, co-operation, is not found in the New Testament: and in all the places, in which God and man are spoken of, as co-operating, the salvation of others, not of the person or persons, thus working together with God, is uniformly meant.* In this case God is the Agent; and men are his willing instruments, aiming to promote his cause in the world, and using the appointed means of doing this, which he renders successful by his effectual operation. In the text, under consideration, the apostle was not speaking of any thing, in which co-operation was required; but praying that "the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of the Father, and the communion," (or participation with other christians,) "of the Holy Spirit," the Comforter, might be with all those, to whom he wrote. He was not exhorting them to any duty; so that there could be no call on them to co-operate, except by adding a fervent Amen to his prayer for them.

When the apostle said, "I fill up that which is behind "of the afflictions of Christ, in my flesh, for his body's "sake, which is the church;" did he mean, that the sufferings of Christ, and his sufferings co-operated in atoning for our sins? Or merely that his sufferings were necessary, in order to bring sinners to receive and partake of the all sufficient atonement of Christ? If, in producing the willing mind to turn to God, the sinner's co-operation with God be admitted, not only is the glory divided between two agents, and boasting introduced; but the will of man takes the lead, and seems entitled to the precedency. But as, "It is God, that worketh in "us both to will and to work," all the glory is given to

fellow-helper. Phil. ii. 25, companion in labour. Col. iv. 11, fellow-workers. 1 Thes. iii. 2. Philem. 1. 24, fellow-labourers. 3 John 8, fellow-helpers.

Mark xvi. 20.

Rom. xv. 18.

1 Cor. iii. 9. 2 Cor. vi. 1. + Col. i. 24.

† Acts xiv. 27. xv. 4.

him; yet our bounden duty of "working out our own "salvation," continues the same; and all the immense advantages of attending to it, are wholly ours; which claim our liveliest gratitude, while at the same time boasting is excluded. "That no flesh should glory in his pre"sence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God “is made to us, Wisdom, and Righteousness, and "Sanctification, and Redemption: that according as it is “written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”*

P. xlii. l. 25. 'And is not, &c.'t In the person of Christ, perfect God and perfect Man,' the divine nature has, in all things, the precedency: but in the cooperation, intended to be illustrated by it, the power and will of man precede and render effectual, the supernatural powers of the Holy Spirit; unless we, unreservedly ascribe our willingness to obey the call of the gospel to his special preventing grace. How far the intended illustration, from a topic, so extremely different, is admissible, may be questioned: for the union of the divine and human nature in the person of Christ, has scarcely any thing, which accords to the co-operation of two agents in one work.-Even "the chiefest of the apos "tles" were 'imperfect men:' surely then the epithet is too feeble for the character of man, as he is by nature!

P. xliii. l. 9. 'The thoughts, &c.' In speaking of Christ, his divine nature is with exact propriety, placed

* 1 Cor. i. 29-$1.

And is not this similar to what took place in our blessed Saviour him'self? he was God and man in one Christ-He was perfect God and perfect "Man. Though " in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead;"yet "he was in all things made like unto his brethren," and "was in all points "tempted like as we are.” We Christians are imperfect men, improved ' and assisted by that portion of divine grace, which it pleases God to bestow ' upon us.'

The thoughts, words and actions of Christ, proceeded from the union ' of his divine and human natures; and the graces and virtues of Christians, * proceed from the joint and common operation of the natural power of man

first; but in mentioning the graces and virtues of christians, the natural power of man' precedes the super'natural power of the Holy Ghost.' This is perfectly consistent with that system, and indeed inseperable from it.

P. xliii. 1. 21. 'We sometimes, &c.'* It would have been more satisfactory to the reader, if his Lordship had quoted, or referred to, any texts of scripture, in which the good works of men are ascribed to God 'alone, without any reference to man.' I cannot call to memory any text to this effect. "We are his work

"manship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, "which God hath before ordained, that we should walk "in them." The "fruits of the Spirit" are indeed coincident with those fruits of "righteousness, which

are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of "God:" but they are not ascribed to God alone, 'without any reference to man;' for they spring from the mind, judgment, and affections of those who are "led by the Spirit," "live in the Spirit," and "walk "in the Spirit." The will and power, to perform good works, ought to be, and is in scripture, and in our articles and liturgy, ascribed to God alone: but how the good works themselves can be ascribed to God alone, 'without any reference to man,' except by actually considering man as a mere automatón, does not appear. -In the co-operation before stated, in which God co. operated with his servants, in the conversion of sinners,

with the supernatural power of the Holy Ghost, for " of his fullness have all "we received."

