Esau that hee should serve Jacob before hee had done good or evill The Hebrew and Greek word signifie neither to create nor bring into the world but to preserve or to cause to stand to stirre up or to advance which presupposeth Pharaoh already born yea and of such a Spirit that if God preserve him and stirre him up hee was become a fit subject upon whom God might shew his power in his hardning and overthrow Otherwise God might as well bee said to condemn Pharaoh out of his absolute will without all respect to sin as to shew his power in hardning of him without all respect to sin Hardning when it falls upon the creature is both the height of his sin and depth of his misery and therefore is it as prejudiciall to Gods justice to inflict it without respect of sin going before and to the creature as dangerous to undergoe it as condemnation to hell it self Hell hath no greater torment then an heart desperately hardned under the wrath curse and judgement of God which was Pharaohs case But consider Pharaoh not in the estate of Esau as having done neither good nor evill but in the state wherein he stood when God gave out his Oracle concerning him that for this cause hee stirred him up to shew his power in his hardning and overthrow and then may I easily grant more then is required viz. When God purposed to passe by him not only in communicating grace and glory unto him but also to fall upon him in his utmost wrath as well in outward strange calamity as especially in spirituall judgements hardnesse of heart and blindnesse of minde to his utter perdition In the former part you declined a direct answer to the question proposed for whereas the question proposed was touching the communicating of grace and glory you not adventuring to maintaine a purpose of God to communicate grace and glory to them whom you call the world of mankinde onely maintain a purpose in God at least you seem so to doe of communicating life and glory some other way then out of grace But with what advantage to your cause that hath been carryed I have already considered Now you seem to answer the question looking it directly in the face For though you acknowledge such a purpose in God concerning Pharaoh to wit of passing him by in communicating grace and glory yet the cause you say is not alike of Esau when Gods Oracle was given out concerning him hee being not then born as of Pharaoh when the Oracle here spoken of was given out concerning him hee being then a fit subject upon whom God might shew his power in his hardning and overthrow Yet here againe you decline the question For the question was not whether Pharaoh at that time when God said For this cause I have raised thee up c. were a fitter subject for God to shew his power in his hardning and overthrow then Esau was while yet hee was in his mothers wombe But whether God had not a purpose to passe by Esau as touching the communicating of grace and glory even before hee was born which hee had concerning Pharaoh at that time before spoken of which that hee had I prove thus It was said of Esau before hee was born that God hated him What more could bee said of Pharaoh to expresse his alienation from him Secondly look how you qualifie the hatred of God to Esau in the same manner may it bee qualifyed towards Pharaoh even at this time you speak of For Gods hatred towards Esau you qualifie thus God had a purpose to deale with him according to his works But say I even then when God professed of Pharaoh saying For this cause have I raised thee up c. God had a purpose to deale with him according to his works Thirdly if therefore God had no such purpose towards Esau namely to shew his power in his hardning and overthrow because Esau was not yet born then belike God had no such purpose towards Pharaoh himself while Pharaoh was not yet born But this is utterly untrue for as much as Gods purposes are eternall and not temporall And in like manner it may bee proved that if ever God had the like purpose towards Esau to wit after his preferring a messe of pottage before his birthright or at any other time it followeth that God had the same purpose towards Esau even before hee was born for Gods purposes are not temporall but eternall Lastly as for the difference you put between them besides the question one being a more fit subject for God to shew his power in his hardning and overthrow then the other I grant it to bee true in part as touching the hardning of them For obduration presupposeth a man of such ripenesse of years as to have the use of reason But this hinders not but that God might at the same time have a purpose to harden him in his time as Pharaoh in his time And yet why I pray was not Pharaoh as fit a subject for God to shew his power in changing his heart as well as Saul was in the middest of his bloody persecutions of the Church of God And what naturall man such as I presume are all those whom you call the world of mankinde is not a fit subject for God to shew his power in his hardning and overthrow though hee bee never so morall yea as morall as Trajan who raised one persecution or Marcus Antoninus Philosophus who raised another or as Aurelianus who raised a third It is true if God will move any man unto courses contrary to his corrupt inclination and not give him grace to master that corrupt inclination that man whatsoever hee bee shall bee a fit subject for God to shew his power in his hardning yea and overthrow also if it please him But if God move any man never so contrariously to his corrupt inclination and withall give him grace to master that corrupt inclination of his hee shall bee a fit subject for God to shew the power of his grace in his conversion and salvation You speak much of hardning even according unto pleasure without giving your Reader any explication of the words whereby hee might understand your meaning wherein obduration consists Surely obduration is either the denyall of grace or whatsoever it bee it is alwaies joyned with the denyall of grace as I take it But in very different manner I confesse which you distinguish not As for the deniall of grace that was found to have course in the first sin that was committed both in Angels and men For I am of Austins minde concerning the Angels that stood that they were Amplius adjuti then the other that fell De Civit. Dei lib. 12. cap. 9. As also concerning Adams fall that in that case Though God gave him posse si voluit yet hee gave him not velle quod potuit and these hee makes severall adjutoria The like may bee said of every
A TREATISE OF Mr. Cottons Clearing certaine DOUBTS Concerning PREDESTINATION Together with AN EXAMINATION Thereof written by William Twisse DD. Pastor of Newbury Prov. 19. 21. There are many devices in mans heart neverthelesse the counsell of the Lord that shall stand 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost LONDON Printed by J. D. for Andrew Crook and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the Green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1646. The Authors Epistle unto the Reader IT was my purpose and resolution at the first to let this piece in answer to Mr. Cotton passe without a preface for it was put into a Stationers hand ere I was aware Neither did I see the mans face untill the whole book was printed And for certaine yeares I knew not what was become of it which I imputed to the confusion of these times But so it was that a Knight of our County sent over unto mee the Minister who lived in his house to intreate me to communicate unto him my answer to a book intituled Gods love to mankind which I condescended unto willing to satisfie so noble a friend as Sir Francis Pile The Minister perceiving this answer of mine to Mr. Cotton lying with it desired that hee might take that also along with him that Sir Francis might have a sight of that together with the other whereunto I yielded upon promise made that both pieces should be returned into my hands very shortly within a moneth or two But evill times followed not long after and for a whole year we were full of distractions in the Countrey My chiefest care was for the preservation of my manuscripts which I brought with me to London at the first But this piece in answer to Mr. Cotton was wanting I had utterly forgotten what was become of it Sir Francis removed to South-hampton and took care of my copies to have them along with him