mh_parser/vol_split/59 - James/Chapter 2.xml

<div2 id="Jam.iii" n="iii" next="Jam.iv" prev="Jam.ii" progress="82.36%" title="Chapter II">
<h2 id="Jam.iii-p0.1">J A M E S.</h2>
<h3 id="Jam.iii-p0.2">CHAP. II.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Jam.iii-p1">In this chapter the apostle condemns a sinful
regarding of the rich, and despising the poor, which he imputes to
partiality and injustice, and shows it to be an acting contrary to
God, who has chosen the poor, and whose interest is often
persecuted, and his name blasphemed, by the rich, <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.1-Jas.2.7" parsed="|Jas|2|1|2|7" passage="Jam 2:1-7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>. He shows that the whole
law is to be fulfilled, and that mercy should be followed, as well
as justice, <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.8-Jas.2.13" parsed="|Jas|2|8|2|13" passage="Jam 2:8-13">ver. 8-13</scripRef>. He
exposes the error and folly of those who boast of faith without
works, telling us that this is but a dead faith, and such a faith
as devils have, not the faith of Abraham, or of Rahab, <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.11-Jas.2.26" parsed="|Jas|2|11|2|26" passage="Jam 2:11-26">ver. 11, to the end</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Jam.iii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2" parsed="|Jas|2|0|0|0" passage="Jas 2" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Jam.iii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.1-Jas.2.7" parsed="|Jas|2|1|2|7" passage="Jas 2:1-7" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Jas.2.1-Jas.2.7">
<h4 id="Jam.iii-p1.6">Regard Due to Poor Christians; Partiality
Condemned. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jam.iii-p1.7">a.
d.</span> 61.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jam.iii-p2">1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord
Jesus Christ, <i>the Lord</i> of glory, with respect of persons.
  2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold
ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile
raiment;   3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay
clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say
to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
  4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become
judges of evil thoughts?   5 Hearken, my beloved brethren,
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs
of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?  
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and
draw you before the judgment seats?   7 Do not they blaspheme
that worthy name by the which ye are called?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p3">The apostle is here reproving a very
corrupt practice. He shows how much mischief there is in the sin of
<b><i>prosopolepsia</i></b>—<i>respect of persons,</i> which
seemed to be a very growing evil in the churches of Christ even in
those early ages, and which, in these after-times, has sadly
corrupted and divided Christian nations and societies. Here we
have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p4">I. A caution against this sin laid down in
general: <i>My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.1" parsed="|Jas|2|1|0|0" passage="Jam 2:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Observe here, 1. The
character of Christians fully implied: they are such as have the
faith of our Lord Jesus Christ; they embrace it; they receive it;
they govern themselves by it; they entertain the doctrine, and
submit to the law and government, of Christ; they have it as a
trust; they have it as a treasure. 2. How honorably James speaks of
Jesus Christ; he calls him <i>the Lord of glory;</i> for he is
<i>the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of
his person.</i> 3. Christ's being the Lord of glory should teach us
not to respect Christians for any thing so much as their relation
and conformity to Christ. You who profess to believe the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ, which the poorest Christian shall partake of
equally with the rich, and to which all worldly glory is but
vanity, you should not make men's outward and worldly advantages
the measure of your respect. In professing the faith of our Lord
Jesus Christ, we should not show respect to men, so as to cloud or
lessen the glory of our glorious Lord: how ever any may think of
it, this is certainly a very heinous sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p5">II. We have this sin described and
cautioned against, by an instance or example of it (<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.2-Jas.2.3" parsed="|Jas|2|2|2|3" passage="Jam 2:2,3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>): <i>For if there
come into your assembly a man with a gold ring,</i> &amp;c.
<i>Assembly</i> here is meant of those meetings which were
appointed for deciding matters of difference among the members of
the church, or for determining when censures should be passed upon
any, and what those censures should be; therefore the Greek word
here used, <b><i>synagoge,</i></b> signifies such an assembly as
that in the Jewish synagogues, when they met to do justice.
Maimonides says (as I find the passage quoted by Dr. Manton) "That
is was expressly provided by the Jews' constitutions that, when a
poor man and a rich plead together, the rich shall not be bidden to
sit down and the poor stand, or sit in a worse place, but both sit
or both stand alike." To this the phrases used by the apostle have
a most plain reference, and therefore the assembly here spoken of
must be some such as the synagogue-assemblies of the Jews were,
when they met to hear causes and to execute justice: to these the
arbitrations and censures of their Christian assemblies are
compared. But we must be careful not to apply what is here said to
the common assemblies for worship; for in these certainly there may
be appointed different places of persons according to their rank
and circumstances, without sin. Those do not understand the apostle
who fix his severity here upon this practice; they do not consider
the word judges (used in <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.4" parsed="|Jas|2|4|0|0" passage="Jam 2:4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>), nor what is said of their being convected as
transgressors of the law, if they had such a respect of persons as
is here spoken of, according to <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.9" parsed="|Jas|2|9|0|0" passage="Jam 2:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Thus, now put the case: "<i>There
comes into your assembly</i> (when of the same nature with some of
those at the synagogue) <i>a man</i> that is distinguished by his
dress, and who makes a figure, <i>and there comes in also a poor
man in vile raiment,</i> and you act partially, and determine
wrong, merely because the one makes a better appearance, or is in
better circumstances, than the other." Observe hence, 1. God has
his remnant among all sorts of people, among those that wear soft
and gay clothing, and among those that wear poor and vile raiment.
