the Author of this following Treatise blessed be the Father of mercy the Fountaine of every good and perfect gift for his and many others fruitfull labours who may condescend to parley with poore Christians at their Tables in their Shops to follow them at the plow as Reverend Mr. Greenham was wont to doe endeavouring to rectifie and reduce them He knew how to deale wisely with subtile adversaries that he might have the more advantage against them grants them as much as he could with consistency to his owne principles that so he might the more easily confound theirs Onely you will be so candid as to consider that herein hee speakes ad populum And therefore as the ancient Fathers often useth the liberty of speaking like a Preacher rather then as a Doctor of the Chaire I reckon this a very strong argument to confute the power of Free-will to any spirituall action in a gratious manner the wofull experience of mine owne wretched heart being naturally so desperately wicked opposite to any spirituall good But this will not convince others onely by the way I would know how it comes to passe if Arminius Doctrine bee true that we have Free-will to choose that which is truly good why Arminians are not all very good men Will not this bee an aggravation against them at the dreadfull day of judgement Therefore the Lord is most admirably gratious in giving us such Masters of the Assemblies to fasten such Scripture truths as may hold us fast and close under the Covenant of Grace He was a blessing to the Colledge where he was fellow of Pembrooke Hall in Cambridge which hath bin a fruitfull nurcery to this Church and an ornament to the University and after a burning and shining light in Staffordshire He delighted much in preaching in an Evangelicall way from place to place as pitying many poore pining seduced soules under blinde and superstitious Ministers The Lord fill their hearts with compassion to them who have power in their hands to supply them that so millions do not perish for want of vision Afterwards the noble Earle of Warwick fixed him at Rochford in Essex where hee did speake and doe great things to the honour of Free Grace Hee lived there more by acting vigorously to his great Lord and Master Jesus Christ in a fewe Yeares then most of us his Brethren doe in many O that we who are left behinde in these conflicting times could more punctually and closely follow his example Jt is not studying the groundlesse fopperies of Popery nor the immersing our minds wholy into some dry disputes concerning some externalls and formes about Religion as too many do now a dayes being engaged in a party that will spiritualize us or our hearts so much as Studying and Preaching over the Covenant of Grace The mysterious and Heavenly secrets of the Gospell rightly opened and wisely applyed will by Gods blessing breed a Gospell spirit in thee leave a gratious tincture upon the spirits of Teachers and Hearers whereas possibly for want of this there may be a legall tartnesse and severity in the Spirits and Tongues of able and good men The gratious and powerfull Lord who onely teacheth to profit annoynt all his Saints with that holy unction that they may be able to discerne of things that differ clearely to distinguish betwixt truth and error And that he may to this and other happy purposes blesse abundantly this savourly acute and solid Treatise shall be the earnest Prayer of him Who is thine in and for the Lord Jesus THOMAS HILL A Table of the Contents THe reason why the wicked do not repent nor come out of their sins is not because they cannot though they cannot but because they will not Page 8. 7 Demonstrations to prove it The wicked think they have power to repent but will not do according to their thoughts ibid They will not try whether they can repent or no p. 9 They refuse the helpe which God offers them p. 10 They will not use the power which God hath given them p. 11 They grow worse by the meanes afforded them p. 13 Their Cannot is voluntary p. 14 They are content with their cannot p. 15 The first ground of the Doctrine Every man can do more good then he doth and shun more evill then he doth p. 17 This appeares by these following considerations If a man can do no more then he doth nothing can hindes him but his will ibid. If a man can do no more then he does and yet will not he must needs voluntarily hinder himselfe from doing that which he cannot p. 18 Jf a man will not do that he can neither will bee that which he cannot if he could p. 19 If a man 〈◊〉 â—ot do that he can can or can-not all