Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN A LETTER TO THE REV. - O F JUSTIFICATION O R THE VULGAR NOTION O F IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS SHEWN TO BE GROUNDLESS BY JOSEPH JANE B. D. E? T? Jjxa? EuayyfAt'^flTa* HAP' O Gal. 1.9. BRISTOL PRINTED BY WILLIAM PINE MDCCLXVI. ADVERTISEMENT. THE occafion of this Letter fhews itfelf. That the writer defigned it for publication as little as the laft 'he wrote to his Attorney, the reader of dif- cernment will eafily perceive, in truth, he neither took a rough draught, nor was at the pains of copying what he had written, the copy which he makes ufe of was taken by a youth for his inftruc- tion before it was fent by the poft. What the writer thought of it and of himfelf, when he gave it to the printer, may be judged of from the motto, which occurred to him as proper for the title page: " out of the mouth of babes &c." at the fame time he is not more confci- ous of his extreme inability to execute any talk which requires the leaft ftrength of body or mind, than fenlible that enough is here lifped out to declare and vindicate the truth. His impotence is the plea 'he ufes to folicit the can- dour of the few who underftand either language or argument. That wedge- A2 10;. ( 4 ) like faculty of penetrating the fubjed propofed, or the reafoning formed of it, or the language whereby that rea- foning is fet forth, is aftonifhingly rare. He hath fometimes fancied, that the juft definition of man is ' religious,' or e capable of religion.' becaufe it may be queftioned, whether other animals cannot reafon. the more he knows of the religious world, the more he is in danger of queftioning, whether all men can. Happily for mankind, to believe what GOD hath declared, in language plain enough for them to underftand, falls within the compafs of all who are concerned to have and exercife that faith and worfhip which He requires, fimply as needful to their prefent and eternal welfare. And it feems to him, that nothing hinders this benign in- tention from taking place fo much as the conceit, which the moil ignorant and itupid fondly entertain, that they are capable of reafoning about things the moil abftrufe; and for the difcovery of which even the notices given in Holy Scripture are infuflicicnt. Alas! when ( 5 ) will even wife men acknowledge, that the Gofpel of JESUS CHRIST is all matter of facl, credible on Divine tejlimony; (fo circumftanced as to allure " the pure in heart," that it is Divine;) and that you reject the teftimony, and ceafe to be- lieve, when you begin to reafon, expect demonftration, or defire a proof? Agreeably to this confideration, the (impleminded writer of this letter hath the pleafure to reflect, that he never was guilty of fubmitting any thing re- veled to the cognifance of human rea- fon; (which is, in effect, his own appre- henfion of the matter;} much lefs of at- tempting to prove, from principles of human knowledge, that GOD cannot exift fo or fo; cannot do fo or fo; or muft aft fo and fo: cannot require fuch or fuch things; or muft require fuch and fuch things : for inftance, 6 that He can- not or will not inflict everlafting punifh- ment; notwithftanding what He hath threatened.' on the other hand, it hath ever appeared to him unfcriptural, un- warrantable and blafphemous to fay, ' that ourbeftaclions areHell-deferving:' ( 6 ) not only ' that the leaft fin deferves to be punifhed everlaftingly,' but even ' that the leaft wandering of thought, when the mind mould be full of .awe, hath in it that malignity : is a fin of infinite demerit ; and, being com- mitted againft an infinite Being, lays the offender under the neceffity of fuf- fering, and the Divine lawgiver 'of in- flifting, endlefs punifhment.' and he well remembers, fo long agoe as he was an undergraduate at College, that, when learned difputants turned the chair of Evangelic wifdom into a ftage of Polemic fophiflry, he left them the moment they left their author, the word of GOD. Doth any one fay, Hath the Chriflian preacher no occafion or caufe to argue any point which is of Divine authority?' Yes. frequent and great : againft them who allow the words of the Great Char- ter of Salvation, and wreft them. To mew, with all the exaclnefs of argument, juftnefs of compofition, clearnefs, pre- cifion and elegance of language and difcourfe, which the fubjecl; on one hand deferves, or on the other will ( 7 ) admitt of, What is reveled, What " the truth is in JESUS," this Effayift, who la- ments his weaknefs and incapacity, judges to be a noble tafk. It grieves him, that of them who are qualified for the tafk fo few are willing to undertake it. How eafy were it for men of fenfe and learning to handle and difcufs in a mafterly and graceful manner what hath fallen from his pen at random ! He blef- feth GOD, that he hath ever been en- abled to keep in view that chief Pole- flar of the minifterial function rf uV^ (# Tro^a) o yiygonrrai f the Spirit is needful, and hath been given, to bring him to this temper, it is admitted and fuppofed, that he hath been led, fo far as he hath been led in the way of truth, by the Spirit of GOD, the Spirit of truth and purity. Here then, as it ( 25 ) feems, the caufe re (Is. To this temper he is brought, in this date he is. Now, being in this (late, though he commit* many trefpaffes againft the law of GOD, and think verily, that he ought to do many things contrary to what GOD hath reveled to others,' yet, forafmuch as ' he doth it ignorantly, through unbelief, (not having that ' meafure of faith, which is knowledge, Rom. 12. 