like inconvenience would follow upon Praescientia Dei falli non potest Gods preference which none denyes and his prescience may aswell hence be denyed as his praedefinitions Seeing Gods prescience is as infallible as his Decree is immutable And thus much for the first Consideration SECT 8. 2. We may secondly consider The second consideration making good the former that in Gods new Covenant of Grace the Condition required of us is also part of Gods Covenant and promise made unto us So that this is one maine difference betweene the Law strictly taken according to the Condition of workes and the Gospell preached both before after the death of Christ that the Law promiseth Life and requires perfect obedience but neither promises nor gives power to performe what it requires It leaves a man wholy to himselfe The conditions required of us are also part of Gods Covenant and promise made unto us DiffereÌ„ce betweene the Lavv and the Gospell Heb. 7 19 and 8 6 RoÌ„ 8 2 3 and to his owne power But the Gospell and new Covenant promiseth the same life upon new and other Conditions no lesse I take hard in themselves and impossible to us to performe aright by our own strength then the other and that is upon condition of Faith Repentance Holinesse and Perseverance in them all Yet so as that it both promiseth and gives power to keepe and performe the Conditions this latter depending on Gods Election in which regard it is said that the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did and Christ is a Mediatour of a better Covenant which is established on better promises And why better But because what the Law could not doe in that it was weake through the Flesh is done by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus whom God sent c. The first Covenant is said to be faulty yet not in it selfe for saith the Scripture the Lord finding fault with them not with it barely saith the dayes come when I will make a new Covenan with the House of Israel Judah not according to the Covenant which J made with their Heb. 8.7 8 9 10 11 c. Fathers because they continued not in my Covenant so there is the fault of it I regarded 1. To perfect finish or performe a good worke throughly so as to answer our desire and purpose 1 To perfect it or to persevere in a good worke to the end is not from us but from God For it is God who having begun a good workâ— in you saith Paul to the Philippians will performe it untill the day of Jesus Christ. Phil 1 6 So Paul concerning himselfe to will is present with mee but how to performe that which is good that is how fully to finish it J sinde not Rom 7 8 Yea men cannot finish their owne evill worke alwayes according to their intent how much lesse good workes as Josephs Brethren they thought evill agaìnst him but God ment it unto good Gen. 50 20. and so over-reached them so that they came short of their purpose So Paul going towards ' Damascus with a purpose to fetch thence and bring bound to Jerusalem the Disciples of Christ Acts 9. 〈◊〉 2. Yet was taken short in the way fell down and in stead of finishing his owne wicked intent he is turned to the obedience of Christ not to doe or finish his owne will Act. 9 26 but Christs saying Lord what wilt thou have me to doe 2. Wee cannot so much as doe that which is good without Christ yea unlesse we be ingrafted into him 2 To doe it as the branch can not beare the Fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee Iohn 15 4 5. For without mee or severed from mee ye can doe nothing The way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steppes Iere. 10.23 A mans heart may devise his way Jer. 10 2â— Pro. 16 〈◊〉 but the Lord directeth his steppes We may know as in my Text what to doe but we as of our selves are not able to doe according to our knowledge Therefore prayeth David saying not onely Psal 11â— 33 34 35 Teach me the way of thy Statutes and give mee understanding but make me to goe in the path of thy Commandements For wee are of our selves not onely blind but lame and God must teach us not onely to know but to doe Therefore saith David againe Psal 143 10. Teach mee to doe thy will Wee have that in us which till it be removed hinders us from doing that which otherwise wee should doe For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gat. 5.17 Ro 7 19. So that saith Paul ye can not doe the things that ye would So he himselfe found it The good that J would saith her I dâ—e not Isa 26 12 If therefore ought to be done that is good It is God that worketh as formerly is said all our workes for us in us 3. To begin a good worke 3 To begin it Phil. 1 6. is not from us though wee purpose it but from the Lord It is he that beginneth a good work in us 4. To speake what wee have thought on and prepared 4 To speake good