A Pacific Discourse of Gods Grace, Part 2
A Second LETTER, BEING A View of two Emergent Difficultyes.
Deare Sir,
THe very freindly reception which my larger trouble found from you, is my full encouragement to proceed to the concluſion of my importunity and your exerciſe, which cannot now be far off, if I may judge by your Letter.
§. 2. Two difficultyes, you ſay, you have ſprung Two difficultyes.by farther entring into the conſideration of this matter, the firſt occaſioned by my diſtinction betwixt the worke of Grace and of Providence, the ſecond ariſing from the Conceſſions of Scripture of Gods withdrawing his grace from thoſe that reject it.
§. 3. To thoſe I ſhall make theſe returnes, which I doubt not will prove ſatisfactory. The firſt ſeemeth to favour an foreign or ſuſpence, and to avert all defining in theſe points: For, ſay you, ſince the efficacy of Divine grace followeth the An argument from the unfathomableneſs of Gods providence.acts of his Providence, ſo as it may ſeem in a manner to depend chiefly thereupon, and the wayes of his providence are abyſſus multa, deep and unfathomable, it ſeemeth to you to conclude ſtrongly that the manner how God effectually worketh by his grace to the converſion of a ſinner is alſo to our underſtandings incomprehenſible.] To this you cannot but foreſee The diſtinction between providence and grace.my reply, that the propoſall of that diſtinction was by me deſigned as a prejudice to Biſhop Overal's way, which you had then mentioned as your conjecture. And if it ſhall have indeed that influence upon you or any man, as you ſpeake of, to encreaſe the difficulty, and to conclude ſtrongly, that the manner of Gods working, &c. is incomprehenſible; yet you know this cannot in juſtice be applyed farther then to that particular Scheme, againſt which The force thereof againſt the forementioned conjecture.peculiarly this diſadvantage was propoſed, and then the onelyonly regular concluſion is, that this which you propoſed but as a conjecture, ſhould now grow lower in your eſteem, and ſcarce be thought worthy to be own'd as ſuch.
§. 4. And the more force there is in this one conſideration, thus to incline you, the leſſe ſhall Other conſiderations to prejudice it.I deſpair, that two more conſiderations, which then encompaſſed this, and the ſuperadded tender of another way, that the Scripture-grounds, eſpecially Chriſt's parables in the Goſpel, ſuggeſted, will in ſome degree prevaile with you, to depoſite this conjecture, which (beſide other prejudices againſt it,) hath no grounds of Scripture to pretend to, in exchange for that other, that hath, and pretends no further, then it ſhall approve it ſelfe to be thus founded.
§. 5. This is all that I may ſay to an objection which I was to cheriſh and ſtrengthen, (rather then anſwer.) But I ſhall not think that needfull, onelyonly I leave it to have that force with you, which you ſhall ſee fit to give it, remembring onelyonly that it ought not to have force with him, that accepts not that Scheme, that alone is concerned in it.
§. 6. Which Scheme having been propoſed by you with perfect warineſſe, and profeſſion of allowing it to be no more then a conjecture, one ſuch difficulty as this, is, I acknowledge, ſufficient to remove you from it, and in that caſe it will not be unſeaſonable again to tender that which you may finde better qualified for your acceptance, having without queſtion an advantage, from the The other way confirmed from the parable of the ſower.parable of the ſower, to recommend it. I ſhall endeavour to make this cleare to you. Your ſuppoſed intricacy, or unfathomable queſtion, is, what it is that makes ſufficient grace to be effectuall to The queſtion what makes ſufficient grace effectuall.any? I ſay the parable of the ſower was intended by Chriſt on purpoſe to anſwer that queſtion, which it hath competently performed, for here wee ſee, the ſeed being the ſame, (whether that Punctually anſwered by Chriſt.were the word, or grace, it matters not, as long as 'tis remembred that the word is the vehicle of grace, and the inſtrument of conveighing it to the heart,) all the difference taken notice of, is onelyonly in the ſoyle, viz: ſome troden down, and cruſted; The fourfold difference of ſoile.ſome ſtony; ſome thorny; ſome good, and mellow. Proportionably to this four-fold difference of the ground, the ſeverall fates of the ſeed are deſcribed, and your one queſtion divided into four, and anſwer exactly accommodated to each.
