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of ignorance , become inveterate by untoward circumstances ; of connexions with prejudiced and ill-informed persons ; of a vicious style of religious instruction from the pulpit ; and of a neglect to cultivate the mind by
judicious and comprehensive courses of reading . I admit that much blame attaches to the persons who are perverted , by these and similar causes , from the simplicity and purity of the Christian character , or are prevented from attaining- to higher degrees of them . The moral evils of the heart
mingle with those noxious causes and occasions . The subjects of them are what the apostle denominates " babes , unskilful in the word of righteousness , carnal , and walking as men" governed by low and worldly principles . Yet , with all this deduction from
attainment , comfort and usefulness , it is evident that sincerity and integrity do indeed reign in the heart and character . vn . Mr . Gibson has inserted the word " preferred / ' in a manner which I do not clearly understand , and which
seems to obscure the purport of his query . Perhaps the intention is to ask whether , according to what appears to me to be the scripture doctrine of Justification , defective , yet sincere , Christians will have the same dignity and happiness in the heavenly state as those who have far exceeded
them in the practice of personal holiness and universal virtue . I reply , By no means . Though the future happiness of the righteous will be pure and unalloyed , we have reason to think that its quantity ( if I may so speak ) will be very different in
different subjects . The capacity for holy happiness and immortal services to the Lord of glory , will probably be unspeakably greater in some than in others : and this capacity in the world of perfect bliss will be in proportion to the amplitude and energy with which holy principles operated
iu this probationary state . Thus , though all sincere followers of Christ are justified , all are sanctified , and all shall "be with him , where he is , to behold" and to partake " glory ; " yet the degrees of glory will be very different , according to the degrees of ardent and active holiness acquired in the present life . I should
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esteem myself happy if my request could induce my respectable Querist to read Mr . Fuller ' s Sermon on " The Christian Doctrine of Rewards *" I beg to conclude this long letter by two extracts from the writings of
a dear and venerable friend , who , through a long and useful life , has been eminently " set for the defence of the gospel . " Though these citations refer to those unhappy persons , the Antinomians , who ignorantly
misrepresent or perversely misapply the doctrines usually called Calvinistic , they are not the less available for obviating the great misapprehensions which are entertained by my respectable Querist , and probably by many others in his class of religious
profes" . They who are redeemed from the € curse of the law , ' will never suppose that Christ has cancelled or lessened their obligations to obedience . Like Paul , they will consider themselves as being not without law unto God ,
but under the law unto Christ ; or as debtors , not to the flesh to live after the flesh , but debtors to God and grace . Knowing that they are bought with a price , they will own that they are the property of their Redeemer , and feel themselves bound to glorify God with their bodies and with their
spirits , which are God ' s . The Lamb that was slain hath redeemed us to God by his blood ; and his grand object , when he once suffered for our sins , the just for the unjust , was , that he might bring us to God , that we , being dead to sins , should live unto
righteousness . He has confirmed every antecedent obligation which we were under to obedience , and has superadded new ones , of the most powerful and endearing kind . He has redeemed us from the curse of the law , not from the blessing of the law . For surely it is a blessed thing to have a
certain standard of duty , a directory to shew us how we ought to walk and please God and a still higher blessing to be truly conformed to that standard . " Dr . Ryland ' s Sermon on Redemption from the Curse of the Law , p . 35 . " Surely , of the two . there is far
more reason to say naturul evil can do no harm to the believer , than to say moral evil can do him none . But
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80 Dr . J . Pye Smith ' s Reply to Mr . Gtbson ' s Questions .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1825, page 80, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2533/page/16/
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