In the parables of the Sower, (Luke viii. 5,) and of the Tares in

the field, (Matt. xiii., 24,) the good seed of tbe word is re-

presented as sown by Christ himself in every heart; as the

tares are by Satan; and we become assimilated to, and identified

with the good or the evil seed, according as we attach ourselves

to either.......

...pp. 74–85.

In yielding to the drawings of the Adversary, no acknowledgment

of his presence or power is required, but in living by faith, there

is the conscious receiving of power from God...........pp. 85--91.

Christ, in John vi. 37–44, teaches the Jews that those who come

to Him drawn by worldly motives, do not come truly or profit-

ably to Him-and that none can come truly to Him, except

those who listen to and follow the inward voice....... pp. 91–118.

The meaning of the words, (Acts xiii. 48,)“ As many as were or-

dained unto eternal life, believed,” shown to be that those who

were obeying the call of the Father, having their hearts directed

towards eternal life, believed and welcomed the Apostle's words

concerning Christ--The case of Lydia considered, pp. 118—130.

..................................

Prophecies of spiritual blessings referring to the future history of

the children of Israel, sometimes regarded as unconditional,

shown to be merely the repetition of promises in the books of

Moses, where their humility and acknowledgment of sin are

the expressed conditions,.....

..pp. 130–143.

The doctrine of God's dealing with men in the way of rewards

and punishments, not inconsistent with free grace, inasmuch as

they are rewarded or punished according as they accept or re-

fuse the grace bestowed. 6 Who maketh thee to differ from

another ?" i Cor. iv. 247,............. .....

..pp. 143-155.

The importance and value of the Bible not impaired by insisting

on the necessity of the corresponding inward word, pp. 155—177.

A belief in miracles does not necessarily imply living faith--faith

opposed to sight-1 Cor. ii. 9–14; 2 Peter i. 10; 1 Peter ii. 149,

pp. 177–197.

God's dealings with nations and individuals in giving them pecu-

liar privileges and gifts, quite consistent with His being no re-

specter of persons ---His judgment being according to the im.

provement made of them...........

....pp. 197---203.

Rom. i. ii. iii. 1—21.-A setting forth of the universal prevalence

of sin, and corresponding universality of the Gospel. The re-

ference to the prophecy of Habakkuk illustrates the nature of

the righteousness of faith, showing it to be a confident trust in

God's guidance, even when He leads by a way of sorrow and

death. This faitb exemplified by Christ...............pp. 203—219.

Justification by faith farther illustrated and explained, pp. 219-229.

Rom. iii. 21–26.-Christ the Head of our race, and in his actings

in our nature an example to us of the righteousness which is by

faith. This righteousness acknowledged of God in the case of

Abraham, and typified in the sacrifices of the ceremonial law,

pp. 229–252.

The superabounding of grace over sing.....................pp. 253—257.

The Fall, Original Sin, and the Restoration.............. pp. 257--284.

Comparison between the Law and the Gospel...........pp. 284-302.

Rom. v. 15.-The restoration through Christ, co-extensive with,

and fully compensatory of the Fall through Adam, pp. 302—308.

Rom. v. 16, 17.-The selfishness and alienation from God, which

are inherited from Adam, met by the parallel working of the

gift of righteousness, a good principle or spirit, infused into the

race through Christ, which being Christ's own nature, leads

those who receive it or accept its guidance, into a participation

in Christ's kingdom.........

...pp. 308-329.

Rom. vi. 1–13.-A man becomes a true receiver or accepter of

the gift of righteousness, only by partaking in Christ's death,

pp. 329-337.

Rom. vi. 14—23.-By coming truly under grace, man is delivered

from the dominion which sin had over him, while he remained

under the law,..........

................

pp. 337–342.

Rom. vii. 1-6.-As the condemnation of the Law lies on the old

man, or the carnal nature, it lies also on those who are married

to the old man, or who live in the carnal nature, and they can

escape from it, only by dying to the old man, and so separating

themselves from him, and his condemnation..........pp. 342-348.

