02.02. Chapter 2 - Verse 19

James 2:19. Thou believest there is one God, thou dost well; the devils also believe, and tremble. This instance showeth what faith he disputeth against, namely, such as consisteth in bare speculation and knowledge; which can no more save a man than looking on the sun can translate a man into the sphere and orb of it.

Thou believest; that is, assentest to this truth: the lowest act of faith is invested with the name of believing.

There is one God.—He instanceth in this proposition, though he doth limit the matter only to this, partly because this was the first article of the creed, the primitive truth in religion, ‘that there is one God,’ by it intending also assent to other articles of religion; partly because this was the critical difference between them and the pagans, and the shibboleth of the Christian profession as to heathens.

Thou dost well.—It is an approbation of such assent so far as it is good, and not rested in; though it be not saving, yet so far as it is historical it is good good in its kind, as a common work and preparation; for so it is required: ‘Hear, O Israel, our God is one Lord,’ Deuteronomy 6:4. And so in another article of religion it is said, 1 John 4:2, ‘He that believeth Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God;’ that is, so far forth of God. The devils also believe; that is, assent to this truth, and other truths revealed in the word. And tremble, φρίσσουσι,. The word signifieth extreme fear and horror of spirit; it cometh from φρὶξ, a word that implieth that noise which is caused by the commotion of the sea. Now, this clause is added, ‘they tremble,’ not to imply, as some suppose, that they do more than assent, as having an experience of some work upon their affections, but to disprove this kind of faith, and to show that it is not saving; they have an assent which causeth horror and torment, but they have not a faith which causeth confidence and peace, the proper fruit of that faith which is justifying, Romans 5:1; Ephesians 3:12.

Obs. 1. Bare assent to the articles of religion doth not infer true faith. True faith uniteth to Christ, it is conversant about his person; it is not only assensus axiomati, an assent to a gospel-maxim or proposition; you are not justified by that, but by being one with Christ. It was the mistake of the former age to make the promise rather than the person of Christ to be the formal object of faith; the promise is the warrant, Christ the object: therefore the work of faith is terminated on him in the expressions of scripture. We read of coming to him, receiving him, &c.; we cannot close with Christ without a promise, and we must not close with a promise without Christ: in short, there is not only assent in faith, but consent; not only an assent to the truth of the word, but a consent to take Christ; there must be an act that is directly and formally conversant about the person of Christ. Well, then, do not mistake a naked illumination, or some general acknowledgment of the articles of religion for faith. A man may be right in opinion and judgment, but of vile affections; and a carnal Christian is in as great danger as a pagan, or idolater, or heretic; for though his judgment be sound, yet his manners are heterodox and heretical. True believing is not an act of the understanding only, but a work of ‘all the heart,’ Acts 8:37. I confess some expressions of scripture seem to lay much upon assent, as 1 John 4:2, and 1 John 5:1; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Matthew 16:17; but these places do either show that assents, where they are serious, and upon full conviction, come from some special revelation; or else, if they propound them as evidences of grace, we must distinguish times: the greatest difficulty lay then upon assent, rather than affiance. The truths of God suffering under so many prejudices, the gospel was a novel doctrine, contrary to the ordinary and received principles of reason, persecuted in the world, no friend to natural and carnal affections, and therefore apt to be suspected. The wind that bloweth on our backs, blew in their faces; and that which draweth on many to assent to the gospel was their discouragement. Consent and long prescription of time, the countenance and favour of the world, do beget a veneration and reverence to religion; and therefore assent now is nothing so much as it was then, especially when it is trivial and arreptitious, rather than deliberate; for this is only the fruit of human testimony, and needeth not supernatural grace. Therefore do not please yourselves in naked assents; these cost nothing, and are worth nothing. There is ‘a form of knowledge,’ Romans 2:20, as well as ‘a form of godliness,’ 2 Timothy 3:5. ‘A form of knowledge’ is nothing but an idea or module of truth in the brains, when there is no power or virtue to change and transform the heart.

