the fcripture, and the candour of profeffors, than I formerly did.--As a believer, I have been brought to fee and feel, that the power of the fpirit of truth, which teaches men to be of one heart, and of one mind, and makes them think and speak the fame, is at a very low ebb in the religious world; and that the prayer which I ought continually to offer is, O Lord, baptize chriftians with the fpirit of truth and the fire of love. Thy kingdom come! Bring thy church out. of the wilderness of error and fin, into the kingdom of righteoufnefs, peace and joy in the Holy Ghoft.As a member of the church of England, I have learned to be pleafed with our holy mother for giving us foods of pure morality, to wash away the few remaining Calvinian freckles ftill perceptible upon her face.

As a chriflian, I hope I have learned in fome degree to exercife that charity, which teaches us boldly to oppose a dangerous error without ceafing to honour and love its abettors, fo far as they refemble our Lord; and enables us to use an irony with St. Paul and Jefus Chrift, not as an enemy uses a dag ger, but as a furgeon ufes a lancet or a caustic: And laftly, as a Writer I have learned to feel the truth of Solomon's obfervation, Of making many books there is no end, and much fudy is a weariness of the flesh: Let us hear the conclufion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man, and the fum of the anti-folifidian truth, which I endeavour to vindicate.

I do not fay that I have learned any of these leffons as I fhould have done; but I hope I have learned fo much of them as to say, that in these respects my controverfial toil has not been altogether in vain in the Lord. And now, Reader, let me intreat thee to pray, that if I am fpared to vindicate more fully what appears to us the fcriptural doctrine of grace, I may be fo helped by the Father of lights and the

God

In

God of love, as to speak the pure truth in perfect love, and never more drop a needlefsly-fevere expreffion. Some fuch have escaped me before I was aware. endeavouring to render my ftyle nervous, I have fometimes inadvertently rendered it provoking. Inflead of faying that the doctrines of grace, (fo called) reprefent God as "abfolutely gracelef," towards myriads of "reprobated culprits," I would now fay, that, upon the principles of my opponents, God appears "devoid of grace" towards thofe whom he has abfolutely "reprobated" from all eternity. The thought is the fame, I grant; but the expreffions are lefs grating and more decent. This propriety of language I labour after, as well as after more meekness of wif dom. The Lord help me and my antagonists to keep our garments clean! Controvertists ought to be cloathed with an ardent flaming love for truth, and a candid humble regard for their neighbour. May no root of prejudice ftain that flaming love! no bigotry fpot that candid regard! no malice rend our seamless garments ! And, if they are ever rolled in blood, may it be only in the blood of our common enemies, deftructive Error, and the man of fin!

END OF VOL. V.