Proofs positive against your assertions, and stamped with evidence of divine authority, I shall now offer; and to accommodate your taste, I will present them in the form of Contrasts.

CONTRAST 1.

The world against Christ and his church: "If the "world hate you, ye know it hated me before it hated

you: If ye were of the world, the world would love "its own, but because ye are not of the world: but "I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the "world hateth you." (Christ.)

CONTRAST 2.

The world at enmity with God; "Know ye not "that the Friendship of the world is enmity with "God?" (James.) "We know that we are of God, "and the whole world lieth in wickedness." (John.)

( Exposition, "Here the world signifies not the ma"terial fabrick of the world, but the wicked men of "the world; wherefore the whole world denotes all "the idolators, infidels, and wicked men of the "world." (Macknight.)

CONTRAST 3.

The world averse to the Holy Spirit, and to the dispositions, consolations, and pursuits of real christians. "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you "another comforter, that he may abide with you for

ever. Even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world "cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither "knoweth him." (Christ.) Explanation, "The world "being blinded with sensuality, can neither discern

"the operations of the Spirit, nor partake of his joys." (Macknight.) "Be not conformed to this world, "but be ye transformed in the renewing of your "mind." "The world is crucified unto me, and I "unto the world." (Paul.)

As you appear, sir, to be endued with an exquisite discernment of the essence of doctrines, when exhibited in the form of Contrasts, I shall not further press this subject of the whole world in wickedness: but proceed duly to notice your observations and reasoning, on 2 Peter, 11. 1.

"Even denying the Lord that bought them :" on this you observe, that "The word rendered bought, "is never used as synonymous with atonement or propitiation; but is derived from a word which sig"nifies simply to procure to one's self. The persons "said to be bought, were procured as any thing is "obtained, either by exchange or purchase at a mark"et place. Should you procure to yourself an ox at "the market, you might pay a price for him, but it "would not be a price of redemption. Should you "procure a fatling for your guests, you would not

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"say, you had made an atonement, or reconciliation, "or a propitiation for it to the man of the stall. Nei"ther may you say, that atonement was made for "these persons who were bought and denied their master." You add, "The false teachers who "brought in damnable heresies, are said to have deni"ed the Lord, who procured them to himself, or set "them apart as his teachers. In this sense, many, "who are bought of the Lord, being put into the "ministry of reconciliation, deny the Lord Jesus, "whom they should preach, and the true doctrines of "the atonement, which is the foundation of the gospel system."

Whatever mystical meanings may attach to your very odd similes, of the "Ox bought in the market,' and "the fatling procured from the man of the stall,” whether one is designed as an emblem of a heretical minister "procured," as a fit subject to roast in the fire of the Inquisition; and the other of one "bought," as a victim to be offered up in fire eternal, under the absolute decree of unconditional reprobation, are particulars, with which, from their delicacy, I wish not to intermeddle.

You appear, sir, to think very diminutively of the original word rendered bought in the new testament. You assert it is never used as synonymous with atonement, &c. You define it to signifiy to procure to one's self; this may be done by a price, but not by a price of redemption. You admit it to be fit for market use, and as very appropriate to false teachers, who are procured, but not redeemed, &c. But in se

doing, you seem not to have been aware, that the original words, rendered by the translators purchased, obtained and bought, are frequently used by the inspired writers, as signifying redemption. For proof of this assertion, I here refer you to the following criticisms, from the pen of a learned friend, standing officially high in literary institutions.

"The Greek term, which in Acts xx, 28, is ren"dered purchased, is the same as that, which, though changed into another form, is rendered purchased possession, in Ephesians 1, 14-rendered peculiar, "in 1 Peter, 11, 9-to obtain, in 1 Thessalonians, v, "9 and to the obtaining, in 2 Thessalonians, 11, 14. "These two last cases, I apprehend, suggest the orig“inal, literal signification of the term; and hence, as "a substantive, it signifies an acquisition or a pur"chase. Instead therefore, of a peculiar people, as in "Peter, a literal translator would say, a people for acquisition or purchase; and instead of purchased pos"session, as in Ephesians, such a translator would say, "the purchase or the acquisition. This purchase, or "acquisition, or people for acquisition, is undoubted"ly the people of God, the Church; and this the text "says, he has he has purchased, or obtained, or acquired "with his own blood. This term is different from "the term rendered bought, in 1 Corinthians, vi, 20, "and VIII, 23; and likewise in 2 Peter, 11, 1. This "last literally signifies to buy, though in Revelation "v, 9, and XIV, 3, 4, it is rendered redeemed. In "these last cases, a literal translator would say bought "or purchased, instead of redeemed; though in both

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"cases the idea would probably be the same." Had you, sir, but duly attended to these several scriptures, which, though not literally expressing atonement, propitiation, or redemption, yet incontrovertibly were so used by inspired writers, you probably would not have debased your subject with such low and unbecoming language and comparisons, as those of the ox and the market, or the fatling, and the man of the stall; especially when attempting to explain a purchase made by the blood of the Son of God. And would you but candidly compare 1 Corinthians, v, 19, 20-VIII, 23, with 2 Peter, 11, 1, you probably might obtain edifying instruction therefrom. Suffer me to insert them for your perusal. "Ye are not

your own; for ye are bought with a price; there"fore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, "which are God's." "Ye are bought with a price," "Even denying the Lord that bought them.”

It was, perhaps, the discovery of some difficulty from this quarter, that induced you to endeavour to open a way of retreat, by so explaining in the latter text, "Lord," as "To denote the Father, in distinction from Jesus, the God-man, Mediator." But were even this for argument sake admitted, you would gain nothing thereby; because in this case, the price paid by the Father, is the sacrifice, or offering up offering up of his own Son, even Christ, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. Your retreat being thus cut off, should induce you carefully to examine into the true reason of your failure, in your denial of atonement for all mankind. If the cause which you advo