§. 7. The firſt queſtion is this, what is it that The one queſtion divided into foure. The firſt.makes ſufficient grace, uneffectuall, to ſome men, ſo that though it be on Gods part freely afforded them, and as freely as to any other, yet it hath not the leaſt effect upon them? And the anſwer is evident in the explanation of that parable, Mat. XIII. 19. becauſe he is foreign, one that heares the word, to which that grace is annexed, but either underſtands it not, or minds it not; and ſo the Divil comes and catcheth away that which was ſown, (and in that caſe there is no great need of that Divil towards the obſtructing effectuallneſs, let the ſeed ly there never ſo long, if it be not minded, it can ſignifie nothing toward an harveſt.)
§. 8. The ſecond queſtion is, what is it that makes The ſecond.ſufficient Grace, after it is received, and that with joy, (great forwardneſs and alacrity at the firſt) to become ſo uneffectuall to the ſupporting a man in time of temptation, that rather then endure any ſmart for piety, he falls into any the groſſeſt ſins? And the anſwer follows v. 21. becauſe ſuch a man is of a temper that yields not Grace any depth to root in, he hath ſome ſtonyneſs at the bottome, ſome pleaſure, or paſſion, or other remains of reſiſtance rooted in him, which he hath not diveſted himſelf of, and when duty begins any way to check that, he is impatient, and throws off Piety, of which he made very fair profeſſions, and ſuch as had, as far as his trialls formerly went, reality in them, till this laſt ſignall tryall was made of him, for which, it ſeems by the effect, he was not qualified.
§. 9. The third queſtion is, what is the reaſon The third.that ſufficient Grace, once received and bringing forth fruits, though it come not to combat with any ſharp tryalls, doth yet many times decay and periſh after a while? And the anſwer is v. 22. that there remained in the heart of ſuch ſome piece of ill temper unreformed, which in time prolified, and ſent out great and waſting ſins (though not ſo generally decryed in the world) viz. worldly ſollicitudes, and ſuch as the wealth of the world is apt to beget in men that have or ſeek it, and theſe being permitted to thrive in the ſoul, 'tis regular that Grace, which cannot conſiſt with ſuch (you cannot ſerve God and Mammon) ſhould be overrun, and choaked, and at length deſtroyed by that means, which had it not been for this cauſe of abortion, as it was ſufficient, and effectuall for a while, ſo it would have proſper'd to perſeverance.
§. 10. And this introduceth the fourth and laſt The fourth.queſtion, What then is it that renders ſufficient Grace Effectuall both to Converſion and Perſeverance? And the Anſwer is v. 23. the goodneſs of the ſoile, probity of the heart, wherein that ſufficient Grace is received, and what that is, is beſt diſcerned by the oppoſition to all the former three, The Character of the honeſt heart.1. it is a ſincerely pliable, ductile temper, that neglects not to make uſe of any grain of Grace, 2. it hath an uniform Courage to combat with difficulties, and is not enſlaved to pleaſures. 3. it utterly deſpiſes the world, the allurements and the terrors of it, and uſes it, as if it uſed it not. The former part of this temper renders it effectuall to converſion, the two latter to perſeverance alſo. And conſidering that parable is ſet down by Chriſt to give account of the various ſucceſſes of the word of the kingdome, i. e. of the Goſpel among all thoſe to whom it is made known, who with you are the adaequate object of the Scripture-election, and reprobation, what can be farther required to the clear ſatisfaction of your whole difficulty?
§. 11. And then remembring that the onelyonly remaining queſtion, viz. whence is this probity? hath The Conjecture compared with this other way.been fully anſwered in the former papers, I appeal to no other then your ſelf, whether this be not both a perſpicuous, and authorized ſtating, having ſo weighty a paſſage of Goſpel to found it, and therefore in all juſtice preferrable to your bare Conjecture, which, beſides that it is preſſed with difficulties (as your ſelf acknowledge) which to you ſeem unanſwerable, is not provided of any pretenſe of a foundation, hath no authority from holy Scripture to recommend it.
