without intermission. It is commonly said by those, who are averse from urging on the unregenerate, the use of the means of grace, that there is no blessing promised in concurrence with the doings of the unregenerate: and they assign as the reason, that God looketh at the heart: and that he is displeased with its depravity-that God is holy, and cannot of course be pleased with what is unholy. Far be it from me, to dispute this truth. God forbid that I should ever teach any of my fellow-sinners to believe, for a moment, that God is satisfied with outward obedience, while the heart is at enmity with himself, and with his law. Upon the contrary, I not only embrace the proposition, that God does not bless the deeds of unregenerate men with a reward expressive of such satisfaction; but I extend the general principle, that he is displeased with every thing which falls short of perfection in holiness. It is not of works, that we are saved or blessed, otherwise grace would no more be grace. Neither the works of the regenerate, nor the works of the unregenerate, give satisfaction to the Lawgiver; for neither the one nor the other extends to the whole obligation, under which God hath placed his creatures. By grace alone, free grace, we are saved; and every blessing of salvation is a gift of grace, and in nowise promised or bestowed on account of any goodness in our deeds, either before, or after the new and second birth. All is of FREE GRACE to us, through our Lord Jesus Christ: for grace reigns, not only in the origin, but also in the progress of the Christian life. Grace reigns through righteousness, unto eterna llife, by Jesus Christ our Lord. It is not a fact that our obligation to perfection is diminished by regeneration; or that sincerity is admitted as a substitute for perfection. We do not make void the law through grace, "God forbid! we establish the law." In vain you are told by those who convert the grace of God into a system of licentiousness, that faith without works is the living faith, through which we are justified and saved: Faith without works is dead. It is equally in vain, you are told, that love without works, is the fulfilling of the law: for this is the love of God, that ye keep his commandments. It is not a bare good will to any being, or to all being, that the scriptures recommend, or the Holy Ghost pours upon the heart, as the love of God. Never was there a more happy invention of the father of lies, than to reduce the love of God to a speculative idea, of mere good will to general being. The love of God is an active principle. It is a propensity of the heart towards God and godliness-a principle which impels to action: for it constrains us, by influencing the will, to act agreeably to the light of divine revelation. It seeks the vision of God, the enjoyment of God, and the glory of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Neither faith nor love opposes the principles of moral obligation; neither the one, nor the other can be admitted as a substitute for perfection in holiness. They are both gifts of the grace of God, and both parts of the duty required of man. Sincerity, and love, and hope, and repentance, and indeed, every holy exercise of mind, or state of mind, is approved of God, as his own work within us; and to each of them, as well as to faith, is the promise of, not only some particular blessing, but of entire salvation with all its blessings, graciously made on account of Christ's merits; not on account of our goodness. These graces are the evidence of our union to Christ in the covenant of promise; and of course, of our title to what God hath promised in that covenant. The promises of the covenant of grace are made from all eternity to Christ our head, and in him to all the elect as his seed.* For all the promises of God in him, are yea, and in him, amen, unto the glory of God by us.† Permit me now to place before you, in distinct propositions, the several principles involved in this discussion. You may judge of their truth one by one. Examine for yourselves, in the light of revealed truth. "I believed, therefore have I spoken:" but let your faith rest not on the wisdom of man, but on the power of God. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. 1. Obedience to the revealed will of God, is the duty of those who doubt their own personal piety, as much as it is the duty of those who have obtained assurance. It is the duty * So say the Scriptures. Tit. i. 2. Eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. This is the promise of the covenant, and is coextensive with the covenant: therefore it is called the covenant of promise. Gal. iii. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. In this sense, all the churches of the Reformation understand the doctrine of the evangelical promise. Take for example the Catechism of the Presbyterian Churches. LARGER CAT. QUEST. 31. The covenant of grace was made with CHRIST, THE SECOND ADAM, and in him, with ALL THE ELECT as his seed. 32. The grace of God is manifested in the second covenant, in that he freely PROMISETH and giveth his Holy Spirit το ALL HIS ELECT, to work in them that faith with all other saving graces. + 2 Cor. i. 20. of all men to obey God, perfectly. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.* 2. No human obedience whatsoever, can now deserve any portion of happiness whatsoever, from the Lord. The greatest perfection of man, cannot entitle to the least of God's mercies: much less can the imperfect holiness of man make our title to the greatest happiness-even eternal life. "Grace stands in opposition to works: all works, whether they be called works of the law, or works of the gospel; exercises of the heart, or actions of the life; done while we remain unregenerate, or when we become regenerate; they are all and equally set aside in this great affair;† adjudication to eternal life. "We shall be saved. