795 / 802
AR
MINIANISM.
73
confifi.
Which nature
and efficacy
of
grace, in oppofition to
an
indifferent influence
of
the holy Spirit, a metaphorical motion, a working
by
the
way
of
moral perfuafion,
only propofing
a
Bearable
objet,
eafy.
to
be refl
ed,
and
nor effeaoal
unlefs it be
helped
by an inbred
ability of our
own,
which
is
the
Arminian
grace, I will briefly
confirm, having
premifed thefe
few
things.
r. Although God Both not
ufo
the
wills
of
men
in
their
converfion,
as
malign fpi-
rits
ufe
the
members
of
men
in
enthufiafins,
by
a
violently wrefled motion, but tweedy
and agreeably
to their
own free nature
;
yet
in
the
firft
a&
of
our
converfion
the
will
is
meetly
paffive,
as a
capable
fabled
of
fach a work, not at
all
concurring co-opera-
tively to our turning. It
is
not,
I
fay,
the
caufe
of
the
work,
bat the
fubje&
where-
in ft
is
wrought,
having only
a
paffive
capability for
the
receiving
of
that
fupernatu-
ral being,which
is
introduced
by grace.
The
beginning
of
this
good
work
is
meerly from
God,
Phi.
i.
6.
Yea
faith
is
afcribed unto grace,
not
by
the
way
of
cotjmn &ion
with,
but
of
oppofition unto our wills
:
not
of
our
felve,,
it
is the
gift of
God,
EpheC
ii.
8.
Not that
roeare
f
fficient
of
our
feluca,
our
f
friency
is
of
God,
a
Cor.
hi.
s.
Turn
thou
me,
O
Lord, and
f
pall
be
turned!
2.
Though the
will
of
man
conferreth nothing
to
the
infufion
of
the
firft grace,
but
a fubjedive
receiving
of
it, yet
in
the
very firfl
ad,
that
is
wrought
in and
by
the
will,
it
molk
freely
co-
operateth
by
the
way
of
fubordination
with thegrace
of
God
:
and
the
more
effe&ually
it
is moved by
grace, the more freely it worketh with it. Man
being converted, converteth
himfelf.
3.
We
do
not
affirm grace
to
be
irrefiftible,
as
though
it
came upon
the
will
with
fuch an
over
-
flowing violence,
as
to
beat
it
down before
ir, and
fubdue
it
by compulfron
to what it is
no way
inclinable;
but
it
that term
be
utèd,
it
dennteth
in
our
fenfe, only
fach
an unconquerable efficacy
of
grace,
as always
and infallibly produceth its
effect.
For,
Who is
it
that
can roithfland
God?
Ads
xi.
17.
As alt.,
it
may be ufed
on
the
pare
ofthe
will
it
felt, which
will
not
refifk
it
:
All that
the
father
gave
unto
Chrill
will tame unto
bun,
John
vi-
37
-
The
operation
ofgrace
is
refifìed
by no
hard
heart,
beeaufe
it
Mol-
lifies
the heart
it
felt It
doth
not
to
muchtake
away
a
power
of
refitting,
as
give
a
will
of
obeying, whereby the powerful impotency
of
refìflance
is
removed...
4. Conceming
grace
it
fel
i
it
is
either
common
or
fpecial
:.
common,
or
general
grace
conlfteth
in
the
external revelation
ofthe
will
ofGod
by
his word,
with
force
illumination
of
the
mind
to
perceive
it,
and
corre&ion
of
the
áffedions not
too much
to
contemn
it
:
and this in force degree
or other, to
Tome
more, or
Vane
leefs,
is
com-
mon
to
all
that
are called; fpecial grace,
is
the
grace
of
regeneration comprehending
the
former, adding more fpiritual
ads,
but efpecially pre-
fuppnfing
the purpofe
ofGod,
on
which
its efficacy dotty
chiefly depend.
q.
This
faving
grace, whereby
the
Lord convertethor regeneratetha,.Gnner,
traufla-
tieg him from
death to life,
is
either external
or internal
;
external conffleth
in
the
preaching
of
the word, &c. whofe operation
is
by
the way-of moral perfuafion,.when
by
it
we
beech
our hearts in Chrifl's
Bead, that
they mould
be
reconciled unto Gad,
2
Cor.
Y.
20.
and
this
in
our
converfion
is the
inftrumental organ
thereof;
and may be Aid
to
be
a
fufficieut
taufe
of
our regeneration, in asmuch, as
no
other
in
the
fame
kind
is ne-
ceffary; it
may alfo
be
refilled
infenfe
divif
,.
abfira
king frcm that
conlideration, where-
in it
is looked on as
the inftrument
of
God for fach an
end.
6.
Internal grace
is
by
Divines diftinguilhrd into
the firft, or
preventing grace, and
the
fecund following
co-operating grace
;
the
firft is
that
fpiritual, vital principle
that
is
inflated
into
us
by
the
holy Spirit,
that
new creation, and bellowing
of
new
flrength,
whereby
we
are
made fit and able for
the
producing
of
fpiritual
ads,
to
believe and
yield evangelical obedience
:
For
we
are the
roor
/maefloip
af
God, created
inChrift
Yefus
unto
goad
works,
EpheC ii.
1o.
By
Chi(
God
gives
ne
anew heart, and a
new
fptrit
he
uts
roithitt
NI,
he
taieth
the
gay
hearts out
of
ear/efla,
and
gives
la
heart
of
flP,
he
puts
his
[Phil oithia
us; to
cafe
us to
walk in
hie
flatutes, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. 27.
Now this firft grace is not
properly
and formally
a
vital
ad,
but
caufaliter
only,
su
being
a
principle moving
to
fachvital ads
within us.
It
is
the habit
of
faith
beftowed
upon a
man,
that
he may
be
able
to
eliciate and perform
the ads
thereof;
giving new
light
to the
underflanding, new inclinations'.
to
the will,
and new
affe&ions
unto
the
heart.
For the
infallible
efficacy
of
which grace,
it
is
that
we
plead
againft
the.Armi-
ens,
and amongfk
thole
innumerable
places of holy
fcripture
confirming
this
truth, I
shall make
ufe only
of
a
very
few
relluced
thefei
hree
taeads.
(r)
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