§. 12. If it have any, it is moſt probably that One pretenſion for the Conjecture, From the finding the hidden treaſure.other ſhort parable in the ſame Chapter, v. 44. where the kingdome of God is compared to a treaſure hid in the field, the which when a man hath found, he hideth, &c. There the man, which found the treaſure, is not ſuppoſed to ſeek it (for that makes another parable v. 45.) but by the meer providence of God (which the heathen Philoſophers were wont to ſtile chance, and commonly give this very inſtance of it the treaſure found in the field,) happily to fall upon it, when he paſſeth by on ſome other errand; And this indeed is matter of frequent obſervation, Auguſtine is converted The converſion of Auguſtine. Of Saul.by S. Ambroſe's Sermon, when he came to it on no ſuch deſign, Saul is called to from heaven, and converted to Chriſtianity, when he was going to Damaſcus on the moſt diſtant deſign of perſecuting it. And to omit the many more examples of thoſe of whom it hath been litterally true, that they have found God, when they ſought him not, asked not after him, one eminent ſtory our books give us, of two young children brought to a city to be ſold, at a time when a devout Nun had vowed to take ſome The diſtant fate of two children.young child, and beſtow her whole life, and utmoſt induſtry to bring it up in ſtrict piety, and accordingly came and bought one of them, and aſſoon as ſhe had bought her, a bawd came in her preſence and bought the other, by which means theſe two, which were ſo lately in the very ſame indifferent condition, by this act of Divine providence (to which this was to be attributed) were ſtrangely diſcriminated, the one brought up and early engaged, and ſo perſevering to the lives end in all piety, and the other by the contrary diſcipline debauched, and educated to the trade of harlotry, wherein ſhe lived and perſevered. In which it is viſible how ſignal an influence this one act of Divine Providence had on ſo diſtant eternall fates of theſe two, and how eminent an ingredient it was in the ſaving the one and damning the other.
§. 13. But from all theſe and innumerable the Anſwered.like, (which are freely granted, and allowed to be competent to confirm your main concluſion, that the Providence of God is Abyſſus multa) you will ſoon diſcern, that there comes in no leaſt advantage to that Learned Biſhops Scheme, which is the matter of your Conjecture, and our onelyonly preſent enquiry. The whole weight of that (as far as I, or any man queſtions it) being laid, not on the ſuperabundance afforded to one above the other, (which is willingly granted) but on the foreſeen univerſall inefficaciouſneſs of the barely ſufficient The point of the difficulty Whether the barely ſufficient Grace be univerſally inefficacious.Grace, acknowledged to be given to all, till that ſuperadded advantage adminiſtred by Gods providence in the choice of the congruous timing, come in, as the work of Gods Election, to make the diſcrimination.
§. 14. Now ſeeing in all theſe examples, and in No pretenſe for this.that parable, nothing like this is to be found, no evidence, or intimation of Gods foreſeeing, 1. that that man that found the treaſure, would never have been wrought on by that meaſure of ſufficient Grace, which that opinion allows God formerly to have afforded him, unleſs by that ſeaſonable act of Providence he had thus faln on the treaſure in the parable, or 2. that Auguſtine would never have been converted, if he had not been ſurprized by S. Ambroſe's Sermon, or 3. that Saul would not have been converted at another time, without, or even with that viſion, and voice from heaven, or laſtly that that fortunate child, that fell into the Nun's, inſtead of the bawd's hands, would never have been brought to heaven any other way, and could not have miſcarried under this method: Through all theſe inſtances, I ſay, it is ſtill apparent, that nothing is gained toward the approving the Conjecture, theſe advantageous turns of providence afforded one man and not another, and the ſignall efficacy of ſuch, being moſt freely granted by thoſe who deem the Conjecture improbable.
§. 15. And indeed, if it be well conſidered, all that theſe, and a myriad of the like inſtances infer, is no more then this, the great and admirable variety of Gods providentiall acts, not as thoſe are all one with, but as in his hands they are inſtrumentall and ſubſervient to his Grace, whereby in diverſe manners grace is advantageouſly aſſiſted by providence, to one in this wiſe, and admirable manner, to another in that; No man, who is allowed the ſufficient Grace, being denyed ſome benefit or Providence allowed to aſsiſt Grace.other of Providence to aſſiſt Grace, and make it more then probable to become effectuall to him, if he doth not betray and fruſtrate the opportunities of the one, as well as the power and efficacy of the other.
