Heb. ii. 3. which Mr. Olivers designs for the press. The whole Epistle of St. Jude, and the second of St. Peter, were particularly written to prevent the falling away of the saints, and to stop the rapid progress of apos

St. Peter's description of Antinomian apostates.

1. They have forsaken the right way; following the way of Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousness, 2 Pet. ii. 15.

1. Spots are they and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings, while they feast with you, ver. 13.

1. They walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, ver. 10.

1. They speak great swelling words of vanity-they promise them (whom they allure) liberty, while they themselves are the servants of corruption, ver. 18, 19.

1.As natural brute beasts, &c. they speak evil of the things that they understand not [especially of the perfect law of liberty] and shall utterly perish in their own corruption,

ver. 12.

1. Wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; beguiling unstable souls; to whom the midst of darkness is reserved for ever, ver. 14, 17. (How far was St. Peter from soothing any of those backsliders by the smooth doctrine of their necessary, infallible return!)

1. (St. Peter indirectly compares them to) The angels that sinned, (whom) God spared not, but cast down to hell, and delivered into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment, ver. 4.

From this remarkable parallel it is evident, that the Apostates described by St. Peter, and the backsliders painted by St. Jude, were one and the same kind of people; and

1. Even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction, &c. whose, &c. damnation slumbereth not, 2 Pet. ii. 1.

St. Peter more or less directly describes these backsliders in the same Epistle, as people who have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins,-who do not give all diligence to add to their faith, virtue, who do not make their calling and election sure,-who "after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, (i. e. through a true and living faith) are again entangled therein, and overcome; whose latter end is worse than the be

tacy. The Epistle of St. Jude, and 2 Pet. ii. agree so perfectly, that one would think the two apostles had compared notes; witness the following parallel.

St. Jude's description of Antinomian backsliders.

2. These be they, who separate themselves. -They ran greedily after the error of Balaum for reward, Jude, verse 19, 24.

2. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear, ver. 12.

2. Filthy dreamers-walking after their own lusts, ver. 8, 16.

2. Their mouth speaketh great swelling words; creeping in unawares, i. e. insinuating themselves into rich widows, houses, having men's persons in admiration, ver. 4, 16.

2. These speak evil of those things which they know not, [especially of Christ's law.] But what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves,

ver. 10.

2. Clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, &c. Wandering stars, to whom is reserved, the blackness of darkness for ever, ver. 12, 13. (How far was St. Jude from rocking and of those apostates in the cradle of infallible perseverance !)

2. (St. Jude compares them to) The angels who kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, &c. reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day, ver. 6.

by the following words it appears, that all those backsliders really fell from the Grace of God, and denied the Lord that bought them.

2. Ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying [in works at least] the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, [as Lord, Lawgiver, or Judge,] Jude 4.

ginning,"-" who, after they have known the way of righteousness, turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them," and verify the Proverb, "the sow that was washed is turned to her wallowing in the mire.”

Here is not the least hint about the certain return of any of those backsliders, or about the good that their grievous falls will do either to others or to themselves. On the contrary he represents them all as people that were in the high road to destruction. And

far from giving us an Antinomian inuendo about the final perseverance of all blood-bought souls, i. e. of the whole number of the redeemed, he begins his Epistle by declaring, that those self-destroyed backsliders "denied the Lord that bought them," and concludes it by this seasonable caution: "There are in our beloved brother Paul's Epistles, things [it seems, about the election of grace, and about justification without the works of the law] which they that are unlearned [or rather apaeis unteachable] and unstable, wrest, &c. unto their own destruction: Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, [being thus fairly warned] be ware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness: but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ:" which is the best method not to fall from grace-the only way to inherit the blessing, with which God will crown the faithfulness and genuine perseverance of the saints.

I read the heart of Zelotes: and seeing the objection he is going to start, I oppose to it this quotation from Baxter. "To say that then their faith (which works by faithful love) does more than Christ did, or God's grace, is a putrid cavil. Their faith, &c. is no efficient cause at all of their pardon, or justification: It is but a necessary receptive qualif. cation; he that shuts the window causeth darkness; but it is sottish to say, that he who opens it, does more than the sun to cause light, which he causeth not at all; but removeth the impediment of reception; and faith itself is God's gift;"-As all other talents are, whether we improve them or not.

I should lose time, and offer an insult to the reader's understanding, were I to comment upon the preceding scriptures; so great is their perspicuity and number. But, I hope I shall not insult his candour by proposing to him the following queries. 1. Can Zelo tes and Honestus be judicious Protestants, I mean consistent defenders of Bible religion, if the one throws away the weights of the second scale, whilst the other overlooks those of the first?-2. Is it not evident, that, according to the scriptures, the perseverance of the saints has two causes: the first, freegrace and divine faithfulness and the second

1. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteous pess of men, who holds the truth [or a part of it] in unrighteousness, Rom. i. 18.

