If these texts indeed prove anything, through the addition of consequences and similes which are the invention of human reason, they prove that Freewill possesses not only endeavour, or some small particle of desire, but an entire power and the freest ability to do all things 391 without the grace of God, and without the aid of his Holy Spirit.
So that, nothing is further from the thing proved by this whole discourse that has been trodden into us — as it has been, by continual repetitions — than the proposition which she had undertaken to prove. Namely, ‘that approvable opinion, by which Freewill is determined to be so impotent, that it can will nothing good without grace; and that it is compelled to serve sin; and that it possesses endeavour, which is not to be ascribed to its own energies.’ Truly, this is a monster which can at the same time do nothing by its own energies, and yet it possesses a power to endeavour in its own energies. And so it consists by a most manifest contradiction. 392
SECT. 32. New Testament Scriptures for Freewill considered, beginning with Mat 23.37-39.
We come now to the New Testament, where a large force of imperative verbs is again mustered into the wretched service of Freewill. And the auxiliaries of carnal reason, such as consequences and similes, are fetched in. This is like a picture, or a dream, in which you see the Lord of the flies,393 with his lances of straw and shields of hay, set in battle array against a real and well-appointed army 394 of human warriors.
Such is the kind of warfare which the human dreams of Diatribe, carry on against troops of divine testimonies.
First, like the Achilles of the flies, she marches out that text in Mat 23.37: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I would have gathered your children together, and you would not?” ‘If all things are done by necessity,’ she says, ‘might not Jerusalem have justly answered the Lord, Why consume yourself with vain tears? If you were unwilling that we listen to the Prophets, why did you send them? Why impute to us what has been done by your own will, which is our necessity?’ So much for Diatribe.
My reply is this: granting for the moment, that this inference and proof of Diatribe’s is good and true, what is proved by it, I ask? Is it that approvable opinion which says that Freewill cannot will good? Why, here is proved a will that is free, that is every bit whole, and is able to do everything which the Prophets have spoken! Diatribe did not take it upon herself to prove this sort of will in man. No indeed; let Diatribe herself be the respondent here, and let her answer us. If Freewill cannot will good, then why it is imputed to her that she did not hear the Prophets? Being teachers of good, why was it not possible for her to hear through her own strength? Why does Christ weep ‘vain tears,’ 395 as though they could have willed what he assuredly knew that they could not will? Let Diatribe deliver Christ from a charge of madness, I say, in support of that approvable opinion of hers, and immediately our opinion will be liberated from this Achilles of the flies.
So that this text of Matthew either proves a complete Freewill, or else it fights against Diatribe herself, as stoutly as against us, laying her prostrate with her own weapons. 396 I assert, as I have done before, that the secret will of God, as regarded in the majesty of his own nature, is not matter of debate. 397 The rashness of man — which through a continual perverseness, always leaves necessary topics to attack and counter it — should be called away and withdrawn from occupying herself in scrutinizing those secrets of His majesty, which it is impossible to penetrate. 398 For God dwells in light which no man can approach; as Paul testifies. (1Tim 6.16) Let her rather occupy herself with the incarnate God, or (as Paul says) with Jesus the crucified: the one in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, but hidden. 399 He will abundantly teach her what she ought to know, and not know. It is the incarnate God then, who speaks here. I would, and you would not. The incarnate God, I say, was sent into the world for this purpose: that he might be willing, that he might speak, that he might do, that he might suffer, that he might offer 400 all things which are necessary for salvation, to all men.
Although he stumbles upon many who, being either left or hardened by that secret will of His majesty, do not receive him — willing as he is, speaking, working, and offering as he does. This is just what John says, ‘The light shines in darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it.’ And again, ‘He came to his own, and his own did not receive him.’ Joh 1.5,11
Thus, it is the act of this incarnate God to weep, wail, and groan over the destruction of the wicked, while the will of Majesty purposely leaves and reprobates some, that they may perish. Nor should we inquire why he does so, but to reverence God, who is both able and willing to do such things. No one, I suppose, will cavil here, that the will of which it is said, ‘how often I would,’ was exhibited to the Jews even before God’s incarnation. For they are charged with having slain the Prophets who lived before Christ, Mat 23.31 and by so doing, with having resisted his will. Christians know that everything which was done by the Prophets, was done by them in the name of that Christ who was to come; of whom it had been promised that he would become the incarnate God. So that whatever has been offered to man by the ministers of the word, from the beginning of the world, may be rightly called the will of Christ. 401
SECT. 33. The reality of God’s secret will is maintained.
But reason, who is quick-scented and saucy, will say here, ‘This is an admirable refuge which you have discovered. So then, as often as you are pressed by the force of your adversary’s arguments, you have but to run back to this terrible will of sovereignty, and you compel your antagonist to silence when he has become troublesome — just as the astrologers evade all questions about the motions of the whole heavens, by their invention of Epicycles.’ 402
I answer, It is not my invention but a direction confirmed by the divine Scriptures. Thus speaks Paul in Rom 9.19: “Why does God complain then? Who resists his will? O man, who are you that contends with God?” “Does the potter not have the power?” and the rest. And before him, Isaiah said in 58.2, “For they seek me daily, and desire to know my ways, as a nation which has done righteousness. They ask of me the ordinances of justice, and desire to draw near to God.” In these words, I imagine, it is abundantly shown to us that it is not lawful for man to scrutinize the will of sovereignty. 403 Besides, this the kind of question which most of all leads perverse men to attack that awful will; so that it is especially seasonable to exhort them to silence and reverence when we prosecute it. In other questions, where the matters treated are those which allow for an explanation, and which we are commanded to explain, I do not proceed this way.
Now if a man will not yield to my admonition, but persists in scrutinizing the counsels 404 of that will, I let him go on and fight with God, as the giants did of old, waiting to see what sort of triumphs he carries off. And I am very sure in the meantime, that he will take nothing from our cause, and confer nothing upon his own. For it will remain fixed, that either he must prove Freewill to be capable of doing everything, or else the Scriptures which he quotes must contradict his own position. Whichever of these is the result, he lies prostrate as a conquered man, and I am found standing on my feet as the conqueror. 405
SECT. 34. Mat. 19.17 and other like passages considered.
Your second text is Mat 19.17. “If you will enter into life, keep the commandments.” Diatribe asks, ‘With what face could it be said, “If you will,” to a man whose will is not free?’ I reply to her, Does this saying of Christ’s then establish that the will is free?
Why, you meant to prove that Freewill can will nothing good, and will necessarily serve sin if grace is out of the way. With what face, then, do you now make it all free?
The same may be said of the words, ‘If you will be perfect,’ if any man will come after me,’ ‘whoever would save his soul,’ ‘if you love me,’ ‘if you abide in me.’ — Indeed, let all the conjunctions ‘if,’ and all the imperative verbs, as I have said, 406 be collected together to assist Diatribe, at least in the number of her quotations. — All these precepts are
