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does not thereby e teousness and obed spel, as the conditi of God, and of our: solution by the fen contrary, does eve holy and virtuous plainly the tenour out all his epiftles. are justified by faith three things:

1. That the obf cessary to our justif does in oppofition church, by teaching ftians to keep the la so, they could not t account given, Acts the meaning of that i to the Romans and th ed by the works of the And this is very evid ing about this matte urge this argument, viz. That men were was given, for which therefore the observanc to a man's juftification 2. Sometimes he, in

f hind, and received into the favour ure profeffion of the Chriftian faith, w wis of righteoufness preceding. St. Ja man continues in a juftified state, an Cod, whofe faith doth not bring forth that it is not a true and lively faith, w approve and thew itself to be so, by the v and a good life. James ii. 14. What my brethren, if a man say that he works; can faith fave him? Fifit bath not works is dead, being wer 25. he repeats it again, know, O vain ks is dead. And ver. 22. fp Sceltica low faith wrought with his mate perfeft. And ver. 2 at the spirit is dead, fo faith The fum and refult of all gh we be juftified at first by faith

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right, denies the merit de righteousness to gain the fo that we cannot challeng and as a ground of boasting, b and mercy of God; and w have done but our duty. An Jy infifts upon in his epiftle tion to an arrogant opinion, c of the merit of good works, al to them for their obedience. In iv. 4. Now to him that worketh not of grace but of debt; that is, tion, and the reward of eternal lin

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nult of neceffity have charity, as well as a ither faith nor charity are the worthnet wi f our juftification, but that is to be ad our Saviour Chritt, who was ofered te ur fins, and refe again for car ju liticate," more at large in a treatife published at the our reformation, upon this and fome ot.cz I do not fee what can be faid upon this point earness and weight.

ication I shall make of this dicourse thail that if we be convinced of the neceflity fa good life to all that profess themselves would feriously and in good earnest fet ce of them; if this be a faithful faying, greatly concerns us to be careful of our and that our conversation be as becomfriff; because if this be true, there is reconcile a wicked life, no, nor a wilation of any of the duties and laws of e hopes of heaven and eternal life. pofitive and peremptory, that every e in bin, malt purify him'eit, even thout botiness no man jeall jee the ur fruit atto bustes, our end jhall

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ner is at first justified, and received into the favour of God, by a fincere profeffion of the Christian faith, without any works of righteousness preceding. St. James affirms, that no man continues in a juftified state, and in favour with God, whose faith doth not bring forth good works, and that it is not a true and lively faith, which doth not approve and shew itself to be so, by the works of obedience and a good life. James ii. 14. What doth it profit a man, my brethren, if a man say that he hath faith, and hath not works; can faith save him? And ver. 17. Faith if it hath not works is dead, being alone. And ver. 20. he repeats it again, know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead. And ver. 22. speaking of Abraham, Seeft thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect. And ver. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead, fo faith without works is dead also. The fum and refult of all which is this, that though we be justified at first by faith without works preceding, yet faith, without good works following it, will not finally justify and save us; nay indeed, that faith which does not bring forth the fruits of a good life, was never a true, and living, and perfect faith; but pretended, and dead, and imperfect, and therefore can justify no man; and he that hath only fuch a faith, does but make an empty and ineffectual profession, but is really deftitute of the true faith of the gofpel.

And this is agreeable to that explication which was given by our first reformers here in England, of the nature of justifying faith; "That it is not a mere perfua"sion of the truths of natural and revealed religion, " but such a belief as begets a fubmiffion to the will of "God, and hath hope, love, and obedience to God's "commandments joined to it. That this is the faith " which in baptifm is professed, from which Christians

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are called the faithful; and that in those scriptures, "where it is said, we are justified by faith, we may not " think that we be juftified by faith, as it is a feparate " virtue from hope and charity, the fear of God, and "repentance, but by it is meant faith, neither only nor alone, but with the aforesaid virtues, containing an engagement of obedience to the whole doctrine and re"ligion of Chrift. And that although all that are justi

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"fied, must of necessity have charity, as well as faith, yet neither faith nor charity are the worthiness and merit of our juftification, but that is to be afcribed only to our Saviour Chrift, who was offered upon the "cross for our fins, and rose again for our justification;" as may be seen more at large in a treatife published at the beginning of our reformation, upon this and fome other points. And I do not fee what can be faid upon this point with more clearness and weight.

All the application I shall make of this discourse shall be briefly this; that if we be convinced of the necessity of the virtues of a good life to all that profess themselves Christians, we would feriously and in good earnest set about the practice of them; if this be a faithful faying, then I am fure it greatly concerns us to be careful of our lives and actions, and that our conversation be as becometh the gospel of Chrift; because if this be true, there is no possible way to reconcile a wicked life, no, nor a wilful neglect and violation of any of the duties and laws of Christianity, with the hopes of heaven and eternal life. In this the scripture is positive and peremptory, that every man that hath this hope in him, must purify himself, even as he is pure: that without holiness no man shall fee the Lord: but if we have our fruit unto holiness, our end shall be everlasting life.

And here I might particularly recommend, to your careful practice, the great virtues of Christianity; those which St. Paul tells us are the proper and genuine fruits of the spirit of Christ, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodnefs, fidelity, meekness, temperance. But I have not time to infist particularly upon them. I shall content myself briefly to mention those duties, which the Apostle in this epistle doth more especially press upon the several conditions and relations of men. Thofe who are teachers and instructors of others, that they would not only be careful to preach found doctrine, but in all things to shew themselves patterns of good works. Those who are subject to others, and under their government, that they would pay all duty and obedience to their fuperiors, as children to their parents, fervants to their masters, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, as the Apostle speaks, chap. ii. ver. 10. And so likewife those who are subjects, that they live in all peaceable and humble obedience to princes and magistrates. This our Apostle speaks of as a great duty of Christian religion, and reckons it among good works, chap. iii. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, and to obey magistrates, and to be ready to every good work.

And then those who are of an inferior condition, that they labour and be diligent in the work of an honest calling, for this is privately good and profitable unto men, and to their families; and those who are above this necessity, and are in a better capacity to maintain good works properly so called, works of piety, and charity, and justice; that they be careful to promote and advance them, according to their power and opportunity, because these things are publickly good and beneficial to mankind. And befides this, as St. Peter exhorts, 2 Pet. i. 5. 6. &c. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot fee afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old fins; that is, doth not confider that the design of Chriftianity is to renew and reform the hearts and lives of men. Wherefore the rather, brethren, as he goes on, give diligence to make your calling and election fure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I will conclude all with that excellent saying of St. Paul in this epistlė to Titus, which so fully declares to us the great design, and the proper efficacy of the Christian doctrine upon the minds and manners of men; chap. ii. 11. 12. 13. For the grace of God that bringeth falvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness, and worldly lufts, we should live foberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world: looking for that

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