IF it was an uſual thing to take two Texts to a Sermon, I wou'd ſubjoyn to the Words which I have now read to you thoſe in Rom. iii. 28. (or ſome other Text out of ſome of St. Paul's Epiſtles to the ſame purpoſe. Therefore we conclude that a Man is juſtify'd by Faith; and I wou'd read them both together, as the Theme or Subject whereon I intend to diſcourſe at this time.

For this is indeed my preſent Deſign; not to handle theſe Words of St. James by themſelves, that is, as laying down a Notion of Juſtification, to appearance, contrary to what St. Paul teaches in that other Text: But to ſhew that St. Paul and St. James, tho' they differ in Words and Expreſſions, do yet really both teach the ſame Doctrine; That neither doth St. Paul, in excluding Works from having any thing to do in our Justification, mean to exclude ſuch Works as St. James here declares to be neceſſary; neither on the other ſide doth St. James, in aſſerting the Neceſſity of good Works, together with Faith, and as the effects of it, mean to attribute more to them than St. Paul does.

But before I proceed to ſhew how theſe two Apoſtles may, as I think, be fairly reconcil'd, it may not be amiſs to premiſe this one thing, viz.

That if that Solution of this Difficulty, which I ſhall by and by propoſe, ſhould not ſeem clear and Satisfactory, and if we cou'd not think of any other way whereby theſe two Divine Writers, might to our Apprehenſion, be reconciled together, and made to ſpeak the ſame thing; it wou'd nevertheleſs in that caſe, be reaſonable to ſtick to the Words of St. James, in their ſtrict and moſt natural Signification, and to ſuppoſe that S. Paul is to be interpreted by him, rather than he by S. Paul, and conſequently to take for granted, that the Doctrine which we are here taught in expreſs Words by St. James (viz. that Works are neceſſary as well as Faith, to render us ſuch as God will approve of and juſtify at the laſt Day) is undoubtedly true, altho' we cou'd not tell which way St. Paul's Words might be fairly interpreted in the ſame Senſe. This I ſay appears reaſonable upon ſeveral Accounts. As namely,

1. Becauſe we have an expreſs Teſtimony of Scripture, that in St. Paul's Writings there are ſome things hard to be underſtood which they that are unlearned and unſtable wrest —to their own, Destruction. [2 Pet. iii. 16.] And 'tis probable that thoſe Places wherein he treats concerning Juſtification by Faith only, may be reckon'd in that Number. And this St. Auguſtin ſays expreſly, viz. That the chief Difficulty of all in St. Paul's Epistles, is his ſo much Commendation of that Faith, which he ſays does justify; by which ignorant Men underſtanding nothing elſe but only an Aſſent of the Mind to the Truths of the Goſpel which indeed is the prime and moſt proper Notion of the Word) do thence infer, that a good Life is not neceſſary to juſtify and ſave a Man.

And indeed if St. Peter had not made this Obſervation concerning the Obſcurity of ſome of St. Paul's Writings, 'tis nevertheleſs no more than what every one that reads the Bible muſt needs obſerve; viz. that the Epiſtles of St. Paul, eſpecially where he handles Controverſy, are the hardeſt to be underſtood (except perhaps the Propheſies that are not yet accompliſh'd,) of any parts of the New Teſtament.

And on the other ſide, it is no leſs obvious to be obſerv'd, that the Epistle of St. James, and this Chapter of it in particular, is, to appearance very plain and clear; and that, both in the Concluſion which it lays down, viz. that we are juſtify'd by Works, and not by Faith only, and alſo in the Arguments whereby this Concluſion is made good, from the 14th Verſe of this Chapter to the end.

Now if the Caſe be thus, as it plainly ſeems to be, nothing can be more unreaſonable than to interpret this Place of St. James by thoſe of St. Paul, that is a plain Place by an obſcure one; and on the other ſide, nothing can be fairer than when we meet with any crabbed or difficult Place in any Autho, to ſee whether his meaning be not elſewhere expreſs'd more clearly, and if it be, to conclude that the intricate Place hath the ſame meaning with the plain one, altho' we know not how well to reconcile the Words and Phraſes thereof to it.

And this is the Caſe here: For tho' St. Paul and St. James were different Writers, yet the Author of both their Epiſtles was the ſame, viz. the Holy Spirit of God, by whoſe Inſpiration they both wrote: Their Writings are conſequently both of them Parts of that one everlaſting Goſpel, by which God will judge the World; and they do both of them contain (only in different Expreſſions) the Articles of the ſame Covenant between God and us. It is reaſonable therefore in this Caſe, to obſerve the ſame Method that we do in other the like Caſes, viz. to put ſuch a Senſe and Interpretation, on any difficult or ambiguous Paſſage that we meet with any where therein, as to make it agree to and conſiſt with thoſe other Paſſages in the ſame Book or Writing, which ſeem to be more plainly expreſſed, and of the meaning of which there can be leſs Diſpute.

2. Another Reaſon why I think (if we could not eaſily reconcile St. Paul with St. James) we ought rather to embrace the Literal Senſe of St. James, than that of St. Paul, and to conclude with him that good Works are neceſſary to our Juſtification and Salvation, as well a Faith is, becauſe (as is obſerv'd by ſeveral of the Ancients) this Epiſtle of St. James (as likewiſe the firſt of St. John, the Second of St. Peter, and that of St. Jude) was written on purpoſe to rectifie the Miſtakes that ſome had fallen into, through their Miſunderſtanding of ſome of St. Paul's Writings. [v. Grot. in Jam. 2.21.]

