that instant fix him motionless, blast all his powers, and freeze him as it were into inaction! As well may we suppose that when the Creator fashioned this animated clay, and breathed into it the breath of life; when he furnished it with limbs, with nerves, joints and muscles, and all its numberless instruments of motion, he never yet intended that the human body should move; as to suppose that this new workmanship of God, created, and in every respect furnished unto good works, was never intended for the practice of those works for which it is expressly formed.

The gift of the power certainly implies and requires the use and right application of that power; and that indeed not only in the case of the finished and enlightened christian, but universally and in all cases, as far as the power, and light for the direction of that power, have been communicated.

All our blessed Lord's doctrines are full of precepts and motives to action. And in those beautiful parables in which his doctrines were often couched, he continually represents the christian as in a state of action. He represents him as a Servant bound to do the will of his master; as a laborer in a vineyard; as one entrusted with a Talent which it was his duty to improve. And the other inspired writers, in perfect correspondence with their Master, represent the christian life under the same kind of images, as under those of a pilgrimage, a race, and a state of warfare.

The very notion of a state of trial in which we are here placed, implies the necessity of forming our lives and guiding our whole conduct according to some rule by which they must be hereafter reviewed. And in our Lord's description of that grand scene by which this probationary system shall be closed, he hath fully assured us, that we shall be called to a strict account for our use of all the talents entrusted to us; and that the chief inquiry, on the event of which our eternal lot must be decided, will be, how we have obeyed the dictates of that humanity and benevolence to others with which our holy faith is calculated to inspire us. Nor need we be surprized that on this occasion no mention is made of faith itself, though faith is certainly prescribed as the leading condition of our salvation, since an inquiry after the fruits of faith is in effect an inquiry after faith itself: and at the same time this proceeding of our Judge clearly shows us, that faith is valuable in his sight only in proportion to the fruits it produces, and the good works. to which it leads us.

No one can be ignorant that there are in the holy scriptures numberless precepts of virtue, and rules, examples, and motives to sanctity of life. But to what end are they placed there, if not to influence our practice? Take away every part of scripture that doth not relate to faith, and you will reduce it to a very small volume. Separate the rules of faith and the rules of practice into two distinct bodies, and

you will find the latter far to exceed the former in dimensions: which is easily to be accounted for, if practice is to be our study as well as faith. For then since faith is but a single act, and practice extends through every part of life,it is clearly seen why that part of scripture should be the most extensive, which relates to the most extensive part of our duty. But if we suppose, that when faith is once acquired, the christian is completely finished, and that he is to rest in faith, and hath no concern with works; then it seems impossible to account for the conduct of the Holy Spirit in saying so much about works which do not belong to us, and contracting into so small a size that part of scripture in which alone we are interested.

The question in short is reduced to this, Whether it is of any consequence that we should obey our Master's will, or not; and whether the greatest part of the scriptures is not entirely superfluous, and all the divine commands contained in them absolutely without a meaning?

Upon the whole then we may conclude, that the design of christianity doth by no means terminate in faith, but that faith is that good tree, which by our own assiduous cultivation, and the influence of God's Holy Spirit, bringeth forth good fruit and therefore that good works in connection with faith, and springing from that holy principle, are absolutely necessary to complete the christian character. Our Saviour is the vine, and we are the branches.

If we abide in the vine, and maintain our union with it, if we abide in a faithful attachment to our Lord and Saviour, we shall derive from that sacred stock to which we belong a vital juice, which will give us daily new force and vigor, and enable us to bring forth much fruit.

Faith shall end with time. Its whole business is answered in this life; and in heaven it shall have no existence. But virtue shall be immortal and that plant, which in this cold region is barely kept alive by the warmth of the heavenly principle within us, shall, when it comes to its native soil, flourish without the support of faith. Surely therefore, amongst candidates for heaven, that which will for ever flourish there, should be cultivated at least as much as that which will there be done away. The virtuous disposition, benevolence and charity, the love of God and the love of man, shall accompany us to heaven, and become a source of endless bliss springing up and increasing to all eternity. But when we shall be borne to that pure and blissful region on angel's wings, faith shall then be left behind us with this perishing world.

SECTION IX.

Objections considered.

TO that way of explaining the christian doctrine, which having shown the direct tendency of every part of the gospel dispensation,

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and of every principle it employs to produce good works, concludes the necessity of associating good works with faith, in order to fulfil the design, and to obtain the end of our calling, some no doubt will have their objections.

It will be proper therefore to take notice of the most considerable and most popular of those objections which may probably arise.

And first it will be pretended, that by the doctrine of good works we assume a merit to ourselves, set up a claim to happiness founded on that merit, and thereby arrogantly presume to share with our Saviour in the work of salvation.

In answer to this let it be observed, that strictly speaking there can be no merit in any created being. It can never do more than what is answerable to the powers and faculties with which it is endowed. But all its powers and faculties are the gift of the Creator; and therefore no use or application of them can ever cancel the debt of the original gift. Strictly speaking, therefore, no created being can have merit, so as to form upon it any claim of happiness from his Creator, or to entitle him to any degree of reward, otherwise than as the free gift and voluntary appointment of God himself.

Yet there may and must be amongst those creatures of God, whom he hath endowed with any degree of free-will, and a power of directing their own conduct, amongst such there must be a relative merit, and a compar ative goodness.