Natural and Moral Impotency, Discourse · Application 1 – Application 4
USE. 1.
HOw much to blame are thoſe that dread not Extreams? It is very common with men, when once they are fully convinced that there is a dangerous errour on one hand, to be careleſs how far they run on the other hand, and to entertain an errour as dangerous, and maintain it to help againſt the other; though it may prove as incommodious to their Souls, as once our predeceſſors found it to the State, when they fetcht in the Saxons to drive out the Picts.
St. Auſtin tells us it was the great care of every Orthodox Teacher in his time,Lib. 2. de peccat. merit. cay. 18. to take heed leſt they ſhould ſo defend Grace, as to deny free-will; and leſt they ſhould ſo defend free-will, as to deny Grace: and a good care it was.
Some have ſpoken againſt Free-will to good in any ſenſe, have ſpoken without fear of over-ſpeaking of mans Impotency to Good, without any check or limitation; yea, and called it a Natural Impotency in the ſenſe explained; and however cuſtome hath ſo obtained, that the moſt underſtand it (without explication) of a Natural Impotency, which to affirm, is virtually to lay mans deſtruction at Gods Door, notwithſtanding Chriſts Death and the Goſpel, and to clear Man. How ſad it ſhould be to us, that many have expreſſed themſelves in ſuch terms, (though they did contradict it again virtually) that if wicked men had Believed them (without doubt they had ſuch checks of Conſcience, that they did not) they might have encouraged their Hearts, as if their refuſal of Chriſt and Grace was not their Malignity and Wickedneſs; was not a Moral thing, but their Weakneſs, as oppoſed to Moral and Voluntary; a Weakneſs oppoſed to Wilfulneſs, or however different from it, a Cannot diſtinct from Will not; which every one hath a Notion that a man may be pittied, but not blamed for. If any ſay I have ſpoken thus, and held thus; but now ſee it is an Errour ſubverting the very Foundation: but while I did hold it, I held it only Cloudily and Notionally, but I did practically hold the contrary, or I could not have Reproved others, or Repented of my former Sins: I readily believe you, and ſhall only ſay, Learn Charity to thoſe that differ from you.
Again, ſome have ſo defended Free-will, that they have maintained, that God giveth to Men only a power of Chooſing Good and Evil, and will go no further with any. If any ſuch are ſenſible that Blaſphemhy to the Spirit is written on the Fore-head of this Opinion, and that it makes the Spirits help, needleſs to a Man of ſound Intellectuals; having a ſufficient objective Evidence, and ſhall ſay, I held this only Notionally; for I did pray, which I could not have done had I held it practically: I ſhall ſay the ſame, I readily believe it, do you alſo learn Charity.
If any ſhould tell me I am too Charitable, in granting that Men may hold Errors deſtructive of Religion, Notionally and Doctrinally, and yet hold the contrary Truth Practically. I anſwer, I know I am not, and any obſervant Man ſees it very frequent. If you ſhould reply, ſurely no Man holdeth Contradictions; quite contrary Opinions, however no judicious Man. Yea, I may confidently ſay, every judicious Man doth ſo, ſince every man in this World holdeth ſome Errours; and this may convince you, viz. If there be any man that you think you can truly Convince of an Errour he holds, you do equally think he holds Contradictions; Becauſe elſe you could not think you could Confute him, or ſo much as rationally Diſpute with him, if you did not think he agreed in ſomething with you, even in that which you will make your medium to Convince him, by ſhewing that his erroneous Opinion contradicts that which he agrees with you in. And you alſo judge that he holds that Truth wherein he agrees with you far more diſtinctly and firmly; ſo that when you have manifeſted unto him that thoſe Opinions contradict one another, he will rather Renounce and Condemn (for no man can hold what he ſees a Contradiction) that Erroneous Opinion, than that Tenent wherein he agrees with you, and therefore he holds as you judge the Truth oppoſite to the Errour more firmly and practically.
If any ſhould ask me, Which Extream is moſt dangerous? I ſhall only anſwer, there have been many have conſtantly held this middle way for Subſtance, yea, the moſt have done ſo virtually; and they of them in extreams were in moſt danger that did leaſt contradict themſelves.
