Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	forgive_v	pray_v	trespass_n	3,167	5	11.1087	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

shewing the like grace to them which he shewed to others 1. So that the moving cause of Reprobation is the alone will of God and not the sinne of man originall and actuall like as on the other side the moving cause of election is only the will of God or not faith or any good workes whereupon this Authour is loath to manifest his opinion This doctrine is not only approved by Doctour Whitaker Doctour of the Chaire in the Universitie of Cambridge and that in his Cygnea Cantio a little before his death but justified and confirmed by varietie of Testimonies both of Schoolemen as Lumbard Aquinas Bannes Petrus de Alliaco Gregorius Arminensis of our owne Church and the Divines thereof as taught by Bucer at Cambridge by Peter Martyr at Oxon professed by the Bishops and others promoted by Queen Elizabeth and farther in the yeare of our Lord 1592 there was a famous recantation made in the Universitie of Cambridge by one Barret in the 37. of Elizabeth whereunto he was urged by the heads of houses of that Universitie The Recantation runnes thus Preaching in Latine not long since in the Universitie Church Right worshipfull many things slipt from me both falsly and rashsly spoken whereby I understand the mindes of many have been grieved to the end therefore I may satifie the Church the truth which I have publiquely hurt I doe make this publique confession both Repenting and Revoking my Errour First I said that no man in this transi●●ie world is so strongly underpropt at least by the certainty of Faith that is unlesse as I afterwards expounded it by Revelation that he ought to be assured of his owne Salvation But now I protest before God and acknowledge in my conscience that they which are justified by faith have peace towards God that is have reconciliation with God and doe stand in that grace by faith therefore that they ought to be certaine and assured of their owne Salvation even by the certainty of Faith it selfe 2. Secondly I affirmed that the faith of Peter could not faile but that other mens faith may for as I then said Our Lord prayed not for the faith of every particular man but now being of a better and more sound Iudgment according to that which Christ teacheth in plaine words Ioh. 17. 20. I pray not for these alone that is the Apostles but for them also which shall believe in mee through their word I acknowledge that Christ prayed for the faith of every particular believer and that by the vertue of that prayer of Christ every true believer is so stayd up that his faith cannot faile 3. Thirdly touching perseverance to to the end I said that that certainty concerning the time to come is proud for as much as it is in his owne nature contingent of what kind the perseverance of every man is neither did I affirme it to be proud only but to be most wicked but now I freely protest that the true and justifiing faith whereby the faithfull are most neare united unto Christ is so firme as also for the time to come so certaine that it can never be rooted up out of the mindes of the faithfull by any temptation of the flesh the world or divell himselfe so that he that once hath this faith shall ever have it for by the benefit of that justifying faith Christ dwelleth in us and we in Christ therefore it cannot but be both increased Christ growing in us dayly as also persevere unto the end because God doth give constancy 4. Fourthly I affirmed that there was no distinction in faith but in the Persons believing in which I confesse I did erre Now I freely acknowledge the Temporarie faith which as Bernard witnesseth is therefore fained because it is temporary it is distinguished and differeth from the saving faith whereby sinners apprehending Christ are justified before God for ever not in measure and degrees but in the very thing it selfe Moreover I adde that Saint Iames doth make mention of a dead faith and Paul of a faith that worketh by love 5 Fifthly I added that forgivenesse of sinnes is an Article of faith but not particular neither belonging to this man or that man that is as I expounded it that no true faithfull man either can or ought certainely believe that his sinnes are forgiven But now I am of an other mind and doe freely confesse that every true faithfull man is bound by this Article of faith to believe the forgivenes of sinnes and certainely to believe that his owne particular sinnes are freely forgiven him neither doth it follow hereupon that that Petition of the Lord's prayer to wit forgive us our trespasses is needlesse for in that Petition we aske not only the gift but also the increase of Faith 6 Sixtly these words escaped me in my Sermon viz As for those that are not saved I doe most strongly believe and doe freely protest that I am so perswaded against Calvin Peter Martyr and the rest that sinne is the true and proper cause