1. That no man may abuse himself or others by mistaking hard words, spoken in mystery and allegory, such as faith, justification, imputation, righteousness, and works, we must consider that the word faith in Scripture is very ambiguous: this shown.

2. As it is in the word faith, so also it is in that of works; by which is meant sometimes the things done, sometimes the labor of doing, sometimes the good will, &c.

3. So again is it in the word justification; for God is justified, and wisdom is justified, and man is justified; and a sinner is not justified, as long as he continues in sin; and is justified when he repents and is pardoned, &c.

4. Not only the word faith, but also charity, and godliness, and religion, signify sometimes particular graces, and sometimes the union of them all.

5. Neither can this phenomenon be solved by saying that faith alone does justify, yet when she justifies, she is not alone, but good works must follow; which is said to no purpose: four reasons for this given.

The consequence of these observations is briefly this:

That no man should fool himself by disputing about the philosophy of justification, and what casuality faith has in it, and whether it be the act of faith that justifies, or the habit; whether faith as a good work, or faith as an instrument, &c. Let us rather look to the theology of it; the direct duty, the end of faith, and the work of faith; the conditions and instruments of our salvation, &c.; how faith can destroy our sin, and unite us to God: this part of the subject enlarged on.

The text has in it two propositions; a negative and an affirmative. The negative is, By faith only a man is not justified: the affirmative, By works also a man is justified.

1. With regard to the first; by faith only, is here meant, faith without obedience. For what do we think of those that detain the faith in unrighteousness? They have faith, else they could not keep it in so evil a cabinet: but yet the Apostle reckons them among the reprobates, who, for all their faith, shall have no part with faithful Abraham; for none are his children but they that do the works of Abraham: this topic fully enlarged on. So much for the negative proposition of the text, a man is not justified by faith alone, that is, by faith which hath not in it charity and obedience.

2. If faith alone will not do, what will? The affirmative part of the text answers: not faith alone; but faith, with works as an ingredient: a man is justified by works. It will be to no purpose to say that faith alone does justify, if, when a man is justified, he be no the nearer to salvation. Now that without obedience no man can see the Lord, is so evident from Holy Scripture, that he who denies it can have no faith. If faith purge not away our sins, it can never justify this farther considered in general. Next come the particular considerations which follow.

1. No man's sins are pardoned, but in the same measure in which

PART III.

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they are mortified and taken away; so that if faith does not cure our sinful natures, it can never justify, or procure our pardon: and therefore it is, that as soon as ever faith in Jesus was preached, at the same time also they preached repentance from dead works: this topic enlarged on and illustrated.

2. No man is actually justified, but he that is in some measure sanctified; for justification, when it is attributed to any cause, does not always signify justification actual: this topic explained.

3. He that does not believe the promises of the gospel cannot pretend to faith in Christ: but the promises are all made to us on the conditions of obedience; and he that does not believe them as Christ made them, believes them not at all: this subject enlarged on. Thus much for the affirmative proposition of the text, a man is justified by works. But there is still more in it to be considered. St. James does not say, we are justified by works, and are not justified by faith; for that had been irreconcilable with St. Paul: but we are so justified by works, that it is not by faith alone: it is by faith and works together; that is, by the obedience of faith. Faith and good works are no distinct parts, but members of one entire body: they together work the righteousness of God: this topic fully enlarged on. Some practical considerations proposed.

1. In the early ages of Christianity there was no distinction of sects and opinions in the Church: she knew no difference of men, but good and bad: there was no separation made except by piety and impiety; which is all one, says Epiphanius, with fidelity and infidelity this topic enlarged on, and illustrated.

2. When our faith is spoken of as the great instrument of justification and salvation, let us take Abraham's faith as our best pattern, and that will end the dispute; because he was justified by faith, when his faith was mighty in effect; when it passed into an act of the most glorious obedience, &c.

3. Let every one take heed, lest by an importune adherence to, and reliance on a mistaken faith, he really make shipwreck of a right faith, like Hymenæus and Alexander, who lost their faith by putting away a good conscience.

4. From these premises we may see but too evidently, that though a great part of mankind pretend to be saved by faith, yet they know not what it is, or else wilfully mistake it, and found their hopes on the sand. Believing is the least thing in a justifying faith: for faith is a conjugation of many ingredients, and faith is a covenant, and a law, and obedience, and a work, and a sincere closing with the terms of the gospel in every particular: this topic enlarged on at full length. To live a wicked life, and then to be confident that in death God will pardon us, is not faith, but a direct want of faith. If we did believe the promises on their proper conditions, or that God's commandments were righteous and true, or that his threats were as really intended as they are terribly spoken, we should not dare to live at the rate we do. But wicked men have not faith, says St. Paul ; and then the wonder ceases.

Let us therefore cast up our reckonings impartially; let us see

what will be required at our hands; and let us not think that we shall be justified by faith, unless our faith be greater than all our passions. Conclusion.

SERMON IV.

Consecration Sermon, preached at Dublin.

LUKE, CHAP. XII. VERSES 42, 43.

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing.

THE words of the text shown not to be properly a question, the particle is being, not interrogative, but hypothetical. In them something is insinuated, and much expressed.

1. That which is insinuated is only, who the stewards were whom Christ had, and would appoint over his church: they are not here named, but will be found out by their proper direction.

