione sopra di lui, ungendolo coll'olio nel nome del Signore:Is any man sicke amōg you? let him bring in the priestes of the Churche, and let them pray ouer him, anoiling him vvith oile in the name of our Lord.Infirmatur quis in vobis ? inducat presbyteros ecclesiæ, et orent super eum, ungentes eum oleo in nomine Domini: 15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man. And the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.E l'orazione della fede salverà l'infermo, e il Signore lo solleverà: e se trovisi con de' peccati, gli saranno rimessi.and the praier of faith shal saue the sicke: and our Lord shal lift him vp: and if he be in sinnes, they shal be remitted him.et oratio fidei salvabit infirmum, et alleviabit eum Dominus: et si in peccatis sit, remittentur ei. 16Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.Confessate adunque l'uno all'altro i vostri peccati, e orate l'un per l'altro, per esser salvati, imperocché molto può l'assidua preghiera del giusto.Confesse therfore your sinnes one to an other: & pray one for an other that you may be saued. for the continual praier of a iust man auaileth much.Confitemini ergo alterutrum peccata vestra, et orate pro invicem ut salvemini: multum enim valet deprecatio justi assidua.
17Elias was a man passible like unto us: and with prayer he prayed that it might not rain upon the earth. And it rained not for three years and six months.Elia era un uomo, come noi, passibile: e ardentemente pregò, che non cadesse pioggia sopra la terra, e non piovve per tre anni, e sei mesi.Elias vvas a man like vnto vs passible: and vvith praier he praied that it might not raine vpon the earth, and it rained not for three yeres and sixe monethes.Elias homo erat similis nobis passibilis: et oratione oravit ut non pluret super terram, et non pluit annos tres, et menses sex. 18And he prayed again. And the heaven gave rain: and the earth brought forth her fruit.E nuovamente orò: e il cielo diede la pioggia, e la terra diede il suo frutto.And he praied againe: and the heauen gaue raine, and the earth yelded her fruite.Et rursum oravit: et cælum dedit pluviam, et terra dedit fructum suum. 19My brethren, if any of you err from the truth and one convert him:Fratelli miei, se alcun di voi devia dalla verità, e uno lo converte:My brethren, if any of you shal erre from the truth, & a man conuert him:Fratres mei, si quis ex vobis erraverit a veritate, et converterit quis eum: 20He must know that he who causeth a sinner to be converted from the error of his way shall save his soul from death and shall cover a multitude of sins.Dee sapere, come chi farà, che un peccator si converta dal suo traviamento, salverà l'anima di lui dalla morte, e coprirà la moltitudine de' peccati.he must know that he vvhich maketh a sinner to be conuerted from the errour of his vvay, shal saue his soule from death, and couereth a multitude of sinnes.scire debet quoniam qui converti fecerit peccatorem ab errore viæ suæ, salvabit animam ejus a morte, et operiet multitudinem peccatorum.
5:1
Witham
Go now rich men, etc. In the first six verses, he gives admonitions to those among the Christians who were rich, not to rely on riches, nor value themselves on this account. You must look upon your riches and treasures as if they were already putrefied and corrupted, your gold and silver eaten and consumed with rust: and their rust shall rise in testimony and judgment against you, for not making better use of them. As your coin is eaten with rust, so shall your bodies be hereafter as it were eaten and consumed by fire. You heap up to yourselves a treasure in the day of wrath, while through covetousness, and hard heartedness, you defraud labourers of their hire, living at the same time in feasting and luxury, as in the day of slaughter. That is, feasting as men are accustomed to do, on the days when victims are slaughtered, offered, and eaten with great rejoicing. Others expound it, as if you were feeding, and making yourselves fit sacrifices and victims for God's anger and indignation. (Witham)
Calmet
You have feasted, etc. The Greek is, "you have lived in delicacies and debaucheries, and have feasted upon your hearts as for the day of sacrifice:" Etruphesate, kai espatalesate ethrepsate tas kardias umon os en emera sphages. That is, you have fattened yourselves with good cheer and sensual pleasures, like victims prepared for a solemn sacrifice. (Calmet)
Witham
Others among you have unjustly oppressed, accused, and brought to condemnation the just one, by which seems to be understood just and innocent men, who are divers times deprived of their fortunes, and even of their lives, by the unjust contrivances of powerful wicked men. (Witham)
5:7
Witham
Be patient, etc. He now in these five following verses turns his discourse from the rich to the poor, exhorting them to patience till the coming of the Lord to judgment, which draweth near; his coming to judge every one is at his death. Imitate the patience of the husbandman, waiting for fruit after that the earth hath received the timely and early[Ver. 7. Temporaneum et Serotinum. In most Greek manuscripts ueton proimon kai opsimon, pluviam priorem et posteriorem.] rain soon after the corn is sown, and again more rain, that comes later to fill the grain before it comes to be ripe. This seems to be the sense by the Greek: others expound it, till he receive the early and latter fruits. (Witham)
Calmet
Behold the judge standeth before the door. This expression is synonymous with that in the foregoing verse. "The coming of the Lord is at hand." This way of speaking is not uncommon in Scripture. Thus God said to Cain: "If thou hast done evil, shall not sin forthwith be present at the door?" St. James is here speaking of the approaching ruin of Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple, and the dispersion of the Jews by the Romans. (Calmet)
Witham
Call to mind for your encouragement the trials and constancy[Ver. 10. Exemplum accipite, exitus mali, et laboris, et patientiae, kakopatheias kai makrothumias. There is nothing in the Greek for laboris, which the Latin interpreter may have added to express the full sense.] of the prophets: the patience of Job, after which God rewarded him with great blessings and property, and you have seen the end of the Lord; that is, what end the Lord was pleased to give to Job's sufferings. But St. Augustine, Ven. Bede, etc. would have these words, the end of the Lord, to be understood of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross, for which God exalted him, etc. (Witham)
5:12
Witham
But above all things....swear not, etc. This earnest admonition is against all kind of oaths in common conversation, (not against oaths made on just and necessary occasions) and in the very same words, as our blessed Saviour warned all people against this sin of swearing. (Matthew 5.) How unaccountably is this commandment of God contemned? And what a dreadful account will some day be exacted for so many oaths, curses, and blasphemies, which are now so common, that we may rather wonder at the patience of God and that already exemplary punishments have not fallen upon whole cities and kingdoms for this continued profanation of the holy name of God? (Witham)
St. James here repeats the injunctions of our Saviour, not to swear al all. (Matthew 5:34.) See the annotations in that place.
5:14
Witham
Is any man sick among you?[Ver. 14-15. Infirmatur, asthenei tis; infirmum, kamnonta, laborantem; alleviabit, egerei, suscitabit.] or in danger of death by sickness, let him call, or bring in the priests of the Church, etc. The apostle here enjoins the constant use of the sacrament, called extreme unction, or the last anointing with oil, instituted, (as were all the sacraments of the Church) by our Saviour Christ, and which is here fully and clearly delivered in plain words, expressing, 1. the persons to whom this sacrament is to be administered; 2. the minister; 3. the form; 4. the matter; 5. the effects. As to the first, is any man sick among you? This sacrament then is to be given to every believing Christian, who is in danger of death by sickness. 2. Bring in the priests, one or more, they are the ministers of this sacrament. The Protestant translation has the elders; yet in their book of common prayer, he who is called in to assist and pray with the sick, is called either the minister, the curate, or the priest, never the elder. Dr. Wells has not changed the word elders in his translation; but in his paraphrase he expounds it of those ministers of the church who are above deacons. 3. And let them pray over him. Besides other prayers, the form of this sacrament is by way of prayer, let the Lord forgive thee, etc. 4. Anointing him with oil. The oil with which he is anointed by the priest, is the outward visible sign, and the matter of this sacrament, as water is the matter of baptism. 5. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, etc. All the sacraments of the new law have their virtue from the merits of our Saviour, Christ, and therefore must be ministered and received with faith in our Redeemer. (Witham)
St. Augustine
Is any man sick? etc. The Greek expression in this place is equivalent to, "Is any one dangerously ill amongst you?" Asthenei tis en umin. The primary intention of this sacrament of extreme unction, is to confer a special grace upon the dying Christian, to strengthen him in his last and dreadful conflict, when the prince of darkness will exert his utmost to ruin his poor soul. But besides this, it was also intended to free man from venial sin, and likewise from mortal, if guilty of any, provided he were contrite and not able to have recourse to the sacrament of penance. But the sacrament of penance being the only regular means of obtaining pardon for mortal sin committed after baptism, a person must first have recourse to this sacrament, if he be able, as a necessary preparation for the sacrament of extreme unction. Other effects of this sacrament are, that it lessens the temporal punishment due to sin, and restores health to the worthy receiver, if it be expedient for the good of his soul. (St. Augustine, serm. 215. C. Theol. Petav. Habert. Bailly, etc. de Extrem. Unct.)
Haydock
How great then is the folly of such persons as are afraid to receive this sacrament, imagining it to be the irrevocable sentence of impending dissolution? whereas one of the very effects of this sacrament is to restore health, if it be expedient for the soul; and who would wish for health upon any other conditions? (Haydock)
Haydock
The anathemas pronounced by the council of Trent against those who deny the existence of this sacrament, are sufficient to establish the belief of it in the minds of Catholics. See session 14, canon 1, 2 and 3, of the council of Trent. It may be proper, however, to observe, in confirmation of our belief of this sacrament, that whenever the ancient Fathers have had occasion to speak of extreme unction, they have always attributed to it all the qualities of a sacrament, as St. Chrysostom who proves from this text of St. James the power which the priest has to forgive sins; (lib. 3. de Sacerdotio.; St. Augustine, ser. 215) not to mention Origen, who wrote at the beginning of the third century, (hom. 2:in Levit.) enumerating the different ways by which sins are forgiven in the new law, says, "That they are remitted when the priests anoint the sick with oil, as is mentioned in St. James." When Decentius, bishop of Eugenium in Italy, in 416[A.D. 416], wrote to Innocent I upon this sacrament, he makes no question whether it was a sacrament, but only consults him concerning the manner of administering; whether a bishop could give it, or whether priests were the only administerers of this sacrament, as St. James says, "Let them call in the priests of the Church;" and whether it could be given to penitents before they had been reconciled by absolution. To the former question, the pope replied there could be no doubt, as St. James could never mean that bishops were excluded as being higher than priests; but that he supposed them to be taken up with other things. We might add to this, the word presbyter was then used indiscriminately for both bishops and priests. (Haydock)
Innocent I in epist. ad Decent. ch. VIII
As to the next question, whether penitents could receive this sacrament before absolution, he answered in the negative. "For," says he, "can it be thought that this one sacrament can be given to those who are declared unworthy of receiving the rest?" (Innocent I in epist. ad Decent. ch. VIII.; Habert. de Extre. Unct.)
Theol. Petav. de Extre. Unc
If it be objected that mention is not more frequently made of this sacrament in the writings of the ancients, we will answer with Bellarmine, that the most evident things were not always written, but only as occasion offered, that many of the mysteries were kept secret, to preserve them from the ridicule of the infidels. That in the times of persecution it was more difficult to administer this sacrament and less necessary, as the greatest part of Christians died not by sickness but by martyrdom. (Theol. Petav. de Extre. Unc.)
Ven. Bede in Luke ix. speaketh thus: "It is clear that this custom was delivered to the holy Church by the apostles themselves, that the sick should be anointed with oil consecrated by the bishop's blessing."
Challoner
Let him bring in, etc. See here a plain warrant of Scripture for the sacrament of extreme unction, that any controversy against its institution would be against the express words of the sacred text in the plainest terms. (Challoner)
And the Lord, by virtue of this sacrament, or if you will, sacramental prayer, shall raise him up, shall give him spiritual strength and vigour to resist the temptations which at that hour are most dangerous. He shall also raise him up, by restoring him his corporal health, when God sees it more expedient for the sick man.
Witham
And if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him, not merely by prayer, but by this sacrament. (Witham)
5:16
Witham
Confess, therefore, your sins, etc. Divers interpreters expound this of sacramental confession, though, as the authors of the annotations on the Rheims Testament observe, this is not certain. The words one to another, may signify that it is not enough to confess to God, but that we must also confess to men, and not to every man, but to those whom God appointed, and to whom he hath given the power of remitting sins in his name. I cannot but observe that no mention at all is made, "in the visitation and communion of the sick," in the Protestant common prayer book, of this comfortable passage out of St. James, of calling in the priests of the Church, of their anointing him with oil....and that his sins shall be forgiven him. Perhaps having laid aside that sacrament, it seemed to them better to say nothing of those words. But such a confession as is practised by all Catholics, is at least there advised. "The sick person," saith the book of common prayer, "here shall be moved to make a special confession of his sins....After which confession, the priest shall absolve him after this sort. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners, who truly repent, forgive thee....and by his authority committed to me, I absolve thee from all thy sins, in the name of the Father, " etc. Here is a special confession, or a confession of particular sins; here is a power of forgiving sins in God's name, acknowledged to be given to the Church, and to priests; here are the very same words used by every Catholic priest in the sacrament of penance. This is clearly ordained in their liturgy: how far it is complied with, I know not. (Witham)
Challoner
One to another. That is, to the priests of the Church, whom (ver. 14.) he had ordered to be called for, and brought in to the sick: moreover, to confess to persons who had no power to forgive sins, would be useless. Hence the precept here means that we must confess to men whom God hath appointed, and who, by their ordination and jurisdiction, have received the power of remitting sins in his name. (Challoner)
5:20
Witham
He who causeth a sinner to be converted, etc. St. James concludes his epistle with a work of charity, one of the most acceptable to Almighty God, and most beneficial to our neighbour, when any one becomes instrumental in converting others from their errors, or from a wicked life; for it is only God that can convert the heart. But he who with a true and charitable zeal, animated with the love of God and of his neighbour, makes this the chief business of his life, has this comfort here given him, that this will cover in the sight of God a multitude of sins, which he may have contracted through human frailty. The Church of England, when they modelled the articles of their reformation, received this epistle of James as canonical. They profess to follow the holy Scriptures as the only rule of their belief: they find in the 14th and 15th verses of this chapter these words: "Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil....and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him." In these words they find all that they themselves require, to be a sacrament of the new law; to wit, a precept or injunction, clear and unlimited as to time, a visible sign, with a promise of invisible grace, in remitting of sins, the minister of it, and the persons specified who are to receive it. They also found this practised at the time of the reformation by the Universal Church, by all Catholics, both in the east and west, both by the Latin and by the Greek Churches; and that all Christian Churches received it as a sacrament; and yet they thought fit to lay it quite aside, as if it was neither a sacrament nor a holy ceremony, nor a pious custom fit to be retained. They must have judged that they had convincing proofs both to contradict in other things the judgment and belief of the Catholic Church, and also in this particular; as to which latter case, I shall examine the reasons which they bring. I presume it may be needless to insist upon the groundless imagination of Wycliff, and some heretics about that time, who denied this to be a sacrament, fancying it was prescribed by St. James, because the oil of Palestine was a sovereign remedy to cure diseases. If so, any physician, any old woman or nurse to the sick, might have applied oil full as well, if not better than the priests. Calvin, and the reformation writers, give us the following reasons or conjectures, that this anointing, as well as that, (Mark 6:13.) was only to be used for a time, by those who had the gift of curing diseases miraculously; so that like other miraculous gifts, (as the speaking of tongues, prophesying, etc.) it was but to last during the first planting of the Christian faith. Dr. Fulk, against the Rheims Testament, and Mr. Baxter, etc. affirm boldly, that Christ "appointed his apostles to anoint those with oil whom they cured." And Dr. Hammond says, "that the anointing with oil, was a ceremony used by Christ and his apostles in their miraculous cures." They assert this, as if it was taught by Scripture itself. They are no less positive that this anointing soon ceased, and was laid aside with the gift of miraculous cures, given sometimes to the first Christians at their baptism, or when they received the Holy Ghost in the sacrament of confirmation. Dr. Fulk, besides this, is positive that "the Greek Church, never to this day received this anointing and praying over the sick as a sacrament." These are their arbitrary, groundless, and false expositions, which they bring against a clear text of the holy Scriptures. It might be sufficient to oppose the judgment and authority of the Church to their private judgment. But to answer in short each particular: we find by the evangelists, (Matthew 10:8.; Mark 6:13.; Luke 10:9.) that Christ gave to his twelve apostles, and afterwards to his seventy-two disciples, in their first mission before his death, (which was only into the cities of Israel) a power of casting out devils, of raising the dead, or curing diseases in his name. And St. Mark tells us, that they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick with oil, and cured them. But when Dr. Fulk and others add, that our Saviour appointed, ordered, or commanded them to anoint with oil those whom they cured, no such thing is said, nor insinuated, neither by St. Mark nor by any of the evangelists, nor any where in the holy Scriptures. And how Dr. Hammond could tell us that this "anointing with oil was a ceremony used by Christ himself," I cannot imagine. As for the apostles and disciples, they might cure many, making use of oil, and many without it by laying hands upon them, by a prayer, or by calling upon the name of Jesus, as the seventy-two disciples returned to him with joy, (Luke 10:17.) saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us in thy name. Neither is it judge probable by the interpreters that the apostles, in their miraculous cures, were tied up or confined to the use of oil: especially since we find that after Christ's resurrection, in their second mission to all nations, Christ foretells (Matthew 16:18.) that they who believe in him, shall have this miraculous gift of healing the sick, but mentions only the laying of hands upon them: they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall be well. Besides had Christ appointed or given orders to his disciples to make use of oil in such miraculous cures, it would scarce have happened but we should have some examples of it in the Acts of the Apostles, where so many miraculous cures are related to have been done by St. Peter, by St. Paul, and others, but no mention of this ceremony of oil. We agree with our adversaries that this gift of miraculous cures, of which St. Paul speaks, (1 Corinthians xii.) was common only for a short time, like the other gifts of the Holy Ghost, which were only necessary, as St. Augustine takes notice, at the first planting of the Christian faith; and so that anointing with oil, merely as it was made use of in miraculous cures of the body, soon ceased, perhaps even before our Saviour's death; but we believe as our Saviour appointed water to be the matter of the sacrament of baptism, so he would have oil to be the matter of the sacrament of the sacrament of extreme unction, which he instituted to strengthen the souls of the sick, against the dangers and temptations at the approach of death, and of which St. James here speaks near upon thirty years after Christ's ascension. And the anointing in St. Mark, used in corporal diseases, may be looked upon as a figure of the sacrament of extreme unction in St. James, as the frequent washings or baptisms, as they are called, of the Jews, and especially the baptism of St. John the Baptist, was a figure of the baptism of Christ. The miraculous gift of healing, as well as other gifts of the Holy Ghost, was often given with the sacraments, which were to be always continued, and not to cease, with those gifts. We may also take notice, that neither they who had this gift of healing, had any command or advice to make use of it to all that were sick, nor were all that were sick ordered to seek for a cure of those who had this gift; whereas here St. James orders every one to send for the priests of the Church to anoint him, and pray over him for spiritual relief. St. Timothy had frequent infirmities, as we read in 1 Timothy 5:23., nor yet did St. Paul, who had that gift, cure him. The same St. Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletum. (2 Timothy 4:20.) Epaphroditus, St. Paul's companion in his labours, was sick, when he had St. Paul with him, even unto death; that is, so as to be at the point of death (Philippians 2:27.); nor yet did St. Paul, but God, restore him to his health. And if St. James had spoken of a miraculous restoring of corporal health by that anointing, he should rather have said: bring in those who have the gift of healing; for we may reasonably suppose that many had this gift who were not priests, and we have no reason to suppose that all priests had this gift. Our adversaries tell us with great assurance, that this anointing mentioned by St. James was soon laid aside; which, say they, we may gather from the silence of the writers in the three following ages[centuries]. To this merely negative argument the Catholics answer: 1. That it is enough we have the tradition and practise of the Church, witnessed by the writers in the ages[centuries] immediately succeeding. 2. That the greatest part of the writings in those ages[centuries] are not extant. 3. The writers of those times seldom mentioned those things which were sufficiently known among the Christians by daily use, especially what related to the sacraments and mysteries of the Christian religion, which (as it appears by the writings that they were able to preserve) they made it their particular endeavour to conceal from the heathens, who turned them to derision and contempt. In the mean time, had not this anointing been always retained and continued, the ages[centuries] immediately following would not have conspired every where to practise it, and to look upon it as a sacrament. Not to insist on the authority of Origen,[Ver. 20. Origen, in hom. ii, in Levit. (p. 68. Ed. Par. in the year 1574) where he numbers the different ways by which sins are remitted in the new law, and speaking of penance, says, In quo impletur et illud quod Apostolus dicit, Si quis autem infirmatur, vocet presbyteros ecclesiae.] in the beginning of the third age[century], (hom. 2:in Levit.) who numbering up the different ways by which sins are forgiven in the new law, says, that they were remitted when priests anoint the sick with oil, as in the epistle of St. James; St. Chrysostom[Ver. 20. St. Chrysostom, iereis....echousin exousian, habent potestatem.] in the end of the fourth age[century], (in his third book de Sacerdotio, tom. 1:p. 384. Nov. Ed. Ben., written before the end of the fourth age, about the year 375) says, that priests (and his word expresseth sacrificing priests, not elders) have now a power to remit sins, which he proves from those words in St. James, Is any man sick among you? etc. This shews, as do also Origen's words, that this custom was then continued in the East, in the Greek Church, and that it was believed a sacrament, of which the priests only were the ministers. Innocent I[Ver. 20. Innocent I. Poenitentibus istud infundi non potest, quia genus est Sacramenti, nam quibus reliqua Sacramenta negantur, quomodo unum genus putatur concedi? By charisma, Innocent I understands, oleum ad ungendum.] in his answers to Decentius, bishop of Eugenium, in Italy, at the beginning of the fifth age[century], in the year 416, calls this anointing and prayer over the sick, set down in St. James' epistle, a sacrament in the same sense as other sacraments in the new law. See Labbe's Councils, tom. ii, p. 1248. And as to what Innocent I and Ven. Bede relate of a custom by which lay persons, when a priest could not be had, anointed and prayed over a person in danger, it was only to testify their desire of having the sacrament: as it was likewise a pious custom in some places for sinners to make a confession to a layman, not that they them looked upon it as a sacrament, but only that they hoped God would accept of their private devotions and humiliation, when they could not have a priest to administer the sacraments to them. It is needless to mention authors in the following ages[centuries]. St. Gregory (Sacramentarium. fer. 5. in Coena Dni.) describes the ceremony of blessing oil to be used in the anointing of the sick. Theodore, made archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 668, among other decrees, ordains that sick persons receive the holy unction, set down by St. James. The Capitularia of Charles the great, say that no one, when about to depart out of this world, ought to want the anointing of the sacrament of oil. The same is ordained in a council of Chalons, the year 813, canon 48; by a council at Aix la Chapelle, the year 830, canon 5; by the council of Mayence, in the year 847, canon 26, etc. Now since we find this anointing made use of as a sacrament at least from the fourth age[century], let our adversaries tell us when this anointing prescribed by St. James was left off, and when and how it came to be taken up again. They have no manner of proofs for either; and yet we have a right, as the authors of the annotations on the Rheims Testament observe, to demand clear and convincing proofs in this case, when the Scripture seems so clear for us and against them. Dr. Fulk affirms boldly, that this anointing was never to this day received in the Greek Church as a sacrament. This only shews how little credit is to be given to him. He might have found great reason to doubt of his bold assertion, since neither Photius, in the ninth age[century], nor Michael Cerularius, in the eleventh, ever objected this difference betwixt their Greek and the Latin Church, at a time when they reckoned up even the most minute differences either in doctrine or discipline, so as to find fault with the Latins for shaving their beards. He might have found it by what happened at the time of the council of Lyons, in the thirteenth age[century], when the pope, in his letter to the emperor of Constantinople, wrote that the Latin Church, and all in communion with him, acknowledged seven sacraments, which the Greeks never blamed. He might have observed the same when the Greeks and Armenians came to an union in the council of Florence, in the fifteenth age[century]. The same Dr. Fulk, who wrote about the year 1600, could scarce be ignorant of the ill success the Augsbourg confession met with among the Greeks, to whom, when the Lutherans had sent copies of their faith and of their reformation, Jeremy, the patriarch of Constantinople, with a synod of the Greeks, condemned their articles, and among other points, declared that they held "in the orthodox Catholic Church seven divine sacraments," the same as in the Latin Church, baptism....and the holy oil. Had Dr. Fulk lived a little longer, he must have been more and more ashamed to find other Greek synods condemning him and all the said reformers. For when Cyrillus Lucaris, advanced to the see of Constantinople by the interest of the French Calvinists, began to favour and support the doctrine of the Calvinists, the Greeks in several synods under their patriarchs, (in the years 1639, 1642, 1671, and 1672) condemned Cyril and the new doctrine of the said reformers, and expressly declared that they held seven sacraments. See M. Arnauld, tom. iii. Perpetuitè de la Foy; and the dissertations of M. Le Brun, tom. 3:p. 34, and 572, disert. 12, where he shews that all the churches of the East, and all the Christian churches of the world, though separated from the communion and subordination to the Pope, agree with the Latin Church, as to the sacrifice of the Mass, as to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and as to the seven sacraments. (Witham)
If, with holy Scripture, we must allow that charitable persons on earth may prove instrumental, under God, to their neighbour's salvation, why are we to deny this to the saints in heaven, whose charity for man is much greater?
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Let him bring in, etc.... See here a plain warrant of scripture for the sacrament of extreme unction, that any controversy against its institution would be against the express words of the sacred text in the plainest terms.
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Confess your sins one to another.... That is, to the priests of the church, whom (ver.14) he had ordered to be called for, and brought in to the sick; moreover, to confess to persons who had no power to forgive sins, would be useless. Hence the precept here means, that we must confess to men whom God hath appointed, and who, by their ordination and jurisdiction, have received the power of remitting sins in his name.
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THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PETER THE APOSTLE
The first Epistle of St. Peter, though brief, contains much doctrine concerning Faith, Hope, and Charity, with divers instructions to all persons of what state or condition soever. The Apostle commands submission to rulers and superiors and exhorts all to the practice of a virtuous life in imitation, of Christ. This Epistle is written with such apostolical dignity as to manifest the supreme authority with which its writer, the Prince of the Apostles, had been vested by his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. He wrote it at Rome, which figuratively he calls Babylon, about fifteen years after our Lord’s Ascension.
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A feareful description of the miseries that shal befall in the next life to the vnmerciful couetous men.
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4. The hire.] The sinnes crying to heauen. To vvithhold from the poore or labourer the hire or vvages that is due or promised to him for his seruice or vvorke done, is a great iniquitie, and one of those fiue sinnes vvhich in holy Vvrite be said to call for vengeance at Gods hand, as vve see here, They be called in the Catechisme, Sinnes crying to heauen. The other foure be, Murder. Gen. 18 v. 20. Vsurie, Exod. 22. v. 27. The sinne against nature, Gen. 18. v. 20. The oppression and vexation of vvidovves, pupilles, strangers, and such like, Ib. & Exod. 3. v. 9.
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condemned
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He meaneth either fruite or raine.
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is as hand.
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Concordance Mt. 5, 34
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12. Svveare not.] Vvhat othes are lawful, vvhat are not. He forbiddeth not al othes, as the Anabaptists falsely say. for in iustice and iudgement vve may be by our lavvful Magistrate put to svveare, and may lavvfully take an othe, as also for the aduantaging of any necessarie truth vvhen time and place require, but the custom of svvearing, and al vaine, light, and vnnecessarie othes in our daily speache do displease God highly, and are here forbidden by the Apostle, as also by our Sauiour. Mat. 5.
In the liturgy The Epistle in a votiue Masse for the sicke.
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14. Let him bring in the Priests.] Heretical trā slation against Priesthod. The Protestants for their special hatred of the holy order of Priesthod, as els vvhere often, so here they corrupt the text euidently, translating Presbyteros, elders. As though the Apostle had meant men of age, and not such as vvere by holy office, Priests. S. Chrysostom vvho knevv the sense and signification of the Greeke vvord according to the Ecclesiastical vse and the vvhole Churches iudgement, better then any Protestant aliue, taketh it plainely for Sacerdotes, Neither their Elders (so called) nor their Ministers, can be those vvhō the Apostle here calleth, Presbyteros. that is, Priests li. 3 de Sacerdotio prope initium. And if they confesse that it is a vvord of office vvith them also, though they call them Elders, and not Priests: then vve demaund vvhether the Apostle meane here men of that function vvhich they in their nevv Churches call Elders. If they say no, as they must needes (for Elders vvith their are not deputed specially to publike praying or administration of the Sacraments, such as the Apostle here requireth to be sent for) then they must needes graunt, that their Elders ansvver not to the function of those vvhich in the nevv Testament are called Presbyteri in Greeke and Latin, and therfore both their translation to be false and fraudulent, and also their naming of their nevv degrees or orders to be fond and incongruous.
If they say their Ministers be correspondent to such as vvere called Presbyteri in holy vvrite and in the Primitiue Church, and that they are the men vvhom the Apostle vvi••eth to be called for to anoile the sicke & to pray for him. vvhy do they not then translate Presbyteros. Ministers? which they might doe vvith as good reason, They haue no reason to call their Ministers by that name. as call such as they haue taken in steede of our Catholike Priests, Ministers. Vvhich vvord being in large acception common to all that haue to doe about the celebration of diuine things, vvas neuer appropriated by the vse either of Scripture or of the holy Church, to that higher function of publike administration of the Sacraments and Seruice, vvhich is Priesthod: Their Deacōs should rather be called Ministers. but to the order next vnder it, vvhich is Deaconship. And therfore if any should be called Ministers, their Deacons properly should be so termed. And the Protestants haue no more reason to keepe the ancient Greeke vvord of Deacon. appropriated to that office by the vse of antiquity, then to keepe the vvord Priest, being made no lesse peculiar to the state of such onely as minister the holy Sacraments, & offer the Sacrifice of the Altar. But these fellovves folovv neither Gods vvord nor Ecclesiastical vse, nor any reason, but me•e phantasie, noueltie, and hatred of Gods Church. They should keepe the name Priest, as vvel as deacon. And hovv litle they folovv any good rule or reason in these things may appeare by this, that here they auoid to translate Priests, and yet in their Cōmunion booke, in their order of visiting the sicke, they commonly name the Minister, Priest.
14. Anoiling vvith oils.] Here is the Sacrament of extreme Vnction so plainely promulgated (for it vvas instituted, as al other Sacraments of the nevv Testament, by our Sauiour Christ him self, and, as Venerable Bede thinketh and other auncient vvriters, the anoiling of the sicke vvith oile Marc. 6. pertaineth therevnto) that some Heretikes, for the euidence of this place also (as of the other for good vvorkes) deny the Epistle. The Sacramēt of EXTREME VNCTION. Other (as the Caluinists) through their confidence of cunning shiftes and gloses, confessing that S. Iames is the author, yet condemne the Church of God for vsing and taking it for a Sacrament. But vvhat dishonour to God is it (vve pray them) that a Sacrament should be instituted in the matter of oile, more then in the element of vvater? Vvhy may not grace & remission of sinnes be annexed to the one as vvel as to the other, vvithout derogation to God?
But they say, The heretikes ob⸢i⸣ections against the said Sacrament, ansvvered: and vvithal it is proued to be a Sacrament. Sacraments endure for euer in the Church, this but for a season in the Primitiue Church. Vvhat Scripture telleth them that this general and absolute prescription of the Apostle in this case, should endure but for a season? vvhen vvas it taken avvay, abrogated, or altered? They see the Church of God hath alvvaies vsed it vpon this vvarrant of the Apostle, vvho knevve Christs meaning and institution of it better then these deceiued men, vvho make more of their ovvne fond ghesses and cōiectures, grounded neither on Scripture nor vpon any circumstance of the text, no• any one authentical author that euer vvrote, then of the expresse vvord of God. It vvas (say they) a miraculous practise of healing the sicke, during onely in the Apostles time, and not long after. Vve aske them vvhether Christ appointed any certaine creature or external element vnto the Apostles generally to vvorke miracles by. Him self vsed sometimes clay and spittle, sometimes he sent them that vvere diseased, to vvash them selues in vvaters. but that he appointed any of those or the like things for a general medicine or miraculous healing onely, that vve reade not for in the beginning, for the better inducing of the people to faith and deuotion. Christ vvould haue miracles to be vvrought by sundry of the Sacraments also. Vvhich miraculous vvorkes ceasing, yet the Sacraments remaine still vnto the vvorldes end.
Againe vve demaund, vvhether euer they read or heard that men vvere generally commaunded to seeke for their health by miraculous mea•es. Thirdly, vvhether al Priests, or (as they call them) Elders, had the gift of miracles in the primitiue Church? No, it can not be, for though some had, yet al these indifferently of vvhom the Apostle speaketh, had not the gift: and many that vvere no Priests, had it, both men and vvomen, vvhich yet could not be called for, as Priests vvere in this case. And though the Apostle and others could both cure men and reuiue them againe, yet there vvas no such general precept for sicke or dead men, as this, to call for the Apostles to heale or restore them to life againe. Lastly, had any external element or miraculous practise, vnles it vvere a Sacrament, Remission of sinnes annexed to creatures. the promisse of remission of al kinde of actual sinnes ioyned vnto it? or could S. Iames institute such a ceremonie him self, that could saue both body and soule, by giuing health to the one, and grace and remission to the other? At other times these contentious vvranglers raile at Gods Church, for annexing only the remission of venial sinnes to the element of vvater, made holy by the Priests blessing thereof in the name of Christ, Holy vvater. and his vvord: and loe here they are driuen to hold that S. Iames prescribed a miraculous oile or creature vvhich had much more povver and efficacie. Into these straites are such miscreants brought that vvil not beleeue the expresse vvord of God, interpreted by the practise of Gods vniuersal Church.
Venerable Bede in 9 Luc. saith thus. It is cleere that this custome was deliuered to the holy Church by the Apostles them selues, Holy oile blessed by the Bishop. that the sicke should be anointed vvith oile consecrated by the Bishops blessing. See for this, and for the assertion & vse of this Sacrament, S. Innocentius ep. 1 ad Decentium Eugubinum cap. 8. to. 1. Conc & Lib. 2. de visitatione infirmorum in S. Augustine cap. 4. Concil. Cabilonense 2. cap. 48. Conc. Wormati•nse cap. 72. to. 3. Conc. Aquisgra. c. 8. Flcrentinum, and other later Councels. The peoples deuotion tovvard such hallowed creatures. S. Bernard in the life of Malachie in fine. This holy oile because the faithful savv to haue such vertue in the primitiue Church, diuers caried it home and occupied it in their infirmities, not vsing it in the Sacramental sort vvhich the Apostle prescribeth, as the Aduersaries vnlearnedly obiect vnto vs: but as Christians novv do (and then also did) concerning the vvater of Baptisme, vvhich they vsed to take home vvith them after it vvas hallovved, The sacramē tal vvordes. and to giue it their diseased to drinke
Concordance Mr. 6, 13
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15. The praier of faith.] He meaneth the forme of the Sacrament, that is, the vvordes spoken at the same time vvhen the partie is anoiled, vvhich no doubt are most auncient and Apostolike. Not that the vvord or praier alone should haue that great effect here mentioned, but ioyned vvith the foresaid vnction, as is plaine.
15. Shal saue.] The three effects of this Sacrament. The first effect of this Sacrament is, to saue the soule, by giuing grace and comfort to vvithstand the terrours and tentations of the enemie, going about (specially in that extremitie of death) to driue men to desperation or distresse of minde and other damnable inconueniences. the vvhich effect is signified in the matter of this Sacrament specially.
15. Shal lift him vp.] Vvhen it shal be good for the saluation of the partie, or agreable to Gods honour, this Sacramēt restoreth also a man to bodily health againe, as experience oftē teacheth vs. Vvhich yet is not done by vvay of miracle, to make the partie sodenly vvhole, but by Gods ordinarie prouidence and vse of second causes, vvhich othervvise should not haue had that effect, but for the said Sacrament. This is the second effect.
15. They shal be remitted him.] Vvhat sinnes soeuer remaine vnremitted, they shal in this Sacrament and by the grace thereof be remitted, if the persons vvorthely receiue it. this is the third effect. S. Chrysostom of this effect saith thus: They (speaking of Priests) do not onely remit sinnes in baptisme, Priests (and not Elders) are the ministers of this sacrament. but aftervvard also, according to the saying of S. Iames. If any be sicke, let him bring in the Priests &c. Li. 3 de Sacerd. prope initiū. Let the Protestāts marke that he calleth Presbyteros, sacerdotes: that is, Priests, and maketh them the onely ministers of this Sacrament, and not elders or other lay men. By al vvhich you see this Sacrament of al other to be maruelous plainely set forth by the Apostle. Onely sicke men and (as 〈Greek〉 the Greeke vvord giueth) men very vveake must receiue it: onely Priests must be the ministers of it: the matter of it is holy oile: the forme is praier, in such sort as vve see novv vsed: the effects be as is aforesaid. Yet this so plaine a matter and so profitable a Sacrament, the enemie by Heretikes vvould vvholy abolish.
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16. Confesse therfore.] It is not certaine that he speaketh here of sacramental Confession: yet the circumstance of the letter vvel beareth it, and very probable it is that he meaneth of it: and Origen doth so expound it ho. 2 in Leuit. & Venerable Bede vvriteth thus, In this sentence (saith he) there must be this discretion, In hunc locum. that our daily and litle sinnes vve confesse one to an other, Confession vnto our equals, and beleeue to be saued by their daily praier. but the vncleannes of the greater leprosie let vs according to the lavv open to the Priest, and at his pleasure in vvhat maner and hovv long time he shal commaund, let vs be careful to be purified. But the Protestants fleing from the very vvord confession in despite of the Sacrament, translate thus, Acknovvledge your faultes one to an other. They do not vvel like to haue in one sentence, Priests, praying ouer the sicke, anoiling them, forgiuing them their sinnes, confession, and the like.
In the liturgy The Epistle in Maioribus Litanijs on S. Markes day, and in the Rogation daies.
the heretikes translate, Acknovvledge your sinnes. &c. So litle they can abide the very vvord of confession.
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17. He praied.] Truthes vnvvritten and knovven by tradition. The Scriptures to vvhich the Apostle alludeth, make no mētion of Elias praier. therfore he knevv it by tradition or reuelation. Vvhereby vve see that many things vnvvritten be of equal truth vvith the things vvritten.
3 reg. 17.
Concordance Eccl. 48.
Concordance Lu. 4, 25
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3. reg. 18, 41.
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20. Maketh to be conuerted.] Conuerting of soules Here vve see the great revvard of such as seeke to conuert Heretikes or other sinners from errour and vvickednes: and hovv necessarie an office it is, specially for a Priest.
20. Shal saue.] Our saluation attributed to men, vvithout derogation to Christ. Vve see, it derogateth not from God, to attribute our saluation to any man or Angel in heauen or earth, as to the vvorkers thereof vnder God, by their praiers, preaching, correction, counsel, or othervvise. Yet the Heretikes are so folish and captious in this kinde, that they can not heare patiently, that our B. Lady or others should be counted meanes or vvorkers of our saluation.
He that hath the zeale of conuerting sinners, procureth thereby mercie and remission to him self: vvhich is a singular grace.
