Goodwill Towards Men, Part 2 · Section 8
Joh. 6.44.
No man can come to me, except, &c.
Sect. 8.
PROP. VIII. Though we are to perform the condition of the Covenant of Grace, yet we should never perform it of our selves, without the help of special Grace.
THis appears,
1. From the consideration of mans natural condition: what we all are without Grace. Naturally we are without strength, Rom. 5.6. under the power of Satan, Luk. 11.21, 22. blinded and led by him, 2 Cor. 4.4. Eph. 2.2. unable to discern spiritual things aright, 1 Cor. 2.14. Our minds and wills at enmity against God, so ill disposed, that they cannot subject to, cannot but rebel against the Law of God, Rom. 8.7. and we all found dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2.1, 5. Col. 2.13.
Hillary wrote to St. Augustine of many in France, who thought, In naturâ licèt vitiatâ, residuam esse talem facultatem, quae suo conatu possit medicum quaerere, i. e. incipere. A likely thing, that dead souls should seek to the Physitian of themselves; or that they should come upon a bare external call. Suadela non sufficit, sed opus est medelâ. They have too slight thoughts of the corruption of mans nature, who see not special grace of absolute necessity to conversion. That corruption which hath depraved all a mans faculties, which renders man an enemy to God, and his own souls truest good, where this ill constitution of soul is become natural, it must needs be a mighty work indeed to subdue this corruption, to turn the soul from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.
2. From the Scripture expressions used, to set forth the first inward discriminating grace, that without which there is no believing, no repenting, or obeying aright.
The Father's drawing, Joh. 6.44. No man can come to me, except the Father draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. Hereupon says our Amesius. It would seem to be of no less power this drawing men to Christ, In Coron. Art. 4. c. 8. Sect. 5. (mihi) p. 252.than raising them from the dead: otherwise Christ should attribute the lesser work to his Father, and the greater to himself. Sure it is, the Fathers drawing must denote some inward efficacious work, not meer Moral suasion. For all that are drawn of the Father (in the sense of this Text) they come to Christ, (see ver. 45.) but all that have morall suasion do not come. Those carnal Jews, Christ was preaching unto there, had moral suasion; yet did not come, not being drawn of the Father. And is it not as plain, that the Fathers drawing determineth mans will, is not determined by it? Otherwise he should not so properly be said to draw men, as to be drawn: he should not lead, but follow.
It is giving a new heart, Ezek. 36.26. Does God give a new heart to all? Surely no. Therefore this intended something more, than any common help afforded to all. All have not a new heart given them, If no more were included in it, than moral suasion, then Ministers might be said to give men a new heart, when they perswade them to get their hearts renewed. But that an inward efficacious, heart-changing work is intended in that expression, may appear from Deut. 29.2. Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive] when as he had given them (besides their natural faculties) his word, miracles, abundance of means, fitted to work on them objectively, morally. And certainly Gods putting his Law in our inward parts, and writing it in our hearts, Ezek. 36.27. is more than bare revealing it, more than offering it to our understanding
Besides the illumination of the understanding, it must needs include a renewing of the will. And there is no obeying God aright, till he give us this heart to obey. NO believing in Christ, till the Lord give us an heart to believe.
Thus Faith is the gift of God. Ministers may preach the necessity of faith, may perswade to it, but cannot give it.
It is Gods taking away the heart of stone, and giving an heart of flesh, Ezek. 36.26. The stony heart of man would never yield of it self, or relent of it self.
It is called regeneration, Joh. 3.3. A being born again, born from above, born of God. And no believing till we are born of God, Joh. 1. v. 12, 13. We must be spiritually alive otherwise we cannot act spiritually. No believing without regeneration, therefore no believing without special grace. Will any say, that regeneration is no more than moral suasion? or that it is common to all? Is this their gratia sufficiens, which they would have given to all? Then if all have regeneration, if all are born of God, it follows, all are the children of God, and all are believers; for so are all that are born of God. Methinks this is plain, All are not born of God; but it is of his special grace that any are thus born again. Yet no believing without being born of God: and so no believing without special grace.
Not that we are to suppose any intervall, or distance of time betwixt the Act of Gods Grace, irradiating the understanding, and renewing, rectifying the will, and the enlightned and rectified mind and wills act of closing with Christ: but that Gods Act is first in order. His drawing in order of nature before mans coming.
Again, It is foreign, and, foreign, Eph. 1.19. The exceeding greatness of his power, the energy of the might of his power, which he puts forth, in enabling souls to believe. Now were it not needless, that he should put forth this extraordinary, supernatural power, if men could believe of themselves, without any special grace, or help from him?
So it is called a new creation, quickning or resurrection from the dead, Anast. Sinait. d. rect. fid. dog. l. 1.Eph. 2.5, 10. Neque enim ab alio aliquo potes recreari, praeterquam ab eo qui initio te creavit. To create, quicken, raise from the dead, these are special works of divine almighty power.
