is justified by works, because by them he is proved righteous: and God in justifying him, whether on the one ground, or the other, approves himself both " a just God and a Saviour." We may render this matter somewhat more clear by means of a familiar illustration. A scion must be engrafted into a stock in order that it may live : and it must bring forth fruit in order to prove that it does live. Is there any opposition between these two assertions? None whatever. So then with Paul I assert, that man must be engrafted into Christ by faith, in order that he may live : and with St. James I assert, that he must bring forth fruits of righteousness, to prove that he does live. Without being engrafted into the stock, he can have no life : and, if he bring not forth good works, he shews that he has no life. These two positions are perfectly compatible with each other : and so, when properly understood, are the apparently opposite positions of these two Apostles.]
Hoping now that I have set the whole of this matter in a clear light, I conclude with a few words,
1. Of caution —
[Two things in particular I would caution you against : first, Do not separate faith and ivorks ; and next, Do not con- found them.
Do not separate them, or imagine that you can be saved by either of them apart from the other : for faith, if it be alone, is dead ; and works, if they be alone, leave you altogether desti- tute of any interest in Christ. If your faith be strong enough to remove mountains, yet, if it work not by love, it will leave you no better than " sounding brass, or tinkling cymbals." And if your works be ever so perfect, they can never exceed what the law requires of you ; and consequently, can never discharge the debt which you owe to God for your past viola- tions of it : nor indeed can you ever in your present imperfect state fulfil the law so perfectly as not to come short of it every day you live : and consequently, every day you live, you stand in need of mercy for your daily transgressions, instead of pur- chasing heaven by your superabounding merits.
On the other hand, Do not confound the two, as though you were to be saved by faith and works united ; or to have a first justification by faith, and a second justification by works. Either the one or the other of these errors will invalidate the whole Gospel ; and will rob Christ of his glory, and you of your salvation. Christ is the only Saviour of sinful man : and his righteousness is that in which alone any child of man can be accepted before God. If you join any thing with that, you make it void : and, as far as respects you, " Christ will have