02.03.03. Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3 The Method which this Author takes to reconcile the Calvinists and Arminians, consider’d. His Mistakes noted, and the Impossibility of a Reconciliation proved, from the Disagreement of their Principles.
IT is greatly to be wish’d, that all who profess to believe the Christian Religion, were united in their Sentiments, and heartily embraced divine Truths. An Agreement in Error, is far from being desirable, that is joining in an Opposition, to the Cause and Interest of Christ; and therefore in attempting to compose Differences, which subsist among nominal Christians, no Person ought to make the least Abatement of Truth, or in any Degree countenance Error: To do this, is betraying Truth, and gives an Opportunity, for false Opinions to be propagated, with the greater Ease and Advantage. The Sentiments of many are so widely different, that an Attempt to reconcile them, is extremely dangerous. No Concessions can be made to one Party, without great Disadvantage to the Truth, embraced by the other, for as there is a Connection in Error, as welt as Truth, one Concession to an erroneous Opinion, makes way for, and necessarily obliges to another. If we grant to the Arminians, that Christ died for all Men without Exception, we shall never be able to prove against the Socinians the Reality and Perfection of his Satisfaction: The Remonstrants are fully sensible of this, and therefore they give up, into the Hands of the Socinians, the glorious and important Doctrine, of his real and proper Atonement for Sin. And if we yield to them, that divine Grace is not effectual, in its Operations, they will easily maintain the Opinion, of the Dependence of Salvation on the Will of Man: The Uncertainty of the Salvation of any particular Man, and indeed of all Men; and that Faith is not given but acquired. How this Gentleman succeeds in his Attempt, to reconcile the very different Sentiments of Calvinists, and Arminians, relating to the Nature of the Influences, of the Grace of God, upon the Souls of Men, I shall now observe; as a Foundation to proceed upon, he lays down fix Propositions, to which, he thinks both Parties may agree: It will be very necessary, to well consider and examine those Propositions.
Prop. I. God has provided a glorious Salvation for fallen Men by Jesus Christ, which is sufficient far all Men in its own Nature, and shall be certainly effectual to all that are willing to accept of it upon his appointed Terms, or in his own appointed Way, i.e. in a Way of Repentance for sin, Renewal unto Holiness, and Faith or Dependence on the Mercy of God through Jesus Christf47.
1. That the Sufferings of Christ would have been sufficient for the Salvation of all Men, if God had appointed him a Saviour to all: And if the Sins of all Men had been imputed to him: And if he had died in the Room and Place of all Men, is readily granted, because of the infinite Dignity of his Person. But,
2. It remains to be prov’d, that he was appointed a Saviour to Men universally: That the Sins of all Men were charged on him: And that he suffered in the Stead of the whole Race of Mankind, until each of there Particulars is fully prov’d, this Proposition will not be a proper Foundation, to argue upon, in Favour of a Provision being made, for the Salvation of all Men, as it is design’d to be.
3. It is only a Part of Mankind, who can be concern’d herein because it is not to be expected, that such as know nothing of this divine Appointment, should fulfil those Terms, on which this Salvation, is to become effectual to Men.
4. None will ever be willing to accept of Salvation, in that Way God intends it shall be enjoy’d; but such whom he makes so, in the Day of his Power. And therefore this Proposition, is a most improper Foundation, on which to build the Possibility of the Salvation of all Men. For the Salvation of no Man is possible, without the effectual Operations of the Grace of God.
5. It supposes, that the Efficacy and certain Effects of Christ’s Merits depend on the human Will, which is highly dishonourable to our Saviour, impeaches the Wisdom, Goodness and Justice of God, and is eversive of the Satisfaction of Christ, and therefore we can’t but take the Liberty to reject this Proposition, as an unsound and rotten Foundation of Agreement among Christians, and of their Hope of Life,
Prop. II. Since God has made so glorious a Provision far the Recovery of Mankind, he will not leave it to mere Chance and Uncertainty, whether any Person shall repent and accept of this offer’d Salvation or no; left thro’ the universal Depravation and wretched Obstiancy Men, his own gracious Counsels for our Salvation should be frustrated, and the important Labours and Sufferings of his Son be sustain’d to no saving Purpose, and render’d almost useless to the World (Ibid, p. 265,266.). This Proposition fills me with Astonishment, it is so contrary to the Grace, Wisdom and Justice, and Immutability, and Faithfulness of God, as there his Perfections are gloriously displayed in the admirable Scheme of Salvation, by the Sufferings and Death of his Son. For,
1. It evidently supposes that no real and proper Satisfaction for Sin, is made for any Part of Mankind, by the Death of the blessed Jesus. All it allows is, that Christ by his Sufferings obtained a bare Possibility of Salvation for all Men, and that God so far, as the Death of Christ, considered in itself, hath an Influence into our Salvation, intended it no more for one Man, than another, for Peter no more than for Judas.
