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leading them to trust in what was done in one mo،، ment ? Whereas we are every hour, and every “ moment, pleasing or displeasing to God, according to our works: According to the whole of our inward tempers and outward behaviour,"

،،

To do this proposition justice, and prevent misunderstandings, I must premise some observations.

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1. Mr. W. is not against persons talking of justifi cation and sanctification in a scriptural sense: For when he knows the tree by the fruits,' he says himself to his flocks, as St. Paul did to the Corinthians, 'Some of you are sanctified and justified.' Nor does he deny that God justifies a penitent sinner in a moment, and that in a moment 'he can manifest himself' unto his believing people as he does not to the world, and give them an inheritance among them that are sanctified, through faith in Jesus.' His objection respects only the idea entertained by some and countenanced by others, that when God forgives us our sins, he introduces us into a state where we are unalterably fixed in his blessed favour, for ever stamped with his holy image; so that it matters no longer, whether the tree is barren or not, whether it produces good or bad fruit; it was set at such a time, and therefore it must be a tree of righteousness' still : A conclusion directly contrary to the words of our Lord and his beloved disciple: 'By their fruits ye shall know them. He that sinneth is of the devil. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, [much more that beareth evil fruit,] my Father taketh away.'

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and

2. Permit me, Sir, to observe, also, that Mr. W. has many persons in his Societies, (and would to God there were none in ours!) who profess they were justified or sanctified in a moment; but instead of trusting in the living God, so trust to what was done in that moment, as to give over 'taking up their cross daily, and watching unto prayer with all perseverance.' The consequences are deplorable; they slide back into the spirit of the world; and their tempers are no more regulated by the meek, gentle, humble love of Jesus. Some

inquire with the Heathens, What shall we eat, and what shall we drink,' to please ourselves? Others evidently love the world, lay up treasures on earth,' or ask, wherewith shall we be fashionably clothed?' Therefore the love of the Father is not in them.'And not a few are led captive by the devil at his will;' unhappy suggestions, they harbour bitterness, malice, and revenge; none is in the right but themselves, and wisdom shall die with them.'

influenced by his

Now, Sir, Mr. W. cannot but fear, it is not well with persons who are in any of these cases: Though every body should join to extol them as " dear children of God," he is persuaded that Satan has beguiled them as he did Eve;' and he addresses them as our Lord did the angel of the church of Sardis, I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest, and art dead, [or dying:] Repent, therefore, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God.' Mr. W. hath the word of prophecy, which he thinks more sure than the opinion of a world of professors; and according to that word he sees, that they who are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God,' and that God's Spirit does not lead into the vanities of the world, or indulgences of fleshly lusts, any more than into the pride or malice of Satan. Nor does he think, that those are not 'under the law' who can merrily laugh at the law, and pass jests upon Moses the venerable servant of God: But, with St. Paul, he asserts, that when people are ' under grace, and not under the law, sin hath not dominion over them.' With our Lord he declares,' he who committeth sin, is the servant of sin ;' and with his prophet, that God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity,' with the least degree of approbation. In short, he believes that God, being unchangeable in his holiness, cannot but always love righteousness and hate iniquity;' and that, as the heart is continually working, either iniquity or righteousness, and as God cannot but be pleased at the one, and displeased at the other, He is continually

pleased or displeased with us, according to the workings of our hearts, and the fruits which they outwardly produce.

Perhaps, you object to the word "every moment." But why should you, Sir? If it be not every moment, it is never. If God do not approve holiness, and disapprove sin every moment, he never does it, for he changes not. If he do it, only now and then, he is such an one as ourselves; for even wicked men will approve righteousness and condemn unrighteousness, by fits and starts. I may every moment harbour malice in my heart, and so commit internal murder. If God winks at this one instant, why not two? And so on to days, months, and years? Does the duration of moral evil constitute sin? May not I be guilty of the greatest enormity in the twinkling of an eye? And is it not the ordinary property of the most horrid crimes, such as robbery and adultery, that they are soon finished?

