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SECT. XVI.

The mystery of Faith and Works, and rewards of

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Grace and Debt.

I. Of Faith and Works.

E that in word offendeth not,
Is call'd a perfect man I wot a;
Yet he whofe thoughts and deeds are bad,
The law perfection never had b.

I am defign'd a perfect soul,

Ev'n though I never kept the whole,
Nor any precept c; for 'tis known,
He breaks them all, that breaks but one d.

/ 1 Pet. i. 8. Whom, having not feen, ye love; in whom, though now ye fee him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unfpeakable, and full of glory. Rom. iv. 19, 21. Abraham against hope, believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was fpoken, So fhall thy feed be. And being not weak in faith, he confi dered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. He ftaggered not at the promise God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully per fuaded, that what he had promifed, he was able also to perform.

Pfalm lxxxix. 36,-39. His feed fhall endure for ever, and his throne as the fun before me. It shall be eftablished for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah. But thou haft caft off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. Thou haft made void the covenant of thy fervant: thou haft profaned his crown, by cafting it to the ground. a James iii. 2. If any man offend not in word, the fame is a perfect man, and able alfo to bridie the whole body.

6 James ii. 1o. For whofoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all,

c Rom. iv. 5, 6. To him that worketh not, but believeth

By faith I do perfection claim e,
By works I never grafp the name ƒ:
Yet without works my faith is nought g,
And thereby no perfection brought.

Works without faith will never speed h,
Faith without works is wholly dead i:
Yet I am juftify'd by faith,

Which no law-works adjutant hath k.

on him that juflifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteoufnefs. Even as David alfo defcribeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteoufnefs without works. Job i. 1. There was a man in the land of Uz, whofe name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and efchewed evil. Pfalm lxxi. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. Eccl. vii. 20. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doth good, and fin neth not.

d James ii. 10. See letter b.

e Phil. iii. 9. I count all things but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteouf nefs, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith.

f Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not juftified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift: even we have believed in Jefus Chrift; that we might be juftified by the faith of Chrift, and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law fhall no flesh be justified.

g James ii. 14. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man fay he hath faith, and have not works? can faith fave him? h Heb. xi. 6. Without faith it is impoffible to please God; for he that cometh to God, muft believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him. Rom. xxiv. 23. Whatfoever is not of faith, is fin.

James ii. 17. Even so faith if it hath not works, is dead being alone. v. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead, fo faith without works is dead alfo.

* Rem iii. 21, 22. But now the righteoufness of God without the law is manifested, being witneffed by the law and the prophets; even the righteoufnefs of God which is by faith o

Yea, gofpel-works no help can lend 1,
Though still they do my faith attend m:
Yet faith by works is perfect made,
And by their presence justify'd n.

Jefus Chrift unto all, and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference. Chap. iv. 4, 5, 6. Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifeth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the bleffednefs of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.

Phil. iii. 4,-9. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might truft in the flesh, I more :-touching the righteoufnefs which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted lofs for Chrift. Yea doubtlefs, and I count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord: for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Ifa. Ixiv. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Hof. xiii. 9. O Ifrael, thon haft destroyed thyself, but in me is thine help. If. xlv. 24, 25. Surely, fhall one fay, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come, and all that are incensed against him fhall be ashamed. In the Lord shall all the feed of Ifrael be juftified, and fhall glory.

m Tit. iii. 8. This is a faithful faying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works: thefe things are good and profitable unto men. James ii. 18. Yea, a man may say, Thou haft faith, and I have works: fhew me thy faith without thy works, and I will fhew thee my faith by my

works.

n James ii. 21, 22. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Ifaac his fon upon the altar? Seeft thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? v. 24. Ye fee then how that by works a man is juftified, and not by faith only.

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But works with faith could never vie,

And only faith can justify o:

Yet ftill my justifying faith
No juftifying value hath p.

Lo, juftifying grace from heav'n
Is foreign ware, and freely giv'nq:
And faving faith is well content
To be a mere recipient r.

• Rom. iv. 16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promife might be fure to all the feed. Titus iii. 4-7. But after that the kindnefs and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteoufness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us by the wafhing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft: which he fhed on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour; that being juftified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. A&s x. 43. To him gave all the prophets witnefs, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him, shall receive remiffion of fins.

p Gal. iii. 21, 22. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteoufnefs fhould have been by the law. But the fcripture hath concluded all under fin, that the promise by faith of Jefus Chrift might be given to them that believe. Luke xxii. 31, 32. And the Lord faid, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath defired to have you, that he may fift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, ftrengthen thy brethren. 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are fufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves: but our fufficiency is of God. Chap. xii. 5. Of fuch an one will I glory; yet of myself I' will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

Rom. v. 16, 17. The free gift is of many offences unto juftification. They which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, fhall reign in life by one, Jefus Chrift. Chap. iii. 24. Being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift.

r Rom. v. II. And not only fo, but we also joy in God,

Z

Faith's active in my fanctity f:
But here its act it will deny s,
And frankly own it never went
Beyond a paffive inftrument t.
I labour much like holy Paul;

And yet not I, but grace does all u;

through our Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom we have now received the atonement. v. 17. See letter q.

Gal. v. 6. For in Jefus Chrift, neither circumcifion availeth any thing, nor uncircumcifion, but faith which worketh by love. Acts xv. 9. God put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Chap. xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgivenefs of fins, and inheritance among them which are fanctified by faith that is in me.

s Rom. iv. 16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace. Chap. xi. 6. And if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace.

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Eph. ii. 8, 9. For by grace are ye faved, through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, left any man fhould boast. I Cor. iv. 7. For who maketh

thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why doft thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? Heb. xi. 11. Through faith alfo Sarah herself received strength to conceive feed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because fhe judged him faithful who had promised. v. 17. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Ifaac: and he that had receiv ed the promises, offered up his only begotten fon: v. 19. Accounting that God was able to raife him up, even from the dead: from whence also he received him in a figure. v. 35. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverence; that they might obtain a better refurrection.

u 1 Cor. xv. 10. But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Pfal. Ixxi, 16. I will go on in the strength of the Lord

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