A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the gradual breakings out of Gospel…A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the graduall breakings out of Gospel…

It will be said, to what purpose are they called and invited, if they be as unable to come, as a dead man is to arise and walk. True it is, every man is of himself unable by nature to come unto Christ, and God doth enable whom he please: but this inability is not from any impossibility that is without man himself, either in respect of the thing commanded, or any external cause, or brute necessity and disposition, but from his voluntary perverseness, which is most blame-worthy. The comparison may be admitted, if rightly interpreted, otherwise it is captious: for sin is the death of the soul not physical, but moral: Man by sin loseth not the faculty of understanding, and willing, but of understanding and willing aright, as in duty he is bound, the object being propounded and revealed with fit and convenient light. It is not therefore all one to invite a sinner to forsake the error of his way, and call upon a dead man to arise out of the grave. The Lord who doth whatsoever he will in heaven above, and in earth beneath, in his deep and unsearchable counsel never absolutely intended to make every man actually and effectually partakers of the benefit promised, for if he had so purposed it, it should have taken effect: nevertheless, the invitation is serious, showing what we ought to do, and God doth approve and desire on our parts: and the purpose of God to give faith to whom he please, and not to all men, is no cause of any mans unbelief, either efficient or deficient, For that man believeth, this he oweth unto God, and ⟨p. 245⟩that not simply alone, but comparatively in respect of others, who believe not: but that man refuseth the promises of mercy, this is of himself, not of simple or natural infirmity, which might procure pity, but of his own perverseness, and love to some inferior good, different from the good proposed, or contrary to it, and averseness from the circumstances and conditions of the object proposed.

It will be said, to what purpose are they called and invited, if they be as unable to come, as a dead man is to arise and walke. True it is, every man is of himselfe unable by nature to come unto Christ, and God doth enable whom he please: but this inability is not from any impossibility that is without man himselfe, either in respect of the thing commanded, or any externall cause, or bruite necessity and disposition, but from his voluntary perversenesse, which is most blame-worthy. The comparison may be admitted, if rightly interpreted, otherwise it is captious: for sinne is the death of the soule not physicall, but morall: Man by sin locseth not the faculty of understanding, and willing, but of understanding and willing aright, as in duty he is bound, the object being propounded and revealed with fit and convenient light. It is not therefore all one to invite a sinner to forsake the errour of his way, and call upon a dead man to arise out of the grave. The Lord who doth whatsoever he will in heaven above, and in earth beneath, in his deepe and unsearchable counsell never absolutely intended to make every man actually and effectually partakers of the benefit promised, for if he had so purposed it, it should have taken effect: neverthelesse, the invitation is serious, shewing what we ought to doe, and God doth approve and desire on our parts: and the purpose of God to give faith to whom he please, and not to all men, is no cause of any mans unbeliefe, either efficient or deficient, For that man believeth, this he oweth unto God, and