Footnote 17:
Ὕπερβαλλον μεγεθος της δυναμεως αυτου—κατα την ενεργειαν του κρατους
της ισχυος αυτου.
Footnote 18:
The change in regeneration has been often called the communication of
_a principle of spiritual life_. It is described as life, in the
scriptures. Sensible objects make no impressions on dead bodies,
because insensible; and those, who receive no impressions from divine
truths, but remain unaffected by the charms of holiness, are
figuratively denominated _dead_. Life being the opposite of death,
such as are sensible of the Divine excellencies, and receive the
impressions which religious truths are calculated to make, may, in the
same manner, be termed _living_. Such also are called _spiritual_,
because this holy activity is communicated by the Spirit of God. “You
hath he quickened;” and, because it has for its object the things
which have been revealed by the Holy Spirit.
These terms are derived from the Scriptures, but the word _principle_
is destitute of such support. It is found in the Epistle to the
Hebrews: there it is used for those fundamental doctrines, which are
the _beginnings_ of the doctrine of the gospel; but this is not the
meaning of the term in the above description. This change is the
immediate work of God, and not the communication of some operative
axiom of truth. There are natural principles of action; as habit,
affection, and passion: and there are moral; as sense of duty, fear of
God, and love of holiness. These are all termed principles, because
they excite to action, and so are the beginnings, or causes of it. But
it is scarcely in this sense, that the term principle is used in the
description of regeneration; for it is said to be communicated, and so
must mean something distinct from, and the effect of the work of the
Spirit. Accordingly it has been called “a fixed impression of some
spiritual truth upon the heart.” But there is no truth, or other
motive, sufficient to prevail against the obduracy of the unrenewed
heart; or to become a _principle_ of action to a soul dead in sin.
Whatever that is in fallen man, which repels such motives, and
prevents their influence until some more worthy motive is thrown into
the scale, it is the work of the Spirit to remove it, and to give the
soul an activity towards holy things. No intervention of mediate
causes seems necessary; the Spirit of God is the agent; the soul of
the man is the subject of influence; and He is said to _open the
heart, to give a new heart, to create anew, to enlighten the mind in
the knowledge of the truth, to work in us to will and to do_, or _to
give sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf_. From such
scriptural expressions it may be gathered that sight, knowledge, new
dispositions, and a change of inclinations, are the _effects_ of
regeneration, and not the _thing itself_.
This change is more important than all the gifts of providence, if man
therefore be the author of it, he is his own greatest benefactor, and
must have the highest glory. If the Holy Spirit acts no otherwise on
the human soul, than by addressing motives, angelic natures do also
this; and no more power is ascribed to the Searcher of hearts, than to
them. Then also it will follow, that all professing christians are of
the same kind; and that it was improperly said, that they “were not of
us,” who afterwards have “departed from us.” Then also the advice to
those who are in the visible church “to examine,” and “prove
themselves,” whether Christ be “in them,” is without meaning, or
utility; because the thing to be inquired for is notorious, that is,
their visible profession. And to “be born again,” is but “to see the”
visible “kingdom” of Christ: and so the proposition spoken to
Nicodemus was merely identical.
Footnote 19:
_See Charnock, Vol. II. page 220, 221, &c. and Cole on Regeneration._
Footnote 20:
_See Charnock, Vol. II. page 232, who speaking concerning its being an
instrument, appointed by God, for this purpose, says, That God hath
made a combination between hearing and believing; so that believing
comes not without hearing, and whereas he infers from hence, that the
principle of grace is implanted, by hearing and believing the word, he
must be supposed to understand it, concerning the principle deduced
into act, and not his implanting the principle itself._
Footnote 21:
_See Charnock on Regeneration, Vol. II. page 70, 71._
Footnote 22:
_See Quest._ lxxv.
Footnote 23:
When it is said “_no man can come unto me, except the Father who hath
sent me, draw him_,” the negation must be understood as expressive of
_moral_ impotency, and as if it had been said “_ye will not come unto
me that ye might have life_;” but nevertheless as direct proof of the
absolute necessity of divine grace to the salvation of every person
who is saved. That the aid is not merely necessary to the
_understanding_ is evident from the guilt of unregeneracy, and from
the supposition of the Saviour whose reproof implies that it was the
carnality of the _heart_ which created the impotency to come unto or
believe on him.
