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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64002	The riches of Gods love unto the vessells of mercy, consistent with his absolute hatred or reprobation of the vessells of wrath, or, An answer unto a book entituled, Gods love unto mankind ... in two bookes, the first being a refutation of the said booke, as it was presented in manuscript by Mr Hord unto Sir Nath. Rich., the second being an examination of certain passages inserted into M. Hords discourse (formerly answered) by an author that conceales his name, but was supposed to be Mr Mason ... / by ... William Twisse ... ; whereunto are annexed two tractates of the same author in answer unto D.H. ... ; together with a vindication of D. Twisse from the exceptions of Mr John Goodwin in his Redemption redeemed, by Henry Jeanes ...	Twisse, William, 1578?-1646.; Jeanes, Henry, 1611-1662. Vindication of Dr. Twisse.; Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1653 (1653)	Wing T3423; ESTC R12334	968,546	592

ministery is a mere imposture because all the inforcements wherewith the tender of salvation unto Reprobates is accompanied is in shew most hearty serious but indued nothing so For what have the elect of God no part in the ministery Or dates he say that by our doctrin these insorcements are nothing hearty serious to them Thou wilt say the Authour's meaning is that the whole ministery is a mere imposture towards reprobates but he saith not so but thus The whole ministery is a mere imposture and afterwards in giving his reason for it he pleads that inforcements in shew hearty serious made to reprobates are nothing so hence he concludes that the whole ministery is a mere imposture without any distinctiō of persons to whom it is a mere imposture 4. Yet I willingly confesse that it is foul enough that God's courses should be courses of imposture towards any even towards reprobates But how doth he prove that God takes any such course with reprobates To whom hath God sent his word vouchsafed the ministery hereof according to all the enforcements mētioned accompanying his tender of salvation unto them is it not unto his Church What is the preserment of the Jew above the Gentile much every way saith Paul chiefly because unto thē were committed the Oracles of God And was the Church of Jewes a Church of reprobates Were they not the City of God but the city of the Devill If these enforcements had been used to the Nativites there had been some colour for such an imputation but seing 〈…〉 of God's word in all these enforcements is used to the people of God his pretious people chosen out of the world to put his name among'st them shall this ministery be so carryed as concerning reprobates All that he hath to say for this is no other but that a great part or the most part of the people to whom he sends his prophets are reprobates Be it so but how doth he prove that God intends this ministery for the salvation of reprobates or that he intends it at all for them If God commands them as he commanded Ieremiah saying Goe cry in the eares of Jerusalem Thus saith the Lord they must doe so without difference For they are not able to put a difference between the Elect and Reprobate to know who are the one and who are the other Austin was willing to pray for all but yet he professeth that if they knew who they were whō God had ordained unto damnation they would pray no more for them then for the Devill himself so that either the Prophets were not of Austin's mind or else that they thought that their ministery in God's purpose and appointment tended to the salvatiō only of Gods elect But because they knew not who they are therefore they prayed for all and used their ministeriall enforcements indifferently towards all But like enough this Authour will deny that the Prophets were of Austin's mind Therefore I will prove they were in this The Prophets were undoubtedly of St. Paul's mind but St. Paul was of St. Austin's mind in this therefore the Prophets also were of St. Austin's mind Now that St. Paul was of St. Austin's mind and that his ministery though performed towards all yet was intended for the salvation only of God's elect I prove thus Though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe a servant unto all men that I might winne the more Observe he doth not say that he might winne all Againe I became all things to all men that I might save some Who are these some at whose salvation he aimes I answer they are God's elect and none but they and this I prove out of those words of his where he saith Therefore I suffer all things for the elects sake that they might also obtaine salvation which is in Christ Iesus with eternall glory Now if his sufferings were for their sakes undoubtedly his whole ministery was for their sakes for this alone brought his sufferings upon him The holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me But I passe not at all neither is my life deare unto my selfe so that I may fulfill my course with joy and the ministration that I have received to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God 5. But be it that God intends it for Reprobates also yet not for their salvation But first to take away excuse from them as to this purpose he sent Ezechiel Son of man I send thee to a rebellious nation For they are impudent children I doe send thee unto them and thou shalt say unto them Thus saith the Lord God but surely they will not heare neither indeed will they cease for they are a rebellious house yet shall they know that there hath been a Prophet among them Or otherwise as Austin hath observed ut proficiant