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intellectual objective as well as a spiritual; a Free-will being as much a virtue on this property as a good, also one that requires as much grace from above and as much rectitude in the subject, to make it good. The virtue has a sufficient relation to intellect, to give it the character here assigned; and yet differs nothing in substance from the good spiritual; a free-will being a good-will and vice versâ, a good-will, as free as possible. A free-will is willing freely, or primitively, according to the will of God; uncaptured, unbiassed, unshaken by terror, uninfluenced by temptation. It is a straightforward process without reference to any object beyond that on which it is employed; which on the contrary there is in good-will. And if freewill takes the air of a subjective from its accidentality, donation, or dependence, good-will and every other good characteristic is as dependent as that. Therefore, we need not scruple to assume free-will as a part of moral righteousness, though it should be given or decreed to its happy owner from above.

To reconcile the supposed contradiction between absolute fate and free-will, has often been thought impossible; but is in fact one of the easiest impossibilities that could ever be thought of; if the querist will please to observe, how free-will may be allotted to any one inevitably, or written in his fate: for that may be just as well as free agency; that being only a freedom in respect of evil spirits, as this in respect of evil men.

And likewise with regard to the especial need of divine grace, which we feel for every good thought and work; so that we cannot even will, much less do any good thing without it-with regard to the consistency of this good principle too with free-will; it needs only be observed as before, that if either free-will or free-agency may be the effect of grace, there will seem no absurdity in supposing their coexistence, if not equal necessity in the subject. For what may be the effect of grace? It is the doing of one by another's efficiency; as things beyond a man's single

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ability are generally done. And (as our Saviour told his apostles) herein is that saying true, "One soweth and another reapeth" (John iv. 37). One wears the laurels, and others win the victory. If it should seem contradictory, therefore, again, or at least not a little presumptuous, considering this dependence, for any one to talk of what he will do, if it be only to explain a seeming contradiction in terms-for in such a case it would not be I; (as St. Paul says) but another by me (Cor. I. xv. 10)—let it be supposed that the Higher Power or Principal having taught us in the first place to make good resolutions, should be further pleased to add or restore to us the blessing of free-will also, which is a general licence to perform them, together with the gift of means necessary for their performance-surely it might then be possible indeed, and we might also then be fairly said, to keep our resolutions.

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Therefore, it seems, that subject to divine grace or goodness, the first thing required for human freedom and ability is, to know the will of God, and have a RIGHT DEPENDENCE. Then we may be truly said, to enjoy the rare privilege and invaluable blessing of a free-will, a will exhibiting the agreement of reason and inclination, or THE IDENTITY OF FORE AND AFTER-THOUGHT. For a man's will must needs be considered free as long as it is subject to his understanding, and his understanding as free as But there can be no free-will, nor any other species of freedom without free-thought; which is wisdom and truth as it was in the beginning. "And the truth shall make you free" (John viii. 32), says our Saviour. Or else our choice of actions, though we may be pleased to call it voluntary or free, would have to depend, not on the pattern of primitive perfection, but on the bias of a particular constitution, which is generally defective; or on the casual motives or objections persuading or dissuading, which, to be received, must be analogous to the constitution. And what is to be done where these are wanting? Threats and promises will not produce their natural effect on those who

are insusceptible of hope and fear: which if they be not actual virtues or good objective characteristics, are at least a good foundation for them-like mother of pearl, matrices of gold and precious stones, and so accounted in the Gospel. Therefore, "whosoever hath to him shall be given" (Matt. xiii. 12).

