6

it efficaciously leads men to improve every talent, and to employ aright every other gift of God. But what is there in fallen man which can improve, as a talent, the special grace of God? "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit:"* fallen nature against that which is born of the Spirit. 'Man is of his own nature inclined to evil; 'so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit.'†

66

P. xxxiv. 1. 6. "Grieve not the Spirit of God:" 'therefore he may be grieved; being grieved he may be rejected; rejected he may be withdrawn.' The apostle does not say this. A father may be grieved by the misconduct of his son, yet he may not disinherit him: a husband may be grieved by the misconduct of his wife, and yet not divorce her. David grieved the Holy Spirit, as much perhaps as this possibly could be done; yet "the joy of God's salvation was restored to him.”— One question in the controversy between the Calvinists and their opponents, is this: Whether the Spirit of life and sanctification be ever finally withdrawn from those who are by him "sealed unto the day of redemption:", and this question ought not to be prejudged. In the remarks on the fourth chapter, it will be considered.

P. xxxiv. 1. 15. 'Hence it appears, &c.' Peter addresses the churches in Asia as those "who had ob"tained like precious faith;" and as those to whom "divine power had given all things that pertain to life "and godliness." But can it be supposed that he in

† Art. ix.

From 2 Pet. iii. 16-18.

• Gal. v. 17. § Hence it appears, that there was danger, lest those "who had obtained "like precious faith" with St. Peter himself, those to whom "Divine Power "had given all things that pertain unto life and godliness," there was dan. 'ger lest persons of this description should be "led away with the error of the "wicked;" lest they should "fall from their own stedfastness," and wrest the scriptures to their own destruction."

¶ 2 Peter i. 1-3.

tended to warrant the sincerity of every professed christian in all these churches? Or that none but true christians would ever read his epistle? Many warnings show the contrary.

Men professing christianity, might be hypocrites; (what church has hitherto been freefrom them?) and some true christians might "fall from their own stedfast"ness;" yet "God might give them repentance," and so they might recover themselves out of the snare of "the devil;"* and therefore not be among those, who "wrested the scriptures to their own destruction." P. xxxiv. last line.

Although they (the persons

' above spoken of) had already received the Holy Ghost.' It does not appear, in what sense this is meant. The expression in scripture, generally signifies miraculous powers, not sanctifying grace. Nothing concerning these is spoken by St. Peter, in this second Epistle; nor is the Holy Spirit mentioned, except as speaking by the ancient prophets.

P. xxxv. l. 1. The precept, &c.' † This, modern Calvinists would generally allow; provided, the word consequence, were explained to mean, our duty, of "giv

ing all diligence," and the proportion which is to be expected, of our "growth in grace," to the degree of our diligence, according to the truths, promises, and precepts of scripture. "I laboured more abundantly "than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which "was with me."‡

* 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26.

† 'The precept, grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and "Saviour Jesus Christ," proves, that there are degrees in grace and Chris'tian knowledge, and that the growth and increase of these spiritual endow 'ments must be the consequence of our own exertions.'

P. xxxv. 1. 15. First, &c.' But few Calvinists, and still fewer of the evangelical clergy, would object to the general import of this quotation.

P. xxxv. l. 27. In what manner, &c.' It would be well, if persons on both sides in respect of these controverted points, would adhere to this, that they are ut. 'terly unable to explain or discover,' many things respecting them. Indeed exactly to define the manner ' of the concurrence of divine grace with the human will; ' and to say what grace alone performs, and what free 'will, with and under grace, performs, is a matter of no small difficulty. Indeed, this very thing is not perhaps improperly, placed by learned and pious men, among "the deep things of God, and his ways which "are past finding out." 'But, however we may not 'know the manner of the thing, the thing itself is firmly

.

to be believed.'-Liberum arbitrium, (translated free will,) is here used in a sense different from that, in which the reformers generally took it: for they oppose it to servum arbitrium, or a will enslaved by sinful passions, and inclined to evil; not to the want of free agency. St. Augustine, however, in a passage quoted

• On Phil. ii. 12, 13.

First, That the personal exertions of Christians are necessary for sal vation, else why should they be commanded " to work out their salvation,” and that too" with fear and trembling,” with an anxious care, lest their exertions should not be successful, and lest from their negligence, the furthering help of the Spirit should be withdrawn? And, secondly, That God influences both the wills and the actions of Christians, “God worketh in you, "both to will and to do." Thus does this passage incontestibly prove, 'both the energy of man and the operation of God, in the great work of sal'vation.'

In what manner, or in what proportion, if I may so say, God and man 'co-operate, I am utterly unable to explain or discover. But this is no more a reason for my disbelief of this co-operation, than my inability to compre. hend the union of the divine and human natures in Christ is a reason for my disbelieving that Christ was both God and man.

§ Translation of Latin quotation from Bp. Bull, in Refutation.

by his Lordship, uses the term, in the same sense as Bp. Bull.

P. xxxvi, last line.

'That man possesses free will; ' and that God by his Spirit influences this free will, 'without destroying it, is indisputably true; but how 'this is effected, is an inexplicable mystery.' This is very clearly stated; if free will be understood to mean free agency. God, by influencing the will, neither destroys it, nor in the least interferes with the exercise of it.

P. xxxvii. 1. 9. God does not so work, as to exclude our own care and industry, that is, he does not 'work irresistibly.'* He works efficaciously, not to exclude, but to excite, and assist our diligence, and to render it successful.-The whole argument in the subsequent part of the quotation from Bp. Sherlock, turns on the difference between "God working in us both to "will and to do," and his supposed working in us 'whether we will or no:' and as none of that body, whose cause I have presumed to advocate, are so absurd as to maintain the latter, I have no further concern with it. One thing indeed it proves; viz. that it has long been the lot of Calvinists to be either misunderstood, or misrepresented by their opponents.

P. xxxviii. 1. 14. It appears, &c.'t The critique on this important verse,‡ may probably be well grounded:

Quotation, Bp. Sherlock.

↑ It appears to me, that the word T&T refers neither to agri nor to πιστεως exclusively, but to the whole sentence, Τη γας χαριτι εστε σεσωσματα •dia Taç iols, and that the apostle intended to declare, that salvation by grace through faith is not derived from man, but is the free gift of God 'through faith in Christ, as he says in another place," the gift of God is "eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." By the expression, "ye are saved," "St. Paul did not mean to tell the Ephesian converts, that their 'salvation had actually taken place, or that it was certain, but that they were ⚫ enabled to obtain salvation.'

+ Eph. ii 8.

but the apostle intended more than to "declare, that sal'vation by grace, through faith, is not derived from 'man, &c.' His words undeniably, contain not a gen. eral, but a particular proposition, concerning the christians at Ephesus, as "saved by grace through faith, &c."-It will be needful here, to look back on the preceding verses.-" You hath he quickened who were "dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in times past ye "walked according to the course of this world, accord"ing to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that "now worketh in the children of disobedience: among "whom also we all had our conversation in times past, “in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the "flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the chil"dren of wrath even as others. But God, who is rich "in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, " even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us "together with Christ; by grace ye are saved." They had been "dead in sins," "children of disobedience," "children of wrath:" and God of his rich mercy had raised them from the death of sin to the life of right'cousness.' Thus "by grace were they saved.""And hath raised us up together, and made us to sit " together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the

ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of "his grace, in his kindness towards us through Jesus "Christ. For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and " and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not "of works lest any man should boast. For we are his "workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, "which God hath before ordained that we should walk "in them." Now to interpret this passage, as merely containing abstract propositions, in which neither the

Eph. ii. 1-5.