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SERMON LXVIII.

JUSTIFICATION.

RECONCILIATION OF PAUL AND JAMES.

IN WHAT SENSE

MANKIND ARE JUSTIFIED BY WORKS.

JAMES ii. 24.

Ye see then how that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

THIS passage of Scripture, together with a part of the context, is directly opposed in terms, to the doctrine, which has been derived, in several preceding discourses, from St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Infidels, and particularly Voltaire have seized the occasion, which they have supposed themselves to find here, to sneer against the Scriptures; and have triumphantly asserted, that St. James and St. Paul contradict each other in their doctrine, as well as their phraseology. Nor are Infidels the only persons, to whom this passage has been a stumbling block. Divines, in a multitude of instances, have found in it difficulties which they have plainly felt, and have differed, not a little, concerning the manner in which it is to be interpreted.

Some divines, among whom was the first President Edwards, have taught, that St. James speaks of justification in the sight of men only; while St. Paul speaks of justification in the sight of God. This, I think, cannot be a just opinion. It is plain from the 21-23 VOL. II.

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verses, that St. James speaks of the same justification, which Abraham received, and in which his faith was counted unto him for righteousness. It is also evident from the 14th verse in the question, can faith save him? From this it is plain, that St. James had his eye upon the justification, to which salvation is annexed.

Another class of divines have supposed, that St. James teaches, here, a legal or meritorious justification; and that this is the true doctrine of the Gospel concerning this subject. St. Paul, they therefore conclude, is to be so understood as to be reconcileable with St. James in this doctrine.

Others, among whom are the late Bishop Horne, and Dr. Macknight, suppose, that St. James speaks of our justification, as accomplished, in part, by those good works, which are produced by faith ; and this they maintain, also, to be the doctrine of St. Paul. It is believed, that this scheme has been already proved to be unsound, but as it is true that St. James really speaks of such works, it will be necessary to consider the manner, in which he speaks of them, more particularly hereafter..

Others, and among them Pool, (whose comment on this chapter is excellent,) suppose, that St. Paul speaks of justification properly so called; and St. James of the manifestation, or proof, of that justification. That, in this sense, the Apostles are perfectly reconcileable, I am ready to admit; but am inclined to doubt whether this is the sense, in which St. James is really to be understood.

By this time it must be evident to those who hear me, that there is some real difficulty in a comparison of this passage of St. James with the writings of St. Paul. By a real difficulty I do not intend, that there is any inconsistency between these two Apostles: for, I apprehend, there is none: but I intend, that there is so much obscurity in this discourse of St. James, as to have led divines of great respectability and worth to understand his words in very different manners; and prevented them from agreeing, even when harmonious enough as to their general systems, in any one interpretation of the Apostle's expressions. Even this is not all. Luther went so far, as, on account of this very chapter, to deny the inspiration of St. James: and one of

Luther's followers was so displeased with it, as to charge this Apostle with wilful falsehood.

St. James has been called, with more boldness than accuracy, a writer of paradoxes. This character was, I presume, given of him from the pithy, sententious, and figurative manner, in which he delivers his thoughts. This manner of writing, very common among the Asiatics, seems to have been, originally, derived from their poetry. The most perfect example of it in the poetical form, found in the Scriptures, is a part of the book of Proverbs, commencing with the 10th chapter, and ending with the 29th. Here, except in a few instances, there is no connection intended, nor formed, between the successive sentences. The nine first chapters, the book of Job, and Ecclesiastes, are examples of the nearest approximation to this unconnected manner of writing, in continued discourses which the Scriptures exhibit. In all these, although a particular subject is pursued through a considerable length, yet the connection will be found, almost invariably, to lie in the thought only. The transitions are, accordingly, bold and abrupt; and frequently demand no small degree of attention, in order to understand them. Probably, they are more obscure to us, than they were to the Asiatic nations, to whom this mode of writing was familiar: since we have learned from the Greeks to exhibit the connections, and transitions, of thought, universally, in words; and to indicate them clearly in the forms of expression. The wisdom of the Son of Sirach, is another example of the same nature, which may be fairly classed with those already mentioned; as may also the prophecy of Hosea. Every person, in reading these writings, must perceive a degree of obscurity, arising, not only from the concise and figurative language, but from the abruptness of the transitions also, which at times renders it extremely difficult to trace the connection of the thoughts.