is one to him all sticks at his will p. 20 If a man will not doe that which he can this will make a mans conscience when it comes to speake in sober sadnesse thanke himselfe for his perishing p. 21 Arguments to prove the first Ground p. 22 Because God doth complaine against the wicked for the voluntary doing no more good then they doe ibid. Because otherwise there were no room for prayse nor dispraise p. 23 Because there would be no roome for the Sword of the Magistrate p. 24 Because though a carnall man cannot put off the old man yet it is not his nature to commit this sin at this time and in this manner ibid. A wicked man can do more good c. Because a godly regenerate man may avoide more sin then he doth p. 25 The ground further proved by Particulars The will hath dominion over all the outward acts of the members p. 26 Every man hath naturall affections in hine by which he may doe more then he doth and shun more evill then he doth p. 27 God hath given to every man naturall counsell and naturall Reason and Prudence p. 30 That is first in order which is naturall and afterwards that which is spirituall and if a man stick there he sticks at a will-not p. 31 The second Ground Every wicked man is slothfull and negligent p. 34 Five demonstrations to prove it Every wicked man doth imagine more cannots then then there be p. 35. He makes every little difficulty a cannot when as nothing but an impossibility is a cannot p 36. A slothful man turns his very abilities into cannots 37. p He doth voluntarily naile himself unto cannots p. 38 He putteth forth by halves that power which he hath p. 39 There is more in a wicked man then by reason of sluggishnesse he putteth forth p. 40 Six Arguments to prove this It a signe it is in him p. 40 Because when God doth convert a sinner he doth not put in new powers and faculties into the soule
the Statutes of Omri are kept Mic. 6.16 You can observe his statutes why cannot you set about mine hee sets up a Temple you can go constantly to it why cannot you go constantly to mine The reproofe was very equall If thou wilt not set upon the meanes thou art most equally condemned I cannot preach so often as some do nor be so much resident as some are No Why wilt thou not give over one of thy two livings then Thou art able to do that if thou 'lt not set upon the meanes thy condemnation is equall Thus I have confirmed this first point namely that the wicked may use those meanes that the Lord commands them as meanes In the second place I shewed that this being thus thy condemnation must be wilfull if thou wilt not use all the meanes Arguments to prove it First The Lord will not helpe that man by a miracle to go that hath legges to go and will not Thou sayst thou wouldst faine go to Heaven tell mee what legges hath God given thee What meanes hath hee lent thee If thou wilt not use them the Lord will never helpe thee without Had the Israelites had any meanes to have gotten over Jordan as Ships or Barkes Boates or Bridges or Fords and they would not hee would never have helpt them over without You know the Lord parted the waters Josh. 3.13 but if they had refused the meanes hee would not have kept them on this manner without if they had food sufficient in the Wildernesse to eate and they would not hee would not have rained food downe upon them had they had Shoomakers and Drapers and cloath sufficient to come by and they would not he would never have miraculously have helpt the garments from wearing It s a tempting of God when thou hast the meanes and wilt not be diligent in them to desire God to help thee without thou wouldst have thy children Gods children thy family Christs family then use the meanes Set up the constant invocation of Gods Name Morning and Evening among them set up Reading set up Catechising and every good thing or thou canst never expect it Wouldst thou be holy and heavenly then use the meanes Talk of Heaven in thy meetings reason about grace inquire of good soules And how may I come by an humble heart How may I get faith and be lead by the spirit If thou wilt not be constant in the use of the meanes all thy prayers to God are nothing but temptings Thou art troubled with by thoughts thou sayst thou wouldst faine be delivered therefrom then use the meanes be not so long without God every houre pray every day oftner strive in the duty the harder if thou wilt not use the meanes God will never helpe thee without Thou art full of thy doubtings thou sayst thou heartily desirest to be freed then use the meanes or thou liest give over thy broad