is also from the Lord and not from us For so wise Salomon concerning them both The preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the Tongue Prâ— 16 1 is from the Lord And who what minister especially finds it not tâ—us 5. As wee cannot doe 5 To will â—t or speake and utter so can wee not so much as will any thing truely and spiritually good as not our owne Conversion or Salvation For it is God saith Paul to the Philippians which worketh in you both to will and to doe Phil. 2 13 But of this more largely anonâ— 6. How should man will that which is good 6 To coÌ„ceive it as of himselfe when he cannot so much as understand or perceive it For so we are taught The naturall man rèceiveth not the thing of the Spirit of God for they are foolish â—es unto him neither can he know them Rom. 8 7 because they are spiritually discerned Yea the carnall minde is enmity against God 7. Lastly 7 To think it 2 Cor. 3 5. 1 Cor. 3 19 20. Psal 94. Nay he cannot thinke any thing that is good So Paul We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of ourselves but our sufficiency is from God Yea man 's best thoughts are vaine the wisdome of the World is foolishnes with God And the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine All these put together what is it that man is able as of himselfe to doe without Gods speciall and effectuall grace especially in the matter of Conversion Repentance Faith c. SECT 17.
Now the reasons of this our inability to doe good may partly be gathered and considered out of the foregoing discourse Reasons hereof 1. His ignâ—â—ance where we may take notice First of that Ignorance that ill dilposed Ignorance which is in us all naturally whereby Repentance Faith with the power and life of Godlines is accounted foolishnes to the naturall man At which being called to these he scoffeth and mocketh Hence it was that when Hâ—zekiah K. of Judah sent out messengers with letters 2 Chron. 30 6 7 8 9 10. to call those of Israel to turne againe unto the Lord inviting by many faire and gracious promises in the name and according to the Word of the Lord they laughed the messengers to scorn mocked theÌ„ And doe not too many now adayes in like manner scoffe laugh at such Teachers as are most earnest with them to call them from their sinns to a new course of Life and wel doing Though yet diverse of Asher Mamasseth Vers 11. Zebulon humbled themselves and came to Ierusalem But what By their owne power No no otherwise then those of Iudah humbled themselves of whom with those others it is said and added that the hand this notes the worke yea and power of God was to give them that is all of them both of Judah and Asher c. one heart â—o doe the commandement of the King and of the Princes by the word of the Lord And 12. But where was this back wardnes in others whose hearts the Lord had not touched otherwise then by these common motives exhortations used alike to them all because their corruption where speciall grace overcomes not tells men now that God calls them to forsake their owne wayes which they have chosen and so to deny their owne will and choyce to forgoe their sweet sinnes and so to undergoe such afflictions and reproach as commonly attends upon Godlinesse and a stricter course of Sanctification Yea the nature of Gods perswasions is such as that for the most part they rather disswade a naturall man left to himselfe as whosoever will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse follow me And Marke 8 34 35. whosoever shall loose his life for my sake and the Gospels the same shall save it This to flesâ—ly yea to naturall understanding is asmuch as if Christ should have said Fly from mâ—e 2. Secondly 2 His unbeleese to Ignorance we may adde naturall unbeleefe which makes us with Aâ—â—m rather fly from God as from a consuming Fire Heb. 12 29. then come to him by Faith Repentance and by a toâ—alâ— resignation of our selves unto his will 3. But chiefly 3 His naturall impoteÌ„cy when God doth informe our ignorance by his word and also by it gives hope proclaimes a pardon freely to the penitent and to such as shall beleeve and become new men Yet there is that natur all impotency in man whereby he wants power now since the Fall to returne and doe any thing which is truely and spiritually good Therefore saith God Can the Ethiopâ—â—n change his skin Ier. 13 23 or the Leopard his spots then may yee also 〈◊〉 good that are accustomed or as it is in the Hebrew taught to doe evill In a word we are dead in sinne and by it The estat of each man before his Conversion So that â—f we would know what our naturall estate is before we by Gods speciall grace be effectually called the Scripture will plainly and fully tell us vvhich calls us Servants of sinne Rom. 6.20 And tells us Wee