the Language of a Reception, Appropriation, Truft, or Confidence, grounded upon the Divine Declarations to Sinners for that Purpose.

"This, I must say, is indeed a very strange and "uncommon Way of finding Truth." Ibid.

But fuch a Way of Dependance on the Divine Veracity and Faithfulness as becomes us, and gives Glory to God-It is the Reception of a Gift by. a Perfuafion of the Mind It is trusting to the Faithfulness of God to make out, in this particu lar Cafe, a Bleffing indefinitely promifed, not affuring myself of a Propofition being true, but of eternal Salvation by a Saviour given to me.

To receive a Gift, or to partake of any Thing upon Invitation, is nothing ftrange or uncommon. In this Cafe, when the Gift is given in Divine Declarations, and the Reception of it purely Mental, an answerable Perfuafion of the Mind, or (in Dependance of the Divine Veracity and Faithfulness) an affuring ourselves of the Bleffing granted; what we are perfuaded of is in a Way peculiar to itself, and very confiftent before Him, who faid, whatsoever Things ye defire when you pray, believe that you receive them, and ye have them. Palamon will allow that Chrift's Death is an uncommon Affair, as is also imputing Righteousness without Works, &c. why then should the Peculiarity of thus enjoying Righteousness without Works, be so much the Subject of Sneer, because

accounted

accounted ftrange and uncommon. -May it not rather be accounted fuch a Way of Dependance on the Divine Veracity and Faithfulness, as renders him his proper Glory?

"If he (namely Chrift) died for them that pe"rish, then the Happiness of them who are ❝ faved, must be owing to fomething else beside "his Death." Ibid.

Afpafio is no farther concerned here, than as he maintains that Chrift is given for the Guilty to appropriate and live by. And in this Regard, may it not be faid, with as much Propriety, If an Entertainment, provided in common, is refused by fome, that then the Nourishment of those who partake of it, is owing to fomething else besides the Food? This coming pretty near to our Lord's Reprefentation, John vi. 53. A Fallacy or Impropriety charged upon the former, is also a Reflection upon the latter.

If we understand by the Happiness of them who are faved, their Redemption from the Wrath to come, and Title to future Glory; this is owing ftrictly to His perfect Righteousness. If we mean their present Happiness in a confcious Poffeffion, Knowledge, or Enjoyment of this Redemption ; this we may say is owing to his Death, given to be received. Palamon fays, to a Discovery of our Faith, Love, and felf-denied Obedience.

It is a very just Observation; that " in speak"ing of the Redemption that is in Jefus Chrift,

we had need keep clear of all human Systems, " and hold close by the Scriptures." p. 30.

And it is in ftrict Conformity to this we affert, that altho' God has given eternal Life in his Son, even unto them, who, by disbelieving it, make God a Liar; yet no Man has that Life, but he that has the Son. God gives Being to that which he commands, authorifes, and thereby enables us to receive, appropriate, or be perfuaded of. And if we admit of his Character as a juft God and a Saviour, in justifying the Ungodly, why should we object thus giving him the Glory of his Power and Faithfulness? Thus SARAH received Strength to conceive Seed - because sbe judged him (not only able, but) faithful that had promised-And thus our Lord fpeaks, Mark xi. 22, 23, 24. Shall it be dif puted whether God can give an Existence to Things that yet are not, and make out that to be true, which we, according to his Word, depend upon him for? This Confidence is due to God only, and is giving Him Glory. On the other Hand, to suppose this cannot be, and, on this Account, to set aside this Manner of believing or trufting in Him, is to rob him of his proper Glory.

This Perfuafion may properly be called TRUSTING in the Lord, because it proceeds neither on

Pre-evidence, nor inward Qualifications, but on God's bare Word of Invitation, Promife, &c. taking that as a fufficient Authority and Security. By this a proper Dependance of the Creature on the Creator is preferved and kept up. And unless it can, without Mifrepresentation, be fhewn inconfiftent and antifcriptural; all other Objections raised against it are but of fmall Account; and all Labour to form it into a Propofition, true in itfelf, whether we believe it or no, is the Labour of Diffidence and Unbelief. For it is plain, they cannot trust to God's Invitations, Commands, and Declarations; and are feeking a Reason of Hope more agreeable to themselves.

"Afpafio maintains, that none have the proper fcriptural Faith, but those who are taught by "the enlightening Spirit to draw the Conclufion.' p. 34.

Afpafio maintains, that " when the divine Spirit opens our Eyes, &c. we difcover and make use of the fame Right or Warrant as is the Priviledge of the vileft Mifcreant; a Right founded, not on our awakened Defires, but purely, folely, entirely on the free Grant of a Saviour." Dialogues, 3d Vol.

p. 202.

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They maintain, that Reprobates have as fair "a revealed Warrant, to draw the Conclufion, as "the Elect have.” Ibid.

That

That is, that no Man need to wait to see his Election, or in other Words, any Difference between himself and other Men, to warrant his Confidence in Chrift. The general indefinite Expreffions, contained in the Declarations of the Gospel, fuch as whofoever, any Man, He that believeth on hìm, &c. fully authorizing or warranting He, any Man, whosoever he be, to believe, or trust confidently on Chrift alone for everlafting Life. Being taught of God this Truth, he lives by Chrift as the Saviour of the Loft, even as being taught the Sufficiency of Chrift he lives by that alone.

In the third Letter, our Author mistakes the real Question between us. It is not," Whether " or not did Chrift finish upon the Cross, all that "God requires, every Requifite, without Excep"tion, to procure Acceptance for, and give Re"lief unto the guilty Confcience of the most prophane Wretch that lives?" p. 41, 42.

This is not difputed by us, but maintained more properly on our Side than by our Author. The Question between us, is, Whether the guilty Confcience can be relieved from the Sentence of Condemnation, by the Confideration of a fufficient Righteoufnefs for the Elect and the Qualified? Or, Whether God hath not provided for the Relief of the guilty Conscience, by giving his only begotten Son that we might live through Him? Giving

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