Ch. 5. Wicked 1ZichMen. James. Wicked Rich Men. Ch. S. and Silver, which you have rreafor'd up, is can: ker'd and tufty, and. the Guilt fignified by that Ruft (hall condemn you, and corrode your Con- fciences as Fire. At great colt and labour you have ereafur'd up Riches, but it is in effect to be a Prey toyour Enemies in the day of your deftruelion, and a Wimefs in God's day of the Judgmentagainft your felves toyour own Con- fufion. 4.'Behold the hire of the labourers, which have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth : and the cries of then which have reaped, are entred into the ears of the Lord offabbaoth (or hots.) 4. You yews are addicted to Covetoufneft, and by that to. Injury and Oppreflion ; and you deny poorLabourers their Wages, and de- fraud them, and God heareth their Cries, and will revenge them on you. 5. Ye have lived in pleafure on the earth,and been wanton : yehave noti- rifled your hearts, as in a day o£ (laughter. 5. Your Riches have been provifionforyour Senfualiry : You have by them madeProvifioit' for the Luft3ofthe Flefh, and lived in Pleafure; Revelling, andImxury, andLafcivioufuefs, and have fed and chèrifit'd the Flefh and its De- lights, as in a continual Feaft. 6. Ye have condemned and killed the juft, and he doth not refit you. 6. Your Riches have lift youup into Power; which you have abus'd to condemn and kill, innocent Men, who have not refilled you, but endur'dall. Note, t. Some think that the7ewifhGeiflians are here meant, to whom games wrote ; but fire they were not fo degenerate. e. Some think it was the Gnoftick Hereticks. ;. Ithink it much more probable, that by an Apoftropfe he fpeaks to the rich Infidels, to introduce his Exhortation to theChriflians to Patience. 7. Be patient therefore, brethren,. unto the coming ofthe Lord : behold, the husbandman waited] fir the pre- cious fruit of the earth, and bath long . patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8. Be ye alfo patient, eftabli(h your hearts : for the coming of the Lord draweth' nigh. as ye know not what/hall be on the morrow: for what is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and thenvanifheth away. 13, 04. You are too much fet on Worldly Profperity, and you plot for Gain, as if you were fecur'd oflong abode on Earth; and you lay your Defigns with prefumptuous confidence, where and how long you will dwell, trade and gain, wheuas your Lifeon Earth is a meet* uncertain fugitive Vapour, quickly gone. r 5. For that ye ought to fay, Ifthe Lord will we (hall live, and do this, or that. 16. But nowye rejoice in your boatings : all filch rejoycing is evil. r5, r6. Whereas ye fhould remember the uncertainty and tortnefs ofyour Lives, and de- fign and do all itifubmillive dependence on the Will ofGod ; but you fetch your Comfort from Worldly things by your own vain prefumption of long Life, and hope ofWorldly Profperity All fuch prefumptuous carnal Comforts are evil 17. Therefore tohim that knoweth to do good, anddoth it not, to him it is fin. t7. And the brevityof Man's Life, and the vanity ofWorldly Gain, are things fo notorious and undeniable to all Men, efpecially to Chri- (loans, that to let thefe Vanities loofen lea from Chrift and your Obedience, is utterly unex- cufable. C H A P. V. Art O to now ye rich men, weep LT and howl for your miferies that !hall come upon you. r. But as do thofe that will yet cleave tothe World, and take noWarning, let nie tell you to your foerow, that dreadful miferies are coming upon you, the forefìght of which Should make you weep and howl initead of your deceitful joy a. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments aremotheaten. 3.Your gold and Glver is cankered, and the ruft of them (hall be a witnefs again ft you, and fall eat your flefh as it were fire : ye haveheaped treafure together for the lall days. 2, 3. What are thefe Vanities which you have fo inordinately affected ? Your beloved Riches areutot only corruptible, but corrupted by you, to your own fin and hurt: Your rich Cloathing is a Moth-eaten. Vanity : the Gold 7, 8. But as for you, perfecuted Chriflians, bear all this patiently, withoutdifcouragemenr, tirednefs,or wavering in your Faith : for the time is Ilion, and the coming of Cbrif! for your Deliverance is not far off: If in your
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