3. From the promises God hath made of giving Grace. To so…e, which implies, that they have it not of themselves: but must have it from Him. Promisit enim quod ipse facturus fuerat, non quod homines; quia etsi faciant homines bona, ipfe facit, ut illi faciant quae praecepit; non illi faciunt …t pse faciat, quod promifit, Aug.When the Lord promiseth to circumcise their heart, to love him, Deut. 30.6. doth not this imply that a natural uncircumcised heart cannot love him? (the uncircumcised heart cannot love God, as the uncircumcised ear cannot hearken to him, Jer. 6.10.) And that no man can circumcise his own heart, nor can any creature so prepare, and dispose the heart of another to love God? But that this must be the work of the Lord God. [The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, &c.] So Ezek. 36.26. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. The Lord needed not to have made such promises, if sinners could do the work of themselves.
4 If men may believe, and repent of themselves, without the special help of Divine grace, Frustra…n. & stulcè ab alio petimus, quod vel jam habemus, vel quod sic in nostra positum est potestate, ut ab alio dandum, seu faciendum non expecte mus. D. Ward. (Grat. Discrim.) p. 343.then what need they to pray to God for Grace? what need they pray for that, which is in their own power already? As S. August. noteth of the Pelagians, Destruunt etiam orationes quas facit Ecclesia, sive pro infidelibus, & doctrinae Dei resistentibus, ut convertantur ad Deum: sive pro fidelibus, &c. de haeres. c. 88.
I cannot understand how they can heartily pray for grace for themselves or others, that assert the liberty of mans will, in opposition to the special determining grace of God. How shall they pray to the Lord to turn them, (as Jer. 31.18.) to change their hearts, to order their steps in his word, to encline their hearts to keep his Laws, who hold that all God does is to set mans will in aequilibrio, in an equal poize, not that he ever determineth mans will so by his grace, but leaveth it free to determine it self?
And if we must hold, that God giveth to all men that are alike in their carriage, like grace, in common; not to one more, to another less; then how can I pray or hope, that he should do that for me, which he will not do for every one in the world, of the like condition and capacity with me? Yea, why should men pray at all? If this be the inflexible rule of his dealings with the children of men, there would seem to be no more ground for prayer here, than that we should pray that the ordinances of heaven, and Gods Covenant with day and night might continue to the end of the world, that sun and moon might still keep their course, or on the other hand pray for an alteration of the most settled course of nature.
Thus all our prayers for grace should signifie no more, than such a declaration as this, Lord, thou hast given man freedom of will to choose, or refuse life and happiness, and such means and motives thou hast vouchsafed and given, the better to direct him in his choice. Now this is all that I, or any one can expect at thy hands, that thou wouldst assist my natural faculties in that general way, as thou dost assist the faculties of all men, notwithstanding which general help there is not one of many, but chooseth death and misery before everlasting life and happiness; yet I crave no more, and look for no more, but that common help thou wouldst not deny to any one in my circumstances, and let it be left to my own will, to take what course it pleaseth. Now is this to pray for converting grace, or rather is it not to declare, we have no need of it, or no ground to pray for it? yet, This is the Result of that opinion, which sets up the Liberty of mans will, or power of nature against the special grace of God; which whether it be not very horrid, let those that know what prayer is, and what their own hearts are, how corrupt and ill inclined, and that know what grace is, consider seriously of it, take advice, and speak their minds.
5. Take away special Grace, deny that, and you must say, believers are no way bound to praise God in special, above other men. How are they obliged to praise God above others, for whom he does no more, than he doth for others? But does not this sound very harshly, that they that believe, and are saved, are no more beholden to the Grace of God, than such are, who reject Christ and the Gospel, and so dye and perish? yet so it must be, if God give but the same help to those, which these other had. *Nec dici potest Petrum ideo accepisse majus beneficium quam Judas, quod habeat gratiam adjuvantem per modum concursus, quam Judas non habet. Nam praeterquam quod Petrus sua acceptatione sese a Juda antecedenter discrevit ad gratiae adjuvantis cooperationem; haec ipsa gratia adjuvans aeque parata est ex eorum hypothesi Judae atque Petro, ac proinde hac ex parte aequale est beneficium cum ex aequo utrisque paretur, & offeratur, Dr. Ward [Grat. Discrim.] p. 328, 329.Yea, for as much as many that are now damned did once enjoy more of the means of salvation, more common helps, more of that they call sufficient grace, than some that are saved; if there be not some special grace vouchsafed to these, which the other had not, they should be less obliged unto God, which one would tremble to think of. That some do believe, when others believe not, if you deny special grace, you must say, it is not because God did more for the one, than for the other: but because by the free act of their own will, the one did improve that grace and help vouchfafed to men in common, which the other sort neglected, would not improve. Thus indeed the will of man is made the direct, true, and proper cause of his first conversion and coming unto Christ; and the divine grace and help no more than barely an antecedent, or a faint causa sine quâ non. That which being put, yet it was altogether uncertain, whether the happy effect would follow; which had been in vain, and utterly lost, but that the free will of such thought good to determine the matter on its side. Thus a man should owe the praise of his own conversion, not so much to Gods Grace as to his own free will; his willing to accept of, and improve that fame exciting grace, which others had in common with him, and rejected, or resisted. Thus a man maketh himself to differ, even in that main, that highest point of difference, true saving grace. Surely common grace (which they suppose vouchsafed to all upon equal terms) this cannot make the difference: therefore it must be either Gods special Grace, or mans free will. If you deny the former of these, you give the praise of that to the latter. What a graceless opinion is that (Sirs) which tendeth to make men so ungratefull to Gods grace? Once we find the Pharisee brought in, as giving thanks to God, that he was not as the Publican. But if they that are converted, had not stood out, as well as others, but for some special grace vouchsafed to them, which was denied to others that stand out, they cannot (with understanding and seriousness) give thanks to God for making that difference, which not his grace, but their own free will did make.
