Glory 1. As to the World of Nature Christ procured two things 1. The Standing of it 2. The Deliverance of it 1. The Standing of it and that in a threefold respect 1. The Standing of it in Being Sin filled it with so much spiritual stench and rottenness that the Power of the holy One would not have endured to have been there supporting and bearing it up in Being if the Death of Christ had not been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sweet-smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. to perfume and sweeten it the World was as it were new founded by the Cross or else Sin that abomination of desolation would have dashed it down about the Sinners Ears Justice if unsatisfied would not have spared so much as the Stage whereon Sin was acted but hurled it down into its first Nullity Christ upholdeth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. Before Sins entry they stood merely by the word of his Power but since they stand not without the blood of his Cross. Redemption is the great Buttress of Creation as it rears up the little World after its fall so it keeps up the great World from falling 2. The Standing of it in Order When the Prophet describes God's Judgments he speaks as if the old Chaos were come again Loe the earth was without form and void Jer. 4. 23. All the Orders and Harmonies in Nature were at first set by the Wisdom of God and afterwards cemented by the Blood of God or else Sin would have unframed all By Christ all things consist Col. 1. 17. not only subsist in their Beings but consist in their Orders 3. The Standing of it in its Usefulness to us Sin was the blast and forfeiture but Christ is the Purchaser and heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. and in and through him all are as it were new-given to us We became such wretches by Sin that the Earth would not have bore our persons if Christ had not bore our iniquities the Sun in the Firmament would not have lighted the material World if the Sun of Righteousness had not appeared in the spiritual these lower Heavens would not have spun out a day for us if Christ had not purchased the upper ones of Glory the Blood of Creatures should never have been shed for the life of our Bodies if the Blood of God had not been poured out for the Life of our Souls Under the Law before Harvest began the Passeover was killed at Harvest a Sheaf of the first-fruits was brought to the Priest to be offered to God and after Harvest there was the Feast of Tabernacles to bless God for the Fruits of the Earth which by the Jews was kept with Booths and Hosannahs Had not Christ our Passeover been sacrificed for us there would have been no Harvest of Creature-blessings at all and now that there is one the praise of every Sheaf must be brought to Christ the high-priest of good things and in and through him offered up to God therefore there is a spiritual feast of tabernacles under the Gospel Zach. 14. 16. Whilest we sit under the Booths of the Creature we must sing Hosannahs to the Son of God who tabernacled in our flesh and in it merited all comforts for us Every bough of Nature hangs upon his Cross every crum of Bread swims in his Blood every Grape of blessing grows on his Crown of Thorns and all the sweetness in Nature streams out of his Vinegar and Gall. A right-born Christian is the best Philosopher for he sees the Sun of Righteousness in the Luminaries of Heaven the waterings of Christ's Blood in the fruits of the Earth the Word incarnate in Creature-nourishment and the Riches of Christ in all the Riches of Nature All are ours and we are Christ's and Christ is God's 2. Christ by this Price procured the Deliverance of it God made the House of the World for Man and whilest there is Sin in the Inhabitant the Curse-mark is on the House the Heavens wax old as if there were Mothes in them the Stars have their malignant Aspects the Earth hath its Thorns and Thistles and the whole Creation groans and travels with an universal Vanity the Sun groans out his light on the Workers of darkness the Air groans with Vollies of Oaths and Blasphemies and the Earth groans forth its Corn and Wine into the lap of the Riotous and as Sin grows heavier so the Creaturegroans wax lowder every day But at last in and through Christ there shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. the Balm of his Blood will perfectly heal all the stabs and wounds in the Body of Nature the groaning and traveling Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of Corruption Rom. 8. 21. there shall be new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. and all the steps and traces of the old Curse shall be razed out of the World Thus Christ hath purchased the World of Nature but this as appears by the Purchaser's own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 6. 33. is not the main bargain but the casting in or overplus thereof therefore 2. Christ by this Price purchased the World of Grace Grace may be considered two ways either as it is in the Map or Charter of the Gospel or as it is in the Subject or receptacle of the Heart and both ways 't is Christ's purchase 1. Grace in the Map or Charter is the Covenant of Grace comprized in the Promises called the Covenant of Promise Eph. 2. 12. In this Covenant there are Promises reaching down as low as the World of Nature and Promises reaching up as high as the World of Glory and betwixt these two run the Promises which water the World of Grace and these are either Promises of Grace such as those I will give an heart to know me Jer. 24. 7. I will circumcise the heart to love me Deut. 30. 6. I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts Heb. 8. 10. I will give a new heart and a new spirit I will take away th◠stony heart and give an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. or else they are Promises to Grace such as those God will justifie the believer Rom. 3. 26. beautifie the meek with salvation Psal. 149. 4. dwell in a broken heart Isai. 57. 15. comfort the mourners fill the hungry and be seen of the pure in heart Matth. 5. 4 6 8. Now all these Promises are the purchase of Christ and the whole Covenant made up of them is the New-testament in his blood 1 Cor. 11. 25. Without his satisfactory Blood there would have been no room for Promises no not for the least twinkling of a Promise to the sons of men for unsatisfied Justice would have hurried all to Hell All the Promises issue out to us in and through Christ the Rivers of Life gushed out of the true Rock the Gospel-wine run forth from the true Vine if
but a resurrection Oh! my nothingness in Spirituals there must be a creation or I shall never be any thing Oh! the miserable down-cast when I fell from God into my self I can never get up again unless I be unhinged and unselved unless the Spirit lift me up out of my own Iness and Egoity Oh! that I were once out of my own carnal Reason and in the light of life that I were once out of mine own rebellious Will and in the will of God if ever I live 't is not I but Christ in me if ever I labour 't is not I but Grace in me I can write an I upon nothing but my sins if ever I be true to God 't is the holy anointing if ever I be willing 't is the day of God's power Oh! the Cross-bars in my perverse Heart none can shoot them back but the Almighty fingers Oh! the Plague of Apostasie in my lying Heart nothing can heal it but the holy unction if God do not write his Law in my heart there will be nothing but wickedness there if he do not let down some holy Fire into my Affections there will be nothing but Earth there Flesh is Grass and God Glory Man nothing and Grace all God's Mercy is all and the Willer or Runner nothing God's Encrease is all and the Planter or Waterer nothing Thus in Conversion all glorying is cut off and pride stained God as a God is very high upon his Throne-of free Grace and Man as Man very low upon the Dunghill of his own baseness The little ones enter into the Land of Promise the poor are evangelized the dry Wilderness gapes for distillations of Grace the poor weeping soul which bears the precious seed of Self-nothingness and mourns after a supply from free Grace alone shall be sure of the sheaf of comfort at last But now if God in working Conversion doth only put the Will in aequilibrio whether it will turn or not then the Method is quite another thing Lie not O Man upon thy face shake off the dust of Creature-weakness talk no more of thy poverty and wretchedness cry not out for a Resurrection or Creation trouble not the Almighty Spirit and Grace all 's in thine own power already will and live for ever in the sweat of thine own improvements nill and all the power of Grace cannot change thee will and take the Crown of thy self-differencing Glory â—â—ll and all the breathings and inspirations of the holy Spirit must fly away from the Birth and from the Womb. Adam left thee in the common Mass God gives thee the common Grace but thou O Man must make thy self differ from others by a right use of that Grace which they neglect Beatae vitae firmamentum est sibi fidere trust in thy own heart thy way is in thy self thy Will is the great Umpire whether thou wilt be God's or not After all the swasions of Precepts and Promises after creating and quickning Grace hath done its utmost after the living Spirit hath tried to write the Law in thee shall all this be something or nothing Shall the new Creature come forth or not Which shall abide in thy Heart Law or Lust Thou thy self must determine the business God made the Heart and all the Wheels therein but the Motion is thine own Christ hath all the power in Heaven and Earth but the actual Turn is in thine own hand alone Thus according to this Doctrine Man is exalted and God is abased free Will hath the Throne and free Grace waits upon her Man in his first Transgression would have been a God in his Understanding and now in his Conversion he becomes one in his Will turning the Scale of Grace one way or other as he pleaseth 2. Having proved in general that God works Conversion in an insuperable way I procede to prove it in particular with respect to the two Instants of Conversion 1. As to the first Instant God works the Habits or Principles of Grace in an insuperable way and to make this appear 1. Let us compare them with the Remonstrants posse convertere They because they would own somewhat more than mere moral Grace in Regeneration tell us potentiam credendi ante omnia conferri dicimus per irresistibilem gratiam Now if the posse convertere be wrought in an insuperable way why should not the Habits or Principles of Grace be so wrought how is the Wills Liberty impeached by the one more than by the other Which way can the Will resist the infusion of the one more than of the other I know no difference between them as to these things Wherefore supposing what I have proved before that there are such Habits of Grace it follows that they are wrought in an insuperable way 2. There is in Man's Soul an obediential Capacity to receive the Habits or Principles of Grace there is a Capacity and therefore God who fills all things can fill it there is an obediential Capacity and therefore God when ever he fills it fills it in an insuperable way for this obediential Capacity is no other than that whereby the Soul as to the receiving of gracious Principles stands in obedience to God's power and as it stands in obedience to God's power it cannot resist To have an Obediential Capacity and not stand in obedience to God's power is one Contradiction and to stand in obedience to Gods power and yet to resist is another Wherefore the Soul receiving gracious Principles from God in its obediential Capacity receives them in such a way as excludes resistance Add hereunto that if the infusion of gracious Principles can be hindred then it must be hindred either by the habitual pravity of the Soul or by the sinful Act of the Will but neither of these can do it not the habitual pravity of the Soul for then it should hinder always and in all persons for it is in all and whilest it is there it hinders and whilest it hinders it cannot be removed because there is no other way of removing it but by those gracious Principles and by consequence there should be no Capacity at all in the Soul to receive gracious Principles nor yet can the sinful Act of the Will hinder it for the Will doth not receive gracious Principles by its Act and those which it doth not receive by its Act it cannot refuse by its Act but it receives them in its obediential Capacity and therefore in an insuperable way 3. The Covenant of Grace evidences this to us I shall instance in two famous places the one is that A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes Ezek. 36. 26 27. The other is that I will put my Laws in their inward parts and write them in their hearts and will
