and arrogated to himself the title of Holiness, certainly cannot justify Protestants in joining with him to profane the name which is peculiar to Deity, by either giving or receiving the title of "Reverend," and as it is written "Holy and Reverend is His Name," and that Aaron was commanded "not to profane God's Holy Name," how careful ought we, as Christians, to be, lest we should take that Holy Name in vain. Others of the little flock whom Jesus feeds, may complain because the author relates the dying experience of many of the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, many of his public ambassadors, and amongst them the pious individual Andrew Fuller, against whose sentiments he has written this work. But, is this a valid objection? are not christians much gratified by hearing or knowing how the Lord Jesus supports true believers in their last moments? "Oh, yes! says the objector, but he has introduced this to support his arguments; "-let this be admitted, and it shows the author's love of the man, but his aversion to his errors, by the faithful and affectionate manner in which his opponent's dying exercise is introduced; it also shews that those who honour God he will honour, and those that despise him, shall be lightly esteemed. The pious Bunyan advances this idea; that the fatherly chastisements of God to his dear children may extend even to their dying beds, like naughty children they may be put to bed in the dark, but still they are children, 'heirs of God and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ," and "because he lives they shall live also." No one doubts the piety of the good King Hezekiah, though he was unwilling to die, any more than they do the piety of Paul, who had a desire to depart and be with Christ," and who exultingly said, "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith," &c. May all those who are

placed on the walls of Zion so imitate this great Apostle, that the blood of souls may not be found on their skirts, and that the souls of God's dear children may not be made sad by the uncertain sound which is too often given to the Gospel Trumpet. But, it is to be feared that some of them may feel no interest in this work, they "do not like doctrinal discussions;" but may it not be said of such, "When for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need of being taught, and fed with milk, and not strong meat." Shall we say with the Man of Sin “Ignorance is the mother of devotion?" No! says the Christian, it is our duty and privilege to "search the Scriptures, and giving all diligence, add to our faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity, and if these things be in us and abound, we shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." To conclude, many may have no love for the doctrinal, practical, experimental, or evangelical truth contained in this book, and, we have some reason to fear, no love to God, to his word, to his ways, to his ordinances, or to his people. To such persons we would most affectionately point out the words of the great Head of the church, "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God," and to any poor, sensibly helpless, perishing sinner, we would say, "The blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanseth from all sin;" and if we are thus quickened by the Holy Spirit, and brought to feel our wretched condition by nature and practice, the Scripture warrants us to believe that he ever liveth to make intercession for us.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE FIRST EDITION.

I THINK it right to inform the reader, that, some time ago, I was accidentally engaged in a verbal controversy on the nature and extent of the atonement of Christ, with a Baptist minister of some celebrity, residing in Northamptonshire. At parting, he earnestly entreated me to read Mr. Fuller's "Dialogues, Letters, and Essays," which I promised to do. No sooner had I read and pondered that work, than the fallacy of Mr. Fuller's doctrine, which my friend had espoused, appeared to me in a more striking manner than it had ever done before; and I felt assured that, with a little labour, the speciousness and deceitfulness of Mr. Fuller's views might be fully made manifest. With this conviction, I determined to attempt a refutation of them, and to publish it in the following Letters.

It is more than possible that some weak and

inconsiderate persons may feel offended at the free use I have made of Mr. Fuller's name, because, being now deceased, he cannot answer for himself. Although I have no fear of any objection of this nature from persons who are acquainted with literary affairs, yet, for the sake of the weak, and because of the captious, I offer the following apology :

1. The subsequent Letters are not directed against Mr. Fuller, but against the doctrine now prevailing in the Baptist churches.

2. It is impossible effectually to oppose this doctrine, without reference to some acknowledged writings, in which it is stated and defended; and these acknowledged writings are Mr. Fuller's "Dialogues," &c. It is true, there are some living authors who have asserted the same things; but these writers are inferior to Mr. Fuller in celebrity and polemical talents. To encounter them, therefore, would not be to allow my opponents the full exercise of their strength; neither would it become the great cause of truth to engage the subaltern, while the champion is defying the advocates of particular redemption, and crying out, “Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me."

3. When an author publishes on controverted subjects, he does so, not only for the generation

living at the time, but for succeeding generations. Though he die as a man, he still lives as an author, and teaches and speaks as long as his writings are read. It is right, therefore, to examine the theories and doctrines of an author, whether he be living or dead. What man of sense would reflect on President Edwards, for publishing his confutation of Dr. Whitby, after the Doctor's death? Or who would charge Mr. Fuller with unfairness, for publishing his "Strictures on Sandemanianism," long after Mr. Robert Sandeman had returned to his original dust?

4. But if, notwithstanding this explanation, any Baptist minister, or any other who understands the controversy, and who has espoused Mr. Fuller's views, feels hurt that Mr. Fuller's name has thus been introduced, let such a one take his pen, and, as he reads, let him erase the name of Mr. Fuller, and substitute his own; and let him know that he is the man against whom I am writing, and not the deceased Mr. Fuller.

If, however, the reader be one of those favoured individuals whom the Father has drawn to Jesus, he hath already been taught so much of the infinite evil of sin, and the vanity of all created things, as to loathe himself and his own righteousness, and to value nothing in compa