was as fincere, as zealous, and as devout in his way, as any of thofe perfons whofe fincerity, zeal and devotion, are frequently held up by their adniirers in favour of their caufe.

Thefe obfervations may be thought by fome, inftead of clearing the fubject, to involve it in greater difficulties, and to render it almost impoffible to judge of the tendency of principles by any thing that is feen in the lives of men. It is allowed the fubject has its difficulties, and that the foregoing obfervations are a proof of it: but I hope to make it appear, whatever difficulties may, on thefe accounts, attend the fubject, that there is ftill enough in the general spirit and conduct of men, by which to judge of the tendency of their principles.

LETTER II.

I am, &c.

THE SYSTEMS COMPARED, AS TO THEIR TENDENCY TO CONVERT PROFLIGATES TO A LIFE OF HOLINESS.

Christian Brethren,

You need not be told, that being born

again-created in Chrift Jefus-converted-becoming as a little child, &c., are phrafes expreffive of a change of heart, which the fcriptures make neceffary to a life of holinefs here, and to eter

nal life hereafter.

It is on this account that I

begin with converfion, confidering it as the commencement of a holy life.

A change of this fort was as really neceffary for Nicodemus, whose outward character, for aught appears, was refpectable, as for Zaccheus, whofe life had been devoted to the fordid purfuits of avarice. Few, I fuppofe, will deny this to be the doctrine taught in the New Teftament. But, fhould this be queftioned, fhould the neceffity of a change of heart in fome characters be denied, ftill it will be allowed neceffary in others. Now, as a change is more confpicuous, and confequently more convincing, in fuch perfons who have walked in an abandoned courfe, than in thofe of a more fober life, I have fixed upon the converfion of profligates, as a fuitable topic for the prefent discussion.

There are two methods of reafoning which may be used in afcertaining the moral tendency of principles. The firft is, by comparing the nature of the principles themselves with the nature of true holinefs, and the agreement or difagreement of the one with the other. The fecond is, by referring to plain and acknowledged facts, judging of the nature of caufes by their effects. Both these methods of reasoning, which are ufually expreffed by the terms a priori, and a pofteriori, will be used in this and the follow

ing Letters, as the nature of the fubject may admit.

True converfion is comprehended in those. two grand topics on which the apostles infifted in the courfe of their miniftry-Repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift. Let us then fix upon thefe great outlines of the apoftolic teftimony, and examine which of the fyftems in queftion has the greatest tendency to produce them.

Repentance is a change of mind.

It arifes

from a conviction that we have been in the wrong; and confifts in holy fhame, grief, and felf-loathing, accompanied with a determination to forfake every evil way. Each of these ideas is included in the account we have of the repentance of Job.* Behold, I am vile; what fhall I anfwer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea twice, but I will proceed no farther-I abhor myfelf, and repent in duft and afhes. It is effential to fuch a change as this, that the finner realizes the evil nature of fin. No man eyer yet repented of a fault, without a conviction of its evil nature. Sin muft appear exceeding finful, before we can, in the nature of things, abhor it, and ourselves on account of it. Thofe fentiments which wrought

Chap. xl. 4. xlii. 6.

upon the heart of David, and brought him to repentance, were of this fort. Throughout the fifty-first Pfalm we find him deeply impreffed with the evil of fin, and that confidered as an offence against God. He had injured Uriah and Bathfheba, and strictly fpeaking had not injured God, the effential honour and happiness of the divine nature being infinitely beyond his reach; yet as all fin ftrikes at the divine glory, and actually degrades it in the eftcem of creatures, all fin is to be confidered in one view, as committed against God: and this view of the fubject lay fo near his heart as to fwallow up every other. Against THEE, THEE ONLY have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight! It follows, then, that the fyftem which affords the moft enlarged views of the evil of fin, muft needs have the greatest tendency to promote repentance for it.

Those who embrace the Calvinistic fyftem believe, that man was originally created holy and happy-that of his own accord he departed from God, and became vile-that God, being in himself infinitely amiable, deferves to be, and is, the moral centre of the intelligent fyftem-that rebellion against him is oppofition to the general good-that, if fuffered to operate according to its tendency, it would deftroy the well-being of the universe, by excluding God, and righteoufnefs, and peace, from the whole fyftem-that,

feeing it aims deftruction at univerfal good, and tends to univerfal anarchy and mifchief, it is in those respects an infinite evil, and deferving of endless punishment-and that, in whatever inftance God exercifes forgiveness, it is not without refpect to that public expreffion of his difpleasure againft it, which was uttered in the death of his Son. Thefe, brethren, are fentiments which furnifh us with motives for felfabhorrence: under their influence millions have repented in duft and afhes.

But thofe, on the other hand, who embrace the Socinian fyftem, entertain diminutive notions of the evil of fin. They confider all evil propenfities in men, (except thofe which are accidentally contracted by education or example) as being in every fenfe natural to them, fuppofing that they were originally created with them: they cannot, therefore, be offenfive to God, unlcfs he could be offended with the work of his own hands for being what he made it. Hence, it may be, Socinian writers, when speaking of the fins of men, defcribe them in the language of palliation; language tending to convey an idea of pity, but not of blame. Mr. Belham, fpeaking of fin, calls it, "human frailty;" and the fubjects of it, "the frail and erring children of men. "* The

*

Sermon on the Importance of Truth, p. 33-35.