Asp. Which, Theron! let him discard neither, but associate both. If the all-gracious Redeemer has poured out his blood on the cross, that my guilt may be ex piated, and presents his intercession in heaven, that I may be endued with the Spirit;-if he will be the me ritorious cause of my justification, and the operative principle of my sanctification;-why should I scruple to receive him in either, in both capacities? Who would lop off the right hand in order to impart the higher dignity, or the greater importance to the left? I would be no partialist in Christianity; neither diminish her dowry, nor mutilate her privileges. Ther. You seem, if not to mutilate, yet to split the merits of Christ, and parcel out the efficacy of his mediatorial undertaking; ascribing so much to his active, and so much to his passive righteousness; pardon to this, and life to that. Asp. Some, perhaps, may be pleased with this way of stating the matter; but it is a method which I neither attempt to defend, nor wish to imitate. To distinguish between the active and passive righteousness, I think is not amiss; because this sets the fulness of our Lord's merit in the clearest light, and gives the completest honour to God's holy law. But to divide them into detached portions, independent on each other, seems to be fanciful rather than judicious. For had either part of the mediatorial obedience been wanting, I appre hend, neither pardon nor acceptance, nor any spiritual blessing, could have been vouchsafed to fallen man. The two parts are inseparable; making in their connexion a necessary and noble whole, for the accomplishment of our salvation; just as the light and the heat of yonder sun, blend their operation, to produce this delightful day, and this fruitful weather. How., ever, therefore, I may happen to express myself, I never tlemen, who adopt this objection, never seen the naturalists divided in their judgment, with relation to the design and use of several appearances in the material, the vegetable, the animal creation, while one decries as a nuisance, what another admires as a beauty! Yet no one, I believe, ever took it into his head, from such a diversity of opinions, to doubt whether the frame of nature is a just, a regular, and a finished system; or to deny that power, goodness, and wisdom, support, pervade, and direct the whole. consider them as acting in the exclusive sense; but would always have them understood as a grand and glorious aggregate: looking upon our Saviour's universal obedience, which commenced at his incarnation, was carried on through his life, and terminated in his death;-looking upon all this, in its collective form, as the object of my faith and the foundation of my hopes. Ther. I think you lay too much stress upon this controverted, and perhaps, merely speculative point. Asp. Merely speculative! say not thus, my dear friend. How I may be justified before God, my Maker, my Governor, and my Judge,' is an inquiry, of all others, the most interesting and important. It is the main hinge on which every instance of practical religion turns.+ True comfort, willing obedience, holy communion with the Divine Majesty, all depend upon this capital point. Far from being a merely speculative point, it ascribes the most undivided glory to the ever-blessed God, and his free grace. It administers the most serene and substantial satisfactions to frail but believing men. It cherishes with the most kindly influence that pure and undefiled religion, which has its seat in the heart, has its birth from love, and is a real antepast, both of the business and the bliss of saints in light. Can we, then, lay too much stress upon a doctrine so greatly momentous? upon a privilege so extensively beneficial? In this opinion, Aspasio has Milton's archangel for his precedent. Michael speaking of his Lord and our Lord, says, The law of God exact he shall fulfil, Both by obedience and by love, though love According to the tenor of these very valuable lines, our Lord's fulfilling the law and enduring the punishment, are the concurring causes, or the one compound cause, of life and redemption to sinners. tDiffundit se,' says the judicious Witsius, justificationis doctrina per totum theologiæ corpus; et prout fundamenta hic, vel bene, vel male, jacta sunt, eo universum ædificium vel solidius augustiusque ascendit, vel male statuminatum fædam minitatur ruinam.'-De Econ. Ther. When all this is proved, then for my reply, Aspasio. Nay, then you shall have more than a reply; I promise you my cordial assent. Asp. And if all this be incapable of proof, I assure you, Theron, I will not solicit your assent. Nay, more, I will revoke and renounce my own. Ther. At present, I believe, we must go in, and prepare for our visitants. Some other interview will give us an opportunity to canvas this question more minutely. Asp. Though I have never much inclination, even when there is the most leisure, for controversy, yet, if you insist upon it, I shall not absolutely refuse to engage in a debate with my Theron; because he will come to the amicable rencounter without bringing angry passions for his second. My reasons will be impartially weighed, not artfully