does not thereby e teousness and obedi fpel, as the conditi of God, and of our: folution by the fen contrary, does eve holy and virtuous plainly the tenour out all his epiftles. are juftified by faith three things:

1. That the obf ceffary to our justik does in oppofition church, by teaching ftians to keep the la fo, they could not account given, Acts the meaning of that to the Romans and th ed by the works of the And this is very evid ing about this matte urge this argument, viz. That men were was given, for which therefore the obfervanc to a man's juftification

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---d, and received into the favour are profesion of the Chriftian faith, w As of righteoufnels preceding. St. Ja man continues in a juftified state, an Cod, whofe faith doth not bring forth that it is not a true and lively faith, w approve and thew itself to be fo, by the v 14. What and a good life. James ii.

me, my brethren, if a man fay that he works; can faith fave him?

Fat bath not works is dead, being he repeats it again, know, O vain kis dead. And ver. 22. fp aaan, Serbia how faith wrought with his are fale male perfect. And ver. at the Spirit is dead, Jo faith The fum and refult of all gh we be juftified at first by faith ng, yet faith, without good works f Eyjaftify and fave us; nay inde bring forth the fruits of a eve true, and living, and perfect f dead, and imperfed, and the ; and he that hath only fuch a and ineffectual profeflio

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nuft of neceflity have charity, as well as fi ither faith nor charity are the worthiet and f our juftification, but that is to be a our Saviour Chrift, who was offered at ar fins, and refe again for car ja tehcate," 1 more at large in a treatife published at four reformation, upon this and fome ot I do not fee what can be faid upon this pat earness and weight.

ication I fhall make of this dicourfe fhail :that if we be convinced of the necetlity fa good life to all that profefs themselves would feriously and in good earneft fet ce of them; if this be a faithful Jaying, greatly concerns us to be careful of our and that our converfation be as becom rif; becaufe if this be true, there is reconcile a wicked life, no, nor a wil tion of any of the duties and laws of e hopes of heaven and eternal life. positive and peremptory, that every eis bem, ma purify him est, even thout botines no man ju all jee the or frust atto basteji, car ent joail

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ner is at first juftified, and received into the favour of God, by a fincere profeffion of the Chriftian faith, without any works of righteoufnefs preceding. St. James affirms, that no man continues in a juftified state, and in favour with God, whofe faith doth not bring forth good works, and that it is not a true and lively faith, which doth not approve and fhew itself to be fo, by the works of obedience and a good life. James ii. 14. What doth it profit a man, my brethren, if a man fay that he hath faith, and hath not works; can faith fave him? And ver. 17. Faith if it hath not works is dead, being alone. And ver. 20. he repeats it again, know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead. And ver. 22. fpeaking of Abraham, Seeft thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect. And ver. 26. For as the body without the Spirit is dead, fo faith without works is dead alfo. The fum and refult of all which is this, that though we be juftified at firft by faith without works preceding, yet faith, without good works following it, will not finally justify and fave us; nay indeed, that faith which does not bring forth the fruits of a good life, was never a true, and living, and perfect faith; but pretended, and dead, and imperfect, and therefore can juftify no man; and he that hath only fuch a faith, does but make an empty and ineffectual profeffion, but is really deftitute of the true faith of the gospel.

And this is agreeable to that explication which was given by our first reformers here in England, of the nature of justifying faith; "That it is not a mere perfua"fion of the truths of natural and revealed religion, "but fuch a belief as begets a fubmiffion to the will of “God, and hath hope, love, and obedience to God's "commandments joined to it. That this is the faith "which in baptifm is profeffed, from which Chriftians called the faithful; and that in those fcriptures, " where it is faid, we are justified by faith, we may not "think that we be juftified by faith, as it is a feparate "virtue from hope and charity, the fear of God, and repentance, but by it is meant faith, neither only nor alone, but with the aforefaid virtues, containing an engagement of obedience to the whole doctrine and religion of Chrift. And that although all that are jufti

66 are

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fied,

"fied, muft of neceffity have charity, as well as faith,

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yet neither faith nor charity are the worthinefs and "merit of our juftification, but that is to be afcribed

only to our Saviour Chrift, who was offered upon the "cross for our fins, and rofe again for our juftification;" as may be feen more at large in a treatife publifhed at the beginning of our reformation, upon this and fome other points. And I do not fee what can be faid upon this point with more clearness and weight.

All the application I fhall make of this difcourfe fhall be briefly this; that if we be convinced of the neceflity of the virtues of a good life to all that profefs themfelves Christians, we would feriously and in good earnest set about the practice of them; if this be a faithful faying, then I am fure it greatly concerns us to be careful of our lives and actions, and that our converfation be as become eth the gospel of Chrift; because if this be true, there is no poffible way to reconcile a wicked life, no, nor a wilful neglect and violation of any of the duties and laws of Christianity, with the hopes of heaven and eternal life. In this the fcripture is pofitive and peremptory, that every man that hath this hope in him, must purify himself, even as he is pure that without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord: but if we have our fruit unto holiness, our end shall be everlasting life.

And here I might particularly recommend, to your care. ful practice, the great virtues of Chriftianity; thofe which St. Paul tells us are the proper and genuine fruits of the Spirit of Chrift, love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodnefs, fidelity, meekness, temperance. But I have not time to infift particularly upon them. I shall content myself briefly to mention thofe duties, which the Apostle in this epiftle doth more especially prefs upon the feveral conditions and relations of men. Those who are teachers and inftructors of others, that they would not only be careful to preach found doctrine, but in all things to fhew themselves patterns of good works. Those who are fubject to others, and under their government, that they would pay all duty and obedience to their fuperiors, as children to their parents, fervants to their masters, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, as the Apoftle fpeaks, chap.

ii. ver. 10. And fo likewife those who are fubjects, that they live in all peaceable and humble obedience to princes and magiftrates. This our Apostle speaks of as a great duty of Christian religion, and reckons it among good works, chap. iii. 1. Put them in mind to be fubject to principalities and powers, and to obey magistrates, and to be ready to every good work.

And then thofe who are of an inferior condition, that they labour and be diligent in the work of an honest calJing, for this is privately good and profitable unto men, and to their families; and thofe who are above this neceffity, and are in a better capacity to maintain good works properly fo called, works of piety, and charity, and juftice; that they be careful to promote and advance them, according to their power and opportunity, because these things are publickly good and beneficial to mankind. And befides this, as St. Peter exhorts, 2 Pet. i. 5. 6. &c. And befides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindnefs, charity. For if thefe things be in you, and abound, they make you that you fhall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot fee afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old fins; that is, doth not confider that the defign of Chriftianity is to renew and reform the hearts and lives of men.

Wherefore the rather, brethren, as he goes on, give di ligence to make your calling and election fure; for if ye do thefe things, ye fhall never fall. For fo an entrance fhall be miniftered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift.

I will conclude all with that excellent faying of St. Paul in this epiftle to Titus, which fo fully declares to us the great defign, and the proper efficacy of the Chri`ftian doctrine upon the minds and manners of men; chap. ii. 11. 12. 13. For the grace of God that bringeth falvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlinefs, and worldly lufts, we should live foberly, righteously, and godly, in this prefent world: looking for

that