¹_In another place, after having observed, that “Sin does_ remain _in one that is justified, though it has not_ dominion _over him,” you go on, “But fear not, though you have an evil heart; yet a little while and you shall be endued with power from on high, whereby ye may purify yourselves, even as he is pure.”――――Sinners, if they believe this, may be quite secure, and imagine they have nothing to fear, though they continue in their iniquities.――――For God’s sake, Sir, speak out.――――If they that have an evil heart have not, who has reason to fear_?――――All who have not _dominion_ over sin: all who _continue in their iniquities_. You, for one, if any sin has dominion over you. If so, I testify against you this day, (and you will not be _quite secure, if you believe me_.) _The wrath of God abideth on you!_
¹ Page 31.
¹_What do you mean by “Sin remains in one that is justified?” That he is guilty of any known, wilful, habitual sin?_――――Judge by what has gone before――――I mean the same as our church means, by “Sin remains in the regenerate.”
¹ Page 32.
6. You proceed to another passage, which in the journal stands thus:¹
¹ Page 41.
“After we had wandered many years, in the _new path_ of _salvation by faith and works_, about two years ago it pleased God, to shew us the _old way_ of _salvation by faith only_. And many soon tasted of this _salvation_, being justified freely, having _peace_ with God, _rejoicing_ in hope of the glory of God, and having his love shed abroad in their hearts.” Thus I define what I mean by _this salvation_, viz. righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
But you object, ¹_Here you deny the necessity of good works, in order to salvation_――――I deny the necessity, nay possibility, of _good works_ as previous to _this_ salvation; as previous to faith or those fruits of faith, righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. This is my _real sentiment_, not _a slip of my pen_, neither _any proof of my_ want of accuracy.
¹ Page 33.
7. ¹_I shall now, you say, consider the account you give in this journal, of the doctrine of justification._
¹ Remarks, page 30.
I will recite the whole, just as it stands, together with the occasion of it.
“In ¹the afternoon I was informed, how many who cannot, in terms, deny it――――_explain_ justification by faith. They say 1. Justification is _two-fold_; the _first_, in this life, the _second_, at the last day. 2. Both these are by _faith alone_, that is, by _objective faith_, or by the merits of Christ which are the object of our faith. And this, they say, is all that St. _Paul_ and the church mean by, _We are justified by faith only_. But they add, 3. We are not justified by _subjective faith_ alone, that is, by the faith which is in us. But good works also must be added to this faith, as a _joint_ condition both of the _first_ and _second_ justification.
¹ Journal, pages 16, 17.
“In flat opposition to this, I cannot but maintain (at least till I have clearer light) 1. That the justification which is spoken of by St. _Paul_ to the _Romans_, and in our articles, is not two-fold. It is one and no more. It is the present remission of our sins, or our first acceptance with God. 2. It is true, that the merits of Christ are the sole cause of this our justification. But it is not true, that this is all which St. _Paul_ and our church mean, by our being justified by faith only: neither is it true, that either St. _Paul_ or the church mean by faith, the merits of Christ. But 3. By our being justified by faith only, both St. _Paul_ and the church mean, that the condition of our justification, is faith alone, and not good works: inasmuch as all works done before justification, have in them the nature of sin. Lastly, That faith which is the sole condition of justification, is the faith which is wrought in us, by the grace of God. It is a sure trust which a man hath, that Christ hath loved _him_ and died for _him_.”
8. To the first of these propositions you object, “That ¹justification is not only two-fold, but manifold. For a man may possibly sin many times, and as many times be justified or forgiven.”
¹ Remarks, pages 37, 38, 39.
I grant it. I grant also, that justification some times means, a _state_ of acceptance with God. But all this, does not in the least affect my assertion, that “_that justification_ which is spoken of by St. _Paul_ to the _Romans_, and by our church in the 11th, 12th, and 13th articles, is not _our acquittal_ at the last day, but the _present remission_ of our sins.”