ESSAY ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY THE IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST, AND HOLINESS OF LIFE: With fome reflections upon the reception which that Doctrine hath generally met with in the World. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, A LETTER to the Rev. Mr. JAMES HERVEY, Recor of Wefton-Favell, Northamptonshire, Author of THERON AND ASPASIO. ALSO, A TREATISE ON REGENERATION, &c. This You, Sir, are one of those happy few, who have been willing to consecrate the finest natural talents to the service of Christ in the gospel, and are not ashamed of his cross. You have been able to procure attention upon some subjects, from many who would hardly have given it to any other writer. hath made me observe with particular attention, the effect of your last performance, Theron and Afpafio, the character given to it, and the objections raised against it. And I have always found, that the most specious and plausable objection, and that most frequently made against the doctrine of justifica tion by imputed righteousness, has been in this case, as indeed usually before, that it loosens the obligations to practice. This is what I have particularly applied myself to refute in the fol lowing essay, because I have rarely observed it done distinctly, and at full length, in any writer. And I have addressed it to you, as a testimony of my esteem of your excellent and useful writings, as a public declaration of my espousing the same sentiments as to the terms of our acceptance with God, and my ambition of contributing some small assistance to the support of the same glorious cause. It was also no small inducement to it, that thereby it might appear to all, that no external distinctions, or smaller differences, ought to be any hindrance to a cordial esteem and affection among the sincere servants of our common Master. The greatest part of what follows was first delivered in two sermons; but it is now thrown into the form of an essay, lest the despised title of a sermon should offend some, and that it might the better admit of several additions, both in the body of the piece, and in the notes, which could not have been so properly delivered from a pulpit. Some of these regard the philosophical principles which have of late been published among us, of which I propose, in a short time, a much fuller discussion, as there is no way in which the truths of the gospel are more perverted than by what the apostle Paul calls Philofophy and vain deceit, and oppofitions of fcience falfely fo called. That your useful life may be prolonged, and that you may have the honor of contributing more and more to the conversion of sinners, and the edification and comfort of believers, is the earnest prayer of, Sir, Your moft obedient J.W. LL the works and ways of God have fomething in them myfterious, above the comprehenfion of any finite understanding. As this is the cafe with his works of creation and providence, there is no reafon to expect it should be otherwise in the aftonishing method of the redemption of the world by Jefus Chrift. From this their mysterious nature, or rather from the imperfect measure and degree in which they are revealed to us, they are admirably fitted for the trial of our ingenuity, humility and fubjection. They are all of them, when ferioufly and impartially enquired into, holy, just and good; but at the fame time, not beyond the cavils and objections of men of prejudiced, perverfe and corrupt minds. The apostle Paul, in his epiftle to the Romans, among whom he had never been in perfon, at great length eftablishes the fundamental doctrine of the gospel, that finners are justified by the free grace of God, through the imputed righteousness of a Redeemer. To this doctrine men do by nature make the strongest oppofition, and are, with the utmost difficulty, brought to receive and apply it. may well fay of it in particular, what the fame apoftle says of the truths of God in general, that "the natural “man doth not receive them."* It is therefore highly neceffary to prevent or remove, as far as poffible, the objections that may be brought against it by the art or ma We lice of Satan, who will, no doubt, bend the chief force of all his engines against this truth, knowing that the cordial reception of it is a fure and effectual, and indeed the only fure and effectual means, of deftroying his power and influence in the heart. Accordingly we find the apoftle, in the fixth chapter of the above-named epiftle, and first verfe, fuppofes an objection made against this doctrine in the following terms; "What fhall we fay then? fhall we continue in fin, that grace may abound?" To which he anfwers, by rejecting the confequence with the utmost abhorrence, and in the strongest manner affirming it to be without any foundation. From the introduction of this objection by the apostle, we may either infer, that there were, even in these early days, fome who branded the doctrine of redemption by the free grace of God with this odious confequence; or that he by the inspiration of the Almighty, did forefee that there should arife, in fome future periods of the Chriftian church, adverfaries who would attempt to load it with this imputation: or that the doctrine is indeed liable, on a fuperficial view, to be abused to this unhappy purpose, by the deceitful hearts of men who are wedded to their lufts. It is probable that all the three observations are juft; and the two laft render it a peculiarly proper fubject for our attention and confideration at this time, and in this age. It is well known that there are many enemies of this doctrine, of different characters and of different principles, who all agree in affaulting it with this objectionthat it weakens the obligations to holinefs of life, by making our juftification before God depend entirely upon the righteousness and merit of another. And fo far, I think, we must join with the adversaries of this doctrine, as to lay it down for a principle-that whatever belief or perfuafion, by its native and genuine tendency, weakens the obligations to practice, must be falfe. And I will alfo affert, in oppofition to fome modern infidels (though fome may think that my cause might avail itself of the contrary opinion) that a man's inward principle, or the perfuafion of his mind, hath a neceflary and unavoidable influence upon his practice. So that, if I am not able to fhew that juftification through the imputed righteousness of Christ, is fo far from weakening the obligations to holiness, that, on the contrary, the belief and reception of it, as its neceffary confequence, muft make men greater lovers of purity and holinefs and fill them with a greater horror of fin than any other perfuafion on the fame fubject, I am content to give up the cause. I hope we may be indulged a candid hearing on this fubject, as experience does not feem to be unfavorable to the doctrine I am effaying to defend. If it appeared in fact that its friends upon a fair and juft comparison, were more loose in their practice than their adverfaries of any of the oppofite opinions, it would be a ftrong prejudice against it; or rather, if this were always the cafe, it would be an unquestionable evidence of its falfehood. But doth not the contrary appear on the very face of the world? Are not the perfons who profefs to deny their own righteoufnefs, and hope for juftification through Chrift, ordinarily the most tender and fearful of finning themselves, and the most faithful and diligent in promoting the reformation of others? And do not all carelefs, profane and fenfual livers, almoft to a man, profefs themfelves enemies to this doctrine? I could almoft appeal to any one who hath the least experience of, or commerce with the world, whether he would expect to find, upon a strict search and enquiry, the worship of God more conftantly attended, the name of God more regularly called upon in families, children and fervants more carefully instructed and more dutifully governed, a greater freedom from levity, pro * That is to fay, fo far as it can be applied to practice, and fo far as it is real or prevalent above its oppofite; for there are many truths of a religious nature which men think they believe sometimes, but which yet their corrupt paffions often make them doubt of; and thefe doubts are nine parts in ten of their lives obverlant to their minds, as a vindication of their licentious practice: in fome fente, fuch may be faid to act in contradiction to their principles; but they are principles either not really believed, or, which is the fame thing, not habitually recollected; and none can expect that men will act upon a principle, though once ever fo firmly believed, if it be forgotten, or at the time of action entirely out of view. |