Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	holy_a	lord_n	son_n	13,150	5	5.2455	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48861	The glory of free grace display'd: or, The transcendant excellency of the love of God in Christ, unto believing, repenting sinners, in some measure describ'd Wherein, 1. The doctrine about election, and the covenant of reconciliation is explained. 2. The error of the antinomians, who assert, that the filth of sin was laid on Christ, and that the holiness as well as the righteousness of Christ is made the elects while in the womb, &c. With their abuse of free-grace particularly detected and confuted. 3. In what sense our sins were laid on Christ, and Christ's righteousness made the believers, according to the sacred scriptures, evinced. 4. The glory of irresistible-grace, as exerted in the conversion of a sinner in opposition to the Arminian, cleared. 5. A modest defence of the sober dominican, about physical predetermination.	Lobb, Stephen, d. 1699.	1680 (1680)	Wing L2724B; ESTC R218819	67,996	163

his infinitely free love as to purpose the actual giving unto some sincere faith and sound repentance that so they might be saved God would not that All should perish and therefore although the wickedness of all was great yet the Lord determined to extend his infinite grace to some that they might by receiving faith from God and all those other graces which are the merits and purchase of Christs blood c. and the work of Christ's Spirit be eternally saved The eternal purpose of giving this superabundant grace is called Election about which observe these following particulars 1. God hath Elected some to life everlasting This is acknowledged by the Remonstrants who have corrupted this doctrine in part and shall be proved in the confirmation of the following particulars 2. The Election or foreknowledge of God is of a certain select number of particular persons known unto the Lord from all eternity whom he foreknew those he predestinated Rom. 8.29 The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 and calleth them by name John 10.3 Jacob have I loved Rom. 9.13 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and ordained thee a prophet to the nations Jer. 1.5 Jeremiah in particular was from eternity known unto the Lord viz. The great God from everlasting foreknew and predestinated this and consequently every other particular elect person to their work here and glory hereafter 3. Election being an act of the Divine will an immanent and an eternal act 't is most free we cannot suppose any thing to precede what is eternal God's election therefore is according to the good pleasure of his will Ephes 1.5 The elect being predestinated or fore-ordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will Ephes 1.11 For the mystery of Gods will which is made known unto us is according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself ver 9. 'T was not the foresight of Faith and good works that moved God to elect any the principal cause of election being the will of God the eternal purpose of God 4. The select Number of particular persons who were from eternity most freely fore-ordained to be saved are ordained to Salvation in and through the Lord Jesus Christ According as he hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the world having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ Eph. 1.4,5 Yea God hath appointed us to Obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 5. The unalterable determination and purpose of God is that such as are ordained to be saved through Christ be regenerated and renewed in their minds by the powerful working of the holy Spirit According as he hath chosen us in him that we should be Holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1.4 For whom he did foreknow he did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 whence t is said that we are created in Jesus Christ unto good works in which God hath fore-ordained that we should walk Ephes 2.10 For God hath chosen you unto Salvation through the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thessal 2.13 1 Pet. 1.2 The Improvement followeth 1. That the Lord left not the whole lump of mankind to perish in eternal misery but resolved the Salvation of some is fully of grace 2. That the Most High condescendeth so infinitely as to regard the Low estate of faln man affording suitable helps for the effectual engageing some to lay hold on eternal life is of grace The Lord gives Grace and Glory and every good thing to a Select Number which is the ture reason why any are saved But that which is surprizing is this 3. That the Worst of men who appear to be vessels of wrath have been endured with much long-suffering Surely 't is not the Decree that hath any such causality in it as doth effect mans sin a Detestanda abominanda opinio est quae Deum cujusquam malae voluntatis aut malae actionis credit Authorem cujus praedestinatio nunquam extra bonitatem nunquam extra justitiam Adulteria non instruere novit sancta Divinitas sed damnare nec disponere sed