4. yet t dealt to him;') may we not account him s a veffel of mercy, fitted for falva- tion' ? Defert is out of the queflion. the point is, whether GOD regard the dif- ference of moral character. (For, that there is a difference of moral character in ' them that are without,' who will gainfay?) And, if this be acknowleged, there is an end of the conteft. If this be denied; (fo that, though the differ- ence be allowed, it mail avail only to the abatement of endlefs mifery;) it is afked moft preflingly, ' Human autho- rity apart, the reafon?' and we plead the Scriptures and " the mercies of GOD" D with confidence. Is this a delicate fub- ject ? and ' am I taken up (doth he fay) With Zu yaapa? raur' i/ai r^ariwrixa; 1 aniWCr, with that Attic Patriot, J TPA&n. ne cenfeo quidem. fentio tantum. et ea q'uae fentio jamjam audacler effari fubit.' May it not be prefumed of fuch a man, without derogation to the Redemption which is in JESUS, nay, by virtue of the Redemption which is in JESUS, that f his name is written in the book of life?' that, whatever he ought to think of himfelf, and will think of himfelf, when he knoweth himfelf, neither hath he caufe to abandon himfelf to defpair, nor believers warrant to pafs fentence on him? May they not rather pleafe themfelves with the hope, that, though he have not ' tafted, that the LORD is gracious,' yet he is an object of His companion and ' long-fuffering, Who knoweth whereof we are made, and winketh at ignorance unavoidable'? And therefore on this ground of rea- foning he advances farther, and re- marks, that it doth not feem reafonable, that all who receive the fame meffage, ( 27 ) taken in the fame refpecl, fliould be affecled in all points equally as others, and that for this plain reafon: ' they are not all in the fame condition.' tofpeak a plain truth boldly; * they are not all ungodly' not in the degree that the Jews fuppofed Abraham to have been ungodly, no, not in any degree. Surely he who liftens to the voice of GOD, reach it him ever to confufedly, is not in truth, pofitively and abfolutely, un- godly : however the Jews who called all other nations " ungodly," and " fin- ners" X*T IJfow, might be pleafed to flyle him fo. ' Away with fuch a blafphe- mer !' He hears the cry of the multi- tude; that multitude, of various com- plexions, characters and denominations which pique themfelves on their Or- thodoxy ; and begs not to be condemned unheard. Patience he intreats, while with all the affeclion and folicitude of a grateful member and faithful mi- nifter of the Church of England he humbly fubmitts that ground of diftinc- tion which he hath mentioned (earneflly Ds ( 28 ) defirous of being convinced and con- victed of error and temerity, if he be miftaken in what he begs leave to fubmitt) to the deeper confideration of fo many of his Brethren or Superiors as fhall give themfelves the trouble of perufmg his animadverfions. If then a man of no unfriendly fpirit, who feeks truth ardently and warily in all religious enquiries, who takes plea- fure in profeffing, that he abhorrs that ' knowledge which purFeth up,' and de- lights in that ' charity, which edifieth,' may be permitted to think aloud, he would fay, as he hath often thought with himfelf ; that all have not led the fame life, have not the fame fentiments, are not in the fame ftate, when they receive the knowledge of the GofpeL that all are fmners : not all equally. For inftance; the famous Indian Pried, lately converted to the faith of Chrift, had he not gradual openings of the truth in his heart, long before the light of the Gofpel fhone clearly to him? joy then, we may fuppofe, and his hif- tory aflures us, joy (as with the ThefTa- lonians and other idolaters of old,) fil- led his heart, in much greater meafure than anguifh or aftonifhment, when he became well acquainted with 'the counfel of GOD' concerning the Salva- tion of Man. To wave all confideration of what may be the ftate of fome at prefent in Heathen countries, when the Gofpel reaches them; and to confine our ob~ fervation to what occurs in Scripture- hiftory; and out of great variety to mention two perfons only ; the ftate of a Zaccheus and of a Cornelius is widely different. Zaccheus probably was a Jew, who had enriched himfelf by op- preflion and extortion, as a publican : Cornelius, though a Gentile, was " de- vout, and prayed to GOD alway." Zac- cheus was to be " recovered out of the fnare of the Devil:" Cornelius 'to be led onward in the path of duty. Both in- deed were to be fhewn their wretched- nefs by nature, without both the aids and indulgences of Divine grace, but to awaken, quicken, heal " the flave of corruption" was quite another thing ( 30 ) from giving abundant confolation, in- ftru&ion and encouragement, to " the child of GOD." They who make San&ification a dif- tin6l affair from Juftification, and al- ways and altogether fubfequent, might do well to confider ' the reafon of the thing' ? Yes. that would fave a deal of idle conje&ure and fruitlefs difquifi- tion. but, as they would hardly have entertained fuch a conceit, if they had not made a wrong eftimate of particular cafes, and as fire draws out fire, they might be cured of their miftake by poring a little over the cafe either of Cornelius or ofZaccheus. Or, if this does not clear the point, let them view Cornelius in comparifon with another Heathen, abandoned to his lufls and paflions ; ungodly, (in another manner and meafure than Abraham appears ever to have been,) unchafte, unjufl. How differently will the fame Gofpel found to one and to the other \ And where does that difference lie ? In the men. And to what is that difference owing ? Is it not to the purity and piety ( 3' ) of the one ; or to the impurity and im- piety of the other ? And is not the dif- ference confiderable ? How was it with the two thieves who were crucified with JESUS ? Doth not all faith depend on the preparation of the heart? And while this difpofition remains on one fide and indifpofition on the other, will not their feelings, and your applica- tion, in reafon, differ accordingly ! Was it to be expected, was it fit, that a Cornelius fhould tremble as a Fe- lix, at the mod fevere difcourfe of the nature and neceffity of " righteoufnefs or temperance," or at the moft aweful difplay of " a Judgement to come?" Certainly, not. Were perfons of cha- racters fo .oppofite, as oppofite as light and darknefs,to be addreffed in the fame manner ? Surely, not. A different cafe requires different treatment. Accord- ingly they whofe difpofition and way of life was different were treated diffe- rently. And their converfion, or the change wrought in them by the effufion of Divine light, is differently fet forth in Holy Scripture. This is true of them C 32 ) who receive the Gofpel of CHRIST. All are not in a Date to receive the Gofpel: not being " difpofcd to eternal life." Hence that complaint and remark of the great Evangelifl of old : " if our Gofpel be hidden, it is hidden to them that are loft, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not: left the light of the glori- ous Gofpel of CHRIST, Who is the image of GOD, fhould fhine unto them." 