James 4

2. The meditation of Christ's coming to judge us, would keep us from judging our brethren. We are apt to judge others as to their final state, which is for men to step into Christ's place, and take his work out of his hand (James 4:12). Who are you that judges another?

Words that are of no account will turn to a heavy account. 5. The evil tongue is the censorious tongue: James 4:12. Who are you that judges another? Some make it a part of their religion to judge and censure others; they do not imitate their graces, but censure their failings: S…

Patience in prayer is nothing but faith spun out. USE 1. It reproves them that pray in formality, not in faith: they question whether God hears, or will grant; (James 4:3) "You ask and receive not because you ask amiss." He does not say you ask that which is unlawful, but you as…

To pray for outward things only to satisfy nature, is to cry rather like ravens than Christians. We must have a higher end in our prayers, we must aim at heaven, while we are praying for earth: And must we pray for temporal things for spiritual ends, that we may be fitter to ser…

For the victory of our faith in these disputes and the resistance it makes lies chiefly in those replies which are made, whereby it quenches all his darts — whereof the devil, when he is once sensible and perceives it, he is confounded. For then, when he is once sensible and app…

Second, when this fuel is taken away the fire goes out, and so do people's hearts die when outward things are taken from them. When Nabal thought David might still come and take his goods, his heart died within him. For people live in the creatures, and when those are gone they…

And therefore Azariah the Prophet says notably to King Asa, 2 Chronicles 15.2, The Lord will be with you while you be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you: but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. And James says, Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…

Romans 10:12. He that is Lord over all, is rich to all that call on him. James 4:8. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. - 5. If God be a father who is called upon, then prayer is the mark of God's child.

Thus David when he was to encounter with Goliath, gathered hope and confidence to himself for the time to come, by the observation of God's providence in the time past: for says he, when I kept my father's sheep, I slew a lion and a bear that devoured the flock: now the Lord tha…

The first, because oftentimes we know not to ask as we ought (Matthew 20:22). The second, because we ask amiss (James 4:3). The third, because sometimes the things which we ask, though they be good in themselves, yet they are not good for us, and for that cause are withheld (2 C…

These three may further confirm it: 1. If we look in general to what the Scripture speaks of men by nature (Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3 and 5); they being as it is (Isaiah 57, penultimate verse), as the raging sea that casts out dirt and mire continually — it is always moving and…

And as you gain nothing by your striving with him, so you lose nothing but gain much by your soft stooping and silent submitting to him. If you humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, he shall lift you up (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). Humble yourselves therefore under the might…

The wicked cry, but there is none to save; they do not pray, but cry. 2. We storm, and are offended that our humor, rather than our faith is not answered, either at our own time, or that the thing which we ask to spend on our lusts (as James 4:3) is not granted. 3. We are more c…

The World is an enemy of our salvation, as well as the Devil and the Flesh; all the other enemies get strength by it; by the bait of worldly things the devil pleases the flesh; we are in continual danger of being everlastingly undone by it. Whoever is a lover of the world is pre…

As here, when the adversary was put to the foil he went his way. Therefore this is often pressed upon us in Scripture (James 4:7). Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Now he brings in God speaking: for that which God pronounces with his mouth, has greater vehemence than if he should have spoken by the voice of the Prophet. From here we are to draw a general doctrine; namely, that God cannot endure the insolence of the proud, but he must needs…

Neither must we here consider the person of one tyrant only, but the damnable fury of all the wicked, which make their conclusions in secret, no otherwise than if they were able to dispose of all things according to their own fantasy. Whose plots Saint James describes in lively…

He sets forth that more plainly which he touched before: to wit, that this pride and cruelty which proceeds thereof, shall be the cause of Moab's ruin. For seeing the Lord resists the proud (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5), he must needs take down this haughtiness, under which the Churc…

We forget God, because we are hurried away by the dread of men. Is it not very evident that we set a higher value on the shadowy life of the body "La vie de ce corps, laquelle n'est qu'une fumee;" -- "the life of this body, which is but a vapor," (James 4:14.) than on the eterna…

He who desires to approach God with the conviction that he will be heard, must learn to restrain his heart from asking any thing that is not agreeable to his will. "You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts." (James 4:3) Instead of…

11. For everyone that exalts himself shall be humbled. This clause makes it evident that ambition was the subject of which Christ was speaking; for he does not state what usually happens in the ordinary life of men, but declares that God will be their Judge, who resists the prou…

I reply, if any man estimate aright the immediate grace of God, by which he relieves the sorrows of his people, he will acknowledge that it is justly preferred to all the riches of the world. For though unbelievers flourish, (Psalm 92:7,) yet as they know not what awaits them on…

Section 9. It must be granted therefore that the end of gospel commands requiring holiness is not that thereby we should be justified — God has provided another righteousness for that end which is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us (Romans 10:4); but God has appointed oth…

You complain, Providence delayes to perform to you the mercies you have prayed and waited for; but have you right ends in your desires after these mercies? It may be that's the cause, you ask and receive not, James 4:3 The want of a good aim, is the reason why we want good succe…

What is this life, which is valued thus above all that a man has? The Apostle James makes the question, and gives the answer, It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away (James 4:14). A man's breath it is but in his nostrils, it is gone presently, y…

