Christ has a Power whereby he can subdue all things c. No must they say the things wherein he is most concerned of all other in this World the Wills of Men he cannot subdue to himself Prov. 21. 1. No must they say neither the Hearts of Kings nor of any other Men are thus in the Lords hands Whatever he does to turn the Current of them they may run in the old Channel and keep their own Course for all that It is not whithersoever he will that they turn but whithersoever they will they run for all his turning 20. It Idolizes Mans Will makes it in divers respects equal with or above him It seems to subject God and make him an Underling to Mans Will and that in respect of his Will his Word his Grace his Design Some of these are apparent by what is already said Let me only insist on one particular It makes God dependant on the Will of Man even for his Glory where it is most intolerable for thâ— Majesty of Heaven to be dependant and most inconsistent with his Infinite Perfection and Happiness The Lord in all the Operations of his Grace leaves the Will indifferent either to comply or resist This leaves it to the Determination and Arbitrement of Mans Will whether God shall have the Glory of that by which he designs to make himself most glorious It must be in the Power of Mans Will to defeat God there where he intends most of all to glorifie himself to spoil and deface the glory of his Grace and Love where the Riches thereof are most displayed And this in the greatest and most signal Instances of it and where each Person in the Godhead are most eminently concerned Whatever Decree or Purpose of Love and Grace the Lord had from Eternity to Save lost Sinners it must be at the Determination of Mans Will whether any one shall be saved or freed from Misery After the Work of Redemption finished by Christ it must be at the Pleasure of Mans Will whether any one shall be actually Redeemed After the Spirit of Grace has done what can be done for changing the Hearts and renewing the Natures of Sinners yet not one â—â—Scanâ—â— them shall be Changed or Sanctified uâ—â—â—ss they list So that unless Man will when he is left indifferent to will or not to will electing Grace redeeming Grace renewing Grace shall be of no effect shall never arrive at what it tends to And if it be rendered of none effect it is rendered inglorious it is defeated defaced and the glory of it turned into shame But so it must be if Man will all the Grace of God must be in vain and all the Glory of it vanish Thus is God evidently made dependant on Mans Will even for his Glory that of his Grace and he will as soon be subjected to the Will of Man in any thing in all things as the greatest Concerns of his Glory The Grace of God where it should appear in its greatest lustre and was designed for the greatest Honour of Father Son and Spirit must wait as a Handmaid on Mans degenerate Will and be ordered at its Arbitrement and stand to its Pleasure whether it shall come to any thing or nothing whether it shall have any Glory or none Let them believe it who can I can never believe that the Doctrine is of God which offers such an intolerable Indignity to him If there were no other Argument against it this seems enough to me The IV. Fourth Head I propounded was to give an account of the Objections they make and the Prejudices they have against the Doctrine of Grace and to shew the worst they can Object against it is as chargeable upon the Doctrine of Free-will So that their imbracing it seems to proceed from neglect of Impartial Consideration and some want of the Exercise of that Reason which they so much magnifie That uses not to be counted a rational and considerate Invention which serves not the turn for which it was devised but runs them into the same difficulties which they seek to avoid Let us see briefly in two or three of the chief Instances whether this be not the Case here 1. They Charge us with making God the Author of Sin Tilenus says this was the Reason that turned him off to the Remonstrants We disclaim and abhorr it and Condemn those who assert any such thing They say it is the Consequence of our Doctrine which will have things so ordered by the Decrees and Providence of God that Sin is thereby unavoidable We say if God be made the Author of Sin on this account their own Doctrine is to be charged with making him so by as good Consequence And so they must acknowledge that they wrong us or else condemn themselves and their own Principles That they are as liable to this Charge if it be just does thus appear He that puts Men in those Circumstances wherein he foresees that they will certainly sin orders things so that Sin becomes unavoidable But by their Doctrine the Lord decrees to place Men and by his Providence disposes them in those Circumstances wherein he foresees they will certainly sin e. g. The Lord foresaw that if Adam was Created so and so and set in such Circumstances