our confidence stedfast to the end; and again, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised." (Heb. iii. 6, 14, and x. 23.) If the effect of righteousness be quietness and assurance for ever, it is strange if the effect of error and superstition be the same, which has always been marked with mobility and change, because a wrong foundation cannot support a building. But if this be the promised effect of righteousness in the latter days, or time of the Gospel, is it not strange that any can call themselves Christians without it?

In the beginning I was warned by my former brethren, against hearing the Shakers; as you complain, the people are warned of you, and fly from you as from the face of a serpent. But I determined to be honest; and told my hearers boldly, that I would follow the light and the truth where I could find it, and that if these led me to the Shakers, to the Shakers I would go; and said also, that if the Shakers would show me evidence according to the Scriptures that they were right, I would submit; although I, that is my flesh, was in opposition all the time. By approaching so near and looking into their testimony, I was taken, by that which comes as a snare upon all the earth. On this account I have suffered reproach and rejection by my former brethren and connections, even to the violation of the bonds of natural friendship. (See Address, p. 5.) But as I esteem it better to retain the truth, with openness of heart, and in the light, than to be governed by my own fleshly mind in concealment from the light, I am not sorry that I made as free with the Shakers as I did. And notwithstanding that I have been rejected as a heretic by the majority of those with whom I formerly had fellowship, as Paul once was, and on that account have suffered many inconveniences, and the privation of much satisfaction which I would have found, in seeing them heartily enter the way of life and peace, when many of them were at the door, I am not yet overcome, nor in despair of yet seeing God gather a people to his name out of those societies. Although the present prospect is poor towards the majority of those who have seen the light of the day, and have closed their eyes against it, some may yet be found, who being relieved from the fetters of prejudicial opposition, will more deliberately and candidly prove all things, and finding the work imperfect where they are, will eventually submit, to take up their cross, and suffer shame for the name of Christ. Besides: The rising generation must have their day and offer of the Gospel. Nothing of the same nature and extent could be more grateful to my spirit, than to find those people sensibly and tenderly feeling the ground on which they stand. For I am still persuaded, that many among them would yet be willing to follow Christ, bearing his reproach, were the hindrances taken out of the way. When! O when will men be wise, and cease to condemn without a fair hearing, and to reject at a distance what is unproved? Or when will they cease to use their strongest efforts to prevent others from examining what they have disapproved, without a fair trial?

The very unfavourable and ungenerous reception which the Gospel found among many at first, prevented many others from a fair hearing. The leaders of my people, said God, have caused them to err. The preachers who had, some of them, promoted the revival with great in

dustry and zeal, and had looked with earnestness for the commencement of the latter day of glory, were foremost in the opposition when it appeared. Many first shall be last. As soon as it was found that the testimony of Christ ran counter to the core of carnal delights and fleshly lusts, the HUE AND CRY of deceivers was raised against his witnesses; and all were warned to keep at a safe distance from them. Preachers soon began to give back from the light which they themselves received and propagated. I presume thou art not unmindful of the sermon which one of them preached at Cabin Creek, and afterwards, by my request at Bethel; after reading these words: "Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field." (Zech. x. 1.) In which he stated that Christ would come to judgment in his people, and would never be seen coming in any other manner-that these were the clouds in which he would be seen coming-that these were the white horses-and that Christ would judge the world by the preaching of the Gospel and by the power of his Spirit in the Gospel, and no other way-and that the day was at hand and the work then commencing. I presume thou canst also remember, when the same preacher, after he had heard the testimony of the kingdom of God, that Christ comes to judge the world in his saints, and that in the kingdom they do not marry, went back, and in my presence again preached the old traditionary system which he had exploded! One who had preached in the blazing light and power of God in the revival, determinately announced in a general conversation, that he would renounce all the preaching which he had preached for an indefinitely limited time, perhaps a year or more, time enough to include both those sermons. For, said he, it has just been preparing the way for the Shakers. And what was the matter, which put the preachers into such commotion? Why, they that have turned the world upside down have come hither also. True enough, it was a real preparatory work in the light and power of God, for the entrance of his eternal kingdom.

