which had reference to forms of erroneous doctrine no longer prominent in the teaching of the day; and the few actual changes which have been made, were either dictated by himself, or cordially approved of by him.

May 20, 1870.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

Difficulties as to the Freedom of the Gospel.

contradic

WHEN we tell a man that salvation is per- Apparent fectly gratuitous, whilst, at the same time, tions. we tell him that unless he believes the gospel he cannot be saved, we appear to him to be saying free and unfree with one breath. And we increase his difficulties extremely when we add, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." The gratuitousness of the salvation seems altogether to vanish in the presence of these high and weighty conditions. And yet, if faith and holiness are not appended as conditions of salvation, where is their place in the Christian system? If Christian doctrine is not believed, it can be of no use; and if Christian faith does not produce Christian holiness, it can be of no use either. Are not faith and holiness then conditions

Α

of salvation? And if there are any conditions of salvation, where is its gratuitousness?

I am well aware that there are many Christians who do not perceive these difficulties at all, and who of course are not disquieted by them. The object of their contemplation is not a theological system, but the great Being whose nature and relation to us form the theme of theology,—and their delight is not in the logical coherence of their theory, but in spiritual communion with Him. Such persons are indeed blessed, --and instead of presuming to teach them, I desire to learn from them. But there are persons of a very different description. There are many who are kept at a distance from Christianity altogether by these apparent contradictions; and there are even many real Christians who have suffered much perplexity from them. To such believers and unbelievers, I humbly offer the solution which has satisfied myself.

I think that much of the theoretical difficulty on this matter has arisen from the habit of considering salvation and condemnation merely as future; and this again arises from considering them as outside of ourselves, as dependent on a sen