condemns all men as sinners, and says: By ¹ the works of the law (الشريعة) shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, by his blood, to show his righteousness, because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.' And he concludes the subject by saying: 'Being ² therefore justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and let us rejoice in hope of the glory of God.'

To obtain remission of sins and salvation, therefore, it is necessary to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But such belief must be true and genuine: it must be hearty trust in Christ and in the atonement which He has wrought for us by His sacrifice on the cross. A living faith is necessary for salvation,

and not merely the profession of belief or the recitation of certain formulae with the lips; or even intellectual assent to and conviction of the truth of a certain number of articles of a creed. Belief which has no good effect upon the life and conduct, which does not produce obedience to God's commandments, which does not work in the heart by love to Christ and does not tend to purify the thoughts and desires, is not a true and living faith, a faith which saves the soul. Thus St. James says: 'As ¹ the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.' Good works cannot justify a man in God's sight, nor can they take the place of faith: but true faith must produce good works, for the Lord Jesus Christ says: 'As ² good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit . . . . Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.' In this matter as in very many others holy Scripture appeals to the reason which God has given us for confirmation: and every wise man admits the truth of such sayings and the justice of the demand of God who judgeth the hearts of men. Hence it is that Sa'di has said:³ —

You must set not your breath but your foot on the way,
For words without deeds have no solid stay.