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A70819 Appello evangelium for the true doctrine of the divine predestination concorded with the orthodox doctrine of Gods free-grace and mans free-will / by John Plaifere ... ; hereunto is added Dr. Chr. Potter his owne vindication in a letter to Mr. V. touching the same points. Plaifere, John, d. 1632.; Potter, Christopher, 1591-1646. Dr. Potter his own vindication of himself. 1651 (1651) Wing P2419; ESTC R32288 138,799 346

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Gentiles called 2. That even yet hee should withhold from many Nations the very word and outward calling as the new-discover'd Indians doe shew being found as farre from the knowledge of Christ as ever the Heathen were before the Apostles preached to them But wee being under this grace of Gods Calling it behoveth us to looke that it be not in vaine unto us CHAP. VII Of the Concurrence of the Word and Spirit in Calling SOme great Divines do distinguish Calling into two kindes one outward of the Word onely another inward of the Spirit joyn'd with the Word That they say is Ineffectuall This Effectuall That common to the Reprobate This speciall and peculiar to the Elect That never obeyed with truth of heart This never disobeyed This Doctrine is to bee examined I distinguish not two Callings but compound one Calling of the Word and Spirit as it were of a Body and a Soule supposing it to have in it selfe power to bring forth Effect in all that are under it and if it doe not so the cause not to arise from the Calling but from the Called that obey not 1. For declaration of this Point it must not be thought that the Spirit goeth with the Word to make the hearer performe that which he can doe by naturall strength for the Spirit is given to helpe where nature faileth as to keepe waking and to be attentive for that which Men can bring of their owne strength God expecteth to finde and to meete One case then where to many the Spirit is not present to the Word is when they are not present to the very Word through their sottish carelesnesse 2. Againe it must not be thought that the concurrence of the Word and Spirit is as it were naturall necessary and inseparable but voluntary and arbitrary in the Will and good Pleasure of God and as grace is annexed to the Sacraments so is it to the Word onely by Divine Institution and Ordination Hence the Church prayeth before Sermons for the illumination and power of the Spirit to come with the Word God expecting to have this asked of him by them that can pray both for themselves and others Another case then where the Spirit is not co-working with the word many times is when it was not duly and diligently asked 3. There are men that are past grace to whom the Spirit is not present with the Word such as for their former neglect and contempt of the time of their visitation when God did call them are now given up to blindnesse and hardnesse and have the light of the Spirit and the dew of grace held back from that Word which is Preached in their hearing by accident not for their sakes though we know them not in particular and so admit all 4. It must not bee thought that the Spirit goes with the Word to worke any grace in any person whatsoever but according to the order of Divine Providence which dispenseth his grace wisely which is thus to be declar'd Wee are to distinguish the Word that calleth the Persons that are called and operations of the Spirit by the Word in those persons The Word is either the Law or the Gospell 1. The Law hath two parts as the Preacher of the Covenant of Grace useth the Law 1 The Precepts 2. The Curse to the transgressors of the Precepts So the Law hath a double use to accuse and convince with the Precepts to wound and to kill with the Curse and to these the Law is effectuall and of force after the fall of Man 2. The Persons called by the Minister of God using the Law are all naturall unregenerate sinfull men or the regenerate relapsed and fallen into grievous Sinne who are of two sorts either ignorant of their evill Estate to whom the Precepts of the Law are to be Preach'd to bring them to the knowledge of Sinne. Rom. 3. 20. Or they are such as know sin bu● are s●cure benummed senselesse of the●● miserable estate to these the Curse is to be denounced untill they begin to feare to be cast down and perplexed Act. 24. 25. 3. The Operations of the spirit upon these Men by the Ministry of the Law are two First to open their eyes to see their sinnes Second to prick their hearts with feare of the Curse Acts 2. 37. Rom. 8. 15. For these effects ordinarily the Spirit goeth with the Word of the Law calling Men out of the pit of sinne and they are more easily admitted and wrought into the heart upon those remaines of light in the minde discerning good and evill and of Conscience accusing it selfe consenting to the Law Rom. 2. 15. But that these workes of the Spirit by the Law are wrought in many Reprobates our adversaries deny not that grant some initiall parts of grace to be begotten even in castawayes The Ministry of John Baptist figured this of which S. Ambrose in 1. Lucae Hoc mysterium in hac vita nostra hodieque celebratur praecurrit enim animae nostrae quaedam virtus Johannis cum credere paramur in Christum ut paret ad fidem animae nostrae vias Thus much of the word of the Law with its persons and operations 1. The Gospell hath two parts A Commandement A Promise The Commandement To repent of Sin shewed by the Lawes Precepts To beleeve in Christ to give life to him whom the curse of the Law hath killed The Promise is of forgivenesse of sins and life everlasting to him that repenteth believeth in the Lord Jesus Christ Act. 2. 38 39. 2. The Persons called by God in the word of the Gospell are all manner of sinners but convict terrifyed wounded full of compunction and selfe-condemning wrought in them by the Spirit in the preaching of the Law Mat. 11. 28. 3. The Operations of the Spirit upon these Men by the Ministry of the Gospell are 1. To open their eyes to see the marvelous light of Gods Mercy to Sinners of the infinite love of Christ in dying for sinners and the inestimable Merits of his Death of the powerfull graces gifts and aides of the holy Ghost to helpe and relieve the impotency and misery of sinners to the end that by this light this Opinion may be begotten in them that it is possible for them to be recovered 2. To poure into their hearts hope or to stay them from desperate sinning or sorrowing 3. To inspire the grace of Prayer at least to wish or desire Oh that they might be so happy as to escape the wrath to come and recover the favour and love of God! 4. To give them repentance that is to sorrow for sin past with a godly sorrow and to purpose to break off sin to cease from any further offending God or endangering the Soule 5. To worke in them Faith that is To run to Christ and to cast themselves into the Armes of his goodnesse and power to be saved by him These Graces in this Order the holy Ghost is present and ready
