him and so challenge and hope for heaven thereby agrievous and dangerous deceit and of as wofull an issue Prov. 14.12 and 16.25 and 21.2 and 30.12 And this reproved in Gods people Zach. 7.5 6. 3. Some through folly setting the servant to rule suffering their appetite and sense to command their will do freely chuse those worst things and ways by which they lay Bars and Blocks in the way of their own conversion and so fore-stall themselves from hearkning to better offers when tendered and so provoke God to leave them to such folly as is folly in the eyes of natural men as to hire or buy a farm before they see it Luke 14.18 Yet this freedom of will given by Christ will serve to leave men that so abuse it without excuse seeing they were not necessitated to chuse the worst but did it freely without constraint and such as use it but as they may do avoid many rubs and blocks from being in the way of their conversion and yet in all this is no free will to that which is spiritually good nor any exalting of the nature of man but the grace of God for that freedom that is given 4. But to proceed farther to consider man according to the fourth consideration viz. As by virtue of the death sacrifice and mediation of Jesus Christ there is by him some light understanding and disposition given into the soul the minde will and affections of man yea every man that cometh into the world But because this will not be believed by some but is questioned and denyed it is much to produce some instances of Scripture where the Spirit of truth affirmeth the same that it may appear unquestionably true John 1.4 5 9. Jesus Christ is said to have life in him and that life in him to be the light of men that whence issues that discoverie of the knowledge of the goodness of God and that life mercy c. which men have and might further enjoy and the light shineth note it not onely to but in darkness in the blind understandings and mindes of men and their ways and the darkness comprehendeth it not but then it follows that more means is used and then vers 9. He was the true light namely from the beginning as still he is the light of the world John 8.12 which lighteth every man that cometh into the world and what this light is see Prov. 20.27 The spirit of man is the candle or lamp of the Lord which he hath given him and set up and lighted in his heart searching and so discovering all the inward parts of the belly this also is avouched by good Elihu Job 32.8 there is a spirit in man and the in spiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding and that this spirit or light and inclination though in the soul is neither the soul nor the body of man as from Adam but some infusion by the means of Christ appeareth in that it is said to be given of God that men by it might inquire after and discern the goodness of God their maker Job 35.10 11. and also that it is exprest as a third thing distinct from soul and body Luke 1.46 47. 1 Thes 5.23 And let men call this what they please it is such a light understanding and disposition as in which men are said to have eyes to see and ears to hear so as they might discern between that which is morally good and morally evil and discern many of the attributes of God and much of his minde in his works and word yea and that testimony of his Son being the Saviour of the world when it is brought to them if they close not the eyes eares given them and refuse to use them to the end for which they were given them and that is it they are reproved for as is clear Gal. 3.1 Acts 28 27 Jer. 5.21 Ezek. 22.26 And hereby it is that many natural men have so discerned the being and attributes of God in his works and have been so inclined to many moral good things and disapproved moral evils which though some of good esteem calls the Reliques of Gods Image left in Adam after the fall and therein unwittingly magnifie nature and asscribe some light and freedom of will to it and deny man to be dead in sin by the fall yet the truth is those things are the fruit of that life in Christ for men and by him given in to them John 1.3 4 5 8 9 10. So that as man is thus considered he hath from Christ such light or spirit as if heeded and suffered would make his will free to moral good things Exod. 35.5 21 26. So as in this respect there is given by Christ so much freedom as the will is not constrained but might chuse the best in respect of moral good or evil presented unto it and in respect of attending to or withdrawing from the Gospel which attended to would work a better freedom whence in their not so chusing they are charged not with a necessitous turning aside but to have chosen their own ways and that which God delighted not in and 65.12 and 66.3 4. Prov. 1.29 31. And all this is no affirmation of free will in man by nature to that which is supernaturally and spiritually good for that it yet is not nor of it self can be without some farther grace than here mentioned though in right use of this shewn even that might be met withall Prov. 8.32 36. But this serveth still to abase mans nature as fallen and to magnifie the grace of God in Christ and to aggravate the finfulness of evil chusers of their own ways yet this freedom of will though graciously given by Christ to men for their good is by many divers ways abused to their greater harm for 1. Some even when God appears and the knowledge of God is tendered and they discern the same right and good and might chuse to behold the light and attend the means of knowledge tendered in which they should meet with blessing yet because it reproveth and calleth off from some Idolatry or uncleanness or worldly lusts which they exceedingly love they without constraint do freely refuse to hearken to such instructions and yield to such acts of worship and justice mercy and sobriety as would hinder the satisfying of those lusts and as freely chuse the contrary which they might have refused but would not and in this their evil choise they say to the Almighty Depart from us we will not the knowledge of thy ways whence these are said to be the wicked indeed Phil. 3.18 19. 