An humble inquiry into the rules of the Word of God, concerning the qualifications…

(2) 'Tis supposed, that God do's not require Impossibilities of Men, in this Sense, that he do's not require those Things of them which are out of their natural Power, and particularly that he don't require 'em to be converted. But this is not proved; nor can I reconcile it with the Tenor of the Scripture-Revelation: And the chief Advocates for the Doctrine I oppose, have themselves abundantly asserted the contrary. The venerable Author forementioned, as every Body knows, that knew him, always taught, that God justly requires Men to be converted, to repent of their Sins, and turn to the Lord, to close with Christ, and savingly to believe in him; and that in refusing to accept of Christ and turn to God, they disobeyed the divine Commands, and were guilty of the most heinous Sin; and that their moral Inability was no Excuse.

(2) 'Tis supposed, that God do's not require Impossibilities of Men, in this Sense, that he do's not require those Things of them which are out of their natural Power, and particularly that he don't require 'em to be converted. But this is not proved; nor can I reconcile it with the Tenor of the Scripture-Revelation: And the chief Advocates for the Doctrine I oppose, have themselves abundantly asserted the contrary. The venerable Author forementioned, as every Body knows, that knew him, always taught, that God justly requires Men to be converted, to repent of their Sins, and turn to the Lord, to close with Christ, and savingly to believe in him; and that in refusing to accept of Christ and turn to God, they disobey'd the divine Commands, and were guilty of the most heinous Sin; and that their moral Inability was no Excuse.

(3.) 'Tis supposed, that God don't command Men to do those Things which are not to be done 'till something else is done, that is not within the Reach of Men's natural Ability. This also is not proved; nor do I see how it can be true, even according to the Principles of those who insist on this Objection. The fore-mentioned memorable Divine ever taught, that God commandeth natural Men without Delay to believe in Christ; and yet he always held, that is was impossible for them to believe 'till they had by a preceding Act submitted to the Sovereignty of God; which yet, he held, Men never could do of Themselves, nor 'till humbled and bowed by powerful Convictions of God's Spirit. Again, He taught, that God commandeth natural Men to love Him with all their Heart: and yet he held, that this could not be 'till Men had first believed in Christ; the Exercise of Love being a Fruit of Faith: and believing in Christ, he supposed not to be within the Reach of Man's natural Ability. Further, he held, that God requireth of all Men holy spiritual and acceptable Obedience; and yet that such Obedience is not within the Reach of their natural Ability; and not only so, but that there must first be Love to God, before there could be new Obedience, and that this Love to God is not within the Reach of Men's natural Ability: nor yet only so, but that before this Love there must be Faith, which Faith is not within the Reach of Man's natural Power: and still not only so, but that before Faith there must be the Knowledge of God, which Knowledge is not in natural Men's Reach: and once more, not only so, but that even before the Knowledge of God there must be a thorough' Humiliation, which Humiliation Men could not work in themselves by any natural Power of their own. Now, must it needs be thought, notwithstanding