136 Of yillijication by Faith. S E R M. at that time, when the grofs of the na. VI. tion were ripening themfelves for deíl=ruc- ""Y'`j tion by their oM }inate unbelief and impeni- tency, there was a remnant, to whom the peculiar privileges of God's people were appropriated : And they are chara&erized by the election of grace, as in oppoítion to works : For it is flid, ver. 6. f by grace, then it is no more el- qecrks : Otherwife grace is no more grace. But if it he f works, then it is no more grace : Otherwifè work is no more werk. The meaning Teems to be plainly this. There are but two ways by which men can be rendered acceptable to God ; either by an exact fulfilling of his law, whereby they are intitled to the reward as a debt, which was the proud claim of the Jews ; or by the free gift of pardon upon fincere repentance and amendment, which is the gracious tenor of the chriflian cove- nant. Between thole two, men were at that time divided in their hopes, and the methods they propofed for obtaining the fa- vour of God ; and they were utterly incon- fifient : So that when force endeavoured to compound them, by joining with the faith of Chrift and the obedience of the Gofpel, the necefiäry obfervance of the ceremonial law, the
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