fome vague and indeterminate rule of conduct, which they call fincerity: They infilt not upon the converfion and renoration of the heart, in thofe who have been educated Chriftians They account little of the immediate duties of the whole firft table of the law, or allow them only a fecondary importance: They cenfure us for our firictnefs in regard to what chiefly concerns a man's felf, and tolerate various kinds of public diflipation: And, fo far are they from being firict on those branches of morality into which they nearly refolve the whole of it, on the relative and Jocial virtues; fo lax are the notions of fome of them on the duties of fubjects to their governors, and of minifters to their people; fo little reafon have they for boafting, with respect to the virtues of Veracity, Candour, and Charity. Hence it is, that, as the eminent Bishop Horsley obferves to his Clergy, when a man affirms that he " is a moral mian," he means nothing more than that "he is no murderer, no adulterer, no thief, no liar, no spendthriftk." Yet this is the morality concerning which we hear fuch a continual boaft! Thefe are the good works which are to contribute fo much toward obtaining heaven and immortality!" With nothing more of the Chriftian character about him," his Lordship proceeds, "than is fuppofed to be contained in the negation of these crimes, he (i. e. fuch a profeffor of Chriftianity) hopes to find admiffion into the kingdom of heaven; for, if at any time he hath chanced to drop in, while you have been preaching, he has heard you tell your congregation that Morality is all in all1." SECTION II. Concerning the SANCTIONS of Morality. BUT, it is of little importance, it will be faid, what our Standard of Morality is, if we deftroy its Sanctions, and difpenfe with its neceffity. Let us examine then whether or not this is in any degree the cafe? Good works, we have maintained, are neither the meritorious caufe, nor the appointed condition of juftification. Let us inquire whether it from hence follows, that we have either no neceffary use for them, or no proper fanctions by which we enforce them. The body of those whom our doctrines concern conftitute two claffes, the righteous and the wicked, or believers and unbelievers; it may be proper therefore to attend to their bearings on each of thefe claffes of men. Now, it must be admitted, that this doctrine of juftification, will have the fame afpect on morals, when taught by us, which it has when taught precifely in the fame manner, by our church. In whatever way therefore he can inculcate morality confiftently with it, we can confiftently imitate her. The church too, it has appeared, is in fome degree implicated in the charge to be refuted". To her procedure on the fubject we will therefore particularly attend. And first, Our church fecures the interefts, and inculcates the neceffity of morality, by confidering Good Works the natural fruit, and neceffary effect, of that faith which jufti fies. On this point she is most full and decifive. "By all the (m) Above, p. 221. declaration of St. Paul," fhe fays, "it is evident, that the true, lively, and Chriftian faith, is no dead, vain, or unfruitful thing, but a thing of perfect virtue, of wonderful operation and strength, bringing forth all good motions and good works"." "True faith," fhe affirms, "doth ever bring forth good works." "Good works," fhe teaches, "are the fruits of faith, and follow after juftification P. This is the import of the epithets "true," "quick," and "lively," which the annexes to it, and the characteristic by which the conftantly diftinguishes it from all counterfeits, that "it liveth and flirreth inwardly in the heart," "worketh by charity," "and is fruitful in bringing forth goodworks "." She fubjoins, accordingly, to her definition of this faith; "whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey God's commandments." She declares moft exprefsly and repeatedly, that where "these fruits do not follow," men are deftitute of the true faith; and that if they pretend to have it, they "deceive themselves, mock God," and manifeftly fhow that they know not "what true faith meaneth 3." "That faith,” she says, "which bringeth forth (without repentance) either evil works, or no good works, is not a right, pure, and lively faith, but a dead, devilifh, counterfeit, and feigned faith, as St. Paul and St. James