James 5

1 The apostle proceeds in the exhortations to a Christian conversation and shows the miseries which are coming upon the rich 4 Who with hold the poor wages from them 5 who abuse riches from voluptuousness 6 and who oppress the poor 7 admonishing of Christ and by examples of an husbandmen 10 of the prophets and especially of Job 12 exhorts from vain swearing 13 teacheth how men must carry themselves in adversity and prosperity 14 and what the sick ought to do as also what service should be done to them especially by anointing them and praying for them 17 showing by example of Elias how powerful the prayer of the faithful is 19 and he finally exhorteth to reduce those that are gone astray into the right way and to repentance 20 and teacheth what a glorious work that same is .

1. Go to now ye rich [namely who gather riches unjustly or abuse the same as that which follows shows for otherwise riches in themselves are not evil but a blessing of God Prov.10.22 but are commonly and very easily abused to the hindrance of our salvation see Matth.13.22 and 19.23,24 and here are understood not only the common rich covetous persons and prodigals but also that are in public authority as kings ,princes, governors, judges and the like who abuse their power and authority to the oppression of the poor as appears out of verse 6]weep and howl for your miseries which come upon ye[or which shall come upon you well in this life as especially after this life see Luke 16:23]

2. Your riches [namely which ought to be bestowed for the sustentation of the poor] are corrupted [that is you rather let them rot by you or impart them to the poor] and your garments [namely which ye ought to have clothed the naked see Isaiah 58:7] are moth eaten.

3. Your gold and silver [namely which ye ought to have given sustentation of your neighbor as before]is grown rusty[namely in your chests or treasuries wherein ye have covetously kept it without imparting thereof to the poor]and their rust shall be for a witness[that is to convince ye of a covetousness and your just condemnation see Matthew10.18 Mark 1:44] unto ye [that is against ye see the like phrase Mark 8:4 and 10.18 and 22.31 namely in the day of judgment]and shall consume your flesh as it were fire [that is shall be as fire which ye shall be as tormented] ye have gathered treasures [some understand this as the treasure of Gods wrath which shall befall the covetous in the last days of which Paul speaks Romans 2:5 but is better understood of treasures of temporal goods in the gathering of covetous persons are always and only employed see Matthew 6:19] in last days [namely of the world of this your life when ye are now come unto great age yet nevertheless ye give not over yet covetously to gather treasures see Luke 12 verse 19 or against the last days]

4. Behold the reward of the laborers who have reaped your lands [by this one sort of justice he understands all other the like] which is withheld by ye cryeth [namely unto God that he would take vengeance unto it see Genesis 4:10 Hebrews 12:24] and the cry [Gr the eyes that the complaints of the workmen of this your injustice] of those who have reaped is come even unto ears of the Lord [this must be understood by a similitude taken from man whereby human members are oftentimes ascribed unto God not properly for he is a spirit John4.24 but after the manner of man and hereby is understood that God head this complaints see Psalms 18:7 Isaiah 37:17]Sabaoh [or Tsebaoth as the Hebrew read this is an Hebrew word and signifies hosts namely of heaven and earth which are at the service and fight for him against his enemies which title is often ascribed to God in the old testament see Isaiah 1:9 Jeremiah 11:20 Romans 9:29 and is here expressed by the apostle thereby to show this great power which he hath to punish the oppressors of the righteous.]

5. Ye have lived delicately upon earth [that is ye have consumed your riches to excess glutommy and opicurism and let the poor suffer hunger see an example of it Luke 16:19,20&c] and followed pleasures [see also 1Timothy 5.6] ye have fed your hearts [tat is not only so fatted your bodies but also done this with great desire of your hearts to satisfy them] as in a day of slaughter [that is even as the great feast of the days when the thank offering were slain men use then to make good cheer so ye do daily see Proverbs 7:14 Isaiah 22:13.]

6. Ye have condemned [that is by forces and cruelties procured the innocent which therefore must be understood of such rich men which are also placed in eminency and magistracy] ye have killed the just and he doth not resisted ye [that is he suffers ye to oppress him against it see an example in Naboth 1 Kings 21:13 and in Stephen Acts 7:59, 60.]

7. Be ye therefore suffering ye brethren [that is endure patiently the injury and violence that these men offer ye] unto the coming of the Lord [namely to judgment who shall then revenge the injury done to the upright and justly recompense it to their oppressors 2Thessalonians 1 verse 5.6 and then perfectly deliver them from the same Luke 21:28] behold the husbandmen expecteth the precious fruits of the land patiently waiting for the same [that is expecting the same with long patience] until it shall have received the early [that is which is necessary when the land is sown] and later rain [that is which useful to the fruits afterwards towards the time of the harvest see Deuteronomy 11:14]

8. Be ye also long suffering [namely even as the husbandmen or be ye therefore long suffering] strengthen your hearts [namely with a firm confidence that the Lord will his own time certainly fulfill his promises made to the faithful] for the coming of the Lord [namely to judgment as before] draweth nigh [that is will not tarry long in which he shall deliver ye from the company and the violence of the ungodly.]

9. Sigh not against one another brethren [that is give one another no occasion by unfitting words or deeds to sigh therefore one against another that is to be grieved or to complain unto God] that ye may not be condemned behold the judge [namely Jesus Christ who as judge of the world shall punish all injury] standeth before the door [that is his coming is nigh as one who is come to the door or gate being ready to enter in see Mathew 24.33.]

