184 THE NATURE, CAUSES, AND MEANS the reason of men is by these means excited so far as to cast off prejudices, and enabled thereby to make a right judgment of what is proposed unto it, it prevails with them to convert to God, to change their lives, and yield obedience according to the rule of the gospel, that they may be saved. And no doubt this were a notable system of Christian doctrine, especiallyasit is by some rhetorically blended, or theatrically represented in feigned stories and apolo- gues, were it not defective in one or two things; for, First, it is exclusiveof a supposition of the fall of man, at least as unto the depravation of our nature which en- sued thereon; and, Secondly, of all real effective grace dispensed by Jesus Christ¡ * which render it a fantastic dream, alien from the design and doctrine of the gospel. But it is a fond thing to discourse with men about either regeneration or conversion unto God, by whom these things are denied.. Sect. 27.Such a work of the Holy Spirit we must therefore inquire after, as whereby the mind is effectu- ally renewed, the heart changed, the affections sancti- fied, all actually and effectually, or no deliverance will be wrought, obtained, or ensue, out of the estate de- scribed. For notwithstanding the utmost improvement ofour minds and reasons that can be imagined, and the most eminent proposal of the truths of the gospel, ac- companied with the most powerful enforcements of duty and obedience that the nature of the things themselves will afford; yet the mind of man, in the state of nature, without a supernatural elevation by grace, is not able so to apprehend them, as that its apprehension should be spiritual, saving, orproper unto the things appre- hended. And notwithstanding the perception which the mind may attain unto in the truth of gospel- proposals; and the conviction it may have of the necessity of obe- dience, yet is not the will able to apply itself unto any spiritual act thereof, without an ability wrought imme- diately in it by the power of the Spirit of God; or rather Ploremus Comm Domino quifecit nos et hoepines et salvos. Nam ai lice nos fecit bomines, nos autem ipsi nos fecimus salvos, aliquid illo relius fecimus; melior est enim salves homo guam quilibet homo. Si ergo to Deus feels hominem, et to to fecisti bonum hominem, good to fecispmenus est. Aug. de Verd. Apost. Serm. 10. Natura humana etiamsi in ills integritate in gua est menthe, pennons eres, nullo modo seipsam creature suo non adjuvants servaret. Unde cum sine Dei Gracie salutem non possescustodire guam accepit, quomodo Tine Dei Gratia potent recaperare gusm perdidit, Prosp. Sentent. 308. unless the Spirit of God by his grace do effect the act of willing in it. Wherefore not to multiply arguments, we conclude, that the most effectual use of outward means alone, is not all the grace that is necessary unto, nor all that is-actually put forth in the regeneration of the souls of men. Sect, 28Having thus evidenced wherein the work of the Holy Spirit in the regeneration of the souls of men, Both net consist, namely, in a supposed congruous persuasion of their minds where it is alone: (1.) I shall proceed ta'shew wherein it doth consist, and what is the true nature of it. And to this purpose I say, (1.) Whatever efficacy that moraloperation, which accompanies, or is the effect of the preaching of the word, as blessed and used by the Holy Spirit, is of . or may be supposed to be of, or is possible that it should be of in and towards them that are unregenerate, we do willingly ascribe unto it. We grant, that in the work of regeneration, the Holy Spirit towards those that are adult, Both snake use of the word, bath the law and the gospel, and the ministry of the church in the dispensa- tion of it, as the ordinary means thereof; yea, this is ordinarily the whole external means that is made use of in this work, and am efficacy proper unto it, it is ac- companied withal. Whereas therefore some contend, that there is no more needful to the conversion of sin, ners, but the preaching of the word unto them whoare congruously disposed to receive it, and that the whole of the grace of God consists in the effectual application of it unto the minds and affections of men, whereby they are enabled to comply with it, and turn unto God by faith and repentance; they do not ascribe a greater power unto the word, than we do by whom this admin- istration of it is denied to be the total cause of conver- sion. For we assign the same power to the word as they do, and more also, only we affirm that there is an ef- fect to be wrought in this work, which all this power, if alone, is insufficient for. But in its own kind is it sufficient and effectual, so far as that the effect of regen.. eration or conversion unto God is ascribed thereunto. This we have declared before, Sect, 29.(2.) There is not only a moral, but a At ems Omuipotens hominem cum Gratis salvat,. Ipsa swumconsomme opus cui tempos agendi Semperadest, quae.gesta vent non moribus illi Fit mora, non causis nooses suspenditur ullis..
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