Body of Divinity, Book 7 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of Conversion and Free-will. I. Of Conversion.
COnversion is a coming back again to God from whom one departed bySome describe it to be a turning from all sin as sin, and to all righteousnesse for the love of righteousnesse. sin, Hos. 14. 1.
Turning is a word borrowed from Travellers, who being out of the way get into it again by turning, that is, by leaving the way in which they did walk, and taking another different way from it, contrary to it, if one have gone the quite contrary way.
There is, first, Habitual Conversion, the first infusion of life and habits of grace, conversion from a state of sin, Act. 3. 19.
Secondly, Actual, the souls beginning to act from that life and those habits, a conversion from some particular grosse acts of sinne, Luke 22. 32. It is so called because of the great breach grosse sins make on ones Justification, 1. Puts a damp on all his graces, Psal. 51. 10. 2. There is a suspension of all the comforts of grace. vers. 12. so that one may be said Quodammodo excidere, in respect of the use and comfort, Isa. 63. 10, 17.
Mans aversion from God by sinne, and conversion to God by grace, is the summe of all Divinity.
A sinner departs from God two wayes:
1. As the chief good.
2. As the utmost end, therefore conversion is a change of these two, when one makes God his chiefest good, and his glory his utmost end.
A man in turning to God,
First, Makes God the chief good:
1. If he make him the chief object of his contemplation, Psal. 139. 17. Where our treasure is there will our hearts be also.
2. If he choose him as his portion, Iosh. 24. 22. Psal. 119▪ 57.
3. If he desire all things else in subordination to him, Prov. 30. 8. sine summo bono nil bonum.
4. Judgeth of all times or persons according as they have this good or are serviceable for it.
5. Fears sin above all things which will separate between God and him.
Secondly, He makes Gods glory his chiefest end; this is Gods end, Prov. 16. He makes God the utmost end of his being, Rom. 14. 8. and acting, 1 Cor. 10. 31. Rom. 11. 30. From him] as the first cause, To him] as the last end. God is our chiefest good, therefore must be our utmost end. See Psal. 73. 25, 26. It is the first Question in the Assemblies Catechism, What ought to be the chiefest andFinis specificat inpracticis. Quod sorma est i… naturalibus finis est in moralib…, 1 Cor. 10. 3 …. Finis ultimus perfi… …am agentem quam …ctionem. highest end of every man in this life?
The Properties and Qualities which ought to be found in true Conversion.
It must be
1. Present and seasonable, While it is called to day, call upon the Lord while he is near, and seek him while he may be found. The present time is the only time of converting, not the future, now at this instant time God offers mercy, exhorts, cals, To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts, the future time is uncertain, we cannot assure our selves of another hour. We have many examples daily of the falshood of late repentance. The longer we defer it the more difficult it will be, as a sore without a plaister the more hardly it is healed.
2. Universal or General; we must turn from all sinne without exception or reservationEntire, there must be all the parts of conversion, one as well as another. of any, and chiefly from our own sins, Grace is called Light, Leaven. The Law of God forbiddeth all sinne, God hateth all sin, Christ died for all sin, the conscience condemneth all sin, and in our Covenant with God we renounced all sinne, Cast away all your transgressions, hate every false way.
3. It must be hearty, sincere, unfeigned; God complains of some that turned unto him feignedly.
4. Constant, persevering to the end, a continuing still more and more to convert, a daily renewing these acts, and reforming our faults, we must cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart.
The order and manner of this work, how and in what measure it is wrought inWe may consider the sweetnesse and power of grace in this wo…k. 1. The sweetnesse of grace, Ezek. 16. 6. 2. The power of Gods grace, Ioh. 7. 44. when you had such a corrupt nature, and could not think a good thought, that God should then change you. the Saints.
First, The Doctrine of the Gospel is propounded and made known in both the parts of it, viz. that which concerns mans misery in himself, and the perfect and only remedy in Christ to all penitent sinners.
Secondly, The soul is enlightened and enabled to assent unto this Doctrine.