God meet us and commune with us in words of Grace we must thank the true Propitiatory or Mercy-seat for every syllable 2. Grace in the proper Seat or Receptacle of it is Christ's purchase and this I shall make out 1. In general Christ purchased the Spirit of all Grace There is a double Oblation of Christ a personal Oblation on the Cross and that is Moritum Spiritûs and a doctrinal Oblation in the Gospel and that is Ministerium Spiritûs and so the holy Ghost is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ Tit. 3. 6. Christ ascended up on high that he might fill things Eph. 4. 10. One would have thought that his descent should rather have done it but he ascended up in the glory of his Merits he carried up all the Purchase-money to his Fathers house and from thence the Spirit came pouring down upon men some droppings of it were before but then it was richly poured out it came down in cloven fiery tongues and a rushing mighty wind Acts 2. 2 3. Tongues to utter magnalia Dei and above all the master-piece of Redemption and cloven tongues to utter them to all Nations in their own Language and fiery tongues to enlighten and enflame the Auditors hearts with the knowledge and love of Christ and a mighty rushing wind to blow home that fire strongly and insuperably in a thorough Conversion and all this was shed forth from Christ Ver. 33. Never any Tongue truly preached Christ but by a secret touch from him never any holy fire kindled on the heart but by a coal from his Altar never any gales of Grace on the Soul but from the breathings of his Spirit not one drop of his Blood is spiritless but full fraught and flowing with the Spirit of Life 2. In particular and so Christ hath purchased three things 1. The Radical Grace of Faith 2. All other Graces of the Spirit 3. All the Crowns of these Graces 1. Christ hath purchased the Grace of Faith the Apostle is express in it To you it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Christ's sake not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1. 29. the Apostle evidently points out the merits of Christ as the spring of Faith and Faith persevering unto suffering And in another place he saith we joy in God through Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom we have now received the atonement Rom. 5. 11. he doth not only say that by and through him the Atonement was made but that by and through him the Atonement is received and what is this receiving of the Atonement but Faith it self That therefore is part of Christ's Purchase These express places might suffice us but because the Remonstrants oppose this Truth I shall propose two Quaeries unto them 1. Is not Faith comprized within the Covenant of Grace Let 's come to the Touch-stone Is it not written there I will give an heart to know me and is not Faith a justifying knowledge a sight of the just One and a beam or dawning of eternal life Is it not written there I will take away the heart of stone and is not Unbelief a part of that stone doth it not directly resist the Blood and Righteousness of Christ and can there be a worse Stone than this Is it not written there I will give a new heart and is not Unbelief the heart and life of the old Man and Faith of the new Is it not written there I will put my Spirit within you and is not the Spirit a spirit of faith and faith a fruit of the Spirit is not Unbelief of our Spirit and Faith of Gods Is it not written there I will circumcise the heart and is not Unbelief flesh God saith there is life in his Son and the Unbeliever saith No and does what in him lies to make God a lyar and can there be any filthier or rottenner flesh in the old man than this and unless this be cut off can there be a true Circumcision By all this it clearly appears that Faith is within the Covenant and if so is not the whole Covenant Sanctio à sanguine the New-testament in Christ's blood Is not he the Mediator and purchaser of the whole Are not all the Promises Yea and Amen in him Who dares distinguish and say Christ purchased part of the Promises and not all he purchased notional knowledge and not justifying he breaks the stone in the heart all but that which opposes his own Blood and Righteousness the old man is crucified with Christ all but his heart and life of Unbelief the Spirit of Grace flows out from Christ all but the Spirit of Faith the circumcision of Christ Col. 2. 11. so called because it is procured by the Merits and produced by the Spirit of Christ cuts off the flesh of the heart all but that of Unbelief which upbraids God with a lye who dares thus tear in sunder the Covenant mangle the Promises dimidiate Christ and divide the Spirit by unscriptural distinctions Such shuffling is unworthy of Christians Wherefore I conclude my first Quaere thus Faith is within the Covenant and the Covenant is Christ's purchase therefore Faith is such also 2. Is not Faith a Grace of the Spirit It seals to the Gospel sanctifies the heart works by Love waits by Patience overcomes the visible World and sensibly presentiates the invisible for shame let it be a Grace and if so it must be Christ's purchase The Spirit never effected that Grace in fallen Man which Christ never merited As every Creature in the World is of God's making so every Grace in the Church is of Christ's meriting He that saith Yonder is a precious Stone but 't is not of God's making blasphemes the Creator and he that saith Yonder is a precious Faith but 't is not of Christ's meriting does no less to the Redeemer But further Is not Faith the Grace of Union with Christ Doth not Christ dwell in the heart by faith Is not Faith the Mother-grace of all First Faith gives a touch to Christ and then Love is enflamed with him Joy triumphs in him and Obedience follows him Where do all the rivers of living water flow but in the Believers belly Joh. 7. 38 What holds all the starry Graces of the Church but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the firmament of faith as the Apostle calls it Col. 2. 5 Now will it not grate thine ears O Christian to hear that the Spirit of Holiness is from Christ but not the Spirit of Faith all the starry Graces are Christ's but the Firmament of Faith is our own we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ but not with the Mother-grace which broods and teems out all the rest not with the Grace of Union which lies nearest to Christ eating his flesh and drinking his blood that Faith which is nearest to the Merits of Christ in its Union is furthest off from them in its Origination What is this but
redeem some from among men unless it merit for them that Faith which is the grand distinction between man and man in the matter of Salvation Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purchased the church with his blood Acts 20. 28. and purchased it in a special manner hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a purchased people is not a title common to all but proper to the Church 1 Pet. 2. 9. God's Children lay scattered up and down the wide World and Christ died that he might gather them all together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into one one Faith here and one Glory hereafter Joh. 11. 52. If Christ had died so for all all should have come into the same Unity We find in Scripture many signal distinctions made among men there are some on whom God will have mercy and others whom he will harden Rom. 9. 18. some written in the Lambs book of life and others left out of it Rev. 13. 8. some given unto Christ Joh. 6. 36. and others â—eft to themselves some are Gods own jewels Mal. 3. 17. and others but as dross Now how incredible is it that Jesus Christ who came to do his Father's Will should in his Death respect those whom God will harden as much as those whom he will have mercy on those that are out of the Book of Life as much as those that are in it those that are left to themselves as much as those that are given to him and those that are the dross of the World as much as God's own Jewels Believe it who can 't is a monstrous Opinion worthy of nothing but exile from Christians Seeing God's Will hath so distinguished men it is no more possible that Christ should die alike for all than that he should dissent from his Father's Will which to do was his great errand in the World Christ suffered between two Thieves a Type of the Elect and Reprobate World but who dare say that he had as much respect to the one as to the other 2. I argue from the Covenant of Grace Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant and the Covenant is the New-testament in his blood as then the Covenant is more or less respective of men so the Mediator's Death is more or less respective of them There are in the Covenant two sorts of Promises the one general and conditional such are those Whosoever believes shall be saved Whosoever will may take of the water of life If any man come to Christ he will not cast him out the other special and absolute such are those I will circumcise thy heart to love me I will put my fear in their hearts I will take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people there is a vast difference between these Promises For 1. The general and conditional Promises are as it were the hands of the Covenant pointing out the true way and path leading to Salvation but the special and absolute Promises are as it were the Veins of the Covenant carrying in them the blood and spirit of life and power to enable us to walk in that way Here God himself engages to work all saving Graces in us Are our hearts hard he 'l roll away the stone from them do our hearts resist holy impressions he 'l give us hearts of flesh capable thereof are our hearts void of God's Law he will write it there and turn them into the Epistles of Christ and for the effectual doing hereof he will put his Spirit into us and as a real proof of it he will cause us to walk in his ways and in this Walk Love shall be the Motive for he will circumcise the heart to love him and Fear the Bridle for he will put his Fear in the heart never to depart from him and which is the Crown of all he himself will be a God to us and we shall be a people to him in an everlasting Covenant Stand still O Saints and adore here loe here is the ministration of the Spirit indeed 2 Cor. 3. 8. here are words which are spirit and life Joh. 6. 63. here is the supernal Jerusalem the mother of spiritual freedom Gal. 4. 26. here is the immortal seed which begets all the Sons of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. here is that Vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or formative Virtue which moulds us into the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. here is the day of God's power which makes his people willing to serve him in the beauties of holiness Psal. 110. 3. Happy yea thrice happy they who dwell in this Land of Promise and drink of these Wells of Salvation 2. The general and conditional Promises are extensive to all men but the special and absolute Promises respect the Elect and them only for they are fulfilled in them and them only had these extended to all that God who cannot lye nor deny himself would have fulfilled them in all You will say He would have fulfilled them in all but that men themselves will not But what a strange word is this they will not Will they not if God give them a Will a new heart and a new spirit Will they not if God take away the nilling and resisting Principle the heart of stone Will they not if God write his Laws in their hearts and inward parts O what is this but by an absurd Blasphemy to change God's Truth into a lye his Omnipotence into weakness and his Glory into the old broken Idol of Creature-freedom Surely if God who is Truth and Power engage to make a new Heart the old one cannot hinder it if he promise to remove Hardness Hardness cannot resist it if he say that he will write the Law in the Heart the Heart will not say Nay to his Almighty Fingers Seeing then these Promises are not fulfilled in all but in the Elect only I may safely affirm that they respect not all but the Elect only These things being so it appears how in what manner Christ's Death respects men even more or less as the Promises of the Covenant founded on his Blood do more or less respect them As the general Promises extend to all men so the Death of Christ the Mediator proportionably extends to them all and as the special Promises point only at the Elect so the Death of Christ the Mediator hath a peculiar respect to them Christ by his Death over and besides the general Promises founded those special Promises for the Elect hence they come to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of promise Gal. 4. 28. begotten by it to spiritual life which others standing only under the general Promises are not All the saving Graces of the Elect suting to those special Promises are no other than the fruits of Christ's Merits they
