The Divine Will Considered in its Eternal Decrees and Holy Execution, Chapter 9 (3 of 3)

The Divine Will Considered in its Eternal Decrees and Holy Execution · Chapter 9 (3 of 3)

p. 476Object. 2. This Thesis overturns the Liberty of the Will; for if the Will be determined by the Understanding, how is it free? and if free, how determined?

I answer; There are three things, which well weighed give a perfect Solution to this Objection.

1. This Objection carries in it a great Absurdity.

2. This Objection stands upon a false Notion of Liberty.

3. This Objection vanishes by the true stating of Liberty.

1. This Objection carries in it a great Absurdity: If the Will being determined by the Understanding lose its Freedom, then it loseth its Freedom by an adhesion to the Root of its Freedom; and it cannot be free, unless it can turn Brute, which is a great Absurdity. You'l say, Is this so absurd? Doth not the Will turn Brute in closing with sensual Lusts? and doth not the Scripture call men Beasts upon that account? I answer, that the Will in closing with its sensual Lusts is brutish as to the p. 477Matter of its choice, but not as to the Manner of it, because it hath an humane Unstanding (though corrupt) going before it; but if it can turn away from the Understanding, it can turn Brute even as to the Manner of its Acting: for then its Act hath no Understanding at all at the bottom of it, no more than the Act of a Beast, which is very absurd in a rational Appetite.

2. This Objection stands upon a false Notion of Liberty, viz. That the Liberty of the Will doth essentially consist in an foreign or foreign, in an aequilibrium or indeterminate Indifferency, whereby it may will or not will a thing; for why, according to this Objection, is the Will not free? Why, but because it is determined? And why is it not free, if determined? Because its Freedom doth consist essentially in such an aequilibrium, as cannot stand with any determination but what is merely from it self. Now that this is a false Notion of Liberty doth appear many ways: For

3. If Liberty do essentially consist in such an Indifferency, then what shall we say to Jesus Christ on Earth? Had not he as Man all the Essentials of Liberty? Was not all his Obedience perfectly free? and p. 478yet did not his humane Will indeclinably follow his divine? Was there a posse peccare in that spotless Lamb? Could that humane Nature (conceived by the holy Ghost, and inseparably united to the God-head) could that also transgress? Surely, it could not. I do nothing of my self, faith Christ, Joh. 8. 28. nay, foreign, I can do nothing of my self, Joh. 5. 30. nothing; in such perfect dependance was his humane Will upon his divine, not the shadow of an aequilibrium there, and yet the substance of perfect Liberty.

2. If Liberty do essentially consist in such an Indifferency, what say we to the blessed Saints in Heaven? Have not they all the essentials of Liberty? Are those Spirits made perfect in every thing else but that? Is that the thing that is wanting in Heaven? No surely; glorious Liberty cannot but be there, and yet what of an foreign; There God is All in all, and the Saints cannot take off their Eyes from him for ever; his Will is perfectly triumphant over theirs, and their Will is perfectly determined by his, so determined, as not to glance aside from it to all Eternity: And yet in this Determination Liberty is not destroyed but perfected, the Will is not in p. 479straits or bonds, but in a Sabbath of Rest and Joy. Here's nothing of an aequilibrium; that kind of Liberty is so magnified on Earth, that it shall never be glorified in Heaven; and if it be not glorified there, sure 'tis no Essential here.

3. If Liberty do essentially consist in such an indifferency, then how shall the divine Prescience be salved? God knoweth all the free Acts of men, even the Thoughts afar off, from the high Tower of his Eternity: But if the Will be in aequilibrio, its Acts (before they come into Being) must be mere Contingencies, and without any determinate Verity at all in them, and how then are they knowable as Certainties? to know Contingencies as Certainties, is to erre and not to know.

4. If Liberty do essentially consist in such an Indifferency, then what becomes of divine Providence? Providence hath a Kingdom over men's Hearts. We find in Scripture God touching the heart, 1 Sam. 10. 26. stirring up the heart, 2 Chron. 36. 22. opening the heart, Acts 16. 14. enclining the heart, 1 Kings 8. 58. and turning the heart whithersoever he will, Prov. 21. 1. And after all this, is the Will in aequilibrio? If not, where is the supposed Liberty? If so, p. 480where is the divine Providence? All its touching, stirring, opening, enclining and turning the Heart signifies litle or nothing. Infinite Wisdom and Power seem to have posed themselves in making such a Creature as they cannot govern, or at least not govern without destroying its faculties; the infinite Spirit hath then nothing to rule over but the brutal World, and the rational is lost out of his Dominions; Men must subsist like Creatures, and yet may act as Gods; their Being is within the Realm of Providence, and their Acting without it. In a word; when we read of God over all, we must ever except the rational Creature. Wherefore that is no true Notion of Liberty, which is so opposite to the Sccptre of divine Providence.

5. I shall add but one thing more. Every Man is born under a Futurition of all the Acts which he will produce, or else those Acts should be present in Time which never were future, which is impossible; and every Futurition implies in it a necessity of Immutability, or else that which is future might cease to be such without coming into actual Being, which is impossible: Hence it appears, that humane Liberty doth well consist with a necessity p. 481of Immutability; nay, it cannot stand without: Take away all Necessity, and you take away all Futurition; take away all Futurition, and you take away all the free Acts of the Creature; for those free Acts could not be Acts, much less free Acts, in time, unless they were future before; and future they could not be without such a Necessity: Therefore liberum and necessarium may, nay, must stand together; and if so, the Will may be determined by the Understanding, and yet be free without an aequilibrium, and by consequence, an aequilibrium is not essential to its Liberty. This false Notion of Liberty maintained upholds the Objection, but dissolved breaks the same in pieces.

3. This Objection vanishes quite away by the true stating of Liberty. Liberty is double; Ethical as to that which may be done de jure, and Physical as to that which may be done de facto. God is perfectly free both ways; Ethically, because under no Law but the Perfection of his own Nature, and Physically, because Almighty. Man is not Ethically free, because under a Law; nor yet altogether Physically free, for some things he cannot do, if he never so much will the doing thereof, because p. 482they are not within his power. Libertas (as the learned Camero hath it) est facultas faciendi quod libet, or more largely, facultas quâ quis tantum possit quantum velit, tantumque velit quantum esse volendum judicavit; It is that Faculty in Man, whereby within his own Sphere he can do as much as he wills, and will as much as in his Understanding he judges fit to be willed. Now that this is a right Definition of humane Liberty doth appear three ways.

1. 'Tis bottomed upon Scripture.

2. 'Tis commensurate to the Nature of the thing.

3. 'Tis proportionable to both the Acts of the Will.

1. 'Tis bottomed upon Scripture. In Scripture there are various Expressions touching Liberty, congruous to the several parts of this Definition. In the Definition Liberty is a faculty of doing, & in Scripture 'tis a having a thing in our power, Acts 5. 4. or in the power of our hand, Gen. 31. 29. In the Definition 'tis a faculty of doing as much as we will, and in Scripture 'tis a doing according to our will, Dan. 11. 36. or all that is in our heart, 2 Sam. 7. 3. In the Definition 'tis a power of willing as much as in p. 483our Understanding we judge fit to be willed, and in Scripture 'tis doing what is right in our own eyes, Judg. 17. 6. or what seemeth good and meet unto us, Jer. 26. 14. Thus all the Definition is founded on Scripture.

2. This Definition is commensurate to the Nature of Liberty. What is Liberty in Man in the full compass of it, but that whereby he becomes foreign, Lord of his own act, and such he truly is, when within his own line he can do as much as he will, and will as much as in his Understanding is fit to be willed. When the Scripture paints out that glorious foreign, or supreme Liberty in God, what doth it say, but that he worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will, Eph. 1. 11. and doth what he pleaseth in heaven and earth, Psal. 135. 6. Wherefore if a man can work according to the counsel of his Will, and do what he pleaseth within his own Sphere, he must needs be truly free, and so much is allowed by this Definition.

