If we may suppose the Ministry to go without the spirit working therein then we may suppose a pâ—ssibility in respect of power else men could not be condemned for not believing c. The absurd folly of his supposition That by our sin we out God short of right to command our Obedience to his holy will as well as loose our power to obey hath been already detected By this and what followeth you may see what I said before that this man doth not stick at the grossest Pelagianisme but supposeth man in his fallen state by his corrupt mind and natural capacity without any work of Gods spirit upon him to be capable of discâ—rning believing and yielding acceptable Obedience to the revelations of God contained in the Scriptures of truth Howbeit we have heard the Scripture teacheth other Doctrine And the Apostle Paul was so far from this proud conceit of himself that he confesseth the quite contrary viz. 2 Cor. 3. 5. That we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God i. e. It is of God in a way of Grace who works all our works in us But against the saying of the Apostle he excepts p. 43. It s true as of our selves only we are not distinct from Christ and Gospel Grace we are not but by the helps afforded there is power both to will and to do the will of God in the Gospel It seems by these words of Tho. Collier That he is conscious to himself that this Text doth overthrow his notion of the sufficiency of men without any help of the spirit of God to do any thing that is truly and spiritually Good especially those that are utter strangers to Christ and Gospel-Grace for he now owns that distinct from Christ and Gospel-Grace we have no such sufficiency But he doth not use to trouble himself to keep an harmony in his Book betwixt pages so far distant as is 31. from p. 43. and therefore it is no marvel to find him here unsaying what before he said and instead of that to content himself for the present with asserting That there is a sufficient help afforded to all c. But brings forth no proof of that neither but besides what hath been already proved against him I shall farther examine this notion before I come to the end of this Chapter and at present manifest that it is overthrown by this Text The Apostle doth in these words not with a feigned modesty but from his heart confess he is beholding to the Grace of God for every good thing wrought in him or by him And therefore he instanceth in that which scarce amounts to any good work even a thought when he affirmeth our sufficiency to be of God and denyeth that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficient or meet for it any way capable of our selves to exert or frame a good thought in our own Breasts and this he denies of himself when converted and refers all the praise of the exercise of Grace in his Soul to the spirit of God even then now it is less to think then to will and less to will then to perform And if our ability for the former be denied it must be so much more for the latter And if it be denied of a converted man much more of one unconverted It is repugnant to reason and Scripture evidence to think that the blessed Apostle a person in all respects qualified with natural endowments and education yea in an eminent manner assisted by the Spirit of God should say that he had no sufficiency of his own for any thing that was truly good and in the mean while to suppose that any unconverted person hath power of himself to be so good in thought will and deed as to get to Heaven by the meer improvement of his natural capacity without any assistance of Divine Grace In p. 32. he farther opens his mind about conversion and tells us If God did not work at all by his spirit but only give the Gospel which hath in its self a natural tendency to draw sinners to Christ if according to their capacities they believe and obey it they should undoubtedly be saved There are two things supposed in these words the one true the other utterly untrue a common artifice of Deceivers to make their notions pass the more readily with the weak that cannot discover their imposture herein 1. He supposeth that whosoever believeth and obeyeth the Gospel by any means is under the promise of salvation which is a great truth thâ—se two viz. Faith and Salvation being inseparably connected in the Scripture 2. He takes it for granted as before That a man in his natural Estate without any the least assistance from the spirit of God hath a sufficient ability and is in a capacity to beâ—ieve and obey the Gospel And so all that he allows to the spirit oâ— God is but to render the work of conversion the more facile and easie for thus he writes again p. 33. That after believing and obeying the Gospel God usually gives a greater measure of his spirit so that after believing Christians are or might be in a better capacity to live to God then before They were therefore in a capacity to live to God before believing and again p. 34. As the Apâ—stle speaks in the matter of prayer Rom. 8. 26. He helpeth our infirmities so its true in all cases the work of the Spirit is to help our infirmities for it s we that dâ— believe and obey the Gospel and not the Spirit The result or necessary consequence of these words of his is That persons may believe and never be beholding to the Spirit they can convert themselves without him But if he do ex abundanti afford his help it is not to convert the Soul by his own power and grace but only to facilitate the work by exciting a principle that he finds in the Soul and which was there before any special working of his in and upon it But if we consult the holy Scriptures we shall find that in them conversion is spoken of in a Dialect far differing from Mr. Colliers For instance Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will hath he begotten us c. Now this new birth or being begotten of God doth bespeak plainly the infusing of that gracious principle into the Soul that was not there before and this is done by the Spirit of God in the exercise of Soveraign Grace As the wind bloweth where it listeth so of his own will hath he begotten us Of the same import is that phrase of taking the heart of stone out of the flesh and giving an heart of flâ—sh a new heart so often mentioned in the Covenant of Grace and can signifie no less then the effectual removing and curing of that wicked disposition of Soul and stubbornness of heart by which a person is kept in rebellion against God by communicating to them a divine nature as
