God meet us and commune with us in words of Grace we must thank the true Propitiatory or Mercy-seat for every syllable 2. Grace in the proper Seat or Receptacle of it is Christ's purchase and this I shall make out 1. In general Christ purchased the Spirit of all Grace There is a double Oblation of Christ a personal Oblation on the Cross and that is Moritum Spiritûs and a doctrinal Oblation in the Gospel and that is Ministerium Spiritûs and so the holy Ghost is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ Tit. 3. 6. Christ ascended up on high that he might fill things Eph. 4. 10. One would have thought that his descent should rather have done it but he ascended up in the glory of his Merits he carried up all the Purchase-money to his Fathers house and from thence the Spirit came pouring down upon men some droppings of it were before but then it was richly poured out it came down in cloven fiery tongues and a rushing mighty wind Acts 2. 2 3. Tongues to utter magnalia Dei and above all the master-piece of Redemption and cloven tongues to utter them to all Nations in their own Language and fiery tongues to enlighten and enflame the Auditors hearts with the knowledge and love of Christ and a mighty rushing wind to blow home that fire strongly and insuperably in a thorough Conversion and all this was shed forth from Christ Ver. 33. Never any Tongue truly preached Christ but by a secret touch from him never any holy fire kindled on the heart but by a coal from his Altar never any gales of Grace on the Soul but from the breathings of his Spirit not one drop of his Blood is spiritless but full fraught and flowing with the Spirit of Life 2. In particular and so Christ hath purchased three things 1. The Radical Grace of Faith 2. All other Graces of the Spirit 3. All the Crowns of these Graces 1. Christ hath purchased the Grace of Faith the Apostle is express in it To you it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Christ's sake not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1. 29. the Apostle evidently points out the merits of Christ as the spring of Faith and Faith persevering unto suffering And in another place he saith we joy in God through Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom we have now received the atonement Rom. 5. 11. he doth not only say that by and through him the Atonement was made but that by and through him the Atonement is received and what is this receiving of the Atonement but Faith it self That therefore is part of Christ's Purchase These express places might suffice us but because the Remonstrants oppose this Truth I shall propose two Quaeries unto them 1. Is not Faith comprized within the Covenant of Grace Let 's come to the Touch-stone Is it not written there I will give an heart to know me and is not Faith a justifying knowledge a sight of the just One and a beam or dawning of eternal life Is it not written there I will take away the heart of stone and is not Unbelief a part of that stone doth it not directly resist the Blood and Righteousness of Christ and can there be a worse Stone than this Is it not written there I will give a new heart and is not Unbelief the heart and life of the old Man and Faith of the new Is it not written there I will put my Spirit within you and is not the Spirit a spirit of faith and faith a fruit of the Spirit is not Unbelief of our Spirit and Faith of Gods Is it not written there I will circumcise the heart and is not Unbelief flesh God saith there is life in his Son and the Unbeliever saith No and does what in him lies to make God a lyar and can there be any filthier or rottenner flesh in the old man than this and unless this be cut off can there be a true Circumcision By all this it clearly appears that Faith is within the Covenant and if so is not the whole Covenant Sanctio à sanguine the New-testament in Christ's blood Is not he the Mediator and purchaser of the whole Are not all the Promises Yea and Amen in him Who dares distinguish and say Christ purchased part of the Promises and not all he purchased notional knowledge and not justifying he breaks the stone in the heart all but that which opposes his own Blood and Righteousness the old man is crucified with Christ all but his heart and life of Unbelief the Spirit of Grace flows out from Christ all but the Spirit of Faith the circumcision of Christ Col. 2. 11. so called because it is procured by the Merits and produced by the Spirit of Christ cuts off the flesh of the heart all but that of Unbelief which upbraids God with a lye who dares thus tear in sunder the Covenant mangle the Promises dimidiate Christ and divide the Spirit by unscriptural distinctions Such shuffling is unworthy of Christians Wherefore I conclude my first Quaere thus Faith is within the Covenant and the Covenant is Christ's purchase therefore Faith is such also 2. Is not Faith a Grace of the Spirit It seals to the Gospel sanctifies the heart works by Love waits by Patience overcomes the visible World and sensibly presentiates the invisible for shame let it be a Grace and if so it must be Christ's purchase The Spirit never effected that Grace in fallen Man which Christ never merited As every Creature in the World is of God's making so every Grace in the Church is of Christ's meriting He that saith Yonder is a precious Stone but 't is not of God's making blasphemes the Creator and he that saith Yonder is a precious Faith but 't is not of Christ's meriting does no less to the Redeemer But further Is not Faith the Grace of Union with Christ Doth not Christ dwell in the heart by faith Is not Faith the Mother-grace of all First Faith gives a touch to Christ and then Love is enflamed with him Joy triumphs in him and Obedience follows him Where do all the rivers of living water flow but in the Believers belly Joh. 7. 38 What holds all the starry Graces of the Church but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the firmament of faith as the Apostle calls it Col. 2. 5 Now will it not grate thine ears O Christian to hear that the Spirit of Holiness is from Christ but not the Spirit of Faith all the starry Graces are Christ's but the Firmament of Faith is our own we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ but not with the Mother-grace which broods and teems out all the rest not with the Grace of Union which lies nearest to Christ eating his flesh and drinking his blood that Faith which is nearest to the Merits of Christ in its Union is furthest off from them in its Origination What is this but
the holy Spirit drops some moral Vertues and Beams of light from whence have issued many excellent Sayings some of which the holy Spirit hath so far owned as to quote them in his own Book But the Father doth in a special manner love and the Son did in a special manner die for the Elect. Hence proportionably the holy Spirit works in them after more glorious strains of Power and Grace as a Spirit of Grace and Supplication he melts them into Repentance as a Spirit of Faith he makes them catch hold upon Christ for Righteousness and Life as a Spirit of Wisdom he unveils their hearts and makes the Light to shine out of Darkness as a Spirit of Liberty he unshackles and unbinds their Wills and makes them free indeed in the ways of God and as a Spirit of Truth and Holiness he leads them into Truth and by inward Law-engravings moulds and changes them into it Moreover the holy Spirit after such glorious workings on them comes and dwells in them and that intimately in the very secrets of their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will indwel in them saith he 2 Cor. 6. 16. there are two in 's to denote an intimate inhabitation as if God could never be near enough to them As in Christ Personal who is the Head there is God in the flesh by an hypostatical Union so in Christ Mystical which is the Body there is God in the Flesh by a gracious Inhabitation and to shew that he is there he cries Abba Father in their Devotions he is a Spirit of Love in their charities a Spirit of Power in their infirmities a Spirit of Comfort in their distresses and a Spirit of Glory in their sufferings Seeing then the holy Spirit who works in men more or less according to the Fathers Love and Sons Merits works in such a special way in the Elect 't is as clear as if it were written with a Sun-beam that the Father loves them and the Son died for them in a special way Hence we find these three folded and wrapt up together by the Apostle Elect according to the foreknowledge of the Father through sanctification of the Spirit and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 2. And again The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all 2 Cor. 13. 14 If the Father's Love and the Son's Blood had respected all men as much as the Elect doubtless the holy Spirit who in Subsistence procedes and in Operations works from them both would have converted all as well as the Elect why then are not all men actually converted Is it because the holy Spirit works not equally in all or because the holy Spirit is resisted in some Is it because the holy Spirit works not equally in all I answer That the Spirit is sent forth from the Father and the Son and works exactly according as it is sent the inward impulsive Cause of pouring out the Spirit is the Father's Love and the outward meritorious cause of it is the Son's Blood Wherefore if the Father equally love all and the Son equally died for all the Spirit works equally in all for there can be no breach in the sacred Trinity Or is it because the Spirit is resisted in some I answer Their resistance is a grand Obstacle to the work but if the Spirit did roll away the Stone and new-mould the Heart and work the Will in all as he doth in the Elect that Obstacle would at last be removed out of the way 5. I argue from the Blessings purchased Christ's Death is more or less respective of men as it is more or less procurative of Blessings for them Christ purchased a Salvability for all but over and besides he purchased many choice Blessings for the Elect he purchased Repentance for them for he is a prince and a saviour to give repentance to Israel Acts 5. 31. He purchased a room for Repentance even for all men but he purchased Repentance it self for his chosen Israel he purchased Faith for them Unto you it is given for Christs sake to believe in him Phil. 1. 29. For others he purchased a ground-work for Faith but for them he purchased the very Grace of Faith he purchased effectual Vocation for them others have a Call by the Gospel but these have a Call by the Gospel coming in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance he purchased Holiness and Sanctification for them Indeed there is no man living on the Earth but if he did really believe he should have the rivers of living water the Spirit of holiness flowing in his heart Joh. 7. 38. but the Elect were destined and chosen in Christ to be holy Eph. 1. 4. and Christ sanctified himself in a special manner for them that they might be sanctified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in truth actually truly Joh. 17. 