a perfon described under the influence of a twofold prin ciple, corruption and grace? The former fo brought into fubjection, that its actings are not to be attributed, strictly fpeaking, to him (being so contrary to the new man, his predominant principle, according to which God accounts of us, and denominates us) but are imputable only to the remains of the old man, or indwelling fin. The latter having fuch an empire in his foul, as to be called himself, fo that (notwithstanding his corruptions and the out-breakings of them) he can fay, I myfelf ferve the law of God. In fine, this conclufion moft certainly appears to be neceffary and unquestionable, that they must be in a regenerate state, who are delivered from condemnation, and who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; and who are by the law of the Spirit of life, in Chrift Jefus, made free from the law of fin and death; as the apoftle fhews to be his own cafe, according to the defcription he had before given of himfelf. To fuppofe that he here perfonates a profeffor unregenerate, must upon the whole appear utterly inconfiftent with the case described in thefe paffages: and therefore fuch an expofition, as altogether forced, is not to be received.

But after all, you'll perhaps object, that my interpretation tends to make men fecure and careless, bold and prefumptuous, in a flate and courfe of fin.

I anfwer, it is fo far from this, that it has a direct contrary tendency. It is a folemn admonition to the children of God, to be upon their guard, fince they have fuch a domeftick enemy to deal with; and a like admonition it is to all careless secure habitual finners, not to flatter themselves with a vain prefumptuous hope of their regenerate flate, on any pretences whatfoever.

It is here the character of a Chriftian indeed, that he hates evil, without referve. If therefore they who retain any favourite luft, and roll it as a fweet morfel under their tongue, cry peace to their fouls, they are fleeping upon the top of a mat: There is no peace, faith my God, to the wicked. The peace of fuch is all a delufion; á moft falfe, abfurd and dangerous peace.

It is here likewife the character of a true Chriftian, that he does not allow fo much as his imperfections; that when these obtain, they are without his consent and

against his will. These are what he would not, and among the evils, which he hates. They therefore are entertaining but a vain dream of a fafe ftate,who are knowingly and deliberately living in any way of finning, and who customarily allow any moral imperfection. They will certainly in the conclufion be rejected, among the workers of iniquity.

It is here alfo reprefented as the property of every fincere Christian, that he has a will prefent with him to that which is good, that he consents to the law that it is good; and that he delights in the law of God after the inward man; that is, in other words (as I have fhewn) he truly loves God and godlinefs. Here is therefore no foundation for them to think well of their state, whofe whole religion is constrained by fear; and whose hearts and affections are not fincerely engaged in the service of God. As for them who love the world and their idols, more than God and a life of fincere univerfal obedience to him, fuch are in the bonds of iniquity, and have no part or lot in this matter.

It is moreover given as the mark of a true Chriftian, that he groans after the deliverance from the body of death; not only from guilt and danger, but from the remainder of his corruption; and maintains a constant war against the law of fin in his members, What encouragement is there therefore for fuch an one to hope well of his ftate, that does not make it his bufinefs to keep his heart, and to watch over his lips and life; that does not wrestle with God for deliverance from, and greater victory over his corruptions; and that does not look upon his remaining imperfections, as the great burden of his life?

It is furthermore given in character of the true Chriftian that he thankfully expects his deliverance only by Jefus Chrift. The apoftle's answer to the question, Who fhall deliver me? is, I thank God through Jefus Chrift our Lord. q. d. I thankfully look unto God, in and through Jefus Chrift, as a fure refuge in this difficulty; and as the fountain of life, from whence I may fafely expect my needed fupplies. All unbelievers therefore, as excluded from any juftifiable pretence to this charac ter, have no room left them to think well of their state.

In fine, the Chriftian here defcribed, is one who with his mind does himself serve the law of God. He has had God's law put into his mind, and he serves God with his fpirit. His whole man, all that can be called himself, is engaged in a life of Gospel obedience. What can they therefore have to do with the peace and comfort, which is here offered to Chriftians indeed, who are grofly defective, partial, and unfteady in their obedience; whofe minds are wavering and whofe hearts are divided between the fervice of God and their idols? A double minded man is unstable in all his ways; and let not that man think that he fhall receive any thing of the Lord. James i. 7, 8.

Now, to conclude this long letter, I will only further obferve, that you may here find, in a fummary and concife reprefentation, the true characters of the children of God; as well as matter of conviction to those who cannot, and of confolation to those who can, apply thefe marks to themfelves. If upon an impartial examination you can justify your claim to the characters here given, let no man rob you of the comfort and hope thereby fet before you. But if you cannot find fuch marks in yourself, never reft till you obtain thefe evi dences of a converted flate.