It was somewhat long ere they were brought to London but in good time they arrived here safe and sound And Mr. Gilbert who brought me the first word of it shewed me withall that he was well acquainted with a Stationer who would undertake for the setting forth my Answer to Gods love to mankind Onely his desire was he might begin with the printing of my answer to Mr. Cotton because that was a small piece And thus ere I was aware I came to understand that my stray sheep which I gave for lost was found And since that considering certaine passages of divine providence causing some interruption in the proceedings of bringing forth this Treatise unto the light of the presse I have been moved thereby to prefixe this preface partly on mine owne behalfe and partly on the behalfe of Mr. Cotton For men may perhaps conceive me to be well pleased with an adversative dispotion and to affect a course of opposition as well to the friends of the Bridegroome as to his enemies As if I were like Ismael in part of whom it was said that his hand was against every ones which is enough to make me like unto him in the other part also and provoke every one to have his hand against me Truth it is all my writings both printed and manuscript that have an eye towards the presse are of a responsorious nature but the originall motive cause unto me was meerely mine owne satisfaction and that in the points of grace and predestination In arguments of this nature I promised to my selfe more comfort then I could expect in studying Transubstantiation or Purgatory And because truth is never sufficiently known in a scholasticall way unlesse we are able to maister the strongest oppositions that are made against it therefore I gave my selfe to take notice of the greatest sticklers in their oppositions against that doctrine which is maintained by our Divines and all this meerely for mine own better progression in the investigation of truth without the least thought at that time of publishing ought And for the same cause I set my selfe upon those passages which seemed to containe the greatest difficultie And therefore in examining Arminius I began in the midst of his answer to Mr. Perkins to ponder well his digression and discourse about divine permission for in that argument I had found no small difficultie and I made tryall whether by that discourse of his I could find satisfaction but I found no satisfaction at all from him neither was I able to worke out sufficient satisfaction to my selfe about that matter was the first digression I began with but it was one of the last that I finished Other discourses of mine many of them yea most of them were written by me onely at the instance of others My answer to Mr. Hords discourse which since is printed with Mr. Simsons additions and set forth under the specious title of Gods love to mankind was performed by me at the request of Sir Nathaniell Rich. My answer to the Synod of Dort after reduced to practise was penned by me to satisfie friends two copies thereof manuscript being sent unto me from scholar friends in Oxford but especially I was glad that I had so good an opportunitie thereby to quiet the spirit of my lord Say his honour being not a little moved with the scoffing carriage of Tilenus the Author of that piece who dyed shortly after as I was advertised and by his lordships honourable care it was brought forth to light I could give the like account of many other pieces written by me and imployed therein by others many of them being as meane in condition as my selfe This very piece of Mr. Cottons the answer whereunto is now put forth I undertooke meerely upon the motion of Mr. Bets a young Minister who at that time lived at Broughton in the house of my lord Say he intreated me to take it into consideration and shew my judgement concerning it And to gratifie him I undertooke it and my lord Say himselfe liked well of it and communicated it unto Mr. Cotton who carried it with him into New-England whereby I was put to my shifts to get a copy of it as I could for mine owne use Now concerning Mr. Cotton it may be his reputation will seeme to be touched in this but let the indifferent Reader consider what I say in my observation Both Austin and other great Divines have written freely and largely of Election but very sparingly of Reprobation the reason wherof I conceive to be this There appeares more seeming offensive harshnesse in the doctrine of Reprobation then in the doctrine of Election Secondly I am perswaded they manifestly perceived that by stating the doctrine aright in the point of Election the truth by just analogy and proportion did there-hence necessarily follow in the point of Reprobation to all judicious Divines Now Mr. Cotton as I have heard is very sound and orthodox in the point of Election and comes to this work with a gracious intent to clear
presupposall of the carelesse or wilfull disobedience of the world either in refusing the meanes of grace in Christ or abusing other talents and helps of the knowledge of God in nature God rejecteth or reprobateth them from all hope of life and purposeth to condemne them for their sinnes to the glorifying of his power justice and wrath Non-election absolute is an act of soveraignitie you grant which also you call preterition Let us speake distinctly that the fairer way may bee opened to the discovery of truth and error Preterition may be in time as when in giving grace to some God passeth by others or it may have place as well in not purposing to give grace to some when he doth purpose to give grace to others which purpose of his was from everlasting and preterition in this sense is all one with non-election Now this non-election is either a negation of election unto grace or a negation of election unto glory It is here proposed indefinitely and I conceive it is understood of both Now it is true that John Scot and Francis Mayro after him did sometimes shape the order of Gods decrees in this manner In the first instant of nature Peter and Judas being offered to the divine consideration Deus volebat Petro gloriam nihil volebat Judae in the second instant Deus volebat Petro gratiam nihil volebat Judae In the third instant Deus volebat utrūque existere in massa corrupta wherehence it followeth in the last place sayeth hee that the one shall infallibly be saved the other damned This sometimes seemed plausible to me and I did preferre it and still doe before the perverse orders of Gods decrees devised by many For est quiddam prodire tenus we have the shorter way to our jorneys end But in what instant shall God velle Judae damnationem not till after all this If it be last in intention shall it not be first in execution according to your owne rules so much insisted on in the first place The Dominicans and particularly Alvarez professeth in opposition to these negative decrees of Scotus that the decree of reprobation is positive and one reason amongst others is this because if reprobation were meerly negative then all men and Angels possible though never existent might be justly said to be reprobate as well as the reprobate men and Angels that are or shall be existent For it is most true that they are non electi in as much as one of contradictions is verified de omni ente non ente therefore certainly there goes more to reprobation then a meere negation of election And in my judgment this reason of his is a weighty reason Therefore they professe plainly that God did not only not purpose to give Judas glory but he did purpose to deny him glory that is ordaine that he should be without glory Secondly that he did not only not purpose to give him grace but also did purpose to deny him grace or ordaine that he should be without grace at least without such grace as should bring him to salvation And indeed if God doth purpose that Judas shall exist in the corrupt masse and withall doth not purpose to give him grace and glory doth it not manifestly follow that he shall exist without grace and glory for how shall he come by glory or grace if not from God Or how shall God deny him one or other but according to the Counsell of his will seeing he workes all things according to the counsell of his will Therefore God did not only not purpose that he should have grace and glory but did positively purpose that he should be without both and it is Bradwardins opinion that no pure