of Reprobation But now being better instructed I say that the Reprobation of the wicked is from everlasting and that saying of Saint Austine to Simplician to be mòst true viz If sinne were the cause of Reprobation then no man should be elected because God doth know all men to be defiled with it And that I may speak freely I am of the same mind and doe believe concerning the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation as the Church of England believeth and teacheth in the booke of the Articles of faith in the Article of Praedestination Last of all I uttered these words rashly against Calvin a man that hath very well deserved of the Church of God to wit that he durst presume to lift up himselfe above the high and Almighty God by which words I doe confesse that I have done great injurie to that most learned and right good man and I most humbly beseech you all to pardon this my rashnes as also in that I have uttered many bitter words against Peter Martyr Beza Zanchy Iunius and the rest of the same religion being the lights and ornaments of our Church calling them by the odious names of Calvin●sts and other slanderous termes branding them with a most grevious marke of reproach whom because our Church doth worthily reverence it was not meet that I should take away their good name from them Doctor Fulke in like manner maintaines that reprobation is not of workes but of God's free will Rom 9 Num 2. His words are these God's election Reprobation is most free of his owne will not upon the foresight of the merits of either of them for he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth vers 18. Yet here is to be distinguished for the explication of the truth That God's decree of Reprobation may be considered either as touching the Act of God reprobating and willing or as touching the things hereby willed or Decreed As

Baptist Preached yet was it nothing congruous but contrariant rather to the Evangelists scope to write so His purpose being to set downe of what estimation was the authority of Iohn by the confluence of all people from all parts unto him therefore when he writes that all Judea and all Jerusalem went forth unto him the meaning can be no more than this namely that from all parts of Judea and of Jerusalem some flocked unto him IEANES I come unto the third and last exception in your Book against Doctor Twisse pag. 245. Mr GOODWIN HAnging upon the Crosse he prayed for his enemies and those that crucified him that they might be forgiven May it not as well be inferred from hence that therefore all his enemies and all such who in any sense crucify him shall be forgiven by God as it is argued from his praying for Peter that his faith might not faile that the faith of no true believer shall faile Doctor Twisses notion upon the case is not so authentique and though admitted will not heale the difficulty Christ saith he prayed for his enemies ex officio hominis privati i. e. according to the duty of a private man but for his elect as Mediator This is said but not proved nor indeed probable For very unlikely it is that Christ being now in a full investiture of his great office of Mediator should wave his interest in Heaven by meanes hereof in his addressements unto God for men and pray only in the capacity and according to the interest and duty of a private man This would argue that he prayed not for them with his whole heart nor with an effectualnesse of desire to obtaine what he prayed for But let it be granted yet still it followes that whatsoever Christ prayed for was not simply or absolutely granted or done and if whatsoever Christ prayed for was absolutely granted it is not materiall as to matter of impetration whether he prayed as Mediator or as a private man But the intent of Christs Prayer for those that crucified him was not that all their sinnes should be forgiven them much lesse that simply and absolutely i. e. without any intervening of faith and repentance they should be forgiven which had been to pray for that which is expressely contrary unto the revealed will of God but that that particular sinne of their crucifying him shold be forgivem them i. e. should not be imputed unto them by way of barre unto their repentance either by any suddaine or speedy destruction or by delivering them up to such a spirit of obstinacy or obduration under which men seldome or never repent IEANES THis exposition of D. Twisse proceeds upon supposition not grant that Christ prayed for all that had a hand in his crucifying and taking this supposition to be true this following argument for the proofe of this exposition may easily be gathered out of D. Twisse If Christ prayed for all that crucifyed him then either according to the duty of a private person or by vertue of his office as he was Mediator but he prayed not for all his persecutors by vertue of his office as he was a Mediatour therefore if he prayed for them it was only in answer of his duty as he was made under the Law and a private person The Minor which is only likely to be questioned is thus confirmed some that were guilty of his crucifying were in all likelihood Reprobates as is not only confessed but proved by Arminius Oravit saith he pro iis qui crucifixerunt eum pro inimicis suis inter quos non-electi fuerunt Pincipes enim saeculi crucifixerunt illum at plurimis illorum sapientia Dei virtus quae est Christus non est revelata The Princes of the World crucified the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. And unto most of them the wisdome and power of God which is Christ is not revealed Now in Ioh. 17. 