then to the fecond part of this objection, that by our doctrine the glory of our converfion will not be wholly due to God: because man cooperates with him; this will be fufficiently accounted for by obferving, that the principle by which man cooperates with him in this work is derived from him, and all the motives which excite this principle to act, arife purely from God's preventing and exciting grace: Now where both the principle of acting, and the fole motives to act, are from God alone, there the whole glory of the action must be due to him alone. Thus though wealth is the fruit of induftry, and it is the diligent hand that maketh rich; yet because God gives the power to get wealth, and it is his bleffing on our enterprizes which maketh rich, the glory of it is due to God alone; and we must fay with David, (h) riches and honor come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee; all this ftore cometh of thy hand, and it is all thine own. After all our induftry to find out wifdom, and to fearch for her as for hid treasure, we must give the allwife God the glory of all the wifdom we attain to, as knowing that the Lord giveth wifdom, out of his mouth cometh understanding. Thus St. Paul faith, (i) I labored more abundantly than they all; and yet afcribes all to the grace of God that was in him; and though Paul did plant, and Apollos water, yet because Godgave the inereafe; (k) neither faith he, is Paul or Apollos to be deemed any thing, but all must be afcribed to God that giveth the increafe. So when the apostle faith, (1) it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that Theweth mercy, most of the fathers defcant thus upon those words, it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth only, but of God that fheweth mercy, and crowns the work by his affiftance; for otherwife, fay they, it cannot be our duty either to will or run, provided we can neither by willing, or by running, do any thing to incline God to fhew mercy; and why then doth God blame us for not willing, Matth. xxiii. 37. John v. 40. and requires us fo to run that we may obtain?? 1 Cor. ix. 24. Heb. xii. 1. And whereas against this it is objected, that according to this interpretation it might be faid, it is not of God that fheweth mercy only, but of man who wills and runs Origen, St. Chryfoftom and Theophylact answer, that this follows not, becaufe man's willing and running would not avail without the divine aid to enable him to run, and his grace and mercy to accept his running; and therefore according to the custom of the fcripture, the effect is to be afcribed (b) Chron. xxix. 12, 14, 16. -(i) 1 Cor. xv. 10. (k) 1 Cor. 17. 6, 7. (1) Rom. ix. 13. FF to the chief agent only, as when it is faid, except the Lord doctrine is liable to this juft exception, that it doth confequen Consequentially affert, that no thanks are due for any kindnefs received if he to whom it is done be not merely paffive, and if he that receiveth a kindnefs be but fo much as active in receiving or accepting it, the glory of it redounds to him rather than to the benefactor; fo that we must not expect from Chrift the praife and Glory of feeding his hungry members, unless we put the meat into their mouths; or of clothing them when naked, unlefs we put the clothes upon them; or of receiving them into our houfes, though we do invite and open the door for them, unless we force them in; that he who gives a prifoner money fufficient to pay off his debt, is not to have the glory of his releafe, if he require the prifoner to tell out, and deliver the money to the creditor; and that the prince who pardons his condemned fubje&t, upon condition that he will plead his pardon, is not to have the fole glory of that pardoning mercy; and the true confequence from this is, faith Dr. Claget, that the glory of God's grace wholly depends upon the NB fullernefs and obftinacy of men, and that the only way to advance it, is by a flout oppofition and fpiteful refiftance of it, Part ii. p. 208. SECTION IX.-Objection 25. Laftly, it is objected, that the opinion which makes the grace of God refiftible, leaves it uncertain whether any one will be converted by it, or not. Anfern An/wer 1. To this I anfwer; (ft.) That it leaves it as uncertain whether any one will be unconverted, or not; and Turely, that opinion which affords the encouragement to all, that God, notwithstanding their fall, will afford means fufficient to convert them, if they do not neglect and refufe to ufe them, is much to be preferred before that which tells them be hath from eternity paffed an act of preterition on them, and by that excluded them out of the number of the elect, i. e. of them who only fhall be faved. Anfwer 2.-2dly. A man may, notwithstanding this opinion, be infallibly certain, otherwife, that many will be found. true converts at the laft, because he knows that many have already died in the fear of God, and in the faith of Chrift, and because the holy feriptures do affure us that fome fhall arife to everlasting life, and receive the end of their faith in the fal vation of their fouls. Anfwer 3.