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. Such was the defperate condition of a Felix. Taken then or now, how can it be fuppofed to happen otherwife, than that fome mould be wholly changed by the light of the Gofpel, others in part? Let the authentic records of the firft converfions be examined thoroughly for information. Some were " dead in trefpaffes and fins," when the tidings came, " that a great prophet is rifen up among us." and Faith in CHRIST was the firft action wkichjhewed, that they were " alive from the dead." Of this number probably was Zaccheus; as well as the penitent thief, (not that he ( 33 ) was unawakened, when the blefled JESUS " came that way." the work of the Spirit was begun, " the day had dawn- ed" with him before.) Others, both Jews and Gentiles, believed in GOD, and feared him, time paft ; and defired to know and to do His Will. They are not now " to have their eyes opened:" neither need they " to be turned from darknefs to light." " the day-ftarhath" it may be long e'er this " arifen in their hearts." The Gofpel doth not put them into quite another ftate. it alters their condition greatly; doth not change it entirely. The religion of JESUS is not altogether a new thing to them, the name of JE- SUS is. The mention of a Saviour is prodigious, of fuch a Saviour, and of fuch Salvation ! This difcovery en- larges their profpeft beyond meafure. it opens a new fcene to them, it en- lightens and gladdens them as the Sun " clear mining after rain." the light and fenfe of what they perceive, and enjoy as their own, fills them with aftonifhmeiU and exultation. E ( 34 ) Who feel their wants will eafily believe : Pardon the humble thankfully receive. Pardon obtain'd, devotion is the fruit; Love is \\\cfpirit, gratitude the root. See, where the force of love hath paved the way, Who finned moft the foremoft to obey. Zaccheus thus declar'd his fenfe of fin: The brighter flame fhew'd ftronger fire within. Some need repentance more; all 'light Divine, Is there who would with greater luftre fhine ; Who hails the faint and thinly fcatter'd ray ? On him is pour'd meridian blaze of day. Cornelius drank, Cornelius thirfted more : A well of life arifes at his door. He who refines and famions human hearts To various perfons various gifts imparts. The fordid wretch is purged of bafe defirss ; The meek to greater lowlinefs afpires. Each, as he eyes the LORD with face unveil'd, Perceives more fenfibly, wherein he fail'd. becomes every day, all his life long, more penitent, more humbled, more thankful, more joyful, more dutiful, more affectionate, more zealous, more fearful, more careful ; more grieved for pad offenfes and mifchievous ex- ample, for " negligences and igno- rances," innumerable, inexcufable, in- tolerable, for floth and idlenefs, for every folly or levity which hath efcap- ed him ; and more defirous of being exemplary and ufeful for the future. ( 35 ) With penfive ftep, yet eager pace, they run : Think 'all is naught, while aught remains undone. JESUS the leader holds the ftiining prize : JESUS, their King, their Prieft, their Sacrifice. Enraptur'd with the thought of matchlefs love, They fpurn the joys of fenfe, and long to be above. If this fubject be nearly fo pleafing to the reader as it is to the writer, he will gladly dwell with him a while on thefe confiderations. What is irreligion, in the fource, but the malignity of hu- man nature? What is religion, confi- dered as a principle, fo far as it pre- vails, but the bettering of men's minds and manners? Whatever doth this in any meafure hath in it the character of true religion. What doth or is quali- fied to do it perfectly in all refpe6ls, without abatement or depravation, is abfolutely pure. Is the knowlege of GOD, of the Gofpel of CHRIST, is Faith in the LORD JESUS requifite to the ob- taining of this rare temperament, of this excellence of virtue, this blefled- nefs of fpiritual condition? Then is this acquifition " the pearl of great price' 5 . and every ftep leading to the E 2 difcovery of it is of ufe, and to be ac- counted as fo much gained, and the accomplifhment of all which man can wifh for on this fide 'the grave, and the prefage and foretalte of all 'he can enjoy on the other, is a clear and com- prehenfive, vital and experimental knowlege of " the Truth, as it is in JESUS". ' Art thou a believer, my brother ? and doft thou " love the LORD JESUS in fincerity ?" Then thou wilt find, thou haft found more pith and marrow, more juice and nourifhment, in two or three fuch texts as thefe, " This is life eternal, to know Thee, &c." " Bleffed * are the poor in fpirit : &c." "Bleffed are the pure in heart : &c." " Be ye followers of GOD, as dear children." " Be ye merciful, as your Father which is in Heaven is merciful." " and walk in love, as CHRIST alfo hath loved us :" &c. than in all the voluminous Com- mentaries and Inftitutions of Luther, Calvin, and all their followers. Or, if thou needeft for folace, or defireft for entertainment, to inlarge thy under- ( 37 ) Handing, fharpen thy apprehenfion, quicken thy relifh of Divine things, to gladden, expand, and fire thy heart, the breathings and glowings of human fpirits, which have trodden the narrow path before thee, and " through faith and patience inherit the promifes," take a page of Shaw or Scougal ; ( and will they humble thee too? for that thou feekeft.' Ah thy falfe heart, my bro- ther ! if they do not ;) thofe " burning, ihining lights ;" which " held forth the word of Life" with unclouded, unful- lied luftre. Or, if the fervour of thefe fpiritual writers do not enliven thee for Heaven and deaden thee to the World enough, or if thou art defirous of flame or fuel for devotional offices, the ardours of a Ken will try, what metal thou art of.' What is the fond amufement, (this writer mentions freely and affection- ately, with the tendered concern, what extravagances he hath obferved ; and which it hath often given him pain to obferve, attended with effects in fome moil pitiable, in fome deteftable : but, admitting the truth of every polition and expreflion,) what