Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-04-19
Fr0m he Christian Rerier.
FAITH AND WORKS.

JAMES CONCERNING FAITH
Much pcrpexity has often been felt, in
contemplating the two passages, Rom. III ::
90. Therefore, VIC conclude, that 4 man Is
i,siied bv faith without the deeds of the
Inv, and James ii: "a, Ic see, then, how
that by works man is justified, and not b!y
faith only.
To view these citations through proper
medium, due regard must be Hald 10 The
context and to the various Conscientious i'll
which the subject is involved.
Its we'll known TINT the apostle Paul was
learned Hebrew OF the pnarlscan sect,
and that, while he sustained this conncXon,
he was a hgh-,oncd leg;,I;s:. and a perSc-
cu,or of the Christian faith. lie 10 sooner
became a convert to this l,lilh, than he
changed his views. his associates, his man.
ner OF l;tc, and earnestly endcavorcd 10 cs-
tablish that belief, for the destruction OF
which he mad employed his mighticst efforts.
lie saw his brethren whcmcd in the dcIl's-
Ion from which he, by the grace OF God, had
emerged. In his endcavors TO remove this
dcclusion, and exhibit the nature OF cranGalI-
cal faith, he travelled extensively; he wrote
fourteen epis;lcs to different churches and
individuals; he performed the most pcrIlous
missions in Europe and Asia, and, willing,
not only to be bound, but 70 die for the sake
oI1he Lord Jesus, nc cacc?luIiv scaled his
testimony with his blood. Evangelical faith
was, in his view, ofthe highest Importance.
lie unfolds its nature, diScourscs upon its
value. and shows that without faith, it is i'm.
possible 10 please God. In his address 10
the Hebrews, he defines il. as i is expressed
ID the English version, the substance OF
things hoped for, the evidence of things not
scen;" or, as it might be more clearly eS-
pressed, confidence in respect to things hop
cd for, firm belief in respec: to things not
seen. 1t is that by which we receive the
atonemcnt and lay hold on the hope set DC.
fore US.
In Gal. V: 5, G, Paul gives us to sec
what sort Of faith he means, where he treats
oft as connected with Justification. ave"
says he, ",hro' The Spirit, wait for the hope
of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus
Chris, neither circumcision aval!eth any
thing, nor uncircumcis;on, but faith which
worketh by love-" 1t is, then, according
to the .eachins Of Paul himself, the faith
which worketh by love, and this only that
vaileth any thing. TO understand fully
his statement in the passage under consider
alton, (Rom. iii : 29) we must commence
with the 23d verse, in which he says, "For
all have sinncd ;"all have transgresSed the
law, the rule of duty, (whatcvcr that rule
may have bccn,) under which they were
placed. None, therefore, can plead the
deeds of the law, or their works, as the
ground OF their justification. L" For all have
s;nned, and come short orthe glory oFGod;"
and if any arc justified, they must be "jus-
tilted freely by his grace, through the re-
dcmption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God
l:ah set forth to be propitiation, through
faith in his blood ;"-that is, most clearly Y,
through such faith as relics, not on their
own merit, but solely on divine grace,
through Christ and HIM cruciticd and, at
the same time, worketh by love. "Wherc
is boas,ing, then? 1t is excluded. BY
what law Cor principleD Ofworks Nay.
bu, by the law of faith. Wherefore we
conclude, that q man is justified by faith,
vitheu, the deeds of the law" As much
as to say, Therefore We conclude, that with.
out, or independently of the deeds of the
law, (that is, gratuously, or through grace,}}
a man is justified it being understood, as
a matter ofcoursc, that the faith spoken of,
is that which looks TO the blood of Christ,
and workcth by love.
Now, let us turn 10 the apostle James.
Soon after the crucilixion OF our Lord, this
apostle, it is probable, had leaiing part III
The care ol'the church at Jerusalem. From
the year 81, till his maryrdom, in the year
o., his influence over the Christian church
was extensive and salutary. At the time
when he wro:e the epistle which bears his
name, and, especially that part Of it TO which
the present discussion relates, he had IN
view the deluded professors ofreEgion who
substitute mere profession Of fiuth. form
Of godliness, for its reality and power, and
thus wrcst the Scripture to their own des.
truction. This will be manifest if we con-
sui, the whole paragraph. "What doth it
profit, m; brethren, tho man say he hath
fslirh, and have no. weTks2 Can faith save
him? Ifa brother or sister be naked, and
destitute of daily food, and one Of you say
unto them, Depart in peace, be yc warmed
and filled, Notwithstanding ye give them not
those things which arc necdful to the body,
what doth it profit T.? Even so faith, iii hath
no, works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a
man may say, Thou hast faith and have
works. Show me thy faith without thy
works, and will show thee my faith by my
works. Thou belevest there is one God !;
thou docst well the devils also believe and
tremble. But wilt thou know, o vain man,
A.. G,;xh ,,,i. bout uDri.c Ia dead Was not