02.02. Chapter 2 - Verse 20

James 2:20. But wilt thou know, vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Here he reinforceth the dispute against a carnal professor; the disputation is not about the cause of justification, but what we should think of an empty faith. But wilt thou know; that is, wilt thou rightly understand and consider of the matter, or hearken to what can be said against thy faith? The like form of speech is used Romans 13:3, ‘Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power?’ that is, be taught how not to fear it.

O vain man, ἄνθρωπε κένε, O empty man; a metaphor taken from an empty vessel. It is the parallel word to raka, which is forbidden Matthew 5:22. The Septuagint render rikim by ἄνδρας κένους, Judges 11:3. You will say. Was it lawful for the apostle to use such words of contempt and disgrace? I answer—(1.) Christ doth not forbid the word, but the word used in anger. You shall see fool, another term there forbidden, is elsewhere used by Christ himself Matthew 23:17, ‘ye fools and blind;’ and Luke 24:25, ‘O ye fools, and slow of heart to believe.’ And so Paul, Galatians 3:1, ‘ye foolish Galatians.’ There is a difference between necessary corrections and contemptuous speeches or reproofs. (2.) The apostle doth not direct this to any one person, but to such an order or sort of men;¹ such speeches to private persons savour of private anger: but being directed to such a sort of men, do but note the just detestation of a public reproof.

¹ ‘Hic notantur non certi homines, sed certa hominum genera.’—Grot, in locum. That faith without works is dead.—Mark, he doth not say, ‘faith is dead without works,’ but ‘faith without works is dead:’ there is a difference in these predications; as if he said, faith is dead without works, it would have argued that works are the cause that gave life to faith, whereas they are effects that argue life in faith. As, for instance, ‘a man without motion is dead’ is proper, but a ‘man is dead without motion’ is a predication far different. Briefly, in this dispute the apostle proceedeth upon the supposition of several maxims. As (1.) That the way to know graces is by their effects and operations, as causes are known by their necessary effects. (2. ) That works are an effect of faith; ‘faith without works is dead,’ and works are dead without faith. So that works that are gracious are a proper, perpetual, and inseparable effect of faith; they are such effects as do not give life to faith, but declare it; as apples do not give life to the tree, but show it forth. The notes are these:—

Obs. 1. From that wilt thou know? Presumers are either ignorant or inconsiderate. False and mistaken faith is usually a brat of darkness; either men do not understand what faith is, or do not consider what they do. Ignorance and incogitancy maketh such unwarrantable conceits to escape without censure.

Obs. 2. From that O vain or empty man. Temporaries are but vain men; like empty vessels, full of wind, and make the greatest sound; they are full of windy presumptions and boasting professions. (1.) Full of wind, they have a little airy knowledge, such as puffeth up: 2 Peter 1:8, ‘Barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ There is knowledge, but it is a barren and unfruitful knowledge; they are void and destitute of any solid grace. (2.) Of a great sound and noise; can talk of grace, boast of knowledge, glory in their faith. Usually presumers are of a slight, frothy spirit, that are all for tongue and an empty profession. A vain faith and a vain man are oft suited and matched.

Obs. 3. Hypocrites must be roused with some asperity and sharpness. So the apostle, ‘vain man;’ so Christ, ‘ye foolish and blind;’ so John the Baptist, ‘ye generation of vipers,’ Matthew 3:7. Hypocrites are usually inconsiderate, and of a sleepy conscience, so that we must not whisper, but cry aloud. An open sinner hath a constant torment and bondage upon his spirit, which is soon felt and soon awakened; but a hypocrite is able to make defences and replies. We must, by the warrant of those great examples, deal with him more roughly; mildness doth but soothe him in his error.

Obs. 4. That an empty barren faith is a dead faith. I noted this before; let me touch on it again. It is a dead faith (1.) Because it may stand with a natural state, in which we are ‘dead in trespasses and sins.’ (2.) It is dead, because it receiveth not the quickening influences of the Spirit. (3.) It is dead, because it wanteth the effect of life, which is operation; all life is the beginning of operation, tendeth to operation, and is increased by operation; so faith is dead, like a root of a tree in the ground, when it cannot produce the ordinary effects and fruits of faith. (4.) It is dead, because unavailable to eternal life, of no more use and service to you than a dead thing. Oh! pluck it off; who would suffer a dead plant in his garden? ‘Why cumbereth it the ground?’ Luke 13:7.