walking thy broad acquaintance those that have no more holinesse in them then the stock are thy bosomest friends if thou wilt not use the meanes God will never assure thee without nor convert thee without if Dives his five brethren will not heare Moses and the Prophets they shall have no miracle from the dead Luke 16.18 if God lend thee the meanes hee will not save thee without Secondly God will not bate a farthing of the price hee sets thee at when a Tradesman hath once set his lowest price hee will not goe lower Now the use of the meanes are Gods lowest price the Lord will not bate a farthing of that wherefore is a price put into the hand of a foole Pro. 17.16 the meanes of grace are this price and the price is in thy hands when the Lord vouchsafes thee the meanes hee le not bate thee a farthing of this price He sets this price on his mercies and graces thou must use all the meanes not as though grace might be valued no it exceedeth all prices or as though grace were not free Yea its free and without price its fit though that this price should be set upon the almes that the proud beggar should choose to receive it if thou wilt not give the price that God hath put into thy hand thou art worthy to misse it I will give so much and labour so much and pray so much and reforme so much No no that will not do Christ will have tother odde penny too thy filthy speaking must off and thy base passions and old curses must off hee le have thee stoope to all his holy meanes wouldst thou have it cheaper Mine owne children and Saints never had it cheaper Not Abraham Isaac nor Jacob nor Paul they were faine to use all holy meanes to abandon every lust to set up every duty invocation in their families meditation in their hearts examination in their consciences holy communication in mouthes none of my Saints had it cheaper And thou makest a mock of them for praying so much and professing so much so much hearing and so much gadding after Sermons c. Well well I 'le not bate thee one duty nor one lust nor one carnall desire I 'le have thee set about all or thou shall never have mercy Yea but I cannot finde in my heart to put up this nor to be abridged of this and shall Christ and thou part for one single farthing Perish then and go and thanke thine will for it in Hell God is resolved upon this price and this is the lowest Thirdly God will never be brought out of his walke thou canst never looke that God should come out of his walke to shew thee any mercy or give thee any grace Now the way wherein God walkes is the meanes of grace and of salvation There thou must looke for God or thou canst have no hope for to finde him Suppose a poore Petitioner should come with his petition to the King he can never looke to have the King come downe hither to Rochford to grant it him No hee must go up to the King The King is at Court at White-Hall and there he may have him if he will not go thither he is wilfull and if his petition be not granted he may thanke his owne will So thou canst not looke to fetch God out of his owne walke the meanes of grace and salvation endeavour to obey him prayings cryings seekings c. These and the other meanes of salvation are his walke these are the wayes wherein they must wait to finde God if they would have him in the way of thy judgements have we waited for thee Isa. 26.8 There the godly wait for the Lord in the way where his walke is hee will not bee spoken with but onely there in his walke If thou wilt not seeke him there thou mayst thanke thine own will if thou missest him yee that are negligent to hold out in Gods wayes yee can never looke to finde mercy while yee live Pray for mercy and cry for mercy and grone
WILFULL IMPENITENCY THE GROSSEST Selfe-Murder All they who are guilty of it Apprehended Tryed and Condemned in these SERMONS Preached at Rochford in Essex not long before his death by that able faithfull and laborious Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. William Fenner B.D. and made publick by one of his unworthy fellow laborers PROV. 1.24 25 26 Because J have called and ye have refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded But ye have set at nought all my counsell and would none of my reproof J also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear commeth JOHN 5.40.43 And ye will not come to me that ye might have Life J am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive Velle meum Domine misericordiae tale est de redeundo ad te quale est velle tuum de meâ ad te reversione Gul. Paris de Rhetor Div. â— 14 Quid agit