negative act can be attributed unto God but such as is aequivalently resolved into an act positive thus If Deus non volebat gloriam Judae then Deus volebat illi non glorium that is that he should not have glory so of grace so of existencie if God did not will the existency of more Angels then are it followes that God did will that more Angels then are should not exist and that this positive act doth better become the nature of God then the former negative by reason of his most perfect actuality And as for the purpose of forsaking the creature and excluding it from glory that is no other then Gods purpose not to give certaine creatures any such grace as whereby they shall be brought to glory And seeing this is acknowledged by you I see no cause why you should stick in acknowledging a purpose of God to forsake some creatures and exclude them from glory It is pity that the prejudice of phrases whereby it is expressed should strangle any doctrine when there lyes no just exception against it as untrue in the substance thereof When you confesse that God did not so love the world as the elect which is no more then to acknowledge a non-election of some if you expound it in reference unto his purpose of not giving grace and glory unto them as to the elect Aquinas himselfe acknowledgeth that odisse in Scripture phrase is no other then non velle alicui gratiam gloriam And it is well knowne that Mr. Moulin doth as eagerly oppose this absolute reprobation negative as absolute reprobation positive For he manifestly perceives that damnation follows as infallibly and unavoidably upon that doctrine of reprobation negative as upon this of reprobation positive If you conceive that God did give the world to Christ by him of grace to be bought to some kind of grace though not to salvation as he did the elect I doubt you are not able to bring any sufficient reason to justifie this wherehence it will follow that Christs death was meritorius unto them but not satisfactorie or if satisfactorie yet onely for some sinnes of theirs but not for all As touching the act positive of reprobation I trust when all things are rightly stated there will appeare to be as litle reason why there should be any difference between us in this act as in the former For what I pray is the meaning of this God ordaines none to condemnation but upon sinne presupposed Is there any other meaning of the words then this God hath ordained that no man shall be condemned but for sinne who ever denyed this What one of our Divines or Papists or of any Sect ever called this into question But herehence it only followes that sinne is the cause of condemnation and that by the ordination of God it follows not that sin is the cause of Gods ordination although I confesse the confusion of these is most frequent amongst our Divines amongst Papists though otherwise very learned and chiefly among the Arminians for the advantage of their cause yet see not a farre greater advantage to their cause then any yet hath been taken hold of by any one of them And this confusion alone is that which sets our Divines together
then is the meaning of the Lord saying I have smitten your children in vaine they have received no correction I answer we are to conceive Gods corrections to tend to this according to that of Peter knowing that the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation or God speakes this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of earthly parents seeking their childrens amendment by correction but not obtaining it And this being an end of correction in Gods children in the wicked this end is not obtained And what difference is there between meanes naturall and meanes morall but this meanes naturall have power to effect their ends meanes morall are to admonish morall agents of their duty to doe this or that and so the ends of Gods punishment is that by them wee should learne to amend our lives as is signified in the Collects of our Church In a word naturall means tend to ends that shall be thereupon morall means tend to ends that should be and each are usually said to be in vaine when the end according to each kind is not obtained God sent his Sonne into the world not that hee should condemne the world but that the world should be saved by him Most true for hee sent his Son into the world to dye for the world and to dye for them is to save them and not to condemne them But for whom did hee send his Sonne into the world to dye Surely for the world of Elect even for those whom God the Father had given him Thou hast given him power over all flesh that hee should give eternall life to all them that thou hast given him Joh. 17. 2. And if wee consider the world in distinction from those whom God hath given him hee plainly professeth that as hee did not pray for them Joh. 17. 9. so hee did not sanctifie himselfe for them Verse 19. that is offer himselfe up upon the Crosse as Maldonate acknowledgeth to be the joynt interpretation of all the Fathers whom hee had read And your selfe have but earst confessed that God did not Joh. 3. 17. give the world unto Christ by him of grace to be bought or brought unto salvation Undoubtedly hee sent not Christ into the world at all to procure any mans condemnation neither doth Christ procure any mans condemnation although infidelity and disobedience to the word of Christ procures the condemnation of many And I wonder what moved you so to speake as to imply it was Gods intent though not chiefe intent to send Christ into the world to procure the condemnation of any At length wee are come to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the point controverted between us in the words following If they should plead their condemnation to be unjust for unbeleefe because they were not able to beleeve Ver. 18. our Saviour answers by a reasonable prevention ver 19. This is their condemnation viz. the just cause of their condemnation that when light came into the world men loved darknesse rather than light men chose rather to cleave to their sinfull estates and wayes of darknesse than to follow the light of the means of grace which might have brought them on to beleeve in Christ First let us consider the Text it selfe then your interpretation and accommodation thereof Our Saviour doth plainly derive the cause of their unbeleefe or disapprobation of the Gospel signified in these words They loved darknesse rather than light I say the cause of this our Saviour referres to their workes of darknesse expressed in these words Because their deeds were evill The full meaning whereof I take to be this The workes wherein they delight are evill that is workes of darknesse and therefore no marvell if they hate the light and preferre darknesse before it Pulchra Lavernae Da mihi fallere da justum sanctumque videri Noctem peccatis fraudibus objice nubem But give mee leave to make an honest motion As it becomes us to take notice of this cause mentioned here so it becomes us nothing lesse to take notice of other causes mentioned in other places Now another cause of unbeleefe is mentioned Joh. 5. 44. and that of the same generall nature with this but expressed in more speciall manner by our Saviour thus How can yee beleeve which receive honour one of another and seeke not the honour that cometh from God onely Yet this is not all the cause of unbeleefe which the Scripture commends unto us for the Apostle also takes notice of Sathans illusions in this worke of unbeleefe 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost Whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded c. And because it is in the power of God to correct this delight wee take in evill workes and to deliver us from the illusions of Sathan if it please him to shew such mercy towards us and when he doth not he is said to harden us The hand of God in this our Saviour takes notice of as the cause of unbeleefe in man Joh. 12. 39 40. Therefore they could not beleeve because Esaias saith againe Hee hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes and understand with their heart and be converted and I should heale them Like as Moses of old told the Jewes saying Deut. 29. 2 3. Yee have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his land The great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signes and those great miracles Ver. 4. Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare unto this day And this hee doth even then when his purpose was to reprove them for their naturall incorrigiblenesse for men sinne never the lesse obstinately because God denyes them grace but rather so much the more obstinately because as Austin well saith Libertas sine gratia non est libertas sed contumacia and consequently they are never a whit the lesse faulty though it be not in their power to correct that corruption of their hearts whence this faultinesse proceeds And hereupon the Apostle gives way to the same objection in effect which you propose for having concluded that God hath mercy on whom hee will and whom hee will hee hardeneth hee gives place to such an objection Thou wilt say then Why doth hee yet complaine for who hath resisted his will and answers it not as our Saviour doth for our Saviour proposed no such objection to be answered as you feigne the Apostle doth plainly and in expresse termes Our Saviour discovers the immediate cause of unbeleefe to wit because their hearts were set on evill as it was sometimes with the Colossians Col. 1. 21. yet because it was not in their power to change their hearts but God alone who will change them through mercy in whom hee will and will not change them in others