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 49.1.11
… He died for a time, that He might live again for ever: they lived for a time, that they might die for ever. But because they saw Him dying, they saw not death, that is to say, they understood not what was very death. What say they even in Wisdom? “Let us condemn Him with a most shameful death, for by His own sayings He shall be respected;”
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 22.1
… The Christian ought in all things to become superior to the righteousness existing under the law, and neither swear nor lie. He ought not to speak evil; to do violence; to fight; to avenge himself; to return evil for evil; to be angry. The Christian ought to be patient,
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Creed 10
10. Scripture saith, “Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 17
“But let your yea, be yea; and your nay, nay: for that which exceedeth these cometh of the evil one.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 82.21
… I beseech you, consider that the man who thinks this may lie whenever he thinks fit, because this involves the whole important question whether to say what is false be at any time the duty of a good man, especially of a Christian man, to whom it has been said, “Let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay, lest ye fall into condemnation,”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 3
… so we, my beloved brethren, though hindered from speaking the word of the Lord, will the more proclaim it, and being afflicted, we will sing Psalms
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 4
… Do we not glorify God, and give thanks that at last He has crowned the departed one, that He has freed him from his labors, that taking away uncertainty, He has him with Himself? Are not the Hymns for this? Is not Psalmody for this? All these are the acts of those rejoicing. “For,” it is said, “is any merry? let him sing psalms.” (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 3.6
… “Is any sick among you?” it is said, “let him call for the elders of the Church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up: and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 32
… our great possessions being verily laid up here, here all the hopes we have. For what is here, that is not great and awful? Thus both this table is far more precious and delightful than the other, and this candlestick than the candlestick there. And this they know, as many as have put away diseases by anointing themselves with oil
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 25
… not come to thy aid? not done things even without number for thy salvation’s sake? Gave He thee not the laver of Regeneration, and forgave He not all thy former sins? Hath He not after this forgiveness, and the laver, also given thee the succor of repentance if thou sin? Hath He not made the way to forgiveness of sins, even after all this, easy
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 55
… For what kind of gladness is it to be beside one’s self, and to have innumerable vexations, and to see all things whirling round, and to be oppressed with giddiness, and like those that have a fever, to require some who may drench their heads with oil?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 9
Also, the converting our brethren from their wandering. For, it is said, “Go thou, and convert thy brethren, that thy sins may be forgiven thee.” And from one’s being in close relations with the priests, “and if,” it is said, “a man hath committed sins it shall be forgiven him.” (
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Repentance 9
… moreover, to know no food and drink but such as is plain,—not for the stomach’s sake, to wit, but the soul’s; for the most part, however, to feed prayers on fastings, to groan, to weep and make outcries unto the Lord your God; to bow before the feet of the presbyters, and kneel to God’s dear ones; to enjoin on all the brethren to be ambassadors to bear his
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 42.5
5. But since God, Who maketh poor and maketh rich, Who killeth and maketh alive; Who maketh and transformeth all things; Who turneth night into day, winter into spring, storm into calm, drought into abundance of rain; and often for the sake of the prayers of one righteous man
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 2.21
21. Wherefore let us not consider riches to be a great good; for the great good is, not to possess money, but to possess the fear of God and all manner of piety. Behold, now if there were any righteous man here, having great boldness toward God,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 58.5
… Let us listen to the Apostle James, who states this precept with the greatest clearness when he says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 1.25
… But, being mindful of what is written, Pray for one another, that ye may be healed (
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Fasting 6
… Deservedly, therefore, even while in the flesh, did the Lord show Himself to him, the colleague of His own fasts, no less than to Elijah. For Elijah withal had, by this fact primarily, that he had imprecated a famine,
Tertullian † AD 220 Five Books in Reply to Marcion 3
Double in length, the rains; cleansed leprosies;
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 1.21
21. And that other reason too I will endeavor to bring forward from the Scriptures. But what was it? It was, that we might not say, when exhorted to the same virtue, that they were partakers of another nature, or were not men. On this account, a certain one speaking of the great Elias, says, “Elias was a man of like passions with us.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 36
… Be not thou therefore shameless, but let us think over that night, the stocks, and the hymns of praise. This let us also do, and we shall open for ourselves—not a prison, but—heaven. If we pray, we shall be able even to open heaven. Elias both shut and opened heaven by prayer. (
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Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The Second Epistle of Clement 15
I think not that I counted trivial counsel concerning continence; following it, a man will not repent thereof, but will save both himself and me who counselled. For it is no small reward to turn back a wandering and perishing soul for its salvation.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 9
Also, the converting our brethren from their wandering. For, it is said,
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Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 49
Let him who has love in Christ keep the commandments of Christ. Who can describe the [blessed] bond of the love of God? What man is able to tell the excellence of its beauty, as it ought to be told? The height to which love exalts is unspeakable. Love unites us to God. Love covers a multitude of sins.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 19.15
… for that the men who dwell there would sooner have their tongues cut out, than suffer an oath to proceed from their mouths! This will be your ornament and defence, and not only so, but it will bring an abundant reward. For others also will certainly emulate, and imitate you. But if, when a person has gained but one or two,
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 20.8
… “By compassion and faith sins are purged away.” And often by the conversion and salvation of those who are saved by our warnings and preaching: “For he who converts a sinner from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death, and cover a multitude of sins.”
5:1
1. Come now, ye rich; weep. — St. James, at the end of the preceding chapter, reproved the fault of the rich, namely avarice and insolent exultation: here he restrains the same by assigning punishment to them, namely miseries that shall befall them: whence what in the preceding chapter, verse 3, he exhorted them to mourning and weeping, here he presses urgently. For as a smith persists in the working of iron, until he bends and forms it according to his will: so also the preacher must long and much beat upon the hard and vicious hearts of men, that he may bend them to repentance and a new life. By "rich" understand those who love riches, that is, those desirous and tenacious of wealth; as by "wise" are understood philosophers, that is, lovers of wisdom. For those who have not their heart fixed upon riches, but upon heaven, these, although they be rich in census, are nevertheless poor in spirit. Yet he calls them rich, because the rich are wont to be lovers of riches: for riches are sticky, and bind to themselves the heart of him who possesses them, so that he often desires them by fair means and foul. Whence that saying: "A rich man, either unjust, or the heir of injustice." Hence Thomas of England explains "rich" as equally in money as in sins. For, as it is said in Ecclesiasticus xi, 11: "If thou be rich, thou shalt not be free from sin." And Christ, Luke vi, 24: "Woe," saith he, "to you rich, for you have your consolation." Where the causal particle "for" is to be weighed, according to that said to the rich man: "Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." For, as St. Jerome saith, epistle 34, "it is difficult, nay impossible, that one should enjoy both present and future goods; and here fill the belly, and there the mind, so as to pass from delights to delights." Furthermore, that woe, calling forth weeping, threatened by Christ and Scripture to the rich, is not only of the future, but also of the present life; which St. Cyprian explaining, book II, epistle 2, saith: "These among their riches are tormented by the anxiety of uncertain thought: neither food nor sleep comes to them securely: he sighs in the banquet, though he drinks from a gem, and when with feasts his pallid body has been laid in a softer bed in a deep bosom, he watches on the pillow: nor does the wretched man understand that fair things are torments to him, that he is bound with gold, and is possessed by riches rather than possesses them." Agreeably Ambrose, book On Naboth, chapter xiv: "Well," saith he, "did David call them men of riches, Psalm lxxv, verse 6, not riches of men, to show that they are not possessors of riches, but are possessed by their riches." Rightly also altogether Seneca, epistle 119: "Thus they have riches as we are said to have a fever, when it has us. On the contrary we ought to say: The fever holds him. In the same way it should be said: Riches hold him, nay and torment him." St. Gregory acutely observes, weighing the words of that rich man, Luke XII, 17: "What shall I do, because I have no room where to lay up my fruits?" "O anguish," saith Gregory, book XV of the Morals, XI, "born from satiety! from the abundance of the field the mind of the avaricious man is straitened." Let St. Augustine conclude, tract. 9 in John: "O man, who labourest, loving avarice, with labour is loved what thou lovest: without labour God is loved. Avarice is a mistress commanding labours, dangers, sorrows, tribulations; and thou wilt obey. To what end? that thou mayest have wherewith to fill thy chest and lose security. Perhaps thou wert more secure before thou hadst, than when thou didst begin to have. Behold what avarice commanded thee. Thou hast filled thy house, thieves are feared: thou hast acquired gold, thou hast lost sleep. God without labour when he is loved, is acquired and held." Altogether to be read also his twenty-second sermon on the words of the Apostle, where also concerning the sleep which such men cannot obtain, he brings in much more. Weep and wail. — The Syrian: "weep and wail." To wail properly is the manner of wolves and dogs when tormented by rabid hunger: from this it is transferred to the utmost lamentations and cries in extreme disaster, such as are wont to be those of women when the enemy captures a city and lays waste everything with sword and flame, as if to say: O cruel rich, wail after the manner of wolves tormented by rabid hunger; because when Titus shall lay waste Judaea, and especially when God shall cast you down into Tartarus, you shall be tormented by extreme want, pain, and as it were by wolfish and canine hunger and thirst, so that in the most burning flames, like the rich man Dives, asking even for a drop of water to cool your tongue, you shall not obtain it, because you denied bread and drink to the poor afflicted by hunger and thirst, asking for them, and indeed defrauded them of the wages of their work and labor promised and owed to them. Thus Hugo. Thus the poets feign Tantalus as a figure of the avaricious man and of avarice, to be tormented by thirst and hunger in the lower regions. "Tantalus, reaching the highest water with his chin, destroyed by thirst," says Cicero, IV Tusculan Disputations; and Virgil, VI Aeneid, concerning Tantalus: And feasts prepared before his face In royal luxury; and nearest sits The greatest of the Furies, and with her hands Forbids him to touch the tables. Hence Plato, in the Cratylus, thinks Tantalus is named as if ταλάντατον, that is, most wretched. Secondly, "wail, O rich," in such great disaster, just as children and women wail in the common ruin of a house or city, because you have lived like women having your heart fixed on the vilest things, namely earth and mud. Whence St. Chrysostom, homily 25 on Matthew: "Nothing," he says, "is more womanish than to be overcome by avarice." Wherefore Bede thinks that the rich are here warned to redeem the punishments of the lower regions by tears and almsgiving: "For the rich," he says, "who have neglected the works of piety and mercy, shall be tormented not only by the visible fire of Gehenna; but also by the memory of empty riches, by which they could have redeemed their sins, and before the judgment their souls, and after the resurrection even their flesh shall be burned, when they shall have begun to be angry with themselves, why they did not redeem their sins by almsgiving; whence it is said to the rich man: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime." In miseries (ἐπί, that is, upon, on account of miseries) which shall come upon you — from the avenger God, both in this age and in the future. "Miserable" is said of one who has lost all happiness, says Isidore, book X of the Etymologies. Whence Oecumenius thinks that here is foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and Judaea, by which all the rich, both Christian and Jewish, were despoiled of goods, liberty and life. Thus the Prophets threaten the insolent rich of their age with the destruction and Babylonian captivity; as Amos, vi, 1: "Woe to you that are wealthy in Sion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, ye great men, heads of the people, that go in with state into the house of Israel." And Isaiah v, 8: "Woe to you that join house to house, and lay field to field, etc. Shall you alone dwell upon the earth?" And Christ, Luke cap. vi, vers. 24: "Woe to you that are rich, for you have your consolation, because you shall mourn and weep." Pathetically the author of the sermon to the Brethren in the desert, tom. X. St. Augustine, sermon 62: "Consider," he says, "dearest brethren, where are kings, where the powerful, where friends, where parents. Behold how from such great power or joy comes such great misery and anguish: from such great riches so much want; from such great satiety such hunger; from so slight a pleasure so long an infirmity; from so brief a light so long darkness; from so small a sweetness of odor or luxury, such great pains and the stench of perpetual damnation; and from the abundance of garments such nakedness." These catastrophes God the just avenger of crimes often brings about in this life, as we see with our eyes, and shall always bring about in the future. Symbolically Hugo: Rightly, he says, it is said, "which shall come"; because the misery of punishment shall come to the misery of guilt, so that they may be joined together, and as long as guilt endures, so too shall punishment endure; because truly in hell guilt shall be eternal, so also shall punishment be.
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2. Your riches are rotted. — This is a just cause of mourning and weeping. The Syriac: "your riches are corrupted, and have become foul"; for from corruption arises decay, from decay foulness. Covetous rich men prefer their grain, wines, breads, meats, fish, eggs, etc., to rot away in their coffers rather than to give them to the poor, and thereby to buy for them heavenly and eternal riches, which is indeed a great folly, and equally cruelty. St. Augustine (or whoever is the author), in the book On the Twelve Abuses, vol. IX, places this as the fourth among the twelve. The first abuse, he says, is a wise man and preacher without good works; the second, an old man without religion; the third, a youth without obedience; the fourth, a rich man without almsgiving; the fifth, a woman without chastity; the sixth, a master without virtue; the seventh, a contentious Christian; the eighth, a proud pauper; the ninth, an unjust king; the tenth, a negligent bishop; the eleventh, a people without discipline; the twelfth, a people without law. Hence Seneca calls the covetous the coffers of riches, in the book On Remedies of Fortune: "Does he have great money," he says, "do you judge him a man? He is a coffer. Who envies the treasurer, or one with full purses? And this one, whom you esteem the master of money, is the purse of money. He has much: is he covetous or prodigal? If covetous, he does not have it; if prodigal, he will not have it. This one whom you believe blessed, often grieves, often sighs; many accompany him: flies follow honey, wolves follow carcasses, ants follow grain: this crowd follows prey, not a man." For, as Isocrates says in the Eginetic: "Many are kinsmen of money, not of the man." St. Chrysostom notes, in the oration On the Rich and Poor, that money is called in Greek χρήματα from χρῆσθαι, that is, to use, because it ought to be used, and these ought to be expended for our own and others' benefit: servants are to keep them as in custody; masters, to expend them. For the covetous, therefore, as if for servants, χρήματα are not χρήματα, but κτήματα ἀχρήσιμα, that is, useless possessions; indeed χρεία, that is, a dwelling place of ants. Wherefore the same Chrysostom, homily 45 on John, prudently admonishes that we transmit fleeting riches through the hands of the poor into heaven, as it were into a sanctuary, to find them there after death. And St. Augustine, sermon 50 On the Seasons: "What," he says, "are the poor but our porters, that is, our bearers? You give to your porter, he carries to heaven what you give." And soon after: "You will lose what you gave, but you follow where you sent it. You will not remain without a treasure, but those whom you had on earth with anxiety, you will have in heaven with security." And St. Ambrose, in the book On Naboth, chapter xiv, says: "You are a steward, not a master of your possessions, you who bury gold in the earth: you are surely a minister of it, not an arbiter. Rather sell the gold, and buy salvation; sell the stone, and buy the kingdom of God; sell the field, and buy for yourself eternal life." And soon after: "Do you not know, O man, how to build up riches: if you wish to be rich, be poor to the world, that you may be rich to God. Rich in faith, he is rich to God. He who is rich in mercy, he is rich to God. Rich in simplicity, he is rich to God. Rich in wisdom and knowledge, he is rich to God." And chapter xv: "Whoever therefore does not use his patrimony as a possession, who does not know how to give to the poor and to distribute, he is a servant of his own riches, not a master of his possessions: because he guards another's property as a servant, not as a master uses his own. In such an affection therefore we say that a man is of riches, not riches of a man." And your garments are eaten by moths, — σητόβρωτα γέγονεν, that is, have become moth-eaten, or subject to moths, namely such as to be gnawed by moths, with which you ought to have clothed the naked poor, who therefore on the day of judgment will accuse and condemn your wicked covetousness. Hence Œcumenius, referring these things to what follows: "Your riches," he says, "which you have treasured up as fire, will eat your flesh: but the decay of riches, and the corrosion of garments by moths, and the rust of gold and silver will testify against you, and will accuse your covetousness, because you were unwilling to distribute them to anyone. Therefore," he says, "in the last days, namely the coming of the Lord, you will find your riches, treasured up and hoarded as fire, for your destruction." Hence God threatens these covetous and moth-eaten ones that he will be a moth eating them: "And I," he says, "will be as a moth to Ephraim, and as rottenness to the house of Judah," Hosea v, 12. Note physically from Pliny, book XI, chapter liii: "Dust," he says, "in wool and garments creates moths, especially if a spider be enclosed with it: for it thirsts, and by absorbing all moisture, increases dryness." Hence Horace, book II, satire 3: Whose bedclothes, a feast for roaches and moths, rot away in the chest. What folly, what cruelty, to give garments to be eaten by moths, which if distributed to the poor, you would have purchased heaven? In which you would have gained favor not only of the poor, but of God and all the heavenly ones? Truly the faithful one may say that saying of Marcus Antonius: "What I have given, that I have," as Seneca testifies, lib. VI De Benef., cap. iii. Furthermore, fragrant herbs placed against garments ward off moths, such as lavender, rosemary, mint; or bitter ones, such as wormwood, as Pliny testifies, lib. XXVII, cap. vii; or if you line a chest with oil dregs boiled down, as Cato testifies, lib. De Re rustica, cap. xcviii. Thus the mystical moth and decay, that is, the corruption of the soul, which comes about through idleness and avarice, are warded off by the fragrant works of virtue, and the bitter mortification of the flesh, and the oiled exercises of charity and mercy. Morally note: Just as almsgiving makes almoners rich, as is evident from the Life of St. John the Almsgiver, and from St. Chrysostom, hom. 33 to the People, whose title is: "That Almsgiving is the Most Profitable Art of All"; so conversely, from the opposite side, mercilessness and avarice impoverish the avaricious, even if rich, so that their riches consume themselves like a moth: just as the feathers of an eagle are said, if mixed with feathers of other birds, to devour and consume them. For God is accustomed to destroy the crops, fruits and riches of the avaricious by sending locusts, moths, rust, and enemies, according to that saying in Prov. cap. xi, vers. 26: "He that hideth up corn, shall be cursed; but a blessing upon the head of them that sell it." Thus John Moschus in the Spiritual Meadow, cap. lxxxv, relates that in the monastery of Abbot Theodosius all the wheat was corrupted, because the monks had withheld from the poor the customary and established alms by Theodosius, on account of the dearness of grain, and instead of five hundred measures which they were accustomed to give to the poor, they lost five thousand measures. Whence the abbot, rebuking them, said: "How much have we harmed ourselves? We have truly done two evils, one, because we neglected the commandment of our Father; the other, because we did not have hope in God, but in our storehouse. Or from this let us learn, brothers, that God is He who disposes all mankind; and that St. Theodosius invisibly cares solicitously for us his sons." Our Delrio, tom. II Magic., lib. III, part. 1, Quaest. VII, relates from Peter Bisaio that a certain wealthy Swabian, when grain was dear, bought up all the wheat so that he might sell it dearly: and when he refused to sell it to a poor man at the usual price, the poor man cursed him with dire imprecations, and immediately black oxen were seen (surely they were demons in the form of oxen) in the storehouse, which consumed all the wheat. We read the same of many monasteries, indeed we have seen it, namely that they were wealthy as long as they gave liberal alms; but when they restricted them, God likewise restricted His hand, and diminished the annual yields. Someone wittily gave this reason for such impoverishment to one inquiring about it: "Give, and it shall be given unto you," are sisters constantly joined to each other by Christ, Luke vi, 38: you expelled one, namely "give"; the other sister, namely "it shall be given unto you," followed the expelled one. St. Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, lost an entire ship laden with grain in the sea, because his wife, ordered to give bread to a poor man which was the only one remaining at home, did not give it; as his Life relates. More memorable is what Sigebert writes, and from him Baronius, in the year of the Lord 605, that all the provisions of a certain ship were turned into stones, because the shipmaster, when a poor man asked for alms, said he had nothing in the ship but stones, and the poor man cursed him with dire imprecations, wishing all to be turned into stones. By other prodigies God often declared the same thing, by which He withdrew the riches and goods given by Him to this or that province, because some claimed them tyrannically for themselves alone, or burdened them with tributes. Hear Athenaeus, lib. III, recounting three such things. The first: "Philarchus," he says, "writes that when Egyptian beans had never before and nowhere been sown, or if sown grew, except in Egypt, yet under Alexander, son of Pyrrhus, reigning, they happened to grow in a certain marsh of Epirus, and for the whole of two years bore fruit abundantly. But when Alexander stationed a garrison there, by which not only those who wished to pluck them, but also those who passed through merely to see them, were prevented, the marsh dried up, and thereafter not only did plants of that bean no longer grow from it, but neither was water any longer seen in it." A second instance occurred also in Epirus through a miracle. For a rivulet, distant from other waters and near the sea, pouring forth cold water, burst forth, whose drinking greatly aided the sick, and therefore many flocked there even from remote places to drink the water; but when the commanders of Antigonus, wishing to administer the affairs of their prince more diligently, ordered those about to drink to pay something by way of tribute, that spring vanished. Third: "In the Troad, when previously it was permitted to anyone to take the salt called Tragasaean freely, soon after Lysimachus ordered tribute to be exacted from it, no salt was seen there afterwards. Lysimachus, marveling at this, remitted the tribute, and immediately salt appeared again." Thus Athenaeus. Many similar instances exist in histories. Avarice therefore takes away the gifts of God and dries up the fountain of divine liberality: because God does not permit that what He Himself distributes liberally to all should be usurped by a few, burdened or restricted.
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3. Your gold and silver have rusted — kept stored in a chest, and have contracted rust or rather gold-rust. For just as the defect and corruption of bronze is called rust, and of iron, iron-rust, so of gold it is called gold-rust. But just as bronze signifies any money whatsoever, even golden and silver, because the earliest money of the ancients was bronze, as Pliny testifies, book XXXIII, chapter iii, whence also the treasury is called the money-chest; so likewise its defect is called rust. "Iron and bronze," says Philo, in the book On the Making of the World, "and other such natures we find to decay of their own accord, when namely creeping rust consumes them like a spreading disease." The sense is, as if to say: You, avaricious ones, store up gold and silver in chests so that it may become corrupted and rusted; wherefore you worship it as if it were your idol, and despise the true God, because you are unwilling to share those things which He Himself willed to be common; but you guard and hide money as if it were some divinity in a chest, so much so that you do not dare to touch it and spend it. Whence the Apostle calls avarice "the service of idols," Gal. v, 20, and Ephes. v, 7: see the remarks there. Hence the ancients made money a goddess, and made gods of Aesculanus and Argentinus, as St. Augustine testifies, book IV of the City of God, xxi. Whence Propertius, book III, elegy 13: All now worship gold, with piety conquered. Hence St. Basil, homily 7 Against Rich Misers, compares them to griffins and dragons, which are generated in places where gold is produced, so that they might guard it; as the Poets narrate, or rather fabricate. Note that gold and silver truly contract rust. For St. James teaches this here, and Baruch, chapter vi, verses 3 and 23, and Wisdom, Prov. xxv, 4. Likewise experience and reason: because just as other metals, so also gold is corrupted with age, diminished, consumed: which defect James calls rust; but properly rust and iron-rust, that is, a discoloration of jaundiced, or greenish and damp appearance, bronze and iron contract, not gold and silver, as Plato teaches in Rhodiginus, book XIII, chapter xxi, and Sappho thus sings of gold: "Because gold born of Jupiter, neither worm nor woodworm gnaws it"; and Pliny, book XXXIII, chapter iii: "Above all," he says, "no rust, no verdigris, nor anything from it which consumes its goodness or diminishes its weight," namely so easily and quickly as happens in other metals: yet the goodness of gold is consumed slowly and with difficulty, and its weight is diminished. Again note that other metals gradually cast out filth from themselves and as it were dregs, just as oil casts out refuse, which cause rust; but gold, if it be pure, casts out nothing of filth; yet from elsewhere, namely from earth and a damp, viscous, slimy place, it contracts discoloration and slime equally as any other thing; and from lime, vitriol, aqua fortis it suffers corrosion and a defect like rust, as experience shows. Finally, gold is often not pure, but mixed with brass and another substance, and then all agree that it contracts rust: indeed those who mint golden coins mix brass with gold so that it may hold together; and in that proportion, so that eleven parts are gold, the twelfth is brass. Hence Festus thinks gold is called from guarding, namely because it guards itself, or is guarded by misers: for in Greek ὡρεῖν means to guard; whence also the name of treasures. Others think gold is called from the fact that it turns away the minds of men. Hippocrates from the inventor, whom he says was called Auryon, thinks gold is named. Others from dawn, because it is similar to it in color. Excellently Isidore of Pelusium, book II, epistle 146 and 233, shows that the rich man is tormented day and night so terribly that he seems already to suffer the punishment of the underworld. For he is agitated by constant terror while he fears robbers, dreads the more powerful, does not trust his servants; and sometimes by his sons he is despoiled not only when dead, but even while living. And their rust shall be for a testimony against you (Syriac: "against you") — as if to say: The rust in God's tribunal will be a witness of your cruelty and avarice, and will silently accuse you and bring you guilty of condemnation, because you preferred your gold to become corrupted and perish rather than to spend it on the poor. Thus Caesarius of Arles, homily 2, speaking of almsgiving, says he is terrified by this sentence of James: "Because perhaps sometimes," he says, "it happens that through negligence my garments, which ought to have been received by the poor, are devoured by moths: and I fear lest the very cloths be brought forth as a testimony against me on the day of judgment, according to that which the Apostle James terribly rebukes, saying: Go now, ye rich, weep and howl," etc. Seneca spoke excellently, in Book III of On Anger, chapter 33: "Avarice," he says, "brings back underground what it had wrongly drawn forth." St. Basil spoke even more excellently, in his 7th homily on rich misers: "It is truly great madness," he says, "first, to bring forth with all diligence into the light gold lying hidden in the mines, and to unearth it from the ground, so that you may burn throughout all eternity." The Treasure denotes three things: first, an immense abundance of wrath and fire; second, that this is reserved for the impious in hidden places, namely in hell, just as in the mind and decree of God; third, that from of old, namely from eternity, it has been reserved and prepared for them: for, as Paul the Jurist says, concerning the acquisition of dominion over things, in the law "never": A treasure is called "a certain old deposit of money, of which no memory remains, so that it now has no owner"; for the word treasure is Greek; for it is said as if θέμενος εἰς αὔριον, that is, laid up for tomorrow, that is, for the future. But St. Bernard, in his sermon On Triple Mercy: "For you," he says (addressing the sinner), "you treasure up treasures of wrath in place of the treasures of mercy which you have put off, and you empty into the mercy of God"; nay rather, in place of the denied treasures of mercy, and the displayed lack of mercy, by which you have driven the poor away empty from you. Finally, the word treasure signifies to misers that they daily accumulate and increase it by constant and unceasing effort, through small additions, so that at length it grows into a huge heap. "You add bit by bit, but afterwards you will find a heap; attend to small daily sins; for from the tiniest drops rivers are filled," says St. Augustine, Against the Adversaries of the Law and the Prophets, Book 1. The same, in Psalm 49, teaches that the just send all their works of mercy into the heavenly treasure; but the impious send their evil works, such as lack of mercy, into the hellish treasure, which awaits him after death. Thus on the other hand the Emperor Tiberius was generous toward the poor, and when Sophia Augusta objected to him on this account that the treasury was being diminished by this generosity, he replied: "This is a great treasure, the Lord saying: Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Therefore from what God has given, let us gather through the poor in heaven, so that the Lord may deign to increase it for us in the age to come." Thus it came to pass: for soon he found a great treasure buried under the cross, as Gregory of Tours relates, in Book V of his History, chapter 19. James alludes partly to that passage in Deuteronomy 32: "Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the suburbs of Gomorrha, etc.; their wine is the gall of dragons, and the poison of asps which cannot be healed. Are not these things laid up with me and sealed up in my treasures?" Partly to that passage in Romans 2, 5: "But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath, against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God." For that Epistle was written before this one, nay it was the occasion for the writing of this one, as I said in the Preface. Job was wiser, who willingly lost all his possessions for God, and said: "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither." Origen, weighing these words deeply, in Book I on Job: "The devil will not laugh at me," he says. "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, naked I shall go under the earth. I had nothing when I came, I seek nothing when I go. I brought nothing at birth, I shall take nothing away when lifted up. Naked I shall go, naked of wealth, but also of sin; naked of riches, but also of impieties; naked of substance, but also of injustice: for these follow upon substance. Neither malice, nor anger, nor pride, nor greed shall accompany me: I shall be naked. I am not like those of whom it is said: Because they had no covering, they are clothed in hell: naked of all evils I shall go, but clothed with all goods, clothed with justice, surrounded with holiness, adorned with charity, crowned with mercy and good works. Blessed are they, and blessed shall they be, O glorious Job, who have imitated you, all who after you shall be able to say with confidence: Naked came I forth from the womb, and naked shall I go into the earth. But woe to those who came naked, but shall go into the earth weighed down by countless injustices and impieties: such shall be clothed in calamity and misery, in the day of the just and impartial judgment of God."
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4. Behold, the wages of the labourers who have reaped your fields, which have been kept back by you, cry out — to heaven, demanding vengeance from God for so atrocious an injury: for the labourers are poor, and by labouring through heats and colds they exhaust their strength and blood, nor have they wherewith to restore it. For they live on their daily wage: wherefore if this be denied them, they ought to perish by hunger, thirst and nakedness, both they themselves and their wives and children. Whence this sin is compared to murder in Ecclesiasticus XXXIV, 27: "He that sheddeth blood," saith he, "and he that defraudeth the labourer, are brethren." And VII, 22: "Hurt not a servant that worketh faithfully, nor a hireling that giveth his soul." Wherefore God had commanded the Jews that before evening they should pay the due wages to needy labourers: "Thou shalt not deny," saith he, "the wages of one that is needy and poor, whether he be of thy brethren, or of the strangers that dwell with thee in the land, and are within thy gates; but thou shalt pay him the same day before the going down of the sun: because he is poor, and with it sustains his life, lest he cry against thee to the Lord, and it be reputed to thee for a sin." The same thing he repeats and commands to his son Tobias, cap. IV, 15; yea, and Christ in the parable of the labourers in Matthew XX, 8, commands that to each one in the evening be given his daily penny. Furthermore, in the word "cry out" there is catachresis and prosopopoeia. For the defrauding of wages is feigned to be a person so cruel, and so savagely raging against the poor, that its tyranny and cruelty is not only hateful to men, but also to God, and it accuses the defrauders before Him, and against them demands vengeance from Him. This cry therefore is nothing else than the enormity and atrocity of the crime, so that it cannot be excused or concealed, which strikes the ears and eyes of God, and impels Him to wrath and vengeance, so that the mercy of God is overcome, and He is forced to punish, nor can He defer the punishment, saith Salvian, lib. I De Provid., cap. I and II. Thus the oppressed earth is said to cry out, Job XXXI, 38: "If my land hath cried against me (demanding vengeance for its just lord, as if unjustly possessed by me, or as if I had not paid wages to the labourers, and just reward to the husbandmen), and with it the furrows thereof have wept" this my tyranny, by which I have drawn tears and weeping from the husbandmen; "if I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the soul of the husbandmen: let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley." Let princes note this, who compel their husbandmen or subjects to labour for nothing; likewise ministers of princes, who do not pay stipends to soldiers, and thus compel them either to die by hunger and hardships, or to steal and oppress the husbandmen, or to rebel; whence danger arises, and the ruin of the commonwealth, as I have often beheld in the Low Countries with great sorrow. Furthermore, there are four enormous sins, which in Scripture are said to cry out to heaven. The first is voluntary murder, Genesis IV, 10: "The voice of thy brother's blood" (Abel, whom thou hast slain, O Cain) "crieth to me from the earth." The second, the sin of Sodom, Genesis XVIII, 20: "The cry of the Sodomites and Gomorrhites is multiplied," etc. The third, the wages of labourers kept back, as is evident in this place. The fourth, the oppression of the poor, Exodus II, 23: "And the children of Israel groaning by reason of the works cried out, and their cry went up to God from the works." And Ecclesiasticus XXXV, 18: "Do not the tears of the widow run down the cheek, and is not her cry against him that causeth her to fall? For from the cheek they go up to heaven." Thus Jeremiah threatens the Jews with Babylonian captivity, because they oppressed their servants, cap. XXXIV, vers. 11; and Amos, cap. VI, vers. 6. Which have been kept back by you, — ἀπεστερημένος, that is, which have been taken away and snatched from you either by fraud, or by force, or by calumny: for whosoever unjustly inflicts loss on another, in whatever manner he does it, is said to defraud him of his own. The Syriac: "which ye have perversely denied." And the cry (in Greek αἱ βοαί, that is, the cries) of them (who have reaped: for this is the Greek θερισάντων) hath entered in to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, — as if to say, Their cry hath been heard by God, who will also make vengeance for them. "The entrance of prayer is its acceptance," saith St. Augustine in Psalm LXXXVII. On the other hand: "He is excommunicated from the Church of heaven whose prayer is, who stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor," saith Cardinal Hugo ibid. Furthermore, "Sabaoth" hath emphasis: for God is called Sabaoth, that is, of armies, namely of angels, of lightnings, of hail, of lions, of wolves, of fevers, of pestilences and of all creatures: for these do battle for God, so that at His nod they rush upon His enemies, namely sinners, and smite them as executioners. Thus God smote Pharaoh and the Egyptians with lightnings and thunders in the Red Sea, and gave their riches and spoils to the Hebrews, that He might repay them the reward of their works and labours due to them, and unjustly denied by the Egyptians, according to that in Wisdom X, 17: "God rendered to the just the reward of their labours, etc.; but their enemies He drowned in the sea, and brought them up from the depth of the abyss. Therefore the just took the spoils of the wicked, and sang: O Lord, thy holy name, and praised together thy victorious hand." See the words in Exodus XI, 2, and cap. XII, vers. 35.
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5. You have feasted, — ἐτρυφήσατε, that is, you have luxuriated. "Feasts" signify both delicacies and abundance of foods, wines, perfumes, flowers, ointments; and also the splendor of tables, dishes, cups of gold, silver, etc., by which gluttony, lust, anger, quarreling and every desire is stirred up: whence "feasts" are said to be called as it were "eating-feasts," from eating; or feasts as "feasting" or "opulence," which belong only to the wealthy, as is evident in the rich man Dives, Luke XVI, 19. Thus Isidore, lib. II Etymol., cap. I. The Greek word τρυφή signifies the same thing, namely luxury and delicacies. Whence Wisdom XIX, verse 11: "They requested," it says, "foods of feasting," in Greek τρυφῆς, that is, rich, delicate and exquisite foods, such as that rich man had, Luke XII, 19, saying to his soul: "Rest, eat, drink, feast." Upon which words St. Basil writing exclaims: "O most foolish words! O singular madness! For if you had a pig's soul, what else could you have uttered? Are you so pig-like, so ignorant of the goods of the soul, that you would satisfy it with carnal feasts?" Moreover, those who feast sumptuously and generously toward themselves are stingy and cruel toward others, and deny them not only alms, but even the wages owed for their labor, so that they may gather riches with which to prepare feasts: whence James appropriately joins to the denied wages feasts, as it were the cause and end: therefore feasting and mercilessness, gluttony and cruelty are inseparable companions. Hear Ezekiel, cap. XVI, 49: "Behold, this was the iniquity of Sodom thy sister: pride, fullness of bread, and abundance, and idleness of her, and of her daughters; and they gave not their hand to the needy and the poor." And Jeremiah, cap. XXII, verse 13, concerning Joakim king of Judah: "Woe," it says, "to him that buildeth his house in injustice, and his chambers not in judgment: who maketh his neighbor serve him without wages, and giveth him not the price of his work." And Amos, VI, 6: "Drinking wine in bowls, and anointed with the best ointments: and they were not concerned for the affliction of Joseph." Moreover the harms of feasts are: First, dulling of the mind: for the mind in feasts and the belly is as it were buried, whence its virtue and vigor is weakened. Wherefore Christ, Luke XXI, 34: "Take heed," he says, "to yourselves, lest your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness." And Hosea, cap. IV, verse 11: "Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness take away the heart." See the sayings there. Second, that headaches and stomach pains, fevers, paralyses, apoplexy and innumerable diseases are brought on and life is shortened. Whence that common saying: "Gluttony kills more than the sword." Wherefore Antisthenes, when someone was praising luxuries, said: "May it befall the sons of enemies to live in delicacies." Thus Laertius, lib. VI, cap. I. Crates, seeing someone being fattened by feasts: "O wretched man," he said, "cease building a prison against yourself." Thus Maximus, serm. 27. Again, delicacies torment the palate by long irritation. Whence Cyrus the Persian, to his grandfather Astyages who was preparing a sumptuous dinner and asking "would not this dinner be better in the Median fashion than in the Persian," replied: "Not at all, grandfather; but there is a much simpler and more direct path to satiety among us than among you. For bread and meat lead us to it: but you tend toward the same goal as we do, yet wandering through many detours up and down, you scarcely at last arrive where we have long since arrived." Thus Xenophon, lib. I. To this pertains that saying of Dionysius, tyrant of Sicily, in Eusebius, lib. VIII Praepar., cap. V: "We are like those animals to which abundance of food and drink is usually offered for no other purpose than their destruction." Indeed St. Chrysostom thunders ardently, hom. 54 to the People of Antioch: "It is a time of war, a time of struggle; and you sit in delicacies? Your adversary stands gnashing his teeth, and you are idle at table? Christ wastes away with hunger, and you distend yourself with voraciousness? Are we to be slaughtered because we fatten ourselves?" and Clement of Alexandria, lib. II Paedagogi, cap. I, about the middle: "But it is very contrary to reason and useless, and not at all human, to be nourished fattened like beasts for death." Third, that feasting reduces one to poverty. Hence the Wise Man admonishes, Prov. XXIII, 20: "Be not among winebibbers, nor among riotous eaters of flesh: for they that give themselves to drinking, and contribute their money to banquets, shall be consumed, and shall be clothed with rags." Heliogabalus, who later became Emperor, when living luxuriously, was rebuked by someone who said: "Do you not fear lest after such delights you become poor?" He replied: "What could be better than that I myself be my own heir, and my wife's?" From feasting therefore arises poverty, from poverty theft, betrayals and the overthrow of cities and commonwealths. For this reason Lycurgus removed delights and all luxury from Sparta, as Plutarch testifies in his Life of Lycurgus. Fourth, that it dissolves the harmony of the soul and makes one impudent, shameless, litigious, quarrelsome, and pugnacious. "Woe to whom? woe to the father of whom? to whom are contentions? to whom are pits? to whom without cause are wounds? to whom are the eyes dark? Surely to them that sit late at wine, and study to drink off their cups. Look not upon the wine when it is yellow, when the colour thereof shineth in the glass: it goeth down smoothly: but in the end it will bite like a serpent, and will spread abroad poison like a basilisk," Prov. XXIII, 29. For this reason St. Basil truly says in his homily On Paradise: "A body," he says, "abundantly fattened, and a soul immersed in it and made prone to sin, is a kind of compendium of lasciviousness and shamelessness, and at the same time of all those things which are forbidden." Thus Diogenes, surnamed Cynicus, that is dog, or canine, when asked "what kind of dog he himself was," replied: "When hungry, I am a Maltese; when full, I am a Molossian": because when hungry he would fawn, when full he would bite, and would snap at all. Thus Laertius, book VI. Fifth, that it makes a man unfit for watching, laboring, fighting, studying, praying, and renders him like a beast and a pig, indeed a living corpse, as Sophocles says in Antigone; hence feasters and drunkards are incapable of discipline, admonition, divine grace, the Sacraments and the things of eternal salvation; so that their salvation is almost desperate. For their entire mind, their entire sense is in the palate and mouth, not in the heart. Delights therefore are nothing other than the loss of health, time, honor, chastity, body and mind. For those devoted to delights taste more with the palate than with the brain, according to that saying: There are those whose entire wisdom is in the palate alone. For this reason Clement of Alexandria, book II of the Stromata, chapter I, says: "Over those," he says, "who are inclined to the luxury of tables, and who nourish their own diseases, presides the greatest demon of gluttony, whom I shall not hesitate to call the belly-demon, the worst and most pernicious of demons." And further down he cites Plato saying: "But when I came to what is called the blessed life there, to the tables of Italy and Syracuse, it pleased me in no way to live full twice a day, etc. For from these things no man under heaven can be wise, inasmuch as he has buried his mind in his belly, like a fish which is called ὄνος, that is ass, which Aristotle says is the only animal to have its heart in its belly. Such are those who have believed in the belly, whose god is their belly, whose end is destruction," as the Apostle says, Philip. III. And you have nourished your hearts in luxuries. — "Luxury" here signifies the luxury of feasts, garments and all delights: for by these the hearts and bodies of feasters are nourished and fattened; and they are incited to lust. For this is what the Greek word ἐσπαταλήσατε signifies; the Syriac translator rendered it: "you have played the fool," by metonymy, because namely feasters when heated with wine are accustomed to wanton, to be shameless, and to break forth into jests, mockery and foolishness. In the day of slaughter. — The Greek texts add ὡς, that is as, as if to say: You have feasted continually so splendidly, as if you were celebrating a solemn feast and a festival day every day, on which victims are wont to be offered to God and slain, and from them a banquet prepared, just as if all days were festivals and destined for feasting. Second, removing τὸ ὡς, that is as, as our text does, the sense is, as if to say: You have frequently prepared the most splendid banquets, and in them you have devoted yourselves to belly and lust: so that he censures not only the frequency but also the excessive luxury of the banquets: for the day of slaughter is a solemn day of sacrifice and feasting, on which many beasts, birds and fish are slain to prepare a magnificent banquet. Such days among the Gentiles were the Calends, the Hilaria, the Saturnalia, the Charistia, the Sponsalia, the Repotia, the Birthdays, the games, the triumphs and other joyful and celebrated occasions, on which they prepared the most sumptuous feasts. Thus today in some places those who hold office maintain perpetual feasts, as it were, and splendid ones at that, and these from the treasury not their own, but the common property of the people, which James here censures, both because they exceed in the frequency and splendor of the dishes; and because they are built up from the labor and sweat of the poor; and because they render those who hold office unfit for conducting deliberations and judgments, which by their office fall to them for the right administration of the commonwealth; and because they give scandal to their subjects, to whom they ought to shine forth by example of modesty and sobriety. Thus others, private persons, celebrate the feasts of Easter, Pentecost, the Nativity of Christ with pomp of garments and feasts, and prepare themselves for these many days; so that they neglect sacred confession, communion and devotion, etc., because the flesh suffocates the spirit, against whom St. Bernard inveighs, sermon 3 On the Advent. Mystically, that is to say, You feast and fatten your bodies as victims for death, so that you may provide a feast for worms and toads, equally as for demons and hell. You are therefore like swine, which are fattened for slaughter, says Theodore of Studium, sermon 37. Whence the Syriac version renders it: "In delights you have lived upon the earth, and have reveled, and nourished your bodies as for the day of slaughter." Thus says Jeremiah, chapter XII, 3: "Sanctify them in the day of slaughter," that is, destine and prepare them for slaughter, so that namely the impious Jews may be slaughtered by the Chaldeans: whence verse 9, inviting beasts to devour their carcasses as to a solemn feast: "Come," he says, "gather yourselves together, all beasts of the earth, make haste to devour." And Psalm XLIII, 22: "We are counted as sheep for the slaughter." And Ezekiel XXXII, 4, concerning Pharaoh: "I will cast," he says, "you upon the land, upon the face of the field I will cast you, and I will cause all the fowls of the heaven to dwell upon you, and I will fill the beasts of all the earth with you." And chapter XXXIX, 3, concerning Gog and Magog: "Upon the mountains of Israel you shall fall, and all your multitude, and the peoples that are with you: to the beasts, to the birds, and to every fowl of the air and to the beasts of the earth have I given you to be devoured." Many others, referring τὸ "in the day of slaughter" to what follows, explain it of Christ and Christians, that is to say, "In the day of slaughter," that is of the Passover, when you are accustomed to slay the Paschal lamb, "you have condemned and slain the just," namely Christ the true lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Thus Oecumenius, Bede, Hugh, Dionysius, Gagneius, Catharinus, Serarius, Salmeron and others. Again more simply: "The just," that is the just Christians, you have slain on a public and solemn day, which you have destined for their slaughter, says Lyra, and finally you will soon slay me James, surnamed the Just, on a similar day.
