Original Douay Rheims Bible (1582 & 1610)

Epistola Catholica Beati Jacobi Apostoli

1. Unde bella et lites in vobis? nonne hinc: ex concupiscentiis vestris, quæ militant in membris vestris? 1. FROM whence are wars and contentions among you? Are they not hereof? of your concupiscences which war in your members?
2. concupiscitis, et non habetis: occiditis, et zelatis: et non potestis adipisci: litigatis, et belligeratis, et non habetis, propter quod non postulatis. 2. You covet, & have not. You kill, and envy; and can not obtain. You contend and war: and you have not, because you ask not.
3. Petitis, et non accipitis: eo quod male petatis: ut in concupiscentiis vestris insumatis. 3. You ask, and receive not: because you ask amiss: that you may consume it on your concupiscences.
4. Adulteri, nescitis quia amicitia hujus mundi inimica est Dei? quicumque ergo voluerit amicus esse sæculi hujus, inimicus Dei constituitur. 4. Adulterers, know you not the the * 1 John 2,15. friendship of this world, is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, is made an enemy of God.
5. An putatis quia inaniter Scriptura dicat: Ad invidiam concupiscit spiritus qui habitat in vobis? 5. Or do you think that the Scripture saith in vain: To envy doth the spirit covet which dwelleth in you?
6. majorem autem dat gratiam. Propter quod dicit: Deus superbis resistit, humilibus autem dat gratiam. 6. And The boldness of Heretics adding here the word, Scripture, to the text this, And the Scripture giveth greater grace. giveth greater grace. For the which cause it saith, * Proverbs 3,35.
1 Peter 5,5.
God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
7. Subditi ergo estote Deo, resistite autem diabolo, et fugiet a vobis. 7. Be subject therefore to God, but resist the Devil, and he will fly from you.
8. Appropinquate Deo, et appropinquabit vobis. Emundate manus, peccatores: et purificate corda, duplices animo. 8. Free-will and man's own endeavour necessary in comming to God. Approach to God, & he will approach to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners: and Purify your hearts.
Man (we see here) maketh himself clean and purgeth his own heart. Which derogateth nothing to the grace of God being the principal cause of the same. Yet Protestants think we derogate from Christ's Passion, when we attribute such effects to our own works, or to other secondary helps and causes.
purify your hearts, ye double of mind.
9. Miseri estote, et lugete, et plorate: risus vester in luctum convertatur, et gaudium in mœrorem. 9. Be miserable, and mourn, & weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning; and joy, into sorrow.
10. Humiliamini in conspectu Domini, et exaltabit vos. 10. * 1. John 5,6. Be humbled in the sight of our Lord, and he will exalt you.
11. Nolite detrahere alterutrum fratres. Qui detrahit fratri, aut qui judicat fratrem suum, detrahit legi, et judicat legem. Si autem judicas legem, non es factor legis, sed judex. 11.
μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων
He forbideth detraction, evil speaking, and slandering.
Detract not one from another, my Brethren. He that detracteth from his Brother, or he that judgeth his Brother, detracteth from the Law, and judgeth the Law. But if thou judge the Law, thou art not a doer of the Law, but a Judge.
12. Unus est legislator et judex, qui potest perdere et liberare. 12. For there is one Lawmaker, and Judge that can destroy and deliver.
13. Tu autem quis es, qui judicas proximum? Ecce nunc qui dicitis: Hodie, aut crastino ibimus in illam civitatem, et faciemus ibi quidem annum, et mercabimur, et lucrum faciemus: 13. But thou, * Romans 14,4. what art thou that judgest thy neighbour? Behold now you that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into that city, and there certes will spend a year, and will traffic, and make our gain
14. qui ignoratis quid erit in crastino. 14. (who are ignorant what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is a vapour appearing for a little while, and afterward it shall vanish away)
15. Quæ est enim vita vestra? vapor est ad modicum parens, et deinceps exterminabitur; pro eo ut dicatis: Si Dominus voluerit. Et: Si vixerimus, faciemus hoc, aut illud. 15. for that you should say, All promises and purposes of our worldly affairs are to be made under condition of God's good liking & pleasure: and it be commeth a Christian man to have usually this form of speach in that case, If God will, if God otherwise dispose not. If our Lord will: and, if we shall live, we will do this or that.
16. Nunc autem exsultatis in superbiis vestris. Omnis exsultatio talis, maligna est. 16. But now you rejoyce in your arrogancies. All such rejoycing is wicked.
17. Scienti igitur bonum facere, et non facienti, peccatum est illi. 17. To one therefore knowing to do good, and not doing it: to him it is sin.