The Life of Justification Opened, Appendix · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
James 2: 14. &c. cleared & Vindicated.
ALI, who have been of old, and are this day Adversaries to the way of justification before God, which the Orthodox owne from the Scriptures, have thought to shelter themselves, under the wings of of some expressions of the Apostle Iames; & have therefore laboured so to explaine & streatch forth the same expressions, as they with their corrupt Notions about justification may seem at least to have some countenance therefrom, yea and warrandise to hold fast the same: And for this cause they have laboured so much, and do still laboure, so to expound the words of Paul, as that they may carry no seeming difference unto the words of Iames: for it is received as a known truth, and it is willingly granted, that there is no real Contradiction betwixt the two Apostles, but what ever apparent or seeming disagreement there be betwixt their words; yet all that difficulty is removable; & their words, how contradictory soever they seem to be, are yet capable of such an interpretation, as shall manifest their harmonious agreement in the truth: so that Iames saying Ch. 2: 24, Ye see then, how that by works a man is justified, & not by faith only, dot not contradict the Apostle Paul, who saith & concludeth, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law. Rom. 3: 28.
But a question is here made, whether we should interpret Iames's words by Paul's, or Paul's by Iames's. Our Adversaries are much for this later, to wit, that we must interpret Paul's words by the words of Iames, because, as they alledge, Paul is obscure in his doctrine, & many were beginning to misinterpret & pervert the same & that therefore Iames was necessitate to clear up that doctrine of justification, so as Paul's words might be better understood. But how unreasonable this is, the leamed D. Owen hath lately manifested, & his grounds are indeed irrefragable; for (1) It is a received way of interpreting Scriptures, that when two places seem to be repugnant unto other, that place, which treateth of the matter directly, designedly, expresly & largely, is to regulate our interpretation of the other place, where the matter is only touched obiter, on the bye, and upon some other occasion, and in order to some other ends. And that therefore accordingly, we must interpret Iames by Paul, and not Paul by Iames; seing it is undenible, that Paul wrote of this Subject of Justification, directly & on purpose to cleare up the same, and that with all expresness & fulness, on severall occasions, disputing the same, in a clear & formal manner, with all sorts of Arguments, Artificial & Inartificial, and answereth objections, that might be moved against the same, at large, and with a special accuracie: But on the other hand, it is as certaine, that Iames hath not this for his scope to open up the Nature of Justification; but only toucheth there-upon, in order to the other end, which he was prosecuting. (2) There is no ground to suppose, that it was the designe of Iames to explaine the meaning of Paul, no footstep of any such purpose appeareth. For then his maine business should be to explaine & clear up the doctrine of justification, which neither is apparent from this part of the Epistle, nor from any part of it at all; his designe being quite another thing, as is obvious. (3) Nor was there any necessitie for Iames, to Vindicate the doctrine of Paul, from such corrupt inferences, as Adversaries suppose, were made therefrom: for as to any such, as might be made, to wit, as if he had given any countenance unto such, as were willing to lay aside good works; he himself did fully & sufficiently Vindicate his owne doctrine, by showing, on all occasions, the necessity of good works, and particularly when he is speaking of Justification, not only in his Epistles to the Romans, and to the Galatians, where he largly & professedly treateth of that matter, but even when he is but mentioning the same on other occasions; as we see Ephes. 2: 8, 9, 10. Phil. 3: 9, 10, 11, &c. & Tit. 3: 5, 6, 7, 8. So that to imagine that Iames asserteth another interest of works in our justification, than Paul doth, and that to explaine Paul's meaning, is not to reconcile these Apostles, but to set them at further varience & enmity. And it cannot comport with sobriety, to think or say, that Iames, to cleare the Apostle Paul's doctrine, and to vindicate it from objections, should speak to the same objections, which Paul himself had spoken to & fully removed, and that Iames should give such answers unto these objections, as Paul would not give, but rather rejected: And yet this must be said by our Adversaries here.
