more readily in flattering terms of works, of which they themselves are destitute. Therefore James employs an argument ad hominem; and that he may convince them, he especially mentions works, while in mentioning them, he understands (as lying underneath the works) the active principle of faith. Nor does James use the word bixuiovGdui, to be justified , in a different sense from that in which St Paul uses it ; in which sense righteousness is most intimately connected with salvation, ver. 14. But that sense is a very preg- nant one ; so that the term righteousness is co-extensive in its mean- ing on the opposite side with sin (see especially the note, Rom. iii. 20) ; and as sin includes both guilt (reatus) and the taint (vitium) of our nature, so does righteousness denote the whole process, by which a man is righteous , and is judged and pronounced to be so ; that is, one with whom God is no longer angry on ac- count of his guilt, but reconciled to him : and one who on his part is no longer an enemy to God, but a friend , ver. 23. Comp. Rom. viii. 7 with what precedes and follows. Now both St James and St Paul use this word, dixaiouv, to justify , in one and the same sense, though St Paul in a more restricted, and St J ames in a wider application ; and for this reason, that St Paul is accustomed to speak of the act of justification, which chiefly consists in the remis- sion of sins ; whereas St James, which is especially to be observed, speaks of the state resulting from the same justification (which is incorrectly but frequently termed a second justification), when a man continues in the righteousness which is of faith, and makes progress in that which is of works. Hence it is that St Paul, from Gen. xv. 6, brings forward Abraham as believing ; St James, from Gen. xxii. 10, as even offering his son upon the altar, long after- wards. The former simply adduces the saying, It was counted to him ; the latter also this, He was called friend, which was after- wards added. The former says, God justifies , and justifies the ungodly , and we are justified; the latter simply says, A man is justified . The former makes mention of faith only, and not of works, although they proceed from faith ; the latter makes mention of faith and works. — l*) r'o dua/uffriipiov, upon the altar) He designs to show, that the work of Abraham was undertaken altogether in earnest.
22. "Or/, that) Here are two clauses; and if emphasis is laid on the word faith in the former clause, and on works in the latter, the sense will be plainly seen, by which the bearing of the one part upon the other is clearly expressed. — i) nion;, faith) It was by faith