such as Election is in the supreme degree is distinctive of persons for this is decretive of certain blessings and unless the persons to whom those blessings shall be given be designed also the Decree is very imperfect and this is decretive of certain blessings out of supreme and sovereign liberty and to this as a flower of its Crown it appertains to define all persons as well as blessings Wherefore in Election not only Grace and Glory but the very individual persons who shall have and receive the same are punctually designed In Heaven there are many Mansions and the Elect Vessels must fill them up or else there might be a Vacuum in that blessed place Wherefore those Elect Vessels are all numbred in God's Decree 2. These certain individual persons are considered as lying in the Mass of perdition this as I conceive is most congruous to Scripture There Election is stiled Voluntas miserendi a will of shewing mercy Rom. ◠18. and the Elect are called vessels of mercy Rom. 9. 23. there we are said to be chosen in Christ and chosen that we should be holy Eph. 1. 4. there we are said to be appointed to obtain salvation and that in and by Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5. 9. But if God electing did not consider men as sinners lying in the corrupt mass what need was there of Mercy where there was no misery What room for a Christ a Mediator where there was no Transgressor Why should Holiness be designed which was yet in being and unforfeited Why should Salvation be appointed when as yet there was none lost or in the state of perdition Wherefore I conceive that in Election Men are considered as sinners lying in an undone condition such only are objects capable for Mercy to embrace Christ to redeem Holiness to sanctifie and Salvation to crown The Remonstrants assert that Men in Election are considered not merely as Sinners but as Believers but the Scripture doth pregnantly contradict them for Predestination is set before Vocation Rom. 8. 30. and yet Vocation goes before Faith Christ calls the Elect his sheep before their bringing home Joh. 10. 16. and yet that bringing goes before believing Again Christ tells us Thine they were and thou gavest them me Joh. 17. 6. which passage if compared with that other All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Joh. 6. 37. doth evidently point out to us the true Method of these things Election imported in that phrase thine they were is antecedent to giving and giving to coming or believing Whence it appears clearly that Faith is not antecedent to Election as a Condition prerequisite in its object but consequent thereunto as a stream flowing out of its fountain Wherefore I conclude that in Election men are considered not as Believers but as Sinners 4. What is the impulsive Cause of Election I answer There is no other impulsive Cause but his own good pleasure It was the saying of Plato That the first Mover moves himself God in the volition of himself doth as it were move himself the divine Essence as volent being ravished with it self as infinite Goodness But in other volitions he moves other things himself remaining unmoveable Learned Bradwardine distinguishes the objects of God's Will into Volita priora posteriora priora ut Deum esse posteriora ut Mundum esse Volita priora sunt aliqua causa divinae volitionis volita autem posteriora nonsunt causa ejus Voluntas Dei cst causa omnium posteriorum si ergo aliquid esset causa Volitionis divinae illud esset causa sui ipsius But to speak in particular the Decree of Election hath no other Cause but the divine pleasure only This is evident in Scripture we are predestinated according to the good pleasure of his will Eph. 1. Ver. 5. To the praise of the glory of his grace Ver. 6. According to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Ver. 11. If we ask why God will call a Church out of the common Mass Samuel will tell us It hath pleased the Lord to make him a people 1 Sam. 12. 22. But if we ask why it pleased him so to do Moses will tell us God loves his people because he loves them Deut. 7. 8. When God will set forth the Self-beingness of his Essence he stiles himself by that wonderful Name I am that I am When he will magnifie the Self-movingness of his Grace he gives a wonderful Reason I love because I love God is an immense Sea of Being and Love let the Elect vessels sail by the Plerophories of Faith and holy Contemplation as far as they can still there will be a boundless Sea of Being and Love before them He that will presume to spie out the Cause of either of these must first pass over Immensity and through Eternity When Moses desired to see God's Glory God proclaims the absolute sovereignty of his Will I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious Methinks these words I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious import a perfect Absoluteness and Incausability in Gods Will even as that Name I am that I am imports a perfect absoluteness and Incausability in God's Essence Some have grounded Election on good Works foreseen but this is utterly exploded by the Apostle who tells us that God hath saved and called us not according to our works but his own purpose 2 Tim. 1. 