ing 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 loses his office, and is no longer the Redeemer, but the sinner that needs to be redeemed; in stead of being a most exalted Saviour, 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 saviour, 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-adays.

Loveg. Very proper; while we duly attend to the evangelical principles of our Bibles, it is our duty to insist upon their practical effects, and consequences upon the heart, and to say do, do, do, again and again.

Mal. O yes, Sir! but what does it avail, to tell dead men to work for life; "for as for striving, we are sure to be saved whether we strive or not, if we are elected ; what signifies doing any thing? we do but labour in vain. If a man n will run a hundred miles for money, if that money be proffered to him at his door, before he steps out of his house, his journey is in vain, seeing he might have had it, if he had staid at home.

Loveg. What then becomes of a thousand practical directions, as we have them throughout the scriptures? are we not commanded to "run, that we may obtain ;" to strive, or rather to agonize, that we may "enter into the strait gate;" to "fight the good fight of faith;" to give diligence to make our calling and election sure;" to "work out our own salvation, with fear and trembling?"

Mal. Yes, but is it not next directly said; "for it is God that worketh in us, to will and to do, of his good pleasure?" what does our attempting to work signify, till it is his good pleasure that we should work?

Mer. Why, I should have thought, that it was given to us as a word of encouragement, that we might work; and when he works in us, to will and to do; willing and doing also must be the certain result.

Mal. I know, not how these new lights, as you call them, get over such passages, but I once heard one say, that "these legal, strivings have been the cause of the damnation of thousands ;" and a certain great divine in our way thus expresses himself; "Let subduing of sin alone for peace.-While you labour, to get by duties,

you provoke God as much as in you lies." Now this is a strong expression, I coufess; but it is all against a legal spirit.

Loveg. What, then, is a man to be damned for seeking his own good, in the salvation of his soul, though I know his primary object is and must be the glory of God?

Mal. Primary object! I say it should be no object at all," that all our prayings, fastings, watchings, repentings, believings to obtain peace of conscience, or heaven, are, abominable, and answer no other end, than to deceive our own souls, and to rob Christ of his glory."

Loveg. What profane rant is this! But I say just the reverse; for, in seeking God's glory, we should remember that God, in infinite mercy, has made it our duty to seek for the same blessedness in ourselves: for does he not design that "men shall be blessed in him?" else what mean a thousand passages like these: "He looked for; the recompence of reward;" "Let us therefore labour to enter into his rest, lest any of us should seem to fall short?" When the talents were e given with the command, "occupy till I come," was it not with a design that they might be benefited by it? and when the labourers were sent into the vineyard, to labour for a penny a day, was it not, that they should receive their wages ? Don't be frightened, Sir, I did not mean a reward of merit, or of debt : for, after the best of all our doings, we are still unprofitable servants; all is but our bounden duty; it is therefore entirely the reward of grace and mercy from him, and not less a debt of gratitude from us towards that most gracious master, that favours us, in accepting such feeble services at our hands.

Mal. After all that you have said; in my opinion such sentiments lead us under the law.

Loveg. Then under the law may we be led; while the bible further tells us, that "in, (though not for,) keeping

his commands, there is great reward :" and that therefore we should hunger and thirst after righteousness, that we may be filled." Are we not to repent for this end, that our sins may be blotted out ;" to believe in the Lord Jesus, that we may be saved? What could Paul mean, when he wrote to Timothy, and said, “in so doing thou shalt save thyself and them that hear thee?" and what could the same apostle mean, when he said, “I keep my body under subjection, lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway?" Can any words be more explicit, than the words that tell us, "when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive?" while the contrary curse is pronounced against the wicked if they die in their sins; like as it is said, "to-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the day of provocation ;" and what can be more cogent, than the exhortation of the same apostle, "see that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth; much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven? for how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ?"

Mer. And what can be plainer than the Apostle's exhortation: "wherefore be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as you know, your labour is not in vain in the Lord?" But why should I quote any other passages? motives from the threatenings and promises of God, are endless, and can it be sinful to attend to them, for the promotion of our own good, when they are given to us for that very purpose?

Mal. Well, I still believe it, though we may by our legal workings and strivings of all sorts, expect to get a deal; yet "I'll speak plainly, there are none of all these

things, that conduce a jot towards obtaining any of these ends which you propose to yourselves; for when we labour by prayer and seeking the Lord, to prevail with God to take away his displeasure, and to procure such good, we serve not God, but ourselves."

Loveg. So then a man does not serve God, all the time he does serve him, if according to scripture he expects the good and benefit of it to his own soul thereby; while he thus attends to his duty, as God has commanded, and the means of grace that he hath appointed! Are we forbidden to love ourselves, while we are commanded to love God, and to keep his commandments?

ciple;

Mal. Why, you know what is said against that prin"Men shall be lovers of their own selves." Loveg. You will soon knock up your own character as a lawyer, if you cannot distinguish between that spirit of selfishness, which makes us care for no one's interest but our own, and a serious regard to our own spiritual good. Christians delight themselves in the Lord, while it is "Christ within them, that is the hope of glory;" and thus it is promised in return, that " good man shall be satisfied from himself."

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Mal. Satisfied from himself! how can that be? Loveg. Had you been better acquainted with the sober and wise language of the book of Proverbs, I would charitably hope you would have been more cautious in your objections. I plainly perceive, how constantly you shuffle from all the practical and preceptive parts of the word of God, lest they should be brought against the preconceived opinions you have lately formed. I fear this proves that there is a sad core of dangerous Antinomianism at the bottom of your heart.

Mal. Sir, I am not against loving God, or our neighbours, if we can do it disinterestedly.

Loveg. You appear to me to be quite bewildered in