Two more preachers, after a time, (who were present and consented to the aforesaid renunciation,) who had never given the subject a fair hearing, having been early in the opposition, and having found, sure enough, that the light of the revival opened the way for the Shakers, and that many were closing in with the faith, have given these an eminent place among their reasons for retreating to their former ground, as the event showed. "In a few months more he, (Richard M'Nemar,) John Dunlavy and a great many of the people, were caught in the net of Shakerism." (For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Luke xxi. 35.) "In one year more Matthew Houston, who had been converted to our church by the Letters on Atonement, became a Shaker also. Are these things not worthy of notice? Who can keep their eyes from the light, however mortifying it may be? On the review of all these things, and more which might be mentioned, we were obliged to change our minds." (See R. Marshall and J. Thompson, p. 23.) Yea, and it will be more mortifying yet, when they have to repent and change their minds once more, and avow, that this wild enthusiasm by which they almost confess they were obliged to change, is of God, to which they have to

come or never see salvation, and that their enmity against the cross and self-denial of Christ constituted the real cause of their renunciation of, at least some of those doctrines which they now term errors. But who cannot see the disingenuousness of such reasoning? And what is the result? They have renounceed the sentiments which sprung up in the revival, out of the light and power of God, which the people received therein; they would not be counted enemies to the revival; but having lopped off the tender fruit they have lost the substancethe revival with them all is no more. It has been on the decline, for the most part, since about the time they and others began to indulge in their opposition to the Shakers; or rather declined faster then, for with many it had about done its work before. Such revivals cannot go beyond a limited extent, in that they are weak through the flesh. It is now with them, reduced to a shadow or less.

One preacher in a conversation said, he was more afraid of those three men, meaning three Shakers, than of all the other opposers to the revival. But if the Shakers be enemies to the revival, and their testimony not true, how comes it to pass that the people who know these things, and also know where the truth is, do not keep the revival? Or is the devil stronger than God? Or did God send in enemies to destroy his own work? How preposterous is the mind of man! of man, while unwilling to submit to the self-denying teachings of the Spirit, and the cross of Christ! Are all or any of these people who dread the Shakers Christians? I judge not. Shakers are not built on so flimsy a foundation as to change their sentiments, or be afraid of the doctrines, or of the light of any people. Having renounced the things which may be shaken, to hold fast those which cannot, they receive a kingdom which cannot be moved.

Had I, with the rest, determined to serve the flesh at all adventures, I suppose I could have fabricated an objection to some article of my former faith, affected a conviction, and returned to the dead sea of Calvinism in whole or in part. But what would I have gained? I should have been enveloped in darkness and death-beset with the distressing apprehensions of eternal death; or sunk into insensibility, I might have had the approbation of the world and of carnal professors; unless the judgment of God had pursued me so closely as to deprive me of that also. For if the light which was in me had become darkness, how great would that darkness have been? But I could not have enjoyed the cheering approbation of a good conscience. I could not have said, what I have done, I have done for the sake of Christ, or in simple obedience to God-it would have been to subserve the purposes and desires of the flesh. I have made thorough proof of what is called religion or gospel in the world, and salvation is not known one side of the faith of Christ in his second appearing.

Besides; as God deals with people according to their privilege and the use which they make of it, before the true light was restored, many had more justification and peace than can be experienced now, where the true Gospel is known and not obeyed. "The times of this ignorance God winked at." "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.”

SECTION III.

THE SUBJECT CONTINUED, WITH FURTHER REMARKS ON THE WRITINGS OF THE SUPERSCRIBED.