not contend add thereunto the close of the verse now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it From hence we may safely infer That if any man differ from another or from what he was in himself before that is to say be raised from a state of death in sins and trespasses unto newness of life delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of Gods love it is God hath made this difference to the praise of the riches of his Grace And thus much Mr. C. in answer to the objection grants It is God by Gospel Grace makes us to diffeâ— But if Mr. Colliers notion elsewhere be true that amongst men that receive every way as much Grace from God the one as the other some believe unto life others remain in their sins it will necessarily follow that those of them which choose the better part do make themselves to differ and have cause of boasting if not before God yet in comparison with other men And this is in terms denied by the Apostle And Mr. C. makes no reply thereto but what hath now been oft mentioned and answered and therefore I will not trouble the Reader with a repetition of it The Text that remains to be insisted on is Phil. 2. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his gâ—od pleasure That this Scripture is directly opposite to Mr. Collierâ— Doctrine is evident In the foregoing Verse he exhorts the Philippians to work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling By working out their Salvation he intends labouring for or bestowing their utmost industry to obtain Salvation and according to this sense is the same word rendred Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth c. Now hereunto two things are required 1. A principle enabling and disposing them to walk humbly with God in Faith and Obedience 2. The exercise thereof Dr. O' s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 496. which is referred unto the internal acts of the will and external operations in duties suitable thereunto And as we have before proved that Grace is wrought in us by the spirit of God so the Apostle here expresly affirms that both to will and to do which expressions take in the whole of its exercise is also effectually wrought in us by him of his own good pleasure which is the most prevailing argument and motive to an humble walking with God and encouragement thereto He that reads Mr. Colliers Gloss upon this Text p. 43. will find him constrained almost to embrace that notion of it that doth evert his opinion and all that he offers towards the salving of it is in these words To understand it to intend Gods working an impulsive will and that they could not or should not work without it destroys the exhortation and makes null the duty What Mr. C. intends by an impulsive will or wheâ—her there be any good sense in those terms we need 〈◊〉 inquire That God worketh in us to will or the very act of willing the Text is express And it hath been already manifested to be his great errour to conceive That nothing is required of us in a way of duty but what in our lapsed state we are able to perform without the help of Gods spirit And therefore it is fallaciously done of him to join those terms together as if they were of equal extent that they could not or should not work without it It was their indispensible duty to obey the exhortation foregoing but this they could not do without the effectual working of God in them And there is not more frequent mention of any one thing in the Gospel it being that wherein Gospel Grace doth eminently shine forth then of our receiving Grace from God to enable us to yield to him that Obedience which he requires of us Pious therefore and well grounded was the petition of that worthy opposer of the Pelagians of Old Da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis Give me O Lord what thou requirest of me and command what thou pleasest Indeed to deny that we receive any thing from god in a way of special and distinguishing Grace that is required of us in a way of duty is flatly to reject the Gospel and to deny the Grace of the New Covenant We do not then destroy the exhortation and make null the duty but instruct men which way they may expect and receive Grace to obey it in the performance of their duty which is certainly a great quickening and incouragement thereto unto all that have an humble sense of their concernment in these things I shall now return to Mr. C. p. 34. where he propounds another Question Does the spirit in the Gospel where it comes work in all alike or may we suppose that he effects a more special work in some then in others In answer hereunto he first tells us That this is a mystery known only to God and then immediately proceeds to give an account of very different operations of the holy Ghost upon the Children of men as 1. Some are convinced but not converted 2. Others are wrought so far by the same word and spirit as to believe and obey the Gospel so as if they continue therein they shall be saved Col. â— 21 22 23. 1 Tim. 2. 15. Mat. 10. 22. 3. Though the work be sufficient by which all might obtain the end yet he worketh differingly and giveth differing measures for differing ends c. 4. His work on the special Elect is certain and shall not leave them untill it bring them to Glory Here we have another instance of the mans contradiction to himself as well as unto truth But to these things I say It is indeed certain from the Scriptures that many are convinced who never are converted by the spirit of God and also that the convictions of some proceed so far as that they escape the pollutions that are in the world through Lust 2 Pet. 2. 20. pass under that work described Heb. 6. 4 5 6. and yet fail of those things that accompany salvation which are things better then all that was before mentioned Such with respect to their profession and general assent to the truth of the Gospel c. are said to believe for a time And perseverance being the great touch-stone of sincerity the interest of persons in Christ is oft referred thereto with respect to the manifestation and proof thereof So in Heb. 3. 6. and those Texts cited by Mr. C. If persons hold fast their rejoycing of hope and confidence stedfast unto the end it is evident they were sincere and that their Faith was of the right kind in that it proves victorious against all opposition made thereto But if they draw back and fall away their Hypocrisie is detected and it is made manâ—fest that they were not of us For if they had been of us no doubt
not have sinned is a Categorick or simple proposition and is true of Adam in the sense of division considered as in himself It could not be but that Adam would sin is a modal or qualified proposition and is true of Adam in a sense of composition being considered as subordinate to the Decree The Jews might have broken the bones of Christ is true speaking in the sense of division i. e. looking at the free will of the Jews as in themselves It could not be that the Jews would break the bones of Christ is true speaking in a sense of composition i. e. looking at the will of the Jews as subordinate to the Decree That answer of Elisha to Hazael enquiring of Benhadads recovery containeth in it two like propositions 1. Thou maist certainly recover 2. Thou shalt surely die 2 Kings 3. 10. his Disease was in it self curable and as such is considered in the first proposition The second proposition looketh at him diseased as subordinate to the Decree which had pre-ordained his death through theâ—stifling of Hazael by occasion of this Disease Thus much of these things Mr. C. goes on to attach another ground and foundation of the Saints rejoycing in God who hath promised to preserve them blameless unto his Heavenly Kingdom He propounds this Question p. 36. May we suppose that persons who are regenerate and born from above may possibly fall from this state of Grace Perhaps Mr. C. hath some design in thrusting in that word possibly into his Question I will therefore explain the term that he may have no equivocal reserve to fly to A thing may be said to be possible either simply and in its own nature or possible on supposition of all things to be supposed with reference to it In the first sense it was possible that a bone of Christ might have been broken in the latter viz. on supposition that God had decreed and foretold the contrary it was not so The Question in reference to the Saints perseverance proceeds in the last sense whether supposing their Election of God Christs undertaking for them and their interest in the Covenant of Grace it is yet possible that some of them may finally depart from God and be lost for ever And to this I answer in the Negative But he saith The Scriptures do not say they may not nor that they shall certainly obtain This is false The contrary appears from these Texts Psal 125. 