are sould under sinne Ro. 7.14 .. That vvee are by nature the Children of Wrath Eph. 2.3 Conceived in sinne Psal 51.7 That vvee drinke iniquitie as the fish doth vvater Iob 15.16 That our thoughts are onely and allvvayes evill Gen. 6.5 That our hearts are stony Ezek. 36.26 that it is perverse and deceitfull above all things and desperately vvicked Ier. 17.9 that our carnall minde is enmity against God and not subject to the Lavv of God neither can bee Rom. 8.7 Yea that out of Christ vvee can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 And as is said vvhich may include all vve are dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 2.1 Dead in sinnes and in the uncircumcision of the flesh Coll. 2.13 Novv surely all these shovv unto us that mans ability and povver of his ovvne free-vvill especially in the businesse of his ovvne Salvation is none at all For if we be Servants of sinne hovv can Libertie stand vvith this Servitude If sould under the povver of sinne must not the Sonne onely make us free If vve be conceived in sinne naturally then surely the remedy of sinne must be sought and found not in nature but vvithout it Shevving how unable he is to doe good If our thoughts and imaginations be vvholy and onely evill can they at all reach and lead us to that vvhich is truely good If our hearts be naturally stony hearts Can they so remaining admitâ— of the Seed of Gods Word and prove fruitfull Must they not be made both soft and good hearts before they keepe the Word they heare and bring forth Fruit vvith Patience Luke 8.15 If our hearts be deceitfull above all things and desperately vvicked vvhat soundnesse sinceritie or rectitude can be imagined in us naturally If nature cannot submitt it selfe to the Law of God can it thinke wee as of itselfe either thinke or doe what is truely good If out of Christ we can doe nothing can any thinke that we can doe that which is cheife of all even returne againe to God And if we be dead in sinne what sense or motion can wee have to doe any thing that is truely good SECT 18 Hence wee are taught humility Vse of this his impotencie to teach us humility to ascribe all to Gods power subduing our Rebellion and not to glory in our selves but onely in God Yea hence wee see that man brings nothing to his owne Conversionâ— besides the bare facultie of Willing or nilling which power if hee had not hee should not bee so much as a man but as a block or stock uncapable of Gods grace But when a man obeyes Gods call the Spirit of God so mightily and powerfully perswades that the will of man beeing elevated above it selfe is both withdrawne from evill and drawne to God and goodnesse without any finall resistance As when we are borne againe this is not of blood nor of the will of the flesh â—ohn 1 13 nor of the will of man but of God who worketh in us both to will and to doe So when God worketh it is not left to mans power to use grace well or to beleeve Repent and doe good or no as if when God hath done all hee meaneth to doe mans will is an equipage and even Ballance to move it selfe this wayes or that wayes as it listeth For so Gods grace should not be praedominant and
move the affections of a dead man Quae primū ipsum bonam voluntatē operatur deinde per eam operatur Hugo de Sacramētis l. 1 par 6 c. 17. neither is it a common universall grace assisting all and each alike but it is such a grace as gives to the Soule a spirituall and divine being which is to the Soule as health to the body yea more and which hath mans Liberty under the power of it so as to make use of it and to rule in mans will as it pleaseth without offring any violence thereunto and without prejudicing the Liberty of it or its free manner of working In a word this grace is that which first workes this good will and then workes by it It is that inward moving and effectuall grace which is both praeveniens quam velimus subsequens ne frrustra velimus That is it both prevents whereby we will and it followes us and accompanieth us continually that we will not in vaine What our Churches Doctrine is herein or that we fall not away from our stedfastness◠This is also the Doctrine of our Church in the tenth Artecle which tells us we cannot turne and prepare our selves by our naturall strength and good workes to Faith and calling upon God that we have no power to doe good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God preventing us that we may haue a good wil working in us when we haue that good will SECT 23. This Doctrine beeing the very plaine and evident truth of God as wee haue seene both lets us see what our duetie is towards him Vse hereof as also what is the immutability of his counsell and good purpose to us 1. We are hence taught to giue all glory unto God Hence vve learn to