Though some may say, They owe this to God, that he hath given them such liberty of will. As a noble, and ingenious writer speaks of a Jew, Ser aph. Love p. 117.that thought men owed more to God, than the very Angels do; For this reason, that whereas God without any good work of theirs, Was not that a blasphemous saying of Seneca, nigro carbone not andum, (Epist. 53) Est aliquid quo sapiens antecedat Deum; ille naturae beneficio, non suo sapiens est.but purely out of his goodness conferred on them that blest condition they enjoy; by giving man a free will, by the goodness of which he may glorifie his maker, when by abusing it 'tis in his power to dishonour him, he allows man that highest satisfaction, and priviledge of cooperating to his own felicity. Thus the Jew.
But here I digress a little, only in him we may see our own hearts naturally, we are proud, loth to be beholden, would sacrifice to our own nets.
But that which I was saying, is, that it is not enough for men to acknowledge themselves indebted unto God, for giving them such power and freedom of will; though it is true, thus it appears to be originally from God, that any do accept of Grace offered. (Pelagius that was all for setting up the power of Nature, yet ad frangendam invidiam, and to beguile others, would call it grace.) But grant that the power is from God †At vero inquies, habuit a Deo id posse. At vero inquam, habuit a Deo posse & in malum ferri, idque ex vestra sententia, nempe, foreign. Ergo non aliter erit a Deo quod voluntas fertur in bonum, quam quod in malum, Camer. Defens. cap. 20. p. 277.yet if that be all that God doth in converting a sinner, to give him this natural power, and some common grace besides; and so does leave it to a mans own will to strike the concluding stroak, it followeth, God is but the remote cause of a mans conversion; and mans will the immediate cause; yea, the onelyonly cause of the difference, that one man is converted, when others remains unconverted, to whom God vouchsafed equal means and help. This is an opinion therefore, that robbeth God of the praise due to his name, to give undue praise to man. Of the Covenant. p. 24.As Mr. Ball sayes well, That man believeth, this he oweth unto God, and that not simply alone, but comparatively in respect of others, who believe not.
6. If faith were of our selves, if we should believe without any special Grace, then have we something of our own, whereof to glory. But we have nothing of our own to glory of. Boasting is utterly excluded by the Law of faith, Rom. 3.27. 1 Cor. 4.7. The good use of common Grace (which the most abuse) is a considerable something †Quod ergo minus est, voluntas accepit a Deo; nimirum, ut poneretur in indifferenti quadam medietate, ut crederet, vel non crederet; quod autem majus est, ipsumque eventum specificat, sibi ex se praestitit voluntas ipsa, nempe, ut actu crederet. Suffrag. Britan. de 3. & 4. art. thes. 3. p. 140.. And here is something which the adversaries of special grace must deny, that men receive. They will grant men receive Tò posse credere; but Tò credere, (which is a great deal more,) that we use that power and common grace better than others, this we do not receive, but have it of our selves, our free will. And yet the Apostle tells us, God worketh in us, foreign, to will, as well as to do.
Now I come to answer some objections against special grace; and its efficiency in the work of a sinners conversion.
Object. 1. Does not this overthrow the nature of mans will? The will is free, and cannot be forced.
Answ. The will is not compelled, but enclined, and determined by grace.
Mans will (considered in his lapsed estate) is not morally free, not free from a vicious sinfull inclination. All that do not denye original sin, must grant this. Now hence it follows that without a special work of Grace, turning and changing the natural bent and inclination of the will, a man cannot break off his sins, give up himself to obey God, to be ruled and governed by Jesus Christ. That a man left to himself would do nothing but sin, would never leave the trade of sinning, Gen. 6.5. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart being onelyonly evil continually. Jer. 13.23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, &c. Now it is the work of divine grace to enlighten the mind, and renew the will, to heal it of that corrupt inclination, to take off that strong propension of the soul to sin, and its prejudice, perverseness, and obstinacy against God and Jesus Christ. And as this is taken off, the soul is coming on towards God, of unwilling is made willing to believe, repent, obey. And the more that the former sinfull inclination, and perverse disposition is taken off, the more willing and free is the soul unto these gracious Acts.
Now if you can but distinguish betwixt the natural power, or faculty of the will, and the moral vicious habits and inclinations of the will, you will see clearly that Grace doth not overthrow the nature of the will or of its Acts: but onelyonly is contrary to that evil inclination brought in by the fall. They that suppose Gods Grace goeth thus far with all, as to set their wills in an equal inclination, to good as to evil, they will not deny (sure) but that without this grace, mans will was only enclined and determined unto evil. Now if when mans will was wholly, and onelyonly enclined unto evil, the Grace of God could work thus far on it, as to bring it to an aequilibrium, to an indifferency or hovering betwixt two (whereas it was only one way bent before) I say, if Grace could thus far turn the bent of the will without overthrowing the nature of the will, and intrenching on its Liberty, let any man give us a reason, why the grace of God may not goe one step further with the will, so as to encline and determine it to good, (that the prevailing bent of the will should be that way) still without infringing its Liberty.
