and strained comments to the contrary.-But what is the glorying and lying against the truth, here forbidden? "But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth."-Glory not, as though ye were the real followers of Christ. Glory not, as though any apology or excuse for such a perverse temper and conduct could be framed.-And least of all, do not so belie the truth, as to say, God inwardly moves, or outwardly entices you, to these abominable impieties and crimes. For this wisdom descendeth not from above, cometh not down from the Father of lights. It is not to be considered as God working in you.

SECTION VI.

TEXTS, WHICH POSITIVELY DECLARE, THAT MORAL EVIL DOES NOT COME FROM GOD.

HERE we might repeat James iii, 14, where it is most solemnly declared of bitter envyings and strifes in the heart, that this wisdom descendeth not from above. If this text does not deny the theory in question, I know not how any language can be sufficiently definite to do it.

1 John ii, 16, is another text, the plain obvious sense of which must be rejected, or the doctrine under consideration must be relinquished. "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." In these words, the whole body of sin, every corrupt affection, every sinful desire and practice, is comprehended. In what sense did the apostle mean to assert, these were not of the Father?

Our opponents will say, he did not intend to assert, that God did not directly by an inward and positive influence move the heart of sinners to all these impious propensities and lusts? What then does he

mediately adds this note at the bottom of the page. "What is here said against calling God the author of sin, is not designed to oppose the sentiment advanced by Dr. Hopkins and others, that God is the efficient cause of sin."* So then, Brother, you would not presume to say, God is the author of sin, but you can say he is the efficient cause of it. How a man would quiet his feelings to say the latter and not the former, I know not. And wherein lies so great a distinction between author and efficient cause, I have yet to learn.

* Williston's Doctrines and Expositions, page 23.

SECTION VII.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE SCRIPTURES, IN WHICH ALL HOLINESS IN SAINTS, IS ASCRIBED TO THE AGENCY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, NECESSARILY EXCLUDES THE IDEA OF A DIRECT INWARD DIVINE EFFICIENCY, IN THE PRODUCTION OF SINFUL EXERCISES.

THIS argument, which seems to be perfectly decisive of the question, will be presented to view in four particulars.

1. A number of texts, in which the causes of sin and holiness are placed in such contrast, as utterly forbids their being considered as coming alike from a direct divine influence.

The positive declaration of the Bible, that the Spirit of God does not dwell in, and produce evil exercises, in the hearts of the wicked.

3. If the Holy Spirit does not produce sinful exercises in the minds of the wicked, then it follows as an unavoidable consequence, that it is done by no other person in the Holy Trinity.

4. The theory under consideration appears to be a great corruption of the Gospel, as it confounds the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit, in the production of holy exercises, with the physical, or general agency of God.

The contrasts, to which we allude are such as these: Now the works of the flesh are But the fruit of the spirit is love, manifest, which are these,adultery, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentlefornication, uncleanness, lascivi- ness, goodness, faith, meekness, ousness, idolatry, witchcraft, ha- temperance. tred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like. Gal. v, 18-23.

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the king dom;

When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace.

Lo this only have I found, that God made man upright;

For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory, and honor. Psalm viii, 5.

Oh Israel thou hast destroyed thyself;

But to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John i, 12, 13.

If we love one another, God dwelleth in us. 1 John iv, 12.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1 John iii, 9.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he, that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John iv,4.

But the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil, Matt. xiii, 38.

But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted and divideth his spoils. Luke xi, 21, 22.

But they have sought out many inventions. Eccl. 7.

Wherefore as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin. Rom. v, 12.

But in me is thy help! Hosea ix, 13.

But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Cor. iv, 3, 4.

He that committeth sin, is of the devil. 1 John iii, 8.

In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness, is not of God; neither he that loveth not his brother. 1 John iii, 10.

They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 1 John iv, 5.