It will be of great use to us here, to understand aright, what is the plaine scope & drift of the Apostle Iames; for as for the designe & scope of Paul, in his discourses of justification, it is so obviously manifest unto all that read the same, that no doubt can be made thereof, to wit. To cleare up fully & plainely the Nature & Causes of this great privilege of justification, which is the hinge & ground work (as it were) of his doctrine of the Gospel, and to shew how poor sinners, standing under the Curse for sin, come to be justified before God; as in his Epistle to the Romans: And to Vindicate the same doctrine of the Gospel from the corrupt pervesions of false teachers, as in his Epistle to the Galatians; as also to commend the free grace of God, in that noble contrivance, both in the places mentioned, and Ephes. 2. Phil. 3. Tit. 3. and elsewhere, when he mentioneth the same.
Now as to the scope of the Apostle Iames, there is nothing to declare unto us, that it was his Intent, or designe to explaine & make known the way▪ how poor convinced sinners, standing under the sentence of the Law, come to be justified before God, and to receive pardon of their sins. No such question proposeth he to be discussed; No such point of truth doth he lay down to be cleared, or Vindicated. But his whole scope & drift is to press the reall study of holiness, in several points particularly spoken to through the Epistle. And in that second Chapt. from vers. 14. & forward (as will appear more fully in the explication & vindication of the several verses in particular) he is particularly obviating that grosse mistake of some, who thought that a bare outward profession of the Gospel Faith, or of Christian Religion, was sufficient to save them, and evidence them to be in a justified state, and that therefore they needed not trouble themselves with any study of holiness: And therefore sheweth, that all such hopes of Salvation were built on the sand, for they had no ground to suppose, that they were truely justified, & so were in any faire way unto salvation, so long as all their faith was no other, than a general assent unto the doctrine of the Gospel, & to truthes revealed, & not that true lively faith, hold forth in the Gospel, whereby sinners become justified before God.
Mr. Baxter tels Cath. Theol. part. 2. n. 364. that St. James having to do with some, who thought that the bare profession of Christianity, was Christianity; & that faith was a meer assent to the Truth; & that to beleeve that the Gospel is true, & trust to be justified by Christ was enough to justification, without Holiness & fruitful Lives; & that their sin & barrenness hindered not their justification: so that they thus beleeved (perhaps misunderstanding Paul's Epistles) doth convince them, that they were mistaken; & that when God spake of justification by faith, without the works of the Law, he never meaned a faith that containeth not a resolution to obey him in whom we beleeve, nor that is separate from actual obedience in the prosecution: But that as we must be justified by our Faith against the charge of being Insidels; so must we be justified by our Gospel personal holiness, and sincere obedience, against the charge, that we are unholy & wicked, or impenitent, or hypocrites, or else we shall never be adjudged to Salvation, that is justified by God.
Ans. (1) It is true, for it is manifest, and undeniable, that Iames had to do with some, who thought that the bare profession of Christianity was enough, & that an assent unto the truth, was that faith that would prove justifying & saving. But (2) it is not so manifest that Iames had to do with such, as thought that to trust to be justified by Christ, was enough to justification without holiness & fruitful lives, & that their sin & barrenness hindered not their justification: for whatever Mr. Baxter imagine, we finde not in Scripture, that justification followeth lives, that is, that there is no justification, before this fruitfulness of life appear: And himself useth to say, that in order to the first justification, this holiness of life is not requisite: And beside this, which he calleth the first, we know no other; unless he mean glorification. But then (3) as to glorification & final Salvation, we grant, that Iames hath to do with such, as thought a meer assent to the truth, without holiness, was sufficient hereunto; but that their beleeving thus could