A Plea for Grace, Treatise (3 of 6)

A Plea for Grace · Treatise (3 of 6)

p. 881. For the terme, Sufficient, we are to knowe that Sufficiency as it is taken in Relation to the producing of some effect, is nothing but such a degree of Power or Strength, And so Adam had Sufficient strength to stand, because it would have upheld him being assaulled, if he had then made use of it as hee should. But that he did not.in any thing, as that if it be applied unto the Execution, it is able to performe that whereto it was intended. As we use to say of any man, Hee is a man sufficient for such an imployment, because if hee be set about it, he can by the good parts he hath, actually discharge it. Where you are p. 89to observe that it is a meere abuse of this word, Sufficient, to oppose it to Effectuall, and so to distinguish betweene the Power and the Act, as if any thing could be called Sufficient in Potentia, which when it is purposely applied to the Act, is utterly insufficient to produce it. Tis an error in Speech to say. [This Medicine considered in it selfe is sufficient to cure such a man] for tis a vaine consideration to consider the Medicine in it selfe, when wee should consider it in relation to the disease. And if such a medicine being administred suffice not to cure the disease, it is certaine that it was an unsufficient medicine. Wherefore that distinction of the grace of Conversion into Sufficientem and Essicacem is at least a frivolous imagination, distinguishing those things as opposite, which at most are but subordinate, and differ only as the cause and effect. For is it not the fancy of some crackt braine, to affirme, that there is a Grace every way sufficient, and powerfull enough in it selfe to worke the conversion of a Sinner, and yet when this grace is given to such a sinner with a purpose and intent to convert him by it, it shall be found to be utterly unsufficient to Effect it? Tis strange whence or how men should conceit a sufficiency in the power of such grace, when they finde insufficiency in the performance of the worke.

2. By the word Grace we understand some Supernaturall gift freely given unto man from God himselfe.

3. By the word Christians, wee meane, all those that live in externall communion with the militant Church, enjoying the ministery of the Word, and being of yeares to make use of it: for this Question toucheth not Infants.

4. Lastly, by Conversion (as heretofore hath beene shewed) we are to understand two things, either

1. The Roote and Cause of that act, namely the Sanctification of all the Faculties by the Infusion of Habituall Holinesse.

2. The Fruite or Act of Conversion properly so called; p. 90when a man regenerate and renued in all parts, doth actually imploy them in loving and obeying God. The first is Gods worke upon us: the next our worke performed toward him, when by the strength of inward Grace given, we after convert our selves in Thought and Worke towards God. This latter is not here to bee understood in this Question, but the former, namely that Conversion of a man, which God workes in him by infusion of the grace of Regeneration into all parts. This infusion of Grace into the Soule by an immediate act of Gods Spirit, the Arminians can by no meanes endure to heare of in this businesse of our Conversion: and therefore they burden this assertion with odious but untrue imputations of Anabaptisticall Enthusiasmes, and of a Lazy expectation of all Grace to be poured into us sleeping, without any endeavour of our owne to get it. Which slanders are only devised for the countenance of that impious opinion of their owne; namely, That mans Conversion to God begins in some act which man himselfe performes, and not in a worke first wrought in us by God. Now that act of man is his assent and actuall Faith given to the promise. A lewd imagination, sufficiently confuted and cryed downe in the venerable assembly of the last Synod, as most derogatory to the whole worke of Grace in our Vocation, most repugnant to reason and Scriptures, which tell us, That the tree must bee good before the fruit can bee so: it being impossible, that an action so Holy and good as is the yeelding of Assent and Beliefe to the promises of the Gospell, should be done by a man unlesse he be first regenerate and sanctified in all his faculties.

The termes thus explaned, the state of the Question is more fully thus, Whether God doe bestow upon all such as Heare the Word preached, any such Supernaturall gift as is sufficiently powerfull to worke in them true Sanctification, though it doe not alwayes effectually produce it?

Our Adversaries affirme it: but we truly maintaine the Negative part, opposing against their assertion these two Conclusions.

p. 911. That there is no supernaturall gift given unto the unregenerate, which is Sufficient to worke his Sanctification, but that only which is Effectuall to worke it.

This hath appeared manifestly enough in the explication of the termes of this Question, and will bee more and more evident to us, if we consider that maine mistake of our Adversaries in this businesse of our Conversion, which is, that they imagine our Conversion to begin in some act of ours, namely our Assenting and Beleeving, not in some act of God, sanctifying the Soule before it can Assent and Beleeve. Now because this act is good, and therefore must be done by Gods helpe, for to salve this they have found a daintie new devise of Spirituall strength infused into the Soule by the Holy Ghost: which strength when it is inherent in the soule, a man may use it if hee will to the producing of the act of Faith. If he doe use it, then by that act he is converted: if not, yet that was sufficient to bring forth the Act, if it had beene thereto applied. As in a like Case, when Christ said to the sicke man, Arise take up thy bed and walke, Hee gave him bodily strength sufficient to doe what he bad him, but yet the man might have let his bed lie and stood still if hee list. So when God commands us to beleeve, he gives us strength sufficient so to doe it, albeit we may if we will neglect to make use of it. This foule error hath bred all that confusion and darknesse wherein this controversie is wrapped up; and it containes two grosse absurdities in it.

1. That they suppose a supernaturall abilitie of beleeving infused into the soule by the Holy Ghost, which yet shall be no sanctifying grace of the Spirit; an opinion altogether new and against reason. For aske them, is not the inward disability of our soules to beleeve and convert a part of our corruption? It cannot bee denied. Well, is not then the infusion of an Ability to Beleeve and Convert, the doing away of that corruption? It is. And then shall not that gift which abolishes our sinfull infirmities, bee justly called a Sanctifying grace? It is most evident, and none p. 92but such as are possest with the Spirit of wilfull contradiction to all manifest truth, will affirme, That the Rectifying of our weake and corrupt faculties by a supernaturall ability put into them, and disposing them to the most excellent worke of Faith, can be any thing else than the grace of Regeneration. An Act so Holy, must come from an Habit as Holy.

2. That they suppose the Act in Divine graces goes before the Habit: an assertion in Divinitie not tolerable, which tells us that the Tree must be good before the fruit can be good. And that Question which Christ put to the Pharisees, Mat. 12. 34. How can yee that are evill speake good things? is more than any Arminian cau tell how to answer. This pincheth them, and puts them to this choyce, either that an unregenerate man who certainely is utterly Evill, may by the helpe of such a gift as hath not sanctified nor made him Good, not only speake, but doe that which is eminently Good, namely, Beleeve and Convert, or that the Act of Faith performed by such a one, is not good and sound, and so no beginning of true Conversion, or that they doe confesse the Habit of Faith, as of other graces to be first implanted in our soules in the universall renovation of all the Faculties thereof, whence the operation of faith doth afterwards issue. And this is the truth which under those obscure and unexplicated termes of [Supernaturall strength to Beleeve] they grant in effect: for the strength is either Nothing at all, or Nothing else but that Habituall Faith, which wee maintaine to be given us as a principall part of our regeneration.

These mistakings of the Nature of our Conversion, hath utterly confounded our Adversaries in their opinions and writings about this point. They speake of Sufficiency of Grace to produce the acts and operations of Faith and other vertues: when the Question is meant of the Sufficiencie of Grace in producing the Habit of all Inherent Holinesse. Now as in the former example of the sicke man, it is one thing to enquire whether the Health and strength p. 93Christ gave him was sufficient to cause him to walk, another thing to demand what vertue of Christ was sufficient to give him that health and strength: so in this case tis one thing to aske whether the grace of Spirituall health or Sanctification be sufficient for the producing of the actions of a Sanctified man: another thing to aske what grace is sufficient to worke in the soule the grace of Sanctification it selfe. Wherefore in this matter we affirme, that as Health when it is in a man is sufficient to every Naturall action, though alwaies it be not effectuall, because wee make not use of our strength at all times: but to worke Health in a sicke man no vertue is sufficient, but that onelyonly which being applied proves effectuall to restore it: So, where Sanctification is, it is alwaies sufficient to every gracious action if it be duely exercised thereabouts, but may sometime bee ineffectuall through our default in not applying it aright: but now, to worke Sanctification in the heart that hath it not, there is no other gift whatsoever sufficient but the onelyonly vertue and power of the Holy Ghost, the immortall seede of our Regeneration; and wheresoever this onelyonly and all-sufficient vertue worketh in the heart of any man, there it is alwayes infallibly effectuall. To dreame of any other inherent quality in the soule given to man as sufficient to Sanctifie the soule, and yet after tis given, ineffectuall to performe it, is a fancy never thought of till of late times, wherein mens hearts are strangely embittered in fierce opposition against the glory of Gods free Grace.

This of the first Conclusion: the second followeth, and it is this; That sufficient grace for Sanctification is not given unto all.

This is a necessary consectary of the former: for seeing Sufficient and Effectuall are all one in this case, & seeing tis apparant that this grace is not Effectuall in some who are never Sanctified, it follows necessarily, that such Sufficient grace is not given unto all. This were enough to have beene said against this opinion of Sufficiency of Grace given p. 94to all within the Church: But yet ex abundanti; for our better satisfaction I desire your patience and attention in the further examination of this second Conclusion. The truth of it will be cleered by considering what the grace is which is given to those that are within the Church. Now this grace is twofold:

1. The Externall Declaration of Gods will, made unto all men in common by the Preaching of the Word; the ordinary consequent whereof is Knowledge or Illumination. And this is termed our Externall Vocation by the Word.