19. Lastly he purchased Heaven and Glory for them others may have Heaven upon believing but these shall certainly arrive at it these are the sheep to which Christ gives eternal life Joh. 10. 28. these are the sons which without fail shall be brought to Glory Heb. 2. 10. Now seeing Christ purchased so many Blessings for the Elect 't is evident he died for them in a special way 6. I argue from the Intercession of Christ. Christ intercedes for men more or less proportionably as he more or less respected them in his Death for his Death is the foundation of his Intercession the very same Blood of Christ which as shed on Earth made Satisfaction as presented in Heaven makes Intercession Now how far doth Christ intercede in Heaven What doth his Blood speak there For all men it speaks thus Father let them all be saved on Gospel-terms but for the Elect it speaks thus Father let them have Repentance this the Apostle hints out Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince a saviour to give repentance to Israel Acts 5. 31. Israels Repentance on Earth comes from Christ exalted in Heaven for there he intercedes for it by his Merits and from thence he works it by his Spirit Again it speaks for them thus Father let them be made a willing people this I gather from the 110. Psalm where we find Christ sitting at the right hand of God Ver. 1. and sitting there he intercedes for us and from this Session and Intercession comes forth a willing people Ver. 3. Here 's the true original of spiritual willingness the right Hand of God which is a right Hand of Power works it in our Hearts and works it at the instance of Christ who sits and intercedes there for it Again it speaks for them thus Father sanctifie them with thy Grace preserve them with thy Power and crown them with thy Glory in Heaven Thus Christ in his sweet Prayer a little before his bitter Passion interceded for them for their Sanctification Sanctifie them
irresistible way I am for the Affirmative in a right sence A work may be said to be done irresistibly two ways either when there is no resistance at all thus the Apostle saith ye have killed the just and he doth not resist you Jam. 5. 6. that is not resist at all or else when there is no such resistance as to impede the work thus they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit of Stephen Acts 6. 10. there 's an irresistibility but what without any resistance at all No they disputed against him with might and main but because their disputes could not impede his work in propagating the Gospel therefore it is said that they were not able to resist him Thus when I say that Conversion is wrought in an irresistible way I mean not that there is no resistance at all for even in the Regenerate there is flesh lusting against the spirit the old Man and the new strugle in the same Faculties like Esau and Jacob in the same Womb but I mean that there is no such resistance as to impede the Work of Conversion In meekness saith the Apostle instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. here is a resistance but for all that the work will be done if God give repentance He went on saith the Prophet frowardly in the way of his heart but what saith God I have seen his ways and will heal him Isai. 57. 17 18. here was a great resistance but for all that God will heal him God works Conversion in such an insuperable way that notwithstanding all the opposition made thereunto it doth infallibly come to pass Now this I shall endeavour to demonstrate first in general and then in particular with respect to the two Instants of Conversion 1. I shall demonstrate it in general and that by these Arguments taken 1. From God's Election He hath chosen some before the foundation of the World chosen them to holiness as the Way Eph. 1. 4. and chosen them to salvation as the End 2 Thess. 2. 13. But if Conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way how doth the foundation of God stand sure 2 Tim. 2. 19 How is that golden Chain kept entire Whom he did predestinate them he called whom he called them he justified and glorified Rom. 8. 30 Were not these called ones who have Predestination going before them and Justification and Glorification coming after them called in an insuperable way If not the Chain cannot hold together The Apostle makes a plain difference between men he opposes those of the election of grace to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were blinded Rom. 11. 7. and those on whom God will have mercy to those whom he hardens Rom. 9. 18. But if Conversion be not irresistibly wrought this difference falls to the ground those of the Election may be blinded and those on whom God hath mercy may be hardened as well as others For my part I should as soon believe that a little Child may put up his finger and rowl about the Spheres as that the Will of Man may stay or turn aside the Influences of electing Grace 2. From Christs Redemption If we consider the preciousness of his Blood surely he must have a Body every little Seed in Nature hath a Body given to it and the Son of God sowing his Blood and Life cannot want one If we consider the Promise of God surely he must have a seed Isai. 53. 10. and what else is the Fulness of the Gentiles and the Conversion of the Jews but this promised Seed But if Grace be not wrought in an insuperable way Christ might sow his Blood and Life in a wonderful Passion and yet have no Body springing out of it nay God might engage himself in the Promise of a Seed and yet nothing at all come of it if the Grace of God be resistible lieve must be asked of Man's will that Christ's Blood may be fruitful and God's Promise Faithful 3. From the Spirit 's Work The three glorious Persons in the sacred Trinity shew forth themselves in three glorious Works the Father hath a special Shine in Creation the Son in Redemption and the holy Spirit in Sanctification In the first Work we have God in the World in the second God in the Flesh and in the third God in the Heart or Spirit When God came forth in Creation Oh! what an Heaven and Earth full of admirable Creatures and Harmonies issued forth When God came in the Flesh what out-breakings of Glory were there What sparklings of the Deity in Miracles upon the Bodies of Men The blind received their sight the lame walked the lepers were cleansed the deaf did hear the dead were raised and the Devils were ejected with power And when God comes in the Heart or Spirit what planting of a new heaven and a new earth How much of Glory and spiritual Miracle breaks forth in the Souls of Men Even here also the blind receive their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised and the devil is cast out with power The very same Miracles which Christ in the flesh did do on the Bodies of Men in a visible manner the very same doth Christ in the Spirit do on the Souls of Men in a spiritual way This is the proper Work of the Spirit to sanctifie Mens Hearts the Spirit doth not appear any where in all the World so much as in a true Saint Look into a godly Man's Understanding there 's the Spirit of Revelation look into his Will there 's the Spirit of Holiness look into his Affections there 's the Spirit of Love and Joy look into hs Conscience there 's the Spirit of Consolation look into his Prayers there 's the Spirit of Supplication look into his Conversation there 's the Spirit of Meekness and all Righteousness Thus the holy Spirit shews forth its Glory and flows in Men as rivers of living water and this Glory and Out-flowing is so precious that before it came in Esse according to the rich Measures of Gospel-grace it is said of the eternal Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit was not yet Joh. 7. 39. as if the Spirits flowing in Men were a kind of second Being to it But now after all this if Conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way the holy Spirit may be barred out of every Heart and then how shall his work be done Where shall his Glory and spiritual Miracles appear The Father hath a World to appear in the Son hath Flesh to tabernacle in but possibly the holy Spirit can get never an Heart to inhabit in never a Temple to fill with his Glory the holy Spirit would tabernacle with Men but what if the Iron-sinew in the Will will not come out What if the Stone in the heart will not break Then the holy Spirit is robbed of his Glory But is this so strange
God Tit. 2. 13. not an under subordinate God but over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. not a God by office but a Jehovah Jer. 23. 6. a God by nature though not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to his Subsistence yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to his Essence Gods name is in him Exod. 23. 21. One great Letter of that Name is Eternity and his going forth was from everlasting Mic. 5. 2. another is Immutability and he is yesterday to day and for ever the same Heb. 13. 8. another is Omniscience and he knoweth all things Joh. 21. 17. another is Omnipotence and he hath all the power in heaven and earth Matth. 28. 18. another is Immortality and he hath life in himself Joh. 5. 26. another is Immensity and he whilest on earth was in heaven Joh. 3. 13. and though long since ascended to heaven is still on earth Matth. 28. 20. All these golden Letters are graven on the Godhead and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him Col. 2. 9. all these shed forth a divine Glory and Majesty he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness of divine glory Heb. 1. 3. and what need we any more witnesses of his Deity His Name is wonderful Isai. 9. 6. far above all Creatures his Generation is unutterable being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper Son of the Father Rom. 8. 32. not as Creatures made ex nihilo but as a proper Son begotten out of his very Substance his standing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the essential form of God the very divine nature Phil. 2. 6. and his special Ubi there is the Fathers bosom Joh. 1. 18. and from thence together with him he breathes forth the holy Ghost His Works are divine and all one with the Fathers Joh. 5. 19. He sat in counsel with him in framing his Eternal Decrees and since wrought with him in making first a World of Creatures and then a Church of Saints and still he works with him in the preservation and gubernation of both Lastly his two Testaments which face each other as the Cherubims upon the Ark by their sweet glances and respective aspects upon each other do disclose his Deity For in the Old Testament 't is said that Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt Exod. 20. 2. in the New Testament 't is said that Christ did it Jude 4. and 5. Ver. in the Old Jehovah circumcises the heart Deut. 30. 6. in the New Christ doth it Col. 2. 11. in the Old Jehovah poured out the Spirit Joel 2. 28. in the New Christ Acts 2. 33. in the Old every knee bowes to Jehovah Isai. 45. 23. in the New to Christ Rom. 14. 11. in the Old miracles were done in Jehovah's Name 2 Kings 2. 