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THe will of man being falne, is deprived of the supernaturall and saving graces with which it was endowed in the state of innocen∣cy, and therefore to the performing
of any spirituall actions it is able to doe nothing without the assistance of grace.
THat the will of man was endowed with excellent graces, it is hence mani∣fest, because man was made after the Image of God. But the jmage of God had the prime place in the cheife faculty of the soule, and what these graces were with which the will of man was beautified in the Creati∣on, it is evident out of those things, which are restored for the making whole againe of this Image, Ephes. 4.24. Put yee on that new man, which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse. And that this righteousnesse, holiness and uprightnesse of our will was lost by the fall, it is cleare by this second receiving the same, being recovered by the grace of God in Christ. For wee are to put on anew, that which we put off in Adam, when hee was stript and left naked.
And that such a will as this of ours availes nothing to the performance of supernaturall actions, the Scripture cleerely witnesseth, Iohn
15.5. Without me you can doe nothing. Rom. 5.6. When as yet wee were of no strength, &c. 2 Cor. 3.5. We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing, as of our selves.
* 1.1Hence is that saying of St. Austin, What good can a wicked man doe except so farre forth as hee is freed from perdition. And againe, Our will is so farre said to be free, as it is freed.
THere is in the will of a man being fallen, not onely a possi∣bility of sinning, but also an head∣long inclination to sinne.
THis possibility was in the will, even when it was incorrupt, as it is too evi∣dent by the event. But after the fall, e∣ven by the fall, there was over and above ad∣ded, a greedy thirst and desire to sinne. Iob 15.16. Man drinkes iniquity like water. A content and delight in sinne, Prov. 2.14. Who rejoyce to doe evill, and delight in the frowardnesse of the wic∣ked,
Gen. 6.5. Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart was evill continually. A slavery under sinne, Rom. 6.17. Ye were the servants of sinne. Lastly, death in sinne, Ephes. 2.2. You were dead in sinnes and trespasses.
Neither can the case stand otherwise in cor∣rupt man not yet restored by the grace of God, since that such is the nature of the will, that it cannot remaine single or utterly unfur∣nished, but falling frō one object, to which it did adhere, it pursues another eagerly to em∣brace it. And therefore being by a voluntary Apostasie habitually turned from God the Creator, it runnes to the creature, with an un∣bridled appetite, and in a lustful and base man∣ner commits fornication with it, being al∣wayes desirous to set her heart and rest on those things wch ought only to be used on the By, and to attempt and accomplish things forbidden. What maruell then if such a will be the bondslave of the deuill? Luk. 11.21. When a strong man armed keepes his place, his goods are in peace, &c.
The will without charity is nothing but a vicious desire.* 1.2
THere are certaine externall workes ordinarily required of men before they be brought to the state of regeneration, or conversion, which are wont sometimes to be per∣formed freely by them, and other∣whiles freely omitted, as to goe to Church, to hear the word preached, or the like.
THat such things are required it is manifest, Rom. 10.4. How shall they beleeve in him, of whom they have not heard. And that they are in our power both reason tells us, seeing it is in every mans power to rule his mouing faculty; and experience proves it, because wee see, in outward things, men, as they will thē∣selves, doe this or that, or omit both. They can therefore sit at home, when they should go to
Church. It is in their power to stoppe their eares when the Preacher speakes. Marke 6.20. Herod heard Iohn gladly. Acts 13 46. The Iewes refuse to heare the Gospell. Psal. 58.4. The wic∣ked stop their eares like the deafe Adder.
THere are certaine inward ef∣fects going before conversion, or regeneration, which by the power of the word and Spirit are stirred up in the hearts of men not yet ju∣stified; As are, a knowledge of Gods will, a sense of sinne, a feare of pu∣nishment, a bethinking of freedome, and some hope of pardon.
THE grace of God is not wont to bring men to the state of justification (in which we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ) by a sudden Enthusiasme, or rapture, but by divers degrees of foregoing actions taming and preparing them through the Ministery of the word.
