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2. Because the objec

ren of wrath, and enemies to God. tion, while it seems to magnify common grace, nullifies the special; as if God no more regarded his own elect than other men. 3. Because it lays a foundation for self-boasting; for, if all have but the same means given from above, the betterness of any must be from themselves; men must make themselves to differ; which is contrary to all reason, since the same means can have but the same effect upon subjects alike qualified. 4. Because the scripture speaks expressly the contrary; and that of those who had the likeliest sufficiency of any others; and yet they "could not believe," John 12: 39. and of believers themselves, that they cannot think," 2 Cor. 3: 5. and of Christ's own disciples (who, of all believers, had the highest means,) that "without him they can do nothing," John 15: 5. and if such as these can neither do nor think, where is the suff ciency boasted of? You say, they have the power to be. lieve, if they will: not so, but if they will, they have power. Power and will, in this matter, are the same thing variously expressed: it is common to say, we cannot, when nothing is wanting but will. And, for power to will (if such a thing could be) without a will to put that power into act, it would signify no more than an arm without strength (which makes a shew, but can do nothing;) like the feet and ankle-bones of him that was born a cripple. But is not that a deplor able kind of sufficiency, which leaves "without hope, and without God in the world?" Eph. 2: 12. and yet such is the state of a very great part of mankind. You will say, perhaps, they had a sufficiency, but by mis-usage they lost it: and can there be a more palpable instance of a thing's insufficiency, than its inability to preserve itself, and the general successfulness of it? But means may be proper enough, and in their kind sufficient, towards the produc tion of such an event, and yet that event never succeed, for want of something else which also was requisite for it. Some of the Jews, by the evident testimonies of Christ's divinity, were convinced that he was the Messiah, but it came not up to a perfect work; "they did not confess him," John 12: 42. and this because "the arm of the Lord was not revealed to them," Isa. 53: 1. that is, as Moses speaks, "the Lord had not given them an heart to understand," Deut. 29: 4.

Planting and watering are proper, and suffi

cient in their kind, as means and secondary causes; but no thing as to increase, without a blessing from God. Who could reason more strongly than Paul? or speak more eloquently than Apollos? and yet the success of their ministry was "as God gave to every man," 1 Cor. 3:,5., it is God that worketh both will and deed, Phil. 2: 13. it is he that openeth the ear to discipline, Job 36: 10. and sealeth instruction, chap. 33: 16. when his hand is set to, then it is authentic and powerful, and not before. Of this, those ancient Jews are a downright instance: they had means of being purged, and yet were not purged, Ezek. 24: 13. but afterwards, the Lord takes the work into his own hand; "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you; a new heart also will I give you, and cause you to walk in my statutes," Ezek. 36: 25-28. by which it appears, that the Lord will not only afford them means, as aforetime, and leave the improvement thereof to themselves; for that he saw would not do; but now, he will take the whole upon himself; not to exempt them from their duty, but enable them for it; adding also his own divine power to make the means effectual; as is plainly implied in that of the prophet Jeremiah, "I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them," Jer. 33: 6. that is, he would give them an honest and good heart, which shall bring forth fruit to perfection, Luke 8: 15. These are the means proper and sufficient for salvation, and less than this will not do.

Object. They have as full a sufficiency as is meet and just for God to give.

Answ. 1. Is it meet and just to do good? Why not then the chiefest good that men are capable of, which is, to have their hearts perfectly turned to God, and united to him for ever? 2. The objection attributes more to man, in the bu siness of his salvation, than to God: for, if all that God can justly or meetly do in order thereto will not save him, without something done by himself, which God is not the doer of, then man will be reckoned chief agent in the work; and so "the axe will boast itself against him that handles it," Isa. 10: 15. Suppose a plaster or medicine to be made up of twenty ingredients, and one of them to be of such sovereign virtue as to influence all the rest; all

which, if that be wanting, will but ulcerate the wound, or heighten the distemper; that one must be counted the principal. 3. It is not to be supposed that the great and only wise God would set up a creature whose will he cannot justly and meetly overrule, especially in things requisite to the very end for which he was made: nor, that he should make him for such an end, as that any thing conducible thereto may not meetly and justly be done, in order to its accomplishment. 4. It would not answer the end of Christ's receiving gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious, to bring in whom, all power was given to him. Suppose a general should take in the lesser forts of a revolted city, but leave the fort royal, which commands all the rest, in the enemy's hand; shall be tell his prince they would not yield; and that, being men of reason, he thought it not fair to force them? would this be a fair account of his expedition? I trow not; for it would be to say, in effect, that he did not reduce them, because they were rebels. 5. It cannot be righteous or meet for men to affirm, nor for the honor of sovereign majesty, to admit, that the creature's will should limit, divert, or frustrate, the will and intent of the Creator. Shall it be at the will of one possessed, whether or no the devil shall be cast out? shall every base and pitiful lust have a negative vote to that which has passed the Trinity's fiat? It was religi. ously said of one," I will not have him for my God, that hath not power over my will." And, lastly, Suppose a man crazed in his head, and you intend him an honor or office, which he never will be capable of without the full use of his reason; is it not meeter, and doth it not argue an higher degree of love, prudence, and justice, to cure his distemper, though in a way contrary to his present mind, than to wait his complying with your prescriptions, which (as he is) he will never understand? And what hinders, but that God may do so by his people; even give them a heart to know him, and to fear him for ever, save only that this boggy principle of human liberty will not comport with it?

