Reflections on the vanity of mere external distinctions. 225 iii. ty that thou abstainest from the former crime, SECT. IMPROVEMENT. THE apostle could not intend to condemn those civil distinctions which are founded upon the different relations and circumstances of mankind in the present world; but surely God Ver. intended to teach us, how little esteem he sets upon riches, by 4 bestowing them on many of the most undeserving of mankind, while he withholds them from his dearest children; and to admire them, and others, on account of their riches, while we pour 6 contempt on the poor, as poor, though so many of them are distinguished by the riches of the Divine favour, must be highly unreasonable, and to God highly offensive. As for those who are poor in this world, but rich in faith, let them adore the Divine mu- 5 nificence to them, and think with pleasure of those durable riches, and of that everlasting kingdom, which God has prepared for them as their inheritance. Whatever our stations be, let us pray that the royal law may be g inscribed upon our hearts, and that we may love our neighbours as ourselves; guarding against that mean and prohibited respect of per-9 sons, which would expose us to conviction, as transgressors of the law. Let us also learn to guard against that partiality in our obedience to it, which is utterly inconsistent with sincerity. Let us re- 10 member, 226 iii. Faith cannot save, if it be not connected with works. SECT. member, that the Divine authority equally establishes every precept of it, and that the generous nature of the gospel-dispensation, as a law of liberty, will be a sad aggravation of our presumptuous violation of it. A consciousness of those many defects and imperfec12 tions, which the best of men may see reason to charge themselves with, should certainly engage our most earnest applications to God 13 for mercy; and as we desire to obtain it, let it be our care to exercise mercy to others, both in the candour of our censures on the one hand, and the readiness of our liberality on the other. SECT. SECT. IV. The Apostle largely descants on the inefficacy of a mere historical faith; and evinces, by most striking instances and illustrations, the utter insufficiency of it for our justification and eternal salvation. James II. 14, to the end. JAMES II. 14. JAMES II. 14. save him? iv. IT Tis with real grief that I perceive many of WHAT doth it profit my brethren you seem highly to value yourselves upon the though a man say be James profession you make of the Christian religion, hath faith, and have II. 14. without being suitably impressed with a practi- not works? Can faith cal sense of its important principles, and influenced to a life agreeable to them. But what advantage [is there] my brethren, if any one say, he has faith, but has not suitable works, to support the justice of that pretension? Can such a faith, as may be separated from good 15 works save him? Consider the case, when men make professions of charity, without producing destitute of daily food. the proper fruits of it, and you will easily see how vain such a pretension is. If, for instance, a If any one say he has faith, but has not suitable works.] I am surprised at the immense pains commentators have taken, to reconcile St. Paul and St. James; and the many hypotheses they have formed for that purpose. Whereas to me nothing is more evident, than that the ideas they affix to the words, faith, and works, are entirely different. St. James, by the word faith, means simply an assent to the truth of religious principles, without determining whether it be, or be not, effectual; and then declares, that in case this assent does not produce good works, that is, the solid virtues of the heart and life, it cannot be accepted by God. Whereas St. Paul by the word faith means a cordial and vital a 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and assent to Divine truth, which influences the heart to a holy temper, and according to the gracious terms of the gospel, entitles a man to Divine acceptance, without any regard at all to the Mosaic law, and previous to the production of any of those good works which will naturally be the fruit of it. Had Luther calmly considered this, he would not have denied the inspira tion of St. James, out of regard to his supposed heterodoxy in the business of justifi cation; nor would one of his followers have presumed to charge him expressly with lying, as Limborch tells us he did, Mentitus est Jacobus in caput suum. Limborch. Theol. 1. iii. 16. h Faith Abraham's faith was perfected by works. which are needful to it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone. 227 iv. a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of dai- SECT. 16 And one of you ly food for the subsistence of life, And one of say unto them, Depart you, who calls himself a Christian, say to them, in peace, be ye warmJames ed, and filled; not- We heartily pity your case, and feel the tender 11. 16. withstanding, ye give emotions of that love which our relation to each them not those things other requires; depart therefore in peace, whithe body; what doth thersoever the Providence of God may lead you, and I sincerely wish that you may meet with suitable accommodations: may ye be clothed and sheltered, warmed, and fed to the full; but with all these soft addresses, if ye give not to them either food, or raiment, or any money to purchase the things necessary for the body; what [does it] profit them to be addressed with such hypocritical professions of love? Yea, does it not rather seem a cruel mockery, than a real kindness? So also faith, how zealously so- 17 ever it may be professed, and how orthodox soever those articles are, to which an assent is given, if it have not suitable works to attend it, being by itself, is dead and producing no substantial fruit, is altogether insignificant. But 18 one better instructed in Christianity, may perhaps say to one of these forward professors, in order to bring matters to a short issue, Thou sayest that thou hast faith, and I make it appear in my life and conversation, that I have works, which naturally spring from that principle : give me then the evidence I offer thee; shew me thy faith by thy works and I will also in return shew thee my faith by my works; let us without quarrelling about different explications of faith, make it manifest to each other, that our profession is truly solid, by its substantial 19 Thou believest effects upon our tempers and lives. Thou assu- 19 thou doest well: the redly believest that there is one only true and livdevils ing God, and therein thou doest well it is the grand fundamental principle of all true religion. 