no more than that either we are justified in an evangelical way, or more particularly by faith intended a practical belief, including evangelical obedience: and seeing, on the other hand, St. James in affirming that we are justified by works, and not by faith only;' by works, means no more than evangelical obedience, in opposition to a naked and an empty faith; these two are so far from quarreling that they mutually embrace each other, and both in the main pursue the same design. And indeed if any disagreement seem between them, it is most reasonable that St. Paul should be expounded by St. James, not only because his propositions are so express and positive, and not justly liable to ambiguity, but because he wrote some competent time after the other, and consequently as he perfectly understood his meaning, so he was capable to countermine those ill principles which some men had built upon St. Paul's assertions. For it is evident, from several passages in St. Paul's epistles, that even then many began to mistake his doctrine, and from his assertions about justification by faith, and not by works, to infer propositions that might serve the purposes of a bad life; they slanderously reported him to say, that we might do evil, that good might come;" that we might continue in sin, that the grace of the gospel might the more abound.' They thought that so long as they did but believe the gospel in the naked notion and speculation of it, it was enough to recommend them to the favour of God, and to serve all the purposes of justification and salvation, however they shaped and steered their lives. Against these

1 Rom. iii. 8.

2

2 Rom. vi. 1.

6

1

men it is beyond all question plain, that St. James levels his epistle, to batter down the growing doctrines of libertinism and profaneness, to show the insufficiency of a naked faith, and an empty profession of religion, that it is not enough to recommend us to the divine acceptance, and to justify us in the sight of heaven, barely to believe the gospel, unless we really obey and practise it; that a faith destitute of this evangelical obedience is fruitless and unprofitable to salvation; that it is by these works that faith must appear to be vital and sincere; that not only Rahab but Abraham, the father of the faithful, was justified not by a bare belief of God's promise, but a hearty obedience to God's command, in the ready offer of his son, whereby it appears that his faith and obedience did co-operate and conspire together, to render him capable of God's favour and approbation; and that 'herein the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, that Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness;' (whence, by the way, nothing can be clearer, than that both these apostles intend the same thing by faith, in the case of Abraham's justification, and its being 'imputed to him for righteousness;' viz. a practical belief and obedience to the commands of God;) that it follows hence, that faith is not of itself sufficient to justify and make us acceptable to God, unless a proportionable obedience be joined with it; without which faith serves no more to these ends and purposes, than a body destitute of the soul to animate and enliven it, is capable to exercise the functions and offices of the natural life. His meaning, in

1 Vid. chap. ii. ver. 14, 15, et seq.

short, being nothing else than that good works, or evangelical obedience, is, according to the divine appointment, the condition of the gospel-covenant, without which it is in vain for any to hope for that pardon which Christ hath purchased, and for that favour of God, which is necessary to eternal life.

53

ST. ANDREW.

THE sacred story, which has hitherto been very large and copious in describing the acts of the first two apostles, is henceforward very sparing in its accounts, giving us only now and then a few oblique and accidental remarks concerning the rest, and some of them no further mentioned than the mere recording of their names. For what reasons it pleased the Divine wisdom and providence, that no more of their acts should be consigned to writing by the penmen of the holy story is to us unknown. Probably it might be thought convenient that no more account should be given of the first plantations of Christianity in the world than what concerned Judæa, and the neighbour-countries, at least the most eminent places of the Roman empire; that so the truth of the prophetical predictions might appear, which had foretold that the law of the Messiah'should come forth from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.' Besides which, a particular relation of the acts of so many apostles, done in so many several countries, might have swelled the holy volumes into too great

a cry of Calles santing man the ass of the Sue Gel en af ve dua a isternat of that tow1, nu le van Smu Pa Vie wufaz erder v ponage Sie auces DL T Chaty voda, tuong the way part imate num V baie van te prvagn wier, there being oLy UK BACK WENrty d Vygrazus on the other mok, w me, sene bruery weed. He was brourit up wha keted trade, whereat he laboured, tl our Lord curd im from extring for, to be a "Weber of men, for which he was fitted by some preparatory institutions, even before his coming unto Christ.

2. John the Baptist was lately risen in the Jewish church; a person whom, for the efficacy and impartiality of his doctrine, and the extraordinary strictness and austerities of his life, the Jews generally had in great veneration. He trained up his proselytes under the discipline of repentance, and by urging upon them a severe change and reformation of life, prepared them to entertain the doctrine of the Messiah, whose approach, he told them, was now near at hand; representing to them the greatness of his person, and the importance of the design that he was come upon. Besides the multitudes that promiscuously flocked to the Baptist's dise ses, he had, according to the manner of the *ers, some peculiar and select disciples, nstantly attended upon his lectures, ost part waited upon his

In

person. of these was our apostle, who was then