The Lightless Star, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Now for the Pelagianisme of this Doctrine.
1 SUppose it acknowledge no supernaturall grace, (and therefore no grace) but only toying with the word Grace, ascribes saving vertues and operations to Nature, and an assistance from God, proportion'd and attemper'd to the heedfull exercise and improvement of naturall abilities, then is it evidently Pelagian, and that of the first stamp.
But if this be not the spirit of this Doctrine those conclusions here laid downe are very closely exprest.
1 That men act beneath themselves, (and here he speakes of the generality of men) are remisse, and slothfull, in awakening those Principles of light and understanding that are vested in their Natures, or else willingly choake, suppresse, and smother them, if they remaine in the snare of unbeleefe.
2 That men who act, and quit themselves according to the true Principles of that reason which God hath planted in them, cannot but beleeve, and be partakers of the precious faith of the Gospel. Let us now adde a further explication in his owne words presently after, and this will yet more clearly appeare to have been his meaning which we here suppose; his words are as followeth. That about the efficacy of the Grace of God vouchsafed unto men, there is a great abuse of the word Naturall, and so of the word Supernaturall, a word not found in the Scriptures, either formally, or vertually; (the grosse falshood whereof we shall see in due place) and that the Scripture knoweth not the word Naturall in any such sence, wherein it should distinguish the unregenerate state of a man from the regenerate, (as false as the former, as in due time shall be demonstrated.) Now this Commentary of his owne is so manifest for the sence we here suppose, as needs no insisting upon; for if the efficacy of Grace be not supernaturall, then neither is Grace it selfe as the Principle, nor any effects of Grace, as to beleeve, repent, &c. supernaturall; for the principle, operation, and effects are all of one kinde, naturall or supernaturall; and so Grace is nothing else but a naturall endowment, and improvement.
But then, what shall be his meaning afterwards in his explication of the Parable of the Talents, where he speakes thus: That in case men will stirre up, and lay out themselves accordingly, in the improvement of such abilities and gifts, as shall from time to time be vouchsafed to them, they may by vertue of the bounty, and gracious decree of God in that behalfe, attaine, and receive from God what proportion, and measure of the Spirit and Grace of God they can desire.
I answer; The worke of this Spirit of Grace upon their hearts, if it be supernaturall, he contradicts himselfe, who will not allow that word either formally, or vertually about the efficacy of Grace; if he doe not contradict himselfe, this worke of the Spirit must be nothing slse but such an influx, as is attemper'd, and proportion'd to mans Naturall acting, and therefore naturall. But this was the frequent manner of his great Apostle Pelagius, to play fast and loose at every turne with the words Grace, and Nature. I much suspect that very Doctrine of Pelagius, which Austine layes downe in his owne words, Lib. de grat. Christi, &c. c. 4. to be here touched: We, saith Pelagius, distinguish thus these three; In the first place we appoint, to be able; in the second, to will; in the third, to be; To be able, we place in Nature, to will, in free Choyce, to be, in effect. That first, to be able belongs properly to God, who hath conferred it upon his Creature; the two others, that is, to will, and to be, are to be referred unto man, because they descended from the fountaine of Free will; therefore in the will, and in the good worke, the praise is of man, yea, both of man and God, who hath given to him the possibility of the will it selfe, and of the work, and who alwayes helps that possibility it selfe with the ayde of his Grace, but that men may be able to will good, and to finish it, this is only of God. See now what Austine here advertiseth, concerning Pelagius his Concession of Grace, (which, how rightly it suits Master Goodwin, let the Reader judge. Whensoever (saith he) we heare that he confesseth the aide of Divine Grace, we ought to know, that he neither beleeves our wil, nor our action to be helped hereby, but only the possibility of the will, and work; which alone of these three he affirmes that we have of God, and this in nature, as is manifest.