which will effectually ward off every shaft of accusation, that is aimed at him.

Some preachers, undoubtedly, err; and, in illustrating the Duty and Dependence of sinners, one of the most important subjects in theology, leave some things at loose ends. While the subject is all important, an illustration, perhaps, is attended with no small difficulty. After the most elaborate investigation, we are obliged, and ought to be willing, to leave this, like many other doctrines, involved, in some degree, in mystery. Whatever view of the subject we take, when we arrive at a certain point, difficulties arise insurmountable to a common mind. We, worms of the dust, cannot expect the adorable Majesty of Heaven and earth, Infinite Wisdom Himself, to descend, in His government, in every particular, to our very limited understandings. He, who made and who rules the material and immaterial worlds, has not condescended to limit His counsels to the contracted scale of our capacity.

On this, as on other difficult subjects, preachers of the Gospel, through a misuse of language, may sometimes make an apparent, and, possibly, a real contradiction. But, in general such objections as we have named, may be, with equal propriety, and, indeed virtually, are, levelled against the preaching of Him, who spake as never man spake..

Let us make an humble attempt to obtain a plain Scriptural view of this subject. In our text, Christ says; "No man CAN come to me, except the Father DRAW him."

My Friends, is there any ambiguity in this text? Is it not perfectly plain? Dare we attempt, as some do, to explain away the literal sense of it, and thus wrest the Scriptures to our own destruction? What other than a literal sense can we affix to it? It would be a most unwarrantable use of language, to make these words of our Savior mean any thing else, than that there is something, which will forever hinder sinners from coming to Him, from embracing the Gospel, unless they are DRAWN by the Almighty power of God.

Let us see if this construction is not secured by many other passages of Scripture. In the sixty-fifth verse of this chapter, our Saviour says; "No man can come to Me, except it were given him of My Father." Given, here refers to those, who were given to Christ in the covenant of redemption, as is evinced in the thirty-ninth verse."And this is the Father's will, which hath sent Me, that of all which he hath given Me, I should lose nothing; but should raise it up again at the last day." To the same purport, in the seventeenth chapter, in His prayer to His Father, He says; "Thou hast given Him [thy Son] power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.” Hence, those who come to Christ, are vessels of mercy, chosen by the Father. Again, in the eighth chapter Christ says to the unbelieving Jews; "Why do ye not understand my speech? Even, because ye cannot hear my word." The meaning is, they were so hardened and blinded in sin, that they could not be subjects of a saving knowledge of His salvation. Also in the twelfth chapter, it is said by the evangelist; "But, though He had done so many miracles before them; yet they believed not on Him;-that the saying of Esaias might be fulfilled, which he spake; 'Lord who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?' Therefore they could not believe, because Esaias again said; He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they could not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted and I should heal them." Here, again, the Jews are represented as so blinded and hardened that they could not exercise a saving belief in Christ. In the twelfth chapter of Matthew, Christ says to the Pharisees; "How can ye, being evil, speak good things?" This is in that interrogative form which implies a strong negation. Ye cannot speak good things.

By the apostle Paul, Christ also are in the flesh, cannot please God."

says; "They then that Also, by the mouth of

Peter, speaking of sinners, He says; "Having eyes full of adultery they cannot cease from sin."

The same sentiment God uttered by the prophets. In Isaiah, He says; "They have not known me nor understood; and why? Because, God has shut their eyes, that they cannot understand." Again, He says; "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? So may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil." This, also, is in the interrogative and negative form, and is a very strong representation of the INABILITY of sinners to repent. They CAN no more repent, than the sable sons of Cushan can assume the florid beauty of fair Europeans; or the wild leopard of the Forest divest himself of the spots that nature gave him. "To whom," says God by Jeremiah, "shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hear. Behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it."

Sinners are represented in the valley of vision, by the prophet, under the similitude of dead bones; which plainly teaches us, that there is a sense in which they can no more repent and believe, than a congregation of the dead' can arise and walk the streets.

But we have light sufficient on this point. Nothing is more evident, than that Christ, His apostles, and His prophets, represent sinners, as UNABLE to comply with the offers of mercy and live. No sinner CAN come to Christ, except the Father DRAW him.

Yet in numberless other passages of Scripture, sinners are invited, urged and commanded to come to Christ;-to renounce the world;-to deny themselves;-take up their cross and follow the Saviour.

By the mouths of the prophets God says to sinners; Turn ye from your evil ways.-Return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.Oh Israel, return unto the Lord thy God.-Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your

hearts. Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be clean.-Make you a new heart and a new spirit.— Purify your hearts.-Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts.-Incline your ear and come unto me. Hear, and your soul shall live.—Wash you-Make you clean-Put away the evil of your doings-cease to do evil-learn to do well."

Similar invitations and commands are found under the Gospel dispensation. Christ himself invited and commanded sinners to repent and follow Him, The text from which He began to preach was; "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The apostles were commissioned to go forth into all the world and exhort and command men to repent. Peter told the Jews on the day of Pentecost, when they inquired what they should do, to repent. The apostles, in all their preaching, called on sinners to repent and forsake their wickedness. James says; "Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye double minded." Paul said to the wicked Athenians; "God commandeth all men, every where to repent."

Through the whole of the Scriptures sinners are blamed and punished for not repenting. "He, that being often reproved and hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Christ upbraids the cities in which he had preached, because they repented not; and told them, it would be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, at the day of Judgment, than for them; because they repented not. He wept over Jerusalem devoted to destruction;-manifested His willingness to save the capital of His own country, if they had repented; and avows their refusing to comply with His terms and repent, to be the procuring cause of all their woes.

All this is agreeable to the fitness of things. A child may see, that it would be palpably inconsistent for God to invite and command sinners to do, what they are, in no sense whatever, able to do. Especially would it appear inconsistent for

Him to punish them for not doing, what they were, în no sense whatever, able to do. It is impossible for us to conceive in what way a creature can be to blame, for not doing, what he was, in every sense, utterly unable to do. Blame implies guilt; and guilt necessarily supposes ability.

Now, from all these Scripture testimonies and considerations, we derive the most conclusive evidence, that there is a sense, in which sinners are able to comply with what is required; that there is a sense, in which they have some ability to repent; to forsake their sins; to turn to God; to embrace Christ; and to follow Him. The language of Christ Himself, of His prophets and His apostles, and of reason is, that SINNERS CAN REPENT.

But, in our text Christ says; "No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me draw him." The same sentiment is expressed and implied, as we have already shown, in innumerable other passages.

Hence, our Saviour Himself urges us to do, what He plainly tells us we cannot do. He commands us to come to Him; and yet tells us, we cannot come. What will you say then? Dare you charge CHRIST with being inconsistent with himself? Suppress that blasphemous thought! Suppose we find in the word of God things which we cannot reconcile; let us say they are above the weak reason of worms, and not accuse Infinite Wisdom of saying things contrary to reason. Let not us, who are of yesterday and know nothing, attempt to arraign the eternal Jehovah at the bar of human reason. What God has clearly spoken let us adore and believe, however unable we may be to comprehend it. “Thus saith the Lord," ought to silence every doubt and hush every rising murmur.

But, a few plain and simple considerations may throw some light on this dark subject.

That which hinders a sinner from coming to Christ, is of a moral nature. It is his depraved will; his unholy affections; his sinful heart; his disinclination. The sinner cer