to the Credit, or the Ufe, of any particular Set of Phrafes. Only let Men be humbled, as convicted Criminals, at the REDEEMER's Feet: let them rely, as devoted Penfioners, on his precious Merits: and they are undoubtedly in the Way to a blissful Immortality. Yet, will their Way be lefs clear, their Steps more embarrassed, by not diftinctly understanding the benign and confolatory Doctrine, of free Juftification through the Righteousness of JESUS CHRIST. A proper Information, as to this important Point, would fhed Light upon their Paths, and encourage them in their Journey; would further their Progrefs in Holinefs, and increase their Joy in the LORD. Ther. The Followers of your Opinion, I have obferved, are perpetually dwelling upon this one favourite Topic; to the Exclufion of that grand and truly effential Part of Christianity, Sanctification. Afp. If you have ever taken notice of such a Conduct, You are unquestionably right, in with-holding your Approbation. It is a manifeft Incongruity, and deferves your Cenfure. But, affure Yourself, it proceeds from a Mifapprehenfion in the Persons, and has no Connection with the Nature of the Doctrine. I am far, very far from reducing the various Parts of Christianity, (which, when connected, make up fo well-proportioned a System) to this fingle, however diftinguished Branch. Sanctification is equally neceffary, both to our prefent Peace, and to our final Felicity *. Indeed, they are as reciprocally neceffary, This is done *Not to obtain our Peace and Felicity. folely and completely by JESUS CHRIST. neceffary and eminent Ingredient in both. But as a neceffary, for the Purposes of intellectual and eternal Happiness; as the Heart and the Lungs are, to the Subfiftence of the animal Oeconomy. The former muft tranfmit, the latter muft refine, the vital Fluid; or elfe, Difeafe will take place, and Death will enfue.-My Intention is, that those fundamental Truths of the Gofpel, like these Mafter-Organs in the Body, may have each its proper Office affigned; each concur to fupport the better Health, and to promote the fpiritual Growth of the Chriftian. Ther. Other of your zealous Folks I have known, who are all for the fanctifying Influence of the SPIRIT; and reckon this Affiance on the SAVIOUR's Merits, among the beggarly Elements of Religion. They scarce ever mention what CHRIST has done for Us; but infift wholly upon, What He does in Us.-When the religious People are fo divided among themselves *, how can a Stranger act? Which Opinion fhall He prefer? Afp. Let Him not prefer, but affociate. Difcard neither, but choose both.-If the All-gracious REDEEMER has poured out his Blood on the Crofs, that my Guilt may be expiated; and prefents *Theron's Enquiry concerning thefe tavo Particulars, is fometimes made an Objection against all Religion.Have the Gentlemen, who adopt this Objection, never feen the Naturalifts divided in their Judgment; with relation to the Defign and Ufe of feveral Appearances in the material, the vegetable, the animal Creation? While One decries as a Nuijance, what another admires as a Beauty. Yet no One, I believe, ever took it into his Head, from fuch a Diverfity of Opinions, to doubt whether the Frame of Nature is a juft, a regular, and a finished Syftem: or to deny, That Power, Wifdom, and Goodness, fupport, direct, and pervade the Whole. 1 fents his Interceffion in Heaven, that I may be endued with the SPIRIT:-If He will be the meritorious Caufe of my Juftification, and the operative Principle of my Sanctification:-Why fhould I fcruple to receive Him, in either, in both Capacities? Who would lop off the Right-hand, in order to impart the higher Dignity, or the greater Importance to the Left? I would be no Partialist in Christianity neither diminish her Dowry, nor mutilate her Privileges. Ther. You feem, if not to mutilate, yet to split the Merits of CHRIST, and parcel out the Effcacy of his mediatorial Undertaking. Afcribing fo much to his active, and fo much to his paffive Righteoufnefs; Pardon to this, and Life to that. Afp. Some, perhaps, may be pleafed with this Way of ftating the Matter. But, it is a Method, which I neither attempt to defend, nor wish to imitate.-To diftinguish between the active and paffive Righteoufnefs, I think, is not amifs. Becaufe, this fets the Fulness of our LORD's Merit in the cleareft Light; and gives the completeft Honour to GOD's holy Law.-But to divide them into detached Portions, independent on each other, feems to be fanciful, rather than judicious. For, had either Part of the mediatorial Obedience been wanting; I apprehend, neither Pardon, nor Acceptance, nor any fpiritual Blefing, could have been vouchfafed to fallen Man. The two Parts are infeparable; making, in their Connection, a neceffary and noble Whole, for the Accomplishment of our Salvation. Juft as the Light and the Heat of yonder Sun, unite their Operation; to produce this delightful Day, and this this fruitful Weather. However, therefore, I may happen to exprefs myfelf, I never confider the active or the paffive Righteoufnefs, in the exclufive Senfe; but would always have them understood, as a grand and glorious Aggregate. Looking upon our SAVIOUR's univerfal Obedience, which commenced at his Incarnation; was carried on through his Life; and terminated in his Death; looking upon all this, in its collective Form, as the Object of my Faith, and the Foundation of my Hopes *. Ther. I think, You lay too much Strefs upon this controverted, and perhaps merely fpeculative Point. Afp. Merely fpeculative! Say not thus, my dear Friend How I may be juftified before GOD, "my Maker, my Governor, and my Judge?" Is, of all Enquiries, the most interesting and important. It is the main Hinge, on which every Inftance of practical Religion turns t. True Comfort, willing Obe * In this Opinion, Afpafio has Milton's Archangel for his Precedent. Michael fpeaking of his LORD and our LORD, fays; The Law of GOD exact he fhall fulfil, B. XII. 402. According to the Tenour of thefe very valuable Lines, our LORD's fulfilling the Law, and enduring the Punishment, are the concurring Caufes, or the one compound Caufe, of Life and Redemption to Sinners. + Diffundit fe, fays the judicious Witfius, Juftificationis, Doctrina per totum Theologia Corpus ; & prout Fundamenta VOL. I. F bic, Obedience, holy Communion with the Divine MAJESTY, all depend upon this capital Point. Far from being a merely fpeculative Point, it afcribes the moft undivided Glory to the ever-bleffed GOD, and his free Grace.-It adminifters the moft ferene and fubftantial Satisfactions to frail, but believing Man.-It cherishes, with the most kindly Influence, that pure and undefiled Religion, which has its Seat in the Heart; has its Birth from Love; and is a real Antepaft, both of the Business and the Blifs of Saints in Light. In fhort; Juftification through the Righteousness of JESUS CHRIST, is an Article of Religion, whofe Benefits are (to ufe a charming Simile fuggefted by this rural Profpect) numerous as the Bud of the Field.Can We, then, lay too much Strefs upon a Doctrine, fo greatly momentous; upon a Privilege, fo extenfively beneficial ? Ther. When all this is proved, then for my Reply, Afpafto. Nay, then You fhall have more than a Reply; I promise You my cordial Affent. Afp. And if all this be incapable of Proof, I affure You, Theron, I will not folicit your Affent. Nay more, I will revoke and renounce my own. Ther. At prefent, I believe, We must go in, and prepare for our Vifitants. Some other Interview may bic, vel bene, vel male, jacta funt, eo univerfum Edificium vel folidius auguftiufque afcendit, vel male ftatuminatum fædam minitatur Ruinam. De Econ. The Article of free Juftification, fays the zealous "Luther, is the chiefeft Article of all Chriftian Doctrine. "The Majefty and Utility whereof, whofo rightly ef "teemeth, to Him all other Things fhall feem but vile, and nothing worth." Comment. on Galat. * Ezek. xvi. 7. |