A Treatise of Original Sin, Part 3 · Chapter 4 · Section 5
SECT. V.
Of the Natural Servitude and Bondage of the Will, with a brief Diſcuſsion of the Point of Free-will.
¶. 1.
JOH. 8. 35.
If the Sonne therefore ſhall make you free, ye ſhall be free indeed.
HItherto we have been diſcovering the vaſt and extenſive pollution of the will, in its Originals and Naturals, both in the ſeveral operations and affections of it; The next thing in order is, To treat of the will in regard of its ſtate, as in freedome of ſervitude, about which ſo many voluminous Controverſies have been agitated: And indeed a ſound judgement in the point of Free will is of admirable conſequence to advance Chriſt, and the grace of the Goſpel; For whoſoever do obſcure the glory thereof, they lay their foundation here; They praiſe nature to the diſpraiſe of grace, and exalt God as a Creator, to the prejudice of Chriſt as a Redeemer.
Although it is not my purpoſe to go with this Point as many miles as the Controverſie would compel me, yet becauſe the Doctrine of Free-will is ſo plauſible to fleſh and bloud, that in all Ages of the Church it hath had its profeſſed Patrons; And becauſe the cauſe of Chriſt and the Goſpel is herein intereſſed, and further, becauſe it is of a great practical concernment to know what a ſlavery and bondage is upon the will of man to ſin; it will be neceſſary and profitable (in ſome meaſure) to inlarge upon it; for there is ſcarce one in a thouſand, but is puſſed up with his own power and ſtrength, ſo that he feeleth not the want of grace.
¶. 2.
This laſt mentioned Scripture opened.
THis Text I have pitched upon will be a good and a ſure foundation for the ſuperſtruction of our future Diſcourſe; For Auſtin in his hot diſputes with the Pelagians about the freedom of the will to what is good, doth often flie to this Text, as a ſure Sanctuary: And Calvin (gravely upon this Diſcourſe of our Saviour) ſaith, Eunt nunc Papiſtae (we may adde Arminians and Socinians) & liberum arbitrium factuosè extollunt, &c. Let them presumptuouſly exalt free will, but we being conſcious of our own bondage, do glory in Chriſt onelyonly our Redeemer: Though Maldonate is pleaſed to cenſure this expreſſion of Calvin, us Sententia digna verberibus, vel igne.
Let us therefore take notice of the Coherence, and we will go no higher then to the 30th verſe, where we have ſpecified a bleſſed and fruitfull event upon Chriſts Diſcourſe, concerning his Perſon and Office, For as he ſpake thoſe words, many believed on him; not by their own natural ability and power, but the Father did draw them by his omnipotent and efficacious grace: Chriſt while he ſpake to the ear did alſo reach to the heart; he did not onelyonly preach, but could inable the hearer alſo to believe, herein exceeding all Paſtors and Teachers that ever were in the Church of God; Chriſt plants and watereth, and giveth the increaſe likewiſe all of himſelf; Yea Chriſt ſeemeth here to ſow his ſeed upon the high way, and among thorns and ſtones, yet ſome ſeed cometh up and proſpereth well.
Upon this we have the love and care of Chriſt mentioned to theſe new Converts, he immediately watereth theſe plants, and ſwadleth theſe new born Infants that they may not miſcarry; This is ſeen in the counſel ſuggeſted to them, where you have, The Duty ſuppoſed, and the admirable Priviledge iſſuing from it▪ The Duty ſuppoſed, If ye continue in my Word; It is not enough to begin, unleſs there be perſeverance. It is not enough to receive Chriſt and his Word, unleſs we abide therein and have our ears (as it were) boared, never to depart from ſuch a Maſter; The neglect of this maketh all that dreadfull Apoſtaſie, and thoſe ſad ſcandals to Religion, which in all Ages do terribly break forth, Except ye abide in Chriſt, as well as be in him, we ſhall fall ſhort in the wilderneſs, and not be able to enter into Canaan.
It is alſo obſervable, that Chriſt ſaith, If ye abide in my Word; it muſt be the true Doctrine of Chriſt; it muſt be what he hath delivered, which denoteth two things:
1. That hereſie and errour can no wayes make to our Chriſtian-Diſcipleſhip, they cannot ſet us at liberty from any luſt or ſinne; and therefore no wonder if you ſee men of corrupt judgements at laſt fall into ſinfull and corrupt practices; For the word of God is only the inſtrument and inſtituted means of ſanctification, Sanctifie them by thy word, Joh. 17.
2. Hereby we ſee the neceſſity of the Miniſtry of it; by the preaching of Gods word they are firſt brought to believe, and after that are continually to depend on it; The Miniſtry is both for the begetting of grace, and the increaſe of it; Thoſe that deſpiſe and neglect the Word preached, do greatly demonſtrate they never got any good by it.
The conſequent Priviledge upon this continuance in the Word, is to be Chriſts Diſciples indeed; From whence we have a diſtinction of a Diſciple in appearance and ſhew, or profeſſion onelyonly, and a Diſciple indeed. There were many that became Chriſts Diſciples in profeſſion onelyonly, they followed him for a ſeaſon, but afterwards forſook him, which cauſed our Saviour ſo much in his Parables and Sermons to preſs them upon a pure. thorow and deep work of grace upon their ſouls: The title without reality will be no advantage. Muſculus obſerveth, That Chriſt uſeth the Preſent tenſe, Then are ye my Diſciples indeed; From whence he gathers, That Continuance or Perſeverance in grace doth not make the truth of grace, but the truth of grace maketh the perſeverance, they do continue, and therfore are Diſciples indeed, but they are Diſciples indeed, therefore they continue in Chriſts Word. But Beza maketh foreign, as in other places; and if ſo, then it muſt be thus underſtood, That our Perſeverance in grace doth not make grace to be true, but doth demonſtrate and evidence the Truth; ſuch will appear to be ſtarres indeed fixed in the firmament, when others like blazing Comets will quickly vaniſh away: But this is not all the Priviledge, there is a two-fold mentioned in the next verſe,
Firſt, Ye ſhall know the truth; when they did at firſt believe the Word, they did know the Truth in ſome meaſure, but now their knowledge ſhould be more evident, clear, and encreaſing; And indeed the godly they do ſo grow in knowledge about heavenly things, that they account their former knowledge even nothing at all.
The ſecond Priviledge is, The truth ſhall make them free; Every man (till regenerated) is in bondage and captivity, to blindneſs in his mind, to luſt in hiswill; And there is nothing can ſet us at liberty from this dungeon and priſon, but the grace of God by the Word preached.
But no ſooner is this Priviledge ſpoken of, then it ſtirreth up the Cavils and Objections of ſome that heard it, They anſwered him, We be Abrahams ſeed, and were never in bondage to any man, How then doeſt thou ſay, Ye ſhall be made free? Some think, That thoſe who are ſaid to believe did argue thus; But this ſeemeth very harſh; Therefore no doubt ſome others that were in the multitude, that did not believe, they were offended at this ſpeech of our Saviours, and therefore diſpute againſt it, arrogating to themſelves both a Native freedom, We are Abrahams ſeed; and alſo an actual one, We were never in bondage to any man. This expreſſion exerciſeth Interpreters very much, for whether by [We] they mean their Anceſtours or Themſelves, living at that time; It is plain, at firſt they were in bondage in Aegypt, afterwards in Babylon, and at that preſent in bondage to the Roman Empire, How then could they affirme ſuch a notorious lie, that they were never in bondage to any man? Some ſay, They mean of ſuch vaſſals and ſlaves, as ſometimes in warre are taken and ſold to others: Now (though the Iſraelites were often conquered, and brought under the power of others, yet) they were never ſold ſlaves, and ſo not in bondage in that ſenſe. Others ſay, They doe not ſpeak of a Civil, or Publique, and State-Liberty, but (as it were) a religious and holy freedome; For, though they were in civil bondage, yet they glorified in Abraham's ſeed, and the religious freedome thereby in reſpect of Gods favour. So Henſius (in his Ariſtarchus Sacer. upon this place,) They (ſaith he) who ſpake this, did attend to the Law and Covenant, for ſuch who obeyed the Law, they called free. Hence they had a paradoxal Proverb, None unleſſe he exerciſe himſelf in the ſtudy of the Law, is to be accounted a free man; And, Qui obſervat legem eſſe Regem, even as the Stoicks ſay of their wiſe man. Sixtus Seneſis maketh theſe words to be ſpoken by ſome of the Galileans, who would never owne any forreign power, but did chuſe rather to die, then to make ſuch an acknowledgement. That which many pitch upon is, That the Jewes ſpeak this to Chriſt from their pride and arrogancy, not willing to take any notice of their external ſubjection, but ſo that they may oppoſe Chriſt, care not what they ſay, though never ſo contrary to Truth. Although Calvin well addeth, They might have a pretence for what they ſaid, as if the Roman power did by force reign over them, and therefore that they were (de jure) free.
But our Saviour ſpeaking of one kind of freedome and ſlavery, and they of another, he doth in the next verſe more particularly open his meaning, and withall layeth a foundation to prove, That though they boaſted and gloried in their freedome, yet they were indeed ſervants and ſlaves; This he proveth by that univerſal Propoſition, Whoſoever committeth ſinne is the ſervant of ſinne; You muſt lay an Emphaſis in that foreign, it is not to be underſtood of every actual committing of ſinne, but of the wilfull, habitual and conſtant committing of it: And thus though great men may boaſt in their Sovereignty they have over many others; though they may glory in multitude of ſervants, yet if they be overcome by any one vice, they be the vileſt ſlaves and vaſſals of all, Quot vitia, tot Domini, ſo many vices, ſo many Lords: Now original ſinne that is a Lord and Maſter to every one, that reigneth over all mankind; ſome actual ſinnes enſlave one man, and ſome another; but original ſinne doth every man; yea though the godly are (in ſome meaſure) freed from the dominion of it, yet it keepeth up a tyrannical dominion over the moſt holy, as appeareth Rom. 7. by that complaint of Paul, He could not doe the good he would, becauſe he was ſold under ſinne.
