A. Not if you mean by that word, love filling the heart, expelling pride, anger, desire, self-will; rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in every thing giving thanks. But I doubt few use sincerity in this sense. Therefore, I think the old word is best. A person may be sincere, who has all his natural tempers, pride, anger, lust, self-will. But he is not perfect till his heart is cleansed from these, and all its other corruptions.

To clear this point a little farther: I know many that love God with all their heart. He is their one desire, their one delight, and they are continually happy in him. They love their neighbour as themselves. They feel a sincere, fervent, constant desire for the happiness of every man, good or bad, friend or enemy, as for their own. They rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks. Their souls are continually streaming up to God. in holy joy, prayer, and praise. This is a point of fact: and this is plain, sound, scriptural experience.

But even these souls dwell in a shattered body, and are so pressed down thereby, that they cannot always exert themselves as they would, by thinking, speaking, and acting precisely right. For want of better bodily organs, they must at times think, speak, or act wrong not indeed through a defect of love, but through a defect of knowledge. And while this is the case, notwithstanding that defect and its consequences, they fulfil the law of love.

Yet as even in this case there is not a full conformity to the perfect law, so the most perfect do on this very account need the blood of atonement, and may properly for themselves, as well as for theirbrethren say, 66 Forgive us our trespasses."

Q. 13. But if Christ has put an end to that law, what need of any atonement for their transgressing it?

A. Observe in what sense he has put an end to it, and the difficulty vanishes. Were it not for the abiding merit of his death, and his continual intercession for us, that law would condemn us still. therefore we still need for every transgression of it.

Q. 14. But can one that is saved from sin be tempted?
A. Yes: for Christ was tempted.

These

Q. 15. However, what you call temptation I call the corruption of the heart. And how will you distinguish one from the other? A. In some cases it is impossible to distinguish, without a direct witness of the Spirit. But in general one may distinguish thus:

One commends me. Here is a temptation to pride. But instantly my soul is humbled before God. And I feel no pride; of which 1 am as sure, as that pride is not humility.

A man strikes me. Here is a temptation to anger. But my heart overflows with love. And I feel no anger at all; of which I can be as sure, as that love and anger are not the same.

But in the

A woman solicits me. Here is a temptation to lust. instant I shrink back. And I feel no desire for lust at all of which I am as sure, as that my hand is cold or hot.

Thus it is, if I am tempted by a present object: and it is just

the same, if, when it is absent, the Devil recalls a commendation, an injury, or a woman to my mind. In the instant the soul repels the temptation, and remains filled with pure love.

And the difference is still plainer, when I compare my present state with my past, wherein I felt temptation and corruption too. Q. 16. But how do you know that you are sanctified, and saved from your inbred corruption?

A. I can know it no otherwise than I know that I am justified. Hereby know we that we are of God, in either sense, by the Spirit he hath given us.

We know it by the witness, and by the fruit of the Spirit. And first, by the witness. As when we are justified, the Spirit bore witness with our spirit, that our sins were forgiven, so when we were sanctified he bore witness that they were taken away. Indeed the witness of sanctification is not always clear at first; (as neither is that of justification;) neither is it afterward always the same, but like that of justification, sometimes stronger and sometimes fainter. Yea, and sometimes it is withdrawn. Yet in general, the latter testimony of the Spirit is both as clear and as steady as the former.

Q. 17. But what need is there of it, seeing sanctification is a real change, not a relative change only, like justification?

A. But is the new-birth a relative change only? Is not this a real change? Therefore, if we need no witness of our sanctification, because it is a real change, for the same reason we should need none, that we are born of, or are the children of God.

Q. 18. But does not sanctification shine by its own light? A. And does not the new-birth too? Sometimes it does. And so does sanctification: at other times it does not. In the hour of temptation Satan clouds the work of God, and injects various doubts and reasonings, especially in those who have either very weak or very strong understandings. At such times there is absolute need of that witness: without which the work of sanctification, not only could not be discerned, but could no longer subsist. Were it not for this, the soul could not then abide in the love of God: much less could it rejoice evermore, and in every thing give thanks. In these circumstances, therefore, a direct testimony that we are sanctified, is necessary in the highest degree.