21. in the New in Christ's Acts 9. 34. in the Old Jehovah is the first and the last Isai. 44. 6. in the New Christ is Alpha and Omega Revel 1. 11. in the Old there is Deus absconditus Isai. 45. 15. in the New Deus manifestatus in carne 1 Tim. 3. 16. All which do most pregnantly prove the Deity of Christ unto us Nevertheless proud Reason will be babling How can the Father beget the Son ex propriâ Substantiâ Can any part of the Divine Essence be discinded in such a Generation Or if not can the whole be given to the Son And if so how is it retained to the Father I answer The Father gave unto the Son the whole Essence non alienatione sed communicatione non generatione emanante sed immanente the Father so begets the Son as that he still possesses him Prov. 8. 22. the Son so goes forth from the Father as that he still abides in him his eternal egress Micah 5. 2. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by defluxion but immansion I am in the Father and the Father in me saith Christ Joh. 14. 10. Indeed if we speak accurately the Father begets the Son out of himself rather in Essentiâ divinâ than ex essentiâ divinâ Hence the entire Essence is in the Father and the entire Essence is in the Son too and what if it could not be thus in a finite Essence yet why may it not be so in an infinite What if Reason cannot fathom it must therefore Faith reject it I conclude then that Christ is very God and as God hath a right to redeem us his Creatures 2. Jus Idoneitatis as the Son of God he was most fit to be our Redeemer what can be more perfectly congruous than Reconciliation by God's beloved one Adoption by his Natural Son Reparation of his gracious Image by his substantial a shine of Favour by the brightness of his Glory beams of Light by his Wisdom Restitution of Life by the Prince of Life and Mediation between God and Man by the middle Person in the sacred Trinity There be three great goings forth of God into which all others may be resolved the first is that fundamental one of Creation and upon Sins Entry which is but an Apostasie from Creation in comes the second viz. Redemption and out of this as out of a Fountain flows the third and that is Sanctification these hang in order one upon another Unless there had been a Creature and that Apostate there had been no place for Redemption and unless there had been a Redemption there had been no room for Sanctification for God would never have reimplanted his Image of Holiness in a Creature left under the eternal stroke of his Justice nor have plucked away the spot of Sin there where the guilt of Sin is left behind Now albeit it is a most sure Rule that Opera Trinitatis ad extrà sunt indivisa yet among Divines Creation is in a sort peculiarized to the Father as the first Redemption to the Son as the second and Sanctification to the Spirit as the third Person in the Glorious Trinity Thus in these three goings forth of God each person in the Trinity hath his special Shine and that in the very Order of his Subsistence wherefore it was very congruous that the Son of all the Persons in the Trinity should be out Redeemer 3. Jus Conjunctionis he that redeems a Captive must be Persona conjunct a with him and so was Christ with us in a threefold respect 1. Conjunctione naturali he was our Goel Isai. 59. 20. that is our next kinsman by his Incarnation and our Redeemer by his Passion he assumed our Nature into himself that he might redeem us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great God a sucking Child regens Sydera yet sugens Ubera he that ruled the Stars sucked the Breasts The word was made flesh Joh. 1. 14. and a strange making it was all other Creations are as it were extra Deum but here was a Creation in the very person of God The glorious Trinity in the very instant of drawing the Humane Nature exnihilo interweaved
are renewed with the renewings of the holy Ghost but that is shed on them through Jesus Christ they have the Law written in their hearts but that is the Epistle of Christ their filthy flesh is cut off from their hearts that they may love God who is a pure Spirit but this is the circumcision of Christ Col. 2. 11. In a word all the saving Graces of the Elect are as so many Legacies of the New-testament and the New-testament is founded in his Blood Wherefore it is clear from the Covenant of Grace and its special respect to the Elect that Christ died in a special and peculiar manner for them 3. I argue from the Issue of Christ Christ was to have a Seed and this I shall demonstrate three ways 1. From the Preciousness of his Blood 2. From the Purpose of his Father 3. From the Promise of his Father 1. From the Preciousness of his Blood That there should be a Laver made of God's Blood and never a Sinner washed in it that such a vast sum of precious Merits should be paid down and never a Captive released by it is to me no less than prodigious Blasphemy every little Grain in Nature doth confute it if that do but fall into the ground and die it bringeth forth much fruit and shall the Son of God bleed and die in his assumed Flesh and be fruitless God in his waky Providence gives to every little Seed his own body and shall the peerless Flower of Heaven sow his Blood and Righteousness and have none at all A Cup of cold water given in Charity shall in no wise lose its reward and can it be so with the Blood of Christ poured out in a transcendent excess of Love and glorified into an infinite Merit by his Deity When Christ fed the multitude but with Barley-loaves small Fishes nothing was lost and can all be lost when he makes a Feast of spiritual Marrow and Fatness and gives his Flesh to be meat indeed and his Blood to be drink indeed Oh! far be the thought from every Christian 2. From the Father's purpose which as the Scriptures hold forth clearly was that his Son should be a King a Captain a Shepherd an Husband an Head and a Father And what is a King without Subjects a Captain without Souldiers a Shepherd without a Flook an Husband without a Spouse an Head without a Body and a Father without Posterity Empty Names are below him whose name is above every name Wherefore this King must have a Sion a mountain of holiness to reign in Psal. 2. 6. this Captain a Militia an army with banners to fight under him Cant. 6. 4. this Shepherd a flock to hear his voice and follow him Joh. 10. 4. this Husband a spouse a Queen in Gold of Ophir maried to him Psal. 45. 9. this Head a body to be animated with his Spirit and filled with his life Col. 1. 18. and this Father a numerous issue begotten and brought forth into the spiritual World to honour and serve him Heb. 2. 13. 3. From the Father's Promise which was in terminis That he should have a seed Isai. 53. 10. a Seed begotten by his Spirit and by that Generation bearing his Image and in that Image serving of him and to make it sure God engages by special Promises to take away the stony Heart to write the Law there to put his holy Spirit into them and so infallibly to raise up a seed to him and for the continuance of this Seed successively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filiabitur nomen ejus his name shall be sonned or childed from generation to generation Psal. 72. 17. The special Promises shall be ever budding and blossoming and bringing forth the fruits of Grace thus Christ shall see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied Isai. 53. 11. and as a sign of this Satisfaction he breaks out Behold I and the Children which God hath given me Heb. 2. 13. Should he miss but one of his Seed or Children his Heart would not rest or be satisfied for they are in a peculiar manner the travel of his Soul But now if Christ died alike or equally for all what becomes of his precious Blood How can the Purpose and Promise of God stand Which way shall Christ have a Seed Shall his Seed be begotten out of Man's Will No such Generation ever was there Joh. 1. 13. 'T is not of him that willeth Rom. 9. 16. Nothing less than the holy Spirit which formed Christ in the Womb can form him in the Heart but shall they be begotten by the holy Spirit That Spirit doth nothing in the work of Regeneration but what Christ merited in his Passion every new Creature which is efficiently begotten by the Spirit was first meritoriously begotten by the Death of Christ or else it would not be the Seed of Christ at least not the travel of his Soul Now Christ did not travel or merit for all men that they should be begotten again by the holy Ghost for then either all would be so begotten which Experience denies or else the Merit and Travel of Christ must be lost which the preciousness thereof abhorrs And if Christ did not merit it for all then neither did he if he died alike for all merit it for any and how then shall he have a Seed His Seed must be begotten by the Spirit and the Spirit begets no new Creatures but what Christ merited and Christ dying equally for all did not merit such a thing for any because not for all Moreover when God promised Christ a Seed either the meaning of that Promise was that some men should become his Seed or that all should be so if that some then Christ died not equally for all if that all then all must be begotten by the Spirit and renewed after Christ's Image the Stone must be cut out of every heart and the Law written there for in these things is the very spirit and life of Regeneration But seeing these things are not wrought in all it appears that the promised Seed is not all but some for whom Christ merited the very work of Regeneration 4. I argue from the Working of the holy Spirit As the holy Spirit eternally procedes from the Father and the Son in his personal Subsistence so he goes forth in time from the Father and the Son in his working in Men. Hence he is called the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son the Father sends him and the Son sends him and as the holy Spirit works in Men from the Father and the Son so he works in them more or less as the Love of the Father and the Merits of the Son do more or less respect them The Father doth in some sort love and the Son did in some sort die for all men Hence the holy Spirit hath some workings in the Non-elect Within the Church many of them taste the Powers of the World to come nay in the Pagan-world
