Will than to be willing And it is needless and senseless to Pray to God to make them willing i. e. to make Grace effectual when they can do it well enough of themselves August de Nat. â—â— Grat. c. 18. Quid est stultius quam or are ut facias quod in potestate habes What more foolish than to Pray God thou mayest do that which thou hast in thine own Power And elsewhere Ne fallamus homines c. Let us not deceive Men for we cannot deceive God We Pray not â—o God at all but only feign that we Pray â—f we think that our selves not He doth what we Pray for And as they need not so they must not Pray that God would make Grace effectual or make it work effectually in them for God cannot do it and they must no seek that of him which he cannot doâ— To make Grace effectual is of unwilling to make them willing to determine thâ— Will to what he Proposes but this theâ— say he cannot do without invading it freedom All that he can do is to Propose and leave the Will to do as it likes if he should bow it effectually one way oâ— other that would be a breach upon thâ— liberty which is essential to it so that â— beg this of him would be to seek an iâ—possibility So that unless they will â— absurd they must not Pray that God woulâ— effectually bow or incline their Wills â— believe in Christ to turn to God to lovâ— him to fear him to walk in his way to hate Sin or mortifie it yea or â— avoid it They must not Pray that Goâ— would effectually subdue their Wills â— his Will in any thing For to be so suâ—jected though to God and by a Diviâ— Motion is not consistent with that Freâ—dom which the Nature of the Will râ—quires If their Petitions be of such Import aâ— the best Petitions of Christians are the Prayers contradict their Principles their Prayers are a Plea for the Truth which â—hey dispute against Whatever they argue with Men yet they must be for us when they have to do with God if they will have any thing to do with God â—n Prayer or Pray any thing like Chriâ—tians As for preventing or sufficient Grace â—hey need not Pray for that for they â—ave it already or they will have it thô â—hey Pray not for it for all have it even â—hose who never Pray while they live But if they should Pray for it their â—etitions must bear such a sence as will â—e very harsh to any Christian or ratioâ—al Ear. Sufficient Grace is that which â—nables a Man to turn to God if he will. So this must be it they Pray for Lord give me such Grace that I may Love â—hee if I will that I may Fear thee if I â—ist that I may Obey thee if I please This Grace leaves and must leave the Will indifferent to choose or refuse to act or â—ot to act at its Pleasure For so far the â—ord may by his Grace proceed with the Will but no farther without intrenching â—n its Liberty So that it is this which they â—ray for Lord give me such Grace as will leave me Indifferent either to Lovâ— or Hate thee either to Turn or not tâ— Turn unto thee to Obey or Rebell againâ— thee either to Believe in Christ or to bâ— an Unbeliever This must be the Impoâ— of their Prayers for Grace if they bâ— consistent with their Principles But â— they will Pray with the sense of Christians or sober Men they must renouncâ— their Doctrine of Free-will Further They must not Pray for other more than themselves Not for Enâ—mies that God would effectually Turâ— their Hearts that they may not Oppresâ— Persecute Obstruct the Gospel Oppoâ— Christs Interest They must not Pray fâ— Children Friends Strangers that Goâ— would effectually Turn them to himselâ— that he would Create in them new Heartâ— or Inspire their Wills with gracious Priâ—ciples that he would conquer their râ—bellious Wills or not leave them in a câ—pacity to resist him or reject the Spirâ— of Grace They must not Pray for themselves or others that God will give theâ— any Grace but what will leave it at thâ— choice and arbitrement of their owâ— Wills when there is no good Qualitâ— in them as well to resist as not to râ— â—st Grace before Conversion as well to â—xpel as to retain it after Conversion Prayer is such an acknowledgment of God so essential to all Religion that withâ—ut it there can be no Religion either Christian or Natural therefore so far as his Doctrine makes it unnecessary or unâ—easonable to Pray so far it tends to exâ—irpate all Religion 12. It is inconsistent with that Thankâ—ulness and Gratitude which should make â—p the Life of a Christian with those Praises whereby God is glorified in a â—pecial manner and which must be the â—mployment of Eternity It is the most â—ngrateful Doctrine that ever any under â—he Name of Christians entertained For â—ereby he that is in the state of Grace â—as no more Cause on that account to â—e thankful to God than he that is in â—he state of Sin and Damnation For he â—s not obliged to be thankful for more â—han he has