for? At this the alarm is taken, and the post carries through various provinces printed letters against old Mordecai, and a synod is called together, to protest against the dreadful error.

This reminds me of a little anecdote. Some centuris ago one Virgilius (I think) a German Bishop, was bold enough to look over the walls of ignorance and superstition, which then inclosed all Europe. And he saw, that if the earth was round, there must be antipodes. Some Minutes of his observations were sent to the Pope. His Holiness, who understood geography as much as divinity, took fright, fancying the unheard of assertion was injurious to the very fundamental principles of Christianity. He driectly called together the cardinals, as wise as himself, and by their advice, issued out a bull, condemning the heretical doctrine, and the poor Bishop was obliged to make a formal recantation of it, under pain of excommunication. Which are we to admire most? The zeal of the conclave, or that of the real Protestants? In the mean time let me observe, that as all the Roman Catholics do now acknowledge, that there are antipodes, so all real Protestants will one day acknowledge, that penitents seek the favour of God in order to find it; unless some rare genius should be able to demonstrate, that it is in order to lose it.

Having defended Mr. W's third proposition from Scripture and common sense, permit to do it also from experience. And here I might appeal to the most established persons in Mr. W's Societies; but as their testimony may have little weight with you, I wave it, and appeal to all the accounts of sound conversions that have been published since Calvin's days. Shew me one Sir, wherein it appears that a mourner in Sion found the above-described justification, with out doing some previous works meet for repentance. If you cannot produce one such instance, Mr. W's doctrine is supported by the printed experiences of all the converted Calvinists, as well as of all the believers in his own Societies. Nor am I afraid to appeal even to the experience of your own friends. If any one of these can say with a good conscience, that he found the above-described justification without first stopping in the career of outward sin, without praying, seeking, and confessing his guilt and misery, I promise to give up the Minutes. But if none can make such a declaration, you must grant Sir, that experience is on Mr. W's side, as much as reason, revelation, the best Calvinists, and yourself. I say yourself.

Give me leave to produce but one instance. Page 76 of your Sermons, you address those who see themselves destitute of that knowledge of God which is eternal life, the very same thing that Mr. W. calls justification: and which you define, "A home felt knowledge of God by the experience of his love, being shed

abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us. The Spirit of God bearing witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and you recommend to them to seek and press after it." Now, Sir, seeking and pressing after it, is certainly doing something in order to find it.

I must not conclude my Vindication of the third proposition, without answering a speci ous objection. "If we must do something in order to justification, farewell free justification: it is no more of grace but of works, and consequently of debt. The middle wall of partition between the church of Rome, and the church of England, is pulled down, and the two sticks in the hands of that heretical juggler, J. W. are become one."

I reply 1. that some who think they are real pillars in the Protestant church may be nearer the church of Rome than they are aware of: for Rome is far more remarkable for lording it over God's heritage and calling the most faithful servants of God heretics, than even for her pharasaic exalting of good works.-2. If the church of Rome had not insisted upon the necessity of required, unprofitable and foolish works; and if she had not arrogantly ascribed saving merit to works, yea to merely external performances, and by that means clouded the merits of Christ; no reasonable Protestant would have separated from her on account of her regard for works. 3. Nothing can be more absurd than to affirm that when something is required to be done in order to receive a favour, the favour loses the name of a free gift, and directly becomes a debt. Long, too long, persons who have more honesty than wisdom, have been frighted from the plain path of duty by a phantom of their own making. O may the snare break at last! And why should it not break now? Have not sophisms been wiredrawn, till they break of themselves in the sight of every attentive spectator?

I say to two beggars, hold out your hand; here is an alms for you. The one complies, and the other refuses. Who in the world will dare to say that my charity is no more a free-gift, because I bestow it only upon the man that held out his hand? Will nothing, make it free but my wrenching his hand open, or forcing my bounty down his throat? Again, the king says to four rebels, throw down your arms; surrender, and you shall have a place, both in my favour and at court. One of them obeys and becomes a great man; and the others upon refusal are caught and hanged. What sophister will face me down that the pardon and place of the former, are not freely bestowed upon him, because he did something in order to obtain them? Once more,

The God of providence says, If you plow, sow, harrow, fence, and weed your fields, I will give the increase, and you shall have a crop. Farmers obey; and are they to be

lieve, that because they do so many things towards their harvest, it is not the free gift of heaven? Do not all those who fear God, know that their ground, seed, cattle, strength, yea, and their very life, are the gifts of God? Does not this prevent their claiming a crop as a debt? And make them confess, that though it was suspended on their ploughing, &c. it is the unmerited bounty of heaven?

Apply this, Sir, to the present case, and you will see that our doing something in order to justification, does not in the least hinder it from being a free-gift; because whatever we do in order to it, we do it by the grace of God preventing us, that we may have a good-will, and working with us when we have that good-will; all being of free, most absolutely free grace, through the merits of Christ. And nevertheless so sure as a farmer, in the appointed ways of Providence, shall have no harvest if he does nothing towards it; a professor in the appointed ways of grace (let him talk of finish ed salvation all the year round) shall go without justification and salvation, unless he does something towards them. "He that now goeth on his way weeping, says the Psalmist, and beareth forth good seed, shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him." "Be not deceived; says the Apostle, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap; and he only that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting." David therefore, and St. Paul, must be proved enemies to free grace, before Mr. W. can be represented as such; for they both sowed in tears before they reaped in joy: their doctrine and experience went hand in hand together.

