This, no doubt, constitutes a considerable difference; and without having some regard to this difference, we may fall into error in interpreting divers passages of scripture.

Nevertheless, we are not to dismiss every text which we cannot at first sight explain, with the short answer, that it relates to the first Christians, and not to us. This is a negligent and unworthy way of treating subjects of such deep importance. It often proceeds from rashness, or indolence, or religious indifference, and will lead into mistakes of an opposite kind. We are to ascertain, by a serious examination of the text before us, and the place in which it is found, what the actual difference is between the case of the early Christians, and our own, and how far that difference clears up the particular meaning; whilst at the same time, in a more general yet fair construction, much substantial truth may be left, in which we ourselves are interested. If this be so, we are to apply what is applicable. And perhaps there are few portions of scripture, in which, proceeding in this manner, we shall not find something that touches our own case most nearly. For instance, and to return to the question now under consideration, every man who reforms his life; who hath found in himself a general change of his behaviour; and who feels this change, both in the state of his mind and the course of his behaviour, will find a strong similitude between his own case and that of the first christian converts; and I think that he is well warranted in hoping that the justification, the pardon of the past, which in St Paul's epistles is expressly attributed to their conversion, will be extended to his reformation, and upon the same condition; namely, of his persisting steadily in his new course; for, though the change in him be called reformation, and in them was conversion, reformation is in truth the substance of conversion; it being to no purpose to go from one religion to another, even from a false to a true religion, if we carry our vices along with us. Again, he who breaks off any particular sin from a religious motive, and without hypocrisy, such alteration being the effect upon his heart of his faith in Christ, has reason to apply to himself the doctrine of justification by faith, so far as to support and comfort himself with the expectation, that in the sight of God, he is justified from the sin which he had so forsaken; by which is meant, that his former transgressions of that kind are blotted out. This, however, has nothing to do with the case of him, who is merely changing one species of sin for another, according as a different time of life, a different state of fortune, a difference of place, possession, or society, may offer

different temptations; for in that sort of change there is no repentance, no reformation, no proof or example of the efficacy or operation of christian faith; but a mere following of the inclination, which is uppermost at the time. There is no justification by faith, when there is no faith operating, and consequently none in the case here described. But wherever there is a resolute resistance of temptation, a resolute breaking off of sinful habits, from and by virtue of the strength and force of religious motives within us, there is a working, energetic faith, and there is that justification by faith which is so much spoken of in St Paul's epistles. So that though there were circumstances of the age in which these epistles were written, which concerned the doctrine, which circumstances do not subsist now, it is far from being true that the doctrine itself is either barren or unimportant, or such as may be overlooked or neglected.

To conclude: The grand question is, what will save us at last. And this, so far as our present argument is concerned, divides itself into three; Will faith and works together save us? will faith without works save us? will works without faith save us? Now that faith in Jesus Christ, accompanied by a good life proceeding from that faith, will infallibly lead to salvation, neither admits, nor ever hath admitted, of any controversy whatever. Upon this point all parties are agreed. And this point is sufficient for the sincere Christian. He may entertain the other questions as matters of very interesting meditation ; but for himself, whilst he believes in Christ's religion, and earnestly and honestly strives to obey its laws, according to the utmost of his power and knowledge, he has no personal cause of doubt or distrust from either of them. The chief thing he has to look to is humility, the want of which may vitiate all his other good qualities. The chief thing he has to guard against, is a false and presumptuous opinion of his good works, so as to found upon them, in his own mind, a secret claim upon Heaven as of justice due to his merits, instead of gratefully referring himself, and all his hopes, to the free bounty and infinite love of God in Christ, displayed by offering him such a reward upon such terms.

The second question is, Will faith save us without works; or, to put the same question in another form, will faith end in salvation, though accompanied by a life of wickedness? Doctrines certainly have been, and are held, which lead to this conclusion, yet the conclusion itself is seriously maintained by few; for, however in terms the doctrine of salvation by faith

without works may appear to agree with certain expressions of St Paul's epistles, yet, when it comes to be offered as a rule of practice, it shows its own inconsistency with every property and character of true religion so strongly, that the practical inference is always denied. It is generally avoided by putting such a construction upon the word faith, as to prevent any licentious deductions being drawn from the doctrine of justification by faith; so that, to the question just now stated,' will faith end in salvation, though it be accompanied with wickedness of life?' the answer usually given is, that true faith never can be accompanied by wickedness of life. It is not necessary to go over the subject again, for the purpose of inquiring whether it be applicable to all the texts of scripture to which it is applied, or only to some of them; for, I trust, we have shown upon the whole, that the sense, which the doctrine of justification by faith without works, rigorously taken, would put upon St Paul's expressions, can never have been the sense which St Paul himself intended; amongst other strong reasons, chiefly for this, that it is in contradiction with his own repeated declarations, and even with declarations delivered in the very writings in which the contested expressions are found. And I trust also we have shown, what undoubtedly it might be required of us to show, that these are interpretations fairly assignable to St Paul's words, which stand clear of the doctrine in its rigorous, or, as it is sometimes called, its Calvinistic sense.

