rather precede their Effects, than follow them, and that Order would have Caufes and their Ef- fects exift together: For 'tis plain that all Merit ought to be inltantly recompenc'd, and every Occafional Caufe actually to produce its Effect, provided nothing hinders b t it may or ought be done. But Grace being abfolutely neceifary to Angels and Patriarchs, could not be'deferr d. But as for the Glory and Reward of the Saints of the Old Teftament, fince that might be deferrd, 'twas fit that God mould fufpend its Accomplifhment till Jejus Chrifl mould akend into Hea- ven, be conftituted High Prieft over the Houfe of God, and begin to exercife the Sovereign Power of Occafional Caufe of all Graces merited by his Labours upon Earth. Therelore we are to believe that the Patriarchs entred not Heaven, till after Jefus Chrifl their Head, Mediator, and Fore-runner.
But though it fhould be granted, that God had not appointed an Occafional Caufe for all the Graces aflorded the Angels and Patriarchs, I fee not how it can be thence concluded, that Jefus Chrifl does not at prefent endue the Church with the Spirit which gives it Incieafe and Lite • that he does not pray for it, or that his Prayers or Defires are not effectually heard -, in a word' that he is not the Occafional Caufe which applies to Men the Graces he has merited. I giant if youll have it fo, that God, before Jejus Chr.ft gave Grace by particular Wills; the Neceflity of Order requiring it: Whilft by Order, the Occafional Caufe could not be fo foon eftablimd, and the Elect were very few in Number. But now, when the Rain of Grace falls, not as hereto- fore on a fmall Number of Men, but is fhower'd on all the Earth, and Jefus Chrift may, or ought, be conftituted the Occafional Caufe of the Goods which he has merited for his Church what reafon is there to believe God works fo many Miracles as he gives us good Thoughts? for in fhorr, all that is done by particular Wills, is certainly a Miracle, as not being a Refult of the General Laws he. has ordain'd, whole Efficacy are determin d by Occafional Caules. But how can we imagine, that, in order to fave Men, he works lb many Miracles uielefs to their Salva- tion > 1 would fay, affords them all thefe Graces which they refill, becaule not proportion d to the actual Force ot their Concupifcence.
St. John teaches us, That Chrifl tans receive from the Fulnels of Jefus Chrift Graces in abun- Joh. 1. 17. dance: For, fays he, the Law was given by Mofes, but Grace and Truth came by Jefus Chrifl. For indeed, the Graces which preceded him were not comparable to thole he diitributed after his Triumph: If they were Miraculous, we are to fuppoie they were extremely rare. Even ths Grace of the Apoflles, before the Holy Spirit was given them, could not come in companion with, thofe they received when the High Prieft of future Goods, having entred by his Blood inco die Holy of Holies, had obtain'd by the Force of his Prayers, and lent, through 'tie Dignity ot his Perfon, the Holy Spirit, to animate and ianctifie his Church. The unaccountable Blindnels ot rhe Jews, their grofs and carnal Notions, their frequent Relapfes into Idolatry, after io many Mira- cles, fufficiently manifeft their difregard for true Goods; and the difpnuedneisof the Apoflles, before they had received the Holy Ghofl, is a fenfible Proof of rheir lveaki:cis. So that Grace in thole Days was extremely rare, becaufe our Nature in Jejus Chrift was not yet eftabliib d the Oc- Hebr.4. cafional Caufe of Graces: Jefus Chrifl was not yet fully conlecrated Pneit, after die Oraer of Hcbr. 7. MclchifeJech; nor had his Father given him that Immortal and Glorious Lile, which is the parti- cular Character of his Prieithood. For 'twas neceffary that jefus Chrifl fhould enter the Heavens, and receive the Glory and Power of Occafional Caufe of true Goods, oetore he iem the Boiy Spirit, according to the Words ot Si. John, The Holy Ghofl was?iot yet given, becauje that Jejus Joh. 1 5. 7. was not yet glorified; And according to others of Jefus Chrifl himisit, It is. expedient, j or yu that NATURE and GRACE. 37 that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you j but if I go, J will fend him unto you.
