many set these passages at variance, and espouse the one in opposition to the other, he dwells with equal pleasure on them both ; and thinks it, on the whole, better to state these appa- rently opposite truths in the plain and unsophisticated manner of the Scriptures, than to enter into scholastic subtleties, that have been invented for the upholding of human systems. He is aware, that they who are warm advocates for this or that system of religion, will be ready to condemn him as incon- sistent : but, if he speak in exact conformity with the Scrip- tures, he shall rest the vindication of his conduct simply on the authority and example of the Inspired Writers. He has no desire to be wise above what is written, nor any conceit that he can teach the Apostles to speak with more propriety and correctness than they have spoken.
It may be asked perhaps, How do you reconcile these doc- trines, which you believe to be of equal authority and equal importance ? But what right has any man to impose this task on the preachers of God's word ? God has not required it of them ; nor is the truth or falsehood of any doctrine to be determined absolutely by this criterion. It is presumed, that every one will acknowledge the holiness of God, and the existence of sin : but will any one undertake to reconcile them ? or does any one consider the inability of man to recon- cile them, as a sufficient ground for denying either the one or the other of these truths ? If then neither of these points are doubted, notwithstanding they cannot be reconciled by us, why should other points, equally obvious in some respects, yet equally difficult to be reconciled in others, be incompatible, merely because we, with our limited capacity, cannot perfectly discern their harmony and agreement ?
But perhaps these points, which have been such a fruitful source of contention in the Church, are not so opposite to each other as some imagine : and it is possible, that the truly scriptural statement will be found not in an exclusive adoption of either, nor yet in a confused mixture of both, but in the proper and seasonable application of them both ; or, to use the language of St. Paul, " in rightly dividing the word of truth."
Here the Author desires to speak with trembling. He is aware that he is treading upon slippery ground ; and that he
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has but little prospect of satisfying any who have decidedly ranged themselves under the standard either of Calvin or Anniiiiiis. Hut he wishes to be understood: lie is not soli- citous to bring any man to pronounce his Shibboleth ; much less has he any design to maintain a controversy in support of it : he merely offers an apology for the sentiments contained in his publication, and, with much deference, submits to the public his views of scripture truth: and, whether they be per- fectly approved or not, this he hopes to gain from all parties, a favourable acceptance of what they approve, and a candid forbearance in the points they disapprove.
This being premised, he will proceed to state the manner in which these apparently opposite tenets may, in his judgment, be profitably insisted on.
It is supposed by many, that the doctrines of grace are incompatible with the doctrine of man's free-will ; and that therefore the one or the other must be false. But why so ? Can any man doubt one moment whether he be a free agent or not? he may as well doubt his own existence. On the other hand, will any man who has the smallest spark of humi- lity, affirm, that he has made himself to differ ; and that he has something which he has not received from a superior power6? Will any one refuse to say with the Apostle, " By the grace of God I am what I am1' ?"