1 This we may see in those, who upon hea∣ring S. Peters Sermon, feele the burden of their sinne, are stricken with feare and sorrow, de∣sire deliverance, and conceive some hope of pardon: All which may bee collected of those words, Acts 2.37 When they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we doe?
2 This the very nature of the thing re∣quires; for as in the naturall generation of man there are many previous dispositions, which go before the bringing in of the form: so also in the spirituall generation, by many actions of grace which must goe before, doe we come to the spirituall nativity.
3 To conclude, this appeares by the in∣struments which God uses for the regenera∣ting of men. For he imployeth the Ministery of men, and the instrument of the word, 1 Cor. 4.15. I have begotten you through the Gos∣pell. But if God would regenerate or justifie a wicked man immediately, being prepared by no knowledge, no sorrow, no desire, no hope of pardon, there would be no need of the mi∣nistery
of men, nor of the preaching of the word for this purpose: neither would any care lye upon the Ministers, dividing the word of God aright, fitly and wisely first to wound the consciences of their auditors with the terrors of the Law, then to raise them up with the promises of the Gospell, and to ex∣hort them to beg faith and repentance at Gods hand, by prayers and teares.
WHom God doth thus prepare by his Spirit through the meanes of the word, those doth hee truly and seriously call and invite to faith and conversion.
BY the nature of the benefit offered, and by the evident word of God we must judge of those helpes of grace, which are bestowed upon men, and not by the abuse, or the event. Therefore when the Gospell of its owne na∣ture calls men to repentance, and salvation, when the incitements of divine grace tend the
same way, we must not suppose any thing is done fainedly by God. This is proved by those earnest and patheticall intreaties, 2 Cor. 5.20. We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled vnto God. Those exhortations, 2 Cor. 6.1. Wee beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vaine: those expostulations, Gal. 1.6. I marvell that you are so soone removed from him, that called you to the grace of Christ: those promises, Apoc. 3.20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke; if any man heare my voice and open the doore, I will come in to him.
But if God should not seriously invite all, whom he vouchsafes this gift of his word and Spirit, to a serious conversion, surely both God should deceive many, whom he calls in his Sonnes name, and the messengers of the Euangelicall promises might bee accused of false witnesse, and those, who being called to conversion doe neglect to obey, might bee more excusable. For that calling by the word and the Spirit cannot be thought to leave men unexcusable, which is onely exhibited to this end to make them unexcusable.
THose whom God hath thus di∣sposed, he doth not forsake, nor cease to further them in the true way to conversion, before he be for∣saken of them by a voluntary neglect or repulse of this initiall or entring grace.
THe talent of grace once given by God is taken from none, but from him, who first buries it by his owne fault. Mat. 25.28. Hence is it that in the Scriptures every where wee are admonished, that we resist not the Spirit, that we quench not the Spirit, that we receive not the grace of God in vaine,* 1.3 that wee depart not from God. Yea that is most evidently noted to bee the reason of Gods forsaking man, because God is first forsaken by man. Prov. 1.24. Be∣cause I have called and you refused, I will laugh at your calamity. 2 Chron. 24.20. Because yee have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you. But never in the Scriptures is there the least men∣tion
that God is wont, or is willing, at any time, without some fault of man going be∣fore, to take away from any man the aid of his exciting grace, or any help which he hath once conferred towards mans conversion.
Thus the Orthodoxe Fathers, who had to doe with the Pelagians ever taught.* 1.4 It is the will of God that wee continue in a good will, who be∣fore he be forsaken forsakes no man, and oftentimes converts many that forsake him.
THese foregoing effects wroght in the mindes of men by the power of the word and the Spirit, may be stifled and utterly extingui∣shed by the fault of our rebellious will, and in many are, so that some, in whose hearts by the vertue of the word and the Spirit, some knowledge of divine truth, some sorrow for sin, some desire and care of deliverance
have beene imprinted, are changed quite contrary, reject and hate the truth, deliver themselves up to their lusts, are hardned in their sins, and, without all desire or care of free∣dome from them, rot and putrifie in them.
