A. "Indeed it does: as it were, within a hair's breadth. So that it is altogether foolish and sinful, because we do not quite agree either with one or the other; to run from them as far as ever we can.

Q. 26. "Wherein may we come to the very edge of Calvinism?

A. 1. "In ascribing all good to the free grace of God; 2. In denying all natural free will and all power antecedent to grace; and 3. In excluding all merit from man; even for what he has or does by the grace of God.

Q. 27. "Wherein may we come to the edge of Antinomianism?
A. 1. "In exalting the merits and love of Christ. 2. In rejoicing ever-

more.

Q. 28. "Does faith supersede (set aside the necessity of) holiness or good works?

A. "In no wise. So far from it that it implies both, as a cause does its effects.

III. Q. I. "Can an unbeliever (whatever he is in other respects) challenge anything of God's justice?

A. "Absolutely nothing but hell. And this is a point which we cannot too much insist on.

Q. 2. "Do we empty men of their own righteousness, as we did at first? Do we sufficiently labor when they begin to be convinced of sin, to take away all they lean upon? Should we not then endeavor with all our might to overturn their false foundations?

A. "This was at first one of our principal points. And it ought to be so still. For till all other foundations are overturned they cannot build upon Christ.

Q. 3. "Did we not then purposely throw them into convictions? Into strong sorrow and fear? Nay, did we not strive to make them inconsolable? Refusing to be comforted?

A. "We did. And so we should do still. For the stronger the conviction the speedier is the deliverance. And none so soon receive the peace of God as those who steadily refuse all other comfort.

Q. 4. "What is sincerity?

A. "Willingness to know and do the whole will of God. The lowest species thereof seems to be faithfulness in that which is little. Q. 5. "Has God any regard to man's sincerity?

A. "So far, that no man in any state can possibly please God without it; neither indeed in any moment wherein he is not sincere.

Q. 6. "But can it be conceived that God has any regard to the sincerity of an unbeliever?

A. "Yes; so much that if he perseveres therein, God will infallibly give him faith.

Q. 7. "What regard may we conceive him to have to the sincerity of a believer?

A. "So much, that in every sincere believer he fulfills all the great and precious promises.

Q. 8. "Whom do you term a sincere believer?

A. "One that walks in the light, as God is in the light.

Q. 9. "Is sincerity the same with a single eye?

A. "Not altogether. The latter refers to our intention; the former to our will or desires.

Q. 10. "Is it not all in all?

A. "All will follow persevering sincerity. God gives everything with it; nothing without it.

Q. II. "Are not sincerity and faith equivalent terms?

A. "By no means. It is at least as nearly related to works as it is to faith. For example: who is sincere before he believes? He that then does all he can he that, according to the power he has received, brings forth 'fruits meet for repentance.' Who is sincere after he believes? He that, from a sense of God's love, is zealous of all good works.

Q. 12. "Is not sincerity what St. Paul terms a willing mind? II. Cor. viii. 12.

A. "Yes; if that word be taken in a general sense. For it is a constant disposition to use all the grace given.

Q. 13. "But do we not then set sincerity on a level with faith?

A. "No. For we allow a man may be sincere and not be justified,

as he may be penitent and not be justified (not as yet), but he cannot have faith and not be justified. The very moment he believes he is justified.

Q. 14. "But do we not give up faith and put sincerity in its place, as the condition of our acceptance with God?

A. "We believe it is one condition of our acceptance, as repentance likewise is. And we believe it a condition of our continuing in a state of acceptance. Yet we do not put it in the place of faith. It is by faith the merits of Christ are applied to my soul. But if I am not sincere, they are not applied.

Q. 15. "Is not this that going about to establish your own rightousness, whereof St. Paul speaks, Rom. x. 4?

A. "St. Paul there manifestly speaks of unbelievers, who sought to

be accepted for the sake of their own righteousness. We do not seek to be accepted for the sake of our sincerity; but through the merits of Christ alone. Indeed, so long as any man believes, he cannot go about (in St. Paul's sense) 'to establish his own righteousness.'

Q. 16. "But do you consider that we are under the covenant of grace? And that the covenant of works is now abolished?

A. "All mankind were under the covenant of grace from the very hour that the original promise was made. If by the covenant of works you mean that of unsinning obedience made with Adam before the fall; no man but Adam was ever under that covenant: for it was abolished before Cain was born. Yet it is not so abolished but that it will stand, in a measure, even to the end of the world, i. e., if we do this, we shall live; if not, we shall die eternally; if we do well, we shall live with God in glory; if evil, we shall die the second death. For every man shall be judged in that day, and rewarded according to his works.