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6. Addixistis — morti: for in Greek it is κατεδικάσατε, that is, you condemned. Thus the Syriac, whence follows "and you killed." So St. Gregory, homily 17 in the Gospel: "Lest before the just judge," he says, "our silence condemn us," that is, condemn. Indeed, Cicero also in his speech against Piso: "You overturned the very house," he says, "whose blood you had condemned," namely to effusion and death. Therefore wrongly Bede, Lyra, Hugh, Dionysius and others read "you brought" for "you condemned." For the Jews converted to Christ (to whom James writes directly, as is evident from chapter II and following) scattered throughout the world were powerful in many places, so that they could corrupt witnesses and judges with money to condemn the innocent and just, and indeed in some cities they themselves had their own judges and magistrates. And you killed the just, — namely Christ, as I said a little before: whence in Greek it is τὸν δίκαιον, that is, that just one, namely eminent, and by antonomasia, who is the prince and parent of all the just. Thus Oecumenius, Hugh and others. Or "the just," namely St. Stephen, who was full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and deacon of St. James; or rather any just one. It is a climax or gradation: for the discourse grows, that is, You, O rich, have not only denied wages to workers, but have also killed the innocent and just through calumnies, false witnesses, corrupted judges, so that you might seize their goods. For he speaks directly to rich and avaricious Christians, as is evident from what precedes, not to the Jews who killed Christ; unless someone with Bede should say the discourse extends indirectly to them also. For James so instructs the faithful that he does not neglect the unfaithful, but strives to convert them to Christ. Although indeed the high priests acting in Jerusalem properly killed Christ, yet they did this through the people before Pilate crying out: "Crucify, crucify him"; but this people was gathered from Jews dispersed throughout the whole world, to whom he writes: for they had come together to Jerusalem, so that there they might celebrate the Passover according to custom. Finally, some for "you killed," interpret "you despoiled, you plundered," so that from his wealth and plunder you might prepare your feasts (for he dealt with these a little before). For such dire plundering of goods, which often forces the poor to die of hunger and miseries, is called killing in Scripture, as in Ecclesiasticus XXXIV, 25: "The bread of the needy is the life of the poor: he that defraudeth him is a man of blood; he that taketh away the bread gotten by sweat," is as it were he that killeth his brother. And Jeremiah II, 34: "In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor," where he speaks of the plunderers of the poor. A similar passage is Proverbs XXII, 22. And did not resist you, — by the example of Christ, of whom Isaiah says, chapter LIII: "He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be silent as a lamb before his shearer, and shall not open his mouth." Thus did the holy patient ones and Martyrs. Whence Tertullian, in the book On Patience, chapter XIV, says the mouth of the patient one silent in adversities is marked with the honor of silence. James alludes to that passage of Isaiah LVII, 1: "The just perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart." Thus formerly Jezabel through false witnesses killed Naboth, so that she might seize his vineyard, III Kings, XXI. In Greek it is ἀντιτάσσεται, in the present tense, that is, Christ still is silent, and does not resist you, O Jews; but after a few years he will resist, and will roar like a lion, when through Titus he will destroy Jerusalem and Judea. Christ therefore was followed by the patient ones and Martyrs, who did not resist tyrants, even when they could; indeed, for the reason and crown of martyrdom it is required that one not resist, but willingly accept death for Christ, and thus by voluntary death bear witness to the faith, and as it were seal it with his blood, as our Lessius teaches, book III On Justice, chapter I, doubt 3. Hence it is an axiom of the Theologians: The Martyr does not fight. Soldiers therefore who fall fighting for the faith act as soldiers, and obtain the place and crown of soldiers, not of Martyrs. This is what the Church sings of Martyrs: They are cut down by swords like sheep: No murmur resounds, no complaint; But with silent heart the well-conscious mind Preserves patience. Wherefore the Theban legion under the leader Maurice, when it could have resisted the Emperor Maximian, was unwilling, but laying down arms, and kneeling, offered its throat to him. The same did ten thousand soldiers under the leader Zeno, slain by the same at Rome at the Waters of Salvation: for these by not resisting soldiers became Martyrs.
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7. Be patient therefore, — In Greek μακροθυμήσατε, that is, be longsuffering. He turns his discourse from the rich who afflict to the poor who are afflicted, as if to say: Endure, O Christians, when you see yourselves oppressed by avaricious and proud rich men, even Christian ones, and suffer such unjust and dire things: for although their tyranny and glory may seem to persist for a long time, as also your oppression and hardship, yet endure, because Christ the just judge will soon come, who will severely punish their tyranny and will richly reward your patience. Until the coming of the Lord. — As if to say: Be patient throughout your whole life until death and judgment, both particular and universal: for this is elsewhere commonly called "the coming of the Lord." Wherefore Oecumenius less correctly thinks "the coming of the Lord" is said of that coming by which Christ came to the destruction of Jerusalem through Titus and Vespasian. In Greek ἕως τῆς παρουσίας, that is, until the presence of the Lord, as if to say: The Lord will come and will present himself as present to you, and by his presence will completely console you. Behold the husbandman. — By the example of the husbandman he teaches how longsuffering they ought to be, and at the same time teaches them that in this matter they ought to imitate husbandmen and console themselves by their hope, as if to say: Just as husbandmen undergo many and great labors in ploughing, sowing, hoeing, reaping, etc., on account of the hope of harvest and fruits, though remote and distant, which they patiently and longsufferingly await, and therefore endure in continuous labors: so also you, O faithful, bear strongly and longsufferingly all adversities, especially those which you unjustly suffer from the rich and powerful, in hope of reward and the heavenly crown which Christ the judge will give you, and although it be deferred somewhat, yet endure in your patience, because he that cometh will come, and will not tarry long, Habacuc II, 3; according to that promise of Christ: "Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every one according to his works," Apocalypse XXII, 12. Truly Euripides in Stobaeus, discourse 55: The life of husbandmen takes on pleasure, While sorrow is solaced by hope of the future. And Tibullus, elegy 6, book II: Hope sustains husbandmen, hope entrusts seeds to the furrows and ploughshares, Which the field may repay with great interest. Most excellently St. Ambrose in Psalm LXXII, which he inscribes: "On the intercession of David," to that verse 1, "How good is the God of Israel," etc.: "Good," he says, "God is always to him who knows at what time he shall reap: and therefore as a good husbandman, he ploughs his field as it were with a certain rigid ploughshare of abstinence; he roots out with a certain sickle of virtues that cuts off vices; he manures by humbling himself even to the earth, knowing that God raises up the needy from the earth, and lifts up the poor from the dunghill; he guards his fruits, so that he may store them there more securely." Nor less elegantly Chrysologus, discourse 103: "Let us believe that the cross of our body is a plough; faith, seed; the furrow, the grave; dissolution, germination; expectation, time: so that when the spring of the Lord's coming shall have smiled upon us, then the mature verdure of our bodies shall rise up into a vital harvest that shall know no end." How great and how blessed will be the joy of these spiritual husbandmen then? O happy, they will say, labors, which have brought forth such abundant fruits for us! Isaiah IX, 3: "They shall rejoice before thee as they that rejoice in harvest." Psalm CXXV, 5: "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy," etc. The Apostle's judgment stands fixed indeed at Galatians VI, 8: "For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap." And II Corinthians IX, 6: "He that soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly: and he that soweth in blessings, shall also reap blessings." The precious fruit of the earth. — "Precious," first, because this fruit stands at the price of great labor and works to husbandmen. Second, because it is precious in itself, as sustaining, strengthening and refreshing the life of man. Third, because it is sold at great price. Clement of Rome notes, II Constitutions, final chapter, that St. James and his brother Jude were husbandmen, and therefore often borrowed examples and similitudes from agriculture. But let the credit for this matter rest with the author. Patiently bearing, — μακροθυμῶν, that is, acting longsufferingly, laboring longsufferingly, waiting longsufferingly. Thus the Zurich version, Pagninus and others; whence the Greek codices add αὐτοῦ, that is, in it, that is, waiting for the fruit itself; the Syriac: "upon it," namely the fruit. Until it receive the early and the latter rain. — The Greek texts add ὑετόν, that is, rain and moisture. Thus the Syriac. The early rain, that is, the timely rain, is that which falls seasonably, for instance in October, after the seed is sown, so that it causes it to germinate; the latter rain is that which falls late, for instance in April or May, to ripen the crops. See what is said in Jeremiah v, 24, and Hosea vi, 4. For crops have their own season, of which the germination is, as it were, the dawn and morning, while harvest is the evening and dusk. Moreover, all the hope of crops and all the good of the farmer consists in rain timely for sowing and harvest, so that when he has this, he seems to have the harvest in his hand. Whence Moses: "The Lord," he says, "shall open unto thee his excellent treasure, the heaven, that he may give rain to thy land in due season," Deuteronomy xxviii, 12. For this reason some understand by the early and latter rain the fruit which preceded it; and by the early fruit they understand the precocious and first fruit, by the latter the tardy and later fruit. Thus there are early figs in July, and late ones in September. Thus in the same tree some apples, pears, cherries and plums ripen first, others late and tardily. The same is true in fields and crops. Thus Hugo, Thomas Aquinas, Salmeron, Feuerardentius and others. Whence mystically Bede, applying these things to the patient one: The fruit, he says, of the just and patient man is early in the glory of the soul: for this is given immediately after death; but the latter fruit is the glory of the body: for this will be given late, namely at the end of the world on the day of judgment. Again, the early fruit is the increase of grace and justice, which is given forthwith in this life; the latter fruit is the heavenly crown, which is given after life. Finally, fittingly applied to the former sense concerning rain: The early rain is prevenient grace, the latter is subsequent grace, says Hugo. Whence the Church prays: "Let thy grace, we beseech thee, O Lord, go before us and follow us, and make us always intent upon good works." The same thing St. James here insinuates in temptation, aridity and desolation. Again, the early rain is the beginning of faith and virtue, namely the inception of a holy life; the latter rain is the progress and perfection of the same. Allegorically St. Jerome in Jeremiah v, and Cyril in Zechariah chapter x, understand by the "early" rain the Old Testament, because it was given first; by the "latter" rain, the New Testament, because it was given later, and because it leads us to the perfection of grace and glory.
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8. Be patient therefore, you also, — μακροθυμήσατε, that is, be longsuffering in bearing the injuries of the rich and powerful, as if to say, "If farmers bear these things patiently for temporal fruits, how much more ought you to be patient for eternal fruits! Be therefore patient, and strengthen your hearts, so that when the Judge Christ comes you may be able to be joyful and approved," says Pope Anacletus, epistle I. By a similar comparison of athletes, boxers and runners Paul urges the faithful to constancy in suffering and striving: "Every one," he says, "that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things; and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one," I Corinthians ix, 25. Indeed, if anyone carefully considers the pains and labors which farmers, athletes, soldiers, and craftsmen undergo for a small profit, he will blush that for God and heaven he suffers and acts so little, so coldly and so reluctantly. And strengthen your hearts, — that you may stand firm in your endurance. Thus the Apostle says: "Be strengthened in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil," Ephesians vi, 10. See what is said there. And David: "Wait on the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart be strengthened, and wait thou for the Lord," Psalm xxvi, 14. The counterpart to this sentence of James is that one from the same age, written to the same faithful by St. Peter in his first epistle, chapter v, 10: "And the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, will himself perfect you, confirm you and establish you." Which indeed is of wonderful consolation; and at the same time it teaches, first, that this confirmation is more of the grace of God than of our own strength cooperating with the grace of God; secondly, that God after a brief endurance sends abundant consolation and strength, by which he perfects, confirms and establishes us in patience and virtue, so that in any tribulation and temptation we ought to be patient and generous, knowing for certain that if we do this, God will immediately be present, and will break the whole force of tribulation, as anyone experiences in himself. Because the coming (παρουσία, that is, presence) of the Lord is at hand, — so that after this brief life he may judge and reward our patience. Thus the Apostle: "I," he says, "am even now ready to be sacrificed, and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord will render to me in that day, a just judge; nor only to me, but to them also that love his coming," II Timothy iv, 6.
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9. Do not groan against one another, brethren, that you may not be judged. — That is to say, In injuries and afflictions do not grieve excessively and weep, show impatience, murmur and grow angry with one another, lest on account of impatience you be condemned by the Lord: for this is what the Greek κατακριθῆτε signifies, although some read κριθῆτε that is "be judged," and thus our text reads it; but "to judge" in Scripture often means the same as "to condemn" by metonymy. Note the "against one another." For the poor and afflicted, when they have a heart full of sorrow, are wont to break forth into groans, and complain now of the excessive happiness, power and tyranny of the rich and fortunate, now of their own injury and affliction, now of their neighbors' better lot and condition. Groaning therefore, they murmur against the rich, they are impatient with themselves, they envy their neighbors, and thus at length they complain against God, and accuse His providence, in that He makes others fortunate while He renders them miserable and allows them to be unjustly oppressed: nay, and sometimes having suffered injury from one person, they inflict a like injury upon another innocent person by unjust retaliation, so that they may either repair their own injury, or gain a companion in punishment for themselves, and thus lighten their own sorrow; for it is a consolation to the wretched to have a companion in punishment, but this is manifest injustice. Finally, the afflicted, stimulated on both sides by sorrow, sometimes groan, and set forth their injuries to God, and accuse one another before Him, and demand vengeance: but God not rarely hears both and punishes them. This groaning therefore arises from impatience: its author and leader is the devil. For, as Tertullian says, in the book on Patience, chapter v: "I find the origins of impatience in the devil himself, even then, when he bore impatiently that the Lord God had subjected all His works to man. He deceived men, because he envied them; but he envied them, because he grieved; he grieved, because he assuredly did not bear it patiently." The Apostle assigns its remedy, Galatians vi, 2: "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so you shall fulfil the law of Christ." Furthermore, groaning is a sign and effect of a weak, infirm and womanish mind: "For everything that is weak is by nature querulous," says Seneca. For truly the strong and noble, such as were the Martyrs, in adversities and torments do not groan, but stand like anvils, nay they exult, triumph, and mock the tyrants, as the Maccabees did, II Maccabees vii. Most excellently does St. Chrysostom, homily 5 to the People, teach that all groaning and sadness is useless, except that which is undertaken on account of sin: for this very thing has its own remedy: "A man has been fined money; he grieved, but was not amended. He has lost a son; he grieved, but did not raise the dead. He has been subjected to insults; he grieved, but did not recall the insult. He falls ill; he grieves, but does not remove the disease, nay increases it. But if someone has sinned; he has been saddened, his sins are blotted out: for the sadness that is according to God works penance unto stable salvation. Therefore sadness has been made only on account of sin, from which it is born; therefore, like a worm, it gnaws at and consumes it." Behold the judge stands before the door, — That is to say, Christ the judge from heaven beholds all your affairs closely, just as if standing before your open door, he were to behold all that takes place in your house; do not therefore groan against one another, because He, just as He sees your afflictions and injuries in order to avenge them, so likewise sees your groans and impatience in order to punish them. Thus we say to litigants and fighters: "Be quiet; for the magistrate is before the door, who will seize you and throw you into prison." This is what the Psalmist says, Psalm ci, 20: "The Lord hath looked forth from heaven upon the earth, to hear the groans of the fettered, to release the sons of the slain." Secondly, Christ "stands before the door," that is, He is at hand, and will soon come to judgment, both particular and universal, in which He will praise and crown your patience, but will condemn and punish the tyranny of your persecutors. For from the particular judgment, which will soon arrive, depends the sentence of each one in the universal judgment. For whatever shall be determined concerning me at death, Christ will publicly confirm the same in the day of judgment, so that it may be ratified and fixed throughout all eternity. And by this reasoning it is most true that the day of judgment is near with respect to individuals, and thus it is imminent for each one. Thus St. Augustine, epistle 85 to Hesychius: "In whatever state," he says, "his last day finds each one, in that state the last day of the world will find him: because as each one dies in this day, so shall he be judged in that day." Whence he concludes: "Every Christian ought to watch, lest the coming of the Lord find him unprepared: but that day will find him unprepared, whom the last day of his life finds unprepared." Morally: When we are tempted by concupiscence to sin, let us think: "Behold, the judge stands before the door": a judge, I say, who is the most severe avenger of sin. "We have been given a great necessity of living justly and rightly, we who do all things before the eyes of the judge, all-seeing," says St. Augustine in the Soliloquies, chapter xiv, and Boëtius, On Consolation, book V, prose 6. St. Augustine adds: "Thus you consider my steps and my paths, and day and night you keep watch over my custody, noting all my paths carefully, a perpetual observer, as if, forgetting all the rest of your creation, heaven and earth, you considered only me alone, and had no care for others: because just as you consider one whole perfectly all at once, so also each individual thing; thus therefore you stand over my custody, as if you had forgotten all others, and wished to attend to me alone."
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10. Take, brethren, an example of the outcome of evil, labor and patience. — "The outcome of evil" he calls the harsh death of the Saints, says Gagneius. Thus in Wisdom iii, 2, it is said of the Saints enduring and Martyrs: "They seemed in the sight of the foolish to be dead, and their departure was thought an affliction, and their going away from us utter destruction, but they are in peace." Thus the Gentiles once called Christians and Martyrs biothanatos, that is, those dying a violent death. In Greek it is κακοπάθεια, that is, the suffering of evils, affliction, the endurance of sorrows, which is supreme in violent death and martyrdom, which in the Old Testament they bravely underwent—Abel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zacharias, etc.; in the New Testament John the Baptist, St. Stephen, St. James the son of Zebedee, etc. He exhorts the faithful to patience and constancy by the example of Martyrs both of the Old and New Testament, so that they might gaze upon it as a mirror and conform their life to it. Thus Alexander the Great incited himself to great deeds by reading and considering the heroic deeds of Achilles, Alexander, Scipio, and Alexander—Julius Caesar being witness, according to Plutarch in the Apophthegms of the Romans, and in the book On the Progress of Virtue. This is what Paul says, Hebrews xiii, 7: "Remember your prelates, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith imitate, considering the outcome of their conversation." And chapter xii, verse 1: "Therefore we also, having so great a cloud of witnesses imposed upon us, laying aside every weight and the sin that surrounds us, let us run to the contest proposed to us, looking upon Jesus the author and finisher of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." Wherefore St. Augustine rightly says, sermon 47 On the Saints: "The solemnities of Martyrs are exhortations of martyrdoms, so that it may not be tedious to imitate what it is a delight to celebrate." Thus St. Justin, Apology 1 and 2, testifies that he was converted to Christ by the fortitude of Martyrs. For the life and death of the Saints is as it were a living law, which by their deeds and conduct decrees what must be done, what the law, what God, what religion wishes. "In the life of the Saints we know what we ought to read in Scripture," says St. Gregory, homily 40 on Ezekiel. Hence Philo, in the book On Abraham, says that written laws are commentaries on the life of the Saints. Conversely, St. Augustine, in the book On Lying, chapter xv, teaches that the life of the Saints is an interpretation of the Scriptures. Again, St. Gregory, book XXV of the Morals, vii, says that fire was once commanded to be fed in the altar with wood, to signify that the fire of charity must be fed in us through the examples of the Saints. "For this fire," he says, "in the altar of the Lord, that is, in our heart, is more quickly extinguished unless it is strengthened by the diligent application of the examples of the Fathers and the testimonies of the Lord." And book XXVII, chapter v, or VI, explaining that passage of Psalm lxxv, 5, "You enlighten wonderfully from the eternal mountains": "From eternal," he says, "mountains God enlightens us, because through the admirable life of the Fathers who went before, he illuminates us with the ray of his brightness." The Gentiles saw the same thing: hence Aeneas to his son Ascanius, XII Aeneid: Let your father Aeneas and your uncle Hector stir you on. And another: Then the brave horse runs forth from the opened barrier, knowing whom to pass and whom to follow. Theseus would never have slain Saron, nor Procustes, nor the tyrant Creon, nor the two-bodied Minotaur, unless he had set before himself the example of Hercules, and determined to express his deeds by his own actions. Labor. — Now this word is not in the Greek, but is comprehended in the preceding κακοπάθεια, that is, the suffering of evils. And patience, — μακροθυμίας, that is, longsuffering. Who spoke in the name of the Lord, — saying: "Thus says the Lord." "Name" therefore signifies the person, authority, command, will, and inspiration of the Lord. For the Prophets, inspired by God, brought forth the oracles and commands of God, not their own.
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11. Behold. — This word is first a note of admiration, equally of great joy, that through such great misery there has been reached such great glory, says Thomas Aquinas. Second, it is exhorting to imitate the patience of the Saints, so that through that same patience with them we may deserve to obtain the crown. We pronounce blessed (we declare blessed; the Syriac gives them טובא tuba, that is, good, namely the highest, that is, blessedness) those who endured — by the example of Christ, who says: "Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Matthew v. For "who endured" in Greek it is ὑπομένοντας, that is, who endure. Thus Pagninus, the Zurich Bible and others; but the Interpreter reads ὑπομείναντας, in the aorist, that is, who endured: for no one in life, but only after death is said to be blessed, as Solon used to say to Croesus. Hence the Church in the Canon of the Mass honors and celebrates no Saints except those who endured much and died as martyrs, such as St. Peter, Paul, James, Andrew, Lawrence, Cecilia, etc. For now that heaven has been opened through Christ, immediately all the Martyrs fly from the earth into heaven, and there are blessed by the vision and glory of God; as against Calvin, who says they sleep under the altar until the day of judgment, the Catholic Church teaches. The Martyrs therefore were "happily unhappy," says St. Augustine in Psalm cxxvii, to whom in the passion of martyrdom as in broken vessels (in the manner of Gideon's soldiers, Judges vii, 20) the greater splendor of their glory shone forth, which "overcame the impious enemies of evangelical preaching with the unexpected brightness of Christ," says the same Augustine, Questions on the Book of Judges, chapter xx. The same, book XIII On the City of God, vi: "Death," he says, "since it is the penalty of one being born, if it is paid for justice and piety, becomes the glory of one being reborn." The same, sermon 26 On the Saints: "We ought," he says, "to render honor to the Martyrs, who procured salvation for us by the outpouring of their blood, who offered themselves as so sacred a victim to the Lord for our propitiation, especially since almighty God says to his Saints: He that honoreth you, honoreth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. Whoever therefore honors the Martyrs, honors Christ; and he who despises the Saints, despises Christ our Lord." You have heard the patience of Job, — ὑπομονήν, that is, tolerance, endurance, patience. He brings forth one patient man from many, Job, because he himself was a singular mirror and exemplar of patience, as St. Jerome says, epistle 103, which God wished to set before the whole world and all ages for contemplation and imitation. Whence Suidas, in the entry "Job," calls him "the most firm column and anvil"; St. Cyprian, tract. On the Good of Patience, "advanced to the highest pinnacle of praise by the virtue of patience"; St. Basil, homily 4 On Thanksgiving, "a man of adamantine heart, and like a rock standing out in the sea, and an example of fortitude"; St. Hilary, in Psalm lxviii and cxviii, "the glorious and blessed victor of all human sufferings"; Tertullian, book On Patience, chapter xiv, "who expressed every form of patience against all the power of the devil — that is, brought forth — in whom God built a triumph over the devil, raised a standard of glory over his enemy"; St. Chrysostom, homily 25 to the People: "A Martyr, nay greater than many Martyrs." We therefore rightly pronounce Job blessed, who endured so much so generously and invincibly. St. Ambrose, book II On the Intercession of Job, II, 5: "Job," he says, "like a strong athlete sitting in dung, amid such great welts and severe pains of his wound, his whole body poured over with dire sores, spoke mysteries: nor did he busy himself with acquiring remedies for his own sickness, but devoted himself to sacred discourse. Therefore the words of a sick man were stronger than those of men who were not sick." And soon after: "And what shall I say stronger was found than others? stronger than himself was he found. Stronger sick than when he had been well, according to what is written: Virtue is made perfect in infirmity. Therefore Job also when he was infirm, then was he more vigorous. For he was not sick in soul, though he suffered in body: because his soul was not in his flesh, to whose passions it did not cling; but in his spirit, by whose virtue he had clothed himself. Therefore he spoke not the groans of flesh and the infirmities of body, but the voices of spirit, by which he pressed forward, not by which he gave way." Wherefore St. Augustine exclaims, serm. 103 De Temp.: "O a man rotten and whole! O foul and beautiful! O wounded and sound! O sitting in dung and reigning in heaven!" And St. Fulgentius, epist. II, cap. ix: "Blessed," he says, "was Job, when he lived justly in riches; but more blessed, when in poverty he became more just. Blessed was he, when surrounded by ten children; but more blessed, when struck by the loss of all at once, he remained immovable in the love of God. Blessed was he in the health of his body, but more blessed he became in his wound: yea more blessed even in a heap full of filth, than in a palace adorned with marble." Allegorically: Job was an express type of Christ suffering. For just as Christ suffered in all the goods of body and soul, and from every kind of man, so also did Job. First, Job lost sheep, oxen, his house and all his substance: Christ in his passion was stripped of all goods, yea even of his garments, and hung naked upon the cross. Second, Job lost seven children: Christ lost all his Apostles and disciples: for they, when he was seized, fled. Third, Job was struck with a sore from head to heel: Christ in his whole body, and in each of his members endured the most bitter pains. Fourth, Job suffered grave reproaches from his friends, and was called impious, hypocrite, tyrant, lion, tiger: Christ on the cross was mocked as a blasphemer, a seditious man, smitten by God. Fifth, Job suffered curses from his wife: Christ suffered from his mother not curses, but the torments of compassion. Sixth, Job suffered in his soul sorrows, fears, scruples, anxieties: Christ in the garden began to fear, to be weary, to be sorrowful and sad, and so much so that on the cross he cried out: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matt. xxvii, 46. Seventh, in vexing and afflicting Job the demon exerted all his powers: much more did he exert them against Christ. Eighth, Job was abandoned by all, and so was Christ. Ninth, Job endured all these things with wonderful humility and constancy, when he was a prince, nay even a king of Idumaea, as Isidore, Philip, Bede and others teach throughout, Praefat. in Iob, and it is sufficiently gathered from the fact that his friends were kings, as appears in Tobias ii, 15. Christ suffered such things when he was King of kings, and Lord of lords. Tenth, Job endured almost all kinds of diseases and pains: so also was Christ a man of sorrows, because he was a man of loves. For that Job laboured under more than thirty diseases, namely gout, chiragra, sciatica, arthritis, dysentery, nightmare, marasmus, angina, ravenous hunger, sacred fire, cancer, erysipelas, asthma, phthiriasis, hectic fever, leprosy, aposteme, tonsillitis, pleurisy, gonorrhoea, satyriasis, insomnia, pain of the kidneys, worms, Egyptian plagues, pain of the ribs, putrid viscera, ulcer of the lungs, scabies, venereal disease, fainting of the soul, etc. (of which some were desperate and mortal), our Pineda gathers from the very words of Job scattered throughout the whole book in cap. ii Iob, vers. 7; but these matters are to be treated there. Wherefore Job was aptly called איוב Iiob, in Latin and Greek Job, that is, one who grieves, groans, wails, shrieks, from the root iabab, which Our Lord in Judges v, 27, translated as "to shriek," so that the first letter aleph is not radical, but hematic, that is, added and formative of the name, as is wont to be in Hebrew, Syriac and Arabic names (concerning which see our Serarium in Tobias cap. ii). Thus St. Gregory, Chrysostom, Jerome, Philip the Presbyter and others in Job cap. i, vers. 1. Again, Job, that is, one who is hated, suffering enmities, from the root אהב ahab, that is, he was made an enemy, he was a foe, he was opposed, because namely he received upon himself all the arrows of the enemy, namely the devil. Thus Origen, hom. 14 in cap. xi of Joshua, and from him Pineda. Thirdly, St. Cyprian against the Jews says Job is a Cypriot name, and signifies "most beloved of God": because by love of him he constantly endured such great things. Thus also in Hebrew אהב ahab, with which איוב Iiob closes, signifies to love, to cherish. Fourthly, others derive it from the root אוב ob, that is, python, divine: because namely Job was a Prophet and an oracle of God, so that the letter iod is inserted from the name of the tetragrammaton Jehova, signifying his prophecy to be from God, not from the devil. Thus to Abraham a letter he was added by God from the name of the tetragrammaton, and instead of Abram he was called Abraham, so that it might be signified that Abraham's singular conjunction and love with God, as St. Jerome testifies in Questions on Hebrew. Fifthly, איוב Iob, by metathesis is said as if from ab, that is, father, prior, ancient, teacher, inventor; יונה iona, that is, of oppression, passion and patience. Again it alludes to אביון ebion, that is, poor, from the root aba, that is, he wished, he desired, he longed for; because the poor man, lacking all things, desires all things: for from the height of riches and happiness Job was cast down to the lowest poverty and misery. Moreover St. James tacitly suggests here that the book of Job should be read by the afflicted and patient, so that from it they may learn patience. Similar to Job was Tobias, struck with blindness, "so that to posterity an example of his patience might be given," as also St. Job, Tob. ii, 12. Excellently Prosper, I part of Predestination, cap. xxii: "From the seed," he says, "of Esau the nation of Idumaea, in which among other leaders that most mighty athlete of God Job shone forth, brought forth as an example of all patience, so that in an agonistic contest he might overcome the prince of all malice the devil, supported by the aid of God." You have seen the end of the Lord. — The Syriac: "the end which the Lord granted to him, you have seen." "End" therefore here is the reward of patience, namely the happiness into which the affliction of Job ended, while poverty passed into wealth, infirmity into health, ignominy into glory: for God restored to him all things doubled, and made him celebrated and glorious throughout the whole world and all ages, so that he appeared to have poured forth the fountains of his mercy and liberality upon him. Thus Dionysius, Cajetan, Catharinus, Salmerón, Serarius, Stewart, Fevardent and commonly the moderns. This was signified by Job in the names of his three daughters, whom he begot there and restored to his own. For he called the first Jemima, that is, "day"; the second, Keziah, that is, "cassia"; the third, Keren-happuch, that is, "horn of stibium." As if to say: I have placed all these things in these as a monument of both my fortunes, the prosperous and the adverse: as if now from night and the darkness of unhappiness to day and the light of happiness, from the stench of the dunghill to the fragrance of cassia, from filth to brightness and elegance as if depicted with stibium he had returned. Thus Olympiodorus, Vatablus and others in Job cap. xlii. Whence for "horn of stibium," R. Abraham translated, "horn or strength unchanged" (for this is what Keren-happuch signifies to the Hebrews), namely changed from infirmity and adversity into this strength and prosperity, greater than before. The Septuagint however translates "horn of Amalthea," that is, "horn of plenty"; for the Poets feign that Amalthea was a goat, the nurse of Jupiter, from whose horn therefore Jupiter poured forth all good things upon men. Wherefore truly Prosper, I part. On the Promises, cap. xxii: "Job," he says, "received double rewards as victor. But to those fighting and their own grace aiding them to conquer, the Lord promises a hundredfold here, and will grant eternal life in the future age. Which we saw fulfilled in Valentinian, the brother of Valens: who when he despised the military office of tribune for Christ, obtained the kingdom of this world, and acquired the true life of a confessor of Christ eternal." Secondly, others by "the end of the Lord" understand the death of Christ on the cross, or the patience of Christ even unto death, and in death perfectly and completely consummated: as if James were joining the type with the antitype, namely Job with Christ, and were proposing to the faithful afflicted two exemplars of patience to be contemplated and imitated, Job and Christ; for the patience of Christ far surpassed the patience of Job: for to omit other things, it lasted even unto the end of life and death itself, whereas the affliction of Job lasted only seven years, if we believe Olympiodorus and the author of the Catena of the Greeks on Job chapter xlii, verse 19 (for our Pineda very probably judges that the time of Job's calamity was far shorter: see him chapter ii, verses 7 and 8, section 12, number 4); after which happiness followed even unto death for 140 years, during which he lived, Job xlii, 16. Whence Guerricus the abbot, sermon 3 On the Sunday of Palms: "The patience of Job," he says, "was unto the return of his substance; the patience of the Lord unto the end of life." Thus St. Augustine, in the book On the Symbol to the Catechumen, chapter iii, and epistle 120, chapter x: "That," he says, "we might not hope for such a reward (as Job received) when we should suffer temporal evils, he does not say: You have seen the patience and end of Job; but he says: You have heard the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord; as if to say: Endure temporal evils as Job did, but for this endurance do not hope for temporal goods, which were increased and returned to him, but rather for eternal goods which preceded in the Lord." St. Augustine proves this interpretation from the word "you have seen"; for many in that age had seen the end of Christ; but no one had seen the end of Job. But to this it can be answered that "to see" in Scripture is often taken for "to know," whether this be done by sight, or by hearing, or by some other sense, as I have shown elsewhere. St. Augustine, as is his custom, is followed by Bede, the Gloss, Hugh and others. This sense is sublime, but symbolic: the former therefore appears to be the literal and genuine sense, which is confirmed by what follows: "Because the Lord is merciful and compassionate," namely toward Job, in that He gave him a happy end to his tribulations. For it is the same thing when it is said: "You have seen the end of the Lord," as when, as if giving the reason for what he has said, he immediately adds: "Because the Lord is merciful and compassionate." Anagogically "the end of the Lord" is the resurrection of Christ, His ascension, the sending of the Holy Spirit, the exaltation of His name, His glory and worship among all nations. Thus St. Augustine in the words already cited, Serarius and others. Again "the end of the Lord" is the reward and crown of eternal glory, which God gave to Job after death, and gives to all the patient, concerning which St. Cyprian, in the book On Mortality: "To immortality," he says, "we pass through death, nor can eternal life succeed unless we depart from here: this is not an exit, but a passage." Because the Lord is merciful and compassionate. — "Merciful" by habit, "compassionate" by the act by which He continually has compassion, so that He seems to pour out the bowels of His mercy upon Job and the afflicted to console them: whence for "merciful" in Greek it is πολύσπλαγχνος, that is, very visceral, having compassion from the innermost bowels, whom in Hebrew they call רחום rachum: for σπλάγχνα are the bowels. These words signify that here Job is being spoken of literally, not Christ, as I have said, especially because to Christ as man by reason of the hypostatic union, and by the merit of His passion, resurrection and glory were due; although it can be said to have been given to Him mercifully insofar as to human nature in Christ precisely considered (namely setting aside the union with the Word) it would not have been due, but was freely bestowed by God, just as the hypostatic union itself.
