FAITH AND WORKS, by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 6, 1876

FAITH AND WORKS,

By Dudley Marvin Canright

A Sermon preached before the Seventh-day Baptist General Conference, Thursday Evening, Sept. 23, 1875.

BY ELD. D. M. CANNRIGHT.

TEXT: “Ye see then, how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” James 2:24.

My text introduces the subject of faith and works, and the proper relation between the two. We often hear the most erroneous views taught upon this subject. Many seem to have the idea that the old dispensation was one wholly of works, while the new is one wholly of faith. That is, previous to the cross men were justified before God by their good works, their strict obedience to the law; but since the death of Christ men are justified fied, not by their good works, but by their faith in Christ. I often hear this position taken even in the pulpit.

Satan is ever on the alert to push men into error, either on the one side or the other. In the days of Christ, many of the Jews trusted wholly in the law, but rejected Jesus. They cried, “The law, the law, the law; but away with Jesus.” This was a fatal error on one extreme. But at present, many Christians have gone over to the opposite, but equally fatal, extreme. They now cry, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; but away with the law.” Satan is just as well pleased with this error as with the other. We want Jesus and we want the law too. The whole truth is beautifully expressed in Rev. 14:12: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Of late years, there has sprung up and widely spread a sort of sickly sentimentalism, a religion wholly emotional. It is very pompous, boastful, and full of shouts of glory. But it disdains the law and rides over it. It knows little of the real fear of God or deep reverence for his authority. The consequences are dangerous to sound morals and a pure life.

The time has come that a bold and decided stand must be taken against this rising tide of error. The present movement in favor of the law of God and his holy Sabbath has come none too soon. May the Lord wake us up to the great importance of our work.

But let us now inquire why it was necessary that Christ should die and that men should have faith in him for salvation. In the beginning, God placed man in such a condition that he could have secured to himself eternal life by simple obedience to God. See Gen. 2:8–17; 3:22–24. Among others, God planted two trees in Eden, one the tree of life, the other the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God told Adam and Eve to freely eat of every tree of the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Certainly, then, they had free access to the tree of life. As long as they could eat of this tree they would live, for so the Lord said. (Gen. 3:22.) And they could eat of this just as long as they obeyed God. The Lord said that they should die in the day that they ate of the forbidden fruit. Then, of course, the day of their death would not come till they disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden tree. If they had never disobeyed God, the day of their death never would have come. So Paul says: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.” Rom. 5:12. Hence, no sin, no death. God would not condemn those who had never disobeyed him. Strict obedience, then, without faith in any Saviour, would have secured to them eternal life. They needed no Saviour till they were first lost.

But they ate of the forbidden tree, and sinned against God. Nor was this any small offense as some vainly imagine. It was a direct violation of the principle of several precepts of the moral law—the ten commandments. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,” &c. Gen. 3:6. In the first place, Eve looked upon the fruit till she greatly desired it, and thus broke the tenth commandment—“Thou shalt not covet.” Then she put forth her hand and took that which did not belong to her, and thus violated the eighth commandment—“Thou shalt not steal.” In doing this, she departed from God and entered into the service of Satan, and so broke the principle of the first commandment—“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Their transgression, then, did involve a direct violation of the moral law. The penalty was death.

So now, as they were both condemned to die, they needed a Saviour. But could they not by repentance and good works in the future atone for this sin, and so save themselves? No, indeed. When a person has once violated a just and holy law, no amount of future obedience will atone for it. It is a self-evident proposition that it is a man’s duty to do just right all his life, from his birth to his death. He has no right to do even one wrong act. Thus Jesus says: “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.” Luke 17:10. When we have done all that God has commanded, we have only done our duty. Suppose that a man should live a sinner the first third of his life. Then he decides to reform, and does reform. He does not commit one sin the last two-thirds of his life. Does not the obedience of his latter life sufficiently atone for the sins of his earlier years? No; because, after he reformed and ceased to do wrong, he could no more than do just right the balance of his life, and this he ought to have done anyway, provided he had never done wrong. So he cannot get ahead any, or accumulate any merit to apply on his former sins.

Suppose that I trade with a merchant several years, getting into debt more or less. Finally, I conclude to change my course, and pay as I go. The first of January I trade ten dollars’ worth, and pay down for it. Again I trade five dollars’ worth and pay for that, and so on through the year, but do not pay up the old debts. At length, the merchant asks me to pay him those back debts. Would he not be surprised if I should tell him that I did not owe him anything now, because I had ceased to get into debt to him, and had paid up for all I bought as I went along? He would quickly and justly inform me that ceasing to get into debt any further does not pay up past debts. So simply ceasing to sin does not in the least atone for past sins.

