z 84 OfSufficient and Effettuai Grace. Ad primum, I.' There are neareF&Reafons in the immediate aptitude of the receiver. Such as is the higheftdegree of preparing Grace inone, which another hath not. And thereare remote reafons or aptitudes. As é. g. A man ofgreat learning, wit, andzeal, or force other remote apti- tude, will be a fitter perfon for Gods work than another , when he be- lieveth. 2. It is not known to any mortal man , what different apti- tudes in both thefe kinds, God the only heart-fearcher feeth , which no man can fee : And therefore this queftion cannot certainlybe anfwered as to both forts. 3. Butas far as our blindeyes can reach , itfeemeth moil probable to us, that God doth not always-effe t Faith according to the degrees of receptive aptitude ofeither fort. Becaufe we fee that fometimes he fud- denly calleth very great finners, and allo force that are filly and little ferviceable in the world. But yet what fpecial aptitudes God may fee in them weknow not. Ad fecundum, ,Au. I anfwer, That it is Gods ordinary way to give Faith according to the ftrflfort of predifpofition alone (were there no difference inthe laft) that is, To thofe that have the higheft degrees of moral preparation, -or CommonGrace, I take to be a certain truth. r. Be- caule in all Gods Workswe fee that he operateth by degrees in 'order, and, on predifpofed matter, andthat efleitjuxta difpoftionem recipientis. 2. Butfpecially becaufe he hath himfelfappointeda courfe ofmeans for the obtainingof his fpecial Grace, to beufed by all men : And he can- not be thought to doall this invain; nor to let men on doing their part in vain. And all pra lical Divines who preach fo much fox the fouls preparation, are of this mind, thatfuch preparation is the ordinary pre- difpofition. .ad 2u. 3. Ianfwer, That at leafifometimes it is fo, is pall queflion with any loberman. For it is a contradiQíon, to call it preparing Grace, or Difpoftián 5 and yet to fay thatby it no man is made ever the more receptiveor nearlier capable of Faith or fpecial Grace. Somuch to the * Mark what Banner twoqueftions de Comparabilitate. himfelffaith ofCommon III. But .Wtet th queftion, Whether God A11114161 in his mind Grace, in q.ei.pag.z74. as Q [Piecredi poteft quad on- thus Compare Hen, and prefer one before another, and fay, I will carafe this x,bas oucnu pm4ó1m man tobelieve. rather than that ? I anfwer; I. There is no Aft inGodbut gnam ferat fupernatarali iris Efïence, which is invariable , and indivifible. 2. But becaufe his Jiigante adae(dun in- operations as terminated and produ&ive ad extra are various , and have num. o. Si vera eft opt- obfel ive material caufes oftheir diverfity in the recipients 5 therefore niaThomee, iac. necepetft we ufually thence denominate Gods volitions as various. And fo when deere quod amnia qui ja- flificatur,receperrtgraham we Ice that one manbath-Gracegiven him tobelieve, when another hath præparantim fattempriers flot, we hence' fay that God mentally and by Decree preferreth one be matura quam præceptum fore. theother :.when the difference is not at all in God, nor his All ex naturale ad:mpleverit. 3. t - auotieftunque aliquis per- parte agentis, but only of and byGod in theRecipients. Dar ffdale ?unarm præcan- C. " But come yet nearer the heart of the cafe, andtell me plainly, tun:, vet fides vetpmniten- " I. Whether the difference of Effeûs be more from the will and aElion of tiáio ecee : éiit elle "God, orfraramens different Receptive difpoftions.- And 2. Whether all dì Ham inftrationem ìl- "thefe di.ferent Receptivities be not of God. luminantisDei aut veran- B. Orderbids me beginwith thelatter. I. Thedifferent Difpofitions tin ear ineitantis adfalem, &c. Immo nece/ eft he- ate of two forts, Good and Bad. God is not the caufe of the Indifpo- minem tangi alequa fuper- naturali infptratsone ut HallamWent excu(gtionem. Bepibile ea fecundum legen ordinariamquemlibet den sib in hoc vita (ah-ari.Deus pramseft dareomnibus panders first in bac vita aarilium quo fiant potentes converti, Immo & auxilinm jpeéialius qua cenvertantur fi velint. I citethis,becahre for his Dottrine of Predetermination, Proteflanrs' much value Banns (a bowfling Author, who thankethGod that their Kingburneth Proteftants.) Indeedthe Dominicanscommonly confefs futficient Grace which is not effettuai. fition
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