was not enquiring how this man's faith was to be evidenced, when it was brought forward for the purpose of justification before God, nor was he shewing him how his own faith was to be evidenced at that time; had St. James intended by his words, that his works were to be the evidence only of his faith, he could not have made the statement which he afterwards did, he was proving to this vain man, that faith without works was dead, and could profit him nothing, and all that St. James wrote was to shew in an easy, common, and familiar way, that works were absolutely and indispensably necessary to make faith effectual, or, as he has expressed it, perfect had he intended to have brought forward these works merely as evidence, how could he, in speaking of the case of Abraham, have used these words? "Seest thou how faith wrought with his works; and by works was faith made perfect?" Faith wrought with his works, is surely a very different expression from faith being manifested or evidenced by his works. Had St. James meant his own works were to be the evidence of his faith in the matter of justification, they must also be essential in working with faith to give it life and effect for any purpose, because from the plainest words that can be written, he has shewn faith without works is dead, and can do nothing of

herself; she must, as St. Paul has stated, work by love, and St. James has also said, faith and works must work together to give faith life, and make it perfect: it is impossible to prove by any reasonable construction of his words, St. James intended to shew that works were necessary to manifest or evidence faith before the supreme and Almighty Being, who knoweth all things: but how different with respect to short sighted man, who cannot by any means know the faith of his brother man in any way so well as from his works which are an open and visible proof; this, and this only, was what St. James meant as evidence to shew this deluded vain man by his words, "I will shew thee my faith by my works," to convince him of his error. If those, who hold that good works are to evidence faith in the matter of justification, have no better authority by Scripture than what St. James has written, and it is strongly believed they have not, the construction they have put upon, and conclusion they have drawn from St. James's words relative to works manifesting or evidencing faith in justification are most undoubt edly erroneous and unfounded.

In confirmation of the principle which St James has stated, we may quote the words of Christ in Matt. v. 16. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Christ does not say that the good works of those disciples, who he is then addressing, are to be seen or received by their heavenly Father as evidence, or to manifest faith; but for men generally who have an opportunity of beholding their good works, are to see them, that they may glorify their Father who is in heaven. When this text is considered it must appear plain, that Christ had not the most distant idea that these good works were by the figure he used, to have a light thrown upon them that they might be seen most visibly by their heavenly Father as evidence of their faith; but that those who saw them might be edified and benefited from seeing them, and thereby be brought to glorify God, which may be understood to praise and honour him, and devote themselves to his service by doing similar works.

To illustrate a system of true religion, and the principle of faith alone, the following view of these subjects may contribute to bring us to a rightful judgment upon them: faith alone must be a mere conception of the mind without action or connection with any other matter whatever, if it has any operation or union with any object or thing in producing a religious effect it cannot be alone. Faith alone may be truly designated as a speculation or theory, such a faith

cannot be a religious faith. We must see from every part of Scripture, that true religion must be practical and not speculative; faith remaining in the mind merely as a conception without action, without operation is the faith, called by St. James dead, but if by union or connection with any matter, it is put in motion, and has an operative effect, it ceases to be alone. True religion according to Scripture, must consist of divers parts, no fact can be more certain and indisputable; and as many parts of man contribute to make and constitute one body, so it is with perfect religion, which must consist of many parts, and all contribute, tend, and lead to the same end, and effect the justification and salvation of man. Did faith alone produce justification all other parts of religion may be dismissed as useless: but if other parts are to be retained as necessary, there is the same reason to say, that any, or either of those parts, will effect justification as well as faith: it must appear most certain, and will not admit of disputation in any way, that true religion, according to Scripture, must be practical, not speculative or theoretic; in considering religion in this point of view, we come to the question, what are the practical parts? Faith alone cannot be conceived to be any thing more than a mere speculation or theory, because if faith is in any

manner put into practice, it must co-operate or be united with some object. If we for a moment consider the purposes and intentions the writers in Scripture had in view, from the many ways, causes, facts, reasons, and means set forth to produce holiness and true righteousness in the heart of man, we must at once banish from our minds all idea of speculation or theory, and that practice only must be designed. When we have arrived at this conclusion, we must see something more than faith is necessary, if faith remains in the mind unexercised and alone, it is perfectly dormant, and cannot be put in motion unless it co-operates or is united to some other matter, and is not then alone; but faith alone may be most truly called the theoretic part of religion, and although we know from theory the greatest and best works may be produced, but till it is made a practical use of, it has no intrinsic value: thus it is with faith: and in the discussion of all doctrines in religion, we must always bear in mind the effect to be produced, particularly as to faith, because whatever man's faith is, so his actions most probably will, or ought to be, and unless they are so, faith is no more than a shadow which passeth away without effect. We must see by Scripture, there is more for man to do than to have faith only, all those statements recommending and exhorting