be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31. 33. These Promises do most signally set forth the production of gracious Principles here 's the Principles themselves a new heart and a new spirit here 's the principal efficient of them the holy Spirit of God here 's a remotion of the Obstacles unto them the taking away the heart of stone here 's the next immediate Capacity of receiving them an heart of flesh here 's the way or manner of producing them a writing the Law in the heart here 's the effectual fruitfulness of them a causing to walk in God's statutes and here 's the crown or glory of all God will be their God and they his people Now when there is a Worker such as the Almighty Spirit a Remotion of the Obstacles such as the Stone of hardness an immediate Capacity such as an Heart of flesh a way of Working such as the intimate Impression of Truth a Fruit proceding such as Obedience to God's Statutes and a Crown of all such as an Interest in God How can the Grace be less than insuperable You will say These Promises were not made to the Gentiles but to the Jews and not to any singular persons among them but to the whole Nation I answer These Promises extend not only to the Jewes but to the Gentiles for these are Promises of Grace founded in Christ and in Christ Jew and Gentile are all one Gal. 3. 28. so one that the Gentiles are of the same body and partakers of the promise Eph. 3. 6. Indeed before the middle Wall of Partition was broken down they were strangers from the covenant of promise but that being gone they are fellow-heirs partaking of the root and fatness of the Olive Neither do these Promises extend to all the Nation of the Jews but to the true Israel the elect People of God whether they be Jews or Gentiles for in them only are these Promises fulfilled Had these been made to all the Jews the true God would have fulfilled them in every Jew You will say No God's Truth doth not exact such a performance for he promised to do these things not absolutely but conditionally so as men did not resist the operations of his Grace I answer If God only promise these things shall be done so as men do not resist then these Promises run thus If thy stony Heart do not resist I will give thee an Heart of Flesh if thy old Heart do not resist I will give thee a new one if thy own spirit do not resist I will give thee my Spirit and if the Law of Sin do not resist I will give my Laws into thy Heart Which Interpretation doth utterly evacuate the Glory and Power of these Promises for to be sure that Stone that old Heart that Spirit of our own that Law of Sin in us will what it can resist the operations of Grace You will say God gives unto Man a posse convertere a supernatural Faculty whereby he is able to turn unto God Now God promises to do these things not so as men in their mere Naturals do not resist but so as men furnished with that supernatural power do not resist I answer two things overthrow this Interpretation 1. In the Text it self there is not a tittle of such a Condition of Non-resistency nor of such a supernatural Power of Conversion nay on the contrary in stead of the Condition of Non-resistency it speaks of a stony heart which is a Principle of Resistency to be removed instead of a supernatural power of Conversion it implies an old heart which is powerless in the things of God to be made new 2. If God promise to do these things so as men furnished with supernatural power of Conversion do not resist then there is such a supernatural power in men before these things be wrought in them that is before there be a new or soft Heart whilest the Heart is old and stony there is such a supernatural power in them which assertion is as I take it 1. Against Scripture that divides all men into two ranks they are clean or unclean new creatures or old spiritual men born of the spirit or natural men born of the flesh but this Assertion ushers in a middle sort of men such as hang by a posse convertere between Nature and Grace with the natural man they have an old stony Heart and with the spiritual man they have a new supernatural Power in the frame of their Heart they are no better than natural and in their supernatural Power they are little less than spiritual 2. 'T is against Reason All Powers in the rational Soul flow out of Life the Power of knowing and embracing natural good things flows out of the natural Life of the Soul and the power of believing and receiving spiritual good things flows out of the supernatural Life of the Soul but this Assertion supposes a supernatural Power of Conversion without any vital Root nothing of a new Heart or Spirit and yet a supernatural Power of Conversion Wherefore rejecting these Interpretations I conclude that those Promises import the production of gracious Principles in an insuperable way 4. The Production of gracious Principles is in Scripture set out in such glorious titles as do import insuperable Grace 't is a creation Eph. 2. 10. 't is a generation Jam. 1. 18. 't is a resurrection Eph. 2. 5 6. 't is a traction Joh. 6. 44. 't is an opening of the heart Act. 16. 14. 't is a translation into Christs kingdom Col. 1. 13. Now if this be not insuperable Grace then there may be a Creation on God's part and no new Creature on mans a Generation on Gods part and no Child of Grace on mans a Resurrection on Gods part and nothing quickened on mans a Traction on Gods part and nothing coming on mans an Opening on Gods part and all shut on mans and a Translation on God's part and no Remove at all on mans and why then should such stately names of Power be set on the head of resistible Grace You 'l say all these are but Metaphors very well but Metaphors are Metaphors that is they carry in them some image or resemblance of the things themselves but there is not the least shadow of likeness or similitude between these things and resistible Grace What shadow of Creation in that which a Creature may frustrate What of Generation in that which produces nothing at all What of Resurrection when the dead need not rise What of Traction when there is no coming upon it What of Opening when there is a Heart still shut up What of Translation when there is no remove by it Take away the infallible Efficacy of Grace and it can be none of all these no not so much as metaphorically because it hath no print of likeness thereunto 5. The Scripture doth not only set out Conversion under the Glory of Metaphors but in plain terms it stiles it a Work of
seriously offered to the Reprobates and offered upon the very same terms as to the Elect but here lies the difference God gives special Effectual Grace to the Elect cloaths them in the fine linnen of righteousness makes them meet for the inheritance in light Col. 1. 12. works them for this very thing 2 Cor. 5. 5. and at last causes them to arrive safe at Heaven But thus he deals not with Reprobates for he leaves them without that Effectual Grace which infallibly leads to Glory 2. As to the second Act of Reprobation viz. the permission of final sin the thing decreed is double 1. The permission of sin in Reprobates 2. The permission of the Finality of sin 1. The permission of sin in them is decreed Now what is this permission 'T is not an Ethical permission as if they might sin by a Law for this were to unsin sin 'T is not a mere dreaming Speculation as the sleeper suffered Tares among the Wheat for divine Providence never slumbers nor sleeps 'T is neither a simple Volition for then God would hinder sinful actions from coming into being nor yet a simple Volition for then God should be the Cause and Author of sin 'T is not such a permission of sin as if Reprobates had no remora's at all in their sinning for every beam of Light item in Conscience rod of Affliction striving of the holy Spirit and particle of holy Means is a kind of impediment cast in their perverse way But Permission is an Act of Providence issuing forth from God not as he is a righteous Legislator but as he is the supreme Rector and Provisor moderating in all Events Hence the Scripture owns God's mission in Joseph's sale Gen. 45. 5. Gods commission in Ahab's seduction 1 Kings 22. 22. God's bidding in Shimei's Cursing 2. Sam. 16. 11. and God's hand and counsel in Christ's crucifixion Acts 4. 28. More particularly 't is such an Act of Providence as carries with it First an Administration of such objects and circumstances which are good in themselves yet occasionally like Achan's golden Wedge draw out mens corruption into act Then a suspension or nondonation of such Grace and Means as would effectually and de facto prevent the commission of sin Next an actual concurrence of the Holy One to the Material Act or Entity of sin though not in the least Measure to the anomy or sinfulness thereof And withal a bounding sin in its measure and duration and ordering sin to his own Glory Thus God permits sin and permits it Volent for none will say that he doth it Nolent therefore all must say that he doth it Volent And in all this neither can the Reprobate ery out of hard measure for in the same manner God permits the sins of the Elect Nor can the least blot light upon the holy One for which of all these may he not justly do May not he marshal objects Then he may do nothing in his own World Not so much as proclaim his Law for sin will take occasion thereby No nor his Gospel neither for Grace will be turned into wantonness May not he suspend his Efficacious Grace Then Grace is not his own but if it be by what Law is he bound to give it If there be no such Law why may he not suspend it But if there be how can he permit sin seeing he is bound to give such Grace as will actually prevent it But you 'l say Permission is no such suspension of Grace but a leaving a man in manu consilii sui a dimission of him to his own Genius and free Will if so then how doth God hinder sin Doth he in hindring sin offer violence to man's Liberty as in permitting it he leaves him thereunto Surely if God hinder it it must be by some kind of Grace or other and therefore if he permit it it must be by some suspension of Grace or not at all But to go on May not he concurr to the Material Act of sin Then how much Motion is there independent from the first Mover How much Entity is there independent from the Being of Belings May not also the great Clock of the World stand alone without the Everlasting Arms and all the Creature-wheels therein go alone without any touch of Providence Lastly If God did not bound sin would not that Moral Monster soon devour all Religion and Humanity And if he did not order it to his own Glory how should Light come out of Darkness and Order out of Confusions In a word God in great Wisdom permits the folly of sin in providential power the weakness thereof and in unspotted purity the pollutions thereof 2. The second thing decreed is the permission of sins Finality and this is the Critical difference between the Elect and Reprobate God permits sin in the Elect but sins Finality only in the Reprobate Now how doth God permit sin's Finality but by that blinding and hardning of Reprobates which is so frequent in Scripture But how doth he blind and harden them Not by infusing the least drop of malice into their hearts No darkness may sooner issue from the Sun than blindness from the Father of Lights and drought may sooner issue from the Sea than hardness from the Father of Mercies but he doth it in a double manner 1. Deserendo or by way of Negation Dicitur Deus saith St Austin excaecare quando non illuminat indurare quando non emollit Every Reprobate is born with a Veil upon his Eyes and a Stone in his heart and in that condition God leaves him not imparting to him such enlightning and mollifying Grace as he doth unto the Elect. Not such enlightning Grace and hence Reprobates are called blinded ones Rom. 11. 7. nor such mollifying Grace and hence they are called hardened ones Rom. 9. 18. In this Negative blinding and hardening doth properly and formally consist the Permission of final sin For as God doth impede Final sin in the Elect by irradiating and softning them by his Grace so he doth permit Final sin in the Reprobate by not irradiating and softning them thereby 2. Judicando or by way of penal infliction After many rebellions against light God at last gives men up to a reprobate mind void of all spiritual judgment to a fat heart void of all spiritual sense to a spirit of slumber such as wakes not under the loud calls and roaring judgments of Heaven to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a brawny hardness and sensless obduration such as feels nothing no not the weighty mountains of sin and wrath lying on the soul. And this he doth partly by a tradition to Satan who rules in darkness and hardness and hath a wonderful art to promote and aggravate both these in the children of disobedience partly by a giving them up to their own lusts which are the most intimate Devils of all and by degrees put out the eyes and obstinate the hearts of men partly by presenting such objects as occasionally