9. and that there is a remnant according to the election of grace and if it be by grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace Rom. 11. 5. Canaan the land of Promise and type of Glory was divided by Lot and suitably the Apostle saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we inherit by lot Eph. 1. 11. Now in the disposal of a Lot what reason or cause can be assigned exparte creaturae Is not the whole disposing thereof of the Lord Prov. 16. 33 Can any thing in the World hang more purely on the Will of God than a Lot Why have such and such Worms a lot in light and not in utter darkness The Apostle answers in that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Predestination lots them in the Lord shews whom he hath chosen by giving Grace and Glory according to his good pleasure When Ahasuerus could not rest he calls for the Records and reading there of Mordecai's service he thereupon resolves to honour him Esth. 6. this was done like a man But it is not so with God who doth not honour after the manner of men 2 Sam. 7. 19. but in a way becoming his glorious sovereignty and bounty he purposes in himself Eph. 1. 9. Perinde valet saith Calvin ac si diceretur nihil extra se considerâsse cujus rationem in decernendo haberet he rests in his love Zeph. 3. 17. and unless that complacential rest which he takes in his own Will could be broken we cannot imagine that he should fall a searching
Questions 1. Whether God be not the Author of Conversion 2. After what manner it is wrought 3. Whether God's Will be not always accomplished therein 1. Whether God be not the Author of it And to this Scripture and Reason answer in the affirmative 1. Scripture asserts it there Conversion is painted out under various Notions With reference to our old Corruption 't is called a new heart with reference to the Seed of the Word 't is a generation with reference to our natural Birth 't is a regeneration with reference to the Law in the Letter 't is the Law in the heart with reference to the World 't is a heavenly call out of it with reference to Satan 't is a translation out of his kingdom with reference to Christ 't is a coming to him by faith with reference to God 't is a returning or conversion to him with reference to our death in Sins 't is a resurrection a quickning of the dead with reference to our nullity in Spirituals 't is a creation or a new creature The Scripture phrases it many ways but still it sets forth God as the supreme Author of it Be it a new Heart God is the giver of it Ezek. 36. 26. be it a Generation or Regeneration God is the father of it Jam. 1. 18. be it the Law in the heart God is the writer of it Heb. 8. 10. be it a Call out of the World God is the caller 2 Tim. 1. 9. be it a Translation out of Satan's Kingdom God is the translator Col. 1. 13. be it a coming to Christ God is the drawer Joh. 6. 44. be it a turning or returning to God God is the converter to him the Church prays Turn us O Lord and we shall be turned Lam. 5. 21. be it a Resurrection God is the quickner Eph. 2. 5. be it a new Creation God is the creator and we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his workmanship created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 10. Every way God is the Author of Conversion even in Actual Conversion whilest the Act is Man's the Grace is God's for he worketh the Will and the Deed. 2. Reason evinces this and that 3 ways 1. Creature-weakness needs it Man cannot convert himself the Natural man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiveth not the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cannot be subject to God's Law Rom. 8. 7. as to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he wants a heart Prov. 9. 