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

Rous observes, to run after this rate, Lord, let thy Kingdom be at my pleasure, and thy Will at the will of my Free-will, whether that shall come, or this be done. In very deed, the great Design of a Church to be purchased by Christ's Blood, gathered by his holy Spirit, and crowned with Glory in Heaven, though it cannot but be more estimable than all the Providences in Nature, must be a mere Pendant on the fickle Will of Man. But the Author urges upon the Doctor, That it is impossible for us, according to his Principles, to do any thing that is good, that is, I suppose without Faith in Christ, without which, our Church in her Homily of good Works declares, that no good work can be done: I take it for a very Truth, That from the first good Thought to the last Act of an holy Life, all that is truly good must come from Grace: But, saith the Author, This turns us into mere Machines; and pag. 379. he glosses upon one of his Opposites, as if Christ were ⟨p. 57⟩to make us willing against our will: Unto which I answer, The very same was cast into St. Austin's dish by the Pelagians; Sub nomine, inquiunt, ¹Gratiae it a satum asserunt, ut dicant, quia nisi Deus invito & reluct anti homini inspir averit boni & ipsius imperfecti cupiditatem, nec à malo declinare, nec bonum posset arripere: To which, as a mere Calumny, St. Austin returns, That a man may as well call St. Paul, fatty assertorem, for saying, It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Indeed it is a very strange charge; doth Grace destroy Nature, or may we be willing against our Will? It is impossible: That of the Schoolman may reconcile the matter, Voluntas humana induci potest ab agente creato, mutari ab agente increato, ²cogi à nullo: The Will, without ceasing to be it self, cannot be compelled; but Grace changes it without Coaction, breaks off its Chains without destroying its Liberty, and per suavissimam omnipotentiam makes the unwilling Will willing.

Rous observes, to run after this rate, Lord, let thy Kingdom be at my pleasure, and thy Will at the will of my Free-will, whether that shall come, or this be done. In very deed, the great Design of a Church to be purchased by Christ's Blood, gathered by his holy Spirit, and crowned with Glory in Heaven, though it cannot but be more estimable than all the Providences in Nature, must be a meer Pendant on the fickle Will of Man. But the Author urges upon the Doctor, That it is impossible for us, according to his Principles, to do any thing that is good, that is, I suppose without Faith in Christ, without which, our Church in her Homily of good Works declares, that no good work can be done: I take it for a very Truth, That from the first good Thought to the last Act of an holy Life, all that is truly good must come from Grace: But, saith the Author, This turns us into meer Machins; and pag. 379. he glosses upon one of his Opposites, as if Christ were