Thirdly, It is yet further stirred up to consider of this Doctrine so beleeved, and to give heed to it, as Lydias minde was wrought upon when Paul preacht.
Fourthly, It begins to apply that Doctrine to it self so farre as to be affected with the sense of its misery, but so as there is wrought also a hope of getting out of this misery, and a perswasion that he shall be accepted, and hereupon follows conversion. For he that sees himself in an ill state, and sees also a certain way out of it, being perswaded that he may by such and such means escape and avoid, will undoubtedly apply himself to seek his own good, and the Spirit of God by working this perswasion converts the soul: We may plainly see this order in Davids renewing of his conversion after his sinne, and in the hearers of Peters Sermon, Act. 2. where first they heard and marked Peter, then were pricked in heart, then asked, What they must do to be saved? and being instructed by Peter to convert, did so, and were saved.
Marks or Signs of Conversion:
1. Such a one hath had experience of the discovery of sinne as the greatest evil,God must be be exalted as the highest good and utmost end. Live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit. and of misery to himself by sin, Sin revived and I died.
2. The Lord hath wrought in him a glorious discovery of Christ, and an instinct after union with him which is faith, Phil 3. 10.
3. He is brought under the guidance and power of the Spirit, Ioh. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Mat. 11. 5. Gospellized, brought under the power of it, hath a spiritual bent in his soul, a new principle, new ends, 2 Cor. 5. 17. He sees things with another eye. He hath a new law planted within him which will make all duties easie and sweet to him, Ier. 31. 33.
4. He is made like to God, every Saint is a living Image of God. He will love persons the more he seeth of God in them, and Ordinances the more pure they are.
5. Where there is life there will be growth, 1 Pet. 2. 3. they will grow up as willows, as calves of the stall, Mal. 4.
True Conversion differs from false:
1. In the efficient cause, for first the true spring comes from the Spirit of God by means of faith in the Gospel, stirring up a desire of Gods favour, and freedome from sinne for attaining that favour: the false from a natural desire of ones welfare, that he may escape the punishment of sin.
2. In the formal, or manner of doing; true Conversion is a willing and deliberate act out of choice, false a forcible act done out of compulsion.
3. Final, the true seeks to please God, the false to ease it self.
Motives to, and Means of Conversion:
By Motives, I mean certain considerations and arguments that in all reason should prevail to make men resolve upon the work.
By Means, some things tending to enable men the better to do it, when they have resolved upon it.
1. Motives to Conversion:
They may be taken from every place, Heaven, Earth, and Hell.
From Heaven, look to God, his Angels and Saints.
From Earth, look to your selves, the godly and ungodly, nay the beasts.
From Hell, look to the Devils and damned ghosts.
From Heaven:
First, Look to God, the Father, Son, and holy Ghost.Luke 15. God the Father, 1. Requesteth and commandeth conversion, and saith, He doth delight in it. 2. He giveth us time and leisure to convert, and doth not cut us off. 3. He vouchsafeth us means to convert, the light of nature, the Doctrine of the Word. 4. He will afford help to us in converting. 5. He will accept us, and therefore gave Christ that converts might be saved. Secondly, His holy Attributes make him a fit person to turn to. 1. He is just and cannot abide sinne. 2. Mighty and can punish sinne. 3. Gracious to pardon sinne.
Is it not a most desirable thing to turn to him, seeing he is so rightful a Lord, so great a Prince, and so gracious a Father, so willing to accept us, and hath given us means, time and commandments, and encouraged us with promises of acceptance, and threatned us if we do not, and complains that they have not turned to him who smote them. God hath sent his Son into the world that converts might be graciously received.
Secondly, Christ himself is a weighty argument of conversion, for if we refuse to turn then we do what in us lies to frustrate his death, and to make him shed his bloud in vain, seeing it is intended for the benefit only of such as turn. In Christ you may see the hatefulnesse of sinne from which you are to turn, and the graciousnesse of God to whom.
Thirdly, The holy Ghost striveth to bring you to this turning in his Ordinances, Gen. 6. 3. and will you suffer him to prevail?
