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'but the consciousness of having "done justice, 'loved mercy, and walked humbly with our God."1 -No doubt we are required to "do justice, love

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mercy, and walk humbly with God;" and the consciousness of thus, "by the grace of God, having "had our conversation in the world," may, according to the promises of the gospel, be an evidential source of confidence in a dying hour; which they who, professing faith, have neglected duty, cannot have. But had the thief on the cross this consciousness? May not men even at the eleventh hour" flee for refuge to the hope set before us?" Are all who have lived ungodly lives to be consigned, without one ray of hope, to black despair in a dying hour? Or are those who, in self-complacency, flatter themselves that they have lived good lives, though they have neglected or opposed the salvation of Christ, to be buoyed up in their delusion by such language as this? For in it not the least mention is made of mercy, of Christ, of faith, of repentance! Are such men as the contemptible and execrable Rousseau, who boasted, after all his atrocious crimes, that he gave up his soul into his Creator's hands as pure as he received it, to be encouraged in their proud delusion? It is indeed certain that none but the true believer "walks humbly with God:" yet few who read such general declarations very carefully examine them, nor is it intended by many who quote them that they should. Certainly, whatever may be said by way of palliation, the passage adduced is highly exceptionable; and it is well worth the

' Ibid. p. 214.

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reader's while to compare it with a note in the Refutation, relating to the same subject. It is an easy thing for a wrangling sophister to dispute ' of merits in the schools, or for a vain orator to 'declaim of merits out of the pulpit; but when we come to be upon our death-beds, and present ' ourselves at the last hour before the tribunal of Christ, it is high time both for you and us to renounce our own merits, and to cast ourselves • naked into the arms of our Saviour.'1

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On the whole, it is no ordinary credit to Mr. Overton, that from so large a work, peculiarly suited to excite opposition, nothing more objectionable has been produced by his Lordship, when refuting the whole system which Mr. O. supports with decided earnestness. Supposing even that a few expressions could not be wholly justified, what do they amount to, when compared with the mass of conclusive, unanswerable arguments, which pervades the work? Had his Lordship shewed one misquotation, or misrepresentation of the authors quoted, in The True Churchmen,' it would far more materially have affected the credit of the work and of its author; but this has not been done.

'From these censures we might surely be authorized to conclude, that evangelical preachers do 'not inculcate a regular attendance upon divine ' ordinances, an uniform practice of religious pre'cepts, repentance, good works, obedience to the

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"moral law, holiness of living, abhorrence of vice,
justice, mercy, and humility.' 1

The manner and language of the instruction, in
the passages adduced, is all to which Mr. Overton
objects; and not the substance of the exhortations
themselves. While we inculcate a regular at-
'tendance upon divine ordinances, and an uni-
'form practice of religious precepts, &c.' we should
be careful not to speak in language, which is in-
consistent with the doctrine of "salvation by
grace," and justification by faith alone;' and
which at least seems to ascribe merit to our
works, and tends to induce the hearers to attempt
"establishing their own righteousness," instead of
thankfully accepting "the righteousness of God
"by faith," and endeavouring to "adorn the doc-
"trine of God our Saviour in all things." That
Mr. O. himself did not mean what is here in-
discriminately laid to the charge of evangelical
preachers at large, is manifest from almost every
page of his book. Good works are the natural
'fruit and necessary effect of that faith which jus-
'tifieth.' 'Can the necessity of virtue be more
strongly inculcated, than by thus making sanc-
'tification a necessary evidence of justification?
'Can the presumptuous hopes of the careless and
' enthusiastical professor be more effectually sup-
pressed, than by only allowing men to consider
'themselves really Christians, in proportion as they
< are actuated by Christian principles, and exhibit
a Christian conduct?'2 And after a quotation

--

'Ref. 175, 176. "True Churchmen, p. 273, 283, 284.

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from the Homily on charity it is added: "The low'est construction which can fairly be put upon the 'above passage, and others which have been quoted 'or referred to, is, that no man ought to think ' himself in a justified state, who is not free from 'the allowed indulgence of any known sin; who 'does not pay an habitual regard to every known duty; and whose leading object, the trade of 'whose life,' (as the Homily expresses it,) is not to promote the honour of God, and the happiness ' of mankind." Other grounds, upon which our 'church enforces the necessity of holiness, and 'stimulates endeavours after the greatest possible ' eminency in it, are, that it is commanded of God; ' that a grand end of the Christian dispensation is our restoration to it; that good works, which are 'the fruits of faith, are pleasing and acceptable to 'God in Christ; and that we are bound to obey 'his will, and surrender ourselves to his good pleasure, by the most immense obligations of gratitude.'2— A further distinct ground on which 'holiness is inculcated, consistently with our doctrine, is, that it is requisite in order to qualify us 'for spiritual exercises here, and the enjoyments ' of heaven hereafter.' 3 The last ground, on 'which the advocates for justification by faith 'alone enforce good works, is, that our eternal 'state of felicity in heaven will be proportioned to our degree of fruitfulness in these works.'4 The particulars of our duty to God and man, as constituting this holiness, and these good works, are

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'True Churchmen, p. 285, 286.
3 Ibid.
p. 288, 289.

Ibid. p. 285, 286. • Ibid. P. 290.

adduced in the chapter on The standard of Morality;' and the whole of the publication is so constantly formed on the same plan of doctrine, that it would be very difficult to produce a quotation from it, which, by fair construction, can imply any thing militating against the absolute necessity of good works of every kind, and a regular attendance on all the means of grace, and ordinances of worship belonging to the Christian religion, to a well-grounded confidence of justification, and a joyful hope of eternal life.

But, had Mr. O.'s objections been frivolous or snarling, (which they are not,) would it have been equitable, to make the whole company of evangelical preachers answerable for them? Several of these disapprove his book: and are they also, notwithstanding this, to be condemned for his offence, if he have committed one? If any minister fails to inculcate on his congregation the things here mentioned, from evangelical principles, and for evangelical purposes, let him be censured for his neglect; but let not those who do inculcate them be joined with him in this condemnation. "Judge "not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

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'Such is the consequence of preachers dwelling 'continually upon justification by faith alone, 'without possessing, or at least without expressing, a clear and definite idea of that important doctrine. They not only delude their unlearned congregations, and encourage vice and immorality among their followers, but they really ' delude themselves, and fall into opinions and

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