to harden men in opposing or abusing it, according as best suits their corrupt inclinations.

"In a day when even professors of strict religion are so miserably divided in their sentiments, I am far enough from expecting that all, or even the majority, will accede to what I have written. Many will no doubt think that I give too strong and open a testimony to the doctrines of Calvinism: while others, equally numerous, 'will, I easily foresee, be dissatisfied with what has been said on that subject, for an opposite. reason.-Some will be displeased at my saying so very much on the excellency and the honour of the law of God, and the absolute necessity of every true believer's cordially loving and greatly delighting in it; while others, I am well aware, will be equally offended at my entirely discarding all our personal obedience in the great concern of our justification; contending that all our obedience deserves punishment for being no better, and that we must be justified by faith alone receiving and pleading the imputed divine righteousness of Christ. Some, I foresee, will think I am much too strict, and that I discourse in such a manner as tends to exclude many who think well of their own state, and are thought well of in the churches of Christ while others will be ready to think I give too much. licence by placing perfection as absolutely out of our reach in this life, and intimating that the best must expect to live and die poor sinful creatures, very far indeed from what they ought to be, and fain would be, and needing repentance, and forgiveness by mere mercy, through the blood of Christ, to the last. Some will, I know, object to what has been delivered as too argumentative, and paying too much deference to reason; as if all true religion, being from God the fountain of reason, could be other than infinitely reasonable, when rightly understood, and impartially and humbly attended to: while others will probably be disgusted at my standing up for doctrines so generally exploded by the great pretenders to reason, and allowing that, though nothing in religion can be contrary to true unprejudiced reason, yet many things may to proud, carnal, self-admiring men appear so; and many really are above our reason, and can be known only by divine revelation humbly believed. Thy testimony is sure, and giveth wisdom to the simple.

"I have no inclination to enter the lists of controversy with any of these descriptions of persons, being more

pleasantly, perhaps more profitably employed; and being deeply convinced that sharp and acrimonious disputation is not one of the weapons of a Christian's warfare, being carnal, and therefore not mighty through God for demolishing Satan's strong holds of error and vice. Let then every one impartially judge for himself how far what has been taught is scriptural: and may the God of all truth lead the writer and every reader more, and more deeply into the sanctifying knowledge of his truth!"

CHARITY OF THE AUTHOR TOWARDS THOSE WHO DIFFER FROM HIM.

"NOR do I mean to insinuate that none are true Christians who have not these views of divine truth. This is commonly objected to strenuous advocates for any system of doctrine, but often with palpable injustice. I believe many Armenians are true Christians: yea even persons avowing antinomian sentiments may be true Christians, through the inconsistency which may exist between their sentiments and the state of their hearts: much more than may persons who have embraced sentiments leaning that way, and leading to antinomianism, and as such protested against in this work. I will not pretend to say, nor do I think any man can say exactly, how much explicit knowledge of divine truth is absolutely essential to salvation. I do not mean to condemn men's persons, but their errors; nor their errors, because none can be saved that hold them, but because many are deceived by means of them, many prejudiced, many hardened; many sincere souls kept from growing in grace; and religion much deformed, disgraced, and injured by them. But this I will say, that, whatever darkness there may be on a man's understanding, unless he feels and behaves towards God as a sinner justly condemned for breaking a righteous law, and expects salvation of mere grace in God's way, and as reconciled to God, as loving his service, and longing after holinessthat holiness which the law requires, and so living holily in sincerity and truth, he cannot be saved, according to the Bible......

"Though some measure of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is always communicated in regeneration, and therefore he cannot be a true Christian who has none of it, yet many of the regenerate have it in

a very scanty measure; and through prejudices of education, and the want of clear instruction, they may hold in their minds sentiments inconsistent with it. For it not only may be, but frequently is the case, that men hold inconsistent and contradictory principles. I should have no scruple in declaring, that every consistent antinomian is in the way to perdition; and yet I charitably hope that many individuals, theoretically adopting antinomian principles will be saved. The foundation is rightly laid, but hay, straw, stubble are built upon it: this will be burned; but they will be saved, yet so as by fire—as when a man's house is burned over his head. They hold sentiments derogatory to the honor of God's law; but, through the confusedness that rests on man's understanding, they hold also contrary sentiments; the former are but notions, or at least do not entirely sway them; the latter are vital principles, and they feel and act under their influence.....Every one who in any degree speaks dishonorably of the law of God, and yet allows the real satisfaction of the death of Christ, and the necessity of holiness of heart and life, does in words contradict himself; and, if he understood himself, would perceive that he held sentiments diametrically opposite to one another for the satisfaction of Christ's death was intended to put infinite honor on the law of God; and holiness is no other than that law written in the heart, and transcribed into the life. Such persons I would not condemn in the gross-though I think their religion of a peculiarly suspicious nature, and that they have especial need to examine themselves whether they be in the faith: but I would aim to lead them to a more consistent and complete knowledge of the truth; in part for their own profit, and still more for the honor of religion and the good of souls; being deeply persuaded that Satan has got great advantage by such means.

