The Sum of Christian Religion, Animadversions · Articles · Article 4
ARTICLE IV.
This grace of God is the beginning, progreſſe, and perfection of all goodneſſe, and that ſo far, that the regenerate man himſelfe, without this firſt, or adventitious exciting, conſequent, and co-operating grace, can neither will, thinke, or do any good, nor reſiſt any evill tentation; ſo that all the good workes which we can imagine, are to be aſcribed to the grace of God in Chriſt. As for the true manner how that grace worketh, that is not irreſiſtible; for, it is ſaid of many, They reſiſted the holy Ghoſt, Act. 7. and elſe-where in many other places.
The Examination.
ALthough theſe two Articles in ſome ſort differ; for the third is, concerning the operating cauſe of faith and converſion in an unregenerate man: the fourth in the former part is, concerning the operating cauſe of the progreſſe, increment, and perfection of all good in the regenerate man; the other part is, concerning the manner by which that cauſe produceth both faith and converſion in the unregenerate, and the progreſſe, increment, and perfection in the regenerate; notwithſtanding, they do altogether cohere; and therefore, in the Conference, were conjoyned by the parties that conferred; yea, and the fifth, which is concerning the perſeverance of the Saints,Coll. p. 206. 225. 237. 268. is knit to the fourth, becauſe the way of operating grace hath relation as well to that perfection which is obtained by perſeverance, as to its beginning and progreſſe.
The third needs not much examination: if we follow the naturall ſenſe of the words, in both parts it is conſentaneous to holy Writ. 1. That the procreating cauſe of ſaving faith in man, is not man himſelfe, or his free-will; becauſe, in the ſtate of ſin, man is not fit to think or doe any good thing of himſelfe, according to Scripture, Epheſ. 2.9. 2 Cor. 3.5. &c. 2. That man neceſſarily muſt be by God in Chriſt, through the grace of the holy Ghoſt, regenerated or illuminated in his minde, renewed in his will, affections, &c. to underſtand, think, will, and perfect that which is good, according to the place alledged, John 15.6.
The fourth alſo in the former part, if you looke upon the words, is true, and gives glory to God, becauſe it aſcribes the beginning, progreſſe, and perfection of all goodneſſe in the regenerate man, to God, or to grace, according to theſe ſayings, Jam. 1.7. Epheſ. 2.9. Phil. 1.6. &c. Neither would the orthodox men in the Conference, reprehend any of theſe, if they be underſtood according to the meaning of holy Scripture. But there is poyſon in the taile. The cloſure, concerning the way of the operation of that grace, takes away what before was granted. They deny this way of operation to be irreſiſtible; in the Conference they call it reſiſtible: Theſe words, in their very ſound are horrid and barbarous, and not without a Soleciſme: they are barbarous, becauſe not knowne to Latine Writers, for ought I know, nor to the holy Scriptures; unheard alſo in the Schooles of orthodox Proteſtants, and perhaps of the Jeſuites too. I have not read all the Jeſuites, but Bellarmine, the chiefeſt of them, an exact Diſputer of generall and ſpeciall aſſiſtance, or indifferent, and not indifferent motion and grace, in his Books of Grace & Free-will, hath it no where, as I remember. It ſeems, that Arminius his party hath deviſed this high buskin of irreſiſtible grace, to the great benefit of their cauſe, to make the truth the more envied: As if, forſooth, the orthodoxall party did teach, that grace were irreſiſtible, that is, coactive, or coaction.
Even in ſenſe and ſignification the termes are barbarous: for, that is irreſiſtible, which cannot be reſiſted; reſiſtible, which may be reſiſted. By what Authour will they prove this to be ſpoken paſſively? Why may not rather actively irreſistible ſignifie that which cannot reſiſt; reſiſtible, which can reſiſt? Many verbals, indeed, in bilis, drawn from actives, ſignifie paſſively: as, amabilis, placabilis, &c. but not a few alſo deſcending from neutralls, are not of the paſſive, but of the neuter ſignification: as, rationabilis, riſibilis, &c. for him who can reaſon and laugh, &c. So the word Stabilis, which (doubtleſſe) the word Reſiſtibilis doth follow, from reſisto; that is, gradum ſiſto, to ſtand, or elſe, to reſiſt. As then ſtabilis, ſo inſtabilis, repugnabilis, are not paſſives, as if they ſignified to be ſtood, to be unſtood, to be reſisted; but neutralls, which ſignifie to ſtand long, not to ſtand, and able to reſist: So hee is called reſiſtible, not who can be reſiſted, but who can reſiſt: So contrarily, reſiſtible will be very reſiſting: as, Echo reſonabilis in Sabinus, is an Echo much reſounding; which meaning, when the clauſe wanted in both Articles, this was not according to the Remonſtrants mind: therfore they ſhould have firſt conſulted with Grammarians about the uſe of ſuch a barbarous word, before they had troubled the Church with it.
