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Theron, Paulinus^.and Afpafio. 
 
 O R, 
 
 LETTERS & DIALOGUES 
 
 UPON THE NATURE OF 
 
 Love to God, Faith in Chrift, Afllirance 
 
 OF A 
 
 Title to Eternal Life, 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 SOME REMARKS ON THE SENTIMENTS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Reverend Meirieurs Hervey and Marflial, 
 
 ON THESE SUBJECTS. 
 
 Publifhcd 2t the request of many. 
 
 By JOSEPH BELLAMY, A.M. 
 
 Minifler of the Gofpel^ at Bethlem^ in New-England. 
 
 *'AmidJ} all f he darkvcfs and uncertainty^ Kjjhich erjidently run 
 *' through the IVriUngs cf the beji cf Men, this is cur unftiSuk- 
 *' able happinefs, that we have a r.iorc fnre Word of Prophecy; 
 ** to which we do well to take heed. — As for Offence ; that 
 *^ cannot be given , and ought not to be takefiy n.vhen all ixe 
 " ad'vance is Jiridly confor?nable to the unerring rule of Truth, 
 *' / have nothing to do -zvith the perfons of Men, but ^th the 
 ** Truths cf the do/pel. Ouranius, though eminently de'vout, 
 * * may be miftaken . " H £ R v E V . 
 
 WASHIh^GTON: 
 
 PRINTED BY JOHN COLERICK, AND MAY 
 HAD OF ALL THE S TO .< £ -KU E P E RS . 
 
 1798. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 IF Paulinus's fcntiments, finally embraced by Theron, 
 and exhibited in the following Letters and Dialogues^ 
 are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, there needs no 
 apology for publiftiing them, at a time when the con- 
 trary errors fo much prevail in the Britifli dominions. 
 And it is hoped, candid Readers will eafily excufe the 
 mentioning by name fome Authors, in the contrary 
 Scheme, as they feem to be efteemed the beji on that 
 fide of the queftion. — If his fentiments are wrong, let 
 fome Man of a clear head and a friendly heart, fet him 
 right, from the facred Oracles of Truth. And it will 
 be accepted as well by him, as by the public, with the 
 ,utmo{l gratitude. For thefe are points, in which our 
 deareil:, our fpiritual and eternal intereft is greatly con- 
 cerned : And it is even of infinite importance, that we 
 know the truth before it is too late. 
 
 " Should any thing be urged," fays Mr. Hervey (in 
 the preface to his Theron and Afpafio) " forcible enou^rh 
 to overthrow my arguments, or detect a miftake in my 
 fentiments, the World may depend upon feeing a free 
 and undijjcmbled retraciation. 1 fliall look upon it as a 
 duty, v/h;ch I owe to my Confcience, to my Read^rs^ 
 and to my God, publickly to acknowledge the error." 
 And indeed, we who claim to be the minl,1ers of ChriO, 
 arequite infenfible to the honour of God, and to our own 
 eternal intereft, as well as the eternal intereft cf our fel- 
 3ow-crsatures ; if v/e are not coafcientioufly concerned 
 a 
 
JX ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 to advance and maintain the truth.^ and nothing but the 
 truth. Wherefore, to the above-recited dechiration of 
 Mr. Hervey, the publifher of thefe Letters a\\(^ Dialogues^ 
 fays Amen, with all his heart. 
 
 N. B. As Paulinus had fome c^^^r books in view, be- 
 fides the two chiefly referred to ; fo Theron has fome- 
 times introduced a Text of Scripture, an argument, &c. 
 not contained in either of thefe books, and for which 
 thefe two Authors are not anfwerable. 
 
 Poftfcript by another Hand. 
 
 A S it appears by the conclufion of Theron's laft Let- 
 -^^ ter, that he had not then received the melancholy 
 tidings of his dear friend Afpafio's death, no candid 
 Reader will object to him the abfurdity of writing Let- 
 ters to the dead. And it will be an abcfe upon the Pub- 
 lifher of this piece, to fuppofe it in his intention, to 
 detra£l from the charader of fuch worthy men as Mr. 
 Heivey and Mr. Marfhal, or to hinder the perufal of 
 their writings. In thefe, no doubt he faw many excel- 
 lencies ; and was not infenfible, they might give a ju- 
 dicious Reader not a little profitable entertainment, by 
 the bleffing of God. However, as he apprehended the 
 truths in fome important cafes, clouded by fome un- 
 happy mlllakeS', while he rejoiced in the former, he was 
 willing to bear his teftimony againft the latter. And 
 whatever honours arc due to the mc?nory of the juft^ if 
 the do£lrtne of Chr'ift^ their Lord and curs, has fuffercd, 
 or is liable to fufter in any meafure, by meanr. of their 
 miftakes, That has an unqueftionable claim iojuperior] 
 honours, and ought in all things to have the preem 
 inence. 
 
Letters and DialoeTies, &c 
 
 LETTER L 
 
 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 Neuj'Evgland, Dec. 15, 1758. 
 DEA.R ASPASIO, 
 
 NEWS from your Therou, now in this remote corner 
 oi the £jrth, you will cigeriy cxpecc by every fhip 
 that lails fiom thcfe parts. — Bat what ihail 1 write, O my 
 friend! — No pleafant walks, no beautiful gardens, no ro- 
 mantic mounts, my dear Afpafio, nor any other theme to 
 entertain and to amufe mull you expedl from me I Al?^, 1 
 have been deceived 1 My hope , cnce high raifed, are, 
 I think, eniirely gone. As the rrp luiibout mite, and the 
 fiag ivithout 'water ; Jb the hypocriie*s hope Jhall perijh. (1) 
 
 As I was walking in my garden, foon after our vifii to 
 Philenor, (2) (which was, as 1 remember, about the middle 
 of harveft A. D. 1754,) '^^'^^^^-g Oi"^ -^1 yo^i* agreeable con- 
 vcrfaiion, your fervent zeal, and how you urged me to be- 
 lieve : — To believe what? fud I, to myfelf. — 'Vo believe 
 that Chrift died for me. — How, for ml ? though: I Af- 
 pafio knov/s, I believe that Chrift died for iinners.—Yes, 
 but he would have me apply thit to my ov,n foul ; and 
 believe Chrill died for me. — Afpalio knows, i btlieve 
 
 {\)Job •■viii. 11,17,. See Mr, Her vcy's Dialogues, VcL III. 
 p. 313. edit. I. — N. B. The firfi: edilio.i of Mr. tLrv. Dial, is 
 referred to in this letter : as Theron is Juppojcd foon after the 
 eon'uerfation at Philer.cr^s, to have experienced uuhat foUci'JS , 
 
 (2) Mr, Hervey*s Dialogues , 'vol. ill. p. 262. 
 B 
 
2 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 that Chriil died ; that whofoever, according to the true 
 ienle of the Gofpel, believes in him, fhould not perilh, 
 biU have evcrlafiing life. Is this believing in him r — Is 
 this juftifying faving Faich? — To believe 1 am one that 
 he died for — one for whom he intended to procure par- 
 don, reconciliation with God and eternal lifer — Yes, this, 
 this is Faith. ** A real pcrfuafion that the bleffed Jefus has 
 /lied his blood for me, and fulfilled all righteoufnefs in my 
 ilcad, that through this great atonement and glorious obe- 
 dience, he has purchafed, even for my linfui foul, fanftity- 
 ing grace, and all fpiritual bleffing?.''(i) To believe it wai 
 for ME, jull as if 1 had been mentioned by name : even 
 juft as Biy Tenant believed me, when, in his lall ficknefs, 
 1 fent a meilage, alTuring him, I had cancelled the bond, . 
 «nd forgiven his debt. (2) And juft as iJavid believed the 
 kingdom of Ifrael fhould be his own, on the expref's pro- > 
 mifeof Almighty God. (3) And jull: as I believed my landi 
 to be my own, by the deeds of conveyance. (4) In a word, 
 Afpafio would have me go to God, and fay, ** Pardon is 
 mint, grace is mine, Chrift and all his fpiritual blefTingi 
 *re mine;" not becaufe I am confcious of fandifying ope- 
 rations in my own breaft, but becaufe I am confcious I am 
 a fmner. All thcfe bleffings being configned over to me ai 
 fuch, in the everlafting Gofpel ; with a clearnefs unqueftion- 
 able as th« truth, with a certainty inviolable as the oath of 
 God. (5) No clogging qualifications iniiRed on: only be- 
 lieve, and all is mine. (6) I longed to know that Chrift 
 was mine. (7) 
 
 And could I fee my title clear. 
 
 To manfions in the fkics, 
 Td bid farewell to every tear 
 
 And wipe my weeping eyes. 
 Bat how can I fee 1 how can 1 believe ! Oh my unbeliev- 
 ing heart !. what fhall 1 do ? — *' Cry to God for help," fayi 
 jny Afpafio. ** Seek the blefled fpirit to teihfy, that God 
 has given me eternal life; and this life is in his Son. And 
 to witntfs with my fpirit, that I am a child of God (8). 
 
 Thus, as I walked, I mufed — my heart was fail — I 
 flopped — with eyes lift up to Heaven, and faid, — I believe, 
 
 (0 Mr, Her. Dial. 'vol. III. p. 278. (2) Il-id J>. 279. 
 
 (3) P. 309. U)P-V2. (5) /'.z8o, 313. (6)/'. 275. 
 (7)/>.253. 254- (8) P-li^' 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO. 3 
 
 Lord, help my unbelief. — I thought of Calvary. — I heard 
 the foundings of his bowels, and of his mercies toward* 
 me. O thou of little Faith ! njoberefore doft thou doubt r ( i ) 
 Wherefore doft thou doubt of uiy love to thee, for whom 
 I have filed my blood? 
 
 1 believed, 1 was raviihed ; I was full of love, joy and 
 gratitude : and with eyes again lift up to Heaven, i faid, 
 •* Glory be to the Holy Ghoft for tcftifying of Chrift in 
 ny heart, and appropriating this great falvation to my 
 foul." (2) And thus 1 continued rejoicing for feveral days, 
 and thought I fiiould never doubt again. 
 
 But, oh, alas 1 the fcene foon changed. I gradually loft 
 a fenfe of my great danger, and great deliverance ; as the 
 Ifiaelites, who fang God's praife, but loon forgat his works : 
 or like the ftony-ground hearers, who heard the Word with 
 joy, endured for a while, and fell away. Or rather lik« 
 the thorny-ground: for, as about this time I removed into 
 New-England, the cares of the world came in upon me, 
 and choaked the Word, and I brought forth no fruit ; ra-. 
 ther I loft all difpofition to pray or praife, and my devo- 
 tions degenerated into mere formality. 
 
 And now unbelief, as I then called it, began to work. 
 ** Surely all is mere delufion," thought I. But, again, I 
 faid, " This is my infirmity.'* And thofe words of Scrip- 
 ture were fome comfort to me, O t/.^ou of little Faith ^ n.vbere~ 
 fore dojf thou doubt ? — Who againji Hope belieued in Hope. — 1 
 Who walk in darkmfs and fee no light, let them trufi in the 
 Lord, and fay themfel'ves on their God. — Why art thou caf 
 donxin, O my Soul, hope thou in God F (3) And 1 watched and 
 prayed, and ftrove againft my unbelieving thoughts. (4) 
 
 From this time forward, having no clear marks or figns 
 of Grace for my comfort, nor any new manifeftations of 
 the love of God to my Soul, I began, as you had direded 
 in fuch a cafe, to li-ve by Faith. I ufed every day to go to 
 God, and fay, «« Pardon is mine, grace is mine, Chrift and 
 all his fpiritual bleftings are mine." And thus, unconfcious 
 of any fandifying operations in my own brea^, 1 lived 
 wholly by Faith : by Faith, as I thought, on the promif^ 
 and oath of the unchangeable Jehovah. (5) And thus 1 
 
 (i) Her'v. Dial. p. 276, 277. (2) Fol. I. p. 156. (3) 
 P. 289. (4) P. 308, 309. (5) P, 313, 314. 
 B 2 
 
'4 THERON TO ASP;\SI(?. 
 
 continued many months, generally pretty eafy ; akhougk 
 ifometimes troubled with dcubts and fears. 
 
 Bat above a year ago, as 1 was reading my bible, in th6 
 13th chripter of St. Matihcw's Gofpel,! found the parable 
 ot the Sower ; which reached my cafe, and greatiy gained 
 the attention of my heart. Here I faw the various forts 
 of hearers, the different kinds of Chriftians defcribed ; and 
 perceived that none are eilecmed good men by our bJeiTed- 
 Saviour, but ihofe who, like the good ground, bring forth 
 fruit. This ilartled me, this gave my faith a fnock, 1 never 
 could get ever 1 
 
 However, not knowing but that I mifiook the meaning 
 of that parable, I refoivcd to fearch the Scriptures, to (ee , 
 if it were really the charadcer of ail true believers, to bring 
 forth fruit, i.e. as I underilood it, to be holy in hcait 
 and life. I began with the Gofpei of St. Matthew, and 
 re::d the New-l'ellament through, and made a coUedion 
 of many texts of Scripture, which I wrote down and com- 
 meniied upon. I will give you a fpecimen from my Diary. 
 
 *- iVci/. 20, 1757, I retired as ufual to read the hal)r 
 Scriptures, by which I am to be judged at the lait day. — I 
 began to read Chrift's Sermon on the Mount: BUfjed are 
 the poor in fpirit ; Bieffi'd are they that mourn ; Biejji:d are 
 the meek; — the pure of heart , Sec. But alas, O my Soul! 
 I «.m not confcious of thefe good qualifications : are there 
 
 not, neverthelefs, bleifings laid up for me ? 1 read on 
 
 to chapter vii. 19, 27. E'-uery tree that bringeth not forth good 
 fruity is hevjn do-xun and cojl ii:to the fire : By their fruits ye 
 fiallkr.civ them : Not e-uery one that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, 
 jh all enter into the kingdom ofHea-uen, but be that docth the ivill 
 of my Father which is in Heanjen. This, this, O my Soul, rea- 
 ches my very cafe ! this is my character ! and this my doom I 
 The following verfes condemn me too : I am the man that 
 has built his houfe upon the /and.'' Thus far my Diary. 
 
 But how difcouraging foever all this appeared, yet ftill 
 I maintained feme fecret thoughts, that I was only a backr 
 Aider, and fliould fee things clearer after a while. Befides, 
 to give up my hopes, and look upon m.yfelf a poor Chrift-/ 
 lefs finner, after I had fo long fettled down in quiet, was 
 like death to my fpirits ; — It opened a moll frightful prof-, 
 pe>5l before me. — If not converted now, moft probably I 
 never fliall be ! I had as good live on in plcafing delufion, 
 as fink down into defpair 1 
 
tHERON TO ASPASIO. 5 
 
 And befides, I remembered you had faid, " This me- 
 thod of feeki-.ig peace and aflurance," by figns of Grace, 
 *' i fear, will cmbarrafs the fimple minded, and cherillv 
 rather than fupprefs the fluctuations of doubr; for let the 
 marks be what you pleafe, tticy are all a feeble and pre- 
 carious evidence." And I wiftied I could boldly fay, as 
 once I did, " Pardon is mine, grace is mine, Chrill and 
 all his fpiritual blellings are pnine; however unconfcious of 
 fanctlfying operations in my own breaft. ( i) Bat our biefl"- 
 ed Saviour's words rtruck terror through my foul : He that 
 heareth tLefc ivorJs of mim and cioi'j them ncty is like a fool- 
 ijh mail, that built his hcu/e upon the /and. 
 
 About this time I was, by a religious Pcrfon well ac- 
 quainted with my cafe, direftcd to Mr. Shepheid '* on the 
 Parable of the Ten Virgins ;" Mr. Edwards *• on Reli- 
 gious AfFeftions, Mr. Bainard's Life," and fome other 
 books of the f\me flamp ; ** which, (faid he) arc eilecmed 
 by pious people in New- England, as the beH: of books on 
 experiment;»l religion." I obtained the books, I read them, 
 they condemned not only my prefent (late, but all my no- 
 tions of religion : and reprclented true religion to confifl: 
 in fomething eflentially ditlerent, of which I Jiad never 
 had the leail experience: which indead of affording com- 
 fort and jiope to my deje<5ted mind, did but confirm my 
 former doubts and fears. What now to do, I could not 
 tell — Here three thouland miles from my dear Afoafio, I, 
 canr.ot fee his face, nor have his aid. — I mud find out a-' 
 nother fpiritual guide — I heard of one Paulinus, a clergy- 
 man, a noted friend to vital piety, a tender futhfu! guide ta 
 bewildered fouls ; but not in my Afpafio's fcheme. My con- 
 f:i3nce faid, " Go fee the man, and ad an honeft part; tell 
 him all your cafe, be willing to know the truth." My heart 
 replied, *' I cannot go ! I cannot go I" But as a ferious, (o^ 
 lemn lenfc of the eternal world was now daily growing in 
 my heart, I was loon brought to a better mind ; particularly 
 in the evening of December 8, 1758. As I was alone for fc- 
 cret prayer,! h?A fuch a fenfs of eternity,? boundlefs eter- 
 nity, and fuch a view of the dread fulnefs of eternal damna- 
 tion — the amazement and horror of felf-deceived hypocrites, 
 opening their eyes in eternal woe, who once refufed to fee, 
 
 (i) Ilerv. Dial, p, ^ij. 
 B 3 
 
O DIALOGUE!. 
 
 wliile there was hope, but now muft fee when all hope is 
 for ever gone ; thit I (liuddered, and was ready even to 
 cry out with anguilh at the terrifying thought of this be- 
 ing at lafl my dreadful lot ! Whereupon, refolving to be 
 honeft at all adventures, I determined on a vifit the next 
 Monday evening. — I went, I went again and again ; and 
 knowing my dear Afpafio would be glad to hear what 
 paiTed, I wrote, down the fubftance from time to time^ 
 which I now fend enclofed, in the form of Three Dialogues; 
 which, when you have read, I am fure you will pity my 
 cafe. — And, O my Afpafio, ceafe not to pray for 
 
 Your difconfolate 
 
 T H E R O N. 
 
 P. S. I expe£l no opportunity to write you again till 
 early next Spring; when you may look to hear further 
 from your Thsron, if on this fide eternal burnings. — God 
 only knows how that will be. Adieu, my dear Afpafio. 
 
 DIALOGUE I. 
 
 ON Monday evening (Decern. \\.) I had the happinefs^ 
 to find Piiulinus at home, alone in his ftudy ; he re- 
 ceived me with all the po'litenefs of a Gentleman, and with- 
 al! the undifljmbled goodnefs cf a Chriftian. After en- 
 quiring into the rt;!te of Religion, in Great-Britain, when 
 I came from rhence ; perceiving by what was fiid, my 
 acquaintance with Afpafio, he made fome enquiries after 
 him, and his fcntimerits of Religion, and about a bock he 
 has liiieiy fo ilrongiy recommended, (i) V/hich gave me 
 
 (i) Mr. MerJhaPs Gnfpcl-Myjiery of Sanaijlcatlon ; 
 
 ** njchich 1 JJjall net (fiys Mr, licweyj recommend in thefilt 
 of a critic y or like a reader cf tafey but n^ifh all the Jimp li- 
 city of the iveakeji Chnjiiua i 1 mean from my own experience* 
 
DIALOGUE I. 
 
 an opportunity, without letiing him into the ftate of my 
 Soul, a thing I was loth to do, to bring upon the board 
 the topics I dchgned. Wherefore, 1 began 
 
 Theron. Sir, may I know your feniiments relative ta 
 fome points in thele books ? 
 
 Paulinus, I am willing you lliould know my fentiments on 
 any of the dodlrines of Religion ; but fnould cnufe to fay 
 nothing of the fentiments of any particular author by name. 
 
 Ther. I am fenfible this is nut fo deiirable, nor Ihouid I 
 afk it, but that 1 am not a little embair-ifTcd between the 
 fcheme of Religion advanced in PrefiJent Edwards's Trea- 
 tiie on Religious Affections, and this advanced in thefe 
 books: And I want to know, what may be faid in anfwer 
 to the particular arguments of theie Divines. And 1 fnall 
 confider all you fay, how pl.iin foevcr : for I defire you to 
 ufe the greateft freedom, not in a peifcnal light, as dengned 
 to reflcdl at all on theie authors; but only as dcfigned to 
 give inftruftion to me. And if you could particularly an- 
 fwer leveral things 1 find in them, it wouid give me nit'ch 
 more fati.-fatiion, than to hear your opinion in general — 
 Befides you know, what auihors publiih to \\\z world, they 
 voluntarily fubmit to the examination of all. And if the 
 good of mankind, which all authors profefs to feek, calls for 
 a particular examination of any of their writings, they 
 cannot confiitcntly be difpleafed, if they are ufed with 
 candor. I'hefe auihors themfelves have taken the greaieft 
 freedom to fpeak of the fentiments of Divines, ancient and 
 modern. And I know m.y deir Afpafio would be perfeftly 
 pleafed to hear you, with the utn)oIl freedom, make all 
 your remarks and obfervations on his piece ; for he is one 
 
 // has been made one of the mrj} ufeful hecks to my onjon foul ; I 
 fcarce e<ver fail to receive fpirit^ial confchition and Jirergth from 
 the pertfal of it. A»d njua^ I to he bamjhcd into fome dcfolate 
 Jfland, poffeffed only of two hooks befdrs my bible y this fi:^uld be 
 one of the tnjuo, and perhaps the firji that I ^would chocfc.^* See 
 Mr. Hcr'vtv's Dialogues, edit 3. 'Z'ol. III. p. 336. 
 
 N. B. 2'his id edition of Mr.. Her-jef s DnJ. is referred to 
 
 in <what follo'ws. Ahd the 6th edition cf Mr. Marpal. 
 
 jy.JhalljTatidfor Mr. Hervey* s Dialogues ^rjol . 1 1 J.- — ■'W,fhall 
 fi and for Mr, Marjhal's G^fpel-lShfiery , &c. As both thefe books 
 contain one complete fyjiemffo both Jhall he corfidirsd together. 
 
DIALOGUE I. 
 
 of the moft csndid, generojs, gccd-natured gentlemen I 
 ever faw : Pray, Sir, therefore make no cxcyfes, nor be 
 at all upon the referve. 
 
 Paul. What particular points, Sir, do ycu refer to? 
 
 Tber. The nature of love to god, of justifying 
 FAITH; and of ASsuRANCii . — To begin with Love to God. 
 
 1 defire to know what is the primary and chief motive, 
 which ought to induce me to love God. A view oi the 
 ineffable glories of tlje Deity, as he has manifefted himfelf 
 in iiis word and in his works? Or a belief of his love to 
 me in particular ? 
 
 Paul. Bef re we enquire into the original grounds oflove 
 to God, pray tell me, What in God are we lo love ? and 
 how are we to love him ? 
 
 I'hey. ** The Lord is not at all loved with that love that 
 is QMQ to him as Lord of all, if he be not loved with all 
 our heart and fpirit, and might. And we arc to love every- 
 thing in him, his Juftice, Holinefs, fovereign Authority, all- 
 feeing EyC; and all his Decrees, Commands, Judgments, 
 and all his doings." (i) 
 
 Paul. Who are under obligauons thus to love God ? 
 Saints, or Sinners ? Chriftianr-, or Heathens r Some, or all 
 of mankind. 
 
 I'Ler. All mankind. Even the Heathen, who are with- 
 out any written law or fupernatural revelation, are obliged 
 by the light c\ Nature to love God with all their hearts j 
 and that under the penalty of God's everlafting wrath. (2) 
 
 Pai'.l. If all mnnkind, even the Heathen world not ex- 
 cepted, are thus under infinite obligations to love God 
 with all their hearts, and to glcrify God as Gcd, (to ufc the 
 Apoftle's exprefTion, Rom. i. 21.) it mull needs be that 
 there is a ground and reafon oflove to God antecedent to 
 a ccnfideration of bis be"ng our reconciled Father and 
 Friend in Jefus Chrift. For the Heathen, millions of them, 
 never heard of Jefus Chriil. And there are great niuhi- 
 tudes in the ChrilHan world, who live and die without an 
 intereft in God's fatherly love in Chriil. And yet you fay, 
 all thefe are under fuch obligations to love God with all 
 their heart?, that they will deferve his eternal wrath for th« 
 lead negle<5l. And indeed the holy Scriptures moH ex- 
 prefsly affert the fame thing, Rom.i. 18 — 21. Gal.iii. 10. 
 
 (I) M./.2. (2)M./. 4. 5. 
 
DIALOGUE I. ^ 
 
 Ther, But, Sir, is it not impolTible (i) we fhould love 
 God before we fee that he is our reconciled Father and 
 Friend in Jelus Chriil ? We muft know that our fins are 
 forgiven, and be well perfuad-d that Gcd is reconciled ta 
 us, before we can love him. (2) 
 
 Paul. God never manifeils himftif as a reconciled God 
 and Father, to any of the children of men, un:ii they are 
 firfl: reconciled to iiim, and love him. John xiv. i\. Adts 
 iii. 19. Their firft love to God, therefore, mufi of ne- 
 cclfity begin on fome other foundation, from fome other 
 inducement; or they never can begin to love him at all. 
 
 7W. But what is there in God, that can induce us to 
 love him, unlefs we firft know thrit he loves us? 1 appeal 
 to the experience cf all true Siints, as inconHitent with your 
 fuppoiuion. (3) 
 
 Paul. This is the language of God's law, l^jou Jhalt 
 love the Lord thy God iviih all thy heart. Pray, what rea- 
 fons and grounds are there for this law ? Anfwer my quef- 
 tion firll, and then I will anfwer yojr's. Tell nie the grounds 
 and r>?afjn5 of this law, and I will tell you wha; there is 
 to induce us to love God before we know that he loves us. 
 
 I'/.cr, The law teaches us, finl to believe that God is 
 our God, our reconciled F.ither and Friend: Ttjoii jhah 
 lo-ue the Lord thy God. (4) 
 
 Paul, God is our God, the God of the whole human 
 race, as he is our Creator, our Prefer ver, our rightful Lord 
 and Sovereign, who has an entire aid abfolute authority 
 
 (i) Should a lying fell o'oj bring tidings to an impenitent pri- 
 Joner juftly condemned to die for murder y ajfuritig hi?n of a 
 pardon from bis judge ; the deluded murderer might be full of 
 love to his judge y and greatly extol his jujiicetasnvell as good- 
 nej's, aud pour out foods of tears : But on dijcerning his mijlake, 
 he iK/ould fuon return to his former temper. God's nature and 
 lanjij are juji the Jame^ before he forgives us, as afters and 
 as nvorthy to be loved. But it is eajier for an impenitent fin- 
 ner to co?nmend God's la-uQ^ in a jirm belief he is delivered 
 from the curfe, than to lo-ve it as being in its oven na.tvre holy, 
 juft, and good. Satan knonvs, it is no evidence cf Upright- 
 nefs in God's account, that a man is 'very religious ; if all his 
 Religion arij'es merely from J'elfijh conf derations. Job i. 8, 9, 
 10, II. 
 
 (2) M./>. 21, 25. (3)M./, 25. (4)M./). z5. 
 
10 DIALOG-UE I. 
 
 ov€r US : But he is not a reconciled Father an3 Friend to 
 all the human race. Rather the ix.-hole ixsorld lieth in ivick- 
 ednefs, i John v. 19. And the greateil part of man- 
 kind are under the divine wrath. John iii. -36. And God 
 is avgry 'with them e-very day, his foul hatis ttHtHy and he /> 
 nuhettittg hi: fivord for their .iejiruiiion, if t Ley repent net, 
 Pi'alm vii. 11, 72, and xi. 5. And yet even while. in fuch a 
 flate, you grant, they are under infinite obligations to love 
 God with ali their hearts ; and that the leail defed expoies 
 them to eternal d:unnation. Nor have you granted any 
 more than St. Paul exprefaly afierts, Gal. iii. 10. — Now, 
 pray, tell me, is this a reafonable law ? 
 
 J'her. I grant, this law is holy, jull and good. (1) 
 
 Paul. But then it will follow, that there are reafons and 
 grounds why God fhould be thus loved, antecedent to a 
 confideration of his being our reconciled Father and Friend. 
 Reafons and grounds which are fuuicient; which really 
 oblige us in point of duty : and therefore ought to influ- 
 ence us in pradiice. And if we are not iniiuenccd by them, 
 we are to blame. Yea, fo much to blame, you fay, as to 
 CiZ^zxst God's eternal wrath. 
 
 Ther. It is certain, that all the perfedi©n, gcodnefs and 
 excellency of the divine nature, cannot render God an ami- 
 able objed to us, unlefs we know that he loves us, and i» 
 our reconciled Father and Friend. (2) 
 
 Paul. Thefiril queftion is not, whether unregeneratc 
 fmners, while dead in fm, and enemies to God, do actu- 
 ally love God : but whether they ought not to love him. 
 Whether the perfedion, goodnefs and excellescy of the 
 divine nature is not a proper inducement, which renders it 
 reafonable and fit: Yea, which obliges; nay, infinitely 
 obliges Lhem to love God. I think you muft grant this ; 
 for how ^\{q can the law be holy, jufl and good ? 
 
 Iher. If I fhould grant that the perfection, goodnefs 
 and excellency of the divine nature, does render it fit and 
 reafonable that we fliould love God with all our hearts; 
 yet it is impcffible we fhould love him, except firft we 
 know he loves us. (3) 
 
 Paul. If God is really a Being infinitely amiable in him- 
 feif, and if it is fit and reafonable' we fliould love him for 
 the perfection, goodnefs and excellency of his nature, then 
 
 (i)M./. 4. (2)M./'. 25. (3) M.;>. IV. 25. 
 
dialogue!. it 
 
 there is, yea, there can be no difficulty in the way of the 
 pradice of this duty, but what lies in the b^dncis of our 
 hearts J and fo, what we arc to blame for. Ana therefore 
 were our hearts right, we Ihould \ov: him for iiib own 
 lovelinefs, (i) and feel dilpofed to glorify God, as God; 
 as the very Heathen ought to do, who never heard of hi» 
 defigns of mercy by Jelus Chnit. Nay, all the Heachen 
 world are at this day, and ever have been entirely without 
 cxcufe, in not being thus alFcdcd towards the inhnitely 
 glorious God that made them : Yea, they arc, for this, in- 
 iinitcly to blame ; fo as to deierve eternal wrath. And this 
 is St. Paul's doctrine, Rom. i. i8, 21. Nay, this dodrine 
 is fundamental to St. Paul's whole fchemc of Religion.— 
 Overthrow this, and ycu will overthrow his whole ichemc. 
 For it is in this view, that he pronounces Jew and Gentile, 
 •ven the whole world, to ftand guilty before God, with 
 their mouths ftopt, without one cxcufe to make for them- 
 felvcs, though doomed to eternal deftrudion for not loving 
 God with all their hearts. And fo holy, jull and good 
 does he etreem this law to be, as that it was needful the 
 Son of God lliould be fct forth to be a propici;*tion, to de- 
 clare God's righteoufncfG, that he might be just, and 
 not go counter to all good rules of government in pardon- 
 ing and faving true penitents. Rom. iii. 9, 26. 
 
 7/3^r. The Heathen were liable to deftrudion for their 
 idolatries, and grofs immoralities. 
 
 Paul. Yes, and alfo for their not glorifying God as 
 God. The njorath of God, fays the Apoitle, is revealed from 
 Heaven agair.Jl all ungodlinrfs : againll: the lead degree of 
 difrefped towards the iahniiely glorious Majeity of Hea- 
 
 ( I ) If our hearts nvcre right, i. e. 'were as they ought to he, 
 *were as the lanjj requires them to be, njue jkould lo-ve Gcd for 
 his o'wn lo'Vtlinefs : But in regeneration our hearts begin 
 to be right ; therefore, then, e^en at that injiant, lue begin 
 to lo-oe God for his oixn louelinejs. For at that 'very infant 
 ivhen the vail is taken from our hearts, we all with open 
 face, behold as in a glafs, tJie glory of the Lord, 2 Cor, 
 iii. 18, Even the ia<u} as a miniilration of death and con- 
 
 demuAtion appears glorious, ujer. 7. 9. But e-very man 
 
 is to blame, that his heart is not rigtjt. Tiiercn pUaas im- 
 pojjibility, St. P.iul, honjue^ucr declares this kind of impojftbility 
 tf bi no txcufsi Ram, i, 20, 21. 
 
12 DIALOGUE 1. 
 
 ven. The leafi defeft of love towards Gcd, ejQpofes thejtt 
 to eternal dellruttion. This was the Apoftie's conftant 
 do<J\rine, and a chief foundaticn of his whole fcheme of 
 principles. Gal. iii. lo. l^'om.i. 18, cind iii. 7.0. 
 
 Tier. But the Gcnriles had not fo irinch as heard of 
 the way of faivjiiion by Chrirt ; and mull therefore, if theif 
 coniciences were awakened, be in fearful e;<pe(?kanon of 
 eternal wrath. But furely it muil be abfclutely impofftble 
 we fnculd love God, if we view him, ab difpofed to punifti 
 us in FIcll for ever. Yea, *• if I look on Gcd as contrary 
 to ire, as one that hates me and v/i'll damn me, my own 
 innate felf-love will breed hatred and heart-riiings againft 
 him in fpight of my heart." (i) 
 
 Paul, That is, the divine law is fo intolerably cruel, 
 that unlefs it is entirely fet afide as to us, we can never be 
 p.iciiied tovi^ards our maker. We are in arms, in open 
 rebellion, fo virulent that we are full of *' hatred and 
 heart-rifings," in fpite of all reilraints. And we proclaim 
 in tlie fight of Keaven, our caufe is fo juft, that we can 
 r.ever lay down our arms, fall at the foot of our fovereign 
 nnd judify his law ; nay we can never have one good 
 thought cf him, till firft he fet afide his lav/, remove the 
 curfe, and grant us Keaven upon our demands. Upon 
 this condition v/e will forgive our Lawgiver for what is 
 paft, and be at peace for the future. On this foot 
 we will lay down cur arms, and be reconciled. Our firit 
 work, therefore is, to believe that God doth give Chriil 
 and his falvation to us, and is become our reconciled Fa- 
 ther and Friend. And this belief is to lay the foundation 
 of all our Religion. But, O my dear Theron, fuch a Faith, 
 growing up out of fuch an unhumbled, unfubducd heart as 
 this, and a Religion arifing from fuch a root, is all delulion, 
 if there be any foch thing in nature as delufion. (2) 
 
 Befide?, tell me, miV Theron, do you verily believe, that 
 God's difpofition to punifti fm, according to his holy Law, 
 
 (1.) M.^. 140. 
 
 (2) lh~Jo righteous is it, in the holy Sovereign cf the nxorldy 
 to fiiffer fuch a proud, fclf righteous Sinner, fo ready to quarrel 
 for a pardon, to be deluded ivith a falfc perfuafon that he is 
 pardoned ! As he takes Safan^sfde againji God and his Laivj 
 fo God tnay jujily leanje him in Satan^s pcwer, 2 Thef)'. it, 
 
 10, n, 12. 
 
DIALOGUl I. 13 
 
 is a hateful dirpofition ? And do you verily believe, that 
 God is an odious Being on this account ? Or do you al- 
 low yourl'elf to hate God, for that, for which he appears 
 infinitely amiable in the eyes of all the Heavenly world r 
 Rev. XIX. I, 6. Or is your heart a carnal, unregenerate 
 heart, under the fail power of enmity againn God and his 
 Law ? Rom. viii. 7. It is certain, what you fay can ne- 
 ver be jultified. For if we have given God juit caufe to 
 hate and punilh us, by our wickcdnefs, he is not the lefs 
 lovely for being difpofcd to do fo, except he is the iifs 
 lovely for being holy and juil; that is, the lels lovely, for 
 that, in which nib lovelineis in a great meafure confiils. 
 
 You acknowledge the Law is holy^ juji and gcod, even 
 as to the Heathen world, who never heard of a Saviour. 
 Therefore, it is not the Grace of the Gofpel, that makes 
 t.ie Law good. The Law is older than the Gofpel, and 
 was hol)'y juJl and goody before the Gofpel had a being.— 
 Yea, the Law had been for ever good, if Chrift had never 
 died. We were not the injured, abufed party : Chrift did 
 not die to make fatisfa^^ion to us, pacify our angry minds, 
 and allay our " hatred and heart-rifingj." The Grace of 
 the Gofpel is not granted to counterbalance the rigour of 
 the Law, and to render GodS plan of govern;i:ent juflifi- 
 able ; and fo to fweetea the imbittered minds of God's en- 
 emies. God the Father, was not a tyraat, nor did his Son 
 die a facrifice to tyranny, to refciie his injured fubjefls 
 fro.n the feveiities of a cruel Law. Nay, if the Law in 
 all irs rigour had not been holy, jkJ} and good, anieccden: 
 to the gift of Chrill; there had been no n-jed God fliouid 
 ever give his Son to die, to anfwer its demands. It ought 
 to have been repealed on Adam's ixW, if too fevere for an 
 apoitatc race ; and not honoured by the obedience and 
 death ot God's own Son. If this Law, as binding on a 
 fallen world, is nor, in itfelf, holy, JuJ} -dn^ good, g'cri- 
 ous and amiible; the Gofpel of Chrilt is all delufion. For 
 it is impolTible the Son of God fhould die to anKv r ^hc 
 demands of an unrighteous Law. It was wrong he fnouli;' 
 bear a curfe in our Head, which we ouifeives did rot de- 
 fcrve. Such an appointment vv^ould hava been in.. ' \ 
 with all the Divine perfections. If we view t.i... 
 
14 DIALOGUE I. 
 
 too fevere, we mufl view the Gofpel as not of God ; if \vc 
 will be confident with ouncives. (i) 
 
 Therefore, you and 1 muft approve the Law as holy, 
 juft and good, glorious and amiable, with application lo 
 ourfelves, before we can with all our hearts believe the 
 Gofpel to be true. And therefore, not a beiief of Gcd's 
 love to us, but a view of the inhnite loveiinels of the Di- 
 vine Nature, niufl rcconciic us to the Divine Law. — Nor 
 does this reafoning attempt to prove an impcflibihy ; but 
 rather it demonibates the abfolute necefi)ty of regenerati- 
 on, as antecedent to the firil ad of Faith j a dotinne your 
 
 (l) In Mr. H:r'vey*s\'X.. Dialogue j Vol. II. p. \6. edit. \Ji. 
 J^ffafia ha'ving cited the ivords ef the yjfojfle, io prcxe tjts 
 point : As m^ny as arc of the works of the Law, are under 
 the curfc. Gal. Hi. lo. I'beren obje^s, and Aj'pajio anjkvers 
 as fsilrws. 
 
 " Thcron. Under the curfe / kecufe our attempts to obey, 
 though faithfully exerted, are attended nvtth dtfecis ! Is 
 net this unreafonabh and Jhocking t XJureafcnable that the 
 G»a of fuftice Jhculd tjiablijb a Lwm ofjuch corfummatt per- 
 fe£iicn^ as no child of Adam can, e'ven ivith his utmcji ajjidiri- 
 ty end cere y fulfil Shocking y t':at the God of Mtrc} jhould 
 thunder out fo fe-vere a denunciation, on the leaf inadvertent 
 breexh, en eviry una'voidc.ble failure I — This exceeds the re- 
 lentlefs rigour of Draco, <ir the tyrannical impoftions of the 
 Egyptian tcjk-mafers. Draco is faid to ha^ve 'vcritten his 
 Lini's in blood. 1 et he ne^vsr enudied fuch inflitutions, as ixere 
 abfolutcly too ftrid and Gijfcy.lt to be obfer^'ed. And though 
 the Egyptian tojk-mcfers infifed upon the full tale of bricks 
 ivithtut allo'j.ihg the necefaty pre portion rfjiratv, yet the pun- 
 ijhment they i/fudUd, njoas incomparably ifj's than everlafiing 
 defruclion:' 
 
 ♦* Afpafio, Had God Almighty's defgn in deli-veri?ig his 
 Laiv to fiiHen 7Hankind, been to propound the means of their 
 jujtifcation y your argumefit nvould have been valid, and y out' 
 inference undeniable. But the Supreme legifator had a -jery 
 different, a far more myjierious end.^' 'It at is. he defgned the 
 Lavj to be our fchoclm alter, to bring us to Chriji. As Afpafo 
 goes en to Jbe-'OJ, p. i8, 19, 2C — ivitbcut once thinking, that 
 if the Laiv antecedent to a corf deration cf the inter pcjiticn ard 
 fleath (f Chriji , voas a cruel Ltiiy, like that vjoich the Egyp- 
 .^OK taf-majiers urged^ it ought to have been repealed. It 
 
DIALOGUE I. 15 
 
 author does not believe : (i) And yet a dodrine plainly 
 taught in Scripture. Joh. i, 12, 13. 
 
 Ther. Whatever we may do in fpeculation, when at e.3.{Q. ; 
 it is impoflible, under a lively itwi^ of tne dreadfalnefs of 
 eternal damnation, that we ftiould, with applicucion to 
 ourfelvcs, approve in our very hearts, the Law in all its 
 rigour, as holy, juji and good^ as being really amiable and 
 glorious in itfelf, till we know we are delivered from its 
 Curfe. 
 
 Paul. If the Law, in all it rigour, is not holy, juft and 
 good, glorious and amiable, before we arc delivered from 
 its curfe, 'tis a pity the beloved Son of God was obliged 
 to die to aafwer its demands. 'Tis a pity that a bad, a 
 hateful Law fliould be lo infinitely honoured in the fight of 
 the wiiole intelligent fyilem. — 'Tis a pity God ever made 
 it — a greater pity he fuffcrcd it to fland unrepealed. But 
 thegreateH pity of all that he gave his Son, his only be- 
 gotten and well beloved Son, worihippcd by all the hofts 
 above, to die upon the (hamcful, painful Crofs, to anlwer 
 its demands. The Gofpcl opens a fold and gloomy fcenc 
 
 ncur 
 
 ivas a dijhonour to Gcd to make it, and a greater diftjc 
 Jit II to appoint his Son to auj'ixer its demands. A or is a cruel 
 La^wfit to be a fchc4hnajier in God's -ucorld : orjuited to teach 
 us any thing, but to hwve hard thoughts of God. And yet Af- 
 pafio zoes on to fay (page 21) '* Rather than the Divine Lan/j 
 jhould Icje Its Kxjnour,, e^a^.r. „...^ c^^«.^, , «-^^ -xcere laid in ajhcs 5 
 the ancient ivorld 'ivas dcjiroyed ivith a deluge y the prefent 
 frame of Nature are defined to the flames, and all its unholy 
 inhabitants muji be doomed to Hell. Nay, rather than that 
 the leafl tittle Jhould pafs unaccotnplijhed, its curfe has been ex- 
 ecuted on God's czun Son, and all its iujuntlions have been ful- 
 filled in the perfon of Jefus Chrifi.'' Fery true, but dees net 
 all this demcnjirate, tr.at the Laxv ivas not too fe-vere and flriSi 
 but perfeaiy holy, jull and gQd^.: — A glorious Law. 2 Cor, 
 Hi. 7. And that previous to the confdcration of the Grace of 
 the G.fpel. Had the Lanv been in itftlf bad, the death of 
 Cbriji could not have made it good. Therefore, it ixas not 
 " G»d's deftgn,'' that the La-vu jhould be our fchoolmafler, that 
 made the Laiv good : But it ^as in //A//' holy, juft and good ; 
 and therefore, it tvas ft to be our fchoclmajler. 
 (0 M.p. 135. 
 
