fpect to their State, it neceffarily follows, that this Moravian and Antinomian Doctrine is a most dangerous Mistake and Delusion. This Matter therefore deferves to be particularly considered.

< That Men may be strongly perfuaded of the Safety of their State, while remaining under Guilt and Condemnation, appears from fuchConfiderations as thefe.

If this Perfuafion may be entertained by thofe who have never been emptied of their Self-fufficienty, nor ever had any fenfible Discovery of their loft, impotent and helpless State, it certainly cannot be a true faving Faith in the Lord Jefus Chrift.That this may be, is evident from the Nature of Things. There can be no Reason affigned, why fuch may not be capable to entertain a strong Opinion of their own good State, who have never difcovered how bad, how dangerous and miferable their State by Nature is.―That this has been, is evident from Scripture. Laodicea thought her felf rich and encreased in Goods, and to have Need of nothing, when he was poor and miferable, and wretched and blind, and naked; and fuch there have always been, who think themselves fomething when they are nothing, and deceive themselves. And that fuch have not a true Faith in Chrift, whatever Perfuafion they entertain, is evident, in that Men cannot come to Christ for that which they do not feel the Want of; nor can they feel the Want of Deliverance from that loft and miferable State which they have never had a fenfible Discovery of. The Whole need not the Phyfician.It is alfo evident, in that faving Faith is a Dependence upon Chrift alone for Salvation: For it is impossible to depend upon Chrift alone, and yet to depend partly upon ourfelves for Salvation, as all fuch neceffarily do, that have never felt their own impotent and loft Condition. The Antinomians, I know, disclaim

all

all Pretenfions to Self-dependence: But whence, I befeech them, are the towering Imaginations of the divine Favour, which some of them entertain, while they have never been broken under the Sense of their Sin and Misery; never humbled nor lost, nor driven to Chrift as a Refuge for guilty Sinners, but from an high Opinion of themselves? Whence do they thank God, that they are not as other Men, but from fome imaginary Qualifications of their own? If they pretend to no other, they may ftill build upon this, that they have a Perfuafion Chrift will fave them; and fo they make that Perfuafion their Righteoufnefs, and the Foundation of their Hope of Salvation. And this is ftill further evident, from the express Declaration of our bleffed Saviour, that he came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance.-In as much therefore as fuch felf-righteous Perfons may have the strongeft Perfuafion of their own Juftification by Christ, and yet have no Interest in him, whatever Perfua fion they entertain, fince he came not to call them, while fuch, to Repentance, it is most evident, that this Perfuafion cannot be a faving Faith.More

over,

If this Perfuafion may be entertained by thofe who are under the Power and Dominion of their Sins, it cannot be a faving Faith.That this may be, is too evident from our constant Obfervation. -Who can be more tenaciously perfuaded of their obtaining Salvation by Chrift, than many of our careless and fecure Sinners, who profess to know. Chrift, but in Works deny him, and are to every good Work reprobate -That these cannot have a faving Faith is evident: For Faith purifies the Heart; and he that committeth Sin is of the Devil.

thermore,

-Fur

If this Perfuafion may arife from Pride and Self-esteem, it cannot be a faving Faith.-I think, no Man will pretend, that the Productions of our own proud and haughty Self-esteem, will intereft us in the Favour of God, and give us a Claim to the Promises of the Gofpel. And we have numerous Instances of fuch in Scripture, who entertained this Perfuafion from their own haughty Opinion of themfelves. Such were Korah and his Company. All the Congregation are holy (fay they) every one of them. Such were they in the Prophet, who faid, Stand by thyfelf, come not near me, for I am holier than thou. Such was the Pharafee, who thanked God that he was not as other Men. And fuch were the Body of the Jewish Rulers in our Saviour's Time We have one Father (fay they) even God.--And I wifh we had not conftant Occafion to obferve, that there are at this Time too many fuch among ourfelves, who boast of this strong Perfuafion of their juftified State, and of their rapturous Joys, whofe highest Attainment in Religion is, that they trust in themselves, that they are righteous, and defpife others. Their falfe Apprehenfion of their own Attainments begets this Perfuafion of their good State; and this Perfuafion heightens their Appre henfion of their great Attainments in Religion; and thus they go on in an unhappy Round of Pride and Self-exaltation. Now can any pretend, that a faving Faith confists in Pride and fupercilious Vanity of Mind!-I may yet add,

If fuch a Perfuafion may be a Diabolical Suggeftion and Hellish Delufion, it cannot be a faving Faith. This Confequence cannot be difputed by any that allow a Difference between Light and Darkness, between CHRIST and Belial, between the Influences of the Spirit of God and the Delufions of the Devil. And I think it will be allowed

by all, that the Devil has Power, Craft, and Ma ̄ lice enough, thus to impofe upon poor unwary Sinners, and delude them into Tranfports of Joy, for which they have no folid Grounds.

That he

may do fo, is confirmed by the Apostle, who tells us, that Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light.

That he does fo in Fact, is too often exemplified in the high rapturous Joys of fome who are openly and visibly irreligious.——I subjoin once

more,

If fuch a Perfuafion may be entertained by thofe who embrace the most dangerous and damnable Herefies, it cannot be a faving Faith. That there may be fuch Herefies as are utterly inconfiftent with faving Faith, we are certain, both from the Nature of Things, and from the exprefs Words of the Apoftle, who informs us of fuch who fhall be left to Strong Delufions, to believe a Lie, that they may all be damned.-And constant Experience has convinced us, that the worst Heretics which have ever afflicted and infected the Church, have had the most undoubting Perfuafion of their Intereft in Chrift, and of the Love and Favour of God to them. Now, can such as these have a saving Faith?

From every one of thefe Particulars it appears, that Men may entertain fuch a Perfuafion of their And I think Interest in Chrift, as is false in Fact. there cannot need any Arguments to convince you, that believing a Lie is not the Faith of God's Elect, which gives a Title to Salvation. This then ap pears unquestionably true, that there may be a ftrong Perfuafion of a justified State WITHOUT faving Faith.

And it is equally certain, that there may be a faving Faith, WITHOUT this Perfuafion of an actu

al

al Interest in Chrift.-I need not say much to make this appear in a convincing Light.

If this Perfuafion be no where found in Scripture to belong to the Defcription of a faving Faith, a Man may be a true Believer without it.This muft be allowed to be a neceffary Confequence, if there be any true and just Description of a faving Faith in the Bible. And I think I may confidently affirm, that this Perfuafion of our Intereft in Chrift, that he will fave us in particular, or that we are actually juftified by his Righteoufnefs, is no where found in Scripture to be any Part of the Defcription of a faving Faith. And there may confequently be a true Faith without it.-Befides,

This joyful Perfuafion of our Interest in Chrift, and our justified State, is confidered in the Scriptures as the Fruit and Confequence of a faving Faith. -Being juftified by Faith, we have Peace with God. -Believing, we rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. Whence it follows, that Faith may and must exist before it can bring forth Fruit; and that this Perfuafion cannot be both Faith itself, and the Fruit or Effect of it too; and confequently, that there may be a true Faith without this Perfuafion whereof I am treating.I further add,

The Inftances of dark and deferted Believers in Scripture, and the many Promifes and Encouragements given to fuch, do plainly and fully prove, that a true Faith may exift without this Perfuafion. -There may be true Believers, who fear the Lord, and obey the Voice of his Servant, that walk in Darkness and fee no Light, that are ready to conclude, the Lord hath forsaken them, and their God hath forgotten them, who are yet graven upon the Palms of his Hands, and encouraged to hope in the as the Health of their Countenance and their

Lord,

God.