The Portraiture of the Image of God in Man, Part 1 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Of Mans Will in his converſion.
IN the firſt point of Mans Converſion, Prop. God in fufeth a new habite of grace.
The converſion of Man is not wrought, The third property of the Will.firſt by ſtirring up of his Will, Illuſt. or by alluring or perſwading him, but by powring grace into the heart. Socrates ſaid that hee was but to his ſchollers like a midwife; for a midwife doth nothing but helpeth forth the birth already conceived: ſo he ſaid, that he onelyonly but drew forth the wit, which was naturally within the ſchollers. But it is not ſo in the firſt point of a man converſion, for the Preacher doth not helpe forth the graces in a man; but he is like a father, begetting him a new a gaine through the Goſpel, 1. Cor. 4.15.
Man before his converſion to grace is paſsive. Illuſt.
There is in ſome patient a neere power, Potentia, vel est propinqua, vel remoto, paſſiva, vel mere paſſiva.as when powder is laid to the fire it hath a neere power to bee kindled by the fire. Secondly, there is in ſome patient a remote power as when greene wood is laid to the fire, it may bee kindled although it be long ere it burne. Thirdly, there is in a patient a paſsive or obedientiall power, or that which they cal potentia foreign, or ſuſceptiva, as when the potter makes a veſſell of clay. Fourthly, there is a meere paſsive power; as a ſtone hath no aptnes to bee made a living creature. Man before his converſion, is not like powder, which had a neere power to take fire; he is not like greene wood wch. hath a remote power to take fire; he is not like the ſtone that is meere paſsive; but he is like the clay in the potters hand that is paſſive and capable to bee formed according to the will of the potter; and in this fenſe is that of Auguſtine to be underſtood, Velle credere eſt gratiae, ſed poſſe credere eſt naturae, to be willing to beleeve is of grace, but to be able to beleeve is of nature; wch Cajetan expounds wel, poſſe credere is meant of the potential or obediential power. God hath three ſorts of workes which hee workes in our juſtification. Firſt, Jlluſt. 2 Tria genera operam Deus operatur in noſtra juſtificatione.ſuch workes as are onelyonly proper to God, as to ſtand at the doore and knocke, Revel. 3.…0. to open the heart, and to inſpire, &c. In which our will, giveth neither concourſe nor co-operation; therefore in theſe we are onelyonly paſſive; and the will is actived, not being as yet active it ſelfe; Non habet activum concur ſum hic, ſed ſolum modo recipit, the will hath no active concourſe unto grace here, it hath onelyonly an aptneſſe to receive, faith being wrought in it. Secondly, the begetting of new qualities in the habite: as Faith, Hope, and Charity, for to the bringing forth of ſuch excellent qualities, nature can doe nothing; Man here alſo is paſſive, as the ayre when it is illuminate by the light. Thirdly, ſuch workes in the act, as to beleeve, repent, &c. which God workes not in us without us; unto which purpoſe is applied that of Paul, 1 Cor. 15. The grace of God with me; and that of Auguſtine, cooperando perficit, quod operando incepit; ſo the will of man, by this concurring grace is made, pediſſequa, and a ſubordinate agent unto grace, grace being comes and dux; Auguſt. Epiſt. 406.and the will being pediſſequa, ſed non praevia, attending grace, but no wayes going before. Prop.
In the point of Mans converſion the will being moved, afterwards moves it ſelfe. Illuſt.
This action of the will is, firſt from grace; and ſecondly from the will it ſelfe; in both theſe acts God concurres as the firſt agent, and the will as the ſecondary In the ſtate of corruption, the Will is the true efficient cauſe of ſinne, in the eſtate of juſtification, the will is truely indued with grace; but in both theſe eſtates the Will is a true efficient, but differently: for in the ſinfull eſtate the will is the principall efficient; but in the eſtate of grace it is ſubordinate to the grace of God, and not collaterall; the holy Ghoſt quickning it and reviving it to worke, and ſo by the grace of God wee are that we are, 1 Cor. 15.10.
Queſt. Whether is the converſion of man, with his Will, or againſt his Will?
Anſw. Voluntas confideratur ut eſt natura quaedam, & ut eſt principium ſuarum actionum.The Will is conſidered two wayes. Firſt, Vt eſt natura quaedam, as it is a creature ready to obey God, who rules the univerſe. Secondly, Vteſt principium ſuarum actionum, whereby it freely wills, or nils; in the firſt ſence it is not againſt the will that it is converted; in the ſecond ſence, as it is corrupted, willing ſinne freely, (before ſinne be expelled) it is againſt the Will. The water hath the proper inclination to goe downeward to the center, yet when it aſcends upward and keepes another courſe, ne detur vacuum, leſt there ſhould be any emptineſſe in nature, it runnes a courſe contrary to the own proper inclination: ſo when the will obeyeth God (in the firſt act of mans converſion,) it is not againſt the Will, if ye reſpect the will as it followeth the direction of God; but if yee reſpect the will, as it is corrupt and ſinfull, it is againſt the will to obey God.
Queſt. Thom. cont. gentil. de miraculis.Whether is the converſion of man, a miracle, or not?
