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Dear Mr. CUDWORTH,

Am fo weak, I am scarcely able to write my Name t.

Dec. 15, 1758.

J. HERVEY.

+ Hearing how dangerously ill Mr. Hervey was, I wrote to remind him of leaving something under his Hand in Regard to his Writings, as he knew the Situa-tion of them now required it; and this was all the Anfwer he could give me.

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SUMMARY of the DOCTRINE that was the Subject of the preceeding Correfpondence. Collected in Mr. HERVEY'S Own Words.

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OTHING is required, in order to our Participation of CHRIST and his Benefits.-Come, and take freely*, is our MASTER's Language, without ftaying to acquire any graceful Qualities, is his Meaning. Pages 251, 252.

To whom is their Meffage addreffed? To the Poor, the Maimed, the Halt, the Blind +. Perfons who have no amiable or recommending Endowments, but every loathfome and disgustful Property. p. 252.

It is not a Matter of Bargain, nor the Subject of Sale, but a Deed of Gift. The Gift of Righteousness, fays the Apoftle. And Gifts, we all know, are not to be purchased, but received. p. 254.

The Gifts of the great eternal SOVEREIGN are intended, not to recognize our imaginary Worth,

Rev. xxii. 17.

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Matth. xx. 11,

Worth, but to aggrandize our Views of his Mercy and Grace. To answer fuch a Defign, the Unworthy and the Sinners are duly qualified; nay, are the only qualified Persons.

Scripture requires no other.-The ever merciful SAVIOUR fays not, they are unqualified for my Merits; they have no valuable or noble Acquirements. But this is his tender Complaint; They will not come to me, just as they are; with all their Sins about them; with all their Guilt upon them, that they may have Life *. p. 256.

Since the LORD JEHOVAH has given Us his SON, and all his unutterable Merits; why fhould we not, with an Affurance of Faith, receive the incomparable Gift? Why should we not confide in it t, as firmer than the firmeft Deed? and far more inviolable, than any royal Patent? p. 273.

-There is no clogging Qualification, no Worth to be poffeffed, no Duty to be performed, in order to your full Participation of CHRIST and his Riches.-CHRIST dwelleth in our Hearts.-How? by legal Works, and laborious Pre-requifites ? No; but by Faith . p. 293.

* John v. 40.

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"How

† It is here very evident, that Mr. Hervey, by Affurance of Faith, intends immediate trufting, or confiding in that, which God has given to be the Object of the Şinner's Confidence.

+ Eph. iii. 17.

"How, or in what Manner, does the Divine SPIRIT work Faith in the Heart of a Sinner?""The divine SPIRIT brings CHRIST and his "Righteousness nigh untó Us in the Promise of "the Gofpel; clearing, at the fame Time, our

Right and Warrant to intermeddle with all, "without Fear of vicious Intromiffion; encou"raging and enabling to a Measure of confident "Application, and taking Home all to Ourselves, "freely, without Money, and without Price." p. 294, 295.

When you fent a Meffage to your Tenantwho, in his laft Sickness, expreffed fo much Uneafinefs on Account of his large Family and embaraffed Circumstances affuring him, that you had cancelled the Bond, and forgiven his Debt *. When you told the Woman, whose Husband fell from the loaded Waggon, and broke both his Legs, that you would order a Surgeon to attend him, and continue his weekly Pay, how did they regard, how receive your promised Kindness? So E 3

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*Similitudes do not run parallel in all Refpects. Mr. Hervey's fcope here, is only to illuftrate Faith, as it is no more than fimply a Belief of the Truth, producing Confidence or Affurance fuitable to that Truth. He does not intend that the Gofpel allows any Man to be affured his Sins are forgiven him, otherwife, than in the Way of a conftant immediate abfolute Dependance on Chrift alone, for that and every Bleffing connected therewith.

let us credit the gracious Declarations of our GOD; fo accept his faithful Promife; and then we shall answer the Import of the Word-then we shall truly believe. p. 298.

When I search for my own Endowments, I find nothing that I dare venture to plead; being, in my best Moments, and amidst my choiceft Duties a Sinner. As this is at all Times my undoubted Character, I have at all Times an undoubted Warrant to fay, The uncreated WISDOM calleth me: The Bleffed JESUS came to fave me: The Great MESSIAH suffered Death for me. p. 301.

Ther. At this Rate, the vileft Miscreants have as clear, nay have the very fame Warrant to believe in CHRIST, and receive his Salvation, as the highest Saints.

Afp. The very fame. In this Refpect there is no Difference.-The vileft Mifcreants are blinded by the Devil, and enflaved to their Lufts. Therefore they fee no Beauty in a SAVIOUR, that they should defire him. Whereas, when the Divine SPIRIT opens their Eyes, and inclines their Hearts,

*It is here very evident, that the Reason why Mr. Hervey ufes the Language of particular Application for me, is not as Mr. Sandeman has mifreprefented him, p. 211. becaufe he is a gracious Perfon, and fo diftinguished from others; but because he conceives Sinners as fuch, are fo warranted by the gracious Declarations of the Gofpel, and himself as a Sinner among the rest.

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