2. It seems God leaves it to mere Chance and Uncertainty, as to some, for whom he put his Son to Death, in order to their Salvation, whether they shall believe and repent, and accept of this offer’d Salvation or no. So that he punished Christ, for the Sins of some Men, with a perfect Indifference, whether they reap any Advantage from his Sufferings or not. A Thought more dishonourable to the divine Perfections, will not soon enter into the Mind, or fall from the Pen of any Writer, than this is, I am fully persuaded.
3. Unless God is pleased by his Spirit and Grace, to conquer the rebellious Hearts of Men, not one of them will ever believe and repent: It is not a Chance and a Thing uncertain, whether they will or no, for it is most certain they cannot, and that they will not come to Christ, that they may have Life. No Man can come to Christ except the Father draws him. And the carnal Mind cannot be subject to the holy Law of God.
4. It as evidently supposes, that the gracious Counsels of God are frustrated, as to some, whole Salvation he intended. The Pleasure of the Lord, altho’ Christ made his Soul an Offering for sin, to the End it might, doth not prosper in his Hand; but is, as to the greater Part of Mankind render’d abortive, and not accomplished: For it seems it was the gracious Counsel of God, that all Men should be saved by the Death of Christ, and yet the larger Number of Men, are eternally damn’d, and for Want of that, on the Part of God, without which their Salvation was impossible.
Prop. III. There is no Way, which I can conceive of, how God should secure or ascertain the Salvation of any in general, or make it lure even to his own Foreknowledge, unless it be same Way or other ascertain’d, which particular Persons shall accept of this Grace end Salvation (Page 266.). As to this Propositions I observe
1. It is certain, that not a single Person will or can believe, without the special and efficacious Grace of God this to the divine Being could not be unknown.
2. Justice requires the certain Salvation, of all those, for whom Christ died, as appears from what has been observed above.
3. The certain Salvation of Men results from God’s Decree, to confer that Grace upon them which secures it, and without which their Damnation would be as certain.
Prop. IV. God will magnify his Grace in the Salvation of all those who are saved, in such a Manner, that every one shall acknowledge his own Salvation, perfectly owing to the divine Mercy, and that none shall have Cause or Occasion to glory in himself; but shall confess to the Glory of divine Grace, that it is Grace, that is the Supreme and the chief Cause, that has made him to differ from others (Ibid.).
1. If the Will of the Creature is a subordinate Cause of Salvation, it is not wholly to be ascribed to God and his infinite Mercy.
2. It is supposed to be so of the Will of Man, that the Efficacy of divine Grace, is dependent on and must be resolved into it: And therefore the Event is principally owing to the human Will, which is represented as a subordinate Cause of Salvation.
Prop. V. How much soever the blessed God may design to manifest and magnify his free and sovereign Grace towards sinful Men, yet in every Step of his Procedure, he will maintain such an invariable Regard to his Equity as Governor of the World, that be will never exercise his Grace in such a Manner, as to take away the necessary Regards and Honours due to his governing Justice. The great God has given Man an understanding Mind to distinguish between Good and Evil, and a Freedom of Will to chuse one or the ether, and ordained him to be always, and in all Circumstances a proper Subject of his moral Government. And he has determined and resolved in Righteousness to manifest himself at last, as a Judge to render to every one according to their Works: And therefore be will maintain this righteous Design of his Government, to make the eternal Rewards and Punishments of Men, to depend on what they themselves have freely chosen, whether it be good or evil: Nor will be ever do any thing inconsistent with this his glorious and universal Design, as a righteous Governor and Judge of his intelligent Creatures (Ibid. p. 267, 268.).
