faith of those," who believe to the saving of the "soul."

P. 22, l. 19.

1

These new proselytes amounted to three thousand souls, whom St. Luke here represents as by degrees converted, before they received the Holy Ghost.'-His Lordship seems to make a distinction between the proselyting, and the converting, of this company. They suddenly beeame proselytes, and by degrees were converted. But in the history nothing of this kind appears. The apostle says, "Repent and be baptized, every one "of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the "remission of sins." "Then they that gladly re"ceived the word were baptized. And the same 66 day there were added to them, about three thou"sand souls." Did they then "gladly receive the "word, which called them to repentance and faith "in Jesus Christ;" and the profession of that faith by being baptized: and were they added to the apostles and primitive believers, before they were converted? Or do any imagine, that Calvinists in general expect more sudden conversions? Averse as our opponents may be to sudden conversions, (and probably they are not more so, than many of us are,) it might have been supposed, that on so extraordinary an occasion, it would have been admitted, that these persons were suddenly converted: though it should have been necessary to caution the reader against considering this as a general rule for conversions in ordinary circumstances: and that the events

Acts ii. 38. 41.

of that memorable day would have been regarded, as parallel to the case of the penitent thief on thè cross. They were, however, 'converted before they ' received the Holy Ghost.' But if "no man can say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy "Ghost:" if the office of the Holy Ghost be, to "convince-of sin, of righteousness, and of judg"ment;"to "glorify Christ; and to receive of his, and shew them to men;"2 and if " love, “joy, and peace," be "the fruits of the Spirit :" then they certainly had received the Holy Ghost as "the

66

Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," on the very day of Pentecost for "they continued stedfastly in the "apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking "of bread, and in prayers." At what time they received the Holy Ghost, as enduing them with miraculous powers, and the gift of tongues, it is not said: but surely, the things recorded of them, in the close of the second chapter of Acts, shew that they were immediately rendered true believers in Christ.

P. xxiii. l. 4.

'Gradually removed all prejudice.' Where do we read in the history of gradually, and "progressive effect,' as afterwards in the same page, in St. Luke's narrative? If a Calvinist had endeavoured to give such a turn to any passage, which seemed to militate against his doctrines, it would, and indeed justly, have been ascribed to his partial attachment to a peculiar system.

The conversion of these persons

2 John xvi. 7—12. 3 Acts ii. 42-47.

also was owing to the exercise of their own natural powers.' Is it here meant, that Hic Deus nihil fecit? Must every instance of conversion, recorded in scripture, be expressly noticed as the effect of special grace, in order to prevent the conclusion, that it was wholly from fallen nature, unrenewed, nay, unassisted? But perhaps no more was meant; than that no coercion was used; and that the conversion of the Samaritans was effected, in entire consistency with the free exercise of their own rational powers.

a

P. xxiv. 1. 9. "Had it, &c." Cornelius was "devout man, and one that feared God with all his "house, which gave much alms to the people, and "prayed to God alway." He was "a just man,— "of good report among all the nation of the Jews:" "his prayer was heard, and his alms were had in "remembrance in the sight of God."2 Now will any minister of our established church ascribe all these things to man's fallen nature, independent of special grace? We have no power of ourselves to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God in Christ preventing us that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.'3 • We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace preventing us, thou dost put into our hearts good desires,

''Had it been consistent with the plan of divine Providence to communicate such conviction by supernatural influence, the * preaching of Peter in the house of Cornelius would have been superfluous and unnecessary.' *Acts x. 2. 4. 22. 31.

3 Art. X.

' &c." The miraculous powers afterwards conferred were evidently distinct from that special grace, by which a gentile had been brought to "fear God and "work righteousness," in so exemplary a manner.

Again, let the argument concerning Peter's preaching being superfluous and unnecessary, on the supposition, that supernatural influence produced the conviction on the mind of Cornelius and his friends, be fairly considered. The casting down of the walls of Jericho was indisputably the effect of supernatural power: but was all the conduct of Joshua, and of the priests; and of Israel, superfluous

and unnecessary?' If in instances, evidently miraculous, the use of appointed ineans are neither superfluous nor unnecessary; how can they be so, in any case, in which supernatural power is exerted? To use the appointed means, and to expect success, from the opus operatum, and not from God, is selfdependence: to neglect means, and yet to expect success from God, is enthusiasm and presumption. But to use the means, which God has appointed, and to depend on his special grace to render them successful, is evidently the scriptural plan. Mary, the mother of our Lord, expected from him a miraculous interposition, when wine was wanted at the marriage at Cana: but she very properly charged the servants, thus, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, "do it ;" and they as properly complied. Was this 'superfluous and unnecessary?'

P. xxiv. 1. 16.

Hence it appears, that the faith of

Col. for East. Sund.

the Bereans was the result of the candour, with which they listened to the preaching of the apostle, and of the diligence with which they enquired into 'the evidences of the gospel.' But does it also appear, that this candour and this diligence were the produce of fallen human nature, without special grace?"Do not err, my beloved brethren, every "good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and ❝ cometh down from the Father of lights.""

P. xxiv. 1. 26. In whom, &c.'2 Was there then no communication of the Holy Spirit to the Ephesians, in order to their believing? Grotius zealously maintained this opinion: but here even his admirer, Bp. Bull, saw reason to differ from him. • These things, (I may observe by the way,) throw light on the observation, which so wonderfully pleased the learned Grotius, that he seized the oppor'tunity of collecting it from almost every place: 'namely, that the Holy Spirit, in the New Testament, is most frequently placed after faith. This 'observation is true, if it be understood concerning that most copious effusion of conspicuous gifts, which was peculiar to the primitive church; or even, concerning that fuller measure of the Spirit, which by, and after,

I Jam. i. 16, 17.

2 "In whom (namely in Christ) ye also trusted," after that "ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation; in "whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that "Holy Spirit of promise:" The order to be here, noticed is 'this,-first, the hearing of the word; secondly, belief produced by that hearing; thirdly, the communication of the Spirit in consequence of that belief.'