NARCH-In fhort, let Confcience be whatever of the Things we have spoken of, or whatever elfe we find it is abfolutely the common Enemy of Sin; and all agree that it was given to fix a Senfe of Crime in every Creature, therefore it is the strongest Proof we can offer, that the Moravian Tenet under Confideration is not only contrary to Revelation, but an evident, fenfible Contradiction to the Impulfes of fomething in the fpiritual Part of our Nature; which was never given in vain. It is alfo the strongest Proof that there is more than one Duty, one Command, viz. that of fimple Belief; and proves of Course, that the prefent Moravians are in this Point of Opinion moft unhappily erroneous. For it is as clear as Day, that all Acts of Piety and Virtue, are DUTIES indifpenfably neceffary for us to do, at all Times, and to all People when in our Power.

BUT the Scriptures are fo pointed and ex. prefs in this Particular, that we must either deny the common Senfe of Words, and the Ufe of our own Abilities, or conclude this Opinion to be contrary to the Gofpel. For Men are to be judged by their Thoughts, Words, and Works; and fhall (pursuant to Gospel Terms) be rewarded or punished accordingly. Eccl. 12. 14. "God fhall "bring every Work, unto Judgment. Matt. 16. 17.

The Son of Man fhall

come in the Glory of the Father, and "fhall

U 2

"fhall reward every Man, according to his "Works." Gal. 6. 4. "Let every Man

prove his own Work, and then shall he "have rejoicing in himself alone."-Nay the whole Scriptures are full of thefe Proofs, but one plain Text is fufficient as Thoufands. They are likewife as pointed, with Refpect to our Words.Matth. 12.37 "By thy Words thou fhalt be justified, and by thy Words thou fhalt be condemned." And in like Manner as to our Thoughts Solomon tells us that the Thought of "Foolishnefs is Sin."* And in Acts viii. 21. 22. the Apoftles tell Simon that he had neither Part nor Lot in the Holy Ghoft, for bis Heart was not right in the Sight of God. And bid him pray God, if perhaps the Thought of his Heart might be for given.

IN fhort we may conclude with the Text, and rely on it."That Godliness is pro"fitable to all Things; having the Pro"mife of this Life, and that which is ta " come."

CHAP.

An Heathen, who could not pretend to Solomon's Wisdom, fays as much,

Scelus qui cogitat ullum fa&ti

Crimen habet.

Juv.

He who thinks to da Evil, hath already committed a

Crime

1

CHA P. V.

SECTION I

Some general Thoughts on the Nature, Tendency, and necessary Confequences of the Moravian System of Dorine.

HE two mean ERRORS confidered, together with their Error concerning the Law, treated of in the first Chapter of this Work, which feem to be the Founda tion on which their whole System refts, have already appeared to be erroneous in high Degree. And most of those Errors which feem to be no more than Effects of the mean Errors confidered, are productive of Confequences as pernicious as any mentioned.

to

THEY hold that the "Doing of good ❝ Works, are not of ourselves but of God; "that we are intitled to no Reward for doing "it, nor does God even require it of us, " but when we find fome uncommon Emo"tion of Spirit to impel us thereto"; gether with a vaft Deal more of fuch Fooleries.That thofe Principles tend to deftroy Man's Free-will; pervert the Meaning of Faith, and, in great Meajure, make V 3 God

God the Author or Caufe of Evil, need no great Proofs or Reasoning.

IF Man hath a Free-will, which is one of the Peculiarities of Man; it is abfolutely in his

* Quifque nafcitur, liber:-Whofoever that is born, is fres This Maxim, in many Particulars, is difputable; but, in Reference to the Will of Man, it is not. Nor is it difputable in Regard to any of the Privileges of our Nature, abftracted from parental, religious, and political Dominion: But in these we are refrained by the infeparable Dicates of our Reafon, common to all Men. And we find that this Birth-right of Freedom in our Natue, under the particular Refraints now mentioned, hath been vifibly made Ule of by all Nations of the World.

We find, this Day, in all Christian Nations a Liberty in giving different Forms to the civil Polity of each respective Nation; which is the ftrongest Argument of this Birth-right Freedom of Mankind: Yet all Nations agree that the natural Liberties of every Individual fhould be reftrained by a parental, religious and political Dominion, which fhews this Conduct to be the unavoidable Refult of Reafon. For all the Parts that conftitute this Dominion, are founded upon this univerfal Maxim:-Populi falus fuprema lex; the People's Safety is the chief Law. And this is always the chief Motive and Rule by which all Nations are aluated, and proceed in the priftine Purity, and Inftitution of their Laws:-Though the Madness and Corruption of Party have often turned this Nourishment into Poison.

What then can be more conducive to the Safety of the People than that they should be under the Restricti on of parental Dominion in Youth, whilft a glowing Vigour fills the human Frame, and a prompt Paffion directs the Parts thereof? And what more conducive alfo to the People's Safety, than that the Licenticufness of every Individual fhould be governed by the Awful

his own Choice to do Good or Evil, when they are both laid before him. And if he hath that Choice, purely in himself, fure it follows incontestably, that his Chusing to do Good

nefs of Religion, which always fills the Mind, not only with a deep Sense of Virtue and moral Duties towards one another, but also to confefs Obedience to a Creator? And laftly what more effectually conducive to the Safety of the People than political Dominion to preferve the Property of each Individual, and enforce (at least) the fuum cuique tribueri of their Religion. That is to fay, the Parts thereof tending to common Honesty from Man to Man: Which is always the Intent of wholefome Laws; but are often perverted by the interested Views of miniftring Officers. For which Reason, according to Ariftotle:Oportet enim et volentem et non volentem ad magiftratum affumere, fi dignus fit co magiftratu, Arift. 2. Polit. If a Man be virtuous and worthy, he ought to be compelled whether he would or no, to take upon him the Adminiftration of the Laws.

Hence it follows that moral Duties are the pure and -unavoidable Refult of Reafon; the unum magnum of Men and Nations; the one great Point aimed at as a common Good.

To fhew that fomething natural induces Man to this Honesty; Juftin fays, that Justice was obferved among the Scythians more from a natural Difpofition of the People, than from a Fear of the Laws:

-Juftitia gentis ingeniis culta, non legibus, Nullum fcelus apud eos furto gravius. Juft. Mrs. Behn, in her Royal Slave, obferves the like in the Difpofitions of the American Indians.

In short, Mankind have an undoubted Right to Freedom by their Nature; and all are naturally more inclined to Virtue than to Vice; and are therefore refrained by parental, religious, and political Dominion; becaule fuch Dominion was intended by God, and by

Man