difcourfe, between the fcriptural and methodiftical notions of converfion. The refult will probably authorize us to conclude, that by declining to adopt the latter, and by reprefenting converfion with a very different complexion from those artificial colours, with which it has been disguised by the enthufiaft, we are ascribing to it its legitimate character, and maintaining the fimplicity of the Gospel and "the "truth as it is in Jefus." "Except ye be converted, and become as "little children, ye fhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven:" fuch was our Saviour's warning to the unbelieving Jews; and it was a warning highly neceffary to be impreffed, not upon them alone, but upon men of every description to whom the Gospel was originally preached. The Gofpel militated against the prejudices, the pride, and the corrupt paffions of all men: nor, unless they were fubdued and fuperfeded by humility, docility, modefty, fimplicity, and that comparative innocence,' which are the most diftinguishing qualities of childhood, could it be effectually received. Among the Jews, he who obftinately refifted, and he who more actively perfecuted, the faith of Chrift; the Pharifee, who commended his own righteoufnefs, and trufted to an exact performance of the ritual ordinances of the law; the Sadducee, who denied a refurrection; the Scribe, who was zealous for the Mofaic institutions; even the difciple, who was ambitions of fitting on the right hand or on the left of his Mafter, in what he expected would be a temporal kingdom; and generally every child of Abraham, who was habitually and fondly attached to the national belief of the perpetuity of their exclufive privileges: among the Gentiles, those who were spoiled and feduced by philofophy and vain deceit; the fceptic, who doubted, and the infidel, who denied, the existence or the providence of a fupreme Being; and the idolater, who wor shipped the creature more than the Creator, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man: and univerfally, both among Jews and among Gentiles, thofe who were living under the dominion of fin, or were not duly convinced of the neceffity of a Redeemer: every man, who was fubject to prepoffeffions fuch as thefe, (and they comprise almost every foul of man that breathed,) must have been converted from his errors whether in principle or in practice his heart must have been opened, and foftened, and rendered capable of receiving fresh and totally different impreffions, before he could become a believer in the truth, or a performer of the duties, of the Gospel. Every man, who now alfo is under the in Auence of fimilar prepoffeffions, muft now also undergo a fimilar change. Every unbeliever and every finner, although made by baptifm a member of Chritt and a child of God, muft be, in a certain fenfe, converted, if he would ultimately fucceed to his inheritance of the kingdom of heaven. But to fancy, that every Christian whatever muft experience a converfion in order to be in a ftate of falvation :-to affert, with the Arminian Founder of Methodism, that he who knows no time when he "had need of fuch a vaft and mighty change 66 66 ás a change from darkness to light, from the ઃઃ power of Satan unto God, from death unto "life, may by this also know, if he give him"felf leave to think, that he is not born of the Spirit, that he has never yet known God, "but has mistaken the voice of nature for the "voice of God :"-to fuppofe, with his Calviniftic competitor," that in every Chriftian "congregation there are two forts of people, "fome that know Chrift, and fome that do "not know him, fome that are converted, and "fome that are ftrangers to converfion";" and to affert that "every perfon must be converted or be damned, and that they who die in an Wefley's Sermons, vol. i. p. 157. "unconverted state must be damned for everi". -to contend, as is ftated to be the opinion of our felf-denominated evangelical brethren by their Apologift, that "in order to a ftate of "falvation a change of mind, of views, and 66 difpofitions must be effected in every person, "wherever born, however educated, or of "whatever external conduct *:"-this is a conceit, which revelation warrants not, and which reason and experience disclaim. That no man, however near he may approach to the perfection of the Chriftian character, and however lovely an example he may exhibit of the beauty of holiness, is abfolutely perfect and free from the dominion of fin, I readily admit, and fhall hereafter have occafion to contend. Every man has been undoubtedly guilty of "fins, negligences, and ignorances," for which he will be brought to account, and will need the atoning blood of the Redeemer. But fome humble Christians alfo undoubtedly there are, who, having been once regenerated by water and the Holy Spirit, have fo followed his heavenly motions, and improved his fanctifying graces; have fo purfued the calm and blameless tenour of their Whitefield's Eighteen Sermons, p. 124, 292 * Overton's True Churchmen, &c. p. 160. way; have preserved that childlike fimplicity of character, and that childlike innocence of conduct, that their angels may not blush to behold the face of their heavenly Father. Such was the converfation even under the Jewish law of Zacharias and Elizabeth, "who "were both righteous before God, walking in "all the commandments and ordinances of "the Lord blamelefs!." And if the miniftration of Mofes, which was in comparison a ministration of death, was thus glorious, how fhall not the miniftration of Chrift, which is the ministration of the Spirit, be rather glorious? How fhall not the covenant of God be established, wherein he hath bound himself by an oath to Abraham, that he would "grant us a power to serve him in holiness and righ"teousness all the days of our life"?" And are we to be told that Chriftians, fuch as these, muft experience an entire change of heart, a thorough converfion of their ways? It is not to afcribe any merit to their righteoufnefs; it is no prejudice to the precious efficacy of the Redeemer's blood, or to the all-fufficiency of the Holy Spirit, (God forbid !) to say that they need no converfion. By that blood they have been purified from the origipal corruption of their naturé; by that blood Luke i. 6. 2 Cor. iii. 7, 8. An Luke i. 76. |