2. The Inward gracious worke and vertue of the Holy Ghost immediately exercised upon the Vnderstanding, Will, Affections, and whole Man. The constant effect whereof is Regeneration. And this is called our Internall Vocation by the Spirit.

In the explication of the Nature, Distinction, and Sufficiency of these two unto the worke of Sanctification, consists the further cleering of this troublesome controversie. The Orthodoxe sentence which hath beene held touching this matter agreeably to the Scriptures, is this;

There are two things which are ordinarily wrought in men living under the Ministery of the Word:

1. Illumination of the Vnderstanding,

2. A touch or motion of the Will and Affections.

These two, because they are the fountaine of all Outward actions, we onelyonly consider in this businesse, letting passe such effects as are visible in mens conversations. Now both these are each of them of two different sorts:

Illumination is either,

1. Common and Naturall, when a man in hearing or ….reading conceives the litterall sense and meaning of the Scriptures in most points of Christian Religion, so that he is able to discourse, dispute, and write of them. I call this knowledge Common, because tis bestowed on reprobates as well as others. I call it also Naturall, because although the object thereof bee Supernaturall and Divine, p. 95nor could be knowne but by revelation, yet being revealed, the manner of apprehending it in such a one is meerely Naturall and Carnall, and that light which the Spirit affords to such a one, is but some more eminent degree of that common assistance which hee gives to all that seeke after knowledge in any learning for a publicke benefite. For the case is plaine enough, a learned Schollar unregenerate knowes and studies Divinity in the same manner as he doth any other Art: and as in them, so in this hee may attaine excellent knowledge, by a speciall but no sanctifying gift of the Spirit; perfecting his Naturall reason but not making it Spirituall.

2. Proper and Spirituall, when a man by a singular gift of the Spirit of grace is inabled to judge of Heavenly things in a Spirituall manner, according to their truth and goodnesse represented to the understanding in their native beauty and excellency. I call this Proper, because it belongs onelyonly to the Elect; and Spirituall, because the Sanctified understanding judgeth of them Spiritually. Thus for knowledge: next touching the

Motions which are wrought in the Will, they are likewise double:2.

1. Naturall, when upon the understanding of threatnings or promises the Will is touched with some kinde of affections towards those things, as they which are naturally hurtfull or beneficiall to it: as to love, hope, desire, feare, or hate such or such a good or evill thing spoken of in the Word. I terme these affections Naturall, being proportionable to that first sort of knowledge that bred them. For when an unregenerate man shall heare it plainly and amply declared, what happinesse belongs to the Saints, what comfort is in Gods favour, what glory in heaven, what horrour in Hell and a bad conscience, hee will be easily stirred up with many desires of enjoying the one and escaping the other. But this he doth in no other manner than as every man by instinct of Nature will wish and seeke for that good which he knoweth to be proportionable p. 96to his nature, and also shunne the Contrarie.

2. Spirituall, when upon the thorough apprehension of all Spirituall Good and Evill, known & beleeved by Faith, the Will is strongly inclined with all Constant and Vehement affections of Love and Hatred earnestly to embrace the one and detest the other above all things else whatsoever. How great difference there is betweene these Illuminations and Motions in the regenerate and unregenerate, I shall by Gods grace shortly have occasion to handle at large. Having now thus distinguished them, let us see how these effects are appliable to their Causes, the Word and the Spirit: the dependance is thus;

1. Common illumination and the naturall movings of the Will that follow thereupon, are the effects of the ordinary grace of the Spirit in the ministerie of the Word preached.

2. Proper illumination with the Spirituall affections thence arising, are the Effects of the Speciall Vertue of the Holy Ghost in the ministery of the Word, regenerating the Soule.

But we must goe further yet, and whereas the Word and Spirit are both joyned together in this worke of regeneration, wee must carefully see what belongs to one, what to the other. Wherefore we are to distinguish betweene the

1. Instrument: For whatsoever can be ascribed to the Word, agrees to it but only as it is an instrument of the power of Gods Spirit. Now instruments are either Cooperative or Passive, and the word must be one of the two. Cooperative it is not, moving and working on the soule by any inward force of it selfe. For it cannot bee declared what operative force there should be in the bare Declaration of Gods Will, to produce the reall effect of Sanctification in the unregenerate heart. It is therefore in it selfe a Passive instrument working only **And so in Adam who was endued with all inward abilities to doe whatsoever God should command, there needed nothing else but the declaration of his Will, and Adam could presently obey. But in us that want such strength there is required by such a proposall of Gods will, another worke of the Spirit giving us power to doe it.Per modum Objects, as it containes a Declaration of the Divine will, and as it proposeth to the understanding and will the things to be knowne, beleeved and practised. Now 'tis well knowne p. 97that no Object whatsoever hath any Active power per se to worke any thing upon the Organ, but is only an occasion of working, which some Force in or about the Organ makes use of. But whence then hath the word its effect? from the

2. Principall Agent, the Spirit of God; who by his immediate and proper vertue workes upon the Vnderstanding and Will, causing in that a thorough apprehension of the things proposed, and in this a cheerefull obedience to the things so understood. The Object of this worke of the Holy Ghost is not the Word, as if the Holy Ghost did infuse into it any speciall Vertue wherby it should worke, together with himselfe, as a partiall Coordinate efficient cause in our Coaversion, the Word working one part, the Holy Ghost another, as the Arminians vainely dispute, (Act. Synod, Defens. Act. 4. p. 136.) But the object of this Worke is the Soule of man, whereinto this vertue of the Spirit is Infusa or Affusa, or rather, whereabout this Vertue is imployed, quickening, changing, renuing the Faculties of the Soule with such spirituall strength and holinesse, that so it may performe what the Word declares is to be done. Which effect of Regeneration though properly it commeth only from the Sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost, yet by a cōmon Metonymie it is ascribed also to the Word, and for that cause wee are said [to be borne againe Iam. 1. 18.Jas 1:18by the Word] 1 Pet. 1. 23. [to get Faith by Hearing] Rom 8. [to bee begotten by the Holy Ghost] 1 Cor. 4. 15. [to be sanctified by the truth, id est, the Word] Ioh. 17. 17. and hence such proporties as these are ascribed to the Word, that [it is the Power of God to Salvation] Rom. 1. that [it is mightie in operation, sharpe as a two edged Sword] Heb. 4. 12. that [it is a Sword] Eph. 6. 17. Revel. 19. 15. that [it is Fire and a Hammer to breake the Rocke] Ier. 23. 29. that it is [Powerfull to cast downe all strong bolds of Mans proud imagination] 2 Cor. 10. 4. with many the like, which though they properly belong to the invisible power of the Holy Ghost, giving effect unto his owne Word, yet are figuratively p. 98attributed unto the Word it selfe, which he useth as his visible Instrument. I cannot better expresse the manner how the Holy Ghost useth the Word in the worke of Sanctification, than by a Similitude or two. Christ meeting a dead Coarse in the Citie of Nain, touches the Beare and Luk. 7.Luke 7utters these words, [Yongue man I say unto thee arise.] Heare the Command, and that given to a dead man: But could these words doe any thing to raise him? No, twas Christs invisible power that quickened the dead, not his words, which only declared what hee meant to doe by his power. Againe, to the sicke of the Palsie, Hee saith [Arise, take up thy bed and walke] Heres the Command given to a sicke man. But was it the vertue of these words that heald him? No, 'twas that secret vertue which went from Christs Deity, which did the Cure. His words declared what that should bring to passe. So in this matter of our Conversion, Christ bids us, Awake wee that sleepe, and stand up on our feet; he bids us Beleeve, repent, obey, turne unto him, &c. But all these commands worke nothing of themselves, but take effect by the only Power of God working upon the Heart. In which case the Word is truly the Voice of God, not of man. Now Gods Voice is not a bare sound or word carrying such or such a meaning with it and no more, as mans doth, but it is Verbum factivum, as well as significativum, it deeth and really brings to effect that which it commands to bee done: it makes a world, when it bids a world to be made, it raises us, when it bids us arise, it awakens us, when it bids us awake, it workes faith in us, when it commands us to beleeve, it gives repentance when it bids us repent, it makes us holy when it commands us to be so. According to that of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 10. The weapons of our warfare are mighty, but it is Eph. 3. 7. Coll. 1. 29.Eph 3:7through God: and that in Esa. 59. 21. My word, saith God, shall abide in you, but this cannot be till he have first put his Spirit within our hearts. Wherefore where this vertue of the Spirit is wanting, as it is in most, there the Word hath no other vertue, than to bee as a faire Mappe presented to p. 99the eye, wherein are described many matters of excellent knowledge, which the unregenerate may gaze upon, in a kinde of shallow heartlesse speculation, which will differ asmuch from good knowledge, as the knowledge of a Countrie by the Mappe and by the eye in travelling it.

