- Mr. Barnes in his notes on 3d chapter of John, appears to hold a different view of this subject. But I find there, a reference to his notes on John xiv. 4. and here again he appears quite correct. But I am still referred for further explanation to Rom. v. 19. and here the mask drops, and (from his 8th note to the end, which see) he fully explains himself. The text in 2 Cor. viii. 13. however, is a favorite one with men of this class. Mr. Finney having asserted that the Bible was full of the doctrine of plenary natural ability; finally, makes one quotation in proof of it, and that proof is this same text in 2 Cor. "For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." Indeed, this is the only passage in the Bible, on which they seem to rely. Elsewhere the Bible is full of the doctrine of natural depravity and human impotence. "We are without strength." Rom. v. 6, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. 2. Cor. iii, 5. "For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." Gal. v. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Rom. viii. 7. The natural man discerneth not the things of the spirit of God, neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. ii. 1. "No man can come unto me except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him." John vi. 44. "Without me ye can do nothing." John xv. 15. "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." John iii. 3. Thus the testimony is not a solitary drop oozing out reluctantly from a violently compressed sponge, but it breaks around us in the swellings of Jordon,

The Scriptures are consistent with themselves, and the passage in 2 Cor. viii. 12, is not a contradiction of their current testimony. It does not deny native depravity at all, nor does it assert that man is able to obey God without a

previous change in his moral nature. If we should grant that the doctrine is contained in the Bible, it surely is not contained in this text. The text simply states a rule of duty among Christians, to regulate them in their charitable contributions. And the rule is applicable to all Christians in all their services. They are accepted in the beloved; "they are not under the law but under grace." God "beholds no iniquity in Jacob, and no perverseness in Israel." And because he accepts his people who are not under the law, and does not require of them as a condition of acceptance perfect obedience to it, an obedience which they were not able to render; does it hence follow, that the same rule applies to the unrenewed who are still under the law? It cannot be. Believers make the law their rule, but do not make perfect obedience to its precepts the condition of their acceptance. From that bondage they are delivered. Under it, all others are held; and except they believe in Christ will be required to do what it is impossible for fallen man to do— to keep it perfectly, or perish under its curse. Faith in Christ is the only remedy, because obedience to the law is a perfect impossibility. "For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." Gal. iii. 21. Dr. Duffield maintains that the sinner is not utterly unable by his own unassisted powers either to believe or repent to the saving of his soul, (and that) it might as truly be said that he cannot rise up and walk by his own unassisted powers. (vide Duffield on Regeneration p. 342.) And Mr. Finney maintains "that if the sinner ever has a new heart, he must obey the commandment in the text and make it himself." (Sermons on important subjects, pp. 18 to 38.) Now, on a most careful examination and comparison of the views of the New School, of Mr. Finney, and of the Unitarians on this subject, I am fully convinced that they are one., Not indeed in their philosophy and methods of defence; but one in their results. They all by their different routs arrive

at the same conclusion, viz: that the doctrine of the natural moral depravity of man is a mere figment, and the necessity of regeneration by the Holy Ghost, in order to holy obedience, the idle philosophy of the schools.

These errors are of a very serious and dangerous character. Wherever they prevail, they dry up the fountains of repentance, quench the life of faith, and harden the hearts of men. No true and great work of grace can be expected to commence until they are exposed and rejected. They array themselves like Judeism against the gospel. Not as they are an organized system of persecution, but an organized system of false opinions. They are more disguised than Unitarianism. Yet equally a denial of man's ruin by the fall and equally opposed to the spirits glory and work. They are the tares of the field, which must be ploughed under. The teeth of the dragon sown broadcast on the churches, they must be ground to powder. We are no lovers of controversy; but we have reached a point where forbearance is no longer a virtue, necessity is laid upon us, and for Zion's sake, and Jerusalem's sake we cannot hold our peace. When Paul would promote true religion, he also assailed the false. He disputed in the school of one Tyrannus; he disputed with the Stoics and philosophers and Judeaizing teachers, and insisted in opposition to their views upon the truths of Christianity. In like manner we feel called upon to dispute this whole system of theological error, and "philosophy falsely so called." To declare to you that depravity is natural and regeneration essential. A change in objects and pursuits or in governing purposes will be of no avail. A supernatural change must pass upon your moral nature. "Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?" "Make the tree good and the fruit will be good." That which is born of the flesh is flesh; its work is manifest fornication, uncleanness, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strifes, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkeness, revelings. Its

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nature is manifest, hatred, wrath, heresies, envyings, belong not to the animal propensities but to the moral nature of man, and show us what that nature is. Its true character cannot be mistaken. Listen not then to smooth and flattering words, believe not that there is no danger; that there is no such dreadful depravity, deep, damning and universal, bearing a ruined world to a sea of fire; listen not to those, who cry peace, when there is no peace; ability when there is no ability. Freedom from the the depravity of nature, when its abiding taint dries up your marrow, throbs along every artery, and gathers a film on the eye of reason, and turns the manly brow to brass, and the heart to an adamant stone. These sad results are not the results of a bad example but of a bad nature. Not inveterate because habitual, but inveterate and habitual and universal, because they are natural. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean." That which is born of flesh is flesh. "Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God,” (John iii. 3.) neither here nor hereafter, "for there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither any thing that worketh abomination or maketh a lie." Rom. xxi. 29. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God on the children of disobedience. Eph, v. 6.

CHAPTER VI.

DOCTRINAL DIFFERENCES CONTINUED.

The dispensation of the Spirit-The New School by their views of ability and depravity, make the Spirits dispensation void-They make truth an agent.—The Spirit the only agent in regeneration-They place infants on a level with mere animals.

The necessity of the spirit's renovating agency has its foundation in natural depravity. In the beginning the earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep; and in this condition it would have remained forever, but for the interposition of Him who created all things for himself. The fall broke in upon the laws of harmony and motion in the moral world, precipitated it into a second chaos, in which its early beauties were blighted, and its glory lost. And in this state it must forever have remained, except "He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness had shined into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." We can as safely dispense with the work of the Son, as with the work of the Holy Spirit, in the matter of our redemption; and hence it is that the dispensation of the spirit is so distinctly marked and so prominently set forth in the word of God. The annointing oil was an appropriate and beautiful emblem of his sweet and gracious influences. With this, in most solemn and significant formalities, the high priest was annointed, the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. It was poured on Aaron's