love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. But Rand denies the extension of this love and mercy beyond a certain limited pale. The Quakers hold that God works immediately, as well as instrumentally; that is, by his divine light, grace and truth, as well as by the scriptures and by his messengers and ministers. Rand attempts to limit the Holy One of Israel by confining his provisions and workings, to enlighten, inform, redeem and save, to mere instrumentality; beyond which he denies that there is any knowledge of God, of Christ, of the holy spirit, or of salvation, For although he would seem to admit that there is "an holy principle implanted in Christians by the grace of God," yet he insists that this is only consequent upon instrumental means.

I have said, the subject of human depravity is a subject on which Rand delights to dwell. He confirms this in page 31, where he says, "I would now gladly prove at large that men are universally depraved-an humiliating doctrine, but necessary to be known; but my limits will allow only a brief attempt." If his limits hereafter should give him room to complete what seems so peculiarly agreeable to him, and which he would so "gladly" do, it will be necessary for him to remember, that it cannot either contribute to enlighten or to improve the world, to tell them they are universally depraved, unless he can inform them how they can rise superior to this degradation and depravity, and escape the dreadful consequence which awaits its continued dominion. Without it he cannot be one of those messengers alluded to by the prophet, and these undoubtedly were the Lord's messengers, whose feet

were beautiful upon the mountains, having glad tidings of good to proclaim.

In order farther to illustrate the subject and the Quakers' view respecting it I shall quote from Barclay's apology, page 153, as follows: "We understand not this seed, light, or grace, to be an accident, as most men ignorantly do, but a real spiritual substance, which the soul of man is capable to feel and apprehend, from which that real, spiritual, inward birth in believers arises, called the new creature, the new man in the heart. This seems strange to carnal minded men, because they are not acquainted with it; but we know it, and are sensible of it, by a true and certain experience. Though it be hard for man in his natural wisdom to comprehend it, until he come to feel it in himself; and if he should, holding it in the mere notion, it would avail him little; yet we are able to make it appear to be true, and that our faith concerning it is not without a solid ground: for it is in and by this inward and substantial seed in our hearts as it comes to receive nourishment, and to have birth or geniture in us, that we come to have those spiritual senses raised by which we are made capable of tasting, smelling, seeing, and handling the things of God: for a man cannot reach unto those things by his natural spirit and senses, as is above declared."

Next, we know it to be a substance, because it subsists in the hearts of wicked men, even while they are in their wickedness, as shall be hereafter proved more at large. Now no accident can be in a subject, without it give the subject its own denomination; as where whiteness is in a subject, there the subject it

called white. So we distinguish betwixt holiness, as it is an accident, which denominates man so, as the seed receives a place in him, and betwixt the holy substantial seed, which many times lies in man's heart as a naked grain in the stony ground. So also as we may distinguish betwixt health and medicine; health cannot be in a body without the body be called healthful, because health is an accident, but medicine may be in a body that is most unhealthful, for that it is a substance. And as when a medicine begins to work, the body may in some respects be called healthful, and in some respects unhealthful, so we acknowledge as this divine medicine. receives place in man's heart, it may denominate him in some part holy and good, though there remains yet a corrupted, unmortified part, or some part of the evil humours unpurged out; for where two contrary accidents are in one subject, as health and sickness in a body, the subject receives its denomination from the accident which prevails most. So many men are called, saints, good and holy men, and that truly, when this holy seed hath wrought in them in a good measure, and hath somewhat leavened them into its nature, though they may be yet liable to many infirmities and weaknesses, yea and to some iniquities: for as the seed of sin and ground of corruption, yea and the capacity of yielding thereunto, and sometimes actually, falling, doth not denominate a good and holy man impious; so neither doth the seed of righteousness in evil men, and the possibility of their becoming one with it. denominate them good and holy."

And again says Barclay, (page 162) "and lastly, this leads me to speak concerning the manner of this seed or light's operation in the hearts of all men, which will

shew yet more manifestly how widely we differ from all those that exalt a natural power or light in man; and how our principle leads above all others to attribute our whole salvation to the mere power, spirit and grace of God."

"To them that ask us after this manner, How do ye differ from the Pelagians and Arminians? For if two men have equal sufficient light and grace, and the one be saved by it, and the other not; is it not because the one improves it, the other not? Is not then the will of man the cause of one's salvation beyond the other? I say, to such we thus answer: That as the grace and light in all is sufficient to save all, and of its own nature would save all, so it strives and wrestles with all in order to save them; he that resists its strivings, is the cause of his own condemnation; he that resists it not, it becomes his salvation so that in him that is saved, the working is of the grace, and not of the man; and it is a passiveness rather than an act; though afterwards, as man is wrought upon, there is a will raised in him, by which he comes to be a co-worker with the grace; for according to that of Augustine, He that made us without us, will not save us without us. So that the first step is not by man's working, but by his not contrary working. And we believe,that at these singular seasons of every man's visitation abovementioned, as man is wholly unable of himself to work with the grace, neither can he move one step out of the natural condition, until the grace lay hold of him,so it is possible for him to be passive, and not to resist it, as it is possible for him to resist it. So we say, the grace of God works in and upon man's nature; which, though of itself wholly corrupted and defiled, and prone to evil, yet is capable to be wrought upon by the

grace of God; even as iron, though a hard and cold metal itself, may be warmed and softened by the heat of the fire, and wax melted by the sun. And as iron or wax, when removed from the fire or sun, returneth to its former condition of coldness and hardness; so man's heart, as it resists or retires from the grace of God, returns to its former condition again."

Rand says in his reply to Cobb, page 27, in describing what he means by human depravity-"That all mankind are alienated from God, except penitent sinners, and such as are renewed by grace." I presume from what I know of Quaker principles they would not differ on this point; but if I understand him, Rand means to say that none but Christians have this grace. If so, does it not follow that they are Christians before they receive this grace? if not, the Quaker doctrine is admitted, that God does give a measure of this grace, or spirit, even to depraved sinners, in order, if they attend to it, to renew them; for how can it renew them before they have it and obey it? The Apostle saith, Rom. ii. 4- or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?—and again, Rom. xi. 29. for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For myself, if I were to consider this depravity to extend to infants, so as to criminate them before they arrive to a state of accountability, I should find a difficulty in reconciling it to sccripture testimony; as from that I am ied to believe they are fit subjects for the kingdom of heaven; as I have the word of Christ for it: "And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children,ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."