ter. However, this is agreeable to the only rule of life-We are to do as we would be done by, for this is the law and the prophets: and this method I have adopted, and am determined to purfue it, until Mr. Ryland's fervant can find fome other poft or pillar (befide me) for the purpofe of beating her mats and dufter.

My doctrine, in this piece, is jumbled in as a principal ingredient of a moft dreadful compofition; and, like the poor man that fell among thieves, I am ranked with a defperate gang. The calf's head that Maria tumbled into the afhes did not cut a worse figure before Mr. Ryland than I do in this black company. However, I will pick my own precious doctrine from this bolus; and, as the good Samaritan has fet me on his own beaft, I hope to ride away from this gang. As to James Relly, I know nothing of him; I never read any thing of his. I got not my doctrine from man; it is not after man. Nor will I defend any Antinomian tenets but those that are found in the everlasting gospel; nor vindicate any fort of Antinomians but thofe, and thofe only, who know the plague of their own heart and the healing balm of Chrift's blood; who are born again of the Spirit of God, united to Jefus, and who

live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, and serve God in the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. This fort of Antinomians I dearly love; and God loves them, because they love Jefus; and it is in and by fuch that God ever was, and ever will be, glorified.

I do believe in my heart, friend Ryland, that my moft gracious God has given the Coalheaver a name and a place among his bleffed ones: therefore do not rank me among the chimney-fweepers; for I am no friend to hypocrites, nor patron of the workers of darkness. As the doctrine that I preach is my own, what God himself revealed to my heart at first, and which I have learnt fince out of no book but the Bible, I should like to difpute this point with Mr. Ryland himself, and that by the scriptures of truth, and let the children of God at large judge of our doctrine. I confider your age; and will, God enabling me, make use of all the candour that I am mafter of, fo as not to obfcure the rays, nor blunt the force, of truth. I think I can do this with a good confcience, as it is in defence of my own teftimony, and being commanded to contend earnestly for the faith, and to preach the Gospel; while contention is for the Law.

your

܀:

In my answer to this, I fhall make my remarks chiefly on those paffages that are levelled at me, and which contradict the doctrine that I have learnt; and fubmit them to your judgment, and expect your reply. But, if you fet your Maid to work, you must expect, and shall have, the anfwer addreffed to yourfelf. God fays, The fpirit of the prophets is fubject to the prophets, but not to maid-fervants. My bufinefs is, and fhall be, with the Mafter, not with the Girl. If Mr. Lovegrove has nothing to do with his money but to employ it in this way, he had better diftribute it to the poor. A hint is enough. I fhall add no more by way of preface, but conclude,

Reverend Sir,

Your ready and willing Antagonist,

In Zion's Controversy,

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON,

THE

THE

BROKEN CISTERN

AND THE

SPRINGING WELL.

QUOTATION.

WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST!

MATT. XXII. 42.

OF all the questions which it is poffible to propose to

mankind, this is one of the most important: upon the right knowledge of the Lord JESUS CHRIST depends the happiness and falvation of men. This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jefus Chrift, whom thou haft fent, John xvii. 3. If our acquaintance with polite literature and the fciences is deficient, our lofs will be trivial. If we are mistaken, or even deceived, in such matters, the mistake or deception will not be attended with much danger or damage; but a deficiency, a mistake, a deception, in the knowledge of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, cannot but be accompanied by the most fatal consequences. Eternity hangs upon it.

ANSWER. Doft thou believe on the Son of God?is a greater question than that. For whatever thoughts, knowledge, or notions, men may get in their heads respecting the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom he hath fent, daily experience fhews

that

that fuch knowledge is no defence against fin, nor helmet against errors-it is nothing but a Broken Cistern. While the ftrong man armed keeps poffeffion of the palace, he cares not for head notions, however pure; for, as foon as he can push fuch a finner into an open profeffion, and into a pulpit, and establish him in the esteem of fimple fouls, and in the hearts of hypocrites, he will be fure to drive him to make fhipwreck of all his fentiments, or teach him to improve them the advancement of his own infernal intereft. I fuppofe we have not a revifer nor propagator of herefy, nor one preacher of lies, in the whole nation, but who firft began his profeffion and miniftry with fuch a dry, empty ftock of fpeculative knowledge as this book contains."

Was every unregenerate perfon in the nation to read this pamphlet till he acquired all the knowledge that it treats of, he would ftill be without God, and having no hope in the world. An experimental, fpiritual, and heart-felt knowledge of the Lord Jefus Chrift, must be had before eternal life can be known, felt, or enjoyed. Head knowledge is attended with pride, and expofes a man to the condemnation of the devil; while heart-felt knowledge is attended with life eternal. You begin your treatife of knowledge at the wrong end. The finner does not learn his firft leffon of religion in the gofpel, but in the law. He does not begin with Jefus Chrift, but with the Father: bath heard, and hath learned of the

Every one that

Father, cometh

unto