Additions to the Saints Everlasting Rest, Section 12
§ 11 SECT. XII.
Prop 12 Propos. 12. THerefore the sincerity of saving Grace, as saving, lieth materially, not in the bare Nature of it; but in the Degree: Not in the Degree considered Absolutely in it self; but comparatively as it is prevalent against its Contrary.
I cannot expect that the Reader should suddenly Receive this Truth (though of so great consequence that many mens salvations are concerned in it, as I shall shew anon) till I have first made it plain. Long have I been poaring on this Doubt, Whether the sincerity of Grace, and so the Difference between an Hypocrite, and a true Christian do consist in the Nature, or only in the Degree: Whether it be a Gradual or Specifical difference? And I never durst conclude that it lay but in the Degree; 1. Because of the seeming force of the Objections, which I shall anon answer. And, 2. Because of the constant contrary Judgement of all those Divines, whom I highliest valued. (For though I am ashamed of my own Ignorance, yet I do not repent that I received some things upon trust from the Learned, while I was learning and studying them; or that I took them by a Humane Faith, when I could not reach to take them by a Divine Faith. Only I then must hold them but as Opinions, but not Absolutely as Articles of my Creed.) But I am now convinced of my former mistake; and shall therefore endeavour to rectifie others, being in a matter of such moment.
You must remember therefore that I have shewed you already. that God hath not made any Act considered in its meer Nature, without considering it as in this prevailing degree, to be the condition of Salvation; and that a wicked man may perform an Act for the Nature of it, which a true Christian may do. But let us yet consider the Proposition more distinctly.
Divines use to give the title of saving Grace to four things;
The first is, Gods Purpose of saving us, and the special Love and Favour which he beareth to us, and so his Will to do us special Good. This is indeed most principally, properly, and by an excellency, called, saving Grace. It is the fountain from which all other Grace doth proceed: and, by this Grace we are Elected, Redeemed, Justified and Saved. Now the Question in hand is not concerning this Grace which is Immanent in God; where no doubt there is no specifical difference; when Divines accord that there is no diversity or multiplicity at all, but perfect Unity (allowing still the unsearchable Mystery of the Trinity:) Therefore I rest confident that no solid Divine will say, that Gods common Love or Grace to the unsanctified, doth by a natural Specification differ from his special Love and Grace to his chosen; (as they are in God.)
The second thing which is commonly called Saving Grace, is the Act of God by which the Spirit infuseth or worketh the special habitual saving Gifts in the soul: Not the Effect (for that I shall next mention;) but the Act of the holy Ghost which worketh this Effect. This is called Gratia Operans, working Grace, as the Effect in us, is called, Grati… Operata, Grace wrought in us. Now
1. This is none of it that we enquire after in the Question in hand, when we ask, Whether the Truth of Grace lie onelyonly in the Comparative or Prevailing Degree?
2. If it were, yet there is here no place for such a doubt. 1. Because no man can prove such natural specifique difference in the Acts of God; nor will I think affirm them. 2. Especially because in the Judgement of great Divines, there is no such Act of God at all distinct from his Essence and Immanent Eternal Acts: So that this is the same with the former. God doth not need, as man, to put forth any Act but his meer Willing it, for the producing of any Effect. If man will have a stone moved, his Will cannot stir it, but it must be the strength of his arm. But God doth but Will it, and it is done: (As Dr Twiss once or twice saith: But Bradwardine and others fully confirm) Now Gods will is his Essence: and he never did begin or cease to Will any thing, though he Will the Beginning or Ceasing of things. He Willed the Creation of the World, and the Dissolution of it at once from Eternity: though he willed from Eternity that it should be Created and Dissolved in time: And so the Effect only doth begin and end, but not the Cause. This is our ordinary Metaphysical Divinity: If any vulgar Reader think it beyond his capacity, I am content that he move in a lower Orb. But doubtless we must not feign a natural specifique difference of Acts in God.
The third thing which we commonly call Saving Grace, is, The special Effects of this Work of the Spirit on the Soul, commonly called Habitual Grace, or the Spirit in us, or the Seed of God abiding in us; or our Real Holinesse, or our New Nature.
Now, 1. Our Question is not directly and immediately of this, Whether Common and Special Grace do differ more then by the forementioned Degree? For this is not it which a Christian searcheth after immediately or directly in his Self-examination. For Habits (as Suarez and others conclude) are not to be felt in themselves, but only by their Acts. We cannot know that we are disposed to Love God, but by feeling the stirrings of Love to him. So that it is the Act that we must directly look for, and thence discern the Habit.
