James 1

JAmes The Son of Alpheus and Brother of Iude, called likewise the Brother of the Lord, Gal. 1.19. a servant not only by Creation, as all the Creatures are, Psal. 119.91. or by Redemption, as all Believers are, but by special Commission in the Office of an Apostle; See Gal. 1.10. Phil. 1.1. and 2 Pet. 1.1. compare likewise, Rom. 1.9. of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ The Members of this clause may be taken, either joyntly, and then the Conjunction, and, has the power only of an Explicative, q. d. the Servant of God, even the Lord Jesus Christ, as Tit. 2.11. and the Sense must be, the Servant of Jesus Christ, who is God: Or, separately which our Translation seems to favour) to let his Countrymen know, that in serving Christ, he served the God of his Fathers; and by the Authority both of God, and of Christ, wrote this to them., to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad Being one of the Apostles of the Circumcision, Gal. 2.9. he writes to all his believing Countrymen wherever dispersed, as they were upon several Occasions, and at several times, into divers Countries, Acts 2.9, 10, 11., greeting A Salutation usual, not only among the Heathen, but the Iews, Matth. 26.49. and 27.29. and used by the Christians, Acts 15.23. It seems to answer to the Hebrew-Salutation, Peace, which was comprehensive of all Happiness; and so is this here to be understood..

My brethren Both as being of the same Nation, and the same Religion; so he calls them, that the kindness of his Compellation might sweeten his Exhortations., count Esteem it so by a spiritual Judgment, tho the Flesh judg otherwise. it all Matter of the chiefest Joy, viz. spiritual. So all is taken, 1 Tim. 1.15. joy when ye fall When you are so beset, and circumvented by them, that there is no escaping them, but they come upon you, though by the Direction of God's Providence, yet not by your own seeking. into divers temptations So he calls Afflictions from God's end in them, which is to try and discover what is in Men, and whether they will cleave to him, or not The Iews were hated by other Nations, and the Christian Iews even by their own, and therefore were exposed to divers Afflictions, and of divers kinds, 1 Pet. 1.6..

Knowing this Considering., that the trying The reason why he called Afflictions, Temptations, as well as why Believers should count it all Joy to fall into them, viz. because they are Trials of their Faith, and such Trials as tend to Approbation, as the word (different from that in the former Verse) imports. of your faith Both of the Truth of the Grace it self, and of your Constancy in the Profession of it. worketh patience Not of it self, but as a means in the Hand of God, made effectual to that end. Obj. Rom. 5.3. it is said, Tribulation worketh Patience, and Patience Experience, or Trial; whereas here it is said, that Trial works Patience. Ans. The Words used here, and Rom. 5. are different; here it is, which signifies actively, the trying it self, and this works Patience; there it is, which is taken passively for the Experiment following upon the Trial; or, as we read it, the Experience, viz. of our Sincerity, as well as of God's Consolation, which may well be the Effect of Patience wrought by, and under Trials. And so both are true, that Tribulation, as Paul speaks, and Trial, as Iames, work Patience, and Patience not a further Trial, but rather Discovery, or Experiment, or Approbation of what we are, which appears by nothing more, than by Patience under Sufferings..

But let patience have her perfect work i. e. Effect, q. d. let it have its full Efficacy in you, both in making you absolutely subject to God's Will, and constant to the end under all your Sufferings., that ye may be perfect and entire That you may grow perfect in this Grace, as well as in others, and have the Image of Christ (to whom ye are to be conformed) completed in you., wanting nothing Either not failing, not fainting in Trials, or not defective in any thing which is a needful part of Christianity..

If If, does not imply a Doubt, but supposeth something which they themselves would grant; viz. That they did lack Wisdom, either in whole, or in part. It is, as if he had said, Since, or seeing ye lack, &c. See the like, Mal. 1.6. any of you lack wisdom Though this hold true of Wisdom taken more generally, yet Wisdom here is to be restrained, according to the Circumstances of the Text, and taken for Wisdom or Skill to bear Afflictions, so as to rejoice in them., let him ask of God By believing, fervent Prayer., that giveth to all men Either to all sorts of Men, Iew, or Gentile, bond or free, &c. or to all that so ask, as appears by the next Verse. liberally Or, simply, Rom. 12.8. i. e. with an open, free, large Heart, in opposition to the contracted, narrow Spirits of covetous Misers. Our Translation renders it well liberally; and so the word is used, 2 Cor. 8.2. and 9, 13., and upbraideth not Does not twit them with their Importunity, or Frequency in asking (as Men often do) however he may upbraid them with their Unthankfulness for, or abuse of what they have received., and it shall be given him Matth. 7.7, 8. Iohn 16.23. The Promise is here added to encourage Faith in asking..

