Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-01-10

hearers only.--Jsmcs %.
The author of the Epistle OF James
could not have been the son of Zebedee
and brother OF John, for that James
was put to death before il was written
Acts IL p. II was probably the work
of James, the son of Alpheus, called "the
less" and also one OF the twelve ;
though there has been endless discus.
sions as TO whether there was not an.
other person who bore the same name,
and who may have been its author.
The design OF the epistle was to con.
sole the Jewish Christians, to whom It
was addressed under the many trials
they were called TO bear, and to guard
them against certain errors into which
they were liable to fall. They were ex.
posed to sore temptations, and their
tendency was TO prevert the doctrine
OF justification by faith as implying that
they might be saved without a holy
life. Hence the words both OF comfort
and admonition with which it abouuds.
beginning, in the first chapter, with
exhortations of joyful patience, prayer
for wisdom. l9wliness OF mind, and firm
endurance under temptation, the au
thor specially warns those addressed
against allowing the thought that God
is in any way responsible for their sin
LET no man say, ! am tempted OF
God" The evil originates in our own
passions not in destiny, circumstances
or anything outside the man himself.
There ia n very general disposition
among men to charge their sin directIyor
indirectly on God. This is not only an
error, but a pcrilous one. Hence the
Apostle not only u,ters 4 caution against
II but goes on to insist that 70 far from
being responsible for our sin. God is
the author Of good, Of every good which
comes to men. Thus he advances to
the passage before us. In these verses
the emphasis is upon a number Of
points Of the greatest interest:
]. THs 1orBiag g'7i,sfs of Col az sasa
"a 'riaf hs i5ss Ter us BY u,slyl ofhe t0ah.
There is no kind Of benefit, and no
imaginable boon, which is not from him.
Each and every one is his gift. They
are not ours by right, but OF grace.
Whatever the channel, he Is the source.
Specially is his goodness indicated BY
the boundless and ceaseless flow e radi.
ance which proceeds from him. lie Is
the Father Of lights; Of all lights. ma.
terial, intellectual, spiritual OF the sun
moon and stars; OF reason and con.
science OF the written word. And he
is always shining directly upon us. In
him il no variahleness. The sun and
moon by their turning" or revolutions,
sometimes leave the earth under shad.
ows, in deep darkness. lie ever shines
directly down the shadows arc our
work, not his
But the goodness Of God is most won.
derIu in what he docs for US through I
the light or word Of truth. by means T.
Of that he introduces into Us a new life; I
us Of sin, he reveals Saw. /
iour, and moves us to give him welcome.
and all by the fundamentally Of the /
truth which shines in the Gospel. So 4
men are born sgsin by the word Of /
Cod And this is OF grace. IL il "of 1
his own will' that God does il all, and \
the end is that we should be, like the
"frst fruits Of olden times, peculiarly
his own; holy and blest Is his. All 1
creatures are Gods, but his regenerAted /
people are his cherished treasure.
2. TIE manner IN phich fAt ceyd II f,7fk /
should be rccdrsd..-So good a gift should 1
be gratefully welcomed. A gospel /
which ca be the means Of so crowning |
a benefit should have eager, patient, un. |
resisting attention.
The Jews were ;ntemperate in their |
zeal against unwelcome truths. quick TO !
reply, easily angered. Nor was the ten.
dency confined to them. But pride,
conceit, impatienoe, passion unfit the
mind to see the truth, and the heart to
feel lie power. And 50 the Apostle ex.
horts oil TO give quick, attentive unim
passionate ear TO the truth. Passion
hinders the work of righteousness the
word was meant to produce.
All sin, a. impaiienee and malice,
pollutes The soul and oyeraows In outer
conduct which is opposed to God aud
his grace. That the word Of God has
implanted in us or would implans in us
may take root and grow, all this mus,
DO put away. The thought here Is much
like that in the Parable Of the sower
1t is in good ground, cleared 0s ihorns
and briars, and made mellow, that the
seed takes such foot az 10 vfald ,,ond