Testament, or the New, which should lead men to expect and hope, that he should thus come, and whisper in their ear, by immediate inspiration, the truths and doctrines which he speaks aloud in his word, and which they will neither read nor hear there. I think a man might as well expect, that if, when entering on a course of study, he were to put out his own eyes, God should, by miracle, give him the complete and orderly idea of all the characters of books, which he might otherwise have read*.

Far be it from me in the mean time to deny, that God may, by an extraordinary agency, render men's faculties more capable of apprehension, where divine things are concerned, than they might otherwise be. He may, no doubt, do it: He may also awaken a dormant idea, which lay neglected in the memory, with unusual energy; he may secretly attract the more attentive regard of the mind to it; and give a man both an inclination, and an ability of tracing its various relations, with an unusual attention, so that a lustre before quite unknown shall be (as it were) poured upon it; while in the mean time prejudices, which rendered the mind indisposed for the search, or admission and acknowledgment of truth, may be suspended, and even by imperceptible degrees dissipated. In all these particulars, there may be a real operation of the spirit of God upon men's minds, under which they may not themselves be conscious of any thing at all extraordinary, though it be indeed so. You well know, Sir, that in the natural world, the divine agency accomplishes all by second causes, and yet in such a manner, that hiding itself (as it were) behind them, it is seldom taken notice of: according to that fine expression of Mr. Thompson,

Alone He works in all, yet He alone,

Seems not to work,

As christians we must believe, that angels are employed for our preservation from day to day; yet I suppose we generally pass through life, without being able to fix on any one circumstance concerning which we can assuredly say, "This was the effect of angelic interposition." And thus may there be a real operation of the holy Spirit upon the mind,

* I must intreat the reader to observe, that I do, in the following paragraph, speak chiefly of such influences of the spirit, as I apprehend, in some degree, common to all real and sincere christians; allowing there are cases of a very peculiar and distinguished nature, in which God goes out of his usual methods, both of providence and grace, to reclaim, renew, and enlighten some very great sinners, in a manner which no man living bas any warrant to expect. See my Sermons on Regeneration, Sermon VIII.

to render it more susceptible, or more tenacious of divine knowledge: while all seems to be done by the regular exercise of the human faculties, in concurrence with which God works. And in consequence of this a divine truth so learnt may not, and will not, be considered, as an immediate revelation from God, nor be assented to as on the credit of this operation; but as on the evidence of reason or scripture, which the mind under this guidance is enabled to discern.

And on this head I desire it may be remembered, (for it is too evident to be disputed,) that our obligation to attend to any particular notice, which God has given us either of truth or duty, does not depend on its being a notice given us in this, or that distinguishing way, whether natural, or supernatural; but upon that which is common to all kind of notices from God as such. Nor does our obligation to follow any good inclination, which arises in our mind, depend upon its being naturally or supernaturally produced, but simply, or at least chiefly, upon the evidence we have of its being good. Nay, I will venture to say, (on this foundation,) that it seems to me, that extraordinary divine influences, imparted in this imperceptible way, are much more suitable to the wisdom and goodness of the adorable Being, from whom they come; as they much better agree with a state of trial, and with the general scheme of conducting us by faith rather than sight: As it likewise does, that angels and devils should be invisible to human eyes.

On the whole, therefore, comparing one part of this account with the other, when our minds have been deeply impressed with divine truths, when we have been awakened diligently to attend to them, studying the scripture, not merely as matter of curiosity, but with a serious desire of learning how the favor of God is to be obtained; when we have felt our hearts strongly impressed with good affections; when we have been animated by an inward vigour, much better felt than described, to vanquish strong temptations, and with patience and resolution to discharge our duty in the midst of difficulty and discouragement; I think, the whole tenour of scripture directs us to ascribe this, not only to the goodness of providence, in making us rational creatures, and making us acquainted with the excellent revelation of truth and duty contained in scripture; but also to the secret and gracious influences of the holy Spirit on our hearts, in concurrence with those other advantages. And it seems to me quite trifling, to amuse ourselves with nice speculations, where nature ends, and where grace begins, or what specific difference there is between the know

that it is enough for your design, if the main drift and scope of your argument may be allowed to be, upon the whole, maintained only with some tolerable degree of propriety, so as to carry just the face of something plausible and consistent."

Your young friend, in his reply, has touched upon this extraordinary passage of yours, in so handsome a manner, as to render it less necessary for me to insist upon it. I am very ready to make you all the acknowledgments, which such a frank confession of your own uncertainty, on a point which you have so often confidently asserted, can be supposed to merit. But really, Sir, I cannot agree with you, "that a critical punctu ality is not at all material to the purpose in hand." If so desperate a charge be advanced against the gospel, as that it teaches the monstrous doctrine, which I have from your own letter representsd above, I am sure it ought to be proved in the most convincing manner, with such a critical punctuality as shall make it apparent, not only that some passages in it may pos sibly admit of such a sense, but that those on which you lay the main stress of your argument, cannot with any tolerable propriety bear any other. And if, when both the interpretations were proposed, there were some degree of probability in favour of yours, which I am persuaded will never in any one instance be the case; it would remain farther to be examined, whether that preponderancy of probability were sufficient to counterbalance all the arguments in favour of christianity, which must otherwise be given up as absurd. But this last consideration, which I mention chiefly on account of its great weight in every objection against the gospel, and because it seems to be so often forgot, need not be insisted upon here; as I believe the reader will easily perceive, when the particulars are examined.

