signified or imported by these words mortification and conversion, whether moral or spiritual, is not indivisible. Whence it is, that we often deceive ourselves and others, by giving one and the same answer to all or most questions that are or can be moved concerning these duties. That may be true of mortification or conversion, (whether spiritual or moral,) taking it in some degree, which is altogether false, if we apply it to the same qualification or duty, taken or considered according to another degree. Thus much they better saw than considered, who have entertained dispute pro or con in that question-An homo in prima conversione ad Deum sit mere passivus ?" Whether man in his first conversion be merely passive?" The issue would be easier, shorter, and more certain, if the same question were proposed thus: An homo quoad primum gradum conversionis sit mere passivus?" Whether man be merely passive in the first degree or degrees of his conversion or mortification?" For mine own part, as I acknowledge many degrees of conversion, and many precedent motions to true and complete mortification; so I should think the most men living, that are throughly converted and truly mortified, to be merely passive, not in the first, second, or third degree only, but in all or most of the intermediate degrees of mortification, which are precedent to the habit of it, or rather to the gift of perseverance in it; and being once habitually mortified, we are in a sort active. 2. But if in the first, second, or subsequent degrees of mortification we be merely passive, how shall we avoid that imputation which is laid upon our church by the Romanists? The imputation is this-That albeit we grant men to be mortified, and require the duty of mortification at men's hands, yet we acknowledge them not to be men, but mere stocks in the acts or interims 106 of their conversion or mortification. To this we answer, that although we be merely passive in the acts of mortification, yet are we not passive after the same manner that stocks and stones, or creatures merely sensitive, are passive. Nor are creatures endued with sense passive after the same manner that stocks and stones, or creatures without sense, are. There be passives inanimate, passives sensitive, and reasonable passives or patients. Every faculty of sense is merely passive in respect of its proper function or sensation; and yet the ignoblest faculties of sense are in some sort active, that they may be sensitively passive, or passive after another manner than stocks and stones, or things inanimate, are. The sense of touching, which of all the five external senses is most ignoble and least active, may notwithstanding be less passive, or more or less capable of pain, by the activity or motion of the body. But of the more noble senses the maxim is most true, Sentire est pati-" All sensation is a kind of passive or suffering." And it is generally resolved in schools, that visio fit intromittendo, non extramittendo; sight or vision (although it be the most noble external sense) is not made by extramission, or sending out of the rays or beams of the eye, but by impression of the object seen; and impression is a passion. So that sight itself consists in passion, and the eye itself, in respect of its proper function, is merely passive and yet he that will see the sun or other objects visible, must be content to open his eyes, not to wink; yet to wink or open the eyes is no passion, but an action. He that desires to see objects obscure or less visible, must intend the optic nerves, otherwise he shall not be sensitively passive. And he that desires to hear well, especially if he be afar said to be off, must be content to listen and listening includes our conver- an intension of the organ or instrument of hearing, an In what sense we are passives in sion. action in the hearer, that he may be sensitively passive. He that speaks is the agent or actor: and yet how pleasant soever his speech be, the hearer must be active to find him ears. Now faith is as the eyesight of the soul and understanding; and yet faith, as the apostle saith, comes by hearing. Our mortification or conversion, which is a work of faith, is never wrought without some sense or feeling. And in these works, if they be spiritually performed, the spirit of man is as merely passive as the bodily eye is in the sense of sight, or the ear in the act of hearing; but merely passive after a more remarkable manner in the first degrees of mortification or conversion, than in their accomplishment. The resolution then of the former doubt is this: We are merely passive in the degrees or works of mortification or conversion: we are not merely passive, we must be active in some works, by the providence of God presupposed for accomplishment of these works,' or for his accomplishing these works in us by the Spirit. 3. For illustration of that which in this point may be easily conceived by all, without offence, as I hope, to any. We will take, for instance or example, a man whose heart hath never found any internal comfort of the Spirit, a despiser of the means which lead to gracea young man every way as dissolutely bent as his years and experience will permit him. This man, upon some loathsome concomitants which follow riot, or upon some grievous mischance that hath befallen him or his friend in an unruly place upon the Lord's day, abjures the like place and company for a while; and being not able or unaccustomed to be alone, resolves to make trial whether he shall speed better by repairing at times seasonable unto the Lord's house. In thus resolving, and in thus repairing to the church, he is not merely passive, but an active. This is no work of true faith, |