Chap. 11. answers to the Evangelical condition, and is a means

to continue our juftified eftate: It's true, St. Paul afferts that we are juftified by Faith, not by Works, Rom. 4. Which feems directly contrary to that of St. James, that a man is justified by Works, not by Faith only; but the difference is reconciled very fairly; if we do but confider what the Works are in St. Paul, and what they are in St. James: In St. Paal the Works are perfect Works, fuch as corre fpond to the Law, fuch as make the reward to be of Debt, verf. 4. Hence Calvin faith, operantem vocat, qui fais meritis aliquid promeretur, non operantem, cui nihil debetur operum merito: In St. James the Works are fincere only, fuch as answer not to the Law, but to the Evangelical condition; fuch as merit not, but are rewarded out of meer Grace: Works in St. Paul, are fuch as ftand in competition or coordination with Christ and his Righteousness, which satisfied the Law for us: Works in St. James, are fuch as ftand in due fubordination to Chrift and his Righteoufnefs, and are required only as fruits of Faith, and conditions upon which we are to continue in a juftified eftate. Works in St. Paul, are fuch as no man can do, Nay, as no man must fo much as imagine that he can do, unless he will caft away Chrilt and Grace. Works in St. James are fuch as must be done, or elfe we prove our felves hypocrites, and our Faith dead and vain; in both Apostles Abraham is brought in as an instance. In St. Paul the question was, whether Abraham was a Sinner? and here the Righteousnefs of Christ did justify him. In St. James the question was, whether Abraham was a true Believer? and here his obedience did prove him to be fo, and did answer to the Evangelical

Evangelical condition: these differences confidered, Chap. 11. it is easie to understand how we cannot be justified by good works in St. Pauls fence; and yet how according to St. James good works are necessary to prove our Faith a living one; and to answer the condition of the Gofpel, that the ftate of Juftifi-. cation, into which we entred by Faith, may be continued.

To fhut up this Difcourfe touching Justification. we must here stand and adore the infinite Wisdom and mercy of God in this great Work; what poor faln Creatures were we? into what an horrible gulf of fin and misery were we funk? whither could we turn? or how could we think ever to ftand before the holy God?ftorms of wrath hung over our heads, and might justly have fallen upon us; but how fhould we be juftified, or ever escape? Might the pure perfect Law be abrogated, that we might be acquitted? No, it could not be; it was immortalized by its own intrinfecal rectitude and equity: might God wave his holiness and juftice, that his mercy might be manifefted upon us? would the great Re&tor pardon the Sin of a world without any recompence or Satisfaction? No, his Law is facred and honorable? Sin is no light or indifferent thing in his eyes: Where then fhall a fatisfaction be found; no Creature could poffibly undertake it; no Man, no Angel could or durft start such a thought, as that one of the Sacred Trinity fhould do it: See then and admire this incomparable work; the Son of God, very God, leaves his Fathers bofom, af. fumes our frail flefl; in it fulfills all righteoufnefs; and at last is made Sin and a Curfe for us, that we might be justified and pardoned: No fooner are we

by

Chap. 11. by Faith in Union with him, but his righteousness is upon us, his blood washes away all our guilt; through him we (but vile worms in our felves) become no less than Sons of God, and Heirs of Heaven: What are we, that fuch things as these fhould be made known to us? that Heaven fhould open and let down fuch mysteries before our eyes? What manner of perfons ought we to be, who live in the 'fhining days of the Gospel; who have so much of the Divine glory breaking out upon us? let us a little fit down and confider how infinite is the malignity of Sin, how deep the ftain of it; when God, who cannot nugas agere, made fuch ado about the expiation of it; when nothing less than the Blood of his own Son could wash it out? Now to have flight thoughts of it, is to Blafpheme the great Atonement; now to indulge it, is to rake in the wounds of Chrift, and Crucify him afresh to our felves: How precious fhould Chrift be to us? how altogether lovely? what a Person is the Eternal Word? what an Union is Immanuel, God and Man in one? what a Laver is his Blood? what a fweet-fmelling Sacrifice is his Death? who can tell over the unsearchable riches of his merit, or fet a rate high enough upon that righteousness of his, which refreshes the heart of God and Man? what a Sponfor was he, who satisfied infinite Justice for the Sin of a World? and what an excellent head, who makes his Righteousness reach down to every Believer in the World? who would not now fay, that he is totus defideria, altogether loves and defires? what little things are Worlds and Creatures? what Drofs and Dung in comparifon? what a wretched thing is a dead and frozen heart, which will not warm

and

and take fire at so ravishing an Object? Who would Chap. 11. now live in the old Adam, the head of Sin and Death, any longer? or content himself in any state fhort of an Union with Chrift, in whom Righteoufness and Life are to be had? O how fhould we act our Faith upon him, and give him the glory of his Righteousness and Satisfaction by believing? How fhould we venture our Souls, what ever our Debts are, upon the great Surety? Who paid the utmost Farthing, and had a total discharge in his Refurrection: How we fhould hide our felves in the Clefts of the Rock, in the precious wounds of Christ as in a City of refuge; where the avenging Law, fatisfied therein, can never purfue and overtake us ? How willing fhould we now be, to have Chrift reign over us? What! hath he come from Heaven, and in our flesh fulfilled all Righteousness; and by his obedience unto Death, even the death of the Cross, fatisfied for our fins, and turned away the dreadful wrath due to the fame, and fhall he not Reign over us? Hath he bore the heavy end of the Law; the finless obedience which we could not perform, and the curfe; which, if we had been under, would have funk us down into Hell for ever, and fhall he not Reign over us? when by a condefcending Law of Grace fuited to our frailty, he calls for nothing from us but fincerity: Oh! prodigious ingratitude! who would be guilty of it, or can be fo, that is a Believer indeed ? Let us therefore by Faith joyn our felves to Christ, that we may be juftified by his Righteoufnefs; and as a real proof of it, let us refign up our felves in fincere obedience to him; that having our fruit unto holiness, we may have the end everlasting Life. CHAP.

Ddd

Chap. 124

CHA P. XII.

Touching an Holy Life: It is not from Principles of Nature; it is the fruit of a renewed, regenerated heart; it iffues out of Faith and Love; it proceeds out of a pure intention towards the Will and Glory of God; it is humble,and dependant upon the influences of Grace; it requires a fincere mortification of Sin without any Salvo or exception; it stands in an exercife of all Graces; it makes a man holy in Ordinances, alms, profperity,adverfity, contracts, calling; there is such an exercife of graces as cauSeth them to grow: The conclufion of the Chap

ter.

H

Aving treated of Juftification, I come in the Laft place to fpeak of an Holy Life; which is an infeparable companion of the other: Where Grace juftifies and pardons, there it heals; where Chrift is made Righteoufnefs, there he is made Sanctification: thefe Twins of Grace can never be parted; but ye are fanctified, but ye are justified, faith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6. 11. Juftification and Sanctification are ever in conjunction, as in God Justice and Holiness In Chrift the Prieftly and Kingly Offices; in the Gospel the Promifes and the Precepts; and in the Sinner the Guilt and the Power of Sin are in Conjunction; fo in Believers Juftification and Sanctification are in Conjunction: Werethis Conjunction diffolved, the other could not well together confift; the perfon being Juftified and not Sanctified: Gods Justice must spare him, yet his yet Holiness

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