This view, as presented by the Wesleyan standard writers, is far less inconsistent with the principles and spirit of Christianity than either of the others, and consequently it is precisely in the same proportion less self-consistent as a theory, and less ace urate in its use of technical language. These Christian brethren are to be honored for their exalted views, and earnest advocacy of the duty of pressing forward to the highest measures of Christian attain- ment, while it is to be for ever lamented that their great founder was so far misled by the prejudices of system as to bind in un- natural alliance so much precious truth with a theory, and termi- nology proper only to radical error. I will make here, once for all, the general explanation, that when stating the Arminian doc- trine on any point, I have generally preferred to refer to the form in which the doctrine was explicitly defined by the Dutch Ke- monstrants, rather than to the modified, and, as it seems to me, far less logically definite form in which it is set forth by the au- thorities of the Wesleyan churches, who properly style themselves "Evangelical Arminians." I attribute the peculiar theoretical indefiniteness which appears to render their definitions obscure, especially on the subjects of justification and of perfection, to the spirit of a warm, loving, working Christianity struggling with the false premises of an Arminian philosophy.
1st. While over and over insisting upon the distinction as to the two-fold relation sustained by the original law of God to man (1.) as a rule of being and acting, (2.) as a condition of divine favor, their whole theory is based upon a logical confusion of these
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two things so distinct. Dr. Peck teaches earnestly, and confirms by many Wesleyan testimonies, excellent Calvinistic doctrine upon the following points : The original law of God is universal and unchangeable, its demands never can be changed nor compromised. Obedience to this law was the condition of the original covenant of works. This condition was broken by Adam, but, in our be- half, perfectly fulfilled by Christ, and thus the integrity of God's changeless law was preserved. Therefore, he goes on to argue, the believer is no longer under the law, but under the covenant of grace, i. e., to use Wesley's own qualifying parenthesis, " as the condition of either present or future salvation." Certainly, we j answer, Christ is the end of the law for us for righteousness, in its forensic sense, that is, to secure our justification, but surely Christ did not satisfy that changeless law, in our place, in such a sense that it does not remain our rule of action, to which it is our duty to be personally conformed. The question of perfection is one which relates to our personal character, not to our relations ; it is moral and inherent, and not forensic. To prove, therefore, what we also rejoice to believe, that the original law of God, un- der the gospel covenant, is no longer our condition of salvation, does not avail one iota towards proving that God, under the gospel, demands an obedience adjusted to any easier standard than was required before.
2d. This theory is part of the Arminian view of the covenant of grace, which we regard so inconsistent with the gospel, and which Mr. Watson (see Institutes, Part II., Chap. XXIII.) ap- pears to attempt to avoid while refusing to admit the imputation to the believer of Christ's righteousness. This view is, that by Christ's propitiation, he having fulfilled the original law of God, it is made consistent with divine justice to present salvation upon easier conditions, i. e., faith and evangelical obedience; Christian perfection requiring nothing more than the perfect ful- fillment of these new gracious conditions. Now this view, besides confounding the ideas of law, and of covenant, of a rule, and of a condition, of a ground of justification, and of a standard of sanc- tification, is inconsistent with the broad teachings of the gospel concerning the righteousness of Christ, and the office of faith in justification. It makes the merit of Christ only in some uncer- tain and distant way the occasion of our salvation, and faith, and
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evangelical obedience, in the place of perfect obedience under the old covenant, the ground instead of the mere instrument and fruit of our justification. Logically developed, this theory must lead to the Romish doctrine as to the merit of good works.