liberum arbitrium Breviter respondeo salvatur Bern. de Lib. Arb. Gr. Non velle in causâ est non posse praetenditur Sen. LONDON Printed by E.G. for Iohn Rothwell at the Signe of the Sun and Fountaine in Pauls-Church yard 1648. TO The Right Honorable ROBERT RICH Baron of Leez in Essex and Earle of Warwick abundance of spirituall blesings in Jesus Christ PAul being upon a propheticall wing for the Lord had powred upon him not onely an Apostolicall but a Propheticall spirit doth foretell in the 2 Tim. 3.1 That in the last dayes perilous times shall come Those who are full of carnall self-love and unthankfulnesse will much increase the danger of this last Age of the World The Lord roote up all such weedes out of our hearts God hath I hope given Your Honour such a measure of love to the publique and so active a spirit to do good to others as will helpe to lessen the danger of these evill times And I would be so thankfull for favours received that I might not be ranked among this dishonourable Catalogue which here Paul sums up of such as make bad times worse It is your Honours happinesse and advantage as it was once said of the Duke of Guise in France that hee 〈◊〉 put obligations upon all that you can ingage very many and amongst the rest I must ever acknowledge my selfe one who in one of the greatest turnings of my life by the good hand of God upon mee in your free consent and noble bounty have had so much comfort in the nearest and dearest relation that I never envied any other but finde matter of everlasting praises to God for his goodnesse to my selfe therein And being under so great obligations when I can produce nothing of my owne worthy your acceptance I take leave to act the part of a Midwife to this happy Birth which may call your Honour Father as will appeare by the following Letter that it was ultimately intended for your spiritâ— all advantage And it were 〈◊〉 a kinde of sacriledge to keepâ—that holy issue from you that is so much your owne It joyes the soules of mee and many more of your praying servants that they have so much occasion to prayse their God on your behalfe for so many able and faithfull Ministers of the Gospell of the first second and third magnitude that your prudent fatherly care hath fixed where you as Patron have beene trusted Oh the many Chariots and horse-men of Israel that your noble Father and you have brought triumphantly into Essex herein you did happily Patrizare the Lord continue the like care to build and repaire his house in these who survive you from Generation to Generation that so your house may still bee honorably supported Ecclesiasticall story speakes of one Henricus Auceps when hee did fight against the Hungarians made this vow to God That if the Lord would give him victory against his enemies hee would purge his Country from Simony which at this time mightily abounded therein Wee want men of such an heroicall zealous disposition in England Oh that all Patrons were more mindfull of their high trust then they would not so often betray the soules of people by putting off a friend c. with a living to some unworthy Chaplaine Doubtlesse there is many a damned creature roaring in Hell cursing covetous Patrons as well as unfaithfull Pastors For whose Bloud in part at least they must bee accountable to the Father of spirits and Judge of the quick and the dead A most heavy reckoning when the sins of so many Congregations to which Patrons are accessary by sending ignorant and scandalous Ministers amongst them are made theirs whereas the least of their owne sins unrepented of will sucke them eternally God who is faithfull will not forget your labour and cost of love to the truely Reverend man of God Master Hooker who is now singing Hallelujahs in Heavenly Mansions when hee was persecuted by the * Archi flamen of Canterbury Hee will pay abundantly for the protecting and nursing his Children Heb. 6.10 I know not how better to expresse my deepe sence of your most reall favour the comfort whereof I dayly enjoy then by taking the humble boldnesse to beseech your Honour to adde one thing more which indeed is the â—num necessarium whereby you will gaine that better part which shall not be taken from you Namely that you would study and pray that you may walke in the light and heate of that glorious Gospell constellation for Ministers are Starres and the * Angells of the Churches which you have endeavoured to fix in your Orbe Your Honour hath beene often at Sea and there beholding the wonders of God in the deepe have beene taught to wrestle with him