Anſw. Dua conditiones requiruntur ut aliquid fit miraculum, 1 …e cauſa fit occulta, 2. ut ſit in re, unde aliter videatur debere evenire.We cannot call it a miracle; for there are two conditions required in a miracle. Firſt, that the cauſe which produceth the effect, be altogether unknowne to any creature; for if it be knowne to ſome, and not to others, it is not a miracle; the eclipſe of the Sunne, ſeemes to the country man a miracle, yet a Mathematician knoweth the reaſon of it, therefore it is not a miracle. The ſecond condition required in a maracle is, that it be wrought in a thing which had an inclination to the contrary effect: as when God raiſeth the dead by his power, this is a miracle, becauſe it is not according to the nature of the dead that ever they ſhould riſe againe: So when Chriſt cured the blind, this was a miracle, for nature would never make a blinde man to ſee; ſo when Chriſt cured Peters mother in law of a feaver on a ſudden, this was a miracle, for nature could not doe this in an inſtant. If any of theſe two former conditions be lackeing it is not a Miracle. Therefore in the defect of the ſecond condition, the creation of the world is not a miracle, becauſe ſuch a great effect is proper to the nature of ſo glorious a cauſe: but if Man or Angel could create, it were a miracle, for it is contrary to their finite nature to produce ſuch an infinite effect. So, the creation of the Soule is not a miracle, becauſe God worketh ordinarily here, nature preparing the body, then God infuſeth the Soule. But if God ſhould create a Soule without this preparation of nature, this ſhould bee a miracle in reſpect of the ſecond condition: as when he created Eve without the helpe of Adam, and Chriſts manhood in the wombe of the Virgin, Creatio eſt opus magnum, ſed non miraculum.without the Virgine. So the converſion of Man is not a miracle, becauſe the reaſonable Soule was once created to the Image of God, and is againe capable of the grace of God. When wee heate cold water by fire, although it be contrary to the inclination of the forme of the water to bee hote, yet it may receive heate, and when it receives heate it is not a miracle. But improperly the converſion of Man may be ſaid to bee a miracle, in reſpect of the firſt condition required in a miracle, becauſe it is done by God who is an unknowne cauſe to us, and although it bee not properly a miracle, becauſe the ſecond condition is deficient, yet it is a greater worke than a miracle, Nam aliquid eſt majus opus, ſed minus miraculum, ut creatio.
In Mans converſion we muſt not take from grace, Prop. and give to nature.
It was a maxime received amongſt the Iewes, Illuſt. Satius eſt addere de profano ad ſacrum, quàm demere de ſacro & addere ad profanum; they had rather take from the prophane day, and adde to the Sabbath, than to take from the holy Sabbath, and adde to the prophane day: but men now had rather take from grace and give to nature, than take from nature and give to grace.
When the Fathers laboured to overthrow one error, they fell in another: as a gardner when hee goeth to make ſtraight a crooked ſprigge, he bends it ſome times too farre the other way: ſo they, that they might abſolutely defend the grace of God againſt the maintainers of freewill, they rooted out freewill, and gave man freedome in no actions, but concluded all under the neceſſity of Gods predeſtination as did the Stoickes among the heathen. But wee muſt not ſo ſtand in the defence of grace that we overthrow free-will, neither muſt wee aſcribe that to free-will, which is due to grace onelyonly.
The Ieſuites that they may pleade for free-will in man, have found out a new platforme of mans ſalvation; for firſt, they eſtabliſh a middle ſort of knowledg in God; by which hee knoweth things that are to come, Ieſuitae triplicem ſcientiam ſtatuunt in Deo, 1 ſimplicis intelligentiae, 2. viſionis, 3. media.(not abſolutely but conditionally) what man or Angell may bee able to doe by the freedome of their wills, no decree of God going before,) conſidering them in ſuch or ſuch a condition, with ſuch or ſuch circumſtances. But there is no ſuch middle ſort of knowledge in God, for God knoweth all his workes from the beginning, Acts 15.18. God knoweth all theſe things that are conditionall, although they never take effect, abſolutely and perfectly: as for example, he foreſaw that Abimelech the King of Gerer would have defiled Abrahams wife, nevertheleſſe he hindred him that he finned not with her by his reſtraining grace, Gen. 20.6. I know that thou didſt this in the ſimplicity of thine heart, therefore I have kept thee that thou ſhouldeſt not ſinne againſt me, neither touch her. So, Exod, 13.17. God would not bring the Iſraelites directly to the land of Canaan, but bee led them about by a large circuite, leſt perhaps (ſaith God) it forethinke them, when they ſee the enemy come againſt them, and they returne backe to Egypt; this word perhaps is not a doubting in God, or a middle ſort of knowledge, but certainely hee foreſaw it would have come to paſſe, therefore he prevented it by a ſure remedy. Duplex ſcientiae in Deo ſimplicis intelligentiae viſionis.There is no ſort of knowledge in God, but either, ſimplicis intelligentiae, or viſtonis; ſimplicis intelligentiae, is of things poſſible, ſcientia viſionis is of things that certainely come to paſſe.
Object. But they alledge that place, 1 Sam. 23.11.12. when David conſults with God, what would become of him if hee ſtayed at Keilah, whether the Keilites would deliver him into the hands of Saul or not: it was anſwered conditionally in this ſence, if ye ſtay, Saul will come, & if he come, the Keilites will deliver you up into his hands: hence they reaſon thus: God foretold this future condition: therfore he foreknew it. But hee foreknew it. not by the firſt ſort of knowledge, becauſe that is of things poſſible, which may come to paſſe, or not come to paſſe; neither doth God foreknow this by the ſecond ſort of knowledge, becauſe that is of things that will certainely come to paſſe; but it is a third ſort of knowledge of things that may come to paſſe conditionally. Therefore ſay they, there is a middle ſort of knowledge in God.