ad exteriorem vitae emendationem quo mitius puniantur that they may profit to an outward amendment of their lives that their punishment may be the lesse And consider whether in all this he doth not openly invade not so muchour doctrine as the manifest evidence of God's word For it is apparent that God gives commands to those whose hearts he means to harden that they shall not obey those commands though those commands were not made in a cold manner but with strongest enforcements Thou shalt say to Praraoh thus saith the Lord Israel is my son even my first borne wherefore I say to thee let my son goe that he may serve me If thou refuse to let him goe behold I will slay thy son even thy first borne Yet before this he told Moses saying I will harden his heart and he shall not let the people goe And after this The Lord hardned the heart of Pharaoh and he hearkned not unto them as the Lord had said to Moses And hereupon the Lord deales with him in the way of greater enforcement then before For the Lord said unto Moses Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and tell him Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews let my people goe that they may serve me For I will at this time send all mine plagues upon thine heart and upon thy servants and upon thy people that thou maiest know that there is none like me in all the earth For now will I stretch out mine hand that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence and thou shalt perish from the earth And indeed for this cause have I appointed thee to shew my power in thee to declare my name thoroughout all the world Yet thou exaltest thy selfe against my people and lettest thē not goe Behold tomorrow this time I will cause to raine a mighty great hayle such as was not in Egypt since the foundation of it was laid And The lord said unto Moses Goe to Pharach for I have hardned his heart and

be made after Gods image Gen. 1. 27. Nor when they are regenerated to be renewed after the same image Col. 3. 10. And to be made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. That Picture cannot be the picture of such a man which doth not in its parts and lineaments clearly resemble him nor can we be truly the image of God in respect of our graces if in these graces there be not a resemblance of Gods Attributes 3. We may not safely imitate God as we are commanded Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Math. 5. 48. and be ye holy as I am holy Nor when we shew forth mercy justice and truth in our actions can we be properly said to imitate God if these be one thing in God and in men another These two things being thus premised viz. that Gods mercy justice and truth are three of his chief Attributes in the exercise of which he takes himselfe to be much glorified and that we are to measure these Attributes by the same vertues in ourselves I come to the proofe of my second reason against absolute reprobation which is that it opposeth some of Gods principall Attributes particularly his justice mercy and truth TWISSE Consideration I Cannot but wonder at the performances of the true Author of this Discourse in comparing that which goes before with that which comes after His poverty of argumentation out of Scripture and the exuberancy of his discourse following Before he was in some straits but now he seems to have gotten Sea roome enough yet this is my comfort I seem to perceive out of what chimney all this smoak proceeds and to be as well acquainted with the spirit that breatheth here as if I were at his elbow while he penned it Agnosco veteris vestigia flammae such like are Doctor Jacksons discourses and him I have known of old and his Ephestion also I professe willingly of Scholar acquaintance they were my greatest and dearest But seeing it hath pleased God to put such a difference between us I would have both them and the World know I doe as little regard them as feare them Arminius himselfe is never more plausible then in such like extravagant discourses as a positive Theologue But these inspirations were never derived from him they are flowers of another garden These have been shapen in a more Philosophicall brain whereof some having gotten the reputation give Oracles therehence first to forme interpretations of Scriptures in congruity to these Theorems as the true Author blusheth not to professe which when he hath perswaded the World of I see no cause to the contrary but he may adventure a degree farther and perswade the burning of the Bible so farre as it concerneth the Doctrine of Predestination and Reprobation Grace and Free-will and content themselves with these magisteriall precepts as most sufficient and soveraigne for the endoctrinations of the Christian World in these poynts But he might have spared his pains in proving this consequence that if our Doctrine of Reprobation be contradictory to Gods principall attributes it cannot be true I say he might have spared the proofe hereof for all that he brings in proofe of this is but darknesse in comparison of the domesticall light and selfe-evidence which this consequence carryeth with it His premises here and discourse thereof is like unto the Turkes parly before the encounter when he challenged any one of Scanderbegs army to a single combate For as that parley was meerely complementall and to no purpose save only as he might conceit to abate the fervor of his opposite who longed to be dealing with him so this introduction I find to be of no Scholasticall use in the world but meerely Politick to work some impression upon the readers affections where by it may come to passe that when he reads of Gods mercy and