The third question is, Will good works save us without faith? Now, this is a question of circumstances, and the principal circumstance to be attended to is, whether our want of faith be our own fault. It is certainly true, that want of faith may proceed from, and be a proof of a wrong and a bad disposition of mind, of such a disposition of mind as no good thing can come from. This, perhaps, was both very generally and in a very high degree the case with the Jews in our Saviour's time, and with many of those to whom the apostles preached; because they had evidence afforded them, which ought to have convinced them, and which would have convinced them, had it not been that they gave themselves up to their prejudices, to their vicious propensities, and to wrong habits of thinking. And this their situation and opportunities will account for some of those strong denunciations against want of faith, which are found in scripture addressed to the unbelievers of those times. If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost." And, to a certain extent, the same reason may be alleged concerning many of those by whom, in after ages, the gospel is rejected, after

being fairly proposed to them. Now, in this case, good works without faith, will not save a man; because, in truth, the works are not good, which flow from that disposition which occasions the want of faith. The works may be good, that is, may be useful as to their consequences and effects upon others; but this is not enough for the salvation of the person who performs them. They must also flow from a good disposition, which in the case supposed they could not do; for that good disposition would, along with the works, have produced faith.

On the other hand, cases undoubtedly may be supposed, and cases occur in innumerable instances, in which the want of faith cannot be attributed to the fault of the unbeliever. Whole nations and countries have never yet heard of the name of Christ. In countries in which he has been preached, multitudes have been debarred, by invincible impediments, from coming to the knowledge of his religion. To multitudes of others it has never been preached or proposed truly or fairly. In these and the like cases it is not for us to say, that men will be destroyed for their want of faith. The scripture has not said so, but the contrary. The scripture appears to intimate that which, so far as we can apprehend, is most agreeable to the Divine equity, that such persons shall respectively be judged according to the law and rule with which they were, or, if it had not been their own fault, they might have been acquainted, whether that were simply the law of nature, or any addition made to it by credible revelations. This is generally understood to be the meaning of that passage in the second chapter of St Paul's epistle to the Romans, in which he declares, that as many as have sinned. without the law, shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law.' To which he adds, that when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, they having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which show the works of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.' Which two texts, taken together, intimate, as I have said, that in the assignment both of punishment and reward, respect will be had to the law or rule of action with which they were acquainted, so that those who acted conscientiously by that rule would be accepted, but who wilfully went against the dictates of their own conscience would be regarded as transgressors before God, be their condition, as to religious. knowledge and information, what it would.

In order to understand that this doctrine does not detract

from the value of Christianity so much as, at first sight, it may seem to do, two considerations are to be attended to, as possessing a material influence upon the subject. One is, that this gracious dispensation which comprises all mankind, which so condescends to their several difficulties and disadvantages, and is so indulgent to human blindness and wickedness, is procured to the world through the intervention, the mission, death, and mediation of Jesus Christ. Christ is the instrument of salvation to all who are saved. The obedient Jew, the virtuous heathen, are saved through him. They do not know this, nor may it be necessary they should. Yet it may be true in fact. That is one important consideration. The other is, that we are expressly taught in scripture, that there are divers degrees of happiness even in heaven; which being so, it is not unreasonable to expect that faithful followers of Christ will be advanced to higher rewards than others. This opinion is not repugnant to any ideas we form of distributive justice, and is scriptural.

Still, however, this speculation, though we cannot, I think, easily shut it out from our thoughts, does not touch our own proper concern. Our concern is solely with the question how a Christian can be saved. And in this question we rest upon one single conclusion; viz. that there is no safe reliance upon any thing but upon sincere endeavours after christian obedience; and that a Christian's obedience consists in relinquishing his own sins, and practising his own duties.

XI.

ALL STAND IN NEED OF A REDEEMER.

PART V.

HEBREWS IX. 26.

Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

In former discourses upon this text I have shown, first, that the scriptures expressly state the death of Jesus Christ as having an efficacy in the procurement of human salvation, which is