flow from their misunderstanding of Paul's Epistles, is not any way probable, seing Paul in all his Epistles, even where he speaks most of justification by Faith without the deeds of the Law, presseth the necessity of holiness in order to Salvation, so as no imaginable ground hereof can with the least of shewes be pretended. (4) That when Paul said, justification was by Faith, without the works of the Law, he meant a true & lively faith, which only is to be found in that soul, in which the seed of grace is sown, and which is made partaker of the holy Ghost, and of the divine Nature, is true; but yet justifying faith, doth not formally containe in it a resolution to obey him, in whom we beleeve, as was shown elsewhere. (5) Then we see, that the faith, whereof Iames speaketh, is not the same with that Faith, whereby Paul said, we are just…fied: And seing both do not speak of the same Faith, there can be no appearance of discrepance. (6) When he saith, we must be justified by our Faith, against the charge of being infidels. I would know, what he meaneth, by this charge of infidelity; If he meane, the charge of not beleeving the Gospel, he knoweth that a meer assent to the truth, will …ustifie from that Charge. If he meane the charge of not receiving & resting upon Christ, according to the Gospel, even that will be but a particular justification from that particular charge; and is not that justification from the sentence of the Law, whereof Paul speaketh. (7) That we must be justified (as he saith) by our Gospel personal holiness & sincere obedience, against the charge, that we are unholy & wicked, or impenitent & hypocrites, is true; but what can all this say, for a justification from the sentence of the Law, under which we are all lying by Nature; and of which the Apostle Paul speaketh? And if Iames speak of justification by works, in reference to this accusation, he speaketh of no other kind of justification, than that which the most wicked wreatch, yea & the devils are capable of, when, to wit, they are falsely accused of having done some evil, which they have not done. And how can Mr. Baxter inferre from what Iames saith, (if he speak of no other kind of justification) that works are required unto our justification, as to state, or unto our general justification from the sentence of the Law, adjudging us to death because of transgression? (8) But he addeth, or else we shall never be adjudged to Salvation, that is, justified by God. Then the Justification, that Iames speaketh of, & that Mr. Baxter meaneth, is final Salvation: And we willingly grant, that there must be personal holiness & sincere obedience before this, and that no wicked or impenitent person, or hypocrite shall be adjudged to Salvation. But the justification, which Paul treateth of, is different from this, though it be the sure way to this, seing all who are justified, shall be thus saved. Thus we see, that according to Mr. Baxter, the meaning of Iames is, the same with Paul's, when he saith Heb. 12: 14. Follow peace with all men & holinoss, without which no man shall see the Lord. And then, Iames speaketh nothing of that justification, whereof Paul treatch & this is, what we say; whence it is manifest, that there is no appearance of contradiction betwixt the two holy writers.
But that we may come to some further clearness in this matter, we must see, whether Paul & Iames mean & speak of one & the same Faith: for if it be found, that they speak of diverse Faiths, all appearance of Contradiction is removed. Now that the Apostle Paul meaneth of a true, lively, saving Faith, which is a saving fruite of the Spirit of God & the special Gift of God, is easily granted on all hands: All the question is of that faith, which Iames speaketh of, Papist's say, that it is true justifying, that Iames speaketh of: for justifying. Faith, with them, is nothing but a real assent unto the Catholick Doctrine, or to divine Revelation: And indeed if Justifying. Faith be nothing else, it can not be well denyed, that Iames meaneth here a justifying faith. But the folly of this ground is obvious to all, that understand the Gospel: and we need not here insist in confuting the same. That which Iames here saith of this Faith, is enough to demonstrate of what Nature it is; and the Epithets he giveth it, do sufficiently manifest, that it is not Faith of the Right stamp, nor that true & lively Faith, by which Paul saith, that