Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	faith_n	grace_n	8,077	5	5.8830	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96265	A discovery, and confutation of the opinions, and practises of some false brethren, betwixt Bridge, and Lincolne: shewing how they agree in their opinions, with Pelagians; Papists; Arminians; in their practises, with Anabaptists. Wherein univerall redemption is confuted; and Gods absolute decree confirmed. / By John Wetherall, minister of Spridlington, near Lincolne. March 22. 1651. Imprimatur. John Downame.	Wetherall, John, minister of Spridlington.	1652 (1652)	Wing W1523; Thomason E661_1; ESTC R206761	53,660	88

that God from all Eternity before the world was made hath not onely fore-seene all things that could be or should be by his appointment or permission but also by an unchangeable Decree hath fore-ordained all things and persons to certaine determinate ends for his owne Glory and that neither the Saints were elected in Christ to infallible and persevering Grace and eternall Glory for their fore-seene righteousnesse nor the Reprobates refused or non-elected for their fore-seene wickednesse but both the one and the other were Predestinated to those their severall Estates according to the Councel of Gods owne Will which was not mooved by any thing hee foresaw in the parties but hee most freely Decreed according to his own pleasure absolute dominion that he hath over the Creature And this Decree of Gods Will is the first mover of all other wills and things in the creatures whereupon the smallest and most contingent or casuall things that fall out depend as upon their Universall Cause whose influence into the second causes directeth produceth inclineth and ordinateth them to their effects not by enforcing them by any constraint but by enclining them to worke according to their owne condition so as the sayd effects proceed out of them according to their own natures a contingent effect of a contingent cause and a free effect out of a voluntary and free cause This is the sum of that Doctrine which the Reformed Protestant Churches hold touching Predestination They place the Decree of God to order all things for his own glory as it is Pro. 16. 4. which is the end before the meanes that is before Creation the Fall Redemption c. but the Pelagians Papists Arminians Universalists place the means before the end as for example these say Mediatio Christi est Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or externe movens respectu volitionis divinae in Electionis actu that is the mediation of Christ is the externall cause moving the will of God in the act of Election whereas the Reformed Churches say that the will of God is the sole cause of the mediation of Christ Christ is not subordinate to the very Decree it selfe of Election he is to the Execution thereof as it appears 1 Pet. 1. 20. Thus in the distribution of the causes of Salvation and Damnation our Adversaries turne them upside downe for they feigue a generall decree in God 1. To create man 2. To give a Law to his Creature with condition of life and death 3. To permit the fall 4. To redeeme all mankinde in Christ hence Universall Election 5. To call all mankinde so redeemed hence Universall Vocation 6. Upon their Faith or Infidelity he fixeth his Decree First say they God propounded equally to himselfe Jacob and Esau and loved the one no more then the other secondly he purposed to save him of the two that should do well and damn him of the two that should do ill thirdly he Decreed to give them both sufficient means of salvation whereby Esau may as well be saved as Jacob fourthly he Decreed to leave them both to the liberty of their owne Free-will to use or not to use the means fiftly he foresaw Jacob would Esau would not use the means sixthly hereupon he pronounced the Decree of Election to Jacob and of Reprobation to Esau thus Pelagians Papists Arminians Universalists These two last Remonstrants so the Germans call them and the name offends them not for this Sect pester'd them parts first and gave occasion to the States of the United Provinces to assemble that Synod at Dort whither at their instance came religious and learned men from other Reformed Churches as out of England Bishop Carleton Doctor Davenant Doctor Ward Doctour Goade Doctor Belcanquell c. I say these Remonstrants that oppose our Doctrine of Predestination being of the same minde with them that defend Universal Redemption they say thus I 'le use their owne words Deum Amesius de Elect. pag. 11. aeterno immutabili decreto in Jesu Christo filio suo ante jactum mundi fundamentum statuisse ex lapso peccatis obnoxio humano genere ill●s in Christo propter Christum per Christum servare qui Spiritus Sancti gratia in eundem Filium ejus credunt in ea fide fideique obedientia