Charnock:

1)

This weakness doth not excuse from obedience to this command, because God denies no man strength to perform what he commands, if he seek it at his hands. No man can plead that he would have been regenerate, and turned to God, and could not; for though we have not power to renew ourselves, yet God is ready to confer power upon us if we seek it. Where did God ever deny any man sufficient strength, that did wait upon him in serious and humble supplications, and conscientiously used the means to procure it. A man cannot indeed merit grace, or dispose himself for it, so that it must by a natural necessity come into his soul, as a form doth into matter upon dispositions to it. But if a man will do what he can do, if he will put no obstacle to grace, by a course of sin, would not God, out of his infinite bounty to his creatures, and out of that general love whereby he would have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, give him special grace? Hath not our Saviour made a promise in his first sermon to the multitude, that God “will give good things to them that ask him,” with a much more than men give good gifts to their children, Mat. vii. 11. They were not only his disciples that he preached that sermon to, but the multitude, comparing it with Mat. v. 1, and Mat. vii. 28. Hath not God declared, that he ‘delights not in the death of a sinner,’ Ezek. xxxiii. 11, and doth he not out of his infinite goodness condescend to beseech us to be reconciled to him ? Will not the same infinite goodness bow itself down to form a new image in them that use the means to be reconciled and conformed to him, as much as they can? Has not our blessed Saviour already given a testimony of his affection to such endeavours, in loving the young man for his outward observation of the law, Mark x. 21, who wanted but one thing only to pass him into a gracious state, the refusal whereof barred him of it? And shall not he have a choicer affection to those that strive to observe the rules he hath left in his gospel? Will he not be pleased with such motions in his creatures towards their own happiness? Will he not further that wherein he delights ? Think not therefore to justify yourselves at the bar of God for your sloth, because you are too weak to renew yourselves.

Charnock, “Regeneration,” in Works, 3:233-234.

2)

“Let us not judge ourselves by a general love. As there is a general love of God to man, a general love of Christ to mankind in dying, and giving a conditional grant of salvation upon faith and repentance, and a particular love to the soul of a believer, so likewise in man there is a general assent, and a particular serious assent to the truth of God, and accordingly a general love upon the apprehensions of what Christ hath done in general. There is a common love to God, which may be so called, because the benefits enjoyed by men are owned as coming from that fountain; a love arising from the apprehensions which men commonly have of the goodness of God in himself, and a common love wrought in them to God, as to other things that are good. Again, men may have a false faith, and a false apprehension of pardon of sin, when indeed no such pardon is granted to them; so they may have proportionably a false love upon such an ungrounded belief.”

Stephen Charnock, “A Discourse of the Subjects of the Lord’s Supper” in Works, 4:464.

Manton:

1) “The cause why so few are won to believe in Jesus Christ is because they have not the Spirit’s revelation.

This I shall prove to you by these reasons:

1. Because without the Spirit’s revelation all the outward tenders and reports of Jesus Christ will be to no purpose. The efficacy of the word lieth in the Spirit’s assistance. I told you in the former point how powerful the word of God is, but withal I told you it was when the Spirit sets it home upon the heart. God may knock at the door and yet no man open to him; and, therefore, he speaketh by way of supposition, if he doth but barely knock: Rev. iii. 20, ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him, and he with me.’ It is put upon an if: it is a great peradventure whether any man will open the door or no, when it is but a bare knock of the word. The spouse pleadeth excuses when Christ stood and knocked, saying, ‘Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled,’ Cant. v. 2; but in the 4th verse it is said, ‘My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him; ‘that signifieth the working of his Spirit, and then she opened. Men would fain take one nap more in sin when they are roused by the ministry; but when God puts his fingers upon the handles of the lock, Christ hath an admittance and the door then flieth open: Acts xi. 19-21, ‘The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.’ God’s hand was upon the lock. If the word be anywhere spoken of as powerful, it is in reference to the Spirit, as 1 Thes. i. 5, ‘Our word came unto you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost;’ therefore in power, because in the Holy Ghost.