 C Z 
 
l6 DIALOGUE I. 
 
 to all the inhabitants of Heaven, if the Law is not a glorious 
 Law. You may, O my Theron, be ravilhed to think 
 Chiift died for you, let the Law be good cr bad j but you 
 can never acquiefce in the Goipel v ay of life by the blood 
 ol Chritl, as honourable to Gcd, till tiic Law firit appears 
 glorious in your eyes: but rather (forgive me, my friend) 
 1 fay, you will rather feci the heart of an inhdel in your 
 breall. You may be ravillied to think Chrift died for you ; 
 although you conceive of God the Father, as ailing ih« 
 p^rt (Heaven forbid the bkfphcmy) 1 fay, as ading the 
 p:trc cf a tyrant in the whole affair. But then, who can be 
 so Itupid, as to believe the Son of God died a facrifice to 
 tyranny : ** If you are fafe, you care not how." Is this 
 your heart ? If fo, you are quite an infidel. — Indeed, this 
 is the heart of every natural m.an ; and it is equally true, 
 that every natural man is under tiie reigning power of in- 
 fidelity. No 7nan can fay, that Jtj'us is the Lord, but by the 
 Holy Ghoji. I Cor. xii. 3. I'Vhojoe-ver belic-ueth that "J ejus 
 is the Chriji, is born cf God. 1 Joh. v. i* See alfo Rem. 
 X. 9. 1 Joh. iv. 15. (i) 
 
 ( 1 ) The external Enjidences of Chrifliauity way induce tnen 
 to fiich a belief cf the Gofpel, as that they dure net renaince 
 it, though they do not like it j but --ivill net gi^ve a heart- fatis- 
 Jying ccuuiSiion of its truth j fo long as it feems to contain a 
 fyfem of drf/rinrt incon/tftent <vjith the moral ttr,f>-y*'^''^' -i*' '^■'•'^ 
 But atfrjlfght, it appears inconfftei.t nvith the moral perfec- 
 tions rf Gody to gi-ve his Son to die in cur fie ad, to anfn.Ktr the 
 demands of a Lanv in its oivn nature toofe-v •■^. So long, there- 
 fore, as the Lanx) appears in this light, no man can htarlily be- 
 liei-e the report of the Gofpel, Gal. iii. lo, i-j^.— And this is 
 cne reafon, that all unregencrate men, nx-ho in Scripture are 
 confidered as enemies to Gcd' s La^ (Rom. 'viii. 7, 9.^ are re- 
 frefented as not biUe-zmg the Gofpel. (\ John, -j. \,^c. &c.J 
 Jnd this fhe-jjs, hen: cur unbelief of the Gcfpel arijes fern cur 
 enmity againfi Gcd and his Lanv (John 'vii. 1 7, and 'Viii. 47.J 
 andfo is truly criminal, fjohn iii. 1 8, 19, 20, zi— And this 
 accounts for the fearful appreherfions of eternal dejlrudlicn fo 
 common to aivakened Sinners, n.vho begin to Jee their fate by 
 Lmriv, but as yet do not appro-je the La^v as holy, jurt ar d gfod. 
 // is not Jh-ange their fears run fo high, nvhen they do not be- 
 lieve the Gofpel to be true— And this accounts for the aptnefs 
 of awakened Sinners to catch hold offalfe hopes, and build on 
 
DIALOGUE I. jy 
 
 Wherefore, the awakened Sinner, under a live'y fenfe of 
 the dreadfiilnefs of eternal damn-tion, with part .ular ap- 
 plication to himfelf, mull (thrpugh the icgenerat ng influ- 
 ences of the holy Spirit) be brought to ipprove thj law, in. 
 all its rigoui:, as /poIy, jufi and gooA, as being re illy ami- 
 able and glorious ini'.felf-', before hs ca i 'io n^uch 33 btlieve 
 (in Scripture-fenfe) the Gofpel to be trje. 1 ill this, every 
 man has the heart of an InfiJel. Yea, till this, ev^ry man 
 is as much of an enemy to the Gofpel (rightly und.riii.cd) 
 as to the Law. 
 
 Here, my dearTheron, here lies the greit difficulty of m- 
 bracing Chriilianity. This fets the world ag. init it. Their 
 hearts hate it, and their wits and pens are in a m:inner 
 conllantly employed to banifh it from the face of the E<irth. 
 All the chief errors in Chrillendoin grow up from a fecrec 
 hatred of God's holy Law. But all their elaborate volumes 
 are confuted with this fingie fentence : Chi iji L^vcd the 
 
 falj'c foundations : as they are blind to the only true ivay of ef- 
 capc hy fe/us Chriji. And this Jhe-ivs honxi prepcferous it is, 
 to think to per fund e Sinners to come to Chrifty and truji i;t himr 
 before fir ft they appro--ve the la-vj h\- -which they (land condemned^ 
 T'hey may be deluded by falfc fuggefions and falfe joys ; but 
 they -ivitl ne-ver believe the Gojpel to be true -xvith all their hearts, 
 till firfi they approve the la-i<j. Regeneration mufi be before 
 Faith. ("John I, 12. 13.^^ As to the unthinking multitude, ivho 
 bclie-ve any thing they hnotv not ^u^hy ; they may belie-ue the 
 Gofpel jufi as the Mahometans belie^je their /ilcoran, merely 
 becaufe their fathers believed it before them. But no thinking 
 confederate ?nan, ivho has a right doSlrinal underfianding of 
 the Gcfpcl-plany can ever belie-~je it n/sith all his heart, or cor- 
 dialh acquiefce in this <zvay of life 3 till by feeing the glcry of 
 the God cf Glory, hj approves the Laxu as holy, juft and good ; 
 and fo is prepared to Jce the ^j:ifdoin of God in the death cf h'rs 
 
 Son. See Mr. Ed^-ards on the Affeciions, p. 182, 199, en 
 
 the nature cf Faith. — ^ee, alfo., Mr. Edtvards on the Freedom 
 of the IV ill,- in 'zvhich all the objections cf the Arminians again fi 
 the divine Lanv, as requiring more of us than nve can do., are 
 fapped at the foundation., fee page 159, 177. See alfo the Au' 
 therms 7Vue Religion delineated, ivherein his fentiments relative 
 to the 7iature cf La^v and Gofpel nay be fen more at large, and 
 objections anjvjend. As alfo in his Sermon on GaL Hi. 24. 
 
 C3 
 
l8 DIALOGUE I. 
 
 Laiv in all its }-igour, and felt it lucis holy, juft and good, 
 or he -jjould never hwoe left his Father'' s bcfom to die upon the 
 Crojs, to anfwer its demands. Antinomians, Neononiians, 
 Arminians, Szz. mud all give up their various fchemes, or, 
 if they will be confillent wiih themfelves, go off into open 
 infidelity. For the Law in all its rigour is right, and glo- 
 rious too, or the Son of God had never died to anfwer its 
 demands, (i) 
 
 ( 1 ) If Infidels triumph tofeeprofejfed Chrijiians adnjancefuch 
 ahjurd and incoifficnt fche?nes, they may do --vcell to rememler, 
 I hat the -very Jpirit of enmity to God and his La-i\j, nxhich 
 produces thef jad ejfeds among prof eJJ'ed Chriftians, hath led 
 ti. em fill further, e-ven to give up di-vine Re-velation itfelf. 
 
 Perhaps^ firil, the Arminian fpirit n.\jrcught in their heart s^ 
 tind they -TCfr^ (in their o-xvn fancy J iifallibly certain, that it 
 is not juji that God ihould require more of his Creatures 
 than they can do, and then damn them for not doing, — The 
 next ftep, they denied the Atonement of Chrill, and commenced 
 Socifiiar.s i for it appeared ahjclutcly incredible y that the Son 
 of God fiocidd die to anfuoer the demands of an uvjujl La-iv. — 
 But, l^'fily, ivhen en further confederation y they find that the 
 Old and Nevj Tefiaments both join to teach y that Curfed is 
 every man that continueth no: in all things written in the 
 bock of the Law to do them (Deut.xx-uii. 26. — Gal. Hi y 10. J 
 and find that it is offertedy that Chriil was made a curie for 
 us, 10 redeem us frcm this very curfe (Ver. 13^, even from 
 the nrath to come, (\ Thcf i. 10. J and percei've, that the 
 docirine of Atonement is fo uni-verfally ini'-:r ought into the ivhole 
 of di'vine Re--vchttion, that it cannot poffibly hefet'eredfrom it; 
 and yet confedcr, that if Chrifi died to anjnxier the demands of 
 the La^, the Lavj jnufi be juppofed to be holy, juft and good, 
 in all its rigour ; a point they never can belie-ve : Therefore, to 
 extricate the;nfel<ves out of all difiicidties at once, (bold, dar^ 
 ing rebels to God, that they be I J jict^.vithfianding all the in^ 
 fallible e-viderccs God has gi-ven to its truth, they run the 
 drecdful ^enturcy to gi^e up the Bible itfelf They had ra^ 
 ther turn profcffed Infidels, than cwn the dinjinc Lanxj to bt 
 holy, juft and good. And then, fo inccnfefient are they, they 
 pretend to make the Law of Nature their only rule. Net 
 confidering that their enmity to the Law of Nature, the true 
 and real Law of Nature, hath driven them tc this dreadful 
 Unoth, 
 
DIALOGUE I. 19 
 
 7%er, But, Sir, is rot what fome fay, agreeable to 
 Scripture, reafon and experience, t^/z. that as our enmiiy 
 againll God arifcs from conceiving him to be our enemy, 
 fb we can never be reconciled to him, till we firit ice und 
 are periuadcd, that he loves us. (i) 
 
 Paul. With your leave, Sir, I will venture to afhrm, that 
 this fcheme is contrary to Scripture, reafon and the uni- 
 verfal experience of all true Saints. — As to the experience 
 of all true Saints, we have that in the plainell Lnguage, 
 defcribed by an infpired writer, 2 Cor. iii 18 li e all 
 njuith open face, beholding as in a glap the glcr) (f the Lord, 
 are changed into the fame image. A light of tne glory of 
 God is what moves us to love him. Love to God is th;it 
 image of God we are changed into. Tiie image of God 
 chieriy conlills in love, as all own. And tliia is produced 
 by a lenfe of GoJ's glory, as the infpired Apofde affirms. 
 — Befides, this fcheme is contrary to the whole Tenor of 
 Scripture, which every where teaches, that thcfe who are 
 enemies to God, are udually in a ilate oi condemnation (j"oh. 
 iii. 18.) and of li^rath, (ver. 36) and never can, nor will 
 be received imo the divine favour, till they repnjt zixd are 
 converted, (Afts iii. 19.) till they turn to God, (Pov.i. 23, 24. 
 — Ezek. xxxiii. 11.) and are reconciled to him through fejus 
 ChriJ}. (2 Cor. v. 20 — Luke xiii. 3, 5.) And indeed a true 
 jullifying Faith comprifes all tins in its very nature, in 
 its very firft ad. — Belides if one fhould be fo deluded, as 
 to believe God was reconciled to him while im.penitent, 
 and out of Chrifl:, this belief would not, could not bring 
 him to love God. 'Tis true, fuch an one might, like the 
 carnal Ifraelitcs at the fide of the Red -Sea, be full of joy 
 and love, arifmg merely from felf love. A kind of love. 
 
 The fool faith in his heart, there is no God. Did man- 
 kind really believe that there is a God of infinite Glcrjy they 
 could net but be con-uinced thai they are really urdcr infrAte ob- 
 ligativns to lonje him as fuch y <TA:ith all their hearts ; and that 
 the leaf} defcd dcferues his everlaj}:ng nvrath. But a fallen 
 Kvorld are dead to Gody blind to bis beauty, and enemies to his 
 La-iv j' as ail their reafcningSy and all their condu^l join to 
 prc=ve. — So that Aiheifm is the root cf all errors ; and enmity 
 to God and his La^^Jbuts cur eyes againjl th$ Truth, and gi'vcs 
 h'fdc.lity a reigvir.g pox-jer over tur hearts' 
 
 (1) M./. 25, 26, 27, 140. 
 
20 DIALOGUE!. 
 
 which ha*^ in it nothing of :he nature cf true love to God: 
 but is corfiilcnc with a reigning enmity againft him. 
 
 Ther, But if our cnmiiy .'igainll God arifes fr( m con- 
 ceiving him to be our enemy, remove the caufe, and the 
 effed will ce.ife. if wc view him as our reconciled Faiher 
 and Friend, the occafion of our enmity being removed, our 
 enmity will ceafe, and we fnall naturally love him. 
 
 Paul. Right, Theron, you fay true, if that be the only 
 c.iufe qf our enmity, this will eiieftually remove it. Nor 
 fhall we need to be born again (John iii. 3.) or to have any 
 new principle of di'-vine ///(f communicated to us. (John iii. 
 6 — Eph. ii. 5.) But from the principles of Nature we may 
 love God thus (Mat. v. 46 ) and the regenerating, fandi- 
 f;/ing influences'of the holy Spirit will be wholly necdlefs. 
 The vail need not be taken from our hearts, that we may 
 behold the Glory of God (2 Cor. iii. 18.) Only let God 
 declare that he loves us and al! is done. And if he was 
 our enemy before we turned enemies to him, it feems 
 proper and meet he lliould declare himfelf to be reconciled 
 firft. Be fure, as this will put an end to the whole ccntrc- 
 verfy between him and us, and fet all things right. And 
 one would think, that the God of peace would not be 
 backward to make fuch a declaration, in the moll explicit 
 manner, to all the human race, and that without the inter- 
 pofition of a Mediator, if indeed he became an enemy to 
 the human kind before we turned enemies to him. But if 
 the human kind, without the leaft provocation turned ene- *^ 
 mies firrt, and without any reafon revolted from their right- 
 ful Lord and Sovereign, and when God infinitely deferved 
 their higheft love, joined in open rebellion with Satan, 
 God's avowed foe; and if this, Oiir infinitely unreafonable 
 enmity is now the refult of the very temper of our whole 
 heart, even of a fixed contrariety of naiure to God, his 
 Law and Government, which yet are fauitlefs, yea, perfect- 
 ly holy, jiift and good {^om. vii. 12. and viii. 7.) It is in- 
 finitely unreafonable that God fliculd forgive us, till we 
 acknowledge this is the cSt, and approve his Law, by 
 which we Itand condemned, in the very bottom of our 
 hearts. (Luke xviii. 13.) Nor, till we do this, can we 
 pcfiihlv look to God through jcfus Chrift for pardon, as 
 ahiol'jtclv of mere free Grace. Without which, the Righ- 
 teous Monarch of the Univerfc has declared, we never fhall 
 be forgiven. (Rom, iii. 24.-^Mar, xvi, 16.) jput howcoii- 
 
DIALOGUE I. 21 
 
 trary to reafon is it, to fuppofe that God became enemy to 
 the human kind firll, and tiiat ail our enmity ariles Trom 
 conceiving him to be our enemy > as though ibmc fault 
 were originally on God's fiJe, before we revoli-cl from 
 him. AnU (o if he would no^v but become our friend and 
 love us, we ihould love him without aay more ado. What 
 need then of the death of his Son ? Or what need uf the 
 fiindifying influences of his Spirit ? If he was our enemy 
 iirll, he may well, without a Mediator, declare himfelf re- 
 conciled. And this will put an end to the whole contro- 
 verfy. A (hocking fcheme of ileligion, this ! But ihock- 
 ing as it is, and as reludiint as you m.'.y be, to own it in 
 tills Ihocking drefs ; yet you mull, my Theron, adhere to 
 it, if you would be confident with yourfelf, or cife give up 
 your darling point. For if we are enemies to God, in the 
 temper of our minds, previous to one thought of his be- 
 ing our enemy, a perfuafion of his love, 'tis fclf evident, 
 will never recoacile us to him. 
 
 7Wr. Underlcand me right. If we were to love God 
 primarily and chiefly for his own excellencies, a mere per- 
 luafion of his love to us, I own, would not be fufticicnt to 
 bring us to this. But you are fenfiblc. nr, that many look 
 on this notion of loving God fov himfelf, as a mere chi- 
 mera. What makes God appear lovely to us, U a belief, an 
 afTurerl perfuafion, that our flns are blotted out : and that 
 
 love to us. ( i) 
 
 Paul. But what warrant has a Clirift-lefs iinner, while 
 an enemy to God, to believe that his fms are blotted out ^ 
 Or if he does believe fo, and is raviftied with his delufion, 
 how can you prove this raviihment is of the nature of true 
 Holinefs ? The Devil can thus delude and ravilh a poor 
 Sinner: But has Satan power to beget divine Grace, and 
 real Holinefs in the heart? 
 
 7'/.^er. But if the Word of God is full on my fide, this 
 mud determine the point. 
 
 Paul. Amen ! I jt)in ifl^ue here, with all my heart. Nor 
 fliall any other writings ever determine, for me, any of the 
 do6lrines of Religion. 
 
 T^cf. It is expreflly written, as the experience of all the 
 Saints in the apoftolic age, in i John iv. i6. f^^e /;ave ktio%{jn 
 
 (i) 7!/./. 266, 140. 
 
22 DIALOGUE!. 
 
 and belU'ved the lon;e that God hath to us. And it follows in 
 ver. 19. IVe lo^je him btcauje >:e /irji lo-jed us. in thclc two 
 vciies our whole Ichcme is expreiied inthcplaincft m*nncr. 
 
 Paul. Yes, and it is as cxp.-efsly written in James ji. 21. 
 Was not ourFatherJbrahamjvJiijitdby itcrlsF And it is added, 
 with reipc<5t to all good men, vcr. 24. Ye fee then yboiv that 
 hy I'jorks a man is jujiif.idy and not by Faito only. And ia 
 thefe two veries our whole fchcme, lay the Arminians, is 
 exprCiTed in the plaineil manner. 
 
 7'her. VVc are not to be carried away by the mere found 
 of words in a fingle text of Scripture or two, to notions 
 contrary to fche wiiole tenor of the facred Yokme. This 
 is the way of liereticks, who thus rxr.y? the Scriptures to 
 their o~a>n dcjiruiiicn. (2 Pet. iii. 1^6. ) V7e are rather by 
 viewing the context, raid comparing Scripture with Scrip- 
 ture, 10 fcarch for the true meaning of tlie infpired writer. 
 My ue*r Afpafio has fet thofe woras of St. James in their 
 proper light, and proved that they are not at all to the 
 purpofe of the Arminians, (Vol. I. p. 268.) And indeed, 
 1 wonder how men that ever faw their own righteoufncfs 
 to be as filthy rags, (hould ever think of perverting the 
 ApolUe's WL-rds t:- ;♦- iTiciiuing, it is plain, he never intended. 
 
 i'aul. You fpeak v^ell, my dear Theron, and I wonder 
 how men, who are uaily ** with open fuce beholding as in 
 a {^lafs the elory of the Lord, and ^re cbanred into the 
 ^•amc imsgf'liui/i ^.^.; v^ ir.--j' ^. -i._ cV:,^- ^r ^u. 
 Lord," lliould ever think of putting fuch a fenfe on thofe 
 words of St. John. A fenfe, it is plain, he never intended, 
 neither came it into his heart. Indeed, 1 hope fome men's 
 hearts are more ortiiodox than their heads. However, let 
 that be is it will ; for it docs not belong to you nor me to 
 judge the f^atc of men's fouls: God only knows their hearts: 
 With God we leave them : Yet their notions of Religion we 
 iiTiy examine, compare with Scripture, and pals judgment 
 upon. Here we have a good right to judge. — Wherefore, 
 let us, obferving the rules of inierprccing Scripture, which 
 you have hinted, rules which all parties mull allow to be 
 good : let u^, I fay, impartially examine thofe words of the 
 Apollle, in i John. iv. 16, 19, which you juft now refer- 
 red to, as clearly exprefling your whole fcheme — Here my 
 dear Theron, here is the bible ; take it, and read the Epif- 
 tle through ; and when you have done, tell me — who 
 are tiiey, what is ths chara(^er of the men who ufe thi§ 
 
DIALOGUE!. 1^ 
 
 confident language : "We have known and believed the love 
 thut Goa haiti to us." Were chey b-inis or omners ? Did thej 
 know the/ were tiicchiidien of God, or were tney doubtful ? 
 Did tney know chey were in a good ellate by being conf- 
 cious of lanctif;ing operations in their own breaih ? 
 
 7'/jer. 1 nave re.id uic iLpiihe — I grant they knew they 
 were the chitdren of God, and Jieirs of eternal Glory. 
 — Tney uid not merely liop* this was the c ife ; but 
 they were certiin of it: They knew it. (chap. iii. i, 2.) 
 And they kne\\' it by fuch evidencrs as theie. iJscaule they 
 knew God, loved hiiii, and kept his comm.inds, (cnap. ii. 
 3, 4. 5.) imitaied tiie example of Chriil, (ver. 6.) lov^d 
 the bietiiren, (ver. 10.) as bearing ihc image of Gv;d (chap. 
 V. I.) had overcome tne Prince of Darknel^ (chap. li. ver. 
 13 ) \ere weaned from the wortd (ver. 15.) had fuch di- 
 vine iilurninaiions, as cnkbled them to undcriUnd, and 
 confirmed them in the belief of the great dottrines of ke- 
 ligicn, fo that it was impoirible they ihould be feduced 
 (ver. 19, 27 ) purified thcmielves af:er the pattern ofChrift 
 (chap. iii. 3.) lived in no fin, (ver, 6.) vca, could not live 
 in fin (ver. 9.) made (andihcaiion their criterion of a good 
 eftate, (ver. 10) looked upon all that were without it as 
 children of the Devil (ver. 10.) they were governed by di- 
 vine Grace in their condud tos^ards their brethren, (ver. 
 18, 19.) and made it their bufinefs to do the things Wiiich 
 wc.-e phii{ing m the fight of God: (ver. 22.) in a word, 
 they were ccnfcious to (he fandlifying operations of God's 
 Spirit, which dwelt in them (ver. 24.) &c. i5fc. 
 
 Paul. Now tell me, O my Theron, might not thefe men, 
 on good grounds, and with a fafe wcirrant, fay, We have 
 known and bciicvcd the love that God hath to us. They 
 knew they were the children of God, and entitled to eter- 
 nal glory. They knew they wejc of the number of the 
 Eled, the fhcep for whom Chrift died wiih an abfolutc de- 
 fign to iuve. Th:'y knew all this, not by believing it 
 without any evidence from Scripture, fenfe or reafon ; but 
 they knew ail this by evidences which pafs for infallible 
 in the court of lie iven : Evidences which they knew, and 
 we know, the Judge will pronounce to be ^ond and valid 
 at tha great day. Now tell me, O my Tiieron, if tt-.efe 
 n)en knew that God loved thetn, how can that prove, that 
 Chnll-Iefs, impe:iitent finners, cnemie;, to God, unrecon- 
 ciled, can knew it too .^ Thefe men had good evidence 
 
24 DIALOGUE I. 
 
 for what they belicvd ; but Ciirill-kfs finners have no evi- 
 dence ih;:t God loves them, or defigns to lave them, 
 ** frcm bcripiuje, ienfe or reaicn/' as the celebrated Mr. 
 Mailhall is obliged to own. (i) 
 
 2her. But the Apollle lays, We love him bccaufe he firft 
 loved us. Which plainly luppoles, they knew God loved 
 them before they loved him. 
 
 Faul. \i the Apollle, and all thofe Apcftolic Saints, 
 fliould join to declare they never underltood the matter fo, 
 this wt-uld quite fatisiy you. But which is altogether 
 equivalent, they all agreed to make this their Heady max- 
 im : He thai cowtntttcth fin is of tht Dei.iL (Ch^p. iii. 8, 
 9, 10.) But antecedent to the tirll adt of Grace, tney had 
 only ccmn;itted fm. Every act was a fmful ad, before the 
 firlt Gracious and holy a£t. And therefore, according to 
 their own rule, they were not the children of God, but ihe 
 children of the Devil ; till they had performed, at leail, 
 one aft o: Grace. And until they knew they h.id per- 
 formed an ail of Grace according to their own rule, they 
 could not know their ftate was changed for the better. But 
 in the firil ad of faving Grace, the Sinner's heart is really 
 reconciicd to God tJirough jefus Chrift. So that we begin 
 to love God before we know that he begins to love us — 
 Repent and Lc con'verttd, not bccaulc your fins are already, 
 but thac they may ie blotied out (Ads iii. 19.) 
 
 Ther. This is not agreeable to my experience, (ift.) I 
 had the love of Gc;d, as 2 reconciled God, manifefted to 
 my (oul. (2nd.) Hereupon I believed that God was my 
 reconciicd God and Father. (3d.) And fo I loved God be- 
 caufe he firll loved mc. And indeed it is plain the Apcf- 
 tle taught, that God loves us before we love him. i John, 
 iv. 10. 'Net that njoe lc<ved Gcd, but that he leaved us. He 
 loved us before we loved him. 
 
 Paid. But think a little, O my Thcron ! You do not 
 maintain that a Sinner is adually entitled to the love of 
 God, as his reconciled God fend father, before he believes 
 in Chrilt. This is beyond all difpute incon/iftent with the 
 vvh*.le tenrr of the Gofpel. For unbelievers are condemned 
 and under the nxrath of Gcd (John iii. 18, 36.) ^/V 'are juf 
 1 if cd by Faith, and net before Faith. (Rom. v. i ) , 
 
 Iher. As to Faith and Juitihcaiion, J choofe to defer 
 
 (1) U.p. 173. 
 
D I A L G U E I. zS 
 
 thefe fiibjefts to another time. Bat pray tell me; how do 
 you underftand thefe words ? 
 
 Paul. As to the love of God towards us. There is 
 (id.) Eleding love, whereby God c^o/e us in Cbrtjl to 
 faluGtion before the foundation of the woorld. (Eph. i. 4.) 
 (2nd.) Redeeming love towards the Eled, fpoken of in 
 I Joh. iv. 9. 10. He loved us, and fent his Son to be the pro- 
 pitiation for our fins. (3d.) There is the fovereign Grace 
 and love of God, which is exercifed in awakening, con- 
 vincing and converting eledt Tinners. Eph. ii. 4, 5. Gody 
 nvho is rich in mercy, for his great looje ivhere-with he loved 
 us, even nxjhen lue <voere dead in fins, hath quickened us to- 
 gether nx}ith Chriji. By Grace are ye faved. (4th.) There 
 is the love of God, as a reconciled Father, towards thofe 
 that are converted and become his children, through Jefas 
 Chrill. Joh. xiv. 21. He that hath my commandments and 
 keepeth them, he it is that loveth me : And he that loveth m?, 
 jhail be loved of my Father, and I 'will love him and mani- 
 fejl myfelf to him. Ver. 23. My Father 'wiU love him, and 
 nve njuill come unto him, and make our abode voith him. Rom. 
 viii. I. There is therefore noiv no condemnation to thejn n.vhich 
 are in Chriji Jefus, n.vho vjalk not after the Flejh, but after 
 the Spirit. Now the love of God, as a reconciled Father, 
 none enjoy but thofe who are already the children of God ; 
 and they enjoy it, as our blefled Saviour te.^.ches, in con- 
 fequence of their loving him and keeping his commands. 
 And fach was the ftate of the Saints the ApoiUe John is 
 fpeaking of. They knew that they were the children of 
 God, and that they fhould be faved. And they lived daily 
 in a fenfe of God's love, as their reconciled Father; for 
 they loved God and kept his commands. 
 
 •* But how came we to be in this blelTed and happy 
 ftate r" Might they fay, ** Once we were dead in fin, and 
 enemies to God : Now with open face we behold as in a 
 glafs the glory of the Lord, and love him, and rejoice in 
 his love. Once we were under condemnation and wrath : 
 Now children of God, and heirs of eternal glory. Beliold 
 what manner of love the Father hath bellowed upon us, 
 that we fhould be called the fons of God ! And whence 
 is all this? Not from any goodnefs in us, but of God's 
 mere fovereign Grace. He loved us before we loved him; 
 yea, before the foundation of the world. And we now 
 
 D 
 
26 DIALOGUE I. 
 
 love him becaufe he firfl: loved us. Yea, we never fliould 
 have loved him, had not he firll loved us, and redeemed 
 us by the blood of his Son, and quickened us when dead 
 in hn by his holy Spiiit, and opened our eyes to behold 
 his gioiy and beauty. Wherefore, feeing God is fo in- 
 hnite in his love and goodnefs towards us, let us imitate 
 him, and love one another." 
 
 Pray, my dear Theron, take your bible once more, and 
 read from the 7th to the 21ft verfe, in that ivth chap, of 
 the lil Epiftle of John. Read the whole paragraph criti- 
 cally, and you may eafily fee, that this is the fum of the 
 Apoltle's reafoningg. *' Bdonjed let us lonje one another. — 
 This is the duty 1 urge you to: and this is the argument 
 I ufe. God is Lo've. And if we are born of God, if wc 
 :ire made parta.kers of his nature, we fnall love our Bro- 
 ther. If we do not love cur Brother, our pretences to re- 
 gcneraiion are a lie. If we do love our Brother, we are 
 born of God; for God is Lc^oe. (fee ver. 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 
 16, 20, 21.) That God is Lo-ce, is plain from the work of 
 our Redemption by Chrift. That the benevolence, love, 
 and goodnefs of the divine nature is ielf-moving, is plain, 
 becaufe there was no goodnefs in us to mcvt him to give 
 his Son to die for us. — For we did not love God. — We were 
 enemies. — God firft loved us. Yea, if God had not pitied 
 us in our loll rtate, and redeemed us, and brought us to 
 know him, we Ihould never have loved him. We love him 
 now, but we never fhould have done fo, had not he firft 
 loved, redeemed, and converted us. Wherefore, full of 
 gratitude, we love him becaufe he fiift loved us. And as 
 the goodnefs of the divine Niiture is thus felf-moving, and 
 as God's heart is fo full of benevolence and love, and as we 
 partake of the very fame nature by our new birth; fo we 
 iliould exercife it conllantly in loving our brethren. The 
 goc-d-nefs of the divine Nature, as m;;nifcft in our Redemp- 
 tion, vvhicJi is continually before our eyes, and its beauty, 
 wiiic.h confiantly affeds our hearts, fi-jould change us into 
 the fame image, and make us full of love to our bre-.. 
 thren." (Ver. 7, 2,1.) 
 
 Thcr. If, by the beauty of the divine Nature, you only 
 n^ean, that God appears lovely, merely becaule he loves 
 us, 1 can underftand you ; and can love God on this ac- 
 count. But when you fpeak of loving God for hiinfelf, I 
 
DIALOGUE I. 27 
 
 know not what you mean, nor how it is polTible for any 
 to love. God on tiiis foot. 
 
 Paul. There is an cffential difference between being 
 charmed with the beauty of the divine Goodnefs, and be- 
 ing ravidied mCi ely to think that God loves me. The one 
 will infallibly change us into the divine Image, agreeable 
 to Mat. V. 4^, 45, 4.8 ; the otner vv'ill never raife us higher 
 than to the Publican's ftandard, ver. 46, 47. 
 
 Befides, my dear Thcrcn, tell me; do you verily be- 
 lieve, that it is more to God's honor to be your particular 
 friend, than it is to be by nature cod ? Djcs his friend- 
 Ihip to you make him Ihinc brighter, than all the infinite 
 glories of His eternal godhead? And is he more 
 worthy to be loved and worfhiped becaufe he loves you, 
 than for his own REAL divinity? Or, as the Papiils can- 
 nonizs faints for their extraordinary attachment to the 
 Roman Church, and then piy them religious worfhip ; (o 
 do you deify G )d, for being your particular friend, ani 
 give him divine worfliip meiely on this account; but for 
 which you would be lull of ** hatred and hearc-iifings 
 againfl him?" We ufe to think divine love and wcrfl^ip 
 ought by no means to be paid to a mere creature, hov jriiid 
 fojver to us. But if you leave divinity, if you Ilmvc 
 the GLORY OF THE DivjNE MAJESTY as he is in hinifulfy 
 out of the account; and love and worfhip him merely ^ar 
 his love to yoj. and make him your god, merely for that ; 
 and fo pay him divine worlhip not becaufe he is by na- 
 ture GOD, but becaufe he is your particular friend ; how- 
 will you free yourfelf from the guilt cf idolatry r — To be 
 fare, you are fo far from paying a proper regard to real 
 Divinity, that you fliew yourfelf quite blind to his beauty 
 and glory, and ftupid to that which charms all the heavenly 
 world. And in their eyes, you muil appear in a very (q\- 
 fifli, impious, contemptible light, in your higheft raptures. 
 Had Nicaulis, the Q^cen of Sheba, on her return from 
 King Solomon's court, in all her converfation, dwelt only 
 on the roval boun y which he gave her, (i Kin. x. 13 ) and 
 exprefled her love to him on this account alone, wondering 
 how any man of fenfe could talk of the fine and charm- - 
 ing accompliihments of the King, and what they meant 
 by loving him primarily and chiefly on the foot of his own 
 perfonal merit: v/ould not thofe gentlemen who had been 
 D 2 
 
28 
 
 DIALOGUE I. 
 
 her attendants in her tour to Jerufalem, have been tempted 
 to look opon her as a perlon of no tafte, that the fine 
 and charming accompliihmen.:s of even Solomon, in all his 
 glory, could not touch her heart. And 1 dare fay, her 
 name would not have been mentioned in the Jewiili hillory, 
 unlefs with infamy. But what was Solomon's glory, com- 
 pared with the glory of the King of the whole univerie ! 
 
 What would the Queen of Ifrael have thought, had the 
 daughters of jerufalem faid unto her, *' What is thy be- 
 loved more than another beloved, O thou faireft among 
 women?" Would ftie not have foon replied, with the fer- 
 vor of an ardent lover? Mj beloved is nx:hiteand ruddy ^ the 
 chief ej} amcvgUn tboufand ; yea, he is altogether lo-velj . Cant. 
 V. 9, 10, 16. And have not the regenerate infinitely more 
 rcafon to adopt this language ? For as natural men have by 
 nature a tafie to the beauties of the natural world ; fo fpi- 
 ritual men have by grace a tafte to the beauties of the 
 moral world. As King Solomon appeared exceedinjij 
 glorious to the Queen of Sheba ; fo the Lord Jehovah 
 v.ho fits on a Throne high and lifted upy as the thrice holy 
 Monarch of the uni'uerfej appears exceeding glorious, not 
 only to Angels in Heaven, but to Saints on Earth, (Ifa. vi. 
 3. — 2 Cor. iii. 1 8.) And they are all ready in the language 
 of the Queen of Sheba, to fay, Happy are thy men, happ^ 
 are thefe thy feruants^ nuhich fla-nd continually before thee, 
 ^ I Kin. X. 8.) The infinite amiablenefs of God, as he is in 
 himfelf, is the chief fource of the refined joys of the hea- 
 venly world. To behold fuch a God, to love and be 
 beloved by him, is the Heaven of Heaven itfelf. And the 
 more exalted his glory and beauty, the fweeter their love 
 and joy. His being njohat he is in hinfelfy fo infinitely de- 
 fiiable, renders it fo infinitely happifying to them, to en- 
 joy him for ever as their own, Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. 
 
 Ther. Perhaps there may be more in what you plead for 
 than! have been wont to think. And as I defign fully to 
 confider thefe things, that I may be under the beft advan- 
 tages to make up a right judgment, pray point out fome 
 of the chief differences between thefe two kinds of love 
 to God. 
 
 Paul, (ift.) If I love God for himfelf, God, even God 
 himfelf is the objeft beloved : And the ad by me perform- 
 ed, is properly an aft of love to God. If I love God merely 
 becaufe he loves me, 1 am the objeft really beloved : And jhf ^ 
 
DIALOGUE I. 29 
 
 aft is properly an acl of felf-love. (2d.) The one fuppofes 
 the glory and amiablencfs of the divine Nature is really feen: 
 The other may be where the heart is wholly blind to this 
 kind of beauty, as it does not arife from a fenfe of God's 
 amiablenefs, but altogether from felfifti confiderations. — 
 (3d.) if God is loved for himfelf, the whole of God's law 
 and government will alfo be loved, as in thenifelves beau- 
 tiful, holy, juji and good, a tranfcript and image of God's 
 nature. If God is loved merely becaufe he loves me, I 
 Ihall be reconciled to God's Law and Government only as 
 confidering myfeif i'afe from the ftroke of divine jufticc. 
 And I Ihall be reconciled to God's decrees only as confi- 
 dering them in my favour. Not really caring what b.;comes 
 of the reft of my fellow men, I fliall pretend to like God's 
 plan of government as being fafe myfeif, but for which, 
 I fhould, as your Author exprcffes it, be full of *' hatred 
 and heart-rifings in fpiie of my heart." (i) If God is 
 loved for himfelf, every thing which bears his iir.age, will, 
 for the fame reaf^^n, be loved, as being in itfelf lovely, as 
 refembling the ftandard of true beauty : But otherwife, all 
 my love towards all other things of a religious nature, will 
 be merely felfilh. — For inrtance, I fhall love the children 
 of God merely on felfifti accounts ; as, becaufe they love 
 me, belong to my party, &c. So the hypocritical Gala- 
 tians once loved St. Paul, as they thought he had been the 
 means of thtir converfion ; but uhen he was afterwards 
 obliged to tell them fome truths which they difrelilhed, 
 their love grew cold; yea, they rather inclined to join 
 with the falfe teachers, hii avowed enemies who were ccn- 
 frantly endeavouring to undermine that fcheme of Religion 
 which was dearer to him than his lif:?. This proved they 
 never really loved Paul himfelf; who ftill continued the 
 fame he was before. So the Ifraclites feemcd to love God, 
 much, at the ftde of the Red-Se.^, while they thought he 
 loved them; but the waters of Marah foon brought tht-m 
 to different feelings. — (4th ) If God is loved for himfelf, 
 it will be natural to imitate him, and delight to pleafe him. 
 For we always love to imitave and pleafe thofe who are 
 really dear to us, and their commands are net grienjious. (i 
 Joh. V. 3.) But you know the chari;£ler of the men, ov^o 
 
 {i) M. p. 24, 25; i40» 
 D 3 
 
2S B I A L O G U E li 
 
 Jau^ God^s prajfey but foon format his tuorks. (Pfal. cvi. \T, 
 13.) And forty years long nvas he grieved nvith this gene^ 
 ration. (Plai. xcv. 10.). Tney were much engaged to 
 Juve thensfelvcs pleafcd ; but cared not what became of 
 God'b honour, when they were crofled. (5th) If God is 
 loved for himfelf, then the enjoyment of God will be our 
 
 high-H happincls. i4''hom- ha^ve 1 in Heaven but thee F 
 
 A id there is none upon earth that I dejire bcjides thee. (Plal. 
 Ixxiii. 25.) Wncreas, if we love God only in a firm per- 
 fuafion of nis love to us, as himfelf cannot be our portion, 
 fo we faall naturally feek rell: elfe-.vh^^re. For nothing can 
 bf; a portion to cur fouls, which is not loved for itlelf. — 
 The man that m^.rries merely for money, cannot cxpeil to 
 find that delight and fatisfadion in his companion, which 
 he might in a pen fen ngreeable to his taile. And no won- 
 der he abfents hinifelf from her ccmpany, and contrives 
 excufes to juftif/ himfelf. Wherefore, (6ih) If God is 
 loved for himfelf, as there is thereby a foundavion laid for 
 a conformity to him in the temper of our minds, and a life 
 of corrmunion with him ; fo hereby it may be dilcovered, 
 that we, thus bearing his image are re.iily his children. — 
 And fo an afTurance of our good eilate may be obtained 
 from cur fandificaiion ; which on the other fcheme never 
 can, if we will be honelt to our own fouls. As v-'ell may 
 the rufn grow withvjut mire, and the- flag without water ; 
 yea, as well may you build a cathedral on the flaik of a 
 tulip, f^iVs your Afpafio, (i) as one in your fcheme maintain 
 afiurance froma conicionlnefs of his own fr.nctiiicaticn. 
 
 Here, my dear Afpafio, the converfation flopped. — I fat-. 
 
 •filent, ail my thoughts turned imvard " O my foul," iaid 
 
 1 to myfelf, '* tiro is my very cafe. My fnniiification has 
 for a long time, been no more to be fcen than the liars al 
 noon. 1 have found by fad experience, no afTurance could 
 p .iTibly be obtained this v/ay. To feek afTurance by marks 
 and figns of Gr.ice, only cheriihes my doubts, and increaf- 
 cs my perplexity. And what if this is indeed the very 
 
 reafon, that really Inever had any true Grace?" 1 was 
 
 fhocked — m.y heart recoiled — '*6 dreadful! — an hssr of 
 Hell! : fter all my high raifed IvopesI" 
 
 Thus i fat filent feveral minutes, quite loft in felf refiec'- 
 tion, tiii Pauliniis began again to fpeak. — *' 1 muu diimife 
 
 (1) /). p^-ji^io, 362, 
 
» I A LOO u E ir. • 31 
 
 thefe fubjefts at prefent,'* faid I, " and retire. Your 
 thoughts on the remaining points, 1 hope to hear at a more 
 convenienc feafon." Paulinas replied, •* When you pleafe. 
 Sir, I am at your fervice." ** To-morrow evening I will 
 "wait upon you," faid I. — After he had expreiTcd many^ 
 kind wilhes for my gooJ, and I had afked hi.s prayers, 1 
 retired to my closet. And, O my x^fpafio, you may eafily 
 guefs how 1 fpent the night. For the 'wicked are like tha 
 troubled Jea, vjben it cannot reji, ivbo/e ^waters caji up mirs 
 and ditt.^' 
 
 DIALOGUE II 
 
 Tuefd ay Evening, Deceinher 12, i/fS'. 
 
 I RETURNED at tiie appointed time. And after ibme 
 agreeable converfation on general fubjedo, I intro- 
 duced the SECOND QUESTION. — But Pauiinus infilled I 
 fhould tell my opinion nrll — which i did, in tne very word's 
 of the bell writers 1 had Icen. — Thus we begun — 
 
 Paul. Pray, tell mc exadly, \s\\2.i jujiifying Faith is, in 
 your opinion ? 
 
 Ther. *' It is a real perfuafion in my heart, that jefus 
 Chrill is mine, and that 1 fiiiil have life and filvatio.i by 
 him;, that whatfoever Chriil did for the redempiion of 
 mankind, he did it fjr me. Faith is an hearty alfarance, 
 t.'iat our fins are freely forgiven us in Chrift. — Jullifying 
 Faith hath for the fpecial cbjed of it, forgivenefs of fins. 
 — A man doth not believe that hi^ fins are forgiven him 
 already, before the adl of believing ; but that he fhall have 
 forgivenefs of fins. In the very ad of juilihcatlon, he be- 
 lieves his fms are forgiven him ; and fo receives forgive- 
 nefs. (1) — Faith is a real perfuafion that the blcfTed Jefus 
 
 (i) Marro-ju cf Mod. Div. ivith Notes, p. 15 8, 273. 
 
 N. B. IVcndeiinus is the author of the lajl mentioned Deji- 
 nit ion of Faith ; ixjbo is one of the authorities Mr. Herve^ re- 
 fers to. . (D. p, 315-) -^fJ^i ^ tkis Dejinition feetns to ka^^^ 
 Seen mads 'with (arfi and to be 'very ejca^ > f<k it if ^worthy 
 
32 DIALOGUE II. 
 
 hath (hed his blood for me, fulfilled all righteoufnefs in my 
 fle^d ; that through his great aionemtnt and glorious obe- 
 dience, he has purchafcd even for my fmful loul, reconcilia- 
 tion with God, findlfying grace, and all Ipiritual biefl"- 
 ings." And the language of Faith is this; ♦• Pardon is 
 mine, grace is mine, Chiill and all his fpiritual bleffings 
 are mine. — God has freely loved me ; Chrilt has gracioufly 
 died for me ; and the Holy Ghoft will affuredly fandlify 
 me in the belief, the appropriating bslief, of thefe precious 
 truths." This appropriating and taking home to myfelf 
 the bleflings of the Gofpel is of the efience of Faith, (i) 
 ** It is not a perfuafion, that we have already received Chrifl 
 and his falvation, or that we have been already brought 
 into a ftare of Grace: But only that God is pleafed graci- 
 oufly to give Chriii and his falvation unto us, to bring us 
 into a ftate of Grace. (2) To fum up all in a word : Faith 
 is a perfuafion, that I am one for whom Chrift died with a 
 defign to fave ; that God is reconciled to me, loves me, and 
 will fave me. And all this is believed by the diredl aft of 
 Faith, antecedent to any reflexion. (3) 
 
 PauL O my Theron, be you not miliaken? Is not Faith 
 ufualiy called coming to Chrift^ recei'ving Chriji, trujitng in 
 Chriji, belie<ving in Chrijxy flying to Chrifl ? &c. 
 