But let this barbarous word be Latine, and of the paſſive ſignification; let, I ſay, the operation of reſiſtible and irreſiſtible grace be that which may be reſiſted by mans will, or may not, or which may be hindred or not hindred by free-will: the queſtion is, what muſt be determined of this? Whether this grace, which produceth all theſe things, aſcribed to it in both Articles, be reſiſtible, or irreſiſtible?
The Remonſtrants affirme the former, but deny the later. Our orthodox men, in the Conference, acknowledge not this barbarous and ambiguous terme; but as for the matter it ſelfe, the former they denie, the later they affirme: If, Col. p. 217, 238, 239.(ſay they) by this word Reſiſt, be underſtood to hinder altogether, and to maſter Gods working, wee confeſſe, that in mans converſion, ſuch a working of grace is placed by us, which in this ſenſe is irreſiſtible; that is, which cannot be hindred nor maſtered by mans reſiſting will: the reaſon is, becauſe the grace of God in Chriſt doth overcome, hinder, and take away this oppoſition. And this their opinion they prove ſtrongly by ten Arguments out of Scripture. On the contarie, the Remonſtrants endeavour to ſhew by nine Reaſons, that their grace is reſiſtible, the moſt of them being equivocall,Col. p. 218. becauſe of the ambiguitie of the word Grace, Col. p. 226.upon which chiefly depends the whole companie of their ſayings and arguments. To unfold therefore this ambiguitie, and the better to perceive the ſtate of the queſtion, we muſt uſe the diſtinction of a three-fold ſtate of mans will.
For we muſt conſider what mans will can doe, or doth, before its converſion; what in converſion it ſelfe, and what after it. So there is a three-fold grace: the firſt is, calling grace, or, that of vocation externall, anſwering the firſt ſtate of the will: the other is operating grace, or, that of inward motion, anſwering the ſecond ſtate: the third is co-operating, or, of internall motion too, fit for the third ſtate.
Calling grace, or, of externall vocation, is that, by which God is pleaſed outwardly to call, or invite to faith, obedience, and ſalvation, by the voice of the Law, men not yet regenerate. Heare, O Iſrael, &c. Walk in my precepts, &c. Doe this, Mat. 11.28. Marc. 1.5.&c. And by Evangelicall Sermons, Come to mee all, &c. Repent, and beleeve the Gospel. This grace (which is uſually called preventing, precedaneous, exciting, inviting, perſwading) God did not beſtow, in the Old Teſtament upon every nation, but on Iſrael only, according to that, He hath declared his Statutes to Iſrael, he hath not done ſo to any other nation. So in the New Teſtament, God confers not this grace on all people, but on Chriſtians alone. Now, concerning this grace, we anſwer to the Queſtion, that it is not irreſiſtible, Col. p. 217. Rom. 8.6.but too much reſiſtible: yea, that the will before converſion can doe nothing, but reſiſt this calling grace; ſeeing the wiſdom of the fleſh is enmity againſt God, and is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither, indeed, can be. Hence are thoſe complaints of God, of Chriſt, of the Prophets and Apoſtles in both Teſtaments, concerning the reſiſtance and contumacie of thoſe who are called:Jer. 7.13. Pſal. 80.14. Mat. 23.37. Act. 7.51. I ſpake to you, riſing early in the morning, and calling, and you heard not; I called you, and you did not anſwer. O, if my people had hearkened to mee! If Iſrael had walked in my waies. How often would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldſt not? You alwaies reſist the holy Ghost, &c. The Remonſtrants in their ſecond, third, fourth, fifth, ſixth, ſeventh & eighth Arguments, prove onelyonly this, and no other reſiſtibilitie of grace. What doe they then with all theſe paines, but threſh huskes, as they ſay? For, of the reſiſtibilitie of this grace, there is no doubt, or queſtion.