for mercy It is an old saying hee that would learne to pray let him goe to Sea Besiege Heaven with your unwearied importunities that the Arke of the Gospell which you have provided for thousands may be your owne everlasting Sanctuary And that you feasting upon their danties may bee fat and flourishing in your last dayes standing stedfast in these shaking times and immoveable keeping Faith and a good conscience which too many having put away concerning Faith have made Shipwracke more and more abounding in the Worke of the Lord forasmuch as you know your labour is not in vaine in the Lord This through the grace of Christ shall be the earnest Prayer of him who is My LORD Your Honours most obliged servant THOMAS HILL To the Right Worshipfull my much Honored friend Sir NATHANIEL RICH I Have been often thinking what to send to you at last this Theme which I had lately treated of in the Pulpit came into my minde it s of infinite use and necessity and a truth little examined considered or layed to heart yet marvelous necessary for humiliation to all the children of God and of great weight for the
notwithstanding the evidence of this truth The wisdome of the flesh which is enmity against God fills carnall mindes with many objections against it from all which I shall endeavour to vindicate it by answering them all in order THe first Objection is drawne those from Scriptures which say that they cannot From their own willingnesse they would but they cannot Is from their own desires they desire to do it but they are not able Is from their resolutions they purpose but whether they will or no they are feine to break their good purposes Is from their good endeavours as they say they labour against their sinnes and yet they are transported into them to sweare before they are aware to be overtaken in company c. We will answer them in order As to the first Objection from the Scriptures which say they cannot I answer Indeed the Scripture speakes of five Cannots First Of a naturall cannot every man is borne by nature under a cannot believe and a cannot see God But there is difference betweene thy cannot repent and thy doest not repent there is difference twixt these two The cause of thy cannot is one thing and the cause of thy doest not is another The cause of thy cannot is the carnalnesse of nature but the cause of thy doest not is the wilfulnesse of thy will The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse to him neither indeed can hee for they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 where the Apostle makes a different cause of a naturall mans cannot and his does not when he speakes of his cannot hee tells us the cause of that is because grace is spirituall and he is carnall Neirher indeed can hee because they are spiritually discerned but when he speakes of his does not you see he alledges a different cause of his does not The naturall man does not receive the things of the spirit of God they are foolishnesse unto him He counts them all foolish He is so wilfull in his own carnall reason that he counts it folly to deny it thou canst not do thus and thus dost thou say Why then wilt you count it folly to do so when a man crosses thee of thy will thou countst it folly to put it up I were a foole if I should be so precise as some be I were a foole if I should not suffer a little disorder in my house as long as I gaine by it This is meere wilfulnesse this and not a cannot is a cause of thy doest not Thou canst not indeed because thou art carnall but thy cannot is dead and not operative thy will is the cause of thy does not Like the wilfull blind blinde man Hee was blinde and would not open his eye-lids He could not see but his cannot lay dead for hee would not open his eye-lids his cannot is not operative till he will open his eye-lids If he could see yet he could not till he would open his eye-lids so thou wilt not open thine eyelids Secondly the Scripture speakes of a deliberate cannot when a man cannot do a thing onely because hee cannot finde in his heart to do it Thou canst not repent of this and that sinne and forsake it the truth is thy cannot is this thou canst not finde in thy heart to forgoe it Such a couse is so profitable and pleasing to thy flesh thou canst not finde in thy heart to abandon it thou canst not finde in thy heart to be friends with such a one to part with thy vanities or to abridge thy selfe of thine angry speeches when thou art stird c. Thou canst not finde in thy heart to do it As the Jewes you cannot believe sayes Christ because yee seeke