Objections 9 &10: Evil Tree/Carnal Mind – Whitby’s refutation of Arguments in favor of irresistible grace
The NINTH and TENTH OBJECTIONS are in effect the same, and so will admit of the same answer, viz. "That while a man is an evil tree, (Matthew 7:18) he can do nothing that is good, and that ' the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, nor Indeed can be so;' whence the inference is this, that this evil tree must be first made good, this carnal mind must be first made spiritual, before he can do anything towards his conversion. (Romans 8:7)
ANSWER FIRST. Now the absurdity of these objections is visible in this, that this exposition of them renders all God's exhortations to the wicked to turn from the evil of their ways, all his promises of pardon and salvation if they turn from them, all his threats of death and destruction if they do not turn from them, all its complaints against them that they would not be converted, they would not come to him, vain and absurd; as being exhortations and commands to do what he knew they could not, and he only could do without them; promises of pardon and salvation, if he himself would do what they could not; and threats of damnation if he himself did it not, and in effect complaints against him; for he that complains against me for not doing what he himself alone can make me do, lays the whole guilt of not doing it upon himself.
ANSWER SECOND. It is said in the same place, that 'a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; and elsewhere, that 'he that is born of God cannot sin.' Now if we cannot truly hence infer that a good man, or a spiritual person, can never do an evil or a sinful action, neither can we from the words cited infer, that an evil or a carnal man can never do a good action; for if so, why does God say to him, ' cease to do evil, learn to do welI? (Psalm 34:14) but only that they cannot do it till they will use the faculties which God has given them, to consider and lay to heart the inducements which the gospel tenders to engage them to amend their ways. Hence our Lord says to these bad trees, 'make the tree good that the fruit may be good; which shows, he knew they could and ought to have done something towards that good effect. And the apostle, by his frequent exhortations to carnal men, " to mortify the deeds of the flesh, to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, to put off the old man with his deeds; (Galatians 5:24, Ephesians 4:22) by his threats that "if they live after the flesh they shall die," and by his promise, that " if through the Spirit they do mortify the deeds of the flesh they shall live, (Romans 8:13) plainly demonstrates not only that they can, but that they must be active, if ever this change be wrought upon them.
ANSWER FIRST. Now the absurdity of these objections is visible in this, that this exposition of them renders all God's exhortations to the wicked to turn from the evil of their ways, all his promises of pardon and salvation if they turn from them, all his threats of death and destruction if they do not turn from them, all its complaints against them that they would not be converted, they would not come to him, vain and absurd; as being exhortations and commands to do what he knew they could not, and he only could do without them; promises of pardon and salvation, if he himself would do what they could not; and threats of damnation if he himself did it not, and in effect complaints against him; for he that complains against me for not doing what he himself alone can make me do, lays the whole guilt of not doing it upon himself.
ANSWER SECOND. It is said in the same place, that 'a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; and elsewhere, that 'he that is born of God cannot sin.' Now if we cannot truly hence infer that a good man, or a spiritual person, can never do an evil or a sinful action, neither can we from the words cited infer, that an evil or a carnal man can never do a good action; for if so, why does God say to him, ' cease to do evil, learn to do welI? (Psalm 34:14) but only that they cannot do it till they will use the faculties which God has given them, to consider and lay to heart the inducements which the gospel tenders to engage them to amend their ways. Hence our Lord says to these bad trees, 'make the tree good that the fruit may be good; which shows, he knew they could and ought to have done something towards that good effect. And the apostle, by his frequent exhortations to carnal men, " to mortify the deeds of the flesh, to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, to put off the old man with his deeds; (Galatians 5:24, Ephesians 4:22) by his threats that "if they live after the flesh they shall die," and by his promise, that " if through the Spirit they do mortify the deeds of the flesh they shall live, (Romans 8:13) plainly demonstrates not only that they can, but that they must be active, if ever this change be wrought upon them.
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