Rom. vii. 7—25.-The working of the Law unfolded, pp. 348–358.
Rom. viii. 1.-4.--Deliverance from the condemnation of the law, and

from the power of sin, through participating in the Spirit of

life, or the nature of Christ, which condemns sin in the flesh,

pp. 358-380.

Rom. viii. 5—25.--Description of the carnal mind and the spir.

itual mind. The spiritually-minded constitute God's family ;

and they accept their punishment, as the first part of their in-

heritance, appointed to prepare them for the second, which

is the glory,...

........... pp. 380—393.

Rom. viii. 26–39.-The Searcher of hearts, searcheth for spiritual

minds, and when He discovers any one becoming spiritual, He

immediately puts it under a new discipline, suited to its new

character..........

......

...pp. 393—414.

Rom. ix. 1–13.—Isaac and Jacob, types of the spiritual mind,

and of its blessing ; Ishmael and Esau, types of the carnal

mind and of its condemnation. The promises belonged ex-

clusively to the spiritual mind; and therefore, carnal Israel,

;

although set up as the type of the spiritual mind, had no claim

to them,....

............pp. 414-431.

Rom. ix. 14—18.-The righteousness of God in the rejection of

Israel, after a long forbearance, asserted, -and illustrated by

His dealings with Pharaoh,....

...pp. 431-470.

Rom. ix. 19—26.-God had a right to condemn and punish Israel's

sin, although He had used that sin for the accomplishment of

His purposes. The calling of the Gentiles agreeable to pro-

phecy,.........

..........pp. 470–492.

ConclusION.- True natural religion,-The connection between the

conscience and true religion,-The duty of trying all things by

conscience,-The separation of doctrines from inward conscious-

ness,-“ Thou knowest not whence it cometh, nor whither it

goeth,”—Edwards on the Freedom of the Will, and his defective

definition of liberty,—The essential conditions of human liberty,

--The liberty wherewith the Son maketh free, ......pp. 492---570.

...................

PREFACE.

I did not intend to put a Preface to this Work; but, now that it is finished, I find so many things in it which stand in need of the reader's indulgence, that I think it well, at the entrance, to warn him of them, and to bespeak his patience.

The first half of the book was written under the disadvantage of frequent interruptions, which I am sensible have very often broken the thread of thought and interest; and with regard to the entire work, it has happened, chiefly I confess from my own fault, that

every sheet was printed as soon as it was written, so that I never saw it, nor could judge of it, as a whole, until the last sheet came from the press.

From these causes have proceeded defects in the arrangement, and frequent repetitions, besides other faults, which are now beyond the reach of correction, and which I feel, must hang a drag on many parts of the book.

Nevertheless, I am not without hope that the reader who is interested in the subject, will find in the book that which will repay him for the trouble of going through it. Not that he will meet with any deep thinking in it, or any striking speculations; for I have throughout kept the place of a commentator or expositor, confining myself entirely within the range of the written word and human consciousness, and scarcely attempting to touch the metaphysical questions relating to Free Will and Necessity ; but I think he will find in it a satisfactory view of what is meant by Election in the Bible, and satisfactory proof that the passages in the Bible on which the commonly received doctrine of that name rests, do indeed teach something very different. He will also find, that, though I have treated the subject simply as a Scriptural one, yet, in doing so, I have never forgotten that the Scriptures were given, not to supersede or stand in place of the rational conscience, but to awaken and enlighten it, and consequently that no conviction as to their meaning ought to be considered as rightly arrived at, unless confirmed and sealed by the consent of the conscience, that is, unless such conviction be of the nature of a perception of truth, and not a mere submission to authority; and that therefore I have always felt it incumbent on me, to explain the views which I bring from Scripture, in the light of the rational conscience, that is, to show the relation which they bear to it.

I have entered largely into the subject of Conscience, and the adaptation of the Scriptures to it, and into the consideration of those general and elementary views of the condition of man, as a moral