spiritual obedience in life and converfa tion. k IV. These words, I have called, and ye refufed, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, are used to prove the refiftibility of the grace of God, and that an irrefiftible power is not neceffary to the converfion of a finner. But, 1. It ought to be obferved, that there is a twofold call; the one is internal, which is by the powerful operations of the Spirit of God on the foul, either with or without the word; which cannot be fo refifted, as to be made to ceafe, to become void, and of no effect; the other is external, by the ministry of the word; and may be refifted, rejected and defpifed, and become ufelefs: Now it is of the latter call, and not of the former, that the text fpeaks, and therefore no ways militates against the irrefiftible, unfruftrable grace of God in converfion; and in this fenfe are we to understand fome other places of fcripture, as Prov. ii. 3, 4. and ix. 3, 4. Ifa. Ixv. 2. Matt. xx. 16, 2. It is faid', that "were fuch an irrefifible power, neceflary to the converfion of a finner, no man could be converted fooner than he is; becaufe before this irresistible. action came upon him, he could not be con * Remonfir, in Coll. Hag. Art. iii, iv. p. 215. 1 lbid. p. 221. and Whitby, p. 260. verted; verted; and when it came upo. in could not chufe but be converter which I reply; I fee no ablurow confequence; for, as all our the hands of God, a time to so time to die; fc likewis the us fion, which is called a tme xvi. E. Now as a man cante or later than be it. o of converfion, but of external obedience and reformation; which might be fooner done, though converfion cannot. 5. It is faid, that if it is fo, "it would not be praife-worthy in perfons that they were then converted, it being not in their power then to be otherwife; fince an unfruftrable operation is that which no man can fruftrate". 'Tis very true; for all the praise of converfion is due to the powerful and efficacious grace of God, and none to power and will of man. the b " 6. It is afk'd, "If there be fome phyfical and unfruftrable operation on God's part, neceffary to the new birth, Why is the want of this new birth and fpiritual renovation imputed to men's voluntary want of confideration, to their rejecting the counsel of God, and not chufing the fear of the Lord, Prov. i. 24, 25, 29, 30. I reply; That the want of the new birth and fpiritual renovation, is not the thing fpoken of in the place referred to, but a non-attention to, and a contempt of the miniftry of the word, though these indeed are a fign of it; much lefs is this imputed to men's rejecting the counfel of God, and not chufing the fear of the Lord; for the tables must be turn'd, and if we speak truth, we must say, that man's rejecting the counsel of God, and not • Whitby, p. 261. Ibid. p. 224, 257. chu chufing the fear of the Lord, is owing, and One is to be imputed to a want of the new birth and spiritual renovation. Befides, as the new birth and fpiritual renovation, are the effects of, and owing to the fpirit and grace of God, and therefore called, a being born of water, and of the spirit, and the rener. Ing of the Hain Groß; fo a want thereof is owing to a man's not having that grace wurch, nii of God only to beftow upon zien. 802 the maner? - convertion beers she sale bar the unstable neration of Cas is peruvadivern it on are dil vete... milasperi, v confiderico parrionlar 1. Wash ye, make you clean; these two are to be regarded as one, fince they intend one and the fame thing; and suppose, that men, in a state of nature, are polluted and unclean; and indeed, their pollution is of fuch fort, and to fuch a degree, that they cannot cleanse themselves, either by ceremonial ablutions, or moral fervices, or evangelical ordinances; for, who can fay, I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my fins? This is God's work only, as appears from his promifes to cleanfe his people from their fins; from the end of Chrift's fhedding his blood, and the efficacy of it; from the fanctifying influences of the fpirit, and from the prayers of the faints to God, that he would create in them clean hearts, wash them thoroughly from their iniquity, and cleanfe them from their fin. But if this be the cafe, that it is God's work alone, and that man is uncapable to cleanse himself from fin, it will be faid, to what purpose are fuch exhortations? I anfwer; To convince men of their pollution, and that they ftand in need of being washed and cleanfed, of which they are naturally ignorant: There are too many who are pure in their own eyes, and yet not washed from their filthine/s *; as alfo, to bring them to a fenfe of their own t Prov. xxx. 12. |