tion to the material world. And in the same sense, and for the same reason that He is said to give a plentiful harvest, He is said to make men fruitful in good feelings and in good works. Conver- sion, according to this view, is just as much a natural process as intellectual culture, or the growth of vegetables or animals. This is the doctrine of Rationalists as distinguished from Supernatural- ists.
Many philosophical systems, however, ignore all second causes. They assume that eifects are due to the immediate agency of God. This is the doctrine not only of Pantheists, but also of many Chris- tian philosophers. This idea is involved in the theory of occasional causes, and in the doctrine so popular at one time among theolo- gians that preservation is a continual creation. If God creates the universe ex nihilo eveiy successive moment, as even President Edwards strenuously asserts, then all effects and changes are the product of his omnipotence, and the efficiency or agency of second causes is of necessity excluded. According to this doctrine there can be no distinction between the operations of nature and those of grace. The same thing is obviously true in reference to the theory of Dr. Emmons and the high Hopkinsians. Dr. Emmons teaches that God creates all the volitions of men, good or bad. The soul itself is but a series of exercises. First in chronolomcal order comes a series of sinful volitions ; then, in some cases, not in all, this is followed by a series of lioly volitions. God is equally the author of the one and of the other. This is true of all mental exercises. No creature can originate action. God is the only real agent in the universe. According to this doctrine all operations of the Spirit are merged in this universal providential efficiency of God ; and all distinction between nature and grace, the natural and the supernatural is obliterated.
In opposition, therefore, first, to the proper naturalistic theory, which excludes God entirely from his works, and denies to Him any controlling influence either over material or mental operations and effi^cts ; secondly, in opposition to the doctrines which identify the operations or influence of the Spirit with the power of the truth ; and thirdly, in opposition to the theory which ignores the difference between the providential efficiency of God and the oper- ations of the Holy Spirit ; the Scriptures teach that the influence of the Spirit is distinct from the mere power, whether natural or supernatural, of the truth itself; and that it is no less to be dis- tinguished from the providential efficiency (or potentia ordinata) of God which cooperates with all second causes.
660 PART III. Ch. XIV. — vocation.
There is an influence of the Spirit distinct from the Truth. As to the first of these points, namely, that there is an influence of the Spirit on the minds distinct from and accessary to the power of the truth, which attends the truth sometimes with more, and sometimes with less power, according to God's good pleasure, the proof from Scripture is plain and abundant.
1. The Bible makes a broad distinction between the mere hear- ers of the Word, and those inwardly taught by God. When our Lord says (John vi. 44), " No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him ; " he evidently refers to an inward drawing and teaching beyond that effected by the truth as objectively presented to the mind. All the power which the truth as truth has over the reason and conscience is exerted on all who hear it. This of itself is declared to be insufficient. An inward teaching by the Spirit is absolutely necessary to give the truth effect. This distinction between the outward teaching of the Word and the inward teaching of the Spirit is kept up throughout the Scriptures. The Apostle in 1 Corinthians i. 23-26, as well as elsewhere, says that the gospel however clearly preached, however earnestly enforced, even though Paul or Apollos were the teacher, is weakness and foolishness, without power to convince or to con- vert, unless rendered effectual by the demonstration of the Spirit. " The called," therefore, according to the Scriptures are not the hearers of the Word, but are those who receive an inward voca- tion by the Spirit. All whom God calls. He justifies, and all whom He justifies He glorifies. (Rom. viii. 30.)
2. The reason is given why the truth in itself is inoperative, and why the inward teaching of the Spirit is absolutely necessary. That reason is found in the natural state of man since the fall. He is spiritually dead. He is deaf and blind. He does not re- ceive the things of the Spirit, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. It is therefore those only who are spiritual, i. e., in whom the Spirit dwells, and whose discernment, feelings and whole life are determined by the Spirit, who receive the truths which are freely given unto all who hear the gospel. This is the doctrine of the Apostle as delivered in 1 Corinthians ii. 10—15. And such is the constant representation of the word of God on this subject.
3. The Scriptures therefore teach that there is an influence of the Spirit required to prepare the minds of men for the reception of the truth. The truth is compared to light, which is absolutely
§8.] COmiON GRACE. 661
necessary to vision ; but if the eye be closed or blind it must be opened or restored before the light can produce its proper impres- sion. The Psalmist therefore prays, " Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." (Psalm cxix. 18.) In Acts xvi. 14, it is said of Lydia, "Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto tlie things whicli were spoken of Paul."
4. Accordingly the great promise of the Scriptures especially in reference to the Messianic period was the effusion of the Holy Spirit. " Afterward," said the prophet Joel, " I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh " (ii. 28). The effects which the Spirit was to produce prove that something moi'e, and something different iVom the power of the truth was intended. The truth however clearly revealed and however, imbued with supernatural energy could not give the power to prophesy, or to dream dreams or to see visions. The Old Testament abounds with predictions and prom- ises of this gift of the Holy Ghost, which was to attend and to render effectual the clearer revelation of the things of God to be made by the Messiah. Isaiah xxxii. 15, " Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest." Isaiah xliv. 3, " I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground ; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." Ezekiel xxxix. 29, "I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel." Zechariah xii. 10, " I wmII pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications ; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son."
After the resurrection of our Lord He directed his disciples to remain at Jerusalem until they were imbued with power from on high. That is, until they had received the gift of the Holy Spirit. It was on the day of Pentecost that the Spirit descended upon the disciples, as the Apostle said, in fulfilment of the predictions of the Old Testament prophets. The effect of his influence was not only a general illumination of the minds of the Apostles, and the com- munication of miraculous gifts, but the conversion of hve thousand persons to the faith at once. It is impossible to deny that these effects were due to the power of the Spirit as something distinct from, and accessary to, the mere power of the truth. This is the explanation of the events of the day of Pentecost given by the Apostle Peter, in Acts ii. 32, 33, " This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right
662 PART m. Cn. XIV. — VOCATION.
hand of God exalted, ^nd having received of the Father the prom- ise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." This was the fulfilment of the promise which Christ made to his disciples that He would send them another Comforter, even the Spirit of truth who should abide with them forever. (John xiv. 16.) That Spirit was to teach them ; to bring all things to their remembrance ; He was to testify of Christ ; reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and he was to give the Apostles a mouth and wisdom which their adversaries should not be able to gainsay or resist. Believers, therefore, are said to receive the Holy Ghost. They have an unction from the Holy One, which abides with them and teaches them all things. (1 John ii. 20 and 27.)