't was that he might succour the tempted Heb. 2. 18. Which way soever Satan turns himself still he is under God as the supreme Moderator But the spiritual world is not all the Material World is also under his dominions the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wheel of Nature is all turned about by his counsel the Heavens with all their Luminaries rapid Wheelings spinnings of Time and hovering indulgent influences are under his Ordinance his immense hand spans them Isai. 48. 19. at once twirling them about with an indefatigable Motion and squeezing out their quickning influences into the lower World 't is he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 45. raises up the Sun to rule the day and the Moon and Stars to rule the night the Air with all its Meteors is at his command he maketh the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth Psal. 135. 7. and forms them into Clouds in an admirable and exact proportion the airy and watery parts ballancing each other Job 37. 16. These are the Bottles of Heaven when he breaks a Bottle down comes a refreshing showre when he turns and tosses a Bottle 't is by his counsel Job 37. 12. The Winds are all in God's hand Prov. 30. 4. and when he lets out any of them 't is by weight Job 28. 25. just so much and no more and 't is to fulfil his will Psal. 148. 8. and when one command is done it returns by its circuits to execute another Eccl. 1. 6. Thunder is God's majestick Voice and Lightning his glittering Arrow both are at his beck and say to him Here we are Job 38. 35. The treasures of Snow and Hail he purses up in the Clouds and those pay them out again according to his pleasure The stupendious Sea is but a little Babe in his almighty Arms Clouds and darkness are its swadling-band Job 38. 9. and the hollow of the Earth its Cradle there he rocks and rules it as he pleaseth if it cry and roar he stills and rebukes it till he lull it fast asleep in a calm The vast Earth is but instar puncti before him at his command are all the living Creatures the greedy Ravens were Caterers for Elijah untrained Kine faithful carriers of the Ark the dumb Ass a reprover to the Prophet clamorous Dogs moved not their tongues at departing Israel Laban's Cattle change colour to pay Jacob's wages Peter's Fish brought Tribute-money in his mouth and when proud Pharaoh said Who is the Lord an answer was sent him by wonderful hosts of Frogs and Flies Lice and Locusts proclaiming the sovereignty of their great Maker and Master In summ Man is the Epitome of all the rest and in governing him God governs all Man hath an inward Principality of Reason and Will yet still he is under the Almighty and All-wise Moderator who rules and disposes the hearts of men as he pleaseth 'T was but his touch on their hearts and Saul had a band 1 Sam. 10. 26. 'T was but his turning the key in Lydia's heart and the Gospel had entrance Acts 16. 14. Titus went to the Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8. 17. a word importing high liberty yet God put it into his heart Ver. 16. The King's heart and who can be freer than he is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of waters he turneth it whither he will Prov. 21. 1. he turneth it whither he will there is the sovereignty of Providence yet he turneth it as the Rivers of waters there is the salving of Humane Liberty For as when the Husbandman leads the Waters this and that way by Channels and Trenches they lose nothing of their natural fluency so when God turns the hearts of men to such and such Objects they part with nothing of their natural liberty God is infinitely greater than our hearts wiser than our reason and freer than our liberty therefore he is able and worthy to rule over us in our freest actions Lastly as his gubernative Providence is over all Creatures so 't is over all Events the greatest Events are not above it When Kingdoms are tossed and bandied up and down like a Tennis-ball Isai. 22. 18. not one Event can fly out of the bounds of Providence the smallest are not below it not a Sparrow falls to the ground without it not a hair but 't is numbred by it he is maximus in minimis the most natural Effects are but casual till his free concourse makes them certain The Iron with all its gravity is not sure to sink 2 Kings 6. 6. the Fire with all its fury is not sure to burn Dan. 3. 27. The most casual effects are not casual to him when the Lot is cast into the lap the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord Prov. 16. 33. When a Bow was drawn at a venture 1 Kings 22. 34. Providence sent it as a certain messenger of death to the King of Israel Thus far I have been surveying the hosts of Creatures and Events I now procede to demonstrate that God is the great and universal Governour over them all For 1. He hath an absolute Authority over all his just Title is King of kings and Lord of lords all the Sphere of Nature and World of Creatures was of his making he that ruled over Nullity it self in their Creation is worthy to rule over all Creatures by his Providence but because Authority is liveless without presence therefore 2. His presence is every where Creatures lie in the shell of Time and Place Angels have their definitive Ubi the Body of Christ which subsists in an infinite Person is circumscribed by a finite place but God is every where present he is higher than Heaven deeper than Hell longer than Time and greater than Place and who like him to be universal Governour If he were only on the Throne of Heaven how should the Footstool of the Earth be ordered If his hand only spanned the celestial Spheres what should the Sea do But he is every where where-ever any Creature is there is I AM supporting and governing it But because power is the Crown of presence therefore 3. He is Almighty the only potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. power belongs to him nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1. 19. a pleonasm of power such as can do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 3. 20. superexcessively above all thoughts of men No wonder then if the Omnipotent reign who should reign else he can call things that are not Rom. 4. 17. even a World of Creatures out of the barren Womb of Nullity and a Church of New-creatures out of the dead Womb of Nature He is a God doing wonders Exod. 15. 11. Wonders to us but none to himself for all things are easie to Omnipotence his Government can have no blemishes because his Power can have no obstacles But because Powers hands cannot be without Wisdoms eyes therefore 4. He is Infinite in Wisdom to manage all He is a God of knowledge 1
Corruption after the Fall did denominate him very sinful because they were virtually seminally all Sin A mere posse convertere doth not denominate a man gracious because it is abstract from the Nature and Essence of the thing but the Habits or Principles of Grace do denominate him such because they were virtually and seminally all Grace Now that there are such Habits or Principles of Grace and not only a naked Power I shall thus demonstrate 1. Out of the Scriptures which do elegantly and emphatically decypher out those Habits or Principles to us Wonderful is the variety of Expressions to this purpose These Habits or Principles are called the new heart and new spirit Ezek. 36. 26. the new man Eph. 4. 24. the new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. the hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3. 4. the good treasure of the heart Matth. 12. 35. the glory within Psal. 45. 13. eternal life abiding in us 1 Joh. 3. 15. a well of water springing up into everlasting life Joh. 4. 14. the teaching and abiding anointing 1 Joh. 2. 27. the renewing of the holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. the seed of God remaining in us 1 Joh. 3. 9. the life of God Eph. 4. 18. and which is the sublimest word of all the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. And is all this glory of words poured out upon a mere posse which doth not so much as encline to Conversion Are not here the noblest and highest Inclinations set forth unto us Hath not the new heart which hath eternal life in it a propensity to Acts of spiritual life Will not the new creature renewed by the holy Ghost and sweetned by the holy Unction have some Odours and Fragrancies breaking forth from it Can the hidden man be ever hid the good treasure ever sealed and the glory within ever shut up Must not the Well of life break forth the seed and life of God spring up and the divine nature shew forth it self and do not these denominate him gracious in whom they are What doth a new heart speak him How doth the good treasure enrich him the glory within illustrate him the holy unction perfume him the life and seed of God quicken him the renewing of the holy Ghost alter him and the divine nature glorifie him Here are pregnant denominations indeed but there is not a tittle of this in a mere posse convertere wherefore these expressions are of a nobler emphasis than so You 'l say 't is true these expressions shew forth habits or principles of Grace but not such as go before the actual consent of the will to Gods Call but such as follow after it nay after frequent acts thereof Unto which I shall answer two things 1. The habits and principles of Grace decyphered in the Scriptures aforesaid are there set out as the royal acts of pure Free Grace and not as pendents upon mans Will and for this I shall give two eminent instances omitting others The first is in that famous place Ezek. 36. where God promises a new heart ver 26. and his own spirit ver 27. but withal he enters a double protestation one before the Promise Thus saith the Lord I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine own holy names sake ver 22. and another after it Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel ver 32. What could be more said to exalt God and his Free Grace and to annihilate man and his Works How could the True God enter such protestations if the great promise of a new-heart hang in suspence upon mans actual consent When a man without the new-heart gives that actual consent there in something which instead of shame and confusion is worthy to be noted as a matter of Praise and Glory But you 'l say these protestations respect not the way or order of working these gracious habits but exclude mans worth or dignity in the business Now albeit God do not give the new-heart for mans consent yet he may do it upon or after mans consent I answer these protestations shew that before the new heart there is nothing in man but what is matter of shame and confusion and by consequence the actual consent of the Will which is a matter of Praise and Glory cannot so much as in order exist before the new-heart The second instance is that Tit. 3. 5. where the Apostle opens the fountain of Regeneration Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost We are saved by washing and renewing but in what way or method is this wrought The Apostle tells us not by works of Righteousness but of mere mercy Surely if there be any Righteousness in man it must be in his Will and if any work of Righteousness be in the Will an actual consent to Gods Call must be such a work Yet the Apostle asserts that our Regeneration was not by works of Righteousness but of Gods Mercy Again 't is observable that the Apostle doth not say Not for works of Righteousness as only excluding the meritorious dignity thereof but he saith Not by works of Righteousness as denying the very existence thereof in order to Regeneration 2. If the actual consent of the Will to the Calls of God do indeed precede the habits or principles of Grace then what is that which gives an actual consent to Gods Call What else but the stony heart the old Creature the wisdom of man and the humane nature For the mere posse convertere doth not include in it a heart of flesh a new Creature an holy Unction or divine Nature therefore the consent precedent to these Gracious Principles must be given by the stony heart old Creature humane Wisdome and Nature which is very incongruous Let us hear Anselms determination in this case Voluntas non rectè vult nisi quia recta est sicut non est acutus visus quia videt acute sed ideò videt acutè quia acutus est it a voluntas non est recta quia vult rectè sed rectè vult quoniam est recta To the same purpose is that of our Saviour A corrupt tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot bring forth good fruit Mat. 7. 18. that is whilst it is corrupt it cannot A corrupt tree may become a good tree but whilst it is corrupt it cannot bring forth good fruit as when the Apostle saith The carnal mind cannot be subject to Gods Law Rom. 8. 7. the meaning is that whilst it is carnal it cannot and how then can the Will whilst it is a corrupt tree bring forth so precious a fruit as an assent to Gods Call How can such a grape of Heaven grow upon the thorns of an unregenerate heart You 'l say I must not call the Will a corrupt tree
