fare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds:) casting down imaginations, [reasonings,] and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Cor. x. 3, 5.)

The conquered are not conquerors. If a man contend against the flesh, and be at all overcome, so as to commit sin, or be defiled in his spirit, he cannot be said to be free from sin, "For of whomsoever a man is overcome, of the same he is brought into bondage.” (2 Peter ii. 19.) And though his freedom may have been proposed to him, and he may have engaged in the war, he has not yet gained his point -he is not born of God. "We know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not," (1 Jno. v. 18;) therefore to be brought into captivity to the law of sin, is incompatible with being a Christian indeed. (Rom. vii. 23.)

Enough is said to satisfy any man, who does not yield to prejudice and the carnal mind more than to truth, that they who are Christians indeed, do not sin, and are in no degree subject to serve sin. But knowing the force of education, and the strength of prepossession on the mind, that the unwary, though intentionally honest, may be liable to overlook the evidence, we shall here add a series of Scriptures in connection, so plain and pointed, that nothing but willful dishonesty can easily ward off the conviction, in those who value the truth of the Scriptures." And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he [that is Christ] is pure. Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not: whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he [the Son of God] is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." Thus boldly and unequivocally do the Scriptures testify, that sin is not found in those who are born of God, or are the true followers of Christ.

The learned student of Edinburgh, Macknight, on the passage, "Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin;" which he renders, Whosover is begotten of God, doth not work sin; has the following remark: "By translating ȧpapríav où TOET [amartian ou poiei] doth not work sin, according to the true import of the phrase, the argument drawn from this text in favour of the sinless perfection of the saints in the present life is precluded." By this gloss he has aimed to prove that all a Christian can gain in the present stage of action, is not to make a trade or business of sinning, or perhaps not to sin willingly, as often expressed for should we take this comment in an acceptation more favourable to him, it must lose all its force; because

to understand his phraseology, Doth not work sin, as meaning, Doth not sin, or doth not commit sin at all, would be to make him acknowledge the fact which he aimed to overturn.

But the nakedness and impotency of his criticism might have appeared to himself, had he been critic enough to inspect, with some discernment, the next clause of the verse: "For his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, [ov dúvaraι åμaprávзiv] because he is born of God." Or this: "Whosoever sinneth, [ãs & ȧuaprávwv,] hath not seen him neither known him.” Or had he attended, without prepossession, to another phrase of the same apostle on the same subject: "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; [as o yɛyɛvvnuέvos; every one who is born, or hath been begotten, ou papTável, sinneth not, or doth not sin: real sin is not chargeable or applicable to him in the minutest sense ;] but he that is begotten of God, keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not: [o yevvnbeis, one who is a subject of that birth or begetting which is of God."]

Such laboured and unnatural turns, such forced constructions, in the writings of studious and learned men, show the amazing influence of systematic prepossession, and the indispensable necessity for the light of the Spirit in those who would give a genuine and liquidated explication of the Holy Scriptures. The language of the Apostle is explicit, plain and simple, that they who are born or begotten of God, do not sin.

to "

Where can the abettors of sin in God's children find such express and pointed testimony? Until they can, it is time for them to cease sow pillows to all armholes," to daub with untempered mortar, to soothe and flatter souls with the notion of eternal life, while they come short of the mark which Christ and his apostles have given. But such testimony is not to be found: not a single text of Holy Scripture says, that those who are born of God commit sin, or have sin in them, or any thing tantamount. Other Scriptures might be adduced, but the above are sufficient here; the evidence is as pointed as language will admit.

It is indeed the greatest absurdity to suppose that Christians commit sin, or are subject to sin; for there is no supposable cause for such a state of things, unless they either choose to sin, or God chooses they should, or they cannot avoid it. The first two are too absurd to be avowed. If the last be true, it is either because God is unable, or unwilling to save them; which involves the same absurdity, as no violence to the conscience or agency of man is requisite to cause them to do what they desire to do. To argue that Christians sin through the strength and subtlety of the temptations of the devil, notwithstanding the will of God and their own choice to the contrary, (as many are. weak enough to say,) is at once to affirm that the devil possesses more power and influence over Christians than God himself; consequently, that the devil is most wise and most powerful.

After all, people are so fond of a pretext for sin, of a name to live, while they are dead in sin, and not to sin, and especially so unwilling to take the conviction, that they are the true body of Christ, and they only, who are free from sin, that some will likely raise objections saying, May not people be deceived, and think they do not commit sin when they do? This objection, weak as it is, I have heard from the mouth of professors

of great zeal, and no contemptible degree of respectability. But be that objection as it may, there can be no deception in the strongest confidence that they who are visible sinners, they who are conscious to themselves that they are sinners, and they who acknowledge they are sinners, and under that impression are habitually praying to God to forgive their daily transgressions, are none of them Christians. Neither can there be any deception in setting aside those bodies of people whose faith it is, that all men commit sin, even after they are born of God, as being none else than branches of Antichrist. If people may be deceived where no sin appears, and none is acknowledged, no deceptions need be dreaded where it is manifested, or where it is acknowledged to exist. If wolves may appear in sheep's clothing, sheep do not appear in wolves' clothing.

