OfSufficient andEffec>ual Grace.. I lettual perception , withoutbeing bruitifh, though it fo far difobey Reafon its guide. C. ' e Theft things are exceeding intricate and difficult, for all that you fay. They are fo : * But forget not, that the great difficulty is between us and the Hobbs or Infidels, and Fatills, and not between the true Chr ians among themfelves, as to our prefent Controverlies. I con- fers that the confutingoftheir Opinion, that [ all Volitions are necefli- tated unavoidably by Gods Operation ] is a far harder work than the reconciling of the Lutheransand Calvinifs, who go uponno fuch Prin- ciples. Tell me, Isthis it that you wouldcome to ornot ? If youonce per- fwademe that God caufethall finful Volitions as neceffarily as he caufeth aTree to grow, and that man can nomore avoid them, and that liberty ofWill fignifieth nomore than velle, or not nolens Belle, and fo that God is theprime irrefiftible caufe of all Sin, as much as of all Good, fo far as it is capable of a Caufe. ] I muff needs next believe, r. That God hateth not his ownWork: yea that he loveth it. 2. That he hateth no man for it. _3. That moral Good and Evil is nothing in man, bút fuch as obeying or difobeying ( proportionably) in a Horfe or Dog. '4. Yeafar lefs 5 becaufeman doth but as my pen whichwritethas I move it, in refpeft to God : But fo is not my Horfe or Dog to me. 5. And how then to judgeof all the Scripture, the Miniftry, of the Incarnation and Death of Chrift, of the Duties of a Chriftian life, of Hell, &c. eafie to perceive, viz. That as God differenceth Men and Toads meerlybecaufe he will do fo 5 even fo dothhe the goodand the bad in the World : and that Sin is no evil any waybut to our felves : and that God is as much thecaufe of it asof Sicknefs 5 and is aswell pleated with theWorlds Infidelity and Impiety, as with theChurchesSanity 5 And that he will no otherwife damn men for Sin, than arbitarily to make fuck barer than others, as Dogs are than men 5 Benedichus spinofa hath givenyou the Confe&aries moreat large. O how heartleflyfhould I preach and pray, how carelefly fhould I live, if once youbrought me to this Opinion, thatall fin is theunrefifti- ble Work of God (fo far as it is awork ) asmuch as holinefs is ? C. " If there be no middle betweenFree-will and this Impiety (as Icon- "fefs rcannot difprove your Confeffaries) it'stimeforus to turn our iudies " againfi the common Enemies of all Religion and Morality, infleadof con- tending with one another : fpecially when they havefomuch tofay. B. And doyou think they do well, and friendly by the Church, who take there mens part, and own their Caufe in the foundation5 and en- tangle poor Souls in fuch intricatedifficulties 5 whenwe that know not the leaft ofGods Creatures, or the myfteriesof any of his Works, do littleknow all the quick and intricatea&ionsof our ownSouls. Ina word,manhath morepower togood than he ufeth,and thatpower iscalled fufficient or neceffary Grace tothe a& 5 though therebe many difficulties whichno oneofeither fidecan refolve. 5 *. The Iodic i fayof ob.; jedive and intelleftual neceflìtation of the Will : faith H. Kipping. truly, Intl. Philo(: Nat. 11. g. c. tm. pa . 416. Errant Schola reformats dadores qui afferent vo- !rotates ad adum faux determinari a jodido in- telledres, ita at volentat$ libertas nails ft , , con- firidia vero lit ad Intel- lelias dubber: a quo fern- perdeterminatur, Soh. Ça. mero, Mare. Sehogkius, Hornbeck. Maccovius, Heerbord, Nor rolixe e'r; bene refellit Epi p
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