A discourse of the saving grace of God

Grace, however considered, (either in Election, or Redemption, or the Holy Spirits Operations) does no more for the quickening and Regenerating of those who are converted, than it does for those who are never converted; therefore it is not Grace, but something else, that does the work. If the Lord had done no more for the making of this World, than for making ⟨p. 48⟩of other Worlds that were never made, the Creation of the World could never have been ascribed to him. If Christ had done no more to raise Lazarus from the dead, than he did to raise others who continued dead in their Graves, he could not have been said to raise him to Life. He that does no more towards the effecting of a thing, than when it is not done at all, he cannot be said to do it. Now Grace does no more for the quickening of those that are alive to God, than for those who are still dead and will be so for ever. Therefore it is not Grace that does the work; it must be ascribed to something else, not to the Spirit of Grace, but to a mans self, and his own Free-will.

This is evident in the Nature, visible in the very Complexion of their Moral Grace. This (which is all the Grace they own) consists in Swasive Proposals. Now he that only persuades or propounds the doing of a thing, does not thereby do it at all, but would have you to do it your selves, and supposes you can if you will. So that this is the plain Import of their Doctrine, that men can convert and quicken themselves, and do it if it be done. However any be said to be born of God, ⟨p. 49⟩yet they may beget themselves. However they be said to be the Lords Workmanship, created of Christ Jesus unto good works, ver. 10. yet they are their own Workmanship, and make themselves new Creatures. However the Apostle saith, ver. 1. You hath he quickened, yet indeed they raise themselves to life. And since they do it themselves, to themselves they may in all reason ascribe it, and accordingly glory in it. The Crown is not to be cast at the feet of him who sits on the Throne. Grace is to have neither Throne nor Crown; that is to have the Crown which does the work; Free-will does it, and this must wear it.