mony of our church to the doctrine of the text is every where most clear and decisive. To adduce one out of numerous instances, the Homily on Good Works, declares, "It is of the free grace and mercy of God, by the mediation of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ, without merit or deserving on our part, that our sins are forgiven us, that we are reconciled and brought again into his favour, and are made heirs of his heavenly kingdom."

II. I shall proceed, in the second place, to point out in what sense, and for what reason, works are excluded in the matter of man's salvation, according to the language of the text, "not of works," which so exactly corresponds with that of the Homily just cited, "without merit or deserving on our part."

1. Works then are excluded as the meritorious ground and procuring cause of salvation. What language can be more decidedly to the point, or more clear and intelligible to every capacity, than that of the Apostle in his epistle to the Galatians:

where in the phraseology of the Old Testament, he proclaims "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them."* And the direct and obvious inference which he draws from this solemn declaration is that "no man is justified by the law in the sight of God ;" and that "as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse." Thus is the way of life a narrow way, hedged up securely on either side. The plan of salvation which God has devised for his perishing creatures, is directly opposed to that which man is inclined in the vain imaginations of his own heart to devise for himself. Ignorant of his real state with respect to God, and placing an undue confidence in his imaginary strength, worthiness and natural resources, he foolishly supposes himself competent to merit the divine favour, and to obtain eternal life by his works and deservings. But God's thoughts in this matter are directly op

Deut. xxvii. 26.

+ Gal. iii. 10.

posed to man's thoughts; his method of salvation is in every respect at variance with man's self-projected schemes. He saves the sinner in a way that abases human pride, while it secures the praise and glory to himself.

But

2. Some would make Christ's merits, in part, and in part their own works, the foundation of their dependance. this is as really repugnant to the one only method of salvation proposed in the gospel, as that of depending on works wholly. These must be excluded, not as the entire ground of salvation merely, but also, as in any manner or degree, contributing thereto. Thus argues St. Paul. "If by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace: but if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”*

There is yet another sense in which works must be excluded, namely, as the terms and conditions upon the performance of which we become interested in

* Rom. ii. 6.

the blessings of redemption. Nothing is more difficult than to beat down the pride of man, and to bring the sinner off from self-dependance in whole or in part: yet such is the direct tendency and avowed design of the gospel method of salvation. The sinner, driven from one strong hold in which he thought himself secure, betakes himself to another; espouses a system more specious, perhaps, though not less dangerous to his eternal interests. From depending wholly on his own doings, he begins at length to discover the necessity of making the merits of the Saviour in some degree the basis of his hope. And when this ground also is made to appear no longer tenable, desiring still to retain to himself some share of merit, and occasion for glorying, he dreams of conditions and terms, as though the Almighty stipulated with him for as much as lay within the compass of his own powers and abilities as the ground of receiving salvation at his hands. But from this "refuge of lies," not less than the former, will every soul be at length driven who is the

subject of divine teaching, nor will any such individual ever obtain abiding peace until he has learnt to repose his only hope on the mercy and grace of God in Christ, to the utter exclusion of every other dependance whatsoever. The Lord hath reserved to himself alone the whole honour of a sinner's salvation; and in his unalterable purpose hath determined that "he that glorieth should glory in the Lord."+

Here let me distinctly remind my hearers, that it is in regard to justification, and the meritorious grounds of it, that works are thus absolutely excluded: but that in the most perfect consistency with what has been stated hereupon, there is another sense in which they are as absolutely indispensable. They do, in every case, accompany salvation; they must, in every instance, be required in evidence of a state of salvation; they constitute that free-will offering and debt of gratitude, which all that are saved by grace, will delight to

+ 1 Cor. i. 13.