2. Because the Spirit’s revelation is the token of God’s special love; and that is not given to every one: God has appointed his special love but for a few. The outward revelation is to leave men without excuse; it is but a token of God’s common love: 2 Cor. iv. 3, ‘If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost’–hidden from their hearts, though it be revealed to their ears. Those that are lost have not the inward discoveries–that is, the effectual discovery and special effect of God’s peculiar love: Acts xiii. 48, ‘As many as were ordained to eternal life believed;’ such have God’s special love. Those that have least have many times an outward revelation: Acts xiv. 17, ‘God left not himself without a witness, in that he did good;’ yet, ver. 16, ‘he suffered them to walk in their own ways.’ They had a revelation, but they had not an efficacious revelation. And in this sense it is said, that ‘many are called but few are chosen, many are invited and few wrought upon. They have the doctrine of life propounded to them, but they have not the Spirit of life setting it home upon their hearts; few taste of God’s special love.” Thomas Manton, The Complete Works of Thomas Manton (London: James Nisbet & Co., 1873), 3:210-211.

2) “First, What is this love of God in Christ? Here I take it actively for the love wherewith he loveth us. Love may be considered–First, As an attribute or a perfection in God; so it is said, 1 John iv. 8, ‘God is love.’ Which noteth his readiness, self-propension, or inclination to do good. Secondly, As it relateth and passeth out to the creature; so there is a common love and a special love. His common love is set forth: Ps. cxlv. 4, ‘ The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.’ This love floweth in the channel of common providence. But then there is a special love, which is called his love in Christ: Eph. i. 3, ‘Who hath blessed us with spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.’ This love may be considered as purposed or expressed. As purposed: 2 Tim. i. 9, ‘According to his purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.’ His gracious purposes were from everlasting; he determined within himself that we should receive these fruits of his love through Jesus Christ. As expressed, and that two ways; as revealed in the gospel, and as applied to our hearts.” Thomas Manton, The Complete Works of Thomas Manton (London: James Nisbet & Co., 1873), 12:413.

3) “Second case is about the actual persuasion of God’s love to us. For since this love of gratitude ariseth from a sense or apprehension of God’s love to us in Christ; therefore God’s children are troubled when they cannot make particular application, as Paul, and say, ‘He loved me, and gave himself for me,’ Gal. ii. 20.

Ans. 1. A particular persuasion of God’s love to us is very comfortable. Things that do most concern us do most affect us; as a man is more pleased with legacies bequeathed to him by name, than left indefinitely to those who can make friends. If I can discern my name in God’s testament, it is unquestionably more satisfactory and more engaging than when with much ado I must make out my title, and enter myself an heir: Eph. i. 13, ‘After that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.’ It is not sufficient to know that the gospel is a doctrine of salvation in general, or to others only, but every one should labour, by a due application of the promises of the gospel unto themselves, to find it a doctrine of salvation unto themselves. Salvation by Christ is a benefit which we need as much as others, and therefore should give all diligence to understand our part and interest in it. God’s love to us is the great reason of our love to God; ours a reflection; the more direct the beam, the stronger the reflection. It is the quickening motive to the spiritual life, Gal. ii. 20. Certainly they are much to blame who can so contentedly sit down with the want thereof, so they may be well in the world; if God will love them with a common love, so as they may live in peace, and credit, and mirth, and wealth among men. Our joy, comfort, and peace, much dependeth on the sense of our particular interest: Luke i. 46, ‘My soul doth rejoice in God my saviour;’ and Rom. v. 11, ‘We rejoice in God, as those that have received the atonement.’ It is uncomfortable to live in doubts and fears, or else to live by guess and uncertain conjectures. Well then, if we would maintain the joy of faith, the vigour of holiness, we should get our interest more clear.” Thomas Manton, The Complete Works of Thomas Manton (London: James Nisbet & Co., 1873), 13:154.