per eandem gratiam usque ad finem perseverant that is God in his eternall and immutable Decree in Jesus Christ his Son before the foundation of the world did determine out of lapsed mankinde to save those in Christ for Christ and by Christ who by the spirit did believe in that his Sonne and persevere in that faith and obedience of faith by grace unto their lives end Now in this Thesis of theirs are these five things 1. The Act or Decree it selfe 2. the Object 3. the End 4. the Condition 5. the Foundation First the Act or Decree it selfe and that they say is two fold 1. Generall by which God Decreed to save all that would believe and persevere the 2. Particular by which hee did Decree to save certaine persons whom he foresaw would certainly beleeve and persevere unto the end some of them call these two Gods Antecedent Consequent Will or generale particulare pronuntiatum Thus they make you may see two Wills in God against the Spirit of God which saith God is in one mind Job 23. 23. The second thing considerable in their Thesis is the Object of this Decree which they are forced to confesse all the members of Christ are not they cannot tell how to include Infants because they want faith and perseverance nay they include in the Object of this Decree onely such as have lived and persevered all other are excluded that are yet alive untill they persevere to the end so that by this Opinion they must first have Faith and Perseverance before God can fix his Decree which is a fearfull thing to affirme for so they are not Pre-destinated but Post-destinated they are forc'd therefore to a further absurdity that is to distinguish betwixt an incompleat which they say is common to all the faithfull and a compleat Election which is proper only to such as persevere The third thing to be considered in their Thesis is the End of this Decree and that they say is salvation and glory contrary to the expresse words of Scripture which saith not we are Predestinated to Glory onely but also to Holinesse or a godly life and to the Grace of Adoption before we can attain to Glory as it is plaine Eph. 1. 4. 5. He hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy c. In the Decree of Predestination there is first What 2. by What 3. to What the first Man the 2. Grace the 3. a Godly Life and after it is ended Eternall Glory The 4. thing is the Condition required in this Decree of theirs wee say it is the Good Pleasure or the Will of God without any Condition

it is not meet to take the Childrens bread and cast it to Dogs Mat. 15. 26. If any object that the Gentiles fell away from the Covenant I answer grant that of the Fathers yet their Children never heard of the Covenant therefore it is that the Prophet Isaiah saith of the Gentiles that neither God knew them nor did they know God Isay 55. 5. Universalist I pray thee speake in earnest how could the Americans Canibals and other Savadges have any Call No Pelagian it is not Nature No Semi-Pelagian it is not Grace and Nature we cannot so much as thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. I conclude hence no Universall Call Absurd 4. Fourthly it followes from this Opinion of Universall Redemption c. that God is all Mercy and nothing else whereas the soveraigne end of all Gods Actions is answerable to his Nature which is not Mercy and Love alone but Justice also and therefore the right End of mans Creation is the manifestation of Gods Glory both in Justice and Mercy search the Scriptures and see if Justice also be not an Attribute of our God Absurd 5. Fiftly hence it followes that Predestination is for fore-seene Faith and Workes unlesse Gods Prescience discover something his Predestination Decrees nothing but after the fore-sight of Faith and Perseverance and the former Gift of Predestination to Glory must depend upon a later Gift of Faith quite contrary to the Word of God for either it is Gods will the Elect shall have Grace and the Reprobates no Grace given them or else they believe or not believe of their own Free Will this later is grosse Pelagianisme making Nature the beginning of Grace and if the former be granted that God fore-sees no Grace but what himselfe Predestinates to give nor no sin but what upon the witholding of his Grace the Reprobate will freely worke then it followes that God will and doth give Grace because first he hath elected and will give no Grace because he hath reprobated and there is no cause of either but Gods owne Will no fore-seen Faith or Workes Againe I reason thus the End is alwayes in intention before the Meanes primus intentione ultimus executione but Gods Will to elect men to Glory is the End therefore Gods Will to elect men to Glory goes before his Will to give them Faith and Grace therefore he Elects not after or upon the fore-sight of Faith and Grace therefore before he see Faith or Grace in Jacob which he will give him he purposes to give him Life Eternall But these men will give God their Faith and Good Workes in lieu of their Redemption by Christ against Isay 52. 