does, and, as I suppose, on the same conditions; that is, we may render perfect obedience, if we apply ourselves to the work as we ought, and fully avail ourselves of the gracious provisions of the gospel. He surely would not say that we may render perfect obedience in any other way.

I must therefore protest here, as I did in the former case, against Mr. Mahan's claiming that, as belonging peculiarly and exclusively to him and to those who agree with him, which belongs equally to others. We hold as decidedly as he does, that, in the common acceptation of the term, complete holiness is attainable in the present life. When we assert that a thing is attainable, or may be attained, our meaning is, that a proper use of means will secure it; that we shall obtain it, if we do what we ought; and that, if we fail of obtaining it, truth will require us to say we might have obtained it, and that our failure was owing altogether to our own fault. The attainableness of any thing surely does not mean the same thing as its being actually obtained. For it is very common to speak of many things, for example, the improvement of the mind, and a state of competence, as things which are attainable, or which may be obtained, but which never are obtained. The same as to the blessings of the gospel. Mr. Mahan would doubtless say, as others do, that salvation is attainable by all who hear the gospel; that under the dispensation of grace, any and all sinners may be saved; meaning, that means and opportunities are provided; that the way is prepared; that salvation is freely offered to them on the most reasonable terms; that a proper conduct on their part will secure the blessing, and that if they do not obtain it, they themselves, and they only, will be the faulty cause of the failure. When we say a thing is not attainable, we mean that, whatever we may do, we cannot obtain it, and that our failing to obtain it will not be owing to any misconduct or neglect on our part. It is often and truly represented, that impenitent sinners, at the judgment day, will have the painful reflection that the blessedness of heaven was offered to them, and was put within their reach,—that they might have been saved, but refused the infinite good.

See, now, how Mr. Mahan treats this subject in his Discourses, pp. 45, 46, and elsewhere. He says, the church and the ministry, almost universally, believe that perfection is unattainable. He means all who dissent from his views. And then he inquires, how Christians can aim at perfection, with the belief

that it is not attainable. But this is not our belief. It therefore becomes evident, that his representation is not correct, and that all the advantage he derives or seems to derive from it, is unjust. But there is a question here which must not be overlooked. Both parties hold, that complete holiness is attainable. Does this prove that it is actually attained? Here again I shall address myself to Mr. Mahan. Do you not hold, my brother, that salvation is attainable by all sinners who hear the gospel? But do you infer from this, that all will be saved? Further: Do you not hold that complete holiness is attainable by all believers now, this very day, and this very minute? Doubtless you do. But your writings show, that you are far enough from thinking that all believers are completely holy now. If you really thought them to be so, why should you show such grief at their short-comings? And why speak, as you do, of Christians "partially sanctified?" And why labor, with such zeal, to stir them up to make higher attainments, and seek after perfection? Now, if you yourself do not think that the actual attainment of perfection can be inferred from its attainableness, can it be right for you to employ modes of reasoning which imply, or seem to imply, that you do think so?

DIVINE PROMISES.

Mr. Mahan and others place great dependence upon these for the support of their doctrine. The question which I shall now consider is, whether the promises of God, when rightly interpreted, do really support the doctrine.

It is hardly necessary to say that I perfectly agree with Mr. Mahan in the confident belief, that God will fulfil all his promises, taken in their true meaning. No one, surely, can expect them to be accomplished in a sense which they were never intended to bear. The first inquiry, then, must be, as to the true meaning of the promises referred to. The great and precious promise of the New Covenant, on which Mr. Mahan founds his fourth Discourse, is this: "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people, etc.; and all shall know me, from the least to the greatest; for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins will I remember no more." Mr. Mahan says, that Christ, here and in other places, promises to

believers "a confirmed state of pure and perfect holiness, such as is required in the moral law." The moral law requires pure and perfect holiness at the present time, and at all times. We must then suppose Mr. Mahan's meaning to be, that God here promises perfect holiness to believers now, and at all times. But really, my brother, how does the text just recited, containing the great promise of the New Covenant,-how does it show. this? Is it certain, that God's putting his laws in the minds of his people, and writing them in their hearts is precisely the same as bringing them to "a confirmed state of pure and perfect holiness?" Is it certain that the law cannot be written in the heart, in some degree, when it is not done perfectly? Is it a thing so evident that it may be taken for granted, without any proof, that there cannot be real obedience where there is not perfect obedience?-some degree of holiness in those who are not completely holy? To me it is manifest, that the abovementioned promise may be accomplished in different degrees. It is accomplished in a lower degree, when God by his Spirit brings men to repent, and to render cordial obedience to his law in a small measure. It is accomplished in a higher degree, when he brings them to render obedience in a larger measure. And it is accomplished in the highest degree, or perfectly, when he brings them to render an unceasing and perfect obedience. And this is only saying, what is true in a thousand cases, that a good work may be done, or a favor conferred in different degrees, and that its being done in one degree does not necessarily imply that it is done in another and higher degree. It would seem that no one could mistake or doubt concerning a matter so plain as this. And yet the conclusiveness of much of Mr. Mahan's reasoning turns upon this one point. Take the promise above recited, that all shall know God from the least to the greatest. I ask Mr. Mahan whether this promise has ever been completely fulfilled, respecting either the children of Israel or any other nation? If he says yes, I ask, when? If he says no, as he doubtless will, then I ask, how, on his principle of interpreting the promises, he can vindicate the faithfulness of God? Will he say, although the promise has never yet been fulfilled, it will be hereafter? Then I ask, why the same may not hold in respect to all the texts in which God promises to make his people completely holy? If God may be faithful in respect to the promise, that all shall know him, because he will fulfil it at a distant, future period, though for thousands of years it has re

