218 THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. we were held ; that weshouldserveGod, not in the spirit ofterror and bondage, but in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter, I. e. by a new principle of holiness, wrought in us by,the Spirit of God, as a principle of love andobedience. 2. The gospel gives us encouragement and strength to fulfil the duties of the law, and engages us to hope in God, that we may love him, please and serve him, as a forgiving and recon- ciling God, which the broken law, with all its commands, threat.. enings, and terrors, loth not, and, could never do. The law speaks only condemnation and death. As many as labourfor life under the law, andwould be justified by the law, are under the curse, and may despair of life ; Gal. iii. 10. Now despair is no spring of obedience, and hopeless labour isvery feebly and negli- gently performed ; but hope is a powerful and lastingprinciple of holiness ; 1-John iii. 3. And every man that bath this hope in him, purfeth himself even as he ispure: 1 Tim. iv. 10. There- forewe both labour and suffer reproach ; i. e. indoing the will of God; because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of -those that believe: Thedevils go on in sin- ning, because they despair ; but man bath hope set before him, that he may be encouraged to obedience, andallured to pursue holinessfrom a principle of love andgratitude. If we aremade new creatures, how can we choose.abut love and honour the law of God, who bath saved us by his gospel, and changed our un- happy statefrom sin and death, to hope and joy. Besides, it is the gospel that gives us the sanctifying spirit, as I saidbefore; Gal. iii. 2, 14. and Heb. viii. 10. This is that new covenant accordingto which he writes his law in our hearts. 3. No faith in the grace of God will justify men, but that which worketh by love; Gal. v. 6. and produceth the good fruits 1 ` of obedience. Abraham obeyed the call of God; James ii. 22, 26. And in this sense.hisworks wrought together with his faith, towards his justification. Not that his imperfect works, in them- selves, do any thing to justify him, but his sincere imperfect works were the effect ofhis faith, and proved hisfaith to be alive, and true, and saving. Things are said to be done in scripture, when theyare declared or manifested to be done : So Abraham is said to be just f ed by works, when his works declared and ma- nifested his faith, whereby he was justified; James ii. 25, 26. David's faith in forgiveness was such as was accompanied with sincerity and piety; Ps. xxxii. 2. In whose spirit there is. no . guile. It requiresconfession of sin, repentance, humiliation, and new watchfulness ; ver. 5, 6. Gal.v. 6. It mtist be such afaith thatpurifieth the heart, and works obedience from a principle of love ; Acts xv. 9. Tit ii. 5, 7, 8. They who believe in Christ Je- sus must be careful tomaintaingood works. . 4. Without repentance and achange of heart, so as to love
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