Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

OfSufficient and Effeual Grace. 145 5. It is an improperphrafe to fay that Gods Poweris overcome : For it is not done by agreater Power. But when God will put forth but a cer- tain degree ofPower in hisgracious motions ; the motions ofnatural power perverted by Vice, may be greater than them : And when they bring forth a contrary efflí, are Paid toovercome them. 6. Therefore whether Grace bedefallo refilled or not refilled, over- come or not overcome, is no matter of controverfie,feeingthe event doth decide the question. 7. Grace where it overcomes, is not properly laid to overcome the weer phyftcal Power or .Aïl as fuch, but as perverted, and viciouflyufed againft God. 8. Thepower offinning may be Paidtobe overcome, whenit doth not perform the prefently-endeavoured at, but thecontrary. 9. The Power may be faid to beovercome, when it is deftroyed, and is no longer aPower adhoc. And fo the naturalpower is never properly laid to be overcome by Grace, but to bedetermined. ro. The vicious moral Power, which is but the evil habit ordifpoftion, is always overcome by effelyual Grace, as to that all where Grace pre- vaileth. But not always thereby overcome in it felf as a habit, and de- ftroyed ; till the contrary habitual Grace deftroy it. All this is paff all Controverte on both fides : And if fo, tellmewhat difference about the irrefiflibility of Graceremaineth. A. " Itwill put a mansbrains hard to it tofollowyon, as you mince the " matter byfö many diftinllionsandpropofitions. B. And you put mens Confciences hard to it, to fire Gods Church, by contendingwhereyou differnot, or can thewno difference. guefi. r. When you fay that Grace is refiilible, do you mean that de falto, it is nevereffellual and overcometh our refiftance ? A. " No : then no man fhouldbefaved. B. Lueft. 2. Do youmean that mans Will is more powerful than God? A. "You need not askmefuck a queflion. B. ßuef1. 3. Do you mean that God neverputtethforth fomuch power inhis workof Grace asmandoth inrefilling it? " A. Here Imuß elilhnguifk alfo : r. Powerisfo called either as in fe, " in the virtue, or in the effe&. 2. Power in man is fo called either as "meerlymans, or as Gods that workethin man. AndfoIanfwer, t. Gods " Power in it felf whichway ever it worketh (inman or out of him) is the "fame, neithergreater nor lefs than it felf, for it is God. 2. Power in " it felfas Gods is infinitely greater than mans asfuch. 3. As power k "fo called from the effe&, it is no Controverfie : For theevent Hill telleth " which is the greater, orprevalent therein. B. You have anfwered well. Auefl. 4. You do not mean I know that in the instant of atling, the Soul that willeth cannill the fame thing at the fame time, in thefame refpe&, much lets after the a& is paff, that it hath a contrary power 'ad preteritum ? It is, I fuppofe, only in the ínftant, antecedentto theaû that you fay Graceis retftible ? A. "Tou may eafily beforeof that. B. seil, 5. If youmean only that the natural faculty was potentia liberaaltiva adutrumlibet,till Grace procured it to determine it fell: And fo that Grace destroyed not the natural Power or Liberty ; do you know any that differ from youin that? A. "No, if they may takefreedom in theirown fenfe. B. Enough ofthat,I hope,before. Quef1.6. If youmean that the moral Pravity of this natural faculty, was fuch as could have prevailed againft T Grace

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