fore, peremptorily to settle it, that God, who "cannot be tempted with evil," * must act in the same manner? Or to say, because a certain course of conduct on man's part evidently befits man's condition, and is for man's interest, the like to it must of necessity be compatible with the honour of God's government? What do we know of this? And again, where is it affirmed, or how does it appear, that Christ's sufferings were necessary to induce his Father to be merciful? Surely the very contrary is self-evident. Because God is infinitely merciful in his own nature, therefore he gave his Son to suffer. his Son to suffer. But God forbid that we should take upon us to say that God could have been under any obligation or necessity of proceeding in any special way whatever to the accomplishment of his purposes of grace. It is enough for us that he is gracious, and that he has told us the way through which it is his pleasure for us to be partakers of his grace. If we can see, as we may, much admirable fitness in that actually revealed method, it is well. But what is it to us, if the reasons of his determinations should still be in many respects inexplicable? What concerns us practically is very plain. God loves sinners-that we know. God hates sin-that we also know. It is his pleasure to pardon sinners-that he has declared to us;

VOL. III.

* James i. 13.

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and he will do it through his Son, given to suffer for them, and no otherwise. Then it is evident, that he has chosen to make a twofold manifestation of his goodness-in the bounty itself which he bestows upon us, and in the way also through which he bestows it. And it is evident, besides, that when he pardons sin, he does it because He is good, and not because sin is tolerable; and that he chooses to magnify the law, and make it honourable, in the very act by which he rescues transgressors from its penalties.

From all which it follows, that we sinners may be saved, if we will, in a way with which God is well content, as deeming it, in all respects, consistent with his own glory. Is it for us to be discontented, or to hesitate about taking the grace provided for us, till certain difficulties in our speculations concerning it shall be cleared up? Suppose, that whilst we stand debating, the night should come in which no man can work, and the door be shut, and they that be ready go in with the Bridegroom to the marriage? Let us understand that we are in no circumstances to raise objections, or to demand satisfaction for our doubts. We are actually bitten by the deadly serpent, sin; and if we will not look straight at once to Christ, we must die : for unto whom else can we go?

Let us "be still," and know that the Lord is

God. Let us not be judges of his word, but hearers of it. The only question for us is, what does that word reveal? and seeing "this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and that this life is in his Son,"* if we would have life, we must go for it to his Son; and when we have thus submitted our own wisdom to the wisdom of God, the next thing is, to submit our own righteousness to the righteousness of God; for, as our own understanding cannot contrive our salvation, so neither can our own goodness do anything towards deserving it. We must adopt, therefore, the language of Daniel: "O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces;"† and the deprecation of the Psalmist, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified :" and, casting ourselves altogether upon the Mediator, we must pray without ceasing, with our church, "By thine agony and bloody sweat; by thy cross and passion; by thy precious death and burial; by thy glorious resurrection and ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Ghost; do Thou, good Lord, deliver us."

2. But we must use our doctrine as not abusing it; and, therefore, we must remember that, besides the obedience of faith, there is another

* 1 John v. 11. + Dan. ix. 7.

↑ Psalm cxliii. 2.

obedience not less necessary-I mean, the obedience of love and godly practice.

It is through Christ that we find favour with God, and through faith that we come to Christ; but are we, therefore, to make void the law through faith? or to make Christ the minister of sin? or to deem that the works of a holy life are not required? or, that the unholy can dwell with God? Hear what is written of Christ, whose merit is all in all: "Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins."* God hath sent him to bless us, in turning away every one of us from his iniquities." Hear what is written of faith-the hand, as it hath been called, and the only one, which putteth on Christ to justification. It hath other offices than this; it is to "purify the heart; it is to "overcome the world:"§ it availeth then, and then only, where it "worketh by love;"|| and if it have not works, “it is dead, being alone." ¶ Hear what is written of judgment, where our relation to Christ, through faith, is to be proved, and where Christ himself is to try that question: He "will render unto every man according to his deeds: to them who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: but

* Matt. i. 21.

§ See 1 John v. 4.

+ Acts iii. 26.

See Gal. v. 6.

↑ See Acts xv. 9. ¶ James ii. 17.

unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil: but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good; for there is no respect of persons with God." *

The simple rehearsal of these plain texts is enough of itself to prove that the inference must be false, that we are to do nothing because Christ is to merit everything; or, that good works are not necessary to salvation, because they are not to be taken in payment for it. It is plain enough to the weakest honest mind, that we cannot be saved without them. I shall not stay, therefore, to explain the perfect consistency with this statement of those passages of Scripture which speak of justification by faith neither will I stay to show what is so obvious-that if the happiness of eternity is to consist, as St. John says it is, in seeing God as he is, and being like him, every man who hath this hope in him, must, as he says also, purify himself even as He is pure; and that, therefore, if we are complete in Christ's righteousness, as indeed we are, in respect of our title to a heavenly inheritance, we do, nevertheless, stand in need of a personal renewal of our souls to holiness, through the Spirit, before it can be possible for us to enter into actual + See 1 John iii. 2.

Rom. ii. 6—11.