the risen Lord an adequate
object). But of course the relation of faith to the risen Lord is by
no means exhausted in this thought.

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4. We Englishmen are possessed with the idea that there is nothing so
alien to our characters as the temper of the Pharisees or the doctrine
of the merit of good works. But if we can look at the matter below the
surface, we can hardly fail to realize that the spirit which St. Paul
so mightily repudiates lies in some respects very close to our natural
instincts. The Englishman has a standard, of his class, his college,
his profession, which it is his pride not to fall short of; but he is
intensely alarmed at any claim upon his moral independence over and
above this allowed standard; he is inclined to turn his back completely
upon the idea of fundamental surrender to the unknown and infinite
claim of God; he is contented with himself and his standard, and
occupies himself in comparing it favourably with the standards of other
classes, or still more of other nations. But what is this spirit but,
for good or for evil, the spirit of Pharisaism under a wholly different
dress? 'They going about to establish their own righteousness, have
not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.' 'How can ye
believe which seek glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from
the only God ye seek not?' 'They measuring themselves by {174}
themselves and comparing themselves amongst themselves are not wise.'
Here are typical condemnations of the self-satisfied Pharisaic temper
so expressed as to prevent us from supposing that we shall escape
condemnation with the Pharisees merely because we do not say long
prayers in public places, or distinguish ourselves by a careful
ritualism.

[1] Gen. xv. 5, 6.

[2] Ps. xxxii.

[3] Gen. xvii.

[4] None of the promises are verbally to this effect. But this is the
substantial outcome of them.

[5] Or 'of Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh' (margin).

[6] 1 Macc. ii. 52; cf. Ecclus. xliv. 20.

[7] James ii. 21, 22.

[8] Cf. S. and H. p. 101.

[9] There is contemporary evidence for this illustration of their
position; see _Ephesians_, app. note C.

[10] James ii. 14-26.

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DIVISION III. CHAPTERS V-VIII.

_The accepted life or the moral consequences of justification._

Sec. 1. CHAPTER V. 1-11.

_The holy confidence of the justified._

Peace is a fundamental spiritual need of the human soul. But the