God; that is, receive the pardon of sins, and the gift of righteousness unto life. To resolve this question into our own works, is to overthrow the whole gospel. But he had in hand a business quite of another nature. For as we have said, there were many in those days who professed the Christian religion or faith in the gospel, whereon they presumed that as they were already justified, so that there was nothing more needful unto them that they might be saved. A desirable estate they thought they had attained, suited unto all the interest of the flesh, whereby they might live in sin, and neglect of all duty of obedience, and yet be eternally saved. Some suppose that this pernicious conceit was imbibed by them from the poisonous opinions that some had then divulged, according as the apostle Paul foretold that it would come to pass, 2 Tim. iv. 1-3. For it is generally conceived that Simon Magus and his followers had by this time infected the minds of many with their abominations, and amongst them this was one, and not the least pernicious, that by faith was intended a liberty from the law, and unto sin, or unto them that had it, the taking away of all difference between good and evil, which was afterward improved by Basilides Valentinus, and the rest of the Gnostics. Or it may be it was only the corruption of men's hearts and lives, that prompted them to seek after such a countenance unto sin. And this latter I judge it was. There were then among professed Christians, such as the world now swarms withal, who suppose that their faith, or the religion which they profess, be it what it will, shall save them, although they live in flagitious wickedness, and are utterly barren as unto any good works or duties of obedience. Nor is there any other occasion of what he writes intimated in the epistle; for he makes no mention of seducers, as John doth expressly and frequently, some while after. Against this sort of persons, or for their conviction he designs two things: 1. In general, to prove the necessity of works unto all that profess the gospel or faith in Christ thereby. 2. To evidence the vanity and folly of their pretence unto justification, or that they were justified and should be saved, by that faith that was indeed so far from being fruitful in good works, as that it was pretended by them only to countenance themselves in sin. Unto these

ends are all his arguings designed, and no other. He proves effectually that the faith which is wholly barren and fruitless as unto obedience, and which men pretended to countenance themselves in their sins, is not that faith whereby we are justified, and whereby we may be saved, but a dead carcase, of no use nor benefit, as he declares by the conclusion of his whole dispute, in the last verse of the chapter. He doth not direct any how they may be justified before God, but convinceth some that they are not justified by trusting unto such a dead faith, and declares the only way whereby any man may really evidence and manifest that he is so justified indeed. This design of his is so plain, as nothing can be more evident; and they miss the whole scope of the apostle, who observe it not in their expositions of the context. Wherefore, the principal design of the apostles being so distant, there is no repugnancy in their assertions, though their words make an appearance thereof. For they do not speak 'ad idem,' nor of things eodem respectu.' James doth not once inquire how a guilty, convinced sinner, cast and condemned by the law, may come to be justified before God; and Paul speaks to nothing else. Wherefore, apply the expressions of each of them unto their proper design and scope, as we must do, or we depart from all sober rules of interpretation, and render it impossible to understand either of them aright, and there is no disagreement or appearance of it between them.

2. They speak not of the same faith. Wherefore, there can be no discrepancy in what one ascribes unto faith, and the other denies concerning it, seeing they understand not the same thing thereby, for they speak not of the same faith. As if one affirms that fire will burn, and another denieth it, there is no contradiction between them, whilst one intends real fire, and the other only that which is painted, and both declare themselves accordingly. For we have proved before that there are two sorts of faith wherewith men are said to believe the gospel, and make profession thereof, as also that which belongs unto the one, doth not belong unto the other. None I suppose will deny but that by faith in the matter of our justification, St. Paul intends that which is Kupíws or properly so called. The faith of God's elect, precious faith, more precious than gold, the

faith that purifieth the heart, and works by love, the faith whereby Christ dwelleth in us, and we abide in him, whereby we live to God, a living faith, is that alone which he intendeth. For all these things, and other spiritual effects without number, doth he ascribe unto that faith which he insisteth on, to be on our part the only means of our justification before God. But as unto the faith intended by the apostle James, he assigns nothing of all this unto it; yea, the only argument whereby he proves that men cannot be saved by that faith which he treats of, is that nothing of all this is found in it. That which he intends is, what he calls it, a dead faith, a carcase without breath, the faith of devils, a wordy faith, that is no more truly what it is called, than it is true charity to send away naked and hungry persons without relief, but not without derision. Well may he deny justification in any sense unto this faith, however boasted of, when yet it may be justly ascribed unto that faith which Paul speaks of.