eluded, much less answered with invective. If some inadvertent expression should drop from my lips, he will not rigorously prosecute the slip, nor aggravate an unguarded sentence into the crime of heresy. Candour will form his judg ment, and good-nature dictate his expressions. Ther. I thank you, my dear Aspasio, for your gen. teel admonition. What I am, in the language of complaisance, means, what I should be. Well, I will endeavour to take your hint, and check this my impetuosity of spirit. I have admired, O! that I could imitate, the beautiful example of St. Paul. When Festus, forgetting the dignity of the governor and the politeness of the gentleman, uttered that indecent reflection, Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning doth make thee mad; did the great preacher of Christianity kindle into resentment? The charge was unjust and abusive: but the apostle, with the most perfect command of himself, returned the softest, yet the most spirited answer imaginable. I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and soberness."* See Acts xxvi. where we have an apology the most delicate and masterly, perhaps, that ever was made; eminent for fine address, clear reasoning, and important truth; which, notwithstanding all these very superior recommendations, is deemed madness, and that by a nobleman from Rome, the seat of science, and fountain-head of polite literature;-a proof this, no Inexpressibly graceful was this calm and obliging reply. Though short, infinitely more convincing than a whole torrent of bitter or recriminating words. It disarmed the judge of his rising displeasure; it conciliated the favour of his royal assessor; and brought honour to the Christian cause. This amiable self-regimen, and moderation of temper, I shall be sure to see exemplified in my friend's conversation, however I may fail of it myself, or be proof against all his arguments. Asp. Ah! Theron, we want no monitor to remind us of our supposed excellencies. And if you begin with your compliments, it is time to put an end to our dis course. Only let me just observe, that divine truths cannot be properly discerned, but by the enlightening influences of the Divine Spirit. We must address ourselves to this inquiry, not only with unprejudiced minds, but likewise with praying hearts. We must bring to this dispute, not barely the quiver of logic, but that 'unction from the Holy One, which may teach us all things." Let us then adopt the poet's aspiration: Thou celestial light, Shine inward, and the mind through all her powers DIALOGUE III. Walk through a Meadow-Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction stated-Considered as a Redemption-Price, and as a sacrifice for Sin. Variously typified under the Mosaic Dispensation. Theron. We are now, Aspasio, about two miles distant from my house. The horse-road lies through a nar row dusty lane. The foot-path leads along a spacious pleasant meadow. Suppose we deliver our horses. to the servant, and walk the remainder of the way? less demonstrative than deplorable, of the apostle's assertion, The natural man,' however ingenious or accomplished, receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him.' 1 Cor. 11. 14. 1 John il. 20. 27: Asp. You could not make a proposal more agreeable to my inclination; especially as the air is become cool, and the walk is so inviting. What a magnificent and charming scene! Hills, on either side, gently rising and widely spreading: their summits crowned with scattered villages and clustering trees: their slopes divided into a beauteous checkerwork; consisting partly of tillage with its waving crops, partly of pasturage with its grazing herds. Before us, the trefoil, the clover, and a variety of grassy plants, differently bladed and differently branched, weave themselves into a carpet of living green. Can any of the manufactures formed in the looms, or extended in the palaces of Persia, vie with the covering of this ample area? vie with it in gran. deur of size, or delicacy of decoration? What a profusion of the gayest flowers, fringing the banks and embroidering the plain! Nature here Wantons as in her prime, and plays at will Nothing can be brighter than the lustre of those sil. ver daisies; nothing deeper than the tinge of those golden crowfoots. Yet both seem to acquire addi tional beauty, by succeeding to the deformity of winter, and flourishing amidst so much surrounding verdure. Ther. Nature is truly in her prime. The vegetable tribes are putting on their richest attire. Those chesnuts on our right hand begin to rear their flowering pyramids; those willows on our left are tipt with tassels of gray; and yonder poplars, which overlook the river and seem to command the meadows, are pointed with rolls of silver. The hawthorn in every hedge is partly turgid with silken gems, partly diffused into a milk white bloom! Not a straggling furze, nor a solitary thicket, but wears a rural nosegay. All is a delightful display of present fertility, and a joyous pledge of future plenty. Now we experience what the royal poet, in very delicate imagery, describes: The winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the Milton, b. v. |