This 1being so, how contrary is this Doctrine to that which some Men maintain concerning the Power of the Creature, or Power of Man's depraved Will, the purport of which leaves the Salvation of every Soul at the greatest Uncertainty imaginable? They tell you Christ died for all Men, that is, for their Good, and satisfied for their Sins, against the first Covenant, for all Men; and that all are put into a Capacity to be saved, if they will believe, repent, and continue in believing and in well-doing to the End: they clearly intimate, that whatsoever the Decree or Purpose of God is, and whatsoever the Nature of the Covenant of Grace is, yet all is at the determination of Man's own Will, whether any one will be saved or not, God affording him only strong moral Persuasions, Reasons, Motives, and Subjective Considerations thereunto, which may, or may not incline, excite or prevail with him to believe and obey the Gospel, and perform the procuring Conditions of Life and Salvation; or they may not incline, excite or prevail with any one Soul: they do not, will not say, that Christ is under an Obligation, by virtue of the Covenant made with the Father, to afford effectual Grace, special Aid, internal Strength to any, in order to bring them over unto God; but that it is left to the Creature, and that he needs no such supernatural or irresistible Grace to work upon him: Which doth,
(1.) Evidently tend to ascribe the whole Glory of our Regeneration and Perseverance in Grace unto Man, and not to the Grace of God: for that Act of our Wills on this Supposition whereby we convert unto God, is merely an Act of our own, and not of the special Grace of God. This is clear; for if the Act it self were of effectual Grace, then would it not be in the Power of the Will to hinder it, as a late Reverend Minister notes.2
Also (2.) it would and must follow, that this would leave Regeneration and Salvation absolutely uncertain, (notwithstanding ⟨p. 206⟩the Purpose of God, the Covenant of Grace, the Undertaking and Death of Christ) whether ever any one in all the World should be saved, or no, as I hinted before: for when God hath done all, Christ hath done all that he is concerned in, or is to do on his part, it is absolutely in the Power of the Will of Man, whether it shall be effectual, or not; which is directly contrary to the Covenant, Promise and Oath of God unto Jesus Christ:
(3.)
This 1being so, how contrary is this Doctrine to that which some Men maintain concerning the Power of the Creature, or Power of Man's depraved Will, the purport of which leaves the Salvation of every Soul at the greatest Uncertainty imaginable? They tell you Christ died for all Men, that is, for their Good, and satisfied for their Sins, against the first Covenant, for all Men; and that all are put into a Capacity to be saved, if they will believe, repent, and continue in believing and in well-doing to the End: they clearly intimate, that whatsoever the Decree or Purpose of God is, and whatsoever the Nature of the Covenant of Grace is, yet all is at the determination of Man's own Will, whether any one will be saved or not, God affording him only strong moral Perswasions, Reasons, Motives, and Subjective Considerations thereunto, which may, or may not incline, excite or prevail with him to believe and obey the Gospel, and perform the procuring Conditions of Life and Salvation; or they may not incline, excite or prevail with any one Soul: they do not, will not say, that Christ is under an Obligation, by virtue of the Covenant made with the Father, to afford effectual Grace, special Aid, internal Strength to any, in order to bring them over unto God; but that it is left to the Creature, and that he needs no such supernatural or irresistible Grace to work upon him: Which doth,
(1.) Evidently tend to ascribe the whole Glory of our Regeneration and Perseverance in Grace unto Man, and not to the Grace of God: for that Act of our Wills on this Supposition whereby we convert unto God, is meerly an Act of our own, and not of the special Grace of God. This is clear; for if the Act it self were of effectual Grace, then would it not be in the Power of the Will to hinder it, as a late Reverend Minister notes.2
Also (2.) it would and must follow, that this would leave Regeneration and Salvation absolutely uncertain, (notwithstanding ⟨p. 206⟩the Purpose of God, the Covenant of Grace, the Undertaking and Death of Christ) whether ever any one in all the World should be saved, or no, as I hinted before: for when God hath done all, Christ hath done all that he is concerned in, or is to do on his part, it is absolutely in the Power of the Will of Man, whether it shall be effectual, or not; which is directly contrary to the Covenant, Promise and Oath of God unto Jesus Christ:
(3.)
- 1Psal. 110. 3.
- 2Dr. Owen.
