evident, as when it is said, that "a man who knows that two and two are but four, cannot say, that two and two are five, without wilful lying." And, therefore, as soon as the proposition is understood, it cannot but be believed. There is no way to avoid it. For,

1. If you explain down the covenant of grace into a graceless covenant, with which a graceless heart may really comply, it will not help your cause in the least; for if a graceless heart may comply with this graceless covenant, yet it still remains a self-evident truth, that a graceless heart doth not comply with the covenant of grace. Or,

2. If you represent an unconverted, graceless man, as not being dead in sin, and without strength; but as really having a degree of spiritual life, and spiritual strength, and spiritual ability to yield holy obedience to all God's commands; and so as complying with the covenant of grace, in reality, though but in an imperfect degree, it will not help your cause at all; for this graceless man, so called, is in fact a gracious man, and is entitled not only to the seals, but also to the blessings of the covenant of grace; because he does, in fact, comply with it. Rather it runs you into the absurdity of saying that some unconverted, graceless sinners are real converts and true saints, and have a title to eternal life; that is, of expressly contradicting yourself. Or,

3. If you say, "A graceless sinner may comply with the covenant of grace, with moral sincerity, though not with gracious sincerity," it will not help your cause. For there is but one kind of real complying with the covenant of grace; and this entitles to eternal life; for he that really complies with the covenant of grace, doth, in so doing, act graciously. Thus he who loves God supremely, with moral sincerity, does love God supremely, in reality; but this real supreme love to God is a gracious and holy love to God. And you have already said, that "obedience to God is always holy," "and the obedience of the unrenewed, as holy as any that a gracious man can yield." But if so, then this obedience is performed with gracious sincerity, as really as the obedience of any gracious man is. But, if your graceless man does comply with the covenant of grace, in a gracious manner, he will go to heaven along with true saints; and therefore that saying of our blessed Savior is not true —“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

It remains, therefore, that this proposition must pass for a self-evident truth, which cannot but be believed, as soon as it is understood, namely, "A man who knows he has no grace, cannot profess a compliance with the covenant of grace, without

wilful lying." You may as well say, that black is white, or that a dead man is alive, or that a graceless sinner is a real saint, as say, that "a man, who knows he has no grace, can profess a compliance with the covenant of grace, honestly and with a good conscience," and therefore a man must either not know what he is about, or his conscience must be very much seared, or he will not dare to profess a compliance with the covenant of grace while he knows he has no grace; indeed, it is a full proof that a man is, to a great degree, destitute of moral honesty, if, with his eyes open, he dare to make such a profession. It is at least as gross wickedness as that which Ananias and Sapphira were guilty of, in saying, This is all the money, when they knew that it was not all. They lied to the Holy Ghost; and this man flatters God with his mouth, and lies unto him with his tongue. (Ps. lxxviii. 36.)

To be consistent, therefore, we must vote the covenant of grace out, in our church, and vote in a graceless covenant in its room, or you cannot be admitted as a member. And if we should vote out the covenant of grace, and vote in a graceless covenant in its room, we should, so far as this vote should have influence, cease to be a visible church of Christ. Nor should

we have a visible right to baptism and the Lord's supper, which are seals of the covenant of grace, and of no other covenant; for there are but two covenants which now take place between God and man, namely, the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace. (Rom. iii. 27.)

P. I am not able to think of this seriously, and to answer it honestly; I have no other way, therefore, to get rid of the truth, but to misrepresent and ridicule it. However, I have two objections against this scheme, namely, 1. The church cannot know who do really comply with the covenant of grace; nor, 2. Can any join with the church but those who have full assurance.*

Objection. Baptism alone makes me a church member, or it does not. If it does, then I have a right to the Lord's table; if it does not, then the church have no right to discipline me.

Answer. If baptism alone gives a right to the Lord's table, then all baptized persons in Christendom, young and old, good and bad, the excommunicated not excepted, have an equal right; which none will grant. And if the church have no right to discipline any but those who have a right to come to the Lord's table, then they have no right to discipline any who are guilty of heresy or scandal; for such have no right to come to the Lord's table. The objection is founded on two propositions, both of which are false, even in the judgment of the objector, namely: 1. That baptism alone gives a right to the Lord's table, without any other qualification whatsoever; upon which rule, even the excommunicated can. not be debarred. 2. That the church have no authority to exercise discipline over any but those who have a right to the Lord's table; upon which rule, those who are disqualified for the Lord's table, by heresy or scandal, are not subjects of discipline.

M. You may find a full answer to these objections in what I have already published on this subject, which you appear not to have attended to. But pray, what rule would you have the church proceed by in the admission of members? Would you have certain evidence, that the candidates for admission have the requisite qualifications insisted on by the church?

P. Yes, indeed. For, "this is my principle-that every man asking special ordinances is as certainly qualified to partake of the Lord's supper, as he is to breathe, unless there is certain evidence that he is disqualified."

M. But one, who is at heart a Deist, and who lives secretly in adultery, may, to answer political ends, "ask for special ordinances," and there may be no "certain evidence" of his crimes. Therefore, according to this new divinity, this infidel, this adulterer, is as certainly qualified to partake of the Lord's supper, as he is to breathe.

P. Shocking consequence! However, this I lay down for an infallible truth, that all who have visibly entered into covenant, as I have done, "to walk in all God's ways, and to keep all his commands," are bound by their own vow to attend special ordinances."