 Ther. It is. But this is an after a6l, and is built upon the 
 former. Firfl, I believe, that pardon, grace, Chrift and all his 
 fpiritual bleflings are mine : x^nd then i truft I fliall afliiredly 
 be faved by Chrift. — Firfl,l believe that Chrift died for me 
 in particular, and that God is my God; and this encoura- 
 ges me to come to Chrift and truft in him. If I did not know 
 that Chrift loves me, I fhould not dare to truft in him. (4) 
 Wherefore, in the firft dired ad of Faith, I believe that 
 God *' is reconciled tome," (0 that Chrift has " refcucd 
 Rie from Hell," and '* eftabliflied my title to all the bleflings 
 included in the promifes." (6) Juft as my tenant believed 
 
 oj" particular attention,— —^My flns ate not forgii'en, hut 1 be- 
 lie've they are forgi<A}eny and fo receive forginjenefs j i. e. / 
 kne^w it iviis not true, hut I helie<ved it to be true,' and flj it 
 became true. Which exadly a-'flwers to the account Mr. Mar- 
 floal gi'ves of Faith. Of luhtch fnore prefently, 
 
 (i)D./.296, 362, 345, 315. (2)M./. 176. (3) D. 
 P' 358. 359- U) -D. h 3^2, 313. (s) D. /. 1651, 
 (6) D./. igi. 
 
DIALOGUE II. 33 
 
 me, when once I fent him word, ** that I had cancelled his 
 bond and forgiven his debt, (i) Jull as my fervant beaeved 
 me, when I freely gave him a little farm. (2) And juil as 
 you believed the ellate your own, which was bequeathed to 
 you in your late father's lail will. You firit believed your 
 title good, and then took pofTelTian of it as your own. (3) 
 I am fenfible, this is not what is called the orthodox opi- 
 nion ; it is more ** refined and exalted," (4) and more exadtly 
 agreeable to the truth. (5) 
 
 Paul. But my dear Thercn, how do you know that Chrift, 
 pardon, grace and glory are your's r What evidence have 
 you for your belief? A belief, on which you venture your 
 precious foul for a whole eternity. 
 
 Iher. The holy fcripture clears up my title, (6) and en- 
 ables me to appropriate to myfelf in particular, what is 
 given, granted and made over in the written word to fm- 
 ners in general. (7) To explain myfelf, it is written in Ifa. 
 ix. 6. To us a Son is given. (8) lia. liii. 6. The Lord hath 
 laid on him the iniquities of us all. (9) i Cor. xv. i. Chriji 
 died for our fins. (10) John vi. 32. Mv father gi'veth you the 
 true bread from Heaven, (i i) i John v. 9. 2'his is the Record, 
 that God hath given to us eternal ife. (12) Adts xiii. 28 . Unto 
 you is preached theforgi'venefs of fins. [ 13) Ifa. xliii. 2^. I, e'ven 
 ly^am hey that blotteth out thy tranjgrejjions. (14) And by 
 Faith I appropriate all this to myfelf. 1 believe that Chrift 
 is mine, given to me in particular: My fins in particular 
 were laid on him: He died for my fins in particular: He 
 is my bread : Eternal life is mine : My fins are forgiven : 
 My tranfgreffions are blotted out. And fo according to 
 Scripture, I belie-ve the love that God hath to me. i Joh. iv. 
 16. I believe 1 Jhall be fanjed. Adl, xv. 11. 1 bvlieve 
 Chrifi lo'ved me, and ga've himfilf for me. Gal. ii. 20. (15) 
 With Thomas I fay, My Lord, my God! Joh. xx. 28. •*! 
 am perfuaded in my heart, that Jefus is my Lord, who 
 bought me with his blood : That Jefus is my God, who 
 will exert all his adorable perfections for my good. (16) 
 This is Faith, according to the common acceptation of the 
 
 (i)D./. 298. (2)D./.. 273. (3)D./. 255. (4)D. 
 /. 295. (5) D.;». 312, 313, 334, 333. (6) D.p. 295. 
 (7)D./>. 305, 314. (8)D./. 308. (9) D./. 304. (10) 
 D.>. 318. (II) D./. 307. (12) D./. 319. (13) D/. 
 303. (14) D./. 329. (15) D./. 326, (16) D.^ 330. 
 
34- D I A LO G U E II. 
 
 word believe, (i) And this Faith our Saviour himfelf, 
 allows to be genuine. (2) And if I lliould not thus be- 
 lieve, I fhould make God a liar- (3) 
 
 Paul. How make God a liar, my dear Theron ? Hath 
 God faid that Chriit died with :.n abfolute defign to lave 
 all mankind ? And hath God exprefsiy declared, that he 
 will fave them all ? I'hac you tnink >ourielt" obliged in 
 confcience, while out of Chriil, 10 believe he died with 
 an abfolute defign to fave you, and thai God will certain- 
 ly fave you ; and that it would be no better than making 
 God a liar, not to believe ib. 
 
 leer. No, no ; God hath never faid any fuch thing, 
 cxpreffly or implicitly. Yea, God has plainly diough de-' 
 clared, that Chriit died with an abfolute defign to fave 
 only the Eiedt ; and that in fadl, no other ever will be 
 faved. I'hifi we are all agreed in. (4) 
 
 Paul, did you know then that you was one of the Eled, 
 before you believed ? That you thought yourfelf bound 
 in cc nicience to believe that you ihould be faved; left 
 oihernife, you Ihould be guilty of fo horrible a fm, as to 
 ni.ike God a liar. 
 
 Ther. No, by no means. For no man can know hie 
 eledion till after Faith and Juftification. 
 
 Paul. How then could you make God a ]iar ? Is it any 
 where declared in his wit en word, that your fins in par- 
 ticular are forgiven, and that you ftiall be faved. 
 
 7'her. No; fa far from it, ihat before I believed my fins 
 were forgiven, they were in iiiH not forgiven : But I was 
 under condemnation and wiath. 
 
 Paul. But furely here is fome great myflery. You fay, 
 you believe that Chrift died wiih a defign to fave cnly the 
 E.'ec^t, and thai you did not know that you was Eleded ; 
 and yet you believed that Chriit died with a defign to fave 
 you. You lay, your fins were not forj;iven before you be- 
 lieved ; and yet you believed they were forgiven. You 
 fe m, my friend, to be fo f.r from any danger of making 
 Goti a liar by not believing ; thit r.ither you make him a 
 liar by believing your fins are forgiven, when God fays 
 
 (I) D./>. 297. (2) D./. 330. (3) T>.p. 354. 
 
 (4) Bojlon on the 7'uo Co-ienants, ^.27, 34. N. B. He 
 fays, Ija. Itii. 6 (a text Theron juji novj a}>plied to himfelf J 
 ref pedis only tie ele^, /•• 30« 
 
DIALOGUE II. 35 
 
 th^y are not. At lealt, lo make ihe beft of it, I do not fee 
 what evidence you n^ve for your bi^iief. Nay, novv c.n 
 fucn ^ Faith as yours polhbly be the le.ult of eviuence, 
 and of a racionul ccnvidi^-n ? Fur the caie does n».t ieein 
 to admit of any evidence. For how can there be any ev- 
 idence to prove the tiuth of that which as yet is not tiue? 
 Pray, unfold ihis riudie, like a rignt noneft man, and tell 
 me ihe fcciet of the whole afi".ir. 
 
 I'her. This ma'.ter is ho;:eIl:y ftated, and that with great 
 exa(^>ncfs, in Mr. Miilhail's G -fpel Myllery ; a hook, my 
 Afpafiu values next to ihe Bible, (i) 'Fhefe are the very 
 words of that celebrated author. •* Let it be well ob.erv- 
 ed, that the reafon why we are to afllire o*.:rfcives in our 
 Faith, that God freely giveth Chrilt and his falvaticn to 
 us in particular, is not becaafe it is a truth before we be- 
 lieve ic, but bec2ufe it becometh a certain truth when we 
 believe ; and becauie it never will be true, except we do 
 in fome meafujre, perfuade and alTare ourfelves ihat it is 
 (o. We Jiave no abfolute promife or declaration in Scrip- 
 ture, that God certa-.nly will, or doth give Chrilt and his 
 faivation, to any one of us in parcicui6.r; neither do we 
 knov/ it to be true already by Scripture, or fenie, or rea- 
 fon, before we aHarc ourlelves abfoiuteiy of it : Yea, we 
 are without Chrift's faivation at prefent, in a llace of fin 
 and mifery, under tiie curfe and wrath tf God. Only we 
 are bound by the command of Gcd, thus to aflure our- 
 felve. ; And t!ie Scripture doth futhciently warrant us, 
 that we iliall not deceive ourfelves, in believing a lie : But 
 accordzKg to our Faiths Jo Jhall it be to usV Mat. ix. 29. 
 (N. B.) *'This is a ftrange kind of aflurance, fir differ- 
 ent from other ordinary kinds; and therefore, no wonder 
 if it be found weak and imperfeft, and difficult to be ob- 
 tained, and affduhed with many doublings. We are con- 
 ftrairicd to believe other things on the clear evidence we 
 have that they are true, and would remain true, whether 
 we believe them or no ; fo that we cannot deny our aflent, 
 without rebelling againil the light of our fenfes, realbn, 
 or confciertce. But here our afiuiance is not impreffed on 
 our thoughts by any evidence of the thing ; but ue muft 
 work it out in ourfiflves by the affifiance of the Spirit of 
 God." (2) Labouring for it, as my dear Afpafu explains 
 
 (0 D. /). 336. (2) M./. 173, 174. 
 
36 DIALOGUE II. 
 
 the words, " inceflantly and afliduoufly, 'till our Lord 
 come." (i) What things J'oe'ver ye dejire nvhen ye pray^ be- 
 Ite've that ye recei've them, and ye Jhali ba^ve them. Mar, 
 ix. 24 (2) 
 
 (i) M. Preface, p. 7. 
 
 (2) Reader j'i op and think a minute.— What is it, that <we 
 4ire thus to ajjure curjelnjes of, ivithout ary e'vidence from S.crip- 
 iure, or fenje, or reafoni' That God fo loved the world, as 
 to give his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth 
 in him, fhould not perifh, but have everlalting life? A .• 
 for this is true before ixe belie^ve it, and nxih ether nve believe 
 it or not. And it is a truth plainly taught in Scripture. — 
 What then? ** That God freely gt^tth Chriji and his falnja- 
 tion to me in particular, ^"^ according to Mr. Marjhal. That 
 ^' paraon is tmne, grace is mine, Chriji and all his fpiritual 
 hlejjhigs are mine,''^ as Mr. Her<vey expreffes it. — And nonv it 
 iitrue enough, this is ^* not declared in Scripture j is not true 
 before ive belie-oe it s and nve maji belie've ivithout any evi- 
 dence from Scripture, Jenje or reajon.^^ Thus the point is fated 
 in a book Mr. Her-uey approves of next to the Bible. 
 
 Objedlion. *' No,'' fays Mr. Gellatly, a great admirer of 
 Mr. Hervey, *' 710 fuch thing. We do not belieue ave have a 
 faving intereft in Chriji. We only believe vue have a common 
 intereft. A faving intereft is not made over to us in the Gof- 
 pel Grant : But a common intereft is ours by a free deed of 
 gift. Wherefore, I believe 1 have a common intereft, / claim 
 it, I demand it, 1 take pcfftjjion of it as my ovon. And this 
 is Faith. (See Mr. Gel. Obfervations, i5c.p. 76, 88.^ 
 
 Anfwer, Tou claim, you take pofjejfton. — Of v. hat ? my 
 friend ! Of a common intereft. — This is your' s, you fay.'—' 
 2'his you claim, this you pcjjejs. — And this is all. — ^com- 
 mon intereft, and no more. — 7'ou claim no more, and you can 
 have no more on this foot. For you acknovjledge, yew deed of 
 gift convtys no more. — But Meffrs. Harvey and Marjhal claim 
 more. They take pofejfion of a faving intereft as their onvn» 
 And therefore hcnejily confej's, they have no evidence from Scrip- 
 ture, ferfe or reafon. And if Mr. G. Jhould venture to put in 
 as high a claim, I hope he v:ill make as honef a CcnceJJion. 
 
 Objection. '* Tes.''^ But *' 1 believe that Chriji is mine, 
 and that 1 Jhall have Life and Salvation by him.''' P. 103. 
 
 Arfwer. ** Salvation !'' — But this is a faving intereft, 
 */ made over in your deed of gift, as you cwn. The bible n§ 
 
E) I ALOGUE 21. 37 
 
 Paul. I have on the table a paper containing twelve fhort 
 <jiieriei«, relative to the point in nand. 11 it is not dif- 
 a^r e.4bie, I will read it co you. 
 
 Tber. If you pieale. Sis 1 lliould be glad to hear it. 
 
 Puul. It was wrote this very day, on re.idin;^ that re- 
 in irk tole pair.ige in Mr. Mirlhil, you hdve j-.»lt recited, 
 ana on a general view of the controveri'y, as il.i.ed by him, 
 and by your friend Arpafio, ;md as cjcpednig to lee you 
 this evening. 
 
 TWELVE C>yERIES. 
 
 ^er. I. Did God ever require any one of the Tons of 
 Ad lui to believe any propofuion to hi true, unieA it was 
 in fail true, before he believed it? We are required to 
 believe, there is a God — that Chriil is the Son of God — 
 that he died for finner^ — that he fent his Apollles to preuch 
 the Gofpel to every creature — ihat he that believevti Ihall 
 be laved — chat he that believeth noc, ihall be d imned — ihat 
 without holinefs no man fhall fee the Lord : In a word, we 
 are required to believe all the truths taught in the bible. — 
 But then, they are all true, before we believe them, and 
 whether we believe them, or not. 
 
 i^er. 2. Are not all thefe truths contained in the Scrip- 
 tures of the Old and New Tellament, which it is neceflary 
 for us to know and believe in order to our falvation ? Is 
 not this a point which has ever been ftrenuoufly maintained 
 
 nuhere declares y' that you in particular *' jliall hanje life and 
 fal'vation.'*'' You beiie've no-uo ** luithout any evidence frum 
 Scripture fenje or reajony^^ jujl as Mr. Marjhal fa\'S. So Ifee^ 
 your Faith is the fame as his ; but he ts frank and open-heart- 
 ed, and tells the t.:oneJl truth to the nvorld. 
 
 Objed. But if a common iiiterell in Chriji, and falva- 
 tion are mine, by the free and abfolute grant of the Gofpel y 
 this gives ?ne a ^warrant, by Faith, to claim and take p<f/cf- 
 fton of Cirijl and falvation as my oiJon for evtr : i. e. to be- 
 lieve ihat Chriji is mine, and that 1 jhall haue life and fal- 
 'vatien by him. (p. 88, 90.^ 
 
 Anf. That is, if a common intereft // mine, this gives me 
 » ^warrant to believe a faving intereft is tnine. And fo accord- 
 irg to Mr. Murjhal, " though a faving intereft is not mine, 
 before 1 believe ; yet if I believe it is mine, then it ivill be minc^ 
 --^But of this more prefently, . E 
 
3^ DIALOGUE 11. 
 
 by all Proteftants ? But are they not ail true, before we 
 believe them, snd whether we believe them, or not? 
 
 ^er. 3, Is it fafe to venture our louls tor eternity, 
 merely on the truth of a pro'xjfuion no where contained in 
 the bible? " Thsioii, Chiilt died for thee in particular, 
 and thy fins are forgiven.'' Is this propofition contained in 
 tne bible? Is it taus^ht in fcripture? If it had been, would 
 it not have been true, beiorc it was believed? and whe- 
 ther it was ever believed or no? — If Theron ventures hii 
 ioul upon the truth of this propofition, and hnds himielf 
 at lail deceived, can he blame tiie bible ? Was it contained 
 in that book? Did he learn it thence? — Nay, he owns he 
 did not. But then he ihinks Gud has required him to v^crk 
 up himfelf to fuch a belief, and proinifed, that according t» 
 his Faith, Jo jkall it he unto him. And yet own>, he hai 
 no evidence of the thing from ScriptLire, leni'e or reaion. 
 
 i^er, 4. Did God ever require any one of the fons of 
 Adam, to believe any thing to be true, without fufRcicnt 
 previous evidence thai, it was true r — Look through the 
 bible. — Where' (hall we find one iniiar.ce? — Not in the Old 
 Teflament — nor in th« New Teilament — no, not even in 
 one of thefe particulars, thefe writers uilKilly refer to, to 
 illuilrate and confirm this " ftrangc kind .of afl'urance." 
 
 Not in Abraham, who againji Hope bclie-ved in Ho^e, that 
 he fliould have a fon j Sarah being not only barren, but 
 pail the age of cliild-beaiing. For he had iufficient evi- 
 dence for the thing he believed : Even the known, the 
 plain, the cx.prefs promife of the God of Truth. (1) 
 
 Not in the Ifraeiiies, who left Egpyt, fet out for (^anaan, 
 but could not enter in becaufe of uvhelicf. For they hjd luf- 
 iicient evidence to believe, that G\j<<S was able an.d willing 
 to do all tliat he had en^^aged. {z) And that if they would 
 
 (1) D./. 19J, 355. , ,. ,. 
 
 (2) God's pronuj:, Excd, iii. 17, to bring the Ijraehies t6 
 Canaan J did net ahj'olutdy oblige him to bring every indi-vidual 
 man, <u:oman and child there. iicrne might die by ti.e n/soy s 
 andyst God not be a iiur. Exod. xxxii. 27, 28. Teaman- did die 
 bv the iva- ; and ytt it is impofiibie for G:»d to lie. ILb 'vi. 
 18. 7)'.'at phnji .172 Numbers xin;. 34, pro-ves that God did 
 fi't think Lum/df bound by his promife to brirg them e'very one 
 there let them be ever fr> peri; erfe. But fGcdivas not affo- 
 lately obliged to bring e-vcrj one there, ihcK no one in particular, 
 
D I A LO G U E II. 39 
 
 unit his vvifdom, pjwer, goodneG and fidelity, be at his 
 beck, and march under nis binner.iind -vj::dly foUouj kim, 
 (Num. xxxii. 1 1.) chey mighi iafeiy enter, and calily con- 
 quer the country, although their njjMs ^wcrc built up to llea- 
 've?i, and thr. p};s of Anak ^vjere there. ■ * ■ 
 
 Not in David — A'ho believed th.it \\'i faonid be king of 
 Ifrael ; for he had i'umcient evidence for hii belief, from 
 the exprefs promife of Almighty God. (i) 
 
 I'^ot in tiie pious Jews in Babylon. (Jia. i. lo.) For al- 
 thougii they couid not fee the leall probability, irom out- 
 ward appearances, of their return to their beloved Zion ; 
 yet they had a good warrant to triirt in the Lord, and Itay 
 themlelves upon their God, who wat able and who had ex- 
 prefly and ablolutcly promifed, at the end of ftvcnty years, 
 to bring them back. (2) 
 
 Norin Peter walking on the water. For he had fufiicient 
 evidence, from Chrilt's commanding him to ccme to him, 
 to believe that Chriil would keep him from finking. (3) 
 
 Nor in the Diiciples — fo often upbraided for their un- 
 belief of Chrill's Rerurrettiou. For they had fufhcient evi- 
 dence that he was rilcn. (4) Nor in thofe who had the 
 Faith of miracles, and could fay to this mountain, Ijc ihou 
 r remo^jed and caji iuto the J'sa ; for they h:d fuHicient evi- 
 dence, to believe it would be done, reful ting from Chriil's 
 cxprefc promil'e in the cafe. When they were called to 
 work miracles in confirmation of the Chrillian Rciigion, 
 they had not the leall reifon to doubt in their hearts, but 
 that he who had authorifed them, wou-ld, for his honour's 
 fake, and for Jiis word's fake, perform the miracles, whicli 
 
 nuhen they ft t out from Egypt, had fuficknt -joarravt lobilie^-ey 
 avdjay^ " Ijhali get to Canaan : I kno-io Ijhall : God has pro- 
 mifd,and i frouid 77take hima liar^ if 1 did not belic-ve^ that /, 
 in particular, jhould get fafc thcre.^'' After that declaration in 
 Num. xiv. 3 I . Caleb and fnjhua had a good -jjarrant for Jiicb 
 a belief. And fo, after <ix,'e knonju -vje are united to Chriji by 
 a true and lively Faith, ive may be certain, that njue jhall get 
 fafe to Heanjen at lajl. J oh. Hi. j 6. and n}. 24. But not before : 
 oi^there is no abfclute promife of jalvation to all mankind. Gal. iiu 
 29. Joh.iii. 18. Rom. />. 1 5 , 2 1 . 2 Cor. i. 20. Compare Jojh. i.6. 
 'with Jojh, ^ii. 5. and Heb. ^i. 18. See alfo Nam, xxxti. 15. 
 
 {i).D,p. 324, 357, 362. (2) J). p. 321. (3) D./. 331. 
 C4)D.^3S5> 356. E 2 
 
40 DIALOGUE 11. 
 
 they were infpired to declare fhould be done.(i) — Nor in 
 ihofe who came to Chrill to be healed. For ihcy had fuf- 
 iicientevidence,to believe that Chrifi was able to do ii. (2) 
 Nor indeed is there one inftance in the bible, of God's 
 r{ quiring a msn to believe any thing whaticever, without 
 fufficien: previous evidence of its truth. 
 
 How incredible, therefore I how infinitely incredible is 
 it! That God ibould firft put the Bible into our hands, as 
 rational creatures, 2nd charge us ftridly to adhere to it en 
 pain of Eternal Damnation ; (Rev. j<xii. 18.) and then fuf- 
 pend the eternal falvation of all mankind on their believing 
 a thing to be true, no where contained in the bible; yea, 
 of the truth of whick they have no evidence, from " Scrip- 
 lure, fenfe or reafon ; yea, which, as yet, is not true, but 
 i3a»ly contradidory to divine revelation : and fentence men 
 to eternal damnation, for not believing, what they would 
 be glad to believe with all their hearts, had they fiifhcienc 
 evidence of its truth 1 For there is no man but would be 
 glad to know, that inCIead of the eternal, torments of Hell,. 
 he fnould have the eternal joys of Heaven. (3) 
 
 ^ter. 5. Is rot this the difference between faith and 
 prefumption, as the words are commonly underflood among 
 
 (I) M.p. 174. (2) M. p. 173. 
 
 (3) Somey nxho are in this fc heme , pretend to he great ene- 
 mies to carnal reafon. But they muft renounce all reaj'on, and 
 thi hible too, or one ivould thinks they nenjer can be full proof 
 agai):Ji con-ui^ion. — But they fa) y nue muji become fools J or 
 Chriji. But do they really think, that Chrifianitx is, infaSi, a 
 foolijh religion? Chrijiiamty, 'which is the nxifdom of God : 
 and nvhich exhibits a mojl exail piSIure of ail the di--vine per- 
 feSiions / a piSiure a mof infnitely brighter than that ivhich 
 'was gi--ven in the creation of the n.vorld. The nxjork of our 
 Redemption is the niafter-piece of all Cod^s ivorks, and Chrif 
 tianity the brighteji difplay of all Gods perfeSiions. Its nxif- 
 dom, glory and beauty are fuchy as gain the attention of all 
 the exalted geniuses of the Hea'venly 'world. — I Pet. i. 12. 
 What an infinite reproach to God and his Son is it then, for us 
 viortals, to mifreprefent this rational y dinjine and glorious reli- 
 gion, fo as to make '/, in fa 51, one of the mcfi foolijh, in con- 
 fifient and ahfurd things imaginable ! and then, to hide the 
 Jhome of its nakeanefs. raife an outcry about carnal reafon .'— 
 by thi* means y many poor finners have bien early lid to look upon 
 
D I ALO G u E ir. 43 
 
 ^ler. 9. Is there one in all St. Paul's catalogue of be- 
 lievers in Heb. xi. vvhofe faith confined in believing with- 
 out any evidence ? (i) 
 
 Quer. 10. Were ever any awakened finners invited and 
 urged to believe, by Chrill, or his ApolUe, and told at the 
 fame time, that the thing they were to believe, was not 
 true as yet? Nor had they any evidence from Scripture, 
 fenfe or reafon, it ever would be true; but however moft 
 folemnly alfured by the promife and oath of God, if they 
 would venture to believe without any evidence at all in the 
 cafe, it fhould be according to their fiith. — Was this 
 the thing the Apoftles dwelt upon in all their preaching ? 
 AVas this the thing they urged awakened finners to, with 
 all their might ? No : they never heard of it — neither came 
 it into their hearts, to think that this was juftifying faith. 
 
 ^er. II. Is not the thing believed a lie.? It was not 
 true, before it was believed, as is granted. But believing 
 an untruth, to be true, cannot make it true. — It cannot, 
 according to reafon — It cannot, according to Scripture — 
 It cannot, according to expe/ience. It was never known, 
 fmce the world beg.in, to produce this effeifl in any one 
 inTtance ; unlefs in this cafe. And we have no evidence 
 from Scripture, fenfe or reafon, that it ever did in this. 
 
 i^er. 12. Is it not artonifhing, and one of the moft un- 
 accountable things in the world, that a rational creature, 
 with the Bible in his hands, ihould ever be able to work 
 up himfelf CO believe, what he knows is not yet true ; and 
 what he knows, he has no evidence, that it ever will be 
 true ? No wonder, thefe men are fo much troubled with 
 doubts. — No wonder, they are afraid, they believe a lie — 
 No wonder, they are obliged fo much to drive and ilruggle 
 againil this unbelief; a kind of unbelief we no where read 
 of in the Bible. A kind of contiift, no Saint ever had, that 
 frands on Scripture record ; as themfelves are obliged to 
 own. (2) To ftriiggle daily to believe, without any evi- 
 dence from Scripcure, fenfe, or reafon ! to have this, for 
 their Chriftian confliil ! an unheard of conflid in the Apof- 
 tolic age ! Inrtead of ^ruggling againfl this kind of unbe- 
 lief, Scipture. fonfe and reafon, all join to julHfy it. As 
 nothing can be plainer than that we ought never to believe 
 any thing, with more confidence, than in cxadt proportion 
 
 (i) D.p. 326. (2) M./. 1S6. 
 
44 DIALOGUEII. 
 
 to our evidence. To do otherwife, and that profePedlr, 
 is the moll preiuraptuous thing in the uorld. And to think, 
 bv being thus Itrorg in the Faith, we ihali give glory to 
 God, is the very firft-boin of delulion, that even Satan 
 hin-.i'eif ever begot in the heart of a fallen creacure.(i) 
 
 (i) D. p. 355, 342, 34.3, 369. PFcfiiielirus and other 
 ancient and modern i.^iitefs , ^vithout the leap JcrupUy fay, that, 
 in tie direci act of jujiifying Faith, I beiie^ve *' my Jin s are 
 forgiven'' — " God is recoticiled to me," i^c. i^c. Others <ivho- 
 Jetm to be in the Jamt fcheme, are more cautious in their exprej- 
 fions i and, to u-void the charge of '• belie'-ving a lie,'' they 
 <vjord themj'eh-ves Jo ambiguovfy, that it is -very di^cult to knoi.K> 
 ivhat they ineau. For it has often been urged againji this 
 fcheme, *' If faith caffs in behe-uifig my fns are fr given,, 
 then the\ are forgiven bejore I bilie-ve, cr tlje I believe a lie.'''* 
 — And it is <vcoi:dtrful, to fee ^vhat methods ha-ue been taken 
 b) 'writers to a-void this dificulty. — Hcvue'ver, <TA}hen all is 
 faid and done y there are in hature but th.fe three ixniys tofol=ve 
 the dificuits ; either (i(l) to fy, that our fins are really for- 
 gi-vcH before ive believe. — Or, (2!) that although they are 
 net, yei according to the tenor rf the Co've-nant of Grace, they 
 jhali be, if -xve do but belie^ve that they arc. — Or, (3^) a be- 
 lief that " my fns are for given V muji be left out cf the defini- 
 tion of jnfiifyiiig faith. — The firft njoas the folution cf Antino- 
 mians in forrner ages. But it is fo contrary to the exprefs 
 declaration cf Scripture (joh. Hi. 18.^ that it tvill not do. 
 2he third gi-ves up the ivhole fcheme they contend for. — -j'nd 
 fo that 'vnll not do. The fecond, n.vhich Mr. Marjhal has 
 taken, bad as it is, is the only one that is left. Noiv if they 
 all 7nean as he does, it is to be <voiJhed, they ivould all f peak a» 
 plain, that ive may precifely kno^w -zvhat they intend. This 
 ivould fon bring the contro-verfy to an ifue. But tvhen I read 
 their books, they feem to me fometimes to folve the dijficuliy one 
 ivay. and fometimes another. Sometimes they reprejent as tho' 
 " Pardon ivas mine abfolutely befcre Faith :''' and fometimes 
 jif the contrary. Sometimes they fay, ** iVe ha<ve the clearefi 
 evidence from Scripture for this belief:'^ and fometimes they 
 fay, ** PFe haH.-e no evidence from Scripture, fenj'e, or reajon.'"* 
 Sometimes faith is raijed up to '■^ a perfuafon that 1 in particu- 
 lar am pardoned, and f jail certainly have eternal life ." And 
 thtn again it fnks dcv^n into a mere ' ' belief that I have a 
 common iniereli in Gofpel-cffirs, fuch as even reprobates havie»^ 
 
DIALOGUE* II. 41 
 
 mankind, viz. that in the onCj we believe bccaufe we have 
 fufficient evidence, in the other, without any evidence at 
 all? And is not this the conftantcharatfter ofallfelf-deceived 
 hypocrites, that they have " a real perfuafion in their 
 he ills" of the love of God to their fouls, and a confident 
 expedaiion of eternal life, without any real evidence ? — 
 Mat. vii. 21, 27. Luk. xiii. 25, 26, 27. and xviii. 9, 11. 
 
 i^=rr. 6. is not this faith analogous to that which the 
 Devil lempted our Saviour to exercile ? when (Lu. iv. 8 ) 
 He Brought hifn to Jerufalem, and fet him on a pinacle of the 
 temple, ar.d j'aid unto him, if thou be the Son cf God, caji thy- 
 j'df do^vcn ffC7n hence : For it is written, (Pial. xci. Ji.) He 
 jK^all gi've his angels charge oucr thee, to keep thee, and in their 
 hands they JhaU hold thee up, Ujl at any time thou dufh thy 
 
 experimental" religion, as a filly, Joolijh thing; although, in 
 reality tcere is nothing in it, hut nxhat is as rational as the 
 mathematicks. — It ca, if true religion n.vere not perfedly rational, 
 hoav could it pleafe the infinitely njuife God, ivho is the fountain 
 and four ce of all reafon ? honu could it he fuitcd to raife, exalt, 
 and ennoble rational creatures ? or hoiv could it deferve to be 
 called by the name c^ w i s do M , by Solomon ike tvifejl of men F 
 
 Objeit. ** But if the religion of the bible is jo rational a 
 thing, <^vhy are not Socinians, Pelagians, ^c. plcafed "with 
 it, ^<.vho fo greatly cry up reafon ? 
 
 Anfw. Merely becaufe it is Jo contrary to the darling corrup- 
 tions of their hearts. Our bieffed Saviour, ivhc i.vtll under- 
 fiood human nature, and the nature of his o-ixn religion^ affirms 
 that this is the true caufe, J oh. Hi. 19, 20, 21. Hud they 
 but good hearts, they nxould bi charmed nxiih the ivifdcm and 
 glory of the Chrijlicn religion, (Job. •viii. ^"jj e-jen as the 
 inhabitants cf Heaven be, Eph. Hi. 10. — For ofter all their 
 glorying, their o-jon fchemes, although a little bitter globed 
 c-uer, yet in reality are as incon/lflent and abfurd, as this that 
 Theron pleads for. — /// the apojiolic age, divine truths ivere 
 Jet info clear a light, that the nx-orjl rf heretics xvere chiged, 
 <iK,ere .neceffhated to fee, that they ivere inconfijlent <nx:ith them- 
 ftlves ; and Jo 'vjere forced to be felf-condemned J as is plai:ly 
 implied in Tit. Hi. \o, ii. An heretick, afcer the firft and 
 fecond admonition, rcj<r£\ : knowing that he that is fuch, 
 is fubverted, and finneth, beinf:^ condemned of him- 
 SKLT- . — And, no doubt, there is light encuvh, in the hcly Scrip- 
 E ^ 
 
42 DIALOGUE II. 
 
 foot agabifi ajicm. — Here was a promiTe, a precious pro- 
 mile out of God's own word. And hi that belic'veth net 
 God, hath made him a liar. The Devil urged our Saviour 
 to appropriate, and take it home to himfelf in particular : 
 And be verily " perfuadcd in his heart" he Ihould be fafe, 
 although he caft himfelf down. — However, on a critical 
 examination of the text the Devil recited, there could be 
 no evidence from that, of fafety to Chrift, if he had caft 
 himfelf down. — So therefore he muft believe really uithout 
 any evidence from *' Scripture, fenfe or reafon ;" and the 
 Divil would have had him think, that according to his 
 Faith, fo fhould it be to him. 
 
 ^er. 7, If the Devil attempted thus to delude our bleff- 
 ed Saviour himfelf, by mifapplying a precious promife, 
 has he not courage ? — Has he not power ? — Has he not 
 ■will ? — to attempt to delude poor finners in a like manner ; 
 that thereby, Devil as he is, he may accomplifti their eter- 
 nal ruin 1 And are we not forewarned from Heaven, of a 
 falfe fpirit, and charged not to believe every fpirit ? (i Joh. 
 iv. J.) For that Satan himfelf is transformed into an /hgel of 
 light. (2 Cor. xi. 14 ) 
 
 ^uer. 8. Did ever Chrift or his apoftles define Faith to 
 be •* a real perfuafion that Chrift died for me in particular, 
 and that pardon, Grace and glory are mine ?" They call 
 it coming to Chrift, receiving Chrift, trufting in Chrift, 
 believing in Chrift, believing on Chrift, tkc. but never call 
 it, believing Chrift is mine, and that my fins are forgiven. 
 It is true, the Saints in the Old Tellament, and in the New, 
 ufually ipeak the language of afiurance. And it is as true, 
 they had fufficient evidence of their good eftate from their 
 fanflification. This was their evidence. They knew no 
 other. All who pretended to belong to Chrift without this, 
 were branded for liars, (i. Joh. ii. 4.) But where do we ever 
 read of their endeavouring to work up themfelves to an 
 aftlirance, profeflTedly without any evidence t 
 
 tnres, to 'produce the fame fill, nvere it brought out^ and held 
 before the eyes of hereticks in this age, 2 Tim. Hi. 1 6, 1 7 — 
 For the truth, and only the truth, is, or can be, univerfaliy 
 ccnffent : but all falfe fc hemes, folloiv them up, r*iill appear 
 to be inconffteut. Reafon is ivholly on the fde of truth. And 
 true religion is the only religion, that is perfectly rational and 
 conffient throughout. 
 
D I A L O G U E II. 45 
 
 Paul. Thus, my dear Theron, you may fee a little by 
 thefe Qiieries, what 1 think of this kind of Faith. — But 
 there is one moft myfterious thing, I defire you to explain. 
 — Not why you doubt — I do not wonder, you are often 
 a/fiuhed with doubts. Nor do I wonder, your friend Af- 
 pafio meets with the fame conflift.(i) You are, both, men 
 of too much fenfe and reafon, not to feel yourfdves a little 
 fliocked fometimes, in fpiie of all your principles. — But 
 this I wonder at — I am furprifed, how you ever came to 
 believe. Pray, be fo kind, ?s to give me a particular nar- 
 rative, how faith was wrought in your heart. 
 
 I'her. I 'had lately made a vifu at Phiienor's. with my 
 dear Afpafio ; where, in the kindeft and and mcft afF.;dlon- 
 ate manner, I was urged to believe; afTured, it was my 
 duty and intcreft, and that God's promife and oath were 
 engaged, that I (hould never be made afliamed ; but it 
 fhould be according to my faith. And all the precious 
 promifes, and gracious invitations in God's Holy Word, 
 were fet in order before me, in the moft moving langu-ige, 
 and 1 was argued out of all my objeflions. — VVhereupon, 
 after my return home, as I was valking in my garden, 
 longing to have an intereft in Chrift, meditating on the 
 promifes, ftriving to take them home to myfelf, praying 
 for the Spirit to witnefs with my Spirit, that I was a child 
 of God, thus earneftly endeavouring to work up myfelf to 
 this aflurance, and thus waiting for the Holy Spirit; — as I 
 was t4iinking on the dying love of Chrift, thofe wordi 
 
 j4nd this is all I am to belie-oe. But in a.fenxi pages. Faith 
 is raifed up again as high as e^er. — So, that one knoivs not 
 nvherc to Jin d them — the^ feem to be pitched ; and not to knoiv 
 boiu to g<.t out. Therefore, they new run here, and then run 
 there ; hut knoiv not nvhat to do, to auoid the glaring incon- 
 Jijience of their fc heme : and yet dread to gi've it up. 
 
 At prefent, for ought that appears, Mr. MarjhaV s folution 
 is the beji that the cafe can admit of — To he fur e Mr. Heroey 
 thinks it the be/l ; as he ejleems Mr. MarfhaPs mvfery next f 
 the Bible. And in his preface to Mr. MarJhaV s hook, he fays ^ 
 ** I (hall rejoice in the profped of having tie Gofpel-mxfery of 
 Sand if cat ion. (land as a fourth 'volume to Theron and Afpnfio.'*^ 
 — A'td therefore I ha-ve a juji ivarrant in the prifent contro- 
 'verf , to confider it as Juch. And to 'vienu all four 'volumes as 
 containing one cempleat fcheme, (i) D. /• 353. 
 
4-0 DIALOGUEll. 
 
 feemed to be fpoken to me, O thou of little faiths nxhereftrrt 
 dcj} thou doubt ? Wheicfore dolt thou doubt of my love to 
 thee, for whom I hive fned my blood ? — 1 believed — 1 was 
 full of love and joy — and for feveral days, all my thoughts 
 were taken up abouc Heavenly thing . 1 was weaned from 
 the world. All old things feemed to be pafTed away, 
 and all things to becon.e new. 
 
 Paul. Letany Chrfilt;f,,gracelefs finner, in yourcircum- 
 flanccs, believe, as you believed ; and from principles which 
 are natural to mankind, he would feel as you felt. And, 
 as all your affedions might flow fiom natural principles, 
 they were no evidence of a fupernatural change ; as you 
 may lee proved at large, in a book I have as good an 
 opinion of, as your Ai^afio has of Mr. Marfijal's myftery, 
 •?ic.(l) Therefore, from thefe efieds of your faith, you 
 cannot argue, it was no delufion. Becaufe, if it had been 
 a delufion, it might have produced juft the fame. — You 
 will iufFer me theiefore to enquire. What 'warrant had yon. 
 for this belief? — For although all the promtjes of God are 
 IN Christ, Yea^ and A^men, (2 Cor. i. 20. J yet, to him 
 that is out of Chriji, God is a co7i fuming f re. He is condetnned\ 
 and the <xvrath of Gcd abidetb on him. {Joh. Hi. iS, 36.) — 
 Pray tell mc, mull not a fmner be in Chrift, before he is 
 entitled to the promifes r 
 
 Ther. Yes. — For it is his union with, and relation to 
 Chrift^ which lays the foundation for his interefl: in all the 
 blf^ffiogs purchafed by him. Firfl, we are children^, and 
 then heirs. (Rom. viii. 17.) Firft, we are ingrafted into 
 Chrift, the true 'vmey and then partake of the f-^p. (Joh. xv, 
 I, 7 ) Firlt, we are married to Ciirift, and then we are 
 inrerefted in all his riches and glory. (2) 
 
 Paul. A charming truth this, my 'Iheron ! And if you 
 will attend to it, and be confillent with yourfelf it muft 
 lead you back from the paths of error, to the high road 
 which goes dircdlly to the Heavenly \Zion. — For, if we 
 muft he in Chrift, before we are interefted in his benefits; 
 we muft kno^v thit we are in Chrift, before we can know 
 our interefts in his benefits. And, therefoie, the iirfl direct 
 
 ( 1 ) Mr. Ed^vards on Religious JjfeSiions. 
 
 (2) See all thiifnely reprefented^ as n.t-ell as rightly Jiatedy 
 D p.. 213. 218. Whether in a co>:JtJit'Kce nxith the rejl of his 
 
 fcheiney ^uue f jail fee hereafter. 
 
D I ALO G U E II. 47 
 
 in5l of f.iith cannot confill in believing that his benefits are 
 mine. — Arietta was firit married to l^hiienor, before her 
 debts devolved on him, and all his dignity was derived to 
 her. Had fhe been carried away with a fond dre^m, with 
 a full perfiiarion, that Philcnor,and ail his ric!»es and honour 
 were her's, before marriage, and to the negled of matri- 
 monial rites, Ihe might have enjoyed the comfort of her 
 dream ; but mull have rcaliy lived in widowhood, and died 
 in debt, never the better for the •' wealthy and illultrious 
 Phiienor.'^ As this is your Afpafio's own fimile, 1 hope 
 you will the more oiligeiuly attend to it.(i) Juftifying 
 faith is that adt, whereby we, being dead to the lavj, are 
 married to Chrtji. (Rem. vii. 4. 2 Cor. xi. 2 ) And aficr 
 murriage v/e may jmliy fay, j/y lebved is mine, and 1 am 
 his. (Cant. ii. 16.) but not b:'fore. (Kph. ii. 12. Joh. iii. 18.) 
 
 Tr.'ir. Yes. Let m;; tell you, that any Cnriiliefs, gracc- 
 lefs iinner in the world, h.is equal righ', wich the bcil Saint, 
 to ad^pc this language, and lay. My beloved is mine, and I 
 -uin his. For this ties the very knot, — tnis conilitutes the 
 union (2) 
 
 ■Paul. I thinks for once, my Theron, your dear Afpafio 
 himfeif feems to cou radid you. You doubtlefs remember 
 his words : *' My belo^jed is mine and I am his — i dare not 
 fay, is the poefy of the myftic ring — but it is tne undoubted 
 ■efi-ed of this divine union. "(5) 
 
 2'hcr. Sure 1 am, my dear Afpafio taught me by the firil 
 dirccl ad> of faith, 10 go to God, and fiy, " Pardon is mine, 
 grace is mine', Chriil and all his fpirituai bleflings are mine :" 
 Not becacfe I am^confcious of fandlifying operaiions in my 
 own breall, but previous to any reti-dicHi on inherent 
 graces. 1 am not therefore, firft, by reflection, to know, 
 th.it 1 am married to Chriil, bcfvjre I call him my own. — 
 Y^-a, rather, 1 muft firil know, ih.it he is mine, before I 
 can,- — before 1 dare, come to him. Tiiis, 1 am fure, is my 
 Afpafio's dodtrin-i. (4) 
 
 Paul. But then Ciiriil and nil his fpiritual bleflings are 
 your'i, before you are inCiirift; which is contrary to wh..c 
 Afpafi J atiirms (5) And contrary to tJ:e plain icnfc of the 
 New Tefl^mcnt, as you but j^ll now ilated the m;.ttcr your- 
 it\f. — JiJut to dwell upon this iuconfilUnce no longer, — 
 
 (i) T>.p- 21S. (2) D /. 343, 344. (3) Ti.p. 218. 
 (4) D.p, 312, 313, 358, 362. (5) D.p. 213, 218. 
 
48 D I A L O 6 U E II. 
 
 Pray, tell ir.e wlat warrani you hdd from Scnpture, to 
 beJitve, that Cnnll and ail ni& Ipiiiiual bi«.iiings were 
 your's. 
 
 U/.er. I uas awakened to forr.e T nfe (f my dinger of 
 eternal ruin, 1 U-ngtU lO belitvc tJi.a iH) hns wtre jai04)n- 
 ed, and ihat Chiiit uas iiiinc ; tut i tuuiu r.ol ict rry lirle 
 clear. Ai[>oUu t« id rr.e, it v\as '* yeiKdtly ciear.*' 1 hat 
 1 had as gocd a warratu for this belief, 25 a ntigLbut-ring 
 CJcrgyn,un huu 10 take uny bock iii my Lbrar\ , u hen* I 
 hau Jdttly alibied, •* thai ne wa5 as wekon.e to any bock 
 as ihotgn they \\cre aii his oun." Yea, as good a uarrant 
 fur ihis behct, as one of n.y fervantb had 10 believe me, 
 wnen 1 gave him a farm for his own.(i) 
 
 Paul, shocking ! — i would not treat an awakoHcd fin- 
 ner lo, for ail the world — but how did Alf alio n.ake it 
 out, thai your title to p.;rdcn was thus clear, u hen Mr.Mar- 
 fliai, his frtvouiite author owns, there is no evidence of 
 the thing from Scripture, ftnie, or reafon ? 
 
 7her. He referred n:e to Juh. vii. 37. If any man tkirji, 
 let him come unto me and drink. But ) ou ihirlt, faid iie ; 
 therefore to you, this promile is made. (2) And he was 
 always encouraging me to this belief, by taking a kind 
 notice ot my e^iineit prayers, {orrous, tei-rs, good delires, 
 and fenle of unworthinels.(5) And from this quaiter my 
 firft encouragement aroie ti.' hope and believe, that Chriil, 
 pardon, grace and glory were mine. 
 