Now if this be ſo, we may reaſonably conclude, that St. James deſigning this Diſcourſe of his concerning Faith and Works as a Commentary upon, or an Explication of what St. Paul had written before upon the ſame Subject, was very careful to avoid all that Obſcurity and Ambiguity of Expreſſion, which had occaſion'd the Writings of St. Paul to be ſo groſly miſunderſtood, and wreſted to ſuch ill purpoſes, as St. Peter obſerves they had been by ſome ignorant and perverſe Men; and conſequently that St. James uſes the Words Faith and Works in that Senſe, which is moſt natural and obvious, in that Senſe wherein Common Readers were moſt like to underſtand them: Whereas St. Paul's Epiſtles I mean thoſe wherein he handles this ſame Subject) being written with another Deſign, as I ſhall ſhew hereafter, it may well be ſuppoſed that he, having in his writing them an Eye to his main Deſign, (which was to ſhew the Neceſſity of embracing the Chriſtian Faith, and the no Obligation that lay upon Chriſtians from the Ceremonial Law of Moſes) was more careleſs in his other Expreſſions, as not fearing that any Perſon, inſtructed in the Chriſtian Religion, wou'd ever ſo groſly miſunderſtand and pervert his Words, as to think that he intended to give Encouragement to a lewd and and diſſolute Life.

But this, nevertheleſs, ſome did think at leaſt they pleaded St. Paul's Authority for it, That if Men did but believe aright, it was no great matter how they liv'd. Againſt theſe therefore our Apoſtle St. James ſets himſelf in this Chapter, and ſhews at large that Chriſtianity did not conſiſt only in a true and orthodox Faith; that a bare Belief in Chriſt, or of the Truths of the Goſpel, without bringing forth Fruits in our Life and Converſation, anſwerable to ſuch a Belief, would be in no wiſe ſufficient to juſtifie or ſave us.

And that in writing this, he had an Eye to what St. Paul had written before upon the ſame Subject, is farther probable, becauſe he makes uſe of that very Inſtance of Abraham to prove the Neceſſity of good Works together with Faith, which St. Paul had before brought againſt the Jews, to ſhew the ſufficiency of Faith alone without Works, that is, without thoſe Ceremonial Obſervances, which they would have preſs'd upon all other Chriſtians, and which they laid more ſtreſs upon, and did put more Confidence in, than in the weightier Matters of the Law, Juſtice, Mercy and Fidelity.

This Epiſtle of St. James therefore being written after St. Paul's Epiſtles, and ſo, very probably, with a Deſign to explain them where they had been miſunderſtood; it is reaſonable to take for granted, that what St. James here plainly aſſerts, touching the neceſſity of good Works together with Faith, is the Senſe of St. Paul, altho' we cou'd not eaſily bring St. Paul's Words to it. Eſpecially if it be conſidered farther in the Third Place.

3. That tho' this Epiſtle of St. James had been never written; nay, tho' there had not been one plain Text in the whole Bible expreſly aſſerting the Inſufficiency of a meer Belief, or of an empty fruitleſs Faith; yet we could not underſtand thoſe Paſſages of St. Paul, wherein he ſo much magnifies Faith, and decries Works, in any other Senſe than what St. James here plainly teaches, without making thoſe Paſſages in St. Paul to evacuate all the reſt of the Bible, and to contradict the whole Deſign of the Goſpel.

For there is never a Page, hardly a Verſe in the whole Bible, wherein the Nature of that Covenant which God hath made with Mankind is ſpoken of, which doth not either in expreſs Words, or by plain Conſequence contradict and diſapprove that wild Notion of being ſaved only by a bare Belief, tho we take no care to lead our Lives ſuitable to our Belief.

Now this is the Method that we obſerve in the Reading of other Books; we conſider the Scope and Deſign of the whole, and judge of the Senſe of particular Paſſages with Reference to that: And if there be any ſingle Paſſage which we apprehend not the meaning of, or which, at the firſt Reading, ſeems to have another Meaning than is agreeable to the Author's main Deſign, we build nothing upon ſuch a Paſſage, but wait a while to ſee if the Author will not elſewhere explain himſelf: And if he does not, and if at laſt we can't diſcern how that Paſſage can, without ſomewhat ſtraining the Words, be reconcil'd with others; we conclude however, and take for granted, that the Author (if he appears to be a Perſon of Judgment) is conſiſtent with himſelf, and conſequently that in that Paſſage, however the Words of it may ſound, he did not mean to thwart and cuntradict all the reſt of his Book.

And this is the Caſe here; for the Deſign of our Saviour's coming into the World was to make Men Holy; all that he did, and taught, and ſuffer'd, had a tendency to effect this Deſign, and his whole Goſpel is in a manner made up of Precepts, and Exhortations, and Encouragements to Godlineſs and Virtue, and of ſevere Tnreatnings againſt all manner of Sin. [Rom. i. 18. The Wrath of God is therein reveal'd from Heaven, againſt all Ʋngodlineſs and Ʋnrighteouſneſs of Men, who hold the Truth in Ʋnrighteouſneſs: theſe things are plain and undeniable; this is manifeſtly the Scope and Deſign of the whole Bible. And therefore altho' ſome few Paſſages in St. Paul's Writings ſhou'd in their moſt obvious meaning, ſeem to imply the contrary to this; it wou'd be reaſonable however, to believe and aſſert the indiſpenſible Neceſſity of an Holy Life, together with an Othordox Belief, rather than upon them alone to ground the Doctrine, which, if true, wou'd plainly evacuate all the reſt of the Bible, and perfectly thwart and contradict the whole Deſign of the Goſpel.

