Relly is quite out in supposing salvation by Christ requires such a previous union to him as rendered us clean and sinless "before Jesus died for us;" for the previous sinless state of all mankind would, if real, have superseded the necessity of a sacrifice.

1 John v. 10, 11. "He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his son; and this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his son." Here he seems not to understand "how our unbelief makes God a liar," unless "God hath given us eternal life in his son," before we believe. But where is the difficulty? The us in this text is those who, really believing, had witnessed this eternal life in themselves, and God's record is, that he has given it unto such "in his son." Surely, then," he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar," as far as disbelieving any of his divine records can make him. such.

But how this text proves "that he who believeth not, hath eternal life given him in the son of God, as fully as him who believeth," which Relly (p. 68.) peremptorily asserts he has, I cannot perceive. Indeed, it sounds like a contradiction in terms, to tell of a man's making God a liar, and having eternal life in his son at the same time. Beside, he that has eternal life abiding in him, will be very apt to know it, and be fully sensible of it; how then can he be an unbeliever? He must and will believe. He cannot do otherwise, for he has the witness in himself. Christ says, John iii. 36. "He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Surely then, if he not only "shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him," he has not eternal life" as fully as he that believeth."

But suppose this assertion of the author to be true, and it will fully establish an objection which he strives hard to avoid the force of, to wit, that his doctrine " tends to make faith or believing void." See p. 38. For if the unbeliever has eternal life as fully as the believer, where is the advantage of believing? Eternal life is the sum and substance of all towards which faith can be useful, and if the unbeliever not only has this, but has it

as fully as the believer, I think Relly may grant us all the force of the objection, and must in reason allow that this, at least, "tends to make faith and believing void."

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He argues from Paul's assurance, Rom. viii. 38, 39, of nothing being able to separate us from the love of God," that the "union of Christ and his church hath been of old, before faith, before time, and remains to be indissoluble and unchangeable." p. 32. This he would support from the apostle's elsewhere granting, or having proved the possibility of "believers departing from the faith, or falling from grace." Hence he insists that the apostle, in this passage, "of necessity points out something which remains a truth should they cease to believe, and such a truth as their unbelief cannot make void." But all this is of no weight unless it can be proved that the apostle had this assurance of non-separation from the love of God, respecting all mankind; an attempt to prove which would be most ridiculous. Does it follow from an assurance that included himself and a few steadfast believers, that none can be separated? and that union is before time, &c? By no means. But this is not the only instance where this author argues from the word us, as applied to all mankind: as if what was said of a few in the word us, holds good of all. Now at this rate, those unbelievers who "shall not see life;" but on whom the wrath of God abides; are sure of his love forever, and may even under the deepest sense of his wrath, cry out with joy, and, in the apostle's confidential strains, sing their own assurance of the love of God; and the impossibility of their separation from it.

"He that believeth not shall be damned." Mark xvi. 16. Is this compatible with an assurance of never being separated from God's love? Or have the damned eternal life as fully as the believers? Christ says, John viii. 24, "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins," and plainly assured them, verse 21, "whither I go ye cannot come." Is not this utter exclusion from Christ's presence, fully equal to a separation from the love of God? Or can the unbeliever enjoy the latter, in a state of exclusion from the former? Surely he cannot. Therefore the author's above assertion must be rejected. Page 33, and onward, he states, and after his manner attempts

to answer divers objections to his doctrine. As, first, that it tends to "licentiousness," and to overthrow "the doctrine of rewards and punishments." To this he answers, "To work from an expectation of being rewarded, is to make it of debt, and not of grace." But this is his mistake. It is readily granted, as he urges, that we cannot make God our debtor: yet may we work, expecting a reward, because he has promised "to reward every man according to his works." Matt. xvi. 27. It was equally impossible in all ages, (under the law as well as now,) to draw a debt upon Omnipotence; therefore Relly's distinction of law and gospel, as applied to the doctrine of rewards and punishments, avails very little, or nothing at all: seeing under both dispensations they are held up to our view, and that as influencing our lives; in which sense he allows they are overturned by the doctrine of union. p. 34.

