the fame, it is "godlinefs, which plainly open"eth the way to heaven, if we will feek to "attain thereunto "that if, as the Homily afferts, "the only mean and inftrument re 66 quired of our parts is faith, that is to say, a "fure truft and confidence in the mercies of "God," fo alfo "it is to be taken for a most "true leffon, taught by Chrift's own mouth, "that the works of the moral commandments "of God be the very true works of faith, " which lead to the bleffed life to come1;" and "being wrought in faith, are ordained by "God to be the right trade and pathway ❝ unto heaven":"-that, in one word, as Edward's Catechifm again expreffes it, "the fum "of Chriftian religion ftandeth in TWO POINTS; “in true FAITH IN GOD, and affured perfua"fion conceived of all those things, which are "contained in the holy Scripture; and in "CHARITY, which belongeth both to God and "to our neighbour' n " When therefore we hear the Methodist confidently maintaining, that "there is no happi"nefs till we can feel-an union of the foul "with God, and that that and that only is ❝ true and undefiled religion";" we feel little ! Enchiridion Theologicum, vol. i. p. 66. * Homilies, Oxford edit. p. 362. 1 Ibid. p. 41. » Enchir. Theol, i, 9. • Whitefield's Works, vol. i. p. 339. disposed to accede to his pofition, and rather incline to embrace the more evangelical doctrine of a learned writer of earlier times. "I "must confefs," faid the ever-memorable Hales, "that I have not yet made that profi 66 ciency in the fchools of our age, as that I "could fee, why the fecond table and the acts "of it are not as properly the parts of religion "and Christianity, as the acts and obferva"tions of the firft. If I mistake, then it is St. "James that hath abused me; for he, defcrib ing religion by its proper acts, tells us, that "true religion and undefiled before God and "the Father is this, to vifit the fatherlefs and "the widow in their affliction, and to keep "himself unfpotted of the world. So that the "thing, which, in an especial refine dialect of "the new Chriftian language, fignifies nothing "but morality and civility, that, in the language of the Holy Ghoft, imports true reli"gion P." 66 Let it not be understood for a moment, that in afferting the neceffity of good works, in conjunction and equally with faith, to our final acceptance with the Almighty, I attribute to fuch works the flightest shadow of merit. God forbid that I fhould prefume to derogate from the value of the Redeemer's fa Hales's Golden Remains, p. 49. 66 crifice; to "rob Chrift of his majesty 9;" or admit any offering from his "unprofitable fer66 vants to participate with him, in making atonement and fatisfaction for our fins! In this sense, indeed, it is always and univerfally true, that " we be justified by faith in Chrift only;" or, as our Church goes on to expound the doctrine according to the meaning of the old ancient authors, "we put our "faith in Chrift, that we be juftified by him only; that we be juftified by God's free mercy, and the merits of our Saviour Chrift only, and by no virtue or good works of "our own that is in us, or that we can be "able to have, or to do, for to deferve "the fame; Chrift himself only being the cause "meritorious thereof." "We therefore plead "the meritorious righteoufnefs of Chrift," (as the pious Burkitt fays,)" to answer the de"mands of the law; but contend for a perfo"nal righteousness of our own, to answer "the commands of the Gofpel." Whilt with the judicious Hooker "we acknowledge "a dutiful neceflity of doing well;" with him alfo "the meritorious dignity of doing well 9 Latimer's Sermons, vol. i. p. 435. Luke xvii. 10. Third Part of the Sermon of Salvation, p. 23. lefs the profeffion of the Gofpel than of the law it is the voice of the fame holy Spirit, always at harmony with himfelf: it is the teftimony not of the Prophets only, but of the Apostles, and of their master Christ. "The Father, For what faith St. Peter? without respect of perfons, judgeth according to every man's work;" and, "God is "no refpecter of perfons; but in every na❝tion he that feareth him, and worketh righ teousness, is accepted with him." What faith St. John? "The books were opened, and "the dead were judged out of the things writ"ten in the books, according to their works." What faith St. Jude?" Behold, the Lord com"eth with ten thoufand of his faints, to exe"cute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their "ungodly deeds which they have ungodly "committed h." What faith St. James; " Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, "deceiving your own felves." "You fee 66 75. • See Whitefield's Works, vol. 4. p. 28. and vol. i. p. Quod loquitur (D. Jacobus fcil) vox eft Spiritus Sancti, ubique idem perfonantis. idem Apoftoli, idem Chriftus ipfe. i. cap. ii. fect. 2. 1 Pet. i. 17. Rev. xx. 12, 1 James i.22. Idem teftantur Prophetæ, f Acts x. S4, 35. Ver. 14, 15. " all *then that a man is juftified by works, and "not by faith only. What faith St. Paul, the great champion, as he is fondly reprefented, of justification by faith alone? "We must appear before the judgment-feat of Christ, "that every one may receive the things done "in his body, according to that he hath done, "whether it be good or bad'." And again, "Thinkeft thou this, O man, that judgeft them "which do fuch things, and doest the same, that "thou shalt escape the judgment of God! "Or defpifeft thou the riches of his goodness, "and forbearance, and long-fuffering; not 66 knowing, that the goodness of God leadeth "thee to repentance? But after thy hardness " and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy"self wrath against the day of wrath and re"velation of the righteous judgment of God; "who will render to every man according to "his deeds to them who by patient conti 66 nuance in well-doing feek for glory and ho nour and immortality, eternal life: but unto "them that are contentious, and do not obey "the truth, but obey unrighteoufnefs, indig"nation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every foul of man that doth evil, "of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that |