That the Lord may comfort your heart, and ftablish you in every good werd and work, to do his will, is the prayer of,

Sir,

Your, &c.

LETTER XI. Wherein the MORAVIAN and ANTINOMIAN Doctrine of JUSTIFICATION, in fome of its peculiar Points, is confidered and refuted.

SIR,

I'

T is true, that I do agree with the Antinomians and Moravians in this, that The righteousness of our Lord Jefus Chrift is the alone matter of our juftifica tion before God.' But I am notwithstanding very far from agreeing with them, in the whole of their do&rine

on that important article of a finner's juftification by faith in Chrift. The perfon you have converfed with, has impofed upon you, in pretending, that they and we are of the fame fentiments with refpect to the doctrine of juftification.' In compliance with your demands, I fhall therefore endeavour to fhew you, What is the difference between them and thofe of our profession, in this great point: and what are the reafons of our differing from them.' I prefume, you do not expect * from me a particular detection of all the Moravian and Antinomian errors: this would require a larger volume, than I have leisure to write, or you would have patience to read. I shall therefore limit myself to the fubje&t, which you have propofed.

There are thefe two things efpecially in the doctrine of our juftification by faith, which are to be condemned, as most dangerous errors in the fects you fpeak of. The first is, their notion of the nature of a faving faith. The fecond is, the part which they aflign to faith in our justification. It is neceffary in order to fet the affair in a proper light, that I be fomething particular upon each of thefe.

The first thing then to be confidered, is their notion of the nature of a faving faith. This they fuppofe to confift in a joyful perfuafion of our intereft in Chrift, and of our title to his purchased falvation. And accordingly Count Zinzendorf in his difcourfes on the redemption of man, p. 120. frequently gives us this view of a faving faith. Believe then (fays he) that Jefus has atoned and payed a ransom for you all; and that you may experience it this very moment; and know that

have been healed by his wounds and by his ftripes.' And the Antinomians in general agree with him in this, that faving faith confifts in a comfortable perfuafion of our perfonal intereft in the Lord Jefus Chrift. But then on the contrary, you may perceive by what I have written to you on this fubject, that I do not fuppofe this perfuafion to enter into the definition of a faving faith; nor to be any part of it. It is what a true believer may want; and an unbelieving and impenitent finner may entertain in an high degree.

This is an affair of vast consequence,.and therefore des

N

mands a more diftinct and particular confideration, than I can now have opportunity for. I fhall however attempt to fet it in as plain and familiar a light as I can. In or der to this, it will be proper (previous to my reasoning againft this wild opinion) to premise these observations.

1. That believers may have good fatisfaction of their fafe eftate, and full perfuafion of their intereft in Chrift, from their experience of a work of grace in their hearts; and from the fruits of faith, in their affections and converfations. It is just reafoning, from the nature of the fruit, to the quality of the tree that bears it. If therefore a man finds in himself an habitual, predominant defire after the Lord Jefus Chrift, as the portion of his foul; if he feels his fins to be the burthen of his foul, what he hates without referve, what he ftrives, watches and prays againft, and never willingly and deliberately indulges; if he delights himself in the Lord, in near approaches to him, and communion with him in his ordinances; if he knows it to be the bent and disposition of his foul, to approve himself to God in a life of fpiritual mindednefs, and in all holy converfation, and godlinefs, in felf-denial, in piety towards God, in righteoufnefs, and charity towards men: though he may yet groan under many difallowed imperfections, he neverthelefs may be, and ought to be perfuaded of his intereft in Chrift; and give the praise and glory of these divine influences upon his foul, to the bleffed author of them. This is the ordinary and standing evidence to the children of God, of the fafety of their state. By this they have a comfortable and joyful perfuafion, that he who has begun a good work in them, will perform it to the day of Chrift. By this the children of God are manifeft, both to themselves and others. In this fenfe then, I do not deny to believers a persuasion, or manifeftation of their own good eftate. This perfuafion is what they fhould by no means contentedly reft short of. It is greatly needful, not only to their comfort and hope, but to their ferving God with the difpofitions becoming children, with enlargement of foul, and with chearfulnefs and delight. But then you must remember, that this perfuafion is not faith; but arifes from the fruits and effects of faith upon the foul, and is what may (fome