received and the best Saint â—s such has received no more from God â—wes no more to his Grace than he that â—ontinues the worst of Sinners That â—e is in a happier Condition is from â—imself and the good use of his Free-will Grace was common afforded him and others indifferently it was his owâ— Free-will that made the difference so fâ— as there is any Nay a Saint in Glorâ— will by their Doctrine have no moâ— reason to be Praising God or Admirinâ— Christ than one in Hell But of thâ— hereafter The recovery of Man out of the staâ— of Sin and Misery into which he is falâ—en either by Adam's Transgression or hâ— own Wickedness is more to be ascribed tâ— himself than unto God and so he owâ— more thanks to himself for it than to Goâ— He does more to Convert to Quicken â— Sanctifie to Establish to Save himself thâ— God does by his Grace and so he has moâ— reason to thank himself for all The Loâ— does very little in comparison of whâ— Man does in these great Concerns aâ— that little which God does would coâ— to nothing at all if Man himself did nâ— give it efficacy and make something â— it So that there is left very little grouâ— or occasion of giving Praise and Glory â— God where if for any thing the higâ—est Praise and Glory is eternally due â— him and where above all he designeâ— the greatest Praise and Glory to himselâ— There seems much more occasion to ascribâ— the Praise and Glory of Mans Salvation both on Earth and in Heaven unto Man himself Not unto thee O Lord must they say not unto thee but unto our selves be the Praise or at least more unto our selves than unto thee View this Doctrine well and compare
Christ has a Power whereby he can subdue all things c. No must they say the things wherein he is most concerned of all other in this World the Wills of Men he cannot subdue to himself Prov. 21. 1. No must they say neither the Hearts of Kings nor of any other Men are thus in the Lords hands Whatever he does to turn the Current of them they may run in the old Channel and keep their own Course for all that It is not whithersoever he will that they turn but whithersoever they will they run for all his turning 20. It Idolizes Mans Will makes it in divers respects equal with or above him It seems to subject God and make him an Underling to Mans Will and that in respect of his Will his Word his Grace his Design Some of these are apparent by what is already said Let me only insist on one particular It makes God dependant on the Will of Man even for his Glory where it is most intolerable for thâ— Majesty of Heaven to be dependant and most inconsistent with his Infinite Perfection and Happiness The Lord in all the Operations of his Grace leaves the Will indifferent either to comply or resist This leaves it to the Determination and Arbitrement of Mans Will whether God shall have the Glory of that by which he designs to make himself most glorious It must be in the Power of Mans Will to defeat God there where he intends most of all to glorifie himself to spoil and deface the glory of his Grace and Love where the Riches thereof are most displayed And this in the greatest and most signal Instances of it and where each Person in the Godhead are most eminently concerned Whatever Decree or Purpose of Love and Grace the Lord had from Eternity to Save lost Sinners it must be at the Determination of Mans Will whether any one shall be saved or freed from Misery After the Work of Redemption finished by Christ it must be at the Pleasure of Mans Will whether any one shall be actually Redeemed After the Spirit of Grace has done what can be done for changing the Hearts and renewing the Natures of Sinners yet not one â—â—Scanâ—â— them shall be Changed or Sanctified uâ—â—â—ss they list So that unless Man will when he is left indifferent to will or not to will electing Grace redeeming Grace renewing Grace shall be of no effect shall never arrive at what it tends to And if it be rendered of none effect it is rendered inglorious it is defeated defaced and the glory of it turned into shame But so it must be if Man will all the Grace of God must be in vain and all the Glory of it vanish Thus is God evidently made dependant on Mans Will even for his Glory that of his Grace and he will as soon be subjected to the Will of Man in any thing in all things as the greatest Concerns of his Glory The Grace of God where it should appear in its greatest lustre and was designed for the greatest Honour of Father Son and Spirit must wait as a Handmaid on Mans degenerate Will and be ordered at its Arbitrement and stand to its Pleasure whether it shall come to any thing or nothing whether it shall have any Glory or none Let them believe it who can I can never believe that the Doctrine is of God which offers such an intolerable Indignity to him If there were no other Argument against