SECTION III. 547 tianity. But when this scheme of truth is spoken of by Christ himself as far as was proper in his life-time, and that both in parables and in plain language ; when it is plainly taught by Peter and John as well as Paul, and that not only in one part of their writings, but in almost every place where the great doc- trines of christianity are designedly taught, and where such truths might properly be inserted ; when their epistles are full of this language wheresoever they speak of the great and im- portant doctrines of the gospel, or of thepractical uses of them ; when it is foretold by the ancient prophets, prefigured in the chief ceremonies of the ancient church, and held forth in the sacraments of the New Testament ; I say, when I put all these things together, and others which I have mentioned as proofs of thesetwo eminent articles of christianity, I am so overpowered with evidence concerning the true and plain meaning of the lan- guage of scripture, that I am ready to wonder how it is possi- ble for any man of reason in the sincere exercise of it, to read the New Testament, and not see there these great articles of the atonementfor our sins by the blood of Christ, and the sanctifica- tionof our hearts by the Holy Spirit. I would therefore entreat Agrippa and his friends to consi- der once again, whether they may not be mistaken in their strange interpretations of the word of God. I would entreat them once again to read the gospels and epistles with a honest heart and without prejudice or bias from their former opinions. And with their studies let them join their earnest supplications to the great God to guard them from error, and lead them into all truth ; and at the same time let them maintain a pious resolution to subject their belief and conscience to every thing that shall appear to be the plain meaning of God in his word : He giveth wisdom to them that ask it : hegiveth to those who are good in his sight, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge ; Eccl. ii. 26. He bestows wisdom on the humble, and the meek will be guide inhis way he will shew them the secret of his covenant, and lead them into, his salvation ; Ps. xxv. 9, 24. SECT. III.The Importance of the Doctrine of Christ's Atone. ment for Sin argued. Cavenor was one of the Mends and disciples of Agrippa, though Paulinus knew it not. When he heard these queries of Paulinus, he was struckwith a sensiblesurprize to find the whole current of scripture run so contrary to the opinions he had lately embraced, and he now confessed he had never well considered, these matters before. The case in short was this : He had fallen into company with somepersons who were almost weary of chris- tianity, and had dropped as much of it as their consciences would let them part with at once : He was too easily led away from his former faith by the ridicule which was often cast by the disciples m
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