Ther. You take no Notice of what I urged, concerning the Benignity of this Scheme; and how much it magnifies the Clemency of the great LEGISLATOR. Afp. But why fhould Clemency erect its Throne, on the Ruins of almost every other Attribute?-This Method would difhonour the Veracity of GOD; which has denounced a Curfe, upon every Deviation from his revealed Will.-It would depreciate the Adminiftration of his Juftice; which cannot but punish, whatever violates his facred Precepts.-It would greatly derogate from the Dignity of his Law; and make it a mere Thing of Wax. To bend; and truckle; and take its Form, from the Sin and Weakness of human Nature. Ther. Will the divine Law then make no favourable Allowances for human Infirmities, for conftitutional Faults, and Strength of Paffion? Afp. Far be it from me to represent the Law of the MOST HIGH, either more ftrict, or more yielding, than it really is. To avoid all Poffibility of fuch a Miftake, let Us hear the Declaration of the Law itself. Curfed is every One that continuet not in all Things, which are written in the Book of the Law to do them *. Every One; without any Exception of Persons ; without any Regard to Pleas, either of human Weaknefs, or violent Temptation.-That continueth not; it is not enough to obferve these holy Commandments, in the general Tenour of our Converfation. Our Courfe of Obedience must be without any Intermiffion; from the earliest Dawn of Reafon, to the latest VOL. II. B *Gal. iii. 10. Period Period of Life.-In all Things; We must refrain from all the Sins, that are forbidden, and from every Approach towards them. We must practise all the Virtues, that are enjoined, and in their full Extent of Perfection. In a Word; the Law infifts upon Obedience, perfect in its Principle; perfect in all its Parts; perfect in every Degree; and in each of these Respects perpetual *.-The leaft Deficiency in any one Particular, renders Us liable to Vengeance; and, notwithstanding any Sorrow for Tranfgreffions, notwithstanding all Pretenfions to Sincerity of Heart, configns Us over to the Curse. Theron paufed-He feemed to be ftruck with Surprife. But rallying his Thoughts, replied. According to your Interpretation, this is the Language of the Law; Curfed is every One, that is chargeable with the leaft Sin. Nay, curfed is every One, that is not perfectly righteous. But if this be the Senfe of the Paffage, Who of all Flesh can be faved? Afp. Say rather; If the Demands of the divine. Law are so wonderfully high; if its Sanction is fo awfully rigorous; then must every Mouth be stopped -then is all the World become guilty before GOD -and, by the Works of the Law shall no Man living be juftified. Ther. That the Law infifts upon an Obedience abfolutely perfect, will be farther evident to the attentive Reader, if He confiders the Tenour of St. Paul's Argumentation, in his Epistle to the Romans, and to the Galatians. Particularly Rom. iii. 23. iv. 15. Gal. iii. 21. Which Paffages imply, what Chryfoftom expreffes; As ex evi dixion γενέσθαι εν τομώ, αλλ' η παλία πληρωσανία. Τείο δε εδεν γειονε durator ovner dateπlaxer n dixxiorum aum. Tom. III. pag. 148. Edit. Savil. Ther. "Curfed is every One, that is chargeable "with the leaft Sin; that is not perfectly righte"ous." I am aftonished at the Thought! How wretched then is the State of Mankind! Afp. Extremely wretched. And fo much the more, because they are folding their Hands in a liftlefs and gay Infenfibility; when they should be lifting them up to GOD, for Deliverance from the Wrath to come. Becaufe, they are fleeping in a falfe Security, or dreaming in prefumptuous Hope; while they fhould be flying to the Strong-hold, and escaping for their Life; even for the Life of their immortal Souls. The State of Mankind is most truly described by the Prophet. The Curfe of GOD, like a tremendous Fire, is kindled all around them, yet they know it not; it burns, fiercer than ten thousand fiery Furnaces, yet they lay it not to Heart*.