But let him ask in faith With Confidence of God's hearing, grounded on the Divine Attributes and Promises, Mark 11.24. and 1 Iohn 5.14., nothing wavering Either not disputing God's Power or Promise; or rather, not doubting, not staggering through Vnbelief, Rom. 4.20. where the same Greek word is used: So Acts 10.20. nothing doubting; and Mark 11.23. where it is opposed to believing.: For he that wavereth, is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, and tossed This notes either the Emptiness, and Unprofitableness of faithless Prayer, when Men's Minds are thus at uncertainties, tossed to and fro; the Confidence they sometimes seem to have, like Waves, falls down and fails, and their Prayers come to nothing: Or, the Disquiet, and Torment, Distrust works in the Minds of such Waverers, which are never setled, till Faith come and fix them, Isa. 57.20..

For let not that man He that wavers, in opposition to him that asks in Faith: all doubting does not hinder the hearing of Prayer, but that which excludes Faith, Mark 9.23, 24. think Vainly conceit, or persuade himself. that he shall receive any thing Even the least Mercy, much less the Wisdom mentioned. of the Lord

A double minded man Either, 1. an Hypocrite, who is said to have a double Heart, Psalm 12.2. Or, 2ly. rather he that is of a doubtful Mind, wavering, and fluctuating with contrary Motions, sometimes of one Mind, sometimes of another; sometimes hoping, sometimes desponding. is unstable Either unconstant, without any fixedness, or Consistancy of Spirit; as ready to depart from God, as to cleave to him; or unquiet, troubled, full of inward Tumults. in all his ways By an Hebraism, Ways, for Counsels, Purposes, Actions, &c..

Let the brother i. e. The Believer, (for to such he writes.) all Believers, or Saints, being Brethren in Christ, 1 Cor. 16.20. and 1 Thess. 5.26. and 1 Tim. 6.2. of low degree The Greek word signifies both lowliness of mind, and lowness of Condition (as the Hebrew word does, to which it answers) but here is to be understood of the latter (as Luke 1.48.) but especially of such a low estate, as a Man is brought into for Christ's sake and the Gospels. rejoice in that he is exalted k. Either exalted to be a Brother, a Member of Christ, a Child of God, and Heir of Glory, which is the greatest Preferment, or exalted to the Honour of suffering for Christ. See Acts 5.41. Rom. 5.3.

But the rich Viz. Brother, he that is in an high, honourable, or plentiful Condition in the World. in that he is made low Supply from the former Verse, let him rejoyce in that he is made low; not as to his outward state (for he is supposed to be rich still) but his inward Disposition, and frame of Mind, God having given him a lowly Heart in an high Condition, and thereby prepared him for the Cross, tho as yet he be not under it, because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away The Reason why the rich Brother should be humble in his greatest Abundance, viz. because of the uncertainty of his enjoying what at present he possesseth; he is neither secure of his Life, nor his Wealth; he, and his Enjoyments pass away, and his Pomp vanisheth as easily as the Flower of the Grass, which fades as soon as it flourisheth..

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat Or, the scorching East-wind, which in those Countries was now to rise with the Sun, Io. 4.8., but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man Either shall is here put for may, the Future Tense for the Potential Mood, and then the Apostle does not so much declare what always certainly shall be, as what easily may be, and frequently is, the Prosperity of Rich Men not being always of so short continuance. Or, shall, may be taken properly, as we read it, and then this is a general Proposition, showing the mutable Nature, and short continuance of Rich Men and their Riches, whose longest Life is but short, and Death when it comes strips them of their Enjoyments; and tho this Frailty be common to all, yet he speaks of the Rich especially, because they are so apt to bear themselves high upon their Wealth, and put Confidence in it, 1 Tim. 6.17. fade away in his ways Either in his Journyings and Travels for his Riches, or rather in his Counsels, Purposes, Actions, Psal. 146.4..

