confess their guilt with all its ag- as a reason why the Lord should gravating circumstances, and plead defend him against the tongue of his merciful forgiveness, and his slander, maintain his cause against plenteous redemption. Psalm cxxx. those that injure him, and prosper "Out of the belly of hell they look his endeavours to do good: and in towards his holy temple," and seek various ways he may "rejoice in the his gracious deliverance; Jonah ii. testimony of his conscience, that in and while they beseech the Lord to simplicity and godly sincerity, not glorify his infinite mercy in saving with fleshly wisdom, but by the them, the vilest of sinners; he grace of God, he has had his con"brings them out of the horrible versation in the world." This is pit, and out of the miry clay; he evident from numberless passages sets their feet upon a rock, and or- in the sacred Scriptures, and even ders their goings: and he puts a from the prayers of the most eminew song into their mouths, even nent saints. But so long as a man thanksgivings unto their God" and needs forgiveness, and blessings inSaviour. Then, indeed, a brighter numerable and inestimable, which light shining upon their experi- he hath not in the smallest degree ences, they can discern some act-merited by his best services; and so ings of holy fear, humility, desire, long as he is continually making faith, hope, and love, amidst the unsuitable returns for former merperplexities of their souls: yet they cies, he cannot, properly speaking, could ascertain nothing of this kind have any warrant for his faith, exin the time of distress and dismay, cept the word of the gospel; howwhen they stood most in need of ever his hope may be encouraged encouragement. and assured by the seal and witness

III. But indeed the believer, of the sanctifying Spirit. Nor will who is best established in judgment the poor publican's prayer be ever and experience, and most assured laid aside, as unsuitable to his case, in hope, does not consider his con- by the greatest saint on this side sciousness of sanctifying grace, or the perfection of heaven: though his upright walk and conversation, self-deceivers of various descripas in any sense his warrant for faith tions, may think themselves too holy in Christ, or in applying to him and to employ such self-debasing lanrelying on him, for renewed par-guage.

don, and fresh supplies of wisdom, It is commonly urged on this substrength, grace, and consolation an-ject, that if any thing be considered swerable to his daily needs. He as the warrant of faith, except the may, and will, on some occasions, word of the gospel, boasting will be appeal to the Lord for his integrity: introduced, and self-confidence enand as "his own heart does not couraged. This is true in general, condemn him" of hypocrisy, or al- and the sentiment has a powerful lowed sin, "he has that confidence tendency that way: yet many, who towards God," which he could not are charged with representing holy otherwise enjoy. 1 John iii. 19–22. dispositions as a necessary warrant to He will consider his conscious love faith in Christ, look on those dispoto Christ and Christians, his hatred [sitions to be as entirely a free gift of of sin, and his delight in God's com- the Saviour, as any of the blessings mandments, as a full proof that his they afterwards receive: and (whefaith is living, and his salvation ther consistently or not I pretend sure he may plead these things, not to determine,) they enter as

fully as their opponents into the ference inconsistent with the pure spirit of the apostle's words, " By gospel of Christ. On the other grace ye a are saved, through faith; hand, some have incautiously used and that not of yourselves, it is the language on the subject, which may gift of God; not of works, lest any be understood to render even the man should boast; for we are his preaching of regeneration, sanctifiworkmanship, created in Christ cation, and holiness of life, dangerJesus unto good works."-"Who ous; by representing all holy dismade thee to differ from another?" positions and good works, as tending or, "what hast thou that thou hast to boasting and self-confidence: and not received?"-"Being justified the charge of giving countenance freely by his grace, through the to self-righteousness, has been so redemption that is in Christ Jesus." indiscriminately advanced, as to inThe fact seems to be this: Some volve many persons and opinions, pious men, in guarding against that by no means deserve it. But abuses, have unwarily thrown im- if we adhere simply to the word of pediments in the way of discou-God, we shall keep at a distance raged souls; others by attachment from these extremes: and none will to system have moreover furnished pervert our doctrine, except those excuses to proud and prejudiced" who stumble at the word, being unbelievers; and many have ex-disobedient," and who wrest the pressed themselves in a manner Scriptures themselves to their own which may be perverted to encou-destruction." rage a degree and kind of self-pre

PART II.

SAVING FAITH IN CHRIST ESSENTIALLY HOLY IN ITS NATURE.

