the purpose of determining whether it were necessary that Gentile converts to the Gospel should be circumcised. Upon that occasion he was the last who delivered his sentiments; and he summed up the arguments, and proposed the substance of the decree, to which the whole assembly readily acceded. He was put to death in the year 62, in a tumult raised by the unbelieving Jews, when there was no Roman governor in Judæa (1), Festus being dead, and his successor Albinus not yet arrived.

James the Less was a person of great prudence and discretion, and was highly esteemed by the Apostles and other Christians. Such indeed was his general reputation for piety and virtue, that, as we learn from Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome, Josephus thought and declared it to be the common opinion that the sufferings of the Jews, and the destruction of their city and temple, were owing to the anger of God, excited by the murder of James. This must be considered as a strong and remarkable testimony to the character of this Apostle, as it is given by a person who did not believe that Jesus was the Christ. The passages of Josephus, referred to by those fathers upon this subject, are not found in his works now extant (m).

II. CLEMENT of Rome and Hermas allude to this Epistle; and it is quoted by Origen, Eusebius, Athanasius, Jerome, Chrysostom, Augustine, and many other fathers. But though the antiquity of this Epistle has been always undisputed, some few, as has

(1) Eus. H. E. lib. 2. cap. 23. Lardner, v. 7. p. 129.

(m) Vide Lardner, vol. 6. p. 479. Dr. Doddridge is of opinion that these quotations from Josephus deserve but little credit. Lect. vol. 1. p. 410. On the other hand, Mr. Milner considers them as authentic, vol. 1. c. 2. It is remarkable that Origen mentions this circumstance in three different parts of his works; namely, in the first and second books against Celsus, and in his Commentary upon St. Matthew, p. 223, edit. Huet.

been stated, formerly doubted its right to be admitted into the canon. Eusebius says that in his time it was generally, though not universally, received as canonical; and publicly read in most, but not in all, churches; and Estius (n) affirms that after the fourth century, no church or ecclesiastical writer is found who ever doubted its authenticity; but that, on the contrary, it is included in all subsequent catalogues of canonical Scripture, whether published by councils, churches, or individuals. It had indeed been the uniform tradition of the church, that this Epistle was written by James the Just, bishop of Jerusalem; but it was not universally admitted, till after the fourth century, that James the Just was the same person as James the Less, one of the twelve Apostles; that point being ascertained, the canonical authority of this Epistle was no longer doubted.

It is evident that this Epistle could not have been written by James the Great, for he was beheaded by Herod Agrippa in the year 44, and the errors and vices reproved in this Epistle show it be of a much later date; and the destruction of Jerusalem is also here spoken of as being very near at hand (o).

It has always been considered as a circumstance very much in favour of this Epistle, that it is found in the Syriac version, which was made as early as the end of the first century, and for the particular use of converted Jews, the very description of persons, as we shall see presently, to whom it was originally addressed. Hence we infer that it was from the first acknowledged by those for whose instruction it was intended; and "I think," says Dr. Doddridge, "it

(n) A Dutch divine of great eminence, who died in the beginning of the last century.

(0) C. 5. v. 8 and 9,

can hardly be doubted but they were better judges of the question of its authenticity than the Gentiles, to whom it was not written; among whom, therefore, it was not likely to be propagated so early; and who at first might be prejudiced against it, because it was inscribed to the Jews."

The following short passage from Jerome confirms almost all the particulars which have been mentioned: "Jacobus, qui appellatur frater Domini, cognomento Justus, ut nonnulli existimant, Josephi ex aliâ uxore, ut autem mihi videtur, Mariæ sororis matris Domini (cujus Joannes in libro suo meminit) filius, post passionem Domini ab apostolis Hierosolymarum episcopus ordinatus, unam tantum scripsit epistolam, quæ de septem catholicis est (p).”

III. IT is generally believed that this Epistle was written a short time before the death of James, and therefore we may place its date, with great probability, in the year 61.

IV. LARDNER and others have thought that this Epistle was addressed to unbelieving as well as believing Jews, and have quoted the beginning of the fourth and fifth chapters as applicable to unbelievers only. I must own that in these passages the Apostle appears to me merely to allude to the great corruptions into which Christians had then fallen. I cannot think it probable that James would write part of his Epistle to believers and part to unbelievers, without any men- tion or notice of that distinction. It should also be remembered that this Epistle contains no general arguments for the truth of Christianity, nor any reproof of those who refused to embrace the Gospel; and therefore though I admit that the inscription, "To the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad," might com(p) Tom, 4. P. 2. p. 102. Ed. Benedict,

prehend both unbelieving and believing Jews, yet I am of opinion that it was intended for the believing Jews only, and that St. James did not expressly make the discrimination, because neither he, nor any other Apostle, ever thought of writing to any but Christian converts. The object of the apostolical Epistles was to confirm and not to convert; to correct what was amiss in those who did believe, and not in those who did not believe. The sense of the above inscription seems to be limited to the believing Jews by what follows almost immediately, "The trial of your Faith worketh patience (q)." And again, My brethren, have not the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, with respect of persons (r)." These passages could not be addressed to unbelievers.

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V. THE immediate design of this Epistle was to animate the Jewish Christians to support with fortitude and patience any sufferings to which they might be exposed, and to enforce genuine doctrine and practice of the Gospel, in opposition to the errors and vices which then prevailed among them. The principal source of these errors and vices was a misinterpretation of St. Paul's doctrine of justification by faith without the works of the Law, that is, as the Apostle meant it, without the observance of the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic dispensation; but hence some had most unwarrantably inferred that moral duties were not essential to salvation, and had therefore abandoned themselves to every species of licentiousness and profligacy.

St. James begins by showing the benefits of trials and afflictions, and by assuring the Jewish Christians that God would listen to their sincere prayers for assistance and support; he reminds them of their (7) C. 2. v. 1.

being the distinguished objects of divine favour, and exhorts them to practical religion (s); to a just and impartial regard for the poor, and to an uniform obedience to all the commands of God, without any distinction or exception; he shows the inefficacy of faith without works, that is, without a performance of the moral duties (t); he inculcates the necessity of a strict government of the tongue, and cautions them against censoriousness, strife, malevolence, pride, indulgence of their sensual passions, and rash judgment (u); he denounces threats against those who make an improper use of riches; he intimates the approaching destruction of Jerusalem; and concludes with exhortations to patience, devotion, and a solicitous concern for the salvation of others (x).

This Epistle is written with great perspicuity and energy, and it contains an excellent summary of those practical duties and moral virtues which are required of Christians.