Conclusi 1 Reas. 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 Object Answ 2 Object Answ 1. 3 Object Answ 4 Object Answ 5 Object Answ Vse 1. Of instruction 1 Excuse 2 Excuse 3 Excuse 4 Excus. 5 Excuse 6 Excuse 1 Demon 2 Demon 3 Demon 4 Demon 4 Demon 6 Demon 2Vse Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. 1 Consid. 2 Consid. 3 Consid 4 Consid. 5 Consid. 1 Reason 2 Vse The division of the Text Gods calme answer to their froward cavils in seven particulars Foure things very observable Israels perdition not from God but from it selfe Rev. 13.8 Joh. 3.16 Id unum vos eccusat resipiscere non vultu 1 Presupposition not to be mâ—staken Liceâ— aliquis cum possit gratiaÌ„ aâ— pisci qui reprobatur à deo tamen quod in hoc vel illud peccatum labatur ex ejus libero arbitrio coÌ„tingit unde et merito sibi in culpaÌ„ imputatur Aq. par 1. qu. 23. Atr. 3. resp ad Arg. tertium 2 Presup Maâ— 23.37 3 Presup Mat. 25.29 Facienti quod in se est deus faciet quod in se Pelagia Er. Prov. 10.4 10.22 4 Presup 5 Presup 1 Cor. 4.7 Mat. 14.41 Doct. Acts 5.3 1 Demon 1 The wicked think they have power to repent Pro. 6.10 All the free wil mongers the reason why they do not repent is because they will not out of their own mouth will God condemn them Luke 23.40 2 Demon 2 They wil not try Tentantes ad Troiam pervenêre Graeci Theo. 3 Demon They refuse the help which God offers Jer. 6.16 Mat. 25.25 4 Demo And will not use the power wch he hath given Prov. 17.16 Luke 16.2 5 Demon They grow worse by the means Bern. Hos. 6.4 6 Demon Their cannot is voluntary A Morall impotency Luke 19.20 Chrysost. 7 Demon They are contented with their cannot Jeâ— 5.31 Art 3. 4. in refut 3.4 error pofit 1. Consi Every man can do more good then hee doth Consi 2. 3. Consid. 4. Consi Prov. 22.13 5 Consi 1. Argu. 2. Argu. Tametfi impossibile erâ—t Judaeis convertiper externam praedicationem Evangelii absque praedeterminante gratia quia tamen â—bduratiores erant Iudaei proptia malitia quaÌ„ Tyrii Sydonii idcirco à scrutatore cordium corripiuÌ„tur Doct. Prid. lect. de med. scient p 65. 3. Argu. 4. Argu. 5. Argu. Imsuperabiliteâ— movet quamvis fit aliqua resistentia Amâ—r sui ipsius est objectum moâ—ioum at Amor Dei ipsius est tantum objectum terminativil Ames Cas. conse. de charitâ— erga deum Quis poterit as Monâ—anus hath it 1 Kings 21.29 Repugnanti non volenti necessitas est Sen. 1 Demon Prov. 15.19 2 Demon Prov. 20.4 3 Demon Eccles. 10.18 Prov. 1.86 4 Demon Prov. 26.14 5 Demon Prov 19.24 Six Arguments to prove it 1. Argu. When God comes to worke grace hee finds in thee indeed passiva capacitas potentia obedientialis but their own naturall faculties are raised to supernaturall acts upon supernaturall object God 2. Argu. Jer. 4 2â— Hos. 7.9 3. Argu. Exod. 5.17 4 Argu. Prov. 21.25 5. Argu. 2 Kings 12 2. Luke 4.13 6. Argu. Luke 16.28 No excuse will serve impenitent sinners turne at the last day Prov. 14.23 Mar. 9.19 Prov. 10.26 Liberum arbitrium liberatum Col. 4.6 Note This confounds the Helena of the Arminians 1. Argu. Media 2. Argu. 3. Argu. 4 Argu. 5. Argu. Note 1. Argu. Note 2. Argu. 3. Argu. Note Isa. 1.18 1. Object 2. Object 3. Object 4. Object 5. Object 1. Object answered There are five cannots in Scripture 1 Cannot Caecuâ— est eâ— palpebras claudit 2 Connot 3 Cannot 4 Cannot Jmpossibile est sedentem ambulare Note 5 Cannot 2. Object answered Note Lazy velleities no will Note When carnall men can discover no other blemishin the Saints theÌ„ they charg them with hypocrisy 3. Obect answered Vanity of thoughts 2 Kings 5.31 Est 6.6 4. Object answered 5. Obect answered 1 Vse Note 1 Vse For instruction Thou canst never be humbled unles thou believe this truth 1. Excuse 2. Excuse Note 3 Excuse Sinne of Infirmity 4. Excuse Note 5. Excuse Apud Cassandrum Domine duc me quo non volo 6. Excuse Carnall men excuse themselves and cast the blame up-God 1. Demon 2 Demon James 1.13 3 Demon 4 Demon 5 Demon Note That which men call fortune is Gods providence 6 Demon 2 Vse Which discovers the hearts deceitfulnesse Ier. 17.9 3Vse 3 Vse Engage to humiliation 4 Vse To quicken the thankfulnesse of the godly Note 5 Vse A seasonable Item to all rebellious spirits Psal. 81 11. Consider Hos. 13.9 Wilfull disobedience is soule-murder 1 Sam. 12.12 Note Note Note Caelum non patituâ— duos soleâ— Note An awakening hint for â—here deemed of the Lord Note Note