2. But if any m…n will needs put the Question, of this Habitual Grace only, though it be not it that I speak of principally, yet I answer him, That no man doubteth but that common Grace containeth good Dispositions; as special Grace containeth Habits. Now who knoweth not that a Disposition and a Habit do differ but in Degree? A carnal man hath a weak Inclination to Good, and a strong Inclination to Evil: Or, if you will speak properly (for the Will cannot choose Evil as Evil, but as a seeming Good) he hath a weak Inclination to Spiritual and Heavenly Superiour Good; and a strong Inclination to Fleshly, Earthly, Inferiour Good: Whereupon the Stronger bears down the Weaker. But the Regenerate have stronger Inclinations to Superiour Spiritual Good, then to Inferiour Fleshly Good, and so the stronger in most Temptations prevaileth. Now what natural difference is here, but only in Degree?
The fourth thing which we call Saving Grace, is, The exercise or Acts which from these Habits or Effectual Inclinations do proceed. And this is the Grace which the Soul must enquire after directly in his Self-examination. And therefore this is it of which we raise the Question, Wherein the Truth or Sincerity of it doth consist? (There is indeed other things without us which may yet be called Saving Grace, as Redemption and Donation (commonly called the Imputation) of Christs Righteousness, and so Remission, Justification, &c. but because every one may see that our Question is not of these, I will not stand to make more mention of them.) Now for these Acts of Grace, who can produce any Natural Specifique difference between them when they are special and saving, and when they are common and not saving? Is not common Knowledge and special Knowledge, common Belief and special Belief, all Knowledge and Belief? And is not Belief the same thing in one and in another? supposing both to be Real, though but one saving? Our Understandings and Wils are all Physically of the like substance, and an Act and an Act, are Accidents of the same kind; and we suppose the Object to be the same? Common Love to God, and Special saving Love to God be both Acts of the Will.
But here before I proceed further I must tell you, That you must still distinguish between a Physical or Natural Specification, and a Moral: And remember, That our Question is onelyonly of a Physical difference, which I deny; and not of a Moral, which I make no doubt of. And you must know that a meer difference in Degrees in the Natural respect, doth ordinarily constitute a specifical Difference in Morality: And the Moral Good or Evil of all our Actions lieth much in the Degree, to wit, that they be kept in the mean between the two extream Degrees. And so a little anger, and a great deal, and little Love to creatures, and a great deal, though they differ but Gradually in their Natures, yet they differ Specifically in Morality; so that one may be an excellent virtue, and the other an odious vice; So between speaking too much, and too little: Eating or drinking too much or too little: The middle between these is a Virtue: and both extreams are Vices: and yet Naturally they differ but in Degree. Virtue as Virtue, consisteth not in the bare Nature of an Act: but Formally it consisteth in the agreement or conformity of our Actions or Dispositions to the Rule or Law (which determineth of their Duenesse) which Law or Rule prescribeth the Mean (or middle degree) and forbiddeth and condemneth both the extreams (in degree) where such extreams are Possible, and we capable of them. So that there is a very great Moral difference (such as may be termed specifique) between those Acts which Naturally do differ only in Degree. I say, a Moral specifical difference is usually founded in a Natural Gradual difference. If you confound these two specifications, you will lose your selves in this Point.
Furthermore observe, that I say that sincerity of Grace, as saving, lieth in the Degree, not Formally, but, as it were [Materially] only. - For I told you before, the Form of it consisteth in their being, the Condition on which Salvation is promised. The form which we enquire after, is a Relation. As the Relation of our Actions to the Precept, is the form of their Virtuousness, viz. when they are such as are commanded: so the Relation of them to the Promise is the Form of them as [Saving] and so as [Justifying.] But because this Promise giveth not Salvation to the Act considered in its meer Being, and Natural sincerity, but to the Act as suted to its Object in its Essential respects; and that sutableness of the Act to the form of its Object consisteth onelyonly in a certain Degree of the Act, seeing the lowest Degree cannot be so suted; Therefore I say that sincerity l…eth, as it were materially, only in the Degree of those Acts, and not in the bare nature and being of it.
Lastly, Consider especially, that I say not that Sincerity lieth in the Degree of any Act in it self considered: as if God had promised Salvation to us, if we Love him so much, or up to such a height, considered Absolutely: But it is in the Degree considered Comparatively, as to God compared with other things, and as other Objects or Commanders stand in competition with him: and so it is in the Prevalency of the Act or Habit against all contraries.