works of Jefus, and appealing to thofe very fcriptures, which they acknowledged to be divinely inspired. This miracle, and thefe arguments, at length convinced them, that their countrymen had crucified the promised and expected Meffiah. The faith, therefore, of thefe men was not fuddenly communicated by the fupernatural operation of the Holy Ghoft, but was the natural and progreffive effect, of what they faw and heard, upon their underftandings. The inhabitants of Samaria, by the preaching of Philip, and by his miracles, believed in the kingdom of God, and the name of Jefus Chrift, and were baptized. This converfion alfo was owing to the exercife of natural powers. "The converfion of the first Gentiles was marked + by very extraordinary circumftances; but Peter previously declared the nature of God's mercy, and explained the divine character of Jesus. This statement carried conviction to the devout, who feared God, and prayed to God alway‡,' had it been the plan of Divine Providence to convince by fupernatural influence, the preaching of Peter in the house of Cornelius would have been fuperfluous and unneceffary. So alfo the faith of the Bergans was the refult of the candour, with which they liftened to the preaching of the Apoftle, and of the diligence, with which they inquired into the evidences of the gofpel . When St. Paul describes the faith of the Ephefians in Chrift, this order is to be noticed :first, the hearing of the word; fecondly, belief produced by that hearing; thirdly, the communication of the Spirit in confequence of that belief. "From thefe examples, which comprehend Jewish, Samaritan, and Gentile converts, we conclude in general, that thofe, to whom the Apoftles preached, expreffed their faith in Chrift, before the Holy Ghoft was poured out upon them; and that the Spirit was never communicated to thofe, who refused to believe; yet belief was not always followed by fteady perfeverance, nor even accompanied by right principles, while it remained ¶. Many errors were to be renounced, many impurities were to be corrected, many duties were to be performed, before the converts could claim the character of faithful difciples. Nay, the change in those, who received the Gofpel as the power of God unto falvation **,' was fo great, that in the ftrong figurative language of fcripture, true believers, who had renounced heathenifm for Chriftianity at a mature age, were said to walk in newness of life t†t,' to become "Acts, c. 8. v. 12. Acts, c. 17. v. 12.” + Acts, c. 10. † Acts, c. 10. v. 2. "Eph. c. 1. v. 13." [For the note on this paffage we must refer the reader to the work.] 66 * I" Luke, c. 8. v. 13. and A&ts, c. 8. v. 13, &c. 6. 1. v. 16. ++ Rom. c. 6. v. 4.” 8. new creatures; to put off the old man with his deeds, and to put on the new man after the image of him, that created him .' Eternal happiness was not fecured when the understanding became convinced, that Chrift was a teacher from God ‡,' that prophet, that should come into the world §.' Much remained to be done. Bare belief, therefore, in Chrift did not make them the fons of God,'-this was to be the effect of power from on high ||' given fubfequent to belief. The Apoftles preached, that the promise of the Holy Ghoft was to as many as the Lord our God fhall call ¶;' that is, all, who fhall at any time embrace the Chriftian religion, fhall receive the aid of the Holy Spirit in the work of falvation. Our Saviour affured his difciples, that, when he departed, the Father would give them another Comforter, who would abide with them for ever **. Peter alfo declared the appointed mode of communicating the Divine affiftance ++; and, as the rite of baptifm was ordained by Chrift himself, he defcribes its twofold office :-it washes away the guilt of former fins, and imparts the Holy Ghoft to thofe, who fhall previously have repented and believed. John the Baptift foretold, that Chrift fhould baptize with the Holy Ghoft, meaning, that the baptifm inftituted by Chrift, and administered by his Apoftles and their fucceffors, fhould con-, vey the fupernatural affiftance of the Spirit of God. This communication being made at baptism, at the time of admiffion into the gospel covenant, every Chriftian muft poffefs the invaluable bleffing of preventing grace, which, without extinguishing the evil propenfities of our nature, infpires holy defires, fuggefts good counfels, and excites to juft works. If we