4) “[1.] If you interpret it of his divine love, the difficulty will not be great; for there is a general and common love, and a special love. With the first, God loves all his creatures, especially mankind, and amongst them those that have any strictures of his image in them more than others. But then there is a special love, and so all those are saved whom God thus loveth. So God loveth his own people, either with a love of good-will when they are uncalled: Jer. xxxi. 3, ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love;’ or else with a love of complacency, when called and converted: Zeph. iii. 17, ‘He will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love.’ Now this will easily salve the matter; there was a general love, or a liking and approbation of those moral virtues and good things which he saw in him [the rich young ruler], but not that special love which brings grace and salvation along with it.”  Thomas Manton, The Complete Works of Thomas Manton (London: James Nisbet & Co., 1873), 16:457.

5)     “If they are committed against love.” It is sad to sin against God’s laws, it is more to sin against God’s love. Suppose it be but against common love, against God that giveth us food and raiment, rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons. The apostle calls this a ‘ despising the goodness of God,’ Rom. 2:4, either by employing it to vile uses, or else by a careless slighting and not taking notice of it. You that slight the kindness of God do as it were say, God shall not gain me to his ways for all this. Every sin is not committed against knowledge, but every sin is against love and bowels. Christ may say to every sinner, as he said to the Jews, John 10:32, ‘Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me?’ Thus the Lord may plead, I have given you protection and provision, and food and raiment, for which of these do you violate my law and put such an affront upon me? It is I that have been so liberal to you, in giving you the fruits of the earth, the fish of the sea, the fowls of the air; it is I that have caused your sheep to bring forth thousands, and your fields to yield meat; and will you return upon me with my own weapons? Malefactors are punished in the same things in which they offend, and you seek to do me despite by my own blessings, as if I did you wrong when I did you good. But much more if you sin against special love. You that are Christ’s favorites, every sin of yours is as a stab at the heart of mercy; as when the multitude forsook him, says Christ to his disciples, John 6:61, ‘Will ye also go away?’ That went to his heart. God reckons upon you that he shall have much service and obedience from you, and disappointment is the worst kind of vexation: Gen. 18:19, ‘ I know Abraham, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord;’ Isa. 63:8,’ Surely they are my people, children that will not lie.’ That which in others is but single fornication in you is adultery; others sin against common mercies, but you against the bowels of Christ; they are not thankful for a piece of bread, nor you for the bread of life. As Absalom said to Hushai, 2 Sam. 16:17, ‘ Is this thy kindness to thy friend? ‘ so is this the fruit of all those tender loves and mercies which God hath meted out to you ? It is unnatural, as if a hen should bring forth the egg of a crow.”   Thomas Manton, “Sermons Upon Genesis 24:63,” in The Complete Works of Thomas Manton (London: James Nisbet & Co., 1873), Sermon 8, 17:329.

6) “3. When men have received many mercies. Men cannot endure to have their kindness despised. Joseph thought it ingratitude to wrong his master, who had committed all things to him, Gen. xxxix. 9; and shall we wrong God? Every sin is not a sin against knowledge, but every sin is a sin against mercies. There is a common love which all receive, food and raiment. It is their charge, Rom. ii. 4, that they despise not his kindness and the riches of his goodness. But his people have tasted his love in Christ. Every sin of yours is a stab at the heart: John vi. 67, ‘Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? ‘Is this the fruit of all his tender love sealed to you by the Spirit? Ps. Iv. 12, 13, ‘It was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could have borne it. But it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.’ David took it ill from Achitophel, and Christ from Judas. From a professed enemy we could expect no better; but from a friend, it is grievous; you have tasted of his bread, and been fed with hidden manna.” Thomas Manton, The Complete Works of Thomas Manton (London: James Nisbet & Co., 1873), 21:393.

Polanus :

1)

4. Moreover, the will of God, is either the goodness of God, or the justice of God.

The goodness of God, is his will, by which, he himself is by all means good, being both in himself and without, the author of all good things.

In himself he is good, by his essence, and chiefly.

In his essence, because he is good, not by participation of God from another, but naturally, and of himself, and that from eternity: neither is he so, by accidental goodness, but it is his own very goodness.

Chiefly, because he only is the chief good, that is to be desired of all.

Without himself, he is the author of all goodness, both in making so many good creatures, and also by doing good to the creatures that he hath made.

This goodness of God, by which he is the author of all good things without himself, is either general or special.