Now it cannot be inaagtn'd, that Jtf us Chrift, confider'd as God, is.the Head of the Churchy as Man, he has obtain'd that Quality. The Head and Members of a Body mult be of the fame na- ture. Jefus Chrift, as Man, intercedes tor Men; as Man, he receiv'd from God a Sovereign Power over his Church: For as he is God, he intercedes not -, as God, he has not receiv'd a frame, which is above every Name 5 but he is equal to the Father, and abfolute Lord of all things by- right of Generation. Thefe Truths are evident, as we are alTur'd by Jefus Chrift himfelff who fays, that his father has given him power to judge Men, becaufe he is the Son of Man. So we ought not to think, that Scripture Expreffions, which make Jefus Chrift the Author of Grace, mult be underftood of him, confider'd in his Divine Perfon: For if fo, I confefs I fliould not have prov'd him the Occasional Caufe, fince he would be the True Caufe of it. But whereas it is certain, that the Three Ferfons of the Trinity are equally the True Caufe of Grace, becaufe all the External Operations of God are common to them all, my Proofs are undeniable, fince Ho- ly Scripture fays of the Son, and not of the Father, or the Holy Spirit, that he is the Head of the Church; and that in this Capacity he communicates Life to the conitituent Members of it.
Second OBJ ECT ION.
XIV. 'Tis God who gives the Spul of Jefus Chrift all the Thoughts and Motions relating to the Formation of his Myftical Body. So that if on one hand the Wills of Jefus Chrift, as Occafional or Natural Caufes, determine the Efficacy of the General Wills of God; on the other, 'tis God himfelf who determines the feveral Wills of Jefus Chrift. And thus it comes to the fame thing: For, in brief, the Volitions of Jefus Chrift. are always conformable to thof; of his Father.
I grant that the particular Volitions of the Soul of Jefus Chrift are always conformable to the Wills of his Father; not as if there were any particular Wills in the Father, which anfwer to thole in the Son, and determine them; but only, that the Volitions of the Son are always con- formed to Order in general, which is the neceffary Rule of the Will of God, and of all thofe who love him. for to love Order, is to love God; 'tis to will what he wills -, 'tis to be Jult, Wile, Regular, in our Love. The Soul of Jefus defires to form, to the Glory of his Father, the lar- geft, molt fumptuous, and accomplifh'd Temple poflible. Order demands this, fince nothing can be made too great for God: All the feveral Thoughts of this Soul, perpetually intent on the Exe- cution of its Defign, proceed likewife from God, or the Word, to which it is united: But its various Defires are certainly the Occafional Caufe of thefe various Thoughts; for it thinks on what it wills.
Now thefe diverfe Defires are fometimes entirely free^ and probably the Thoughts which ex- cite them, do not invincibly determine the Soul of Jefus Chrift, to apply her felt to the Means of executing them. For, in brief, 'tis equally advantageous to the Defign of Jefus Chrift, whe- ther it be Peter or John that caufes the Effect which the Regularity of his Work requires. ' 'Tis true, the Soul of Jefus is not indifferent in any thing that relates to his Father's Glory, or that Order neceffarily demands, but is entirely free in all the reft; there is nothing extraneous to God, which invincibly determines his Love. Thus we ought not to wohder if Jefus have particular Wills, though there be not the like Wills in God to determine them.
But let it be granted,' that the Volitions of Jefus Chrift are not free, and that his Light in- vincibly carries him to will, and to will always in a determinate manner, in the Conftru£tion of his Church: But it is Eternal Wifdom to which his Soul is united, that muft determine his Volitions. We muft not for that Effect fuppofe Particular Wills in God: But all the Wills of Jefus Chrift are Particular, or have no Occafional Caufe to determine their Efficacy, as have thofe of God. •* * For the Soul of Jefus Chrift having not an infinite Capacity of Thinking, his Notices, and confequently his Volitions, are limited. Therefore his Wills muft needs ^ be Particular, fince they change according to his diverfe Thoughts and Applications: For probably the Soul of Jefus Chrift, other wife impldy'd in Contemplating, and tatting the infinite Satisfactions of the True Good, methinks, ought not, according to Order, defire at once to think on all the Ornaments and Beauties he would beftow upon his Church, nor on the different Ways of executing each of his Defigns. For J ejus Chrift defiring to render the Church worthy of the infinite Majefty of his Father, would gladly perfect it with infinite Beauties, by Ways moft conformable to Order. He muft then conltantly change his Defires -, there being but one infinite Wifdom, who can fore-fee all, and prefcribe himfelf General Laws for the executing his Defigns.
