ing to conform their way to the outward letter of the law, flatter themselves that they merit before God, or draw a debt upon him, or that any man or men have power to make such kind of things effectual to their justification, lest they be found foolish boasters, and strangers to Christ-indeed. But blessed forever are they that having truly had a sense of their own unworthiness and sinfulness, and having seen all their own endeavours and performances fruitless and vain, and beheld their own emptiness and the vanity of their hopes, faith and confidence, while they remain inwardly-pursued and condemned by God's holy witness in their hearts, and so having applied themselves thereto, and suffer his Grace to work in them, are become changed and renewed in the spirit of their minds, past from death unto life, and know Jesus arisen in them, working both the will and deed: and so having put on the Lord Jesus Christ, in effect, are clothed with him, and partake of his righteousness and nature. Such can draw near to the Lord, with boldness and know their acceptance, in and by him, in whom, and in as many as are found in him, the Father is well pleased." (Barclay's Apo logy, Prop. 7.)

CHAPTER VI.

Of Perfection and Perseverance.

It has been shewn, in the preceding article, that as the Grace of God, which brings salvation, is received, and its teachings obeyed, (for it is always accompanied with power,) as, under its blessed influence, instructing and strenghthening us, we come to deny ungodliness and the world's lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, we become washed, sanctified, and justified. It remains to be considered how far this work of renovation may be advanced, or how far Christ may prevail in us, & we over our soul's enemies, through the operation of his power in us.

Does the Captain of our salvation, lead us to complete victory? or must we remain, all our lifetime, subject to bondage?

The weapons of the saints' warfare are mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity, every thought to the obedience of Christ.

The Society of Friends accordingly believe, that it is possible to obtain a complete victory over sin, in this life. If we believe, that there are some who are completely hardened, and given up to a reprobate mind; such as the apostle said it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, can we suppose that God is not able or willing, to carry on his work of renovation and sanctification, in his devoted

servants, as far as the grand enemy of mankind, can carry on his work of darkness in the children of disobedience?

The testimony of Scripture is very clear on this subject.

L

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof: "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as the instruments of righteousness unto God: For sin shall not have dominion over you."

"Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6. 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23. "Awake to righteousness, and sin not." 1 Cor. 15,

34.

"Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5.4.

"We shall see him as he is. And every man that hath his hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law, And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins: and in him is no sin. Whosoever

abideth in him, sinneth not." "Little children, let no man deceive you. He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God." 1 John 3. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10.

But

The apostle admonishes the Hebrews, "let us go on to perfection." "Be perfect, be of good comfort," said he to the Corinthians. And can we suppose impossibilities are required of us? surely not. he assumes this state as already attained-"Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded." Phil. 3. 15. Again he represents it as attainable"That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." Col. 1. 28. "Laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect, and complete in all the will of God." ib. 4. 12. "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did." Heb. 7. 19. "And this also we wish, even your perfection." 2 Cor. 13. 9.

Thus if we refer to Scripture, as authority in this case, as we do in all cases of the kind, the most ample and conclusive proofs will be found, in support of the belief, that it is possible for us to obtain a complete victory over sin, in this life.

If we reason from the nature of things, the conclusion will be the same. For who can suppose, either that God determines that his most devoted servants, should continue in sin, through their whole lives, or that he is unable to redeem them from all evil?

What father or master would so dispose the government of his children or servants, that they should either not serve him, or if they did, that they

should be continually destroying what they had done right-or be ever offering him insults and indignities, or serving his inveterate enemy even more than they served him? (Vide Barclay's Apol.) The idea is certainly preposterous, as applied to human affairs. And surely we must allow that human wisdom and decorum, are not superior to the wisdom of God, displayed in the moral government of his rational creatures.

How beautiful is the similitude of the vine, as applied by our Lord, to the relation between him and his followers! "I am the Vine, and ye are the branches." And how forcible the injunction to abide in him, or they could not bear fruit! Is it not essentially necessary that they continue in the Vine? And if they continue steadily in the vine, their sap & nourishment will all be derived from that source. Making then the application which our Lord himself made--if we abide in him, deriving our whole life, growth, and nourishment from him--whence should we draw those influences that result in sin? It is only as we are separated from him, and attached to some other stock, that we draw that poisonous sap.

And thus it is, that many who have made considerable progress in sanctification, by unwatchfulness, have suffered themselves to be detached from Christ, the true Vine-and have fallen into sin— some irretrievably, and thus made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, & become cast away. While others, by attention to the witness for God, obtain repentance, forgiveness, and restoration, through the riches of divine Mercy: "For God is able to graff them in again."

But the question is not, whether some do not sin? but whether the dedicated servants of God, are under the absolute necessity to sin? We believe they