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants : we have done that which was our duty to do."‡ I 3. Promises of happiness are made to holiness; and an appropriate promise to every holy exercise. This is the fact. The reason why it is so, is not that God is put under obligation by the work of man-not that he is bound by any compact to reward human merit: for the covenant of works is broken; and its penalty or curse, alone remains in force, since the condition is violated, and the promise forfeited. give you the reasons. First, It is a law of God's moral government, that the holy, and none but the holy, shall be happy. The promise predicts this future fact. Secondly, The exercise of grace, is evidence of an interest in Christ; and the promise addressed to the sign of our union to Christ is intended for the thing signified: for God has bound himself by covenant to give grace in Jesus Christ, for his righteousness sake, to all that are by faith joined to him.§ * Matth. v. 48. + HERVEY, quoted with approbation, both by Mr. Sandeman, and Mr. Andrew Fuller. In such an important truth, it is pleasing to see men, of otherwise different opinions, agree. + Isa. lxiv. 5. 6. Tit. iii. 5. Luke xvii. 10. § "The obedience of a Christian, so far as it is truly evangelical, has all relation to Christ, the Mediator, and is but an expression of the soul's believing union to Christ. All evangelical works are works of that faith, that worketh by love; and every such act of obedience, is only a new effective act of reception of Christ and adherence to the glorious Saviour. That proposition may be a truth, that he that obeys shall be saved; because obedience and salvation are connected together in fact; and yet an "Blessed are they that do his commandments. And in keeping of them, there is great reward. Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever. But unto every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. That ye put on the new man, which after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness. Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant: and the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel."* 4. Christians, although not assured of their own salvation, have, notwithstanding, a certain interest in these promises. The promises are in Christ, yea and amen; and if you are, in fact, in Christ, whatever may be your doubts and fears, all things are yours. The promises predict blessings to those who have grace, and are not limited to the consciousness of having it:-They shall all be accomplished because God is true; and therefore they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. "For thus saith the high and the lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you."f 5. The doctrine of Christ gives relief to the conscience irrespective of any consciousness of a change by regeneration. "The very first scriptural consolation, received by the be acceptance to a title to salvation, not be granted upon the account of our obedience. What is a promise, but a declaration of a future truth, for the comfort and encouragement of the person to whom it is declared ? Promises may rationally be made to signs and evidences of faith; and yet the thing promised not be upon the account of the sign, but the thing signified. Promises of particular benefits implied in justification and salvation, may especially be fully made to such expressions of faith as they have a peculiar suitableness to: as forgiveness to a forgiving spirit, and mercy to the merciful and this not be at all to the prejudice of the doctrine we have maintained."-Edwards on Justification. * Rev. xxii. 14. Psalm xix. 11. and xciii. 5. Eph. iv. 7-24. Ezek. xxxvii. 23. + Isa. lvii. 15-19, and John xiv. 18, 20. "Je liever, arises from the gospel itself, and not from reflecting on the feelings of his own mind towards it;" and the consolation of desponding Christians is derived, not so much from an examination of their own faith, as from beholding by faith the Lord their Redeemer, manifesting himself unto them. sus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation."* If these principles be correct, brethren, the mourner in Zion is bound in duty to himself and to his God, to continue in the practice of religion. God's statutes are obligatory upon you, whatever you may think of your own unworthiness. This is the method appointed by your Redeemer for giving relief to the afflicted. In this way many have obtained relief, and have been led to sing a new song, like David in the fortieth Psalm. I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. IV. Let him that now doubts of his own safety, believe instantly in the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved. This is my last direction. It is the way to put an end to doubting. Come now, whatever you have done before, to the Lord our Redeemer, for pardon and for peace. This is the precept of my text-Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Names distinguish one thing from another. A man's name is that by which he is known. The name of the Lord, of course, denotes himself as revealed to us. The clearest revelation is in Christ Jesus, the image of the invisible God: and the Lord our Redeemer, is, therefore, the NAME, as well as the WISDOM, and the WORD OF GOD. Exod. xxiii. 21. My NAME is in him. Jer. xxiii. 6. In his days Judah shall be saved, * John xiv. 24, 27. Habak. iii. 17, 18. |