to amend

to make endeavours not totally ineffectual, to our nature, or that of our fellow sinners. But St. Paul says, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." Our depraved nature is utterly incorrigible,' except by special grace! and when any one is persuaded, or convinced, that he cannot correct the obliquities of his nature, and overcome his evil inclinations, without the grace of God; and yet that this must be done, or he must perish hearing and reading, that God has pro"mised to give the Holy Spirit to them who ask "it;" he will be led earnestly to pray for this most needful blessing; and, in answer to these prayers, he will be preserved both from profligacy and despair. Thus he will, after a time, learn, that though "he τε can do nothing of himself," or "without Christ he❝ can do all things through Christ who strength"eneth him."3 Instances might be produced of persons, under terrors of conscience, but total strangers to evangelical or calvinistick doctrine, attempting to conquer bad habits and strong evil propensities, in their own strength; 'who, being repeatedly baffled, have given up the hope of success, and have sought refuge in a kind of infidelity but afterwards, hearing the promises of effectual assistance proposed in the sacred scripture, and depending on them, and praying for the promised blessing, they have renewed their efforts, and have been rendered successful and happy.

I Eph. ii. 10. Phil. iv. 13.

2 Luke xi. 18.

3 John xv. 5.

preach, that * man is irrecoverably sunk in sin and "wickedness,' they certainly should be shunned. But do any preach this doctrine of desperation ? Do any say, that man is so sunk in sin, and so incorrigibly wicked, that he is irrecoverable, even by. the grace of the gospel? And if this be not meant, what is it, which is opposed? It is acknow

J

'ledged, that man has not the disposition, and consequently not the ability, to do what is good in the "sight of God, till he is influenced by the Spirit of "God" and I apprehend no evangelical clergyman, and scarcely any Calvinist, denies, that when influenced by the Spirit of God, he has both the disposition and the ability to do what is good in the sight of God," But surely, Christian ministers ought not to teach men, that their malady is not so great, but that they may heal themselves, without the great and good Physician's interposition!

God, in his infinite mercy, has appointed one Physician, and provided one infallible remedy, for the distempered soul of fallen man: He has declared. all others to be "physicians of no value," all other

The clergy therefore cannot caution their parishioners too strongly against listening to those preachers, who are continually describing man as irrecoverably sunk in sin and wickedness; they should impress upon their minds the duty and necessity of • exertion; and teach them, that the frailty and corruption de⚫rived from our first parent will not be admitted as an excuse for ⚫ criminal indulgences, since we are assured that we shall always ⚫ be assisted by divine grace in our struggles to withstand the evil propensities of our nature. * P. 61, Refutation.

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remedies to be utterly inefficient He hath promised healing and salvation, to all who seek them from Jesus Christ according to the gospel, however desperate and inveterate their malady has become. Now the evangelical clergy, as well as other soberminded Calvinists; bestow pains to convince their hearers, that there is no recovery for them, except in this way of the gospel; and that, if they refuse and neglect this Physician, they will be found absolutely irrecoverable. They earnestly desire to induce despair, not of salvation itself, but of salvation in any way, except that of the gospel. They endeavour to shew the desperate nature of the disease, in itself; in order to recommend the good Physician and his healing grace. For so long, as men think, that they are not diseased, or but slightly; that the disease will depart of itself; that they are able to be. their own healers, or that other physicians and remedies can recover them: so long as they think, that there is some health and soundness of consti"tution in them;' their pride, their love of sin and the world; and their aversion to the holy humbling truths of the gospel; will incline them to refuse the Saviour's invitations; or at least to say, "Go thy

way at this time;" at a future opportunity, I may perhaps seek help from thee. Now the day of Christ will discover, whether they, who oppose our endeavours to convince men, that they are incorrigible and irrecoverable, except by the grace of the gospel; have any other more effectual, or equally effectual, way of recovery and salvation, or not. "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no man

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"cometh to the Father, but by me.' "Neither "is there salvation in any other; for there is none "other name under heaven given among men, "whereby we must be saved." They also are to <be had accursed, that presume to say, that every man shall be saved by the law or sect which he professeth; so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law, and the light of nature. • For holy scripture doth set out unto us, only the ⚫ name of Jesus Christ, whereby we must we saved."3

"The scripture hath concluded all under sin; that "the promise, which is by faith in Jesus Christ ❝ might be given to them that believe." We perfectly agree with his Lordship, that ministers should

impress upon the minds of their hearers, the duty and necessity of exertion;' and teach them that original depravity will not excuse their criminal indulgences and we only desire and pray that all parties may vie with one another, which shall most zealously and successfully inculcate these truths, and apply them to the hearts and consciences of their congregations.

P. lxxviii. 1. 4. The obnoxious, &c.' I should not have expected, that a Protestant would deem even the supposed errors of Calvin, equally ob

• John xiv. 6. 2 Acts iv. 12. 3 Art. xviii.

4 Gal. iii. 22.

5 The obnoxious and unfounded doctrine of human merit, held by the church of Rome, fosters pride and presumption. The equally erroneous and baneful doctrine of moral incapacity, in the extent unhappily adopted by Calvin, tends to produce hopeless melancholy, or hardened profligacy. The former • exalts too high, the latter depresses 100 low, the powers of man:*

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noxious with the doctrine of human merit, held by the church of Rome. Whether Calvin carried the ⚫ erroneous and baneful doctrine of moral incapacity,' beyond the line marked out in scripture, I shall not decide; and whether modern Calvinists use more energetical language, than that of the articles, liturgy, and homilies of our church, others must judge." You who were dead in trespasses and "sins." "When we yet were without strength.”2

There is no health in us."3 I need not repeat the quotations from the homilies. Jude indeed speaks of some apostates, as "twice dead:"5 but no other expression, relating to man's moral incapacity, that I can recollect, is stronger than what has been produced from the scripture and from the Prayer Book, and homilies, relating to the condition of men in general. The tendency of our doctrine to produce hopeless melancholy or hardened profligacy,' has already been considered."

P. lxxviii. Note from Calvin. Non equidem, &c." "In which are some things hard to be understood; "which they that are unlearned and unstable, wrest, "as they do also the other scriptures, to their own ❝ destruction."

P. lxxviii. 1. 21. Obedience, &c.' If after the

1 Eph. ü. 1. 2 Rom. v. 6. 3 Conf.

Refutation.

$ Jude 12.

4 See on. p. 54. 72, See on p. 75, Refutation.

7 I do not indeed deny, that many hearing, that there is nothing good in us, indulge themselves more freely in their own vices,' 8 2 Pet. iii. 16.

9 Obedience is commanded, and it is therefore our duty; our practicable duty, or it would not have been commanded.'