"in Competition with his matchlefs Obedience. "And fhould it fuperfede my Application to his Merits, or weaken my Reliance on his Media"tion, it would then be, not contemptible only, "but injurious to be avoided, with Sollicitude, "as the greatest Lofs; to be rejected, with Ab-. "horrence, as the vilest Dung *.”

You will afk, If He rejects all his own RighteQufnefs, on what are his Hopes fixed?-On a Foundation, extenfive as the Obedience of the RE-. DEEMER's Life and Death, unshaken as the Dignity of his eternal Power and GODHEAD. They are fixed on the Righteousness which is of GOD; the Righteoufnefs which GOD the FATHER, in unfearchable Wisdom, provided; and which GOD the SON, in unutterable Goodness, wrought.-Do You enquire, How He came to be invested with this Righteoufnefs? The Anfwer is ready and fatisfactory. It was by the Application of the Divine SPIRIT, and the Inftrumentality of Faith.-Left Any fhould imagine, That this Faith might be fubftituted, inftead of his own Obedience to the Law; He puts an apparent Difference between

"Zapsa, Crubara. How emphatical are the Words! How bold are the Images! And may We not obferve a fine Advance in the Senfe? Lofs, which is detrimental to our Interefts, and not fuftained without Regret. Dung, which is loathfome to our Senfes, and caft away with Abhorrence.

Has the Apofle pronounced all this concerning human Righteoufnefs, when it would prefume to be a Rival or a Partner with CHRIST? Then None can juftly cenfure what Afpafio has faid upon the fame Subject. Since his Sentiments, compared with the infpired Writer's, are but as the faint Breath of an English Orchard, compared with the potent Fragrance of an Orangery in Seville.

between the Righteousness which juftifies, and the Faith by which it is received: not the Righteoufness which confifts in, but is THROUGH the Faith of CHRIST. To fhew the great Importance of this Distinction; how earnestly He infifted upon it, as a Preacher; how much it tended to his Confolation, as a Chriftian; He repeats the Sentiment, He reinculcates the Doctrine, The Righteoufness which is of GOD BY Faith.

Will You now, Theron, or fhall I, poor unprofitable Creatures, prefume to rely on any Performances or any Accomplishments of our own? When that diftinguished Saint-a perfect Prodigy of Gifts, of Graces, and of Zeal-indefatigable in Labours, unconquerable by Afflictions, and of whofe Ufefulness there is neither Measure nor End-When He denies Himself in every View; depreciates all; difavows all *; and makes mention of nothing, but the incomparable Righteousness of his obedient, dying, interceding SAVIOUR.

What shall I fay more? Shall I attempt to play the Rhetorician, and borrow the infinuating Arts of Perfuafion? This, after all the cogent Teftimonies produced, and all the great Authorities urged, would be a needlefs Parade. When our Pen is a Sunbeam, there is but little Occafion to dip it in Oil,

Instead of such an Attempt, give me leave to make a frank and honest Confeffion. I would conceal nothing from my Friend. He fhould have a Safh to my Breaft; throw it up at his Pleasure; and fee all

that

* Thus argues St. Chryfoftom, commenting on the Paffage ; Ει ο δικαιοσυνην έχων, δια το μηδεν είναι, προς ταύτην την δικαιοσυνην εδραμεν, οι μη εχούλες πως ο πολλω μάλλον οφείλεσι @posexy aun

that paffes within.-Though I never had any Temptation to that pernicious Set of Errors, which paffes under the Character of Socinianifm; yet I had many Searchings of Heart, and much folicitous Enquiry, How far We are indebted to CHRIST's active Righteoufnefs. Thoroughly perfuaded, that Other Foundation can no Man lay, fave that which is laid, Even JESUS CHRIST*; and that there is no ather Name given under Heaven, whereby Men can be faved; yet, whether We were not to confine our believing Regards to a dying SAVIOUR, was Matter of confiderable Doubt.-At first, I was inclined to acquiefce in the Affirmative. After long Confideration and many Prayers, my Faith fixed upon the Whole of CHRIST's mediatorial Undertaking. Which began in his spontaneous Submiffion to the Law; was carried on through all his meritorious Life; and iffued in his atoning Death.-This is now the Bafis of my Confidence, and the Bulwark of my Happiness. Hither I fly; here I reft; as the Dové, after her wearisome and fruitless Rovings, returned to Noah, and rested in the Ark.