justice as here it is set forth he may be the more enclined to judge thereof according to the genius of human mercy and justice Yet I am content to give my selfe to be wrought upon by these pretty contemplations as farre as I shall be convicted of any truth and sobriety in them though I willingly professe I am very suspicious for I love to betray my infirmities that there is little or no truth and sobriety at all in them 1. Now because he hopes to hatch much advantage unto his cause out of these attributes and to that purpose he sitts very long upon them though his market may be never the better for all that He tells us these are Gods chief attributes and as it appeareth by that which followeth his practice is to disparage his power which I call the Lords Soveraignty in comparison to these Now it seems they are chiefe indeed in his opinion for the furthering of his cause but as for any absolute chiefty they have in God I am not as yet acquainted therewith what I may be by this Authors performances I know not yet in the next page save one he professeth expressely That all Gods excellencies are infinitely good and one is not greater then another wherein I doe much approve his judgement as savouring of more depth then this which yet I think not that he who pretends to be the Author of this discourse in respect of his minority should be likely to broach as for other respects of principality I shall be ready to take notice of them in due place But when he saith God is most glorified in the manifestation of mercy justice and truth it is a very odde phrase For it is one thing to be glorious another thing to be glorified dare he deny that God is as glorious in his power and soveraignty as in his mercy justice and truth As for the glorifying of him that depends upon the will of the creature It may be some are more thankfull unto God for blessing them with health and riches and honour and preferment then for bestowing his Gospell upon them but will it follow herehence that his goodnesse in giving riches c. is more glorious then his goodnesse is seen in giving us his Word and Gospell We read that when God laid the foundations of the earth the Starres of the morning praised God together and all the children of God rejoyced Job 38. 7. did these Angells glorify God for his mercy justice and truth in the creating of them We read sometimes of Gods power sometimes of his wisdome manifested in the Creation as Jer. 10. 11. and 51. 11. and Psal 136. 5. Jer. 10. 12. c. But no where have I read that I can remember he made the World by his mercy justice or truth and Revel 4. 11. I find the glory of power given unto God in the creation by the 24 Elders but neither there nor any where else that I know is the glory of his mercy justice and truth given unto God therein Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all

such another speech in another place and concludes it with these Words Quare ergo Dominus nisi propter hoc Gallina esse voluit in sanctâ Scripturâ dicens O Jerusalem Jerusalem quoties volui te congregare ut gallina c. Our Lord and Saviour did therefore compare himselfe to a Hen rather then any other creature because of her singular expressions of love to her young ones even when they are out of her sight By these things we see how highly the Scriptures speak of Gods mercy especially in the expressions of it to Mankind To which testimonies let me adde these few more Psal 8. 4. Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him c. Prov. 8. 31. In the children of men did the wisdome of God delight himselfe when the foundations of the earth were appoynted He took not the nature of Angells but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. When the bountifulnesse and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared Tit. 3. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the originall word is where doe we read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More mercifull is God to man then to all other creatures With such a mercy cannot stand such a decree absolute Reprobation being once granted we may me thinks more properly call God a Father of cruelties then of mercies and hatred then of love and the Devills names Satan and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an adversary a destroyer may be fitter for him then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour which I tremble to think Doth mercy please him when he of his own will only hath made such a decree as shewes farre more severity towards poore men then mercy Is he slow to anger when he hath taken such a small and speedy occasion to punish the greater part of men in Hell torments for ever and for one sinne once committed hath shut up the greater part of men under invincible unbelief and damnation Is his mercy abundant doth it extend it selfe farther then justice when it is tackt up so short limited to a few chosen ones when 100 for one at least take in all parts of the World are unavoidably cast away out of his only will and pleasure Or doth his love passe knowledge when we see daily greater love then this in men and other creatures What Father and Mother that have not only cast off Fatherhood and Motherhood but humanity too so the Authors Copy hath it would determine their children to certain death or to cruell torments worse then death for one only offence and that committed too not by them in their own persons but by some other and only imputed unto them How much lesse would they give themselves to beget Children and bring them forth that they might bring them to the rack fire gallowes and such like tortures and deaths But to deliver things a