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by him freed from Condemnation, and from the Law of Sin and Death.

And now, I leave it to you, Sir, to judge, whether we have not Reafon to conclude, that the Apostle is here fpeaking of himself when in a renewed or regenerate State; and thereby reprefenting the Conflict, which the Children of God in their highest Attainments have with their remaining Corruptions; fince there is fo plain a Transition (by) the Change of the Tenfe) from confidering what he once had been, to a Representation of what he now was, at the Time of writing this Epiftle.-Have we not Reason to conclude this, when all (the very belt) of the Children of God, do always experience the fame Struggle with their Corruptions, as is here defcribed?-May we not confidently draw this Conclufion, when we find, that the Characters here given are applicable to none but the regenerate only? None but they hate that which is evil, and have a Will prefent with them to that which is good. To be fure none but they hate all evil, and have a Will to do all good, without Reserve or Diftinction. None but they delight in the Law of the Lord, after the inward Man. None but they groan under the Burthen of the Body of Death, and maintain a conftant War with the Law of Sin in their Members-May we not fafely maintain this Conclufion against all Oppofition, when we find a Perfon defcribed under the Influence of a twofold Principle, Corruption and Grace? The former fo brought into Subjection, that its Actings are not to be attributed, ftrictly speaking, to Him (being fo 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 Sin; the latter having such an Empire in his Soul, as to be call

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ed himself; fo that (notwithstanding his Corruptions and the Out-breakings of them) he can fay, I myself 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 Fiefh, but after the Spirit; and who are, by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Chrift Jefus, made free from the Law of Sin and Death, as the Apostle fhews to be his own Cafe, according to the Defcription he had before given of himself. To fuppofe that he here perfonates a Profeffor unregenerate, muft, upon the whole, appear utterly inconfiftent with the Cafe defcribed in thefe Paffages; and therefore such an Expofition, as altogether forced, is not to be received.

But after all, you will perhaps object, that my Interpretation tends to make Men fecure and careless, bold and prefumptuous, in a State and Courfe of Sin.

I answer, it is fo far from this, that it has a direct contrary i endency. It is a folemn Admonition to the Children of God to be upon their Guard, fince they have fuch a domestic Enemy to deal with: And a like Admonition it is to all carelefs, fecure, habitual Sinners, not to flatter themfelves with a vain, prefumptuous Hope of their regenerate State, on any Pretences whatfoever.

It is here the Character of a Chriftian indeed, that he hates Evil, all Evil, without Reserve. If therefore they who retain any favourite Luft, and roll it as a fweet Morfel under their Tongue, cry Peace to their Souls, they are fleeping upon the Top of a Maft; there is no Peace, faith my God, to the Wicked. The Peace of fuch is all a Delufion, a most 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,

fections, that when thefe obtain, they are without his Confent 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 safe State, who are knowingly and deliberately living in any Way of Sinning, and who cuftomarily allow any moral Imperfection. They will certainly in the Conclusion be rejected among the Workers of Iniquity.

It is here alfo reprefented as the Property of every fincere Chriftian, that he has a will prefent with him to that which is good; that he confents 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 Godliness. Here is therefore no Foundation for them to think well of their State, whose 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 Deliverance from the Body of Death; not only from Guilt and Danger, but from the Remainders of his Corruption, and maintains a constant War against the Law of Sin in his Members. What Encouragement is there therefore for fuch an one to hope well of his State, that does not make it his Business 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 Burthen of his Life?

It is furthermore given in Character of the true Christian, that he thankfully expects this Deliverance only by Jefus Chrift. The Apostle's Answer to the Queftion, Who shall deliver me, is, I thank God thro' 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 safely expect my needed Supplies. All Unbelievers therefore, as excluded from any juftifiable Pretence to this Character, 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 ferve the Law of God. He has had God's Law put into his Mind, and he ferves God with his Spirit. His whole Man, all that can be called himself, is engaged in a Life of Gofpel-Obedience.What can they therefore have to do with the Peace and Comfort, which is here offered to Chriftians indeed, who are grofsly defective, partial, and unsteady in their Obedience; whose inds are wavering, and whofe Hearts are divided between the Service of God and their Idols? A double minded Man is unstable in all his Ways; and let not that Man think that he shall receive any bing of the Lord. Jim. 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 these Marks to themselves. 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 rest till you obtain these Evidences of a converted State.

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That the Lord may comfort your Heart, and sta blifh you in every good Word and Work, to do his Will, is the Prayer of,

SIR,

Your, &c.

LETTER XI. Wherein the Moravian and Antimonian Doctrine of Justi fication, in fome of its peculiar Points, is confidered and refuted.

IT

SIR,

T is true, that I do agree with the Antimonians and Moravians in this, that " The Righteouf"nefs of our Lord Jefus Chrift is the alone Mat66 ter of our Juftification before God." But I am, notwithstanding, very far from agreeing with them in the whole of their Doctrine on that important Article of a Sinner's Juftification by Faith in Christ.

The Perfon you have converfed with has impofed upon you, in pretending, that "they and 66 we are of the fame Sentiments 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 those of our Profeffion, in this great

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Point; and what are the Reasons of our differ"ing from them."I prefume, you do not expect from me a particular Detection of all the Moravian and Antimonian Errors; this would require a larger Volume than I have Leifure to write, or you would have Patience to read. I fhall therefore limit myself to the Subject which you have propofed.

There

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