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12. Before all things, however, my brethren, do not swear, — that is to say, Before all things take care that you do not swear rashly. For it appears that many of the faithful were then equally as now inclined to oaths, and had contracted the habit of swearing. Wherefore, in order that James might correct and amend this inclination and slip of the tongue, contracted from a vicious custom, he admonishes that they exercise greater care and custody over the tongue lest they swear, than over any other vice: for he who is greatly addicted to one vice ought to be especially watchful over it, if he wishes to correct it, and ought to make a particular examination concerning it. Therefore Lyra explains less genuinely, that is to say, Before all things do not swear, that is, do not, as you are accustomed, prefix an oath to all your words; for there are some so ready to swear that they swear before almost every third word. James alludes to, nay, cites that saying of Christ in Matthew, chapter v, verse 34: "But I say to you, not to swear at all, neither by heaven," etc. From which words the Anabaptists, Wyclif (whose error on this matter was condemned in the Council of Constance, session VIII), and formerly the Waldenses, and the Pelagians, as St. Augustine testifies, epistle 8, Question V (where he ridicules them, because they thought they would only swear if they said: "By God," but not if they said: "God is witness to me"), wrongly collect and teach that no oath is lawful for Christians. St. Chrysostom and Theophylactus in Matthew v, and Oecumenius here, seem to favor this view, saying that all oath-taking is forbidden to Christians by Christ; but was permitted to the Jews as imperfect, just as the bill of divorce. But these Fathers are to be interpreted benignly, so that they wish only to say that oath-taking is more strictly forbidden to Christians by Christ than to the Jews: for the latter were not so sharply rebuked and punished by God on account of the custom of swearing, as Christians are punished by Christ. It is therefore of faith that it is sometimes lawful for Christians to swear. For thus Paul swore, II Corinthians i, 23: "I call God to witness upon my soul." Philippians i, 8: "God is witness to me." And the angel in Revelation x, 6, swears by him that liveth for ever and ever. Nay, God himself, according to that Psalm cix, 4: "The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent." The reason is, because by an oath God is honored as the first and infallible truth, who is called as a witness. Therefore an oath is an act of religion and of latria, if, as Jeremiah teaches, chapter iv, verse 2, it be made "in truth," namely that a false oath be not sworn; "in justice," that an unjust and evil oath be not sworn; "in judgment," that an oath be not sworn rashly and without great utility or necessity: "for an oath lacks judgment when it is incautious, truth when it is false, justice when it is iniquitous," says St. Thomas, II II, Question lxxxix, article 3. You will say: How then does Christ ordain: "But I say to you, not to swear at all?" St. Bernard answers, sermon 65 in the Canticles, "not to swear at all" is a counsel, not a precept. Others acknowledge it to be a precept, but forbidding only that one swear by creatures, and this lest honor be given to them instead of to the first truth, and be taken away from God: this St. Jerome hints at in chapter v of St. Matthew. Others understand by "to swear" "to forswear." But all these seem foreign or forced, and are refuted by the words which Christ adds, Matthew v. For the answer therefore, note that Christ censures a twofold error of the Pharisees. The first was from Exodus, chapter xx, verse 7, where it is said: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," only perjury is forbidden, not a light and vain oath: for the Hebrew word שוא scau, which our translator renders "vain," also signifies "falsehood": but falsehood in an oath is perjury. Indeed the Rabbis think that there it is only forbidden that anyone pronounce the name Jehovah, except the high priest; which is certainly ridiculous. The second error was that it is lawful to swear rashly by creatures and to perjure oneself. For that the Pharisees held this is evident from Matthew xxiii, 17. Christ opposes both errors with the word "altogether," as if to say: But I say to you, and I forbid not only false swearing, but also true swearing, whether it be done by saying through God, or through the temple, or through another creature: understand according to the mind of the Pharisees, "lightly and rashly," as happens in common human speech. For Christ wishes to teach, as St. Augustine and Chrysostom testify, that a propensity to swearing is evil; and an oath, although in itself it is good, nevertheless arises from evil (namely from the unbelief of men, who do not believe unless an oath is sworn), and is not to be sought for its own sake; therefore one should not swear at all, unless this evil compels it, and that for two reasons: first, lest from the habit of swearing we slip into perjury, as Ecclesiasticus admonishes, chapter xxiii, verses 9 and 12. Thus St. Augustine, epistle 154: "Swear not at all, for this reason it seems to me it was said, not because true swearing is a sin, but because perjury is a monstrous sin, from which he wished us to be far removed, who admonished us not to swear at all." Second, because reverence for the divine name demands this. Third, because such should be the faith and truth of Christians, that they could be believed without oaths, and in fact would be believed, says Clement of Alexandria, book VII of the Stromata. Thus among the Romans the flamen Dialis was not permitted to swear, because it seemed unworthy that he should not be believed as if divine things had been entrusted to him, as Plutarch says in the Roman Problems, in xliii, where he adds: "An oath is to a free man as torture." For the Romans extracted truth from slaves through torture, from a citizen through an oath, from a priest through his word alone. St. James therefore, following the example of Christ, forbids "any oath whatsoever." First, because, as St. Augustine says, sermon 28 On the Words of the Apostles: "False swearing is destructive, true swearing is dangerous, no swearing is safe." Second, because he wishes that, as far as in you lies, you do not desire, do not love, nor seek an oath as if it were something good with some pleasure, says St. Augustine, chapter xv On Lying. Third, because to swear in itself is as it were a moral evil regarding irreverence toward God, but necessary in this state of fallen and corrupted nature, just as it is in itself evil to kill a man; but just as this (killing) is sometimes lawful where the due circumstances are present, indeed is praiseworthy, so also swearing, if it be done with truth, justice and judgment, namely so that it be not done willingly and lightly, but only because the unbelief and distrust of another extorts it. Whence St. Thomas, Opuscule IV, says "an oath is to be used no otherwise than a medicine, only when necessity compels." In paradise therefore it was not lawful to swear, just as it is not lawful in heaven. For so great is the majesty of the name of God, that it should not be called upon as a witness, unless necessity compels. Wherefore to do this of one's own accord for small and vile things is vile, irreverent and injurious to God, just as it would be injurious to a king if someone cited him and called him as a witness for one gold coin. Whence Aristotle, I Metaphysics, chapter III, says "an oath is worthy of the highest honor." Nor by heaven. — For, as I have already said, the Scribes, Pharisees and the like thought that an oath by creatures was not an oath, nor did it bind. Hear Christ, Matthew xxiii, 16, rebuking the Pharisees: "Woe to you, blind guides, who say: Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing." But these same men, blinded by avarice, made exceptions for those things offered to God which filled their own coffers, as if these alone were held most holy; and therefore if anyone swore by them, he would be bound by his oath. Whence Christ adds: "But he that shall swear by the gold of the temple, is a debtor. Foolish and blind, for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is a debtor. Blind men, for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?" He then gives the reason a priori, namely that whoever swears by a creature, tacitly by the common sense of men swears by the Creator, who is the author and preserver of the creature: "Whosoever therefore," he says, "shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it and by all things that are upon it. And whosoever shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth in it. And he that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon," and consequently truly and properly swears and calls God as witness, and is bound by his oath, just as if he had sworn immediately by God. And Matthew v, 34: "But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king; nor shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black," that is to say, Do not think it is permitted to swear by your head as if it were yours and subject to you with full dominion for any use; because it is not yours, but God's: if therefore you swear by your head, you swear by God who gave it to you. Otherwise indeed, whoever swore by himself and his own head properly, and did not intend to swear by God, but by himself alone, would be an idolater; because he would make himself the first and infallible truth, and consequently God. Let your speech be: Yea, yea (in Greek ναί ναί, that is, certainly, certainly; Pagninus, also, also), Nay, nay. — That is to say, Let your speech be simple affirmation or negation without an oath, so that what is, you say simply to be; what is not, not to be. Thus Œcumenius. Or, that is to say, In place of an oath use constant and double asseveration by saying: "Yea, yea"; or constant and double negation by saying: "Nay, nay." See what is said concerning this phrase in II Corinthians chapter 1, verse 17. Indeed, such should be the sincerity, honesty and faith of men, especially of the faithful, that their simple assertion or negation should be believed. Thus Isocrates to Demonicus: "It is fitting," he says, "for good men to show themselves more trustworthy than by oath, and one should swear only so that you free yourself from accusation, or a friend from grave danger, not however for money." Solon used to say that men ought to have such probity that there would be no need to bind them by oath, as Maximus testifies, sermon 33. Socrates said "it is fitting for good men to show those manners which would be stronger than an oath," as Anthony testifies in the Melissa, part II, sermon 63. Thus Clinias, a friend of Pythagoras, preferred to pay three talents as a fine rather than to evade the fine by swearing, as St. Basil relates, sermon On the Utility of Taking from the Gentiles. "The Essenes (who were the first of the Jews to become Christians) hold everything they say stronger than by oath," says Josephus, book II of the War, chapter vii. Thus St. Gregory Nazianzen imposed upon himself the law never to swear, and he kept this until death, as he himself relates in his Poem on His Life. Indeed, Clement of Alexandria, book VII of the Stromata, says: "Where then is there any further need of an oath for him who lives in such a way that he has attained to the highest truth?" And St. Augustine, book I of his Sermon on the Mount, says: "Let the Christian speak truth, and let him commend truth not by frequent oaths, but by the probity of his morals." Moreover, Philo, book I of his Special Law, says: "Whatever a good man asserts ought to be believed just as if it were sworn, since his word is firm and rigid, not flexible by any falsehood, supported by the truth in which it is founded." St. Chrysostom, however, in his 26th homily to the People, says: "I have sometimes heard this from certain persons: Unless I swear, he does not believe me. You are the cause of those who swear easily: because if you did not do this, but it were established to all that you do not swear, believe me when I say that you would find greater faith from those who devour a thousand oaths by a mere nod alone." See the same author, homily 17, where he assigns various means by which the habit of swearing can easily be corrected. Thus when Carbo made a promise and swore, the Roman people in turn swore that they would not believe him; namely, faith ought to be given even to unsworn honest men: to light men, not even to sworn ones. For, as Menander says, "the life of the speaker persuades, not the speech." That you fall not under judgment. — Thus also the Syriac version, that is, that you may not fall into condemnation, while from the frequency of swearing you fall into perjury by swearing falsely. The Greek texts already have ὑπὸ κρίσιν, that is, that you may not fall into simulation, as Pagninus, the Zurich Bible, Cajetan, and Clarius translate it, that is, lest you swear falsely and in simulation, swearing with the mouth, not with the heart, and saying: "I have sworn with my tongue, I keep my mind unsworn": for which reason Lysander the tyrant said that boys ought to be deceived with dice, men with oaths, as Plutarch testifies in his Laconian account. The same thing is said, indeed done, by politicians and atheists, for whom, since there is no divinity, no conscience, there is also no religion and faith of an oath, which is certainly more than heathenish, fraudulent, sacrilegious and barbarous. But other manuscripts have κατὰ κρίσιν, that is, judgment and condemnation: and indeed Oecumenius, reading ὑπὸ κρίσιν, explains it as κατὰ κρίσιν.
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13. Is any one of you sad (κακοπαθεῖ, that is, suffers, is vexed, is afflicted)? Let him pray. — Thus Christ, in the garden sorrowful even unto death, prayed: because prayer obtains from God aid, joy and strength to overcome sadness: and therefore to pray itself and to converse with God exhilarates and gladdens the one praying. It is evident that these are disparate precepts or admonitions. For what has sadness to do with an oath, which preceded? Moreover the fruit of prayer is evident in Anna, the mother of Samuel, who when she was of a bitter mind, and had prayed, "her countenance was no more changed," 1 Kings 1:18; and in Christ, who overcame his agony by prayer, and after it proceeding undaunted to meet the Jews, delivered himself unto death. Therefore when you are sad, do not seek consolations from friends, from feasts, from music, from tales; but from prayer and conversation with God. Moreover over every diabolical action more powerful to harm is the spirit of sadness; for the demon overcomes almost everyone through sadness: if you take that away, no one can be harmed by the demon, says St. Chrysostom, sermon 2 and 3 On Providence. Is he of good cheer? Let him sing psalms. — The Syrian: "if he be joyful, let him sing psalms." Some read contrarily ἀθυμεῖ, that is, is of evil mind, so that the same thing which preceded is said and inculcated, as if to say: While you are sad, pray and sing psalms, that you may dispel sadness. But it should be read εὐθυμεῖ, as others commonly read it, that is, is of good, peaceful, tranquil, secure, joyful, cheerful mind: for although it is useful for the sad to sing psalms, yet it is difficult, according to that: "Music in mourning is an unseasonable narrative," Ecclesiasticus 22:6. But the joyful and cheerful one is eager for singing and psalm-singing. Psalmody therefore preserves and increases joy, and stirs up jubilation to God. For this reason psalmody was introduced into the Church. First, that by it the faithful might be stirred up to the love of God. Second, that, as various voices consent into one harmony, so the minds of the faithful might conspire into one, says St. Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms. Third, that by the sweetness of song minds might be soothed, so that they might more eagerly receive the force and efficacy of divine oracles, says St. Basil, Preface to the Psalms. Fourth, that we might emulate the angels and Seraphim, who perpetually sing and chant praises to God: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth," Isaiah 6:3. Thus Cyril, Catechesis 13. See what is said Ephesians 5:19. "A Psalm," says St. Augustine, Preface to the Psalms, "is the standard-bearer of peace, a spiritual incense, an exercise of heavenly things: it restrains luxury, suggests sobriety, moves tears." And St. Basil, Proem to the Psalms: "A Psalm," he says, "is the tranquility of souls, the arbiter of peace, restraining the crowds and waves of thoughts, softening anger. A Psalm is the reconciler of friendship, the union of the dissident, the reconciliation of enemies. For who will consider him an enemy with whom he sends forth one voice to God?" And further on: "A Psalm puts demons to flight, calls upon auxiliary angels, in nocturnal terrors it is security, in diurnal labors it is rest: it is a protection to infants, an ornament to the young, a consolation to the elderly, the most honorable adornment to women, it makes solitudes celebrated: it is an element to beginners, an increase to those making progress, a consummation of the perfect. A Psalm is the voice of the Church, and it celebrates feast days. A Psalm is the work of angels, the spiritual ornament of the heavenly commonwealth." St. Chrysostom in Psalm 14: "A Psalm," he says, "is the sanctification of the soul, it is a beautiful harmony of mind, the sharpest weapon against demons; nor do deer so flee arrows as demons flee the psalms of David. David took up the harp and played, and the evil spirit departed from Saul, and departing the demon fell, like a deer struck by an arrow and wounded in the liver." Whence in the Lives of the Fathers we read that the demon fears no prayer so much as psalmody. Sophronius gives the reason in the Spiritual Meadow, chapter 152, that "in the Psalms we partly pray to and invoke God by praising him ourselves, partly we assail demons with curses." Again St. Chrysostom in Psalm 134: "A Psalm," he says, "has pleasure with utility. Its principal gain is to sing hymns to God, to purge the soul, to lift up thought on high, to learn true and accurate doctrines, to philosophize about present and future things." And soon after: "For although he who sings be petulant a thousand times, while he reveres the psalm, he puts to sleep the tyranny of his petulance; although he be oppressed by innumerable evils and occupied by sickness of mind, while he is soothed by pleasure, he lifts up his soul, exalts his thought and carries his mind up to the sublime."
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14. Is any one sick among you? — Catholics understand this passage concerning the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. This Sacrament was formerly denied by the Armenians, Waldenses, Albigenses, Wyclif, and in this age by Luther and Calvin. Cajetan, however, although he concedes that it is a Sacrament, nevertheless denies that it is treated of here, but rather of a miraculous anointing for healing the sick, to which Christ sent His disciples, who at that time were not yet priests, and therefore could not be ministers of the Sacrament, Mark vi, 13. But it is of faith both that Extreme Unction is a Sacrament, and that James treats of it here. Thus the Church feels, which in the administration of this Sacrament prays thus: "God, who through thy Apostle James hast spoken, saying: Is any one sick among you," etc. The same was defined by the Council of Florence in the Decree of Union, and expressly by the Council of Trent, sess. XIV, where it explains this passage of James at length. He says therefore, can. 1 On Extreme Unction: "If any one shall say that Extreme Unction is not truly and properly a Sacrament, instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, and promulgated by the Blessed Apostle James, but is only a rite received from the Fathers, or a human invention, let him be anathema." And Can. 2: "If any one shall say that the sacred anointing of the sick doth not confer grace, nor remit sins, nor relieve the sick, but has already ceased, as if the grace of healing were only in former times, let him be anathema." But more explicitly, cap. 1: "This sacred unction of the sick," it says, "was instituted as truly and properly a Sacrament of the New Testament by our Lord Jesus Christ, indeed insinuated in Mark, but commended and promulgated to the faithful by James the Apostle and brother of the Lord. Is any one sick, it says, among you, let him bring in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. By which words, as the Church has learned from Apostolic tradition received by succession, it teaches the matter, form, proper minister and effect of this saving Sacrament. For the Church understood the matter to be oil blessed by the Bishop; for anointing most aptly represents the grace of the Holy Spirit, by which the soul of the sick person is invisibly anointed; the form then to be those words: By this unction," etc. Calvin therefore errs, when he says that Innocent I instituted the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, and that Sigebert asserts this in his Chronicle. Kemnitius errs more, when he attributes it to Felix IV, in the year of our Lord 528, who was a hundred years later than Innocent; for Sigebert, or any other Historian, has nothing of the sort. The same teach and define the Pontiffs Fabian and Innocent I and III, Calixtus I, and the Councils of Meaux, Gangra, Sens, Chalon, Mainz, Worms, Cologne, and Aachen. See Bellarmine, vol. IV on Extreme Unction. The first reason is, because the grace of healing was not a permanent thing, but only given for a time by Christ and entrusted to His disciples: but James speaks of this anointing as of a permanent thing, ordinary and having an infallible effect. For this epistle was written long after the death of Christ, when the grace of healing was ceasing. Secondly, the grace of healing the Apostles and disciples of Christ had, but not all Priests. Therefore when he commands Priests to be brought in, he signifies that they are ministers of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. Thirdly, because he says: "And if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him." Whence it is clear that this was not the grace of healing; for that indeed healed the body from diseases, not the soul from sins. Again, that this unction is a Sacrament, because a Sacrament is nothing other than a visible sign conferring invisible grace, and such is Extreme Unction; for the remission of sins is not effected except through the infusion of grace. Fourthly, because James here enumerates all things necessary for a Sacrament, namely for matter he assigns oil, for form the prayer of faith, for minister the Priest, for effect the remission of sins. Note: That he says "is sick," understand gravely and dangerously unto death: for here ἀσθενεῖ, that is, is utterly destitute of strength and vigor, whom therefore he soon calls τὸν κάμνοντα, that is, "one laboring dangerously." Again, such a one, he says, ἐγερεῖ, that is, "will raise up" as it were from death to life the Lord: otherwise indeed in light illnesses he would have ordered not Presbyters to be called, but physicians, who through medicines would have healed the sick man. Thus the Council of Trent explains it, sess. XIV, cap. III On Extreme Unction: "It is declared also," it says, "that this unction is to be applied to the sick, but especially to those who lie so dangerously that they seem to be constituted in the exit of life: whence also it is called the sacrament of the departing, equally as Extreme Unction." For it is extreme among those which are applied to a faithful man in life: for the faithful is first anointed in Baptism, but on the crown of the head; secondly, in Confirmation, but on the forehead; thirdly, in Order, but on the hands: but extremely is the sick man anointed with this unction who is extremely laboring, for the extreme struggle with the demon, the world and the flesh to be strongly undertaken and overcome. Whence the Council of Trent, sess. XIV, says it to be the consummator of penance and of the whole life, and that Christ wished to fortify the end of life as it were with the strongest protection against the devil, who then strains all the nerves of his cunning to destroy us and to cast us down from confidence in divine mercy. Wherefore what we read in the Life of St. Hedwig, that she, with sickness impending, when she was still healthy, asked to be anointed, that she might receive the Sacrament more devoutly, and was anointed, was done by divine instinct dispensatively, and is not to be imitated, as the Author of the Life warns. Note secondly: Tὸ "is sick" signifies that this unction is not to be applied to the healthy entering upon the peril of life in battle, shipwreck, extreme capital punishment, etc., but only to those who are so weakened by sickness that they are in danger of life. Note thirdly: Tὸ "is sick" signifies that this unction is not to be applied to the dead, as the Valentinians and Archontics heretics once did, invoking the names of Principalities, that the dead might become incomprehensible and be redeemed from the power of principalities. See Theodoret, lib. I Haeretic. fabul.; Irenaeus, lib. I, cap. xviii; St. Augustine, heresy 16. Let him call. — This word signifies that this unction is not to be applied unless to one who is in possession of reason and mind, or certainly was at some time: for he alone can "call," that is, summon and order that Presbyters be called: for in Greek it is προσκαλεσάσθαι, that is, let him call. Wherefore those incapable of it are the perpetually mad, and children, even if they are desperately sick. Therefore Nicholas of Cusa wrongly writes, epist. 3, that Extreme Unction was once given to infants. Again τὸ "let him call" signifies not merely counsel, but also precept, namely that he who conveniently can ought to receive this Sacrament, that he may more securely consult for his eternal salvation in such great danger and the last article of life; because it not rarely happens that through Extreme Unction he is saved who without it would have perished and been damned, for example if the sick man cannot confess and be absolved, and yet is in mortal sin, he ought to be anointed, and the unction will delete the sin and confer upon him first grace and justice. Wherefore we read in the Life of St. Malachy at St. Bernard that when he was called to anoint a certain woman, and delaying somewhat, he found her dead without this Sacrament, so that he grieved that for a long time praying with his companions he raised up the dead woman and anointed her. Wherefore where other Sacraments cannot be applied to the sick man, Extreme Unction ought to be applied, and this seems to be of precept; for no one can safely in such an article trust in his own contrition: thus the Master teaches in IV, dist. xxiii, Bonaventure and Maior there, and Cajetan in the Summula. But if other Sacraments can be applied, Extreme Unction does not seem to be of precept, but of counsel, which nevertheless is imprudently neglected, as St. Thomas teaches in IV, dist. XXIII, Quaest. 1, art. 1, cap. III, quaestiunc. 3; Paludanus and Soto, there; Sylvester, word Extreme Unction, dub. IX; Navarre, Ench. cap. xxii, num. 46. Presbyters—not lay elders, especially physicians, as Aretius, Calvin, and Luther pretend; but priests, as the sense and practice of the whole Church holds. Hear the Council of Trent, session XIV, canon 4: "If anyone shall say that the Presbyters of the Church, whom blessed James exhorts to be brought to the sick man to anoint him, are not priests ordained by a bishop, but elders in age in any community, and therefore that the proper minister of Extreme Unction is not a priest alone, let him be anathema." Therefore Thomas Waldensis errs, part II On the Sacraments, chapter cxxxvi, when he thinks that in extreme necessity Extreme Unction can be conferred by a layman: namely, he was deceived by the words of Innocent, which I shall cite presently. Furthermore, "Presbyters," that is, one of the Presbyters of the Church; but formerly they were accustomed to be accompanied by other Presbyters, so that they might pray for the sick man. He adds from Ruard Suarez, III part., vol. IV, disp. xliii, sect. 1, that this Sacrament is validly conferred by several, if one anoints the ears, another the eyes, another the feet, etc.; but nevertheless this ought not to be done. Finally, it was formerly in some places a custom that seven priests would visit the sick man, and for as many days prayer would be made for him, as Gabriel says in IV, dist. xxiii. You will say: Innocent I, epistle 1 to Decentius, viii, and from him the Council of Worms, chapter lxxii, says that not only priests but also laymen can use holy oil in their own and their relatives' necessities. D. Soto responds in IV, dist. xxiii, art. 1, that Innocent speaks of the use of oil outside the Sacrament for healing the sick: but then they do not use holy oil blessed by the Bishop, but oil blessed by themselves, as the Hermits did. I say therefore that Innocent speaks of the recipient, not of the minister, that is to say: It is permitted to all Christians to use holy oil in their own and their relatives' necessities, namely by calling upon Presbyters and receiving Extreme Unction from them, not by administering it to others. Thus Bellarmine, On Extreme Unction, chapter IX. And let them pray over him—with prayer both common and sacramental, namely the form of Extreme Unction, which is deprecatory, saying: "Through this holy unction and His most merciful compassion, may God forgive you whatever you have sinned through sight," etc. Note the "over him"; hence formerly the hand was laid upon the sick man, as it is still laid upon him, and the Roman Ritual, recently reviewed and published by command of Paul V, ordains this: indeed the hand is laid upon the organs of the senses while they are being anointed. And this fittingly, because the sick man in agony suffers extreme pains both in body, infirmities, defects, fainting spells; and in soul temptations, scruples, anxieties, and even horrible visions of demons: wherefore prayer is made for him, and the hand is laid upon him, so that God may deign to comfort and strengthen him. Wherefore although the Milanese Church, from the Ritual of St. Ambrose, uses a form not deprecatory but absolute, saying: "I anoint you with sanctified oil in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," nevertheless from the circumstances it implies and involves deprecation. Whence Suarez, III part., vol. IV, disp. xl, sect. 3, thinks the Sacrament invalid unless something be added by which deprecation is signified. Anointing him with oil — of olives (for this is properly called oil) blessed by a Bishop, as Innocent I defines it, epistle to Decentius viii, and the Council of Trent and Florence. This blessing is a silent prayer by which the Bishop, in the name of the Church, prays that God would make this oil salutary for the sick. Hence the practice of the Church has it that the Bishop on Friday of Holy Week, namely at the Lord's Supper (on which day Christ appears to have instituted this Sacrament), consecrates oil both for the sick, and for catechumens, and for those to be confirmed, namely chrism in which oil is mixed with balsam. Whence Suarez in the place cited asserts the Sacrament to be valid if the sick person is anointed with chrism. Hence it is clear that the matter of this Sacrament is oil, and that fittingly and appropriately. First, because oil soothes diseases, and then heals them. Second, because it provides fuel for light, so that it may be signified that the sick person who dwells in darkness and the shadow of death is by the virtue of this Sacrament illuminated and consoled by God. Third, because athletes are anointed with oil, as St. Jerome says in Hosea chapter xiv, for the contest; but the sick person here undergoes the contest of death: therefore he is anointed with this oil, so that he may be strengthened by God for the final struggle. Wherefore by this unction the forces and angers of demons, which otherwise they would wholly pour forth in this final moment, are broken and restrained, as St. Gregory teaches, homily 39 in the Gospel; Climacus, degree 7; Eusebius, homily 1 to the Monks. Fourth, because oil cheers and gladdens: but the sick person oppressed by disease and sorrow has need of gladness. Truly Theophylactus in chapter vi of Mark relates that the sick were healed with oil, "since oil is useful for labors, a foment of light and productive of cheerfulness, and signifies the mercy of God and the grace of the Spirit, by which we are freed from labor, and receive light, and spiritual joy and cheerfulness." Hence in the Lives of the Fathers we read that St. Hilarion, St. Martin, St. Macarius and other holy Anchorites healed diseases with oil blessed by themselves. In the name of the Lord. — The Syrian: "of our Lord," namely Jesus Christ, as St. Augustine has it, On the Visitation of the Sick, chapter iv. Moreover "in the name of the Lord" signifies, says Bede, "oil consecrated in the name of the Lord (by the Bishop), or certainly because when they anoint the sick person, they ought to invoke the name of the Lord over him." Some add, "in the name of the Lord," that is, in the place of the Lord: for God operates and heals through the Sacraments as instruments. Symbolically, "in the name of the Lord" signifies that the sick, especially the dying, ought to commit and give themselves wholly to the Lord, to have him perpetually in mind and invoke him, so that, just as they drew life from him, they may return the same to him: and just as from childhood, as soon as they began to use reason, they turned to God, indeed St. Thomas holds this ought to be done in the very first moment of the use of reason, III, Question LXXXIX, article 6: so likewise those failing ought to die in him, saying: "Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit." This is what the Apostle admonishes, Romans xiv, 8: "For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." Xenophon praises, book VIII of Cyrus's Education, Cyrus because he began his rule from God, and ended it with him: for, as the same author says, book I, Cyrus created Emperor first of all performed a religious rite, and having made sacrifices began to rule and to conduct the affairs of the kingdom. But in book VIII he thus describes the death of Cyrus: "There appeared to ascend to him (Cyrus) someone of human form more august, and to say: Gather your vessels, O Cyrus: for immediately you are about to go to the gods. Immediately therefore, having taken victims, he performed a religious rite to Jupiter his father and the sun, saying: Jupiter of my country and sun, and all gods, I render great thanks, because I perceived your care for me, and because my spirit was never lifted up in prosperous circumstances beyond the human condition," etc. The excellent Nazianzen, exhorting Philagrius, who was ill, to bear his pains bravely, in epistle 58: "This," he says, "befitted my Philagrius, namely not to be softened, nor to be broken by pains, but to despise mud, and to allow the body indeed to suffer those things which its own nature bears, by the law of nature altogether, either now or later to fall away (for it will perish either by disease or worn out by old age); but to have the soul turned upward, and through thoughts to be joined with God." But in epistle 60, he praises his constancy in pains: "For stretching your hand toward heaven, having your eyes toward the East, you began to cry out: I give thanks to you, Father, Creator of you and your men, that you bestow benefit upon us unwilling and resisting, and through the external man you purify the internal, and through contraries you lead us to the blessed end, for those reasons which you know." And in epistle 64: "I exhort you," he says, "to resist pain, and to show yourself superior to bonds, and to consider disease to be nothing other than a certain useful discipline, tending to this, namely that, despising all bodies and whatever is fluid and turbulent and subject to destruction, and reckoning it as nothing, you devote yourself entirely to the heavenly part, and live not for the present time, but for the future age. Finally, so venerable is the living cross of Christ, such as disease is, as the dead one, namely painted or feigned," as a certain Saint says. Salvianus, in a letter to Cattura his sister who was ill: "The strength of the body," he says, "is always an enemy to the mind, so that I rightly now think you so much stronger in spirit, as you have begun to be weaker in flesh." For the flesh, the Apostle says, lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: for these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things which you will. Therefore if, the body resisting, we cannot do what we wish, the flesh must be weakened so that we may do what is desired. And it is true: for the weakness of the flesh has sharpened the vigor of the mind, and with limbs affected, the strengths of bodies are transferred into the virtues of souls; so that it seems to me a certain kind of health, for a man sometimes not to be healthy. He immediately subjoins the reason: "For there is then scarcely any struggle between spirit and body, that is, none between the divine nature and the earthly enemy: the marrow does not seethe with base flames, hidden incentives do not inflame a sickly mind, wandering senses do not wanton through various delights, but the soul alone exults, glad with the body afflicted, as if with an adversary subdued. Rejoice therefore, foster-child of Christ, always indeed simple and quiet, but now more of your refined and free mind open the door, and draw in, as you read, the Holy Spirit. Never, as I think, have you been more worthy of God as a dweller; the weaker in body, the purer in sense: while diseases conquer your flesh, you have conquered in mind. Happy if you shall always preserve this death of the body into the life of the spirit, with perhaps all the incentives of human temptations extinguished in you."
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15. The prayer of faith shall save the sick one, — τὸν κάμνοντα, that is, one laboring grievously, failing and dying; whence the dead are called κάμνοντες by Homer, Plato and Aristotle. "The prayer of faith" can be understood both as common and as sacramental. Common, by which the priest and those standing by pray for the health of the sick one. This is called "of faith," because it has its power and efficacy from faith: for the greater the faith and hope of the one praying, the more does he obtain from God by his prayer, according to that in Matthew, chapter ix, verse 29: "According to your faith be it done unto you"; and chapter xvii, verse 19: "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain: Remove from hence thither, and it shall remove." Secondly and rather, "the prayer of faith" is called the form of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction: for this has the appearance of prayer and supplication. It is called "of faith," first, because faith by metonymy signifies all charisms and Sacraments which rest upon faith, and flow from it as a branch from a tree. Thus the Apostle, Romans iii, 28, says we are justified by faith: where under faith he comprehends hope, penance, charity and the other virtues which flow from faith as from a root: for without these no one is justified. Thus Romans xii, 3, he says: "To every one according as God hath divided the measure of faith," that is, of spiritual charisms, which God distributes among the faithful. Secondly it is called "of faith," because the power and efficacy of the Sacrament consists, not in the physical power of matter, for example oil, but in faith, that is, in the spiritual power of words, which is comprehended by faith. Hence St. Augustine says, tract. 80 in John: "The word comes to the element, and it becomes a sacrament; not because it is said, but because it is believed, that is, not by reason of the external sound which passes away, but by reason of the internal power which is perceived by faith alone." Whence he adds: "For in the sound itself one thing is the sound passing away, another the power remaining," which power is as it were the soul of the Sacrament, and is not perceived by the senses, but is believed by faith. This prayer is therefore called "of faith," because it is dictated by faith, and is understood by faith. Thirdly, the prayer is called "of faith," because it requires faith in the one receiving the Sacrament, and without this faith it is invalid and inefficacious. Again, he who receives the Sacrament, by this very fact publicly professes that he believes and embraces the doctrine of Christ, and the power of this Sacrament instituted by him. Fourthly, the prayer "of faith," that is faithful, that is certain and undoubted, as if to say: This prayer, namely the deprecatory form of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, is not of doubtful and uncertain power, but faithful and certain, because it certainly obtains what it prays for; for it works by way of Sacrament from the work worked (ex opere operato), not from the work of the worker (ex opere operantis), namely of the one praying. Thus the Apostle often says: "A faithful saying," that is certain, undoubted, most true saying, 1 Timothy 1, 15, and chapter III, 1; to Titus III, 8. Fifthly, "of faith," that is of the faithful and of the Church: because the priest anointing, anoints in the name of the whole Church and prays for the sick one. For he acts as a minister of the Church; whence he ought to have the intention of doing what the Church intends, namely to confer upon the sick one the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. Shall save. — First, the Syrian: "shall heal corporally." Secondly, Dionysius: "shall heal spiritually," that is, shall cooperate toward his eternal salvation, namely, as Fevardentius says, by conferring upon him grace and strength, by which he may resist the horror of death and the temptation of the demon. Thirdly, more fully Hugo, Thomas the Englishman and others, take both salvations, namely both of body and soul, so that this salvation be general, which is then explained in some way particularly, namely the salvation of the body by the word "shall alleviate," the salvation of the soul by "and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him." For in place of "shall save" in Greek it is σώσει, that is shall preserve, which is a general word, and comprehends both the salvation of soul and of body. The meaning therefore is, as if to say, "The prayer of faith," that is, the Sacrament and sacramental form of Extreme Unction, "shall save the sick man," that is, shall confer upon him grace by which his soul shall be saved: grace, I say, either first grace, if the sick man be in mortal sin, or second grace, that is, an increase of grace, if the sick man were already in grace. Thus by salvation the Council of Florence understands grace, when it says the effect of this Sacrament to be the healing of the soul; and the Council of Trent, sess. XIV, cap. II; for it says: "Moreover, the reality and effect of this Sacrament are explained by these words: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, etc. For this reality is the grace of the Holy Spirit." Otherwise James would have here omitted the primary and proper effect of the Sacrament, which is to confer or increase justifying grace, and thus to make the just man or a more just man. Again, "shall save," or, as it is in Greek, σώσει, that is, shall preserve him, that is, shall confer upon him bodily health, if it be thus expedient for the salvation of his soul, says the Council of Trent in the place cited. It could moreover be thus expounded: "The prayer of faith shall save the sick man," namely by giving grace which either transmits the sick man through death to eternal salvation, or recalls him to life, and restores to him health and bodily soundness. For thus σώσει, that is, shall preserve him in life either present or eternal. For the proper effect of Extreme Unction is, as it were a viaticum or potion, as a medicine of immortality, to transmit and conduct a man about to die to another better and eternal life. Moreover, from this it is evident that false and perverse is the fear of some, who think they will certainly die if they receive this Sacrament, and therefore defer it to the last breath of life, and indeed sometimes die without it: whereas on the contrary the proper effect of this Sacrament is to restore health, if that be expedient for the salvation of the soul, as the Council of Trent says, of which matter we have read many examples and have seen, and daily see. And the Lord shall alleviate him. — St. Augustine, tract. De Restit. Cathol. convers., and Cassian, Collat. XX, cap. VIII, read "shall alleviate," in Greek egerei; the Syriac and Hebrew יקימנו iekimennu, that is, "shall raise up, shall lift up, shall rouse, shall alleviate him," not only by bodily alleviating the disease, but also and more spiritually by conferring upon him strength, cheerfulness and joy, whereby fear and scruples on account of past sins and temptations of the demon (especially of distrust, despair, sadness) and the pains of disease, weariness, torpor and fear of death, and anxiety on account of the impending judgment, he may strongly and cheerfully overcome, so that he be alleviated, that is, be raised up in body and soul, be gladdened and strengthened. Thus the Council of Trent, sess. XIV, cap. 18: "It alleviates," it says, "the soul of the sick man and strengthens it, by exciting in him great confidence in the divine mercy, whereby the infirm man, relieved, bears the inconveniences and labors of disease more lightly, and more easily resists the temptations of the demon lying in wait at his heel." Most excellently John Eck, the vanquisher of Luther, hom. 57 De Sacrament., assigns six properties of oil, by which are signified six gifts and effects of this Sacrament, namely: First, spiritual healing and health. Second, brightness of conscience. Third, strength of the faculties of the soul. Fourth, peace and rest in the mercy of God. Fifth, a certain consecration as it were of a boxer and athlete of Christ. Sixth, joy and gladness. Hence the Ritual of St. Ambrose, which the Church of Milan uses, commands the head to be anointed, in which these six gifts are received. Hence also the Bishop blessing this oil prays that it be a protection of mind and body to all anointed with this heavenly medicine of healing, for removing all pains, all infirmities and all sickness of mind and body. Do you want examples? Accept illustrious ones. "Holy Mary of Oignies, when she received Extreme Unction with the Blessed Virgin forewarning her, all the Apostles were present, and Blessed Peter, showing the keys, promised that he would open to her the gate of heaven. Moreover, Christ fixed the sign of the cross, the standard of his victory, at her feet. And when she was anointed in various places, in the very reception of that Sacrament she perceived the operation of the Holy Spirit with great illumination of each of the places. Moreover, certain friends and acquaintances of hers, who had already died long before, were sent to her for her consolation," says Cardinal James of Vitry, book II of her Life, chapter XII. The same, chapter IV: "When, in the presence of Mary of Oignies," he says, "the sick person received the sacrament of Extreme Unction, she felt Christ present with a multitude of Saints, mercifully strengthening that sick person, expelling demons, purifying the soul, and as her members were being anointed, diffusing herself as it were in light throughout his whole body." Reginald, one of the disciples of St. Dominic, when he was warned to prepare himself by Extreme Unction for struggle with a demon, said: "I do not at all fear this struggle; rather I await it gladly. For long ago the Mother of mercy anointed me, in whom I trust greatly, and to whom I eagerly depart." Now that he said he had been anointed by her beforehand came about thus. When he had been gravely ill many years before, the Queen of heaven appeared to him in the night watch with two other virgins, and she herself coming to him, anointed the eyes, ears, mouth and hands of him lying there with the ointment which she had brought, with her own hands, and finally also his feet "in preparation for the Gospel," as she herself added almost as if from a formula while praying. Thus it is in the Life of St. Dominic, book II, chapter II. Thus St. Lydwina was anointed by Christ the Lord, with the Blessed Virgin present, all the Apostles, and many Angels and Saints, in all the members which are customarily anointed in those about to die. She asked that he would burden her with as many pains as would be necessary to redeem Purgatory. To which Christ said: "It shall be so, daughter, as you ask: after two days you shall sing Alleluia with the other virgins in the kingdom of my Father." Thus it is in her Life in Surius, April 7, part III, chapter XI. And if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. — "Sins," not only venial: for all have these; but also mortal, if there be any. Whence he carefully says "if." Thus also the Council of Trent, session XIV, chapter III: "The unction," it says, "of the Holy Spirit (which Extreme Unction signifies and confers) wipes away offenses, if there be any still to be expiated, and the remnants of sin." Hence the five senses are anointed, because they are as it were five gates, through which sins enter into the soul. Moreover, the remnants of sin are, first, venial sins. Second, the punishment owed to sins, even mortal ones already forgiven. Third, the weakness and languor of the powers of the soul to resist sin and temptations, by which the dying are usually assailed by the demon. Fourth, mortal sins into which the sick person falls after confession, and does not know that he is bound by them. Again, when confession on account of some defect, which the sick person in good faith does not know, was invalid, if he himself grieves over all sins in general, as is fitting, Extreme Unction remits and abolishes all things entirely. The other Sacraments do the same, but incidentally; and Extreme Unction does it by itself and properly, because it is peculiarly instituted for this, and prepared at the end of life to remove all impediments which might hinder the soul flying forth from the body from entering heaven. Wherefore it is to be neglected by no one, because many are saved by it who would otherwise be damned; many fly straight to heaven, or are quickly expiated in Purgatory, otherwise to be expiated in it for a long time. Thus everywhere the Interpreters and Bellarmine, On Extreme Unction, chapter VIII, of which examples are available. Hence some infer that the Blessed Virgin at the end of her life did not receive Extreme Unction, nor was she capable of it, because there was no sin in her, or remnants of sins. Whence in her the form would have been false, saying: "May God forgive you whatever you have sinned through sight, hearing," etc. Again, she did not need strengthening in sickness and death, indeed without sickness, from love and desire of enjoying Christ her son it is believed she breathed forth her soul. Thus Gabriel, Paludanus, Victoria and Eckius. But the contrary, namely that she was anointed, is taught by Albert, Sylvester, Canisius, whom Suarez cites and follows in III part., tom. II, dist. 18, sect. 3. The reason is, because the proper effect of Extreme Unction is to strengthen man in his final struggle against the snares of the enemy, not indeed the remission of sins, except under this condition, "if the sick man have any," as James says. It was fitting therefore that the Blessed Virgin should use this Sacrament and the rest (except Holy Orders, Penance and Matrimony) receive, so that she might provide to the faithful an example of humility and of Christian life. To the argument Suarez responds, that the form is to be understood conditionally, namely: "If thou hast sinned by sight," etc. We shall respond better, that she was anointed with another form, for example the Ambrosian (which I recited above), which makes no mention of sins. Moreover, what Albert says, that she used the sacrament of Penance and confessed to St. John, others everywhere refute: for the proper matter of penance is one's own sins, such as the most holy Virgin had none, and she herself knew this very well, as one full of divine light, equally as of grace. Finally, it is false what William Durandus writes, lib. I Rational. divin. offic., cap. VIII, num. 25, and Eck, hom. 56 and 58 De Sacrament., namely that the sick man ought to be anointed only once in a year, although he may be ill more often, or not unless after several months: for indeed Extreme Unction does not imprint a character. It can therefore be repeated as often as he who has recovered from illness falls into that same illness, or another, and is dangerously sick. From what has been said it is clear that St. James assigns three effects of Extreme Unction. The first is, the salvation of the soul and thereafter of the body; the second, the alleviation of the sick man; the third, the remission of sins, if any remain.
