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Ghost; when the law of his God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide.

This is repre

As you were speaking of a guilty sinner, you said he feared, till he was brought to see the surety had doubly paid Justice his debt; and brought a passage out of Isaiah to prove it. senting God in an awful light; for if he exacted of the surety double the sum that was due, the Judge of all the earth did wrong; and Christ must offer up two bodies, two souls, and two masses of blood. But read the law, sir, and I will shew you a mystery. Most of the legal threatenings are in the singular number: "The soul that sinneth it shall die;" "Cursed is he that continueth not," &c. "Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree." This was to shew one sacrifice, one surety would do. Pray read the text you perverted, Isaiah xl. 2. "She hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins." Who? I answer, Jerusalem. It is not said, God received of the surety's hands double for all her debts; but it is said, Jerusalem hath received of the Lord's hands double for all her sins. The meaning is this; where sin hath abounded, grace from God, through Christ, hath much more abounded, to remove the guilt of it, and subdue its reigning power. This woman's sins are many, and much grace she required to cast out seven devils, and to set her down a true penitent; and as she received much forgiving grace, she loved much. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God, that God may be

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glorified. As you was speaking of the fall of saints, you referred them to a passage in Micah, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy," &c. Micah vii. 8. You said that that enemy was the plague of the heart; if it was the plague of the heart, it should be called, it, in the neuter gender: and if it was the old man of sin, it should have been called, him, in the masculine; but if you read the passage, you will find the enemy to be called, her: literally, it was his persecuting wife; keep thy lips, saith he, from her that lieth in thy bosom.

And Christ applied it to

the foes of our own household; household is a family, not the spawn of sin in the heart; but figuratively it means a false church, or an oppressing nation. If any man speak, let him speak as

the oracles of God.

The words which you commented on, "Deliver me in thy righteousness," did not mean the imputed righteousness of Christ; for David was delivered from the law and wrath by the faith of that before; but he meant, Remember how many promises of protection I had from thee, and how thou chose and anointed me; be just to thy word, and deliver me in righteousness, justice, or faithfulness, according to thy promise.

The part of your discourse about Cornelius was a stolen morsel, I believe from Luther, about his having the faith of the fathers before Peter came to him. Doubtless, he had legal convictions, and groans after ease; and gave alms and wrought for

life; but he was to hear words from Peter, by which he and his house were to be saved. You never made any difference between Christ's active and passive obedience, which the scripture doth abundantly. Excuse my freedom, sir, though you are an older preacher than myself; I write not in anger, but to be of use to you.

Farewell; thine to serve,

W. H.

LETTER III.

Winchester-Row, May 4, 1784.

DEAR MADAM,

THE life of faith, joy and peace, and an heart

felt union with the dear Redeemer, as the blessed effect of eternal love; and the doctrine of eternal election in Christ, the Rock of Ages; from whence these soul satisfying streams perpetually flow, are my favourite themes: and as you are not insensible of the value of these unmerited mercies of God, nor of the assurance and security which they afford to an enlightened mind, I do not know that I can entertain you with a more interesting subject.

This life of faith is a familiarity and a divine correspondence, carried on between the Most High God and a redeemed soul, by which the mind is ennobled, the understanding enriched with the knowledge of heavenly treasures, and the affections enflamed with a fervent love to the Father of all Mercies. Faith is a fruit of God's Spirit, begotten on the mind by the Holy Ghost; "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh

the world, even our faith." It is called the faith of God's elect, because it is peculiar to them; "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed." It is called the faith of the operation of the Holy Ghost, because it is brought forth under his prolific operations. It is a divine and unshaken persuasion of the reality of a divine report, deeply impressed on the mind of man; and is the result of an eternal union which subsisted between Christ and the elect from everlasting; the bond of which union is God's everlasting love to Christ and to his elect in him. Thus faith firmly credits a divine testimony, and makes the happy possessor most assuredly know that he is an heir of all the blessings testified of. Faith is an eye, and sees the wonderful works of God both in grace and in providence; yea, she pries into his eternal council, and at times sees Him who is invisible. ancient saints saw the promised seed at a distance, and spake of Him as present; and the blessed effects of every vision justified the prediction. This proves their life to be a life of dependence on God; they conversed with Him in his promises; their expectations were employed in looking out for the fulfilment of them, and patience waited for the issue; and after they had endured awhile, they inherited the promises. Faith is an undoubted persuasion that fetches in the blessings. couched in the promises, and applies them to the renewed and heavenly mind. Faith doth the same kind offices to the soul that the hand doth to the

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