Lord is the foul of the whole man. Wherefore unless the Lord had effected Redemption, this whole man must have been destroyed. The feet and loins must have perished, by the defection of the loweft heaven: the region of the breaft, by the defection of the fecond heaven. And then the head, being left without a body, muft of neceffity have fallen to decay."

Surely fuch an argument has not often been seen! But it is full as good as the conclufion drawn from it: which is utterly inconfiftent with the declaration of St. Paul, He took not upon himself the nature of angels, in order to redeem them, but only that of man, in order to redeem lost mankind. [To be continued.]

I

LETTER S.

LETTER CCCXVI.

[From the Rev. Mr. Pasche, to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.]

Rev. and dear Sir,

Kensington, Jan. 30, 1766.

Have read your Sermon, entitled, The Lord our Righteousness and make bold to offer a few observations on the fame.

You feem to think you have reprefented this point in as clear a light as can be defired: I wish I could agree with you in this respect. I pass over what you say of Christ's divine Righteoufnefs. With regard to his human Righteoufnefs, of this, as he is the Mediator between God and man, I readily grant, that it is imputed to us. You confider it as internal and external; and the latter as a negative and pofitive Righteouf

nefs,

nefs. But what I find here on thefe particulars, very naturally leads the thinking reader to the opinion, that Chrift's keeping the preceptive part of the moral law, is that which is imputed to us, if we believe. Now, whatever of Chrift's performing is imputed to me, I fhall never have need to perform in my own perfon: if then Chrift's keeping the preceptive part of the moral law is imputed to me, I fhall never have need to perform the preceptive part of the moral law in my own perfon which is the open road to Antinomianifm.

As Chrift is called the Lord our Righteoufnefs, it ought, in my opinion, to be taken no farther, than as we ftand in need. of his being our Righteoufnefs at the divine bar, for abfolution and acceptance, or for being declared righteous on account of the Righteousness he fulfilled in our room. Here the question arifes: what Righteousness is this? And, is the keeping the preceptive part of the moral law included in it, or not? To the latter I would reply, that with respect to the neceffity of his being holy and righteous in his human nature, it is indeed included; that is to say, as a neceffary, personal qualification for, and in the fulfilling the penal part of the law in our room, not only with a mere paffive, and refigning, but active, filial obedience to the will of his Father; to him as the atoning Mediator and Surety. The Righteoufnefs which he thus hath performed or fulfilled, is imputed to believers. Now, I may ask any Antinomian, whether he could have the affurance to claim or expect the imputation of Chrift's Righteousness, with a wilful, difobedient heart to the preceptive part of the moral law, when Chrift himself could not procure that Righteousness, without perfect obedience to the preceptive part of that law?

Please, Rev. Sir, to confider this, and let me have the favour of your judgment on these Reflections; which fhall be very thankfully received by,

Rev. and dear Sir, your fincere Friend and Servant,
W. PASCHE.

VOL. VI.

3 X

LETTER

LETTER CCCXVII.

[From Mifs M. to the Rev. Mr. Welley.]

Reverend Sir,

July 9, 1767.

Thank you for this fresh inftance of fatherly care, which proved a word in feafon. Your caution was not unneceffary; for I do indeed need the defence of watchful prayer, when I am providentially thrown among those who still favour of earth, though their faces are in fome measure fet Zion-ward. But thanks be to God, that from these I have been called to come out and to be feparate, and my lot has mercifully been thrown among thofe, the end of whofe converfation is, Jefus, the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever; and the more I feel his Name as ointment poured forth, the more infupportable is the converfe of the former. When I am with them, my foul mourns and feems to cry out, O that I had the wings of a dove, that I might fly away, and be at reft; but I want more falt in myself, that I may feason thofe around me. But in general, when I am among these kind of perfons, I feem to have nothing given me to fay, and the exercise of fpirit I am led to is, to complain inwardly to the Lord of all I fee wrong among them; and then to be willing to appear as a fool before them, (for I often wonder they can bear with my ftupidity, as I feem to be content they fhould judge me to have no life in my foul and to remain unknown, as long as the Lord pleases, so I may but be well known of him. But fometimes I reafon upon it, and think the fault is all my own, and that if I had more of the fire of love burning in my heart, it would break out more in my conversation.

Glory be to God, I feel I have but one business, on earth, and that is to do the will of God. And indeed obedience is

elight: his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. I find

an

an increafing deadness to every thing below, and my affections and defires are more fixt on Jefus; fo that the one point I have continually in view is, to retain and increase my knowledge of, and communion with him. My foul gaspeth for his grace, as the thirsty land for fhowers; and it is my fervent defire and constant prayer, that I may be all like him before I hence remove. And I believe he is able and willing thus to fave unto the uttermoft. From which arifes the hope that it shall be done. I have no painful defires; for they have fo much of the earneft of the defired bleffing in them, as yield prefent delight. The greateft hinderance I feel is, a want of knowing more fully the grace wherein I stand. This want is a hinderance to the actings of my faith, and prevents my 'paying my increafing tribute of praise. I have fuffered much on this account, these laft twelve months. Though I conftantly feel the power of faith overcoming, not only the world, but myself also.

Indeed nothing but a deep conviction of the duty of believing, and the fear of finning, in cafting away my confidence, could have helped me to ftand in this evil day, as I never could draw much comfort from the power of grace, thinking that arguments might go a great way towards the fubduing and overcoming one's paffions; but at prefent the form has ceased, and I walk, not only in the fear of the Lord, but in the comforts of the Holy Ghoft.

You enquire if my family are breathing after the spirit of perfect love? It is I trust the purpofe of all to go forward, and their one defire is to escape fale to land; and they are ufing a degree of diligence to make their calling and election fure.

Sifter T, Mrs. C, and I are quite of one heart and mind, and I find Jefus all the world to us; and to approve ourselves to him in all things, is our conftant employment: though we do not fo fully do his will on earth as angels do above.

I hear we may expect the favour of your prefence in about a month, and I truft the angel of the Lord will encamp round about you, and bring you in fafety in fafety to this place, in the fulness of the gofpel of the bleffing of peace.

I remain, dear Sir, your dutiful daughter in Christ,

J. C. M.

LETTER CCCXVIII.

[From Mr. J. Chapman, to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.]

Rev. Sir,

B

August 11, 1767.

LESSED be God that ever I was acquainted with you

and your writings, and the Preachers in connection with you. Whatever Preachers you fend, I fhall receive not only with gladness, but with thankfulness: for they are fent, I make no doubt, by our most gracious Master.

Bleffed be God for raifing you up, who are moft facredly determined to ceafe from man, from all the inventions and traditions of men, and to make God's word your only rule; to trust in God with your whole heart, and not to lean to your own understanding; to spread pure and undefiled Religion before, all men. A glorious determination!

I fhould rejoice to do the meanest office for you. I believe I can most truly fay, you are much dearer to me, than my life.

May the Lord guide you by his counsel, and abundantly bless you, and in his own good time receive you to glory.

My dear wife joins with me in the kindest respects to you. We fhall joyfully, and thankfully receive you, whenever it fuits you to come to Staplehurst.

I am, your fincere Friend,

J. CHAPMAN.

POETRY.