I80 THE NATURE, CA power, or grace, and so continue in their sins. What this grace is, or whence men have this power and abir- lity, by some is not declared. Neither is it much to be doubted, but that many do imagine that it is purely na- tural; only they will allow it to be called grace, because it is from God who made us. Others acknowledge it to be the work or- effect' of grace internal, wherein part of the difference lay, between the Pelagians and Semi- pelagians of old. But they all agree that it is absolute- ly in the power of the will of man to make use of it or not; that is, of the whole effect on them, or product in them of this grace communicated in the way described: for notwithstanding any thing wrought in us or upon us thereby, the will is still left various, flexible, and un- determined. It is true, that notwithstanding the grace thus administered, the will bath power to refuse it, and to abide in sin. But that there is no more grace wrought in us, but what may be so refused, or that the will can make use of that grace for conversion, which it can refuse, is false. Sect. 20. For (1.) This ascribes the whole glory of our regeneration and conversion unto ourselves, and not to the graceof God: for that act of our wills, on this supposition, wherebywe convert unto God, is merely an act of our own, and not of the graceof God. This is evident; for if the act itself were of grace, then would it not be in the power of the will to hinder it. (2.) This would leave it absolutely uncertain, notwithstanding the purpose of God, and the purchase of Christ, whether ever any one in the world should be converted unto God or no. For when the whole work of grace is over, it is absolutely in the power of the will of man whether it shall be effectual or no; and so absolutely uncertain; which is contrary to the covenant, promise, and oath el God, unto and with Jesus Christ. (3.) It is contra- ry to express testimonies of scripture innumerable, wherein actual conversion unto God is ascribed unto . his grace, as the immediate effect thereof. This will further appear afterwards. Cod worketh in us to will and to do, Phil. ii. 13. The act therefore itself of willing in our conversion, is of Gods operation.; and although ive will ourselves, yet it is he who causeth .us to will by working in us to will and to do. And ifthe act of our will in believing, and obedience in our con- version to God, benot the effect of his grace in us, he cloth not work in us both to will and to do of his own ood pleasure. USES, AND MEANS Sect. 21.Secondly; This moral persuasion, how- ever advanced or improved, and supposed to be effec- tual, yet it confers no new real supernatural strength unto the soul. For whereas it worketh, yea, the Spi- rit or grace of God therein, and thereby, by reasons, motives, arguments, and objective considerations, and no otherwise, it is able only to excite and draw out the strength which we have, delivering the mind and ,affec- tions from prejudices and other moral impediments: real aid *, and internal spiritual strength, neither is nor can be conferred thereby. And he who will acknow- ledge that there is any such internal spiritual strength communicated unto us, must also acknowledge that there is another work of the Spirit of God in us and upon us, than can be effected by these persuasions. But thus it is in this case, as some suppose. The mind of man is affected with much ignorance, and usually under the power of many prejudices, which, by the corrupt course of things in the world, possess it from its first actings in the state of infancy. The will and the affections are likewise vitiated with depraved habits, which by the same means are contracted. But when the gospel is proposed and preached unto them, the things contained in it, the duties it requires, the promises it gives, are so rational, or so suited unto the princi- ples of our reason, and the subject matter of them is so good, desirable and beautiful unto an intellectual appe- tite, that being well conveyed unto the mind, they are able to discard all the prejudices and disadvantages of a corrupt course under which it bath suffered, and pre- vail with the soul to desist from sin, that is, a course of sinning, and to become a new man in all virtuous conversation. And that this is in the liberty and power of the will, is irrefragably proved by that sophism of Biel out of Scotus and Occam, which contains the sub- stance of what they plead in this cause. 1- Yea, thus to Sed quid í}lud'estquocorporeorsm sensuum pulsantur, in argo cor- dis cui impenditur issa cultura, nec radices, potesi figera nec germen emittere, nisi illo summus et v us Agricola potentia sui operi adhihm. eels, et ad vitalem profectum eaqua, suntpiantata perduxrit.Epist. ad Demetriadem. t Omni diaamini rectee raaonis posest voluntns se conformare; seddi- ligere Deum super ia est dictonen recta rations; ratio enm dictat inter omnia diligendaesse aliquid summediligendum Item homo er- s potes[ diligere creaturam super , ergo etiam Deum; mirum eram calde esses, quod voluntas se conf retare possit dictamini errooro et non recto. Biet.-2. sent. distino. 27. q. Art. 4.
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