This foundation then being laid, our Saviour ſhewing the difference between a ſervant and a ſonne, doth in my Text ſuppoſe,
1. A neceſſity of every one till ſanctified to be made free.
2. The Manner how. And
3. That this is freedom indeed.
The Neceſſity ſuppoſed is, If the Sonne make them free; Though he ſpeaketh this to thoſe Jews who were in a two-fold bondage to ſinne, original and actual; natural and voluntary, yet this is to be applyed to every man that is not in the ſtate of regeneration, He hath no liberty or freedome of will to do what is good, but is a vaſſal to all ſinne; ſinne is the luſts thereof do prevail-over him, ſo that he hath neither will or power to come out of this bondage.
2. There is the Manner how, or the Perſon by whom we obtain true liberty, If the Sonne make you free. In ſome Cities the elder brother had power to adopt ſonnes, and ſo to make free, however Chriſt is therefore called the Redeemer, becauſe he doth obtain ſpiritual freedome for his people, and that not onelyonly in reſpect of the guilt of ſinne freeing from that; which grace of Chriſt the Pelagians did acknowledge (and would conſtantly interpret my Text in this ſenſe onelyonly) but alſo the power of ſinne by inherent Sanctification and Renovation of the whole man; and of this freedom the Text doth here principally ſpeak, not ſo much the freedom from the guilt of ſinne; by juſtifying grace, as from the power of ſinne by ſanctifying grace.
3. You have the Commendation of this ſpiritual liberty, it is called freedome indeed, implying, that though they had never ſo much civil freedom, never ſo much dominion and power, yet if ſervants to ſinne, they were in the vileſt bondage that could be: Civil freedom is thought to be ſo great a good, that it can never be prized enough; Therefore the Rabbins have a ſaying, That if the Sea were ink, and the world parchment, it would never ſerve enough to contain the praiſes of liberty. The Scripture informeth us, how great an honour it was accounted to be free of Rome, but if all this while men are captivated either to perſonal ſinnes, or to ſinnes of the nature, they remain in worſe bondage, then ever any Gally-ſlaves were in; The people of Iſrael in their iron furnace and houſe of bondage did cry and groan for a Redeemer; but this is the unſpeakable evil of this ſoul-bondage, that we delight in it, that we rejoyce in it; all our indeavour and care is, that we may not be ſet at liberty, and have theſe chains taken off us. From this explication obſerve,
That no man hath any liberty or freedom of will to what is good, till Chriſt by his grace hath made him free. We do not by freedom of will obtain grace, but by grace we obtain freedom of will: So that by the Scripture we have not any true ground for a liberum, arbitrium, but a liberatum in ſpiritual things; There is no ſuch thing as a free-will, but a freed will in a paſſive ſenſe, and tunc eſt liberum, when it is liberatum, as Auſtin; Then it's actively free, when it is firſt paſſively made free, Rom. 6. 16. Being made free from ſinne; He doth not ſay, you have made your ſelves free, but ye are made frre by the grace of Chriſt. And again, verſ. 22. Ye are now made free from ſinne; and Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus hath made me free from the Law of ſinne and death: By which expreſſions is implied, 1. That all men till ſanctified are in an abſolute vaſſalage and thraldom to ſinne. And, 2. That it is onelyonly the grace of Chriſt that doth deliver from this bondage. It is Chriſt not our own will that maketh us free.
¶ 3
Of the ſeveral Kinds of Freedome which the Scripture ſpeaketh of.
TO enter into the depths of this Doctrine, Conſider, What kinds of freedome the Scripture ſpeaketh of, and which is applicable to our purpoſe. The Schooles have vaſt diſputes about liberty and free-will, What it is, whether a compounded faculty or a ſimple one; and whether a faculty, or habit, or act; eſpecially they digladiate about the definition of free-will, what it is; but if any thing ſhall be thought neceſſary to be ſaid in this point, it may be pertinently brought in, when we ſhall anſwer ſuch Objections as the Patrons of nature do uſe to bring in the behalf of Free-will: only it is good to know, that in the Scripture we find a civil liberty and a ſpiritual liberty ſpoken of, a civil liberty; Thus bond and free are often oppoſed, Epheſ. 6. 8. Col. 3. 11. 1 Cor. 7. 22. But this is not to the Text, nor to our purpoſe; Therefore the Scripture ſpeaketh much of a ſpiritual freedome, and that is,
Firſt, In the tranſlating of us out from the dominion of ſinne and Satan, into a gracious ſtate of holineſs; and this is called by Divines, Libertas gratia, or (as Auſtin) libertas à peccato. The freedome of grace of which thoſe Texts ſpeak that we mentioned before.
Secondly, There is the Evangelical and Chriſtian liberty, whereby we are freed from many things of the law, not only the curſe of the moral law and the ſpirit of bondage, which did accompany the legal adminiſtration thereof, but alſo from the obligation unto, and exerciſe of the ceremanial; This Evangelical liberty is often commended in the Scripture, as the glorious priviledge of the Chriſtian Church, which the legal Church wanted; of this legal ſervitude, and Evangelical freedome the Apoſtle, Gal. 4, doth largely, and moſt divinely treat, This Chriſtian liberty alſo from Jewiſh rites, The Apoſtle, Gal. 5. 1. …horteth us to ſtand faſt in, as being purchaſed for us by the death of Chriſt, as a glorious priveledge; only the Apoſtle Peter, 1 Pet. 2. 16, giveth good advice, That we turn not our liberty into licentiouſneſs; It is true, the Apoſtle doth once uſe the word [free] abuſively and improperly, Rom. 6. 20, where the ſervants of ſinne are ſaid to be free from righteouſneſs, or to righteouſneſs, now this is improperly called a freedome; for as the ſervice of God is the trueſt freedome, ſo freedome from holineſs is the greateſt ſlavery. Although Auſtin doth from this Text make a diviſion of liberty into two kinds, which he maketh perpetual uſe of, Libertas à peccate, and Libertas a juſtitiâ; The godly man hath the former liberty, the ſinner hath the latter, but this latter is improperly called liberty.
Laſtly, There is a ſpiritual freedome mentioned by the Scripture, as the utlimte and complete perfection of all, when the ſoul ſhall be freed not only from the dominion of ſinne, but the preſence of it, all the reliques and remainders of it, and the body ſhall be freed from death, pain, and all corroptibility, Rom. 8. 2. This is called, the glorious liberty of the ſons of God; and for this every godly man is to groan and mourn, even as the woman in travel to be delivered; This is called by Divines libertas gloriae, and libertas à miſerià. But we are to ſpeak of the liberty of grace; and herein we are not to admire the Freewill of man, but the free grace of God: man hath no free-will to do that which is ſpiritual and holy; Free-will is an Idol which the corrupt heart of man is apt to advance; he is unwilling to be brought out of himſelf, to be beholding to the grace of Chriſt only; therefore Auſtin obſerved well, That this truth is to be found out by prayer and ſupplication, ſooner then by diſputation; Did men commune with their own hearts; did they obſerve the Abyſs and depth of all evil that is in their corrupt will, how intangled and in ſlaved to the creature, they would quickly fall from diſputation to humiliation, and turne arguments into prayers.
¶. 4.
The Names which the Scripture expreſſeth that by, which we call Free-Will.
