"tion is wrought by light, by the moral power of "divine truth and love, as believed and realized."*

If this is true, then it follows either (1.) that the Weftminster affembly of divines and others I have quoted, were not calvinifts, or (2.) that they did not understand themfelves. I think that Mr. H. greatly mitreprefents and injures the calvinifts in the above affertion as is fufficiently evident from the above quotations. Though I acknowledge that many who are found in other points generally called calvinistick, have run into this opinion, particularly the Rev'd Jonathan Dickinson on the five points, where he treats of converfion and the grace of God in it. of God in it. By reading of this in my younger years I was led to follow the fame opinion, tho' I confefs it always appeared fomething confused to me, yet was unable to difcover where the inconfiftency lay, and by this view I was led to publifh the following fentences in a fermon on the trial of the fpirits, viz. "God begins with the understanding, and having gained this, the will and affections, and all the powers of the foul fubmit of confequence,"+ And "The true fpirit brings light and truth to the understanding, by which means the will is bowed and the afflictions gained over to holiness." This I own agrees with Mr. H's opinion on this head; but for reasons already given, I have altered this fentiment, and can't but think thofe reafons are conclufive and fufficient to justify the change; and hope I fhall be as ready to alter any other opinion when I fee as good reafon for it. Now in direct oppofition to thefe divines and the current opinion of the firft reformers and of those who with them down to this day, have embraced the great doctrines of free grace, Mr. H. has the affurance to call the doctrines of total human depravity, or innate enmity to God; and of the neceffity of the immediate phyfical energy or power of the spirit in regeneration, "new divinity," &c.

However * D. p. 44, 45. † Ser, on trial of Spirits, p. 18. ‡ P. 29.

However it is fufficiently clear from the above quotations, that these reproaches are as far from truth as any thing Mr. H. could have invented, and, to use his own phrafe," are as contrary to fact as to affert that "all men walk on their heads with their feet ftretch❝ed up into the air."* Perhaps the apology for him is, that he is as little acquainted with old calvinistic divines, as he was with Mr. Hopkins's enquiry, and Dr. Bellamy's fermon, out of which he has attemptedto extract fome dangerous errors, tho' he never faw the one, nor heard the other. This I am fure will reflect lefs on his moral character than to fuppofe the contrary.

From the above quotations it is also evident with whom Mr. H. ought to rank, and what company we find him among. Perhaps he did not imagine he had advanced fo near to Rome, nor fo fully espoused the doctrines of Pelagius and the Arminians: yet we see he actually takes the fide of the papists and those other errorists in oppofition to me.

T

CONCLUSION.

HE doctrines maintained in the preceeding fermons and appendix, I expect will be very difagreeable to perfons who have drank in the felfrighteous principles, which fo awfully prevail at prefent in the world, and even in New-England. Such as hold the following opinions will likely condemn the book and its author too.

I. Thofe who believe that promifes of faving grace are, in fcripture, made to the endeavours of unregenerate finners.

II. Such as make indifference neceffary to moral agency, virtue and vice.

III. Such as hate the doctrines of God's fovereignty, and abfolute, unconditional decrees.

*D. p. 17.

IV.

IV. Such as think that previous good difpofitions are the moral ground and reafon of God's beftowing divine grace and favour; and that God is more ready to regenerate, pardon and fave little, than great finners on account of the littleness of their fin, or of their greater comparative goodness.

V. Such as believe that the ground which any finner has to hope that God will regenerate and fave him, is that he reforms and grows better by his prayers

and ftrivings.

VI. Such as deny the doctrine of original fin and total depravity, and maintain that men have naturally a love to the divine character, and so are holy before regeneration.

VII. Such as fuppofe that true love to God fprings primarily and chiefly from a perfwafion of his love and good will to us, and that he deferves our regards only fo far as he will ferve our turn.

VIII. Thole who imagine they can bring God in debt to them by their duties.

IX. Such as with Mr. Sandeman believe that faith and repentance do not imply a right temper and holy exercises of heart, but are fruits produced by un-renewed nature.

X. Such as think it unfafe to truft God with the whole work of regeneration, and imagine themselves more fecure while they keep the staff in their own hands.

XI. Such as confound regeneration and converfion together and will allow of no difference.

Perfons of fuch fentiments will, no doubt, exclaim against this book, and that whether they read it, or only hear of it, as tending to difcourage finners from ftriving; to mifreprefent the character of man; yea and of God too, and to put men out of conceit with` themselves, and to drive finners to defpair, &c. &c. But I earnestly intreat every reader calmly and candidly to weigh the things which have been offered,

and

and compare them with the word of God and the experience of the godly; and if they are found words, to receive them, not for the author's fake, who is of little worth, but for the truth's fake, for God's take, and for the fake of the eternal happiness of their own fouls, which is greatly endangered by error, especially in the things which refpect regeneration and converfion, which, next to the glory of God, is the great end of the death and fufferings of Jefus Chrift, who herein fees of the travel of his foul, and then is fatisfied : Thefe truths will do you no hurt, tho' they tend to take the crown from the head of the creature, and place it on his head who is exalted to be a prince and Saviour,to give repentance and remission of fins: For tho' they discover to you your mifery, yet they alfo point out that deliverer who came to feek and to fave that which is loft.

Finally, That the fame God who brought again our Lord Jefus Chrift from the dead, may by the fame power renew and maintain a principle of divine life in Mr, H. and me, and all who read these pages, and enable us all to live and act to the glory of God, and for the good of mankind here,and bring us to that state where we fhall daily fee new wonders of grace and glory in the enjoyment of himself, is the prayer of one of the moft unworthy of his fervants in the Gospel.

POSTSCRIPT.

POSTSCRIPT.

TH

HE preceeding appendix had been fome months ready for the prefs, and only waited for paper to print it, when two pamphlets were put into my hands, one entitled, Animadverfions on Mr. H's dialogue, by the Rev'd Samuel Hopkins; the other entitled, A letter to the Rev'd Samuel Hopkins, &c. by the author of that dialogue.

Mr. Hopkins in his animadverfions, profeffedly avoids entering into any argument with Mr. H.* but animadverts with great juftice and keennefs on the grofs abfurdity of Mr. H's conduct in writing against a number of falfe propofitions and dangerous errors, fpreading in the country; collected out of fundry difcourfes lately publifhed, while he had never feen any of them, except two fermons of mine which were. fcarce known, as there were but a few (only 50) of them in the country. He alfo with great juftice points out feveral manifeft inconfiftences and contradictions in the dialogue, and mentions fome false affertions or propofitions he finds there.

Mr. H. in his letter replies with much greater smartness than appears in his dialogue, but difcovers a more angry frame of mind. His letter fhews that

he is much galled by the animadverfions as it is pretty full of reflections and bitter farcafms which tend much to hurt his caufe. Mr. H. can't defend his conduct int writing against Mr. Hopkins's Enquiry, &c. while he had never read them, and therefore he ought to have confeffed his error and submitted to the reproof, juftly due to fuch conduct. 'Tis a pity controverfial writers do not ftudy to avoid expreffions which difcover anger, which certainly tend only to blow up the fame unhallowed flame in others: Would they do this,

* Animad. p. 3.

their