minding of carnal things, or the positive exercise of corrupt inclination." Dr. Taylor says, "The carnal mind is the minding of the flesh, or the choosing and following fleshly gratifications." These constructions are perfectly coincident; and wholy exclude from the flesh the idea of personality. But what is the carnal mind according to Edwards? Is it a mere quality, or is it a nature? He says, "It is most manifest that by the flesh the Apostle means some nature, that is directly opposite to the law and holy nature of God."* Calvin has the

same view of the text, for he says, "It is the Lord's argument that man must be born again because he is flesh. For the flesh is so compared against the spirit that there is left no. mean (or middle thing) between them; therefore whatsoever is not spiritual in man is after the same reason called fleshly: but we have nothing of the spirit but by regeneration. It is therefore flesh whatsoever we have of nature." The striking difference between Calvinists and Arminians as far as these most cardinal texts are concerned, is now ascertained. And since Mr. T. evidently departs from the Calvinistic construction, and treads so hard upon the heels of the Arminian Scribes and Doctors, we must conclude that experience hath taught him the impossibility of supporting his theory on Calvanistic principles. For if Calvin and Edwards patronize him, why does he desert them and flee to the strong hold of their enemies? Is it common to defend a post by forsaking it?

* O. S. page 201.

Book 2d. Chap. 3d. Sect. 1.

INFER. 3. It is evident that Mr. T. does not treat the Arminians with deserved honour, and respect. For though he has actually fled to them for help, and makes his defence on their ground, and with their weapons, he has not self denial enough to assume their name. That this is just, I appeal to obvious facts. For he chooses to be called a Calvinist, while no judicious Calvinist will adopt his sense of these cardinal texts ; because it strikes at the foundation of their theory, and unhinges the door of Grace. If we follow Mr. T. in his explanation of Gen. vi. and Rom. iii. that the most profligate, or mankind in the gross, are intended in distinction from all the unregenerate; we must also follow Dr. Taylor, and explode the necessity of regeneration by the special influence of the Spirit: and other smiliar articles of the Calvinistic creed. For only grant Dr. Taylor's first principles, as displayed in his sense of these capital texts, and we must necessarily allow those conse quences which cut up Calvinism by the roots.*

INFER. 4. It is evident that Hopkinsian sentiments are only the genuine, flourishing and fruitful branches of the Calvinistic tree. For we plead that there is no duty in the actions of sinners, because they are totally depraved. As total depravity, therefore, is the great pillar in the Calvinistic theory, there is no more difference between Calvinists and Hopkinsians, than

Mr. T,'s only salvo is this, that Romans iii. is a "proof that human nature is depraved in all." But this salvo will not avail. For we have proved, if I mistake not, that the char acters described are totally depraved; and that the descrip. tion was designed for all the unrenewed without exception

there is between a tree and its branches, or between first principles and consequences. The broad foundation which supports our ample superstructure was long since deeply and most firmly laid in the first principles of Calvinism. To support my theory I need no first principles, except those which Calvinists have adopted and improved against Pelagians and Arminians.

Without derogating from the honour of sev eral Calvinistic writers, I have liberty in this connexion to grant that Mr. T. can pick up many scattered sentences from them which correspond with his theory. For no authors, except the inspired ones, uniformly treat things according to their first principles. But I challenge him to fetch a single article from the first principles of Calvinism which clashes with my theory. For their first principle is literally this in the language of President Edwards: "Natural men are God's enemies. Their wills are contrary to his will. They are enemies to God in their affections. Every faculty and every principle of action is wholly under the dominion of enmity against God. This enmity against God has the absolute possession of the man. A natural man has the heart like the heart of a devil." Calvin says, "whatsoever man thinketh or doeth, before he be reconciled to God, is cursed."* Thus Calvinists have laid the foundation and if every part of the superstructure does not correspond with it, the fault is not mine. The first principles of Calvinists I heartiJy approve and avowedly adopt: but the incon

:

* Book 3. Chap. 14. Sect. 4.

sistencies with which some of them are chargeable by denying several of the most interesting consequences of their theory, I wish to escape.

INFERENCE 5. It is evident that Mr. T. mistakes the appearance of moral goodness, for moral goodness itself. For though he grants that there is no morality in mere externals, yet because sinners frequently perform the apparent offices of justice, and beneficence, he pleads that they do some part of their duty. But this rule is very fallacious. For, sinners often perform these external actions from bad motives which christians perform from good motives. If depravity in any measure consisted in external action, this rule might be adopted. But, since depravity consists wholly in internal action and not in external action, we must not judge according to the appearance, but according to the hearts of men as described by the inspired writers. And, if we judge of the characters of sinners not from the appearance which they make to us, but from the description which the Bible gives of their hearts, we shall judge right eous judgment, and conclude that they are to-2 tally depraved. For the carnal mind is enmity against God.*

SECTION V.

The Doctrine of Motives, Ends or Actions,

As the characters of men depend upon the nature of their motives, ends or actions; and as these words are frequently misapplied in mo

Since we have proved that the Apostle, in the third of Romans, describes the unrenewed nature of all men: since we have proved that the morality of actions lies whol

ral disquisitions, it is particularly necessary in this debate, to ascertain the different acceptations in which they are properly used.

1. What are motives? as the term motive is very differently used, it must be differently explained.

1. Motive denotes the object of choice, or volition. It is somewhat which terminates volition; and is therefore different from it, according to this acceptation. For instance, the motive of one man in going a journey is his farm, the motive of another is his friend, and the motive of a third is his bride. The first chooses to take care of his farm, the second to visit his friend, and the third to obtain a bride. These are objects of choice, and these are motives, as the word is frequently used. Mere objects of choice or volition, therefore, are motives. For, the motive of the agent, according to this acceptation of the word, is the object which terminates his choice or volition. When we

ly in the will or heart of the agent; that there is no moral excercise which is neither holy nor sinful, because there is no interest which is neither publick nor private: In a word; since Mr. T. may as pertinently talk of three hundred kinds of moral excercise as of three kinds, his grand plea, that "Some natural men may do good in a moral sense by common grace, exciting and assisting to it," is groundless. For the resemblance between the restrained and unrestrained sinner, is like the resemblance between the natural and artificial course of the same stream. As the nature of a stream is not changed by being turned out of one channel into another; so the heart of a sinner is the same whether his visible character be good or bad. The Israelites were the same characters in the sight of God, who looketh on the heart, when they adored him in the time of adversity, that they were when they adored their idols in time of prosper ty