Secondly, The blessed Angels will rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner. All the Saints in Heaven have given you examples of converting, and are now glad of their pains bestowed that way.
Secondly, Look to the Earth, and there to your selves first, consider
1. That you are out of the way, Psal. 14. & 53. & 119. ult, and know that you are so.
2. That you have bound your selves by Covenant to convert when you were baptized, and as often as you come to the Supper.
3. You have and do daily make profession of converting.
4. You can by no means save your selves out of the hands of Gods justice, if you do not submit and convert to him.
Secondly, The Duty it self is,
1. Most reasonable and equal, because the wayes are evil from which, and good to which we are wished to turn.
2. Most needful, without it we cannot escape the greatest misery.
3. Most profitable, Turn and live; by continuing in our evil wayes we may get a little perishing profit, vanishing pleasure and bewitching credit, by turning from them we shall gain pardon of sins past, peace and joy of soul for the present, and eternal life hereafter. When the sinner turneth, I will blot out all his sins out of my remembrance.
4. Likely to succeed if we set to it in earnest, Prov. 1. 24. Let us labour to grieve for our sins by a serious applying of the threats of God, humbly confesse them, and resolve by Gods help to leave them. You will not come to me that you may have life.Let thy dislike of that which is but an image of obstinacy in the creatures, make thee ashamed to be obstinate thy self.
Secondly, Look to the godly in the world, They pray for it, they will further it, rejoyce in our conversion, they will love and esteem us when converted. To the ungodly, by this means we may perhaps win them, or shall leave them without excuse. Yea look to other creatures, in the bad we hate incorrigiblenesse in evil, we dislike the creatures which have gotten an evil quality and will not leave it. We like and praise obedience in the good.
Thirdly, Look upon Hell:
1. On the Devil, he seeks to hinder thy conversion, will be vexed at it, he is most loathsome, because obstinate in evil. The Devils worst property is, that he is now so hardened in evil, that there is no possibility of change in him: Wilt thou be like the Devil in that which is the worst thing in him? Besides thou abusest and neglectest grace offered, and so doth not he.
2. The damned Ghosts, who because they did not convert are damned, and blame themselves for not turning when they had time, and now it is too late.
2. Means of Conversion.
First, Take notice of your own strayings and unconvertednesse, and your peril thereby.
Secondly, Acknowledge your utter inability to convert your selves, and therefore cry earnestly to God to convert you, as the Church doth, Turn me and I shall As the Prodigal saith, I will go to my Father.be turned. Turn presently, and begin with that sin which hath most drawn thee away from God.
3. Remove Hinderances:
1. Outward, 1. Ill company. 2. The occasions of sin; Salomon adviseth the young man not to come near the corner of the Harlots house, and the drunkard notVide Augustini confess. l. …. c 5. & 7▪ What hindered his conversion and the means of it, c. 12. to look on the wine.
2. Inward, 1. Love of earthly things: 2. Presumptuous and despairful fancies: 3. Hardnesse of heart and wilfulnesse in sinning.
4. Use all Helps and Furtherances:
1. Outward, good company, attend on all Gods Ordinances, hearing, reading, Psal. 19. conference.
2. Inward, Cherish and practise good motions, ponder on the Law and Gospel, think often and seriously on those quatuor novissima, Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell.
Of Free-will.
