3. The transcendent honour of being brought into the nearest relation to Christ himself —
[Who would have thought that this poor Canaanite, of an accursed nation, and once of an abandoned character, should be chosen of God to be an instrument of bringing into the world the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world? Yet so it was: Salmon, one of the progenitors of Christ, married her : and their son Boaz married Ruth, the Moabitess, from whom descended in an immediate line Obed, Jesse, David. And will the parallel hold good here also ? Shall we, on believing in Christ, become thus intimately united with him? Yes, and far more intimately; for she, as his an- cestor, was one with him only corporeally ; whereas by faith we become "one spirit with him''." As relating to the flesh, we are no nearer to him than others ; but as relating to the
m Amos ix. 9. " Josh, vi. 25. " Eph. ii. 12, 13, 19.
P 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. i 1 Cor. vi. 17. VOL. XIX. r F
spirit, " we are members of his body, even of his flesh and of his bones ^"]
From this subject then we learn,
1. How sovereign God is in the dispensation of his gifts !
[Of all that were in Jericho, we read not of any to whom true faith was given. Others, like the devils, believed, and trembled : she alone " believed unto righteousness." It is pleasing to reflect, that, amongst the most avowed enemies of God and his Christ, there may be some hidden ones, whose lieart God has touched with true repentance, though their views of salvation be very indistinct ; and who shall be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, whilst millions, who have enjoyed the brighter light of the Gospel, will be cast out into outer darkness. It is a rich consolation also to know, that the most abandoned sinner in the universe is not beyond the reach of mercy ; but that, as God's grace is his own, and he divides to every one severally as he will, we may all without exception look to him for mercy with a full confidence of acceptance through the Son of his love. Let any one that is discouraged through a sense of his own unworthiness, remember Rahab, and, like her, cast himself upon the mercy of the God of Israel.]
2. How certainly faith shall avail for the salvation of the soul !
[We are told bj' St. James, that " Rahab was justified by her works ^" But can any one suppose that the mere act of receiving the spies, and dismissing them in peace, formed her justifying righteousness before God? Assuredly not: for it was attended with great infirmity, seeing that she had recourse to falsehood to conceal her conduct, because she knew not how to trust in God to protect her from the consequences of it*. But, imperfect as her works were, they evinced the sincerity of her faith, and proved her to be indeed in a justified state before God. If then a faith, so obscure as her's was, and so imperfect in its actings, justified her before God, let no one doubt but that a full affiance in the Lord Jesus Christ shall assuredly bring him into a state of acceptance vv'ith God, and ultimately prevail for the salvation of his soul.]
3. How certainly faith will also be productive of good works !
It is in confirmation of this sentiment that St. James ad- duces the examples of Abraham and of Rahab as justified by
■f Eph. V. 30. s Jiiiii. ii 25. t Josh. ii. 4— G.
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their works. He is shewing that faith without works is dead ; and that their works proved them to be possessed of a living- faith. Undoubtedly her faith was, as we have before observed, not very distinct, though we doubt not but that it was after- wards enlarged, as her knowledge of the Mosaic writings in- creased. But indistinct as it was, it wrought, and powerfully too, yea, so powerfully as to overbalance every other conside- ration that could operate upon her mind. And thus it will do in every one : it will work, and effectually too, to overcome the world", and purify the heart ^. If then it do not evidence itself by such fruits as these, let us not imagine tiiat we are possessed of it : if it work not thus, our faith is no better than the faith of devils. Whoever then professes to be interested in " the grace of God which bringeth salvation," let him learn from it, what it invariably teaches to all who have received it, " to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present world y." If any have this hope in him, let him walk as Christ walked, and " purify him- self even as he is pure^."]