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of them. And I have lived to see them all, except two, drawn into the world again, into sin, into the bondage of the law, into desperate hatred to Christ, and to them that love him, and one even into deism: and no wonder, when they were unacquainted with the plague of the heart, a contrite spirit, godly sorrow, and repentance unto life.

Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure; the Lord knoweth them that are his; and, it appears to me, that God hath begun his good work in you, and doubtless he will carry it on. If the Lord has made thee sensible of thy weakness, and that without him thou canst do nothing, depend upon it, that he will perfect his strength in thy weakness; work in thee, and direct thy work in truth. It is no small part of a work of grace to bring a man off from trust in his own heart, and reliance on his own arm: when thy strength is all gone, and thy righteousness appears to be nothing but dung and dross, he will appear; "He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increaseth strength;" and then thou wilt say, as others have done: "Verily, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength." It is the Lord that pulls down and builds up; he maketh the self-sufficient faint, and bids the weak say, "I am strong."

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If thou lovest his children, and his ways, thou must love the Father that begat those children,

and him that is the way to him; these earnest desires to be put among his children, to be guided and directed by him; to submit to his will, and to be saved in his own way; to seek with sincerity, and pray day and night; are things that either go before, or else accompany salvation; they neither spring out of the soil of nature, nor do they come by chance; therefore patiently wait, and quietly hope, for the salvation of God; nor pray either for trials or terrors, but pray for grace, mercy, and peace, through Christ Jesus; and depend upon it, that thou wilt find and feel, sooner or later, as much corruption and bondage; accusation, and temptations; doubts, and fears; conviction, dejection, and distraction; as thy heart will be able to bear up under, let thy faith be what it may. So I predict, and so thou wilt confess; or thou wilt greatly disappoint

Thy affectionate Friend and Servant,

SIR,

LETTER XLV.

To Mr. UNIVERSALIST.

W. H.

YOUR very polite Epistle came to hand; and, by the contents of it, you are greatly disgusted at

the doctrines contained in my answer to Mr. Skinner: however, an atheistical advocate will do no credit to him, nor dishonour to me, but contrariwise.

Your letter, sir, contains the doctrine of reprobation, as well as my book; only I take it from the scriptures, and you from your own head; I attribute the decree to God, and you assume it to yourself; God reprobates the wicked, and you reprobate the just. Hence we both agree that there is such a doctrine, and that there are such persons as reprobates, otherwise I cannot be one.

As you style yourself an Universalist, you are, doubtless, a man of universal religion, well acquainted with universal doctrines, and must have acquired universal knowledge. And, if so, Where shall we find a man so discreet and wise as thou? Who so proper to be appointed over this business? Who so capable of deciding the controversies of Zion, as thou, most noble Universalist! And, I hope, thou wilt undertake it, as thou knowest that we have such numbers of pestilent fellows who hold the same opinions as Paul, that well known mover of sedition, and ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, Acts xxiv. 5; whose mouths must be stopped, otherwise universal religion will never obtain universal establishment in peace and quietness. If thou wilt undertake to bring these two pools together, under thee we should, doubtless, enjoy great quietness, and a very worthy deed would be done to this our nation by thy provi

dence; which must be always accepted, in all places, and with all thankfulness. Notwithstanding, that I be not farther tedious unto thee, I pray thee, of thy clemency, to permit me to state them as God hath revealed them; and, if thou canst break down this middle wall of partition, remove these irrevocable decrees, and overturn these two mountains of brass, it will, doubtless, redound much to the honour of thy universality.

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TWO MOUNTAINS.

Zech vi. 1.

"And the mountains were mountains of brass."

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"Jacob have I loved."

Rom. ix. 13. "Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son." Rom. viii. 29.

"Thou, Israel, art my servant; Jacob, whom I have chosen; the seed of Abraham, my friend. I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away." Isa. xli. 8, 9.

"Who hath saved us, and called us according to his purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of Jesus Christ."

2 Tim. i. 9, 10.

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