| 107 man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew [show] thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also, believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father, justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the alter [altar]? seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 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. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
The thing is here very clearly and pointedly set forth, and although Paul speaks so much about faith, he contends as strenuously for works; he complains that some had turned the grace of God into laciviousness [lasciviousness], and positively says, that "If any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy." And farther remarks, "know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaterers, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor. vi:9, 10.
Many of the ancients pleaded before God their righteousness and good deeds, as even being meritorious; hence Job says, "my righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go." Job xxvii:6. David says, in speaking on the same subject, "O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that I was at peace with; (yea I have delivered him that is without cause mine enemy:) let the enemy persecute my soul and take it; yea let him tread down my life in the earth, and lay mine honor in the dust, selah." . . . . . ."The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me." Psa. vii. And Nehemiah, after testifying concerning Tobiah, and casting his goods out of the Temple, and contending with the nobles for not bringing their tithes into the treasury, says, "Remember me O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof;" and after contending with the nobles for breaking the Sabbath, he says unto some strangers that came into among them to try to lead the Jews astray. "Then I testified against them and said unto them, "why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again I will lay hands on you," and because some of the Jews had married strange wives, he chased one of them away from him, and says. "I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, ye shall not give your daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves." For these and other things he says, "remember me O my God concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy." The righteousness of Nehemiah seems indeed to be of a very singular cast, yet as a prophet of the Lord he pleads his deeds before God, as being meritoririous [meritorious]. Nor were the apostles forgetful of these things. Peter in speaking to Cornelius says "I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him." Acts x:34, 35. John says, "Every one that doeth righteousness is born of God." And again, "whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God." 1 John. And we are told in Rev. xix:8, that "the fine linen, is the righteousness of the saints." We know that "Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness:" but then James tells us that his "faith was made perfect by his works." So that we shall find after all, that it is not the hearer, nor the believer, alone, but the doer of the word, that is justified; and that whatever virtue there is in faith, that without works it is dead; even as the body without the spirit is: and that faith is of no use unless it works by love, and purifies the heart." And hence Paul speaks about the saints, in his day, "having on the breastplate of righteousness;' and being "filled with the fruits of righteousness."
The gospel indeed makes us freee [free]: but let us be careful how we use our freedom, and not turn the grace of God into laciviousness [lasciviousness]; as says Peter, "As free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God."
The Lord has done great things for us, he has revealed unto us "the abundance of peace and truth;" he has made manifest his will, and unfolded his purposes; he has put us in possession of great blessings, even the blessings of the new and everlasting covenant, and has planted in our bosoms a hope that blooms with immortality
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