I cannot see any danger, or inconvenience in granting [that men have a natural power to believe and obey] rightly explained. That when God commandeth us to believe, repent, &c. he doth not command what is naturally impossible, what we have no more power to do, than to cause the sun and moon to stand still, or to remove mountains with a word. No, God hath given man those faculties, or powers of understanding and will, which are apt to obey, and receive his Commands, if they were not hindered by an evil disposition, and inclination, at first contracted by the fall, and further increased, strengthened and rooted, by the abuse of them in the practice of sin, but though men have the natural powers, or faculties, for want of a right constitution of them, they would never produce any gracious Acts of themselves. A meer natural power is not enough here, where there is no moral power, no true disposition and inclination to that which is truly spiritually good. And there is no such disposition or inclination without Grace. Now as men have a Natural power to believe and obey, but no true inclination thereunto without Grace, so we may say on the other hand, men have a natural power to reject Christ and his commands, where special grace is vouchsafed *Note, that the Anti-Arminians grant both resistibilitatem connatam, a natural power of resisting (inseparable from the will, as it is a natural faculty) & resistibilitatem adnatam, which is more than a power of resisting, even a proneness to resist, arising from the depravation of the will; yea, and actualem resistentiam, some actual resistance, arising from that vicious adnate power or proneness to resist; they only deny actualem resistentiam vincentem, to be consistent with converting grace. Vid. Dr. Ward. ubi supra. p. 270, 271, 299, 303, 306., but they are otherwise inclined, they see that in Christ and the Gospel, and have their wills so far rectified by grace, that they would not for a thousand worlds reject him. The prevailing bent of their wills now is fully, heartily, thorowly to close with, and cleave to him.
But by this which hath been said, I hope it is not hard to understand, how God by his special grace enclineth and determineth mans will after such a manner, that the will does also determine it self. That his people become willing in the day of his power, Psal. 110.3. As Mr. Ball solidly and judiciously. Repentance is the Cift of God, Of the Covenant, p. 344.but the Act of Man. God is the cause of willing, efficient, but not formal; the cause external and effective: but not vitally efficient &c. plainly thus, It is man that repenteth, believeth by the help of Gods Grace. And grace does so move and encline the will to believe and repent, as doth admirably agree with the nature of the will, According to that speech of one of the Ancients, Gratiâ Dei humanum non aufertur, sed sanatur arbitrium: non adimitur, sed corrigitur, non evacuatur sed adjuvatur. Certainly, the will never Acts more freely, than when made free by Grace. I will run the way of thy Commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. Draw me, and we we will run after thee. Yet take this along with you, that as the influx of divine grace, is very sweet in the souls conversion, So it is very powerful and efficatious. As it doth not oppose the wills acting freely, So neither doth it leave the will at uncertainty. Turn thou me and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God, Jer. 31.18. Necessariò peccat homo ante gratiam, neque tamen haec peccandi ne cessitas pugnat cum Naturali voluntatis libertate, cupotius cum eadem pugnabit bene volendi necessitas per gratiam? (Testard. d. Nat. & grat. Sect. 252. p. 211, 212.) As a Learned man observes. It is so ordained of God (as a general Law of Nature) That betwixt the objects appointed, Amyrald in Thes. Salm. par. 2. de fide p. 101. Sect. 40.to certain faculties, and the faculties themselves rightly constituted, there should be such a certain proportion *Which I see Arminius sometimes grants, Orat. de Aut. & fine Theol. Sequetur intellectus dilatationem ampliatio volunt atis—ex nativa intellectus & voluntatis convenientia, ac ingenita utrique analogia. &c., answerableness and consent, that if they be fitly applyed to one another, it cannot be but there should hence proceed a suitable operation. Thus (there is as he says) inter intellectum ac veritatem ineluctabilis analogia, such an unavoidable proportion and sutableness betwixt the understanding and truth, that the understanding rightly disposed, cannot but assent to truth demonstrated. And there is no less agreement inter bonum & appetitum, that the rational appetite rightly constituted cannot but cleave to good clearly apprehended, and duly presented to it; certainly it must be granted that the understanding cannot assent to that which is false, sub ratione falsi as false; nor can the will choose that which is evil, sub ratione mali, as evil. As I told you before, mans incogitancy or inadvertency was the first step to the fall, want of a due application of the object to the faculty. Thus on the other hand serious consideration is the first step to recovery. Spiritual things spiritually discerned would produce spiritual affections, and put upon gracious endeavours. It is true, that there is no proportion or agreeableness betwixt a carnal mind and spiritual things. But it is as natural for the soul prepared by divine grace, freely to close with Christ offered, and to submit to his Laws (as desirous in all things to be governed by him;) as it is natural to carnal unregenerate men to sin freely, who are only that way inclined, Though I grant there is a contrary corrupt inclination still remaining in the regenerate, who are renewed and sanctified but in part, yet the prevailing bent and inclination of the soul is towards God and Christ. But
Object. 2. Where is the iustice of God, in requiring faith of men, and condemning men for unbelief, if it be so, that they have no power to believe without special grace?