Blessed is the man that endureth Holds out against the Assaults and Impressions of Temptations with Patience and Constancy, ch. 5.11. Heb. 12.5, 7. temptation Afflictions, as v. 2., for when he is tried Approved, and found upon the Trial to be sound in the Faith: a Metaphor taken from Mettals tried by Fire, and found pure., he shall receive the crown of life So the heavenly Glory is called, Rev. 2.10. either because it is not to be had, but in eternal Life; or because of its Duration, and not fading away, 1 Pet. 5.4., which the Lord has promised This shows on what ground it is to be expected, viz. on the account of the Promise, and how sure we may be of it. to them that love him i. e. All true Believers, whose Faith, and thereby Title to the Crown is evidenced by Love, which is the fulfilling of the Law. Object. Why not promised to them that suffer for Christ, of whom he here speaks? Ans. That is implied, for none l ve him more, or evidence their Love to him more than they that suffer for him..

Let no man say Neither with his Mouth, nor so much as in his Heart blasphemously cast the blame of his Sins upon God, to clear himself. when he is tempted So stirred up to sin, as to be drawn to it., I am tempted of God Either sollicited by God to sin, or enforced to it.: For God cannot be tempted with evil Cannot be drawn aside to any thing that is unrighteous, by any motion from within, or Impression from without., neither tempteth he any man Does no way seduce, or enforce to sin, so as to be justly chargeable, as the Author of it. Object. God is said to be tempted, Exod. 17.2, 7. Deut. 6.16. Psalm 78.41. and to tempt, Gen. 22.1. Deut. 8.2. and 13.3. Answ. Both are to be understood of Temptations of Exploration, or for the Discovery of something that was before hidden. Men tempt God, that they may know what he will do: God tempts Men, that they (not he, for he knows it already) may know what themselves will do, which then appears, when the Temptation draws it out; but neither is to be understood of the Temptation here spoken of, viz. of Seduction, or drawing into Sin. God tempts by giving hard Commands, Gen. 22.1. by afflicting, as in Iob's case, by letting loose Satan, or other wicked Instruments to tempt, 1 King. 22.22. by withholding his Grace, and deserting Men, 1 Sam. 28.15. by presenting Occasions, which Corruption within improves unto Sin, and by ordering and governing the evil Wills of Men; as that a Thief should steal out of this Flock, rather than that; that Nebuchadnezzar should rather come against Ierusalem, than Rabbah, Ezek. 21.21, 22. But God does not tempt by commanding, suggesting, solliciting, or persuading to sin..

But every man is tempted He shows the great cause of Sin; that Lust has a greater hand in it, than either the Devil, or his Instruments, who cannot make us in without our selves: They sometimes tempt, and do not prevail; but when Lust tempts, it always prevails either in whole, or in part, it being a Degree of Sin to be our own Tempters. when he is drawn away Either this notes a Degree of Sin, the Hearts being drawn off from God, or the way whereby Lust brings into Sin, viz. the Impetuousness and Violence of its motions in us. of his own lust Original Corruption in its whole Latitude, tho chiefly with respect to the appetitive Faculties and enticed Either a farther degree of Sin enticed by the pleasantness of the Object, as represented by our own Corruption, or another way of Lusts working in us to sin, viz. by the Delightfulness and Pleasure of its motions: In the former it works by a kind of force, in this by Flatery and Deceit. It is either a Metaphor taken from a Fish enticed by a Bait, and drawn after it, or rather from an Harlot drawing a young Man out of the right Way, and alluring him with the Bait of Pleasure to commit Folly with her..