2 Tim. 3 4. Job 21.14 15. 2. Some when light and truth is extended discovering the vanity of Idols and false worship and mens doctrines and ways and the goodness of truth so as they begin to see what is right and good and like it as good to be followed yet because they love peace to the flesh and the approbation of man in authority and
A TREATISE Shewing the Liberty and Bondage of the Will of Man Or A TREATISE Shewing the Bondage of the Will of Man by nature and the Liberty thereof by Grace Dum Spiro Spero LONDON Printed by W. B. for Anthony Nicholson in Cambridge Anno Domini 1652. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER BEloved Christian my desire is that none of us that profess our selves Christians and in that respect brethren may be found walking in that evil way mentioned Psal 50.19 20. much more that we use not the same as our weapons to maintain our opinions and to beat down what we fancie to be errour for its an evil and dangerous way and Truth needs no such weapons for its defence nor to confute errour and sure this can be no other than evil speaking and false to give out of any that understand and believe Jesus Christ by the grace of God to have tasted death for every man and to be the propitiation for the sins of the whole World and the enlightner of every man that comes into the World That they therefore exalt the nature of man fallen and would that man by nature hath freedom of will to that is Spiritual good Surely this report hath risen in the first raisers of it from ignorance of the very voyce of that Doctrine of grace and from conceits of foolishness in the Testimony of Jesus in the plain sayings thereof and malice against such as believe to stick close to the same and will not be waved by Philosophy and vain deceit to prefer mens garnishings before the plain Text Hence such envy and strife and charges of holding such goodness in nature fallen But whence such wisdom comes and what accompanies it see in James 3.14 15 16. And it is to be feared there is some secret magnifying of willing and running where they are in this rash censure of some to assert them where they are not and so a putting them out of place or else an overcontempt in denying their use where they ought to be for surely the attainment of remission of sins justification righteousness and eternal life It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 For chusing willing yea and running too to attain satisfaction to fleshly and sinfull lusts I believe we all think this in the nature of man as fallen full enough and the end wofull also But to will and run to attain the knowledge of God and peace and righteousness and life with him surely such a thing as this springs not from fallen nature onely but hath some light or knowledge of truth to occasion it though happily abused or imprisoned by some advancing their own wisdom with it Joh. 1.4 5 9 10 11. Rom. 1.18 19 20 21. Yet such a willing and running may be found in natural men and how highly esteemed soever by them yet not aproved of God Luke 16.15 as to say when mens willing and running is to establish a righteousness of their own by the works of the Law to get the righteousness of God Rom. 9.31 32. 10.1 2 3. Or to get Christ and Faith in him that they may believe He died for them and is theirs and they his and shall have eternal life by him if their willing and running for this be either in and by the Traditions and Doctrines of men Matt. 15.8 9. Or by their own wisdom and strength from a self-principle to avoid the second death and get eternal life 1 Sam. 2.9 Ezek. 4.6 7. Joh. 1.13 All Devotions Conversions Reformations and Attainments got in and by such willing and running is but fleshly and unprofitable Joh. 3.6 and such in their hopes prove either Ismalites the seed of the bond-woman or Edomites that as profane Esau that preferred a mess of pottage before his birthright or as those boasters Pro. 30. and wandring Stars and Clouds without water Jude And howsoever in words they may ascribe this their willing and running to the grace of God to call it the effect of his Almighty power yet will not God justifie them in it nor can they obtain the Righteousness of God by it or yet are they any better than natural men what ever they profess Luke 18.9 14. 2 Cor. 10.12 18. But I suppose this is not the willing and running that is meant in the strife but there is a willing and running that is good and approved Commanded Isai 1.19 and required in all that render service to God Exod 35.5 21. 1 Chron. 