And this is the Sentence of the Orthodox Church touching the Nature and distinction of these two Callings, Inward by the worke of the Spirit, Outward by the voyce of the Word. The Arminians are of another opinion, whose judgement about this matter is thas:

The Word, say they, and the Spirit alwayes goe together, and wheresoever either the Law or Gospell is preached, there and then the Quickening power and effectuall vertue of the Holy Ghost is present in all, even those that are unregenerate, untill such time as by Contumacy and Rebellion against the Spirit, they have made themselves unworthy of further helpe. But now what is this effectuall power, according to the Arminians, and what doth it in all men? It doth, say they, inlighten the understanding, it stirres up the Sensuall affections (for as touching the Will, it meddles not with that) and so gives unto the heart Sensum verbi, and by an inward power infused doth move and dispose the heart to Beleeve and Convert. Yea, but how is all this done? Is it by any proper worke of the Spirit distinct from the power of the Word? By no meanes, say they: It is done by a morall perswasion, per Representationem objectivam, by a proposall of what is to bee done, with commands, exhortations, intreaties, promises thereto annexed. And is this sufficient to our regeneration? Yea, there is not, there needs not any other immediate inward invincibilis actio (as they stile it) of the Holy Ghost upon the Soule. The Word, only the Word begins, continues and consummates our Conversion. Nay, if an inward worke of the Spirit be granted, they affirme that the preaching of the Word can by no meanes possible bee accounted any meanes at all of our Conversion. What then, Inward Calling there is none? No, say they, there is p. 100no other inward regenerating grace but onelyonly the forenamed Morall Perswasion to goodnesse, by the outward Ministery of the VVord. This is the summe of their opinion, and that Chaos of confused errors, which tis hard to distinguish into any good order: I will touch upon them in these three propositions, manifestly opposing their fundamentall suppositions in those their Assertions: The first shall be this,

1. That not so much as common Illumination and stirring up of the affections is given to all in hearing of the Word preached. Shall wee goe any further than experience to prove this in thousands that heare the Word, yet understand no more of it, and are no more affected with it, than the seates they sit on? The Arminians, as they'le deny any thing, reject this argument from experience, & except, that though they doe not understand, yet they might understand if they would. To which I answer, that tis true; Such men shall bee condemned of wilfull ignorance, because the meanes God afforded were sufficient to have brought them to more knowledge, if they had done but as much as they might: but yet the exception is here altogether vaine, because here we inquire of the Act, whether all men bee inlightned, not de Potentià, whether they may bee or no. For the Arminians hold that the Vnderstanding is inlightned, and the affections moved in all, and that Irresistably; men cannot choose but know and be affected with the Word preached. And this they stiffely maintaine, because that God hath infallibly given unto all Potentiam & Vires Credendi, and this strength is nothing but Illumination of the Vnderstanding, and Exciting of the Affections; and therefore all must infallibly be illuminated and excited. Wherefore when they affirme that a man may choose whether he will understand and be affected or no, though it be true in part, yet they contradict their owne maine position, and confirme ours, That God though he have given the outward meanes, yet hath not given so much grace unto all, as to make use of them for the p. 101gaining of ordinary knowledge in the Word.

The second proposition shall be this,

2. That bare Illumination, in the understanding of the sense of the Word preached is not sufficient for Sanctification of the heart: i. e. to move, to renue, to quicken those affections with true love of goodnesse and desire of grace, which before were disordered, by reason of the darkenesse of the understanding.

This they affirme: we deny it as a new and uncouth opinion, and that upon these grounds:

1. Because it presupposeth that in the affections there is no other vitiousnesse, but that onelyonly which is bred in them by the errour of the understanding; which being deceived, misguides the affections, but being once rightly informed, the affections are presently brought in order to follow the directions thereof. Than which nothing can be more absurd, and contrary to all experience.

2. If bare Illumination or Morall Perswasion be sufficient to Sanctifie, it shall work that effect either by it own simple Nil obstat quominus dicitur vel sola Dei meralis suasio bomines animales reddere spiritueles, saith Grevine. cont. A…es. pag. 297.vertue, or by the help of something else besides. If by it self, then why are not the Divels sanctified, who know more of Divinity than haply the learnedst man? And why are not all learned Divines sanctified also? what should hinder? Or if there must be some speciall grace beside, how can they affirm that to be of it self sufficient, which helps not without the help of another thing? And yet this is that wherto they are driven, namely, to confesse there must be a Special grace to make the Generall effectuall; & so in one word they dash all their dispute about the sufficiency of Vniversall grace. Or if they like not that, will fall to that shift to say, that Bare illumination is sufficient, though not to Sanctifie, yet to worke true Faith and Conversion: which is nothing else but to affirme that there is Faith & Conversion before and without Sanctification. Which opinion is a kind of phrensie.

The third proposition shall be this.

3. That besides the Common illightning of the Vnderstanding and Motion of the affections in ordinary p. 102preaching of the Word, there is necessarily required another immediate worke of the Holy Ghost upon the soule for its Sanctification throughout: without which the preaching of the Word will bee utterly unable to worke true grace in the hearers.

This I prove by Scriptures and Reason: The Scriptures are many, I will name but one or two of the plainest places.

1. Iohn 6. 36. Where Christ speaketh to the Vnconverted Capernaites thus, [But I say unto you, that yee have also seen me] theres their knowledge of the Gospell by Christs preaching and miracles, but yet [yee beleeve not.] What was the reason of that? twas this: God had not given the Capernaites to Christ; and therefore he gave them not grace to come unto Christ: for, [All that the Father giveth me commeth unto me: and he that commeth unto mee I cast not away] vers 37. Yea, will an Arminian say, They came not, because they were not willing to come, there wanted nothing on Gods part but they might have come. Yes but there did, if wee beleeve Christ; God did not draw them, therefore they came not. For [No man can come unto mee except the Father which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day] vers. 44. But what is this Drawing? it is the same which in the next verse he call Gods Teaching of us. [It is written in the Prophets, They shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto mee.] Nothing can be more manifest than in this place the plaine distinction of an inward Drawing from an outward Morall Perswasion, an inward Teaching of God, from the outward Preaching of man. Which is effectuall to true Conversion in all, and onelyonly those that are inwardly so drawne and taught of God, which the Capernaites were not.

2. Deut. 29. 3. 4. The Israelites in the wildernesse had all instruction and perswasion that might be by the VVord, and by Miracles from God and his servant Moses: they had heard Moses and God speake, and seene the great tentations, p. 103miracles, and wonders with their eies. But was this sufficient to convert them? No, there wanted that within which God denied them; for, saith Moses, [Yet tho Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and eares to heare unto this day] vers. 4. Parallell to which is that touching the Iewes, among whom Christ had preached so much and so plainely, done so many, so singular miracles, [Yet they beleeved not in him] Ioha 1…. 37. But what was the cause of that, was not the meanes sufficient? No, God had denied to reveale unto them his arme or power in giving them the knowledge of the Gospell. That he proves out of the Prophet Esay, who of all the Prophets preacht the Gospell plainest, and yet found small credit to his doctrine, [That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled, that he saith, Lord, who hath beleeved our report, and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed?] vers. 38. A very unreasonable complaint saith the Arminian, if we construe it so; for tis as if Esay had said, Lord, only the Elect to whom thine arme was revealed they have beleeved it, but none of the Reprobates have beleeved it, because thine arme was never revealed to them, and so they could not beleeve. And what reason had Esay then to complaine of them for not doing that which they could not doe? I thinke the wisedome of God hath of purpose to checke these pestilent gainsaying Spirits, added in the next words, vers. 39. [Therefore they could not beleeve, because thus Esaias saith againe, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardned their hearts, that they should not see with their eies, and understand with their hearts, and should be Converted, and I should heale them.] So Gods Spirit brings that for a good reason which these men count an absurdity: They did not beleeve, and the Prophet complaines of it; yet it was because they could not beleeve. And why could they not? …was the want of that Inward worke of grace wee stand for: God had not inlightned their mindes, nor softned and sanctisied their hearts, and therefore they could not beleeve.

3. 2. Tim. 2, 24, 25, 26. [And the servant of the Lord must p. 104not strive but bee gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient: In meekenesse instructing those that oppose themselves.] Heres the Ministers dutie to preach uncessantly, using all gentle and good meanes to bring men to repentance; but will this diligence in perswasion, and patient industry bee effectuall at last? It may prove so, but when it doth, 'tis not by it selfe, but by Gods speciall grace, [If …od peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the **Namely that acknowledging of the truth which is according unto godlinesse. Tit. 1. 1. So Eliah to Elisha, What have I done unto thee? viz. that thou shouldest be so eager to follow mee. He cast on his Mantle, said nothing and went his way.Titus 1:1truth.] After all outward meanes used, an inward gift is still to be expected.

Let vsus in the next place come unto reason and experience, where we have these perswasive arguments to confirme us in this truth:

1. From the like experience in Christs calling of his Disciples, to whom he useth no other words but, Follow mee, or, Follow me I will make you fishers of men; it is wonderfull that so shortan Invitation should worke so strange, so speedy an alteration: [Sraightway they leave all and follow him] what? forsake all to follow after a stranger they never knew before, with such constancy, and yet through so much perill and disgrace, and all for a word spoken, Follow mee? Nay, in that word there was more then a word; there went with it that Power, which could have commanded the attendance of the Armies of Heauen and Earth. And those few words accompanied with this secret vertue did more upon the hearts of the Disciples, than many a long Sermon upon the Pharisees and obdurate Iewes, where Christ was not pleased to shew the like effect of his power. So Christ appearing to Saul, accosts him with this expostulatorie salutation, [Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou mee?] hee saith no more, but only tells him being asked [That hee was Iesus of Nazareth whom hee persecuted, and that it was hard for him to kicke against the prickes.] But see what a change these few words have made in a fierce raging persecutor, hee is on the sudden as meeke as a Lambe, and now all for obedience to that name which before hee furiously persecuted. [Lord what p. 105wilt thou have mee to doe?] command what thou wilt, I am ready to obey. Was it externall morall perswasion trow yee that hath made this wonderfull alteration? Nor are these examples to bee accounted so extraordinary, as if for the substance the same course were not ordinarily observed. Were not men wilfully perverse, they would confesse, that when of many thousands that heare one and the same Sermon, some one or two, it may be the worst in the company, are in a moment so changed that they are not the same men they were, new hearts, new desires, new affections, all new in them; they would I say confesse, that this is the very …inger of God touching the Heart, and not the force of any outward perswasion whatsoever.