little more closely Foure things in my conceit being well and distinctly considered doe make it apparent that this decree is incompatible with Gods mercy 1. That Adams sinne was the sinne of mans nature only and no mans personall transgression but Adams it was neither committed nor consented to by any of his posterity in their own persons 2. That it was the sinne of our nature not by generation for then the sinnes of our Grand-fathers and Fathers would be our sinnes also because we come from them and they would be our sinnes so much the more by how much nearer we are to the stock from which we doe immediatly spring then to the first root and common Father of Mankind It is the sinne of our nature by imputation only it was Gods will that he should stand up for a publique person and that in him all men should stand or fall This is generally granted by Divines and particularly by that excellent servant of God M. Calvin Neque enim factum est saith he ut a salute exciderant ommes unius parentis culpâ And a little after he saith Hoc cum naturae nequeat ascribi ab admirabili Dei consilio profectum esse minimè obscurum est And a little after thus unde factum est ut tot gentes uuà cum earum liberis infantibus aeterna morte involveret lapsus Adae absque remedio nisi quia Deo it à visum est 3. That God did pardon it in Adam who did actually and voluntarily commit it in his own person 4. That Christ came into the World to take away peccatum mundi the sinne of the World Ioh. 1. 29. That God either did or might have satisfied his wronged justice in the blood of the Covenant for all man kind and without any impeachment to justice might have opened a way of Salvation to all and every man These things being well considered will make no man I think to conclude in his thoughts that if there be any such decree God is not mercifull to man at all much lesse is he more mercifull supposing this decree to men then he is to other creatures but more sharpe and severe then he is to other creatures to the Devills themselves 1. To other creatures because the most of men are determined by his omnipotent decree to such a being as is a thousand times worse then no being at all whereas other creatures even the basest of them though they perhaps have but a contemptible being yet they have such a beeing as is much better then no being at all it is farre better not to be at all then to be eternally miserable without any possibility of the contrary for so saith our Saviour speaking of Judas It had been good for that man if he never had been borne Men would not have accepted of life and being when first they entred upon possession of it if they had known upon what hard conditions it was to be tendred and that it was to be charged with such an interest as can no waies be recompensed by the benefits of life or did men firmely believe this decree they would at adventure with Job curse their birth-day be willingly released from the right of creatures and desire that their immortall soules might vanish into nothing What Minutius saith of Pagans might be truly affirmed of men in generall Malunt extingui penitus quam ad supplicia reparari Nay Parents out of pitty to their Children would wish that they might be borne Snakes and Toads rather then men and creatures whose being shall at last be resolved into nothing rather then immortall Spirits 2. Then to the very Devills also who are set forth in Scripture to be the greatest spectacles of Gods wrath and irefull severity In one thing this decree makes most men and Devills equall Utrisque desperata salus they are both sure to be damned but in three things men are in a farre worse condition by it 1. In their appoyntment to Hell not for their own proper personall sinnes for which the Devills suffer but for the sinnes of

such words as might give offence to tender eares and could not well downe with those who are uncapable of such mysteries For all this the Authour quotes Antidotū Remonstrantiū pag 32 this booke I have not seen much lesse have I it at this time in my possession and therefore I must take it all upon trust And seeing this man was declared in the Synod of Dort as this Authour writes to be pure and Orthodox it seemes they did not censure these speeches of his as unsavorie speeches but rather justified them though with acknowledgment that they might give offence to tender eares and could not well downe with those who were as yet uncapable of such mysteries so that this Authour censureth these speeches of Maccovius for unsavory speeches without the least disproofe of them yet is Maccovius and then was a Professor of Divinity in the University of Franekar In like sort by consequent he censureth the judgment of the Synod as an unsavory judgment and their approbation of Maccovius as an unsavory approbation Let the Reader judge of what Spirit this Authour is and whether it may not be said of him as Moses said of Corah and his complices ye take to much upon you ye Sonnes of Aaron Nay what if this censure of his reflects upon the very Phrases of the Holy Ghost The two first phrases namely to will sinnes and to ordaine men to sinne are all one For to ordaine men to sinne is but to will that such men shall sinne or that there shall be such sinnes of men Now the Scripture frequently justifies this for the 10 Kings to give their Kingdomes to the Beast what is the meaning of it But to imploy their Regall power in supporting the Pope-dome Now was not this a great sinne Yet the Scripture expresly professeth that is was the will of God it should be so Rev 17. 