4. a Stone he hath which resists God's Will but a heart he hath not to obey the same His Will is tota cupiditas a Lust rather than a Will no wonder if he cannot by his own power convert himself Conversion is a thing above the Sphere of lapsed Nature nay beyond the line of Angels Man's Heart is so dark that those stars of light cannot irradiate it and so cold that those flames of love cannot warm it there is such an Iron-sinew in it as the heavenly hosts which excel in strength cannot bow but must leave it to the Arms of the Almighty and when he doth it they joy over the Convert as a wonder of Power and Grace 2. The Excellency of the Work calls for it The Body of Nature is a rare piece but the Soul of Man is of a nobler value and in the Soul converting Grace which is but an Accident is worth more than the Soul it self 't is the Soul's Rectitude 't is glory within 't is the precious hidden man of the heart 't is the very image of God 't is Christ formed in us 't is anima in centro the Soul centred in God joined unto him and after a wonderful manner becoming one spirit with him 't is Faith in the true one Love in the essential Love a mind light in the Lord and a Will at liberty in the Will of the primum liberum and who can be Author thereof but God alone God made all things ab Angelo usque ad vermiculum from the Angel in Heaven to the Worm on Earth but in Conversion he makes a poor Worm angelize God must be owned in every Atom of Nature how much more in the great Work of Grace This is one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wonderful works of God Acts 2. 11. St. Austin tells a Story of one who was seduced at first but to deny God's Creatorship in the Fly afterwards came to deny it in the Bird and then in the Beast and at last in Man But if any one should procede so far as to deny him in Conversion it would be more prodigious Blasphemy than all the rest Saving Grace is a ray or sparkle of the Deity a thing merely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God Eph. 4. 24. there is more of God to be seen in it than in all the World of Creatures besides and by consequence to deny him in that is more than to deny him in all the rest 3. The Almightiness of Grace can only effect it As the Scripture sets out Conversion as a great Work so it sets out an almighty Grace as the Cause thereof He that believes acording to some Scriptures that in the work of Conversion there is a resurrection of the soul from the dead a transformation of a stony heart into flesh and a Creation of a new heart and new spirit must also believe according to other Scriptures that in the production of that Work there is put forth a divine power excellency of power and exceeding greatness of power such as raised up Christ from the dead In Conversion there is not only a light shining round about the Sinner but a light shining into him not only a waking of a sleepy Will but a quickning of a dead one not only a proposal of divine Objects but an infusion of divine Principles therefore the Grace effecting it must be almighty That in the Prophet I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes Ezek. 36. 27. is as much a word of Power as the Fiat which made the World that in the Gospel the hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Joh. 5. 25. sounds out as great an efficacy as that other Lazarus come forth nothing less than almighty Power can effect it 2. After what manner is it wrought Our Saviour sets out the Mystery of Regeneration by the Wind the wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 8. In Regeneration the Spirit blows with such a sound as breaks the Stone in the Heart and with such lively gales as quicken the dead Soul but the manner of this Work is in a great measure secret and incomprehensible by us If we know not how the Bones grow in the Womb how much less how Christ is
ones Ver. 7. God's stretching out his hands is all one with his call Prov. 1. 24. but all men are not called after the â—â—me rate as the called according to purpose Wherefore this place proves not that the workings of Grace as to the Elect are resistible but that the Offers of Grace as to the Non-elect are serious God in the Means really spreading out his Arms of Grace unto them Again they urge that of our Saviour These things I say that you might be saved Joh. 5. 34. which words were spoken to them which would not come to Christ Ver. 40. but that the holy Spirit spake as inwardly and powerfully to them as to the Elect who hear and learn of the Father what Chymistry can extract it out of this Text or from what other Scripture can it be demonstrated God commands the light to shine out of darkness in some hearts 2 Cor. 4. 6. but doth he so in all Whence then are those blinded ones Ver. 4 If there be any such where is the Remonstrants Equality of Grace Where when they say that Illumination is wrought irresistibly These things cannot consist together Wherefore our Saviours words shew not forth the weakness or superableness of Grace as to the Elect but the true End and Scope of Christ's Preaching as to the Non-elect what he spake to them was in order to their Salvation Again they urge that The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of him that is of John Luk. 7. 