3. This Definition is proportionable to both the Acts of the Will. There is Actus imperatus, an Act commanded by the Will, such as Speaking or Walking, or the like; there is Actus elicitus, an Act produced in p. 484the Will, such is the Act of willing. Now quoad Actum imperatum, the Definition says, that a Man can do as much as he wills; and quoad Actum elicitum, it says, that he can will as much as he judges fit to be willed. These two Acts must be carefully distinguished, for the Will is not alike free in both: As to the imperate Act, the Will is the Mistress and Commandress of that, that procedes from it per modum imperii, and it is truly said to be done quia volumus; but as to the elicite Act, the Will is not properly the Mistress or Commandress of that, that procedes not from it per modum imperii; for then it should be Actus imperatus rather than elicitus; neither can we be said truly to will quia volumus, for so the same Act of willing should be the Cause of it self: Wherefore the Liberty of the Will, as to the Act of willing, doth not consist in a Self-motion, for the Will doth not move it self. To which purpose I shall quote two testimonies, one out of Camero, Nulla mera potentia semetipsam propellit in actum; quicquid enim ejusmodi est, id in actu esse necesse est. Voluntas autem (id est, volendi facultas) mera potentia est; ergò non potest semetipsam excitare ad agendum: Si enim hoc facit, facit per aliquem actum; at p. 485quod est in mera potentia, illud non agit. And again; Non potest dici quae sit Voluntatis seipsam determinantis actio; non est volitio ipsa, est enim volitio ipse terminus; ergo non ipsa determinatio. Another out of the French Divines in their Theses Salmurienses; Nulla potentia sesemet educit in actum; Sensus moventur à rebus sensibilibus, Phantasia à phantasmatibus, Intellect us ab object is intellectualibus, locomotiva à Voluntate, voluntas quîpote à seipsa? And indeed, if the Will do move it self to the Act of Willing, then (because it cannot move it self, as quiescent) it must move it self by some Act, and what is that Act but an Act of willing? Therefore by an Act of willing it moves it self to an Act of Willing, which is very absurd. Wherefore the Will is free in the Act of willing, not in respect of its Self-motion, but in respect of its lubency and spontaneity; what it wills, it doth incoactively will according to the dictate of the Understanding. Now this being the true Nature of Liberty, the determination of the Will by the Understanding doth not overthrow it; for (notwithstanding this determination) Man is free still, because he can, within his own Sphere, do as much as he wills, and will as p. 486much as he judges fit to be willed. His Will is free, because in its imperate Acts it commands what it pleases, and in its elicite Acts, it wills what it wills spontaneously, according to the dictate of the Understanding; therefore the determination of the Will by the Understanding doth not at all destroy the Nature of Liberty.

Thus passing over the second Quaere, I procede to the third.

Quaere 3. Whether the Work of Conversion be wrought in an irresistible way?

I am for the Affirmative in a right sence. A work may be said to be done irresistibly two ways; either when there is no resistance at all: thus the Apostle saith, ye have killed the just, and he doth not resist you, Jam. 5. 6. that is, not resist at all; or else when there is no such resistance as to impede the work; thus they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit of Stephen, Acts 6. 10. there's an irresistibility; but what without any resistance at all? No, they disputed against him with might and main, but because their disputes could not impede his work in propagating the Gospel, therefore it is said, that they were not able to resist him. Thus when I say that Conversion p. 487is wrought in an irresistible way, I mean not, that there is no resistance at all, for even in the Regenerate there is flesh lusting against the spirit, the old Man and the new strugle in the same Faculties, like Esau and Jacob in the same Womb; but I mean, that there is no such resistance as to impede the Work of Conversion. In meekness (saith the Apostle) instructing those that oppose themselves, if peradventure God will give them repentance, 2 Tim. 2. 25. here is a resistance, but for all that the work will be done, if God give repentance: He went on (saith the Prophet) frowardly in the way of his heart, but what saith God? I have seen his ways and will heal him, Isai. 57. 17, 18. here was a great resistance, but for all that God will heal him. God works Conversion in such an insuperable way, that (notwithstanding all the opposition made thereunto) it doth infallibly come to pass. Now this I shall endeavour to demonstrate first in general, and then in particular with respect to the two Instants of Conversion.

1. I shall demonstrate it in general, and that by these Arguments taken

1. From God's Election. He hath chosen some before the foundation of the World, p. 488chosen them to holiness as the Way, Eph. 1. 4. and chosen them to salvation as the End, 2 Thess. 2. 13. But if Conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way, how doth the foundation of God stand sure, 2 Tim. 2. 19? How is that golden Chain kept entire, Whom he did predestinate, them he called, whom he called, them he justified and glorified, Rom. 8. 30? Were not these called ones (who have Predestination going before them, and Justification and Glorification coming after them) called in an insuperable way? If not, the Chain cannot hold together. The Apostle makes a plain difference between men; he opposes those of the election of grace to the foreign, who were blinded, Rom. 11. 7. and those on whom God will have mercy, to those whom he hardens, Rom. 9. 18. But if Conversion be not irresistibly wrought, this difference falls to the ground; those of the Election may be blinded, and those on whom God hath mercy may be hardened as well as others: For my part I should as soon believe that a little Child may put up his finger and rowl about the Spheres, as that the Will of Man may stay or turn aside the Influences of electing Grace.

2. From Christs Redemption. If we p. 489consider the preciousness of his Blood, surely he must have a Body; every little Seed in Nature hath a Body given to it, and the Son of God sowing his Blood and Life cannot want one: If we consider the Promise of God, surely he must have a seed, Isai. 53. 10. and what else is the Fulness of the Gentiles and the Conversion of the Jews, but this promised Seed? But if Grace be not wrought in an insuperable way, Christ might sow his Blood and Life in a wonderful Passion, and yet have no Body springing out of it; nay, God might engage himself in the Promise of a Seed, and yet nothing at all come of it; if the Grace of God be resistible, lieve must be asked of Man's will, that Christ's Blood may be fruitful, and God's Promise Faithful.

3. From the Spirit's Work. The three glorious Persons in the sacred Trinity shew forth themselves in three glorious Works; the Father hath a special Shine in Creation, the Son in Redemption, and the holy Spirit in Sanctification. In the first Work we have God in the World, in the second God in the Flesh, and in the third God in the Heart or Spirit. When God came forth in Creation, Oh! what an Heaven and Earth full of admirable Creatures and p. 490Harmonies issued forth? When God came in the Flesh, what out-breakings of Glory were there? What sparklings of the Deity in Miracles upon the Bodies of Men? The blind received their sight, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf did hear, the dead were raised, and the Devils were ejected with power: And when God comes in the Heart or Spirit, what planting of a new heaven and a new earth? How much of Glory and spiritual Miracle breaks forth in the Souls of Men? Even here also the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the devil is cast out with power. The very same Miracles which Christ in the flesh did do on the Bodies of Men in a visible manner, the very same doth Christ in the Spirit do on the Souls of Men in a spiritual way. This is the proper Work of the Spirit to sanctifie Mens Hearts; the Spirit doth not appear any where in all the World so much as in a true Saint: Look into a godly Man's Understanding, there's the Spirit of Revelation; look into his Will, there's the Spirit of Holiness; look into his Affections, there's the Spirit of Love and Joy; look into hs Conscience, there's the Spirit of Consolation; p. 491look into his Prayers, there's the Spirit of Supplication; look into his Conversation, there's the Spirit of Meekness and all Righteousness. Thus the holy Spirit shews forth its Glory, and flows in Men as rivers of living water, and this Glory and Out-flowing is so precious, that before it came in Esse, according to the rich Measures of Gospel-grace, it is said of the eternal Spirit, foreign, the holy Spirit was not yet, Joh. 7. 39. as if the Spirits flowing in Men were a kind of second Being to it. But now after all this, if Conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way, the holy Spirit may be barred out of every Heart, and then how shall his work be done? Where shall his Glory and spiritual Miracles appear? The Father hath a World to appear in, the Son hath Flesh to tabernacle in, but possibly the holy Spirit can get never an Heart to inhabit in, never a Temple to fill with his Glory; the holy Spirit would tabernacle with Men, but what if the Iron-sinew in the Will will not come out? What if the Stone in the heart will not break? Then the holy Spirit is robbed of his Glory. But is this so strange a thing (will you say?) What saith holy Stephen? Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised p. 492in heart and ears, you do always resist the holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do ye, Acts 7. 51. To which I answer, That the Spirit may be said to be resisted two ways; either as it is in the external Ministry, or as it comes in the internal Operations: It may be said to be resisted in the external Ministry; He that despiseth you, despiseth me, saith Christ, Luk. 10. 16. He that despiseth, despiseth not man but God, saith the Apostle, 1 Thess. 4. 8. When therefore it is said, that they resisted the holy Ghost, the meaning is not that they resisted him as to his internal Operations, but that they resisted him as to the external Ministry: This appears by the Context, for they resisted him as their fathers did, ver. 51. and how was that? The next Verse tells us, Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted, Ver. 52? Their resistance of the Spirit was in persecution of the Prophets. But you'l say, Might they not also resist him as to his internal Operations? I answer; so much doth not appear in the Text; but however the internal Operations of the Spirit are twofold; some are for the production of common Graces, some for the production of saving Graces, such as the new Heart and new Spirit. Now if the p. 493holy Ghost may be resisted as to the former Operations, yet it cannot as to the latter; for in these it takes away the heart of Stone, the resisting Principle, and gives an Heart of Flesh capable of divine Impressions.