THe next thing in our method that will be explicating of the Doctrine, is to take notice of, What names the Scripture uſeth to expreſs this thing by, that we call Free-will; for free-will is not a Scripture name, but Eccleſialſical, yet the ſence of it is in the Scripture; for foreign, is often uſed in the Scripture, to will, and that in ſuch things wherein freedome is neceſſarily ſuppoſed, Luk. 22. 9. Where wilt thou, that we prepare a place? Joh. 9. 27. Wherefore would ye hear it again, will ye alſo be his Diſciple? Act 7. 28, wilt thou kill me alſo, &c. and in many other places, hence foreign is uſed for the free-will of a man, 1 Cor. 7. 37, and indeed it is diſputed, whether to do a thing voluntariè, and liberè, voluntarily and freely be not all one, and ſo libertas, and voluntas, only voluntas denoteth the power and liberty, the qualification of it in its working. Janſenius is moſt conſident, that in Auſtin's conſtant diſpute with the Pelagians, liberum arbitrium, is no more then voluntas, and that to do a thing freely, is no more then to do it voluntarily; this he maintaineth againſt the Jeſuites, and withall wonders at a late Writer of their own (whom he nameth not) which writeth, that the word ſervum arbitrium, was not heard in the Church of God for fifteen hundred yeares, It is Bellarmine that ſaith ſo, but our Divines had detected this falſhood long before Janſenius. Howſoever Auſtin may uſe the word, yet the Scripture expreſſeth that which we call the will by, foreign and foreign. A ſecond word to expreſs liberty is foreign, liberty, yet this is not ſo much applied to the liberty of the will, as to the liberty of a man, as here in the Text, the ſonne ſhall make you free, your perſons not your wils; but becauſe there is an univerſal bondage in all the powers of the ſoul to ſinne, blindneſs in the mind, contumacy in the will; (for Quid eſt libertas ſine gratiâ, niſi contumacia.) What is liberty in the will without grace, but contumacy againſt God, and a wilfull delight in evil wayes, Inordinacy in the affections: therefore the perſon is ſaid to be made free, not but that the will is principally included in this, only the will is not all that is made free, 2 Cor 3. 17, where the ſpirit of the Lord is, thereby is liberty; It's from the Spirit of God we obtain liberty from ſinne, and alſo from ſervile ſlaviſh feares. The Jeſuites would have this liberty nothing to the purpoſe in the controverſie de libero arbirio, for (ſay they) this is a ſpiritual miſtical liberty, libertas à peccate, and they are treating of libertas naturae, which they make to conſiſt in an indifferency to good or evil, but by their favour this is a proper liberty, and it is this that the Pelagians did moſt controvert about, and ſtill the proper diſpute between the orthodox and their adverſaries is in this particular, Whether there be any liberty or freedome in a mans will without grace to ſhake off the deminion of ſinne, ſo that they keep moſt properly to the ſtate of the queſtion, who are diligent in the opening of the nature of this liberty. Another word which the Scripture uſeth to expreſs this free-will by, is foreign, 1 Pet. 5. 2, Phil. 1. 4, and this is very proper and full, when we do a thing not by conſtraint, or by a natural neceſſity, then we do it freely, therein we ſhew our liberty, ſo that liberty doth oppoſe coaction and natural neceſſity; It is impoſſible the will ſhould in its immediate elicite acts be compelled, for then it ſhould be voluntas and noluntas, at the ſame time; then velle would be nolle, which is an high contradiction: Therefore liberty doth neceſſarly oppoſe conſtraint, but foreign, doth alſo oppoſe a natural neceſſity (I ſay) a natural neceſſity (for there are other neceſſities that liberty doth conſiſt with, yea and the more neceſſary the more free, as in time is to be ſhewed.) Thus though the ſtone hath an inclination to deſcend downwards, yet becauſe the ſtones motion is from a natural neceſſary principle, therefore it is not free: Beaſts likewiſe though, they exceed the inanimate creatures, yet they do not agere foreign, voluntarily. They do act ſpontaneouſly, but not voluntary, becauſe a natural principle of ſence doth determine them. foreign indeed, Heb. 10. 26, is tranſlated wilfully, If we ſinne wilfully after we have known the truth; but there it ſignifieth an high degree of the obſtinacy of the will, and a confirmation in evil againſt great light and knowledge; but commonly it ſignifieth doing a thing, ſo as not to be conſtrained to it. Platonical Philoſophers call free-will foreign, too proud a word to be given to a creature; and therefore the ancient Greek Fathers being many of them Platoniſts, did greatly obſcure the glory of grace by receiving Platonical words, of which this is one: Indeed they gave to God foreign, but yet foreign, is too much for a creature, which hath a neceſſity of ſubordination to God, and dependency on him. The Stoicks they expreſs free-will by foreign, that which is in our own power. The Ariſtotelians expreſs it by foreign, which is the Scripture expreſſion likewiſe; Though the Scripture and Ariſtotelians differ as much as light and darkneſs about the nature of liberty, As the Ancients by following Platonical Philoſophy: ſo the Neotericks (eſpecially the Jeſuites by following Ariſtotle,) have greatly prejudiced the Doctrine of free-grace, ſetting up free-will in the room thereof. There is one expreſſion more, and the Scripture hath it but once, which is the moſt emphatical in deſcribing of this liberty, and that is 1 Cor. 7. 37. Having power over a mans own will, foreign, for liberty lieth in ſome kinds of ſome dominion to have our own will; hence in liberty we may conceive ſomething Negative and ſomething Poſitive; Negative, and that is not to be compelled, not to be conſtrained, not to be inſlaved: Poſitive, and that is to have ſome power and dominion over the actions of our will, as the Apoſtle inſtanceth in him, who had decreed to keep his virgin from marriage, This man is ſaid to have power over his own will. By theſe Scripture words we may come to underſtand in a great meaſure, what liberty and freedome of will is.
¶. 5.
Some Obſervations concerning the Promoters of the Doctrine of Free-Will, how Unpleaſing the contrary Doctrine is to fleſh and blood, with ſome advice about it.
SEcondly take notice, That it is the great purpoſe and deſign of ſome to go contrary to the plain intent of the Scripture; For many in all ages of the Church have (with all their learning and parts) endeavoured to ſet up this Idol of Free-will, whereas the great drift of the Scripture is to advance and ſet up the free grace and free gift of God: The Apoſtles they write to debaſe man and to exalt the grace of God; Erronious perſons, they diſpute, and write, to exalt the will of man, and to take off from the grace of God; What a loud trumpet is Paul in his Epiſtles to ſound forth the praiſes of free grace, not only free grace in juſtification, but free grace alſo in ſanctification? It's the grace of God that doth not only pardon the guilt of ſinne, but conquer the power of it: Conſider then whether it be better, to ſet up Dagon or the Ark, the free-will of man, or the free gift and grace of God. Truly it is a very uncomfortable task, to be diſputing againſt that grace, which yet we muſt wholly rely upon, when we come to die. It is one thing what men write while they are in health, what cobweb-diſtinctions they pleaſe themſelves with in their voluminous writings, and another thing when they are in the agonies of death, and are to appear at the tribunal of a righteous God. It was that (which that famous Champion for the grace of God) Bradwardine comforted himſelf with, when he undertook the cauſe of God againſt Pelagians, That he could pray for the grace of God, to help him in his undertakings, to be preſent with him, and to direct him, whereas his adverſaries could not do ſo. And indeed how can an Arminian, or a Pelagian with any of thoſe Naturiſts, cordially pray for the grace of God to aſſiſt them, while they write againſt grace, and patronize free-will? Let them ſacrifice to their own nets, to their own parts and abilities; It's from their will that grace is efficacious. This arrogancy is like that of the Heathens, whoſe ſaying was, Ignavis opus eſt auxilio Dei, It is only the ſluggiſh that need the help of God: Yea Tully argueth the caſe, That we are not beholding to God for our vertue; therefore (ſaith he) our anceſtors have praiſed the gods for their ſucceſs and outward advantages, but never for their vertues; Happily it is awe and reverence that men bear to the Chriſtian Religion, that keepeth them from ſuch blaſphemous expreſſions; yet even in Chriſtian Writers (pleading for the power of nature) inſtances might be given of proud and ſwelling expreſſions.
Thirdly, It is good to obſerve, That even in all thoſe whoſe end avour hath been to advance the free-will of a man to what is truly good, there hath appeared ſome guiltineſs (as it were) in them, therefore they have often changed, (if not their minds yet their words) thus they have removed from the mountaines to the valleys: The Pelagians did incruſtate their opinions often, and the Papiſts ſpeak ſometimes ſo plauſibly, that you would think Bellarmine and Calvin did imbrace each other. Pelagius did at laſt come to uſe the word grace, yea did anathematize ſuch as ſhould not hold the grace of God requiſite to every good act; by which crafty guiles he did deceive the Eaſtern Biſhops, and ſtill in the ſerpents-skin do the Jeſuites and Arminians appear; They think it the greateſt calumny that can be caſt upon them, to ſay, they are againſt the grace of God; hence they uſe the word of grace often, as well as of free-will, but all this ariſeth from guilt; they do uſe the word grace ad frangendam invidiam, to decline, envy, to inſinuate more into the hearts of credulous hearers: ſo that men ſacrilegiouſly advance the will of man' make man to have the greateſt praiſe in converting himſelf, in ſaving himſelf; and whereas Paul ſaid, Not I, but the grace of God with me; They will on the contrary affirm, Not the grace of God, but I; yet for all this they would be thought to advance the grace of Chriſt, but that is a true rule of Auſtins, Gratia non eſt gratia ullo modo niſi ſit gratuita omni modo; Grace is not grace any way, unleſs it be free and gra…uitous every way; Therefore the inconſtancy, the changes and ſhifts all ſuch are put to, who plead for this liberty of the will, argue they are not in the Truth, but like thieves do hate the light, and change their garments often, that they may not be diſcovered; They are afraid of the Scripture, and would more gladly have the controverſie ended by Ariſtotle, then by Paul; ſo that this Pelagian error hath had Cain's curſe (as it were) upon it, a trembling, leſt every place of Scripture it, does meet with) ſhould kill it.
Fourthly, To maintain the ſlavery of the will to ſinne, and to deny any liberty to that which is holy and godly, is a truth ſo unpleaſing to fleſh and blood, doth ſo reproach (as it's thought) mankind, that it hath alwayes in the Church of God, (by ſome heretical perſons or others) been ſpoken againſt; It hath been judged very ſcandalous and offenſive, as that which did lay the axe to the root of all Religion and holineſs; But yet experience hath taught us, that none have expreſſed ſo much holineſs in their lives, as thoſe who have had this truth of Chriſts grace incorporated into them; and on the other ſide, the Pelagian Doctrine hath left upon mens ſpirits, like leaven, à cornu & tumorem, a ſowreneſs and bitterneſs, as alſo a tumor and vaunting confidence in themſelves; So that if the denying of free-will and exalting the grace of God be ſo prophane an opinion in its genius and inclination (as ſome calumniate,) it's a miracle, that from ſuch a poiſoned fountain ſuch ſweet ſtreames ſhould flow, and from ſuch thornes ſo pleaſant grapes ſhould grow. But the reaſon of this offence to fleſh and blood, is the ſelf-love and ſelf-fullneſs that is in every man by nature; ſpiritual pride and ſelf-confidence do reign in all men by nature; hence it is that though they be naked, yet they are not aſhamed of it, which in Adam (while innocent) did come from his integrity, but in corrupt man from his ſenſleſneſs and ſtupidity. No wonder then if this Doctrine of grace be not juſtified cordially, and as it ought to be, but by the ſonnes of grace, who have felt the power and efficacy of it upon their hearts, who have experimentally found the grace of God freeing their will from all that bondage it was in to ſinne and Sataen.