free-will and human faithfulness, produced, excited, assisted and nourished, but not necessitated by free-grace?-3. With respect to the capital doctrine of perseverance also, does not the truth lie exactly between the extremes into which Zelotes and Honestus perpetually run ?-And lastly: Is it not clear, that if Candidus will hold the truth as it is in Jesus he must stand upon the line of moderation, call back Zelotes from the East, Honestus from the West, and make them cordially embrace each other under the Scripture meridian. There the kind Father falls upon the neck of the returning prodigal, and the heavenly Bridegroom meets the wise virgins: There Free-grace mercifully embraces Freewill, while Free-will humbly stoops at the foot-stool of Free-grace: there the sun goes down no more by day nor the moon by night: That is, the two gospel-axioms, which are the great doctrinal lights of the church, without eclipsing each other, shine in perpetual con Junction, and yet in continual opposition: There their conjugal, mysterious, powerful influence, gladdens the New Jerusalem, fertilizes the garden of the Lord, promotes the spiritual vegetation of all the trees of righte ousness which line the river of God, and gives a divine relish to the fruits of the Spirit which they constantly bear. There, as often as Free-grace smiles upon Free-will, it says, Be faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" And as often as Free-will sees that crown glitter at the end of the race, it shouts, "Grace! Free-grace! unto it!" a great part of our faithfulness consisting in ascribing to grace all the honour, that becomes the First Cause of all good-the original of all visible and invisible, excel lence.

*』

God in their way; and being persuaded that an injudicious fear of a gospel-axiom, and not a wilful aversion to the truth, makes them cast a vail over one half of the body of bible divinity; I dare not admit the thought, that

1. I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my word [contained No. 2.] every one from his neighbour, Jer xxiii. 30.

SECTION XVII.

A scriptural plan of Reconciliation between Zelotes and Honestus: being a double Declaration to guard equally the two gospel axioms or the doctrines of Free-grace and Free-obedience. Bishop Beveridge saw the need of guarding them both. Gospel-minis ters ought equally to defend them.-An answer to Zelotes's objections against the de claration which guards the doctrine of freeobedience.-An important distinction between a primary trust in second causes and means. -Some observations upon the importance of the second gospel-axiom.-Which extreme appeared greater to Mr. Baxter, that of Zelotes or that of Honestus.-The Author's thoughts upon that delicate subject.

these severe scriptures are adapted to their case. I shall therefore only ask whether they cannot find a suitable reproof in the following texts.

2. Ye have made the word of God [contained No. 1.] of none effect by your tradition, Matt. xv. 6. [Equally dismembering Christianity, ye still help the adversaries of the gospel to put in practice their pernicious maxim. Divide and conquer. And who requires this at your hands? Who will give you thanks for such service as this?

I HAVE hitherto pointed out the opposite errors of Zelotes and Honestus, and she wn that they consist in so maintaining one part of the truth as to reject the other; in so holding out the glory of one of the gospel-axioms as to eclipse the other. I now present the reader with what appears to me a fair, scriptural, and guarded plan of Reconciliation between themselves and between all good men, who disagree about the doctrines of Faith and Works,-of Free-grace and Obedience. The declaration which the Rev. Mr. Shirley desired the Rev. Mr. Wesley to sign at the Bristol Conference, gives me the idea of this Nay, the first part of it is nothing plan: but that Declaration itself, guarded and strengthened by some additions in brackets.

1. That the preachers, who are supposed, to countenance the pharisaic error of Hones tus, shall sign the following anti-pharisaic Declaration, which guards the doctrine of Faith and Free-grace, with out bearing hard upon the doctrine of obedience and Free will; and asserts the free, gratuitous justification of a sinner in the day of conversion, and afterwards without denying the gracious, remunerative, justification of a believer, who, in the day of trial and afterwards, keeps the faith that works by love.

1. Whereas the doctrinal points in the Minutes of a Conference, held in London, August 7th. 1770, have been understood to favour [the pharisaic] justification [of a sinner] by works: Now the Rev. John Wesley and others, assembled in Conference, to declare that we had no such meaning; and that we abhor the doctrine of [a sinner's] justification by works, as a most perilous and abominable doctrine; and as the said Minutes are not [or do not appear to some peo, ple] sufficiently guarded in the way they are expressed, we hereby solemnly declare in the sight of God, that [as sinners-before God's throne, according to the doctrine of first causes, and with respect to the first cove

2. That the preachers who are supposed to countenance the Antinomian error of Zelotes, they shall sign the following anti-solifidian Declaration, which guards the doctrine of obedience and Free-will, without bearing hard upon the doctrine of Faith and Free-grace; and asserts the gracious remunerative justification of a believer in the day of trial afterwards, without denying the free, gratuitous justification of a sinner in the day of conversion and afterwards.

2. Whereas the books published against the said Minutes, have been understood to favour the present, inamissible, and eternal justification of all fallen believers before God, that is, of all those, who having made shipwreck of the faith that works by obedient love, live in Laodicean ease; and, if they please, in adultery, murder, or incest: Now the Rev. Mr. ****** and others do declare, that we renounce such meaning, and that we abhor the doctrine of the Solifidians or Antinomians, as a most perilous and abominable doctrine and as the said books are not [or do not appear to some people] sufficiently guarded, we hereby solemnly declare in the sight of God, that [as penitent, obedient, and

should come when we are called to him, why should he call us all to come? Why has he given us his word, his ministers, his ordinances; and all to invite and oblige us to repent and turn to him; if after all he has resolved not to accept of us, nor would have us come at all? Far be it from us that we should have such hard and unworthy thoughts of the great Creator and Governor of the world; especially considering that he has told us the contrary, as plainly as it was possible to express his mind to us."