spiritually dead to take in the Word of God as from a divine Impression in that the words of Christ entred not at all into the naturally dead in this the Word of God enters into the spiritually dead even intimately into his very heart in that the words of Christ were transient and passed away in this the Word of God though it may pass away as to its sounds and syllables yet as to its substance it lives and abides for ever in the new Creature Wherefore these differences considered I conclude That Christ's words were only declarative in that Resurrection but God's Word is operative also in this The manner how God works gracious Principles in and by his Word as an Instrument is a Secret which I dare not pry into only for a little more illustration of the Words Efficacy in the production of gracious Principles there are two Instants or Moments to be distinctly considered 1. The first Instant or Moment is that wherein there is a close Application and intimate Inning of the Word in the Heart in common Auditors the Word is upon the Heart but here it is in it in temporary Believers the Word is in some degree in the heart but here it is in it intimately This close Application is excellently set out in Scripture 't is a nail fastned Eccles. 12. 11. 't is a word engrafted Jam. 1. 21. 't is instruction sealed Joh 33. 16. 't is the Law put and written in the heart Heb. 8. 10. 't is wisdom entring into the heart Prov. 2. 10. 't is the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or entrance into his auditors 1 Thess. 2. 1. 't is the word having a place in us Joh. 8. 37. and such a place as to root in our hearts thus Joh says of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the root of the word is found in me Joh 19. 28. and this Root is such as will abide in us and become the incorruptible seed of the new Creature This close Application is a glorious work of God and the Word is not altogether passive therein but in the hand of the Spirit 't is quick and powerful as a sharp Sword piercing and cutting its way into the heart Heb. 4. 12. and as a mighty Engine casting down imaginations and high things there 2 Cor. 10. 5. that it self may have a place and Throne in the same 2. The second Instant or Moment is that wherein God in and by the Word so intimately inned in the Heart doth produce the Principles of Grace there in the first Moment the indwelling Word makes the Heart a spiritual Bethlehem a House of Bread in the second Christ is spiritually born there in the first Moment the incorruptible Seed is sown in the Heart in the second it springs up into a new Creature The Scripture seems to me to hold out this Method very clearly the engrafted word is able to save the soul Jam. 1. 21. the Word saves the Soul but not merely as outwardly expressed but as inwardly engrafted Faith comes by hearing the word Rom. 10. 17. but is that a mere outward hearing No surely there is a hearing of the Father and so a coming to Christ Joh. 6. 45. There is the powerful and intimate demonstration of the Spirit and so faith stands in the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. that is to say in that power of God which intimately demonstrates and closely applies the Word unto the Heart as its true Cause and Foundation When the Apostle speaks of the Thessalonians Faith and Love 1 Thess. 1. 3. he there opens the causes thereof viz. the fontal Cause God's Election Ver. 4. and the instrumental Cause the Gospel Ver. 5. but how could the Gospel be an Instrument The Apostle tells us that it came to them not in word only but in power and in the holy Ghost it was strongly and sweetly set home upon the Heart and from that Impress came Faith and Love The Wise Man would have the Word kept in the midst of the heart and his Reason is because it is life Prov. 4. 21 22. The Word in the Ear only is but a transient 〈◊〉 but the Word in the midst of the Heart is Spirit and Life Job proves the truth of his Grace thus The root of the word is in me Joh 19. 28. The Word as shining on the Head lights up Notions but as rooted in the Heart springs up in Graces St. John tells the Young Men that they are strong and for a â—eason adds this the word of God abides in them 1 Joh. 2. 14. St. Paul first speaks of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or entrance into his auditors and then of their turn to the living and true God 1 Thess. 1. 9. The entrance of the word into the Understanding giveth light Psal. 119. 130. and when it passeth from the Understanding to the Will 't is spiritually a word upon the wheels and inwardly becomes free-making truth Joh. 8. 32. ennobling the Will with true Liberty in the ways of God Epaphras was in an Agony of Prayer for the Colossians that they might be filled in all the will of God Col. 4. 12. the more filling with God's Will the more true Liberty in ours St. Peter clearly asserts that we are born again of the incorruptible seed of the word 1 Pet. 1. 23. In which words his plain meaning is that the Word being intimately sown in the Heart doth under the warming influences of the hoâ—â— spirit spring up into the new Creature and to make this the plainer he adds that the word lives and abides for ever speaking as I take it not of the Words living and abiding in it self but of its living and abiding in the new Creature As it is with natural Seed or Grain sown the Husk or outward part passes away but the lively or substantial part springs up into the Stalk Blade and Ear so it is with the Seed of the Word the letters and syllables the noise and sound of words pass away but the lively and substantial Truth springs up into the new Creature and in it lives and abides for ever God made two great Promises of Regeneration the one That he would write the Law in the heart and the other That he would give a new heart and the latter he fulfils by the former In these two Instants distinguishable at least in Nature doth God by his Word bring forth the Principles of Grace Now here I would conclude this point but that I am obviated by two Objections The one absolutely against the Words Instrumentality The other against the Method proposed in the two Instants 1. Object That against the Words Instrumentality is this The Production of gracious Principles is a Creation and in Creation there can be no Instrument at all and therefore the Word cannot be an Instrument in that Production In answer to which Objection founded on Philosophical Principles I think it were enough to say with the Psalmist Thy testimonies are wonderful Psal.
119. 129. or with the convicted man God is in it of a truth 1 Cor. 14. 25. or with the Apostle The foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men 1 Cor. 1. 25. The Scriptures asserting this Instrumentality what if this Philosophical Objection could not be answered must therefore the holy Oracle be rejected What if Reason cannot comprehend it must therefore Faith renounce it How much better is that old Gloss Taceat Mulier in Ecclesia Let Reason be silent in the Church But for some satisfaction I shall offer four things to your consideration 1. Consider who is the principal Agent who but the Almighty and if he will appear in the word as the Expression is Acts 26. 16. what may not be done by it The Apostle was but an earthen vessel yet a Minister of the quickning Spirit because God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made him sufficient to be such a one 2 Cor. 3. 6. If he make the Word sufficient to regenerate who can gainsay it 2. Consider what the Instrument is 't is the Word of God the two grand Truths therein are the Law and Gospel and what are these in their eternal Idea The Law is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or eternal Off-shining from the divine Will as Righteous and the Gospel is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or eternal Off-shining from the divine Will as gracious and what are they in their external Revelation The Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breathed out from the very mind and heart of God and therefore cannot be less than a lively Picture or Image of the divine Will Wherefore that such a Word as is the Image of the divine Will should instrumentally produce the new Creature which is the Image of the divine Nature seems to me rather congruous than impossible 3. Consider what the Principles of Grace are they are not Substances but Accidents depending upon their Subject in esse operari and may more properly be said to be increated than created now if there could be no Instrument in the Creation of Substances yet why may not there be one in the Increation of Accidents 4. Consider what a kind of Creation the production of gracious Principles is Is it every way pure Creation How then is it Generation how Resurrection Pure Creation can be neither of these You 'l say 't is Generation and Resurrection but metaphorically only very well if it be but so the Metaphor must be founded on some true likeness or analogy between these and the production of gracious Principles which is altogether unimaginable in a pure Creation It remains therefore that the production of gracious Principles is stiled all these in Scripture partly to import the excellency of the work such as cannot be fully expressed by any single one of these partly to hint out the nature of the work such as hath in it somewhat analogous to every one of these Wherefore I take it to be thus 't is a Creation because a real production of gracious Principles by Almighty Power 't is a Generation because of the immortal Seed of the Word and 't is a Resurrection because a man spiritually dead is raised up to divine life Now if there could be no Instrument in a pure Creation yet may there be one in the production of gracious Principles because that is not purely Creation though there be a creating power put forth therein 2. Object The other Objection is against the Method proposed in the two Instants viz. That first in Nature the Word is put into the Heart and then the Principles of Grace are produced which is contrary to that the natural man receives not the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. and contrary to that the word did not profit them not being mixed with faith Heb. 4. 2. and also contrary to the scope of that Parable where the Seed of the Word only fructifies in a good and honest heart Luk. 8. 15. for according to the Method of the two Instants the Natural man doth receive the things of God the Word doth profit before it is mixed with Faith and the Seed doth fructifie in a Heart not good or honest In answer whereunto I conceive that the Method proposed in the two Instants doth not contradict any of these Scriptures As for the first place The natural man receives not the things of God I answer that the Things or Truths of God may be received in the Heart two ways either passively by way of Impression from the holy Spirit or actually by way of actual discerning them in the Understanding and embracing them in the Will the former is a reception of them according to the obediential Capacity of the Heart the latter a reception of them according to the spiritual Faculty thereof the former doth at least in Nature go before the Principles of Grace in order to their Production the latter doth follow after the Principles of Grace as the fruit thereof The former is that which is done in the first Instant abovementioned the latter is that which is spoken of by the Apostle in the Text abovenamed for there he saith that the natural man receiveth not the things of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned where evidently he speaks of such a receiving as is an actual knowing and spiritual discerning of the things of God Wherefore according to the Apostle this active receiving doth presuppose the Principles of Grace already in Being but the other passive receiving of which the Apostle there speaks not doth only presuppose an obediential Capacity in the Soul There is a double obediential Capacity in the Soul to receive the Truths of God as by way of Impression the ultimate and radical Capacity is the Rationality of the Soul and the next and immediate Capacity is that Softness of Heart which is wrought in the preparatory work of Conversion The Soul as rational is capable to receive an impression of Truths from God and as softned it is yet further disposed thereunto This is that obediential Capacity which is required in the Method of the two Instants and which the Apostle in that place doth not so much as touch upon As for the second place the word did not profit them not being mixed with faith I answer that the Word may be considered under a double Notion either as it is operative of Faith or as it is promissive of Rest to Believers Take it as operative of Faith and so it profits not being mixed with Faith otherwise faith could not come by hearing as the Apostle asserts Rom. 10. 17. but take it as promissive of Rest to Believers and so it doth not profit not being mixed with Faith that is Faith which is the Condition of the Promise not being performed the eternal Rest which is the thing promised cannot belong to them and this is clearly the Apostle's meaning for having spoken of a promise of rest Heb. 4. Ver.