 Paul But according to this, O my Theron, your own 
 awakenings, earneli prayers, forrows, tears, good defin s,and 
 fenle of unworthineis, laid the firft foundation of your faith. 
 This was the fecret language of your heart, *' To fuch a 
 one as I am, the promiles belong : and {o i may faftly be- 
 lieve, they are all my own." — As much your own as your 
 fervant's little farm was his. And if your encouragement 
 to believe, took its rile from your own inherent qualifica- 
 tions ; if your own goodnefa, in whatever hi^mble form, 
 emboldened you to come to Chiiil ; your hope of accept- 
 ance was really botumed on ycurov^n righiecu.'nels : and 
 fo your*i is a felf-righteous faith. And if this be the cafe, 
 a clear fight of the badnefsof your he;irt and of theft;i6l- 
 nefs ofthe law, would entirely kill youi faith. (Rom. vii. 9) 
 
 (i) D./. 269, 273. (2) D. p. 270. (3) D /. 157, 
 158, 207, 208, 220, 265, 266; 289^, 290, 293, 294. 
 
, DIALOGUEII. 4^5 
 
 If your good defires, like {o much money in hand, en- 
 couraged you to come to Chriil ; your courage would fail 
 you, did you know, that the belt dcfires you ever had, 
 according lo Law and llridl JulHcc, merit eternal damna- 
 tion. Did you thus feel yourfelf witliout money, yea 
 would net dare to come. 
 
 7)jer. But is it not true ? Arc not the promifes made 
 to thofe ih^X. tkirji } Joh. vii. 37. That labour and are 
 hea^-jy laden ? Mat. xi. 28, &c. 
 
 Paul. Thefe are not promiles, my Theron, which con- 
 vey a title to pardon and falvation to Sinners out of Chrift, 
 on condition of their good defires. They are rather invi- 
 tations to .1 union with Chrift by a true and living faith. 
 They give a Sinner a good warrant to come to Chrift ; to 
 come -cvithout money and ivithout price (Ifai. ly. i.) and 
 thofe who thus come, fhall find reft 10 their fouls. But 
 they give no grounds to one out of Chrift, encouraged by 
 his own righieoufnefs to believe that pardon, grace, and 
 glory, are his. 
 
 2%er. 1 did not mean that my own good defires, prayers, 
 &c. gave me a right to believe. I had a good right be- 
 fore. As an •* abandoned Sinner,'* (i) 1 had an actual 
 right to Chrift and all his benefits, by an ** Aiflual gift 
 from the Almighty Majefty,'* juft as my fervant had to 
 his little farm, by my donation. (2) 
 
 Paul. After you had given the little farm to your fer- 
 vant, it was his. It was his, before he believed it his. — 
 Your donation made it his, and not his belief. It was his 
 before he believed it, and whether he believed it, or not. 
 He had fufficient evidence to believe it his, previous to his 
 belief. Now if Chrift and all his benefits are your*s in this 
 fenfe, then you w»s juftified, adopted, fan«^ified, and en- 
 titled to eternal glory, while fecure in iin ; months, nay, 
 years, before any of your convcrfation with Afpafio. — 
 Yea, your title is as old as the Gofpel. Which you con- 
 fider as your deed of gift, or as Chrift's laft Will and 
 Teftament, in which all thefe legacies were bequeathed 
 to you. Your title, ycur abfolute title commenced at the 
 death of the Teftator. — ** When your old acquaintance 
 Charicles, left you a handfome legacy, what did you do 
 to eftablifti your title, and make it your own r'* 
 
 (i) D. p, 307, 308. (2) Z). /. 272, 273. F 
 
50 D I ALO G U E II. 
 
 2'her. '* My title was pre-eftabli(hed, by my friend's do- 
 nation. I had nothing to do, but to claim, to accept, 
 and to pofTefs.'* And 1 did the very fame in the prefent 
 cafe, (i) And ever fince this firft aft of Faith, «* On this 
 unalterable ground, 1 aifert and maintain my title. Par- 
 don is mine, Grace is mine, Chrill, and all his Spiritual 
 blefTings are mine ; becaufe all thefe precious privileges 
 are configned over to me in the everlaicing Gofpel." (2) 
 This is the proper notion of believing. — *' When I fent a 
 meflagc to my tenant, aiTuring him, I had cancelled the 
 bond, and forgiven his debt ; he believed the meifage to 
 be true. — So I give credit to the gracious declarations of 
 my God. — So 1 believe." (3) 
 
 (i) Z). /. 255. (2) D. p. 362.^ 
 
 (3) D. />. 297, z<)%.-—Ar.d <\.vith Theron agrees Mr. Bof- 
 ton, fivho in his book on the tn.vo Covenants, maintainSy that 
 Chriji in his laji IVill and I'ejiamenty did actuall) bequeath 
 regenerating Grace, Jujlification, Adoption, Sanciif cation, 
 and Eternal Life, freely, abfolutely and unconditionally, to 
 every dinner of Adam'' s race. And adds, that Chriji himfelf 
 is alfo executor of this ivill, and by his office as fuch obliged 
 to make out all thefe legacies to all the legatees, that are flea- 
 fed to put in their claim, and make their demands. And faith, 
 according to him, confjls in believing all is mine, and tn 
 claiming and taking pofjejjion of all as my cwn. (See p. 1 14, 
 199, 214.) And arfes from no higher principle than Jelf- 
 prefer<vation. {P. 262, 263.^ 
 
 Saint Paul ufed to fay. If children, then heirs. (Rom', 
 'viii. 17. Gal. Hi. 2g.J But according to this nenu gofpel, 
 it is, if Simiers, then heirs. And this n.vill be reckoned good 
 ne-ivs for unregenerate Simters. 2'hey are no longer at God^s 
 fo^ereign mercy, according to Rem. ix. 15. Nor need tbey 
 come as peer beggars, according to Luke xviii. 13. Their 
 title to all things '* // perfectly clear, ^^ e'ven niohile unregene- 
 rate and out of Chrift. And they may come as heirs, njubo 
 have a legal right to make demands ; and put in their claim, 
 and Jay 'Pardon is mine, 1 claim it, 1 demand it as my o-^jun.** 
 And the executer is obliged to a?fvoer their detnands, and give 
 out their legacies. This Jc heme, ijuere it true, would fuit cor- 
 rupt nature^ e'ven better than the Arminian. As we all had 
 ret her have ejlates left to us by nvills, than be at pains to 'work 
 for them : So it is eafer to claim and demand Heaven, than 
 
DIALOGUE H 51 
 
 Paul. To whom are Chrift, pardon, grace and glory, 
 coiirigned over and conveyed in ihe Gofpei-grant ? What 
 are their names r Or what are their charaders ? Who are 
 the men fo highly favoured ? In wills and in deeds of 
 gift, you know, the parties, to whom any thing is be- 
 queathed, or given, are mentioned by name. Is it {o in the 
 Gofpel-grant ? Are all thefe blefiings entailed on believ- 
 ers, or on finners, as fuch ? 
 
 Ther. On Sinners, on all Sinners of Adam's race ; and 
 that confidered merely as Sinners: as my dear Afpafio pro- 
 ved at large, (i) And that which is thus freely given to eve- 
 ry Sinner, any Sinner in particularhas a good warrantto look 
 upon as his own. Thus, then, ftands my warrant to be- 
 lieve. All thefe blefhngs are given to Sinners, as fuch: — 
 But I am a Sinner : Therefore, all thefe bleftings are given, 
 tome. (2) 
 
 Paul. That is, *'all Sinners are juftified, adopted, fanc- 
 tlfied, and entitled to eternal life : But I am a Sinner : 
 
 to do as the Phartfee did in Luk. xviii. 12. Thofe texts in 
 lleb. ^ciii. 10, II, 12, and ix. 15, 16, 17, 07i <T.vhich they 
 pretend to found their fcheme, are plainly nothing to the pur- 
 pcfe. For God does not fay, ** This is the Covenant I njuill 
 make ^th all the finful race of Jdam ; / av;// 'zvrite my 
 La'wj in their hearts, tsV." But Gcd fays, ** This is the 
 Covenant I will make with the Houfe of Ifrael." But he 
 is not a Jew, who is one outwardly. Rom. ii. 28 29. The 
 children of the promife are counted for the feed. Rem. ix. 
 8. li ye be Chrill's, then are ye Abraham's feed, and 
 heirs according to the Promife. Gal. Hi. 29. But if out 
 of Chrirt, we are condemned, and the wrath of God abi- 
 deth on us. Joh. Hi. 18. 36. And <we can claim nothing. 
 Noi not another mome?it of time, nor liberty to breathe another 
 breath in God^s ivorld. IVe ha've a title to not one minute^s 
 forbearance i But God may fend us to Hell this infant. Rem. 
 Hi. 19. Gal. Hi. lO.—Obje^. But it is faid to the elder 
 
 brother, All that I have is thine. Luk.x^j. 31 AnJ. Tes, 
 
 And -with defgn to dej'cribe the temper of a Pharifee^s heart. 
 The younger fon reprefented Publicans and Sinners, and the el- 
 der the Pbarifes. (See ^oer. i, z.) The poor Publican 
 thought he had no claijn to make, but lay at mercy. Luk. x'viii, 
 13. The Pharifees faid in their hearts, all is our oivn, 
 (l) D, p. 298, 319. (2) D. p. 305. F 2 
 
52 D I ALO G U E II. 
 
 Therefore I r.m juflificd, adopted, fanflified, and entitled 
 to eternal life." Ect my dear Theron, if you know what 
 you fay, if you really mean as you fay, and if you afiirm 
 thcfc fentiments are " Stridtly confoimable to the uner- 
 ring Oracles" of God, tiit-ii, all Adam's race are, accord- 
 ing to yoa, adlually juilifed, adopied, fandlified, and 
 entitled to eternal glory. And thus your devout Afpafio 
 carries matters farther than even the famous Doftor JoJm 
 Taylor, whcfe key to the Apollolic writings is net half fo 
 heterodox as this ; how much foever condemned by all 
 the friends of vital piecy. For he only fuppofes, that all 
 within the vifible church, arejultined, adopted, &c. and 
 not Jill Adam's race. 
 
 Befidei, how is all this confiilent with the words you 
 juil now cited out of Mr. Marfhal's Myfiery, a book your 
 Afpafio values next to the Bible ? ** We have no abfolutf 
 promife or declaration in Scripture, that God certainly 
 >vijl or doth give Chrirt and his falvatlon to any one of us 
 in particular ; neither do we knew it to be true already^ 
 by fcripture, ferjfe or reafcn, before we aflure ourfelves 
 abfolutely of it : Yea, we arc without Chrill's falvation at 
 prefent, in a ftate of fin and mifery, under the curfe and 
 wrath of God. This is a ftrange kind of afTurance.- 
 Therefore, no wonder if it be found weak and imperfe<5>, 
 and difiicult to be obtained, and afiaulted with many 
 dcubtings. We are conflrained to believe other things on. 
 the clear evidence we have, that they are true, whether 
 ^^'Q believe them or no ; fo that we cannot deny our afTent, 
 without rebelling againft the light of our fenfes, reafon, 
 or confcience. Rut here our aflurance is not imprefled on 
 our thoughts by any evidence of the thing ; but we muft 
 work it out in ourfelves, by the afliilance of the Spirit 
 of GOD." 
 
 Yea, how is all this confiftent with your own experience 
 and with the experience of your Afpafio? For if all fpi- 
 ritual bleflings are by a deed of gift abfolutely made over 
 to all Sinners of Adam's race, and that confidered merely 
 as fuch, plainly in the Gofpel, fo that their ** Title is 
 perfedly clear ; " then as true as the Gofpel is true, all 
 are abfolutely entitled to pardon, grace and glory, before 
 they believe, and whether they believe or not. And I 
 never hear of you, or your friend doubting the truth of 
 the Gofpel itfelf. How then can you have any doubts 
 
D I A L O G U E II. 53 
 
 about your title to Heaven ? "Why was you To backward 
 to believe your title ? Or why was your friend fo ready 
 to "Feci for you, and fympathize with you?" How 
 could it be fo dilHcult to believe, whiie at the fame time 
 he ** Beheld his title perfedly clear r " (i) Did ever any 
 mortal a6l thus as to temporal things ? Was ever a fon 
 of Adam put to great diflicuhy to believe an inheritance 
 to be his own, when he faw with his own eyes, *♦ his 
 title was perfectly clear," and had the deed of gifc well ex- 
 ecuted in his own hands ? My dear Theron, 1 am even 
 toinpied to doubt, whciher you, yourfelves believe your 
 own (cheme. Yea, it feems plain, you are all the while 
 afraid you arc deluded. x\nd no wonder, fays Mr. Mar- 
 fhal, for you have no evidence from Scripture, fenfti or 
 reafon. — Pray, did your xAfpafio ever attempi to prove his 
 fcheme out of the Bible ? 
 
 Ther. Yes. And once fpeaking of his differing from 
 the orthodox, I remember he faid, ** I dare not purchafe 
 their approbation, I dare not attempt a coalition of {^vv-. 
 tiaients. Fray my dear friend, faid he to me, what is the 
 ftandard of orthodoxy ? Is it the word of Revelation ? 
 This fpeaks once, yea twice, nay, fome hundreds of limes 
 in our favour." (2) And firfl and laft, I am apt to think, 
 he mentioned above an hundred texts of Scripture, to 
 prove his point. 
 
 Paul. Ou: of this great number, pray feled fome of the 
 molt plain and full to the purpofe ; and on which he fecm- 
 ed to lay the greateft itrefs ; and let us carefully examine 
 them. 
 
 'iher. There are many texts which teach us, that God 
 has given his fon to a loll world. Ifai. ix. 6. 7o us a Jon 
 is gi^ven. (3) Joh. iii. 16. Gcd fo lo-ved the ijuorlciy that 
 he gave his only begotten fon. (4.) Other texts declare as 
 follows. Ifdi. liii. 6. Goii laid on him the iniquity cf us 
 all. (5) I Tim. i. 15. tic ca?ne into the nvorld to fa-oe 
 Sinners, i i'et. iii. i3. Died for the unjufl. (6) i Cor. xv. 
 i. C or ifl died for our fins. (7) 1 Joh. /. 9. This is the re- 
 cord that God hath gi'-ocn to us eternal life. (8) Aft. xiii. 
 38 lo you is preached the remifj'ion of Jins. Act. ii. 39. The 
 
 (1) D.p. 269. 353. (2) D. p. 335. (3) D.p. 308. 
 (4) ^P' 305- (5) ^'h 304- (6) D.p. 299. (7; D. 
 P' 3'9- (8) D.p. 319. F 3 
 
54 DiAtOGUE II. 
 
 promife is to youy and to all that are afar off, e-uen as many 
 as the Lord our God Jhall call, (i) Jn which Scriptures, 
 you lee, Chrift and all Lis fpiritual bleffings are given and 
 made over to Sinners, as fuch, freely and abfolutely : So 
 as that every one has a good warrant to believe they are 
 his own. And if we would give the fame credit to God 
 as my Tenant did to me, we need not, we could not 
 doubt, but that they are all our own. (2) 
 
 *' When Jonah, in purfuance of the Divine command, 
 cried and faid, Tet forty days and Ninenjeh Jhall be onjer- 
 ihrcn.vn,'* without mentioning any byname, '■^ All, from 
 the leajl e^ven unto the greatejl, belieued i^"* applied the 
 threatning to themfelves. When Mofes fpeaking of the 
 Manna, faid, ** This is the bread ivhich the Lord hath given 
 you to eat,'''' without mentioning any by name ; the whole 
 congregation fuppofed, they had all and every one a good 
 right to take and eat. So when our Saviour fays, *' My 
 Father giveth you the true bread from Heaven^ C]o\i. vi. 
 32.) Alluding to the Manna, we may all and every one 
 believe it is our own. (3) 
 
 Paul. Your Afpafio always fuppofes, that all the bleff- 
 ings of the Gofpel are granted abfolutely and without any 
 condition ; fo that we have nothing to do, but to believe 
 they are all our own. Whereas, there is always a condi- 
 tion expreffed or implied. For according to the conftant 
 tenor of the Gcfpel, we niuft firll be in Chrift, by a true 
 and living faith, before the blefiings of the Gofpel are 
 our's. (4) — To defcend to particuliars. — 
 
 (1) D.p. 303. (2) D.p. 298. (3) D.p. 305, 307. 
 
 (4) /^ll ivr iters on ihis fcheme maintain y that pardon, 
 grace and glory, are unconditionally and abfolutely gi'ven, 
 granted and made o-ver to all Sinners of Adam^s race. And 
 this abfolute Grant giues each of us a good nvarrant to be- 
 lis've " pardon, grace and glory are mine.*' — Reader fop, 
 and think one minute — If the grant is not abjolute, it does not 
 make pardon mine, nor give me a right to bdie<ve it mine — If 
 it is abfolute, it makes pardon ?nine before I believe it y and 
 fo I am jujiified before Faith. — ** No, fay they, it is not mine 
 before I belie-ve it mine. But if 1 belie've it mine, it is 
 mine J*'' But one 'would think, if it is not mine before I be- 
 lieve, I belienje a lie. My fins m-e pardoned before I believe, 
 cr they are not. If they are pardoned before Faith, then I am 
 
DIALOGUE. II. 55 
 
 It is true, God fo loved the world as to give his only 
 begotten Son. For what ? To die for us. To what end ? 
 That njohofoenjer belic-veth h him, pould not perijhy but ha-ve 
 e'verlajiing life. He that is united to Chrill by Faith, 
 therefore, (hall be faved. But thoie who are out of Chrift 
 have no interell in his falvation ; but are under a prefent 
 condemnation. — Condemned already. And the wrath of 
 God abidelh on them. *' Pardon is mine." — No — Con- 
 demned already. *• God is reconciled to me.'* No. — 
 The nAjrath of God abideth on me. Joh. iii. i6, 18, 36. 
 
 It is true, This is the record that God hath given to us 
 eternal life. But this life is in his Son. Therefoie, he 
 that is by Faith united to Chriit, hath eternal life. For 
 he that hath the Son, hath life. But thofe who are out of 
 Chrill, have no intereft in this eternal life. For he that 
 hath not the Son, hath not life, l Joh. v. 1 1, 12. 
 
 It is true. That through this man, is preached unto you 
 the forgivencfs of fins. But who hath an intereft in this 
 forgivenefs ? Who is that blefled man that is juftiiied ? 
 Thofe who are out of Chriit ? No. But^ Bj him all that 
 belie've^ are jufiifiedt Aft. xiii. 38, 39. 
 
 Again, it is true, The promife is to you. And what 
 then } Repent and be baptized every one of you in the 
 name of Jeius Chriil, for the Remiffion of fins. Were 
 their fins already forgiven ? No. Repent and be con- 
 verted that your fins may ; not becaufe they are, but that 
 they may be blotted out. Aft. ii. 38, 39, and iii. 19. — 
 
 not jujiified by Faith y hut before Faith. If they are noty then 
 I beliCHje a lie. — ** No, fays Mr. Marjhal, according to thy 
 Faith, it pall be unto thee.'''* i. e. If ^* ^without any e'vidence 
 from Scripture, fenje or reafon,^* I belie-ve that to be true, 
 nubich is not true, it Jhall become true. This is the heart 
 and foul cf their fcheme. — Keep this in conjiant 'vien.v, fufftr 
 no ambiguous nxiords to dro<von your mind ; and it is eafy to fee, 
 that there is not one text in the Bible to their purpofe. Tea, 
 they gi-ve us an cxaii definition of delujton, ivhich properly 
 confjis in this, viz. *' I belie-ve fomething to be true, i/ji.ich is 
 not true, till in my imagination it feetns true y and fo I tfike 
 the comfort of it., as though it nvere true.'''* Whereas, in fa'v- 
 ing Faith there is no truth belie\:ed, but nx;hat is plainly rg- 
 'vcalcd in the Gofpel ; as ^jlHI appear prefntly. 
 
56 DIALOGUE II. 
 
 But what was their ftate while impenitent ? Except ye re- 
 pent , ye Jhall all like<riife pirijh. Luk. xiii. 3, 5. 
 
 Lallly, it is true, Tiie whole congregation of Ifracl 
 were welcome to take the manua and eat. And 'tis true, 
 that all mankind are welcome to receive Chriil, the true 
 bread, and eat, and live forever. For this eating is the 
 fame as uniting to Chrift, by a true iind living F.iiih. — 
 He that eatith jny f.tjo and drinketh my bloody d^ucelhth in TJie, 
 and 1 in kini. 1 licrefore. He that eaieth ?ne^ e-ven be jhall 
 li--ve hy me. But what is the rt^ae of ^jinners cut of Chiift ? 
 Have they eternal life ? No. Except ye eat the jitjh of 
 the fo7i of ria:ty and drit:k hit bloody ye hwve no life in you, 
 Joh. vi. 32, 57. 
 
 Thus the very te:7t;s you build your fcheme upon, arc 
 all agninfi you. What warrant, therefore, has a Sinner out 
 ofChrift, to fay, *» pardon is mine, grace is mine, Chrift 
 and all hi^ fpiritual bleffings are mine ?" For thefe pre- 
 cious privileges arc not configned over to him in the 
 everlafting Gcfpcl, while in fuch a ftate. Nor fhall he 
 ever have an intereft in them, unlefs he is firft united to 
 Chrift, by a true ?.nd living Faith. 
 
 2her. If the curfe of the Law, which is delivered in ge- 
 neral terms, not mentioning Theron by name, belongs to 
 Theron ; why do not the prom.ifes of the Gofpe-l, deli- 
 vered alfo in general terms, not mentioning Theron by 
 name, belong to Theron too? (i) TJic Ninevites, from 
 the leaft to the greateft, made particular application to 
 themfelves. 
 
 Paul. The Law curfes none but thcfe who have already 
 broken it ; and the Gofpel pardons none but thofe who 
 have already complied with it. Theron has already bro- 
 ken the Law, and fallen under the curfe : Let I'heron 
 comply with the Gofpel, and he ftiall be entitled to the 
 blefling. The curfe of the Law was not your's, 'till you 
 broke it : Nor are the bleffings «f the Gofpel your's 'till 
 you comply with it. For it is written. He that beliet'eth 
 not, is condemned already, A truth, which all unbelievers, 
 from the jeaft even unto the greatell, fhouid after the ex- 
 ample of the Ninevites, make particular application of, to 
 themfelves. I muft^ therefore, ftill repeat it, what war- 
 rant from the word of God have you for your F^ith. ? 
 
 (1) D. p, 306. 
 
D I A L O G U E I. 57 
 
 Thcr. Mofes led ihe whole Congregation of Ifrael, at 
 the fide of tiie Red-oca, tho' ihe greatcli part of them were 
 in agracelefs Hate, to call God their God. (Exod. xv. 2.) 
 And to confirm them in ihis belief, God himfelf, from 
 Mount Sinai, and generally through all the Law of Mofes, 
 iiys, Ipeaklng to the whole Congregation, 1 am the Lord, 
 thy God. (Excd. XX'. 2.) And in the days of Jeremiah, 
 wiicn there was fcarce a good man to be found among 
 them (jer. v. 1.) and the generality were devoted to ido- 
 latry, and obfiinately impenitent ; yet, to the whole nation 
 God fays, lurn, O backjliding Children, for I am married 
 unto jou. (Jcr. iii. 14.) And he teaches them to fay, JVe 
 come unio thee, for thou art the Lord cur God. (ver. 22) And 
 invites tliem to look upon him as their P"ather. (verfe 4,) 
 And as the Jews were all circumcifed at eight days old, 
 and io brought into covenant with God, they had all there- 
 by a good warrant to look upon God as their God, and 
 to believe tlut he v. as their father, and would fave them. 
 The fame may be faid of all baptized perfons in the Chrif- 
 tian world, (i) 
 
 Pa'ul. If this proves any thing to your purpofe, it proves 
 that all the Chrilllefs Sinners in Chriftendom, how wicked 
 focver, although even buried up in Popifli idolatry, are, 
 if they are baptized, all of them married to Chrilt, chil- 
 dren of God, and heirs of Heaven. Into what ilrange 
 abfurdiries and inconfiftences do you run, my dear Thercn ! 
 
 As to circumcifion, the Jews in our Saviour's day feem- 
 ed to think, that it entitled them to falvation. But our 
 Saviour taught them, that notwithftanding their circumci- 
 fion, they were, while unregenerate, (]o\\x\ iii. 3.) and 
 antecedent to Faith and union with Chrill, under condem- 
 nation and wrath, (ver. 18, 36.) And Saint Paul affirm.?, 
 that the Jew as well as Gentile, notwithftanding their 
 circumcifion, flood guilty before God, without any title 
 to life, antecedent to their regeneration and union with 
 Chrift by a true and living Faith. (Rom. ii. 28, 29, and 
 iii. I, 2, 9, 19, 28. Gal. iii. 10, 29.) And the fame may 
 be faid of thofe who are baptized. 
 
 As to the texts of Scripture you refer to, their true (m^c 
 may be eafily feen, if we confider God'? covenant with 
 Abraham ; in which he promifed to be A God to him and 
 
 (I) M, p. 28, 182,185. D. p. 312, 343. 
 
58 DIALOGUEIl. 
 
 to his feed. (Gen. xvii.) And God's covenant at Mount 
 Sinai, in which he took the whole nation to be his pecu- 
 liar people. (Exod. xix.) From which he calls himfelf 
 The Lord their Cod. : And en account of w inch, he is 
 called their Hufhand, and they are faid to be married to 
 him, and are charred wiih whoredom and adultery for go- 
 ing after other Gods ; and are invited to return to him, 
 as a wife to her hufband, and to call him their God and 
 Father. Not that they had any title to pardon, grace and 
 glory, while uncircu?ncijed in heart. (]er, xxxi. 31, 32. 
 Rom. ii. 28, 29.) With thefe obfervations in mind, it 
 will be eafy to underftand the language uled commonly 
 in the Prophets, particularly in Hof. ii. throughout. 
 
 Ihcr. Buc it is the proper bufmefs of Faith, " To ap- 
 propriate and take heme to ourfelves the grace of God, 
 which lies in the common indefinite grant of the Gofpel.'* 
 Therefore, as pardon, grace and glory, are, all of them, 
 given and granted to Sinners as fuch ; by Faith, I, a Sinner 
 take home thefe blelfings to myfelf, i. e. Fbelieve they 
 are mine, (i) 
 
 Pmtl. Y^*3. But my Theron, there Is no fuch abfolute, 
 unconditional grant contained in the Bible. Nor do the 
 Scriptures teach that Faith is of fuch a nature. 
 
 %'ker. Yes. But Saint Paul declares that Faith^ is the 
 eindence of things not fen (Heb. xi. I.) and exhibits a 
 clear demonflration of our right to enjoy them. (2) 
 
 Paul. Faith ccmeth bj hearings and hearing hy the nuord 
 of God. {Kom. X. 17.) if ihereforc, the word of God gives 
 a firmer, while out of Chrift, no abfoUre unconditional 
 right to the bieffings of the Gofpel, Faith can fee none. 
 Faith cannot fee what is not, neithc- can it believe with- 
 out evidence. All the believers in Saint Paul's catalogue, 
 had gooci evidence for what they believed. But )'ou have 
 no evidence from ** Scripture, fenie or reafon" .^or what 
 you believe ; as you, yourfelf are obliged to own. 
 
 Ther. But all thofe figurative defcriprions of Faith, which 
 occur in holy writ, imply this appropriating belief. (3) 
 
 Paul. No, my dear Theron, not one of them. Is 
 Chrift viewed in the beginning of Saint John's Gofpel, as 
 the Creator of all things, who, under the Mofaic difpen- 
 fation, fuftained the glorious charader of God and King 
 
 (I) /).;>. 305, 314, 317. (2)2).^3^8. {3)D.p^20, 
 
D I ALOG U E II. 59 
 
 of Ifrael, now come to tabernacle among men, come to 
 his own people, as the promiied Mefliaii ? He is to be 
 acknowledged, received, and honoured according to his 
 chardder. But )ie came to his own, and his own received 
 him not : Did not own him for the Mefliah, nor believe 
 in, nor honour him as fuch. Although he was indeed the 
 very God and King of ll'rael, who of old dwelt in their 
 Tabernacle and Temple in the forin of God, now come to 
 tabernacle in fieOi, in the form of a fervant : Yet they 
 rcjeded him, called him a deceiver, and crucified him for 
 claiming to be the Son of God and King of tiie Jews. — 
 But to as mmy as received him as tne promifed Mefliah, 
 vith all their hearts, gave he power to become the Ion of 
 God, even to as many as believed in his name. Not, that 
 believed their fins were pardoned without any evidence 
 from Scripture, fenf^, or reafon, but that believed in his 
 name — Trulled in his mediation, merits 2?nd atonement, 
 that through his name they might obtain forgivenefs of lins 
 and eternal iiff. (joh. i.i, 12.) is Chrirt compared to the 
 brazen ferpent ? We are not to believe that we are healed ; 
 but to look to him for healing. — Is he compared to a 
 bridegroom ? We are not to beiieve he is our hulband ; — 
 but as chaibe virgins to be eipoufed to him, that by this 
 fpiritual marriage he may become our hulband, — Is he 
 compared to the city of refuge? We are not to believe our- 
 felves fafe ; but to fly to him for fafety. — Is he compared 
 to bread and water ? We are not to believe our hunger 
 and thirll are ailwaged ; but to eat the living bread, and 
 drink the living water, that they may be fo. — In a word, 
 is he the great Fligh-priell,- v/ho has entered into Heaven 
 with the blood of uconement in his hand, by and through 
 whom we may come to God for all things, in full aflurance 
 of acceptance in his name? We are not to believe that 
 pardon, grace, and glory are our's ; but to draw nigh to 
 God through him, that of God's infinite grace through 
 him, we may be pardoiieu, fan6tified and faved. 
 
 27.er. But David, Job, Habakkuk, Paul, the Council at 
 Jerufalem, yea, all the Saints in Sctipture, ufe this appro- 
 priating language. They all fpeak the language of af- 
 furance. (i) 
 
 PauL And good reafon why, for they all knew, they 
 
 (i) D.p: 325, 327. 
 
60 DI ALO G U E II. 
 
 were fir.cerc godly men, from a conrcioufnefs to iheir own 
 inherent graces. Buz there is rot a Saint to be found in 
 the Bible, that believes j^ardon, grace and giory to be his 
 own, without any evidence from •* Sciipturc, lenfe or rea- 
 fon.'* Forgive me, bir, if I Ihould (ay, this kind of Faiih 
 the Bible is as great a ilranger to, as to the doctrine of 
 purgatory. 
 
 ^'/jtr. •' i know no ctlicr juflifying Fai:h, but that which 
 relates to the Golpel, and believes its report. But here, I 
 find, lies the cor< and root of our conirovtrfy. This is 
 the precife point to be feltJed ; what it is to believe." (i) 
 
 Fai^I No, no, my dear 'Fhercn, •*The core and root 
 of the controveify" lies not heie. You ovght to believe 
 the report of the Goffel," and all the truths of the Gof- 
 pei, wiih a full afiurai.ce ; yea, with all the full alfurancc 
 of Faith. But Froteftant writers, for above thefe hundred 
 years, have been teftifying againit your kind of Faith, be- 
 caufe the thing believed is not contained in the Gofpel. — 
 The Gofpel makes no fuch report. But theihing believed 
 is a lie. — Here my friend, here lies ** The core and root 
 of the controverfy," as IMr. Maifnal well knew. (2) And 
 it is a little flrange, that your Afpafio ihould not know it 
 too. However, pray lell n.e what you mean, by believ- 
 ing the report of the Gofpel. 
 
 2'ur. "The Lord declares by his prophet, /, e'ven I 
 am hey that blotteth out thy tranfgrejjions. To believe, is to 
 fubfcribe this declaration : To lubfcribe it with our hand,' 
 and prcfefs with our heart, Lordy it is done, as thou haji 
 Jaid.'" My trnnfgrcflicns are blotted out. (3) 
 
 Paul. But my dear Thcron, this declaration was made 
 above two thoufand years ago. Do you date your juftifi- 
 cation fj far back ? Or do you think the words have had 
 any nev/ meanir.g put 10 them by God, of late ; which 
 iw o thoufand years ago they did not mean ? 
 
 Thcr. No. I appropriate and take home the bleffing to 
 myfelf : And fo believe the report of the Gofpel. 
 
 Paul, This is not to believe what the Gofpel reports ; 
 but riithcr to make a new Gofpel. This is not to believe 
 the truths already revealed ; but to make a new Revelati- 
 on. That the tranfgreflions of Theron, a Chriftlefs Sinner, 
 are blotted out, is not taught in this text, nor in any text 
 
 (I) £>;/; 328. (2) M/. 166. (3) D,p. 329. 
 
DIALOG U E II. 6l 
 
 in all the facred volume, as you yourfelf very well know. And 
 if this be what you moan by au appropriating Faith, then Mr, 
 M:iJih.ill'i- s.ccount of it is very jull : it is a believing with- 
 out any evidence, from '• Scripture, fenfe or rcafon.(i)" 
 
 (i) The^jchclc party maintain^ ^ith Wenaeliiius, that in the 
 Jirji diretl aci of Faiths 1 belie-ve ** my fins are forgi-oen.^* — 
 And the ^johole party oJJ'crt, that befcre I belie-jed //, *' my fins 
 njoere not forgi-jen.^'' Therefore y the <u>bole party mufi concede 
 ^vith Mr. Marpall, that the thing I believe , *' atuj r.a true 
 before I bslte-ved it.'"* And covjcqiientlyy that 1 do beUeue it 
 ** -(X'it.out any evidence from Scripture, fenfe cr rcafcny For if 
 it luas not true^ there could be no s-x)idence of its truth. And yet 
 the njohole party pretend to ground their bf.iief upon Scripture, 
 So that this IS the frangejt fcheme of religion in this rej'pe^, 
 that e-ver =zvas advanced m the Chrijlian ~asorld. — I'oe r/ji7ig 
 I believe as true, is not true before I believe it ; and.yct I he- 
 lie-oe it bec^-ufe it is true ! It is not contained in Scripture ; yet 
 I believe it, becauje it is contained in Scripture ! I knovu it 
 is 710 part of the Gofpel-revelatio;: ; yet I venture my foul upon 
 it for eternity y as the very Gofpel of Chrifi ! l^cvu, hovj 
 do thefe men feel fatisfed in themjelvcsy in believing fch in- 
 cjnfifizHcies? I'P'hy thus — '^ T'he Gcfpel makes an abjclute un- 
 conditional grant of pardon and falvation to all the jinful race 
 if Adam : But I am a Sinner of Adain s race s therefore, par- 
 don and faluation are ;/;///<?." — But then, one nvould think they 
 ivsre mine before I believed it, and ivhcther I believed it or no. 
 If the grant doth not make them mine, vohy do I believe they 
 are mine P If the grant does make them mine, then they an 
 mine before i believe: And fo nve are net jifiifed by Faith y 
 but BEFonE Faith y contrary to the vjhole tenor cf Scripture, 
 No, fay fcmi, " I have by grant a common but not a faving 
 intcrcfi.'''' Uut the thing granted is *' falvation : and the 
 grant is ahfiAute : — TbercfrSy ** / fhall be faved^ 1 ought 
 /^^ believe, that *' I fjall be favcd, ;" Yeay they fay, I 
 ?nakc God a liar, if 1 do not ; but furely, if I believe 1 Jhall 
 b: faved, I believe I have a faving interefi. And fo, I be- 
 lieve I have by the grant, <Tvhat I knovj is not contained in the 
 grant : and fo believe, *' ^without any evidence from Scripture, 
 fenje or reafonJ*^ And yet I ground my belief n.vholly upon Scrip- 
 ture. — They fay, *' 2he grant makes it mine.fo as to give me 
 a right to believe it mine, and claim it, and pofiefs it as mine J* 
 But then, I ought to believe it mine, precifsly in the fame sense. 
 
 G 
 
^2 DI ALO G U E II. 
 
 Ther. But Chrift has exprefsly proniifed, that according 
 to my Faith, fo Jhull it be to me, Matth. ix. 29.(1) ^ 
 
 PauL Believe ye, thot 1 arn able to do this > laid Chrift to 
 the two blind men, who cried, Ihou Sen of Dauidy hwve 
 mercy on us. — They fnid unto him, />«, Lord. To be fure, 
 they had fufiicient evidence to believe it, from the miracles 
 he had already wrought. On vvhich our Saviour touched 
 their eyes; faying, According to your Faith, be it nntoj^ou. 
 
 in ivhich the gra;jt makes it mine. Thus, if the grant makes 
 it mine as being a child cf Adam ; then i ought to belie-vc it 
 mine, as kfio^jsing I am a child of Adam. — If the grant makes 
 it mine, only as icing in Chriji j then I cnghi to btiie-ve it mine, 
 only as kno-ojing tbat I am inChriJi. — If the grant only ?ncikcs 
 a common inter eji mine j then I ought to believe a common in- 
 ter ejl only to be mine. — If the grant ?nakes a farcing interejl 
 mine i then 1 ought to beUe-ue afwving inter eji mine. And <vjhat 
 is mine by grant, if the grant is abjhlute, is mine before I be- 
 lis've it, and <Txihetker I belie-ve it, or not. No, fay ^ey, " It 
 is not mine before I belie-ue » and yet I muji belie--ue it mine. I 
 ha've no e-vidence from Scripture j and yet my Faith is ^wholly 
 founded on Scripture. The Scripture jays no fuch thing any 
 lAjkere ; and yet the Scripture plainly fays this thing in hundreds 
 of places. My fns are notforgi~cen; and yet I make God a 
 liar, if I do not believe they are forgvven. It is not true, as 
 yet, nor do I kncvj it e-ver ivill be true ; but I mi'Ji belie-ve it, 
 fvjithout any evidence from Scripture, fenfe cr reafon : And in 
 fo doing., I belie^oe the report of the Gcj'pel j although the Gof- 
 pel never made fuch a report. ^^ If I can belie'ce all thefe con^ 
 traditions ^with all tny heart, I am a true believer, and Jhall 
 hsfa'ved. If not, I am blind, carnal, legal ; and fn ally muji 
 f'ffer the pains of eternal damnation for my unbelief . — T'heln- 
 fdels of the age (and no ^wonder irfdcllty pre-vails ) Jland by; 
 hear the difpuie ; Jhahe their fides : — The Devil fays, ** S^ 
 njuould have it.^^ The Daughter of X ion puts on fuckcloth, locus 
 up to Heaven, and cries, '* Haff thcu forfaken the Earth, O 
 Lord! When nvilt thou return and fcatter thefe clouds ', and 
 caufe light to break out, fpread and prevail ; and darknejs and 
 error to flee avoay I O avben Jhall that bUfftd day come, that the 
 knowledge of the Lord fhall fill the Earth, as the waters 
 cover the Sea! IVhen pall Satan be bound, that he may 
 deceive the nations no morel" 
 (I) M.p. 247. 
 
D I A L O G tJ E II. 6j 
 
 And wliat, my Theron, is this to your purpofe? who have 
 no evidence from Scripture, fenfe or reaion, for what yoa 
 believe. Our Saviour never told Sinners, that if they would 
 believe par-Jon, grace ^nd glory were theirs, it (hoald be 
 unto them according to their Faith: but frequency taught, 
 that many who believed fo, would finally be dilappointed. 
 Matth. vii. zi, 27. — Luke xiii. 24, 30. 
 
 77jer. Yc3, our Saviour exprefsly f^id, ffhat thifigs Jcc--der 
 ye dejire njuhen ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and yt 
 Jhali have them. Mark xi. 24.(1) 
 
 Paul Our Saviour had curled the barren fig-tree, and it 
 was dried up from tlie roots. At vvhicii iiis difciples wonder- 
 ing, our Saviour told them, that whenever they were called 
 to perform any minculous works, and were looking up to 
 God to do them, they mull lirmly believe he would do the 
 thing, how great foever it wa:., even although as dilTiculc 
 as to remove a mountain and cafi it into the fea. And it is 
 plain, they had fuiiicient evidence, for fuch a belief: as 
 they knew that God Almighty flood engaged to efFed the 
 miraculous works, which he had commiliioned them to de- 
 clare, fhould be done. Mark, xi. 20, 24. 
 
 Ther, But the Apofllc James direcb all Chriftians, even 
 when praying for divine wifdom and gtace, to afi in Faith, 
 nothing avavering. jam. i. 6. (2) 
 
 Paul. To afk in Faith — In the Faith cf what ? Of truths 
 revealed in theGofpel, ccncerning the way of our accefs 10 
 Gad in the name of Chriit, cur great hi;.'h Priell, and 
 God's reauincfs to hear and anf.ver all requclls, agreeable 
 to his Will, put up unto him in his Nim?. 'J'hele truths 
 ought to be, thefe truths nniil be firmly believed. But in 
 order to our going to God in full airurarcc of Faith, there 
 is no need, I hope, that we believe as true, things, tlie 
 truth of which we have no evidence of, '* from Scripture, 
 i^nfe, or reaf;)n.'* Read the fecond chapter of this cpiille, 
 and you may fee the Apcillc James was no friend to a pre- 
 fumptuous Faith, a Faiih built on no evidence. 
 
 7''r:er. But I am invited in the moft afi^eftionate manner, 
 to believe that Chriil loves me and will fave me, in 2 Cor, 
 V. 20. "j^s though God did hefeech you by us, nve pray you in 
 ChrijVs fiead, be ye reconciUd to God. Hark I 'tis the voice 
 
 (i) M./. 174. (2) D./. 342. 
 
 G 2 
 
^4 D I A L O G U E II. 
 
 of innnliely ccKdcfcenaing love, fpeaking by his amb.ifld- 
 dor-T-oiriners accept my great falvation! Enjoy what I 
 have parchafecl for you hy ir,y dying agonies. Do not fui"- 
 pe<f{ ir.y kindnzf:, or refute my gifts. ThU will wound me 
 dee-er than tiie fpcar which pierced my fide— O the grate 
 of oar cxaited ILjng !— After ail this, can I entertiiin ihe 
 leafc doubt, whether 1 have a permilTion to believe firmly?(i) 
 Did the judge ever bef^ech a condemned criniina] to ac- 
 cept of paidon? Docs the creditor befeech a ruined debt- 
 or, to receive an acquittance in fu 1 ? Yet our Almjgl)ty 
 Lord, andour Eiernal j'adge, not only voachlafes to ofFcr 
 thefe blcilings, but invites u. — irjtieats u: — with the molt 
 tender and repeated importunity .foiiciis. us, not to rejcd 
 them." (2) 
 
 2^aul. In thcfe words ycu are invited to be reconciled to 
 Cjod '/ and not to believe tiiat God ir. reconciled to you. — 
 You may be even raviriied,to think of the one, but Hill be 
 {q inattentive to the other, as not to tnke any notice of it, 
 ajthouc:h before ycu, in one of the mod remarkable texts 
 in the Bible. 
 
 7%«v. But we are flric^Iy commanded by God himfcif, to 
 believe on the name of his Con jcfus Chriu (i jch. iii. 23.) 
 and have God's promife and oath to alTare us, we (hall 
 certainly be faved, if wc do. (3) 
 
 Par.//. True. Yet Chrirt lias never taught us, that Faith 
 coisfifts in believing, that ** pardon is mine, grace is mine, 
 Chiift and all his fpiritijal blefings are mine." But has gi- 
 ven us the f rongeft affarance, that many v.-ho are very con- 
 fident of tlieir title to Heaven, fliall fmaily go to Hell. — 
 Matth. vii. 22. 
 
 Y'^er. Yes, Sir. Suffer me in my turn, to put on the airs 
 cf affurance, and to aflirm, that this is that very notion of 
 Faith, whicli v/as taught, and which w^as approved as ge- 
 nuine, by our bleffed Saviour. — For, '* our Lord bears this 
 teftimony concerning Thomas ; Thomas thou haft belie'ved. 
 Now then, I think, we have got an infallible touchllone. 
 Let us examine what that is, which Jefu.i Chrift calls be- 
 lieving. Whatever it be, it is the determination of Truth 
 itfelf ; and (hould pafs for a verdid, from which there lies 
 no appeal. And thi:, this is the conf fiion of Thomas, my 
 
 (i) D./. 350. (2) D. Edit. I. 'vol. I. p. 132. 
 
