undisciplined minds, unaccustomed to accurate analysis of thought, and not careful to understand, first what it is they want to express, and next the precise and legitimate meaning of the words they employ for that purpose. It is because we are aware of this thing, and fear lest we may err, that we feel so solicitous to know what is meant by "the holy principle," which it is said is the result of the Spirit's work-lays the foundation for, and is the immediate and appropriate cause of holy acts.

It is no new substance, it is no vital essence, it is no new creation. It can be no new sense, nor instinct, in the proper meaning of these words. Nor is it any real subsistence infused into the natural capacities or susceptibilities, or essence of the soul, for were it any of these, then would it be a physical change. Is it meant, that it results conjointly from the very constitution of the human mind, and the fact of the Spirit's gracious agency in that mind, that when a sinner repents, and believes, he has begun a life, in which his acts and exercises are all regulated, through the impulses of the susceptibilities and capacities of his natural mental and moral constitution, as they are affected and excited by spiritual objects?—that is, that his natural susceptibilities and capacities to love, to fear, to hope, to joy, to sorrow, &c. &c. are all governed and determined in their exercise, by the exciting influence of spiritual things, so that he now proposes to himself a new end, is governed by a new purpose, has new characteristic exercises and emotions; new, not by virtue of any foundation in the soul by a previous creative act of God, but new from the character of the objects which have assumed exciting, and controling, or directing influence?

If this be what is meant, we shall not dissent, though we think the language which has been chosen altogether unhappy, and calculated to mislead. That this may be the writer's idea, we have been led to conjecture from the follow

ing remark, in reference to what he calls "the tendencies" of the soul, and which he says lie back of the exercises, and are such as sufficiently account for their nature. "They may, says he, result from the relative state of all the essential attributes." Let this be granted in reference to moral acts and exercises, and we are satisfied. Only require us to believe that the Spirit of God, by his own mysterious agency-without explaining that agency to consist in physically creating or infusing grace, or in any other way than as mind operates on mind-brings the mind and heart of the sinner into appropriate action, and continually holds them under the directing influence of spiritual things that is so excites the natural susceptibilities and capacities, and sustains them, by his immediate agency, under the quickening and governing influence of spiritual realities as to elicit, in perfect accordance with all the established modes and laws of human thought, those acts and exercises which are required by the law of God, and we know what we are to believe. We apprehend the facts in the case, though we will not pretend to explain or account for them. But do not tell us, that the Spirit introduces into the heart a vital principle or sense, a spiritual instinct or holy principle to be the immediate cause and formal reason of holy acts, laid by creative power in the nature of the soul. For then are we required to embrace a philosophy which we do not understand, which we believe to be false, which is totally unnecessary, which is unsustained by legitimate analogy, and which militates directly against the plain declarations of fact in the word of God. Our willing and doing are referred directly to the agency of God. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure"-not the

1. Phil. ii. 12, 13

new sense-not the holy principle-not the vital essence, but the immediate agency of God, the Author of Life, in a way perfectly consistent with and through the already created and established constitution of our nature—our own volition and act being the result of His influence and agency, just as another's choice and decision may result through our persuasion.

Were not the idea of a change wrought in the constitutional nature or properties of the human soul, by a simple act of creative power on the part of God, so generally and deservedly reprobated at the present day, it might be necessary to submit something further on this subject. A few remarks, however, are all that we deem requisite.

1. If Regeneration is effected by the same power of God which He exerts in creating, and if this previously creating act changing the nature of the soul, is the immediate foundation or cause of holy exercises, then is there little or no grace, so far as we can see, in the transaction. For if God, by a mere act of creative power, introduces into the soul of man, a principle which possesses power to secure holy exercises, where is the grace in the affair? It is an act of power, but the grace is of much the same general character with that manifested in the mere creation of an intelligent being. It is, however, amazing grace, to toil and strive, and by the blessed Spirit so excite and urge, or win upon the rebel heart, as to bring it to consent to God, and make choice of Him as the chief good. By grace we are saved.

2. Moreover, we cannot understand how it should ever become impossible to renew to repentance, the most abandoned and Hell deserving apostate that ever existed. The apostle unquestionably speaks of an impossibility of this nature existing in some cases. For says he, "It is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy

Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the pow ers of the world to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance."" If Regeneration was a mere creative act, three could be no difficulty in any case; nor could there be any on the part of Omnipotence, in introducing a "holy principle," if Regeneration consists in forming a "spiritual instinct." When, however, the nat ural existing susceptibilities and capacities are the medium through which the Spirit of God is to operate, and they have become callous, and the sensibilities, in reference to divine realities, all extinct, there is no longer any thing to which to appeal, or any principle, which, in consistency with the established modes of human thought and feeling, can be roused into action, so as to issue in repentance. We see a force and terror of import in the apostle's expressions, under this aspect, which they never can possess if a physical regeneration is the basis or immediate cause of repentance, and other holy exercises in man.

3. Beside, if Regeneration is a creative act, producing in the soul "something" which is the immediate cause of holiness, then are not the graces, repentance, love, &c. the immediate fruits of the Spirit. The quotations already cited from Dr. Owen, shew plainly that the influence of the Spirit of God in regenerating the sinner is, in his estimation, a mere act of creative power, which gives to the nature or soul power, ability, disposition and inclination to holy acts. We present some further extracts, where this "something" is spoken of as an inherent righteousness, which is the basis and immediate cause of holy exercises. He assumes that there is "in and required unto regeneration, the infusion of a new real spiritual principle into the soul and its faculties, of spiritual life, light, holiness and righteousness, disposed unto and suited for the destruc

1. Heb. vi. 4, 5.

tion or expulsion of a contrary inbred, habitual principle of sin and enmity against God, enabling unto all acts of holy obedience, and so, in order of nature, antecedent unto them." In support of this view he quotes Davenant, who is much more explicit in referring us to inherent righteousness as the cause of holy exercises. "By inherent righteousness we understand, says he, the supernatural gift of sanctifying grace, opposed to original sin, and repairing and renovating, in every faculty of the soul, that image of God, which, by original sin, was defiled and dissipated, Original sin filled the mind with darkness-this infused grace enlightens it with heavenly light. That, stained the human heart with obstinacy and hatred of God and ofthe divine law-this infused righteousness softens the heart, kindles and inflames it with the love of good. Finally, that infects all affections and the very appetite itself with rebellion-this renovated holiness forces into order the disturbed affections, and brings under its dominion the rebel lust itself, and, as it were, puts it under the yoke.""

He also quotes Origen as authority, who says of faiththat as the root which has received the shower, it inheres in the soil of the soul.2

Now this view of the subject, as we conceive, robs the Spirit of His glory, and introduces a false philosophy, to

1. Per inhærentem justitiam intelligimus supernaturale donum gratiæ sanctificantis, oppositum originali peccato, et in singulis animæ facultatibus reparans et renovans illam Dei imaginem, quæ per peccatum originale fœdata ac dissipata fuit. Originale peccatum mentem tenebris implevit-hæc infusa gratia lumine cœlesti collustrat. Istud cor humanum obstinatione et odio Dei ac divinæ legis maculavit-hæc infusa justitia cor emollit et amore boni accendit et inflammat. Postremo, illud affectus omnes atque ipsum appetitum rebellione infecit; hæc renovata sanctitas in ordinem cogit perturbatas affectiones, et ipsam rebellem concupiscentiam dominio spoliat, et quasi subjugum mittit. DAVENANT de Just. Habit. Cap. 3.

2. Fides tanquam radix imbre suscepto hæret in animæ solo. ORIG. lib. 4, in Epist. ad Roman.