conclusion broader than the premises, we destroy the argument altogether, and make the Apostle reason, not only as if he were not inspired, but as if he were not endowed with common sense. What then does his conclusion amount to ? it amounts to this :
1. That the future judgment will proceed on grounds of perfect equity —
[God could, if it pleased him, assign to every man his portion in the eternal world, according to what he has seen existing in the heart. But it is his intention to shew before the whole universe, that, as the Governor and the Judge of all, he dispenses rewards and punishments on grounds which are not arbitrary, but strictly equitable. On this account the day of judgment is called " the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God'." If the judgment were passed on men solely on grounds which none but God could see, it would be impossible for any one to judge of the equity of his proceedings : but when the works of all are brought forth as witnesses of the inward dispositions and habits of their minds, all can see the correctness of the estimate which is formed of men's characters, and the justice of the sentence that is passed upon them. This then is one part of the con- clusion which the Apostle arrives at in the words before us : God will not judge of men by their faith, which he alone can discern, but by their works, which all may judge of as soon as ever they are laid before them. A man may pretend to faith of the strongest kind : but the inquiry will be. What effects did it produce ? And, if the fruits which it produced were such as were insufficient to attest its genuine truth and excellence, they will be utterly disregarded ; and God will say, " Depart from me, I never knew you, ye workers of iniquity'." However confidently the truth and genuineness of it may be asserted by the persons themselves, God will not at all regard it, but will bring every thing to the test which is here established, and condemn or justify every man according to his works".]
2. That faith, of whatever kind it be, is of no value, any farther than it is attested by works —
[If faith in the first instance apprehends Christ as a Saviour from guilt and condemnation, it does not rest there : it lays hold on him for sanctification, as well as for righteous- ness"; and would account him not worthy of the name of Jesus, if he did not save his people from their sius^ The characters
given • Rom. ii. 5. • Matt.vii. 21 — 23. " Matt. xii. 36, 37,