to that of our authorized books, from which our opponents undeniably deviate. "Being created in "Christ Jesus unto good works;" we consider the inclination and ability to love and perform good works, as an essential part of our salvation; we would therefore give thanks " to the Father, who " hath made us meet to be partakers of the inherit"ance of the saints in light;" and we would reflect with lively gratitude on his love, who "gave himself "for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to "purify us unto himself a peculiar people zealous * of good works." Health is essential to our en joyment of life, so that without it we can enjoy nothing: we thank God for giving us health; but it would be absurd to call health a condition of our enjoyment.

2

P. clxxxiii. 1. 2. If, &c. They, who consider these distinctions, as a mere " strife of words," may disregard them; but we think them essential to the doctrine of Christianity: and though most of us, contented with using the language of Scripture, and of the reformers of our church, on these subjects; * if we might do it without offence;' are little disposed to enter into disputes with those, who adopt another phraseology: yet, when our whole system is directly assaulted; we must either stand forth, and shew what we do, and what we do not maintain, and explain our views, and assign our reasons for our

Col. i. 12. Tit. ii. 14.

2 If the endeavour to maintain such a distinction as this does ' not deserve the name of direct absurdity and contradiction, * surely it is at least " a strife of words," "a perverse disputing," " which minister questions, rather than godly edifying."

!

1

conduct; or we must tacitly plead guilty to all the charges brought against us, and give up those truths, which we value more than life, as indefensible. But whether they, who retain, or they, who depart from, the language of Scripture, and of our articles and homilies, most resemble the 'philosophizing • Greeks in the days of the apostles;' and are justly exposed to the censure which they pronounced upon them; must be left to the judgment of the publick. And let the quotations made from the works of the reformers, and from the homilies, determine whether the language above objected to, or that which states, that good works are essential as the evidences of true faith, and for many other important purposes, but not the condition of our salvation, be the most proper to find the way into protestant 'pulpits. Of this there can be no doubt, to those who are acquainted with the history of the times, between Edward the Sixth and James the First; that the propositions before animadverted on, could never have been brought forward, in a protestant pulpit, without being protested against as direct popery, in the grand article of a standing or falling church.'As for such as hold, with the church of Rome, ' that we cannot be saved by Christ alone without 'works, they do not only, by a circle of conse

quence, but directly, deny the doctrine of faith;

' they hold it not, no not so much as by a single 'thread.'-' We never meant to exclude either hope

6

or charity, from being always joined, as inseparable mates of faith, in the man, who is justified; or,

11 Tim. i. 4. vi. 4, 5. 20, 21.

' works from being added, as necessary duties, re'quired at the hands of every justified man: but to 'shew, that faith is the only hand, which putteth 'on Christ for justification; and Christ the only garment, which being so put on, covereth the shame of our defiled natures, hideth the imperfec⚫tion of our works; preserveth us blameless in the 'sight of God; before whom otherwise, the weak<ness of our faith were cause sufficient to make us 'culpable, yea, to shut us from the kingdom of ' heaven, where nothing, that is not perfect can enter." In this passage, the judicious Hooker is expressly vindicating the doctrine of justification, held by Protestants, against the objections of Papists; yet now his views, and distinctions on the subject, ' ought never to find their way into the pulpits of a Protestant church! We hold no other doctrine as to justification than what he held, and we make no other distinctions, but those which he made. If we do, let it be clearly shewn.2

• Hooker.

2 The words, Works are clearly made the grand hinge, on which our justification and salvation turn;' are in fact, as I have since discovered, Mr. Overton's, as comprising the substance of Mr. Daubeney's doctrine, in this respect: but the manner, in which his Lordship has introduced them, not as an unfair inference from Mr. Daubeny's words; but as a proposition, which ought not to be denied, amounts, as it appears to me, to an adoption of them; and this does not alter the argument.

END OF VOL. I.

C. Baldwin, Printer, New Bridge Street, London.