Having now vindicated the three first propositions of the Minutes, levelled at three dangerous tenets of Dr. Crisp, and shewn, that not only yourself, Sir, but moderate Calvinists are (so far) intirely of Mr. W's sentiment; I remain, Hon. and Rev. Sir, your obedient servant, in the bond of a free and peaceful gospel.

J. FLETCHER.

Fourth Letter to the Rev. Mr. Shirley.
HON. AND REV. SIR,

If the three first Propositions of the Minutes are Scriptural, Mr. W. may well begin the remaining part, by desiring the Preachers in his Connexion to emerge along with him from under the noisy billows of prejudice, and to struggle quite out of the muddy streams of Antinomian delusions, which have so long gone over our heads, and carried so many souls down the channels of vice, into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Well may he intreat them to " Review the whole affair."

And why should this modest request, alarm any one? Though error dreads a revisal, truth, you know, cannot but gain by it.

I. Mr. W. says in this review, 1. "Who is now accepted of God? He that now bclieves in Christ with a loving obedient heart." Excellent answer! Worthy of St. Paul and St. James; for it sums up in one line the Epistles of both. In the first part of it, (He that now believes in Christ) you see St. Paul's Gospel calculated for lost sinners, who now fly from the babel of self-righteousness and sin, and find all things in Christ ready for their reception. And in the second part, (with a loving and obedient heart) you see the strong bulwark raised by St. James, to guard the truth of the gospel against the attacks of Antinomian and Laodicean professors. Had he said, "he that shall believe the next hour is now accepetd," he would have bestowed upon present unbelief the blessing that is promised to present faith. Had he said "he that believed a year ago, is now accepted of God," he would have opened the kingdom of heaven to apostates, contrary to St. Paul's declarations to the Hebrews. He therefore very properly says, he that now believes, for it is written he that believeth, (not; he that shall believe or he that did believe) hath everlasting life.

What fault can you then find, with Mr. W. here? Surely you cannot blame him for proposing Christ as the objectof the Christian's faith, or for saying that the believer hath a loving and obedient heart; for he speaks of the accepted man, and not of him who comes for acceptance. Multitudes alas! rest satisfied with an unloving disobedient_faith,—a faith that engages only the head, but has nothing to do with the heart;-a faith that works by malice, instead of working by love; -a faith that pleads for sin in the heart, instead of purifying the heart from sin;-a faith that St. Paul explodes, 1 Cor. xiii. 2; and that St. James compares to a carcass, ii. 26. There is no need that Mr. W. should countenance such a faith by his Minutes. Too many alas do it by their lives; and God grant none may do it by their Sermons! Whoever does, Sir, it is not you; for you tell us in your's, page 150, that "Christ is to be found only by living faith; even a faith that worketh by love; even a faith that layeth hold of Christ by the feet, and worshippeth him;"-the very faith of Mary Magdalen, who certainly had a loving and obedient heart, for our Lord testified that she loved much, and ardent love cannot but be zealously obedient. There is not then the least shadow of heresy, but the very narrow of the gospel in this article. Let us see whether the second is equally defensible.

II." But who among those that never heard of Christ? He that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, according to the light he had."

And where is the error here? Did not St. Peter begin his evangelical Sermon to Cornelius by these very words, prefaced by some others that make them remarkably emphatical? "Of a truth I perceive that God

son: If we can see our way by star-lign, what need is there of moon-shine? If by moon-shine, what need of the dawn of day? If by the dawn of the day, what need of the rising-sun?

The brightness of divine dispensations, like the light of the righteous, shines more and more unto the perfect day. And though an Heathen may be saved in his low dispensation, and attain unto a low degree of glory, which the Apostle compares to the shining of a star, (for in my Father's house, says Christ there are many mansions) yet it is an unspeakable advantage to be saved from the darkness attending his uncomfortable dispensation, into the full enjoyment of the life and immortality brought to light by the explicit Gospel. Well might then the angel say to Cornelius, who was already accepted according to his dispensation, that Peter should tell him words whereby he should be saved: --saved from the weakness, darkness, bondage, and tormenting fears attending his present state, into that blessed state of light, comfort, liberty, power, and glorious joy, where he that is feeble is as David, and the house of David as God, or as the angel of the Lord."

Having thus briefly answered the objections that are advanced against St. Peter's and Mr. W's doctrine, proceed we to the 3rd query, in the review of the whole affair.