Answ. 1. I should fear advancing and honouring one Attribute of Gods in such a way, as would necessarily deny, or dishonour any other of his Attributes. As it is sinfull to set up and advance grace after such a manner, as is inconsistent with Gods holiness, or justice. This would be but to reproach our maker. But certainly Gods justice is to be cleared, without the clouding or ecclipsing, without the denying or diminishing of his Grace. For.
2ly. Is not God just in requiring perfect obedience of fallen man? And are not sinners obnoxious to punishment for every sin, and act of disobedience? Now Arminius will grant you, Resp. ad. 9. quest. f. 176.that a man cannot keep the Law of God perfectly, secundum rigorem, but onelyonly secundum foreign. Corvinus I think stretcheth the Lawyers saying too far, Lex aut ad obedientiam, obligat, aut ad poenam, Censur. Anat. Arm. c. 8. Sect. 7. p. 122.that one is not obliged by the same Law both to punishment, and to obedience. Which must be taken with restriction, in reference to the same act. For a Law may oblige to punishment for past disobedience, and yet oblige to obedience for future, too; yet sayes he, when therefore man lay under the curse, he was no further obliged to obedience; ibid.because God would no longer be served by him. For that God will be served of his creature, it is of favour. But as Mr. Ball sayes. It is altogether undecent, especially to the wisdom and righteousness of God, Ball of the Covenant, p. 289.that that which provokes the execution, should procure the abrogation of his Laws. That that should supplant and undermine the Law, for the alone preventing whereof, the Law was before established. The truth is, it cannot but be the creatures duty to serve God, and obey him in all that he is pleased to command. It is but right and just that God should require this of all, even of sinful creatures. The creatures guilt is no fair plea against Gods right. It is against all reason that mans disobedience should discharge him from a tye to obedience, that his transgressing Gods commands should void Gods right of commanding. Shall the creatures running into rebellion, deprive God of his Soveraign Authority, justle him out of his Throne? As Corceius reasoneth well, d. foed. c. 4. Sect. 71. p. 76.si sublato praemio & introducto reatu poenae cessaret obligatio, then it would seem that man from the beginning could be bound by no Law, but what he voluntarily would accept of. For if by a mans choosing to undergo the guilt and punishment, rather than to perform obedience, the obligation be disolved, it would seem the Obligation was rather arbitrarily taken on him, as in a free contract betwixt a servant and his master: not that he was naturally, necessarily bound to obey God, from his very being; as he was his Creature. And besides it would follow (as the forementioned Author also notes) that there should be no actual sin, but onelyonly the first sin of Adam.
Thirdly, To come closer to the objection, I would not say simply, that a man hath no power to believe, but no will to believe, without special grace, posse credere naturae est hominum; velle credere gratiae est fidelium. Or thus, we must distinguish of power (as was hinted in the Answer to the former objection) power is either Physical, i. e. Natural; or Ethical, moral. That in Joh. 6.44. No man can come to me, may be well explained by that, John 5.40. ye will not come to me, ye cannot come, because ye will not: ye will not come, without special grace draw and encline you to it: But if mens wills were to it, they should not be kept off for want of power. Did ever any thing hinder any soul's coming unto Christ that was truly willing to come.
But (you will say) sinners cannot will to come to Christ, but I would ask you again, why can they not will to come to him? If they have Christ held forth, and hear the Gospel inviting sinners to him; what is it but a wicked perverse disposition, and inclination of will, that keepeth them from him, as Mr. Ball sayes well He that refuseth to come, Of the Covenant, p. 244.refuseth not through inabillity, as unable, though willing and desirous to imbrace it, but willingly preferring some base inferior good before it. And again, That man believeth, p. 245.this he oweth unto God, and that not simply alone, but comparatively in respect of others who believe not: but that man refuseth the promises of mercy, this is of himself, not of simple or Natural infirmity which might procure pity, but of his own perverseness and love to some inferior good, &c. (you may see more in him to this purpose, p. 343.
Object. 3. Do you not make God as one that mocketh, in the tenders of his grace, offering mercy to sinners on such terms, and conditions, as they cannot attain to without special grace which is vouchsafed but to a few of many.
Answ. No. God do's not mock sinners but is as serious as may be, telling them on what terms he will be gracious to them. That if they will come in, they shall find mercy; otherwise not.
Thus the Covenant of Grace holdeth forth a possibility of Salvation to sinners, condemned by the Law and Covenant of works, and is there no grace in this? Again, here the Lord requires less, than in strict justice he might require, less than the law of works, (which all men naturally are under) doth exact. And is there no grace in that?
And what he requires, he hath absolutely promised to work in some. And is wont to work in his people by the calls, invitations, promises, &c. of his word and Gospel. His grace and spirit concurring, and is there no grace herein.
But let God be true, and every man a liar. Is He not beforehand with sinners? Did he mock the world, when he gave his Son to be the Saviour of all, and every one that would believe in him? Does he mock men, in calling, and perswading them to Christ in the Gospel? should any one of them be rejected, if they came? yea, does he not ordinarily concurre with the word and outward means, in some sort to prepare men for converting grace? And can it be proved, that ever he deserted any one in the way to conversion, till provoked by their neglect of him, and rejecting of his grace offered? As one of the Antients, Qui & priusquam deseratur, neminem deserit, & multos desertores sepe convertit. Does he not complain of sinners, Because when he called they refused, Prov. 1.24. Now what an unjust, and unworthy thing is it, for any to charge God, as if he dealt not cordially with us in the offers of his grace, when he denies special grace to none, but such as have first neglected to improve common grace.
