QUESTION XlV Seel of Christ in early times, and which occasioned the labours of St. Augustine to be much employed in the refutation of their errors: Afterward they allowed some illumination of the tinder- standing by divine grace. But I fear those who embrace the old pelagian doctrines, have too little regard to the express language of scripture, and to its most obvious sense, when it speaks so much about the 'power or grace of God, and the operations of the Spirit of God, m giving us a new heart, creating a clean heart in us, enlighten- ing our minds, converting our souls, or turning us to God, and creating as anew after the image of God, working in us both to will and to do, &c. whereby some inward and effectual oper- ations of divinegrace, upon the minds or hearts of men, are so plainly expressed, that even the remonstrants or arminians themselves, I think in all their ranks and classes have supposed some such inward workings of the graceof God upon the heart ; becauseso many plain texts of scripture could never be other- wise interpreted, without an unreasonable force put upon them. Yet I think it must be acknowledged, that these last named writers do expressly allow these inward operations of God, to go no farther than to render men salvable, and to leave the powers of men ina state of indifference, to convert and turn them selves to God, but not effectually to determine and secure their salvation ; of which I shall speak more immediately. Among those who admit of divine grace tooperate inwardly on the minds and hearts of men, there have been several different opinions what this grace is, how far it reaches, and how much of it is necessary towards the recovery of man. But before I represent these several opinions, I would lay down some general propo- sitions, which I think may be assented to by most or all of them, and exhibit them as a medium of reconciliation to one another : And I shall rejoice, if I may be. so far favoured of providence, as to convince them how their several different sentiments may all be tolerably reconciled to these general propositions, and thereby take away a great deal of that noisy controversy which has unhappily perplexed the church ofChrist upon this subject. Proposition I. God has provided a glorious salvation for fallen men by Jesus Christ, which is sufficient for all men in its own nature, and shall be certainly effectual to all that are willing to accept of it upon bis appointed terms, or in his own appointed way, that is, in a way. of repentance for sin, renewal . unto holiness, and faith or dependenceon the mercy of God through Jesus Christ. is not fit that any persons should be comprehended under any of these names, but which they themselves allow or chase, aecordioo as they come nearest to the opinions of this or the other party.
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