• 'We sometimes find them,' (the good works of men,) 'in scripture as'cribed to God alone without any reference to man, and sometimes to man alone without any reference to God.'

it was clearly stated, that God is the great Agent, and man the instrument by which he works. But in good works, man is the sole agent, though "it is God who "worketh in him, both to will and to do:" and to speak of God as the Agent, is to represent man as merely pas. sive, not working as a voluntary agent, but wrought upon as a statue, or a corpse, without any choice or consciousness.

P. xliv. l. 4. "The grace, &c.'* This passage, if detached from the context, might be interpreted to mean, that the grace of God' influences the heart and mind of man, by producing an inward change, called "a new heart," which effectually induces him to "walk in newness of life," in a manner, not at all interfering with his free agency: namely, by so enlightening the mind, rectifying the judgment, rendering the will submissive, and purifying the affections, by the om. nipotent power of the Holy Spirit; that the man now as willingly chooses to repent, believe, and obey, as he befóre did to rebel, to reject the gospel, and to harden his heart in unbelief. Yet he himself is not conscious of any influence, distinguishable from that of his own mind; but merely complies with the dictates of his enlightened conscience. Until at length, perceiving that an entire change has taken place in his views, judgment, desires, and affections, coincident with that, which is ascribed in scripture, to the new-creating grace of God; he learns to give him all the glory, and finds at the same time a great accession to his own comfort. "He that doeth "truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made "manifest that they are wrought in God." The

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That the grace of God co-operates with the free will of men, can alone reconcile the numerous texts, both preceptive and declaratory, which ' relate to human conduct, and which separately assert the divine and hu man agency.' † John iii. 21.

grace of God, thus co-operating,' does indeed 'reconcile the numerous texts, both preceptive and declara'tory, which relate to human conduct, and which sepa'rately assert the divine and human agency.'

P. xliv. l. 10. 'The concurrence, &c.'* This quotation from Bp. Bramhall, is not materially different from the sentiments of modern Calvinists. He allows, that in the act of our 'believing, or conversion to God,' 'It is God that worketh in us the will and the deed;' and we do not deny, that we must "Work out our own "salvation with fear and trembling." None of us imagine, that our repentance is God's work alone;' and he admits, that if it were our work alone, we need not pray,'

• The concurrence of God and man, says Archbishop Bramhall, in pro'ducing the act of our believing or conversion to God, is so evident in Holy 'Scripture, that it is vanity and lost labour to oppose it. If God did not 'concur, the Scripture would not say, It is God that worketh in us, both the will and the deed. If man did not concur, the Scripture would not say, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." If our repent'ance were God's work alone, God would not say to man, Turn ye unto me with all your heart: and if repentance were man's work alone, we had no 'need to pray, "Turr. us, O Lord, and we shall be turned." We are 'commanded to repent and to believe: In vain are commandments given 'to them, who cannot at all concur to the acting of that which is com'manded. Faith and repentance are proposed unto us as conditions to 'obtain blessedness and avoid destruction. "If thou shalt confess with "thy mouth, and believe with thy heart, thou shalt be saved." And 'except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." To propose impos. 'sible conditions, which they to whom they are proposed, have no power ' either to accept or refuse, is a mere mockery. Our unbelief and impeni. 'tence is imputed to us as our own fault, "Because of unbelief thou wert "broken off;" and, " After thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou trea"surest up unto thyself wrath." Their unbelief and impenitence were 'not their own faults, if they neit her had power to concur with the grace of 'God to the production of faith and repentance; nor yet to refuse the grace of God. The Holy Scripture doth teach us, that God doth help us in doing works of piety; "The Lord is my Helper," and "The Spirit helpheth our "infirmities." If we did not co-operate at all, God could not be said to 'help us. There is, therefore, there must be, co operation. Neither doth this concurrence or co-operation of man, at all entrench upon the power or 'honour of God, because this very liberty to co-operate is his gift, and this manner of acting his own institution.'