I have therefore given myself the trouble of collecting your proofs, as carefully as I can; and when I have placed them in what I apprehend their most natural order, I shall consider them particularly: And so much the rather, as several of the texts must be acknowledged to have some difficulty attending them, and I apprehend the examination of them may be agreeable and useful to many of my readers; though it be so unnecessary with regard to yourself, who it seems meant nothing more, than to amuse the world with what might carry just the face of something plausible: A trial of skill, which on so weighty a subject might well have been spared, and which may perhaps on the sequel be found, what attempts on scripture generally are, rolling a stone which

may return upon the mover, and may prove far more burdensome than was at first imagined.

Now here, that we may proceed in something of method, I will range the texts you have been pleased to produce, (either as containing your doctrine, or as referring to it,) in such an order, as I imagine may give the best varnish to the conclusion you would infer from them; at the same time mentioning the page in which you cite them, that the reader may be fully satisfied, they are such as you have thought fit to mention, how needless, and how unfortunate soever to your cause, the mention of some of them may appear.

In different places therefore you think proper to remind us, that our Lord himself taught, that no man could come unto him, unless it were given him by the Father; (page 57.) and promiseth the Spirit, who was to testify of him and to lead his followers into all truth: (ibid.) That accordingly the apostles declare, that faith is the gift of God; (ibid.) and that he who believeth, hath the witness in himself; (page 56.) which is so necessary in order to faith, that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost; (ibid.) for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, (page 103.) even by that spiritual man, who judges all things, while he himself is judged of none: To him is made known that internal word, which is in his mouth, and in his heart, so that he need not say, Who shall ascend into heaven, or who shall descend into the deep? (p. 79, 80.) In reference to this, therefore, he who believeth not, makes God a liar. (p. 54.) Without granting this, you tell us, we can never account for the apostle's pronouncing an anathema on himself or an angel from heaven, who should preach a contrary doctrine; (page 11.) or for his exhorting christians to be all of one mind, and to think and speak the same thing, which without such an infallible universal teacher would be quite impossible. (page 65.) With reference also to this teaching we are exhorted to become as little children, that we may enter into the kingdom of God; which you seem to understand as a command to lay aside our reason wherever religion is concerned: (page 75.) In which sense, it seems, every high thing, i. e. every argument, is to be captivated to the obedience of Christ. (page 84.) And finally, that if faith were built upon any other foundation, it would be utterly absurd to pray for its increase; (page 10.) and that infant-baptism, here taken for granted to be a divine institution, would on any other scheme be

unjustifiable and unintelligible. (p. 69.) These, Sir, are (so far as I can find,) the grand foundations, on which you build the doctrine I am now opposing; but how precariously, I question not many will see from reading the enumeration I have given in this connection, which is that I would have chosen for them, if they had been in this view my own arguments. Nevertheless, for the reasons given above, we will discuss them a little more particularly.

That we may remember what we are about, I must intreat my reader to recollect, that if the texts above answer your pur pose, they must prove an immediate revelation of the whole system of christianity, to every particular christian, in such a manner, as to make it unnecessary for him to enquire into any other evidence from reason or scripture, to evince the truth of the gospel in general, or of any branch of it which might be proposed to his examination.

Having premised this, I hope to make it appear, on the review, that some of the texts in question do not refer to any revelation of truth at all;--that others were peculiar to the apostles; and that no one of them will answer your purpose; because there is none but what may be fairly interpreted, in an important and useful sense, far short of what you would give it. I think, every one of the texts will fall under one or another of these three classes. And here, as I am not at puzzling the cause, but at stating the truth in a fair light, I shall at once allow you every where, as much as I do in my conscience think ought to be allowed to each passage in question; though I am very well aware, (as you may perhaps learn from some other hand,) that a great many things might be said to render some things dubious, which in the course of the argument I am ready to grant you.

When our Lord tells us, No man can come unto him, except it be given him of the Father*; and the apostle testifies, that faith is the gift of Godt; it may indeed imply, that any one, who is brought cordially to believe the gospel, and to apply to Christ for salvation, according to the scheme laid down ut it, has reason to ascribe it, not only to the divine goodness

granting him a revelation of the great truths of our religion, but also to the secret influence of divine grace upon his heart; sofixing his attention to those truths, and so affecting his wad with them, as effectually to produce that cordial consent to the terms of the christian covenant, which is often in scrip