29.5 Professed of the Saints 1 Cor. 9.24 26. which is wrought in the belief of the Gospel Rom. 1.16 Ps 11.3 in which every good endeavour is accepted 2 Cor. 8.12 and without which none come to the use of understanding do obtain the Kingdom Matth. 11.12 Now this willing and running as appears in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is such as first is produced by the rich and free mercie of God held forth in the death of Jesus Christ Rom. 5.8 10. Tit. 3.4 5. And secondly is carried on in dependance on God for his performance of the good he hath promised Gal. 5.5 And thirdly seasoned with submission and patience to wait on God for his performing of his promises Heb. 10.35 36. And fourthly exercised in such ways and means as God himself hath appointed and approved Isai 64.5 1 Cor. 2.9 Yet the obtaining is not of him that thus willeth and runneth nor is it in the power or for the desert of such willing and running but of God his free gift who freely first prevented by shewing mercy and so effected the will and in the series of his goodness both drew and answered And if willing and running were understood and put in their right place it would abate the strife but I fear that Satan hath a more mischievous design in raising the contention and casting that foul Aspersion on believers For he knoweth how deeply he hath overthrown us And how far we fell in our first Father and how by reason thereof we are as we come forth from him blinde deaf dead in respect of Spiritual life and favour and Communion with God so as we can neither help our selves out of our misery nor take hold of help though wrought for us and tendered to us by another And he knoweth that the Son of God hath taken the nature of Mankinde was in that nature made under the Law for them and so died the death and wrought Redemption for them that whoever believe in him might not perish but have everlasting life And he knoweth that God hath immeasurably filled Jesus Christ with spirit in the nature of Man even for the rebellious and that in certain mediums he thereby gives forth some Testimonies of his goodness and in the Gospel a full Declaration that men might believe and so turn in to him And he knoweth that God through Christ and for his sake hath given to men an understanding above the beasts of the earth and some light
such an effect or work of the Law is more or less in every mans conscience till he by custom of sinning and hardning his heart be seared so past feeling Rom. 2.5 Ephes 4.18 so that in all this is no such commendation of the nature of man that he hath the Law writ in his heart and so by nature doth the things of the Law the contrary being largely testified in the first chapter and in the beginning of this But now for our understanding what that Doing the things of the Law by that light extended by nature or natural mediums even by such as have no distinct revelation of Christ is which is here spoken of It is needfull that we first receive the Gospel-testimonie that Christ dyed for all men and extends by virtue of his death some light to all and so consider man in some other consideration than as fallen in the first Adam namely as redeemed in the second and as mercies and means are extended by and through that second publick man even Jesus Christ and those means made effectual in him also by Jesus Christ though for want of the Gospel and spiritual revelation he have no distinct knowledge of this Jesus Christ through whom he receiveth all this and by whom he is now more accepted of God than such as enjoy those greater and spiritual means that give the distinct knowledge of Christ and are not prevailed with thereby as is to be seen in the example of Cornelius Act. 10.1 4 31 34 35. And the following part of this whole chapter Rom. 2. So that in all this the grace of God shewn in greater or smaller means by spiritual or natural mediums is magnified but the nature of man that which of himself as Adams Son he willeth and Doth is reproved and abased as is evident throughout chapter 1. and 2. and 3. 3. But now in the third consideration of man as Christ the second and publick man hath in his stead and for his sins dyed and so wrought a redemption and made a peace for him and by virtue thereof doth preserve his life for a time and in that time extendeth mercies and means to him that he might repent Rom. 2.4 and seek him Acts. 17.27 and live to him 2 Cor. 5.15 and so participate of the redemption peace Here in this consideration of man as his soul and body is preserved in the natural life by Christ Psal 75.3 Col. 1.16 17. John 1.4 5. We have something else to consider about the will in man being one of the faculties of the soul of the soul so preserved For man in the former consideration was so fallen and dead that he was so shut out that there was no liberty to him for any good to chuse nor yet for evil to chuse or refuse for he was necessitated to it and so his will wholly imbondaged but now through this redemption wrought by Christ and grace given by God in him and manifested through him that necessity of perishing and impossibility of being saved that which stood cross against man in the mid-way between God and man is removed and that which held man captive is by Christ captived Col. 2.14 Ephes 2.13 16. and 4.8 and here is remission of sins and eternal life prepared for men and given by God in Christ that in receiving him men might receive it and this set forth in the Gospel that men might chuse life Joh. 3.14 15. Act. 13.38 39. 