2. If only a bare proposing of Divine things to the understanding, joyned with perswasions of command, threatning and the like towards the Will, bee all that is needfull to mans conversion, it would bee knowne what difference wee shall make betweene the working of Gods word and of Mans, of a Divinitie Sermon, and a good morall The Counsell of a Friend, and the perswasion of God.speech. Nay more, what difference can be made betweene Sathans temptations and all the sacred suggestions of Gods word? yea, whether Sathans seducements to evill are not likely to prove alwayes more powerfull than Gods perswasions to goodnesse, because in both cases the worke it selfe is left wholly to our arbitrement, and then Sathan hath the advantage of our naturall Corruption cleerely on his side. So that by this Arminian doctrine, mans conversion is even desperate, seeing Sathan is as powerfull, and certainely he is as willing to Pervert as God is to Convert. This blasphemous absurditie the Arminians cannot shift their hands of, though they strive in vaine about it.

3. The old rule must here be remembred, Passio r…cipitur non tam per conditionem agent is: quàm dispositionem patient is: Qualis unusquisque est, … is …is …idetur.all exhortations, promises, commands, take effect not according to their owne, but according to the quality of him towards whom they are used. And so wee see a word p. 106doth more with some, than a frowne, or sharp menace towards another. All Speech workes as the Heart of the Hearer is affected, not as he intends that utters it. Wherefore if there be nothing more to be done on Gods part towards our Conversion but the only proposall and perswasion of the acceptance of Grace, it is manifest to all, that can judge of the state of Corrupted nature, that wee shall never accept of Gods offer; but out of that Enmity and Hatred of all goodnesse which is deepely rooted in our Rom. 8 7.Rom 8:7nature, we should all universally and finally reject it, if it be left to our discretion whether or no wee will receive it. Except our tongues be first brought unto a right temper, purged from the bitternesse of our corrupt humours that have overflowed and infected them, wee shall distaste the sweetnesse of all heavenly doctrine, and nothing will seeme so unsavoury to our relish, as the things of the Spirit. And therefore of necessitie our distempered, disordered, and crooked dispositions must be first Rectified by an inward worke of Gods Spirit, before we can possibly take any true benefit by the Word preached.

Thus then the truth of our second maine conclusion stands good, That sufficient grace to Sanctification is not given to all that Heare the Word preached: because none of those other gifts that are given them are sufficient, but only the inward Vertue of the Holy Ghost, and this is not bestowed on all, because wheresoever it worketh, it is alwayes infallibly effectuall, by no meanes possibly to be hindred. Which shall be further shewed in our third Question touching the Controversie. But before we leave this, a scruple or two cast into our way by the Adversary would bee removed. They prove that the Word and Spirit are never seperated; and for it they bring Scriptures and reason. Scriptures:

1. Esa. 55. 11. The word that goeth out of my mouth shall not returne unto mee voide, but it shall accomplish that which I will, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. To which I answer, that this place intendeth no more but that p. 107God will certainely performe all his promises that he maketh unto the Church. If it be extended to a larger sense, wee grant that at every Sermon the Prophet or Preacher makes, the power of Gods Spirit is alwayes present with his Word: but how? to make it powerfull unto conversion in all to whom it is proposed? Nothing lesse. It sufficeth, that that be done in some only, for whose sakes God chiefly sent it: For others that are disobedient, God hath his worke in them too, namely the accomplishment of his workes of judgement though not of Grace.

2. aaLike places are Io…. 2. 1. 13. Esa. 63. 10. 1 Tim. 3 8. Gen. 6. 3.Isa 63:101 Tim 3:8Gen 6:3Act. 7. 51. Yee have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost, viz. whose vertue was showne upon their hearts in and together with the preaching of the Prophet.

To this I answer, That they that either neglect the Hearing of the Word, or when they heare and understand it, and are convinced of the truth of it, doe wilfully refuse to yeeld obedience to what they know: these are justly said to resist the Holy Ghost, because they resist His bbMat. 10. 24.Matt 10:24Ordinance, and His worke enlightening their understanding with the knowledge of Gods will. The Iewes had both, and resisted ccAs their fathers had done Esa. 6. 9. & 63. 10.Isa 6:9Isa 63:10both; but it cannot appeare by this place that there was any other Quickening vertue of Gods Spirit working effectually upon the Hearts of the Iewes ddFor these were uncercumcised in heart & eare: id est, unregenerate.: only they had the Externall declaration of Gods will, and also Illumination and Conviction of their Consciences; which effect the Spirit workes ordinarily in most, but not universally in all that heare the Word.

3. Heb. 6. 4. 5. and 10. 26. 29. But these places as they touch only some of the Vnregenerate, which are in that manner wrought upon; not all who heare the Word preached: so that worke of the Holy Ghost which appeares upon their hearts is not by that Saving and Quickening power which is the immediate and infallible cause of true Sanctification: but only a more speciall degree of an inferiour grace, as shall bee shewen hereafter. Reasons which they alledge, are th…se;

1. If the inward worke of the Spirit doe not alwayes p. 108goe with the Word preached, it will follow that God doth not sincerely meane that which hee makes profession of. For outwardly by his VVord hee calls them unto him, whom yet secretly he would not have come unto him. For if he would have them come, why doth he not give them that inward worke of the Spirit, without which hee knowes they cannot come? As for example, when by the VVord he calls upon men and bids them repent and convert, if hee will this seriously, why doth not God bestowe on men all such helpes and meanes as are required on his part, inward as well as outward, without which they cannot convert? If hee will it not seriously, why doth hee command them to doe that which hee knowes they cannot, nay, we know he would not have them doe? Is not this dissembling to say one thing and meane another, to will one thing in word, another in secret intent?

Answ. None more damnable hypocrites than they that will accuse God of counterfeiting. Hee deales plainely, fairely, openly, speakes as hee meanes, and as it pleaseth him it should be. If hee bid a wicked man doe well, hee would truly have him doe so; nor is it his secret desire hee should continue in his wickednesse when hee openly exhorts him to come unto repentance and amendment. But here wee must distinguish betweene a double VVill in God:

1. Voluntas approbationis, of Allowance. God as hee knowes, so he likes of and approves of many good things which he intends never to bring to passe.

2, Voluntas Effection…s & …tentionis, of Performance, when God intends, that shall actually come to passe, which he approves as good in it selfe. Now for the Conversion of all men by the Preaching of the VVord, God wills it seriously by way of Approbation and allowance; That the creature should convert to God and obey his Creator in all things, is a thing truly good, and God justly commands it, and if the creature can by its owne strength performe it, God doth truly approve and like well of it. But God p. 109doth not will the conversion of all men Effectually by way of full intention to worke it in them. If man can doe it, as tis his bounden dutie hee should, well and good, God wills it as a thing in it selfe pleasing and acceptable to him. But God wills not to bestow upon a man strength to doe it, nor is he bound so to doe. So that here is no fraud, nor Sancta Simulatio, or duplex persona in God (as some impiously at least imagine) as if his VVord had a meaning contrary to his secret intent. No, the meaning of his VVord is sincere, what he commands he wills to be done as a thing in it selfe very good, and on our parts, our pure due obedience to doe it: and his secret inient of not giving a man sufficient abilities to doe his dutie, crosseth not his Approbation of the goodnesse and necessitie of our dutie to bee performed by us. They are blinde that will not understand this, that tis one thing to approve of an end as good, another thing to will it with a purpose of using all meanes to effect it. Gods Commandements or exhortations shew what hee approves and wills to be done as good; but his Such are 2 Cor. 5. 2. and 6. 1. Gal. 1. 6. Revel. 3. 20.2 Cor 5:22 Cor 6:1Gal 1:6Rev 3:20Promises or Threatnings shew what he intendeth effectually to bring to passe.

But yet here they urge further, How can God in justice command unto a man by his Word, the Performance of that, which cannot be done by him without the inward helpe of the Spirit, and yet in the meane time God denies this inward grace unto him?

I answer, Gods justice will herein be as free from accusation of tyranny, as before his truth was from falshood and collusion. God may without blemish to his justice Command man to performe his dutie although hee have now no strength to doe it, because once hee had strength and he hath now lost it. Yea, will they say, that were true did not two things hinder,

1. Man indeed had strength and hath lost it, but how? himselfe did not decoquere wastefully spend his Patrimonie, and by the Act of his sinning abolish the Image of God within him: but God for a punishment of his fault p. 101did by an immediate act take away his originall abilities. And it is then as great injustice in God to command us Conversion, Faith, and Repentance, when himselfe hath taken away our abilities whereby wee should performe it, as for a Iudge after he hath put out an offenders eyes, yet to command him under paine of further punishment to read such a booke. If hee had put out his owne eies the case had beene otherwise, the Iudge being not bound to take notice of that his fact. To which we answer, that tis true, God for our sinne hath deprived us of his image, so that we cannot doe his will without new strength restored unto us: yet we must remember though this deprivation be an act of God, yet it happens through our merit by reason of our sinne; and in this case how harsh soever it may seeme to us, yet God the Iudge of the world doth not unjustly, To command us the doing of that which wee cannot performe without those abilities restored, which himselfe for our transgression hath taken from us, and will not give us againe. This is proved by that one instance beyond all exception, The perfect obedience to the Morall Law is required of all, and yet tis madnesse to affirme that God gives or is bound to give unto all that strength to doe it, which they had in Adam, without which it cannot bee done. Further, that God may justly command what man cannot performe, is manifest by Gods commanding Pharaoh to let the Israelites goe, which yet Pharaoh could not doe; for God himselfe hardened his heart that hee should not be willing to let them depart.