No principle is better settled than that a just law once violated can never justify the transgressor. It demands strict and perfect obedience always. The law of New York forbids men to murder. Mr. Jones, of this place, killed a man, but it was not found out for fifteen years. All this time Jones lived a peaceable citizen, without killing another man. But at length it comes out, he is arrested, tried, proved guilty, and is about to be condemned. Now he arises, confesses that he killed the man, but argues that he ought to be set free because he has strictly kept the law of New York ever since that time. He has seen thousands of men, but has not killed one of them since that time. Would the judge admit such a plea as that? By no means. He would tell him that he had no right to break the law once, to kill even one man. The simple fact that he had not killed others would not atone for the murder of the one.

Just so when a man has once violated the holy law of God; it is utterly and forever out of his power to justify himself by any amount of future obedience. And so Paul justly argues. He first shows that all have broken the law and are condemned by it (Rom. 3:19); then he declares that “therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Verse 20. Why can they not be justified by the law? Because it is not a good law? or because it has been abolished? No, but because all have broken it, and it proves them all guilty before God. Rom. 3:19, 23.

Hence, as we have seen, when once Adam and Eve had disobeyed God, it was out of their power to save themselves by good works. The penalty of that holy law must be executed. But God pitied them, and so gave his own Son to die for them, that the penalty of the law might fall on him, and thus make a way for their escape through faith in him. Hence the very day that our first parents sinned they needed the Saviour to save them just as much as sinners need him now. And so the Bible represents Jesus as a “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 13:8. The first promise of a Saviour was made on the very day that God turned the guilty pair out of Eden.

Gen. 3:15. From that time, penitent sinners began to look forward to this great sacrifice which was to be made for them. The case of Cain and Abel forcibly illustrates this fact. “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.” Gen. 4:3–5. Cain was an unrepentant, unbelieving sinner. He had no faith in the promised Saviour or his death. So he simply came to God with a thank-offering. This the Lord would not accept. But Abel came penitent with a bleeding, dying lamb, and thus showed his faith in the Lamb of God who was to shed his blood for man’s sins. By faith he thus offered his sacrifice; for so Paul declares. Heb. 11:4.

From that time onward, all the pious of every age looked forward to the coming of the Saviour, and showed their faith in his death by slaying innocent victims in sacrifice. Did not these men need to be saved by faith in Christ as well as we? Why cannot I be saved without Christ? Because I am a sinner. Is there, then, no other name given among men whereby sinners can be saved but the name of Jesus? So the Bible says. Acts 4:12. Very well; were not Adam, Noah, Moses, David, &c., sinners like ourselves? Certainly. Did they not need Christ, then, as well as we? Could they be saved by their good works, by keeping the law? This we have shown to be impossible; for they had all sinned.

Let it be marked, then, once for all, that none of the sons or daughters of Adam will ever enter Heaven by virtue of their good works, or because they are justified by the works of the law. If one sinner could be saved without the death of Christ, then others could, and all could, and Christ died in vain. No; those under the old covenant were saved, not by the law or by their sacrifices, but by the death of Christ. Says Paul, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Heb. 10:4. “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” Heb. 9:15. Those under the first testament, or covenant, then, were saved by the death of Christ as well as those under the new testament. When all are redeemed, will there be two classes in Heaven, one saved through the law and obedience to God, and the other saved through Christ and the gospel? No; all alike will ascribe their salvation to the blood of the Lamb. Rev. 5:9.

Some men talk as though the God of the Old Testament was one God, and the God of the New Testament another and an entirely different God; and the plan of redemption in the Old Testament one, and that of the New another; that men were saved then by the law and works, now by Christ and faith, &c. A worse heresy the devil never invented. No; through all ages, dispensations, and covenants, there have been the same God, the same Redeemer, the same plan of salvation, the same moral law, the same Heaven, and the same hell. Yes, the gospel of Jesus Christ is as ancient as the fall of man. Rev. 13:8. It was announced to Adam in Eden. Gen. 3:15. It was preached to Abraham. Gal. 3:8. “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham.” Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.” John 8:56. By faith, that old patriarch, the father of all those who are saved through faith (Rom. 4:16), saw the coming of the great Redeemer and rejoiced in hope of his salvation. It was not Abraham’s good works, but his faith that saved him. Says the apostle: “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before

God.