-O! that the Terrors of the LORD, and the Voice of Conscience, may awaken them, may rouse them, before it be too late! Ther. Will not fuch exceffively fevere Doctrine drive People to Despair? Afp. It may. It ought.-This, I apprehend, increases your Aftonishment.-But allow me to explain myself. A Despair I mean, of being reconciled to the Almighty GOD, and of obtaining eternal Happiness, by any Satisfaction or any Duties of our own. This Defpair is the Prelude to heavenly Hope, and holy Joy. The Gospel is a gracious Provifion, made by the fupreme royal Prerogative, for fuch defperate Souls. In this Defpair, I am willing to live, and defirous to die. B 2 Ther Ifai. xlii. 25. Ther. Now You mention willing, how can You forget that gracious Manifesto, published by the condefcending KING of Heaven; If there be first a willing Mind, it is accepted, according to what a Man bath, not according to what He hath not *. Is it not plain from this Text, that infinite Goodness will admit our honeft, though imperfect Endeavours? And, fince We are not able to pay an unfinning, will mercifully accept our best Obedience. Afp. I do not forget, but poffibly my Friend may mifapply the gracious Manifefto.-To whom was the Word of this Confolation fent? To true Believers; who were established in CHRIST +; were fanctified in CHRIST‡; and abounded in Faith. -If You likewife, my dear Theron, acknowledge Yourself a vile Sinner in your worst, and an unprofitable Servant in your best Estate: if, in confequence of this Acknowledgment, You fly for Refuge to the Wounds of a crucified SAVIOUR; and rely, for Salvation, only on his Obedience unto Death: then, You imitate those Corinthian Converts. Then You may apply that indulgent Declaration to Yourself. And then would I venture to addrefs You, in the elegant and chearing Language of the royal PREACHER; Go thy Way, eat thy Bread with Joy, and drink thy Wine with a merry Heart; for GOD now accepteth § both thy Perfon, and thy Performances. But, 2 Cor. viii. 12. + 2 Cor. i. 21. II Cor. i. 2. || 2 Cor. viii. 7. § Ecclef. ix. 7.Afpafio's Remark difcovers an Ambiguity in the Word accepted. If People mean, That fincere Obedience fhall be accepted, as their juftifying Righteoufnefs; as that which constitutes their Title to ever lafting But, if You overlook the Righteoufnefs of the bleffed JESUS; if You depend upon Yourself and your own Attainments; You are (how fhall I fpeak it!) not accepted, but accurfed. In fuch a Cafe, You have already heard your Doom denounced, by the Leader of the Jews. You may hear it ratified, by the Apostle of the Gentiles. As many as are of the Works of the Law, who feek Juftification by their own Obfervance of its Commands, are under the Curfe *. Ther. Under the Curfe! Not becaufe We prefumptuouly tranfgrefs; only because, our Attempts to obey, though faithfully exerted, are attended with Defects! Is not this unreafonable and fhocking?Unreasonable, that the GOD of Juftice fhould eftablifh a Law of fuch confummate Perfection, as no Child of Adam can, even with his utmoft Affiduity and Care, fulfil? Shocking, that the GOD of Mercy fhould thunder out fo fevere a Denunciation, on the leaft inadvertent Breach, on every unavoidable Failure? B 3 lafting Felicity; the Propofition is extremely falfe.-If they mean; That the fincere Obedience of juftified Perfons, though very imperfect in itfelf, fhall be graciously regarded in CHRIST; fhall find Favour through his all-recommending Merit; the Sentiment is unqueftionably true. When Tigranes faw the refolute and intrepid Lucullus marching up, with a Handful of Men, to attack his Hundreds of Thoufands; He faid, with an Air of Rallery; Do they come as Ambassadors? Then they are a great Number. Do they advance as Enemies? Then they are very few. With much greater Propriety may Afpofio fay; Is Sincerity the Effect of Faith? Then We may rejoice in it, with the happy Apoftle, 2 Cor. i. 12. Would Sincerity be the Condition of our Juftification? Then We must renounce it, with holy Job, Chap. ix. 15. * Gal, iii. 10, |