the works of john gill vol2 SAMPLE

The Cause of God and Truth
determined to deny; since thereby, the perverseness and wickedness of
men are more fully discovered, and they left inexcusable.
Besides, the instances referred to regard not all mankind, but the
people of Israel, and God’s dealings with them, not in relation to their
spiritual and eternal welfare, but their civil and temporal estate, as a
body politic, as has been shown in the first Part of this work.
(9.) “Is it suitable 46 to the same wisdom and sincerity, to move such
persons by promises to repent and believe; and to require them, having
such promises, to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God? What wit of man can
show, how God can be serious in calling such men to faith and
repentance, much less in his concern that they might do so, or in his
trouble that they have not done so; and yet be serious and in good
earnest in his antecedent decree to deny them that aid, without which
they never can believe or repent?”
To which may be replied; that God is serious in calling men to faith
and repentance, and as serious in his decrees either to give or deny that
grace, without which none can ever believe or repent, is certain; and it
must be owned, it would appear unsuitable to his wisdom and sincerity,
should he move such persons by promises, and call such to faith and
repentance, to whom, by an antecedent decree, he had determined to
deny that grace, without which they could never believe and repent.
But, then, it remains to be proved, which, I think, can never be
proved, that God calls any persons, and moves them by promises to
believe in Christ, to the saving of their souls, or to evangelical
repentance, to whom he does not give grace to believe and repent, or
such who are not eventually saved.
46 Ibid. p. 512; ed. 2. 490.
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