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and not by Works. I think no Man will pretend, that we are fo acceptable to God, as to obtain his fanctifying Influences, in a Progrefs of Wisdom and Grace, before we are juftified; or that we are fanctified by Faith, and juftified by Works. Whence it follows, that Faith is the Mean or Term of onr Juftification, because it is the Mean or Term of our Sanctification; and that a holy Life cannot be the Condition of our Acceptance with God, because it is the Confequence and Fruit of that Faith by which we find Acceptance with him.

Another Text to the fame Purpose we find in Chap. ii. 5. Hearken, my beloved Brethren, hath not God chofen the Poor of this World, rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom, which God hath promifed to them that love him?It might be read, Hath not God chofen the Poor-to be Rich, (as a fimilar Phrase is tranflated, Rom. viii. 29.) to be rich with or by Faith, and Heirs.--Does it not plainly teach us, that as the End of God's chufing the Poor was, that they might be fpiritually Rich? fo that it is Faith which enriches them, and conftitutes them Heirs of the Kingdom. And you will readily own, that if we are Heirs of the Kingdom by Faith, we are juftified by Faith.-The Kingdom is prepared for them that love God; and Faith is the Source of that Love to God, by which we are qualified for the Kingdom. Faith worketh by Love, Gal. v. 6. and therefore Faith is the Term or Medium of our Acceptance with God and Title to the Kingdom.--Thefe Texts must therefore be remembered in our Explication of the Context you refer to, that we may not reprefent the Apostle as teaching Contradictions or Inconfiftencies.

It must also be premised, that we should underftand the Reasonings and Conclufions of the two Apoftles, Paul and James, according to the professed Bb 2

Scope

Scope and Defign of their Difcourfes, and according to the Subject they are profeffedly treating upon: And we should confider the Expreffions they each of them use upon the Point in View, not as Words occafionally and tranfiently spoken; but as what relate to, and are connected with, the Subject-Matter profeffedly undertaken to be explained.-This must be always allowed to be a natural and rational Rule, which ought to be strictly adhered to in the Interpretation of Scripture.-Now then, let us look a little into this Cafe, and fee if we do'nt find the Scope and Defign of these two Apoftles very different, where they speak so very differently of Jufli fication by Faith and by Works.

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Paul defignedly handles this Question, How a guilty, condemned and convinced Sinner shall get reconciled to God, find Acceptance with him, and have a Title to the heavenly Inheritance ?treats of fuch who are under Sin, whofe Mouths must be flopped, who are all become guilty before God, and who have all finned, and come short of the Glory of God, Rom. iii. 9, 19, 23. He confiders the Impoffibility in the Nature of the Thing, that fuch as thefe can be justified by Works; because when they have done all they can do, they yet in their highest Attainments continue Sinners, and remain under Guilt. This is the plain and manifeft Scope of the two first, and Part of the third Chapters to the Romans. He thence proceeds to fhew, which Way, and which only, they may hope for Acceptance with God, in the remaining Part of the third, and in the following Chapters of that Epiftle. This cannot be by the Deeds of the Law. Therefore by the Deeds of the Law fhall no Flesh be juftified in his Sight, Chap. iii. 20. But it must be by the Righ teoufnefs of God without the Law; by the Righte oufness of God by Faith of Jefus Chrift; and by

Faith, without the Deeds of the Law, Ver. 21, 22. 28.- -This is the Subject that the Apostle Paul keeps conftantly in View, in his Epiftles to the

Romans and Galatians.

But then, on the contrary, the Apostle James defignedly handles this Queftion, Whether careless, licentious Profeffors of Christianity may prefume upon their obtaining Salvation from their doctrinal Faith, or from their notional and historical Affent to the Truth of the Gofpel? and thence he takes Occafion diftinctly to confider, which Way a Chriftian's Faith may be justified, his Profeffion vindicated and evidenced to be fincere and true. He difcourfes of a Man that faith he hath Faith, and hath not Works, Ver. 14. of one that hath a Faith without Charity, Ver. 15, 16. of a Faith that hath not Works, but is dead, being alone, Ver. 17. a Faith that is but like a Body without Spirit, or a Carcafe without Breath, Ver. 26.

