James 5

Christ's intercession must needs be effectual, if you consider, (1.) The excellency of his person; if the prayer of a saint be so prevalent with God: Moses's prayer did bind God's hands (Exodus 32:10): Let me alone; and Jacob as a prince prevailed with God (Genesis 32:28); and E…

He who forecasts sufferings, will have the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit ready, that he may not be surprised. 3. If afflictions do come, let us labor to conduct ourselves wisely as Christians, that we may adorn our sufferings: that is, let us endure with patience…

2. God is the best Father, because he is perfect; (Matthew 5:48) Your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. He is perfectly good: Earthly fathers are subject to infirmities: Elijah (though a prophet) was a man of like passions (James 5:17), but God is perfectly good: All the per…

Jacob wept and made supplication, and had power over the Angel (Hosea 12:4). 3. Prayer must be fired with zeal and fervency (James 5:16). Effectual fervent prayer prevails much.

They glorified him not as God. 1. Let us pray to him as to a God, pray with fervency (James 5:16). An effectual fervent prayer prevails much; this is both the fire and the incense, without fervency it is no prayer.

It is too much for a Christian to have two heavens, that is more than Christ had. It has been ever the lot of the saints to encounter with sore trials; both of the prophets (James 5:10): Take my brethren the prophets for an example of suffering affliction: And of the apostles, P…

And (2.) some temporary appointments relating to gifts in the Church, bestowed only for a season in the first plantation of the Gospel, are ceased. But (3.) no institution or command of Christ, given to the whole Church, relating to the evangelical administration of the New Cove…

Seventhly, the church is therefore still to perform the duties of love, and care, towards such persons. (1.) In praying for them, that they may be converted from the error of their way (James 5:19, 20; 1 John 5:16). If any man see his brother sin a sin, which is not to death, he…

But especially be earnest and fervent in pouring forth your own complaint, for though the speaking of friends may somewhat further your case, yet it must be worked out between God and you alone in private, and his good will must be obtained by wooing him in secret. This counsel…

As Christ learned obedience by what he suffered, so will you also if you have his Spirit. The second application is to exercise graces in their seasons: when you are afflicted, pray; when joyful, sing psalms (James 5:13); when filled with assurance, then mourn and be humbled (Ez…

This is the principal thing, which in those Psalms is propounded of David. And so the Apostle counsels, James 5:14, 15: Is any man sick among you? let him call for the Elders of the Church: and what must they do? Surely, first pray for him; and then (as the custom was in those d…

Hence, as spiritual prayer is a sacrifice (Psalm 141:2) offered up to God our Father in the name of Christ, to comfort, solace, and cure a sad and grieved spirit; so spiritual praise is a sacrifice, tendered to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Christ (Hebrews 13:16),…

We rob the Spirit of his glory, who is given to Saints to form prayer and praise in them (1 Corinthians 14:15, 16; Romans 8:26; Galatians 4:6). We impose a burden upon conscience to be practiced, which God has left arbitrary, to be used according to our necessities; if we be aff…

So James 5:10: Take, my brethren, the Prophets for an example. But whereas principally and commonly examples are patterns of other things that which they are to be conformed to, as in the places cited (John 13:15; James 5:10), this cannot be the sense of it in this place. For th…

As the courage of a valiant man is enflamed by a noble example, when a coward shrinks back and trembles at it. On this supposition there is great force in that direction (James 5:10): Take my brethren the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of sufferi…

He was to come to destroy those murderers, and to burn their city, which fell out not long after the writing of this Epistle, and is properly intended in this place. See (Matthew 24:3, 27, 30; 2 Peter 3:4; Jude 14; Revelation 1:7; Mark 16:28; James 5:7, 8). For hereon ensued the…

Our fathers where are they? and the Prophets do they live for ever? (Zechariah 1:5). The Prophets of old, the most eminent administrators under the Old Testament they were all mortal dying men, and while they lived in this world they were subject, to like passions with other men…

How eminent was Job for his patience! God leaves his name upon Record, Ye have heard of the patience of Job, James 5.11. Job the Sufferer, was more renowned than Alexander the Conqueror.

Therefore wicked is the opinion of the Catharists or Puritans, which hold that men may be without sin in this life. 4. And when we say, forgive, not me but us: we are put in mind to pray, not only for the pardon of our own sins, but likewise for our brothers and enemies (James 5…

Opened prisons (Acts 12:9). Shut heaven (James 5:17). Prayer has had power with God (Hosea 12:4).

Fullness of estate makes way for fullness of bread, and many beastly sins. 4. Unmercifulnes, you never knew any prodigal, but they were also uncharitable; as Sodom here and the epicure (Luke 16), and you shall see (James 5:4, 5) those that nourished their hearts as in a day of s…

But in the word of God there is no warrant for this confession, nor in the writings of orthodox antiquity for the space of many hundred years after Christ, as one of their own side avouches. And the commandment of the Holy Spirit — confess one to another and pray one for another…

Psalm 102:18. This shall be written for the generation to come. James 5:17, 18. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the Earth by the space of three years and six months; and he prayed again, and…

Not the second: 'The earth is the Lord's and the fullness of it' (Psalm 24:1); his name is God All-sufficient (Genesis 17:1). Not the last: 'As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those that fear him' (Psalm 103:13); 'The Lord is exceedingly pitiful and of tender me…

Yet he meekly receives and patiently bears it from the hand of the Lord. You have heard of the patience of Job (James 5:11), and seen the end the Lord brought about. Not only the gracious intention of the Lord in all his afflictions, but the happy outcome the Lord gave to all hi…

Therefore, wicked is the opinion of the Catharists or Puritans, which hold that men may be without sin in this life. 4. And when we say, forgive, not me, but us: we are put in mind to pray, not only for the pardon of our own sins, but likewise for our brethren and enemies (James…