Then when lust has conceived Lust (compared to an Harlot) may be said to conceive, when the Heart is pleased with the motion, and yields some consent to it., it bringeth forth The Birth of Sin may be the complete consent of the Will to it, or the outward act of it. sin, and sin Actual Sin the Fruit and Product of Original. when it is finished Sin is finished, when it is not only committed, but continued in, as the Way and Course of a Man's Life., bringeth forth death Not only temporal, but eternal: Or we may thus take the Order and Progress of Sin: The first indeliberate motion of Lust, is the Temptation or Bait, which by its Pleasantness enticeth, and by its Vehemency draws the Heart after it (as the Harlot, Pro. 7.21. with the flattering of her Lips forced the young Man, telling him of the Pleasure he should enjoy, v. 14, 16, 17, 18. and then he goes after her, v. 22.) the Hearts lingring about, and being entangled with the delightful motion of Lust, is its committing Folly with it, when the full consent is joined, Lust has conceived; when the outward Act is performed, Sin is brought forth; and when Sin is finished in a setled Course, it brings forth Death; which, tho every Sin do in the merit of it, yet Sin only finished, does in the Event. Object. Does not this imply Lust, and its first motions not to be Sin? Answ. No: for, 1. the least motions of it are forbidden, Matth. 5.28. Rom. 7.7. 2ly. It is contrary to the Law and Spirit of God, Rom. 7.23, 25. Gal. 5.16, 17. 3ly. It is the Fountain of Impurity, and therefore is it self impure, Iob 14.4. Matth. 7.15, 16. Iames 3.11. 4ly. Evil Thoughts defile a Man, Matth. 15.19. Acts 8.22. Obj. How is Lust said here to bring forth Sin, when Rom. 7.8. Sin is said to work Lust? Ans. Iames calls the corrupt Principle it self, Lust, and the actings of it, Sins; whereas Paul calls the same Principle, Sin, and the actings of it, Lusts. And so both are true, Lust, as a Root, brings forth the acts of Sin as its Fruit s; and Sin, as a Root, brings forth actual Lusts, as its Fruits..

Do not err Viz. in imputing your Sins to God, and saying, that when you are tempted, you are tempted of him. my beloved brethren.

Gr. giving, and so it may be distinct from Gift in the next clause; to show, that whereas Men sometimes give good Gifts in an evil way, and with an evil Mind, God's giving, as well as Gift, is always good; and therefore when we receive any thing of him, we should look not only to the thing it self, but to his Bounty and Goodness in giving it: Or, it may be rendred as our Translators do, Gift, and so the word is sometimes used by profane Writers themselves; and then tho it may be implied, that all good Gifts, and of all kinds, of Nature, and of Grace, are from God, yet the Apostle's Design in this place being to prove, that God is not the Author of Sin; Good Gifts may most fairly be understood the best Gifts, those of Grace (spiritual Blessings, Ephes. 1.3.) such being contrary to Sin, and destructive of it, in one of which he instanceth, viz. Regeneration, v. 18. Every good gift, and every perfect gift The highest degree of good Gifts, those that perfect us most, to intimate, that all the Parts and Steps of spiritual Life, from the first beginning of Grace in Regeneration, to the Consummation of it in Glory, are of God., is from above i. e. From Heaven, Iohn 3.27, 31. and Heaven is put for God that dwells there, Luke 15.21., and cometh down from the Father The Creator, Author, or first Cause, as Heb. 12.9. It is spoken after the manner of the Hebrews; See Gen. 4.20, 21. of lights God is the Author of all Perfection, and so of corporeal Light; but here we are to understand spiritual Light, the Light of Knowledge, Faith, Holiness, as opposed to the Darkness of Ignorance, Unbelief, Sin, of which he cannot be the Author., with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning He here sets forth God as essentially and immutably Good, and the Father of Lights, by allusion to the Sun the Fountain of corporeal light, and makes use of terms borrowed from Astronomy. The Sun though it scattereth its Beams every where, yet is not without its Changes, Parallaxes, and diversities of Aspects, not only sometimes clear, and sometimes eclipsed, but one while in the East, another in the South, then in the West; nor without its turnings in its annual course from Tropick to Tropick (to which the Greek word here used seems to allude) its various accesses and recesses, by reason of which it casts different shadows; but God is always the same, like himself constant in the emanations of his goodness, without casting any dark shadow of evil which might infer a change in him..

Of his own will Out of his mere good pleasure as the Original cause, and not moved to it by any dignity or merit in us, Eph. 1.9. and 2 Tim. 1.9. begat By a spiritual generation, whereby we are new-born, and are made partakers of a Divine Nature. Iohn 1.13. and 1 Pet. 1.3, 23. he us with the word of truth i. e. The Word of the Gospel, as the instrument or means whereby we are regenerated: Why it is called the Word of Truth, see Eph. 1.13., that we should be a kind of first fruits i. e. Most excellent Creatures, being singled out and separated from the rest, and consecrated to God, as under the Law the first-Fruits were, Rev. 14.4. of his creatures Viz. reasonable Creatures; the word Creature being elsewhere restrained to Men. See Mark 16.15. Col. 1.15..