Q. 17. "What means then, 'to him that believeth, his faith is counted for righteousness?'

A. "That God forgives him that is unrighteous as soon as he believes, accepting His faith instead of perfect righteousness. But then observe, universal righteousness follows, though it did not precede faith.

Q. 18. "But is faith thus counted to us for righteousness, at whatsoever time we believe?

A. "Yes. In whatsoever moment we believe, all our past sins vanish away. They are as though they had never been, and we stand clear in the sight of God.

Q. 19. "Are not the assurance of faith, the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and the revelation of Christ in us, terms nearly of the same import?

A. "He that denies one of them must deny all; they are so closely connected together.

Q. 20. "Are they ordinarily, where the pure gospel is preached, essential to our acceptance?

A. "Undoubtedly they are; and as such, to be insisted on in the strongest terms.

Q. 21. "Is not the whole dispute of salvation by faith, or by works, a mere strife of words?

A. "In asserting salvation by faith we mean this: 1. That pardon (salvation begun) is received by faith, producing works. 2. That holiness (salvation continued) is faith working by love. 3. That heaven (salvation finished) is the reward of this faith.

"If you who assert salvation by works, or by faith and works, mean the same thing (understanding by faith. the revelation of Christ in us, by salvation, pardon, holiness, glory,) we will not strive with you at all. If you do not, this is not a strife of words: but the very vitals, the essence of Christianity is the thing in question.

Q. 22. "Wherein does our doctrine now differ from that we preached while at Oxford?

A. "Chiefly in these two points: 1. We then knew nothing of that righteousness of faith, in justification; nor 2. Of the nature of faith itself as implying consciousness of pardon.

Q. 23. "May not some degree of the love of God go before a distinct sense of justification?

A. "We believe it may.

Q. 24. "Can any degree of sanctification or holiness?

A. "Many degrees of outward holiness may: yea, and some degrees of meekness, and several other tempers which would be branches of Christian holiness, but that they do not spring from Christian principles. For the abiding love of God cannot spring, but from faith in a pardoning God. And no true Christian holiness can exist without that love of God for its foundation.

Q. 25. "Is every man, as soon as he believes, a new creature, sanctified and pure in heart? Has he then a new heart? Does Christ dwell therein? And is he a temple of the Holy Ghost?

A. "All these things may be affirmed of every believer in a true Let us not therefore contradict those who maintain it. Why should we contend about words?"

VOLTAIRE

FRANCOIS MARIE AROUET DE VOLTAIRE was born at Paris November 21, 1694. His father was a prosperous notary, Francois Arouet, the suffix "de Voltaire" being added when the poet and philosopher left the Bastile. Voltaire's education was desultory until he was about ten years old, when he was sent to the Jesuit College Louis-le-Grand.

After he left school in 1711 he was constrained by his father to

take up the reading of law, but he never entered into it in more than a half-hearted way, and gave most of his attention to literature.

His memberships in the coterie of the Duchess du Maine and certain lampoons ascribed to him against the regent Orleans cost him first exile and then eleven months in the Bastile. It was on leaving that he assumed the name by which he is commonly known. Soon afterwards he became deservedly famous by his drama, the "Edipe," and his heroic poem, the "Henriade." This led him into close association with the nobility. A sharp reply to an insult from the Chevalier de Rohan occasioned his being beaten, and after being again confined in the Bastile, sent off to England.

This English visit had an immense effect on his views and writings. After his return to France he lived from 1734 to 1749 mostly with Madame du Chatelet at her country house Cirey, in the independent Duchy of Lorraine. All this time he was busy with his literary work. The next three years were spent with Frederick of Prussia, and were filled with quarrels characteristic both of Voltaire and Frederick. The last of his life was spent as a country gentleman, first near Geneva, then at Ferney. He died in 1778.

Voltaire was a great dramatist, but perhaps even a greater pamphleteer. His influence was constantly, but often secretly, lent against intoleration in religion and state. In those days he was considered a sceptic in religion and revolutionary in politics, but he was nevertheless a Deist, and it is doubtful if his revolutionary tendencies extended as far as merely the more liberal thought of today.

ON TOLERATION

WHETHER TOLERATION IS DANGEROUS; AND AMONG WHAT NATIONS IT IS PRACTICED

Some people will have it that, if we were to make use of humanity and indulgence towards our mistaken brethren who pray to God in bad French, it would be putting arms in to their hands, and we should see revived the bloody days of Jarnac, Moncontour, Coutras, Dreux, St. Denis &c. I know not how this may be, as I have not the gift of prophecy; but I really cannot discover the congruity of this reasoning, "that because these men took up arms against me when I oppressed them, they will do the same if I show them favour."