'Grace must be acknowledged to accompany the outward means of repentance': Tillotson against 'irresistible grace'
From Tillotson's sermon ' The Danger of Impenitence, Where the Gospel is Preached ', on the text Matthew 11:21-22, refuting the doctrine of irresistible grace. He does so on the grounds that sufficient grace always accompanies the "outward means of repentance", as opposed to the Calvinist notion that, without irresistible grace, the outwards means of repentance were not a means of grace unto repentance. In other words, each time the call to repentance is heard in the reading of the Scriptures, the praying of the liturgy, or preaching from the pulpit, grace truly accompanies such call, sufficient for authentic repentance. What Repentance is here spoken of; whether a meer external and Hypocritical Repentance in shew and appearance only, or an inward and real and sincere Repentance ... The Reason of this doubt depends upon the different Theories of Divines, about the sufficiency of Grace accompanying the outward Means of Repentance, and whether an irresistible degree...