And this I think a ſure Ground for them to go upon who have not leiſure to ſtudy the point, or who after all their ſtudy, are not able clearly to diſcern how theſe two Apoſtles may be fairly reconciled in their ſeemingly contradictory Aſſertions; one ſaying, That we are juſtify'd by Faith, and the other, That we are juſtify'd by Works, and not by Faith only,

Which Difference nevertheleſs I believe it is not ſo hard a Matter to reconcile, as at the firſt ſight it may appear to be; the ſeeming Contrariety between them lying, as I ſuppoſe, only in their uſing in different Senſes, the Words Juſtify, Faith, and Works: Every one of which Words is capable of, and is very often in Scripture us'd in different Senſes. For,

I. As to the Word Juſtify, not to trouble you with the Etymology of it, which is but an uncertain way of knowing the common Acceptation of a Word; nor yet with the Senſe which Heathen Writers have us'd the Word in, from whence we cannot with certainty collect in what Senſe the Sacred Writers do uſe it; it may be ſufficient to obſerve, That the moſt obvious and uſual Signification thereof in Holy Scripture, is, to receive to Mercy, to abſolve and acquit from former Tranſgreſſions. When God juſtifies a Man, it is by forgiving him his Treſpaſſes, and accepting, eſteeming and rewarding him as a Righteous Perſon, altho' he is not really and ſtrictly ſuch. And thus St. Paul himſelf ſeems to expound the Word, in Rom. 3.25. Being juſtify'd freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Chriſt Jeſus, whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation thro' Faith in his Blood, to declare his Righteouſneſs for the Remiſſion of Sins that are paſt, through the forbearance of God. In which Text, being juſtify'd, and having our Sins remitted, ſeem'd to be us'd as Terms of he ſame Signification. And the Pſalmiſt, meaning to deſcribe the Bleſſedneſs of a juſtify'd Perſon, thus expreſſes it; Bleſſed are they whoſe Iniquities are forgiven, and whoſe Sins are cover'd, (Pſal. xxxii. 1, 2.) Bleſſed is the Man to whom the Lord will not impute Sin. Rom iv. 5, 6, 7, 8.) And indeed this is all the Juſtification that Sinful Men (and ſuch all Men are) are capable of: For being in truth Sinners, they can't by a Juſt God, be acquitted as Innocent: They can therefore be juſtify'd no other way, but by having their Sins forgiven them, and by being receiv'd to Mercy; for if God ſhould enter into ſtrict Judgment with us, no Man living cou'd be juſtify'd in his Sight, as the Pſalmiſt ſays, (Pſal. cxliii 2.)

To juſtify therefore, in the common Scriptural Notion of it is, to abſolve from Guilt, to diſcharge from Puniſhment; and accordingly it is frequently in Scripture oppos'd to Condemnation. It is God that juſtifyeth, ſays the Apoſtle, who is he that Condemneth? (Rom. viii. 33, 34.) And in another place, Being juſtify'd by his Blood, we ſhall be ſav'd from Wrath, through him. (Rom. v. 9.)

Now taking the Word in this Senſe, there is a two fold Juſtification.

Firſt, When we take upon us the Profeſſion of the Chriſtian Religion in Baptiſm; for then our paſt Sins are forgiven us, then we are receiv'd into a Covenant of Grace and Pardon.

But this is not a full Juſtification; for our Sins are not then clearly pardon'd and forgiven, becauſe they may, after this be ſtill imputed to us; and ſo they will be, in caſe we afterwards do either in Profeſſion or in Works deny that Faith, which we then take upon us. Our Second therefore, and our compleat and final Juſtification is not till the great Day of Judgment, when God will for ever acquit from the Guilt, and free from the Puniſhment of all their paſt Sins, all thoſe who continu'd faithful to that Covenant, which they entred into with God at their Baptiſm.

Suppoſing therefore at preſent that St Paul and St. James do by Faith and Works both mean the ſame things: Yet if they do not both ſpeak of the ſame Juſtification; if St. Paul, when he ſpeaks of Juſtification by Faith, means the Firſt Juſtification, which is diſpenſed to us in Baptiſm; and St. James, when he affirms, that we are juſtify'd by Works, and not by Faith only, means the Second and Final Juſtification at the laſt day; there is plainly no manner of Contrariety between them. For it may be true, that in order to our being admitted into the Covenant of Juſtification and Pardon nothing more may be required, but only that we firmly believe and embrace the Chriſtian Religion; (and accordingly we may obſerve, that as a previous Diſpoſition to Baptiſm nothing elſe ſeems to be requir'd, but only that we ſhould believe the Goſpel, and in Profeſſion renounce our former Sins, according to that of St. Philip to the Eunuch, Acts viii. 37. If thou believeſt with all thine Heart, thou mayſt be baptiz'd;) and yet it may be true too, that our being put into a juſtify'd ſtate by Baptiſm, will in the event be no advantage to us, but rather only increaſe our Condemnation, unleſs afterwards we continue true and faithful to that Profeſſion which we then take upon us, and are careful to perform our part of that Covenant which we then enter into with God. Now, I ſay, this laſt ſeems to be what St James affirms, and the firſt all that St. Paul teaches, at leaſt in many of thoſe Places, where he ſays we are juſtify'd by Faith.

For that by the Juſtification which St. James ſpeaks of, when he ſays We are Justify'd by Works, and not by Faith only, he means our Final Juſtification at the great Day, upon which that Salvation will immediately be beſtow'd upon us, which at our Baptiſm was only promis'd and aſſur'd to us upon certain Conditions, is evident, by his uſing Juſtification and Salvation, in this Diſpute, as Terms equivalent. For thus he expreſſes the Doctrine of the Text, in the 14th Verſe, where he firſt begins to handle the Subject; What doth it profit, my Brethren, if a Man ſay he hath Faith and have not Works? can Faith ſave him? It is plain, that he means the ſame thing there by being ſav'd, that does in the Text and other Verſes of this Chapter, by being juſtify'd; and conſequently that by Juſtification, in this Diſcourſe of his concerning Faith and Works; he means that Final Juſtification, upon which Salvation is immediately conſequent.

And on the other ſide, that St. Paul in very many at leaſt, if not in all thoſe Places wherein he attributes Juſtification to Faith only without Works, means therefore only our firſt Juſtification, that is, our being admitted into the Covenant of Grace, and being put into a juſtify'd ſtate by Baptiſm, will, I ſuppoſe, be no leſs evident, if theſe two things be conſider'd.

1. That in many places he ſpeaks of Juſtification as a thing paſt, which he cou'd not do if he had meant the ſame thing by Juſtification that St. James does. For thus writing to the Corinthians, he ſays, 1 Cor. vi 11, Ye are, or ye have been juſtify'd in the Name of the Lord Jeſus: And Rom. vi. 1. ſpeaking of himſelf and other Chriſtians that were then living, and conſequently not finally juſtify'd in St. James's Uſe of the Word, he ſays, that being juſtify'd by Faith they had Peace with God. And upon this he grounds their Hope that they ſhould alſo, if they continu'd in Faith, be finally juſtify'd by God at the laſt Day, ver. 9. For if while we were Sinners Chriſt dy'd for us, much more then, being now juſtify'd by his Blood, we ſhall be ſav'd from Wrath thro' him.