1 2. Isa 4. 5. ch 54. 8 9 10. Jer. 31. 3. ch 32. 39 40. Ezek. 36. 26 27. Joh. 6. 39 40. with ch 10. 28 29. Rom. 8. 29 30 38 39. 1 Thes 5. 23 24. 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 5. 1 Joh. 2. 19. with many others He adds We are to suppose all Gospel-believers to be regenerate and then we may and must suppose a possibility for the regenerate to fall or none can fall away By Gospel-believers I presume he intends those that are members of the visible Church of Christ such as profess Faith in him and Obedience to him and do not at present contradict their profession by a contrary practice in the sight of men My answer is If we respect any particular person or persons among these we are bound to hope so of them because Charity always inclineth to the better part But if we respect the whole bulk of professors together we are not to believe that they are all regenerate persons because the Scripture telleth us there are foolish as well as wise Virgins Hypocrites as well as sincere Believers in the visible Church though who they be we know not till their works discover it and when their Hypocrisie is discovered we are not to think that they once were new Creatures and are fallen from that state but the quite contrary 1 Joh. 2. 19. So then though many Professors fall away even such as have past under some common work of the Spirit this doth not at all infer That those who are truly born again not of corruptible Seed but incorruptible by the word of God that liveth and abideth for ever may do so in like manner He proceeds I know nothing stated in the Gospel-law of Grace as a duty in order to obtain the end but that persons may obtain and be supposed possibly to fall finally from Joh. 15. 4 5 6. Nothing that 's strange Is not perseverance in Faith and Obedience required in order to salvation and may persons persevere and fall finally too The Text cited by Mr. C. doth no ways confirm his notion although we allow him to except perseverance from the duties intended by him Unto the 4th and 5th Verses something hath been spoken already by which it appears that they lye directly against Mr. Colliers notion of the Creatures ability of himself to do any thing that is spiritually Good I suppose it is the 6th Verse that he promiseth himself some relief from The words are If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered c. He doth not tell us on what account he thinks this Text may serve for a proof of his Doctrine but probably he thinketh that the words suppose That such as for a time truly abide in Christ may afterwards cease to do so and perish out of him But there is no such thing intended in them For this Text as many other do speaketh of Professors according to what their condition appeareth to be before men and so all that are members of the visible Church and have a place therein are counted branches in Christ some of these bring forth fruit by which the sincerity of their Faith in Christ and the truth of their being spiritually united with him is manifested These do not fall away but he that hath begun a good work in them doth perfect it to the end The Father purgeth them that they may bring forth more fruit Others of these branches do not bring forth fruit which is an evidence that their being in Christ is only by profession for it cannot be that one united to Christ by true Faith and the in-dwelling of his spirit should be without those vital influences from him is will produce some good fruit these do not abide in Christ by a lively exercise of Faith and therefore being indeed separate from him while they appear to be one with him they can do nothing but in time of temptation fall away from their profession and are cast out as branches and are withered and men gather them and they are cast into the fire and are burned And more then this cannot without offering violence to the Text be inferred from it which doth not make against but confirm the truth concerning the Saints perseverance That which Mr. C. offers to strengthen his desired inference is this The truth hereof will father appear if we consider 1. That the Gospel makes no difference but warns all to take heed of falling which necessarily supposeth a possibility of falling with respect to
Vindiciae Veritatis â—R A CONFâ—TATION 〈◊〉 THE Heresies and Gross Errours Asserted by THOMAS COLLIER IN HIS ADDITIONAL WORD TO HIS Body of Divinity Written by Nehemiah Coxe a Servant of Jesus Christ and Minister of his Gospel For there must be also Heresies among you that those which are approved may be made manifest among you 1 Cor. 11. 19. Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lost ye also being led-away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness 2 Pet. 3. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. Nonnulli dum plus exquirunt 〈…〉 ando quam capiunt usque ad perversa dogmata erumpunt 〈…〉 um veritatis discipuliâ—essâ— negligunt humiliter magistrierroris fiunt Greg. LONDON Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry near Corn-hill and in Chancery-lane near Fleet-street 1677. Christian Reader WE whose names are here subscribed thought our selves more particularly than many others obliged in Duty and Conscience to appear in the front of this Book by way of approbation of the same Wherein the manifold Errors of Tho. Collier in a Book intituled An Additional Word c. are clearly detected and solidly enervated Because although it be a most unequal judgement to make the Errours of one single person under any Profession to reflect upon the whole of the same seeing the Apostle telleth the Church in its Primitive and most pure state Act. 20. 30. That there should arise from themselves men speaking perverse things and draw away Disciples after them yet woeful experience hath taught us that there is nothing more usual with the world And we did judge that though we do not hope hereby to silence the mouth of malice yet this might be a means to set us right in the thoughts of those who are not byassed by evil affections We had hoped that the snares wherein the said Tho. Collier had been many years entangled and for which he seemed by Gods blessing on some of our endeavours to manifest repentance might have been a caution to him to avoid these dangerous Rocks for the future But to our grief we find it otherwise and see that the highest Profession cannot secure men from falling when the heart is not established with Grace and kept humble before the Lord as we see in the examples of Hymenaeus and Alexander For the Author of this work if any by reason of his inferiority in years should suspect him of an over-forwardness arising from any over-weening sâ—lf-opinion in undertaking this matter although that answer is ready in his behalf which sometime David gave to Eliah in a case though of a different yet something like nature 1 Sam. 17. 