The word it self is Terminus Ecclesiasticus, not Biblicus, not a Scripture-term,Liberi arbitri… phrasis quae apud Latinos scriptores in usu est, & jam olim usurpata fuit, non legitur in vulgata interpretatione Latina veteris & Novi Testamenti; vox Graeca foreign, quam usurparunt Scriptores Ecclesiastici Graeci, & quae à Classicis etiam autoribus accepta fuit, pro eo qui sui juris est & liber, neque apud LXX. neque apud autores librorum Apocryphorum qui Graecè scripserunt, usquam comparet. Rivet. Disput. 8. Thes. 1. Nominatur arbitrium respectu mentis monstrantis voluntati objectum, liberum respectu voluntatis ultrò sequent…s indicium intellectus aut repudiantis. Id. ib. Arbitrii vox propriè significat mentis sive intellectus, tum facultatem, qua mens de aliqua re sibi proposita judicare potest: tum ipsum judicium à mente secundum istam facultatem peractum Transfertur autem à me…e ad voluntatem propter arctissimam quae inter illos est, unionem. Libertas arbitrio tributa propriè affectus est voluntatis, quanquam radicem suam habeat in intellectu & ratione. Armin. Thes. Publ. 11. Si quis vo…is hujus usum non prava intelligentia sibi permittat, per me quidem non vexabitur ob eam rem: sed quia sine ingenti periculo non posse retineri cens…o, magno contrà Ecclesiae bono futurum si aboleatur, neque ipse usurpare velim, & alios, si me consulant, abstinere optarim, Calvin. Institut. lib. 2. cap. 2. Vide Bellarm. de Gratia & Libero Arbitrio, lib 3. cap. 2. & lib. 4. cap. 6. but such a one as godly men in the Church took up for more convenient expression, as they have done the name Trinity and Sacrament.
To render Liberum arbitrium into English is not proper, for arbitrari and arbitrium is an act of the understanding, but use hath applied it to the will.
A mixed power of understanding and will, saith Mr Perkins. It can be onelyonly in an intelligent nature, as Bellarmine proves, lib. 3. de Grat. & Lib. Arb. c. 15. and the understanding though it be not formally free, yet it is radically, and the liberty of the will ariseth from the indifferency of the judgement. The liberty of the will properly consists in choosing that which the understanding judgeth best. Radix libertatis constituta est in libero rationis judicio. Aquin.
There is in the will a double freedom:
1. Natural, a power that a man hath to choose or refuse as it seemeth good to himself, and this is so annexed to, or dependant on his reasonablenesse, that they cannot be separated, and this he hath not nor could loose by corruption.
2. Sanctified, an inclination to use the former liberty well by choosing that he ought to choose, and this he hath lost, when now he will choose and refuse what he ought not.
Or thus,
Free-will may be considered either in the essence and being of it as it is an immediate faculty of the soul, and the same with the will: we have this free-will, for Adam by his fall hath no more lost this then he hath lost his very nature; it is therefore a great calumny of the Papists, when they say, That we deny free-will, and make man no better then a beast; for take free-will thus, as it is a natural power in a man, so it remaineth still.
The free-will of man after the fall is not so corrupted, that it is not capable of the grace of Regeneration. Tolle liberum arbitrium, non erit quod salvetur; tolle gratiam non erit unde salvetur. Bern.
There is a threefold power,
1. Activa, an ability to concur to the operation of the Spirit in a mans self: so those that are for free-will, Agimus nos, sed acti; volumus, sed ipse facit ut velimus.
2. Passiva, able to receive, man in conversion is meerly passive to grace, but hath in him a principle of resistance.
3. Obedieneialis, as in the unreasonable creature.
Secondly, Free-will may be considered in its operation and working about some objects, then we distinguish about the objects which it may will: For
First, They are either such as belong to our animal life, as to walk, eat, shut orNon controvertitur, an homo ratione utens sit liberi arbitrii, quateuus liberum arbitrium in genere intelligitur: Ergò non quaeritur an sit in homine talis facult as, quam liberum arbitrium appeliant, etsi propter ambiguitat…m locutionis disputatum sit an ita appellari debere…, vel servum potius dici quam liberum: Verum quoniam eidem facultat… servit…s & libert as tribui potest diversa consideratione, cum agitur de natura liberi arbitrii in se, non de viribus ejusdem objectorum variorum ratione, non existimamus rejic…. endam esse liberi arbitrii receptam appellationem, etsi in Scriptura totidem verbis non reperiatur. Rivet. Cath. Orth. Tract. 4. Qu. …. Vide Qu. 3. A man dead cannot enliven himself: Lazarus being dead is an instance of mans natural condition, not the man half wounded. When we deny that a natural man hath any free-will unto good, by a natural man we understand one that is without Christ and destitute of his renewing grace, by a free-will a thing that is in our own power to do, and by good a Theological not a Philosophical good, Bonum verè spirituale & salutare, a spiritual good and tending to salvation. An unregenerate man is a stranger from the life of God, Ephes. 4. 18. Dead in sins, Ephes. 2. 1, 5. and so no more able to lead a holy life acceptable to God, then a dead man is to perform the actions of him which is alive. B. Ushers Answer to the Jesuites charge. open our eyes, and here we have the exercise of free-will.
