That there is such a thing as irresistible Grace,1 such as surely arrives at the Effect, is a great Truth; the Gospel shows forth the Glory of it, there it is set forth thus: It takes away the stony Heart, that is, the very resisting Principle: It writes the Law in the Heart, that is, it gives such an inward Principle, as answers to the outward Command: It draws, opens, quickens, regenerates, new-creates and conquers the Heart, carrying it away by a translation into the Kingdom of Christ: It gives the very Willing, the very Believing, the very Acting, causing us to walk in his Statutes; and all this in a way of Power, greatness, and exceeding greatness of Power, such as raised up Christ from the dead, Fph. 1.19. And if this be not irresistible Grace, I know not what is. St. Austin clearly ⟨p. 55⟩owns such a Grace,2 Haec Gratia (saith he) quae occultè humanis cordibus divinâ largitate tribuitur, à nullo duro cord respuitur; Ideò quippe tribuitur, ut cordis duritia primitùs auferatur. The Fathers in the Arausican Council tell us, That believing, willing, desiring, endeavouring, labouring, watching, praying, seeking, knocking, and all is from Grace, Can. 6. And that we may know how the Work of Grace is wrought, they call it, Mutatio dextrae excelsi, A Change wrought by the right hand of the most High, Can. 15. Our Church, in the Homily concerning the Coming down of the holy Ghost, speaking of the Conception of the Lord Christ, as a marvellous matter, adds, But where the holy Ghost worketh, there nothing is impossible, as may farther appear by the inward Regeneration and Sanctification of Mankind; and withal calls Regeneration or the new Birth, The Great Power of the holy Ghost. The incomparable Bishop Usher asserts,3 That no less power is requisite to the effecting of the new Creature, than was at first to the producing of all things out of nothing; and what can this be less than an irresistible Grace? Should there be only resistible Grace, those Prayers in Scripture, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, ⟨p. 56⟩Jer. 31.18. and, Turn us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned, Lam. 5.21. must have but a sick Consequence; And those two great Petitions in the Lords Prayer, Thy Kingdom come, and Thy Will be done, seem, as Mr.
That there is such a thing as irresistible Grace,1 such as surely arrives at the Effect, is a great Truth; the Gospel shews forth the Glory of it, there it is set forth thus: It takes away the stony Heart, that is, the very resisting Principle: It writes the Law in the Heart, that is, it gives such an inward Principle, as answers to the outward Command: It draws, opens, quickens, regenerates, new-creates and conquers the Heart, carrying it away by a translation into the Kingdom of Christ: It gives the very Willing, the very Believing, the very Acting, causing us to walk in his Statutes; and all this in a way of Power, greatness, and exceeding greatness of Power, such as raised up Christ from the dead, Fph. 1.19. And if this be not irresistible Grace, I know not what is. St. Austin clearly ⟨p. 55⟩owns such a Grace,2 Haec Gratia (saith he) quae occultè humanis cordibus divinâ largitate tribuitur, à nullo duro corde respuitur; Ideò quippe tribuitur, ut cordis duritia primitùs auferatur. The Fathers in the Arausican Council tell us, That believing, willing, desiring, endeavouring, labouring, watching, praying, seeking, knocking, and all is from Grace, Can. 6. And that we may know how the Work of Grace is wrought, they call it, Mutatio dextrae excelsi, A Change wrought by the right hand of the most High, Can. 15. Our Church, in the Homily concerning the Coming down of the holy Ghost, speaking of the Conception of the Lord Christ, as a marvellous matter, adds, But where the holy Ghost worketh, there nothing is impossible, as may farther appear by the inward Regeneration and Sanctification of Mankind; and withal calls Regeneration or the new Birth, The Great Power of the holy Ghost. The incomparable Bishop Ʋsher asserts,3 That no less power is requisite to the effecting of the new Creature, than was at first to the producing of all things out of nothing; and what can this be less than an irresistible Grace? Should there be only resistible Grace, those Prayers in Scripture, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, ⟨p. 56⟩Jer. 31.18. and, Turn us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned, Lam. 5.21. must have but a sick Consequence; And those two great Petitions in the Lords Prayer, Thy Kingdom come, and Thy Will be done, seem, as Mr.
- 1Answer.
- 2De Praed. Sanct. c. 8.
- 3Myst. of Incarn. pag. 43.
