A Warning against Favoritism

1My brethren, let not your christian profession be accompanied with partiality. 2when any one, adorn'd with a gold ring, and a splendid dress, enters into your assembly; and a poor man comes in meanly habited: 3if you should respectfully say to the suit of fine cloths, sit you there, that's for quality; and to the poor man, stand thou there, or place your self at my feet: 4have not you made an arbitrary distinction, don't your judgments flow from a vicious principle? 5consider, my dear brethren, has not God chose the poor of this world to be rich by faith, and to inherit the kingdom he has promised to those who love him? 6but you, who despise the poor, are not you oppress'd by the rich? is it not they who drag you to their tribunals? 7they who blaspheme that sacred name by which you are distinguish'd?

8If, agreeably to the scriptures, you observe that royal law, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self," you do well. 9but partiality is iniquity; and the law will convict the offender of transgression. 10for he that violates but one precept of the whole law, is as obnoxious to punishment, as if he had broke thro' all the rest. 11he that said, "do not commit adultery," said too, "do not kill." though you should not commit adultery, yet if you kill, you are a transgressor of the law. 12speak and act as those, who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13for he that has not shewed mercy, shall be condemn'd without mercy: while the merciful shall triumph at his trial.

Faith and Works
(Galatians 3:1–9)

14What advantage is it, my brethren, for a man to say he has faith, if he has no beneficence? can such a faith save him? 15suppose one of your brethren should be destitute of cloths, and of his daily nourishment, 16and one of you should thus address him; "go and prosper, I wish you a warm fire, and a full meal:" without relieving his wants, would he be the better for your wish? 17just so faith, if it be not operative, is intirely lifeless.

18it will be said, "you have a speculative faith, but mine is practical, where is your faith, if no effects appear? as for me, my actions will vouch for my faith. 19you believe there is but one God, very well: the demons believe as much, and tremble." 20Vain man, must I show you how lifeless a thing faith is, without its effects? 21was not our father Abraham treated as just, in consequence of his actions, when he had attempted to sacrifice his son upon the altar? 22don't you see his actions and his faith conspir'd, and that his faith had its perfect effect in his conduct? 23it was then, that those words of scripture were accomplished, "Abraham believed God, and he was regarded for it as a man of virtue, and was the favourite of God." 24you see then, that a man is accounted just for his actions, and not for his bare faith. 25was it not likewise for her actions, that Rahab, formerly a loose liver, was accounted as just, for having entertain'd the messengers of Joshuah, and dismiss'd them the securest way? 26as the body then without the soul is a meer carcase, so faith without its effects is lifeless.