Anſw. This ſort of Knowledge, Hypothetica propoſitio, poteſt eſſe vera in connexione, & falſa in partibus.that is propoſed conditionally, is abſolute in God, and depends not vponupon the uncertainetie of the condition, for an hipotheticall or conditionall propoſition may be true in the connexion, and yet in the parts it may bee falſe; and ſo God knoweth it to be falſe. The Apoſtle ſaith, If an Angell come from heaven and teach another Goſpel than that which we have taught, let him be accurſed, Gal. 1.8. But an Angel cannot come from heaven to teach another Goſpel, So, 1 Kings 22.28. If thou returne againe in peace, the Lord hath not ſpoken by me. But the Lord ſpake by the Prophet Micajah, and the King was never to returne in peace. Although theſe ſpeeches bee conditionally ſet downe, yet God knowes them abſolutely that they ſhal either come to paſſe, or not come to paſſe: and ſo there is not a middle ſort of knowledge in God.
Queſt. How did God force Dauids betraying by the Keilits unto Saul, whether contingently or neceſſarily?
Anſ. When God lookes ad oppoſita, hee produceth his effects freely, and contingently, becauſe it muſt either be or not be; as the Keilites might have delivered or not delivered, David into the hands of Saul; but when God determinates himſelfe to one of the oppoſites, then he abſolutely and neceſſarily foreknowes it; as hee knew abſolutely that David ſhould flee and not be betrayed: That which is contingent conditionally in the cauſe, may be infallibly neceſſary in the effect, as, if Peter runne, hee mooves; here hee mooves neceſſarily becauſe hee runnes, and yet hee runnes not neceſſarily; for hee may either runne or not runne: ſo this betraying of David was neceſſary in the effect if hee had ſtayed at Keilah, but it was contingent in the cauſe, for he might either have ſtayed there or not ſtayed. Conditionale in cauſa, poteſt eſſe neceſſarium in effectu.Act. 28. Paul ſaith If any of you goe out of the ſhippe ye ſhall all periſh; but if yee ſtay in the ſhippe yee ſhall all bee ſaved: they might have ſtayed in the ſhippe or gone out of her, but reſpecting the event, they behooved to ſtay in the ſhippe and bee ſaved: So that, contingent things fall vnderunder the prouidence of God, and Gods providence takes not away their contingency, no more then it did alter the nature of the bones of Chriſt, when hee foreſaw that a bone of him ſhould not be broken, Ioh. 19.36. but neceſſarily the events of them follow and are foreſeene of God. When God wils a thing it comes not neceſſarily to paſſe; but when God wils a thing neceſſarily, then it muſt come to paſſe: God wils the ecclipſe of the Sunne, he wills but this contingently, becauſe it may either be or not be; but when he wills the eclipſe neceſſarily, then it muſt come to paſſe; in ſenſu conjuncto, that which he wills it muſt come to paſſe; but in ſenſu diviſo, that which hee will, may not come to paſſe; for hee needed not to have willed it: for as Thomas in his Booke, contra gentiles ſaith, Quaedam eveniunt ex neceſſitate ſuppoſitionis & immutabilitatis, eo modo quo proviſa ſunt, ſciz contingenter & liberè; ea quae Deus determinavit liberè & contingenter eventura, ea contingenter evenient; & neceſſariò quae determinavit neceſſanò. That is, ſome things fall out by neceſſitie of ſuppoſition and immutabilitie, that ſame way whereby they are foreſeene: to wit, contingently and freely; but thoſe things which God hath determinated to fall out contingently and freely, they ſhall fall out contingently; and thoſe things that he hath determinate neceſſarily to come to paſſe, ſhall of neceſſetie be.
Queſt. Seeing the purpoſes of God are but abſolute, why are his promiſes and threatnings ſet downe conditionally?
Anſw. He ſets them downe conditionally to move ſinners more earneſtly to repent, Ion. 3.5. Yet fortie dayes and Ninive ſhall be deſtroyed. But hee keepes up the condition here, to move the Ninivites the more earneſtly to repentance; and the event ſheweth, that this was Gods purpoſe not to deſtroy the Ninivites, becauſe they repented here by degrees he manifeſts his counſell unto them.
Example, when a towne is beleaguered, the Counſaile of warre ordaines that whoſoever goes upon the walles ſhall die the death, this is to terrifie ſouldiers, that they goe not upon the wals; the enemie make a ſudden aſſault in the night, a ſouldier runnes up upon the walles, and repells the enemy; whether ſhall this man die for it or not? the Counſell of warre explaines themſelves, and that which they ſet out abſolutely before, they interpret it now this way; our meaning was that no ſouldier ſhould goe up upon the walles that hee might not give intelligence to the enemy: but this ſouldier hath repelled the enemy; therefore hee hath not violated our Law, neither is he culpable of death. See the example of Ionathan, 1 Sam. 13. So when God ſaith fortie dayes, and Ninive ſhall be deſtroyed, keeping up the condition, if they repented not; when they repent, he explaines his former ſentence, and ſhewes that it was not abſolutely his meaning they ſhould die, but onelyonly to terrifie them, and to moove them to repentance.
