proved erroneous, I will retract and renounce it, not only without Reluctance, but with Pleasure and Thankfulness. Truth, the Truth of the Gofpel, is my Pearl; wherever I find it, thither (without Respect to Names, or Perfons) would I refort, and there would I abide. May that gracious Promise be fulfilled to Us in our Searches, "The LORD fhall guide thee continually !"I hope to send you, very foon, the Refidue, and

dom

Dear SIR,

LAST Night I was favoured with your fecond Letter, and fincerely thank you for the Freeyou have used, and the Corrections you have made. Herewith I fend the Remainder of Dialogue xvi. those Parts I mean, that are to undergo fome Alteration. I wish you could borrow the larger Edition; to that the numeral References are made, as from that the new Edition is printing. I hope you will be fo kind as to examine this MS. alfo with a friendly Severity. Spare no Sentiment or Expreffion, I beseech you

that

that fo much as feems contrary to the found Words of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. If you fee any Thing that may conveniently be omitted, I wifh you would enclose it in a Parenthefis: For, I fear, the Dialogue will be too long, and overwhelm the Attention.

I am forry, that I am so ftraitened in Time, and can fay no more; my Servant waits, and if I delay him any longer, will be too late to dispatch some neceffary Business for the Family. - Be pleased to favour me with your Obfervations as foon as poffible, because the Printers will, if they are delayed much longer, be tempted to Impatience. Ifhould be glad if you would make Weston in your Way, when you return from Norwich. May the LORD JESUS ftrengthen your Judgment, make you of quick Understanding, and enable you to detect every Thing, in my poor Effay, that is not agreeable to His Word! I am in doubt, whether this Letter fhould be directed to you at London, or Norwich. A Miftake in this Particular, may cause a longer Delay in the Affair. The All-seeing GOD guide me in every Thing! I chufe London, and hope it will come to your Hand before you fet out. I am,

Dear SIR,

Your obliged and truly affectionate Friend,

in CHRIST JESUS,

Wefton, June 12.

J. HERVEY.

Dear

Dear SIR,

I Should be very glad, and much obliged, if you

could give me your Company in your Return from Norwich, that we may thoroughly canvas, and carefully examine, the important Subject of our Correspondence. I have ordered the Printers to keep their Types, compofed for this Part of my Work, standing; and to proceed with the Remainder, before this is worked off. So that I hope to have the Whole, in Proof-fheets, to lay before you in one View, provided you could favour me with your Company pretty soon.

A celebrated Divine from Abroad writes thus in a private Letter to his Friend; in which he speaks the very Sentiments of my Heart, and I apprehend of yours alfo.

"I apprehend, Mr. Hervey's Definition of Faith "will expofe him moft to the Generality of Di"vines, both of the Church of England and Dif"fenters; tho' it is a very good One, when well

explain'd. The Perfuafion or Affurance, which "is in the very Nature of Faith, must be care"fully diftinguifhed from that which has in a "Manner appropriated the Name of Affurance "to itself; I mean that Exercife of fpiritual Senfe "following upon, faving Faith, whereby a Be"liever sees, and upon good Grounds concludes

himfelf to be in a Sate of Grace and Salvation,

❝ and

" and that he has an actual Intereft in CHRIST ❝ and his whole Purchase, even eternal Life. The "Foundation of this Affurance of Senfe, is the "Believer's Experience and Feeling of what the "HOLY GHOST has already wrought in his "Soul, and it runs into this Conclufion; I find "the Fruits of the SPIRIT planted in my Soul; "I am a new Creature; I love the LORD 86 JESUS in Sincerity, and it is one of the "greatest Burdens of my Life, that I have no Love "fuited to fo glorious a One † : From all which "I am fure, GOD has given me CHRIST, par "doned my Sins, I am in a State of Grace, and "muft go to Glory. But the Ground and Foun"dation of that particular Perfuafion and Affur"ance, which is in the Nature of faving Faith, "is the glorious Authority and Faithfulness of "GOD

It must be remembered, that they who love the Lord Jefus, love him that came to fave not the Righteous, but the Guilty; not the Qualified, but the Loft.

This Manner of Expreffion, which this Friend never learn'd from the Scriptures, but catch'd (as I fuppose) thro' common Cuftom, favours too much of the Leaven of the Pharifees. The Chriftian, confcious to himself that he is guilty, makes no Account of the Degrees of imperfect Love, but lives folely, and intirely, by the Righteouínefs revealed for the Hope of the Guilty: And what he lives by, he loves; not as a Tak proportioned by the worthiness of the Object, but as an Affection arifing from the Truth believed.

"GOD in the Gospel Record, Promife, and "Offer; and it rifes no higher than this, that "GOD offers, and thereby, as he is true and "faithful, gives CHRIST with all his Fulness "to me, to be believed on, and trusted in for "Life and eternal Salvation.* So that I not on"ly fafely and warrantably may, but am obliged "+to receive, apply, and make ufe of JESUS "CHRIST as my own Saviour, by refting on "him, and trusting to him as fuch. JEHO"VAH's great Gift, Offer, and Promise, gives С every Sinner a fufficient Warrant to do this, "and are a strong immoveable Foundation for "this Perfuafion or Affurance of Faith. << can any other folid fatisfying Anfwer be given "to a broken-hearted humbled Creature, ‡ who

C

Nor

66 puts

*This is well expreffed, and evidently diftinguishes his Meaning of the Word Offer, from the Offer of a Bargain to any who will come up to the Terms. He evidently means the real Grant of the Bleffings, as when Money, Food, and Cloathing, are offered to the Poor, Famish'd, or Naked.

They who hear and understand this Gospel Grace, find it their bounden Duty, as well as their happy Priviledge, and Heart's Inclination, no more to feek to live by their own, but to live intirely by the Divine Righteousness.

If this Gentleman, by a broken-hearted humbled Creature, meant fome that were hereby more qualified for Mercy than the reft, he would differ from us

widely;