to worke by the Gospell upon a sinner convict humbled and prepared by the Law And looke what proportion of power the Spirit had in the Law upon an unregenerate Man to humble him the same hath it in the Gospell upon the humbled to worke in him Hope him Hoping to winne to Wish and Pray to him Praying Wishing Willing to give Repentance unto him Repenting to instill Faith and so to justifie him being justifyed by Faith again by the Law and the Gospell together to mortifie corruptions to quicken in him a new life and to strengthen him to new obedience Now thinke not that the Spirit is present in the preaching of the Law to an unregenerate Man to give him strength to new obedience because it is present to convince and condemne his wickednesse or because it is so present to a justifyed Man to give him strength to new obedience Thinke not that the Spirit is present in the preaching of the Gospell to a Man yet not penitent nor believing to worke in him Peace Joy Love because it is present to worke these in the Believer Degrees here are not given per saltum The sum is The Spirit of God is annexed to his Word for such gifts and operations as to which the hearer is a fit disposed subject There is an order in the Divine working wherein there are things antecedent preparatives to things subsequent which antecedents if they found no place and were not admitted the subsequent are suspended Hence is there so frequent and just separations of the Spirit from the Word by the great Pastor of Soules who walketh in the midst of the Churches and scarcheth the hearts and reynes Hear what saith our Homily of declining from God When God withdrawes from us his Word the right Doctrine of Christ his gracious assistance and aide which is ever joyned to his Word and leaveth us to our own wit our own will and strength hee declareth then that he beginneth to forsake us And againe hear The words of the holy Scripture bee called words of eternall life for they be Gods Instrument ordained for the same purpose they have power to convert through Gods Promise and they be effectuall through Gods assistance So our Church in the first exhortation to the reading of the Scriptures and the first Booke of Homilies Thus much for Declaration of this point For Confirmation of it I allege all the Elogia of the Word of God as Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soule c. Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerfull c. Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them by this Truth Thy word is truth Joh. 20. 21. When Christ ordained his Apostles hee breathed on them and said Receive the holy Ghost to testifie that the power of the holy Ghost should goe with them Hence is the Gospell call'd the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. and the Ministers of the new Testament Ministers of the Spirit not of the Letter vers 6. because the Gospell dat quod jubet whereas the law jubet sed non juvat but without the Spirit the Word of the Gospell it selfe is but a dead letter whence it is said Joh. 1. 17. That the Law was given by Moses but wee had no hearts to receive it The Gospell Grace and Truth was not only given but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But why should I multiply places The learned Divines in suffr●gio Collegiali de 20. Articulo Thesi 5a. doe allege some of these and other more places to prove aliquam mensuram gratiae ordinarie in Ministerio Evangelii administrari quae sufficiat ad convincendos omnes impoenitentes incredulos contemptus vel saltem neglectus ob non impletam conditionem though by their favour the places prove a great deale more than Eam mensuram gratiae supernaturalis administrari quae sufficiat ad convincendos c. namely quae sufficiat ad convertendos The sentence of Prosper which they alleage speakes more home Non omnes vocari ad gratiam quibus omnibus Evangelium praedicatur non rectè dicitur etiamsi sint qui Evangelio non obed●ant But that Calling is the same to them that obey not as to them that obey I shall urge onely these two places more Mat. 22. 14. Many are called but few chosen Here Many are distributed into two sorts some that are called and not chosen some that are called and also chosen for these few chosen are a part of the many called so that the whole many are put under one and the same Calling which Calling is not by the outward Word alone for from that Calling arise none chosen therefore the Calling was by the Word and Spirit common to both and the few chosen excelled not in Calling but in some thing else viz. in obeying the Calling to come when others refused or in comming worthily in a wedding garment according to the Parable Mat. 12. 41. The Men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgement with this Generation and shall condemne it c. If Jonas preached to the Ninevites without the Spirit how did they repent If Jesus Preached without the same Spirit how is he greater than Jonas nay how is hee equall in the power of Preaching If they that disobey be not equally called with them that obey how can these rise up in judgement against them when their answer is ready wee had not the same Calling with you ours differed toto genere you were partakers of an Heavenly calling wee but of an Earthly you were called by the Voyce of God speaking to your hearts we but by the bare voyce of Men speaking to the eare If God had moved and excited us as much as hee did you wee would have done as well as you For vocatio refertur ad auxilium Dei interius moventis excitantis mentem ad deserendum peccatum Thomas 12 ae 113. 1. ad 3m. The example of the Jewes at this day confirmeth this for they are said to be yet uncalled not because they live without the sound of the Gospell as the Indians have done for they may heare our Sermons and reade our Scriptures living in Rome Italy and Spaine but because the veile is not taken from their hearts because the Spirit of illumination and softning is as yet withheld from them which is granted gratiously to us Gentiles To conclude That Distinction of Calling propounded in the beginning of this Chapter into Outward Inward Effectuall Ineffectual seemeth to be vaine 1. Because it giveth unworthily the name of Calling to the bare outward Preaching of the Word which may bee a Commanding but not a Calling a Commanding as of the Law not a Calling as of the Gospell for God may still require to be obeyed in whatsoever new thing hee shall command because it is our duty naturall whether wee be now able to doe it or no being wee were able But seeing the word of the new Covenant comes to call Men to Repentance and