pardon, grace, and glory, while uncircumcised in heart. (Jer. xxxi. 31, 32. Rom. ii. 28, 29.) With these observations in mind, it will be easy to understand the language used commonly in the Prophets, particularly in Hos. ii. throughout.

Ther. But it is the proper business of faith," to appropriate and take home to ourselves the grace of God, which lies in the common indefinite grant of the Gospel." Therefore, as pardon, grace, and glory, are all of them given and granted to sinners as such; by faith, I, a sinner, take home these blessings to myself; i. e. I believe they are mine.

Paul. Yes. But, my Theron, there is no such absolute, unconditional grant contained in the bible. Nor do the Scriptures teach that faith is of such a nature.

Ther. Yes. But St. Paul declares that Faith is the evidence of things not seen, (Heb. xi. 1.) and exhibits a clear demonstration of our right to enjoy them".

Paul. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom. x. 17.) If therefore, the word of God gives a sinner, while out of Christ, no absolute unconditional right to the blessings of the Gospel, faith can see none. Faith cannot see what is not, neither can it believe without evidence. All the believers in Saint Paul's catalogue, had good evidence for what they believed. But you have no evidence from Scripture, sense, or reason," for what you believe; as you yourself are obliged to own.

"

Ther. But all those figurative descriptions of faith, which occur in holy writ, imply this appropriating belief*.

Paul. No, my dear Theron, not one of them. Is Christ viewed in the beginning of Saint John's Gospel, as the Creator of all things, who, under the Mosaic dispensation, sustained the glorious character of God and King of Israel, now come to tabernacle among men, come to his own people, as the promised Messiah? He is to be acknowledged, received, and honoured, according to his character. But he came to his own, and his own received him not; did not own him for the Messiah, nor believe in, nor honour him as such. Although he was indeed the very God and King of

t D. p. 305. 314. 317.

u D. p. 318.

x D. p. 320.

Israel, who of old dwelt in their tabernacle and temple in the form of God, now come to tabernacle in flesh, in the form of a servant: yet they rejected him, called him a deceiver, and crucified him for claiming to be the Son of God, and King of the Jews! But to as many as received him as the promised Messiah, with all their hearts, gave he power to become the son of God, even to as many as believed in his name. Not that believed their sins were pardoned, without any evidence from Scripture, sense, or reason, but that believed in his name, trusted in his mediation, merits, and atonement, that through his name they might obtain forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. (John i. 1. 12.) Is Christ compared to the brazen serpent? 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 believe he is our husband; but as chaste virgins to be espoused to him, that by this spiritual marriage he may become our husband. Is he compared to the city of refuge? We are not to believe ourselves safe; but to fly to him for safety. Is he compared to bread and water? We are not to believe our hunger and thirst are assuaged; but to eat the living bread, and drink the living water, that they may be so. In a word, is he the great High-priest, who has entered into heaven with the blood of atonement in his hand, by and through whom we may come to God for all things, in full assurance of acceptance in his name? We are not to believe that pardon, grace, and glory are ours; but to draw nigh to God through him, that of God's infinite grace through him, we may be pardoned, sanctified, and saved.

Ther. But David, Job, Habakkuk, Paul, the Council at Jerusalem, yea, all the saints in Scripture, use this appropriating language. They all speak the language of assurance . Paul. And good reason why; for they all knew they were sincere godly men, from a consciousness to their own inherent graces. But there is not a saint to be found in the bible, that believes pardon, grace, and glory, to be his own, without any evidence from "Scripture, sense, or reason." Forgive

y D. p. 325. 327.

me, sir, if I should say, this kind of faith the bible is as great a stranger to, as to the doctrine of purgatory.

But here, I

Ther. "I know no other justifying faith, but that which relates to the Gospel, and believes its report. find, lies the core and root of our controversy. precise point to be settled; what it is to believe z."

This is the

Paul. No, no, my dear Theron, "the core and root of the controversy" lies not here. You ought to believe the report of the Gospel, and all the truths of the Gospel, with a full assurance; yea, with all the full assurance of faith. But Protestant writers, for above these hundred years, have been testifying against your kind of faith, because the thing believed is not contained in the Gospel. The Gospel makes no such report. But the thing believed is a lie. Here, my friend, here lies "the core and root of the controversy," as Mr. Marshal well knew. And it is a little strange, that your Aspasio should not know it too. However, pray tell me what you mean by believing the report of the Gospel.

Ther. "The Lord declares by his prophet, I, even I am he, that blotteth out thy transgressions. To believe, is to subscribe this declaration to subscribe it with our hand, and profess with our heart, Lord, it is done, as thou hast said." My transgressions are blotted out b.

Paul. But, my dear Theron, this declaration was made above two thousand years ago. Do you date your justification so far back? Or do you think the words have had any new meaning put to them by God, of late; which two thousand years ago they did not mean ?

Ther. No. I appropriate and take home the blessing to myself: and so I believe the report of the Gospel.

