Ther. In your opinion, then, and according to your scheme, salve and a regimen are better than a sound constitution.

Asp. No, Theron. My opinion is, that none can think himself aggrieved, or have any reason to complain, at that grand and beneficent regulation, which suffers the glimmering taper to be obscured or extinguished, but sheds abroad the boundless and majestic beams of day. And if any comparison be made between the most perfect human obedience and the everlasting divine righteousness of Christ, it should be taken from the glimmering taper and the meridian sun.

Ther. I cannot persuade myself to admire such mysterious and unaccountable notions. They must puzzle some, will offend others; but cannot edify

any.

Asp. This point, that "we all died in Adam," were undone by his apostacy, cannot puzzle the simplest, if unprejudiced, mind. Nor will it offend any but the proud philosopher, or the self-righteous moralist. And I assure you, I should not mention it, much less insist upon it, did it not subserve, and in a very singular manner, the purposes of edification. The doctrine of a Redeemer obeying and dying in our stead, is the very hinge and centre of all evangelical revelations-is the very life and soul of all evangelical blessings. This doctrine is not a little illustrated, and comes greatly recommended, by the imputation of Adam's sin.

Contraries, you know, cast light upon and set off each other. Winter and its severe cold make spring and its cheering warmth more sensibly perceived, and more highly pleasing. Such an influence has the present subject with respect to the vicarious obedience of our Mediator. The more clearly we see the reality of the first, the more thoroughly we shall discern the expediency, the excellency, the glory of the last. The more we are humbled under a conviction of the former, the more we shall covet, or the more we shall triumph in the enjoyment of the latter. The apostle draws a long parallel, or rather forms a strong contrast between them, in the fifth chapter to the Romans. He speaks copiously of Adam's guilt, imputed to all mankind for condemnation and death; that he may speak the more acceptably, the more charmingly of Christ's righteousness, imputed to all believers for justification and life. In that dark ground, he well knew, this fairest, loveliest flower of Christianity appears with peculiar beauty; indeed with all the beauty of consummate wisdom and adorable benignity.

Ther. It really seems to me a thing impossible, that one man's righteousness should be made another's. Can one man live by the soul of another? or be learned by the learning of another?-Good Aspasio, never attempt to maintain such palpable absurdities. They will expose Christianity to the scorn of infidels.

Asp. If infidels scoff at this comfortable truth, their scoffing will be, like all their other cavils, not the voice of reason, but the clamour of prejudice. My friend's objection insinuates, what we never assert, that the essence of this righteousness is transfused into believers; which would doubtless be in fact impossible, as it is in theory absurd. But this we disavow as strenuously as you can oppose. The Redeemer's righteousness is made ours, not by infusion, but by imputation. The very terms we use may acquit us from such a ridiculous charge; as imputation signifies a placing to the account of one what is done by another. Accordingly we believe, that the essence of

this righteousness abides in Christ, but is placed to our account; that Christ, and Christ alone, actually performed it; that Christ, and Christ alone, personally possesses it; but that, performing it in our stead, and possessing it as our covenant-head, God imputes it to us, God accepts us for it, accepts us as much as if we had, on our own behalf and in our persons, severally fulfilled it. Though one man cannot live, be actuated with the principle of life, by the soul of another; yet you must allow, that one man, nay, that many men may live, be continued in the possession of life, for the righteousness of another. Or else you must do, what I am sure you abhor, you must charge with absurdity and impossibility even the declaration of the Deity: "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then will I spare all the place for their sakes," Gen. xviii. 26.

Ther. Not all your refinements can reconcile me to this uncouth notion. The practice is unexampled, and absolutely inconsistent with the rules of distributive justice.

Asp. Ah! my Theron, if we seek an example of God's unbounded goodness amongst the puny proceedings of men, we shall be led into the most egregious misapprehensions. To measure one of the sparks on your ring, and fancy we have taken the dimensions of the Alps or the Andes, would be, in comparison of this error, a small mistake: Since between a brilliant speck and a range of mountains there is some proportion, but between human beneficence and heavenly bounty there cannot possibly be any. However, the all-condescending Creator has been pleased so to dispense his infinitely rich grace, that we may find, though nothing parallel, nothing correspondent, yet some faint shadow of its matter among the affairs of mankind; something that may perhaps give us such an idea of the stupendous subject, as a glowworm would give of the sun's splendour, in case a person had never beheld that magnificent luminary. This remark I must entreat you to recollect, whenever I attempt to elucidate the mysteries of the gospel by the occurrences of common life.

