Seim. CLV: Of the Neceffity of good Works. 363 Church, by teaching, that it was frill neceffary to Chriftians tokeep the Law"of Mofes ; and that unlefs they did fo, they could not be faved; of which we have a full account,given, Ails 15. And this for the moft part is the meaning of that af- fertion, fo frequent in his Épifties to the Romans, and the Galatians, that soe aré not ju/fified by the works ofthe law, but by the faith ofChri17. And this is very evident from the tenour ofhis reafoning about this matter, in which he does fo fre- fluently urge this Argument, and infift fo irrongly upon it, viz. That Menwere juftified before the Law ofMofes was given, for which he inftances in Abraham, and therefore the obfervance ofthat Law cannot be neceffary to á Man's Juftifica- . tion and Salvation. 2. Sometimes he, in his Difcóurfe upon this Argument, denies the merit of any works ofObedience and Righteoufnefs to gain the Favour andAcceptanceof God; fo that we cannot challenge any thing of God as of debt, and as a ground ofboafi- ng, but we owe all to the free grace and mercy ofGod ; and when we have done our heft, have done but our Duty. And this he likewife frequently infifts upon in his Epiftle to the Romans, in oppofition to an arrogant opinion, common a- mong the Yews, of the merit of good works, and that God was indebted to thenï for their obedience. In this fenfe he fays, Rom. 4.4. Now to him that worketh is the reward reckoned, not ofgrace but of debt ; that is, he that claims juftification, and the reward ofeternal life, as due to him for his Obedience, does not afcribe it to the free grace of God, but challengeth it as a debt due to him. 3. Sometimes he denies the neceffity ofany works of Righteoufnefs, antece- dently to our firft Juftification, and being received into a ftate of grace and fa- vour with God; and afferts on the contrary, that by the Faith of Chrift, and fin- cerely embracing the Chriftian Religion, Men are juftified : and rho' they were never fo great finners before, all their part fins are forgiven, and God is perfeftly reconciled to them. In which fenfe he fays, Chap. 4.5. That God jufl/es the ungodly upon their believing. So that whatever fins they were guilty of before, and tho' they never did any one good a&ion in their lives, yet if they fincerely em- brace the Chnftian Religion, and thereby engage themfelves to reform their lives, and to obey the Precepts of the Gofpel for the future, God will thereupon re- ceive them into his favour, and pardon the fins of their former lives. And iri this Epiftle to Titus, Chap. 3. 5, 7. immediately before the Text, Not by works of righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his mercy he feud us, by the wafhing of regeneration, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghofi : that being ju- flified by his grace, wefbould be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life ; that is, dio' their former life had been very bad, (as he defcribes it before, ver. 3. For we our felves were fometimes foolifh, difobedient, ferving divers lufls and plea= jives, living in malice, and envy, and hatred of one another) I fay, notwithftan. ding this, tho' they had done no works of Righteoufnefs, but the contrary, yet upon their foleirin profeffion of Chriftianity at their Baptifm, and declaration of their Repentance, and engagements to live better, they were juftified freely by God's grace, and fovea' by his mercy. But then he does not fay, that after this folemn Profeffion of Chriftianity worksof Righteoufnefs were not neceffary, to continue them in this ftate of Grace and Favour with Gods but quite contrary, he plainlydeclares the neceffity of them in the very next words; This is a faith- ful !dying, &c. And the confideratiou ofthis will fully reconcile the feetningdifference between St. Paul and St.famen, in this matter of Juftification. St. Paul affirms, that a fin- ner is at firft juftified, and received into the favour of God, by a fincere profeffion of the Chriftian Faith, without any works of Righteoufnefs preceding. St.ames affirms,. that no Man continues iri a juftified late, and in favour with God, whofe Faith doth not bring forth goodWorks, and that it is Pot a true and lively Faith which Both not approve and thew it felf to be fo, by the works of Obedience and a good life. Janes 2. 14. What *doth it profit a man, my brethren, if a man fay that he bath faith, and bath not works; can faith fave him? And ver. 17. Faith if it have not works is dead, being alone. And ver. 20. he repeats it again, Know, A a a 2 O vain
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