the Preacher speakes Marke 6.20 Herod heard Iohn gladly Acts 13 46. The Iewes refuse to heare the Gospell Psal. 58.4 The wicked stop their eares like the deafe Adder THE SECOND POSITION THere are certaine inward effects going before conversion or regeneration which by the power of the word and Spirit are stirred up in the hearts of men not yet justified As are a knowledge of Gods will a sense of sinne a feare of punishment a bethinking of freedome and some hope of pardon THE grace of God is not wont to bring men to the state of justification in which we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by a sudden Enthusiasme or rapture but by divers degrees of foregoing actions taming and preparing them through the Ministery of the word 1 This we may see in those who upon hearing S. Peters Sermon feele the burden of their sinne are stricken with feare and sorrow desire deliverance and conceive some hope of pardon All which may bee collected of those words Acts 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe 2 This the very nature of the thing requires for as in the naturall generation of man there are many previous dispositions which go before the bringing in of the form so also in the spirituall generation by many actions of grace which must goe before doe we come to the spirituall nativity 3 To conclude this appeares by the instruments which God uses for the regenerating of men For he imployeth the Ministery of men and the instrument of the word 1 Cor. 4.15 I have begotten you through the Gospell But if God would regenerate or justifie a wicked man immediately being prepared by no knowledge no sorrow no desire no hope of pardon there would be no need of the ministery of men nor of the preaching of the word for this purpose neither would any care lye upon the Ministers dividing the word of God aright fitly and wisely first to wound the consciences of their auditors with the terrors of the Law then to raise them up with the promises of the Gospell and to exhort them to beg faith and repentance at Gods hand by prayers and teares THE THIRD POSITION WHom God doth thus prepare by his Spirit through the meanes of the word those doth hee truly and seriously call and invite to faith and conversion BY the nature of the benefit offered and by the evident word of God we must judge of those helpes of grace which are bestowed upon men and not by the abuse or the event Therefore when the Gospell of its owne nature calls men to repentance and salvation when the incitements of divine grace tend the same way we must not suppose any thing is done fainedly by God This is proved by those earnest and patheticall intreaties 2 Cor. 5.20 We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled vnto God Those exhortations 2 Cor. 6.1 Wee beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vaine those expostulations Gal. 1.6 I marvell that you are so soone removed from him that called you to the grace of Christ those promises Apoc. 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come in to him But if God should not seriously invite all whom he vouchsafes this gift of his word and Spirit to a serious conversion surely both God should deceive many whom he calls in his Sonnes name and the messengers of the Euangelicall promises might bee accused of false witnesse and those who being called to conversion doe neglect to obey might bee more excusable For that calling by the word and the Spirit cannot be thought to leave men unexcusable which is onely exhibited to this end to make them unexcusable THE FOVRTH POSITION THose whom God hath thus disposed he doth not forsake nor cease to further them in the true way to conversion before he be forsaken of them by a voluntary neglect or repulse of this initiall or entring grace THe talent of grace once given by God is taken from none but from him who first buries it by his owne fault Mat. 25.28 Hence is it that in the Scriptures every where wee are admonished that we resist not the Spirit that we quench not the Spirit that we receive not the grace of God in vaine that wee depart not from God Yea that is most evidently noted to bee the reason of Gods forsaking man because God is first forsaken by man Prov. 1.24 Because I have called and you refused I will laugh at your calamity 2 Chron. 24.20 Because yee have forsaken the Lord he hath also forsaken you But never in the Scriptures is there the least mention that God is wont or is willing at any time without some fault of man going before to take away from any man the aid of his exciting grace or any help which he hath once conferred towards mans conversion Thus the Orthodoxe Fathers who had to doe with the Pelagians ever taught It is the will of God that wee continue in a good will who before he be forsaken forsakes no man and oftentimes converts many that forsake him THE FIFTH POSITION THese foregoing effects wroght in the mindes of men by the power of the word and the Spirit may be stifled and utterly extinguished by the fault of our rebellious will and in many are so that some in whose hearts by the vertue of the word and the Spirit some knowledge of divine truth some sorrow for sin some desire and care of deliverance have beene imprinted are changed quite contrary reject and hate the truth deliver themselves up to their lusts are hardned in their sins and without all desire or care of freedome from them rot and putrifie in them MAtth. 13.19 The wicked one commeth and catcheth away that which was sowne in his heart 2 Pet. 2.21 It had beene better for them not to have knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they have knowne it to turne from the holy commandement delivered unto them But it is happened to them according to the true Proverb The dog is turned to his owne vomit Heb. 6.4 It is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gifts and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to returne them againe to repentance Many doe quickly entertaine the light of the minde but the understanding it selfe hath not the same force or power in all and many when they seem enriched with faith and understanding yet they want charity and cannot hold fast to those things which they see by faith and understanding because there is no persevering in that which is not loved with the whole heart THE SIXT POSITION THe very elect in those acts going before