in the Understanding 4. I argue from the consequent Absurdity If the Will do not follow the practical Judgment then although the practical Judgment be never so right yet may the Will transgress and by consequence a man may be a sinner and no fool which is impossible In Scripture Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an aberration Isai. 5. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a missing of the mark 1 Joh. 3. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ignorance Heb. 9. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an error Rom. 1. 27. error in heart Heb. 3. 10. and error of way James 5. 20. and which is the fullest expression of all folly foolishness and madness Eccl. 7. 25. as if all words were too little to express the folly thereof Also sinners are straglers or wanderers Isai. 53. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without mind Tit. 3. 3. simple ones such as want heart Prov. 9. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unreasonable men 2 Thess. 3. 2. fools nay madmen Acts 26. 11. nay as if there were nothing of Man in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brute heasts 2 Pet. 2. 12. Even in the first Sin of Man the Apostle tells us that the woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being deceived was in the transgression 1 Tim. 2. 14. First there was an Error a false End in her mind and then the forbidden fruit was embraced by her Will. But now after all this if the practical Judgment be right set and yet the Will may turn away unto Sin then that which is impossible in Scripture may be possible in Nature there may be a Sinner and no Fool Sin and no Folly Wandring without Error missing the Mark without any false End Transgression and nothing of Deception in it a Man and a Brute coupled together in the same Act the Understanding playing the Man in its right directions and the Will playing the Brute in its irrational aversation All which Absurdities are unavoidable by such as assert that the Will doth not follow the practical Judgment 2. Posit Leaving the first Position I procede to the second viz. That the Will of Man doth infallibly follow the practical Understanding in the matter of Conversion And here again I might reinforce the former Arguments with an Emphasis If the Will cannot stand alone and upon the bottom of its own independency in other matters much less can it do so in Conversion to which the working and drawing of Almighty Grace is requisite If in other matters the Will cannot go alone without the Torch of Reason surely in Conversion it cannot go alone without the Torch of supernatural Illumination If the Will by deserting a lesser good propoposed by the Understanding do appetere malum sub ratione mali then the Will by deserting God proposed as the summum bonum by the Understanding doth appetere summum malum so if the Will by rejecting an inferiour Good proposed by the practical Judgment must become bruitish and irrational how much more bruitish and irrational must it become by rejecting the summum bonum so proposed If the Will may be determined by the Understanding as to a lesser Good nay as to a false lying Good as in the Case of Sin how much rather may it be so determined as to the summum bonum If by the Wills turning away from the Understanding right set there may be Sin in the Will and no Folly in the Understanding which is impossible then by such turning away there may be no Charity in the Will and yet true Faith in the Understanding which is also impossible But pretermiâ—ting these I come more closely to the Thesis that is That the Will doth follow the Understanding in the business of Conversion Now whereas the Conversion of the Will is double either it is the production of gracious Principles in the Will or it is the actual Conversion of the Will in the first the Will is Passive in the other Active The Wills following the Understanding is double also as to the Principles of Grace in the Will the Understanding is as the Channel through which those Principles are infused into the Will as to the actual Conversion of the Will the Understanding is as a potent Perswader inducing the Will unto actual Conversion In the first the Will follows the Understanding passively only and by way of reception of Principles in the second the Will follows the Understanding Actively and by way of free Actuation of those Principles I shall speak somewhat to both these 1. As to the Principles of Grace in the Will the Understanding is as the Channel through which those Principles are transfused into the Will God doth not infuse the Principles of Grace into the Will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he puts in his hand by the hole of the door and so the churches bowels are moved for him Cant. 5. 4. he puts in his Grace at the Understanding and so the Will and Affections are turned to him he purifies the heart by faith Acts 15. 9. that is through Faith in the Understanding he influences Holiness into the Will and this Holiness is called by the Apostle holiness of truth Eph. 4. 24. not only because 't is a real Holiness but especially because 't is wrought through the Truth first entring in at the Understanding and so passing on to the Will and that this is the Apostle's meaning appears because he opposes holiness of truth in the 24. Verse to the lusts of deceit in the 22. Verse As those are lusts of deceit because the lusting Will follows upon the erring Understanding so this is holiness of truth because the holy Will follows upon the true Understanding The practical Knowledge of God is stiled eternal life Joh. 17. 3. and a well-spring of life Prov. 16. 22. the reason is because through it all quickning Graces do as a River of Life flow into the Will Above all that of the Apostle is most pregnant Beholding as in a glass the glory of God we are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. The Glory of God is reflected from Christ upon the Gospel and from the Gospel upon the Understanding and from the Understanding upon the Will and so we are changed into his glorious Image In Man's first Transgression Death entred in at the Windows of the Mind and so got into the secret Closet of the Heart and in Man's first Conversion Life comes in at the Mind and so passes down into the Will All the Grace that a man hath saith Dr. Preston passes in through the Understanding and if it were not so how could the Word be an Instrument of the Wills Regeneration There is no passage for it into the Will but through the Understanding In Regeneration the Law is writ in the heart and how can that be but through the Understanding The appetitive Faculty is naturally crooked and if ever it be made right it must be through the
2. 27. reveals the lye and then off comes the yoke Doth Sin profer a World This Anointing is an inward Ecclesiastes crying out All is vanity Doth it profer Honors or Riches or Pleasures What for a Soul a Christ a God No cheat like that saith the Anointing Doth it promise Happiness You do but flatter and lye saith the Anoining you have nothing but Death and Hell to bestow Christ was manifested 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might dissolve the works of the devil that is sins in men 1 Joh. 3. 8. and he dissolves them by this Anointing Sin is in union with the Will because Sin is in composition with some seeming Good break the composition between Sin and the seeming Good and you dissolve the union between Sin and the Will The worldly Man's Will is in union with his Sin because his Sin is in composition with the World break the composition by a right Understanding make him indeed see that the World is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a figure or fashion and Riches but a thing that is not dissolve the World by Faith and instantly the Sin will drop out of his Will for Sin as mere Sin will not down with the Will If therefore the compound of apparent Goodness be once broken by the Understanding the Will must needs cast it out as altogether evil because it is an Object capable of its embraces 2. The Understanding doth represent Sin as the Devils Work Should the Devil visibly appear and offer to the Covetous his Bags or to the Drunkard his Cups surely they would hardly take them at his hands Wherefore Satan transforms himself into many shapes and puts on Changes of Raiment that he may act invisible But on the other hand Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoils or more properly unclothes him Col. 2. 15. he spoiled him meritoriously on the Cross and unclothes him efficaciously in the Hearts of Men. Christ was so quick of understanding that he found out Satan even in Peter's tender indulgence and Christ gives such a true Understanding unto the Heart that it sees Satan lurking in every Sin Oh! says the true Understanding there is a bloody Devil in all thy Malice a blasphemous Devil in all thy Prophaneness a lying Devil in all thy Hypocrisies a proud Devil in all thy Self-excellencies a Devil in the Swine in all thy Sensualities and in every Sin Satan stands at thy right hand Now when the Devil thus appears in Sin surely the Will must needs turn away from it 3. The Understanding doth represent Sin as the only Obstacle of Happiness The Understanding views the all-blessed God with his infinite Bowels and the all-precious Jesus with his infinite Merits it lets in some Glimpses of Glory and takes as it were a Prospect of Eternity it travels over the Land of Promise and tastes the Milk and Honey of free Grace flowing there and after all this it cries out Oh! my Soul nothing can hinder thee from all these but Sin nor Sin neither unless indulg'd this is the only Gulf between thee and thy God the only Distance between thee and thy sweet Jesus the only Bar to the Heaven of Glory and the only Flaw in thy title to the Land of Promise When the Understanding shews Sin to be such indeed surely the Will cannot but reject it Thus the Will follows the Understanding in turning to God the supreme End in embracing Christ the only Way and in rejecting Sin the great Obstacle which are the three grand things in actual Conversion Now here I would have closed up this Point but that there are two main Objections to be solved Object 1. This Thesis of the Wills following the Understanding takes away the necessity of gracious Principles in the Will Object 2. This Thesis overturns the Liberty of the Will 1. This Thesis takes away the necessity of gracious Principles in the Will what need of any there seeing the Will is so good a follower As to this I shall answer two things 1. This Thesis is so far from taking away the necessity of gracious Principles in the Will that it discovers the way how those gracious Principles come to be wrought there 'T is in this Case between the Understanding and those gracious Principles as 't is between the beams of Light and the accompanying Heat As Heat comes down from the Sun into the lower World in the Vehicle of natural Light so Holiness comes down from the Sun of Righteousness into the Will in the Vehicle of supernatural Light When the Day dawns in the Heart the Heart waxes warm with spiritual Life Give me understanding saith David and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall keep it with my whole heart Psal. 119. 34. Why is he so earnest for Understanding Is the Understanding all May not the Will hang back for all that No Give me Understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall keep it with my whole heart that will set all my Soul in a right posture towards the Law of God 2. Notwithstanding this Thesis there is yet a treble Necessity of gracious Principles in the Will for 1. God calls for them 2. The Will it self stands in need of them 3. The Perfection of the new Creature cannot stand without them 1. God calls for them above all things he calls for a heart a pure heart such as works out the mixtures of Corruption a right heart such as lies level to the Rule of Righteousness this he desires he desires truth in the inward parts Psal. 51. 6. this he delights in he hath pleasure in uprightness 1 Chron. 29. 17. where this is found he passes by many infirmities I have eaten saith Christ my honey-comb with my honey Wax and all Wax and all Cant. 5. 1. Infirmities do not hinder acceptance but where this is wanting he sets a black mark upon men even whilest they do that which is materially good Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. there is a black mark set upon him for want of Integrity But now without gracious Principles in the Heart how can the Heart be right or pure which way can God's Call be answered or his Desire or Delight attained 2. The Will it self stands in need of them The Will of fallen Man what is it but a very Shoal of inordinate Affections a Womb of evil Concupiscence Here is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the conceiving lust Jam. 1. 15. that which teems out a generation of wickednesses Here is an Abyss a bottomless Pit of evils such as smoaks and vomits up all manner of Abominations Every carnal Heart hath in it a plague of Rotterness which is still starting from God an Iron-sinew of Rebellion which is still contradicting God and how can this Hell of Lust in the Will ever be quenched but by the clean water How can this deadly wound of Corruption there ever be healed but by