we are justified: and the discovery of this will be enough to our purpose; and every verse of his discourse hereanent will help us herein for (1) vers. 14. it is a profitless Faith, which cannot be said of justifying Faith, as the whole Scripture cleareth. (2) Ibid. it is a Faith, that hath no ground or reality, but a mans saying, nor no other evidenee, or proof, What doth it profite, my Brethren, though a man say, he hath Faith? There is no other proof adducable but his say so; which cannot be justifying Faith. (3) Ibid…can Faith save him; so that, it is a Faith, that hath no sure connexion with, nor tendency to Salvation; which cannot be supposed of the true, lively justifying Faith, as is known. (4) vers. 15, 16. It is no more true Faith, than that is true charity, which saith to the naked & destitute brother, depart in peace, be thou warmed & filled & notwithstanding giveth not those things, which are needful to the body. (5) vers. 17. It is expresly called a dead Faith. But the precious Faith of God's elect is a lively Faith. (6) ibid. It is a Faith without works, having no connexion therewith, nor being any ground thereunto; but the true Faith, that justifieth, worketh by Love, & is a living principle, and floweth from the infusion of life. (7) So vers. 18. It is a Faith uncapable of any true evidence, or demonstration, as to its being, from works of holiness▪ and so is not accompanied with any real change of soul: But it is not thus with true & saving Faith. (8) vers. 19. It is such a Faith; as devils may have: But devils are not capable of justifying Faith. (9) vers. 20. It is the Faith, that a Vaine man▪ never humbled in the sense of his own lost Condition, nor driven out of himself to seek reliese elsewhere, in the free mercy & grace of God, through Jesus Christ, may have: But that is not the Faith of the humbled, hear broken man, that's sleeing to Christ for refuge, (10) vers. 21, 22, 23. It is not such a Faith, as Abraham had, that made him willing to offer up his son Isaac, when commanded, & so wrought with & was evidenced & demonstrated by works. (11) vers. 25. Nor is it like the Faith of Rahab, which prompted her to receive the Messengers, and send them out another way. (12) vers. 26. It is such a Faith, that is no better than a carcase without breath, which is no essential part of a living man. But the Faith that justifieth, is a far other thing. By these particulars, it is manifest, that this Faith, whereof James speaketh so much, and which he opposeth unto works, & denieth justification, & salvation unto, is not the precious faith that Paul speaketh of.
We have seen, that Paul & James speak not of one & the same faith, we shall now enquire, whether they speak of One & the same Justification: And if it be found, that therein they differ, all ground of imaginable difference will be further removed. What that justification is, whereof Paul speaketh, is manifest, & needeth not here be declared, for it is plaine, that he treateth of that justification, whereby a poor sinner, convinced of his sin & misery, in lying under guilt, & under the Curse of God because of sin, is absolved before God from the sentence of the Law, & accepted of Him, and brought into an estate of Favour & reconciliation, having a right unto Salvation, through Faith in Jesus Christ. Upon the other hand, it is as obvious & cleare, that James is not treating of this justification, whereby a change of state is made in the man. But of a justification of a far other nature, even such a justification, whereby the Mans Faith, the reality of his Christianity, & his justification before God, is evidenced, or may be evidenced to himself, or to others. So that, whether we take justification here, as mentioned by James, for the evidence & demonstration of justification, or for a justification of the truth of the Mans Faith & Christianity, it cometh all to one; for where true faith & true Christianity is, there is justification, and there only; so that what demonstrats the one, will demonstrat the other; and a justification, or manifestation of the one will be a justification of the other. Nor is this sense of the word justifie, or justification alien from the Scriptures, as we see Psal. 51: 4. Rom. 3: 4. for God can not other wayes be justified, but by being declared, avowed, & proclamed to be Righteous. So Ier. 3: 11. Ezek. 16: 51, 52. Mat. 11: 19. Luk. 7: 35, 29. 1. Tim. 3: 16.
