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Christ, and so trusts in an idol; or else he comes contemptuously, and so profanes it, and then by his wicked life he crucifies the Lord afresh; contracts the guilt of spiritual wickedness, by abusing, in the signs, the substance of our great salvation; thus he eats and drinks damnation, to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

For the abuse of this ordinance, some disorderly professors fell under the fatherly rod of God; many were sickly among them, and others had so grieved the Spirit, that they were like the drowsy virgins, many sleep; such had neglected self-examination, they had not tried themselves, therefore God examined, tried, and scourged them. "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged; but when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." There is nothing in this chapter against the humble penitent, the heavy laden, the coming sinner, or the tender-hearted believer; but the sins of these daring Corinthians were great, and the judgments denounced against them are awful. But poor weaklings are like the Lord's own disciples, when he told them, one of them should betray him they all cried out, " Lord is it I?" While the guilty was the last that spoke. Excuse haste. The Lord be with you, while I remain thine to serve in the gospel of Christ,

W. H.

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GRACE and truth be with you; I have read yours, and can sympathize with you; for I know by woful experience, the wretched bondage and confusion of arminianism; but let none of these things move thee; "What if some do not believe, shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid!" If every pretended Calvinist in England was to fall into the errors of arminianism, it would never hurt that soul who is soundly fixed on the rock Christ; your faith is not to stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

God often lets Satan loose as he did in Job's days, when he appeared among the sons of God, in order to discover the hearts of men, and bring their secret hypocrisy to light, that poor simple souls may be undeceived.

God has foretold us, That damnable heresies shall be brought in. The discovery of these, is to keep the elect from being ensnared, Job xxxiv. 30; and that the real children of God may be made manifest by their open confession, and warm attachment to the truth, while the others stumble and fall; as it is written, "For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you."

When branches fall off from the living vine, they err in their doctrine, and wither in their joy. And indeed, God does but fulfil his word in their fall; for every branch in Christ that beareth not fruit, he taketh away; if a man abide not in Christ, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered.

A man may appear to bring forth many external fruits, and yet be a branch cast forth after all. But he never can bring forth the genuine fruits of the Spirit without a vital union with the living vine; the bond of which union is, the electing and everlasting love of God in Christ Jesus. He that is a stranger to this bond, has nothing to hold him, or keep him from falling off; and if you look back on the doctrines that you have heard from will recollect that there was but little, if any account of an heart-felt union with Christ that appeared in his ministry. The Almighty sometimes throws down a column in appearance, and at the same time supports some who appear but bruised reeds, or weeping willows. By these

him, you

things we are taught to know that God is beholden to no man's parts, or abilities; and that he can carry on his cause and interest in the world, without human dignity, learning, or oratory. Besides, when the gospel, or something like the gospel, is brought into what is called a parish church, if there are any that fear God in it, they are herded together with all in the parish; the precious and the vile have both an equal claim on a parish priest, according to the customs or laws of men, though not according to the laws of God; "For," Paul says, "what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? but them that are without, God judgeth; therefore put away from among yourselves all wicked persons.'

There is some just cause that has provoked God to send this strong delusion among you, that those who are sound in the faith may fly from it; those that are clean, will escape from them that live in error, 2 Peter ii. 18.

Those among you that fear God, will now speak often one to another, your hearts will get warm and zealous for the truth; you will read the bible for yourselves, and while he is preaching up arminianism, the Holy Ghost will apply bibleism; you will be enabled to exhort one another; you will all unite in one fold, and God will, sooner or later, send you a pastor after his own heart. If I should come into Dorsetshire this summer, I will,

VOL. V.

if God permit, call and give you a sermon, if it should be in the high road.

Fighting against the doctrine of election is always the first step that men take when they go from the truth, they having not been able to make their own calling and election sure: election becomes a stumblingblock in their way, and therefore they try to roll it out of their way; and as it seems to be no friend to them, they become sworn enemies to that, and call it the devil's law, because it levels the pride of devilish nature.

As free-will cannot submit to the sovereign. will of God in the absolute choice of his people, they are obliged to dethrone the latter, that they may exalt the former.

When this is done, then another difficulty appears full as bad as the former; for if free-will has got the throne, it must have something to boast of; but imputed righteousness lies as a stumblingblock in the way of boasting; for if justification be by grace, as God declares it is, then we must be brought in debtors to that; but human deification and spiritual insolvency, can never stand together, therefore imputed righteousness must be taken away also, in order to make way for human merit; for that sovereign cuts a poor figure who has nothing to glory in.

For if men were publicly to affirm, that a soul established in the doctrines of free-will and human merit could boast of any security from eternal

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