29. What have I done is there not a cause shall the whole Host of Israel be defied the principles of Gospel-truths subverted the name of God blasphemed a flood-gate of Errour open'd and any be thought over-forward to oppose the Adversary But over and above we think meet to acquaint thee that the Combatant in this Conflict was not so much prompted to it by his natural inclination as by the joint and earnest perswasion of several of the Elders and that of elder years partly because we did judge him meet and of ability for the work and next at that time of his entring upon it a more than ordinary Providence of God gave him leisure for it more then others by suspending him from other more weighty employment thereby as it were calling him out and determining him to this employ Wherein upon our perusal we hope we may truly say without particular respect to his Person he hath behaved himself with that modesty of Spirit joined with that fulness and clearness of answer and strength of argument that we comfortably conceive by Gods blessing it may prove a good and soveraign Antidote against the Poison from which as we earnestly pray the venter of it may be delivered so no less that thou also maist be preserved And in order thereunto desire of thee that thou wouldst read this ensuing discourse with this candour and charity to believe that it is Verity not Victory that is here contended for And farther we beg of God that thou maist be enabled to weigh each particular in the just Ballance of the Sanctuary and that he will direct thy heart into the love of Truth which shall be the daily Prayer of Thine in the Lord William Kiffen Daniel Dyke Joseph Maisters James Fitton Henry Forty William Collins TO THE READER Courteous Reader AMongst all those vanities which are under the Sun this is none of the least That some men puft up with a conceit of their sufficiency for every undertaking do daily burthen the world with their raw and indigested notions and whilst they contemn that guidance they might have in the way of truth from the labours of others who have been raised up and enabled of God to transmit to posterity the Doctrine of the Gospel in a form of sound words do darken counsel by words without knowledge But alas Our sorrow on this account may be drowned in Tears for a greater evil if we reflect on the more bold and dangerous attempts of some who are not satisfied to have darkened the shining lustre of divine truth unless they do also subvert the foundations of the Christian Religion by a downright opposition to some of the most important Doctrines thereof And one sad instance of this kind we have in a Book not long since published by Thomas Collier which he calls An Additional Word c. which hath occasioned my writing this small Treatise in answer thereto For although the argument of the Book may not seem to require his pains inasmuch as there is nothing urged by him to give countenance to his corrupt notions but it hath either been answered many times already by those that have written against the Pelagians Jesuites and Socinians in whose steps Mr. Collier very frequently treads or else where he doth transcend the Heresies of those mentioned its weakness and impiety is more manifest then to need any refutation by another yet on many accounts some Answer to him was judged necessary not only by my self but by divers others whose Judgement in this matter I esteemed much more then my own That so at least a Publick testimony might be born against those gross Errors therein by him expos'd to publick view and by the detection of them the intanglement and seduction of weak though well-meaning Souls might be prevented who otherwise were in danger to be drawn away by him to drink in those notions that will eat as doth a Canker and also that persons irreligious and ungodly who are ready to catch at any thing even against the Judgement of their own Consciences that may give them quiet in their sinful ways might not rest in peace on those Pillows he hath prepared for them by his endeavour to perswade them That there is no such Eternal wrath and Judgement like to overtake them as
by Grace in their station and glorified Saints cannot but love God choose and delight in perfect obedience to his holy will yet in all this are they free agents because they are thus determined by no external force but by the dictate of their own understanding And on the contrary the Devils and fallen man are by their own wickedness determined to sin and that onely yet are they free in the choice thereof c. 3. That God made man upright and so capable of yielding perfect obedience to the whole will of God according to that Covenant in which he stood related to him but he sought out many inventions and by his voluntary defection from and rebellion against God fell short of the Glory of God and lost that rectitude of nature which was concreate with him and became blind disobedient and dead to God 4. Man having thus wickedly and wilfully lost and cast away his power of obeying God doth infer no unrighteousness in the Law of God still requiring and commanding them to do that which is Just and Holy and Good neither doth it infer the least obligation on God to recover him out of his lost estate 5. Although man in his lâ—psed estate hath such a principle of enmity to God reigning in him that he cannot until converted by effectual Grace choose that which is right in the sight of God yet doth he freely put forth a positive act of his will in refusing mercy tendered on Gospel terms 6. So then the Question is not so much whether men left to themselves and the common helps afforded them may believe if they will But whether any such will believe and not rather finally oppose God and refuse his Grace tendred to them in the Gospel These things duly considered tend to obviate the cavils of Mr. Collier and to detect his mistakes He asserts in the first Section p. 24. That suitable to the means and Ministries men are under there is a capacity both of power and will in all men that are not debilitated of the ordinary capacities of men to understand believe and obey the Lord in them By this and other following passages it appears that by universal Grace Th. C. means the sufficiency of the humane nature which is it and not Grace that he desires to exalt and as his notions are the same in this matter with the Pelagians so is there the same deceit and aequivocation in his using the term Grace which they sought refuge in and therefore let none be blinded with that saying of his in the same Section That this capacity both of power and will is of God For Pelagius himself acknowledgeth as much and it amounts to no more then the acknowledgement of our endowment with natural abilities by God who is our Creator All these are from God in a way of nature but ability to believe and obey the Gospel is from him in a way of special Grace which is that we plead for and deny that a natural unregenerate man is capable of saving knowledge of or yielding obedience to the will of God in the Gospel otherwise then as a dead Soul is capable of being quickened by the Almighty power of the Spirit of Christ This the Scripture is full and express in I will instance in a Text or two We read 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God For they are foolishness unto him neither can be know them for they are spiritually discerned The Apostle doth in the context divide all men into two sorts Natural and Spiritual The last have the mind of Christ and are made acquainted with the Grace of the Gospel through the effectual working of the Spirit by which they are born again the other viz. natural men unregenerate persons even the wisest and best of them receive not the things of the Spirit of God i. e. the Doctrines of the Gospel because they are without any Spiritual discerning of the glory that is in them remaining under the power of darkness they are accounted foolishness and as foolish things are slighted and rejected by them Neither can they know them viz. savingly and effectually for they are spiritually discerned i. e. by the enlightening and teaching of the Spirit of God and not without it But I find divers exceptions laid against this interpretation of the Text by Mr. Collier p. 42. 