3. This external revelation of the mind of Christ, ought not to be called sufficient grace; it is indeed the means of conveying and implanting grace, when it comes not in word only, but with the Holy Ghost and with power: it is not sufficient means of grace to all men; for all men have it not, nor is it so to all that have it; for to some it is the savour of death unto death, whilst it is to others the savour of life unto life; nor is it of itself sufficient means to any, without the efficacious grace of God. Hence,

4. Though the calls, invitations, and messages of God to men, by his ministers, may be sometimes (for they are not always) sufficient inducements to procure an external reformation, an outward repentance, as in the people of Nineveh; yet these are not sufficient of themselves, without powerful grace, to produce true faith in Christ, evangelical repentance towards God, and new spiritual obedience, in life and conversation.

IV. These words, I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, are used to prove the resistibility of the grace of God, and that an irresistible power is not necessary to the conversion of a sinner. But,

:

1. It ought to be observed, that there is a twofold call; the one is internal, which is by the powerful operations of the Spirit of God on the soul, either with or without the word; which cannot be so resisted, as to be made to cease, to become void, and of no effect; the other is external, by the ministry of the word; and may be resisted, rejected, and despised, and become useless: now it is of the latter call, and not of the former, that the text speaks, and therefore no ways militates against the irresistible, unfrustrable grace of God in conversion and in this sense are we to understand some other places. of Scripture, as Prov. ii. 3, 4, and xi. 3, 4; Isa. lxv. 2; Matt. xx. 16. 2. It is saidt, that " were such an irresistible power necessary to the conversion of a sinner, no man could be converted sooner than he is; because before this irresistible action came upon him, he could not be converted; and when it came upon him, he could not choose but be converted." To which I reply, I see no absurdity in the consequence; for, as all our times are in the hands of God, a time to be born, and a time to die; so likewise the time of conversion, which is called a time of love, Ezek. xvi. 8. Now as a man cannot be born sooner or later than he is, nor die sooner or later than he does; so neither can he be converted sooner or later than he is.

But then,

3. It is objected‡, that if this be the case, "no man could reasonably be blamed that he lived so long in his impenitent and unconverted state." To which I answer, that living in an impenitent and unconverted state, is living in sin, and therefore blameworthy. And though man, by sinning, has involved himself in a state, out of which he cannot extricate himself; yet is he not the less culpable on that score for living in it.

4. It is further objected §, that if man cannot be converted sooner *Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. art. iii. iv. p. 215. § Ibid.

† Ibid. art. iii. iv. p. 221; Whitby, p. 260; ed. 2. 254.

Whitby, ib.

than he is, God must unreasonably make these inquiries, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? with others, in the following places, Exod. xvi. 28; Numb. xiv. 11; Jer. iv. 14, and xiii. 27. In answer to which, it will be enough to say, that these passages speak not of conversion, but of external obedience and reformation; which might be sooner done, though conversion cannot.

5. It is said, that if it is so, "it would not be praiseworthy in persons that they were then converted, it being not in their power then to be otherwise; since an unfrustrable operation is that which no man can frustrate." It is very true; for all the praise of conversion is due to the powerful and efficacious grace of God, and none to the power and will of man.

6. It is asked, "If there be some physical and unfrustrable operation on God's part, necessary to the new birth; why is the want of this new birth and spiritual renovation imputed to men's voluntary want of consideration, to their rejecting the counsel of God, and not choosing the fear of the Lord?" Prov. i. 24, 25, 29, 30. I reply; That the want of the new birth and spiritual renovation, is not the thing spoken of in the place referred to; but a non-attention to, and a contempt of, the ministry of the word, though these indeed are a sign of it; much less is this imputed to men's rejecting the counsel of God, and not choosing the fear of the Lord; for the tables must be turned; and if we speak truth, we must say, that man's rejecting the counsel of God, and not choosing the fear of the Lord, are owing, and to be imputed, to a want of the new birth and spiritual renovation, Besides, as the new birth and spiritual renovation are the effects of, and owing to the Spirit and grace of God, and therefore called a being born of water and of the Spirit, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; so a want thereof is owing to a man's not having that grace which is in the power of God only to bestow upon him.

