A treatise of nature and grace to which is added, the author's idæa of providence, and his answers to several objections against the foregoing discourse / by the author of The search after truth ; translated from the last edition, enlarged by many explications.

Answer.

In respect of Angels, I answer, That there is some probability that Grace was given to them once only. So that if we consider things in this respect, I confess, that nothing oblig'd the Wis∣dom of God, to establish an occasional cause for the sanctification of Angels. But if these blessed Spirits be considered as Members of the Body whereof J. C. is Head, or if it be supposed, that they were unequally assisted, I believe there is rea∣son to think, that the diversity of their Graces came from him who-is Head of Angels as well as Men, and that in this capacity, he, by his sacrifice, not only merited all Graces which God gave to his Creatures, but also diversly applied these same Graces to them by his different desires.

Since it cannot be denied, that J. C. along time before he was born or could merit, was the meri∣torious cause of Graces which were given to the

Angels and Saints of the Old Testament, it must, in my opinion, be granted, that, by his Prayers, he might have been the occasional cause of the same Graces a long time before they were ask'd. For there is no necessary relation between occasional causes and the time of their producing their ef∣fects; and tho ordinarily these sorts of causes do produce their effects at the very time of their acti∣on, nevertheless, since their action is not effica∣cious in its self, seeing its efficacy depends upon the will of the universal cause, it is not necessary that it should actually exist, that they may produce their effects.

Suppose, for example, That J. C. to day asks of his Father, that such an one may receive such an assistance at certain times of his life, the Pray∣er of J. C. will infallibly determine the efficacy of the general Will of God, which is to save all Men in his Son. This person shall receive these assistances, tho the Soul of J. C. actually thinks of quite another thing, and tho it should never more think of that which it desired for him. Now, the Prayer of J. C. which is already pass'd, is not more present to his Father than the future; for whatsoever happens in all times is equally present to God. Thus, since God loves his Son, and knows, that his Son will have such desires, in re∣spect of his Ancestors, and the People of his own Nation, and also in respect of Angels, who were to enter into the Spiritual Edifice of his Church, and compose the Body of which he is the Head; he seems to have been obliged to accomplish the desires of his Son before they were made, to the end that the Elect, who were before his birth, and

whom he purchased by the merit of his sacrifice, should as particularly belong to him as others, and he should be their Head as truly as he is ours.

I confess, it is convenient, that meritorious and occasional causes should go before their effects, rather than follow them; and even order its self requires, that these causes and their effects do exist at the same time. For 'tis clear, that all merit should be presently rewarded, and that every oc∣casional cause should actually produce its effect, provided that nothing hinder but that this may and ought to be so. But since Grace was absolute∣ly necessary to the Angels and to the Patriarchs, it could not be differ'd. As for the Glory and Reward of the Saints of the Old Testament, see∣ing it might be delay'd, it was expedient, that God should suspend its accomplishment till J. C. was ascended into Heaven and made an High-Priest over the House of God, and began to use the so∣veraign power of an occasional cause of all Graces, which he had merited by his Labours upon Earth. Thus we believe, that the Patriarchs did not en∣ter into Heaven, till J. C. himself, their Head, their Mediator, and their Fore-runner, was there∣in entred. Nevertheless, tho it should be grant∣ed, that God should not have appointed an occa∣sional cause for all Graces given to the Angels and the Patriarchs, I do not see how it can be conclu∣ded, that at present J. C. does not dispense to the Body of the Church that Spirit which gives it increase and nourishment; that he prays not for it, or that his Desires or Prayers do not infallibly obtain their effect; or, in a word, that he is not

the occasional cause which applies those Graces to to Men which he has merited for them.

Before J. C. God gave Grace by particular Wills. This I grant, if it be desired; the necessity of Or∣der requires it; the occasional Cause could not re∣gularly be so soon establish'd; the Elect were but very few: But at present, when the rain of Grace is generally sent upon all the World; when it falls not as heretofore upon a very few Men of one chosen Nation; when J. C. may or ought to be establish'd the occasional cause of the goods which he has merited for his Church, what reason is there to believe, that God should still work Miracles as often as he gives good Sentiments? For, certain∣ly, all that God does by particular Wills is a Mi∣racle, since it happens not by the general Laws which he has established, and whose efficacy is de∣termin'd by occasional causes. But how can we think, that, to save Men, he should work all those Miracles which are useless to their salvation; I mean, that he should give all those Graces which they resist, because they are not proportioned to the actual strength of their concupiscence?

St. John teaches us, that Christians receive of J. C. * 1.1 abundant Graces, because, says he, the Law was given by Moses, but true Grace by Jesus Christ. For, in truth, the Graces which were before J. C. ought not to be compared to those which he di∣stributed after his triumph. If they were miracu∣lous, it must be thought they were very rare: E∣ven the Grace of the Apostles, before the Holy Spirit was given to them, was not to be compared with those which they received, when the Sove∣raign Priest of good things to come, being entred

by his Blood into the Holy of Holies, by the strength of his Prayers obtain'd, and by the dignity of his Person, sent the Holy Spirit to animate and san∣ctifie his Church. The strange Blindness of the Jews, their gross and carnal Sentiments, their frequent relapses into Idolatry after so many Mi∣racles, do sufficiently shew, they had scarce any love for true goods; and the fearfulness of the Apostles, before they received the Holy Spirit, is a sensible mark of their weakness. Thus Grace, in this time, was very rare; because, as yet, our Nature was not made in J. C. the occasional cause of our Graces: as yet J. C. was not fully consecra∣ted a Priest, according to the Order of Melchise∣dech, and his Father had not yet given him that im∣mortal and glorious Life, * 1.2 which is the particular character of his Priesthood. For it was necessary that J. C. should enter into the Heavens, and re∣ceive the glory and power of being the occasional cause of all goods, before he sent the Spirit, ac∣cording to the words of St. John, * 1.3 The Spirit was not yet given, because J. C. was not yet glorified: And according to these words of Christ himself, It is expedient for you, that I go: For if I go not, the Comforter will not come: But if I go, I will send him unto you. Now, it is not to be imagined, that J. C. considered as God, is the Head of the Church. He has obtain'd this honour as Man: the Head and the Members ought to be of the same nature. It is as Man, that J. C. interceeds for Men: it is as Man, that he has received of God soveraign power over his Church. For since God does not inter∣ceed at all, he, as God, has not received that Name which is above every Name: he is equal to

the Father, and absolute Master of all things by right of his birth.

These Truths are evident, and J. C. himself assures us of them, * 1.4 since he says, that his Father gave him power to judge Men, because he was the Son of Man. Thus we must not think, that those Expressions of Scripture, which teach us, that J. C. is the Author of Grace, ought to be un∣derstood of J. C. considered according to his Di∣vine Person. For if this was so, I confess I should not have demonstrated, that he is the occasional cause of it; he would have been only the true cause thereof. But since it is certain, that the three Persons of the Trinity are equally the true causes of Grace, (seeing all the outward Operations of God are common to the three Persons) my Ar∣guments cannot be denied, since the Holy Scrip∣ture says of the Son, and not of the Father, nor of the Spirit, that he is the Head of the Church, and that under this character he communicates Life to all the Members which compose it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  John 1.17.
• * 1.2

  Heb. 5.5, 10. Heb. 7.16, 17.
• * 1.3

  John 7.39. John 16.7.
• * 1.4

  John 5.22, to 27.