filled with the spirit of wisdom and knowledge, they published and explained their Master's doctrines more at large; they then tell us of his bearing our sins on his body on the tree, of his redeeming us by his precious blood as a lamb without blemish, of the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus upon us, of our being washed from sin in his blood, and redeemed unto God thereby; and use the same sort of language with St. Paul, who learned his gospel also by the revelation of Jesus Christ; and who acquaints us that he gave up his life a ransom for sinful men, that his blood was shed for the remission of sins, that he was made a curse for us that he might redeem us from the curse of the law, which pronounces death upon every sinner, and that he hath taken away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and made peace by the blood of his cross between God and man. But the indulgence of Agrippa's scheme encourages us to contradict Christ and his apostles at once, by taking away the obvious and natural sense of their words, under a pretence of making their doctrine more honourable and more conformable to the nature and reason of things.

When a man has once persuaded his conscience to deny this doctrine of the propitiation of Christ for sins, which is so plainly taught in scripture, and in such various forms of speech, what is there of doctrine in the New Testament, which they may not deny or turn into an allegory and figure? I should be ready to fear that neither the perverse sentiments of Mr. Woolston, who turned the miracles of Christ into allegory, nor any other idle and unscriptural scheme of interpretation, would be very hard to defend upon such principles, and after such a step as this. If the propitiation of sin by the sufferings of Christ may be thus interpreted away by pretended figures, and explained into the doctrines and duties of mere natural religion, what may not jewish tropes and figures be capable of doing? What doctrine is there that they cannot evaporate and destroy? In short, if we accustom ourselves to such interpretations of scripture as Agrippa makes use of, it will gradually lead us into such a gross abuse of words and phrases, that we may bring our consciences and our lips frequently to speak one thing and mean another: And if Christ and his apostles mean no more when they preach. the gospel to the Jews or gentiles in all these sacrificial phrases, than what Agrippa pretends, I fear men will be tempted to set up for a defence of loose and large equivocation upon the foot of tropes and figures, and make Christ and his apostles their pattern and their example.

And that I may multiply no more particulars on this awful and displeasing subject, I add, in the last place, that this unhappy doctrine brings even the salvation of our souls into question and danger. I would not dare pronounce damnable heresy or destruction where Christ or his apostles have not pronounced it; and yet I would not venture to approach within the sweep of such a sentence. I should be dreadfully afraid of standing under the terror and vengeance of that text; Heb. x. 26, 27. If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary. The case here described seems to be this: The sacred writer had been discoursing in the beginning of this epistle about the dignity of the person of our blessed Lord, and had introduced him in the following chapters into his glorious office of a High-Priest: But, in the ninth and tenth chapters, he describes very particularly his becoming a sacrifice for the sins of men, and shews how he made atonement for our

moral transgressions in the sight of God as the Lord of conscience, even as the blood of bulls and goats under the jewish law made atonement for legal defilements or ceremonial faults before God as king of their nation, or as visible head of their church. This is called, Heb. ix. 13. Sanctifying the unclean to the purifying of the flesh; and he then argues, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, or works deserving death, that you may serve the living God."

And to make it further appear that this is not a mere matter of speculation or opinion, he subjoins a further practical use of it in the tenth chapter, when he had finished this doctrine in the eighteenth verse, he shews us in the succeeding verses what use we are to make of it; and that is to enter into the holiest, or address the God of heaven with confidence by the blood of Jesus, and draw near to him in full assurance of faith, having our hearts as it were sprinkled with his blood of atonement, and delivered thereby from an evil or guilty conscience. He proceeds then to make another inference, viz. that the jewish converts or Hebrews should hold fast their profession of the christian faith without wavering, and not forsake the christian assemblies and worship; verses 24, 25. For, says he, if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, if we depart from christianity, and particularly from the great and important doctrines of it which my pen has just written, that is, "the sacrifice of Christ for the obtaining the pardon of our sins," and that after such evident conviction and constraining reason to believe it, there remains no more sacrifice for sin to those who deny or evacuate this sacrifice of Christ." Now "if blood was appointed to make atonement for the soul;” Lev. xvii. 22. "if there was no remission of levitical defilement to be obtained under the jewish law without shedding of blood;" if the priest was never to enter into the most holy place, nor appear before God there without the blood of the sacrifice; Lev. xvi. 14, 15. if Christ himself as the High-Priest and representative of his people, would "not once enter into heaven to appear there in the presence of God for us without his blood;" Heb. ix. 12, 24. surely they run a most dreadful risk of unpardoned guilt and divine indignation, who renounce the only effectual sacrifice for sin, even that which the Son of God has offered, and venture into the presence of God without the blood of sprinkling upon them, without faith in the blood of Christ. The very close connexion of these dreadful words of threatening, with so long and particular a discourse on the atonement made by the blood of Christ, seems to point this threatening not merely against those who are apostates from all the christian doctrine, but particularly against those who forsake and renounce this great truth of the "sacrifice of Christ for sin." And let it be observed that the form of the threatening, "there remains no more sacrifice," seems to have a peculiar reference to the denial or renunciation of this doctrine.