ibid. Because hee can shew as great power otherwise p. 41 Because he can shew it too when he list p. 42 Because the rod is able to whip it out of him p. 43 Because he can do an hundred times more when he is pleased p. 44 Because he will shew it in Hell viz. That it was in him to do more then he did p. 45 A wicked man will not set himselfe to use all the means that he may p. 49 A wicked man may use the meanes that God appointed as meanes p. 52 Because 't is the very nature of meanes to come between ones can and his cannot ibid. Because God doth not exhort men like a company of stocks and stones but as men that are edifyable by his words p. 53 Because Gods anger is very reasonable p. 54 Because Gods offer of his kingdome to the wicked is serious p. 55 Because Gods reproofes are very equall p. 56 His condemnation must be willfull that will not use all the meanes p 57 Proved by three Arguments God will not helpe that man by a miracle to go that hath legs to go and will not ibid. God will not bate a farthing of the price he sets thee at p. 59 God will never be brought out of his walke to shew thee any mercy or give thee any grace p. 60 Gods Kingdom cannot be obtained without a diligent use of the means p. 36 Reasons of it Because heaven is an end and an end can never be gotten without means ibid. God hath annexed it to the meanes ibid. Every soule must give an account before God how he hath used the meanes p. 63 God will not set up another dore into heaven for any man in the world ibid. Further proofes and encouragements to use the the meanes Some of the meanes that God hath appointed you may do them without labour p. 64 Some of the meanes that God hath appointed are easier then them ibid. Some of the meanes are easier yet ibid. Some of the meanes of grace its harder to omit them then to use them p. 65 Some of the means of grace be they hard yet they are but hard they are not impossible for you to use p. 65 Objections The first Objection drawn from the Scriptures which say they cannot p. 66 The Scripture speaks of five cannots 1. Of a naturall cannot 2. Of a deliberate cannot 3. Of a judiciall cannot 4. Of a compounded cannot 5. of a humbling cannot Thou wouldst as thou pretendest but thou canstnot Perhaps its the will of thy conscience and not the wil of thy heart 2. May be its a copulative will Repentance and some lust godlines and some lust 3. May be thou hast a woulding will this is no will but only a velleity 4. May be thou hast a generall Metaphysicall wil but to come to particulars there thou wilt not 5. Thou hast no true will because if thou didst will thou couldst. p. 71 Thou desirest to do it but art not able Who can tell best what is in thee God or thine owne heart But the reason of this mistake is 1. Thou hast putative or thinking desires thou think'st thou desirest 2. Thou hast ignorant desires 3. Thou hast wandering desires and therfore thou art mistaken p. 77 Thou resolvest and hast good purposes but oh thou canst not performe them p. 79 These purposes thou speakest of are only willings for the future 1. because its only to shuffle of the willing for the present 2. This will for hereafter is no will because its goes without Gods 2. It is no will because thou shalt misse thâ—se suppositions that thou willest upon First thou supposest thou shalt have fewer temptations hereafter 2. Thou supposest thou shalt be fitter hereafter 3. Thy will for hereafter is no will but a mockery Thou labourest to serve God and to be saved Is it this labour for grace and Heâ—vâ—a when thou laborest so idâ—ely wherefore thy impenitency is wilful thy damnation wilfull and thy ruine wilfull p. 81 Hence also it followes 1. That your destruction is from self 2. Your destruction is just 3. Your destruction is inexcusable 4. Your destruction is unavoydable 5. Your destruction is pittilesse 6. Your destruction is grievous p 81 Application Thou canst never be humbled unles thou believe this truth a man is never humbled as long as he excuses himself Now p. 84 First thou excusest thy selfe for all Transgressions besides originall ibid. Now thou excusest thy selfe from originall sin too Lord I would be without sin but J cannot p. 85 Nay thou excusâ—st thy selfe for every sin thou takest all thy sins to be nothing but infirmities p. 86 Nay thou commendest thy selfe more then God p. 87 Nay thou canst not so much as pray to God for a â—ill thou art so proud that thou conceivest thou hast that already p. 88 Nay thou layst all the blame upon God p. 89 First because you cast the blame upon nature it s my nature and J cannot ibid. Sâ—condly thou dâ—st cast the blame upon temptation It s my hard hap to fall upon temptations p. 90 Thirdly thou layest the blame upon the Times the times are very bad p. 91 Fourthly thou layest the blame upon this Commandment If it were any Commandement but this J would do it ibid. Fifthly thou