may spread, or how long they may live. Oh that the God of wisdom may enable you to judge aright, and correct their mistakes!

I am sorry to hear your account of our friend at I wish he could be persuaded to look upon his mystic writers as his chamber-counsel; converse with them in his study, and leave them there. I was visited yesterday by a gentleman who would be a darling with Mr H-; quite fond of mystics, but does not go any great lengths; nor espouse, at least not avow or propagate, their extravagant peculiarities. Your old acquaintance Mr came in, and sat with us, I believe, two hours. The gentlemen happened to refer to Isaiah vi. and desired I would read the beginning of the chapter: glad of this overture, I readily embraced it, and fixed the discourse to this noble, this alarming and comfortable Scripture. Oh! let us attend, with assiduity and delight, to the holy, precious word of God: the apostle calls it adorov yaλa, pure, unmixed, unadulterated, as though every composition had some improper tincture, was some way or other adulterated." My son," says the God of heaven, (and it is a most important advice, a most endearing exhortation), tend to my words, incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."

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at

As to Eph. iv. 16. does not σvvapμoλoysμevov refer to the orderly and exact arrangement? συμβιβαλομενον το the nice and strong connexions; but where is the beauty or propriety of πασης αφης της επιχορηγίας ? Why, "that which every joint supplieth?" Is there any peculiar fund of nutriment lodged in the joints? Would not an anatomist have said, by that which every vessel, or every ramification of a vessel, supplieth? I sincerely pity poor's case; I will give him two guineas; and hope the God whom he serves will raise him up other friends: "He that spared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how shall.

he not with him also freely give him all things?" Tell him this from me, though he knows it already; the Lord may make it a word in season. Charge him to say nothing of me and my mite, but as much for me to his God and Saviour as he pleases. I hope you will, when opportunity serves, strengthen Mr H- in the faith of the gospel, and in the ways of the Lord. Let us provoke one another to love and to good works; and so much the more as we see the day approaching. Yesterday Mr of Cambridge called upon me: our conversation was not so edifying as I could wish; it degenerated into dispute. Mr who is very much talked of, was the subject. I do not thoroughly know his scheme, but am inclined to suspect that his opponents will find it a difficult matter to maintain their ground. However, I shall not attempt to make myself fully master of the controversy. To know Christ and him crucified, hoc nobis palmarium. This is the desire and prayer of, ever yours, &c.

P.S.-The Latin prayer you sent me for my opinion, seems to be composed by a mystic. Not a word of Christ! Access through his blood is neglected; acceptance through his righteousness is forgotten! The grand error of the mystic divines, who, wholly intent upon what God is to do in us, most unhappily disregard what he has done for us, in the person of his beloved Son.

LETTER CXXXVIII.

Weston-Favell, March 19. 1755. MY DEAR FRIEND, A GOOD while ago I received your kind letter, and this week your valuable parcel. I confess myself obliged to your candour, as well as to your judgment, for excusing me, though I have not absolutely acquiesced in all your remarks; as well as for giving me many excellent corrections, which I have most thankfully adopted. I hope what I have written concerning faith, will occasion some

calm and friendly debates; I want to have that subject sifted, cleared, and stated. I must own, I am strongly inclined to side with our reformers; I cannot but think they adhere to the simplicity of the gospel. Christ died for me, seems to be the faith preached and taught by the apostles. I have not had time to peruse Mr, nor your manuscripts: you can hardly imagine how my time is engrossed, and my weak spirits almost overborne, partly by revising the work for a new edition, which is put to the press; partly by answering a variety of letters, sent to me on occasion of the publication; some of which censure, some approve of the performance.

I have read, with great pleasure, your short chronicle; have sent it to Mr Moses Browne, and received it again: hope you can spare it till I peruse it a second time.

I have lately been presented with a magnificent and costly Hebrew Bible, in four volumes folio, published by Father Houbigant, with which he has intermixed the apocryphal Greek books, styled by him Deutero-canonici. Have you seen this work, or heard its character? The author has subjoined notes to each chapter, which are employed chiefly in vindicating his alterations of the text. He is a bold enterprising writer, takes great liberties with the sacred text, and makes very many alterations, often without the authority of any manuscript, purely from his own critical judgment, or critical conjecture. If at any time you have a mind to know his opinion upon any difficult text, I will either transcribe it in his own words, or give you the substance of it in English.