Then the Bishop mentions five reasons why many are called, but few chosen: and he closes. them by these words, (page 310.) "The last reason which our Saviour gives in this parable, is because of those who are called, and come too at the call, many come not aright, which he signifies by the man that came with out the wedding garment; where, although he mentions but one man, yet under that one 1s comprehended all of the same kind, even all such persons-who profess to believe in Christ, and to expect salvation from him, yet will not come up to the terms which he propounds in the gospel to them, even to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called," Eph. iv. 1. And indeed this is the great reason of all, why of so many, who are called, there are so few chosen, because there are so few, who do all things which the gospel requires of them. Many, like Herod, will do many things; and are almost persuaded to be christians as Agrippa was, &c. Some are all for the duties of the first table without the second, others for the second without the first. Some" [like heated Honestus] "are alto gether for obedience and good works with out faith in Christ: others" [like heated: Zelotes] "are as much for faith in Christ, without obedience and good works. Some" [like meie Moralists] "would do all them selves, as if Christ had done nothing for them, others" [like mere Solifidians] "fancy that Christ has so done all for them, that there is nothing left for themselves to do: and so be twixt both sorts of people," [between the followers of Honestus and those of Zelotes] "which are the far greater part of those who are called, either the Merits or else the Laws of Christ are slighted and contemned. But is this the way to be saved? No surely."

Hence it is evident, that if Bishop Bever, idge is right here, the saving truth lies ex, actly between the mistake of Zelotes and the error of Honestus. Now if this is the true. state of the question, is it possible to pro pose a plan of reconciliation more scriptural than that, which so secures the Merits of Christ as not indirectly to overthrow his laws, and so enforces his laws as not indirect ly to set aside his merits? And is not this effectually done in the reconciling Declarations? Do they not equally guard the two gospel axioms? Do they not with impar

tiality defend Free-grace and Free-obedience? And might not peace be restored to the church upon such a scriptural, rational, and mode. rate plan of doctrine?

I fear that a lasting Reconciliation upon any other plan is impossible: for the gospel must stand upon its legs (the two gospel. axioms) or it must fall. And if Satan, by transforming himself into an angel of light, prevails upon good, mistaken men, to cut off one of these legs, as if it were useless or mor tified; some good men, who are not yet de ceived, will rise up in its defence. So sure therefore as "the gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church of the living God -the pillar and ground of the truth," there shall always be a succession of judicious, t zealous men, disposed to hazard their life and reputation in the cause of gospel-truth, and ready to prevent the mystical ark from being overset on the right hand, or on the left. If a pious Crisp, for example, pushes it into the Antinomian ditch, for fear of the pharisaic delusion; a pious Baxter will enter his protest against him: And if a Taylor throws it into the pharisaic ditch, for fear of the Antinomian error; God will raise up a Wesley to counter-work his design. Nay, a Wesley is a match for a benevolent Taylor, and a seraphic Hervey; and I hope that should Mr. Shirley ever desire him to sign an anti-pharisaic declaration, he will not for. get to desire Mr. Shirley to sign also an antisolifidian protest; every gospel-minister being an equal debtor to both axioms: nor can I conceive why Mr. Shirley should have more right solemnly to secure the first axiom,

Mr. Wesley is too judicious a divine to sign a pa Accordingly we find that axiom guarded in these per, that leaves the second axiom quite unguarded: words of Mr. Shirley's declaration, No one is a believer. (and consequently cannot be saved) who doth not good works, where there is time and opportunity." a guard as might have been demanded upon so reNevertheless this clause does not by far form so solemn markable an occasion. Mr. Shirley, and the clergy that accompanied him, might with propriety have been claration which he had drawn up, by signing at least desired to remove the fears of those who sign the dethe following Memorandum. For as much as Aaron, David, Solomon, Peter, and the incestuous Corinthian did not do good works, when they, or any of them, of the Zidonians, denied Christ, or committed adultery, worshipped a golden calf, Milcom, and the abomination murder, or incest, we hereby solemnly declare in the sight of God, that we abhor the doctrine of the Solid. dians, who say, that the above-mentioned backsliders had justifying, saving faith, while they committed the above mentioned crimes; such a doctrine being peril ous and abominable; because it absolutely overturns Christians to make Christ the minister of sin, and to be the xiith Article of our Church, and encourages all lieve that they may commit the most atrocious crimes," without losing their faith, their justification, and their title to a throne of glory.

suel a memorandum as this, the world would have had If Mr. Shirley and his friends had refused to sign a public demonstration that Calvinism is the doctrine of protestant indulgences: and that it establishes speculative, and consequently makes way for practical Antinomianism in its most flagrant immoralities,as well as in the most winning refinements,