§. 16. So that ſtill acknowledging moſt willingly, and admiring the abyſs of Providence, this no But is of no force to the Queſtion.way obſtructs the comprehending the manner (or perplexes the doctrine) of the cooperation of the Grace of God with the will of man, but leaves it where the Parable of the Sower ſet it, that the efficacy of Grace, and ſucceſsfulneſs, whether to converſion, or perſeverance proceeds from the mellowneſs, and preparedneſs of the ſoile, from the advantages which it meets with in the honeſt heart, as that again is wholly due to Gods preventing Graces, which have thus fitted the ſoile for the kindly ſeeds-time, planted pliableneſs, humility in the heart, where Grace may be deeply and durably rooted, but this ſtill reſiſtibly in both parts, as hath formerly been expreſt.
§. 17. One phanſie I know there is, which hath A Phanſie of Gods giving the Elect ipſam nonreſiſtentiampleaſed ſome men in this matter, that God gives ſufficient Grace to thoſe who do not make uſe of it, but reſiſt it, and yet more then ſo, the power of uſing, or accepting, or not reſiſting it, but gives to the Elect and onelyonly to the Elect, ipſam non reſiſtentiam, the very not reſiſting, and this they will have to be the ſignal diſcriminating Grace.
§. 18. Of theſe I ſhall demand 1. whether in thoſe which have not this ipſam non-reſiſtentiam given them, this be an effect of God's Decree, which Examined, and found weake.hath determined the certain infallible giving it to ſome peculiar perſons, and ſo the not giving it to all others? If it be not, then this is no foundation of diſcriminating Grace, or conſequently fruit of Election and Reprobation, and ſo is ſtill impertinent to the matter for which it is brought.
§. 19. But if it be the effect of Gods Decree, determining the giving it to ſome, and denying it to others, I then 2. demand, whether all they to whom it is not given, do therefore infallibly receive the grace of God in vain, becauſe they have not this ipſa non-reſiſtentia (which is more then the power of not reſiſting) given them?
§. 20. If this be not affirmed, then, as before, this comes not home to diſcriminating Grace, nor conſequently to the buſineſs of Election and Reprobation, which it was meant to aſſiſt. But if it ſhall be ſaid, that they therefore infallibly reſiſt, or receive in vain, becauſe this ipſa non-reſiſtentia is not given them, then it ſeems this gift of ipſa non-reſiſtentia is ſuch, as that they who have it not, want ſomewhat which is neceſſary to their effectuall receiving, or not-reſiſting Grace, and if this be the condition of the far greateſt part of the world, then how can it with any ſincerity be affirmed (as by thoſe that make uſe of this expedient, it is profeſt) that God hath to all mankind given Chriſt, and in him all things, and particularly Grace ſufficient, and the power of not-reſiſting Grace, which according to this phanſie, none can chooſe but reſiſt, who have not the ipſam non-reſiſtentiam given them, which yet they affirm to be given but to a few, i. e. to none but the elect?
§. 21. This were (by interpretation, and in effect) for God to give to all men a power to an act, which yet the greateſt part of thoſe which have it given them, can never make uſe of to that act, for want of ſomewhat elſe which is not given them, which to all them which have not that ſomewhat elſe given (and thoſe the far greateſt number of men for whom Chriſt dyed) is not a power to that act, viz. of not-reſiſting; which what is it other then a direct contradiction, a power and not a power to the ſame act? and withall ſo far from being a favour to them, that it is in event infallibly and inevitably the greateſt curſe, that could have befaln them, viz. the heightening and extreamly aggravating of their guilt and puniſhment, proportionably to their ſin of reſiſting ſuch ſufficient grace, of ſtanding out againſt Chriſt, which as it is the height of guilt, (and awarded the dregs of Gods wrath,) now under the Goſpel, and makes their condition in the world to come, much worſe, then it would have been, if Chriſt had never been borne, or preached to them, ſo it had never been thus direfully charged upon them, if they had not had the power of not reſiſting given them by Chriſt.
