after the day of Pentecost, they will be ready to diminish the merit of the work of Christ, by mingling their own works with his. This is an old evil among religious people, by which they discover their enmity to Christ. The Galatians pursued this scheme as far as it could well go; they mingled the ceremonial law with the gospel, and still were disposed to be thought believers thereof. To such Paul says, that Christ profited them nothing. It is seldom affirmed, in so many words, that sinners can do any thing in the matter of acceptance with God; but at the same time the devout Doctors and Pharisees of the age say and affirm as much as renders Christ's work of no consequence until the sinner performs his part. Justification is attributed to Christ's righteousness by the orthodox part of our modern Doctors; but it is well known, that these very pious dignitaries tell us a very strange story concerning believing, which they declare must precede our interest in his atonement. Allow me to ask your Reverences, how can faith interest us in the atonement of Christ, seeing that atonement is the true reason of our obtaining a true and unfeigned faith in the divine record?"For it is given," says the apostle, "to us, on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe, but to suffer for his name.' T But, an't please your Doctorships, how can an effect be the cause of its own cause? to speak in the style of Doctors of Divinity. If we receive faith on account of Christ's finished work, as a privilege bestowed for his merit, how can faith interest us in the righteousness of Christ, which is the meritorious reason of a sinner's believing? Truly, gentlemen, I perceive your difficulty, and also foresee your shifts to get clear of it. Faith has no merit in it; and yet we are told, we are justified by faith. This is strange indeed, for sinners to be justified in the sight of God by a faith which has no merit in it! The law of God does not admit of this. A guilty person cannot be acquitted, except by an atonement. "Without shedding of blood there is no remission" of sin. But faith is an instrument of our justification. Indeed, gentlemen, you may call it any thing you please. What way is it instru mental in a sinner's justification? Whether is it God, or the sinner, who makes use of this instrument when justification takes place? Sinners cannot be instrumental by any act of their own minds in obtaining justification; for it is an act of God's free grace, to which the act of the sinner's mind does no way contribute. It would appear, that the Doctors view the Almighty in the same light in which they view some angry ill-natured prince, who, when he is offended, will not pardon any offence without much ceremony and application. But God, who gave his Son, doth for his sake "freely give us all things," and knows no higher reason, nor any other reason, that can abide examination in law or in justice, whereby a sinner may be justified or accepted in his sight, than the righteousness of the Redeemer. We have the Divine testimony for this:-"I am pleased for his righteousness sake."-" This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”. When When this promise in the text is fulfilled in any particular case, it realizeth the declaration of the apostle: "Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus." I had almost forgotten that faith is an instrument of a sinner's justification. The Scripture no where says so: and I appeal to all the Doctors in Great Britain, if there are any such words in the whole Bible? Paul says, Paul says, "We are justified by faith;"-" Abraham wus justified by faith;"" A man is justified by faith" but there is no such sentence in the Scriptures as that a sinner is justified by faith, when the word is used to signify an act of the mind. The doctrine which Doctors in Divinity frequently inculcate upon their hearers, namely, that they must believe on purpose to be justified, signifies neither more nor less than that a sinner is some way or other justified by an act of the mind; and this will be the chief and leading sentiment of the person's soul, till he see that his own faith, like his righteounsess, is filthy rags. By this deceitful orthodoxy, self-righteousness is reduced into a system, and poor sinful creatures set to work to act faith, on purpose to be justified; which as soon as their vain imaginations conceive they are possessed of, they glory in themselves, and value themselves as distinguished above others. Instead of exalting the Lord, they are puffed up with the vain conceit of their believing; and, as they grow religious, they turn intolerably proud. This is remarkable among those who pass for the converted," and "the saints," in certain places. The opinion which others conceive of them makes them conceive well of themselves; and, because they believe they are converted, they imagine they believe the gospel. But these are two very different things. Many are persuaded they are converted, who never believed the record which God hath given concerning his Son." Few people are disposed to believe the worst of themselves; and it is easy to persuade them to what they are naturally inclined. But as the Christian religion is not merely an orthodox way of thinking, but a practical system of godliness, I shall shew a few instances in real life, wherein these words in the text were accomplished. 66 1. In the case of Barnabas, who was a rich man (for I would not choose to set mean examples before Doctors of Divinity). This man, when he believed the gospel, became humbled in a practical sense. He sold his possessions, and laid them at the apostles' feet, that the needs of other believers might be supplied. A lofty man could not have done this. Pride suggests to all unbelievers, that whatever they possess is their own: but the gospel persuades men of the contrary; for no man has a right to call any thing his own, when his brethren have need thereof, and he can spare it. Barnabas is an instance of real humility. It would make the heart of many Doctors of Divinity sad, to be obliged to do as he freely did. Rather than be obliged to such an humiliating thing, many Christian Doctors would willingly make some explanation of of the spirit of religion, and adapt it to the taste of the times. Humility is a word often used, but not well understood. The power of the gospel only makes men understand it; and the true signs of humility are charity and love. The Doctors frequently tell us, that the practice of charity is altered since the days of the apostles; and for that reason they have conducted it in another manner, and rendered it more easy to flesh and blood. To sell houses and land, to make provision for the poor, is thought not necessary. Let believers beg, say the Doctors. But, Sirs, prove that there were ever beggars in a New-Testament church, and I shall yield the point. If you believe the gospel, you will receive poor believers into your house, and support them. As soon as men's haughtiness is brought down, they submit, like Barnabas, to the charity of the gospel, and become fruitful in good works; they will even deny themselves a bonum magnum, to have it in their power to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. All the New-Testament believers were subject to the laws of Christ in all things, and did not endeavour to alter or change any of them. 2. Paul is another instance of the reality of the above-mentioned truth. The apostle was fond of his own righteousness, and the honours of the Doctors, while he continued in the Jewish religion; bnt when this promise was accomplished in him, he submitted to every institution of Christ. But, as I shall in another volume make this subject more plain, I shall conclude, lest I weary Doctors of Divinity, END OF SERMONS TO DOCTORS IN DIVINITY. |