comes it that a higher tone of morality is universally expected from those who maintain that doctrine, than from others ? Whence is it that the smallest evils in such persons are more severely marked, than the most licentious courses of the ungodly world ? We appeal to all who hear us, Whether, if a professor, and especially a preacher, of this doctrine were to demean himself in all things for one single day in the way that the generality of his own age and station live all the year round, the mouths of all who beheld him would not be opened against him as a hypocrite g? Whence should this be, if those who maintain the doctrine of justification by faith alone, represented it as liberating men from their obligation to good works? And how comes it, that the very persons who are com- plained of for thelicentious tendency of their principles, should at the same time be universally condemned for the over-righteous sanctity of their lives ?
To all, then, who misrepresent the Gospel, we would give this reply : — Look at David, and see what the effect of the Gospel had on him : look at Paul, and contemplate its effects on him : look at the uni- form declarations of Scripture, and see what was the life of all the primitive Believers : nay, look only at the expectations which you yourselves have formed : for, if you see a professor of the Gospel act unworthy of his profession, you deem him inconsistent ; which
s It having been observed to the author, that the words " age and station" might be mistaken for age and order, and thus be supposed to aim at the Clergy, he judges it right to guard against any such misconception of his meaning. The scope of his observation is this : A Professor, and especially a Preacher, of the doctrines here referred to, is expected to be more strict in his conduct than others who deny those doctrines. And, whether he be young or old, or of the higher or lower orders of society, if he were to manifest the same worldly spirit, to avow the same worldly sentiments, to shew the same indif- ference to religion, and to indulge in the same latitude of conversation altogether, as the generality of others who are of the same age and rank of life do, he would be accounted most glaringly and grossly in- consistent. Some, notwithstanding their aversion to these doctrines, are more guarded in their spirit and conversation ; but the generality are not : and therefore the author purposely limited his observations to " the generality. ,"