2. In matters of religion, rich and poor stand upon a level; no
man's riches set him in the least nearer to God, nor does any man's
poverty set him at a distance from God. <i>With the Most High there
is no respect of persons,</i> and therefore in matters of
conscience there should be none with us. 3. All undue honouring of
worldly greatness and riches should especially be watched against
in Christian societies. James does not here encourage rudeness or
disorder. Civil respect must be paid, and some difference may be
allowed in our carriage towards persons of different ranks; but
this respect must never be such as to influence the proceedings of
Christian societies in disposing of the offices of the church, or
in passing the censures of the church, or in any thing that is
purely a matter of religion; here we are to know no man after the
flesh. It is the character of a citizen of Zion that <i>in his eyes
a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth those that fear the
Lord.</i> If a poor man be a good man, we must not value him a whit
the less for his poverty; and, if a rich man be a bad man (though
he may have both gay clothing and a gay profession), we must not
value him any whit the more for his riches. 4. Of what importance
it is to take care what rule we go by in judging of men; if we
allow ourselves commonly to judge by outward appearance, this will
too much influence our spirits and our conduct in religious
assemblies. There is many a man, whose wickedness renders him vile
and despicable, who yet makes a figure in the world; and, on the
other hand, there is many a humble, heavenly, good Christian, who
is clothed meanly; but neither should he nor his Christianity be
thought the worse of on this account.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p6">III. We have the greatness of this sin set
forth, <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.4-Jas.2.5" parsed="|Jas|2|4|2|5" passage="Jam 2:4,5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. It
is great partiality, it is injustice, and it is to set ourselves
against God, who has chosen the poor, and will honour and advance
them (if good), let who will despise them. 1. In this sin there is
shameful partiality: <i>Are you not then partial in yourselves?</i>
The question is here put, as what could not fail of being answered
by every man's conscience that would put it seriously to himself.
According to the strict rendering of the original, the question is,
"<i>Have you not made a difference?</i> And, in that difference, do
you not judge by a false rule, and go upon false measures? And does
not the charge of a partiality condemned by the law lie fully
against you? Does not your own conscience tell you that you are
guilty?" Appeals to conscience are of great advantage, when we have
to do with such as make a profession, even though they may have
fallen into a very corrupt state. 2. This respect of persons is
owing to the evil and injustice of the thoughts. As the temper,
conduct, and proceedings, are partial, so the heart and thoughts,
from which all flows, are evil: "<i>You have become judges of evil
thoughts;</i> that is, you are judges according to those unjust
estimations and corrupt opinions which you have formed to
yourselves. Trace your partiality till you come to those hidden
thoughts which accompany and support it, and you will find those to
be <i>exceedingly evil.</i> You secretly prefer outward pomp before
inward grace, and the things that are seen before those which are
not seen." The deformity of sin is never truly and fully discerned
till the evil of our thoughts be disclosed: and it is this which
highly aggravates the faults of our tempers and lives—that <i>the
imagination of the thoughts of the heart is evil,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.5" parsed="|Gen|6|5|0|0" passage="Ge 6:5">Gen. vi. 5</scripRef>. 3. This respect of persons
is a heinous sin, because it is to show ourselves most directly
contrary to God (<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.5" parsed="|Jas|2|5|0|0" passage="Jam 2:5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>): "<i>Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich
in faith? &amp;c. But you have despised them,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.6" parsed="|Jas|2|6|0|0" passage="Jam 2:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. God has made those heirs
of a kingdom whom you make of no reputation, and has given very
great and glorious promises to those to whom you can hardly give a
good word or a respectful look. And is not this a monstrous
iniquity in you who pretend to be the children of God and conformed
to him? <i>Hearken, my beloved brethren;</i> by all the love I have
for you, and all the regards you have to me, I beg you would
consider these things. Take notice that many of the poor of this
world are the chosen of God. Their being God's chosen does not
prevent their being poor; their being poor does not at all
prejudice the evidences of their being chosen. <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:Matt.11.5" parsed="|Matt|11|5|0|0" passage="Mt 11:5">Matt. xi. 5</scripRef>, <i>The poor are evangelized.</i>"
God designed to recommend his holy religion to men's esteem and
affection, not by the external advantages of gaiety and pomp, but
by its intrinsic worth and excellency; and therefore chose the poor
of this world. Again, take notice that many poor of the world are
rich in faith; thus the poorest may become rich; and this is what
they ought to be especially ambitious of. It is expected from those
who have wealth and estates that they be rich in good works,
because the more they have the more they have to do good with; but
it is expected from the poor in the world that they be rich in
faith, for the less they have here the more they may, and should,
