its progress, from its first rise in the comparative obfcurity of the original promise, through all the preparatory discoveries of fucceeding ages, to its complete manifeftation in the fulness of time. And though it has been exposed on this account to the virulent reproaches of men of corrupt minds, it is but fo much the more credible, and appears to be from the one only, the living, unchangeable, and true God*.

It may be proper here to obferve, that it is either the fame objection affuming a different form, or one very much like it, when it is alledged against the gospel, That it lays too much ftrefs upon mere belief of the truth. To this fome have, perhaps by miftaking the true fpring of the objection, given a very wrong and dangerous answer. They deny the fact, that the gospel does lay too much, or any ftrefs at all upon bare belief separate from goodnefs of life. The danger of this anfwer does not lie in its being false, but in its being ambiguous, incomplete, and in a great measure improper. It feems to allow, at leaft not to deny, that there may be fincere belief, while yet it is not attended with its proper fruits. Thus unbelievers, whofe real quarrel is with the alledged importance and efficacy of the truth, are hardened in their indifference and disregard * See this fubject handled with great clearness and precision by Dr. Warburton in his Divine Legation of Mofes.

to

to it; whereas they ought to be taught to confider the principles which are productive of real reformation, as more excellent in themselves, as both neceffary and effectual for this purpose.

The gofpel does indeed lay great stress upon belief of the truth, not without, but as the only way of producing holiness. Many paffages may be cited from the old teftament, in which going after falfe gods, and committing other grofs. crimes, are reprefented as infeparable branches of the fame character; and worshipping and ferving the true God, as a fummary defcription of univerfal obedience *. And many paffages may be produced from the new teftament, in which the good effects of the truth, and the mifery of departing from it, as neceffarily implying an unfanctified ftate, are declared t. From all this I conclude, that Chrift Jefus, the promise of old made unto the fathers, the hope of Ifrael, the light of the world, and the end of the law for righteoufnefs to every one that believeth, is the only Saviour of finners, in oppofition to all false religions, and every uninftituted rite; as he himself fays, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me."

* See Deut. xxix, 18, 19. Numb. xxv. 1, 2. John viii. 31, 32, Id xvii. 17. 2 John ver. 4. John xiv. 6.

But, 2dly, Chrift is the only Saviour, in oppofition to the merit of our own obedience to the moral law. I know, fome will be ready to fuppofe, that though falfe religion and uninftituted rites may have no pofitive influence in procuring falvation to those who embrace them, yet they may not hinder their acceptance with God by virtue of their own perfonal merit and obedience. On this fubject there are many things which deferve a more particular and diftinct confideration than there is room for at prefent; fuch as, I, That all falfe religion is not merely unprofitable, but highly criminal in the fight of God. Thus the apofile Paul," But I fay, that the things "which the Gentiles facrifice, they facrifice to "devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye fhould have fellowship with devils *."2. That all who embrace not the truth as it is in Jefus, muft neglect the whole duties of the first table of the moral law, and fo their obedience be not only greatly, but effentially defective.— 3. That the Scriptures give us no ground to beJieve, that falfe principles can produce any virtue but what is fpurious. But instead of infifting upon these at prefent, I fhall only attempt to fhew, that the Scriptures exclude all human merit, and indeed feem to have it as their exprefs purpose, to stain the pride of all human glory; and

* 1 Cor. x, 20.

therefore

therefore that no pretence of this kind can poffibly be admitted.

And here I fhall wholly pass the facrifices of atonement under the Mofaic difpenfation, because they all pointed at the facrifice offered by Chrift upon the cross; and therefore, in the account given of the end and deftination of this laft, we may expect the clearest view of the grounds of our acceptance with God. Now, Chrift appears in Scripture," as the Lamb of God, which "taketh away the fin of the world;" as "giving "his life" for his people; as "bearing their fins

in his own body on the tree." And indeed every expreffion is used that could well be imagined to fignify a propitiatory facrifice, an atonement for fin, or the punishment of an innocent perfon in the room and ftead of the guilty. If this was neceffary for any, it was neceffary for all; and as there is not the least intimation given in Scripture of any distinction, or hint, as if there were any perfons with regard to whom it was fuperfluous. Nothing, therefore, can stand more directly oppofed to the defign of the gospel, than any plea of merit in man: and none do in fact receive it with more difdain, than thofe who truft in themselves that they are righteous.

But, for our fatisfaction on this point, we need only confult the epiftle to the Romans, before referred to, as there is no part of the facred writings where

F 4

where there is a more full and connected account of the foundation of the gospel. There, after proving that all the world are become guilty before God, the apoftlé fays, "Therefore by the deeds of the law, there fhall nò flesh be justi"fied in his fight for by the law is the knowledge of fin*. Being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus "Chrift: whom God hath fet forth to be a pro"pitiation, through faith in his blood, to de"clare his righteoufnefs for the remiffion of fins "that are paft, through the forbearance of

Godt." And again, "Therefore as by the "offence of one, judgment came upon all men "to condemnation; even fo by the righteouf "nefs of one, the free gift came upon all men "to juftification of life." Confonant to this

is the doctrine of the fame apoftle elsewhere: "Yea doubtlefs, and I count all things but lofs, "for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift

Jefus my Lord: for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things, and do count them but dung "that I may win Chrift, and be found in him, "not having mine own righteoufnefs, which is "of the law, but that which is through the faith "of Chrift, the righteoufnefs which is of God

*Rom. iii. 20.

+Jb. ver. 24, 25.

Chap. v. 18.

Phil. iii. 8, 9. See alfo Rom, iv. 23-25. Tit. iii. 5.