1. Some there are that say, Answ. That though Gods promises are free in fieri, in respect ⟨p. 280⟩of the making of them, yet they are conditional in facto esse, in respect of the performance of them, though they are made out of mere mercy, yet they are performed in relation to our subservient duty; And if we do but subjoin this to it, that the subservient condition or duty which is prerequired to the performance of the promise, is nothing of our bringing, but first of Gods bestowing; I do not see how this may any way intrench upon the freeness of Gods grace, either in making or in performing the promise; he tells us, he will give to him that is athirst, 1Revel. 21.6. Here is a condition or qualification, and yet this doth not intrench upon the freeness of Grace: 2Notwithstanding this qualification, he tells us he gives to him that is athirst, and what can be freer then gift? gift you know implies freeness of Grace; And lest any should object and say, how is it a gift when God doth require thirst? Sure this qualification doth imply it to be no gift, it discovers it is not of Grace; therefore is God pleased to adjoin to the former word [gift] this other [freely] I will [give] to him that is athirst of the fountain of the waters of life [freely.] And therefore doth not this intrench upon ⟨p. 281⟩grace, 3because that which God requires as subservient to the promise, is not of our bringing, till first of Gods bestowing; not of our purchasing, but of Gods giving, who hath engaged himself by Covenant, not only to give the promise, but also what ever is required as necessary and subservient to the promise; if indeed there had been any thing required which was of our bringing, and had not first been of Gods bestowing, it would have entrenched upon Grace, and altered the nature of the thing, and made that of purchase which is of gift, though what we brought did carry no proportion with that we had for it; if but one penny were required of us for the purchase of a kingdom, though this fall infinitely low and short of the worth of the thing, yet this alters the nature of the thing, and makes that a purchase, which without that would be a gift.
1. Some there are that say, Answ. That though Gods promises are free in fieri, in respect ⟨p. 280⟩of the making of them, yet they are conditionall in facto esse, in respect of the performance of them, though they are made out of meer mercy, yet they are performed in relation to our subservient dutie; And if we doe but subioyne this to it, that the subservient condition or duty which is prerequired to the performance of the promise, is nothing of our bringing, but first of Gods bestowing; I doe not see how this may any way intrench upon the freenesse of Gods grace, either in making or in performing the promise; hee tells us, hee will give to him that is athirst, 1Revel. 21.6. Here is a condition or qualification, and yet this doth not intrench upon the freenesse of Grace: 2Notwithstanding this qualification, he tells us hee gives to him that is athirst, and what can be freer then gift? gift you know implyes freenes of Grace; And lest any should object and say, how is it a gift when God doth require thirst? Sure this qualification doth imply it to be no gift, it discovers it is not of Grace; therefore is God pleased to adioyne to the former word [gift] this other [freely] I will [give] to him that is athirst of the fountaine of the waters of life [freely.] And therefore doth not this intrench upon ⟨p. 281⟩grace, 3because that which God requires as subservient to the promise, is not of our bringing, till first of Gods bestowing; not of our purchasing, but of Gods giving, who hath ingaged himselfe by Covenant, not only to give the promise, but also what ever is required as necessary and subservient to the promise; if indeed there had beene any thing required which was of our bringing, and had not first beene of Gods bestowing, it would have intrenched upon Grace, and altered the nature of the thing, and made that of purchase which is of gift, though what we brought did carry no proportion with that we had for it; if but one pennie were required of us for the purchase of a kingdome, though this fall infinitely low and short of the worth of the thing, yet this alters the nature of the thing, and makes that a purchase, which without that would be a gift.
- 1Reve. 21.6.
- 2Deus dat gratiam defideranti, et dat gratiam defiderii.
- 3Bonus es Domine animae quaerenti te, quid tum invenienti? sed hoc mirum est, quod nemo te quaerere valet, nifi qui prius invenerit. Vis igitur inveniri, ut quaeraris, quaeri ut inveniaris. Potes quidem quaeri, et inveniri, non tamen praeveniri. Bern. dedillig. domin. p. 951.