Secondly, Our outward civil conversation and obedience to the Laws required by a Magistrate, here again we have free-will.
Thirdly, They are holy actions, and they again are either
1. Externally holy, which concern the outward exercise of Religion, as to come to Church, to hear and reade, and here still a man hath free-will. Or,
2. Internally and spiritually, as to know God, to beleeve in him and love him, and so we must distinguish the states of men. Man in the state of innocency had an excellent power and strength of free-will to serve God and love him, but in the state of corruption, though his liberty not only in the nature but use of it remaineth about natural, civil and external religious actions; yet for internal and spiritual actions, he hath wholly lost his freewill, Iohn 15. 5. Matth. 7. 18. Iohn 8. 36. therefore Augustine lib. 2. contra Julianum, cals it Servum arbitrium. And Luther called it not a free but enthralled and enslaved will to sinne, and wrote a book De serv… Arbitrio, Homo libero arbitrio malè utens, & se perdidit & ipsum. August. ad Laurent.
Thirdly, Man in his estate of Renovation hath again some power and free will, being first freed by the grace of God from the power of sin, Iohn 8. 13. Volunt as in tantum est libera in quantum est liberata. August. in Joh. Tract. 53. yet this freedom is not perfect, but wonderfully opposed and hindered, Gal. 5. 17.
The free-will must be as the understanding and will are, saith Chamier, but thatSee D• Field of the Church, l. 3. c. 15. Est in Deo optimo maximo, est in bonis Angelis, est in Daemonibus omnibus liberum arbitrium. Arbitrii libertas à coactione in omnibus om ni…o est quibus voluntas est. Nulliusvoluntas cogi potest. Si cogitur non voluntas est, sed nolunt as. Est quoque in his omnibus libertas contradictionis, ut hoc velle possint aut non velle: Etsi libertas contrarietatis, ut liberè velint vel bonum vel malum, nec in Deo sit, nec in Angelis confirmatis in gr…s, nec in animabus beatis. Nam hi omnes sic liberè volunt bonum, ut malum nec volint, nec jam velle possint. Daemones quoque & homines non renati, quamdiu renati non sunt, ita liberè malum volunt, ut bonum nec velint, nec in eo statu velle possint. Crakanth. Defens. Eccles. Anglic. contra Archiepisc. Spalat. c. 35. the understanding and will are both corrupted in a natural man. Vide Chamierum contractum per Spanhem. Tom. 3. l. 4. c. 3. & 4.
There are several kinds of freedom or liberty:
1. From compulsion, when no external principle can compell to work, but there must be an inward inclination to work, from such coaction, not only men but beasts are free.
2. From obligation or debt to another, and so no creature can be free, because all that we have is Gods.
3. From sin, when the flesh is subdued so that the Spirit can and doth prevail over it.
4. From misery, which the Apostle speaketh of Rom. 8.
5. From necessity, when the Agent is determined from an inward principle of nature to one object, as the fire to burn. Immutability and liberty may stand together, as God doth most freely will the creation of the world, yet unchangeably, the Angels and Saints in Heaven are so confirmed in good, that what they will they will unchangeably but freely. Every man naturally cannot but sin, yet he sins freely in regard of freedom from coaction and natural necessity, though not in regard of freedom from immutability, and as for the other liberties from obedience, sin, and misery; he is obedient to God, and under sin and misery. The will hath no freedom to spiritual things.