sinnes by his name as many as beleeve in him c. Rom. 3.24.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Therefore although this promise bee not divulged unto all in every time and place yet it is of that nature that it may be truly published to all and every one For the nature of the promise extends it selfe perpetually to mankinde although the knowledge of the promise according to the speciall providence of God is published sometimes to these sometimes to other Nations Marke 16.15 Goe into all the world and preach the Gospell to every creature He that beleeveth c. THE FIFTH POSITION IN the Church wherein according to the promise of the Gospel salvation is offered to all there is such an administration of grace as is sufficient to convince all impenitents and unbeleevers that by their owne voluntary default either through neglect or contempt of the Gospell they perish and come short of the benefit offered unto them CHrist by his death not onely established the euangelicall covenant but moreover obtained of his Father that wheresoever this Covenant should bee published there also together with it ordinarily such a measure of supernaturall grace should bee dispensed as may suffice to convince all impenitents and unbeleevers of contempt or at least of neglect in that the condition was not fulfilled by them Here two things are briefly to bee explained Whereof the first we put downe for a supposition That some measure of grace is ordinarily offered by the Ministerie of the Gospell The second for a position That that grace is sufficient to convince all impenitents and incredulous persons either of contempt or at least of neglect The first is plaine out of the Scriptures Esay 59. and the last verse This is my covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth from henceforth and for ever Hence it is evident that the word and the Spirit are inseparably joyned together by the promise of God in the Ministery of the word Hence the Ministers of the new Testament are called the Ministers not of the letter but of the spirit not of the killing letter but of the spirit that giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6 The ministery of the Gospell v. 8. is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The ministration of the Spirit Hence is the Gospell styled Tit. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saving grace or the grace that bringeth salvation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.19 The word of reconciliation And our Saviour Luke 10.9.11 when he sent the 70. Disciples to preach the Gospell commanded them that they should say to the people to whom they preached it The kingdome of Heaven is come neare unto them Because that some supernaturall grace is offered unto them to whom the Gospell is preached It is not well said that all those are not called to grace to all whom the Gospell is preached although there may be some who obey not the Gospell The second is proved out of the 15 of Iohn 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sinne but now have they no cloake for their sinne Out of this place it is certaine that Christ in propounding the Gospell did withall dispence that internall grace which so far forth sufficed that in that they accepted not or rejected the Gospell they might bee justly taxed of positive infidelity Iohn 3.19 This is condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light So are men justly damned because they turne away from the light of the Gospell Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation For the neglect of salvation offered in the Gospell we are subject to just punishment therefore salvation is offered in the Gospell Heb. 4.12 The Word of God is quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Hence it comes to be manifest that there is such power and efficacie of the word that it insinuates it selfe even into the secretest closets of the soule and as it doth without faile quicken those which truely beleeve so it doth truely inflict a deadly wound upon the stubborne Lastly the Scripture threatneth most bitter punishments to those who doe not receive who neglect who despise the preaching of the Gospell Mat. 10.14 Whosoever shall not heare your words It shall be easier for Sodom Heb. 6.4 It is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the good gift of God c. For the earth which drinketh in the raine and yet beareth thornes and bryars is nigh unto cursing THE SIXT POSITION NOtwithstanding this generall Covenant of saving those that beleeve God is not tyed by any covenant or promise to afford the Gospel or saving grace to all and every one But the reason why hee affords it to some and passeth by others is his owne mercie and absolute freedome 1 CHrist hath no otherwise established this covenant then that the communicatiō of this covenant shold remaine in the free full power of the Father But God in giving one grace is not tyed to the giving of another Matt. 10.15 Is it not lawfull for me to doe with my owne what I will No such covenant or promise is to be found in the Scriptures God promiseth in the old Testament that the preaching of the Gospell should be communicated to the Gentiles In the new Testament the partition wall is broken downe and it is given in charge to the Apostles Marke 16.15 Goe into all the world and preach the Gospell unto every creature but God no where promised that universally in the world at one and the same time it should be preached Nay rather as is well noted by Prosper Even at that very time in which the preaching of the Gospell was sent to all Nations hee who would have all men to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth yet forbad the Apostles to goe to some places And so by this stopping or delaying of the Gospel many were so foreslowen or hindred that they dyed without the knowledge of the truth and without sanctifying regeneration Let the Scripture speak what was done But passing through Phrygia and the Region of Galatia they are forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia but after they were come to Mysia they assayed to goe into Bithynia but the spirit suffered them not Thus farre Prosper 2 Moreover it is plainly evident notwithstanding this universal Covenant which was of force even in the old Testament that God revealed not the knowledge hereof unto the Gentiles Psal. 147.8.19.20 Hee sheweth his word unto Iacob he hath not dealt so with any Nation and therefore they knew not these
