380 Of theNature of Regeneration, and its Neceffity, Vol. I. he might have done ; which (hews that we are not needy pave in this work; but fomething is expected fromus, after God bath done his part, which if we neglea todo, our deJIrutyion is ofour fettles. Whereas the contrary fuppofition, upon pretence ofglorifying God's Grace, by making him to do all in the Con- verfion of Sinners, indangers the honour of his ejiice, by laying the impeni- tency of Sinners, and their ruin confequent upon it, at his door5 which is toad-. vance one attribute of God upon the ruin of another ; whereas it is a Fun - damental Principleof Religion, to take care to reconcile the Attributes and Per- feaions of God to one another ; for that is not a Divine Perfeaion, which con- tradias any other Perfection. The Sd Objeïdion is grounded upon that queftion ofSt. Paul, t Cor. 4. j. Whit maketh thee to differ ? which they think impoffible to be anfwer'd, if the efficacy of God's Grace depend upon our concurrence and compliance with it. For, fay they, when God offers his Grace to two perlons for their Repentance, if the true lleafon why the one Repents, and the other remains impenitent, be this, that the one complieth with this Grace ofGod, and yieldeth to it, the other refifts and (lands out againft it ; then it is not the. Grace of God whichmakes the dif- ference, for that is equal to both, but fomething in themfelves, and fo it is not God thatmakes them to differ, but they themfelves. tut this queftion is impertinent to this Cafe. The Apoftle fpeaks it concerning Spiritual Gifts, upon account of which, they faaioufly admir'd fome of theApo- flies above others, and concerning them the queftion is very proper, who maketb thee to differ ? Miraculous gifts were foorder'd by God, that Men were meerly pave in thereceiving ofthem, and contributed nothing to the obtaining of them ; and thereforeif one had greater gifts than anbther, it was meetly the pleafure of God that made the difference. But the Cafe is not the fame in the Graces of God's Spirit, towards the obtaining and improving whereof, we our felves may con- tribute fomething; our Saviour havingaffur'd us, that o him that lath, 'hallbe given. And here the queftion is not proper, nor is it true that the Grace ofGod makes all the difference. It is indeed the Foundation of all the good that is in us : but our different Improvement makes different attainments in grace and goodnefs. Among thofe to whom the Talents were intrufted, whatmade the difference be- tween the Manwho wrapt his Talent in the Napkin, andburied it, and thofe who gained double by theirs, but that the one improv'd the Grace conferr'd on him, the ether neglected it, and this without any manner of reflectionupon, or diminution of the Grace of God, orany danger from St. Pours queftion, who maketh thee to differ ? Put the Cafea Pardon is offered to two Malefactors, the one accepts, the other refufes it ; their own choice makes the difference between them ; but he that is faved is neverthelefs beholden to the King's Pardon for his Life, and it were a fenfelefs ingratitude in him, becaufe he accepts the Pardon, when the other re- fufeth it, to fay that he did not owe hisLife to the grace and favour of hisPrince, but might thank himfelffor it ; whereas he that was in a capacity to accept a Par- don, was wholly due to the clemencyof his Prince, who ofler'd it to him when heno wife deferved it. In this Cafe the thing plainly appearsas it is, by which every Man may fee, that it is againft common fenfe to pretend that the Grace of God is deftroyed, if there be any compliance on our part with it ; that it is no Grace, ifit benot forc'd upon us, and we be not meerly pave in the receptionof it. Iproceed in the Second place, to give a clear (late of this Matter, fo as is molt agreeable to the Doctrine of the HolyScriptures, and the effential Attributes and Perfections of God. In order to which, I will give you a wort viewof the feveral Opinions concerning this Matter. And there are two extream, and two middle Opinions, concerning the operation ofGod'sGrace in the Converfion ofa Sinner. The Firfi of the extream,Opinions is that which all this while I have beery ar- guing againft, namely, that all that are Converted and Regenerated, arewrought upon in an irrefsfliblemanner, and are meetly pave in it; and that thofe who are not thus wrought upon, their Repentance and Converfion is impofble. What the inconveniences of this Opinionare, I have (hewed at large. The
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