various causes this moral principle may be darkened, paralyzed, and silenced; but when freed from embarrassment, as it must be in a future world, it will reproach the transgressor for the least offence. But this reprover, in the clearest light and the most active performance of its duty, cannot be made in this, or any other world, to condemn us for that which we could not have done with a willing mind. To state the argument in few words-there cannot be a neglect of duty without sin; but there is no sin in not doing that for which we have not the requisite natural ability—then that which we cannot perform, and consequently neglect with impunity, cannot be our duty.

2. The sentiment under consideration is sustained by the fact, that man cannot create natural ability. He ought, indeed, to cultivate and strengthen the talents God has given him; but it never was, and never can be his duty to create powers which God has in a sovereign manner withheld. Men are never commanded to add one cubit to their stature, change the color of their hair, or create for themselves eyes and ears, if born blind and deaf. It would be quite as impossible for man to furnish himself with a faculty of the mind, which he did not receive from the hand of nature, as to supply the lack of any bodily organ. Now, if something more than a disposition is needful to the performance of an action-give it what name you please call it natural ability, or what you will-if this needful something be not possessed, it cannot be a man's duty to perform an action which requires power, he has not and

cannot create.

3. The reasonableness of the Divine law offers further evidence of the truth suggested by the text. Admit that which it would be infidelity to deny, that the law of the Lord is perfect, and our position is put among the truths which duration will not change. That the commands of God are just, may be proved by the source from which they come, the nature of the duties they enjoin, and their application to successive generations of men, in the endless variety of circumstances in which they are found. But the justice of a law always supposes the power of obedience in him to whom such law is given. A just law only requires and prohibits those things which grow out of the relations of intelligent beings, and accords with principles which were wholly independent of such law. A deviation from the strictest adherence to these principles would make a law radically defective, let the source be what it might from which it came. It is perfectly clear, then, that a reasonable law measures out the duty of man in exact proportion to his ability, never requiring any more nor any less than he is able to perform.

4. The sanctions of the law and the threatenings of God's word all speak in vindication of the doctrine before us. The Bible never condemns men, nor threatens condemnation except for neglecting that which might have been done, or doing that which might have been avoided. The prospect of heaven is held out to men, not in connexion with impossibilities, but in connexion with those things which they can do with a willing mind. On the other hand condemnation is written against them, for that alone, which they did freely and voluntarily. If God does threaten men with present evils and future destruction, and these threatenings always respect voluntary actions, then every

denunciation of the Scriptures proves that the duty of man never exceeds his powers to obey.

5. In support of the position we have taken, we have the testimony of the wise and good in all ages, and in a future day every intelligent being will give his assent to its truth. It has already been shown that no dividing line between right and wrong, but that assumed in the text, could ever commend itself to the understanding and conscience of men, and that no law but one formed on such principles of moral obligation can be holy and good. Then as the wise and good in all ages have approved of the law, and fully justified all God has required of men, it will follow that the duty of man never has exceeded the bounds prescribed in the text, nor has God ever required of man that which he has not given him ability to perform. That of which good men are convinced in this world, all will be convinced of in the world to come, that God condemns only for the neglect of that which they might have done. If the enlightened and free exercise of reason will constrain every rational being to approve of the rule of duty, as perfectly equal and just, then that rule must require precisely what man is capable of performing.

6. The joys of the righteous in heaven and the sorrows of the impenitent in hell, go to prove the truth of our doctrine. Let the conviction be removed from the redeemed, that justice without mercy would have assigned them a different place, and their loudest notes of praise would be silenced. On the other hand, the keenest, if not the only pains of the lost in hell, are created by the inwrought and never yielding conviction that they perish for doing that which they were not compelled to do, and neglecting that which they had the power of doing. If the suffering in hell could feel for an hour that mighty power, and not undeviating justice, put them there, it would be an hour of alleviation. Then it is perfectly plain that fallen angels and wicked men will eternally feel that they are where they ought to be. Who but must see that every note of praise in heaven, and every pain in hell, go to prove that the duty of man is measured by his ability, never imposing any more than he is capable of performing?

Our subject suggests the following inferences:

1. Is the duty of man measured by his ability, then the entire free agency of man is acknowledged by God in all his dealings with him. By free agency we understand the power and liberty of following the supreme inclinations of the heart. Such freedom is perfectly consistent with entire dependence—with an unbroken succession of volitions and actions of the same moral character,and no less consistent with the indispensable connexion between choice and action. As the Bible ever asserts man as thus free, it requires him to do that, and only that, which he can do with a willing mind.