intrinsecal merit of Sin and paid only to a final Sinner therefore the consideration of final sin is a prerequisite to the Decree of Damnation without that consideration I see not how it can be decreed as Wages But you 'l say Is not Eternal Life also a Reward of Faith and Holiness and how then can that be decreed as a Reward without a preconsideration of these I answer Eternal Life is a Reward but 't is a Reward of pure Grace 't is Grace upon Grace glorifying Grace upon sanctifying therefore to the Decreeing thereof as a Reward it suffices that it be decreed to Believers and Saints Not Believers and Saints so preconsidered to that Decree for Grace and Glory being both mere gifts and gifts of immediate contact are comprized in one Decree but Believers and Saints so to be made by force of that Decree and so to be made before they wear the Crown This is enough in the decreeing of a Reward so purely gratuitous But in Eternal Death there is nothing at all gratuitous all is mere wages and pay for Sin Sin doth really and intrinsecally merit it Wherefore Eternal death as such wages is decreed only to final Sinners Not final Sinners so to be made by force of God's Decree for that makes no man a final Sinner but final Sinners so preconsidered to the Decree of Damnation for without that preconsideration it is not as I conceive decreeable as wages or pay due unto them To shut up this point in a word Reprobation as to the Decree of Preterition and Permission respects men as lapsed Sinners and as to the Decree of Damnation respects them as final Sinnets 4. What is the Impulsive Cause of Reprobation To which I make answer 1. As for the Decree of Preterition and Permission of final Sin it is from God's Will as cloathed with supreme Sovereignty God passeth by and hardneth whom he will This appears in two particulars 1. First God doth not give so much as the Gospel-means unto some men He suffered all nations to walk in their own ways Acts 14. 16. Some sin and perish without Law or Gospel all the Law they have is the dark glimmering of Nature and all the Gospel they have is the patience and goodness of God leading to Repentance The Sun Moon and Stars are divided to all nations Dent. 4. 19. but Jesus Christ a Sun of infinite light and lustre shines in a narrower compass on the earth than the finite Sun the Moon is lesser than the Earth the visible Church than the World of Men. The Apostles those Stars of light must not shine in Asia and Bithynia Acts 16. 6 7. By what way is this Evangelical Light parted Surely by the divine Will alone the difference is not from the worthiness or unworthiness of men for those in Asia and Bithynia were as good as others Christ was manifested to a Thief and not to a Socrates or Plato Rebellious Israel hath the light of the Word in it and a more flexible Nation which would hearken thereunto wants it Ezek. 3. 6 7. Impenitent Corazin and Bethsaida have a visible Deity before them in Christ's Miracles when poor Tyre and Sidon much nearer to Repentance hath it not Matth. 11. 21. In all which the sovereign Will of God is to be adored for that is it which divideth between the Light and the Darkness 2. In the Visible Church the Orb of Gospel-light God doth not give saving Grace unto all 'T is true the mercy of God is so immense that all the sins of men are but as the drop of the bucket to it the Blood of God is so meritorious that all the crimson Crimes in the World are as nothing to it and the Spirit of God is so almighty that all the chains of hardness and unbelief fall off before his converting Grace Nevertheless this immense Mercy doth not pardon all this meritorious Blood doth not wash all nor this almighty Spirit doth not convert all unto God Oh the wonderful Abyss of the divine Counsel All men naturally lie in bloody pollution and God saith to one Live and not to another all are as it were one entire Rock of obstinacy against God and he calls Abraham's children out of one part of the Rock and leaves all the rest to be Rock still All are dead in sins and trespasses nay and sealed up in their Graves with a stone of hardness and unbelief and one Grave-stone is rolled away and the dead under it raised up by almighty Grace and not another External Revelation is all over the Church why is not the inward holy Unction so too The Gospel sounds in every Ear why do not all hear and learn of the Father The Gospel calls and knocks at every door why are not the Demonstrations of the Spirit and the drawings of the Father in every heart The Gospel says in general Whosoever will may take the Water of Life freely why doth not God work the Will in all Why are any dimissi libero arbitrio left to the miserable servitude of their own free Will Here there is no other resolution but that of the Apostle He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth and beyond this we can only wonder and in quodam mentis excessu cry out Oh the depth Cur hoc illi operetur saith St. Austin illi non operetur metuentem me trementem judicia ejus inscrutabilia incomprehensibilia nolo interroges quia quod lego ercdo revereor non autem discutio And Ne dicas Deo interrogando Quae est voluntas tua sed tremendo Fiat voluntas tua And again Posset Deus saith he of wicked men ipsorum voluntatem in bonum convertere quoniam Omnipotens est posset planè cur ergo non fecit quia noluit cur noluerit penès ipsum est If there were any thing extra Deum moving him to the Decree of Preterition and Permission it must needs be sin either Original or Actual or final Impenitency and Infidelity therein but none of all these moved God thereunto Not Original sin for this is the common blood wherein all men Elect as well as Reprobate lie by nature And this is St. Ambrose's Mirum touching Infants Ubi actio non offendit ubi arbitrium non resistit ubi eadem miseria similis imbecillitas causa communis est non unum esse de tanta parilitate judicem quales reprobat abdicatio tales adoptat Electio Indeed Original Sin makes all men reprobable for all are by nature Children of wrath Transgressors from the womb an unclean and corrupt Seed lying in bloody and abominable pollution fit and worthy to be put away from the holy One as dross and for ever to be cast out into utter darkness but it makes no man a Reprobate for the Elect are as deep in this filthy mire as others Nor yet doth Actual sin do it for Jacob was loved and Esau hated before they had
Creature can preserve it self and this is clear 1. From the Creatures Station even the highest Seraphin stands juxta non esse at the brink of Nullity his Being is between two Nothings Nothing negative and Nothing privative and as his passage from Nothing into Being could not be without an infinite Power creating so his natural fall from Being into Nothing would certainly be without an infinite Power conserving Creatur a habet redire ad non esse à se if God should but say to the highest Angel Tolle quod tuum est abi he must immediately away into Nullity All Creatures by their natural vanity press downwards towards nothing as their own Centre and none but the Almighty shoulders can bear them up in Being 2. From God's Royal Prerogative which the Scripture most emphatically decyphers out as it were in Figures of Glory He only hath immortality 1 Tim. 6. 16. as if there were none at all in Angels and Rational Spirits Nay there is None besides him 1 Sam. 2. 2. as if there were no Being at all in the Creature And the reason of these expressions is this God hath Being and Immortality originally from himself but the Creature hath them but derivatively and in a dependence upon him wherefore in comparison of his Being Creatures are but nullities and in comparison of his Immortality Angels are but smoak But now if a Creature could preserve it self in Being and so immortalize it self it would become a Self-subsistence and consequently a God unto it self 2. That no Creature can preserve another I mean as a principal Agent and this is evident for 1. If one Creature might so preserve another it should be a God to it yet so weak as not to preserve it self But if it could preserve another it must be by some transfusion of virtue into it and that but finite for more a Creature cannot give and then if God transfuse as much virtue into the Creature conserved as the Creature conservant did the Creature conserved might subsist of it self and be a God to it self 2. The nature of Conservation evinces this What is it but an Influx of Being Now suppose all the Angels in Heaven would try to guard the poorest Worm in the Earth and that but for one moment only what could they do towards an Influx of Being being only streams from God as light from the Sun If the Sun be gone who can keep light in the Air If Jehovah withdraw who can keep Being in the Creature All the Creatures are as I may so say sensible of this dependance and look up to God for their preservation Psal. 104. 27. which leads me to the next thing 3. That the preservation of all is from God as of him so through him are all thing Rom. 11. 36. and this appears 1. By a survey of all the Creatures Angels are under God the strongest of Spirits but cannot subsist one moment without him he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1. 7. he is making the Angels even to this day by a daily Conservation their Immortality is a continual Spiration from the Father of Spirits The Heavens are the strongest of Bodies yet cannot stand alone God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 building his stories in the Heavens Amos 9. 6. he is still a building of them or else all those glorious Arches would totter down If he be but angry the Pillars of Heaven tremble and are agast Job 26. 11. If he withdraw his hand all the heavenly Volumes pass away as a Scroll and out go the fair Letters of Sun Moon and Stars in the twinkling of an Eye The Earth is the Centre of the World and as to Sense it hangs upon nothing as if it were only poised by its own gravity but this created Centre is bore up by the infinite Centre of all Being and as to Faith and Reason hangs upon him The pillars of it are the Lord's 1 Sam. 2. 8. he by his strength setteth fast the mountains Psal. 65. 6. or else they would be wavering towards nullity The Sea is a vast spreading Element but lest it should be contracted into nothing it is held in the hollow of his hand Isai. 40. 12. and that imports no less than a preservative comprehension All the numberless Birds in the Air Beasts in the Earth and Fishes in the Sea wait on him for their preservation the sending forth of his Spirit is their Being the opening of his hand their Provision and the shadow of his wings their Protection not a Sparrow forgotten before him not a poor Fly without an infinite Preserver Man who is the Epitome of all the rest cannot but own him O how soon would the earthen Pitcher break if he did not keep it how soon would the Lamp of the Soul go out if he did not light it even every moment Hence God is stiled the preserver of men Job 7. 20. a most universal preserver even from the utmost hairs which are numbred by him Matth. 10. 30. unto the inmost spirit which is preserved by his visitation Job 10. 12. Thus running through the whole Catalogue of Creatures we must conclude with St. Austin Deus est per omnia diffusus non ut qualitas mundi sed ut substantia cratrix sine labore regens sine onere continens omnia 2. By the very nature of Preservation what is it but continuata Creatio God is still a making the Angels and building the Heavens my Father worketh hitherto saith Christ Joh. 5. 17. He doth per intimam operationem continuò facere Creatura saith a famous School-man quamdiu est creatura Deo quia pro quolibet instanti habet esse à Deo Preservation is but the eeking out of Creation and therefore can be from no other but God alone Omnia in illo subsistunt à quo creata sunt But to pass on 4. The preservation of all is from God according to his Decree and this is evinced by these Reasons 1. Either God preserves Creatures naturally or freely not naturally for then he should preserve them perpetually and so every Fly must run parallel in Eternity with an Angel nor naturally for then he should preserve them uniformly and so every mortal body would subsist without food as well as the immaterial Spirits therefore he preserves them freely There be various ways of Preservation viz. Preservation of Creatures as to their Being and as to their adjuncts of order beauty goodness and truth Preservation of them as to their individuals and as to their kinds Preservation of individuals by means and without means preservation of them in perpetuum and for certain periods of time Now all this variety of Preservations doth evidently display the glorious liberty of the divine Will in the dispensing thereof Angels are preserved in their individual Beings and that in perpetuum and that without means but the Nodus perpetuitatis is the divine pleasure or else their Immortality would dissolve in a moment Men Beasts and
