own nature, being also the instrument of, and God's intention for, that purpose, doth surely produce the effect intended; without successful resistance, and solely without any considerable co-operation of our own wills, until they are prepared and changed by that very grace. The infallibility of its effect depends chiefly on the purpose of God, when by any means he intends a man's conversion, those means must have such an efficacy added unto them, as may make them fit instruments for the accomplishment of that intention; that the counsel of the Lord may prosper, and his word not return empty. But the manner of its operation, that it requires no human assistance, and is able to overcome all repugnance, is proper to the being of such an act, as wherein it doth consist. Which nature and efficacy of grace, in opposition to an indifferent influence of the Holy Spirit, a metaphorical motion, a working by the way of moral persuasion, only proposing a desirable object easy to be resisted, and not effectual unless it be helped by an inbred ability of our own, which is the Arminian grace, I will briefly confirm, having premised these few things.

First, Although God doth not use the wills of men in their conversion, as malign spirits use the members of men in enthusiasms, by a violent wrested motion, but sweetly and agreeably to their own free nature; yet in the first act of our conversion the will is merely passive, as a capable subject of such a work, not at all concurring co-operatively to our turning. It is not, I say, the cause of the work, but the subject wherein it is wrought, having only a passive capability for the receiving of that supernatural being, which is introduced by grace. The beginning of this good work is merely from God; Phil. i. 6. Yea, faith is ascribed unto grace, not by the way of conjunction with, but of opposition unto, our wills; not of ourselves, it is the gift of God;' Eph. ii. 8. 'Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, our sufficiency is of God;' 2 Cor. iii. 5. Turn thou me, O Lord, and I shall be turned.'

Secondly, Though the will of man conferreth nothing to the infusion of the first grace, but a subjective receiving of it, yet in the very first act that is wrought in and by the will, it most freely co-operateth (by the way of subordination) with the grace of God; and the more effectually it is moved by

grace, the more freely it worketh with it. Man being converted, converteth himself.

Thirdly, We do not affirm grace to be irresistible, as though it came upon the will with such an overflowing violence, as to beat it down before it, and subdue it by compulsion to what it is no way inclinable; but if that term must be used, it denoteth in our sense only such an unconquerable efficacy of grace, as always and infallibly produceth its effect. For, 'Who is it that can withstand God?' Acts xi. 17. As also it may be used on the part of the will itself which will not resist it; all that the Father gives unto Christ will come unto him;' John vi. 37. The operation of grace is resisted by no hard heart, because it mollifies the heart itself. It doth not so much take away a power of resisting, as give a will of obeying, whereby the powerful impotency of resistance is removed.

Fourthly, Concerning grace itself, it is either common or special; common or general grace, consisteth in the external revelation of the will of God by his word, with some illumination of the mind to perceive it, and correction of the affections not too much to contemn it; and this, in some degree or other, to some more to some less, is common to all that are called; special grace is the grace of regeneration, comprehending the former, adding more spiritual acts, but especially presupposing the purpose of God, on which its efficacy doth chiefly depend.

Fifthly, This saving grace, whereby the Lord converteth or regenerateth a sinner, translating him from death to life, is either external or internal; external consisteth in the preaching of the word, &c. whose operation is by the way of moral persuasion, when by it we beseech our hearers in Christ's stead, that they would be reconciled unto God;" 2 Cor. v. 20. and this in our conversion is the instrumental organ thereof; and may be said to be a sufficient cause of our regeneration, inasmuch as no other in the same kind is necessary; it may also be resisted in sensu diviso, abstracting from that consideration, wherein it is looked on as the instrument of God for such an end.

Sixthly, Internal grace, is by divines distinguished into the first or preventing grace, and the second following cooperating grace; the first is that spiritual vital principle, that

is infused into us by the Holy Spirit, that new creation, and bestowing of new strength, whereby we are made fit and able for the producing of spiritual acts, to believe and yield evangelical obedience; For we are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good works;' Eph. ii. 10. By this God gives us a new heart, and a new spirit he puts within us; he taketh the stony hearts out of our flesh, and gives us a heart of flesh; he puts his Spirit within us, to cause us to walk in his statutes;' Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27.