But the future World being to fubfift eternally, and to be infinitely more perfect than the pre- fent, it was requifitethat God mould eltablifh an Occafional Caufe, Intelligent, and Enlightned by Eternal Wifdom, to remedy the Defects which mould unavoidably happen in the Works that were form'd by General Laws. The Collifion of Bodies, which determines the Efficacy of the General Laws of Nature, is. an Occafional Caufe, without Underltanding and Liberty 5 K and ^8.FIMalebranche Concerning and therefore 'tis impoffible but] there mull be Imperfeftions in the World, and Monfters pro- duc'd, which are not of fuch account as that the Wifdom of God mould defcend to remedy them by Particular Wills. But Jefus Cbrift ibeing an Intelligent Occafional Caufe, illuminate with the Wifdom of the Word, and fufceptible of Particular Wills, according to the particular Exi- gencies of the Work he forms •, 'tis plain that the future World will be infinitely more per- fect than the prefent, that the Church will be without Spot or Wrinkle, as we are taught by Scripture; and that it will be a Work moft worthy of the Complacency of God him- felf To the in- 3Tis in this manner that Eternal Wifdom renders, as I may fay, to his Father what he had ta- S»r t]\mto ken fr°m h™- For not permitting him to aft by Particular Wills, he feem'd to difable his Al- TkFrinci- mighty Arm: But becoming incarnate, he fo brings it to pafs, that God afting in a manner wor- palities and thy of him, by moft Simple and General Laws, produces a Work, wherein the moft Illuminate Powers in Intelligences cannot obferve the leaft Imperfeft ion.
Heavenly Places might be known by the Church, the manifold Wifdom of God, Eph* 3. 10.
P RO 0 FS founded on REASON.
XV. Having demonftrated, by the Authority of Scripture, that the diverfe Motions of the Soul of Jejm Chnfl are the Occafional Caufes which determine the Efficacy of the General Law of Grace, by which God would have all Men fav'd in his Son% 'tis neceiTary to (hew in general, by Reajon, that we are not to believe God afts in the Order of Grace by Particular Wills. For though by Reajon, feparate from faith, it cannot be demonftrated, that God has conftituted the Wilis of Man-God the Occafional Caufes 1 of his Gifts •, yet it may, without Faith, be fhewn, that he diftributes them not to Men by Particular Wills ^ and that in two manners, a priori, and a pojferiori -, that is, by the Idea we have of God, and by the Effefts of Grace: tor there is nothing but ferves to prove this Truth. Firft, then, for the Proof of a priori.
A wife Being ought to aft wifely. God cannot deny himfelf: His Ways of afting ought to bear the Charafter of his Attributes. Now God knows all, and forefees all; his Underftanding has no Bounds: Therefore his manner of afting ought to bear the Character of an Infinite Intelli- gence. But to make Choice of Occafional, and to eftablifh General Laws, for the executing any work, mahifefts a Knowledge infinitely more comprehenfive, than to change Volitions every mo- ment, or to aft by Particular Wills. Therefore God executes his Defigns by General Laws, whofo Efficacy is determin'd by Occafional Caufes. Certainly there is a greater Extent of Thought re- quir'd to make a Watch, which, according to the Rules of Mechanicks, goes regularly of it felf, whether it be carried about with us, or hung up, or fhaken, as we pleaie, than to make one which can go well no longer than he that made it is continually changing fomething in it, ac- cording to the Situations it is put in: For when there is a greater Number of Relations 10 be compared and combined together, there is required a greater Underftanding. An infinite Pieici- ence is requifite to forefee all the Effefts which will happen in confequence of a General Law j and there is nothing of all this to be forefeen, when the Wills are changed every moment. There- fore, to eftablifh General Laws, and to choofe the moft fimple, and at the fame time the moft exuberant, is a manner of afting worthy of him whofe Wifdom has no Bounds. And, on the contrary, to aft by Particular Wills, fhews aftraitned Underftanding, and which cannot compare the Confequences or Effefts of the leaft fruitful Caufes. The fame Truth might iar.her be de- monftrated a priori, by fome other Attributes of God, as by his Immutability; by wh,± M.Des Cartes proves, That every Body tends to move in a right Line, that there is always the lame Quan- tity of Motion in the World, and other Truths. But thefe Truths a priori, are too abftraft to con- vince the Generality of Men of the Truth advane'd. It is more to the Purpofe to prove it by the Marks I have given before, to diftinguifh Effefts produced* by Particular Wills from thole which are the neceiTary Confequences of fome General Law.
