were honoured to be chiefly inftrumental in reftoring the purity of gofpel-doctrine, after it had been, for ages, buried in a cloud of Antichriftian darknefs and error, on most of the points in debate between Palamon and his antagonists not as if I reckoned their authority of fufficient weight to prove an article of faith, or give a fanction to any doctrine not clearly taught and established in the Sacred Writings; but because in their writings fome of the moft important truths of the gospel are clearly proved from Scripture, happily expreffed, judiciously explained, and pertinently applied; and to Thew that Afpafio and his brethren teach the fame doctrine, and walk in the fame fpirit and fteps with thofe renowned champions. for the truth, who, by blowing the filver trumpet of the everlafting gofpel, were made the happy inftruments of demolishing the walls of the Antichriftian Jericho; of roufing many out of that fpiritual and pernicious lethargy which they had been thrown into by the ftupifying potions of the mother of barlots, and abominations of the earth; and of levying that heroic army of martyrs and confeffors, who appeared with fuch undaunted courage and intrepidity in defence of the truth, not fearing to expose themfelves to the moft grievous fufferings, and the most cruel deaths, in that glorious caufe.

In fuch company, compaffed about with fuch a cloud of witneffes, those who teach the fame doctrine with Afpafio may fecurely contemn the impotent attacks, fcornful fimile, and fcurrilous reflections of fuch a writer as Palemon*.

* Methinks the author of the Defence of Theron and Afpafia difcovers too much complaifance, or rather a kind of abject timidity, when he compliments the author of the letters on Theron, &c. fo far as to make an apology for his conduct, and, which is yet more, acknowledge his fault in profeffing an agreement, in fome fundamental articles of the Christian faith, with the late Meff. Erskines and the Seceding minifters in Scotland, according to Scripture, and the judgment of all found Proteftant divines, and in quoting a few paffages from a fermon preached by Mr. Eben. Erskine; as if he had thus made Meff. Erskines, and the Seceding minifters, with other Proteftant divines, the vouchers of his creed, and given a manifeft proof of his yielding implicit faith to their dictates and fentiments. Is it a crime, then, to yield obedience to our Lord's command in going forth by the footsteps of the flock, Cant. i. 8, or to remember them who have spoken to us the word of God, whofe faith we are exhorted to follew, confidering the end of their conversation? Heb. xiii. 7. Muft an endeavour to keep the unity of the faith in the bond of peace be reputed a fault? and a fovereign contempt of the doctrine and principles of Chriftian teachers uninfpired, however confonant to the word of God thefe may be found to be, accounted effential to the character of a true believer and apoftolic Christian ? What pity is it, that men fhould fuffer themfelves thus to be bantered out of their religion, and reason too, by the scornful and fenfeless reflections of one of the moft trifling, though one of the moft arrogant writers that this, or perhaps any age has produced?

The

The wild reveries of this author concerning the formation, conftitution and government of the Chriftian church, of which we have fuch a large collection in his fourth letter as fills near 70 pages, I think merit no regard; and therefore, I have not taken any particular notice of them. After he has discovered fuch a strong inclination to fubvert fome of the most important articles of the Christian doctrine, and thus to rob the church of thofe precious truths of the gofpel which are the only foundation of her faith, hope and comfort, it cannot be fupposed, that his fentiments on any other fubject, will have great weight with any lover of the truth. On the On the contrary, it may ferve greatly to confirm fuch as defire to keep the way of the Lord, in a day of general apoftafy, by adhering to the purity of religion and reformation once attained to in these kingdoms, with regard to the government and discipline of the church, as well as doctrine and worship, when it is confidered, that those Separatifts in Scotland, who first diftinguished themselves by using their endeavours to pour contempt upon that glorious work of Reformation fet on foot by our worthy ancestors in the last age, have fance, in the righteous judgment of God, been left to fhew no lefs oppofition to those precious doctrines of the gospel which were

the special means of overthrowing the kingdom of Antichrift, and difpelling those mists of error and herefy which had for many ages overfpread the whole Christian world.

This verifies an obfervation which has been fometimes made, namely, that when the hedge of government and difcipline, which the glorious Head of the church has appointed as a fence about her, to preserve her from the dangerous incurfions of the beasts of prey, is once broken down, the purity of doctrine cannot long be maintained. It were to be wifhed, that the defperate attempts made by those new Sectaries in the neighbouring kingdom, among whom the letterwriter makes fuch a diftinguifhed figure, to obfcure, undermine and fubvert the Protef tant doctrine, throw a veil of Antichriftian darknefs upon the most important truths of the gospel, and fap the very foundations of Christianity, might be the means of opening the eyes of fome, who have fuffered themfelves to be so far blinded with prejudices against that form of government which the Lord Jefus has appointed to be observed in his house, for maintaining purity, order, unity and harmony in his church and among his followers; as to account it a matter of indifferency, and what may either be retained or dispensed with by Chriftians, as may best fuit their different inclinations and interefts. However

However lightly fome, otherwife well-difpofed, may think of the government and difcipline of the church, as if it was a matter. of very small moment, whether this or that, or any other form of external government be observed in her, provided men be found in the faith as to what are called fundamen-i tals, or the effentials of Chriftianity, I make no doubt, but, upon inquiry, it will be found, that the neglect and contempt of the former have been no lefs prejudical to the fouls of men, than thofe errors and herefies which have been vented in oppofition to the latter; and indeed thofe never fail to open a door and make way for the reception of these.

Left our author fhould complain, that I have întangled him among texts of Scriptare, as he alledges the popular preachers are wont to do; fuch of these as I have occafion to refer to, I have, for the moft part, marked at the bottom of the page,. which he may therefore confult, or not, as he thinks proper; yet, if duly attended to, I am in hopes, that they will not only intangle him, but confound him, ftop his mouth, and keep him from ever opening it again in fuch blafphemous talk against the heavens, against the truths, works and ways of God,

* Letters on Theron, &c. p. 98.