Co-operating grace (for, of this we will ſpeak firſt) or ſubſequent, by them called conſequent, is that, by which God inwardly co-operates with the good will of the regenerate man; and, by which, the regenerate man is corroborated in the ſtate of grace.Pſal. 23.6. Jer. 32.40. Pſal. 143.10. 1 Cor. 1.8. 2 Theſ. 3.18. Of this it is ſaid, The mercy of the Lord ſhall follow me all the daies of my life. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhal not depart from me. Thy right Spirit ſhal lead me in the way of righteouſneſs. God will ſtrengthen you unblameable, even to the end. This is it wch Paul wiſheth to all Churches in the end of all his Epiſtles. And of this alſo there is no queſtion: For, though God doth never totally nor finally withdraw this from the regenerate (according to his own promiſes, and their prayers;) yet in his wiſdome he ſo moderates it, that now & then he leaves a wreſtling of the ſpirit & fleſh in them; either to free, or humble, or excite, or chaſtiſe them. In which ſometimes the ſpirit is maſtered by the fleſh, ſometime the fleſh by the ſpirit: as the fallings, and groanings, and complaints of the Saints witneſſe, and the Apoſtle confirmes, The fleſh covets againſt the ſpirit, Gal. 5.17.and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh. This alſo we are content ſhould be called reſistible; yet not ſimply, but in ſome reſpect: For this reſiſtibilitie or reſiſtance is not (as the former) between grace & the will, but between ſenſualitie, or that remainder of the fleſh in the Saints, & between grace▪ as the Apoſtle witneſſeth, That which I would, Rom. 7.15, 19.I doe not; but what I would not, that I doe: For, I do not the good, which I would; but the evill, which I would not, that do I. And ſo, that the fleſh at laſt is overcome by the ſpirit, ſenſuality by the regenerate will, & concupiſcence by grace.
Laſtly, Operating grace (which by them is confounded with the two former) is the motion of Gods merciemercy (as Auſtin calls it) by which hee worketh inwardly in the minds, wills, and hearts of the unregenerate theſe things which belong to mans converſion. This grace or motion is Gods peculiar work, and this is queſtioned, but not all: for, Scripture and experience witneſſe, that there are three diſtinct degrees of this grace: For, ſome God pities ſo much, that he beſtowes the gift of illumination and hiſtoricall faith on them; on others, the gift of temporarie faith, and ſome meaſure of joy: Laſtly, on ſome, the gift of ſaving faith and regeneration. This firſt degree the Remonſtrants themſelves denie not to be irreſiſtible:Col. p. 273. For, when (ſay they) God reveales his will, wee acknowledge the irreſiſtible vertue of the holy Spirit in our mind; becauſe our mind cannot avoid ipſum ſcire, or the knowledge it ſelfe, and in our ſoule, when he knocketh: becauſe, nill we, will we, we are forced to feel it. Concerning the reſiſtibilitie of the ſecond degree, we will not trouble our ſelves: for, they denie not the illumination of them to be irreſiſtible alſo. But for the motion to aſſent, and ſome meaſure of joy, they may, for us, think what they pleaſe. If they ſay it is reſiſtible, becauſe the motion doth not ſo effectually work upon the will, this is nothing to the queſtion. But, for a finall reſiſtance, both Scripture and example prove, They receive the word with joy; Luk. 8.17. John 6.66. 1 Tim. 1.19. and 4.1. 2 Pet. 2.1, 21.but have no root, who beleeve for a while, and in time of tentation faile. After that, many of his diſciples departed from him. Some have made ſhipwrack of their faith. Some depart from the faith, denying the Lord that bought them; they forſake the holy doctrine delivered to them.
The whole queſtion is, concerning the operation of the third degree (which is called inward vocation;) that this is the irreſiſtible motion of God, the orthodox Doctors have firmly proved.