punire Aug. resp ad art sibi impos art l. 10. Posset enim peccatum aliquod ex praedestinatione Dei esse Si posset aliquis hominum justè peccare Nullus autem hominum justè peccat quamvis eum Deus justè peccare permittat Fulgent ad Mon. de praed lib. 1. Decreta nil ponunt in esse Man's sin is from himself and his destruction is but the product of his own obstinacy and rebellion Oh the many exhortations sincere calls pressing and Pathetical invitations that are given all to return unto God that they may live and how doth the Lord wait to be gracious exercising the greatest patience in bearing the affronts of vile sinners so long 4. It must be duly remembred b Ego hoc dico quod dixi quia quicquid Deusagit miserecorditer juste sanctèque facit non potest tantum justus dici Deus aut solùm misericors sed Justus et misericors Sic legimus sic credimus August Resp ad calumn Pelagianor That the Lord in exalting Free-Grace regards the glory of his other most excellent attributes viz. his Holiness and Righteousness and in both his Infinite Wisdom I 'le only hint in this place somewhat concerning the glorification of Free-Grace in a way consistent with his Holiness Although the Lord hath wonderfully discovered himself to be the Lord God Gracious and Merciful Long-suffering slow to anger and abundant in goodness yet still the Lord is holy yea he is the Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts shewing himself to be so by his love to holiness in the creature and by his abhorrence unto sin that is most contrary thereunto and accordingly as the determination is to save some it is further as hath been prov'd through the sanctification of the Spirit Oh then let none presume to say If they are elected they shall be saved though they remain wallowing in their sin No No Reader this is not so for without holiness no seeing the face of God 1 Heb. 12.14 Out of Christ no Salvation and to remain Unsanctified Unholy and in sin is to be out of Christ give therefore all dilligence to make thy election sure by being savingly Called to the Leading a new which is an holy life But of this more Hereafter CHAP. III. A second Instance of grace Adding light unto the former shewing how the gracious decree is accomplished notwithstanding the difficulty The Covenant between God the Father and the Son which is the Covenant of reconciliation or the Mediatorial Covenant discovered in some of its particulars The use shewing how grace is hereby glorified THat God might effectually accomplish the Salvation of any in a way consistent with the glory of his Holiness Righteousness Truth and Faithfulness and accordingly see the Execution of the

esteemed by the Father of our blessed Jesus as clean pure and holy or as if God could not set forth the Excellency of his Grace any other way than by lying under many a mistake These notwithstanding their pretence of exulting Free-Grace denying the Omniscience or Infinite knowledge of him who is All-wise and representing the Infallible God as liable to error do sadly abuse Free-Grace 3. To suggest that Free-Grace is glorified in the actual imputing Christs righteousness unto any while in unbelief as if the swearer or Sabbath breaker the drunkard or unclean person that delights in fornication and adultery might while so be an actual partaker of the special blessings of God or as if the Sanctification of the Spirit had been no way necessary to our Salvation is a sad abuse of Grace tending to the great dishonour of the infinite Holiness and purity of God But since God is not only Gracious but also is most holy Grace is not it cannot be revealed but in a way consistent with the glory of Divine Purity and Holiness But 4. Some there are who magnifie the Free-Grace of God by concealing that glorious discovery God hath made thereof in our Lord Jesus these are they who contend for the actual justification of all the Elect from Eternity as if Jesus Christ died to procure that for the Elect which they had before the Worlds were made or as if the decree of God his electing Will an Immanent act had been transient in the actual creating justifying and saving all the Elect from eternity that is as if they had been created millions of years before there was any creature Thus men on pretence of lifting up the Free-Grace of God do not only trouble the Churches with their confusion and variety of contradictions but morcover do lightly esteem the greatest Instance of Free-Grace the Elect ●…re capable of receiving viz. the Love of God in Christ For hereby God commendeth his Love to us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 Again God SO loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Joh. 3.16 and without blood no Remission 5. There are others who in their abuse of Free-Grace do greatly reproach the Spirit of Christ and of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by asserting that the Elect are actually Justified in the womb even before they do believe yea while they are in a state of darkness and strang●… to the powerful working of Gods holy Spirit These are they who insist on Faith as