honour one from another Joh. 5.44 they would feine be well thought of of all their acquaintance and therefore they could not finde in their heart to believe in Christ Oh that would make thee to be out of favour with the Pharisees and to be counted basely of in the World Therefore they could not finde in their heart to believe now this is no excuse thou canst not turne unto God thou canst not find in thy heart to part with thy lusts this is thy cannot Thirdly the Scripture speakes of a judiciall cannot as a rogue cannot go because for his loytering the Magistrate hath lockt him in the stockes This does not excuse thee one jot shall the villaine be wilfull in his loytering and then complaine of the Magistrate that he is not able to go about his worke I cannot go about my worke sayes hee and who bad him be so idle as not to go about it when he might Thou hast gone on may be wilfully in thy sinnes and now the Lord hath inflicted a judiciall cannot unto thee Thou canst not come out of thy sins nay the Lord hath cast this cannot upon thee in judgement he hath set thee in the stockes for thy wilfull security As the wicked Jewes they could not believe sayes the Text because Isaiah sayth hee hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts Joh. 12.39 40. could they excuse themselves for their cannot No the Lord had set them in the stocks for their wilfullnesse and security They could not believe for they had wilfully provoked the Lord to cast this cannot upon them in judgement Fourthly the Scripture speakes of a compounded cannot A cannot in sensu composito as we call it a cannot in a compounded sence As a drunkard cannot tender his family his poore Wife and children No as long as he lyes blowsing on the Alebench he cannot in a compounded sence he cannot Aristotle sets it out by sitting he that is sitting cannot walke that is as long as he is sitting he cannot walke As Christ sayth of a carnall man hee cannot bee my Disciple he cannot in a compounded sence he that commeth to mee and hates not father and mother and wife and children yea and his owne life cannot be my Disciple Luke 14.26 he cannot indeed as long as he stands upon these termes My father will not love me and my mother will not like me if I should be one of your Disciples my friends would not owne me I must do as I do or I cannot keepe my wife and children Indeed as long as thou standst on these termes thou canst not be a Disciple of Christ thou canst not in a compounded sence but if thou wouldst divide it thou mightst no man can serve two masters Mat. 6.24 marke compound them together and he cannot But if he would give over one he might serve the other thou canst not thou sayest No I yeeld thee in a compounded sence thou canst not thou canst not as long as thou art thus carelesse as thou art as long as thou favourest thy selfe in such and such lusts thou canst not The compounding of thy security and lazines with Religion that is the reason why thou
to the child and see him brought up in religion they presently goe and put off the charge on the Father I pray you take the charge upon you so thou layest the charge at Gods doore when God gives thee any duty in charge thou layest it at his doore as though it stucke there and there thou lettest it lie not sâ—â—ing about it to doe it God give me grace repentance is his gift and if he doe not give it I cannot repent I would but I cannot if he do not give it the speech is very good and becomes a godly soule that makes conscience of the meanes to say it but this is thy shuffling to lay it at Gods doore as though it stuck there God tels thee plainly it does not sticke at him he would have all to come unto repentance 2. Pet. 3.9 but thou wilt not come and this is the deceit of thy heart to shuffle it from thee In the third place is it so that the reason why thou dost not amend is not because thou canst not but onely because thou wilt not Oh then my Brethren learn to be humbled This point calls for great humiliation First here lies especially the pride of the heart not in mens cannots but their will nots when a soule does whatsoever it can reformes as much as it can uses as many meanes as it can and as often as it can this is not a proud heart but a proud heart is that especially which stickest at â—â—will not If ye will not heare my soule shall weepe in secret places for your pride Jer. 13.17 marke for your pride if you will not he does not say if you cannot my soule shall weepe for your pride if ye stick at a cannot but if yee stick at a will not do not thinke this point