Where it is plain that faith fignifies the SERM. christian religion. It is to this therefore VI. that the apostle attributes such efficacy to the juftification of men.

But it by no means follows, that St. Paul's intention is to attribute our acceptance with God to any peculiar virtue in faith, as separated from those works, and obedience, which are the genuine fruits of it. The faith, by which he fays we are juftified, is that which worketh by love, which produces a fincere love to God and men, with the proper expreffions of it, in the practice of true piety and virtue. Befides, we find him as much as any of the facred writers, preffing strict holiness and conformity to the will of God, and laying as great a stress upon it. The four last chapters of his epistle to the Romans, are wholly taken up in recommending the virtues of private and focial chriftian life: And many exhortations of the fame kind are to be met with in his epistles to the Galatians. Indeed, if we confider chriftianity as a divine law enforced with proper fanctions; and it is in this light the apostles and evangelifts always fet it; they reprefent it as the grace of God, which hath appeared unto men bringing falvation,

but

4

SERM.but it does not terminate wholly in their deVI. liverance from punishment, nor is the defign anfwered on their part by bare believing, for it teaches us, that denying all ungodliness, and worldly lufts, we should live foberly, righteously and godly: And this as the only foundation, upon which we can look for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jefus Christ: No man can read the New Testament with any degree of attention, without being convinced that its principal scope is, to teach and urge men to goodness, righteoufnefs, temperance, and patience, by the strongest motives, and particularly by the hope of acquittal in the day of judgment, and of obtaining eternal life; if, I fay, we confider it in this light, there can remain no doubt but that, tho' by the works of the law, as fet against faith, a man cannot be juftified, yet that, the works and obedience of which faith is the great animating principle, are, in conjunction with it, the condition of our acceptance. All this is farther confirmed by the example of Abraham, and the method of his juftification, which St. Paul reprefents as a precedent to all after ages, and argues from it. He afferts that Abraham was accounted

righteous

For

righteous before God, while circumcifion SER M. was not yet instituted, nor any of the legal VI. ceremonies. In this chapter he afks, what Shall we fay then, that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, bath found? for if Abraham were juftified by works, he hatb whereof to glory, but not before God: That is, there is no fuch thing as his having any thing whereof to glory before God. he adds, what faith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteoufnefs. Now, to him that worketh, is the reward reckoned not of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him who juftifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness. Thus the religion of Abraham was fufficient; a religion without ceremonies, which afterwards were in fo high efteem, and accounted fo neceffary among the Jews; a principle of faith, or of confidence in the goodness, and the promife of God, producing intire refignation to his providence, and fincere obedience to his commandments. It was fo before the giving of the law: Why not after its abolition? Christianity is the religion of Abraham reftor'd: A plain, unceremonious form of divine fervice, animated by that faith, which

fees

SERM. fees him who is invifible, is the fubftance of VI. things hoped for, and the evidence of things not feen, and worketh by love.

Farther, St. Paul argues not from the example of Abraham only, but from the tenor of the declarations which were made to him. The promise was given him, that he fhould be the heir of the world, the father of many nations, and have a numerous feed: Which the apoftle interprets, not of his natural offspring, tho' they were as the ftars of Heaven for multitude, for these were not all heirs of the promise in the spiritual sense: But fo as to extend to all who fhould walk in his steps; that is, imitate his faith, and his virtue. Now the promise was made to him while he was yet uncircumcifed, and therefore, as the text fays, is fure to all the feed: Not to that only which is of the law, but to that alfo, which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. And more fully at the 10th ver. How was it. (righteoufnefs) then reckoned? When he was in circumcifion, or in uncircumcifion? not: in circumcifion, but in uncircumcifion. And be received the fign of circumcifion, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had being yet uncircumcifed: That he might be..

the

the father of all them that believe, though SER M. they be uncircumcifed; that righteousness VI. might be imputed to them alfo. From all which it is apparent, what law it is the apostle intends to exclude from a share in our juftification: It is that law, which was added because of tranfgreffion, denouncing wrath for every difobedience, and binding men over to punishment for the least failure, which therefore could not give life. And the Jews miftook its nature and defign, if they expected life by it: For it was intended only as a schoolmaster, to lead them, by its fevere difcipline, to Chrift the promised feed, who declared righteousness by faith, or upon the more favourable and gracious terms of a fincere, tho' imperfect obedience to the gospel. This, I fay, is the law which the apoftle excludes from a fhare in our juftification: Not the eternal, unchangeable law of fobriety, righteoufness, godliness, and charity, which christianity, or the grace that brings falvation, teaches, and in the strongest manner enforces, making our obedience to it indispensably neceffary to our obtaining the reward it promises.

Thus the feeming contradiction between the apostles St. Paul and St. James is very cafily

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