is the foothing charm of thofe favourite notes, ' the righte- oufnefs of CHRIST,' ' a whole Saviour,' < the finifhed work on the Oofs,' ' the plerophory of Faith,' ' the faithfulnefs of GOD,' ' a Covenant ordered in all things and fure'; What * that difmal ditty " A choice drop of honey from the Rock CHRIST;" &c. &c. to fuch ftrains of manly fenfe and angelic tafte as thefe ? " Happinefs, Heaven is no- thing elfe but a perfect conformity, a chearful compliance of all the powers of the foul with the Will of GOD. fo that as far as a godly foul is thus con- formed to GOD, and rilled with His fulnefs, fo far is he glorified on earth." " Therefore, Chriftians, if you will make a judgement of your flate, lay your hearts and lives to the rule, THE ETERNAL GOODNESS, and fee, whether you refemble that copy. For confor- mity to the image and Will of GOD, that is religion, and that GOD will own for His likenefs : when all the counter- ( 39 ) feits and fhadows of it will fly away, and difappear for ever."- Quanto re&ias hie, qui nil molitur inepte ! This is the language of Shaw, in his IMMA.NUEL. And Scougal hath adopted fome of it in that fweet treatife, " The life of GOD in the foul of man." where, after other like touches copied from the fame hand, he clofes the paragraph with that bold profeflion of his elder Brother, a little foftened : I would rather fee the real imprejfions of a God-like nature on my Soul, than have a vifionfrom Hea- ven ; or an angel fent to tell me, that my name is enrolled in the book, of Life. Now, that Shaw is wordy, and apt to abound in figures or to dwell on them too much ; or, that you need not em- brace every point which he maintains as true and evangelical ; hinders not, that he was a pure and perfect Chriflian, and (taken in the whole of his charac- ter) a fmcere and faithful Minifler of the Gofpel, as ever was. Add what may feem wanting of the penetrative (kill, fine reafoning, chafte manner of a Butler, and furely nothing can be ( 40 ) expecled or defired more exact and finifhed in the fchool of JESUS. This, this " good fruit" is the grain, which the wife and virtuous feek for. the reft is chaff or muck or rubbifh. " No morality, no religion," faith Mr. Venn excellently well, " where the Gof- pel is offered, can be acceptable to God, but that which is exercifed in entire dependance upon JESUS CHRIST; which proceeds out of a believing, humble heart, and confifls in conjlant exercife of all thofe tempers, towards the world, our fellow-creatures, and our God, which were in Chrift Jefus. [Complete Duty of Man, p. 374.] The writer hath fome where met with this fling at hoodwinked Gofpellers: " For empty fubtilties let fools contend: Faith is the mean, Obedience is the end." " He who cometh to GOD muft believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them who diligently feek him." Heb. 11. 6. " Looking unto JESUS, the au- thor and Jinifher of faith": Heb. 12. 2. who hath led the way, reached the goal, and now difpenfeth the crown of life to them " that obey Him": *Vrw- ' that follow His ileps.' " looking for that bleffed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great GOD and our Saviour JESUS CHRIST : Who gave Him- felf for us ; that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to Himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works" Tit. 2. 13, 14. " Without the Scriptures I might have fuppofed, that there would be a Judgement hereafter: wherein every man fhould be treated in a manner fuit- ed to HIS REAL CHARACTER." [Walker's Sermons, vol. i. p. 335.] What need then of THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST; as vulgarly Underftood? The good Mr. Shepherd faw caufe above 120 years agoe to bid men beware of " making a di/hclout of the righteoufnefs of CHRIST." [Sincere Convert, laft page.] Quid ft vidiffet ! Surely it were eafy to (hew, and the writer thinks it needful to re-mark, and fufficient to note briefly, that the now vulgarly received notion of that cele- brated appellation of Ifrael in one place, and of Jerufalem in the other, F ( 42 ) '{Jer. 23. 6: 33. 16.) proceeds from a grofs mifnomer. It feems to him to be ftrangely imagined, that the LORD QESUS) is fpoken of as to be called " our righteoufnefs;" when it is faid, that Jerufalem, and Ifrael like wife, " (hall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS:'' Judicial righteoufnefs: more intelligibly, vindication: or, if you plezfeyjiiftificatien: which is, (for reafons well known to the learned and to every intelligent reader,) jufl-ifier ; judge, avenger, deliverer, SAVIOUR, as the context abundantly demonftrates. Latine dixeris " JEHOVAH Vindex feu Staior nofter." quemadmo- dum " The flrength of Ifrael," i Sam. 15. 29. (victory in the margin,) JEHOVAH " Vittor (docliflimus Spencer " Trinm- phator) Ifraelis :" Romanorum more, Ferctrius. * * The Perfon by whom, as alfo the manner in which the great deliverance, the " everlafling rightcoufnefs," here typified was to be accom- plimed, is, fet forth at large by liaiah, in the 53. chapter of his prophecy, efpeciaily at the 11. verfe : inyu &c. which feems to import trius much. " By taking diligent cognifance (fee Plal. i. 6. &c. &c.) of the pitiable condition ( 43 ) That the vulgar interpretation of the ' prophetic word' was not always in falhion, even fince Luther or Calvin bare fway among us, may be judged from what is faid in the Dictionary of Wilfon and Simpfon on the word ' righteoufnefs.' ' Govfo called: Who is righteoufnefs itfelf; and the author of {ill righteoufnefs in others." 'Right, (faith this writer:) this is, in efFecl;, the inter- pretation 'I contend for. For 'What is the caufe? Righteoufnefs. and Who are our adverfaries in the caufe ? " The enemies of all righteoufnefs.'' and Who is our Advocate, Avenger, or de- liverer? JESUS, and What is our deli- verance? Spiritual, and How doth He deliver us? by the Word and Spirit: by F 2 of fmful mortals with the moft compaffionate regard fhall my tenderhearted Envoy fuccour and " fave to the uttermoft them that come to Me by Him;" even differing for them.' "The Son of man came not to be miniftered to; but to minifter : even to give His life a ranfom for many." " GOD was in CHRIST, reconciling the world unto Himfelf; not imputing their trefpafles unto them." r 44 ) faith and love " cleanfing us from allun- righteoufnefs " [_' from all fin.' really: not judicially; as S. John feems to have in- tended, (nor let any caviller fay, that this writer intends Perfection.) " GOD is with all confidence to be relied on. He will not fuffer us to be tempted above that 'we are able: but will with the temptation alfo make a way to efcape ; that we may be able to bear it." The being delivered by GOD out of all whe- ther temptations or tribulations hath this final iffue, purification. In this com- preheniive fenfe, as it appears to him, "GoDJuftifieth (ITCH) His cleft." Rom. 8. "Is any thing too hard for GOD ?" Jer. 32. 