make a right use of baptifmal grace, it is encreafed; and by repeated additions, till it qualifies us to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift §§.' But if we neglect, or do despite to the Spirit of grace, it will be withdrawn from us . The dictates of the Spirit, and the lufts of the flesh, are reprefented by St. Paul as contrary the one to the other. The influence of the Holy Spirit may be withstood; it refts with ourselves, whether we will obey its fuggeftions. Even St. Paul allowed the poffibility of his having received the grace of God in vain ***,' and furely the fame poffibility must be admitted with refpect to all other Chriftians +++. The terms of fcripture reprefent the Spirit of God as an affifting, not forcing power, as not fufpending our own powers, but enabling them; as impart * 2 Cor. c. 5. v. 17.—Gal. c. 6. v. 15. † Col. c. 3. v. 9. and 10. and Eph. c. iv. v. 22. 24. John, c. 3. v. 2. John, c. 6. v. 14. Luke, c. 24. v. 49. ¶ Acts, c. 2. v. 39. ** John, c. 14. v. 16. †† A&s, c. 2. v. 38. It John, c. I. v. 33. §§ Rom. c. 8. v. 17. See Mark, c. 4. v. 24. & Luke, c. 8. v. 18. and Matt. c. 13. v. 12. Mark, c. 4. v. 25. ¶¶ Gal. c. 5. V. 17. 1 Cor. c. 9. v. 27. and c. 15. V. Io. +++ Jortin, Differt. I. p. 24. and Butler's Anal. of Relig. p. 215." *** G g BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XXXVII. MAY, 1811. ing ing ftrength and faculty for our religious work, if we will ufe them; but whether we will use them or not, ftill depends upon ourfelves. In the 4th chapter of Ephefiaus, verfe 30, is a warn. ing voice upon the fubject: Grieve not the Spirit of God,' there. fore he may be grieved; being given, he may be rejected; rejected, he may be withdrawn. From St. Peter, II. 3. 17. it appears, that there was danger, left thofe, who had obtained like precious faith, with himfelft, fhould be led away with the error of the wicked;' fhould fall from their own ftedfaftness,' and wreft the fcriptures to their own deftruction §,' although they had already received the Holy Ghoft. The precept following Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift,' alfo proves, that there are degrees in grace and Chriftian knowledge; and that the growth and increafe of thefe fpiritual endowments must be the confequence of our own exertions." The Bishop next infers, from Philippians, II. 12 and 13. ("work out falvation,") "First, that the perfonal exertions of Chriftians are necessary for falvation, by their being commanded to work out their falvation; and that too with fear and trembling,' with an anxious care, left their exertions should not be fuccefsful, and left from their negli gence, the furthering help of the Spirit fhould be withdrawn?-Secondly, That God influences both the wills and the actions of Chriftians, God worketh in you, both to will and to do.' Thus does this paffage inconteftably prove both the energy of man and the operation of God, in the great work of falvation. How this co-operation takes place, though it cannot be explained, is to be believed, as much as that Chrift was both God and man. Bifhop Bull is then well quoted, Harm. Apoft. Differt. Poft.; and afterwards St. Auguftine, who seems to admit, that free-will is not irreconcileable with divine grace, although in difcufling thefe fubjects it is difficult to maintain the one without denying the other. In the Bishop's citation (without reference) from this Father, two pallages appear to have been blended into one. The former is from his CCXIV. Epiftle, vol. II. p. 791. D. "Si non eft Dei gratia, quomodo falvat mundum? Si non eft liberum arbitrium, quomodo judicat mundum ?”’ The fecond is from his work De Gratia Chrifti. I. 47. "Paley's Sermons, p. 423. + 2 Pet. c. I. v. 1. ‡ 2 Pet. vol. X. p. 250. G. The reader may alfo confult the IV. Book, Contra. Jul. Pelag. vol. X. p. 609. "Quia ifta quæftio, ubi de arbitrio voluntatis et Dei gratia difputatur, ita eft ad difcernendum difficilis, ut quando defenditur liberum arbitrium negari Dei gratia videatur; quando autem afferitur, Dei gratia, liberum arbitrium putetur auferri." "This text is alfo a proof, that divine grace is not irrefiftible; and that God's working with the faithful, is an argument for fear and diligence; as is finely elucidated in the paffage adduced from Bishop Sherlock, V. II. p. 83." The learned author then illuftrates Ephefians, II. 8. : 6 "By grace ye are faved, through faith and that