9. where we have the modell rule or Epitome of Christs intercession that is of his praying as Mediator he disclaimes all prayer and consequently mediation for Reprobates I pray not for the World but for them which thou hast given me Where World is taken pro turbà Reproborum c. saith D. Twisse for the rout or rabble of Reprobates and he proves it thus In his Mundus opponitur iis qui dantur Christo a Patre at dari a patre significat statum electionis Ioh. 6. 39. Significat enim statum bonum praecedaneum vocationi efficaci omne quod dat mihi pater veniet ad me Venire autem ad Christum est credere in Christum per vocationem efficacem Vind. l. 1. p. 2. pag. 181. The World in these words is opposed unto them which are given unto Christ by the Father but to be given unto Christ by the Father signifieth the state of election for it signifieth a good and happy estate or condition precedaneous unto effectuall vocation Ioh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me but to come unto Christ is to believe in Christ by an effectuall vocation Thus you see that notwithstanding your pleasure to say otherwise it is not barely said but proved by him that Christ prayed not for all his Crucifyers by vertue of his office as he was Mediator In the next place that Christ according to the duty of a private man might pray for all that crucified him even for those of them that were not elect is rendred probable by two arguments in D. Twisse The first is Christs subjection unto the Law Gal. 4. 4. He was made under the Law and therefore bound to fulfill all righteousnesse Math. 3. 15. And one branch of the Law as is evident by Christ his own glosse upon it Math. 5. is to love our enemies to forgive private personall wrongs to pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us this was a poynt that he pressed much upon his Disciples in his life time and it being a duty though of frequent use yet difficult and harsh unto flesh and bloud it is not unlikely but that he might exemplify it by his own practice at his death A second Argument in D. Twisse to prove that it is not improbable that Christ as a private man affectu humano prayed on his Crosse for all his Crucifyers even such of them as he knew not to belong unto the election of grace is drawn from comparison of such a prayer with the like prayer that Christ made in his agony in the Garden O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Math. 26. 39. Father if thou be willing remove this cup from me Luk. 22. 42. This bitter cup of his death and Passion he knew full well that he was to drinke up as a Mediator for his elect both by his Fathers decree call command as also by his own voluntary undertaking for to this end and purpose he came into the World and sanctified himselfe

forceth Corvinus to wit that Christ prayed for his Crucifiers that they should believe and repent upon condition that they doe believe and repent or else I shall renew the argument so as that a progresse from one condition to another and that without end shall be unavoydable Lastly that he prayed only for those of his crucifiers who belonged to the election of grace is evident from what hath been already said out of D. Twisse upon Ioh. 17. 9. For thence I have inferr'd that he prayed only for his elect as Mediator that Chapter being the platforme of Christs intercession as mediator for his Church and you affirme it to be improbable that Christ prayed under the notion and capacity of a private man for any for whom he did not pray as Mediator But now in the last place let us heare how you expound this prayer of Christ Mr GOODWIN BVT the intent of Christs prayer for those that crucifyed him was not that all their sinnes should be forgiven them much lesse that simply and absolutely that is without any intervening of faith and repentance they should be forgiven which had been to pray for that which is expresly contrary to the revealed will of God but that that particular sinne of their crucifying him should be forgiven them i. e. should not be imputed unto them by way of barre unto their repentance either by any suddaine or speedy destruction or by delivering them up to such a spirit of obstinacy or obduration under which men seldome or never repent IEANES FIrst I say of this your comment as you did of D. Twisse his notion upon the place this is said but