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these things? So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy! Thus, also, it again appears, that many, indeed, are called; but few chosen. $28. "But is it not said; Let him that heareth say, Come. let him that is athirst, Come. whosoever WILL, let him take the water of life freely. And is not this the true notion of free Grace, that Grace is free for all men ?"

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And

Doubtless it is so said, in this and many similar passages; and doubtless also whosoever heareth, and is athirst, or is willing, may freely come, and be happily welcome. But all these terms obviously imply life, and renovated life from the dead; because no man can hear, unless he is quickened through Christ from the death of trespasses and sins; no man can thirst

* 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16; with Rom. ix. 16.

for

for God, or the things of God, but he, who hath the mind and spirit of Christ, which no natural man has, or, while such, can have; no man is willing to come to a crucified Saviour, and be crucified himself in the old man with his affections and lusts, bút he, who hath been made willing in the day of God's power. The Lord first gives this good will, and afterwards works with it and in it, when he hath given it, that it may abound in every good word and work; not to the pride of the flesh, not to the setting aside or obscuring the glory of the Redeemer in his work of grace, but to his own honour and praise in the free salvation of the otherwise helpless and ruined sinner.

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Him that

cometh

*

So Bishop Beveridge: "It is God who first enables us to will what we ought to do, and then to do what we will. Both the grace we desire

and

cometh to me (said Christ) I will in nowise cast out; but this declaration is preceded by those memorable words -All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me and followed up by words no less memorable No man

can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him.

He

has in himself neither will nor power. It is not only; "He cannot, because he will not:"" But (if Christ himself may be believed) he will not, because he cannot. The converse of these two propositions is equally and mutually true. The will is a leading principle or primary species of power; and the natural man hath no mind, no will, no

and our desire of grace, proceed from him. And therefore certainly without him, we can neither prepare ourselves for conversion, nor convert ourselves after preparation; unless we can prepare ourselves without having a good will, or convert ourselves without acting of it."--On Art.ix.

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strength, to begin the act of turning himself truly to God. His carnal mind, his natural heart, his corrupt will, are all at enmity in the abstract against God, and, without the grace of the new creation in Christ, will remain utterly irreconcileable to him.

This implies a fair answer to those, who object, that, as men are called by the Gospel to believe in Christ. for eternal life, with an assurance that he loved them and died for them, they are called to believe what is not true, or what cannot be true upon the plan of previous election, which includes some, and passes by the rest of mankind.

The call, indeed, by ministers, and their commission from the Gospel, are general. But the efficient cause, in the mean time, is with God, and inAuences, in this case as confessedly throughout all nature, according to his mind and will, respecting each particular.

He laid

particular. No promise of good whatever is made to an unbeliever, as such. He that believeth, shall be saved; and he that believeth not, shall be damned. The blessing rests with the acceptance of God's promise, and is inseparable from it. An unbeliever cares for none of these things, and wilfully rejects them. Besides, it is no where said, that Christ loved and died for those, who finally op pose his truth and perish. down his life for HIS SHEEP. believe not, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OF HIS SHEEP. And the following text gives a direct answer to the whole quibbling plea of the Pelagians and others, who contend for the universality of a redemption, which, after all, is confessed by themselves to be unattended with universality of salvation. My Sheep hear my voice (i. e. they only), and I know them (i. e. I have selected and claimed them for my

The rest

own);

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