does lift up mens wills no this point does as much beat at the humbling of the will as any point under heaven for here lies all the pride of the will and therefore here yee must be humbled Secondly here lies especially the hardning of the heart when a man stickes at a cannot he does not more and more harden his heart but onely stickes at the same hardnesse he had Beloved thou dost then harden thy heart when thou wilt not obey and therefore here 's most need of thy humbling to be humbled for thy will nots its said of Pharaoh he hardned his heart Exod. 9.34 what followes He would not let the children of Israel goe thy will nots these are they that harden thy heart doest thou complaine of the hardnesse of thy heart O goe and humble thy soule for thy will nots these are the hardners of thy heart nay let me tell thee thou hast no hardnesse of heart no more then an infant or a babe but onely that which thy will nots have made thee and therefore thou hast great reason to be humbled for thy will nots Thirdly here lies especially the stubbornnesse of the heart when a child that is commanded by his Parent to obey stickes at a cannot he obeyes as farre as he can but onely he sticks at a cannot he is not stubborne stubbornnesse is when one stickes at a will not if a man have a stubborne sonne which will not obey the voice of his Father Deut. 21.18 so here lies especially the stubbornenesse of thy heart and therefore here 's most humiliation required Fourthly here lies the greatest despisings of the Commandments of God authority is never so much despised as when men will not submit to it a father's despised when a sonne will not heare him and a master's despised when his servant will not do as he bids him nay a commandment cannot be despised but by wil nots it may be omitted and not obeyed by cannots but it cannot be despised but by will nots if yee shall despise my statutes so that ye will not do all my commandments c. Levit. 26.15 O what infinite reason hast thou to be humbled that despisest the Lord He cannot endure that men should despise him he can put up any other wrong rather then this that men should despise him but to be sleighted and despised he will not cannot endure it For three transgressions of Judah and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they have despised the law of the Lord Amos. 2 4. he will not turne away the punishment of this sinne when men do despise him what infinite need then hast thou to be humbled under thy will not thou despisest the commandment Here 's a word to you that are godly O what mercy hath the Lord shewed to you and how ought you to be thankfull never was there such mercy as this to shew mercy to the wilfull O woefull soule be his misery never so great hee 's not the fit object of mercy for though misery be mercies object yet joyn'd with wilfullnes it 's not to be pittied you have been as wilfull as any all cut out of the same rocke the Lord hath not onely helpt you to mercy and grace but also to a will to take it When Lot was unwilling to goe out of Sodome the Lord tooke him by the arme and carried him perforce now now see how the Text expresses it the Angels tooke hold of his hand the Lord being mercifull unto him and they brought him forth Gen. 19 16. As if he should say would you faine stay you shall not would you stand lingring to be consumed with fire and brimstone you shall not the Lord was mercifull to him whether he would or no So you had no mercy on your selves but the Lord had yee were wilfull against mercie and the Lord fastned mercy on you whether you would or no he commanded his loving kindnesse Psalm 42.8 goe mercy and seize on them goe loving kindnesse and make them take yee not as though God converted you against your wills for when he converted you your unwillingnesse was taken away but he made you of unwilling willing Oh the infinite mercy of God and the infinite cause you have to be thankefull In the fifth place to you that stand out in your wilfullnesse still is it so that yee sticke at a will not then be exhorted to be much in abasing your selves before the Lord your stoutnesse is intolerable that you dare set up the briars and thornes against God in battle down with them and be wise you harden your own hearts and disable your selves more and more for repenting of it ye despise the Lords name by the stubbornenesse of your froward will you can never be saved except your wils stoop before Christ will meddle with a soule hee 'l first aske art thou willing as he ask'd the blind man what wilt thou that I doe unto thee Lord saies he that I may receive my sight Luk. 18.41 So the first question he puts to thee is what wilt thou Lord that I may be humble converted purged if thou beest willfull though