Vegetables are preserved in their Individuals but 't is by means and but for a time and lest the kind should perish with the individuals Generation is a supplement to their Mortality and the ruler in all this is the Will of God As for Preservation by means it is God who bringeth food out of the earth Psal. 104. 14. and when 't is in our hand we cannot eat thereof unless God give us an heart Eccl. 6. 2. and when we do eat thereof 't will not be the staff of life to us without the word of his blessing Matth. 4. 4. without this we may eat and not be satisfied drink and not be filled Hag. 1. 6 9. Every Creature saith The blessing is not in me but in the Will of God As for the Periods of Preservation they are all fixed in the divine Decree there the days of men are determined their months numbred and their unpassable bounds appointed Job 14. 5. Hezekiah had fifteen years added to his days but there was no addition to the divine Decree Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days Psal. 55. 23. yet they live out all the days set down in the divine Decree If a Sparrow fall not without God's Will Matth. 10. 29. much less can a man do so if our very hairs are all numbred Matth. 10. 30. much more are our days As for the preservation of kinds all propagations are from that primitive Benediction Crescite multiplicamini which dropt from the divine Will Vegetables multiply but 't is God who gives to every seed his own body 1 Cor. 15. 38. Men and Beasts generate their like but 't is God who sows a land with the seed of man and the seed of beast Jer. 31. 27. The man written down childless in God's Book must be without the blessing of posterity the Member unwritten or left out in that Book must never be extant in Nature When Monsters are brought forth there is an abertation in the particular Nature but none in the Will of God when Bastards are generated which cannot be without a moral Monstrosity the sin is Man's but the Creature is God's In brief If we run through all varieties of Preservation either as to the Being of Creatures or as to the Adjuncts of order beauty goodness and truth we must resolve all into the Will of God Alas what is the mutable Being of Creatures unless fixed by the Will of the Necesse esse What are all the Orders and Harmonies of things unless kept in tune by the counsel of his Will By him all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1. 17. not only subsist in their Beings but consist in their Orders His Will is the Virtus unitiva which glues and tacks the whole System of Heaven and Earth together or else all would unframe and fall asunder in a moment What an empty nothing is Creature-beauty unless shined upon by his gracious pleasure 'T is he that reneweth the face of the earth Psal. 104. 30. or else the Spring would lose her fresh complexion nay and the face of Heaven too or else all the Starry Beauty-spots would drop off What is all the Goodness in the Creature unless supplied from the great Original 'T is but as water in a broken Cistern soon running out and never to be gathered up again What is all the Truth in the Creature but an Impress made from his Ideal Truth The Impress the Creature can no more preserve in it self than it could at first stamp it there Wherefore the Will of God is that vas conservativum which preserves and conteins all things within their Beings and modes of Being or else they would immediately run into nullity 2. Preservation is but continuata Creatio if Creation had been natural so must Conservation have been too but seeing Creation is voluntary such also is Conservation hence the Twenty four Elders attribute both to God's pleasure for thy pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4. 11. they were by his Creation and are by his Conservation and both were and are for his pleasure 3. Whatsoever God preserves he preserves rationally and for some end as he made all for himself so he preserves all for himself The Heavens and the Earth are by God's word kept in store 2 Pet. 3. 7. his Word that is his Will is the great Storier which treasures up the World with all its furniture for its own ends God preserves all rationally and by just consequence freely also Thus far of God's Conservation but to procede 2. God's Gubernation is also to be considered by us Now here I shall touch on two things 1. That God rules and governs all Creatures and Events 2. That God doth it according to his Decree 1. God rules and governs all Creatures and Events He is King of Kings 1 Tim. 6. 15. his kingdom ruleth over all Psal. 103. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd. 14. 3. he steers the Ship of the World and all the passengers in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd. 12. 18. he orders the great House of the World and all the Families of Creatures therein All the hosts of the Universe are ruled by him the spiritual World is ruled by him the holy Angels are still a doing of his Will sometimes they are guarding the godly sometimes destroying the wicked sometimes transporting souls to heaven sometimes striving with Devils but they are always beholding God's face Matth. 18. 10. waiting for his imperial Command as their perpetual rule These have a great share in turning about the Wheels of the World when these stand still the Wheels stand also when these go the Wheels go too but these go not one step of their own heads but whither the Spirit of God goes they go Ezek. 1. 12. and when they go they go straight on to the period of their work and then they return Ver. 14. that is to the face of God for a new Commission and till that come they let down their wings Ver. 24. listening to his voice and adoring at his footstool all that they do is subordinated to his pleasure Nay not only the good Angels but the Devils will they nill they are subject unto him They lost their obediential Wings in their fall and since that he never trusts them to go without their Chains Hence without his divine sufferance these though Princes of the Air cannot raise a storm though Gods of the World cannot enter into a Swine though Rulers of darkness cannot inject a temptation indeed they would undermine the Fathers Election cheat Christ of his purchased Possession and murther all the new Creatures made by the holy Spirit but they cannot get off their Chains and when their Chains are a little loosened yet their actings fall under Providence An evil Spirit troubled Saul but 't was from the Lord as a righteous Judge 1 Sam. 16. 14. Satan afflicted Job but 't was with a Commission to try his Graces the Devil tempted Christ but
redeem some from among men unless it merit for them that Faith which is the grand distinction between man and man in the matter of Salvation Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purchased the church with his blood Acts 20. 28. and purchased it in a special manner hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a purchased people is not a title common to all but proper to the Church 1 Pet. 2. 9. God's Children lay scattered up and down the wide World and Christ died that he might gather them all together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into one one Faith here and one Glory hereafter Joh. 11. 52. If Christ had died so for all all should have come into the same Unity We find in Scripture many signal distinctions made among men there are some on whom God will have mercy and others whom he will harden Rom. 9. 18. some written in the Lambs book of life and others left out of it Rev. 13. 8. some given unto Christ Joh. 6. 36. and others â—eft to themselves some are Gods own jewels Mal. 3. 17. and others but as dross Now how incredible is it that Jesus Christ who came to do his Father's Will should in his Death respect those whom God will harden as much as those whom he will have mercy on those that are out of the Book of Life as much as those that are in it those that are left to themselves as much as those that are given to him and those that are the dross of the World as much as God's own Jewels Believe it who can 't is a monstrous Opinion worthy of nothing but exile from Christians Seeing God's Will hath so distinguished men it is no more possible that Christ should die alike for all than that he should dissent from his Father's Will which to do was his great errand in the World Christ suffered between two Thieves a Type of the Elect and Reprobate World but who dare say that he had as much respect to the one as to the other 2. I argue from the Covenant of Grace Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant and the Covenant is the New-testament in his blood as then the Covenant is more or less respective of men so the Mediator's Death is more or less respective of them There are in the Covenant two sorts of Promises the one general and conditional such are those Whosoever believes shall be saved Whosoever will may take of the water of life If any man come to Christ he will not cast him out the other special and absolute such are those I will circumcise thy heart to love me I will put my fear in their hearts I will take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people there is a vast difference between these Promises For 1. The general and conditional Promises are as it were the hands of the Covenant pointing out the true way and path leading to Salvation but the special and absolute Promises are as it were the Veins of the Covenant carrying in them the blood and spirit of life and power to enable us to walk in that way Here God himself engages to work all saving Graces in us Are our hearts hard he 'l roll away the stone from them do our hearts resist holy impressions he 'l give us hearts of flesh capable thereof are our hearts void of God's Law he will write it there and turn them into the Epistles of Christ and for the effectual doing hereof he will put his Spirit into us and as a real proof of it he will cause us to walk in his ways and in this Walk Love shall be the Motive for he will circumcise the heart to love him and Fear the Bridle for he will put his Fear in the heart never to depart from him and which is the Crown of all he himself will be a God to us and we shall be a people to him in an everlasting Covenant Stand still O Saints and adore here loe here is the ministration of the Spirit indeed 2 Cor. 3. 