MAtth. 13.19. The wicked one commeth and catcheth away that which was sowne in his heart. 2 Pet. 2.21. It had beene better for them not to have knowne the way of righteousnesse, then after they have knowne it, to turne from the holy commandement delivered unto them. But it is hap∣pened to them according to the true Proverb, The dog is turned to his owne vomit. Heb. 6.4. It is im∣possible for those who were once enlightned, and have tasted of the heavenly gifts, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to returne them againe to repentance.
Many doe quickly entertaine the light of the minde,* 1.5 but the understanding it selfe hath not the
same force or power in all, and many when they seem enriched with faith and understanding, yet they want charity, and cannot hold fast to those things which they see by faith, and understanding, because there is no persevering in that which is not loved with the whole heart.
THe very elect in those acts go∣ing before regeneration, do not carie themselves so, but that for their negligence and resistance, they may justly be relinquished and for∣saken of God, but such is the speciall mercy of God towards them, that, though they doe for a while repell and choake the grace of God, exci∣ting or enlightning them, yet God doth urge them againe and againe, nor doth he cease to stirre them for∣ward, till hee have throughly subdu∣ed them to his grace, and set them in the state of regenerate sonnes.
IOhn 6.37. Whatsoever my Father gives me shall come to me, and him that commeth unto mee I will in no wise cast out. Ier. 14.7. O Lord, though our iniquities testifie against us, doe thou it for thy names sake: for our backslidings are many. And 32.39. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may feare me for ever. Philip. 1.6. He that hath begunne a good worke in you, will performe it untill the day of Iesus Christ.
But if God should not goe on thus to fol∣low even those that hold off and retire from him, no calling would bee effectuall, there would be no filiall adoption, and even electi∣on it selfe, grounded upon the good pleasure of God, would be frustrated.
Since the fall of man,* 1.6 God would have it ascribed to his grace that a man doth come unto him, neither will he have it ascribed to any thing but his grace, that a man doth not goe from him.
THose that are not elected, when they resist the Spirit of God, and his grace, in these acts forego∣ing
regeneration, and extinguish the initiall effects of the same in them∣selves, by the fault of their own free-will, are justly forsaken by God, whensoever it pleases him: whom by their owne fault so forsaken, we truly pronounce to remaine by the same demerit hardened and uncon∣verted.
WE thinke it to be without all doubt, that no mortal man doth so cary him∣selfe toward God, but that either by omitting that, which he should have done, or committing that, which hee should not have done; he deserves to have the grace taken frō him, which hee hath. Which ground being forelayed, it is cleere, that God without all in∣justice and cruelty may take from such men that grace, which hee hath extended to them, and leave them to the hardnesse of their own hearts, Rom. 9.18. Hee hath mercy on whom hee will have mercy, and whom hee will hee hardeneth. God oweth this to no man, that when he re∣sists
enlightening & exciting grace, and serves his own lusts, he should then soften and mol∣lifie him by that speciall grace, which no hard heart doth resist, Rom. 11.35. Who hath first gi∣ven unto him, and it shall be recompenced unto him againe? Againe he, that is thus forsaken, being not converted, perishes through his owne fault, Iohn 5.34.40. I say these things that yee might be saved, and ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life. Acts 28. The heart of this people is waxed grosse, lest they should be converted and I should heale them.
GOd doth regenerate, by a cer∣taine inward and wonderfull operation, the soules of the elect, be∣ing stirred up and prepared by the aforesaid acts of his grace; and doth, as it were, create them anew, by in∣fusing
his quickning spirit, and sea∣soning all the faculties of the soule with new qualities.
HEre, by regeneration we understand not every act of the holy Spirit, which goes before or tends to regeneration, but that act, which as soone as it is there, we conclude presently this man is now borne of God.
