could he, consistently with such sentiments, believe the doctrine of our Saviour's atonement.

Ill. We are now to consider on what condition justification is to be obtained.

On this subject, the epistles to the Romans and Galatians. will permit us to entertain no doubts: Being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 5: 1: To him that worketh not, but believeth on him, that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness, Rom. 4:5: A man is not justified by the works of the law; but by the faith of Christ, Gal. 2: 16. Such, it is declared, have in all ages, been the terms of justification. The instances of Abraham and David are distinctly mentioned. But faith, you will recollect, when connected with justification, comprehends something more, than an exercise of the understanding. The character, that is, feelings of the heart, must correspond with those divine truths, to which the understanding gives assent. We are by no means to consider faith, as the ground, or meritorious cause of justification. This would be just as absurd, as the opinion, that obedience in some particulars merits absolution for disobedience in others. The sufferings of Christ are the ground of the sinner's justification; and faith is the condition of our being interested in the blessings, which they procure. By him, that is, by Christ, they who believe, are justified from those things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Mo

ses.

This state of heart, which is denominated faith, must have a beginning. At the first moment of its existence, the person possessing it, is justified.

In this faith is implied, as you will readily perceive, a disposition to the performance of good works. But a Christian's justification is not suspended until such manifestation of his faith is made. If, at the first moment of believing, he be in a desert, far from every object, to which his charity might be shown, and he should there die, he would still die in a justified state, and be treated accordingly. In this case, his faith is

manifest to God; and would be so to men, were opportunities presented. The only difference between this Christian and another, whose works testify to his faith, consists not in moral qualities, but in external circumstances, which are beyond his control. Therefore, in view of Deity they are equally acceptable. To suppose a distinction, resting on such ground, is dishonorable to the divine impartiality.

It remains, that we notice a seeming discrepancy between the opinion of Paul and that of James, on the subject of justification. The former teaches, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law, and that the faith of him, who worketh not, but believeth on him, that justifieth the ungodly, is counted to him for righteousness. The latter teaches that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. We know that truth is always consistent with itself: and, if the words, used by two inspired writers, disagree, these words cannot be used by both in the same sense.

The meaning of Paul is, that a man is justified agreeably to the Gospel system, without performing the works and ceremonies of the Mosaic law; and in this is implied, that men are justified by the exercise of evangelical faith, without that perfect obedience, which is the only ground of legal justification.

Now this doctrine is not impugned by James. He treats of a very different subject. He is writing of those, who thought themselves sure of justification, barely on account of the intellectual assent to the Gospel, without correspondent feelings of heart, or actions of life. He affirms, that the devils believe, and that therefore, simply a belief cannot be effectual. Surely St. Paul did not contradict this. St. James moreover shows, that they who, in former ages, were justified by faith, had works attending it: they had an operative, influential faith. Of this, Abraham was an example, whose faith produced correspondent actions.

James never taught that sinners could obtain legal justification; that they could be pronounced pure, or by any future obedience, make atonement for sins, already committed. Nor

did St. Paul teach, that an intellectual assent to Christianity, without corresponding dispositions of heart, or a readiness to do good works, when opportunities occur, was the condition, on which any sinner could be justified. By faith, Paul means either the Christian religion, or the evangelical temper, which it demands. By faith, James means barely a belief that the Gospel is true. By works, Paul means works in fulfilment of law. By the same term, James means works in obedience to the Gospel.

Some divines are of the opinion, that James treats not of the conditions on which persons are justified; but of the manner in which their justification is made known, and that his arguing amounts to this. Faith cannot be exhibited, or proved to the

world without works.

It is probable, that no person ever thought this the most obvious meaning of the passage. No one, it is presumed, would adopt the interpretation, were it not for the sake of avoiding supposed ill consequences. Now, if the preceding observations are true, no ill consequences are to be apprehended. The apostle James is perfectly consistent with himself; and equally so with St. Paul. But against the interpretation, of which we speak, strong objections may be urged.

1. The apostle is speaking of the justification of persons, and not of the justification or exhibition of faith. He does not say, that faith is not; but that a man is not justified without works.

2. The original word, which is translated justify, is no where in the New Testament used simply to signify exhibit, or manifest.

3. We can hardly conceive it possible, that it should ever have been made a question, whether faith is to be manifested, or exhibited, by the performance, or by the omission of good works.

But if a person is justified by faith, at the moment, when this faith, or holiness of heart, commences, though he be in solitude, as has been asserted in the present lecture, how, it may be asked, can this be reconciled with that declaration of James,

above quoted, that we are justified by works, and not by faith only?

That this objection may be obviated, let it be recollected, that a disposition to comply with the commands of God, or to do good works, is comprehended in our definition of saving faith. It was never made a question by the apostles; nor, so far as we know, by any person in their day, whether men are justified by this holy disposition of heart, or by this holy disposition of heart when operating; therefore, it is never made a question, whether men are justified by faith, or by the works proceeding from faith. There are objects, it is conceived, which the Gospel never puts in contrast. If James did not, in the words, just mentioned, design to give any opinion on this subject, but to decide a question of much more importance, viz. whether men are justified by a bare assent of the understanding, or by a holy disposition of the heart, i. e. a disposition to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. I observe that the latter is a question of far more importance than the former. The former is indeed a question, which does not naturally present itself to the mind. For what is the difference between saving faith or holiness, and this faith or holiness exercised towards external objects? Can it be any thing, but what necessarily results from external circumstances? And is it natural to suppose that an opinion could ever have been entertained, that merely external circumstances could make an endless separation between persons of a holy temper?

I have now said what I proposed on the subject of justification : In conclusion I would observe to you, that the science of theology derives its importance from its relation to man, as an accountable being. The difference between the condition of a person justified, and a person not justified, is extremely great. The former is interested in the covenant of grace, which secures his acquittance and glorious reception at the day of judgment: The latter is not pardoned. For the whole amount of his sins, he is held to answer. He must appear before God, as a culprit, who has refused the most gracious amnesty. the curse of a righteous and immutable law.

He dies under

We are all in

one of these conditions: and in one of these characters shall we be exhibited to the universe at the great day. This is not an affair of conjecture or speculation: it is the undeniable truth, as made known by the Son of God, and by his missionaries, who had received an unction from the Holy One. A justified state, you perceive, is not necessarily connected with the highest degree of theological knowledge, or with the greatest correctness of sentiment. The Almighty requires not merely intellectual assent: but a yielding heart. You must not only acknowledge what is the character of God and the Redeemer, and what your relations to both: but must possess those affections of heart, which these relations require. In brief; none are justified, but those who are sanctified, and none are sanctified but through the influence of heavenly mercy. May Jesus Christ be made of God unto you, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.