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Whosoever believeth, though preffed with Adverfities, or surrounded by Dangers, shall not make hafte *. But, free from tumultuous and perplexing Thoughts, preserved from rafh and precipitate Steps, He fhall poffefs his Soul in Patience. Knowing the Sufficiency of those Merits, and the Fidelity of that Grace, on which he has repofed his Confidence, fhall quietly and without Perturbation wait for an expected End.. -And not only amidst the perilous or difaftrous Changes of Life, but even in the Day of everlasting Judgment, fuch Perfons fhall and with Boldness. They fhall look up, to the grand ARBITRATOR-look round, on all the Solemnity of his Appearance-look forward, to the unalterable Sentence--and neither feel Anxiety, nor fear Damnation.

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* Shall not make hafte, w This metaphorical Expreffion, though it might be very intelligible to an Hebrew, is to an English Reader, like fome fine Picture placed in a difadvantageous Light. We may poffibly illuftrate the Prophet's Meaning, and exemplify his Affertion, if We compare the Conduct of Mofes, with that of the Ifraelites, on viewing the fatal Catastrophe of Dathan and Abiram.-When the Earth trembled under their Feet; when the Ground opened its horrid Jaws; when the prefumptuous Sinners went down alive into the Pit; when the tremendous Chafm clofed upon the fcreaming Wretches; the Children of Ifrael, it is written, fled at the Cry of them. Fled, in wild and hafty Confufion; for they faid, Left the Earth fwallow up Us alfo.-But Mofes, who denounced the dreadful Docm; Mofes, who was fure of the divine Protection; Mofes made no fuch precipitate or diforderly Hafte. He ftood calm and compofed: faw the whole alarming Tranfaction, without any uneafy Emotions of Fear, or any unneceffary Attempts to escape. So that his Behaviour feems to be a clear and appofite Comment on Ifaiah's Phrafe. See Numb. xvi.

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Such, in that Day of Terrors, fhall be feen
To face the Thunders with a godlike Mein.
The Planets drop; their Thoughts are fix'd above:
The Center foakes; their Hearts difdain to move.

This Portion of Scripture, which, I hope, will, both delight and edify my Friend, recals our Attention to the Subject of my present Letter-to those propitiatory Sufferings, and that justifying Righteoufnefs, which, imputed to Sinners, are the Ground of their Comfort, and the Bulwark of their Security. We have heard Mofes and the Prophets. What fay the Writers of the New Teftament? They, whose Understandings were opened by the "WON"DERFUL COUNSELLOR," to difcern the Meaning of the antient Oracles. Who must therefore be the moft competent Judges of their true Import, and our fureft Guides in fettling theiṛ Senfe.-Do they patronize our Interpretation of the Prophets? Do they fet their Seal to the Authenticity of our Doctrine?

St. Luke, in his ecclefiaftical Hiftory, has preserved this weighty Declaration of the Apoftles; We believe, that, through the Grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, We fhall be faved, even as they *. Here the Thing is implied.-St. Peter, in the Introduction to one of his Theological Epiftles, thus addreffes his happy Correfpondents: To them that have btained like precious Faith, in the Righteousness + of

* Ats xv. II.

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† 2 Pet. i. 1. The Phrafe is wis dixwcum, which moft naturally signifies Faith in the Righteousness; ex

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our GOD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. Here the Point is exprefly afferted.-With equal Clearness is the Doctrine delivered by Matthew the Evangelift; Seek ye first the Kingdom of GOD and his Righteoufnefs *. What can the Kingdom of GOD mean? An Experience of the Power, and an Enjoyment of the Privileges of the Gospel. What are we to understand by his Righteoufnefs? Surely, the Righteousness which is worthy of this grand Appellation, and peculiar to that bleffed Inftitution.

Would We learn, What is the great and diftinguishing Peculiarity of the Gofpel? St. Paul'informs Us; Therein the Righteousness of GOD is revealed, from Faith to Faith. As this Text leads Us into the Epiftle to the Romans-as this Epistle is, both for the Propriety of its Method, and for the Importance of its Doctrine, fingularly excellent-it may not be amifs, to examine its Structure, and enquire into its Defign.