1. Becauſe, as God doth irreſiſtibly illuminate thoſe, whom he doth effectually intend to convert; ſo likewiſe he doth irreſiſtibly beſtow on them, not onelyonly the power, but the act alſo of beleeving, Phil. 1.29. and 2.13. therefore, by his effectuall moving, he doth not onelyonly take away reſiſtance, but reſiſtibilitie alſo from them. Whereas they object, To you it is given to ſuffer for Chriſt: Col. p. 218.this belongs not to the operating, but to the co-operating grace. Of which wreſtling we ſaid already:Col. p. 229. therefore 'tis nothing to the purpoſe. 2. Becauſe God, by converting us, gives us a new heart, and a new ſpirit: he removes the heart of ſtone, and gives fleſh,Col. p. 218. & p. 281. and makes us walk in his waies. But it is abſurd, to imagine a new heart, a new ſpirit, and the act of walking in Gods lawes, with reſiſtance or reſiſtibilitie, Jer. 31.18. Deut. 29.4. Ezek. 36.26. againſt which no ſolid thing is alledged, though much is ſaid. 3. Becauſe the quickning, regeneration, converſion, new creation of the naturall man,Col. p. 219. dead in ſin, with reſiſtibilitie, is no leſſe an abſurditie,Col. d pag. 295. ad 309. then to feign or imagine ſuch a reſiſtance in mans firſt creation, or daily generation, or laſt reſuſcitation, John 3.3. and 5.25. Epheſ. 2.5. &c. which reaſon will never be refuted with verboſitie.Col. p. 220. 4. Becauſe grace, working converſion with reſiſtibilitie,Col. p. 309. differs not from Rhetoricall perſwaſion, or a morall enticing to faith; ſuch an one as is impoſſible for man to be quickned, who is dead in ſin. What are alledged to the contrarie, are nothing to the purpoſe. 5. Becauſe grace, working faith and converſion, by its efficacie, overcomes all the ſtrength of men, or other creatures: and therefore cannot be maſtered by mans corrupted will, Epheſ. 1.18, 19. Col. 2.12, 13. 2 Theſ. 1.11. 2 Pet. 1.3. The Major of which reaſon is not weak, as they ſay: for that power,Col. p. 312. which is inſuperable by mans depraved will, is alſo irreſiſtible to the ſame. 6. Becauſe, if the grace of regeneration were reſiſtible,Col. p. 220. it were common to many unregenerate men; but the Scripture makes it peculiar to Gods ſons only, Rom. 8.14, 30. 1 Cor. 1.23, 24. Joh. 14.17. and 6.36, 45. 1 John. 4.17. which reaſon doth not conclude only for irreſiſtance,Col. p. 317. as is pretended, but alſo for irreſiſtibilitie. 7. Becauſe the Fathers drawing, without which none can come to Chriſt,Col p. 221. Joh. 6.44. ſuppoſeth an irreſiſtibilitie of grace; otherwiſe, no man would come, being drawn:Col. p. 322. and yet for all this, we are not drawn againſt our will by the Father (which is objected) no more then againſt our will we are illuminated. 8. Becauſe the gift of faith and repentance is ſaid to be given by Gods Spirit, not onelyonly,Col. p. 222. becauſe it is offered to the will irreſiſtibly, but becauſe it is put into the heart, or infuſed irreſiſtibly,Col. p. 327. Joh. 6.63. Eph. 2.8. Phil. 1.19. 2 Tim. 2.25. Rom. 5.5. The contrarie cavills are altogether Atheologicall, or inconſiſtent with Divinitie. 9. Becauſe the reſiſtibilitie of grace, if there ought to be a converſion, ſuppoſeth in the unregenerate will,Col. p. 331. a power of … reſiſting; but this the Scripture generally denieth. The Remonſtrants will at length conſider, whether this reaſon concludeth not againſt them. 10. Becauſe, if we yeeld a reſiſtibilitie of grace, the work chiefly neceſſary for our ſalvation; to wit, faith and repentance, ſhould be placed in mans arbitrement, as in the proximate cauſe. And the reaſon of this difference, why of two unregenerate, the one in hearing the Goſpel beleeveth, the other beleeveth not, ſhould proceed from man: becauſe one would reſiſt grace, the other would not; againſt that place, Who ſeparated thee? 1 Cor. 4.7.What haſt thou that thou haſt not received? Which is ſpoken, not only in reſpect of Infidels (as they think) but likewiſe in reſpect of grace: For, if in two Infidels we put grace equally reſiſtible, ſurely, he that reſiſteth not grace, but receives it, and beleeves, he may anſwer not only to him that reſiſteth and beleeveth not, but even to grace,Col. p. 336. and God himſelf, I ſeparated my ſelf; which lye is approved by the Remonſtrants blaſphemouſly. 11. To theſe adde another reaſon out of Joh. 15.5. Without me you can do nothing. For, if converting grace be reſiſtible, he that doth not reſiſt grace, may refute Chriſt, and ſay, Behold without thee I have not reſisted grace. Neither can he ſay, It's by thee that I have not reſiſted: But whereas, by ſuppoſition, the ſame grace is placed in the reſiſtent, he ought alſo to ſay, It is by thee that he hath reſiſted; which is blaſphemy. 