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appear to one; even to him, whom you honour with this addrefs. Then I fhould not have been obliged to afk, Of whom fpeaketh the apoftle?-He fays, My brethren. Does not this imply true believers, and real Chriftians?-He fays, We teachers *. Does not this comprehend himself, and defcribe his of fice?—He adds, We all. If he himself, and real Chriftians, are not included in this moft comprehenfive claufe; I would defire to know, in what terms they could poffibly be comprised.

According to this interpretation, the arguing is juft, and the conclufion forcible. As though he had faid," My dear brethren, though you are truly "converted to Christianity, yet do not unadvisedly “ແ engage in the arduous and awful work of the "miniftry. Remembering, that we minifters of "the gofpel fhall be fubject to a ftricter judgement "+than Chriftians in ordinary life; and if, upon "trial, we are found faithlefs, fhall receive a hea"vier condemnation †.-The danger, let me add, " is very confiderable; because such is the frailty of "our mortal ftate, that the very best among us, "and those converfant in facred things, cannot al"ways walk uprightly; but in many inftances, we "trip, we ftumble, we offend.”

Whereas, if neither the apoftle himself nor real Chriftians be meant, I can fee no propriety nor force in the reasoning. Nay, I can fee no reasoning at all, though the illative particle for evidently requires it. Nothing but a moft infipid and frivolous affertion; "For, in many things, we that "are not real Chriftians offend." Is this a difcovery worthy of apoftolical wisdom? Is this all that the infpired St. James meant to declare? You and I could have told him and his people a great deal

*The original is, not xupios, masters, but Sidaonaλ01, teachers. ++ Fudgement, condemnation--the word xpu may be taken in both thefe fignifications.

more.

Whofoever is not a real Christian offends, not in many things only, but in every thing. To fuch a one nothing is pure. His mind and confcience are defiled: his whole life is fin.

We have examined this objection, as it ftands in itself. Let us now take a view of it, as it may appear in its confequences. In many things we offend all.'"The apoftle fpeaks not of himself, nor "of real Chriftians." What fine work would our adverfaries make with the fcriptures, if we should allow them Mr. Wefley's liberty of interpretation! Tell a Pelagian, that all mankind is depraved. Prove the univerfal depravity, by that abafing text,

All

we, like fheep, have gone aftray.' How eafily may he reply, All we does not mean all mankind? The prophet speaks not of himself, nor of virtuous perfons, but only of prophane people, and men of the bafer fort.-Tell an Arian, that our LORD JESUS CHRIST is very GOD. Confirm the glorious truth, by that moft cogent text; In HIM dwells all the fulness of the GODHEAD.' The heretic

has nothing more to do, than, in Mr. Wesley's manner, to answer, All fulness does not mean all the divine perfections, but only fome pittance or portion of them.-Dear Sir, whenever you are disposed to criticise again, let me befeech you to confider a little the import of language, and the confequences of things.

Had the words been, In many things we offend,’ you might, by difregarding the context, have borrowed fome flight feeming countenance for your criticism, from verfe the ninth; where the apoftle is fuppofed to perfonate the wicked. • Therewith 'curse we man.' But in the place under confideration, he enlarges the fentiment, and strengthens the language; though free from that particular crime, he was not free from this general charge. Here therefore he fpares not himfelf; he takes fhame to N

himself, and teaches the most upright of the human race, to plead guilty before their Judge. Wẹ the fervants of GOD; we the ambaffadors of CHRIST; we all *-not one excepted-in many things offend. -Where then could they, and O! where can you and I, look for our perfection, but only in our divinely gracious SURETY, BRIDE-GROOM, HEAD? There let us feek it, where fome excellent lines (whofe author you may probably know) have taught us to find it.

Now let me climb perfection's height,
And into nothing fall;

Be less than nothing in thy fight,

While CHRIST is all in all.

In the paragraph which begins, "O children of "Adam," you don't diftinguifh what the law is made to fpeak, according to a new scheme of divinity; and what it really does fpeak to true believers, on the principles of the gofpel. Give me leave to rectify your mistakes, and to point out the manner in which you should have expreffed yourself.