The Papists though they say that the grace of God is requisite, yet as a partialThe Pelagians say, God goes along with him that prepares himself for conversion, and that this is the reason why some are converted, and some not. Vide Bellarm. de Gratia & libero arbitrio, lib. 5. c. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, &c. & lib. 6. cap. 10, 11, 12, 13. cause, and that we are workers with the grace of God in our conversion, as appears by their similitudes of two men carrying a great burden, and the man half wounded. Against which opinion these arguments may be alleadged:
1. The slavery and servitude of our wils to any thing that is good, those whoMihi haec sententia altius animo insedit, excidisse Christo qui vol…tati humanae & viribus liberi arbitrii vel minimū in negotio salutis tribuunt, qui Spiritui Dei solus suadendi partes reliquunt, nec aliter cum in suis quam in hypocritis agere contendunt. Cameron▪ de gratia & libero arbitrio See M. Pemb. Vindic. gratiae. pag. 133, 134, &c. All men naturally minde the outward act more then the inward frame of the heart, Rom. 2. 15. the work of the Law, avoid grosse acts of sinne and perform outward duties, they seek not to order the frame of their spirits, and to avoid lusts as well as sins. 2. The reason and aim upon which they do any thing is not spiritual. Their aim is according to their principles, which are but carnal, civil or legal at the best, to satisfie natural conscience, Mic. 6. 6. 1 Tim. …. 5. The power of nature is more seen in things moral then religious: the Heathens were famous for temperance, justice, but brutish in worship. are so defiled that they are nothing but flesh, they cannot possibly have any power to what is good, but so are all by nature Gen. 6. 5. Iohn 3. 6. Rom. 8. 6. To will is of nature, to will ill is of corrupted nature, but to will well is of sanctified nature. Bernard.
2. Those which can do nothing but sinne have no freedom to what is good, every unregenerate man doth nothing but sinne, Matth. 7. 17. An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil; Without faith it is impossible to please God, To the unclean all things are defiled. A man by nature non potest non peccare etiam damnabiliter. Pet. Lombar.
3. A man cannot turn himself to God, Ioh. 6. 44. 1 Cor. 12. 3. therefore nature hath no power to dispose and prepare it self for grace, nor can there be merits of congruity or condignity.
4. Regeneration and conversion is attributed only to God, as Ezek. 36. 26. Ier. 32. 39. See Ezek. 11. 19. Ephes. 2. 10. & 1. 19. a stone cannot soften it self, no more can our nature. See Deut. 29. 4.
5. A man hath not the least thing to glory in 1 Cor. 1, that place 1 Cor. 4. 7. moved Augustine much, but if I had power of my own to do that which is good, or to receive grace when it is offered, then I might glory in my own strength.
6. Conversion and power to do good is prayed for, Turn us, O Lord, therefore not in our own power, it were vain to pray to God, to convert or change me if I will, if I have this of my own, what need I go and pray for it, or pray for others conversion? they might convert themselves, Psal. 80. 3.
Before Pelagius his time the Fathers spake too liberally of mans free-will. Nondum nato Pelagio securius loquebantur Patres. August. Epist. 103. which after upon his heresie they reformed, and by Scripture abundantly confuted the Pelagians, and especially *Divinae gratiae adversus utrosque, & Pelagianos & Semi-Pelagiag…anos, assertor ille invict us, beatissimus. Augustinus. R. Usser. de Britan. Eccles. Primor. l. Plus uni Augustino jam veterano, & in ista causa versatissimo tribuendum est, quam centum Corvinis, Grotiis, Bertiis, Brentiis, Tilenis, & id genus recentioribus dogmatistis. D. Ward in Phil. 2. 12.Augustine, Ierome, Prosper, Fulgentius, Hilarie, and others.
The first presumptuous advancer of free-will contrary to the Doctrine ancientlyVincentius Lyrinens adversus haereses commonitor, l. 1. c. 34. received in the Church, is by Vincentius Lyrinensis noted to be Pelagius the heretick.
In the ancient Church there were two sorts of hereticks concerning the point of free-will. The Manichees denied free-will: the Pelagian hereticks affirmed it,Doctor Abbot against Bishop in his answer to the Epistle to the King. and both were condemned by the Catholick Church. The Manichees denied freewill in sinne, and in the committing of evil. The Pelagians affirmed a power and ablenesse of free-will for the performance of righteousnesse and doing of good.
