irreconcileable with Calvin's doctrine of predestination.

"The ungodly are froward even from their mother's womb; as soon as they are born, they go astray, and speak lies (p).' Thus Esau was

froward from his mother's womb, when it is announced that the elder shall serve the younger, even before he was born; God not being ignorant of the future will, when the speaking of lies, and error of life, are from the mother's womb; he himself rather knowing this, than any one being born to the necessity and nature of sin. And that it might not be possible to impute the fault to their origin, he reproaches them with the crime of previously hardening their will against obedience: They are as venomous as the poison of a serpent, even like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ears; which refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely (q). The excuse of a certain natural necessity in crimes is not admitted. For the Serpent might have been innocent, who himself stops his ears that they may be deaf."-p. 123.

"His eyes behold the people (r).' For the face of God is turned away from every one who continues

(p) Ps. 58. v. 3.

(q) Ps. 58. v. 4, 5.

(r) Ps. 66. v. 6.

continues in sin. For this turning of God is signified as being without change; not that he turns this way or that, like a bodily substance, but that always remaining uniformly the same, he affords or does not afford his assistance, according to the difference of merit."-p. 178. "Faith is the duty of the soul and heart, and is a thing of the internal will."p. 182. "There is not any necessity of sin in the nature of men, but the practice of sin arises froin the desire of the will, and the pleasure of vice."— p. 219.

"But perhaps some one, through this religious modesty of the Prophet, will dare to say thus impiously; If, says he, all things are from God, then human ignorance is free from blame, because it can obtain nothing but what it receives, as given by God. And in the first place this is an impious sentiment, that a person should think ho does not obtain those things which belong to believers, because he is not indulged with them by God. But the Prophet has removed all occasion of this impious excuse. For, first, when a person prays, he has performed a duty suitable to his weakness; then he has connected the exertions of human devotion, with the gifts of God. For when he says, 'Teach me, O Lord, the way

of

of thy statutes (s),' he shews, by the humility of his prayer, what belongs to God. But when he subjoined, And I shall keep it unto the end,' he declared the duty of his devotion. And in other things also he has bound both together by a mutual connexion, when he requested to be led into the path, and when he himself wished for it. For he placed with honour those things first which are from God, and then he added those things which are of man, with a confession of humility and duty. He prays therefore God to give. The beginning therefore is from ourselves, when we pray that the gift may be from him: then, because it is his gift in consequence of our beginning, it is again our act that it is sought, and obtained, and that it continues."-p. 275.

"Although a perfect understanding is from God, yet we must begin from ourselves, that we may be able to deserve perfect understanding. For all things are shut up by God to those who do not begin of themselves."-p. 320.

"Lest what is often wont to be said by many persons should have some authority of reason, who assert, that it is the peculiar gift of God, that any one is conversant in the things and works of God, excusing their own infidelity, because they remain faithless from the want of God's good will towards

(s) Ps. 119. v. I. pt. 5.

towards them; perseverance in faith is indeed the gift of God, but the beginning is from ourselves. And our will ought to have this property from

itself, namely, that it exerts itself. God will give increase to the beginning, because our weakness does not obtain consummation of itself; yet the merit of obtaining consummation is from the beginning of the will. Therefore the Prophet thus concluded the Psalm, I have applied my heart to fulfil thy statutes alway; even unto the end (t).' He himself applies his heart, and turns it from the sins of human nature to the obedience of God. Nature, indeed, and the origin of the flesh, detained him: but will and religion apply his heart to the works of the statutes, from that in which he would have remained from the fault of his origin. And he applies his heart at every moment of his life; not at some definite time, but at every period of his life.”—p. 328.

"Human weakness is incompetent to obtain any thing of itself; and this only is the duty of its nature, that it should be willing to begin to form itself into the family of God. It belongs to the mercy of God to assist those who are willing, to confirm those who begin, to receive those who But the beginning is from ourselves, that he may perfect it."-p. 339.

come.

"Let

(1) Ps. 119. v. 8. pt. 14.

"Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy commandments (u).' While some choose the glory of this world, while others worship the elements and dæmons, while others desire earthly riches, this holy person chose the commandments of God. But he chose, not from natural necessity, but from a pious will; because to every one is offered the way of living which he shall prefer, and every one has the liberty of desiring, and of acting. And on that account the choice of every one will be punished or rewarded."p. 366.

"He is good in whom we hope; and hope is to be placed in him, because he is merciful, because there is abundant redemption with him, for he redeemed all mankind from all their iniquities (redemit ab omnibus iniquitatibus suis universos)."-p. 442.

Righteousness has this modesty, that whatever bliss it hopes for, it should ask it rather from the bounty (magnificentia) of God (because it is worthy of God to give blessed and eternal and good things) than from its own merit. But nevertheless, in preferring the honour and mercy of God, it did not exclude the merit of deserving it, from itself."-p. 550.

"Many will say to me in that day, have we

(u) Ps. 119. v. 5. pt. 22.

not