In serious thoughts of Gods marking sin, he is represented unto the soul under all those glorious terrible attributes and Excellencies which are apt to beget a dread and terror in the hearts of sinners, when they have no relief from any covenant engagements in Christ. The soul l…

And this is done two ways: First, when in our prayers we ask those things of God which are unlawful, or unwarrantable; as when we pray on the behalf of our lusts, to obtain provision to fulfill them (James 4:3): "You ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts." When we p…

These judgments they could not foresee; but future judgment far more dreadful, they might have foreseen, which should have made an impression of sorrow upon them if possibly by repentance they might avoid and escape it. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, let your laughter be tur…

Let tears run down like a river day and night, give yourself no rest, let not the apple of your eye cease: Arise, cry in the night, in the beginning of the watches pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. God does not only expect that his ministers and priests…

Our life we live now flies away as a shadow. It is called a flower (Psalm 103:15), a vapor (James 4:14). Job sets forth fragile life very elegantly in three of the elements — land, water, air (Job 9:25-26).

Who art thou that judgest another Man's Servant? to his own Master he standeth or falleth. James 4:12. There is one lawgiver that is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another?

But then Jesus Christ shall be the person acknowledged; he shall be acknowledged alone; he shall be acknowledged as Lord — all this is included in the expression, etc. That Christ alone shall be spoken of, invoked, and adored in all the Churches; they shall be subjected to him a…

Ill affections do as often divide us as ill opinions. Wars come from our lusts (James 4:1). Distempered spirits occasion distracted times.

We have need to pray as one did, Libera me a malo isto homine, meipso; Lord deliver me from that ill man, my own self, and then I am safe enough. The lusts that war in our members (James 4:1), are the enemies that war against our souls (1 Peter 2:11). If this war be brought to a…

In this sense is it used in that frequent expression, if I have found grace in your sight: that is, if I be freely and favorably accepted before you. So he gives grace, (that is, favor) to the humble (James 4:6; Genesis 39:21; chapter 41:37; Acts 7:10; 1 Samuel 2:26; 2 Kings 25:…

They may pray for what is in the promise but not as it is in the promise. James says some ask and do not receive because they ask wrongly, to spend it on their passions, James 4:3. Though the things God would have us ask are requested, if not according as he would have us do it,…

To him we owe our debts (Matthew 6:12; Matthew 18:27-29), against him are our offenses (Psalm 51:5). He is the judge and lawgiver (James 4:12); to sin is to rebel against him. He shuts up men under disobedience (Romans 11:32).

Indwelling sin always abides: no perfection in this life (Philippians 3:12; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 2 Peter 3:18; Galatians 5:17; etc.). The activity of abiding sin in believers (Romans 7:23; James 4:5; Hebrews 12:1). Its fruitfulness and tendency.

The truth is pure, and purifying, yet can it not of itself purify the soul, but by the obeying or believing it, and the soul cannot obey, or believe, but by the Spirit, which works in it that faith, and by that faith purifies it, and works love in it. It is the impurity and eart…

To wrong and beat a father seems a more heinous and unnatural act, than not to give him due reverence and attendance. We are sensible of sins of commission; but yet God will charge sins of omission as well as commission upon you, and so will conscience too when it is serious; wh…

3. You must resist (1 Peter 5:9): Whom resist steadfast in the faith. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Stand your ground, and then Satan falls.

And then ask them with humility, and submission to the will of God. We ought to say, as in (James 4:15) If the Lord will, we will go to such a place, and get gain. And then lawfully too, as to the end; not for an unlawful end, for ostentation and riot, that we may live at large,…

Now these should have no room in our prayers at all, though usually they have the first place. (James 4:3) You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. Our prayers should be the breathings of the Spirit, and usually they are but the b…

(2.) He will severely punish. (James 4:12) There is one lawgiver, who is able to save, and to destroy. There are many lawgivers in the world, that have power of life and death, but that's only of life temporal: but there is one lawgiver, that can reward with eternal life, and pu…

Of which kind of people the cowardliness is so much the more shameful and blameworthy, because God has given them such a Savior and Captain, as is both able and willing to minister strength to them be they never so weak and feeble, health, be they never so sick or diseased, soun…

What is your life, says the apostle? It is but as a vapor (James 4:14). A little warm breath turned in and out by the nostrils (Job 7:1).

That is, of his heart, betrayed by his countenance, he will not seek after God, and God is not in all his thoughts; that is, scarce troubled with such a thought of what will please or displease God, he does not think it necessary or worth the time to look after. 2. They oppose G…

Or may we not speak of another's sin in no case? Sol. 1. It is a very hard matter to speak any evil of another without sin: for if it be without cause, then it is downright slander, and is against truth: if it be for a light and small cause, then it is against charity: if it be…

Good things must be sought to a good end. You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss, to consume it upon your lusts (James 4:3). All things must be sought for to holy ends, to glorify God; much more spiritual gifts.

And labor after temporal things deadens and hinders us from looking after things which are eternal; and we lose the relish of things to come, and things spiritual, the more the love of worldly things does increase upon us. The schoolmen say of worldliness, it is that which most…