II. If God, in the converfion of man, does not make use of that efficacious operation which determines man, but it is in his power to embrace or refuse the grace of God, or to do any thing towards his converfion, which another neglecting to do, is not converted, then he makes himfelf to differ, and has matter and occafion of boasting. The exceptions to this argument have been confider'd in the Second Part of this performance, whither the reader is refer'd.

III. If fuch determining grace, or fuch a powerful operation of it, is not requifite to mens converfion, and is not put forth in it, then God does not beftow any fingular fpecial grace on them who are converted, than he does on them who are not converted; and fo no more grace was given to Peter than to Judas, to Paul than to Pilate; whence it follows, that he that believes has no more reafon to give thanks to God than he that does not believe. In the reply to this, 'tis own'd, That God, in the ordinary vocation of men, does not give to one more grace than to another, or any special fingular grace which he denies to another; but gives equal and fufficient grace to all to obey the call, provided by more grace, is • Limborch, p. 390. meant,

Page 248, &c. 256, &c.

meant, the fame fpecies of grace, but.not the fame degree. But if the fame degree of grace is not given to one as to another, how does it appear that God gives equal grace to all, and what is fufficient for them to obey the divine call? or that the greater degree of grace is not attended with fuch an efficacious operation and irrefiftible power pleaded for by us? Moreover, it is faid to be no abfurdity, that he who does not believe, has equal reafon to give thanks to God as he who does believe, if we refpect the first offer of grace. But furely, according to this writer's own fcheme, it can never be thought that he, who, tho' he has the fame kind of grace beftowed upon him, yet not the fame degree of grace, and fo does not operate in the fame way, nor produce the fame effect in him as it does in others, can' ever have the fame reason to give thanks to God, as fuch have, who have a greater degree of it, and in whom it is productive of true faith and real converfion.

IV. Such is the method of divine Providence, that fecond caufes fhould fo depend upon God, in their beings and operations, that they cannot determine themselves to any act; but 'tis requifite that they be foreordain'd from eternity, and in time be predetermin'd by God, not only to the act it felf, but to the mode of it. The answer to

this is", That if this was admitted, a fatal and an inevitable neceffity of all things and events negative and pofitive, and of actions good and bad, would be introduced, and God must be the only cause of all the fins and iniquities committed in the whole world. To which may be replied, That the dependence of fecond caufes upon God, in their beings and operations, and the pre-ordination and pre-determination of them to their acts, do indeed introduce a neceffity of the event, that is, that fuch and fuch things shall be done, and in the manner appointed by God; but do not introduce a co-active neceffity or force on the will of man: neither God's purposes in eternity, nor his pre-determinations in time, infringe the liberty of man's will, nor make God the author or cause of any one fin, as appears from the inftances of the felling of Jofeph by his brethren, and the crucifixion of Chrift by the Jews.

V. The opinion which makes the grace of God refiftible, leaves it uncertain, whether any one will be converted by it or not; or, if God did not work with an irresistible operation of grace upon the hearts of men in converfion, it was poffible, that not one foul would have been converted. To this

that

it is answer'd, "That it leaves it as uncertain, whether any one will be unconverted or not." I reply, Since this refiftible grace finds all men unconverted, and confidering the refiftibility of it, and the state and condition of man, that he is dead in fin, in enmity against God, his heart hard, and his will obftinate and perverfe, it is not fo uncertain, whether any one will be left by it unconverted, as that whether any one will be converted by it. It is moreover faid', That" a man may, notwithstanding this opinion, be infallibly certain otherwise, will be found true converts at the many laft, because he knows that many have already died in the fear of God, and in the faith of Chrift; and because the holy fcriptures do affure us, that some shall arise to everlasting life, and receive the end of their faith in the falvation of their fouls." This is very true, and yet, according to this opinion, it was poffible, that not one of these might have been converted, because they might have refifted the grace of God, and made it of none effect. Befides, fuch who will be found true converts at laft, who die in the fear of God, and in the faith of Chrift, who fhall rise again to everlasting life, and receive the end of their faith, the falvation of their fouls, are fuch who are regenerated

and converted by the efficacious and irrefiftible grace of God, and are kept by the power of God, thro' faith, unto falvation, It is further observed, That "to say that it is barely poffible, in the nature of the thing, that none may be converted, hath no inconvenience in it, because it tends not to hinder any man's endeavours after his converfion" I reply, fuppofing it does not, yet it has these inconveniences in it, that if it is poffible that none may be converted, then it is poffible that God's choice of perfons to eternal life may be made void, and all his counfels and purposes concerning his elect fruftrated. 'Tis poffible, that the purchase and redemption by Christ may become of no effect, and he not fee the travail of his foul, and be fatisfy'd, tho' it is promifed to him; and it is poffible, that the fpirit and grace of God may have none of the glory which arifes from the converfion of a finner, as well as that the falvation of every man muft very precarious and uncertain.

be

Whitby, p. 303.

CHAP.