but harden them Hereupon the Apostle gives way to an objection in a matter more sublime than yours as before mentioned and answers it in this manner O man who art thou that disputest with God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made mee thus Hath not the Potter power c. which is an answer to such a question as this Why doth God complaine of us for that which proceeds from the hardnesse of our hearts which God alone can cure but will not but rather by denying us mercy continues to harden us But now let us consider the interpretation and accommodation of this place to the plea devised by you The reason you say why men loved darknesse rather than light is because men chose rather to cleave to their sinfull estates and wayes of darknesse than to follow the light of the meanes of grace which might have brought them on to beleeve in Christ It is great pity that by our owne phrasiologies wee should raise unto our selves a mist whereby wee should be the more unable to discerne the truth of God Suppose the Paraphrase were both sound in it selfe and congruous to the Text yet give way I pray to such a question in the second place What was the reason that they chose rather to cleave to their sinfull estates and wayes of darknesse than to follow the light of the meanes of grace If you answer any thing but that of our Saviour Joh. 12. 39. Therefore they could not beleeve because Esaias saith againe Hee hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them I will not cease to pursue you untill you come to this and withall put you to give a reason why you should not take hold of this answer of our Saviour Joh. 12. 39. as of that Joh. 3. 19. especially considering that if a question were moved Why some chose rather to follow the light of the meanes of grace than to cleave to their sinfull estates and wayes of darknesse I doubt not but you would forth with answer Because God had mercy on them and gave them hearts to know Christ and to beleeve in him 1 Joh. 5. 20. Phil. 1. 29. And seeing God doth not shew the like favour to others to shew them the like mercy which is in Scripture phrase to harden Rom. 9. 18. and Rom. 11. 7. or not to give hearts to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare Deut. 29. 4. why should wee not say plainly that whereas the one takes a right way it is because God shewes mercy towards them to give them so much grace and whereas the other takes not the right but the wrong way it is because God hardens them in denying the like mercy and grace to them like as our Saviour expresly signifieth also Joh. 8. 47. Hee that is of God heareth Gods words yee therefore heare them not because yee are not of God But if any man shall inquire What then moved our Saviour to give this reason why men loved darknesse rather than light to wit this because their deeds were evill I answer hee gives the immediate cause why they loved not the light that is they had no mind to heare the doctrine of our Saviour and that was in respect of the convincing nature of it and therein like unto light which makes every thing to appeare and be manifest according to its proper hiew whereas in darknesse all things are confounded according to that Ephes 5. 13. Now they who brought ill consciences along with them no marvell if they were quickly weary of our Saviours company A pregnant example whereof wee have Joh. 8. 7. For when our Saviour said unto them who brought unto him a woman taken in adultery Let him that is among you without sinne cast the first stone at her Ver. 9. When they heard this being accused by their owne conscience they went out one by one beginning at the eldest even to the last So that indeed the reason given by our Saviour Joh. 3. 19. is not so much a reason why they beleeved not as why they liked not to heare him Many did endure the hearing of him yet were not brought to beleeve in him Austin sometimes proposed such a question as this Why doe not men doe this or that As for example Why doe they not facere quod justum est and hee answers Quia nolunt But if you aske mee Quare nolunt Imus in longum saith Austin Yet sine prejudicio diligentioris inquisitionis hee takes upon him to answer it thus Vel quia latet vel quia non delectat But marke what hee brings in upon the back of this Sed ut innotescat quod latebat suave fiat quod minime delectabat gratia Dei est quae hominum adjuvat voluntates But the face of your discourse tends to this as if you were of opinion that every naturall man hath so sufficient grace as to choose to follow the light of the meanes of grace rather than to cleave to his sinfull estate and wayes of darknesse and that not onely if hee will for if hee will the greatest part of the worke is done already but that his will is indifferently of it self inclinable to the one as well as to the other which is so dangerous an opinion and so opposite to the doctrine of Gods word representing the miserable corruption of mans heart and the peculiar power of Gods regenerating grace that you are loath to breake out in plaine termes to professe as much Lastly whereas you say The light of the meanes of grace had it been followed might have brought them to beleeve in Christ You will not say upon the following hereof they had been brought but they might have beene brought to beleeve By following the light of the meanes of grace I understand a continuing to heare the word of God Now it is well knowne that many nay most in all probability though they continue all their dayes to be hearers yet as the Apostle speakes of some so may wee say of them They are ever learning and never come to the knowledge at least to any saving knowledge of the truth On the contrary Saul persecuting the Church of God even in the way marching furiously Jehu like against the Professors of the Gospel it pleased God to call him and convert him Wee know saith Austin that God hath converted the wills of men not onely aversas à verae side sed adversas verae sidei So that even opposition to grace God can cure if it please him and regenerate a man to bring him to faith and repentance if it please him and if hee doth not certainly the reasons can be no other then because hee will not and that to his owne glorious ends which is reason enough for the Creator to doe what hee will his wisedome in referring all to
