Quintilian, the great Master in true Rhetoric and found Criticism, observes, "*that Metaphor is never properly introduced, but when it is neceffary through want of a proper term, or when it is more fignificant or more ornamental than a proper term." Admitting this rule to be juft, it will follow, that if we understand a Metaphorical Term fo, as that no evident relation fhall exist between it, as a Metaphor, and the proper idea we apprehend it is intended to convey, we either offer violence to the figure, or the writer who has adopted it introduces it improperly. Let us then return to the paffage. juft quoted; You understand that when Chrift fpeaks of himself, he does not mean himself, but "his Gospel or Doctrine," and that the Branches abiding in him, are "perfons who do not abandon his Doctrine." Now I would afk, where is the obvious relation between a man's espousing certain Doctrines, and a Branch united to a Tree? Was fuch a mode of fpeech neceffary to fupply the place of a literal phrase not to be found? Is it more fignificant, or more ornamental? There are others who believe that there exifts a fpiritual union between Chrift and Believers, by virtue of which they "receive out of his fulness, grace for grace."† In their application of the metaphor, there is a strong

Lib. viii. Cap. 6. Page 86, Parifiis.

+ John i. 16.

and manifeft relation: As the branch if not *fevered from the Vine, derives fap from the parent-ftem, and is fruitful; fo the believer united to Chrift by faith, derives from him fupplies of Grace, which enable him to bring forth much fruit. Can there be a doubt whether of these interpretations is, according to the rule above-mentioned, better entitled to be received as the true one?

This mode of interpretation will decide between us, in the courfe of my remarks upon the meanings you have given to fome other paffages,

3d. Ona review of your Publication, it appears, that although a confiderable part of your fecond Letter is employed for the purpose of over-throwing the belief of the inability of man, that is by no means the only letter in which this fubject is introduced. The abfurd, unjust and unnatural confequences, which you conclude muft neceffarily follow, if human inability be admitted, are urged against almost every practical doctrine we hold, and are recurred to again and again, as exhibiting a fundamental error in our fyftem. Take the following quo

*The Greek word rendered "without," might be read "apart from" or, as the margin has it," fevered" from the Vine.

tations: "They (the Ifraelites) were avowedly "deftroyed for their difobedience and unbelief; "but if they could not believe nor obey, that "would have been a plea fufficient in their "favour with a merciful and compaffionate "God."* "The New Teftament Preachers "never, in plain terms, affert the radical cor"ruption of man, fo that he cannot be influ"enced by motives to do any thing good, any "more than a dead man can rife and walk; this "doctrine is a grofs reflection upon the Deity, "as well as a libel upon Human Nature." + "Come unto me all ye that are weary and "heavy laden, and ye fhall find reft to your

fouls," &c. "Ye will not come unto me "that ye might have life." Upon these paffages you obferve, "We could not fee the "propriety of this manner of fpeaking, without

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fuppofing men could come to him, and could "believe on him." "We could not think that "the Sacred Writers would fay, he that be"lieveth not fhall not fee life, but the wrath "of God abideth on him, &c. &c. if men were "not able to believe. This would be condemning "men for not doing what was not in their power to do. With these views we could "not confider God either good or juft."§ "It

*Page 28 of Narrative.

+Ibid. Note Page 35. Page 39. | Page 39 and 40.

"is contrary to all our ideas of the perfection "of God, to fuppofe he would place or fuffer "his creatures to be brought into fuch a state as "to be under the abfolute neceffity of constantly "offending against him, and then punish them "everlastingly for it."*

"What we do by invincible neceffity are not "voluntary works, and cannot, by the rule of every man's being rewarded according to his "works, fubject us to pain or punishment."+

It feems highly neceffary in this place, to fet the fubject in its proper point of view, as by this means the Reader will be enabled to get rid of an apparent difficulty, which would otherwise beset him from almost every page of your Book. Indeed the force of a great part of your reasoning and conclufions is derived, in a confiderable degree, from your having throughout confounded two things, between which the cleareft diftinction lies.

There is a fenfe in which the Inability of man is allowed by us to be direct and abfolute. I cannot dwell in the depths of the Sea. I cannot walk in the Air. But this is an inability to which I fhould be fubject, were my will ever fo well difpofed, and fhould I try every

*Page 31. + Page 63, fee alfo page 62.

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known means, and exert all my endeavours to accomplish my wifhes; in fuch a cafe certainly no refponfibility would attach to me. I could not be blamed for not doing that which I was kept from doing, not by want of will or failure of exertion, but by "invincible neceffity;" and I fhould not be able to fee how God could be acquitted of injustice in punishing me for fuch inability.

But is there no other indirect Senfe in which Man's Inability may be considered? Of a covetous man we fay, he is incapable of doing a generous action. St. Peter fpeaks of unclean perfons as "having eyes full of Adultery, and that cannot ceafe from Sin."*"The natural Man receiveth not the things of the fpirit of God; neither can he know them, because they are fpiritually difcerned." There are numberless paffages of Scripture which are to the fame effect: "Oh! Generation of Vipers, how can ye being evil, fpeak good things?" "Led away with divers lufts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth:" "Having their confciences feared with a hot iron,"** &c. &c. Here is an inability spoken of; but all the reasoning upon this subject in your Book pro

* 2 Peter, ii. 14. † Matt. xii. 34 2 Tim. iii. 6, 7. ** 1 Tim. iv 2.

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