Willful Impenitency, Table of contents
A Table of the Contents.
THe reaſon why the wicked do not repent nor come out of their ſins,1 Doct. is not becauſe they cannot (though they cannot) but becauſe they will not, Page 8.
7 Demonſtrations to prove it.1 Dem…
The wicked think they have power to repent, but will not do according to their thoughts, ibid
They will not try whether they can repent or no,2 p. 9
They refuſe the helpe which God offers them,3 p. 10
They will not uſe the power which God hath given them,4 p. 11
They grow worſe by the meanes afforded them,5 p. 13
Their Cannot is voluntary,6 p. 14
They are content with their cannot,7 p. 15
The firſt ground of the Doctrine.1 Ground
Every man can do more good then he doth, and ſhun more evill then he doth, p. 17
This appeares by theſe following conſiderations.
If a man can do no more then he doth;1 Conſid. nothing can hindes him, but his will, ibid.
If a man can do no more then he does,2 and yet will not, he muſt needs voluntarily hinder himſelfe from doing that which he cannot,3 p. 18
Jf a man will not do that he can, neither will bee that which he cannot, if he could, p. 19
If a man … …ot do that he can, can or can-not,4 all is one to him, all ſticks at his will, p. 20
If a man will not doe that which he can,5 this will make a mans conſcience when it comes to ſpeake in ſober ſadneſſe,4 thanke himſelfe for his periſhing, p. 21
Arguments to prove the firſt Ground, p. 22
Becauſe God doth complaine againſt the wicked for the voluntary doing no more good then they doe,1 Argu. ibid.
Becauſe otherwiſe there were no room for prayſe,2 nor diſpraiſe, p. 23
Becauſe there would be no roome for the Sword of the Magiſtrate,3 p. 24
Becauſe though a carnall man cannot put off the old man,4 yet it is not his nature to commit this ſin at this time and in this manner, ibid.
A wicked man can do more good,5 &c. Becauſe a godly regenerate man may avoide more ſin then he doth, p. 25
The ground further proved by Particulars.
The will hath dominion over all the outward acts of the members,1 Part. p. 26
Every man hath naturall affections in hine by which he may doe more then he doth,2. Part. and ſhun more evill then he doth, p. 27
God hath given to every man naturall counſell,3 and naturall Reaſon and Prudence, p. 30
That is firſt in order which is naturall,4 and afterwards that which is ſpirituall, and if a man ſtick there, he ſticks at a will-not, p. 31
The ſecond Ground.
Every wicked man is ſlothfull and negligent,2 Ground. p. 34
Five demonſtrations to prove it.
Every wicked man doth imagine more cannots, then then there be, p. 35.1 Demon:
He makes every little difficulty a cannot, when as nothing but an impoſſibility is a cannot. p, 36.2.
A ſlothful man turns his very abilities into cannots 37. 3.p
He doth voluntarily naile himſelf unto cannots,4. p. 38
He putteth forth by halves that power which he hath,5. p. 39
There is more in a wicked man then by reaſon of ſluggiſhneſse he putteth forth,Concluſi. p. 40
Six Arguments to prove this.
It a ſigne it is in him, p. 40
Becauſe when God doth convert a ſinner,1 Argu. he doth not put in new powers and faculties into the ſoule, ibid.
Becauſe hee can ſhew as great power otherwiſe,2 p. 41
Becauſe he can ſhew it too when he liſt,3 p. 42
Becauſe the rod is able to whip it out of him,4 p. 43
Becauſe he can do an hundred times more when he is pleaſed,5 p. 44
Becauſe he will ſhew it in Hell, viz. 6That it was in him to do more then he did, p. 45
A wicked man will not ſet himſelfe to uſe all the means that he may,3 Ground p. 49
A wicked man may uſe the meanes that God appointed as meanes,Demonſt. p. 52
Becauſe 'tis the very nature of meanes to come between ones can and his cannot,1 Argu. ibid.
Becauſe God doth not exhort men like a company of ſtocks and ſtones,2 but as men that are edifyable by his words, p. 53
Becauſe Gods anger is very reaſonable,3 p. 54
Becauſe Gods offer of his kingdome to the wicked is ſerious,4 p. 55
Becauſe Gods reproofes are very equall,5 p. 56
His condemnation muſt be willfull,Concluſi▪ that will not uſe all the meanes, p 57
Proved by three Arguments.
