relieve all honestly inquiring minds of all difficulty on these subjects, and set them at full liberty to make their choice for life or death, is not to be received as the true Gospel: I say, honestly inquiring minds; and there is no reason why those who are awakened enough to be honestly in quest of salvation should not be able to judge pretty correctly of their own honesty, when they hear the Gospel. I give this rule as perfectly according with the Scriptures; for, according to these, the ministers of Christ are the ministers of the Spirit; for the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (2 Cor. iii. 6, 17.)

But some farther observations are necessary relative to the above doctrines. It will be alleged, that it is true enough, all may believe and come to Christ who will, on the authority of the Gospel invitation; but here is the point on which the matter rests, that the people will not come, and have no power to will any thing of the kind, and those special drawings of the Father are unavoidably the pivot on which the whole matter finally must turn. And here it will be insisted that God is clear and the souls who perish guilty, because the reason why they do not believe and come to Christ is that they will not, and how can they be more completely without excuse? But this kind of reasoning affords no resolution of the attending difficulties, or relief to the mind; because man's incapability to be willing is confessedly as great as his incapability to believe or come to Christ, and his power as much out of his reach, being unattainable except by the aforesaid special drawing, which God gave to others and not to them, when there was no reason pertaining to the others why they should be preferred, and no reason in those who are left why they should not have received said special gift as well as those who received it. They are therefore no more inexcusable.

But it has been alleged that God has promised to make the people willing. Admitting that to be true, that he has promised and will do it, unless he make all willing, after such unreserved invitations as are contained in the Gospel offers, his character is by no means exculpated from the charge of injustice, while any one is condemned on the principle stated in the Scripture; "Because he hath not believed." But it is not true, that God promised to make the people willing to believe or come to Christ, especially by any such special gift or drawing. To prove that promise the words of David are often alleged (Psa. cx. 3): "Thy people [shall be] willing in the day of thy power. But these words have nothing in them from which such a promise can be inferred, being simply a prophecy expressing the character of God's people in the time of the Gospel kingdom, as a willing people, who follow and serve him of choice. As to the words shall be, they are not in the Hebrew, and are simply expressive of futurity, as that which should take place in time to come. Another Scripture alleged in defence of the aforesaid promise, or the doctrines connected with it, is the saying of the Apostle, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in you to will and to do of his pleasure." (Phil. ii. 12, 13.) But it is to be observed thaa this was not written to unbelievers as a promise of helping them into the faith, but to those in the faith, for the encouragement and help of those who had

already complied with the Gospel call, had believed and been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." They were also such as had kept their justification by obedience; the necessity of which we continually maintain. "Wherefore, my beloved; as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Promises made to believers do not belong to unbelievers who refuse to comply with the simple and reasonable request of submitting to the Gospel in the obedience of faith. Believers receive the Spirit; they keep the sayings of Christ; and the Father and the Son come to them and make their abode with them; they are the temple of the living God, and there he dwells according to his promise; I will dwell in them and walk in them, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, and I will be a Father to them, saith the Lord Almighty. These, then, who believe and obey, are the proper subjects of his saving work and special power. These have the promise of eternal life, in Christ, in whom they have believed, and are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation. And others are freely welcome to the same privileges and blessings; whosoever will submit to the same door of access; faith and obedience: but without that submission they are excluded.

But I shall not dispute the fact, that God maketh the people willing, for the work is all of God. Not by any special agency or drawing beyond the ministry of the Gospel, but by inducing them by Gospel motives. Accordingly, that work is committed to his ministers; "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, [or, in Chrst's stead, or, in the behalf of Christ; règ xgiorỡ;] as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, [or in the behalf of Christ reg xgor, as above,] be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. v. 18, 19, 20.) And saith Paul, in an another place: "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law; to the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (1 Cor. ix. 19–22.)

Again I will not deny that God doth work a preparatory work among the people who know not the Gospel, fitting and preparing their minds for its reception. Mankind are so far lost from God in ignorance of his true nature, and in the carnal mind which is enmity against God, because not subject to his law neither can be, that the Gospel never could have access to them, without such a work, but

would prove a curse instead of a blessing. "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Mal. iv. 5, 6.) This preparatory work is carried on either more immediately by the Spirit of God through the ministration of unbodied spirits, or more ordinarily by communicating it from one to another by the ministration of those who are in the same work, while all the time, God is carrying on the work, making his angels ministers therein. Thus John the Baptist was sent of God to do a preparatory work before Jesus Christ who brought in the true Gospel, as it is written of him : And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke i. 16, 17.) Thus also Paul was convinced by a revelation from Jesus Christ to break him down in the midst of his opposition and prepare his mind for hearing the Gospel by Ananias, a minister of Christ, and a member of his body; Cornelius also had an angel sent to him, to tell him by whom he might hear the Gospel, or hear words whereby he and his house might be saved; by which also many of his kinsmen and near friends were put into a situation to receive the same Gospel. In like manner the eunuch had his mind awakened, and prepared by the Jewish worship, and the reading of the prophets, to receive the Gospel by Philip the evangelist.

