Page:The Works of the Reverend George Whitefield, M.A. (1771 Vol 1).djvu/223

 believe, are the privileges of the sons of : But I cannot say I am free from indwelling sin; no, I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind: This makes me to cry out, even now, "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" I thank, our will. I cannot see wherein the heterodoxy of the article of our church doth consist, which says, "That this corruption remains even in the regenerate;" and if that after conversion we cannot sin in thought, word or deed, I do not know why our taught us to pray to our heavenly Father, "Forgive us our trespasses." I am sorry, honoured Sir, to hear by many letters, that you seem to own a sinless perfection in this life attainable. I think I cannot answer you better, than a venerable old minister in these parts answered a Quaker. "Bring me a man that hath really arrived to this, and I will pay his expences, let him come from where he will." I know not what you may think, I do not expect to say indwelling sin is finished and destroyed in me, till I bow down my head and give up the ghost. There must be some Amalekites left in the Israelites land, to keep his soul in action, to keep him humble, and to drive him continually to for pardon and forgiveness. I know many abuse this doctrine, and perhaps wilfully indulge sin, or do not aspire after holiness, because no man is perfect in this life. But what of that? must I therefore assert doctrines contrary to the gospel? forbid. Whether the seventh to the Romans, is applicable to a converted person (as many very eminent saints have thought) is not at all to the purpose: There are other passages of scripture, which plainly shew that sinless perfection is not attainable here below. Such as these, "There is no man that liveth and sinneth not." "In many things we offend all." And I know no sin except the sin against the Holy Ghost, of which a child of may not be guilty, if  should withdraw his grace.

Whatever you may think of David, the scripture says, "He was a man after 's own heart;" yet how did he fall? And if you will not permit Peter to have been converted when he denied his Master; what will you say to St. Paul? Did not he sin, do you think, (at least were not his passions irre