2. When God commands man to beleeve the Gospell, heres a duety injoyned that man never had strengh in Adam to performe. And therefore if God doe require a new duety he is bound to afford new strength, because by that which he had, and lost, he was never inabled to doe it. To which we answer, that it is an errour to affirme, that Faith which is the condition of the new Covenant, is not commanded in the Morall Law. Legall and Evangelicall, or the Faith of Adam in innocency, and of man since his Fall, is p. 111for the substance of the grace one and the same, viz. Credence and Confidence of and in all things whatsoever that God shall reveale unto man. The difference is onelyonly in the Vse, and in the particular object: as we shall see in the handling of that point of Faith. Now Adam being commanded in all things to beleeve his Creator, whether revealed or to be revealed, and having ability so to doe, so that if God had told of him the mystery of the Gospell he would have beleeved it; we also are bound by the Law of our Creation, and so the Morall Law, to beleeve in Christ as soone as God reveales vntounto us this thing to be beleeved: and God may require it of us, because wee had power once to doe it; and what is lost, God is not bound to restore.

2. Reason. If the Word at any time be destitute of the quickning Spirit, it will follow, that the Word shall be of it selfe a dead letter, and the …avour of death, because it is destitute of the Spirit which only puts life unto it. But this is not to be affirmed, for as much as it is only our fault that the Word proves the …avour of death, &c. To this we answer, That the Word is never of it selfe the …avour of death, no not then when it is without the vertue of the Spirit: and we reject those assertions as utterly erroneous, That the Word should bee preached unto some to damne them, or with this intent to make them inexcusable. The Gospell is not published with any such purpose at all: for the judgement of our English Divines in the Synod is In Act. Synod. Dord. Sent…. Britan. Theol. de 3. & 4. Artic. He is excusable for rejecting that which is offered him to that very end that he should reject it, not that he should receive it.…ound, that those who being called refuse to convert, should be made more inexcusable: Ne que enim ea singi potest homines reddere inexcusabiles per Verbum & Spiritum vocatio, quae eo tantum Fine exhibetur, ut reddat inexcusabiles. No, theres no such matter: The end of the VVord preached is to shew unto man what is that good, and that acceptable will of God which he requires man should performe: and the declaration of the will of God to man, is alwaies in it selfe most good and excellent: nor doth it vary in its owne nature, whether the vertue of the Spirit goe with it p. 112or no. For (as I touched before) the power of the Spirit doth not worke upon the VVord to put life into it, but it workes upon our soules to put life into them. So that whether our hearts be sanctified or not sanctified tis all one to the VVord, it makes no alteration in the nature of that: All the difference lies in the Effect; where the heart is sanctified, there the VVord is heard with obedience, where tis not sanctified, there tis heard and disobeyed. But the cause of this difference is meerely in the disposition of mans heart, not any jot from the VVord: the See Som. 7. 10, 11, 12, 13.preaching whereof is good and to a good intent, but unto some it becomes hurtfull; not because the VVord hurts them, but they hurt themselves by their owne sinnefulnesse, leaving themselves inexcusable in their fault, and aggravating their damnation by wilfull disobedience. The VVord is neither dead, nor deadly in it selfe, but wee are dead, and by our sinnes against the VVord slay our selves.

3. Reason. If the preaching of the VVord be sometimes destitute of the vertue of the Spirit, it will follow that men should bee condemned for not beleeving, and being converted by that, which hath no power to cause them to beleeve and convert, as the VVord without the Spirit hath not. But that were injustice so to doe, &c. Ergo. To this slight argument we answer, that the default of mens not beleeving and converting, is not through want of any thing in the VVord, which is onelyonly to tell them what God requires of them; and this the VVord doth fully and sufficiently. If they obey not, it is through want of something in themselves, namely, sanctified abilities in the heart, which as they come not from the VVord, so God is not bound to give them by his Spirit. It sufficeth that God onelyonly command them, if they cannot obey, whose fault is that but their owne? Gods commands presuppose that strength to obey is or should bee in the creature: if that through sinne be made weake, God is yet just in commanding and punishing.

And thus much of this second question, by way of p. 113knowledge let us briefly see what use we may make thereof to our practice: it learnes us a threefold lesson;

1. What our affections are to bee in hearing of the Word, namely, the same that in teachable Schollars towards a most wise Master, or in sicke Patients towards the skilfullest Physitian. We must be content to be …ld, and every way submit our selves to the discretion of that our Heavenly Doctor. Wee must remember we have to doe with more than man in this businesse: tis the Holy Ghost that does all in all in this sacred ordinance. When therefore we goe to heare, let us put on all holy, humble, obedient, and tractable affections. A proud, disdainfull, selfeconceited, contentious minde is un…it for mans instruction, most opposite to the wisedome of Gods teaching, who must needs scorne to be their Master, that thinke themselves to be too good to bee his Schollars. Againe, a malicious, uncleane, worldly, voluptuous heart stands contradictory to the holinesse of this blessed Spirit. Those proud affections hinder us in knowing, these impure lusts in doing our Masters will; both together, or each alone make the Word utterly unprofitable unto us.

2. What the duety of Ministers is in preaching the Word. This is threefold: one respecting the worke, two the issue of it. For the worke it selfe, the nature and Spirituall quality thereof should teach them faithfulnesse to speake Gods Word as it ought to be spoke: which is opposed as to negligence, and accaused carelessenesse in the handling thereof contrary to the dignity and majesty of it, so on the other side too overmuch diligence & humane curiosity contrary to the simplicity and saving vertue thereof. Not that a man can be too diligent in doing Gods worke, or that it is easie to define precisely what and how farre humane helpes are to bee used in Divinity: but yet this is apparant, a singular fault there is in mens preparations to this worke, who either intend not at all the saving of mens soules, or if they doe, they thinke themselves must doe as much in it as Gods Spirit. Whence else, or to what p. 114end should so much of man be mingled with that of God, why so much study to please mens …ares, why so much care to winne credite to their owne persons? &c. Sure it cannot but be a thing very admirable to any that will observe it, to heare a man standing as Gods Embassadour, speaking as from his mouth in his Name, to make a solemne praier for assistance of Gods Spirit in his preaching, to blesse his Meditations that he hath put into his heart, to make them effectuall in the hearers, &c. when in the meane time his conscience tells him that in his studied preparations hee sought for nothing lesse than the aide of the Spirit, and his preaching tells us that he publisheth the words not of Gods but of mans wisedome.

In the Issue of this worke, there is a double dutie: 1. If it succeed well, Thankefull Humility opposed to Pride; that Luk. …. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 5. 6. & 5. 10.1 Cor 3:51 Cor 3:61 Cor 5:10when men are converted by his Ministery, hee ascribe all to God, nothing to himselfe, who was but the Saw in the workemans hand, &c. 2. If it succeed ill, Contented Patience opposed to repining Thought; as, Why should not my Ministery be as effectuall as anothers is? Let a Minister remember he onelyonly sowes the seede, God must give it a body of his good pleasure: nor is it himselfe, but God whom the people here cast off. He may take comfort and shall have reward for his godly pain… in the conscionable discharge of his duety, albeit God saw it not good that it should bee so blessed in the effect as … could desire.

3. This teacheth us how to judge of our …onversion by the Word preached, namely, by the inward Sanctification of the heart, not by having and frequenting the publicke ordinance. Silly wretches they are that so farre mis…ake themselves and the nature of these things, as to think… the going to Church, the hearing of the Sermon, the remembring and discoursing …f it, the commending of the Preacher, outward reverence to his Person and Ministery, some kinde of Reformation of maners, wrought out of very shame not to follow such plaine directions as they p. 115must needes confesse to be good, and others allow of in opinion and practice, that thinke, I say, these things sufficient arguments of a sound Conversion by the Word. Let us not beguile our selves in a matter of this high consequence, these things are outward, but the effect of the Word is inward also upon the conscience, in the change of the heart and sanctification thereof, with all sacred affections to holinesses. Looke then inwards, and trie how wee are affected in and after the hearing of the Word. Doe we finde an Holy feare to fall upon us when our sinnes are threatned? are we willing to abide the Surgeons hand upon our tenderest sores, and though it be painfull, yet doe heartily rejoyce in the sharpest strokes, and deepest cuts of the sword of the Spirit, when it pierceth in to the dividing asunder of the Soule and Spirit, marrow and joints, parting us and our best beloved sinne? Doe our hearts secretly rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and glorious, in hearing those sure and stedfast promises of Mercy and Grace published in the Gospell? Are our soules brought under the powerfull command of the majesty and authority of the Word captivating all our thoughts to the obedience of Christ, so that no command of a King armed with greatest terrour can lay the like necessity of obedience upon our outward man, as Gods injunctions do upon our consciences? Hath the Word wrought in us an unfained hatred of that evill which we outwardly forsake, a sincere love of that good which outwardly wee practise? Can we truely mourne with much bitternesse and anguish, when the Word discovers unto us the infinite corruptions and loathsome uncleannesse of our hearts, so that we wish for nothing more in the world than to bee freed from the sinne that hangs so fast on us, and to be cloathed with perfect holinesse. Finally, doe wee love the Word that hath begotten us, preferring that food of our soules before our appointed bodily food? If these things be in us we have a witnesse to our soules, that the Word preached hath been unto us not onelyonly in word but also in power, and that the p. 116same Spirit which gave it unto the Church, hath made it his most blessed instrument of our effectuall Conversion to God. But if the case stand so with us, that wee know not what these things meane: if to our apprehension there appeare more terror in the angry words of a King, than the most peremptory threatnings of God: if a reproofe of a knowne fault will be rejected by us with contempt and gall: if we sleight the sweetest exhortations, and the Consolations of God seeme a small matter to us: if wee can with a Confident scorne of all Gods counsells hold a resolution to goe on still in our owne courses, let God and his Ministers say what they list: if our Corruptions trouble us not, and of all things in this life we take least notice of the sinfull estate of our soules, or of all pleasures and studies, wee finde least content in hearing, reading, meditating on the Word: These things are infallible Symptomes of Spirituall death that hath seazed on us, and that as yet wee have not so heard the Word, the Voyce of the Sonne Ioh. 5. 25.John 5:25of God, as to be made alive by the hearing of it.