"But I have no witness that I am saved from sin and yet I have no doubt of it." Very well. As long as you have no doubt, it is enough when you have you will need that witness.

Q. 19. But what Scripture makes mention of any such thing, ou gives any reason to expect it?

A. That Scripture, 1 Cor. ii. 12, "We have received not the spirit that is of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things which are freely given us of God."

Now surely sanctification is one of "the things which are freely given us of God." And no possible reason can be assigned why this should be excepted, when the Apostle says, "We receive the Spirit for this very end, that we may know the things which are thus freely given us."

Is not the same thing implied in that well-known Scripture, Rom. viii. 16, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God?" Does he only bear witness to those who are children of God in the lowest sense? Nay, but to those also who are such in the highest sense. And does he not witness, that they are such in the highest sense? What reason have we to doubt it? What if a man were to affirm, (as indeed many do,) that this witness belongs only to the highest class of Christians? Would not you answer, The Apostle makes no restriction. Therefore doubtless it belongs to all the children of God. And will not the same answer hold, if any affirm, that it belongs only to the lowest class?

Consider likewise, 1 John v. 19, "We know that we are of God." How? "By the Spirit that he hath given us." Nay, "hereby we know that he abideth in us." And what ground have we, either from Scripture or Reason, to exclude the witness, any more than the fruit of the Spirit, from being here intended? By this then also we know that we are of God, and in what sense we are so; whether we are babes, young men, or fathers, we know in the same manner.

Not that I affirm, that all young men, or even fathers have this testimony every moment. There may be intermissions of the direct. testimony that they are thus born of God. But those intermissions. are few and shorter as they grow up in Christ. And some have the testimony both of their justification and sanctification, without any intermission at all: which I presume more might have, did they walk humbly and closely with God.

Q. 20. May not some of them have a testimony from the Spirit, that they shall not finally fall from God?

A. They may. And this persuasion, that neither life nor death. shall separate them from Him, far from being hurtful, may in some circumstances be extremely useful. These, therefore, we should in nowise grieve, but earnestly encourage them to hold the beginning of their confidence steadfast to the end.

Q. 21. But have any a testimony from the Spirit that they shall never sin?

A. We know not what God may vouchsafe to some particular persons. But we do not find any general state described in Scripture, from which a man cannot draw back to sin. If there were any state wherein this was impossible, it would be that of those that are sanctified, who are "Fathers in Christ, who rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks." But it is not impossible for these to draw back. They who are sanctified, yet may fall and perish, Heb. x. 29. Even Fathers in Christ need that warning, "Love not the world." 1 John ii. 15. They who rejoice, pray, and give thanks without ceasing, may nevertheless quench the Spirit. 1 Thess. v. 16, &c. Nay even those who are sealed unto the day of redemption, may yet grieve the Holy Spirit of God." Eph. v. 30.

Although therefore God may give such a witness to some particu-. lar persons, yet it is not to be expected by Christians in general, there being no scripture whereon to ground such an expectation.

Q. 22. By what fruit of the Spirit may we know that we are born. of God even in the highest sense?

A. By love, joy, peace always abiding; by invariable long-suffering, patience, resignation; by gentleness, triumphing over all provocation; by goodness, mildness, sweetness, tenderness of spirit; by fidelity, simplicity, godly sincerity; by meekness, calmness, evenness of spirit; by temperance, not only in food and sleep, but in all things natural and spiritual.

Q. 23. But what great matter is there in this? Have we not all this when we are justified?

A. What! Total resignation to the Will of God, without any mixture of self-will? Gentleness, without any touch of anger, even the moment when we are provoked? Love to God, without the least love to the creature, but in and for God, excluding all envy, all jealousy, and rash judging? Meekness, keeping the whole soul inviolably calm? and temperance in all things? Deny that any ever came up to this, if you please; but do not say all who are justified do.

