'considerable time among men, after he ' received grace; they had however not pre'ceded."* This proves that, in the view of AUGUSTINE, grace received" was a sure principle of good works following. And it is for this we contend, that grace received by the will and purpose of God, ensures persevering obedience and well-doing. The reader will recollect, that my present object is not to collect from the writings of the Fathers all the passages on the respective points in debate, but to produce from the Bishop's own extracts a few passages that militate, in their fair construction, against his own avowed principles.

16. Let us consider next what the Fathers say on the subject of co-operation. If at any time they contradict themselves or one another (as they often do), that is not my concern. To avoid inconsistencies the first principles of truth ought to be strong and clear, and well settled in the mind. Neither ingenuity nor even piety (though the latter will avail more than the former) will prove a sufficient substitute in close investigations. However, some of them were far better reasoners than others. AUGUSTINE: ““I have applied my heart to fulfil thy statutes

*Refut. p. 438.

666

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6

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alway." He who says, I have applied my 'heart, had already said, "incline my heart ' unto thy testimonies;" that we may under'stand that this is at the same time both the gift of God and the exertion of our own will.The words of the apostle are, "Work out your ' own salvation with fear and trembling." Why ‹ then do I work out my salvation with fear and trembling, since it is in my power to work ' out my salvation? Do you wish to hear, why it is to be done with fear and trembling? "For it is God which worketh in you:" there'fore with fear and trembling. Because what the humble man obtains, the proud man loses. If then it be God' which worketh in us, why is it said, Work out your own salvation? Because he so worketh in us, that we also work. "Be thou my helper," points out that he also is a worker, who calls for a helper.' Here AUGUSTINE acknowledges, with the Psalmist, that it is God's gift to incline the heart, or to infuse the principle; yet that "he so worketh in us, that we also work," or "exert our own will." The duty is ours to seek, but the operation is first God's, that ours may follow.

§17. The same Father has the following.

Refut. p. 430.

observations, among many other to the same purpose: "To be strengthened with might,' 'he [the apostle], says, 'by his Spirit.' This is the spirit of grace. Observe what he 'desires. He asks from God this very thing 'which he requires from men; because that 'God may be willing to give, you also ought to 'suit your will to receive. How can you be willing to receive the grace of divine goodness, 'who do not open the bosom of your will? He 4 says, 'that he may grant you:' for you have it not unless he grants it you; That he may grant you to be strengthened with might by his Spirit' for if he grants you to be strength'ened with might, then he will grant you not "to faint-The whole is from God; not however 'as if we were asleep; not as if we exert no endeavour; not as if we do not will.-You will be the work of God, not only because you are a 'man, but because you are righteous. For it is • better to be righteous, than that you should be If God made you a man, and you made 'yourself righteous, you make a better thing than God made." He however adds, "He that made you without yourself, does not 'justify you without yourself.-He made you ⚫ without your knowing it, he justifies you when you are willing." ."* In these passages we observe

a man.

*Refut. pp. 433, 434.

what God requires of man, that is, " to be willing to receive;" and "this is the very thing which we ask from God." We ought to have a suitable will; but we have it not of ourselves; therefore we ask from God this very thing which he requires." This clearly shews, that our duty is one thing, our ability another and consequently, that without God's immediate and predeterminating influence, the effect will not follow. "The whole is from God," yet not so as to excuse our supineness. If we could not "make ourselves," much less can we "make ourselves righteous." Yet, is our voluntary concurrence required, without which we have no right to expect the blessing. The same author observes elsewhere, that "the will itself and the action, are assisted by God, ' and so assisted that we cannot will or do a 'thing well without that assistance." And again, "We have proved by the foregoing ' testimonies of the holy scriptures, that there is free-will in man, to live well and to act rightly, so let us see what the divine testimo'nies are concerning grace, without which we can 'do nothing."

any

§ 18. CHRYSOSTOM, speaking of Judas and Peter, observes: "The one enjoying great

* Refut. pp. 448, 449.

assistance, was not benefited, because he was 'not willing, and did not contribute his own 'exertions; but the other [Peter] having a ready will, fell because he did not enjoy any assistance, for virtue is composed of these two things. Wherefore, I beseech you not to be supine, referring every thing to God, nor to think that, being diligent, you can do every thing right by your own labours. In these mysteries, it is the part of God to give grace, and of man to supply faith."* In one part of this passage we have a very important truth, that "virtue is composed of these two things," divine assistance and "a ready will." But when the author represents Peter as having a ready will" when he "fell," his notions are confused: and when he speaks of Judas as "enjoying great assistance," he is more declamatory than judicious. For what evidence is there that Judas had more assistance than Peter, or that Peter when he fell had a more ready will than Judas? That Judas had “great assistance," in one sense, is plain, from the circumstance of his being one of the twelve apostles: he enjoyed converse with Christ, heard his discourses, saw his miracles, preached repentance, partook of the sacred supper, &c. But this "assistance," or more properly privilege, was common to all the apostles, irrespective of

* Refut. pp. 488, 491.