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” Rom. 4:2, 3. And yet, mark the fact, that of all men on record who were the strictest observers of God’s law and commandments, Abraham stands first, and for this very reason God made him the father of the faithful. “Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” Gen. 26:5.

Strong faith and a strict obedience to God’s law, then, are in perfect harmony. And if faith did not free Abraham from keeping the law of God, why should it free us from keeping it? The gospel was also preached to the Israelites in the wilderness at the very time God gave them the law of ten commandments. But many of them had no faith, and so fell by their unbelief. So says Paul: “But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? ... So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us, therefore, fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Heb. 3:17–19; 4:1, 2. Was the gospel preached to Christians? Then the same gospel was preached to the Israelites in the wilderness; for so Paul declares. But will the gospel save those to whom it is preached unless they have faith in it? No; and so it was with the Hebrews. Says the apostle, “The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” It is certain, therefore, that the gospel was preached under the old dispensation, and that men were required to have faith in it in order to be saved.

But now Christians must spiritually eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood in order to have eternal life. John 6:53. Says one, “You do not mean that the people of God under the old dispensation spiritually ate and drank of Christ as Christians do now?” Certainly I do, and why not? If it is necessary now for sinners to partake of Christ in order to be saved, why was it not just as necessary for sinners in other ages to do it? Have there been two roads to Heaven—two means of salvation—one through Christ and one without Christ? No. Jesus Christ is the only name or means through which any soul will ever be saved. That the Israelites did spiritually partake of Christ is plainly stated by inspiration. “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Cor. 10:1–4.

The apostle is here speaking of the Israelites at the time they came out of Egypt and went into the promised land. He says that they did eat spiritual meat, and did drink of a spiritual Rock which followed them, and that Rock was Christ. Christ, then, was with them in the wilderness, and those who had faith were as truly united to him as are Christians now. Of course they did not have as full and clear views of Christ as we do now, yet they had faith in him. Stephen bears testimony to the same fact: “This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the lively oracles to give unto us.” Acts 7:37, 38.

Some maintain that the church was first organized on the day of Pentecost, and that it never existed before; but Stephen squarely contradicts this. Of Christ he says: “This is he that was in the church in the wilderness.” Then the church existed there, and Christ was in that church, leading it and sustaining it. Now notice the remarkable fact that at this very time God gave them his law from Heaven, and required them to obey it. We learn by this again that faith in Christ and obedience to God’s law of ten commandments go hand in hand—that faith does not supersede the law. Indeed, as we have repeatedly shown, holy men, previous to the first advent of Christ, as truly walked by faith as men have since. Now, if faith frees men from keeping the law, then the law never was binding since the fall of man, and this we know is false. We reason that if the holy men of old who walked and lived by faith still had to carefully obey the law of God to be accepted with him, then faith will not excuse us from the same obedience now.

All this talk about faith, and grace, and the gospel’s superseding the law of God, is inconsistent, it is unreasonable, absurd, and a square contradiction of the whole Bible and God’s plan of saving men. But says one, “The New Testament says that the just shall live by faith. Rom. 1:17. This shows that under the gospel men do not live by the law any more, but by faith.” Our answer to this objection is two-fold: 1. Nobody ever did live and obtain justification by keeping the law. 2. This language is simply a quotation from the Old Testament (Hab. 2:4), which was written 700 years before Christ and applied to the people of God then. This shows just what we have all along claimed, namely, that the just did live by faith under the old dispensation the same as in the new.

Then says one, “If these things are so, wherein is the difference between the old and the new dispensation—before Christ and since Christ?” While there is a plain difference, yet there is not that radical difference, that absolute contrast, and even opposition, which many try to make out. So far as God, and Christ, and sin, and the moral law, and salvation through faith, and all other fundamental truths are concerned, they are the same before and after Christ. But there is this difference: Before the death of Christ it was necessary for men to look forward by faith to their Redeemer to come, to the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God which was to be offered for the sins of the world. To show their faith in this promised Redeemer, they offered sacrifices which were types of him. They brought their lambs, confessed their sins over them, and shed the blood, to shadow forth the death of Christ. This was the whole intent and object of all the bloody sacrifices of the patriarchal and Jewish ages. So the New Testament distinctly and repeatedly asserts. See Heb. 8:9; Col. 2:14–17, &c.

