glorying in himself. We may say therefore with the Apostle, " Where is boasting then? It is excluded."]
Having determined this point, let us proceed to inquire,
II. What is that way of salvation which alone does exclude boasting —
There are but two possible ways in which any man can be saved, namely, by works, or by faith. Many indeed have attempted to unite them ; but that is impossible, seeing that they are distinct from, and directly opposed to each other0. Let us then inquire which of the two excludes boasting ?
1 . Does the law of works ?
[The law of works says, " Do this, and live." Now sup- pose a man to be saved by his own obedience to this law ; will he not have to boast? May he not say to a perishing fellow-creature, "I made myself to differ from you?" May he not justly take credit to himself for his own superior goodness? yea, even in heaven, may he not unite his own praises with those of his Maker, and ascribe salvation partly to himself?
It is of no use to say, that our works are only in part the ground of our acceptance ; and that even for them we are indebted to the operation of Divine grace : for, works are tvorks, by whomsoever they are wrought in us ; and, as being wrought in and by us, they are our works ; and in whatever degree they form the ground of our justification before God, in that degree (be it little or great) they give us a ground of glorying : and to deny this, is to confound grace and works, which are as distinct, and as irreconcileable with each other, as light and darkness p.]
2. Does the law of faith ?
[This says, " Believe and be saved." By this law we are constrained to receive every thing out of the Redeemer's ful- ness, and to acknowledge him as our " all in all." Nothing is left for us to ascribe to ourselves. The planning of salvation was the work of God the Father : the procuring of it was the work of God the Son: the imparting, continuing, and perfect- ing of it is the work of God the Holy Ghost. We cannot glory over a fellow-sinner, and say, " God had respect to my good qualities, (either seen or foreseen) and on account of them distinguished me from you:" no room is left but for shame to ourselves, and gratitude to God.
0 Rom. xi. 0. p Rom. xi. G.