der which the party may be placed, as to the means of understanding the gospel. No sooner is the heart turned towards Christ, than Christ is embraced. It is necessary that the evil humours of a jaundiced eye should be removed, before we can see things as they are: but no sooner are they removed, than we see. And if there be a priority in order of time, owing to the want of opportunity of knowing the truth; yet, where a person embraces Christ, so far as he has the means of knowing him, he is, in effect, a believer. The Bereans

received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so: therefore, it is said, many of them believed. And had they died, while engaged in this noble pursuit, they would not have been treated as unbelievers. This principle, therefore, does not involve the absurdity of a godly unbeliever. But, if its opposite be true, the absurdity of an ungodly believer must, undoubtedly, be admitted. Indeed, those who plead for it avow this consequence: for, though they allow that none but believers are justified; yet they contend, that, at the time of justification, the party is absolutely, and in every sense, ungodly; that is, he is, at the same instant, both a believer and an enemy of God!

I shall conclude, with a reflection or two on the consequences of the principle I oppose, with respect to addressing the unconverted:

First: If the necessity of repentance in order to forgiveness be given up, we shall not be in the practice of urging it on the unconverted. We shall imagine it will be leading souls astray, to press it before, and in order to believing; and afterwards, it will be thought unnecessary; as all that is wanted will come of itself. Thus it will, in effect, be left out of our ministry; but whether, in this case, we can acquit ourselves of having deserted the examples, and, of course, the doctrine, of John the Baptist, Christ, and his apostles, deserves our serious consideration.

Secondly: For the same reason that we give up the necessity of repentance in order to forgiveness, we may give up all exhortations to things spiritually good, as means of salvation.

Instead of uniting with the sacred writers in calling upon the wicked to forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his

thoughts, and to return to the Lord, that he

:

may have mercy upon him; we shall consider it as tending to make them Pharisees. Indeed, Mr. M'L. seems prepared for this conseIf I understand him, he does not approve of unconquence. verted sinners being exhorted to any thing spiritually good, any otherwise than as holding up to them the language of the law, for convincing them of sin. It is thus he answers the question, "Are unbelievers to be exhorted to obedience to God's commandments?" referring us to the answer of our Lord to the young ruler, which directed him to keep the commandments, if he would enter into life.* It is easy to perceive that his scheme requires this construction of the exhortations of the Bible: for, if he allow that sinners are called to the exercise of any thing spiritually good, in order to their partaking of spiritual blessings, he must give up his favourite notion of God's justifying men while in a state of enmity against him. True it is, that all duty, in some sort, belongs to the law considering it as the eternal standard of right and wrong, it requires the heart in every modification. Repentance, faith, and all holy exercises of the mind are, in this sense, required by it. But, as a covenant of life, it does not admit of repentance, and much less hold up the promise of forgiveness. When God says, Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin, this is not the language of the law as a covenant of life. Mr. M'L. tells us, in the same page, that "There is no promise of life to the doing of any good thing, except all the commandments be kept." How then can the law, as a covenant of life, so much as admit of repentance, and much less hold up a hope that, in case of it, iniquity shall not be our ruin ? The scriptures exhort on this wise: Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.-Seek ye the Lord while he may be found: call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.-Labour not for the meat that

*Simple Truth, p. 21. Second Edition.

perisheth; but for that which endureth unto everlasting life. -Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Is this the mere language of the law, and designed to suggest what they must do, if they would be justified by the works of it?

It should seem, that, if Mr. M'L. was called to visit a dying sinner, he would be careful not to use any such language as this; or, if he did, it must be ironically, teaching him what he must do, on his own self-justifying principles, to gain eternal life. If he be serious, he has only to state to him what Christ has done upon the cross, and assure him, that, if he believes it, he is happy. Far be it from me, that I should disapprove of an exhibition of the Saviour, as the only foundation of hope to a dying sinner, or plead for such directions as fall short of believing in him. In both these particulars, I am persuaded, Mr. M'L. is in the right; and that all those counsels to sinners, which are adapted only to turn their attention to the workings of their own hearts, to their prayers, or to their tears, and not to the blood of the cross, are delusive and dangerous. But does it follow, that they are to be exhorted to nothing spiritually good, unless it be for their conviction? Mr. M'L. to be consistent, must not seriously exhort a sinner to come off from those refuges of lies, to renounce all dependence on his prayers and tears, and to rely upon Christ alone, as necessary to justification, lest he make him a pharisee: for this would be the same thing as exhorting him to humble himself, and submit himself to the righteousness of God; cxercises in which the mind is active, and which are spiritually good.

Why should we be wise above what is written? why scruple to address such a character in the language of inspiration: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. The sacred writers warn and exhort, as well as teach. While they exhibit the Saviour, they expostulate, entreat, and persuade men to embrace him with all their hearts: and this, without any apparent apprehensions of undermining the doctrine of free justification.

If it be said, The exercises included in the foregoing exhortations imply faith; I grant it. Without faith in Christ, neither repentance, nor any other spiritual exercise, would be followed with forgiveness. Those who seek the Lord, must be exhorted to seek him in the way in which he is to be found; those that call upon him, must do so in the name of Jesus; the way and thoughts to be forsaken respect not merely a course of outward crimes, but the self-righteous schemes of the heart; and returning to the Lord is nothing less than returning home to God by Jesus Christ. But this does not prove that the exhortation, unless it be to teach them what they must do to be justified by a covenant of works, is improperly addressed to the unconverted. It is manifestly intended for no such purpose, but as a direction to obtain salvation.

The scriptures sometimes give directions as to the way of our obtaining the remission of sins, and acceptance with God; and sometimes of being saved in general, or of obtaining everlasting life; and we ought to give the same. If they direct us to seek for pardon, it is by repentance ;* if for justification, it is by believing;† and if for eternal salvation, it is by a life of evangelical obedience.‡ When they speak of pardon, justification is supposed ;§ and when they exhort to repentance in order to it, believing in the name of Jesus is supposed. On the other hand, when they speak of justification, they include forgiveness;¶ and when they exhort to believing, in order to it, it is to such a believing as comprehends repent

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Many of these directions, on the principle I oppose, must be omitted; but, if they be, some of the most essential branches of the Christian ministry will be neglected.

* Isa. lv. 6, 7. Acts viii. 22. Rom. ii. 7. Heb. xi. 14.

iv. 6, 7.

† Acts xiii. 39. Rom. iv. 4, 5. ix. 32. § Psa. xxxii. 1, 2. compared with Rom. || Luke xv. 4.7. Acts xiii. 38. Ephes. i. 7. Col. i. 14. ¶ Rom. iv. 6, 7. ** Mark i. 15. Matt. xxi. 32. Acts xvi. 31. compared with xx. 21. Luke xiii. 3.

A

DEFENCE

OF A

TREATISE,

ENTITLED,

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST WORTHY

OF ALL ACCEPTATION;

CONTAINING

A REPLY TO MR. BUTTON'S REMARKS,

AND THE

OBSERVATIONS OF PHILANTHROPOS.

While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. JESUS CHRIST.

By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of God.

PAUL.