not proved Nor indeed probable because First Scripture is a stranger to this acception of remission Secondly 't is very irrationall to take remission in this sense which by your Doctrine may be consistent with its contrary to wit condemnation Though this particular sinne of their crucifying him were not imputed to them by way of barre unto their repentance either by any sudden or speedy destruction or by delivering them up to such a spirit of obstinacy or obduration under which men seldome or never repent yet according unto what you teach of grace and ascribe unto the power of mans will they might notwithstanding all this not believe and repent but resist the grace of God and dye in finall unbeliefe and impenitency even for this sinne and so consequently be condemned for it Christs prayer might be granted this particular sinne of their crucifying Christ might be forgiven unto them and yet they might be everlastingly damned for it and their other sinnes How you can reconcile these things passeth my understanding but I shall not be unwilling to learne Lastly you seem to intimate that some sinnes are so foule as that they are of themselves a bar to repentance for the desert of which God doth sometimes deny men either time for or the grace of repentance And hereby you entrench upon the freenesse of Gods grace in mans effectuall vocation which is the free gift of God and therefore dispenced not according to mens preceding carriages good or bad but meerely according to the good pleasure of his will but this argument I shall spare farther to prosecute and referre you to our Doctor who hath abundantly laboured herein as in other places so especially in his examination of M r Cotton his Treatise of Predestination a pag. 190. usque ad 204. and againe p. 234 235. c. usque ad 246. As for that which followeth as also that which is in the beginning of this Section the examination of it is beside my present designe which is to vindicate Doctor Twisse from what you object against him Yet if the Reader desire satisfaction thereabouts he may meet with it in Doctor Ames his Coronis ad Coll. Hag. Art 5. c. 5. Whither I shall in this hast referre him And thus have I done with the defence of Doctor Twisse against your opposition of him when I consider your fluent Wit and ready Penne I may expect from you a very speedy reply Which may be as sharpe so specious and Rhetoricall enough I shall desire this favour of the judicious Reader that he would suspend his censure untill he hath my rejoynder which I shall not deferre long if God grant me his assistance FINIS De auctore ejus Methodo Scholasticâ disputandi formâ acumine accuratione judicium lectoribus relinquo quibus praeiverunt Doctissimi ex toto orbe Christiano viri etiam ex iis qui in contraria sunt parte fatentes nihil acuratius nihil exactius plenius in hoc argumento hactenus proditum fuisse Hoc saltem omnibus piis placere debet quod usque ubique in bonam causam fuerit intentus camque si quisquam aljus ab absurdis objectis adversariorum calumniis ita vindicavit ut ex illius labore habeant non docti tantum sed etiam minus exercitati quo se possine extricare laqueis adversantium ibid. Cicero de Senectute Heylins Geography Torshells Hypocrite Rivet Inde factum est ut Guilielmus Twissus vir doctissimus in controversiis illis exercitatissimus causam illam Dei contra renascentem Pelagianismum tanquam alter Bradwardinus iterum defendendum sumpserit Librum illum Arminii tam decantatum non esse invincibilem accurato luculento scripto probaverit nihil omittendo quod non excusserit usque ad minutissima Quod opus quam fuerit acceptum ex eo colligi potest quod quamvis sit magnae molis duabus editionibus distractis tertia nuper prodiit apud eundem Typographum qui primam curaverat Hoc labore notus celebris factus Author in transmarinis regionibus c. Clarkes Lives 2 Cor. 13. 5. 1 Cor. 11. 19. 2 Thes 2. 10 11. Matth. 24. 24. 2 Thes 2. 13. August de Praed Sanctc 3. Fidem elegit Deus in praescientia ut quem crediturum esse praescivit ipsum eligeret cui Sp. sanctum daret ut bona operando vitam aeternam consequeretur Retract lib. 1. cap. 23. Apol. pro Confes Remonst Fol. 95. p. 1. Ezech. 18. 31 Revel 17. 8. Revel 13. 8. Censura Censurae 2 Thes 3. Aquin. 1. q. 23. art 5. Nullus fuit ita insanae mentis ut diceret merita esse causam Divinae Praedestinationis ex parte actus Praedestinantis Contr. Iulian. Pelag. lib. 5. cap. 4. Sueton. Edit Lugd. 1532. pag. 171. Ibid. p. 175. L. 2. contra Iovin Prov. 24. 10. De Grat. lib. arbit cap. 20. Epist 28. Exam p. 157. Zabarel lib. 1. Post Analyt 182. Lib. 1. ad Simpli quest 2. Exam. p. 157. 166. Contr. Iulian. Pelag. l. 5. cap. 4. De Grat. lib. Arbitr c. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 8. Epist 28. Enchirid. cap. 95. Ephes 5. 8. 2 Timoth. 2. Acts 11. 18. Heb. 13. 20. Ezech. 30. 28 Collat. Hag. Brand. p. 37. Act. Synodal pag. 3. 48. August de Civit Dei