SECTION I.

or unrighteousness. An unrighteous man, in the language of argumentaThe Terms defined and explained. tive theology, signifies a man under THE holy nature of saving faith, at condemnation for his sins, and not least in its first exercises, has been brought into a state of justification; expressly denied by several persons, an unholy man is one unrenewed by who have maintained the doctrine the Spirit of God, and under the insisted on in the former part of this dominion of sin. Holy and holiness work; and others have used lan- therefore relate to the dispositions guage capable of this construction and affections of his heart, and not thus the subject has been enveloped to his state as justified before God: in obscurity, and the truth exposed nor is this distinction of trivial conto unmerited objections. sequence, but essential to a clear That we may the better under-understanding of the subject. Instand the subsequent discussion, we deed few things have more pershould previously obtain precise plexed religious controversies and ideas of the meaning in which the discussions, than want of accuracy words holy, holiness, sanctifying, and in speaking of justification and sancsanctification are here used. Holy tification, and carefully keeping the or holiness is opposed to unholy or ideas of them distinct.

unholiness; and not to unrighteous The question, therefore, concern

ing the holy nature of saving faith, depended, as its meritorious ground, has nothing to do with the doctrine on the last expression of his love of justification, but belongs entirely and zeal, when he was expiring as to another topic in theology. We a martyr, he must be condemned by are "justified freely by the grace of the holy law of God. From first to God;" or by free mercy, entirely last we must be justified by mere contrary to our deservings: we are mercy and grace, through the righjustified by the righteousness and teousness and atoning blood of Ematoning blood of Christ, as the me- manuel, and by faith alone: nor can ritorious ground of our pardon and sanctification, whether more or less title to eternal life and we are jus- advanced, avail any thing towards tified by faith alone, because faith justification. If this was well conalone constitutes our relation to sidered and fully understood, many Christ, that we may be made the plausible objections to the holy na righteousness of God in him." Ac-ture of saving faith, which suppose cording to the holy and good law of that it interferes with the doctrines our righteous Sovereign, and the of imputed righteousness and free covenant of works, the least imper-justification, must fall to the ground, fection or failure in obedience con- and would require no further andemns us; all the holiness we can swer.

"

ever possess, with all the obedience "Now to him that worketh not, we have performed, weighs not an but believeth in him that justifieth atom in the opposite scale; and to the ungodly, his faith is accounted the last moment of life we need free for righteousness." These words forgiveness of every defect, to what- of the apostle have been greatly ever degree of sanctification we have misunderstood in this controversy: attained, or how many good works for it may as fairly be inferred from soever we have done. "Cursed is them, that believers never work at every one who continueth not in all all, for any purpose, or from any things written in the book of the motive, as that they are in all senses law to do them."-Not only the absolutely ungodly, when God justinew convert, or the feeble believer fieth them.-The sinner, when he in his first actings of faith in Christ, believes in Christ, "labours for the is excluded from taking any encou- meat which endureth unto everlast+ ragement from his incipient sancti- ing life, which the Son of man shall fication, if he be capable of ascer- give him;" he "works out his own taining its existence: but the most salvation with fear and trembling:" advanced Christian, after half a cen- he "gives diligence to make his tury spent in holy obedience, and calling and election sure:" he is zealous endeavours to glorify the" zealous of good works," fruitful Saviour and serve his generation; in all the works of righteousness, comparing himself and his best du- which are through Jesus Christ, ties with the perfect standard, must unto the glory and praise of God;" exclaim, "I am all as an unclean yea," always abounding in the work thing, and all my righteousness are of the Lord." But notwithstanding as filthy rags." Even perfect holi- this, he not only ceases to work, in ness of heart, and obedience in con- respect of justification, when he first duct, could do nothing towards aton-applies for an interest in the righte ing for past sins, or redeeming the ousness of Christ; but, amidst all forfeited inheritance; and if Paul's his "diligence to the full assurance justification at the tribunal of Christ, of hope unto the end," to glorify

God, and to do good to mankind; small measure of obedience which he never works at all, at least allow- Sarah rendered, in reverencing her edly, in dependence on his own husband, though she laughed in undoings, or in order to add them belief, denied her crime, and was to "the righteousness of God by sharply rebuked for it, is noticed faith." with approbation by Peter, as a spe