This tryall is certaine, and this Change that the Word and Spirit worke in our regeneration is very sensible; if wee be not sensible of it, we may be bold to Censure our selves that as yet wee have it not. To conclude, they only heare the Word as the word of God which finde in it Gods 1 Thes. 2. 13. Eph. 4. 20. seq.1 Thess 2:13Eph 4:20power working Sanctification in their hearts, others heare it only as the word of man, which goes no further than the naturall care and understanding. Where this change of the heart is not, all reformation in the life is but counterfeit and hypocriticall.

In the two former Questions wee have examined the pretended sufficiency of Grace universally bestowed on all, whether within or without the Church: and shewed you, that all those gifts which are ordinarily given either to Christians or Heathens, are utterly insufficient for to worke their true Conversion, unlesse there bee a further aide of the speciall grace of the Holy Ghost working on p. 117the Soule to the sanctification thereof. Wee are at this time to come unto our third and last Question, whether or no, supposing such grace to be given as is truly sufficient to convert, it be notwithstanding in mans power freely to choose whether he will be converted or not converted by it. The Arminian affirmes that it is so, and that when God directly intends to Convert a man, and for that purpose affords him all gracious helpes needfull to be given on his part, then Man by the liberty of his Will may resist Gods will and worke, so as they shall not worke his Conversion. A desperate error, which whosoever maintaines, it is impossible that Christian Humilitie and thankfulnesse can have any place in that mans heart. Wherefore it behooves us much to be rightly informed in a point of such consequence, wherein it is so easie to become an enemy against the grace of God. The Question then is this,

Whether it be in mans power so to resist the grace of 3. Question.God, as finally to hinder his owne Conversion?

In the explication of this Controversie, I shall with Gods helpe proceed in this order,

1. To shew unto you in briefe the Opinion and Errours of our Adversaries in this point.

2. To unfold and confirme that Truth which the orthodox Church defends as touching this matter.

3. To answer such Arguments as are made against it.

The Opinion of the Arminians touching the power of Mans free Will in the worke of Conversion, is most fully and freely expressed by that perverse Sectary Iohannes Arnoldi Corvinus, in these words of his so often mentioned in Contra Bogerman. p. 363. Contra Tilen. P. 337.the acts of the late Synod, and which are most worthy to be had in everlasting detestation: [Positis, saith he, omnibus operationibus gratiae, quibus ad Conversionem in nobis e…iciendam Deus utitur, manet tamen ipsa Conversio it a in …ostra Potestate libera, ut possimus non converti, id est, nosmetipsos vel convertere vel non converters] id est, Suppose all the operations of Grace which God useth to worke conversion in us, bee present, yet Conversion it selfe remaines in that p. 118sort free in our power, that wee may be not converted, that is we may convert or not convert our selves. This is plaine dealing without ambiguity and doubling, When God hath done all that is to be done for his part, 'tis still on our free choyce whether wee will convert or not. Their explication of this conclusion is as strange as the conclusion it selfe is hereticall. It is thus: there are two operations of Grace precedent to a mans Conversion:

1. Illumination of the Vnderstanding in the cleere knowledge of the Law and Gospell, Sinne and Grace. Which illumination is not, you must thinke, wrought by any immediate worke of the Holy Ghost opening the understanding to discerne of Spirituall things, but by the very plaine evidence of the things themselves, so cleerely declared and represented to the Vnderstanding, that every man having the use of reason a…d judgement, and being attentive in the hearing or reading of the Word, may by the help of his naturall reason, without other Supernaturall Episcop disp de Perspic. Scriptur….light, understand the sense of all things delivered in Scripture needfull to be knowne, beleeved, hoped for, or practised. This is the first worke of Grace upon the Vnderstanding; the next is in the

2. Renovation of the Affections which are quickened and rectified with new motions towards spirituall things. So that a man not yet converted may truly Sorrow for his offending of God, Bewaile his spirituall death in sinne, be inflamed with the love of the truth, Desire Grace and the Spirit of regeneration, hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and eternall life, truly wish for deliverance out of his sinfull estate, in briefe, offer up to God the Sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart, in Humilitie, in Confession of Arnold contra …. 307.sinne, in Prayers for mercy, in a Purpose and an Assay of amendment of life. And thus farre the heart or affections may be changed and quickened, when yet a man is not Converted. Now this alteration which is wrought in affections, is, if you will beleeve them, not any immediate effect of the Holy Ghost working this change in them, but p. 119the proper cause of it is the Illumination of the understanding, whereupon followes necessarily the stirring up of the affections in their right orderly motions, which formerly were dead and disordered by reason of the darknesse of the minde misguiding them.

These two workes goe before mans Conversion, and are wrought in all that heare the Word Vniversally and Irresistably: the plainesse of Divine truth is such, that men though they would cannot avoide the knowledge of it, and the dependance of the affections on the Vnderstanding is such, that their motions must needs bee conformable to the knowledge and apprehensions thereof. When these two effects are wrought in a man, hee is then furnished with sufficient strength to Beleeve and Convert if he will. This power and strength is given him irresistably will he nill hee; but for the Act of beleeving, that depends wholly on his free will, which after the forenamed illumination of the minde, and motions in the affections, remaines Free to choose or not to choose, to consent or not consent unto the promise of Grace. Which wondrous doctrine they unfold unto us in this manner:

The will of man, say they, never had, hath nor can have any other qualitie inherent in it, but only that which is alwayes Essentiall unto it, namely, Liberty, Indifferenti… & indeterminati… ad actus oppositos. Wherefore as in Adam it had no spirituall gifts of Holinesse inherent in it, so it lost none in the fall, nor hath it now any inherent corruption as the other faculties have, nor is it in our regeneration reindued with any sanctified qualities whatsoever. Only a pure naked Liberty there is in it to choose or refuse any good or evill whatsoever, Spirituall, Morall, or Naturall, after it is once knowne. This Freedome though it bee so Naturall to the will of Man, that Salvâ essentià it cannot be taken away, yet in the exercise thereof the Will depends on the Vnderstanding and Affections. So long as the understanding is darke, and the affections distempered, the Will though it have in it selfe a naturall abilitie to choose p. 120that which is good, yet it cannot exercise it by reason of those impediments. Even as the eye hath in it selfe a naturall power to see even in the darke, but yet cannot make use of it, till the object be inlightened. So in the Vnregenerate the Will hath a naturall freedome in it selfe towards all Spirituall good or evill, but it wants the free exercise of this power so long as the Vnderstanding is without Knowledge and the affections are disordered. But as soone as the Vnderstanding is inlightened and the affections reneued, then the Will is restored to the use of her Naturall libertie: So that whereas Life and Death, Good and Evill is now set before her, shee may by her owne free power without any further help from God choose the good if she list, or the evill if she please. And this is that whereon they affirme consists Vivisicatio Voluntatis, the quickening of the Will, which is not the giving of some new power unto it, which it had not before, but only the restoring of it to the free use of that Power which it alwayes had, but could not exercise.

Heres then the summe of their opinion in briefe, When a man unconverted heares the word of the kingdome, hee understands it and is affected with it irresistably and necessarily. By so doing hee hath a power to beleeve given him, that is, His will hath recovered the use of that naturall freedome which it alwaies had, so that now hee stands indifferent, hee may if hee will assent to the promise of grace, he may if he will dissent from it: this Act is absolutely in his owne power to doe or not to do it, and by this Act done he is converted and not till then.

This is that leaven of Arminianisme wherewith of late the whole lumpe of sound doctrine hath beene sowred, this is that fretting leprosie which will scarce ever bee healed but in the ruine of those our neighbour Churches wherein the disease first bred. Let us alwaies pray that God wil keep this our Church, & us her Children safe from the danger of this infection. That we may the better avoide it, let us rippe up this swelling ulcer, and wring out the p. 121rottennesse and corruption that is gathered together in it: taking a particular view of the severall errors which are like a bed of snakes folded one in another in this dunghill: They are these;

1. That there is no other illumination of the understanding in divine things, but the ordinary apprehension of the sense and meaning of the Word, wrought in us by the cleere evidence of the things delivered, and the ordinary helpe of the Spirit, perfecting and assisting naturall reason and judgement.