43. which I shall here remove out of the way 1. He expounds this term the natural man by the sensual man as if all unregenerate persons were not intended thereby but only some of the most bruitish among them which is quite against the Apostles scope whose design is to shew that God hath made foolish the wisdom of this world and that the principal men thereof are strangers to the things of the new Covenant which eye hath not seen c. ch 1. 20. 2. 7 8 9. 2. He supposeth the Idolatrous Gentiles that would not come to the Gospel light c. to be intended But this also is plainly to contradict the Apostle who speaks of both Jew and Gentile and particularly those of them to whom the Gospel was preached as you may see most evidently in his foregoing discourse and these when the things of Gods Spirit were proposed to them received them not but esteemed them foolishness His third exception is plainly ridiculous He saith All where the Gospel comes should understand and believe it but its thâ—se only that by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel do believe and obey it that have this spiritual understanding This we plead That although all unto whom they are tendered ought to receive the things of the spirit of God yet no unconverted man doth so the reason is in part because he cannot understand them but they are foolishnesâ— to him and accordingly rejected by him and to confute this Mr. C. tells us that no unbeliever hath this understanding indeed but if he did believe and obey he should have it as if to obey and believe the Gospel were not to receive the things of Gods spirit The sum is this If he did believe he might believe and if he were not ignorant he might understand c. 4. He endeavours to perswade us that it is only such an understanding of Gospel mysteries as is proper to grown Christians that the unconverted man is uncapable of and how repugnant this is to the whole discourse of the Apostle I leave every one to judge Thus he concludes his futilous cavil So that it supposeth not any impossibility for the darkeâ—t and worst of men to obtain Light and Life by the Gospel He woulâ— fain lye hid under the darkness of his ambiguous terms This Scripture doth not suppose indeed but that the darkest and worst of men may be enlightened and quickened by the power of Gods spirit working with the word But that every man which hath only the natural accomplishments of a man may understand and obey the Gospel
some degrees and measures of ohem to comply with his mind and will which they voluntarily neglect And this of its self is sufficient to bear the charge of their Eternal ruine The second thing whereby he endeavours to prove his opinion p. 25. is Because God blames those under all his ministrations that did not or do not suitably obey him therein To which he adds in the third place He threatens and executes Judgement on all such Both these depend on the first and no man besides Mr C. would have made use of them as distinct mediums in the proof of his position The first therefore being enervated these fall with it But he saith If we accept not this as a sufficient proof of his notion We cannot have right honourable and God-like thoughts of the Lord to require blame pity promise threaten and execute terrible judgement on a people that in no case was able to help it He that can make good sense of these words hath more skill then I but I heartily wish non-sense had been the worst fault in Mr. Colliers Book however it be I will endeavour to give a distinct answer to that which he drives at 1. God may require obedience of those from whom it is due though they have siâ—ned away their power to perform it 2. It is a moral sinful impoâ—ency that men are under they cannot nor they will not obey but they can and do wilfully refuse to obey God and therefore are justly blamed and punished for this wickedness and are also as Creatures the objectâ— of pity while they thus destroy themselves 3. Promises and threatnings are fit mediums to work upon rational Creatures who are capable of understanding the terms in which the things of the spirit of God are proposed to them though the Glory of the things themselves they discern not and to put forth a free act of their wills in reference to them as Mr. C. saith himself in his Bod. of Div. p. 452. Though man hath lost the freedom of his will to that which is good by sinning yet not the power of willing And 4. By the mighty power of Gods spirit giving efficacy to this means the Elect are made obedient and the rest left without excuse or Cloak for their sin As for that clause That in no case was able to help it it is fallacious They act spontaneously and are in no case willing to help it whose Souls are not renewed by special Grace He goes on p. 26. 4. It must be so because the contrary leaves the condemnation of sinners at Gods door which fâ—r be it from any sober spirit to imagine For God to bring forth a glorious ministration of Grace and Life to the world 1 and tender it to sinners on such terms as is impossible for them to perform with the helps he affords 2 and to damn them for non-performance therâ—â—f necessarily leaves a necessity of perishing without hope or help So that if this were true that men could not believe and obey the Gospel where it comes 3 simply from their debility and impotency and the debility of the means â—fforded them for help therein It could not be their sin 4 for it s no mans sin not to do what he cannot do but what he can and might do had he a will to it The things before pleaded do fully remove out of our way what is here offered But farther to detect his aequivocation mind 1. Although it be impossible for dead sinners to quicken themselves yet seeing this impossibility is founded in the corruption of their natures and wickedness of their own hearts it cannot in the least excuse their disobedience 2. Sinners are liable to damnation for the breach of the Law and if they add hereunto disobedience to the Gospel it necessarily aggravates their sin and condemnation and this they will do if left to themselves but neither doth this necessity which is only a necessity of infallibility with respect to the event in any wise infringe their liberty or excuse their sin 3. Whereas he talketh of unbelief that comes simply from the debility and impotency of men and the debility of the means afforded them and in the next Section Of that which