§. 22. This is a competent prejudice and diſcouragement Conſidered in relation to this phanſie.to this phanſy, of founding diſcriminating grace and the doctrine of unconditionate decrees in this difference betwixt the power of reſiſting, and the ipſa non-reſiſtentia, the latter given onelyonly to the Elect.
§. 23. But it will farther be defeated, if we reflect on that place of Scripture, wherein Gods giving the ipſa non-reſiſtentia chiefly ſeems to be mentioned, Phil. II. 13. under the ſtyle of foreign, Phil. ii. 13.working in us to do, or work, which that it tends not to the ſupport or advantage of this phanſy may be evident by theſe three conſiderations.
§. 24. Firſt, by the importance of the phraſe, [working in us to do, as before to will,] which (as was formerly noted, in paſſing,) will beſt be underſtood by other parallel phraſes, as foreign, Gods giving to ſerve, Luke. 1. 72. Which is evidently his giving grace, or power, or ſupernatural abilities to ſerve, not onelyonly furniſhing him with a remote, and fundamentall power, or faculty, but withall having a particular immediate influence on the effect, actuating that power, when it is actuated, and ſo properly cauſing, or making him actually to ſerve, yet ſo as to leave him power alſo to neglect, and receive that power in vain, as the Scripture elſewhere ſaith; Thus Revel. xi. 3. foreign I will give, wee render, I will give power, viz. power to the ſubſequent act, prophecying there, as in Luke, ſerving in holyneſſe. By which analogy it is evident, that Gods working in us to do, or work, is not interpretable to any more, then his giving ſupernaturall power, or ſufficient grace to do, or worke, and cauſing him actually, though not irreſiſtibly to work, and then here is no pretenſe whereon to found the foreſaid difference, between God's giving the power of not reſiſting, and the ipſa non-reſiſtentia, theſe two being equivalent in this Text.
§. 25. Secondly, the ſame appeareth by the Apoſtles exhortation foregoing in this Text, to worke and worke out our own ſalvation with feare and trembling, for the inforcing whereof this reaſon is given, for it is God that worketh, &c. Here our own working is under Apoſtolical exhortation and precept, wee are commanded to worke, as elſewhere foreign to cooperate, and worke together with God, which could not have place, if God alone, (and not wee,) did work in us the very working, whereas interpreting it of Gods giving us the power of working, or doing, as well as of willing, and withall engaging us to make uſe of that power, and cooperating with us in the very act, and ſo cauſing us actually to work, yet ſo as to leave us a power of reſiſting, and fruſtrating, and receiving this power or grace in vain, this is a moſt proper and effectuall inforcement of the exhortation addreſt to us, to work and work out our own ſalvation.
§. 26. This farther and moſt irrefragably appeares by the perſons, to whom both the exhortation, and this enforcement thereof is tendred, viz: the brethren indefinitely, or beloved, verſe. 12. the whole Church of Profeſſors at Philippi to whom he writes, which being not made up wholly of the elect, ſincere, and perſevering Chriſtians, but like the net, in Chriſt's parable, that caught both good and bad, and had no doubt ſome inſincere perſons, hypocrites, and temporaryes in it, the affirmation notwithſtanding is indiſcriminately of all, God worketh in them to work, which could not hold, if by this phraſe were meant his giving the ipſa non-reſiſtentia, and that as an evidence of diſcriminating grace, and an effect of his Election, for this is not ſuppoſable to have belonged to that whole Church, any more then it then did, or now is believed to do to all Chriſtians.
§. 27. I have enlarged thus far, becauſe I was not willing to omit, but rather to prevent whatſoever I could foreſee might probably be objected in this buſineſſe. And ſo this may ſuffice to have returned to your firſt difficulty.
