Works of Abraham Booth Vol.1 - SAMPLE

deep conviction, and thus at a future period of his life we find
his own pen recording it.
The doctrine of sovereign, distinguishing grace, as commonly
and justly stated by Calvinists, it must be acknowledged, is too
generally exploded. This the writer of these pages knows by
experience, to his grief and shame. Through the ignorance of his
mind, the pride of his heart, and the prejudice of his education,
he, in his younger years, often opposed it with much warmth,
though with no small weakness; but after an impartial enquiry,
and many prayers, he found reason to alter his judgment; he
found it to be the doctrine of the Bible, and a dictate of the
unerring Spirit. Thus patronized, he received the once
obnoxious sentiment, under a full conviction of its being a
divine truth. 2
The revolution that had now taken place in our author’s
sentiments was soon observed by his friends, and it occasioned
considerable uneasiness in their minds. They respected his
character and approved his ministry. Meetings were held for
the purpose of investigating the differences which subsisted
between them, when each party produced the best arguments
they could in behalf of their respective tenets; but neither party
succeeding in convincing the other, they mutually agreed to
part.
Now, reader, what think you of the law, as a rule of moral
conduct? Is it pleasant, is it delightful to you? In vain you
profess to know the gracious gospel, while you continue an
enemy to the holy law. For as the law, in its covenant form, is
the appointed mean of convincing the careless sinner of his
need of that righteousness which is revealed in the gospel, for
the justification of his person before God, so the gospel,
2 Works, Vol. 1.