Some think the words of St. Peter may confirm this of St. Paul, 2 Peter ii. 1. where he foretels of "false teachers, who shall bring in damnable heresies, in Greek, heresies of destruction, denying the Lord that bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction." Now as in natural religion, " a denial that God made us," is in effect the same thing as a "denial of the God that made us," so in revealed religion to "deny that the Lord Jesus bought us," is it not much the same as to " deny the Lord Jesus that bought us?" For it is a renouncing him under that character or office by which he becomes a Saviour, and therefore swift destruction follows upon it. But I will not insist on this, the other is sufficient.

SECTION IV.

THE NECESSITY OF THIS DOCTRINE represENTED IN THE EXPRESS WORDS OF TWO LEARNED MEN OF WELL-KNOWN CHARITY, AND OF A CATHOLIC SPIRIT.

BUT that I may not appear to stand alone in this sentiment, which may seem uncharitable, says Ferventio, I would appeal to the late reverend and learned Doctor John Evans, who in a book he wrote in express vindication of christian charity, entitled, "A Second Letter to Mr. Cumming about Scripture Consequences," page 88, &c. expresses himself in such strong language as I would rehearse at large, that the force of his arguments may appear. I have transcribed it into a little pocket book to carry it always about me in these seasons of error and apostacy, that I might have it ready to shew upon every occasion, how zealous a defender of this doctrine he was, though we know he was a man of some latitude in other points of strict orthodoxy. "There are some scripture passages," says he, "which contain propositions that are declared in the passages themselves necessary to be believed in order to salvation, as that Jesus is the Messiah; John viii. 24. that he is come in the flesh,' 1 John iv. 2-6. This, says he, are the first sort of fundamentals or "necessary articles, because the Holy Ghost in scripture hath expressly made the belief of them terms of salvation." Then he adds secondly, "I think the Spirit of God may have signified the universal necessity of believing some truths, by other ways of express declaration, which ar as full and obligatory, as his saying in so many words, "that he that believes them shall be saved, or he that believes them not shall perish." As, when the revelation of a doctrine is very express and plain: When it is set in several lights, or expressed in several phrases, all pointing very forcibly to one and the same common sense: When the Spirit of God lays great stress upon it, either by mentioning it at every turn in the sacred writings, or by interweaving it with the main doctrines and institutions of christianity; or by making the blessings, without which we cannot be saved, to depend upon it, and even upon the belief of it: Or by representing it as the foundation of practical godliness. When, I say, I find these marks affixed to any doctrine of revelation in the revelation itself; I mean, all or most of them concurring; I apprehend them to be an express testimony of the Spirit of God, that such a truth is universally necessary, fully equivalent to the former. I shall only instance in one truth, which though it hath, as I have just observed, the former mark also of universal necessity, has these additional marks too, viz. “ that Christ died a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins."

I know no truth more plainly expressed, or more frequently inculcated in the scriptures, and this in a variety of phrases of obvious meaning, especially comparing the Old and New Testament together: "That God laid on him the iniquities of us all; that he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities; died for our sins; was delivered for our offences; bore the sins of many; bore our sins in his body on the tree; made his soul an offering for sin; was made sin and a curse for us; suffered, the just for the unjust; gave himself a ransom for all; made reconciliation for the sins of the people; is set forth as a propitiation:" Besides many other phrases used in the case; with the plain sense of which I cannot but think any honest mind may be safely trusted, though he knew none of the hypotheses built upon it on the one hand, and notwithstanding all the subtilties of the socinians to enervate the force of them on