§. 28. The ſecond difficulty you thus propoſe, The ſecond difficultye. Concerning Gods withdrawing ſufficient grace.Whereas it is ſaid, and that, (as you conceive,) moſt truly and agreably to plain evidence of Scripture, that God withdraweth his grace from ſuch as rejecting it when it is offered to them by the preaching of the Goſpel, do thereby fruſtrate the Counſell of God againſt themſelves, it ſeemeth hard to conceive how the grace of God ſhould be ſo withdrawn from them, that ſo do, but that, ſo long as they are not deprived of the outward means, the ſame ſufficient grace that was offered to them at the firſt hearing of the Goſpel, is offered to them ſtill; which if it was then ſufficient on God's part, to do the work, is alſo ſtill ſufficient, and that in the ſame degree, and how then can it be ſaid to be withdrawn? It is true that the converſion of ſuch a perſon, after ſo long obſtinacy and refuſall is more difficult then before, which may ariſe from the greater indiſpoſition of the perſon to be wrought upon, but how it can be imputed in the leaſt, to the withdrawing of the divine grace, (to which yet undoubtedly it may and ought to be imputed,) upon the former ſuppoſall on the like ſufficiency remaining, I must profeſſe my ſelf not able to underſtand.]
§. 29. To this I ſhall not doubt to apply a ſatisfactory anſwer, and ſuch as you will acknowledge to be ſuch, by diſtinguiſhing of Gods withdrawing his grace. For, 1. it being Gods method to give The ſeverall wayes of Gods withdrawing grace. The firſt rather with-holding.more grace to thoſe that walk worthy of it, the humble obedient children of grace, when he on our provocations ſtops that current, this may be called withdrawing. God's ſmitings are his admonitions, (heare ye the Rod,) his admonitions, as any other diſpenſation of his word are vehicles of grace, and when theſe prevaile not, they are thus withdrawn, i. e. not farther encreaſed, (why ſhould yee be ſmitten any more, &c. Iſ. 1.) Yet is this withdrawing conſiſtent with Gods affording ſufficient Conſiſts with his affording ſufficient.grace, either by inſtruments of ſome other kinde, or even of the ſame kinde, the continuance of that proportion, which was formerly afforded; as he that gives a competency, and would if he ſaw it well uſed, daily make additions to it, though he ſee cauſe to with-hold thoſe additions, yet he may continue that competency. But in propriety of ſpeech, (the truth is,) this is rather with-holding, then withdrawing, yet becauſe the not giving what was promiſed to be given is tantamount to withdrawing, I therefore place this in the firſt ranke, ſuppoſing it cleare, that this doth not onelyonly leave ſufficient grace; but is it ſelf deſigned to awaken and quicken thoſe that did not formerly make good uſe of it, Leſt a worſe thing yet befall them.
§. 30. Secondly, then withdrawing being taken The ſecond.in the proper ſenſe, for taking away from and diminiſhing the ſtock, before afforded, that may yet be but in part, not totall, and there being a Not totall.latitude in ſufficient grace, ſome degrees of that may be taken away, and yet that which remaines be ſufficient, an image of which is that degree of Church-cenſures, which cutting off from the participation of the Euchariſt, or ſuſpending from it, allowes the hearing of the word, and partaking in the prayers of the faithfull, And this act of Gods withdrawing, again is ſo far from denying ſufficient grace, that it is purpoſely uſed and deſigned, as the moſt probable means to make that ſufficient grace effectuall, which formerly had not been ſo.
§. 31. There may yet be a third, and yet further degree of withdrawing, which at the preſent, The third totall, but only for the time, and neither ſimply totall.and as to ſufficient grace, may be ſaid to be totall, i. e. ſuch a withdrawing of grace at the preſent, that it ſhall truly be ſaid ſuch a man is not now allowed ſufficient for his neceſſities, whether it be that his neceſſities are grown greater, and ſo the former competency will not ſuffice, or be it alſo, that ſome of that which he had is withdrawn, as when he that for ſome time had no violent temptations, and was furniſhed with ſtrength proportionable to what he had, upon his betraying this ſtrength, and ſinning willfully againſt it, is by God called out to ſharper combats, having been foiled with the weaker, and perhaps ſome part of his former ſtrength withdrawn from him alſo, when he hath moſt need of ſuccours, and ſhould certainly have had them, had he not thus provoked the withholding them. In this caſe the aime of this puniſhment of Gods is yet moſt wiſe and mercifull, thus to convince ſuch a man of his guilts, and impotence, (the effect of them,) and ſo as by turning Nebuchadnezzar into the field, thorowly to humble him, to excite ardency of prayers, both for pardon, and grace, which God in that caſe failes not to give, and ſo to reſtore ſuch a man to a greater ſtability of his former ſtate.