Fifthly, From this it is, that a gracious heart is required to ſtudy this point, as well as a learned head. Experience of regeneration, of being made a new creature, of the conflict between the fleſh and the ſpirit, will excellently direct in this controverſie. I wonder not to ſee a man, though come out of Egypt loaden with Egyptian gold, to make a molten-calf for a god and to worſhip it: men of great learning, and it may be of great external civility (as they ſay of Pelagius) if not humbled by the grace of God, and throughlyu emptied of themſelves, how can they ſtoop and yeeld all up to Chriſt? It was therefore Auſtin's wiſh, That the Pelagians would turne their disputations into prayers, for it is the heart as well as the head that is uſefull in this point. Though all Divinity be practical, and practice is the end of knowledge, yea in Scripture language, Tantum ſcimus quantum operamur, we are ſaid to know no more then we do; yet ſome truths have a more immediate influence into practice then others, whereas ſome opinions do ſtand in the Court (as it were) others enter into the holieſt of holieſt: Now this truth about the grace of God, and free-will is practice (practice) as I may ſay, what ſome do of the ultimate dictate of the underſtanding; This truth lieth in the vitals of Religion, and therefore the experience of all the godly is juſtly brought after Scripture arguments to confirme this great truth; Therefore humble your ſelves more, commune with your own hearts, be much in prayer and ſelf-emptineſs, and you will quickly find the light of this truth ſhining into your hearts; Come and taſt, Come and ſee, what you hear with your eares; pray that God would grant you an experimental knowledge of grace, and then you will quickly confeſs not unto your own free-will, but to the free grace of God, all praiſe, and glory doth belong.
Sixthly, This truth therefore being ſo contrary to fleſh and blood, It is by the grace of God that we come to acknowledge the grace of God. Error in mind is part of our bondage, as well as luſt in our heart; It is therefore by th… grace of God that we are delivered from both theſe thraldoms; we have a freed mind from ignorance, and a freed will from concupiſcence; It is the Spirit of God that leadeth us into all truth, called therefore the Spirit of truth, John 14. 17. It is by the grace of God that thou falleſt not in this errour of advancing free-will; It's by the grace of God that thou art no Pelagian or Arminian; It is this that maketh thee to differ from them; Thy judgment, thy heart would be ſelf-confident herein, did not the Spirit of God teach thee.
Laſtly, Conſider that the grace of God is neceſſary to guide us in this point, Becauſe this Queſtion hath alwayes ſeemed very difficult. Auſtin acknowledged it ſo; Hence he ſaith, That when grace is defended, we are thought to deſtroy free-will, and when a free-will is acknowledged (though in ſome ſenſe onelyonly) we are thought to deny free-grace. Indeed the Truth is not ſo difficult (viz.) that we have no ſpiritual liberty to what is good, or that grace onelyonly maketh the will free; but how to reconcile this with the natural liberty of the will, that it ſhall not be as a ſtock or ſtone, that hath ſeemed to ſome even inſoluble, and therefore they adviſe to captivate our underſtandings in this point, as we doe in the Doctrine of the Trinity; however whether ſoluble or inſoluble, the difficulty argueth the neceſſity of Gods aſſiſtance, while we preach, and you hear about it.
¶. 6.
The firſt Demonſtration of the ſlavery of the Will is from the Neceſsity of ſinning that every man is plunged into.
SEveral particulars being premiſed as introductory to our intended matter, our next work is to ſhew, Wherein this ſervitude & ſlavery of the will doth conſiſt; Not that you are to conceive of the will, as ſome priſoner who is chained up in a dungeon, that hath power to walk and run, only thoſe external impediments do hinder him, which is Bellarmine's ſimilitude about the inability of a natural man to ſupernatural good: So the will hath ſome inward power and ability to do that which is holy, onelyonly there are luſts, which are vincentes and vincientes, as Auſtin expreſſeth, conquering and binding this will, that it cannot actually perform what internally it hath a power to do, here is no ſuch thing, for we muſt conceive of this habitual depravation and defilement of the will in its ſtate and condition more inward and deeply rooted in it.
Firſt therefore, That the will of man is deſtitute of any freedome to what is good, appeareth, In the Neceſſity of ſinning that every man is plunged into, that he cannot but ſinne in all that he doth; That as the Angels and Saints in Heaven have Beata Neceſſitas, a bleſſed neceſſity of loving of God, and delighting in him, ſo that no temptation in the world can draw them off: Thus every man by nature is in an unhappy and wretched neceſſity of ſinning, Dura Neceſſitas, as Auſtin called it. Inſomuch that though the Scripture doth repreſent the things of Heaven in a moſt glorious manner to affect us, yet we cannot be taken off from our ſinne to love that; Hence it is that every man till regenerated is compared to an evil tree, and Tit. 1. they are ſaid to be unclean, and every thing made unclean to them; The perſon being not accepted, neither can any duties be: This is our ſad and miſerable condition by nature, But whoſe heart is throughly affected with it? Thy eating, thy drinking, thy buying and ſelling, yea thy praying and all other duties, as they come from a man not ſanctified by grace are ſinnes in the eyes of God. Think then to what an infinite aggravation they will ariſe, and whether thou mayeſt not truly complain, they are more then the ſands upon the Sea-ſhore; ſo that as the Toad and Serpent do neceſſarily vent what is poiſon, and can never do that which is ſweet and wholſom: Thus no man in his natural eſtate can ever do any thing but be ſinning, and ſo damning of himſelf all the day long; OnelyOnly when we ſay it is thus naturally neceſſary to a man to ſinne in all things he doth, you muſt know, that we do not herein make him abſolutely like a bruit beaſt, which is not capable either of vice or virtue; for this neceſſity is voluntarily brought by man upon himſelf, he did wilfully ſtrip himſelf of all power and ability to do that which is good, and ſo having ſhut out the light from himſelf, he doth neceſſarily remain in the dark, having chaced away the Spirit and preſence of God from his ſoul, which is the life thereof, he becometh ſpiritually dead, and ſo in a neceſſity of ſinning: But it is not thus with Serpents and Toads; for whether they were at firſt created ſolely, with ſuch a poiſonous nature, or whether upon Adam's fall it was inflicted upon thoſe creatures as a curſe, it is plain, that theſe creatures could not with any will or conſent bring themſelves into this eſtate, but man did voluntarily at firſt, having no ſeed of evil, or inward propenſity to ſinne tranſgreſs the Commandment, whereupon his ſoul became more ſhamefully naked then his body. This neceſſity therefore whereby he is determined onelyonly to ſinne, ariſeth from his own free and voluntary impiety; As a man that hath wilfully put out his own eyes muſt blame himſelf for ever if he cannot ſee: If then this bondage be upon thee, that in all things thou ſinneſt, whatſoever thou undertakeſt, evil is preſently over ruling of thee, blame not God, or any providence of his, no nor the Devil neither, for though he doth tempt, yet he doth not neceſſitate to ſinne, but thy own ſelf, for from thy own bowels this deſtruction doth ariſe.
¶. 7.
That a Neceſſary Determination may ariſe ſeveral wayes, ſome whereof are very conſiſtent with Liberty, yea the more neceſſary the more free.
IT is good to obſerve, and it may clear many difficulties in this point, That a neceſſary determination may ariſe ſeveral wayes, ſome whereof are very conſiſtent with liberty, yea the more neceſſary the more free. Thus God himſelf doth neceſſarily will that which is good, and yet freely alſo: And if you ask, Whence doth it ariſe that God is thus determined to what is good? I anſwer, It is from the infinite and abſolute perfection of his holineſſe, whereby he is not, nor cannot be a God that willeth iniquity. Arminius indeed maketh it little leſſe than blaſphemy to ſay, God is liberè bonus, but that is, becauſe he cannot part with his Helena, or Dalilah (viz.) That liberty conſiſts in an indifferency to good and evil, and in this ſenſe to ſay, God doth ſo freely will good, that he can as freely will evil, would be blaſphemy; but to will evil is no part at all of freedome, it is a defect in a mutable creature, as is to be ſhewed. Such a determination to good only was in Chriſt alſo from his perfection, and is likewiſe in the Angels confirmed, and Saints glorified; here is no power to ſinne, yet have they liberty in an eminent degree, though determined to good onelyonly: On the contrary, the Devils and damned men they are neceſſarily determined to that which is evil, they cannot but hate God, they are not able to have one good thought, or one good deſire to all eternity, yet all this is done freely by them; Now as the determination to good did ariſe from perfection, from the ſtrong principles of holineſſe within, ſo in theſe their neceſſary determination to evil doth ariſe from that power of iniquity and ſinne they are delivered up unto: In this neceſſity of ſinning are all natural men (till regenerated) abſolutely plunged into, and that from the dominion which ſinne hath over them; OnelyOnly herein they differ from the Devils and damned men, they are in their termino, in their journeys end, and ſo are not in a capacity of being ever freed from this neceſſity and thraldome to ſinne: There will never be a converted Devil, or a converted man in hell, their ſtate is unchangeable, and they can never be recovered, but with wicked men in this life, God hath dealt in many plentifull wayes of mercy, ſo that though for the preſent determined only to evil all the day long, though for the preſent under the chains and bonds of ſinne, Yet the grace of God may deliver them out of this priſon, and ſet them at liberty, but till this be, they are as the Devils carried out neceſſarily in all hatred unto God, and this determination to one is from imperfection.