call it." Nay, "it is not," fhe fays, "properly called faith;" and that forafmuch as it is thus "dead, it is not now faith, as a dead man is not a man W " Accordingly, after her definition of juftifying faith, the adds; "This true Chriftian faith no man hath, who in his outward profeffion.... seemeth to be a Chriftian man, and yet in his living and deeds fhoweth the contrary." And again, "If we do not fhow ourselves (n) Homily on Faith, p. 23. (0) Ibid, p. 26. (p) Art. 12. (r) Homily on Salva (q) Homily on Faith, p. 20, and paffim. (x) Homily on Salvation, p. 18. (t) Homily (w) Above, p. 193. faithful in our converfation, the faith which we pretend to have is but a feigned faith"." "Deceive not yourselves therefore thinking that you have faith in God,... when you live in fin; for then your ungodly and finful life declareth the contrary, whatsoever you fay or think.’ Nor is this mode of speaking peculiar to our Articles and Homilies, but is the common language of our Reformers and the authorities they respected, on all occafions.Archbishop Cranmer, fpeaking of juftifying faith, fays, it "cannot but produce love and obedience." Nowell's Catechifin, treating on this faith, fays, " it always has joined with it, a difpofition to obedience." The Bishops. and Martyrs in prifon, having deferibed the fame faith, fay, where through as the mind is illuminated, fo the heart is fuppled to fubmit itself to God unfeignedly, and fo fhoweth forth an inherent righteousness;" and that although this rightcoufnefs is to be diftinguished " in the article of juftification, from the righteousness which God endueth us withal juftifying us," yet" infeparably they go together." "Our church," the learned Bishop of Lincoln accordingly fays, " confiders good works as effential to the character of a true Christian, and, as the necessary confequence of fincere faith in Chrift"." Our church alfo affigns the reafons why true faith is ever thus productive of obedience. Some of these are, because "when we really receive Chrift, we receive him fuch as he offers hinfelf to us; and that it is his office not only to deliver us from fin and death, and reinftate us in God's favour, but also to reform and regenerate us by the inspiration and operation of his Spirit, and to reftore us to that love and practice of holiness which is called newness of life:" becaufe p. 269. tion, p. 277. (e) Nowell's Cat. p. 112; and Hom. on Refurrec that as true believers "know Chrift to be the only Saviour of the world, fo they know alfo that wicked men fhall not enjoy the kingdom of God" and becaufe, on believing they become united to Chrift as the branches are to the vine, and through the continued exercife of faith, derive from him ftrength and nourishment, and whatever is requifite for the fupport of the fpiritual life. Hence the concludes, that, in the nature of things, it is impoffible it should be otherwife; that the principles of the Gospel really embraced must be operative"; that, as St. John argues, "being born of God they cannot," in the ordinary courfe of their behaviour, "commit fin;" but that "his feed," the divine principle implanted in regeneration, "remaineth in them," and difpofeth them to relish and pursue whatever is ex-. cellent. Præterea," fays the Augfburgh Confeffion, "docent noftri, quòd neceffe fit bona opera facere, non ut confidamus per ea gratiam mereri, fed propter voluntatem Dei. Tantùm fide apprehenditur remiffio peccatorum ac gratia. Et quia per fidem accipitur Spiritus fan&tus, jam corda renovantur, et induunt novos affectus, ut parere bona opera poffint. Sic enim ait Ambrofius: Fides bonæ voluntatis, et juftæ actionis genetrix eft "." In short then, our church teaches moft undeniably, "that good works do fpring out NECESSARILY of a true and lively faith;" that "good living CANNOT BE SEPARATED from true faith;" that "as the light cannot be hid, but will show forth itself at one place or other, fo a true faith cannot be kept fecret, but will show itself by good works ;" and that "as the living body of a man ever exercifeth fuch things as belong to a natural and living body, even fo the foul that hath a lively faith in it, will be doing always fome good (f) Hom. on Salva. p. 18. on Good Works, p. 27. Hom. on faith, p. 24—26. (1) Hom. on faith. p. 22. (g) See above, p. 195; and Hom. (b) Hom. on Salva. p. 18. (i) See (z) Art. 20. (k) Art. 12. |