that good Works without Faith are but dead Works; and we, that Faith without good Works is but dead Faith.
The Minister Morus was wont to say amongst his friends, That his Church had something too hard in its Tenets, and he advised People never to read St. Paul's Epistles, without ending with that of St. James's; for fear, said he, lest St. Paul's heat against the merit of Good Works, should insensibly make us somewhat remiss in the practice of them.
It may, in my opinion, be affirm'd, That St. Peter and St. James, who preach'd to people sunk into such deep Corruption as the Jews were, had reason to enforce the necessity of Good Works, for thereby they prescrib'd to them what they wanted, and of which they might themselves be convinc'd. But these Apostles would have little advanc'd their Ministry by a discourse about Grace, with a Peeple who thought they had more Faith than all the world besides; who had seen the Miracles perform'd in their favour; and who had a thousand times experienc'd the visible assistances of a God.
St. Paul acted no less wisely with the Gentiles; it being certain that he would have converted but few people to Jesus Christ by the argument of Good Works. The Gentiles were just and temperate, upright and innocent, firm and resolute, to such a degree as to die for their Country. Now to preach Good Works to them, was no more than what the Philosophers did, who taught them to live well. I own, Jesus Christ's Morals were purer, but they had nothing that could make a sufficient impression on their minds. It was therefore fitting to preach to them the necessity of Grace, and, as much as was possible, to suppress the confidence they had on their Virtue.