8. here are words which are spirit and life Joh. 6. 63. here is the supernal Jerusalem the mother of spiritual freedom Gal. 4. 26. here is the immortal seed which begets all the Sons of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. here is that Vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or formative Virtue which moulds us into the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. here is the day of God's power which makes his people willing to serve him in the beauties of holiness Psal. 110. 3. Happy yea thrice happy they who dwell in this Land of Promise and drink of these Wells of Salvation 2. The general and conditional Promises are extensive to all men but the special and absolute Promises respect the Elect and them only for they are fulfilled in them and them only had these extended to all that God who cannot lye nor deny himself would have fulfilled them in all You will say He would have fulfilled them in all but that men themselves will not But what a strange word is this they will not Will they not if God give them a Will a new heart and a new spirit Will they not if God take away the nilling and resisting Principle the heart of stone Will they not if God write his Laws in their hearts and inward parts O what is this but by an absurd Blasphemy to change God's Truth into a lye his Omnipotence into weakness and his Glory into the old broken Idol of Creature-freedom Surely if God who is Truth and Power engage to make a new Heart the old one cannot hinder it if he promise to remove Hardness Hardness cannot resist it if he say that he will write the Law in the Heart the Heart will not say Nay to his Almighty Fingers Seeing then these Promises are not fulfilled in all but in the Elect only I may safely affirm that they respect not all but the Elect only These things being so it appears how in what manner Christ's Death respects men even more or less as the Promises of the Covenant founded on his Blood do more or less respect them As the general Promises extend to all men so the Death of Christ the Mediator proportionably extends to them all and as the special Promises point only at the Elect so the Death of Christ the Mediator hath a peculiar respect to them Christ by his Death over and besides the general Promises founded those special Promises for the Elect hence they come to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of promise Gal. 4. 28. begotten by it to spiritual life which others standing only under the general Promises are not All the saving Graces of the Elect suting to those special Promises are no other than the fruits of Christ's Merits they
Nature 't is a Nullity in naturals and if a rational Creature be separate from the God of Grace he is a Nullity in spirituals Sure if he were any thing at all he might speak or think but he can do neither As running a fountain of Words as his tongue is he cannot say Jesus is the Lord 1 Cor. 12. 3. and as swarming a Hive of Thoughts as his Heart is he cannot think any thing as of himself 2 Cor. 3. 5. The great Apostle gives a double account of himself an account what he is in himself I am nothing saith he 2 Cor. 12. 11. and an account what he is by Grace by the grace of God I am what I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. all his nothingness is in and of himself and all his spiritual essence is in and of Grace A mere Natural man is nothing in Spirituals his eyes are on that which is not Prov. 23. 5. his joy is in a thing of nought Amos 6. 13. and all the false Gods in his heart are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nihilitates nothingnesses Psal. 96. 5. As they are Creatures in the World they are Beings but as they are Idols in his 〈◊〉 they are nothing nothing to make a God of and he who makes them such is like unto them even nothing in Spirituals 2. 'T is a State of Enmity against God he is not only a Stranger but an enemy too Col. 1. 21. nay which is more his carnal Mind is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. Enmity is irreconcileable it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be not unless the Enmity be slain in it nay further the Apostle call the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haters of God Rom. 1. 30. and Hatred is Enmity boiled up to the height Hatred saith the Philosopher seeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Not-being of the thing hated and such is man's Wickedness that strikes as it were at the Life and Being of God it had rather that God should not be than that Lusts should be restrained The Scripture sets out some grand Enemies as opposing God openly and upon the Stage of the World and by what they did openly we may discern what spirit and mystery of Iniquity is working in every Natural man's heart secretly there is in him some of the corrupt flesh of the old World somewhat of Pharaoh's spirit which secretly saith Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice Somewhat of the bloody Jew which is ready to crucifie the Son of God afresh and trample his precious blood under-foot somewhat of the proud Antichrist the man of sin which exalts it self above God it s own Reason above the Wisdom of God and its own Will above the Will of God The very same Venom and Poyson of Enmity which the Grand Enemies of God pour out openly privily lurks and works in every Natural Man Thus in general Man's State is Estrangement and Enmity But to procede 2. What is Man's State in particular in relation to his several parts Now here the same Estrangement and Enmity shews forth it self according to the Nature of each part 1. As for the Understanding 't is turned away from God the first and essential Truth and so become a Forge of lying Vanities 't is turned away from God the first and essential Light and so become a dark place nay darkness it self Eph. 5. 8. and if the light be darkness how great is that darkness So great it is that a Natural man sets an higher estimate on the Follies of Time than on the Blessedness of Eternity and rates the broken Cisterns above the Fountain of living waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the souly man who hath nothing but a rational Soul the Spirit of a mere man in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 2. 14. One would think that all Truths should be welcome to a rational Soul and above all the Mysteries of Heaven but he receiveth them not And this the Apostle lays down distinctly The spirit of man knows the things of man because they are within his own Line but the things of God are only known by the Spirit of God because they are above the Sphere of natural Reason As the things of Man are above the Sphere of Sense so the things of God are above the Sphere of Reason and yet as if they were below it the Natural man counts them foolishness which evinces an extreme foolishness in his own heart he is not a Man not an understanding Creature in Spirituals Agur is a Brute in his own eyes I have not the understanding of a man saith he Prov. 30. 2. The Apostle proving all under sin asserts that there is none that understandeth Rom. 3. 11. Millions of ratinal Creatures in the World and yet there is none that understandeth and his proof is invincible there is none that seeketh after God which sure would be done if there were any spark of spiritual Understanding in him 'T is true there may be a mass of Notions in a man unconverted but not a dram of spiritual Knowledge Seeing he sees not he sees the things of God in the image or picture of the Letter but he sees them not in their liveliness and inward Glory Just as the carnal Israelites who saw their Manna and Sacrifices only in the outside but saw not Christ in them or as those false Seekers of whom Christ saith Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Joh. 6. 26. There was a Miracle in those very Loaves but they saw only the carnal and grosser part of the Miracle and not the Glory and Power of Christ's Deity sparkling out in it An Unconverted man knows nothing as he ought to know it no not in the midst of his notions there is no savouring tasting or practical Knowledge in him nothing but a husk shell or form of Knowledg and in the midst thereof a real enmity against the things known Whilest the light of Truth shines only in the Notion he likes it well enough but if it waken Conscience check Lust press Duty or any way offer to assume its Supremacy in his heart or life he instantly hates it as an enemy 2. As for the Will the Principle of Freedom 't is turn'd from God the primum liberum and from his service the vera libertas and so it is become servum arbitrium an arrant Slave bound in the bonds of iniquity and which is the height of Slavery 't is in love with its Bonds and which is the intenseness and intimateness of that love when Christ comes to break these Bonds 't is loth to be made free indeed the iron is so entred into his soul the Bondage is so intimate in the forlorn Will that it looks on God's service as bondage and Sins bondage as freedom and hence it is dead and lame to God's ways but runs and flies