 (3) D./.. 350, 353. 
 
DIALOGUE. II. 65 
 
 LORD, and mv god 1 Tiiis, this exprelTes what our divine 
 Mafter calls belie'ving. When, therefore, we confefs with 
 our lips, and are perfuaded in oar hearts, that Jefus is our 
 Lord, who bought us wiih his blood ; that Jcfus is our God, 
 who will oxen all his adorable pcrfcdions for our good ; 
 then we truly believe. We believe in our Saviour's fenfe 
 of the Word ; we have that Faiih, v.hich he allows to be 
 genuine." (i) 
 
 Paul. Pray, my dear Theron, as your all lies at ftake, 
 your all for eternity, do take the bible, and read the 
 whole paragraph, with the heart of an hor.eil man. 
 
 Ther. I will. — Heaven forbid I iliould aft a dilhoneft 
 part in an affair of fuch infinite importance ! Joh. xx. 
 24. 3ut Tbcf/ias, one of the izvel-^e, ivas 72ot ^witb ibetft nvhen 
 y ejus came y <ver. 25, The other dijcipies therefore /aid unto 
 vimy " iVe ha-ve Jecn the Lord^ But he Jaid unto them, 
 " Except I Jh all fee in his hands the print of the nails, and put 
 my finger into the print (f the nails ^ and thrttji my hand into 
 his jliiey I n.vill not believe y^^ ^er. 26. And after eight days, 
 again his dijciples nx^ere-ivithiny and Thomas ^i.'^itij them. Then 
 came Jefus , the doors being fuut, and food in the midfy and 
 faidy ^'■Feace he imtoyouy'* 'ver. 27. Then f aid he to Thomas, 
 " reach hither thy finger y and behold my hands ; and reach hi- 
 ther thy handy and thrujl it into my fide : and be not fait lefs, 
 hut belie^jing,'''' ^er. 28. And Thomas anf^-veredy and f aid un- 
 to him *• My Lord, and my God,** <ver. 29. Jefus f aid unto him, 
 '* Thomas y becaufe thou haf fen 7ne, thou haft bclie<ved : bleffed 
 are they that have not fen, and yet have believed. 
 
 Paul. No comment is needed. It is impofiible the feiife 
 of the words can be made plainer. The thing that Tho- 
 mas was fo faiihlefs about, was not his particular intereft 
 in Chriil ; nor was this the thing he believed, that Chrift: 
 died for him in particular. But the refurredion of Chriil was 
 the thing, the only thing, in qucftion with iiim. Overjoyed 
 to fee him, feel him, hear him, know him, in the language 
 of fe'rveat loye, ready to clafp him in his arms, he cries out, 
 my Lord, and my Grd ! Thus then ftands the argument. — f 
 Becaufe Thomas believed that Chriil wa^ rif-^n from the 
 dead, on the cleareft evidence ; therefore juftifying Faith 
 confills in bclievine, that ♦' paruon is mine, grace is mine, 
 Chrift ;ind all his fpiritual blefiingsare mine," without any 
 evidence at all, from ** Scripture, fenfe, or rcafon." My 
 
 (1) D./. 229, 230, 
 
.66 D I A L o G u E ir. 
 
 dear Theron, was ever book nbufed and perverted in thJs 
 apoilate world, one half fo much, as is i\\2 holy Bible ! 
 
 7'f:?cr. But is it not true with relation to every finner, 
 and (o with relation to me, that ** Chrifc has bought me 
 witi'i his blood, and will exert all his adorable perfedions 
 for my good r" 
 
 Pr.zJ. I^Jiiil I again put you in mind of what your fa- 
 vourite author fa plainly afiirms ? *' We have no abfolute 
 promife or declaraiion in Scripture, that God certainly 
 will or doth give Chriit and his filvatioii to any one cf us 
 in particular ; neither do we know it to be true already, 
 by Scripture, fenfe, or reafon, before \vc afTure ourfelves 
 of it. Our aflurance is not imprcffed by any evidence of 
 the thing ; but we muft work it out in ourfelves by the 
 r.iTifcance of the fpirit of God." And that your Afpafio not 
 only likes the book in general, but hcirtily approves of this 
 paff-ige in particular, you may be aftured, from the notice 
 he has taken of it, in his prefuce to Mr. Marfliail's Myilery. 
 ■ 2'/;er. Yes, and I approve it too. For I never luppofed 
 it was any where taught in Scripture, that ** Chriii has 
 bought me with his blcod, and will exert all his adorable 
 perfections for my good,*' and fo certainly favc me in par- 
 ticular. I know there is no fuch thiiigr alarmed in Scrip- 
 tare. I never pretended there was. And you have mil- 
 leprefented our fcheme, in fuppofmg it follows from what 
 v.e afiirm of the free grant of the Gofpel, that we are 
 j Jirificd, adopted, and entitled to eternal glory, before we 
 believe. We hold no fuch thing. There is no fuch thing 
 revealed in the oracles of trut^h.- A^nd indeed if there was, 
 I fnoald not need any fpecial allillance of the fpiric in the 
 woik of believing. That I fliould be favcd, would be as 
 plain a truth as ?.ny ether in the Bible. And did 1 believe 
 the Scriptures to be true, I could not doubt of this, any 
 more than cf any other plain trith therein contained. — 
 V/hereas, you know, it is impofiible for a ma^i, although 
 he is fitisned the Bible is the word of God, merely by iiis 
 ov/n llvength and realbn to brin? himfclf to believe, unlcfs 
 the ipirit fint witnefies v/iih his fpirit, that he is acniid of 
 G d. Bscaufe, before this, we have no evidence of the 
 thing from Scripture, fen{Q, or reafon. But when '* the 
 divine fpirit brings Chriil and his righteoufnefs nigh unto 
 u., ill the promife of the Gofpel; clearing at the fame 
 time our right and warrr.nt to iriterir.eddle v/ithali, with. 
 
DIALOGUE ir. 67 
 
 out fear of vicious intrcmilTion ;" then we can appropriate 
 what lies in the general promife, to ourfelves in particu- 
 Jar : And then wc can lay, "pardon is mine, grace is 
 mine, Chrilt and all his Ipiritual blefiings are mine." And 
 then we can fee *' cur title pertedlly clear." (i) 
 
 Paul. O my dear Theron 1 and thus at lalt, you give 
 up your warrant from the written uord;(2) as in faft 
 there is no fuch thing coniained in the Bible ; and row 
 your recourie is to tiie ipirit. But, if in fad tise written 
 word gives you r.o warrant for this belief — if in fA\^ you 
 have no right by the Bible to lay this claim, the fpirit of 
 God has nothing to do in the cafe. He caunoc clear up 
 a right, where there is no right 10 be cleared up. He 
 cannot cltar up a warrant, where there is no warrant to 
 be cleared up. 1 grant it is the office of the holy fpirit to 
 open our unaeriLandings to undcriliad the Sciiptures, and 
 to open our eyQ^ to behold the wonderful things in God's 
 Law. But it is not the cfice cf the holy fpinc, to open 
 our eyes to fee truths in ilio Bible, which in fail, arc net 
 there. It is not the oHicc of the holy fpirit to make us 
 believe a lie ; that is, believe that the Bible teaches, what 
 in fa<5i, it does not teach ; or to make us new revelations, 
 no where contained in Scripiure, on which to venture 
 our fouls for eternity. Nor is it the bufinefs of Faith, to 
 believe ihefe new unfcripiural revelations, but only to be- 
 
 (1) D. /i. 295, 362. 
 
 (2) 1 ou gi^e up your -ivarraT.tfrom the ^jcritten IFcrd. — By 
 the f.rjl Hired acl of Faith y antecedent to any refledicn, I helie-ve 
 that^^ God is reconciled to ?ne.*' [D.p. 169, 362) If thisfuppofed 
 truth "jjos contained in and taug.':l by the ivritteu ivcrd, it<T.'jas 
 true before I belie-ved ity as all ^p rant : and fo Gcd ivas " re- 
 conciled to jne''^ before the fir Ji ad cf Faith. But they jay, 
 it 'was net contained there, it ivas net true. God n.vas net •* rc~ 
 conciled to w<?" before I believed. But Gcd^s IVcrd dees net 
 nv'^rrant m to beiie-vey as truth, any propc/tiion, the truth of 
 nvhich is net taught in hi: V/crd. /ill the truths contained 
 in lis Wcrdy 1 ought to believe. But I ha've no right to add 
 or difuinijh. Deut. xii. 32. Thou (halt not add thereto, nor 
 diininifli from it. Re'u. xxii. 18. If any man fnall add unro 
 thcfc' things, God (liall add unto him the plagues th^rt are 
 writren in this book. Ifik^ add to Gcd*s Wordy nve have 
 vo =vc arrant from God's I ford to believe otrr additions to bs di- 
 vine. -^'^''7 doitht of this J let them read, 2 Theff. H, i\. 
 
68 DIALOGUE II. 
 
 lieve with all cur hearts, the truths already revealed. Or, 
 to ufe your own words, ** [ know no other julbfying Faith, 
 but that which reiaies to the Goipel, and believes its re- 
 port." But licre, fir, lies the wound of your Faith, and 
 this is "the core and root of the con:roverfy," that the 
 thing which you believe, is not revealed in the Bible, nor 
 is there any evidence from Scripture, of the truth of it. — 
 And this you know — rhis you own, and yet fiiil will per- 
 fill in believing it, " without any evidence from Scripture, 
 feafe, or reafun." And to help yourielf out, you call in 
 the aid of the noly Spirit, to teicify to a thing unrevealed, 
 to a lie, a known lie ; to teftify that fomething is con- 
 tained in Scripture, which you know is not contained 
 there. That wicii full aHurr.nce, you may fay, *' pardon 
 is mine, grace is mine, Chrift and all his fpiritual bleifings 
 , are mint — confi-rned over to me in the everlal'iing Gofpel 
 — a title perfedly clear — without any evidence from Scrip- 
 ture, lenl'e, or reafon." (i) 
 
 Oh my dear Tneron 1 In matters of this importance, 
 it does not become us to footh and flatter ; but to fpeak 
 the truth in uprightnefs. Did you jprofefs to be an Anti- 
 nomian, and opsniy declare, •' that the Eleft were juftified 
 from eternity, or at leail from the death of Chrifc ; that 
 the holy fpirit reveals to the Eledt cheir juilificacion in 
 God's own time ; and that jullifying Faith confifts in be-. 
 Having this new revelation ;" then your fchenne, hovvever 
 inconliftent with Scripture, would feem, at leall, to be 
 confirtent with iifeif. But now, as you ftate things, you 
 are (forgive me my Theron) you are, I fay, neither con- 
 f.Rent v/ith Scripture nor with yourfelf. And your drefl- 
 ing up experimental religion in this light (while Armini- 
 ans, Pelagians, Socinians, and Infi.lcis, laugh at the de- 
 lufion) tends only to embolden fcif-coafident hypccrites ; 
 and to leave the poor awakened Sinner, that has any 
 common honefty in his heart, in a more bewildered cafe 
 than ever. Or if, by your charming and affedionate 
 manner of addrefs, the poor blind Sinner is induced to 
 believe you, he is in infinite danger cf being led to fettle 
 on a falfe foundation, to his eternal ruin. For having 
 once believed — Oh dreadful thought ! — Having once be- 
 lieved, he muft never doubt again. He mud watch and 
 
 (i) D./. 269, 362. M.p. 173, 
 
DIALOGUE II. 69 
 
 pray, fight and frrivc, againft doubts, with all his might, 
 as the dreadful Ag.i;;, th.it mull be parfued with fire and 
 fwnrd. (i) That being once deluded, it is a thoiifand 
 to one, but he lives and dies in his delufion ! 
 
 T/jer. But d^oes not the holy Scripture exprefsly fpeak of the? 
 Witne/s and Seal cf the Spirit P Rom. viii. 16. Eph. I. 13. 
 
 Fr.ul. Yes, it does. — Ba: never-^never — as what any- 
 had before Faith and jultitication : as is the cafe v\ith you. 
 Te -jccre fcalcd, fays the Apoflle to the Ephefian ^^aints. But 
 when? jJcfore they believed? No. Avtek ii:at )c hlieved 
 ye "jcere fcaled. Eph. i. 13. And had they this fpiiic of 
 adoptiouv before they wt-ie already children ? — No. But, 
 hecaufe ys are Jons ^ becaufe ye are already members ofGod'S 
 famiiy, therefore, God hath feut forth the J'pirit cf his Son 
 into your hearts, crying^ j^hbay Father. Cj7s\/\\. 6. 
 
 So that 1 muft needs teil you, my dear Theron, there is 
 not one tittle in the Bible to countenance your fchcme : 
 But it is all over inconiiflence, faliehood and delufion. — 
 .And if your heart is no better than your head, you are in 
 an infinitely dreadful ftatc. What your heart is, I do no: 
 pretend to fay. This does not belong to my province. 
 But the fchemc of religion you plead for, leads dircdlly 
 to deiirudion. And would thst ])ilot be efteemed an ho- 
 neft man, who, for fear of giving oflxnce, ihould fit filent 
 and fuffcr the lliip to run upon the rocivs — rocks under 
 water, which he knew would dalh the Ihip to pieces in a 
 moment, if not avoided. 
 
 Ther. But, is it no: impofiibh to truft in Chrift, unlefs 
 iirfi we believe that Chrift and all his fpiritual blcfiings 
 are ours ? (2) 
 
 Paul. What would you think, my dear Theron, of a 
 Neonomian, or Arminian, to whom you were opening the 
 way of falvation by free grace through Jefus Chrift, if he 
 fhould thus reply ? '* It is impofuble to truft in Chrift and 
 free grace, unlefs firft for cur encouragement, we are con- 
 fcious our lives are reformed, our fins repented of, and 
 that we are difpofed fmcerely to endeavour to do our duty. 
 Were 1 thus prepared, I ihould dare to truft in Chrift, 
 and could hop? that God would accept me through him. 
 But without thefe good qualifications, it is impcffible I 
 ihould dare to truft in Chri-.L" 
 
 (1) D. />. 342, 345. (2) D./. 312. 
 
yO D I A L O G U E II. 
 
 Ther. I fnoulcl fuppofs that his own righteoufnefs was 
 really at the bottom of his Faith, and the very thing that 
 encouraged him to believe. And fuch a man does not {o 
 properly trull in Chriil:, as in his own righteoufnefs. And 
 a Faith built on a falfe foundation, is certainly a falfe Faith. 
 
 Paul. And pray, my Taeron, v/hat is it that encourages 
 you to irufl in Chriit ? Not any truths revealed in the 
 Gofpel ; but fomething of vvhicii you have no evidence, 
 from Scripture, fenfe, or reafcn. A firm perfuafion of 
 this emboldens you-^ to truit in Chrift : yea, is fo entirely 
 the foundation of your truft, that it appears to you impof* 
 fible, without this previous perfuafion, ever to trull in 
 him. Wherefore, this perfuafion is at the bottom of your 
 trull. And, itri6lly fpeaking, you do not fo properly trull 
 in Chriil, as in that perfuafion. Should you now be con- 
 vinced, that this perfuafion was a mere dclufion, your truft- 
 ing in Chi ill would ccafe in a moment. Juft as it is with 
 a felf-righteous perfon, when his eyes are open to fee him. 
 fclf. Rom. vii. 9. ^'he Commandment came, Jin re'vived, 
 and I died. 
 
 2'bcr, But, " would any perfoii of the leafi: prudence, 
 eresfl iiis houfc upon a piece of ground, without a previous 
 convidion, that the fpot was his own.'* (i) 
 
 Paid. Wherefore then, we mufl thus conclude, that all 
 the truths, already plainly revealed in the Gofpel, which 
 are true before we believe them, and vvhciher we believe 
 them or not ; that all thefe truths laid togedisr, although 
 clearly underftood, feen in their fpirituai glory, firmly 
 believed, approved of and liked, would not be fufficient 
 to encourage a fmner to trull in Chriil. i. e. There is 
 nothing in the written word, which, let it be ever fo well 
 underliood, and ever fo firmly believed, is fufficient to 
 encourage even a regenerate finner (for it is phtin, rege- 
 neration is before the firll adl of Faith. Jch. i, 12, 13 ) to 
 trufl in Chiifc. To fupply this defed, we mullfirll believe 
 as truth, whit as yet is not true, and that without any 
 evidence from Scripture, fenfe, or reafon. And this be- 
 lief, this perfuafion, is to be tiie foundation of our trulling 
 in Chriil; fo entirely the foundation, that without it, we 
 cannot " with the leaft prudence" truft in him. And the 
 weight, the whole weight of our eternal falvation is at 
 
 (i) D. Edit. \fl njoUiii.p. 285. 
 
DIALOGUE II. 71 
 
 bottom laid, not on the GoCpd, the written Gofpel, but 
 on a fuppofed truth, we have no evidence of, trom Scrip- 
 ture, fenfe, or reafon. 
 
 Oh, my dear Theron ! This is a precarious foundation 
 to venture your precious, your immortal foul upon. And 
 fhould it give way and break under you, it might let you 
 fall down into eternal ruin. This, this is indeed, to ufe 
 your Afpafio's beautiful fimiiitude, ** like placing|ihe 
 dome of a cathedral on the ilalk of a tulip." 
 
 Mean while let me tell you, theinfpired Apoftles verily 
 believed, that in the written word wc have, net only full 
 evidence of the tiuih of thi Golpel iticlf (Joh. xx. 31.) 
 but alfo, the truth of the Golpel being lecn, fuffici(mt 
 encouragement to come to God through Chrilt, in full 
 aflurance of being accepted through him. (Hcb. x. 19, "22.) 
 And on this ground they preached the Cjolpel to the world, 
 inviting ail to return to God through Jefus Chriil ; with- 
 out ever giving the leift incimatioa of any need of their 
 being previoufiy perfuaded of fome things as truths, which 
 were no where plainly coiitained in the Gofpel. 
 
 I'her. Pray, v/hat is there contained in tlie Gofpel which 
 
 may be fuhicient to encourage a Sinner, to return to God 
 
 through Chrift, with full afiurance of acceptance thro' him ? 
 
 Pi^:u/. Thefe three truths are fet in the cleareil and 
 
 llrongeil: light, in the glori( us Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 1. That the goodnefs of God, tue iupreme governor 
 of the world, is felf-moving, and infinite. It needs no 
 externil motive, no goodnefs in us, to draw it forth into 
 exercife. Yea, it can furmount infinite ill-deiert — fclf- 
 moved. This is dcmonflrated in God's giving his Son, of 
 his own mere motion, to die for a world, fo ili-deferving 
 — infinitely ill-deferving : that no atonement appeared to 
 him fufficient to fecure the honour of his law and govern- 
 ment, but the blood of his own Son. Let me believe 
 with all my heart, that God has done this deed, a deed 
 infinitely fuperior to the creation of millions of fuch worlds 
 as this, all which, with one word's fpcaking, Mefiiah 
 could have created in a moment. I fay, let me believe 
 with all my heart, that God, of his own mere motion, 
 has given his Son, one equal to himfelf, to die for fuch a 
 world as this ; itnd at once 1 have the fullcft convidion of 
 his lelf-moving goodnefs, and infinite grace. It Hands in 
 ft light brighter than the fun at noon-day. 
 
^2 D I A L G U E II. 
 
 2. God can confidently with the honour of himfelf, of 
 his law and government, and fr.crcd authoriry, pardon 
 and fave thoic, who, llriiiily fpeaking, are infinitely iil- 
 deferving, through Jefus Chriit, his Son. His honour is, 
 in every point ot light, efrcdually fecured by the mediati- 
 on and death of hi;> bon. The dignity, the infnite dignity 
 of the fon of God, proves this to the enlightened foul. — 
 The refurrcction of Chritt from the dead, is a vifibie de- 
 nionrtration of it. And God himfelf, in plain words, 
 declares it to be true : — That he can now be y-v/^, aJid yet 
 
 juliify him that hclie-uci/j in Jefus. (Rom. iii. 24, 25, 26.) 
 Now, if thj goodnefs oi the divine nature is iniinue i.nd 
 felf-moving ; and if he can, confillently with his own 
 honour, pardon and fave the iniiiiitely iil-deferving through 
 Jefus ChriiL his Son ; the only queition that reiuains, is. 
 Who may, among all the ions of Adam, trull in this glo- 
 rious Mediator, return home to God through him, and 
 through his merits and atonement look 10 the ^itG grace 
 of God for pardon and eternal life .' — But, 
 
 3. it is moll exprei'hly declared, that <T.tjbofoe~uer nvill, may 
 come (Rev, xxii. 17.) and l:e that cometh Jhall in no nxsije 
 be caji out. (Jon. vi. 57) Yea, orders are given that 
 th°f^ glad tidings {houlu be carried all round the world, 
 the Gcfpel preached to c<very creature. (Mar. xvi. 15.) And 
 all, even the vileft and the woril, are to be, as it were, 
 compelled to come in (Luk. xiv. 23.) preyed aud hefeeched 
 to be reconciled to God ('2 Cor. v. 20.) to repent and be con- 
 'verted (A6t. iji. 19.) to return home to God through jefus 
 Chiill, to God, M'ho i> as ready v'^ be reconciled to the 
 returning Sinner, as the father of t'lo prodigal is repre- 
 fented to be, to his returning Son. (Luk. xv. 20.) 
 
 Now, when the Sinr*e.s eyes, in regeneration, are ope- 
 ned, to beheld as in a giais the glory of the Lord, it will 
 immediately appear to him tlie futefl and happiefl: thing in 
 the woild, to return home to God, and be forever de- 
 voted to him, if he may. And a clear fight and firm belief 
 oi l\\t{t plain Gofpel-truths, gives him the ful left aflur- 
 ance that he may ; that it is God's will he fhould ; and 
 that God {lands ready to accept him through Jefus Chrill, 
 if he does, (i) 
 
 ( I ) Except iTiy eyes arefirjl opened to behdd the glory of God, 
 I cannct fee the ground and reafon of the Lavu, nor heartily 
 
D I ALO G U E II. 73 
 
 Indeed, I readily grant, that unregenerate Sinners do 
 neither fee the infinite amiablenels ot God, nor really be- 
 lieve the Gofpel to be true. The 'vail is en their hearts. 
 (2 Cor. iii. i6.) The Gofpd is htd from them. (Matth. 
 xi. 25.) They are blind. (Rom.xi. 25.) And their biind- 
 nefs is a vicious wicked biindnefs, arifing from a heart 
 void of love to God, and full of enmity againfl: his Law, 
 and againft the glorious Gofpci of his Son ; as was proved 
 in our former converfation. And in this benighted Itate, 
 
 approve it as holy, juji and good. Vnlefs the la'VJ appears good 
 u,id glorious y 1 cannot fee the ixifdom of God in the deato of 
 his Son, nor cordially belie<ve the Gofpel to be true. Till I fee 
 the Gofpel to be true, I am blind to the only dcor of Hope. 
 Merely a fght of the glcry of God as a righteous la^wgi^uer, 
 and a fight of the glory of his holy Lan.v, can gi've no hope. 
 The truth of the Go/pel is feen, I then behold (firlt.) The love, 
 the f elf - moving goodnefs of God, in the gift of his Son : But 
 not, that he loves me in particular, and is reconciled to me. 
 Secondly, I then fee, that Chrijl has fecured the honour of the 
 divine govermnent ; and that no-vj God can be juJi, and yet 
 jujiify the Sinner that bilieveth in J ejus : But not, that 1 am 
 one for 'ivhcm he died, nvith an abfolute dcfgn tofanje. Thirdly, 
 / then fee, that any Sinner may return to Gcd tvrough Chriji i 
 and fee that thofe nvho do, ^will be accepted and fa<ved : but 
 not, that ** pardon is mine, grace is mine, Chrif and all his 
 fpiritual blejjt.igs are miney In a vjord, I fee the truth of^hat 
 is already revealed in the Gofpel : but I do not fee truths -not 
 re-vealed there. The holy Spirit helps me to fee the truths al- 
 ready revealed j' but reveals no ne-iv truths. The things idjich 
 I believe, "jjere true before 1 believed them. If, after all, any 
 pretend, there is no dijference betzveen thefe fivo kinds of Faith ; 
 1 only fay, if thefe t-vjo kinds of Faith y like t-ivo roads ivhich 
 feem, and but feem, to lead the jame ixay.ffould, in fad, lead to 
 ttvo different ^worlds, as far afunder as Heaven and Hell ; it 
 is proper tofet up thife monuments, to nvarn travellers : and the 
 nearer they are alike, the more need poor travellers have to 
 take heed they do not mifake. But if they do, if they vjill 
 mijiake after vjarning, their blood ivill be upcn their oven heads: 
 and they voill cterncUy remember, that they knevu, what they 
 believed, ivas not revealed in Scripture. They believed ivith- 
 cut anv evidence from Scripture, fenfe or reafon, 
 
 H 
 
74 DIALOGUE II. 
 
 being followed with the Tears of eternal mifery, they mufl: 
 take fome way for hope and comfort, bome go about to 
 eftablifh their own righteoufnefs ; and on that, build their 
 hopes for Heaven. Others finding no comfort in the way 
 of duties, try to work up themfclves to a belief, thatChriil 
 died for them in particular, that God loves them and will 
 fave them. And if by any means, they come to feel a 
 ftrong perfuafion of this, it fo delivers them from their 
 fears, and fo fills them with comfort and joy, that they do 
 all they can to llrengthen this perfuafion : And to this 
 end, apply an hundred texts of Scripture, perverting them 
 from their pkin and natural meaning. And are yet oblig- 
 ed at lall to own, that they have no evidence, on which 
 to ground their belief, from Scriptr.rc, fenfe, or lealon : 
 Yea, that the thing they believe, is not true, till it be- 
 comes true by their believing it to be true. However, 
 their confciences being quieted by this belief, they can 
 nov/ go on, eftranged from a God of infinite glory, blind 
 to his infinite beauties : Nor do they believe, that ever 
 any did love God for his own infinite lovelinefs ; although 
 this is the very fpirit of all the Angels and Saints in Hea- 
 ven, and of all good men upon Eari;h. Ifai. vi. 3. 2 Cor. 
 iii. 18. (i) 
 
 (l) To make the matter, if pojjible, Jiill plainer, it may be 
 thus flat cd i ill. He that is encouraged to ccme to Chrijt from 
 a confcioujnefs of fame good qualif cation in himfelf fscretly 
 builds his hopes of acceptance nvith God on his o-iu// righteouf- 
 ttefs. 2d . He that is encouraged to come to Chriji from a belief 
 that Ckriji died for hi?n in particular, and that God is recon- 
 ciled to him, builds his hopes of acceptance 'with God on a de- 
 lufon. 3d. He that comes to Chrijl <vjithout a difpofition to be 
 reconciled to God, is onU' fe eking cfter fal-urtion from Hell, and 
 does not defire the falnjalion n,vLich the Grfpel cjfers. 4th. He 
 that thinks he has a difpofition to be reconciled to God^ bufr.e^jer 
 fa~iX> the glory of God, of his lato and go'vernment, he but de- 
 csi-ues himfelf 5th. He that is encouraged to ccme, only by the 
 free grace cf God through Jefus Chrijl, as r eve ale din the nvr it- 
 ten nvord, builds his hopes of acceptance en the truth. He that 
 comes on this encouragement, njuith a hearty difpcftion to be for- 
 ever reconciled to God, and devoted to him, and thirjiing for 
 grace forever to live to him, is a true convert. He that, after 
 this, lives to God through cdl trials^ proves his faith by his 
 nvorks, as Abraham did, — Gen,xxii. 12. 
 
D I AL G U E II. 75 
 
 Ther, I fee you are returned again to your darling to- 
 pic, the dodrine of loving God for his own lovcllneis. 
 
 Paul. Yes — And this is the very vitals of vital piety. A 
 fenfe of the beauty of the divine nature, and a fir,Ti belief 
 of the truth of the Gofpel, lay the foundation for all the 
 rcil. (Joh. xvii. 3.) Repent afice tc-vjara's Gcd, Faith toxv 
 ards our Lord "J ejus Chnjiy a life of communion uithGod 
 and devotcdnefs to him, joy in Go j, and rejoicing in Je- 
 fus Chrift. And vvliile the love of Go J — not a belief that 
 God loves me in particular, without i'.ny evidence from 
 Scripture, fonfe, or reafon, but a clear and lively fcnfe of 
 the fe]f-movii->g goodncfs and infinite grace of God, as 
 manifedcd in the gift of his Son, and fnining forth in the 
 whole Gofpel- way of life, as exhibited in the v/ritten word, 
 is (hed abi o.id in our hearts by the Holy Ghoil j attended 
 with a full aiTiirance thit we are the children of God, re- 
 fulting from a confcioufnefa of a iilial fpirit towards God ; 
 now we know and believe the love that God hath to us. 
 And infpired with a fenfe of the divine glory, the beauty 
 of God's Law and government, the ^\o\-y of the wp^y of 
 falvation by free grace through Jefus Chrift, the free and 
 fovereign grace of Gcd in calling us into the kingdom cf 
 his Son, v/e rejoice with joy unfpeakable rind full of glo- 
 ry : . And iiabitiially, and a^lliully, through the conrfo of 
 our lives, prefent mrlelves alivinr^ facrilice to God throufrji 
 Jefus Chriil ; to be for him, entirely for him, and tLit 
 forever. Nor do wc feel any need to bring your kind 
 of Faitli inio the account. 
 
 You remember, my dear Theron, that parabolical pic- 
 ture of a true Saint, of a real Chrifiiian, given by our 
 bJefied Saviour, in ivlatth. xlii. 23. whofc reprcfentations, 
 if we do not believe, v/e do indeed make God a liar. He 
 that receinjed feed into the good ground y is he — not that hath 
 a new revelation of a new truth not contained in the Gof- 
 pel ! But is he that hearcth the nvord^ and — what next ? 
 Not, is really p^riuadcd in l;is heart, thf.t ** pardon is 
 n)ine, grace is nnne, Chrifc and all iiis fpiritual bleffinp-s 
 are mine,"! without any evidence ** from Scripture, {twi^^ 
 or reafon" Bat, heareth the word and underftandcth it 
 fo as in ity to behold as in a glafsy the glory of the Lord. 
 PFhtch alfo — what ? Complains that his graces are no 
 more to be feen *' than the ft irs at noon" ! No, what 
 H 2 
 
76 ' DIALOGUE II. 
 
 then? IVhicb alfo be areth fruit. — Hovv much? So little 
 that no eye can fee it ! Or at moli, but juft difcern it, 
 ** as a glow-wurm in the night" 1 And that in fo unitea- 
 tly, uncertain a manner, that for his life he cannot teii 
 whether there be any fruit or no ; but rather the more he 
 looks, the more ''his doubcs are increafed ? (i) No, no, 
 far from this — and bringeth forth fome a hundred fold , fame 
 fxty, forne thirty. — Yes, my Theron, that is good ground 
 inaeed, which yields an hundred bulhels of grain, ior one 
 that was fown ; or fixty, or even thirty. — And thus, the 
 grain of mufard feed, becometh a great tree. (Ver, 31, 32.) 
 And thus, the lea^cen Ipreads till the ^johole isle advened. (Ver. 
 33.) And this is the idea, the grand and noble idea, our 
 blefied Saviour had of a true Chriltian ! — It is granted, 
 there is great difference in the degrees of fruitfuinefs in 
 true converts, fon.e an hundred fold, fome fixty, fome 
 thirty. — But thofe wiio bring forth no good fruit, whate- 
 ver ravifhing joys they may fometimes have had (V^er. 20) 
 are by our bleffed Saviour pidlured by the fimilitude of — 
 Jiony ground — thor?ty ground. 
 
 Ther. But I have an unanfwerable objedion againft this 
 account of the nature of juftifying Faith. For, whereas 
 in the holy Scriptures it is reprefented to be an exceeding 
 difficult thing to believe ; according to you, there is no 
 difficulty at all in it, when once the Sinner, in your fenfe 
 of things, is regenerate, and believes the Gofpel to be 
 true with all his heart. 
 
 Paul. Pvight, my dear Theron. The difficulty is now- 
 over. For he is not obliged to believe " without any evi- 
 dence from Scripture, fenfe, or reafon." The way in 
 ■which he is to return to God, all lies open, plain before' 
 him. And it appears to him the fitteft and happieft thing 
 in the world, to return home to God through Jefus Chrilt* 
 And he does it with all his heart. (2) 
 
 (0 D./. 361, 362. 
 
 (2) Return heme to God — By this phrafe Paulinus means 
 exactly the fame njoith thofe nxjords in fer. i'v. i. If thou 
 wilt return, O Ifrael, faith the Lord, return unto me. 
 And in Ezek, xxxiii. ii. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil 
 ways ; for why will ye die ! And in A£i, Hi. 19.— Repent and 
 be converted, that your fins may be blotted out. From being 
 (uemies, repent and turn, afid be reconciled to God, 2 Cor. v.. 
 
DIALOGUE II. 77 
 
 Ther. Wherein then confiRs the difficulty of believing ? 
 
 Paul. The difficulty in the way of embr.icing the Gof- 
 pel in a faving manner, according to the New Teftament, 
 arifes from a worldly fpirit, a fclf-righieous fpirit, and 
 being dead in fm. 
 
 (i) From a worldly fpirit: Men are generally fo at- 
 tached to worldly things, riches, honour, and pleafure, 
 that, although they might be glad to know they ftiould 
 go to Heaven when they die, yet they have no heart to 
 become the dilciples of Chrill ; to deny themfeives, take 
 up their cx^h and follow him ; and take God for the alone 
 portion of their fouls. Therjfore, v/hen they are invited 
 to come to this feifl (and a feail indeed it is, to a rc^^e- 
 ncr.ue Sinner, v/hofe eyes are opened to fee tldnt'.s as ihcy 
 are) they defire to be cxcufsd. (Luk. xiv. i8) And they 
 make light of it, and go their nvnjs, one to bis farmt another 
 to his imrchandize. Matth. xxii 5. 
 
 (2) Vrom 3. J'elf-rightecus fpirit. Rom. ix. 31, 32^ 33. 
 For if a Sinner is io teififted witli the fears of eternal 
 damnation, that he can take no comfort in worldly epjoy- 
 ments ; and fo is quite prepared to hear Afpafio urge him 
 to believe, that God loves him, and Chrill died for him ; 
 yet there now remains the chief difficulty in the way of 
 true Faith, unremoved, viz. to yield the point, that tiie 
 Law not only docs in faft, require finlefs perfection, on 
 piin of eternal damnation, and that he is under the curfe 
 of this Law, but that this Law is holy, jull, and good : 
 And fo he juftly condemaed, and in fad, in the hands, 
 and at the difpofal of a fovereign God. Thii — thii — a 
 proud felf-righteous fpirit, is diametrically oppofue unto. 
 
 20. // is ivcrthy to Be olfer-uedy that according to St. Peter 
 
 repentance is before for givnefs . Reppnt and be converted, that 
 your fins may be blotted out. And this is the d^drine God as 
 taught in all ages of the 'world. 3y Mofes, Lev. xxvi. 40. — By 
 David, Pfal. xxxii. 5. — By Ifaiah. Ifai. I v. 7. — By John 
 Bapfi/iy Mar. i. 4. — By Chriji . Matthy 'v. 4. Luk xiii. 3. — 
 By cill the Apojlles on the day of Penticofi, Ad, ii. 37, 38, 39. 
 aid indeed all ever the Scripture. But there is nothing of the 
 nature of repentance hefore forgivnefs in T,:eron^ s fcheme. Tea, 
 his repentance, prof ej/edly, arifs ixjhollyfrom a belief that his fits 
 are forgiven. So that he is forgiven before he begins to repent, 
 H 3 
 
78 r> I A LO G U E II. 
 
 And to be brought to this, is killing work. Rom. vii. 9^ 
 The commandment came, Jin re'vivedy and I died. 
 
 (3) From being fpiritually dead : — For when the Law 
 has thoroughly done its work, and the Sinner fees and feels 
 the truth, that he is dead in fm, juftly condemned, abfo- 
 lutely helplefs and undone in himfelf, in the hands of a 
 fovereign God, who hath mercy on ivhom he njcill have 
 fuercv — there now needs the fame mighty power whereby 
 Chrift was raifed frcm tlie dead, to quicken this dead 
 Sinner- And it muft wholly proceed from the mere free 
 fovereign grace of God. (Eph. i. 19, 20, compared with 
 Eph. ii. I, 8.) That regeneration does thus precede the 
 firft ad of Faith, is plain from Joh. i. 12, 13, where con- 
 cerning all true believers, it is laid, nvhich nvere hern— 
 that is, antecedent to the firil ad of Faith — nvhich 'vcere 
 hen?, njt cf blood, nor cf the njoill of the fiejh, nor of the ixill 
 if man, but of God. See alfo Joh. iii. 3, 5. 
 
 But thefe three difficulties being rem.oved, and Sinners 
 made ^iviiling in the day of his ponver (Pfal. ex. 3.) all is 
 eafy. Sinners now come flying to Chrift, as naturally as 
 doves to their nx^indonvs. (Ifai. Ix. 8.) For God appears to 
 be infinitely glorious, and the Gofpel. to be divinely true. 
 
 And here, by the way, my dear Theron, it is worthy of 
 your diligent attention, that it is a common thing in the 
 New-Teftament, to promife falvation to thofe, who believe 
 the truth of the Gofpel with all their hearts, and to fpeak 
 of fuch, as true Saints : Becaufe where this is, every thing 
 e]fe will follow of courfe. In this view, you-may at your 
 leifure, read the following Scriptures. Matth. xvi. 16. 
 17. Mar. xvi, 15. 16. joh. vi. 68, 69, and xvii. 3, 8, 
 and XX. 30, 31. Adl. viii. 37. Rom. x. 9. i Cor. xii. 
 3. I Joh. iv. 15, and v. i, 5. Some of which are fadly 
 perverted by fome writers ; particularly, Rom. x. 9. (i) 
 
 Toer. The clock ftrikes nine — It is time for me to retire 
 — However, before I go, pray point out, in brief, the chief 
 diff' rences between what you call true Faith, and the Faith 
 I have bi^cn pleading for, that I may have them to confi- 
 der at my leifure. For I defign more thoroughly to look 
 into this matter, than ever yet I have done. 
 
 Faul. Among the many differences which might be men- 
 tioned, I will only point out thefe twelve. 
 
 '\^ D. 4, 291. Man'0':ji; of Mod, Div. Notes, p, 155,156. 
 
D I ALO G U E II. 79 
 
 (i) Regeneration is neceflarily previous to the firlt adl of 
 true Faith. But your Faith may exilt in an unregenerate heart. 
 
 (2) True Faith fuppjfes the Law and Golpel are rightly 
 underllood, and beheld in their glory ; the Law approved 
 with all the heart, as holy, juft. and good ; the Gofpel 
 believed, and complied with, with all the heart. But your 
 Faith is conrillent with a reigning enmity againll both 
 Law and Gofpel. 
 
 (3) True Faith is an holy a<ft. But yours has nothing 
 of tliC nature of holinefs in it ; arifes from no higher prin- 
 ciple than felf-love. 
 
 (4) In true Faith, nothing is believed but what is plain- 
 ly revealed in the holy Scriptures. But in your Faith, the 
 main things believed, are no where contained in the Bible. 
 ** Pardon is mine, grace is mine, Chrift and all his fpiri- 
 tual bleffrngs are mine." 
 
 (5) In true Faith, the things believed were as true, be- 
 fore they were believed, as alter ; being all contained in 
 the Scriptures of truth. But in your Faith, ihc things be- 
 lieved were not true, before they were believed ; not 
 being contained in the Bible. 
 
 (6) True Faith is founded wholly on that revelation, 
 which is made in the written word. But your Faith, hav- 
 ing no fupport from Scripture, fenfe, or reafon, is founded 
 wholly in a ^heated Imagination ; or, which is no better, 
 on a new revelation, not contained in the written word : 
 i. e. One is founded on good evidence, the otlier not. 
 
 {7) The great dilftculty in the way of true Faith, arifes 
 fi-om the wickednefs of the heart. But the great difficulty 
 in the way of your Faith, is, that there is no evidence of 
 th3 truth of the thing believed, from Scripture, fenfe, or 
 reafon : But rather, a man is obliged to go contrary to 
 them all. 
 
 (8) True Faith is wrought in the heart by the holy 
 fpirit, in regeneration, imparting divine life to the dead 
 foul, openini^ the eyes to behold divine truths in their 
 glory and reality : In confequence of which, the Gofpel 
 is underilood, believed, and embraced with all the heart. 
 But your Faith is wrought by your being made, by fome 
 means or other, to believe fome things as true, that are not 
 revealed in Scripture. 
 
 (9) In true Faith, the way of falvation by free grace 
 through Jefus Chrifl, being underilood and believed, is 
 
80 D I AL OG U E II. 
 
 heartily approved of, and acquiefced in, as being glorious 
 for God and fafe for the Sinner : And our eniiie depen- 
 dence for acceptance with God, is on the free grace of 
 God thrvojgli Jefus Chrift, as exhibited in the written 
 word. Whereas, your Faith does not properly confifl: in 
 dependence, but in confidence. — Not in looking to the 
 fiee grace of God through Jcfus Chrift, that you may be 
 p.irdoned, landitified and favcd ; not in flying for refuge, 
 and laying hold on this hope fet before you ; but in being 
 confident, that " pardon is mine, grace is mine, Chrift 
 and all his fpiritual bleiTmgs are mine." In being " really 
 perfuacled in my heart, that Chrift is mine, and that I 
 Ihall have life and falvation by him"; without any evi- 
 dence ** from Scripture, fenfe, or reafon." (i) 
 
 (lo) True Faith is always attended with love to God, 
 arifing from a fenfe of bis own infinite amiablenefs, as its 
 infeparable concomitant. Your Faith is fometimes followed 
 with a feeming love to God, arifing merely from believ- 
 ing that he loves you. 
 
 (ii) But the m.oft remarkable difference of all, is, that 
 true Faith aduaily unites the man to Jefus Chrift, as the 
 branch is united to the njine. (Job. xv. 5.) In confequence 
 of which, every true believer adlually receives the fpirit 
 of Chrift to dujell in him. (2) Rom. viii. 9. Eph. i. 13. 
 Gal. iii. 2, 14. i Joh. iv, 13, and ii. 27. Rom. viii. 14. 
 
 (i) I grant i that ivriters on that fide of the qiiejiion^ /peak 
 much of trufing in Chrift y and reftir.g upon hitn^ ^c. Tet 
 according to them, previous to this truft, and that 'which en- 
 courages to ity is a belief that ^^ pardon is mine, grace is mine, 
 Chrift and all his fpiritual blejjtngs are mine^ Jnd fo I be- 
 lie-ve that my fins are pardoned, before I begin to truft in Chrift. 
 1 do not co?ne to Chrift. but rather ft and ojf and keep at a dif- 
 tance, till I fee he is mine) and can call Gud, my God. So that 
 firiSiij jpeaki.ig, I am juftifted, and knon.v that I am juftifcd, 
 before 1 dare come to Chrift, and truft in him. Thus the 
 matter is fated, in — D. />. 312. 
 
 (2) ^1 1 though it is plain from Script ure, that regeneration 
 is before the firft a& offa-ving Faith (Joh. i. iz, 13 J Jnd 
 that Faith is '^wrought by the influences of the holy fpirit (Eph, 
 i. ig.J Tet it is equcdly plain, that the gift of the holy fpirit, 
 to dnjoell in us, as an abiding principle of di'vine life, is after 
 ive are united to Chrift by Faith (Eph, /. 13. Gal, iii, 14.^ 
 
D I ALOG U E ir. 8l 
 
 Gal. V. 18. In confequence of this, a certain foundation 
 is laid, to bring forth fruit unco God (Rom. vil. 4.) irj 
 every infiance (Matth. xiii. 23.) And the path of the juft 
 is as tie foinin'y light y ^juhich jhineth ?nore and more unto the 
 perfcSi day. (Prov. iv. 18.) If hefalleth, he rifeth up again, 
 (Piov. xxiv. 16.) E-jcry branch that heareth fruit , GOD 
 purgeth it, and fo // br':ngeth forth more fruit. (J oh. xv. 2.) 
 ^yhencc, near or quite all the Saints we read of in Scrip- 
 ture, uiually fpeak ths language of afiurance, as being 
 confcious to this divine habitual change wrought in them by 
 Goa's holy fpiiit. But thus it is not with your kind of Faith. 
 Nor is adurance this way to be obtained on your fcheme. 
 