allusion you finde in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the common course of Judges and suits in the law or of wrastling in the Olympians or of Captaines in the warre who as you say but without any proofe were wont conscribere to designe aforehand or set downe in writing the names of such adversaries as were to have their causes or tryalls tryed before them I have no great edge to oppose it But Calvin goes no further then scripture to discover unto us this allusion Porro saith he haec metaphora inde sumpta est quod aeternum Dei consilium quo ordinati sunt fideles ad salutem liber vocatur And Revel 20. wee read of another booke besides the booke of life wherein the deeds of wicked men are written and is not there written thinke wee their condemnation also As for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old I confesse there is no native force therein to extend it to the signification of eternitie Nay Mar. 15. 44. it is applyed to a very little time before for Pilate demands of Joseph of Airmathea that came unto him boldly to aske the body of Jesus whether he were dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 already yet it is applyable even to eternitie neither doth it signifie any desinite time rising upwards And although this phrase of old be distinguished from eternitie Jer. 31. 3. yet it is not Habac. 1. 12. And as the words are different in the hebrew so neither of them is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greeke but wee extend not the signification of it to eternitie by any force of the word but from the matter whereof he treates which is the ordination and decree of God which every intelligent and orthodox Divine acknowledgeth to be eternall and I finde it wondrous strange so worthy a Divine as your selfe should be of any other opinion And I pray why might not this designation be from eternitie as well as 4040. yeares before such ungodly men were crept in amongst the people of God Belike not till then was the divell assigned to be an enemie to the woman for it is expresly said God would put enmitie betweene the woman and the serpent betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent Surely that place onely signifies what Gods eternall purpose was in this particular then breaking out and manifesting it selfe not that then the Lord did begin to ordaine it For nothing in the nature of God is temporall And certainely the enmitie of the serpent against mankinde had broken out before this Amongst others I am one into whose hand this discourse of yours is fallen at length having heard some inckling of it in the generall before and truly by accident I lighted upon it without any enquiring of mine without any others offering it unto me and I am sorry to see the scandall and offence that is given thereby unto Gods people in the way of truth and that as I seeme to have just cause to suspect some have been hardned and confirmed in their errour and some I heare doe boast of this discourse of yours as no small credit and reputation to their cause yet I am perswaded this is no judgement of God upon you who are far from any hereticall animositie onely we all know but in part and the best are obnoxious unto errour but the judgements of God that have their course in these dayes doe astonish me in giving men over to illusions to believe lies by what meanes and after what manner he thinks good and all because we doe not embrace the truth the precious truth of God with love thereby making our selves most unworthy of it For when in vouchsafing unto us his holy truth he doth as it were cramme us against our appetite is it not high time for him to make us fast And amongst them of our selves onely this let me adde because verum bonum convertuntur every divine truth is rich in profitable use I have been confirmed in this truth by the holy usefulnesse thereof to all sorts 1 To the Elect it maintaineth and cherisheth the freenesse and largenesse of the riches of the grace of God to them whose salvation he carrieth along in all the wayes of it not according to their works but according to his purpose and grace given them in Christ before the world was under whom also are spread the everlasting armes of Gods almightie power and eternall love to guide and preserve them to his heavenly kingdome which grace to us is so much the more magnified when wee behold the severitie and yet equitie of his justice towards the world of mankinde who though hee love them as his creatures yet he dealeth with them according to their workes which in the end windeth up in their woefull and just destruction 2 To the carnall Christian that sinneth of ignorance or humane frailitie and not of prophane and wilfull contempt of the meanes and wayes of grace this doctrine offereth a serious exhortation to them to seeke after Christ whilst hee may be found and earnestly presseth on him those lively and quickning expostulations of the Prophets Why will you die O house of Israel What could I have done more for my vineyard that I have not done Turne yee turne yee that iniquitie may not be your destruction 3 To the prophance and malignant dog and swine that walloweth in sensuall and worldly lusts and snarleth against the meanes and wayes of his owne peace and trampleth the precious ordinances of God under foote to such this doctrine testisieth to their faoes that God is just in all that cometh on them and his way equall They loved the cursed wayes of sinne and are fallen into them they loved not the wayes of blessing and therefore are they farre from them 4 To the Lutheran and Arminian who refuse the excellent and heavenly benefit of the sound and comfortable doctrine of Election by reason of some hard saying which they observed in the usuall manner of handling the opposite decree of Reprobation to them this doctrine removeth such stumbling blocks out of the way as have hitherto turned them out of the way of truth and peace 5 To the cavilling froward spirit this doctrine cutteth off all occasions of reviling and slandering the orthodox truth of God and against them cleareth the equitie of the wayes of God 6 To all sorts of men yea to men and Angels it ministreth much matter of admiring and adoring the wonderfull riches of Gods grace to Christ the head of the Church and in him to all the elect his members the absolute power of his soveraigntie in dealing farre otherwise with the world the unsearchable depth of his wisdome in the order and end of all his wayes the unsearchable depth of his patience bountie and long-suffering towards all men and manifest equitie of his justice even to those who abuse his patience and bountie to their owne perdition I
to omit but not in a gracious manner which alone is not in his power to performe and say what justice is there in the damnation of such a man I answer as much as in the damnation of an infant for originall sinne considering that by reason of originall sin it is that a naturall man cannot performe any thing in a gracious manner to wit for want of the love of God Originall sinne being an habituall aversion from God and conversion unto the creature or more breifly an inordinate conversing with the creature either in enjoying it whereas hee should onely use it God alone being to be enjoyed or in using it but not in a gracious manner that is not for Gods sake to wit through want of the love of God which is brought upon us by the sinne of Adam as whereby our natures were bereaved of the spirit of God Thus in prosecuting mine answer unto a devised argument I have made bold to open my minde concerning originall sinne A point that hath seemed unto me of such difficultie that I have been wont to range it amongst those three whereabouts I could not expect to be satisfied whilst I lived Another was the very point wee have in hand To the fourth Doubt HOw may it appeare that Gods hatred of Esau is of a lesse degree of love since the making of him who by birth is superiour to be a servant to his underling argueth no good will at all but First rather a purpose to passe him by in respect of communicating grace and glory Secondly since the raising of Pharaoh which was to this intent to shew his power in his overthrow argueth the like Thirdly since hardning is an effect of hatred and depends on the will of God as the first cause thereof even as Mercy doth Fourthly since there is no cause of that objection why complaines hee Who hath resisted his will or at least of that answer Rom. 9. 