SECTION XI.

Wash ye, make you clean, &c.-ISA. i. 16, 17.

THESE words are supposed to express the power of man, and contradict the necessity of unfrustrable grace in conversion: the argument from them is formed in this manner; "If conversion be wrought only by the unfrustrable operation of God, and man is purely passive in it, vain are all these commands and exhortations directed to wicked men." The weakness of which conclusion will appear by considering particularly each command or exhortation.

1. Wash ye, make you clean; these two are to be regarded as one, since they intend one and the same thing; and suppose, that men, in a state of nature, are polluted and unclean; and indeed their pollution is of such sort, and to such a degree, that they cannot cleanse themselves, either by ceremonial ablutions, or moral services, or evangelical ordinances; for, who can say, I have made my heart clean; I am Whitby, p. 261; ed. 2. 255. † Ibid. p. 224, 257; ed. 2. 218, 251 Ibid. p. 237; ed. 2. 231.

pure from my sin*? This is God's work only, as appears from his promises to cleanse his people from their sins; from the end of Christ's shedding his blood, and the efficacy of it; from the sanctifying influences of the Spirit; and from the prayers of the saints + to God, that he would create in them clean hearts, wash them thoroughly from their iniquity, and cleanse them from their sin. But if this be the case, that it is God's work alone, and that man is uncapable to cleanse himself from sin, it will be said, to what purpose are such exhortations? I answer; to convince men of their pollution, and that they stand in need of being washed and cleansed, of which they are naturally ignorant: there are too many who are pure in their own eyes, and yet not washed from their filthiness; as also, to bring them to a sense of their own inability to cleanse themselves; which seems to be the particular design of them here; since these Jews thought to have washed themselves from their immoralities by their ceremonial services, and which are therefore rejected by God, ver. 11-15; and they, notwithstanding all their legal purifications, are called upon to wash and make clean: besides, such exhortations may be useful to lead persons to inquire after the proper means of cleansing, and so to the fountain of Christ's blood, in which only souls being washed are made clean. These exhortations then are not in vain; though conversion is wrought only by the unfrustrable operation of God, and man is purely passive in it. This view of them will help us to understand aright some parallel places; such as Jer. iv. 14, xiii. 27; 2 Cor. vii. 1; James i. 21, and iv. 8, which commonly go in company with these.

2. Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes. Evil is said to be put away from a nation, when it is punished in the doer of it; see Deut. xiii. 5, and xvii. 7, 12; and from a family and particular persons, when discouraged and abstained from, Job xi. 14, and xxii.

23.

But it ought to be observed, that the exhortation here is not barely to put away their doings, but the evil of them; and that not from themselves, but from before the eyes of God. Now to put away sin in this sense, is to take it away, to remove it, as that it is pardoned, and men acquitted and discharged from it; but this is impracticable to men, and is the act of God only; as is evident from his promises to remove the sins of his people; from the end of Christ's sacrifice, which was to put away sin for ever; and from the prayers of the saints, who desire that God would take away all iniquity, and receive graciously. But why then is such an exhortation given? to convince men, that the putting away of sin from the eyes of God's vindictive justice, is absolutely necessary to salvation; and then that men cannot by all their ceremonial and moral services do this; for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin§; as also to lead and direct their views to the sacrifice of Christ, which effectually does it; and without which, to what purpose is the multitude of sacrifices? and vain are all oblations, ver. 11, 12.

First

3. Cease to do evil: which regards either a cessation from ceremonial works, which being done with a wicked mind, were an abomination

* Prov. xx. 9.

† Psalm li. 2, 7, 10.

Prov, xxx. 12.

§ Heb. x. 4./

to the Lord, ver. 13, 14, or an abstinence from outward immoralities ; such as shedding innocent blood, oppressing the fatherless and widow, ver. 15, 17. Now a natural man may be able to abstain from such external enormities of life, without supposing a power in him to do that which is spiritually good; or that the unfrustrable grace of God is unnecessary in conversion.

4. Learn to do well; that is, to do acts of justice, beneficence, liberality, and charity, such as are here mentioned; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow: all which are very commendable, and may be performed by men in an unconverted state; and no way militate either against man's passiveness, or the necessity of God's efficacious grace in the work of conversion.