4. God doth insuperably remove the Obstacles of Conversion. What, is thy Mind dark, nay, darkness it self? God can command the light out of darkness and shine into the heart, 2 Cor. 4. 6. Is thine Ear deaf? He can say Ephatha to it, and seal instruction, Job 33. 16. Is thy Heart hard and stony.? He can take away the stony heart, and in the room of it give an heart of flesh, Ezek. 36. 26. Is thy Heart barred and shut up against God? He can open it as well as Lydia's, Acts 16. 14. he opens and none can shut, Rev. 3. 7. Doth thy Will hang back? He can draw thee, Joh. 6. 44. and reveal such day of power upon thy heart as shall make thee truly willing, Psal. 110. 3. Dost thou go on frowardly in the way of thy heart? Yet he can see thy way and heal thee, Isai. 57. 17, 18. Dost thou oppose the precious Gospel? Yet peradventure he will give thee repentance, 2 Tim. 2. 25. Whatever the Obstacle be, he can remove it, he can cast down foreign, every height in p. 494the heart, 2 Cor. 10. 5. and then what Obstacles can remain? Now if God do insuperably remove the Obstacles of Conversion, then he doth insuperably produce the Work of Conversion.

5. If God do not work Conversion in an insuperable way, then what doth he produce towards it but a mere posse convertere? According to the Remonstrants Doctrine, he doth not infuse Habits or vital Principles of Grace, neither will they in plain direct terms assert, that he doth produce actual Conversion; what then doth he produce towards it but a mere posse convertere? and is not a posse peccare from him also? Voluntatem (say the Remonstrants) comitatur Act. Synodal. Art. 3 & 4.proprietas inseparabilis, quam libertatem vocamus, à qua Voluntas dicitur esse potentia, quae positis omnibus praerequisitis ad agendum necessariis, potest velle & nolle, ant velle & non velle. And again: Semper & in omni statu hujus vitae (ubi legislatio, praemiorum promissio, poenarum interminatio, hortationes, preces & similia locum habent) voluit Deus libertatem Voluntati adesse, quâ objectū ab intellectu monstratū velle potest & nolle, aut velle & non velle. Surely if the Nature and inseparable Property p. 495of the Will be such, and such by the Will of God, then according to the Remonstrants Doctrine, a posse peccare is from God as the Author of Nature, as well as a posse convertere is from him as the Author of Grace; and by consequence it follows, that he doth act as far towards Transgression, as towards Conversion. No, by no means, will you say, it cannot be; for God by his Commands, Promises and the Spirit's Motions doth promote Conversion, but by his Prohibitions, Threatnings and the Spirit's Counter-motions doth beat back Transgression. Very well: these things shew that God's Actings touching Conversion and Transgression are not the same as to the Manner, nevertheless they still remain the same as to the Terminus or product: For after all the Commands, Promises and Motions towards Conversion, still the Terminus or Product is but a posse convertere; and notwithstanding all the Prohibitions, Threatnings and Motions against Transgression, still there is the Terminus or Product of a posse peccare, and by consequence he acts as far towards Transgression as towards Conversion. Will you yet reply, that God gives a posse convertere, and without this, Man could not p. 496convert, and when he doth actually convert, God concurrs thereunto. I answer, that according to the Remonstrants Doctrine, God gives a posse peccare also, and without this, Man could not sin; and when he doth actually sin, God concurrs to the material Act thereof, and where then is the Difference? By the Doctrine of resistible Grace God seems to act as far towards Transgression as towards Conversion.

6. If God do not work Conversion in an insuperable way, then he works it in a dependent way, putting Man's Will in aequilibrio, as it were in an eaven Ballance, that it may turn or not turn to God ad placitum. Now that this last is none of God's Method clearly appears, because God (as beseems his infinite Wisdom) works Conversion in such a way, as is most depressive of the Creature, and exaltative of himself; the Man (whom he indeed converts) doth lick the Dust; the fountain of Blood in his Nature is broken up, and the superfluity of Naughtiness in his Life set in order before him; he falls down in self-abhorrencies, and cannot deny but that he is a Beast in his sensual Sins, and a Devil in his spiritual; he perceives his spiritual Poverty p. 497to be extreme; so many thousand Talents owing to divine Justice, and nothing at all to pay; a shameful nakedness in his Soul, and not a rag of Righteousness to cover it; as a wretched half-damned Creature down he goes to the brink of Hell, and from thence be hath a prospect of Heaven; down he goes into the Abyss of his own Nullity, and from thence hath some glimpses of Christ's Allness. His first breath of spiritual Life is a groaning under the weight of Sin: Oh! the intimate love of Sin, says he, 'twill never out unless my heart be broken all to pieces; Oh! the obdurate Stone in my Heart, it cannot be mollified but by Almighty Grace; Oh! my dead Heart, nothing can quicken it but a resurrection; Oh! my nothingness in Spirituals, there must be a creation, or I shall never be any thing; Oh! the miserable down-cast, when I fell from God into my self, I can never get up again unless I be unhinged and unselved, unless the Spirit lift me up out of my own Iness and Egoity; Oh! that I were once out of my own carnal Reason, and in the light of life, that I were once out of mine own rebellious Will, and in the will of God; if ever I live, 'tis not I but Christ in me, if p. 498ever I labour, 'tis not I but Grace in me; I can write an [I] upon nothing but my sins; if ever I be true to God, 'tis the holy anointing; if ever I be willing, 'tis the day of God's power. Oh! the Cross-bars in my perverse Heart, none can shoot them back but the Almighty fingers; Oh! the Plague of Apostasie in my lying Heart, nothing can heal it but the holy unction; if God do not write his Law in my heart, there will be nothing but wickedness there; if he do not let down some holy Fire into my Affections, there will be nothing but Earth there. Flesh is Grass, and God Glory; Man nothing, and Grace all; God's Mercy is all, and the Willer or Runner nothing; God's Encrease is all, and the Planter or Waterer nothing. Thus in Conversion all glorying is cut off, and pride stained; God as a God is very high upon his Throne-of free Grace, and Man as Man very low upon the Dunghill of his own baseness: The little ones enter into the Land of Promise, the poor are evangelized, the dry Wilderness gapes for distillations of Grace, the poor weeping soul (which bears the precious seed of Self-nothingness, and mourns after a supply from free Grace alone) shall be sure of the sheaf of comfort at p. 499last. But now if God in working Conversion doth only put the Will in aequilibrio, whether it will turn or not, then the Method is quite another thing: Lie not, O Man, upon thy face, shake off the dust of Creature-weakness, talk no more of thy poverty and wretchedness, cry not out for a Resurrection or Creation, trouble not the Almighty Spirit and Grace, all's in thine own power already; will, and live for ever in the sweat of thine own improvements, nill, and all the power of Grace cannot change thee; will, and take the Crown of thy self-differencing Glory, …ll, and all the breathings and inspirations of the holy Spirit must fly away from the Birth and from the Womb. Adam left thee in the common Mass, God gives thee the common Grace; but thou, O Man, must make thy self differ from others by a right use of that Grace which they neglect. Beatae vitae firmamentum est sibi fidere; trust in thy own heart, thy way is in thy self; thy Will is the great Umpire, whether thou wilt be God's or not: After all the swasions of Precepts and Promises, after creating and quickning Grace hath done its utmost, after the living Spirit hath tried to write the Law in thee; shall all this be p. 500something or nothing? Shall the new Creature come forth or not? Which shall abide in thy Heart, Law or Lust? Thou thy self must determine the business; God made the Heart and all the Wheels therein, but the Motion is thine own; Christ hath all the power in Heaven and Earth, but the actual Turn is in thine own hand alone. Thus according to this Doctrine, Man is exalted and God is abased; free Will hath the Throne, and free Grace waits upon her. Man in his first Transgression would have been a God in his Understanding, and now in his Conversion he becomes one in his Will, turning the Scale of Grace one way or other as he pleaseth.