expressed and why might it not be Gods purpose to make it their duty to hearken to Iohn and to submit to the Lords Ordinance administred by Iohn as well as Gods purpose that they should obey him and be perswaded to be Baptized by him yea and much rather too considering the foule absurdity wherewith this interpretation is charged as formerly I have shewed and he must have the stomack of an Ostrich that can digest it But where I pray was it ever read or heard before that Gods purpose is at any time despised Gods counsell indeed is too often despised as when he saith I councell thee to buy of mee gold c. Revel 3. And the counsell of God signifieth no other will of God than is the will of commandement of admonition of exhortation and such like But whereas he talkes of a greater fulnesse of grace in the Baptisme of Christ than in the Baptisme of Iohn this beliefe is one of his mysteries concerning Baptisme Iohn Preached Christ unto the people Acts 19. 4. And Iohns Baptisme was the Baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes that is Preaching of repentance he administred Baptisme unto them in assurance of the forgivenesse of their sinnes upon their repentance And therefore he put off the Scribes and Pharises calling upon them to bring forth fruits of repentance first So Peter speakes of the Baptisme of Christ Acts 2. Repent and be Baptized for the forgivenesse of your sinnes So was circumcision unto the Jewes a Seale of the righteousnesse of faith that is of the forgivenesse of sinnes through faith It seems this Author is none of the Rhemists adversary in this who upon Math. 3. 11. writes thus It is an Article of our adversaries that the Baptisme of Christ is no better then the Baptisme of Iohn they make it of no more value or efficacy for remission of sinnes and grace and justification than was Iohns whereunto M r Fulke makes answer saying Remission of sinne is proper unto God as well in Iohns Baptisme as in the Baptisme of Christ and that Iohn in that place compares the Ministry of Man with the authority and power of God and though some of the ancient Fathers were of another opinion yet Saint Marke saith expressely That Iohn Preached the Baptisme of repentance unto forgivenesse of sinnes And who can separate forgivenesse of sinnes from true repentance When the Lord promiseth at what time soever the sinner repenteth to pardon his sinnes The seale of Baptisme also added to the doctrine of Repentance must needs testify remission of sinnes namely the soule to be washed by mercy as the body is with water Neither doth this doctrine derogate any thing from the Baptisme of Christ seeing it is Christ that forgiveth sinnes and giveth grace in the Baptisme ministred by Iohn and ministred by his Apostles For Iohns Baptisme was by Gods institution not of Iohns devising It is true All that have been Baptized into Christ have been Baptized into his death Rom. 6. 3. and Gal. 3. 26. All that have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ But take Baptisme aright and let Peter be an interpreter of Paul Baptisme saveth us saith he 1 Pet. 3. 21. But least you should mistake him marke what he addes Not the putting away the filth of the flesh here is the outward Baptizing with water but the interrogation which a good conscience makes to God Nay let Paul be an interpreter of himselfe 1 Cor. 6. 12 But ye are washed but ye are sanctifyed but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Now I willingly confesse that as many as are washed and sanctified and justified by the spirit of God have put on Christ and are Baptized into his death to the mortifying and crucifying the old man in them And as by the Baptisme of the spirit we doe put on Christ so are we united unto Christ and have a communion with him in the benefits of his death But as for the intention of Baptisme of water I know none it hath much lesse doe I know how to put a difference between intention originall and some other intention which he conceales content to suffer the distinction to fly with one wing The Baptize is intention I am somewhat acquainted with On mans part to Baptize such as are brought to the font for that purpose and by Baptisme to consecrate them to the service of that God who is one in nature but three in persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost on Gods part to seale unto us the righteousnesse of faith which I learne out of Rom. 4. 11. In the description of Circumcision and the meaning thereof I take to be the assuring of forgivenesse of sinnes to them that believe and this is congruous to the description both of Johns Baptisme and Christs Baptisme set forth unto us in holy Scripture As for that Iohn 3. 5. Except a man be borne of Water and of the Spirit he cannot c. Master Fulke in his answer to the Rhemists on that verse writes thus It is not necessary in this place by Water to understand materiall Water but rather the purifying grace of Christ as cap. 4. v. 11. Whereof the washing with water in Baptisme is an outward signe and seale which also is termed fire Math. 3. 