making them to act contrary to their will, but by making them " willing in the day of his power V]
2. That their connexion with him is altogether owing to his influence —
[If the most express declarations of Scripture can deter- mine any thing, the point in hand is established beyond a doubt : for our blessed Lord says, that " no man," whatever his quality or talents, " can come to him," in the exercise of true faith, "unless the Father draw himc." This testimony is decisive. But the truth of the point established by it is no less clear, from the representation which the Scriptures give us of the work which is wrought on the minds of all who are truly brought to God. It is called " a creation d," which we all know to be the work of God ; and a resurrection from the dead, which is equally beyond any finite power to effect e. Whatever may be supposed to have effected the good work within us, it is expressly excluded, that God may have all the glory f. If it be said, that such difficulties exist only in more abandoned characters, we answer, that the Apostles themselves put themselves, in this respect, on a level with the vilest of mankind8: and thereby fully confirm the testimony of our Lord above cited.]
The next question that arises is,
II. To what must this exalted mercy be traced ?
Is it any peculiar fitness in this or that man, which occasions God to single him out as an object to be drawn by him ; or is the mercy vouchsafed by God to whomsoever he will, according to his own sove- reign will and pleasure ? We cannot hesitate to declare, that the whole salvation, from first to last, is purely of grace.
[St. Paul himself was constrained to say, " By the grace of God I am what I am :" and, of course, every one else must do the same. But we cannot but have observed, on many occasions, how indignantly the natural man revolts from this doctrine. We do not doubt the sovereignty of God in rescuing man from destruction rather than the fallen angels ; or in making the Jews his peculiar people, in preference to all others upon earth ; or in selecting Isaac and Jacob whilst he rejected Ishmael and Esau : nor can we doubt that we ourselves, as
b Ps. ex. 3. c John vi. 44. d Eph. ii. 10.
e Eph. ii. 1. with i. 19, 20. f John i. 13. Rom. xi. 16.
e Eph. ii. 3—5. Tit. iii. 3—6.
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