Now that this is the justification, whereof Iames speaketh, may be furder cleared by these particulars. (1) The scope, that Iames here levelleth at, being not to clear up the way & manner, how, or the causes by which, this change of Relation & State is wrought & brought about, but to discover the groundlesness of the vaine pretenses of such, as supposed they were justified, & in a sure way to be saved, who had no more for their ground, but a loose & verbal outward profession of the preached truth, without any real fruit of godliness: So that this Enquirie is, what can truely evidence a person to be justified indeed before God? And he sheweth that an empty fruitless profession will not do it, but works of Faith, or Faith proving it self lively by works. (2) The very Instance of Abraham, which he adduceth, cleareth this; for he saith vers. 21. Was not Abraham our Father justified by works, when he had offered his Son upon the altar? Now twentie five yeers, or as some compute, Thirtie yeers, or thereby before this time the Scriptures say, that Abraham beleeved God, & it was reckoned to him unto Righteousness. Gen. 15. & hence Paul proveth Rom. 4. that he was justified by Faith. Therefore if now he was justified, when he offered, his Son, he must have been twice justified & that in the same sense, with the same kind of justification, which can not be said. Nor will it avail to say, That Gen. 15. he was justified by the first justification, which was by Faith, of which Paul speaketh Rom. 4. But Gen. 22. he was justified with the second justification, which is by works; & of this Iames speaketh: for this distinction of justification into First & Second, is but a meer device of the Papist's, having no ground in, nor countenance from the Scriptures: and beside, it would follow, that a meer historical, dead Faith is sufficient unto the first justification, and that Paul understandeth such a faith only, when he said Rom. 4. that Abraham beleeved God, & it was counted to him unto Righteousness, the contrary whereof is manifest. Nor will it serve here to say, that Paul speaketh of justification as begun: but Iames speaketh of justification as continued: for then it would follow, that justification at first, or as begun, is by a dead faith, and by such a kind of faith, as devils may have, & consequently, that of such a faith, as this, Paul speaketh; because of such a faith Iames speaketh, as we have seen: But this cannot be said, for it was a true & lively faith, that Abraham had, when he beleeved the promise of the Messiah & a dead faith is not the faith, that justifieth, first, or last. Yea because Iames maketh an opposition betwixt faith & works, in reference to justification, in the sense, wherein he speaketh of it, it will follow, that faith should not be requisite unto the Continuance of justification. (3) Iames said vers. 20. that Faith without works was dead: and to confirme this, he addeth vers. 21. was not Abraham our Father justified by works &c. As if he had said. The faith by which Abraham was brought into an estate of justification & life, was a lively faith, having works of obedience attending it, and his obedience declared that his faith was lively, and that he was truely justified by faith, Ergo a faith, that is lifeless, and wholly without works of obedience, is but dead, & can give no ground to conclude one justified, & in the way to life; So that what mention he maketh of justification by works is but to prove the reality of lively faith; & by works true justification by faith is evidenced & demonstrated, & not by a bare idle & vaine fruitless profession. (4) When Abraham was justified by his works, the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham beleeved God, & it was imputed unto him for Righteousness, as is manifest from vers. 22, 23. Now by this mentioned of Abraham in the Scripture Gen. 15: 6. Paul proveth Rom. 4. that he was justified by faith. But if Iames were here speaking of the way of our becoming justified, before God, as Paul doth, there could be no connexion here, yea the proof should contradict the thing to be proved; for to say, that Abraham was justified by faith, will not prove, that he was justified by works: nor could his being justified by works, be a fulfilling, a clearing & confirming of that truth, that faith, he was justified by faith; for faith & works, in the matter of justification, are inconsistent, & perfectly opposite, as Paul teacheth us, & as here Iames also teacheth us. But taking justification here for its declaration & manifestation, it can be by works, and a declaration of justification by works can be & is a very signal confirmation & clearing of that Testimony, which saith, that Abraham was justified by faith. (5) By that work of offering up his son, at a the command of God, Abraham declared, that he was no hypocrite, but a true beleever, and thus was he justified (as Mr. Baxter will have it, as we heard lately) from any such accusation. But a Justification from this accusation, is but a justification of the truth & sinceritie of faith, & so a confirmation & evidence of justification; or justification as evidenced & declared; and not justification as produced by its causes. (6) When Iames saith vers. 23. That the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham beleeved God & it was imputed to him unto Righteousness, when he was justified by offering up his son vers. 21. this fulfilling of the Scripture-testimony was, either because