represent the law as abolished, or as in fome measure deprived of its jurifdiction, relate either to the Ceremonial Law delivered to the Jews; or to the condemning power of the Moral Law with refpect to true believers in Christ Jefus, to Christians whose faith habitually and perfeveringly proves itself by holinefs and good works. All the numerous paffages, which defcribe the law as entitled to reign over us, relate to its unimpaired and fovereign authority over every man as a rule of life; and pronounce beyond the poffibilityof difpute that, if we would enter into life, we must keep the commandments; that we must love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our mind, and with all our foul, and with all our strength, and our neighbour as ourfelf; and exercife ourselves with unwearied diligence and earnestness to walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Make it then, my brethren, your frequent prayer that God would difpofe and enable you to feel warm and increasing gratitude for the inconceivable mercy of Chrift, in freely becoming man and dying on the cross, that he might in your stead, and for your falvation bear the curse, and fatisfy the penalty of the law. Compared with this deed of kindness,

you may

with this inexpreffible benefit; what are all the kindneffes which can be fhewn by men, what are all the benefits which you can receive from men? If it is right that you should love your fellow creatures who love you if it is right that you should be grateful to those who have conferred valuable favours upon you: how ought you to love the Son of God; what gratitude ought you to cherish towards Him, who died that you might be refcued from the wrath to come, and live for ever in glory! Beware of being beguiled into the fatal perfuafion, that continue in fin that grace may abound. When Chrift has died to purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works, is that man a Chriftian who pretends that, becaufe Chrift has paid the penalty of fin, he may fafely indulge in fin, at leaft in fome one fin; who turns the grace of our Saviour into a plea for working iniquity, for allowing himself in difobedience? The wrath of God is ftill revealed from heaven against all ungodlinefs and unrighteousness of men. Our God fhall hereafter be revealed in flaming fire, to take vengeance on those who know not God, and obey not his Gofpel; on those who obey not that Moral Law, which a believer in Chrift is, if it be poffible, under ftronger obligations

than

than any perfon in former ages ever was faithfully to obey, because in addition to every motive to obedience, which could rest on perfons who lived before the birth of our Saviour, the Chriftian is bound by the ties refulting from the clearer views with which he is blessed of the nature and authority of the Moral Law, and by the obligations of love and gratitude for the redeeming mercies of his Lord. Seeing himself bought with a price. the price of Chrift's blood; he is above all men bound to glorify God in holy obedience with his body and his spirit which are God's.

Laftly be not enfnared to turn the grace of God into licentioufnefs by the language which is conftantly meeting our ears, that our Saviour has mitigated the demands of the Moral Law, and will be fatisfied with fincere though imperfect obedience. Undoubtedly our obedience must be fincere, and undoubtedly after our most faithful endeavours under divine grace, it will be grievously imperfect. In one fenfe, therefore, it is true, that he who obeys fincerely will be faved, though his obedience be imperfect, The language, however, which has been quoted, is fometimes defigned, and is always likely to bring men to conclude, that they need not to strive to be holy in all points; but may feel themselves

E 4

themselves fafe through Chrift, if they take care to lead, on the whole, refpectable lives. But if a man knowingly perfifts in any one finful habit, is his obedience sincere? Or has Christ mitigated the demands of the Moral Law? Has not he difclofed its extent, explained its purity, and enforced its authority, beyond all former ideas of men? If God demands the whole heart, is there any corner of it which may be referved for fin? If, whatever we do, we are to do all to the glory of God, that God may in all things be glorified through Jefus Chrift; is there any breach of his law in which we may indulge? My brethren, be not deceived. If you are accuitomed to fpeak of being faved. by fincere, though imperfect, obedience; examine yourselves whether you are not either trusting to be saved in part by the supposed merits of obedience, even of this imperfect obedience, or ufing fuch language as a plea for the continuance of fome unchristian practice, and the habitual neglect of some known duty, Look entirely to the cross of Chrift for atonement and acceptance. Renounce, refift, every known fin, if you hope to find him a Saviour.

SERMON IV.

JUSTIFICATION not attainable by Acrs of MORALITY.

ROMANS, iii. 28.

Therefore we conclude that a man is juftified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law.

IN

N the minds of a very large proportion of the world a much higher degree of respect for morality prevails than for piety. Numbers who hold the difpofitions in which piety confifts, and the proceedings by which those difpofitions are manifefted, in low estimation, and personally are negligent of both, will be loud in the praises of moral virtue ; and to a certain extent, and in ordinary circumstances, are practically obfervant of various moral rules. Others, by whom the duties of piety are more juftly appreciated, and are outwardly discharged with decent punctuality, discover by their common difcourse