To rectify your mistakes-You fuppofe the law, upon Afpafio's plan, fpeaking to this effect. "O "children of Adam, you are no longer obliged to "love the LORD your GOD with all your heart." Indeed you are. The obligation remains, and is unalterable. But it has been fully fatisfied, as the condition of life and immortality, by the believer's glorious SURETY." Once I infifted on abfolute "purity of heart. Now I can difpenfe with fome "degrees of evil defire." No fuch thing. Every degree of evil defire I condemn with inexorable rigour. But every fuch offence has been thus con demned, and thus punished, in the flesh of your crucified LORD." Since CHRIST has fulfilled

* "Ne feipfos quidem excipiunt apoftoli." BENGEL. in loc.

"the law for you, you need not fulfil it." Rather, you need not fulfil it, in order to the juftification of your persons, or to obtain eternal life and glory. This, to you the greatest of impoffibilities, has been performed in your behalf, by a MEDIATOR and a REDEEMER, to whom nothing is impoffible." I will connive at, yea accommodate my "demands to your weaknefs." Not this, but what is much better, I fee no finful weakneffes in you, because they are all covered with the refplendent robe of your SAVIOUR'S righteoufnefs; therefore I no longer curse, but bless you, and fign your title to everlasting happiness.-Thus the enmity of our nature is flain: thus the precepts, even the strictest precepts, become amiable and defirable.

We love the law, which, through our dear REDEEMER, is no longer against us, but on our fide; is a meffenger of peace, and bears witness to our completeness in CHRIST.

The manner in which you should have expressed yourfelf. This is what the law fpeaks, according to Afpafio's doctrine. "O believers in CHRIST, I am,

like my divine Author, confummate and un"changeable. I did require, I do require, and e❝ver shall require, perfect love to GOD; perfect "charity to your neighbour; and perfect holinefs, "both in heart and life. Never abating one title "of thefe my requirements, I fhall denounce the "curfe upon every difobedience; upon the leaft "departure from absolute perfection.-But this is "your comfort, believers, that the curfe is exe"cuted upon your most holy SURETY. This is "your comfort, believers, that my precepts have

* Pfal. xxxii. I. ' Bleffed is he, whofe iniquities are covered.' Upon this text, St. Jerom very ingeniously, and very comfortably defcants; "Quod tegitur, non videtur; quod non videtur, non imputator; quod non imputatur, non punietur.' That which is covered, is not feen; that which is not feen, is not imputed; that which is not imputed, shall not be punished.

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"been fully obeyed by JESUS your SAVIOUR. "As this was done, in your nature, and in your “ stead, I am satisfied, and you are juftified. Now, "though I can never dispense with any fault, nor "connive at any infirmity; yet I behold all your "faults laid upon IMMANUEL: I behold all his "righteousness put upon you; and on his account, "I acquit you, I accept you, and pronounce you " righteous *"

This is the language of the law to the faithful, as they are in CHRIST JESUS. This is the fpirit of Afpafio's converfation with his friend Theron. The native tendency of this doctrine, and its powerful agency in producing true holiness, are profeffedly difplayed in the tenth letter; and not obscurely hinted in various other places. If you can prove, that it has a contrary tendency, you will prove, that the grace of GOD does no longer teach us to deny, but prompt us to commit ungodliness. An attempt, in which, with all my esteem for your perfon, and deference to your abilities, I cannot wifh you GOD Speed.

"Does the righteoufnefs of GOD ever mean "(as you affirm) the merits of CHRIST?"Where do I affirm this, Sir? Be pleased to produce the paffage. At least refer us to the page. Afpafio, in the place which offends you, speaks of what CHRIST has done and fuffered; of his active and paffive obedience. Thefe expreffions you change

* I think, it is no mifreprefentation, to fuppofe the law, fpeaking in this manner, to the believers.-Becaufe to them all things are become new. Confequently, the voice of the law is new. Because all things are theirs." If so, the fentence of the law is theirs. Not to overwhelm them with confufion, but to make them joyful through hope.--Because this is the language of the almighty LAWGIVER, to the redeemed of the LORD JESUS; and furely the law will hot jar, but harmonize with its author, faying, 'How fhall I curfe whom GOD hath not curfed? or how fhall I defy, whom the LORD hath "not defied?"

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