J He admits, that a Work of God is neceffary in the juftified, that is to beget Faith, to beget in them a Perfuafion of the Sufficiency of the justifying Righteousness.

He judges this cannot be a Contradiction to the one Thing needful alone, because it is wholly a Perfuafion of the Sufficiency of that alone, without more. In what Light then are we to confider this farther Work of God, in perfuading us of the Sufficiency of this Righteousness? Not as an Addition to the fufficient Righteousness, but only as relative to the Knowledge of it. He is juftified by believing only, as he is juftified by what he believes.

Neither does he think he denies the fufficient Righteousness, when he maintains Faith, Love, and felf-denied Obedience, as neceffary to demonftrate his Portion in this Righteousness, or that he is a juftified Perfon. Because in these Acts, or in this Obedience, he is not doing fomething to be juftified, but proceeding in the Way "of painful Defire and Fear," in order to know himself to be justified.

Hence it is apparent, that he must be obliged to allow, that altho' the Work finished by Christ on the Crofs, is the fole Requisite to Juftification; yet, in this View, fomething more is necessary to the Knowledge of his Intereft in this Righteousness, or of his Juftification by it. And that, to maintain this, is no Contradiction to the fole Requifite, but

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a Proceedure upon it. What he is obliged to plead for himself, he must also allow to us, and the Difference between us is not in regard of the fole Requifite, but our present Enjoyment of it, or the Knowledge of our Juftification by this alone He fays, with the Multitude," in the Way of "painful Defire and Fear," till we come to the Knowledge of the Difference God has made between us and others; we fay, by the free Grant of the Gospel, to the abfolutely Guilty without Difference.

"The Doctrine of the Apoftles, instead of di"recting us what to do, fets before us all that the "most disquieted Conscience can require, in or"der to Acceptance with God, as already done "and finished by Jefus Chrift." p. II.

A difquieted Confcience requires a Righteousness pleafing to God in its own Behalf. No Righteoufnefs will quiet my Confcience, unless I confider it as a Righteousness for me. The Righteousness which pleaseth God, is already done and finished by Jefus Chrift. Palamon confiders this Righteousness as respecting himself, only as far as he discovers his own Faith, Love, and felf-denied Obedience. We consider it as given to the abfolutely Guilty, warranting fuch to live by it, as so given to them for that Purpose.

Palamon's Notion, that God hath appointed no Way, but by our Works, to be affured of Salva

tion by Christ alone, renders his doing, endeavouring, ftriving, &c. fcarcely different in any Thing from Doing that we may live. There are few fo weak as to think they can alter God's Mind or Purpose by their Performances. But not knowing what he has purposed, they Do, that they may obtain Satisfaction in their Minds about their Salvation, and Palamon's Doing feems to be wholly of this Sort, that is, in fact, for Peace with God, and not from it.

"What Christ has done, is that which plea"feth God; what he hath done, is that which quiets the guilty Conscience of Man as soon as " he knows it." Ibid.

As foon as he knows it respects him a guilty Sinner. If the Fear of the guilty Conscience, confifted only in an Uncertainty of there being any Righteousness which pleaseth God in the Behalf of the Elect, or the Qualified, then the guilty Conscience would be quieted as foon as it is evident there is fuch a Righteousness. But this is not the Cafe; the Fear of the guilty Confcience is a Dread of God, because I have no fuch Righteoufnefs; because I have no Righteousness, upon which I can be affured he is pleased with me. And this guilty Confcience cannot be quieted, unless I discover the Righteousness which pleaseth God in my own Behalf.

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As we conceive the Report of the Gospel of sufficient Righteousness, freely given in Jefus, fuits the guilty Confcience thus understood; so we agree, that whenever we hear of this Provision of Divine Grace, we have no Occasion for any other Queftion but this, "Is it true, or not? If we find it true, we are happy ;" and it is Palamon, and not we, that stands in need of another Righteousness to quiet the guilty Conscience.

Palamon confiders "the Work of Chrift as a "fufficient Foundation whereon to reft the whole "Weight of our Acceptance with God," p. 12. while at the fame Time he afferts, that his own Part or Lot in this Righteoufnefs, "is not fo ea"fily fettled;" p. 13. but that he must wait, and work for it in the Way of " painful Defire and "Fear, till he is at laft crowned with Enjoy"ment," in a clear Difcovery of his having Faith, Love, and felf-denied Obedience, p. 419. We judge ourselves not left to this Uncertainty, and that without the Discovery of any fuch Difference betwixt us and other Men, we are allowed to receive, enjoy, and live upon Jesus Christ, as freely given to Sinners in the Gospel. Even as those who are invited to an Entertainment, are freely allowed to partake of what is fet before them. Palamon's View of the Gofpel Report, fets him at a Distance from Enjoyment, or leaves him in Uncertainty, till his Obedience manifests a Difference betwixt

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betwixt him and others. Our View is of the fufficient Righteousness, brought quite Home, fo that our first Act is to live by it, that in the Strength thereof we may be influenced by Love to him that firft loved us.

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It is true, the Scripture " no where ascertains. "that Chrift died for me in particular." But it allows, invites, and commands me a guilty Sinner, without more, to believe on him, live by him, &c. Phrases evidently expreffive of the Appropriation, Truft, or Confidence we plead for.

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Our Author fays, "That Chrift died, that he gave his Life a Ransom for many, is, indeed, a "Truth fully ascertained in the Scriptures-for "the Relief of the shipwrecked and desperate." But can it relieve any farther than it refpects ourfelves? And if the Gospel Declaration, concerning this Righteousness, doth not respect us any farther than as we apprehend we may be of the Elect, or that we have their Qualifications, how does it relieve the Shipwrecked and the Desperate ? it rather relieves the Elect and the Qualified. This Point feems to be Mr. Sandeman's Myftery, and he guards the Enquiry with something like, Hence ye Prophane!" The World (fays he) will always "be objecting thus." A plain Acknowledgment, I think, that that is the Question to be answered, or the guilty Conscience cannot be relieved; and a Vindi