Speculum theologiæ in Christo, or, A view of some divine truths which are either…

Some Divines express themselves thus: Grace gives a supernatural power, and so puts the will in aequilibrio, in an even balance, that it may believe or not believe, as it pleaseth. But what a thing is this? An [Greek or Hebrew], or indifferency towards such a precious object as Christ is, looks very ill, and like a sin; and how should. it come from Grace? If Grace work only a kind of indifferency, it doth far less than mere Moral virtue doth: Moral virtue is, as the Philosopher speaks, [Greek or Hebrew], an habit of acting according to right reason; it earries in it a ⟨p. 279⟩promptitude and inclination to virtuous actions; it renders them easy, and in a sort natural: and may we, can we, suppose that Grace, a Principle much more sublime, and of far higher extraction, should only put the soul into an aequilibrious state, no more propending to good than evil? If Grace operate only a kind of indifferency, then the comfort of Christians is departed; they are afraid of nothing more than of themselves; the vanity and corruption in their own hearts is terrible to them: yet in this case the greatest of fears, I mean, to be left to themselves, falls upon them. They are not to look up to God to fix their hearts upon himself; no, nor so much as to incline them that way; their life must not be a life of faith or dependence upon God the fountain of Grace; there is no warrant for such a thing; Grace only works a state of indifferency, and then leaves the Will to do the rest: if they will depend upon any thing, it must be upon their own Will, that is, upon Vanity; nothing else determines the great concern of their salvation.

Some Divines express themselves thus: Grace gives a supernatural power, and so puts the will in aequilibrio, in an even balance, that it may believe or not believe, as it pleaseth. But what a thing is this? An 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, or indifferency towards such a precious object as Christ is, looks very ill, and like a sin; and how should. it come from Grace? If Grace work only a kind of indifferency, it doth far less than meer Moral virtue doth: Moral virtue is, as the Philosopher speaks, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, an habit of acting according to right reason; it earries in it a ⟨p. 279⟩promptitude and inclination to virtuous actions; it renders them easie, and in a sort natural: and may we, can we, suppose that Grace, a Principle much more sublime, and of far higher extraction, should only put the soul into an aequilibrious state, no more propending to good than evil? If Grace operate only a kind of indifferency, then the comfort of Christians is departed; they are afraid of nothing more than of themselves; the vanity and corruption in their own hearts is terrible to them: yet in this case the greatest of fears, I mean, to be left to themselves, falls upon them. They are not to look up to God to fix their hearts upon himself; no, nor so much as to incline them that way; their life must not be a life of faith or dependence upon God the fountain of Grace; there is no warrant for such a thing; Grace only works a state of indifferency, and then leaves the Will to do the rest: if they will depend upon any thing, it must be upon their own Will, that is, upon Vanity; nothing else determines the great concern of their salvation.