at that time, when he offered up his Son, Righteousness was imputed unto him, & he was justified, or because it was then manifest, to be a truth, that he was justified indeed: But the former can not be said, because Righteousness was imputed unto him, and he was justified long before this. Therefore it can be only understood, as to its manifestation. (7) This is also clear from what the Lord spoke at that time, Gen. 22: 12. Now I know, that thou fearest God, seing thou hast not witheld thy Son, thine only Son from me. No word here of imputing Righteousness unto him, or of his being brought into a justified state; but only God's solemne declaration, that he was a true fearer of God, & so one, that had true faith, & was really justified. (8) Vers. 22. he saith Seest thou, how faith wrought with his works & by works was faith made perfect. But how could this follow upon what he had said vers. 21? Justification by works (if justification be taken absolutely here & not for its declaration & manifestation,) will not prove faith's working with works. But if justification be here taken for justification declared & manifested, the sense is plaine: for such works as do evidence & declare, that a person is justified, will manifestly prove, that faith is working with these works, because justification presupposeth alwayes a true & lively faith, that will work with works of obedience. (9) Far less could it follow from justification (taken absolutly) by works, that faith was made perfect by works: but from such a work as will evidence a man to be justified, it is manifest to every one, that that work is a clear evidence of a true & lively faith, & by it faith is perfected, that is declared, evidenced & demonstrated, to be faith indeed, as the word perfected is used 2. Cor. 12: 9. for my strength is made perfect in weakness. (10) That other Inference vers. 24. ye see then, how that by works a man is justified & not by Faith only: will not follow from what went before, if justification be here taken absolutely: for the command so Abraham to offer up his son was no promise, and to did not call for faith, but for ready obedience, though upon another account he beleeved that God was able to raise him up from the dead Heb. 11: 17, 18, 19. But Gen. 15. promises were made unto him, & he is said to have beleeved, & upon this Righteousness was imputed unto him. So that Gen. 15. he was justified by faith only, as the Apostle proveth Rom. 4. for thereby he confirmeth his Conclusion set down Rom. 3: 28. that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law. And from that other place Gen. 22. Iames could not inferre, that Justification is by faith & works together, for then he could not inferre therefrom that the Scripture was fulfilled, which said, Abraham beleeved God, & it was imputed unto him for Righteousness, because Paul doth hence inferre Rom. 4. that justification is by faith without works: And what is a ground for justification by faith without works, cannot also be a ground for justification by works & not by faith only; And thus the Apostles are made in plaine termes to contradict other: by inferring contrary or contradictory conclusions from the same premises: which ought not to be thought, let be said. But it will be said, that Paul speaketh of the beginning of justification, which is by faith without works; but Iames speaketh of justification, as continued, which is by works, and not by faith only. This cannot satisfie: for beside what is said, it must first be granted hereby, that this faith, which Iames mentioneth, when he saith & not by saith only, must be the same faith, that Paul faith, we are justified by, without the deeds of the Law: but this cannot be, for the faith, that Iames speaketh of is, as we saw above, a dead, useless, fruitless carcass & no saving Faith, as that is, whereof Paul speaketh, and whereby we are justified. But now taking justification for its manifestation & declaration, the words of Iames are most clear, & carry no appearance of contradiction, unto what Paul taught; For his meaning is, ye see then, how that by works, a man evidenceth, proveth & declareth his Justification, or maketh it manif…st, that he is a justified person; & not by that faith only, which is but a naked fruitless, & dead profession. (11) The same may be said of the other Instance of Rahab vers. 25. She was justified by works, when …he had received the messengers; not that she was brought into a justified state by that act; for she received the Spies by faith Heb. 11: 31. & declared her faith unto them Ios. 2: 10, 11. And so was a beleever & consequently justified, before she received the Spies, or they came to her. Yet by this deed, accompanied with so much hazard, unto her self & all her families, she proved & evidenced her faith & justification. (12) The Conclusion of his discourse vers. 26. for as the body without the Spirit is dead, fo faith without works is dead also, declareth manitestly, what he would be at, to wit, to shew, that works can only demonstrate trew faith & consequently prove justification; for a naked profession of faith, that wanteth works, is dead, and like a body wanting breath & soul, which is but a dead carcass. This cannot be said of that faith, whereby Paul saith and proveth, that we are justified, for it is true & lively, flowing from the Spirit of life, although it be not as yet proved by outward works of obedience, whereof there may be, as yet, no opportunity or call.
