fcheme; neceffary to bring fallen man into a state of acceptance with God, by qualifying him for the falvation which has been purchased.

Man's title to eternal life has been founded on an act of Divine grace and covenant from the beginning. For ADAM in his ftate of innocence had no right to immortality, till God was pleased to make it over to him by covenant. Still it was a right fufpended on the performance of a condition. This right loft by the fall, through the mercy of the second covenant, has been re-established in JESUS CHRIST. Man therefore, fubfequent to the fall, with respect to a right to eternal life, ftands on the fame ground that ADAM did previous to that event. His right to eternal life being, what ADAM's originally was, a right founded on an act of Divine grace and covenant, but dependent on the performance of a condition.* Hence it becomes neceffary, that a proper distinction fhould be made between the works of the law, confidered as making any part of man's title to eternal falvation; and thofe works which are required

* The reader will find this fubject handled at large, and fully established by authorities from the early writers of the church, in a" Difcourfe on the firft covenant and ftate of man before the fall," by the learned Bishop BULL. 8vo edit, vol, iii.

to be performed under the Gofpel, as the condition. on which that title has been fufpended. Whoever fees works in the former light, is what the judaizing Christian was in ST. PAUL'S day, he is going about to" establish his own righteoufnefs, not fubmitting himself to the righteousness of GOD." But if works are weighed in their proper fcale, not as man's title to eternal falvation, but his qualification for it, upon the Gospel axiom, that " without holiness no man fhall fee the LORD," it appears to be of effential importance that they fhould be preffed upon Chriftians at all times, as the condition upon which they are taught to look for the completion of the Divine covenant. "They fhall walk with me in white," fays CHRIST, "for they are worthy." Rev. iii. 4. Worthy, not absolutely fo in themselves, but relatively fo; worthy, in that fenfe in which GOD, through CHRIST, graciously thinks fit to confider them. In this sense, " blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter into the city of GoD." Rev. xxii. 14. A conditional right eftablished by grace on the part of Gon, not by merit on the part of man; for that, we truft, is univerfally difclaimed. GOD has graciously condefcended to become, in a certain sense,

man's debtor; in the language of ST. AUGUSTINE, "non aliquid debendo, fed omnia promittendo, DEUS fe facit debitorem." Upon this ground works become entitled to reward;* not because they poffefs in themselves a title to reward, but because a gracious God is pleased, through CHRIST, to regard them as proper fubjects for it. Such is the language of Scripture; fuch the doctrine of the church of England.

But there is a manner of stating this subject, very common to those who entertain a low opinion of our clergy; upon which it may be proper to remark.

The revelation of the Gofpel, fo far as it refpects the effential point of falvation, delivers a plain and intelligible language. It fays to fallen man, believe rightly, and obey conscientiously; and through the merits of a crucified SAVIOUR thou fhalt enter into life. In the comprehenfive language of the Apostle,

* Extremum utrumque omni curâ vitandum: tum eorum qui opera noftra per fe vitæ eternæ meritoria ftatuunt, (error iste pontificiorum quorundum toto animo deteftandus eft) tum eorum etiam, qui eadem opera ullam aliam cum cœlefti præmio connexionem habere præter hunc, quòd fint fidei ejus, cui falus promittitur, fignļa, omniò negant. Hæc enim fententia non paucis, ufque clariffimis fcripturæ teftimoniis (ut vidimus) apertum bellum indicit. Media itaque via hic tenenda eft, ut dicamus, relationis iftius, quam ad vitam æternam habent opera noftra, unicum illud effe fundamentum, quod fint conditio in fædore Evangelico requifita, cui præftitæ ex eodem gratiofo fædore præmium cælefte indulgeatur BULL. Harm. Apoft. cap. v. fect. 5.

it teaches him to "deny ungodliness and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, righteously, and godly, in this prefent world; looking for that bleffed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great GOD and our Saviour JESUS CHRIST; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus ii. 12. The doctrine of falvation, then, is not a scheme of natural philofophy; it is not a system of civil policy; nor is it the art of fine speaking and rhetorical discourse, But it teaches men of every rank the duties of their respective stations; what they are to believe, and what to do, in order to their being faved. At the fame time it furnishes directions and affiftances for the refifting and overcoming the temptations with which they are affailed, together with the best and most powerful arguments for the promotion of that holiness, which conftitutes the indifpenfable preparative to eternal happiness.

If we will receive this doctrine as it has been revealed, we certainly fhall be faved by it. But if we will make a doctrine for ourselves, different from that which CHRIST has taught, it matters not on which fide the error lies, whether by repofing a falfe confidence on the one hand, or poffeffing an evil heart of

unbelief on the other; in either case we make void the scheme of falvation that has been projected, and our miscarriage must be inevitable.

Now the perfons to whom I immediately allude, have always appeared to me to confound, rather than to explain, the Christian doctrine; by representing faith as comprehenfive of all Chriftian duties. Where true faith is, there, they tell you, will be repentance, obedience, and holiness of life; in fhort every thing that tends to the completion of the Christian character. Certainly where true faith is, (understanding thereby true lively faith) fo long as it continues in that state, it must be poffeffed of all the properties belonging to it. But this is a defcription of what Christian faith ought to be, when in its perfect state, accompanied with its correfpondent effects; not what faith, abstractedly confidered, really is. As fuch, though it poffibly may do no harm, whilft confined to the minds of those persons, who through Divine grace feel themselves difpofed to that life of holiness, to which Christian faith was defigned to lead; yet it will do, and has done much injury to the Chriftian caufe, when confidered in connection with that erroneous and dangerous conclufion, which ignorant and unfanctified men have at all times been ready to draw from it.