as means of conversion, for what were they intended? The importance of answering this question has been felt by those who hold the opinion we are combating, but it seems to have been found somewhat difficult to answer it satisfactorily. It is, we are told, to leave sinners without excuse. Strange assertion! It is then to be supposed that, if it were not for the warnings and invitations of the gospel, sinners would have an excuse for their sins! This is a startling proposition to set out with, verily; but it is nothing to what follows, namely, that the gospel is given to take this excuse away, and for no other end! If this be the case, it must be confessed that the gospel has been grievously misunderstood. It has been imagined to have an aspect of favour, to come with a message of mercy, to be glad tidings of great joy, the grace of God bringing salvation: but, according to this notion, it brings nothing but guilt, misery, and wrath. Before it comes, men have a valid excuse for their sins, one which makes it impossible for God to punish them justly, and which will certainly exempt them, therefore, from any punishment at all: but, after the gospel comes, this excuse is taken away; then they begin to be chargeable with guilt, and liable to misery, and the publication of the gospel itself is a mere contrivance of his, that he might be able to condemn justly wretches whom he was otherwise determined to destroy! Scarcely less extraordinary is the method by which the sinner's excuse is to be taken away. If indeed, he being already guilty and exposed to ruin, a door of hope is really set before him, then he will have no excuse if he should ultimately perish; and this is exactly the state of things for which we contend. But nothing of this sort is admitted by our companions in argument. They will have the sinner's excuse taken away without salvation having been put into his power; as though the semblance of it were enough to insure this melancholy end, and the whole affair were characterized by a systematic hypocrisy, which it is astonishing that any man could devise, and yet more astonishing that he could attribute to his Maker. The truth which we have thus been endeavouring to establish, is that the warnings and invitations of the gospel are used by the Almighty as sincere means of conversion. If this be admitted, we conceive it to follow that those whom means are used to lead to repentance have power to repent, the use of means being otherwise absurd. To what has been said we may add, that the means employed possess a perfect and manifest adaptation to the faculties of man in their natural state, irrespectively of the influence of the Holy Spirit. We have seen that man's heart is wrought upon by means of the understanding, according to the tendency of the objects presented to it; and we find that the means instituted by God for the conversion of sinners are in perfect accordance with this constitution, and require nothing more to give them efficiency. He presents truths to the understanding, adapted and sufficient to induce repentance; and, according to the structure of the mind, the consideration of those truths would infallibly lead to the result they are adapted to produce. The apparatus, therefore, is framed without a regard to the influence of the Holy Spirit; as a system of means, it is perfect and complete without this appendage, and is sure of success by itself, unless some cause prevents the natural and ordinary action of the mind. The opinion, to which we briefly referred at the commencement of this chapter, that a measure of the Spirit's influence is given to every man who comes within the knowledge of the gospel, has arisen from a conviction of the necessity of admitting power in man, as well as the use of means by God; but, as man is conceived by this school of divines to have no power of himself, it must be given to him, and hence the hypothesis of the universal dispensation of the Spirit. With regard to this scheme of doctrine, we might well be content with the testimony which it bears to the general principle we have advocated; but we may observe in passing, that, if the constitution of our intelligent and moral nature be such as has been described, the supposition of the universal influence of the Spirit is altogether needless. It is only conceived to put a man into such a condition of strength, that, as to religion, he may do what he pleases; but in the very same condition we have shown man to be without supernatural aid. To what end, therefore, is the introduction of an agent in this respect unnecessary? CHAP. IX. Whether the Holy Spirit is a gift of justice, or of grace:--The argument from the gracious and sovereign character of the Holy Spirit. HAVING Contemplated the condition of those to whom God does not impart the influences of his Spirit, let us briefly survey that of the more favoured portion of mankind, on whom this inestimable blessing is bestowed. Judging by the fruits, there are manifestly some into whose hearts this divine agent is commissioned to enter in what light are we led to regard this gift, by the oracles of truth? If the communication of the Spirit is necessary to impart power to men to perform their duty, then we may expect to find it spoken of as a matter of equitable administration, as a thing due to men, inasmuch as there can be no equitable responsibility without commensurate power: but if, on the other hand, we should find |