2. Having proved in general that God works Conversion in an insuperable way, I procede to prove it in particular with respect to the two Instants of Conversion.

1. As to the first Instant, God works the Habits or Principles of Grace in an insuperable way; and to make this appear,

1. Let us compare them with the Remonstrants posse convertere. They (because they would own somewhat more than mere moral Grace in Regeneration) tell us, potentiam credendi ante omnia conferri dicimus per irresistibilem gratiam. Now if p. 501the posse convertere be wrought in an insuperable way, why should not the Habits or Principles of Grace be so wrought, how is the Wills Liberty impeached by the one more than by the other? Which way can the Will resist the infusion of the one more than of the other? I know no difference between them as to these things: Wherefore (supposing what I have proved before, that there are such Habits of Grace) it follows that they are wrought in an insuperable way.

2. There is in Man's Soul an obediential Capacity to receive the Habits or Principles of Grace; there is a Capacity, and therefore God (who fills all things) can fill it; there is an obediential Capacity, and therefore God, when ever he fills it, fills it in an insuperable way: for this obediential Capacity is no other than that, whereby the Soul, as to the receiving of gracious Principles, stands in obedience to God's power, and as it stands in obedience to God's power, it cannot resist. To have an Obediential Capacity and not stand in obedience to God's power, is one Contradiction, and to stand in obedience to Gods power and yet to resist, is another: Wherefore the Soul receiving gracious Principles p. 502from God in its obediential Capacity, receives them in such a way as excludes resistance. Add hereunto, that if the infusion of gracious Principles can be hindred, then it must be hindred either by the habitual pravity of the Soul, or by the sinful Act of the Will; but neither of these can do it: not the habitual pravity of the Soul, for then it should hinder always and in all persons; for it is in all, and whilest it is there, it hinders, and whilest it hinders, it cannot be removed, because there is no other way of removing it but by those gracious Principles, and by consequence there should be no Capacity at all in the Soul to receive gracious Principles; nor yet can the sinful Act of the Will hinder it, for the Will doth not receive gracious Principles by its Act, and those which it doth not receive by its Act, it cannot refuse by its Act; but it receives them in its obediential Capacity, and therefore in an insuperable way.

3. The Covenant of Grace evidences this to us. I shall instance in two famous places; the one is that, A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and give you an heart of flesh; I p. 503will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, Ezek. 36. 26, 27. The other is that, I will put my Laws in their inward parts, and write them in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people, Jer. 31. 33. These Promises do most signally set forth the production of gracious Principles; here's the Principles themselves, a new heart and a new spirit; here's the principal efficient of them, the holy Spirit of God; here's a remotion of the Obstacles unto them, the taking away the heart of stone; here's the next immediate Capacity of receiving them, an heart of flesh; here's the way or manner of producing them, a writing the Law in the heart; here's the effectual fruitfulness of them, a causing to walk in God's statutes; and here's the crown or glory of all, God will be their God and they his people. Now when there is a Worker such as the Almighty Spirit, a Remotion of the Obstacles such as the Stone of hardness, an immediate Capacity such as an Heart of flesh, a way of Working such as the intimate Impression of Truth, a Fruit proceding such as Obedience to God's Statutes, and a Crown of all such as an Interest in God; How can the Grace be less than insuperable? You p. 304will say, These Promises were not made to the Gentiles, but to the Jews, and not to any singular persons among them, but to the whole Nation. I answer; These Promises extend not only to the Jewes but to the Gentiles; for these are Promises of Grace founded in Christ, and in Christ Jew and Gentile are all one, Gal. 3. 28. so one, that the Gentiles are of the same body and partakers of the promise, Eph. 3. 6. Indeed before the middle Wall of Partition was broken down, they were strangers from the covenant of promise; but that being gone, they are fellow-heirs partaking of the root and fatness of the Olive. Neither do these Promises extend to all the Nation of the Jews, but to the true Israel, the elect People of God, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; for in them only are these Promises fulfilled: Had these been made to all the Jews, the true God would have fulfilled them in every Jew. You will say, No, God's Truth doth not exact such a performance, for he promised to do these things not absolutely but conditionally, so as men did not resist the operations of his Grace. I answer; If God only promise these things shall be done, so as men do not resist, then these Promises run thus; p. 505If thy stony Heart do not resist, I will give thee an Heart of Flesh; if thy old Heart do not resist, I will give thee a new one; if thy own spirit do not resist, I will give thee my Spirit; and if the Law of Sin do not resist, I will give my Laws into thy Heart. Which Interpretation doth utterly evacuate the Glory and Power of these Promises; for to be sure that Stone, that old Heart, that Spirit of our own, that Law of Sin in us, will (what it can) resist the operations of Grace. You will say, God gives unto Man a posse convertere, a supernatural Faculty whereby he is able to turn unto God: Now God promises to do these things, not so as men in their mere Naturals do not resist, but so as men furnished with that supernatural power do not resist. I answer; two things overthrow this Interpretation.

1. In the Text it self there is not a tittle of such a Condition of Non-resistency, nor of such a supernatural Power of Conversion; nay on the contrary, in stead of the Condition of Non-resistency, it speaks of a stony heart (which is a Principle of Resistency) to be removed; instead of a supernatural power of Conversion, it implies an old heart) which is powerless in the things of God) to be made new.

p. 5062. If God promise to do these things so as men, furnished with supernatural power of Conversion, do not resist, then there is such a supernatural power in men before these things be wrought in them, that is, before there be a new or soft Heart, whilest the Heart is old and stony, there is such a supernatural power in them; which assertion is, as I take it,

1. Against Scripture; that divides all men into two ranks, they are clean or unclean, new creatures or old, spiritual men born of the spirit, or natural men born of the flesh; but this Assertion ushers in a middle sort of men such as hang by a posse convertere between Nature and Grace; with the natural man they have an old stony Heart, and with the spiritual man they have a new supernatural Power; in the frame of their Heart they are no better than natural, and in their supernatural Power they are little less than spiritual.

2. 'Tis against Reason. All Powers in the rational Soul flow out of Life; the Power of knowing and embracing natural good things flows out of the natural Life of the Soul, and the power of believing and receiving spiritual good things flows out of the supernatural Life of the Soul; p. 507but this Assertion supposes a supernatural Power of Conversion without any vital Root; nothing of a new Heart or Spirit, and yet a supernatural Power of Conversion: Wherefore rejecting these Interpretations I conclude, that those Promises import the production of gracious Principles in an insuperable way.

