Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

And theSub-operations of. Man's ad: '. Cants; fi in.Gracehe operateth, zón quantum potefl, bat according to the aptitude and order, of the (apiential frame of Governing-Means of r,race. ?). 16. When the preaching of the Word, Education, Company and other vifible Means from equal, God bath innumerable means, fupernal internal, external, invifible and unknown to us, by which he can make all the difference that he maketh in men : So that we cannot prove that ever he worketh on fouls, without any fecond cant() or means at all ( though we cannot prove the contrary neither. ) And therefore he that refifteth all means, for ought we know in fo doing refiftcth all Gods gra- cious operations on his foul. 13 17. *Whereas Dr.Twife fo frequently asketh, Whether Godscondi- onal will ( and fo his operation ) be [ Polo. to velle, modo velis, or cre- dere modo credal,] to give us faith if we believe , and fo maketh non credere or non velle to be theonly refinance ; and the Armini sas to be ridiculous in making the effedt antecedent to the caufe as a condition of the caufation and it felf : This femi- (ubtilty, though it beget voluminous confidence, mull crypéccavi, if a little more fubtilty do but doted the defeé'ivenefs of it. We arenot now enquiring of the Rationespain ha- bendi, but of the Rationen non habendi ; nor are we enquiring Whether God have made a Covenant or formal Promi(e of giving faith upon an- tecedent conditions ; But whether he deny (or give-not) grate for add al faith (effeilual or fufficient) to any but thole that refill and wilfully omit the preparatory ads which they were able to perform t even preparatory Volitions e . Or if you will make the queftion to be de ra- tionibus ftdem habendi ( not de caufis ,4c`lús ebnandi) Whether God do not ordinarily give or- produce the ads of faith, in that foul; which Both not wilfully refrfl, and omit fuch preparatory alts as it could do ? even Volitionst And fo I anfwer, t. It is not [ I will give thee faith if thou wilt believe; or I will make thee willing if thou be willing of the fame thing.] But it is, [ r. If by refitting wanton preparing grace , thou fo harden thy heart, or increafe the privation of receptive aptitude in thy felf , as that the fame degree of grace, means , help, imprefs, will not change thee , which otherwife-would have done it , and will change, another not fo felf-hardened.; thy gracelefnefs and deftrudion ( 68th abfo- lately and as compared to others that are converted, ) is ítnputableon- ly to thy felf. z. And if that be unwilling to ufethe Means as thou art able, to hear, read, or meditate on that which fhould affeéi thee, and unwil- ling. ( Privatively ) to hear and receive the inward motions of my Spirit, which fhould convince and turn thee , and wilt not either by previous Cogitation , or immediate conatus and fufcitation of thy In- telleit to Think, and of the will to its aél, a&ively concurr to re- ceive my gracious motions and influx ; thy gracelefnefs (abfolutely and comparatively) is imputable, not to me, but to thy felf. 3. Much more , if when thou canfl do otherwife , thou run the contrary way , and turn thy thoughts and afleitions eagerly after va- nity, and hate and oppofe my help and grace , becaufe it is againft thy lulls. ] z. Or if you will take it in the form of a half promife s or encou- ragement from God ; thus, [ r, If thou wilt not by wilful progrefs in fin, and cuftom, fo increafe thy. I know not haw tm find both fole and con- cord in the words of yourEllruar,- de Lee. Lg. difY 59 P. n6q. E2 "2 contriti, g,ue eft ultima difplitio ad gration du- genere, tanfo mat.ria- lis antecedit islam ; in genere tarnen tante fmrraa- lia & oficientis faun ,jafsiemgratin t Sr proptcrea guarnvis non ft meritoria gratie, eli ta- men meritoria vita ater- t,,: Et p.a65 Coo- tritio qua penitens defponi- tnr ad infudiionern gratie habitualis , eß anontoria vite atern.e, ut Thom. a. a. q. 112. a. e. ed r. Ergo eit eJJeaus gratie. habitualis t Nella enim operatic hominie eft meri- torio vite eterne olle procedat ei gratia habits ali, dr ordine fatten: na- ture fit es pufterlee : Bow can the ALL be the ulti- ma difpoftio to the Infu- fion ofthat habit which it tlocveth from ? Wilds he mean cadent ffecie, and not numerically t which yet is falfe : For it is not eadem, or elfe he faltly fuppofeth that the fame Love of God may go before Grace.

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