P. 343. 1.89. Afp. "The If is what I greatly question, but of this I am certain that you are "ftill inclined to fpare Agag."

P. 344. 1. 8. You afk, whether the ftate of "these Persons is safe and their Faith real? I an"fwer; what Evidence is there of their Safety or

their Faith while Chrift the only Security is ne"glected, and the free Grant of Him to Sinners "thus difbelieved? befides why should, &c." P. 345. 1. 14. "GOD has freely loved me fo "as to give his Son unto me; Chrift has graci"ously died for me, to take share in His Death

“

as my own; and the HOLY GHOST fanctifies

me in the Belief and appropriating Confi"dence, arifing from these precious Truths."

P. 348. 1. 21. "When the Divine SPIRIT, "speaking in the Gracious Declarations of the "Gospel, manifests the Grant of Chrift to me a "Sinner, then am I enabled to receive and ap"propriate His Death as the Defert of my Sins, ❝ and his Obedience as the Matter of my Jufti"fication."

P. 349. 1. 1. "May I firmly believe on Christ "for everlasting Life, may I firmly believe that in "this infinitely meritorious Redeemer I have "granted unto me Pardon and Acceptance, &c."

P. 353. l. 11. “I do more than pardon my dear Theron. I feel for Him, and I sympathize "with Him; not, because he has not fufficient

"Evidence from God's Word, for trufting in Chrift "for everlasting Life; but because I have also felt "that perverse Tendency in my own Heart, to "mistrust the infallible Word of my God, as "though he was lefs to be depended on than "fallible Man.”

In like manner p. 157, 158, 207, 208, 220, were to be corrected, and all other Passages in his Writings which might be understood, as making Thirstings, Awakenings, earnest Prayers, Sorrows, Tears, good Defires, or Sense of Unworthiness, as the Encouragement for Confidence. This Mr. Hervey acknowledged was inconfiftent with his main Design, which was to come to God by Him only, who was able to fave to the uttermoft; but he had been drawn fometimes into this Way of expreffing himself by too great a Regard for the current Customs; and not confidering, that till the divine relieving Truth appear in View, the Wishes, and Defires of the Distressed are as much pointed against the Salvation of the Guilty, as the Carelessness of the Prophane. He was fenfible that "the Gospel-history gives us no Instance of "an Unbeliever diligent to obtain Faith," and therefore intended to expunge every thing that tended to encourage fuch Miftakes.

When he took notice of "a fpeculative As"fent to all the Principles of Religion" he intended by it such agreeing with the current Opi

nions, as will stand confiftent with Sentiments, quite fubverfive of the faving Truth. Not fuch a Knowledge of the Truth as the Apostle speaks of, when he says, Ye know the Truth, and that no Lie is of the Truth. He well knew, that there was no Man, but he, that is taught of God, could be fatisfied with the Apoftolic Account of Salvation, and would have informed Theron had he had another Opportunity, "that if he attempted to do "any thing eafy, or difficult, under the Notion of "an Act of Believing, or any other Act, in order "to His Acceptance with God, he only thereby "heaped up more Wrath against Himself.

He was also fenfible, that a Man may be very ufeful and amiable amongst Men, and at the fame Time an utter Enemy to the Grace of God's Kingdom-That he had been too forward in Commendations of thofe, who were no Friends to Apoftolic Christianity. His Design was only to commend what was amiable in every one, paffing over their Blemishes-In this Design he acknowledged, he was carried to an Extreme. When he fays of Erafmus and Locke, that they fat at the Feet of Jefus, he only meant to express in an elegant Way, that they betook themselves to the reading of the Scriptures, and not to vindicate their Notions.

And he counted it an Obfervation well worthy Regard, that" it may be maintained by fome, that

Con

Converfion is carried on by Grace affifting Nature; and by others, that this Matter is wholly conducted by irrefiftable Grace; and yet both Sides may be equally difaffected to that Doctrine, which maintains the Work finished by Chrift on the Crofs, to be the only requifite to Juftification * -And that while many Chriftian Teachers maintain, that no Man can be eminently virtuous without divine Energy, they fay no more than Heathen Philofophers have faid before them."

Thefe Remarks and Obfervations may be fufficient to direct the intelligent Reader of Theron and Afpafio, to avoid needless Objections, and also to improve that Performance more agreeably to the Scriptures and the Author's own Mind. And the Public may be affured, that if these Improvements are not regarded in the future Editions of his Works, either in the fame Words, or Words to the fame Purport, they are far from being genuine.

*To little Purpose, then, has the Editor of his Letters endeavoured to reconcile the Arminians and Calvinifts. Mr. Hervey concerned not himself with their Difpute, but counted it a Diverfion from his principal Point. This, therefore, ferves only to manifeft the Editor's extraordinary Ignorance of that Point.

POST

POSTSCRIPT.

THE

HE great Impropriety of recommending Mr. Hervey and his Writings, by In"finuations tending to depreciate thofe Doc"trines, which it was at once the Labour and "Delight of his whole Life to propagate," has been already well obferved: And it would have been still more agreeable to have found it a Matter as confcientioufly regarded in Practice. The Gentlemen who have undertook in Two Volumes, entitled, A Collection of the Letters of the late Rev. Mr. James Hervey, to "introduce the "Public into Mr. Hervey's Company, and fhew «Ε us this great Genius in an undress," have undreft him indeed! They have done their best to strip him, not only of what he efteemed most valuable, but of every Poffibility or Plea of Defence against his Opponents; and have fo disguised him, by introducing their own Sentiments under the Sanction of his Name, that neither Friends nor Opponents can allow it to be the genuine Mr. Hervey. There are Three that feem principally concerned in this unworthy Attempt. Ift, The Writer of his Life, who tells us, "that "Bishop Fowler's Book on the Design of Chri"ftianity, has been lately reprinted to obviate "the Tendency or Mifapplication of Mr. Hervey

and Mr. Marshall's Principles, and that the

"Rea