I have compared Clarke and many other commentators before. In many respects he was very Calvinistic, such as this statement:
If Clarke was a Methodist then it is doubtful he was Calvinistic. From Methodism, the Wesleyan theology came Pentecostal theology, as far from Calvinism as one can get. You are wrong.
Clarke is basically saying regeneration precedes faith here. It is certainly a good thing for a man to believe on Jesus, it is called being "obedient" to the faith, where unbelief is called disobedience.
No, that is not what he said. He has said the same thing Jesus taught, the Bible teaches, and others have taught--a teaching that you obstinately fight against!
One cannot change the nature of the tree. A corrupt tree will bring forth corrupt fruit. The tree is known by its fruit. The corrupt tree, in order to produce good fruit needs divine intervention; it needs to be regenerated. It needs new life.
Remember this parable:
Luke 13:6 He spake also this parable;
A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
--Except for intervention it would be cut down and destroyed.
Well, Clarke is saying a man's heart must be "renewed" before he can do any good. This is Calvinism.
It was Jesus that taught:
From a good man's heart comes good fruit.
From an evil man's heart comes evil fruit.
One is known by their fruit. That is not Calvinism. Is it the unsaved or the saved that demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in their lives?
Unsaved man can do good, Cornelius proves that. He was not saved, or else why would God send an angel to tell him to send for Peter whereby he would hear words that would save him?
Acts 11:13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
Why would a regenerate man need to be saved? Absurd!
He also did not receive the Holy Spirit until he heard the gospel.
Acts 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Cornelius didn't receive the Holy Spirit until he heard the gospel from Peter and believed on Jesus.
Was Cornelius UNABLE to do good before this? NO, he feared God, prayed always, and did many good works that God recognized and that Peter called righteous works.
First, Cornelius acted on "all" the light that he had.
Second, he was a proselyte to the Jewish religion.
Third, he was a Roman, a Gentile (one usually hated among the Jews), and yet this man was highly esteemed among the Jews. How do you account for that? It was because of his alms (OT society); his conversion to the Jewish faith.
Fourth, it is likely that he had also heard Christ. (don't know for sure).
Fifth, now he wanted to hear the whole story and fully understand. His request was answered by God. That same request is still being answered by God in foreign nations all over this world. "God if there is a God reveal yourself to me." And He usually does, in one way or another: tract, radio message, missionary, or in some way.
To use Cornelius as an example for a lost man doing good works does not wash. The Book of Acts was a book of transition--the Church in transition. There were many things that happened that were highly unusual. Establish your doctrine from the epistles not Acts.
So Clarke is wrong. Total Inability is wrong. If an unsaved man wants to get saved, he can turn in faith to Jesus and be saved. He is not compelled to do evil. Cornelius was able to be obedient before he was saved.
Calvinism is false.
Again, you accuse me, other non-Cals, and Clarke of teaching Total Inability, when we don't. Stop with the slander and false accusations.
NE has been able to show you one thing. You've never changed your mind on anything whilst on here. The likes of DHK, Skan, Ben, TND, et al have shown you things and you brush them off. The likes of Adam Clarke, C.S. Lewis, A.W. Tozer, couldn't show you your errors either. You came on here to show us how much you know and how much smarter than you are than us, I'm afraid. I came on here to learn, and by His grace, I have. I don't have all the answers, but apparently you do....