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16. Confess therefore one to another your sins. — For "therefore" the Syriac has דין den, that is "but"; some of the Greeks (for more do not have it) have ουν, that is "therefore." The particle "therefore" or "but" connects these things to what precedes, as if to say: I have spoken of Extreme Unction: "If he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him," namely if he who is anointed by it is ignorant of them or has forgotten them; for if he is conscious of them, he ought to confess them before Extreme Unction, as Pope Innocent I teaches in his first epistle to Decentius, chapter VIII. So that therefore you may receive it rightly, "confess therefore one to another your sins," that is, confess, O men, to men similar to yourselves, namely to those to whom Christ has entrusted the care and power of absolving, namely to priests, according to that passage in I Peter, IV: "Let each one, as he has received grace, minister the same one to another." Thus we commonly say: Teach one another, care for one another, sustain one another, sacrifice for one another; namely so that those who are learned may teach the unlearned; those who are physicians may heal the sick; those who are rich may sustain the poor; those who are priests may sacrifice for the laity; for those words are to be explained appropriately to the subject matter at hand, the grace and office of each. Thus explain it Bede, St. Bernard in his book of Meditations, chapter IX; Hugh of St. Victor, book II On the Sacraments, part XIV, chapter I; Alcuin, epistle 26 in Henry Canisius, volume I of Antiquities, and the Council of Sens, decree X, and St. Augustine, book II On the Visitation of the Sick, chapter IV (although the Doctors of Louvain doubt whether this book is by St. Augustine, and Erasmus denies it). There are added St. Bonaventure and Alexander of Hales, to be cited shortly. From this it is clear that sacramental confession is being discussed here; which the Erasmian-leaning Cajetan wrongly denies. You will say: Why therefore does St. James say: "Confess one to another"? Why does he not expressly say: "Confess to priests"? I answer first, to lighten the burden of confession and shame, as if to say: You ought to confess, but not to angels, before whom, as being most pure and most holy, you would be too ashamed to lay bare your sins, especially carnal ones; but to men, namely to priests, who are subject to the same temptations and sins, or have been, or can be. "One to another" therefore, that is, man to man, like to like, brother to brother confess, namely to a priest, who although he is superior in office, is nevertheless equal in nature, similar in infirmity, equal in the obligation of confessing. Second, so that he might signify that priests equally with laity ought to confess their sins. He did not wish therefore to say: Confess to priests, lest priests should think themselves exempt from the burden of confessing, because it is theirs to receive the confessions of the laity and to absolve them as judges; but that they ought to lay down the person of judges and make themselves guilty when they confess their sins; as if to say: Confess one to another, namely to priests, so that, when they themselves sin, they similarly confess to other priests. Thus Serarius here, and Turrian in book II of the Constitutions of St. Clement, chapter XVIII. Third, so that James might indicate that it is a matter of counsel, not of precept, to confess sins not only to priests, but also to the laity, whether for the sake of mutual reconciliation, or for the sake of humility, or for seeking counsel and help, or for a greater bond of charity, especially when departure and death are imminent. Whence we read that many Saints did this, such as St. Gregory in the whole last chapter of the Morals. And in Religious communities the more devout men are accustomed to do the same, and to seek pardon from their brethren for the offenses they have given them and the scandal which their lukewarmness, or impatience, or anger has caused them. The same thing St. James here signifies and admonishes. Whence Bede says: "In this," he says, "sentence of James there ought to be discretion, so that daily and light sins we confess one to another to our equals, so that they may pray for us; but grave sins according to the law we lay open to a priest, so that he may absolve us from them, which the laity cannot do." And Simeon of Thessalonica, in his book On the Divine Temple, says that these words of James are fulfilled by a Bishop, while he asks the prayers of the people with bowed head, and confesses himself a sinner (as the priest does at the beginning of Mass). And St. Ephrem, volume II, page 72, in reproving himself and confessing and imploring the compassion of the brethren toward him, cites this passage of James. Fourth, from this passage of James some have thought that in the absence of a priest, confession should be made to a layman: whence Alcuin, epistle 26, wishing to persuade this to the Scots, says: "We are commanded to confess one to another, that is, man to man, the guilty to the judge, the sick to the physician." The same St. Francis ordained in his Rule, chapter XX, citing this passage of James. The same was done by John the Baptist, a catechumen, who, as St. Augustine testifies, as is related in De Consecrat., dist. 4, cap. Sanctum est, was baptized by a layman when a storm arose at sea: for he sought absolution from this one already baptized, and obtained it. The same is clear from the Council of Tribur, which is cited in the Decretals, cap. fures, concerning thefts. And it says that thieves and robbers, if apprehended or wounded, having confessed to a Presbyter or Deacon, communion should not be denied to them. Whence some thought that in the article of death, with a priest lacking, confession should be made to a layman, and that this is commanded here by James, and consequently that a layman could then absolve the one confessing. This seems to be suggested by St. Thomas in the Supplement, Question VIII, article 2, to 1, and by Abulensis in Leviticus, chapter XVI, Question XXIV. Indeed, St. Francis in his Rule, chapter XX, thus prescribes to his Religious: "If they are not able to have a Priest, let them confess to their brother, as the Apostle James says: Confess your sins one to another." But immediately he adds: "Yet on this account let them not cease to have recourse to priests, because the power of binding and loosing has been granted to priests alone." But I say truly, confession made to a layman is in no way sacramental, nor was it ever necessary. The first part is clear, because a layman does not have the power of the keys, but sacramental confession is made on account of absolution. The second part is clear, because there is no precept, neither divine nor ecclesiastical, except concerning confession to be made to a priest; then because the necessity of confession arises from the necessity of absolution, which a layman cannot give. You will say: Cyprian, book III, epistle 17, contends that the lapsed in persecution can, at the point of death, if a priest is not present, make confession before a Deacon and receive the imposition of hands for penance; and the author of the book On True and False Penance, chapter X: "So great," he says, "is the power of confession, that if a priest is lacking, let one confess to a layman." Thus also Bede in the words recited a little before. The Gloss has similar things in the chapter on the pastoral office, on the office of the judge ordained (yet in some more correct manuscripts these things are already deleted). I answer: Cyprian speaks of confession, which is customarily made by those doing public penance for the purpose that they be absolved from excommunication and reconciled by the Church: which confession can be made to a Deacon having jurisdiction to absolve from excommunication. But the conjecture of D. Pamelius, by which he says that perhaps with the Bishop absent and presbyters shut up in prisons, by some privilege in necessity the reconciliation of penitents was permitted and granted to a Deacon, just as we read the administration of the sacrament of Confirmation was granted by St. Gregory to presbyters, is in no way probable, both because no one has ever said this, and because a Deacon does not have the sacerdotal character, and the distance between a deacon and a presbyter is far greater than between a presbyter and a Bishop; and finally because a Bishop in no way can grant the administration of the sacrament of Confirmation, but only to the vicar of Christ is this granted: therefore much less can he grant to a Deacon the administration of the sacrament of Penance, just as he cannot grant him the consecration of the body of the Lord. But the author of the book On Penance and Bede commend this confession not as necessary, but as useful, both because a man more easily stirs up in himself sorrow for sins when he confesses them to another; and also because through it he satisfies in part by shame for sins; and finally because he can receive counsel and consolation from another. Whence also the Master of the Sentences and the Doctors in IV, dist. XVII, Question XVII, praise this confession made to a layman in extreme necessity, which understand when scandal is absent, and every other danger which could arise from such confession. But what D. Thomas says in the Supplement, Question VIII, article 2, to 1, that in necessity the penitent ought to confess to whom he can, is not a precept, but a counsel, as Soto understands it: which in the time of D. Thomas was more frequently in use than now. But what he adds, that the defect of a priest is then supplied by the high priest, understand it as supplied regarding the obtaining of the remission of sins, if the other is contrite, not however if he is only attrite, because no promise of this thing exists: whence that supply would be altogether outside the ordinary law. Moreover a layman hearing confession cannot absolve the one confessing: for thus he would usurp the office of a priest and would commit sacrilege. But would he become irregular? D. Soto affirms it: because, he says, the canon "if anyone," concerning a Cleric not ordained, imposes the penalty of irregularity solemnly on one baptizing, or exercising some divine office without Orders: but by the name "divine office" are contained all the Sacraments. But others more rightly deny it, because by the name "divine office" from the usage of the Canons is understood only the sacrifice of the Mass and the solemn chanting of the Gospel or the Epistle. Thus Sylvester, word Confessor; Ledesma in IV, dist. II, Question VII, article 3, and others. Finally Thomas the Englishman errs here when he attributes the institution of confession to the Church, the promulgation to James, to Christ only the insinuation, namely when he gave the keys to Blessed Peter; indeed the Canon "Certain to God," title On Penance, dist. 1, with the Gloss, seems to attribute the institution of confession to St. James: but by "institution" understand the express promulgation, which St. James makes here before St. Peter, Paul, John and Jude. For it is of faith that this Sacrament, equally as the others, was immediately instituted by Christ the Lord, as the Council of Trent defines, session XIV, chapter 1 On Extreme Unction. Whence St. Bonaventure, in IV, dist. XVII, article 1, Question III, and Alensis, ibid., num. 3, article 2, teach that confession was instituted by Christ, but promulgated here by James. Moreover, how necessary confession is for a sinner unto salvation is evident from the example of Severus, who, having died without confession, was therefore snatched away to the underworld, so that he might be able to confess: as St. Gregory relates, I Dialogues, final chapter. Concerning its usefulness I have said much on Acts XIX, 18. God has often declared this same thing by miracles, which Bede recounts, lib. V History, cap. XIV; Peter of Cluny, lib. I On Miracles, cap. III, IV, V, VI; the author of the Life of St. Bernard, lib. I, cap. IX; St. Bonaventure in the Life of St. Francis, cap. X; Alanus Copus, lib. II Dialogues, final chapter. Most excellently St. Bernard, epistle 113, explaining that passage of Psalm XCV, "Confession and beauty are in his sight": "Truly," he says, "where there is Confession, there is beauty, there is comeliness: if there are sins, they are washed away in Confession: if there are good works, they are cleansed. When you confess your evils, it is a sacrifice to God of a contrite spirit: when you confess God's benefits, you offer to God a sacrifice of praise. Love Confession, if you desire comeliness. Confession is a good ornament of the soul, which cleanses the sinner and renders the just more pure: without Confession the just is judged ungrateful, and the sinner is reckoned dead. Confession therefore of the sinner is life and of the just glory." Finally, marvelous is the power of confession, that by one word it obtains from God the forgiveness of all sins, even the gravest, and God's reconciliation, as David obtained it; for saying: "I have sinned against the Lord," he immediately heard from Nathan: "The Lord also hath taken away thy sin, thou shalt not die," II Kings, cap. XII, verse 13. Memorable is the Gloss of the Hebrews on that passage of the Song of Songs V, 2, "Open to me, my sister," published by Galatino, lib. VIII, cap. VIII: "My sons," it says, "open to me one opening of penance, as is the eye of a needle; and I will open to you the openings of my mercy, through which shall enter chariots and carriages." Pray for one another. — Then the laity for the laity, and priests for priests, and for the laity especially the sick, when they anoint them; for he has hitherto dealt with those, and priests are ordained and appointed by God and the Church, that in the name of the Church they pray for all the faithful, and are as it were public legates and mediators between God and the people; whence also follows: "That you may be saved," in Greek, ἰαθῆτε, that is, "that you may be healed," namely from the infirmity which detains you. Damascius on verse 14 — "The prayer of faith shall save the sick man." Hence from the use of the Church for the sick who are anointed, the Litanies are read, as it were common prayers of all, to implore for them in their last agony the aid of the Saints against the phalanxes of demons. This sentence, however, is to be extended generally to all, even the laity: for charity dictates and urges that we pray for one another, that we may be healed, that is, saved both in soul and in body: for the health of the soul is of greater worth than that of the body. The same thing is confirmed by the example of Elijah, which James subjoins. Note: James premised a warning concerning confession, because after it prayer is more powerful, inasmuch as it is sent forth from a pure and holy soul, God's friend and daughter, to God the Father, who doth the will of them that fear him, Ps. CXLIV, 19. Thus Job, at God's command praying for his friends, obtained pardon for them, final chapter, verse 8. Judith, requesting the prayers of the citizens, slew Holofernes, cap. VIII. Jeremiah prayed for the people, and as it were bound the angry God's hands, cap. XIV, 11. Whence also after death he was seen to intercede for the same people, II Maccabees XV, 14. The whole Church prayed for St. Peter imprisoned, and obtained his freedom for him, Acts XII, 5. Paul prayed for others, and requested the prayers of others for himself, Rom. I, 9, and cap. XV, 30; Colossians IV, 3. St. John prays for all, epistle III, cap. II. Finally Christ prays for the apostles and all the faithful, John cap. XVII, verse 11. Moreover it is more useful for one praying to pray for others than for oneself alone, first, because the sacrifice of prayer is more willingly received when it is offered in the sight of a merciful judge with love of neighbor; "wherefore we perform common and alternate prayers more than singular or private ones," says St. Augustine, epistle 97. Secondly, "because while individuals pray for all, all also pray for individuals," says St. Ambrose, book on Abel, chapter IX, who also adds: "So great is the reward, that through the prayers of individuals, all individuals acquire the suffrage of the whole people." St. Chrysostom, sermon 5 "Let us not despair," asserts it to be best to become a partaker of the prayers which the saints pour forth, and so God often grants to us through them what He did not grant through our own, because we are unworthy. St. Gregory, book I, epistle 24, now created pontiff, asks that prayer be made for him: "Let not," he says, "the burdens I have undertaken press upon me beyond my strength. But mindful that it is written: Pray for one another that you may be saved, I both bestow what I ask, but shall receive what I bestow: for while we join ourselves to you through the aid of prayer, as if walking on slippery ground, we hold each other's hand in turn; and it comes to pass from great provision of charity, that the more firmly charity is fixed in individuals, the more one leans upon the other." Truly St. Augustine: "Unless Stephen had prayed," he says, "the Church would not have Paul." Again St. Gregory, book V of the Register, epistle 419: "For our prayers," he says, "are lifted up to the ear of the Lord's mercy so much more swiftly, the more the ardor of charity, poured forth in turn for us, has sharpened them." For the constant supplication (δέησις, that is, prayer which is made suppliantly in need and affliction to relieve it; for δέεσθαι means to be in need) of the just avails much. — Ἐνεργουμένη, that is, wrought, strenuous, efficacious, vivid; Pagninus: "intent," which is namely formed and sent forth with the whole concentration of mind from the depths of the heart with ardent spirit, and with certain faith and hope. For this as it were compels God to give what is asked. "Constant" therefore, that is, intent and pressing, so as to obtain what it seeks. For "constant" in Latin properly means the same as "continuous, unceasing," and as it were sitting by the thing to which it applies. Thus Festus. Hence secondly, "constant" means the same as "intent, diligent, solicitous." Thus Cicero, book I On Oratory, calls careful and elaborate writing "constant." And in the book On Old Age: "Always," he says, "the cellar of good and constant masters is full of wine, oil, and stores, and the whole farm is rich." Thirdly "constant" by metonymy means the same as "rich and most approved." Thus by Gellius, book XVIII, is called "a classical and constant writer, not a proletarian." In a similar way prayer "constant" is, first, intent, elaborate, solicitous. Secondly, continuous, until it obtains what it so solicitously seeks. Thirdly, approved and rich, because it gives itself wholly to God, and spending all the powers of body and soul in prayer delivers itself to God: it is therefore rich toward God, while it offers itself and its own to Him liberally, so as to oblige Him in turn to itself, and to persuade and almost compel Him to be liberal in giving what is asked. Thus the Greek ἐνεργής means the same as ἐν ἔργῳ ὤν, that is, "being in work, intent upon work, solicitous, strenuous, keen, continuous, until it completes its work." Such therefore energy, efficacy, intention and striving is required in prayer, such as one applies in work; for example, in study the student applies, in building the architect, in battle the soldier and commander so as to obtain victory: namely, that it be incited from an efficacious principle, namely from a mind and spirit ardent and vehement, and as it were animated, be ardent and vehement, and send forth ardent sighs, as it were fiery missiles from a war engine, into heaven, by which it strikes God and as it were wounds Him, and compels Him to give what it demands. Such was the prayer of St. Catherine of Siena, who beseeching said: "Lord, I will not depart, I will not let Thee go, until Thou givest me this or that thing, namely a soul." Hence secondly, the prayer of the just avails much, if it be ἐνεργουμένη, that is, acting, working, not idle and sluggish, but intent upon good works and accompanied by them, winged and armed: for the works both of the one praying and of him for whom prayer is made, namely penance, amendment of life, observance of commandments, and the exercise of charity, patience, humility and other virtues make prayer efficacious and as it were omnipotent, says Maximus, century III, chapter VIII and LXXXIV, and from him Theodore the Studite, sermon 107. Thus Paul, Galatians V, 6, says faith avails much "which worketh by charity," in Greek ἐνεργουμένη. This is what the angel teaches Tobias, chapter XII, 8: "Good is prayer with fasting and almsdeeds, more than to lay up treasures of gold." Fasting therefore, that is, affliction of body and spirit, and especially contrition of mind, sighing, tears give force to prayer and as it were compel God to succor the afflicted. Whence: "When thou didst pray with tears," said Raphael to Tobias, cap. XII, vers. 12, "thou wast heard"; and Judith, cap. VIII, 14: "His mercy," she says, "let us beseech with tears shed," and Magdalen obtained pardon, "when she began to wash his feet with tears," Luke VII, 38. Whence rightly says St. Gregory of Nazianzus, oration 1 Against Julian: "The tears of the pious are a deluge of sin, and an expiation of the world." And Climacus, step 7: "Greater and more powerful than baptism, after baptism is the fountain of tears." St. Maximus, homily On the Penance of St. Peter: "More useful," he says, "are prayers of tears than of words: because speech in praying perhaps deceives, but tears do not deceive at all; for speech sometimes does not fully express the matter, but tears always reveal the whole affection." Chrysostom, homily 30 in Genesis: "What, I pray, is more beautiful on that day than those eyes, perpetually adorned with a shower of tears, and as it were with the beauty of pearls?" St. Gregory of Nyssa, funeral oration On Placilla: "Wounds of the mind," he says, "are tears as it were blood." St. Leo, sermon 9 On the Passion: "Happy," he says, "O holy Apostle, thy tears, which had the power of sacred baptism to wash away the guilt of denial." Whence Peter of Celle, book On Loaves, cap. XII: "The devil," he says, "more tolerably endures flame than our tear." Antipater remonstrated severely with Alexander the Great by letter concerning Olympias, Alexander's own mother, and earnestly contended with the king that the injuries inflicted upon him through the utmost insolence should be repaired as soon as possible. Alexander read the complaints calmly, and replied with that noble apophthegm: "Antipater seems not to know that one tear of his mother will blot out many letters." Likewise one tear of a sinner, melted in the fire of contrition, will blot out many and most grave injuries inflicted upon God. Peter Chrysologus, sermon 93: "O what," he says, "is the power in the tears of sinners! they water heaven, they drench the earth, they extinguish hell, they blot out the sentence promulgated by divine declaration against every crime." Anselm of Laon, or the Gloss interlinear on that passage of Tob. III, 14, "Persisting in prayer with tears he besought God": "Prayer," he says, "softens God, tears compel; this anoints, that pierces." St. Bernard, sermon 30 in the Canticles: "The tears of the penitent," he says, "are wine of the angels," nay of God himself, in which he delights himself and as it were quenches his thirst, according to that Ps. LV, 9: "Thou hast put my tears in thy sight." Where the Zurich version renders: "my tears lay up in thy bottle." Deservedly therefore exclaims Justinian, book on the Wood of Life, cap. IX: "O humble tear, thine is the power, thine is the kingdom. Thou fearest not the tribunal of the judge, thou imposest silence on the accusers of thy friends, there is none who forbids thee to approach God; if thou alone enterest, thou shalt not return empty. What more? thou overcomest the unconquerable, thou bindest the almighty, thou openest heaven, thou puttest to flight the devil." Note: By "the just," understand any person, but especially one who is a minister of the Church and a priest, to whom it is altogether fitting to be just, especially when he administers Extreme Unction and other Sacraments. Again, the prayer of the just ought to be ἐνεργουμένη, that is, intent, operative, efficacious, assiduous, such as was that of St. James our brother, surnamed the Just; whose knees had become callused from continual prayer, as I said in the Preface. Such likewise was that of St. Benedict, St. Francis, St. Dominic, St. Thomas Aquinas, who therefore asserted that they had never asked anything of God, especially through the Blessed Virgin, which they did not straightway obtain. For the minds of the Saints are as it were an altar of incense, which exhales a fragrance of prayers and sighs, most sweet and pleasing to God. Such was Abraham praying and obtaining that Sodom be spared, if ten just men should be found in it, Gen. XVIII, 32. Therefore one just man is worth more with God than all sinners, than heaven and earth. "The intercession of the Saints is a common remedy for all diseases," says Theodoret in Hist. Relig. cap. XVI. What wonder is this? Augustus Caesar, having captured Alexandria, although he was indignant toward that city on account of injuries inflicted upon him, spared it for the sake of Arius the Alexandrian philosopher, his friend. But God is far more merciful than Augustus, far more generous. Wherefore God through Jeremiah, cap. V, 1, cries out: "Go about the ways of Jerusalem, and see, and consider, and seek in the broad ways thereof, if you can find a man that executeth judgment, and seeketh faith, and I will be merciful unto him." The just therefore are the bases, supports and pillars of cities, provinces and kingdoms. "Who would doubt that the world stands by the prayers of the Saints?" says Rufinus, praef. in Vitas Patrum. But the prayer of a sinner avails little, unless he repent and seek help from God to convert himself, as did St. Mary Magdalene, the Publican, St. Peter, St. Paul. Such above all was the prayer of Moses Exodus XXXII, 10. For, as St. Basil says, orat. 2, which is on Prayer: "Great is the weight of their assistance, who are able by prayers to bend God; and mutual supplications, both while they are salutary in this life, then when we depart from this life, will furnish us with abundant provisions for the future life." Note secondly: Cassian, Collat. VIII, cap. XXXIII, assigns many modes and causes by which prayer is made efficacious: "You have," he says, "in the agreement of two the fruit of hearing marked by the Lord's voice, according to that: If two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven. You have another in the fullness of faith, which is compared to a grain of mustard seed: For if, he says, you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain: Remove from hence, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible to you. You have it in the assiduity of prayers, which on account of the unceasing perseverance of petitions, the Lord's discourse named importunity: Amen I say to you, that if he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise, and give him as much as he needeth. You have it in the fruit of almsdeeds: Loose, he says, the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress. You have it in the amendment of life and works of mercy, according to that: Loose the bundles that oppress." And after a few words, by which the unfruitful sterility of fasting is rebuked: "Then," he says, "thou shalt call, and the Lord shall hear; thou shalt cry, and he shall say: Behold I am here. Sometimes indeed even the excess of tribulations causes one to be heard, according to that: I cried to the Lord in my trouble, and he heard me; and again: Thou shalt not afflict a stranger, for if he cry out to me, I will hear him, for I am merciful." Note thirdly: St. Thomas, sermon on the Rogations, shows how much the prayer of the just man avails, from six of its effects. First indeed, he says, it mitigates the wrath of God, opposing itself as a shield, Wisdom XVIII, 21; it obtains all things, Matthew XXI, 24; it inclines God to obey man, Joshua X, 14. Secondly, angels assist the one praying, Daniel IX, 24; the same offer prayers to God and report their being heard, Job XII, 12. Thirdly, the prayer of the just man frees man from evils and obtains pardon, confers present and eternal salvation, bodily and spiritual, here verse 15. Fourthly, it puts demons to flight from heart and body, Matthew last, verse 17; it makes the same obedient, even so that they cast themselves into the sea, Matthew XXI, 21. Fifthly, it dominates all elements and creatures; it stops the sun, Joshua X, 14; it calls down fire from heaven, IV Kings I, 10; it closes heaven, as appears in the following verse; it divides the sea and waters, Exodus XIV, 15 and 21; Joshua III, 16; it leads the dead out of Purgatory, Ecclesiasticus XLVIII, 5; it tames the most ferocious beasts, cures leprosy, fever, plague and all diseases; it calms tempests, fires, floods; it brings down all virtues and graces from heaven, and thus overcomes and as it were binds the almighty God. Finally Origen, homily 9 on Numbers, teaches that God grants to the one praying more than he asks. Whence also the Church prays: "O God, who by the abundance of thy mercy dost exceed both the merits of the suppliants and their desires, pour out thy mercy upon us, that thou mayest forgive what our conscience fears, and add what our prayer dares not presume." Most excellently the author of the sermon to the Brethren in the desert tacitly here refutes the error that Elias still lives somewhere on earth, deferred until the end of the world. Which error was followed by Peter Damian, epistle 11 to Pope Nicholas. James tacitly refutes it here, saying that he was subject to suffering and mortal. I likewise refuted this error Numbers xxv, 13. The sense therefore is, as if to say: If Elias, a just and holy man, obtained such great things from God by praying: therefore likewise the prayer of other just men will obtain great things from God; for Elias was not an angel, nor of a different nature than we; indeed he was in all things like unto us; but he had great confidence in praying, and by it obtained things which were naturally impossible: let us put on the same by God's grace, and we shall obtain similar things.
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17. Elias was a man subject to suffering like us. — Gloss: "with similar weakness of mind and flesh"; in Greek ὁμοιοπαθής, subject to similar affections and passions as we are; and yet his prayer was the opening of heaven, opening and closing it at his pleasure; moistening and drying the earth; making it fruitful and barren. He proves that the prayer of the just avails much by the example of Elias, whose justice and holiness, as well as the efficacy of his prayer in working miracles and portents, was most celebrated among the Jews. For Elias was a man like us. He says this first, because Elias, now taken up into heaven, is unlike us and impassible. Second, because his life was so sublime, and he was so great a worker of wonders, that he might seem to be an angel rather than a man. Whence also he was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot; so that Elias, says St. Chrysostom, serm. On the Ascension of Elias, appears to have been ἥλιος, that is, the sun, ascending from earth to heaven. For thus the Jews thought that Malachy, Aggaeus, and John the Baptist were incarnate angels. Hence also Elias is said to be as it were אלייד Eliia, that is, "my Lord is God," according to Pagninus in Nomin. Hebr., or "my God is strong." Whence St. Athanasius, Apolog. On His Flight, says that Elias was named God. Wherefore in Ecclesiasticus xlviii, 1: "There arose," it says, "Elias the prophet as a fire, and his word was like a burning torch"; for he was wholly burning with zeal for God, and Epiphanius asserts this was signified by a prodigy, lib. On the Life of the Prophets, in Elias. For he says: "When his mother was in travail, such a vision appeared to the father as the sun: men bearing a certain snowy garment before them were anointing the boy, and were snatching him from his mother's breasts into fire, and were even ministering flame of fire in place of food. The father therefore went to Jerusalem, and having seen it reported it to the priests. And the oracle (that is, the oracle or response) answered him: Beware lest thou make it manifest: for the light of this son shall be his dwelling, and his word a demonstration and a brief sentence, and he shall judge Israel both in fire and with a sword. This is that Elias who three times brought down fire from heaven, and who bore rain by his tongue, and also raised the dead, and was finally taken up to heaven in a cloud, or whirlwind of fire." Third, because the Hebrews hand down that Elias was the same as Phinees, son of Eleazar the high priest, who by his zeal merited immortality, namely to live until the end of the world. St. Augustine, serm. 22, shows the efficacy of prayer: "Jeremias praying," he says, "is strengthened in prison, Daniel exults among lions, the three boys dance in the furnace, Job triumphs over the devil on the dunghill, the thief finds paradise from the cross, Susanna is defended from the elders, Stephen is taken up from the torrent to heaven: there is therefore no place in which we ought not to pray. Pray therefore always, and in every place, and for one another, that you may be saved. Holy prayer is the pillar of virtues, the ladder of divinity, the husband of widows, the kinsman of angels, the foundation of faith, the crown of monks, the solace of the married." Morally St. Gregory, lib. XIX Moral., v, notes that God leaves to Elias and the Saints through whom He works such great things their inborn frailty, lest they become proud from God's works and arrogate them to themselves. "When," he says, "Elias had advanced in so many virtues to great heights, yet he fled from a little woman (Jezabel), sought death from the hand of God, and did not receive it, etc. In those virtues Elias recognized what he had received from God; in these infirmities, what he could be of himself: that power was virtue, this infirmity was the guardian of virtue: in those virtues he showed what he had received, in these infirmities he guarded what he had received. In miracles Elias was displayed, in infirmities he was preserved." And he prayed with prayer (that is, he prayed fervently: for this is the force of the repetition) that it should not rain upon the earth, and it rained not for three years. — In III Kings xvii, 1, it is said only that Elias foretold this drought. James adds that he himself obtained the same through his prayers and secured it, and that from a great zeal for the honor of God, namely that he might show himself to be a true and efficacious prophet of the true God; and that he might punish Achab and Jezabel and their impious subjects, who worshipped Baal, with this penalty, and bring them back to the worship of the true God who sent this plague. Wherefore with justice St. Chrysostom, hom. 16, from various passages of Matthew: "Elias," he says, "had a tongue like the key of heaven: for he became as it were an arbiter, at whose nod both the rains were held back and flowed forth." For prayer, says Tertullian, lib. Against the Psychics, cap. vi, strengthened by fasting and abstinence, had the power of obtaining; and this was "that heaven might be closed to the impious, who had defiled earthly things," says St. Ambrose, lib. On Elias, cap. II. This was a great zeal of Elias; yet not excessive, as St. Chrysostom seems to say, who serm. 1 On Elias, at the end, gives the cause of Elias's rapture into heaven as his excessive zeal, lest by it the world should perish and be destroyed. "For if thou hadst to remain long on earth," he says, "soon the human race which is scourged by thee would be absolved. Pass therefore into the heavens, O Elias: thou canst not dwell with fire in a reed. Thou shalt hereafter have sinless companions, I shall make thee dwell among the choirs of angels." The same, serm. On Elias and Peter, calls Elias a terrestrial angel, a heavenly man, who walking through the earth closed heaven, was the keeper of waters: for his tongue was a treasure of waters, which his tongue held the clouds of heaven, not praying nor beseeching; but as soon as he uttered the word of truth, he closed heaven, nay made it as it were bronze: his word lay upon the bowels of the earth like a fever, and immediately all things were dried up; whence there was a common wailing and lamentation of children and mothers, and the utmost despair, dead cattle, beasts of burden, wild beasts, birds, men, fountains, rivers, lakes, and all things in them perished: a universal shipwreck held the lands, made not by abundance of waters, but by their lack. And yet, he says, none of these things were a care to Elias. Whence he thinks that he was therefore not heard by God for a long time, when he implored his aid fleeing from Jezabel for forty days, that he might learn to have compassion and mercy on others. But zeal excuses Elias; "zeal purges the crime," he says. Wherefore by his prayer he obtained so many prodigies by which he punished the idolaters and established the worship of the one true God. Hence when they repented, immediately the prodigies ceased, and he recalled the plagues. Hence also ascending into heaven he merited to hear from Eliseus: "My father, the chariot of Israel and the charioteer thereof," as if to say: Thou, O Elias, wast all the strength of Israel, thou didst help Israel more by thy prayer and zeal than a great multitude of chariots and horsemen. Thus the Chaldeans, Procopius, Vatablus, Cajetan and others there. Tropologically: "A teacher of the people correcting morals, such as Elias was, is a chariot, because he bears the morals of the people by enduring them; the same is a charioteer, because he drives the same by exhorting," says St. Gregory, lib. II on Ezekiel, hom. 21.
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18. And again he prayed, — Achab having repented and the people requesting rain, whose key God alone holds, as the Hebrews say. Elias was a type of the priest, who opens heaven to the sinner, and procures for him the rain of grace, while he absolves him and remits his sins. Thus our Turrianus, cap. IV De Dogm. charact. Moreover, Elias praying, "cast himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees," III Kings xviii, 42, so that by this difficult, attentive, humble, reverent, and trusting bodily composition and posture, he might as it were compel God to give. Again, Elias prayed seven times to obtain rain: for seven times he sent his servant to see whether the heaven were covered with clouds and brought forth rain; and when he said he saw nothing, Elias returned to prayer and prayed more intensely, until the seventh time, praying most earnestly, he obtained rain, III Kings xviii, 44. Thus Bede. So often God does not grant at the beginning of prayer what we ask, that we may pray more earnestly and constantly: wherefore we ought not then to despair, but to stir up and increase hope, and to pray with greater confidence. Those who know and observe this never lose heart, but always press on more courageously to prayer, and thus obtain their desires, or certainly obtain something better. Heaven gave rain. — The history is related III Kings xviii, 1 and 41. Thus St. Hilarion praying obtained rain for his people, concerning whom St. Jerome writes thus in his Life: "Now it was already three years (since the death of St. Anthony) that the closed heaven had dried up those lands, so that men commonly said that the elements themselves mourned the death of Anthony. The inhabitants therefore begged rain from the servant of Christ (St. Hilarion), that is, from the successor of Blessed Anthony: seeing them, he was wonderfully grieved, and lifting up his eyes to heaven and raising both his hands on high, he immediately obtained what they asked." So our Elias, his namesake Elias, Bishop of Jerusalem, unjustly driven from his see by the impious Severus, Patriarch of Antioch, brought drought, locusts and famine upon Palestine, as the Life of St. Sabas relates. So St. Wilfrid freed the Anglo-Saxons, having received Baptism, from a three-year drought, says Bede, lib. IV Hist. Angl., cap. XIII. St. Audoenus did the same in Spain, as witness Volaterrano, lib. XXI, and St. Adalbert in Bohemia, as his Life relates. Prayer therefore is the key of heaven. Hear St. Augustine, serm. 226 De Temp.: "Prayer of the just is the key of heaven: the petition ascends, and the mercy of God descends." It itself therefore is the key of heaven, first, because through it Elias shut and opened heaven; nay, Joshua, cap. x, vers. 13, stood still the whole heaven and the entire machine of the celestial spheres by the force of prayer; Ezechias also turned back and drove back the sun by ten degrees, Isaiah cap. xxxviii, vers. 9. Secondly, because prayer brings down to earth the mightiest Angels, the rulers of the heavens, and draws them forth to aid. For "when Eliseus had prayed, etc., behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Eliseus," IV Kings vi, 17. Thirdly, because what is more wonderful, prayer binds God, and as it were draws Him bound from heaven to the just, or rather draws the just from earth to heaven, and binds them to God, so that nothing can harm them. St. Dionysius teaches this beautifully, III De Divin. Nomin., by two examples, namely a chain let down from heaven and firmly fixed there; and a rope tied to a rock, while the ship is tossed by waves: he who would draw these to himself by his hands would rather be drawn by them. God is therefore bound as it were by the one praying, but in this closest manner of prayer he is rather drawn to God than God is drawn to him. To this pertains that word of God angry at the people to Moses praying: "Let me alone, that my wrath may be kindled against them," Exodus xxxii, 10. "For to whom it is said, Let me alone, it is shown that he has the power to hold," says St. Jerome in cap. xiii Ezech. Allegorically, St. Augustine serm. 201 De Temp.: Elias, he says, was a type of Christ. "As therefore, Elias praying, after three years and six months rain came down from heaven, so also in the advent of the Saviour, in three years and six months, in which He deigned to preach, the rain of the word of God happily irrigated the whole world, and as then at the advent of Elias all the priests of idols were slain and destroyed, so at the advent of the true Elias, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ, the sacrilegious observance of the Pagans was destroyed." And the earth gave her fruit. — Hence the earth, cultivated by the Gentiles as if a goddess, was called Ceres, as it were Geres, from bearing fruits, just as it was called by the Greeks Δημήτηρ, as it were γημήτηρ, as Cicero says, book II of On the Nature of the Gods. The same was also called Pandora, as it were bringing and producing every good and gift. Hence the Poets fabled that Pandora was a most beautiful and most gracious woman, to whom each of the Gods gave their own gifts, namely Pallas wisdom, Venus beauty, Apollo music, Mercury eloquence. Whence it is said in Greek Pandora, as it were the gift of all, or given by all, or endowed with all goods. The true Pandora of the Holy Trinity, of the angels and of men, is the Blessed Virgin. She herself is indeed the paradise of delights and the land of the living. For truly a Poet, addressing Christ concerning her, thus sang: Nor by thy mother was any parent more fruitful, so many goods through her childbearing did she alone give. More truly the Prophet, sighing at her coming, says: "Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just; let the earth be opened, and bud forth a Saviour," Isaiah chapter 45.
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19. My brethren. — This maxim is disconnected from the preceding ones, yet it can be connected with them. For it looks back to what was said in verse 16: "Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another that you may be saved." For to this James aptly subjoins here and teaches how great is the importance of procuring the conversion and salvation of sinners, whether by praying for them, or by admonishing them, exhorting them, etc. For sinners are converted more by prayer obtaining for them the efficacious grace of God, than by preaching. If any man among you err from the truth. — Truth is twofold, speculative and practical, or of faith and of morals. The truth of faith is to believe what orthodox faith teaches; the truth of morals is to do what faith, law and virtue dictate should be done. For just as the truth of the mind is the adequation and conformity of the concept to the object itself, namely the thing conceived, when namely the mind conceives the thing as it is in itself; and the truth of speech is the conformity of utterance with the concept of the mind, when namely the mouth speaks what the mind feels: so the truth of faith is the conformity of the act of faith with its object, namely the thing to be believed, when namely it believes what is truly to be believed; and the truth of morals and of life is the conformity of the same with its rule, namely with the faith and law of God. In like manner error is twofold, namely of faith and of morals. Error in faith is heresy or infidelity; error in morals is sin and wickedness. Both truths and both errors can be understood here. For, as the Wise Man says, Proverbs 21, 16: "The man that wandereth out of the way of doctrine, shall abide in the congregation of the giants": giants, that is the damned: for giants, cruel and proud, were once drowned in the flood, condemned to descend to the infernal regions; and the demons of hell, inhabitants thereof, are mystical giants, nay the parents of giants and the proud. Hence Scripture calls hell the place of giants, Wisdom 14, 6; Isaiah 26, 14; Job 26, 5. Moreover the Gentiles, as Macrobius testifies, I Saturnalia 20, hold that giants and Titans signify an impious people contemning and denying the gods, and therefore the Poets affixed dragon feet to them, to signify that they thought nothing rightly, the whole course and progress of their life tending downward to the infernal regions.