a thing will you say What saith holy Stephen Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears you do always resist the holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye Acts 7. 51. To which I answer That the Spirit may be said to be resisted two ways either as it is in the external Ministry or as it comes in the internal Operations It may be said to be resisted in the external Ministry He that despiseth you despiseth me saith Christ Luk. 10. 16. He that despiseth despiseth not man but God saith the Apostle 1 Thess. 4. 8. When therefore it is said that they resisted the holy Ghost the meaning is not that they resisted him as to his internal Operations but that they resisted him as to the external Ministry This appears by the Context for they resisted him as their fathers did ver 51. and how was that The next Verse tells us Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted Ver. 52 Their resistance of the Spirit was in persecution of the Prophets But you 'l say Might they not also resist him as to his internal Operations I answer so much doth not appear in the Text but however the internal Operations of the Spirit are twofold some are for the production of common Graces some for the production of saving Graces such as the new Heart and new Spirit Now if the holy Ghost may be resisted as to the former Operations yet it cannot as to the latter for in these it takes away the heart of Stone the resisting Principle and gives an Heart of Flesh capable of divine Impressions 4. God doth insuperably remove the Obstacles of Conversion What is thy Mind dark nay darkness it self God can command the light out of darkness and shine into the heart 2 Cor. 4. 6. Is thine Ear deaf He can say Ephatha to it and seal instruction Job 33. 16. Is thy Heart hard and stony He can take away the stony heart and in the room of it give an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. Is thy Heart barred and shut up against God He can open it as well as Lydia's Acts 16. 14. he opens and none can shut Rev. 3. 7. Doth thy Will hang back He can draw thee Joh. 6. 44. and reveal such day of power upon thy heart as shall make thee truly willing Psal. 110. 3. Dost thou go on frowardly in the way of thy heart Yet he can see thy way and heal thee Isai. 57. 17 18. Dost thou oppose the precious Gospel Yet peradventure he will give thee repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. Whatever the Obstacle be he can remove it he can cast down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every height in the heart 2 Cor. 10. 5. and then what Obstacles can remain Now if God do insuperably remove the Obstacles of Conversion then he doth insuperably produce the Work of Conversion 5. If God do not work Conversion in an insuperable way then what doth he produce towards it but a mere posse convertere According to the Remonstrants Doctrine he doth not infuse Habits or vital Principles of Grace neither will they in plain direct terms assert that he doth produce actual Conversion what then doth he produce towards it but a mere posse convertere and is not a posse peccare from him also Voluntatem say the Remonstrants comitatur proprietas inseparabilis quam libertatem vocamus à qua Voluntas dicitur esse potentia quae positis omnibus praerequisitis ad agendum necessariis potest velle nolle an t velle non velle And again Semper in omni statu hujus vitae ubi legislatio praemiorum promissio poenarum interminatio hortationes preces similia locum habent voluit Deus libertatem Voluntati adesse quâ objectū ab intellectu monstratū velle potest nolle aut velle non velle Surely if the Nature and inseparable Property of the Will be such and such by the Will of God then according to the Remonstrants Doctrine a posse peccare is from God as the Author of Nature as well as a posse convertere is from him as the Author of Grace and by consequence it follows that he doth act as far towards Transgression as towards Conversion No by no means will you say it cannot be for God by his Commands Promises and the Spirit 's Motions doth promote Conversion but by his Prohibitions Threatnings and the Spirit 's Counter-motions doth beat back Transgression Very well these things shew that God's Actings touching Conversion and Transgression are not the same as to the Manner nevertheless they still remain the same as to the Terminus or product For after all the Commands Promises and Motions towards Conversion still the Terminus or Product is but a posse convertere and notwithstanding all the Prohibitions Threatnings and Motions against Transgression still there is the Terminus or Product of a posse peccare and by consequence he acts as far towards Transgression as towards Conversion Will you yet reply that God gives a posse convertere and without this Man could not convert and when he doth actually convert God concurrs thereunto I answer that according to the Remonstrants Doctrine God gives a posse peccare also and without this Man could not sin and when he doth actually sin God concurrs to the material Act thereof and where then is the Difference By the Doctrine of resistible Grace God seems to act as far towards Transgression as towards Conversion 6. If God do not work Conversion in an insuperable way then he works it in a dependent way putting Man's Will in aequilibrio as it were in an eaven Ballance that it may turn or not turn to God ad placitum Now that this last is none of God's Method clearly appears because God as beseems his infinite Wisdom works Conversion in such a way as is most depressive of the Creature and exaltative of himself the Man whom he indeed converts doth lick the Dust the fountain of Blood in his Nature is broken up and the superfluity of Naughtiness in his Life set in order before him he falls down in self-abhorrencies and cannot deny but that he is a Beast in his sensual Sins and a Devil in his spiritual he perceives his spiritual Poverty to be extreme so many thousand Talents owing to divine Justice and nothing at all to pay a shameful nakedness in his Soul and not a rag of Righteousness to cover it as a wretched half-damned Creature down he goes to the brink of Hell and from thence be hath a prospect of Heaven down he goes into the Abyss of his own Nullity and from thence hath some glimpses of Christ's Allness His first breath of spiritual Life is a groaning under the weight of Sin Oh! the intimate love of Sin says he 't will never out unless my heart be broken all to pieces Oh! the obdurate Stone in my Heart it cannot be mollified but by Almighty Grace Oh! my dead Heart nothing can quicken it
Power the Gospel comes in power and in the holy Ghost 1 Thess. 1. 5. and in the demonstration of the Spirit and power 1 Cor. 2. 4. there is Power in it nay excellency of power 2 Cor. 4. 7. nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding greatness of power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the working of the might of power such as raised up Jesus Christ from the dead Eph. 1. 19 20. The entire words runs thus What is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead the Apostle here doth not only denote Gods Power towards Believers but also Gods Power in making them such As there is exceeding greatness of power towards Believers so those Believers did believe according to the working of his mighty power such as raised up Christ from the dead Every way a Believer in fieri and in facto esse is surrounded with Power and excellent greatness of Power Oh! what rare Eloquence what high strains are here Too much and too high in all reason for resistible Grace If the weakness of God be stronger than Man surely the Power of God in its might and excellency put forth for the production of gracious Principles cannot be resisted and overcome by him 6. The Heart which hath gracious Principles in it is God's Tabernacle and all God's Tabernacles have been built in a sure way such as cannot fail of the Effect God besides the natural Tabernacle of his Eternity hath in his condescending Grace been pleased to have three Tabernacles built for him first he had a worldly tabernacle or sanctuary Heb. 9. 1. and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he tabernacled in our flesh Joh. 1. 14. and last of all he hath a tabernacle in the Hearts of men a sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of them that is in the midst of their Hearts Ezek. 37. 26. the Heart which hath gracious Principles in it is God's Tabernacle Hence God says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will indwell in them 2 Cor. 6. 16. Now God himself undertook that all these Tabernacles should be built As for the first God took care to have it made exactly to a Pin as for the second God engaged that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth Immanuel as for the third God binds himself in a Promise to raise up the tabernacle of David Amos 9. 11. that is to convert the Gentiles for so it is interpreted Acts 15. 14 15 16. New Creatures are the tabernacle of David there is David the Man after God's own Heart there Christ the true David dwells in the Heart by Faith and Love Again God says I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them Ezek. 37. 26. that is I will by my sanctifying Grace turn their Hearts into an holy place for my own habitation Moreover all the Tabernaoles of God have been made in a sure way because they have been made through the overshadowing presence of the holy Spirit As for the first the Master-workman of it was Bezaleel a man as his name imports in the shadow of God filled full of the Spirit of God in all wisdom for the doing of the work As for the second there is a Bezaleel too the holy Ghost comes upon and the power of the highest overshadows the blessed Virgin and so the holy thing the pure flesh of Christ was formed in her Womb Luk. 1. 35. And as for the third there Bezaleel again they that dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his shadow shall return Hos. 14. 7. the holy Ghost comes upon the Soul and the power of free Grace overshadows it and and so Christ or the holy thing is formed therein What is said of the Apostles as to their sacred Function The holy Ghost came upon them Acts 1. 8. the same is true of all true Christians as to their spiritual Generation Thus whilest Peter spake the holy Ghost fell on them Acts 10. 44. by his Grace making them an habitation of God Lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee Zach. 2. 10. he comes by his Spirit and makes their Hearts a Sanctuary for himself Thus this Tabernacle is built in a sure way because pitched by God himself but now if all the Operations of Grace be resistible what becomes of this Tabernacle God may raise and raise by all the Operations of his Grace and yet the Tabernacle not go up the holy Ghost may overshadow mens Souls and yet no Christ be formed in them a holy place in mens Hearts may be sought for the Lord and none at all found All these precious Promises of condescending Grace may fall to the ground You will say What remedy for all this God will not dwell in men whether they will or not Very true but if Almighty Power connot make men willing what can do it Christ received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them Psal. 68. 18. Observe 't is for the rebellious also not that God doth dwell in them as such but that by his gifts of Grace he turns rebellious Hearts into gracious and so comes and dwells in them as his own Tabernacle Wherefore I conclude that God works the Principles of Grace in an insuperable way 2. As to the second Instant of Conversion God works actual Conversion also in an insuperable way so that sooner or later it always takes effect And this will appear 1. From the Vitality of gracious Principles as backed with auxiliary Grace there is a divine Vigor in these Principles these are a Well of living water ready to spring up a Seed of God ready to shoot forth and a Beam of the divine Nature ready to sparkle out wherefore when auxiliary Grace stirs up this Well of living water bedews this Seed of God and blows up this Beam of the divine Nature it is no wonder at all that actual Conversion should infallibly follow Auxiliary Grace stirs up the Principles of Grace these stir up the Soul and that by virtue of both the former stirs up it self unto actual Conversion and so actual Conversion comes forth into Being 2. From the Insuperability of Grace in the Illumination of the Understanding God doth enlighten the Understanding in an irresistible way he shines into the heart he puts wisdom into the hidden parts who teaches like him Job 36. 22 He teaches with a strong hand Isai. 8. 11. He teaches in the demonstration of the Spirit and power 1 Cor. 2. 4. A Demonstration is such a thing as cannot be resisted by the mind of Man and of all Demonstrations the demonstration of the Spirit is most invincible Now if the Understanding be irresistibly enlightned then the Will as I have before proved doth infallibly follow it they that know God's name will trust in it the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will come to Jesus Christ truth if but rightly