What is brought against this sense, of the word justifie & justification, which we have now confirmed, by the Socinian Author of the book, intituled Consensus Paul… & Iacobi &c. pag. 2. &c. and by the Remonstrants in their Apologie Cap. 10. is of no great weight. When they say. That the proposition set down vers. 14. is subordinat to what is said vers. 12. where the judgment of God is spoken of, & therefore saving justification must be here understood. Ans. We grant, that It is saving justification, but yet it is justification that is distinct from Final Salvation. We grant, that Iames speaketh here of saving justification; Yet he handleth not that question, how & by what Causes this justification is brought about; but how it is evidenced & proven to be true, and not a meer presumptuous conjecture. They say next. It is said vers. 25. that the Scripture was fulfilled; not, that it was shown to be fulfilled. A…s. That saying of Scripture was a truth before this time, even when Abraham first beleeved; which was before he was circumcised as we see Gen. 15. comp. with Gen. 17. & Rom. 4: 9, 10, 11. And therefore was not now first fulfilled, or verified. And to talk of the increase of imputation according to the increase of Faith, and to measure the excellencie of faith, by the excellencie of that obedience which it produceth, as that Socinian Author doth, is to give us nothing but the Popish justification; for Relations (of which Nature we hold Justification to be) are not intended & remitted in themselves, but only as to their evidence: We esteem it a Socinian dream, to say, that the first Narration of Faith & Justification, which is Gen. 15. was but a rude draught of that, which was afterward Gen. 22. Abraham's faith was afterward said to be perfected by that special work, of offering up his son, no… in it self, for he had a strong faith before Rom. 4: 19, 20, 21. but in its manifestation after that signal trial, It is said further. Mans justification cannot be here understood, for that is not necessary to salvation, nor universally true, seing men may justifie other, upon vaine grounds. Ans. No… do we understand any such justification pronunced by men here, but a true justification before God, yet as evidenced, proven & declared by effects, unto all, that will judge understandingly & spiritually, so that works here are mentioned as the Effects, and yet as the Causes of justification. But then they object further. Thas, as the Apostle from that Faith, which the vaine man boasted of denieth the man to be justified, so from works he proveth justification, & that as antecedent. Ans. The Apostle sheweth, that the vaine man, who had no more, but a vaine dead empty faith, had no ground to conclude himself a justified Man: for this is no Cause or Condition of Justification: And hence it will not follow, that works, by which both the reality of sa…ing Faith, & of Justification thereupon, may be evidenced, are antecedent Causes, or Conditions of Justification. It is objected againe by the foresaid Socinian Author. That if the meaning of these words, the Scripture was fulfilled, be, that the Scripture was showne to be fulfilled: then the meaning should be, that it was demonstrated to Abraham's two servants, who went with him to the mountaine, & by them to others; But then it must be supposed, that before this time, that which passed Gen. 15. was known unto them: & it must he said, that by a work done long afterward, men may see, that the worker was justified. But that should not sutte James's scope, seing by this meanes they might think to delay for a long time their good works, & yet suppose themselves presently justified. Ans. All this is but vaine language; for it is all one to the scope of Iames, whether this come to the actual knowledge of few, or of many, & who they were to whose knowledge it came; He is only shewing, that such, as had but a dead faith, that brought forth no works of obedience, when called for, had no evidence, or clear ground to assert their own justification, seing Abraham's justification was thus declared by his signal obedience, to all that came or ever should come to the knowledge of that act of obedience of his, to the end of the world: Yea, had it been unknown to any, yet hereby he had a sure proof, to ascertaine his own heart & conscience of his justification. But say the Arminians, Good works cannot be such a proof & demonstration, because it cannot be known to others, whether these good works proceed from faith, or not. Ans. Nor is any infallible judgment here necessary, or requisite; nor doth the scope of Iames require any such thing, who is only shewing, that such as wrought not works of obedience, when called for, could not conclude themselves justified, & in a saife estate, notwithstanding of all their faire profession. Notwithstanding we cannot judge infallibly of principles, motives & ends of the good works of others, yet by what may be seen of these, God may be glorified Mat. 5: 16. 1. Pet. 2: 12.