The Apoftle writes to a promifcuous People: who had been converted, partly from Judaism, partly from Gentilifm. His Aim is, to ftrike at the very Root of their former Errors respectively-ta

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preffing the Object, on which the Faith of Chriftians is xed. If We retain the common Translation, it proves another very momentous Truth: that the Righteousness of our GOD, even of our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRÍSŤ, is the one meritorious procuring Caufe of all fpiritual Bleffings; of Faith, as well as of Fruition; of Grace, as well as of Glory. I fay our GOD; fo JESUS CHRIST is ftyled in the Original; in the third Verfe, his Power is called divine; and I wonder, how the Tranf lators were induced, to transpose that important Pronoun,

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turn them wholly to the fuperabundant Grace of GOD, and establish them folely on the all-fuffificient Merits of CHRIST.

The Gentiles were, for the most part, grofly ignorant of GOD, and ftupidly negligent of invifible Interefts. If Any among them had any Regard to, the DEITY; their Virtues, they imagined, were meritorious of all that the DEITY could bestow. If they committed Sin; Sin, they supposed, might eafily be expiated by Sacrifices *. A few of their judicious Sages taught, that the most probable Means of obtaining Pardon, was a fincere Reformation of Life.

The Jews, as it is well known, placed a mighty Dependence on their Affinity to Abraham, and the Covenant made with their Fathers; on their Adherence

* WITSII Animadverfiones Irenica, Cap. vii.-A choice little Piece of polemical Divinity, perhaps the very beft that is extant. In which the most important Controverfies are fairly flated, accurately difcuffed, and judiciously determined; with a Perfpicuity of Senfe, and a Solidity of Reafoning, exceeded by nothing, but the remarkable Candour of the Sentiments.

The Oeconomia Faderum, written by the fame Hand, is a Body of Divinity; in its Method fo well digefted—in its Doctrines fo truly evangelical-and (what is not very ufual with our fyftematic Writers) in its Language fo refined and elegant-in its Manner fo affectionate and animating that I would venture to recommend it, to every young Student in Divinity: I would not fcruple to rifk all my Reputation upon the Merits of this Performance and I cannot but lament it, as one of my greatest Loffes, that I was no fooner acquainted with this most excellent Author.-All whofe Works, have fuch a Delicacy of Compofition, and fuch a fweet Savour of Holiness, that I know not any Comparifon more proper to reprefent their true Character, than the golden Pot which had Manna; and was outwardly, bright with burnished Gold-inwardly, rich with heavenly Food.

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herence to the Letter of the moral Law, and their fcrupulous Performance of ceremonial Inftitutions. -Gentiles and Jews agreeing in this Mistake, that they looked for the Pardon of Guilt, and the Attainment of Happiness, from fome Services done, or fome Qualities acquired by Themselves.

Against these Errors the zealous Apostle draws his Pen. He enters the Lifts like a true Champion of CHRIST, in the most spirited and heroic Manner imaginable. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of CHRIST: for, however it may be deemed Foolishnefs by the polite Greeks, or prove a Stumbling-block to the carnal Jews, it is the Power of GOD unto **Salvation: it is the grand Inftrument, which he has ordained for this bleffed Purpose, and which he will certainly crown with the defired Succefs.-Whence has the Gospel this very peculiar Power? Because, therein a Righteoufness is revealed; not demanded of impotent Sinners, but revealed and made ready for their free Acceptance. A true and perfect Righteoufnefs, which obliterates all Guilt, and furnifhes a folid Title to eternal Life.-What Righteoufnefs is this? The Righteoufnefs, not of Sincerity, but of Perfection; not of Man, but of GOD. Which was promifed by GOD in the Scriptures; was introduced by GOD in the Perfon of his. SON; and, on Account of its confummate Excellency, is both acceptable and available in his Sight.

This Righteoufnefs is from Faith to Faith+ held forth, as it were, by a promifing GOD, and apprehended

Rom. i. 16.

† Rom. i. 17. An ingenious Friend propofes to tranflate the Paffage, according to the following Connection; Δικαιοσύνη Θεό εκ πίςεως αποκαλυπίείαν εις τις, The Righte

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