let Works at the same time be always enforced as the necessary fruits and sole criterion of true Faith.

But while I am contending that a strict attention to the duties of morality is indispensably required by the religion of Christ, I must repeat, that Good Works are in no respect or degree the meritorious cause of our Salvation (o). Whenever we speak of any benefit derived from the Gospel dispensation, all notion of deserving it, all idea of merit on our part, is to be disclaimed. The whole and every part of this inestimable blessing, every consequence and effect proceeding from it, directly or indirectly, is the free-gift of God to unworthy and undeserving man. This distinction between meritorious cause and appointed condition is a very material one—it will have great influence both upon our sentiments

and

(0) Bona Opera valent ad Justificationem ac Salutem ideo tantum, quod conditio sunt, cui in Evangelico fœedere, ex merâ Dei gratiâ, Justificatio ae Salus promittitur. Bull. Here Justification means the continuance in a state of Justification, as he had before expressed, Est Justificatio actus continuus, ac tuin demum perfectus et consummatus, cum quis conditionem fœderis per quod justificatur, perfecte et ad finem usque adimplevitBurnet says, that our Reformers, "taught that Good Works were indeed necessary to Salvation, but that the purchase of heaven was only by the death and intercession of Jesus Christ." Hist. of Ref. V. 1. p. 287.

and upon our conduct. If we believed that there was an intrinsic merit in our good actions a real worth which constituted a species of right (p) to Salvation, we should feel our obligation to our Redeemer proportionably diminished; our minds would be too apt to be puffed up with pride, and we should be in danger of losing the characteristic quality of a true Christian, the ornament of a meek and lowly spirit: this is the error of those who adhere to the church of Rome. But if we went into the opposite extreme, and believed that Good Works were not the appointed condition of Salvation, we should of course become indifferent to the character of our actions. Convinced that virtue

(p) In the Revelation it is said, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life," c. 22. v. 14. This is a right not founded in the real merit of men, but derived from the gracious promise of God; not a claim upon God's justice, but a free-gift of his mercy. A promise, from its nature implies that it might have been withholden without injustice; but he who promises, contracts a debt which he is bound to discharge upon the performance of the conditions on which the promise is made: Justum est ut reddat, quod debet; debet autem quod pollicitus est. Bernard.-A promise proves the kindness of him who promised, and not the worthiness of him to whom the promise is made; and that kindness is the greater, the greater is the value of the thing promised, and the more easy the conditions upon which it is pro

mised.

virtue and vice will have no effect upon our future destiny, the most powerful check would be removed from our passions, and we should feel ourselves at full liberty, as far as another world is concerned, to indulge every propensity, every inclination, every wish. The fear of eternal pu nishment would no longer either strengthen the hand of the civil magistrate, by deterring from those crimes which are destructive of the peace of society, or prevent the commission of the secret sins prompted by avarice, lust, and revenge, which are so injurious to the comfort and happiness of individuals. This is the error, as has been stated, into which they are apt to fall, who adopt the opinions of Calvin. Those who listen to the enthusiasts of the present day, too often suppose themselves the chosen vessels of God, and are persuaded that no conduct, however atrocious, however unchristian, can finally deprive them of eternal felicity, since they are taught to believe, that though it may be ordained that for a time they may fall from grace, yet it is irreversibly decreed that they shall ultimately be saved. If these preachers do not in so many words tell their hearers, that their moral conduct will have no influence upon the sentence which will be pronounced upon them in the last day; or if they do not entirely pass over in silence the great duties of morality, yet if they dwell so much more ear

nestly

nestly and more frequently upon the necessity and merit of Faith, as to induce an opinion that Good Works are of little comparative importance, the natural consequence will be, a laxity of principle and a dissoluteness of manners. Even a doubt of the efficacy of virtue will lead to a disregard of its laws.

Although the best actions of men must partake of the infirmity of their nature, and cannot give the slightest claim to eternal happiness, yet to represent every human deed as an actual sin, and deserving of everlasting punishment, is not only unauthorized by Scripture, but is also of very dangerous consequence. It tends to destroy all distinction between virtue and vice, and to make men careless of their conduct; it is to confound those who live under the absolute dominion of sin, with those who occasionally yield to temptation; it is to make no discrimination between the habitually wicked, and those who through surprise or inadvertence deviate from the path of duty, between premeditated crimes and unintentional offences. Not only particular actions of men are commended both in the Old and New Testament, but at the day of final retribution Christ is described as saying, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant (p)," which implies that

(p) Mat. c. 25. v. 21 & 23.

a man's

a man's general habits and conduct in life may be deserving of the approbation of his Judge. How can this address of our Saviour be reconciled with the tenets of those, who consider every action of man as sinful and punishable? Where can be the justifying works of which St. James speaks? where can be "the charity, and service, and Faith, and patience" recorded in the Revelation (q)? Where are those who "have not defiled their garments," who "are worthy," and whose names are not blotted out of the book of life (r)?"

We are however to remember, that men are not permitted to afford only a partial obedience to the Gospel, by habitually indulging themselves in those sins to which they have a strong propensity, or by wilfully omitting the performance of those duties which may be inconvenient or irksome to them. The law of Christ admits of no such compromise. But if men heartily strive to practise the whole of their duty; if it be the great object of their lives to make the precepts of the Gospel the invariable rule of their conduct, but still, from the frailty of their nature, they should sometimes be guilty of sin, or not rise to the standard of purity and excellence required by our holy religion; we have ground to believe, that

(9) Rev. c. 2. v. 19. (r) Rev. c. 3. v. 4 & 5.

an