For herein they all agree, that although the Gospell could not possibly have been found out by naturall reason, yet being once revealed, it may be fully understood by naturall reason. In so much that he, who is industrious and hath a good judgement, may know all that is needefull to be knowne, without any Supernaturall light infused into his understanding by the Holy Ghost. It seemes these men in their study of Divinity never sought after, nor ever did finde any other helpe besides their owne naturall abilities; and therefore they thinke other men have no more helpe than themselves had. Wee may probably judge so, by those Hereticall opinions, the immediate off-spring of their naturall reason, wherewith they have now so troubled the quiet of the Christian Church. Had they beene taught of God, and the eyes of their understanding opened to follow the directions of Gods Spirit more than their owne Naturall wisdome: they might have learned to have judged otherwise of themselves and all their opinions too. But how partiall soever their judgements are, wee know the judgement of God to be just and infallible, who knowes us better than wee doe our selves, and He tells us, aaRev. 3. 17. 18.Rev 3:17Rev 3:18That wee are blinde, bbEph. 5. 8.Eph 5:8that wee are darknesse till wee be made light in the Lord, ccIo… 1. 5.John 1:5that when the Light shineth in darknesse, the darknesse comprehendeth it not, that dd1 Cor. 2. 14.1 Cor 2:14the Naturall man cannot perceive the things of the Spirit, for they are foolishnesse unto him, neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned. Besides p. 122this censure of God upon our naturall ignorance in divine things, wee have the practice of the Saints, acknowledging their naturall disability, and praying for the illumination of the Spirit, which the Arminians scorne. Hence those frequent supplications of the Prophet David, Open Psal. 119.Ps 119mine eyes that I may see the wonders of the Law, O give mee understanding that I may live, Teach mee, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, Make mee to understand the way of thy precepts, with many such like prayers, wherein it were much perversnesse to affirme, that David prayed only for that knowledge of the meaning of the Law, whereto by study and use of his Naturall parts he might possibly attaine. And what shall we say to that prayer of the Apostle Paul which he makes for the Ephesians, [That God would give them the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ, Eph. 1. 17, 18.Eph 1:17Eph 1:18the eyes of their understanding being inlightened, that they might know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints]? Surely an Arminian will hardly say Amen to this Prayer. For to what end is it? had not Paul preached the Gospell to the Ephesians plainly enough, had not they heard and beleeved it, were they not men of reason and judgement that could understand what Paul meant when he preached or wrote unto them? what need then to pray yet for the spirit of Wisdome and Revelation, and inlightening their eyes, when things were so revealed as they could not choose but know and see them? Yes, there was and is still great need we should make this Prayer, now the Gospell is revealed to the Church, yet to pray for the Spirit of Revelation to reveale it to our hearts, and to inlighten the eyes of our minde, not only to understand the literall sense of the Word by the helpe of that Common light of the Spirit which shineth ordinarily in the Church, but to comprehend with all Saints the height, depth and largenesse of Gods love, the riches of his glorious inheritance, the pretiousnesse of the promises of Grace, the power and saving vertue of the Gospell, the rare excellencie and amiablenesse of all divine p. 123truth. Which none can doe without the speciall This their opinion is plain, as by other so by those words of theirs in their Defence of the 4. article, pa. 164. whereunto our Divines proving a defect and inward disabilitie in mans understanding out of these Scriptures that tells us we are Blinde, and Darknesse, &c. they answer that these Metaphors resolved into their proper sense note unto vsus, Nihil aliud, quàm (…egenitos) rerum … …arum & voluntatis salutiserae ignaros & nas…ios (…uisse) a… proinde …tiam à dei timore …. At ex hoc aliud nihil conclud… potest quàm …os indigere Clarâ v… ritatis propositione, ut scientiam co … See al…o p. 168. 169.worke of the Holy Ghost, changing the Vnderstanding from Naturall to Spirituall, by an immediat infusion of such a qualitie as inables it to discerne aright of Spirituall things. I conclude this point with one reason more, If to the understanding of spirituall things there bee no other illumination required, but only the cleere evidence of the object plainely represented to the understanding, without any further worke of the Spirit upon the Vnderstanding it selfe, infusing into it a speciall strength to apprehend the things that are proposed to it: then it would be knowne whether these men thinke that our intellective Facultie hath got any hurt and defect by Adams fall, yea or no. It is manifest that they thinke that mans fall hath not brought any defect and weaknesse upon the power of mans understanding, no not in Spiritualib…s. For, marke it, when Divine things are in a plaine and lively manner declared to the understanding, is there any defect in the facultie that must be first amended by the Spirit, before it can have the perfect knowledge of those things? No, say they, so therebe the common assistance of the Spirit preserving unto us the right use of reason and judgement, we may, without any supernaturall worke of the Spirit, understand spirituall things when they are plainly expounded unto us. Why then heres all the difference betweene Adam and VsUs, His Vnderstanding was perfect and happy, because he had both the Power to conceive of things hee was yet ignorant of when they should be cleerely revealed to him, and also the Actuall knowledge of wonderfull varietie in all things. Our understanding is imperfect and unhappy, because by our fall wee want the Actuall knowledge of almost all things, especially Spirituall, but yet we still retaine the same power that we had in Adam, to understand any spirituall thing when it is once cleerely discovered unto us. So that according to Arminius schoole, the understanding of man since the Fall is like unto our Eyes in the darke: the eye is well and without blemish needing no p. 124cure of any defect in it selfe, yet it sees nought, because the Object is not inlightened; so soone as light shines on that causing a cleere discovery of it, the eye without further adoe, can easily perceive it But this is yet the very pride and gall of an Hereticall spirit, secretly accusing the whole mystery of Gods revealed wisdome, whether in the booke of nature or of Scripture, as if it were wrapped up in Obscurity and Darknesse. Wee forsooth have eyes and we need not that God should restore unto us the Faculty of Seeing: only wee are in darknesse because things that are to be knowne are in darkenesse, if God will take away obscuritie from them and make them evident to be knowne, theres no such infirmity in us but wee may know them if wee be attentive. Let us from our hearts detest this odious popish imputation of obscurity laid upon Nature and Scripture, as if the cause of all our ignorance were not now in the weaknesse of our Vnderstanding, but in the darknesse of Gods revealing himselfe to us. And let us detest that opinion which leads us upon this absurdity: and learne we to confesse our blindenesse, to pray that God will give us eyes, and restore our understanding to its first perfection; else, though the light shine round about us making all things wherein God is to be knowne most appparant and visible, yet wee may still lie in darkenesse and perish in our ignorance. This is their first error touching the Vnderstanding, of which I shall have occasion to speake more in handling the parts of Faith. I now proceed to the second touching the affections, which is this:

2. That even in Divine things the motions of the Affections necessarily follow upon the illumination of the Vnderstanding. So that when the understanding is rightly informed and thoroughly convinced, the affections are presently excited in all motions conformable to the things knowne.

It is very strange that men of so deepe learning, should yet professe so much ignorance in the estate of Mans corrupt nature, as to dreame of a Correspondency and dutifull p. 125subjection of our Passions unto our Reason, so that when this is rightly taught, they will be truly affected even in Spirituall things. Nothing more could be said of Adam in his innocency, and to affirme this touching Man corrupted is to give the lie to Reason, Authority and all Experience which speake the contrary. The truth is this, as wee are falne out with God, so are we at oddes with our selves: and our affections are not more often mis-led by, our erroneous understanding, than our understanding and right judgement is haled aside by our vitious affections. What man in the world, that knowes himselfe, but will confesse that even in naturalibus and moralibus, much more in spiritualibus he may often say with Medea—Video meliora proboque, Deteriora sequor? Wherefore we reject this Opinion, that there is no vitious inclination properly inherent in the affections, besides that which is brought upon them per t…n…bras mentis, through the error of the understanding: wee detest this assertion as a fond and false imagination, and we confesse with the Apostle, that even when we know, allow of, consent unto the goodnesse of Rom. 7.Rom 7the Law, and delight in it in part, yet then wee cannot alwayes doe what we would, but through the Law of Sinne in our corrupt wills and affections, are led captive to disobedience. Their third error is this:

3. That the affections may be, excitati, stirred up and quickened with true love of goodnesse and hatred of evill, before such time as a man be converted.

The Arminians are wonderfull obscure in explicating unto us their new invented opinion concerning the Excitation of the Affections, which they make the second worke of Grace preceding mans true Conversion. They tell us not in plaine termes what affections they meane, nor yet what kinde of Excitation and Vivification it is they would have. Wherefore we are more particularly to enquire of both. For Affections or Passions in man they are of two sorts:

1. Sensuall belonging to the Sensitive Appetite, and p. 126directed by the phantasie: these are common to brute beasts with us, and arise from one like temper and constitution in both. The object of these is all Naturall good or evill.

2. Rationall, appertaining to the reasonable Appetite or Will, and guided by the Vnderstanding. These are proper to man, and they have their originall from the substance of the reasonable soule, in which they alwaies remaine, not onelyonly when it is in the body, but even when tis severed from it. For feare, hope, love, hatred, joy, griefe, &c. are in the damned and blessed Spirits as well as living men. The object of these properly humane passions, is all Morall and Spirituall good or evill. I neede not among so many learned, Artists stand curiously upon the distinction of these two sorts of passions in man: the identitie of names in both sorts hath caused some confusion; but in reason the diversity of their nature is evident. Wherefore I goe on to see what is meant by Excitation or Stirring up of the affections: whereby we can understand nothing else, but their right and orderly motions about their proper objects. As in the particulars, Sensuall passions are then duely excited when they are moved about any Naturall good or evill, according to the instinct of Nature in brute beasts, and according to the same instinct of Nature in man, but guided and moderated by right reason. Reasonable Affections are then duely stirred up, when their motions about all Spirituall and Morall good or evill, are conformable to the quality of the object affected, and to the rules of a rightly informed understanding.