20 21 22. I Answer as Jacob preferring Ephraim the younger brother to greater estate then his elder brother Manasses did not thereby declare a positive hatred of Manasses but a lesse degree of love to him in comparison of his brother So Gods preferring Jacob to bee a superiour and Lord to his elder brother Esau doth not argue that in him there is no good will at all to Esau but a lesse degree of love To subject Esau as a servant to Jacob doth not reprobate Esau but puts him into the condition of the world of mankind who together with the rest of the Creatures are made to bee servants to the Church of the elect and to the members of it But grant Gods hatred of Esau and making him a servant to his underling argueth no lesse then a purpose to passe him by in respect of communicating glory unto him out of grace And for my part thus farre I yeeld that it may well argue a purpose of God to passe by him in respect of communicating glory to him out of grace that grace I mean whereby hee hath made us accepted in his beloved for this grace or free love is made Jacobs preheminence and is denyed to Esau and though it put him into the estate of a servant to his elect brother and so into the condition of the world of mankind yet it doth not reprobate him or argue a purpose to passe him by in respect of communicating life or glory at all unto him but implyeth only a purpose to deale with him in justice viz. to give him life or death according to his works as I have already shewed in the answer to the former doubt and shall have occasion more fully to declare it in the end of this Surely Jacob in doing that which hee did to Manasses and Ephraim did neither preferre one to a greater estate then the other or love one lesse then the other But in the spirit of prophecy fore-signifyed what would bee the condition of each in their race and posterity But suppose a father in that which lyeth in his power preferres one son before another and accordingly in that way of Amor beneficentiae bee said to love one lesse then another will any sober man say that hee loves the one and hates the other is this a decent expression of lesse love Wee know full well that a lesse love in the way of beneficence may bee joyned with a greater love in the way of complacency As for example an earthly Father though hee suffer his eldest son to goe away with the Land yet hee may bear greater affection to a younger sonne though hee assigne unto him a farre lesse portion then to his elder brother And if it were decent to say hee hates him whom hee loves lesse in respect of beneficence then hee should bee said to hate him whom hee loves best Lastly if the hating of Esau bee interpreted lesse loving why may not the loving of Jacob by the same liberty bee interpreted the lesse hating of him Amongst Gods elect some are more beloved of God and some lesse according as hee ordaines one to greater grace and glory then another and is it fit to attribute that to Esau which wee attribute to Gods elect I grant that to subject Esau to Jacob as a servant is not to reprobate him for this subjection is made in time But reprobation as wee take it in opposition to election Ephes 1. 4. was made before all times It is your own phrase to distinguish the world of mankinde from the elect as if the elect were none of the world of mankinde For the very elect themselves are subjected as servants to the elect every one unto others though as great as Paul and Apollo as appeares by the very place your self have now in a contrary sense alledged more then once And who doubts that wee must all serve one another through love since Christ himself was content to wash his Disciples feete Lastly the yoke of Esau unto Jacob was at length shaken off as appeares by Isaacs prophesie it should bee but the yoke of subjection of all things unto the Church shall never bee shaken off But you perceive well enough that the discourse which you answer considered this temporall preferment which yet had course onely in their seed onely in a typicall manner as that which under temporall things prefigured spirituall and accordingly you proceed to shape your answer thereunto in that respect also The same is this Though God had no purpose to deale with Esau as hee dealt with Jacob that is to communicate glory unto him out of grace yet hee had a purpose of communicating glory unto him some other way and what can that bee but of communicating glory unto him not out of grace A very strange assertion and therefore no marvell you spared to set it down in so many words Onely you say that the putting him into the state of a servant did not reprobate him or argue a purpose to passe him by in respect of
conscience to judge not to mention how this Discourse of yours is found to harden many in the way of error and to offend others in the way of truth Indeed there were no cause of any such objection as that Rom. 9. 29. if so bee God hardens no man but for sin and withall it is just with God to harden men in their sine and lesse cause of such an answer Rom. 9. 20 21 22. No man I think makes any doubt but that the objection Why doth hee complain for who hath resisted his will ariseth from the 18 ver where it is said that God as hee hath mercy on whom hee will so hee hardneth whom hee will even as hee hardned Pharaoh but yet you doe not shape the objection right when you shape it thus What fault is there in mee to bee hardned which is in effect as if you would shape it thus Wherein then have I deserved to bee hardned For the negative to this namely that God doth not harden upon desert is that which the Apostle avoucheth Like as neither doth hee shew mercy upon desert But like as upon the meere pleasure of his will hee shews mercy on some So according to the good pleasure of his will hee hardneth others But well might hee say why then doth hee complain of the hardnesse of my heart and my impenitency or rather the Apostle proposeth it in reference to the fruits of mans hardnesse of heart and impenitency such as God complains of Esa 1. I have nourished and brought up a people and they have rebelled against mee And Esa 56. All the day long have I stretched out mine hands to a rebellious people that walk in a way which is not good even after their own imaginations Or as if Pharaoh hearing of this ministry of Gods providence should say Why doth hee complain of the hardnesse of my heart in not letting Israel goe when hee hath hardned my bea rt that I should not let Israel goe and who hath resisted his will I have already shewed that this hardning of Pharaoh and so likewise of all reprobates as it consists in denying of saving grace in congruous opposition to Gods mercy proceeds meerely according to the good pleasure of Gods will And the Apostle plainly signifies as much when hee saith That like as God hath mercy on whom bee will so hee hardneth whom bee will Neither doth hee take into consideration any sin of theirs as the cause of hardning either in the proposition delivered by him or in answer to the objection arising there-hence Why then should wee bee moved with your bare word in saying wee need not say that the Apostle gave occasion of this objection by ascribing the hardning of Pharaoh and other reprobates to Gods absolute will and without all respect to sin as the deserving cause thereof Neither do you give any reason of that you avouch in saying that albeit God doth not harden but in respect of sin yet the creature will pleade or expostulate as indeed it is most unreasonable to ask why God doth complain of hardnesse of heart and the fruits thereof when it hath been shewed that this hardnesse of heart hath been brought upon man for his own sin and no exception taken against it But when out of Gods absolutenesse men are hardned then and not till then may it justly seem strange that God should complain of the hardnesse of mens hearts and the fruites thereof As for the place of Esa 63. 17. Wherein you suppose Gods people to expostulate with God for hardning them notwithstanding they suppose that God hardens them for their sin this is to beg the question and not to prove ought there being no evidence of any such acknowledgment as you suppose namely that God doth harden them for their sins Yet if there were any such acknowledgment it would not forthwith make for your purpose unlesse they should acknowledge as much of that obduration the Apostle speaks of where hee sets it in opposition to Gods shewing mercy To serve your turn you take liberty to interpret the coherence of these parts to erre from thy waies and to bee hardned against thy feare as if the former were the cause of the other upon no other ground that I know but that thus it shall stand in more congruity with your opinion Whereas indeed there is a farre greater probability that hardning against the feare of God should bee the cause of the errour of our wayes then that errour of our wayes should bee the cause of our hardning against the feare of God especially taking hardning not confusedly hand over head but distinctly in opposition to Gods shewing mercy in mans conversion I take them only as severall expressions of the same things consisting of an inward corrupt disposition as the roote and that I conceive to bee the want of the feare of God and the fruit hereof which is aberration from the good wayes of the Lord. And they expostulate with God for not correcting all this by his grace as by his Covenant of grace which hee hath made with them hee hath ingaged himself hereunto even to keep them from going astray like a good Shepherd and to put his feare into their hearts that they shall never depart away from him Which kinde of expostulation is nothing answerable to that which the Apostle proposeth to answer Rom. 9. 