Of justification four disputations clearing and amicably defending the truth against the unnecessary oppositions…

And indeed he that observeth but how the Scripture throughout doth hang mans salvation or damnation on his Will mainly, (so far as it may be said to depend on our own acts,) rather then on any acts of the understanding (but only as they refer and lead to those of the Will) might well wonder, that justifying saving faith, the great needful act, should be only intellectual, and not chiefly in or by the Will, as well as all the rest. Ye will not come to me that ye may have life: How oft would I, and ye would not? These mine enemies that would not I should reign over them, &c. Whoever will, let him take or buy freely, &c. Still almost all is laid on the Will: and yet is not Faith in the Will? Assent may be compelled by evidence of Truth, and so be unvoluntary. And so a man may be a Believer thus against his Will: and if this will serve, men may be saved against their Wills. I know some think it enough that the Will commands the understanding to believe. But even thus saith Amesius, Medul. l. 2. c. they place the first principle in the Will. Qui fidem collocant ju intellectu, necessariam tamen ⟨p. 357⟩fatentur esse aliquam motion•• vol•ntatis ad assensum illum praebendum: quemadmodum i• fide humana voluntarium esse dicitur adhibere fidem alicui; si vero à voluntate pend•at fides, necesse est ut primū principium fidei sit in voluntate, •. 20 But this is only commanding the performance, & so it is thus no elicit act (for Aquinas and others conclude, that Voluntas est Principium determinans actus humanos quo ad exercitium actus; intellectus autem quo ad actus specificationem.) But it is moreover the Wills Elicit Act that I assert. And as I said, this imperium voluntatis may possibly be wanting, and belief be involuntary for the main. Let me add but one more consideration, (for I perceive my tediousness) If Infidelity as it is a Privation of saving faith, and so is the condemning sin, be in the Will as well as in the Intellect, then faith must be in the Will too: But Infidelity is in both. Ergo. &c. That Infidelity which is the Privation of mere assent, is rather said to be willing, then in the Will; but that which is opposite to justifying faith, is in the Will. Luk. 19.27. Those mine enemies that would not I should reign over them, bring them hither, &c. saith Amesius Medul. l. 2. cap. 5. §. 48. Opponuntur ista (Infidelitas &c.