Conclusi 1 Reas. 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 Object Answ 2 Object Answ 1. 3 Object Answ 4 Object Answ 5 Object Answ Vse 1. Of instruction 1 Excuse 2 Excuse 3 Excuse 4 Excus. 5 Excuse 6 Excuse 1 Demon 2 Demon 3 Demon 4 Demon 4 Demon 6 Demon 2Vse Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. 1 Consid. 2 Consid. 3 Consid 4 Consid. 5 Consid. 1 Reason 2 Vse The division of the Text Gods calme answer to their froward cavils in seven particulars Foure things very observable Israels perdition not from God but from it selfe Rev. 13.8 Joh. 3.16 Id unum vos eccusat resipiscere non vultu 1 Presupposition not to be mâ—staken Liceâ— aliquis cum possit gratiaÌ„ aâ— pisci qui reprobatur à deo tamen quod in hoc vel illud peccatum labatur ex ejus libero arbitrio coÌ„tingit unde et merito sibi in culpaÌ„ imputatur Aq. par 1. qu. 23. Atr. 3. resp ad Arg. tertium 2 Presup Maâ— 23.37 3 Presup Mat. 25.29 Facienti quod in se est deus faciet quod in se Pelagia Er. Prov. 10.4 10.22 4 Presup 5 Presup 1 Cor. 4.7 Mat. 14.41 Doct. Acts 5.3 1 Demon 1 The wicked think they have power to repent Pro. 6.10 All the free wil mongers the reason why they do not repent is because they will not out of their own mouth will God condemn them Luke 23.40 2 Demon 2 They wil not try Tentantes ad Troiam pervenêre Graeci Theo. 3 Demon They refuse the help which God offers Jer. 6.16 Mat. 25.25 4 Demo And will not use the power wch he hath given Prov. 17.16 Luke 16.2 5 Demon They grow worse by the means Bern. Hos. 6.4 6 Demon Their cannot is voluntary A Morall impotency Luke 19.20 Chrysost. 7 Demon They are contented with their cannot Jeâ— 5.31 Art 3. 4. in refut 3.4 error pofit 1. Consi Every man can do more good then hee doth Consi 2. 3. Consid. 4. Consi Prov. 22.13 5 Consi 1. Argu. 2. Argu. Tametfi impossibile erâ—t Judaeis convertiper externam praedicationem Evangelii absque praedeterminante gratia quia tamen â—bduratiores erant Iudaei proptia malitia quaÌ„ Tyrii Sydonii idcirco à scrutatore cordium corripiuÌ„tur Doct. Prid. lect. de med. scient p 65. 3. Argu. 4. Argu. 5. Argu. Imsuperabiliteâ— movet quamvis fit aliqua resistentia Amâ—r sui ipsius est objectum moâ—ioum at Amor Dei ipsius est tantum objectum terminativil Ames Cas. conse. de charitâ— erga deum Quis poterit as Monâ—anus hath it 1 Kings 21.29 Repugnanti non volenti necessitas est Sen. 1 Demon Prov. 15.19 2 Demon Prov. 20.4 3 Demon Eccles. 10.18 Prov. 1.86 4 Demon Prov. 26.14 5 Demon Prov 19.24 Six Arguments to prove it 1. Argu. When God comes to worke grace hee finds in thee indeed passiva capacitas potentia obedientialis but their own naturall faculties are raised to supernaturall acts upon supernaturall object God 2. Argu. Jer. 4 2â— Hos. 7.9 3. Argu. Exod. 5.17 4 Argu. Prov. 21.25 5. Argu. 2 Kings 12 2. Luke 4.13 6. Argu. Luke 16.28 No excuse will serve impenitent sinners turne at the last day Prov. 14.23 Mar. 9.19 Prov. 10.26 Liberum arbitrium liberatum Col. 4.6 Note This confounds the Helena of the Arminians 1. Argu. Media 2. Argu. 3. Argu. 4 Argu. 5. Argu. Note 1. Argu. Note 2. Argu. 3. Argu. Note Isa. 1.18 1. Object 2. Object 3. Object 4. Object 5. Object 1. Object answered There are five cannots in Scripture 1 Cannot Caecuâ— est eâ— palpebras claudit 2 Connot 3 Cannot 4 Cannot Jmpossibile est sedentem ambulare Note 5 Cannot 2. Object answered Note Lazy velleities no will Note When carnall men can discover no other blemishin the Saints theÌ„ they charg them with hypocrisy 3. Obect answered Vanity of thoughts 2 Kings 5.31 Est 6.6 4. Object answered 5. Obect answered 1 Vse Note 1 Vse For instruction Thou canst never be humbled unles thou believe this truth 1. Excuse 2. Excuse Note 3 Excuse Sinne of Infirmity 4. Excuse Note 5. Excuse Apud Cassandrum Domine duc me quo non volo 6. Excuse Carnall men excuse themselves and cast the blame up-God 1. Demon 2 Demon James 1.13 3 Demon 4 Demon 5 Demon Note That which men call fortune is Gods providence 6 Demon 2 Vse Which discovers the hearts deceitfulnesse Ier. 17.9 3Vse 3 Vse Engage to humiliation 4 Vse To quicken the thankfulnesse of the godly Note 5 Vse A seasonable Item to all rebellious spirits Psal. 81 11. Consider Hos. 13.9 Wilfull disobedience is soule-murder 1 Sam. 12.12 Note Note Note Caelum non patituâ— duos soleâ— Note An awakening hint for â—here deemed of the Lord Note Note