of God) I never attempted to prove it; but I ftill think it is clearly described in those words, As he is, fo are we in this world. And yet it doth not now appear what we shall be, when this vilę body is fashioned like unto his glorious body, when we shall see him, not in a glass, but face to face, and be transformed into his likeness.

Thofe expreffions, John xiv, Ye are clean: clean every whit, are allowed to refer to Juftification only. But that expreffion, If we walk in the light as he is in the light, cannot refer to Juftification only. It does not relate to Juftification at all, whatever the other claufe may do. Therefore those Texts are by no means parallel, neither can the latter be limited by the former: although it is fure the privileges described in both, belong to every adult believer.

But not only abundance of particular Texts, but the whole tenor of Scripture declares, Chrift came to deftroy the works of the Devil, to fave us from our fins: all the works of the Devil, all our fins, without any exception, or limitation. Indeed fhould we fay, we have no fin to be faved or cleanfed from, we fhould make him come in vain. But it is at least as much for his glory, to cleanse us from them all, before our death as after it.

"But St. James fays, In many things we offend all; and whatever we might mean, if alone, the expreffion, we all, was never before understood to exclude the person speaking.” Indeed it was. It is unquftionably to be understood, so as to exclude Ifaiah, the person speaking, chap. Ixiv. 6, We are all as an unclean thing-We all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. For this was not the cafe with Isaiah himself. Of himself he fays (chap. Ixi. 10.) My foul fhall be joyful in my God; for he hath cloathed me with the garments of falvation; he hath covered me with the Tobe of righteoufnefs: here the Prophet, like the Apostle, uses the word we instead of you, to foften the harshness of an unpleasing truth.

In this chapter the Apostle is not cautioning them against cenfuring others; but entering upon a new argument: wherein the second verse has an immediate reference to the firft; but none at all to the 13th of the preceding chapter.

I added, "we offend all, cannot be spoken of all Christians; for immediately there follows the mention of one, who offends not, as the we before-mentioned did." You anfwer, "his not offending in word will not prove that he does not offend in many things." I think St. James himself proves it, in faying, He is able to bridle alfo the whole body: to direct all his actions as well as words, according to the holy, perfect will of God: which those, and those only are able to do, who love God with all their hearts. And yet thefe very perfons can fincerely fay, "Forgive us our Trefpaffes." For as long as they are in the body, they are liable to mistake, and to speak or act according to that mistaken judgment. Therefore they cannot abide the rigour of juftice, but flill need mercy and forgiveness.

Were you to ask, “What if I should die this moment?" I fhould anfwer, I believe you would be faved: because I am perfuaded, none that has faith can die before he is made ripe for glory. This is the doctrine, which I continually teach, which has nothing to do with Juftification by works. Nor can it difcourage any, who have faith, neither weaken their peace or damp their joy in the Lord. True believers are not diftreffed hereby, either in life or in death: and unless in fome rare inftance, wherein the Temptation of the Devil is joined with a melancholy Temper.

Upon the whole, I obferve your great Argument turns all along on a mistake of the Doctrine. Whatever warm expreflions may drop from young men, we do not teach, that any believer is under condemnation. So that all the inferences, drawn from this fuppofition, fall to the ground at once.

Your

1

Your other letter I hope to confider hereafter: though I have great reason to apprehend your prejudice will still be too ftrong for my arguments. However, whether you expect it or no, I must wish for your perfection. You of all people have moft need of perfect love; because this alone cafts out fear.

I am, with great fincerity,

Your affectionate Brother and Servant,

JOHN WESLEY.

POETRY.

To a young Lady on her Birth-Day, being the firft of April.

L

ET others write for bye-designs,

I feek fome moral in my lines,
Which whofoever reads must bear,
Or great, or learned, or young, or fair.
Permit me then, with friendly lay,
To moralize your April-day.

Chequered your native month appears,
With funny gleams and cloudy tears;
'Tis thus the world our truft beguiles,
Its frowns as tranfcient as its fmiles;
Nor pain nor pleafure long will stay,
For Life is but an April-day.

Ee 2

Health

Health will not always laft in bloom,

But age or sickness furely come;

Are friends beloved? Why Fate must seize,
Or these from you, or you from thefe ;
Forget not earneft in your play,

For youth is but an April-day.

When piety and fortune move
Your heart to try the bands of love,
As far as duty gives you power,
Guiltless enjoy the present hour;
"Gather your Rofe-buds while you may,"
For love is but an April-day.

What clouds foe'er without are seen,
Oh, may they never reach within!
But virtue's ftronger fetters bind
The strongest tempeft of the mind:
Calm may you shoot your fetting ray,
And sunshine end your April-day.

If

Rev. Sir,

To the Reverend Mr. J. Wesley.

you think it consistent with your plan, to insert the following Extract, on univerfal Redemption, in your next month's Magazine, you will oblige your old Friend,

M. MINUTIUS FELIX.

OME foothe their confcience with a frange decree,

SON

"If my dear infant's damnéd, what's that to me? Share now he muft the lottery of us all,

Decreed for heaven, or hell before the fall!

Though

Though Adam ruinéd all the fons of men,
And now not one can turn to God again,
Unless of old, elected from the reft,

For all are finners-nor are faints the beft-
My child will come, if called by Javing grace,
-If not-he'll go, like Judas, to his place!
Suppofe he grows in fin, 'tis nature's bent-
When his time comes, he cannot but repent-
Before this call, or fhould it ne'er begin,
His alms and tears are so much splendid fin!
If doomed to hell-what need of human fkill-
He'll burn in flames, let both do what we will!"

Hail thou kind parent! hail thou weet divine!
Whose love or logic can compare with thine!
But fome blind bigot let me flill be thought,
I hold not Reason as a thing of nought,
Her light and influence ferve me fill to prove
That "all" means " every one," and God is love,

That fome bleffèd feed, in human hearts prepared,

May lead them onward to their full reward,

By due improvement may, through promised grace,
Bear up to glory the whole human race.

How foon expand our bowels free to all,

When none, we know, need fink beneath the fall!
-Some focial hope, by feeling understood,
Supports our aim for univerfal good,

Spreads through our hearts, unités us to our foes,
Takes in a world, and still progressive flows!—

'St. Paul, speaking of God, fays, "who would have ALL MEN to be faved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." And, speaking of Christ, he fays, "who gave himself a ransom for ALL, to be teftified in due time." Foreseeing, perhaps, that this Doctrine would begin to be disputed three or four Centuries after his death. For who, befides the Jews and Heathen Fatalifts, doubted it, before AUGUSTINE used his logical wand against it ♪.

Yet