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their inability, saying, “ Lord, enable us to believe, enable us to repent, enable us to love and serve thee." What can we make of such persons? They tell one story to man, and another to God. To man they talk of their ability; to God of their inability. Which of these stories are we to believe? Why, undoubtedly, if ever a man will tell the truth, he will tell it to his God.

Still the question recurs, why are sinners exhorted to believe on Christ, to repent of their sins and become holy, if they cannot perform these duties without special grace? Now, though some other denominations, if they adhere to their own creed, are quite as much concerned with this question as we, yet as it is a fair and reasonable one we cheerfully

answer,

1. That men are required to believe, repent, and make to themselves a new heart, (Ezek. xviii. 31,) notwithstanding their inability, because they have lost their ability by their own sin. If we are under an obligation to obey God, we cannot free ourselves from that obligation by disabling ourselves; otherwise the indulgence of one sin, would be an excuse for committing another.

2. Sinners are urged to come to Christ, inasmuch as their inability is properly "an inability of will," which can furnish no just ground of excuse for disobedience. The reason why they cannot truly come to the Saviour is, that they are not cordially willing. It is not their choice to come. Their voluntary L.лdness

their love of sin and aversion to holiness, are what disable them. We do not therefore teach that "sinners are bound hand and foot," and thus prevented from coming to Christ, though desirous to do so. This is a palpable misrepresentation of our sentiments. They would be enabled if they were truly willing. Yet the Scriptures represent the state of their hearts as presenting an obstacle to their conversion, which can be overcome only by the power of divine grace. Still, it does not affect their accountability. Their case is like that of a rebellious child, who loves his sin so well that he cannot truly repent of it; or like that of a wicked man, who cannot love his mortal enemy, owing to the intensity of his hatred. In neither of these cases is the obligation in any wise diminished. The rebellious child still ought to repent. The wicked man is still bound to love his enemy. If it were otherwise; if an inability of the will could release from obligation, then wickedness would be its own excuse. Then the greater the sinner, the less would be his guilt, and devils and damned spirits would be no longer bound to love and obey God.

3. Sinners are invited by the Saviour to come to him, in order that feeling their own inability, they may be constrained to look to God as their all-sufficient helper. Why does a parent extend his arms to his infant child and say, "Come to me?" It is to awaken in the child a desire to come, and also that the child may reach forth its hands and implore

the parent's assistance. So Christ invites us to come to him, to excite in us suitable desires after himself, and in order that, discovering our own weakness, we may cry to him fo nelp.

4. Sinners are commanded to believe on Christ, because the very command implies that the grace of God will not be wanting to him who sincerely desires and attempts to perform his duty. Why did the Saviour command the helpless paralytic to take up his bed and walk? Doubtless, if some modern opponents of Calvinism had been present, they would have charged our Lord with inconsistency in directing a man to walk, who had not been able to leave his bed for years. But the Saviour said, "Rise." And at once, looking to Christ for his almighty aid, he "arose, took up his bed, and walked."

From what has been said, it may be seen that this subject is one of immense practical importance. For if the sinner be persuaded that he has not lost his "ability of will," or that his lost ability has been restored by native grace, it will be utterly impossible to bring him to a sense of his true condition, or to prevail on him to seek help from the Lord. For he will feel that if he already possesses sufficient ability, it is absurd to ask for more. Buoyed up with the vain confidence that he can turn to the Lord at any time, he of course will postpone the work to the latest possible period. In the meanwhile, he is proof against the warnings and invitations of the gospel. It

is not till a man is thoroughly convinced of his insufficiency and helplessness, that he will begin to cry in good earnest, "Lord, save, or I perish."

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III. I shall now proceed to the most interesting part of the parable. The King having provided a most plentiful entertainment, sent out his servant "to say to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready." All, however, with one consent began to make excuse," and under various pretences declined the generous offer. "The master of the house being angry," and not willing that all this costly preparation should be thrown away, directed his servant to go out into the lanes and streets, the highways and hedges, and "compel them to come in that his house might be filled.” He moreover declared, that those others, who were bidden and would not come, should never taste of his supper.

This whole passage affords a beautiful illustration of the Election of Grace, as maintained by modern Calvinists. Thus, from eternity all things were present to the eye of God. To him the fall of man was distinctly visible, even before the race was called into existence, and moved by infinite mercy, he resolved to provide a remedy. Intending to rescue a portion of the race from perdition, he would send his only begotten Son to prepare a great salvation. Through the death of Christ, he determined that an unlimited offer of mercy should be made to the human family. All should be invited to partake of the rich repast.

But he well knew that this generous offer would be universally rejected, and that unless some special means should be employed to bring sinners to the Saviour, all would continue in sin and perish; and thus Christ would die in vain.

To prevent so unhappy a result, God determined to send forth his Spirit with his special, divine influences, and thus many should be powerfully constrained to accede to the terms of salvation. In other words, he chose or elected them to eternal life, and appointed all the means necessary to carry into effect his merciful design. As to the rest who should be invited, but would refuse the rich provision, he resolved to pass them by, and exclude them forever from his mercy.

These glorious purposes, formed in eternity, God is now every where carrying into effect. At his command his servants go forth, and invite all," as many as they find," to come and accept the salvation provided. Yet none are found to hearken to the gracious overtures, till by the special influences of the Spirit of grace they are brought to bow to his peaceful sceptre.*

* The writer does not mean to intimate that certain divine purposes succeed others in the order of time; though one may be viewed as subsequent to another in the order of nature. For example, God's determination to provide a Saviour was a consequence of his purpose to redeem a portion of the human family. In accordauce with the Confession of Faith and the great body of Predestinarian divines, it is assumed in these discourses that God, in his purpose of election, viewed man not