rather to find Propriety, in my Theron's Sentiments. May his Faith, which is thus far advanced, be carried on by Grace, till it is completed in Glory!That unfinning Obedience, and that spotless Sacrince, are indeed the only valuable, they are alfo the truly, or rather the infinitely valuable Confideration. The Obedience being performed in our Name, and the Sacrifice offered in our Stead, have fully merited for Us the Remiffion of Sins, and the Enjoyment of Life and all this, not only from the gracious, but even from the juft, the faithful, the righteous GOD.

13. S

But then, they must be imputed, in order to furnish Us with a Claim, and invest Us with a Right, to the purchased Privileges. Suppose them not imputed; and what becomes of our Interest in them? They are like a Medicine prepared, but not applied. -Suppose them imputed; and they lay a firm, an apparent, a rational Foundation, for every pleafing Hope, and for every heavenly Bleffing. v

Ther. I fear, I have acknowledged too much.-My Thoughts fluctuate. My Mind is unfettled.-I would not withstand the Truth. I would not difbelieve any Doctrine of the Gofpel. Yet what fhall I fay? While I liften to your Reafoning, I am half a Convert. When I recollect the Objections, I revert to my first Opinion.

Of this, however, I am convinced, That human Righteousness is infufficient for our Juftification. Here your Arguments have carried their Point. I fhall henceforth place my Hopes of everlasting Happinefs, not upon any Works of my own, but upon the free Goodnefs, and unbounded Beneficence, of the Supreme BEING. Pursuant to that Maxim

Maxim of Scripture, The Gift of GOD is eternal Life.

Afp. You do well, Theron, to expect eternal Life as the Gift of GOD, not as the Wages of your own Obedience. But be pleased to remember, that all the Gifts of Grace, though perfectly free to Sinners, are founded upon a grand and ineftimable Price, paid by their SAVIOUR.-Are they entirely abfolved from Guilt? It is because CHRIST gave his Life for their Ranfom.-Are they heard with Acceptance when they pray? It is because their exalted HIGH-PRIEST intercedes in their Behalf.Are they completely juftified, and inftated in endless Blifs? It is because their REDEEMER's confummate Righteoufness, is the glorious Equivalent for this and every other Bleffing.-Therefore, when You mention eternal Life as the Gift of GOD, You fhould not forget to add with the Holy Apoftle, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD +. ́ ́°

Well, my Theron; what say You farther? Is your Quiver emptied? Are your Scruples satisfied? May I interpret this Silence, as an Act of Affent?

Ther. Obferve, how the Ranunculufes, on yonder gay Parterre, have contracted their full-blown Tufts; and the Tulips, now the Dews are defcending, have closed their expanded Cups.-Such is

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"I should fear, fays a pious Writer, to look at "that great GOD and SAVIOUR, who has suffered "fo much for my Soul, did I not allow his Atonement "to be of infinite Value, and an Equivalent to any De"mands from the FATHER."

† Rom. vi. 20.

the State of my Thoughts. They are all bent inwards; collected in themselves; and pondering upon your Difcourfe. Which has inclined me, before I was aware, to contemplate, rather than talk.You I will excufe my Thoughtfulness, Afpafio. Or, if it wants an Apology, You must blame Yourself. For, had your Reasons been lefs cogent, my Attention had been more difengaged.

Afp. My dear Theron, I fhall only with, in Allufion to your own Simile, and in the Language of the beft of Books; That these Truths may diftil as the Dew* upon your Mind, and lie all Night upon your Branches +. This, I am perfuaded, is the only Way to have all your Comforts green before the Sun, and all your Virtues flourish as an Herb. Whereas, under the Influence of any other Faith, I am afraid, they will be as the Garden, that is vifited with a Drought; or as the Leaves, that are fmitten with a Blaft.

Ther. I fhall attentively confider, both your Doctrine, and your Arguments. Which that I may .execute, with more Eafe, and to better Purpose, be pleafed to fum up, in a few Words, the Subftance of what has paffed.-This done, it will be Time to withdraw. The Flowers, You fee, are our Monitors. They have folded up their Robes, and veiled their Beauties. A Cuftom which they feldom use, till the rising Damps render it unfafe, for their Master to be among them; and the furrounding Gloom renders it difficult, for His Eye to distinguish them.

Afp. You could not oblige me more, than by giving me fuch a Command.We truft for Salvation,

Not

* Deut. xxxii, 2.

+ Job xxix. 19.

Not on our own external Duties.

This were to

build our House upon the Sand. Which, when the Rains defcend, when the Floods rife, when the Winds blow with tempestuous Violence, will certainly fall; and bury the Builder, with all his vain Hopes, in irretrievable Ruin.

Not on the Sincerity of our Hearts. This, if oppofed to CHRIST, and made the Rival of his Merits, will be a "defpifed broken Idol." Defpifed, by the infinitely fublime and majestic RULER of the World. Broken, with regard to the Strefs We lay, or the Confidence We repofe, on fo deceitful a Prop. No more able to stand in the Judgment of the Great Day, than Dagon was able to maintain his Station, before the Ark of the LORD GOD of Hofts *.

Not upon our Faith. This is often weak, as the rickety Child: fometimes quite faint, like a Perfon in a deep Swoon: always imperfect, like every other Performance of ours. Alas! To what afflicting Fears, to what grievous Defpondency, fhould I be perpetually liable, if my own Faith was the Ground of my Juftification. Bleed be the FATHER of Mercies! We have a furer Support. Not upon Faith, but upon its gracious AUTHOR, and glorious OBJECT, is the Hope of Ifrael founded. Yet

Not upon our LORD's Righteousness, confidered only as paffive; but upon his active and pasfive Obedience united. All that He did, in Conformity to the Commands of the Law; and all that He fuffered, in Submiffion to its Penalty. Both which, immensely dignified by his divine Nature,

are a Bafis for our Faith, which nothing can shake; are a Foundation for our Affiance, which can never be removed.-Nothing elfe, in any Creature, or in all Worlds, could expiate the leaft Sin. This, not only expiates all Sin, but gives a Title, to every Bleffing-to the Bleffings of Grace, and of Glory of evangelical Holiness, and everlasting Happiness.

DIA