Laſtly, There is a determination to one from principles of Nature without reaſon and judgement, and where ſuch is there cannot be any liberty, for reaſon and judgement is the root of liberty, though it be formally in the will.
By this then you ſee, That this neceſſity of ſinning doth not take away the natural freedome that is in the will, ſo that a man and a beaſt ſhould be both alike. Luther (De Servo Arbit.) indeed wiſhed that the word Neceſſity might be laid aſide; Neither doth Bradwardine like that expreſſion, Neceſſitas immutabilitatis, as applied to man, but in the ſenſe all that are Orthodox do agree.
¶. 8.
The ſecond Argument of the Servitude of the Will is its being carried out unto ſinne voluntarily, and with delight.
SEcondly, This neceſſity of ſinning doth not at all take off from the voluntarineſſe and delight therein, but every natural man is carried out ſo voluntarily and readily unto every ſinne ſuggeſting it ſelf, as if there were no neceſſity at all. Hence man by nature is ſaid To ſwallow down iniquity like water, Job 15. 16 Even as the feavoriſh or Hydropical man is never ſatiated with water; Therefore the neceſſity of ſinning is never to be oppoſed to his willingneſs and freedom; for though a man hath no freedom to good, yet he hath to evil, Eoque magis libera, quo magis Ancilla, the more he is ſubject to ſinne, the more enſlaved to it by his delight therein, the freer he is to act it; We muſt not then imagine ſuch a neceſſity of ſinning in a man, as if that did compel and force a man againſt his inclination and deſire: You muſt not think that it is thus with a man, as if he could ſay, O Lord, my will is ſet againſt ſinne, I utterly abhorre and detect it, but I am neceſſitated to do it; for the will being corrupted, doth with all propenſity and delight rejoyce in the accompliſhing of that which is evil.
¶. 9.
3. The Bondage of the Will is evident by its utter impotency to any thing that is Spiritual; And wherein that inability conſiſts.
THirdly, This bondage of the will to ſinne is evidently manifeſted in its utter impotency and inability to any thing that is ſpiritual. It's like Samſon, that hath loſt its ſtrength, God made man right, whereby he had an ability to do any thing that was holy, there could not be an inſtance in any duty, though in the higheſt degree, which Adam had not a power to do, and now he is ſo greatly polluted, that there is not the greateſt ſinne poſſibly to be committed by the vileſt of men, but every man hath the ſeed and root thereof within him, for this reaſon man by nature is not onelyonly compared to the blind and deaf, but alſo to ſuch who are wholly dead in ſinne: So that as the dead man hath no power to raiſe himſelf, ſo neither hath a man who is ſpiritually dead in his ſinnes.
That this Truth may greatly humble us, Let us conſider, wherein this abſolute impotency to what is holy, is in every man, for this is a great part of the demonſtration of our ſpiritual bondage to ſinne and Satan. And
Firſt, Such is the thraldom of the will, That a man by nature cannot reſiſt the leaſt temptation to ſinne, much leſſe the greateſt, without the ſpecial grace of God helping at that time. We matter not thoſe Pelagian Doctors who hold a man by his own power may reſiſt leſſe temptations, yea more grievous ones, though not continually; for when our Saviour teacheth us to pray, That we may not be lead into temptation, doth not that imply, whatſoever is a temptation, whether it be ſmall or great, if the Lord leave us thereunto, we preſently are overcome by it. Certainly, if Adam while retaining his integrity in a temptation, and that about ſo ſmall a matter comparatively, for want of actual corroborating grace, was overtaken by it: Is it any wonder that we who have no inward ſpiritual principle of holineſs within us, but are filled with all evil and corruption, that we are reeds ſhaken with every wind? The rotten Apple muſt fall at every blaſt: Know then that it is either ſanctifying or reſtraining grace, that keeps thee from every ſnare of ſinne thou meeteſt with; Thou wouldſt every hour fall into the mire did not that uphold: Theſe Dalilahs would make thee ſleep in their laps, and then as Jael to Sicera, ſo would they do to thee. Herein is our bondage diſcovered.
Secondly, Our thraldome is manifeſted, In that we are not able of our ſelves to have one good thought, in reference to our eternal ſalvation; But if any ſerious apprehenſion, if any godly meditation be in thy ſoul, it is the grace of God that doth breath it into thee; The wilderneſs of thy heart cannot bring forth ſuch roſes: Thus the Apoſtle, We are not able of our ſelves (2 Cor. 3. 5.) to think any thing as of our ſelves; Though the Apoſtle ſpeaketh it occaſionally in his miniſterial imployment, yet (it holdeth generally true of every one, of thy ſelf) then thy heart is like a noiſome dung-hill, nothing but unſavoury thoughts doe ariſe from it; but if at any time any good motion, any ſad and ſerious thought ſtirreth within thee, know this cometh from without, it is put into thee, as the cup of gold in Benjamin's ſack; and therefore this muſt greatly debaſe us.
Thirdly, We are not able of our ſelves to have the leaſt deſire or longing after grace, and a ſtate of holineſſe. Not only Pelagianiſm, but Semi-pelagianiſm is a dangerous rock to be avoided: The later made our deſires to begin, and then Gods grace to ſucceed and accompliſh; But there is not ſo much as the leaſt groan, the leaſt deſire can ariſe in thy heart: Oh that God would change me! Oh that I were in the ſtate of thoſe that do truly fear God! And the reaſon is, becauſe the Scripture deſcribeth us by nature to be dead in ſinne, and compareth the work of grace to a ſpiritual reſurrection: Oh how great is thy bondage which doth ſo farre oppreſs thee, that thou canſt not ſo much as long for any freedom! Oh hopeleſs and wretched man, if left to himſelf!
Fourthly, From this followeth the next demonſtration of our vaſſalage and ſpiritual impotency, That we cannot pray to God, that he would deliver us out of this miſery. No natural man can pray, it is the grace of God that doth inable thereunto, he may utter the words of prayer, he may repeat the expreſſions, but (alas) he doth not, he cannot pray, as God requireth, and ſo as he will accept of it. The Apoſtle is clear for this, Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what to pray for as we ought; Is not this unſpeakable miſery, who needeth to pray more then thou, and yet thou canſt not pray? Thou art ſinning, thou art dying, thou are damning, and yet canſt not pray: Is not thy heart like an adamant, if this break thee not?
Fifthly, Such is our impotency and bondage, That we are not able to affect our ſelves with the fear and terrour of the Law, thereby to be convinced and humbled in our ſelves. If we cannot do the preparatories for grace, much leſſe grace it ſelf; if we cannot do the leſſe, How ſhall we do the greater? Now one great preparatory work is, To have a divine and powerfull fear in our ſouls, by reaſon of the Law, whereby we are afraid of hell, of the day of Judgement, and cannot have any reſt in our ſpirits, becauſe of this. Now this is wrought by the Spirit of God in a preparatory way, Rom. 8. 15. It is called The Spirit of bondage: And Joh. 14. The Spirit doth convince the world of ſinne; So that in and through the preaching of the Law, and diſcovery of ſinne, the Spirit of God doth awaken and terrifie the conſcience of a man, maketh him afraid, that he cannot eat, or drink, or take the delight he uſed to do. It is true, the ſlaviſh ſinfulneſs of this fear the Spirit of God doth not work, but the heart being like a mudded pool, when it is moved, ſuch ſlaviſh fears will ariſe likewiſe; But how farre is every natural man from this, he is ſecure and jolly, bleſſing and applauding himſelf, crying peace, peace, all is at quiet within him, becauſe the ſtrong man doth keep the houſe? It is the voice of the Lord only that can make theſe mountains to quake and melt.
Sixthly, Such is our weakneſs, That we cannot barden or ſoften our hearts in the leaſt manner, but they remain obdurate and like braſſe and iron. Thy heart is like a ſtone within thee, and thou art no wayes able to mollifie it; Therefore God maketh it his work, and he graciouſly promiſeth, I will take away the heart of ſtone (Ezek. 11. 19.) and give an heart of fleſh; As if God had ſaid, I know this work is above you, you are not able to do it: And certainly, if the godly themſelves (becauſe of the remainders of original corruption doe complain of the hardneſſe of their hearts,) cannot mollifie or ſoften them, as they deſire; Is it any wonder if the wicked man be not able to remove the ſtone from him.
Seventhly, A man cannot by the power of nature believe, no not ſo much as with an hiſtorical faith, till grace prepare the heart therein. Now faith is the firſt foundation-ſtone, Heb. 11. He that cometh to God muſt believe he is, and ſo he muſt believe the truth about Chriſt; But we ſee by the Phariſees, who heard Chriſt preach, ſaw the wonderfull miracles he did, yet in ſtead of believing in him did deride and oppoſe him; ſo that all the acts of faith, whether dogmatical or ſaving, we are enabled unto only by the grace of God, Matth. 13. 11. To you it is given to know the myſteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but not to them: Thus Act. 18. 27. the Diſciples are ſaid to believe through grace, faith then is the gift of God, not the work of mans free-will.) And if he cannot do this, it is plain, he cannot move one foot of himſelf towards Heaven.