1 Joh. 5.11 12. So that now the winter is past and here is good spiritual good to be chosen and liberty from God to chuse the same Deut. 30.19 Joh. 6.27 29. but yet nature blinded cannot see and so the will is not moved nor free to chuse this spiritual good unless some supernatural light be given into it Joh. 1.4 5. but now in natural things suitable to the good and well-being of the natural life which is preserved by Christ the will is also herein so preserved by Christ as there is some freedom in it touching natural things and here I may say the will hath as much power or freedom to chuse or refuse as the man hath light or understanding to discern what is good or evil in things tending to the natural life and this I gather from that change of expression where knowledge and knowing to chuse or refuse are put one for another Isa 8.4 with Isa 7.16 and so in and about things and actions natural and humane for the preservation safety and well-being of the natural life and suitable profits pleasures and honours with that contrary thereto according to that which the understanding and minde of a man judgeth to be good or bad best or worst the will of the natural man is free and doth freely chuse or refuse Gen. 6.2 and 11.3 6. and 13.9 10 11. Although through a deluded judgement he may be mistaken in his choise Act. 27.11 12 13. yea and though he want power to attain and do or to avoid all that he chuseth or refuseth which may befall in this to spiritual men also Joh. 21.18 so that in fallen man that is yet natural and of himself inclined and imbondaged to his own ruine and harm he is yet through the grace of God by Christ so preserved that there is such a freedom in his will about things natural as is said the holding of which perswasion attributeth nothing to the exaltation of nature no worth no desert no power for good but abaseth it and magnifieth the grace and power of God in Christ to such weak unworthy ones to whom in their distress he also so speaketh What wilt thou that I should do unto thee Matth. 20.32 yet is this freedom of will many ways abused by natural men to their harm 1 Some not knowing the grace of God through Christ that dyed for them and bought them and so preserveth this freedom of will in them as they count their tongues their own Psal 12.4 so their will and this liberty and freedom they finde in it to be of themselves and so what they attain of things they chuse and pursue tending to furnish their natural life they attribute to themselves and so sacrifice to their own wisdom choise endeavours c. And make idols thereof which if they knew and believed the death of Christ for all with the ends and virtues thereof they would not do Ezek. 28 2 6 17. Hab. 1.15 16. An evil that God warns his people to beware of Deut 8.11 12.14 17. Jer. 9.23 2. Some through the same Ignorance and unbelief yet finding this liberty of will not knowing whose gift it is and to what end given do yet in self-love and desire of riches and honour chuse that which to them apeareth the best and so chuse a sober and temperate use of the creatures and a civil and modest behaviour in converse with men about them and then in a secret hypocrisie pretend this temperance sobriety c. to be for God and to
in some seasons liberty and opportunity for more and let those born of God be considered as distinct and those reprobated as excluded the better part And then I am perswaded all that are not prejudicated through envie and malice will confess that the heartie believing that Jesus Christ by the grace of God did dye and give himself a ransom for all men and that God so accepted this death of his for all that he hath exalted him and made him Lord and Judge of all and filled him with all fulness of grace and truth to bestow and that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that those that live should not live to themselves but to him that died for them and rose again that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world the propitiation for the sins of the whole world that he is so displaied and set forth in the Gospel that all men might believe and that such as do indeed believe on him shall not perish but have everlasting life this being the foundation of repentance and faith the door to come in to the knowledge of God and Christ the ground of the faith and certaintie of the resurrection of the dead and of the equitie and certaintie of Christ his judging all men and the ground and motive of true love to God and men that this doctrine and the belief and preaching of it will lead no man to magnifie the nature off man as from Adam or to think that any man hath by nature free-will to moral or spiritual good yea or that any man that is but natural hath any freedom of will to spiritual good things much less power to attain and do and we that believe thus protest against it But this we believe as we are led to in the belief of this doctrine namely That as Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and that the world might be saved 1 Tim 1.15 John 3.17 And useth means and sends his Word to that end that men might seek him repent and believe and so be saved Acts. 17.27 Rom. 2.4 John 1.7 and 5.24 34. Psal 78.5 6 7 8. So he hath done that for men and by virtue thereof doth that unto men by which in his operations they