A Compend of the Controversies of Religion, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. OF VOCATION.
§. I. That there is no fore-going preparations in vsus naturallie, vntounto our effectuall calling by grace, as merits of congruitie.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
2. TIm. 1.9. Who hath ſaved vsus, & called vsus, with an holie calling: not according to our vvorks, but according to his owne purpoſe and grace, vvhichwhich vvas given vsus in Christ Ieſus, before the World began.
Note then, That preparatorie works in vsus is altogether excluded, and all attributed onlie to meere grace, in our effectuall calling.
Epheſ. 2.3.4.5. Amongst whom alſo wee all had our converſation in tymes past, in the lusts of our fleſh; fulfilling the deſires of the fl…ſh, and of the minde, and were by nature the children of vvrath, even as others: But God, vvho is rich in merciemercy, for his great louelove vvhere-vvith hee hath loved vsus, Even when wee were dead in ſinnes, hath quickened vsus, together with Christ; for by grace yee are ſaved.
Conſider then, Before our effectuall calling, what wicked workes the Apoſtle ſhoweth doeth preceede in all men; meriting wrath, and not anie gracious calling: and ſeeing wee are all dead in ſinne before our calling, what preparations can bee in a dead man of himſelfe, to his quickening and reviving againe?
Tit. 3.3. For we our ſelues alſo were ſome-tymes fooliſh, diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers lustes and pleaſures, living in malice and envy, hatefull, and hating one another: But after that the kindneſſe and louelove of God, our Saviour, toward man appeared, not by works of righteouſneſſe, which wee had done, but according to his merciemercy, hee hath ſaved vsus, by the waſhing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghost.
Note then, What ſort of workes the Apoſtle reckoneth vp, which preceedeth our calling, from which hee exeemeth not himſelfe, being a bloodie perſecuter, immediatelie before his calling, and had no other works of fore-going preparation, but perſecution of Chriſts members, even as Manaſſeh.
Rom. 8.7. For the carnall mynde is enimitie against God; for it is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can bee.
I aske then, How can it prepare it ſelfe vntounto Gods calling, vntounto whom it is enimitie? or fit it ſelfe to bee ſubject to Gods Law, which the Apoſtle ſayeth, is impoſſible to it?
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
THe Elect hee preventeth with grace, being altogether vnworthie of merciemercy (ſayth Fulgentius, lib. 1. ad Monimum, f. 5.) with whom homologateth Auguſtine enchiridio ad Laurentium, c. 30.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
WHerefore I ſee moſt learned and godlie men incline (ſayeth Vega) vntounto this, that the Church ſhould reject that merit, which they call de congruo. Vega Ieſuit. lib. 8. de justif. c. 8. §. quia.
§. 2. That the first converſion of a Sinner, is a worke onlie of meere grace, and not partlie flowing from man's free will.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
EZek. 36.26. A new heart alſo I will giuegive you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you: and I will take away the ſtonie heart out of your fleſh, and I will giuegive you an heart of fleſh.
Note then, That by taking away the olde heart al-together, hee ſhoweth that there is no fitneſſe in our naturall diſpoſition, to will or co-operate with his grace: and that by giving a new heart al-together, that it is hee that worketh in vsus by his grace, both the willing of our converſion, as alſo the performance thereof, as the onlie Author and finiſher of our faith.
Iohn 15.16. Yee hauehave not choſen mee, but I hauehave choſen you, &c.
But note, that if it bee in our will, to imbrace grace offered, or not to imbrace it (as the Papists ſay) then it will follow, that by the power of our owne free-will, accepting of grace, (which is indifferentlie offered to all alyke) that wee chooſe God, and hee not vsus.
1. Cor. 4.7. For who hath made thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receiue? Now if thou didst receiue it, why doest thou glorie, as if thou hadst not received it?
To this Queſtion a Papist would anſwere, that the power of his owne free-will, that accepted grace offered, made him to differ from another; and not God, or the power of his grace onlie. Hee will alſo ſay, (according to their doctrine) that in the worke of his converſion, hee had freedome of will, which hee did not receiue by grace; and therefore hath that where-of to glorie, which hee received not.
2. Cor. 3.5. Not that wee are ſufficient of our ſelues, to thinke anie thing, as of our ſelues: but our ſufficiencie is of God.
Note therefore, That our abilitie to will our owne converſion, or to accept grace offered, is all of God allanerlie.
Philip. 2.13. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will, and to doe, of his good pleaſure.
Remarke then, That it is expreſſelie called Gods worke in vsus, of effectuall grace, to bee willing of our owne converſion, and not a freedome by nature.
Epheſ. 2.5. Even when wee were dead in ſinnes, he hath quickened vsus, together with Christ: for by grace yee are ſaved.
Note then, As a dead man of himſelfe cannot will his owne quickening, but is meerlie paſſiue in the act there-of, ſo neither can a dead man in ſinne, of himſelfe will his owne converſion; but is meerlie alſo a ſufferer in his firſt turning to God.
Iohn 6.44. No man can come to Mee, except the Father draw him.
Note then, When Hee ſayeth, No man can come, that hee breaketh (ſayth Saint Ierome) the prowde freedome of man's will. Hieron. lib. 3. adn. Pelagianos.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
THey are not my words, but the Apoſtles, (ſayeth Bernard,) that anie good that can bee, whether to thinke, or will, or doe the good which hee willeth, hee aſcrybeth all to God, and nowiſe to his owne free-will. Bern. tract. de gra. & lib. arb. prope finem. So alſo Augustine, lib. de ſpiritu & litera, c. 3.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
THe Scripture therefore (ſayeth Bellarmine) both by words and ſimilitudes, everie-where cryeth, that a ſinner cannot in anie ſort diſpoſe himſelfe to receiue grace. Bellar. lib. 6. de lib. arb. c. 5. §. huc deni que .