Do not say, Sir, that this doctrine sets aside 'salvation by faith: It is highly consistent with it. He that, in God's account, does the best works, has the most faith, most of the sap of eternal life that flows from the heavenly Vine: And he that has most faith, has most of Christ's likeness, and is of course most pleasing to God, who cannot be pleased but with Christ and his living image. On the other hand, he that in God's account does the worst works, and has the worst tempers, has most unbelief. He that has most unbelief, is most like his father the devil;' and must consequently be most displeasing to him that accepts us in the Beloved,' and not in the wicked one.'

Having premised these observations, I come closer to the point, and assert, that if we are not every mo`ment pleasing or displeasing to God, according to the works of our hearts and hands, you must set your seal to the following absurdities :

(1.) God is angry with the wicked all the day,' and yet there are moments in which he is not angry at them.-Lot pleased God as much in those moments in which he got drunk and committed incest with his

daughters, as in the day he exercised hospitality towards the disguised angels.-(3.) David did not displease God more when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and imbrued his hands in her husband's blood, than when he danced before the ark, or composed the 103d Psalm. —(4.) Solomon was as acceptable to God in the moment when his wives turned away his heart after other gods,' as when he chose wisdom, and his speech pleased the Lord; when he went after the goddess Ashtaroth, and built an high place to bloody Moloch, as when he represented our Melchisedec, and dedicated the temple.-(5.) Again, you must set your seal to these propositions of Dr. Crisp: "From the time thy transgressions were laid upon Christ, thou ceasest to be a transgressor, to the last hour of thy life; so that now thou art not an idolater, thou art not a thief, &c., t'ou art not a sinful person, whatsoever sin thou committest."-Again, "God does no longer stand offended nor displeased, though a believer, after he is a believer, do sin often: Except he will be offended where there is no cause to be offended, which is blasphemy to speak."-Yet again, "It is thought, that elect persons are in a damnable estate, in the time they walk in excess of riot; let me speak freely to you, that the Lord has no more to lay to the charge of an elect person, yet in the height of iniquity, and in the excess of riot, and committing all the abominations that can be committed."-"There is no time but such a person is a child of God,”—(6.) In short, Sir, you must be of the sentiment of the wildest Antinomian I ever knew, who, because he had once a bright manifestation of pardon, not only concludes that he is safe, though he lives in open sin, but asserts, God would no more be displeased with him for whoring and stealing, than for praying and receiving the sacrament.

Again: It is an important truth, that we may please God for a time, and yet afterwards displease him. St. Paul mentions those who, by putting away a good conscience, 'concerning faith made shipwreck,' and therefore pleased God no longer, seeing that without faith it is impossible to please Him.'

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Of this the Israelites are a remarkable instance. "They did all drink of that Spiritual Rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Yet with many of them God was not well pleased:' Then comes the proof of the divine displeasure; for they were overthrown in the wilderness: Now,' adds the apostle, 'these things happened unto them for examples, and they are written for our admonition, that we should not lust after evil things, and tempt Christ as they did. Therefore, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest,' after their example, he fall' into wilful sin, the divine displeasure, and utter destruction.

Our Lord teaches the same doctrine, both by parables and positive assertions. He gives us the history of a man to whom his Lord and King compassionately forgave a debt of ten housand talents: This ungrateful wretch, by not forgiving his fellow-servant who owed him an hundred pence, forfeited his own pardon, and drew upon himself the king's heaviest displeasure; 'for he was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due to him: And, to the eternal overthrow of Dr. Crisp's fashionable tenets, our Lord adds, 'So, likewise shall my Father do unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.' Agreeably to this, he assured his disciples, that his Father' pruneth every branch in him that beareth fruit, and taketh away every one that beareth not fruit;' and, to shew how far this displeasure may proceed, he observes, that such a barren branch is cast forth, is withered, gathered, cast into the fire, and burned.'

Here, Sir, I might add all those scriptures that testify the possibility of falling away from the divine favour: I might bring the alarming instances of those apostates, who once tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,' and afterwards fell from their stedfastness, lost their reward, became enemies to God by wicked works, hated the light' which once they rejoiced in, because it reproved their evil deeds; 'trod under foot the Son of God, forgot they were washed