Redeemer, by reasoning founded in the fallen and lost condition of man: they constantly set before them the folly and fatal consequences of voluntarily neglecting so great salvation, and animated them to a grateful sense of the divine goodness, by displaying the love of God in sending "his only begotten Son into the world, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life (o)." If the Apostles, who wrote under the immediate direction of the Holy Spirit, knew that the irresistible influence of the same Spirit would ultimately and necessarily secure the salvation of the Christians to whom they wrote, why did they express so much anxiety, that their converts should walk worthy of their (0) John, c. 3. v. 16.

light, and shews that the first effect of inspiration is to give understanding. Their understanding was so enlarged by all spiritual gifts, that the work not having been begun at the heart, they abused these advantages, to the violation of charity... On the whole therefore, we conclude, that that-wisdom which divests the Christian faith of its truth, and the test of this truth, reason, and resolves all into internal feelings, into mystic spiritualism, and ecstatic raptures, instead of giving it the manly support; of moral demonstration, that this, I say, can never be the wisdom which is from above, whose characteristic attribute is purity. Thus, on a fair trial, these illuminated Doctors have, at their very first entrance, excluded themselves from their high pretensions: principles like these always coming from spiritual impurity, and often leading, as we have seen, into the very sink of the carnal."-Warburton on Grace, book 2. c. 7,

holy vocation, and that they should continue "steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (p)?" Is such earnestness in enforcing the duty and necessity of active exertion, consistent with that passive waiting for the impulses of the Spirit, which modern enthusiasts recommend to their hearers, or with that assurance of salvation which they so confidently inculcate? If the Holy Ghost were to effect the salvation of men without any exercise of their understanding and will, any effort of their own, why did our Saviour reproach the obstinate infidelity of the Jews, or emphatically ask, Why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right (q)?" Every page of the New Testament, by its arguments, by its precepts, by its doctrines, by its promises, by its threats, implies a freedom of choice, and a liberty of accepting or rejecting the offered means of grace. Those who call themselves Christians merely because they happen to be born in a Christian country, but attend neither to the doctrines nor to the duties of the Gospel, seem to differ but little, with respect to the point now under consideration, from those to whom the Gospel was first preached. The process in both must be nearly the same. The nominal Christian, who has hitherto neglected the portion of grace vouchsafed to him at the time of his (p) 1 Cor. c. 15. v. 58. (1) Luke, c. 12. v. 57.

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baptism, may by some cause be roused from his indifference, and become convinced of the error of his ways he may at length be brought to a sense of his duty, by listening to religious instruction, or by the awakening force of severe affliction; but the firmest conviction of the truth of the Gospel, the keenest sorrow for past offences, and the strongest resolutions of amendment, will not, in his fallen and degenerate state, enable him of himself to "do good works pleasant and acceptable to God." His will must be guided, and his actions must be assisted, by the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of preventing and co-operating grace thus explained, does not destroy the free-agency of man, by ascribing both his good will and good works solely to the resistless influence of the Holy Ghost. It does not call upon a man indolently to wait for the workings of the Spirit, without any effort of his own, any endeavour after righteousness. It encourages him to commune with his own heart, and to search the Scriptures, as preparatory steps; but at the same time it does not teach him to rely solely upon his own strength, in the great business of working out his salvation. On the contrary, it plainly tells him, that his sufficiency for that purpose is of God. It is to be observed, that the very expression of this 10th Article," the grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will, and working

with us," plainly shews that we also work. Though "it is God that worketh in us (r),” yet,

we are labourers together with God (s)." The grace of God prevents us Christians, that is, it goes before, it gives the first spring and rise to our endeavours, that we may have a good will; and when this good will is thus excited, the grace of God does not desert us, but it works "with us when we have that good will (t)." The words in the Latin copy of the Articles are "dum volumus," while we will; which still more clearly shew that the grace of God and will of man act together at the same moment. And the words seem further to indicate that the grace of God will be withdrawn, if we cease to will conformably to its suggestions. Thus, good works are not attributed by our Church to the sole operation of divine grace, but to the joint and contemporaneous operation of divine grace and human agency. It is (s) 1 Cor. c. 3. v. 9.

(r) Phil. c. 2. v. 13.

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(1) In speaking of good works, and a good will, it is indispensably necessary to distinguish whether we mean in the sight of God, or in the sight of men. A man may, by his own natural and unassisted powers, do works good in the sight of men and the same human judgment will call the will which produces these works. good. But both these works and this will may be very far from good in the sight of a pure and holy God, “in whose sight the heavens are not clean," Job. c. 15. v. 15. and "who chargeth his angels with folly," c. 4. v. 18. "The best things which we do, says Hooker, have something in them to be pardoned."

acknowledged, that man has not the disposition, and consequently not the ability, to do what in the sight of God is good, till he is influenced by the Spirit of God; but this influence of the Spirit is not irresistible; it does not solely of itself produce good works; it does not necessarily cause men to perform good works. A man may resist the influence of the Holy Spirit, and do despite to the Spirit of grace, by turning to sin and wickedness in opposition to its dictates. And if we do listen to its dictates, it must be an active obedience, and not an indolent acquiescence, to produce the fruit of good works pleasant and acceptable to God. The Holy Spirit points out the way to health and truth and life, but it rests with ourselves whether we will follow its directions. Indeed, irresistible power, actually exerted over the minds of men in the work of salvation, is repugnant to the acknowledged principles of the Gospel. Every Christian must admit, that the Gospel requires duty towards God and duty towards his neighbour; and the very idea of duty implies something to be done by man, which he may or may not do; and this free-agency cannot exist where the mind is under the influence

of a resistless power. Men have the capacity of weighing the duty, expediency, and consequences of their actions, before they determine, and of acting according to the determination of their will. This determination of the will constitutes the mo rality of an action, which rarely depends upon