30. Here say they is their Thesis in terminis But this place is so far from proving that the internal Grace vouchsafed to the Elect is resistible that from hence it cannot be proved that these Rejecters had any workings of internal Grace at all in them For internal Grace runs in the Veins of Ordinances and the Ordinance here spoken of was John's Baptism and that these Rejecters would not partake of at all for so saith the Text They were not baptized of him and then which way should they come by internal Grace could they have it quite out of God's Way No surely there is little or rather no reason to imagine that these Rejecters so far scorning God's Ordinance as not so much as outwardly to be made partakers thereof should yet have the workings of internal Grace in them But suppose they had some internal Working must it needs be the baptism of the holy Ghost and fire such intimate and powerful working as is in the Elect Not a tittle of this appears in the Text wherefore this place proves not that the working of Grace in the Elect is resistible but it signally shews forth the nature of divine Ordinances Every Ordinance is an Ordinance from the Will of God 't is an Appointment dropt down from Heaven 't is divinely destinated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for edification and not for destruction 't is the Place where God records his Name 't is the Way where God would be met withal 't is the Oracle where God would be heard 't is a kind of Tabernacle of witness where God attesteth the Riches of his Grace John's Baptism was not a mere external Sign or Shadow but imported God's ordinative Counsel to bring men to Repentance 't was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to repentance as its proper End Matth. 3. 11. Gospel-preaching is not a mere sound or voice of Words but it importeth Gods ordinative Counsel to turn men unto himself Hence every true Minister is said to stand in Gods counsel and for this very End to turn them from the evil of their doings Jer. 23. 22. Every Ordinance speaks an ordinative Counsel for some spiritual End a serious Ordination for the good of Souls Oh! that every one would think so indeed how surely would they find that God is in it of a truth whosoever comes to an Ordinance so thinking justifies Gods Institution and meets his Benediction but he who comes and thinks otherwise doth by that very thought forsake the ordinance of his God and reject his counsel though not in so high and gross a manner as the Pharisees and Lawyers did who would not so much as outwardly partake of John's Baptism Again they urge that What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes Isai. 5. 4. Here say they were omnia adhibita not a tantillum gratiae wanting here seems to be the ultimus conatus the utmost Acting of Grace even equal to those Operations of Grace which were in the Converts of the Jewish Church and that upon a double account First because God says What could be done more Secondly because God had done so much that he expected the grapes of Holiness and Obedience from them and yet after all this they brought forth wild Grapes Hence the Remonstrants conclude that Conversion is wrought in a resistible way I answer those which will take the true measure of the Grace set forth in this Text must first consider to whom this Grace was afforded 't was to the Jewish Church in common even to every member thereof this granted as it cannot be denied I procede to answer first as to that expression What could have been done more Either the meaning of it is what could have been done more in a way of internal Grace or else it is what could have been done more in a way of external Means the first cannot be the meaning that God could do no more in a way of internal Grace if God had said so in that sence the Jewish Church might have aptly answered Lord couldst thou not write the Law in every Heart Couldst thou not make a new heart in every one of us O how many unregenerate Souls are there found in me But if not that Lord couldst thou not at least have inwardly enlightned every one Couldst thou not have given him some inward dispositions to Conversion O how many ignorant Souls are there which call evil good and good evil and put darkness for light and light for darkness Isai. 5. 20 these are not so much as inwardly inlightned O! how many Atheists are there which jear and scoff at the Threatnings of God saying Let him hasten his work that we may see it let the counsel of the holy One draw nigh that we may know it Ver. 9. These are so far from any dispositions to Conversion that they scarce have the sense of a Deity in them Lord thou who didst plant me a Vineyard or visible Church couldst have planted saving Graces in every Heart thou who didst gather out the stones of publick annoyance out of me couldst have took away the privy stone of hardness out of every Heart doubtless thou art Almighty and therefore thou canst do it thou art True and therefore thou wilt do it if thou hast said it Hence it appears that that Expression What could have been done more relates not