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fullfill his will and to doe it with one consent for to give their Kingdome to the Beast untill the words of God be fulfilled As expresly doth Saint Peter testifie of some men that they are ordained to stumble at God's word and to be disobedient Christ is a stone to stumble at a Rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient unto the which thing they were even ordained and by whom could they be ordained hereunto but by God In like sort we know the abominable Outrages committed by Herod Pontius Pilate together with the Gentiles and people of Israel against the Holy Sonne of God for Iudas betraied him the high Priests suborned witnesses against him Herod with his Herodians despitefully used him Pilate condemned him the Romane Souldiers scourged him spit in his face buffeted him arraied him like a King in scorne and crowned him with a Crowne of thornes and last of all Crucified him between two theeves yet of all these the Holy Ghost testifies That in this doing against the Holy Sonne of God they did what God had determined to be done The words of the Text are these and that as delivered with one accord by the Apostles and their fellowes for when Peter and Iohn were let goe they came to their fellowes and shewed all that the High Priests had said unto them And when they heard it they lift up their voices to God with one accord and said O Lord thou art the God which hath made Heaven and earth the sea and all things that are therein which by the mouth of thy servant David hast said why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine a vaine thing The Kings of the earth assembled and the Rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ for doubtlesse against thy Holy Son Iesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israell gathered themselves together to doe whatsoever thine hand and thy Counsell had determined before to be done Now every one knowes that to determine to be done and to ordaine to be done and to will to be done are all one why doth not this Authour censure these speeches for unsavory speeches as well as those of Maccovius Why doth not he expose this Synod of the Apostles and others to the same censure whereunto he exposeth the Synod of Dort Nay can it be avoided but that already he hath done so and that these censure● of his must necessarily prove the powring forth of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Seeing the speeches are used by the Apostles which he censureth for unsavorie being utteredly Maccovius Is it not apparent that whosoever renounceth those speeches most also renounce the word of God And shall it be a reproach to us that we cannot keep our owne ground unlesse the Holy Ghost keepes his ground and maintaine his owne Di●lect to be savorie in spite of the vise aspersions that this Authour or any other of his Spirit doth usually cast upon it not sparing to terme such speeches unsavorie speeches As for the last phrase That God would that all men should be saved this is no Scripture nay it doth imply a man fest Blasphemy namely that God cannot save them It is true the Scripture saith that God willeth that all men should be saved but what is meant by this note of universalities in Scripture let Scripture it selfe be Judge The Pharisees did T●the omne olus as Austine observes not every particular her be to give the T●th thereof but every kind of herbe to give the Tenth thereof so Peter saw in a vessell let downe from Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not every fower footed beast in particular but all manner of fower footed beasts see Mat 3. 5. It is said all Iudea went forth to Iohn and all the region round about Iordan what can the meaning of this be but that from all parts of Judea and the Region round about Jordan of all sorts some went forth to Iohn not that there was not one man left behind in all Judea and in all the Region round about Jordan And accordingly Saint Austine interpreted this place above 1200 yeares agoe namely that God will that of all sorts some be saved even of Kings and Nobles some though but few of such 1 Cor 1. 27. Now this is not denied either by Maccovius or by any other of our Divines only they deny it to be the will of God that all and every one shall be sayed for if this were his will it would follow first that God is not able to save them which is to deny the first Article of the Creed as Austine in this very particular disputed many hundred yeares agoe Secondly it would follow that God is changed for certainely when he damnes men he hath no will to save them And what is Election Divine is it any other then the will of God ordaining unto salvation Now who dares say that all are Elect Hath not our Saviour expresly told us that even

or ability at all in the issue of avoiding their sinnes but must of necessity commit them Thus they teach and therefore by just consequences they make God the Authour of sinne as it will plainly appeare by these following considerations Poets tell us there was a time when Giants on earth set themselves to fight against God in heaven because the place of his habitation was out of their reach they laid mountaine upon mountaine hill upon hill Pelion upon Ossa that so they might make their approaches unto him beseige him in his own fastnes this fable is a monumēt of the shipwrack of that truth among heathen-men which the Lord had preserved unto his Church upon record in his holy word For when after the great Deluge in the dayes of Noah men began to be multiplied upon the face of the earth they consulted how they might fortify themseves against the like inundation for the time to come and thereupon encouraged thēselves saying Goe to let