effects. Now in the spiritual sense, have we not high demonftration? We feel the disorder, and all its baneful confequences. We know that he who offers the cure has power to produce it. We know too, that the cause must be perfectly understood by him, and we think it not superstition to truft him, whose omniscience forefees and fearches all caufes, and whofe omnipotence is adequate to all effects. We had rather truft the declaration of an infallible God, than the affertions of fallible man, who can understand but little, and prove ftill lefs. We believe therefore that original fin "is the fault and corruption of the nature of

every man that naturally is engendered of "the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very " far gone from original righteousness, and is 66 of his own nature inclined to evil." The fin of Adam may have affected the moral nature in the fame way as bodily distemper is communicable to fucceffive generations. Here is analogy; "so that the flesh lusteth always con

trary to the Spirit:" and who will be so confident as to deny this pofition? Who will dare to affirm, that his natural affections are not often at variance with the will of Heaven? Who fhall dare to affirm, that his virtues are

unmixed with weakness and error? Who will have the presumption to claim the praise of perfect moral excellence?

The article thus proceeds: "And therefore "in every perfon born into the world, it de"ferveth God's wrath and damnation." What? Sin undoubtedly; that being morally and effentially hateful to God. There is nothing in all this which is not maintained and fupported in the preaching of every rational member of the Church. But in the following clause of the article, we meet with an affertion, which muft confound the pretenfions of enthusiasts; that the infection of nature doth remain,

yea, in those which are regenerated." Fanaticifm entertains very different ideas of regeneration. Spiritual pride elates itself above all inferior beings. It cannot fall from grace.

We next come to an article, which is the fubject of much dispute and misapprehension: The juftification of man. "We are accounted

righteous before God, only for the merit of "our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift by faith, "and not for our own works or defervings." This is fo undeniable, that we may add in the fubfequent words, "Wherefore, that we are "juftified by faith only, is a moft wholesome

"doctrine, and very full of comfort." That juf tification can only depend on the good pleasure and the will of God, is fo conformable to every idea of omnipotence, that no one can object to the doctrine. Whoever fhall confider the imperfection of our nature; how much of weakness is mixed with all our endeavours; that the higheft degree or act of virtue has an alloy, will not prefume on any act or any power of his own. It may be faid, Who could abide, if God be extreme to mark even our best actions? The most pure of human beings can perhaps fcarcely, ftand the fcrutiny of the Searcher of hearts. But even admit that our virtue were perfect, yet God may pleafe whether he will accept it, or not. Salvation and justification are the free gift and bounty of the Creator, juft as strength, or health, or any temporal enjoyment. It is a free gift or grace of God. He who makes conditions may propofe alfo the mode of acceptance: for he who has the power of granting terms, has fome fovereignty, fome natural or acquired authority; and though our fubfequent conduct may entitle us to the privilege annexed to the performance of the condition, yet the nature of thofe conditions being abfolutely in the power

of the maker or the impofer, if they be easy, it is his bounty who frames them fo. Now here we have Omnipotence in oppofition to creature: abfolute power opposed to abfolute weaknefs. Every thing on the part of the creature is given; nothing can be claimed. We have no right to the goodness or the mercy of God. We are his offspring. We are under the neceffity of complying with his will; and where conditions are propofed by abfolute power, even those are a bounty. In earthly transactions there may be fome claim between contracting parties. But between God and man it is not fo; between the Creator and his creature all is benevolence on the one part, and all obligation on the other.

It is further evident, that faith is the mean by which our falvation through Chrift is to be obtained. He who accepts the promises of God muft believe on him, and on his belief is founded the acceptance of the covenant made between him and the Almighty. Now we can only come to God through Chrift; he is the way and the life, and befides him there is no other. We must therefore be justified through faith in Chrift; we can be justified by no other mode. Works are the proof of our perform

ance, but they are not the terms; for God does not fave us because we can offer him any thing of right, but because we trust in him through Christ, who ratified the covenant. For the new covenant is not the acceptance of man, because his works have any natural claim, but because God through Christ has been pleased to promise acceptance. Chrift is the ratifier of the covenant, and faith the bond or inftrument of our adherence to the Saviour. Further, without faith we cannot have communion with Christ, and therefore by the inftrumentality of that faith are we faved. Works, it is evident, cannot fave us without faith; and as they are produced only by the co-operation of God, and not alone by our own powers, they are the confequences of grace, but not the fole conditions of falvation, For God does not fave because man is a worker of righteousness, but because righteousness is worked through faith in Chrift, who ratifies the covenant, who accepts and confirms it for us. In all fuch questions it must be confeffed that there is much intricacy, and therefore they are to be understood only in conformity to Scripture and reafon: but from this statement, which is, I truft, the general belief of the