one act of faith. And perhaps fome others who are faid through faith to have subdued kingdoms. For fince the apostle faith, ver. 39. All these, though well teftified of through faith, have not received the promife. 40. God having forefeen fome better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect, he certainly means, that many of these persons were juftified by their faith. And with respect to the reft, there can be no doubt, that in so far as their faith led them to obey God in the instances mentioned by the apostle, they did what was pleafing to God.-But even on supposition, that a number of them were not justified by their faith, because it was only temporary, it were wrong, on that account, to conclude concerning the reft, who are faid to have obtained a good teftimony through faith, and who are to be perfected, that is, rewarded together with us, that their faith did not avail to their justification; unless it could be proved, that, like the Ifraelites who paffed through the Red Sea, they did not persevere in their faith and obedience. In particular, the conclufion would most certainly be falfe, with respect to Noah, and Abraham, and Rahab. For of them it is teftified in fo many words, that they were juftified by their faith, notwith. standing we know its objects were fuch moral and religious truths only, as were discoverable by the light of nature, and such revelations as God was pleafed to make to them perfonally, concerning certain temporal matters in which they were greatly interested.

Thus, from the accounts which the infpired writers have given of the faith neceffary to juftification, and from the example of those who are faid in the fcriptures to have been justified by their faith, it is abundantly evident, that justifying faith in different perfons, must be different in respect of its objects, according to the opportunities and advantages beftowed on each. Nevertheless, the principle of faith being the fame in every difpenfation, it may, by the affiftance of the Spirit of God, be attained under every difpenfation, and may be productive of holinefs in the believer, in proportion to the extent and strength of his belief. If this account of the matter be just, it removes the greatest objection which infidels have raised against the gospel. For, by establishing faith as the condition or means of justification, it hath excluded none, not even the heathens, from the VOL. III.

F

poffibility

Effay VI. poffibility of falvation. This liberal doctrine, the apostle Paul, if I mistake not his meaning, hath expressly taught, Rom. iv. I I. where he tells us, that Abraham received the mark of circumcifion, as a feal of the righteousness of the faith which he had in uncircumcifion, in order to his being the father of all who believe in uncircumcifion, that righteousness might be counted even to them.

But while we contend, that persons may have the faith neceffary to juftification, who, through their want of revelation, are ignorant of Christ, and of the method of falvation, we are far from thinking, that any person can be juftified otherwise than by Christ. All who are justified, are justified of God's free gift, through the merit of Christ's obedience to death. And that many will be justified in that manner, we are warranted to believe. For, as the apostle Paul hath excellently reasoned, Rom. v. 12. Since it was confiftent with the justice and goodnefs of God, to fubject all to death for the disobedience of Adam, notwithstanding the greatest part of mankind never heard either of Adam or of his difobedience, it is equally confiftent with the justice and goodness of God, to bestow pardon and eternal life, at the judgment, on believers of all nations, on account of the meritorious obedience of Chrift, notwithstanding many of them never heard till then, of the Perfon to whom they owe the great obligation, nor of his obedience to death, by which it was procured for them. And the rather, that the difcovery of the author of their falvation, and of the method by which he procured it, though not made to them till the judgment, will come in good time to lay a foundation for their gratitude and love to God and to Chrift, throughout the endless ages of eternity.

But however confonant to reafon and to the perfections of God it may be, that the benefit of Chrift's obedience should be extended, at the judgment, to perfons who in their lifetime never had an opportunity to know and believe on him, provided they are found to have been animated by a real principle of faith and piety; the case of those to whom Christ hath been offered in the gofpel, but who have rejected him, is very different. Their unbelief having generally proceeded from evil difpofitions, they can receive no benefit from Chrift's obedience, So he himself hath taught us, John iii. 19. This is the condemna

every one

tion, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20. For who doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, left his deeds fhould be reproved.

Upon the whole, I affirm a fecond time, that by making faith the condition of men's justification, the gospel excludes none from falvation, but those who exclude themselves through pride of understanding, and vicious difpofitions.

SECT. IV. Of the propriety of making Faith the condition of men's
Juftification.

