opposition to its doctrines, in their simplicity and purity, by the world; that is to say, those who have most sway in it, who are the most passionate admirers of its fashions, and the most assiduous prosecutors of its honours and pleasures.

It may also be observed, that there is sometimes, perhaps even generally, a sovereignty of divine providence in the choice of the instruments employed in spreading the Gospel. As at first twelve illiterate fishermen were chosen, so, often since that time, the weakest and most unlikely have been pitched upon, "that our faith might not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Hence it frequently happens, that it is not only difficult to make men believe the Gospel, but even to persuade them to hear it. They are apt to despise and deride the message, because of the meanness of the messenger, or the homeliness of the terms in which it is delivered. This is particularly the case with the present age. From a certain love of ease, and luxury of mind, they despise and trample upon all instructions which have not something pleasing and insinuating in their dress and form.

You, Sir, are one of those happy few, who have been willing to consecrate the finest natural talents to the service of Christ in the Gospel, and are not ashamed of his cross. You have been able to procure attention on some subjects, from many who would hardly have given it to any other writer. This hath made me observe, with particular attention, the effect of your last performance, Theron and Aspasio, the character given to it, and the ob

jections raised against it. And I have always found, that the most specious and plausible objection, and that most frequently made against the doctrine of justification by imputed righteousness, has been in this case, as indeed usually before, that it loosens the obligations to practice. This is what I have particularly applied myself to refute in the following Essay, because I have rarely observed it done distinctly, and at full length, in any writer. And I have addressed it to you, as a testimony of my esteem of your excellent and useful writings, as a public declaration of my espousing the same sentiments as to the terms of our acceptance with God, and my ambition of contributing some small assistance to the support of the same glorious cause. It was also no small inducement to it, that thereby it might appear to all, that no external distinctions, or smaller differences, ought to be any hinderance to a cordial esteem and affection among the sincere servants of our common Master.

The greatest part of what follows was first delivered in two sermons, but it is now thrown into the form of an essay, lest the despised title of a sermon should offend some, and that it might the better admit of several additions, both in the body of the piece and in the notes, which could not have been so properly delivered from a pulpit. Some of these regard the philosophical principles which have of late been published among us, of which I propose, in a short time, a much fuller discussion; as there is no way in which the truths of the Gospel are more perverted, than by what the apostle Paul calls

"philosophy, and vain deceit, and oppositions of science falsely so called.”

That your useful life may be prolonged, and that you may have the honour of contributing more and more to the conversion of sinners, and the edification and comfort of believers, is the earnest prayer of,

SIR,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

J. W.

AN

ESSAY

ON

JUSTIFICATION.

ALL the works and ways of God have something in them mysterious, above the comprehension of any finite understanding. As this is the case with his

works of creation and providence, there is no reason to expect it should be otherwise in the astonishing method of the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ. From this their mysterious nature, or rather from the imperfect measure and degree in which they are revealed to us, they are admirably fitted for the trial of our ingenuity, humility, and subjection. "They are all of them, when seriously and impartially inquired into, holy, just, and good; but at the same time, not beyond the cavils and objections of men of prejudiced, perverse, and corrupt minds.

The apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, whom he had never been in person, at great among length establishes the fundamental doctrine of the gospel, That sinners are justified by the free grace God, through the imputed righteousness of a Redeemer. To this doctrine, men do by nature make

of

the strongest opposition, and are, with the utmost difficulty, brought to receive and apply it. We may well say of it in particular, what the same apostle says of the truths of God in general, that "the natural man doth not receive them." It is therefore highly necessary to prevent or remove, as far as possible, the objections that may be brought against it by the art or malice of Satan, who will, no doubt, bend the chief force of all his engines against this truth, knowing that the cordial reception of it is a sure and effectual, and indeed the only sure and effectual means, of destroying his power and influence in the heart. Accordingly we find the apostle, in the sixth chapter of the above-named Epistle, and first verse, supposes an objection made against this doctrine in the following terms: "What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" To which he answers by rejecting the consequence with the utmost abhorrence, and in the strongest manner affirming it to be without any foundation.

From the introduction of this objection by the apostle, we may either infer that there were, even in these early days, some who branded the doctrine of redemption by the free grace of God with this odious consequence; or that he, by the inspiration of the Almighty, did foresee that there should arise, in some future periods of the Christian church, adversaries who would attempt to load it with this imputation: or that the doctrine is indeed liable, on a superficial view, to be abused to this unhappy purpose, by the deceitful hearts of men who are wedded to their lusts. It is probable that all the