SECTION XII.

Come now and let us reason together: If ye be willing and obedient, &c.ISA. i. 18, 19.

I. THE eighteenth verse is considered in strict connexion with the words preceding and following; from whence it is concluded, that to cease to do evil, and learn to do well, to be willing and obedient*, are qualifications for the pardoning mercy of God, and conditions of obtaining it; the promises of pardon, life, and salvation, being made to persons of such characters. But,

1. Let it be observed, that the eighteenth verse may be read in a parenthesis, without any connexion with or dependence on either the preceding or subsequent verses; being thrown in on purpose to comfort the people of God, oppressed with a sense of their sins, whilst he is expressing his just resentment and indignation against the sins of others.

2. Admitting it to be in strict connexion with the context, it contains a free declaration of pardoning grace and mercy, without any conditions annexed to it; it is not expressed in a conditional form; it is not said, if ye cease to do evil, and learn to do well, then though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; nor is it said, if ye be willing and obedient, then though your sins be red like crimson, they shall be as wool, but ye shall eat the good of the land.

3. God's promise of pardon is free, absolute, and unconditional; it is expressed in this manner: I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no moret: and made to persons guilty both of sins of omission and commission; who had bought him no sweet cane with money; neither had filled him with the fat of sacrifices; but had made him to serve with their sins, and had wearied him with their iniquities ‡.

4. Pardon of sin is never ascribed to any condition performed by men, but to the free grace of God, streaming through the blood of Christ; which was shed to obtain it, and in whose gift it is, being exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and *Whitby, p. 181, 242, 298; ed. 2. 177, 236, 291.

† Heb. viii. 12.

Isa. xliii. 24, 25.

forgiveness of sins*; and which is often given to persons without any conditions previously qualifying them for it.

5. Obedience is not the condition of pardon, though a declaration of pardon is an excellent motive to induce to obedience; evangelical obedience springs from, and is influenced by, discoveries of pardon, but is neither the cause nor condition of it.

II. It is here promised to such who are willing and obedient, that they shall eat the good of the land; and threatened to the disobedient, that they shall be devoured with the sword: from whence it does not follow, that it is in the power of man to do what is spiritually good, much less that eternal happiness depends upon, or is to be obtained by, man's obedience. For,

1. The voluntary obedience here encouraged, is to things civil; such as to relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, and plead for the widow, ver. 17, which it is allowed are in the power of a natural man to perform; and might be reasonably expected from a professing people, as these were to whom these exhortations were given.

2. What is here promised, is not of a spiritual or eternal, but of a temporal nature; ye shall eat the good of the land; that is, of the land of Canaan; the possession of which they held by their obedience to those laws of a moral, civil, and ceremonial kind, which God gave them as a body politic; and which, so long as they observed, they were continued in the quiet and full enjoyment of all the blessings of the good land, flowing with milk and honey, as were promised to them; see Deut. v. 32, 33, and vi. 24, 25, and xxviii. 1-14; Lev. xxvi. 3— 10. But when they refused and rebelled, it was otherwise with them. And therefore,

3. The punishment threatened to their disobedience and rebellion is temporal; ye shall be devoured with the sword, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it; as he had in Lev. xxvi. 25, 33; and so it was frequently with this people, when they broke the laws of God, transgressed his commands, and rebelled against him, the enemy was let in upon them, the sword was drawn against them, and they destroyed by it, or carried captive.

SECTION XIII.

What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore when I looked, &c.-ISA. v. 4.

No one place of Scripture is more frequent in the mouths and writings of the patrons of free will†, and adversaries of the grace of God, than this; which is used by them, to prove that God gives sufficient grace for the conversion of such who are not converted; and that he does not effect that work by an irresistible power, by an unfrustrable operation; which operation, it is said, "if necessary to produce the expected

*Acts v. 31.

+ Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. art. iii. iv. p. 216, 219; Act. Synod. p. 89, &c; Curcell. Christ. Institut. 1. 6, c. 13, sec. 3, p. 400; Limborch. 1. 4, c. 13, sect. 2, 3, 4, p. 369.