This spirituall birth presupposes a minde moved by the spirit, using the instrument of Gods Word, whence also wee are said to bee borne againe by the incorruptible seed of the word, 1 Pet. 1.23. Which must be observed, lest any one should idlely and slothfully expect an Enthusiasticall regeneration, that is to say, wrought by a sudden rapture without any foregoing action either of God, the Word, or himselfe.
Furthermore wee conclude that the spirit regenerating us, doth convey it selfe into the most inward closset of the heart, and frame the minde anew by curing the sinfull incli∣nations therof, & by giving it strength, and in∣fusing into it a formall originall cause or ac∣tive
power to produce spirituall actions ten∣ding to salvation, Ephes. 2.10. We are his work∣manship created in Christ Iesus to good works. Ezek. 36.26. I will take away your stony heart, and give you an heart of flesh.
From this worke of God commeth our ability of performing spiritual actions leading to salvation. As the act of beleeving, 1 Iohn 5.1. Whosoever beleeves that Iesus is the Christ, is borne of God. Of loving, 1 Iohn 4.7. Every one that loveth is borne of God. Lastly, all works of piety, Iohn 15.5. Without me ye can doe nothing.
Prosper saith that Grace creates good in us.* 1.7
The Schoolemen doe not deny so mani∣fest a truth.* 1.8 Thomas Aquinas affirmes, that this grace, of which we speake, doth give a certaine spirituall being to the soule, that it is a certaine su∣pernaturall pertaking of the divine nature, that it is, in respect of the soule, as health is in respect of the body.
IN this worke of regeneration, man is meerly passive, neither is
it in the power of mans will to hin∣der God regenerating thus imme∣diately.
IOhn 1.13. Which were borne, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. For if in the naturall creation it be true that God made us, and not we ourselves, much more in the spirituall recreation, Ier 13.23. If the Ethiopian cannot change his skin; nei∣ther can man defiled with sinne correct his naturall corruption.
In the will depraved there is the passive po∣wer to receive this supernaturall being, com∣ming from without, but not the active to produce it of it selfe, or with another, Ier. 17.14. Heale me O Lord, and I shall be healed.
In quickning of men God doth expect no begin∣ning from mans will,* 1.9 but hee quickneth the will it selfe, by making it good.
* 1.10What doth freewill? I answer briefly; It is saved. This worke cannot be effected without two▪ one, by whom it is done, the other, in whom it is done. God is the Author of salvatiō, freewil is only capable of it.
* 1.11Our creation in Christ was made into the free∣dome
of the will, and without us; if into freedome, then not out of freedome; If without us, then it is not in us to hinder this worke of God.
When God determineth to save, no will of man resisteth.
VPon the former conversion followeth this our actual con∣version, wherein out of our reformed will, God himselfe draweth forth the very act of our beleeving, and converting: and this our will being first moved by God, doth it selfe also worke by turning unto God, and be∣leeving, that is, by executing with∣all its owne proper lively act.
1 IN order of time the worke of God con∣verting man, and the act of man turning
himselfe to God, can hardly be distinguished, but in order of causality or efficiency, Gods worke must needs goe before, and ours fol∣low; An evill tree, naturally bringing forth e∣vill fruit, must needs be changed into a good tree, before it can beare any good fruit: but the will of an unregenerate man, is, not onely as a bad, but as a dead tree▪ Therefore if it bring forth good fruit, it doth it, not that thereby it may be bettered, or that by its owne coope∣ration it may be quickned; but it doth it, be∣cause it is already changed and quickned.
This is elegantly expressed by Saint Austin. A wheele (saith he) doth not therefore run well,* 1.12 that it may be round, but because it is round. So say we, the will runnes well, not that it may be regene∣rated, but because it is already regenerated.
* 1.13Hugo de sancto Victore to the same purpose: Renewing grace (saith he) causeth a reformed will first to exist, then gives power to this will to be mo∣ved: first it works the will, afterward it workes by the will.