Laſtly, Such is our impotency, That when grace is offered and tendered to us, the will of it ſelf hath no power to conſent to it, or make improvement of it. It can, and oft doth reſiſt and refuſe grace, but of it ſelf it cannot imbrace it. It is true, Papiſts and Arminians plead hard for this power of the will, but this is to give more to mans will then to Gods grace, this is to make man to differ himſelf from others.
It might be thought, that the will indeed cannot chuſe Chriſt, or receive him as a Lord, becauſe there is no revelation or manifeſtation of a Chriſt; They are a people happily who ſit in darkneſs, and have no light; and therefore though they may have an inward power to ſee, yet for want of light to actuate the medium they cannot; ſo that the defect ariſeth not from the power within, but the manifeſtation of the object without: And this indeed is gratly to be conſidered, whether an Infidel or Pagan (for example) doth not believe, becauſe there is no propoſition of the object in the Miniſtry, otherwiſe if he enjoyed that, then he had power over his own to aſſent to it. Now even the Pelagians themſelves, and their followers, yea even all that give not grace its full due, yet thus farre they do acknowledge there muſt be a doctrinal revelation by the Spirit of God, of the truths to be acknowledged; and when this light is ſet (as it were) upon the Candleſtick, then a man of his own ſelf is able to ſee; but ſuch is the corruption of man, that not only grace muſt bring in the light, but it muſt alſo give the eye to ſee; So that the work of Gods grace is both objective and ſubjective, objective in revealing the object, and ſubjective in preparing and fitting the ſubject; It being the Lord who doth give the ſeeing eye, and the hearing ear, Prov. 20. 12. Yea the Arminians go further, acknowledging that grace doth irreſiſtibly work upon the underſtanding of a man, for it being a paſſive faculty it cannot withſtand its illumination, but the will that retaineth its indifferency, when grace hath done all it will do: This therfore is granted, That without the grace of God enlightning and revealing, we are not able to believe the myſteries of Chriſt Kingdom; but though all this be granted, yet we ſay, That without further grace (even grace regenerating and ſanctifying the will.) we are not able to cleave to that which is good: You muſt not then conceive, as if God only offered grace in the Miniſtry, and then the will of man by its own ſelf doth love and delight in it; No, the heart of ſtone is firſt to be removed, we are to be new born, and made new creatures, before we can put forth any ſpiritual life at all; Not that a man is converted without his will, or that he doth not believe or repent, but the grace of God, only God changeth the will, he quickneth it, and enliveneth it ſo, that whereas it was like Sarah's dead womb before, now it was made fruitfull. The grace of God doth not compel the will, but change it; As if water which naturally deſcendeth be turned into air, then it doth as naturally aſcend; Indeed this is a phyſical change, but the moral change by grace in the will, is as notable to its operations. To conſent therefore to grace is the work of grace; It is grace that maketh us to will and receive grace: Hence we ſee by experience of thoſe many who enjoy the means of grace, how few do effectually and powerfully improve them: Whence is this difference? Is it becauſe one doth uſe his free-will better then another? Surely this would attribute farre more to free-will, then to Gods grace; for it's the will of man that maketh grace effectual, not grace that maketh the will of man pliable: By this Peter ſhould be no more beholding to the grace of God then Judas; nor David then Saul, ſeeing (ex parte Dei) all had grace alike, onelyonly one uſed this grace of God by his own power better then another, and thus we ſhall have ſomething that we did not receive, and we ſhall make our ſelves to differ from other; How derogatory and injurious is this to the grace of God?
¶. 10.
That man naturally loves his Thraldome to Sinne, and contradicts the Means of Deliverance from it; is a great Aggravation of the Bondage and Servitude of the Will.
SEcondly, The miſerable bondage of the will to ſinne, is the more to be aggravated, In that it loveth this thraldome, delights to be in this drudgery, even as the Swine doth in its mire; yea it doth vehemently oppoſe and contradict all the means of deliverance from it. Auſtin complained, Velle meum inimicus captivum tenebat: Our will is kept captive; So that if the grace of God come to ſet us free, we love our bondage better then liberty; we had rather be in our priſon with chains upon us, then abide in Gods palace: So that this vaſſalage of the will to ſinne, is not like a bodily one, which is troubleſome and very grievous to thoſe that are detained therein, as we ſee it was to the Iſraelites groaning under the yoke, but naturally we delight in this ſlavery, and look upon that freedom which grace would procure for us, as the greateſt miſery, and this maketh us unſpeakably miſerable, according to that known Rule, Quid miſerius miſero, non miſerante ſeipſum, What is more miſerable then that wretched man, who doth not, who cannot pity himſelf? You muſt not therefore conceive of the will of man thus captivated to ſin, as if it were againſt its inclination, as if of it ſelf it did endeavour to caſt off this yoke, as it is with ſome people, who being over-powered, are forced to ſubmit, but yet they wait for, and long for an opportunity to ſet themſelves at liberty: No, but the will doth delight and rejoyce in this ſervitude: A man doth willingly give his ears to be boared by his luſts, reſolving never to go from this Maſter, unleſs grace change him, and make him a new creature all over.
¶. 11.
The Bondage of the Will is ſeen in its Concupiſcential Affection to ſome Creature or other, never being able to lift its ſelfe up to God.
THis want of freedom to any thing that is good, is ſeen, In the concupiſcential affection to ſome creature or other, never being able to lift it ſelf up to God: And certainly, if you ask, Wherein doth the bondage of the will to ſin conſiſt? We may in the general ſay, in its creature affection, ſo that the will, which while entire and ſound did love God as the chiefeſt good, and all creatures in reference, and with ſubordination to him, is now ſo debaſed that it creepeth upon the ground, and is not able at all to love any thing but it ſelf and the creature; So that now every one taketh up that requeſt Pſal. 4, Who will ſhew us any good? Any temporal good, they deſire the Devils offer; So that if he would ſhew them the glory of the world, and beſtow it on them, they would preſently fall down and worſhip: Oh the unhappy and miſerable change that ſinne hath now made upon the will! being in abſolute ſubjection to every thing that he was made lord over; God put all things under his feet, and now all things have put man under their feet: It's the love of the world, and the things of the world, that is the Iron chain about the will, as that about Nebuchadnezzar's ſtump of the Tree; ſo that it can never lift it ſelf up to what is Heaven: This maketh the will like that woman, who was bowed down with her infirmity, and could not look up, till Chriſt healed her, and made her ſtraight: This maketh the neceſſity of a ſpiritual reſurrection, that ſo we may ſet our affections upon things above. This love of the world, and the things thereof, is the Summe of all thoſe particular wayes, whereby we are thus wretchedly enſlaved; Therefore grace when it cometh doth looſen theſe bonds, and make us free, by working in us a contrary love, and a contrary ſweetneſs and delight; So that now all the world, with the dainties thereof, are but as ſo many husks in compariſon of that manna he now feedeth upon; And as he that ſtedfaſtly beholds the Sunne for a while, his eyes are ſo dazeled, that he cannot for a ſeaſon behold any thing elſe: Thus when grace hath ſo ſanctified and affected the will, that it findeth no greater ſweetneſs and delight then in holy things, this preſently maketh him throw away all thoſe bonds that were upon him.
¶. 12.
Herein is the Bondage of the Will ſeen, That when it doth indeavour to overcome any ſinne, it is by falling into another.
FOurthly, Herein is the bondage of the will ſeen alſo, That when it doth endeavour to overcome any ſinne, it is by falling into another. So that the Argument uſually brought to prove, that the will hath ſome freedome to what is good doth indeed more confirm the ſervitude of it to ſinne; For it is often objected, That if the will be thus in abſolute bondage to ſinne, How cometh it about that even Heathens have by their own ſtrength reformed their lives, and have abounded in juſtice, fortitude and chaſtity even to admiration? Is not that inſtance of Polemon famous, who though a drunkard, yet coming to hear Xenocrates his Lecture about temperance, was ſo immediately perſwaded thereby, that he preſently forſook that beaſtly ſinne? In this Argument Julian the Pelagian did often triumph; But Auſtin's anſwer was good, and juſtifiable by Scripture, That when they left one ſinne, they fell into another, they did cure one luſt by another luſt, a carnal one by a ſpiritual one; for when they did abſtain from ſuch ſinnes, it was not in reference to God, and from faith in Chriſt, but it was either from vain glory, or to be ſure a ſinfull confidence, and reſting upon themſelves; and therefore even the Stoicks, who pretended the higheſt, viz. That we were to do virtuous actions for virtues ſake, yet they came too ſhort of the right mark; for virtue is not to be loved ultimately for virtues ſake, but that thereby we might draw nearer to God, and be made happy in enjoying of him; Therefore the Stoicks opinion did teach a man nothing but ſelf-confidence and ſelf fulneſs, which ſinnes are forbidden by the Word of God, as well as Epicurean and groſſe ſinnes: Oh then the unſpeakable bondage of the will to ſinne! That as the bird in a net, the more ſhe ſtriveth to get out, the more ſhe intangleth her ſelf: Thus it is with the natural man, the more he ſtriveth of himſelf to come out of this mire, the faſter he ſticketh in: Thou then who art a natural man, though ſuch a ſinne and ſuch a ſinne be left, yet ſee if when the Devil was caſt out, a worſe did not come in the room thereof; See if it be not with thee, as in that repreſentation to the Prophet, Thou haſt broken a woodden yoke, and an iron one is made in ſtead thereof; Thou haſt cured a carnal ſinne by a ſpiritual one; For you muſt know, That not onelyonly grace doth expell ſinne, but ſometimes one luſt may expel another, as the Phariſees ſpiritual pride, and ſelf-righteouſneſs did make them abhorre the Publicans ſinnes; ſo that even then the natural man cannot but ſinne, while he is caſting off ſinne. Therefore though unregenerate perſons may do that which is materially good, and for the ſubſtance of the act, yet they can never do that which is formally ſo; or as Auſtin expreſſed it of old, we muſt diſtinguiſh between the Officium, the Duty it ſelf, and Finis, the end of the Duty: Now the end of all till regenerated, can never be right or pure, it never aſcends high enough even to God himſelf, becauſe they want faith; So that though Ariſtides was juſt, yet he was not the Scriptures juſt man, that liveth by faith; None of the renowned Heathens were chaſte by faith, charitable by faith, temperate by faith, and therefore their glorious actions were only ſplendid, gliſtering ſinnes, they had a pompous appearance, but were indeed real vices, which were ſo farre from profiting them as to eternal happineſs, that they were an hinderance to them, for hereby they truſted in themſelves; The Epicurean he ſaid, It is good for me frui carne, To enjoy the body; The Stoick he ſaid, It was good for me frui mente; But David he ſaid, It was good for him to draw nigh to God.