2. It may be alſo further obſerv'd, That in many places he expreſly joyns Juſtification with Baptiſm, as an Effect or Concomitant of it; as in Tit. iii. 5, 7. Not by Works of Righteouſneſs which we have done, but according to his Mercy he ſav'd us by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt,—that being justify'd by his Grace, we ſhou'd be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life; and in 1 Cor. vi. 11. Such were ſome of you; but ye are waſh'd, but ye are ſanctify'd, but ye are juſtify'd, they were juſtify'd, it ſeems, at the ſame time that they were waſh'd, that is, at their Baptiſm, when they openly and ſolemnly renounc'd thoſe wicked Works which they had formerly liv'd in, and took upon them the Profeſſion of the Chriſtian Faith.

Now therefore, if this be granted, which ſeems to be very probable. That St. Paul generally means this by Juſtification, (viz. only our being admitted into a State of Grace and Favour with God, at our Baptiſm, in which State if we continue by perſevering in Faith and Obedience, we ſhall at laſt be juſtify'd and acquitted finally in the great Judgment;) it will be eaſy to underſtand all thoſe Places wherein he attributes this to Faith only, in a Senſe very agreeable to the Doctrine which St. James here teaches; it will be eaſy then to underſtand what St. Paul means, Rom. iv. 5. where he ſays, That God juſtifies the Ungodly; then, I ſay, that Paſſage which hath been thought the ſtrongeſt, will appear to be no Objection at all againſt St. James's Doctrine; the meaning thereof being only this, That the Grace of God in Chriſt Jeſus is ſo large, as that he do's not refuſe even the vileſt and greateſt Sinners, but readily accepts them to Favour, upon their Belief of the Goſpel, and cloſing with the Terms of it: And there will be then no difficulty at all in underſtanding how Abraham was juſtify'd by Faith only, according to St Paul, and how he was juſtify'd by Works, that is, not by Faith only, as St. James expreſly affirms he was, at the 21ſt Verſe of this Chapter. For the Caſe was thus: Upon his giving a full and hearty Aſſent to the Truth of the Divine Promiſes, he was immediately receiv'd into God's Favour and Acceptance, even before the Sincerity of his Faith has been actually try'd by his Obedience: Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for Righteouſneſs, Rom. iv. 3. ſo that he was then in a juſtify'd ſtate: And yet, if after this he had declin'd to leave his Country and his Father's Houſe, or even to ſacrifice his Son at God's Command, he wou'd by this Diſobedience have fall'n from that ſtate of Divine Favour, and not have been finally juſtify'd by God; but then all his former (as well as his later ſins, which had been once remitted to him, with a temporary and conditional Remiſſion, upon his firſt entring into the Covenant of Grace, by Faith, (by virtue of which Remiſſion, he was, while he continu'd in the Covenant, a juſtify'd Perſon) wou'd nevertheleſs have been imputed to him, and he condemn'd for them, if he had afterwards ſwerv'd from his Obedience.

In ſhort therefore, the Juſtification which St. Paul generally ſpeaks of, is that whereby we are made Heirs of Salvation, as he himſelf explains it, in the afore-cited Text Tit. iii. 7. That being juſtify'd by Grace we ſhou'd be made Heirs, according to the Hope of eternal Life: but the Juſtification which St. James ſpeaks of, is that by which we are actually admitted into the Poſſeſſion of this Inheritance. And therefore, tho' in order to the firſt Juſtification nothing more be neceſſary but only that we cloſe with, and accept of thoſe Terms of Reconciliation, which God offers to us: Yet in order to the Second Juſtification, it is moreover neceſſary, that we ſhou'd make good that Covenant which we before entred into; or elſe, tho' we are already juſtify'd in St. Paul's Senſe, that is, are now already by our embracing and believing and profeſſing the Goſpel, in ſuch a Capacity and Likelihood of obtaining eternal Life, as an Heir is of enjoying his Father's Eſtate; we ſhal' never be juſtify'd in St. James's Senſe, that is, we ſhall never actually poſſeſs and enjoy the Eſtate; but notwithſtanding our preſent Heirſhip, ſhall at laſt be caſt off, and diſinherited for our Diſobedience. And this Obſervation concerning the different Senſes, wherein theſe two Apoſtles do ſometimes uſe the Word juſtify, may, I ſuppoſe, be alone ſufficient to reconcile them in moſt, if not in all thoſe aſſages wherein they ſeem to differ. But, II. The Word Faith or Belief, which they do both uſe in treating of this Subject, is likewiſe a Word capable of, and frequently in Scripture us'd in different Senſes; and I believe it may eaſily be made appear, that in thoſe Places wherein St. Paul attributes ſo much to Faith, wherein he is thought to declare that that is the only Condition of our final Juſtification, and admittance into the Promis'd Inheritance, he means quite another thing by Faith than St. James does, when he ſays that that alone is not ſufficient, even all that St. James means by Faith and Works too. I will not trouble you now with all 〈◊〉 •• gnifications, in which the Word Faith or Belief is us'd in Holy Scripture; but ſhall take no ice only of two, which I ſuppoſe moſt applicable to the caſe in hand.

