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Ephefianf,Chàp-,t,
V
ER..t9
._:_T__
.
is
no naturall'power
in an
eye now blinde, to receive fight, which
is
nót
in it felfe,
but
finely in
regard
of
the
manner
in
which it
is
to be
refto-
red,a thing
fupernaturall
:
How,
much
leffe
in
the
eye
ofthe
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,
ifthere
were
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 of
fuffering
in
any
thing, but that
wee
fee alto
in
nature
a
correfpondent power working
upon it
:Wherefore
the will,
not
from any natural! inclination
it
hath,
fuffering
this worke
of
converfion,
mutt
needes
fuffer it
as
it
is
in
obedience
to
Gods almighty power. Now
to
fay it
mayrefift,
as
it
is
in
obedience,
is
to fpeake things
contradìao.
ry
:
The
Scripture doubtèth not
to
fay
in
effe,
that
Gods
will
of
pre.
deftinating, calling,
and (hewing
mercy
to
falvation,
is
unrefiftible;
Who
hath
rellfled his
will?
Rom.
9:
and
if
it
were needful!,
it
might
be
(hewed, efpeciallyout
of
Tertulian
and
Auflin,that Gods gracehath the
free
-will under the power
of
it. Out
of..4ußin,
That
God by
his
ommi-
potent
power
inclineth wils
whither
he
willeth, having them
more
in
his
power then
we
our
felves
;
that
his
grace doth help
us
indeclinabiliter
er
infeparabiliter
; which
is
all
on,.as if
he fhould fay, it doth
helpe
our
infirm
Me,
not
only
infallibly, but
irrefi
ftibly
;
That
it is
net
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,
on
Gods
decree neceffity
followeth.
But
this labour
is fuperflu-
ous
to
my intent. But it may be objeéted,
that
this
Both
take away
the
liberty
of
the
will
in
converting,ifthe
will
be not
able
to
doe
otherwife;
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
fecund
cafes
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
the
power
of
it
is
no way
changed
or
diminifhed;as
the omnipotent
will
ofGoddoth
fo in
the
falling out of
a
contingent
thing,
as
the not
breaking
Chrifts bones,
as
that the
nature
ofcontingencie
in
regard
of
all
fecondary
caufes,
is
no
whit
impaired.
I
anfwer fecondly,
that
this
opinion doth ground the freedome
of
wi:l
falfly ;
for thefreedome
of
will,
as
it
is a
facultie voluntary
or
elective,
doth not
require
this indifferency
of
exercifing
the
ad
of
it divers waies,
for
the
conftituring
of
it.
To
cleare this
the more, confider that
liberty
may
feemeto
fpring 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 regard
of
the
flexibility
which
is
inthe
habituall inclination, which
might
bend
as
eafily
to
ano-
ther
diverfe
thing,
or
tofufpend
,asto
move whereto
irmoveth.
Secondly, in regard
of
flexibility,
which
is
in
the
habitual(
inclinati-
on, which might bend
as eafily
to
another diverfe thing,
as
to
that
whereto