necessary only for the procuring the knowledge of that justification which they actually had before 〈◊〉 But how do these men sin against the Spirit of God by reproaching its works as if the gr●…s of the Spirit had been of no esteem as if our Faith and Repentance our Love to God and 〈◊〉 ●…lking according to the Gospel of our 〈◊〉 Redeemer had been our sin T is true the 〈…〉 doth consider the Righteousness of the 〈…〉 and the Apostle concluded that his righteousness which was not done in Faith to be as dung in comparison of the righteousness of Christ And surely because of the many imperfections that attend our best performances we have cause to be humbled daily before the Lord and to apply our selves to the blood and righteousness of Christ for pardoning mercy But yet it must be still asserted that there is a difference between those graces that are the work of God's spirit in us and the imperfections which proceed from the remains of our old corruption for that which is the work of God's Spirit as such is not dung nor dross nor filth nor stinking rags much less filthy sins The Spirit of God is the Author of Faith and Love and other graces but the Spirit of God is not the Author of sin and filth The giving grace to the soul is the renewing the Image of God on the soul but the image of God doth not consist in sin and filth and stinking rags The believer in being a partaker of the graces of God's spirit is a partaker of the divine nature but the divine nature is not composed of sin or any filthy thing 'T is our duty to believe in Christ to love God c. but 't is not our duty to sin or wallow in any spiritual uncleanness Whence then such as do deny the necessity of saith in order to our being actually justified or such as do reproach the working of Gods holy spirit calling what is holy unholy what is pure impure reviling the divine nature reproaching Gods image on pretence of exalting free grace do greatly sin in abusing a great instance of free grace viz. The holy Spirit 's work unto which we are infinitely obliged For 't is the Spirit that doth begin carry on and finish the work of Sanctification on the soul whence although while we are in this life our Sanctification is but imperfect yet there is not one soul in Heaven one instant without perfect holiness But it may be you 'l quaery how it can be that the soul which while on earth is but imperfectly sanc●…fied should 〈◊〉 perfectly purged from the filth of sin when in Heaven I Answer There are several sorts of men who talk as if they had been fully acquainted with the whole counsel of God and as if they could give a particular account of the methods of divine operations hence some are confident enough to assert that the perfect purgati-on of the filth of sin must be either by the Spirit in this life or by a purgatory fire in the other The one asserts perfection not only of parts but of degrees attainable here and consequently denies the necessity of Ordinances c. The other viz. the Papists conclude that as some arrive to perfection here others do not e're they arrive unto the purgatery sire but the Antinomian presumes to say that our perfect Sanctification must be by Christ's Holiness even as our compleat Justification is by Christs Righteousness But I have already shewn That our perfect Sanctification which consists in the removal of the filth of every sin is not done by the Holiness of Christ Neither is it possible that any material flames should be adjusted for the cleansing the soul which is a Being spiritual and Immaterial Materiale non agit in immateriale It is done then by the Spirit when not in this life for until the body of Sin be put off there will be the remainders of old lusts * Note 1 King 8.46 Prov. 20.9 Eccl. 7.20 1 Joh. 1.8 No meer man since the Fall ever arriv'd unto a state of sinless perfection in this life which are inconsistent with a Sanctification that is perfect with a perfection of degrees Doth it you it may be will say enter into Heaven with its imperfections i.e. Spots and Filth Ans No surely for no Spot can have an admittance into that holy place Doth the departed soul make its stay after it passeth from the body e're

sinful Defections Propensions Words and Actions must pass from us into Christ but if this be not also impossible what is But 2ly T is Absurd and false For 2. If the Filth of our sin be laid on Christ then surely the Lord Christ is thereby made really filthy for as Guilt is laid on Christ and thereby Christ is made really guilty that is really guilty of another mans sin even so if the Filth of sin be laid on Christ then Christ must be really filthy for in quocunque inest abstractum de eo dicitur concretum the denomination is à forma denominante Filth on whomsoever 't is doth give the denomination of filthy but was our Lord Christ really filthy Was there any sin in any respect in him who knew no sin and in whom there was no guile Guilt is an extrinsecal respect of sin to the threatning of the Law and a man may be guilty of sin that is of anothers sin who hath no sin in him of his own but Filth the fault it self is so