paffion; and no Senfe of our ungrateful Abuse of his amazing Difpenfations of Benignity and Mercy, in our Kantom from Hell by the Blood of his Son, in our Gofpel-Privileges and Advantages, in our Participation of his fpecial diftinguishing Grace, and in our Hopes of Glory ?-----Is the Love of the Father a light Thing with us, in chufing us before others from the Foundation of the World, in giving his own Son to redeem and fave us; and in fending his holy Spirit to fulfil his good Pleasure in our Souls, and fitting us for Heaven? Is the Blood of a Saviour a light Thing with us, whereby we are ranfomed from Death and Hell, and made Heirs of the future Glory? Is the fanctifying, comforting and quickening Influence of the bleffed Spirit a light Thing with us, whereby we are brought near to God, enabled to maintain Communion with him, and are qualified for the eternal Inheritance? Can we difhonour the Father, trample upon the Blood of the Son, and grieve the Holy Spirit, without Care, Concern or Fear; and yet make Pretences to an Union to Chrift, and to the Love of God? A vain Dream! A moft inconfiftent and contradictory Pre

tence !

I hope, I have by this Time given you fufficient Evidence of the Weakness and Impiety of those Objections you have alledged in Favour of the Antinomians: And would therefore only just add this further Remark, That though we fhould never difhonour our blessed Saviour by doubting of his Sufficiency for us, be our Cafe what it will; though we fhould never indulge distracting Doubts and Fears, which will drive us from God, unfit us for Duty, and bring Dishonour upon that infinite Mercy in which we hope; and tho' we should not prefently dig up our Foundations, and call all Our Hopes and Experiences into Queftion, becaufe of

our

our difallowed Infirmities; yet if we are united to Chrift, we cannot fail of mourning for our Sins, and bringing them to the Blood of Christ for Pardon; we cannot fail to groan being burdened, and to esteem our Sins the heaviest Burden we have in the World: Though we may and ought to rejoice always in the Riches of redeeming Mercy and Love; yet we canno but lament and groan always after Deliverance from the remaining Body of Death.

You proceed to object, that " if my Doctrine of "the Believers Union to Chrift be true, you cannot "fee how we can prove our Juftification by our "Sanctification. For according to that Scheme, our "Juftification depends wholly upon our Union to "Chrift; but nothing at all upon our Sanctification. "Is it not then the most rational Proceeding, to 66 prove our Juftification by that on which it does "depend, rather than by that on which it does not "depend by that which does justify us, rather "than by that which does not justify us? How can we prove Our Juftification by that which procures

no Freedom from Guilt, no Title to the Favour "of God, no Claim to eternal Salvation? "

In answer to which, I muft entreat you to confider, whether there be any Way fo certain to prove the Existence of the Caufe, as by the Production of the Effect; and whether there be any Way whatsoever to evidence that there is a Cause, if there be no Effect; or if the Effect be utterly un known... How do we know the Existence of God, but by his Word and Works, which are visible Effects of his Being, and thereby visible Evidences and Dilcoveries of his glorious Perfections ?—To apply this to the prefent Cafe. How can we evidence our Union to Chrift, and our Acceptance with God thereby, but by the Actings of Grace, and the Fruits of Righteoufnels, which are the EfK k 2 fects