But let it be considered against whom this objection is levelled: not against man, but against God-not a scheme of men, but the teaching of Christ. If the rule of Christ and his Apostles be deceptive, if his teaching be unsafe, it is time to look out for another head of the body. But if Christ is a true teacher, there is no deception in the case; his word, and those of his Apostles, put the matter out of doubt: "If a man love me, he will keep my word-He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings." "Either make the tree good and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit." "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." "He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him." (Jno. xiv. 23, 24; Matt. xii. 33; Jno. viii. 12; 1 Jno. ii. 10.) Now who will pretend to be Christians, and not love the brethren? Yet many, if not all of those who profess in the various denominations called Christian, complain of getting into darkness, and being in great darkness. Let all men speedily determine who are the true witnesses, Christ and his apostles, or these dark souls.

But perhaps it will be pleaded, that the rule of Christ and his apostles is true and safe enough, but the danger is in the weakness and inability of men to comprehend it. Men are very apt to plead thus, saying, He is true, but we are false-the wrong is all in us. This objection reflects just as much dishonour on Christ, and is just as weak as in any other form; for Christ gave his instructions for the use of men just such as they are, their weakness, darkness and loss being all included, that they might be delivered, walk in the truth, and know it to their satisfaction: "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that

which was lost." And again : "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised; to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke xix. 10, and iv. 18, 19.) Now to suppose any danger from the weakness and blindness of men respecting the law of Christ, (except in those who are willfully ignorant and disobedient,) is to impeach the character of Christ as an unsafe and incapable teacher, that is, an impostor, inasmuch as his avowed commission is to relieve those in that very condition. Cease then to contend against the benevolent and condescending King of heaven, who makes the way so plain, that he may run that readeth

it-that way in which the wayfaring man though a fool, shall not err, and acknowledge the truth; lay aside all pretensions to be Christians, until ye get the faith and works which stand the test.

Ignorance of the life and power of the Gospel may lead some to conclude, that deceivers may live so like true Christians, that they cannot be known, or fully distinguished. This argument will be granted to be valid, provided nature can equal the Gospel, or the fruits of the Gospel are not such as cannot be imitated by the strictest rules of morality, nor by the greatest exertions of wisdom and prudence of natural men. If the life of Christians is not such as cannot be imitated, they cannot be distinguished from others; for if any deceivers, or any other class of the children of this world, can produce as good fruit, and consequently as good evidence of Christianity as the true-hearted Christian, they will have as good a claim to the character as he; consequently Jesus Christ and his apostles must be found false witnesses, in proposing a rule, and giving instructions, which are insufficient, and therefore dangerous. But as this will not readily be granted by professors, we shall persist in proving, according to their words, that the true Church can be known and distinguished from all others.

CHAPTER VI.

INIMITABLE LOVE AND UNION PREVAIL IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, AND ARE MANIFESTED IN A UNITED INHERITANCE IN THINGS TEMPORAL AS WELL AS SPIRITUAL.

THE same rule of judgment, and the same marks by which Christians know themselves, and know one another, so as to apprehend the body of Christ collectively, serve, in the main, to prove to the world and to all men, who are the true Church. For, notwithstanding the wicked may call them devils, and reproach them as deceivers, because of the very evidences of Christianity which they manifest, such are these same evidences, that they must be confessed to proceed from a source superior to human wisdom and human art. Therefore "beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matt. vii. 15, &c.)

No doubt false prophets may appear with great zeal, and make a fair show; but they can nevertheless be known; for by their fruits ye shall know them. Now these fruits can be known and distinguished from all others; else an appeal to them as the criterion by which to distinguish the true prophets, or Church, from the false, would be use

less. Thus it is written : "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." Here, then, is the evidence: "Love is the fulfilling of the law." (Rom. xiii. 10.) So also the substance and work of the Gospel appear to concentrate in nothing so much as love; "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love." (Gal. v. 6.) "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, [the offspring of love,] these three; but the greatest of these is charity [the offspring of love."] "If a man love me he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him." (1 Cor. xiii. 13; Jno. xiv. 23.) "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.” hold, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (1 Jno. iv. 16, 11.) These Scriptures, and a multitude more, show that the substance and work of the Gospel are manifested in love. Therefore said Jesus Christ, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have "love one to another." (Jno. xiii. 35.)

"Be

Men are so tenacious of that kind of sense, that the life of a Christian is so hidden a matter as not to be known by any means, that many will probably conclude, that nothing can be determined by this love, for who knows whether a man's love to the brethren be genuine or not? But the Scriptures cut this matter short: for by this shall all men know; they are not left to guess at it, but they shall know that ye are my disciples. Love therefore must be satisfactorily manifested to all candid men, wherever it exists.

But let it be granted that love is not known by intuitive knowledge; that the gift and sensation, or internal affection of love is not visible, or in the abstract, to the natural man, it can nevertheless be discovered in its operations; for as faith without works is dead, being alone, so love without effects would be a contradiction of terms. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; hereby know we that we are in him." (1 Jno. ii. 5.) "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, [or work,] and in truth, and hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." (1 Jno. iii. 17– 19.) Love therefore is manifested by its operations as the cause by the effect. But as the love of the body of Christ is peculiar to his members, separate and distinct from all love of the children of this world, (otherwise it would not distinguish them,) so its operations must be such as do not pertain to any rank or class, except the aforesaid body of Christ, so as to prove the present agency and indwelling of the Spirit of God.

Now the immediate production of love, in the members of Christ's body, and that also by which the world are to know and believe them to be the people of his love, is union-such a union as the world know not. "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou has sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me,