intrinsecal to sin that in whomsoever the Filth of sin is in him sin must be and were it a thing possible that the sin of the elect should pass from the elect to Christ it would make the Lord Christ a real sinner really Unclean Impure Filthy and Corrupt but who can entertain such a thought without abhorrence For 1. The Scriptures never assert that the Filth of sin was laid on Christ T is true our iniquities were laid on Christ that is the Punishment and Guilt of our iniquities as hath been proved but not the Filth of our iniquities neither was it necessary that any more should be laid on Christ than the Punishment and Guilt For the Lord Christ came only to exempt us from wrath to bring us into a state of Grace and to purchase a right to glory for us by his sufferings and perfect righteousness But 2. The Scriptures do most vehemently conclude that there was no spot in Christ 1. As Christ is God we cannot say that any Filth was on him without blasphemy surely that God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity could never be so in love with the filth the worst of iniquity as to take it on himself Neither 2 Durst we aver that the Lord Christ with respect to his Humane Nature had the least Filth of sin either in or upon him For he was born an Holy thing Luke 1.35 therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God He was born with holy inclinations and propensions yea and all his Thoughts Words and Actions were holy all his lifetime for he fulfilled all Righteousness Matth. 3.15 ch 5.17 and at his death his blood was the pretious blood of him who was without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 He did not sin neither was guile found in his mouth Ch. 2.22 For such an High Priest became us who is Holy Harmless Undefiled Separate from Sinners Heb. 7.26 Which could not be had he the least spot or blemish on him Note well Isa 53.9 3. In what part of Christ was the filth of sin laid or what was there in Christ that was either faulty or filthy was there any flaw in his understanding or were the inclinations of his soul after evil were his thoughts irregular or his words or actions dissonant from Gods Law The Filth of sin is a spiritual filth polluting the Soul but which part of his righteous soul was polluted was our Ignorance laid on Christ making Christ Ignorant or our Pride Stubbornness Uncleanness Sinful anger and Undue Passions in Christ was the Lord Christ Ignorant Proud Passionate or Unclean what sound believer doth not tremble at such thoughts as these But for the Filth of sin to be laid on Christ and yet the Filth of no one particular sin to be found on him is strange Oh that men who presume to contradict the Generation of the Just would shew what they mean by the filth of sin as 't is distinguished both from Guilt and Punishment and what they understand by the Fathers laying the Filth of sin on Christ or what by the words transacting the filth of sin on Christ For methinks 't is impossible that any truly gracious soul should conclude that the filth of sin the fault it self as distinguished from Guilt and Punishment can in any respect be laid on Christ Wherefore then consider 't is a great dishonor to Free-Grace to say that the Father laid the filth of sin on Christ for this is inconsistent with the Holiness and Wisdom of God and to set up Free-Grace to the reproach of Divine Holiness or Wisdom is to abuse it CHAP. V. A second Error of the Antinomians viz. The Elect made holy by Christ's Holiness Somewhat concerning Justification premised Several reasons against the Error Wherein its tendency to the subversion of a great part of the Christian Religion is evinced The third error considered its destructiveness to all Religion proved particularly To the Second THat as Christ is our Justification by the imputation of his Righteousness even so he is our Sanctification through the imputation of his holiness For 't is suggested that they must be perfectly Holy before their entrance into Heaven and that they are not made so in this life by the sanctification of the Spirit therefore it must be by the imputed Holiness of Christ That I may be the more clear in considering this I humbly apprehend it very necessary that I do acquaint the vulgar with the true notion of Justification and Sanctification In order unto which t is requisite that we remember the distinction that is between the guilt and the filth of sin Justification respecting the guilt Sanctification the Filth of sin Guilt of sin is an external respect of it with regard unto the sanction of the Law only and is separable from sin as the Reverend Dr. Owen also hath shewn of Justification pag. 285. But the Fault it self or the filth the transgression of the preceptive part of the Law is the formal nature of sin and is so intrinsecal thereunto as to be inseparable from it Justification then makes only an external relative-change by removing guilt and giving us a right to life and as it regards guilt it respects the past State Sanctification imports an internal and a physical change by introducing new light into the the heart and new principles inclinations and propensions towards God and regards the future state weakning the habits of sin strengthening the habits of infused Grace and thereby preventing much sin that otherwise would pollute the soul whereby the man is in part sanctified Justification is through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ Sanctification is through the working of the Spirit of the same Lord Jesus Christ is our Justification by his blood and Righteousness and the same Christ is our sanctification by his Spirit For God hath chosen you to salvation through the