Now this first grace is not properly and formally a vital act, but causaliter only, in being a principle moving to such vital acts within us. It is the habit of faith bestowed upon a man, that he may be able to eliciate and perform the acts thereof; giving new light to the understanding, new inclinations to the will, and new affections unto the heart. For the infallible efficacy of which grace, it is that we plead against the Arminians, and amongst those innumerable places of holy Scripture confirming this truth, I shall make use only of a very few, reduced to these three heads.

First, Our conversion is wrought by a divine almighty action, which the will of man will not, and therefore cannot, resist the impotency thereof, ought not to be opposed to this omnipotent grace, which will certainly effect the work, for which it is ordained: being an action not inferior to the greatness of his mighty power, 'which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead;' Eph. i. 19, 20. and shall not that power which could overcome hell, and loose the bonds of death, be effectual for the raising of a sinner from the death of sin, when by God's intention it is appointed unto that work? He accomplisheth the work of faith with power; 2 Thess. i. 11. It is his divine power, that gives unto us all things that appertain to life and godliness;' 2 Pet. i. 3. Surely a moral resistible persuasion, would not be thus often termed the power of God, which denoteth an actual efficacy, to which no creature is able to resist.

Secondly, That which consisteth in a real efficiency, and is not at all, but when and where it actually worketh, what it intendeth cannot without a contradiction be said to be so resisted that it should not work, the whole nature thereof consisting in such a real operation. Now that the very essence of divine grace consisteth in such a formal act, may be

proved by all those places of Scripture, that affirm God by his grace, or the grace of God, actually to accomplish our conversion as Deut. xxx. 6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy soul, that thou mayest live. The circumcision of our hearts, that we may love the Lord with all our hearts, and with all our souls, is our conversion, which the Lord affirmeth here that he himself will do not only enable us to do it, but he himself really and effectually will accomplish it. And again, 'I will put my law into them, and write it in their hearts;' Jer. xxxi. 33. 'I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me;' chap. xxxii. 39. He will not offer his fear unto them, but actually put it into them and most clearly; Ezek. xxxvi. 26. A new heart also will I give you, a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh; and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes.' Are these expressions of a moral persuasion only? Doth God affirm here he will do, what he intends only to persuade us to? and which we may refuse to do if we will? Is it in the power of a stony heart to remove itself? What an active stone is this in mounting upwards? What doth it at all differ from that heart of flesh that God promiseth? Shall a stony heart be said to have a power to change itself into such a heart of flesh, as shall cause us to walk in God's statutes? Surely, unless men were wilfully blind, they must needs here perceive such an action of God denoted, as effectually, solely, and infallibly worketh our conversion; opening our hearts that we may attend unto the word;' Acts xvi. 14. 'Granting us on the behalf of Christ to believe in him ;' Phil. i. 29. Now these and the like places prove, both the nature of God's grace to consist in a real efficiency, and the operation thereof to be certainly effectual.

Thirdly, Our conversion is 'a new creation,' 'a resurrection,' a new birth.' Now he that createth a man, doth not persuade him to create himself, neither can he if he should, nor hath he any power to resist him that will create him, that is, as we now take it, translate him from something that he is, to what he is not. What arguments do you think were sufficient to persuade a dead man to rise? or what great aid

can he contribute to his own resurrection? Neither doth a man beget himself, a new real form was never yet introduced into any matter by subtle arguments. These are the terms the Scripture is pleased to use concerning our conversion: If any man be in Christ he is a new creature;' 2 Cor. v. 17. The new man after God is created in righteousness and holiness;' Eph. iv. 24. It is our new birth; Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God;' John iii. 3. 'Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth;' James i. 18. and so we become born again, 'not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever;' 1 Pet. i. 23. It is our vivification and resurrection; 'The Son quickeneth whom he will,' John v. 21. even those 'dead who hear his voice and live;' ver. 25. 'When we were dead in sins we are quickened together with Christ by grace;' Eph. ii. 5. For being buried with him by baptism, we are also risen with him through the faith of the operation of God;' Col. ii. 12. And blessed and holy is he that hath part in that first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Τῷ Θεῷ ἀριστομεγίστῳ δόξα.