Object. But if a sufficiency of means to repent and believe be not afforded to all, how shall God be just in punishing for neglects?

Answ. The justice of God will not need our salving, especially by a balm of our making: whether he judge or justify, he is just in what he doeth, though purblind reason

sees not how. His judgments are a great deep; not to be fathomed by human comprehension. In sounding at sea, will it follow that there is no bottom, because your line will not reach it? God dealt not so (in respect of means) with any nation as with Israel: and the men going with Paul to Damascus, the Lord would not give them to see his face, nor to hear his voice; both which he vouchsafed to Paul, and yet he needs no vindication or apology for punishing their unbelief: " They that have sinned without law, shall perish without law," Rom. 2: 12. Besides, men are justly obnoxious to punishment for neglecting or not improving the means they have; although those means, when made the best of that nature can, will not save them: they are pu nishable for not feeding and not clothing; and yet by doing these, men are not justified. The least transgression lays men open to wrath; and we cannot, by keeping some commands, compensate the breach of others.

Object. Where it is said, "I will write my law in their hearts; and cause them to walk in my statutes," &c. there is no more intended by it, but the giving of things or means proper to such an end.

Answ. If one obliged to save your life should thus expound his engagement, you would not think it good pay. ment, nor that he had dealt faithfully with you.

The sense

objected cannot be the mind and limit of that most graci. ous promise: for, 1. The promise must be as broad and large as the precept: it would else be too short to repose our confidence in. If, then, the precept intends as much as the words of it do literally import, then also doth the promise: but the precept not only requires a using the means that tend to the duty enjoined, but the perfect, ef fectual performance of the duty itself, both as to matter and form; therefore doth likewise the promise: and then it will follow, that to write the law in the heart, and cause us to walk, &c. is more than a means: it is the thing itself. 2. The doctrine is hardly bestead, and not much to be credited, which, for its support, must put such a construction on the highest and most absolute promises that God hath made, as would render them weak and fruitless things. 3. Where God hath absolutely said, that such a thing he will do; for men to put in conditions or limitations, is to raze or interline a record; which is a felonious act: and how he

will deal with those who add to, or take from, the words of his prophecy, you have recorded in the last chapter of his book: (it is ill trifling with sacred things.) 4. A physician that undertakes to cure a man of his phrensy, and to keep him in his right mind, is not said to have done his work, or made good his word, whatever means have been applied to him, if the patient continue his former distraction, or relapse into it. 5. There is no need or reason why the Lord should promise, or make shew of promising, more than he intends to perform, for that would be as a broken staff: or why he should express himself in terms of a fuller or more absolute engagement than might in all points consist with his wisdom, justice, holiness, &c. 6. Lastly, The objection is further excepted against and rejected, not only as it makes man the chief agent in his own salvation, but as denying that God doeth any thing more for them that are saved, than for them that perish. If men make themselves to differ, the gospel design of magnifying grace is dashed at once. And, truly, it is matter both of wonder and grief, to see how industriously witty some men are to enervate the promises of God; as if they could not accept of salvation, unless their own wills may stand partners with his grace.

Object. But is it not said, "To him that hath shall be given?" Matt. 25: 29. that is, he that uses common grace well, shall have special.

Answ. 1. If that gracious promise, of writing the law in our hearts, intend only the affording of means, which is but common grace, where shall we find a promise of the special? The well using of common grace is indeed a duty incumbent upon all; but is in no way meriting, or moving God to bestow the special: he is above all human motives; and is not wrought upon by them, as men are. This is seen by Paul, whom special grace took hold upon, even while misusing that which is common: there was no space of time. between his being a persecutor, and his obtaining mercy, 1 Tim. 1: 3. with Acts 9: 4, 5, 6. 2. What proportion is there, in value, between a handful of clay, and a talent of gold? Infinitely more is the disproportion between the grace of faith, and all that a natural man can do for obtaining it: "they that are in the flesh cannot please God," Rom. 8: 8. 3. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin; but a man's sin