1. To this Proposition, Papists, Socinians, and Arminians may all agree: Men of what Character and Denomination soever, who think, that Salvation is not of free Grace; but that future Happiness, notwithstanding all what Christ hath done, and suffered, is dependent on, and to be secured by our own Obedience, will most: heartily assent to it.
2. It is suited to a Covenant of Works alone, tho’ I suppose, this Favour will be allowed to guilty enfeebled Men, that imperfect Works, which deserve eternal Death, shall be rewarded with eternal Life. If this Proposition is true, either the Gospel is not true, or it has been strangely misunderstood, by the Bulk of our first Reformers, and by all those, who have opposed the Errors of the Socinians and Arminians, concerning the Grace of God.
3. The Proposition is so framed, as only to suit Man in a State of Innocence, and as under the Law of Innocency. But since Man is become depraved, he is incapable of understanding what is, or what is not evil, in a proper Manner: Nor hath he a Freedom of Will to chuse the former, and refuse the latter; if he hath, What Necessity is there of divine Grace, to enlighten his Mind, and sanctify his Will? 4. If Salvation is dependent on the Will and Obedience of Men, then it is of Works; and therefore according to the Doctrine contain’d in this Proposition, it is not of Grace: And if by Grace, then it is no more of Works: Otherwise Grace is no more Grace. But if it be of Works, then it is no more of Grace: Otherwise Work is no more Work. This clear and nervous Reasoning has never yet been answer’d, nor ever will be, by all the Shuffles, Evasions, and groundless Distinctions about Works, which the fertile Wits of Men shall be able to invent. 5. For what Reason are the Merits, and Satisfaction, and Obedience of Christ, entirely left out, when God is represented, as acting upon the Foot of Justice, towards guilty miserable Creatures? Hath divine Justice no Regard to Christ’s Satisfaction for Sin, in this whole Affair? Or is it because its Honour is not vindicated, by the Sufferings of a precious Saviour? And is no Obligation laid on the Justice of God, by the Death of Christ, to grant Pardon and Life? Is it equitable to punish the Surety, and inflict eternal Punishment, Wrath and Vengeance on such, whole Surety he was, and for whole Sins he made Atonement? The good Lord of his infinite Mercy grant, that in Judgment, I may not be proceeded towards, in a Way of Justice, with Relation to my own Acts of Repentance, and Obedience: For if so I should be, I am sure, the Consequence would be dreadful; but solely with Regard to the Merits and Righteousness of Christ, whereby alone, I am certain, that I a most miserable Sinner can stand in his Sight, and be justify’d at his awful and righteous Tribunal.
Prop. VI. Therefore when divine Grace operates upon the Minds or Wills of Men, in order to their Conversion and Salvation, it is generally done in such a soft, gentle, and connatural Manner, that does not put any Violence upon the Faculties of the Soul. But for the most Part, the Grace of God and his holy Spirit, seem to operate insensibly, as though our own Faculties wrought this of themselves, and without any strong, certain and evident Notice, that it is the Operation of any Spirit superior to our own: And yet, by the blessed Effects of our Conversion, and Sanctification, compar’d with the Records of Scripture, we certainly infer that it must be, by Vertue of some divine Influence, received from above, that the Glory may be given unto God, and his Grace, as the supreme Cause of our Salvation (268.).
1. This Proposition evidently allows, that God operates on some, in a Manner very perceptible, and that it may easily be known it is a divine Influence on the Soul: And therefore I would ark, if in such Instances any Violence is offered to the Wills of Men, and if they are involuntary in the Choice of Good, under this powerful Influence? The Answer will hardly be in the Affirmative, for very evident Reasons.
2. Tho’ God operates imperceptibly, yet I hope it may be granted he works effectually, and infallibly determines our Wills to chuse Good, and refuse Evil, by his gracious and most persuasive Operations in us. The Want of a Perception, of its being a divine Work we are under, is no Objection to its Efficacy; nor affords the least Proof that our Wills, are left in a State of Indifference, about the Choice of Good or Evil.
3. I humbly apprehend, that God operates on our Minds, in such a Manner, not only at our first Conversion; but afterwards also, in many Instances of Conviction and deep Sorrow for Sin, a Sense of Wrath, and heavenly Joys, that its evident in itself, whether we duly attend to it or not, that we are under a supernatural influence, and yet tho’ our Wills are thus powerfully acted upon, they act most freely in all these Instances.
