the Sun-beams, they are fair and bright as the polifhed Silverysd woY torv mot 197swoll .wdt ad of ei nM & and wollot yldeblov.au low ant Ther. After all, the Imputation taught in Scripture, is not the Imputation of CHRIST's Righ teousness, but of our own Faith. Agreeably to the Apoftle's exprefsDeclaration, Abraham believed GOD, and it was imputed to Him for Righteousness *.

Afp. This Objection admits the Thing in Dif pute, though it controverts the Way and Manner of obtaining it. Admits the Neceffity of fome active, pofitive Righteoufnefs, in order to our Juftification, In this Particular, I am glad to agree with my Theron and in this Particular, I believe, the Generality of ferious People agree with Us both.-Whenever. their Confciences are awakened; whenever they feek to establish the Hope of eternal Life, they conftantly turn their Eyes to fome Righteousness. Which, they apprehend, may, either in Whole or in Part, anfwer the Demands of JEHOVAH's Law. Some look to their own zealous Reformation and fincere Obedience. Others call in to their Succour Works of Supererogation in this World, and the Difcipline of Purgatory in another. My Friend would affign this Office to his Faith.

Ther. Is this a proper Answer to my Objection, Afpafia? The Text is point-blank againít Your Tenet. You do wifely therefore, not to confront, but to elude the Evidence.

Afp. I did not intend it for an Anfwer; only as an occafional Obfervation. Which, nevertheless, has a pretty clofe Connection with the Subject.-Neither would I use so mean a Subterfuge, as to elude thegreat out yd ¿eurée,

* Rom. iv. 3.

an

Dan Argument, which I could not confute: If my Friend had allowed me Leifure to explain; myself, this should have been my Replys boucien H

It is the very Nature of Faith, to renounce all -Confidence in any Work, Duty, or Qualification of our own. It is the very Nature of Faith, to cclaim itself, and to find the Whole of our justifying Righteoufnefs in CHRIST alone.

Not I, fays Faith, but the infinite Merit of my LORD." This is most forcibly demonftrated, and no less zealoufly inculcated, in the Epistle to the Philippians *. There the Apostle interprets Himfelf, and fettles the Subject of our prefent Enquiry. There He exprefly declares that the Ground of his own Comfort, the Cause of his own Juftification, was, not the Grace of Faith, but the Righteousness which is of GOD by Faith. Not the Act of Believing, but that grand and glorious Object of a Sinner's Belief, The LORD our Righteousness. And why fhould We not regard the Narrative of his Experience, as the very best Expofition of his Doctrine?

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Befides; what was that Faith of Abraham,' to ́ which the Apoftle refers? And which He proposes, as the invariable Model of our Juftification?—It was Faith in the promised Seed, even in JESUS CHRIST the Righteous +. It was a firm Perfuafion, that this illuftrious PERSON fhould fpring from his Loins; fhould be the Author of eternal Salvation to Himfelf, and to a Multitude of Believers, numberless as the Stars of Heaven.

Accordingly, it is affirmed by the Evangelift, That Abraham faw CHRIST's Day. He faw his meri

*Phil. iii. 7, 8, 9. with Gal. iii. 16.

+ Compare Gen. xv. 5, 6.

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meritorious Obedience; faw it with an Eye of Faith; and applying it to his own Soul, rejoiced. He rejoiced, You will vobserve, not in his own Faith, but in CHRIST's Day. An evident Proof, that his Juftification was effected, not by the foromer, but by the latter-Let Us then tread in the Steps of that holy Patriarch; and We shall afcribe little, We fhall ascribe nothing to our Faith; but all "to the infinitely excellent Righteousness of our REDEEMER.

ཝཱ་

* Ther. Sure, Afpafio, You will not prefume to correct Inspiration! The infpired Writer makes no -mention of a REDEEMER's Righteousness. -He says exprefly and pofitively-It, that is, Abraham's Faith, and not any Thing elfe, was counted unto Him for Righteousness.

