Q. Why were you regenerated?

A. The Spirit did it, without the concurrence of mỹ

agency.

Q. Why did the Spirit act thus?

A. Because Christ died, intentionally, to save me.
Q. Why did Christ die for you intentionally?

A. Because God loved me, and designed from all eter: nity, to save me.

This may appear plausible until we examine its coun terpart. There are some sinners in hell, to whom I propose the following questions.

Q. Why are you in hell?

A. Because we could not be glorified.
Q. Why could you not be glorified?
A. Because we were never adopted.
Q. Why were you not adopted?
A. Because we were not justified.
Q. Why were you not justified?
A. Because we did not believe.
Q. Why did you not believe?

A. Because we were not regenerated.
Q. Why were you not regenerated?
A. Because the Spirit would not do it.

Q. Why would not the Spirit change your hearts?
A. Because Christ never died for us, intentionally.
Q. Why did He not die for you, intentionally?

A. Because God never designed to save us.

So. you see, by placing Regeneration before Faith, that the damnation as well as salvation, of every sinner is hung on divine agency.

Now let us put Faith before Regeneration, and trace it to its origin, and see what will be the result.-First, Faith, thence to testimony, which is afforded, that the world may believe: thence to the Holy Spirit, who is come to convince the world of sin, &c. thence to the death of Christ: thence to the love of God, which is the beginning corner of faith. Let us now run back from the beginning corner, to the end. First, God loved the world; second, Christ died for the world; third, the Spirit strives with the world; fourth, the world may believe; fifth, those who believe are justified; sixth, those who are justified, are adopted; seventh, those who are adopted, receive the Spirit of adoption, or, are regenerated; eighth, those who are regener

ated, are sanctified, and, those who are sanctified, are also glorified.

With this order of things, let me inquire of a glorified saint.

Q. Why are you in heaven?
A. Because I was sanctified.
Q. Why were you sanctified?
A. Because I was Regenerated.
Q. Why were you regenerated?
A. Because I was adopted.
Q. Why were you adopted?
A. Because I was justified,
Q, Why were you justified?
A. Because I believed.
Q. Why did you believe?
A. Because I had testimony.

Q. Where did you get testimony?

A. From the Holy Spirit.

Q. Why did the Holy Spirit give you testimony?

A. Because Christ died for me.

Q. Why did Christ die for you?

A. Because God loved me.

Thus, you see, that Faith before Regeneration, brings the same glory to God, that Regeneration before faith does, In each case, the glorified saint ascribes all to divine ageney. But it does more. It makes the damnation of the sinner turn upon his own agency. With Faith before Regeneration, I begin with a sinner in hell, and run back. Q. Why are you in hell?

A. Because I could not be glorified.
Q. Why could you not be glorified?
A. Because I was not sanctified.
Q. Why were you not sanctified?
A. Because I was not regenerated.
Q. Why were you not regenerated?
A. Because I was not adopted.
Q. Why were you not adopted?
A. Because I was not justified.
Q. Why were you not justified?
A. Because I did not believe.
Q. Why did you not believe?

A. Because I would not. damnation turned.

Upon my own agency my

These are some of the reasons why I choose to put Faith before Regeneration. And I know of no other plan, that will embrace the doctrine which seems to be so clearly taught in the word of God, viz. that a sinner's damnation turns on his own agency.

CARDINAL POINTS.

The best way to decide points more obscure and less important, is by the more clear and important ones. They are generally more clear, while the less important are obscure. Every system has agreement and government. Just so with the system of divinity. I find in the creed of all orthodox christians the following sentiments, which I will set up at present, as leading or cardinal points, with which all our other sentiments will agree, if they be clear of error.

1st. There are some of Adam's family saved, and those who are saved are saved by grace, and God receives all the glory.

2nd. There are some sinners damned, and they are dam ned for refusing grace, and the guilt lies at their own door.