2 Secondly, wee say that God doth not onely worked this habituall conversion, wher∣by a man gets new spirituall ability to beleeve
and convert, but also, that God doth, by a cer∣taine wonderfull efficacy of his secret opera∣tion, extract out of our regenerated will the very act of beleeving and converting. So the Scripture speaketh in divers places. Iohn 6.66. The Father giveth us power to come unto the Sonne, that is, to beleeve. Phil. 1.29. To you it is given to beleeve, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the very act of beleeving. 2 Tim. 2.26. God giveth repentance.
But if God by infusing some strength into us should only give us a possibility or power of beleeving, a possibility or power of con∣verting, and so leave the act to the free will of men; surely we should all doe as our first fa∣ther did, by our free will we should fall from God, neither should we ever bring this pos∣sibility into act. This therefore is that excel∣lent special grace granted to the elect in Christ, wherby they not only can beleeve if they will, but also will beleeve then when they can. Phil. 2.13. God worketh in us the will and the deed. This working grace the Fathers of the Catho∣lick Church have maintained against the Pela∣gians. God commands a man to wil,* 1.14 but he also works in him this very thing, namely, he commands him
to doe, but also workes in him the doing.
* 1.15Every one, that hath learned of the Father, hath not onely power to come, but commeth indeed: where there is both the progresse of our possibility, the de∣sire of our will, and the very effect of action.
* 1.16God effecteth our faith, working in our hearts after a wonderfull manner to make us beleeve.
3 Lastly, this also we adde, that this acti∣on of God in producing faith, doth not hin∣der, but rather is the cause that the will doth worke together with God, and produce its owne act. And therefore this act of beleeving, howsoever it is sent from God, yet, because it is performed by man, is attributed to man himselfe. Rom. 10.10. With the heart man be∣leeveth unto righteousnesse. 2 Cor. 4.13. I belee∣ved: therefore have I spoken.
* 1.17It is God, not who beleeveth all things in all men, but who worketh all things in all men: it is certaine we beleeve when we beleeve, but it is God who brings to passe that we beleeve: wee are they that worke, but God workes in us the very working.
THis action of God doth not hinder the freedome of the wil, but strengthen it, neither doth it root out the vicious power we have to resist, but it doth effectually and sweetly bestow on a man a resolute will to obey.
1 HEre we deny two things; first, that by the divine operation there is any wrong offered to the will. For God doth so worke in nature, even when hee raiseth and advanceth it above its proper spheare, that he doth not destroy the particular nature and be∣ing of any thing, but leaves to every thing its owne way and motion to performe the acti∣on. When therefore God worketh in the wills of men by his Spirit of grace, he makes them move in their naturall course, that is, freely: and then doe they worke the more freely, by how much they are the more effec∣tually stirred up by the Spirit. Iohn 8.36. If the
Sonne shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. 2 Cor. 3.17. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Verily it seemeth incredible to us, that God, who made our wills, and gifted them with liberty, should not bee able to worke on them, or in them, after such a man∣ner, as that without hurting the natures of them, he may freely to produce any good action by them.
* 1.18He doth what he pleaseth with the wills of men, and when he pleaseth: having an all-sufficient po∣wer to incline mens hearts which way he listeth.
* 1.19We so beleeve this more abundant grace to be powerfull, that we withall deny it to be violent.
2 A second thing which we here disclaime, is the whole extirpation of corruption. For although God in the very act of regeneration doth worke so powerfully upon the will, that actually the present power to resist is suspen∣ded for that time, yet doth hee not plucke up by the roots, no not for that time, the remote power of resisting, which (as the Schoolemen speake) is potentia in actu primo posita, a power of the first and youngest growth, but hee suf∣fers it to lurke and lye hid in the bitter root
thereof. For so long as that root of corrupt and corrupting concupiscence remaines in the soule of man, certaine it is that there must needs be there withall, not onely a possibility but also a pronenesse to resist the motions of the holy spirit, Gal. 5.7. The flesh lusteth against the spirit. But this reluctant power, by reason of the most forcible, and yet sweet or gentle motion of grace, cannot in this case and at this time breake forth in actum secundum, into present operation and exercise. Pro. 21.2. The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, he turneth it whithersoever it pleaseth him. And consequent∣ly the hearts of other men lesse free.