might repent and believe and so be eternally saved and if they be not it is not through meer impotencie and necessitie but their willfullness so far that their destruction is of themselves not in or by the weakness or want of any thing done by Christ but by their own willing disobedience refusal and evil choise Prov. 1.24 29 30. and 9.12 Isa 5.2 6. Jer. 6.16 19. Hos 13.9 2 Thes 2.10 11. And so from the same doctrine and these instructions of it we believe as is said 1. That the natural life of man is by Christ preserved for a time that he might repent 2. That by Christ some means are used and some light vouchsafed to men for the same end tending toward Salvation 3. That some light disposition or spirit is extended and given into men by which they are indued with some discerning that may be called an eye to see an ear to hear that so in seeing and hearing they might understand what is naturally and what morally good and what of God is declared to them in his works and word about his eternal being and God-head his wisdom power justice truth and his love and kindness to man-ward and what he hath done for them and how he looks and calls for their return to him and what in mercie he stands readie to confer upon them in their return according to his discoverie they may see and with this discerning such a suitable libertie or freedom in their will is also given them by Christ that they might chuse and see in seeing and so to view and incline and chuse to seek and yield to that which is naturally and morally good and to attend that word and those means in which spiritual good things are declared and tendered to them and in which attention to them they should meet with that which would inlighen their mindes and give so much freedom to their wills as that they might chuse that which is spiritually good which yet is wanting to them 4. That Jesus Christ by his Gospel where it comes and by his Spirit therein at some seasons doth even lay meat before them and so far take off the yoke of thraldom that by his operations in such seasons they might chuse life and then is this freedom also given them which because they accept it not so use it not in that season to chuse life as they might it abides not in them and so they cannot be said to have it but as coming in that season and passing because it was not laid hold on in that season and well used And all this being the free gift of God by virtue of the death of Christ to unworthy men and a fruit of his love and kindness to man-ward it magnifies not at all mans nature as in and from Adam nor affordeth any praise to man but sets forth still the glory of the rich grace and bounty of God to unworthy man and how they are still more obliged to God for this helpfulness afforded and to Christ the spiritual man by virtue of whose death and sacrifice this also is extended being a fruit thereof and it serves much more to abase corrupt and fallen man and to aggravate his sin and folly that being in miserie and life tendered him by a Redeemer and such help given him that he might incline to hear and attend to the means he useth who would save him eternally and yet men willingly to close or refuse to use the eye he hath given them and to chuse to follow lying vanities and so forsake their own mercies rejecting the Lord of life Oh great ingratitude and inexcusable follie As for the freedom of will in unfeigned believers though it be but in part yet confessed by us all that believe in Christ I will here say no more to that and for them that for willing resisting the Spirit till they be given up of God and reprobated that they are hardened and totally destitute of any freedom of will or possibilitie thereto in things truly and spiritually good I suppose there is in this no difference among us that believe in Christ But about natural men not yet born from above nor wholly overcome by Satan and so given up and reprobated by God but yet in their natural estate of these is the question and concerning these the question is not of free-will to God by nature or as we come of Adam for that is denied by us all that believe in Christ nor is the question of free-will in man to things supernaturally and spiritually good for that is denied to be in or have any abiding in natural men while they remain onely natural but the question is of a freedom procured
expresseth his heart for their coversion and appealeth to their conscience what could have been done more that he hath not done Isai 5.2 6. which had been easily answered if he had not done as much for and in them as I have affirmed 5. Proof God that is mercifull wise and holy will not look for that in his creatures for which he never gave them any power or fitness or means by which it might be brought about he would not look down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if they did understand c. If he had done nothing for them by which they might understand c. Psal 4.2 3. nor would he look for fruits if he had not done that by which fruits might have been brought forth Isai 5.3 4. which could be no less than I have affirmed 6. Proof God in convincing reproving and condemning men as sinners in this respect chargeth them neither with Adams fall nor weakness and inability in that sense but with willfulness and gross neglect or rejecting his word Prov. 1.24 29 30. Ezek. 24.13 And saith not they were