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come to call them to be his disciples, or to seek salvation from him. If their own righteousness be sufficient for their justification, they may be saved without him: yet, for this, 'some degree of righteous'ness' will not suffice: "But Christ shall profit them "nothing," if he do not call them to come unto him and trust in him. The persons spoken of either had previously repented, or they had not: if they had repented, and were then penitent; this was an acknowledgement of their sinfulness and need of mercy: if they had not repented, either they had never sinned, or they remained unpardoned; for it will scarcely be maintained, that impenitent sinners have obtained forgiveness. "God commandeth all men "every where to repent:" and he who has not repented, and yet "needs no repentance," must have been perfectly holy, in heart and life, from his very birth.

Whether

P. xii. 1. 15. By the righteous, &c." Dr. Whitby's comment on the scripture referred to, or that of those who wish to reconcile this passage 'to the Calvinistic system,' be preferable, must be left to the decision of the reader. But it may be observed, that many in reality need the spiritual Physician,' who think they do not; and therefore

Acts xvii. 30.

By the righteous, (says Whitby, very justly,) we are not to understand those who are only righteous in their own conceits, such as the Pharisees were, who justified themselves 'before men, and trusted in themselves that they were righteous,

and despised others, in comparison of themselves; for such are not whole, but have great need of the spiritual physician; and such especially the gospel calleth to repentance.'

despise and neglect him: on the other hand, there are none of the whole fallen race of man, who do not want him. 'I have need,' says he, who "was " filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's "womb;"1 "I have need to be baptized of thee, " and comest thou to me?"2

P. xii. 1. 25. Moreover, &c.' Did our Lord then come to call none, but such as live in the customary practice of sin?' Are others excluded from his salvation? Or, have they no need of it? Are the righteous, here described, become righteous without the grace of the gospel? And is their righteousness sufficient for their acceptance with God, without the merits and atonement of Christ? We have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ prevent'ing us, that we may have a good will, and working

3

Luke i. 15. 2 Matt. iii. 14.

Moreover, the word sinners here imports such persons as ' live in a customary practice of sin, so that the tenor of their lives ' is wicked, and who are therefore to be called to that repentance ' which consists in the change of their lives, from the service of sin to holiness, from slavery to Satan to the fear of God; and therefore, by the righteous who need no repentance, we are not to understand those who are entirely free from sin; for so, there is not a just man upon earth, nor any man who is not a sinner; but those who are truly and sincerely righteous, have truly ❝ reformed their lives, who carefully endeavour to abstain from all known sins, and set themselves sincerely to the performance of 'their whole duty both to God and man, and so are righteous and acceptable in the sight of God; in which sense Job was righteous ⚫ and eschewed evil; Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous, walking in all the commandments of the Lord; and Simeon; ' and so they needed not that repentance which consists in the change of the life from a course of sinning to a living unto God'

"statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do "them."1 "Do not err, my beloved brethren; every good gift, and every perfect gift is from "above, and cometh down from the Father of મંદ lights."" "I have planted, Apollos watered; "but God gave the increase." They be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season; they through grace obey the calling.'4 O God, from whom all holy desires, all` ' good counsels, and all just works do proceed.”——— We have our Saviour's authority for saying,' that "out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, "adulteries, fornications, murders, covetousness,

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wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, "blasphemy, pride, foolishness."6 And also, that, "No man can come unto him, except it be given to him of the Father." But where he says, that there is some honesty, some goodness of heart in the human race;' except as implanted by the grace of God, does not appear.

To what purpose, &c.'s If men nature, nor can have by grace,

P. xv. 1. 4. neither have by power to comply with the certainly be given in vain.

advice given; it would But will his Lordship

maintain, that men have, without the grace of God,

Ez. xxxvi. 26, 27.

4 Art. xvii.

"John vi. 65.

2 Jam. i. 16, 17. 3 1 Cor. iii. 6. 52 Col. Even.

6 Mark vii. 21, 22.

To what purpose would this advice be given, if men had not the power of resisting the wiles of the devil, of supporting the trials of persecution, and of withstanding the temptations ' of the riches and pleasures of this world, the three causes to ' which our Saviour ascribes the failure of religious instruction ?'

1

power to do all those things, which are here mentioned? Because by the weakness of our mortal 'nature, we can do no good thing without thee, Grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping 'thy commandments we may please thee, both in 'will and deed." The reader may profitably examine the texts referred to below; though it would carry us too far to quote, and particularly consider them. It is undoubtedly our duty, to comply with every command, exhortation, and counsel of scripture: but, whether we have, by nature, any moral ability, or disposition, to do this, is precisely the question to be decided.

2

P. xvi. 1. 6. If they do not by their prayers ' and exertions endeavour to obtain his favour and 'assistance.' The duty and necessity of prayer, as well as exertion, are undeniable: but the Lord teaches us to give the honour to him, even for a heart and disposition to pray. "I will pour out

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upon the house of David, and upon the inhabit"ants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and suppli"cation."3 "Lord, thou hast heard the desire of "the humble; thou wilt prepare their heart, thou "wilt cause thine ear to hear." Nor does our church fail to keep this in our remembrance. Grant that we to whom thou hast given an hearty desire ' to pray." As by thy special grace preventing us, ' thou dost put into our hearts good desires.""

2 Cor. xii. 9, 10. Eph. iii. 16, 17. vi. Col. i. 11. 2 Tim. i. 14. 1 Pet. v. 9, 10. 3 Zech. xii. 10. 4 Ps. x. 17. 5 Col.

'Col. 1 after Trin. 2 10-12. Phil. iv. 13. 1 John v. 4, 5. 3 Sun. after Trin.

Col, East. Sun.

P. xvi. 1. 9. Our Saviour, &c." The persons spoken of in this parable, were all professed servants of Christ: some shewed the sincerity of their professed faith and love, by improving their talents; but the unprofitable servant shewed his insincerity, by his sloth, and hard thoughts of his Lord."Nothing availeth,-but faith which worketh by "love:”—but "the fruit of the Spirit is love."9 That, therefore, which distinguished the good servants from the unprofitable servant, was "the fruit "of the Spirit;" not of nature, but of grace.

P. xvii. 1. 16. 'Let it, &c.'God's drawing,' so far from excluding our consent,' indeed induces and secures our consent. 66

Thy people "shall be willing in the day of thy power."4

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''Our Saviour represents the "man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods,' as saying, upon his return, to each of those servants, who by trading had gained other talents besides those which were entrusted to them, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast "been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over

many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord:" Does not this part of the parable shew the power of exertion, and the certainty of reward? And does not the casting of the unprofitable servant, who had hidden his talent in the earth, into outer dark. ness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, prove, that 'those who are slothful and inactive, who do not by their own ' diligence improve the gifts which they receive in this life, will ⚫ be severely punished in the world to come?'

2 Gal. v. 6. 22, 23.

3. Let it however be remembered, in the words of Dr. Dod'dridge's note upon this verse, that "the truth is, God's drawing "does not exclude our consent to follow, and our activity in doing. "it; but it always includes a divine agency."

4 Ps. cx. 3.