-3dly. To fay 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 endeavors after his converfion, any more than the like poffibili ty, that no man may thrive by his induftry, or grow rich by his trading, or have a fafe voyage at fea, or a plentiful crop by fowing, or health by taking phyfic, hinders men from doing any of these actions. It is no imputation upon divine wifdom, that God himself complains he had given his law to the Jews in vain; nor did St. Paul conceive it any defect in the grace of God, that it might be received in vain by the churches of Corinth, 2 Cor. vi. 1. of Galatia, Chap. iii. 4. and of Theffalonica, 1 Theff. iii. 5. and by parity of reafon by all other churches. It is poffible, that no one fubject may obey the laws of his fuperior, because they have free will, and may do evil under the strongest obligations to do well; but should the world be left therefore without human laws, or be governed by irrefiftible force, or not at all? Nay, rather that freedom which includes a bare poffibility that all may disobey, proves the wisdom and juftice of governing mankind by laws attended with moral inducements to obedience; whereas if we fuppofe men to be under a neceffity either of doing what is required, or of doing the contrary, it is very hard to underftand how governing them by moral means fhould be wife in the former cafe, or juft in the latter. The State of the Question. OR the due ftating of this queftion concerning the liberty, or freedom of the will of man, let it be noted, SECTION I.-ft. That the ftate of man, in this world, is a ftate of trial or probation, as will be evident, ft. From all thofe places in which God is faid to exercife his difpenfations towards his people, to prove them wheth er they would walk in his ways, or not; as in thofe words, I will rain bread from heaven, to prove them whether they will walk in my ways, or not, Exod. xvi. 4. i. e. Whether the con ftant provifions I make for them, will induce them to continue ftedfaft in my fervice. When they were terrified at the dreadful fights, and the voice they heard at the giving of the law, Mofes fpeaks to them thus, fear not, for God is come to prove you, Chap. xx. 20. (i. e. to try whether you will be true to the promife made Chap. xix. 8. viz. all that the Lord hath Spoken we will do) and that his fear may be before your faces that you fin not. And fo in many other places, which will hereafter be confidered. and 2dly. From all thofe places in which God is faid to try men. Thus St. Paul fpeaks of the trial of mens works by fire, 1 Cor. iii. 13. of the trial of the Macedonians by afflic tions, 2 Cor. viii. 7. St. James faith, that the trial of our faith, by temptations, worketh patience, Chap. i. 3. St. Peter, that the trial of our faith, (by manifold temptations, if we continue ftedfaft in it) will be found to our praife, honor and glory at the appearing of Jefus Chrift, 1 Pet. i. 7. fpeaketh of a fiery trial which was come to try them, Chap. Our bleffed Lord faith to the church of Smyrna, behold the devil will caft fome of you into prifon that he may Rev. ii. 10. and prophefies of an hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth; to omit many places of like nature in the Old Teftament, viz. Pfal. lxvi. 12. Jer. ix. 7. Dan. xi. 35. xii. 10. Zech. xiii. 9. IV. 12. try you, 3dly. From all the promises and threats recorded in the feripture, to engage all men to repent and turn to God; for no fuch thing is, or can reasonably be offered to them who are already in a fixed ftate either of happiness or misery; and it is contrary even to the nature of those motives to be offered to them, who neither can be induced by the hopes of promifes, or fears of fufferings, to change their prefent ftate. 4thly. From all the exhortations of the holy fripture to men, to watch and pray that they enter not into temptation, and to pray they may not be led into temptation; from the fuppofition that men in the time of temptation may fall away, Luke viii. 13. and that Satan may fo tempt good chriftians, that the labor of the apostles may be in vain among them, 1 Theff. iii. 5. For what is temptation but a trial of our faith, fincerity and conftancy? What is it to enter, or be led into it it, but to be in danger of falling by it? And muft not therefore all who are in a flate of temptation, be alfo in a ftate of trial or probation? And, 5thly. This will be evident from the temptations of Satan, who goes about continually feeking whom he may devour. For to what end fhould he tempt, that is, endeavor to destroy them, if he knows he never can fucceed in his temptations to deftroy the elect; and as for others, quos ad perditionem Deus præfcripfit, and who are left by God infallibly to fail of |