the Divine Nature. The STATES or CONDITIONS are likewise three, that of primitive innocence, in which God placed him by creation; that of subsequent corruption, into which he fell through sin when destitute of primitive innocence; and, lastly, that of renewed righteousness, to which state he is restored by the grace of Christ.

IV. But because it is of little importance to our present purpose to investigate what may be the powers of free will to understand, to will, and to do natural and animal good things; we will omit them, and enter on the consideration of spiritual good, that concerns the spiritual life of man, which he is bound to live according to godliness, enquiring from the Scriptures what powers man possesses, while he is in the way of this animal life, to understand, to will, and to do spiritual good things, which alone are truly good and pleasing to God. In this enquiry the office of a Director will be performed by a consideration of the three states, of which we have already treated, [§ III,] varied as such consideration must be in the relation of these powers to the change of each state.

V. In the state of PRIMITIVE INNOCENCE, man had a mind endued with a clear understanding of heavenly light and truth concerning God, and his works and will, as far as was sufficient for the salvation of man and the glory of God; he had a heart imbued with "righteousness and true holiness," and with a true and saving love of good; and powers abundantly [instructas] qualified or furnished perfectly to fulfill the law which God had imposed on him. This admits easily of proof, from the description of the image of God, after which man is said to have been created, (Gen. i, 26, 27,) from the law divinely imposed on him, which had a promise and a threat appended to it, (ii, 17,) and lastly from the analogous restoration of the same image in Christ Jesus. (Ephes. iv, 24; Col. iii, 10.)

VI. But man was not so confirmed in this state of innocence, as to be incapable of being moved, [specie] by the representation presented to him of some good, (whether it was of an inferior kind and relating to this animal life, or of a superior kind and relating to spiritual life,) inordinately and un

Christ serve to describe this impotence. "A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit." (Matt. vii, 18.) "How can ye, being evil, speak good things?" (xii, 34.) The following relates to the good which is properly prescribed in the gospel : "No man can come to me, except the Father draw him." (John vi, 44.) As do likewise the following words of the Apostle: "The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be;" (Rom. viii, 7;) therefore, that man over whom it has dominion, cannot perform what the law commands. The same Apostle says, "When we were in the flesh, the motions of sins wrought in us," or flourished energetically. (vii, 5.) To the same purpose are all those passages in which the man existing in this state is said to be under the power of sin and Satan, reduced to the condition of a slave, and "taken captive by the Devil." (Rom. vi, 20; 2 Tim. ii, 26.)

XI. 4. To these let he consideration of the whole of the life of man who is [constituti] placed under sin, be added, of which the Scriptures exhibit to us the most lumino s descriptions; and it will be evident, that nothing can be spoken more truly concerning man in this state, than that he is altogether dead in sin. (Rom. iii, 10-19.) To these let the testimonies of Scripture be joi ed, in which are described the benefits of Christ, which are conferred by his Spirit on the human mind and will, and thus on the whole man. (1 Cor. vi, 9-11; Gal. v, 19-25; Ephes. ii, 2-7; iv, 17-20; Titus iii, 3-7.) For, the blessings of which man has been deprived by sin, cannot be rendered more obviously apparent, than by the immense [cumulo] mass of benefits which accrue to believers throngh the Holy Spirit; when, in truth, nature is understood to be devoid of all that which, as the Scriptures testify, is performed in man and communicated by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if" where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty;" (2 Cor. iii, 17;) and if those alone be "free indeed whom the Son hath made free; (John viii, 36;) it follows, that our will is not free from the first fall; that is, it is not free to good, unless it be made free by the Son through his Spirit.

XII. But far different from this is [ratio] the consideration

of the free will of man, as constituted in the third state of RENEWED RIGHTEOUSNESS. For when a knew light and knowledge of God and Christ, and of the Divine will, have been kindled in his mind; and when new affections, inclinations and motions agreeing with the law of God, have been excited in his heart, and new powers have been [ingenerata] produced in him; it comes to pass, that, being liberated from the kingdom of darkness, and being now made "light in the Lord," (Ephes. v, 8,) he understands the true and saving good; that, after the hardness of his stony heart has been changed into the softness of flesh, and the law of God according to the covenant of grace has been inscribed on it, (Jer. xxxi, 32-35,) he loves and embraces that which is good, just, and holy; and that, being made [potens] capable in Christ, co-operating now with God, he prosecutes the good which he knows and loves, and he begins himself to perform it in deed. But this, whatever it may be of knowledge, holiness and power, is all begotten. within him by the Holy Spirit; who is, on this account, called "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah," (Isai. xi, 2,) "the Spirit of grace,” (Zech. xii, 10,) “of faith,” (2 Cor. iv, 13,) "the Spirit of adoption" into sons, (Rom. viii, 16,) and "the Spirit of holiness;" and to whom the acts of illumination, regeneration, renovation, and confirmation, are attributed in the Scriptures.