General is that, which generally extends itself to all creatures, not only towards them, which have continued in that goodness in which they were created, but also towards those which have fallen from their first goodness, as toward the evil angels, and wicked men.

The special goodness of God is that, by which God wills well to the elect angels, and his chosen among men. Psalm 73:1.

Moreover, the goodness of God, is the fountain of the grace, love, mercy patience and clemency of God.

The grace of God, is God’s most gentle goodwill, and his fatherly favour and will, by which he fatherly embraces us unworthy of it, and no man deserving it. Genes. 6:8, Luke 1:30, Tit. 2:11.

And this grace is truly and rightly termed grace, that makes us accepted before God.

But it is not poured into us.

Neither is it a quality inherent un us, but remains only in God’s himself.

It is distinguished from the gifts, which from God and bestowed upon vs Rom. 5:15, which are called graces freely given.

The love of God, is the most gracious will of God, by which he delights himself takes pleasure in that, wich he approves.

And this love of God, is both towards himself, and also towards the creatures.

The love of God towards himself, is that wherewith the persons of the Godhead love mutually, and each one the other. John 3:35.

The love of God towards the creatures, is either general or special.

The general love of God, is that with he embraces altogether all things which he has made, and does good unto them, and preserves and sustains them.

For though he hate sin, yet he loves the nature which he has created.

The special love of God is that, which he doth peculiarly prosecute the elect only.

And this is either towards Christ as in respect of his human nature, or towards the elect in Christ.

The love of God towards Christ as in respect of the human nature is that, by which he has appointed him, to be the head of the elect.

And this love is the foundation of his love towards the elect.

The love of God towards the elect in Christ is both towards the holy Angels, and also towards men that shall be saved. Ephes. 1:6, John 3:16.

The mercy of God, is his most favourable good will, ready to succour such, as are in misery. The general mercy of God, is that by which God, as God, is not only prest [pressed?] to succour all his creatures, & specially men both just and unjust, being in any misery, but does indeed help & relieve them, though not all unto eternal life, yet unto some salvation, or as we may say, temporary deliverance, Luke 6:36.

The special mercy of God is that, by which God, as a most bountiful and free Lord, has mercy upon whom he will. I mean of these, whom he has predestinated to eternal life, whom he also calls, justifies, and glorifies. Rom. 9:18. He has mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardens.

The patience of God, is his most gracious will, by which he long suffers men’s sins, and defers the punishment thereof. And this is called the long sufferance of God, Rom. 2:4. and 3:26. and 9:22. 1 Pet. 3:20. 2 Pet. 3:15.

The clemency of God, is his most favourable will, by which also even in wrath he remembers his mercy, and spares us, though we have deserved otherwise.

Amandus Polanus, The Substance of Christian Religion, (London: Arn. Hatfield, 1600), 16-19.

2)

Arg. 5. He that has mercy on all, & loves all things that are, and hates nothing of that he has made, doubtless his will is not the cause &c. but those things are true of God: ergo: Wis. 11:24&c.

Asw. There is an homonymy in the words to have mercy, to love, to hate: For the proposition is meant a special love and mercy, by which God as a most free Lord has mercy on whom he will Rom. 9:18. and an especial love which peculiarly he extends to his elect, enriching them wit all the benefits thereof, in which he loved Jacob Mal. 1:2; Ro. 9:13. and a special hate by which God (having chosen to salvation whom he would) passed over whom he would, such as he used toward Esau Mat. 1:3; Rom. 9:13.

But the assumption and place out of the book of wisdom, God’s general mercy extends to all creatures that are in any miseries, and therein to all men as well as unjust as just, wherein he is prone to succor them and does indeed preserving and nourishing all things even the very ravens hat are Psal. 147:9. that is that croke.

The old translation has “that call on him,” but that is not so in the Hebrew: that is his own. So likewise his general love &c, so God hates nothing of that he has made so far forth as he made it.

Amandus Polanus, A Treastise of Amandus Polanus Concerning God’s Eternal Predestination (Printed by John Legat, Printer to the University of Cambridge, 1599), 177-178.  [C.f. Polanus on the Providence of God.]