CD 3.23

3.23. Third and Fourth Heads of Doctrine, Rejection of Errors 6

That in the true conversion of man no new qualities, powers or gifts can be infused by God into the will, and that therefore faith through which we are first converted, and because of which we are called believers, is not a quality or gift infused by God, but only an act of man, and that it cannot be said to be a gift, except in respect of the power to attain to this faith. For thereby they contradict the Holy Scriptures which declare that God infuses new qualities of faith, of obedience, and of the consciousness of His love into our hearts: "I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts" (Jer. 31:33). And: "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed" (Is. 44:3). And: "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5). This is also repugnant to the continuous practice of the Church, which prays by the mouth of the prophet thus: "turn Thou me, and I shall be turned" (Jer. 31:18).

Proof texts

• Isa. 44:3 — [3] For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
• Jer. 31:18 — [18] I have heard Ephraim grieving, ‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf; bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the LORD my God.
• Jer. 31:33 — [33] For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
• Rom. 5:5 — [5] and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Isa. 44:3 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 4 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q29 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WSC Q30 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q29 · WSC Q30 · WSC Q31 · WSC Q32 · WLC Q57 · WCF 9.1 · HC Q53 · BC 6.1 · BC 6.2 · BC 6.3 · 1689 9.1 · 1689 9.2 · 1689 9.3 · 1689 9.4 · 1689 9.5 · 1689 10.1 · 1689 10.2 · 1689 10.3 · 1689 10.4