2. If the duty of man commences and ends with his ability to perform, then he is able to do every thing God has required of him. The opinion of natural men is both false and destructive, that they have many pious desires, but are unable to exccute them. Men with these views may be alarmed, but they never can be convinced of sin, till they sec and feel that the only reason

why they have not repented, believed in Christ, loved God supremely, and made themselves a new heart, has been the voluntary choice of their own will. I most sincerely believe in the doctrine of entire dependence, and yet I fear the doctrine is too often stated in a manner to give the sinner wrong views of his difficulty and quiet his conscience. A distinction should here be made which is constantly observed in the government of every family,-I mean a distinction between ability to perform a given action and a disposition to perform such action. It may be said it is idle to talk of ability where there is not a willing mind:-then it is idle to talk of accountability in an unholy man.

3. The seat of human depravity is manifest from our subject. That in man, which chooses his object of supreme affection, and determines and directs his actions, is the seat of his depravity. As the authority and influence of the will are extended to every power of the mind and body, when this is corrupted and alienated, the effects are seen in all over which it presides. The difficulty does not lie in a darkened understanding, and dimness of moral perception, but in a "WILL NOT" in relation to all God has required. The understanding of the sinner will be enlightened, and his conscience made quick and powerful, in hell; but his depravity will remain. It is important that men should know what we mean when we say they are totally depraved. Many objections to this doctrine owe their origin to the indistinct manner of presenting it. If I have a deadly disease about me, let me know its seat and symptoms.

4. It is perfectly manifest from what has been said that no new powers and faculties are given or needed in regeneration. If the duty of man is and ever has been limited to his ability, then all he needs or receives in regeneration is a disposition to do what he was always able to do. Grace applies the remedy where the disease holds its empire,-the man is only made willing to serve God according to that which he hath, and not according to that which he hath not. We see then why cold speculative reasoning, which goes only to the understanding, will simply put in order the furniture of the head, and why the most eloquent lectures on the beauties of virtue and the deformities of vice, will only make clear the outside of the man. The sharpest arrows of truth must be directed to the very point where the Holy Ghost does his work in regeneration.

5. If the duty of man is limited by his ability to perform, then the justice of his condemnation is demonstrated. In this world men may and do find fault when told that they are in danger of future and endless condemnation. Men generally believe their sins few, and a multitude suppose they have done as well as they could. But the truth is, no man has done as well as he could who has not done all his duty. This truth will appear most clearly another day. In this world men have a thousand reasons for their impiety, but in another world they will all be resolved into one, when it shall be said, Bring hither mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me. The controversy between God and man will then be stripped of all that ignorance, pride, and sophistry have drawn about it, and be exhibited as it is, directly between the heart and a perfectly holy law.

6. We see that distinguishing mercy is consistent with the impartiality of God and the freedom of man. If God requires of man only what he could do if he would-if the reason why man does not do his duty is wholly in his unwillingness-and if a change of heart consists in simply giving a disposi tion to do that which all have the natural power of doing,-then the grace of God in giving a disposition to be holy to some and not to all, is free from all the objections which have been urged against it. If grace removed some mighty defect in natural ability, and this was not done for all, then there might be a want of justice in the distinction; but this is not the case. If the conditions of salvation were any thing but what they are, it might be unjust in God to have mercy on whom he will have mercy. But as the salvation of man depends on that which is within his reach, if he has a willing mind, let his circumstances be what they may; he has not the shadow of a cause to find fault if left to follow his own inclination down to endless perdition. When he hears the redeemed sing of grace which saved them, he will eternally know that it was grace which he refused. There is no world of which we have any knowledge, where the distinguishing mercy of God is found fault with, but the world in which we live, and surely there is no world where there is less cause. If the understanding and conscience of men governed them rather than their heart, not an objection would be heard to the sovereignty of Divine grace.

7. This subject shows to all that hear me, that nothing has prevented, and nothing now prevents your salvation but your own heart. If you came to the house of God destitute of piety, this was the reason-if you go away impenitent, this will be the reason. If you are condemned at last, and perish in hell, this will be the reason. Sinner, what wilt thou, what canst thou say, when God shall deal with thee?

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TESTIMONIALS.

From the Quarterly Christian Spectator.

6

"We do not hesitate to say, that Mr. Dickinson has adopted one of the happiest expedients hitherto devised, for eliciting that diversity of gifts,' in the Christian ministry, which infinite wisdom and benevolence have bestowed for the edification of the body of Christ, and for bringing sinners to the foot of the cross."

From Professors of Princeton Theological Seminary.

The plan, proposed by the Rev. AUSTIN DICKINSON, of publishing a Monthly Series of Sermons, from the pens of respectable Ministers of different denominations of Christians in the United States, is one, which, in our opinion, may be rendered highly interesting, and extensively useful. We do therefore willingly recommend the undertaking to the patronage of the Christian community.

A. ALEXANDER. SAMUEL MILLER.