Bellarmine useth several arguments to prove, that the faith here intended by James, is justifying faith considered in itself; but they are all weak to contempt, as being built on this supposition, that true justifying faith is nothing but a real assent unto the catholic doctrine or divine revelation; De Justificat. lib. i. cap. 15. His first is, that James calleth it faith absolutely, whereby always in the Scripture true faith is intended.' Ans. 1. James calls it a dead faith, the faith of devils, and casteth all manner of reproach upon it, which he would not have done on any duty or grace truly evangelical. 2. Every faith that is true as unto the reality of assent which is given by it unto the truth, is neither living, justifying, nor saving, as hath been proved. 3. They are said to have faith absolutely, or absolutely to believe, who never had that faith which is true and saving, John ii. 23. Acts viii. 13. Secondly, He urgeth, 'that in the same place and chapter he treats of the faith of Abraham, and affirms that it wrought with his works, ver. 22, 23. But this a vain shadow of faith doth not do; it was therefore true faith, and that which is most properly called so, that the apostle intendeth.' Ans. This pretence is indeed ridiculous; for the apostle doth not give the faith of Abraham as an instance of that faith which he had treated with so much severity, but

of that which is directly contrary unto it, and whereby he designed to prove that the other faith which he had reflected on, was of no use nor advantage unto them that had it. For this faith of Abraham produced good works, which the other was wholly without. Thirdly, He urgeth, ver. 24. You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only for the faith that James speaks of justifieth with works, but a false faith, the shadow of a faith doth not so; it is therefore true, saving faith, whereof the apostle speaks.' Ans. He is utterly mistaken; for the apostle doth not ascribe justification partly to works, and partly to faith; but he ascribes justification in the sense by him intended, wholly to works in opposition to that faith concerning which he treats. For there is a plain antithesis in the words between works and faith as unto justification in the sense by him intended. A dead faith, a faith without works, the faith of devils, is excluded from having any influence into justification. Fourthly, He adds, 'that the apostle compares this faith without works unto a rich man that gives nothing unto the poor, ver. 16. and a body without a spirit, ver. 26. wherefore, as that knowledge whereby a rich man knows the wants of the poor is true and real, and a dead body is a body; so is faith without works true faith also, and as such is considered by St. James.' Ans. These things do evidently destroy what they are produced in the confirmation of, only the cardinal helps them out with a little sophistry. For whereas the apostle compares this faith unto the charity of a man that gives nothing to the poor, he suggests in the room thereof his knowledge of their poverty. And his knowledge may be true, and the more true and certain it is, the more false and feigned is the charity which he pretends in these words, Go and be fed or clothed.' Such is the faith the apostle speaks of. And although a dead body is a true body, that is, as unto the matter or substance of it, a carcase; yet is it not an essential part of a living man. A carcase is not of the same nature or kind as is the body of a living man. And we assert no other difference between the faith spoken of by the apostle, and that which is justifying, than what is between a dead breathless carcase, and a living animated body, prepared and fitted for all vital acts. Wherefore, it is evident beyond all contradiction, if we have not a

mind to be contentious, that what the apostle James here derogates from faith as unto our justification, it respects only a dead, barren, lifeless faith, such as is usually pretended by ungodly men to countenance themselves in their sins. And herein the faith asserted by Paul hath no concern. The consideration of the present condition of the profession of faith in the world, will direct us unto the best exposition of this place.

3. They speak not of justification in the same sense nor unto the same end; it is of our absolute justification before God, the justification of our persons, our acceptance with him, and the grant of a right unto the heavenly inheritance, that the apostle Paul doth treat, and thereof alone. This he declares in all the causes of it, all that on the part of God, or on our part concurreth thereunto. The evidence, the knowledge, the sense, the fruit, the manifestation of it in our own consciences, in the church, unto others that profess the faith, he treats not of, but speaks of them separately as they occur on other occasions. The justification he treats of is but one and at once accomplished before God, changing the relative state of the person justified, and is capable of being evidenced various ways unto the glory of God and the consolation of them that truly believe. Hereof the apostle James doth not treat at all; for his whole inquiry is after the nature of that faith whereby we are justified, and the only way whereby it may be evidenced to be of the right kind, such as a man may safely trust unto. Wherefore, he treats of justification only as to the evidence and manifestation of it; nor had he any occasion to do otherwise. And this is apparent from both the instances, whereby he confirms his purpose. The first, is that of Abraham, ver. 21-23. For he says, that by Abraham's being justified by works in the way and manner wherein he asserts him so to have been, 'the Scripture was fulfilled, which says that Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.' And if his intention were to prove that we are justified before God by works and not by faith, because Abraham was so, the testimony produced is contrary, yea directly contradictory unto what should be proved by it, and accordingly is alleged by Paul to prove that Abraham was justified by faith without works, as the words do plainly im