The propriety of exhortations to turn, repent, believe, and work out
our own salvation, is obvious; because such impotency is chiefly an
aversion of heart. When such motives are ineffectual, they prove the
inveteracy of the opposition to God, and argue the greater guilt. They
are no evidence that grace is unnecessary, because they have an
important effect in the change of the man’s views, and pursuits, when
the Spirit of God has “_opened the heart_” to receive the necessary
impressions; and because these motives are rendered effectual by the
Divine Spirit. He grants us repentance, turns us, helps our unbelief,
strengthens our faith, and works in us both to will and to do of his
own good pleasure.
Because it is charged upon the evil that they “resist” the grace of
God, and therefore his Spirit will not always “strive” with men, it by
no means follows, that the success of grace depends merely upon our
yielding; as often as men yield to the strivings of the Spirit, a
victory is obtained; for the carnal heart inclines to evil until
subdued by him: we are “made willing in a day of his power.” Were it
otherwise the glory of man’s salvation would belong to himself, at
least in part; but the language of the believer is “_not unto us, O
Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name, be the glory given_.” Nor is
there any need to suppose man’s salvation thus imputable to himself in
order that the evil may be charged with the blame of his destruction;
for nothing excludes him but his own evil heart, and this is his sin.
It does not result that the man, who is thus “made willing,” is in
such manner constrained as that his holiness, being the effect of
compulsion, possesses no moral beauty; because he acts as freely as
the evil man does; and even more so, for the latter is a slave to his
preponderating evil inclinations. The believer chooses holiness, and
though he has nothing to boast of before God, his good works may well
justify him before men.
If it be yet objected, that this is a discouraging representation of
the way of obtaining happiness; it may be answered, that it can
discourage only those, who wish for happiness, at the same time that
they more strongly incline to sensuality; and such ought to be
discouraged in their vain expectations: but it is highly consolatory
to such as prefer holiness and heaven; for it not only discovers to
them, that God has wrought in them to will and to do, but that he is
engaged for them, and will accomplish their salvation.
Footnote 24:
_See Charnock on Regeneration, Vol. II. page 147, 148, &c._
Footnote 25:
_When we speak of effectual calling’s being the work of the Spirit,
the agency of the Father and Son is not excluded, since the divine
power, by which all effects are produced, belongs to the divine
essence, which is equally predicated of all the persons in the
Godhead; but when any work is peculiarly attributed to the Spirit,
this implies his personal glory’s being demonstrated thereby,
agreeably to what is elsewhere called the oeconomy of the divine
persons; which see farther explained in Vol. I. page 292, 293_, &c.
Footnote 26:
Ενεργεια.
Footnote 27:
Αθετησαι.
Quest. LXIX.
QUEST. LXIX. _What is the communion in grace, which the members of
the invisible church have with Christ?_
ANSW. The communion in grace, which the members of the invisible
church have with Christ, is, their partaking of the virtue of his
mediation, in their justification, adoption, sanctification, and
whatever else, in this life, manifests their union with him.
Having considered the vital union which the members of the invisible
church have with Christ in their effectual calling, we are now led to
speak concerning that communion in grace, which they have with him.
Communion with Christ doth not, in the least, import our being made
partakers of any of the glories or privileges which belong to him as
Mediator; but it consists, in our participation, of those benefits which
he hath purchased for us; and it implies, on his part, infinite
condescension, that he will be pleased to communicate such blessings on
us, and on our’s, unspeakable honours and privileges, which we enjoy
from him: it is sometimes called _fellowship_, 1 John i. 3. which is the
result of friendship, and proceeds from his love: thus our Saviour
speaks of his _loving them, and manifesting himself unto them_, John
xiv. 21. It also proceeds from union with him, and is the immediate
effect and consequence of effectual calling: therefore God is said to
_have called us unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ_, 1 Cor. i.
9.
And it is farther said in this answer, to be a manifestation of our
union with him. He has received those blessings for us, which he
purchased by his blood; and, accordingly is the treasury, as well as the
fountain of all grace; and we are therefore said to _receive of his
fulness, grace for grace_, John i. 16. And the blessings which we are
said to receive, by virtue of his mediation, are justification,
adoption, and sanctification, with all other benefits that either
accompany or flow from them; which are particularly explained in the
following answers.
Quest. LXX., LXXI.