CHAPTER VIII.

FAITH AND WORKS.

The design of the present chapter is to point out the inseparable connexion there ever is between faith and good works; and the absolute necessity of belief in Christ being always attended by obedience to his commands, in order to our finally being saved through his merits. Our twelfth article thus expresses the sense of the church on this important subject; "Albeit that good works which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God and Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a pure and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discerned by the fruit."

It is hoped that it will not be thought an improper digression, if we here offer a few remarks on the manner of rightly interpreting scripture in general.

Nothing can be more dangerous than to wrest scriptural passages from their plain and obvious meaning, so as to accommodate them to our preconceived notions; or more uncandid, than, from solitary texts, to draw conclusions which are at variance with the general scope and tenor of its reasoning. If such interpretations were allowable, there is no system so wild, no doctrine so absurd as that the interests or prejudices of artful men could

not here find some show of argument to support it. Whenever any passage seems obscure, or appears irreconcilable with other passages, or inconsistent with the doctrines generally taught in the bible, we must seek for its true explanation, by considering the occasion on which it was introduced, the whole scope of the argument with which it is connected, the errors it was designed to combat, or the truths it was intended to illustrate and enforce. We must also compare it with other expressions of the same writer, or with other writers of equal authority; and if they seem to disagree, we must consider the persons they are addressing, and the circumstances under which they respectively wrote, and thus attempt to reconcile them. By a little attention to a few such simple rules as these, if we search the scriptures impartially, and without prejudice in favor of any preconceived notions, or any peculiar system of our own, we shall find the Gospel a beautiful and connected scheme, full of order and harmony in all its parts, never contradicting itself, and perfectly intelligible, so far as our salvation is concerned, to the meanest capacity, so that "a wayfaring man, though a fool, cannot err," and even "he who runneth, may read and understand.'

These remarks have an immediate reference to the subject under consideration, and will help to show the frequent misapprehension, not to say perversion, of the great and fundamental doctrine of faith, which some have maintained to be wholly unconnected with good works, either as its fruit or its evidence. Now, if it were merely asserted that belief in Christ is the only foundation of the

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sinner's hope of salvation, and the only ground of his justification in the sight of God, this we conceive to be the true doctrine of saving faith, every where set forth in scripture. And if, on the other hand, by good works be meant any actions of our own, by which we expect to mérit salvation, or to give us, in the least possible degree, a meritorious claim to the promises of the Gospel, such views are as repugnant to sound reason, as they are inconsistent with the revealed word of God; for it is very evident that if our whole life were a continuance of unsinning obedience, it would be no more than our reasonable service." The God "in whom we live, and move, and have our being," has an unquestionable right to all our affections, and all our services: and should we keep the whole of his commandments, we might even then say 66 we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do." But if, on the contrary, faith be considered as a mere assent of the understanding to the truths of revelation, without including obedience, this would be subversive of the main design of our Saviour's death, which an inspired apostle hath told us, was to purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works."*

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There is a seeming contradiction between the apostles St. Paul and St. James, which has probably given rise to most of the difficulties on this subject. St. Paul says "that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness; for if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof

* Tit. ii. 14.

glory." St. James asks, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works? Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." To reconcile the apparent difference of these texts, for there can be no real contradiction in the doctrines taught by inspired men, we must notice the various senses in which the terms are here used, and it will be seen that "the two apostles, rightly understood, agree perfectly in their doctrine concerning justification." By faith, St. Paul means a vital, active principle, which necessarily produces holiness of heart and life; and by works he evidently means the ceremonial observances of the Jewish law. On the other hand, St. James, who is addressing a very different class of persons, intends by faith a mere belief in the truths of religion; or a mere assent of the understanding which neither affects the heart, nor influences the conduct; and by works he means such as "do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith." And he mentions the very same example that St. Paul also alludes to, that of Abraham, who testified his belief in the promises of God, by offering up his only son upon the altar; "Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect ?"‡

Were it necessary, we might bring numerous passages from St. Paul's epistles, to prove that not one of the writers of the New Testament insisted more strongly on the absolute necessity of good works than did this great apostle.§

* Rom. iv. 2, 9.

Jas. ii. 21, 24.

Jas. ii. 21, 22.

§ Ephes. ii. 10. Col. i. 10. 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. Tit. ii. 7, 14. iii. 1, 8. Heb. x. 24. xiii. 20, 21.

To the Ephesians he says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." He tells the Colossians, that he did not cease to pray" that they might be “fruitful in every good work." He directs Timothy to "charge them that are rich in this world, that they do good, that they be rich in good works." In his short epistle to Titus, almost every sentence is of this character; "In all things show thyself a pattern of good works ;" "put them in mind, to be ready to every good work;" "these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they who have BELIEVED in God, might be careful to maintain good works."

Can language be plainer than this? Does it not evidently appear, from all these passages taken together, that good works are indispensably necessary, though not sufficient, to salvation; that there can be no virtuous, justifying faith, which does not show itself in the practice of all moral duties; and that we may as well expect 66 grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles," as a saving faith, unless accompanied by a virtuous and holy life?

The whole of St. James' epistle is one continued argument for the necessity, the absolute necessity, of holiness in all our conversation and conduct; not, indeed, as in any degree meritorious, but as an infallible evidence of a correct faith."What doth it profit, my brethren," the apostle asks, "though a man say he have faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? Faith, if it have not works, is dead, being alone. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."

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