1 Ephefianf,Chàp-,t, VER..t9 ._:_T__ . is no naturall'power in an eye now blinde, to receive fight, which is nót in it felfe, but finely inregard of the manner inwhich it is to be refto- red,a thing fupernaturall : How, much leffein the eyeofthe minde, now become darkenefs, to'receive the light of faving knowledge, which is every way a thing both for matter and manner fupernaturall unto it . Befide, iftherewere apower natural( to receive converfion, then there mutt be force agent in nature able to worke converfion; for there is not found a power nat*all offuffering inany thing, but that wee fee alto in nature acorrefpondent power workingupon it :Wherefore the will, not from any natural! inclination it hath, fuffering this worke ofconverfion, mutt needes fuffer it as it is in obedience toGods almighty power. Now to fay it mayrefift, as it is in obedience, is to fpeake things contradìao. ry : TheScripture doubtèth not to fay in effe, that Gods will ofpre. deftinating, calling, and (hewing mercy to falvation, is unrefiftible; Who hath rellfled hiswill? Rom. 9: and if it were needful!, it might be (hewed, efpeciallyout ofTertulian and Auflin,that Gods gracehath the free-will under the power ofit. Out of..4ußin,That God byhis ommi- potent power inclineth wils whither he willeth, having themmore in his power thenwe our felves ; that hisgrace doth help usindeclinabiliter er infeparabiliter ; which is allon,.as if he fhould fay, it doth helpe our infirmMe, not only infallibly, but irrefi ftibly ; That it isnet rejected of any hard heart, becaufe it is given to take away that hardneffe of heart which might refrft ; That the will of the creator is the neceffity of things, onGods decree neceffity followeth. But this labour is fuperflu- ous tomy intent. But it may be objeéted, thatthis Both take away the libertyofthe will in converting,ifthewill be not able todoeotherwife; for that which the will doth, not having power to doe otherwife, in that it is not free. 1 anfwer with limitation, that which cloth. having power to doe otherwife from change in fecundcafes compelling it fo to do, in that it is not free: Ohherwife, When this neceffity cometh from Gods almighty will by himfelfe determining of it ; for this cloth fo fweetly determine the creature, that thepower ofit is no way changed ordiminifhed;as the omnipotentwill ofGoddoth fo in the falling out of acontingent thing, as the not breaking Chrifts bones, as that thenature ofcontingencie in regardofall fecondary caufes, isno whit impaired. I anfwer fecondly, that this opinion doth ground the freedome ofwi:l falfly ; for thefreedome ofwill, as it is a facultie voluntary orelective, doth not require this indifferencyofexercifing the adofit divers waies, for theconftituring ofit. Tocleare this the more, confider that liberty may feemetofpring from three rooms. Firft, from this indeterminedindifferency, whereby the will is free, nothing determining it otherwife, as well to move it felfe to a diverfe thing,as tothat whereto it moveth.Secondly,in regardof the flexibility which is inthe habituall inclination, which might bend aseafily to ano- ther diverfe thing, ortofufpend,astomove whereto irmoveth. Secondly, in regardofflexibility, which is in the habitual( inclinati- on, which might bend as eafily to another diverfe thing, as to that whereto
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