At first, the Will, by no other hel• than that of Moral Grace, (which pr• tend ⟨p. 85⟩to no inward Operation of the Spirit, but only this common Illumination; for the Proposal is by the Word without, and the enforcing of Motives and Arguments, is by the Ministry of Man,) determines it self to turn to God; and so, without more ado, is Converted and Regenerated. There is the rise of Holiness; afterwards by determining it self again and again, it acquires a habit, and that is a free and permanent Quality: That the Will exercises,1 increases, strengthens and confirms Holiness, as it began it, by determining it self: It has Power to do this in and of it self, and nothing else does, or can do it. The Spirit, neither by this Light, nor by any other gracious Influence, does, or can determine it: Nor does the Will need any thing for the exercise of its Power, but only Light to make a sufficient discovery of the Duty or Object propounded. Thus all the Motions, Operations, Assistances, of the Spirit of Grace, are confined to this Light: All its healing, strengthening, quickening and establishing Virtue, amounts to no more than this: The Soul neither has, nor needs any spiritual Life, Health, ⟨p. 86⟩Strength, or Motion, either first or last, but what this does effect; and yet it effects no such thing in far the most that have it: For those have it, no less than others, who are, in the style of Scripture, not only in the dark, but Darkness. And if it have any more effect upon others, than it has upon the Children of darkness, yet this efficacy it must have from Free-will; not of it self, nor of the Spirit, (whom they call its Author,) otherwise it would be equally effectual in all, since all have it equally, and the Spirit is supposed to give it equally to all. And if the Spirit of Christ give it not its Efficacy and Virtue, but it owes this only to Free-will; it is of no worth as i• proceeds from the Spirit, of no more value than a fruitless and ineffectual thing; of no Virtue, and so of no value, but what it derives from Mans Will.
At first, the Will, by no other hel• than that of Moral Grace, (which pr• tend ⟨p. 85⟩to no inward Operation of the Spirit, but only this common Illumination; for the Proposal is by the Word without, and the inforcing of Motives and Arguments, is by the Ministry of Man,) determines it self to turn to God; and so, without more adoe, is Converted and Regenerated. There is the rise of Holiness; afterwards by determining it self again and again, it acquires a habit, and that is a free and permanent Quality: That the Will exercises,1 increases, strengthens and confirms Holiness, as it began it, by determining it self: It has Power to do this in and of it self, and nothing else does, or can do it. The Spirit, neither by this Light, nor by any other gracious Influence, does, or can determine it: Nor does the Will need any thing for the exercise of its Power, but only Light to make a sufficient discovery of the Duty or Object propounded. Thus all the Motions, Operations, Assistances, of the Spirit of Grace, are confined to this Light: All its healing, strengthening, quickening and establishing Vertue, amounts to no more than this: The Soul neither has, nor needs any spiritual Life, Health, ⟨p. 86⟩Strength, or Motion, either first or last, but what this does effect; and yet it effects no such thing in far the most that have it: For those have it, no less than others, who are, in the style of Scripture, not only in the dark, but Darkness. And if it have any more effect upon others, than it has upon the Children of darkness, yet this efficacy it must have from Free-will; not of it self, nor of the Spirit, (whom they call its Author,) otherwise it would be equally effectual in all, since all have it equally, and the Spirit is supposed to give it equally to all. And if the Spirit of Christ give it not its Efficacy and Vertue, but it owes this only to Free-will; it is of no worth as i• proceeds from the Spirit, of no more value than a fruitless and ineffectual thing; of no Vertue, and so of no value, but what it derives from Mans Will.
- 1Hoor•b. tom. 1. p. 316.
