LETTER III. SIR, DID I not believe the doctrines to which I have fubfcribed my affent, and which, in the fincerity of that fubfcription, according to the measure of my abilities, I continue to inculcate on others, I should be a dishoneft man; and which, thus cordially believing myself, did I not preach to others, I fhould be worse than difhoneft-I fhould be unfaithful to the most folemn of all human engagements. With fuch a profeffion, and fuch a practice, it is to be prefumed, that whatever openings may be inadvertently left for the drawing different conclufions from partiçular expreffions, (and it is hardly poffible for even the most experienced writers to be always fo much on their guard, as not to be occafionally misunderflood) the faith delivered by the church to her ministers, as a standard for their public doctrine, remains fecure. This is a confideration which will have its weight with all candid minds; and, if it do not operate fo far as to remove all fufpicion of infidelity, will at least make the suspecting party diffident of his opinion on the fubject, and confequently referved in his judgment. The object propofed to myfelf, in giving an answer to your Letters, was not fo much that of afcertaining and appreciating the propriety of the conclufions, as the weight of your arguments; leaving my reader, as much as may be, to the decifion of his own judgment. Confcious of my own fallibility, I shall always read with attention, and with a becoming defire of correcting error, whatever may be written in oppofition to any tenets I may maintain. At the fame time I fhall always, I truft, poffefs that charity, which will difpofe me to give my opponent credit for the best intentions, fhould nothing appear in his writing or conduct, which may justify me in withholding it. On the fuppofition, Sir, that you read with the fame coolness that I write, and can give me as much credit as I am difposed to give you; the conclufion, I flatter myself, will be, that we differ more in words than in things; and that, zealous as we both are for the promotion of genuine Christianity, it is most probable that, whilft our expreffions, which have been derived from our different habits of education, and the different authors we have refpectively studied, do not appear strictly to correspond, our meaning, upon fome fubjects at leaft, may be nearly the fame. The fubject of your fecond letter is certainly of moft effential importance. It contains, what must on all hands be allowed to be, the ground-work and fubftance of Chriftianity. But my book not being intended to be a profeffed treatise of Christianity, the reader will not expect that I fhould enter further into that fubject, than to give an answer to thofe obfervations, by which you have led him to conclude, that the doctrines of the church and of the minifter are at variance with each other. As fuch circumstance, if true, muft neceffarily constitute an infuperable objection to my book, I am called upon, in juftice both to myfelf and my reader, to fet it afide. "You have found (you fay, page 39) a very material discord between them in the great points of election and juftification." Should this be the cafe, the doctrine of the minifter becomes an herefy, for it is private opinion fet up against established doctrine; as fuch it ought to be condemned. But before sentence be pronounced, feeling myself entitled to the character of a found and faithful minifter of the word, I may be allowed to call for cool examination. You prefume, page 39, that I cannot really believe either the 9th or 10th articles of the church, because I talk of fomething being left to man to perform in the work of falvation, in order to entitle him to the reward of the Gospel covenant. this fubject, it will be found that no more has been faid than what has been always understood to be the doctrine of our church, grounded upon the authority of fcripture. On The ninth article of the church treats of original or birth fin; by which is understood to be meant, that mental depravity entailed upon human nature in confequence of the fall of ADAM; in the words of the article," the fault and corruption of every man; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil; which natural inclination to evil deferves GOD'S wrath and damnation." The doctrine, therefore, contained in this article, is this; that human nature has been corrupted, and that in that state it deferves punishment. In this state every man is born, a fallen fon of fallen ADAM: |