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one says, a man is justified by "faith working;" the other by working "faith;" and this is really and truly all the difference there is between them. What pity then is it that so many volumes should have been written, to the infinite vexation and disturbance of the church, upon the question-Whether a man is justified by faith or works; seeing they are two essential parts of the same thing! The body and the spirit make the man; faith and works make the Christian. "For as the body without the spirit is "dead," and therefore but half the man, "so faith "without works is dead also," and therefore but half the Christian. Nor can any son of Abraham be justified otherwise than his father is declared to have been-" Faith wrought with his works, and by "works was faith made perfect."

I close all with the noble confession made by Bishop Bull of his faith in this article of justification, and ratified by him just before his death, when he experienced the comfort of having adhered to it through life, steering his course thereby, amidst all the antinomian errors of those fanatic times in which he wrote, to the haven of everlasting

rest.

"I most firmly believe,” says this excellent prelate, "that as I yield a steadfast assent to the Gospel of "Christ, and as I work out true repentance by that "faith, shaking off, by the grace of God, the yoke "of every deadly sin, and devoting myself in earnest "to the observation of his evangelical law, I shall "obtain, by the sovereign mercy of God the Father,

"for the merits only of Jesus Christ, his Son, and

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my Lord and Saviour, who offered himself up un"to the Father a truly expiatory sacrifice for my

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sins, and for the sins of the whole world, the full "remission of all my past sins, be they never so "many and great. But then I have no otherwise any confidence of my sins being forgiven me, or "of my being in a state of grace and salvation, but "as by a serious examination of my conscience, "made according to the rule of the Gospel, there "shall be evidence of the sincerity of my faith and repentance. And I believe moreover, that while I

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bring forth fruits worthy of faith and repentance, "and while I not only abstain from those crimes "which, according to the Gospel, exclude a man "from heaven, but do diligently likewise exercise "myself in good works, both those of piety towards "God, and those of charity towards my neighbour, "so long I may preserve the grace that is given me "of remission and justification; and that if I die in "this state, I am in the way of obtaining by it the mercy of God, and eternal life and salvation for "the sake of Jesus Christ. I believe yet that I may "fall away; and, after having received the Holy "Ghost, as our church speaketh, depart from grace; "and that therefore I ought to work out my salva"tion with fear and trembling. I believe also that "in the Gospel there is pardon promised to all "that fall, let it be never so often, so that they do "before their death renew their repentance, and "do again their first works; but then there is

"not any where promised to them either space "of life, or grace that they may repent. I believe "that there is given to some persons a certain "extraordinary grace, according to the good plea

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sure of God; but I account it the greatest madness for any one therefore to presume upon such "a grace, or to challenge aught for himself be"yond the promises of God which are made in "the Gospel. And lastly, it is my firm belief, "that throughout the whole course of my salva"tion, from the very first setting out to the end

thereof, the grace and assistance of God's Spi"rit is absolutely necessary; and that I never "have done, nor never can do, any spiritual good "without Christ, is my full and certain per"suasion. This is the way of salvation which by God's grace I have entered into, or at least "have desired to enter into, which I have there"fore chosen, because it is clearly set forth to "me in the Holy Scriptures, and is a trodden "and safe way, which all catholic Christians for "fifteen hundred years at least from our Saviour's "birth have trodden before me "."

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God Almighty enable us all to walk in the same way to the same end; and for this purpose let us beseech him, in those excellent words of the church, to "give unto us the increase of faith, hope, “and charity; and that we may obtain that which

b Apolog. pro Harmon. p. 12. Nelson's Life of Bishop Bull,

p. 463.

"he doth promise, he would make us to love that "which he doth command, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

e Collect for the 14th Sunday after Trinity.

459

DISCOURSE XXXI.

THE INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON CIVIL

SOCIETY.

TITUS, II. 11, 12.

The grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

WERE it required to produce from the Scriptures that passage, which exhibits, in fewest words, the fullest account of the nature and design of Christianity, this is, perhaps, the passage that should be fixed on for the purpose. Let us, therefore, survey and examine the striking features of so pleasing a portrait.

It is by no means intended to enter into a discussion at large of the various topics here suggested by the apostle. It will be more advisable to contract our views, and confine them to a single point. It shall be this: viz. the friendly aspect which Christianity, as here represented--and it is here truly represented-bears towards society, and the welfare and felicity of mankind upon earth. In other words, I

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