God will not helpe that man by a miracle to go that hath legs to go,1 and will not, ibid.
God will not bate a farthing of the price he ſets thee at,2 p. 59
God will never be brought out of his walke to ſhew thee any mercy or give thee any grace.3 p. 60
Gods Kingdom cannot be obtained without a diligent uſe of the means,Concluſi. p. 36
Reaſons of it.
Becauſe heaven is an end,1 Reaſ. and an end can never be gotten without means, ibid.
God hath annexed it to the meanes,2 ibid.
Every ſoule muſt give an account before God how he hath uſed the meanes,3 p. 63
God will not ſet up another dore into heaven for any man in the world,4 ibid.
Further proofes, and encouragements to uſe the the meanes.
Some of the meanes that God hath appointed,1 you may do them without labour, p. 64
Some of the meanes that God hath appointed are eaſier then them,2 ibid.
Some of the meanes are eaſier yet,3 ibid.
Some of the meanes of grace,4 its harder to omit them then to uſe them, p. 65
Some of the means of grace,5 be they hard, yet they are but hard, they are not impoſſible for you to uſe, p. 65
Objections.
The first Objection drawn from the Scriptures which ſay they cannot,1 Object. p. 66
The Scripture ſpeaks of five cannots, 1. Anſw.Of a naturall cannot, 2. Of a deliberate cannot, 3. Of a judiciall cannot. 4. Of a compounded cannot, 5. of a humbling cannot.
Thou wouldſt (as thou pretendeſt) but thou canſtnot.2 Object. Anſw. 1.
Perhaps its the will of thy conſcience, and not the wil of thy heart. 2. May be its a copulative will, Repentance and ſome luſt, godlines and ſome luſt. 3. May be thou haſt a woulding will, this is no will but only a velleity, 4. May be thou haſt a generall Metaphyſicall wil; but to come to particulars, there thou wilt not. 5. Thou haſt no true will, becauſe if thou didſt will, thou couldſt. p. 71
Thou deſireſt to do it, but art not able.
Who can tell beſt what is in thee God or thine owne heart?3 Object. Anſw.
But the reaſon of this miſtake is, 1. Thou haſt putative or thinking deſires, thou think'ſt thou deſireſt. 2. Thou haſt ignorant deſires, 3. Thou haſt wandering deſires, and therfore thou art miſtaken. p. 77
Thou reſolveſt and haſt good purpoſes,4 Object. but oh thou canſt not performe them. p. 79
Theſe purpoſes thou ſpeakeſt of are only willings for the future▪ 1. Anſw.becauſe its only to ſhuffle of the willing for the preſent, 2. This will for hereafter is no will, becauſe its goes without Gods. 2. It is no will, becauſe thou ſhalt miſſe th…ſe ſuppoſitions that thou willeſt upon.
Firſt, thou ſuppoſeſt thou ſhalt have fewer temptations hereafter, 2. Thou ſuppoſeſt thou ſhalt be fitter hereafter. 3. Thy will for hereafter is no will but a mockery.
Thou laboureſt to ſerve God and to be ſaved.5 Object. Anſw.
Is it this labour for grace and He…v…a, when thou laboreſt ſo id…ely? wherefore thy impenitency is wilful, thy damnation wilfull, and thy ruine wilfull, p. 81
Hence alſo it followes, 1. That your deſtruction is from ſelf, 2. Your deſtruction is juſt, 3. Your deſtruction is inexcuſable. 4. Your deſtruction is unavoydable, 5. Your destruction is pittileſſe, 6. Your deſtruction is grievous. p 81
Application.
Thou canſt never be humbled unles thou believe this truth▪ a man is never humbled as long as he excuſes himſelf▪ Ʋſe 1. Of inſtruction.Now p. 84
Firſt,1 Excuſe. thou excuſeſt thy ſelfe for all Tranſgreſſions beſides originall, ibid.
