That which alone can avail for our acceptance with God, is " faith"—
[All the promises of God are made to faith h. It is by faith that all the saints of old obtained salvation0. St. Paul and St. James do not really differ respecting thisd, nor do any passages of Scripture really contradict ite. If salvation be of grace, it must be by faith1. .]
Yet this faith must be productive of good works —
[It is not a mere notional assent to certain doctrines, nor is it a confident assurance respecting the safety of our own state ; but it is a living operative principle in the heart : it is, on our part, the bond of union between Christ and our souls, and it cannot but discover itself by " works of love." If it produce not holy tempers, and an unfeigned regard for the bodies and souls of men, it is no better than the faith of devils g.]
The declaration in the text being explained, we shall,
II. Improve it —
Every part of Scripture, rightly understood, is profitable for the directing both of our faith and practice11 —
We will improve this before us,
1. " For doctrine," that is, for the establishing of
true doctrine —
[The way of salvation is simply by faith in Christ : and every kind of work, ceremonial or moral1, must be considered
b Mark xvi. 16. Acts x. 43. ° Rom. iv. 3, 6, 7.
d St. Paul (Rom. iv. 1 — 5.) speaks of Abraham as being justified before God : St. James (ii. 21 — 23.) speaks of Abraham as manifest- ing his faith before man, and as justifying his pretensions to the Divine favour hy a suitable conduct and conversation.
e There are many expressions both in the Old and New Testament which seem to assert salvation by works : but they are only declara- tive of the character of those that shall be finally saved, or of God's gracious determination to reward those works which flow from faith. If they were interpreted in any other way, they would invalidate the whole Gospel.
f Rom. iv. 16. 8 Jam. ii. 19. h 2 Tim. iii. 16. See the Greek.
1 The Apostle does not deny that circumcision is of any avail merely because it is a ceremonial work, but because it is a work ; and because dependence on it would rob Christ of his glory. His argument therefore excludes works of whatever kind they be. Com- pare Gal. ii. 16.
2080. j THE OFFICE AND OPERATION OF FAITH. 209
as of no avail with respect to justification before God. How- ever necessary, however valuable, our obedience may be if per- formed aright, it ceases to be valuable the moment we depend upon it. This is clearly stated in the text and context11; and St. Paul himself was practically persuaded of this doctrine1. Let us then renounce all confidence in our own works, and rely wholly on the blood and righteousness of Christ.]
2. " For reproof/' that is, for the refuting of false doctrines —
[Some have argued from the text, that faith saves us as an operative principle. Thus they affirm that we are justified by something within ourselves. But faith, as a principle, is not of more value than love™; and if we were justified by it as an operative principle, we should have room to boast, just as much as we should if we were justified by love or any other principle. The reason of our being justified by faith is, that faith unites us unto Christ, which is a property not common to any other grace. Our works do not make our faith to be good or saving, but only prove it to be son. If our faith be genuine, we shall discover it to God by a simple dependence upon Christ, and to man by the practice of good works.]
3. " For correction" of unrighteous conduct —
[It must be confessed that many profess faith in Christ while their lives are unworthy of the Gospel : but such per- sons stand condemned even by their own profession. No faith is of any avail, but such as " works by love." Let professors then weigh themselves in the balance of the sanctuary ; let them examine their tempers, dispositions, and actions ; let them acknowledge that a proud, envious, passionate, unforgiv- ing, covetous, or selfish Christian, is as much a contradiction in terms, as an adulterous or murderous Christian ; let them put away either their profession or their sins.]