pofition for its object, not the will; and yet from which the will certainly chooses good, in proportion as it is affimilated to the moral character of deity. In a word, there can be no obedience predicated of as certainly future, without an hypothetically neceffary caufation on the part of GOD.

$35. Mr. FLETCHER, in the following quotation, fpeaks good fenfe and found divinity: "GOD'S diftributive justice could never be displayed, nor could free obedience be paid by rationals, and crowned by the rewarder and judge of all the earth, unless rationals were FREE-willing creatures." But is it not wonderful that he fhould deny free agency to devils, and alfo limit the free agency of God? Of the bleffed GOD he says: "He does not exercise his liberty, in choofing moral good or evil." On the other hand, of Satan, he fays: "His liberty of choice is not exercifed about moral good or evil." Surely nothing but a desperate effort to uphold a falling cause could dictate fuch affertions; affertions thefe, diametrically oppofite to theological and philofophical axioms. For,

1. The choice of good, in preference to evil, is not praife-worthy except it be free. But God's choice of good in preference to evil is praife-worthy, therefore it is free.

2. The will that does not choose good, in preference to evil, is not a good will. But the will of GOD is good, therefore it is a will of preference.

The truth is, GOD's will is free by hypothetical neceffity only; and not by that abfolute neceffity

Scripture Scales, Part the Second, p. 279, 280.

for

for which Mr. F. pleads. To fay with him that the divine will is abfolutely neceffitated to any thing, is abfurd; and as much more injurious to truth than the fuppofition of a creature being fo neceffitated, as GoD is fuperior to creatures. Of all fatalisms this is the most abfurd. Hypothetical neceffity, which Calvinifts maintain, affords as firm and certain a conclufion as any premifes afford a certain inference. Instead, therefore, of exalting Fate to a fuperior throne, binding the will of the fupreme, we fay: GOD is a being of infinite, invariable goodness, wisdom, rectitude, &c. THEREFORE he always chooses good rather than its oppofite with infinite certainty.

On the SAME infallible principles we also demonftrate the confiftence of HUMAN freedom with hypothetical neceffity. On the one hand, IF he is a moral agent, he is free from abfolute neceffity: IF his difpofition be wife, good, upright, &c. we may infer his choice of good, rather than evil, in the fame proportion. On the other hand, IF his dif pofition be foolish, wicked, depraved, &c. an evil choice may be proportionably inferred. Now it is worthy of GOD, without infringing the liberty of the fubject, to influence and ameliorate the difpofition, from whence, in the fame proportion, may be inferred the certainty of a good choice. This is the only neceffity of good actions for which we plead.

And indeed Mr. FLETCHER, in his more conciliating moments, feems to allow fo much: " We never fuppofed," he says, "that the natural will of fallen man is free to good, before it is more or

lefs

lefs touched or rectified by grace.-We always maintained that the liberty of our will is highly confiftent with divine grace, by which it is put in a capacity of choofing life.-Nor is this freedom derogatory to free grace; for, as it was free grace that gave an upright free will to Adam at his creation; fo, whenever his fallen children think or at aright, it is because their free will is mercifully prevented, touched, and so far rectified by grace. All agree to afcribe to the free grace of grace.-All the Kedeemer ALL the freedom of man's will to GOOD. We give GOD in Chrift all the glory of our falvation, and we take care not to give him—any of the shame of our damnation.-At the Synod of Dort, the Arminians were fenfible that a gratuitous election can be defended by fcripture and reason.We grant, that although GOD as a Judge is no respecter of perfons; yet, as a BENEFACTOR, he is, and of course has a right to be, so far a respecter of perfons, as to bestow his favours in various degrees upon his creatures; dealing them to fome with a more sparing hand than he does to others.-We grant, that none of these peculiar elect fhall ever perish, though they would have perished had they not been faithful unto death; and we allow that, with respect to God's foreknowledge and omnifcience, their number is certain. It is indubitable, that GOD, as a fovereign Benefactor may, without fhadow of injuftice, difpenfe his favours, fpiritual and temporal, as he pleases.-According to all our doctrines of grace, perfons who are in glory like Peter, are infinitely more indebted to Chrift's

grace,

grace than perfons who lift up their eyes in torments like Judas.-Now this election in which Judas has no intereft, fprings from God's free grace, as well as from voluntary perfeverance in the free obedience of faith.-Therefore Peter, and all the faints in glory, are indebted to Chrift, not only for their rewards of additional grace upon earth, but alfo for all their eternal falvation, and for all the heavenly bleffings which flow from their particular redemption."*

If it be asked, wherein does Mr. FLETCHER'S fyftem differ from the Calvinistic one? The true anfwer is, In one fingle point-SELF-CONSISTENCY. Let Arminians holding the fentiments now quoted only be confiftent with themselves, and we ask no If what is now offered to the public should prove inftrumental in effecting fo defirable a purpose, one principal defign of the publication will be answered.

more.

$36. To conclude: Though I have examined Mr. FLETCHER'S principles with a freedom due to the importance of truth, the reader is again reminded that I regard his perfonal character, and the tendency of his practical writings very highly; especially his Portrait of St. Paul + and Pofthumous Letters. He was a man of prayer, mortified to the world, heavenly minded, steady and indefatigable in his exertions

Fourth check, p. 218, 219, 236. Fictitious and Genuine

Creed, pref. 6, 7, 10, 11. p. 16, 18.

A fecond edition of this work has been published in 2 vols. Svo. and fold by Longman, in London.

tions to fave fouls from death, and direct them to "Jefus Chrift and him crucified,” and lead them in the way of holiness and peace. When therefore I view the chara&er of Mr. FLETCHER, it is with no fmall regret that I find it requifite to animadvert on his controverfial writings, and to obferve his prejudices running fo high againft-Calvinism, fhall I fay? Nay, rather, against a man of straw to which he gives that name.

And even in his oppofition to what he calls Calvinism, I can give him full credit that his defign was praife-worthy-to vindicate the divine character, maintain the reign of holiness in the church, and spread truth in the world. In this defign I have the pleasurable consciousness of concurring; but how far the fyftem he defended, compared with what is here propofed, is calculated to promote the proposed defign, is now left for public decifion.

SECT. V.