11. The water therefore in Baptisme is not our regeneration properly but a Sacrament and seale thereof Isid Origen l. 7. cap. de Spiritu Sancto Aliud est aqua Sacramenti aliud aqua quae significat Spiritum Dei aqua enim Sacramenti visibilis est aqua spiritus sancti invisibilis est ista abluit corpus significat quid sit in anima per illum autem spiritum Sanctum anima mundatur saginatur And a little after Indeed saith he the words of our Saviour Christ are not properly of the externall Sacrament more then Ioh. 6. Of the other Sacrament except you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you have no life in you whereas all Infants are excluded from that Sacrament and consequently should be excluded from life if the words were meant of the outward Sacraments And the Fathers of the ancient Church which thought Baptisme was necessary did likewise think the communion to be as necessary for Infants as Augustine Innocentius Bishop of Rome and all the Church of their time for any thing we can gather by their writings Finally when the word of Water in this Text signifieth the purifying grace of Christ rather than the outward element of Baptisme here can be no argument drawn out of this place that Sacraments conferre grace of the worke wrought but according to the dispensation of Gods spirit who worketh according to his own pleasure as in this chap. v. 8. 1 Cor. 12. When this Author talkes of the necessity of regeneration I doubt he considers not that hence it followeth that either all that dye unbaptized are damned for I presume he

with as much art and cunning as can be will not fasten upon them With David they say in their feare that all men are lyars namely all such as come to comfort them in their temptation And the reason is because it is an opinion incompatible with any word of comfort that can be ministred to the distressed soule in this temptation Gods love to mankind Christs death for all mankind and the calling of poore sinners without exception to repentance or salvation with all other grounds of consolation the tempted will easily elude with the grounds of his opinion which that we may the better see let us imagine that we heare a Minister and a tempted soule reasoning in this or the like manner Tempted Woe is me I am a castaway I am absolutely rejected from Grace and glory Minister Discourage not thy selfe thou poore afflicted soule God hath not cast thee off For he hateth nothing that he hath made but bears a love to all men and to thee amongst the rest Tempted God hateth no man as he is his creature but he hateth a great many as they are involv'd in the first transgression and become guilty of Adams sinne And God hath a two-fold love as I have learned a generall love which puts forth it selfe in outward and temporall blessings only and with this he loved all men And a speciall love by which he provideth everlasting life for men and with this he loves only a very few which out of his alone will and pleasure he singled from the rest Under this generall love am I not the speciall Minister God so loves all men as that he desires their eternall good for the Apostle saith he would have all to be saved and he would have no man perish nor thee in particular Tempted All is taken two waies for all sorts and conditions of men high and low rich and poore bond and free Jew and Gentile and for all particular men in those severall sorts and conditions God would have all sorts of men to be saved but not all particular men of these sorts some of my Country and my calling c. but not all or mee in particular Or if it be true that God would have all particular men to be saved yet he wills it only with a revealed Will not with a secret will for with that he will have a great company to be damned absolutely Under this revealed will am I not the secret Minister Christ came into the World to seeke and to save what was lost and is a propitiation not for our sinnes only idest the sinnes of a few particular men or the sinnes of all sorts of men but for the sinnes of the whole world therefore he came to save thee for thou wast lost and to be a propitiation for thy sinnes for thou art part of the whole world Tempted The World as I have heard is taken two waies in Scripture largely for all mankind and strictly in a more restrained signification for the elect or for believers Or if it be true that he dyed for all mankind yet he dyed for them but after a sort he dyed for them all dignitate pretii he did enough to have redeemed all if God would have had it so but he did not dye for all voluntate propositi God never intended that he should shed his bloud for all and every man but for a few select ones only with whom it is my lot not to be numbred Minister God hath founded an universali Covenant with men upon the blood of Christ thy Mediator and therefore he intended it should be shed for all men universally He hath made a promise of salvation to every