own); and they follow me (i. e. in faith and in righteousness), and I GIVE unto them eternal life (i. e. a grace and blessing, which cannot be earned or deserved); and they shall never perish (because I am JEHOVAH, their almighty Shepherd), neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.

Excellent are the words of an able divine upon this subject, which I submit to the reader. "It may be said, "If faith was the native effect of "free-will, it would indeed be the "man's fault: but it is the gift of "God; and how can the man be "damned for God's withholding his "Gift? The proper answer to so "bold a charge would be what the

Apostle gives in a case near of kin "to this; Who art thou, O man, who

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repliest against God? The strength "of the answer lies in the question, "Who art thou, O man? and one << may say, with great assurance, that

"no man, that knows himself, will

ever talk in that manner. He will "feel in himself, his conscience will " tell him, that he has treated the astonishing grace of God, manifest"ed in his son Jesus Christ, in such

an unworthy manner, that it is per"fectly consistent with the most "boundless riches of grace to shut

him out for ever from any part or "share in it, and that nothing but "sovereign grace can prevent his e"ternal destruction. And this con"viction will be yet stronger, if he "knows indeed the state and temper "of his own heart, what it is that "moves him to make such an objec"tion, as it argues a heart not at all "reconciled to the grace of God, and "his way of bestowing life in the "new creation. He cannot think of

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living by grace, but will be at doing something to make the purchase. "He will not receive it on God's 66 terms,

terms, and so stand altogether "debted to Christ; which is as much "as to say, that he will not have it

at all. The man that is content to "be nothing, to deny himself, and "follow Christ, will find the way "open to a throne of grace, where "he can never be at a loss for either "mercy or grace. And he, that will "not go there to have it, complains injuriously, and without any cause, "if he goes without it."*

§ 29. Farther; the dead are also commanded to live and to do certain acts of life; as in the instance of the dry bones in Ezekiel, of the widow's son at Nain, and of Lazarus; but, if a divine and effective power had not internally attended the divine external command; the voice of the prophet in the one case, and of Christ himself in the others, would have been only

* RICCALTOUN's Diss. on Gal. ii. 20.

a

But an

a trifling vibration of the air. energetic faculty being imparted to the objects, at the moment of giving forth the authoritative direction; an instant obedience by the creature was the immediate result. Men, in like manner, are to be exhorted every where to believe and repent; and it is the office of ministers, in season and out of season, to inculcate, and, as much as in them lies, to impress, their exhortations; but Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and all the ministers upon earth, or all the angels in heaven, could no more impart spiritual life by their own act to any one soul, than by their united efforts they could do that inferior thing. -create or give life to a fly. The new creation, as well as the old, is altogether the workmanship of God. When he speaks through his instru ments, it is done. All things are obedient to the voice of his word; that is, to his Spirit speaking in and by the

word.

word. The ministers might therefore preach, and exhort, and testify, as their office requires, or, in the words of Scripture, plant and water; but the whole would be in vain, unless God, according to his promised blessing, gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth, nor he that' watereth, any thing (and how much less the object planted and watered !) but God, who giveth the increase, and who worketh all in all, according to -the counsel of his own will. "It is true (says the excellent Archbishop LEIGHTON) God requires faith; salvation is through faith; but he that requires that, gives it too. It is wonderful grace to save upon believing. Believe in Jesus for salvation, and live accordingly; and it is done. There is no more required to thy pardon, but that thou receive it by faith. But truly Nature cannot do this. It is as impossible for us, of ourselves, to believe,