Now if it appears that rewards and punishments, are gospel doctrines, and inculcated as influencing our lives, we must certainly reject that doctrine of union which overthrows or disallows them. Therefore attend, reader, to the language of both testaments. "To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward." Prov. xi. 18. And again, "The Lord shall reward thee." Chap. xxv. 22. This last promise is to him that giveth bread to his enemy, and not only he, but every one that "soweth righteousness," may not only expect a reward, but be sure of it; and yet acknowledge it is of pure grace and not of debt. "Verily there is a reward for the righteous." Psalm lviii. 2. Then surely he may expect it. Christ says, "Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven." Matt. v. 12. Again, "Thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly," twice repeated, chap. vi. 4,6 ; and declares a reward to be sure to him that rightly receives a" prophet," or a " righteous man," yea, to him who only gives "a cup of cool water," to one of his "little ones" in the "name of a disciple." See chap. x. 41, 42, Now if he that does these things should believe our Saviour's promissory words, and really expect to receive the promised reward, would he thereby make it of debt? Nay, verily. The promise itself is all gracious; the reward too is wholly so: and yet doubtless our Saviour proposed this reward

as an encouragement to these good deeds, or he might as well have been silent. Had he no aim at influencing our life, to what end did he tell of a reward?

Again, teaching his disciples to give to those who ask, to love their enemies, &c. he adds, " And your reward shall be great, ye shall be the children of the highest." Luke vi. 35. Surely this was meant to influence our lives; for the reward as here proposed is plainly the ground of inducement to the performance of these deeds of charity.

Paul, to the Corinthians, 1st Epistle, chap. iii. 8, says, " Every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour." Here is labour, and its reward, and however works may be depreciated, or he that works in expectation of a reward, treated as mean and selfish, it has certainly been the method of the holy spirit, through all ages, to propose rewards, as an encouragement to virtue, or as a stimulus, to use a word which Relly has in the objection. And whatever nobler principle the more perfect among men may be stimulated by, it is certain that in the present state of human nature in general, the stimulus arising from the prospect of rewards and punishments, is very necessary; and those who would be thought teachers of the gospel, need be very careful how they oppose those wholesome doctrines so frequently inculcated by Christ and his apostles, lest they depart from, and lead others out of the way of the faith once delivered to the saints, till both teacher and taught "fall into the ditch."

Indeed, it is but too evident, that notwithstanding all we hear of those disinterested principles of love and gratitude, though good and powerful motives to a truly pious mind, there is in the lives of some who profess them, at least, too much evidence of the necessity of something to stimulate them, after all their talk of union, inclusion, &c. The author to the Hebrews, speaks well of Moses, in his choosing affliction, rather than the pleasures of sin; and the reproaches of Christ, than the treasures of Egypt; and expressly imputes this blessed choice to his having" respect to the recompense of reward;" (chap. xi. 26.) and not only so, but after enumerating a cloud of witnesses, who, doubtless, had respect also to the reward, he exhorts us to lay aside

every weight, and run the race with patience; and to stimulate and encourage us, tells us to look unto Jesus. But why look to him? Was it possible for him to be moved by the hope of future bliss, and therein be our example? Why, what says the apostle? "Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God." Chap. xii. 2. Oh! blessed pattern, and encouraging example to us, to endure the cross and despise the shame, and that, like him, from a view of the joys before us! Seeing even his exalted mind, his noble soul, whatever he felt of disinterested love, &c. could yet stoop so low as to have a fellow-feeling of our infirmities; and so far enter into, and partake of the springs of our actions, (being made conformable to us in all things, sin only excepted,) as to be moved and sustained like us, and for our sakes, by a view of the joys to come, therein setting us an example, that we should follow his steps.

Let this ever powerfully influence our lives; even though men deride us as mean and selfish: let us altogether despise this shame, seeing the holy, everlasting bridegroom of the true church, is our pattern and companion herein. We shall reap if we faint not, nor draw back to perdition; and in the end, set down with him on the right hand of God.

Now that the doctrine of rewards may be rightly understood, let it be considered, that it is not to be supposed that a reward of true peace, and divine approbation, necessarily follows upon the performance of every outward act, which is considered to be simply good in itself; many may perform the outward acts of what is called charity, and yet receive no comfortable reward: as perhaps their said acts may proceed from very unworthy motives, or be performed in the mere strength of creaturely ability, uninfluenced by any right sense of duty, or right qualification for performance. But he by whom actions are weighed, sees the heart, knows all the secret springs of our actions, and will without all peradventure, render a reward according to our works; according to the disposition and intent of the mind; according as our views are really to his glory, and man's true happiness; and as our dependance is on him alone for ability to perform every good deed. Thus one man may receive a recompense of reward