4. Divine Grace hath the Honour of being allow’d the supreme Cause of Salvation, I could be glad, if it might be granted, that it is the SOLE and ENTIRE CAUSE: For these Reasons, to deny it, and represent the human Will, as a subordinate Cause, robs divine Grace of its Glory, and may occasion some who experience, that in them, that is in their Flesh, dwelleth NO GOOD THING, to despair of ever being saved. I am willing to hope, that such have no just Occasion to doubt of Salvation by Christ, who most evidently find to their great Concern, Sorrow and Shame, that they have of themselves, neither a Will to what is good, nor Ability to perform it: Adored be divine Favour for it! They have not, for God worketh in them to will and to do, of his good Pleasure. And Christ filleth all in all, he fills their Souls with the heavenly Graces of his Spirit, and he fills those Graces, with Vigour and Activity: He is the Alpha and Omega in their Salvation: He is the Author and the Finisher of their Faith. Christ laid the Foundation of the noble and surprising Structure of their eternal Salvation, he carries on the Building, and will lay the top Stone thereof, and they with loud Acclamations of Joy will eternally cry, Grace! Grace! unto it. He alone builds the Temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the Glory. The chief Point, which this learned Gentleman, in his Attempt to reconcile the Calvinists and Arminian, labours to prove, is this, that the Will is not determined, by absolute and resistless Force to chuse, what the Understanding represents as good and eligible. He seems to apprehend that the Opinion of the Calvinist, deprives the Will of its natural Freedom, and subjects it, to an unnatural Force: That allowing his Sentiments to be true, free Agency is lost, and that Men are moved, as Machines or Puppets, and act not of Choice. In order to let this Matter in as clear and easy a Light as I can, I would observe the following Things.
I. Some Necessity is consistent with Liberty, that is in say, a free Agent may necessarily will, and yet his Will act freely, in what he wills. 1. This is true of God, who, it is most certain, acts freely in all Things: For he worketh all Things, according to the Counsel of his own Will. Now he cannot but love and will Holiness, and he cannot but hate and will to punish its contrary, Sin; and yet his Will acts most freely in both.
2. Our Saviour could not but will to obey his Father, and yet his Will was not under any unnatural Force or Compulsion; but he was a free Agent, in all the eminent Instances of his Submission to the Father’s Pleasure concerning him, tho’ he could not but will to finish the Work, which the Father gave him to do.
3. Elect Angels cannot but will to obey God, and yet all their Acts of Obedience are free and voluntary: Some Necessity in them therefore is consistent with Liberty.
4. The Spirits of just Men made perfect, cannot but chuse what is good and agreeable to the Will of God, and yet their Choice of Good, is free and voluntary. Therefore,
II. Freedom doth not consist in an Indifferency, or Liberty to will Holiness, or will Sin, without any Biass and prevailing Disposition to one more than the other: If it does, then there is no Being, but what may make an improper Choice; the Consequence of such an Opinion is too horrid and blasphemous to be nam’d.
III. What if this is a Point absolutely inexplicable to us? What if it is attended with insuperable Difficulties, as to the Modus of it? Are there not a great Variety of Things that are so, both in the natural and moral World? Which yet we find ourselves obliged to believe and assent to, and therefore why should we refuse an Assent here? Since I should think from the Instances just now mentioned, we must be convinc’d, that some Necessity and Liberty, do not imply any Contradiction, for what is, does not, with what Obscurities and Darkness soever, the Modus of that Thing may be attended, which hide it from human View. None I believe, will ever be able to demonstrate that some Kind of Necessity, cannot consist with free Agency, how confidently soever, they may be pleased to assert it: So little do Men know, wherein is feared the Freedom of their Wills.
IV. It is not I think merely owing to the Illumination of the Mind, by which the Glory and Excellency of heavenly Things are discerned, that the Will is determined to the Choice of them; but by a real, positive and supernatural Work on the Will itself: And thus I can’t but think, because the Soul in all its Faculties, is the Subject of the sanctifying Operations of divine Grace.
