[Aitiio' I coofeis with forrow, that fooK years ago,
whes I had more zeal than pradencr, i dropped
among yoo fome ungnarded expreflioasa aod di4 no^
always clearly diitiogoifh between the " good tvorks,'*
{q called, of oDhumblcd phari^s ; aod the i^eouioe
obedience of penicenc believers ; yet I (hould wrong
the troth, and undervalae my chara^er as your miii^
ker. if I did. not obierve, that, as profciTed anviaomin
aos have ahvays loathed the do^rioe of a Idlif'uer*^
jollification iy vuofAs ; fo the* phanihic4i wpfld ha<%
always abhorred the doArioe of ^ Jimtfr's jtiftific^tion
hy. faith* tience it is that] the abov^-mentioped a^
perfiofiy with abundance of cruel mocisings, and piti-
ful fal^ reports, have been in all ages the lot of all
tliofe, who have [fteadily] preached the gofpel of
Chrifty that is, the glad news of free falvati on thro*,
[obedient] faith in his blood.
JVi preach Chrijf crudJUd^ fays St. Paul, to thejiivs
^ Ji^M^k^fg blocks aftd to tht Gr.uks fodijhptfs ; but to
them that Itliifvit Chrift the pamn' mnd w/dpm of G«^»
^ Cor. i. 23. It is plain from this, and iercwal other

J)ai&ges in the epiftlesn that the primijtive christians
uffcred much reproach on this account. St. Peter ex-
Jiorta them thu^ : Have your eowver/a/ion homji among
the gewtilety that whereas ihejt Jpeak againfl you as e*vil
doers t they may at laft glorify God by your good ivorks ;
for it is his nvilif that ivith luel doing ye put toflence
the igmrance offoolifli mens and make them ajhamed that
J'al/ly accufe your good conver/ation in Chrift. 1 . Peter,
^^/^/ //• St.
