March 2

James i.—22. Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass;

24. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgeteth what manner of man he was.

25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26. If any man among you seem to be religious, and brideth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

James ii.—14. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?

15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16. And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warned and filled, notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit?

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

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

19. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

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

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

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

23. 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.

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

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

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

Faith and works are like the two poles of the galvanic battery, they must be brought together in order that the current of life may flow and give out sparks of love. Either is powerless without the other. They are the two foci of an ellipse, in which the Christian life moves on its heavenly course, — now nearing one, and now the other, — but held by both in constant equilibrium. To remove either would be to make that life erratic, or cause it suddenly to collapse and come to a stand. James represents one pole, one focus; Paul, the other. Their teachings are not opposed, and should not be divorced.

James puts faith into concrete forms. He holds as strongly as does Paul to the necessity of faith: every thing

must be sought in faith; every thing must be done in faith. But it must be a living faith, — a faith that shows its sincerity by the sacrifices of self which it makes, by the works of love which it performs. A merely intellectual orthodoxy may be held by demons. A mere profession of faith may be worth no more than the body of a man without the breath of life. A true faith loves, works, lives. It regulates the conscience, the speech, and the life, by the conviction of God's constant presence; it shows its appreciation of spiritual realities by separation from the world; it takes the law of God as a reality, and, bringing its grand truths and inspiring motives to bear directly upon the conduct of every day, works by love.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 60, 61.

Almighty God, who dwellest in light that no man can approach unto, we bless thee that thou comest to us in the gentle opening of the day, and dost visit us every morning with the light and warmth of thy love. May our eyes ever discern thee in thy works, and our hearts ever open to welcome thee! May thy Word scatter from our minds all unbelief, error, and darkness! may it make us pure within! May thy Spirit deliver us from all sin, and lead us in the light of thy countenance!

Blessed be thy name that we are permitted to draw nigh unto thee through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who for us hath entered within the veil. Oh, may the sense of thy presence keep us this

day unspotted from the world! Give us grace to be just and upright in all our dealings; quiet and peaceable; full of compassion, and ready to do good to all men according to our abilities and opportunities. Direct us in all our ways, and prosper the work of our hands in the business of our several stations. Defend us from all dangers and adversities; and be graciously pleased to take us, and all things belonging to us, under thy fatherly care and protection. These things, and whatever else thou shalt see necessary and convenient for us, we humbly beg through the merits and mediation of thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour; who, with thee and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest evermore. Amen.