Now whatever may be the sentiments of christians, in other respects, they all agree in these two points, whether they be Calvinists or Armenians. IfI thought I believed one doctrine which had a tendency to destroy either of these points, I would renounce it,-and would not every Calvinist and Armenian do the same? IfI know my heart, I most firmly believe that some of Adam' family are saved, and those who are saved are saved by grace, and God receives the glory; and that some are damned, and that the fault is their own. No Calvinist can be more firm in the belief of salvation by grace, and no Armenian more settled in the belief of the guilt lying at the door of the sinner that is damned, than I am.

. But, if our system only embrace one of the above points, there is error somewhere. Some think if they can only save the sinner by grace, they secure all the glory to God, and it is not material how others are damned, whether by divine agency or their own. But our system ought to operate both ways and secure both points. If we maintain a sentiment in our system which appears to contribute to the glory of God, yet if we hold another, that certainly tarnishes the divine glory, we will loose more than we make; we destroy more glory than we gain.

I will now present you with two systems, which, though they embrace one of the above points severally, yet neither of them embrace both.

There is one class of divines that hang every thing on Sovereign agency: the system is called Predestination. This system considers every thing that comes to pass to have had a previous decree and is effected by divine agency. The doctrine of particular and eternal Election, limited atonement, and partial operations of the Spirit, is also connected with this system. It is contended that the will of all who are saved, is determined by divine influence to choose life, and all the others were either ordained to wrath or left unprovided for. Let us now run the line of this system, to see whether it will embrace both those leading points, by which we are to be governed. Some are saved, and saved by grace too, and God will receive all the glory of their salvation. But let us see whether the guilt of those who are damned, will lie at their own door. If every thing turn on divine agency, without the concurrence of man's agency, and those who are saved are saved by divine agency, we gain the first point. But the same agent that saves one damns another; so the other point is lost. Thus, you see, by hanging every thing on divine agency, man ceases to be the cause of his own damnation, and so the Calvinist looses more than he makes; for if he brings some glory to God by the first act, he looses more by the second than he gains by the first; therefore, there is error in his system somewhere.

A second system hangs every thing on man's agency, and teaches that man; though fallen, is capable of finding his way back to heaven, without the aid of divine influence. By this scheme, you can lay the guilt of the sinner at his own door; but this only secures one point-the other is

lost. Those who are damned, are the cause of their own damnation; but those who are saved, are saved by their own agency, and God is robbed of his glory :so itis evident there is error in this system also.

Neither of the foregoing systems will secure those cardinal points, which we stated in our outset; therefore, those who hang every thing either on divine sovereignty abstract from man's agency; or on man's agency abstract from divine agency, are evidently in error in some part of their plan.

I will now present you with a system which I think will secure both the points in question; therefore, it must be

true.

The government of God is composed of four different parts. In this government some things take place on Sovereign principles, others by the influence of established laws, others by man's agency, and others again, by a concurrence of divine and human agency. The will is not de-, termined by divine agency, as the Predestinarian supposes, nor by an over-balence of motive, as the necessarian says, nor does man possess a depraved self determining power to do good, as the Unitarian says: but, by the intervention of the son of God, he is placed under divine influence, which counteracts his depravity, untrammels his will, and renders him capable of choosing life as well as death, blessing as well as cursing; and in this situation, he possesses determining power-not a depraved self-determining power --but a determining power of the ability that God giveth. And as he is an agent in the government, he has ability to perform his part and is held accountable for what he can do, and ought to do. God will do his part in the government, but he will not do man's part-man can and must do his own.

But some object to any thing turning on man's agency, and to his having ability to do any thing. Those generally who hang every thing on divine agency, suspend the knowledge of God on his decrees, and say that God knows, every thing, because he has decreed every thing; and those who hang every thing on man's agency, generally say that God does not know every thing, or that he possesses the capacity of knowing every thing; yet does not choose to exercise it. But, I would remark, that an intelligent being must know all he does, but it is not neces