ened. If then all are enlightened, and yet all are not regenerated, then sinners are enlightened before they are justified.

5. In the parable respecting the sower, recorded Luke viii. 4-8. it is said of some, namely, those by the way side, (v. 12.) that they received the word (of God, v. 11.) and that it was taken out of their hearts. Was this word good? You dare not say no. Well, according to our Saviour's own interpretation of this parable, this part of it was designed to represent those persons who received the word of God into their hearts, and others received it with joy, ver. 13. Were those persons regenerated? If you say yes, then you acknowledge the possibility of falling from grace. If you say no, you give up the point; and acknowledge there may be some good, even the good word of God in the heart, previous to regeneration.

6. So also the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom were wise, and five of whom were foolish, Math. xxv. 2—10. When at midnight it was proclaimed, v. 6. Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him, it is added, v. 7. Then all those vir gins arose and trimmed their lamps, v. 8. And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. But their lamps must have been lighted, otherwise they could not have been extinguished.

Were those foolish (improvident) virgins designed to represent the justified? I think not. But if they were, then such may so fall from grace as to

be shut out of heaven, v. 10. If they were not, then sinners may have light before they are justified. This conclusion you may attempt to evade, by saying a man may have light, and yet be totally depraved. But is it not the same, to say a man is totally sinful, as to say he is totally dark? You have already answered this question in the affirmative; for in page 40, you say regeneration is "being called out of darkness into marvellous light."

7. Once more-In Heb. vi. 4. it is said, For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, &c. Do you suppose these words describe a justified person? I do not-although I believe the particulars mentioned in the subsequent part of the verse, and in verse 5, are designed to characterize a regenerated man. But Calvinistic writers will not allow even this. If, however, a person is enlightened, and not justified, then a person is enlightened previous to justification; and therefore a person is not in total darkness, nor, consequently totally depraved, until he is justified.

8. Again, Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, &c. In this text there are three particulars mentioned previous to their receiving forgiveness of sins. 1. Their eyes are opened.— Here is one remove, or "degree" from total blindness, or total depravity. 2. To turn them from darkness to light. Here is a second romove, or degree" from total blindness, a remove also from

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darkness. 3. From the power of Satan to God.Here is a third remove from total blindness, a remove from Satan to God. And 4th. The end for which this is done, that they may receive forgiveness of sins. But sins are not forgiven, until the sinner is justified. It follows therefore that the sinner has his eyes opened, has light, and is delivered from the power of Satan, before he is justified. He is not then totally blind, totally dark, and totally under the power of Satan, until justified.

9. That a sinner is convicted and heartily sorry for sin previous to justification, is abundantly manifest from scripture. Isaiah vi. 5. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, &c. This humiliating confession of his sinfulness, certainly must have arisen, from a penetrating sense of his vileness. And that it preceded his forgiveness, or justification, is manifest from ver. 7, where he says, his iniquity was taken away, and his sins purged. So also when the prophet Nathan had convicted David of his sinful conduct in the affair of Uriah, David said, with penitential sorrow, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin, 2 Sam. xii. 13. If this confession of David was sincere, it was also hearty; and it arose from the conviction of truth which Nathan addressed to his conscience; and the confession preceded the pardon. Notice also the case of Saul of Tarsus, recorded Acts ix. He was first convinced by a light from heaven, ver. 3. And then, Trembling and as

tonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? This trembling and astonishment arose from the reproving words of the Lord Jesus, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But all this while, Paul was not justified, as is evident from what is related in ver. 17, 18; where, after Ananias delivered his message to him, it is said, there fell from his eyes, as it had been scales; and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. Those persons were, no doubt, exercised by that godly sorrow, which worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of, and which always precedes the witness of our justification in the sight of God. Now if a godly sorrow for sin worketh repentance, then it must precede repentance, and repentance precedes justification.

10. That a sinner must repent before he is justified, is equally evident from scripture. It was the doctrine preached by John the Baptist, Matt. iii, 2. Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It was the first doctrine preached by our Lord, when he returned from his successful combat with satan in the wilderness, Repent ye, and believe the gospel, Mark. i. 15. It was also the first thing addressed to the people, on the day of Pentecost, Repent ýe, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, Acts ii. 38.— When a sinner is justified, his sins are forgiven. But in the above text, the apostle Peter, exhorts them to repent, for, or in order, to the remission of sins. So also Acts iii. 19, Repent, ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, &c. In

these words, repentance is pressed upon the hear、 ers from the same consideration as in the former case, namely, That their sins may be blotted out.And, certainly, justification, which supposes an acquital from guilt, is synonymous with blotting out sins. Inasmuch therefore, as repentance precedes the blotting out of sins, a sinner must repent before he is justified. Now it is presumed that no man will repent until he sees, and feels its necessityand a sinner cannot see its necessity until enlightened by the Spirit of truth. That he may have this sight of his vileness and misery, he must have that light which makes manifest the hidden things of darkness; for no man can repent without divine aid, as Christ saith, without me ye can do nothing.And inasmuch as a sinner repents before he is justified, and yet, cannot repent without divine grace, to "prevent," to quicken and influence him, it follows, that he has a measure of that true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and of that grace which brings salvation, previous to justification. But a man totally depraved, has no such light, nor no such grace; and therefore, he is not totally gracelesss, or depraved, until justified.

11. If you affirm, as some have done, that a sinner can repent and love God without divine grace; we must be permitted, until evidence is produced to support it, to deny such an unscriptural and unreasonable assertion. Some, perhaps, have been led into this error, from confounding the foundation of our obligation to God, with the means of fulfilling