SERM.

BUT Faith, taken in its moft extenfive III. View of being the whole complex Duty and Homage of a Christian, contains them all, and is the Caufe of our being juftified, in the Way of a Qualification: This capacitates, whilst the other invests, not indeed absolutely or irrevocably, but conditionally; and however firmly the gracious Compact is at firft executed and then confirmed, yet it fubfifts in full Force and Vigour no longer, than we are diligent to maintain a found, lively, and practical Faith.

HERE, and no where elfe, are we to look for the indifpenfable Condition, fitly difpofing us for Pardon and Acceptance with God, not peremptorily ensuring thefe Bleffings to us, as our own proper Right. When we have fully come up to the Terms of our Covenant, as we well may by the Divine Affistance, our Juftification is notwithstanding a Gift, and not a Debt:---We cannot, after all we have done, strictly demand it :---We are juftified freely by God's Grace (r). Because we are Sinners ftill, at the fame Time that we are penitent Be

lievers, and can by no Means claim the Favour

(r) Rom. iii. 24.

SERM. Favour of the Almighty for the Sake of III. our own imperfect Righteousness; but must afcribe it altogether to the Redemption of Jefus Chrift.

WHAT moved the infinite Being to contrive this amazing Work of Man's Juftification, was certainly nothing elfe than his overflowing Mercy and Compaffion. It was the boundless Love of the Father to Mankind, which induced him to fend his only begotten Son; and the Love of the Son, which prevailed on him to come into the World for fo glorious an End and Purpofe; which was moft compleatly answered by his Obedience and his Sufferings.

By that our Redeemer has fufficiently purchased for us a Discharge from the Guilt of Sin, and a Deliverance from the Condemnation of it: Our most vigorous Performances are found to be fhamefully defective, when examined by the Law of Works; and our inherent Righteousness would never justify us, were we to be judged according to that Law: But Chrift Jefus having in his own Perfon, as our Representative, fulfilled it, we are supported against its condemning Power by the Efficacy of his confummate Obedience.

AND

SERM.

AND by his Sufferings a compleat Atone- III. ment being made for our Offences, we receive the Pardon of them,---are accepted of God, and admitted to all the Privileges of the New Teftament in his Blood; upon Our complying with the Condition stipulated in it, and on which he fatisfied for

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us.

Now this Condition is Faith only, if we take it in its molt enlarged Senfe, as it implies under the full Notion of it Evangelical Righteousness or Chriftian Obedience: Whereas, if we confider it, as no other than a bare Affent of Mind to the Truths of the Gofpel, it is not the fole Condition of Juftification, a virtuous Regularity of Life being alfo thereunto of Neceffity required, whenever Time and Capacity are vouchsafed for performing it.

AND this, I conceive, will plainly appear from obferving, what thofe Works are, which are contrary to a juftifying Faith, as well as what are included in, and are perfective of

it.

OUR Apostle argues in the Text on the Suppofition, that a Man is not justified by the

SERM. the Works of the Law, and concludes, that III. by the Works of the Law fhall no Flesh be juftified: Where by Law it is evident, St. Paul primarily means the pofitive Difpenfation of Mofes; and his Drift is to prove, that there fhall not any one living be reputed just before God and entitled to a future Reward, as fuch, by Circumcifion, Sacrifices, and the like legal Ceremonies.

THE Jews were in general furprizingly zealous for the Law of their Fathers, endeavouring to impofe the Yoke of ritual Obfervances upon the believing Gentiles; and against thofe it was chiefly, that the Apostle difputed, and took fuch Pains to fettle it for a firft Principle, that we are juftified by Faith, and not by Works. Here we have the main Ground of the Oppofition we meet with in his Epiftles between Shadow and Subftance, Letter and Spirit, Type and Reality; and fee into the Purport of his Arguments against fuch, as ftrove to magnify the former, which he would depreciate, and to undermine the latter, which he would establish.

NoT but there are other Works, be fides thofe enjoined by the Jewish Law,

which are or may be opposed to Faith, as SERM. This is the instituted Condition of our being III. juftified. And among these we must reckon even all moral Actions, imagined by the Performers to be of an entirely finless Nature, and fo perfect in every Respect, that they build their Juftification upon them to the Prejudice of the Faith and Religion of Jefus. But Perfons much more virtuous, I apprehend, than any of this Class, have never prefumed to think a faultlefs Converfation to be in the Power of any mere Man, under the prefent depraved State of Humanity. Which therefore, as it cannot be pretended to without the moft arrogant Boafting, is not expected from frail Creatures by an all-merciful God.

It follows likewife, that all manner of religious Services, how much foever exacted by believing, if they are relied upon as amply compenfating for Juftification, ought to be efteemed inconfiftent with that Faith here recommended by St. Paul; the only valuable Confideration advanced being the infinite Merits of our Saviour Chrift.

YET it would be a very falfe Conclufion from hence to fhut out all good Works

from