This is the way I heard the story. James was a good man. He had never done anybody any harm. He always kept the law and if anybody ought to go to Heaven, he was the man.
He had a good job as coachman, with a fine Christian master. Many a time his master tried to tell him that he needed a Savior: but James knew better. His master did not know what a really good man he was, or he would not talk that way. He kept the law and what more was needed?
“James,” said his master one day, “If you can keep the law for half an hour, I’ll give you that fine brown horse of mine that you like so much.”
“Oh, Thank you Sir! That is good of you. I can easily keep the law for half an hour, for I always keep it.”
“All right. You go up to the hayloft over the stable, and stay there for half an hour, and I’ll lock you in, so nobody can come and tempt you, and if you keep the law for the half hour, the horse is yours.”
“I don’t know how to thank you, Sir, that horse is a beauty,” said James, as he climbed the ladder to the hayloft.
The half hour soon passed, and down came James.
“Well, how did you get along?”
“Fine, Thank you Sir! And I certainly do want to thank you for that splendid horse.”
“And what did you do while you were in the hayloft?”
“Oh, I was just thinking.”
“What were you thinking?”
“Why, to tell the truth, Sir, I was just thinking that as you’re so good as to give me the horse, maybe you would let me have that old saddle, too; for you see, Sir, the horse is not much use without a saddle.”
“O James, James. I am sorry to say I cannot even give you the horse. The law says ‘Thou shalt not covet,’ and you were coveting all the time you were up in the loft. You have not kept the law for even half an hour, how much less for all your life!”
“BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW
SHALL NO FLESH
BE JUSTIFIED”