§. 32. And ſo ſtill this is neither finall, nor ſimply totall, as that ſignifies withdrawing all grace, but onelyonly totall for a time in the ſence declared, as it ſignified the withdrawing what was neceſſary to their preſent ſtate.
§. 33. And I need not ſhew you how far this is reconcileable with ſufficient grace, any farther then thus, that ſuch an one though ſeverely mulcted hath yet time for repentance and grace to make ſome uſe of it, which if he failes not in, he hath aſſurance of more grace, and this demonſtrated to be ſo, by his not being cut off in his ſins, (Gods long-ſuffering leading him to repentance,) and by Rom. li. 4.the light of Gods word, and articulation of his calls dayly continued to him, which are not void of that grace, which is ſufficient to work conviction, and hath the promiſe of more, (upon asking,) made to him that is thus qualified for it.
§. 34. Fourthly, there is the removing the candleſtick, The fourth total, yet it ſelf deſigned as a Grace, most effectuall of any.the withdrawing all the outward ordinary means of Grace, the preaching of the Word and Sacraments, which if it be done by the cenſures of the Church, is called the delivering up to Satan, or if it be done by Gods judgements, invaſion of barbarians, &c. it is yet to thoſe perſons that are thus puniſhed, perfectly proportionable to that of the Church-cenſures. And yet of thoſe it is ſaid expreſly by the Apoſtle, that the end of inflicting them is for edification, that they may be diſciplined, 2 Cor. xiii. 10.taught not to blaſpheme. This ſuppoſes continuance 1 Tim. i. 20.of Grace to them that are thus puniſhed, and that ſufficient to make uſe of this puniſhment to their amendment, nay the puniſhment, though it be the withdrawing of one inſtrument of Grace, is it ſelf another, and therefore purpoſely choſen and allowed in exchange for the former, becauſe it is looked on as the more probable to produce the Effect.
§. 35. They that ſee ſo great a benefit withdrawn from them for their unworthineſs, will be thereby excited to reflect on their provocations, and bewail them, and contend by all regular means to regain what they have forfeited, and to repair their defects ſome other way, and this being the very end to which this puniſhment is by God deſigned, it is not imaginable, he doth yet (till this method alſo be deſpiſed) withold that degree of Grace from ſuch which is neceſſary for the producing of the Effect.
§. 36. All the ordinances of God, we know (and ſuch are the Cenſures) yea and all the wiſe diſpenſations Gods puniſhments inſtruments of his Grace.of his providence, particularly his puniſhments of this life (and therefore this, as the laſt, beſide exciſion) are inſtruments of Grace in the hands of his wiſdome, as well as the preaching of the word is, and therefore in all reaſon to be reſolved to be the vehicles of Grace alſo, and ſo neither is this any objection againſt Gods giving ſufficient Grace to thoſe, whom he thus puniſhes, in caſe they begin to make uſe of it. If they do not, but continue ſtill obſtinate, 'tis juſt it ſhould at length be withdrawn from them.
§, 37. But this muſt be underſtood onelyonly of thoſe perſons to whom the light of the Gospel had formerly ſhined, not to their diſtant poſterity, which never have had any gleames of it, though their Anceſtors had the fulleſt Sunſhine. Theſe are to be reckon'd with the heathen, with whom you know we undertook not to meddle, treating onelyonly of the Scripture-Election, terminated in thoſe to whom the Scripture is revealed.
§. 38. Fifthly there is a totall and finall withdrawing of all grace, as well as the means of it, The fifth totall and finall withdrawing of all Grace by exciſion.which is viſible in the cutting off ſuch an one in his ſins, and when this comes, our former ſuppoſall of ſufficient grace, as of the preaching of the word, and God's calls, are utterly at an end, but this breeds no ſhew of difficulty, that man having enjoyed and miſpent his time of ſufficient grace, and now the ſtore-houſes are ſhut up.