 (12) As a natural confequence of the whole, the icvcral 
 fyftems of experimental religion, refulting from theie two 
 kinds of Faith, however in appearance they may be alike, 
 yet in reality, are ellentially different throughout. While 
 the true believer is ibiving to grow in grace, the falfe 
 pretender is driving to maintain his delufion. 
 
 2her. I thank you, fir, fDr prefent inftrudtions ; and 
 with your leave I will return to-morrow evening ; as I 
 want to hear your thoughts on one fubjedl more. 
 
 Paul. The evening Ihall be at your fervice, God willing. 
 
 So ended the fecond converfation, and I retired again to 
 my clofet — with what views of my fpiritual ftate, you may 
 eafily guefs. — Oh, my dear Afpaiio ! — What ! Are we all 
 wrong ! Or have I miiunderftood your fcheme ! I hope, 
 I wifh, no poor Sinner on earth was ever fo deluded as I 
 have been. — The Lord have mercy on me ! — O, my dear 
 Afpafio, that you had been prefent, and heard all that paf- 
 fed ! — But alas, the wide ocean keeps us three thoufand 
 miles apart ! However, with you, even now with you, is 
 the diflreffed heart of 
 
 Your disconsolate 
 
 THERON. 
 
 After union to Ckriji ive ha've a co^venant-right to the holy 
 fpirit (Gal. Hi. zg.J may have dinjine grace., at any time, for 
 afking (Luk. xi. I 3. J But before union n,vith Chriji, njue have no 
 right — God is at abfolute liberty — vse lie at his fovercign mercy, 
 (Rovt.ix. 15, 18.^ And accordingly , regenerating grace is the 
 effect of his fovereign good pleafure, (Matth. xi. 25, z6.J No 
 promfes of faving grace are made to the prayers or doings of 
 Sinners out ofChrift, (Gal. Hi, 10. 2 Cor. i. 20. Joh, Hi. 1 8, 36. 
 
DIALOGUE III. 
 
 Wednefday E'veningy December 13, 1758. 
 
 A CCORDING to appointment, I made my third vifit. 
 -^^ The fubjeft proposed was the dodrine of ass I'j ranch. 
 We fcon entered upon it ; and this is the fum of what 
 pafTed: 
 
 Tber. May the people of God, in this life, attain to a 
 certain aflurance, that they are in a {late of favour with 
 God, and entitled to eternal glory ? 
 
 Paid. As there is a fpeciiic difference between true grace 
 and all counterfeits ; as true grace in the heart is naturally 
 difcernible, like all our other inward biaffes ; as the Saints 
 in Scripture ufually fpeak the language of affurance ; as 
 Saints in all ages are exhorted to feek alilirance (2 Pet. i. 
 10.) and as there are many rules laid down in Scripture to 
 determine in this cafe, and many prcmifcs made for the 
 encouragement of Saints, the defigned ndvanrage of which 
 cannot be enjoyed without affurance ; f), for thefe and 
 other reafons, I belieyc, that affarance is attainable, in this 
 life, in all ordinary cafes at leaft. 
 
 Tber. How, and by what means m?.y the children of 
 God attain affurcince ? 
 
 Paid. Snnctincaticn, taking the word in a large and 
 comprehenfive fenfc, is the evidence, the only Scriptyre- 
 evidsnce of a good ellate. 
 
 Ther. What do you mean by fandlification, in this large 
 and comprehenfive f^nfe ? 
 
 Paul. It is ufuai for divines to diftingulfli between rege- 
 neration and converfion ; between firil convcrfion and 
 progreffive fandlification ; between divine views and holy 
 affedions ; between grace in the heart, and an holy life 
 
DIALOGUE III. 83 
 
 and converfation ; but I mean to comprehend all under 
 one general name. You may call it the image of God, or 
 holinefs of heart and life, or a real conformity to the divine 
 Law, and a genuine compliance with tiie Gofpel of Chriil. 
 I have alieaAy let you fee what 1 apprehend to be the na- 
 ture of Law and Goibel, of love to God and Faith in Chrifl. 
 When 1 fiy., this is the only evidence, I mean, that this is 
 the cnly thing, wherein Saints and Sinners, in every inllance 
 differ. One has the image of GoJ, the other has not. Or, 
 to cxprefs mylelf in the language of iiifpiration (joh. xvii. 
 3.) This is life eternal ^ X.o k?io-uj thee, the only true Gad^ and 
 J'-'fiis Chriji ■vjhom thou has fent. And (l Joh. ii. 3, 4, 5.) 
 Hereby ive do kno-w that ^tve kno-iv him, if 'vje keep his com- 
 7nandments. He that Jaith, I knoiv him, and keepcth not his 
 commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But 
 nvhofo keepeth his ^vord, in him 'verily is the love of Ocd per- 
 feded : Hereby knoi.v ive thattve are in him. 
 
 ' 7'her. What is the beil method a true Saint can take, to 
 maintain a conftant alTurance of his good eilate ? 
 
 Paul. To live in the exercifc of all ChrilHan graces in 
 his own heart every day, and to be conllantly influenced 
 and governed by them in all his external condixl in the 
 world: Groiving in grace, and prejjiu^ fr'njard to perfec- 
 tion. 2 Pet, i. 5, II. 
 
 Ther, But is it polTiblc, that all true Saints fhould live {o ? 
 
 Paul. Why not ? — For, they are ail delivered from the 
 power of fin. (Rom. vi. 2,14.) are married toChriil,in whom 
 ail fullncfs dwells, (Rom. vii, 4 ) have already every prin- 
 ciple of grac! in their hesrts, (Joh.i. 15.) antl the fpirit of 
 God aCliTally dwelling in them (Rom. viii. 9.) and con- 
 ilnntly infiu-^ncirig thsrn, to fuch a degree, that they do not, 
 they even cannut, feel and live as others ^o (i joh. iii. 9.(1) 
 
 (i) I Joh, Hi. g. PFhofocver is born of God, doth not com- 
 mit fin : for his feed remaineth in him : a/ui he ca7mot fin, 
 hecaife he is horn cf God. — He doth not, a::d he cannot, at 
 any time : for his feed alvjays remaineth in him . fo that thefe 
 ivords teach us, that there is at all times a reed difference 
 betxKieen a Sair.t and a Sinner. 
 
 It is true, there is no particular bias or inclination, 
 
 nvbether natural or gracious, in the heart of /nan, but 
 
 may be counteracted. But to counterael the habitual bias of 
 
 i/e hgart, is quite different from ailing agreeably to the habitual 
 
§4 DIALOGUE HI. 
 
 yea aOuaily carrying on the work of fanfiification. (Joh» 
 XV. 2.) — The God of all grace ready, mean while, to grant 
 all further needful help, as ready as ever a kind parent 
 was to give bread to a hungry child. (Matth. vii. 7, 11.) 
 So that they are completely furnifhcd to live daily in the 
 exercife of every grace. (Eph. ii. 10.) Yea, this is expeded 
 of them, as they would ad: up to their proper charader. 
 (Eph. iv. 1.) Yeo, I will venture to add, having fo good 
 an authority as the Son of God, that, though there are 
 different degrees of grace and fruitfulnefs among true 
 Saints, yet it is tiieir common charader to bring forth fruit, 
 fome an hundred folJ,/-?nefixiy , fo?ne thirty. (Mattn. viii. 23.) 
 60 that itfeems more diriicuU to reconcile it with Scripture, 
 that a true Saint (there being no extraordinary bodily 
 difeafe, as the hypociiondxia, &c. nor other extraordinary 
 circumAances, that niay account for it) fhould live along 
 in the dark, full of doubis and fears about his flate, from 
 year to year ; I fay, more difficult to reconcile this with 
 Scripture, than it is to prove that they may live fo, as to 
 make ihelr calling and eledion fure, according to that ex- 
 hortation in 2 Pet.i. 5, 11. 
 
 bias of the heart. The Saint counteraSis the habitual bias of 
 his heart, njohen he fins. The Sinner aSls agreeable to the ha- 
 bitual bias cf his ivbole heart, ^when hefns. So a Saint ne'ver 
 fins <^vith all his hearty as the n^vicked man does. He cannot y 
 becaufe his feed remains in him s bccaufe he is born of God. 
 Thefpiritlujicthagaifijl the flefp ; fo that he cannot. Gal.'v. ij. 
 Therefore good men^ nvhen they fall, are rejllefs till they 
 come to refentar.ee y as nxias the cafe nvith Da^vid. Pfal. xxxii, 
 3, 4, 5. For they are out of their element ; all is vanity 
 and vexation of fpirit ; as ivas the cafe nuith SolomoTi. Eccl. 
 1,2. As ivhen Haman led Mordecai through the Jireet of 
 Shufjauy on the kiug^s horfe, dreffed in the rcyal apparel, and 
 proclaimed his honours in the cars cf the people, he aSled ex- 
 ceeding contrary to the habit val bias cf his heart. Ejlh. <vi. — 
 So did Peter, ivhen he denied his majler ; and therefore at 
 one lock of Chrif, he ivent out and wept bitterly. So that 
 theje inftances, though often alledged, are not to the purpofe of 
 floney-groiind hearers. For they hai:e no root in ihemfel'ues.*''-^ 
 They receive the word with joy, endure for a while, and 
 fall away. Matth. xiii. 20, 21. — See Mr. Ed-wards on Reli- 
 gion: JJ'e^ions, /. 274, 277. 
 
DIALOGUE III. 85 
 
 Thsr. But I have known fome, efteemed true converts, 
 who after their conveifion, have lain dead, without any 
 ienfible divine infijcnce, tor months togeiher, 
 
 Paul. Why did not you add, — and ycirs together? — 
 For once I knew of one, counted an eir.inent Chrulian, who 
 declared he lay de.ui twelve )ears, without one atl cf grace 
 all that time. But what good do (ucli converlions do ? it men 
 are as much ur\dcr the power of fpiritual death after their 
 converiioiis, as before, wh.it beiieht is tiicre in being con- 
 verted ? And what becomes of all thofe Scriptures, which 
 declare, lie jhali fuve his people from their Jins. Matth. i. 21. 
 That njoe might fcrue hijUy 'vjtthout feavy in holinejs and righ- 
 tecuf}ie.js all the days of our lives, Luk. i. 43. /I neiJO heart 
 ivtll I give youy and a venu jpirit <v:ill 1 put njjithin yoUy and 
 1 'vjtll take aivay thejlony heart out of your Jlejhy and I -will 
 gi^oe you an heart of fejh : and 1 nxjill put my f pi r it ivithin 
 you, and caufe you to ^walk in my Jiatutes^ and ye Jhall keep my 
 judgments, and do them. Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. Who gai;e 
 himfelf for usy that he might redeem us from all iniquity y and 
 purify unto hiruftlf a peculiar people, zealous of good njuorks. 
 Tit. ii. 14. — And pray take notice, my dear Theron, 
 that, as God gave the law written on tables of (lone, to 
 Ifrael, to :i[\ Jfrael according to the flejh, which covenant 
 (Deut. ix. 9, 15,) they did break (Heb. viii. 9,) fo he has 
 exprefsly promiied to all ih^ fpiritual Ifrael, i. e. to all true 
 believers (Gal. iii. 29,) thai he will >xt'r//^ his laiv in their 
 hearts ; i. e. give them an inward temper of mind anfwer- 
 able to his written law. Keb. viii. 10. A hypocrite 
 may go to Gcd and fay, *' pardon is mine, grace is mine," 
 and be raviflied with his own delufion : but God doth, in facl, 
 write his law in the heart of every true believer. This is 
 God's mark, put upon all that are cf his flock ; whereby his 
 fheep are dillinguiihed from the rell of the world. 
 
 Ther. But cannot a man, who is very uncertain of his 
 fanftiiication, be fure of eternal life fome other way ? 
 
 Paul. Our Saviour having defcribed the Chrillian tem- 
 per and life, in his Sermon on the Mount, concludes with 
 the ftrongeil affurances, that fuch, and fuch only, as are 
 truely fandified, Ihall be finally faved. If we are fuch, 
 our houfe is built upon a rock j if not, our hoife is built 
 vpvi the fand. — Now, my dear Theron, we hope to go to 
 Heaven when we die. So do many, who will be finally 
 
86 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 difappointed. How Ihall you and 1 know, that our foun- 
 dation is good ? Who can tell us ? Surely none better 
 than he who is to be our judge. Could we aik our bleffed 
 Saviour, Lord, how fhali wc know? What would he 
 fay ? Thanks be to God, we know what he would fay, 
 as furely as though he fhould anfwer us with an audible 
 voice from Heaven. For he is now of tlie lame mind, as 
 when he dwelt on earth. What he then taught, is left on 
 record, plain for all to read, that none might miftake in a 
 point of fuch infinite importance. 
 
 1 ake your Bible, my dear Theron, read our Saviour's 
 Sermon en the Mount ; and there you will fee the charader 
 of a true Chridian, drawn by an infallible hand ; and find 
 a tell, by which you may fafely try your ilate. The true 
 Chriflian is humble ^ penitent^ vieeky longing after holinefsy 
 merciful, pure in hearty a peace-maker, ivtlling to part ivith 
 all for Chriji, and to go through the greateft Jujfenngs in his 
 caufe. Matth. v. i, 12. Like fait, he is full of life and 
 fpirit : Like light, by his knowledge and example, he 
 enlightens all around him, and is an honour to his mafier 
 (Ver. 13, 16,) lives by 2.Jiri^er rule than any hypocrite — 
 (Ver. 20,) does notjuHify nor indulge \\\t leaf grudge 
 againft his neighbour, or ihe frf firriugs of any corruption 
 in his heart (Ver. 21, 42,) Icves not only his friends, but 
 his enemies, even his ^worf enejnies (Ver. 43, 48,) gi^oes 
 alms and prays, as in ihefght of God (Chap. vi. 1, 5,) is 
 chiefly concerned for the honour of God, and kingdom and 
 interefl of Chrift in the world (Ver. 9, 10,) chufes God 
 for his portion, lays up his treafure in Heaven, and means 
 with an honeft heart, with ^fngle eye, only to be God's 
 fervant ; and trufling his kind providence for temporal 
 fupplies he makes it his chief bufinefs to be truly religious. 
 Ver. 19, 34. Not of a carping, captious, ceniorious 
 difpofition ; but chiefly attentive to, anc moilly concerned 
 to amend his own faults. Chap. vii. 1,5. He prays and 
 his prayers are anfwered. Ver. 7, 11. And in imitaticn 
 of the divine goodnefs, he is kind to all around him., dcivg 
 as he nvould be done by. Ver. 12. At his converfion, lie 
 enters in at \.\\\i flraii Gate of ftri£l piety, and through the 
 courfe of his life, he travels in this narro<iv ntay of holinefs, 
 almcft alone, few fuited with that road, many walking 
 in broader <vjays. Ver. 13, 14. Nor will he be diverted 
 from thefe fentim.ents and ways, by any preachers or wri- 
 
DIALOGUE. III. 87 
 
 ters, whatever appearances of holinefs and devotion they 
 may put on. Ver. 15. 
 
 Ther. But do you really and verily believe, that nons 
 will at laft be admitted inio Heaven, but thoie who arc of 
 this chara«5ter ? 
 
 PauL Fray, my dear Theron, read our Saviour's anfwer 
 to your queftion, and believe it. — Believe that he means as 
 he fays. 
 
 21jer. Not e'very one that faith unto me^ Lord, Lord, Jhall 
 enter into the kingdom of Heaven : hut he that doth the ivill 
 of my Father <zfjhich is in Heaven. Ver. 21. 
 
 Paul. Obferve, that DOTH, not that did fome years ago. 
 — But that DOTH, through the courfe of his life. — Forgive 
 this interruption.^ — Pray read on 
 
 Ther. Many nv ill fay to me in that dayy Lord, Lord, have 
 n.ve not prophejied in thy name ? And in thy name cajl out 
 Devils ? ^-Jnd in thy name done many ^wonderful nxorks F — 
 Ver. 22. 
 
 Paul. You fee they are in confident expeflation of eter- 
 nal life. But what is their doom ? 
 
 Ther. And then ivill Iprofefs unto them. I never h: civ yon : 
 depart from mr., ye that ^wcrk iniquity. Therefore, ivhojcevsr 
 heareth thefe fayings' of mine, and doth them, L vjill liken him 
 unto a nvife man, 'which built his hoife upon a rock : and the 
 rain defended, and the foods came, and the vjinds blevj, and 
 beat upon that houfe : and it fell noty for it ivas founded upon 
 a rock. And every one that heareth thefe fay in gs rf mine, and 
 doth them not, Jhall be likened unto a foolifh man, vjhich Luilt 
 his houfe upon t he f and : and the rains defended, and the foods 
 came, and the ivinds blevj, and heat upon that houfe : and 
 it fell, and great nuas the fall of it . Ver. 23, 27. 
 
 PauL Obferve, my dear Theron, our Saviour does not 
 fay, every one who firmly believeth that he fhall be faved, 
 however unconfcious of fanftifying operations in his own 
 brcall, fliall, as fare as God is true, be forever happy. — 
 No — but jull the reverfi?. He fays, that however confi- 
 dent men be of falvation, yet if they do not the things 
 contained in his fermon, their hopes iliall infallibly be 
 difappointed. Now fay, my dear Theron, do you believe 
 this dodtrine, taught by our blefled Saviour? 
 
 Ther. I mull own, I have not been wont to view things 
 ju ft in this light. *'I ufed to think, I need not trouble 
 I 2 
 
^8 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 myfelf, to find out a n:ultitude of niaiks and ilgns oftitic 
 grace, if I could iind a few good ones. Particularly, I 
 thought I n.ightknow I was paiTed from death to life, if I 
 loved ihz brethren." (i) 
 
 PuuL Your few good ones are all counterfeit, if alone, 
 fcpiraie fiom other good ones. For the true Sirlnt receives 
 every grace from Chrilh Joh. i. 16. Nor did Chrift mean 
 to iingle cut a few in his feniiCn, but to give a brief fum- 
 ir.ary of the whole Ch/ifiian life. And /.-e that he..rethihefe 
 fayings cf minCy and dcth the??: — not, doth a few cf them — 
 but doih them one and all. Read through x\\z firil Epif- 
 tJe of John, and you will fee this fentic;ent confirir.ec. — 
 V-Hiere there is one grace^ there is all. \i there is not 
 all, there is none, (z) 
 
 ^''oer. Bat, Sir, fuller mj to tell yoa, that '' this method 
 of fec;k:r-g peace and affurance, I fear, v>ill perplex the 
 fimpic minded ; and cherifh rather than fupprefs, the fluc- 
 tuations of doubt. For, let the ligns be what you pleafe, 
 a love cf the brethren, or a love cf ail righteoufnefs, a 
 change of heart, or an alteration cflife ; thcfc good qua- 
 liiicauons are fometimes like the imrs at noon-day, not 
 eafily, if at all, dilcernible ; or elfe they are like a glow- 
 worm in the night, glimmering, rriiher than finning : — 
 Confequently will yield at the beR, but a feeble — at tlie 
 worfl, a very precaricui evidence. If, in fuch a manner, 
 v/e fl-.O'jld acquire feme little afiurance, how foon may it 
 be unfettled by the incurficns cf daily temptations, or ^z- 
 ilroyed by the inrurreclicn^f remaining f^n ! At fuch a 
 juncture, how will it keep its {landing ! How retain its 
 being ! I: will fare like a tottering wail, before a temped ; 
 
 (i) M./>. 291, 292. 
 
 (2) Ho^wenjer c:t the Arrnhiian and Antir.ctnian Jch ernes cf 
 religion, in nvkich^ nothivg is truly harmoincus and ccnfijienty 
 nvhat tkey call graces, nay, Jbnie particulars cfthern befotntd 
 alone s yet on St. PauPs fcheme this can ne^ver happen. For 
 emery grace '/■ati'vcly refnlts from thofe divine mie'O.s, 'vjhich 
 lay the foundation of any one grace. Beholding as in a g\2S^ 
 the glory of the Lord, as Jhining forth in the la^v and in^the 
 Gofpel, we are changed into the fame image,—-/, e. into a 
 real conformity to the laix), and a genuine compliance ivith the 
 G oft el, comprifng all the branches cf religion. See Mr, Ed- 
 i':ards on Religious Jffe^ionSf /. 249, 261. 
 
DIALOGUE III. 89 
 
 Or be as the ruj7j ^without fnirCy and the fag <v:tthout ai'ti- 
 ter. Job viii. 1 1. 
 
 ** Inilead therefore of poring on our own hearts, to dif- 
 cover, by inherent qualities, our interell in Chrift, I ihould 
 rather renew my application to the free and faithful pro- 
 inife of tiie Lord : aflert and mainiain my title on this 
 unalterable ground. Pardon is mine, 1 would fay, grace 
 
 is mine, ChriH and all his fpiricu:il blelii.igs are mine. 
 
 Why ? Lecaufe 1 am confcious of 0.nt£lifying operations 
 in my own breafl. Rather, becaufe God hath fpoken in his 
 holinefs ; becaufe all thefe precious privileges areccnfigned 
 over to me in the everiading Gofpel, with a clcarnefi un- 
 quelHonable as the trutn, with a cert.iinty in/iolable as the 
 oath of God." (i) 
 
 Paul. But did you not ufe to think, that Faith was 
 produdive of good works ? Yea, did not your Afpafio 
 teach you this doitrine ? 
 
 Thcr. I mull confefs he did. This was once the lan- 
 guage of my Afpafio to me, while I was yet an unbeliever. 
 To give me an exalted idea of Faith, thus he taught me. 
 *' Faiih will make every power of our fouls fpring forward 
 to glorify our heavenly Father — glorify hira by every in- 
 ftance of obedience, fidelity and zeal. (2) It makes all 
 the powers of our fjuls like the chariots ofAmmlnadib, 
 ready, expedite, and adlive in duty. (3) This is the love 
 of God, that we walk after his commandments. This is 
 the natural fruit — [his the certain evidence of love to that 
 glorious, tranfcendent, and ndorable Being. It buildeth 
 up the fair fabric of univerfd Godlinefs." (4) Ir '* will 
 difrafe itfelf through every intelledlual faculty, and extend 
 to every fpecies of duty, till the whole heart i'; filled with 
 the image, and the \vhole behaviour regulated by the law 
 of the blelTed God." (5) It *'will induce us to prefent 
 all the members of our bodies, and all the faculties of our 
 fouls, as a living ficiifice to the honour of God, to be 
 employed in his fervice and refigned to his will." I'o 
 ** be as pilgrims below, and have our converfation above. 
 Such, my d?ar Theron," fud he to me, " will be the ef- 
 fects of Faith. (6) Nothing is more certain than that Fuith 
 
 (i) D./. 361, 362 (2) -D.p. 169. (3) n.;>. 176. 
 (4) D.;). 177. (5) D.^ 179. (6; D./. 181. 
 
 I 3 
 
90 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 is a vital, an operative, a vidorious principle, (i) When 
 the firll converts believed, the change of their behaviour 
 was fo remarkable, the holinefs of their lives fo exemplary, 
 that they won the favour, and commanded the refpeft of 
 all the people. A3., ii. 47. In fnort, it is as impcflible for 
 the Sun to be in his meridian fphere, and not to diflipate 
 darknefs, or difFufe light, as for Faith to exift in the foul 
 and not exalt the temper, and meliorate the conduft." (2) 
 AU which, behdes proving it by ir.^iny texts of Scripture, 
 he illLftrated at large, in the example of Saint Paul and 
 Abrahjm (3) and concluded with affuring me, that Faith 
 *' wiil give life to every religious duty." (4) And make 
 us •■' abound in the work of the Lord." (5) Yea, at ano- 
 ther time he taught me, *' that Faith, even when weak, is 
 produdlive of good works. "(6) Which are *' the proof," 
 and do " undeniably atteil its fincerity." (7) They are 
 *'the grand chara^leriilic, which diftinguifhes the ilerling 
 f om the counterfeit. (8) They will diftinguiih the 
 true believer from the hypocritical profefibr, even at the 
 great tribunal. (9) And at another time, I remember, my 
 AfpafiO faid, " Do we Ic^e our enemies ; blejs them that, curfc 
 vs ; do good to them that hate us y pray for ih.m nxhich def- 
 pitefully uj'e us, and perjecute us? Without this loving and 
 lovely GJfpofition^ nxjc abide, fays the Apoflle, in death ; are 
 deftitute of fpiiitual, and have no title loeterral life." (10) 
 
 Paul. *' No title to eternal life" ! How dare you then 
 go to God and fay, '* pardon is mine, grace is mine, 
 Chriil and ail his fpirituai blefTings are mine" ! 
 
 Iber. This is that very Fr.ith, which my Afpafio taught 
 me to excrcifc. And which he afiured me, would be " as a 
 torch in a (heaf,"(ii) in kindling every grace into a fud- 
 den FiiiiTiC. 
 
 Faul. But why then does not every grace flame out ": — 
 Why is not your heart like tiie chariots of Amminadib ? 
 And your title to Heaven clear '* from a corlcioufi.els of 
 far dtifying operations in your own breall" ? Jf your Faith 
 is *' a vital, an operative, a vidorious principle," why 
 
 (1) D. /. 182. (2) D./. 182, 183, (3) D./. 
 
 187, 203. (4) D./>. 2c6. (5) D. /. 207. (6) 
 
 Vol. I. Edit. 1. p. 2-^1. (7) / ol. I. Edit. I. p. 252. 
 
 (8) Vol. I. Edit. I p. 259. (9) Vol. I. Edit. I. p. 278. 
 
 (lo) Vol. II. Edit. 11. p. 303. (II) D.^. 336. 
 
DIALOGUE III. 91 
 
 cannot you obtain a full afTurance from that *' grand cha- 
 r.-niierillic, which difHiTguifiies the ileding from the coun- 
 terfeit," in this world ; and which '* will diilinguilh the 
 true believer from s-he hypocritical profefTor, even at the 
 great tribunal ;" And wlciiout which, you are in fail **de- 
 iiitute of fpiritual, and have no title to eternal life" ? 
 
 The)'. Once 1 had this evidence, as 1 though:, clear in 
 my favour. But by experience 1 found at length, that no 
 fteady lafting aiTurance could be had this way. For my 
 graces were moiUy "as the ilars at noon," quite invifible: 
 Or at bell, '* as a glow-worm in the night," but juft to be 
 feen. So that the ** little affurance" 1 had, was very un- 
 fteady. Yea^ looking for marks of grace, I found ** rather 
 increafed my doubts ;" as I could not but difcern more 
 evidences againll me, than for me. Therefore 1 gave up 
 this way, as tending to perpetual uncertainty. And as a 
 more diredl way to afTurance and peace, 1 learnt to live by 
 Faith ; to go to God, and fay, *' pardon is mine, &c." 
 
 Paul. And all, my dear Theron, " without any evidence 
 from Scripture, fenfe, or reafon." Yea, in diredl oppo- 
 fition to your own Afpafio, who affirms, that Faith is ** a 
 vital, operative, vidorious principle." Pray how do you 
 know, that your Faith is rterling, and not counterfeit ? — 
 Ue quite impartial, and fay, is it not to be feared, that 
 your Faith is what Saint James calls a dead Faith ? 
 
 Ther. But the time once v^^as, when I was full of light, 
 love and joy. 
 
 Paul. Yes. Like a ** torch in a fheaf," all in a flame 
 of love, to think your fins were pardoned. But you fee, 
 that this fort of love, like the Iraelites joy at the fide of 
 the Red-Sea, does not lafl long. But like the ftony- 
 ground, it endures for a while, and then comes to no- 
 ticing. And your graces are now no more to be feen than 
 ** the ftars at noon." And you mull give up your afiurance, 
 or take another courfc to fupport it, and another courfe, 
 indeed, you take — :o live by Faith ? *' Without any evi- 
 dence," as Mr. Maifliall owns, whofe book your Afpafio 
 values next to the Bible — without any evidence *' from 
 Scripture, fenfe, or reafon." And is this that glorious 
 Fiith, your Afpafio cnce fo highly extolled ! Is ail come 
 to this at lall ! 
 
 Ther. Yes. — And did not Abraham thus live by Faith ? 
 who againji Hope believed m Hope, Rom. iv. 18. And was 
 
92 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 not this the way of Saints in general under the old Tella- 
 ment? When /.v<?y nvalked in darkuefi and fuvo-no lighty they 
 truj}£di7i the Lord, and Jiayed thenifet'ves on their God. Ifai. 
 1. lo. And was not this the way of Saints in the Apoftolic 
 age ? They njjalked by Faith, and net by fight. 2 Cor. v. 7. 
 David checked himlelf for doubting. H'l.y art thou cafi 
 dcxxn, O my foul ? Pfal. xlii. And Afaph looked upon it 
 as his fin. Pfil. Ixxvii. 10. 1 faidy this is my infirmity, — 
 And Chrift often upbraided his difciples for their unbelief. 
 And St. Paul charges the Hebrew converts not to ccfi aivay 
 their confidence. Iieb. x. 25. 
 
 Paul. Pray, my dear Tiieron, take your Bible, and read 
 the f:-veral texts you refer to j read what goes before, and 
 what follows after ; and you may eafily fee, not one of 
 them is to your purpofe. God Had promifed to give Abra- 
 ham a fon, although his wife was not only barren, but alfo 
 by reafon of age pafl child -b.aring : and notwithflanding 
 the difncul:ies in the way of its accomplifhment, Abraham 
 believed the divine promife. — God had by the mouth of 
 Samuel promifed to give David the kingdom of Ifrael. — 
 But he was banilhed from his country, and from God's 
 fanduary : his enemies taunted ; yea, and his life was in 
 continual danger. So that he was ready fometimes to fay, 
 1 fivall perijh one day by the hand cf Saul. But then again 
 he checked himfelf for giving way to fuch unreafonable 
 difcourageinent ; after the exprefs promile of God to him. 
 Why art thou cafi doxvn, O my fioul ! However, through 
 all the pfalm he appears confcious to the exercife of grace 
 in his heart, and difcovers not the leaft doubt of the good- 
 nefs of his (late. See Pfal. xlii. — So the captives in Ba- 
 bylon had an exprefs promile, that af^er feyenty years 
 they (hould return to Zion. But fuch an event, fituate as 
 they were, feemed incredible. Every :hing locked dark. 
 Tliey had no light. They faw no way for their return. 
 But God had promifed it; and therefore, they (who fe^ued 
 the Lord, and obeyed his voice, i. e. who were '• confcious 
 of fandifying operations in their own bieafts*') for their 
 encouragement, are exhorted to caft their burden upon 
 their God, and put an implicit faith in his uifuf^m, power 
 and verr.city ; and trull in him to accomplilh his word. 
 (Read from Ifai. xlix. 13. to Ifai. 1. 10.) — So Afaph knew 
 he was a finccre godly man ; as is evident from the feventy- 
 third pfalm, throughout. But he was fo overwhelmed with 
 
DIALOGUE III. 93 
 
 a view of the calamitous Hate of God's church and people, 
 (fee Pf:ii. Ixxii. 20. and read the eleven pfalms following, 
 entitled Pfalms of Afaph) that fometimes (like thcfe in 
 liai. xlix. 14,) he was ready to fink under difcouragement, 
 as though God h:.d quite call off his church and people for 
 ever. For which he checketh himielf, and enceavours to 
 
 , raife his hopes, from a remembrance of God's wonderful 
 Morks to Ifraci of old, in bringing them out of Egypt. 
 Pfal. Ixxvii. So ihs C-irilUan H-brews knew the fiiiceruy 
 of their hearts, and the goodnsfs of their iktc, by the frui^ 
 of hoiinefs. Heb.vi.9, 10. 11. And the confidence, that St, 
 Paul exhcrts them to hold fait, was tiieir confidence of the 
 truth of ChrilHanity ; for the profelFion of which, they had 
 already fufiered much, and were likely tofufrer more : and 
 yet if they drew back, and renounced Chriitianity, it would 
 coft them their fouh. Heb. x. 23, 39. — And though it 
 is true, our Saviour upbraided his difciplcs for not believ- 
 ing he was rifen from the dead, of which they had fuflicicnt 
 evidence, Sec. yet neither they, nor any other psrfon, from 
 the beginning of Genefis, to the end of the Revelation, 
 were ever blamed for doubting their title to eternal life, 
 while their evidences were not clear. 
 
 Yea, our Saviour was Co far from encouraging his fol- 
 iDwerj to this blind Faith, this bold prefumption, that his 
 whole Sermon on the Mount is diredily levelled againll it. 
 None are pronounced blefled, but thofe who are endowed 
 with holy and divine qualifications of heart, and lead an- 
 f.verable lives. And though men were endowed with the 
 miraculous gifts of the holy fpirit, and prcphefied in ChrijFs 
 name^ and in bis name caji out De^jils, and did many ^vjondcr- 
 
 ful'ivorksy and made a great profeflion, and had high con- 
 fidence, crying, Lord, Lord ; as our Saviour forefaw many 
 would : Yet if they were not under the real government 
 of that divine temper, defcribed in that fermon throughout, 
 our Saviour afiirms, that at the day of Judgment he would 
 bid th^m depart. Matth. vii. 21, 27. — To go on, there- 
 fore, after all this — confident we fliall have eternal life, 
 though unconfcious of fanilifying operations in our ov/n 
 brealls, — is, — forgive me, Theron, — is, I fay. little better 
 than down-right infidelity. Yea, did we believe our Sa- 
 viour to be an impollor, we might with lefs difiiculty 
 expedt to get to Heaven in fuch a way. For as fure as he 
 was a Mefifenger fent from God, fo fure Hull we fiad the 
 
94 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 do<ftrIne contained in his Sermon on the Mount verified at 
 that great day, when he fliall come to judge the world. — 
 Wherefore, be not aecei^oed, O my Theron 1 God n.vill not be 
 7nocked, For luhatjoenjer a man fonvethj that alj'o jhall he 
 reap. Gal. vi. 7. 
 
 To refer to thofe words of St. Paul (2 Ccr. v. 7.) We 
 ixialk by Faithf and not hy fights as you do, and to imagine, 
 that St. Paul and the primitive Chriftians lived at fuch a 
 low, blind, prefumptuous rate, calls infinite reproach upon 
 Chriftianicy. For they all, with unveiled faces, beheld as 
 in a glafsthe glory cj the Lord, and 'were changed into the fame 
 image from glory to glory , even as by the fpirit of the Lord, 
 2 Cor. iii. 18. — And divine and eternal things all lay open, 
 as it were, to the Apoftle's view. He looked at them; he 
 faw them ; he believed thern : A fenfe of their infinite 
 importance penetrated his heart. He was clean carried 
 above all the goods and ills of this prefent world — and 
 like the Sun in the firmament, he kept on a fteady courfe, 
 till he had finillied his race, and obtained a crown of righ- 
 teoufnefs. — And thus he li-ved by Faith. 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17, 
 18. and 2 Tim. iv. 6, 7, 8. — Yea, it was an avowed prin- 
 ciple, in the Apolloiic age, to judge of the goodnefs of 
 their Irate, by the holinefs of their hearts and lives, i Joh. 
 iii. 6. Whofcenjer abide th in him, finneth not : Whojoe-ver 
 finneth hath not feen him, neither knonvn hijn. Ver. 7. Let no 
 man decei'ue you. Ver. 8. He that ccmmitteth Jin, is of the 
 DenjiU Ver. 9. fVhofoever is born of God, doth ?tot commit 
 fin. Ver. 10. In this toe childre?i of Gad are manifej}, and 
 the children of iheDc'vii. — This was the Apoftolic criterion: 
 — and therefore, if any pretended to convcrfion, if any 
 pretended to be acquainted with Chrift, who lived not 
 according to our Saviour's inilrudions, particularly in his 
 Sermon on theMount, this was his doom ; he was branded 
 for a liar, i joh. ii. 4. He that faith y I knouj him, and 
 keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not 
 in him. 
 
 Ther. I grant, the Saints in Scripture ufually fpeak the 
 language of afTarance ; but I always thought, ** we had 
 no caufe to judij^e, that this afTur ince was grounded on the 
 certainty of their own good qualifications.(i)" 
 
 Paul. Was not Abraham certain of his iincerity, when 
 
 {\)M.p. 184. 
 
DIALOGUE HI. g5 
 
 out of love and obedience to God he left his father's houfe 
 and native country ; and at one word fpeaking, felt a heart 
 prepared to offer up his beloved Ilaac r Was noc Mofes 
 certain of his lincerity, when out of love to the caufe of 
 God, he defpifed all the treafures of Egyp". ; and after- 
 wards felt he had rather die — had ratner have his name 
 blotted out of the book of the livinij, than that God ihould 
 not effediually take care of the honour of his own great 
 name? Was not Job certain of his imcericy, when with 
 fuchcalmnefs he faid, the Lord gauCy and the Lord hath ta- 
 ken azvay ; and htejjed be toe name of the Lord } Yea, did 
 not he contlantly aliert his fincerity through all his trials ? 
 Job xxxi. I, 40. O ho^ lo-ve I thy la-iv I It is my medi- 
 tation all the day J fays David. Pfal. cxix. gj. Whom have 
 I in Heaven but thee ? And there is none upon earth I dejire 
 bejides thee, fays Afaph. Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. / have lualked 
 before thee in truth, and -vjith a perfeii heart , fays Hezekiah, 
 looking death in the face. Ifai, xxxviii. 3. Thou knoiveji 
 that I love thee, fays Peter. Joh, xxi. 17. Our rejoicing 
 is this, the tejiimony of our confcience, that in Jimplicity and 
 Godly fincerity, ^we have had our con-verfaiion in the ^ojorld, 
 •fays Paul. 2 Cor. i. 12. But why do 1 mention par:icuLirs? 
 For this, even this, is the way in which all Scriptural Saints 
 attained affarance. i Joh. ii. 3. Hereby ^ve kno-iv that ive 
 knoiu him, if -xve keep his commandments. And had you lived 
 in the Apoilolic age, O my Theron, I doubt not, all good 
 people would have been ready, on hearing luch talk as you 
 have been too much carried away with, to cry out — But 
 know, thou vain man, that Faith vjitoout ivorks, is dead. 
 Jam. ii: 20. 
 
 Ther. "If, in fuch a manner, we fiiould acquire fome 
 little allurance, how foon may it be unsettled by the incur- 
 fions of temptation, or dellroyed by the infurredion of 
 remaining fin ! At fuch a juncture, how will it keep its 
 ftanding 1 How retain its being ! It will fare iike a tot- 
 tering wall before the tempeft ; or be as the rujh voithout 
 mire, and the fag vjithout nvater. Job. viii. 11." (i) 
 
 Paul. 'Tis true, when the ftorm arifes, the houle that is 
 built upon the fand, will be ** like a tottering wall before 
 the tempeft." And *' as the rufy vjithout mire, and the flag 
 ^without nxater,^'* fo the hypocrite^ s hope Jhall per.fy. Job viii. 
 
 (1) D./>. 362. 
 
96 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 11, 13. But in true Saints, their Faith is "a vidtoricus 
 principle." Fcr 'vjhatjce'ver is bcrn cf God, o'vercometh the 
 ^world : And this is the I'iciory, that cvcrccmcth the ixiorldy 
 even cur Faith, i joh. v. 3, Nor fliall any ever be admit- 
 ted to eat cf the Iree cf Life, ivhich is in the rnidf of the 
 Paradife of Gcd, but he that oiercuneth. This is tJie mef- 
 fage which Chrift, lince his exaltation in Heaven, has lent 
 to his church on E^rih. Rev. ii. 7, 11, \'] i 26, and iii. 5, 
 
 12, 21, and xxi. 7. And therefore, blefj'cd are they that 
 do his ccnunandinents, that they may ha've right to the Tree 
 of Life, ar.d may enter in through the gates into the City. — 
 Rev. xxii. 14. 
 
 2 'her. But are there not fome, who are hwX. babes in Chri/i ? 
 
 Paul. Yes. And as neiv-horn babes, they dcfre the fencere 
 milk cf the <vccrd, that they may grc^jo thereby ( i Pet. ii. 2,) 
 and as they grow up unio a f^erfc£i man (Eph. iv. 13,) their 
 allurance incicales in exaft propoition. 2 Pet. i. 5, 10. 
 
 Ther. Tiiis dcclrire of yours, *' I fear," will wound 
 weak Chriilians, and ** perplex the fimple minded. (1) 
 
 Paul. This doftrine, fo plainly taught by Jefus Chrift, 
 and by all his Apoftles, were it once thorough4y under- 
 ftood and firmly believed, would not only ** wound" and 
 "perplex" prefumptuous hypocrites ; but even flay its 
 thcuiands, yea, its ten thousands : while the righteous 
 would fiourifli like the green bay-tree, nourifhed np by 
 fuch found and good doclrine. For never did afTurance, 
 true and genuine afTurance, fo abound among profefTors, as 
 in the Apoliolic age, when this was the dodrine univer- 
 faily in vogue. And then the holy lives of their converts 
 were fo ** exemplary, that they won the favour, and com- 
 manded the refped of all the people." And Chriflianity, 
 thus adorned by the conftant behaviour of its profefTors, 
 gained ground every where, in fpite of all the efforts of 
 Earth and Kell. Whereas, in the days of Luther, in the 
 days of Cromwell, and in our day, when your kind of af- 
 furarce has been fo much in vogue, the lives of many 
 profefTors have been fuch as to bring reproach upon Chrif- 
 tianity, in the fight of the world, it was this, that preju- 
 diced the Papifts againfl the Reformation in Luther's time. 
 Jt was this, that prejudiced England againfl experimental 
 religion in Cromwell's time. And it is this, it is this, O 
 
 (I) D./. 361. 
 
DIALOGUE III. 97 
 
 my Theron, that has brought vital piety into fuch general 
 contempt in New England, in thefe late years. Our oppofers 
 cried, *' Let us wait, and fee how thcfe converts will turn out 
 a few years hence." They waited — and are confirmed in 
 their infidelicy : And thoufands feeni to be gone off to 
 the Arminian fcheme, or worfe. — Could I fpeak, O my 
 Tiieron, with a voice lil:e that of the Arch-Angel, when 
 he fhall wake up all the fleeping dead, I would found an 
 alarm to all God's people through the Chriftian world, 
 warn them againil this delufion, and invite them to return 
 back to the old Apoftolic do-flrine. 
 
 2her. But, dear fir, it is not pofiible for me to maintain 
 aiTurance in this way. To fuppofe that my inherent graces, 
 which are fo difficult to be difcerned, at beil, and fo 
 unfteady and precarious, are a proper foundation on which 
 to build a fixed aHurance, is a dot^trine quite romantic. — 
 Yea, you may as well ** place the dome cf a cathedral on 
 the Ilalk of a tulip." (i) But on the other hand, by the 
 witnefs of the fpirit, in contra-dillindlion fro.m inherent 
 graces, a firm and unfhaken afiurance of our eternal falva- 
 tion may bs obtained. (2) 
 
 Paid. A firm and folid rock is this foundation ; as he 
 declares, who is the Son of God, and our final judge. No, 
 fay you, it is rather like «* the llalk of a tulip !" On what 
 evidence then will you venture your immortal foul, for a 
 whole eternity? On the witnefs of the fpirit ? But, O 
 my dear Theron, what goodwill this witnefs of the fpirit 
 do you, when you come to die ? When the ftorm rifes, 
 when the rain defcends, the flood comes, and the wind 
 beats upon your houfe, it will fall ; **Iike a tottering wall 
 before the tempell," if not founded on that very rock, 
 pointed out by our blelTsd Saviour. Ten thoufand vvitneffes, 
 from ten thouland fpirits, will iland you in no ftead. For 
 as true as that Jefus was the Me.Tiih, the man that heareth 
 his J'<i)ings and doth them not, (hall at lail near that dread- 
 ful word. Depart, depart, I kno^w you not — I kno%v you mt, 
 ye' 'workers of iniquity. Then you will find, that n.mthout 
 holinefsy no man Jh ail fee the Lord. Keb. xii. 14. And then 
 you will fee that faying, now to you fo incredible, made 
 the toil of admifilon into Heaven. 7\^o tnan can be Chriji's 
 
 (i) D.p. 361. (2) M. p, 184, i88« 
 
98 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 difcipUy utile fs he Icve him more than father and mother y nx-ife 
 and children f houfes and lands y yeuy more than his o~Lvn life. 
 Mat. X. 37, 38. Luk. xiv. 25, 33. You may come to ihe 
 door and knock, and cry. Lord, Lord, open to me j and tell 
 him you firmly believed in your heart, you fnould have 
 eternal life : But if you are found a worker cf iniquity, 
 he will bid you depart. — You may cry for mercy ; but 
 your cries will be for ever in vain. — That fpirit, O my 
 Theron, which would make you believe your Hate to be 
 good, when according to Scripture it is bad, is not the 
 holy fpirit, by which the Scriptures were infpired ; nor is 
 its teftimony to be credited. 
 