The Ieſuites, when they ſubordinate the Will of man, to the conditionall knowledge of God; they leave mans will indifferent here, to chuſe or not to chuſe; and upon this freedome of mans will, they ground the decree of God, to predeſtinate this man, and to reject that man. But if this platforme hold, then it will follow, that when the will of this man imbraceth grace, Voluntas neque eſt cauſa neque conditio predestinationis ut Ieſuitae ſtatuunt.and the will of that refuſeth it, it muſt either be the cauſe of predeſtination or the condition; but no Chriſtian ever ſaid that the will of man was the cauſe of predeſtination, except the Pelagians and their followers; if they make this act of the will the condition of mans election, then they jumpe with the Arminians, who meaſure the efficacie of grace from the event of the will, which notwithſtanding ſome of the Ieſuits ſtrongly denie?
Queſt. If the will be neither the cauſe nor condition of our predeſtination, which is it then?
Anſ. It is but a meane, for the fulfilling of mans predeſtination; for a mans name is not written in the Booke of life becauſe hee aſſents willingly, to the promiſes of the Goſpel, and beleeves them: but becauſe his name is written in the booke of life, therefore hee beleeves, Act. 13.48. As many as were ordained unto eternall life beleeved. If a King ſhould diſcerne that none ſhould be courtiers with him, unleſſe they were trained firſt up in the warres; this trianing up in the warres is neither the cauſe not yet the condition, which mooves the King to make choiſe of them; it is a meane whereby they are received into the Court, but no motive which mooved the King. So, Faith whereby a man is adopted to be the Sonne of God, is neither the cauſe nor yet the condition which mooves God to elect Man, but whom he electeth freely, them he gives to beleeve.
If it be asked of Bellermine, wherfore this man is ſaved and not that man? hee will anſwere that there is no other cauſe but the good pleaſure and will of God.
Secondly, if it bee asked of him; why he gives this man gratiam congruam, or fitting grace, and not that man? hee will anſwer: becauſe his will is to ſave this man, and not that man.
Thirdly, if it be asked of him, wherefore this man receives grace and not that man? he will anſwere: becauſe grace is fitting for this man and not for that man: hee calles this fitting grace, not when the will is determinate by grace (as wee hold,) Phyſica determinatione, Triplex determinatio, phyſica, eventu, & moralis.or Hyperphyſica rather; neither will he make it to depend ab eventu, as the Arminians doe from the Will of man; but hee findes out a middle betwixt theſe two, placing it onelyonly in morall perſwaſions, and the efficacy of the willes determination to depend upon Gods grace: for God (ſaith hee) foreſeeth, Duplex ſenſus, diviſus & compoſitus.that the will cannot refuſe, becauſe hee hath fitted it ſo to the will, at this time and in this place; ſo that he cannot now abſolutely reject the grace of God, but conditionally: and he ſaith in ſenſu diviſo hee may reject the grace of God; but not in ſenſu compoſito. Example, when I ſee a man writing, he cannot but write; and yet conſidering this act of writing by it ſelfe, he writes freely; ſo joyning Mans Will with Gods Decree, a man cannot but Will; and yet reſpecting the Will in it ſelfe, he may Will grace or not Will it when it is offered to him, becauſe grace doth determinate his Will (ſaith he) here he wills infallibiliter, ſed non neceſſariò.Dupliciter aliquis vult, infallibiliter, & neceſſario.
But the Arminians hold that the converſion of man altogether depends from his Will, and that there is no other cauſe why this man chuſeth and that man refuſeth grace, but onelyonly the will.
Fourthly, if it be asked, whether or no this man may reſiſt the grace of God or not? he will anſwer; by the abſolute freedome of his will, hee may reſiſt it; by this it followeth that they will eſtabliſh a reall act in the will, which is neither ſubject to Gods providence, nor predeſtination; but if they acknowledged the conſent of the will, to be a meane for the fulfilling of predeſtination, in this we would agree with them.
Secondly, Triplex gratia, ſufficiens abundans, & efficax.the Ieſuites that they may pleade for free will make three ſorts of grace, ſufficient, abundant, and effectuall grace, and they make abundant grace a higher degree than ſufficient grace; as that grace which was offered to Corazin and Bethſaida, Matth. 11. becauſe they had a more effectuall calling than Tyre and Sidon: they make that effectuall grace, when one actually receiveth the grace offered, and applyeth it to himſelfe.
But this diſtinction of grace cannot hold, for how can that be ſufficient grace, which never taketh effect, ſeeing none was ever ſaved, or ever ſhall be ſaved, by this ſufficient grace, which is not effectuall; ſufficient grace hath ever the owne effect, for whom God will have converted, they cannot but be converted, Rom. 9.19. VVho can reſiſt the will of God? Againe thoſe that are not converted, they of themſelves cannot be converted, God gives them neither willingneſſe nor ſufficient grace (to whom is he debter?) for if God gave them this willingneſſe, then it ſhould be both ſufficient and effectuall grace to them.
But we hold that both ſufficient and effectuall grace are the free gifts of God, becauſe, without me (ſaith Chriſt) ye can do nothing, Ioh. 15.5. Neither in ſufficient, nor in effectuall grace. Againe, we hold that abundant and effectuall grace, are onelyonly offered to the Elect; and that which was offered to Cherazin and Bethſaida was onelyonly ſufficient to leave them inexcuſable and not to convert them.