10. My Brethren take for an example of suffering [Gr of suffering evil tat is of affliction] and of long suffering the prophets the example of the same the Lord Christ also propounds for the end Matthew 5:12] who have spoken in the name of the Lord [that is by Order, command, or inspiration of the Lord see 2Peter1.20, 21]

11. Behold we count them blessed that endure ye have heard of the patience of Job and ye have seen the end of the Lord [that is the good issue which God afforded Job out of all his evils which he patiently endured see of the same Job chapter 42 verse 10] that the Lord is very merciful [Gr is of many bowels and the bowel is understood an inward moving of the mind unto mercy see Luke1.78 Philippians 2:1 Colossians 3:12] and compassionate.

12. But above all things my brethren swear not [namely rashly or out of despondence as man in adversity many times use to do see also Matthew 5:34 and 23.16 for otherwise a lawful oath by the name of God is not forbidden Hebrews 6:16]neither by the heaven nor by the earth [that is nor by any creature as many were accustomed to do who thought tat if they did not express the name of God in their discourse then they did not profane it or rashly abuse it as the Pharisee also taught see Matth.5.34 &c] nor any other oath [made rashly or by any other creature] but let your yea be yea and your no, no [that is simple expressing the truth with yea and in like manner when anything is denied simple expressing the no without adding any oath thereto I your speech conferences or dealings]that ye shall not into judgment [that is punishment which God had threatened to them that vainly abuse his name exodus 20.7 see of this phrase Matthew 23 .14 Luke 23:40 Romans 2:3 and 13.2 1Corinthians 11.29 James 3. others read into hypocrisy whereby then should be showed that such vain oaths or by creatures are made out of hypocrisy or bring men to hypocrisy as appears in the Pharisees Matthew 23:19]

13. Is any man among ye suffering? [namely of any evil as the Greek word imports] let him pray is any man cheerful let him sing Psalms.

14. Is any man sick among ye? [namely of the bodily sickness] let him call unto in the elders of the church [namely who have the gifts of healing by miracles which at that time was given to some teachers and elders see 1Corinthians 12.9] and let them pray [namely that God will give him his sins and restore him his health] over him [or for him so Elizeus prayed over the widows son 2Kings 4.33 Christ over Lazarus John 11:41 and Paul over Etichus Acts 20:10] anointing him with oil [namely after the example of disciples who having received of Christ the gift of miraculous healing used oil thereunto Mark 6:13 not that in the oil there was any secret virtue to cure diseases but they used the same as an extraordinary sign from whence it was known that such a miracle was wrought by God by their ministry for the confirmation of their doctrine as we see that Christ and his apostle in healing of diseases sometimes use spittle ,clay, touching laying on of the hands at other times their shadows girdled and handkerchief for this purpose which gift of miraculous healing seeing it hath now ceased many hundred years as being no more needful for as much as the doctrine of the gospel is sufficiently confirmed by miracles therefore this outward sign is in vain and by way of mockery used in this day as sacraments and it is yet more superstitiously abused while man think that such anointing hath power to take away sin and it is needful to the salvation of the soul] in the name of the Lord [that is calling upon the name of the Lord who is the author of such miraculous healing .]

15. and the prayer of faith [that is which is made to the Lord both by the elders and the sick persons out of a true faith] shall save the sick person from the bodily disease according to the will of the Lord [namely as being the principal worker of this miraculous healing which is expressly added that man should not think that the oil or the prayer uttered should have such power in themselves] shall raise him up [or help him up namely out of his sickness] and if have committed sins [namely for which god may have sent him that sickness as John5.14 1Corinthians 11.30] they be forgiven him [namely by the Lord if man duly pray unto him for it]

16. Confess your misdeeds one to another [the apostle will not hereby teach that the faithful must not reveal and confess all their sins in the minister to obtain a discharge or forgiveness from him as is perversely thought for he speaketh here expressly for a confession which must be made one to another that is one believer to another and that also mutual according to the occasion of things and by sins are understood first those sins which one believer committed against another whereby the love of our neighbor is violated and discoid raised of which the apostle would have him that hath trespassed against his neighbor to confess or acknowledge his fault and he reconciled with him about it as Christ also teacheth Matthew 5:23 which is ought to be done at all times so is it especial needful when men are sick besides if any man should be fallen into any sin about which he is also troubled that he alone can not well comfort himself that then should not reveal the sin to another whether it be minister or any other good friend to be comforted by him out of Gods words and to help him to pray that sin may be forgiven him of God as the following words imports] and pray for one another [namely as well for forgiveness for sins which men have confessed one to another as for the health of the body when anyone is sick as in former verse] that ye may be healed [namely in body and soul] a powerful prayer [that is servant and sincere or pressing strongly] of a righteous man [that is an upright believing person availeth much .

17. Elias was a man of like passion [or suffering see Acts 14:15 which is added that man might not think that Elias by reason of his great zeal and piety merited of God by praying seeing he had also his infirmities and was heard by God only of grace [as we and he prayed a prayer [or prayed with a prayer And Hebrew phrase by which petition was given to understand that he prayed very earnestly] that is might not rain and it rained not on the earth [that is upon the land of the Israelites for it was no universal drought over the whole world] in three years and six months.

18. And he prayed again and the heavens gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruits

19. Brethren if any among ye had erred from the truth [namely of the doctrine of the gospel whether it be in option or practice] and one convert him [namely by information in the sound doctrines and earnest exhortation into repentance which are means whereby God converts men and tat is ascribed to these means which is Gods proper work because he worketh effectually thereby]

20. Let him know that he hath converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save [namely as being an instrument of his saving see the like 1Tim.4.16] a soul [namely of him that erreth Jude verse 23] from death [that is shall bring it to this that God shall cover all the sins of him that erreth and not impute them to him and also that his sins shall be begotten and forgiven by men] a multitude of sins [namely of the erring person.]