not appear, what You was pleased to infinuate, irrational.

Suppose, We ftate the Signification of the Terms; and adjust the Boundaries of our Subject, before We enter upon a Survey of its Contents?

Ther. Such a Caution would have prevented, at least have shortened, many a vehement and tedious Controverfy. You fee, on yonder Heath, the Preparations for an approaching Race. There ftand the Pofts, which are to mark out the Limits of the Course. Without this previous reftrictive Care, how irregular would be the Excurfions of the contending Steeds! How difficult, rather how impoffible, to declare the Conqueror, and award the Prize!A clear Definition of Terms, feems equally neceffary for candid Difputants. Without it, they may wrangle for Ages, yet never come to a Determination.

Afp. We were lately confidering the transcendent Excellency of the Scriptures. Here We have a moft ftriking and capital Exemplification of the Subject. The Light of Nature might teach Us somewhat, relating to the Juftification of Man in a State of Innocence. But it knows nothing of the Method, whereby fallen and guilty Man, may be juftified in the Sight of GOD. This is a Secret, hid from all the Refearches of Reafon, and from all the Sages of Antiquity. To the Prophets and Apostles alone, We owe the Discovery of this Mine -this rich and inexhauftible Mine, of holy Confolation and heavenly Treasure.

Ther. I wait for a Specimen of your Treasure, or a Definition of your favourite Point.

Afp. Juftification is an Act of GOD Almighty's Grace; whereby He acquits Sinners from their Guilt, and accounts them righteous*; for the Sake of CHRIST's Righteousness, wrought out for them, and imputed to them.

Ther. Two of your Terms want fome farther Explanation. What do You understand by CHRIST's Righteousness, and what is the Meaning of imputed?

Afp. By CHRIST's Righteoufness I understand, the Whole of his active and passive Obedience; fpringing from the perfect Holiness of his Heart; continued through every Stage of his Life; and extending to the very laft Pang of his Death.By the Word imputed I would fignify, That this Righteousness, though performed by our LORD, is placed to our Account; is reckoned or adjudged by GOD as our own. Infomuch, that We may plead it, and rely on it, for the Pardon of our Sins; for the Communication of Grace; and for the Enjoyment of Life eternal.-Shall I illuftrate my Meaning by a well-attested Fact?

Ther. Nothing gives Us so easy a Conception of any difficult Point, as this Method of explaining, by parallel Facts, or proper Similitudes.

Afp. I don't say the Cafe is parallel. I only produce it, to aid our Conceptions.-Onefimus, You know, was Philemon's Slavet. He had perfidiously deferted his Mafter's Service, and ftill more perfidiously stole his Goods. The Fugitive, in his guilty Rambles,

E 4

Should any Reader object to the Definition; appre hending, that Juftification implies no more, than the Pardon of Sins; I would defire Him to fufpend his Judgment, till He has perufed Dialogue X. where this Point is more circumftantially confidered.

+ See the Epistle to Philemon.

Rambles, providentially meets with St. Paul. He is charmed and captivated with that gracious Gofpel, which proclaims Mercy even for the vileft of Sinners. He becomes a fincere Convert to the Religion of ESUS, and is received into the fpiritual Patronage of the Apoftle. Who, being informed of his difhoneft Conduct, and obnoxious State, undertakes to bring about a Reconciliation, with his offended Master: dispatches Him, for this Purpose, with a Letter to Philemon: and, amongst other Persuasives, writes thus in the poor Criminal's Behalf; If He hath wronged Thee, or oweth Thee aught, put that on mine Account. I Paul have written it with mine own Hand; I will repay it.

That, which the zealous Preacher of Christianity offered, the adored AUTHOR of Christianity executed.-We had revolted from the LORD of all Lords, and broke his holy Commandments. The SON of GOD, infinitely compaffionate, vouchfafes to become our Mediator. That nothing might be wanting, to render his Mediation fuccefsful, He places Himself in our Stead. The Punishment, which We deserved, He endures. The Obedience, which We owed, He fulfils. Both which, being imputed to Us, and accepted for Us, are the Foundation of our Pardon, are the procuring Cause of our Juftification.