1. The Firſt Senſe of it which I ſhall take notice of, is that which indeed is the moſt obvious and proper meaning of the Word; that is, when by Faith is meant, An aſſent of the Mind to the Truth of ſome Reveal'd Propoſition And in this Senſe St. James uſes the Word: By that Faith, which being without Works, he ſays, is not ſufficient to juſtifie or ſave us, he plainly means nothing more than only a Belief of thoſe Truths, which are reveal'd in the Goſpel. And the Caſe that he puts, is this, That a Man believes there is a God, and that thoſe things which he has reveal'd are true, and that all his Promiſes and Threatnings ſhall be made good, but nevertheleſs takes no care to live well; and in this caſe he ſays, that ſuch a Faith as this is an empty dead Faith, and that it will be of no real advantage to us, any more than it is to the Devil's, who believe all theſe Truths as firmly as we can do, but without any Benefit to themſelves, becauſe the Promiſes being not made to them, they are not thereby incited to the doing of good. But the Promiſes are made to us, and therefore it can hardly be conceived, it is ſcarcely to be ſuppoſed that any Man that firmly believes all the Truths of the Goſpel, and conſiders his own Intereſt therein, ſhould nevertheleſs allow himſelf in a wicked Life. Faith is naturally ſuch an active, lively, and working Principle, that it can hardly fail to ſhew it ſelf by its Effects:

2. And for this Reaſon, Secondly, the word Faith, which moſt properly ſignifies nothing but the Cauſe or Principle, is oftentimes in Scripture put to ſignifie both the Cauſe and the Effect too, that is, both a Belief of the Goſpel-Truths, and alſo a Life led anſwerably to ſuch a Belief.

And in this large and comprehenſive ſenſe 'tis clearly evident St. Paul does uſe the word in divers places, and eſpecially in thoſe Epiſtles where he treats of Juſtification by Faith, as may appear from his oftentimes uſing othe Words and Phraſes inſtead of the ſingle word Faith. For whhat he ſometimes calls Faith, he at other times in thoſe ſame Epiſtles, calls the Law of Faith, and the Obedience of Faith, (Rom. iii. 27. i. 5. xvi. 26. And in Rom. x. 16. he moſt clearly explains his own meaning to be, to include and comprehend Obedience in the word Faith, whenever he attributes ſo much to Faith: But they have not all obeyed the Goſpel, for Eſaias ſaith, Lord, who hath believ'd our Report? In which words the ſame thing is plainly meant by obeying the Goſpel, and believing the Report of the Preachers of it; from whence it clearly appears, That the Faith or Belief which he ſo much magnifies in that Epiſtle, is not an idle, ineffectual Belief, but ſuch a Faith as makes Men to be obedient.

Foraſmuch therefore as the Faith which St. Paul ſpeaks of, when he ſays we are juſtify'd by Faith, includes in it all that St. James means by Faith and Works too; it is plain, That tho' we ſuppoſe that they do both uſe the word juſtifie always in the ſame ſenſe, there is not, however, any Contrariety in their Doctrines, altho' one ſays that we are juſtify d by Faith, and the other that we are juſtify'd by Works and not by ſaith only. But 3. There is alſo an ambiguity in the word Works: and it is not improbable, (nay, I ſuppoſe I ſhall make it very plain) that theſe two Apoſtles S. Paul and S. Jam. in their ſeveral Diſcourſes upon the Subject of Juſtification, do likewiſe uſe this Word in very different Senſes; and that St. Paul, when he excludes Works, do's not mean the ſame by Works that St. James do's, when he affirms that we are juſtify'd by Works, and not by Faith only. And if St. James by Works, when he affirms them to be neceſſary together with Faith, means thoſe Works of Piety, Juſtice and Charity, and other Moral Duties which are required in the Goſpel; as to any one that reads the former part of the Chapter it will be evident that he do's; and on the other ſide, if St. Paul, when he excludes Works, means by Works only, either thoſe materially good Works, which Men might do without the Grace of the Goſpel, or the Merit of good VVorks, or elſe thoſe Ritual Obſervances which were requir'd by the Ceremonial Law of Moſes: then, tho' their VVords and Expreſſions be different, yet their Senſe may be the very ſame. Now concerning this place in St. James, I think there can be no Diſpute; he plainly takes both Faith and VVorks in the moſt proper and uſual acceptation of the words: By Faith, when he affirms that Faith alone is not ſufficient, he plainly means a meer Belief of the Truths of the Goſpel; and by VVorks, when he affirms that they are neceſſary together with Faith, he plainly means ſuch a ſort of Life and Converſation, as the Belief of the Goſpel Truths is naturally apt to produce, a Converſation becoming the Goſpel of Chriſt: And both theſe he affirms to be neceſſary, in order to our final Juſtification at the laſt day. And on the other ſide, St Paul, if at any time he ſpeaks of the ſame Juſtification that St. James do's, means, by Faith, when he ſays we are juſtify'd by that only, all that St. James means by Faith and VVorks too (as hath been ſhewn already) and by Works, when he ſays we are juſtify'd by Works, he means only, either the Merit of good VVorks, or ſuch VVorks as might be done by unregenerate Men without the Grace of the Goſpel, or elſe the Ritual Obſervances of the Moſaical Law. And that he uſes the VVords in theſe Senſes, and do's not mean to exclude from being a condition of our final Juſtification that hearry Obedience to the Precepts of the Goſpel, which a firm Belief of the Truths of it is naturally apt to produce, will further appear if theſe two things be conſidered: 1 The occaſion and deſign of thoſe Diſcourſes of St. Paul, wherein Faith is ſo much magnified, and VVorks are ſet ſo light by: And And, 2 The ſeveral Cautions that are here and there intermix'd in thoſe Diſcourſes, as it were on purpoſe to prevent our miſtaking his meaning, and thinking that we may be ſav'd by Faith alone, without a good Life.