M. What! bound, though they know themselves to be unqualified? Is the above-mentioned infidel and adulterer bound? What! bound in the sight of God, and a well-regulated conscience, to come to the Lord's table, as he is? Pray, who bound him? God never did; nor does the vow he publicly made to "walk in all God's ways, and keep all his commands," bind him to come as he is; for this is what God never commanded.

And it is equally evident, that God never commanded men to make a lying profession in any instance, either verbally or practically. But to seal a covenant is, practically, to profess a compliance with it. To seal a covenant, therefore, with which we know we do not comply, is what God never commanded; yea, it is what God has forbidden in every text in the Bible which forbids lying. So that, if the covenant to be sealed in baptism and the Lord's supper, is the covenant of grace, as you allow it is, then those who know they have no grace, are forbidden to seal it, by every text in the Bible which forbids lying; and therefore that command, "Do this in remembrance of me,' is, beyond all doubt, a command which respects believers, and them only; agreeable to the publicly professed belief of the church of Scotland, and the churches in New England, held forth in their public formulas. Indeed, it is the duty, the indispensable duty, of every one to whom the gospel comes, and

their highest interest, to comply with the covenant of grace, and that on the very first invitation. As soon as the glad tidings come to our ears, "Come, for all things are now ready; whosoever will, let him come; we ought not to delay a moment, we ought not to make one excuse, we ought not to feel the least reluctance; no, rather, on the contrary, we ought, with Peter's hearers, to receive the word gladly, that same day, and to make a public profession and join with the church the first opportunity. (Matt. xiii. 44.) And to neglect this is a sin so great and aggravated, as to expose the neglecters to be given up to God in this world, (Luke xiv. 24,) and to be cast off forever in the world to come. (Mark xvi. 16.) So that your mouth is stopped, and you stand guilty before God. But, to return to a consideration of your visible standing. Pray, sir, were you esteemed a church member, in full communion, in the town where you lived before you moved into this parish?

P. No, sir, by nobody. I never looked upon myself to be a church member, in this sense of the phrase. I never meant to join with the church, nor did the minister or the church mean to receive me as a church member; and accordingly, I never met with the church when they had church meetings upon church business. I never staid when the church was desired to stay, as they sometimes were, after worship on Sabbaths, and at other times. I never voted when the church were called to give in their vote in any matter whatsoever. Nor had I any right to go to the Lord's table without making a public profession over again, and thereby joining with the church, as the common phrase was. No such thing was allowed where I was brought up. So that I did not think myself a church member before I moved into this parish, nor was I esteemed and used as a church member; yea, it never entered into my heart, to pretend any such thing, till my New London patron taught me to say so, and to put in these high claims, and to deny my old principles, and contradict myself, and finally, even to deny my own name, and pretend to be another man. And since then I have felt "bravely," and have looked down upon you with great contempt.

M. The more men mock God in religion, the more proud, haughty, and insolent, are they apt to be towards their fellowA religion begun in ignorance like yours, and carried on and perfected in this shocking manner, if it may do to live with, yet will not do to die by.

men.

P. Be this as it may, yet to say, as you do, "Better do nothing than lie," tends to increase the number of prayerless

persons, and prayerless families, to put an end to all means, and in the end to overthrow all religion.

M. Doth not God himself say, (Eccl. v. 5,) "Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay"; that is, in other words, "Better do nothing than lie.” And will you condemn the Holy One of Israel? Either give up the Bible, or abide by its sacred maxims. Besides, there is a difference between covenanting transactions and common means; and accordingly, Christ ordered his ministers to "preach the gospel to every creature;" but he did not order them to baptize every creature.

For graceless sinners may hear the gospel preached, may hear all the truths and duties of it explained, proved, and urged, and may attend, yea, may be very attentive, and meditate on them day and night, till they are pricked at the heart; they may forsake vain and vicious company, become sober, serious, deeply distressed about their eternal welfare; they may spend much time in secret prayer, and an awakened sinner cannot fail to do it, and frequently spend whole days in fasting and prayer, as Mr. Brainerd used to do, under his terrors, when he was unconverted; (pray read his life;) I say, graceless sinners may do all this, without making any profession of godliness. Yea, they may do all this, and yet in all profess that they have no grace, no love to God in their hearts, but are dead in sin.

You insinuate, that the doctrines which I preached tend to licentiousness. I appeal to facts. Look from the reformation down to this day; look through England, Scotland, and Ireland; look through the British colonies in America, and through our West India Islands; and put the question: When and where, and among whom, has there been, or is there now, the greatest strictness maintained, and the most constant, diligent, and painful attendance on means? Either among Calvinists, who heartily agree with the Westminster confession of faith and catechisms, and where these doctrines are taught privately, and preached publicly; or among Pelagians, Arminians, and Semi-Arminians, who are constantly teaching and preaching in another strain? While the Assembly of divines sat at Westminster, composing the formulas, which I am now vindicating, London, that great city, was full of sermons, and prayers, and strictness; but since these doctrines have been laid aside, and contrary doctrines introduced, they are become very licentious and debauched. The more you flatter the sinner, the farther will he run from God and all good. But tell him the truth, pierce him to the heart, and he will begin to cry, "What shall I do to be saved?"