Afp. True, Theron; as thofe Windows are rec-koned, are counted, The Lights of your House. And why ? Because they, and not any Thing else, illuminate? No; but because they afford a Paffage to the illuminating Rays. Through them, the first and beft of Elements, is diffufed into all your Habitation.So We are faved by Grace through Faith; by Grace imputing, through Faith accepting, the Righteousness of JESUS CHRIST. Grace is the magnificent Source of this nobler Light; Faith is the Means of transmitting it into all the Faculties of the Soul.

When our LORD declares to the difeafed Woman, Thy Faith hath made thee whole how are We *: to understand his Words? That the Patient's Belief, and not the Agency of CHRIST, wrought the Cure? To fuppofe this, would be extremely derogatory

Matt. ix. 22.

gatory to the Power of our great PHYSICIAN. And if We ascribe Juftification to the Act of Believing, this will be equally derogatory to the Obedience of our great MEDIATOR. In the former Cafe, CHRIST and his omnipotent Operation, were All in All. In the latter Cafe, CHRIST and his infinite Merit, are All in All. In both Cafes, Faith is only the Eye to discern, or the Hand to receive, the fovereign Good.

Ther. I apprehend, the Apoftle means, that Abraham's Faith, instead of his own perfect Obedience, was admitted as his juftifying Righteoufnefs, and became the Cause of his Acceptance with GOD.

Afp. This, I think, cannot be the Meaning. Because, Faith is very particularly distinguished from the Righteousness which is by Faith, which is of Faith. Thefe Forms of Expreffion, put an apparent Difference between the evangelical Faith, and the evangelical Righteoufnefs. Since, whatever is by another, and of another, cannot, without the greatest Violence to Reason and Language, be reckoned that other.-If Faith itself was the Cause of our Acceptance with GOD, then We fhould

* Rom. ix. 30. Phil. iii. 9. The Apoftles, I believe, never make ufe of this Phrafe, δικαιωθενίες υπερ πίσεως, οι δια την πίσιν, but εκ πίςεως οι δια της πίςεως Not for, or on Account of our Faith, but by or through Faith. Making this Grace, not the procuring Caufe, but only the Inftrument of applying, what is procured by Another. Such Language as the former, feems contrary to the found Words of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Yet, if Theron's Senfe of the Text under Debate were admitted, the Doctrine contained in this unfcriptural and offenfive Style, is the unavoidable Confequence.

should be justified, each by something of his own Whereas, it ftands upon Record in the Scriptures; it is an adjudged Point in the Court of Heaven; that By ONE. Man's Obedience Many fhall be made righteous +.-If Faith itself was the Caufe of our Acceptance with GOD, then We should be juftified by a Righteoufnefs, which is confeffedly imperfect. For, who has ever attained to the highest Degree of this Virtue? Or whofe Faith is not mixed with an Alloy of Unbelief?-In fhort, if Faith itself was the Matter of our Juftification, I fee not how Boafting could be excluded; how the Law could be magnified; or what Reason the Apoftle could have, to account all Things, but the Righteoufnefs of CHRIST, meaner than Drofs ‡. .

Say not, that We presume to correct Inspiration. We only interpret the infpired Word in an harmonious Confiftency with itself. This Senfe is agreeable to the prevailing Doctrine, and to the current Language of Scripture. To the prevailing Doctrine; which is A BELIEVING IN HIM, who JUSTIFIETH THE UNGODLY. Sift and examine this Expreffion; Him who juftifieth. You will find, that the Work is CHRIST's; CHRIST'S and no Other's. The HOLY GHOST affigns not the leaft Share, not so much as a Co-efficiency, VOL. II.

F

to

Faith, as an A&t or Duty, is properly our own, and as fuch it is reprefented in Scripture. O Woman, great is thy Faith, Matt. xv. 28. JESUS fecing their. Faith, Matt. ix. z. After I heard of your Faith, Eph. i. 15. + Rom. v. 19.

Phil. iii. 8. The Original is Cubana-A Word of the moft contemptible Meaning; it fignifies the worthless Scraps, and fordid Offals, which are caft to the Dogs.. The Reader may fee this Pafiage more fully explained in,

Letter V.