The Author humbly apprehends, that there is a perfect agreement between these different points ; and that they are equally salutary or equally pernicious, according as they are properly or improperly implied. If, for instance, on hearing a person excuse his own supineness by saying, " I can do nothing, unless God give me his grace ;" we should reply, "This is true; it is God who alone can give you either to will or to do ; " — what would be the consequence ? we should
any thing that you can do ; and look for salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?" — " Yes, solely through Christ." — " But, Sir, supposing you were first saved by Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works ?" — " No ; I must be saved by Christ from first to last." — " Allowing then that you were first turned by the grace of God, are you not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power ? " — " No." — " What then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God, as much as an infant in its mother's arms?" — " Yes ; altoge- ther."— " And is all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you unto his heavenly kingdom ? " — " Yes ; I have no hope, but in him." — " Then, Sir, with your leave, I will put up my dagger again ; for this is all my Calvinism ; this is my election, my justi- fication by faith, my final perseverance : it is, in substance, all that I hold, and as I hold it : and therefore, if you please, instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things wherein we agree."
The Anninian leader was so pleased with the conversation, that he made particular mention of it in his journals ; and notwithstanding there never afterwards was any connexion betwreen the parties, he retained an unfeigned regard for his young inquirer to the hour of his death.