And if ſuch an Incompetent judge as I, may ſpeak without offence (and why may I not, you ſuffer Fools gladly, your ſelves being wiſe) I would commend both, and blame both. I commend their Zeal in general on the one hand, for maintaining Gods Love to the World, and his willing the Salvation of all men, on condition they would turn to him. And though I blame their denying ſpecial Grace, yet I am confident the main Reaſon of their denial was, becauſe they were ſure there was ſuch general Grace, and none could Preach without holding it in ſenſe; and they could not ſee it conſiſtent with ſpecial: and their Obpoſition to this ſpecial Grace was not through any ill will to it, had they thought it conſiſtent with general.
So I commend the Zeal in the other, in maintaining ſpecial Grace, but I blame their denying the general Grace. But yet am confident the main Reaſon of their denial was, becauſe they were ſure there was ſpecial Grace; and none could Pray without holding it in ſenſe, while they deny it in words; and they could not ſee it conſiſtent with the general Grace; and their Oppoſitions to this general Grace was not through any ill will to it, had they thought it conſiſtent with ſpecial.
But Sirs, are theſe ſo inconſiſtent, that you muſt either deny one or the other? For God to be ſo far willing of the Salvation of all, as to be willing to receive them on a condition, they have ſo far power enough to perform, that nothing hinders their performances but their own wilfulneſs; And to be ſo much further willing of the Salvation of ſome, as to reſolve to uſe effectual means to cauſe ſuch to perform it eventually? Is not the Scripture clear for both? And if we muſt meaſure Him by our ſelves, is it ſuch a difficulty that none can underſtand? for one to be really willing to entertain ſuch a one to be his Servant, if he will upon ſuch ſufficient offers and perſwaſions; and yet reſolve he will go no further; and to be ſo willing to have another his Servant, that he is reſolved to uſe all means to compaſs it. Suppoſe we cannot underſtand theſe things, may we deny in Divinity whatſoever we cannot underſtand conſiſtent, as the Trinity in Unity. It is apparent, that many things that were inextricable Difficulties in former, have in after Ages been made well Intelligible by Studious Men. How know you but had half that Pains, that Learned men have lately taken in oppoſing, been ſpent in reconciling the diſtant Opinions about Grace and Free-will; That might ere this have been done more ſatisfactorily which I have here weakly endeavoured, and done but too unſatisfactorily to my ſelf.
ƲSE 2d.
OWn, and thankfully acknowledge God and his good Spirit in every good Work, in things you are ſure were done by your own Free-will, as all ſuch are; yea, though you know not how to anſwer the Objections you can frame againſt this thankfulneſs. Have you believed, complied with the Goſpel? To you was the Arme of the Lord revealed; to you it was given to believe. Are you made of his willing people, it was done in a day of his Power. Therefore ſay not, How am I to be commended? But ſay with David, 1 Chro. 29.14. Who am I, that I ſhould be able to offer ſo willingly? for all things come of thee. Who made thee to differ? Why made he thee to differ? and ſince you cannot anſwer this laſt queſtion, Adore ſpecial Grace. Can you ſay, you muſt follow him, and cannot let him go; and that you have, in the ſenſe explained, a Moral cannot ſin and draw back? This is not from Self, and Nature; No the Moral cannot do Good is from that. O ſay, God hath caſt his Mantle over me, though I cannot tell what he hath done, or how, yet God knows what, and ſomething he hath done; ſay, The Finger of God is here. It is God hath made ſuch Iron to ſwim; the Father hath drawn How opened he thine eyes? I cannot tell; but this I can tell, whereas I was born Blind, and Deaf, and Lame, now I ſee, and Walk, and hear.
Haſt thou this day done ſome Good, avoided ſome Evil, overcome ſome Temptation? Say not (though true in a right ſenſe) as Deborah once did, O my Soul, Thou haſt troden down ſtrength; but ſay with them, This day we perceive the Lord hath been amongſt us, in that we have been with-held from this Sin.
I live, yet not I, but Chriſt in me, Gal. 2. 10. laboured more abundantly than all; yet not I, but the Grace of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15.10. Have you laboured abundantly? it was from an abundance of Grace.
If a good Thought ariſe in your mind, a good Deſire in your heart, take notice whence it is, and be thankful, he worketh to will and do. The Preparations of the Heart in man, and the anſwer of the Tongue is from the Lord, Prov. 16.1. City, grace, grace, at the ſetting of the firſt Stone, at the firſt Springings and Offers towards good; and at every degree of Progreſs, ſet up your Stone, and ſay, Hitherto the Lord hath helped us. Thou haſt wrought all our Works in us, and for us, Iſaiah 26.12.