16. And I may well wonder what you meant to yoke them together Non bene inaequales veniunt ad aratra juvencae The children of God doe not expostulate with God for his complaining of their disobedience unthankfulnesse and rebellions against him though they heartily wish they had never provoked him and expostulate with him for not preserving them by his grace from such courses of provocation of him even of the eyes of his glory The wicked have no such desire to bee preserved from sin and sinfull courses which are unto them as sweet bits which they roule under their tongues Although when they heare of the Doctrine of obduration and his power to harden them and in hardning they may take advantage thereby to blaspheme God and to plead Apologie for themselves Belike then you acknowledge that God hath power to harden without respect to sin for to this purpose tends your comparative illustration But then you must bee driven to deny that obduration is a punishment seeing it is impossible that just punishments can have course but with respect to sin as a meritorious cause thereof That God beateth down the objectour and pleadeth the justice of Gods proceedings against Reprobates from the soveraign authority of God over his creatures is most true ver 20 21. But that hee pleads the due desert of the persons ver 22. thereby to justifie God in hardning whom hee will as positively avouched but so farre from truth as that it involves plain contradiction no lesse then if the Apostle after hee had said that God hath mercy on whom hee will should afterward take
is to neglect the meanes And consequently to use the meanes aright was to doe accordingly as they were informed And indeed if they had done otherwise then they did they had not done so bad as they did I finde such giddinesse of discourse usually amongst the Arminians while they satisfie themselves with phrases never examining particularly the matter and substance of their own expressions Because of the abuse of these talents and meanes of grace God therefore doth deny to the men of this world such powerfull and gracious helpes as hee vouchsafeth freely to the Elect to draw them on effectually to repentance and salvation The Gentiles abusing the light of nature God gave them up to vile affections yea even to a reprobate minde The Pharisees because they employed the talent of their wealth unfaithfully God would not trust them with the true riches The Jews because they rejected Christ and his Word and his Messengers with scornfull and bitter malignity and brought forth grapes of gall and wormwood therefore God took his Word from them and hid from them the things that did belong unto their peace hee took the kingdome of God from them and gave them as a prey to sinne and misery and derision Psal 81. 11 12. What if none of the world as opposed to the Elect ever came to Christ or made such use of the means and helpes offered in him unto them as to obtaine salvation and regenerating grace by him yet might they have made better use of the means then they did which because they did not it was just with God to deny them greater means who thus abused the lesser In all this wee have as pure Arminianisme tendred unto us as could drop from the pen of Arminius himselfe or Corvinus Yet God forbid wee should co nomine for that cause dislike it It truth wee must embrace it though it come out of the mouth of the Devill If falshood wee shall by Gods grace disclaim it though it proceed out of the mouth of Angels of light and not disclaim it onely but disprove it also You may as well say that God doth not draw the men of this world effectually to Repentance because they doe abuse the talents and means of grace but this I disprove thus First if this bee the cause why God doth not draw them to repentance then this is the cause why hee sheweth not to them that mercy which hee doth to the Elect but this is not the cause thereof which I prove thus The meer pleasure of God is the cause therefore that is not The antecedent thus God shews mercy on whom hee will and hardens that is denies mercy to whom hee will If to harden were not to deny mercy it could not stand in opposition to shewing mercy The consequence I demonstrate thus If to deny mercy to whom hee will doth not inferre that mercy is not denyed according unto works then to shew mercy to whom hee will doth not inferre that mercy is not shewed according unto works Secondly if mens evil works were the cause why God denies them mercy then it could not bee said that God denies mercy because it is the pleasure of his will to deny it For if a reason bee demanded why a malefactor is hanged it were very absurd to answer that the reason is because it was the pleasure of the Magistrate to have him hanged Thirdly if evill works bee the deserving cause why Gods mercy is denyed unto men then either by necessity of nature or by constitution of God Not by necessity of nature in opposition to the constitution of God for then by necessity of nature God must bee compelled to deny mercy unto such what then shall become of Gods Elect unlesse you will say that their workes before mercy shewed them were not so bad as others which were equally to contradict both experience and the Word of God For in this case men should have mercy shewed on them according to their works to wit as they were found lesse evill then the works of others Nor by constitution of God For first shew mee any such constitution that men in such a condition of evill works shall bee denyed mercy Secondly by the same constitution mercy should bee denyed to the Elect also When you speak of the Gentiles in this case abusing the light of Nature and given over to vile affections you take your aime miserably amisse For the Gentiles are not the men of the world in opposition to the Elect. But God forbid that the Gentiles and the men of the world should bee terms convertible in this kinde for then what should become of us Certainly the number of Gods Elect is greater amongst the Gentiles then among the Jews and even of those that were given over to vile affections some were Elect as appears 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. And to say that the cause why God denies them mercy was because they abused the light of nature I have freshly disproved this and that evidently as I presume the intelligent Reader will observe though the contrary I confesse bee very plausible at the first sight and before wee come to the discussing of it Thirdly you take your aime amisse also though not in so great measure as in the former in the phrases For even of the Pharisees some were Elect witnesse holy Paul Who abused his zeale of the Law more foully then hee even to the persecuring of Gods Church yet was not the true treasure denyed to him and that in the highest measure And as for Reprobates if you think their unfaithfulnesse in the use of their wealth was the cause why mercy was denyed them for the disproofe hereof I refer mee to my former arguments Fourthly the very Elect of God not onely rejected Christ for a time but also crucifyed him That which you urge of Gods taking his word and Kingdom in plain terms the means of grace from such a Nation as contemns them is nothing to the purpose For wee treat of Gods shewing and denying mercy not in the means but as touching the grace it self of Repentance But this benefit you have confounded by comprehending both under the name of meanes and helpes for your advantage to passe from the one to the other as you see good Here indeed it is as true that because men doe make precious account of the means of grace therefore God continueth these means unto them like as because of mens perseverance in Faith and Repentance and good works God rewards them with everlasting life like as because men die in their sins therefore God inflicts on them everlasting death Onely with this difference Sin on the one side is the meritorious cause both of withdrawing the means of grace and of damnation but conscionable walking before God in the use of the means is only the disposing cause both to the continuance of the means and to eternall salvation For God by grace makes us meet partakers of
