Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Section 18
SECTION. 18.
HEnce wee are taught humility, and not to …lory in our ſelves, but only in God; Vſe of this his impo…encie to teach us humility; to aſcribe all to Gods power, ſ…bduing our Rebellion.Yea hence we… ſee that man brings nothing to his owne Converſion beſides the bare faculty … Willing or nilling, which power if hee had not, hee ſhould not bee ſo much as … man, but as a block or ſtoc… uncapable of Gods grace… But, when a man obe… Gods call, the Spirit … God ſo mightily and powerfully perſwades, th… the will of man being el… vated above it ſelfe, is bo… withdrawne from evill, an… drawne to God and goodneſſe, without any finall… ſiſtance.
As, … ….13.when wee are bo… again, this is not of blo… nor of the will of the fiel… nor of the will of ma… but of God; (w… worketh in us both to … end to d….) So when G… worketh, it is not left to mans power to uſe grace well, or to beleeve, Repent, & do good or no; as if when God hath done all he meaneth to doe, mans will is left in an equipage & even Ballance to move it ſelfe …his wayes or that wayes, as …t liſteth; For ſo Gods grace ſhould not bee praedomi…ant; and the Converſion of the Elect ſhould bee meerely contingent: but when God worketh the will, wee cannot but will; It is not left to us to reſiſt; For God eſpecially in the worke of our Converſion, workes ſo powerfully, as that our naturall reſiſtibili…y, yea and that actuall reſiſtance which wee make, doth not prevaile; neither …oth it alwayes actually reſiſt; but at that time the wi… yeelds its conſent. So th… when we will actually th… which is good, (ſuppoſi… that God doth give us a… ability to will) yet that willing is not from our ſelves.
It is true we (ſuppoſe i… our Converſion) doe freel… aſſent and will and yeeld to the motions of Gods grace… But the chiefe queſtion i… not, Poſſe velle. Though we will freely, yet power and act are from him. Sec Doct. Ward; de grat. diſcriminant. pag. 23.whether the will do… freely yeeld and give aſſent to the firſt motion and attraction of grace; but whence is that free aſſent… not whether we will freely, but whence it is that wee will freely; whether from our owne will, or from Gods effectuall grace? It is man that formally willeth in every good worke, (yea and this his will it is which doth bring & draw out the …ormall act of willing,) but …t is God that ſo effectually …nd powerfully moveth the will; that when he Worketh, then the will moſt certain…y is wrought and brought …nto act. C…rtit… cauſ… … … … … … … … … nos … …n fa…imus, Sed ille facit ut ſaciamuspre be…do … voluntati. Aug…e gratt…, & lib. aroit. …. 16.So ſaith S. Augu…tine: It is certaine that wee …ur ſelves doe will, when we will, but yet God ma…eth us will that which is good.
And it is certaine, Nos ergo volu…s, ſed Deus in n…is operatur & …lle; Nos ergo op…ramur, ſ… … no…s …p…ratur & operari. Aug. … bono per ſe v…ranti…, c. 13.that it …s wee our ſelves which doe …ny good when wee doe it, …ut it is hee that maketh us doe it, by giving us moſt effectuall ability to our will; and it is wee that will, out God worketh in us to will; therefore we worke, but it is God that worke… in us to worke, or the ven… act of working.