done away, and truth, knowledge, and faith implanted in their ftead; the foul must be renewed; the renewal will confift in the implanting of these things; and that which removed their opposites may, with propriety, be termed the means or inftrument of the work. If then ignorance, &c. are the very effence of the natural man's darkness; what can remove it but the entrance of the light of divine truth? For as when the fun rifeth darkness fleeth away, fo the entrance of the word giveth light, it giveth understanding unto the fimple, Pfalm cxix. 130. hat is, the word is the very first principle: of fpiritual light in the foul and this word, under the direction, and by the effential and vital influence of the Spirit of grace, being engraved on the foul; light, life and fpiritual -activity are the certain concomitants. As then, the very effence of spiritual death, confifts of ignorance about God's true character; of error about the way of falvation by Chrift Jefus; and in difbelieving the divine word and as the true character of God, the way of life, &c. are only made known in the fcripture; fpiritual death, or man's natural darkness cannot be removed, and the divine life implanted in the foul, but by the entrance of the word through the power of the Spirit. But let us confider thofe irrational confequences which we are thought to fall into, by this kind of doctrine. (Ift,) It cannot be rationally received, that the principle of grace is the word implanted, -unless we can make it out that one can fee without eyes." Here it is readily a knowledged, that we muft have eyes before we can perceive objects; and alfo that we must have a fpiritual principle before we can difcern divine beauties; but it should be kept in mind, that the hinge upon which the inquiry .turns is, what is that principle, and how is it implanted? As it is commonly acknowledged, that Chrift's miracles of healing all manner of fickneffes, &c. were figns of his ability to fave his people from their fins; fo also that the way which he took to perform them, ferves as a fit pattern of that way, by which he bleffes his chofen with all fpiritual bleffings. Mark x. 52, informs us, that fight was given to the blind by the word of Jefus. It appears to be in the fame way that Saul of Tarfus received his fight, Acts ix. 17: in other cafes Jefus chose by his word, to give fuccefs to different means, Matt. ix. 28, 29, John ix. 1, though he could have done it by mere invifible energy. We have feen wherein fpiritual blindnefs confifts, and likewife how it is removed: to what has been obferved might be added, Pfalm xix. 8-" The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes," even as we may fuppofe the entrance of a torch enlightens a dark room; to do which, would it not be abfurd to fay, that there muft of neceffity be fome principles of light in the dark room, which difpofed it to receive the light? Rather did not the light difperfe the darknefs? Even fo did the word of Jefus difperfe the natural darknefs of him mentioned, Mark x. 52; and in like manner is fpiritual eyefight given to thofe, whofe understanding the god of this world has blinded. (2dly) Nor fhall we be driven to embrace the irrational notion, of hearing without ears;" for admitting the phyfical neceffity of having the fenfe of hearing, previous to being active in the reception of founds; the point pleaded for is fufficiently eftablifhed by fubmitting to the fimple dictates of fcripture upon this head; not only in Mark vii. 32, have we an account of a deaf man being brought to Jefus to be cured, and v. 34, of the manner how the cure was wrought; (Jefus looking up to heaven, fighed, and faid unto him, Ephphatha, that is, be opened, and ftraightway his ears were opened) but Pfalm Iviii. 4, 5, fpiritual deafnefs is thus defcribed: "They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ears: which will not bear the voice of charmers, charming never fo fo wifely;" plainly fhowing, that this deafness is not any defect fubfifting in the natural faculties, but mere enmity to that which addreffes them, Acts vii. 57 Hence it is faid, " Bring the deaf men that have ears." And furely he who firft formed the ear can, whenever it pleases him, command attention, and by the force of his almighty voice, caufe not only the deaf, but even the dead, to hear and obey him. He faith, Ifaiah xxxv. 5. The ears of the deaf shall be unftopped; and it fhould be obferved, that the truth as it is in Jefus, is not received upon a long chain of rational conclufions; but upon the authority of him who fpeaks in the facred records. We may fee this fentiment confirmed in various places in the fcriptures.