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antinomianism, (a foul and filthy system we completely detest,) perhaps on investigation, we shall find our ac cusers much nearer to it than ourselves; for while we confess that every good work must have a beginning, yet we are not so inquisitive after first impressions, and for times and dates, as you and others may be. These go for nothing with us, but as their future effects and consequences prove them to have been from God. We believe that regeneration is a new creation; an immortal purifying seed; which liveth and abideth for ever. We conclude therefore, that we have no right to suppose we are justified, and accepted in Christ, but as we are cleansed, and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, dwelling in us, and enabling us by the grace of perseverance, to persevere unto the end.

Bri. What an excellent sermon Mr. Lovegood preached the other day, upon that text, "The Spirit beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God!" To me, he made it out, as clear as the light, that the Spirit bore witness to nothing but his own work upon the soul, and that the only evidence the Spirit of God gives us, is by the vouchsafement of those graces, which so blessedly belong to those who belong to Him; and that though we may have our doubts and fears, while we find that those graces are in a weak and languid state; yet such fears, if they drove us nearer to the Lord, would be a blessing to us, still working for our eternal good; that we might be led to put our more solemn, and entire dependence alone on him.

And how well he proved, that such holy fears while they direct us to be righteous, they completely prevent us from being self-righteous; for "that we should trust in ourselves, that we are righteous," for that this holy knowledge of ourselves, would further lead us, not to trust on these his gracious gifts, but on him the merciful giver, who would become more, and more the confidence, and the rejoicing of our souls. Slapd. Now Sir, from these dreadful calvinistic sen

VOL. III.

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timents, you may extract all the Antinomianism you can. And when I want a further dash at these dangerous delusions, I am fond of bringing forward that passage, "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments."*

Whim. I find you think us very inconsistent, but you are nearer to us in that point, than I thought you were; for it is upon that principle, some of us have grounded our doctrine of a second justification by works.

Slapd. Therein we differ from you as widely as on other points; we believe our sanctification has nothing at all to do with our justification; in short, that we are no more justified by our good works, than we are by our bad ones, only as they are evidences of our being justified, so that we can from the bottom of our hearts adopt the prayer, O God who seest that "we put not our trust in any thing we do." Holy fruits being only the effects: they follow after. Our works thus follow us to glory, and it is to God's grace alone, we ascribe all the praise.

Whim. I confess, you explain all your doctrines in a very different way, to what I have heard them explained by many of our preachers.

Slapd. I wish with all my heart I could impute this to their ignorance, but I fear a deal of art is frequently resorted to, in order to terrify the minds of those who are not permitted to read or think for themselves. Were we positively to push home, all the conclusions that we suppose may be drawn from the contrary system, as being that which was positively designed by the maintainers of that system, they would be justly indignant at such an unwarrantable attack.

Supposing people are in error, they should at least be permitted to draw thier own conclusions, and not be charged with sentiments they utterly abhor. Though a deluded Jew, rejoices in the murder of Christ by his forefathers, as a just punishment due

1. John 2, 3.

to an impostor, yet I have no reason to conclude re would rejoice in my murder, if he had it in his power.

Whim. I confess, I never heard you say, when you were my curate, what a preacher said, the Calvinists suppose Jesus Christ might say, when a poor sinner came to him crying for mercy.

Slapd. What could that be?

Whim. Why, the preacher who was rather an orator, as far as I can recollect, said thus:-supposing a poor penitent, convinced of sin, was to come to Christ, pleading for mercy, and promising to renounce sin, and begging to be pardoned for the time to come; What are we to suppose! according to the horrid dogmas of Calvin; O how I shudder at the thought, that the loving Saviour should say, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels; you are none of my elect; my blood was never shed for you! But I rather think he went too far.

Slapd. Yes Sir, and with your leave, I'll venture to go a step further. It was, I fear, a designed trick; an artful falsehood. He must know that we conclude every penitent believer is already accepted in the purpose of God, or he never would have come; for that all that the Father hath given him, shall come to him; and that whosoever cometh he will in no wise cast out."

Bri. Sir, were you not shocked at this most vile perversion of our sentiments?

Whim. Why Sir, your opinion is, that Christ will never add to the number of his elect.

Bri. Will you answer me one question: can God dispense with his own foreknowledge? Can he lay aside that which belongs to his infinite existence? Can an infinite Being, who pre-ordains all causes, be ignorant of the effect which those causes must pro duce?

Whim. Some among us, have doubted whether God may not dispense with his own foreknowledge. Bri. Sir, is it possible you can entertain such a

sentiment? Have you any passage of scripture to bear you out?

Whim. I had rather talk no more on this subject.

Bri. Sir, we most readily agree to drop it; it is a subject too deep for us to fathom. For whatever God's future designs may be, they are most wisely hid from us, that we may attend to that which is our duty, according to his commands.

Whim. I think the Calvinists are misunderstood. Good-morning to you Gentlemen. I have a long ride to take this evening.

Spri. O! but Sir, you must stop and dine with Our religious controversies should not interrupt our friendship and esteem for each other.

us.

The invitation was accepted, the same subject was continued at the dinner, which will not be narrated, as these pages inadvertently swell beyond their first design, still a valuable end will be answered by this dialouge, if we are led to see more of the wisdom of God in his work upon the heart, and are less free in dur unguarded conclusions against others.

DIALOGUE XLIV,

MR. WORTHY AND FAMILY, MR. LOVEGOOD, SIR THOMAS FRIEND, AND FARMER LITTLEWORTH.

THE RAKE'S PROGRESS, DISGRACE, AND RUIN.

THE HE reader's attention has now been engaged for a considerable time at Sandover; and having been informed of the happy termination of the melancholy death of Mr. Merryman, he is once more invited back to Brookfield, to hear the conclusion of these events. Nothing occurred for several months of sufficient consequence to demand a share of the reader's attention, excepting the promotion of Thomas Newman, to the office of Parish Clerk, upon the death of Andrew Snuffle. This was an event of considerable magnitude to himself and his family.

My Readers would have been pleased to see what humble attention he manifested, when, for the first time, he escorted the worthy Vicar from the vestry through the crowded aisles into the reading desk; with what becoming gravity and devotion he next entered his own desk; and how attentively he conducted that part of the service, which it was now his office to perform; while the congregation could not but admire how well he looked, dressed in a decent suit of grey clothes; and indeed clad in new apparel, from top to toe, by the benevolence of Mr. Worthy. At the same time, it may easily be supposed, what the general feelings of the large assemblage were, for the credit of the new Clerk of Brookfield Church

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