3. Rom. 11. 35. I know they distinguish 'twixt the Antecedent and Consequent Wil of God Gods Antecedent Will to save every man although considering the sinnes of men he hath a Consequent Will to condemne some But this distinction makes the matter more absurd and salves it not for God is immutable his Will is one as he is one whatsoever he fore saw in any that himselfe purposed to worke if he foresaw Grace and the good use of Free Will in Jacob he purposed to worke it by infusing it what have we that we have not received 1 Cor. 4. 7. Every good and every perfect gift is from above James 1. 17. If he foresaw Sinne and the ill use of Free Will in Esau he purposed to worke it also Rom. 9. 13. 18. by witholding Grace and hardening and he not onely purposed to Worke that which he foresaw but to Worke and Effect it as the Means and as a subordinate Second Cause to bring man to the End apoynted from hence it follows that Faith Workes c. are onely Meanes ordained by God to bring us to the End not Causes of our Election I cannot tell how they can avoid the Papists Meritum è congruo and plaine Pelagianisme that maintaine foreseen Faith and Works for thus saith Pelagius Licet non secundum merita bonorum Operum tamensecundum merita bonae voluntatis datur gratia ratio Pelagii est alioqui Deus esset Acceptor personarum si sine ullis praecedentibus meritis cujus vult miseretur That is though Grace bee not given according to the Merit of our Good Workes yet it is given according to the Merit of our Good Will the Reason Pelagius renders is this else God should be a Respecter of Persons if he have mercy on whom he will without regard of foregoing Merits so that they are Cozens not far off if they be not neare Cozens to Papists and Pelagians that defend foreseen Faith and Workes all of them answer one another even as the Eccho doth the Voyce and they will wash away these blots when the Blackmore changeth his skin Pelagius Redivivus is now no newes Absurd 6. Sixtly hence followes Free Will I know they say that Gods Grace must goe along with our Will but this excuse is onely a Vaile or Vizard which hides their Pelagian faces that the ignorant People might not see them so that as Augustine said of the like words used by the Pelagians we would receive them without scruple but that they speak them whose meaning is well enough known unto us Initium Fidei Conversionis desiderium est ex nobis incrementum a Gratia the beginning of Faith and the desire of Conversion is of our selves the increase of Grace A●bitrium est ad hoc liberum ut velit vel nolit admittere medicinam the Will is free to will or nill the admission of the Medicine so say the Pelagians and the Arminians and our Universalists say Gods Grace must go along with our Free Will he hath a good wit that can distinguish betwixt these two I have read of one Melitides a naturall foole who could not tell whether his Mother or his Father brought him forth so these men cannot tell whether God begets them to himselfe or their owne Free Will begets them unto God I say therefore that God determines mans Will and yet it is Free still Gods Will is above ours flowes into it and moves it and yet the Will followes the dictate of its owne Intellect is freed onely from Constraint not from Necessity from which the Will of Angels is not free for they can do no evill they can doe nothing but that which is good And as a man by a device should let Birds flye and yet cause them all to goe to such a place as himselfe would so doth God rule the Will The Spirit of God at first findes nothing in the Will to helpe his Grace in the Conversion of a Sinner First Grace gives life to the dead Will and then the Will being revived becomes an Instrument of God both to apprehend his Grace offered and to worke forward with it but this by the Seede of Grace and New Life that God hath put into it not by the Nature of mans Will and as my Paper whereon I am writing retaines