-Our first parents fell by admitting a falfehood into their minds: and they were renewed in knowledge, by hearing the voice of the Lord God conveying the welcome tidings of a Saviour. Was there any principle of grace in Adam's heart previous to the hearing the word of reconciliation? And was not the divine word the inftrument of conveying that knowledge whereby he was renewed? Surely no one can put on a face to deny the laft queftion; and without doubt corruption and grace, and their methods of working, are the fame in all ages. The cafe of Matthew is much to our purpose, Luke v. 27, 28. to see a man of his infamous characterin the midst of his avaricious and oppreffive employment, wrought upon by a word speaking: fo wrought upon as to change the whole bias of his foul, is fuch a proof that the word is paffively implanted that it is the very first principle of light, and the inftrument of regeneration; that it requires a good deal of art to make even a tolerable oppofition to it. The inftance of Zaccheus recorded Luke xix. 1-6. corroborates the doctrine. It will hardly be thought, that grace in his heart influenced him to climb the tree; for nothing more plain than that he - was was then a graceless wretch. Curiofity feems to have been the motive, that he might the more advantageously behold Jefus, whom he had heard of -as an extraordinary perfon. When the Saviour SAID unto him make hafte and come down, &c. the happy effects quickly manifefted, that the heavenly word was quick and powerful, and brought every needful requifite along with it.- Paul's regenera tion is thus recorded, Acts ix. 3-8. where it is obvious, that the VOICE accompanied with divine power unftopped his deaf ears. Let us now confider the genuine import of fome paffages of fcripture which are made ufe of to prove the previous principle: 1ft. The implanting of grace in the heart is, Eph ii. 1. called quickening, and we are asked, "What inftrument does God make use of to implant the foul in the body?" In reply to this deep queftion, the writer frankly confeffes he cannot tell. But if the inquiry be, how is a foul dead in trefpaffes and fins quickened and made alive unto God, the fcriptures furnish us with a fufficient re ply, John v. 24, 25. When the word of grace enters into the foul, through divine influence: it conveys the knowledge of Chrift which quickens the mind to delight in him, and ardently to long after him, John iv. 10. 1. Cor. xv. 45. 1. John V. II, 12. As the fpirit dwelling in the firft Adam's It ac Mr. Hervey fays, pointing to the apoftle's own words in defcribing his converfion, " Can any thing denote a more iniquitous and favage temper. 'Tis the very picture of an incarnate devil the favor of man is backward to interpofe till fomething amiable and inviting appears in the object; but the grace of God is immenfely rich, and infinitely free. It prevents the most vile and hardened rebel, it brings every requifite, and recommendation in its own unfpeakable beneficent nature. complishes all its blessed ends, not by any towardly disposition in the finner; but by that one glorious righteoufnets provided in the Saviour-This overtook the perfecutor in his journey to Damafcus, light and comfort were poured upon him, net from any daron of reformation in himself, but from a very different quarter; by opening as it were a window in heaven, while he fojourned even in the fuburbs of hell. He faw that just one, and was made partaker of the ineftimable gift,' body, made him a living foul; even fo Chrift dwelling in the heart by faith, begins and maintains the life of God there. Such a foul will fay with the pfalmift, Thy word has quickened me.' 2dly. The implanting grace in the heart is called a refurrection, Eph. i. 19, 20. and the queftion put in favor of the previous principle is, "What inftrument do you fuppofe Jehovah made ufe of, when he raited Chrift from the dead, and what inftrument will he make use of in the refurrection of the dead ?” and it has been added "none at all, no not even his word." Here it should be obferved, that power or efficacy must always be of fuch a nature as is fuited to the object upon which it is exerted. And though it may appear, that the power which raifed Chrift from the dead was what may be called a phyfical power, it does not follow, that the fame kind must be exerted towards them that believe; nay the contrary is manifeft, ver. 17, 18. But then we are told that the metaphor is deftroyed. By no means; for in both cafes, nothing lefs than the great power mentioned in the words is exerted by the divine Spirit; and this is the very effence of the metaphor. And as to the fpiritual refurrection, we are exprefsly told, Col. ii. 12. that it is produced through the faith of the operation of God; fee Ez. xxxvii. 1-10-3dly. The work is compared to the creation, Eph. ii. 10, and we are asked what inftrument was made use of in that work? and reminded of Job xliv. 24. That the old creation was a figure of the new will appear by comparing the one with the other. The first creation of the world was out of nothing, fo nothing was prepared for the second, no good, no virtue, NO PREVIOUS DISPOSITIONS in the tubject: yea Something indeed was in being, which had no place in the old; but that was only rebellion and enmity, making vehement oppofition to the almighty grace of God.-The firft was performed by the COMMAND of God, the fecond in like manner ́" Of |