Thirdly, the Ieſuites plead for nature, holding that God concurres generally onelyonly with the ſecond cauſes, in giving them a naturall power to worke; but not by mooving and applying them to their operations, as the Carpenter applyeth his axe to cut. Neither (ſay they) hath hee any influence in the action it ſelfe; aſcribing nothing to God, but the conſervation of the ſecond cauſes; and if hee worke with the ſecond cauſes, Becan. tract. de deo.they make not man ſubordinate to God, but as two cauſes working together, as a weake and a ſtrong man carrying a loade.
But we hold, that God not onelyonly concurres generally with the ſecond cauſes, but applyes and mooves the ſecond cauſe to worke; not as the ſecond cauſes are co-ordinate with God, but as ſubordinate; ſo that when God works upon his Will, he giveth not only a generall influence, whereby he ſuſtaines the Will; but alſo he hath a particular influence into it: neither is the will his fellow helper in the action, but ſubordinate to him, for in producing of the effect God likewiſe concurs particularly.
To conclude this point, that the will of man ſeparates not it ſelfe, 1 Cor. 4.7. it is manifeſt thus; if equall grace he offered to two, and an inequall effect follow, the one of them embracing grace, and the other of them refuſing; one of theſe two abſurdities muſt neceſſarily follow, either that the grace of God was not an equall remedy for both, becauſe it cured them not both, which is blaſphemy; or elſe that there was not a like corruption in both, which is flat Pelagianiſme; If mans will make the ſeparation, then the Apoſtles queſtion, 1. Cor. 4.7. (who hath ſeparated thee) is eaſily anſwered; and man then ſhould have wherein to boaſt, Rom. 11.18.
God is onelyonly the effectuall cauſe of mans converſion. Prop.
There are three ſorts of cauſes. Illuſt. Firſt, a Phyſicall cauſe Secondly, Triplex cauſa, Phyſica, moralis, & miraculoſa.a morall cauſe. Thirdly, a miraculous cauſe. A Phyſicall cauſe, is that which really and truly produceth the effect, and is called an effectuall cauſe in the Schooles. A morall cauſe, is improperly and metaphorically a cauſe, becauſe it produceth not properly an effect, onelyonly it propoſeth arguments to induce or to perſwade. A miraculous cauſe is that which worketh above the courſe of nature.
God in mans converſion, is not only the morall cauſe; becauſe morall perſwaſions ſuffice not to produce a ſupernaturall effect, it onelyonly propoſeth arguments, counſels, and commands, but cannot incline the heart directly. When a Father holds up an apple to his child; or when the maſter of the game, ſets up foreign, a reward to the runners; hee doth nothing but allure or perſwade them, he makes them not able to runne.
Secondly, God is not onelyonly the morall cauſe of mans converſion; for then hee ſhould have no greater ſtroke in mans converſion, than the Divell hath, in perverting the children of diſobedience, to their deſtruction: for the Devill in mans deſtruction, onelyonly inticeth, allureth, and ſeduceth, but hee changeth not his Will; and worketh onelyonly per illicium, inticing him onelyonly to ſinne; but the man himſelfe changeth not his will: God doth not onelyonly worke upon our wills by morall perſwaſions, propoſing rewards to us, exhorting and commanding us; but changeth and directly workes upon the will, therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, Philip. 2.13. Both the will and the deed are from him.
God is the Phyſicall cauſe of mans converſion, Deus non tantum eſt cauſa moralis aut miraculoſa converſionis humanae; phyſica, aut quaſi phyſica.or rather like a Phyſicall cauſe, by drawing, inclining, and mooving the heart. A man is put in the fetters, one gets him out of the fetters by one of two meanes. Firſt, he uſeth morall perſwaſions to him to come foorth, then hee comes as a Phyſicall cauſe by breaking his bolts and taking him foorth: if God did nothing in mans converſion, but by morall perſwaſions, then hee ſhould never come out of the fetters; for by nature he is like the deafe Adder that ſtoppeth his eare at the voyce of the enchanter, Pſa. 58. God is not the miraculous cauſe of mans converſion; becauſe the converſion of man is not a miracle, as we have ſhowen before.
When God converts a man to grace; firſt, Prop. he opens the heart, and then he enters; the heart all this time being dead, untill God awake it.
In order of cauſes, God firſt he opens the heart, Illuſt. and then he enters; but in order of time, when he opens, he enters, The Ieſuites make God when he enters, the efficient cauſe of mans converſion; Greg. de Valen. diſ. 8. g. 3. p. 4.and they make the heart when it opens, the materiall, or diſpoſitive cauſe of mans converſion; and one of them goeth about to cleare the matter by this compariſon out of Dominicus a Soto, thus. Duplex cauſa; efficicus, & diſpoſitiva.When the winde beates upon a window, by entring in, it opens the window, and by opening the window it enters in; in reſpect of the efficient cauſe it enters in by motion, but in reſpect of the diſpoſitive cauſe, it firſt opens, and then enters.
But his compariſon is falſe, for God muſt firſt open the heart, and enter; before ever the heart open and we receive grace; ſo that the ſecond act of God, and our opening, are ſimul tempore; for when we receive, he opens; and when hee hath entred, and opened, wee receive; although Gods opening goe before in order of cauſes, yet in time it goeth with our receiving, as the fiſh takes the hooke, and the hooke the fiſh, at the ſame time; but in order of cauſes, the hooke is preſented firſt to the fiſh.
Bellarmine, in his ſixt Book, of Free-will and Grace, Chap. 15. ſummes up the co-working of the Grace of God with Free-will in man, in theſe concluſions following.
Man hath a remote power before hee get grace, Concluſ. 1 to the workes of holineſſe.