it this seems enough to me The IV. Fourth Head I propounded was to give an account of the Objections they make and the Prejudices they have against the Doctrine of Grace and to shew the worst they can Object against it is as chargeable upon the Doctrine of Free-will So that their imbracing it seems to proceed from neglect of Impartial Consideration and some want of the Exercise of that Reason which they so much magnifie That uses not to be counted a rational and considerate Invention which serves not the turn for which it was devised but runs them into the same difficulties which they seek to avoid Let us see briefly in two or three of the chief Instances whether this be not the Case here 1. They Charge us with making God the Author of Sin Tilenus says this was the Reason that turned him off to the Remonstrants We disclaim and abhorr it and Condemn those who assert any such thing They say it is the Consequence of our Doctrine which will have things so ordered by the Decrees and Providence of God that Sin is thereby unavoidable We say if God be made the Author of Sin on this account their own Doctrine is to be charged with making him so by as good Consequence And so they must acknowledge that they wrong us or else condemn themselves and their own Principles That they are as liable to this Charge if it be just does thus appear He that puts Men in those Circumstances wherein he foresees that they will certainly sin orders things so that Sin becomes unavoidable But by their Doctrine the Lord decrees to place Men and by his Providence disposes them in those Circumstances wherein he foresees they will certainly sin e. g. The Lord foresaw that if Adam was Created so and so and set in such Circumstances he would certainly Sin and Fall by it Yet foreseeing this the Lord decreed to Create him so and dispose of him in such Circumstances and actually did it He foresees that if Peter be put in those Circumstances wherein he was found in the High-Priest's Hall he would certainly deny his Master But he Decreed thus to dispose of him and by his Providence actually did it This is the plain Import of their Doctrine concerning a Conditional Foreknowledge in God as will be evident to any that understand it It was an Invention of the Jesuits the last Age to make good their Doctrine of Free-will and Moral Grace and to avoid the supposed Inconveniences of the opposite Doctrine and is commonly imbraced by those who agree with the Jesuits in their Opinion about the Power of the Will But a very imprudent and unhappy Device it was since it involves them in those very Absurdities which it was devised to avoid 2. They charge our Doctrine as makeing God unmerciful because he gives not to the greatest part of Mankind that Grace which is necessary to Salvation Whereas we deny not that God gives that Grace which they count sufficient we grant he gives all that Grace which is necessary by their Doctrine even to Reprobates But we say their Doctrine how much soever it triumphs in advancing and extending Gods Love to Mankind yet it makes him far more unmerciful in that it will not have God to vouchsafe that Grace which is necessary or sufficient for Salvation special Grace to any at all Meer swasive Grace which leaves it to the choice of Mans unrenewed Will whether it will turn to God or no which they say is all that God vouchsafes to
open Sepulchre to the Vomit of a Dog to the corrupted matter of a putrified Ulcer Such is the temper of a Soul by sin I 'll go no further It may be the hearing of these is offensive how much more to see smell or touch them Yet a sinful man is more ugly in the Eye more offensive to the Nostrils more loathsom to the Lord than any of these can be to the quickest or most delicate of our Senses Alas wretched Man how justly maist thou or I speak what Mephibosheth uses in complement to David 2 Sam. 9. 8. What is thy servant that thou shouldst look on such a dead Dog as I am Can any Soul expect that such a Monster as this should be the Object of any ones Love much less of Gods How hopeless may mans Salvation seem if we look on him in this state What! is the eternal Love of God the precious Blood of Christ for such a Wretch as this Is there any thing in him in us to merit to move Love Who would not rather think every son of Adam should with indignation be kickt out of the presence of so holy a God Sure if there be any hopes it must be from Grace free Love and such as could no where be entertained but in the breast of infinite Goodness 3. The Enmity of sinners against God this makes it evident beyond all exception The Impotency and Deformity of man in the state of sin shews there is nothing lovely in him but if there were not yet if he had any love for God this love without any other consideration might be some inducement to move the Lord to love him and so his love might seem less free as having some motive from without But the case is otherwise As there is nothing Lovely in him so neither is there any Love to God nay there is a high degree of Hatred and Enmity The Wisdom of the Flesh the very best thing in man is Enmity to God Rom. 8. 