The queftion then arifes, Have you this mark of true faving faith; purity or holinefs of heart and life? Have you any degree? Juft in the degree you poffefs it, fo is your faith in Chrift.. We cannot, for an inflant, feparate the one from the other. But, oh! be cautious, that you do not miftake for this, what is commonly called morality; a mere outward decency and propriety of manners, with general harmleffnefs, and occafional benevolence of conduct. This may exift without true love either to God or man; but holiness never can. This may leave the heart entirely in its natural ftate; but holiness indicates its complete change. It is reprefented as our being "converted "renewed, born again of the Spirit, created anew "in Chrift Jefus; partakers of the divine na"ture &c;" and as our firft-creation fits us for the animal life, fo the fecond for the spiritual and divine. Holinefs, in fhort, is the perfection of all religion, and includes within it every other mark of juftifying faith, which have you heard reprefented in thefe difcourfes. If you have not all of thefe, therefore, you have not holinefs; and if you have not holiness, you have not faith in Chrift; you are not the adopted children of God, but "are yet 66 your fins. *"

* 1 Cor. xv. 17. See John viii. 21. & 24.

in

PART II.

W

E have feen, in this and the preceding difcourfes, the nature of true saving faith in Chrift. We have confidered it in its caufing Chrift to dwell in us, by his Holy Spirit, bearing witness to our fpiritual adoption, and producing his divine fruits; in its making Chrift precious to our fouls, and being attended with joy and peace in its exercife; in its being the fubftance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not feen; the principle of a new and fpiritual birth, attended with good works, and working by love to God and man; in its overcoming the world, enabling us to refift the temptations of Satan; and purifying our hearts from all their corruptions. Communion with God in prayer, humility, and other privileges and graces peculiar to believers, have been paffed over, because they are implied in the above representations; and though always confidered in the facred fcriptures as belonging to the difciples of Chrift, yet I do not recollect, that they are any where directly afferted, like the above-noticed marks, as the effects of faith. Those cited may be fufficient to point out the nature of true belief in Chrift, which, we af

fure

fure you, after the fcriptures, and our Church, is the only faith, by which you can be faved. It is the faith, by which every person now in glory has been faved from the foundation of the world, according to the more or lefs perfect difpenfation of divine grace under which he has lived. If your faith be not productive of the effects above described, it is not the true faith, and it cannot be the mean of your falvation. How fenfelefs then is the exclamation, that in enforcing faith, we leffen the obligations of morality, or of any principle which is good and praife-worthy; yea, we establish them all; and that, on the firmeft foundation, the only one capable of fupporting them, that which God has laid, and not man. “Other foundation," for any thing which is really good and amiable, " can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jefus "Chrift." Indeed, my friends, you miftake, in imagining, that it is any thing apparently contrary to holiness, which offends you in the doctrine of falvation by faith. So far from it, if we fhould dareto preach falvation by a faith not neceffarily productive of this, I would answer for it, that numbers of you would readily become fuch believers. You are not willing to forfake your fins, to give up your idols, worldly pleafures, riches, or honours, and therefore you will not believe. You love darkness rather than light, becaufe 66 your deeds are evil*." You hate to be reform"ed," and therefore caft God's words behind 66 you.t." If you might retain your evil defires, I 3

* John ii. 9.

+ Palm 1. 17. Prayer-Bock verfion.

and

and finful habits, you would readily enough em brace any mere fpeculative faith, which we would preach to you. If you might be permitted to unite light with darknefs, Chrift with Belial *, you would not hesitate concerning the theory which you admitted. You would, without any reluctance, admit the doctrine of falvation by this. You would not object to any outward forms which might be annexed to it. These might serve to quiet the occafional mifgivings of your confcience, and cherish your self-esteem. But a complete change of heart, principles, and life, is what you cannot bear. This ftrikes at Satan's empire within you at once; and against this, every objection will be urged, even cavils of the most oppofite and difcordant nature will be brought forward. At one time, the doctrines will be reprefented fo relaxed as to lead to licentioufnefs; at another time, fo rigid, that it is not poffible to obey them. And, then, when we tell you, that you must renounce your very beft actions, thoughts, and difpofitions, as the means of your acceptance with God, after as well as before believing; and, from first to laft, muft feek mercy through the merits and fufferings of Chrift alone; this is fuch a ftab to pride, that it can never be borne. If you might but be allowed, at length, to establish a merit of your own, every thing befides might be endured; but, after all, to come to God as "unprofitable fervants," hoping for every thing only through his Son, this appears to "the carnak

2 Cor. vi. 17.

carnal mind" intolerable. And yet, this is the delight and glory of true believers. They would not be any thing themfelves, if they could; and well know that they could not if they would. The headstone of their fpiritual and eternal building must be brought in with fhoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it * ; and fo would they have it. They defire no glory, except by reflexion of the glory of God; as they feek no happiness, except in and through him. The moft exalted title, at which they aim, is that of redeemed finners. Their highest ambition is to lay their crowns of glory at the fet of Chrift, and to Hymn his praises throughout eternity. And, though he, with his ufual love and condefcenfion, may graciously fay of them, thefe fhall walk with me in white, for they are "worthy ;" yet, the rapturous language of their + hearts will ever be, " "Worthy is the Lamb "that was flain, to receive power, and riches, and "wisdom, and ftrength, and honour, and glory, "and bleffing," for "thou haft redeemed us to "to God, through thy blood f." "Bleffing, and "honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that "fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for "ever and ever."

From all that has been faid (if you have receiv ed it) you cannot, I fhould hope, be at a lofs to know whether you be truly in the faith," or not.--- Further defcription must be unneceffary. I fhall therefore conclude the whole, with a parting addrefs.

Zech. iv. 7. + Rev. iii. 4. See iv. 11. Rev v. 9.

Ver. 13.

Rev. v. 12.

1ft,