1. he adds Ver. 2. the word that is the Promise of Rest spoken of before did not profit them not being mixed with faith that is the promised Rest was of no effect to them because they were Unbelievers and in this sence the words no way oppose the Method in the two Instants As for the Parable where it is said that the Seed of the Word fructifies in the good and honest heart I answer that the Seed of the Word may be said to fructifie two ways either internally in the production of inward Graces or externally in the production of outward good Works Now our Saviours scope in this parable at least in the latter part thereof touching the good Ground was to shew how the Word did fructifie in the production of outward good Works this is clear because it is such a fructification as presupposes a good honest heart so that our Saviour doth not here deny the Words fructification in the production of Graces but assert the Words fructification in the production of good works Nay in the former part of the Parable touching the three sorts of bad Ground laying down the impediments of the Words fructification and those impediments being in themselves impediments to all kind of fructification as well that which is in the Production of Graces as that which is in the production of good Works he seems by way of implication to hint out the Words fructification in the production of Graces according to the Method of the two Instants for he saith that the word did not fructifie in the stony ground because they had no root Luk. 8. 13. intimating that the Word must first root before it can fructifie at all So that if we might gather out of this Parable the whole Method of the Words fructification it seems to be thus first the Word must be notionally understood which was wanting in him by the way-side then it must be inwardly rooted which was wanting in the stony Ground then it must cast the choaking World out of the heart which was wanting in the thorny Ground then it makes the Heart a good and honest Heart and lastly it makes that good and honest Heart fructifie in all outward good Works Wherefore this Parable is so far from contradicting that it seems rather to illustrate the Method proposed in the two Instants abovesaid Having passed the first Quaere I procede to the second 2. Quaere Whether the Will of Man be converted by the Intervention of the enlightned Understanding In answer to which I shall lay down two Positions 1. That the Will of Man doth infallibly and necessarily follow the practical Understanding 2. That the Will of Man doth so in the matter of Conversion But that there may be a clear Foundation I shall first lay down some differences between theoretical Knowledg and practical as to the Truths Things of God And 1. These differ Subjectivè not as if these were not both in the same Understanding but that their way of inhesion there is different Theoretical Knowledge is in the Understanding but superficially a flash and away a light taste such as was in those Apostates Heb. 6. 5. a word sown but unrooted such as that in the stony ground Matth. 13. 21. but practical Knowledge is deeply radicated in the Understanding 't is truth in the hidden parts wisdom entring into the soul and a word sinking down into the heart and which is a second difference springing out of the former theoretical Knowledg being but superficial hath much of doubtings and fluctuations it sees and sees not it is a dark and half vision a perswasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a little as the expression is Acts 26. 28. but practical Knowledge being deeply radicated hath much of certainty and assurance in it 't is instruction sealed a vision unveiled and with open face a man need not say Who shall ascend into heaven or who shall descend into the deep the word is in the heart in such a sensible Presentiality as makes a thorough perswasion of the truth thereof 2. These differ Objectivé Theoretical Knowledge represents things as good or evil only in the general but practical Knowledge represents this or that as good or evil in its individuality and as cloathed with all its circumstances In Herod's theoretical Knowledge 't was evil to kill John Baptist but in his practical Judgment with the circumstance of his Oath 't was good in his eyes to do so The theoretical Knowledge in the stony Ground pronounces the Word to be good but the practical Judgment sentences it evil with Persecution But to carry on the difference a little further Theoretical Knowledge representing things as good or evil only in the general speaks little or nothing to Practice but practical Knowledge representing this or that as good or evil in its individual circumstances speaks absolutely and with a kind of Authority this must be done and that must not be done When it says This must be done it is promotive of the duty They that know thy name will trust in thee Psal. 9. 10. and by the same Reason will do other duties required by thee When it says That must not be done it is preventive of Sin If they had known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. that is a practical Knowledge would effectually have impeded that sin and by the same reason will it impede other sins both ways it hath a great influence into Practice 3. These differ essentially Theoretical Knowledge is in some sence but knowledge falsly so called because it knows not the things of God as they are proposed to be known those things are proposed to be known not as mere Notions but as practical things to be above all other things chosen loved embraced and practised Wherefore a theoretical Knowledg knowing them notionally only even whilest it is materially true hath a secret lye in it because it judges of them theoretically only of which it should judge practically Thus the Apostle He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2. 4. not in him as it should be for in the midst of all his puffing Knowledge he knoweth nothing as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. because not in a practical way but practical Knowledge is a true Knowledg it knows the things of God as they are proposed to be known that is not as mere Notions but as things to be practically improved in heart and life it knows them as it ought to know them And out of this difference arises a second Theoretical Knowledge being but a false Knowledge is but a weak and dead thing able to put forth no vital or spiritual Action Just as a flash of Lightning in the night it makes all the way plain but before one step can be taken all is in darkness such a vanishing vapour is mere Notion which puffs the Head but
penetrates not into the Heart But practical Knowledge being a true Knowledge hath strength and life in it it puts forth vital and spiritual Actions Hence our Saviour calls it no less than eternal life Joh. 17. 3. it forges out the blood and vital Spirits of the new Creature strengthens him with spiritual Bones and Sinews and sets him in Motion towards the Crown of Life in Heaven These differences premised I procede to prove the two Positions laid down 1. The first was this That Man's Will doth infallibly and necessarily follow the practical Understanding and this I shall endeavour to make out 1. From God's Ordination in which there are two things to be considered 1. God never made the Will of Man to stand alone 2. God never made it to go alone both which may yet be if it follow not the practical Understanding 1. God never made the Will of Man to stand alone but he would have it depend upon the Understanding As he made the Sensitive Appetite to depend upon the Senses so he made the Will to depend upon the Understanding Hence the Will which is in it self but caeca Potentia a blind Power in its dependance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rational Appetite If the Will do not depend upon the Understanding where doth it stand but upon the Base of its own Independency You 'l say No not so for still it is under the guidance of Providence I answer That Providence which rules all things in a sweet Congruity to their Natures rules the Will not as a Brute but as a rational Appetite and how that can be without its dependance on the Understanding I know not 2. God never made it to go alone 't is in it self but a blind Power and God never made the blind to go alone Even in Brutes there is Sense to light the appetite much more in Man Understanding to light the Will Hence the Understanding is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leading or ruling Faculty and lucerna Domini the candle of the Lord Prov. 20. 27. without it the Will is all in the dark If the Will can go alone in any Acts surely it must be in Acts of Sin which have much of darkness in them but even there whilest the holy Law of God is violated the Dictates of the corrupt Understanding are observed If the Will can go alone in any Acts of Sin surely it must be above all in such Acts as are most against Knowledge but even there whilest theoretical Knowledge is opposed the practical Judgment is fulfilled Hence such presumptuous sinners as rebel against the light are yet said to walk in their own counsels Psal. 81. 12. because they follow their practical Judgement and to erre in their hearts Psal. 95. 10. because that practical Judgment which they follow is corrupt and erroneous and to make them Idols according to their own understanding Hos. 13. 2. because first the Understanding frames the Idol and then the Will falls down and worshippeth 2. I argue from the Will it self which may be considered two ways either as it is in it self or as it is in dependance upon the Understanding 1. As it is in it self and so it is an Appetite its Object is Good real or at least apparant for malum quà malum non est appetibile and that Good must be proposed by the Understanding for that is instead of Eyes to the Will Suppose then that the Understanding do shew forth to the Will such a thing as good pro hîc nunc and that so good that it is immediately to be embraced and cannot without a present evil be neglected no not for a moment if in this Case the Will may refuse this Object it may appetere malum sub ratione mali that is appetere non appetibile and in so doing it may cease to be what it essentially is an Appetite 2. As it is in dependance upon the Understanding and so it is a rational Appetite and which results from thence it is a free Appetite the root of its Freedom is in the Understanding Why hath a Will a liberty of Spontaneity to some Objects but because the Understanding represents them as good pro hîc nunc Why a liberty of Contradiction to other Objects but because the Understanding looks on them as matters of little or no moment One would think so odious and detestable a thing as Sin could not be chosen by the Will but the erring Understanding gilds and glosses it over with a shew of Good One would think such glorious and all-desirable Objects as are in the Gospel could not be refused by the Will but the blind Understanding sees little or no worth at all in them But now if the practical Judgment propose a thing as Good and the Will reject it 't is no longer a rational Appetite but a Brute neither is it any longer free but cut off and in statu separato from the Root and Fountain of its Liberty neither is its Act a free Act but belluinus impetus a brutish violence for it hath no Understanding at all at the root and bottom of it no more than the Act of a Beast hath What then shall we say Can the Will cease to be a rational and free Appetite Or may it be rational and free without an Understanding Neither of these can be Wherefore it remains that it must follow the practical Judgment and so continue free and rational 3. I argue from the Effect which shews much of harmony between the Posture of the Understanding and the Posture of the Will Is the Understanding determinate So is the Will Hence if the Understanding represent a thing as good the Will embraces it as such if as a greater good it embraces it the more if as a summum bonum it embraces it summo conatu On the other hand if the Understanding represent a thing as evil the Will starts back from it if as a greater evil it flies yet further from it if as malum maximum it can never fly far enough from it Is the Understanding pendulous So is the Will too Hence if the Understanding represent a thing as a matter indifferent having little or nothing of moment in it one way or other the Will doth not infallibly will it as it doth the good nor nill it as it doth the evil but in a pendulous way it hangs off and plays on because the Understanding doth not pronounce it good or evil but only indifferent The Will observes every motion of the practical Judgment if that say Yonder is such a good the Will cleaves to it as Ruth to Naomi if that say There is such an evil the Will flies from it as Moses from the Serpent if that say Such a thing is indifferent the Will stands as the King of Babylon at the parting of the way Ezek. 21. 21. it may will or not will for there is an aequilibrium in the Will answering the aequilibrium