27. His words are acts, and as -01 (word) paffes current for thing, the Divine procedure is often fignified by forenfic terms ; expreflive of a kind of verbal procefs. Places of this kind are too obvious to need mentioning. Luckily the margin at Ifa. 50. 8, 9. re- ferrs to Rom. 8. 32, 33. That inflances of behaviour the fartheft imaginable from any thing judicial mould be fo fpoken of, hath nothing new in it. ( 45 ) It is rather furprifing, that fo many, through inattention, wonder at phrafes and figures of fpeech, as ftrange and unaccountable, in ancient, Eaftern wri- ters, when all countries at all times have had the fame, in lefs meafure, and we may obferve the fame every day at home. How familiar is it with us, for inflance, to call 'hurting any perfon or thing by accident ( doing an injury or a prejudice !' There appears to be no more neceflity of fuppofing Paul to have had in view fome aft of judicature, in the place referred to, than our LORD, when He allured His difciples, that " nothing mould by any means hurt them." *& v <,>*? ^ AAIKHSH.] His dulnefs, he confeffeth, is infuper- able, if he be in an error, when he pro- fefleth his aftonifhment, that ever thofe words, conftrue them how you will, " The LORD our Righteoufnefs" mould be deemed equivalent to " The LORD His righteoufnefs is ours." Rather, he apprehends, they are as like as the cafe will admitt to a phrafe which occurrs m a Pfalm of thanks for temporal deli- ( 46 ) vjerance; PJai. 92. 15. " The LORD my ftrength." ' * And again, Pfd. i 44. i. Or may he venture to fay, that the next verfe furnifhes a word ex- a&ly fimilar? Htfi: well tranflated of old "my hope"; with a marginal intimation, * mercy': not fo well rendered fmce, " my goodnefs." unlefs it be understood as ' Who art good to me.' as we fay, ' my Lave; * who art dear and kind to me.' And this interpretation equally fuits " our righ- teoufnefs": taken as ' Who is righteous; juji^ and confequently (as he ' hdpeth us againft the ene- my') gracious to us.' The truth is, 1CH, taken in its origin, efpeci- ally when fpoken of GOD, very nearly corref- ponds, with greater both energy and flexibi- lity of fignification, to irfaoia,'. which includes juvota as the motive. " The providence of Thy goodnefs" (in the Litany of the Church of Eng- land) declares the force of it entirely. On this character of The moft High all hope in Him is grounded, all petitions formed. As another Colleft foon after, analogous to the former, in- dicates. " that we may put our whole trufl and confidence in Thy mercy". And the objeft of this inexhauftible loving- kindnefs and Divine protection (which includes almighty power, in- tiie\.ibleju/lice, impartiality, irrefillible vindication) is accordingly called in the fame language TCP. who is alfo luppofed to be deeply fenfible of the care and protection of His Heavenly Father. In like manner, as it appears, from piy, vindi- ( 47 ) This writer hath ever marvelled with great concern, that even they who im- derftand the original languages fhould in numberlefs places of the Bible be led away with the lure of found, or nation, fakation, comes p'TV, taken paffively, vindicated, faued. Pfal. 97. 12: 118. 20. &c. This chief and ruling fenfe of the word ten appears, under various afpecls, in very many places, a few fhall be mentioned, to excite the curiofiry of the reader. Pfal. 16. 10: 62. 12: 85. 10 : 86. 2: 89. 25: 101. i: 145. 10. Prov. 20. 28. 1CH in perfection, it may be faid, goes near to finifh the character of a perfect Go- vernor. On the other hand it may be faid, that " a king fitting in the feat of judgment, and fcattering away all evil with his eyes," Prov. 20. 8. is the image of "ten [Mercy] in perfection. From this fruitful fource, of Love and Parental concern for the welfare of others, what may not fpring? will not attention, ajjiduity, conjlancy, (of the beneficiary likewife, in the reciprocal offices of devotion, } punctuality ; whether in promife (oath). or performance? Inflances of this ufe of the word are very frequent. Ifa. 55. 3. is the mod memo- rable, and it is obfervable, that the Seventy ufe oVio? (which indeed differs little in found,} in all thefe cafes, of which the margin of large Bibles at Acts 13. 34. affures the Englifh reader. "Oxs& rnfx: Ten cultor afliduus; Ten tf^ ' parcus et infrequens': turn qui penfi nihil habet, quid yield to the force of habit, in reading the prefent (in many refpe&s inimita- ble) Englifh tranflation. A fpecimen or two, befide what hath been menti- dixerit egeritve. PJitl. 43. i. VES"' " Give fentence with me," the old Tranflation, " and defend my caufe". happily fo far: poorly and perverfely afterwards, " againft the ungodly peo- ple." aptly the Seventy. TCH fcS "lit i$iw xx em's ' from a faithlefs nation* ' a gente parumpid, (perfidd, perjurd.) a viro dolofo et pravo, eripe me/ So manifeft is the notion of the word 1DP, here very cafually and briefly mentioned, not fully or clearly fet forth, (which requires large explication,) that the writer of thefe curfory remarks hath long perfuaded him- felf, that there is not a claufe where it occurrs, no, not Ifa. 43. 5. nor even Lev. 20. 17. which is not ealily reducible to this interpretation, in genere. Prov. 14. 34. hath not the leaft fliadow of difficulty. " Righteoufnefs exalteth a nation :" ' yea, Mercy in a people is better than Sacrifice. Prov. 25. 8, 9, 10. feem to be disjointed and ill tranflated. The g. and 10. verfes may be connected thus: " Difcover not a fecret to ano- ther; left he that hearcth it" ' do thee the fame kindnefi-, play thee the fame trick; 'and what thou haft blabbed unadvifedly never be recall- ed.' in TDn, Lev. 20. 