Man hath not a remote power to do good as the greene wood hath a remote power to take fire, Our diſſ. but only a paſsive or obedientiall power, whereby grace makes him able, to the workes of holineſſe.
Man before his converſion, Concluſ. 2 hath not a neere and a perfect power, (before grace be offered,) to the workes of holineſſe: and therefore in the workes of pietie he can doe nothing of himſelfe.
This propoſition we willingly grant, for mans will is not like powder ready preſently to take fire. Our conſ.
Stirring up grace, Concluſ. 3 muſt neceſſarily goe before mans converſion, whether it be from infidelity to faith, or from ſinne to righteouſneſſe; neither is helping grace ſufficient to mans converſion.
This propoſition might be granted, Our conſ. firſt againſt the Pelagians, who denied all grace, and againſt the ſem-Pelagians, who acknowledged preventing grace, but not ſtirring up grace; and we would grant to it, if by ſtirring up grace, he meant infuſed grace, which after that it is infuſed into the heart of man it ſtirs him up to do good.
This ſtirring up grace, Concluſ. 4 is given to man without any preparation to grace.
Wee agree to this propoſition, if by ſtirring up grace, Our conſ. he meant infuſed grace.
Stirring up grace is not granted to man, without his working, although it be given to him without the co-operation of free-will: this propoſition he goeth about to cleare thus; Concluſ. 5 ſtirring up grace (ſaith he) comprehends two things in it. Firſt, initium bonae cogitationis. Secondly, initium boni deſiderij; but, to thinke, and deſire, are the actions of the mind and will; wherefore a man cannot deſire and thinke any thing, without his owne action. Yet becauſe there are ſome ſudden motions, which antevert all deliberation of reaſon; therefore they cannot be the acts of free-will, ſuch are theſe impure thoughts, that are caſt into the heart by the Divell, againſt our wil theſe are the free motions of the will; therefore the Apoſtle, Rom. 7. ſaith, I doe not theſe things, but ſinne that dwels in me; ſo it may be ſaid of theſe firſt good thoughts becauſe they proceed not from the will, I doe not theſe, Our diſſ. but the grace of God which prevents me.
Theſe primoprimi motus, which antevert the uſe of reaſon, are partly with the will; and partly againſt the will; they are not with the wil, becauſe they ariſe before the conſent of the will; neither are they againſt the will, for then the heart ſhould not delight it ſelfe in them when then ariſe. So the firſt motions of the ſpirit in the heart, are not altogether with the will, becauſe it is ſinfull; neither altogether againſt the will, becauſe the will is ſubordinate to God, and begins to take ſome delight in them. foreign.Wee muſt diſtinguiſh theſe three motions of the will, involuntarium, voluntarium, non voluntarium: involuntarium, when the will no wayes wils a thing; voluntarium when the will wils it altogether; non voluntarium, when it partly wils it, and partly wils it not: in this laſt ſenſe it is, that our will conſents to the working of Gods Spirit in our converſion.
That we may aſſent to ſtirring up grace, Concluſ. 6 or to Gods internall calling, helping grace is neceſſary.
Wee agree to this propoſition, Our conſ. if this grace be taken for infuſed grace.
Neither ſtirring up grace, Concluſ. 7 nor helping grace, impoſe any neceſſity to man, but that he may either chuse or refuſe Gods calling.
Wee hold that after grace is infuſed in the heart, Our diſſ. although it compell not the will to doe good, yet it neceſſitates it.
It may be that two having the ſame internall motion, Concluſ. 8 the one may be called and not the other.
Wee hold, Our diſſ. that the will of the man called inwardly, is ſo determinate by grace, that he cannot but chuſe his converſion; but the will of the other not being determinate by grace cannot chuſe it.
The converſion of man to God, Concluſ. 9 as it is a worke, it proceeds from free will onelyonly, and Gods generall helpe aſſiſting; as it is good, it is onelyonly from grace; as it is a good worke, it is partly from the will and partly from grace; and hee goeth about to proove this; becauſe (ſaith he) the efficient cauſe of humane actions (as they are actions) is the will of man; and as they are free-actions, they proceed from the freedome of the will; and as they are godly actions, they proceed of grace; therefore grace makes the action good and ſupernaturall.
Wee hold that the action, Our diſſ. not onelyonly conſidering it, as it is good, but conſidering it, as it is an action proceeding from the will, is neceſsitate by God.
Theſe actions which a man doth after his converſion, Concluſ. 10 he needes not to theſe actions a new grace, but onelyonly a continuall direction, protecting and keeping the ſeed already ſowen in the heart.
Man after his converſion hath neede of a continuall influence of grace, Our diſſ. as the Organs have neede continurally of one to blow them, otherwiſe they will make no ſound; they would make the grace of God in man (being once infuſed,) to be like a clocke, if the peſes be drawne up in the morning, it will goe right all the day.
The habite of grace is infuſed into the heart, Concl. 11 but not without the preparation of mans owne will. Our diſſ.
Wee hold that before grace be infuſed in the heart, there is no preparation in man. And thus farre Bellarmine goeth about to prove that there is free-will in man naturally yet unto good, and would extenuate the grace of God.
The efficatious grace of God, being offered to man, Prop. he cannot reſiſt it.