12. Let Auſtins reaſon be added,De correp. & grat. c. 14. He that hath a moſt omnipotent power over mens hearts, to encline them which way he will (and he doth with the very wills of men what he pleaſeth; and he hath a greater power over mens wills, De grat. Chriſt. cap. 24.then they have over their owne) and who, by an internall and occult, miraculous and ineffable power, worketh in mens hearts, not onelyonly new revelations, but alſo good wills; and this he doth not, but by the wills of men themſelves. He, by his grace, worketh faith and converſion in mens hearts, not by a reſiſtible operation, but altogether irreſiſtible, and yet not by coaction. But God hath a moſt omnipotent power over mens wills, &c. and he worketh upon the ſame, as he ſaid: Ergo, &c. The Major hath a moſt evident truth, out of the knitting of the proper cauſe with its effect, that it cannot be any wiſe denied. The Aſſumption Auſtin teacheth by two examples: the firſt is out of 1 Sam. 10.26. concerning Saul, to whom, when God would give the kingdome, and the Iſraelites had power either to reſiſt him, or to ſubmit themſelves to him, God touched their hearts, that they neither could, nor would reſiſt: and this he did, by working on their wills. The other is out of 1 Chro. 11. and 12. of David, whom, when God decreed to ſettle him in the kingdome with better ſucceſſe, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Abiſai, a prince among thirty, that he ſaid, We are thine, O David, and will be with thee, thou ſon of Jeſſe. Can he (ſaith Auſtin) reſist the will of God, and not rather doe his will, who in his heart did worke by his Spirit, which came upon him, that he ſhould will, ſay, and do this? And by them Almighty God, who was with him brought them to make him king. What? did he bind him with any corporeall bands? He wrought within, he held the heart, he moved the heart, and drew them by their wills, which wills he wrought in them.
At length he premiſes the Concluſion, in theſe words, No mans free-will reſiſteth God, when he is willing to ſave a man: for, to will and nill is ſo in the power of the willer and niller, that, as it cannot hinder the divine will, ſo it cannot hinder the divine power. But, leſt any ſhould except, that God takes away reſiſtance, but not reſiſtibility, he addes further, It is therefore out of doubt, that mens wills cannot reſiſt the will of God, who hath done in heaven and earth whatſoever he pleaſed, and who hath alſo done theſe things that are to come; he cannot, I ſay, reſiſt or hinder him from doing that which he pleaſeth, ſeeing that even upon mens wills he worketh what he pleaſeth. It is therefore moſt cleere, that this holy Father doth ſtrongly aſſever the irreſiſtible operation of divine grace, not only in mans converſion and ſalvation, but alſo in directing of other difficult actions: ſuch as is the election of Kings, and this for the glory of God. And that he alſo refutes the vain pretexts of reſiſtibility and coaction. 13. If the grace, that worketh faith and converſion, is not irreſiſtible, after the maner we ſpeak of, but reſiſtible, that it may, or may not be hindred by mens wills; it followes, that all is vaine verball ſmoak, what they aſcribe ſo magnifically to Gods grace in the third and fourth Article: and, that theſe effects, which they ſpeak of, are not to be attributed to Gods grace only indifferently and remotely, but to mens unreſiſting wills ſpecifically and proximately, which appeares thus:
The effect of that cauſe, which works reſiſtibly; that is, ſo that its production or inhibition, may depend from another reſiſting, or not reſiſting cauſe: if it be produced, the production thereof is to be aſcribed indifferently and remotely to the worker, ſpecifically and proximately to him who reſiſteth not, but admits it: On the contrary, if it be hindred, the inhibition thereof is to be attributed ſpecifically and proximately to the reſiſter, or him that will not admit it: For example, A Prince propoſeth a reward to many of his ſubjects reſiſtibly, that he who will fight may have it, he that will not, may not have it: The Princes action is indifferent to theſe many: he that will fight, doth well ſpecificate the Princes action, becauſe he is to receive the reward; but he that will not fight, doth not ſpecificate it well; becauſe he is to want the reward. Who ſeeth not, that as well the one as the other action is ſpecifically and proximately to be aſcribed to him that will fight, or not fight; but to the Prince indifferently, and remotely? I will adde another, by which, in my hearing once reſiſtible grace was declared: A father ſets down on the table a diſh of meat equally to his children, but reſiſtibly, that he who will may have meat, who will not, may not have it. Here the fathers operation is indifferent to all: they that will take the meat, doe ſpecificate it well; but they that will not, ſpecificate it ill. Who now againe doth not ſee, that the meat is to be aſcribed ſpecifically and proximately to the takers, but to the father indifferently and remotely? Such is the reſiſtibilitie of grace, which theſe men teach.