XIII. But two things must be here observed. The FIRST is, that this work of regeneration and illumination is not completed in one moment; but that it is advanced and promoted, from [die] time to time, by daily increase. For "our old man is crucified, that the body of sin might be destroyed,” (Rom. vi, 6,) and "that the inward man may be renewed day by day." (2 Cor. iv, 16.) For this reason, in regenerate persons, as long as they inhabit these mortal bodies, "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit." (Gal. v, 17.) Hence it arises, that they can neither perform any good thing without great resistance and violent struggles, nor abstain from the commission of evil. Nay, it also happens, that, either through ignorance or infirmity, and sometimes through [malitia] perverseness, they sin,

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as we may see in the cases of Moses, Aaron, Barnabas, Peter and David. Neither is such an occurrence only accidental; but, even in those who are the most perfect, the following Scriptures have their fulfilment: "In many things we all offend;" (James iii, 2 ;) and "There is no man that sinneth not." (1 Kings viii, 46.)

XIV. The SECOND thing to be observed is, that as the very first commencement of every good thing, so likewise the pro gress, continuance and confirmation, nay, even the persever ance in good, are not from ourselves, but from God through the Holy Spirit. For "He who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ;" (Phil. i, 6;) and "we are kept by the power of God through faith." (1 Peter i, 5.) "The God of all grace makes us perfect, stab lishes, strengthens and settles us." (i, 10.) But if it happens that persons fall into sin who have been born again, they neither repent nor rise again unless they be raised up again by God through the power of his Spirit, and be renewed to repentance. This is proved in the most satisfactory manner, by the example of David and of Peter. "Every good and perfect gift, therefore, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights," (James i, 17,) by whose power the dead are animated that they may live, the fallen are raised up that they may recover themselves, the blind are illuminated that they may see, the unwilling are incited that they may become willing, the weak are confirmed that they may stand, the willing are assisted that they may work and may co-operate with God. "To whom be praise and glory in the church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. AMEN!"

"Subsequent or following grace does indeed assist the good purpose of man; but this good purpose would have no exist ence unless through preceding or preventing grace. And though the desire of man, which is called good, be assisted by grace when it begins to be; yet it does not begin without grace, but is inspired by Him, concerning whom the Apostle

writes thus, thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. If God [dat] incites any one to have an earnest care' for others, He will 'put it into the heart' of some other person to have an earnest care' for him." AUGUSTINUS, Contra. 2 Epist. Pelag. l. 2. c. 9.

"What then, you ask, does free will do? I reply with brevity, it saves. Take away FREE WILL, and nothing will be left to be saved. Take away GRACE, and nothing will be left [unde salvetur] as the source of salvation. This work [of salvation] cannot be effected without two parties—one, from whom [sit] it may come: the other, to whom or in whom it may be wrought. God is the author of salvation. Free will [tantum capere] is only capable of being saved. No one, except God, is able to bestow salvation; and nothing, except free will, is capable of receiving it." BERNARDUS, De Libero Arbit. et Gratia.

DISPUTATION XII

ON THE LAW OF GOD.

Respondent, DIONYSIUS SPRANCKHUYSEN.

I. LAW in general is defined, either from its END, "an ordinance of right reason for the common and particular good of all and of each of those who are subordinate to it, [lata] enacted by Him who has the care of the whole community, and, in it, that of each individual." Or from its FORM and its EFFICACY, "an ordinance commanding what must be done, and what omitted; it is enacted by Him, who possesses the right of requiring obedience; and it binds to obedience a creature who abounds in the use of reason and the exercise of liberty, by the sacred promise of a reward and by the denunciation of a punishment." It is likewise distinguished into Human and Divine. A Divine law has GOD for its author, a Human law has man for its author; not that any law enacted by man is