Punishment is the evil threatned against sin And the Reward necessarily presupposeth a Righteousness as the Punishment doth Guilt And as no punishment but for guilt so no Reward but for Righteousness for as Reatus is dignitas poenae propter culpam so Righteousness is dignitas praemii propter obedientiam perfectam and the Reward is for righteousness From the whole it must be noted That as Guilt which is sins extrinsecal respect unto the threatning of the Law may pass from the actual sinner and be made the guilt of him who knew no sin without a passing of the actual sin even so Righteousness which is the extrinsecal respect of Holiness unto the promissory part of the Law may pass from Christ who is perfectly Holy to another that is not so This being so 't is easy to conclude 1. That the Reward of Christs obedience may be actually given out unto all such as are united unto Christ As the punishment of mans sin was laid on Christ even so the Reward of Christs Holiness shall be given unto the believer The Reward considered strictly and in an eminent manner is the product of Christs Righteousness and Holiness it being given out as the great effect of Christs fulfilling the Law of Innocency and not as the merit of our obedience 2. The Righteousness of the Lord Christ is given unto all such as are born of God as do savingly believe Even as their guilt is made Christs so Christs Righteousness is made their Righteousness In which there is a non-imputation of sin and an actual imputation of Righteousness God doth not proceed in Judgment with them as with guilty sinners but treats them as Righteous giving them a Right to Impunity and Glory so that the freedom from Punishment and the eternal life is the effect of this Righteousness of Christ which Righteousness is given unto and reckoned judged and esteemed to be the Righteousness of the believer which can easily be made theirs as hath been already shewn But 3. The Holiness of Christ was never designed by God the Father or the Son for the formal Sanctification of any For as the being justified or made Righteous by Christ's Righteousness denotes an extrinsecal an outward and a relative change only even so the being sanctified by Christs Holiness must import an internal and physical change which cannot be but by the transfusion of the acts or habits of Holiness from one unto another For Sanctification which most certainly is somewhat distinct from justification consists in a real internal physical change done by the infusion of new habits dispositions c. Whence then it will follow that if we are Sanctified by Christs Holiness the Holiness of Christ must be transfused into us for Holiness is seated in the soul as in its most proper Subject Yea the Holiness of Christ is seated in the soul of Christ and if any are truly and perfectly holy by Christs holiness this holiness must be removed from Christs soul into the souls of such as are esteemed by the Lord to be Holy by such an Holiness which is 1. Impossible in that the ●…s that are in Christ cannot migrate or pass from Christ to us without their destruction 2. Absurd and false for 1. If the habits of Christs Holiness be removed from Christ Christ ceaseth to be holy and consequently cannot remain a Meet Intercessor or Advocate on the behalf of the sincerely humbled soul 2. The Elect are hereby set up above the Lord Jesus in that they are perfectly holy even when the Lord Jesus is void of holiness * That a thing should be taken away and yet be lest behind is a flat Contradiction saith Dr. Crisp But if it be said that the habits of Christs Holiness pass from Christ unto the Elect and yet remain in Christ then an Accident may in one and the same instant contrary to the fullest evidence desirable pass from one Subject to another without destruction and remain in two distinct Subjects at one and the same time yea in a thousand and can continue in being without any Subject that is without what is essential to its Being but if this be once granted 't will follow that Transubstantiation Consubstantiation and the grossest of Errors and plainest of Popish contradictions may be easily admitted as he greatest truths Moreover what is more dangerous If the Elect be made perfectly Holy by Christ's Holiness then 't will follow that the Sanctification of the Spirit is an useless things that conversion Faith in Christ and repentance towards God are no way necessary to our actual Salvation for a man may be both holy and happy without them For consider 