2. That which is expressed, is the office itself in a double capacity. 1. In its dignity, as a rule and government. 2. In the care and duty of it, which determines the government to be paternal and profitable. 3. Lastly, there is the reward of the faithful and wise dispensation of it. These are treated in order.

Who are these rulers of Christ's family? The Apostles shown to be first meant by the text: they were the first stewards: but their office dies not with them. Here then begins the inquiry; who are their successors? Some say, all who have any work or office in the family; others fix on the presbyters, saying that presbyter and bishop are the same thing, and have the same name in Scripture; and, therefore, the offices cannot be distinguished. This opinion refuted. Who then are successors in the apostolical order?

I. It is certain that Christ appointed two sorts of ecclesiastical persons, twelve apostles, and the seventy-two disciples to these he gave a limited commission; to those a fulness of power: to these a temporary employment; to those a perpetual and everlasting one. From these two societies, founded by Christ, the whole church of God derives its two superior orders in the sacred hierarchy; and as bishops do not claim a Divine right but by succession from the Apostles, so the presbyters cannot pretend to have been instituted by Christ, but by claiming a succession to the seventy-two. And then consider the difference; for the seventy-two had nothing but a mission on a temporary errand, and we hear nothing of them in Scripture; but on the Apostles Christ poured all ecclesiastical power, and

made them the ordinary ministers of that Spirit, which was to abide with the church for ever.

But we may see the very thing itself—the very matter of fact. St. James, the bishop of Jerusalem, is by St. Paul called an Apostle : other Apostles saw I none, save James, the Lord's brother. This topic enlarged on.

Moreover, this great office passed forth into a demonstration and practice of the whole catholic church: testimonies of the ancient church, and of its adversaries, on this point, collected and commented

on.

This part of the inquiry summed up in the sentence of the council of Chalcedon, determining the point in question; &c. The next consideration is that of the office itself.

II. This office is the stewardship, that is, episcopacy, or the office of a bishop. The word was chosen because it is in itself a monition of duty; and the faithful were used to it in the days of Moses and the prophets this topic enlarged on. But our inquiry is not after the name, but the office, and the dignity and duty of it. It is called by St. Cyprian," a high and a divine power from God of governing the church;" by St. Cyril," a great and precious thing in the sight of God," &c. : but the account on which it is so desirable, is the same that makes it formidable: this topic enlarged on. It is shown that the honor does not pay for the burden.

But to render this discourse more useful, we must descend to particulars these will best be enumerated in a recital of the worthy offices and actions, by which Christian bishops have blessed and built up Christendom.

1. The Christian church was founded by bishops; not only because the Apostles, who were bishops, were the first preachers of the gospel, and planters of churches; but because the apostolical men, whom the Apostles used in planting and disseminating religion, were by all antiquity affirmed to have been diocesan bishops: this enlarged on; also the character for wisdom, &c., which is necessary to those who have succeeded them as stewards of Christ's family.

2. As bishops were the first fathers of churches, to which they gave being, so do they preserve them in being; for without sacraments there will be no church, or it will be starved and die; and without bishops there can be no priests, and, consequently, no sacraments. That also must needs be a supreme order from whence ordination itself proceeds: this enlarged on, with the consequent of this; namely, if sacraments depend on bishops, let them take care that holy materials be conveyed to the people, sanctified by a holy ministry, and ministered by holy persons; &c.

3. The like also is to be said concerning prayer; for the episcopal order is appointed by God to be the great ministers of Christ's priesthood in the intercourse of prayer and blessing. Hence may be considered what a calamity is a vicious prelate to that flock which he is appointed to bless and pray for.

4. All the offices ecclesiastical always were, and ought to be, conducted by the episcopal order, as is evident in the universal doc

trine and practice of the primitive church: the consequence of which is no other than the admonition in the text. And, let it be remembered, that nothing can oblige the people to obey their bishops as they ought, unless the latter do to them that duty and charity which God requires this topic enlarged on.

It may be observed, that the episcopal order is the principle of unity in the church. Several other great advantages of it described: also a description of what is a bishop's right employment; namely, to be busy in the service of souls, to do good in all capacities, to promote all public benefits, to propagate Christ's kingdom, &c.

As long as it was thus done by the primitive bishops, princes and people gave them all honor: this shown. But afterwards, when they fell into secular methods, and made their counsels vain by pride, or dirtied their sentences by money, they then beame like other men: and so it will always be, unless bishops be more holy than other

men.

Concluding exhortations, on the great duty of bishops, and on the important interests that are entrusted to them: rules given for the direction of their conduct; danger of neglect energetically pointed

out.

SERMON V.

A Sermon preached at the opening of the Parliament of Ireland, May 8th, 1661.

1 SAMUEL, CHAP. XV. VERSES 22, 23.

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams: For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

NOTHING is more easy than to say our prayers, and to obey our superiors; yet there is nothing to which we are so averse as to prayer, and nothing seems so intolerable as obedience: this topic enlarged on; also the great example of our blessed Lord in this matter. Meaning of sacrifice and obedience in the text explained. The text stated to be a perfect proposition, and to have no special remark in the words of it. It is instanced in the matter of obedience to God: but obedience to our superiors is really, and is to be accounted, obedience to God; for they are sent by him, and are his vicegerents,

&c.

Two things are to be observed. First, we may perceive that God speaks to us, when he uses the ministry of men, as when he uses that of angels; one being as much declared, and as certain, as the other.

Secondly; there can be but two things in the world required to