"Here I might, with propriety, close up my argument, and conclude that the evidence is triumphant and incontrovertible. Nor do I see what can be said against it, unless some one should choose to distinguish between regeneration and conversion, and say that, although the former is the work of God, yet the latter is the work of the creature. All I have to say on the subject is, that the distinction is gratuitous, and wholly baseless; no such distinction is recognized by the sacred writers; they uniformly use these two words, as convertible terms; Neither do I conceive that, if we philosophize ever so much, we can make out any other distinction than there is between cause and effect: the production of a principle of holiness in the heart, and the active exercise of that prinicple. I suppose that, if Lazarus was raised from the dead by the miraculous power of Jesus Christ, and consequently acted, that is, performed the duties and functions of life, those acts ought to be considered as the effects of that miraculous power, without which, they never would have existed; so, if God creates a principle of holiness in our hearts, by divine power, in regeneration; and we consequently act faith, repentance, love and obedience; all those actings ought to be considered as the effect of that divine power, without which they never would have existed. I cannot see that the intervention of the actings of a subordinate and dependent agent, have the least tendency to destroy the connection between the first cause and the consequent and final effects, so that salvation is wholly of grace, from beginning to end. This will furnish a song for the hallelujahs of eternity; and I hope, through grace, to be allowed to bear a humble part in that song. I can conceive of no higher happiness, even in heaven, than to ascribe glory to God and the Lamb, for the rich display of divine grace in my conversion and salvation."
Elisha Andrews (page 181)
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