And certainly, men may as soon perswade believers out of their senses, to conceit the Sun is a dark spot, that snow is black, and fire cold, and honey bitter, As that God in the Covenant of Grace doth meerly pretend and make show of grace and mercy to sinners: but that in very deed he only mocks them.
O that sinners would try, whether God is not serious. Let the wicked for sake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon, Isa. 55.7. As I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live, Ezek. 33.11. O sinners will you trie, whether the Lord be not serious, O that you could be perswaded to try! you would never repent of this repentance, Turn to the Lord and you would then resolve, (by the help of his grace) never to turn away from him more.
If now you will say, Alas, we cannot turn. I must tell you from God, then you cannot live. And it is as if a malefactor taken and reprehended should say, I cannot leave this course of mine, I cannot leave my trade of thieving, robbing. A moral cannot, that is indeed a will-not. It is very true, that the foreign velle, the moral power is not vouchsafed to all. God doth not work in every one [to will] yet he vouchsafeth means for the removall of impotency natural; So they that have Gospel-calls, have foreign posse si velint. They might come if they would. All the hindrance is in themselves, in their perverse wills. As Mr. Ball (p. 343.) The invitation is not so hard, that a man cannot fulfill it, if he would: but such as if man would, he could not but execute. Now will you say God is not serious, when he calleth you? But one day it will appear, that you only were guilty in this respect, that you would not be perswaded seriously to attend to Gods most serious offers, indeed sinners will not be serious, but tempt Christ, mock God most shamefully; and yet think to excuse themselves by charging God foolishly, as if he mocked them, and dealt not truly and sincerely with them.
But seeing the reason why men do not turn to God, is not that the thing required is unreasonable, (what can be more reasonable, than that a sinner who deservs to be for ever damned should judge and condemn himself, acknowledge and turn from his iniquities, and most heartily and gladly lay hold on, and embrace Mercy and a Pardon offered, prising it above any thing in the World.) Since it is thus, God does not require any unreasonable thing of men, but the true direct and proper cause of their standing off, is the unreasonable wickedness and perversness of their own wills: It is evident that men are in all the fault, that they do not turn to God, and that their Destruction is of themselves.
And though God takes hold of some by his Grace, and Spirit (as the Angel took hold of Lot, who otherwise had perished in Sodom) thus the Lord by his special Grace prevents some (whom he hath Elected unto Life) that they should not run upon Eternal Ruine, with the generality of the World; yet this is a most free Dispensation of his rich Grace. And had the Lord done no more for these chosen Vessels, than for the basest Potsheards of the Earth, yet they could not justly have blamed him, as any way behind-hand with them: Had he left all Mankind to perish in their Sins, God had been Righteous and the whole World without Excuse.
One thing more, They Argue thus, what is it, but to Mock men, for the Lord to Invite and Call on them to come, who (he knows) will not come without Special Grace, which yet he gives not to the far greater part of men Invited. They might as well Argue thus against Divine Prescience: †Num, obsecro te, non novit certo qui parituri, qui Minus? Deus igitur etiam vestro judicio fuerit Hypocrita qui vocat quos scit non parituros. Non potuit Deus hanc contumaciam emollire, & penitus abolere? Deus igitur vobis quidem arbitris, Tyrannus. Camero. Defens. c. 16. p. 273.If God certainly foresees who will not come in upon the Gospel-Call, why does he once Invite them? Are not all Gospel Calls in vain to such, as he knows will never hearken to them, and worse than in vain (because the Aggravation of their Sin and Condemnation?) Will they say, that those gracious Calls will further clear Gods Justice in the Condemnation of such ungrateful, sinful wretches as despised them, that thus they will be left the more without Excuse? So we can say the same.
Object. 4. Do you not evidently make God a Respecter of Persons, if he gives that special Grace to some, which he denies to others every way equal to the former.
Answ. I think that it is a good and necessary Distinction, Vid. Cameron. Defens. c. 15. p. 227, 228, 229, 230.here to Distinguish between a Benefactor and a Judge, or Rector. Consider God as Rector, and Judge, and so he is no respecter of persons, he gives one Law to all, lays down the same Rule for all; he commandeth all men every where to Repent. And according to the same Law he Judgeth, 1 Pet. 1.17. VVho without respect of persons Judgeth. God is an Impartial Judge. In matters of Judgment it is a fault to respect Persons, and this cannot be charged upon God, he dispenseth both gracious Rewards, and just Punishments, according to those certain, known Rules laid down in his VVord; he giveth Reward unto his Servants the Prophets, and to the Saints, and them that fear his Name, small and great, Rev. 11.18. So in that Text, Acts 10.34. God is no respecter of persons, but in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him. He that Believeth (of what Rank or Condition soever) shall be saved. On the other hand, he that Believeth not (be he who he will, how High or Rich, or Great soever) shall be Damned; God will Judge righteous Judgment, and render to every one according to his work. Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of man that doth evil, that obeyeth unrighteousness, Rom. 2.5, 6, 9.