ƲSE, 3d.
BE deeply apprehenſive of your need of help; cry for the Spirit's help in every thing. He that hath begun the good Work muſt finiſh it, or it will never be finiſhed. When you have with David praiſed him for what is paſt; that you ſhould offer ſo willingly, and with a perfect Heart, then pray, 1 Chron. 29.18. Keep this for ever in the I magination of the Thoughts of the Hearts of thy People, and prepare (or eſtabliſh and confirm) their hearts unto thee. When you cleave to the Lord with full purpoſe of Heart, with full Reſolution, go unto God to ſatisfie ſuch Reſolutions; go to him and ſay, the Lord God ſay Amen to them. Take heed of leaning to your own ſtrength, do not think you can do with ſome little courteſie of the Spirit, with ſome little of the Divine Traction. We are mutable Creatures, change with every Wind of Temptation, it may be reſolved to day, and ſtaggering to morrow. Oh our Levity, Fickleneſs, Oh the Rebellion of the Law of our Members! put no Confidence in your ſelves: Every man is a Lyer. Be not high minded but fear, We are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3.5. It is by his Power we are kept through Faith to Salvation; and we can only be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might. Not only our firſt drawing is from God unto God through Chriſt, but the keeping us when drawn; elſe we ſhould draw back unto Perdition: For we are Prone to it. Our goodneſs is as the Morning Cloud, and early Dew which ſoon goes away. Say, draw O Father, we cannot come except the Father draw; ſay while you live, Draw us and we will run after thee; draw, and we will run with it. Say not, Draw, and we will be idle and ſit ſtill. Say not, God worketh to will and to do, therefore we will be idle. You have not ſo learned Chriſt, but contrary, Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling: For it is God worketh in you, to will and to do, of his good pleaſure; that is, Forſake not him; fear to refuſe to co-operate with him, leſt he forſake you in reſpect of thoſe Aſſiſtances, that come from his free undeſerved Will and Pleaſure.
ƲSE, 4th
HOw ill do they that Place the Goſpelcondition, (the thing that muſt be done or we undone,) in ſomething that a man may ſay, He cannot do if he would never ſo fain. As in Aſſurance, or, Believing a man ſins are pardoned; or, That he ſhall be ſaved. Man hath a Natural Impotency to this, till God have ſo revealed it by ſome Prophet or Revelation; or ſome way that he may know in particular, that his ſins are pardoned: And therefore it cannot fall, till then, under command. Suppoſe there had been ſuch a Promiſe as this (which I abhor almoſt to mention): If any man ſhall believe his Sins are pardoned, they are or they ſhall be pardoned, otherwiſe not; no man could yet believe it. A man might Lye, and ſay I believe it, but it is impoſſible he ſhould upon this promiſe: for there muſt eſſentially be ſome way to notifie unto him that his ſins are pardoned before he believe it. This would have been to have ſet life before us upon an impoſſible condition. If a Maſter ſhould tell his Servant, There is a ſum of money in one room of his houſe, but will not firſt tell him what room it is in, but bids him believe it is in any particular room, and he ſhall have it. The Servant may poſſibly Lye to get the money, and ſay he believes it is in ſuch a Chamber, but it is impoſſible he ſhould believe it. And if his Maſter ſhould beat him becauſe he believes it not to be in ſome particular room, it would be for no fault: for he cannot do it, till his Maſter, or ſome credible perſon tells him firſt, it is in ſuch a room. A man muſt ſee he hath performed the Goſpel-condition, before he may or can, without irrational preſumption, account or eſteem his ſins pardoned.
And ſo alſo Relyance. Many a ſincere Chriſtian can ſay, I would rely on Chriſt to ſave me, but cannot; or, which is the ſame. I would caſt off my fears, but cannot. Without doubt men will not cry out hereafter, Why did not I believe my ſins were pardoned? Why did not I rely on Chriſt to ſave me? for God no where commanded theſe things immediately; theſe are not the Condemning ſins. But bring out thoſe mine Enemies that would not have me to rule over them, Luk. 19. 14, 17. And the complaint will be, Why would I not have this man to rule over me? and why would I not yield and ſubmit to the Goſpel-conditions? Somthing it muſt be that men are Condemned for, that they could but would not do.
But it would be a contradiction for any to ſay, I would with the prevailing choice, have Chriſt for my Lord and Saviour, and would not with the prevailing choice.