he would certainly Sin and Fall by it Yet foreseeing this the Lord decreed to Create him so and dispose of him in such Circumstances and actually did it He foresees that if Peter be put in those Circumstances wherein he was found in the High-Priest's Hall he would certainly deny his Master But he Decreed thus to dispose of him and by his Providence actually did it This is the plain Import of their Doctrine concerning a Conditional Foreknowledge in God as will be evident to any that understand it It was an Invention of the Jesuits the last Age to make good their Doctrine of Free-will and Moral Grace and to avoid the supposed Inconveniences of the opposite Doctrine and is commonly imbraced by those who agree with the Jesuits in their Opinion about the Power of the Will But a very imprudent and unhappy Device it was since it involves them in those very Absurdities which it was devised to avoid 2. They charge our Doctrine as makeing God unmerciful because he gives not to the greatest part of Mankind that Grace which is necessary to Salvation Whereas we deny not that God gives that Grace which they count sufficient we grant he gives all that Grace which is necessary by their Doctrine even to Reprobates But we say their Doctrine how much soever it triumphs in advancing and extending Gods Love to Mankind yet it makes him far more unmerciful in that it will not have God to vouchsafe that Grace which is necessary or sufficient for Salvation special Grace to any at all Meer swasive Grace which leaves it to the choice of Mans unrenewed Will whether it will turn to God or no which they say is all that God vouchsafes to
endeavour'd it His clear and comprehensive Mind his excellent Learning his reasoning argumentative Skill his solid most discerning Judgment his indefatigable Industry his large Knowledge and great Moderation in the matters of our unhappy Ecclesiastical differences his calm dispassionate Temper his pleasant and most amiable Conversation did carry so great a lustre with them as that notwithstanding his most beloved Retiredness they could not in his Circumstances but make him be much known and much esteem'd and lov'd by all that had the happiness to know him and make the loss of him be much lamented But he was by the things that made his continuance so desirable in this World the fitter for a better and more suitable World. He liv'd here as one that was more a-kin to that other World than this and who had no other business here but to help in making this better From such an hand one may reasonably expect a Treatise very highly valuable upon such a Subject Which I do with so great confidence that thô I have not as yet wanting Opportunity throughly perus'd it I make no doubt to invite such to the reading of it as apprehend the value of the Grace of God and their own Salvation earnestly desiring that as their Satisfaction herein may be in its completion alike early so it may be equally great with that which is with much assurance expected by One very desirous any way to promote the common Salvation John Howe THE CONTENTS OF THE Ensuing DISCOURSE THat Salvation is wholly and only from Grace proved Pag. 1 2. Grace free in respect of 1. Constraint 2. Merit 3. Motive p. 3 4. That Salvation is by Grace demonstrated from God from Man p. 5 6. 1. From Man in several particulars 7 8 c. 2. From God demonstrated in several particulars p. 17 c. Use Those condemned who will have us saved by Free-will and not by Free-Grace 27. The Doctrine of Free-will displayed in four particulars 1. What Grace the Patrons of Free-will do own and count sufficient 2. What they ascribe to Free-will 3. What is the Tendency of their Principles 4. What they Object against the Doctrine of Free-Grace p. 28. 1. What Grace by them is counted sufficient p. 28 c. 2. What they ascribe to Free-will p. 33. 3. The Import and dangerous Tendency of the Doctrine of Free-will in twenty particulars p. 39 40 c. 4. Objections against the Doctrine of Grace answered and Prejudices removed p. 112. Some Practical Inferences from the Doctrine of Free-Grace p. 147. Books written and published by the Author of this ensuing Treatise and sold by Tho. Farkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheap-side near Mercers-Chappel NO Evidence for Diocesan Churches nor any Bishops without the Choice or Consent of the People in the Primitive Times Or an Answer to the Allegations out of Antiquity for such Churches and against Popular Elections of Bishops In a late Volume Intituled The unreasonableness of Separation Shewing that they do not serve the Design for which they are produced Diocesan Churches not yet discovered in the Primitive Times Or a Defence of the Answer to Dr. Stillingfleets Allegations out of Antiquity for such Churches Against the Exceptions offered in the Preface to a late Treatise called A Vindication of the Primitive Church A DISCOURSE OF Free-Grace EPHES. II. 8. By Grace ye are saved THE Apostle the great Asserter of Free-Grace in the 20th Verse compares the Church to a Temple And it is his design in this Epistle to shew the Influence Grace hath to the raising of this Building He undertakes to prove that the whole Structure of Salvation is to be attributed alone to Grace The Foundation was laid from Eternity by Grace in Election Chap. 1. 