ginates in grace as its source and cause, is effected through faith, as the medium of its conveyance, the mode of its accomplishment, the means of its application. Reflect now, my brethren, on the blessings of redemption-those spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, which God hath prepared for them that love him. Let them pass one by one in review before you; take into the account whatever the Father hath promised, or the Saviour hath purchased by his death, or the Holy Spirit hath engaged to perform.-These, which are but so many emanations of the Lord's goodness, and streams of mercy proceeding from his own free grace and covenant love, are all to be obtained and enjoyed by ourselves through believing. By faith we gain access to this boundless plenitude of grace; by faith we obtain a personal interest therein; by faith we apply it to our own use, and enter into the full possession and enjoyment of it. That salvation, therefore, which is by grace, at the same time entirely depends, as far as concerns any personal benefit of it to ourselves, on our believing. If it be asked, who are they that are justified from all things? The scriptures declare, "All that believe are justified."* If Christ is the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption of his people, he is made such of God unto them that believe. His righteousness is denominated the righteousness which is of God by faith." He sanctifies their hearts by faith-Whosoever believeth shall not perish. "He that seeth the Son and believeth on him that sent him, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life."+ "O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Of what unspeakable importance then is faith, and how deeply interesting the enquiry, Wherein does it consist, and how may it be obtained? Faith is the submission of the heart to the testimony of God; it is the dependance of the truly convinced and penitent soul on Christ, to be saved entirely by free grace and this precious grace of faith, like every good and perfect gift, cometh from above, and * Acts. xiii. 39. + Rom. iii. 22. by fervent prayer must be sought for from the Father of lights. This is not a natural principle, or any way within the compass of human powers or capacities: it is, as our text delares, not of ourselves, but the gift of God. Indeed "all things are of God;" and this leads me to remark generally, 3. That He is the Divine Author of salvation the grace, the salvation, and the faith, are all his own, and are never any otherwise to be obtained than as his free and unmerited gift. To each partaker of this grace, it may be said, What hast thou that thou didst not receive? Every good gift is from God; he hath given us his dear Son; he hath promised the Holy Spirit; he hath exalted his Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto his kingdom in heaven, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto his people, and forgiveness of sins; and, in a word, "he that spared. not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" The testimony of our Church in confirmation of this point, is every where most clear and decisive. To adduce one out of numerous instances, the Homily on Good Works declares, "It is of the free grace and mercy of God, by the mediation of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ, without merit or deserving on our part, that our sins are forgiven us, that we are reconciled and brought again into his favour, and are made heirs of his heavenly kingdom." II. I shall proceed, in the second place, to point out IN WHAT SENSE, AND FOR WHAT REASON, WORKS ARE EXCLUDED IN THE MATTER OF MAN'S SALVATION, according to the language of the text, "not of works," which so exactly corresponds with the Homily just cited, "without merit or deserving on our part." 1. Works then are excluded as the meritorious ground and procuring cause of salvation. What language can be more decidedly to the point, or more clear and intelligible to every capacity, than that of the Apostle, in his epistle to the Galatians: where, in the phraseology of the Old Testament, he proclaims, "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them." And the direct and obvious inference from this solemn declaration is, that "no man is justified by the law in the sight of God;" but that "as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse." Thus is the way of life a narrow way, hedged up securely on either side. The plan of salvation which God has devised for his perishing creatures, is directly opposed to that which man is inclined, in the vain imaginations of his own heart, to devise for himself. Ignorant of his real state with respect to God, and placing an undue confidence in his imaginary strength, worthiness, and natural resources, he foolishly supposes himself competent to merit the divine favour, and to obtain eternal life by his works and deservings. But God's thoughts in this matter, are directly opposed to man's thoughts; his method of salvation is in every respect at variance with man's self-projected schemes. He saves the sinner in a way that abases human pride, while it secures the praise and glory exclusively to himself. 2. Works are excluded as having any share in our justification, or conducing in any |