3. The third thing The Elect are totally delivered from the filth of sin no one spot remaining on them If they were made holy by Christs holiness and every spot removed by Christ without the Spirit what remaineth to be further done by the Spirit Your Sanctification being already perfected without the Spirit the Spirit must run over the same work and actum agere or set idle which is gross what greater despight can be done against the Spirit of God wherein can you offend him more Oh consider it and tremble 2. If this be true Our Preaching is in vain Praying of no use Ordinances unprofitable things though designed by our Lord Jesus Christ for conversion and edification yea for the helping on and promoting the work of Holiness on the Heart But what use can preaching be of if this be true must it be for the inlightening you in the knowledg of Christ and for the turning you from the power of Satan unto the most High how can this be since when you were in the Womb Christs holiness was made yours and can you be perfectly holy or can you be without the spot and filth of sin even when the spot of Ignorance is on your understandings and the Filth of obstinacy rebellion and pride on your wills * It must be here remembred That the Filth of sin remains on us until the habitual blindness and stubbornness of our hearts be removed for since this Ignorance on the Understanding and the Depraved habits of the Will c. is the Filth of the soul the Filth the Spot remains as long as these abide About this consult Bellar. de justif lib. 2. c. 16. Who saith Quemad nodum ex aversione à lege Dei orta est Macula ita ex conversione tollitur Again why will you pray and draw near to the Lords Supper for strengthening grace and fuller measures of holiness even when you are perfect and want nothing Remember that it hath been sufficiently proved that we are Sanctified by the Spirit CHAP. VI. A digression concerning the actual imputation of Christs Merits c. to all the Elect in the Womb. The unsoundness of this notion The absurd consequences that naturally slow from it The plain Scripture notion about our actual Justification declared Faith in Christ antecedent thereunto The convinced

currere 〈◊〉 Haec enim omnia nullatenus haberes nisi a Deo manere Gratuitae Donationis acciperes Non hoc homini dat natura sed Gratia Non hoc ex qual●… te condition is humanae habetur sed ex benignitate divinae illuminationis acquiritur Again Quicquid habes bonae voluntatis vel bonae operationis Deo assigna qui dedit Fulgent de convers ad Theod. Epist 6. towards the end 8. To assert That any while in unregeneracy may be united unto Christ or that any who savingly believe may not be united unto Christ is most false unsound and dangerously absurd 1. To be unregenerate is to abide in a state of sin altogether Unclean Filthy and Polluted at a distance from God and Jesus Christ how then can these be One what is Christ joyned to an Harlot or can light have any Union or Communion with darkness 2. A believer doth close with Christ which cannot be without Union 9. T is both unnecessary and unprofitable to dispute about a moment or instant of nature as to the precedency of Faith unto Union or of Union unto Faith e. g. whether Faith or the Union is in order of nature first it being evident that there is no instant supposable in which a soul who hath saving Faith is not united unto Christ or in which One united unto Christ hath not sound saving Faith But 10. This Faith and this union is in order of nature antecedent to an actual imputation of Christs Righteousness and consequently before our actual Justification in the sight of God Communion presupposeth Union and therefore Union must precede an actual imputation which is but the Communication of Christs Righteousness unto us Faith and Union being Simultanecus and at one and the same instant as Union even so Faith must precede the Communication of Christs Righteousness and our actual justification in the sight of God thereby 11. This Faith which doth so necessarily precede and go before the actual justification of a sinner is the † Fidem autem hominum Donum Dei esse fateamur sine enj●s Gratiâ 〈◊〉 currit ad gratiam Prosper Aq. Resp ad Gal. Object ad Obj. 8. gift of God infus'd into the soul by the holy Spirit that doth irresistibly carry on its work 1. Grace being the gift of God the first thing which the soul is capable of in the work of Regeneration or conversion is the receiving the gift or infused habit the soul doth recipere effectum agentis which is as much as Pati whence the soul the first instant or moment of conversion must be considered as passive 2. This Converting Grace is irresistible which may be evinced to any unprejudiced mind that will but consider that antecedently unto conversion the soul is obstinately bent towards sin The inclinations of the will are continually evil averse to what is good and both actually and habitually determined to vanity for which reason the Spirit in carrying on the work of conversion meets with great opposition from the sinner yea with such opposition as would altogether