befalls a man that he could not nor in any case cannot help c. I must tell him that it is dishonestly done to represent this as the opinion of the men with whom his controversie is seeing they teach That mens disobedience to God springs from their obstinacy and not only impotency and they are condemned for that and not simply for this alone and also That the means of Salvation tendred in the Gospel is full and gloriously perfect in its kind But the reason why the Gospel is not effectual to the salvation of all that hear it is The natural enmity and obstinacy of their hearts against God is such that unless it be overcome and cured by him that raised Christ from the dead they do finally resist the call of God and will not come to Christ that they might have life And this defilement of humane nature man brought upon himself â—y his fall which he could have helped and prevented if he would and it is approved and delighted in by all his posterity 4. The falshood therefore of his saying That is no mans sin not to do what he cannot do is evident seeing mans duty is determined by Gods holy command not his own sinful weakness So then our Doctrine doth not lay the sin of men at Gods door as he suggests but at their own where the Scripture lays it It spoileth man indeed of all matter of boasting which is the true reason of Mr. Colliers endeavour to load it with this calumny And in truth though proud Hypocrites will be bâ—asting of their self sufficiency we need not nor can have a more pathetical confutation of Mr. C's Doctrine then that which is gathered from the confession of one poor in spirit and distressed in Soul under the sense of his lost condition by nature Methinks I see such an one rolling himself in the dust and with flouds of tears and groanings that cannot be uttered pouring out his Soul before the Lord with such expressions as these O Lord look down in mercy upon a captivated condemned sinner that hath broken thy holy Law and finds nothing in himself but a principle of enmity to and aversation from thy holy will revealed either in the Law or in the Gospel I confess that it is a miracle of mercy that terms of pardon and acceptance by Jesus are proposed to me But ah Lord my blindness is such that I shall never find this way of life if thou do not lead me and the hardness of my heart such that it will not bow unless thou make me willing in the day of thy power I hear Christ say Come but alas I cannot came Oh draw my Soul to thy self by thine effectual Grace Heaven is opened to the Believer but O Lord that word
it is called 2 Pet. 1. 4. So also conversion is called a new Creation and Grace the new man or a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. Eph. 4. 24. 2. 10. which terms in the common sense of men signifie the production of that which before was not in being by a divine power even the same that wrought in Christ when he was raised from the dead Eph. 1. 19 20. and do not suppose any pre-disposition or inclination in the person where this new Creation is not exciting the great Creator to a concurrence or assistance in order to its production Yet Mr. Collier hath the boldness to say that all these expressions amount to no more if rightly weighed then what he hath asserted viz. That God doth help men to believe by the working of his spirit with them so cherishing the Good he finds in them that it be not mastered by the sensual bruitish part Greater contempt hath not lightly been cast upon the holy spirit of God who works all Grace in us nor upon his sayings in the Scipture whereby his operation on the Souls of men is unfolded to us as if the holy Ghost intended to perswade them that they are beholding to distinguishing Grace for that which in truth they have in nature and do themselves The reason that Mr. Collier gives for his talking at this rate is Because it s we that believe and obey the Gospel and not the Spirit and it s our duty and so stated in the Scripture By this he intends to prove that the Spirit of God is not the only and principal efficient cause of Faith in men but they open their own eyes and raise themselves from the dead and create themselves anew in Christ Jesus or else believing must be attributed to the Spirit and not to them and must be considered as his duty and not theirs I might tell Mr. Collier seeing he pretends to Learning Qui actionis causa â—fficiens principalis prima est non illico ab actione cujus causa est denominatur lieet in illam per modum causae particularis determinantis influat sed ille tantum qui actione informatur But it s in vain to trouble his head with any Philosophical notion I shall rather make evident his mistake by some familiar instance that may be within his reach And I know none fitter â—o the case in hand then that of Lazarus his Resurrection from the dead by Christ I suppose it will be grated that the Lord diâ— not only help Lazarus to live and come out of his Grave but that by his Divine power he made him to live that was before dead and utterly uncapable of action yet was it Lazarus that came forth and revived not Christ so though the Spirit of God do give life to the Soul and by his own power make it to believe yet is it the man converted not the Spirit that believes c. To make the matter more plain we must remember That there are two moments in conversion to be considered The first is the infusion of a principle of Life and Grace by which the Soul is enabled and disposed to convert and believe being renewed after the image of God and this is called Gratia prima the first Grace in the reception whereof we are passive The second is the exercise of this Grace in actual turning to God believing c. through the blessed assistance of the Good spirit who workeâ—h in us to do as well as to will and this is called Gratia secunda In this the Soul is active and works according to the working of him who works in it mightily Before I pass farther I think it may be a convenient place here to remove out of our way the corrupt glosses of Mr. C. upon a Text or two which he is pleased to take notice of towards the end of this Chapter The first is Joh. 15. 5. mentioned by him p. 39. The words are without me ye can do nothing The design of Christ in these words is to press his Disciples to abide in him for this end he tells them in this Verse I am the vine ye are the branches he â—hat abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me or severed from me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye can do nothing We are by nature dry branches and unfruitful meet fuel for the fire of Gods wrath and if ever we bring forth fruit to God we must first by the powerful Grace of God the great Husband-man be ingraffed into Christ the true Vine that we may derive Life and Grace from him neither will our admission into the Church suffice thereunto without real union with himself and cleaving to him by faith lively and unfeigned by the daily exercise whereof we fetch new supplies of Grace so drawing sap from him from whom our fruit is found Thus is he unto us as the Vine unto the Branches for without Christ i. e. the influence of his Aid and Grace or in a state of separation in which we are not capable of this vital influence from him we can do nothing understand it according to the subject matter nothing that is spiritually Good Surely this casts man down from that