the criticall point Pag. 115. l. 33. the outward works of the Trinity are indivisible Pag. 121. l. 2. such as should be saved Pag. 122. l 1 2. they encreased the errour concerning God they took away the feare of God Pag. 125. l. 11 12. into a mind void of all judgement l 20. from the beginning Pag. 127. l. 10. of old fore-written to this judgement Pag. 129. l. 28. the pure masse l. 29. the corrupt masse Pag. 132. l. 38. suits at law Pag. 133. lin 31 32 33. moreover this metaphor is taken from hence that Gods eternall whereby the believers are ordained to salvation is called a book Pag. 137. l. 24. righteousnesse of condecency Pag. 140. l. 20 21. The love of good liking the love of wel-doing Pag. 141. l. 10. the will of the flesh l. 25. to an outward amendment of life Pag. 146. l. 11. is not liberty but contumacy Pag. 147. l. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. what patience soever God shewes yet who shall repent unlesse God gives repentance None of these whom God hath not predestinated doth God bring unto true and wholsome repentance whereby man is reconciled unto God in Christ whether hee affords them greater patience or as great God brings to repentance but whom whom hee hath predestinated Pag. 185. lin 9 10. more helped l. 11 12. to be able if hee would to will what he could l. 13. helps or succours Pag. 187. l. 22. as touching the act of God predestinating l. 23. as touching the act of God reprobating l. 25. as touching the act of God willing Pag. 191. l. 4. not by infusing malice or naughtinesse but by not infusing grace Pag. 193. l. 15. no man becomes most foule at first l. 18. No old man fears God Pag. 195. lin 21 22. The same as the same alwayes works the same Pag. 202. l. 12. unequall heifers are not fit to plough under the same yoke Pag. 203. l. 17. by infusing malice but by not infusing grace Pag. 205. l. 3. not as touching the affection l. 4. but as touching the effect Pag. 212. l. 15. In the generall lurk many equivocations Pag. 224. lin 27 28 29. Thou art under the wrath of God therefore worship God who is easie to be intreated For upon thy prayers hee will pardon thee and his anger will be appeased Pag. 227. l. 27. of duty not of fact Pag. 229. lin 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. To God without doubt look how easie it is to doe what he will as easie it is not to suffer that to be which he will not have to be Unlesse we believe this wee must renounce the first article of our Creed whereby wee professe to believe in God the Father who is almighty For he is not called omnipotent but to shew that whatsoever hee will doe that he can doe neither can the effect of an almighty power be hindered by the will of any creature Pag. 230. lin 28 29. Exhortation not made but despised l. 32. if I had known it I would have done it if I had heard I would have believed Pag. 232. l. 33. on Gods part on mans part Pag. 258. lin 7 8. O Roman thou dost undeservedly suffer for the sins of thine Ancestors Pag. 262. lin 31 32. that they may profit to the outward amendment of their life to the end that their punishment may be the milder Pag. 263. l. 24. the will of suffering sin and inflicting damnation for their sin Pag. 283. lin 31 c. what is this that you say when they are said to be given over to their lusts they are to be understood as men left by divine patience not compelled into sins by Gods power as if the Apostle had not put both these together both patience and power when hee saith But if God willing to shew wrath and demonstrate his power suffered in much patience the vessels of Gods wrath fitted or prepared for destruction Yet which of these two doe you say is that which is written And the Prophet if hee shall erre and speake I the Lord have deceived that Prophet and I will stretch out mine arme upon him and cut him off out of the midst of my people Israel Is this patience or power choose which you will or confesse both Yet you see that the sin of him who prophecyeth falsly is also a punishment of sin And when it is said I the Lord have deceived that Prophet will you say here also that this is to be understood as if it were said I have deserted him that by reason of his merits he is seduced that he might erre Be it so if you will yet after this manner he was punished for his sins that by prophecying that which was false hee might sin But look unto that which the Prophet Micheas saw to wit The Lord sitting upon his throne and the whole army of heaven stood about him on his right hand and on his left And the Lord said Who shall perswade Ahab the King of Israel that he may goe up and fall at Ramoth Gilead and one spake on this manner and another on that And there came forth a Spirit and stood before the Lord and said I will perswade him And the Lord aid unto him Wherewith And he said I will goe forth and will be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets But this very thing was also a punishment of sin God judging God sending an evill Angel That wee may more clearly understand how it is said in the Psalme that hee sent the wrath of his indignation by evill Angels But did God erre in this did he judge or doe ought unjustly or rashly in this Farre be it from us so to think But the Prophet spake not in vaine when hee said Thy judgements are a great depth The Apost be doth not cry out in vaine when hee saith O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour or who first gave unto him that hee might be recompensed And againe in the same Chapter it followeth For this cause God gave them over to the lusts of uncleannesse You heare that for this God gave them over and you vainly inquire How it is to be understood that God gave them over taking much paines to shew that God gives men over in such manner by deserting them But after what manner soever God gives them over for this cause God gave them over For this hee deserted them And you see Gods giving of them over what kind of desertion soever it be and after what manner soever you understand the things which followed hereupon For the Apostles care was to shew how great a punishment it is to be given over of God to the lusts of uncleannesse whether by forsaking them or after what other manner soever whether explicable or inexplicable whereby God doth this who is both good and just in an unspeakable manner FINIS Answ Exam. Phil. 2. Answ 1. Exam. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Answ 2. Exam. Answ 3. Col. 1. 18. Rom. 8. 29. Col. 1. 16. Exam. Answ 4. Exam. 1. Vers 10 27. Eccles 3. 11. Answ Exam. Answ 1 Tim. 1. 16. Exam. Answ Exam. Answ Examin Answ Examin Answ Exod. 34. 6 7. Examin * Exod. 34 6. Exod. 31. 28 29. Answ Examin Answ Examin Answ Examin 2 Tim 4. 2 Thessa 1. Answ Examin Vindiciae gratiae ' Dei lib 3. dig 2. Answ Examin Answ Examin 〈…〉 10. Answ Examin Gen. â— Esa 1. Enchirid. cap. 95. Judg. 9. Answ Examin Jer. 13. 17. Answ Examin 2 Tim. 4. 1 Thes 1. 2 Tim. 1 9. Answ Examin Answ Examin Answ 2. John 8. John 3. Examin Act. 26. 9. Answ Examin Answ Use 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Examin 4 Doubt Quest 4. Answer Exam. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 8. Dent. 30. 6. Exam. Exam. Answer Rom. 11. 1. 8. 9 10. compared with Psal 69. 21 to 28. See also Rom 1. 26 27 28 Psal 81. 11 12. Exam. Rom. 9. 18. Exam. Jer. 32. 40. Answer Exam. Answ Exam. Psal 191. 1. Rom. 1. 20. Act. 14. 17. Act 17. 26 27. Esa 63. 17. Deut. 29 4. seems Ezek. 24. 13. Exam. Answ Rom. 1. 21. 28. Act. 7 51. Luk. 19. 24. Mat. 27. 21 22 Joh. 3. 43. Exam. Answ Rom. 1. 29. Luk. 16. 11 12. Acts 16. 46. Lukc 19. 42. Mat. 21 41 42. Exam. Col. â— Exam. Answer Col. 1. 3. Rom. 14. 9. John 3. 35. Mar. 28. 18. Phil 1. 8 9 10 11. Mark 10. 14. â—â—am The Examination must proceed according to this correction Exam. * Indeed it should bee not Covenant as my Copy had it but current as a friend shewed mee how to correct it Rom. 8. Analysis Exam. Exam. Exam. 1 Cor 7 Exam.