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The same authority which set up the law which is observed, set up also the law which is broken. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

So much need was there to examine themselves, and make this particular offence, which St. James had been condemning, a ground of inquiry into their state before God. For they must never lose sight of the great truth, that we must all appear "before the judgment-seat of God, to give account of the things done in the body."

12. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 3

13. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judg

ment.

If ye allow yourselves in any sin, ye are not "in the faith" ye can only expect judgment according to the law. And though the law by which ye shall be judged, is the law of liberty, and not of bondage; it is still the law by which our lives must be governed, and our spiritual state determined. Judgment without mercy awaits him who wilfully offends against the royal law, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. He shall have judgment without mercy, who has showed no mercy. He shall not partake of the benefit which belongs to the Gospel, and to the sincere follower of the Gospel. For the character of the Gospel is, that mercy rejoiceth against judgAnd such also will be the character of the true disciples of Christ. They will be tender3 See Note at p. 54.

ment.

hearted, forgiving: they will not demand strict justice; will not be eager to take vengeance, or insist on claiming rights to the full. They deal with others as they desire that God may deal with them. For they have learnt, that if they forgive not men their offences, neither will their own offences be forgiven of their heavenly Father.*

And how strongly should this argument affect us, whenever our thoughts are called, as they are by this whole passage, to the holiness of the divine law, and the strictness of the divine judgment! What reason have we to be thankful, that as in the conduct of Christians towards each other, mercy must rejoice against judgment, so in the dealings of God with man, justice has been propitiated, and mercy has triumphed!

But that we ourselves have "obtained mercy," one only proof can testify: that in no one point we allow ourselves to transgress: that we "exercise ourselves to keep always a conscience void of offence, both towards God and towards man:"—that we desire and aim at complete obedience; and though not already perfect," are praying that "our whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ." 5

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LECTURE X.

THE EFFECT OF CHRISTIAN FAITH UPON THE LIFE.

JAMES ii. 14—17.

14. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

In the sentence which comes before this question, St. James had been alluding to future judgment. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. He had also been noticing a point in which those to whom he wrote had transgressed the law. Ye are partial in yourselves. Ye have despised the poor. This leads him on further, to show how vain a christian profession must be, without an answerable life. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

He seems to suppose that some one might reply to what he had been just urging: You speak of our being judged according to the law. But "there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." You speak of doing well, if we keep the royal law, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But our salvation is "of grace, not of works, that any man should boast."

There have always been some to argue in this manner and the Spirit of God, foreseeing this, has provided an answer in the words of St. James:

who here shows us, not that we are justified otherwise than by faith, but what that faith is by which we are justified: namely, a faith that worketh righteousness.

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Suppose, then, a man to excuse himself for not living after the way in which the apostle had been instructing him to live :-for being "a hearer of the word, and not a doer:" for not "bridling his tongue" for not visiting the fatherless and widow in their affliction :" for " despising the poor," and respecting the persons of the rich suppose him to excuse himself for this, and to say in his defence, "We look to be accounted righteous before God by faith in Jesus Christ, and not for our own works and deservings." Supposing a man thus to argue, St. James replies: What doth it profit, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? That faith which he says he has, and which has no works to prove its reality? Can it save him, that he professes to believe in Christ, if he has lived in no way answerable to that profession? Christ's own words cut off any such expectation; "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name done many wonderful works? Then shall I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity."

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St. James proceeds to illustrate this by an example; an example which all could understand. He takes the case of natural affection: that natural

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affection which one person bears towards another. We know how this acts when it is a true affection: as it was, for instance, in Jonathan towards David, when "he loved him as his own soul." Thus we may learn how faith ought to act if it is genuine, and how it will act, if heart to the Redeemer.

to be received as it really unites the

15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16. And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed, and be ye filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17. Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Here the case is supposed, in which natural affection is put to the test. The brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food. The friend expresses all good-will towards them: is anxious that they should have relief and comfort: Depart in peace; be ye warmed; be ye clothed: but these are words only: notwithstanding ye give them not those things that be needful: he denies himself nothing, uses no exertion to supply his brother's wants: what doth it profit? Will any one accept this as true and satisfactory love? Who would value it, or make it a return?

It is not so when the affection is real, and has possession of the heart. It was not so in the case of Jonathan. Jonathan said to David, "Whatever thy soul desireth, I will now do it for thee." But was this all? Far from it. Jonathan stripped him

11 Kings xviii. 1, 3.

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