III. "Is this the same with, he that is sincere? Nearly, if not quite.”

In the name of charity where is the error of this answer! Where is the shadow of heresy? Do you suppose, by he that is sincere, Mr. W. means a carnal unawakened wretch, who boasts of his imaginary sincerity? No, Sir, he means one who, in God's account, and not barely in his own, sincerely and up rightly follows the light of his dispensation. Now, if you expose Mr. W. as guilty of heresy, for using this word once, what protests will you enter against St. Paul, for using it over and over? How will you blame him for desiring the Ephesians (according to the fine reading of our margin) to be sincere in love! aλevortes, ev ayanη-Or; for wishing nothing greater to his dear Phillipi. ans, than that they might be sincere in the day of Christ! Oh, Sir, to fear, and much more to love, the Lord in sincerity, is a great and rare thing, Eph. vi. 24. We find every where too much of the old leaven of malice, and too little of the unleavened bread of sincerity and iraih, I Cor. v. 8. Think not therefore that Mr. W. betrays the cause of God, because he thinks that to be sincere, and to fear God and work righteousness, are expressions nearly if not quite synonymous.

But you do not perhaps find fault with Mr. W. for setting accepted Heathens too low, but too high, by giving them the character of being sincere. For you know that our translators render the Hebrew word [Thumim] sometimes sincere, at other times upright,

As

You

The other divine, Sir, is yourself. tell us, in your Sermon on the same text, that "We cannot but admire, and adore God's universal tenderness, and pity for every people and nation under heaven, in that he willeth not the death of any single sinner, but accepteth every one into Gospel-covenant with him, who feareth him and work righteousness according to the light imparted to him."

Now, Sir, where is the difference between your orthodoxy and Mr. W's heresy? He asserts, God accepts "him that fears God and works righteousness according to the light he has :" Mr. Henry says, " him that lives up to the light he has:" and you, Sir, "him who feareth God and worketh righteousness according to the light imparted to him." If Mr. W. must share the fate of Shadrach for his heresy, I doubt Mr. Henry will have that of Meshech, and you, of Abednego; for you are all in the same honorable condemnation.

But Mr. W. foreseeing that some will be offended at St. Peter's evangelical declaration, concerning the acceptance of sincere Heathens who work righteousness, proposes and answers the following objection.

IV. "Is not this salvation by works? Not by the merit of works, but by works as a condilion:" In the former part of this answer, Mr. W. freely grants all, you can require, to guard the Gospel, against the Popish doctrine of making satisfaction for sin, and meriting salvation by works: for he main tains that though God accepts the Heathen that works righteousness, yet it is not through the merit of his works, but solely through that of Christ. Is not this the very

doctrine of our church in the 11th Article which treats of Justification? "We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings." Does not the opposition of the two sentences, and the explanatory word deservings, evidently shew that works meet for repentance are not excluded from being in the sinner that comes to be justified, but from having any merit or worth to purchase his justification?

Our church expresses herself more fully on this head in the homily on salvation, to which the article refers. "St. Paul, says she, declares nothing [necessary] on the behalf of man concerning his justification, but only a true and lively faith, and yet (N. B.) that faith does not shut out repentance, hope, love [of desire when we are coming, love of delight when we are come] dread, and the fear of God, to be joined with it in every man that is justified; but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying; so that they be all present together in him that is justified, yet they justify not all together." This is agreeable to St. Peter's doctrine, maintained by Mr. W. Only faith in Christ for Christians, and faith in the light of their dispensa tion for Heathens, is necessary in order to acceptance but though faith only justifies, yet it is never alone; for repentance, hope, love of desire, and the fear of God, necessari ly accompany this faith if it is living. Our church therefore is not at all against works proceeding from, or accompanying faith in all its stages. She grants, that whether faith seeks or finds its object, whether it longs for or embraces it, it is still a lively, active, and working grace. She is only against the vain conceit that works have any hand in meriting justification or purchasing salvation, which is what Mr. W. likewise opposes.

If you say, That his heresy does not consist in exploding the merit of works in point of salvation, bat in using that legal expression, salvation by works, as a condition. I answer, that as I would not contend for the word Trinity, because it is not in the Bible, no nor yet for the word Perfection, though it is there; neither would I contend for the expression, salvation by works, as a condition; But the thing Mr. W. means by it, is there [in the Bible in a hundred different tarns and modes of expression. Therefore it is highly worth contencing for: and so much the more, as it is, next to the doctrine of the atonement, the most important part of the faith once delivered unto the Saints.

Any candid person acquainted with Mr. W's principles, (and for such only the Min. utes were written) cannot but see that he meant absolutely nothing, but what our Saviour means in these and the like Scriptures, namely, that salvation is suspended on a variety of things which Divines call by

various names, and which Mr. W. with a majority of them, chooses to call Conditions. "Except ye repent ye shall all perish.-Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."-Here, repentance and conversion, are conditions of eternal salvation."If ye believe not, ye shall die in your sins; for this is the Work of God [the work that God requires and approves] that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."-Here, the work of faith is the condition." I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.' And here it is, doing God's commandments. St. Paul, evangelical Paul, says the same thing in a variety of expressions. If any man love not the Lord Jesus, let him be anathema." If love the noblest work of the heart, does not take place the fearful curse will." If ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live." Spiritual mortification is here the condition." Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." Here holiness is the condition." Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor covetous, nor drunkards nor thieves, nor revelers, shall inherit the kingdom of God." Ceasing from fornication, drunkenness, &c. is the same condition.