18 Yea, a man may say, Though hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. that there is one God; b Faith, if it have not works, &c.] From this passage it appears, that we should not confine the idea of the word faith, as used by St. James, to a mere assent; for it would be an absurd supposition, that a mere assent should have any works. By this word therefore St. James, (as we observed in the former note,) means simply an assent, whether it be or be not effectual. Nor is it indeed the assent that saves when accompanied with works. So that the apostle's assertion is more critically and But correctly true, than many of his commen- e Shew me thy faith, &c.] This version d The 228 A man is not justified by faith, without works. SECT. But remember, it is a principle common to devils also believe and those who are entirely destitute of religion; for tremble. iv. James 20 But wilt thou that faith without 21 Was not Abra had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? the devils also firmly believe it, and cannot 11. 19. with-hold their assent; they are persuaded by dreadful experience of his existence, and of the terrors of his wrath, so as even to tremble in the expectation of that full display of it, to which they know they are inevitably doomed. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain empty man, who restest in that which might be found in equal, know, O vain man, or in higher degrees, in the infernal spirits, works is dead? that faith without works, a persuasion of the truths of Christianity, if it produces no solid fruits of holiness, is really dead as to any valuable purpose that can be expected from it. 21 Take an instance of this in the most celebrated of all the patriarchs; I mean, the instance of ham our father justified Abraham, our great and illustrious father; was by works, when he he not plainly justified by works, when, in consequence of that full persuasion he had of a Divine commission and command to do it, he offered his son Isaac upon the altar, intending, in obedience to what he apprehended the will of God, actually to have slain him, and to have trusted in God to accomplish the promise of a numerous seed to descend from him, by raising 22 him from the dead. Thou seest then in this instance, that faith co-operated with his works, faith wrought with his and animated him to zeal and self-denial in works, and by works them; and faith was perfected by works; the was faith made perintegrity of it was made fully apparent to himself, to angels, and to God. And thus the 23 And the scripture scripture was fulfilled, which says, (Gen. xv. 6,) was fulfilled, which referring to what passed long before this, Abra- saith, Abraham believham believed God, and it was imputed to him for imputed unto him for righteousness; and in consequence of this he righteousness; and be was treated by God with such peculiar endearment, that he was even called the Friend of God; as it is said, (Isa xli. 8.) the seed of Abraham my friend. This proved the sincerity of his faith, and that he was in some degree worthy 24 the honour of the Divine friendship. You see then by this instance of the great father of the faithful, if the characters of the children are to 23 The scripture was fulfilled, &c.] This very text St. Paul quotes Rom. iv. 3; to prove that Abraham was justified by faith; which plainly shews, that the faith by which St. Paul says he was justified, was be 22 Seest thou how fect? ed God, and it was was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is such a faith as includes good works in it, as a certain principle of them; and consequently, establishes what was said above for reconciling these two apostles in the easiest manner. faith only. Reflections ou the connection between faith and works.. 25 Likewise also, was not Rahab the bar lot justified by works, when she had received 229 James is justified, and not by be estimated in the same manner as those of the SECT. father, that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only: it is by no means enough, that the great principles of religion be credited, if 11. 24. they have not also their practical influence on the heart and life. In like manner also, 125 might illustrate the matter by the further instance of Rahab, who had been the harlot, though the messengers, and afterwards reclaimed by Divine grace : was she them out not justified by works, when in consequence of another way? that faith which she professed in the God of Israel, she received, entertained, and sheltered the spies, who came to observe the state of Jericho, and at the apparent hazard of her life, concealed them from those that came to search after them; till at length, knowing which way the pursuers would go, she sent them out another way, and so made effectual provision for their 26 For as the body escape. And on such principles must all 26 without the spirit is others expect justification and salvation; for as the body, without the spirit, is but a dead carcase, how fair and entire soever it may appear, and will at length fall into putefraction and dissolution; so such a faith as remains, without the substantial fruits of good works, which ought ever to attend it, is also dead: it now appears as a carcase in the sight of God, and as such will ere long perish. dead, so faith without works is dead also. IMPROVEMENT. 24, &c. LET this great and important lesson, which the apostle here Ver. teaches so plainly, and inculcates so largely, be never forgotten. It is true indeed, (as St. Paul elsewhere fully proves,) that we are justified by faith in Christ, without the works of the law. The works of the Mosaic law are by no means necessary; and it is not by our obedience to any law, but by embracing and resting upon the mercy of God in Christ, for our salvation, that we obtain it. Neverthertheless, it is vain to pretend to such a faith, if good works 26 are not produced by it; and we might as soon expect the guardianship and counsel, the offices and consolations of friendship, from a dead corpse, as happiness from a mere assent, even to the most important doctrines. Let us therefore endeavour to shew our 18 faith by our works. Let us be ready, with Abraham, to offer up 21 our dearest comforts to God. Let us, with Rahab, be willing even to expose our lives in the defence of God's people, and his Ff2 cause |