Concerning this principle of grace let it be observed, that it is infused and not acquired. The first principle or spring of good actions, may, with equal reason, be supposed to be infused into us, as Christians, as it is undoubtedly true, that the principle of reasoning is infused into us as men: none ever supposed that the natural power of reasoning may be acquired, though a greater facility or degree thereof is gradually attained; so that power, whereby we are enabled to put forth supernatural acts of grace, must be supposed to be implanted in us; which, were it acquired, we could not, properly speaking, be said to be born of God. From hence I am obliged to infer, that the regenerating act, or implanting this principle[18] of grace, which is, at least, in order of nature, antecedent to any act of grace, put forth by us, is the immediate effect of the power of God, which none who speak of regeneration as a divine work, pretend to deny: and therefore, I cannot but conclude, that it is wrought in us without the instrumentality of the word, or any of the ordinary means of grace: my reason for it is this; because it is necessary, from the nature of the thing, to our receiving, improving, or reaping any saving advantage by the word, that the Spirit should produce the principle of faith; and to say, that this is done by the word, is in effect, to assert that the word produces the principle, and the principle gives efficacy to the word; which seems to me little less than arguing in a circle. The word cannot profit, unless it be mixed with faith; and faith cannot be put forth, unless it proceeds from a principle of grace implanted; therefore this principle of grace is not produced by it: we may as well suppose, that the presenting a beautiful picture before a man that is blind, can enable him to see; or the violent motion of a withered hand, produce strength for action, as we can suppose that the presenting the word in an objective way, is the instrument whereby God produces that internal principle, by which we are enabled to embrace it. Neither would this so well agree with the idea of its being a new creature, or our being _created unto good works_; for then it ought rather to be said, we are created by faith, which is a good work: this is, in effect, to say, that the principle of grace is produced by the instrumentality of that which supposes its being implanted, and is the result and consequence thereof.