Obs. 2. From that thou doest well. It is good to own the least appearance of good in men. So far it is well, saith the apostle. To commend that which is good is the ready way to mend the rest. This is a sweet art of drawing on men further and further: so far as it is good, own it: 1 Corinthians 11:2, with 1 Corinthians 11:17, ‘In this I praise you,’ saith Paul; and again, ‘In this I praise you not.’ Jesus loved the young man for his moral excellency, Mark 10:21. It was a hopeful step. It is good to take off the scandal of being severe censurers, not to be always blaming. It reproveth them that blast the early buddings of grace, and discourage men as soon as they look toward religion by their severe rigour; like the dragon that watched to ‘destroy the man-child as soon as he was born,’ Revelation 12:4. The infant and young workings of grace should be dandled upon the lap of commendation, or, like weak things, fostered with much gentleness and care.

Obs. 3. The devils assent to the articles of Christian religion. It cometh to pass partly through the subtlety of their natures they are intellectual essences; partly through experience of providences, sight of miracles. They are sensible of the power of God in rescuing men from their paws; so that they are forced to acknowledge there is a God, and to consent to many truths in the scriptures. There are many articles acknowledged at once in Matthew 8:29, ‘Jesus, thou Son of God, art thou come to torment us before our time?’ They acknowledge God, Christ the Son of God, not in an ordinary adoptive way; for it is, Luke 4:1-44, ‘That thou art the Holy One of God;’ then a day of judgment, which will occasion more torment to themselves and other sinners. And so you shall see Paul adjured the devil ‘by the name of Christ,’ Acts 16:18. And the devils answer the sons of Sceva, ‘Paul I know, and Jesus I know; but who are ye?’ Acts 19:15. They acknowledged that Jesus as the master, Paul as the servant and messenger, had mightily shaken their power and kingdom. So it is said, Php 2:10, ‘Things under the earth;’ that is, the devils who are turned into hell, which is represented as a subterranean place, do ‘bow the knee’ to Christ. Well, then, never rest in the devils‘ faith. Can the devils be justified or be saved? They believe there is a God, that there is a Christ, that Christ died for sinners. A Christian is to exceed and go beyond devils; nay, beyond other men, beyond pagans; nay, beyond hypocrites in the church; nay, beyond himself; he must ‘forget the things that are behind,’ &c. Is it not a notable check to atheistical thoughts, Should I be worse than devils? David said, ‘I was as a beast before thee,’ Psalms 73:22; and Agur, Proverbs 30:2, ‘Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.’ Whilst we go about to ungod God, we do but unman ourselves; nay, worse, an atheist is not only a beast, but a devil. Christ called Judas ‘devil,’ John 6:70. Nay, worse than devils: the devils are under the dread of this truth; we are stupid, insensible of providence, careless of judgments, when ‘the devils believe and tremble.’ The Lord might well expostulate thus, ‘Fear ye not me, foolish people, that have no understanding?’ Jeremiah 5:21-22.

Obs. 4. Horror is the effect of the devils’ knowledge: the more they know of God the greater trembling is there impressed upon them. They were terrified at a miracle, or any glorious discovery of Christ’s power on earth: ‘Art thou come to torment us before our time?’ Well, then, hence you may collect (1.) Light that yieldeth us no comfort is but darkness. The devils have knowledge left, but no comfort, therefore said to be ‘held under chains of darkness,’ Jude 1:6. The more they think of God the more they tremble. It is miserable to have only light enough to awaken conscience, and knowledge enough to be self-condemned, to know God, but not to enjoy him. The devils cannot choose but abominate their own thoughts of the Deity. Oh! rest not, then, till you have gotten such a knowledge of God as yieldeth comfort: Psalms 36:9, ‘In thy light shall we see light;’ there is light in this light, all other light is darkness. (2.) All knowledge of God out of Christ is uncomfortable: that is the reason why the devils tremble; they cannot know God as a father, but as a judge; not as a friend, but as an enemy. Faith looking upon God as a father and as a friend, yieldeth peace to the soul, Romans 5:1; and ‘fear is cast out, for fear hath torment in it,’ 1 John 4:18. This is the misery of devils and damned men and natural men, that they cannot think of God without horror; whereas this is the great solace and comfort of the saints, that there is a God: Psalms 104:34. ‘My meditation of him shall be sweet;’ and Song of Solomon 1:3, ‘Thy name is as an ointment poured out,’ full of fragrancy and refreshing. Salt waters being strained through the earth become sweet. God’s attributes, which are in themselves terrible and dreadful to a sinner, being derived to us through Christ, yield comfort and sweetness. The children of God can long for the day when Christ’s appearance will be most terrible: ‘Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly.’