St. James approaches nearer to this manner of writing, than any other prosaic writer in the Old or New Testament. He is bolder, more figurative, more concise, and more abrupt. That there should be some difficulty in understanding him satisfactorily ought to be expected as a thing of course. We cannot wonder, then, that different meanings should be annexed to the writings

of this Apostle and from this source only, as I believe, are these different interpretations derived.

Having premised these observations, of which the use may easily be perceived, I now assert, that both Apostles speak of the same justification; that which is before God; and that they are perfectly harmonious in holding the doctrine of justification by faith without works.

To elucidate the truth of this assertion, it will be necessary to remark, that there are two totally different kinds of faith spoken of in the Scriptures; one, a speculative belief, or mere assent to probable evidence; the other, the confidence, which has been already described in these discourses. From the former of these, obedience to God never sprang, and cannot spring. The latter is the source of all obedience. As both, however, are called by the same name, each has, in its turn, been declared to be the faith, to which justification is annexed. To both, this character was challenged in the days of the Apostles. That doctrine of Antinomianism, from which the name is derived, began in the days of the Apostles; viz. that we are released by the Gospel from obedience to the Law. Of course, whoever embraced this doctrine believed his faith to be sufficient for his justification, without any works of righteousness. Against this error, I believe with Doddridge and others, the Apostle James directed this discourse. The question, which he discusses, was not whether we were justi fied by evangelical faith only; or, partially by that faith, and partially by the works, which it produces; but whether we are justified by a faith, in its nature unproductive of works; viz. mere speculative belief; or whether we are justified by the faith of the Gospel, from which all works of righteousness flow, of course. That this account of the subject is true, I shall now attempt to prove.

St. James introduces his discussion of this subject with these questions; What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? In the original it is IOTIS; the faith, which the man declares himself to have; or, as it is correctly rendered by Macknight, and various other commentators, this faith, can this faith save him? Undoubtedly it can, if it can justify him; but this is no where asserted in the Scriptures. The justifying faith of St. Paul is the

faith which worketh by love; the faith of the heart, with which alone man believeth unto righteousness.

The uselessness of this faith St. James then elucidates by an allusion to that inactive and worthless benevolence, so celebrated, in modern times, by Godwin and other philosophers. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace: be ye warmed and be ye filled: notwithstanding, ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? As this philanthropy is not only of no use, and therefore of no value, but a reproach to him who professes it, because his conduct gives the lie to his professions; so the faith of him, who believes the Gospel, and whose life is not governed by the all-important doctrines and precepts, which it contains, is equally destitute of worth, and equally reproachful to his character. In the words of the Apostle in the following verse, it is dead, being alone; or, as in the Greek, by itself.

strongest manner, that such Yea, a man, that is, a Chris

In the 18th verse, he proves in the a faith is not the faith of Christians. tian; may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Christ taught the great doctrine, that Christians were to be known by their fruits only; and that these were the true, regular, and invariable, proofs of that faith, by which they were constituted Christians. But the faith, which is without works, is incapable of having its existence proved at all. This, therefore, cannot be the faith of Christians.

In the 20th verse he exhibits this subject in a manner, which puts the account here given beyond all reasonable controversy. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. The devils, (ra dauovia, the dæmons ;) are, and by St. James are declared to be, the subjects of speculative belief; but it will not be pretended, that they can be the subjects of justifying faith. But St. James teaches us, that the faith, of which he is speaking, is the same with that of the devils. With the same precision he exhibits the same thing, under a different form, in the 20th verse. But wilt thou know, O vain man! that faith without works is dead? The Greek words fe

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