LOVE TO GOD.

"EVERY true believer sees so much of the glory and loveliness of God in being what he is, infinitely great and infinitely good, as to have a supreme and entire approbation and esteem of his whole character: and, however scanty his knowledge, or confused his judgment may be, or whatever inconsistent opinions he may from any cause have imbibed, yet he feelingly abhors the idea of any

part of the divine character being different from what it is; and would not for all the world have God less holy, righteous, faithful, or merciful, than he is. He who heartily wishes any part of God's character altered is evidently an enemy to what God is, and hates him at heart. Every truly converted persons is heartily reconciled to the divine perfections, and dreads as blasphemy the very thought of wishing God to be of another character than he is. There may be many things in the divine conduct which, through remaining darkness, he does not well understand, or see to be consistent with the perfections of God; yet he is in his judgment so well satisfied of the divine wisdom, righteousness, and goodness, that he gives the Most High, if I may so speak, credit for it, that all is as it should be, though he cannot see it. And this submission of our poor scanty capacities to the infinite wisdom and holiness of God is the very temper of a little child, without which we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

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Nay, not only does every true believer cordially approve of the whole divine character as revealed in scripture, but, so far as his views are clear and distinct, he admires it. How great is his goodness! and how great is his beauty! He is perfectly astonished and is all amazement, while he contemplates the wisdom, righteousness, faithfulness, loving kindness, and mercy of God, as harmoniously revealed in his word, and displayed in his works. He feels his heart at times ravished with the love of so lovely an object and at the same time is astonished and humbled that he loves him no more. And in his judgment he is deeply convinced that the Lord is worthy of being su premely loved, yea loved with all his powers, even when, to his shame and grief, he feels little love to him. paring the loveliness of the Creator with the loveliness of the creatures, he perceives, in his judgment, that the former eclipses the latter infinitely more than the sun does the stars; and is humbled that his feelings are no more answerable to his convictions-that he loves the creature so much and God so little, even when his conduct evinces that he does love the Lord his God more than father, or mother, or wife, or child, or liberty, or life. Nay he rejoices in the Lord, delights himself in God! rejoices that he reigneth, that he is sovereign, that he is unchangeably what he is; rejoices exceedingly in contemplating his wonderful works. His meditation of him is sweet: His soul is satisfied, as with

Com

marrow and fatness, while he praiseth God with joyful lips. -He is cordially devoted to God's cause and honor, in the world; and sweetly longs and prays, Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven! The advancement of the cause of God and true religion fills him with joy; its depression grieves him at his heart: nor can he be comforted but by the assurance that it shall finally prevail.*-He chooses God for his portion, and longs for no other happiness, in time and in eternity, than in being with God, bearing his image, beholding his glory, enjoying his favor, singing his praises, and serving, with all his powers, Him in whom his soul delighteth.-Even the favors which God bestows upon him, personally, most affect his heart as leading him to contemplate the glorious excellencies of so great and glorious a Being.

"Every true believer has somewhat of this spirit, as is evident from the whole scripture: and in proportion to his knowledge and faith he has more and more of it. And, if this be once left out of religion, and, in our love to God, we have no regard to the perfections of his character, which constitute his infinite loveliness, what do we but set up an idol in our heart; frame a conception of God suited to our own taste; assume that he loves us; and then, in return, feel a love for our own idol? For nothing can distinguish the true God from idols, but the glories and excellencies of his character ?-Even thus far, in its consequences, does the notion of not loving God for his own loveliness, but ONLY for his benefits, go; though many who notionally espouse it are not aware of this, and mean no such thing."

LOVING THE LAW OF GOD, THOUGH IT

CONDEMNS US.

"EVERY true believer, seeing the beauty and loveliness of the divine character, sees proportionably the ground and reason of the law of God; and thus learns to love it. St. Paul delighted in the law of God after the inner man because it was holy, just, and good; and David is continually breaking forth into the strongest expression of love to the law and indeed it is written in the hearts of all true believ

* See Daniel ii. 34, 35, 44; vii. 9, 10, 14, 18, 27.