doctrinal part of Paul's Epistles, in which free, discriminating, and effectual grace, is clearly taught; and false Calvinism looks with an evil eye on the exhortations, warnings, and invitations to the unconverted, in the four evangelists, and the Acts of the Apostles. Is not this a plain proof that neither of these systems is evangelical? That, I say again, is the true gospel, which gives to every part of scripture its fair and full meaning; and if the views we have hitherto entertained will not do this, we ought to conclude that whatever we may have learned, we have yet to learn the truth as it is in JESUS.

Judge impartially, my brethren, whether the doctrine taught by Mr. Horne, and others, will admit of such exhortations to the unconverted, as occur in the preaching of John the Baptist,Christ, and his Apostles. If the language in which they address their carnal hearers were uttered in your pulpits, and nothing added by the preacher to explain away its force, would you not begin to suspect him of error? Yet your so doing ought in reality to make you suspect yourselves; and to fear lest, while you think you are doing God service, you should be found fighting against him.

In calling the doctrine defended by Mr. Horne, false Calvinism, I have not miscalled it. In proof of this, I appeal to the writings of that great reformer, and of the ablest defenders of his system in later times, of all indeed who have been called Calvinists, till within an hundred years. Were you to read many of Calvin's Sermons, without knowing who was the author, you would be led, from the ideas you appear at present to entertain, to pronounce him an Arminian; neither would Goodwin, nor Owen, nor Charnock, nor Flavel, nor Bunyan, escape the charge. These men believed and preached the doctrines of grace; but not in such a way as to exclude exhortations to the unconverted, to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. The doctrine which you call Calvinism, (but which, in reality, is Antinomianism,) is as opposite to that of the Reformers, Puritans, and Nonconformists, as it is to that of the apostles.

We do not ask you to relinquish the doctrine of salvation by grace alone: so far from it, were you to do so, we would, on that

account have no fellowship with you. We have no doubt of justification being wholly on account of the righteousness of Jesus; nor of faith, wherever it exists, being the free gift of God. On such subjects we could say with Job, We have understanding as well as you; we are not inferior to you; yea, who knoweth not such things as these? But we ask you to admit other principles, equally true, and equally important as they are; principles taught by the same inspired writers, and which, therefore, must be consistent with them.

Doctrinal sentiments will have a great influence on the whole of our religion. They will operate powerfully in the forming of our spirit, and the regulation of our conduct. Many people have complained of the unchristian spirit discovered by Mr. Huntington, and his followers. We have not so much objection, (say they,) to his doctrine; but such an awful degree of spiritual pride and rancour runs through all he writes-.' For my part, I never make such complaint: I should as soon complain of thistles and thorns for their bearing prickles. Mr. Huntington's spirit comports with his doctrine and if we receive one, we must receive both.

False doctrine will eat as doth a canker: in individuals it will produce self-importance, self-will, and almost every other selfish disposition; and if admitted into churches, it will be followed by a neglect of faithful discipline, and holy practice. Such have been the effects of that doctrine for which Mr. Horne contends, in many of the churches in the midland parts of the kingdom; and such, it is to be feared, have been its effects in some of yours.

Though the apostles of our Lord renounced all dependence upon the works of the law for justification; yet they did not make void the law, but established it; accounting it holy, just, and good; and delighted in it after the inner man: but many preachers, who are eager in defending these principles, do not scruple to disown it entirely, as a rule of life; and though Mr. Horne has not done this, yet be continally confounds what the scriptures distinguish, applying that which is spoken of the law as a covenant or term of justification to that which respects it as the eternal standard of right and wrong. But those who scarcely ever mention the law

of God without disrespect, are not far from disowning it as a rule of life, and those who disown it as a rule of life can hardly be expected to walk by it. Far be it from me to deal in indiscriminate censure. That good men have favoured these principles, I have no doubt : and where the heart is upright, an erroneous sentiment, though it be very injurious, will not be the great governing principle of life. It is also allowed, that bad men will be found under every form of religious profession. But, so far as my observation extends, there is a much larger proportion of such characters among ministers of this description, than any others who are accounted evangelical. Many of them are not only known to be loose in their general deportment, but seem to have laid aside all honour and conscience toward the churches. Some, not having any stated employment, (as well as they may not,) wander up and down the country, as if for a piece of bread, sowing the seeds of dissention, and raising a party for themselves, in every place where they come. Others, when invited to preach to a church on probation, after having divided and scattered it by their violence, have been necessitated to leave it; and finding no other people who would employ them, have frequently been known to retire with a party of their adherents, and to set up an opposite interest in the same place, to the great injury and reproach of religion. Yet these men, if they might be believed, are each set for the defence of the gospel.

From the pen of an apostle and prisoner of Jesus Christ, such language was proper; but the words of the wise are not fitted in the lips of every one. Whether these men wish to imitate Mr. Huntington, who takes for his motto the words of Job, The root of the matter is found in me; or whether it be natural to them to proclaim to the world the high opinion they entertain of themselves, I cannot determine: but this is certain, that if they and he had each studied to imitate a certain impostor, who bewitched the people, giving out that HIMSELF WAS SOME GREAT ONE, they could scarcely have acted in stricter conformity to his example.

I have little or no acquaintance with your ministers; but I know something of those in other parts of the country, who embrace the doctrine taught by Mr. Horne; and have reason to be

lieve that their preaching is mostly composed of ludicrous rant, and idle declamation. The principal objects against which they declaim, are pharisaism and the devil; and the method taken to persuade their hearers that they are the greatest enemies to both, is telling them that they are so! As to the former, if it consist in trusting that we are righteous, and despising others, perhaps there are few religious professors who can prefer a better claim to it than themselves. And as to their boasting and brandishing against the latter, what serious mind, nay, what mind possessed of common understanding, can endure it? it may furnish the ignorant and light-minded with a laugh: but every man of sense must be disgusted by it. To hear the low and vulgar jokes, which they are continually uttering against the grand adversary of God and man, both in the pulpit and out of it, one might be tempted to conclude that instead of being his enemies, they were on terms of more than ordinary intimacy with him. Mr. Merryman may have high words with his master, for the amusement of the audience; but he will not hurt him: they understand one another. Sure I am, Satan has no objection to be thus treated.

So they have preached, and so too many have believed. Brethren, Prove all things, hold fast that which is good! And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE

MORAL LAW

THE

RULE OF CONDUCT TO BELIEVERS.

My dear Brother,

You requested me to give you my reasons, in the brief compass of a letter, for considering the Moral Law as the rule of Con duct to Believers. It is painful that a question of this nature should ever have been started among professing Christians; but this, and other things of the kind, are permitted that they who are approved may be made manifest.

You do not wish me my dear brother, to encounter the foul dogmas of our pulpit-libertines; but to state a few plain, scriptural evidences, which may be useful to some serious minds, who have been entangled in the maizes of their delusions.-Before I proceed to this, however it will be proper to make a remark or two in a general way.

First: There is no dispute on the ground of our acceptance with God. We are not justified on account of any thing inherent, whether before, in, or after believing; but merely for the sake of the righteousness of Christ, believed in and imputed to us. As a medium of life, or, (as our divines commonly express it,) as a covenant, believers are dead to the law, and the law to them, being united to another husband.

:

Secondly The question is not, Whether the whole of Christian obedience be formally required in the Ten Commandments? VOL. IV.

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