An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

Paul would have Timothy instruct the Opposers, not as if they had a power of themselves to repent, but if God peradventure would give them repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25. All Rules and Instructions do but minister under the Holy Spirit, who gives Faith and Repentance as it pleaseth. But saith the Author, These tell us not, what we must do, but what we must suffer in order to our union to Christ. To which I answer, we are to use the means, and thus far we must be doers, but, I suppose, we must suffer the Holy Spirit to have the glory of our Regeneration, we must not presume to be such doers, as if we could work Regeneration our selves, ⟨p. 510⟩or by our works procure it. Pelagius would have been a doer in this kind, alleging that, Gratiam darisecundum merita, that is, in the Phrase of the Ancients in those dayes, secundum opera, that Grace was given according to works: But, unless he had recanted, he had in the Palestine Council been by the Church turned into a Sufferer, by a just Excommunication; neither is our Church for any such doers, for it tells us in the 13. Article, That works done before Grace do not make Men meet to receive Grace, or deserve Grace of congruity; yea, rather they have the nature of sin. The Inspiration of the Spirit (which that Article mentions) must work the great work of Grace in us; which when we see in our selves, we must needs acknowledge the insuperable power that was in it.

Paul would have Timothy instruct the Opposers, not as if they had a power of themselves to repent, but if God peradventure would give them repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25. All Rules and Instructions do but minister under the Holy Spirit, who gives Faith and Repentance as it pleaseth. But saith the Author, These tell us not, what we must do, but what we must suffer in order to our union to Christ. To which I answer, we are to use the means, and thus far we must be doers, but, I suppose, we must suffer the Holy Spirit to have the glory of our Regeneration, we must not presume to be such doers, as if we could work Regeneration our selves, ⟨p. 510⟩or by our works procure it. Pelagius would have been a doer in this kind, alledging that, Gratiam darisecundum merita, that is, in the Phrase of the Ancients in those dayes, secundum opera, that Grace was given according to works: But, unless he had recanted, he had in the Palestine Council been by the Church turned into a Sufferer, by a just Excommunication; neither is our Church for any such doers, for it tells us in the 13. Article, That works done before Grace do not make Men meet to receive Grace, or deserve Grace of congruity; yea, rather they have the nature of sin. The Inspiration of the Spirit (which that Article mentions) must work the great work of Grace in us; which when we see in our selves, we must needs acknowledge the insuperable power that was in it.