"would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at

your calamity, and mock when your fear "cometh.""

But sinners cannot obey the call. This is a truth, if truly understood. They are under a moral, not a natural, inability. Is this distinction useless and unintelligible? Is there no difference betwixt a covetous wretch, who with a full purse hath no heart, and a compassionate man who hath no money to relieve a fellow-creature in distress? Both are effectually prevented, but the one from himself, the other by an external hindrance. Every generous man at once indignantly condemns the one, and wholly justifies the other. When the case is put, divested of all false colouring, the one could if he would, and the other would if he could. It is said of God that he cannot lie. But whence arises this impossibility? Surely not from external restraint, but from the perfection of his essential holiness. Satan cannot but hate his Maker. Not because of outward force put upon him, but through the horrid malignity of his disposition.*

1 'Prov. i. 24-33.

* If there is no real difference betwixt the want of natural faculties, and the want of moral dispositions; there can be nothing culpable even in Satan's opposing God, and endeavouring the destruction of men; for it is as impossible at least that he should do otherwise, as that sinners should perfectly obey the law, or of themselves repent and believe the gospel: and if they are excusable, Satan is consequently so too. Indeed, on this supposition, all characters are reduced to a level: for in proportion to the degree of evil disposition, or moral inability to good, evil actions

Sinners are not of themselves willing to stoop so low, and to leave so much, as the gospel requires;

become excusable; and by parity of reason, in proportion to the degree of moral excellency of disposition, or of moral inability to evil, good actions being unavoidable become less praiseworthy. Thus, the more inwardly holy any man is, the less esteem are his piety, justice, and charity entitled to; for he can scarcely do otherwise. An angel, as confirmed in holiness, is still less entitled to commendation; for in some sense it is impossible he should do otherwise than be holy. He cannot sin. And through necessary excellency of nature, it is strictly impossible God should do any thing inconsistent with the most consummate wisdom, justice, truth, and goodness. He cannot and shall we say, this inability (which is the incommunicable glory of his nature) renders him less entitled to our admiring, adoring, grateful love, than otherwise he would be?

Every one must see what confusion would be introduced into civil and domestick concerns, if no regard were paid to this distinction, and an inveterate propensity were allowed as an excuse for crimes and it introduces equal perplexity into all our discourses on divine things; because it runs directly counter to all our rules of judging characters and actions. A good outward action, without the least correspondent disposition, is in reality mere hypocrisy: as the disposition to good and aversion to evil increase, good actions have more genuine sincerity, and the character more amiableness. When we can say with the apostles, "We cannot but do," so, and so we are entitled to as much esteem and approbation as mere men can be. This moral inability to evil is much stronger in angels and the spirits of just men made perfect; and therefore we are taught to look forward to such a holy estate and temper, as the summit of our wishes and desires and God himself, who, being under no restraint, but doing his whole pleasure, cannot but be perfectly and unchangeably holy, is proposed as the object of entire love, admiring gratitude, and adoring praise.

On the other hand, a bad action, if done without intention, or the least disposition to such moral evil, is deemed purely accidental, and not culpable. When it is contrary to a man's general

or to part with every forbidden indulgence, to renounce the world and deny themselves, to take up their cross and follow Christ; and without this willingness they cannot be his disciples. This is the real, and the only, hindrance. Were they once willing they would ask, and God would give them, all the rest.

Do they not come because these blessings were not intended for them? No man out of hell can possibly know this respecting himself; and very few habitually think it. God's secret purposes and open declarations perfectly coincide; "But secret things belong unto the LORD our God, and the "things which are revealed, to us;" (a distinction not sufficiently attended to:) the former are not, and cannot be, the rule of our conduct, but the latter are; and these exclude none, but such as

disposition and character, and the effect of sudden temptation, it is considered as more venial than when the effect of a rooted disposition and for a criminal to plead, I am so propense to theft and cruelty, that I could not help it,' would be to condemn himself as the vilest miscreant, not fit to live, in the opinion of judge, jury, and spectators.

There can be no difficulty in proving that this distinction is implied throughout the Bible, and has its foundation in the nature of things; and so far from being novel, it is impossible that any rational creature can be unacquainted with it. No man ever yet missed the distinction between the sick servant who could not work, and the lazy servant who had no heart to his work; that is, betwixt natural and moral inability: and no man could govern even his domesticks in a proper manner, without continually adverting to it.

will not come to the feast.' Esau sold his birth-right for one morsel of meat. The Lord indeed did not intend the birthright for Esau, but for Jacob; yet this, not being the motive of Esau's conduct, formed no excuse for it. He is condemned in Scripture as profane, a despiser of his birth-right, and an example of one who repented not till it was too late; and he is proposed as a warning to us, not to despise or abuse the mercy of God, lest our doom should be irreversibly determined.* Proud contempt of a free salvation, idolatrous love of earthly objects, and profane disregard for spiritual blessings, are the real motives of men's rejecting the gospel; and therefore no unknown purpose of God is allowed as an excuse. It is true, the Elect were of the same disposition, and had they been left to themselves, would have made the same choice: thus "boasting is excluded;" and God appears glorious in justice in condemning sinners, but more glorious in grace in saving believers.

"No man can come to me," saith our Lord, in the discourse from which our text is taken, except the Father which hath sent me draw him."

"They shall be all taught of God; every man

therefore, that hath heard and hath learned of "the Father, cometh to me." We are here informed how this otherwise insurmountable hindrance is removed. Men are drawn by rational

'Matthew xxii. 3. Luke xiv. 18,

Heb. xii. 17.

inducements, not forced by external violence: and this drawing is effected by the communication, not of new faculties, but of new dispositions and discoveries, which give a new direction to the judgment, desires, and affections. They are taught of God, and learn of the Father, who both opens the eyes of their understanding, takes the veil from their heart, and causes his light to shine upon them, and within them. Frequently after long patience with them, and preserving them during their ungodly course of life; in some cases, when they are grown more determined in wickedness than ever, and it might be supposed they were nigh unto destruction; by his Holy Spirit he shews them his glorious majesty and holiness, their relations and obligations to him, and the authority, extent, and reasonableness of his law. Thus he "convinces them of sin, of righteousness, and of 'judgment;" and lays open the eternal world to their view in all its tremendous importance: till alarmed at their danger, they tremble at his word, and take warning to flee from the wrath to come." Their terror is accompanied by humiliation and penitent remorse, when the Holy Spirit teaches them the odious nature and dreadful tendency of sin, and vileness of their own conduct and character: then every kind and degree of reformation and amendment proves utterly insufficient to appease their disquieted consciences. While others, after awakenings, take shelter in