not of your felves: it is the gift of God.' In the original, the word to refers to the whole fentence, Τῇ γὰρ χάριτι ἐσε σεσωσμένοι διὰ τῆς πίσεως. The Apostle declares, that falvation by grace through faith is not derived from man, but is the free gift of God through faith in Chrift; as he fays in another place, the gift of God is eternal life, through Jefus Christ our Lord *. The expreffion, ye are faved,' means, that they were enabled to obtain falvation. Salvation itself will not take place till the day of judgment. Though every Christian then at Ephefus may not be finally faved; yet every perfon, who embraces the gofpel, is certain of eternal happi nefs, if he complies with the ftated conditions. Similar expreffions are found in the New Teftament; in which the perfons mentioned were not actually and completely faved, but being reconciled to God by the death of his Son,' they had now the means of falvation, of which they might fail by their own neglect. The gofpel is called the way of falvation §;' and this inestimable benefit is not to be afcribed to any merit of our own; it is the gift of God,' gratuitously offered to his fallen and finful creatures. In this quotation, St. Paul fays, by grace ye are faved; and in the preceding he commanded the converts to work out their falvation.'' " He next examines Rom. vii. 26. to prove, that the Spirit does not compel : "It fupplies our deficiencies, by fuggefting what is right, and affifting in the performance. The Greek word ouvastiλaμbával, literally expreffes, fays Doddridge, the action of one, who helps + Tit. c. 3. v. 5. Col. c. 1. v. 23. Rom. c. 8. v. 24. "Rom. c. 6. v. 23. 1 Pet. c. 3. v. 21. 2 Tim. c. 1. V. 9. Heb. c. 10. V. 20, Rom. c. 5. v. 10. Gg 2 1 Cor. c. 1. v. 18. § Matt. c. 7. v. 14. another another to bear a burden, by taking hold of it on one fide, and lifting or bearing it with him; and fo it feems to intimate the obligation on us to exert our little ftrength, feeble as it is, in concurrence with his Almighty aid.” Then St. James, iv. 8, whofe words declare, that "Some approach towards God, fome exertion of the will, is neceffary to obtain his effectual affiftance; and by exhorting finners to reform, and the wavering to become refolute, he proves, that men may control their actions, and alfo their affections and principles." Then St. Peter, I. i. 22. who fhows, that "The purification of the foul was in part owing to their own act in obeying the truth through the affiftance of the Spirit; and St. Paul, Rom. vifi. 13. and . i. 29. acknowledges the fame co-operation of man and of the Spirit of God. The words of the fame Apoftle, (2 Cor. c. 13 v. 14.) both in the Greek, and in our tranflation, imply the most intimate co-operation of the fupernatural power of the Holy Ghoft, and of the natu ral power of man. Their feparate parts cannot indeed be diftinguished. This, however, is fimilar to what took place in our bleffed Saviour himself: he was God and man in one Christ--He was perfect God and perfect man *. Though Christ confifted both of a divine and of a human nature, he is in fcripture frequently called God without reference to his human nature, and frequently man without reference to his divine nature. So the good works of men, the joint effect of divine and human agency, fometimes in fcripture are ascribed to God alone without reference to man, and fometimes to man alone without reference to God. The grace of God co-operates with the free.will of men; and this can alone reconcile the numerous texts, which relate to human conduct, and separately affert the divine and human agency." After a noble quotation from Archbishop Bramhall, the learned author makes fome admirable remarks on the danger of confidering particular texts in Scripture, exclufively, without adverting to others, which "Take a different view of the subject: this mode, united with the baneful principle of believing no doctrine, which is incomprehenfible t, feems to have been the fource of moft of the errors, which have prevailed in the Chriftian world." P. 46. The diligent reader will beflow his time with much advantage on the ferious perufal of thefe obfervations, whether he be a fectarift, or attached to our reformed church. They (peak to all parties; and they fpeak with temper and good fenfe; and inftruct them "To compare Scripture with Scripture; to add truth to "Col. ii. 9. Heb. ii. 17. † Auguftus. V. 8. p. 993." truth; |