chained in or necessitated to but chose their own ways Isai 66.3 And are in this foolish having eyes and see not Jer. 5.21 which argues as much as I have affirmed 7. Proof The convinced that are convinced by the holy Ghost shall experiment and acknowledge as much when they shall see it their sin that they have not believed in Christ which could not be if there were nothing in Christ for them to believe in him for nor that done by Christ to them by which they might have believed John 16.8 9. which proves as much as I have affirmed 8. Proof The complaint or reproof of or lamentation for the fool Prov. 17.16 wherefore is there a price put in the hand of a fool seeing he hath no heart There is a price and the price is put in his hand and he values and loves it not and herein he is a fool not that he hath no eyes or ears or hand and so cannot see or hear or receive but that he having these neglects to use them when so good occasion is given not that there is no price for him or that it is far out of his reach but the price is put in his hand and he wants wisdom or a heart to set such price on it as to part with his lust c. For it is this is folly Jer. 5.21 Hos 11.3 4 7. And this also carries forth as much as I have affirmed 9. Proof And to come to right reason subdued to and ordered by the word of God this affirmed tends more to the glory of God and the abasement and good of men than that opinion that denieth this let them be weighed together That all the preservation of mans life is by virtue of the death of Christ and that God hath provided life for them in Christ and that he useth means to bring them to the knowledge of it and that he gives them an understanding that they might discern his goodness in those means and that he gives so much freedom to them that they might incline to attend those means and so look to him and turn at his reproof and that in so looking and turning he will give them supernatural and spiritual light and save them that they for all this not minding his goodness nor turning to him he should not onely forbear tumbling them down into destruction but also strive with more means and more force of spirit so stretching forth his hand as to remove the yoke from their jaws setting their will in some seasons at such liberty that they might chuse life and he in such seasons also laying meat before them and calling them what saith all this to us doth it not say that God is infinit in love wisdom and mercy to give such a Saviour by whom such mercie is procured that his love and bounty to mankinde yea his patience forbearance and long suffering is very great the revelation of his minde that all might be saved very true and doth it not say likwise that God is just and righteous and his ways equal in condemning such for and to whom he hath done so much and they so willingly rebell against him refuse such salvation doth it not also speak forth the truth of Gods words that he wills not the death of the wicked that dyeth but rather that he turn and live and that those that perish do forsake their own mercies loose their own souls and in their calamity eat the fruit of their own ways and for such as believe they may herein see all the mercies they have from first to last the free gift of God by Christ and doth not this say likewise that men were wholly lost corrupt and dead that by Christ a restoration is wrought and mercy extended that they are beholding to him and his bloud and spirit for all the good motions that come to them that he having so freely dyed for them and now doing so much to them it is their own fault and a foul and inexcusable fault that they remain impenitent unbelieving and disobedient yea and speaketh not this also for the good of man of believers to preach the Gospel and therein to use reproofs and exhortations seeing that they may speak to men in their own language in a tongue that God giveth men to understand and it speaks good for others to encourage men to hearken to the word of God and attend to his Ordinances and yield up to his teachings and motions according to the light and strength vouchsafed and to watch to all opportunities and lay hold on the seasons of Gods visitations seeing he is nigh to them therein and much blessing to be met within them and great danger in neglecting them yea yet again this truth about so much grace extended by God to men would if believed free men from those evil thoughts of God as that his will is the prime cause of most mens destruction that he sends Gospel and useth means and proclaims love to men and calls them to repent but neither intends good to them nor gives them any power or freedom by which they might come to repentance yea it would free them from those vain excusings of themselves when they neglect to hear the Word to attend the Ordinances of God to shew mercy to men or to forbear such evil courses as they run into by pleading we have no power of our selves and God hath given us none and were it his will we should do these things and repent c. He would not onely use outward means and put in a motion but overcome us with an almighty and unresistable power and till he so do we had as good sit still as strive to no purpose we are blinde and deaf and dead and nothing it is God that doth all therefore the blame is not ours from all which unsavorie stuff this truth believed would free yea