a man's general habits and conduct in life may be How deserving of the approbation of his Judge. can this address of our Saviour be reconciled with the tenets of those, who consider every action of man as sinful and punishable? Where can be the justifying works of which St. James speaks? where can be "the charity, and service, and Faith, and patience," recorded in the Revelation (q)? Where are those who "have not defiled their garments," who "are worthy," and whose names are not blotted out of the book of life (r)?" We are however to remember, that men are not permitted to afford only a partial obedience to the Gospel, by habitually indulging themselves in those sins to which they have a strong propensity, or by wilfully omitting the performance of those duties which may be inconvenient or irksome to them. The law of Christ admits of no such compromise. But if men heartily strive to practise the whole of their duty; if it be the great object of their lives to make the precepts of the Gospel the invariable rule of their conduct, but still, from the frailty of their nature, they should sometimes be guilty of sin, or not rise to the standard of purity and excellence required by our holy religion; we have ground to believe, that (q) Rev. c. 2. v. 19. (r) Rev. c. 3. v. 4 & 5. an an imperfect and defective obedience of this kind will be accepted through Repentance and Faith in the merits of a crucified Redeemer. If such occasional and involuntary deviation from the path of duty will not be forgiven, who of the sons of men can be saved? Men, as they now are, are not capable of perfect obedience, but they are capable of endeavouring to attain it. Such an endeavour is their indispensable duty; and although it may not, in all instances, and upon every occasion, be effectual, it is humbly hoped that it may be sufficient to recommend them to the favour of God, "forasmuch as what their infirmity lacketh, Christ's justice hath supplied (s)." In no part of our Public Formularies is any thing like actual perfect obedience supposed; and in the only prayer which our Saviour himself commanded his followers to use, we pray God to "forgive us our trespasses:" all Christians therefore are taught by their Saviour to consider and confess themselves as sinners, that is, at best as yielding an imperfect obedience. That I may not be accused of not having sufficient ground for what I have said, concerning those who invidiously arrogate to themselves the exclusive title of Evangelical Clergy, I will refer to some passages in a book (t) written professedly in vindication of their principles and practice. (s) Hom. (t) The True Churchmen ascertained. 66 practice. We there find one minister of the Established Church blamed for " hoping that his congregation will recommend themselves to the favour of God by a regular attendance upon divine ordinances, and an uniform practice of religious precepts (u);" a second is blamed for saying, "Repentance, I doubt not, always avails something in the sight of God (r);" a third is blamed for "talking of works, obedience to the moral law, as constituting men relatively worthy (y);" a fourth is blamed for urging the necessity of recommending ourselves to the mercy of God, and rendering ourselves worthy the mediation of Jesus Christ by holiness of living and by an abhorrence of vice (z);" a fifth is blamed for asserting that "Good Works are the condition, but not the meritorious cause, of Salvation (a) ;" and a sixth is blamed for teaching, that "whatever our tenets may be, nothing can afford us comfort at the hour of death, but the consciousness of having done justice, loved mercy, and walked humbly with our God (b)," expressions taken from a well-known passage in the Old Testament (c). From such censures we might surely be authorized to conclude, that these Evangelical (u) Mr. Clapham, p. 210. preachers (x) Dr. Hey, p. 210. (z) Mr. Benson, p. 212. (b) Mr. Polwhele, p. 214. (c) Mic. c. 6. v. 8. preachers do not inculcate a regular attendance upon divine ordinances, an uniform practice of religious precepts, repentance, Good Works, obedience to the moral law, holiness of living, abhorrence of vice, justice, mercy, and humility. Let it be recollected, that the Divines thus censured are not discussing the abstract doctrine of Justification in this life as delivered in our Articles, but are instructing their hearers and readers upon those points which are necessary to procure eternal happiness in the world to come. the consequence of preachers dwelling continually upon Justification by Faith alone, without possessing, or at least without expressing, a clear and definite idea of that important doctrine. They not only delude their unlearned congregations, and encourage vice and immorality among their followers (d), but they really delude them Such is selves (d) Locutiones incautas res sequuntur periculosæ. Plerique enim ista legentes, ista audientes (scilicet, Fide sola sine ullis operibus nos justificari) cum in peccatis vivant, neque se corrigant, Salutem sibi pollicentur ; nimirum quia, ut ipsi loquuntur, Christum credunt in id mortuum absolute, ut ipsos servet; et justitiain Christi, quæ perfectissima est, et cælesti digna præmio, sibi perFidem applicantes, merita ejus sua faciunt. Id si ita fieri potest, cætera jam sunt supervacua: quomodo vivant, nihil interest. Sine conditione, pro pœna, quam ipsi debent, satisfecit Christus; sine conditione gloriam æternam est ipsis meritus. Grotius. selves, and fall into opinions and assertions totally inconsistent with the spirit of our holy religion. I call it delusion, because I am persuaded that they do not mean to encourage licentiousness, or to advance any thing repugnant to the principles of the Gospel. And if they do this in writings, which they have deliberately and cautiously prepared for the public eye, what must we suppose they do in their hasty compositions for the pulpit, or in their extemporaneous effusions? I give them credit for zeal and good intention, but I think the manner in which they perform the duties of their ministry, both public and private, injudicious and mischievous in the extreme; and the dangerous tendency of their tenets and practice cannot be exposed too frequently, or with too much earnestness. "And is not this, says the same author, the notorious divinity of Mr. Daubeny? The benefits of Christ and Faith, according to his phraseology, are, redemption from a state of certain condemnation, and a restoration to a state of possible Salvation; together with a gracious provision of assistance to make that Salvation sure. These benefits he considers as enjoyed by all the professed members of the Church of England. But whether, he says, this state of possible Salvation. through Christ may become a state of actual Salvation N |