Lovers Of The World, Enemies Of God

Adulteri, nescitis quia amicitia hujus mundi inimica est Dei?   Adulteros recte nuncupat, quos de amore sapientiae coelestis ad amplexum potius amicitiae mundialis esse deflexos increpat, quos, Conditore contempo, mammonae magis servire cernebat. Dixerat quidem supra de apertis Dei inimicis: Nonne divites opprimunt vos per potentiam, et ipsi trahunt vos ad judicia? Nonne ipsi blasphemant bonum nomen quod invocatum est super vos? Sed ne illos putares solos inimicos esse Dei, qui eum aperte blasphemant, qui fidem ejus persequuntur in sanctis, et eos iniquo judicio condemnant, ostendit et eos esse Dei inimicos, qui, sub fide et confessione nominis Christi, mundi illecebris et amori deserviunt, qui, nomine tenus fideles, rebus terrenis coelestia proponunt. Quod et sequenti versiculo instantius inculcat subdeus: Quicunque ergo voluerit amicus esse saeculi hujus, inimicus Dei constituitur. Ergo inimici sunt Dei omnes amatores mundi, omnes inquisitores nugarum, omnes qui pertinent ad eos de quibus dicitur: Quoniam ecce inimici tui, Domine, peribunt. Intrent ecclesias, non intrent ecclesias, inimici Dei sunt. Ad tempus possunt florere sicut fenum, sed ubi ardor judicii apparuerit, peribunt, et decor vultus eorum decidet. Sanctus Beda, Super Divi Jacobi Epistolam, Caput III Source: Migne PL 93 32

Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with this world is enmity with God? 1 Rightly he announces them to be adulterers and cries out against those turn aside from the love of heavenly wisdom to the embrace of mundane friendship, those who, with contempt of their Creator, prefer to serve Mammon. He has spoken above of the open enemies of God, 'Do not the rich oppress you with power, and do they not drag you to court? Do they not blaspheme the good name that has been spoken over you?' 2 But lest you think they alone who openly blaspheme are the enemies of God, they who persecute His faith in the holy and condemn them with iniquitous judgement, he shows that even they are enemies of God who beneath the faith and confession of the name of Christ are devoted to worldly allurements and loves, who, holding the name of the faithful, with worldly cares conceive heavenly things. Which the following line inculcates more urgently, 'Whoever thus wishes to be a friend of this world is established as an enemy of God.' Therefore all the lovers of the world are enemies of God, all the seekers of worthless things, all who are included among those concerning which it is said, 'Behold your enemies, O Lord, they perish.' 3 Let them enter the churches, let them not enter the churches, they are the enemies of God. For a time they are able to flourish like grass, but when the fire of judgement appears, the beauty of their forms shall perish. Saint Bede, from the Commentary on the Letter of Saint James, Chapter 3  1 Jam 4.4 2 Jam 2.6 3 Ps 91.10