To Mr. Hart

July 11, 1763.

Dear Sir, — Abundance of business has prevented my writing so soon as I desired and intended; nor have I time now to write so largely as I could wish, and as your openness and frankness would otherwise constrain me to do. But I cannot delay any longer to write a little, lest I should seem to slight your correspondence.

What you before observed is of great importance, viz., “If it be the professed aim of the gospel to convince us that Jesus is the Christ; if I, a sinner, am convinced of the reality of this fact; am not I who believe authorized to expect life, not through any condition, or any act, inward or outward, performed by me, but singly through the name which Jesus assumed, which stands for his whole character or. merit?”

Here is the hinge on which Mr. Sandiman’s whole system turns. This is the strength of his cause, and you have proposed it with all the strength and clearness which he himself could devise.

Yet suffer me to offer to your consideration a few queries concerning it: —

Is every one who is convinced of the reality of this fact, “Jesus is the Christ,” a gospel believer? Is not the deWl convinced of the reality of this fact? Is, then, the devil a gospel believer?

I was convinced of the reality of this fact when I was twelve years old, when I was without God in the world. Was I then a gospel believer? Was I then a child of God? Was I then in a state of salvation?

Again, you say, “I who believe am authorized to expect life, not through any condition or act, inward or outward, performed by me.”

/ who believe. But cannot you as well expect it without believing? If not, what is believing but a condition? For it is something sine quA non. And what else do you, or I, or any one living, mean by a condition? And is not believing an inward act? What is it else? But you say, Not performed by me. By whom, then? God gives me the power to believe. But does he believe for me? He works faith in me. But still is it not I that believe? And if so, is not believing an inward act performed by me?

Is not then this hypothesis (to waive all other difficulties) contradictory to itself?

I have just set down a few hints as they occurred.