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ance in the covenant of grace even at those seasons, when his exercises are perfectly sinful, still by this extraordinary use of the term, the force of many passages of scripture hitherto used to prove the perseverance of saints would, as it respects this object, be entirely destroyed. Jer. xxxii. 40. And they shall not depart from me. But the doctrine under consideration asserts, that the saints do in the highest sense depart from God. Mat. xxiv. 24. If it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. The elect are not only deceived, according to this doctrine, but are brought into the same moral state, as the unregenerate. 1 John iii. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him. What seed remaineth in him? And how is it true that he cannot sin, who actually does sin precisely as he did before conversion? 1 John ii. 19. They went out from us, but were not of us; for if they had been of us, they doubtless would have remained with Whatever this proves against the remonstrants, it proves against the new doctrine.

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3. If the doctrine in question be true, no present iniquity of life can be sufficient evidence, that a man is not regenerate. For if a converted person may be perfectly sinful for a time, why may he not, during that time, commit as great sin, as he did previously to conversion? If he have the same wickedness of heart, as before conversion, why may he not in the same way and by the same actions express that wickedness?

4. It would be a consequence of the doctrine, that Christians

experience as many conversions, as they have terms of sinning. Every time they sin, their exercises, in which it is said that sin and holiness consist, are perfectly sinful. They become precisely the kind of men they were previously to conversion: it certainly follows, that on recovery they experience the same change, as they did experience at conversion. It is to be presumed likewise, that subsequent conversions, being precisely the same change, will be equally obvious with the first.

5. The doctrine under consideration accords very ill with those passages of scripture, which represent the believer as engaged in a warfare. If all holiness consists in exercises, and a Christian's exercises are perfectly holy, what internal enemy is there, against whom this holy Christian can maintain war? Again; when the Christian's exercises are perfectly sinful, what internal enemy can there be, against whom this sinful Christian can maintain war? A combatant cannot fight with an enemy which does not exist; and it would, at least, be as difficult for an enemy not in existence to fight with a combatant that does exist.

It avails nothing to say, that these opposite exercises follow each other in rapid succession. If a thing can either oppose, or be opposed, one moment before its existence, it may oppose or be opposed a thousand years before its existence. I can no more fight this moment with a man that will begin to exist the next, than I can fight with a man who will not exist till after a thousand years, Yet St. Paul

to his father; but if he should become disobedient and his father should still love him, no person would express this, I suppose, by saying, that the son persevered in his father's love, nor would it be said of a sleeping infant tenderly guarded by a moth er, that it persevered in its mother's attention.

Under the title of "the doctrine of the saints' perseverance," ideas have lately been exhibited, which do by no means correspond with those which this term has usually conveyed. We are ⚫ now told that regenerate persons do frequently, very frequently, lose all those moral qualities, which they first received in regeneration, and which distinguish them from the unrenewed; but that, notwithstanding such loss, the love of God towards them is continued; or, in other words, they still retain their interest in the covenant of grace.

As this doctrine is not common in the church of Christ, let us consider to what it is like. Is it like that Calvinistic doctrine found in the Assembly's Cate chism, and in the sermons of those, who have been reputed orthodox divines? It has one point of coincidence. Both agree in this, that the regenerate will never be lost, the love of God being unalterably fixed upon them. Is this doctrine like that which has generally been held by Arminians, viz. that the regenerate may fall away from holiness and miss of eternal life? With this too it has one point of coincidence. Both allow, that men may, and actually do fall from holiness. The Arminiau says, that there are instances, and that the scriptures suppose

it, of persons after conversion falling into the same state of carnality as before, though he will not pretend that these instances are very frequent. The advocate for the new doctrine says, that this falling from holiness happens frequently to every renewed person; in short, that the life of a saint is nothing but a succession of perfectly holy exercises and perfectly sinful ones.

With very high respect for the talents and piety of some, who entertain this belief, I beg leave to suggest the following thoughts.

1. That it appears very much like abuse of language to call this "the doctrine of saints' perseverance." According to this theory, in what do the saints persevere ? To persevere is to persist in an attempt, not to give over, not to quit a design. Because God continues to love them, can they be said to persist in the love which God has for them? Can they be said not to give over-not to quit that love which God has for them? In this love which God exercises, the person has no more activity than a building has in the motion of those rays of light which fall upon it. Should we say of such a building, that it perseveres in sunshine? Should we say of a rock lying at the bottom of the ocean, that it perseveres in water? The doctrine above stated might indeed be denomimated the doctrine of divine perseverance, but certainly not the doctrine of the saints' perseverance. But,

2. Should we use the term "saints' perseverance" in so ex• traordinary a latitude, as to understand by it, a saint's continu

ance in the covenant of grace even at those seasons, when his exercises are perfectly sinful, still by this extraordinary use of the term, the force of many passages of scripture hitherto used to prove the perseverance of saints would, as it respects this object, be entirely' destroyed. Jer. xxxii. 40. And they shall not depart from me, But the doctrine under consideration asserts, that the saints do in the highest sense depart from God. Mat. xxiv. 24. If it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. The elect are not only deceived, according to this doctrine, but are brought into the same moral state, as the unregenerate. 1 John iii. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him. What seed remaineth in him? And how is it true that he cannot sin, who actually does sin precisely as he did before conversion? 1 John ii. 19. They went out from us, but were not of us; for if they had been of us, they doubtless would have remained with us. Whatever this proves against the remonstrants, it proves against the new doctrine.

3. If the doctrine in question be true, no present iniquity of life can be sufficient evidence, that a man is not regenerate. For if a converted person may be perfectly sinful for a time, why may he not, during that time, commit as great sin, as he did previously to conversion? If he have the same wickedness of heart, as before conversion, why may he not in the same way and by the same actions express that wickedness?

