D. Abbot exerc. 2. ex Arm. declar. ad ord. omnia gratiæ afcribantur modo ne ftatuatur irrefiftili

lis.

Omnia gratia afcribantur modo ne ftatuatur irrefiftibilis, Arm. (cit. per R. Abbot.ep Sarifb.)e declar.ad ord. p. 56.

Quicquid fit conftanter docent omnes hunc modum actuandi liberum arbitrium ejus libertati nihil nocere imo maxime proficit illam. Paul.Fir.fpec. Schol.p.487.

It is the word of Arminius cited by our late learned Bishop of Salisbury: Give what you will to grace fo you hold it not irrefiftible. Nothing is here ftood upon, but the manner of the working of grace upon the hearts, wherein, if both parts would hear and underftand each other with favour, the controverfie would be found little other, then Verbal. For the part, that most conftantly teaches the forceablenefs of converfion, holds fuch a kind of actuating the will, as doth no whit hurt, or infring the liberty thereof; yea rather, which profits it, and whiles they fpeak of an irresistible a&t in turning us, they mean not fuch an act, as cannot be at all refifted, if we would, but fuch a one, as the will through Gods gracious inclination would not wish to refift, for that, their will to refist is so overcome by the fweet motions of Gods Spirit, that now yieldance is made powerfully voluntary; In which sense the Valent. very Jefuites themselves confefs an irrefiftibility. Bellarmine, Suadifp.8.q. rez, Valentia and others granting it as impoffible there fhould not 3.p.4. be a converfion, where there is an effectuall grace, as, that there fhould not be a converfion,where there is a converfion.

Now whether this irrefiftibleness be out of a confequent fuppofition, as the Jefuites, or out of an antecedent, as the Dominicans with many of ours; or whether this powerfull influence into the will be by way of a Phyficall, or morall motion, they are subtleties fit for Schools, not meet to trouble the heads of ordinary Chriftians; It is enough for us to know, that we will to confent, because God works this will in us ftrongly, yet fweetly, and by an omnipotent facility, fo as no free will of ours refifts Gods will to fave us, as St. Auffin pithily.

Το

Trahitur ergo miris modis, ut velit, ab illo, qui novit intus in ipfis bominum cordibus operari, non ut homines, quod fieri non poteft, nolentes credant, fed ut volentes ex nolentibus fiant, Aug. contr. 2. Epift. Pelag.

To difpute then of the power of that will to refift, which God hath made willing to yield, what is it but to ftrive about the paffage of those sheep which neither are bought, nor

ever fhall be ?

Man is in a marvelous manner drawn to will by him, that knows to work inwardly in Mens hearts, not that they fhould believe,whether they will, or no, which is impoffible, but that of unwilling, they should be made willing faith St. Austin.

True, God makes us willing of unwilling, and fo we refift not. But how doth he make us willing? Whether by an irrefiftible manner of working in us, or not; this fay the Opponents is the main queftion; Surely fo, as that to use Aquinas his word, the will is impelled, though not compelled; fo as, that though there is in the nature of the will a freedom, and capacity of agreeing, or diffenting, in respect of it felf, yet as it is for the prefent moved, and actuated by the effectual inclination of the Almighty, now it fo fwayes one way, as if it had for the time put off the off the power of refufing: What need we then trouble our felves with these upstart termes of Refistible and Irresistible; Let it content us, that the gra tious inoperation of God effectually drawes the heart of man to will, to receive, to entertain the happy motions of his good Spirit to our renovation: If we yield not this to God we yield nothing,and if we give him this, he will not quarrel us for more.

But what place fover thefe differences have found in Forraign Schools, and Pulpits, ours have reason to be free, if we fhall liften to that wife, and moderate voice of our church, which our forecited reverend Author commends unto us, who after the relation of the two extream opinions refteth in this, Medio tutiffimus:that men are fo ftirred and moved by Grace that they may,if they attend thereunto, obey the grace,which calleth,and moveth them; And that they may, by their freewil alfo refift it.But withal, that God, when he will, and to whom he will gives fuch an abundant, fuch powerful, fuch congruous, otherwise effectual grace that although the will may in refpect of the liberty thereof refift, yet it refifts not, but doth cer

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tainly,

tainly, and infallibly obey: And that thus God deals with those whom he hath chofen in Chrift, fo far as fhall be neceffary to their falvation. Who fo cannot fit down quietly in this decision me thinks fhould be no friend to peace.

And if any man ftumble at the first clause, as at the threshold of this fentence; Let him know, that our Divines at D ort have in effect faid no leffe, whiles having yielded to mans free-will in thofe external works, which are required of us before our converfion, and fuppofing certain effects in the way to our converfion, which are wrought by the power of the word, and fpirit, in the hearts of men not yet juftifyed, add further, that thofe whom God thus affects by his word and Spirit, thofe he doth truely, and seriously call, and Theol. invite to faith, and converfion, and that Chrift in his death not only founded his Evangelical covenant,. but hath alfo obtained of his faDord.de ther, that wherefoever this Covenant fhall be published, there alArt. 2. fo fhould ordinarily fuch a measure of grace be adminiftred as fhould Thef. 5. be fufficient to convince all impenitent, and unbelieving men of neg

Brit.

lect, or contempt. And lastly, that whom God thus affects, he forfakes not, nor ceafeth to promote in the way of their converfion, till he be first forfaken of them by a voluntary neglect or contempt of this initial grace.