Paul. This is not to believe what the Gospel reports; but rather to make a new Gospel. This is not to believe the truths already revealed; but to make a new revelation. That the transgressions of Theron, a Christless sinner, are blotted out, is not taught in this text, nor in any text in all the sacred volume, as you yourself very well know. And if this be what you mean by an appropriating faith, then Mr. Mar

≈ D. p. 328.

a M. p. 166.

b D. p. 329.

shal's account of it is very just: it is a believing without any evidence, from "Scripture, sense, or reason "."

c The whole party maintain, with Wendelinus, that in the first direct act of faith, I believe " my sins are forgiven," and the whole party assert, that before I believed it," my sins were not forgiven:" therefore, the whole party must concede, with Mr. Marshal, that the thing I believe, " I was not true before I believed it," and, consequently, that I do believe it," without any evidence from Scripture, sense, or reason." For if it was not true, there could be no evidence of its truth and yet the whole party pretend to ground their belief upon Scripture. So that this is the strangest scheme of religion in this respect, that ever was advanced in the Christian world. The thing I believe as true, is not true before I believe it; and yet I believe it because it is true! It is not contained in Scripture, yet I believe it because it is contained in Scripture! I know it is no part of the Gospel-revelation, yet I venture my soul upon it for eternity, as the very Gospel of Christ! Now, how do these men feel satisfied in themselves, in believing such inconsistencies ? Why thus: "The Gospel makes an absolute, unconditional grant of pardon and salvation to all the sinful race of Adam: but I am a sinner of Adam's race; therefore, pardon and salvation are mine." But, then, one would think they were mine before I believed it, and whether I believed it or no. If the grant doth not make them mine, why do I believe they are mine? If the grant does make them mine, then they are mine before I believe : and so we are not justified by faith, but BEFORE faith, contrary to the whole tenour of Scripture. No, say some, "I have by grant a common, but not a saving, interest." But the thing granted is "salvation :" and the grant is absolute. Therefore," I shall be saved." I ought to believe, that " I shall be saved." Yea, they say, I make God a liar, if I do not; but, surely, if I believe I shall be saved, I believe I have a saving interest. And so, I believe I have by the grant, what I know is not contained in the grant: and so believe," without any evidence from Scripture, sense, or reason;" and yet I ground my belief wholly upon Scripture. They say, "The grant makes it mine, so as to give me a right to believe it mine, and claim it, and possess it as mine." But then I ought to believe it mine, precisely in the same SENSE in which the grant makes it mine. Thus, if the grant makes it mine as being a child of Adam, then I ought to believe it mine, as knowing I am a child of Adam. If the grant makes it mine only as being in Christ, then I ought to believe it mine only as knowing that I am in Christ. If the grant only makes a common interest mine, then I ought to believe a common interest only to be mine. If the grant makes a saving interest mine, then I ought to believe a saving interest mine. And what is mine by grant, if the grant is absolute, is mine before I believe it, and whether I believe it or not. No, say they, "It is not mine before I believe; and yet I must believe it mine. It have no evidence from Scripture; and yet my faith is wholly founded on Scripture. The Scripture says no such thing any where; and yet the Scripture plainly says this thing in hundreds of places. My sins are not forgiven; and yet I make God a liar if I do not believe they are forgiven. It is not true as yet, nor do I know it ever will be true; but I must believe it, without any evidence from Scripture, sense, or reason: and in so doing, I believe the report of the

Ther. But Christ has expressly promised, that according to my faith, so shall it be to me. Matt. ix. 29.

Paul. Believe ye, that I am able to do this? said Christ to the two blind men, who cried, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. They said unto him, Yeu, Lord. To, be sure, they had sufficient evidence to believe it, from the miracles he had already wrought. On which our Saviour touched their eyes; saying, According to your faith, be it unto you. And what, my Theron, is this to your purpose, who have no evidence from Scripture, sense, or reason, for what you believe? Our Saviour never told sinners, that if they would believe, pardon, grace, and glory were their's; it should be unto them according to their faith but frequently taught, that many who believed so, would finally be disappointed. Matt. vii. 21. 27. Luke xiii. 24. 30.

Ther. Yes, our Saviour expressly said, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark xi. 24.

Paul. Our Saviour had cursed the barren fig-tree, and it was dried up from the roots. At which his disciples wondering, our Saviour told them, that whenever they were called to perform any miraculous works, and were looking up to God to do them, they must firmly believe he would do the thing, how great soever it was, even although as difficult as to remove a mountain and cast it into the sea. And it is plain, they had sufficient evidence, for such a belief: as they knew that God almighty stood engaged to effect the miraculous

Gospel; although the Gospel never made such a report." If I can believe all these contradictions with all my heart, I am a true believer, and shall be saved. If not, I am blind, carnal, legal; and finally must suffer the pains of eternal damnation for my unbelief. The infidels of the age, (and no wonder infidelity prevails,) stand by; hear the dispute; shake their sides. The Devil says, "So I would have it." The daughter of Zion puts on sackcloth, looks up to heaven, and cries, "Hast thou forsaken the earth, O Lord! When wilt thou return and

scatter these clouds; and cause light to break out, spread, and prevail; and darkness and error to flee away! O, when shall that blessed day come, that the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth, as the waters cover the sea! When shall satan be bound, that he may deceive the nations no more!”

d M. p. 247.

e M. p. 174.