 77:er. *' But if 1 mull try the witnefs of the Spirit, 
 by the nncerity of my graces, the teftimony of the fpirit 
 will ftand me in no ftead." (1) 
 
 Paul. If you truft to the teftimony of the fpirit, without 
 any regard to the ftncerity of your graces, you have no- 
 thing but a fpirit, a naked fpirit, to depend upon. And 
 if your fpirit ftiould prove to be Satan, transformed into 
 an Angel cf light, you are deluded — your foul is loft — for 
 ever loft. 
 
 Ther. But if we muft firft know by our inherent graces, 
 that we are the children of God, this would render the 
 witnefs of the fpirit needlels. 
 
 Paul. Unleis we firft know that we have thefe inherent 
 graces, we can never be aflured of our good eftate, accor- 
 ding to our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount. Pray mind 
 this, my dear Theron. 
 
 Ther. Then you deny the immediate witnefs of the fpi- 
 rit, I fuppofe. 
 
 Paul. This immediate witnefs of the fpirit, which you 
 plead for, is certainly contrary to Scripture. For, it will 
 tell a man, his ftate is good, when according to God's 
 \vord, it is bad. And, which is diredly to the cafe in 
 hand, it leads men to build their affurance, roc on that rock 
 our Saviour points out as the only fafe foundation, but on 
 fcmctinng entirely different : A\^^i, I am forry to fay it, 
 tempts men to compare what cur Saviour calls a rock, to 
 the ftalk of a tulip. This fpirit, therefore, being con- 
 trary to Scripture, is not the fpirit of God, but the fpirit 
 of delufion. 
 
 (1) M. p. 188. 
 
DIALOGUE III. 99 
 
 Ther. What then, can the witnefs of the foirit be ? 
 
 Paul, The defign of a witnefs is, to prove a point, to 
 make t evident and certain ; that we may believe it with- 
 out theleall: doubt. And the proof mull be legal proof, or ic 
 will not pafs in law. Now, the point to be proved, is, that I 
 am a child of God, atra^i difciple of Chrill ; and {^ enti- 
 tled to eternal life. For, none but the children of God, 
 and true difciples of Chrilt, are entitled to Heaven, accor- 
 ding to the word of God : Which is the only rule where- 
 by all are finally to be judged. But Chrill aftirms, that no 
 man can be his difciple, unlefs he love him more than father 
 or mother^ vjife or children, houfes or lands, yea, more than 
 his oxijn life : And afTures us in the moll plain and exprefs 
 manner, that all who expeif^ to go to Heaven, not having 
 fuch hearts and lives as he defcribes in his iiermon, fhall 
 certainly be difappcintcd. \\, therefore, the fpirit of God 
 means to niak^ it evident to me, that I am a child of God, 
 a difciple of Chrift, anJ fo an heir of Heaven, it v.ill be, 
 it mult be, by a proof that will ^■.\si<i in law, a proof the 
 Bible allows to be good. Oihervvife, no credit is to be 
 given to it : urvlefj we will fet afide this infxllibh law- 
 book, by which all the Chriflian world is to be judged. — 
 If the proof will not pafs with our final judge, it ought not 
 to pafs with us now. But no proof wid pafs wiih our final 
 judge, but w.iat quadrates with the forementioned decla- 
 rations of oar Saviour. For he will not recede from his 
 own words. Therefore, there is but this one way to prove 
 to my conscience, that I am a child of God, a difciple of 
 Chriil, and {o an heir of glory ; there i*-. but one thing that 
 can polTibly convince me; namely, for the fpirit of God 
 to give me fuch an heart as the children of Go J, and true 
 difciples of Carill have, according to the plain declarati- 
 ons of the Gofpel. By this I may knOvV ; and by nothing 
 fhort of this. \i this evidence is doubtful, no other cm — 
 no other (hould fatisfy me. If this is plain, no other is 
 neceff^ry in on'e- to a full affurance. Therefore, then the 
 fpirit of God -tuitnefj'eth --with my fpirit that I am a child of 
 God, when by a large communication of divine grace, this 
 is made plain beyond a!l doubt. I feel the heart of a child 
 towards God ; a heart full of love, reverence, truit, obedi- 
 ence ; a heart to go to him as a child to a father ; or in 
 other words, the fpiiit of adoption, whereby I cry, j^iba, 
 K 2 
 
J* 
 toe 
 
 1 00 DIALOGUE III 
 
 Father.- And by ;his I know I am a child of God. And 
 if a child, then an heir, aii heir of God, a^d a joint heir^jciib 
 fefiu Chriji. Rom. viii. i6, 17, compared with vcrfe 1. 5 
 6, 9, 12, 13, 14. All true believers had this j'eal cf 
 fpint in the Apoliolic age. Eph. i. 13. And lor *.ughc that 
 ycu or I knew, all trite bciieveis have had it in all fuc- 
 ceeding ages ever fince. 'Tis certain they have in feme 
 degree, ^nd it is ceriala, no fuii aiTurance can be had, 
 that is genuine and good, unlefs they liave it in fuch a de- 
 gree, as to be plain bey end all difpute. 
 
 2'hcr. I ufed to think the Ipirit helped us immediately,, 
 not by the evidences of internal graces, but inrimediateiy, 
 uirhout any medium, without any evidence, to fee our in- 
 terefc in the love of God, as held forth in tlie abfolute 
 unconditional grant of the Gofpcl. So that one might 
 fay, ** pardon is mine, grace is mine, Chrilt and all liis 
 ipiriiual bleiTmgs are mine ; not becaufe I am conscious of 
 lancftifying opcraiicr.s in my own brcaft, hut becaufe all 
 thefi bieffings are abfolutely mads over to me in the ever- 
 lifiing Gofpel." This d^^d of conveyance, thus feen by 
 the help cf the fpirit, was the grand demonilration of my 
 right tu pardon and falvaticn. And now, hclie-z<ing the 
 loue that God hath unto us, <vje lonje him becaufe he Jirji lo'ved 
 us : And fo our love to God, and other graces, are a kind 
 of fecondary evidence ; without any regard to which, we 
 may, yea, previous to which, we muil, have affurance by- 
 the direct adt cf Faith. For it is this aflurance, this aflur- 
 ance alone, which inkirdles our love and all our graces. ( 1 ). 
 
 Paul. But it has been already proved, that thefe blefl- 
 ings are not made over to us, as Sinners, abfolutely ancj 
 vmconditicnally ; but only to thofe who are in Chrift by 
 a true and living Faith. Yours, my dear 'i heron, forgive 
 me this freedom, yours is a falfe Gofpel — a flilfe fpirit— a 
 falfe Faith — a filfe love — all is falfe. Built at bottom, on 
 no evidence ''from Scripture, fenfe, or reafon." 
 
 Ther. But amidf: all this error and delufion, how fliall 
 we know the truth ! 
 
 Faul.^) making the written word our rule, our only rule. 
 Once the queftion was, concerning jefus of Nazareth, art 
 thou he thatft:ould come V Or, look ive for another ? Go and 
 jhe^v John, faid our blefled Saviour, thofe things ^vhich ye 
 
 {i)D,p. 3S^> 3S9' 3^0, 361, ^62. 7././.. 184, i8g. 
 
DIALOGUE III. lOI 
 
 do hear and fee. The biind recei^oe their fight, the lame nxalk, 
 and the lepers are cleanfedy and the deaf heary the dead are 
 raifedy and the poor ha-ve the Gofpel preached unto them. Matlh. 
 xi. 3, 4, 5. Thv-fe were the charatllers of the Mcifiah, ac- 
 cording to the facred writings ot the old TelUnient ; and 
 to theie hj appeals. Now tlie queRion is ccncerning The- 
 ron, is he a true believer, a real convert, a Ch.illian, that 
 our Lord will own at the day of judgment? Well, go 
 read, fay I, cur Saviour's Sermon on the Mount. 3l£ed 
 are the poor in f pint — bluffed are they that mourn — the tjuek, 
 3cQ. &c. to the end. And fee ; Is my Theron a man of 
 this charader ? If fo, his houfe is built upon a rock : If 
 not, it is built upon the fand. If the holy fpirit his wrought 
 fo gre;it a miracle as to make you lucn a man, this is what 
 the Devi! cannot do. This is fuch a witncfs of the fpirit, 
 as will pafs at the great tribunal : and you will need no 
 other. But without this, ten thoufand revelations will 
 avail you nothing. Nay, but that will be your certain 
 doom, / /i.'iozv you noty depart from me, ye qjuorkers of ini- 
 q-'it\ . 
 
 Had one appeared, and claimed to be the Mefliah, with- 
 out performing thofe mighty works our Saviour did ; — 
 would any have been obliged to give credit to his teiti- 
 mony ? No furcly. And does a Ipiri: come, and tellify 
 that my Theron is a child of God, witihout performing 
 the mighty work of fandlification r Is Tiiercn obli^,ed to 
 give credit ro its witnefs .? By no means. \i' the h.)ly 
 Ipiiit takes avJay the heart of fone, and gii'es you an heart 
 cfflsjh; H.vrites God^s latv in your hearty and puts truth in 
 your innx>ard partyfo that you njoalk in his ftatutes and keep his 
 commandments — ihe work is done. You are a true conveit. 
 Yoj will be faved. But without thi; — all is nothing. 
 
 Ther. But have not many good men had this immediate 
 witnefs and teftimony of the fpirit, I am pleading for? 
 
 Paul. How can you know, my dear Theron, that ever 
 there was a good man, fmce the foundation of the world, 
 who had this witnefs ? We have no inftance in Scripture, 
 nor does the word of God lead us ever to look for fuch a 
 thing. 
 
 Ther. How can I know ? — Strange qneftion ! When 
 fom.e of the bell msn in the world have held to the immc- 
 cliate witnefs. 
 
 K 3 
 
102 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 Paul. If we do certainly know our good ellate by our 
 fanftification ; is not the immediate witnefs needlefs ? If 
 men do not certainly know they are good men, by their 
 fandification ; who en Eartli can tell, but that tliey are 
 hypocrites? And fo, but that their immediate witnefs comes 
 from the Devil ? If they cannot tell — to be fure, you and 
 I can'r. Nor will thsir immediate witnefs prove the con- 
 trary ; unlefs you can dcmonllrate, that Satan never trans- 
 forms himfelf into an Angel of light. Befides, men may 
 ** hold to the iminedi:Ate witnefs" that never had it, through 
 fome millake. And if men have all-jranceby their fandtiiica- 
 tion, it is not very likely that God fnould m^ake them an 
 immediate revelation, merely to clear up a point already 
 clear : i. e. work a kind of miracle, when there is no need 
 of it. Befides, my dear Theron, hosv will you know, whe- 
 ther your immediate revelation comes from God, or from 
 the i)evil ? Will you know by the fruits ? No. For 
 this is to " try the witnefs of the fpirit by the fincerity of 
 your graces.'* And then, as you fay, ** the teilimony of 
 the fpirit will ftand you in no iiead," will be of no fervice. 
 V/ili you know without any refpedl to the fruits ? But 
 how ? Leave holinefs out of the account, and what is 
 there of this kind, but what the devil can do ? If he can, 
 how do you know but he will ? How do you know but 
 he does ? Go to the Anabaptifts in Germany, in Luther's 
 time — go to the enthufiafis in England, in Ciom well's 
 time, and fee what the Devil has done in former ages. — 
 Yea, I could name towns and perfons in New-England, 
 where and in whom Satan's mjghty works have been to be 
 feen, within lefs than twenty years a^^o. All the country 
 kr.tws, that fome who appeared to have the higheft con- 
 fidence of a title to Heaven , have fufficiently proved to 
 the world, that they were deluded by their immoral lives 
 fince. Will you after all, fay, that it is a fin to doubt ? — 
 And that you ought to be ftrong in Faith, and give glory 
 to God ? Yet >-ou muil remember, that it is all, ** with- 
 out any evidence from Scripture, fenfe, or reafon." And 
 this you know 1 And this you own 1 
 
 Wno, my dear Theron— who that hath a foul to fave, 
 would, with his eyes open, dare to venture his all for 
 ETERNITY, on fuch a foundation as this ! But, which is 
 iHll more furprifing, who, among all rational creatures, 
 can look upon that foundation, which Chiift himfelf calls 
 
DIALOGUE III. 103 
 
 a rock, but as the ftalk of a tulip, compared with this ! (i) 
 
 Oh, my dear Theron, you wjli extufe mc this freedom, 
 this kind and ucll-mcant freedom. A Miniiler of Chrill 
 ought not to flatter. Nor is it your interelt to be foothed. 
 The plain naked honeft truth is what we idl need to know. 
 See with your own eyes. Judge for your own feif. For 
 your own precious immortai foul lies ut llake. 
 
 As to the three quellions you propofed, you have now 
 my opinion, and the fuin is this. — The true convert hav- 
 ing, in regeneration, had his eyes open to behold the glory 
 of God anil Jefus Chrill, the glory of the law and of the 
 Gofpel, he approves of the law as holy, jult, and good ; 
 he believes the Gofpel to be from God, acquiefces in that 
 way of life, trufts in Chrift, the great Mediator, returns 
 home to God tiirough him, to be forever the Lord's : and 
 being united to Chrift by Faith, he receives the holy fpiiit 
 to dwell in him forever. In confsqucnce of which, he 
 brings forth fruit ; growing in grace, and perlevering 
 therein, through all changes and trials, to the end of 
 his life. And I'o, an aflu ranee of a title to eternal life is 
 in fuch fort attainable by believers, in all ordinary cafes, 
 that it mufl: be owing to their fault, if they do not enjoy it. 
 However, no honell man ought to believe his Hate to be 
 good, with more confidence than in exadl proportion to 
 his evidence. Nor is there any evidence, that will pafs 
 with our final judge, or that ought to be of any weight 
 with us, but real holinels. A communication of divine 
 grace, in a large and very fenfible degree, is that whereby 
 the fpirit of God makes it evident to our conlciences be- 
 yond all doubt, that we are the children of God ; and 
 not by an immediate revelation. 
 
 7'^er. But what do you think of the cafe of backflldcrs ? 
 May not they be in the dark about their Hate : And what 
 ought they to do ? 
 
 P^ii;/. They may be in the dark, and full of doubts snd 
 fears ; nor can they ever find rcl't to their fouls, until they 
 remember from whence they have fallen, repent and re- 
 turn home to God through Jefus Chrift. As their depart- 
 ing from God is the fcurce of all their woe ; fo their cafe 
 
 (I 
 fe^ions 
 
 i) The reader may fee this fubjeily 'viz. Tie nx:iir,rfs of the 
 7, thoroughly difcvffed in Mr. Edivardsj on Religious /'f- 
 
104- DIALOGUE III. 
 
 admits of no remedy, but to repent and return to God 
 through Jefus Chrift again. It would do a backflider no 
 good, to go to God, and fay, " pardon is mine, grace is 
 mine, Chrilt ana all his fpiritual bicflings are mine." For 
 his religion docs not grow up fruir, this belief ; but from 
 bthoiding as in a glafs the ghyy of the Lord, But I have not 
 time to enter upon this fubjed. I recommend to you Mr. 
 Shcpard, on the Parable of the Ten Virgins ; in which if 
 fome expreffions are not fo accurate, yet on the whole, 
 it is one of the beft books I know of, for Saints under 
 backflidings. It is fo ufeful a book, that I wifh there was 
 one of them in every Chriftian family. 
 
 Here, my dear Afpaiio, the converfation Ropt — I fat fi- 
 lent — I was felf-condemncd. — Eternity all opened to my 
 view — *' I am a loft creature — Heaven pity my cafe" I — 
 The tears rolled from my eyes— I could conceal my cafe 
 no longer — I was perfuaded Paulinus had a tender com- 
 paflionate heart — therefore, I addrciied him in the follow- 
 ing manner. 
 
 7'her. Indeed, fir, I need not hear you upon the cafe of 
 a backiliding baint. — I have heard enciugh already — I am 
 convinced i was never right. — \ thougiit fo before I cam.e 
 to fee you : and all you have laid has confiimed n^.e in this 
 opinion. — I have aded the part of a difputant; but I have 
 done it only for light, to fee what anfwers ycu would 
 make to what might be faid. — Alas ! 1 have all to be^in 
 anew ! — juft every ftep I have tskcir, is wrong. My firft 
 manifeflation of the love of Lhriil and pardon of my fins, 
 was wrong : the thing revealed for the truth, was a lie. — 
 My firft ad of Faith was wrong : ihc thing believed for 
 truth, was a lie. — My love and j.^y, and all rry religion 
 was wrong : only the jefult of fclf love anti deiuficn — 
 My living by Fairh was wrong ; It was only quieting my 
 ccnfcience, by hoidiag faft m) dekfion. — My averiicn to 
 fanctification's bt-ing the only eviuei'ce cf a good eftate, 
 was wrong t I could not (land trial by that teft ; and yet 
 nothing tlfe v/ill pafs at tite gie;a tii!;unal, with my final 
 judge. But I could have no conrifoit this way. It tended 
 only to doubts and fears. And c.cubts and fears tended 
 to deftroy all my reli^^ion. — Ail my religion was founded 
 in delufion ; nor was ther^ any May for it to fubfiU, but to 
 hold ic.^ deluiion, and refufe to iet it go. 1 have been 
 
DIALOGUE III, 105 
 
 doing (0 now for a long time, and had continued to do fo 
 to my dying day, had not iome of thofe texts of Scripture 
 you have (o often referred to, given me a fhock. And 
 lall week 1 h:id iuch awful apprehenfions cf the dreadful- 
 neis of eternal damnation, tiie amazing dieadfulnefs of 
 going into eternity felf-deceived, as penetrated my very- 
 heart. This induced me to m^kc you thefe vifits. And 
 now you fee my caft — my dreadful cafe ! O dear Paulinus, 
 be you my friend, my fpiritual guide ! — V/hat ihall I do ? 
 Piiu/. How much are poor lolt Sinners in this benighted 
 world to be pitied ! Generally their days — their precious 
 days, are fpent away fecure in fm ! If at any time they 
 are a little awakened to fee their danger, hovy apt are 
 tliey to take any way for comfort, but the right ! Matth. 
 vii, 13, 14. We are a<ftuaily in fo ruined a flate, that un- 
 Icfs God interpofes, of his mere fovereign grLce, and by 
 tlie influences of his blefi'ed foirit guides us, we Ihail wan- 
 der from the narrow road, get Icll and perilh ! Matth. xi. 
 25. We are enemies to God, blind to his beauty, difni- 
 clined to a reconciliation, averfe to real nolmefi : and any 
 kind of falfe religion fuits fuch depraved hearts, better 
 than the true. Really to love God for his own iniinite amia- 
 blenefs, to choole him for our portion, to look upon fin 
 as an infinite evil, to efteem the law, as holy, jull, and 
 good, which requires fmlefs perfe»5iion on pain of eternal 
 damnation, and to place all our dependence on free grace 
 through Jefus Chrift, are, of all things, moll contrary to 
 our corrupt biafTcs. Our native difinclination to the right 
 way, renders us apt to take the wrong : and having once 
 took it, obftinately to perfill in it. (i) Happy for you, 
 my dear Theron, that you are brought fo f^r to fee your 
 error ! 
 
 (i) Jonah ii. 8. They that obferve lying Vanities, {or^ 
 fake their own mercy, /'. e, go contrary to their o^jun intereji^ 
 --^ How often haue ihefe 'words been applied ^ by J'ome ^uritersy 
 to perjuade Chrijilefs Sinners to believe^ that all the blejfmgs 
 of the Gofpel are their own ! When rather they Jiand as a 
 nuarning to all, not to obferve lying Vanities, lejl they for« 
 fake their own mercy, and go contrary to their oivn eternal 
 interejl. Nothing being more contrary to the intercjl of a poor 
 Sinmr, than to believi delujion, and fettle do'vun on a falfe 
 foundation. 
 
I06 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 And for your future conduct, take thefe hints.—— 
 (i) Beware you reJurn not to that flefh - pleafmg, 
 prefumptuous way of living, wliich had well nigh proved 
 your ruin. Your friends may invite you back ; your love 
 of eafc and prefent conifurt, will fecond all their argu- 
 niencs, and give them ten-fold more weight than they really 
 have. — Know it, O my Theron, there is a long eternity 
 before you. It is worth your whiie io JJrive to enter in at 
 the jir ait gate: Yea, to take the kingdcm cf Heaven by 'vio- 
 lence, (i) Therefore, count no felf-dcnial, no pains, no 
 endeavours too^ great ^ but do ixjiib ti.y mighty njuhat thy 
 hand find eth to do, 
 
 (2) It is abfolutely neceifary, that you fee your need of 
 Chrifl, in order to come to him. — Coming to Chrift, in its 
 own nature, fuppcfes, that we fee our need ot him. — You 
 cannot fee vvhat you need Chri{t for, unlefs you fee your 
 true character and fta:e according to law. The law is the 
 appointed ichool-maiier, to lead Sinners to Chrift. The 
 law requires perfed obedience, on pain of eternal damna- 
 tion. It requires us to love God with all our heart, as 
 being infinitely lovely. The leaft da^XiiOi merits eterral 
 wee. If you take meafure by this law, as your rule, 
 your true chaiader will appear — dead in fin s at enmity 
 againfl God, not fuhjed to his la^v, neither indeed can be. — 
 And if you judge of your fiate, according to this law, you 
 are cond canned already, and the tvrath of Gcd abideth on you, 
 you are loft — you ftand guilty before God. And if the law 
 is holy, juil and good, your mouth is ftopr. The Lord is 
 righteous nvhen hefpeaketh and clear <v:hen he judgcthy ahlicugh 
 you fnould periih for ever. All this you muft fee. Yea, 
 you muft feel it, through and through your heart, as did 
 the Apoftle Paul. The commandme-nt came, fn rein'ved, and 
 I died. It is for want of thorough ccnvidlicn, that fo 
 many awakened Sinners take up with falfe comfort. Their 
 wound was never fearchcd to the bottom — It was ficinned 
 over too foon. And fuch ftighty cures, thoug'i m.ore eafily 
 performed, may prove fatal in the end. But let your 
 legal convidlions be ever fo deep, you will perifti, unlcf$ 
 of his mere fovereign grace. 
 
 (1) Mr. Ed--wards^s Sermons on freffng into the kingdom^ 
 and on the juftice of God in the damnation of Sinners, are 
 proper for fuch as Theron, 
 
DIALOGUE III. 107 
 
 (3) He njoho commanded the light to pine out of darkne/sy 
 Jr.->ines in your hearty to gi've you the light of the knowledge of 
 the glory of God ^ in the face of Jefus Chriji, — You are blind, 
 quite blind, to the divine beauty. And confequently, 
 blind to the beauty of the divine Jaw. And fo, confequent- 
 ly, blind too to the beauty of Chrift, as dying to anf^^er 
 the demands of the law. And confequently under the 
 power of unbelief. Every unregenerate man has the fpirit 
 cf infidelity in his heart, i Joh. v. i. Rom. x. 9. l^fal. 
 xiv. I. You can never cordially believe, that the Son of 
 God became incarnate, and died to anfwer the demands 
 of a law, in its own nature too fevere. Such a fubilitution 
 cannot appear to be of God, glorious an;j divine ; but 
 rather fhocking ! You can never heartily approve of the law 
 (which requires us to love God for his own divine excel- 
 lencies, with all our hearts, on pain of eternal damnation 
 for the leaft defeft) as holy, juft and good, unlefs God 
 appears in your eyes as one infinitely lovely. — 
 So depraved are you, fo entirely devoid of a reiiih for 
 divine beauty, that God never will appear thus amiable in 
 your eyes, unlefs you are born of tiie fpirit, have divine 
 life immediately communicated to you from God, have a 
 fupernatural and divine fenfe, tafle, relifh, imparted to you 
 from on high. Your heart is like the chaos ; the Earth 
 was ^vithout form and <void, and darknefs ijoas upon the face 
 of the deep. And durk, eternally dark, it would have been, 
 had not God faid. Let there be light. So unlefs he avho 
 commanded the light to Jhinc cut cf darknefs, Jljij:es in your 
 heart, you will abide in eternal darknefs, blind to divine 
 beauty ; to the glories of God and Chriil, of Law and Gof- 
 pel. And if the Gofpel continues thus hid from you, you 
 are loft, forever loll. 2 Cor. iv. 3, 6. 
 
 If the divine lav/, in iifelf", is not holy, juft and good, 
 Chriil's dying to aniwer its demands cannot make it fo.— 
 If the law was too ^cvQve, Chrifl's death was a moll fhock- 
 ing affair ! A diflike of the divine law, as too rigorous, is 
 the root of all the chief errors in the Chriflian world ; yea, 
 it is the root of tJie prevailing infidelity of the prefent age. 
 And it now lies at the bottom of all your hard thoughts of 
 God, O my Theron ; which the Devil is not the author 
 o^, as fome imagine, in I'uch cafes. And is a mighty bar 
 to your believing in Chriil. And nothing can effectually 
 
I08 DIALOGUE III. 
 
 remove it, but divine light, imparted in regenerati- 
 on, (i) ... 
 
 (4) Bid a final adieu to vain and carnal companions, to 
 all luiful and carnal pleafures and pailimes, and to every 
 known fm ; all which tend to ilupify the heart. And by 
 reading, meditation, and prayer, endeavour with all your 
 might to obtain a realizing fenfe of your true chara«5ter 
 and Hate. Cail yourlelfat the foot of lovereign grace, and 
 cry, with the blind man, Lor^y ibat 1 might recei<ve my 
 fight ! ** That 1 may fee and know what 1 am, what I 
 deferve, what I need ; and the only way to obtain relief, 
 by free grace through Jcfus Chrift." However, that you 
 may not trufl in your own doings to reccm.m.end you to the 
 divine favour, nor be encouraged from your own goodnefs 
 to hope for mercy, conilantly remember 
 
 ( I ) No man can underjiandi??gly and heartily look to, truji 
 in, or depend upon the mediation of Chriji, unlejs he fees his 
 need of him as a mediator. No man can fee his need of the 
 mediation of Chriji, unlefs he fees that n^hich renders his me- 
 diation needful. Nonxj the goodnefs and excellency of the 
 di'vine la-cv, tvhich nve hawe broke, is the only thing <which 
 originally rendered the mediation of Chriji needful. But for 
 this, the Sinner might ha've been fa'ved njoithout a mediator, 
 ^without an atonement, as ivell as ivith. Nay, better. For 
 if the la'vj 'were too fe<vere, it had enjidently been more honour- 
 able for God to ha've repealed, or abated it, than to hanje ap' 
 pointed his Son to a?ifiver its demands in our flead. 
 
 Some feem to think, that the lanv, although Juited to the 
 Jlrength of man before the fall, and fo a good lanx) fcr an in- 
 nocent, holy creature, yet is too rigorous for a fallen nxorld. And 
 therefore imagine^ that Chriji died to purchafe an abatement, 
 and to bring it don.vn to a Icuel icith our prejent nveaknefs. — 
 But if the laiv 'was too Jenjere, the jujiice of the di'vine nature 
 nvonld ha'oe mo'ved the go-vernor oj' the 'world to ha've made 
 all proper abatements ,* 7wr 'was the death of Chriji needful in 
 the caj'e. Surely Chriji need not die, merely to get jujiice done us. 
 
 Some Jeem to look upon God the father, as all made up of 
 nvrath, the Sinner^ s enemy : And on God the Son, as all made 
 up of I eve, the Sinner'^ s friend. And imagine, he died to af- 
 /hvage his Father^ s anger, and monje his ccmpajjions tcwards 
 poor Sinners. And fo they lo've Chriji, 'while they hate God 
 and his lanv. — But this is all a mere chimera. The Father 
 
DIALOGUE III. 109 
 
 (5) That the divine law, which you are under, requires 
 that you love Gon for himfelf; whereas, all you do is 
 merely from feU-iovc. Yea, it requires you to love God 
 with all your heart; where:is, there is no love to God in 
 your heart. And it requires this finlefs perfefiion on paim 
 of eternal danniacion, for the leult defed ; fo that by the 
 law y-ou arc aheady con;leinned. By mere law you are 
 therefore abfolutely and forever undone. You iland guilty 
 before God. — But mere law is the rule of right, and ftan- 
 dard of jui\ice. If juftice ihould take place, you then 
 fee your doom. There is no hope from this quarter. — 
 Wheiefore you lie at the mercy ot God, his mere mercy, 
 who is abfolutely unobiiged to grant ycu any relief, tor 
 any thing you can do. He might juRly have left all man- 
 kind in this ftaie, without a S.iviour. And he may, on the 
 fame grounds, as juftly leave you in this (late, without a 
 Sandlifier. He did not give his Son to fave this Icrt world, 
 for our righteoufnefs lake : Yea, had we been righteous, 
 
 we fhould not have needed his Son to die in our Itead 
 
 Nor does God give his holy fpirit, to convert any poor 
 perilhing Sinner, for his righteoufnefs fake ; Yea, it is his 
 being entirely deflitute of all that is fpiritually good, and 
 
 is as full oflo^je and goodnefs, as the Son. 77je Son is as holy 
 and juji, as great a friend to the la^^y and as great an enemy 
 to Jin, as the Father, They are both of one heart. I'ea, they 
 are both one God. Jcb.x. 30. 
 
 Some fee?n to rejolve the njohole of God^s lanv and go-vern- 
 rnent, and the death of Chriji, into the mere arbitrary nxill of 
 God : As though the luhole 'zvere not the refult cf -afdrmy of 
 infinite ^-wifdcm, but rather of mere arbitral y nxill. But it 
 does not appear ^ by Scripture or other-jcife, that the infinitely 
 ivife God ever determines any thing ivithcut reafon^ or does any 
 thing but njuhat is ^^ije for him to do. But rather the rjchole 
 rf dinine re-velaiion joins to confrm the truth of St. Paul'f 
 obfcr-Tuition, that God woiketh all things after the coun- 
 sel of his own will. Eph. i. n. All his pafedtions, if I 
 ?nay fo fpcak, ft in council : And all his decrees and avorh 
 are the refult of iifnite hclinefs, juftice and gocdnefs, direded 
 by infnite njcfdom. 
 
 Inhere is but one ivay fo fohue the difficulty. There is but 
 one thing can e'ver fatisfy our hearts. A fight of the glory of 
 
 JLj 
 
!!• DIALOGUE III. 
 
 dead in fin, that occafions his (landing in perilhing need 
 of converting grace. And although all the promifes of 
 God are in Cnrill Jefus, 2''ea, and in him amen ; yet, as to 
 thofc who are out of Chrift, they are fo far from being 
 entitled to tne promifes, that the ivrath of God abideth on 
 them, — Therefore 
 
 (6) If ever you are reneived by the holy Ghoji, it will be, 
 not for any goodnefs in you, but merely from God's felf. 
 moving mercy, and fovereign grace, through Jefus Chrift, 
 Tit. iii. 5, 6. 
 
 (7) How dreadful foever this reprefentation makes your 
 cafe appear ; yet, if this is your true ftate, you muft fee it, 
 that you may know your need of Chrift and free grace, 
 and hz in a capacity, underftandingly, to give a proper 
 reception to the glad tidings of the Gcfpel, viz. That 
 through Chrift, God is ready to be reconciled to the re- 
 turning penitent, who juftifies God, approveshis law, quits 
 all claims, and looks only to free grace, through Jefus 
 Chrift, for lalvatlon. Luk. xviii. 13. Rom. iii. 24, 25, 26. 
 
 (8) Saving Faith confifts in looking to free grace, 
 through Jefus C;:rift, for falvation ; thus viewing God's 
 law, and your own cafe, as they really be. And he that 
 thus beiieveth, pall be /wved. Therefore, rspent and be 
 con'vsrted, and your Jins Jhall be blotted out. Behold, noiv is 
 the accepted time, and nonjj is the day of falvation ! And by 
 jne, one of Chrift's minillers, God does befeech you to be re~ 
 
 the God of glory, ivill open to vienx) the grounds and reafons 
 of the lan.v, and con<vince us that it is holy, jujl and good, glo^ 
 rious and ami able y and nxortky to be kept in credit, to be mag- 
 nified and made honourable, by the obedience and death of the 
 Son of God. — But then if the laiv is good, <we -ivho ha've broke 
 it, are Jiot fit to live. Death is our due. The Judge cf all the 
 Earth cannot but do right. His nature, laiv and honour, call 
 aloud for our defruiiion. He cannot he juJl, if he don't deflroy 
 us. It n,tjill bring eijerlafing reproach upon his government, 
 tofpare us, conftdcred merely as in ourfelves. When this is felt 
 in our hearts, then, and not till then,Jl:>all nve feel our need of 
 Chriji, and be prepared to look to the free grace of God thro' 
 the redemption that is in Chrift, and to exsrcife Faith in his 
 blood, who was fer forth to be a propitiation, to declare 
 God's righteoufnefs, that he might be juft, and yet the 
 juftificr of him that belicveth in Jefus. 
 
D I AX O G U E III. HI 
 
 conciled-y and I pray you in Chriji^s Jiead, be ycu reconciled t§ 
 God. For God hath made his only begotten Son to be a 
 facrifice for fin, that all who are united to him by a true 
 and living Faith, might return to God with acceptance, 
 and be jultified, and have etern.il life tlirough him. 
 
 Ther. Every word you have fpoken, finks down into my 
 cars. The Lord grant, the truth may pierce my herirc 
 through and through. — The relt of my days I will devote 
 to the bufinefs of my foul. — I thank you for your kind 
 inrtruftions — I beg your prayers — the anguilh of my heart 
 calls me to retire — Adieu ! — dear fir. Adieu ! 
 
 Paul. May the only wife God be your efFe(5lual inftru£l- 
 or, my Theron ! — Adieu ! 
 
 To my dear Afpafio, 
 
 Thefe Dialogues are prefented by 
 
 YOUR AFFECTIONATE 
 
 THERON. 
 
 L2 LETTER 
 
LETTER II. 
 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 Neiv-Englajidi March 12, 1759. 
 
 DEAR As PAS 10, 
 
 MY melancholy Letter of December laft, with a copy 
 of the fabiiance of the converfation I had with Pau- 
 linus, at three fe/erai times, you have doubdefs received 
 long ago, as it is now three months Unce I w^rote. If you 
 iiave been impatient at hearing nothing from your friend 
 for fo long a time, I more : — toffed to and fro, for months 
 toi^eihcr, like a feeble fliip at fea, in a tempeftuous night, 
 ready every moment to fmk. 
 
 At firft (1 mean after I had left Paulinus, and retired, 
 as I had determined to fpend much time in nseditation and 
 pruyer) I called in quellion a maxim, he feem.ed to take 
 for granted ; that " we are all, by nature, under a law, 
 requiring perfect obedience, on pain of eternal damnati- 
 on'' : Which he fo iniirted was a glorious law, holy, juft 
 and good. — Thus I thought with myfelf — ** Perfedl obe- 
 dience ! That is more than we can yield.— And am I for 
 ever loll for the firft offence ? — How can that be juft 1 Can 
 the kind Father of the univerie, require more of his crea- 
 ture, MAN, than he can do? And then punifti him with 
 eternal damnation, for not doing ! — Can this be right ?" 
 Indeed I now felt I had an Arminian heart. 
 
 But on a certain evening, as I was reading Saint Paul's 
 Epiftle to the Romnns and Galatians, in which he affirms, 
 that the 'wrath cf God is renjealcd from Hea^-en againji all 
 ungodlinejs and unrighteoufnefs cf men ; that the very Hea- 
 then themfelves are ^without excufe ; that the ix^hcle world 
 *Jiand guilty before God, and every 7ncuth fiopt ; that the la>Sf 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO. II3 
 
 curfcth e^ocry man ijcho continuetb not in all things ^written in 
 the book of the laiMy to do them ; and that Chrift was made 
 a curfe for usy to redeem us from the curfe of that very law ; 
 I was greatly fhocked and confounded. One while I faid, 
 this law cannot be right." But again, I faid, ♦* \vhy then was 
 it not repealed ? Why did ihe Son of God bear its curfe, 
 and die to anfwer its demands r" 1 looked through the 
 Old Teftamcnt, J looked through the New j and this no- 
 lion of the law, I faw was fo inwrougiit into both, that it 
 muft be granted ; or the whole of divine Revelaiion given 
 up. — I felt the heart of an infidel — I was full of doubts and 
 fcruples as to the truth of the Bible. And when I refleded 
 on the external evidence of divine Revelation, as repre- 
 fented by our late writers, particularly by Dodcr Leland, 
 whofe view of Deillical Writers, 1 had lately read, I wa& 
 drove even to Atheifm. For if there is a God, the Bible 
 mull be true. But if the Bible is true, the law in all its 
 rigour, is holy, juft, and good. 
 
 Thus I was unlettlcd in all my principles, and fet afloat 
 as on a boiiterous ocean, like a (hip without a compafs or 
 an heim ; in great anxiety and deep perplexity, ready 
 many times to conclude to go back, at all adventures, to 
 my old hope, as the only way for reft : thinking, I had as 
 good live and die on afall'e-hope, as live and die in defpair. 
 
 Till on a certain tiiiie, I began thus to reafon in my 
 heart. — '' whence all tliefe doubts, O my foul ! Whence 
 all thefe Arminian, Socinian, deilHcal, atheiftical thoughts ! 
 Whence have they all arifen I From viewing the law of 
 God, as requiring perfd obedience y en pain cf eternal dam- 
 nation' — But why .-* Had I rather turn an Irfidel, than ap- 
 prove the law as holy, juft, and good ? — [s this my heart! 
 Once I thought I loved God, and loved his law, and loved 
 the Gofpel. — Where am I now !" Thofe words of the 
 Apoftle Teemed to pidure my yery cafe ; The carnal mind 
 is en?nity againjl God, and is not fubjeSi to his la^Vy neither 
 indeed can be. Rom. viii. 7. This text engaged my atten- 
 tion, and fixed my thoughts. And looking into my heart, 
 more and more, I found the fpirit of an enemy to God 
 and to his law, in full pofTeflion of my foul. 
 
 Till now I had entertained, at leaft fometimes, a fecret 
 hope, that m.y ftate was good ; although itfeemed as if I 
 had quite given it up. But now I began in a new m.anner 
 10 fee, or rather to feel, I was dead in fin. i^ 3 
 
114 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 A realizing fenfe of God, as the infinitely great Being, 
 the almighty Governor of the world, holy, and juft, a iin- 
 revenging God, a confuming fire againft the workers of 
 iniquity, daily grew upon my heart, and fet home the law, in 
 all its rigour. A frelh view of all my evil ways from my 
 youth up, continually prayed upon my fpirits — Eternity ! 
 Eterniiy ! — Oh how dreadful it feemed ! I watched, I 
 prayed, I faded — I fpared no pains to obtain an humble, bro- 
 ken, contrite heart. But notwithflandingmy greateft efforts, 
 ray heart grew worfe — my cafe more defperate : till in the 
 iffue,! found my felfabfolutely without ftrcngth — dead in fin 
 — loft — condemned by law — felf-condemned — my mouth 
 ftopt — guilty before God — I was forced to be filent ; as it 
 was but fair and right, that God fhould be an enemy to me, 
 Avho wasanen^my to him ; and butjuil, if he ihould for- 
 ever call me off. And in this cafe I had periftied, had not 
 mere fovereign grace interpofed. But in the midil of this 
 midiiight-darknefs, when all hope feemed to be gone, at a 
 moment when I ler.ft expedled relief (for, the commandment 
 came, Jin retji'ved, and I died) even now, God, ivho cc7n- 
 manded the light to Jhitie out cf darknefs, Jhined in my heart, 
 — Thus was the caie. 
 
 It was in the evening (after the day had been fpentin fall- 
 ing and prayer) as I was walking in a neighbouring grove, 
 my thoughts fixed with the utmoft attention, on God, as 
 a confuming fire againft his obftinate enemies — on the law, 
 as curfing the man that continueth not in all things writ- 
 ten therein to do them — on my whole life, as one continued 
 ferics of rebellion — on my heart, as not only dead to God, 
 and to all good, but full of enmity arraiiift the divine law 
 and government, and (ftiocking to remember 1) fall of en- 
 mity againft God himfelf. Feeling that my whole heart 
 was thus dead in Sin, and contrary to God, I felt it was 
 a gone cafe with me : There was no hope — no, not the 
 leaft, from any good in me, or ever to be cxpefled from 
 me. I lay at God's mercy, forfeited — ^juftly condemned, 
 loft — heplefs — undone 1 And / av/// ha^ve mercy, on ^ivhom 
 I ivill ha--oe tnercy, I clearly faw, was the fixed refolution 
 of the Almighty, Thus flood my cafe — a poor, wretched, 
 fmful, guilty creature, completely ruined in myfelf ! I 
 retired to ihe moft remote part of the grove. Where, hid 
 under the darknefs of the evening, and the fliade of fpread- 
 ing trees, no eye could fee me. Firft, 1 fmote on my 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO, II5 
 
 breaft ; but could not look up to Heaven, nor fpeak one 
 word. 1 fell on my knees : But 1 could not fpeak. I 
 fell prollrate on the ground : And felt as one ready to 
 fink into eternal ruin. Having no hope, unlefs from the 
 fovereign good pieafure of my angry Judge. As I lay 
 proftrate on the ground, a new fcene gradually opened 10 
 my view. It was new, and it was exceeding glorious !-— 
 God appeared net only infiniiely great, and iniinitely 
 holy, as the Sovereign of the whole Universe ; but 
 alfo infinitely glorious : even fo glorious, as to be worthy 
 of all the love and honour, whicn ins law requires. The 
 law appeared holy, juft, and good : 1 could not but ap- 
 prove it, from my very heart : and faid within myfeif, 
 ere i was awaie, '' Let all Heaven for ever love and adore 
 the infinitely glorious Majesi y, although I receive my 
 ju(l defert, and perifn for ever T' Next came into view, 
 the whole Gofpel-way of life, by free grace through Jefrs 
 Chrid ; the wirdcm, glory ar.d beauty of which, cannot 
 be exprefied. The law did bear the divine image, and 
 was glorious ; but the Gofpel exhibited all the divine per- 
 fedlions in a llill brighter manner, and far exceeded in 
 glory. 1 faw, God might, confidently with his honour, 
 in this way, receive the returning Sinner, however ill-de- 
 ferving. I faw he was ready to do ii — that all might come 
 — even the vilefl and the worll, encouraged by the felf- 
 moving goodnefs and boundlefs grace of Gcd, and the 
 mediation, merits and atonement of Chriit ; I looked up 
 to God through Jefus Chrift for mercy, and through Jefus 
 Chrill;, gave up myfeif to the Lord, to be for ever his, to 
 love him and live to him for ever. — Here prollrate on the 
 ground, I thus lay above an hour, contemplating the inef- 
 fable gioriey of God, the beauty of his law, and the fu- 
 perabundant excellency of the Gofpel-way of life, by free 
 grace through Jefus Chriil : I believed the Gofpel, I trufl- 
 ed in Chrift, and gave up myfeif to God through him, to 
 be for ever his, with a pieafure divinely fweet, infinitely 
 preferable to the moil: agreeable fenfations I had ever be- 
 fore experienced. What 1 enjoyed this hour, did more, 
 unfpeakably more, than over-balance all the diilrefles of 
 months pall, (i) To relate how I fpent the night, and 
 
 (i) Theron's Narrati^oe cf his former fuppofed ccn'verjion 
 (Let, J.J and of his experiences (here) is not defgned to 
 
ii6 theron to aspasio 
 
 hew I have fpent my days and nights ever fmce, I fhall 
 omit. But you ihali foon hear again, my dear Afpafio, 
 from 
 
 YOUR AFFECTIONATE 
 
 THERON. 
 
 fuggeji, that either falfe or true ccnnjerts all experience things, 
 in every circumjiancey juji alike : but only to point out the ge- 
 neral nature of thefe tnjco kinds of con<verjton, in a manner fo 
 
 farniliary that the njoeakcjl Chrijiian ?nay fee the difference.-^ 
 And if any Corijlian cannot recollcB fo exactly the particulars 
 of Lij fril converjicn^ yet as all after-afls of grace are cf the 
 
 f'ime nature n-vith the frji, a clear undeyjianding cf the true 
 nature offavitg grace, may help him to difcern his true Jl ate. 
 N B. l^Vhat is the true nature of facing grace, is not to he 
 decided by the experience^ of this or that man, or party of men: 
 but only by the nvord cf God. 
 