layest the blame upon ill fortune and bad lucke p. 92 Nay sixthly thou findest fault with all Gods proceedings p 94 This discovers the deceitfulnes of thy heart p. 95 First thou wouldst very faine if God would enable thee but thy heart does but here lie unto God ibid. Secondly hereby thou dodgest with God and temptest the Lord p. 96 Thirdly hereby thou shufflest of the word when thou hast heard it ibid. This point calls for great humiliation for 1. Here lies especially the pride of the heart not in mens cannots but their will-nots ibid. 2. Here lies especially the hardning of the heart p. 98 3 Here lies especially the stubbornnes of the heart ib. 4. Here lies the greatâ—st dispisings of the Commandements of God p. 99 To quicken the thankfulnesse of the godly ibid. A seasonable Jtem to all Rebellious spirits p. 100 1. Is it not enough that thou hast willingly fallen in Adam but thou must willingly stand out again 101 2. Consider the very Saints of God that have not halfe so many will-nots as you that stick more truly at a cannot ibid. 3. Consider the more shamefull ones sin is the more reason to be humbled p. 102 Nay foruthly consider ther 's no greater shame then to make away ones self ibid 5. Consider if you would but vex your one soules with this serious consideration it would make you kick your lusts under foote p. 103 The danger
he lie a little longer and therefore does he presume to lie a while longer So thou art loth to come out of thy sinnes yet time enough yet thinkst thou thou hast secret thoughts thou art able to shift for Heaven afterwards tush an unhappy youth may make a good old man and a young Saint an old Devill Hence it is that the whoremaster he can plead did not David commit adultery too as though he could yet up againe as well as he the drunkard was not Noah drunk as though he were able to repent as well as he The Theife on the Crosse did not he repent at last gaspe as though he could shift as well at last so they thinke they can leave of their sinnes for a need and therefore the reason why they do not is onely because they will not He that thinks he hath a hundred pound of his own in his purse and yet will not give a poore body a halfe penny what 's the reason he will not open his purse to give because he cannot No he thinkes he hath it and can but he will not so the reason why thou art not reformed is thou wilt noâ— 2. Demonstration because thou dost not so much as trye whether thou canst or no Therefore thou dost not sticke at a cannot but a will not when a master bids his servant carry a sack of Corne to the Mill I cannot sayes he but cant you try sayes his Master cannot you go about it no he will not try why then he is wilfull if his master should see him swetting and striving to carry it it were something then he would say he stuck at a cannot but when he will not be at the paines to try he stickes at a will not So thou stickst at a will not thou dost not every daâ—in arenam discendere sweat at good duties thou dost not study and labour every day how to shun all temptations and prevent all thy sinnes thou dost not go about the cleansing of thy Family the purging of thy House thou wilt not go about it and therefore the reason is because that thou wilt not Nay it s all one whether thou hast power yea or no To what end should God give thee power for thou wilt not use it Nay how dost thou know but when thou goest about it thou mayest meet with though some power but thou wilt not try cut down thy drunken signe and trye never let drinking and swilling be in thy house and trye set up constant holy conferences and trye frequent Prayer in thy Closet and trye c. But I have tryed againe and againe and yet it will not do every day try though si crebro jacias alias aliud jeceris though thou hast thrown the Dye a hundred times yet next time may be thou shalt throw a good cast But thou wilt not try I would have healed Babell but shee would not be healed The field of the slothfull is all growen over with Thornes and Nettles had covered all the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken down Prov. 24.31 what 's the reason he hath not a good crop because the ground would not beare it no how does he know he will not try hee will not plow it and harrow it and weed it and manure it and sow it he will not try therefore t is because hee will not 3. Demonstration God offers thee many good motions of power I will helpe thee and I will inable thee and thou wilt not be helped God casts in these good motions and thou casts them out Stand ye in the wayes and so aske for the old paths and walke therein and ye shall find rest