4 5. The polishing and disposing of each particular Stone in the Building by Justification and Sanctification were all acts of Grace Chap. 1. 7. 2. 5. 4. 13 14. And it is Grace that lays on the Top-stone in Glory Chap. 2. 6. So that we may honour this Temple with the same Acclamations which they used to theirs Zach. 4. 7. and cry Grace grace unto it The summ of the whole Discourse is propounded in the Text By Grace ye are saved We will not divide what God from Eternity has joined together Grace and Salvation But from them intirely taken offer you this Observation Salvation is wholly and only to be attributed to Grace We need go no further for divine Testimony to this Truth than these two Chapters Election Chap. 1. 4 5. Redemption ver 7. Vocation ver 16. Justification Chap. 2. ver 3 4. Sanctification ver 5. Glorification ver 6. What he speaks of the whole here he affirms of every part thereof in those places The whole and all the parcels are of Grace For Explication By Salvation understand both the Decree of God by which the Elect were ordained to Salvation and the Execution of that Decree begun here and consummated in glory That we may know what Grace means take notice of three words used promiscuously in Scripture which yet admit of some distinction the knowledge whereof will lead us to the distinct knowledge of this term These are Love Mercy Grace To Love is velle bonum to will the Happiness of the Object loved It is not in God such an affection as in us though in effect it proves affectus unionis and brings God and his People together Mercy does velle bonum miseris So it adds a Limitation to the Object which Love leaves indefinite It is for those that are miserable Grace does velle bonum liberè So this limits not the Object as the former but qualifies the Act. It acts freely So that Mercy is Love to those that are miserable Grace is Love in him that is unobliged Unobliged I say either by Necessity Merit or Motive Grace then in God is nothing but free Love. 1. Free in respect of Constraint when there is no necessity he should fix his Love upon this Object at all or upon this rather than another This is spontaneum 2. Free in respect of Merit when there is nothing in the Object that deserves Love either absolutely or comparatively this is gratuitum 3. Free in respect of Motive when there is nothing in the Object to move this Affection to pitch upon it at all or upon it rather than another This is liberum tho' it express it not fully In all these respects the Grace of God in bestowing Salvation upon any of the Sons of men is free Love. 1. There 's no Necessity God should save men He is a most free Agent whose liberty is inconsistent with every degree of Necessity ab extra It was in his choice either to have created no man or to have condemned all men or to have saved those who are now condemned 2. There is nothing in Man that can merit Salvation for there is no good thing in him that he can call his own
Man that thou visitest him And how exceedingly does this endear Free Grace that any of us should be separated from the rest of perishing Sinners that we should be Vessels of Mercy when others are Vessels of Wrath Lord what are we or what are our Fathers Why hast thou revealed thy self to us and not to the World Even so Lord because it pleased thee No other Reason can be assigned but meer Grace There needs no more to demonstrate that Salvation is to be ascribed to Grace only 1 Vse This condemns their Doctrine who will have us saved rather by Free-Will than by Grace which will have the Text inverted and read thus By Free-will are ye saved not by Grace but of your selves This has too many Patrons and those of greatest Name and Ability amongst the Opposers of Truth It 's the capital Errour of the Remonstrants the Foundation of their other Opinions that concern Grace and with which they all stand or fall The Socinians and the worst among the Papists the Jesuits joyn with them all following Pelagius condemned by the ancient Church as the Enemy of the Grace of Christ That we may the better understand them and what in them is to be condemned and avoided let us see 1. What Grace they own and count sufficient for something they must own under this notion who will not plainly renounce the Gospel 2. What they ascribe to Free-will 3. What is the Tendency of their Principles 4. What they object against the Doctrine of Free-Grace I. For the first They count no Grace necessary to bring a Sinner into a saving State and continue him in it but that