This grace cannot be resisted,* 1.20 because first it worketh in us to will, that is, not to resist: for he can no farther resist, from whom to will to resist is taken away; as excellently writeth our Reverend late Bishop of Salisbury.
GOd doth not alwayes so move a converted and faithfull man to godly ensuing actions, that hee
takes from him the very will of re∣sisting, but sometimes hee suffers him, through his owne weaknesse, to stray from the direction of grace, and in many particular actions to follow his owne concupiscence.
WEE must alwayes put a difference be∣tweene those principall acts, with∣out which the Elect cannot be saved (such as are, to turne unto God, to beleeve, to perse∣vere) and particular ensuing acts, which being considered by themselves, are not absolutely necessary to salvation, as the avoyding of this, and that sinne; the not omitting of such and such a good deed. For the performing of the former actions, grace doth so worke that it gives the Elect both power and will to ac∣complish them. But, as for the latter, there is not wanting unto us, the motion and gui∣dance of Gods Spirit through the whole course of our lives; yet so, that wee may bee wanting unto those motions of grace; yea and too too often wee are wanting unto them,
and ever and an on we both freely and foully obey our owne corruptions. Hence that of the Apostle, Gal. 5.16. Walke in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Ephes. 4.30. Grieve not the spirit of God, by whom yee are sealed unto the day of redemption. For they are said to grieve the holy Spirit, who resist the guidance thereof, and with a servile libertie goe after their owne concupiscenes, contrary to the motion of grace, and suggestion of their own conscience.
THat the will is not capable of spirituall gifts; and that therefore there never were any spi∣rituall gifts in the will of man before his fall; that these graces were never severed from the will of man upon his fall, and that such graces are never infused in regeneration into the wills of men.
THe holy Scripture, in placing Gods spi∣rituall gifts in the heart, acknowledgeth also them to be in the will. As namely
uprightnesse or truth, Psal. 32.12. Rejoyce all yee that are true in heart: puritie, Mat. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart: goodnes, Luke 8.15. They are those, which with an honest and good heart heare the word of God and keepe it.
1 But if any man shall referre these graces to the affections, and place them without the will, he shall (which were a foule enormity) settle the chiefest gifts of divine grace in the unreasonable part of the soule. Moreover, the very habituall conversiō of the will unto God the Creator, & the aversion or turning away thereof from the inordinate desire it had to commit fornication with the creature, with∣out doubt is to be counted a chiefe and princi∣pal gift. And that the will was capable of this gift, it doth hence plainly appeare, because it was created with such uprightnesse. For God in the beginning made man righteous. But that this righteousnes is lost, it is over manifest by the effects, seeing that now the will being carnall, cannot choose but injoy and rest in those things which it ought onely to make use of, and use the things which it ought ra∣ther to injoy: forasmuch as a whole trope of
sinfull dispositions have rushed and broke in upon the will.
2 Furthermore, as the will of a meere na∣turall man, is said to be vicious frō a certaine inbred & inherēt wickednes, wch in a wicked man even thē when he doth nothing, is habi∣tuall, so againe we must acknowledge that in the will of the regenerate there is a certaine righteousnesse, infused and given from God, which is presupposed in their religious actions
Saint Austin in many places setteth forth this habituall righteousnesse.
The good will of man goes before many graces of God,* 1.21 but not before all, and this good will it selfe is to be reckoned among those gifts which it selfe can∣not precede.
But lest any man should dreame that this goodnesse of the will is not an inward gift infused into that very faculty, but onely a bare denomination fetched from the act of the will;* 1.22 Prosper calls it the first plantation of the hea∣venly husbandman. Now a plantation notes something engrafted in the soule, not an act or action flowing from the soule.