1. We may conſider the Occaſion and Deſign of thoſe Diſcourſes, of S. Paul, wherein Faith is ſo much magnify'd, and Works are ſet ſo light by; and which conſequently do ſeem moſt to contradict the Doctrine here taught by St. James. And I premiſe this firſt of all; That none of St. Paul's Epiſtles ſeem to have been written as if they were intended to comprehend the whole Chriſtian Religion; they rather ſuppoſe Chriſtianity already planted in thoſe Places, to which his Epiſtles are directed. It was not conſequently his Intention, in every Epiſtle that he wrote, to teach all the Principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt, and to lay again the foundation of Repentance from dead Works, and of Faith towards God; Heb. vi. 1. for all this had been done before; thoſe ſame Apoſtles, by whoſe Miniſtry they had been converted and baptiz'd, having alſo then, (according to the Commiſſion given them by Chriſt) taught them to obſerve all things whatſoever our Lord had commanded. As ſuch therefore the Apoſtle conſider'd the Perſons to whom he wrote, viz. as true Diſciples of Chriſt, as Perſons that had before been taught to obey as believe the Goſpel; and ſo had no fear upon him, that by his uſing the Word Faith or Works in an uncommon Senſe (and yet in ſuch a Senſe as the Controverſy he was handling led him to uſe them in) they to whom he wrote, wou'd ever be in danger of embracing an Opinion ſo contrary to the firſt Principles of the Chriſtian Religion, as it plainly was, to think that they might be ſaved only by believing, without obeying the Goſpel. The main deſign then I ſay, of moſt of St Paul's Epiſtles, I mean of the Controverſial Parts of them, ſeems to be to furniſh the Chriſtians to whom he wrote, with Anſwers to thoſe Objections, which the Enemies to Chriſtianity, among whom they liv'd, did make againſt it. And moſt of the Churches to which theſe Epiſtles were directed, were made up chiefly of Gentile Converts, with whom nevertheleſs, there were ſome Jewiſh Converts alſo intermix'd; but the far greateſt part of the Inhabitants of thoſe places were profeſs'd Jews or Gentiles, who, tho' both zealous, each for their own way, and againſt each other, yet readily joyn'd their Forces together as againſt a common Enemy, to hinder the growth and ſpreading of Chriſtianity. So that St. Paul had three ſorts of Adverſaries to deal with, viz. the Gentiles, the Jews, and the Judaizing Christians. The Gentiles; who had been long bred up under the Inſtitution of their Philoſophers, and by their good and wholſom Precepts of Morality, were in a good readineſs and diſpoſition to embrace the Goſpel; which, in general, commanded little more than they were taught before their own Philoſophers, only requiring a ſtricter and more perfect obſervance of thoſe Rules, and adding new Motives and Encouragements to it, from the plain Revelation of a future ſtate of Rewards and Puniſhments, of which, before the coming of Chriſt, Men had but an obſcure Notion, and very ſlender Aſſurance. The main Objection therefore which theſe had to make againſt St. Paul, was, that he took (as they thought) a great deal of pains to little purpoſe, in going about to eſtabliſh a new Belief, and a new Profeſſion of Religion among them, ſeeing that al to Practice they had been taught all the ſame things in ſubſtance by their own Philoſophers; ſo that conſequently they thought, he might have ſpared his labour. They were of the mind of our Modern Deiſts, That Natural Religion was ſo good and perfect, that it needed no Revelation to improve it. Againſt theſe therefore the Apoſtle proves the neceſſity of the Chriſtian Diſpenſation, and of Faith in Chriſt: Becauſe tho' Men had been taught well before, they had never practiced as they had been taught; that by reaſon of the weakneſs of humane Nat re, they had never liv'd up to what they knew was their Duty; that therefore no Man was or cou'd be juſtified in God's ſight, by the Law of Nature, or the firſt Covenant made with Mankind, which required ſtrict and unſinning Obedience; that conſequently it was neceſſary to believe in Chriſt, and to enter into that more gracious Covenant, which he by his Blood had made, between God and us, whereby he had encouraged good Works with better Promiſes, and offered to afford us divine ſtrength and ſuccour to aſſiſt our Endeavours; by which Covenant of Grace in Chriſt (tho' indeed we were ſtill obliged to the ſame Duties which the Law of Natute had laid upon us) we might be juſtified, which by the other we could not be; becauſe that required ſtrict and unſinning Obedience, whereas this made allowance for the weakneſs of Humane Nature, and left room for Repentance, if at any time through careleſsneſs or ſurprize we ſhould come ſhort of our Duty. And to ſhew the advantage of this Covenant made by Chriſt, and the impoſſibility of being juſtified any other way, than by having our Sins remitted to us through Faith in his Blood, ſeems to have been mainly deſigned by the Apoſtle in the former part of his Epiſtle to the Romans. Now the firſt Covenant made with Mankind being indeed a Covenant of Works, without Grace, therefore in oppoſition to, and to diſtinguiſh this from that, he with good Reaſon, calls this, ſometimes Grace, ſometimes the Law of Faith, ſometimes the preaching of Faith, and ſometimes barely Faith; which he ſays is the only way by which it is poſſible for us to be juſtified, becauſe our Nature is ſo corrupt and degenera e, that we cannot perform perfect and unſinning Obedience. But, 2. The Jews were alſo as conceited of themſelves as the Gentiles, and as unwilling to accept of the Covenant made by Chriſt, becauſe they truſted to be ſaved by the Obſervation of the Law of Moſes. And therefore the Apoſtle likewiſe, againſt theſe, endeavours to ſhew that they were Sinners as well as the Gentiles, and ſtood in as much need of a Saviour as they. And this he does in the four or five 1ſt Chapters of his Epiſtl to the Romans; in ſome Paſſages of which (eſpecially in the firſt and ſecond Chapters) he ſeems to have a peculiar Reſpect to the Gentiles; and in other places to the Jews more eſpecially, and in ſome to both of them. And the ſum of this Argument is this; That ſince all, both Jews and Gentiles had ſinned, and come ſhort of the Glory of God, it was therefore neceſſary that a Redeemer ſhould come, to make attonement for their paſt Sins, and to eſtabliſh a new Covenant between God and Men; which he calls Faith, or the Law or Faith, to diſtinguiſh it from the Law of Moſes, which was truly a Law of Works; and by this Covenant of Grace or Faith in Chriſt, which was open and free for all to enter into, both Jews and Gentiles, he ſays, might be juify'd, which they could not either of them be by the Law of Works, nor the Jews any more than the Gentiles by the Ceremonial Law of Moſes; that being never deſign'd by God as a C ndition of Juſtifica ion, as having only temporal Rewards and Puniſhments annexed to it. Seeing therefore the Jews as well as the Gentiles had broken the firſt Law given to Mankind, which requir'd unſinning Obedience, he ſays there was no means of Juſtifi ation now left for either of them, but by Faith in Chriſt, that is, by coming into that New Covenant which Chriſt had eſtabliſhed by his Death, and offered to us in the Goſpel. But, 3. Beſides theſe two, the Apoſtle had alſo a third ſort of Adverſeries to deal with, which did coſt him as much trouble as either of the former; and they were ſome who being born and bred Jews, had been converted by Chriſtianity by the Preaching of the apoſtles, but nevertheleſs ſtill retained ſuch a great Likeing and Veneration for Moſes and his Law, that they thought they were yet bound to obſerve it as much as ever; and not only ſo, but they would fain have forced the ſame upon the Gentiles too, telling them that notwithſtanding Chriſt, they were bound to be circumciſed as the Jews w re, and to keep the Law of Moſes, and that otherwiſe they could not be ſaved. Againſt theſe therefore, the Apoſtle proves at large, eſpecially in his Epiſtle to the Galatians) that the Law given by Moſes was never deſigned to oblige the Gentiles, nor the Jews neither any longer than till the coming of Chriſt; 〈◊〉 that Law was, to the Jews themſelves, only School-maſter to bring them unto Chriſt, that is, to prepare and diſpoſe them to receive his more pure and heavenly Doctrine; that therefore now, after the Revelation and preaching of the Goſpel, that Law was of 〈…〉 uſe: And after that Faith is come, 〈◊〉 , that is after the Goſpel is 〈◊〉 , we are no longer under a School-maſter, Galat. iii. 25. That the Ceremony in Law was made 〈◊〉 only of Types and Shadows, whereof Chriſt was the Subſtance and that 〈◊〉 the Subſtance being now 〈◊〉 , they were 〈◊〉 that the Ceremonial Law was given only 〈◊〉 exerciſe the Jewiſh Nation for 〈◊〉 , and was then to give way to a better Law the Law of Faith or Evangelical Obedience; that 〈◊〉 himſelf was juſtified by 〈◊〉 means and method which is now propounded inn Goſpel, by viz. by a lively Faith in the Promiſes of God working in him 〈◊〉 Obedience whatſoever God required of him; and that he was thus juſtified before he was circumciſed, and therefore ſo might they be too, without Circumciſion, and 〈◊〉 other 〈◊〉 Obſervances.

