Sermons on Several Occasions

upon man are of his mere grace, bounty, or favour: his free undeserved favour; favour altoget undeserved; man having no claim to the least of his mercies. It was free grace that formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into him a living soul, and stamped on that soul the image of God, and put all things under his feet. The same free grace continues to us at this day ; life, and breath, and all things. For there is nothing we are, or have, or do, which can deserve the least thing at God's hand. All our works thou, O God, hast wrought in us. These, therefore, are so many in- ': stances of free mercy. And whatever righteousness may be found in man, this is also the gift of God.

2. Wherewithal then shall a sinful man atone for any, the least of his sins ? With his own works ? No. Were they ever so many or holy, they are not his own, but God's. But, indeed, they are all unholy and sinful themselves, so that every one of them needs a fresh atonement. Only corrupt fruit grows on a corrupt tree. And his heart is altogether corrupt and abominable; being come short of the glory of God, the glorious righteousness at first impressed on his soul, after the image of his great Creator. Therefore, having nothing, neither righteousness nor works to plead, his mouth is utterly stopt before God.

* Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University, June 18, 1738.

No. I.

3. If

3. If, then, sinful man find favour with God, it is grace upon grace. If God vouchsafe still to pour forth blessings upon us, yea, the greatest of all blessings, salvation; what can we say to these things, but thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift! And thus it is. Herein God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died to save us. By grace then are we saved through faith. Grace is the source, faith the condi-tion, of salvation.

Now, that we fall not short of the grace of God, it concerns us carefully to enquire,

1. What faith it is through which we are saved? Il. What is the salvation which is through faith? III. How we may answer some objections. 1. What faith it is through which we are saved ?

1. And first, It is not barely the faith of an Heathen. Now God requireth of a Heathen to believe, That God is; that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him; and that he is to be found by glorifying him as God, by giving him thanks for all things ; and by a careful practice of moral virtue, of justice, mercy, and truth towards their fellow creatures. A Greek or Roman, therefore, yea, a Scythian or Indian, was without excuse if he did not believe thus much : the being and attributes of God, a future state of reward and punishment, and the obligatory nature of moral virtue. For this is barely the faith of a Heathen.

2. Nor, 2dly, Is it the faith of a devil, though this goes much farther than that of a Heathen. For the devil believes, not only, that there is a wise and powerful God, gracious to reward, and just to punish ; but also, that Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ, the Saviour of the world. So we find him declaring, in express terms, Luke iv: 34. I know thee, who thou art, the Holy One of God. Nor can we doubt but that unhappy Spirit believes all those words, which came out of the mouth of the Holy One ; yea, and whatsoever else was written by those huly, men of old ; of two of whom he was compelled to give that glorious testimony, These mien are the servants of the most high God, who shewed unto youthe way of salvation. Thus much then the great enemy of God and man believes, and trembles in believing,

that

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