Questions 1. Whether God be not the Author of Conversion 2. After what manner it is wrought 3. Whether God's Will be not always accomplished therein 1. Whether God be not the Author of it And to this Scripture and Reason answer in the affirmative 1. Scripture asserts it there Conversion is painted out under various Notions With reference to our old Corruption 't is called a new heart with reference to the Seed of the Word 't is a generation with reference to our natural Birth 't is a regeneration with reference to the Law in the Letter 't is the Law in the heart with reference to the World 't is a heavenly call out of it with reference to Satan 't is a translation out of his kingdom with reference to Christ 't is a coming to him by faith with reference to God 't is a returning or conversion to him with reference to our death in Sins 't is a resurrection a quickning of the dead with reference to our nullity in Spirituals 't is a creation or a new creature The Scripture phrases it many ways but still it sets forth God as the supreme Author of it Be it a new Heart God is the giver of it Ezek. 36. 26. be it a Generation or Regeneration God is the father of it Jam. 1. 18. be it the Law in the heart God is the writer of it Heb. 8. 10. be it a Call out of the World God is the caller 2 Tim. 1. 9. be it a Translation out of Satan's Kingdom God is the translator Col. 1. 13. be it a coming to Christ God is the drawer Joh. 6. 44. be it a turning or returning to God God is the converter to him the Church prays Turn us O Lord and we shall be turned Lam. 5. 21. be it a Resurrection God is the quickner Eph. 2. 5. be it a new Creation God is the creator and we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his workmanship created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 10. Every way God is the Author of Conversion even in Actual Conversion whilest the Act is Man's the Grace is God's for he worketh the Will and the Deed. 2. Reason evinces this and that 3 ways 1. Creature-weakness needs it Man cannot convert himself the Natural man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiveth not the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cannot be subject to God's Law Rom. 8. 7. as to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he wants a heart Prov. 9. 4. a Stone he hath which resists God's Will but a heart he hath not to obey the same His Will is tota cupiditas a Lust rather than a Will no wonder if he cannot by his own power convert himself Conversion is a thing above the Sphere of lapsed Nature nay beyond the line of Angels Man's Heart is so dark that those stars of light cannot irradiate it and so cold that those flames of love cannot warm it there is such an Iron-sinew in it as the heavenly hosts which excel in strength cannot bow but must leave it to the Arms of the Almighty and when he doth it they joy over the Convert as a wonder of Power and Grace 2. The Excellency of the Work calls for it The Body of Nature is a rare piece but the Soul of Man is of a nobler value and in the Soul converting Grace which is but an Accident is worth more than the Soul it self 't is the Soul's Rectitude 't is glory within 't is the precious hidden man of the heart 't is the very image of God 't is Christ formed in us 't is anima in centro the Soul centred in God joined unto him and after a wonderful manner becoming one spirit with him 't is Faith in the true one Love in the essential Love a mind light in the Lord and a Will at liberty in the Will of the primum liberum and who can be Author thereof but God alone God made all things ab Angelo usque ad vermiculum from the Angel in Heaven to the Worm on Earth but in Conversion he makes a poor Worm angelize God must be owned in every Atom of Nature how much more in the great Work of Grace This is one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wonderful works of God Acts 2. 11. St. Austin tells a Story of one who was seduced at first but to deny God's Creatorship in the Fly afterwards came to deny it in the Bird and then in the Beast and at last in Man But if any one should procede so far as to deny him in Conversion it would be more prodigious Blasphemy than all the rest Saving Grace is a ray or sparkle of the Deity a thing merely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God Eph. 4. 24. there is more of God to be seen in it than in all the World of Creatures besides and by consequence to deny him in that is more than to deny him in all the rest 3. The Almightiness of Grace can only effect it As the Scripture sets out Conversion as a great Work so it sets out an almighty Grace as the Cause thereof He that believes acording to some Scriptures that in the work of Conversion there is a resurrection of the soul from the dead a transformation of a stony heart into flesh and a Creation of a new heart and new spirit must also believe according to other Scriptures that in the production of that Work there is put forth a divine power excellency of power and exceeding greatness of power such as raised up Christ from the dead In Conversion there is not only a light shining round about the Sinner but a light shining into him not only a waking of a sleepy Will but a quickning of a dead one not only a proposal of divine Objects but an infusion of divine Principles therefore the Grace effecting it must be almighty That in the Prophet I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes Ezek. 36. 27. is as much a word of Power as the Fiat which made the World that in the Gospel the hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Joh. 5. 25. sounds out as great an efficacy as that other Lazarus come forth nothing less than almighty Power can effect it 2. After what manner is it wrought Our Saviour sets out the Mystery of Regeneration by the Wind the wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 8. In Regeneration the Spirit blows with such a sound as breaks the Stone in the Heart and with such lively gales as quicken the dead Soul but the manner of this Work is in a great measure secret and incomprehensible by us If we know not how the Bones grow in the Womb how much less how Christ is
spiritually dead to take in the Word of God as from a divine Impression in that the words of Christ entred not at all into the naturally dead in this the Word of God enters into the spiritually dead even intimately into his very heart in that the words of Christ were transient and passed away in this the Word of God though it may pass away as to its sounds and syllables yet as to its substance it lives and abides for ever in the new Creature Wherefore these differences considered I conclude That Christ's words were only declarative in that Resurrection but God's Word is operative also in this The manner how God works gracious Principles in and by his Word as an Instrument is a Secret which I dare not pry into only for a little more illustration of the Words Efficacy in the production of gracious Principles there are two Instants or Moments to be distinctly considered 1. The first Instant or Moment is that wherein there is a close Application and intimate Inning of the Word in the Heart in common Auditors the Word is upon the Heart but here it is in it in temporary Believers the Word is in some degree in the heart but here it is in it intimately This close Application is excellently set out in Scripture 't is a nail fastned Eccles. 12. 11. 't is a word engrafted Jam. 1. 21. 't is instruction sealed Joh 33. 16. 't is the Law put and written in the heart Heb. 8. 10. 't is wisdom entring into the heart Prov. 2. 10. 't is the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or entrance into his auditors 1 Thess. 2. 1. 't is the word having a place in us Joh. 8. 37. and such a place as to root in our hearts thus Joh says of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the root of the word is found in me Joh 19. 28. and this Root is such as will abide in us and become the incorruptible seed of the new Creature This close Application is a glorious work of God and the Word is not altogether passive therein but in the hand of the Spirit 't is quick and powerful as a sharp Sword piercing and cutting its way into the heart Heb. 4. 12. and as a mighty Engine casting down imaginations and high things there 2 Cor. 10. 5. that it self may have a place and Throne in the same 2. The second Instant or Moment is that wherein God in and by the Word so intimately inned in the Heart doth produce the Principles of Grace there in the first Moment the indwelling Word makes the Heart a spiritual Bethlehem a House of Bread in the second Christ is spiritually born there in the first Moment the incorruptible Seed is sown in the Heart in the second it springs up into a new Creature The Scripture seems to me to hold out this Method very clearly the engrafted word is able to save the soul Jam. 1. 21. the Word saves the Soul but not merely as outwardly expressed but as inwardly engrafted Faith comes by hearing the word Rom. 10. 17. but is that a mere outward hearing No surely there is a hearing of the Father and so a coming to Christ Joh. 6. 45. There is the powerful and intimate demonstration of the Spirit and so faith stands in the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. that is to say in that power of God which intimately demonstrates and closely applies the Word unto the Heart as its true Cause and Foundation When the Apostle speaks of the Thessalonians Faith and Love 1 Thess. 1. 3. he there opens the causes thereof viz. the fontal Cause God's Election Ver. 4. and the instrumental Cause the Gospel Ver. 5. but how could the Gospel be an Instrument The Apostle tells us that it came to them not in word only but in power and in the holy Ghost it was strongly and sweetly set home upon the Heart and from that Impress came Faith and Love The Wise Man would have the Word kept in the midst of the heart and his Reason is because it is life Prov. 4. 21 22. The Word in the Ear only is but a transient 〈◊〉 but the Word in the midst of the Heart is Spirit and Life Job proves the truth of his Grace thus The root of the word is in me Joh 19. 28. The Word as shining on the Head lights up Notions but as rooted in the Heart springs up in Graces St. John tells the Young Men that they are strong and for a â—eason adds this the word of God abides in them 1 Joh. 2. 14. St. Paul first speaks of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or entrance into his auditors and then of their turn to the living and true God 1 Thess. 1. 9. The entrance of the word into the Understanding giveth light Psal. 119. 130. and when it passeth from the Understanding to the Will 't is spiritually a word upon the wheels and inwardly becomes free-making truth Joh. 8. 32. ennobling the Will with true Liberty in the ways of God Epaphras was in an Agony of Prayer for the Colossians that they might be filled in all the will of God Col. 4. 12. the more filling with God's Will the more true Liberty in ours St. Peter clearly asserts that we are born again of the incorruptible seed of the word 1 Pet. 1. 23. In which words his plain meaning is that the Word being intimately sown in the Heart doth under the warming influences of the hoâ—â— spirit spring up into the new Creature and to make this the plainer he adds that the word lives and abides for ever speaking as I take it not of the Words living and abiding in it self but of its living and abiding in the new Creature As it is with natural Seed or Grain sown the Husk or outward part passes away but the lively or substantial part springs up into the Stalk Blade and Ear so it is with the Seed of the Word the letters and syllables the noise and sound of words pass away but the lively and substantial Truth springs up into the new Creature and in it lives and abides for ever God made two great Promises of Regeneration the one That he would write the Law in the heart and the other That he would give a new heart and the latter he fulfils by the former In these two Instants distinguishable at least in Nature doth God by his Word bring forth the Principles of Grace Now here I would conclude this point but that I am obviated by two Objections The one absolutely against the Words Instrumentality The other against the Method proposed in the two Instants 1. Object That against the Words Instrumentality is this The Production of gracious Principles is a Creation and in Creation there can be no Instrument at all and therefore the Word cannot be an Instrument in that Production In answer to which Objection founded on Philosophical Principles I think it were enough to say with the Psalmist Thy testimonies are wonderful Psal.