impede and hinder the Spirits work had not the power of the Spirit been great enough to conquer and overcome this habitual obstinacy of the will but the power of God's Spirit being greater than that of the Sinner the Sinner is overcome and converted How but by that Grace that is Irresistible it being most evident that 't is naturally impossible for finite power to prevail against what is infinite So clear 't is that converting grace is irresistible And surely had it not been so never one obstinate sinner no not one child of Adam since all are by nature obstinately rebellious sinners would be converted for such is the nature of our corrupt wills that they will never yield until overcome by an overstrong and irresistible power 12. This infused Irresistible grace is given unto the Adult ordinarily in the use of means as the preaching of the word c. Whence man though passive in the first moment of his conversion yet not so passive as some suggest 1. It must be noted that Man in conversion is not so passive as a Stone when thrown up into the Air For the infusion of Grace being into a Soul that is active life to the end the Soul may be the better prepared for action the Soul must be also active in the great work of conversion The infusion of Grace into the soul that is active life is not like the infusion of the soul into the body that is antecedently to its receiving the soul wholly unactive purely passive No the Lord doth consider the nature he hath given beings and his actions towards such beings are suitable to their natures As a meer passive thing is purely passive in its receptions even so what is essentially active cannot but be active in its receptions To insist on niceties concerning the opposition that is between action and passion and consequently on the seeming inconsistency some may judge to be in this expression active reception q. d. active passion is but to quibble since 't is impossible to suppose an Essentially-active-being to be in every regard as passive as pure matter is God carries on the work of conversion on man in a way agreeable unto that nature God hath given him which is by inlightening the understanding and by suscitating and stiring up the powers of the soul to their being duly conversant about their proper objects influencing and enabling the will to close with what is proposed in the word as good and accordingly understood and believed to be so Although we cannot comprehend how yet nothing more evident than that God doth irresistibly and yet most sweetly without laying any violence on our faculties draw us from sin unto Jèsus Christ * This notion is agreeable to the Sentiments of the Schoolmen as Marius Scrib de lib. Arb. disp 19. qu. 8. doth assert Dionys Carthusianus in 2. d. 39. q. 2. Capreolus d. 45. q. 1. Concl 5. Ferrariensis primo contr Gent. c. 88. Dreido opusc lib. de concordia Lib. arb et praed estinationis 2. p. c. 3. ad primum All these reconciling humane Liberty with the Irresistable Divine Will thus Dicunt enim Dei voluntatem et providentiam Dei tantae esse virtutis efficaciae ut licet et nulla potentia libertas refistere valeat omnes tamen causas quibus cooperatur suaviter moveat infinitae siquidem est virtutis sapientiae cum fit infinitae Sapientiae scit omnia suaviter disponere licet nobis videantur factu impossibilia cum verò infinitae sit virtutis attingit à fine usque ad finem fortiter ita ut per infinitam suam virtutem sciat etiam quae videntur dissonantia concordare et propter Sapientiam sine praejudicio humanae libertatis effectum suae voluntatis semper sortiri Et Cajetanus iisdem pene id videtur profiteri 1. p. q. 4. a 23. 9.19 ar 8.

media of Divine operations being infinitely beyond us are more meet for our humble admiration than proud determination Placeus is to be applauded who saith tract de lib. arb as I find in Le blank de concil Arb. Hum. cum div concurs ad Thes 52. Nos quidem Qua Reverentia erga Infinitam Dei Majestatem ducimur non Audemus definire quanta sit dependentia causae secundae à prima Nobis sufficit modo ne Deo ullam peccatorum nostrorum vel minimam labem aspergat non posse Nimiam statui So Le Blank himself ubi supra thes 55,58,59 Quantum ad me attinet horumce Doctissimorum virorum modestiam maximè laudandam censeo modum Divini concursus quo cum causis secundis prima cooperatur pro certo definire temerarium mihi nimium audax videtur quum ingenii nostri tenuitas divinae potentiae sapientiae abyssum penetrare scrutari non valeat nec ea res sit satis ratione percepta aut sat distincte in sacra Scriptura Revelata c. Yea and before them the same was the sense of the Judicious as I find in Pet. Tartaret Reportata in senten c. Tota materia praedestinationis tangit mysterium imperscrutabile intellectui humano Nam ad Roman 11. Exclamat Paulus O altitudo c. Ne igitur scrutando de profundo in profundum eatur ut dicit Magister c. Thus I have gone thorough the Province I engaged in and have in some measure made a Display of this Glorious Grace I have shewn That the Election of some unto Grace and Glory even when others are passed by but left as