Q. 24. But some who are newly justified do: What then will you say to these?

A. If they really do, I will say, they are sanctified, saved from sin in that moment: and that they never need lose what God has given, or feel sin any more.

But certainly this is an exempt case. It is otherwise with the generality of those that are justified: they feel in themselves more or less pride, anger, self-will, a heart bent to backsliding. And till they have gradually mortified these they are not fully renewed in love.

Q. 25. But is not this the case of all that are justified? Do they not gradually die to sin and grow in grace, till at, or perhaps a little before death, God perfects them in love?

A. I believe this is the case of most, but not all. God usually gives a considerable time for men to receive light, to grow in grace, to do and suffer his will, before they are either justified or sanctified. But he does not invariably adhere to this. Sometimes he cuts short his work. He does the work of many years in a few weeks: perhaps in a week, a day, an hour. He justifies or sanctifies both those who have done or suffered nothing, and who have not had time for a gradual growth either in light or grace. "And may he not do what he will with his own? Is thine eye evil because he is good?" It need not therefore be affirmed over and over, and proved by forty texts of Scripture, either that most men are perfected in love at last, that there is a gradual work of God in the soul; or that, generally speaking, it is a long time, even many years before sin is destroyed. All this we know. But we know likewise, that God may, with man's good leave, cut short his work in whatever degree he pleases, and do the usual work of many years in a moment. He does so, in many instances. And yet there is a gradual work, both before and after that moment. So that one may affirm, the work is gradual, another, it is instantaneous, without any manner of contradiction.

Q. 26. Does St. Paul mean any more by being sealed with the Spirit, than being renewed in love?

A. Perhaps in one place, 2 Cor. i. 22, he does not mean so much. But in another, Eph. i. 13, he seems to include both the fruit and the witness; and that in a higher degree than we experience, even when we are first renewed in love. God sealeth us with the Spirit of Promise, by giving us the full assurance of hope; such a confidence of receiving all the promises of God, as excludes the possibility of doubting; with that Holy Spirit, by universal holiness, stamping the whole image of God on our hearts.

Q. 27. But how can those, who are thus sealed, grieve the Holy Spirit of God?

A. St. Paul tells you very particularly: 1. By such conversation as is not profitable, not to the use of edifying, not apt to minister grace to the hearers. 2. By relapsing into bitterness or want of kindness. 3. By wrath, lasting displeasure, or want of tender-heartedness. 4. By anger, however soon it is over; want of instantly forgiving one another. 5. By clamour or brawling, loud, harsh, rough speaking. 6. By evil speaking, whispering, tale-bearing; needlessly mentioning the fault of an absent person, though in ever so soft a manner.

Q. 28. What do you think of those in London, who seem to have been lately renewed in Love?

A. There is something very peculiar in the experience of the greatest part of them. One would expect that a believer should first be filled with love, and thereby emptied of sin: whereas these were emptied of sin first, and then filled with love. Perhaps it pleased God to work in this manner, to make his work more plain and undeniable and to distinguish it more clearly from that overflowing love, which is often felt even in a justified state.

It seems likewise most agreeable to the great promise, Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26, "From all your filthiness I will cleanse you; a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you."

But I do not think of them all alike; there is a wide difference between some of them and others. I think most of them with whom I have spoken, have much faith, love, joy, and peace. Some of them I believe are renewed in love, and have the direct witness of it: and they manifest the fruit above described, in all their words and actions. Now let any man call this what he will: it is what I call Perfection.

But some who have much love, peace, and joy, yet have not the direct witness. The others who think they have, are nevertheless manifestly wanting in the fruit. How many I will not say: perhaps one in ten, perhaps more or fewer. But some are undeniably wanting in long-suffering and Christian resignation. They do not see the hand of God in whatsoever occurs, and cheerfully embrace it. They do not in every thing give thanks, and rejoice evermore. They are not happy; at least not always happy. For sometimes they complain. They say, "This or that is hard!"