Throne of self-sufficiency unto which Mr. Collier would advance him and very poorly doth he acquit himself in his reply thereto He saith 1. All the common light understanding and reason that men have is from him This is the refuge of the Pâ—lagians of Old in which Mr. C. hath before attempted to shelter himself They would pretend to own the Grace of God when their meaning was no more then this That men as men were beholding to God for their natural accomplishments more then which they neither had nor needed from him to enable them to yield acceptable obedience to him but that something else is intended in this Text we have already manifested 2. The Gospel leads Souls to him where their help is It s that which I say there is no capacity or power without the Gospel which unites Souls to Christ in whom their Life is c. It is the Faith of the Gospel and not the bare hearing of it that unites the Soul to Christ and though Mr. Collier here tell us of drawing to Christ and Union with him c. yet his design is still to exclude the special and effectual work of the spirit to bring the Soul to Christ and preserve it in him which I before proved necessary hereunto And there is little heed to be taken to his saying There is no power or capacity without the Gospel this is but to serve a present turn for he hath in his foregoing Chapters pleaded That where the Gospel never comes men have sufficient means and power to live to God without it The second Text is 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ and what hast thou that thou hast not received So Mr. C. reads it p. 43 about which we need
they should have continued with us 1 Joh. 2. 19 But the Scripture no where saith as Mr. Collier supposeth that these are in a saved condition and Heirs of Glory before their rottenness at heart is discovered or that any sincere sound Believer ever did or ever shall return from life to death from a state of redemption by Christ and reconciliation unto God into a state of bondage and enmity against God from a state of Justification before God into a state of condemnation and wrath The Scripture also fully declares that there are some who are the called according to Gods purpose a remnant according to the Election of grace that obtain like precious Faith through the effectual and saving operation of the holy Ghost who dwells in them and by whose indwelling they are made lively members of Christs mystical Body espoused to him and one spâ—rit with him but that any other then the Elect of God predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son called by his grace to the Obedience of Faith are or ever were in a state of salvation The Scripture no where teacheth but the contrary Those that are not Vessels of mercy are Vessels of wrath And that fiction of his p. 33. That the spirit worketh in all Gospel believers as he calls them alike which are the Elect in the threefold sense minded by him which might all obtain were they sincere and constant to the end is in this 35th page in part refuted by himself whilst he tells us That the work of the spirit on the special Elect is certain and infallibly brings them to Glory but on others some do wholly resist it others though for a time they savingly comply with it yet at last undo all again and dostroy it Certainly then here is a peculiar work of the spirit to be allowed in and upon the special Elect which in Scripture phrase are the only Elect unto Salvation Yet he supposeth that others are savingly wrought upon besides them and some of these persevâ—re others fall away and that many more are convinced and all have a sufficient work so as they might obtain the end even those who notwithstanding never believe nor are converted to God And probably the thing he drives at in this Question is whether God doth more for and the Spirit worketh more powerfully in one of these then the other And first he pretends that this is a great secret and God onely knows it but according to his principles it is easily resolved in the Negative For although as the Arminians say God draws some modo congruo and others modo non congruo So that some have external and circumstantial advantages beyond others yet there is no specifical difference in the drawing it self both the one and the other is only by way of moral swasion not physical operation objective and external not subjective and internal and the turning cast still lies on the will of Man not the efficacy of Grace And I marvel that he should pretend so much modesty in this point who but a little before hath asserted that which all sober Arminians protest against viz. The sufficiency or ability of man to believe without any help from the holy Ghost We have now met with Mr. Colliers assertion That there is a sufficient work of the Spirit upon all so that they might obtain the end repeated ad nauseam usque It may not be amiss therefore to look into it a little more strictly I say then 1. Upon whomsoever the Spirit works in any degree it is more then they deserve it is of grace and not of debt he is no way obliged to do so much for them and even the common workings of the Spirit have in their own nature a tendency towards a farther good in the conversion of the Soul were they not opposed and stifled by the enmity that is in mans heart unto God But 2. To pass over many other things that might be urged If the work of the Spirit upon all men be sufficient to bring them to Heaven how cometh it to pass that all men are not saved It will be answered Because many refuse to comply with and resist his working upon and striving with them Be it so I ask again From whence ariseth his opposition to the Spirit of God and his work in the Souls of men Certainly from that corruption of nature and aversion of will from God wherein all men are immerst by the faâ—l But then the Question returns on the other hand How comes it to pass that all men do not pâ—rish in their obstinacy The true answer is Because God prevents a râ—mnant with distinguiâ—hing mercy and quickens them whom he found dead in trespasses and sins by his grace they are saved and takes the heart of stone cut of their flesh and gives them an heart of flesh thus making them a willing people in the day of his power and considering mau in that fallen condition wherein he is there is no other work of the Spirit sufficient to bring a lost sinner to grace and glory but that by which his natural enmity to God is cured and so the opposition of his Soul to the work of the holy Ghost overcome even that work by which the heart is circumcised and made willing and obedient that before was not so And this Mr. C. seems to own as the priviledge of the special Elect and without this none ever was or will be converted In p. 35. Mr. C. proposeth a Question about the fore-knowledge of God which he supposeth to be really distinct from his Decree and though he be very unmeet to dispute such a Question yet he resolves to give the poor Calvinists another lash before he finish his answer to it Both Question and Answer are too confused for us to get any good by a particular examination of them and therefore instead thereof I will only give a brief account of what I understand in this matter and so obviate his design The Divine knowledge is variously distinguished according to its respecting different objects I shall at present consâ—der it only as it is conversant about things meerly possible or things future Things only possible are indifferent considered as such unto being or not being and are such as in their own nature imply no contradiction unto being even all things that all within the unlimited compass of Divine Omnipotence God knoweth all things that himself can do though an infinite number of these never are done Things future are all those things and only those which do in time come to pass Now whatsoever hatâ— doth or shall come to pass in time was future from Eternity i. e. It was true from Eternity that such things would be and as things that would be were they known unto God before time Seeing then some things were to be and many things possible never shall be it appears that some things were from Eternity passed from the condition of things meerly possible in
