of the unchangeable God, thus loving at one time and hating at another, the same adored person; yet how could such a hatred ever have existed, when God himself declares, "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;" and that he was the holy one, in whom his soul delighted." If he could thus be made the subject of his Father's wrath, how could he in the hour of his extremest sufferings, still address him as his Father? "Father, if it be possible, iet this cup pass from me ;" and even while on the cross, he claimed the Lord as his God; "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" and in his last expiring moments, he could confidentially say, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit:" really it appears to me, that such whimsical interpretations of scripture, were not worthy of a refutation, were they not exceedingly profane.

a

John. Yes, and at the conclusion of the same young man's sermon, I remember he said, that 'oad could not be more odious in the sight of God. than Christ then was," for that all the hatefulness, and loathsomeness in our nature, being put upon Christ; he stands as it were, the abhorred of the Father."

Mer. And are these the profane and horrid discussions, that have lately occupied your mind?

Mal. Sir, I sha'nt give up the point yet, though I confess I am not so ready at an answer as I thought I should have been, but how could I expect it, while I have so many upon me at the same time ? [He feels in his pocket;] I find I have left my pocket book behind me, in which I have a great number of short hand notes on this subject. I'll assure you I have studied the point very closely, and I hope to be a preacher soon. There is very little Gospel preaching about these parts. With your leave Mr. Merryman, I'll step home for my pocket-book. I shall return again in a few minutes, and I'll warrant, I shall be able to stand my ground.

At once he was off, like a pea out of a pop-gun. Mr. Lovegood had his doubts, what good end could

be answered, by continuing the controversy with such an antagonist; but Mr. Merryman feared, that an impertinent triumph might be the result, if a further hearing should not take place. They all thought it most prudent, to wait for his return, the result of which will be found in the following dialogue.

*Note to page 284.

Mr. Merryman is perfectly correct in his application of the words heresy and schism, Apesis from Aipew, or from Aiew to take up, to remove or to take away; describes a sort of spiritual sheep-stealers: so schism from Exxa a rent, a division, or separation. The evil is not in any persons following their own judgment, i what they think preferable; but among those who posses an angry, contentious spirit, so contrary to that spirit of candour and forbearance, that Christians should manifest towards each other.

DIALOGUE XXXVIII.

ANTINOMIANISM UNMASKED.

BETWEEN MR. LOVEGOOD, MR. MERRYMAN, MR. SAVORY, MR. JOHN HIS COUSIN, AND MR. MALAPERT.

IM

[MMEDIATELY on Mr. Malaperts return, the dialogue thus recommenced.

Malapert. Well gentlemen, I have not been long gone. I hope I shan't tire your patience in resuming my subject, as I am a pretty good dab at short-hand writing. I think I have brought sufficient materials, so that I may be able to stand my ground better than I have done; (he takes out his notes.) And now gentlemen, you shall hear what I have further to advance on the doctrine of imputation,* or rather, an actual exchange of persons, between Christ and his elect.

Loveg. Sir, I hope you dont mean to detain us long about these doctrines, in which we all most assuredly believe and agree. Do you think we deny the mediatorial righteousness of Christ, habitual, (and as far as that, we will admit imputed sanctification,) active, and passive, to be a righteousness sufficient to, and designed for, the salvation of the elect. Or whether our justification, and all other blessings,

*Most of these quotations are from Dr. Crisp, (in high estimation among a certain party.) These sermons were republished by the late Dr. Gill, who has thereby done infinite mischief to some of the less pious of his own denomination, while a deal of pains is taken, to explain away some of the most dangerous points, contained in those sermons; yet it is impossible so to neutralize them, as to render them palatable, or safe. The reader will discover this as the dialogue proceeds.

when we are made partakers of them, are the fruits of this righteousness, and the only meritorious cause of them. Or whether Christ's obedience and suiferings were so in our stead, that God cannot exact from us, any other atonement for sin, or meriting price.

Mer. And I will add, whether Christ by his righteousness, procured a finished salvation for all his chosen people, so that they assuredly shall in his own time and way, be saved by his grace, and made meet for his glory; and all that, upon the credit of that very righteousness, which is imputed to true believers, by which all the blessings of the covenant of grace, are secured to the children of God.

Mal. Upon my word gentlemen, you in some respects come nearer to the gospel than 1 expected, but as yet, you fall short of the real point. I believe, (taking out his notes,) there is actually an exchange of persons, between Christ and the believer, "Mark it well, Christ is not so completely righteous, but we are as righteous as he; nor are we so completely sinful, but Christ became, being made sin, as completely sinful as we, nay more; we are the same righteousness, for we are made the righteousness, of God." "That very sinfulness that we were, Christ is made that very sinfulness before God; so that Christ takes our persons, and conditions, and stands in our stead we take Christ's person, and condition, and stand in his stead; so that if we reckon well, we must always reckon Christ to be in our persons, and our person in his."

Loveg. And this Sir, I suppose, you will say is your way of exalting Christ, by most profanely putting the Savior in the sinners' stead. Supposing a prince with all his honors, puts himself in a beggar's state, with all his rags and sores; would not the prince be most grievously debased, and the beggar exalted; or supposing a Judge should put himself in a criminal's state, why then the criminal is innocent, and the Judge is guilty, and ought to be hanged in the criminal's stead; for that the Judge, actually committed the

crime, and not the criminal; we may suffer penalties, and pay debts for others, but we cannot, actually commit crimes, for others. And further, this doctrine actually dispossesses Christ of all his offices, and turns the creature, into the creator: for if Christ becomes the sinner, he actually looses his office, and is no longer the Redeemer, but the sinner that needs to be redeemed, instead of being a most exalted savior, he becomes a most debased, wretched, Hell deserving sinner; instead of being, the exalted, to give repentance, and remission of sins, he needs himself pardon, and forgiveness, as much as the vilest sinner upon the earth. Is it not enough that he should impute his glorious righteousness, without taking our filth and guilt, on his holy person, who never could know sin? was it not enough that he should bear the punishment of our sins, without being actually himself a sinner, and thus rendering him, worthy of all the punishment he sustained?

Mer. Or perhaps by this change of person, the sinner becomes his own savior, pardons his own sins, and merits eternal glory for himself.

Mal. Well I shan't adopt this sentiment, till I have thought of it over again. I confess I am not as yet quite settled, since I began to have a clearer view of the Gospel.

Loveg. I hope you don't mean to turn preacher, till you have settled what you are to preach. I am told the other young preachers, that have adopted these sentiments, have had two or three turns, since their first turn; it will be well, if some of them don't turn Atheists before they have finished all their turnings.

Mal. I hope we shan't go too far, but you know what a deal we have of do, do, do, from every Pulpit, now a days.

Loveg. Very proper, while we duly attend to the evnagelical principles of our 3ibles, it is our duty to insist upon their practical effects, and consequences upon the heart.

Mal. O yes Sir! but what does it avail, to tell dead