will, and without this they are not properly fins." Taking the words as they lie in connexion thus, (and taken otherwife they are not my words but yours,) I muft ftill aver, they speak both my own experience, and that of many hundred children of God whom I perfonally know.. And all this, with abundantly more than this, is contained in.that fingle expreffion, "The loving God with all our heart, and ferving him with all our ftrength." Nor did I ever fay or mean any more by Perfection, than thus loving and ferving God. But I dare not fay less than this. For it might be attended with worfe confequences than you feem to be aware of. If there be a mistake, it is far more dangerous on the one fide than on the other. If Ifet the mark too high, I drive men into needless fears; if you fet it too low, you drive them into hell-fire.

5. We agree, that true “ Chriftianity implies, a destruction of the Kingdom of Sin, and a renewal of the foul in Righte oufnefs; which even babes in Chrift do in a measure, expe rience; though not in fo large a meafure as young men and fathers?" But here we divide. I believe even babes in Chrift (while they keep themfelves) do not commit fin. By fin I mean outward fin; and the word commit 1 take, in its plain, literal meaning. And this I think is fully proved by all the texts ci. ted Sermon 3, from the fixth chapter to the Romans. Nor do I conceive there is any material difference between committing fin, and continuing therein. I tell my neighbour here,

William, you are a child of the devil; for you commit fin; you was drunk yefterday." No,. Sir, fays the man; I do not live or continue in fin, (which Mr. Dodd fays is the true meaning of the text) I am not drunk continually, but only now and then, once in a fortnight, or once in a month." Now, Sir, how fhall I deal with this man? Shall I tell, him, he is in the way to heaven or hell? I think, he is in the high road to deftruction, and that if I tell him, otherwife, his blood will be upon my head. And all that you fay, of living, continuing in, ferving fin, as different from committing

it, and of its not reigning, not having dominion over him, who ftill frequently commits it, is making fo many Loop-holes whereby any impenitent finner may escape from all the ter rors of the Lord. I dare not therefore give up the plain, literal meaning either of St. Paul's or St. Peter's words.

6. As to thofe of St. John, (cited S. 5.) I do not think you have proved they are not to be taken literally. In every fingle act of obedience, as well as in a continued courfe ef it, ποιοι δικαιοσυνην And in either an act or a course of fin, ποιει αμαρτίαν. ToEL apaprav. Therefore, that I may give no countenance to any kind or degree of fin, I fhall interpret these words by those in the fifth chapter, and believe, He that is born of God (while he keepeth himself) finneth not; doth not commit outward fin.

7. But" It is abfolutely neceffary, as you obferve, to add fometimes explanatory words to thofe of the facred Penmen." It is fo to add words explanatory of their sense; but not fubverfive of it. The words added to this Text, Ye know all things, are fuch. And you yourself allow them fo to be. But I do not allow the words wilfully and habitually to be fuch. These do not explain, but overthrow the Text. That the firft Fathers thus explained it, I deny: as alfo, that I ever fpoke lightly of them,

8. You proceed. "You allow in another Sermon, in evident contradiction to yourself, that the true children of God could and did commit fin." This is no contradiction to any thing I ever advanced. I every where allow, that a Child of God can and will commit fin, if he does not keep himfelf. "But this, you fay, is nothing to the prefent Argument." Yes, it is the whole thing.. If they keep themfelves, they do not; otherwife they can and do commit fin. I fay nothing contrary to this in either Sermon. But "hence, you fay, we conclude, That he who is born of God, may poffibly commit fin." An idle conclusion as ever was formed. For whoever denied it? I flatly affirm it in both the Ser

mons

mons, and in the very paragraph now before us. The only conclufion which 1 deny, is, That "all Chriftians do and will commit fin, as long as they live." Now this you yourself (though you feem to ftart at it) maintain from the beginning of your Letter to the end: viz. That all Chriftians do fin and cannot but fin, more or lefs, to their lives end. Therefore I do not "artfully put this conclufion;" but it is your own conclufion, from your own premises. Indeed were I artfully to put in any thing, in expounding the word of God, I must be an errant knave. But I do not: my conscience bears me witnefs, that I fpeak the very truth, so far as I know it, in fimplicity and godly fincerity.