¶. 13.
The more Means of Grace to free us, the more our Slavery appears.
FIfthly, Herein is our miſerable bondage to ſinne manifeſted, That the more we have the means of grace to ſet us at liberty, the more doth our ſlavery diſcover it ſelf: So that whatſoever good and holy thing we meet with, it draweth out our corruption the more. This the Apoſtle complaineth of, as part of that captivity he groaned under, Rom 7. That the Law which was for good, wrought in him all manner of evil: Thus the Goſpel, yea Chriſt preached, is the occaſion of more wickedneſs and impiety in unregenerate men, then otherwiſe they would be guilty of; And if this be ſo, though our heads were fountains of water, yet we could not weep enough for the guilt and wretchedneſs we are in by this means, for our remedies make our diſeaſes greater, light increaſeth our darkneſs, life cauſeth death; Inſomuch that did not God work by his own power mightily in the uſe of theſe means, they might be no longer the means of grace, but of anger and judgement, and the preaching of the Goſpel, becauſe of the ſad effects which it hath through the wilfull indiſpoſition of many who hear it, might be as much trouble to us, as the preſence of the Ark was to the Philiſtims: Therefore the clearer light, the more powerfull means of ſalvation a people do enjoy, the more is the impiety and wickedneſs of ſuch (whom grace doth not convert) daily increaſed; inſomuch that the Goſpel ſhining upon ſuch men, is like the Sunne ſhining upon a noiſome dunghill, which maketh it the more loathſome; How then can there be free-will in a man to good, when if left to himſelf all helps are an hindrance to him, and all remedies are more deſtructive? Hence the Scripture calleth it, making of the heart fat, Iſa. 6. an alluſion to beaſts, which are prepared to deſtruction by their beſt paſtures.
¶. 14.
The Neceſsity of a Redeemer demonſtrates our thraldome to ſinne.
LAſtly, That the will is inthralled irrecoverably unto ſinne, appeareth, In the neceſſity of Grace, and of Chriſt as a Redeemer, if we were not in bondage, what need we have a Redeemer? Let not then the common expreſſion in the Schooles be liberum arbitrium, but liberatum, which is a phraſe we ſeldome meet within them; It is good to know the full latitude of that glorious title of our Saviour, (viz.) a Redeemer; he is ſo called, not only, becauſe he redeemeth us from the curſe of the law, and the guilt of ſinne, but alſo becauſe we were under the power and dominion of ſinne and Satan, daily fulfilling the works of the fleſh, ſo that his death was not only to obtain remiſſion of ſinnes, but to make us a peculiar people zealous of good works, Tit. 1. 14. And hence alſo he is ſaid, to offer himſelf a ſacrifice, that he might preſent to God, a Church without spot or wrinckle, Eph. 5. 27, which will be compleatly perfected in heaven. To ſet up free-will then, is to pull down our Redeemer, as much as we give to that, we deny to Chriſt, we make him but a half-Saviour, and an half-Redeemer, while we maintain, that we ſet our ſelves at liberty from the power of Satan: Oh then let the name of a Redeemer for ever make thee bluſh and aſhamed to ſpeak of a free-will.
¶. 15.
An Examination of the Deſcriptions and Definitions of Freedome or Liberty of Will which many give it; Shewing, that none of them are any wayes competent to the Will unſanctified.
WE proceed therefore to make a further diſcovery of the bondage of the will to ſinne, and that it hath no liberty, no power or ability to do any thing that is truly godly; If we take notice of all thoſe wayes, wherein learned men do place liberty or freedome of will, we ſhall find evidently, that none of theſe deſcriptions, or definitions are any wayes competent to the will, while it is unſanctified; For,
Firſt, if that opinion be received, (which Bellarmine and others follow) That liberty is radically in the underſtanding, though formally in the will, (that is) the reaſon of the wils liberty is from the underſtanding, which doth propound ſeveral objects, and thereupon the will is indeterminate, whereas in beaſts their appetite is plainly limited, becauſe they want reaſon; as it is arbitrium, ſo (they ſay) it is in intellectu, as liberum ſo in voluntate. Now (I ſay) let this be received (for I do not diſpute the truth of it) then we muſt ſay, The will hath no liberty to what is good, becauſe it faileth in the root; The ſtreame cannot runne, when the ſpring is dried up; for if we take the underſtanding in reſpect of ſpiritual, and heavenly things, ſo it is altogether darkened and blinded; Therefore there is the grace of illumination required that it may know and believe the things of God, without which men love and delight in darkneſs rather then light: The things of God are ſaid to be fooliſhneſs to a natural man; ſo that all the while a man hath no more then nature in him, he is like thoſe birds that can ſee in the night, but are blind in the day; They have quick and ſharp apprehenſions in worldly and earthly matters, but are altogether ſtupid and ſenſleſs in regard of heavenly; How then can the will be free, when the mind is altogether dark; for God in converſion, when he will ſet the will and affections at liberty from ſinne, begins firſt in the underſtanding, light in the mind is firſt created, there are holy thoughts and ſpiritual convictions wrought in the ſoul, and by this light the other parts of the ſoul they come to be ſanctified; now then if there be not ſo much as this antecedaneous work upon the mind, the will is as yet very farre from the Kingdom of heaven? Wonder not then if ye ſee unregenerate men walking and ſtumbling in the dark; that you ſee them ſo captivated unto every luſt; you may as ſoon remove a mountain out of its place, as take them off from their iniquities; For how can it be otherwiſe while the will hath no guid to lead it, none to informe it concerning the evil and danger of thoſe wayes it is going in? If there be no light in the mind, there is no liberty in the will; ſo that hereby both horſe and rider are (as it were) thrown into the ſea.
Secondly, If to be that liberty doth conſiſt in an active indifferency to good or evil, then the will is not free, becauſe the former part of this deſcription (upon Scripture-grounds) can no wayes be accommodated to the will. This deſcription is generally received and applauded by Arminians and Jeſuites as the beſt, (though Gibieuſ ſaith it is the worſt) making the very formal nature of liberty to conſiſt herein, that when all requiſites to an action are ſuppoſed, yet the will can do, or not do; and this they extend even to spiritual objects, to that great work of converſion, affirming, when grace doth aſſiſt and help all it can; (ſo that Ex parte Dei, all things are ready that do concurre to our converſion;) yet the will, becauſe it is free, retaineth an active indifferency, either to accept of this grace offered, or to reject it. This deſcription we do no wayes acknowledge, as that which depriveth God, Chriſt, and the glorified Saints from liberty; and beſides, liberty being perfection, and ſo in the moſt perfect manner in the moſt perfect ſubjects, this doth debaſe it making a defect part of this perfection: It is wholly abſurd to make a power to ſinne part of liberty: Indeed this was a concomitant of Adam's liberty, but not becauſe liberty, but becauſe his will was mutable and changeable, ſo that if he had been corroborated and confirmed in grace, he had not put forth any ſuch experience of his liberty: well though we cannot aſſent to it, yet let it be ſuppoſed to be true; The Scripture is very clear and pregnant, That a man hath no ſuch indifferent power in him to good or evil; Indeed to evil, that he is carried out unto with all delight, he can of himſelf kill himſelf, but he cannot of himſelf give life to himſelf: But as for the other part, to be able to love what is good, to believe and to turn himſelf unto God, this is above his power, for the order of nature and of grace differ as much, as the order of ſenſe and reaſon; ſo that as the ſenſitive faculty cannot put forth acts of reaſon, (the eie cannot diſcourſe and reaſon,) ſo neither can the rational faculties put forth the acts of grace, which come from a divine nature, and that which is borne from above; All theſe places which deſcribe man in a ſpiritual ſenſe to be blind in mind, deaf in eares, and hardned in underſtanding, yea which ſay, he is dead in ſinne; and therefore the work of converſion is compared to regeneration, and to a reſurrection; all theſe do plainly declare, that the will hath no activity at all as to the firſt beginnings of grace. It is true indeed, there are commands to repent, to be converted, yea we are bid to chooſe life and death, but there are none of theſe duties commanded, which in other places are not made the gracious gifts of God; ſo that to repent, to be converted, they are promiſed by God as the workings of his grace, whereby they are both duties and gifts; Although the Arminian thinketh that impoſſible: They are duties becauſe we are the people who do believe and do repent, and are commanded thereunto; They are alſo gifts becauſe it is the grace of God alone that doth enable thereunto; when therefore you read of ſuch commands, you muſt not think, that they imply our power and ability, for then grace would be wholly excluded, ſeeing theſe Texts ſpeak abſolutely, as if a good work were wholly done by our own power; whereas the Arminian and Papiſt will not wholly exclude grace, and ſo theſe Texts would prove more then they contend for; But ſuch commands are ſtill impoſed upon us by God, to ſhew what doth belong to him; what he may juſtly expect from us; for ſeeing he created man with full power and ability to keep theſe commands, if man wilfully caſt himſelf into an utter impotency, God hath not thereby loſt the right of commanding, though we have the power of obeying.
