happy in every stage of our existence.

But fuch is not the conftitution of DiGrace only co-operates

vine wisdom.

Grace only

with

his weakness. "As the wind is in itself invisible (no "one feeing whence it cometh, and whither it goeth) and yet "produces fenfible and great effects, fo a fpiritual prin"ciple (though invifible) may produce fenfible effects " in the moral world." The fimile illuftrates the reality of the principle not the manner of its operation.

3. BUT if being born of water was a Jewish phrafe, denoting baptifm, how could Nicodemus marvel? Our Saviour shall answer this too: Art thou a mafter of Ifrael, and knoweft not THESE THINGS? i. e. 66 my "doctrine, as I faid before, is this: A true dif"ciple must become a new creature; he must be "admitted into the covenant of grace by baptifm, re"nouncing his former fins, prejudices, and all world❝ly lufts, and live agreeably to the conditions of this "covenant under the conduct of the Holy Spirit. And "do you, a Jewish doctor, wonder at THESE THINGS? "Have you not TWO THINGS, which ought to lead "you into my meaning? Do you not yourfélves make

profelytes by washing them with water, and count "them new-born perfons? And have you not pro"phets, who have foretold, that GOD will plentifully "communicate the spirit in the days of the Meffias for "the inftruction and improvement of mankind ?"

with human will: it ftrengthens, enlightens, and improves, but does not over-rule, our powers.

THE doctrine of grace, as I take it, is a mystery: but we may as well doubt of the usefulness of light and heat in the animal world, as of the reality of fpiritual influences in the moral. The great difficulty is, to reconcile the operations of grace with the freedom of will, a principle, univerfally acknowledged effential to moral agency. Pray, tell me, you! that think this difficulty a fufficient reason for rejecting the scripture account of grace, how do you reconcile the fpontaneity of your animal functions with the invigorating influences of heat and light? You feel yourself, to be fure, mafter of your own bodily actions; you really walk, and move, at your full liberty. And yet, when your members are grown unfit to retain, affimilate, and exert the vital heat, death is the inevitable confe

of fight

confequence; when your organ

is gone, the common luminary fhines upon you in vain; you are blind, and dead, and fenfelefs amidft the general comfort of things around you.

Now I defire no greater degree of faith from you with regard to grace. If any man, fays the fcripture, have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his. Rom. viii. 7. This spirit is in the moral, what the fun is in the natural world: it is the fountain of intellectual light and heat our faculties live and move and act in its influence: from it all holy defires, all good counfels, and all just works do proceed. It leaves us free, but is neceflary to our fpiritual life. Beware then, left, as the fun cherishes only those creatures, whofe organs are adapted to receive his friendly impulfes, you may become fo blind and dead in trefpaffes and fins, that the grace of GoD itself cannot operate upon you, and

awake

awake one generous fentiment in that inanimate bofom of yours.

THE grace of GOD requires the cooperation of man in the various inftrumental aids of moral difcipline. It is the univerfal language of fcripture, which authorizes us to represent the spirit under the fimilitude of fire. Quench not the fpirit. i. Thef. v. 19. Stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. ii. Tim. i. 6. Work out your falvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you to will and do of his good pleasure. Phil. ii. 13, 14. These texts (and many more might be adduced) plainly point out the fpirit as the principle of fanctification; and yet at the fame time fuppofe that the application belongs to our freedom, elfe the precepts would be but empty founds. They refer to the universal rule of GOD'S proceeding in moral cafes: He, that bath, i. e. he that really hath, or exercifeth what he hath, to him shall be given ;

and

and he, that hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that which he bath. Mark, iv. 25.

Ir is difficult, uncharitable, and, for aught I know, blafphemy, for any mortal, amidst our prefent ignorance, to fix the precife limits of final obduracy. But we know enough from experience to believe the poffibility of the fact.

and

Look at a debauchee in the decline of life-his hand shakes, his knees totter, his ftrength is almost gone yet that poor remaining ftrength-pitiable wretch-ferves only to carry him to the old fcenes of his debauchery. The decay of conftitution leffons not his corruption. Filthy thoughts have taken poffeffion of his imagination. His foul has no relish for any thing rational, generous, and virtuous. He thinks of nothing, he talks of nothing, but of fenfual things. He diabolically employs his reafon, to ftretch his paffions beyond nature; and then turning tutor

in