17. hath much the ap- pearance of ' Piaculum !' res eft procuratione, piaculo digna: vel, quod perinde eft, res facra. * it is an execrable thing.' ( 49 ) oned,* relative to the fubject in hand, may be of ufe to prevent raw fcholars from being duped by unlearned or in- judicious, fuperficial, flimfy expofitors. i Cor. 15.34. " awake to righteoufnefs :" what is that? l**^ JxiV " awake righteoujly" . (old tranflation :) ' awake, as ye ought to do.' ' awake thoroughly '. AJ.CD. 12 11. X.XOTTW floWlXW - what is that? May it not be wj xa^Troi/ TIV oixaiov, (ft xj Jixce/w;) cc7ro^i7w*, ('& tifw,) ytyvpa|mf( as the fame author hath exprefled him- felf elfewhere, in language caft as much out of the common way. 2 Tim. 2. 6. TOV xo7nwi/T& ytw^yov JirTr^wTOV TWI/ xa^Trwi/ j,TaA^t(3avtv. Latine forfan haud inepte reddi potefl: ' fuo (jufto) tempore juftus fru6lus pro- G * Be it noted here, (as it efcaped notice in due place, page 47. line 18.) that Eucracy, were the word familiar, would exprefs the force of icn in many paffages of Holy Scripture, to mention one; Pfal. 62. 12. " to Thee, O LORD, hlongeth MERCY: (Literacy; 'the execution of Jujlice:') for Thou rendereft to every man ac- cording to his work." ( 5 ) venit.' May not Phil. i. 11. alfo be underftood in the fame manner, on the fame principle? fipt6, (be it noted, as it comes to mind,) Joel 2. 23. is evi- dently jujld menfura. What tranfpofitions the fenfe leads to, create no difficulty, though they be not io manifeft as 'xfoni? ETHA^O^?, " a forgetful hearer," or 1^^ ^?^^, " the ufe of edifying". And, to take away the feeming boldnefs of conftru&ion, be it afked ; IS not rx, Tnevpxrma, -rrJ? TTO^IX?, Eph. 6. 12. to be underftood as if it were WMU/T irowf*? So the margin: st wicked Spirits." and may not yw xoc-pxci/, Heb. 9. i. be defigned to fignify rov ayiov xoV/*ov? Or what IS TO Aoyinsi- yaiXx.? Every kind of Enallage is frequent in Holy Scripture, a fignal inftance oc- currs Rom. 6. 17. Utinam hi latices fitim cieant in ccelis extinguendam ! Amen. Faxit Dominus nofter JESUS CHRISTUS ! What account the compilers of our Liturgy made of the doctrine of * im- puted righteoufnefs' is evident, inaf- much as in the whole compafs of the ( 5> ) book of Common Prayer not the lead trace of it is to be feen. which indeed is the caufe, why the fmifhed modern Hyper-Calvinift ' abhorrs that offering of the LORD" : as favouring ftrongly of felf-righteoufnefs, and being altogether built on what thefe (harp-lighted reli- gioniils call ' the Self-juflifying plan/ What Solomon faid of itrife, " the be- ginning of it is as when one letteth out water," is eminently true of the leaft departure from that " Form of found words," (jyuwwVruv, unblodted,) which the Ministers of the Gofpel are bidden to " hold faft," and to relate Jimply, as it " was once delivered to the Saints.'* Surely it behoves all of us to " con- tend earneflly for the Faith of the Gof- pel :" " in all things mewing ourfelves patterns of good works ; in doclrine Jhewing uncorruptnefs, gravity, fince- rity, found fpeech, that cannot be con- demned ;" " in meeknefs inftrufting thofe that oppofe themfelves" : and to be very diligent and lofe no time in in- flilling " the fincere milk of the Word" G 2 into the lambs of the flock : left it be too late to think of guarding them againft the contagion of " fuch exfuf- folate and blown furmifes", as are now current among ferious people : when one adulteration of the truth makes way for another ; when a Tillotfon is held in abhorrence, when a Beveridge hardly efcapes the flames, when " the Baxterian Bible" is as much detefted by others as ever ' the Grotian Re- ligion' was by him, when Walkers f( Chriftian" is branded, as legal; when to read Doddridge's " Family Expofi- tor" is called ' working out our own righteoufnefs,' and his " Rife and pro- grefs of religion in the foul" A DEVOUT PATH TO HELL. And this, the voice of one diftinguifhed leader, is the fen- timent of a very numerous band of followers. How then muft the offices of our Church be derided ! And yet, mod flrange and unaccountable ! thefe men plead the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England. Either the Church or they have a marvellous fa- culty of fe If- contradiction. The Defk ( 53 ) fpake notably againft the Pulpit fome years ago on occafion of one extreme : it deferves as well to be heard now, Ihould it proteft as vehemently againft another. A few fhort Collects, of great figni- ficance, if they do not put our adver- faries to the blufh, (needs it to be faid, that the adverfaries here intended can only be the profeft members of the Church of England ? and let us alfo blufh, and weep, and cry earneftly in fecret, my Brethren ;) may fhew them, that they " know not, what manner of fpirit they are of," and add grace and ftrength to this prolufion. " O GOD, from whom all holy defires, all good counfels, and all jujl works do proceed ; &c." "O LORD, our heavenly Father, grant, that this day all our doings may be ordered by thy governance ; to do always that 'is righteous in thy fight: &c." "Almighty GOD, unto whom all hearts are open, all defires known, and from whom no fecrets are hidden ; cleanfe ( 54 ) the thoughts of our hearts by the infpi- ration of thy Holy Spirit ; that we may pcrfeElly love thee, and -worthily magnify thy holy name : &c." "Almighty GOD, who haft given thy only Son to be unto us both a Sacrifice for fin and alfo AN EXAMPLE of godly life ; give us grace, that we may always moft thankfully receive that his inefti- mable benefit, and alfo daily endea- vour ourfelves to follow the bleffed fteps of his moft holy life : Sec" " O Almighty GOD, who by thy Son JESUS CHRIST didft give to thy Apoftle St. Peter many excellent gifts, and commandedft him earneftly to feed thy flock ; make, we befeech thee, all Bi- fhops and Paftors diligently to preach thy holy word, and the people obedi- ently to follow the fame; that they may receive the crown of everlafting glory: &c." " O Almighty GOD, who haft inftrufted thy Church (muft we not underftand * in all things needful?) by the hea- venly doctrine of thy Evangelift Saint Mark ; give us grace, that, being not ( 55 ) like children carried away with every blaft of vain doclrine, we may be ef- tablifhed in the truth of thy holy Gof- pel: &c." " O LORD, who haft taught us, that all our doings without charity are nothing worth ; lend thy Holy Ghoft, and pour into our hearts that moft excellent gift of charity ; the very bond of peace, and of all virtues ; without which who- foever liveth is counted dead before thee: &c." An earneft wifli, " that the LORD may fend forth able and fkilful (otherwife they can hardly be faithful) labourers in the word and doctrine," who may flop the progrefs of herefy and fchifm, (hall fmifti this Apology; as hally, and (for every thing befide the fubjeft in debate) as unworthy of public notice, as the Letter to which it is prefixed. ACTON: May 8. 