him." "Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father." "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." "Their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken." "How can ye being evil speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." "The Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive." "Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word." "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." According, then, to Scripture, the natural man is entirely incapable of choosing what is good, although it is his duty, and therefore fit that it should be enjoined on him. He is "ungodly," a " sinner,” an "enemy to God," and "without strength," Rom. v. 6, 10. Men in this state are represented as walking according to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; as being under "the power of Satan," and "taken captive by him at his will." They are his lawful captives, because they are so voluntarily. From this slavery they cannot be freed but by means of the word of God, the sword of the Spirit, which the Lord employs; granting to those to whom it seemeth good to him the blessing of regeneration; " distributing his gifts, and dividing to every man severally as he will." It is God "who hath delivered us," says the Apostle, "from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." "Who worketh in you both to will and to do "If the Son shall make you of his good pleasure." When God purposes to do good to men, he fulfils to them this gracious promise, "I will give them a heart to know me." It was this preparation of heart that David prayed to God to grant to his son Solomon. At the same time he acknowledged with gratitude that his own willingness to offer to God, of which he was conscious, and that of his people, were from him. After celebrating the praises of Jehovah, David says, " But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their hearts unto thee," 1 Chron. xxix. 10-18. There is nothing to prevent men from obeying the will of God but their own depraved dispositions, and aversion to the things of God. The natural faculties of men would be sufficient to enable them to do what he commands, if they employed them properly. If they employ them otherwise, the fault rests exclusively with themselves. And as the corruption of our nature does not deprive a man of any of his natural faculties, or of perfect liberty to act conformably to the decision. of his own mind, the obligation under which he lies to do right continues in full force. From this we see, first, how justly God punishes men for their crimes, who, unless inclined and enabled by his grace, cannot liberate themselves from the slavery of sin; and, further, that the inability of men to obey God, not being natural but moral inability, cannot deprive God of the right to command obedience, under the pain of his most awful displeasure. On this subject the distinction between natural and VOL. II. N moral inability should always be kept in view. Natural inability consists in a defect in the mind or body, which deprives a man of the power of knowing or doing any thing, however desirous he may be of knowing or doing it. Natural inability, then, can never render a man criminal. Moral inability consists in an aversion to any thing, so great that the mind, even when acting freely, that is, without any external impulse or constraint, cannot overcome it. When this aversion exists as to what is good, it is inseparable from blame, and the greater this aversion is, the greater is the criminality. All men are daily accustomed to make these distinctions, and according to this rule they constantly form their opinion of the conduct of others. In the nature of things it is impossible that the justice of God can ever demand of reasonable creatures less than perfect obedience. To say that the moral inability of man to obey the law of God destroys or weakens in the smallest degree his obligation to obey that law, is to add insult to rebellion. For what is that moral inability? It is, as has been observed, no other than aversion to God, the depraved inclination of the carnal mind, which not only entertains and cherishes enmity against God, but is itself that enmity. And let it not be said that the view the Scriptures give of the natural depravity of men, and of the sovereign and efficacious grace of God, reduces them to the condition of machines. Between men and machines there is this essential difference, and it is enough for us to know, that man is a voluntary agent both in the state of nature and of grace. He wills and acts according to his own dispositions, while machines have neither thought nor will. As long, then, as a man's will is depraved and opposed to God, his conduct will be bad; he will fulfil the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and on the other hand, when God gives the sinner a new disposition, and a new spirit, his conduct will undergo a corresponding change. The liberty of a moral agent consists in the power of acting conformably to his choice. Every action performed without external constraint, and in pursuance of the determination of the soul itself, is a free action. The soul is determined by motives; but we constantly see the same motives acting diversely on different minds. Many do not act conformably to the motives of which they yet acknowledge all the force. This failure of the motive proceeds from obstacles opposed by the corruption of the heart and understanding. But God, in giving a new heart and a new spirit, takes away these obstacles; and in removing them, far from depriving a man of liberty, he removes that which hindered him from acting freely, and from following the light of his conscience; and thus, as the Scriptures express it, makes him free. The will of man, without divine grace, is not free but enslaved, and willing to be so.' Is it objected, that if a man be so entirely corrupt that he cannot do what is right, he should not be blamed for doing evil? To this it is sufficient to reply, that if there be any force in the objection, the more a voluntary agent is diabolically wicked, the more innocent he should be considered. A creature is not subject to blame if he is not a voluntary agent; but if he be so, and if his dispositions and his will were absolutely wicked, he would certainly be incapable of doing good, and according to the above argument he could not be blamed for doing evil. On this ground the Devil must be excused, nay, held perfectly innocent in his despe an God. A conseess the force of the But if the objection sal grondly demand who ay be made me thus ? the ne Apostle, "Nay but, La epilest against God?" ferent, and the most common ne unate depravity of their ne Scriptures declare on this Tt they have not an weder no moral incapacity "sucht persons the same reply of our Lord to the ignorant what he should do to inherit out enter into life, keep the You cannot refuse to admit that You ought to love God with all strength, and in all things conave you done so? No! Then và cica vou are justly condemned, for Ca 2 s lát s right, and yet you have ould not submit uncondition saved in the way which in which you learn at once your 4 Kay Nwach you stand in need, e your own head. “Now you a more your sit remaineth." The whole, do this that all is according to Either make the tree good of dise make the tree corrupt and o the tree is known by his fruit. gech forth good fruit, but a corrupt |