for the Apostle's anathemas, which under any other circum- stances might have been justly counted harsh and severe. He felt the importance of the doctrine ; and he wished all others to feel it : and therefore he did not hesitate to imprecate curses even on an angel from heaven, if any one could be found blind and impious enough to set it aside.]
3. The sufficiency of the Gospel —
[We are far from imputing any evil intention to those who object to the doctrine we are maintaining. " They have a zeal for God; but not according to knowledge x." They have fears and apprehensions that the Gospel which has been set forth, is insufficient either to justify, or to sanctify, the soul : and on this account they add good works to faith in order to their justification ; conceiving, that the righteousness of Christ cannot be the less effectual for the addition of ours to it ; and that the idea of being justified in part by our good works must be an irresistible inducement to the performance of them : whereas the exalting of faith as the only mean of salvation, must, they suppose, relax men's diligence in good works. But let us not presume to prop up the ark, or to change the plans which Infinite Wisdom has devised for the salvation of man. " The robe of Christ's righteousness " is quite sufficient " to cover our nakedness y," without adding to it " the filthy rags of our righteousness2." And there are grounds enough for abounding in good works without putting them into the place of Christ, and making a Saviour of them. The Scripture is plain ; "All that believe are justified from all things3:" and it is equally plain, that " faith will work by loveb," and " overcome the world c," and " purify the heart d." Had the Gospel needed any addition in either of these respects, St. Paul would not have been so adverse to the attempts to improve it: but, as it needed nothing of this kind, he could not endure that we should presume to be wiser than God : " Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty, instruct him? He that reproveth God, let him answer ite."]
Our improvement of this subject must be short : but we cannot conclude it without briefly noticing its importance,
1. To those who minister —
[It is not within the compass of language to suggest words that could more deserve the attention of ministers, than
x Rom. x. 2. y Rev. iii. 18. z Isai. Ixiv. 6.
a Acts xiii. 39. b Gal. v. 6. c 1 John v. 4.
d Acts xv. 9. e Job xl. 2.