give all glory to God and not to our selves and not to glory in our selues and for ever to remember that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4 6 7. that wee learne not to thinke of others or of ourselves aboue that which is written that no one of yee saith hee bee puffed up one against another and what hast thou that thou hast not received Now if thou didst receive it why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Let God then haue all the glory of that grace and goodnesse whereby thou differest from another for it is hee who hath praedestinated us unto the adoption of Children Eph 1 5 6 Psal 115 1. by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will To the Praise of the glory of his grace c. But in such case let us with the Psalmist in another case say and that from the heart Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name give glory Thus to doe is truely Christian Thus to doe is Christian 1 Cor. 1 29 Ier. 9 34 For God hath so according to his eternall Counsell disposed of all things here below that no flesh should glory in his presence Let him that glarieth glory in this saith the Lord that hee understandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord that exerciseth loving kindnesse c. The Law of Faith excludes all boasting in our selves otherwise if we will bring ought of our owne Rō 3 27 Rom. 4 2 To glory in our selves is Heathenish we may rejoyce and glory but not before God Let us then leaue all glorying to the prophane Heathen who indeed wholy ignorant of Gods grace haue avouched that wee truely and justly may glory in our vertue Which say they wee would neuer doe if it were the guift of God and not a thing of our owne And saith another it is one principall steppe to happinesse for a man to admire himselfe that is Cicero de nat Deorum lib. 9 Seneca de vita Beata C. 8. Popish to doate upon his owne excellency Let us then giue glory to God and depend wholy upon him and on his grace Papists not to say others wil be as little beholding to Gods grace as may be where they imagine their owne will and naturall strength to be sufficient there they thinke not the guift of speciall grace to be so necessary they thinke it needfull to make us to doe good dueties more easily and readily Bellarm. de gratia c. lib. 5 6 7. So that to overcome tentations that no sinne be committed they doe not alwayes require Gods speciall helpe that is internall illumination and supernaturall motion but any helpe whatsoever But what availes it to be a Christian if this bee so The Heathen indeed thinke they may come to happinesse and avoyd all sinne by the good Husbanding of their owne Free-will and therefore flatter themselves saying it is enough that they pray to Iupiter for long Life and riches Horac Ep. 18. Lib. 1. As for a good minde and vertue they would give that to themselves so not be beholding to Jupiter for it for one flattered a great man saying The Gods grant thee long life for as other things thou wilt give them to thy selfe Now these are no Poeticall flourishes Dij tibi dent annos atenä caetera sumem sint modo virtuti tempora longa tuae Ovid. lib. 2. de pōto Eleg. 1. ad Iermanie Aristot in Ethic. Senec. Ep. 31. Epist 5 4 Iewish Morn de veritate religion Christ c. 29. but agreeable to the Doctrine most serious meditations of their best Philosophers seeing great Aristotle the Master of morality tells us that both vertue and vice are in our power or else we were neither to bee praised for weldoing nor dispraised for ill-doing and that every man is the forger of his owne Fortune Hence Seneca is angry with those that trouble the Gods with their prayers that they might be happy Yea he tells us moreover that in some respect man hath the advantage of God himselfe seeing God is happy by the benefitt of nature but man is happy by his owne good Husbanding That is God is happy and cannot bee otherwise Hee is happy of necessity but a good man is so by his owne Election and choyce which by the way we see from whose force we receive these Doctrines which dayly doe so magnify mans power against Gods grace even from Philosophers and Poets hereunto adde what I reade concerning one Baroozba a Jew who would make himselfe Christ though it were forty Yeares after the destruction of the Second Temple and who hauing gathered a hundred thousand men about him did so trust to their in vincible strength as that hee did cutt off one of each of their singers and going to Battell hee was wont to say Help us not thou Lord of the World seeing thou hast forsaken us c. Profane Answerable to which arrogancy is that of the Great Turke of late who attempting against Pouland presumed even without Gods assent that they were able to destroy that Nation for when the cheife Muphty at