us build us a City and a town whose top may reach unto the Heaven that we may get us a name least we be scattered upon the whole earth But how didthe Lord deale with these presumptuous adventurers The Poet 's faign that Iupiter destroyed them with his thunderbolts and as for one of them Typhoeus by name a proud fellow he laid him fast enough under the hill Aetna in Sicily where he breaths out smoak fire like the great Polan out of a Tobacco-pipe somewhat bigger then a good Caliver But the Scripture tels us how that for their saying Goe too let us build c. the Lord answered them with a Come on let us goe downe and there confound their language that every one perceive not one anothers speech This Author herhaps is but a Pygmie for bodily presence yet he may be a Gyant for his wit and found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fight against God in a spirituall way in the opposing of his truth As Gamaliel sometimes advised the high Priest with his counsell to take heed lest they were found even fighters against God It is true this Author no doubt perswades himselfe that he fights for God in as much as he affects to free him from being the Author of sin But let not the simple Reader be deluded with shewes but seriously consider whither all this doe which he makes about the point of Reprobation doth not clearly tend to the overthrowing of God's free grace in election which is so much the more foule because he doth it underhand as conscious to himselfe of his owne impotency to impugne it openly or fearing the generall opposition of our Church against him therefore he practiseth to undermine it And this I have found to be his course divers years agoe in his private undertakings to draw proselytes unto him namely to decline the point of grace of election to deale only upon Reprobation and there to put his concurrent to begin as if he would have a young Divine to inform a Sexagenarian as I have seen under his own hand But see the hand of God upon him in confounding his language as when he stands for Reprobation evitable avoidable reproacheth his adversaries for maintaining Reprobation inevitable unavoidable This is the phrase of his Schoole For I do not remember to have met with it any where but in him his disciples Now what man of common sense doth not observe this phrase to be appliable only to things that are to come but of a contingent nature so that they may be avoyded declined but by no means apply able to things already done that more then many thousand years agoe For what sober man could heare with patience another discourse of the avoidable nature of Noah's flood now in these daies to maintain that it is at this day avoidable what fustian like to this Might he not as well take liberty to discourse of the Aequinoctiall pasticrust It was wont to be said that this alone God himself could not perform namely to cause that which is done to be not done As Aristotle in his Eth relates a saying of one Agatho to that purpose Now reprobation is confessed by all to be of the same age with election election was as the Apostle tels us performed by God before the foundation of the world And is not this Author then besides himself when he pleads for evitable avoydable Reprobation But albeit this Author makes the worst of our opinions and expressions yet I will not requite him by making the worst of his that were base inglorious and to be overcome I will therefore hearken to the Apostles counsell where he saith Be not overcome with evill but overcome evill with good I will make the best of his and according to the distinction of God's will used in Schooles as it is taken either quoad actum volentis or quoad res volitas as touching the act of him that willeth or the things willed So I will imagine that he speaks of Reprobation which is the will of God not as touching the act of God Reprobating making such a decree but as touching the thing decreed this thing decreed he will have to be of an avoidable nature Now this we willingly grant utterly deny that this any way hinders the absolutenes of God's decree We say with the 11 article of the Church of Ireland that God from all aeternity did by his unchangeable councell ordain whatsoever should in time come to passe yet so as hereby neither the contingency nor liberty of the second causes is taken away but established rather So that whereas we see some things come to passe necessarily some contingently so God hath ordained that all things shall come to passe that do come to passe but necessary things necessarily contingent things contingently that is avoidably with a possibility of not comming to passe For every University Scholar knows this to be the notion of contingency yet will not I content my selfe with the article of Ireland for this Aquinas thus distinguisheth For having proposed this question Whether the will of God doth impose a necessity upon the things willed To this question this Author with whom I deale would answer affirmatively saying it doth impose a necessity on all such things or at least obtrude such an opinion upon us himself undoubtedly thinks that in case Gods will be absolute it must cause a necessity upon all things willed therby both which are utterly untrue this last utterly denyed by Aquinas For first every will of God is absolute in the judgment of Aquinas which I prove thus That will which hath noe cause or reason thereof is absolute This proposition I presume this Authour will not deny But the will of God hath no cause in the judgment of Aquinas therefore every will of God is absolute by his doctrine Yet this absolute will of God imposeth not a necessity upon all things