which they call Morall Grace or Swasion This consists in a presenting of the Object to the Will with Motives and Arguments to embrace it Or thus in a Proposal of our Duty with rational Considerations to move him to yield to it leaving us to do as we please For Example To turn from sin to God and to Believe in Christ are Duties propounded in the Gospel the advantage of yielding hereto and the danger of refusing is there declared and so it is left to the Sinners choice whether he will comply or no. This is all the Grace which the Lord affords to save us It amounts to no more than a moral Excitement or a rational Proposal This Proposal is made with some light tending to excite Affection If it were altogether in the dark it would be in effect no Proposal Whether this Light be natural or supernatural they are not agreed Somâ— and those most followed would have the Light of natural Reason sufficient Others would rather have it counted a Light from the Spirit But all agree that it is no special Illumination but a common Light vouchsafed to all under the Gospel and so such as those have who live and dye in the gross Darkness of Ignorance and Wickedness they must not by their Principles deny to Heathens And those who will have it called the Light of the Spirit count it as weak and powerless as natural Light i. e. of no more power and efficacy to determine or sway the Will than the Light of Reason no nor so much as some Dictates of Reason are commonly thought to have The difference is so little if there be any as to the thing it self that those who call it the Light of the Spirit seem but to give it that Name and Title to decline the Odium of ascribing nothing at all to the Spirit of Grace However a common proposal with such light made in the Gospel unto Sinners is all the Grace which they count needful 1. They deny eternal Grace i. e. all Free Mercy in God to any particular persons from Eternity According to them he had no Mercy no purpose of it for any but what he was obliged to by the foresight of the good use of Free-will This is no Free Mercy and so no Grace 2. They deny all habitual Grace which is not of our selves They will have no such thing wrought in us by the Spirit of Holiness All gracious Qualities or Principles planted in the Heart by the Spirit they reject under the notion of infused habits 3. They deny actual Grace i. e. any operation of the Spirit to determine the Will. All gracious influences whatever that will or can certainly incline it to act or incline it any more to act than not to act Grace with them only proposes to the Will and leaves the determination to it self it must be left indifferent to act or not to act as it likes No other Grace than this of proposing none habitual or actual was designed for any Person in the eternal Counsel of God or purchased for any by the Blood of Christ or administred to any by the Spirit of Grace It is enough that it be propounded to the Will to turn to God and Arguments offered to that purpose such as the Gospel contains and are managed in the Ministry of it So that all the Grace which they count necessary is no special sufficient Grace 1. It is no special but only common Grace afforded equally to those that are damned as to any that are saved No other Grace than that which suffers the far greatest part of those who partake of it to perish eternally That Grace wherewith any man may be damned as soon as saved If any be saved in their way it is without special Grace It is ten to one for any Grace the Lord vouchsafes to Sinners they will never be saved 2. It is not sufficient Grace unless Nature has Power enough for Saving Acts without the least access of Strength from Grace for their Grace gives not the least degree of Strength to the Will but only rouses its native Power as Dalilahs voice gave Sampson no more strength when she said The Philistins are upon thee but only excited him to use the strength he had When they will have this swasive Grace to be sufficient they commend not Grace at all but magnifie the Power of Nature as being great indeed when it needs so little help for Acts of the highest quality and importance If any be saved in their way it must be without any Grace sufficient to Salvation 3. It is not effectual Grace This is plain by the former There can be no pretence that that will be effectual which is not sufficient But suppose it were sufficient as they without ground would have it accounted yet it is not of it self effectual The Efficacy of it by their Doctrine is not from its own Nature and Vertue nor from the Spirit of Grace but from the Will of Man. If he will it is efficacious if he will not it is of no Effect So that if it should prove Effectual to save any yet that is to be ascribed to Free Will and not to Grace to that which makes it Effectual when otherwise it would be of no effect In short it is not saving Grace takâ— it in any of their Senses As