are the work of God, created not only in Adam to a natural, but in Christ to a spiritual life of new obedience, that we should do all manner of good works which God in his eternal counsel prepared and fore-ordained for us to walk in.* I speak now with still fuller confidence on the true rendering of these texts, because, after our former conversations upon these subjects, I have thought it incumbent on me to examine them closely. But let us come to the point. Grace thus given, you say, the Elect can fall no more."

"Yes, he replied, "before the elect of God are thus called they are living in sin, and indulging in all the follies and pleasures of the world, and until the appointed time, they are ungodly and profane: but the Spirit coming upon them, they are suddenly converted, changed, regenerated, and then they can fall no more; for no man shall ever tear them from the Redeemer's bosom, or pluck from his hand any of his sheep. In the great day, not one of God's elect shall be found wanting."

"Of the existence," said I, "of the elect of God in your sense, Mr. Goddard, I have al

Bp. Hall's Exposition.

ready given my reasons for disbelieving; now, as to grace in your acceptation, I will bring the Scriptures to show that it is neither such as cannot fail, nor such as is irresistible. • The Lord said unto Moses, whoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book' so that it is evident that a man may receive grace to have his name written in the book of life, which afterwards may be blotted out.”

"I answer to this," said Mr. Goddard, "that they who backslide and are finally and totally lost, we have certain reason to conclude were never elect, or savingly converted, for as St. John says, they went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us.'

"This is an extraordinary salvo! So it seems then, that persons of your opinions may have felt what they thought their conversion, and have persuaded themselves they are of the elect, and yet, if these afterwards should fall and die in sin, their former impressions, you would say, were deceitful, and they never could have been what they themselves and some others fancied; and 'the Spirit that bare witness with their spirit that they were the children of God,' will prove

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to have been a delusion! Into what extraordinary dilemmas are we driven by your doctrines. It is equally against reason as against the Scripture to say that a man, in such a case, cannot fall. Our Saviour in the prayer he taught, commanded us to pray that we may not be led into temptation; and what was the object of this, if the elect, who are to use it, cannot fall away ? When the king sent his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding, they would not come :' the offer of grace, though here made, was here resisted and refused. Again, Paul and Barnabas 'exhorted' the disciples to continue in the faith.' But a stronger passage in proof of my assertion cannot be found than that which ought to be present to the mind of every Christian when he looks upon the person of a Jew,

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Because of unbelief they (the Jews) were broken off, and thou standest by faith; be not high-minded, but fear, for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he, also, spare not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God, on them which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness, if thou continue in thy goodness, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.'- Moreover, he tells the Galatians

plainly, 'Ye are fallen from grace,'

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exhorts the Ephesians to put off the old man' and to put on the new,'-'not to give place to the devil'—not to 'grieve the holy Spirit of God,' or, as he more strongly tells the Thessalonians, 6 Quench not the spirit.' He also tells the Hebrews, that the just shall live by faith, but if he draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him' which is the echo of the declaration of the prophet Ezekiel, righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of transgression:' he shall not 'be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth;' for if he 'commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered;'and as a climax to the whole, St. Paul further declares,It is impossible for them who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were partakers of the Holy Ghost, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh. In conclusion, therefore, Mr. Goddard, let me say to your position of irresistible grace, that Daniel the prophet declares They that turn many to righteousness, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever.'

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Now how shall a man be rewarded for turning those who can only be turned by the irresistible grace of God? Can a preacher hope to increase a number which has been limited from all eternity? 'Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, for ye shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.' How could the Scribes and Pharisees do this against those entering by irresistible grace? St. Paul told the Corinthians, We, then, as workers together with him, beseech you also, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain ! and finally, St. Stephen rebuked the Jews in this manner - Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.' He, therefore, who says that the grace of God is irresistible, maintains an opinion opposite to that of the first Christian martyr, and, in my opinion, to the whole uniform tenor of Scripture; for the Scriptures teach us that we may hate the light that we may do despite unto the Spirit of Grace' - that we may neglect to stir up the gift of God that is in us,' and so quench his gracious influence in our hearts that we may resist, strive, and rebel against him and that we may grieve and vex him, reject his