to your soules but they sayd we will not walke therein O do but aske for the good way and labour to walke in it I 'le helpe you and assist you but we will not say they I set watchmen over you saying hearken to the sound of the Trumpet but they sayd we will not hearken vers. 17. This is plaine English as we say you will not ye have preaching every Sabbath and every weeke but ye will not God sends you good motions every day and houre but ye will not when a beggar will not be helpt why does he starve what because he cannot chuse no he starves because he will starue O sayest thou I do heare the word and I cannot heare it better I do pray dayly and I cannot pray better c. thus thou retortest upon God as the unprofitable servant Lo there thou hast that is thine Lo here 's the best fayth thy spirit helpes me to here 's the best obedience that thy power inabled me to c. Lo there thou hast that is thine thou helpest me with no more I was not able to do better quo ore potes hoc dicere sayes Gualter with what face canst thou say thus is this all that God hath offred to inable thee ah thou wilfull creature The Lord hath offred to helpe thee to a thousand times more but thou wouldst not be helped 4. Demonstration God hath not only offred thee power to do more and thou wilt not take it but also given thee more power and thou wilt not use it therefore the reason why thou dost not is because thou wilt not God hath given thee one talent of power at the least why dost thou not put it out to the merchandizers and occupy with it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} sayes Chry. The power that God hath vouchsaft thee is thy talent Why didst thou not imploy it to the utmost every Sermon gives thee new power a new price so every good counsell gives thee a new power what art thou better every blessing thou hast had gives thee a new power wherein are thou purer does God give thee but eyes thou hast more power to glorify him then he that hath not c. Every mercy helps thee with new power but wherein dost thou use it God hath given thee good memory how hast thou stuft it meanes and maintenance how hast thou honoured God why c. thine own conscience accuseth thee thou hast wasted his goods wasted them upon belly and back which have devoured more thoughts then ever his worship could have thou hast wasted them upon thy credit in the World and thy pleasure and thy lusts and thy fleshly desires How is it that I heare this of thee Thou shalt heare one day of this dismall watchword give account of thy stewardship for thou mayst be no longer steward What dost thou talking of thy want of power I could not do thus and I could not do that where are my goods that I lent thee give account for thy memory Lord I remember this and that Tale this and that Bawble thou evill and unprofitable servant thou and why couldst thou not remember my Commandements as well give account for thy wit Lord I have contrived businesses bargaynes with it I
for mercy yee must looke to perish without it if yee will not seek it in his wayes you le seeke him in some but you will not seeke him in all assure your selves then you shall misse of him do you thinke the King will come to you to grant your petitions you must go up to him and take him where hee is to be spoken with God will not be spoken with but onely in his wayes the Jewes received Sacraments enough every meales meat is as a new Sacrament in the Wildernesse afterwards they prayed prayers enough but I will not heare you sayes God neere tell mee of your seeking for mercy wash you make you cleane put away from you the evill of your doings learne to do well come now and le ts reason together if your sinnes be a red as Scarlet I 'le whiten them Now hee le be spoken with if you wilt come hither What not erect his feare up in his family not give over thy base carnall consorts keepe such disorders under thy roofe and in thy life sweare still and give place to the Devill still cursed passions still mock at my children still Dost thou walke in these wayes and hope to finde good No as good cut off a doggs neck as give him sacrifice of prayers as long as you walke in your own wayes Esay 66.3 you must seeke him in the wayes that hee walkes in and not chuse your owne wayes hee le never come out of his way for any of you all what shall I do Lord sayes Saul he would faine have spoken with God there No no go to Ananias c. if thou wilt not seek him in his way thou art well served if thou missest him I beseech you consider this point you can never looke to be saved except you le set your selves to do what you may and use all those meanes that you may