sight; for by

But now the law, is mani

shall no flesh be justified in his the law is the knowledge of sin. righteousness of God without the fested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets: even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. iii. 20-24. Remember, God is just only in justifying the believer. These truths are needful to teach us not to trifle with religion; and to awaken and preserve in our hearts commiseration for unbelievers: this love to our fellow creatures is much wanting: let us endeavour to convince them of sin in all the meekness of a Christian spirit.

SERMON IV.

ON THE PURPOSE AND PLAN OF REDEMPTION.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ

Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.-EPH. II. 10.

THE Apostle not only dwells in the text on the greatest works that the world ever witnessed, but traces them to their true source-to God. The greatest good which God confers upon man is, when he is endued with the Holy Spirit, and quickened to a life of righteousness. Eph. ii. 1—6. “And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature

But

the children of wrath, even as others. God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Here is an encouragement for the worst of sinners to approach God, and the reason is given in the eighth and ninth verses, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." Not of his own works, certainly-for man by nature is indisposed to good works; and as certainly evil works can purchase nothing from God but punishment, which is their due; and through the work of Christ alone is the sinner convinced of sin.

I. The text leads us to consider in the first place THE PURPOSE OF GOD. We never should witness any good work, unless God had first purposed it good works flow from the bosom of God, and evil works from that of the creature. Some persons are afraid of the purpose of God, but no evil can proceed from it; can darkness inhabit the sun? The only method of proving that God has purposed evil, is by proving that he has done evil. Again, others dread the idea of dwelling upon the purpose of

God, lest it should militate against the freedom and responsibility of the creature; but responsibility involves freedom, and that in the highest degree: the freedom of intellectual accountable beings is included in the purpose of God. Unless we allow to individuals perfect freedom from all constraint to evil, and restraint from good, we cannot call them responsible moral agents, but be it remembered, the abuse of this freedom does not proceed from the Almighty, it is exclusively the creature's. The purpose of God is necessary, and that, for many reasons. Indeed no intellectual being acts without a purpose, though it may be an imperfect one: and if any person were to say he did anything without intending it, we should blame his carelessness. The perfection of any purpose is according to the nature of the person who forms it: God being infinitely perfect, his purpose must be so likewise; he is the only being who can say, "I have purposed, and I will bring it to pass;" and he is the only one who could crush the aggregate of universal being, if it were opposed to him. Many persons form resolutions, and afterwards reverse them. But what God purposes, he invariably brings to pass.

Without God's purpose, nothing could have existed. Psalm cxxxix. 15, 16. "My sub

stance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect, and in thy book, all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them." Every thing done by an intellectual being proves that a purpose must have first existed. To reject the purpose of God, is to reason most absurdly. Man not only fears real, but imaginary evils. Whoever considers the purpose of God, and does ample justice to the subject, will find that it conveys most valuable doctrinal and experimental truths.

1. The divine purpose is necessary to prevent the universal conquest of sin. It would have ruined every moral agent, but for the purpose of God. When we see the ravages of the enemy opposed, and perseverance given, we trace it, without the possibility of error, to God. All our worship comprises this truth : -Why do we ascribe glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but because the Triune Jehovah is the author and preserver of every thing which is good? how valuable then is the purpose of God; it comprises every thing we expect to receive from him, both in providence and grace.

2. The purpose of God is necessary to preserve