Ye see then how that by works a man is
justified
Not as causes procuring his justification, but as effects
declaring it; for the best works are imperfect, and cannot be a
righteousness justifying in the sight of God, and are
unprofitable in this respect; for when they are performed in the
best manner, they are no other than what it is a man's duty to
perform, and therefore cannot justify from sin he has committed:
and besides, justification in this sense would frustrate the
grace of God, make void the death of Christ, and encourage
boasting in men. Good works do not go before justification as
causes or conditions, but follow it as fruits and effects:
and not by faith only:
or as without works, or a mere historical faith, which being
without works is dead, of which the apostle is speaking; and
therefore can bear no testimony to a man's justification; hence
it appears, that the Apostle James does not contradict the
Apostle Paul in ( Romans 3:28 ) since
they speak not of the same sort of faith; the one speaks of a
mere profession of faith, a dead and lifeless one; the other of a
true faith, which has Christ, and his righteousness, for its
object, and works by love, and produces peace, joy, and comfort
in the soul. Moreover, the Apostle Paul speaks of justification
before God; and James speaks of it as it is known by its fruits
unto men; the one speaks of a justification of their persons, in
the sight of God; the other of the justification and approbation
of their cause, their conduct, and their faith before men, and
the vindication of them from all charges and calumnies of
hypocrisy, and the like; the one speaks of good works as causes,
which he denies to have any place as such in justification; and
the other speaks of them as effects flowing from faith, and
showing the truth of it, and so of justification by it; the one
had to do with legalists and self-justiciaries, who sought
righteousness not by faith, but by the works of the law, whom he
opposed; and the other had to do with libertines, who cried up
faith and knowledge, but had no regard to a religious life and
conversation; and these things considered will tend to reconcile
the two apostles about this business, but as effects declaring
it; for the best works are imperfect, and cannot be a
righteousness justifying in the sight of God, and are
unprofitable in this respect; for when they are performed in the
best manner, they are no other than what it is a man's duty to
perform, and therefore cannot justify from sin he has committed:
and besides, justification in this sense would frustrate the
grace of God, make void the death of Christ, and encourage
boasting in men. Good works do not go before justification as
causes or conditions, but follow it as fruits and effects:
and not by faith only:
or as without works, or a mere historical faith, which being
without works is dead, of which the apostle is speaking; and
therefore can bear no testimony to a man's justification; hence
it appears, that the Apostle James does not contradict the
Apostle Paul in ( Romans 3:28 ) since
they speak not of the same sort of faith; the one speaks of a
mere profession of faith, a dead and lifeless one; the other of a
true faith, which has Christ, and his righteousness, for its
object, and works by love, and produces peace, joy, and comfort
in the soul. Moreover, the Apostle Paul speaks of justification
before God; and James speaks of it as it is known by its fruits
unto men; the one speaks of a justification of their persons, in
the sight of God; the other of the justification and approbation
of their cause, their conduct, and their faith before men, and
the vindication of them from all charges and calumnies of
hypocrisy, and the like; the one speaks of good works as causes,
which he denies to have any place as such in justification; and
the other speaks of them as effects flowing from faith, and
showing the truth of it, and so of justification by it; the one
had to do with legalists and self-justiciaries, who sought
righteousness not by faith, but by the works of the law, whom he
opposed; and the other had to do with libertines, who cried up
faith and knowledge, but had no regard to a religious life and
conversation; and these things considered will tend to reconcile
the two apostles about this business.