that I believe the hearts of men to be as much in the hands of God, as any other part of his creation, and no more. I love to see and acknowledge God in everything;-in the falling drops, the springing grass, the waving trees, the rolling ocean, and in all the changes which take place around us. What are commonly called the laws of nature are but established modes of divine operation; so that in all the phenomena of the natural world, from the greatest to the least, we witness a continual exertion of the power of God. And now I would ask, are we to suppose that there is a particular act of God preceding and causing every individual change which takes place in nature? Cannot a drop of rain form in the atmosphere, and fall to the earth, without a number of specific Divine acts to form it, and to bring it down? Cannot a leaf quiver in the breeze, without a corresponding number of Divine acts to move it? Cannot an insect spread his wing, or a mote fly in the air, or a wave roll upon the deep, without a particular act of God preceding and causing these several changes? Must we suppose there are innumerable Divine acts, put forth at the same time, preceding and causing all the countless, innumerable changes which are continually taking place in the universe of nature? I believe no philosopher has ever accounted for the changes in the natural world in this way. Nor is it possible they should be thus accounted for; since a great proportion of them are so minute as to be to all appearance progressive ;-such as the growth and decay of animals and vegetables, and the formation and dissolution of many solid substances.

We consider the changes in nature as the work of God, because they are the result of an omnipotent energy, continually and steadily exerted-exerted, under the direction of infinite wisdom and goodness, and ordinarily according to established laws. And why may we not account for God's government of the moral world in the same way? The instruments by which he controls the actions of creatures, we have seen, are motives; but there needs something not residing in motives to make them effectual. And why not suppose that the same Divine energy, which controls all nature according to fixed laws, controls also the moral world, according to the law of motives? Why not suppose an energy continually going forth from God through the moral world, not only to sustain the faculties of creatures, but to connect motive with action, according to the laws of mind, and according to the purpose of the Supreme Disposer?

Will it be said, on the one hand, that an efficiency such as

this is not enough to answer all the purposes of Divine sovereignty? But why not enough? It exalts God high above the moral world, as he is above the natural, and represents both as alike subject to his control. It represents him as 'doing his pleasure in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth,' and as literally working all things after the council of his own will.'

Will it be said, on the other hand, that the efficiency here supposed is inconsistent with the freedom and accountableness of creatures? But how inconsistent? It interferes not with the regular influence of motives, but sustains this influence. It interferes not with the laws of mind, but sustains and gives effect to these laws. From the energy or efficiency of which I have spoken, creatures feel no more restraint, than they do from the upholding hand of God. Indeed this energy, so far from impairing freedom and accountableness, is believed to be indispensable to the continuance of accountable action. Were it withdrawn, we should not be in a situation to act, more than if God should withdraw his sustaining power.

If evidence be demanded of the reality of the energy here supposed, I adduce the fact that we are creatures, dependent creatures, all whose springs are in God, and who live and move, and have their being in him. Such creatures cannot have an independent efficiency within themselves. They are not capable of it, and they do not need it.

I adduce also the consideration, that the moral world needs to be as entirely under the control of God, as the natural. It certainly needs controlling as much, and, without doubt, vastly greater consequences depend on its being controlled wisely and efficiently. Why then shall we regard the natural world as placed completely in the hands of God, and the moral world as left to the independent action and direction of creatures ?—I see no necessity, on the one hand, of placing the wills of creatures any more under the control of God than the rest of his works, by making every volition the product of a distinct creating act; and I see no necessity, on the other, of placing them less under the control of God than the rest of his works, by giving to creatures an independent efficiency in originating their own volitions. God should rather be considered as reigning over the world, of matter and mind alike,-not indeed in the same manner, but with equal certainty and efficiency— and as fulfilling his purposes in both, by the energies of his power.

I cannot but think, too, that the view here given is more in accordance with the representations of Scripture, than that

which limits God's control over mind to the mere presentation of motives. In the Scriptures, God's control over the hearts of men is set forth as frequently, and with as little qualification, as his government over the world of nature. If he 'covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth, and maketh grass to grow upon the mountains, and giveth to the beast his food; he is said with equal explicitness to fashion, to turn, to melt, to break, to incline, and to harden the hearts of men. It is needless to quote passages, as they will instantly be recollected by every attentive reader of the Bible. That theory, then, must be most in accordance with the Bible, which represents the worlds of matter and of mind as alike in the hands and under the control of God, and which represents him as directing the actions of creatures, not less than the changes of nature, by his own power.

In addition to that constantly supplied energy by which God sustains and carries on his government over creatures, there is needed, in one event of life, a special exertion of Divine power. I refer to the change in regeneration. I need not enlarge here in describing the nature of this change. Suffice it to say, that it is an instantaneous change in the internal exercises or affections from sin to holiness. It is a change in which the subject is voluntary; and it is so deep and radical, that, when regenerated, he may properly he denominated a new creature.' Old things have passed away with him, and all things have 'become new.'-This change is represented in the Scriptures as the result, not of God's ordinary operation on the heart, but of a special, extraordinary influence. It is spoken of as an extraordinary display of Divine power. It is the exceeding greatness of God's power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ Jesus, when he raised him from the dead.' Eph. i. 19.

