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    remained in his sins , he thinks they ean 4 ) e no bar at any time to his election . When this reasoning subjects him to the charge of undermining morals , he parries it , by saying that God does not allow his elect to be guilty of such wicked actions as may require repentance , and therefore that confession of sin and repentance Imply an . ignorance of the gospel . The question here is , not how far this zealot is mistaken in his opinions , but how far a Calvinist is identified

    with him . To enumerate all the degrees and shades of Calvinism would be endless ; I shall therefore confine my observations to the doctrines held by the great majority of those who profess it . In the definition of an Antinornian ,

    it is only in the two last particulars that Calyinists can say they are distinguished from him 5 for they deny as firmly as any Antinomian that works have any effect whatever to procure the favour of God . Justification , they say , is to be attributed exclusively to a cause which is totally out of the power of any mortal ; and this cause is the decree of God , before the

    creation of man , by which he willed that the merits of Christ ' s atonement should be applied to a certain number put of mankind , without any foresight of their faith or works . At the same time he decreed , as they hold , that power should be given to these elect ,

    to accept Christ at the proper time ; and this miraculous power , which is what they call justifying faith , they can no in ore secure for themselves by any act of mind or body , which originates in their own free-will , than they could give themselves a new sense .

    But Calvinists say , that though good works have no effect to procure justification , yet they will not be wanting in those who truly accept Christ . This is the identical language of the Antinomian , and no distinction

    appears between them on this ground . Nothing alarms both one and the other so much as an apprehension that they attribute any efficacy to their works , and this feeling and dread they flatter themselves is humility . But what good is there in humility

    without charity , or can it exist ? To renounce works , and to vilify their nature and character , cannot entitle them to the praise of humility , while their

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    professions of abasement are united , in their estimation , with no less a distinction than a supernatural power to accept Christ , with a direct revelation that they are the elect and favourites of God : while they believe at the

    same time , that all from whom tins revelation is withheld , and who never obtain it , are reprobates . In describing and judging a reprobate they entirely agree , and in these respects , their humility and charity are equally conspicuous .

    Nor is there any material difference between them in their assurance , that they can by no act forfeit the Divine favour . This assurance follows necessarily from their theory respecting the

    decrees of God ; but a little common sense obtrudes , in spite of theory , and renders Calvinists occasionally weak in faith . Ahtinomians have greater confidence .

    We come now to the consideration of the two particulars , on account of which Calvinists will not submit to be called Antinomians . One of these has been already disposed of , where I gave the explanation of the opinion , that the evil works of some men have

    not the character of sin . Few Calvinists of the present day will say tliat God does not behold sin in the elect , but none of them will object to say that he will not finally punish it ; and this opinion is the same in effect with the explanation of the Antinomian . It remains now to be considered

    whether Calvinists so far resemble Antinomians in their doctrines , as to supersede the moral law . Probably neither party will admit expressly that they do this , but their denial is not sufficient to decide the question . Do

    they not both maintain that our nature derived from Adam is not merely very imperfect and prone to sin , but that i ^ is sinfu l altogether , without one redeeming grace ; or , more properly , that it is sin itself in the abstract ?

    To such a degree do they carry this sentiment , that they say the best work of the best man , viewed without the atonement of Christ , deserves hell . Yet when a monster of sin supposes he has power given him to accept Christ , notwithstanding- a sense of his sins continued to that moment , and

    notwithstanding that he still continues to insist on his vileness , he takes possession without hesitation or difficu lty

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    330 Affinity of Calvinists and Antififrmians ,

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1825, page 330, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2537/page/10/