§. 39. But there is yet poſſibly a ſixth ſtate of with-drawing, when before either cutting off, or The ſixth before exciſion.with-drawing Gods outward calls, whilſt life, and the preaching of the word is continued, the obdurate ſinner, that hath long hardened his own heart againſt God, thereby provokes him totally to with-draw all inward Grace from him, as much as if he were already in hell; This ſeems to be Pharaoh's caſe after the ſixth judgement, and was deſigned by God to very excellent ends, to make him an example to all thoſe that ſhould be inclined to harden their hearts againſt God; And though we know not that God thus deals with any others, yet it is ſure he juſtly may with all whom he may juſtly cut off in their ſins. And in this caſe I acknowledge the non-converſion of ſuch a man is not onelyonly imputable to the indiſpoſition of the perſon to be wrought on, but alſo to the withdrawing of the divine grace, for then, as I ſaid, the former ſuppoſal (of the like ſufficiency remaining) ceaſeth, and is outdated.
§. 40. What freſh difficulties can ariſe from this conceſſion, I cannot divine, unleſs 1. it ſhould be objected, that then, it ſeems, the word is not alwayes the vehicle of Grace, and then 2. who knows when it is ſo, when not? And how then is this reconcileable with the doctrine of ſufficient grace alwayes accompanying the word? And to theſe the anſwers are obvious, 1. that it is granted that the The word is not accompanied with Grace to the damned, or the higheſt degree of obdurate.Word is not the vehicle of Grace to the Divils who believe and tremble, to the damned who have received their ſentence, nay nor to thoſe that are thus arrived to the higheſt degree of obduration in this life, and have, as Pharaoh, this exterminating ſentence paſſed upon them. It is ſufficient if it be ſo to them that are in a capacity to make uſe of it, and have not utterly hardened themſelves againſt it, the Scripture-expreſſion being, that the Goſpel is the power of God to ſalvation to every one that believes Rom. 1. 1….it, and this is enough to eſtabliſh our pretenſions, the doctrine of ſufficient grace. There is a competent time allowed every man, and 'tis certain, death is the concluſion of it, 'tis poſſible ſome ſpace before death.
§. 41. As for the ſecond, if it were on the premiſed grounds granted, that ſometimes it cannot be known whether or no the preaching of the Word do then bring this Grace with it, yet the one regular conſequence would be that we ſhould all be the more carefull to make uſe of Grace, when it is afforded: But when to this is added, that this barren ſeaſon is alwayes the reward of obſtinate obduration (and of nothing leſs then that) As long as Where any ſoftneſs, none of that.we have any ſoftneſs left, that is our aſſurance that this ſad time is not yet come upon us. They that go on in their obdurate courſe, have reaſon to expect this fatal period every hour, but they that have remorſe, and any degree of ſincere relenting, may know by this, that this ſtate of ſpiritual death hath not yet ſeized them, and that is ſufficient to guard this doctrine from all noxious conſequences, having provided that none ſhall hereby think his ſtate deſperate, that is willing to reform it.
§. 42. But then it is farther to be remembred, that there appears not in the word of God, any other example of this totall ſpirituall dereliction finally Pharaoh the onelyonly example of it in Scripture.inflicted, before death, but onelyonly that of Pharaoh, after the time that God is ſaid to have hardened his heart; and the reaſon of this is ſet down, God keeps him alive, after the time due to his exciſion, that he might ſhew in him his power. And ſuch ſingular examples ought no farther to be Rom. ix. 17.taken into conſideration by us at this diſtance from them, then to warn us, that we keep as far as it is poſſible from the like provocations, And then there remains not, that I diſcern, any farther appearance of difficulty in this matter.
§. 43. As for any others that ſhall be apt to occur, when men ſet themſelves to conſider of theſe points, not divining what they are, I may not pretend to ſpeak to them, any farther then thus, that in all probability they may be meaſured by theſe, which you have choſen to mention, and by nearer approach to them be likewiſe found not to be ſo deep, as at the diſtance they are conceited to be. This then concludes your trouble; It remains that according to my promiſe I now onelyonly annex the Letters of Praeſcience, and haſten to ſubſcribe my ſelf
Your moſt affectionate brother and ſervant H. HAMMOND.