But then secondly, Consider God in those special Acts of Grace and Bounty wherein he is not to be looked on as Judge, but as a Free-Doner, or Benefactor only: And who can say, that here he may not respect some, more than others? As a Benefactor may dispense his Favours where he pleaseth. May not God do what he will with his own? Indeed what is any mans by promise, he will not alien, or take away. He hath promised Pardon and Salvation to every true Believer, and will be as good as his word. Every true Believer shall have them; and none but such may expect them. But as for the working of Faith, and giving of the Condition to which Heaven and Happiness is promised, he hath not so bound up himself. But it is certain, he does that for some, which he denies to do for others, their Equals, or Betters. Here he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, see Rom. 9.11.13, 14, 15, 16. Mat. 11.25, 26.
Object. 5. What is that special Grace? you tell us of you know not what.
Answ. 1. I have proved undeniably that there is such a thing. Now because we have not an Accurate Knowledg of it, shall we therefore not acknowledg it? †Motum hunc sentiunt pii, modum ignorant. Camero. Defens. p. 90.Gods ways (we read, Rom. 11. ult.) are past finding out. As the ways of his Judgments, so the wayes of his Grace, Thou vain man, that wouldest know, how the new Creature, the babe of Grace, is first formed in the heart, or thou wilt not believe it to be a work of grace, but the meer product of a liberum Arbitrium, the pure conception, and motion of a mans own mind and will; Let me ask thee dost thou know what is the way of the Spirit, or how the bones doe grow in the womb of her that is with child; so neither knowest thou this wonderfull work of God.
Secondly, Though we cannot define it, yet that it is a supernatural working, but congruous and suteable to the nature and faculties of the rational creature, we are not to doubt. It is a sweet drawing, or a powerful and most surely, and prevalent perswading of the soul to Christ. It is divine teaching, that is, teaching to purpose, Gods giving an heart to perceive; every one thus taught of God, cannot but learn, That divine light which strikes the understanding, and breaks in upon the soul in the work of conversion, it necessarily, infallibly, irresistably, produceth a new apprehension of things, whereas the soul was blind before, now it sees clearly: It was in a state of darkness before, but is now light in the Lord. This illumination of the mind is the foundation-work of the souls renovation and sanctification. Powerfull and thorow conviction the beginning of conversion. All sides are agreed that the Lord can and does oft shine in upon the understanding with that clear manifestation of the truth, and of the chiefest good, and of the onelyonly and necessary means conducing to the enjoyment of it, that the understanding is necessarily captivated by it, cannot but give its full Assent. That to believe the contrary were to believe a lye and falsity under the Notion of a lye, and falsity, which is impossible.
Now this may give us to understand the way and method of Gods grace so far as it is necessary for us to know it, scil. that he drawes with the bands of a man, deales with man as a reasonable creature, worketh upon the will by the understanding first enlightned. And thus we may see how the word commands, calls, exhortations, promises of the word, are means of conversion, That the demonstration of the spirit is the improveing of Scripture Arguments driving them to an head; foreign, utego quidem certe illum locum accipio, Camero Defens. p. 90.the urging and fastening of saving Truths on the mind, applying them so close and home, as no creature can do. And we must needs think, there is a great difference betwixt the discovery of truth by the meer light of natural Reason; and the evidencing of it by the demonstration of the Spirit, as there is a difference of seeing things by the dim light of a candle and of seeing them in the clear light of the Sun: Though there is a common illumination of the Spirit, yet there is also a special illumination. It is true the common illumination leaves men but almost perswaded to be Christians; but the special illumination causeth thorow sound conversion. As the mind and understanding is never thus spiritually enlightned, but the heart is touched, the will rectified. As the soul at first was corrupted by the understanding, so by the way of the understanding it is renewed.
Thus I hope you have seen this last Proposition of the necessity of special grace cleared. I cannot pass from this point, without hinting what special use is to be made of it.
First, It should make Christians very humble and very thankful. O sirs, it would become the best of you all to have very low thoughts of your selves, but exceeding high thoughts of God, and his free, and powerfull distinguishing grace.
For my own part: I can say, ever since I came to understand any thing to purpose in Religion, and Christiany, I could not but have a suspition, that those opinions were not right, that tend to set up the power of man, and lessen the grace of God in the work of his conversion, and Salvation. And when I first met with that of Grevincho's, Quis se discernit? in promptu causa est. Ego me ipsum discerno.I make my self to differ, I could not entertain it but with abhorrence, As still it seems to me a very impudent, arrogant and graceless speech. What he adds does not at all qualifie it, I think.
Quum enim Deo, ad prae determinationi divinae resistere possem, non restiti tamen, at qui in enim quid in liceat mihi tanquam de meo gloriam? Quod enim potui Dei quidem miserentis est, quod autem volui, quum possem nolle, id meae potestatis est. He should have said meae virtuis. q. d. That I have a power to be good, this is of God: but that I am better than another this is of my self
He would onelyonly acknowledge, that God gave him the power, but that he had a will to use it aright, this he had of himself and might glory of it, as his own. Such men may seem to give the first fruits to God: but clearly rob him of his Tenths. The first fruits under the Law might be one of sixty. The Tithes must be one of Ten. They devide unhandsomly, and take the greater share to themselves, and what is most Praise-worthy, giving God the Lesser share; whereas indeed the whole work of Conversion is his, the will of man never inclining to God, till inclined by his Grace.
