profeffed myself a Member fome Years, without fo much as knowing what Doctrines or Principles they profeffed and held; this, I may venture to fay, without Breach of Charity, is the Cafe of many Profeffors at this Day.) But upon perufing the above Articles (as well as confidering the Opinion of most diffenting Sects) I could not reconcile fome Opinions therein contain'd with Scripture Doctrine and Teftimonies; particularly a Paragraph in the fifteenth Article, where it is faid, "Tho' we are all baptized and born again ❝in Chrift, yet we offend in many Things."

This Opinion appears to me manifeftly repugnant to Scripture Accounts of many, who attain'd in this Life a perfect Freedom from Sin. And the Text farther quoted by that Church will not import the Apostle himself to be included in it, 1 John i. 8. And I am of Opinion, we may safely interpret the Paffage by fome other Scripture Text; wherein the Apoftles include themselves with Sinners, yet by no Means can be understood, that they themselves were in the like Circumstances. And now shall offer the following Scripture Testimonies, which appear to corroborate, and greatly to justify us, with regard to a Tenet we particlarly hold, viz. The Poffibility (God's Grace affifting) of obtaining a perfect Freedom * from Sin even in this Life. Noah was a juft Man, and perfect in his Generation. Job was a perfect Man, and one that

* This Doctrine being deny'd by moft Chriftians except the Quakers, I thought proper to tranfcribe Part of a Converfation on that Subject, between a Clergyman and a Quaker

Qua. Doft

that fear'd God, and efchew'd Evil. God made David's Way perfect. Blessed are the Undefiled in the Way, who walk in the Law of the Lord. Be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. Every one that is perfect, fhall be as his Mafter. We speak Wijdom among them that are perfect. This also we wish, even your Perfection. Finally, Brethren, be perfect. That the Man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to every good Word and Work. But the God of all Grace make you perfect. That you may be perfect and intire, wanting nothing. Therefore leaving the Doctrines of the Principles of Chrift, let us go on to Perfection. Zachariah and Elizabeth were both holy, walking in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless. The Apostle Paul kept a Conscience void of Offence both in the Sight of God and Man. If we lay we have Fellowship with God, and walk in Darkness, we lie, and do not the Truth. Every Man that hath Hope in Chrift purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whofoever committeth Sin tranfgreffeth the Law, for Sin is the Trangreffion of the Law. Whofoever abideth in him finneth not;

C

for

you know

that

Qui. When then muft we be freed from Sin, and made fit for Heaven?

Cler. I believe God Almighty is able to forgive his People their Sins, and fit them for Heaven, a little before they depart.

Qua. How long ?

Cler. It may be an Hour or two.

Qua. I believe a Day or two, as well as an Hour or two.
Cler. I believe fo too.-

The Quaker carry'd gradually to a Month or two, till he brought it to feven Years; to which his Opponent anfwer'd, he believed the fame.

that Chrift was manifefted to take away our Sins. Whosoever finneth hath not feen him, neither known bim. Little Children, let no Man deceive you. He that doeth Righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous; and he that committeth Sin is of the Devil. For this Purpose was the Son of God manifefted, that he might deftroy the Works of the Devil. Whosoever is born of God finneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked One toucheth him not, 1 John, ver. 18. If we fay that we have not finned, we make him a Liar, and his Word is not in us; but if we confess and forfake our Sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanfe us from all Unrighteousness, which

is Sin.

And further, I obferve, that both the Old and New Testament abound with Exhortations to a Life of Holinefs and Purity. Let us cleanfe ourfelves, fays the Apostle Paul, from the Pollution of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God. And I have never remarked any Text yet, that leaves me the least Room to think that a partial Holiness will render us acceptable to God.

*

And upon reading a certain Annotator on the Subject, tho' he denies the Doctrine, yet is obliged to own this much, "That to require perfect "Obedience to his Laws, is a Thing abfolutely "neceffary on God's Part, from the Perfection " of his Divine Nature, and his Relation to us as a Governor; to require that we should not "fin; that is, fays he, trangrefs any of God's

"Laws

Doctor Whitby.

"Laws: For Sin being the Trangreffion of the "Law, and perfect and unfinning Obedience "being one and the fame, if God requires under "the new Covenant, that I should not trangrefs any of his Laws, as he most certainly must do, " he must require me not to fin against them; and "fo he muft require perfect and unfinning Obe"dience." Another Clergyman, difcourfing on the Subject of Holiness, has thefe Words: The "Divine Being is tranfcendently holy,and infinite

ly perfect; he is the Fountain of all Holiness, "and fanctifies his Saints, his People, and his "Ministers; he requires perfect Holiness in those "who approach him, and to be honour'd by his "Servants." And he further fays, "That true "Holiness confifts in a Conformity to the Na"ture and Will of God; whereby a Saint is dif tinguished from the unrenew'd World, and " is not acted by their Principles, nor govern'd by their Maxims and Customs."

"

But farther, upon perufing the Scripture, I have found no Room for Ceremonies under the Gospel Difpenfation, nor Precedent for Mufick in the Chriftian Church. The Liturgy, or Form of Prayer, became quite ufelefs to me, and finging David's Pfalms burthenfome; I confider'd, and it appear'd to me, we were endeavouring rather to please and gratify our own Ear, than finging to the Praise and Glory of God; and I find that David's Pfalms can no more be fuitable to the -State of the Souls of a whole or numerous Congregation, than the fame Form of Prayer can be agreeable to all Conditions and fpiritual Cafes. I fhall, among many, give a few Inftances of the

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In

Inconfiftency and Unfuitableness of the Pfalms of David, to the Conditions of Men of the following Characters, who, when they are in the Af femblies where these Pfalms are fung occafionally, they cuftomarily join in this Part of the Worship. The Wanton, who spends his precious Time in Jollity, he fings, I am weary with my Groaning, I make my Couch to fwim with my Tears. The proud Athieft, who hath banished God out of all his Thoughts, he fings, I have fet the Lord always before me, &c. The vain Man, who delights in the Company and Society of wicked Perfons, he fings, I have hated the Congregation of Evil-doers. The wither'd Tree, dead to God, and confequently fruitless, he fings, I am like a green Olive-tree in the House of God. He whofe Heart is a Cage of Uncleanness, fings, My Heart is inditing a good Matter. The daily Feafter, whofe Legs can fcarce bear about his corpulent Body, he fings, my Knees are weak thro' Fafting, and my Flesh faileth of Fatnefs. Satan's Captive, who wallows in the Mire and Filth of Sin, he fings, O Lord, truly I am thy Servant. The lawless Man, whofe Life is a Life of Rebellion, fubject to Sin and Satan, he fings, The Law of thy Mouth is dearer unto me than Thousands of Gold and Silver. The Proud and ambitious Perfon fings, Lord, my Heart is not haughty, nor mine Eyes lofty; my Soul is even as a weaned Child, &c. It has been objected, that we may as reasonably fing David's Pfalms, as read them; but I apprehend an effential Difference between reading them as David's Experience, or Words he used in praifing God (which were no Doubt fuggefted by the holy Spirit) and reducing

them