live in the believing expectation of better things in a better
world. Take notice further, Believing Christians are rich in title,
and in being heirs of a kingdom, though they may be very poor as to
present possessions. What is laid out upon them is but little; what
is laid up for them is unspeakably rich and great. Note again,
Where any are rich in faith, there will be also divine love; faith
working by love will be in all the heirs of glory. Note once more,
under this head, Heaven is a kingdom, and a kingdom promised to
those that love God. We read of the crown promised to those that
love God, in the former chapter (<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p6.6" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.12" parsed="|Jas|1|12|0|0" passage="Jam 1:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>); we here find there is a
kingdom too. And, as the crown is a crown of life, so the kingdom
will be an everlasting kingdom. All these things, laid together,
show how highly the poor in this world, if rich in faith, are now
honoured, and shall hereafter be advanced by God; and consequently
how very sinful a thing it was for them to despise the poor. After
such considerations as these, the charge is cutting indeed: <i>But
you have despised the poor,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p6.7" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.6" parsed="|Jas|2|6|0|0" passage="Jam 2:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. 4. Respecting persons, in the
sense of this place, on account of their riches or outward figure,
is shown to be a very great sin, because of the mischiefs which are
owing to worldly wealth and greatness, and the folly which there is
in Christians' paying undue regards to those who had so little
regard either to their God or them: "<i>Do not rich men oppress
you, and draw you before the judgment-seat? Do not they blaspheme
that worthy name by which you are called?</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p6.8" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.7" parsed="|Jas|2|7|0|0" passage="Jam 2:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Consider how commonly riches are
the incentives of vice and mischief, of blasphemy and persecution:
consider how many calamities you yourselves sustain, and how great
reproaches are thrown upon your religion and your God by men of
wealth, and power, and worldly greatness; and this will make your
sin appear exceedingly sinful and foolish, in setting up that which
tends to pull you down, and to destroy all that you are building
up, and to dishonour that worthy name by which you are called." The
name of Christ is a worthy name; it reflects honour, and gives
worth to those who wear it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Jam.iii-p6.9" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.8-Jas.2.13" parsed="|Jas|2|8|2|13" passage="Jas 2:8-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Jas.2.8-Jas.2.13">
<h4 id="Jam.iii-p6.10">The Christian Law. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jam.iii-p6.11">a.
d.</span> 61.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jam.iii-p7">8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the
scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
  9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are
convinced of the law as transgressors.   10 For whosoever
shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one <i>point,</i> he is
guilty of all.   11 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.   12 So speak
ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
  13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath
showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p8">The apostle, having condemned the sin of
those who had an undue respect of persons, and having urged what
was sufficient to convict them of the greatness of this evil, now
proceeds to show how the matter may be mended; it is the work of a
gospel ministry, not only to reprove and warn, but to teach and
direct. <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Col.1.28" parsed="|Col|1|28|0|0" passage="Col 1:28">Col. i. 28</scripRef>,
<i>Warning every man, and teaching every man.</i> And here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p9">I. We have the law that is to guide us in
all our regards to men set down in general. <i>If you fulfil the
royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself, you do well,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.8" parsed="|Jas|2|8|0|0" passage="Jam 2:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Lest any should think James had
been pleading for the poor so as to throw contempt on the rich, he
now lets them know that he did not design to encourage improper
conduct towards any; they must not hate nor be rude to the rich,
any more than despise the poor; but as the scripture teaches us to
love all our neighbours, be they rich or poor, as ourselves, so, in
our having a steady regard to this rule, <i>we shall do well.</i>
Observe hence, 1. The rule for Christians to walk by is settled in
the scriptures: <i>If according to the scriptures,</i> &amp;c. It
is not great men, nor worldly wealth, nor corrupt practices among
professors themselves, that must guide us, but the scriptures of
truth. 2. The scripture gives us this as a law, to love our
neighbour as ourselves; it is what still remains in full force, and
is rather carried higher and further by Christ than made less
important to us. 3. This law is a royal law, it comes from the King
of kings. Its own worth and dignity deserve it should be thus
honoured; and the state in which all Christians now are, as it is a
state of liberty, and not of bondage or oppression, makes this law,
by which they are to regulate all their actions to one another, a
