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Title:  Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the errours of Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians in XXX lectures, preached at Laurence-Jury, London / by Anthony Burgess ...
Author: Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.
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indisposition when the Lord called him: but generally God takes this way.3. These are not necessary antecedents, so as the grace of con∣version doth necessarily follow. Wee reade of Cain and Judas troubled for sin. These are a wildernesse that a man may dye in, and never goe into Canaan: There may be throes and pangs, when yet no childe, but wind is to be delivered. Hence a people that have been civill, have not been called: but Publicans and Harlots. The object of election is for the most part few for number, infirme for power, and sinfull for conversation: though in the godly these are needles that will draw in the threed, yet this state must not be called a third middle estate between rege∣nerate and unregenerate, as some feigne.Lastly, none of these workings can be called so properly pre∣parations, or dispositions in themselves, but onely intentionally in God. Our Saviour looked on a young man, and loved him, and said, hee was not farre from the Kingdome of heaven: that is, the life hee lived was not farre from the Kingdome of heaven; yet this was no preparation in it selfe to it: nay, he may be fur∣ther off, as two high hills may be neer in the tops to one ano∣ther, but the bottomes some miles asunder. And this is so great a matter, that great sins are made by God a preparation to some mans conversion, which yet of themselves they could never be: As a childe, whose coat is a little dirty, hath it not presently washed; but when he falls wholly all over in the dirt, this may be the cause of the washing of it: so that they are preparations only so far as God intendeth them.6. All determination to one doth not take away that naturall li∣berty.Determinati∣on to one kind of acts takes not a∣way liberty. This will further cleere the truth: for it may be thought strange, that there should be this freedome of will in a man, and yet thus determined to one sin onely; whereas it's plaine, a de∣termination to one kind of acts, good or evill, doth not take a∣way liberty. God can onely will that which is good, and so the Angels and Saints confirmed in happinesse; yet they doe this freely: and so the Divels will that which is wicked onely. It's true, some exclaime at such passages, but that is onely because they are prepossessed with a false opinion about liberty; for a determination to one may arise from perfection, as well as na∣turall 0