us without taking that heed That all are warned and that very frequently in the Scriptures to take heed of falling is granted and that these warnings are sanctified and made effectual by God for the preservation of his own Elect from final Apostacy is pleaded But Mr. Colliers inference from hence is very impertinent and argues that he understands not their Opinion that he hath undertaken to confute He saith That in respect of us there is a possibility of falling if we do not take heed Very true It is not only possible but certain that those which do not walk humbly and heedfully with God nor make any conscience of so doing may fall away from their profession But God according to his promise will keep his own from such a course as would ruine them And this is all which with the Scripture we say That God hath promised by his effectual Grace to preserve all his chosen ones all that truly believe in a way of holyness and diligence unto Eternal Life And therefore that is quite besides the business that Mr. C. writes p. 35. That nothing shall be able to make a breach or separation unless we do it our selves by sin whereas God hath promised to prevent our making this breach when he saith I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements and do them Ezek. 36. 27. The truth is if Mr. C. will abide by his opinion he must either assert That God never loved any person one or other or that he is like us changeable in his love on outward external reasons He goes on p. 36. 2. They have all he intends all in the visible Kingdom of Christ the same faith and love for kind there is but one faith which hath the same object and is influenced by the same spirit which produceth the same effect i. e. a good Conscience even in such as fall from it And in the beginning of p. 37. he adds So that according to the Law of Grace all that do believe and obey the Gospel stand related to God therein and nothing makes the difference but sincerity and perseverance shall be crowned and Hypocrites and Back sliders must fall short and meet with condemnation It is well done of Mr. C. to join Sincerity and Perseverance together and so also Hypocrisie and Back-sliding for the latter is a certain discovery of the former If ye continue in my words saith Christ then are ye my Disciples indeed And so ê contra But then see what confusion he hath again cast himself into He affirmeth there is in all the same faith and love for kind and nothing to make a difference between them the same effect produced by the same spirit c. and yet some are sincere others Hypocrites It is strange that Mr C. can find out no specifical difference betwixt the lively faith of a sincere believer and the dead faith of a painted Impostor the most holy and precious Faith of Gods Elect which purifieth the heart and the temporary feigned Faith of Simon Magus notwithstanding which he was in the gall of bitterness and the bond of Iniquity The Text which he insinuates a perversion of is 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding faith and a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made shipwrack By Faith here as in some other places we are to understand the Doctrine of Faith the truth of the Gospel which we are exhorted to cleave to and hold fast and that we may do so we must keep a good conscience also i. e. walk in holiness for where that is not attended men are not like to abide sound in the Faith in an hour of temptation The mystery of Faith must be held in a pure conscience which some having put away that is rejected and lived in the neglect of concerning Faith have made shipwrack that is have lost and relinquished that truth which once they professed of such he gives an instance in the following Verse But this notwithstanding The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his c. 2 Tim. 2. 18 19. Here then is no such thing supposed as Mr. C. intimates That those who once had true faith and a good conscience did finally fall from it He saith farther 3. The Scripture suppâ—seth that persons may have the same Gospel-spirit in all its operations and yet may pâ—ssibly finally faâ—l from God Heb. 6. 4 5 6. If it were allowed Mr. C. that true believers were spoken of in this Text he could not prove from hence that any such shall finally fall away The discourse being conditional and it remaining a truth That if a person whoever he be or persons do depart and fall away from God they must unavoidably perish though none of the persons spoken of should do so such expressions holding forth the inseparable connection of Apostacy with damnation And men may without any disparagement to their wisdom or reason earnestly exhort others to avoid falling away from God though they are fully perswaded that those whom they so exhort by the help of those exhortations and other considerations shall abide with God to the end But indeed it appears upon a serious view of the context that the persons here spoken of are such as have only past under some common work of the spiriâ— and that such may fall away is not denied by any And Mr. C. doth without ground assert that they havâ— been the subjects of the same grâ—cious work as is effected by the spirit of God upon true believers For 1. Here is nothing ascribed to the persons spoken oâ— that is in Scripture found to be the distinguishing character of true Believers which are commonly said to be the called See Dr. Owen of Pers p. 427. according to the purpose of God quickeneâ— born again jusâ—ified united to Christ adopted c. 2. The persons â—ntâ—nded are verse 8. compared to the ground on which the rain falls and â—eareth Thorns and Briars True believers whilst they are so are 〈◊〉 such as bring forth nothing but Thorns and Briars faith it selâ— being an herb meet for him by whom they are dressed 3. T 〈…〉 gs that accompany Salvation are better things then any that were to b 〈…〉 in thâ— pâ—rsons mentioned v. 9. and true Believers are in this disâ—â—urse of the Apostle opposed to the persons lying under a possibâ—lity of Apostacy and are distinguished from them upon the accâ—â—nt of their works and labour of love shewed to the name of God v. 10. their preservation from the righteousness and faithfulness of God in his promises v. 11. and of the immutability of the counsels of God and his oath for the preservation of them v. 13. 1â— 18. All which doth evince that they are not the Children of God by Faith in Christ of whom the Apostle speaks in the place referr'd to In p. 37. He moves a question about the absolute