In the management of which diſpute with theſe Judaizing Chriſtians, the Apoſtle calls the Chriſtian Religion, as oppos'd to the Jewiſh, by the word Faith to diſtinguiſh it from the Obſervation of Moſes's Law, which was call d Works, or the Works of the Law. And uſing the word in this ſenſe, he ſays, We are juſtify'd by Faith, and by Faith only, that is, by the Faith and Obedience of the Goſpel; and that there is no need at all of Works, that is, of ſuch Works as were enjoyn'd by the Ceremonial Law, which they laid ſuch great ſtreſs upon; for thus he often explains himſelf, expreſly calling thoſe Works which he rejects, the Works of the Law, thereby plainly diſtinguiſhing them from the Works of Evangelical Obedience, and clearly imitating that it was not his intention to exclude theſe, tho' he did thoſe. Thus the Apoſtle manag'd the Controverſy he was engag'd in with theſe three Adverſaries: And that h s main Deſign was to oppoſe one or other of them in all thoſe Places wherein thoſe Paſſages are found which ſo much magnifie Faith, and vilifie Works (which are eſpecially the Epiſtles to the Romans and Galatians) will, I ſuppoſe, readily appear to any one that ſhall attentively read them over; and I think it will be impoſſible to make out the Context, or to ſhew how thoſe places do at all tend to the carrying on theſe Deſigns, if we take the words Faith and Works in any other Senſe than I have before ſaid St. Paul does uſe them in. But, Secondly, That the Apoſtle St. Paul did not intend to exclude ſuch good Works as St. James here requires (viz. Obedience to the Precepts of the Goſpel) from being neceſſary to our final Juſtification at the great day, will yet further and more plainly appear, if in reading over thoſe Epiſtles, we do but obſerve the ſeveral Cautions that are here and there intermix'd as it were on purpoſe to prevent our putting ſuch an Interpretation upon his Words. And firſt in the Epiſtle to the Romans, in Chap. ii. Ver. 6. he tells us plainly, that God will render to every Man according to his Works, Tribulation and Anguiſh upon every Soul of Man that doth evil; and Glory, Honour and Peace, to every Man that worketh good: Which Paſſage would be very odly put in, in a Diſcourſe wherein he was proving the ſufficiency of Faith alone for Juſtification, if thereby he had meant ſuch a Faith as might be without good Works.