Ther. Is this the exact Signification of the original Word, which We tranflate imputed?

Afp. In the Book of Numbers, We meet with this Phrafe; and in fuch a Connection, as clears up its Meaning.-JEHOVAH enacts a Decree concerning the Levites; who had no Vintages to gather, nor any Harvests to reap; only the Tythes

of

of both, to receive. The tenth Part of these their Tythes, He directs them to prefent, in the Form of a Heave-offering: adding, And this your Heaveoffering fhall be reckoned unto You, as though it were the Corn of the Threshing-floor, and as the Fulness of the Wine-prefs: as fatisfactory to me, and as beneficial to You, as if it was the Tenth of your own Labours, and the Tythe of your own Increase.So, the expiatory Sufferings, which CHRIST endured; the complete Obedience, which He performed; are reckoned to true Believers. As though the former were fuftained in their own Persons, and the latter fulfilled in their own Lives. Are altogether as effectual, for obtaining their Salvation, as if they were their own personal Qualifications.

Ther

* Numb. xviii. 27. an exactly answers to St. Paul's sλofon, Rom. iv. 9.-The fame Phrase is used, and the fame Doctrine taught, Lev. xvii. 3, 4. What Man foever there be of the House of Ifrael that killeth an Ox, or Lamb, or Goat in the Camp, by way of Sacrifice, or for the Purpose of Atonement; and bringeth it not unto the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, to offer unto the LORD an Offering before the Tabernacle, the grand Type of the Body of CHRIST; Blood shall be imputed to that Man; He hath shed Blood; and that Man fhall be cut off from among his People.-Here was no Murder committed by the Offender, yet the Crime of Murder is charged; or, as the Scripture fpeaks, Blood is imputed to Him. Left Any fhould mistake the Meaning of this Expreffion, or not understand it in its due Latitude, the Divine LAW-GIVER is his own Interpreter: He hath in the Eye of my Juftice fbed Blood: He shall pafs for a Murderer, and be punished as a Murderer: He fhall be cut off from among his People. Thus alfo faith the eternal JUDGE concerning the Believers in CHRIST," The Righteousness of my SON is imputed to them; they are in the Eye of my Juftice righ"teous: they fhall be dealt with, as righteous Perfons; "made Partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven."

Ther. The Imputation mentioned in your Paffage, is the Imputation of fomething done by the Levites themselves, not of fomething done by Another. This, I apprehend, is the true Import of the Word, when it occurs affirmatively in Scripture.

Afp. This is always the Import-should have been faid, in order to make the Objection forcible. But You could not fo foon forget the Inftance, juft now alledged.

St. Paul, speaking of the Crimes, which Onefimus had committed; and of the Injuries, which Philemon had sustained; says, "Charge them all on 46 me. The Original is, impute * them all to me. "The Meaning is, I will be responsible for all. « As much, as if the whole Guilt had been of my "own contracting t."-Here is fuppofed, not the Imputation of fomething done by the Apostle Himfelf, but of Another's criminal Behaviour.

What is written in the Law, and what is written in the Gospel? In both thefe Places, How readeft Thou?-In the Gofpel, I read; That Righteousnefs is imputed without Works . This utterly excludes every Thing performed, or acquired, by the Party Himself. Befides; We are affured, that GOD

* Epos hole, the very Words ufed by the Apostle, when ftating the Method of our Juftification.

Thus We may fuppofe our LORD fpeaking; "Thefe poor Sinners have wronged Thee, O FA"THER, by their Unrighteoufnefs and Ungodliness. They owe Thee an inconceivably vaft Sum. A Debt "of confummate Obedience, and complete Satisfaction. * Put it all on my Account. I JESUS have written it "with my own Hand: I will repay it. Now I give my "Bond, and, in the Fulness of Time, Lo! I come, ta

fulfil my Engagement."

‡ Rom. iv. 6.