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20. He who shall convert a sinner from the error of his way. — "Way" signifies life, morals, actions, manner of living. Now one converts a sinner by praying, teaching, correcting, urging, giving examples of holy life, bestowing alms, doing good, praising, etc. First therefore, let prayer be the instrument of the one converting souls. Second, charity, by which he accommodates himself to all, humbles himself to all, and with Paul becomes all things to all men. Chrysostom gives the reason, hom. 33 in I Corinthians: "Charity," he says, "is a great teacher, sufficiently fit both to remove errors, and to form morals, and to lead to philosophy by the hand, and to make men out of stones. He therefore who excels in charity," ought to help others, and to gain all, however lost. Third, gentleness, concerning which St. Bernard, serm. On St. Mary Magdalene, says: "O how imbued with a gentle and most sweet spirit is the spirit of him who knows how to instruct the sinner in a spirit of gentleness, to suspend vengeance, and with affectionate bowels to bind the sinner to himself until he is restored to life." Fourth, prudence, "so that those whom persuading and admonishing word does not heal, threats may heal; those whom threats do not heal, the rod may heal; those whom the rod does not heal, fire may consume," says Clement, I Paedagogus, cap. vii. Whence also the Bride, although beautiful, showed herself black to her own, so that to the remiss and fleeing she might exhibit discipline, not the brightness of serenity, but the dark zeal of severity, says St. Bernard, serm. 28 in Canticles. It shall save his soul from death — present and eternal: for in the present life the soul dies through sin, because through it it is deprived of the grace of God. For as the life of the body is the soul, so the life of the soul is God and the grace of God, says St. Augustine. In the future, moreover, it dies in Gehenna, because it suffers the eternal pains and agonies of death, and always dies, and is never dead. How great therefore is it to convert a sinner? As great as it is to save a soul, to free it from sin and Gehenna, and to restore to it grace and eternal glory. Most excellently St. Chrysostom, hom. On the care to be taken for the salvation of one's neighbor, tom. I: "Sailors," he says, "although a ship is borne by a favorable wind, when nevertheless they see others making shipwreck even from afar, do not despise their calamity while looking to their own advantage; but they stop the ship, lower the sails, cast out the anchor, bring forth ropes, throw out planks, so that he who is sinking in the waves may perhaps, seizing one of these, emerge. Imitate you also the sailors, when you see one of those sailing swimming in the waves, and already sinking: leaving your business, immediately provide for his salvation." The same, hom. 3 in I Corinthians: "Nothing," he says, "is to be compared with a soul in value, not even the whole world. Wherefore even if you give innumerable riches to the poor, you will effect nothing such as he who converts a soul." Meritedly therefore St. Bernard mourns, lib. IV On Consideration: "An ass falls," he says, "and there is one who lifts it up: a soul perishes, and there is no one who takes account of it." Thus the die is cast. Thus the salvation of so many souls, and eternal salvation, is played with. How many thousands of souls descend daily to Tartarus, which would be saved if they had a zealous curator of themselves? O if you saw their torments, if you heard their groans, if you knew the complaints of their confessors, pastors, priests, how you would devote and spend yourself on their conversion and salvation! To perish once is to perish eternally: to be damned once is irrevocable. If you saw a boy falling into fire, you would run, and with all effort would draw him out: you see souls falling into eternal fire, into the flames of Gehenna, and you scarcely move a foot to snatch them away. O torpor! O stupor! the virgin Israel "is cast down upon her land, there is none to raise her up," cries God through Amos, cap. v, vers. 2. Note: The "his," namely αὐτοῦ, is now not in the Greek; yet it was once: whence some reading through the rough breathing αὑτοῦ, translate "his own." Thus John VIII, Pontiff, epist. 38, Bede, the Gloss, Hugh, Dionysius and others, as if to say: He who saves another's soul, shall save his own, because if he is just, he will merit by condignity the heavenly glory by so pious a work. If unjust, he will merit by congruity grace and justice, as I shall show presently. Again, he who watches over another's salvation, consults his own salvation; because he would incur the death of the soul if he neglected the salvation of that one entrusted to him, according to that of Paul, I Tim. iv, 16: "Take heed to thyself and to doctrine: be earnest in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." Morally: Learn here that those who study the conversion of men after Christ are their saviors. This is what Abdias says, verse 21: "And saviors shall come up into mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau: and the kingdom shall be the Lord's." Where St. Jerome says: "He himself," he says, "wished His Apostles to be saviors of the world." How glorious this is, first, is clear from the price of a soul; for a soul is worth more than the whole world: for a soul is the image of God, and the highest participation of God. Whence St. Ignatius, founder of our Society, having been shown by God the beauty of a soul washed in the blood of Christ, was so inflamed with zeal for souls that he devoted his whole life to it through immense labors and sufferings; indeed he even instituted the Society for this purpose, saying that the beauty of a soul is so great that it surpasses all price and all labor. Thus Ribadeneira in his Life, book V, chapter ii. Secondly, from the example of Christ, who descended from heaven for this purpose, that he might save souls, and therefore labored his whole life, sweated and endured the most bitter sufferings, and willingly underwent the cross itself. Do you wish to know how precious a soul is? Estimate it from the price at which it was bought, namely from the blood of Christ: therefore the price of a soul is the life of Christ, and Christ himself. Wherefore those who study the salvation of their neighbors are of the family and society of Jesus. If a most skilled goldsmith were to buy a diamond for a thousand pieces of gold, we would all esteem the stone greatly. Christ poured out his blood to redeem a soul: how much therefore ought it to be esteemed! "A great thing is a soul, which has been redeemed by the blood of Christ," exclaims St. Bernard, epistle 54. Thirdly, from that of St. Dionysius, Celestial Hierarchy, chapter iii, where he teaches that this is the work not only of angels (for theirs is to purify, and illuminate and perfect), but of God himself: wherefore of all divine works it is the most divine, to cooperate with God in the conversion of the impious to him. "We are God's helpers," says Paul, I Corinthians iii, 9; and God says to Jeremiah, chapter xv, verse 19: "If thou wilt separate the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth." See the sayings there. These indeed are the angels and messengers of God: for angels "are ministering spirits, sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation," Hebrews i, 14. Again "there is no such sacrifice to God as zeal for souls," says St. Gregory, book XXXIV of the Morals, chapter vii. Fourthly, from the sense of the Saints. For St. Paul devoted himself entirely to souls to be converted, and suffered as much as he himself recounts in II Corinthians chapter xi. All the Apostles did the same. Those therefore who study the gain of souls, perform an Apostolic office, and are Apostolic men: such were St. Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom, Gregory, Augustine, Ambrose, Bernard, Dominic, Francis, etc. Truly St. Leo, sermon On St. Lawrence: "No good man," he says, "is good for himself alone, nor is wisdom the friend of any wise man for himself alone; and this is the nature of true virtues, that they draw many from dark error." Fifthly, that in this work consists the perfection of charity and virtue, as St. Cyril teaches, Sophonias chapter ii, number 14, and St. Augustine in epistle I of St. John, homily 6: "This is," he says, "the perfection of charity, and no greater can be found, than to lay down one's soul for the brethren." The same, cited here by Dionysius the Carthusian, asserts that he is more perfect in the charity of God who converts more to his love; and just as Christ cannot suffer a graver persecution than that someone by word or example turn away from him souls redeemed by his blood: so we cannot render him greater honor than by converting straying souls to him. Sixth, from the reward and illustrious crown. "Those who are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and those who instruct many unto justice, as stars for all eternity," says Dan. xii, 3; and Christ: "But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven," Matt. v, 17. Odo of Cluny, sermon On St. Benedict, asserts it to be a faithful opinion that each shall rise again with those whom he has acquired for the Lord. "When therefore," he says, "all the sheep following this institution of his shall be gathered together in one place, what a sign of apostleship that abundant army will then exhibit to St. Benedict!" Thus the Apostle calls the faithful converted by him his crown, his glory and joy in the day of the Lord, Phil. iv, 1, and I Thess. ii, 19. Thus St. Amandus appeared gloriously to St. Aldegund, surrounded by all those whom he had converted, as the Life of St. Aldegund relates. And St. Gregory, hom. 17 in Evang.: "There," he says, "Peter with Judaea converted, whom he drew after him, shall appear. There Paul leading, so to speak, the converted world. There Andrew shall lead Achaia after him, there John Asia, Thomas India brought to the sight of his judge converted. There all the rams of the Lord's flock shall appear with the gains of souls, who by their holy preaching draw after them to God the flock subjected to Him." Furthermore, he who strives to convert souls must first convert himself, and must strengthen and perfect himself in virtue; both because holiness avails more for converting sinners than preaching; and lest he create danger for himself: for just as those who wish to snatch the shipwrecked from danger, unless they themselves are in safety, often encounter the same danger and sink with them: so some weak persons, while striving to convert sinners, are perverted by them, and are involved with them in the same abyss of sin and hell. Whence Christ wisely admonishes: "For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?" Matt. xvi, 26. And shall cover a multitude of sins, — both of him whom he converts, and of his own. St. James alludes to that passage Prov. cap. x, vers. 12: "Charity covereth all sins." First therefore charity is as it were a cloak, a covering, a veil and garment, by which the converted and penitent sinner covers, that is, abolishes all past sins (whence in Greek it is καλύψει, that is, shall cover, shall hide, shall cover), just as light covers darkness, abolishing it; just as a cloak covers nakedness, removing it; just as a ditch is covered by earth thrown in, while it is filled; just as black color applied to white covers it not by hiding, but by abolishing; just as water covers fire, while it overwhelms and extinguishes it. This is what Christ says of the Magdalen: "Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much," Luke vii, 47. Second, amendment of morals and a new and holy life covers the sins and shameful deeds of the preceding life, and puts itself in their place and opposes itself to the eyes of God, so that He may no longer see them as if covered and hidden, according to that Psalm. xxxi, 1: "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." Third, "shall cover," that is, shall extinguish the raging flood or fire of sins. For error in faith, namely heresy, is the source and origin of blasphemy, contention, pride, gluttony, lust, fraud and all sins. He therefore who converts the erring one, namely the heretic, covers and extinguishes all these sins which he would have committed. Similarly the sinner is drawn from one sin to another and another. For sin is as it were a plague, pestilence, gangrene and cancer, which always spreads, until it infects the whole body and fills it with sins. All these things are covered and cut off by him who converts the sinner. Fourth, he who converts a sinner covers all the scandals and sins of others, which namely others would commit by his example. Thus often the error and crime of one powerful man infects an entire city and commonwealth with its contagion and contaminates it with crimes. He therefore who converts such a one covers and removes all these things, so that he may prevent not one, but thousands of sins and innumerable offenses and injuries to God the best and greatest. Is not this a great good and a signal honor and glory to God? Fifth and more properly, "shall cover" sins not only of others, but also his own, as the Interpreters commonly explain it—Bede, Thomas Anglicus, Dionysius, Titelmannus, Fevardentius and others (some cite the Syriac, as if it rendered "of his own sins": but in vain; for the Hebrew and Syriac affix av can be rendered both "his" and "of his": for to the Hebrews and Syrians the same is the reciprocal pronoun as the absolute); for if he is just, as often happens, he shall cover both venial faults by a pious work of charity and a great part of the remaining penalty from mortal sins already remitted; but if he is still unjust and in a state of mortal sin, this zeal of his, solicitude and ardor in converting his neighbor draws forth and provokes, and as it were by congruity merits the mercy of God, so that He may bestow efficacious grace upon him, by which being stirred up he himself may detest his former sins, change his life, and become just and holy. For, as St. Gregory says, book XIX of the Morals, chapter xii, otherwise xvi: "The blessing of the perishing comes upon him, when he prevents the destruction of the sinner, and with holy exhortations draws him back from the pit of guilt." Therefore this zeal of his is as it were a cloak, by which he covers his own sins before the eyes of God, so that he may find grace in them: for zeal is so pleasing to God that it is his glory, and he himself is clothed and adorned with it as it were with a cloak, according to that of Isaiah lix, 17: "He is covered as with a cloak of zeal." Finally, if he is just, he merits to be preserved and strengthened in justice against future sins, so that he may either escape or overcome the dangers and occasions of sins pressing upon him, in which otherwise he would have fallen. For he merits this grace and protection of God, who strives to free and protect others from sin: which is to be weighed most carefully, so that by this reward we may be incited to zeal for souls. For while we care for the salvation of another, we care for our own, and as much our own as another's. For it is written: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy," Matthew v, 7. Whence Damascenus, book I of the Parallels, chapter xlviii, teaches from these words of James that the manner of abolishing one's own sins is the study of abolishing those of others. Thus Zacharias the Pontiff explains this passage, epistle 1 to Boniface: "Labor," he says, "most holy brother, in these things; because you know it is written: He who shall cause a sinner to be converted from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of his sins"; the same is found in John VIII the Pontiff, epistle 38, and in Origen, homily 2 on Leviticus, and in Cassianus, Collation XX, viii. The reason is, because the soul which you convert is as it were a victim for sin which you offer to God, far more pleasing to Him than a goat, a ram, an ox, which He once commanded to be offered to Him as it were victims for sin. For here as it were by the law of retaliation, you give to God the soul of your neighbor for your soul: therefore you give as much as you owe, for the price of your soul is as it were equal to the soul of another: for soul is worth soul, as ox is worth ox, gold is worth gold. Wherefore wisely St. Gregory, book VI, epistle 27, admonishes the Prioress of the monastery of the Lord, "that she gather as many souls as she can into the service of her Creator, so that their minds may receive through His word the grace of compunction, and so much the more quickly may she herself be absolved from all her sins, as through her life and tongue the souls of others also have burst forth from the bonds of their sins, etc.; so that therefore she may perfectly satisfy her Lady, that is, eternal Wisdom, who alone flees when she returns with many. For the guilt of her turning away shall be imputed to no one, which returning brings back gain." The same, book XIX of the Morals, chapter vi, says: "For if, by the law of great retaliation, you give to God the soul of your neighbor for your soul: therefore you give as much as you owe, for the price of your soul is as it were equal to the soul of another. For here as it were by the law of wages, to snatch from death flesh which shall sometime die—of how much merit will it be to free from death a soul, which shall live without end in the heavenly fatherland!"
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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1. Agite nuno, divites. Opportune post avaritiam et superbiam taxatam eorom, qui student ac^juirendis divitiis, hic totum 86 ad divites objurgandos convertit, divites, inquam, avaros, injustos, superbia tumidos, ac voluptatibus immersos, qmbus et mala superventura denuntiat. Egit quidem adversus eos dudum per aliam occasionem cap. 2., sed hic jam rursus, ac multo acrius, velut ex instituto eos aggreditur, inhumanitatem eorum in pauperes, et imminentem eis divinam ultionem verbis paene tragicis describens. Existimat Beda, sermonem esse ad divites infideles,. pauperum Christianorum oppressores. Verum, si locus cap. 2. ad divites Christianos pertinet, quod illic ostendimus, pari ratione etiam hunc locum de iis accipi, consentaneum est. Neque vero in Epistola, quae proprie scribitur ad fideles, conveniebat admisceri verba, quibus eos, qui foris sunt, Apostolus compellaret. Nam et quaecurri' que lex loquitur, iis, qui in lege sunt, loquitur, Rom. 3. Porro censet Joan. Calvimas, hae Jacobi oratione divites non ad poenitentiam invitari, sed terreri tantum, absque spe veniae. Quaecumque enim, inquit, dicuntur, non nisi ad desperationem spectant. Cui responsum sit, ipsam illorum increpationem, quantumvis duram, esse admonitionem agendae poenitentiae. Nisi forte Calvinus putat, etiam Christum divitibus abstulisse spem veniae, quibus dixit: Vae vobis divitibus, quia habetis consolationem vestram j ac non potius terrere voluisse, ut poenitentiam agendo Vae illud evaderent. Neque enim aliud hic dicit Jacobus, etsi pluribus verbis, quam quod illic Christus. Terret enim uterque et minatur, ut a peccatis revocet. Nec ignorabat Apostolus, homines peccatores, dum adhuc vivunt, non tamquam daemones increpandos esse, sed veniae spem omnibus propouendam;.quum ipsa caritas, quam omnibus debemus, vetet nos de quoquam desperare. Certe Petrus Apostolus Simonem magum, pessimum hominem, qui Spiritus sancti gratiam emere voluit, ut venalem faceret, ita increpavit, ut tamen ad poenitentiajn hortaretur, Act. 8. Et Paulos cocripi vult eos, qui resistunt, si quando Deus di^. illis poenitentiam, 2 Tim. 2. Sic igitur et B. Jacobus spem veniae per poenitentiam obtinendae nequaquam adimit divitibus, in quos tam acriter invehitur; ut sequentia docebunt, Agite, Graece: ays, de cujus significatione paulo ante dictum eat.
Plorate ululantes in miseriis vestria^ quae advenient vobis. Graece: super miseriis vestris superventuris. Has intelligit non temporales, ut quidam interterpretati sunt, sed sempiternas, id e^^ cruciatus gehennae. Et sensus est: Ponite vobis ob oculos aetemam miseriam certissime superventuram, nisi poenitentiam egeritis; et ejus rei cogitatio vos a^ fletum et ululatum provocet, id est, tor gentem animi dolorem in vobi« excctet} ut, eo metu ac terrore concussi, et ad Dei misericordiam confugientes, poenitentiam agatis vitae praeteritae. Inest igitur huic parti exhortatio ad poenitentiam, quemadmodum est et in illis verbis capitis praecedentis: Miseri estote, et lugete, et plorate etc.
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2. Divitiae vestrae putrefactae sunt. Exprobratio est extremae tenacitatis et immisericordiae divitum istorum, ut qui paterentur, opes suas computrescere potius et perire sine aliqua utilitate, quam ut eas erogarent in usum ac necessitatss indigentium. Putrefactionem posuit pro corruptione, speciem pro genere; aut di~ vittas intelligit ea parte, qua putrefactioni sunt obnoxiae, ut sunt congesta ligna, et agrorum, atque arborum fructus. Nam de aliis sequitur:
Et vestimenta vestra a tineis comesta sunt. Rectius: exesa seu corrosa sunt. In Graeco nomen est compositum: OYjTOppcoTa, id est atineis esa. Sed quia m Bequitur in Graeco verbum yIyovsv, verti commode potest hoc modo: tinearum esca facta sunt. Luxus vestium notatur, qui tantus in quibusdam est divitibus, ut mutatorias, quas sibi multiplicant, a tineis defendere nequeant.
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3. Aurum et argentum vestrum aerugindvit. Id est aerugine vitiatum est. Hoc in divites avaros maxime competit, quos non solum sacrae literae damnant, verum etiam profani scriptores passim insectantur, velut indignos, qui communem hauriant aerem, quod ipsi rerum suarum nihil aliis faciant commune, malintque pecunias stias aerugini erodendas, interdum et furibus auferendas servare, quam bdnis usibus impendere.
Et aerUgo eorum in testimonium vobis erity et manducabit carnes vestras sicut ipnis. Figuratus est sermo, quo aerugo fingitur et testis, et carnifex. Senstts autem est, aliquando futurum, nempe in Dei judicio, ut testimonium adversus eos dicat ipsorum conscientia, vid6licet eis repraesentans aurum suum et arg^nium avare servatum, et aerugine cofruptum; adeo ut, quemadmodum aerugo quondam peccunias eorum exedit, ita tunc eadem ipsa, memoriam obsidens et conscientiam mordens, exesura sit eorum c?lrnes, non levi cruciatu, sed tamquam ignis. Nam his verbis non tam consumptJo, quam poenae magnitudo significatur, quae non solum animos afficiat, verum etiam corpora cruciatum sit, etsi numquam consumenda. Non enim placet eorum commentarius, qui partem hanc interpretantur de curis immodicis, quibus ob studium divitiarum conficiuntUr homines avari; quam ob causam et edaces curae dicuntur. Nam Apostolus, non quid nunc divites patiantur, sed quid ab extremo judicio passuri sint, ostendere vult ac docere; sicut declarant etiam ea, quae sequuntur:
Thesaurizastis vobis iram in novissimis diebus. Variantin hac parte codices. Venerabilis Beda legit, ut nos habemus. At Graeca, quae nunc in manibus sunt, tantum habent: Thesaurizastis in novissimis, sive in extremis diebus. Ad eundem modum aliquot vetusti codices Latini, nec non Augustinus in Speculo. Consentit et Syrus interpres, nisi quod addit: vobis, forte de suo, paraphrasten agens. Porro apud Oecumenium Graecum textus quidem plane convenit cum eo, quod est in nostris; verum expositio satis arguit, eum non amplius legisse, quam quod nunc in Graecis est. Ex quibus fit verisimile, voculas illas: vobis iram, pro glossemate a quopiam huc adjectas fuisse ex Epist. ad Rom. cap. 2., ubi sic legitur: Thesaurizas tibi iram in die irae et revelationis justi judicii Dei. Quae verba saltem pro commentario sint hujus loci, ut sensus sit: Gaudetis et gratulamini vobis de thesauris pecuniarnra, quas avare recondidistis in multos annos. Atqui id faciendo coaccrvastis iram 3t maledictionem in diem novissimum, id est in diem extremi judicii. Quidam, quod in Graeco est, ita exponunt: Cumulatis vobis pecuniarum thesauros in novissimis diebus, id est in extrema senectate jam constituti; videlicet eo plus viatici quaerentes, quo minus restat viae. Rursus alii significatum volunt, divites, quasi semper victuros, numquam satiari; sed semper congerere, quod in multos annos, imo usque in finem saeculi satis esse queat. Ita quoque Cajetanus, qui juxta hunc sensum statuit antithesim inter hanc partem et proxime sequentem; ac si dicat Apostolus: Vos asservastis pecunias vestras in tempus futurum; et interim operarios vestros praesenti mercede fraudastis. Verum quod primo dixi, magis congruere videtur, ut verba sint denuntiantis justum Deijudicium; quemadmodum et ea, quae praecedunt, et quae mox sequuntur. Notandum denique, quod Oecumenius illud extremum partis praecedentis: (OC TZijp, quod Latinus interpres vertit: sicut ignis, ad sequentia referat, diverso casu: Tamquam ignem thesaurizastis in esp^ tremis diebus, faciatque hunc sensum: Divitiae vestrae, quas tamquam ignem pro thesauro recondidistis in extremos dies, id est in adventum Domini, exedent carnes vestras. Eadem distinctio conspicitur etiam hodie in nonnullis codicibus (inter quos Complutensis) Graecis; eadem est et in Syriaco textu, nisi quod in eo supprimatur similitudinis nota. Sic enim habet: fgnem congessistis vobis in dies ultimcs. Quae quidem distinctio non prorsus improbanda est.
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4. Ecce, merces operariorum, qui messuerunt regiones vestras, quae fraudata est a vobis, clamat. Avaritia divitum plerumque comites habet inhumanitaten, injustitiam, violentiam, et his cognata vitia. Hinc merces operariorum iniquissime detenta; quam injuriae speciem ex multis unam hic attingit, tamquam in primis odiosam, et adversus quam expressum in lege praeceptum datum fuerat, ut Lev. 19.: Non morabitur opus mercenarii tui opud te usque mane. Quod ipsum pluribus verbis explicatur Deut. 24., cum subjuncta hac comminatione: Ne clamet contra te ad Dominum, et reputetur tibi in peccatum. Ad quem locum Deuteronomii S. Jacobum alludere, quoniam clamoris meminit, admodum verisimile est. Quae etiam causa, cur peccatum hoc detentae mercedis ac frustrati laboris pauperum inter peccata in coelum clamantia vulgo ac recte numeretur. Dicitur autem merces, quae fraudata est, id est mercedis defraudatio seu detentio, clamare in coelum vel ad Deum, propter insignem ac manifestam hujus peccati malitiam, adeo ut in coehim ascendere, et Deum ad ultionem sui provocarevideatur. Porro speciatim loquitur Apostolus de operariis segetum messoribus, agricolas synecdochice volens significare, quia valde indignum est, eos, qui panem ex suo labore nobis suppeditant, pane sibi debito fraudari. Quamquam sciendum, Graeco vocabulo: a7:£OT£p7j- |JL£VO(;, non solumfsignificari subtractionem sive detentionem fraude factam, sed quomodocumque, etiam sola tenacitate. Quod facit ad majorem hujus criminis accusationem, quando etiam absque fraude facta mercedis detentio, modo injusta, clamat in coelum. Quare simpliciter verti potuit: quae subtracta fseu detenta) est a vobis.
Et clnmor eorum in aures Domini Sahhaoth introivit. Graece: Et clamores eorum, qui messuerunt, in aures Domini Sahhaoth introierunt. Syriace: Et vociferatio messorum in aures Domini Sabhaoth introivit. Prius dixit, mercedem operariorum fraudatam clamare, nunc ipsos operarios. Quomodo etiam in Deuteronomio de operario paupere dictum est: Ne clamet contra te ad Dominum. Sed res eodem recidit. Nam injuria violenta saepe etiam ipsos, quibus infertur, ad clamandum impellit. Unde per metonymiam clamor interdum ejusmodi injuria vocatur, ut Jes. 5.: Exspectavi, ut faceret judicium, etecce iniquitas; et justitiam, et ecce clamor. Sed sive, qui patiuntur injuriam, clament, sive taceant, ultionem Dei proprie non istorum provocat clamor, sed causa clamoris, id est injuria, vis, oppressio, quam patiuntur. Igitur cum dicit, clamorem eorum in aures Domini Sahhaoth introiisse, schemate Scripturis familiari significat, Deum graviter illorum injurias ulturum. Dicit autem Domini Sahhaoth, id est Domini exercituum, ut hoc epitheto significatam Dei potentiam opponat iis, qui potentes sunt in saeculo, nec humana curant tribunalia. Caeterum usurpat vocem Hebraeam Sahhaoth, sive quod Hebraeorum auribus, ad quos scribit, gratum id esset, sive ex imitatione LXX. interpretum, qui fere, ubicumque epitheton hoc Dei in Hebraeo occurreret, eandem vocem invariatam Graecis literis expresserunt. Nomine exercituum quidam accipiunt universam creaturam, quae tota servit et militat Dei voluntati. Sed Scripturae magis consonum est, angelorum copias intelligi, qui peculiari modo militant Deo, mente scilicet ac voluntate obsequentes divinis imperiis, In quibus etiam haec sunt milillae nomina: Principatus, Potestates, Virtutes. Vide, quae diximus ad illud Rom. 19.: Nisi Dominus Sabhaoth reliquisset nobis semen.
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5. Epulati estis super terram. T>W\tum alii ita tenaces sunt, ut opibus congostis uti non audeant, ne pecuniarum acer- VU8 minuatur; de quibus jam dictum est. Alii profundunt eas in luxum ct epulas, adeo non solliciti pauperum juvandorum, ut eos etiam calumniosis artibus perdere nitantur. In hos nunc invehitur B. Jacobus. Epulati estis, Graece: STpucpi^oaTS, deliciaii estis, deliciis indulsistiSj ut vertunt ex Syriaco; in deliciis vixistis, nt transtulit Erasmus. Noster veitit: Epulati estis, quod deliciae divitum potissime consistant in epulis. Addit Apostolus: super terram, quod omnis haec delectatio sit in bonis terrenis et fluxis, ac brevi perituris; cum Christianorum professio sit, quaerere ac sapere, quae sursum sunt, id est coelestia, non ea, quae super terram, Col. 3. Vel super terram, id est in hac vita mortali, quae super terram agitur. Per quod significat, eos immemores esse vitae futurae.
Et in luxuriis enutristis corda vestra. Graece: Et lascivistis. Enutristis corda vestra. TJt illud: et lascivistis, adhaereat parti praecedenti: Deliciati estis super terram et lascivistis; doinde nova eequatur pericope: Enutristis corda vestra etc. DeZiciac pertinent ad epulas, lascivia ad venerem, juxta illud Amos Prophetae increpantis opulentos in Sion cap. 6.: Qui dormitis in lectis eburneis, et lascivitis in stratis vestris; tametsiGraecum verbum OTcaTOcXav, hoc loco positum, aliis videatur ejusdem esse significationis cum priore, et per auxesim a B. Jacobo adjectum. Nam onaTaXig Graecis delicati cibi genus est, quod tamen etiam pro voluptate accipitur. Enutrire corda est, sibi indulgere in cibis et potu, non ad mensuram necessitatis, aut regulam rationis, sed quantum cor expetit et concupiscit, id est in corpore pascendo suae concupiscentiae satisfacere. Syrus paraphrastes corda interpretatur corporaf quasi dicat Apostolus: Corpora vestra lautis epulis egregie saginastis.
In die occisionis. Graece: sicut in die mactationis, ocpay^g. Syriace: tamquam ad diem mactationis, vel: sicut in die victimae. Quod bifariam exponitur. Uno modo, ut comparatio sumpta sit ab epulis sacrificalibus, quae lautiores esse solent magisque geniales epulis vulgaribus; utpote ex victimarum immolatarum carnibus exstructae. Quasi dicat Apostolus: Quotidiana agitastis convivia, tamquam omnes dies essent vobis festi, in quibus victimae caedi solent. Sic alibi Scriptura a victimis epularum apparatum significat, ut Jes. 34., Prov. 7. et 17. Quibus adde locum Nehem. 8. Alter sensus est, divites, dum more divitis illius evangelici, Luc. 16., epulantur quotidie splendide, sese paecere ac saginare, tamquam in diem mactationis, id est tamquam in illud tempus, quo mactandi sint; quomodo pecora solent diligenti cura saginari ad victimam. Ut dies mactationis intelligatur dies judicii, quando de carnibus impiorum parabitur epulum omcibus avibus coeli et bestiis terrae, id est daemonibus. Quod epulum post Ezechielem Prophetam cap. 39. describit Joannes Apostolus Apoc. 19., ita concludens: Et omnes aves saturatae sunt carnibus eorum. Quo referri potest etiam ille versiculus Psalm. 48.: Sicut oves in inferno positi sunt, mors depascet eos. Probabilem facit hunc sensum locus Jer. 12., ubi de impiis sic ad Deum loquitur: Congrega eos, quasi gregem ad victimam, et sanctifica eos in die occisionis. LXX.: sig ijiiipav ocpay^g, ad diem mactationis. Nec obstat huic intellectui, quod dicitur: in die, non: m c^icm (quamquam hoc in Latinis quibusdam manuscriptis legitur); constat enim, Apostolos interdum usurpare praepositionem iv pro stg; ut hic paulo ante: Thesaurizastis in novissimis diebus, id est in novissimos dies; et Rom. 2.: Thesaurizas tibi iram in die irae, id est in diem irae. Huic interpretationi afiEiue est, quod Oecumenius dicit, Apofttolum respicere ad expugnationem Judaeorum a Romanis, ad quam, velut mactationem et victimam solemnem, epulis et deliciis irapinguandos sese praeparabant. De qua Judaeorum caede videtur etiam Jeremias prophetice loqui in verbis supra dictis. Plerisque tamen neotericis prior sen- BU8 magis allubescit propter adverbium similitudinis in Graeco textu appositum. Porro non desunt, qui victimam intelligant justum occisum, sive pauperem oppressum, super quo divites oppressores, tamquam voto potiti, laetantur et epulantur. De quo justo sequitur:
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6. Addixistis et occidistis justum, Partem praecedentem: in die occisionis, multi Latini codices initium faciunt hujus versus: In die occisionis addixistis etc. Quam distinctionem etiam expositores non pauci secuti sunt. At minus recte; nam multo commodius adjungitur ea pars superioribus. Quod in multis codicibus legitur: adduxistis, pro: addixistis, mendum est ab imperitis invectum, qui, quid sit addicere quempiam, non intellexerunt. Alioqui constat, legendum (ut in plerisque manuscriptis habetur): addixistis, pro quo Graece est: xaTeStxaoaTe, id est condemnastis; quod et Syriaca voce significatur. Nam addicere pro cofidemnare, non est alienum a consuetudine sermonis Latini; tametsi magis usitate dicitur, addito casu dativo: addicere supplicio j morti. Sed id hoc loco suppletur per verbum adjunctum: occidistis; quasi dicat: Addixistis justum morti, qua et affecistis eum. Quamquam absolute etiam apud Latinos dicuntur addicti, qui Graece xaTaSsStxaofievoi^, id est condemnati. De quo Valla lib. 5. elegant. cap. 28. Ipsum quoque verbum absolute posuit Gregorius in hom. 17. super Evang., cum ait: Ne apud justum judicem no~ sira nos taciturnitas addicat. Imo et Cicero in Pisonem: HujuSj inquit, ipsius domum evertisti, cujus sanguinem addixeras. Potest autem etiam ex Graeco verti: accusastiSy reum egistis, dicam scripsistis; idque sane probabiliter. Non enim hic judices Apostolus compellat, sed divites privatos, qui justum agebant mortis reum in judicio. Sed quemjustum? Beda et Oecumenius Christum Dominum intelligunt, de quo scriptum est: Prope est justus meus, Jes. 51. Et de quo Stephanus ad Judaeos Act. 7.: Quem Prophetarum non sunt persecuti patres vestri? Et occiderunt eos, qui praenuntiabant de adventu Justi, cujus nunc vos proditores et homicidae fuistis. Addit Beda, totam comminationem praecedentem ab initio hujus capitis, ubi dicitur: Agite nunc, divites, plorate etc, praedictionem quandam ^sse eversionis civitatis Jerosolymae, et horrendae cladis ac internecionis, quam passi sunt Judaei in ultionem mortis Dominicae. Sensus hic etiam recentioribus quibusdam placuit, Titelmanno, Gaignaeo, Stapulensi et aliis; quorum etiam nonnulli diem occisionis interpretantur de die solemni Paschae, quo legales immolandae erant victimae, quo eodem justum, id est Christum condemnare et occidere non sunt veriti. Verum huic sensui multa sunt, qaae videantur obstare. Primum, quod Scriptura mortem Christi non divitibus imputat, sed principibus ac sacerdotibus Judaeorum. Hic autem speciatim adversus divites increpatio dirigitur. Deinde, quia scribitur haec Epistola ad Judaeos fideles duodecim tribuum in dispersione positos, in quos, jam Christi fidem amplexos ac poenitentia (si ex illis parricidis fuerant) ductos, noluisset B. Jacobus hac exprobratione uti. Item, cum a Christi morte jam anni ferme triginta fluxissent, verisimile est, paucos ac vix ullos mortis illius auctores, cum haec scriberentur, superfuisse, in quos stringi posset haec comminatio. Sed et caetera, adversus avaritiam et luxum divitum hactenus a B. Jacobo dicta, parum ad hunc sensum conferunt. Quocirca probabilius est, quod alii sentiunt, in numero singulari emphaticum esse sermonem, quo significetur, nnumquemqno pauperem jnstnm, quamvis solitarius ac desertus videatur, ideoque divitum praedae expositus, e diverso tamen, atque si solus et unicus esset, singulariter a Deo curari. Sic enim et alibi justum divitibus ac potentibus opponit Scriptura, ut Jes. 67.: Justus perit, et non est, qui recogitet in corde suo, et Fsalm. 93.: Captabunt in animam justi, et sanguinem innocentem condemnabunt, £t alibi in Psalmis. Jam quod ait: addixistis et occidisUs, sive addicere sit condemnare, sive aoensare, synecdochice sic accipi potest, ut comprehendat omne genus calumniae, violentiae et oppressionis; quemadmodum et sanguis saepennmero sumitur in Scripturis. Unde, qui innoxios quovis modo persequnntnr, viri sanguinum dicuntur, quibus et dicitur Jes. 1.: Manus vestrae sanguine plenae sunt. Ac notum est illud: Omnis, qui odit fratrem suum, homicida est, 1 Joan. 3. Sicut ergo in superioribus alia divitum vitia taxata sunt, ut avaritia, et luxus, et mercedis operariorum detentio: ita hic notat, quod pessimum est, violentiam scilicet, atque calumniosam justorum pauperum oppressionem, quae interdum etiam usque ad mortis machinationem procedit.
Et non restitit vobis. Restitit, Graece avTtTaoosTai, id est resistit; quod et in Latinis manuscriptis non paucis reperitur, et, Erasmo teste (dissentit enim meus codex), apud Bedam legitur. Quae lectio rursus ad Christum minus aptari potest. Dicitur enim quis injurianti non resistere tunc, quando patitur, non posteaquam passus est. Atqui passio Christi, Jacobo haec scribente, jamdudum praeterierat. Significantur ergo divitum violentiae quotidianae in pauperes, ob inopiam amicomm resistere non valentes. Quo magis certe metuere debent divites ultricem manum ejus, cui dicitur: Tibi derelictus est pauper; orphano tu eris adjutor, Psalm. 9. Porro quod Erasmus vertendum putavit impersonaliter: non opponitur vobis, id praeter usum est verbi Graeci. Deinde nec probo, quod Cajetanus •annntat, verbum resistit, non ad justum, sed ad Deum referri. Nam de Deo potius affirmanter et comminative dicendum erat: resistet vobis; secundum id, quod ante dixit: Clamor eorum in aures Domini Sabbaoth introivit. Necquidquam incommodi, siad^ws^um referatur hoc modo: Occidistis justum non resistentem vobis. Postremo notandum, in Graeco totam sententiam sic legi: Addixistis, occidistis justum; non resistit vobis; nulla scilicet addita conjunctione, quam tamen ad pleniorem sensum recte Latini interprete^, itemque Syrus adscripserunt.
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7. Patientes igitur estote, fratre^, usque ad adventum Domini. Nunc pauperibus afflictis et oppressis consolationem adhibet, exhortans eos, ut patienter ferant injurias usque in illud ten^pn^, quo et ipsi suae patientiae praemium accepturi sint, et divites condignas suis sceleribus poenas daturi. Hoc enim tempus significat per adventum Domini, videlicet Christi, ad judicium. Quamvis enim judicia particularia praecedant, ea nobis interim occulta sunt, nec uno tempore fiunt; eademque non hominum sunt, sed animarum tantum. Idcirco passim judicium universale proponitur in Scripturis, ad quod omnes spectent; nt in quo manifeste simul universum genus hominum judicandum sit. Patientes estote, Graece: /JiaxpoOu^i^oaTe, longanimes estote, perdurate. Significat enim patientiam perseverantem. Sed ad consolationem terminum figit adventum Domini. Nam etsi post hujus vitae terminum mali non habeant amplius, quid faciant bonis, Luc. 12., plena tamen retributio, tam bonis, quam malis servatur in illum diem, quo reddet Dominus unicuique secundum opera sua. Porro quem Oecumenius adventum Domini intelligat, paulo post dicemus.
Ecce, agricola exspectat pretiosum fructum terrae, patienter ferens. Exhortationem confirmat exemplo agricola^, qui labores, quos impendit in colenda terra, patienter tolerat spe percipiendi ex ea fructum pretiosum, id est sibi utilem, qaum tempus advenerit; neque moleste fert, quod non fltatim terra fructum reddat. Ita vobis, inquit, longanimiter ferendae sunt injuriae et caetera hujus vitae mala, ut fructum laboris ac patientiae vestrae super omnia pretiosum, id est, aeternae vitae coronam, a Deo promissam, quum ad judicium venerit, accipiatis. Sciendum, pro eo, quod nos habemus: Patienter ferens, ita legi in Graeco: |iaxpo^u|iu)v kn auToT, id est, longanimiter ferens super eo, nempe fructu pretioso terrae. Ijem verbum cum superiore, quod et statim infra repetitur. Erasmus vertit: patienter exsptctans illum; at Graeca non hoc significant, sed id, quod dixi; ut sensus sit, agricolam in laboribus patientem esse ac durare propter fructum, quem sperat. Hunc enim sensum etiam Syrus interpres expressit.
Donec accipiat temporaneum et serotinum. Fructum subintelligit Liranus. Quoniam, inquit, terra promissionis, de qua loquitur Apostolus, duplicem fructum reddit quotannis, temporaneum, id est primitivum in Aprili, et serotinum in Septembri, Sed hoc rejicit Paulus Burgensiri, quoniam nec Scriptura in illius terrae commendatione usquam hujus rei meminit, nec a peregrinis inde revertentibus quidquam tale narratur. Itaque mavult ille, temporaneum dici de fructibus, qui prius maturescunt, eadem tamen anni parte, et serotinum de iis, qui posterius. Id ipsum sentit auctor glossae interlinealis, dum temporaneum exponit fructuum primitias. Atqui verus intellectus tum ex Graeco textu, tum ex aliis Scripturis petendus est. In Graeco sic legitur: Donec accipiat pluviam temporaneam f sive tempestivam (ut alii vertunt), et serotinam. Nec secus in Syriaco. Scriptura vero frequenter utriusque pluviae meminit, ut Deut. 11.: Dabit Dominus pluviam terrae vestrae, temporaneam et serotinam; Jerem. 5.: Metuamus Dominum Deum nostrum, qui dat nobis pluviam temporaneam et serotinam in tempore suo. Item Hosee 6. et Joelis 2. mentio fit imbris temporanei et serotini. Alibi solus imber serotinus nominatur, tamquam optatissimus atque utilissimus, ut Jerem. 3., Amos 7., Zach. 10. Unde et ab eo comparatio sumitur rei gratissimae, Job 29. et Prov. 16. Est autem pluvia temporanea seu primi temporis, quae terram rigat, jacta semente. Serotina, qua seges ante maturitatem et messem grandescit, ac spicae turgescunt. Male quidam pluviam temporaneam et serotinam interpretati sunt matutinam et vespertinam; haec enim temporum in pluviis distributio nihil aut parum ad vota agricolarum; forte eos fefellit dictio: matutinum, quae legitur apud Joelem. Sed interpres ibi matutinum pro temporaneo posuit. Est enim in Hebraeo idem vocabulum, quod alibi.
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8. Patientes estote et vos. Quemadmodum, inquit, agricolae patientia commendatur, nonineo solum, quod exspectat fructum, verum etiam, quod pluvias opportunas ad fructum consequendum: ita vos oportet inter afflictiones hujus vitae cum patientia a Deo exspectare non solum fructum vitae aeternae, sed et spirituales pro tempore consolationes, quibus, velut pluviis e coelo datis irrigati, et mala praesentia levius feratis, et ad fructum aeternitatis assequendum fiatis aptiores. Et co?ifirmate corda vestra. Scilicet adversus tentationem impatientiae et desperationis. Nihil enim aeque, ac certa spes praemii, roborat animum in adversis.
