that which was good. And when Ananias informed him that God had chosen him, he was influenced to choose the good part; "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," saith the Saviour. Paul's conversion was the effect of force, fear, will, and choice; and all was of grace.

Quot. Nothing will bring a man to seek his happiness in God, in this world, but real

grace. Answ. "When it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, then he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail." "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me,” John vii. 34, "Ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins." Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." All these seek for happiness in God, but find it not; therefore are not partakers of real grace.

Quot. The splendid professor may soar aloft in the air; but, like the crow, he comes to the earth for his food.

Answ. It is peculiar to the real saints to soar aloft. God is said to bear them as upon eagles' wings; and it is added, "They shall mount up with wings as eagles: they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Nor is Tim's splendid professor obliged to come to the earth for his food; the Devil, who is the prince of the power of the air, and who keeps his court there, can just as well feed him in the air as upon the earth.

Quot. The evangelist mentions some "They

went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would, no doubt, have continued with us."

Answ. To go out of a church that is planted and watered by the ministry of an evangelist, is a scriptural mark of reprobation; but to forsake the ministry, the doctrines, and the rule or government, of such a man as Timothy Priestley, appears to me to be a mark of real grace, for it is obedience to the Father's will; "Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." And it is added, by way of threatening, that "the companion of fools shall be destroyed."

Quot. A covetous man, in a dangerous disorder, especially in extreme pain, will part with his money to a physician or surgeon, rather than lose his life or limb; but this is purely force. ́

Answ. How can it be purely force, when it is at every man's option whether he will have a doctor or not? Besides, you say he will part with his money rather than lose a limb; and if he does this willingly, how can it be force? There is the force of truth, and often force of argument, and always the force of divine power, used in bringing every elect sinner to God. 66 Compel them to come in;" Bring them in;" "They shall come after me in chains.' There is force in all these expressions; but, for the want of regeneration, Timothy cannot describe it, therefore his aim is to set it aside. If he had said, 'I forced myself into the vineyard,

and I forced myself to publish this glass, just as Saul forced himself to offer an offering,' he would have said the truth; and his own conscience would have borne witness to it.

Quot. It is love that is the cause why we see ourselves.

Answ. I should have thought that light had been the sole cause of self-discovery. "Whatsoever maketh manifest is light." The word, ourselves, should have been left out: for Timothy never had one real view of his own heart; nor of the desperate evil of sin; nor of the spirituality of the law; nor of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We need no other proof than this Looking-glass.

Quot. The unregenerate man, whatever effect terror or conviction may have on him, will only comply with religion on account of something future, such as an escape from eternal punish

ment.

Answ. Paul began here: he knew the terrors of the Lord, and therefore persuaded men. The Psalmist began here also; "Fearfulness and trembling hath taken hold upon me, and I am afraid of thy judgments." This was part of Noah's religion. He was warned of God of future things, of things not seen as yet: and being moved with fear, he prepared an ark to the saving of his house and by this he condemned the world. Such souls fear, and depart from evil. They foresee the evil, and hide themselves; while the

wicked pass on and are punished. John's pupils had fear and torment, till perfect love cast it out: all sincere souls comply with religion, on account of something future; to escape hell, and obtain heaven, is all they have in view.

Quot. Could any one assure him he should overcome all sin, and never turn back to folly, it would be more than taking a thorn out of his foot; it would be a salvation above all salvations.

Answ. It is true: to assure a man of his own salvation is a greater miracle than that of drawing a thorn out of the foot. The latter may be done with a pair of pliers, or pincers; but the former is the work of omnipotence put forth, communicated, and displayed; it is Almighty strength made perfect in human weakness. And salvation from sin is greater than all salvations. It is the first revealed branch of it. Jesus shall save his people from their sins, from devils, from wrath, from death, and from hell, and saves them to heaven. Tim. has illuminated his Christian, put a new man upon him, raised him from the dead, and regenerated him; and yet he tacitly owns that he is not saved from sin, and that he has not faith. This is evident, because Tim. wants some man to assure him that he shall overcome sin; and, by doing this, the miracle would be greater than drawing a thorn out of his foot. I should like to take a thorn out of Timothy's hand; for I am sure these abominable lies and confusion, which are called an account of regeneration, will wound, perplex, entangle,

"As a

and pierce, many a poor seeking sinner. thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard; so is a parable in the mouth of fools," Prov. xxvi. 9,

Quot. The false convert moves like a machine which has a weight, or spring, which is the cause of all the motion..

Answ. One would think this is a description of a sound convert; for he is like a machine under the work of regeneration: it is God that worketh all his works in him, and he hath both a weight and a spring in him: he has the weight of a daily cross on him, and a spring of living water in him, which keeps him in motion.

Quot. Take that off, and all the wheels are motionless.

Answ. I say, no: the convert that has got a weight on him, and a spring in him, cannot lose them; they cannot be taken away: therefore the wheels will not be motionless; for the spirit of the living creature is in the wheels.

Quot. But he who is born of the Spirit has a principle of life within himself.

Answ. If he has got a principle of life within him, Christ, who is the life, and the living God, must take up his residence in him; and such an one is dead, yet Christ liveth in him.

Quot. It is impossible for artists to imitate nature, both in shape and motion; but to give such an image life, and an appetite for food, only an Almighty Jehovah can do this.