I

fects of it -The Subject-matter to be made evident to our Confciences is this, that we have received the Lord Jefus Chrift by Faith, are so united to him; and thereby juftified in the Sight of God. Well, if this be fo, the Life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the Faith of the Son of God, Gal. ii. 20. We are purifying ourselves, even as he is pure, 1 Joh. iii. 3. If we have received Chrift Jefus the Lord, we also walk in him, Col. ii. 6.--And do we upon an impartial Trial, find this fo? Do we live in an humble constant Dependance upon the Lord Jefus Chrift, as the Fountain of all Grace, and the Author of our eternal Salvation? Do we hate every falfe Way; and crucify our Flesh with, its Affections and Lufts? Do we live in the Love of God, and carefully and seriously attend every Way of known Duty towards him? Do we live in the Love of our Neighbour, and are we confcientious in the performing the Duties of every Relation and Character we fuftain? And do we lament before God the Imperfections we find in these Attainments; and earnestly pray and strive for a further Progrefs in Holiness ?----This, all this, is the neceffary Fruit of our Union to Christ, and of our Juftification before God thereby Is not this therefore the proper and only Evidence thereof? And is there any Thing without this, which can give us any Scripture-evidence of our Juftification? -The Antinomians may pretend to evidence their Juftification by their foy and Comfort: But how come they by their Joy and Comfort, if they have not previous Evidence of their juftified State? How can they rejoice in the Favour of God, before they have good Evidence of their Interest in it? Without this, their Joy is groundless, and is an Evidence of nothing in the prefent Cafe but their Willing. nefs to deceive themselves. With this, there is no

need

need of Joy for an Evidence of what is already confirmed by a much better Witness. I therefore conclude, that as the Scripture no where makes, and as the Reason and Order of Things no Way allows, Joy and Comfort to be Evidences of our juftified State, we should fee to it, that we clear up our Title to the divine Favour by better Evidence. And what other can we poffibly find, but what I am now pleading for? This, the Apottle affures us, is the proper Evidence, by which the Children of God are manifeft, and the Children of the Devil. Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit Sin; and wbofoever doth not Righteousness, is not of God. I Joh. iii. 9, 10. They therefore who reject this Evidence, would do well to confider whofe Children they be, according to this Determination of the Apoftle.

Upon the whole then, our Union to Chrift is fo far from affording the leaft Plea for Licentioufnefs, that it should be confidered as the strongest Argument, and the most powerful Incentive to an humble penitent, watchful, holy and heavenly Life.--Are we united to Chrift? Are we Members of his Body, of his Flesh and of his Bones? Surely then we muft derive vital Influences from fuch a Fountain of fpiritual Life; and be Partakers of his Holiness. If we find not this bleffed Effect in fome good Degree, in vain are our Pretences to an intereft in Christ, or Union to him.-Are we united to Chrift and thereby made Partakers of his inestimable Benefits? Surely then it concerns us to endeavour to live answerable to fo high a Dignity, and such an honourable Relation. Surely it concerns us to testify our Gratutide to such an infinite Benefactor, by living to the praise of the Glory of his Grace and Love. With what Abhorrence therefore fhould fuch licentious Thoughts as you have fuggested, be enter Kk 3 tained

tained by all the true Difciples of the holy Jefus, as not fit to be fo much as once named among Saints!

If you can have Patience with me, I would briefly offer one Argument more in Favour of the Doctrine I have infifted upon; which must recommend it as infinitely preferable in Point of Safety, to either of the contrary Extreams.—By acting up to these Principles of mine, you can be in no Danger, as to the future and final Event, fince you will be built upon Chrift Jefus the fure Foundation of Hope, and by Grace derived from him, bring forth those Fruits of Holiness and Righteousness, which must end in eternal Life. If the Arminians are right, you also are right. For you have the fame Sincerity, the fame good Works, which any of them may have to depend upon for Juftification and Salvation. And it can be no Prejudice to your Salvation, that you obtained these in a Way of Dependence upon Chrift only, as well as in a way of diligent Activity.—If the Antinomians are right, you also are right. For you depend only upon Chrift for Righteoufnefs and Strength, as well as they; and it can no Ways be injurious to you, that you have infifted upon the Neceffity of Holiness, as the Way leading to eternal Life. But now, to turn the Tables, if they who plead for Juftification by Works are at last found in a Mistake; and instead of building upon Chrift Jefus and the fovereign Grace of God in him, are built upon the Sand: Or if they who difclaim the Neceffity of Holiness are too late found in aMistake, and forted among the Workers of Iniquity, what will become of their Hopes! How dreadful will theirDifappointments be!

That you may be found united to Christ, and may be built up in Faith and Holiness, with Peace and

Comfort,