The Account Audited and Discounted, Exercitation 2 · Section 39
Sect. 39. We wave the four following Sections, &c. but cannot let paſs, what he addes, about the difference, betwixt a Precept and Grace, &c.
I Shall be brief in diſpatching the particulars of this Section: becauſe it is a foreign to our main buſineſs: I ſaid, [Grace it ſelf and every degree of grace, being a talent alſo, requires a proportionable return to that degree; Luke 12.48.to whom more is given, of him more is required.] To which laſt, he anſwers nothing, but talks ſtill of a Latitude (as afore in Charity;) p. 199. n. 2.[The proportionable return (he ſays) is not ſo placed in an indiviſible point, that he that comes ſhort of it offends in the defect, &c.] But ſure, if more be required of him that received more; then that proportion is not in a latitude, or liberty to return leſs; but equal to the talent received: and then it can be no Free-will-offering. But what if he exceed that point, ſhall that be an offence too? This is grounded upon a falſe ſuppoſition, that a man may do more then he received, as above a command: And this appears by his caſes ſuppoſed. [1. Two men that have the ſame grace in ſpecie, both may uſe it well, and yet one make better uſe of it, then the other:] The caſe, firſt, ſhall be put in this latter; both having the ſame degree of grace; if one make better uſe of it then the other, ſurely he that made leſſer uſe of the ſame meaſure of grace, fell ſhort of his duty, and the other had no cauſe of boaſting, for he did but his duty. As for exceeding or doing more, then his grace required, it ſavours to much of the Popiſh leaven of ſupererogation: n. 3.and men will rather be found in the defect, then in the exceſs. n. 4.[2. Paul laboured more then all the Apoſtles, by the grace of God in him: ſuppoſing that meaſure no greater then in Peter: yet this would certainly be accepted and rewarded, &c.] If Peter had the ſame meaſure of grace with Paul, and laboured leſs, it was his fault in the defect. If Paul with the ſame or a greater meaſure laboured more, he did but his duty at beſt, and ſo no Free-will-offring yet; and ſo no need of Procuſtis his bed: which is very unhandſomely here applied. Let him ſee how he will anſwer it to God.
I never doubted but grace is often received in vain; but that I ſaid was this, n. 6.[Does God give grace to incline, and leave men free to uſe it or not to uſe it?] Which ſeems a fair inference, from what he ſays, [which he that maketh uſe of it is promiſed a reward:] as if he that made no uſe of it, ſhould onelyonly loſe his reward, or at moſt (as he ſays) be puniſhed with the withdrawing of his talent, the grace given him. And this he makes the difference of a Precept and a Grace; [The one lays an obligation, and that ſub periculo animae, if not obeyed; the other not ſo, but onelyonly to ſtrengthen and incline:] mark that, not ſub periculo animae, if it be not uſed: but if he uſe it, a reward; if not, no puniſhment but loſs of his grace received; which perhaps he would account a benefit to be rid off: And yet ſayes preſently; [The bringing of God no return, of all his grace, is a great and damning ſin:] but then it differs not from a precept, not obeyed, and is given ſub periculo animae, if not uſed. But is it not a damning ſin alſo, not to return a proportion to his meaſure of grace? No, (ſays he) if he bring him ſome return, in a latitude; [for there's no obligation in this matter, ad ſemper, or, or gradum, to do it always, or to ſuch a a degree.] To which I ſaid, firſt, That there is an obligation, Semper, He that received five return'd five more; he that two, two, &c. p. …00. n. 8.as opportunity is offered, and always to the degree of the grace, a gradual improvement. [To whom more is given, of him more is required;] Is expreſs Scripture. 2. That this gloſs ſavours too much of the Romiſh dialect; all which he takes no notice of.
And it ſeemes he was in ſome haſte (more then good ſpeed) to recriminate, and caſt dirt in the face of his adverſary. [They that moſt demurely reprehend this kinde of Divinity, that leave nothing to mans will, yet do often exhort and reprehend men; which muſt certainly be vain and ridiculous, unleſs they be in ſome poſſibility by Gods grace, to do what they are exhorted to, &c.] But, firſt, I never denied but grace was often received in vain; but I ſaid, it was not given by God, not to be uſed, or not improved by men, but onelyonly to ſtrengthen and incline, as he aſſerts. 2. Who are thoſe men, that leave nothing to mans will? not I for certain, who ſay, the will is (too) free to evil, and by grace made, in ſome meaſure, free to good alſo. 3. Who ſayes, men are not in poſſibility, by Gods grace, to do what they are exhorted to? though I fear, he equivocates in the word grace, as he knows, who were wont to doe. 4. Why may not they exhort and reprehend ſuch, that do not what they can to avoid ſins, and do things materially good? The Doctor ſeemes to hold, that no man may be exhorted to, or reprehended for, what is now to him impoſsible: or, that common grace is enough to enable men to do, what is commanded: or elſe it is vain and ridiculous. But this is a new controverſie, and I liſt not to enter into it. My meaning was as afore, which now he ſtumbles upon, [That Gods giving grace in vain, n. 9.201.muſt be his not giving it ſo, as that it ſhall be no ſin, not to uſe it.] If this be a ſtrange expreſſion, it's long of his ſtranger Divinity: who ſays, grace is not ſo given, but onelyonly to incline, and ſtrengthen, not to be uſed, &c. which was to me, to give it in vain. But of this enough before.
We are at laſt, brought to the old refuge of a latitude, but with a double contradiction to what he ſaid before. 1. n. 10.That grace laid no obligation upon a man, but onelyonly ſerved to strengthen and incline: yet now ſays, grace doth bring obligation with it. 2. That it did not oblige to a return, proportionable to the meaſure of grace, non ad gradum; now he ſays, it brings obligation with it, and that to ſome return proportionable to that grace: But that proportionable return muſt be, not onelyonly ad ſpeciem, but ad gradum. The onelyonly evaſion is, [proportionable return conſiſts in a latitude, which hath ſeveral degrees in it;] Belike then, he that hath ten talents, if he bring in but one talent improved, brings a proportionable return; for that's within the latitude. So that if he return of ten degrees, but one, yet he offends not in the defect, as contra, (for ſo he ſays) [He that exceeds that minimum quod ſic, that leaſt degree, ſhall not offend by way of exceſs, but is more acceptable, and more highly rewardable.] As if the other nine degrees of ten. (For that's the latitude) were all above command, and works of ſupererogation. Yes, ſo he ſays in the concluſion; [As the loweſt of theſe degrees are under obligation, ſo the ſuperiour are not; p. 201. n. 10but yet ſuch as will be accepted and rewarded by God, to him that arrives to them.] This is very eaſie and pleaſant Divinity. Let the Reader judge.