But if this be ſo, all the effects of grace muſt needs be deluding and falſe, which they rehearſe: deluding or falſe, becauſe man hath not faith from himſelf, or by force of his free-will: but he ſhal have from himſelf the ſpecification of the working of grace, becauſe, by being unwilling to reſiſt grace, he hath ſevered himſelf from others; becauſe of himſelf he cannot think, will, or do good: for, of ones ſelf to ſpecificate well, a reſiſtible, indifferent operation is a good thing; becauſe God, by his holy Spirit, doth regenerate and renew us, &c. For, God doth not by his Spirit renew and regenerate us, but indifferently, remotely, reſiſtibly, and therefore improperly: but we regenerate and renew our ſelves ſpecifically, proximately, and properly; becauſe this grace is the beginning (for of the progreſſe and perfection of this grace, the queſtion is not) of all good: for, the beginning of a good ſpecification of a reſiſtible and indifferent operation of grace, is good, from our not reſiſting, &c.
What beſides? We muſt aske of God only ſuch an operation of grace as is reſiſtible and indifferent: and onelyonly for this grace muſt we thank God; the not reſiſtance and good ſpecification of grace, ſhall be in our will and power. Is not God here robbed of his glory? Hath not man reaſon to ſacrifice to his owne net, that he may be puffed up with pride againſt God, and that he may ſay, I have ſeparated my ſelf? This is to be caſt headlong with Satan into hell fire: but, if of our ſelves we do not reſiſt reſiſtible grace, if we receive that grace which is offered, & ſpecificate that which is indifferent (which, with the cloſure of the fourth Article, doe neceſſarily cohere) is not this to eſtabliſh the idoll of free-will? Originall ſin is by this denied, and the naturall mans native impotencie, corruption, and pravitie, of which God ſo often complains in Scripture; and ſo do the Prophets, and Apoſtles, and the Saints themſelves. What will become of our Catechiſme, which ſaith, That by nature we are propenſe to hate God and our neighbour, that we are ſo corrupt, that to doe well we are altogether unapt. This ſure is it which reſiſtible grace goe…h about to aboliſh.
Out of all this it is manifeſt, that the Remonſtrants in both Articles,Art. 1. coth. 7. eſpecially in the cloſure of the fourth, either abuſe the equivocation of the word grace explained above, affirming, that the operation of calling, perſwading, exciting grace (which they call adventitious and precedaneous) is reſiſtible, which orthodoxall men deny not; and ſo, with vain debates, they trouble the Church and State: or, by underſtanding the operation of grace, producing faith and converſion, they dangerouſly corrupt the doctrine of grace with Pelagius: or laſtly, they do entangle themſelves again with the knot of contradiction, in aſcribing to operating grace alone faith and converſion, and making the ſame reſiſtible; that is, indifferently depending from the will of man. Again, while they profeſſe, that faith is the meer gift of God, and yet make the ſame to depend reſiſtibly from the aſſent of mans will, they fall into ſuch contradictions, that no Sophiſtry can reconcile. But,Col. p. 502. when the Adverſary (as we ſaid before) is forced to contradict himſelfe, it is knowne, that he is ſubdued.
They deny, that grace (whether reſiſtible,Col. p. 226. or not) proceeds from Gods abſolute decree; for this they hate worſe then dog or ſnake. But it is ſufficient, that the Apoſtle witneſſeth this, where he conjoynes vocation, not externall onelyonly,Rom. 8.30. but moſt properly internall juſtification, the producer of faith, immediately with predeſtination, as the effect with the firſt cauſe. But what-ever this is, it will no wiſe help their turn. Suppoſe there were no predeſtination in heaven, no election; yet this moſt firm principle of Scripture remains aſſerted by Auſtin in the fore-alledged places, That Almighty God hath a moſt omnipotent power over the wills of men; and, that he can, according to his pleaſure, either leave the wills themſelves in their ſins, or encline them to good: i.e. make them irreſiſtible to his grace. With which principle, if reſiſtibilitie of grace could ſtand, which they feign; i.e. the imbecillitie and indifferencie for effecting of faith, and that power of mens wils in rebelling againſt grace, and God himſelf, working in man; I ſay, if theſe could ſtand, God could not be Almighty, nor would there ever be any converſion of man to God, nor regeneration; which is ſo evident, that no Sophiſtry can elude it. And this is ſufficient concerning the 3d. & 4th. Article. And how tolerable theſe are, every man may ſee.