Let us now see what affections they bee that grace workes upon, and how they are excited before men are converted.

For Sensuall affections tending to a meer Naturall good or evill, albeit it bee most true, that Grace sanctifying us throughout hath a singular work upon them too, in moderating the excesse, and repressing the distempered motions of such passions as arise from our Naturall or Personall p. 127temper, as of choler, lust, &c. yet we will not be so uncharitable, as to thinke our adversaries meane these affections in this businesse: For

1. It is a strange fancy, to thinke that grace should begin to rectifie the inferiour, faculties in a man, before it have put in order the superiour, to rectifie the sensitive appetite, and leave the will disordered. God is no such preposterous Physitian, who, cùm capiti mederi debeat, cur…t reduviam, when the head is sicke applies a plaister to the …ingers ends.

2. Againe, what singular preparation to Faith is it, that our naturall affections be well qualified in their motions about naturall and bodily things? I confesse tis good they should be so, but what speciall vertue hath that to procure unto mans will a free exercise of its liberty in Heavenly or Spirituall things? as the Arminians affirme the excitation of the affections doth. Vnlesse we should goe further, and make Spirituall things the object of the Sensitive Appetite, which were to elevate it farre above its naturall power, and is an absurdity too grosse to be imagined by any learned man.

Wherefore it must bee that other sort of affections which we call Rationall and Humane, whose object is vertue or vice, all Spirituall and Morall good or evill. Of these then wee are to enquire how in an Vnconverted person they are stirred up in their motions about such objects as are Spiritually good or evill. The Arminians give a very large allowance of grace to an Vnregenerate man, and they tell us, that Besides the knowledge of sinne, a sorrow for it in regard of punishment, a feare of Gods wrath, a desire to be free from it, (all which we confesse may be in a man Vnregenerate) besides these, there are, say they, in such a one, a deploring of his Spirituall death in sin and utter impotency to doe any good, a griefe for the offending of the divine Majesty, a desire of Grace and the Spirit of regeneration to be given him, a hungring and thirsting after Righteousnesse and Life, a love of Goodnesse and hatred of p. 128evill, Humility, Prayer, and Confession of sinnes, an inward purpose of heart to set upon a reformation of life, in briefe, an Vnregenerate man may offer to God the sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart, yea God may give a man a new heart, and yet he not be converted till afterward, as some of them affirme, shamefully abusing that place, Ier. 24. 7. Yee will wonder what maner of thing these men make the Conversion of a sinner to bee, who ascribe so many things to a man unconverted, as they can hardly tell what more to attribute unto him after his Conversion. But to make short, let us aske them touching this change of the heart and affections in a man unregenerate, whether these Stirrings of his affections moving him towards Grace and Godlinesse be true or counterfeit.

If these motions be indeed true and right, so that an unconverted man doe truely sorrow for his sinnefull state, truely grieve for Gods displeasure, truely desire the grace of regeneration, heartily thirst after righteousnesse, unfainedly love the truth, if he be truely humble, can pray, confesse sinne, purpose amendment, and all this truly without hypocrisie, then wee desire to bee resolved in these doubts:

1. What can be done by a man after his Conversion, more than he can doe in these things before he be converted? At all times he can but doe them truely, that is, spiritually: and this he may doe as well before as after Conversion.

2. Whether it be not admirable and unconceivable to any mans understanding, how the affections can bee thus moved, and yet the will remaine untouched. For whereas they say that a sinner may out of true sense and sorrow for sinne, truely desire grace and freedome by Christ, before such time as his will doth assent to the promise of Mercy, it is most strange, how tis possible that a man should heartily and unfainedly desire the benefite of the Promise of grace in Christ, and yet at the same time not assent and embrace the promise offered unto him. Tis as if we should p. 129say a man may Desire a thing and yet not Will it: when as to desire is nothing but an action of the will. And the very same is true of all the affections, that they are but divers Motions of the Will about divers objects, (as the irrationall passions are of the Sensitive Appetite) and therefore to make such separation betweene the Will and the Affections in the reasonable soule, as that the Affections should be Excited and yet the Will not moved, is, to speak favourably, a very unlearned imagination.

3. Whether that argument used to comfort distressed consciences, namely, That he who truly desires grace, hath true grace, whether I say this argument of Consolation used by the skilfullest Divines and accounted hitherto unanswerable by men or divells, be not now by this doctrine utterly made of no worth, if this of Arminius his followers be to be allowed, that a man may unfainedly desire to bee good and to be regenerate, and yet be unconverted and so without all true goodnesse as yet. But that assertion of our Divines, [That the true desire of grace, is from true grace, and a part of true grace] shall stand fast as founded on Scripture and sound Reason, when all Arminianisme shall lie in the dust.

If these Motions in an unregenerate man bee not True, but False & Counterfeit, then have they made much adoe to little purpose, preparing a man to that Faith and Conversion which is true, by counterfeit and hypocriticall meanes. But they will say that these desires and affections though they are not Spirituall, yet in their kinde they are true and not counterfeit, because they are true Morall or Naturall desires. To which I answer, that the rule to judge of the truth of our desires is this, Wee must compare our affections with the Nature of those things that wee doe affect: if our affections towards them be such as the Quality of the things themselves require, then are they right and good: if not, they are false and evill: as to make it plaine by an instance or two; When a husband loves his wife but only as his whoore to satisfie his lust, this love p. 130though it may be very …ervent and not dissembled, yet tis a false love because it is not Matrimoniall agreeable to the qualitie of a Wife the object thereof. When Balaam desired the death of the righteous, no question but hee spake as he thought without dissembling, but yet this his desire was false, because he desired it not according to the true nature thereof, as it requires a sanctified life to bring us to a happy end; which Balaam would none of. When a Turke hopes for heaven that there hee may live in carnall pleasures, according to Mahomets beastly …aw, 'tis true that hee hopes, but 'tis false that he hopes truly, because he mistakes the qualitie of Heavenly joyes which are spirituall not carnall. So in like manner (generally) when Spirituall things are affected spiritually in such a manner as is conformable to their nature and qualitie, then are our affections rightly and well moved towards them, as to love goodnesse because it is of God, to hate sinne because 'tis contrary to the holinesse of Gods nature and law, to desire grace, to the end that it may correct the corruption of nature, to wish for heaven, that we may have communion with God in the beholding of his glory and our constant worshipping of him. These affections are true, but they are such as never arise in the heart of man till it be purified and made Holy by the Spirit of Grace. But on the contrary, when Spirituall things are affected only as things that are Naturally or Morally good or evill, such affections are false and of no worth: as if a man desire grace because tis a commendable qualitie, or redemption, because tis good to be free from miserie, or heaven, because tis a pleasant thing to be at ease: such affections are as farre from truth, as the eye is from right seeing, when it mistakes greene for yellow, or a man for a post. And such, in a man unconverted, are all his Affections about Spirituall things. Wherefore when they tell us of a true Love of goodnesse, a true Hatred of evill, &c. in a man unregenerate, they speake strange paradoxes against reason and Scripture, affirming that they who have not the Spirit, are naturall p. 131men, Iud. ver. 19. and that the Naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit, and cannot Spiritually discerne, and therefore not Spiritually desire them, 1 Cor. 3. and againe, that whatsoever is borne of the flesh is flesh; Ioh. 3. 6. Albeit therefore we denie not but that there are ordinarily many Preparations whereby God brings a man to grace, and that the Word workes many effects, both upon the Heart and lives of men even whilest they are as yet destitute of true Grace: yet as for those affections which our Adversaries place in m…n unregenerate, we affirme that they are not antecedents but consequents and parts of true Conversion. For can hee that is dead in sinne bewaile his Spirituall death? Can he that is in the flesh, and so an enemie to God, yet greve for displeasing of him? Can he truly desire the Spirit of regeneration, that is of the ccIoh. 14. 17.John 14:17world and cannot receive the Spirit because it seeth him not neither knoweth him? Can a man thirst after righteousnesse and yet not be ddMat. 56.blessed nor satisfied? Can a man hate evill, who yet eePsal.loves not the Lord? Can hee love God that is ff1 Ioh. 4. 7.1 John 4:7not borne of him? Can he be humble that hath not the sanctifying Spirit, one ggGal. 5. 23. Col. 3. 12. Mat. 11. 25.Gal 5:23Col 3:12Matt 11:25fruite whereof is meeknesse and humblenesse of minde? May a true prayer be made without the helpe of the Holy hhZach. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 26.Zech 12:10Rom 8:26Ghost? Will there ever be a true Confession in the mouth when there is not Faith and Repentance in the heart? How can that heart be a new heart, a contrite and broken heart sensible of sinne, which is not yet changed out of stone into flesh? Can hee have a full purpose of heart to iiAct. 11. 23.Acts 11:23amend his life and cleave unto the Lord, whose heart is not yet touched with sanctifying Grace? Whatsoever shadow of these things may appeare in an unregenerate man, it is certaine none can be done in truth but by those only in whom the Holy Ghost hath begun the worke of true Sanctification. I might stand upon the further proofe of every particular were it needfull: but I passe on to their fourth Error, which is concerning mans Will:

4. That the Will of man is not capable of any Habituall p. 132qualities inherent in it, whether of grace or corruption. Only a meere liberty it hath to Will or Nill any thing, and besides this liberty there never was, is, nor can be in it any other quality. Whence it followes, that the Will is not to be termed good or evill from any inward disposition of it selfe, but onelyonly from the actions of it according as it is lead or mis-led by the light or darkenesse of the understanding, and by the rectitude or depravation of the affections.