Thus we have seen, that neither is that faith, whereof Paul speaketh, when he saith. We are justified by faith without the deeds of the Law; & whereof Iames speaketh, when he saith. Ye see then, how a man is justified by works & not by faith only, is not one & the same. Nor is it the same justification, or justification in the same sense & consideration, that both the Apostles speak of. And therefore how ever, as to their words, they seem to speak contrary to other: Yet in their true sense & meaning, there is nothing but a sweet harmony & agreement. But now as to works, whereof both make mentione, the question remaineth, whether they be one & the same? The forenamed Socinian Author saith, that both do not speak of the same works▪ and that Paul excludeth from justification only legal works, & not Evangelical. And consequently, that Iames must speak of Evangelical works only: But sure we are, Iames cannot be supposed to speak of Evangelical works, in their sense; seing, they cannot say, that Abraham's offering up Isaac or Rahab her receiving & sending away the spies, were Evangelical works. James speaketh of works commanded by the Moral Law, which he mentioneth both in general, & in its particular commands Iam. 2: 9, 10, 11. And all the duties, which he presseth them unto, & the sins, which he disswadeth them from, relate unto the Moral Law. And what these works are, whereof Paul speaketh, we have seen before. Others think, that Iames by Works here meaneth a working faith: & so that his meaning, when he saith, that by works a man is justified, is, that by a working faith, such as Abraham had, a man is justified. But though it be a truth, that justifying faith is a working lively faith? And that we are justified only by such a faith, as is lively, & prompteth to obedience, in every duty called for; & though this truth will follow by consequent, from what the Apostle Iames here saith; Yet I judge, that both Paul & Iames understand the same thing by works, even duties of obedience, performed to the Law of God, & that by Works here in Iames, is not meant a working faith, this not being the scope & designe of Iames to clear up justification in its Causes, or to shew by what meanes it is brought about; but only to shew, what way it is or may be evidenced proved & demonstrated to ourselves or others, so as we may not be deceived thereanent; And real works of obedience, as they evidence a true & lively faith, so they prove the reality of justification: And the Apostles intention being, to shew the vanity of that pretence, whereby many deceived themselves, thinking that their profession of the truth of the Gospel was enough to secure their Salvation, & to prove them to be in a justified saife state, though they indulged themselves a liberty to walk loosly, according to the flesh; this acception of the word works, in a proper sense, is most contributive unto that designe, & no other acception, how consonant so ever unto the Analogy of Faith, doth so directly & clearly contribute assistence thereunto. Therefore he opposeth faith & works, & denieth that to faith, which he ascribed unto works: though by consequence he put hereby a difference betwixt a dead faith, & a working faith; Yet his principale Thesis vers. 14. is, that by works, & not by a bare profession of the truth, we come to Salvation. And the enquirie prosecuted is, whether we have that faith, that will indeed prove saving, & this can only be evidenced by works, as his whole following discourse evinceth, especially when he saith vers. 18. shew me thy faith without thy works, & I will shew my faith by my works. And vers. 20. when he saith, faith without works is dead & vers. 26. that it is as dead, as a body is without breath or Spirit. And this he fully confirmeth by the following instances of Abraham & Rahab.
From what is said, it is apparent, how little ground there is to think, that there is any real appearance of contradiction betwixt Paul & James; & how needless it is, in order to a reconciliation, to say with Papists, that Paul speaketh of a first justification & Iames of a second; or with others, that Paul speaketh of justification, as begun, & Iames of justification as continued, or with Socinians, that Paul denieth justification by the works of the Law, James affirmeth justification by the works of the Gospel.