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3. There is a very fair Interpretation of this Passage of St James, that is no Way inconsistent with this Doctrine of Justification, which I have shown that other Scriptures do so abundantly teach, which Interpretation the Words themselves will as well allow of, as that which the Objectors put upon them, and much better agrees with the Context; and that is, that Works are here spoken of as justifying as Evidences. A Man may be said to be justified by that which clears him, or vindicates him, or makes the Goodness of his Cause manifest. When ⟨p. 117⟩a […] has a Cause tried in a civil Court, & is justified or […] he may be said in different Senses to be justified or cleared, by the Goodness of his Cause, & by the Goodness of the Evidences of it. He may be said to be cleared by what evidences •his Cause to be good; but not in the same Sense as he is by that which makes his Cause to be good. That which renders […] Cause good, is the proper Ground of his Justification […] 'tis by that that he is himself a proper Subject of it […] but Evidences justify, only as they manifest that his Cause is good in Fact, whether they are of such a Nature as to have any Influence to render it so or no. 'Tis by Works that our Cause appears to be good; but by Faith our Cause not only appears to be good, but becomes good; because thereby we are united to Christ. That the Word Justify should be sometimes understood to signify the former of these, as well as the latter, is agreeable to the Use of the Word in common Speech; as we say such an one stood up to justify another, i. e. he endeavoured to show or manifest his Cause to be good. And 'tis certain that the Word is sometimes used in this Sense in Scripture, when speaking of our being justified before God: as where it is said we shall be justified by our Words; Matth. 12 37. For by thy Words thou shalt be justified, and by thy Words thou shalt be condemned. It can't be meant that Men are accepted before God, on the Account of their Words; for God has told us nothing more plainly, than that 'tis the Heart that he looks at, and that when he acts as Judge towards Men, in order to justifying or condemning, he tries the Heart, Jer. 11.20. But, O Lord of Hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the Reins and the Heart, let me see thy Vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my Cause.