4. The Production of gracious Principles is in Scripture set out in such glorious titles as do import insuperable Grace, 'tis a creation, Eph. 2. 10. 'tis a generation, Jam. 1. 18. 'tis a resurrection, Eph. 2. 5, 6. 'tis a traction, Joh. 6. 44. 'tis an opening of the heart, Act. 16. 14. 'tis a translation into Christs kingdom, Col. 1. 13. Now if this be not insuperable Grace, then there may be a Creation on God's part, and no new Creature on mans; a Generation on Gods part, and no Child of Grace on mans; a Resurrection on Gods part, and nothing quickened on mans; a Traction on Gods part, and nothing coming on mans; an Opening on Gods part, and all shut on mans; and a Translation on God's part, and no Remove at all on mans; and why then should such stately names of Power be set on the head of resistible Grace? You'l say, all these are but Metaphors; very well, but Metaphors are p. 508Metaphors, that is, they carry in them some image or resemblance of the things themselves, but there is not the least shadow of likeness or similitude between these things and resistible Grace. What shadow of Creation in that which a Creature may frustrate? What of Generation in that which produces nothing at all? What of Resurrection when the dead need not rise? What of Traction when there is no coming upon it? What of Opening when there is a Heart still shut up? What of Translation when there is no remove by it? Take away the infallible Efficacy of Grace, and it can be none of all these, no, not so much as metaphorically, because it hath no print of likeness thereunto.

5. The Scripture doth not only set out Conversion under the Glory of Metaphors, but in plain terms it stiles it a Work of Power; the Gospel comes in power and in the holy Ghost, 1 Thess. 1. 5. and in the demonstration of the Spirit and power, 1 Cor. 2. 4. there is Power in it, nay, excellency of power, 2 Cor. 4. 7. nay, foreign, exceeding greatness of power, and foreign, the working of the might of power, such as raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, Eph. 1. 19, 20. The entire words p. 509runs thus; What is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead: the Apostle here doth not only denote Gods Power towards Believers, but also Gods Power in making them such. As there is exceeding greatness of power towards Believers, so those Believers did believe according to the working of his mighty power such as raised up Christ from the dead. Every way a Believer in fieri and in facto esse is surrounded with Power and excellent greatness of Power; Oh! what rare Eloquence? what high strains are here? Too much and too high in all reason for resistible Grace: If the weakness of God be stronger than Man, surely the Power of God in its might and excellency put forth for the production of gracious Principles cannot be resisted and overcome by him.

6. The Heart which hath gracious Principles in it is God's Tabernacle, and all God's Tabernacles have been built in a sure way, such as cannot fail of the Effect. God (besides the natural Tabernacle of his Eternity) hath in his condescending Grace been pleased to have three Tabernacles built for him; first he had a worldly tabernacle p. 510or sanctuary, Heb. 9. 1. and then foreign, he tabernacled in our flesh, Joh. 1. 14. and last of all, he hath a tabernacle in the Hearts of men, a sanctuary, foreign in the midst of them, that is, in the midst of their Hearts, Ezek. 37. 26. the Heart, which hath gracious Principles in it, is God's Tabernacle: Hence God says, foreign, I will indwell in them, 2 Cor. 6. 16. Now God himself undertook that all these Tabernacles should be built: As for the first, God took care to have it made exactly to a Pin; as for the second, God engaged that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth Immanuel; as for the third, God binds himself in a Promise to raise up the tabernacle of David, Amos 9. 11. that is, to convert the Gentiles; for so it is interpreted, Acts 15. 14, 15, 16. New Creatures are the tabernacle of David; there is David the Man after God's own Heart; there Christ, the true David, dwells in the Heart by Faith and Love. Again, God says, I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them, Ezek. 37. 26. that is, I will by my sanctifying Grace turn their Hearts into an holy place for my own habitation. Moreover, all the Tabernaoles of God have been made in a sure way, because they have been made p. 511through the overshadowing presence of the holy Spirit. As for the first, the Master-workman of it was Bezaleel, a man (as his name imports) in the shadow of God, filled full of the Spirit of God, in all wisdom for the doing of the work. As for the second, there is a Bezaleel too, the holy Ghost comes upon, and the power of the highest overshadows the blessed Virgin, and so the holy thing, the pure flesh of Christ, was formed in her Womb, Luk. 1. 35. And as for the third; there Bezaleel again; they that dwell foreign in his shadow shall return, Hos. 14. 7. the holy Ghost comes upon the Soul, and the power of free Grace overshadows it, and and so Christ or the holy thing is formed therein. What is said of the Apostles as to their sacred Function, The holy Ghost came upon them, Acts 1. 8. the same is true of all true Christians as to their spiritual Generation: Thus whilest Peter spake, the holy Ghost fell on them, Acts 10. 44. by his Grace making them an habitation of God. Lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, Zach. 2. 10. he comes by his Spirit; and makes their Hearts a Sanctuary for himself: Thus this Tabernacle is built in a sure way, because pitched by God himself; but now if all the Operations of Grace be resistible, p. 512what becomes of this Tabernacle? God may raise and raise by all the Operations of his Grace, and yet the Tabernacle not go up; the holy Ghost may overshadow mens Souls, and yet no Christ be formed in them; a holy place in mens Hearts may be sought for the Lord, and none at all found. All these precious Promises of condescending Grace may fall to the ground. You will say, What remedy for all this? God will not dwell in men whether they will or not: Very true; but if Almighty Power connot make men willing, what can do it? Christ received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them, Psal. 68. 18. Observe, 'tis for the rebellious also; not that God doth dwell in them as such, but that by his gifts of Grace he turns rebellious Hearts into gracious, and so comes and dwells in them as his own Tabernacle. Wherefore I conclude that God works the Principles of Grace in an insuperable way.

2. As to the second Instant of Conversion, God works actual Conversion also in an insuperable way; so that sooner or later it always takes effect. And this will appear

p. 5131. From the Vitality of gracious Principles as backed with auxiliary Grace; there is a divine Vigor in these Principles, these are a Well of living water ready to spring up, a Seed of God ready to shoot forth, and a Beam of the divine Nature ready to sparkle out; wherefore when auxiliary Grace stirs up this Well of living water, bedews this Seed of God, and blows up this Beam of the divine Nature, it is no wonder at all, that actual Conversion should infallibly follow. Auxiliary Grace stirs up the Principles of Grace, these stir up the Soul, and that by virtue of both the former stirs up it self unto actual Conversion; and so actual Conversion comes forth into Being.

2. From the Insuperability of Grace in the Illumination of the Understanding. God doth enlighten the Understanding in an irresistible way, he shines into the heart, he puts wisdom into the hidden parts, who teaches like him, Job 36. 22? He teaches with a strong hand, Isai. 8. 11. He teaches in the demonstration of the Spirit and power, 1 Cor. 2. 4. A Demonstration is such a thing as cannot be resisted by the mind of Man; and of all Demonstrations, the demonstration of the Spirit is most invincible. p. 514Now if the Understanding be irresistibly enlightned, then the Will (as I have before proved) doth infallibly follow it; they that know God's name will trust in it; the foreign will come to Jesus Christ; truth, if but rightly known, will make us free; true Wisdom dwells with prudence, and practically leads in the way of Righteousness; 'tis a Suada to the Will, and draws it home to God in actual Conversion.

3. From those Scriptures which set forth God as the Author of actual Conversion. He gives foreign, the actual believing, Phil. 1. 29. he grants repentance unto life, Acts 11. 18. he works foreign, the very act of willing, Phil. 2. 13. he causes to walk in his statutes, Ezek. 36. 27. In every true Convert there is more than a mere Man, the grace of God is to be seen in him, Acts 11. 23. there is God in converting Paul, Gal. 1. 24. In the Temple of the new Creature every thing speaks of his glory, every holy breath in the Will must praise the Lord as its Author: If God did not work the very Act of Willing, then (which I tremble to utter) all the Prayers made to him for converting Grace are but God-mockeries; all the Praises offered up p. 515to him for the same are but false Hallelujahs; then they which glorified God in converting Paul, glorified but an Idol of their own Fancy; they which glorified God in the repenting Gentiles, Acts 11. 18. offered but a blind Sacrifice. When we pray, that God's kingdom should come into our hearts, we do not mean that God should put our Wills in aequilibrio, but our Wills should be subdued under God's. When David and his People offered willingly unto God, he falls into a kind of Extasie; Who am I, and what is my people, 1 Chron. 29. 14? And, Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, Ver. 11. even the victory over hearts; and, All things are of thee, Ver. 14. not only our Gold and Silver, not only our Hearts and Wills, but our very actual Willingness also. You will say, All this is true; God works the very Act of Willing, but not insuperably, but so as men do not resist the Work of Grace. But what's the meaning of this? God works the Will, so as men do not resist; not to resist is to obey: Wherefore the plain meaning is, God works the Act of Willing, so as men do will, which is very absurd; Because it makes the very same Act p. 516of Willing to be the Condition of it self. Again; What is it for God to work the Act of Willing, so as men do not resist, but to work it in a way of dependence upon Man's Will? and what is that but to contradict the Apostle, who saith, that God works the Act of willing, foreign, of his own good pleasure; if he do it of his own good pleasure, surely not in a way of dependence upon Man's Will, but in a glorious insuperable manner.