We are to marke, Illust. what the will of man can doe before his converſion to God; ſecondly, Triplex conſideratio voluntatis, ante converſionem; in primo puncto converſionis; & poſt converſionem.what it can doe in the firſt point of his converſion: thirdly, what hee doth after his converſion. And there is a threefold grace anſwerable to theſe three eſtates: firſt, there is vocans, an externall calling: ſecondly, Triplex conſideratio gratiae, in vocaendo, in operando, & in co-operando.working grace internally, anſwering to the third eſtate. The firſt grace is oftentimes reſiſted; Ier. 7.13. When J call upon you early in the morning, yee anſwer mee not, Pſal. 81.14. Oh that my people had hearkned unto me. So Matth. 23.37. How often would I have gathered thee under my wings, but thou would'ſt not. The working grace anſwering to our third eſtate, may be ſaid to be reſiſted, not ſimply, Duplex reſiſtentia, ſimplex, & ſecundum quid.but ſecundum quid; for this reſiſtance is not betwixt the will and the grace of God, but betwixt the fleſh and the ſpirit, Rom. 7. The working grace anſwering to our ſecond eſtate, cannot be reſiſted in the firſt point of mans converſion: when God gives a man a will to convert, he muſt firſt take away the reſiſtance that hindred his converſion, before that ever he give him the will to convert; if hee firſt take not away the impediments he cannot convert: God gives not grace to a man that reſiſt in the compound ſenſe (as they ſpeake in the ſchooles, Duplex ſenſus gratiae & reſiſtentiae, diviſus, & compoſ…tus.) that is, ſo long as he remaines unwilling hee gives him not grace, but in a divided ſenſe, when he gets grace, reſiſtance is taken from him.
Reſistance is, when two ſtrive together: if they be of equall ſtrength, then the one of them prevailes not againſt the other, Illuſt. 2 if they be not of equall ſtrength, then the weaker ſuccumbs, and the ſtronger prevailes; if the agent be hindred by the patient, and yet prevaile at the laſt, it is called incompleta reſiſtentia, an imperfect reſiſtance, but if the patient be of ſuch ſtrength, that is fruſtrates the agent of his purpoſe, then it is called completa reſiſtentia, Triplex reſiſtenti; aequalis, completa, & incompleta.a perfect reſiſtance. When Michael the archangell, and the devill, ſtrove about the body of Moſes, Iude 9. if the devill had gotten the body of Moſes, and had ſet it up and made an Idoll of it, then it had beene a perfit reſiſtance; but Michael prevailing againſt the devil it was an imperfect reſiſtance. So when the will of man ſtriveth againſt the grace of God; if theſe two were of equall force, then the one of them ſhould not prevaile againſt the other; but becauſe they are not of equall force, although the will reſiſt for a time, yet he yeeldes to the ſtronger, the grace of God: and ſo it is but an imperfect reſiſtance, for at laſt it yelds to the grace of God.
Man in his converſion cannot reſiſt the grace of God; Conſequence. therefore that diviſion of Bellarmines is falſe. Lib. 6. degrat. & l. arb. Quidam dei gratiam reijciunt; quidam neque recipiunt neque reijciunt; quidam ne que reijciunt, neque recipiunt ſed delectanturan ea: quidam apperiunt corda ut gratiam recipiant.Firſt, he ſaith, that ſome who are called inwardly by the ſpirit, may reject the calling together. Secondly, ſome neither receive the grace of God nor reject it, but ſuffer God to knocke at the heart, and is no wayes moved by it to open. Thirdly, ſome neither receive nor reject grace, but they begin to be delighted with it. Fourthly, ſome open their hearts, and ſuffer themſelves to be drawne by the grace of God: this is falſe, for it is the Lord only, that hath the key of the heart to open or ſhut.
Man in his firſt eſtate, A collation betwixt the innocent, and renued Adam.had not neede of preventing grace, yet he had neede of ſtirring up, or preparing grace, to ſtirre him up not from ſinne or ſluggiſhneſſe, but from the intermiſſion of his action: but man regenerate hath neede of preventing grace, preparing grace, working grace, and perfecting grace; and as the Lord promiſed, Deut. 11.12. Mine eye ſhall be upon this land from the beginning of the yeare to the end: ſo unleſſe God looke upon man, from the beginning to the end of his converſion, all is in vaine. Wee ſee, Numb. 17. when Aarons rod was laid before the Lord. Firſt, he made it to bud, although it had no roote. Secondly, to bloſſome. Thirdly, to bring forth ripe almonds: So although there be no grace in us, yet the Lord ſtirres up good motions in our hearts; then he ſeconds theſe with new deſires, then at laſt he make us to bring forth good fruite: ſo that the beginning, progreſſe and end of all good workes come of God; when wee acknowledge this from our heart, then we offer a burnt offering to the Lord.
But it is ſaid in Mark. 4.26. that the Kingdome of God is like a husbandman, who when hee had ſowen his ſeede, hee lyes downe and ſleepes; and in the meane time it growes and ſhoots forth into the blade, and then to the eare; therefore it may ſeeme; that when God hath once ſowne the ſeede of grace, hee addes not a new influence of grace to it.
Anſw. That parable is onelyonly meant of the Preacher, who after hee hath ſowne the ſeede, can doe no more, but commits the event to God; but the parable can no wayes be applied to God; for after that the ſeed is ſowne by God, hee muſt give both the firſt and the latter raine, or elſe it will not fructifie: The Schoolemen ſay well, ad ſingulos actus deſideratur gratia, unto every action that a man doth grace is required.
Man in his reſtitution receiving the grace of God, Prop. cannot loſe it againe.
