*11. It is the free gift of God, which he bestows not on those who are worthy of his favour, not on such as are previously holy, and so fit to be crowned with all the blessings of his goodness: but on the ungodly and unholy; on those who till that hour were fit only for everlasting destruction; those in whom was no good thing, and whose only plea was, God, be merciful to me a sinner. No merit, no goodness in man precedes the forgiving love of God. His pardoning mercy supposes nothing in us but a sense of mere sin and misery: and to all who see, and feel, and own their wants, and their utter inability to remove them, God freely gives faith, for the sake of him in whom he is always well pleased.
12. This is a short, rude sketch of the doctrine we teach. These are our fundamental principles: and we spend our lives in confirming others herein, and in a behaviour suitable to them.
Now, if you are a reasonable man, although you do not believe the Christian system to be of God, lay your hand upon your breast, and calmly consider, what it is that you can here condemn? What evil have we done to you, that you should join the common cry against us? Why should you say, Away with such fellows from the earth: it is not fit that they should live?
13. ’Tis true, your judgment does not fall in with ours. We believe the scripture to be of God. This you do not believe. And how do you defend yourselves against them who urge you with the guilt of unbelief? Do you not say, “Every man must judge according to the light he has, and that if he be true to this, he ought not to be condemned?” Keep then to this, and turn the tables. Must not we also judge according to the light we have? You can in no wise condemn us, without involving yourselves in the same condemnation. According to the light we have, we cannot but believe the scripture is of God; and, while we believe this, we dare not turn aside from it, to the right hand, or to the left.
*14. Let us consider this point a little farther. You yourself believe there is a God. You have the witness of this in your own breast. Perhaps sometimes you tremble before him. You believe there is such a thing as right and wrong, that there is a difference between moral good and evil. Of consequence, you must allow, there is such a thing as conscience; I mean, that every person, capable of reflection, is conscious to himself, when he looks back on any thing he has done, whether it be good or evil. You must likewise allow, that every man is to be guided by his own conscience, not another’s. Thus far, doubtless, you may go, without any danger of being a volunteer in faith.
15. Now then, be consistent with yourself. If there be a God, who being just and good, (attributes inseparable from the very idea of God) is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, ought we not to do whatever we believe will be acceptable to so good a Master? Observe: if we believe, if we are fully persuaded of this in our mind, ought we not thus to seek him? And that with all diligence? Else, how should we expect any reward at his hands?
16. Again: Ought we not to do what we believe is morally good, and to abstain from what we judge is evil? By good I mean, conducive to the good of mankind, tending to advance peace, and good-will among men, promotive of the happiness of our fellow-creatures; and by evil, what is contrary thereto. Then surely you cannot condemn our endeavouring after our power, to make mankind happy; (I now speak only with regard to the present world) our striving, as we can, to lessen their sorrows, and to teach them in whatsoever state they are, therewith to be content.
17. Yet again. Are we to be guided by our own conscience, or by that of other men? You surely will not say, that any man’s conscience can preclude mine. You, at least, will not plead for robbing us, of what you strongly claim for yourselves. I mean, the right of private judgment, which is indeed unalienable from reasonable creatures. You well know, that unless we faithfully follow the dictates of our own mind, we cannot have a conscience void of offence toward God and towards man.
*18. Upon your own principles therefore you must allow us to be, at least, innocent. Do you find any difficulty in this? You speak much of pre-possession and prejudice; beware you are not entangled therein yourselves. Are you not prejudiced against us, because we believe and strenuously defend that system of doctrines which you oppose? Are you not enemies to us, because you take it for granted we are so to you? Nay, God forbid! I once saw one, who, from a plentiful fortune, was reduced to the lowest extremity. He was lying on a sick bed, in violent pain, without even convenient food, or one friend to comfort him: so that when his merciful landlord, to compleat all, sent one to take his bed from under him, I was not surprized at his attempt to put an end to so miserable a life. Now, when I saw that poor man, weltering in his blood, could I be angry at him? Surely no. No more can I at you. I can no more hate than I can envy you. I can only lift up my heart to God for you (as I did then for him) and, with silent tears, beseech the Father of mercies, that he would look on you in your blood, and say unto you, Live.
*19. “Sir, (said that unhappy man, at my first interview with him) I scorn to deceive you or any man. You must not tell me of your bible; for I don’t believe one word of it. I know there is a God, and believe he is all in all, the Anima mundi, the