one that will believe and excludes none that doe not exclude themselves Tempted God purposed his Sonne should dye for all men and that in his name an offer of remission of sinnes and salvation should be made to every one but yet upon this condition that they will doe that which he meanes the greatest part of them shall never doe idest Repent and Believe nor I among the rest Minister God hath a true meaning that all men who are called should repent and believe that so they might be saved as he would have all to be saved so to come to the knowledge of the truth and as he would have no man to perish so he would have all men to repent and therefore he calls them in the Preaching of the word to the one as well as to the other Tempted God hath a double call an outward call by the Preaching of the word an inward call by the irresistible work of the spirit in mens hearts The outward call is a part of Gods outward will with that he calls every man to believe the inward and effectuall call is a part of his secret will and with that he doth not call every man to believe but a very few only whom he hath infallibly and inevitably ordained to eternall life And therefore by the outward will which I enjoy among many others I cannot be assured of Gods good will and meaning that I shall believe repent and be saved By this we may see that no sound comfort can be fastned upon a poore soule rooted in this opinion when he lyes under this horrible temptation The example of Francis Spira an Italian Lawyer will give some farther light and proofe to this This Spira about the yeare 1548 against his knowledge and conscience did openly abjure his religion and subscribe to Popery that thereby he might preserve his life and goods and liberty Not long after he fell into a deep distresse of Conscience out of which he could never wrestle but ended his woefull daies in despaire To comfort him came many Divines of worth and note but against all the comforts that they applyed unto him he opposed two things especially 1. The greatnesse of his sinne It was a sinne of a deep dye commited with many urging and aggravating circumstances and therefore could not be forgiven This argument they quickly took from him and convinced him by the example of Peter that there was nothing in his sinne that could make it irremissible Peter that committed the same sinne and with more odious circumstances repented and was pardoned and so no doubt might he 2 He opposed his absolute reprobation and with that he put off all their comforts Peter saith he repented and was pardoned indeed because he was elected as for me I was utterly rejected before I was borne and therefore I cannot possibly repent or be saved If any man be elected he shall be saved though he have committed sinnes for number many and haynous in degree but if he be ex repudiatis one of the castawaies necessario condemnabitur though his sinnes be small and sew Nihil interest an multa an pauca an magna an parva sint quando nec Dei misericordia nec sanguis Christi quicquam ad eos pertinet A reprobate must be damned be his sinnes many or few

commiserant grace hath not as yet raised you But if there be any not yet called whom God hath predestinated to be elected by his grace or whom his grace hath predestinated to be elected ye shall receive the same grace whereby to will and be Elect. And as for those that doe obey if you are not predestinated to be Elect the strength of obedience shall be withdrawne that you may cease to obey Thus farre the objection Austin's answer followeth thus When these things are said they ought not to to deterre us from confessing God's grace to wit which is not given according unto workes and from confessing predestination according thereunto like as we are not terrified from confessing God's foreknowledge if a man should discourse thereof in this manner before the people whether now ye live well or not well such shall ye be hereafter as God foresees ye will be either good if he foresees ye will be good or evill if he foresees he will be evill for what if upon the hearing hereof some give themselves to sloth and from labour prone to lust goe after their concupisences shall we therefore conceive that to be false which was delivered concerning God's foreknowledge And so he proceeds to justifie the truth of this doctrine which was objected against him by way of Crimination I say to justifie it as touching the substance of it though as touching the manner of proposing it he confesseth that to be unreasonably harsh in some particulars and shewes how that may be proposed in a more decent manner still holding up the same truth Thus Austine was able to answere for himselfe whilest he was living Now let us consider how Prosper answers for him after he was dead And first let us consider the objection it selfe now it is this That they who are not predestinate unto life although they live piously and righteously it shall nothing profit them but they shall be reserved so long untill they perish Now this is painely a part of the objection made by the Massilienses and they were Galli whom Prosper answereth for the objection proposed to Austine was that strength of obedience should be taken from them But in the objection of the Galli whom Prosper answeres it is set dowe in a milder manner thus They shall be reserved untill they perish Now Austine himselfe accomodates his answer hereunto in particular De bono Perseverantiae cap. 22. 