THis Epistle (as the rest following) is directed specially, as S. Augustin saith, against
the errour of only faith, which some held at that time also, by misconstruing S. Paules words.
Yea not only that, but many other errours (which then also were annexed vnto it, as they are
now) doth this Apostle here touch expresly.
He saith therfore, that not only faith, but also good workes are necessarie, that not only
faith, but good workes doe iustifie: that they are acts of Religion, or seruice and worship of
God: that to keep al commandements of God, and so to abstaine from al mortal sinne, is not
impossible, but necessarie: that God is not author of sinee, no not so much as of tentation to
sinne: that we must stay our selues from sinning, with feare of our death, of the iudgement, of
hel: and stirre our selues to doing good, with our reward that we shal haue for it in
heauen. These points of the Catholike faith he commendeth earnestly vnto vs, inueighing
vehemently against them that teach the coutrarie errours. Howbeit he doth withal admonish not
to neglect such, but to seeke their conuersion, shewing them how meritorious a thing that is.
Thus then he exorteth generally to al good workes, & dehorteth from al sinne. But yet also
namely to certaine, and from certaine: as, from acception of persons, from detraction and rash
iudging, from concupiscence and loue of this world, from swearing: and to praier, to almes, to
humilitie, confession and penance: but most copiously to patience in persecution.
Now, who this Iames was: It is not he, whose feast the Church keepeth the 25. of Iulie, which
was S. Iohns brother, and whose martyrdom we haue Actor. 12. but he, whom the Church worshippeth
the first of Maie, who is called Frater Domini, our Lordes brother, And brother to Iude,
which was the first Bishop of Hierusalem of whom we read, Act. 15. and 21. and also Gal. 2. of
whose wonderful austeritie and puritie of life, the Ecclesiastical stories doe report.
Euseb. li. 2. c. 22. Hiero. in Catalogo.
Therfore as the old High-Priest had power and charge ouer the Iewes, not only in
Hierusalem and Iurie, but also dispersed in other Countries (as we vnderstand Act. 9. v. 1, & 2.)
so S. Iames likewise, being Bishop of Hierusalem, and hauing care not only of those Iewes with
whom he was resident there in Iurie, but of al the rest also, writeth this Epistle, To the
twelue Tribes that are in dispersion. And in them, to al Christians vniuersally dispersed
through the world.