In the meaning wherein the Manichees denied free-will, we affirm and teach it, and in that meaning did St Augustine write his books of free-will purposely against the Manichees; we deny free-will onelyonly in that meaning wherein first the Pelagians and since the Papists have affirmed it, in which meaning St Augustine notablyId. ibid. wrote against it.
The summe of the Controversie is, Whether the grace which first moveth and exciteth the will unto good motions, doth work the consent alone, or whether theB. Mort…ns Appeal, l. 2. c. 10. Sect. 5. will have in it self any power freely to consent and resist every such motion. The Romanists plead for the power of mans will, but Protestants for the efficacy of Gods grace.
If the Question be moved, Whether free-will may resist grace? It is apparent naturally in the unregenerate it may resist, according to that Acts 7. 51. But if the… Question be moved of them that are called according to Gods purpose, Whether they resist the grace of their calling, then removing the humour of contention the truth will easily appear. The Question is, Whether nature in this case doth resistB. Carl. against Mountague. c. 3. Aug. de corrept. & gratia cap. 14. the omnipotent power of God? Deo volenti salvum facere, nullum resistit hominis arbitrium.
There is a twofold resistance of the will, say the Schoolmen.
1. Connata, born with it, there is possibility to sinne in the best creatures, as creatures.
2. Actualis, The Spirit of God by an Almighty Power overcomes this, Psal. 110. 3.See Rom. 9. 18.
The Arminians have revived the old Pelagian heresie, they say they magnifie Gods free grace *Ubi eminus de gratia loquuntur speciosa aspergunt elogia, ubi vero cominus ac punctim de gratiae ipsius conflictu agitur, nervos ipsos succidunt, & vim gratiae victricem tollunt. D. Ward in Phil. 2. 12. Vide plura ibid., and it was free grace for God to give Christ to be a Saviour, and to send the Gospel to a place, but then ask them about Gratia discriminans, why Simon Peter receives the Gospel rather then Simon Magus, they say God determines no mans will, but because Peter receives it, and the other rejects it, it ariseth wholly from his determining himself, then Christ should do no more in his own and Fathers intention for a sav'd then a damned person. No man hath power to receive Christ when he is offered unlesse it be given him from above.
Object. Why then doth the Lord exhort us to receive him, or complain of us, and threaten damnation if we receive him not?
Answ. The Lord useth these reproofs and exhortations as a means to work upon them whom he purposeth to save.
2. To shew that some work is to be done on our part, though not by our own strength, it must be done à nobis, though not ex nobis.
So the Papists argue from Gods commands; God would not command us to do good works, if we had not power to do them. When our Saviour saith, Make Precepts to duty are no measure of strength 2. To the elect they conveigh grace, Ier. 31. 18.the tree good, and then the fruit will be good; He doth not imply that it is in our power to do so, but only sheweth what our duty and obligation is. See Rom. 7. 15. Gal. 5. 17.
God gave the Law for these ends:
1. To shew man his duty, the obligation that lies on him, I may put my debter in minde of his debt though he be turned bankrupt.
2. To shew him his disability.
3. To shew him the misery he should be in if God would urge this debt on him to discharge it himself.
4. To shew the riches of his grace in providing a means to satisfie his justice, and also the exceeding love of Christ in fulfilling the Law for him.
Object. The Arminians say, How can the will be free, when it is determined? How can omnipotent grace and free-will stand together? and some talk of a Libertas contrarietatis, when one can will good or evil. This is a great controversie as between the Jesuites and Dominicans, so between us and the Arminians.