4. It would be a consequence of the doctrine, that Christians

experience as many conversions, as they have terms of sinning. Every time they sin, their exercises, in which it is said that sin and holiness consist, are perfectly sinful. They become precisely the kind of men they were previously to conversion: it certainly follows, that on recovery they experience the same change, as they did experience at conversion. It is to be presumed likewise, that subsequent conversions, being precisely the same change, will be equally obs vious with the first.

5. The doctrine under consideration accords very ill with those passages of scripture, which represent the believer as engaged in a warfare. If all holiness consists in exercises, and a Christian's exercises are perfectly holy, what internal enemy is there, against whom this holy Christian can maintain war? Again; when the Christian's exercises are perfectly sinful, what internal enemy can there be, against whom this sinful Christian can maintain war? A combatant cannot fight with an enemy which does not exist; and it would, at least, be as difficult for an enemy not in existence to fight with a combatant that does exist.

It avails nothing to say, that these opposite exercises follow each other in rapid succession. If a thing can either oppose, or be opposed, one moment before its existence, it may oppose or be opposed a thousand years before its existence. I can no more fight this moment with a man that will begin to exist the next, than I can fight with a man who will not exist till after a thousand years, Yet St. Paul

said, "When I would do good evil is present with me:" whereas had he designed to speak conformably to the doctrine under consideration, he would have said, "When I have left off doing good evil is present with me;" or else, When I would not do good, evil is present with

me.

6. From the doctrine it follows not only that saints may be perfect, but that they actually are so not only that some are perfect, but that all are so at the moment of their regeneration. If all holiness consists in exercises, he who has perfectly holy exercises is perfectly holy. The believer at the instant of regeneration has perfectly holy exercises, saith the doctrine. The inference is undeniable. Should any person observe in reply, that the doctrine does neither prove nor admit holiness of character, he either designs to be ambiguous, or to deny, that the doctrine implies the believer's long continuance in a perfect state.

Now as it is not asserted in the preceding observations, that the believer's long continu. ance in a perfect state results from the doctrine, it is not in cumbent on the writer of these remarks to notice this reply. It may be inexpedient however to pass it over without some attention.

If a person at conversion be comes perfectly holy in his exercises for the time then being, it will not be denied, I suppose, that he may continue so for the space of three or four minutes. Should he die at the conclusion of that time, could it possibly be asserted that he did not die in a state of perfect holiness?

Should it be said, that had he live ed, he would have had perfectly sinful exercises, that is not to the purpose. I only ask, in what state he was when he died. Surely it will not be deni ed, that Adam was in a state of perfect holiness three minutes before his apostacy, because at the conclusion of that time he had sinful exercises. Had Adam died three minutes after he be gan to exist a moral agent, would he not have died in a state of perfection?

Further It is allowed by those whose opinions we are considering, that no exercises. are in any sense holy, which are not perfectly so. Now if holy exercises constitute personal holiness, for the time being, the same exercises being perfect, must constitute personal perfection for the time being. Between the opinion of Mr. Wesley on saints' perfection, and the opinion of those on the same subject, who hold the doctrine, of which we are treating, there can be no other difference than what relates to the time, for which they imagine perfection endures. Mr. Wesley's opin ion is, that some saints are with out sin a good while, he knows not how long: The opinion of the other divines is, that all saints are free from sin frevery quently for a little while, they know not how long.

If the doctrine of sinless perfection existing even for a time, be true, what a world of self loathing and humiliation might have been spared among the most devout believers, who have lamented the sins and imperfec tions of their best moments! Mr. Samuel Pearce says, “I

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know that the Being whom I Christ is preached when any

love best always sees something in me, which he infinitely hates."* Not so, says the more enlightened divine. At the first moment of your conversion, and all the time since, when you have not been perfectly sinful, God has seen nothing in you, but perfect holiness.

Does this doctrine correspond with the feelings of Christians in general? Do they feel, that, part of the time, they are perfectly holy; that they love God as much as he deserves their love, and that there is no sinful imperfection, with which they are chargeable? Surely those who feel thus, are, for the time, happy believers indeed.

A Friend to Old Divinity.

The foregoing treatise on perseverance is not published with partial feelings. A well written defence of the theory, which is here opposed, will be treated with equal candour.

EDITORS.

ADDRESS TO MINISTERS.

THOSE to whom the ministry of reconciliation is committed are ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador speaks the language of the prince who sends him.

The King of kings employeth his servants to teach all things whatsoever he hath commanded them. They may not teach the doctrines and commandments of men. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Take thou not from his words, lest thou forfeit a part in the book of life.

• See Fuller's Life of Pearce.

gospel doctrine is illustrated and enforced; any Christian virtue inculcated on gospel principles and motives; any vice reproved, by the consideration that by continuing in sin men trample him under foot. He is preached when the imitation of his perfect example is recommended; when the glorious dignity of his person, or any part of his mediatorial work, or the nature of his kingdom, or the proofs of his religion, or his promises, or second and glori ous appearance, are properly treated. His religion is able to make men wise unto salvation. It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: profitable to convert wanderers from the truth; detect the false hope of the hypocrite; heal the broken-hearted; correct the mistakes, and chasten the passions and declensions of believers unto life; resolve their doubts, confirm their faith, and help their joy. It proclaims salvation to the chief of sinners, and is mighty to pull down strong holds. The command to preach and hear the gospel proceeds on this ground, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. There are means of grace. They have been ordained in wisdom. A preached gospel is the power of God to salvation.

All religion, since man's apostacy, has turned upon this question, Will God pardon sin? The question cannot be determined but by a revelation. If HE hath said that he will pardon, we may neither object to it, nor assume to investigate the reasons. "Our faith could never be established

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