9. I think that all this time you are directly pleading for loofenefs of Manners, and that every thing you advance naturally tends thereto. This is my grand Objection to that Doctrine of the neceffity of finning. Not only that it is false, but that it is directly fubverfive of all Holinefs. The Doctrine of the Gnofticks, was not that a child of God does not commit fin, i. e. Act the things which are forbidden in Scripture: but that they are not fin in him; that he is a child of God fill: fo they contend, not for finless, but finful Perfection: just as different from what I contend for, as Heaven is from Hell. What the Donatifts were, I do not know. But I fufpect, they were the real Chriftians of that age; and were therefore ferved by St. Augufline and his warm Adherents, as the Methodists are now by their zealous Adversaries. It is extremely easy to blacken: and could I give myself leave, I could paint the confequences of your Doctrine, in at least as dark and odious colours, as you could paint mine.

10. The paffage of St. Peter (mentioned S. 12,) I fill think proves all which I brought it to prove.

"But you allow, (S. 14,) that Paul and Barnabas did commit fin. And these were without all controversy Fathers in Chrift." That is not without controverfy: that either Barnabas when he left Paul, or Peter when he diffembled at . VOL. V. Antioch,

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Antioch, was at that time a father in Chrift in St. John's fense: though by office undoubtedly they were. Their example therefore only proves what no one denies, viz. That if a Believer keeps not himself, he may commit fin. Would the conclufions here drawn, "be made only by a very weak Opponent?" Then you are a weak Opponent; for you make them all, either from thefe or other premises. For you believe and maintain, 1. That all the other Apoftles committed fin fometimes: 2. That all the other Chriftians of the Apoftolic Age, fometimes committed fin: 3. That all other Chriflians in all Ages, do and will commit fin as long as they live: and 4. That every man muft commit fin, cannot help it, as long as he is in the body. You cannot deny one of these Propofitions, if you understand your own Premifes.

I am, Rev. Sir,

Do you never find any tendency to Pride? Do you

find nothing like Anger? Is your mind never ruffled, put out of tune? Do you never feel any useless Defire? Any Defire of Pleafure? Of Eafe? Of Approbation? Of Increase of Fortune? Do you find no Stubbornness, Sloth, or Self-will? No Unbelief?

I think, to be able to answer all your Queftions in the affirmative, I must be perfect indeed. I cannot but think, I am far from That. With regard to your first Queftion, if I feel any pain, when I am flighted or difregarded, is not this

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a tendency to Pride?" Indeed I only feel Pain from Perfons I love. And this I have fometimes felt, though not lately: but I do not defire any should think highly of me: nor am I conscious, that I have high thoughts of myself.

A temptation to Anger I fometimes find, but very feldom. It is as though something came with violence, and would enter into my heart; but by looking up, I immediately find, it has not entered. Yet I generally feel a Pain remain for fome minutes and thus far my mind is ruffled, or out of tune.

I think, I do not feel any useless Defire. And yet I always defire Pleasure. But I do not find any thing pleases, that does not bring me nearer to God. I do not know that I defire any Pleasure of Senfe: unlefs fo far as I am perfuaded, it will help me to enjoy him more, who is my Life, and my All. Neither do I know that I defire Eafe: yet I often defire Freedom from Labour, that I may converse alone with my Beloved. And in this, above all things, I have the greatest need to watch, that I may not go farther than my own judgment allows.

Perhaps the not finding a freedom to converse about myfelf, with thofe I think are prejudiced against me, may be thought to imply the defiring Approbation. And it is certain, I do not feel the fame freedom of Converfation with those, as I do with them that can receive what I say.

"Increase of Fortune," I may truly fay, I do not defire. I have now Food and Raiment, without having any thing to do with the world. This I efteem a mercy indeed. For my mind is wholly drawn heaven-ward. I remember daily, that I am living for Eternity. And I thank my God daily, that I need have but little commerce with thofe that know not God: I enjoy my prefent mercies, as coming from his hand, and trust Him for the future: being well fatisfied, that he who has thus faved my foul, will provide for my body, till his Arms receive me home. All my care is, how I may be holy both in body and soul.