The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By…

3. From those Scriptures which set forth God as the Author of actual Conversion. He gives [Greek or Hebrew], the actual believing, Phil. 1. 29. he grants repentance unto life, Acts 11. 18. he works [Greek or Hebrew], the very act of willing, Phil. 2. 13. he causes to walk in his statutes, Ezek. 36. 27. In every true Convert there is more than a mere Man, the grace of God is to be seen in him, Acts 11. 23. there is God in converting Paul, Gal. 1. 24. In the Temple of the new Creature every thing speaks of his glory, every holy breath in the Will must praise the Lord as its Author: If God did not work the very Act of Willing, then (which I tremble to utter) all the Prayers made to him for converting Grace are but God-mockeries; all the Praises offered up ⟨p. 515⟩to him for the same are but false Hallelujahs; then they which glorified God in converting Paul, glorified but an Idol of their own Fancy; they which glorified God in the repenting Gentiles, Acts 11. 18. offered but a blind Sacrifice. When we pray, that God's kingdom should come into our hearts, we do not mean that God should put our Wills in aequilibrio, but our Wills should be subdued under God's. When David and his People offered willingly unto God, he falls into a kind of Ecstasy; Who am I, and what is my people, 1 Chron. 29. 14? And, Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, Ver. 11. even the victory over hearts; and, All things are of thee, Ver. 14. not only our Gold and Silver, not only our Hearts and Wills, but our very actual Willingness also. You will say, All this is true; God works the very Act of Willing, but not insuperably, but so as men do not resist the Work of Grace. But what's the meaning of this? God works the Will, so as men do not resist; not to resist is to obey: Wherefore the plain meaning is, God works the Act of Willing, so as men do will, which is very absurd; Because it makes the very same Act