self condemned wretches is of Grace That the Covenant transaction between the Father and the Son from all Eternity considered in its particulars adds light unto this profound mystery That God the Son should assume humane nature and in that nature lie under both the Guilt and punishment of sin is admirable and that the Righteousness of Christ should be given the elect believer in order to his actual entrance into to Glories of God is no less surprising That Grace is offered all and although rejected by all yet actually given some in such circumstances that the honour of all Gods other attributes is set forth with the greater Lustre is also of Grace In the doing all which to the end I might according to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Vindicate God from those blasphemous and unworthy abuses are cast on his pure Majesty by the Antinomian I have proved that no spot of sin was ever on the Lord Christ He never was stained with the filth of any evil neither are the Elect sanctified by an imparting or an imputing the subjective Intrinsecal Holiness of Christ unto them nor are they actually justified in God's sight while under the pravalcncy of unbelief Moreover in opposition to the Arminian I have evinced That God in giving Grace unto the Elect converts them by the Irresistible power of his Holy Spirit which although so necessary to our conversion that none are savingly engaged to believe in Christ without it yet doth it not lay man under any unnatural violence but sweetly draws him unto our blessed Jesus Whence it follows that although mans destruction is of himself his conversion and Salvation is wholly of Free-grace And in fine that no Debauchee or Atheist may have the least pretence for the abuses he may cast on God as if there had been any want of Grace in him I have prov'd that the Dominican Hypothesis which seems most liable to exception if modestly i.e. Judiciously look't into will appear to be Defensible against those reproaches are cast on it It being most evident that although God is both our Creator and Preserver He in whom we live move and have our being yet doth he not lay man under a Physical necessity of sinning for mans sin is from himself as is asserted by the Stoicks themselves which being so I will only add this Caution viz. That although the Grace of God is so infinitely extended as hath been fully proved yet 't is a sin to expect the being made a partaker of the special instances thereof unless we sincerely repent 'T is the Believing Repenting Humbled sinner that is the proper object of this Glorious Grace Despise not then this Grace by continuing in thy sin for as there are mercies with the Lord 't is that he should be feared Despisest thou the Riches of his Goodness and Forbearance and Long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth to Repentance Remember then that if Free-Grace leadeth thee not to Repentance thou dost but treasure up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and Revelation of the Righteous judgment of God Think on these things seriously and by an Holy Humble life give God the Glory of all this Grace FINIS THE APPENDIX SInce the preceding Discourse hath been finished I have had the advantages of such Remarks on some Particulars therein contain'd as do call for a fuller Explanation of my thoughts concerning them for which Reason I must presume on the Candor of the Reader in adding this following Appendix § 1. I have insisted much on the distinction there is between the Sin itself and the Guilt of the Fault which some think to be but one and the same thing for Reatus being à Re it doth intimate that the being guilty of Sin imports no more than that he is a Real Sinner i.e. hath really sinned or broken the Law whereas I humbly conceive it doth moreover import a liableness to Punishment for Sin But that I may be the more full in the discovering my thoughts it will be proper to consider 1. The Impo●t of the word Guilt which in Latine is Reatus a word not very ancient for say the Learned Dictio Reatus Ciceroni aliis antiquis inusitata primùm à M. Messala conficta ut Fabius autor est lib. 8. So Schard But how novel soever this word is yet among the Romans it signified the quality and state of the Accused which was represented to be sad and disimal by the poor filthy squalid garments the accused did wear yea and by Hair and Beards undressed Reatus status conditio Reorum h.e. ut Budaeus ait Habitus demissus pannosus squalidus misericordiae aucupator whence Martial lib. 2. Epigram Si det iniqua tibi tristem fortuna reatum Squalidus haerebo pallidiorque Reo The like may be concluded from what is mentioned by Plinie lib. 7. ad Suram And also by Aul. Gell. noct Attic. lib. 3. c. 4. All which was done thereby to engage the Judges to a more compassionate procedure they being anciently considered as Guilty as soon as Accused and consequently before it appear'd that the Fault of which they were Accused was Really committed by them whence although Reus sit à Re it is not as if the person had been denominated Guilty meerly because he had really