rect his steps. Our Saviour says, "For without me, ye can do nothing." The apostle declares, "not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God." "For it is in him we live, move, and have our being." "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord." From hence it is evident, that we are acted upon while we act. All Christian exercises are said to be the fruit of the Spirit, and at the same time the act of the creature. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that works in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure;" thus God commands us to do the very things which are the effect of his own power.

Lorenzo. Do you believe that the Scriptures represent God as requiring us to perform the very things he promises to do himself?

Evander. I think the whole tenor of the Scriptures are to the point. The commandment of God is, "make you a new heart and a new, spirit;" but he says again, "a new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you." God" commandeth all men every where to repent;" but it is said to be the office of Christ to give repentance and remission of sins. "Him hath God exalted to give repentance and remis-, sion of sins." The command is, "circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked;" but the promise is, "The Lord thy

God shall circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed." Christ's invitation is, 66 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Again he says, "No man can come unto me, except the Father which sent me draw him." Finally all Christian exercises are described as coming from God, and at the same time enjoined as the duty of the creature; which fully proves, that both Divine and human agency are absolutely necessary for human action; so that we choose, while God is the efficient cause of our choice, and act freely while we are acted upon.

Lorenzo. If God always works in mankind to will and to do of his own good pleasure, what does he ever do more, which you distinguish by a special or an irresistible operation of the Divine spirit?

Evander. In the plan of the gospel, God has provided every thing possible for the salvation of sinners, except changing their desires. He has not only made it so free, that whosoever will may have eternal life; but persuades them by all the terrors of a violated law, and all the charms of the gospel of peace, to receive it, without money, and without price. The law of God, arising from his perfections, is eternally binding on all intelligent beings, to love, serve, and obey him, with all their powers, unceasingly; for he is infinitely deserving, and lovely in his nature; and one deviation from

this law, must necessarily bring sin, guilt, and misery; and it being impossible, ever afterwards, for any beings to render God more than all the service in their power, so it will be impossible for them to atone for the least offence; and, according to strict justice, they must eternally deserve punishment. All mankind have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, and are under the wrath and curse of his violated law. But God, from his own self-moving goodness, concerted a plan whereby he could be just, and yet justify every one that believeth in his eternal Son; for he so loved the world, that he gavé his only begotten Son a ransom, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life. In consequence of Christ's atonement for the sins of the world, salvation is freely offered to every one who will throw down. the weapons of their rebellion, and repent of their sins, and look alone to his atoning merits for justification; and now God "commands men every where to repent;" and there is no natural impediment in the way of any one's accepting the terms of salvation, who will, any more than there is in their accepting an invitation to a feast, from a generous friend. But as mankind possess, naturally, a spirit of supreme selfishness, they wish to fulfil the lusts thereof, and will, with one accord, begin to excuse themselves, and refuse the kind invitations of the gospel of

peace; one will go to his farm, and another to his merchandize; and not one of all the race of Adam would ever participate of salvation, if God did not make them willing in the day of his power. I call it a special operation, when the same almighty Power that caused the light to shine out of darkness, shines into the heart of believers, and gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ; and creates them anew unto good works.

Lorenzo. Do you believe that none will ever be made willing to accept the terms of salvation, but those who will finally be saved?

Evander. I believe that none but Christ's sheep hear his voice, and follow him. I think the Scriptures very fully teach us, that Christ has a chosen people in distinction from the world. It is written," thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." Again, Again, "and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not." Again, "that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." Christ saith, " I pray not for the world, but for them thou hast given me, for they are thine." If Christ does not intercede for any but his chosen people, then none but they will receive the benefit of his intercession.

Lorenzo. What do you consider is the real dif

ference between those who are, and those who are not of the world?

Evander. Those of the world, are such as re-. main in a state of nature; they are carnal, sold under sin, and "by nature children of wrath." Those who are not of the world, are born again by the power of the Holy Ghost; of such, God saith," and I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and they shall return unto me with their whole heart." The inspired apostle says, "but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Again, "but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Lorenzo. If it is a fact, that such an entire change of heart is wrought in those who are renewed by the spirit of God; why do we not see its fruits acted out in their lives and conversation? Why are they not holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, which was peculiarly characteristic of Christ? The impression of a seal gives a perfect image of its original.

Evander. The supreme bias or inclination of their heart is after the image of Christ. "He that hath not the spirit of Christ, is none of his,” In this world they are sanctified only in part; they have the remains of sin in them; they have