faith only." ii. 24. The Patriarch, however, had been justified very many, even forty years, before the offering up of Isaac: and that act proved him to be in a justified state, and was its effect, and not its cause.

But if we were justified by faith only, is not the practice of good works discouraged? By no means: because 'good works are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification;' nor can we perform any right obedience, until we become just. An unfruitful faith is not a justifying faith, and "without works, is dead, being alone." We must "shew our faith by our works ;" and when our faith is genuine, it unites. us to Christ, and has in it a fructifying virtue: and we do not then work with the mercenary view of recommending ourselves to the favour of God through Christ, but from a constraining sense of his love to us, in imitation too of his example, in accordance with our new nature, and for the purpose of glorifying his name, and of benefiting our fellow-creatures.

Still, curious and carnal persons lacking the Spirit of Christ,' will be prone to harbour this objection. Nor is this any thing novel; since "from the beginning" it was thus surmised. "What shall we then say? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?"* The cavil is, after all, declared to be groundless from the character of the persons impugned-"God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" v. 2.

But if justification by faith alone be a scriptural doctrine, we should never distrust its consequences; any more than we should be afraid of circulating most

* Rom. vi. 1.

widely the whole book of God, lest it should propagate error rather than truth, and should strengthen the power of sin more than promote the prevalence of holiness.

Again; other Roman Catholic writers maintain, that the works which are excluded from justifying us, are the works of the ceremonial law. In that case, none but neglected ritual observances should be specified in the passages that have been cited; whereas, moral crimes, which are breaches of the Decalogue, are mentioned:* and hence the moral law is included in the meaning. Besides, "works" at large, all acts of man's obedience, are shut out from the office of making us just, and not merely "the deeds and the works of the law."

Other nice distinctions are introduced on justification by Roman Catholic authors; but time will not allow me to mention them, and to expose their fallacy.

Let us, my friends, rejoice in our privileges as Protestants, and remember that God alone has "made us to differ from others." Much is committed to us, and much will be required from us."+ Let us improve our mercies with diligence, and prepare for the account we shall soon have to give at the judgment seat of Christ. Let us hold fast "the truth as it is in Jesus;" and while we guard against a false liberality, compromising in fact, the real principles of the Gospel, let us also guard against an uncharitable dictatorial positiveness. Under such a chastised frame of mind, let us now,

*Rom. ii. 21, 22: iii. 13--16.

Luke xii. 48.

III. Compare the decisions made upon Justification by the Church of England, and by the Church of Rome.

The authoritative declarations of our own Church are broad and tangible.

Let us begin with her statement in regard to the extent of man's natural guilt and corruption; for if she be not clear and full and scriptural upon that point, her views as to our justification will be defective. Her Ninth Article treats Of Original or Birth-sin,' and says: Original sin standeth not in the 'following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly 'talk); but it is the fault and corruption of the 'nature of every man, that naturally is engendered

of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far "(quàm longissimè) gone from original righteousness, ‘and is of his own nature inclined to evil; so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and ́therefore in every person born into this world, it 'deserveth God's wrath and damnation.'

These Enunciations accord with Scripture, and teach you, that “by nature you are born in sin, and the children of wrath," and "that in your flesh dwelleth no good thing." Admit this truth, with distinctness, and you will cry out, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified."

6

The next Article upon Free-Will' guides you a step further in this inquiry. 'The condition of 'man, after the fall of Adam, is such, that he cannot 'turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength 'and good works, to faith, and calling upon God.

6

"Wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, (going before us) 'that we may have a good will, and working with us, 'when we have that good will.'

Since, then, 'from God all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed,' we must be justified by his mere mercy, or not at all. We have nothing in us righteous and excellent, but what we have freely received from God's grace; "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Amen."*

From hence follows that glorious confession in Article the Eleventh, Of the justification of man. 'We are accounted righteous before God, (this is

what our church means by being justified,) only for 'the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 'by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore that we are justified by faith only, is a 'most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as is more largely expressed in the Homily of Jus 'tification.'

Now I appeal to yourselves, and ask, is not this decision in exact harmony with the word of God? Is not man stripped of every plea of merit, and is not all claim to mercy ascribed to Christ, and is not the blessing received by faith only, and are not works (as a ground of acceptance) wholly excluded? But a particular homily or sermon is referred to, -that on justification, or rather on salvation. One extract from it will be sufficient, and will convince

* Rom. xi, 36.

you of its entire agreement with the previous

statements.

body, and

Some quotations from the Epistle to the Romans, (and which you have already heard) are inserted in the Homily; and it thus proceeds.* "In these 'aforesaid places, the Apostle toucheth specially three things, which must go together in our jus'tification. Upon God's part, his great mercy and grace; upon Christ's part, justice; that is, the 'satisfaction of God's justice, or the price of our 'redemption, by the offering of his 'shedding of his blood, with fulfilling of the law 'perfectly and thoroughly and upon our part, true ' and lively faith in the merits of Jesus Christ; which 'yet is not our's, but by God's working in us. So that in our justification, there is not only God's 'mercy and grace, but also his justice; which the Apostle calleth the justice of God; and it con'sisteth in paying our ransom, and fulfilling of the 'law. And so, the grace of God doth not shut out the justice of God in our satisfaction; but only 'shutteth out the justice of man; that is to say, the

'justice of our works, as to be merits deserving our 'justification; and therefore St. Paul declareth here 'nothing upon the behalf of man, concerning his 'justification, but only a true and lively faith; which 'nevertheless is the gift of God, and not man's only 'work without God. And yet that faith doth not 'shut out repentance, hope, love, dread, and the fear

of God, to be joined with faith in every man that is 'justified; but it shutteth them out from the office of

A Sermon of the Salvation of mankind, &c. Part I.