1'28 SEIi11140I S upon the SEpM.XVI 0/ the: Lora bath 49a,lrn it : So Pfal. 9i. 1. He that dwelleth to the fecret dace; of ti rss ¡l h.!rli, (ball a /,ide under the fhadow of the Almighty : God that Punilheth fin ...:i; lin, doh reward Grace with Grace ; they that abufe the light of Nature, e given up to a reprobate feci& ; they that improve the Grace they hive, fhall -e more, every a`cI maketli an inilreafe of the habit, and whófoever imployech fptrtbal Wealth that he bath, (hall have an addition from God ; be more 'rrong in Faith and Love, and more rich in Knowledge. Ufje . Bu: may not we enlaige'this a little further ? Arminius gathereth from hence, that the works of the unregenerate, done by the meer frrengrh of nature, are 'lb accepted with God, that by them he is moved and induced to give them fupernatural Grace : And many others that will not (peak fo grofly, think that ',if we improve the gifts of Nature, we (hall have common Grace, and if we improve common Grace, we fhall have (pecial and raving Grace.: And ought we not, and call We not nie thefe common Gifts and Graces to this end and purpolè, that we may obtain Converfion and Faith in Chrift ; fuch as the ufe of Reafon, the free- ing of the mind from bruitifh Paffions and AffeEtions, good Education, the Ex- : amplcs of others, the powerful Preaching of the Gofpel, and common Illumination, and the Knowledge of the Truth gained thereby ? Thole that have Common Grace ought and are bound to ufe it for the obtaining of amore Grace; there is no doubt of that, for therefore they are accu- fed, that Thy have ears and hear not, eyes and fee not; and God findeth fault with his People, That they mill not frame their doings to turn to the Lord, Hofèa 5. 4. So much as put themfelves in a pofturc ; they are threatned, That it fhall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for them : And that the Ninevites (hall rife in. 7fud-ment againft them, and Condemn them They are reproved for Being ia'le and fle.athful Servants, and hiding their Talents in a Napkin : Certainly they that are lift- eel up to Heaven in Ordinances, that receive fo much Grace from God, and yet turn it into Wantonnefs, and do not Know, nor Worfhip, -nor Seek after God, they aggravate their own Condemnation ; their de(truaion is of themfelves, they ihut themfelves out of the Kingdom of God, reje& the Counfels of God againft themfelves : In fhort, they put away the Word of God from them, and judge them - f4lves unworthy of Eternal Life : The Scripture every where fpeaketh at this rate, cicncerning the Folly and Negligence of men. 2. But if it be asked, Whether they that have received Common Grace, not only ought,but a1íò can ufe it for the acquiring and getting the (Pedal Grace of Converfion? This Q eftioo concerneth the manner how the Will of God and the will of man meet together in the work of Converfion. And here we muff ufe great care in Anfwer- ing, to avoid Iuconveniencies on all hands ; certainly merit they cannot, neither de convey, nor de condigno, nor by any Covenant oblige God to give them the Grace of Regeneration, neither can Chrift be faid to have acquired and purcha. fed this Grace for them, to whom he is not given as a Mediator ; nor by any Promifè is God bound to give us Grace for the good ufe of our natural abilities : No, the diflribution of Converting Grace is not Promifed or bound to any works of Righteoufnefs that we have or can do, but is referved and referred to the free difpolìtion, good will and Pleafure of God, Rom. 9.16. Not cf him that willeth, nor of him. that runneth, but of God that fheweth mercy : So Tit. j. 5. Not by works of Righteoufnefs which we have done, bat according to his mercy he faved us: The frft e race is given by God as a foveraign Lord, according to the Counfel of his own ` ~rill. But finer the O eftion is propounded, Whether a man can by r-emmura C -race obtain (pecial? The Anfiver mull be prudent and cautelóus, that of the one Ide we may not prejudice the Truth, nor of the other fide give Scandal and Of -. levee to the weak. For, (i.) If you anfiver, That an unregenerate man may by the ufe of common Grace .acquire and obtain the (pecial Grace of Regeneration, and that the whole bufinefs lies. in the good ufe of his Will, you feem to dafh upon the eternal Purpofe and Decrees of God, by which he bath determined, not to give all men, but on- ly the Ele& this (pecial Grace ; and upon the intention of Chriffs dying, which was not to fanftife himfelf for all, but for thofe whom the Father had given to him ; and you feem to put the whole bufinefs upon Man, as if he did make him felf to differ, and that the good ufe of common Grace Both all ; and then the Pelagian Axiome will be true, facienti plod in fie ell, That he that doth what he can,
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