grace of God; for, says he2, "He dwells in us who were under the servitude of death, opening to us the door of the temple, which is the mouth; μετανοιαν διδες ημιν, and giving repentance to us, introduces us into the incorruptible temple." He observes, that Chrift "chose his Apostles to preach the Gospel, ενίας υπερ πασαν αμαρίιαν αναμωλερες, ---being more finful than all fin it felf; that he might shew he came not to call the righteous, but finners to repentance." And in another place he says, "See how well Mofes gave the law, but whence is it that they know and understand these things? We therefore justly understanding the commandments speak as the Lord hath willed; wherefore he E Shath circumcised our ears and hearts, ειωμεν ταύλα, that we may understand these things." Wherefore he blesses the Lord for what knowledge and understanding in divine things he is pleased to give, saying d, " Blessed be our Lord, ο σοριαν ής νεν θεμενα εν ημιν των κρυριων αυίς, who hath put in us wisdom and understanding of his hidden things." To which may be added that prayer of his, "God that governs all the world, δων υμιν σοριαν, give you wisdom, understanding, prudence, and knowledge of his commandments, with patience." ινα συ * Ib. p. 247. Ib. § 8. p. 233. Ib. Par. 2. §3. p. 253. blh. § 4. p. 218. Ib. § 5. p. 221. NUMB. Justin Martyr afsserts the necessity of the Igrace grace of God to the right understanding of the Scriptures; ει εν τις μη μεία μεγάλης χαειλα της παρα Θες λαβοί, "unless, says he, any therefore should undertake with the great grace which is from God, to understand the things which are faid and done by the prophets, it will be of no advantage to him to seem to read the words or facts, unless he can render a reason for them." And in another place, speaking to Trypho the Jew, and those that were with him, he says, "Do you think, O men, that we could ever have been able to have understood these things in the Scriptures, ει μη θελημαλι τε θελησανία αυτα ελαβομεν χαριν τε νοησαι, unless by the will of him that wills these things we had received grace to understand them." Addressing himself to the same men, he says h, "Cease to deceive your selves and them that hear you, and learn of us, των σωριπενίων απο της το Χρι58 xacil, who are made wife by the grace of Christ." And having mentioned the text in • Dialog. cum Tryph. p. 319. 8 Ib. p. 346. 3 h Ib. p. 259. U 4 Matt. Matt. xi. 27. he adds, "Therefore he hath revealed all things to us, which from the Scripture, δια της χαριζα αυ18 vevonngμεν, through his grace we have an understanding of, knowing him to be the first born of God, and before all creatures." Yea, says he", "To us is given to hear, and to understand, and to be saved by this Christ, and to know all the things of the Father." Nay, Eufebius says, that he openly declares in his dialogue with Trypho, "how, η θεια χαρις αυλον επί τον της πιςεως παρορμησε λόγον, of the grace of God impell'd him to the doctrine of faith, i. e powerfully wrought upon him to embrace and make a profeffion of it; which expresses the efficacy of divine grace in its irresistible and unfruftrable operations upon his heart, which Justin had an experience of.. G Dr. Whitbym cites a passage from this writer, in which he says, that "God sent his Son into the world, ως πειθων, & βιαζομενου, as perfuading, but not compelling man to be good." But no fuch words are to be found in the place he refers to. Justin there fays", that "to be from the beginning is not ours; but us, who chuse by the rational powers which he gives, to follow those : Ib. p. 326. 1 Eccl. Hift. 1. 4. c. 18. p. 140. k Ib. p. 350. * Difcourse on the five Points, p. 266. Ed. 2. 260: Apolog. 2. pro Chriftian. p. 58. things which are grateful to him, πειθει τε τής εις πισιν αγει ημας, be perfuades and leads to faith." That God perfuades men to believe no body denies; nor does any fay that The compels them to believe, or to be good against their wills; but the question is, whether his perfuafions are merely moral ? or, Whether they are attended with an in- 2ternal, powerful, and unfruftrable operation of his grace? It looks as if Justin meant the latter, since he adds, "What human laws could not effect, that the Λογα, or Word, being divine, has performed." Now human laws working only by moral fuafion are deficient; but the divine Word, or Son of God, working in a way of irrefistible grace, produces that which they cannot. NUMB. IV. IRENAEUS. A. D. 180. Renaeus, Renaeus, in many places, shews that the Spirit and Grace of God are necessary to the knowledge of God, to our performance of good works, and bringing forth good fruits of righteousness; for, says he°, "The Lord hath taught us, that no man can know God, nifi Deo docente, hoc eft fine Adv. Haeref. 1. 4. c. 14. p. 331. Deo Deo non cognosci Deum, unless God teaches bim, that is, God is not, or cannot be known without God." And in another place, "Him we rightly shew is known by none, unless by the Son, and fuch to whom the Son will reveal him; for the Son reveals him to all, to whom the Father would be known, et neque fine bona voluntate patris, neque fine administratione filii cognofcet quisquam Deum, and neither without the good will and pleasure of the Father, nor without the administration of the Son, can any one know God." And in the fame place he reprefents men in a state of nature as comparable to stones, in whom Christ, by the mighty power of his grace, works the same kind of faith as was in Abraham; for having cited Matt. iii. 9. he makes this observation, "This Jesus did, drawing us off from the religion of stones, and translating us, a nostris duris et infructuosis cogitationibus et fimilem Abrahae fidem conftituens, from our hard and unfruitful thoughts, putting in us faith like to that of Abraham." Very observable, and much to our purpose, is the following passage of this antient writer, "As, says he 9, of dry wheat, one lump, or one loaf, cannot be made without moisture, so neither we, being many, can be made one in Christ Jesus, fine aqua quae de PIb. c. 16. p. 333 I Ib. 1. 3. c. 19. P. 280. coela |