royal law. 4. A pretence of observing this royal law, when it is
interpreted with partiality, will not excuse men in any unjust
proceedings. In is implied here that some were ready to flatter
rich men, and be partial to them, because, if they were in the like
circumstances, they should expect such regards to themselves; or
they might plead that to show a distinguished respect to those whom
God in his providence had distinguished by their rank and degree in
the world was but doing right; therefore the apostle allows that,
so far as they were concerned to observe the duties of the second
table, they <i>did well in giving honour to whom honour was
due;</i> but this fair pretence would not cover their sin in that
undue <i>respect of persons</i> which they stood chargeable with;
for,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p10">II. This general law is to be considered
together with a particular law: "<i>If you have respect to persons,
you commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors,</i>
<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.9" parsed="|Jas|2|9|0|0" passage="Jam 2:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Notwithstanding
the law of laws, <i>to love your neighbour as yourselves,</i> and
to show that respect to them which you would be apt to look for
yourselves if in their circumstances, yet this will not excuse your
distributing either the favours or the censures of the church
according to men's outward condition; but here you must look to a
particular law, which God, who gave the other, has given you
together with it, and by this you will stand fully convicted of the
sin I have charged you with." This law is in <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.15" parsed="|Lev|19|15|0|0" passage="Le 19:15">Lev. xix. 15</scripRef>, <i>Thou shalt do no
unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of
the poor nor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt
though judge thy neighbour.</i> Yea, the very royal law itself,
rightly explained, would serve to convict them, because it teaches
them to put themselves as much in the places of the poor as in
those of the rich, and so to act equitably towards one as well as
the other. Hence he proceeds,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p11">III. To show the extent of the law, and how
far obedience must be paid to it. They must fulfil the royal law,
have a regard to one part as well as another, otherwise it would
not stand them in stead, when they pretended to urge it as a reason
for any particular actions: <i>For whosoever shall keep the whole
law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.10" parsed="|Jas|2|10|0|0" passage="Jam 2:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. This may be considered,
1. With reference to the case James has been upon: Do you plead for
your respect to the rich, because you are to love your neighbour as
yourselves? Why then show also an equitable and due regard to the
poor, because you are to love your neighbour as yourself: or else
your offending in one point will spoil your pretence of observing
that law at all. <i>Whosoever shall keep the whole law, if he
offend in one point,</i> wilfully, avowedly, and with continuance,
and so as to think he shall be excused in some matters because of
his obedience in others, <i>he is guilty of all;</i> that is, he
incurs the same penalty, and is liable to the same punishment, by
the sentence of the law, as if he had broken it in other points as
well as that he stands chargeable with. Not that all sins are
equal, but that all carry the same contempt of the authority of the
Lawgiver, and so bind over to such punishment as is threatened on
the breach of that law. This shows us what a vanity it is to think
that our good deeds will atone for our bad deeds, and plainly puts
us upon looking for some other atonement. 2. This is further
illustrated by putting a case different from that before mentioned
(<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.11" parsed="|Jas|2|11|0|0" passage="Jam 2:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>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.</i> One, perhaps, is very severe in the
case of adultery, or what tends to such pollutions of the flesh;
but less ready to condemn murder, or what tends to ruin the health,
break the hearts, and destroy the lives, of others: another has a
prodigious dread of murder, but has more easy thoughts of adultery;
whereas one who looks at the authority of the Lawgiver more than
the matter of the command will see the same reason for condemning
the one as the other. Obedience is then acceptable when all is done
with an eye to the will of God; and disobedience is to be
condemned, in whatever instance it be, as it is a contempt of the
authority of God; and, for that reason, if we offend in one point,
we contemn the authority of him who gave the whole law, and so far
are guilty of all. Thus, if you look to the law of the old, you
stand condemned; for <i>cursed is every that continueth not in all
things that are written in the book of the law to do them,</i>
<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.10" parsed="|Gal|3|10|0|0" passage="Ga 3:10">Gal. iii. 10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p12">IV. James directs Christians to govern and
conduct themselves more especially by the law of Christ. <i>So
speak and so do as those that shall be judged by the law of
liberty,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.12" parsed="|Jas|2|12|0|0" passage="Jam 2:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>.
This will teach us, not only to be just and impartial, but very
compassionate and merciful to the poor; and it will set us
perfectly free from all sordid and undue regards to the rich.
