CHAP. II.

It is not agreeable to Christian profession to regard the rich, and to despise the poore brethren: 13 rather wee are to be louing, and mercifull: 14 And not to boast of faith where no deedes are, 17 which is but a dead faith, 19 the faith of deuils, 21 not of Abraham, 25 and Rahab.

¹ My brethren, haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glorie, with respect of persons.

² For if there come vnto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poore man, in vile raiment:²

³ And yee haue respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say vnto him, Sit thou here in a good place: and say to the poore, Stand thou there, or sit here vnder my footstoole:³

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⁴ Are yee not then partiall in your selues, and are become iudges of euill thoughts?

⁵ Hearken, my beloued brethren, Hath not God chosen the poore of this world, rich in faith, and heires of the kingdome, which hee hath promised to them that loue him?⁵

⁶ But yee haue despised the poore. Doe not rich men oppresse you, and draw you before the Iudgement seats?

⁷ Doe not they blaspheme that worthy Name, by the which ye are called?

⁸ If ye fulfil the royall Law, according to the Scripture, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, ye doe well.

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⁹ But if ye haue respect to persons, ye commit sinne, and are conuinced of the Law, as transgressours.

¹⁰ For whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law, & yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

¹¹ For he that said, Doe not commit adultery; sayd also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressour of the Law.¹¹

¹² So speake ye, and so doe, as they that shall bee iudged by the Law of libertie.

¹³ For he shall haue iudgement without mercie, that hath shewed no mercy, & mercie reioyceth against iudgement.¹³

¹⁴ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say hee hath faith, and haue not workes? can faith saue him?

¹⁵ If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of dayly foode,

¹⁶ And one of you say vnto them, Depart in peace, be you warmed & filled: notwithstanding ye giue them not those things which are needfull to the body: what doth it profit?

¹⁷ Euen so faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone.¹⁷

¹⁸ Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I haue workes: shew mee thy faith without thy workes, and I will shew thee my faith by my workes.¹⁸

¹⁹ Thou beleeuest that there is one God, thou doest well: the deuils also beleeue, and tremble.

²⁰ But wilt thou knowe, O vaine man, that faith without workes is dead?

²¹ Was not Abraham our father iustified by works, when hee had offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar?

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²² Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?²²

²³ And the Scripture was fullfiled which saith, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes: and he was called the friend of God.²³

²⁴ Ye see then, how that by workes a man is iustified, and not by faith only.

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²⁵ Likewise also, was not Rahab the harlot iustified by works, when she had receiued the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

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²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without workes is dead also.²⁶