O Christians! be very sensible of the strength of Natural Corruption, and of the Freeness, and Power of Gods renewing Grace. Indeed a right sense of the one would help you to a clear discerning of the other, and a due Apprehension of both would tend to make you more humble and thankful. As the state of Jerusalem is described, Ezek. 16.3. &c. Such is thy Estate by Nature, so Poor, Miserable, and Helpless wert thou, O Christian, thy Birth and thy Nativity as that of the cursed Canaanites, thy Father as an Amorite, thy Mother as an Hittite, and thou all polluted in thy own Blood: Yet when it was thus, the Lord passed by thee, and looked with Compassion on thee, and said to thee, When thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, he said unto thee, When thou wast in thy blood, Live: He passed by thee and behold thy Time was the time of Love, and he spread his Skirt over thee, and covered thy Nakedness: Yea, he sware unto thee, and entered into a Covenant with thee, and thou becamest his.
Art thou Implanted into Christ? When thou wast a wild Olive-Tree, did'st thou Ingraft thy self into the good Olive-Tree? Certainly, this is every whit as strange, as for an evil Tree to bring forth good Fruit. Boast not, Christian, thou bearest not the Root, but the Root thee.
Art thou a Child of God? Quis credat parieti si se dicat parturire radium, quem suscepit per fenestram? Aut si glorientur nubes, quod imbres genuerint, quis non irrideat? Bernard in Cant. Ser. 13.It was his Spirit and Power that Regenerated and his Grace that Adopted thee. How hadst thou thy New Birth; certainly not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but thou wast Born of God, John 1.13. Born of the Spirit, John 3.5. Art thou a new Creature? Who made thee so? Surely thou wilt not say, or think, that thou art thine own Creature: If a man of his own will, without the special Grace of God did Convert and change himself, then should he be his own Creature. But the Apostle hath taught us otherwise, Ephes. 2.10. We are Gods Workmanship, Created in Christ Jesus. To make a new Creature is the Work of God, not of any meer Creature. And to think what a change Divine Grace hath made in you that are Renewed, what a difference from your selves, from what you were before, and what a difference from others; it should not puff you up with any high Thoughts of your selves, but lift you up in praise and thankfulness to God. I admire free and special Grace, that hath made such a difference betwixt you and others, where it found none. This is the Lords doing, and ought to be Marvellous in our eyes.
Secondly, You that are under the Influence of Gods special Grace, let it appear more in your lives, you should carry it as a peculiar People indeed. What singular thing do you? What do you more than others? If the Lord hath done that for thee, which he doth for few in the world, does but for a few in comparison; he expects that thou shouldst do more for him. Thou shouldst carry it so as few in the word do. O that you would not think it enough with your Tongues to own, and plead for special Grace, but that your Lives might be a good proof of it; Christians, Experimental Philosophy takes with many now of late: O that more were for Experimental Divinity, Experimental Christianity! And so for this Point of special Grace, I wish that you and I could give the world Experiments upon it, clearly to convince them, that there must be such a thing indeed. O! let others see the Grace of God among us. As was seen there, Acts 11.23. Let the world see that in you, (Christians) which corrupt Nature, which Flesh and Blood would never produce. If you have known and felt the Influence of special Grace, I beseech you, let it appear, that you have not received this Grace in vain. Let it appear in your more singular Piety, exemplary Strictness, Holiness, Humility, Self-denial, Mortification, Contempt of the world, extraordinary Fruitfulness in good Works.
Thirdly, They that are yet short of Grace may see, whither they are to go for it: Faith and Repentance, (those better things that accompany Salvation) are not of our selves: No, they are the Gifts of God, and of his special Grace.
Sinner, How is it? Art thou convinced of the Necessity of Faith, Repentance, Holiness, without which thou canst have no true Hope of Future Happiness? And dost thou see thy self short of these; and so still under Condemnation, being Sentenced by the Law and Covenant of Works, and not coming up to the Terms of the Gospel and Covenant of Grace (the only way to get freed from Condemnation?) And art thou sensible, not only of thy coming short of what the Covenant of Grace requires; but of thy own Insufficiency to attain to it, as of thy self? Dost thou see a wretched Indisposition, and Aversness to thy Duty, a Cross and Crooked perverse Inclination to what would Ruine thee? Yet do not dispaire, there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. And if thou art sensible of thy own wretchedness, and canst be perswaded to apply thy self to God, the God of all Grace, there is hope concerning thee: That God who hath been oft found of them that seek him not, if now thou wouldst seek and sue to him, it may be hoped, he would not deny to be found of thee, see Isaiah 65.1. Mat. 25.27. He that had but one Talent is blamed and condemned, that he went not with it to the Exchanger, that is, says one, to the Promiser, who might have furnished him with a Forreign supply. Seek to God in the use of means: None will deny, but it is in thy power, to use the means, wherein God is wont to work Grace. It's good being in the way as Jesus passeth by. That Grace which is not in thy power to command, yet thou hast encouragement to Beg; in as much as it is promised to some, and for any thing thou knowest, to thee among the rest; and this brings me to another Proposition.