But this preparatory work is a very different thing from that supposed special work, or drawing of the Father, beyond the limits of that Gospel which is committed to his ministers, to give it an application, and make it effectual. For this preparatory work is wrought in those who know not the Gospel, although they live in the land where it is, as did Paul. Besides, in this preparatory work there is nothing saving; although in it there is often a ministration of much light and power from God. John was a burning and shining light, but was not the true, or perfect light; "The same came for a witness to bear witness of that light, that all men might believe through him. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light;" (Jno. i. 7, 8;) and led the people so far out of their old system, that they were able to reach the new dispensation, in Christ. Apollos also, being an eloquent man, was mighty in the Scriptures, was instructed in the way of the Lord, was fervent in the Spirit, and spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. (Acts xviii. 24, 25.) The seventy disciples also, who were yet in the preparatory work, returned from their mission, saying, "Lord, even the devils are subject to us through thy name;" (Luke x. 17;) while entirely ignorant of the true spirit and inward work of the Gospel. But Christ the salvation of God, is known in the Gospel alone. The Gospel is the power of God to salvation.

In this preparatory work, then, people often have great exercises, deep convictions, and much rejoicing. "John was a burning and a shining light; and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." (Jno. v. 35.) Many in the deep labour and travail of their

souls, have felt the burden and guilt of their sins to an enormous size; have seen much of their lost estate by sin; have contemplated much of the contrariety and enmity of their nature against God, seeing much of their pollution and unholiness; have seen their pride in the things of the earth; have seen the pollution of the core and source of their existence and nativity, in their natural state, the work of natural generation, as being a work in which God is not known, in which there is nothing of God, nor any thing with which God can have any fellowship, and that they who live in it can have no savour for the nature of God; have been brought into the very borders of despair, and felt themselves as it were already eternally excluded from the notice and favour of God, on account of their own internal and practical wickedness. After such scenes of distress, some have returned to their former course of wickedness or rather worse, some have leavened down into an almost, or quite insensible stupidity, having none to show them the way of life. Some in the midst of their distress, or point of despondency, have been led to contemplate the freeness and fullness of the salvation of God in Christ, with which their hearts have closed in, and as far as they have understood it, they have delighted in the law of God in the inner man; with this their souls have been greatly relieved, and overwhelmed with a sense of God's goodness and love to them, not forgetting the freedom of the same to all who will come for wherever any thing of this kind comes from the Spirit of God, it represents the true salvation of God unreservedly free to all who will

come.

Much might be said, and has often been, on the exercises of those who have experienced such a change in the state of their mind; but this is not the object here. It is unnecessary to build up that which cannot stand. With all these exercises, though an hundred-fold more than are here stated, the nature of evil is not destroyed; the soul is not renovated; the root of bitterness, the carnal mind, is still within. The man is still an old bottle, and though filled with new wine a thousand times, it would all run out in time. Hence the confession of indwelling sin, and the hardness and other plagues of an evil heart, with which those say they have to contend, who count themselves converted to Christ in some of those scenes which they have experienced. In these exercises people are apt to form their language greatly according to their previous education; (some, however, are led in them to a better understanding of things;) some thank God for his distinguishing love to them, (meaning that he hath included them in his special election,) rejoicing in the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, or that God hath forgiven their sins for Christ's sake, meaning, as their surety, who has paid their debt-not considering that this is all unscriptural; but these are the impressions of their previous education. But whether they talk of the righteousness of Christ imputed, or applied, or of the benefits of Christ received by faith, while they expect, or believe they have received justification directly by faith, it amounts to the same thing in substance. No justification will stand the judgment of God, which hath already gone forth as the law out of Zion, only that which is built on the obedience of faith; or having the faith of Christ,

and living his life, walking even as he walked, as is proved in its place.

In this preparatory work, as before stated, many have had great light and power; clear views of many Scriptures, so as to see things in the light of God, or in the light which the prophets and apostles had when they wrote them; or if they should in some cases even exceed in the gift of revelation, all this would not prove any thing more than a preparatory work. "And though I have the gift of prophecy, (as many have had who were only in a preparatory work,) and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." (I Cor. xiii. 2.) Having these things given or revealed to them by the Spirit, they have been able to speak with great clearness, and to preach with great power and great success, so as to convert many into the same circle of light and beginning liberty.

Among these, some conclude they are in the safe path, they are now converted, are now in Christ, and expect in the end to land safe in heaven; but not being ingrafted in the true vine, which is Christ, they are exposed to leaven back into the manners, the customs, the pride and lusts of the world, and by degrees lose their lively sense of sin, especially in the source of it, and can live after the course of the world, with little or no remorse. If they can keep out of the commonly condemned, gross iniquities, can support a name in the Church, can remember their conversion, and on some particular occasions have some lively, melting feelings of somewhat the same cast, although they find sin in them able to lift up its head from day to day, they hope to be saved in the end, and that Christ will make amends for all their failings.

; no

But others cannot rest so; nothing will do for them but full deliverance; nothing short of the clearest evidence of eternal life thing short of the death and final removal of that which they have found to separate their souls from God, which is sin in the very root and nature as well as its works. And though they may have been converted a thousand times as is commonly counted conversion; while sin is there, its wages are inevitably death; wherever it is, it unavoidably carries with it darkness, guilt and proportionate condemnation; and there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked, is the eternally haunting sound in those who commit sin, and are awake to see it: these must have the truth and the substance. Therefore as the prayers and alms of Cornelius came up for a memorial before God, and he sent him help, so does God look on the condition of those who cannot do without the perfect and everlasting Gospel, and send it to them. And when it comes, it is with full authority for their faith, and full provision for all their wants, as already

stated.

But not all who partake in the preparatory work receive the Gospel when they hear it. Of the multitudes who followed John, and crowded after Jesus and his disciples, few would endure the doctrines of the cross. Hence it is said on a certain occasion, after he had been teaching the necessity of eating his flesh and drinking his blood, "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”