truths, which we are taught by Christ, and on them alone, that the Christian edifice is to be erected-to build on Christ, is to build upon a rock; not to build upon him, is to build upon the sand, "for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

And as all our pretensions to Christianity will be forfeited, by a want of reverence for the person, and a firm dependence upon the merits of its divine author,-so the claims of the professed followers of Christ cannot be supported, unless their faith is exemplified by internal purity, and moral righteousness.

Justification, by faith alone, built upon the doctrine of the redemption of mankind, by the death and sacrifice of Christ, was the great gospel principle, on which protestanism was founded. But some of the fanatics, in their abhorence of the Popish tenet of merit, were guilty of the most impious abuse of this doctrine,-first, by depreciating morality, and secondly, by dispensing with it.

Modern enthusiasts have, to a certain

extent, imitated this culpable example, for though they do not absolutely deny the necessity of good works, yet by enforcing the performance of them, in a manner altogether devoid of energy, so little importance is attached to them, that they are considered by many, not as indispensable requisites, but mere appendages to the Christian profession.

St. Paul, after expatiating largely upon the mercy of God, manifested in the Christian dispensation, puts this question to his reader," what shall we say then, shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound ?” which he answers by a strong negative,"God forbid,"-he foresaw, that some might misinterpret his expressions, and he anticipates their mistake. He is beforehand with them, by protesting against any such use being made of his doctrine.

By way of shewing scripturally the necessity of personal virtue, all the numerous texts, which exhort to holiness, and admonish us against sin, might be quoted, indeed every page of the New Testament.-" Not

every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven." "If ye know these things, happy are ye, if ye do them." In both these texts, a reward attends the doing, a promise is annexed to works.

Again, "whosoever," says our Saviour, "shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother,"-thus he describes his friends, not even by the intimacy of their intercourse with him, not by the tenderness of their attachment to his person, not by their sorrow on account of his approaching sufferings and separations from them-considered as their familiar companion and associate, but by their obedience to him, as the teacher of morality, as the mouth of heaven, as the public minister of truth and virtue, "ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you."

In considering the terms of the gospel covenant, there are two errors into which men are liable to fall-the first is, that when they hear so much of the exceedingly great kind

ness of the offer, they are apt to infer that the condition on which it is made, will not be exacted. Against this error we ought to guard ourselves, most diligently, for it is not only false in its principle, but most pernicious in its application, its application being always to countenance us in some sin, which we will not relinquish.

To prevent us from thus turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, what can be more appropriate than the language of the following prayer:-" Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people, that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded, through Jesus Christ our Lord." The same sentiment is expressed by the church, in her homilies and articles"Albeit that good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith; insomuch that by them a lively

faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit." 12th Article.

In the accomplishment of man's salvation, there are naturally and properly two essential qualities,-the cause and the condition; the benignity of God, hath made us a most inconceivably advantageous offer, the Scriptures call it "glory, honour, immortality, eternal life," the greatest virtue that man ever attained, has no pretensions to such a reward; nor can I mention a branch of duty, which is not liable to be impure in the motive, and imperfect in the execution; or a moral accomplishment, by which our endeavours can found their hopes of acceptance upon any pretext, but extended mercy, and the efficacy of those means and causes, which have procured it, to be so extended.

But a most kind offer may still be a conditional offer, and if a conditional offer is infinitely kind on the part of the benefac tor who makes it, and infinitely beneficial to those to whom it is made, gratitude will render the condition so much the more obligatory, for as an apostle tells us, "ye are Q q