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear Prompt and ready to hear God speaking in the word of Truth before mentioned., slow to speak Either silently and submissively hear the Word, or speak not rashly and precipitately of the things of Faith, but be well furnished your selves with Spiritual knowledg, ere you take upon you to each others., slow to wrath Either be not angry at the Word, or the Dispensers of it, though it come close to your Consciences, and discover your secret Sins; the word is Salt, do not quarrel if it make your Sores smart, being it will keep them from festering: or, be not angrily prejudiced against those that dissent from you..

For the wrath of man That anger which is merely humane, and generally sinful inordinate passion, and carnal zeal worketh not the righteousness of God will not acomplish the ends of the Word in you, viz. to work that righteousness, which in the Word God prescribes you. But here is withall a Meiosis in the Words, less being spoken than is intended; it is implied therefore, that the wrath of Man hinders the operation of the Word, and disposeth to that unrighteousness which is forbidden by it..

Wherefore lay apart Not only restrain it, and keep it in; but put off, and throw it away as a filthy rag, Isa. 30.22. see Ephes. 4.22. Col. 3.8. and 1 Pet. 2.1. all Of every kind. filthiness Or, sordidness; a Metaphor borrowed from the filth of the Body, 1 Pet. 3.21. and thence transferred to the Soul; and it here seems to imply not only Sensuality or Covetousness, but all sorts of Lusts, whereby Men are defiled, 2 Cor. 7.1. and 2 Pet. 2.20. and superfluity i. e. That naughtiness which is superfluous: That is said to be superfluous or redundant, which is more than should be in a thing; in which respect all Sin is superfluous in the Soul, as being that which should not be in it; and so this intimates that we are not only to lay apart more gross pollutions, but all the Lusts of the Flesh, and relicts of old Adam, as being all superfluities which may well be spared, or excrements (as some render the word agreeably to the former Metaphor) which should be cast away. of naughtiness, and receive Not only into your Heads by Knowledg, but into your Hearts by Faith. with meekness With humility, modesty and gentleness, which makes Men submissive to the truth of the Word, and ready to learn of God even those things which are above their natural capacity, Psal. 25.9. Isa. 66.2. Matth. 11.5, 27. this is opposed to Wrath which makes Men unteachable. the engraffed Either which is engrafted or implanted, viz. Ministerially by the Preachers of the Gospel, 1 Cor. 3.6, 7. principally by the Spirit of God, who writes it in the heart, Ier. 31.33. And thus it may be taken particularly for the Word of the Gospel, in opposition to the Law which came to Mens ears from without, and admonished them o their Duty, but was not wri in their hearts, or engrafted thereto from them unto obedience to it. Or, that it may be engraffed, i. e. Intimately united to, or rooted in the heart by a vital union, or made natural to it (as some render the word) the heart being transformed by the power of it, and conformed to the Precepts of it, 2 Cor. 3.18. Rom. 6.17. word which Viz. when received by Faith. is able to save Instrumentally, as being the means wherein God puts forth his power in saving them, Rom. 1.16. your souls Your selves, the Soul as the noblest part, is by by a Synecdoche, put for the whole person. See 1 Pet. 1.9..

But be ye doers of the word The same as doers of the Work, v. 25. namely, which the Word prescribes, q.d. receive the Word by Faith into your Hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in your Lives; see Luke 11.28. Iohn 13.17., and not hearers only Not contenting your selves with a bare hearing the Word, though it have no influence upon you. deceiving your own selves Playing the Sophisters with, or putting a fallacy upon your selves, particularly persuading your selves into a good opinion of your state, merely because of your being hearers of the Word, Matth. 7.21..

For if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man The Greek word here used, properly signifies the Sex, not the Species, but is indifferently used by this Apostle with the other, as v. 12, and 20. so that by a Man looking his Face in a Glass, is meant any Man or Woman. beholding his natural face Or, the face of his Nativity by an Hebraism, for natural Face, as we translate it, i. e. his own Face, that which Nature gave him, or he was born with. in a glass The Word is here compared to a Looking-Glass; as the Glass represents to us the Features and Complexions of our Faces, whether beautiful or deformed; so the Word shows us the true face of our Souls, the beauty of God's Image when restored to them, and the Spots of Sin which so greatly disfigure them.:

For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was The remembrance of what his Face is, vanisheth as soon as his Eye is off the Glass; he remembers not the Spots he saw in his Face to wipe them off. So he that sees the Blemishes of his Soul, in the Glass of the Word, and does not remember them to do them away; looks in that Glass (i. e. hears the Word) in vain..

