then it will be altogether unprofitable to him who hath it. But there would be no end of citing passages from St. Paul to this effect. Let these therefore suffice.

But what shall we say to the case of Abraham, of whom St. Paul asserts, "that he believed God, "and it was accounted to him for righteousness?" Why, truly, we have nothing to say, but only this, that St. James brings this very instance of Abraham as of one who was justified by works," Wilt thou "know, O vain man, that faith without works is

dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by "works when he offered Isaac his son upon the "altar? Seest thou" (and wonderful it is that there should be any one who does not see), "how faith "wrought with his works, and by works was faith "made perfect?" And so, his works being all wrought through faith, the Scripture was still fulfilled which saith, "Abraham believed God, and it "was counted unto him for righteousness;" his faith working by love was accepted in Christ Jesus, according to the terms of that Gospel, which "the "Scripture preached before unto him. Thus in this instance of the father of the faithful, as in a common centre, are the doctrines of both apostles met: one says a man is justified by "faith working;" the other by working "faith ;" and this is really and truly all the difference there is between them. What pity then is it that so many volumes should have been written, to the infinite vexation and disturbance of the church, upon the questionWhether a man is justified by faith or works; seeing they are two essential parts of the same thing!

66

8

The body and the spirit make the man; faith and works make the Christian. "For as the body "without the spirit is dead," and therefore but half the man, "so faith without works is dead " also," and therefore but half the Christian. Nor can any son of Abraham be justified otherwise than his father is declared to have been-" Faith "wrought with his works, and by works was "faith made perfect."

I close all with the noble confession made by Bishop Bull of his faith in this article of justification, and ratified by him just before his death, when he experienced the comfort of having adhered to it through life, steering his course thereby, amidst all the Antinomian errors of those fanatic times in which he wrote, to the haven of everlasting rest.

"I most firmly believe," says this excellent prelate, "that as I yield a stedfast assent to the Gos"pel of Christ, and as I work out true repentance

by that faith, shaking off, by the grace of God, "the yoke of every deadly sin, and devoting my"self in earnest to the observation of this evange“lical law, I shall obtain by the sovereign mercy "of God the Father, for the merits only of Jesus "Christ his Son, and my Lord and Saviour, who "offered himself up unto the Father a truly expia

tory sacrifice for my sins, and for the sins of the "whole world, the full remission of all my past

66

sins, be they never so many and great. But "then I have no otherwise any confidence of my

sins being forgiven me, or of my being in a state "of grace and salvation, but as by a serious exa"mination of my conscience, made according to

66

"the rule of the Gospel, there shall be evidence "of the sincerity of my faith and repentance. " And I believe moreover, that while I bring forth "fruits worthy of faith and repentance, and while "I not only abstain from those crimes which, ac"cording to the Gospel, exclude a man from hea"ven, but do diligently likewise exercise myself in good works, both those of piety towards God, " and those of charity towards my neighbour, so long I may preserve the grace that is given me " of remission and justification; and that if I die "in this state, I am in the way of obtaining by it "the mercy of God, and eternal life and salvation "for the sake of Jesus Christ. I believe yet that "I may fall away; and, after having received the Holy Ghost, as our church speaketh, depart from grace; and that therefore I ought to work out my salvation with fear and trembling. I believe " also that in the Gospel there is pardon promised to all that fall, let it be never so often, so that they do before their death renew their repentance, and do again their first works; but then "there is not any where promised to them either

66

space of life, or grace that they may repent. I "believe that there is given to some persons a "certain extraordinary grace, according to the good pleasure of God; but I account it the

66

66

greatest madness for any one therefore to presume upon such a grace, or to challenge 'aught " for himself beyond the promises of God which are made in the Gospel. And lastly, it is my firm belief, that throughout the whole course of my salvation, from the very first setting out to the

46

66

"end thereof, the grace and assistance of God's Spirit is absolutely necessary; and that I never "have done, nor never can do, any spiritual good " without Christ, is my full and certain persuasion. "This is the way of salvation which by God's grace "I have entered into, or at least have desired to "enter into, which I have therefore chosen, because it is clearly set forth to me in the Holy Scriptures, and is a trodden and safe way, which "all catholic Christians for fifteen hundred years "at least from our Saviour's birth have trodden "before me."

66

66

God Almighty enable us all to walk in the same way to the same end; and for this purpose let us beseech him, in those excellent words of the church, to "give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain that which he "doth promise, he would make us to love that " which he doth command, through Jesus Christ "our Lord. Amen+."

66

.

Apolog. pro Harmon. p. 12. Nelson's Life of Bishop Bull, p. 463.

+ Collect for the 14th Sunday after Trinity.

DISCOURSE LXIII.

THE INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON CIVIL

SOCIETY.

TITUS ii. 11, 12.

The grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

WERE it required to produce from the Scriptures that passage, which exhibits, in fewest words, the fullest account of the nature and design of Christianity, this is, perhaps, the passage that should be fixed on for the purpose. Let us, therefore, survey and examine the striking features of so pleasing a portrait.

It is by no means intended to enter into a discussion at large of the various topics here suggested by the apostle. It will be more advisable to contract our views, and confine them to a single point. It shall be this; viz. the friendly aspect which Christianity, as here represented—and it is here truly represented-bears towards society, and the welfare and felicity of mankind upon earth.

VOL. III.