1 For shewing the unreasonable harshnessein this manner of proposing it I wonder saith he if any weak man in a Christian people can by any meanes heare with patience that which followes as namely when it is said unto them yee that doe obey if ye be predestinated to be rejected the strength of obedience shall be withdrawne from you that you may cease to obey For thus to speake what seemeth it to be other then to curse or to prophesie evill after a sort Then he proceeds to she whow the same truth may be delivered in a fairer manner still holding up the truth of the doctrine of predestination If saith he a man thinke good to speake something of such as doe not persevere and need be so to doe What failes of the truth of this sentence if it be delivered thus But if some doe obey that are not predestinated unto the kingdome and to glorie they are temporarie ones and shall not persevere in the same obedience unto the end Then he proceeds to shew how the same objection may be framed against God's praescience thus Et si qui obeditis si praesciti estis rejiciendi obedire cessabtis If any of you doe obey if with all ye are foreseen to be rejected ye shall cease to obey whereby ye may observe how Austine in framing the objection leaves out the Phrase of withdrawing the strength of obedience as containing a calumnious imputation and such as Austine had nothing to doe with in the course of his opinion concerning predestination Thus Austine hath plainely answered for himselfe and needs noe other to answer for him and his answer proceeds without all colour of prejudice to his owne doctrine concerning the absolutenesse of predestination By this let the Reajudge of the ingenuitie of this Authour who conceales all this from his Reader bearing him in hand that Austine speakes in Prosper making answere to his objection whereas indeed there is a vast difference between Prosper's answer for Austine and Austin's answer for himselfe But like enough Prosper was willing to condescend to the Galli * and to gratifie them with an answer that in his judgment might be more acceptable and satisfactorie unto them To the consideration whereof I now proceed and therein to consider Prosper not Austin's mind concerning predestination as which he hath sufficiently manifested in answer to the same objection as I have shewed Therefore saith Prosper They are not predestinated because they were foreseen to be such hereafter by their voluntarie praevarication what will follow herence That foresight of sinnes was the cause why they were not predestinated unto life I answere first by denying this consequence for it may as well follow that the Creatours love is the cause why sinnes are forgiven him for the Gospell saith of the woman Luk the 7. Therefore many sinnes are forgiven her because she loved much such illations are not alwaies causall but very often merely rationall Secondly let it be causall and that foresight of sinne is the cause of non predestination unto life and accordingly of predestination unto damnation yet here I have a double answer First it is the most generall opinion that reprobation as it signifies a purpose to damne and accordingly to exclude from heaven presupposeth the prescience of sinne M. Perkins expresly professeth as much and other Divines at the Synod of Dort yet this hinders not the absolutenesse of reprobation which appeares in the purpose of God to deny grace and that absolutely to some like as he bestowes it upon others I meane the grace of faith and regeneration otherwise grace should be given according to workes Now let any passage be produced out of Prosper or any other Orthodox writer among'st the Antients to shew that God in distributing these graces unto some and denying them unto others did not proceed absolutely but according unto workes and according to this doctrine it is well knowne that Austine shaped his doctrine concerning predestination as it hath been shewed at large in the answer to M. Hord in the first section secondly that there may be a cause of predestination and reprobation Aquinas doth not deny but how quoad res volitas as touching things willed or praedestinatione reprobatione praepartas by predestination and reprobation prepared and in this sense Aquinas himselfe confesseth that foresight of sinne is the cause of reprobation the nineth to the Romans see how he explicates himselfe his wordes are these Lect 3. praescientia peccatorum potest esse aliqua ratio reprobationis ex parte poenae quae