'old bishop, who was, in the main, an honest and "well meaning man, felt the force and reasonableness of this civil reprimand, and treated these 'monks very courteously.'1

'God gives to every man, through the means ' of his grace, a power to perform the conditions ' of the gospel; a power the efficacy of which depends upon the exertion of the human will.'2

[The means of grace' give us an opportunity of exerting whatever power, or manifesting whatever disposition, we possess; but do they confer any new powers?] 3 If, indeed, there be such a power conferred [by them], and the efficacy of it depends upon the exertion of the human will, the question recurs again, On what does this exertion of the human will depend? O almighty God, 'who alone canst order the unruly wills and af'fections of sinful men, grant unto thy people ' that they may love the thing which thou com'mandest, and desire that which thou dost pro'mise.' The obligation to exertion, voluntary, earnest, persevering exertion, we unreservedly acknowledge.

4

This power, though proceeding from an Om

1 Jortin and Sozomen in Jortin.

2 Ref. 64.

'I apprehend that the author by omitting, as he had done, the word his, before grace in the passage on which he here rèmarks, has mistaken his Lordship's meaning, who ascribes this 'power' to ' divine grace,' and not to the means of grace,' or religious ordinances. If so, the words in brackets should be omitted.-J. S.

Col. 4. after Easter.

nipotent Being, is, as exercised upon men, always 'finite.' 1

The strength imparted to man, and exercised by man, must be finite: but the power exercised upon man,' is infinite. Is not creation an act of infinite power? "We are his workmanship, (moinua, "Rom. i. 20,) created in Christ Jesus unto good "works." 2 Was not the power, which raised Christ from the dead infinite?" That ye may "know what is the exceeding greatness of his "mighty power, to usward who believe, accor

ding to the working of his mighty power, which "he wrought in Christ when he raised him from "the dead." 3 "Even when we were dead in sins "God hath quickened us together with Christ, "and hath raised us up together."4 "Now unto

him that is able to do exceeding abundantly "above all that we ask or think, according to the

power that worketh in us."5 Creation, and the resurrection of the dead to life, are not the work of finite power: and why should the same expression be employed on this subject by the Holy Spirit, as on the creation of the world, and the resurrection of the dead at the last day, unless there was strict propriety in the language? "We wait "for his Son from heaven, even Jesus, who shall

change our vile body, that it may be like unto "his glorious body, according to the mighty "working whereby he is able even tó subdue all "things to himself." 6 Is not this power infinite? And why should it be thought a work of less

power, to new create our corrupted and depraved souls unto holiness, than to raise our corrupted bodies from the grave? "With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

66

Even the strength which God imparts to us, when made" willing in the day of his power;" by which we are enabled to overcome the strongest natural propensities, and most inveterate evil habits; whether infinite or not, must be exceedingly great. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or "the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do "good, that are accustomed to do evil."1 "To over'come the world, the flesh, and the devil,' cannot be effected either by a little exertion, or a little assistance. The apostle, speaking of his own trials, says, "Christ said to me, My grace is sufficient for "thee: for my strength is made perfect in weak"ness. Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my

infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon "me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distres66 ses, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak then am I strong." 2 Again," I can do all things, through "Christ who strengtheneth me."3" Strengthened “with all might, according to his glorious power, "to all patience and long suffering with joyfulness." 4 "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."5 "Ye have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you, than " he that is in the world." 6 Did the apostles mean to limit the power, on which the Christian soldier

'Jer. xiii. 23.
'Col. i. 11.

2

2 Cor. xii. 9, 10. * Eph. vi. 10.

3 Phil. iv. 13.

1 John iv. 4.

was encouraged to depend? or did they not design to raise their hopes by representing it as unlimited and immense? On such subjects, abstract speculations about finite or infinite are manifestly unscriptural. They also inevitably lead us out of our depth, and are wholly out of their place.

'Our church, with its usual accuracy and judg'ment,' considers men as capable of contributing ' in some degree to their own moral and religious improvement, through the influence of God's pre'venting grace; and by maintaining, that their 'constant and zealous exertions, to purify their ' hearts and minds, will be furthered by more ample supplies of divine grace, not because of their own deserts, but for the sake of their blessed Re'deemer. Obedience is commanded, and it is there'fore our duty, our practicable duty, or it would 'not have been commanded.' 1

Let but our collect be kept in view, and little objection will be made to this statement by any whose cause I would plead. We humbly beseech thee, 'that as by thy especial grace preventing us thou 'dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy 'continual help we may bring the same to good ' effect.' 2 For God would not, in the gospel of mercy, have given us commandments to which, in every sense obedience is impracticable. As the law was not intended to teach sinful man the way of salvation, but for other most important purposes; its perfect requirements not being practicable to us, in this imperfect state, forms no objection to its ex

'Ref. 78.

2 Col. Easter Sunday.

cellency; or to the wisdom, justice, and goodness of God in giving it. But, if the requirements of "the gospel of our salvation," had been impracticable in the same way, it could not at all have answered its avowed design. Thus the apostle prays, "May the God of peace, make you perfect " in every good work, to do his will, working in you (ou) that which is well pleasing in "his sight."1

'An action performed from a sincere desire to obey the will of God is partly the effect of our own voluntary exertion.' 2

The action is the effect of our voluntary exertion, but the will and the power are from God. It seems at once unscriptural and unphilosophical, to ascribe the same action partly to God and partly to us. We do actions, "striving according to his power, which worketh in us mightily." 3

'God has a right to every exertion which man can make.'4

This is most willingly allowed; and this may introduce another part of this general topic, in which expressions are quoted from an ancient father against the Calvinists, to which some of us at least would object, on a far different ground from that which has hitherto been taken.

'God has made virtue easy, namely, by always 'co-operating with, and assisting us. And, if you

'Heb. xiii. 20, 21.

3

' Col. i. 29.

2 Ref. 79.

• Ref. 80.