1. The bare Illumination of the Mind, how great soever, removes not the Aversion in the Will to spiritual Things.
2. Nor gives a different Biass and Inclination to it.
3. In an unregenerate Man, there is a Propensity to Evil, in a regenerate Person, there also is a contrary Bent and Inclination: According to the Flesh, he cannot but serve the Law of Sin, in which his Will acts freely, and according to the Spirit he cannot but hate Sin, and serve the Law of God, in which he likewise acts voluntarily.
V. No Influences without the Infusion of gracious Habits, are sufficient to enable a Man, to chuse Holiness and refuse Evil: To suppose that a Man destitute of supernatural Principles, may be influenced to embrace spiritual Good, as it seems to me, cannot consist with a Freedom of Choice; because the Will without such Principles cannot approve of that Good, and therefore it would be determined to make a Choice, without an Approbation of the Object chosen, which is ever essential to a free Choice. Hence it follows, That that Opinion which is pretended to be embrac’d, in order to preserve the Liberty of the Will in its Acts or Volitions, at once deprives it of its Freedom, and supposes Men to be furnished with a Power, which they are not. The Author of the Ruin and Recovery of Mankind, apprehends, that the Distinction of natural Power and moral Impotence, reconciles all relating to this Subject. Amyraldus and Mr. Baxter before him had the same Apprehension. As to that Distraction, I observe,
1. Natural inability seems to be understood, of a Want of Faculties for reasoning and willing, and not of the Want of proper Habits or Principles in those Faculties, by which Men become capable of reasoning justly, and willing as they ought to will. This is a Supposition of what none contend for, that I know of, what is and will be still insisted on is, that tho’ Men have their natural Powers of reasoning and willing, those natural Powers without supernatural Principles and Aids, cannot reason and will as they ought, about spiritual Things.
2. Moral Impotence seems to be taken for Men’s labouring under such Prejudices and Ignorance, that without some superior Aids and Influences, they cannot reason and will as they ought; but it is not allowed that an Infusion of gracious Habits is necessary to either. I answer, It cannot be said of the Body of Adam, before its Union with his Soul, that It was naturally incapable of Sensation, or of the various Motions, for which its curious Organs and several Members were fitted and prepared, if natural Inability be taken in the Sense here express’d, yet I imagine none wilt say, it was possible for it to have Sensation or to move, before the Infusion of the Soul, and kindling the vital Flame in it. But of a Log of Wood, and of a shapeless Clod of Earth, it may be said that they are naturally incapable, of such Sensation and wonderful Motions, as the curious Machine of the Body of Man, is capable of having and performing, as animated by the Soul. When we say Men are naturally unable to reason justly, and to will, as they ought to will about spiritual Things, we mean that they can no more, reason justly and will rightly, than the Body of Adam was capable of Sensation or Motion, before Life was given to it, tho’ it had all the Organs of Sense, and all the Muscles and Members requisite to Motion. The same may be observed of the Body of Lazaras, while it lay breathless in the Grave, neither the one nor the other, wanted the proper Organs of Sense, or the Muscles and Members necessary to Motion: And yet it was absolutely impossible, that either should have Sensation or move a Finger, before the Infusion of the Soul, and during its Absence from the Body. And thus, tho’ Men have the natural Powers of reasoning and willing, while in an unregenerate State, yet until spiritual Life and heavenly Principles are infused and created them, they can no more reason and will spiritually, than the Body of Adam could have Sensation and move without the Soul, or than the Body of Lazarus could rise out of the Grave, while his Soul was absent from it. This Distinction therefore, by no Means, proves what it is design’d, as a Proof of, viz. That an Infusion of spiritual Life is not necessary to spiritual Acts. Grant us but the Idea we plead for, which is manifestly expressed in the Scripture, and we shall be content, and leave you to call it by what Name soever you please: It is the Thought not Terms that I would at any Time contend about. It is very observable, that this Gentleman allows of the Infusion of gracious Habits, in order to spiritual Acts, in which he dissents from Mr. Baxter who denies it, as the Arminians do; I heartily thank him for this Concession to the Advantage of divine Truth; but he must allow me to tell him, that this is such a Concession, as effectually overthrows the greatest Part of his reasoning on this Subject, and is a full Evidence of the Impossibility of a Reconciliation between the Calvinists, who contend for this, as a most important Doctrine, consistent with their other Principles, and the Arminians who deny it, which their Principles necessarily require them to do.