momentous point, is the defign of the following sheets." I have feen fuch terrible effects of this unfcriptu

ral

way of fpeaking, even on those who had once clean efcaped from the pollutions of the world, that I cannot but earnestly with, you would speak no o⚫ therwise than do the oracles of God. Certainly this mode of expreffion is not momentous. It is always dangerous, often fatal.

Letter III. P. 48." Where fin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as fin had reigned unto death, fo might grace-the free love of God-reign through righteousness, through our juftification and fanctification, unto eternal life," Rom. v. 20. 21. This is the plain natural meaning of the words. It does not appear, that one word is fpoken here about imputed righteousness: neither in the paffages cited in the next page, from the common-prayer and the article. In the homily likewife that phrase is not found at all, and the main ftrefs is laid on Christ's fhedding his blood. Nor is the phrafe (concerning the thing there is no question) found in any part of the homilies.

P. 56. "If the fathers are not explicit with regard to the imputation of active righteousness, they abound in paffages which evince the fubftitution of Chrift in our flead: paffages which disclaim all dependence on any duties of our own, and fix our hopes wholly on the merits of our Saviour. When this is the cafe, I am very little folicitous about any particular forms of expreffion." O lay afide then those questionable, dangerous forms, and keep closely to the fcriptural.

Letter IV. p. 60. "The authority of our church and of those eminent divines," does not touch those particular forms of expreffion: neither do any of the texts which you afterward cite. As to the doctrine we are agreed.

P. 61. "The righteousness of God fignifies, the

righteousness which God-man wrought out." No. It fignifies God's method of justifying finners.

P. 62. "The victims figured the expiation by Christ's death, the cloathing with fkins, the imputation of his righteoufnefs." That does not appear. Did not the one rather figure our Juftification, the other, our fanctification?

P. 64. Almost every text quoted in this and the following letter, in fupport of that particular form of expreffion, is distorted above measure from the plain, obvious meaning, which is pointed out by the context. I fhall inftance in a few, and just fet down their true meaning, without any farther re

marks.

F. 65. To fhew unto man his uprightnefs. To convince him of God's juftice, in fo punishing him. P. 68. He ball receive the bleffing-pardon-from the Lord, and righteoufnefs-holiness-from the God of his falvation,the God who faveth him both from the guilt and from the power of fin.

Ibid. I will make mention of thy righteoufnefs only.→→ Of thy mercy. So the word frequently means in the Old Teftament. So it unquestionably means in that text, In (or by) thy righteousness fhall they be exalted.

P. 70. Zion fhall be redeemed with judgementafter fevere punishment-and her converts with righteousness with the tender mercy of God, following that punishment.

P. 71. In (or through) the Lord I have righteoufnefs and strength, juftification and fanctification. P. 72. He hath clothed me with the garments of falvation, faved me from the guilt and power of fin: both of which are again expreffed by, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.

P. 73. My righteousness-my mercy-shall not be abolished.

P. 75. To make reconciliation for iniquity—to a

tone for all our fins, and to bring in everlasting righteoufnefs, fpotlefs holiness into our fouls. And this righteousness is not human, but divine. It is the gift and the work of God.

P. 76. The Lord our righteousness-The author both of our juftification and fanctification.

P. 87. "What righteousness shall give us peace at the last day, inherent or imputed?" Both. Chrift died for us and lives in us, that we muy have boldness in the day of judgement.

Letter V. p. 91. That have obtained like precious faith through the righteousness-the mercy of our LORD. Seek ye the kingdom of GOD and his righteoufness-the holinefs which fprings from GOD reigning in you.

P. 94. Therein is revealed the righteousness of GoD -GoD's method of justifying finners.

P. 96. "We establish the law, as we expect no falvation without a perfect conformity to itnamely, by Chrift." Is not this a mere quibble? and a quibble, which, after all the laboured evafions of Witfius and a thousand more, does totally make void the law? But not so does St. Paul teach. According to him, Without holiness, perfonal holiness, no man fhall fee the LORD. None who is not himself conformed to the law of GOD here, fhall fee the LORD in glory.

This is the grand, palpable objection to that whole scheme. It directly makes void the law. It makes thousands content to live and die tranfgreffors of the law, because Chrift fulfilled it for them. Therefore, though I believe, he hath lived and died for me, yet I would fpeak very tenderly and sparingly of the former, (and never, feparately from the latter), even as fparingly as do the fcriptures, for fear of this dreadful confquence.

P. 99. "The gift of righteousness muft fignify righteousness not their own." Yes, it fignifies the

righteousness or holiness, which God gives to and works in them.

P. 100. "The obedience of one is Chrift's actual performance of the whole law." So here his paffion is fairly left out! Whereas his becoming obedient unte death, that is, dying for man, is certainly the chief part, if not the whole which is meant by that expreffion.

Ibid. "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us-That is, by our representative in our nature. Amazing! But this, you fay, "agrees with the tenor of the apostle's arguing. For he is demonftrating we cannot be justified by our own conformity to the law." No: not here. He is not speaking here of the cause of our juftification, but the fruits of it. Therefore that unnatural fenfe of his words does not at all" agree with the tenor of his

arguing."

P. 101. I totally deny the criticism on ou and fixaupa, and cannot conceive on what authority it is founded. O how deep an averfion to inward holiness does this scheme naturally create?

P. 103. "The righteoufnefs they attained could. not be any personal righteoufnefs." Certainly it was. It was implanted as well as imputed.

P. 107. "For inftruction in righteousness, in the righteousness of Chrift." Was there ever fuch a comment before? The plain meaning is, For training up in holiness of heart and of life.

P. 108. He fhall convince the world of righteousness -That I am not a finner, but innocent and holy.

P. III. "That we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Not intrinfically, but imputatively." Both the one and the other. GOD, through him, first accounts and then makes us righteous. Accordingly, P. 115. The righteousness which is of GOD by faith, is both imputed and inherent.

P. 116. My faith fixes on both the meritorious

life and atoning death of Christ." Here we clearly agree. Hold then to this, and never talk of the former without the latter. If you do, you cannot fay, "Here we are expofed to no hazard." Yes, you are to an exceeding great one; even the hazard of living and dying without holinefs. And then we are loft for ever.

The fixth letter contains an admirable account of the earth and its atmosphere, and comprizes abundance of fenfe in a narrow compafs, and expreffed in beautiful language.

P. 143. Gems have "a feat on the virtuous fair one's breaft." I cannot reconcile this with St. Paul. He fays, Not with pearls: by a parity of reafon, not with diamonds. But in all things I perceive, you are too favourable, both to the defire of the fefb and the defire of the eye. You are a gentle cafuift as to every selfindulgence which a plentiful fortune can furnish.

P. 148. "Our Saviour's obedience"-O fay, with the good old Puritans, our Saviour's death or merits. We fwarm with Antinomians on every fide. Whyare you at fuch pains to increase their number?

P. 162. My mouth fhall fhew forth thy righteoufnefs and thy falvation.-Thy mercy which brings my falvation.

The eighth letter is an excellent defcription of the fupreme greatness of Christ. I do not obferve one fentence in it, which I cannot chearfully fubfcribe to.

The ninth letter, containing a description of the fea, with various inferences deduced therefrom, is likewise a inafter-piece, for juftness of fentiment, as well as beauty of language. But I doubt whether "mere fhrimps," P. 218. be not too low an expreffion; and whether you might not as well have faid nothing of " cod, the standing repaft of Lent;" or concerning "the exquifite relifh of turbot, or the deliciousness of furgeon," P. 223. Are not such obfervations beneath the dignity of a minister of, C