for though the use of the meanes does not save you yet they are the way though not causa regnandi yet via regni and if you wil not constantly use them you can never have his Kingdome Reasons of it First because Heaven is an end and an end can never be gotten without meanes the end is eternall life Rom. 6.22 eternall life is an end and therefore except the means be all used you can never attaine it Secondly God hath annexed it to the means all Heaven and Earth can never separate them either use all the meanes that God hath appointed or else hee hath decreed it yee shall never be saved When he hath once appointed these and these shall be your meanes these shall you use for 't yee shall never be saved without them When God hath appointed their abiding in the ship a meanes of their escape you shall see what Paul sayes except these abide in the ship yee cannot be saved Act. 27. So t is for Heaven except ye abide in the meanes ye cannot be saved Thirdly Every soule must give an account before God how hee hath used the meaners Whether hee hath used them all yea or no And according as the account is hee can give so shall his judgement be God hath sworne this as I live saith the Lord God hath pawned his owne life upon this that thus it shall be As J live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to mee and every tongue shall confesse to God every one of us all shall give an accompt unto God Rom 14.11.12 every one of us God will exempt none wee must all be brought to an accompt for these things will not thy heart bow to it As I live sayth the Lord I 'le make every knee bow to it I 'le make you bow or I 'le breake you for ever as good do it as not for ye shall give an accompt whether ye have done it or no Fourthly beloved God will not set up another dore into Heaven for any man in the World either come in at this or you shall never come in Hee le never make another Bible either be ruled by this or by none Hee le never chalke out another way either go this way or chuse and perish in thy wilfulnesse The drunkards way shall never be his way the worldings way shall never be his nor the lazy Gospellers his nor the carelesse professors his hee 'le never change wayes nor are my wayes your wayes Esay 55.8 you must amend your wayes Jer. 7.3 and come into his way or yee shall never escape the evill to come can there be any reasonabler way then this Proofes First Some of the meanes that God hath appointed you may do them without labour you may do them with ease do but say I will and it is done What labour is it to say company-keepers shall not sit drinking in my house There is nere an Alehouse in your Towne but if they will may root out disorders from their houses their owne wills do destroy them It s no labour in the World to do this and will ye not do it perish then and thank your own wils Secondly Some of the meanes that God hath appointed are easier then them onely that you would give way to another to do them may be the wife would have prayers in the family if the husband would give way The Minister would teach you if you would give way The Lord Jesus might worke many things in you if you would give way this a lesse then to will You that have good Wives who would reforme sundry things if you would give way c. I beseech you apply it particularly to yourselves your ruin is wilfull if ye yeild not and will not give way Thirdly Some of the meanes are yet easier for some of the meanes of grace are better for you even in your worldly and carnall respects You 'l say that 's the easiest of all for a man to favour himselfe and his flesh As for example the reforming of your gaming dicing carding in your Innes your drunkennesse and bezeling o're the pot your pride and your geigawes and the like would not this favour your purses and be more agreeable to your very carnall respects And therefore you that do not reforme these you pluck wilfull perdition on your heads Fourthly some of the meanes of grace its harder to omit them then to use them Many of you meet with more hardships in the omission then you could light upon in the practice of them I need not instance the particulars are very familiar Fifthly Some of the meanes of grace be they hard yet they are but hard they are not impossible for you to use They will aske no more then a litlle labour and diligence and therefore omitted only by reason of will-nots I hope by this time you see clearely the truth of this ground If yee will not set your selves to use the meanes of grace and salvation when yee die you must needs lay the blame on your wills And why will yee so Why will yee die O house of Israel But