3-18 Of the Nature of Regeneration, and itsNeceffity, Vol. I. 1. Objeïlion. If we be not meerlypave in the Work of Regeneration and Con- verfion, we afcribe the whole glory of this work to our felves, and not to God: But that I certainly know this Objection is commonly made, and have Leen it in very Confiderable Authors, I could not believe that Men of fo good fenfe could make it. For this is to fay, that if we do any thing in this work, tho' we ac- knowled ;ethat what we do in it, we do by the afIiftance of God's Grace, we a- fcribe it wholly to our felves, and rob God altogether of the glory of hisGrace ; or in plainer terms, it is to fay, that tho' we fay God does never fo much, and we but very little in this work, yet if we do not fay that God does all, and we nothing at all, we take the whole work to our felves, and fay God does nothing at all ; which let any one that confiders what we fay judge, whether we fay fo or no. The Scripture which never robs God of the glory of his Grace, does I'm lure aLribe our Converfion and Repentance, our Regeneration and San&ification to feveralCaules g To the Holy Spirit of God, to his Minifters, to his Word, and to our felves. To the Holy Spirit of God, as the principal Author, and Effici- ent. Hence we are faid.to be born of the Spirit, to be fanflifzed by the renewing of the Holy Ghofi. To the Minifters of God, as the Inftrumeuts ofour Converfion. Hence they are faid to turn Men to Righteaufnefr, to Convert a Sinner from the evil of his ways, toPave Souls from death, to five themfelves, and them that hear them 5 to be our Spiritual Fathers, and to beget as in Chrifi. To the word ofGod, as the fubordinate Means and Inftruments of our Converfion. Hence we are faid to be begotten by the word of truth, to be fanílified by the truth. And laftly, to our felves, as concurring force way or other to this work. Hence we are Paid to be-. lieve and repent, to turn from our evil ways, and to turn to the Lord, to cleanfe and purifie our felves. Hence likewife are thofe frequent Commands in Scripture, to amend our ways and doings, to reafb our hearts from wiekednefs, to repent and turn ourfelves, and to make our felves new Hearts, and new Spirits. So that all thefe CauCes, the Spirit of God, his Minifters, his Word, and we our felves, do all force way or other concur and contribute to this Effect. God indeed is the Prin- cipal, and bath fo great an hand in thisWork from beginning to end, that all the reft are nothing in Comparifon, and wedo well to afcribe to him the whole glory of it, that noflefb may glory in his fight : But neverthelefs in flri&nefs of fpeech fufficiently warranted by Scripture, the Minifters of God, and the Word of God, and we our felves do all ro-operate force way or other to our Converfion, and Regeneration ; and by afcribing to any of thefe fuch parts as they truly have in this work, God is not robbed of anypart of the glory of his Grace, much lefs of the whole. Much lets is it the afcribing it all to our felves, whom we affirm to have the leafy part in it, not worthy to bemention'd, in Comparifon of the riches ofGod's grace towards us. And yet unlefs we dofomething, what can be the meaning of making our felves new hearts and new fpirits : It is only that we fhould be paffive to the irrefiible operations of God's Grace? that is, that we fhould not hinder, what we can neither hinder nor promote ; that we fhould fo demean our felves, as of neceflity we mull whether we will or no. So then to make our felves new hearts and new fpirits, is to do nothing at 'all towards the hinderance or furtherance of this work ; and if this be the meaning of it, it is a Precept and Exhortation juft as fit for Stones, as for Men ; that is, very im- proper for either. 2. Objelfion. But however, we do extenuate and leffen theGrace of God, if there be any a&ive concurrence and endeavours on our part towards this Change. For anfwer to this, three things deferve to beconfider'd. Firji, It is very well worthy our Confederation, that they who make this Obje- &ion, Have the confidence to pretend that theydo not diminifh the Grace of God, by confining it to a very fmall part of Mankind in Comparifon ; nay, they will it, and that the Graceaof by is fomuch the greater, ybutcbowamuch the fewer they are that are partakers ofit. But I hope they only mean that the Grace is greater to themfelves 5 (in which conceit there is commonly as much of envy as grati- tude)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=