THat that grace, by which wee are converted is onely a gentle and moral swasion or induce∣ment.
WEE deny not, but in the worke of con∣version, whether in fitting us for that future grace, or in confirming us therein, as already performed, God useth the perswasive force of his threats, promises & exhortations, by which he allureth, stirreth, and ploweth up the fallowes of mens hearts. But moreover, for adding without faile the last close to this operation, hee works more powerfully and unconquerably, according to the exceeding great∣nesse of his power, and the working of his might, Ephes. 1.19. Neither is swasion sufficient, which no more then contingently affecteth and inviteth the will.
1 For morall swasion, moveth onely by way of object, and so farre forth as the end propounded can allure. But the Philosophers rightly determine, that, as the inclination of any one is, accordingly hee apprehends the end; So long therefore as a man is carnall and
unregenerate, his will cannot so bee affected with supernaturall benefits proposed unto it, that by the desire of them hee should bee throughly enflamed to beleeve and convert. But the will must be overcome and changed by a powerfull operation exceeding all swasi∣on, that so it may effectually embrace the good represented unto it.
2 If men should be converted unto God onely by a morall swasion, then this question, why, upon profer of equall grace, one man beleeves, another doth not, might be answe∣red out of the free wils owne power of wil∣ling or nilling, neither should we have herein any cause to admire the unsearchable wise∣dome and justice of our God. But this sound doctrine hath alwaies beene defended against the Pelagians,* 1.23 That conversion & faith comes from the secret grace of God, which according to his mer∣cie is afforded to some, and according to his justice is not vouchsafed to others.
3 If men were converted onely by morall swasion, he which receives this swasive grace might truly say, I have separated my selfe: For I have received this gentle and swasive grace,
which hath solicited me to faith and conver∣sion, but no more then it solicited others: they, by the liberty of their free-will, did re∣ject this morall swasion, and therefore they still remaine unconverted; but I, by the liber∣tie of my free-will, have given way and em∣braced the same swasion, and therefore I am converted. To what purpose then is that of Saint Paul, Who hath separated thee? What hast thou, which thou hast not received?
* 1.24Faith both begunne and perfected is the gift of God, and no man, who doth not oppose most manifest Scripture, will doubt, but that this gift is given to some, and not given to other some.
THat, presupposing all the operations of grace, which God useth for the effecting of this con∣version, yet the will of man is still left in an equall ballance, either to beleeve, or not to beleeve, to convert, or not to convert it selfe to God.
1 IF after all the workings of grace the will of man be left in eaven point, it will necessarily follow, that, not God by his grace, but man by his free-will, is the chiefe
cause and author of the very act of beleeving and converting. For he, who by the utmost dint and straine of his grace prevailed no fur∣ther, then to raise up a mans will to an indif∣ferency, or estate of equall ballance, doth not concur, as a principall and predominant, or over-ruler, but onely as an associate, and con∣tingently, that is, upon this condition, if so be that the will, by its owne naturall power, first shall have removed it selfe from that equalitie. That therefore which is of lesse moment, the will receives from God, namely, that it should be placed in a certaine middle estate, equally inclined to beleeve, or not to beleeve, but that, which is of greater moment, as specifying the very event, that is, actually to beleeve, this the will by its owne power hath performed.
2 It would else follow, that God affordeth no more grace to the Elect, then to those, who are not elected, and that those owe no more thanke to God, then the other: in as much as the hand of God hath wrought in both nothing else, but an eaven stand of the will: which equally consists in a point, and is not capable of any latitude, or degree.
3 The grace of conversion is given with that intention, that it shall become effectuall, and shall not onely set a man forward on his way, but also bring him to performe the ve∣ry act of faith, whither although such grace might perchance sometime reach by the sway of mans will, equally poised to embrace and follow the motions of grace, yet no lesse often should such grace be frustrated by reason of the same free will, likewise placed at eaven ballance, and freely thence setling it selfe to refuse grace, and to resist it. For in levell coun∣terpoise there is alwaies presupposed an equal hazard of setling to either side.
