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generating grace as a principle of life, and "its continuance without defection by di

"vine support"." "The indefectibility "of special grace, by which men become saints, is all which any contend for; and

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many of these would object to the term indefectible, as seeming to imply, that it "was unfailing in its own nature, instead "of being secured from failing by the pro"mises of the covenant of grace, and by "the intercession of Christ "." They "be"lieve... that the living principle of faith, "and the union from which it proceeds, "never utterly forsake a person thus fa

voured, however partially foiled in an "hour of temptation," that "the divine "faithfulness of mercy shall be with p❞ him. " The question, therefore, whether "a person "who was once dead to sin and alive to "God, may fall from his justified state, depends upon the good pleasure of him

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m Williams, p. 71. n Scott, vol. i. p. 129. See also p. 171. 304. 305. 358. 359. vol. ii. p. 415. 481. 580. • Williams, p. 133. 124. Scott, vol. i. p. 100. vol. ii. p. 479. P Williams, p. 134. Vaughan's Account, p. 371. Compare Letter, p. 38. 224. 237. 2d edit.

"who is his life, his righteousness, and "strength, who can maintain and dissolve "the union from whence his life and "righteousness took their origin 9." They "believe that no elect person, no true be

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liever is left thus to sin, and to live and "die in sin. Either an uniform course of holy obedience, or deep repentance of any deviation from it, is inseparable in" their "view from the doctrine of final per"severance"."

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Without insisting on the tendency of this doctrine, we simply justify our rejection of it by reciting the admonitions of the Apostle: "Be not high-minded, but fear." "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take "heed lest he fallt." "Work out your "own salvation with fear and trembling, "for it is God that worketh in you both to "will and to do of his good pleasure".' The Apostle was apprehensive, lest, when he "had preached to others, he himself "should be a cast-away;" and lest the

q Williams, p. 144. I Scott, vol. ii. p. 685. xi. 20. t 1 Cor. x. 12. u Philip. ii. 12, 13. ix. 27.

s Rom.

x 1 Cor.

Corinthians, who were standing in a state of salvation, should have believed in “ vain';” and he was in doubt concerning the Galatians, whether they had not suffered for the truth in vain. He teaches us also, that it is not possible "for those "who were once enlightened, and have "tasted of the heavenly gift, and were "made," or generated, "partakers of the "Holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good "word of God, and the powers of the "world to come, if they shall fall away, to "renew them again to repentance." In the same spirit another Apostle hath written; "If after they have escaped the pol"lutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus

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Christ, they are again entangled therein, "and overcome, the latter end is worse "than the beginning. For it had been "better for them not to have known the

way of righteousness, than, after they have "known it, to turn from the holy com"mandment delivered unto them "."

y 1 Cor. xv. 2. z Galat. iii. 4. iv. 20. a Hebrews vi. 4, 5, 6. 2 Peter ii. 20, 21.

7.

"When Calvinists maintain that grace "is irresistible, they mean an inward prin

ciple of light and life... that grace as to "use and exercise is irresistible by any thing without or within the mind"

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When they "plead for the irresistibility of

grace, they take two things into the ac"count; 1st, the nature of that grace "which they intend... the gracious ope"ration of the Holy Spirit producing a "new heart or a right principle of action : 2dly, the will of God supporting and

strengthening the principle, making it "victorious over every difficulty"," "effi"cacious, and victorious over the world, "the flesh, and the devil, when God pur

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poses that event, whatever momentary re"sistance may be ungratefully made."

The Apostle hath delivered a different doctrine in the exhortations not to quenche and not to grieve the Spirit, by which we have been "sealed unto the day of re

c Williams, p. 56. Vaughan's Letter, p. 37. 2d edit. Scott, vol. i. p. 124-128. d Williams, p. 296. Compare Vaughan's Account, p. 173. e 1 Thess. v. 19.

demption." The first martyr also bore his testimony of the Jews, that they did always resist the Holy Spirits; and by this resistance they fulfilled the prophecy, and incurred the condemnation of our Lord : "This people's heart is waxed gross, and "their ears are dull of hearing, and their 66 eyes have they closed; lest at any time "they should see with their eyes, and hear "with their ears, and understand with "their heart, and should be converted, " and I should heal them"."

8. Calvinists also "hold the effects of "divine operations to be sensible, in the "acceptation of apprehensible, or that we 66 may be conscious of effects which can be "rationally ascribed to no other cause." So when they "speak of experiences, re“lated or written," they "mean those ex"ercises of the mind which are of a reli"gious nature," or "a consciousness of "the influence of truth on the heart, temand conduct1." "If a person men

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per,

f Ephes. iv. 30. g Acts vii. 51. h Matt. xiii. 15. i Williams, p. 299. Scott, vol. ii. p. 210, 211. k Williams, p. 301. Overton, p. 110. 'Williams, p. 303.