It is of great importance that this special work of God should be distinguished from that common energy by which his gov ernment over the moral world is sustained. This distinction has been virtually confounded, not only by Liberalists, who deny the necessity of regeneration, but by some very good men, who seem to have verged to the other extreme. If we suppose that every moral exercise, sinful and holy, is the product of a distinct creative act, and that there is no other way in which God's ordinary government over the hearts of creatures can be maintained, we obviously leave no room for an extraordinary exertion of Divine power in regeneration. If the ordinary assistance of God accomplishes every thing, there is nothing for special grace to do. Accordingly, those who adopt

these views relative to the ordinary assistance of God, do not admit that there is any special power exerted in regeneration. The power is the same which produces the last sinful exercise, as that which produces the first holy one; and is exerted in the same way; and there is nothing special in the latter case except the effect. But the Scriptures, I am persuaded, give a different view of the subject. When we pray for the outpouring of the Divine Spirit, we mean something more than the ordinary assistance of God; and when the Spirit is said to be poured out, for the conversion of sinners and the upbuilding of the church, something more than ordinary assistance is intended. The work of God in regeneration is uniformly represented in Scripture as a special work-something above and beyond all common efficiency-and as a manifestation of extraordinary power.

There are various particulars in regard to which the ordinary and extraordinary work of God on the hearts of men may be distinguished. The former of these works is not appropriated, in Scripture, to the third person in the Trinity. It is not spoken of, like the latter, as the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit. Neither has the former any tendency, like the latter, to turn back the perverted current of the affections, and produce a change from sin to holiness.

It may also be observed, that the ground of the necessity for these two Divine operations is entirely different. The necessity for that ordinary influence by which the government of God over the hearts of men is sustained, lies in the fact that they are creatures. It is needed as much in heaven as upon earth; and would be as much needed on earth as it now is, were all its inhabitants perfectly holy.-But the necessity for that special, extraordinary influence, by which the soul is renewed, lies in the fact that we are sinners. We are perverse and obstinate transgressors, and need to have the stubbornness of our hearts subdued by special power. If we were not sinners, we could not be regenerated; and should not need that extraordinary influence by which regeneration is accomplished. If we were not fallen, guilty creatures, who must be born again in order to be saved, the exigency would not exist, to meet which the special operations of the Holy Spirit are bestowed.

Another mark of distinction between common and special influences is, that in dispensing the former, God acts as a moral Governor; but in dispensing the latter, as a Sovereign. That common energy, by which his government over the hearts of creatures is sustained, he never withholds from any rational being. He bestows it by an established law, and he might as well be expected to subvert the law of gravitation, or any other of

the laws of nature, as this. But the special operations of his Holy Spirit-which are rendered needful by the voluntary and inexcusable wickedness of men, and the object which is to overcome this wickedness-he gives or withholds, as seemeth good in his sight. He is under no obligations, in point of justice, to bestow these influences upon any one. He might withhold them universally, and leave all his sinful creatures to perish unreclaimed, and his throne would be guiltless. Wherever they are bestowed, they are bestowed in mere mercy; and he has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he leaves to his own chosen way.

It is on the ground of the distinction here made between common and special influences that we learn in what sense God may be said to leave any sinner. He never leaves his sinful creatures as to that common energy by which his government over them is sustained; for so left, they would not be moral beings. They would not be in a situation to sin or repent, more than if God were to withdraw his supporting hand. But they are left as to special influences and restraints. In righteous judgement, God withholds from them that special grace, without which it is certain they will persist, in face of all their obligations, in the road to death. In this sense, he gave up some of his ancieat people to their own heart's lusts;' Ps. 81. 12, and 'suffered the Gentile nations to walk in their own way.' Acts 14. 16.

It is sometimes asked, in these days, whether sinners have not power to repent and do their duty without God, or without Divine assistance. The distinction between common and special influences may serve to throw light on this inquiry. If by Divine assistance be meant that common assistance of God, by which his government over the moral world is sustained, it is obvious that without this, sinners have no power to repent and do their duty; because without it, they would have no power to act any way, and would not be moral agents. But if by Divine assistance be meant that special Divine influence by which the hearts of sinners are renewed, then the proper answer to the question will depend on the meaning attached to the word power. Sinners have no moral power, no disposition to repent, without special Divine assistance, although they may be said to have natural power.-On the whole, the phraseology under consideration is so liable to be misunderstood-to be received in a sense which is not true, which contradicts the Scriptures, and is opposed to the experience and the prayers of Christians, that it ought not to be used but with great caution, and with all needful explanation.