Whoever is happy enough to enjoy that illumination towards God which infers or consists in the union of just hope and fear, may be said to be endowed with a free-will and a free understanding; with a will directed by wisdom, and an understanding by goodness: with free-will, of every species of freedom, the purest and safest; the farthest removed from human control, and the farthest from human encouragement; what God only can give, and no being that is not more than human can take away. Freedom of action and freedom of speech have nothing to do with it: free-thinking is not so safe. For what can be restrained must needs be enjoyed by licence: and there are several performances of this sort. Thus doing may be restrained by fetters; speaking, by mutilation or seclusion; thinking, by superstition and prejudice-to a certain extent: so that freedom on these heads, v. g. on thinking, speaking, and doing, or freedom in relation to these performances, may be regarded as half incidental; which free-will is not. For there are no bonds able to restrain a free-will: the bird will die in its cage before it will be reconciled to confinement. Absolute free-will is superior to any natural force; it never will yield.

5. The last in ascending, and consequently highest production of good characteristics on intellectual bases, is the sort founded on imagination; a property like other delicate structures, more liable to disorder and derangement, than any of a grosser quality; but not the less worthy to be dignified in comparison, as the immediate link between human and higher intellects in the order of the heavenly kingdom. And one should think, that many persons could not be ignorant of the existence of a property that is more

constant and universal, perhaps, as well as more dignified than any of the highest class; but it is very presumable, that many are not aware either of the derangement or improvement of which this property is susceptible. Very few, especially, perhaps, have ever felt the advantage which this property derives from its vicinity, or to use a still more material expression, contiguity to the Fountain of wisdom whence proceed by this avenue, medium, or foundation, such characteristics as Inspiration, Illumination, Light, and Life.

For it may be proper to observe that there are two avenues of wisdom extending towards the centre of the intellectual department, whatever that may be considered, from either hand; one, external, proceeding first by sensation; then 1, by external; 2, by internal apprehension; the other, internal, proceeding by the way of the imagination first, then by conception and FAITH: so that, however commendable this last mentioned property may be consi-, dered, imagination, being otherwise of the same quality, will be still more commendable in one respect, as standing next to its divine Object. As the senses are material messengers or messengers for material intelligence; so the imagination is an intellectual messenger, or a messenger for the conveyance of intellectual impressions, not only from intermediate beings but from the Highest by his word to beings of our low degree. Or (to use a more spiritual phrase) imagination may be regarded as the breath of intellect, subject, like that of the spirit, to a double motion, or flux and reflux, properly called Expiration and Inspiration, as it comes and goes continually by either avenue of intellect, without leaving its hold in the body or subject.

The excursions of the imagination are also made in such a way, that upon conceiving some heavenly vision it shall go forth, as it may go back again, not singly and unattended; but with other intellectual properties, its ordinary companions; not with delusive imaginations in their stead, but with all or any of the intellectual corps that

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may be required, truly and identically, or as it may be said, in PROPRIIS PERSONIS. Hence the intimation, not uncommon in Scripture, of the human heart going forth of its dwelling; when divers central properties as well spiritual as intellectual with the imagination at their head, stretching themselves far beyond the material association, proceed to visit distant objects, perhaps, very distant in the line either of space or occurrence. We read of such visits being paid in the former line, or line of space, by Elisha to the spot where his mercenary attendant overtook the Syrian general with his company: "And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee?" (Kings II. v. 26)— also by Jesus to Nathanael, that amiable, excellent man, “ an Israelite, indeed, in whom is no guile" (John i. 47) as he said; which shews what Israelites should be. "Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee" (Ib. 48). And in the latter line, or line of occurrence, are recorded visits of the prophetic imagination as well backward as forward; as well to events or dispensations appearing before the time of the observers as after; of which last, many have since been fulfilled, and others are daily fulfilling. Thus, Moses in spirit goes backward to the period of creation, and forward to that of salvation (Gen. i. 1, &c. . . xlix. 10, &c.): St. John still farther each way, shewing in his Gospel, how the prophetic imagination begins and proceeds; and exemplifying in his Revelation a visit of the same far, very far, into the recesses of futurity (John i. 1, &c.-Rev. i. &c.)

The most convenient terms, therefore, for the good objective characteristic on imagination, if it should not rather be called a Gift, are Illumination and Inspiration according to the forecited passage of St. John, describing its derivation from the Eternal Word, the Light and the Life of men. As David also says, "The Lord is my Light and

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