BARTON-I dispute not but that you have received more light, and a better understanding of the Gospel and its provisions, than people have generally had. You acknowledge the unquestionable privilege of all who hear the Gospel of Christ, to believe in him on the evidence and authority of the Gospel, without any previous renovating work of the Spirit to enable them, and so to receive of his fullness and grace for grace. But all this liberality, true as it is, cannot show the way of life. You attribute the whole to faith alone, as its immediate effect; so do they generally who oppose you. They say by imputation, impartation, or application. These terms and their connections you justly reject. You have also undertaken to show what that faith is by which a man becomes a Christian; and when it is all said, it is a mere moralizing theory, by which some would be affected, if well narrated, and some not, like the other systems. Accordingly, with but a little discernment, you may find numbers who believe these statements as firmly and heartily as you, and yet feel no life of Christ, because the real grounds of Christianity are wanting. By faith," you say, "in the blood of Jesus, is not merely to believe that he died on Calvary-we must know the designs of the death of Jesus, before we can be rightly affected by it. To believe, therefore, in the blood of Jesus, is to believe in the designs of it as well as that it was shed that the law is abolished-the New Testament, with all its fullness, introduced and confirmed to every creature-the resurrection procured-the dark vail between earth and heaven torn away-Heaven opened-life and immortality brought to light--and the love of God to sinners displayed." (Address, pp. 53, 57.) And what is there in all this different from Calvinism, except as to the extent of the New Testament? Thus men have been for centuries, fabricating systems, to get the hearts of mankind affected, that they may be saved without living the life of Christ, who left us an example and said, Follow me.

But you add a little after (p. 58): "From this we see the natural connection between faith in the blood of Jesus Christ and sanctification, redemption, &c." Perhaps you see the connection, as plainly as Calvinists see it between the imputed righteousness of Christ and the justification of the elect. But I confess I see no perfect connection in either plan: in the Calvinistic, because there is neither Scripture nor reason to support it; in yours, because you have left out a main link in the chain which is taught in the Scriptures, that of doing the will of God, or following Christ who has left us an example that we should follow his steps. I know that souls are justified, sanctified, and finally saved by or through faith, and never without it; but not as the proximate cause; the immediate, procuring cause of justi

fication, sanctification, and whole salvation, is obedience. "Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth." "And being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him." And this view of the subject by no means weakens the efficacy of faith, or derogates from its honour. It is the spring to that obedience. by which men please God. "But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." But without obedience faith can justify none. "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?-Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only," or without works.

For as the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (Jas. ii. 20, 24, 26.) This witness is true; so that faith can no more justify, or sanctify, without its soul, that is, works, than a dead body can live, and perform the actions of life, without its spirit.

But you have added (Ibid.): “I am far from thinking that every one must have a view of all these designs of his blood, before they can be Christians. Some, in the death of Jesus, may only discover the love of God to sinners, and by this be encouraged to trust in him.” But how do they discover this? Simply by believing the report of it in the word, or by preaching? for faith comes by hearing. Then what is the reason that all those who unhesitatingly believe this report, "That God hath commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us," are not Christians justified and sanctified? But many of these, I conclude thou knowest, have no more living Christianity than the devils who believe and tremble. You will perhaps say they do not believe aright, or in the Spirit, or with all the heart. But they believe according to the testimony, or they believe what they have heard, and on your own avowed plan, this is all you can ask; but yet many of them know their souls are not safe. Now resolve the doubt. But I presume you are not unaware, that something more than faith is necessary; though you are not able to tell what, more than I was before I found the everlasting Gospel, unless you would approach still nearer to the Shakers. These things are written in great freedom but in real friendship.

But you have introduced a comparison (Ibid.): "A father provides plentifully for a large family of children. Some of them may know the means by which the father got the provisions-others may not so well know, and the youngest may scarcely know any thing more than that the father's love provided these things. Yet they all eat and thrive without quarrelling about the means by which the provisions were obtained." And you might have added, that they eat and thrive just as well, without knowing, at least when young, whether the father's love provided these things, or whether the earth produced them spontaneously, or whether they came some other way. Thus by your own simile, if a good one, your plan of faith has tapered out to a POINT NO POINT. And let me honestly admonish you to look out, that all your labours in religion do not end there.

In all your writings you have not once opened, if named at all, the real ground of justification, or that in which the life of Christianity consists, clearly to the understanding. For the Gospel is preached to