Beſides by theſe Commands, as we are to know our duty, ſo thereby alſo we are provoked to be deeply humbled under our great inability, ſeeing our ſelves treaſuring up wrath every day, and preparing more torments for our ſelves, unleſſe the grace of God doth deliver us; Yea by theſe commands God doth work grace, they are practical and operative means, whereby he doth communicate life unto us.
And laſtly, Therefore God doth uſe Commands, Becauſe this way is ſuitable to man, who is a rational Agent; For although the work of grace is more than meerly ſwaſive, it is efficacious and really changing the heart, ſo that the Spirit of God doth farre more in converting of a ſinner, then the Devil doth in tempting to ſinne; yet God dealeth ſuitably to the nature of a man; We are not like ſtocks and ſtones, to whom it is ridiculous to preach, there being not in them a paſſive capacity of receiving the worke of grace; Hence it is that the Word is preached, Miracles are wrought, powerfull Arguments are uſed to draw off the heart; So that grace doth worke Ethicophyſically (as ſome expreſſe it,) Commands then and Threatnings are uſed, becauſe grace is wrought in us after a rational manner, in an attempered manner to our conſtitution; The underſtanding being firſt wrought upon, that ſo the will and affections may more readily give up themſelves.
Thirdly, If liberty be the ſame with voluntarineſs and no more, (as many learned men do contend, making voluntas and liberum arbitrium all one, as that which is oppoſed to coaction and natural neceſſity; yea if we adde Aurtelus his opinion to this, that libertas was nothing but complacentia, liberty is the complacency and delight of the will in its object) then in this ſenſe, (if rightly underſtood,) a man hath no freedom to what is holy. It is true indeed, the learned to ſhew, that grace in converting doth not deſtroy the liberty of the will, (viz. the natural liberty) no more then the will it ſelf; Grace doth not compel the will, or put an inherent natural neceſſity upon it; for if there could be coaction, the velle would be nolle, which is a contradiction; and if a natural neceſſity could be impoſed upon it, it would not be appetitus rationalis, a rational appetite; ſo that though grace in converting of man doth inſuperably, and invincibly change the will, making it of unwilling willing, ſo that there is a neceſſity (not natural,) but of immutability and unchangeableneſs; The will doth moſt certainly give it ſelf up to the grace of God mollifying and faſhioning of it for that purpoſe: This Iron (as it were) is put into the fire, and then it is made pliable to receive any form or impreſſion, yet the eſſential liberty is not deſtroyed; For the Queſtion about Free-will is not An ſit? but Quid poſſit? And herein lieth the difficult knot in this whole point about grace and the will of man, How to aſſert the irreſiſtible (as many call it, but others reject that expreſſion, though the ſenſe of thoſe who uſe it, is very ſound and ſignificant enough) work of grace, inſuperably determining the will to that which is good, and yet to be free from coaction or ſuch a neceſſity as is deſtructive to liberty? The Quomodo. How theſe two are to be reconciled, is that which in all ages hath exerciſed the moſt learned and judicious; inſomuch that ſome have adviſed to reſt in it by faith, as in a myſtery above our underſtanding, even as we doe in many other Doctrines to be believed by us; But I am not to aſcend this mountain at this time; This is enough for our purpoſe, to ſhew, That if liberty be ſaid to conſiſt in willing a thing freely from coaction and neceſſity, even in this reſpect, we have not thus farre liberty to good, becauſe it is God that worketh in us to will. Indeed when we doe will, we are not compelled by the Grace of God, onelyonly we cannot will till the Grace of God enable us thereto; It is not of him that willeth, but of God that ſheweth mercy; Neither are, we born of the will of man, but of God; It is grace then onelyonly that maketh us to will the good things tendered to us, though the will in eliciting of this is not compelled, but doth it freely, yea grace giveth this freedome to it, ſo that grace doth not deſtroy, but give liberty; And therefore Auſtin of old urged, That they denied Liberum arbitrium, who would not have it Liberatum; They cannot hold free-will in a true ſenſe, that doe not hold free and efficacious grace, which giveth the will all the ſtrength it hath to what is good: Thus liberty, if it be the ſame with willingneſs, we have it not of our ſelves, till the grace of God beſtow it upon us.
Fourthly, If liberty conſiſt in having dominion and power over our actions, then alſo the will cannot be ſaid to be free, as to doe holy things; For although the will, when it doth will, is the ſubordinate cauſe under God of its own action, and as a cauſe, ſo alſo may be ſaid to have dominion over it, yet becauſe the actual willing of what is good, doth not ariſe or exiſt by the ſtrength of the will, but by the grace of God, therefore it is that (in reſpect of good things) the will cannot be ſaid to have the dominion over them. This Definition of liberty (viz.) [to have a dominion over our own actions,] is by Janſenius aſſerted to be the true and proper meaning of Auguſtine, that his judgement is, then the will is ſaid to be free, when it hath dominion and power over what it doth; and if ſo, no wonder then the will be ſo often ſaid to be captivated and enſlaved, that it hath no freedom to what is holy; For what power can the will have over holy actions, when it is corrupted and defiled, that no holy thought, or holy motion is under the power of it. It was Ambroſe his complaint of old, That Cor noſtrum non eſt in noſtrâ poteſtate; Our heart is not in our power, but ſinnefull and evil workings of ſoul riſe up in us, which we are no wayes able to extinguiſh.
Fifthly, If liberty be (as Anſelme of old defined it, to which ſome Neotericks doe adhere, viz) Facultas ſervandi rectitudinem, propter rectitudinem ipſam, That it is a power to obſerve that which is right, for righteouſneſſe ſake, then this doth evidently proclaime, That man hath no Free-will, for to obſerve that which is holy and righteous for holineſſe ſake, which muſt needs argue a man regenerated and borne again; And indeed liberty in this ſenſe is nothing but the Image of God repaired in a man, and ſo is no more then to be like God himſelf; And now that every man by nature hath loſt this Image of God, is ſo plain, that the experience of every man concerning his diſtance from God may fully confirme it. If to this be added Aquinas his Deſcription, That it is, Vis electiva mediorum ſervato ordine ad finem. A power to chuſe means with a due order and reſpect to the end (yet ſtill freedome in the will to what is good cannot be found) For as (ſaith he) The underſtanding which is an apprehenſive faculty, hath its ſimple and bare apprehenſion of a thing (viz. of the firſt principles) And then it hath another act, which is to Reaſon and Diſcourſe, and that is properly of Concluſions to be deduced from thoſe principles; So what principles are in reſpect of concluſions to the Underſtanding, the ſame the end is, in reſpect of the means to the will; And therefore as the underſtanding doth neceſſarily erre, when it doth not diſcourſe ſuitably to the firſt principles; So the will, which is the appetitive part of a man, muſt neceſſarily ſinne, when it doth not chuſe means with a due order to the end: Now God being the chief end of all our actions, how impoſſible is it for the will corrupted as it is, to will riches, health, learning, or any creature in reference to God as the end.
Laſtly, If liberty conſiſt (as Gibieuf would have it) in an amplitude of ſpirit and independency upon the creature, ſo that it is above every created object with an eminent magnanimity of ſpirit adhering to God alone, and reſting in him as the chiefeſt good, then it is plain alſo, That by nature the will of man is utterly impotent to this thing, for the love of the creature is ſo predominant that we live and doe all things in reference to that; So that whereas grace maketh us to doe all things of God, and through God, and to God; Now the creature doth ſo reigne in our hearts, that we move only in all the workings of our ſoul to it. Ariſtotle obſerveth, That ſome are ſlaves by nature, and ſuch have no reaſon of their owne to guide them, that doe Sentire rationem magìs quàm habere, Feele Reaſon rather then make uſe of it: And if we ſpeak in a ſpiritual ſenſe, we are all thus borne ſlaves and vaſſals, not being able to put forth the actings of true and right reaſon, but do follow the luſts of our own ſoul, and are taken captive by the Devil at his will.
Thus we have at large diſcovered the bonds and chaines of ſinne our wils are faſtened in; Oh that in the reading of this, God would breathe into the ſouls of ſuch wretched ſinners, ſtrong deſires and ardent groans to be redeemed from this thraldome! Shall the ungodly ſay, (Pſal. 2.) concerning Chriſt, Let us break his bonds, when yet they are bonds of love, which are for our eternal happineſs? And wilt not thou rather cry out, concerning theſe bonds, and theſe yokes, which are for thy eternal damnation, Let us break them and rend them aſunder? Doth not the ſenſleſneſſe and ſtupidity of men, while they hear theſe things too ſadly evidence the ſtate of thraldom we are in to ſinne?