with it Such a Knowledge being really actuated can the Will turn aside to other Objects for its happiness The simple one may turn away Prov. 1. 32. but shall a man of understanding do so A deceived heart may turn aside Isai. 44. 20. but shall the wise in heart do so A heart of unbelief may depart from the living God Heb. 3. 12. but shall a man of precious faith do so But whither can he turn What to the Riches of the World 'T is but dross to the unsearchable Riches of Christ saith the Understanding What to Honours 'T is but a blast to the true Honour which cometh of God only saith the Understanding What to Pleasures These are muddy Puddles to the pure Rivers of Pleasure above saith the Understanding This Understanding doth as it were blast all the World crucifie the Universe and by a prospect of Faith see the Heavens on fire the Earth burnt up and the Elements melting with fervent heat and can the Will fall in love with the Dust and Cinders of it Surely it will not But if the Will cannot turn aside to such false Beatitudes yet may it not suspend its Act as to the true Suspend what from its own blessedness verily thoroughly believed What from God the all in all plainly powerfully demonstrated to be such And what for just nothing for a sic volo Can it be so brutishly free at so dear a rate as to be eternally miserable Will it hang off from perfect Blessedness or can it do so and the summū malū not fall into its embraces And may a Will renewed with the holy Ghost and right set by gracious Principles do thus Surely it cannot They that know thy name will trust in thee Psal. 9. 10. and which follows upon Trust will love thee and which streams from Love will obey thee and which is the Crown of Obedience will resign up themselves to thee for all their happiness Where such an excellent Understanding goes before there the Will doth infallibly follow after even in actual Conversion unto God as its supreme End 2. The Will doth follow the Understanding in its embracing of Christ as the only way and this appears 1. From several Sciptures To know JesusChrist is eternal life Joh. 17. 3. it quickens the Will to embrace him Christ told the Woman If thou hadst known the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Joh. 4. 10. A true Knowledge of Christ would have inflamed her desires after him and those desires would have breathed out prayers for the living Water Our Saviour quotes that in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God and and what follows upon that teaching Every man therefore saith he that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Joh. 6. 45. True Knowledge makes a man come to Christ and that without fail for 't is so in every man that hears and learns of the Father not in one or two but in every man and how doth Knowledge do this How but by glorifying Christ unto the Will The Spirit saith Christ shall glorifie me how so He shall take of mine and shall shew unto you Joh. 16. 14 15. the holy Spirit takes Christ and shews him after a wonderful manner it glorifies him in the Understanding and through the Understanding it glorifies him before the Will and so the Will is sweetly and strongly drawn unto him 2. From the Will it self If the Will be determined by the Understanding unto God as its ultimate End then is it also determined by the Understanding unto Christ as the only way thereunto Indeed if the Understanding did propose an End and withal two distinct ways of equal tendency thereunto then the Will might be free to either of those ways But when the Understanding proposes God as the End and Christ as the only Way to that End then the Will must infallibly close in with Christ it must or lose its End or Blessedness it must or the summū malū will fall into its arms When the Understanding tells the Will in good earnest there is no other way but one there is no other Name under Heaven but Jesus only the Will is sweetly constrained into his embraces 3. From the Understanding which shews forth Christ to be the perfect Way sutable to all our wants in our passage to God the true End Thou wouldest come to God but for the weight of Sin and Wrath Loe here is an High-priest with Expiating Blood thou wouldst come to God but thou knowest not the way thither here 's a Prophet with words of Light and Life thou wouldst come to God but for the pressure of thy reigning Lusts here 's a King with a Sceptre of Righteousness to subdue them thou wouldst come to God but for want of a gracious Heart here 's a Treasury of all Grace and Holiness The Understanding still points at Christ Art thou in darkness he is a sun of righteousness Art thou in death he is the resurrection and the life Art thou a withered branch he is a root of fatness and sweetness Art thou a lost and half-damned Creature he is a Saviour able to save to the uttermost This Understanding glorifies Christ in all his Offices sings the sing of the Lamb and cries him up for altogether precious this is the Window or Lattess at which his all-fair Person looks in upon the Will the Conduit through which the sweet Ointment of his Name is poured out unto the Will and the Crucifix which shews forth his bloody Passion in lively colours before the Will This Understanding practically presses the Will to embrace him O my Soul now hear and live take him and everlasting Mercy meets thee leave him and devouring Justice overtakes thee catch hold on this Prince of Life or die for ever look up to this Brightness of Glory or be in utter Darkness wash in his Blood or bleed in eternal Flames put on his righteousness or be naked to all Eternity there is no way into the Holy of Holies but through the Veil of his Flesh enter and thou hast an ever-blessed God to make thee happy neglect and thou hast a righteous God to make thee for ever miserable When Christ through the Understanding thus pours out his precious Name as an Ointment unto the Will how can it chuse but love him When through this hole of the door he thus drops in his sweet-smelling Truths upon the Will how can it chuse but rise and open to him If it do not whither will it turn What to the Creatures they are all Blackamoors to this all-lovely Jesus What to repentant Tears those want washing in his Blood What to its good Works and Righteousness they are but a filthy Rag. There is such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a transcendent Excellency in the Knowledge of Christ that it makes all other things
a thing will you say What saith holy Stephen Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears you do always resist the holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye Acts 7. 51. To which I answer That the Spirit may be said to be resisted two ways either as it is in the external Ministry or as it comes in the internal Operations It may be said to be resisted in the external Ministry He that despiseth you despiseth me saith Christ Luk. 10. 16. He that despiseth despiseth not man but God saith the Apostle 1 Thess. 4. 8. When therefore it is said that they resisted the holy Ghost the meaning is not that they resisted him as to his internal Operations but that they resisted him as to the external Ministry This appears by the Context for they resisted him as their fathers did ver 51. and how was that The next Verse tells us Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted Ver. 52 Their resistance of the Spirit was in persecution of the Prophets But you 'l say Might they not also resist him as to his internal Operations I answer so much doth not appear in the Text but however the internal Operations of the Spirit are twofold some are for the production of common Graces some for the production of saving Graces such as the new Heart and new Spirit Now if the holy Ghost may be resisted as to the former Operations yet it cannot as to the latter for in these it takes away the heart of Stone the resisting Principle and gives an Heart of Flesh capable of divine Impressions 4. God doth insuperably remove the Obstacles of Conversion What is thy Mind dark nay darkness it self God can command the light out of darkness and shine into the heart 2 Cor. 4. 6. Is thine Ear deaf He can say Ephatha to it and seal instruction Job 33. 16. Is thy Heart hard and stony He can take away the stony heart and in the room of it give an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. Is thy Heart barred and shut up against God He can open it as well as Lydia's Acts 16. 14. he opens and none can shut Rev. 3. 7. Doth thy Will hang back He can draw thee Joh. 6. 44. and reveal such day of power upon thy heart as shall make thee truly willing Psal. 110. 3. Dost thou go on frowardly in the way of thy heart Yet he can see thy way and heal thee Isai. 57. 17 18. Dost thou oppose the precious Gospel Yet peradventure he will give thee repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. Whatever the Obstacle be he can remove it he can cast down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every height in the heart 2 Cor. 10. 5. and then what Obstacles can remain Now if God do insuperably remove the Obstacles of Conversion then he doth insuperably produce the Work of Conversion 5. If God do not work Conversion in an insuperable way then what doth he produce towards it but a mere posse convertere According to the Remonstrants Doctrine he doth not infuse Habits or vital Principles of Grace neither will they in plain direct terms assert that he doth produce actual Conversion what then doth he produce towards it but a mere posse convertere and is not a posse peccare from him also Voluntatem say the Remonstrants comitatur proprietas inseparabilis quam libertatem vocamus à qua Voluntas dicitur esse potentia quae positis omnibus praerequisitis ad agendum necessariis potest velle nolle an t velle non velle And again Semper in omni statu hujus vitae ubi legislatio praemiorum promissio poenarum interminatio hortationes preces similia locum habent voluit Deus libertatem Voluntati adesse quâ objectū ab intellectu monstratū velle potest nolle aut velle non velle Surely if the Nature and inseparable Property of the Will be such and such by the Will of God then according to the Remonstrants Doctrine a posse peccare is from God as the Author of Nature as well as a posse convertere is from him as the Author of Grace and by consequence it follows that he doth act as far towards Transgression as towards Conversion No by no means will you say it cannot be for God by his Commands Promises and the Spirit 's Motions doth promote Conversion but by his Prohibitions Threatnings and the Spirit 's Counter-motions doth beat back Transgression Very well these things shew that God's Actings touching Conversion and Transgression are not the same as to the Manner nevertheless they still remain the same as to the Terminus or product For after all the Commands Promises and Motions towards Conversion still the Terminus or Product is but a posse convertere and notwithstanding all the Prohibitions Threatnings and Motions against Transgression still there is the Terminus or Product of a posse peccare and by consequence he acts as far towards Transgression as towards Conversion Will you yet reply that God gives a posse convertere and without this Man could not convert and when he doth actually convert God concurrs thereunto I answer that according to the Remonstrants Doctrine God gives a posse peccare also and without this Man could not sin and when he doth actually sin God concurrs to the material Act thereof and where then is the Difference By the Doctrine of resistible Grace God seems to act as far towards Transgression as towards Conversion 6. If God do not work Conversion in an insuperable way then he works it in a dependent way putting Man's Will in aequilibrio as it were in an eaven Ballance that it may turn or not turn to God ad placitum Now that this last is none of God's Method clearly appears because God as beseems his infinite Wisdom works Conversion in such a way as is most depressive of the Creature and exaltative of himself the Man whom he indeed converts doth lick the Dust the fountain of Blood in his Nature is broken up and the superfluity of Naughtiness in his Life set in order before him he falls down in self-abhorrencies and cannot deny but that he is a Beast in his sensual Sins and a Devil in his spiritual he perceives his spiritual Poverty to be extreme so many thousand Talents owing to divine Justice and nothing at all to pay a shameful nakedness in his Soul and not a rag of Righteousness to cover it as a wretched half-damned Creature down he goes to the brink of Hell and from thence be hath a prospect of Heaven down he goes into the Abyss of his own Nullity and from thence hath some glimpses of Christ's Allness His first breath of spiritual Life is a groaning under the weight of Sin Oh! the intimate love of Sin says he 't will never out unless my heart be broken all to pieces Oh! the obdurate Stone in my Heart it cannot be mollified but by Almighty Grace Oh! my dead Heart nothing can quicken it