the universe every trace of his goodness. That God may continue to be merciful, he must be just. That the universe may enjoy the most perfect and lasting happiness, under the mild effulgence of paternal kindness, it is absolutely necessary that vice should be eradicated and the offender be deprived of the power of contaminating others. Justice to a few is, in fact, mercy to all. Nor let it be forgotten, that his mercy and holiness, thus guarded by his justice, become in their turn the guards of his justice itself. His wisdom directs his justice, his mercy guides and proportions it. In such hands and with such guards, who will ever arraign his equity, or doubt the continuance and perfection of his love?

Thus, my brethren, have I ventured, under the consciousness of that ignorance and infirmity which must attend all human endeavours upon such a subject, to direct your attention to the glory of God. But though the subject is infinite, and infinitely transcends all human powers, it does not follow that we ought not to study it, and to endeavour to familiarize ourselves with it.

In every thing which relates to God, we find ourselves ever learning, yet never able to come to a perfect knowledge. And this is, perhaps, the condition even of angels. Even they may only

know in part, and comprehend in part, the glory of God. Their knowledge of it is perpetually advancing, their admiration enlarging, their adoration of it becoming more profound. Like them, we must endeavour to adore what we cannot comprehend, and to study what we can only imperfectly understand. And we are encouraged by the example of Moses in this pursuit. The desire to see the glory of God, though evidently conceived and expressed under some misconception of its nature, was acceptable to God, and rewarded by the noblest conceivable display of the Divine Nature. And thus every attempt to know God better, and to love him more, will be accepted and rewarded by him. Abraham desired to see the day of Christ, and " he saw it, and was glad." Let us, then, pray earnestly that we also may behold the glory of God.—But where is it to be contemplated? I answer, Revelation is intended to display it. In the Gospel, especially, we see, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord. There an exhibition of it has been presented, such as even to astonish the angels, and make them stoop from heaven to contemplate it. Would you see the glory of infinite Mercy and infinite Love transcendently displayed? Behold Jesus Christ; see the Son of God freely given by the Father to dwell with us, to suffer for us, and to bring us to glory. In Christ is the Divine

glory transcendently displayed. He was the "brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person!" He that "hath seen Him, hath seen the Father." Let us then study to know the glory of the Gospel. In that we shall perceive the glory of the Lord; and as the face of Moses, when he beheld this glory on the Mount, was illuminated by it, so we "shall be changed into the same image, as by the Spirit of the Lord." The knowledge of God is to be our grand study through eternity. Here then, in this lower school, let us begin, as Christians, to learn the lesson which, as glorified spirits, we shall perfect in the realms of glory.

50

SERMON IV.

ON GOOD WORKS.

JAMES ii. 24.

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

YET St. Paul (Rom. iii. 28) says, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." How are these declarations, apparently so contradictory, to be reconciled?

I am far from thinking the pulpit a proper place for the discussion of religious controversies, or even for a very critical and ininute inquiry into the true sense of obscure passages of Scripture yet, when it is considered that the subject treated of in the text is one of the most important in religion; that the supposed contradiction between the two Apostles has served as an occasion of reproach to infidels, and of doubt to

sincere but unestablished Christians; and that the removal of a difficulty in any doctrine, or the solution of an objection against it, often tends to give the clearest and most complete views of it; I hope I may be permitted to devote the present discourse to the subject of the text, and the reconciliation of the language of the two Apostles. The doctrine of St. Paul, respecting justification, can scarcely be mistaken. He largely and expressly teaches, that "by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified" in the sight of God;

that "we are therefore justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;"-that we are "saved by grace through faith," not of works:" that "to Him who worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness;"--and finally, that "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to mercy he saved us."

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On the contrary, the doctrine of St. James, as stated in the text, may appear to be, that it is not by our faith only, but by our works also, that we "Can faith," he asks, are to be justified. 66 save a man ?" "Ye see how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."

In what sense this is to be understood I shall endeavour to shew; first premising two obser