But more: they fall into the
mistake that they can have a righteousness of their own; and into
that Pelagianism, as it is called, which is growing more and more the
creed of modern men of the world.
Too many religious people, on the other hand, are demoralised by the
very same notion.
They too are taught that justice and truth are mere 'morality,' as it
is called, and not the grace of God; that they are not the foundation
of the Divine life, that they are not the essence of true religion.
Therefore they become more and more careless about mere morality,--so
careless of justice, so careless of truth, as to bring often fearful
scandals on religion.
Meanwhile men in general, especially Englishmen, have a very sound
instinct on this whole matter. They have a sound instinct that if
God be good, then goodness is the only true mark of godliness; and
that goodness consists first and foremost in plain justice and plain
honesty; and they ask, not what a man's religious profession is, not
what his religious observances are: but--'What is the man himself?
Is he a just, upright, and fair-dealing man? Is he true? Can we
depend on his word?' If not, his religion counts for nothing with
them: as it ought to count.
Now I hold that St. Paul in this text declares that the plain English
folk who talk thus, and who are too often called mere worldlings, and
men of the world, are right; that justice and honesty are the Divine
life itself, and the very likeness of Christ and of God.
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