God, being infinitely Wife, neither wills nor does any thing without Defign or End. But Grace falls often on Hearts fo difpos'd, as to fruftrate his Operation -, and therefore falls not ou them by a Particular Will, but only by a neceiTary Confequence of General Laws, for the fame keafon that Rain falls on the Sands and in the Sea, no lefs than on Seed-Grounds.
XVI. Though God may punifh Sinners, or make them more miferable than they are, he can have no Defign of making them more culpable and criminal •, which yet is an Erieft of Grace, and God knows certainly, that, according to their aftual Diipofitions, the Graces he bellows will have that calamitous Event. Therefore Graces are not fhed on corrupt Hearts by a Parti- cular Will oi God, but by a neceiTary' Confequence of General Laws, eftablifh'd for the Produ- ction of the belt Effefts; by the fame Reafon that on fome Occafions too abundant Rains cor- rupt and putrifie the Fruits of the Earthy though God by his General Will caufes it to rain, to make them thrive.
XVII. If God was minded that fome Lands mould continue barren, he need but have ceas'd to . will that the Rain fhould water them. So if God purpos'd that the Hearts of fome Sinners (hould remain hardncd, as it would be fufficient for the Rain of Grace not to water them, he need NATURE and GRACE.
need but leave them to themfdves, and they would corrupt fall enough.- Why mult we attri- bute a Particular Will to God, to make 16 cruel and unhappy ufe of the Price of his Son's Blood? But many others -w.il 1 fay, Gcd, in giving Grace to Sinners, has never that Defign; and this' doubtlefs, feemsmore reafonable. But it God gives his Grace by a Particular Will, he has fome Particular Defign * and whereas Grace has that fad Effeft, God is fruftrated in his Expectation, fince he gave it with a Defign, and that a particular one, of doing good to a Sinner. Fori fpeak not hereof the Graces, or rather Gifts, explain'd by St. P««/, in the 12th. Chapter of his Firft Epiftle to th&Corinthians: I fpeak of the Grace which God gives for the Converfion of him it is given to, and not of t hole Gifts God bellows on fome for the Profit of others 5 fuch as are the Gifts of Prophecy, of Difcernment of Spirits, of Speaking diverfe Tongues, of Healing the Sick, and the like.
XVIIi. When the Rain falls in fuch excefs, that the Floods extirpate the Fruits of the Earth, we ought to conclude this Rain comes by a neceflary Confequence of the General Laws God has eftablilh'd for better Effe&s. Yet it is certain God may have appointed it by a Particular Will. For God, for the Punifhment of Men, may will, that the Rains ordain'd to fecundate the Earth, may make it barren, on fome Occafions. But it is not fo with the Rain of Grace, fince God cannot difipenie it with Defign of punifhing Men, much lefs of making them more culpable and criminal. Thus 'tis much more certain that the Rain of Grace falls by General Wills, than that the common Rains do fo -, yet molt Men can eafily believe, that Rains are the neceflary Confe- quences of the General Laws of the Communication of Motions 5 whilit there are few but find fome Relu&ancy in believing God gives us by General Wills all thefe Motions of Graces, whole EfTefts we our felves prevent.
There's great likelihood this Difpofition of Mind naturally grows from our thinking God a£ts almoft like our felves, and that he has on all Occafions Particular Wills for all Men, in fomerh'mg refembling thofe Defites we have for our Friends. For though we outwardly cpnfefs, that there is an infinite Difference between God's way of a£ling, and our own $ yet fince we ordinarily judge of others, with relation to our felves, without confidering 5 few Perfons ferioufly confult the Idea of an Infinitely Perfect Being, when they would fpeak of God. And becaufe there is fome Air of Novelty in what I fay, it creates a fort of Pain in the Mind, which is reafonably miltruftful of what is not common and ordinary.