We must not pine away in our iniquities, sullenness and dumpishness even in sorrow for sin it sours our spirits and services, and makes them unacceptable to God; (I say) a sullen, dumpishness of spirit, though it be in sorrow for sin, it sours our spirits and makes our services…

Such as wherein they must only go before them and direct them, are those which only ought to be done jointly of the whole family, and then the superiors must be there, the chief directors of them: otherwise, when they are absent, they must cause them to be done, as in prayer bef…

The form of requests, is set down in a copulative axiom, which numbers up six several petitions, where the bond or couple of the axiom is left out, as the manner is, where one does earnestly, and because of the earnestness, speedily require, or will a thing, as (Genesis 18:6, 7;…

The order of his Church set down in his word (Hebrews 3:2; 1 Chronicles 28:12, 19; 2 Chronicles 29:25; 1 Chronicles 15:13; 1 Corinthians 9:8). For ruling of his Church, by his word: rulers who have the care of souls committed to them (Hebrews 13:17; James 5:14; Acts 14:23). And…

The reason follows: For he will not hold him innocent, that takes his name in vain. That is, he will condemn him, as Saint James and Saint Paul write, the one against rash swearing, and the other of the abuse of the Sacraments interprets; Above all things swear not my brethren,…

James commands not such a confession. Daniel's, Ezra's, Peter's confession were some other thing (John 1:20; Acts 19:18; Hebrews 11:13; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 4:2; Mark 3:6; Joshua 7:19; Daniel 9:4; Romans 10:10; 1 Timothy 6:13; Psalm 32:5; James 5:16; Leviticus 5:5; Leviticus 1…

To show you, there was an inward sensible work of the Spirit of God in her heart that did enlarge her, not so much to pour out words, as sighs, and groans; this feeling power of the Spirit does mightily express what the will of God is that we should ask, this is according to the…

Answ. But yet though love cover a multitude of sins, yet how does it cover them? First, with a mantle of wisdom, then with a mantle of faithfulness, and then a mantle of compassion. A mantle of wisdom, when a man so covers it as not to skin it over, but to cover it so effectuall…

This was extraordinary, but surely the more often we converse with God, the more holy and heavenly should we grow, more like him in spirit, be changed into the glory of the Lord spiritually, and so we are if we be instant and earnest in prayer, if we have communion with God ther…

1. The human spirit, or our natural faculty; so that by our understandings we may work upon our wills and affections, surely God makes use of this, for the Holy Ghost does not work upon a man as upon a block, and we are to rouse up ourselves and to attend upon this work with the…

1. God considers what will become himself, his pity, and fidelity. 1. His own pity and mercy (James 5:11): "You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." God will give a happy end to our conflicts a…

Section 5. Five more Instances produced. 6. Another example from Scripture of the performance of this duty of secret prayer, is, the famous man of God Elijah, who wrought many miracles, and was mighty in prayer, for so the Apostle James testifies of him (James 5:17-18), that he…

I might from hence take occasion to discover the strength and efficacy of this duty of prayer, from the consideration of closet prayer: though but a poor single person get upon his knees in a corner, and have no creature to help him, yet he can even undertake to grapple with the…

I will pray with understanding: For blind devotion is not pleasing to God: 2. A sensible feeling of our wants, we must come weary and heavy laden (Matthew 11:28). Pressed with the guilt of sin, pinched with want of grace: 3. Fervency of spirit (James 5:17), arising from a consid…

Secondly, if the laborer works, not in regard of the common good only, but also with respect of his wages: he that runs a race, to attain the garland: if the husbandman sets and sows, plants and plows, in hope to reap a harvest, and to receive some fruit of his labors: It is law…

To comprehend the meaning of the holy virgin, it must be observed that what is here placed second is first in order; for the excitement of the will of man to praise God must be preceded by a rejoicing of the spirit, "Car avant que la volonte de l'homme soit mise en train de loue…

37. But your speech shall be, Yes, yes; No, no for what is beyond these comes from evil. "Du mal, ou, malin, ou meschant," (James 5:12;) — "from evil, or, malignant, or wicked." 33. You shall not perjure yourself This also is not a correction of the law, but a true interpretatio…

The first Choice a Natural Mind makes, is of a Life in Sin and Pleasure; which is but a Death, a Death to God, 1 Tim. 5. 6. James 5. 5. a Life without the Law, and before it comes, Rom. 7. 9. This is the Life which is suited to the Carnal Mind, which it desires, delights in, and…

We see what tender resentments the Lord has of all our wants, straits and burdens, Psalm 103:13 Like as a Father pitieth his Children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. He is full of bowels, as the word in James 5:11 signifies. Yea, there are not only bowels of compassion…

Surely, teachers; for he adds, if any be blameless, etc., for a Bishop must be above reproach, etc. And (James 5:14) the sick are asked to send for the Elders of the Church, that they may pray over, and anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord, which is no layman's duty.…

Other works had need to be done for them. 3. The equity of the duty; our Savior and the Apostles plead it out from grounds of equity and justice (Matthew 10:10; 1 Corinthians 9:10), allowing proportionable rectitude in the way of recompense, to the wages of the laborer, which to…

2. Occasionally (Luke 24:14; Malachi 3:16), if any thing of weight and concernment to the church, be brought forth by providence; a spiritual improvement of it, by a due consideration among believers, is required. 3. By assembling of more together by appointment, for prayer and…

It was a joy of heart to him to be engaged in this work. Singing is the frame [illegible] (James 5:13) of them that are in a glad, free, rejoicing condition. So was the Lord Christ in this work.

This the Apostle James speaks of. You have heard of the patience of Job (James 5:11). As if he should say, do you not know why the Book of Job was written?