4. From those Scriptures whose truth is so founded upon insuperable Grace, that it cannot stand without it. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, Jer. 31. 18. Turn us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned, Lam. 5. 21. If Man's actual Turn do not infallibly follow upon God's turning Grace, what truth is there in these [Ands] which couple both together? Other sheep I must bring, (saith Christ) and they shall hear my voice, Joh. 10. 16. and, which agrees with it, The salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it, Acts 28. 28. What Connexion is there betwixt Christ's bringing and Man's hearing, or betwixt Salvation sent and Man's hearing without insuperable Grace? Again; God says, I will put my Spirit within you and you shall live, Ezek. p. 51737. 14. and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, Ezek. 36. 27. What necessity of Life or Obedience in them, if the holy Spirit be given in a resistible way? Again; God says to Christ, Thou shalt call a nation, and nations shall run unto thee, Isai. 55. 5. and the Church prays, Draw me, we will run after thee, Cant. 1. 4. Where's the truth of these Propositions, if God's calling and drawing do not infer Man's running? Again David prays, Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end; give me understanding, and I shall keep thy Law, Psal. 119. 33, 34. Where's the consequence of David's Obedience upon God's Teaching, if Grace be superable? Moreover, God says, I will be as dew to Israel, he shall grow as the lilly, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon, his branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, Hos. 14. 5, 6. Here's Israel very florid, but that which secures all is insuperable Grace; nothing could hinder their spiritual prosperity, who had God for their dew; I say, nothing, not Lusts; for Ephraim shall say, What have I to do with Idols, Ver. 8? not backslidings, for God says, I will heal their back-slidings, Ver. 4. not barrenness, for God tells them, p. 518from me is thy fruit found, Ver. 8. not deadness, for they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine, Ver. 7. But if the Work of Grace may be frustrated, then there is no certain root for all this holy fruit to stand upon.

5. From those Scriptures which set forth actual Conversion as a Work of Power, Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Psal. 110. 3. God fulfils the work of faith with power, 2 Thess. 1. 11. the Principle of Faith is incomplete without its Act, but God by his powerful Grace actuates it in us. When our Saviour Christ told his Disciples, that it was easier for a camel to go through a needles eye, than for a rich man to enter into Gods kingdom, they cried out with amazement, Who then can be saved? but our Saviour unties the knot thus; The things that are unpossible with men, are possible with God, Luk. 18. 24, 25, 26, 27. God by the power of his Grace can fetch off the World, the Camels bunch, from the Heart, and so make it pass as it were through the needles eye into the Kingdom of God. But now the assertors of resistible Grace may turn the words thus; The things which according to the ordinary working of Grace are impossible with p. 519God, are possible with Men; that crowning Work of actual Conversion, which is too hard and heavy for God's free Grace is absolved and dispatched out of hand by Man's free Will. In the Parable of the lost Sheep, we find God going after it until he find it, & then laying it upon his shoulders, Luk. 15. 4, 5. He goes after it in the Means of Grace, he finds it by the intimate Inshinings of his Spirit, and he lays it upon the shoulders of his power, that he may bring it home to himself in actual Conversion. But now if Grace be resistible, the Almighty Shoulders are only put under mans Will to bear it up in aequilibrio, to see whether it will go home to God or not; it may be it will, it may be it will not: Gods Power doth but attend on Man's Will as the Umpire of all.

6. From those Scriptures which shew forth actual Conversion as a Conquest. Thanks be to God (saith the Apostle) foreign, that triumpheth us in Christ, 2 Cor. 2. 14. that is, that subdues us to the Gospel, and makes us Instruments of his Grace to subdue others thereunto. Christ rides upon his white horse, the Word of Truth, foreign, conquering and to conquer, Rev. 6. 2. he leads captivity captive, p. 520Psal. 68. 18. those men, which were Captives to Sin and Satan before, now become Captives to his Spirit and Grace, and as Captives foreign, he translates them into his own kingdom, Col. 1. 13. he carries them away out of the native Soil of their Corruption, into the land of uprightness; and (which further shews the Insuperability of this Conquest) he binds the strong man and spoils his goods, Matth. 12. 29. he casts down foreign, every height, and captivates foreign, every thought to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 5. and that this may be surely effected, there are weapons foreign, mighty to God, Ver. 4. to accomplish his Will in that behalf, he circumcises, or (as the Septuagint hath it) foreign, he purges the heart round about, Deut. 30. 6. He baptises it with the holy Ghost and fire, Matth. 3. 11. Fire-like he purges out the dross, and converts the Heart into his own Nature in a glorious way; he causes men to walk in his statutes, Ezek. 36. 27. Oh! what words of Power? What Triumphs of free Grace are these? Here's the day of Gods power; here's the Jerusalem above, the mother of true freedom. Neither is there any Shipwrack of humane Liberty in all this, for God can change the unwilling p. 521Will into a willing Will; or else (which is durus sermo) he, that made free Will, cannot have mercy upon it; he, that made the Horologe of the Heart and all its pins, cannot move the Wheels. But if God work Conversion in a resistible way, then free Grace must lose its triumph, and free Will must take the Crown; free Grace works only a posse convertere, and free Will completes it in an actual Conversion; free Grace may set the Will in aequilibrio, and that's all, but free Will must do the business, and that in a self-glorying way, not in the humble posture of the Apostle, foreign, looking off from our selves to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, Heb. 12. 2. but in the proud posture of the Pharisee, foreign, standing to himself, Luk. 18. 11. Free Grace must not act or move the Will unto actual Conversion; for all Action or Motion of the Will, so far as it is Action or Motion, is a determination thereof, and a determination from Grace cannot (according to the Remonstrants Doctrine) consist with the Liberty of the Will: wherefore free Grace having set the Will in aequilibrio must act or move no further, but leave it to move and determine it self in actual Conversion, p. 222that is, in plain Terms, give up the Crown and Glory of all unto it. But how absurd is this? God says, No flesh shall glory in it self, and shall Man's Will vaunt it thus? God says, foreign, I have left or reserved so many to my self, Rom. 11. 4. and shall free Will say so? Christ's Manhood did not anoint it self, and shall free Will turn it self? God by his Grace begins to build a Tabernacle for the Spirit, he begins in the Understanding by Illumination, in the Affections by holy Motions, and in the Will by a posse convertere; and is he not able to finish the Work by an actual Conversion? All Nations (saith the Prophet) are but as a dust of the ballance to him, Isai. 40. 15. and by the same reason, all their Wills are but as the dust of the ballance to his Will; and shall this small Dust turn the Scales in the weighty business of Conversion? Nay, shall it do so, after creating, regenerating, quickning, captivating, conquering, translating, renewing, drawing, powerfully working Grace hath done its utmost? Surely it cannot be: Wherefore I conclude, That God works actual Conversion in an insuperable way.

Having thus debated the Manner of p. 523Conversion, I procede to the last thing proposed, viz.

Quaere 3. Whether the Will of God touching Conversion be always accomplished therein?

For answer whereunto, I must first lay down a Distinction as a Foundation. God may be said to will the Conversion of men two ways; either by such a will as is effective and determinative of the Event, or by such a Will as is only virtual and ordinative of the Means tending thereunto: Both parts of this distinction are bottomed upon Scripture.