In like manner he is ungodly, in cimen of the "manner, in which himself, according to the law, by holy women who trusted in God his own sincere confession, and in adorned themselves." 1 Pet. iii. 6. the unerring judgment of God; not So entirely distinct are the quesonly at the moment when he is first tions concerning holiness, and conjustified, but during the whole pe-cerning the way of justification; exriod that he lived by faith in Christ cept as the sanctification of the for justification. His incipient and Spirit evidences our interest in Christ imperfect godliness is not at all no- by faith. ticed in this respect: yet his com- The case of Abraham, to which ing to Christ with earnest desires of the apostle refers in the words besalvation, and his humble, obedient, fore cited, is peculiarly unfavourand willing return to God through able to the conclusions which many him, essentially distinguish his cha- deduce from them. For that patriracter from that of such persons, as arch had walked with God for many say unto God," Depart from us, we years before the transaction, condesire not the knowledge of thy cerning which the sacred historian ways" and that of all others, who records, that " He believed in God, are in every respect absolutely un and it was accounted to him for godly, and have "no fear of God righteousness." Yet on this pasbefore their eyes." sage the apostle grounds his remark, Whatever in any degree accords" Now to him who worketh not, but to the law of God is so far holy; believeth in him that justifieth the but an external or relative holiness ungodly, his faith is accounted to falls not under our present inquiry. him for righteousness." But will The moral law is spiritual, and takes any man maintain, that Abraham cognizance of men's spirits; what- had been, even to that time, in all ever, therefore, in the state of our respects ungodly, and an enemy to hearts, answers to the spirituality God? And that he had never perof the precept, is holy. The least formed one good work in all the intermixture of unholiness, in the preceding years of his walking with best and most spiritual exercises of God? Yet this must be the consethe heart, or actions of the life, con- quence of the absolute interpretademns us according to the legal co- tion of this remarkable text. The venant: but the actual existence of the smallest portion of a right and spiritual disposition, if it could be ascertained, would prove the possessor regenerate; being one of the "things which accompany salva- Every degree of humility, fear of tion." Abraham might justly have God, desire of happiness in his fabeen condemned, and needed mer-vour and service, love to his perfecciful forgiveness for the weakness tions and those things which he ap and wavering of that very faith by proves, hatred of what he abhors which he was justified: while the and forbids; simple belief of his

same might also be shown respecting David, at the time when he penned the thirty-second Psalm, to which the apostle referred as another illustration of his subject.

testimony, reliance on his promises, Or if they allow it, how can they and regard to his authority and but perceive that their objections glory, if it be genuine, accords to in this respect are perfectly unthe spiritual precept of the law, and founded?

is so far holy. A transgressor, if renewed to a right spirit, and encou raged to hope for mercy, would plead guilty, apply for pardon, and

SECTION II.

ration.

approve of the most humbling and Saving Faith the Effect of Regeneself-denying way of reconciliation, which the glory of his offended God THE holy nature of saving faith required. may be inferred from the consideraSanctifying, and sanctification, as tion, that it is the gift of God, and these words relate to our present wrought in the heart by the Holy subject, denote the renewal of an Spirit. To this it may indeed be unholy creature to a right spirit; objected, that many gifts are conand are applicable to every stage of ferred by the same divine Agent, this renovation, from its commence- which are allowed to have nothing ment in regeneration to its comple- essentially holy in their nature. It tion in glory.-But no measure of should, however, be observed, that sanctification can possibly form any in those things which inseparably part of a sinner's justifying righte- accompany salvation, the Holy Spiousness: because while it is imper-rit directly acts upon the disposi fect, that imperfection needs for- tions and affections of the heart, giveness; and when perfected it stamps his own image, and commucan make no atonement for past nicates his own holy nature to the sins, nor can it merit eternal life.-soul, by permanently operating on It however distinguishes a living all its faculties, as an in-dwelling faith from that which is dead and source of life, light, purity, and feworthless; it forms our meetness licity; whereas in imparting spiri for heaven; it enables us to glorify tual gifts, or miraculous powers, he and prepares us to rejoice in God: only works upon natural principles, and it is a distinct part of our free or enables a man occasionally to persalvation, no less valuable than jus- form supernatural actions, without tification itself; as distinct as a gra- any abiding union or assimilation. tuitous cure of the jail-fever would Balaam, Judas, and many who in be from the pardon of a felony, and Christ's name prophesied, cast out the grant of an inheritance. If then devils, and wrought miracles, conthe opinion, that saving faith is holy, tinued all the while covetous, ambieven in its first and feeble actings, tious, malignant, or sensual workers could countenance self-righteous of iniquity: but no man ever truly confidence ; more complete sancti- believed in Christ, while his heart fication must have proportionably a continued the willing slave of any still stronger tendency to it. Yet lust. As these gifts and powers this is not supposed by the persons are not holy in their nature, or even in question; for they see, that jus- in their effects; so neither are they tification and sanctification, in the connected with salvation, by any inadvanced Christian, are perfectly dissoluble bond: but faith in Christ distinct: how is it then, they do is more explicitly and frequently in not recollect, that they are distinct Scripture connected with eternal at the first, as well as at the last ? salvation, than any other exercise