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justified. Secondly, that every true Christian has a perfection of sincerity and aim: for the very idea of sincerity, or a "single eye," excludes all imperfection of principle; imperfect sincerity being a contradiction in terms-no less so, than impure purity, or a feigned unfeignedness. Thirdly, that some Christians have a perfection of exercised graces, compared with others of lower attainments.

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§ 4. Their knowledge of revealed truths, for example, is more clear and comprehensive: they have a more accurate acquaintance with the perfections and character of God, and with their own real state compared with him and his law: their love to God and to the Saviour, is more steady, constant, and operative; they have that perfect love that casteth out fear; their faith is strong, giving glory to God, and rises to full assurance of the reality and importance of the things believed; their hope is more firm and steadfast, under the various trials of life: they delight themselves, in the Lord more constantly their confidence in God is less wavering: their affections are more set on things that, are spiritual and heavenly they are more zealously affected in a good cause: they more uninterruptedly cleave unto the Lord with full purpose; and follow him more fully. The kingdom of God is more powerfully set up in

their souls, consisting of righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Compared with others, they may be said to rejoice evermore, and to pray without ceasing. They are of a meck and quiet spirit, and are clothed with humility: they put on the whole armour of God, and stand in the evil day of temptation: they grow up more and more into the likeness of Christ, and inwardly but humbly triumph in expectation of the glory that is promised them. And, to crown all, they sink into their proper insignificancy and nothingness, that the Lord alone may be exalted, reckoning themselves unprofitable servants.

5. Though every true Christian therefore is equally perfect as interested in the perfection of Christ, and equally perfect as to the reality and sincerity of grace, considered as a principle in the soul; yet, there is a great difference as to exercised graces. There are, in this respect, babes, young men, and fathers in Christ. Their actual attainments admit of a great difference, which may be compared to the blade, the ear, and the full corn in the ear. But those who are most perfect, in this comparative sense, do not pretend to sinless obedience and unspotted purity.'. Their best prayers and praises are defective; often "when they would do good, the evil is present with them, and how to perform

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that which is good they find not." sincerely intend the glory of God that they may enjoy him for ever: but the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh, and these two are contrary. And the more they know of themselves, the more ready they are to confess, "I have seen an end of all perfection, but thy commandment is exceeding broad." "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me?" "I have not already attained, nor am I already perfect," compared with a state of sinless perfection. There is still room for greater exertions, in keeping the body under, and bringing it into subjection, in taking up the cross, and following Christ. While in this tabernacle of the body, they groan, being burdened, wishing to be cloathed with their house which is from heaven. Yet they rejoice in hope of the glory of God, yea in tribulations also, because the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto them. This is the Christian perfection' maintained by Calvinists.

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$ 6. Through the convenient medium of ancient heretics we are represented as 'guilty of dreadful crimes' and doing many abominable and ungodly things,' and inveighing against those who, from the fear of God, are ⚫ cautious not to sin even in thought or word,

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as idiots and fools.*" I will not say, that Calvinists have never transgressed the bounds of perfect charity, that "hopeth all things, and endureth all things," when opposing error, or condemning sin. They are men of like passions with others, and therefore when slandered and traduced they must needs feel it: must feel it sometimes with resentment as well as pity, and occasionally an indignant word may escape them. It is not true, however, that they sanction or countenance any conduct or expressions that appear inconsistent with charity any more than with truth. It is one of their principles to "overcome evil with good," and

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by well doing to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men," as directed by apostolic authority. But really one might be led to suppose, that the quotation from IRENEUS regarding the Valentinians, represented by his Lordship as ' resembling the tenets of Calvinism,' was peculiar to none but the refuse of society, the inmates of Newgate or the colonists of Australasia. It would be a curious and not an unprofitable investigation, to ascertain, what proportion of Calvinists and Anticalvinists are executed, or sent to the hulks, as "guilty of a great variety of dreadful crimes."

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7. Low as we think human nature is sunk

Refut.
p. 514.

by the original apostacy, we may suspect that its degraded state is too strongly marked by IRENEUS, EPIPHANIUS, and others who have written against Heretics. There is too much reason to suspect that these writers were not so intent upon a fair estimate of truth and error in their opponents, as they were solicitous to suppress and degrade them altogether,—and that the easiest way of doing this was by drawing a strong caricature of their opinions, and exhibiting them in the most forbidding light. I am far from thinking that these fathers had no just ground of complaint; but they did not act fairly, they kept no bounds, their pictures were too highly and extravagantly charged, and scarcely compatible with the real state of man's nature. We too well know to what excesses zeal without knowledge, or without charity, is in danger of being betrayed.

§ 8. Now, if in this advanced period of the Christian church, the Bishop of Lincoln, surrounded with adequate means of information, himself a man of acknowledged learning, talents, and respectability, is capable of drawing such a caricature of modern Calvinists, as we find contained in his "Refutation," the just inference is, that little dependance is to be placed on the bare assertions of interested parties in whatever period they may chance to wrangle.

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