The Gofpel a Law of Liberty. 47 rafter of the law of liberty ; which if it S E R M. were to be underftood in this fenfe, that it II. gives a licence to fin, would be perfectly in- confiftent. Nay, in the words immediately following the text, and thro' the whole re- maining part of the chapter, he defignedly and largely proves, that we cannot be jufti- fied before God, otherwife than by works of righteoufnefs, or an univerfal and perfevering obedience. There were fome then, as there have been at other times, who profeffing the gofpel, expected to be juftified by the faith of it without works, and tho' they indulg'd themfelves in wicked courfes, which was turning the grace of God into a criminal li- berty, and into lafcivioufnefs, as the Apoftle 7ude fpeaks, and making Chrift the miner of fin : but, St. yames fhews the vanity of fuch a pretence, and confirms his dottrine of Juftification, or final abfolution in the day of judgment, by works ; he confirms it, I fay, by examples from the Old Teftament, fuch as Rahab, and the patriarch Abraham, which might be very convincing to the Jews who had gone into this pérnicious Error. Let us then, take care to underftand our liberty aright, and that we do not abufe it to purpofes inconfiftent with its true nature and defign ;
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