I have a particular Honour and Eft eem for all thole who, in Matter of Religion, have a fecret Averfion for all Novelties: When this is the Motive which induces them to oppofe my Opinions, they give me no Offence; and whilft their Prejudices are legitimate, though they fhould give me hainous Provocations, I mould preferve a RefpecF for them. For their Difpofition of Mind is infinitely more reafonable than that of others, who fall foul upon all that bears the Chandler of Novelty. Neverthelefs, as I believe that we are bound to love and fearch out Truth with all our Strength, and communicate it to.others, when we believe We have found it; I think that, fup- pofing the Doclrines of Faith undeniable, we may, and even ought endeavour, to confirm t' en, and recommend them to the Reception of all Men. I might vindicate this Opinion, by the Conduft of the Fathers, and by the Authority of St. Auftin, who frequently exhorts to the clearDifco- very and Underftanding of thofe Truths, which we already believe in the Obfcurity of Faith. But I don't fuppofe there are any fo irrational as to find fault with my Conducf, however pre- judiced againft my Opinions. Wherefore I intreat thofe, who will be at the 'Pains of reading what I have written, not to fuppofe me in an Errour, but to fafpend their Judgment, till they have well underftood my Opinion; and not to condemn me in General Terms, nor draw too halfily from my Principles unwarrantable Conclufions.
In Matters fo obfcure as thofe of Grace, the Advantage is always on the fide of the AggrelTor •, and 'tis not juft to make ufe of it to the Defendant's Prejudice: He mould judge equitably, and without PrepofTeffion compare all the Confequences deducible from the feveral Opinions, that he may embrace that which feems moft agreeable to the Goodnefs and Wifdom of God. For 'tis un- reasonable to condemn an Opinion unexamin'd, for fome unhappy Confequences, which Men ne- ver fail to infer from it when the Imagination is fcar'd, and the Mind polfefs'd with contrary- Notions.
XIX. I know, for Example, that fome Perfons have laid, I make all Prayers ufelefs, and rob Men of the Confidence they ought to have in God-, fince, in their Notions, God afting by Ge- neral Wills, we mult not expea particular Supplies from Heaven. I confefs, if this fole Con- fequence were included in my Principles, they would be falfe, heretical, and impious: For we overturn Religion, if we take from Men their due Hope and Confidence in God -, and 'tis partly on that very account I cannot admit of thofe Mens Opinions which are moft oppofite to my man- ner of Reconciling Grace with' Liberty. But fo far are my Principles from leading to Defpair, that on the contrary, they give the Righteous, and even Sinners, Confolation, in (hewing them the Means of obtaining of God the things they ftand imneed of For if we are Righteous, our Prayers are meritorious; and if meritorious, Order requires that they mould be heard =, and Order being with God a Law, infinitely more inviolable than any other eftablilh'd for the Conftruftion of his Work, he never fails to do what Order prefcribes him. Therefore the Prayers of the Righteous are never ineffecf ual 5 which is what I have eftablilh'd in the XIX. Section of the Second Difcourie.
But 19 £0 F. Malebranche Concerning But if we are Sinners, 'tis certain our Prayers are of themfelves in vain •, for God hears not i J0L2. i. Sinners, Order will have it fo: NeVerthelefs we mull not defpair: We have an Advocate with Mat. 9. 15. the Father, JefusChrift the Right eoMi He came into the World tofave Sinners: Bis Prayers are Joh.n.42. conftantiy ani moji readily heard. Let us pray in his Name, or addrefs our feives to him. Our Prayers will follicite him to form fome Deiires relating to us ^ and his Defires are the Occafional Caufes which infallibly determine the General Law of Grace, by which God wills the Salvation of all Men in his Son. This is what I have maintain'd at large in the Second Difcourfe. Thus I am fo far from depriving Men of the Confidence they ought to have in God, that, on the con- trary, I precifely,fhew, by the Authority of Scripture, the way we ought to take for the obtain- ing of God the Graces that we want. Therefore I pray -my Readers to do me the Juitice of Exa- mining my Opinions, without Prevention; and I am willing they fhould afterward judge of them according to their Light and Knowledge. For I fubmit all my Thoughts, not only to the Cen- fure of the Church, which has Right to make me quit them by an Authority, which I lhall be ever ready to defer to -, but alfo to the Judgments of all Particular Perfons, by whole Admoni- tions I ftiall endavour to profit.
the END.
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