Observe here, 1. The gospel is called a law. It has all the
requisites of a law: precepts with rewards and punishments annexed;
it prescribes duty, as well as administers comfort; and Christ is a
king to rule us as well as a prophet to teach us, and a priest to
sacrifice and intercede for us. <i>We are under the law to
Christ.</i> 2. It is a <i>law of liberty,</i> and one that we have
no reason to complain of as a yoke or burden; for the service of
God, according to the gospel, is perfect freedom; it sets us at
liberty from all slavish regards, either to the persons or the
things of this world. 3. We must all be judged by this law of
liberty. Men's eternal condition will be determined according to
the gospel; this is the book that will be opened, when we shall
stand before the judgment-seat; there will be no relief to those
whom the gospel condemns, nor will any accusation lie against those
whom the gospel justifies. 4. It concerns us therefore so to speak
and act now as become those who must shortly be judged by this law
of liberty; that is, that we come up to gospel terms, that we make
conscience of gospel duties, that e be of a gospel temper, and that
our conversation be a gospel conversation, because by this rule we
must be judged. 5. The consideration of our being judged by the
gospel should engage us more especially to be merciful in our
regards to the poor (<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.13" parsed="|Jas|2|13|0|0" passage="Jam 2:13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>): <i>For he shall have judgment without mercy that
hath shown no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.</i> Take
notice here, (1.) The doom which will be passed upon impenitent
sinners at last will be judgment without mercy; there will be no
mixtures or allays in the cup of wrath and of trembling, the dregs
of which they must drink. (2.) Such as show no mercy now shall find
no mercy in the great day. But we may note, on the other hand, (3.)
That there will be such as shall become instances of the triumph of
mercy, in whom mercy rejoices against judgment: all the children of
men, in the last day, will be either vessels of wrath or vessels of
mercy. It concerns all to consider among which they shall be found;
and let us remember that <i>blessed are the merciful, for they
shall obtain mercy.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Jam.iii-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.14-Jas.2.26" parsed="|Jas|2|14|2|26" passage="Jas 2:14-26" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Jas.2.14-Jas.2.26">
<h4 id="Jam.iii-p12.4">Faith and Works. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jam.iii-p12.5">a.
d.</span> 61.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jam.iii-p13">14 What <i>doth it</i> profit, my brethren,
though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save
him?   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 <i>ye</i> warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them
not those things which are needful to the body; what <i>doth it</i>
profit?   17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead,
being alone.   18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I
have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show
thee my faith by my works.   19 Thou believest that there is
one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
  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.   24 Ye
see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith
only.   25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by
works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent
<i>them</i> out another way?   26 For as the body without the
spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p14">In this latter part of the chapter, the
apostle shows the error of those who rested in a bare profession of
the Christian faith, as if that would save them, while the temper
of their minds and the tenour of their lives were altogether
disagreeable to that holy religion which they professed. To let
them see, therefore, what a wretched foundation they built their
hopes upon, it is here proved at large that a man is justified, not
by faith only, but by works. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p15">I. Upon this arises a very great question,
namely, how to reconcile Paul and James. Paul, in his epistles to
the Romans and Galatians, seems to assert the directly contrary
thing to what James here lays down, saying if often, and with a
great deal of emphasis, <i>that we are justified by faith only and
not by the works of the law. Amicæ scripturarum lites, utinam et
nostræ—There is a very happy agreement between one part of
scripture and another, notwithstanding seeming differences: it were
well if the differences among Christians were as easily
reconciled.</i> "Nothing," says Mr. Baxter, "but men's
misunderstanding the plain drift and sense of Paul's epistles,
could make so many take it for a matter of great difficulty to
reconcile Paul and James." A general view of those things which are
insisted on by the Antinomians may be seen in Mr. Baxter's
Paraphrase: and many ways might be mentioned which have been
invented among learned men to make the apostles agree; but it may
be sufficient only to observe these few things following:—1. When
Paul says that <i>a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of
the law</i> (<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Rom.3.28" parsed="|Rom|3|28|0|0" passage="Ro 3:28">Rom. iii. 28</scripRef>),
he plainly speaks of another sort of work than James does, but not
of another sort of faith. Paul speaks of works wrought in obedience
to the law of Moses, and before men's embracing the faith of the
gospel; and he had to deal with those who valued themselves so
highly upon those works that they rejected the gospel (as <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.10.1-Rom.10.21" parsed="|Rom|10|1|10|21" passage="Ro 10:1-21">Rom. x.</scripRef>, at the beginning most
expressly declares); but James speaks of works done in obedience to
the gospel, and as the proper and necessary effects and fruits of
sound believing in Christ Jesus. Both are concerned to magnify the
faith of the gospel, as that which alone could save us and justify
us; but Paul magnifies it by showing the insufficiency of any works
of the law before faith, or in opposition to the doctrine of
justification by Jesus Christ; James magnifies the same faith, by
showing what are the genuine and necessary products and operations
of it. 2. Paul not only speaks of different works from those
insisted on by James, but he speaks of a quite different use that