These are the refpective Questions handled by these two Apostles; and their Anfwers are adapted to the Subjects profeffedly handled by them. They give the very fame Anfwers to each of thefe Queftions, that a judicious Calvinist Divine would now give. Should an awakened Sinner, under a Senfe of his Guilt and Danger, inquire of one of our Divines, how he may obtain a pardon of his Sins, a Reconciliation to God, and a Title to eternal Life? Would he not anfwer with the Apostle Paul, that he must feek Righteoufnefs by Faith, and not as it were by the Works of the Law: for by the Deeds of the Law no Flesh shall be juftified in his Sight: that he must be found in Chrift, not having his own. Righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Chrift the Righteouf nefs which is of God by Faith.- -But then, on the other Hand, fhould any vain Profeffor, that turns

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the Grace of God into Wantonnefs, yet fay that he has Faith, and flatter himself with Salvation from his hiftorical or doctrinal Belief of the Gospel, while living a carelefs and fenfual Life; would he not be told, in the Language of the Apostle James, that fuch a Faith won't fave him; that the very Devils have fuch a Faith as well as he; that Faith without Works is a dead Faith, and but a Carcase without Breath; that he must have Works to justify his Pretence to Faith, and muft fhew his Faith by his Works, or his Hopes are vain, and he a vain Man to entertain fuch Hopes? -Now, what Shadow of Difagreement would appear in these different Answers to fuch very different Subjects in Question?

After this View of the Cafe, it is now to be con. fidered, from which of these Apostles we may expect to have the Doctrine of a Sinner's Juftification before God explained and fet in its proper Light: Whether from him who is purpofely handling this Subject, or from him who is not purposely handling this Matter, but treating on a very different Subject? This is an inquiry very eafily answered; and being anfwered, the whole Difficulty vanishes of Course.

Thefe Things being premised, I proceed to confider the Subject before us more directly and particularly: And by taking Notice of the Doctrines refpectively taught by these Apostles, shall endeavour to fhew you, that there is no Difagreement at all between them, nor any thing at all in this Difcourfe of the Apostle James, which you refer to, that is in the leaft repugnant to our Juftification by Faith, without Works of Righteousness done by us.

This will appear evident, if we confider in the first Place, that these Apostles are treating of a different Faith. The one of them has not the fame Idea,

and

and does not mean the fame Thing with the other, when they discourse of Faith and its Influence upon our Juftification. You remember I have formerly fhewn you at large, in a Letter purposely written on that Subject, that there are two Sorts of Faith mentioned and described in the Scripture. By the one we are, and by the other we are not juftified before God. Now the Apostle Paul fpeaks of the former of thefe, and the Apostle James of the latter. There is therefore the greatest Truth and Propriety in what each of these Apostles speak of Faith, taking it in the Notion which they refpectively intend. 'Tis true, that by the Faith of God's Elect we are justified and faved: 'Tis alfo true, that the Faith of the vain Man, or empty Profeffor, a bare notional, hiftorical, fruitlefs Faith will not fave us.-The Apostle Paul speaks of a living Faith, by which the Just shall live. Pom. i. 17. The Apostle James fpeaks of a dead Faith, which is but as a Body without the Spirit. Ver. 17. 26. The Apostle Paul fpeaks of a Faith which worketh by Love. Gal. v. 6. The Apostle James Ipeaks of a Faith which hath not Works, and which is deftitute of Mercy or Charity. Ver. 16, 17.Paul treats of a fpecial Faith, by which we are the Children of God. Gal. iii. 26. James of a Faith which is common to the Devils. Ver. 19.-Paul treats of a Faith by which we shall be faved. Rom. x. 9. James of a Faith which cannot fave us. v. 14-Paul treats of a Faith by which we are justified without the Deeds of the Law. Rom. iii. 28. James on the contrary speaks of a Faith, which being alone without Works, is fuch as will not justify us. Ver. 24. Now, can it poffibly be true of the fame Faith, that it is both alive and dead; that it worketh by Love, and yet hath not Works, but is without Love and Mercy; that by it we are the Children

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