 LETTER IIL 
 
 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 Ne^iv-England, April Zy 1759. 
 DEAR ASPASIO, 
 
 WITH pieifure I now again fit down to write to my 
 diftant friend, and fend my heart beyond the At- 
 lantic to my AfpafiO. — For neither time, nor place, nor 
 any change can wipe your memory from my, mind. 
 
 Methinks, were I now with you, as once at the houfe, 
 the hofpitable houfe, of the weakhy and illuftrious Phile- 
 nor, I would tell you all my heart. I rem.eniber how you 
 urged me to believe ; and how I longed to iind fome fafe 
 foundation, fome fure evidence, on which to build my 
 Faith; and with Thomas, to cry, my Lord ^ my God ! — 
 Now I have found it ! I have found it ! — I believe, that Jefus 
 is the Chrijl. I Joh. v. 1 . I believe, that God hathfet him forth 
 to he a propitiation — to declare his right eoufnefs — that he might 
 bejvfli and the jujiifier of him vjhich believeth in Jefus. Rom» 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO. 1 IJ 
 
 in. 25, 26. I belie-vey that God raifed him from the dead. 
 Kom. X. 9. T believe, that Chriji is entered into Heaven, 
 nonjj to appear in the prcfence of Gody as the Jewifh high- 
 priert of old en:ered into the iioly of holies on the day of 
 atonement, (Heb. ix. 24.) and that he is the ivay to the 
 Father, (Joh. xiv. 6.) the doar\ by 'u:kcm men enter in. Jch. 
 X. 9. And that 'vohofoc-cer nuilU tnay come to God through 
 him. Rev. xxii. 17. — Wherefore I am emboldened to enter 
 into the hcliejl by the blood of Jefus, even into the very pre- 
 fence of the thrice hcly one of Ifrael, in whofe fight tht 
 Hea^oens are not clean ; and to come to God \n full ajjiirance 
 of Faith, r.cthing doubting but that God is as v.illing to be 
 reconciled through Clariit, as the Father v/as to receive the 
 returning prodigal ; and as ready to gi-ve his holy fpirit to 
 them that ajk him, as ever parent was to give bread to an 
 hungry child. Heb. x. 19, 22. Mat. vii. w.^Fcr he that 
 f pared net his oivn Son, but deli^'ered him up for us all, hoiv 
 Jhall he net <with him alfo freely gi-ve us all things ; if we 
 accept his Son as he is offered, and come to God through 
 him, for all things, as we are invited ? Rom. viii. 32. Joh. 
 i. 12 and xvi. 23. — For, God's honour is fafe, God's law 
 is anfwered, God's joftice is fatiified ; and all my guilt, 
 infinite as it is, is no bar in the way of my reception into 
 the divine favour ; free as his infinite grace, felf-moving 
 as his boundlefs goodnefs is, and appears to be, by the gift 
 of liis Son. 
 
 Tiiis way of falvation, my dear Afpafio, is glorious for 
 God, fafe for the Sinner, elfedual to promote holincfs, even 
 the pcivcr of God to fal-vation, to e-very one that belie-veth : 
 And if the Gofpel is true there is no room to doubt. " For 
 we are conftrained to believe on the clearefl evidence." — 
 Yea, *< our afTurance is impreffed" by complete demon- 
 ftration. 
 
 'Tis glorious for God. — For God's law and authority 
 are as much honoured, as if the whole world had been 
 damned : And his grace more glorified-, than if Man had 
 never fell. — An incarnate God upon the crofs, in the room 
 of a rebellious world, fets God's infinite hatred of fin, his 
 inflexible refolution to punifh it, and the infinite goodnefs 
 ■of his nature, in a light, infinitely clear, infinitely bright. 
 And contains a fund of inftrudlion, which never can be 
 exhaufled, by angels and faints, throughout the endlefs 
 ages of eternity. — The mor€ 1 think, the more I am fwal- 
 
tlS THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 lowed up ! confounded ! overwhelmed ! O ! the heigkff 
 the depth f the length, the breadth y of the lo-ve of God^ luhich 
 paJJ'eth all underjlanding — O ! the depth of the riches of the 
 oKifdom a7id kno<voledge of God. The creation of the Uni- 
 verfe was a great work: It caufed the Eternal. power and 
 Godhead of the Creator clearly to be feen : But compared 
 to the incarnation and death of the Son of God, the Crea^ 
 tor, it is not to be mentioned, nor is it worthy to come 
 into mind. Even the application of Chriil's redemption, 
 in the latter day, is a more glorious work than the firft 
 creation of the world. Ifai. Ixv. 17. Behold y 1 create neixj 
 Hea^i-ens, and a rie-xu Earth : and the former fhall not be re- 
 7nemberedi nor come into mind. — Indeed, it had been but a 
 fmall thing, for the Creator, by his Almighty word, to 
 have called millions of fuch fyltems as ours into being— 
 a thing not worthy to be noticed — nay, fcarce worth one 
 fingle thought — compared with — with what ? — Let all na- 
 ture tremble at the news — The incarnation, and the death 
 of the Almighty Creator, in the room of his rebel- 
 creatures, that the honour of his Father's law and govern- 
 ment might be effedually fecured, while fovereign infinite 
 grace interpofes to fave the felf-ruined, hell-deferving 
 rebels, to the eternal difappointment of Satan, God*s 
 enemy, and our mortal foe 1 
 
 And can it now, after all this, be a queftion", whether 
 God is ready to be reconciled to thofe, who, on his own 
 invitation, return to him through Jefus Chrift ? Or can it 
 be a quellion, whether Chrift is willing to be their Media- 
 tor and High-prieft, in the court of Heaven, in the holy 
 of iiolies above r — What I after God has given his Son to 
 die, that confidently with his honour he might receive 
 fuch to favour — he not willing ! Infinitely incredible ! — 
 What I after the Son of God has left his Father's bofom, 
 to lie in a manger ! to groan in the garden ! And, be ajlo- 
 niJJyed, O ye Hea-vens, and be ye horribly afraid ! — To hang 
 and die upon the crofs, in the room of a God-hating, 
 Chrift-murdering world ; that he might honour his Father's 
 law, break up Satan's plot, and open a way for the Sinner's 
 return! Yet he not willing! — What! willing to die on 
 the crofs, and not willing to mediate in Heaven ! Infinitely 
 incredible ! Yea, if poflible, more than infinitely incredi- 
 ble ! — So certain my dear Afpafio, as the Gofpel is true, 
 juft fo certain may your Theronbe, that God is ready to 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO. II9 
 
 be reconciled to the Sinner, who returns to him through 
 Jefus Chrift. Nor does he need a new revelation in the 
 cafe : nor does he need to be aflured of any propofition not 
 plainly revealed in the Gofpel. Enough has been already 
 done! enough has been already said! — But never did 
 your Theron believe tnefe things with all his heart, till by 
 feeing the glory of the God of glory, he faw the grounds 
 and reafons of the law, pronounced it holy, juft and good, 
 and worthy to be magnified and made honourable, even by 
 the death ot God's own Son. i Joh. v. 1. 
 
 And this kind of Faith, in the nature of things, cannot 
 be without works. For, while your Theron, through the 
 influences of the holy fpirit, doth ivith open face y behold as 
 in a glafs the glory of the Lord i what can he do, but love, 
 admire, adoje rhe God of glory ; and give up himfr-lf for- 
 ever to him through Jefus Chrift ? — And now — hoxv can 
 ive that are dead to fn, li<ve any longer therein ? We are 
 €rucifi'd njuith Chrif — buried njcith oim — rijcn i.viib him — and 
 can fm, after all, ha^ve dominion o-ver us ! Impoffible. Rom. 
 yi.2.14. The gratitude, the ingenuity of unrenewed nature,! 
 grant, is not to be depended upon. Ijracl Jang God's praije but 
 foon forgot his ^jjcrks. But beholding as in a glnfs the glory 
 of the Lordy from day to day through the courfe of our 
 lives, ive arcy we cannot but be, changed into the Jame image 
 from glory to glory ^ e^ven as by the fpirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 
 iii. 18. 
 
 And, believing the Gofpel to be true, no doubt remains, 
 of the iafety of our returning to God through Jefus Chrift. 
 His glory and beauty inclines me to return. His grace 
 through Chrift puts courage in mv heart. I return. I find 
 reft to my weary foul. And by this I know, my " Faith 
 is real, and no delufion," even becaufe he hath g-^en me of 
 his fpirit y (1 Joh. iv. 13.) fet his feal upon my heart (Eph. 
 i. 13.) made me his child, in the very temper Cti my foul 
 (Rom. viii. 16.) and in my heart his latv is --writteuy and in 
 his ivays I Icve to ixalk. Ezelc. xxxvi. 26, 27. But as to 
 this. Heaven forbid 1 that your Theron's confidence Ihould 
 ever be greater than his evidence; his evidence, not only 
 now, but in ail future times. 1 am, forever, 
 
 YOUR AFFECTIONATE 
 
 THERON. 
 
LETTER IV. 
 
 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 Ne'i.'j- England, /pril 3, 1759. 
 DEAR ASPASIO, 
 
 MANY an agreeable hour have we wandered over a^ 
 die woiks Nature; viewed the Heavens above, the 
 Earth beneath, and furveyed the mighty Ocean ; nor did 
 you ever fail to intermingle devout reiledions. If now 
 inftead of painting the beauties of the Creation, we rife at 
 once to contempiate the glories of the Creator, glories 
 infinitely fuperiorto thofe of fields and forells, gardens and 
 palaces ; yea, infinitely fupsrior to the bright expance of 
 Heaven, ad<3rned with all its Ihining orbs — no theme can 
 my Afpafio better pleafe. 
 
 GOD ! how awful is the name 1 hov/ great is the Being I 
 Be '.old, the nations are as a drop cf the Bucket , and are counted 
 as the fmall duji of the balance : Tea, all nations before him 
 are a: nothing, and they are counted to hifn lefs than nothing, 
 and 'vanity. And {o great is the cxcsllency of the Divine 
 Majesty, fo exceeding great is his beauty ; that to be- 
 held hiii glory, and love and honour and enjoy him, is 
 Heaven iifeif : it is the chief happinefs of all that world. 
 The Seraphim, while he fnteth on his throne, high and 
 lifted u?. as the great Monarch of the Univerfe, through 
 the brightnefs ol his glory, cover their faces, unable to 
 b-hokl ; and, as in a perfect extafy. cry, holy, holy, holy ! — 
 Tbis^is his characler, the charafter he exemplifies in all his 
 condu(f>, as Lord of Holh, as governor of the world ; in 
 a view of which, they add, the ^hole Earth is full of his 
 
 glcry. Ifui, VI. 3. 
 
 The two e randefl afBurs, which according to Scripture, 
 ever have beeu, or ever will be, tranfadled in the govern- 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO. 121 
 
 ment of this glorious monarch, are the work of our re- 
 demption by the death of his Son, and the final judg- 
 ment of the world. Thefe, therefore, let us contemplate, 
 that in them we may behold, as in a glaj'sy the glory of the 
 LORD. 
 
 Who was his Son ? The brtghtnefs of his glory y and the 
 ■image of his perfon : By njohomj and for ivhoniy all things 
 ivere created. Loved equally to himfelf, and honoured 
 with equal honours in all the world above. Let us view 
 him on the Crofs, incarnate ! View him there as an in- 
 carnate God, dying for Sinners ! And fix our atteniion, 
 whole hours togetlier, on this greateft, and moil wonder- 
 ful of all Gods works ! The plan was Liid in Heaven. — 
 This great event was determined in the council there. Adl. 
 jv. 2y. Ail the perfections of the Godhead fat in council, 
 when it was decreed, the Son of God fliould die. — Strange 
 decree! Why was it made? — Aitonifliing ! Why did it 
 ever come to pafs ? — Did he die, to move the compaffions 
 of his almighty Father towards a rebellious race ? No : 
 For, to give his Son thus to die, was greater grace, than at 
 one fovereign ilroke to have cancelled all our debt, and 
 pardoned all the world. Did he die, to take away or lef- 
 fen the evil nature and ill-defert of fm ? No: For infinite 
 purity and impartial juftice mull look upon the rcbcilions 
 of a revolted world, as odious and ill-deferving, as if he 
 had not died. He died, to bear the punifhment due to us. 
 We were under the curfe ; he was made a curfe in our 
 room i fet forth to he a propitiation, by his holy Father, to 
 declare his righteoufnefst and Ihew the reditude of his go- 
 vernment in the eyes of all created intelligences; that he 
 ?night be juji, do as his law threatens, and yet not damn, 
 but jujiify the Sinner that belie--veth in Jefus. 
 
 Eternal damnation was our due, according to the divine 
 law : a law not founded in arbitrary will. A law^ arbi- 
 trarily made, may be arbitrarily repealed ; but a law only 
 declaring what is fit, muft forever Hand in force. , To rife 
 in rebellion againft the infinitely glorious majefty of Hea- 
 ven, deferved eternal damnation; as he is infinitely worthy 
 of the hii^heft love and honour from all his intelligent crea- 
 tures. His inlinite amiablcneis and honourablenefs infi- 
 nitely oblige us to love and honour him. Ail our heart 
 and mind and ftrengch are his due. The leaft defed de- 
 M 
 
122 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 feft deferves eternal woe. Thus the Omnifcient viewed 
 
 the cafe. — His Son, in the fame view, ?pproved the law as 
 
 ftridly jull. Both looked on the TacrifKeand death of an 
 
 incarnate God, in the room of Sinners, to open a way for 
 
 their lalvation, as a plan infinitely preferable to the law's 
 
 d by a lovereign a£l. 7 he Son had rather endure 
 
 oft painful, Ihameful death, than that one titde of the 
 
 •i», i! ould fail; it was fo ftridlyjuft. — God ought to have 
 
 hi Li.se The law barely alleits the rights of the 
 
 Gc -ad. So much, however, was his due, at to be loved 
 with all the heart, and obeyed in every thing. And fo 
 "worthy was the Deity of this love and obedience, that the 
 ]eall dcfttl dcferved eternal death. ** 'Tis right, 'tis 
 right," faid the eternal Son, " that the firft inllance, or 
 the leaft degree of difrefped to my eternal Father, fliould 
 incur eternal ruin to the finning creature. And 1 had ra- 
 ther become incarnate and die myfelf, than yield this point." 
 That God is infinitely amiable — that he ought to be loved 
 with all our heart — that the infinite excellency of his na- 
 ture infinitely obliges us — can never be fet in a ftrongcr 
 light, than it is by the crofs of Christ. 
 
 The infinite dignity of the Mediator, and the extreme 
 fufFerings he underwent, as an equivalent to cur eternal 
 woe, in the loudeft manner proclaim, that the law was jull 
 — ^juil in the eyes of God — and jull in the eyes of his Son. 
 A law, threatening eternal dumn:ition, infinite goodnefs 
 would never have enai^ed, had not impartial juUice called 
 for it. Much lefs would infinite goodnefs have appointed 
 God's own Son to anfwer its demands, if in its own nature 
 too fevere. 1 o fappofe, the Sen of God died to anfwer 
 the demands of a law, in ics o.vn nature, cruel, is to make 
 God a tyrant, and the death of his Son the molt ihocking 
 affair that ever happened ! 
 
 But what did this law, of which we fo often fpeak, re- 
 quire ? Say, my dear Afpafio, v/hat was the firft and chief 
 command ? Your mifler's apfwcr you approve — Then ffy alt 
 love tie Lord thy God ^'cith all thy heart. But why was love 
 required ? Becaufe God was lovely. And why the penalty 
 fa great ? Becaufe his lovelinefs was infinite. If the infi- 
 nite amiablenefs of the divine Being docs not lay an 
 infinite obligation on his cieatures, to icrve him for being 
 what he is, how can we juftify the law's demands, or vin- 
 dicate the wifdom of Gcd in the death of his Son : 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO. 1^3 
 
 From the crofs, where an incarnate God aflerted the 
 rights of the Godhead by his dying pains, let us pvA's to 
 the awful tribunal ; where the fame incarnate God, arrayed 
 in all his Father's glory, with all the Holls of Heaven in 
 his train, by the 1 lil fentencc, which he will pronounce 
 upon hi^ Father's enemies, dooming them to the burmncj 
 lake, to welter for eternal ages in woe, will llill proclaim 
 the jiiftice of the law: Would iulinite goodnefs, would 
 our compafTionate Saviour, would he who wept over Jeru- 
 falcm, the kind and tender-hearted J efus, love to pronounce 
 a fentence fo infinitely dreadful, if it were not itridly jull ? 
 Yet he will do it, without the leall reluctance ; yea, with 
 the highcll pleafure : while Angels and Saints fhout forth 
 their hallelujah's, all around him. 
 
 But can this ever be accounted for, on any other hypo- 
 thclis, than that tiie infinitely glorious monarch of the 
 univerfe appears, clearly appears, in that folemn hour, to 
 be infinitely worthy of all that love and honour his law 
 required, in being what he is ; and fo f;n an infinite evil ? 
 
 Iffin is really an infinite evil, then it is meet that ic 
 fhould be difcountenanced and punilned as fuch, i. e. with 
 an infinite punifliment, i. e. witn the etCim! pains or Hell. 
 And it was fit, that the governor of the world fliould make 
 a law, thus to punifh it. And fit, thjt iliii law ihouid he 
 magnified and made honorable. And even wife, in the 
 eyes cf infinite v/ildom, that one by nature God, fhould 
 become incarnate, and die in the Sinner's Head, rather 
 than fet the law afide. And on this h/pothefis, the final 
 doom of the wicked may well appear perfedlly beautiful 
 in the eyes of all holy intelligences. Eat fin cannot be an 
 infinite evil, unlefs we are under infinite obligations to do 
 otherwife. 
 
 Love is the thing required. Not merely a love of gra- 
 titude to God, as an almighty benefactor: but a love of 
 edeem, complacence and delight. We may feel grateful 
 to a benefactor, merely as fuch, without even a knowledge 
 cf his general charader ; yea, when his general charader 
 would not fult us, did we know it ? The Ifraelites, not- 
 xvithftanding their joy and gratitude at the fide of the Red- 
 Sea, were fir from a difpofition to be faited, to bepleafed,^ 
 to-be enamoured, with fuch a being as God was. Yea, 
 thq more they knew ot him, the lefs they feemed to like 
 M 2 
 
t 
 
 124 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 him ; fo that in lefs than two years they were for going 
 back to Egypt again. But if we may feel grateful towards 
 God, merely as our almighty benefaftor, without the 
 knowledge of his true charadler ; yet cfteem, complacence 
 and delij^ht, fuppofe his true charafter known; as that is 
 the objefc of this kind of love. And what can lay us un- 
 der infinite obligations to love God, in this fenfe, but his 
 own infinite ami ablhkess .'' Yet the divine law requires 
 us to love God with tliis kind of love — and that with all 
 our hearts, on pain of eternal damnation for the leaft defeft. 
 And this law was binding on all mankind, previoufly to a 
 confideration of the gift of Chrift ty be a Saviour. 
 
 While^ therefore, tJie law fuppofes our obligations to be 
 infinite ; and the dertii of the Son of God, and the final 
 judgment, give the higheft pc-flihle proof, that the omnis- 
 cient eileems the law exa<^\ly light; the infinite dignity* 
 excellency and glory of tiie most high God, is hereby 
 fet in the ilrongeil point of light. 
 
 Take away the infinite amiablencfs of the Deity, and 
 we, in efFecfl, ungcd him — Ke ceafes to be the God of 
 GLORY — He ceafes to be a proper object of this fupreme 
 regard, in the eyes of finite intelligence: — It i? no long;er 
 an^ir.finite evil, not to love him — 1 he law is no longer jull 
 
 The death of Chriil is needlefs — And the whole fyllcm 
 
 of do6lrir.es revealed in the Bible, is fapped at the foun- 
 dation — Nothing remains, to a thinking man, but infidelity. 
 
 And yet, dear Afpafio, this v/as my very cafe. The 
 infinite amiablenefs of the Deity, v/hich is the real foun- 
 dation of all true religion, was wholly left out of the ac- 
 count, in my love and joy, and in all my religious affec- 
 tions All my love and joy and zeal arofe from my Faith. 
 And my Faith confided but in believing that Chrifl, par- 
 don and Heaven were mine. — I rejoiced juft like the 
 gracelefs Ifraelites, in a fenfe of their great deliverance, 
 and in expectation of foon arriving to the promifed land, 
 a land Jio-uoing 'with tnilk and honeys the glory of all lands, 
 Their's was a gracelefs, felfifh joy ; and fo was mine. — 
 Their's v/as foon over ; and fo was mine. Their carcafes 
 finally fell in the wildcrnefs; and, but for the fovereign 
 grace of God, this alfo had been my very cafe. 
 
 Oh ! my dear Af;^afio, whofe entertaining pen gains the 
 attention of thoufands on both fides the Atlantic, pity 
 the ignorance of benighted fouls, and guard them againll 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO, 12$ 
 
 the dangers, which had well nigh proved the ruin of your 
 own pupil. 
 
 YOUR AFFECTIONATE 
 
 THERON. 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 Ne^jc- England, April \, 1759^ 
 MY DEAR ASPASIO, 
 
 TT^HILE I view God the Creator, whcfe almighty 
 ^^ word gave exiftence to the v/hole fyftem — while I 
 view him as the original author and fcle proprietor of the 
 whole univerfe ; whofe are all things in Heaven and Earth \ 
 I fee, the right of government naturally belongs to him. 
 It is meet, that he ftiouid be king in his own world : And 
 he cannot but hive a rightful authority over the works of 
 his own hands — While 1 view him as moral governor of the 
 world, fea'.ed at tht liead of the intelligent creation, en a. 
 throne high and lifted up. Heaven and Earth fJled nvilh his 
 glory, as the THRict holy one; and iiear liim utter his- 
 voice, faying, I AM the loud, and, besides me there 
 IS NO OTHER GOD; and hear him command all the world 
 to love and adore and obey him, on pain of eternal damnation ; 
 a fpirit of love to his glorious majcjly infpires me with 
 joy, and makes me exult, 10 fee him thus exalted, and thus 
 honoured. 1 love to hear him procl,;im his law, a law hclyy 
 juji and good, glorious and amiable. I am glad with all 
 my heart, the almighty Monarch of the univerfe is fo en- 
 gaged, that all his fubjeds give unto God the glory due unto- 
 his name. Pfal. xcvi. 8. 
 
 His law, his glorious law, which once, enem-y to God 
 
 that I was, appeared like " the laws of Draco,'* now 
 
 M 3 
 
126 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 fhines with a beauty all divine. 1 had almoft faid, it is the 
 hrigh'mjs if his glory, and tf:/e exprefs image cf h',s perfon. — 
 For indeed it is an cxatSt tianfcript of his glorious perfec- 
 tions, the very pidure of his heart, holy, just, and 
 GOOD. Rom. vii. 12. 
 
 When ihe God cf glory dwelt in the Jewifli temple, in 
 the pillar of cloud, over the mercy-feat, his law was by his 
 fpecial command depcfited in the Ark, the very holieft 
 place in the holy of holies, as the deareft, choiceft trea- 
 iure. Thus was it done to the law, which God deliglitcd 
 to iionour. But this honour, great, as it was, is not 10 be 
 mentioned, nor is it worthy to come into mind, fmce that 
 infinitely greater regard to the divine law, which God has 
 fliewn in the gift of his Son. An incarnate God on the 
 crofs, has. magnified the laiv, and made it honourable, beyond, 
 infinitely beyond, what was ever done before. But all 
 this honour, infinitely great as it was, was but juft equal 
 to what the law deferved. 
 
 V/liile I view God, my Creator, my rightful Lord and 
 owner, my fovereign king, the God or gloky ; and fee 
 his infinite worthinefs of fupreme love and honour; I feel, 
 that the leaft difrefpedt co hij glorious Majefty is-an infinite 
 evil. I pronounce the law in all its rigour, holy, jujl and 
 good. Even as a minifiration of death and condcraKution, it 
 appears glorious, (2 Cor. iii. 7, 8.) and 1 heartily scquicfce 
 in the equity of the fentcnce, with application to myfelf. 
 This makes me feel my need of Christ, and prepares my 
 heart to return home to God, forever to Jive to him. For 
 1 throi'gh the la^v am dead to the la^v, that I 77iight Ivue unto 
 Gcd. Gal, ii. 19 
 
 The law, my dear Afpifio, threatens eternal damnation 
 for the very firft tranfgiefnon, for even the Icalt defeft. 
 GaLiii. 10. I break the law every moment ; and therefore 
 every moment I merit eternal woe; Such an infinite evil 
 is ^in. It appeared glorious in the eyes cf God, thus to 
 puniPii fin, v.-jieu he made his law — It appeared glorious in 
 the eves of ChPvIst, that fin fliould be thus puniflied, when 
 he went as a la'mb to liie altar, and volunrarily llretched 
 himfcif upon the crofs to die in t^e Sinner's room, And 
 in a clear view of the glory of the God of glory, I fee 
 the grounds -And reaf ;ns of the law ; it is holy, jiijl and 
 g.:od.'^ I fee v.hy Chriii was fo willing to be nailed to the 
 ' :rt)fs in the Sinner's flead ; to magnify the lan.v and tnake it 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO. IIJ 
 
 honourable. And I ha-ve fello^Jhip, a fellow-feeling, iJcith 
 Cmiji in his fvjf'crings ; and in tne temper of my heart, am 
 made conformaule to bis death. Phil. iij. lO. 1 feel towards 
 God, and law, and fin, in a meaiure, as he did. Or, to 
 exprefs all my he^rt in one emphatical phrafe, 1 am cru* 
 c iFiED WITH Ch R 1ST. Gal.ii- 20. " The law is good, 
 
 1 delerve to die. 1 lay my neck upon tiie block, or ra- 
 ther itretch my hands upon the crofs : and fay, the Ui^ki is 
 holy, j lift a7id good, and cry, amkn, amen, am£n, twelve 
 times going : " — m> God, of old, taught his church to do. 
 Deut. xxvi. 14, 20. (1) 
 
 (i) I muji confefs, my dear Jf^afto, I am Jhocked, to hear 
 fome Divines reprejent the laiv as a tj rant, as tyrannizing onjer 
 Chriji upcn the croj's, as tyrannizing o'ver Sinners, as being flain 
 for its tyranny, Gr^r. For theje hard fpeeches are not Jo ?nuch 
 againji the laiv, as agcinji tie Gcd that made it. Jujt as if 
 God and his la-vu i^ere tyrants, nvhiie Chrift and bis Go/pel are 
 all made up of |.0VE ! But jhocking as this is, yet 1 muJi oivn, 
 this "vjas once the -very temper cf my heart. {See the Marronv 
 of Mod. Div. njctth Notes, p. 146.) — / lo<vcd the Go/pel : I 
 did not lo'ue the /..t,v. The dying love of Chrift, O, ho-vj 
 fi.veet a theme I Laix-y thligation, dutyy '-were difagreeahhy 
 dead, and legal things. Faith, pardon, joy. Heaven, Grace, 
 free Grace, thefe topics only ravijhed my hi art. Chrift loved 
 the lave, or he had never died : I only loved myjelf. The 
 honour of his Father'' s lavj iias dear to him. Htb 1. 9. PfaL 
 xl. 8. Matth. V. 17, 18. Myfelf alone vuas dear to me. I 
 ^ic-iued his death, his dying love, as all for me. His agony 
 in the garden, his bioody fixeaf, his dung groans, all out of 
 love to me ! This pleafed my heart. — His Father'' s glory / 
 had never feen : The lcwj''s beauty I had never beheld : The 
 voifdcm of God, in the death of Us Son, I had never brought 
 into the account. — Love, love ! love to me, to me ! v;as all in 
 all: This only ravifbed my heart. I loved myfelf, 1 only loved 
 myfelf. — Strange, that I Jhouldihink my love to Chriji fc great ! 
 
 2 he very joy I had, to think he died fcr me, vjas a full proof 
 that I loved him not at all i fnce I did not delight in the 
 laiAJ, Jior love the L-^jj, in honour to ivhich he died. Hud my 
 fwife, or child, or friend, or any nvhom I loved,, been punijhed 
 by that lavo, I had been full cf grief and thought it very 
 hard : For indeed that laiv appeared ta me like the Liv:s of^^ 
 Draco, But vjlen Christ ivji the viftimy 1 vi-as p/eefea :^K 
 
128 THERON TO ASPASlo; 
 
 Oh! ray dear Afpifio — in the time of the late rebellion^ 
 when I Uvea in England, had 1, through a hearry attach- 
 ment to the Pretender's intereil, fecretly poifoned ten of 
 the hoiife of Lurds, and twenty cfthe houle of Commons, 
 from mere fpite,only becauie of their loyalty to their right- 
 ful fovereign ; and had I laid a plot to blow up King and 
 ParliaiTent, burn the city of London, and deliver the na- 
 tion into the hands of a Popilh Pretender — all through 
 pure malignity, what would it have availed before a court 
 of jultlce, after I was arraigned, convidled and condemned, 
 to have pleaded, ** Oh. fpare my life — lam forry for what 
 I have d'.nc — I will never do fo any more — I will be a 
 good and Kyal fubjed for the time to come !" Efpecially, 
 if all the court knew 1 was a Jacobite by blood, and had 
 Ihewn myfelf a Jacobite, in ten thoufand inftances, all my 
 life long, and i^.ad iiill very much of the heart of a Jacobite; 
 and had lived and died a perf^^ft Jacobite in heart and 
 praftice, were it not for fonie irrefiftlble arguments, or 
 rather fomething more poweiful than arguments, that 
 had begun to give me a new turn of mind? Would my 
 penitence be efteemed any atonement for my horrid crimes ? 
 Nay, rather, would not the whole nation cry, '* Away 
 with fuch a vile wretch from the Earth, for he is not fit 
 to live !" And were I brought to view the whole affair 
 in a right light, and to feel right ; what would be the 
 language of my heart? Would it not echo back the gene- 
 ral cry ? *' Pvight ! right ! away with fuch a vile wretcK 
 from the Earih ! for, indeed, I am not fit to live 1'* — And 
 on the gallows, even in my dying agonies, I fhould not 
 have the leaft reafon to diilike the law, by which I was con- 
 demned ; or to love my judges ever the lefs, for pronoun- 
 cing the fentarce c f cor!dem:a'ion upon me. But rather, 
 with all my hean, I ought to approve the law, as good ; 
 and efteem their condudt to ie truly p^aife-worthy. 
 
 Eur to murder iurty of my feilow-worms. blow up King 
 and Parlian-eni, i)Uin a city, ruin a nation, viewed only as 
 
 For I love.i my/clf : but Christ / ilid not loHje. 1 cared 
 not ijcho't be Jljjeredy r,or ivhy ; if 1 myfelf 'was fafe. In 
 truth, if tie la^ju is not htly, jolt and good, glorious and 
 amiohlc, t- r death r.f Cht 1ST, io arfivcr its demands^ is th^ 
 mrf I - o li .^ "f iJ^' that ever happened. But 1 -xas ^whollyfnKiaU 
 \hnji:ed up in felf : Andj *' if I 'was but fafe, I cared not hciu, "" 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO. I29 
 
 injuries to a civil community, and breaches of a civil 
 Idw, are no crinies, in comparifon with riling in rebellion 
 againil the infinitely glorious Monarch of the 
 L'ni VERSE-; compared with whom, the whole created 
 iyllem is lej's than nothing and ^ija?iity.[i) 
 
 Wherefore, in my bell frames, in my devouteft hours, 
 when I feel the grcatefl: veneration for the Deity, and the 
 grcatcll regard to his law, and am inoft forry tliat I ever 
 have been, and am iHil fuch a vile rebel againit my right- 
 ful fovereign, the God of glory ; I am fo far from think- 
 ing that 1 am fit to live, that my whole heart is ready to 
 fay, *'No — but infinitely unlit to live! Eternal death is 
 my due ! And Hell my proper home !" Yea, it appears 
 to me, although 1 had attained to love God and Chrift in 
 the fame degree as Saint Paul did, and were as willing to 
 die in the caufe of Religion as he was, thn yet I Ihould 
 merit Hell every moment for not loving God and Chrill 
 more. And therefore, with him, 1 would ha^ve no conji- 
 dence in the fuJJ:) ; and would feek to be found, not in my- 
 felf, but in Chrill ; not having my own rightcoufnefi, but 
 his. Phil. iii. 3. 9. And would fay, In the Lord alone 
 ha^je I Righteouj'neJ'Si and in him alone r^c/// 1 glory, Ifai-xlv*. 
 24, 25. 
 
 Yea, fufler me to fay, I apprehend and verily believe, 
 that even Saint Paul himfelf deferved eternal damnation, 
 for that wickednefs which God law in his heart, then, at 
 that inftant, when a little before he died a martyr, he faid, 
 
 ( i) Is it a Sinner'' s duty to be billing to be damned ? — NO, 
 by no means. — The damned 'will for e'ver hate God : The Sin- 
 ner ought for e-x)er to lo-ve him. The dainned njoill be forever niife- 
 rable : The Sinner is invited to be forever happy, through'^ChriJi, 
 His duty is, to be reconciled to God, and return to him through Je- 
 fus Chriji. Indeed, 'vjere there no other vuay to fupport the honour 
 of the divine government, but by the eternal mfry of the Sin- 
 ner, the Sinner ought to be vjilling, that the honour of the 
 divine government Jhould be fupported , although at the expence 
 of his eternal fufferings. — God andChriJl, Atigels and Saints^ 
 nvill all be of this mind, at the day of Judgment, njoith refpeSt 
 to the voicked. And they nvill all judge rightly. Rom. ii. 2. — 
 Nor vjill the nuicked have any reafon to dijlike them for it ; buty 
 rather, to ejieem their condu^ herein truly praife-voorthy. Rev, 
 xix. I, 6. ^ 
 
130 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 / am mi.v ready to he cj/ercd. For although he was willing, 
 quite willing to die tor his mailer ; yet he did not love 
 him perfedly as he ought. He jiimfelf owns, he had not 
 already attained, ?icr tv.7s already pcrjeil. But the leafc de- 
 fed deferves punifhment, ye;B, etern.^.l damnation. There- 
 fore, Siiint Paul always felt in his heart, that Kell was his 
 proper due ; and always looked en the law, even as a mi- 
 lu/traiion of deaf b and ccndemr.atiGn^ to be glcricus (2 Cor, 
 iii. 7, 9) and always placed all his dependence, for accep- 
 tance in the fight of God, on Jcfus Chrift. He did fo, not 
 only when liril converted, but habitually, all the days of 
 his life, to his very laft breath. 
 
 O, in how lively, how ftriking a manner, arc all thefe 
 fentimcnts exprclied in thofe words cf tlie bleiTed Apoftle, 
 in Gal. ii. 19, 20, which were the genuine language of his 
 heart, and give a picture of the inward temper cf his foul. 
 / through the lan.v, am dead to the lanv, that I might li<ve fo 
 God. I am crucified nvith Chrijl : iie^vcrthelej's I li've j yet not 
 J J lut Chriji li'veth in me : ylnd the life I li've in the fejh, 
 even to my lateil: breath, 1 live by the Faith of the Hon cf 
 God, nxho hvcd me, and gai-e hi?nfelf for me. — J'^ho lonjed 
 me, as his ov.n before the foundation of the world ; and 
 in the fulnefs cf tiir.e, gave himfelf for me, as one whom 
 the Father had given to him. For, in the midfl: of thefe 
 holy views and grr.cious cxercifes of heart, Saint Paul's 
 Calling and Eledion were ahvays fure ; and he (leadily 
 knew, that he was of that bleHed number for whom Chriil 
 died, with an abfolute At^\gTi to fave. Yet this know- 
 ledge was not the foundation, but rather the confequence 
 of his laith and hoiinefs. 
 
 Your Theron does nomoredoubt of God's readinefs to be 
 reconciled to the Sinner, that returns to him through Jefus 
 Chrift, than he doubts cf the truth of the Gofnel. He be- 
 lieves the one juft as firmly as he believes the other, if 
 the chief facts related in the Gofpel are true, he knows 
 this confequence is equally true. If God has fo pitied this 
 apoftare world, as to give his own Son to die a facrifice 
 for fm, to anfvver the demands of his law, and fecure the 
 honour of his government, for this very end, xhuX he might 
 he jvji, andyet'thejujiifer of him that helie-veth in Jefus — 
 and "if he has teftified his acceptance of the atonement, by 
 raifmg him from the dead, and fetting him at his own 
 I right hand in Heaven.— I fay, if thefe fads are true, your 
 
THERON TO ASPASIO, IJI 
 
 Theron knows the confequence cannot but be true, viz. — 
 That any Sinner, how ill-deferving loever, who, upon the 
 invitation of the Gofpel, iliail repent and be con^'ertcd, fiiall 
 return to God through Jel'us Chrift, he will be accepted, 
 pardoned, and faved, tor Chriil's fake. And, beholding as 
 in a glafs the glory of the Lcrdy I cannot but reiurn and 
 give up inyfeif to God through Jefas Chrill with all my 
 heart. Pfr.l. ex. 3. Joh, xvii. 3, 8. i*fal. ix. 10. 
 
 Such were the views — fuch were the tempers of the 
 Aportle Paul, who wrote, and of the ChrilU<ins to whom 
 he direded his Epillles; as he h mielf afirms. 2 Cor. iii. 
 18. And it was under fuch views, and in confequer.ce of 
 fuch tempers, that they were allured, the fpiritual and 
 everlafting bleflings of the Gcfpel wctg theirs j as another 
 Apoftle ailerts. i Joh. ii. 3, 4, 5. And in fuch views, and 
 with fuch tempers. Saint Paul might well expecl, that the 
 confideration of the infinite goodnefs of God towards them, 
 in their eledion, redemption, eiTedtual calling, julVificaticn, 
 adoption, fandificarion, and in the eternal joys of 
 Heaven, to be certainly bellovved upon them, would pow- 
 erfully animate them 10 prejent ihemfel-ves a li'ving facrificc 
 to God, to be for ever entirely his. Rom. 12, i. 
 
 The Saints at Rome, viewed the ^vrath of God 2l% re^veal- 
 ed from Hea-ven againjl all ungodlinefs^ agamft the leall fin, 
 felt thcmfelves ^u^ithcut excufe, their tnouths Jfcpt, g^iltj be- 
 fore God, according to law ; a law holy, jull, and good — 
 were therefore dead to the law and married to Chrift, ex- 
 ercifed Faith in the blood of Chrill, depending entirely on 
 free Gract through t:.e redemption ivhicb is in Chrift Jefus. 
 And as by virtue of their union with Adam, they became 
 Sinners ; fo by virtue of their union wi'h Chrift, by a true 
 and living Faith, they becum.e righteous. And were dead 
 to Jin, {0 that they cculd not any longer live therein. For 
 they not only approved the law as holy, juli and good, but 
 even delighted in the lanjj of God after the innxard man, and 
 maintained a conftant coniiidt againft every contrary bias. 
 For they were made partakers of the divine nature — had 
 every one of them the fpirit cf Chrill dwelling in them ; 
 and ^walked 7iot after thefejh, but after thefpirit — were daily 
 Jed by the fpirit, and lived under the government of 
 divine grace, feeling the temper of children towards God ; 
 I crying, Abba, Father, And if children, they knew they 
 I were heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jefus Chrift. And 
 
 i ■ 
 
132 THERON TO ASPASIO. 
 
 as they were willing to fuffer with Chrifl:, they expected 
 10 reign with him. And they eftcemed the fufFerings of 
 this preTent life not worthy to be compared with the glory 
 they had in view, in a future ftate. Befides, they found 
 by experience, that all their fufFerings worked together 
 for their good, brought them nearer to God, and made 
 them more like him. And they were perfuaded that no- 
 thing in life or death fhould ever feparate them from the 
 love of God : who of his mere fovereign grace, had predef- 
 tinated, called, and done all things for them ; not becaufc 
 they had any claim to make, but becaufe /ye ^-woidd have 
 mercy on -jjhom he nvould ha-ve }?iercy ; of the fame lump, 
 making one a vefTel to honour, and another a veffel to 
 diftionour. Which fovereign right to difpofe of his own 
 grace, they faw belonged to God ; of ivho?/i, and by nvhom, 
 and to ivhom are all things ; to n.vhom be glory for ever /— • 
 Wherefore, as the fitteil and happieil thing in the world, 
 they brought themfeives, foul and body, as the jew ufed 
 to bring liis bullock to the altar, and prefented themfeives 
 a living facrifice to God\ feeking daily to be more and more 
 transformed into the divine image, and devotirrg them- 
 feives, in all humility and love, to the duties of their fe- 
 veral places — not fothfui in bufinefs, but fervent in fpirit, 
 ferving the Lord. — (Pleafe to read the 12 firfi: chapters of 
 the Epiftle to the Romans.) 
 
 The Saints at Ephefus alfo, who formerly had their un- 
 derjiandings darkened^ their hearts blind and alienated from 
 God J yea, who were quite dead in Jin ', and fo far from 
 any right to claim mercy, that they were ^without Chrijiy 
 having no hope^ and voithout God in the vjorld y yea, even 
 by nature children ofvorath: yet thefe, of God's mere fove- 
 reign grace, according to his purpofe before the founda- 
 tion of the world, were quickened, had divine life com- 
 municated to them, were ratfed from the dead, were brought 
 to know Jefus Chrift, and trult in him ; in confequence of 
 which, they were fcaled, had the holy fpirit given to dwell 
 in them, whereby they were furniflied to all good works. 
 And confcious to this divine change, and to the glorious 
 bleffings they were now m?de partakers of, they were fer- 
 vently engaged to walk worthy of the vocation, where- 
 with they were called — to live up to their holy religion — 
 to forgive others as God had forgiven them, and in all 
 things to imitate their heavenly Father, being followers 
 
THEROM TO ASPASIO. 133 
 
 ^\\ njoith Jinglenefs cf heartj as unto the Lord, &ic. — [Pleafe 
 to read over the vvhule Epiftle. j 
 
 But time once was, O my dear Afpafio, when your The- 
 ron, not confcious of any fandlifying operations in nis own 
 breaft, believed all the bleffings of the Gofpel to be his — 
 without any ** evidence from Scripture, fenie, or realon :" 
 Which belief ferved to flill his conlcience, and keep him at 
 eafe, while blind to the beauty of the divine Nature, and 
 a ftranger to the divine life. And in this cafe, having no 
 fufficient evidence from inherent graces, to fupport his con- 
 fidence, he was obliged, without any evidence at all from 
 any quarter, refolutcly to maintain his belief, by believing. 
 Oh, what awful delufion ! How was i like one blindfold ; 
 one dellitute of any fenfe or reafon, or knowledge of the 
 Scriptures, led capti've by Satan at his n-uili ! — ay Satan 
 transformed into an Angel of Light. 
 
 Oh, my dear Afpafio, pity an ignorant benighted world, 
 who love to flatter themfelves, and to hear no cry from 
 their teachers, but peace, peace : — And guard them 
 againil the fad delufion, which had weJl-nigh proved tne 
 ruin of your own Theron. 
 
 If all your fentiments, as they exift in your own mind, 
 are exadlly right ; if you had not the h ait dcfign to convey 
 one of thofe miltaken notions, whicn your Theron imbibed 
 from your perfuafive 1 ps ; if he mifundeiftood juil every 
 word, and framed a mere chimera in hib own head, a chi- 
 mera you abhor with all your heart : Yet, O my k'.nd, my 
 tender-hearted, my dear Afpafio, pity an ignorant world, 
 who are like generally to underftand you a-. 1 have done ; 
 and in comp flion to immortal fouls, be entreated, once 
 more to take your fine, your entertaining, charming pen, 
 •which commands the attenti n of thoufands, and ten thou- 
 fands through all the Britifh d ^minions in Europe and A- 
 merica, and warn poor Sinners of their dreauful danger ; 
 left multitudes perilh in the roa.' — the be -v itching, the en- 
 chanting road — jnce trodden by your own pupil ; and o 
 which, t^ut for the fovereign grace cf Gi d, he had been for- 
 ever loft! — It is the humble and earneft requeft of 
 
 Your ever Affectionate 
 
 THERON. 
 
 £ND OF LETTERS S: DIALOGUES.