was made of good works from what is here urged and intended. Paul
had to do with those who depended on the merit of their works in
the sight of God, and thus he might well make them of no manner of
account. James had to do with those who cried up faith, but would
not allow works to be used even as evidence; they depended upon a
bare profession, as sufficient to justify them; and with these he
might well urge the necessity and vast importance of good works. As
we must not break one table of the law, by dashing it against the
other, so neither must we break in pieces the law and the gospel,
by making them clash with one another: those who cry up the gospel
so as to set aside the law, and those who cry up the law so as to
set aside the gospel, are both in the wrong; for we must take our
work before us; there must be both faith in Jesus Christ and good
works the fruit of faith. 3. The justification of which Paul speaks
is different from that spoken of by James; the one speaks of our
persons being justified before God, the other speaks of our faith
being justified before men: "<i>Show me thy faith by thy
works,</i>" says James, "let thy faith be justified in the eyes of
those that behold thee by thy works;" but Paul speaks of
justification in the sight of God, who justifies those only that
believe in Jesus, and purely on account of the redemption that is
in him. Thus we see that our persons are justified before God by
faith, but our faith is justified before men by works. This is so
plainly the scope and design of the apostle James that he is but
confirming what Paul, in other places, says of his faith, that it
is a laborious faith, and a faith working by love, <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Gal.5.6 Bible:1Thess.1.3 Bible:Titus.3.8" parsed="|Gal|5|6|0|0;|1Thess|1|3|0|0;|Titus|3|8|0|0" passage="Ga 5:6;1Th 1:3;Tit 3:8">Gal. v. 6; 1 Thess. i. 3; Titus
iii. 8</scripRef>; and many other places. 4. Paul may be understood
as speaking of that justification which is inchoate, James of that
which is complete; it is by <i>faith</i> only that we are put into
a justified state, but then good works come in for the completing
of our justification at the last great day; then, <i>Come you
children of my Father—for I was hungry, and you gave me meat,</i>
&amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p16">II. Having thus cleared this part of
scripture from every thing of a contradiction to other parts of it,
let us see what is more particularly to be learnt from this
excellent passage of James; we are taught,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p17">1. That faith without works will not
profit, and cannot save us. <i>What doth it profit, my brethren, if
a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save
him?</i> Observe here, (1.) That faith which does not save will not
really profit us; a bare profession may sometimes seem to be
profitable, to gain the good opinion of those who are truly good,
and it may procure in some cases worldly good things; but what
profit will this be, for any to gain the world and to lose their
souls? <i>What doth it profit?—Can faith save him?</i> All things
should be accounted profitable or unprofitable to us as they tend
to forward or hinder the salvation of our souls. And, above all
other things, we should take care thus to make account of faith, as
that which does not profit, if it do not save, but will aggravate
our condemnation and destruction at last. (2.) For a man to have
faith, and to say he has faith, are two different things; the
apostle does not say, <i>If a man have faith without works,</i> for
that is not a supposable case; the drift of this place of scripture
is plainly to show that an opinion, or speculation, or assent,
without works, is not faith; but the case is put thus, <i>If a man
say he hath faith,</i> &amp;c. Men may boast of that to others, and
be conceited of that in themselves, of which they are really
destitute.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p18">2. We are taught that, as love or charity
is an operative principle, so is faith, and that neither of them
would otherwise be good for any thing; and, by trying how it looks
for a person to pretend he is very charitable who yet never does
any works of charity, you may judge what sense there is in
pretending to have faith without the proper and necessary fruits of
it: "<i>If a brother or a sister be naked, and destitute of daily
food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be you warmed
and filled, notwithstanding you give them not those things which
are needful to the body, what doth it profit?</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.15-Jas.2.17" parsed="|Jas|2|15|2|17" passage="Jam 2:15-17"><i>v.</i> 15-17</scripRef>. What will such a
charity as this, that consists in bare words, avail either you or
the poor? Will you come before God with such empty shows of charity
as these? You might as well pretend that your love and charity will
stand the test without acts of mercy as think that a profession of
faith will bear you out before God without works of piety and
obedience. <i>Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
along,</i>" <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p18.2" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.17" parsed="|Jas|2|17|0|0" passage="Jam 2:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>.
We are too apt to rest in a bare profession of faith, and to think
that this will save us; it is a cheap and easy religion to say, "We
believe the articles of the Christian faith;" but it is a great
delusion to imagine that this is enough to bring us to heaven.
Those who argue thus wrong God, and put a cheat upon their own
souls; a mock-faith is as hateful as mock-charity, and both show a
heart dead to all real godliness. You may as soon take pleasure in
a dead body, void of soul, or sense, or action, as God take
pleasure in a dead faith, where there are no works.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p19">3. We are taught to compare a faith
boasting of itself without works and a faith evidenced by works, by
looking on both together, to try how this comparison will work upon
our minds. <i>Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have
works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my
faith by my works,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p19.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.18" parsed="|Jas|2|18|0|0" passage="Jam 2:18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>. Suppose a true believer thus pleading with a
boasting hypocrite, "Thou makest a profession, and sayest thou hast
faith; I make no such boasts, but leave my works to speak for me.