His interpretation of Gen. xxii. 14. puts me in mind of an expression in your short chronicle. "It is my opinion, Abraham had never so clear a sight of the day of Christ as at this time." I fancy you will not be displeased with a copy of the learned Jesuit's criticism. "Vocavit nomen loci ejus "IEUE IRAT," Dominus videbitur. Non videtur ne ab futuro “CAH,”

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aberremus. Non videbit, non modo quia non additur quid fit Deus visurus, sed etiam quia in tota illa visione, hominis est videre, Domini videri; propter quam causam Deus locum istum mox nomine visionis insigniebat. Nimirum Deus Abrahamo id ostendit, quod Abraham vidit et gavisus est, seu Filium promissionis unigenitum pro humano genere victimam olim futuram. Atque hoc illud est, quod memoriæ sempiternæ Abraham consecrabat, cum ita subjungeret, Hodie in monte Dominus videbitur; illud hodie sic accipiens, ut accepit Paulus apostolus illid Davidis, Hodie si vocem ejus audieritis; quod hodie tamdiu durat, quamdiu sæcula illa durabunt, de quibus apostolus, donec hodie cognominatur. Errant, qui sic interpretantur, quasi Moses renarret usurpatum suo tempore proverbium. Nam si sic erit, non jam docebit Abraham, cur huic loco nomen fecerit, Dominus videbitur; quam tamen nominum notationem in sacris paginis non omittunt ii, quicumque nomina rebus imponunt. Quod contra plane docebit, Abraham, si de eo Moses sic narrat, vocavit nomen loci hujus, Deus videbitur; nam dixit, In monte Deus videbitur." This is a truly grand and delightful sense; would bid fair for preference, if it could be sufficiently established. But, besides other things which might be objected to this interpretation, it seems probable that the Lord did not appear to Abraham, only called to him "UKEDA." Christ says of Abraham, that he saw, not his person, but his day; nuega signifies, I suppose, much the same "IDERUT RURU," the remarkables, тa nu, in any one's life. He saw by faith his incarnation, obedience, death, all-satisfying atonement, &c. Is not this the meaning of our Lord?

Now I am upon the subject of difficult texts and exact interpretations, let me desire your opinion of Isa. xxx. 18. I have generally looked upon it as a declaration and a display of God's infinitely free grace, and profusely rich goodness. The great Vitringa considers it in quite a different light. "Moram trahet "IHEBE," Jehovah (are his words) in gratia vobis

facienda." For which sense he adds the following reason; "quia delicti gravitas repentinam gratiam non ferebat, secundum rationes justitiæ divinæ," The next clause he thus explains; Proptera, "IRUM," i.e. exaltabitur judici et justitia, antequam gratiam in vos exerceat.-Houbigant, on this verse, does nothing more than offer a small alteration, for "IREKIM" he would read "IREZIM," præstolabitur, that this verb may correspond with the preceding "IEKEH." I proposed to have closed the plan of 'Theron and Aspasio with an explicit and pretty copious treatise on evangelical holiness, or obedience; and to have shewn my true believer in his dying moments. If your thoughts should happen to take such a turn, be so good, dear sir, as to suggest what you think the most advisable and advantageous way of managing this important point. This would most effectually stop the mouths of Arminians, and be the best security against the abuses of Antinomians. I could wish, if it were the Lord's will, that I might live to furnish out one more volume of this kind, and then, manum de tabula.

As the new edition is partly finished, and the press proceeding at a great rate, and as there will be some few emendations, you will give me leave to present you with a set of what, I hope, will be least imperfect. Till this edition is finished, let me be your debtor in point of promise; and in point of affection and gratitude, I will be your debtor so long as I am, &c.

LETTER CXXXIX.

May 21. 1755. DEAR SIR,-My letters to you must always begin with thanks, and will generally close with inquiries. I am quite a proselyte to your guarded and sober method of using the Hebrew manuscript: though I talked some time ago with an adept in the sacred language, and most devout student of God's word, who would not so much as hear of alterations, from