1766. ( 57 ) A LETTER TO THE REV. ******* November 30. 1764. DEAR SIR, YO U afk me, " what I think of the common refuge, Sincerity?" I dare fay; nearly the fame as you do. as a " refuge of lies." The fincerity of Infidels and worldlings is hypocrify and felfdeceit. But is any man Spiritual, inftead of Carnal; Heavenly, inftead of Earthly; Godly, inftead of ungodly? Him I call Sincere, one whom the FATHER loves and hath loved, adopted and carefled : need I fay, hath accep- ted, or, will accept, for CHRIST'S fake? The doftrine of " Imputation" I never H C 58 ) difallowed. I ever thought, that I am juitified, " accounted righteous, only for the Merits of our LORD and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST." and " Defervings ! :> I know of nothing in myfelf but Hell- defervings. It is as evident to me, as Scripture and common fenfe can make it, that I owe all my Salvation, from firfl to lait, to the Redemption which is in JESUS CHRIST; to the Obedience of " the WORD made Flefh." The Righteoufnefs of CHRIST ! what is it? a fingular character : expreflive of the Lamb of GOD, flain to take away the Sins of the World. The Divinity of CHRIST, what is it? the grand qua- lification of the Redeemer of mankind. Suppofe him not righteous, not iinlcfs, finfull; or (which is incomparably more,) not GOD, a Creature ; what be- comes of the Propitiation? The Righ- teoufnefs of CHRIST then, what is it? I anfwer : what is the Divinity of the man CHRIST JESUS? an efiential requi- fite in the perfon and Character of the Saviour. That this GOD became Man : (that This Man did not fin ! what of ( 59 ) that ?) that He endured all the infirmi- ties, all the diftrefles of human nature; nay, " the contradiction of Sinners againit Himfelf !" and, to complete all, having " humbled Himfelf thus far, be- came obedient unto Death, the death of the C'Fofs /" T^l; ^Cvj ITTU^T' luv, r&Jf -rir^ocrov, 'IX.ITO Talk you of His fulfilling the Law for us? Scholaftic figment, apage : (pace tua dixerim :) ne hilum quidem iftiufmodi in SS. repertum dederis. Gladly indeed do I wave and avoid all idle* vain> prefumptuous, audacious, human ratiocination about what refts wholly on Divine wifdom, for the fal, authority, for the relation ; and referr you, in this allufive way of fpeaking, " to the Law, and to the Teilimony/' and on this ground I take upon me to affirm, that JESUS, the bleffed JESUS, " fulfilled the law" of GOD for himfelf\ of Mofes, as alfo of the Jewifh State, cere- monies, and cuftoms, (even to the receiv- ing Baptifm otjohn ;*) and of the Roman * Will you fay, that the baptifm of John was Divine? Agree'd. Yet it bound not JESUS. Ha Government, (even to the paying tri- bute which was not due ;) for our exam- ple; that we likewife might be " fubjecl: to the Powers that be ;" and finally, the law (decree, p^n) of the Divine Oeco- nomy, in His incarnation, humiliation, fatisfaffiion, t( for us men, and for our Salvation/' Great account is made of Rom. 5. 18. I fee no more in it than this. What the man JESUS was obliged to do, as man, cannot be placed to our account. What more evident, than that, had he finned, he had wanted a Sacrifice for himfelf? What He did purely for us men, of that only can we reap the benefit. and what that is, is evident, all that He did, as the Median, all that He fuffered, as the regarded the account which the Jews made of it. it was held a mark of Sanclity. therefore he conformed. " to the Jews He became a Jew." Incredible is the philanthropy, Synca- tabafis, Anthropopathy, of GOD, both vifible and invifible. Well might JESUS fay, in this refpect, " He that hath (een Me, hath feen the Father." See this exemplified in all the lan- guage of the Scripture, in all the hiftory of the Jews, in all the apices of the Mofaic legiflation. Redeemer. All that the WORD, the WORD incarnate, the man CHRIST JESUS, did (or fuffered, which is the fame) in that character, in that office, fpecial, extraordinary, for our Salvation, (extra id, quod fieri oportebat, ne ipfe fieret peccator,) all is our's. by Faith. You afk not a detail of the particulars. I need not fo much as mention the firft. " That the WORD was made fe/hf" there is a fund of imputation. Does the word AWay** flick with you? Be pleafed to obferve, that in Scripture language ' to do the will of GOD/ in any cafe to do the thing required is righteouf- nefs\ TO SMXW npTy, hffwS: (Deut. 6. 25: 24. 13.) the thing required and like wife the thing done Ax*y*** (Rom. 8. 4: 5. 18. Heb. 9. i. Rev. 19. 8.) and the doing of it Axaioo-uW alfo the appointment and acceptance of it, (be it dn terms inex- preffibly gracious; as thofe of the Gof- pel;) like wife whatever is equitable 9 fuit- able, or covenanted, is called in the New Teflament ^xaoff->Mi. (Matt. 6. 33. Rom. 3. 21, &c. 14. u: 9. 30, 31: 10. 3. Jam. i. 20.) Jam. 3. 18. (A'K*o?) &Ci 2 Tim. 4. 