Now give any evidence of having the faith thou professest without
works if thou canst, and I will soon let thee see how my works flow
from faith and are the undoubted evidences of its existence." This
is the evidence by which the scriptures all along teach men to
judge both of themselves and others. And this is the evidence
according to which Christ will proceed at the day of judgment.
<i>The dead were judged according to their works,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p19.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.20.12" parsed="|Rev|20|12|0|0" passage="Re 20:12">Rev. xx. 12</scripRef>. How will those be
exposed then who boast of that which they cannot evidence, or who
go about to evidence their faith by any thing but works of piety
and mercy!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p20">4. We are taught to look upon a faith of
bare speculation and knowledge as the faith of devils: <i>Thou
believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also
believe, and tremble,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p20.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.19" parsed="|Jas|2|19|0|0" passage="Jam 2:19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. That instance of faith which the apostle here
chooses to mention is the first principle of all religion. "<i>Thou
believest that there is a God,</i> against the atheists; and that
there is but one God, against the idolaters; <i>thou doest
well:</i> so far all is right. But to rest here, and take up a good
opinion of thyself, or of thy state towards God, merely on account
of thy believing in him, this will render thee miserable: <i>The
devils also believe, and tremble.</i> If thou contentest thyself
with a bare assent to articles of faith, and some speculations upon
them, thus far the devils go. And as their faith and knowledge only
serve to excite horror, so in a little time will thine." The word
tremble is commonly looked upon as denoting a good effect of faith;
but here it may rather be taken as a bad effect, when applied to
the faith of devils. They tremble, not out of reverence, but hatred
and opposition to that one God on whom they believe. To rehearse
that article of our creed, therefore, <i>I believe in God the
Father Almighty,</i> will not distinguish us from devils at last,
unless we now give up ourselves to God as the gospel directs, and
love him, and delight ourselves in him, and serve him, which the
devils do not, cannot do.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p21">5. We are taught that he who boasts of
faith without works is to be looked upon at present as a foolish
condemned person. <i>But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith
without works is dead?</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p21.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.20" parsed="|Jas|2|20|0|0" passage="Jam 2:20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>. The words translated <i>vain man</i>—<b><i>anthrope
kene,</i></b> are observed to have the same signification with the
word <i>Raca,</i> which must never be used to private persons, or
as an effect of anger (<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p21.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.22" parsed="|Matt|5|22|0|0" passage="Mt 5:22">Matt. v.
22</scripRef>), but may be used as here, to denote a just
detestation of such a sort of men as are empty of good works, and
yet boasters of their faith. And it plainly declares them fools and
abjects in the sight of God. Faith without works is said to be
<i>dead,</i> not only as void of all those operations which are the
proofs of spiritual life, but as unavailable to eternal life: such
believers as rest in a bare profession of faith <i>are dead while
they live.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p22">6. We are taught that a justifying faith
cannot be without works, from two examples, Abraham and Rahab.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p23">(1.) The first instance is that of Abraham,
the father of the faithful, and the prime example of justification,
to whom the Jews had a special regard (<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p23.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.21" parsed="|Jas|2|21|0|0" passage="Jam 2:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>): <i>Was not Abraham our father
justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the
altar?</i> Paul, on the other hand, says (in <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p23.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.3" parsed="|Rom|4|3|0|0" passage="Ro 4:3"><i>ch.</i> 4 of the epistle to the Romans</scripRef>) that
Abraham <i>believed, and it was counted to him for
righteousness.</i> But these are well reconciled, by observing what
is said in <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p23.3" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.1-Heb.11.40" parsed="|Heb|11|1|11|40" passage="Heb 11:1-40">Heb. 11</scripRef>,
which shows that the faith both of Abraham and Rahab was such as to
produce those good works of which James speaks, and which are not
to be separated from faith as justifying and saving. By what
Abraham did, it appeared that he truly believed. Upon this footing,
the words of God himself plainly put this matter. <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p23.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.16-Gen.22.17" parsed="|Gen|22|16|22|17" passage="Ge 22:16,17">Gen. xxii. 16, 17</scripRef>, <i>Because thou
hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son; therefore in blessing I will bless thee.</i> Thus the faith of
Abraham was a working faith (<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p23.5" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.22" parsed="|Jas|2|22|0|0" passage="Jam 2:22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>), <i>it wrought with his works, and by works was made
perfect.</i> And by this means you come to the true sense of that
scripture which saith, Abraham believed God, <i>and it was imputed
unto him for righteousness,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p23.6" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.23" parsed="|Jas|2|23|0|0" passage="Jam 2:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. And thus he became the
<i>friend of God.</i> Faith, producing such works, endeared him to
the divine Being, and advanced him to very peculiar favours and
intimacies with God. It is a great honour done to Abraham that he
is called and counted the friend of God. You see then (<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p23.7" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.24" parsed="|Jas|2|24|0|0" passage="Jam 2:24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>) how that <i>by works a
man is justified</i> (comes into such a state of favour and
friendship with God), <i>and not by faith only;</i> not by a bare
opinion, or profession, or believing without obeying, but by having
such a faith as is productive of good works. Now besides the
explication of this passage and example, as thus illustrating and
supporting the argument James is upon, many other useful lessons
may be learned by us from what is here said concerning Abraham.