The propriety of making faith, and more especially the faith of the gospel, the condition or means of the justification of those to whom the gospel is offered, hath been called in question by the Deifts, on this principle, That a man's belief is not in his own power, but depends on the evidence with which the thing to be believed is accompanied; and on his ability to comprehend and judge of that evidence. But however true this principle, rightly understood, may be, it is no less true, On the one hand, that through indulged prejudices, and the prevalence of corrupt inclinations, and confiderations of present intereft, and even through inattention, men may render themselves blind to the clearest evidence: And on the other hand, that by attention, impartiality, and willingness to know the truth, men may render themselves capable of discerning, and of being impreffed with the evidence by which any doctrine or matter of fact is properly fupported. In this view, to require the belief of the gospel from those to whom it is offered, is, in fact, to require them to use their rational faculties in a fit manner, and to exercise care and impartiality in judging of an affair which is of the greatest importance to themselves, and to the world. Wherefore, seeing the proofs by which the gospel is fhewed to be of divine original, are fufficient to convince those who examine them impartially; for any one to reject the gospel as not of divine original, is certainly an evidence that his heart is fo corrupted that he is incapable of falvation: whereas, to receive it, is a proof that he poffeffeth a rectitude of difpofition which fits him for heaven.

1

So our Lord hath declared, John iii. 20. Every one who doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, left his deeds should be reproved. 21. But he who doth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifeft that they are wrought in God. The belief of the gofpel being thus a proof that men are capable of justification, and the rejection of it disqualifying them for receiving that bleffing, to require faith in the gospel as the condition of the falvation of thofe to whom it is propofed, and to make the difbelief of it the cause of their condemnation, are both of them proper; confequently no fault can be found, either with our Lord's promife, or with his threatening, Mark xvi. 15. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16. He who believeth, and is baptized, shall be faved; but he who believeth not, fhall be condemned.

2. The gofpel is much to be commended for making faith the condition or means of men's juftification, because it is the highest exercise of piety, and the only true principle from which, in every difpenfation of religion, good works must proceed. This praife is due to faith, not because by piety and good works men merit justification, but because by these jointly, they became capable of pardon and eternal life. Wherefore, in speaking of men's juftification, to separate good works from faith, and to make the latter confift wholly in the belief of doctrines, without connecting it with good works, is to err from the truth: As is plain from the many paffages of fcripture, in which good works are enjoined as neceffary to falvation, and bad works are forbidden, as bringing condemnation on those who continue in them. To begin with the higheft authority; our Lord hath faid, Matth. vii. 21. Not every one who faith to me, Lord, Lord, that is, who acknowledgeth me for his master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he who doth the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22. Many will fay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name? and in thy name have caft out devils? and in thy name have done many wonderful works? 23. And then will I profefs unto them, I never knew you: Depart from me ye who work iniquity. Matth. xxv. 34. Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat, &c 41. Then fhall be fay alfo to them on the left hand, Depart from me,

may

ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. 42. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat, &c. See alfo Matth. xiii. 41, 42, 43.—In like manner, the apoftle Peter, Acts iii. 19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your fins be blotted out. 2 Pet. i. 5. Add to your faith courage, &c. 10. For doing these things ye shall never at any time fall. 11. And thus there fhall be richly miniftred to you, an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. And especially Paul, the great defender of juftification by faith without works of law, Rom. ii. 5. The righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his works, ver. 13. Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. Rom. viii. 13. If ye live according to the flesh, ye fhall die: but if, through the Spirit, ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. I Cor. vi. 9. Do ye not know that the unrighteous fhall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, vor adulterers, &c. Gal. v. 6. In Christ Jefus neither circumcifion availeth any thing, nor uncircumcifion, but faith strongly working by bve. Tit. ii. 11. The grace of God which bringeth falvation, hath fone forth to all men, 12. Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lufts, we should live foberly, righteously and godly in this prefent world, 13. Expecting the blessed hope, namely, the appearing of the glory of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus Christ, 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Heb. xii, 14. Purfue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one fball fee the Lord.-So alfo James, ii. 14. Though a man fay, he kath faith and have not works, will faith fave him?—And John, 1 Epistle, iii. 7. Little children, let no one deceive you: He who doth righteoufness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

After thefe declarations from Chrift and his apostles, can any one doubt that the faith which faves, is neceffarily connected with good works; and that it is made the condition or means of our justification for any other reason, but because it is the vital principle of true holiness, whereby men are rendered capable of eternal life.

3. By establishing faith as the condition of men's juftification, the gospel teacheth us, that at the judgment, God will principally regard the difpofition of men's minds, without feverely