to internal Grace but external means 't is as if God had said O Israel I have planted thee in a Canaan I have set thee my only visible Church in the world I have manured thee by my Prophets I have betrusted thee with the lively Oracles of my Law I have fenced thee in with my waky providence and protection What Nation is there so great who hath me so nigh unto them who hath judgments and statutes so righteous What National or Church-privilege is there yet behind What could have been done more for a Church under the legal Pedagogy and before the Messiah's coming in the flesh This I take to be the proper meaning of the words Secondly as to God's expectation neither doth that imply that there were omnia adhibita for when God came and sought fruit on the Fig-tree the seeking there was as much as the expecting here and yet there were not omnia adhibita no not as to external Means for after his seeking he digged about it and dunged it that it might be fruitful Luk. 13. 6 7 8 9. Now by all this it appears that that Parable of the Vineyard proves not that the internal Grace afforded to those Jews which were thereby converted was resistible but it proves that the proper End and Tendency of the Means afforded to the Jewish Church was that they might bring forth good fruits to God and in respect of that Ordination God is said to expect those good fruits from them 2. God by a virtual or ordinative Will doth will the Turning and Salvation even of the very Pagans According to that Will God would as I have before laid down be seen in every creature sought and felt in every place witnessed in every shower and fruitful season feared in the sea-bounding sand humbled under in every abasing providence and turned to in every judgment This the very Philistines saw by the Light of Nature Give Glory to God say they peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you 1 Sam. 6. 5. Also the Ninevites Counsel was to Cry mightily to God and turn from their evil ways who can tell say they if God will turn and repent Jonah 3. 8 9. In a word the meaning of all God's Works is that men should fear before him Eccles. 3. 14. The goodness and patience of God leads them to repentance Rom. 2. 4. Hence the Apostle tells us The Lord is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Mirus hîc erga humanum genus amor saith Calvin on the place quòd omnes vult esse salvos ultrò pereuntes in salutem colligere paratus est God in indulging his Patience and Long-suffering to men doth virtually will their Repentance and Salvation I know some interpret this place otherwise God is long-suffering to us that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former Verse not willing that any viz. of us should perish but that all viz. of us should come to Repentance But I conceive that there is no Necessity at all that the Text should be so straitned nor yet Congruity for Long-suffering towards the beloved that they who have already repented should come to Repentance Neither doth this answer the Scope of the place which asserts that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance upon this ground because of his long-suffering and his Long-suffering extends to all and in that extent its true End and Scope is to lead them to repentance and salvation Wherefore the meaning is God is long-suffering to us not to us beloved only but to us men not willing our Perdition but Repentance The true Duct and Tendency of his Long-suffering is to lead men to repentance and salvation and therefore in willing that Long-suffering he doth virtually and ordinatively will their Repentance and Salvation Having thus at large laid down this Distinction with its parts my Answer to the Quaere proposed is this God's Will of Conversion as effective and determinative of the Event is accomplished in the actual Conversion of all the Elect by insuperable Grace and God's Will of Conversion as virtual and ordinative of Means is accomplished in this That there is a serious Exhibition of the Means in order to Conversion as their proper End and that that End but for Man's voluntary Corruption would be thereby attained even in all FINIS St. Aust. Conf. Lib. 1. cap. 6. Theoph. on Matth. 22. Pars prima quast 19. Art 5. De Prad Cap. 10. De Grat. Liber Arbitr De Praed Disp. 15. De Grat. Lib. Arb. Li. 2. De Praed cap. 1. Opusc. 346. De Prad Sanct. cap. 15 Hypognost Li. 3. De Voc. Gent. Li. 2. cap. 8. Aust. Li. 1. de Gen. contr Maâ— cap. 2. Ambr. Hâ—â—â—m Li. 1. cap. 9. Plat. in Timao 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd. cap. 13. 3. Rob. Sar. De Ver. Grat. 66. Adv. Merc. Li. 4. Cypr. de Nativ Christi Racov. Catech de mortâ— Christ. Super Cant. Serm. 61. Com. in Galat. cap. 3. Ambr. Li. 6. Luc. cap. 7. Act. Synod in Art 3. 4. De Concordiâ Cap. 13. Tract in Johâ—â— â—â— Rhet. Li. 1. cap. 10. Act. Synodal Art 3 4.