[1.] Those who would have Abraham's blessings must be careful to
copy after his faith: to boast of being Abraham's seed will not
avail any, if they do not believe as he did. [2.] Those works which
evidence true faith must to works of self-denial, and such as God
himself commands (as Abraham's offering up his son, his only son,
was), and not such works as are pleasing to flesh and blood and may
serve our interest, or are the mere fruits of our own imagination
and devising. [3.] What we piously purpose and sincerely resolve to
do for God is accepted as if actually performed. Thus Abraham is
regarded as offering up his son, though he did not actually proceed
to make a sacrifice of him. It was a done thing in the mind, and
spirit, and resolution of Abraham, and God accepts it as if fully
performed and accomplished. [4.] The actings of faith make it grow
perfect, as the truth of faith makes it act. [5.] Such an acting
faith will make others, as well as Abraham, friends of God. Thus
Christ says to his disciples, <i>I have called you friends,</i>
<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p23.8" osisRef="Bible:John.15.15" parsed="|John|15|15|0|0" passage="Joh 15:15">John xv. 15</scripRef>. All
transactions between God and the truly believing soul are easy,
pleasant, and delightful. There is one will and one heart, and
there is a mutual complacency. <i>God rejoiceth over those</i> who
truly believe, to do them good; and they delight themselves in
him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p24">(2.) The second example of faith's
justifying itself and us with and by works is Rahab: <i>Likewise
also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had
received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?</i>
<scripRef id="Jam.iii-p24.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.25" parsed="|Jas|2|25|0|0" passage="Jam 2:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. The former
instance was of one renowned for his faith all his life long, This
is of one noted for sin, whose faith was meaner and of a much lower
degree; so that the strongest faith will not do, nor the meanest be
allowed to go without works. Some say that the word here rendered
<i>harlot</i> was the proper name of Rahab. Others tell us that it
signifies no more than a <i>hostess,</i> or one who keeps a public
house, with whom therefore the spies lodged. But it is very
probable that her character was infamous; and such an instance is
mentioned to show that faith will save the worst, when evidenced by
proper works; and it will not save the best without such works as
God requires. This Rahab believed the report she had heard of God's
powerful presence with Israel; but that which proved her faith
sincere was, that, to the hazard of her life, she <i>received the
messengers, and sent them out another way.</i> Observe here, [1.]
The wonderful power of faith in transforming and changing sinners.
[2.] The regard which an operative faith meets with from God, to
obtain his mercy and favour. [3.] Where great sins are pardoned,
there must prefer the honour of God and the good of his people
before the preservation of her own country. Her former acquaintance
must be discarded, her former course of life entirely abandoned,
and she must give signal proof and evidence of this before she can
be in a justified state; and even after she is justified, yet her
former character must be remembered; not so much to her dishonour
as to glorify the rich grace and mercy of God. Though justified,
she is called <i>Rahab the harlot.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Jam.iii-p25">7. And now, upon the whole matter, the
apostle draws this conclusion, <i>As the body without the spirit is
dead, so faith without works is dead also,</i> <scripRef id="Jam.iii-p25.1" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.26" parsed="|Jas|2|26|0|0" passage="Jam 2:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. These words are read
differently; some reading them, <i>As the body without the breath
is dead, so is faith without works:</i> and then they show that
works are the companions of faith, as breathing is of life. Others
read them, <i>As the body without the soul is dead, so faith
without works is dead also:</i> and then they show that as the body
has no action, nor beauty, but becomes a loathsome carcass, when
the soul is gone, so a bare profession without works is useless,
yea, loathsome and offensive. Let us then take head of running into
extremes in this case. For, (1.) The best works, without faith, are
dead; they want their root and principle. It is by faith that any
thing we do is really good, as done with an eye to God, in
obedience to him, and so as to aim principally at his acceptance.
(2.) The most plausible profession of faith, without works, is
dead: as the root is dead when it produces nothing green, nothing
of fruit. Faith is the root, good works are the fruits, and we must
see to it that we have both. We must not think that either, without
the other, will justify and save us. This is the grace of God
wherein we stand, and we should stand to it.</p>
</div></div2>