ACC ~ James 4 v6

DRAW NEAR TO GRACIOUS PEOPLE. CLEMENT OF ROME: Scripture says that God resists the arrogant but gives grace to the humble. We should associate with those to whom God’s grace has been given. LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 1.30.2-3.

AGAINST THOSE WHO DEMEAN MARRIAGE. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: There are those who say openly that marriage is fornication. They lay it down as a dogma that it was instituted by the devil. They are arrogant and claim that they are emulating the Lord, who did not marry and had no worldly possessions. It is their boast that they have a deeper understanding of the gospel than anyone else. To them Scripture says that God is against the proud and gives grace to the humble. STROMATEIS 3.49.1-2.

WARNING AGAINST SELF-CONCEIT. AUGUSTINE: Give me someone professing perpetual continence, who is free from all vices and blemishes of conduct. For her I fear pride—I dread the swelling of self-conceit from so great a blessing. The more there is in her which she is satisfied with, the more I fear that in pleasing herself she will displease the one who resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. HOLY VIRGINITY 34.

ARROGANCE. JEROME: One who holds his head high in arrogance hates God. SERMONS 15.

THE TRUE SIGN OF A CHRISTIAN. MACARIUS OF EGYPT: The true sign of a Christian is the following: to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty, to endure hunger and thirst, to be poor in spirit, humble and contemptible in one’s own eyes. FIRST SYRIAC EPISTLE 2.

GOD WANTS TO DWELL IN YOU. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: Be humble, in order that God may rest in you, which he wants to do. SERMONS 210.5.

PRIDE AND HUMILITY. VALERIAN OF CIMIEZ: One man is invited to grace in proportion to his love of humility. Another is consigned to punishment in proportion to his sin of pride. So if the swelling of pride is taking place in anyone, let him combat it, lest he draw the arms of heavenly justice against himself. SERMONS 14.2.

THE PROUD TRUST THEIR OWN STRENGTH. BEDE: God punishes robbers, perjurers, gluttons and other sinners because they are in contempt of his commandments, but it is said that he resists the proud in a special way. This is because those who trust in their own strength, who neglect to submit themselves to God’s power, who really think that they can almost save themselves and there-fore have no time to seek help from above—these are all deserving of greater punishment. On the other hand, God gives grace to the humble because they recognize their need and ask him for help to overcome the plague of their sins, and for this reason they deserve to be healed. It ought to be noted that James quotes this verse from Proverbs according to the Septuagint, as does Peter in his letter. The Latin text, which is based on the Hebrew original, reads: “Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he shows favor.”CONCERNING THE EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES.

ENMITY WITH GOD. OECUMENIUS: It is not absurd to say that contempt for divine doctrine and an inordinate love for the world derive from pride and are the substance of enmity against God. God resists the proud, because it is normal to resist one’s enemies, and the proud must be counted among them. COMMENTARY ON JAMES.

Jas