James 2

James 2:1

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

My brethren, ye, that make profession of the faith and true religion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, know, that it is not for you to have respect of persons; as I perceive some of you are wont to have.

James 2:4

Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

Are ye not then sensibly partial? and are ye not plainly self-convicted in your own hearts, of the undue partiality of your thoughts?

James 2:7

Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

Yea, are not those rich men grown to that insolence and boldness, as that they dare blaspheme that Sacred Name of God, by which ye rejoice to be called, and which ye boast to profess?

James 2:10

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

For, whosoever shall profess to endeavour the keeping of the whole Law of God, if he do willingly offend in any one point thereof, he is, in that one, a transgressor of the Law; and is guilty of the violation of the whole Law, as it is taken together for the absolute rule of our life and carriage, though not of every particular branch and parcel of that Law.

James 2:11

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.

For we are not to look so much at the several points contained in the Law, as to the authority and justice of him that made the Law; which is indeed violated and offended by any breach thereof; for the same God, who said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.

James 2:12

So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

I. 12 So do ye speak and so do, as those, that desire to be approved unto God, for their loving obedience to him; as those, that make account to be judged, not by the rigour of the Law, but by the gracious mitigation and mercy of God, calling us to a free and cheerful observation thereof.

James 2:13

And mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

It is the great praise and glory of God’s mercy, that it freeth us from the judgment deserved by our sin.

James 2:14

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have no works? can faith save him?

What doth it profit a man, my brethren, to make a vain and empty profession and ostentation of faith; and to say, that he hath a true faith, when as he hath no good works, whereby to approve the truth of his faith? Can such a pretended and verbal faith save him?

James 2:17

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

As that is a vain and idle charity, which bids a man be warm and be filled, yet gives him nothing to feed or warm him with; so is that a vain and dead faith, which, professing an adherence to God, yet is severed from all good works, and is void of charity.

James 2:18

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Yea, a man may, in a just scorn of the separation of these men’s faith and works, say to them, Thou hast faith and I works: shew me that strange faith of thine, which thou talkest of, and pretendest to have without works, and I will shew thee my faith, which I shall approve to thee by my works.

James 2:20

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

But wilt thou know, O thou vain man, that that faith, which thou pretendest to have, without works, is a mere counterfeit and dead faith, and nothing else but an idle pretence.

James 2:21

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

No otherwise are we justified than our Father Abraham, the Father of the Faithful; and was he any other way justified than by a working faith? was it not upon his actual offering of his son Isaac upon the altar?

James 2:22

Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

Seest thou, therefore, how Abraham’s faith was joined with works, and brought them forth as a necessary fruit thereof? so as by the works which he did, he plainly shewed the truth, and liveliness, and efficacy of his faith.

James 2:24

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Ye see then that a man is justified, not by that empty and titular faith which ye vainly boast of, devoid of works; but by that faith, which worketh by love.

James 2:25

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

Likewise also, if ye will cast your eyes upon a meaner example, look to Rahab the harlot: was it not thus with her? was she justified by such a dead and lazy faith, as ye speak of; and not rather by a lively and working faith; which caused her to hazard her life for the preservation of the Israelitish messengers, and to send them out another way?

James 2:26

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

I do therefore conclude, that this faith of yours, which ye vainly pretend, separated from good works, is but a mere car-case of faith; having no truth, no life in it: no more than this body of ours, is a true human body, when it is destitute of the spirit wherewith it is animated.