Quoniam adventus Domini appropinquavit. Vitiose legitur in multis: appropinquabit. Graeceenimest: eyytxe, praeteriti temporis verbum; tametsi de eo dicitur, non qui jam accessit, jamque pervenit; sed qui coepit accedere et propinquare. Sic Matth. 3. et 4.: Poenitentiam agite; appropinquavit enim regnum coelorum, id est appropinquat, in propinquo est, ut alii vertunt. Unde et hoc loco non male Erasmus et Hentenius: appropinquat. Oecumenius in superiore expositione persistens, quam dedit ad illud: in die occisionis, adventum Do' mini valt intelligi, quando per Romanos deleta est Jerosolyma, et populus in captivitatem ductus. Nam tempus illiid multum appropinquabat, quando Jacobus haec scribebat. Sed facile refellitur hic comm-entarius. Non enim in illo adventu receperunt fideles fructum laboris et patientiae suae sub parabola agricolae promissum; sed eum adhuc exspectant accipiendum in illo Domini adventu, quem Apostolicae Scripturae nobis passim annuntiant. Hunc igitur adventum Christi Domini hic et superius significari, recte censent omnes alii interpretes. Dicitur autem adventus ille appropinquasse, sive appropinquare, quia dies ejus paulatim fit propior; et quum venerit, intelligetur, quam revera propinquus fuerit, et non tardaverit; quamque breve fuerit omne tempus, quod eum praecessit; quum praesertim apud Dominum mille anni sint, sicut dies unus, 2 Petr. 3. Hinc et Paulus Phil. 4.: Dominus prope est. Sumitur ergo praesens ad patientiam exhortatio a brevitate temporis, quo ferenda sunt mala, et a propinquitate retributionis.
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9. Nolite ingemiscere, fratres, in al'terutrum, ut non judicemini. Graece: Ne ingemiscite adversus alterutrum, id est, alius adversus alium, fratres, ut non condemneminL Nam Cajetanum, qui ex Graeco reddendum putat: juxta alterutrum, falli, perspicuum est. Gemitum intelligit Apostolus accusatorium, cura qilis animo ac gemitu (quod libera voce non audet) proximum, quem sibi molestum sentit, accusat et condemnat. Qua in re dupliciter peccatur, per impatientiam et per usurpatum de proximo judicium. Itaque praeceptum hoc simile est illi praecepto Dominico: Nolite condemnare, et non condemnahimim, Luc. 6. Docet ergo, non solum exhibendam esse patientiam in ferendis manifestis improborum injuriis, de quibus hactenus; verum etiam in tolerandis ac dissimulandis minntioribus offensis, quales esse solent fratrum ac domesticorum inter se. Sunt enim, qui in aperta persecutione CrUll. Esiil Comm. Tom. IIL fortes, dum sibi placent, infirmitates eorum, quibuscum versantur, impatientius ferant; contra quos Apostolus Paulus Rom. 15.: Debemus, ait, nos firmiores imbecillitates infirmorum sustinere, et non nobis placere. Sunt alii, natura suspiciosi et ad proximorum facta judicanda prompti, maxime quibus aliquo pacto laesos se existimant. Iltrique hic admonentur, ut offensas fratrum aequo ac placido animo ferant, nec eos apud se, suove judicio condemnent; ne simile judicium et ipsi apud Deum experiantur, fiatque eis, quod talibus minatur Dominus: In quo judicio judicaveritis, judicabimini, Matth. 7. Intelligitur autem judicium sive condemnatio vel ad poenam aeternam, vel ad temporalom, pro rationo peccati ejus, qui adversus fratrem ingemiscit, eumque judicat. Saepe enim in his tantum venialiter peccatur.
Ecce judex ante januam assistit. Id est, in proximo est. Judicem intelligit Christum, de quo jam dixit: quoniam adventus Domini appropinquavit. Sunt enim eadem haec duo, adventum Domini appropinquare, et judicem astare pro foribus. Porro duas ob causas intolligi potest hanc partem a Jacobo additam: vel ut significet, fratrem non esse a nobis judicandum, quod judicem habeat Deum, brevi venturum, cujus judicio sit relinquendus, de quo superiori capite, cum similiter de fratre non judicando praeciperet, adjecit: Vnus est legislator et judex; vel (quod probabilius) ut ipsi, qui adversus fratres ingemiscunt, Christum judicem metuant jamjam adfuturum; ne 3cilicet ab eo condemnentur. Hoc enim praecessit: Utnon judicemini. Significat Apostolus, adventura Domini non solum his, qui nos opprimunt, formidabilem esse debere; verum et nobis, qui patimur injurias, si vel impatientia, vel temerario in illos judicio peccemus.
5:10
10. Exemplum arcipite, fratres, exitus malif laboris 'it patientiae, Prophetas, qui locuti sunt in nomine Dnmini. Exhortatio est ab exemplis sanctorum, quam ut eflicacissiraam ultimo loco servavit. Ut enim optabile est, cum sanctis remunerari:^ ita durum esse non debet, similia cum illis pati. Utitur hujusmodi exhortatione etiam Christus, Matth. 5. dicens: Gaudete et exsultate, quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in coelis. Sic enim persecuti sunt Prophetas, qui fuerunt ante vos. Hic notanda varietas Latinorum codicum. Nam in muHis quidem leguntur haec tria: Exitus mali, laboris et patientiae. Et apud Bedam, addito quarto: Exitus mali, et longanimitatis, et laboriSf et patientiae. Ubi etiam, ne textum ejus forte quid amplius habere suspiceris ab eo, quod ipse legit, eadem omnia ordine exponit. At vero multi codices duo tantum legunt; ncnnulli quidem: exitus mali et longanimitatis; complures autem: laboris et patientiae; quod in bibliis est castigationis Lovaniensis, et in prima correctione Sixtina, item in missali Leodiensi, feria 4. hebdom. 1. Adventus. Nec plus est in Graeco et Syriaco. Nam Graeca sic habent: Exemplum accipite laboris, frafres mei, et longanimitatis, Prophetas etc. Itaque verisimile est, cum Graecas voces: T^c xaxo7:a^£ta<; xat x^g /Jiaxpo^u- IxioLC^, alii aliter in Latinum vertissent, intempestiva scribarum diligentia factum, nt diversas interpretationes in iisdem codicibus haberemus conjunctas; quamquam xaxoTca^sia non exitum malum significat, Bcd malorum perpessionem, id est afflictionem, laborem. Estque hic sensus: Sint vobis pro exemplo sancti Prophetae, qui graves afflictiones patienter usque ad finem pertulerunt. Addit autem: Qui locuti sunt in nomine Domini, id est, qui jussu et mandato Del verba habuerunt ad populum, seu futura praenuntiantes, seu revccautes eos a peccatis -ad Deum ac verum ejus cultum. Hoc, inquam, addit B. Jacobus, ut causam indicet, ob quam passi fuerint persecutiones, scilicet propter justitiam; quomodo passos legimus Eliam, Amos, Jesaiam, Jererciam, et allos. Quem enim Prophetarum non sunt persecuti patres vestri? alt B. Stephanus ad Judaeos Act. 7.
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11. Ecce beatificamus eos, qui sustinuerunt. Graece xoug uTioiisvovTag, id est, qui sustinent. Confirmal, quae dixit, a communi sermone fidelium. Solemus enim beatos praedicare eos, qui pro justitia Bustinent afflictiones; idque facimus edocti a Christo dicente: Beati, qui persecutionem patiuntur propter justitiam. Et quare beati? Quoniam, Inquit, ipsorum est regnum coelorum, Matth. 5.
Sufferentiam Job audistis. Sufferentiam, Graece: UTro/iovTjv, id est sustinentiam, patientiam. In exemplum adduxit Prophetas, qui populo Israel locuti fuerant; nunc exemplum adfert hominis extra populum Ilhim geniti quidem et conversati, sed apud eos patientiae nomine plurimum celebrati, cujus etlam historiam in canone suarum Scripturarum haberent. Nam quod quidam, nescio, quid secutus, pro Job sabstituit Jacob, nimia temeritas est. Sensus: Habetis in sacris llteris Insigne exemplum patientiae sancti Job, ad quod moneo, nt respiclatis. Hinc duo discimus, adversus sectarlos quosdam notanda. Primum, ea, quae de sancto Job scribuntur, historiam esse rei gestae, non argumentum confictum exhortationis aut doctrinae causa, vftluti fit in comoediis ac tragoedlls; ut Anabaptistae volunt et veteres quidam Hebraei. Nam ficta exempla serio non monent. Nec, si ficta narratio esset, conjungeret hunc virum Dominus, Ezech. 14., cum aliis duobus, quorum justltlam sibi vehementer acceptam fuisse declarat his verbis: Si fuerint tres viri isti in medio ejus, Noe, Daniel et Job, ipsi justitia sua liberabunt animus suas. Alterum, non esse audiendum blasphemum Calvinum, calumniantem bealum Job, quum dicit, eum, caeco impetu abreptum, multa impatlentlae signa edidisse. Nam si ita est, quomodo Jacobus Apostolus remittit fideles ad exemplum patientiae eju3, tamquam iHustre et singulare? Non quidem negamus, sanctum virum, in tanta afflictione positum, et amleorum disputatione exagitatum, passum fuisse aliquid humanum, nt prae carnis infirmitate diceret aliqua non dicenda; de quibus a Domino reprehensus cap. 40., ipse etiam se reprehendit ac poenitentiam agit, cap. 42. Sed oa verbis atrocibus exaggerare, quod Calvinus facit, ab Apostolico spiritu valde alienum est.
Et finem Domini vidistis. Haec pars duas aut tres recipit expositiones. Prima est de sancto Job: Vidistis oculis mentis vestrae, spectastis velut in tabula animis vestris objecta, quemadmodum Deus illius viri patientiam remuneraverit, omnibus, quae amiserat, in duplum ei restitutis, in typo retributionis coelestis. Secunda de Christo, in quo propositum nobis est absolutissimum exemplar et forma patientiae. Vidistis exitumj id est, passionem et mortem Christi Domini, quanta patientia eam sustinuerit. Quasi dicat: Dixi, quod audistis olim gestum; addo, quod vidistis recenler exhibitum, scilicet exemplum Salvatoris. Nam ex fidelibus adhuc supererant, qui spectatores fuerant afflictionum Christi. Vocat aulem finem passionem ejus, quomodo Lucas excessum sive exitum, Graece: lloSov. Dicebant (inquit cap. 9. de Mose et Elia) excessum ejuSj quem completurus erat in Jerusalem. Tertia expositio nihilo minus de Christo. Vidistis finem Domini, hoc est, gloriosam ejus resurrectionem, quam sua morte patienter et obedienter tolerata promeruit. Vidistis, quam beato fine omnis ejus passio terminata fuerit et conclusa. Videmus Jesum, ait Paulus ad Hebr. 2., propter passionem mortis gloria et honore coronatum. Secundam expositionem tradit et cum tertia conjungit Beda in comm., et ante eum Augustinus lib. 1. de symbolo ad catech. cap. 3. Sed primam fere amplectuntar recentiores, Cajetanus, Gaigoaeus et alii, pro argumento sumentes hoc, quod sequitur:
Quoniam misericors Dominus est et miserator. Misericors, Graece: 110X60- TiXayx^oC, quod sonat, multum viscerosum, id est valde misericordtm, ut alii verterunt. Nam in sacris literis vohemens ac piuB affectus viscerum nomine significari solet. Sed et altera vox: otXTip^cov, miserator, eum significat, qui prcpensus est ad commiserendum. Porro juxta primam expositionem partis praecedentis, hic est sensus et connexio: Sicut Dominus misertus est justi Job, tribuens ei felicem exitum suarum afflictionum, ita et vestri miserebitur, tandem a praesentibus malis vos liberaturus et praemia patientiae redditurus; quippe vehementer misericors est. Quasi dicat: Id superabundans ejus misericordia promittit. Quod si magis placent datae expositiones de Christo (quae sane probabiles sunt), poterit quidem haec pars etiam ad illum accommodari, quia misertua est ei Deus, mortem ab 00 auferens per gloriam resurrectionis; verum commodius accipieiur pro nova confirmatione superioins exhortationis, ac si dicat: Merito vos exhortor ad patientiam exemplis sanctorum. Non enim debetis diffidere. Nam sicut illis adfuit misericordia Dei liberantis ac remunerantis, ita et vobis aderit.
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12. A?ite omnia, fratres mei, nolite jurare. Quoniam superius cap. 2. et 4. multa disseruit adversus vitia linguae, nunc, supplemeuti causa, pro coronide doctrinam adjicit eodem pertinentem, de vitando juramento, ad quod multorum linguae sunt, et omnibus saeculis fuerunt nimium propensae. Dicit autem: Ante omnia, vel quia peccatum hoe irreverentiae est in Deum, qui est super omnia; nam et in lege prohibetur cum adjuncta gravi comminatione: Non usurpabis nomen Domini Dei tui frustra, quia non erit impunitus, qui super re vana nomen ejus assumpserit, Detit. 5. Vel, secundum Augustinum serm. 28. de verbis Apostoli, quia propter consuetudinem contrariam magna vigilantia opus est ad hoc praeceptum servaiidura, ac si dicat Apostolus: Plus ad hoc iuteuti estote, quam ad alia. Major enim consuetudo superanda mnjorem intentionem flagitat. Porro non dubium, quin hoc Apostoli praeceptum sit idem cum praecepto Salvatoris, Matth. 5.: Dico vobis: Non jurare omnino, et quae sequuntur; ac 30 ^ proinde eodem modo exponendum. Nam et verba totius praecepti paene eadem sunt; nec credendum est, discipulum alio seosu ea referre, quam quo Magistrum doccntcm audierat. Cum autem ex Scripturis constet, sanctos, t.amnovi, quam veteris testamenti, jusjurandum dictis suis interdum adkibuisse, ut Abraham, Isaac, Exod. 2., Eliam 3 Reg. 17. et Paulum in suis Epistolis; nec quisquam orthodoxus eos propterea culpandos putet: quaerendum, quo sensu Christus et discipulus ejus Jacobus vetent, ne omnino juremus; simul ut respondeatur novis et antiquis haereticis, qui propter haec duo Scripturae loca negarunt, fas esse cr.iquam Christiano aliquando jurare. Fuit ecim is error quondam Pelagii, deinde Joannis Wicleffi, et hodie Anabaptistarum. Quidam igitur respondent, jurare positum utrobique pro pejerare, nec aliud prohiberi, quam ne quis fallat jurando, ne quidem si juret per creaturas; et ob hoc additum esse: neque per coelum, neque per terram eic, eo quod Pharisaei docebant, juramenta, quae per creaturas fierent, non habere vim obligandi. Sed dc Pharisaeorum doctrina dicemus infra. Refellitur autem haec interpretatio. Nam Christus, hoc praeceptum tradens, aperte distinguit inter jurare et pejerare. Audistis, inquit, quia dictum est antiquis: Non perjurabis. Ego autem dico vobis: Non jurare onmino. Sunt alii, qui dicant, Christum illis verbis non praeceptum dare, sed consilium. Verum nec hi satisfaciunt ulli» modo. Primum quia hic apud Jacobum nulla species est consilii. Graviter enim prohibet, ut in superioribus alia multa linguae et morum vitia. Deinde quis dixerit, Paulum, qui toties hortatur fideles ad sui iraithtiouem, ut 1 Cor. 4. et 11. et Phil. 3., hoc Domini consilium neglexisse, imo negligendi in Epistolis suis exeraphim reliquisse? Addo, quandoque necessitatem occurrere etiam viris perfectis, quae cogat eos jurare. Jam nec iUud convenit, quod alii respondent, Hieronymo auctore, solam prohiberi jurationem per creaturas, eo quod sequatur: Neque ptr coelum etc. Non convenit, inquam, quia, sicut per Deum, ita et per Dei creaturas licite juratur, quatenus in illis veritas et gloria Dei opiticis refulget. Sic enim creaturas se considerare, etiam Christus apud Matthaeum declarat, dicens: Neque per coelum, quia thronus Dei est, etc. Restat igitur, ut cum Augustino et aliis doctissimis interpretibus dicamus, hoc Domini praecepto simpiieiter et absolute, quemadmodum sonat, ]>rohiberi, ne juremus, quantum scilicet in nobis est, et quoad ejus a nobis fieri potest. Ita nimirum, ut a juratione semper et omnino abstineamus, nisi ad eam justa aliqua necessitas compellat; quum videlicet alioqui proximus adduci non potest, ut id credat, quod expedit et recta ratio exposcit, ut ei pcrsnasum sit. Ita docet Augustir.us, locum Matthaei exponens lib. 1. de serm. Domini in monte, cap. 17., ct in serm. 28. do verbis Apostoli. Item lib. de mendacio, cap. 15., ubi sic ait: InteUigendum est illud, quod positum est, omnino ad hoc positum, ut, quantum in te est, non affectes, non ames, non quasi pro bono cum aligua delectatione appetas jusjurandum. Haec ille. Quae res ut amplius explicetur, observandum est, Scripturam sacram non ponere juramectum in bonis. Alioqui enim hortaretur nos ad jurandum, quod nusquam facit. Non eniro, sicut dicit: Orate, vigilate, date, dimittite, itadicitusquam: Jurate. Nam quod dicitur Deut. G.: Per nomen illius jurabis, huncsensumhabet: Quum jurandum erit, non nisi per nomen illius jurabis; ad exclusionem scilicet alienorum Deorum. Sed nec ponit in mediis et adiaphoris, quia de juratione non loquitur, sicut de ambulatione, aut cursu, aut sessione. Ponit ergo juramentum in mali's, id est, fugiendis; non tamen per se fugiendis, utsuntraendacia, furta, adulteria; sed ita fs^giendis, ut admitti non debeant, nisi boni necessarii et secundum se ezpetendi compensatione. Quo in genere malorum est, hominem occidere, mutilare, percutere. Cur autem hujusmodi malum sit jurare, ea ratio est, quia, qui jurat, Deum assumit in testem; quod qui facit absqus necessitate, per irreverentiam peccat divini nominis, sive juramento utatur assertorio, sive promisForio. Peccat autem eo magis, si subsit etiam periculum perjurii. Nam hoc modo Deum faceret falsum testem. Exponit autem sese periculo perjurii, qui assuescit temere ac leviter jurare. Quamquam et sine eo peccatum est mngnae irreverentiae; velat si quis aut regem, aut quemlibet virum honoratum testem rogaret pro re levicula aut non necessaria. Sed hic tanto gravius peccatur, quanto graviora sunt peccata, quae in Deum committuntur, quam quao in homines. Hinc est, quod Patres, praesertim Graeci, maxime Chrysostomus in homiliis ad populum, dum invehuntur in pessimam facile jurantium consuetudinem, ita loquuntur interdum de hac Christi prohibitione, quasi nullam admittant exceptionem; quum tamen non aliud sentiant revera, quam quod jam diximus, ac potissimum urgeant, in quotidiano et familiari sermone numquam prorsus utendum esse juramento. Unde et habet bonorum fidelium consuetudo, ut juraturi caput aperiant, divinae reverentiae causa. Sed et canones Ecclesiae certas personas a jurejurando vel prohibent, vel eximunt, et, ut a jejunis praestetur, saltem ex honestate requirunt. Porro sensum Dominici praecepti jam datum confirmat lex ipsa, cujus veram intelligentiam adversus Scribarum et Pharisaeorum corruptelas aperire voluit Dominus. Non eniro, ut illi interpretabantur, solum perjurium lex prohibebat, sed ne nomen Domini assumeretur in vanum. Assumitur autem in vanum, quoties in testimonium extra necessitatem adhibetur, etiamsi verum sit, quod juratur. Quamquam ipsa quoque lex naturalis nos docet, ne sine justa causa Deum testem adhibeamus; ac ne tunc quidem sine magna reverentia.
Neque per coelum, neque per terram, neque aliud quodcumque juramentum. JuJaicus error erat, cx traditione Scribarum et Pharisaeorum profectus, in ea jaratione, quae per creaturas tieret, usque adeo culpam non agnoscere, ut eum, qui sicjurasset, ad praestandum promissum crederent non teneri, etiamsi per templum aut altare jurasset. Tantum excipiebant quasdam creaturas suae avaritiae accommodas, per quas jurantem teneri dicerent. Id totum patet cx verbis Christi, sic illos increpantis Matth. 23.: Vae vobiSj duces caeci, qui dicitis: Qui' cumque juraverit per templum, nihil est; qui autem juraverit in auro templi, debet. "Kt: Quicumque juraverit in al^ tari, nihil est; qui autem juraverit in dono, quod est super illud, debet. Apparet autem, hujus erroris reliquias apud Judaeos fideles illo adhuc tempore haesisse; quos proinde docet Apostolus, generale esse Christi praeceptum: Non jurare omnino, id est, non solum non pejerare, sed nec omnino jurare, idque non solum expresso Dei nomine, sed ne per ullam quidem creaturam. Cujus rationem Christus ipse adjunxit, Matth. 5.: Neque per coelum, inquit, quia thronus Dei est; neque per terram, quia scabellum est pedum ejus; neque per Jc" rosolymam, quia civitas est magni regis. Quasi dicat: Quicumque per haec jurat, per Deum jurat, cujus majestas ct veritas in his creaturis agnoscitur. Etsi vero non omniumcreaturarumparsit praestantia, nulla tamen est, cui non veritatis ac gloriae suae notas Dens impresserit; ut per illas jurans, per Deum jurasse censeatur. Partem illam: Neque aliud quodcumque juramentum, aut generaliter accipere possumus de quocumque genere juramenti; aut restricte, hoc modo: Neque per quamcumque aliam creaturam.
Sit autem sermo vester: Est, est; Non, non. Vocabulum: sermo, videtur ex Matthaeo additum. Nam Graeca sic habent: Sit autem vestrum: Est, est, sive, ut alii vertunt: vestrum: Etiam, etiam. Est enim in Graeco: vat, adverbium affirmandi, quod et noster interpres alibi reddit per: etiam, ut Act. 5. et 22. Ordo verborum: Vestrum Est sit Est, et vestrum Non sit Non. Sensus autem: Sermo vester, quo quid affirmatis, sit simplex et nnda affirmatio; et sermo, quo quid negatis, sit simplex et nuda negatio. Dicit hoc ad exclusionem juramenti. Nam affirmatio vel negatio jurata non simplex affirmatio vel negatio est. Alioqui non vetat, quo minus addita ratione quis probabile faciat id, quod affirmat ant negat. Eandem sententiam habent Christi verba apud Matthaeum, licet in Graeco nonnihil diversa. Nam Apostolum his verbis idem velle, quod Christum, non potest dubitari. Quamquam alii sensum utriusque loci hunc esse malunt: Constanter et vera affirmate, et falsa negate; vanitatem et inconstantiam in dictis et promissis fugite. Ita nimirum fiet, ut absque juramentis fidem mereamini. Confirmant hunc eensnm ex Epistola Pauli 2 Cor. 1., ubi per Est et Non dictorum inconstantia denotatur. Ex quo apparet, per Est, Est, et per Non, Non, significari dictorum constantiam. Quod non improbo. Vernntam.en de sensu Paulino consulatur illius loci commentarius. TJt non sub judicio decidatis. Graeca sic habent: Ut non in simulationem incidatis, hoc est: Neefficiamini hvpocritae, simulatores. Nam hypocritarum est, non simpliciter loqui, dum aliud sunt, aliud videri volunt. Sed parum congruit hic sensus. Non enim hypocrisis ex inconstantia sermonis oriri srlet, sed contra haec ex illa. Proinde Oecumenius adfert et alir.m senFum. Dicit enim, Apostolum UTCoxpiaiv dixisse xaT'ixpiaiv, id est condemnatinnem: Ut nun in condemnationem incidatis. Quod convenit cum nostra lectione. Nam judicium intelligi tur condemnationis. Sed ubi GTTOxpiatc xaTaxptatv significet, non reperio. Quocirca probabilis admodum conjectura est, in Graeco non UTcoxptaiv, sed diviso vocabulo UTCO xptotv legendum esse (quomodo certe legit noster interpres, dum vertit: sub judicio, forte, sub judicium); abjiciendam vero praepositionem etc, ut supervacaneam, ac verisimiliter suppletam ab iis, qui legebant: UTCOXpiotv. Argumento est textus Syriacus: Ut non condemnemini sub judicium. Denique hanc, quam dixi lectionem, annotatam habent in margine Biblia regia, et Robertus notat, vetus exemplar Graecum, quod eam habuerit, sibi conspectum. Sit igitur germana scriptura Graeca: Ut non sub judicium cadatis, id est: Ne condemnemini, ne subeatis judicium condemnationis, ne judex in vos animadvertat, vosque puniat; si videlicet legem de non jurando minus servaveritis. Videtur respicere ad legis comminationem, praocepto annexam: Quia non erit impunitus etc, Deut. 5. Et hinc liquet, non esse consilii tantum, sed praecepti: Non jurare omnino.
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13. Tristatur aliquis vestrum? oret. Graece: Affligitur aliquis inter vos? oret. Est enim verbum xaxoTca^sT, cujus verbale nomen ante vertit: laborem, id est afflictionem.
Aequo animo est? psallat. Graece: euOujisT Tig, bono animo est aliquis? Significatur animus hilariter affectus, ut est iis, quibus res prospere succedunt; quamquam bene vertit interpres: Aequo animo est? Supra compescuit Apostolus afflictorum ac dolentium fratrum mutuas querelas, prohibens, ne ingemiscerent adversum se mutuo; nunc quid iidem agere debeant, quid item prosperitate gaudentes, breviter admonet. Et quidem afflictos tristesque ad orandum hortatur; prospere agentes et hilares ad psallendum. Illis enim, ut consolatione ac malorum levamine egentibus, oratio convenit; his, ut Dei benignitate fruentibus, laus et gratiarum actio, quae Psalmorum cantu reddi solet. Notandum, quosdam Latinos codices ita legere: Oret aequo animo et psallat. Quam lectionem etiam Beda habet et interpretatur. Sed vitiosam esse, constat, refragantibus optimis quibusque exemplaribus, et tam Graeco textu, quam Syriaco.
5:14
14. Infirmatur quis in vobis? Descendit ad speciem afflictionis, quae est adversa corporis valetudo, docetque, quid in ea Christiano homini sit agendum. Quae doctrina nequaquam praotermittenda fuit, eo quod spiiituali remedio maxime opus habeant infirmi, potissimum ii, qui ad finora hujus vitae appropinquant, Deo judici (quem ante januam adstare dixit) jam jamque sistendi. Nam (ut loquuntur Tridentini Concilii Patres sess. 14. in doctrina de Sacramento extremae unctionis) etsi adversarius noster occasiones per omnem vitam querat et captet, ut devorare animas nostras quoquo modo possit: nullum tamen tempus est, quo vehementius ille omnes suae versutiae nervos intendat ad perdendos nos penitus, et a fiducia etiam, si pos~ sit, divinae misericordiae deturbandos, quam cum impendere nobis exitum vitae prospicit. Igitur ex hoc Apostoli Jacobi loco ejusdem Concilii Patres, et cum iis omnes orthodoxi, rectissime statuunt et probant, eam unctionem, quae, perpetuo more Catholicae Ecclesiae, infirmis adhibetur, ab Apostolica traditione manasse; adeoque vere et proprie Sacramentum esse novae legis. Tradit enim hic Apo- Btolus omnia ad hujusmodi Sacramentum necessaria: materiam, formam, proprium ministrum et efiPectum gratiae, ac primo loco eum, qui suscipere debeat. Quae res adversus contradictores haereticos (qui ut Sacramentum hoc Catholicis eriperent, partim ademerunt huic Epistolae epiritum Apostolicum, ut ostendimus in prolegomenis, partim novas et contortas in hanc Scripturam expositiones ingesserunt) erit nobis in progressu commentarii demonstranda per singula. Primum ergo, quum dicit: Infirmatur quis in vobis? eum designat, cui sit administrandum hoc Sacramentum; videlicet infirmum, id est corporali morbo detentum, eumque praesertim, qal tam periculose decumbit, ut in oxitu vitae constitutus videatur. Nam vox Graeca aoO^sveT de graviore morbo intelligitur. Confer, quae dicta sunt ad illud 1 Cor. 11.: Ideo inter vos multi infirmi et imbecilles. Unde et Sacramentum hoc exeuntium nuncupatur. Ita Patres Tridentini cap. 3. ejusdem doctrinae. Qua de re etiam sic legitur in decreto Florentino: Hoc Sacramentum nisi infirmo, de cu~ jus morte timetur, dari non debet. Denique hujusmodi statum morbi insinuat vox Graeca xa|JivovTa, qua paulo post Apostolus utitur.
Inducat presbyteros Ecclesiae. Inducat, Graece: %poc,Y.aX^QdQb{Xi, advocet, accersat. Ecclesiae presbyteros varie interpretantur sectarii. Nam alii simpliciter aetate seniores in quavis comraunitata fidelium intcUigunt; alii primores in populo. Et sunt, qui medicos illis annuraerent, ut Benedictus Aretius. Porro Calvinus eo vocabulo generaliter comprehendi vult omnes, qui regendae Ecclesiae praesunt, sive pastores sint, sive delecti ex plebe quasi censores ad tuendam disciplinam. At vero Tridentini Patres et omnes Catholici presbyteros Ecclesiae non alios intelligunt, quam sacerdotes ab Episcopo rite ordinatos; sive iidem sint Episcopi, sive non. Nam quod ad aetatis attinet significationem, vix usquam in Scriptura novi Testamenti TipsoPuTspog, presbyter, senior, aetatis nomen est; passim vero aut populi magistratus eo vocabulo designatur, ut in Evangeliis, et interdum in Actis Apost.; aut ii significantur presbyterorum nomine, qui ad Episcopalem aut sacerdotalem functionem ordinatione sacra promoti sunt. Hoc autem modo accipitur, ubicumque de Ecclesiae ministeriis agitur, ut in Act. Apost. et Epist. Paulinis, ac nominatim etiam in his Epistolis, quae Catholicae vocantur, ut in 1 Petri Epist. cap. 5. et in Epistola Joannis 2. et 3. Similer autem et hoc loco; primum quia non simpliciter presbyteri dicuntur, sed presbyteri Ecclesiae; tum, quia jubentur orare super infirmum; deinde, quia per eos uactio facienda praescribitur in nomine Domini; denique quia per eorum ministeriam remiysio peccatorum obtinenda promittitur. Ac sane quin Imjus generis presbyteros B. Jacobus significare voluerit, apud totam antiquitatem nulla fuit umquam dubitatio. Hinc igitur Iiabemus ministrum hujus Sacramenti presbyterum Ecclesiae ritu consecratum. Sed quaeres, cur dicat presbyteros plurali numero, cum de uno loquatur infirmo. Non enim consuetudinis est, ut a pluribus uni Sacraraentuai hoc administretur, sed ab uno; quemadmodum et caetera Ecclesiae Sacrr*menta. Respondent quidam, Apostolum loqui secundum consuetudinem Ecclesiae primitivae, quando tanto studio curabatur tideliura salus, ut plures presbyteri, et interdum etiam Episcopus presbyteris comitatus, ad infirmum accurrerent. Quorum etsi unus tantum unctionem adhiberet, omnes tamen ungere quodammodo dicebantur, quatenus, uno ungente, caeteri assistebant ac preces jungebant. Aliter, ac fortasse melius, respondotur, enallagen esse numeri: Accersat presbyteros, id est aliquem ex presbyteris, quomodo dicuntur latrones, qui cura Christo crucifixi erant, ei conviciati fuisse, Marc. 15, cura alter latronum id feceiit. Ita loquitur etiam S. Augustinus serm. 33. de diversis, quum ait, mulierem quandam, quae vitam infanti suo mortuo precibus a B. Stephano impetraverat, tulisse oum ad presbyteros baptizandum, id e-t ad aliquem presbyterorum. Nam lib, 1. miraculorum S. Stephani, cap. uliirao, apud eundcra Augustinum tom. 10., ubi res eadem narratur, fantum fit mentio preshyleri, numero singulari. Veruntamen, nisi in una Ecclesia phires essent presbyteri, non diceret B Jacobus pluraliter: presbyteros Ecchsiae. Ut hinc etiam colligatur adversus Aeriauos haereticos, non eundem esse presbyterum et Episcopum. Neque enim una Ecclesia plures habebat Episcopos.
Et ortnt super tum. Cujusmodi debeat esse haec super infirmum oratio, docet Ecclesiae traditio, secundum quam a presbytero plures quidem pro infirmo fiunt orationes, quibus illi sanitatem animae ct corporis precatur a Deo; sed ea praecipua est, quae cum ipsa unctione conjungitur, presbytero dicente: Per istam sanctam U7ictionem et suam piissimam misericordiam indulgeat tibi Dominus etc., ut habetur in decreto Florentino, vel aliis verbis, idem tamen valentibua, utente juxta morem cujusque Ecclesiae. Quamquam, quid oratione super infirmum petendum sit, satis ipse B. Jacobus ostendit infra, referens hujas orationis efl^ectus: sanitatem, alleviationem et peccatorum remissionem. Igitur hac parte, quemadmodum et ea, quae slatim sequitur: Et oratio fidei salvabit infirmum, indicat Apostolus, presbytero certis ac praescriptis a Christo vel Ecclesia verbis utendum esse; quam Sacramenti formam vocamus. Nam et illud, quoddicit: super eum, et non: pro eOy significationem ingerit ritus cereraonialis; quomodo et ab Augustino dictum est libr. 3. de baptismo, cap. 16., manus impositionem non aliud esse, quam orationem super hominem.
Ungentes eum oleo in nomine Domini. Hic jam aperte materia declaratur hujus Sacramenti, videlicet oleum olivae. Nam illud solum proprie est oleum, sicut vinum vitis solum proprie vinum est. Atque haec unctio, quemadmodum loquuntur Patres Tridentini, Spiritus sancti gratiam, qua invisibiliter anima aegrotantis inungitur, aptissime repraesentat; praesertim quum oleum in Scripturis etiam misericordiae significationem habeat, quam ipsis verbis suae orationis infirmo precatur sacerdos; ut ita probe sibi respondeant verbum et elementum. Porro quao membra corporis ungenda sint, ex Ecclesiastica traditione et consuetudine petendum. Quod additur: In nomine Domini, triplicem admittit constructionem. Una est, ut ad dictionem cleo referatur, et sensus sit: Ungentes eum oleo benedicto in nomine Domini, id est consecrata cum invocatione divini nominis. Non enim, nisi oleo per Episcopum benedicto, fas est, banc sacram unctionem peragi; tametsi disputant Theologi, num ea benedictio sola praecepti vel divini, vel Ecclesiastici necessitate requiratur, an etiam Sacramenti. Altera constructio est, qua refortur ad totum istud complexum: Ungentes eum oleo, id est ad actionem presbyteri infirmum ungentis. Hoc enim facere debet in nomine Domini. Hujus et superioris constructionis meminit Beda. Verum haec postevior multo probabilior est, ut sit sensus: Ungant eum oleo in nomine Domini Jesu Christi, id est, vice Christi, tamquam ejus ministri, et, ut Paulus loquitur 2 Cor. 2., in persona Christi. Sic idem Paulus 1 Cor. 5.: Judicavi, inquit, in nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi tradere hujusmodi hominem Satanae. Sic ipse B. Jacobus non multo superius dixit, Prophetas locutos in nomine Do~ mini. Tertio potest extendi ad totum illud, quod praecedit: Orent super eum, un^ gentes eum oleo, id est ad totam actionem presbyteri, quae orationem et unctionem complectitur; ut significetur, non solam unctionem, quae est materiae applicatio, verum etiam orationem, quae est formae recitatio, fieri a presbytero tamquam Christi ministro, ut diclum est; quemadmodam similia faciendo vice Christi fungitur eique ministrat in baptismo et aliis Sacramentis. Porro quae ad hujus loci interpretationem ab haereticis adferuntur, ut hoc infirmorum Sacramentum Catboiicis extorqueant, facillimum est retellere. Primus Joannes Wicleffus B. Jacobi sententiam hujusmodi veibis conatur eludere. Quoniam, inquit, in Palaestina praestans erat oleum, et cum primis utile sanandis corpoiibus, quibus adhibitum esset: idcirco, de recreando aegroto verba faciens Apostolus, unctionem olei praescribit, Non dissimiliter quidam sectariorum nostri saeculi, quorum paene novissimus Bonedictus Aretius iu suo commentario scribit ad hunc modum: Olei usus fere in omnibus morbis locum habet, praesertim in Orientalibus regionibus, et ad meridiem, ubi olei est magna copia. Oleo igitur jubet U7igere, quasi expedito remedio, et comparatu facili. Sic ille. Sed hi primum non attenderunt ad titulum sive inscriptionem hujus Epistolae. Nam inscribitur non Jerosolymitis ant Judaeis in Palaestina, aut in Oriente vel Meridie habitantibus, sed duodecim tribubus in dispersione positis. Quam dispersionem explicans Beatus Petrus initio prioris suae Epistolae, primo loco Pontum nominat, frigidam Septentrionalis Asiae regionem, nec vini, nec olei feracem. Deinde si de naturali virtute olei sentit Apostolus, cur Ecclesiae presbyteros, ac non potius corporum medicos advocari jubet? Nam quod medicorum est, promitcunt medici. Quocirca sapienter Ecclesiasticus, cap. 38., ad curanda aegrotantium corpora non presbyteros, sed medicos et ungucntarios accersendos admonet. Jam quid absurdius, quam unum idemque medicamenti genus morbis omnibus adhibendum praecipere; quando olei usus in quibusdam morbis etiam noxius sit ac perniciosus? Deniquo, si commentarium de naturali per oleum sanatione recipimus hoe loco, licebit et Evangelicam apud B. Marcum historiam sic interpretari, cap. 6., ubi narrat, Christi discipulos, ab ipso ad praedicandum Evangelium missos, oleo multos aegros unxisse et sanasse. Quod si nimis absurdum est (non enim per curationes morborum naturales, sed per opera vira omnem naturae excedentia doctrinam suam coelestem mundo commendatam facere voluit Christus Dominus), utique nec Beatum Jacobum, qui id ipsum fidelibus commendat atque promulgat, quod a Christo apud Marcum insinuatum est, de naturali curatione loqui, ulla ratio permittit. Quo argumento etiam Calvinus istum commentarium rejicit, scribens in Marcum. Est igitur aliorum quorundam responsio, figuratum esse eermonem Apostoli, quo significatum sit, Ecclesiae ministros debere Evangelii praedicatione consolari infirmum; ut hoc sit, ungere eum oleo in nomine Domini, aegrum illius animum verbi Dominici suavitate delinire. Sic illi commenticio tropo, qui mos est haereticorum, cassare nituntur Christi Sacramentum. Atqui tropicum hunc sensum, ut nullus Patrum agnovit, ita plane refugit simplicitas verborum Apostoli, qui utique praecipere vult aliquid, quod intellectu sit obvium; quemadmodum et in praecedentibus fecit, et in sequentibus. Hic aulem tropus sententiam prorsus obscurat; maxime quod insolitus sit, neque ex ullo alio Scripturae loco probabilis reddatur. Nam quod a Marco refertur, historicum esse, ac sine tropo intelligendum, ioter omnes constat. Restat ea interpretatio, quam, auctore Calvino, multi sectariorum tenent. Dicunt enim, Jacobum Apostolum loqui secundum ea tempora, quibus adhuc vigebat in Ecclesia donum sanationis. Eo namque manifeste pertinere, quod Marcus scribit de aegrotis unctione olei sanatis. Posteaquam vero donum illud cessavit, stulte ac ridicule nos agere, qui ritum illum unctionis, utpote jam inanem et inutilem, adhuc retinendum putemus. Igitur Beatum Jacobum interpretantur de unctione olei, qua sanabatur infirmus per gratiam curationis, qua multi tunc praediti erant. Qui commentarius elsi plus aliquid coloris habeat, quam duo superiores, optimis tamen rationibus refellitur. Primum, quia gratia sanationis, atque in universum gratia miraculorum non se extendebat ad effectus spirituales, sed ad corporales duntaxat. Haec autem unctio spiritualem eff^ectum infirmo conferebat, ut ex sequentibus patet. Deinde, quia divisiones gratiarum sunt, quas operatur unus atque idem spiritus, dividens singulis, prout vult, 1 Cor. 12. Nec igitur soli presbyteri, nec omnes gratiam sanationis habebant. Quare non dicendum fuisset: Accersnt presbyteros Ecclesiae; sed: Eos, qui praediti sunt dono pellendi morbos. Quae ratio procedit, etiamsi (quod quidam sectariorum volunt) presbyteri intelligantur aut aetate seniores, aut primores in populo. Tertio, quia loquitur Apostolus de infirmo fratre seu fideli inter fideles inungendo. Atqui miraculorum usus potissimum erat ad convertendum infideles. Quocirca Paulus, qui patrem Publii febribus et dysenteria vexatum sanavit, Act. ultim., carissimum tamen Timotheum suum, stomachi vitio ac frequentibus infirmitatibus obnoxium, non miraculo restituit, sed ad naturale remedium misit, 1 Tim. 5.; ut nec Epaphroditum aegrotantem usque ad mortem, Phil. 2.; nec Trophimum Mileti infirmum a se relictum, 2 Tim. 4.; quamvis homines Ecclesiae necessarios per miraculum sibi sanandos existimavit. Quarto, quia, quod generaliter a Domino fuerat promissum in se credentibus: Super aegros manus imponent, et hene hahehunt, Marci ult., id non debebat B. Jacobus aut mutare, aut ad unctionem olei restringere, si de sola ageret sanatione corporali. Postremo, cum caetera praecepta, quaecumque tradit in hac Epist., pertineant ad omnium temporum Christianos, nullo modo credibile est, hoc unum (ut vult Calvinus) temporarium esse, et vix unius saeculi. Itaque merito commentarium hunc expresse damnandum censuit Trident. Synodus sess. 14. cap. 3. doct. de Sacram. extremae unctionis, et can. 2. Porro testimonia Patrum, qui hujus sacrae unctionis tamquam Ecclesiastici Sacramenti meminerunt, si quis requirat, ea plurima diligentor et ordine collecta reperiet apud Franciscum Fevardentium in comment. loci praesentis. Nobis sufficiat ex antiquitate unum ac praecipuum indicasse, Sanctum videlicetlnnocentium, Papam ejus nominis primum, Sancto Augustino synchronon, qui in Epist. ad Decentium Eugub. Episc. de hoc Sacramento ejusque ritu ac ministro, caeterisque illuc pertinentibus, accurate pertractat; non novum aliquid instituens, sed Ecclesiae Romanae consuetudinem ex Apostolica trvaditione manantem, decreto suo explicans. Quod ejus decretum passim a posterioribus Theologis citatur, ac nominatim a Venerabili Beda, locum hunc exponente, in testimonium adducitur. Ac ne de sola Romanae Ecclesiae consuetudine videamur praescribere: morem celebrandi hujus Sacramenti a majoribus acceptum etiam Graecorum Ecclesiae, quamvis scbismaticae, usque hodie retinent; uti locuples testis est ipsorum Patriarcha Jeremias, qui consultus a Lutheranis, tam de hoc Sacramento, quam do aliis, quae Protestantes controvertunt, id ipsum, quod Ecclesia Romana servat ac docet, etiam apud suos servari ac doceri, disertissime profitetur.
