NOTES on the Paftoral Letter.

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ASTORAL LETTER, p.9. 'None who refolve to make "the Holy Scripture their Rule of judging, can poffibly believe that the lukewarm State, as. defcribed above, is That Meafure of Goodnefs, ' which the Chriftian Religion requires." If Moral Arithmetick had been made use of in determining the Measure of Goodness here meant, would it not have appeared to every Christian, as --- nothing, or indeed lefs than nothing? Nay more, if the Great Apostle's Rule (1 Cor. xiii.) be right, is not That Measure of Goodness, Confideration, Argumentation, &c. &c. herein after fet before us, juftly liable to that dreadful Sentence of the Hand-writing upon the Wall, Dan. v. 25, &c. Mene, Mene, TEKEL, Upharfin-Thou art weighed in the Balances, and art found WANTING?

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Pag. 10. DOUBT NOT, but a ferious and ' regular Attendance upon theOrdinances of God, ' will be bleffed by him, with fuch Supplies of 'Grace and Strength, as he fees needful for you; tho' you are not fenfible, at what Times, and in what Manner, they are convey'd.Suppofe a fincere Perfon fhould yet complain, (and Inftances of this Kind are not uncommon) Oh! But I cannot be freed from Doubting, till I have a more infallible Afurance than This Even the inward Teftimony of the Word or Spirit of the great Bishop of Souls ;--till I hear HIM fpeaking unto me, fo as that I may be fenfible in that very Hour-It is He that fpeaketh-faying- My Grace is fufficient for Thee, My Son, Thy Sins are forgiven-Thy Faith hath faved Thee-Go in Peace!

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Pag. 12. When any one confines his Views to this World, and lives as if he had no Dependance upon God in carrying on his Defigns, and confiders not the Connection there is between the Business of Life in this World, and his Condition in another; we are not to ⚫ wonder, that in Such an one, the Senfe of God ' and Religion wears off apace.-Will not all Men wonder, when they find out in Such an one, the Senfe of God and Religion?

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Pag. 13. The want of confidering this, is, without doubt, one great Cause of Lukewarm. nefs in Religion. Refolution of better Improvement for the Time to come, is a Work very proper at all Times, but more especially when we are to renew our Covenant with God in the Holy Sacrament.'-.-Very true; but are

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not Reflection and Refolution the two Cardinal Points of the Modern New Gospel, as Repentance and Faith of the Antiquated---at least Seventeen hundred Years old?

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Pag. 14. It is ftrange with what Indifference the Omiffions of Duty are looked upon by lukewarm Chriftians, and how little Senfe there is of 'the Guilt of forgetting and neglecting them.' ---Does not the Indifference of those, who would be thought zealous Chriftians, appear yet more ftrange in this Cafe, if we compare the Date of this Letter August 1, 1739, with that of the Journal continued, and the Anfwer?

Pag. 15. The Goodness of your Actions depends not fo much upon the Outward Appear· ance, as upon the inward Motives and Principles upon which you act; and THESE CAN be 'known to none but God and yourself.'- What great Reason is there then, that Thofe only fhould

be excufed, (i. e. of all Uncharitableness) who ' will not confider any Thing as Enthusiasm and "Delufion, fo long as they fee reasonable Grounds for confidering it in any other Light?' p. 54.

And if Thefe Things be fo; where is the Reafonableness of the Demand, and Charitableness of the Accufation, made in the 27th and following Pages, or of those Evil Surmifes and Infinuations in pag. 50 and 51?

Pag. 15. If there be a Mind willing to Sin, and only a want of Power or Opportunity to execute, he (God) condemns and punishes, as if it were actually committed.' --- What if there fhould be any thing of This Mind in pag. 38? which fee.

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Pag. 16. Much less will a Zeal in one Branch of Duty, which happens to be agreeable to our • Inclinations, atone for a Neglect of other • Branches to which our Natures are more a' verfe.' ---Will a false Zeal against Enthusiasm (falfly fo called) atone for a Want of true Zeal against Lukewarmness, when that happens to be more agreeable to our Inclinations?

Pag. 18. They who are growing up more and more into a Love of their Duty, are by • Confequence into a Love of God.'----Did the great Apoftle of the Gentiles, find This a certain Confequence, when (before His Converfion) he lived in all good Confcience before God, until that Day---yet, without that Love of God, which can be wrought in the Heart, only by a living Faith in Jefus Christ our Lord?

Pag. 19. Are not Manner of Operation, and Operation itself, exactly equivalent Terms? Or is there not here fome Sophiftry used in not diftinguishing them aright?

Pag. 20. The ordinary Gifts and Influences. of the Spirit, which still continue, are conveyed in a different Manner, and for Ends and Ufes of a more private Nature.'---Does it not still remain to be proved, that the ordinary (tho' moft excellent) Gift of the Holy Spirit, that is, Charity or the Love of God, &c.is not now conveyed in the fame Manner, and for Ends and Ufes of the fame publick Nature as at the first-Preaching of the Gofpel?

Pag. 20. Regeneration, or a New Birth, as wrought by the Spirit, is that which every one receives at his firft Entrance into the Chri