But whoso looketh Viz. intently and earnestly, searching diligently into the Mind of God. The Word signifies a bowing down of the Head to look into a thing; and is used of the Disciples looking into Christ's Sepulcher, Luke 24.12. Iohn 20.. see 1 Pet. 1.12. and seems to be opposed to looking into a Glass, which is more slight, and without such prying and inquisitiveness. into the perfect law of liberty The whole Doctrine of the Scripture, or especially the Gospel called a Law, Rom. 3.27. both as it is a Rule, and by reason of the Power it has over the Heart; and a Law of Liberty, because it shows the way to the best Liberty, freedom from Sin, the Bondage of the Ceremonial Law, the rigour of the Moral, and from the Wrath of God; and likewise the way of serving God freely and ingenuously as Children; and because being received into the Heart, it is accompanied with the Spirit of Adoption who works this Liberty, 2 Cor. 3.17. It is called a perfect Law, not only as being intire and without any defect, but as directing us to the greatest Perfection, full conformity to God, and enjoyment of him, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17., and continueth therein Perseveres in the study, belief, and obedience of this Doctrine, (Psal. 1.2.) in a l conditions, a nd under all temptations and afflictions. This seems to be opposed to him, who, when he has looked in a Glass, goes away, v. 24. By which are set forth flight, superficial hearers, who do not continue in Christ's Word, Iohn 8.31., he being not a forgetful hearer Gr. hearer of forgetfulness, by an Hebraism for a forgetful Hearer; it answers to him in the former Verse, that forgets what manner of Man he was; and implies, not only, not remembring the Truths we have heard, but a not practising them, as appears by the next Clause. but a doer of the work Viz. which the Word directs him to do: The Singular Number is put for the Plural; he means, he that reduceth what he hears into practice, Psal. 103.18., this man shall be blessed in his deed This is opposed to bare hearing, and the doer of the Work is said to be blessed in, or by his Deed, as the evidence of his present begun Blessedness, and the way to his future perfect Happiness..

If any man among you seem Seems to others, or rather to himself; thinks himself religious, because of his hearing and outward Worship; thus the Word rendred seems, is often taken, 1 Cor. 3.18. and 8.2. and 14.37. Gal. 6.3. Here he shows who are not do rs of the Work, as in the next Verse, who are. to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue Restrains it not from the common Vices of the Tongue, reviling, railing, censuring, &c., but deceiveth his own heart Either deceiveth his own heart in thinking himself Religious, when indulging himself in things so contrary to Religion, or deceives his own heart, being blinded with self-love, and lifted up with self-conceit, which is the cause of his censuring, and speaking evil of others., that man's religion is vain Empty and to no purpose, having no reality in it self, and bringing no benefit to him..

Pure True, sinccre, genuine, Matth. 5.8. Iohn 15.3. religion and undefiled This seems to reflect upon the Hypocritical Iews, whose Religion consisted so much in external observances, and keeping themselves from Ceremonial Defilements, when yet they were sullied with so many moral ones, v. 14. Matth. 23.23. Iohn 18.28. devoured Widows Houses. They thought their Religion pure and undefiled; the Apostle shows here which is really so before God in the sight of God, and according to his Judgment. and the Father i. e. God who is the Father, and being only explicative, as Eph. 1.3. and 5.20. yet this Title may be given here to God with respect to what follows; and to show that such acts of Charity are acceptable to him that is called the Iudg of Widows, and the Father of the Fatherless, Psal. 68.5. is this, To visit This includes all other acts of Charity to them, comforting, counselling, relieving them, &c. the fatherless and widdows He does not exclude others from being the objects of our Charity and Compassion, but instanceth in Fatherless and Widows, as being usually most miserable, because destitute of those relations which might be most helpful to them; and possibly in those times Persecution might encrease the number of Widows and Orphans. in their affliction When they had most need; lest any should think it sufficient to visit them that were rich, or in a prosperous condition., and to keep himself unspotted of the world Untainted by the evil example of Men in the World, and free from the Lusts of the World, moral Pollutions. The Apostle does not here define Religion, but only instanceth in these two things, good works, and holiness of conversation, as testimonies and arguments of the truth of it..