But when Christ died upon the cross, all these sacrifices met their antitype, that to which they all pointed. Here they must, and did of necessity, cease. To continue to offer them after that would be to deny that Christ had come; for every time they were offered, they pointed forward to his death; hence those who received Christ ceased to offer those sacrifices. Then it became necessary, instead of looking forward to the Saviour to come, to look back to one already come. Hence a change in these ordinances became necessary. Now was needed some rite, ceremony, or ordinance, that should point back to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and thus commemorate those events; something that should point back and show our faith in the great Sacrifice already offered. Such a change was made by the cessation of the bloody sacrifices of beasts, and the substitution in their place of the Lord’s supper and baptism as memorials of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The broken bread commemorates the broken body of Jesus, and the red wine his spilt blood.

Then Paul says: “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” 1 Cor. 11:23–26.

How appropriate and fitting are these memorials to commemorate the wonderful event to which they point, the death of Christ. But the gospel, as Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 15:1–4, embraces not only the death, but also the burial and the resurrection of Christ. Hence some memorial was needed which should commemorate these latter events in the history of Christ. This memorial we have in the ordinance of baptism. Jesus was buried in the earth, entirely covered up, and then was raised up out of the earth. So in baptism. The person who wishes to profess his faith in the burial and resurrection of Christ is himself immersed in the water, entirely buried as was Jesus in Joseph’s new tomb. Then he is raised up out of the water. Paul makes this point very plain in Rom. 6:4, 5: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Notice that he says we are buried with Christ by baptism, and that we are raised with him, and that this is a likeness to what Christ did. Sprinkling or pouring will not do in this case. How would either of these commemorate the burial and resurrection of Christ? What likeness or resemblance is there between the burial and resurrection of Christ and sprinkling a few drops of water upon a person’s head? None whatever. No, this is not what Paul says. This is not what God ordained. But it is a baptism which buries a man, and from which he is raised.

Thus, then, in the Lord’s supper and baptism we have the memorials which ever point our minds back to Calvary and the death of Christ. These have taken the place of the old sacrifices of beasts which pointed forward to Christ; but the faith which is shown by these is exactly the same as that faith which was shown by the others, and in the same Saviour. It no more abolishes and supersedes the law of God than did the other. The great foundations of morality, of righteousness, and of the gospel, remain the same. There was no new plan of salvation laid at the first advent of Christ.

This is beautifully stated by Paul in Eph. 2:19–22: “Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Here he says the Gentile Christians are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Notice carefully that he does not say that we are built, simply upon the foundation of the apostles. No, indeed, it is a broader foundation than that. It is the foundation of the apostles and prophets, under both of which lies Jesus Christ as the corner-stone. That is, Christ is not only the foundation upon which the apostles are built, but also just as truly the foundation upon which the prophets were built. So Paul declares, and so we preach. Upon this foundation, Paul declares, the whole building is reared. There is no place here for that narrow view of the gospel of Christ which places it no farther back than the Pentecost, or, at the farthest, the death of Christ. It reaches farther back, even to the foundation of the world.

What is the nature of the gospel? What is its object? It is not to furnish a law by which men are to be governed, but it is to save them from the condemnation of the law already existing but violated by sinners. The gospel means good news, good news of salvation, salvation from sin; and sin is a violation of the law. We will illustrate this point: A thief is arrested for stealing. He is proved guilty, and the law of New York condemns him. It can in no wise justify him. So with the sinner. He has violated the law of God, and stands condemned before God. Now the thief is sent to prison, but finally the governor has mercy on him and pardons him. He has now found grace in the eyes of the governor. Just so when the sinner repents and comes to God in the name of Christ. He obtains mercy and finds grace in the sight of God, and his past sins are pardoned. He is now, not under the law, that is, condemned by it, but under grace.

Now, in the case of the prisoner the governor sends him a written pardon, and the jailer gives this to him and sets him free. What should we think now to hear the prisoner reason like this: “The law of New York is a miserable law, and I will never obey it any longer; for it only condemned me. I never could have obtained mercy and pardon from it in the world. It never would have justified me, therefore I will not obey it any longer; but this blessed pardon! by this I have obtained my liberty. This shall be the rule of my life after this.” Would not that be strange reasoning? And yet it is just the way those do reason, who condemn the law so bitterly because it never justifies men, but eulogize the gospel so highly because it brings them pardon. For this reason they throw away the law, and propose to live by the gospel only. We maintain that those who do not have a proper appreciation of the justice and righteousness of the law can have no proper appreciation of pardon from the penalty of that law. And so those who do not appreciate the justness and the infinite holiness of God’s law can have no proper appreciation of the mercy of God which is offered them through the gospel.