But what need any proof hereof whiles that claufe fpeaks but of a common grace, and the perfons, to whom this liberty is afcribed, are fuch, as by that learned B. are contra-diftinguished to them, which are truely called according to the purpofe of God. Let us go, but fo far, as thefe two guides will joyntly lead us, it will be bootle fle to quarrel about any further discovery.

Concerning the fifth Article of perfeverance. The Belgick Opponents at firft fpake timorously, profeffing not abfolutely to hold a poffibility of the totall, or finall defection of true believers, only fufpending their opinion, and rather inclining to the affirmative,

Hanc nostram effe fententiam profitemur, hominem de falute aterra certum effe poffe, & debere, folam Dei gratiam effe perfeverantiæ caufam fupernaturalem, que facit,ut voluntas noftra perfeverare poffit & elit. Rem.Ep.ad ext.p.75.

;

but afterward they grew to a ftrong refolution of that, whereof they formerly but doubted In whofe writings yet, when a Man fhall come to read, that a Man may, and ought to be certain of his own eternal Salva

tion

tion; That the only grace of God is the fupernatural cause of perfeverance, which makes our will both able, and willing to perfevere, he would think there need no more words, that this quarrel were at a happy end.

But when he shall fee them flying off into the diftinctions of cer tainty for the present, and certainty for the future, and dividing this latter into abfolute, and conditionate, difclaiming the one, and establishing the other, fo as this certainty walkes ftill in even paces with perfeverance, and we can only be fure of Salvation, if we continue in faith, and piety; but we cannot be fure we shall continue in either, and hear them conclude it to be both laudable, and profitable for a Chriftian to nourish thefe doubts in himself, now he might, as eafily be induced to think, that these ends can never

meet.

And yet the oppofites ftrain hard for an accordance, whiles they diftinguish of faiths, and yield it fit to confider a faithfull Mans Eftate in respect of himself, his own weakness, and Sathans frauds, and in refpect of the firme promises, and supportations of a faithful God: In regard of the former granting it more then poffible, that he fhould utterly fall away from God; but in regard of the latter faftening their perfwafion upon the unremoveable Rock of their affurance.

But what need I lanch forth into this forrain deep? Those Opponents, which perfeverance meets with in our Church either are, or fhould be of a fofter temper, maintaining only fuch falling away from grace, as reverend B. Overall ftateth for the doctrine of the Church of England, whofe laft moderation in this point is worthy to be written in Letters of Gold. Having firft fet down the two contrary Tenets of the oppofite parts, he now brings in the Church of England thus (with St. Austin ) defining, as from a Celestial Chair.

That believers, as in a common acception, may through infirmity of flefh, and power of temptation, depart, and fall off from grace, and faith once received, but thofe believers, which are called according to the purpose of God, and which are foundly rooted in a lively faith, can neither totally, nor finally fall away and ifh everlastingly, but by the fpecial, and effectual grace of God, do fo perfevere in a true, and lively faith, that at laft they are brought unto eternal Life.

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per

Now,

Now, what wife Chriftian, can make dainty of admitting fo neceffary, and juft a diftinction, fince common experience tells us, there are many Meteors, that for the time fhine like bright Stars over our heads, which ere long we find under our feet refolved into a bafe and flimy flough? what heart can defire a more full and fatisfying determination, wherein both fides have their own, and we quietly enjoy what is trac in both,when thus much is mutually yielded, let him be branded for an enemy of peace, that will further contend.

Now when the Chriftian Reader hath seriously perused these differences, especially as they are propounded, and arbitrated by that grave profeffor, and Prelate of our Church on the one fide, and thofe other our learned, and worthy Divines on the other fide; Let me appeal to his better thoughts, what he finds here worthy of a publick divifion? Well may the Schools pick hence matter enough for their Theological Problemes, but what fhould either the Pulpit, or the press do with thefe bufie and bootlefs brabbles? My Brethren, let our care be to ftudy, and preach Chrift, and him crucified: To work the fouls of Men to faith, repentance, piety, justice, Charity, temperance, and all other heavenly vertues, that they may find cordial Teftimonies in themselves of their happy predeftination to Life, and their infallible Intereft in the precious blood of their Redeemer: Let us beat down those fins in them, which make them obnoxious to everlasting damnation and ftrip them of all comfortable affurances of the favour of God: Let us not undifcreetly spend our time, and pains in diftracting their thoughts with thofe Scholaftical difquifitions, whereof the knowledg or ignorance makes nothing to Heaven. The way to blessednefs is not fo fhort, that we should finde leafure to make outroads into needleffe and unprofitable fpeculations; Never Treatife could be more neceffary in this curious and quarrellous age,then de paucitate credendorum. The infinite fubdivifions of thofe points, which we advance to the honour of being the objects of our belief, confound our thoughts and marr our peace. Peaceable difcourfe may have muchlatitude, but matter of faith should have narrow bounds. If in the other, men will abound in their own fence, alwaies let unity of Spirit be held in the bond of peace; fince God hath given us change of rayment, and variety of all intellectual provifions, as Jofeph faid to