7. And this Enmity is manifested in contradicting the Will of God and running cross to his Commands for if this be our love to God as the Apostle says that we keep his Commands 1 Joh. 5. 3. then this is Hatred of God that we will not keep them And this Disobedience of a Sinner proceeds from his Hatred of the God that commands and not only of that which is commanded yea rather from that than this For what Sinner is there who does not believe that what the Law commnds is Just in it self and good for us So that the Enmity reaches God himself Who is the Lord says the sinner in his heart that I should obey him Further Sinners revolt from God and conspire with his greatest Enemy joyn in confederacy with Satan They as those in Isa 28. 15. have made a Covenant with Hell and with Death are they at agreement They give up their members as Weapons of Vnrighteousness to fight against God Rom. 6. 19. It is the condition of all by nature Every Sinner before the Lord conquer him by his Grace is at open enmity with God and does in effect bid defiance to the Almighty The acts of his life are acts of Hostility against God. Nor is it a defensive war only that would be more excuseable but the design is not to secure himself only but to put down God and divest him of his Soveraignty This is the voice of their Hearts and Lives We will not have this God to rule over us Sin where it reigns does as much as is in its power to depose the Soveraign Lord of the World. It denies in effect that he is God For that which denies his essential Perfections and Attributes does deny him to be God. He that gives up himself to sin denies in a manner all his divine Excellencies his Goodness Wisdom Power Justice Mercy Immensity Psal 50. 21. He would not go on in sin if he did not say in his heart that he is not the Chief Good because sin deprives him of this Good cuts him off from the Injoyment of it or else he believes not that it will deprive him of the chief Good and so denies his Truth who has affirmed and declared it and not believing him herein makes him a Liar He durst not sin but that he thinks God is not present to see him and if so he denies his Immensity Or if he see him he thinks he cannot punish him and so denies his Power Or if he be able yet he thinks he will not punish him and so denies his Justice He would not turn aside to other ways than he prescribes but that he thinks he either cannot direct him in the best way and so denies his Wisdom or that he will not direct him to the best and so denies his Mercy And thus much we might shew of the other Divine Perfections how it tends to deface them all Lo here the horrid Enmity of Sin and Sinners against God. They deny he is God call him constructively and in effect a finite a weak a foolish a false an unjust and unmercifull thing 'T is true Sinners cannot do what they say and wish in their hearts They have not Power to undeifie God or to deprive him of his Divine Perfections but this does not lessen nor excuse their Enmity against him For it is true in evil as well as in good Where there is a willing mind it is accounted as if it were done O the horrid nature of Sin Be astonished O Heavens and be ye horribly afraid at this Prodigious Enmity which is in the Hearts of Sinners against God. Why is thy wrath restrained O Lord Why does not thy Indignation break forth and destroy all Sinners from off the face of the Earth Nay why was not Heaven and Earth annihilated at the first appearance of such horrid Treason of such desperate Enmity But we have not yet discovered the height of this Enmity What is the reason that a Sinner should thus set himself against God It may be he despairs of Salvation while the Almighty rules and therefore the desire of his own Happiness may be the cause of this opposition and so it will not be pure Enmity but some Principle of self-love that may make him so desperate It is no such matter it is not Salvation that he cares for He sets himself against God not out of any respect to secure his own well-being For whom would he advance into the place of God 'T is the great enemy of his Salvation Satan 2 Cor. 4. 4. 'T is he who by the consent of Sinners is the God of this world 't is he they would have to rule in and over them Eph. 2. 2. They are Children of obedience to him but of disobedience to God and will be so tho' they perish for it Here then is the height of the Sinners Enmity against God. They had rather perish Eternally under the Soveraignty of Satan than be happy in subjection to the Scepter of