$ 19. Not much better is the following plea: "Should a phyfician come to a patient, whose "ftomach was fo weakened through his intemper"ance or luft, that it could bear no ftrong meat, "and his feet fo enfeebled that he could scarce "walk from his couch to his bed-fide, and profess an earnest defire to cure his distempers, and pro"mife him recovery, provided he would follow his prefcriptions, might it not reasonably be expect "ed he fhould prefcribe fuch means for his re covery that it was poffible for him in this condition "to make use of? If then he should enjoin him to "eat, and to digest the strongest meats, and walk "fome hours in the fields, because he formerly "could do fo before he fell into this disability and "feebleness, would not all men pronounce him a « deluding cheat, and one that hypocritically and "infincerely pretended his recovery, and promised "it with equal vanity and folly, intending only to "infult over his prefent mifery: And yet this is the "representation of our gracious GOD in this affair "which thefe men offer to us."* So then GOD and his righteous law, fubmiffive, muft bow to the depraved inclination of the tranfgreffor! According to this wonderfully complaifant doctrine, Pharaoh, Judas, Demas, &c. were obliged no further than they were well difpofed to obey; and because pride, covetoufnefs, and love of the world had disabled them, it was quite wrong to require of them faith in God's teftimony, and repentance for their crimes; for why? this was to "enjoin them to eat, and to * Ibid. p. 167. digeft digest the strongest meats," which they were unable, that is, indifpofed or unwilling to do. The real fact is, that our Author here, as every where else, most injudiciously and unfairly confounds natural and moral impotence, and then argues from the one to the other; not reflecting, that corporeal diseases deserve our pity, as what the patient cannot avoid if he would; but mental diseases, as pride, unbelief, impenitence, hatred of God, and the love of fin, deferve our deteftation, because if they would men might avoid them. Chrift has died, and the Spirit is offered to them through his mediation, but they out of deliberate choice obstinately refuse the kindly intended benefits; whofe damnation is juft. § 20. It is again urged: "We find our bleffed "Saviour marvelling at the unbelief of his own people; for he marvelled at their unbelief. Now, ،، can he who knows they could not believe by "reafon of the difability they had contracted by "the fin of Adam, wonder that they did not what "it was impoffible for them to do? Again, when he “ heard the anfwer of the centurion, he marvelled, faying, Verily I have not found fo great faith, no not "in Ifrael; but if this faith, whenever it is wrought “ in any, is the effect of an almighty power, what " reafon could he have to marvel, that it was found "where that almighty power was exerted, or that "it was not found where the fame power was with"held?" Of all the abfurd objections contained in this magazine of genuine Arminianifm, none need be more fo than the prefent. According to this objection, miracles are not to be marvelled at; but should be regarded with an eye of indifference! In reply to this objection, obferve: 1. We confider faith, as a branch of the divine life, or as a gift, in the class of those interpofitions of GOD that may well be termed miraculous; but as a duty, or the voluntary exertion of that life, it may naturally be expected where the divine teftimony is moft explicit, and the means of grace most abundant. Thus GOD of old: Now, O inhabitants of Jerufalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?* Thus the fruits of righteoufnefs were not according to the means afforded, which was the proper ground of criminality. That the daughter of Zion, who had been betrothed unto the Lord in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies, fhould go after Baalim, burn incenfe to them, and forget JEHOVAH, was a fact comparatively marvellous. So here, it was a thing greatly to be marvelled at that the Jews, to whom were committed the oracles of GOD, who were Ifraelites, to whom pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the teftaments, and the giving of the law, and the fervice of GoD and the promises; whose were the Fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Chrift came, who is over all, GOD blefied forever; that these people, fo highly privileged, should disbelieve a testimony supported *Ifaiah v. 3, 4. by by fuch evidence: while the centurion, a heathen foldier who had no fuch privileges, exhibited a fact no less marvellous in receiving with humble readi ness what they haughtily rejected. 2. The objection is founded on the unscriptural, unreasonable, we may add, ungrateful notion, That faith as a grace, or the life of GOD in the foul, is not the effect of an almighty power. What can be more oppofite to the whole current of revealed truth! The true chriftian temper, which is the root of faith, is (as) a new creation; * a new birth, a birth from heaven, the effect of fovereign almighty energy;† the produce of ( 'repoλn TAS Suvaμsws) the excellency of power; ‡ a power fimilar to that which created the world, and caused the light to fhine out of darkness; a power not lefs miraculous, or fuperior to the common laws of nature and unaided influence of moral means, than the refurrection from the dead. It appears to me || not a little parodoxical, that any fhould admit of an almighty power to be exerted in raifing the body to future life; an exertion totally different from that which preferves and gives energy to the mechanism of the univerfe, or established general laws of matter and motion, caufes and effects; and yet deny the need of fuch a power to raise the foul to fpiritual life and happiness. They who cavil at the doctrines of grace, as explained by the orthodox, and yet believe the refurrection of the body, may well be faid to firain out a gnat and R 2 2 Cor. v. 17. + John iii. 3, 5, 8. + 2 Cor. iv. 7. and fwallow down a camel. But a fuller difcuffion of this point belongs to the next head of difcourfe; to which we now proceed. § 21. (III.) Special Grace. Notwithstanding the contemptuous manner in which Dr. WHITBY fpeaks of faith as "the effect of an almighty power;" when treating of fufficient and effectual, common and Special grace, he makes the following conceffion: "Befides this calling of men to the profeffion of "the chriftian faith, and this vouchfafement of "the gospel to them as a rule of life; it feems neceffary to affert that God vouchfafes fome in"ward operations or affiftances to incline them to what " is good, and work converfion in them ;"* and, what is ftill more extraordinary, he produceth feveral paffages of fcripture in favour of that affertion. But alas all this parade of conceffions and proofs is followed by numberless flagrant contradictions. What he builds with one hand he pulls down with the other; and that with violence. What he be fore called" inward operations" are now nothing more than GoD's cxhortations. One while it is conceded that there is a divine illumination, a divine impreffion on the mind, and GOD fpeaking inwardly to man; but before you are aware, all is converted into moral perfuafion. Let us hear his own words: "I affert that the manner in which God's grace and Holy Spirit acts upon the minds and hearts of men. "for production of the fruits of the good Spirit, and "the preparatory difpofitions of the foul towards them, Dicourte, p. 206. |