When your worthy minister was disabled, by a rheumatic disorder, from attending on the business of his function, several of the neighbouring clergy gave him their assistance. Was he not, by this vicarious performance of his office, entitled to all the profits of his living? It seems, therefore, not so unexampled a thing for one person to act in another's stead. And when a service is thus discharged by the proxy, the benefit may, according to the received maxims of mankind, accrue to the principal. Did not Jehu's descendants, even to the fourth generation, reap the advantage of their great-grandfather's zeal? 2 Kings x. 30. Does not the Duke of **** enjoy the honours and rewards won by the sword of a victorious ancestor? And may not the whole world of believers, with equal, with far greater justice, receive life and salvation on account of their all-deserving Saviour, especially since he and they are one mystical body, represented as such in Scripture, and considered as such by God.

No, say you, this is contrary to the rules of distributive justice. What is your idea of a surety? How was the affair stated, and how were matters negociated, with relation to your generous acquaintance Philander? He, you know, was bound for an unfortunate brother, who lately stepped aside.

Ther. The debt, by his brother's absconding, devolved upon Philander? He was responsible for all, and obliged to pay the whole sum.

Asp. Was not his payment as satisfactory to the creditor, as if it had been paid in the debtor's own person, by the debtor's own hand?

Ther. Certainly.

Asp. Was not the debtor, by this vicarious payment, released from all fear of persecution, and acquitted from any future demand on this score? Ther. He was.

Asp. Apply this instance to the redemption of sinners by Jesus Christ, who is in the sacred writings expressly styled a Surety, Heb. vi. 22. Philander's act was deemed, in the estimation of law, the act of his brother; if the deed of the former was imputed, in point of advantage, entirely to the latter; why should not the same effects take place with regard to the divine Bondsman and poor insolvent sinners? Why should that be exploded in our systems of divinity, which is universally admitted in our courts of justice?

Ther. Obedience and righteousness are, in the nature of the things themselves, personal qualities, and only so. Every man is that only (and can be nothing else) which he is in himself.

Asp. Righteousness, as dwelling in us, is undoubtedly a personal quality; and obedience, as performed by us, comes under the same denomination. But does this supersede the necessity, or destroy the existence of imputed righteousness? Your first proposition is ambiguous. Let it speak distinctly; ald inherent to your righteousness, and the sense becomes determinate, but the argument falls to the ground.

Every man is that only (and can be nothing else) which he is in himself." If I never had seen the Bible, I should have yielded my ready assent to this proposition. But, when I open the Old Testament, and find it written by the prophet, "In the Lord shall all the house of Israel be justified," Isa. xlv. 25; when I turn to the New Testament, and hear the apostle saying, Ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principalities and powers," Col. ii. 10; I cannot concur with Theron, without contradicting revelation. Israel or the true believer is said to be justified, and the foundation of this blessing is declared to be, not in himself, but in the Lord. The Colossians are said to be complete, which we are very certain they were not in themselves and are expressly assured they were so in Christ. Hence it appears quite contrary to my friend's assertion, that sinners both have and are that in Christ, which they neither have nor are in themselves. They have by imputation a righteousness in Christ; they are, by this imputed righteousness, complete before God.

I believe your mistake proceeds from neglecting to distinguish between inherent and imputed. We never suppose that a profané person is devout, or an intemperate person sober. This is inherent righteousness. But we maintain that the profane and intemperate, being convinced of their iniquity, and betaking themselves to the all-sufficient Saviour for redemption, are interested in the merit both of his life and of his death. This is imputed righteousness. We farther affirm, that though really abominable in themselves, they are fully accepted by God for his beloved Son's sake. This is justification through imputed righteousness.

However strange this may seem, it is no precarious or unwarrantable opinion, but the clear and positive declaration of Scripture. He justifieth, he absolves from guilt, he treats as righteous-Whom? Upright, obedient,

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sinless creatures? This were nothing extraordinary-No, but "he justifieth the ungodly, that believe in the Lord Jesus," Rom. iv. 5; imputing, as the ground of this justification, their trespasses to him, and his righteousness to them.

Ther. I see no occasion for such nice distinctions and metaphysical subtilties, in plain popular divinity. Hard terms and abstruse notions may perplex the head, but seldom improve the heart.

Asp. Why then do you oblige us to make use of them? If some people twist and entangle the reins, it behoves others to clear them of the embarrassment, and replace them in their due order. Many writers, either from an artful design, or through a strange inadvertence, have jumbled and confounded these two very different ideas. Hence they have started objections to our doctrine, which, the moment you introduce this obvious distinction, vanish into air. They fall into a mistake of their own, and then charge the absurdity upon others.

