not believe that Christ will come again in glory to be our judge, and that he will recompense all men according to their works? Yet where was this belief, when last you transgressed against the plain commands of God, and committed an offence which you knew must appear against you at the judgment day?

It is just as possible to believe all that the Gospel reveals, to believe that Jesus was made flesh, and died, and rose again, and yet to live as if we believed not. They are not the hearers, but the doers of the law, which shall be justified." "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

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Therefore the apostle allows no one to be satisfied, who can merely say, I have faith. He insists that they cannot show their faith to be that faith through which men "have peace with God," unless it is attested by their life and habits. " By this we know that we love God, that we keep his commandments." By this we know that we believe in Jesus Christ, when we obey his precepts and imitate his example. There may be a belief in Christ which has no other origin than our birth and education which we receive, like our language, from the country in which we were born. More than this, there may be a belief which is strong enough to disturb our conscience; and yet, I fear, a "savour of death," and not "of life:" because it is a body without a spirit: it does not quicken the soul with a new and vital principle: it does not overcome the carnal nature; it does not raise the heart beyond things below, and set the affections upon the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all this is

done, and must be done, by that faith through which a man is justified before God. Such faith is not merely acknowledged, because it rests on history; not merely professed, because it is professed by those around us; but the man has taken it for his own; has been brought by the Spirit to see that Christ Jesus is made unto us of God "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

He has come to him as "the way, and the truth, and the life;" and he can say with inward confidence, "I know in whom I have believed." Such faith is not merely a dependence upon Christ and his merits for salvation, as if God had provided a way to bring his people to heaven without their own pains and diligence. But it is a laying hold of eternal life, through the means which the Author of eternal life has revealed. Such faith is approved by the mind, and satisfies the reason: but it does not rest there, in the head only; it occupies the heart: and gives energy and animation to a man's thoughts, and desires, and practice, just as the principle of life in the body gives strength and activity to his limbs. And if Satan could suddenly destroy this faith, which, thanks be to God, one stronger than Satan forbids; -the whole man, altered and decayed, would show that the former principle of life was gone.

21 Cor. i. 30.

LECTURE XII.

GENUINE FAITH PROVED BY WORKS.

JAMES ii. 20-26.

20. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the Friend of God.

Thus St. James pursues the argument which he had before begun, to prove that faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. Any one who took the opposite side, would be sure to bring forward the example of Abraham: of whom Paul has said, (Rom. iv. 2, 3.) "If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory: but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness."

Is there, then, a difference between the two apostles? This cannot be. All scripture was written under the direction of the same Spirit, and tends to the same end. But Paul has affirmed, "Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness." Therefore might a man say, I have faith. I fully believe

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that Jesus Christ came into the world for our redemption. I have received it from my parents. It is adopted as truth in the country to which I belong. Nay I have gone back to the history which relates how the religion of Christ Jesus first prevailed and spread and I perceive that if I doubt of that, I must doubt of everything which I have not seen with my own eyes. For these reasons I believe it. This is my faith and I trust that this faith will be counted unto me for righteousness.

Here then the apostle James comes in, to prevent error in a case so serious; and shows the nature of that faith which God accepted in the case of Abraham. Certainly his faith saved him. But observe what sort of faith. Abraham believed God. And because he believed him, he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? Seest thou how he showed, by his obedience to God's command, that his faith was that sort of faith which influences and changes and governs the heart, and makes the man in whom it is implanted

Certainly this appeared in Abraham. Through faith he did that, which nothing else could have made him do. And it is this which proves reality, sincerity, in a profession; a willingness to act upon the profession, though it be to our own distress or loss. In the instance which James had before brought forward, where there was no real love; where there were kind words, but no kind deeds: the want of real love was proved by the unwillingness to do anything for love's sake. Ye say, be ye

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warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not the things which are needful. Thus it is proved that there is no true affection in the heart. On the other hand, it is clear in Abraham's case that there was a true affection. He was justified, his faith was established, when he offered his son Isaac. The trial was severe. We are told so in the history; which begins by saying, that "God tempted Abraham." A sword must have pierced his heart, when he rose up early in the morning, and took Isaac away from the sight of his mother Sarah, conscious that the mother would never see that son again. A sword must have pierced his heart, when Isaac innocently inquired of him, "My father, where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" The faith which could sustain a man through a trial of this kind, was indeed a true affection, a vital principle.

Every Christian's faith is brought to a test of the same kind, though not of the same degree. As the heart by nature loves a son, an only son; so the heart by nature loves worldly things, worldly pleasures, self-indulgence. The gospel message to such a heart is, Take thy sin, thy most besetting sin, which thou lovest, and sacrifice it at the cross of Christ. "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if through the Spirit ye do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." "If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee." "Set thine affections on things above, not on things of the earth." They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." For

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1 Gen. xxii. 1–9.