This Scheme first recommended itself to my Affections; as making the most ample Provision, for the Security and Repose of a guilty Conscience. Which, when alarmed by the Accufations of Sin, is very apprehenfive of its Condition; and will not be comforted, till every Scruple is fatisfied, and all the Obftructions to its Peace are removed. Thus I reasoned with myself "Though there is, undoubtedly, "fomething to be faid for the other Side of the Quef"tion; yet, this is evidently the fafeft Method. "And, in an Affair of infinite Confequence, who "would

*

1 Cor. iii. 11.

+ Acts iv. 12.

"would not prefer the safest and surest Expedient?

-Should the Righteoufnefs of JESUS CHRIST "be indifpenfably requifite, as a Wedding-garment; "what will they do, when the great immortal "KING appears, who have refused to accept it? "Whereas, should it not prove so absolutely necesfary, yet fuch a Dependence can never obftruct our Salvation. It can never be charged upon Us, " as an Article of Contumacy or Perverseness, that "We thought too meanly of our own, too magnifi"cently of our LORD's Obedience. So that let "the Die turn either Way, We are exposed to no "Hazard. This Scheme takes in all, that the

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other Syftems comprehend, and abundantly more. "In this I find no Defect, no Flaw, no Shadow of

Infufficiency. It is fomewhat like the perfect Cube; "which, where-ever it may be thrown, or however "it may fall, is fure to fettle upon its Bafe.-Sup

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pofing, therefore, the important Beam should "hang in Equilibrio, with refpect to Argument; "these Circumftances, caft into the Scale, may 66 very juftly be allowed to turn the Balance."

Upon a inore attentive Examination of the Subject, I perceived-That this is the Doctrine of our national Church; has received the Attestation of our ableft Divines; and has been, in all Ages, the Confolation of the moft eminent Saints :-That it is the genuine Senfe of Scripture; and not fome inferior or fubordinate Point, incidentally touched upon by the infpired Writers, but the Sum and Subftance *

of

* This Doctrine runs through St. Paul's Writings, like a golden Warp. While Privileges, Bleffings, and evangelical Duties, are like a Woof; a Woof (if I may allude to the Ornaments of the Sanctuary) of Blue, of Purple,

of

of their heavenly Meffage; that which conftitutes the Vitals of their System, and is the very Soul of their Religion. On which Account the whole Gospel is denominated from it, and styled The Miniftration of Righteoufnefs:-I was farther convinced, That this Way of Salvation magnifies, beyond Compare, the divine Law; is no lefs honourable to all the divine Attributes; and exhibits the ever Bleffed MEDIATOR in the moft illuftrious and the most delightful View.

All these Confiderations, under the Influence of the eternal SPIRIT, have determined my Judgment, and established my Faith. So that I truft, neither the Subtilties of Wit, nor the Sneers of Ridicule, nor any other Artifice, fhall ever be able to feparate me from the Grace and Righteousness which are in JESUS CHRIST.—By his Death, I am difcharged from Guilt-by, his Obedience, I am conftituted righteous-by his complete Satisfaction, I am completely juftified, and shall be eternally faved.-In each of these Respects, HE is my ALL.

Let me, by Way of Conclufion, review that awful Subject, which introduced the Letter. Let me fuppofe the JUDGE, who is at the Door, actually come: the great and terrible Day, which

is

of Scarlet, and indeed of every pleasant Colour. The Righteoufnefs of GOD, Rom. i. 17. 2 Cor. v. 21.-The Righteoufnefs from GOD, Phil. iii. 10.-Righteousness by Faith, Rom. iii. 22.-Righteousness of Faith, Rom. iv. 11. x. 6.-Righteousness without the Law, Rom. iii. 21.Righteousness without Works, Rom. iv. 6.-Righteousness in the Blood of CHRIST, Rom. v. 9.-Righteousness by the Obedience of CHRIST, Rom. v. 19.-Righteoufnefs not our own, Phil. iii. 9.-Righteousness imputed by GOD, Rom. iv. 6, 10, 22.