I am no more fond of hard terms and abstruse notions than my Theron. Neither can I think the instance before us so abstruse a notion. I am very certain you are capable of comprehending much higher and nicer refinements. Therefore, I must once again entreat you to remember the very material difThe former is the ference between inherent and imputed righteousness.

essence of sanctification, the latter is the ground of justification. By this we are restored to the favour of God; by that, we are made meet for his heavenly kingdom. Let this distinction, which is easy, which is scriptural, which is important, take place, and we may for the future dismiss what you call the metaphysical subtilties, our disagreement will cease, and our opinions tally.

Ther. I question that, Aspasio. There are other difficulties to be got over before I can digest so crude an opinion. If we are justified by the righteousness of Christ, then the righteousness which justifies mankind is already wrought out.

Asp. And this you take to be a most enormous falsehood, whereas I look upon it as a most delightful truth. The righteousness which justifies sinful man was set on foot, when God sent forth his Son from the habitation of his holiness and glory, to be born of a woman, and made subject to the law. It was carried on through the whole course of our Saviour's life, in which he always did such things as were pleasing to his heavenly Father. It was completed at that ever memorable, that grand period of time, when the blessed Emmanuel bowed his dying head, and cried with a strong triumphant voice, "It is finished!"

If the justifying righteousness was to be wrought by ourselves, we could never be truly and fully justified till death, till our warfare is accomplished, and our last act of obedience exerted. But how uncomfortable is such a notion! how miserable would it render our lives! and how directly does it run counter to the determination of the apostle, "Ye are justified!" 1 Cor. vi. 11. Ther. Soothed, then, with this pleasing surmise, may not the libertine say to his soul, "Soul, take thine ease in the most indolent security. All my carnal appetites, indulge yourselves without restraint. Conscience, be under no solicitude to live soberly, righteously, and godly; for the work is done, all done to my hands. I am like some fortunate heir, whose parents have been successfully industrious, and have left nothing to exercise the

diligence of their surviving son, but only to possess the inheritance, and live on labours not his own!"

Asp. The libertine, who only speculates or disputes, may indeed abuse the doctrine of grace. But the believer, who feels the power of grace, will improve it to better purposes. Where the former only fluctuates in the understanding, such detestable consequences may ensue where the latter operates on the heart, it will always produce very different effects. Such a person, from such a faith, will be no more inclined to inactivity or licentiousness, than our busy humming companions are inclined, by this bright sunshine, and all those expanded blossoms, to sleep away their hours in the hive. And you may as soon expect to see these colonies of the spring swarm in December, clinging to an icicle, or dispersing themselves to gather honey on the snow, as to see a truly gracious man, who is dead to sin, living any longer therein," Rom. vi. 2. Whoever, therefore, so shamefully perverts so sweet and glorious a doctrine, is a witness against himself, that he has neither lot nor portion in the inestimable privilege. If an animal suck poison from the most wholesome herbs, we are sure, from that infallible indication, it is the vile spider, or some envenomed insect, not the valuable and industrious bee.

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Ther. Truly, Aspasio, I know not how to call that doctrine sweet, much less can I recommend it as wholesome, which renders repentance, personal reformation, and inherent rectitude, needless. And if your tenet is once received, all these duties may fairly be dismissed. So that if the thing was possible, yet it would be pernicious.

Asp. The prophet was of another mind: "They shall look on him whom they have pierced, and mourn," Zech. xi. 10. Sinners shall look by faith to their crucified Lord; shall see him fastened with nails to the cursed tree; see him stabbed to the heart by the bloody spear; and remembering that this was the punishment due to their provocations, believing that by this punishment they are freed from all penal sufferings, and entitled to all spiritual blessings,-they shall not be tempted to transgress, but incited to mourn; not play the profligate, but act the penitent. The apostle exactly agrees with the prophet; and both are diametrically opposite to my friend : The goodness," the transcendent and amazing goodness of God our Saviour, instead of diverting from, "leadeth to repentance," Rom. ii. 4.

Far from obstructing, it powerfully promotes personal reformation. For thus saith that all-wise Being, who intimately knows our frame, and discerns what is most effectual to work upon our minds: "The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath appeared; teaching us, that, denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present evil world," Tit. ii. 11, 12. Grace, you observe, even that gloriously free grace which bringeth salvation to unworthy creatures, is a dissuasive of all vice, and an encouragement to every virtue.

As to inherent rectitude, how can that be rendered needless by imputed righteousness? Is health rendered insignificant by the abundance of our riches? Does ease become superfluous through the beauty of our apparel ? Holiness is the health of our souls, and the ease of our minds; whereas, ungovernable passions create keener anguish than a brood of vipers gnawing our bosoms. Inordinate desires are a more intolerable nuisance than swarms