be saved such as are to turne unto God to beleeve to persevere and particular ensuing acts which being considered by themselves are not absolutely necessary to salvation as the avoyding of this and that sinne the not omitting of such and such a good deed For the performing of the former actions grace doth so worke that it gives the Elect both power and will to accomplish them But as for the latter there is not wanting unto us the motion and guidance of Gods Spirit through the whole course of our lives yet so that wee may bee wanting unto those motions of grace yea and too too often wee are wanting unto them and ever and an on we both freely and foully obey our owne corruptions Hence that of the Apostle Gal. 5.16 Walke in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the spirit of God by whom yee are sealed unto the day of redemption For they are said to grieve the holy Spirit who resist the guidance thereof and with a servile libertie goe after their owne concupiscenes contrary to the motion of grace and suggestion of their own conscience Erroneous Opinions which wee reject THE FIRST THat the will is not capable of spirituall gifts and that therefore there never were any spirituall gifts in the will of man before his fall that these graces were never severed from the will of man upon his fall and that such graces are never infused in regeneration into the wills of men THe holy Scripture in placing Gods spirituall gifts in the heart acknowledgeth also them to be in the will As namely uprightnesse or truth Psal. 32.12 Rejoyce all yee that are true in heart puritie Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart goodnes Luke 8.15 They are those which with an honest and good heart heare the word of God and keepe it 1 But if any man shall referre these graces to the affections and place them without the will he shall which were a foule enormity settle the chiefest gifts of divine grace in the unreasonable part of the soule Moreover the very habituall conversiō of the will unto God the Creator the aversion or turning away thereof from the inordinate desire it had to commit fornication with the creature without doubt is to be counted a chiefe and principal gift And that the will was capable of this gift it doth hence plainly appeare because it was created with such uprightnesse For God in the beginning made man righteous But that this righteousnes is lost it is over manifest by the effects seeing that now the will being carnall cannot choose but injoy and rest in those things which it ought onely to make use of and use the things which it ought rather to injoy forasmuch as a whole trope of sinfull dispositions have rushed and broke in upon the will 2 Furthermore as the will of a meere naturall man is said to be vicious frō a certaine inbred inherēt wickednes which in a wicked man even thē when he doth nothing is habituall so againe we must acknowledge that in the will of the regenerate there is a certaine righteousnesse infused and given from God which is presupposed in their religious actions Saint Austin in many places setteth forth this habituall righteousnesse The good will of man goes before many graces of God but not before all and this good will it selfe is to be reckoned among those gifts which it selfe cannot precede But lest any man should dreame that this goodnesse of the will is not an inward gift infused into that very faculty but onely a bare denomination fetched from the act of the will Prosper calls it the first plantation of the heavenly husbandman Now a plantation notes something engrafted in the soule not an act or action flowing from the soule THE SECOND ERRONEOVS OPINION THat that grace by which wee are converted is onely a gentle and moral swasion or inducement WEE deny not but in the worke of conversion whether in fitting us for that future grace or in confirming us therein as already performed God useth the perswasive force of his threats promises exhortations by which he allureth stirreth and ploweth up the fallowes of mens hearts But moreover for adding without faile the last close to this operation hee works more powerfully and unconquerably according to the exceeding greatnesse of his power and the working of his might Ephes. 1.19 Neither is swasion sufficient which no more then contingently affecteth and inviteth the will 1 For morall swasion moveth onely by way of object and so farre forth as the end propounded can allure But the Philosophers rightly determine that as the inclination of any one is accordingly hee apprehends the end So long therefore as a man is carnall and unregenerate his will cannot so bee affected with supernaturall benefits proposed unto it that by the desire of them hee should bee throughly enflamed to beleeve and convert But the will must be overcome and changed by a powerfull operation exceeding all swasion that so it may effectually embrace the good represented unto it 2 If men should be converted unto God onely by a morall swasion then this question why upon profer of equall grace one man beleeves another doth not might be answered out of the free wils owne power of willing or nilling neither should we have herein any cause to admire the unsearchable wisedome and justice of our God But this sound doctrine hath alwaies beene defended against the Pelagians That conversion faith comes from the secret grace of God which according to his mercie is afforded to some and according to his justice is not vouchsafed to others 3 If men were converted onely by morall swasion he which receives this swasive grace might truly say I have separated my selfe For I have received this gentle and swasive grace which hath solicited me to faith and conversion but no more then it solicited others they by the liberty of their free-will did reject this morall swasion and therefore they still remaine unconverted but I by the libertie of my free-will have given way and embraced the same swasion and therefore I am converted To what purpose then is that of Saint Paul Who hath separated thee What hast thou which thou hast not received Faith both begunne and perfected is the gift of God and no man who doth not oppose most manifest Scripture will doubt but that this gift is given to some and not given to other some THE THIRD ERRONEOVS OPINION THat presupposing all the operations of grace which God useth for the effecting of this conversion yet the will of man is still left in an equall ballance either to beleeve or not to beleeve to convert or not to convert it selfe to God 1 IF after all the workings of grace the will of man be left in eaven point it will necessarily follow that not God by his grace but man by his free-will is the chiefe cause and author