1. God wills the Conversion of some by such a Will as is effective and determinative of the Event. There are some chosen to holiness, Eph. 1. 4. called foreign, according to purpose, Rom. 8. 28. predestinated to be conformed to Christs image, Ver. 29. begotten of God's own will to be first-fruits to him, Jam. 1. 18. and within that election of Grace which doth ever obtein, Rom. 11. 5, 7. Touching these the Will of God is effective and determinative of the Event, in these Conversion is wrought after an irresistible and insuperable manner.

2. God wills the Conversion of others by p. 524such a Will as is only virtual and ordinative of the Means tending thereunto. Thus God would have healed Israel, Hos. 7. 1. Thus God wills the turning of the wicked, who yet dieth in his sin, Ezek. 33. 11. because the true tendency of the Means is to heal and turn them. Thus the Apostle asserts, that God will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. 2. 4. In which place, as I take it, the word [All] extends further than to the Elect; for those words of the Apostle are laid down as a ground of that Exhortation to pray for all men, Ver. 1. and that Exhortation to Prayer extends further than to the Elect: wherefore the [All] whom God would have to be saved, being parallel and coextensive to the [All] whom we are to pray for, must also extend beyond the Elect. Wherefore I conceive that the latter part of the words, viz. [and to come to the knowledge of the truth] is a Key to the former, viz. [That God would have all to be saved.] God would have all to be saved, so far, as he would have all to come to the knowledge of the Truth, and he would have all to come to the knowledge of the Truth, so far, as he wills Means of Knowledge unto them; p. 525for the true end and tendency of the Means (and that from the Will of God ordaining the same thereunto) is that men might be turned and saved; Wherefore in respect of that Ordination God may be truly said by a kind of virtual and ordinative Will to will the turning and Salvation of all men. This I shall explain

1. With reference to those in the Bosom of the Church.

2. With reference to those out of it.

1. God by a virtual or ordinative Will doth will the Turning and Salvation of all Men within the Bosom of the Church; for they have Jesus Christ set before their Eyes, and what was the true End of Christ's coming, but to turn every one from his iniquities, Acts 3. 26? They have the Gospel preached unto them; there we have God spreading out his hands all the day, standing and knocking at the door of the heart, crying out with redoubled Calls, Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die? Wooing and beseeching men, be ye reconciled unto me; making his salvation bringing grace appear unto all men, even to the Non-elect themselves, and causing the kingdom of God p. 526to come nigh unto men, even to such as for the rejection thereof have the dust of their city wiped off against them; and what is the meaning of all this, if God no way will their Conversion? Take away God's ordinative Will, and then God (as to the Non-elect) spreads out his hands of Mercy that he may shut them; knocks, that he may be barred out; cries and beseeches, that he may not be heard; makes his Grace appear and Kingdom come nigh, that it may be rejected, and not received: All which is to evacuate Scripture and put a lye upon the offers of Grace. Neither will it salve the business, to say, there is a Voluntas signi in all this; for what is Voluntas signi, if it be not signum Voluntatis? If it be only an outward Sign or Appearance, and there be no Counterpane or Prototype thereof within the divine Will, how is it a true Sign? Which way could it be breathed out from God's Heart? When God makes his great Gospel-supper, and says, Come, for all things are ready, he is not, he cannot be like him with the evil eye, who saith, Eat and drink, but his heart is not with thee, Prov. 23. 6, 7. No, God's Heart goes along with every Offer of Grace; he never calls but in a serious p. 527manner: And therefore unbelieving and impenitent Persons are in Scripture said, not only to reject the Means; but to receive the grace of God in vain, 2 Cor. 6. 1. to reject the counsel of God against themselves, Luk. 7. 30. and to make God a lyar 1 Joh. 5. 10. as if he meant not really in the Offers of his Son Jesus Christ. When God threatned the Jews with his Judgements, they belied the Lord, and said, it is not he, Jer. 5. 12. and when God offers men Grace in the Gospel, they by their Unbelief belye the Lord and say, It is not he; 'tis but only the Minister or outward Sign, God's Heart or Mind is not in it. Under such weighty words as these doth the Scripture set out the rejection of means, because of God's ordinative Will' that God who will one day mock at the rejecters of his call, Prov. 1. 26. doth not now mock them in the Grace of his Call; the true end of his Call is their Conversion, & that that end is not attained, the only Reason lies within themselves in their own corrupt unbelieving Hearts. Moreover it is worthy of our consideration, that those Scriptures (which the Remonstrants urge to prove that all the Operations of Grace, even those in the very Elect who actually turn unto God, are resistible) p. 528do signally set forth this ordinative Will of God: As first they urge that Matth. 23. 37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not: Here, say they, is resistible Grace. Very well; but what Grace doth the Text speak of? It speaks only of the Grace afforded to those Jews which were never gathered or converted thereby, but not a tittle of the Grace afforded to those Jews which were thereby actually gathered or converted; and how then can it prove, that this latter Grace (of which it speaks not at all) was resistible? If it prove this Grace resistible, it can be upon no other ground but this only, That the Grace afforded to the Jews which were not gathered, and the Grace afforded to the Jews which were gathered was one and the same: but how can that be made good? Can that Text assert an equality of Grace to both sorts of Jews, which speaks only of the Grace afforded to one of them, viz. to the ungathered ones? 'Tis impossible: But if it be not the Truth of the Text, is there yet any p. 529Truth in the thing? Had all the Jews equal Grace with the Jews given to Christ, with the Jews drawn by the Father, with the Jews chosen out of the world? 'Tis incredible. The Remonstrants allow that God doth irresistibly enlighten the Understanding, excite the Affections, and infuse a posse convertere into the Will; but was it thus with all the Jews? Were the blind leaders of the blind thus enlightned? Were the malicious scorners thus affected? Were those which could not believe, Joh. 12. 39. endued with a posse convertere? It cannot be. Wherefore this Text speaking only of the Grace given to the ungathered Jews, proves not the Grace given to the other Jews to be resistible, but it genuinely proves a Will in God to gather them all under his wings of Grace; I say, a Will in God, for it cannot be interpreted of Christ's humane Will; for the gathering willed was not only a gathering by Christ's Ministry, but by the Mission of Prophets before his Incarnation, to which Christ's humane Will could not extend, because not then in being: Wherefore this Will is God's ordinative Will, imported in the Ministery of Christ and the Prophets, the proper end & tendency whereof p. 530was to gather them into the bosom of his Grace. This Calvin in his Commentaries upon this place calls, mirum & incomparabile amoris documentum; and withal adds, significat nunquam proponi nobis Dei verbum, quin ipse maternâ dulcedine gremium suum nobis aperiat. Again, they urge that Isai. 65. 2. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people; but this place speaks only of the Grace afforded to the Rebellious, and therefore it proves not that the Grace afforded to the Elect was resistible. Neither is it imaginable, that the same measure of Grace is signified in this expansion of God's hand, as in the revelation of his arm, Isai. 53. 1. The Apostle quoteth this place, Rom. 10. 21. yet withal asserts, that there was a remnant according to the election of Grace, Rom. 11. 5. not a remnant according to the better improvement of the same Grace, but a remnant according to the election of Grace; such as pure Grace had reserved to it self, by those special Operations which were not vouchsafed to the blinded ones, Ver. 7. God's stretching out his hands is all one with his call, Prov. 1. 24. but all men are not called after the …me rate as the called according to purpose: Wherefore this place p. 531proves not, that the workings of Grace as to the Elect are resistible; but that the Offers of Grace as to the Non-elect are serious, God in the Means really spreading out his Arms of Grace unto them. Again; they urge that of our Saviour, These things I say that you might be saved, Joh. 5. 34. which words were spoken to them, which would not come to Christ, Ver. 40. but that the holy Spirit spake as inwardly and powerfully to them, as to the Elect who hear and learn of the Father, what Chymistry can extract it out of this Text? or from what other Scripture can it be demonstrated? God commands the light to shine out of darkness in some hearts, 2 Cor. 4. 6. but doth he so in all? Whence then are those blinded ones, Ver. 4? If there be any such, where is the Remonstrants Equality of Grace? Where, when they say, that Illumination is wrought irresistibly? These things cannot consist together. Wherefore our Saviours words shew not forth the weakness or superableness of Grace as to the Elect, but the true End and Scope of Christ's Preaching as to the Non-elect; what he spake to them was in order to their Salvation. Again; they urge that, The Pharisees and Lawyers p. 532rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him, that is, of John, Luk. 7. 30. Here, (say they) is their Thesis in terminis: But this place is so far from proving that the internal Grace vouchsafed to the Elect is resistible, that from hence it cannot be proved, that these Rejecters had any workings of internal Grace at all in them: For internal Grace runs in the Veins of Ordinances, and the Ordinance here spoken of was John's Baptism, and that these Rejecters would not partake of at all; for so saith the Text, They were not baptized of him, and then which way should they come by internal Grace? could they have it quite out of God's Way? No, surely, there is little or rather no reason to imagine that these Rejecters so far scorning God's Ordinance, as not so much as outwardly to be made partakers thereof, should yet have the workings of internal Grace in them. But suppose they had some internal Working, must it needs be the baptism of the holy Ghost and fire, such intimate and powerful working as is in the Elect? Not a tittle of this appears in the Text: wherefore this place proves not that the working of Grace in the Elect is resistible, but it signally shews forth the p. 533nature of divine Ordinances. Every Ordinance is an Ordinance from the Will of God; 'tis an Appointment dropt down from Heaven; 'tis divinely destinated foreign, for edification and not for destruction; 'tis the Place where God records his Name; 'tis the Way where God would be met withal; 'tis the Oracle where God would be heard; 'tis a kind of Tabernacle of witness where God attesteth the Riches of his Grace. John's Baptism was not a mere external Sign or Shadow, but imported God's ordinative Counsel to bring men to Repentance; 'twas foreign, to repentance, as its proper End, Matth. 3. 11. Gospel-preaching is not a mere sound or voice of Words, but it importeth Gods ordinative Counsel to turn men unto himself. Hence every true Minister is said to stand in Gods counsel, and for this very End, to turn them from the evil of their doings, Jer. 23. 22. Every Ordinance speaks an ordinative Counsel for some spiritual End, a serious Ordination for the good of Souls. Oh! that every one would think so indeed, how surely would they find that God is in it of a truth; whosoever comes to an Ordinance so thinking, justifies Gods Institution and meets his Benediction; but p. 534he who comes and thinks otherwise, doth by that very thought forsake the ordinance of his God, and reject his counsel, though not in so high and gross a manner as the Pharisees and Lawyers did, who would not so much as outwardly partake of John's Baptism. Again; they urge that, What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? Isai. 5. 4. Here (say they) were omnia adhibita, not a tantillum gratiae wanting; here seems to be the ultimus conatus, the utmost Acting of Grace, even equal to those Operations of Grace which were in the Converts of the Jewish Church, and that upon a double account; First because God says, What could be done more? Secondly, because God had done so much that he expected the grapes of Holiness and Obedience from them; and yet after all this they brought forth wild Grapes: Hence the Remonstrants conclude, that Conversion is wrought in a resistible way. I answer; those which will take the true measure of the Grace set forth in this Text, must first consider to whom this Grace was afforded; 'twas to the Jewish Church p. 535in common, even to every member thereof: this granted, as it cannot be denied, I procede to answer, first as to that expression, What could have been done more? Either the meaning of it is, what could have been done more in a way of internal Grace, or else it is, what could have been done more in a way of external Means; the first cannot be the meaning, that God could do no more in a way of internal Grace; if God had said so in that sence, the Jewish Church might have aptly answered, Lord! couldst thou not write the Law in every Heart? Couldst thou not make a new heart in every one of us? O how many unregenerate Souls are there found in me! But if not that, Lord! couldst thou not at least have inwardly enlightned every one? Couldst thou not have given him some inward dispositions to Conversion? O how many ignorant Souls are there, which call evil good and good evil, and put darkness for light and light for darkness, Isai. 5. 20! these are not so much as inwardly inlightned: O! how many Atheists are there which jear and scoff at the Threatnings of God, saying, Let him hasten his work that we may see it, p. 536let the counsel of the holy One draw nigh, that we may know it, Ver. 9. These are so far from any dispositions to Conversion, that they scarce have the sense of a Deity in them. Lord! thou, who didst plant me a Vineyard or visible Church, couldst have planted saving Graces in every Heart; thou, who didst gather out the stones of publick annoyance out of me, couldst have took away the privy stone of hardness out of every Heart; doubtless thou art Almighty and therefore thou canst do it; thou art True, and therefore thou wilt do it, if thou hast said it. Hence it appears, that that Expression [What could have been done more?] relates not to internal Grace, but external means: 'tis as if God had said, O Israel! I have planted thee in a Canaan, I have set thee my only visible Church in the world, I have manured thee by my Prophets, I have betrusted thee with the lively Oracles of my Law, I have fenced thee in with my waky providence and protection; What Nation is there so great, who hath me so nigh unto them, who hath judgments and statutes so righteous? What National or Church-privilege is there yet behind? What could have been done more p. 537for a Church under the legal Pedagogy and before the Messiah's coming in the flesh? This I take to be the proper meaning of the words. Secondly, as to God's expectation, neither doth that imply that there were omnia adhibita; for when God came and sought fruit on the Fig-tree, the seeking there was as much as the expecting here, and yet there were not omnia adhibita, no, not as to external Means; for after his seeking, he digged about it and dunged it, that it might be fruitful, Luk. 13. 6, 7, 8, 9. Now by all this it appears, that that Parable of the Vineyard proves, not that the internal Grace afforded to those Jews which were thereby converted was resistible; but it proves that the proper End and Tendency of the Means afforded to the Jewish Church, was that they might bring forth good fruits to God, and in respect of that Ordination God is said to expect those good fruits from them.