5:15
15. Et oratio fidei salvabit infirmum, Graece: tov xct/ivovTa, laborantem, ut vertit Erasmus, atque etiam legit Innocentius. Quo verbo periculum aegrotantis insinuatur, tamquam deficientis ac morbo succumbentis. Declarat Apostolus hac parte et sequentibus efiPectnm hujus sacrae unctionis. Oratio fidei dicitur oratio a fide profecta, fideque subnixa, si non ipsius ministri (quod ad effectum Sacramenti non est necessarium), saltem Ecclesiae, cujus ille personam in administrando Sacramento sustinet, et cujus fides numquam deficit. Verbo: ocoasi, salvabit, salvum reddet, sanitas corporis significatur, juxta omnium fere interpretum expositionem. Cum enim de corporali infirmitate loquatur Apostolus, consentaneum est, hoc, quod sequitur: salvabit, de ejusdem generis salute intelligi; non excludendo tamen intellectum de salute ac sanatione animae; maxime quia salus corporis ad salutem animae hic referenda est. Tum quia non dicit: sanabit, quod magis ad corpus solet referri, sed: salvabit, quod tam de anima, quam de corpore dicitur, ac frequentius in sacris literis ad animam refertur, ut in fine hujus capitis: Salvabit onimam ejus a morte. Quo pertinet, quod Patres Florentini, respicientes ad haec Apostoli verba, definierunt, effectum hujus Sacramenti esse mentis sanationem; in quantum autem expedit, etiam corporis. Addunt autem: in quantum expedit, sicut et Patres Tridentini: Ubi saluti animae expedierit, quia, cum id, quod salutaribus agiturSacramentis (utait Augustinus Enchir. quam ad retentionem vel adeptionem praesentium pertineat, non debait absolute fidelibus per hoc Ecclesiae Sacramentum, nec per ullum aliud promitti corporis salus; sed ita demum, quatenus ad animae salutem et adipiscenda coelestia bona conduceret. Unde hunc effectum merito secundarium minusque principalem hujus Sacramenti nuncupant Theologi. Notandum tamen, sub hac sanatione corporali quamlibet etiam modicam morbi relevationem comprehendi, velut motum aliquem ad sanitatem. Unde, licet rarius contingat, hominem periculose aegrotantem, sacra hac unctione adhibita, restitui sanitati, saepenumero tamen evenit, ut morbi levamen aliquod aegrotus sentiat. Id quod variis de causis ad salutem animae potest conducere. Hunc autem effectum significat oleum, quatenus est sanativnrn. Sed objicit adversarius, effectum hunc, quicumque significetur, non unctioni adscribi, sed orationi. Respondeo, quod ante jam dixi, orationem, quam facit presbyter super infirmum, comprehendere formam hujus Sacramenti. Cum igitur in Sacramentis principalior sit forma, quam materia, nihil mirum, si potius orationem nominavit Apostolus, quam unctionem, ubi Sacramenti effectura exponere voluit; tametsi, quod de oratione dixit, de unctione, velut altera Sacramenti parte, jam proxime non otiose utique nominata, reliquit inteJligendum. Alioqui sane, si quis solam orationem adhiberet, unctione neglecta, nihilo plus eflSceret, quam fecissent Apostoli, si quando jussi fuerunt ungere aegros oleo et sanare, queraadmodura scribitur Marc. 6., omissa unctione solam adhibuissent vel orationem, vel manus impositionem. Quod si vere et iuoflPense dixit Apostolus Paulus, Ecclesiam mundari lavacroaquae; cur oflPendit, si ex doctrina Apostoli Jacobi dicatur infirmus salvari unctione olei?
Et alleviabit eum Dominus. Nempe Christus, in cujus nomine fuerit unctus. AUeviabit, Graece: lyspsl, id est eriget, ut alii vertunt. Pro quo lej^it Innocentius: suscitnbit. Quidam codices habent: allevabit; sed verisimile est, interpretem scripsisse: alleviabit, etsi minus Latine, quemadmodam etAct. 27.: Satiati cibo alleviabant navem. Erat enim vocabulum illo saoculo receptum apud Ecclesiasticos scriptores, pro relevare, exonerare, et ad animam relatum pro eo, quod est, dolorem mitigare, leviorem reddere. Quo verbo etiam Hieronjmus usus est in translatione veteris Testamenti, ut Jes. 9. et Jon. 1. Hic vero sic est exponendum, ut Graeco respondeat. Constat autem, Graecum verbum sysipsiv in Scrituris Apostolicis ita fere sumi, ut ad animum pertineat, ac idem sit, quod torporem, tristitiam, negligentiam pellere, aut quid simile; ut Rom. l.S.: Hora est, jani nos de somno surgere; Ephes. 5.: Surge, qui dormis, et exsurge a mor^ tuis; 2 Petr. 3.: Vestram excito in commonitione sinceram mentem. Sic et apud Lucam cap. 3.: Potens est Deus de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahae. Caeterum hoc loco, ubi de infirmo agitur ad salutarem exitum parando, nihil aptius intelli;:^i potest ea voce significari, quam liberatio a torpore, moerore et anxietate, qua plerumque gravantur aegroti morte vicina, sic ut mentem ad divina non facile queant attollere. Atque iste est hujus sacrae unctionis alter effectus. Quem plenius explicat Synodus Tridentina, dicens, unctionem Spiritus Sancti in hoc Sacramento aegroti animam alleviare et confirmare, magnam in eo divinae misericordiae fiduciam excitando, qua infirmus sublevatus et morbi incommoda ac labores levius ferat, et tentationibus daemonis calcaneo insidiantis facilius resistat. Sed et hujus effectus significationem habet oleum, cujus nimirum hae sunt proprietates, lenire, discutere, exhilarare et confortare.
Et si in peccatis sit, remittentur ei. Graece: Et si peccata sit operatus, remittetur ei, id est, si poccata fecerit, commiserit, fiet ei remissio. Nam videtur Apostolus verbum acpE^i^asTat impersonaliter accipere. Exprimitur hac parte tertius effectus hujus unctionis, videlicet remissio peccatorum. Cum enim ut plarimum causae morborum sint peccata, convenienter admodum, pro consolatione infirmi, promissionem adjungit remissionis peccatorum, innuens futurum, ut, causaremota, morbus cesset, aut ad salutem cedat. Sic enim legimus, et Davidem morbo afflictatum veniam peccatorum a Deo petivisse, Psalm. 6. ei 37. Verum effectus hac parte significatue non uno modo ab omnibus explicatur. Quidam de remissione venialium intelligunt. Nam mortalium remissio post baptismum non alit^r, quam per Sacramentum reconciliationis obtineri potest. Nec vero solet infirmus, nisi reconciliatus inungi. Cui intellectui si objicias conditionem a Jacobo appositam: Si in peccatis sit, quae utique in venialibus locum non habet (nam sine peccatis nemo vivit, ipso etiam Jacobo teste, qui supra cap. 3. dixit: In multis offendimus omnes), respondent, particulam si saepe sic usurpari, etiam in sacris literis, ut non tam conditionem incertae ac dubiae rei significet, quam concessionem rei certae et indubitatae, ut Malach. 1.: Si pater ego sum: ubi est honor meus? Et si Dominus ego sum; ubi est timor meus? et 1 Thess. 1.: Si tamen justum est apud Deum retribuere etc. Quale etiam esse volunt, quod ab ipso Jacobo dictum est cap. 1.: Si quis vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo. Maxime vero confirmari videtur hic sensufl ex oratione Salomonis 3 Reg. 8., qua dicit: Quod si peccaverint tibi; non est enim homo, qui non peccet. Ubi clare videmus, particulam si nihil obstare, quo minus universaliter et indubitate etiam hoc loco vera sit affirroatio; ac si dictum esset a B. Jacobo: Si in peccatis sit; non est enim homo sine peccatis. Denique probant ex verbis, quae formae locum habent: Ignoscat tibi Dominus, quidquid dtliquisti per visum etc. Nam delicti vocabula minora peccata significari solent in Scripturis. Forro alii, quibus inconveniens vidotur, aliquod Sacramentum institutum esse ad remissionem peccatorum venialium, quibus expiandis alia tam multa sunt in promptu remedia, putant, peccata hic intelligi pravas inclinationes ex peccatis relictas, quas tamquam peccatorum reliquias abstergi dicunt hac sacra unctione, idque significari hoc loco per remissionem peccatorum. Si enim, teste Cyrillo lib. 4. in Joan. cap. 17., sacrae Eucharistiae digna perceptio sedat in nobis saevientem membrorum nostrorum legem, nihil obstare videtur, quo minus huic Sacramento tribuatur pravarum inclinationum, quas anima peccando contraxit, ablatio seu diminutio. Rursus alii de peccatis mortalibus Apostolum exponunt, quae per oblivionem aut ignorantiam apud sacerdotem in confessione sacramentali non fuerant detecta. Sunt enim mortalia quaedam occulta, in quibus plerique haerent rudiores, maxime quibus bona deest institutio et cura pactorum, cum sint alioqui bonae voluntatis; quibus probabile est, per hoc Sacramentum divinitua provisum esse remedium. Denique sunt, qui de venialibus interpretentur, non quibuscumque, sed crassioribus et non quotidianis, a quibus sollicite sibi cavere solent perfectiores. Sed cum B. Jacobus generaliter nominet peccata, non apparet ratio, cur vel ad hoc genus venialium, vel ad iUud mortalium, vel ad solas peccandi inclinationes, vocabuhim hoc restringatur. Quin potius ad omnia ciijuscumquc generis peccata, comprchensis etiam inclinationibus et affectibus vitiosis, extendendum videtur, quatenus extendi potest salva aliorum sacramentorum institutione ac necessitato. Quod arbitror voluisse Patres, tam Florentini Concilii, quam Tridontini. Illos quidem, quum eflPectum hujus Sacramenti statuunt in genere mentis sanationem; istos autem, quum effectum hae parte significatum exponunt per gratiam Spiritus sancti, cujus unctio delicta, si qua sint adhuc expianda, ac peccati reliquias abstergit. Nam etsi delictum minus aliquid in Scripturis significare videatur, quam peccatum, non tamen de solis dicitur venialibus; sed etiam mortalia saltem ea, quae per ignorantiam fuerint commissa, complectitur; ut videantur Patres, Quum delicta nominant, respexisse ad illum Psalmi 18. versiculum: Delicta quis intelligit? ab occultis meis munda me, Unde et conditionem, quae apud Apostolum est: si in peccatis sit, non omittunt tamquam non necessariam, sed exponunt, dicendo: Si quae sunt adhuc expianda, quod etiam de mortalibus possit intelligi, tam ad culpae, quam ad poenae condonationem referri. Nam utroque modo fit peccatorum expiatio. Nec dubium, quin, mortalibus quoad culpam remissis, saepe gravissimae rcferventur poenae luendae iis, qui non satis dignos fecerunt fructus poenitentiae. Quod indicat Paulus 2 Cor. 12. dicens: Etlugeam multos ex iis, qui ante peccaverunt, et non egerunt poenitentiam smper immunditia etc. Ex quibus omnibus intelligitur, quam sit hoc unctionis Sacramentum infirmis, quos saepe multorum reatus gravat, salutare ac minime negligendum. Jam quod addunt, peccati reliquias hac unctiono abstergi, significare voluerunt, ni fallor, etiam ad tollendas aut minuendas inclinationes pravas ex primo peccato relictas, aliisque peccatis subinde confirmatas, hoc Sacramentum valere. Vocant autem abstersionem, alludentes ad olei proprietatem, quae est abstergere. Sed haec satis ad explicationem loci praesentis. Caetera, quae ad hoc extremae unctionis Sacramentum pertinent, ab iis petenda, qui de Sacramentis Ecclesiae ex professo disseruerunt. Quod argumentum etiam a nobis aliquando tractatum fuit in scripto super Magistrum lib. 4. dist. 23. Multa ibi diximus de peccatorum reliquiis, ac inter eas torporem quoque posuimus, non qui sit ex morbo, de quo supra in secundo effectu, sed qui ex peccato.
5:16
16. Confitemini ergo alterutrum peccala vestra. Particulam ergo Graeca non habent, nisi pauca quaedam. Tantum enim legunt: Confitemini alterutrum peccata, seu mavis delicta. Nam in Graeco non est dfiapTtac, peccata, quod in parte praecedente, sed TzapaTiTWiiaxa, lapsus, errota, cum quis per infirmitatem aut ignorantiam peccat, ut Gal. G.: Si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in aliquo delicto. Tametsi bis nominibus indifferenter alias utuntur Apostoli, nominatim Paulus Rom. 5. Nec verisimile est, B. Jacobum in hujus loci contextu de aliis et aliis peccatis loqui; praesertim cum pars ista praecedenti quadantenus respondeat. Sunt autem hujus Apostolici praecepti tres expositiones, omnes aliquo modo probabiles. Quidam intelligunt de ea peccatorum confessione, qua culpam agnoscunt, et veaiam petunt fideles ab iis, quos aliqua injuria affecerunt; uti faciendum praecipit Christus Matth. 5. illis veibis: Si recordotus fueris, quia frater tuus habet aliquid adversum te; vade, reconciliare fratri tuo. Et quia mu/torum mutuae sunt injuriae et offensae, dicunt, Apostolum jubere, ut eas mutuo libenter et fateamur et condonemus. Alii malunt, eam intelligi peccatorum confessionem, qua peccata reteguntur fratribus, peteadi consilii vel auxilii causa: consilii, ut quum vlrispirituales consuluntur de morbis peccatorum curandis atque in posterum evitandis; sicut intellexisse videtur Augustinus, seu quisquis auctor Hom. 12. inter 50.; auxilii, quum fratrum intercessione veniam consequi cupimus a Deo. Quam causam non obscure significavit Apostolus, dum subjunxit: Et orate pro invicemj ut salvemini. Hujusmodi confessionis exemplum habemus in B. Gregorio, qui in fine suorum Moralium profitetur, se peccatorum suorum vulnera fratribus detegere, ut ab illis subsidium orationis recipiat. Estque hujus confessionis quaedam formula quotidiana in eo, quod ante missae Introitum sacerdos et minister sibi mutuo peccata confitentur, mutuasque petunt et reddunt orationes. Porro non pauci Catholici scriptores j interpretantur hunc locum de confessione peccatorum sacramentali, quae scilicet apud eos fiat, qui in Ecclesia potestatem habent remittendi et retinendi peccata, Joan. 20. Censent enim, B. Jacobum commonefacere fideles servandae legis, quam sciebant a Christo praescriptam, ut, quos conscientia peccatorum gravaret, pro eorum expiatione ad presbyteros ipsius vicarios, rccurrereut. Idque hoc loco peropportune, ubi de infirmis agebat. Cum enim morbi plerumque ex peccatis accidant, merito monentur infirmi, ut ante omnia sese peccatorum vinculis, praevia eorum confessione, curent absolvendos. Favent huic expositioni Origenes hom. 2. in Levit. et Chrysostomus lib. 3. de sacerdotio, qui verba B. Jacobi proxime praecedentia: Si in peccatis fuerit, remittentur ei, acceperunt de ea peccatorum remissione, que fit ministerio sacerdotum. Juxta quam intelligentiam apte subjungitur istud, tamquam de confessione sacramentali dictum: Confitemini ergo etc. Nam et confessionis apud sacerdotem faciendae Origenes eodem loco diserte meminit. Caeterum apertissime VenerabilisBeda, tam superiora verba, quam ista exponens, confessionem peccatorum, quae sacerdoti facienda sit, adstruit; quamquam et secundam expositionem a nobis allatam admiscet in hujus partis commentario. Sic enim scribit: In hac sententia illa debet esse discretio, ut quotidiana leviaque peccata alterutrum coaequalibus confiteamur, eorumque quotidiana credamus orutione salvari. Porro gravioris Jeprae immunditiam juxta legem sacerdoti pandamus atque ad ejus arbitriumj quali et quanto tempore jusserit, purificari curemus. Sic ille. His accedunt, Hugo de S. Victore lib. 2. de Sacram. part. 14. cap. 1., et sub nomine Bernardi liber Medit. cap. 9., et his vetustior auctor opusc. de visitat. infirm. (quod fertur inter opera Augustini) lib. 2. cap. 4. Item Callistus Papa citatus a Burchardo lib. 18. Decreti cap. 2. Qui omnes hoc B. Jacobi praeceptum reterunt ad eam peccatorum confessionem, quae pro more fit Ecclesiae presbyteris. Nec obstat, ut multi putant, huic expositioni, quod ait: alterutrum.; quasi mutuae tantum confessiones praecipiantur, sicut praecipiuntur orationes mutuae. Nam Graece est aXXigXotg, id est aliij aliis ', quemadmodum ipse etiam Erasmus interpretatus est. Ut sit sensus, exponente Hugone: Confitemini non soli Deo, sed homines homiaibus, scilicet iis, quibus potestatem remittendi peccata a Deo concessam novistis. Nam Graeca dictione, pro qua nunc alterutrum, nunc invicem vertit interpies, nihil amplius significari, patet ex aliis Scripturae locis passim obviis; ut Rom. 15.: Suscipite invicem, id est firmi infirmos, ut liquet ex ejusdem capitis initio et 1 Thess. 5. Ita, dum ait idem Paulus Eph. 5.: Subjecti invicem in timore Christi, non vult, ut omnes omnibus promiscue subjecti sint; sed ut quique saperioribus, id est uxores viris, filii parentibus, servi dominis, quemadmodum ibidem consequenter declarat. Item CoL 3.: Nolite mentiri invicem, id est nemo alteri mentiatur. Non enim solas fraudes mutuas prohibet. Et Petrus 1 Epist. 4.: Ilospitales invicem, id est qui domum et facultatem habent, hospitio recipiant inopes ac tecto indigentes. Huc facit, quod narrat Gregorius lib. 3. dialog. cap. 36., quosdam, in periculo maris constitutos, sibimet pacem dedisse, corpus et sanguinem redemptoris accepisse. Sibimet, id est alios aliis, quod noster interpres diceret: sibi invicem. Sentit enim Gregorius, presbyteros, qui in navi erant, reliquae multitudini Sacramentum pacis seu reconciliatioais impendisse, ac deinde viaticum corporis et sanguinis Domini praebuisse simul et accepisse. Et quidem haec sufficiunt ad stabiliendam probabilitatem hujus tertiae expositionis. Sed quia prioribus etiam, praesertim secundae, sua probabilitas non deest, atque eam alii, peraeque Catholici sci iptores tradiderunt: idcirco lectori libera sit potestas a duabus vel etiam ex tribus eligendi, quam voluerit. Quod enim ad veritatem attinet doctrinae Catholicae de usu ac necessitate sacramentalis confessionis, ea satis abundeque ex aliis Scripturae locis, ac potissimum ex Christi verbis: Quorum remiseritis etc., Joan. 20., denique ex Apostolica perpetua traditione confirmatur.
Et orate pro invicem, ut salvemini. Graece: la^^xs, sanemini, sani sitis. Qui in parte praecedenti vohmt esse praeceptum, presbyteris confitenda esse peccata, sic exponunt hanc partem: Orate pro invicem, id est alii pro aliis, presbyteri pro infirmis peccata sua confessis, ut sanitatem recipiant. Et ita videtur Beda accepisse. Verum plerique malunt, generale esse praeceptum, quo jubeantur fideles orare pro sese mutuo, maxime firmiores pro infirmioribus, justi pro peccatoribus, utapeccatis, quibus implicitos ex ipsorum confessione cognoverint, Dei misericordia liberentur. Ita futurum, ut pariter utrique ad sahitem perveniant. Nam sa7iitas in Scripturis saepe ad animam refertur; ut in Psalmis: Snna me Domine, et sanabor. Sana animam meam, quia peccavi tibi. Et 1 Petr. 2.: Cujus livore sanati estis. Hunc sensum commendant sequentia de oratione justi, et illud extremum: Oni converti fecerit peccatorem, salvabit animam ejus a morte. Simili*ter autem et Joannes Apostolus sub finem primae suae Epistolae exhortationem adjunxit ad bonos fideles, ut pro peccatoribus orent.
Maltum enim valet deprecatio justi assidua. Hinc satis apparet, partem praecedentem potissimum ad justos seu perfectiores dirigi. Voculam enim Graeca non habent. Addendam tamen putaverunt interpretes, quod intelligerent, hic causam reddi, cur alii pro aliis, id est justi pro peccatoribus, orare debeant; causam dico ab utilitate et effectu. Assidua, Graece evspyouijLSVYj, id est efficaa', secundum Erasmum et alios quosdam eum secutos; sed minus recte. Nam efficax Graece dicitur svcpyTjg; hic vero participium est passivum, quodque passivi tantum significationem habet, quemadmodum et ipsum verbum ivspysTa^at, sicut ostendimus ad illud Epistolae ad Gal. 5.: FideSy quae per caritatem operatur. Unde dicti £V£pyo'j|JL£vol_, qui a daemonibus agitantur. Estigitur Apostolo dirpic, ivspyoufjievT], deprecatio incitata, et quasi motu et impetu quodam agitata, id est vehemens et fervens, et, ut dicere solemus, devota. Nec aliud videtur voluisse noster interpres, dum assiduam vertit. Nam assiduitas apud Latinos diligentiae sisnificationem habet. Est autem oratio diligens, quae fit cum magno devotionis affectu. Quae quidem ab homine justo oblata, multum valet, id est, magnam vim habet ad impetrandum a Deo, quod petitur, attestante Joanne Apostolo 1 Epist. 3.: Si cor nostrum non reprehenderit nos, fiduciam habemus ad Deum; et quidquid petierimus, accipitmus ab eo, quoniam mandata ejus custodimus, et ea, quae sunt placita coram eo, facimus. Ratio perspicua est, quia justus amicus est Dei, et proinde jus apud eum habet impetrandi, si quid pro alio petat, quod ad salutem pertineat. Peccatoris autem oratio, nisi jam a peccato recesserit, tamquam ab hoste profecta, ingrata est Deo.
5:17
17. Elias homo erat similis nobis passibilis. Exemplo confirmat. quod dixit de virtute orationis hominis justi, utpote qua coelum claudi possit et aperiri. Similis nobis passibilis, Grsece: 6|ioio:ra- ^rjQ y}ii~iy, id est simiWter ut 7ios passibilis. Quaeritur, quomodo passibilis, animo, an corpore? Quidam ad solas animi passiones referunt. Beda de utris- ^ue interpretatur, ita scribens: Homo nomque erat, tametsi nulli hominum virtute secundus; similis nobis origine carnis; passibilis, ut nos, et mentis fragilitate, et carnis. Nam quod carne fragilis esset, apud Sareptanam viduam victum quaerendo monstravit. Quod mente quoque passibilis fuerit, ostendit, cum post redditas terris aquas, exstinctosque prophetas et sacerdotes idolorum, unius mulierculae minis exterritus per deserta diffugit. Haec ille. Quae expositio, sic ex Scripturis declarata, videri potest maxime probabilis; praesertim quum significatio Graecae vocis ad utrumque passionum genus pateat. Sed tamen obstat nonnihil, quod alibi ad solam corporis passibilitatem hoc vocabulum referatur, ut Act. 14., ubi pro eo quod in Graeco legitur, Paulum et Barnabam ad Lycaonios dixisse: Et nos similiter vobis passibiles sumus homines, nostra versio sic habet: Et nos mortales sumus similes vobis homines. Vicum fuit interpreti potius vertere mortales, quam passibiles, ut ea voce corporis passibilitatem, de qua loquebantur Apostoli, exprimeret. Nam hoc sermone negare voluerunt, seesseDeos, quud esse putabantur. Atqui Deos ab hominibus secernebat juxta gentilium opinionem immortalitAS corporum, non vacuitas passionum animi. Qriare et hujus loci sensus esse videtur, Eliam more caeterorum hominum fuisse obnoxium passionibus, id est molestiis et afflictionibus corporis. Patiebatur enim famem, sitim, aestum, algorem; denique mortalis erat, etsi privilegio singulari mortem usque hodie nondum expertus. Si cui tamen placet, etiam animi passiones hoc loco comprehendi, non resisto; dum sciamus, non ita nobis hac parte similem fuisse Eliam, ut non eas passiones habuerit vir sanctissimus multo magis ratione frenatas minusque turbulentas, quam habeat communis modus justorum.
Et oratione oravit, ut non phieret super terram. Haec particula: super terram, a Graecis rejicitur in partem sequentem. At Syra nobiscum faciunt; tametsi nihil refert ad sensum, utro ponatur loco. Oratione oravit, id est vehementer et magna animi contentione Deum precatus est. Haec enim congeminatio vehementiam significare solet in Scripturis; ut Jes. 24.: Commotione commovc' bitur terra, Luc. 22.: Desiderio desideravi. Significatur ergo oratio, quam prius vocavit iv£pYOU|jLevTr]v^ id est incitata, vehemens, et, ut noster interpres vertit, assidua. Nam ejusmodi orationis exemplum adducere voluit. Historia est 3 Reg. 17., ubi tamen non aliud legitur. quam Eliam dixisse: Si erit annis his ros et pluvia, nisi ^uxta oris mei verba. Sed haec verba nobis exponit Jacobus orationem ad Deum. Non enim talia Prophetae faciebant imperio, sed impetrabant oratione; ut liquet de aliis ab Elia gestis. Sic ergo coelum clausit oratione, sicut oratione postmodum aperuit.
Et non pluit annos tres, et menses sex. Graece: Et non pluit super terram annos tres etc. Significatur effectus orationem statim consecutus, id est siccitas terrae Israeliticae. Tempus quidem definitum siccitatis in historia Regum diserte non exprimitur. Imo videri potest minus triennio fuisse. Nam initio cap. 8. dicitur, in anno tertio factum fuisse verbum Domini ad Eliam, ut daretur pluvia super faciem terrae. Sed dicimus, expressum fuisse tempus a Christo Luc. 4., loquente de diebus Eliae: Quando _, inquit, clau" sum est coelum annis tribus et memibus sex. Nec repugnat, quod in historia dicitur: in anno tertio. Nam illud tempus supputatur, ut annotat Liranus, non a prohibitione pluviae, sed ab egressu Eliae de terra Israel. Prius enim latuit in torrente Carith, donec, eo siccato, abiret in Sarephtam Sidoniorum; ut proinde ex ipsa historia tempus illud definitum, quod expresserunt Christus Dominus et Apostolus ejus, utcumque colligi possit.
5:18
18. Et rursum oravit. Narratur hoc ejusdem libri cap. 18. his verbis: Elias autem ascendit in verticem Carmeli, et pronus in terram posuit faciem suam inter genua sua, scilicet orandi causa. 6all. Estil Comm. Tom. III. Nam haec corporis abjectio, membrorumque compositio erat humiliter orantis. Putat Beda, Prophetam semei tantum, et prius, et postea orasse; statimque una oratione, quod voluit, impetrasse. Quod ut de priori oratione verum sit, de posteriore tamen non adeo probabile est; quin potius apparet, eum pro impetranda pluvia septies orasse. Nam totidem vicibus misit puerum ad proficiscendum contra mare, num inde nubes aliqua adscenderet, ipse interim orandi repetens vices, donec exaudiretur.
Et coelum dedit pluviam. Coelum, utique aereum, in cujus media regione gignuntur nubes, ex quibus pluviae in terram descendunt.
Et terra dedit fructum suum. Dedit, Graece: ipXaoT7jOc_, germinavit, produxit. Ex his, quae de Elia orante jam dixit Apostolus, id nobis intelligendum relinquit: Si tanta vis est ferventis ac devotae orationis, ut per eam coelum claudi et aperiri possit, nobis omni studio orationi incumbendum esse, ut fratrum salutem a Deo impetremus; rem profecto longe Deo gratiorem, quam sit pluvia terrae foecundandae necessaria. Porro ne quis existimet, sola oratione procurandam esse fratrum salutem, consequenter ostendit, etiam monitis et correptionibus agendum, ut frater aberrans in rectam viam revocetur.
5:19
19. Fratres mei, si quis ex vobis erraverit a veritate, et converterit quis eum. Ex vobis, Graece: In vobis, id est inter vos. Veritatem vocat rectam vivendi regulam, quae coraplectilur haec duo, sanam fidem et sanctam conversationem. A sana fide aberrant haeretici; a sancta conversatione mali Christiani. Igitur errare a veritate, periphrasis est peccatoris. Hunc autem convertere dicitur, qui ea foris adhibet adminicula subsequente effectu, quae revocandis ab errore peccatoribus adhibenda Deus instituit, ut preces ad Deum, doctrinam, exhortationem, correptionem, castigationem; cum alioqui solus Deus sit, qui hominum corda proprie possit ad se converfcere.
5:20
20. Scire debet. Graece: Ytvojoxexa), sciat. Quoniarrij qui converti fecerit peccatorem ab errore viae suae. Graece: Quod, qui converterit. Est enim Imoxpstj^ag, participium verbi, quod proxime reddidit uno verbo: converterit. Dicit autem Apostolus: ab errore viae suae, metaphora sumpta a viatoribus de via aberrantibus; omnis enim, qui peccat, judicio mentis aberrat ab eo, quod rectum est.
Salvabit animam ejus a morte. Ejus, auToD, in Graecis non est, nisi paucis. Et sane emphasim habet animam solitarie positum. Ut enim res admodum pretiosa est anima, ita sciat, inquit, se rem magnam praestitisse, qui animam a morte, id est interitu damnationis aeternae, vindicaverit. Beda scribit, quosdam Latinos codices habere: animam suam; est enim ambiguus ad utrumque genitivus auToD. Verum in quibus legitur, rectius omnino vertitur hoc loco per ejus. Hoc enim vult Apostolus, quod Dominus ipse Matth. 18.: Si te audierit frater tu%4S corripientem, lucratus eris fratrem tuum. Jam quo sensu dicatur homo salvare animam fratris a morte, cum et id proprie soJi Deo competat, ex iis patet, quae panlo ante dixi. Sic autem et Paulus loquitur 1 Tim. 4.: Hoc enim faciens j et te ipsum salvum facies, et eoSy qui te audiunt.
Et operiet muUitudinem peccatorum. In multis codicibus legitur: operit^ ped verior est lectio: operiet; quae non solum est iu textu Graeco et Syriaco, verum etinm reperitur apud Bedam et in codicibus Latinis probatioribus. Irrepsit autem matatio ex aliis locis, statim citandis. Multitudinem peccatorum, quaeritur cujus? suorumne, an ejus, quem converterit? Beda cum nonnullis aliis suorum intelligunt. Sed sciendum est, Jacobum alludere ad illud Sapientis Prov. 10.: Universa delicta operit caritas, Quod et beatus Petrus recitat 1 Epist. 4. his veibis: Caritas operit multitudinem peccatorum. Loquitur autem Sapiens de peccatis alienis, quae caritas tegit, dissimulat et, quatenus potest, tollit. Igitur et beatum Jacobum intelligamus hic loqui de peccatis alterius, scilicet ejus, qui abductus a veritate, multa et gravia peccata commiserit, Nam in Hebraeo non simpliciter est peccata, sed praevaricationes. Quo minus etiam ad ipsum corripientem, qui justus ponitur, haec multitudo peccatorum referri potest. Quare et hic supplendum, quod in priori membro: Et operiet multitudinem peccatorum ejus. Videtur autem conjunctio: et, causaliter exponenda; ac si dicat, Apo^tolus: Qui peccatorem a via sua prava converterit, is animam ejus a morte aeterna, cujus reatum peccando incurrerat, eripiet, salvamque reddet; quia nimirum hoc opere caritatis illi impenso efficiet, ut vere et coram Deo per poenitentiam ejus peccata deleantur. Interpretamur Apostolum de morte aeternae damnationis, non de morte peccati, quia de morte loquitur, ut de effectu et stipendio peccati; quemadmodum Paulas Rom. 6.: Stipendia pecccdi murs. Sic enim et hujus Epistolae cap. 1. accipilur, ubi dixit, peccatum, cum consummatum fueiit, mortem gignere.
5:1
… The subsequent persecutions (Acts 4:1-8:3; 9:1-3), the confiscations ordered by the Sanhedrin (and by the Roman authorities), the famine that occurred in the time of Claudius, the abuses of the rich against the poor of which James 2:6-7; 5:1-6 speaks, made the material conditions of the mother Church quite precarious. …
5:4
… is said: «Go you also into my vineyard and what is just I will give you» (Mt. 20, 4), and masters are exhorted to give their servants «what is just» (Col. 4, 1), threatening grave punishments upon those who defraud the laborers of their just wage (Iac. 5, 4).
… In the Vulgate it is transcribed once (Jer. 11:20). It is read in the New Testament (Rom. 9:29; Jas. 5:4) and was therefore received into the liturgy.
… St. James in his letter exclaims that the wage defrauded from the workers cries out to God for vengeance (Jas. 5, 4; cf. also I Cor. 9, 7-14). The law of rest, affirmed alongside that of l., has its expression in Sunday, which, having succeeded the Jewish Sabbath, becomes a day of liberty and of …
5:7
… The "coming with power and glory" (Mt. 24:30) of Jesus is called p. by St. Paul 7 times (I Cor. 15:23 and 6 times in I-II Thess., besides the p. of the Antichrist in II Thess. 2:9), by Jas. 5:7, 8, by II Pt. 1:16; 3:4, 12, by I Jn. 2:28, and by Mt. 24:3, 27, 37, 39. Equivalent to it are the terms: "day [of the Lord or Christ]" (17 times in St. Paul: Acts 2:20; I Pt. …
5:8
economy, has ceased (II Cor. 5:17; Heb. 8:13); we are near the "end of all things" of the world (Heb. 10:25, 37; Jas. 5:8; I Pet. 4:7; I John 2:18). When the Apostles proclaim "the Lord is near" (Phil. 4:5; Rom. 13:11; Jas. 5:8; Rev. 3:20), it is a matter of a spatial-spiritual nearness rather than a …
5:11
Ezek. 14 recalls Job for his righteousness (v. 20; cf. Job 12:4; Gen. 6:9 for Noah), together with Noah and Daniel (cf. Ecclus. 49:9); James 5:11 recalls him rather for his patience: cf. Tob. 2:12-15 (only in the Vulgate). …
Perseverance is all the more worthy of praise the more long-lasting the endurance of difficulties is. Sacred Scripture exhorts to perseverance, joining it to patience as a condition for attaining the reward (cf. Eccli. 5, 12; Mt. 10, 22; 24, 13; Lk. 21, 19; Heb. 3, 6; 10, 36; Jas. 5, 11; Rev. 2, 10), and condemns those who, having begun a good work, turn back (Lk. 9, 62). But as a supernatural virtue, which disposes the soul to continue in good worthy of divine reward, …
5:12
… To this latter form are to be traced the oaths by the life of the person to whom one is speaking (for example, Gen. 42, 15; 1 Kings 1, 26; 17, 55; 20, 3; etc.), by one's own head (Mt. 5, 36), by the earth (Mt. 5, 35; Jas. 5, 12), by heaven (Mt. 5, 34; 23, 22; Jas. 5, 12), by the temple (Mt. 23, 16), by the altar, the offerings (Mt. 23, 16, 18), by Jerusalem, etc., of which Scripture speaks so often. …
… PG 6, 427, 430]) and the Sacraments (e.g., St. Peter and St. John impose hands on the baptized for Confirmation [Acts 8:17], St. Paul, as bishop, ordains with the imposition of hands [I Tim. 4:14; II Tim. 1:6], presbyters administer Extreme Unction [Jas. 5:12-15], deacons baptize [Acts 8:26-40]).
… apostolica, 8) and in the reconciliation of penitents (St. Cyprian, Epist. 16, 2; Epist., 17, 2). Authorized by the bishop, they also confer Baptism on their own (Tertullian, De Baptismo, 17); they furthermore administer the Sacrament of Extreme Unction (Jas. 5, 12-15). They also exercise the function of catechists and teachers: St. Paul alludes (1 Tim. 5, 17) to presbyters, probably sacerdotes secundi gradus, who "labor in the word and in teaching"; …
5:13
With the exception of Theodore of Mopsuestia, no one ever called into doubt the divine authority of the book of G., cited as Sacred Scripture in I Cor. 3:19; James 5:13; cf. Rom. 11:35.
5:14
… Let him call for the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him" (Jas. 5:14-15). This document attests the existence, from the apostolic age onward, of a rite composed of an anointing (ἀλείφαντες αὐτὸν ἐλεῖν) accompanied by a prayer (προσευξάσθωσαν ἐπ' αὐτὸν), …
… Finally, it is held, with good foundation, that for Extreme Unction, according to the text of Iac. 5, 14, the Apostles used the i. o. h. together with the anointing. …
5:15
… This is the "alleviatio" (of the Vulgate) or the "erectio, excitatio" (ἐγερές of the Greek text) of which James 5:15 speaks. …
5:16
… intercede for Abimelech; Ex. 32:11-14; Num. 14:13-20: Moses intercedes for the people; 1 Sam. 7:8 ff.; Samuel; Job 42:8: Job), and of the New (e.g., the plural form in the petitions of the Pater; Acts 7:60; 12:5; Rom. 15:30; Eph. 1:15; 6:8-20; 1 Tim. 2:1-4; Jas. 5:16-18), as well as by the documents of ecclesiastical tradition on the practice of the faithful, both private and liturgical, e.g., the admonition of the Didache, 1, 3: "Pray for your enemies …
5:19
… a d.: 6:71]; 1 Jn. 3:8, 10), the former performing the "works of the d." (Acts 13:10) which are summed up in imposture or seduction (Jn. 8:44; 1 Tim. 4:2; Rev. 12:9; 20:9; cf. Acts 5:3-4), by which truth and justice are replaced by sin (Rom. 1:25-27; Jas. 5:19). The Christian must "resist the d." (Jas. 4:7; 1 Pt. 5:8) with "the whole armor" (Eph. 6:11), for the d. is "the prince of this world" (Jn. 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), he is "the god of …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.