SERM. all that has been faid, that this notion, of IL fubftituted and vicarious righteousness, feems abfurd even to common fenfe, and

to the most natural and easy reflections of men. For obedience and righteousness are, in the nature of the things themselves, perfonal qualities, and entirely fo. Every man is that only (and can be nothing elfe) which he is in himself. "If he is prophane, proud, "and intemperate, he can never be the

lefs fo, for another man's being perfectly "devout, humble, and regular." If he is unjust, he must be unjust still; if unholy, unholy fill. And if his vices are naturally and intrinfically deteftable, "he,

cr

also, must continue to be the fit and

proper fubject of diflike and averfion." And it should be confider'd further, that the obedience of Chrift (which, upon every fcheme, he was only capable of yielding as a fubjected and dependent creature) that the obedience of Chrift, I say, was wholly due for himself and therefore could, by no means, be an equivalent for the obedience that was due from any other fingle being in the universe. Far be it from us, then, to impute this confus'd heap of erVOL. III.

.rors

II.

rors to the Christian doctrine, which SERM. is in all the parts of it worthy of God, and chiefly recommends itself to the esteem and reverence of the truly wife. - For the fum of it, as it refults from the foregoing discourse, which has been built on plain evidences and demonstrations of scripture, is in fhort this, "That the law of faith, is by which Chriftians are faid to be justified, amounts to no more, as to the "main fubftance and intent of it, than "the law of fincerity:"— That faith was never designed to denote the bare affent of the mind to principles of truth, nor ever stands for a barren and inefficacious fpeculation; but always fignifies an internal and genuine principle of piety and habitual virtue, is always confider'd as an act of integrity, an eminent example and demonftration of it. That if our faith really led to immorality, it would be prefumption and blafphemy to stile it a divine faith: But as it teaches us to afpire after the fublimeft height and utmost extent of virtue, if our conduct be licentious and diffolute, it must, upon this very account, be the more scandalous and inexcufable.

SERM. That immoral actions speak intelligibly, II and proclaim to all the world either that

in us.

it is our opinion that our faith is good for
nothing, and ought not to be allowed its
natural influence; or elfe, that we are to
be held by no tye and can set at defiance
the most facred principles, which is an
infallible fign, that scarce a spark of ho-
nour or probity of mind is fubfifting with-
And for the very fame reason, on
which faith is accepted and rewarded
when it is a mark of integrity, it must of
neceffity, be rejected as an infufficient
plea, by our upright and all-difcerning
Judge, when it is attended with flagrant
dishonesty. So that upon the whole, the law
of righteousness by faith comes to much
the fame, if we take in the foundation
and true fcope of it, and all the cafes to
which, by a parity of reason, it
may and-
must be extended; it then, I fay, comes
" to much the fame with that more gene-
"ral rule laid down by St. John, that he
"that doth righteousness is righteous."
For juftifying faith, as it is above ex-
plain'd, may with great propriety be sti-
led an act of moral righteousness. It

Springs

Springs from virtue, and terminates in it: SERM. "In virtue, the fincere practice of which, II. "according to the light and advantages "which they severally enjoy, may be "confider'd as an uniform and invariable "law of righteousness with respect to "all nations; and a means of procuring "indulgence and mercy for many, who "never heard of Christ, from the Father "and Friend of the whole race of man"kind."

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VOL. III.

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