Answ. The freedom of the will doth not consist in this, that it is free and indifferentGratia non aufert libertatem arbitrii licet vera & physica operatione determinet arbitrium, sed potius libertatem illi ad bonum restituit & confirmat. Dicimus enim determinari voluntatem ad benè agendum liberè. Twis. contra Corvinum cap. 4. Sect. 1. Arbitrium igitur voluntatis tunc est verè liberum, cum vitiis peccatisque non servit. Tale datum est à Deo, quod amissum proprio vitio, nisi à quo dari potuit reddi non potest. Joan. 8. 36. Id ipsum est ac si diccret: Sivos silius salvos fecerit, tunc verè salvi eritis. Inde quippe liberator, unde salvator. Aug. de civitate Dei, lib. 14. cap. 10. to choose either good or evil: For so God and the good Angels should not be free, seeing they cannot will any thing but that which is good. There is no true liberty but unto that which is good, because it is a perfection, to be able to sinne is an imperfection, 2 Cor. 3. 11. Ubi non est Spiritus Domini non est libertas arbitrii. August. A power to stand or fall was not a part of Adams liberty, his power to fall came from his mutability not liberty.
It is a Question, An faci…nti totum quod in se est ex naturae viribus, dentur insallibiliter Facienti quod in se est, Deus faciet quod in s…. Pelag. Arminians say, That they can repent, that they can be converted, it is from God, but that they do believe, that they do repent, that they are converted, is from the liberty of their own wils. See John 6. 44 45. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Semen naturae non consurg… in fructum gratiae Aug. Si in op…re conversionis Deus operatur tantum pos…e conver…ere, & sola voluntas det ipsum velle convertere, tum in operanda conversione & salute potiores partes erunt voluntatis, quam gratiae: hominis, quam Dei: siquidem potiores partes ejus sunt qui dat operari, quam …jus, qui solum dat posse operari; cum operari sit actus atque adeo prior & per…ectior potentia, & operatio sit complementum & per…ectio opera…tis. Dr Ward on Phil. 2. 12. Si ex r…rum naturalium usu concedenda est gratia Evangelica, certè ex non recto naturalium usu privandi erunt homines gratia Evangelica. At univers… rerum experienti… nititur in adversum. Twis. contra Corvinum cap. 11 Sect. 2. Dicit Arminius Deum hoc …popondiss… isto Christi dicto, Habenti dabitur, Matth. 25. 29. Apostolus Pau…us dispensationem gratiae supernaturalis procedere docet, non secundum usum & opera voluntatis humanae, sed secundum propositum & consilium voluntatis divinae. Ephes. 1. 11. Dent nobis adversarii vel unum hominem ab orbe condito, qui bono usu naturae pertraxit ad se donum gratiae. Episc. Davenant. Quaest. 4. Determ. & Tiss…rtat de morte Christi, cap. 6. Vide plura ibid. Et Twis…um contra Corvinum, cap. 6. Sect. 2.auxilia ad salutem supernaturalia? Whether God will give supernatural grace to him that useth well his natural abilities?
Let any man use the power that God gives him, and he shall have more. There is not such an infallibilis n…xus, that God hath bound himself in the use of our natural abilities to adde supernatural graces. Mr F…nn…r on Ez…k. 18. 31, 32.
A man in his natural condition can doe nothing but what is offensive to God.
No man ever yet by the right use of naturals obtained Evangelical grace, that is a vain power which is never reduced into act.
It is a Question, An naturae viribus possit aliqua vera tentatio superari? WhetherVide Bellarm. de gratia & libero arbitrio, l. 5 c. 7. a man by strength of nature be able to conquer corruption or resist temptation?
Before Conversion we cannot resist sinne as sinne, but exchange one sinne with another. We cannot discern good from evil, sinne is connatural to us, Ier. 8. 6. No more are we able to resist temptation without grace. All temptations are to draw us to the enjoyment of some temporal good, or to the declining some temporal evil by leaving God. Till a man be perswaded that God promiseth a greater good, and threatneth a greater evil then the world can do, he cannot resist such temptations, we are saved by faith, and stand by faith. We had need all to pray, Lord lead us not into temptation, and keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins. See Ephes. 6. 10.
Some speak of reconciling Free-will with Gods Decree, Grace and sin.
Others of the Concord of it, and Gods Prescience and Providence.
Tully thought Prescience and Free-will could not stand together, and therefore that he might assert the freedome of mans will, he denied the Prescience ofAug. de civitate Dei. l. 5. c. 9. future things, Atque ita dum vult facere liberos, facit sacrilegos.