2. God by a virtual or ordinative Will doth will the Turning and Salvation even of the very Pagans. According to that Will, God would (as I have before laid down) be seen in every creature, sought and p. 538felt in every place, witnessed in every shower and fruitful season, feared in the sea-bounding sand, humbled under in every abasing providence, and turned to in every judgment. This the very Philistines saw by the Light of Nature; Give Glory to God (say they) peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, 1 Sam. 6. 5. Also the Ninevites Counsel was, to Cry mightily to God and turn from their evil ways, who can tell (say they) if God will turn and repent, Jonah 3. 8, 9. In a word; the meaning of all God's Works is that men should fear before him, Eccles. 3. 14. The goodness and patience of God leads them to repentance, Rom. 2. 4. Hence the Apostle tells us, The Lord is long-suffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, 2 Pet. 3. 9. Mirus hîc erga humanum genus amor (saith Calvin on the place) quòd omnes vult esse salvos, & ultrò pereuntes in salutem colligere paratus est. God in indulging his Patience and Longsuffering to men, doth virtually will their Repentance and Salvation. I know some interpret this place otherwise: God is long-suffering to us, that is, the foreign, in the former Verse, not willing that any (viz. p. 539of us) should perish, but that all (viz. of us) should come to Repentance. But I conceive that there is no Necessity at all that the Text should be so straitned, nor yet Congruity for Long-suffering towards the beloved, that they (who have already repented) should come to Repentance: Neither doth this answer the Scope of the place, which asserts, that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, upon this ground, because of his long-suffering; and his Longsuffering extends to all, and in that extent its true End and Scope is to lead them to repentance and salvation. Wherefore the meaning is, God is long-suffering to us, not to us beloved only, but to us men, not willing our Perdition but Repentance: The true Duct and Tendency of his Longsuffering is to lead men to repentance and salvation; and therefore in willing that Long-suffering, he doth virtually and ordinatively will their Repentance and Salvation.

Having thus at large laid down this Distinction with its parts, my Answer to the Quaere proposed is this; God's Will of Conversion, as effective and determinative p. 540of the Event, is accomplished in the actual Conversion of all the Elect by insuperable Grace; and God's Will of Conversion, as virtual and ordinative of Means, is accomplished in this, That there is a serious Exhibition of the Means in order to Conversion, as their proper End, and that that End (but for Man's voluntary Corruption) would be thereby attained, even in all.

FINIS.

End of the text · Edward Polhill, The Divine Will Considered in its Eternal Decrees and Holy Execution (1695)