It may easily be observed, that this supposition is greatly derogatory to the glory of God; and renders all dependance on him, both to will and to do, unnecessary: It supposes that we have sufficient ability to work those graces in ourselves that accompany salvation; otherwise it is not sufficient to salvation; and therefore it is contrary to all those scriptures which speak of them as the work, or the effect of the exceeding greatness of the power of God: which leads us to consider, _Secondly_, The doctrine of effectual calling, as contained in the former of the answers, which we are explaining; in which we may observe, I. The character of those who are effectually called antecedent thereunto. They have nothing that can recommend them to the divine favour; for being considered as fallen, guilty creatures, they are not only unable to make atonement for sin, but to do what is spiritually good: thus the apostle represents them, _as without strength_, Rom. v. 6. which is the immediate consequence of man’s first apostacy from God; and universal experience, proves that we have a propensity to every thing that is evil, which daily increases: And to this we may add, that the mind is blinded, the affections stupified, the will full of obstinacy, the conscience disposed to deal treacherously, whereby we deceive ourselves; so that the whole soul is out of order. The apostle speaks of man _by nature_, as _dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; having their conversation in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind_, Eph. ii. 1-3. And the prophet speaks of the _heart_ of man, as being _deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked_, Jer. xvii. 9. And the apostle describes some as ‘walking in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness,’ Eph. iv. 17-19. and others, as being ‘filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful,’ Rom. i. 29-31. This, indeed, is spoken of the Gentiles, who were destitute of the means of grace, and had contracted greater degrees of impiety than many others; but they, who are effectually called, would have run into the same abominations, their natures being equally inclined thereunto, without preventing grace; as some of the church of Corinth are said to have done before their conversion, whom he speaks of