mained unfulfilled; may he not be faithful in respect to his promise, that his people shall be made perfect in holiness, if he fulfils it to them a few days hence, that is, when they are removed to the heavenly state, although it may not be fulfilled during the short period of the present life?

But with respect to the promise of God, that the world shall be converted and all flesh see his salvation, we may take another view. It is manifest that the promise, in the full extent of its meaning, has not yet been accomplished. But has not something been done towards its accomplishment? Have not multitudes, in different parts of the world, been converted to God? Has not the kingdom of Christ been extended more and more? And may not the promise, that the whole world shall be turned from sin, be intended to include not only the final event of the universal reign of Christ, but all the events of the same kind which are introductory to it, that is, all instances of the conversion of sinners, and especially of the spread of the gospel in pagan countries? And, accordingly, may not such a promise, like many of the prophecies, have a gradual, progressive accomplishment, an accomplishment extending through a long period of time, and leading on to a complete fulfilment in the end? And if God, in his unsearchable wisdom, sees fit to accomplish his word of promise or prediction in this way, does it become us to say either that he does not accomplish it, or that he does not show his faithfulness as clearly, as if he should accomplish it at once? Unless we fall into such a train of thought as I have suggested, we shall be under the painful necessity of admitting, that the most precious and glorious promises of God respecting the enlargement and prosperity of his kingdom, have not, to this day, been accomplished in any respect or in any degree, that they have not even begun to be fulfilled.

The same remarks apply to the promises of the New Covenant respecting the sanctification of believers. Take the precious promise, that Jesus "shall save his people from their sins." And look at all believers now living. Has Jesus already saved them all completely from their sins? Is it true that, at the present time, there is no sin, no moral defilement in any of them? Mr. Mahan does by no means believe this. Has the promise, then, been really fulfilled in regard to the great body of Christians now living? Yes, we say, really fulfilled, though not as yet completely fulfilled:-really fulfilled, inasmuch as Jesus has begun to save them from their sins, and given them a degree of

true holiness:-but not completely fulfilled, inasmuch as sin, in different degrees, still dwells in them. We can take no other view of the subject, unless we hold either that the promise remains wholly unaccomplished respecting the present race of believers, or else that every true believer is now in a state of sinless perfection. But Mr. Mahan does not hold that all believers are now perfect. He considers Christians generally as very deficient in faith and obedience, and presents complete holiness before them, as an object to be sought, not as already obtained. Will he then say, that the precious promise above named has not, in any degree, been fulfilled respecting them? I think he will rather say, whatever may become of his theory, that as the gracious Redeemer "has begun a good work in them," he has begun to save them from their sins, and so has, in a measure, really fulfilled the promise.

Take one promise more:-"I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you." Let this be admitted to relate to all believers. Has it, then, been already completely fulfilled in respect to every one of them, so that no moral pollution remains? Mr. Mahan will say, clearly not. Has it, then, been really fulfilled in any degree? Certainly it has been. Their being true Christians implies, that God has made them clean in some measure;-that they are really sanctified in a degree. Now, who will say, that God may not cause his faithfulness to be seen and admired in regard to a promise, which has already been fulfilled in some degree, and to some extent, but is hereafter to have a more extensive and more perfect fulfilment ?

But as this is one of the main points, one of the hinges on which the existing controversy turns,-I am not yet ready to dismiss it. My wish is, to examine the question as to the accomplishment of the divine promises which relate to the sanctification of believers, so thoroughly, that all difficulties may, as far as possible, be removed, and that we may have no occasion to dwell on the subject again.

Come then, my brother, let us reason together a little farther on the subject before us. In what manner are we to understand the promises and declarations of God which you have so often quoted, in regard to the time of their complete fulfilment? We agree what the promises are, and what a complete accomplishment implies. And we agree that they will, first or last, be completely accomplished. The great, and, it would seem,