A55305:474
The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By…
The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By Edward Polhill of Burwash in Sussex Esquire
London : printed, and are to be sold by Thomas Shelmerdine, at the sign of the Rose-Tree in Little-Britain, 1695
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. I shall demonstrate that there are habits or Principles of Grace. 2. I shall particularly unfold what they are.
1. I shall demonstrate that there are ⟨p. 368⟩such things. The Remonstrants mince the business; There is (say they) potentia supernaturalis concessa voluntati ad hoc ut credere & bene 1agere possit; but as as for any habitual Grace, they tell us, Scholasticorum figmentum est, & corum qui simul & somel optant infundi omnes illos habitus, quos actibus crebris comparare nimis laboriosum esse arbitrantur. Now there is a vast difference between a mere posse converter, and those Habits or Principles of Grace which dispose and incline the Soul to actual Conversion. A mere posse converter doth not include in it any inward disposition or inclination in the Soul to turn to God, no more than the posse peccare in innocent Adam did include in it an inward disposition or inclination in the Soul to depart from God; but the Habits or Principles of Grace do incline and dispose the Soul to actual Conversion. Again, a mere posse converter doth not denominate a man gracious no more than the posse peccare in innocent Adam did denominate him sinful; but the Habits or Principles of Grace do denominate a man gracious. And the Reason is, a mere posse may be abstract from the Nature or Essence of the ⟨p. 369⟩thing into which it is reducible, but the Habit or vital Principle hath something of the Nature or Essence of the thing in it; nay, it is virtually and seminally the thing it self. A mere posse peccare in Adam before his Fall did not denominate him sinful, because it had nothing of the nature of Sin in it; but the Habits and Seeds of Corruption after the Fall did denominate him very sinful, because they were virtually & seminally all Sin. A mere posse converter doth not denominate a man gracious, because it is abstract from the Nature and Essence of the thing; but the Habits or Principles of Grace do denominate him such, because they were virtually and seminally all Grace. Now that there are such Habits or Principles of Grace, and not only a naked Power, I shall thus demonstrate.