"what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, "is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou "hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith "without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one "God; thou dost well: the devils also believe, and "tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faithwithout works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac "his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought "with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? "And the Scripture was fulfilled (confirmed), which

saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed "unto him for righteousness: and he was called the "friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a "man is justified, and not by faith only*." It is ex ceeding plain, that he had not the same thing in view which St. Paul had; for the incident to which he here refers, happened a great many years after Abraham had been declared justified in the sight of God,

The sum is, the one declares that nothing renders us acceptable to God but faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; the other, that such a faith, when true and genuine, is not solitary, but accompanied with every good work. The one speaks of the justification of our persons, this is by faith only; the other of the justification of our profession, this is by faith not alone, but working by love, and producing obedience.

St. James has the same view in speaking of Rahab†; and, by producing her as a confirmation, it is still more evident, that he is only considering works as the proofs of our sincerity. We have no sure ground to conclude, that Rahab, in the act of receiving the spies, and at that † James, ii. 25.

* James, ii. 14-24.

time, had any saving faith, or any view to the Messiah and the covenant of grace; though it is most probable she had, after she was joined to the people of Israel, and became acquainted with divine revelation. But in Jericho her thoughts seemed to have been confined to a temporal deliverance; and the profession of faith which she made to the spies implies no more. "And she "said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, "and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because "of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up "the water of the Red Sea for you, when you came out "of Egypt; and what you did unto the two kings of "the Amorites.-And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt; neither did there remain

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any more courage in any man, because of you: for "the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and "in earth beneath. Now therefore, I pray you, swear

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unto me by the Lord, since I have showed you kind

ness, that ye will also show kindness unto my father's "house; and give me atrue token*." Had she said thus, and yet delivered the spies up to the king of Jericho, it would have proved that she did not speak from her heart; but her profession was justified by receiving them into her house, concealing them from the search made after them, and sending them away in peace. Surely this conduct of Rahab will be sufficient to condemn many who would be thought Christians.

We may therefore deduce two propositions, perfectly consistent with each other, from the passage in question.

1. That there is no acceptance for any of the sons of Adam, with the just and holy God, but through Je

Joshua, ii, 9-12.

sus Christ as our righteousness received by faith, and that in this concern works of every kind are absolutely excluded.

This is the capital doctrine of the Gospel; it is not only clearly asserted in innumerable passages both of the Old Testament and the New, but is St. Paul's express subject and design in his epistles to the Romans and the Galatians. Though he was yielding and compliant in many things of less importance, and was willing to become all things to all men, yet he would not give plaće, no not for an hour, to any who offered to invalidate this foundation-truth. He declares, that to mix any thing, to contend for any qualification or observance, as of necessary influence to concur with the perfect work of Christ in the justification of a sinner, is to darken, alter, and destroy the Gospel which he preached; and denounces an anathema against every one who should be guilty of this presumption, yea, though he should be (if such a thing was possible) an angel from heaven. How cordially he rested his own hope upon the truth which he proposed to others, he declares elsewhere, Yea, doubtless, and I count all "things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge "of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered "the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, "that I may win Christ; and be found in him†, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, "but that which is through the faith of Christ, the " righteousness of God by faith."

*Gal. i. 8, 9.

*

Ex vous, of law: that is, of any

+ Phil. iii. 8, 9.

law whatsoever, not of the

law, as if he only meant the Jewish law. The article 78 seems here

to be purposely left out.

of you any

If this is the Scriptural doctrine, let each one examine on what ground you stand. Has God appointed one way of salvation, and will dare to pro pose another? This would be both wicked and dangerous: "Other foundation can no man lay than that "which is laid, which is Jesus Christ*. You may

please yourselves now with what you account your good works; but when God shall " lay judgement to the line, and righteousness to the plummet †," none will be able to abide his appearance, but those who can plead a righteousness perfectly answerable to the law's demands, which can only be found in Jesus Christ, the righteous one.

And as this doctrine is of so great and essential importance, beware how you listen to any other. Take heed how you heart; be not influenced by the names, characters, or stations of men, when the salvation of your souls is at stake. Prize the liberty which, as Protestants and Britons, you enjoy,, of bringing every doctrine to the trial of God's word, and freely use it. I account it my honour and happiness that I preach to a free people, who have the Bible in their hands. To your Bibles I appeal. I entreat, I charge you, to receive nothing upon my word, any farther than I prove it from the word of God; and bring every preacher, and every sermon that you hear, to the same standard. If this is the truth, you had need to be well established in it; for it is not the current and fashionable doctrine of the times. Let me then farther recommend to you (it is a direction our Lord has given), to examine doctrines by their effects: "By their fruits ye shall know

"them." The truths of God, when faithfully preached, in humble dependence upon his blessing, will be attested by his power. At such times, and in such places, a visible change will soon be observable in some or more of the hearers: they cease to do evil, they learn to do well: they acknowledge God in all their ways, and glorify him before men, by living according to his precepts. And if you ask them the reason of this change, they will freely ascribe it to the blessing of God upon that sort of preaching, which by too many is accounted foolishnesst.

On the other hand, we are not afraid to challenge those who are most acquainted with men and books, to produce instances of the same effects wrought by any other doctrine than that which commends the Lord Christ in his person, offices, and power, as the only object of a sinner's hope. How much is said and wrote to tell people what they should be, and what they should do! yet where these principles are not enforced, there is nothing effectually done, nothing indeed attempted, beyond a formal round of dull and heartless. service; a little something that looks like religion on the Lord's day, to appear in church at the summons of the bell, to repeat words because other people do the same, to hear what is delivered from the pulpit with little attention or affection, unless something occurs that is suited to exalt self, or to sooth conscience, and then to run with eagerness into the world again.

Or if here and there a person is truly touched by the secret influence and guidance of the Spirit of God, where this evangelical doctrine is not publicly maintained, the consequence always is, that they renounce