Now thou excuſeſt thy ſelfe from originall ſin too,2 Excuſe. Lord I would be without ſin, but J cannot, p. 85
Nay thou excuſ…ſt thy ſelfe for every ſin:3 Excuſe. thou takeſt all thy ſins to be nothing but infirmities, p. 86
Nay thou commendeſt thy ſelfe more then God,4 Excuſ. p. 87
Nay thou canſt not ſo much as pray to God for a …ill:5 Excuſe. thou art ſo proud that thou conceiveſt thou haſt that already, p. 88
Nay thou layſt all the blame upon God,6 Excuſe. p. 89
Firſt,1 Demon. becauſe you caſt the blame upon nature, its my nature and J cannot. ibid.
S…condly,2 Demon thou d…ſt caſt the blame upon temptation, Its my hard hap to fall upon temptations, p. 90
Thirdly,3 Demon. thou layeſt the blame upon the Times, the times are very bad, p. 91
Fourthly,4 Demon. thou layeſt the blame upon this Commandment. If it were any Commandement, but this, J would do it, ibid.
Fifthly,4 Demon. thou layeſt the blame upon ill fortune, and bad lucke, p. 92
Nay, ſixthly thou findeſt fault with all Gods proceedings,6 Demon p 94
This diſcovers the deceitfulnes of thy heart,2 Ʋſe p. 95
Firſt, thou wouldſt very faine, if God would enable thee: but thy heart does but here lie unto God, ibid.
Secondly, hereby thou dodgeſt with God, and tempteſt the Lord, p. 96
Thirdly, hereby thou ſhufflest of the word, when thou haſt heard it, ibid.
This point calls for great humiliation;Ʋſe 3. for
1. Here lies eſpecially the pride of the heart, not in mens cannots, but their will-nots, ibid.
2. Here lies eſpecially the hardning of the heart, p. 98
3 Here lies eſpecially the ſtubbornnes of the heart, ib.
4. Here lies the great…ſt diſpiſings of the Commandements of God, p. 99
To quicken the thankfulneſse of the godly,Ʋſe 4. Ʋſe. 5. ibid.
A ſeaſonable Jtem to all Rebellious ſpirits, p. 100
1. Is it not enough that thou haſt willingly fallen in Adam,1 Conſid. but thou muſt willingly ſtand out again? 101
2. Conſider the very Saints of God that have not halfe ſo many will-nots as you,2 Conſid. that ſtick more truly at a cannot, ibid.
3. Conſider the more ſhamefull ones ſin is,3 Conſid the more reaſon to be humbled, p. 102
Nay foruthly,4 Conſid. conſider ther's no greater ſhame then to make away ones ſelf, ibid
5. Conſider if you would but vex your one ſoules with this ſerious conſideration,5 Conſid. it would make you kick your luſts under foote, p. 103
The danger of baſe Pleas and Pretences.
1. This ſame pleading is the cauſe why you are lazy and idle in the uſe of the meanes, viz. becauſe you ſuffer your hearts to plead, oh we cannot do it p. 104
2. This ſame pleading brings up an evill report upon piety and godlineſſe p. 105
3. This ſame pleading is a murmuring againſt God q. d. why does God give me ſuch commandements that I cannot obſerve, ibid.
4. This is the ſawſieſt excuſe of all excuſes, p. 107
Nay fifthly, here lies the reaſon why Divines ſay that the converſion of a ſinner is an harder work then the creation of heaven and earth, firſt becauſe▪ p. 108
Here is the ſame difficultie that was in creation,1 Reaſon for God makes a Convert of nothing, ibid.
As there was nothing praeexiſtent in the creation t… helpe,2 ſo there was nothing to reſist, but here is ſomething to reſiſt, the will it reſiſteth, ibid.
The danger of ſticking at a will-not is further cleared.
1. If you will not, Gods Miniſters have diſcharged their duties, and have left your blood on your own hands, p. 100
2. If you will not, the Goſpel hath delivered its errand, ye are guilty of your own everlaſting perdition, p. 111
Nay thirdly, if you will not▪ The blood of Jeſus Chriſt hath done that it came for, p. 112
4. If you will not you murder your own ſoules, ibid.
A ſeaſonable Item to the redeemed of the Lord,Ʋſe. that they take heede of will-nots▪ for p. 114
1. We never ſin againſt Goſpel, but onelyonly upon wil-nots, p. 115.
2. We never deſpiſe God, but only upon wilnots, ibid.
3. Conſcience can never condemne us, but only upon will-nots, p. 116
4. God can never be angry with us, but only upon wil-nots. ibid.
The end of the Table.