the other. At the same time I find the greatest stress laid upon this doctrine in the express declarations of scripture. Divine perfections are said to be eminently displayed in it: His love; Rom. v. 6-8. "God commendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us;" 1 John iv. 10. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.' His wisdom; Eph. i. 7, 8. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace, wherein he has abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence." His righteousness; Rom. iii. 25, 26. "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God: To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." It is the scope of the espistle to the Hebrews to shew, that the mosaical sacrifices were intended to prefigure it. The great blessings of the covenant are expressly made to depend upon it viz. our redemption. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. "For as much as ye know, that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." The pardon of our sins; Eph. i. 7. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins;" which words are repeated in Col. i. 14. and again, Heb. ix. 14, 26. "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" verse 26." Once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Our access to God; Heb. x. 19, 20. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us." Our eternal redemption; Heb. ix. 12. "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." And the whole covenant of grace; Heb. x. 29. "The blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified." Heb. xiii. 20. "The blood of the everlasting covenant." The only two visible rites instituted under the New Testament, baptism and the Lord's Supper, are expressly described as referring to it, and representations of it. Rom. vi. 3. "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" Matt. xxvi. 28. "For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many, for the remission of sins." It is represented as the great encouragement to christians under their guilty fears; Rom. viii. 34. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died." And it is often inculcated as a principal motive to christian practice; Rom. vi. 3—11. "We are baptized into his death, that as Christ was raised from the dead,-we also should walk in newness of life: Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed; Likewise reckon yourselves to be dead unto sin; 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. The love of Christ constraineth us, for we thus judge—that he died for all, that they— should not live to themselves, but to him who died for them; Tit. ii. 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. It is spoken of as the glory of the christian religion; 1 Cor. i. 23, 24. "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." It is that which the founders of it,

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under Christ, chiefly gloried in; Gal. vi. 14. “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." And it is made the chief subject of their preaching; 1 Cor. ii. 2. "But I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified." Besides this, our actual justification is expressly annexed to our faith in his blood; Rom. iii. 25. In a word, this doctrine is interwoven in the revelation itself with the whole of the christian religion. These things laid together would oblige me to conclude this doctrine to be most fundamental in christianity; even though it had not the first character annexed to it, viz. "an express declaration of scripture that it is necessary to our salvation." Thus much says this learned writer.

And as Doctor Evans, who was well known to be a person of large charity, makes the belief of the propitiation of Christ necessary to salvation, at least to those who have the New Testament in their hands to lead them into all christian truth; so the late venerable and learned Doctor Whitby, who was no favourer of the peculiar principles of John Calvin, nor an enemy to extensive charity, makes faith in the atonement of Christ as necessary as Doctor Evans does. See his preface to the first general epistle of St. John, where he cites the words of our Saviour; John vi. 53. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you:" And then adds, The express words of Christ clearly declare the necessity of faith in his body given, and his blood shed for the remission of sins, to justification and salvation, we "being justified by his blood, and through faith in his blood," as Rom. iii. 25. and chapter v. 9.

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He goes on to prove the same point from the plain declarations of St. Paul, who among the many things he preached to the Corinthians, as things by the belief of which they should be saved, mentions three articles. First of all, "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; secondly, "that he was buried;" and thirdly, that he rose from the dead;" 1 Cor. xv. 1-4. The doctrine of the sufficiency of faith in Christ's death for "justification without the works of the law," is by the same apostle declared to be so necessary, that he saith of them who gainsayed it, "Christ is become of no effect to you,-ye are fallen from grace;" Gal. v. 2. 4. Thus far Doctor Whitby. Now what would these gentlemen have said to Agrippa, if he had acquainted them with his scheme, if we may judge of their sentiments by these citations? All their charity would not have allowed him a place in a christian church, nor thought him worthy of the privilege of our holy communion.

Ferventio having cited two such authors as these, supposed he had sufficiently secured himself from the censure of an uncharitable spirit: But to defend his sentiments yet. further, he proceeds thus: I would fain know, says he, what is charity, when the word is used in this sort of debate. Though charity, is said by St. Paul; 1 Cor. xiii. 7. to believe all things and to hope all things, yet can we ever think that charity obliges us to believe that man to be a christian, who renounces one chief office of Christ? Or to hope that Agrippa, has all the necessaries of christianity, when it is so evident by his own confession that he wants several of them? Will charity require us to say, that any man will find propitiation for his sins through faith in the blood of Christ, who denies that this blood hath made any real propitiation for sin, and hath no faith in it for that purpose, and who continues to do this after the whole New Testament is put into his hands, and these scriptures which so plainly assert it, are pointed out to him in abundance