8. & TK &x0to*ate T? fauty* Xcyn? cnrctyyixfoiv hoc enim a te cfflagitat amicitia; vfficium, (filly!) ut amid (fodalis is the word;) fermones referas. an intimate acquaintance was a very proper perfon There lies the ratio. ( 64 ) language as this: " the righteoufnefs of CHRIST imputed to a believer inftead of his own": "the want of a better righteoufnefs than our own"; " wherein to appear ! either now or in that day": " when we mud be jufhified as ungodly/' Yet, though inflexible in the point, furely I am, as all o aAnSWom? lv a'yawn^ very tra6lable in conceflion. A fort of Colled lhall declare my notion of the Ax*iw/*a, talk affigned, work required, (not untruely though unfafely called, be- caufe vulgarly and horribly perverted,) righteoufnefs, meritorious righteoufnefs, r Sfai/S^WTra' o? tpotSev dtp uv sVaS's ryv vvotKoyv. an other-guife tefh of obedience than that which was too hard for Adam. O almighty GOD, who of thy tender love towards mankind hail fent thy Son, thy only begotten Son, into the world, to take upon him our flefh ; and in that condition to bear poverty and diflrefs, hunger and thirft, watchings and fail- ings, wearinefs and painfulnefs; be in perils by his own countrymen, in perils among falfe brethren, be betrayed by one difciple, denied by another; and finally, after having endured the tempta- tions of Satan, and the contradictions of Sinners, been arraigned as an impoftor, and convicled as a blafphemer, mocked, buffetted, fcourged and fpit '-on, crow,- ned, robed, and fceptred in derifion, to fuffer; the juft for the unjuft, the Sove- reign for his fubjecls, the King for re- bels, the Creator for finful creatures; to fuffer death, even the death of the crofs ; being crucified between two thieves, and held more infamous than either ; to the intent that all believers, being juftified by thy grace, in confi- deration of this righteoufnefs, this obe- dience, this ineftimable oblation (this aftonifhing humiliation, this incredible patience, this God-like condefcenfion and long fuffering) of that fpotlefs Lamb, that GOD incarnate, (who was thus obedient to thy counfel and his re- folution, to thy Will and his confent, to thy appointment and his choice, that all who believe in him) fhould follow his example ; in all lowlinefs of mind, in all humblenefs and meeknefs, in all I patience and felf-denial, in all dutiful and chearful obedience, in all brotherly love and kindnefs to each other; O thou incomprehenfibly great and good GOD ! mercifully grant, that we may fo follow his example, in every point of imitation, as to partake of his recompenfe, at the refurre&ion of the juft; through the me- rits and interceflion of the fame gracious advocate and powerful mediator, JESUS CHRIST the righteous. Amen; Be pleafed to note, that ta.*>wv Jixaioir hang well together in conftruc- tion ; and, if fundered, have an apt coherence. The omiffion of the Article (TW) though never a proof, yet hath fometimes, as here, a very fignifi- cant look. nor (if taken apart from wafoxAurcv) can I underftand eVx.o in this place, nor almofl in anyplace of Scrip- ture, otherwife than as comprehe.nfwc of all moral goodnefs; (in GOD abfolute, in man with due rebatements ;) and peculiarly expreffive of what Moralifls call distributive juftice : no lefs in the favourable, than in the dreadful, no- tion of Divine intcrpolition. ( 67 ) chiefly in the views of benignity ; cort- ftantly of equity, fo as that the famd flroke brought relief, refcue, vindication, to the fuffering, endangered, opprefTect, which inflicted vengeance on the oppref- for. There is not a text in Scripture, dubious or indubious, of the interpreta- tion of which I am more allured, than I am, that ^uaioo-Jm and A'xajov, Rom. 3. 21 1 26. & quae fequuntur & quae interve- niunt omnia, referr (imply (while they declare the ailonifhing Mercy; agreea- bly this too to the benign, comprehen- five fenfe of rigkteoufnefs ;} to the moral truth, Equity, impartiality, of the Divine procedure in the adminiftratioh of Juf- tice, whetherjfo^rtf or gracious. In Iik6 manner, you (hall find, that amongft the ancient Greeks and Romans Kxxwi jujlus, cequus, (if it have nd reftricliori annexed,) always leans, if I may fay fo, to the fide of kindnefs. in St. Jokrfs epiftle, I can eafily under^ ftand by ft** ( ever ready to plead for^ vindicate, and, as need mail be, (and therefore alfo reprefented Jlanding at ( 68 ) the right hand of GOD, as in act) to fuccour * them that are grieved, or tempted, howfoever/ Doubtlefs, you have feen the preface to Mr. Venn's " Duty of Man." Be that production, as alfo the work 'it intro- duces, ever fo valuable, ever fo ufeful, it has that ufual overfight, of confound- ing the moral character, (the fpotlefs innocence, the finlefe obedience, the perfect righteoufnefs,) with the merits, the peculiar, tranfcendent obedience, of CHRIST, which could hardly efcape your obfervation. And, if I miftake not, there is great want of precifion in the manner, in which he fpeaks of " Works/' and of " Sincerity." You know, what exceptions I have to make to a man's being " inverted with a righteoufnefs exifting in the per- fon of JESUS CHRIST." I deny, as you know, &atrigkteou/he/s can be transferred: or any works; but * So, in a pafTagc of Menander; cited by Spencer: (de legg. Hebb.) OlKOi AlVtlV, (TM^QVTOC. T3? ( 69 ) thofe of Supererogation. True: (if that thought occurrs;) the whole Life of CHRIST was a work of Supererogation, the whole Life of CHRIST therefore may be transferred. This I acknowledge, and in this I rejoice, the righteoufnefs of His perfon cannot, no, nor the Di- vinity of it. What this righteous, this Divine perfon did or fujfered for us, is air, as I have explained myfelf at large, " a matter of imputation." " Dependence therefore on that righteoufnefs, wrought out by Him for Believers, as appointed of GOD for Sinners to truft in, is the precious Faith of the Gofpel." " All this/' as faid Sarah, Duchefs of Marlbo* rough, " I know to be true." but when that Author, agreeably to the notion 'he has formed of a perfonal righteouf- nefs, imputable, or transferable, from one to others, fets forth this Proportion, (aptly enough, as the conclufion of his premifes,) " Dependence on that righ- teoufnefs, as wrought out by Him for Believers, and appointed of GOD for Sinners to trufh in, is the precious Faith of the Gofpel," I ftand amazed, nse, C 7 ) ego defipio immane quantum, vel ig tota errat via. " At ab eodem angulo, quern acutiflimum dixeris, fit divorti- um." Fit. But I wave this capital, and now flale, objection. I contend not, that the fimpleji Faith in the Redeemer will beft " anfwer the exigence of the greateft finner" " at the hour of death." but, I confefs, it grieves me, that there fhould be the lead inconfideration, the fmalleft inaccuracy, when the momentous truths of the Gofpel are the fubjeft of inquiry. To put any thing for Gofpel, which is not ! ivotyyzXi > s