The certainety of the perſeverance of the Saints in grace, Illuſt. 1 Gratia ſaemel recepta non poteſt amitti, reſpectu patris, filii & ſpiritus ſancti.is proved. Firſt, in reſpect of God the Father. Secondly, in reſpect of God the Sonne. Thirdly, in reſpect of God the holy Ghoſt. Firſt, in reſpect of God the Father, with whom there is no ſhadow of change; and none can pull his ſheepe out of his hands, Ioh. 10.29. Secondly, in reſpect of God the Sonne, the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 6. that, his members agglutinantur Chriſto; they are glewed to him. Thirdly, in reſpect of the holy Ghoſt, he is called the earneſt penny of our ſalvation, 2 Cor. 5. he is not called the pledge of our ſalvation; for a pledge may be laid in pane, and may be taken up againe; but an earneſt penny is a part of the bargaine and cannot be taken up againe.
There is a mutuall obligation betwixt God and man, Illuſt. 2 which ſheweth the perſeverance of the Saints. We give a pledge to God, 2 Tim. 1.12. I know whom I have beleeved, and I am perſwaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him, ſo, God giveth the earneſt penny of his Spirit to us; Epheſ. 1.13. In whom alſo after that ye were ſealed with the holy Spirit of promiſe, which is the earneſt of our inheritance; although we have the poſſeſſion of both, yet the keeping of both is committed to God who is a faithfull keeper, ſo that now the child of God, cannot fall away againe, not onelyonly in reſpect of the event, but alſo for the continuance of their Faith.
Queſt. When a man falls into any notorious ſinne, as murther, or adultery; whether is his faith loſt or not?
Anſw. Not, for he fals not from his univerſall and firſt juſtification, whereby all his former ſins were remitted to him, he fals only from the particular juſtification of that fact; this guilt of that fact which is particular, takes not away the firſt juſtification: here, Duplex iustificatio, univerſalis & particularis.amittit jus ad rem, ſed non jus in re; hee loſeth not the right of his former juſtification, but onelyonly the uſe of it for the time; and when hee repents of that particular fact, hee gets not a new right to his firſt juſtification, but is reſtored againe to the uſe of it. When Nebuchadnezzar became madde, hee was caſt out of his Kingdome and lived amongſt the beaſts; when he became ſober againe and underſtanding, hee got not a new right againe to his Kingdome, but onelyonly was reſtord to his poſſeſſion: ſo when a man fals by ſinne from God, when he repents hee gets not a new right to his juſtification, but onelyonly he gets the right uſe of his former juſtification.
Queſt. Whether is the child of God, quite cut off from Chriſt, when he commits any great ſinne?
Anſw. If we reſpect Gods part, hee is not cut off: for juſtification upon Gods part, implieth not any qualitie in man, but his free favour in pardoning; ſo that the queſtion is not, what man deſerved? but, what God doth injuſtifying man? It is he who juſtifieth the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. But if we reſpect mans part in ſinning, and according to his feeling before he repent, hee is cut off; but not reſpecting Gods firſt juſtification. A woman commits adultery, ſhee deſerves to be repudiate from her husband, yet the marriage is never diſſolved upon her husbands part, untill he give her the bill of divorce. So the ſinner when he falls into any great ſinne, upon his part he deſerves fully to be caſt off; and yet hee is not caſt off by God, becauſe he hath not given him the bill of divorce; demeritoriè incurrit iram Dei, licet non effectivè, he deſerves the wrath of God, although the Lord powre not out his wrath upon him.
Queſt. What loſeth he then by his fall?Be ccatorneque amittit habitu m…neque actum fidei, ſed act us pro tom po…re ſuſpenditur.
Anſw. Hee loſeth not the habite of his faith, neither the act of his faith, but onelyonly this act of his faith is ſuſpended for the time, Act. 20.9. When Eutyches fell downe out of an upper loft, all that beheld him thought he had beene dead; yet when Paul embraced him in his armes, he ſaid, he is not dead; the act of life was not extinguiſhed here, but ſuſpended. So when the child of God falleth into any notorious ſinne, grace is not quite gone out of him. The inceſtuous Corinthian who had laine with his fathers wife, 1 Cor. 5.1. was to be excommunicated and cut off from the Church, That his ſpirit might be ſaved, and the fleſh deſtroyed; he had the ſpirit all this time in him when he had fallen into this great ſinne, and had not quite loſt the grace of God: ſo that the child of God ſeemeth to be cut off for the time, and the holy ſpirit ſeemeth to be quenched in him, yet grace commeth in and bloweth up the ſparkles, that were lurking all this time under the aſhes of ſinne: example of this we may ſee in David, lying ſo long both in murther and adultery.
Therefore theſe who hold that a man may loſe his juſtifying faith, Conſequence. either altogether or for a time; and then by the grace of God working repentance in the heart of man, if may be reſtored to him againe; they miſtake the nature of true faith, for that which is juſtifying faith, is a fountaine of living water ſpringing up unto eternall life in man, Ioh. 4. Neither can it be totally taken from a man, and reſtored againe, for Iude ver. 3. ſaith, that faith is but once given to the Saints. Peter after his fall, went out and wept bitterly, Math. 26. Deus hic non infudit novum habitum, ſed ſuſcitavit, God infuſed not a new habite in Peter, but wakened up the habite that was ſleeping in him; for his ſeede remained ſtill in him, 1 Ioh. 3.
FINIS.