Further, let us inquire, What is the object of faith? Why does God value faith in his servants so highly? Why is it so indispensable? There must be a reason for it. What is it? The Bible is not silent upon this point. It everywhere tells us that the great value of faith is that it leads men to obey God and to work for him. Thus Paul says: “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.” Gal. 5:6. Yes, indeed, it is faith that works which availeth something. It is work that God wants. A faith which does not produce this is of no value in the sight of God. God is not a mere child to be pleased with fair words and flattered with praise. This is not what he calls for. It is earnest, steady, confiding obedience to his requirements which the Lord loves. He has work to be done, work on every side, work that brings severe toil, sacrifice, mocking, stripes, and hardships. Who has faith enough in God to do this in opposition to a wicked world, and trust in God for his reward at the Judgment? Here is work for which faith is needed, and for this alone it is valued.

Suppose a case: Mr. Brown has two hundred acres of wheat to harvest. It is ripe and it must be gathered immediately or be lost. But he has no ready money to pay laborers. He goes to the village and inquires for men who want to work. Here are a score of them. They are acquainted with him. He tells them his situation, his harvest must be gathered, he will give them good wages, but he has no money now, will pay them as soon as the wheat can be sold. Now what does he want with these men? Fair words? expressions of confidence? professions of faith in his integrity? These would all be very well, but there is something more needed. These are of no value to Mr. Brown unless those men will immediately act upon them, and go and gather his harvest. They might laud him to the heavens and talk in his praise all day, but if they did not go into his field to work he would care nothing for all that. So with us. In the sight of the Lord, faith is valued only as a means to an end, and that end is strict, punctual obedience to God’s requirements. A faith which sits all day singing and shouting, and then does as it pleases, may pass well among hypocrites, but will be accounted only as a dead carcass in that great day which will try men’s works. James has made this subject of faith and works very plain. He introduces the subject by showing that the ten commandments are the test of every action, the rule of the Judgment, and the basis of good works.

Thus he says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said [margin, that law which said], Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” James 2:10–12. What law is this? The one that says, Do not commit adultery and do not kill. There is only one law that says this, and that is the ten commandments. That is the law of which he speaks. He goes on: “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” Verse 14. “But certainly,” says one, “we cannot hope to be saved by our good works, but by our faith. Faith is the great thing.” But James does not think so.

He proceeds to illustrate the point: “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Verses 15–17. Here is a poor widow. In a cold winter she goes to her deacon and tells him that her family is suffering for food and for fire, and asks him what she shall do. He gets down and prays fervently for her that God will bless her, send her food, and wood, and necessary comforts. Then he tells her to go on her way and trust in God; but he gives her nothing himself. James says such a faith as that is of no avail. After the deacon has prayed, let him open his purse or send round his team with a load of provisions. The inspired apostle continues: “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.” Verse 18. That is the point exactly. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Works then are the only evidence of a living faith.

Those who boast of their faith and break the law of God are in a poor condition. The apostle is very earnest upon this point, and so illustrates it in another manner: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble.” Verse 19. That is to say, so far as faith is concerned, the devil has enough of that. So that if faith alone will save a soul, then the devil will be saved, or, in other words, those who rest simply upon their faith for their salvation stand no better chance than the devil himself. Finally, the apostle concludes thus: “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” Verse 24. Works, then, are necessary to justification.

In a certain place there was a pious ferryman. He rowed his boat with two long oars, one on each side. On one was painted in large letters, the word “Faith,” on the other, “Works.” Once a gentleman asked him why he had his oars painted thus. Said he, “I will show you why.” He laid one oar in the boat, put out the one labeled “faith,” and began to row with all his might; but, instead of getting ahead, his boat only turned round and round as every oarsman knows it would do. Then he put that oar in the boat and put out the one marked “works,” and began to row with that. But now he was as bad off as before. He went round and round without getting ahead any. “Now,” said he, “you see that neither faith nor works alone will accomplish anything; but now look,” and taking out both oars, one on each side, he began to row with them together, and of course he went rapidly forward. “These oars,” said he, “I keep to frequently remind us that I must have faith and works to go together.”

So, my brethren, it is in the great plan of salvation. It is not faith alone, nor works alone; it is not Christ only, nor the law only, but both combined. How could it be more beautifully expressed than by the Revelator: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Brethren, our foundation is a good one. Let us not be driven from it, neither by sacrifices, nor arguments, nor scoffing. Let us stick to our work, and bend our energies to carry forward this great reform, which is so much needed in this age of vain boasting and empty show. May God unite our hearts to live and labor, believe and work earnestly, for the honor of God’s holy law.