But in the 13th Verſe of that Chapter he contradicts that Opinion moſt expreſly: Not the Hearers of the Law, ſays he, ſhall be juſt before God, but the Doers of the aw ſhall be juſtify'd. It ſeems then that St. Paul's Juſtification by Faith only, was not a Juſtification without Works; the Faith that he there ſpeaks of, muſt needs therefore be ſuch a Faith as includes Works in it; The Doers of the Law ſhall be juſtified. And ſo again, Chap. iii. V. 21. after he had ſaid that both Circumciſion and Uncircumciſion muſt be juſtify'd by Faith; and that they could not be juſtify'd any other way; that they might not take Faith in ſuch a narrow ſenſe as to exclude good Works, he adds, Do we then make void the Law through Faith? God forbid; Yea, we eſtabliſh the Law. And to the ſame purpoſe again, Chap. vi Ver. 1. What ſhall we ſay then? ſhall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound? God forbid How ſhall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein? And again, Ver. 15. What then? ſhall we ſin, becauſe we are not under the Law, but under Grace? God forbid. And laſtly, (to name no more) in the viiith Chapter of that Epiſtle, Ver. 1. when he was come to the Concluſion of this Controverſy, having ſhewn at large the inſufficiency of all other ways, and the abſolute neceſſity of accepting the Goſpel Truths, in order to Juſtification, he goes on to ſhew the Bleſſedneſs of thoſe who believ'd in Chriſt, in theſe words; There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus: But then, leſt they ſhould miſtake him, and think that a bare Belief in Chriſt, or the profeſſion of his Religion only, was enough to entitle them to this Bleſſedneſs, he adds, who walk not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit, The like Care he has alſo taken in his Epiſtle to the Galatians where he handles this Controverſy again, with a ſpecial reſpect to the Jewiſh Law; where we may obſerve, that to prevent all Miſunderſtanding of what he had delivered touching the ſufficiency of Faith without Works, he takes frequent occaſion to declare his meaning to be, only to exclude the Works of the Law, not the obedience of the Goſpel. Particularly in the two laſt Chapters he is very large in explaining what kind of Liberty he had been before pleading for; Stand faſt therefore, ſays he, in the Liberty wherewith Chriſt has made us free, and be not entangled again with the Yoke of Bondage. Galat. v. 1. And what Bondage he meant, appears in the next Verſe. Behold, I Paul ſay unto you, that if you be circumciſed, Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing; that is, if you ſtill truſt to be ſav'd by your Jewiſh Obſervances, you diſclaim and renounce the Covenant which Chriſt hath made for you, and ſo can expect no benefit from it; Whoſoever of you, ſays he, are juſtify'd, that is, hope to be juſtify'd, by the Law ye are fallen from Grace. For we, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of Rightoouſneſs by Faith; We, that is, We Chriſtians, no leſs than you Jews, do wait for the Hope of Righteouſneſs, that is, for a Reward of our Righteouſneſs: But then it is not ſuch a Righteouſneſs as yours, a Righteouſneſs conſiſting in the obſervation of Rites and Ceremonies, but thro' the Spirit, that is, by a Spiritual Righteouſneſs; and 'tis by Faith, that is, 'tis ſuch a Righteouſneſs as is wrought in us by Faith, that is, by our Belief of the Goſpel of Chriſt. For ſays he, Ver. 6. in Christ Jeſus neither Circumciſion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumciſion, but Faith; not any Faith, but Faith which worketh by Love, or Faith which is made perfect by Love, Which words he repeats again in Chap. vi. V. 15. only inſtead of Faith putting in another Word, not ſo ambiguous; In Chriſt Jeſus, neither Circumciſion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumciſion but a new Creatuse. And the ſame Apoſtle in another parallel place, in another of his Epiſtles, puts it out of all doubt what he means in the firſt of theſe places, by Faith, when he expreſſes the ſame by Obedience; Circumciſion is nothing, and Uncircumciſion but the keeping the Commandments of God, 1 Cor. vii. 19. And now by all that hath been ſaid, I ſuppoſe, it ſufficiently 〈◊〉 that by Faith, St. Paul means ſomething more than only a bare belief 〈…〉 Goſpel Truths, when he makes it the ſole Condition of Juſtification; and that 〈◊〉 Works, he does not mean Works of Evangelical Obedience, when he excludes them from being neceſſary in order to it: So that Paul does not, any more than St. James exclude ſuch good Works as are the natural Effects of true, lively, and Chriſtian Faith, from being neceſſary together with Faith, under to our full and final Juſtification at the laſt day. And from all that hath 〈◊〉 been ſaid, I think it appears, that St. Paul and St. James agree very well together; which was the point that I propos'd to make good, St. James indeed ſays here, that Faith alone, or a bare Belief of the Goſpel, will not do without Works anſwerable to our Belief; Ye ſee how that by Works a Man is juſtify'd and not by Faith only: St. Paul, on the other ſide ſays, that 〈◊〉 are juſtify'd by Faith: but tho' this manner of Expreſſion be different from and in the Letter, ſeemingly contradictory to St. James's meaning is plainly the ſame. He affirms, indeed, that we are juſtified by Faith: but 〈◊〉 as I have ſhewn, he means the ſame thing by Faith, that St. James does by Faith and Works too; he mans ſuch a Faith as a Abraham's was, (for that is his Example as well as St. James's;) he means ſuch a Faith as however it is try'd, approves it ſelf by a ready Obedience, as Abraham's did: and the Works which he rejects as uſeleſs and unneceſſary, or as not ſufficient are not ſuch as Abraham's were, the Fruits of a lively Faith; but either meer ritual Obſervances, or elſe ſuch Works, as though materially good are not done out of a good and virtuous Principle. In a word, he oppoſ •• Faith, his juſtifying and ſaving Faith, not to Evangelical Obedience; but either to unſinning Obedience, by which none can be juſtify'd, becauſe all are Sinners; or to an Opinion of Merit, which there can never be any Ground for; or, laſtly, to the Rites and Ceremonies of Moſes's Law, which Law, he ſhews, was not then obliging, and ſo cou'd not be the Condition of Juſtification.

The uſe we ſhall make of what hath been ſaid upon this Subject, is this; we ſhould be hereby incited to the diligent performance of that whole Condition that (according to the Doctrine taught by both theſe Apoſtles (is requir'd of us in order to Salvation; which is not only to believe in Chriſt, and to make prefeſſion of the Chriſtian Faith, but likewiſe to live as becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt, and to bring forth plenteouſly all the fruitful of Righteouſneſs. And this likewiſe St. Peter teaches in his 2d Epiſtle, i. 5. &c. with whoſe Words I ſhall conclude; Beſides this, giving all diligence add to your Faith Virtue, and to vir ue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience and to patience, godlineſs; and to godlineſs, Brotherly kindneſs; and to bro herly kindneſs Charity. For if theſe things be in you and abound, they make you that you ſhall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, But he that lacketh theſe things, is blind, and cannot ſee afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old Sins. Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure: for if ye do theſe things ye ſhall never fall: For ſo an entrance ſhall be miniſtred unto you abundantly, into the everlaſting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Which God of his infinite Mercy grant, for the ſake of the ſame our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; To whom, &c.