* 1.25This grace is refused by no hard heart: For it is therefore given, that the hardnesse of the heart bee first taken away.
THat a man cannot doe any more good, then he doth, nor omit any more evill then, he doth omit.
THis is most false and absurd, whether it be spoken of an unregenerate and na∣turall man, or of one that is regenerate, and supported by sanctifying grace.
1 First, concerning the state of a naturall man, although hee cannot put off his inbred corruption, nor shake off the dominion of sinne in generall, yet can he represse many out∣ward actions, in which he lets loose the reines to his owne concupiscences. Corrupt concu∣piscence enclines a wicked man to all kinde of evill, yet it doth not determine or confine him unavoydably to commit this or that sinne in particular, as to act this murder, that robbery, that adultery.
2 This is manifest also in that the very lewdest men attempt their wickednesse not without some precedent deliberation, and most free contriving of the meanes tending thereto, and being ready to commit the act, they have power to hold in and restraine themselves, being awed by the reverence of some other man, or through some present feare of danger.
3 Lastly, punishments by the Lawes of
men should be without cause menaced, if no man could omit those crimes which he doth commit.
But as for actions which are in themselves good, certaine it is that unregenerate men doe omit many outward morall acts, which for the substance of the worke they could per∣forme, and for the voluntary neglect of such actions they are justly condemned. Matt. 25. 42. I was an hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was athirst, and ye gave me no drinke, &c.
Likewise the same is to bee avowed con∣cerning those that are regenerated and truly sanctified; to wit, that although they are freed from the dominion of sinne, Rom. 6.14.18. Being made the servants of righteousnesse. Rom. 8.1. Which walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit: They can notwithstanding, and that voluntarily, step out of the strait path of righ∣teousnesse, even then also, when they doe not transgresse: In like manner then, when they fell or slipped, they were able by the helpe and power of grace, through their free (that is, freed) will, to have resisted their owne concupiscence, and to have avoided those ma∣nifest
workes of the flesh recounted, Gal. 5.9. Fornication, uncleannesse, debate, contentions, &c. What man of sound judgement will say that David could not but commit adulterie, and, that being committed, that hee could not choose but by a leud and deliberate plot take away the life of him, to whom hee had offe∣red that extreame wrong? But (that we goe not far for examples) we appeale unto the con∣sciences of all godly men. Who is hee, that daily praying unto God, Forgive us our trespas∣ses, doth not also acknowledge that through the grace of God it was in his power to per∣forme divers good workes which yet hee hath omitted, and likewise to overcome di∣vers temptations, to which he notwithstan∣ding hath yeelded. 1 Cor. 10.13. God is faith∣full, who will not suffer you to bee tempted above that you be able, but will even give the issue with the tentation, that you may be able to beare it.
L••chirid. c. 30.
Augu. Retract. 1.5.
Heb. 3.7.
Aug. vel Prosp. ad 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 7.
Prosp. de vocat. lib. 2. cap. 2.
Aug. de persev.
De lib arb.
Quaest disp. de verit. art. 2.
Epistola Syno∣dica Episcopo••is African.
Bern de grat & lib. ar. Bern ibidem.
Aug. de cor. & gra. cap. 14.
Ad Simpli. lib. 1. q. 2.
De Sacram. fid. pag. 242.
In Epist. Synod. African.
Aug de grat. Christ. cap. 14.
Aug de praedest. Sanct.
Aug. de persev. lib. 2. cap. 2.
Aug. de cor. c. 14.
Prosp. de vocat. gent. l. 2. cap. 36.
Robertus Saris∣bur. de verita∣te grat. pag. 20.
Enchir. cap. 32.
De vocat. lib. 1. cap. 6.
Aug. de persev, l. 1. cap. 7.
Aug. de praedest. cap. 9.
Aug. de praedest. Sanct. c. 8.