the Inke passively and brings nothing of its owne to the writing but being written on it becommeth an Instrument with me of the writing so is it in the Will of man at his Conversion It is God only that doth justifie Rom. 8. 33. For it is he onely that forgiveth sins Esa 43. 25. It is he only that can by makeing us righteous in Christ gives us right and title to the Kingdome of Heaven It is no action therefore of our owne or of any Creature neither is it wrought by our owne Preparations and Dispositions For although every man is bound to use all Meanes to attaine to Justification Yet it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. For if God bee the Agent in justifying us then are We the Patients and for that cause we are never in the Scriptures exhorted to justification or to the parts thereof which are not our officia or duties but Gods beneficia or blessings as we are to the duties of sanctification whereunto we being already justified and regenerated doe cooperate with the Spirit of Grace If the Sonne have made us free wee shall be free indeed Rom. 8. 36. We are made free for of our selves we are the servants of sinne Rom. 6. 18. 20. Better is it to ascribe too little then too much to Free Will if I offend be it rather in giving more to Gods Grace Absur 7. Seventhly hence it follows that Predestination is mutable all things being forelaid which are necessary sufficient for perseverance it remaineth still in the power of man to persevere or not to persevere saith Bertius in his Booke of the Apostacy of Saints and he endeavoureth to prove this bold I had almost said blasphemous Assertion by divers Texts of Scripture Non esse hominum alios ad vitam alios ad mortem aut perditionem deputatos sed de salute ad perditionem de perditione ad salutem transire posse there are not any particulars appoynted to life or death but they may passe from either state to the other sayd Pelagius and numerus Electorum potest augeri ac minui the number of the Elect may be lesse or more sayd G●evincho Thes exhibit pag. 137. Then Paul may or may not be saved and whosoever is Predestinated is but contingently Predestinated if he persevere then the Authour to the Hebrewes is out where he saith the Counsell of God is immutable Heb. 6. 17. Then the Papists may say there is no Predestination of the Reprobate they are onely fore-knowne which is true in sano sensu but not in their sence Absurd 8. Eightly hence it followes all men are disposed and ordained of God so as they may obtaine Eternall Life if they will their Predestination being like unto an Hypotheticall Proposition Absurd 9. Ninthly hence follows falling from Grace that the Seale of Gods Election is not sure that some who were given to Christ may be lost Or as if after our Regeneration there were as at our Creation a posse mori we might die from God woe to man if his condition were the same in the second Adam that it was in the first Indeed sides quae creditur may be forsaken but from or a side qua creditur we cannot fall away It is contrary to the sixteenth Article which is against a totall and finall falling from Grace for the Article speakes of falling into sinne after Baptisme and rising againe by the same Grace Now he that falleth finally cannot rise againe and he that falleth totally from Grace cannot rise againe by the Grace he had received because he is supposed to have lost all the Grace he received The Reformed Churches all of them united disclaime the Doctrine of falling from Grace Indeed the Righteousnesse required by the Law may be lost and it is of that the Prophet speakes Ezek. 18. But the Righteousnesse promised by the Gospel cannot be lost Card. Bellarm. himselfe speakes truth sometimes in this particular touching the Apostacy of Saints it is true saith he that the Predestinated or Elected are in no danger of losing Eternall Life and that the terrifying threats used by the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures are to this end to stirre up the Elect to watchfulnesse and diligence Lib. 3. de Justif cap. 12. so that Motives they are to and Meanes of Perseverance no Arguments at all to prove the Saints Apostacy Absurd 10. Tenthly hence Justification by God onely is utterly overthrowne even in the Nature of it which signifies justum facere to make just not invenire to finde us just for Justification is the Action of God without us To the Faithfull there belongeth a two fold Righteousnes the one of Justification the other of Sanctification the former is the Righteousnesse of Christ and therefore the Righteousnesse of God because it is the Righteousnesse of him that is God and is imputed onely to the Believer The latter is ours because inherent in us though received from God as all our good things are of this second there is no question and the first being ab extra cannot be from our fore-seene Faith or Workes Absurd 11. Eleventhly hence it followes that God cannot tell who are his till they persevere to the end and therefore Arminius was forced to make the Object of Gods Decree onely qui vixerunt quoties fideles statuimus objectum Electionis toties nos fidem perseverantiam in fide conjungimus saith Grevinchovius Our Register Bookes must first be given in such a man dyed such a day before his name can be written in the Register Booke of God contrary to Act. 9. 15. where Paul is called a chosen Vessell even whilst he was a Persecutor and was going to Damascus with that intent and contrary to Act. 13. 48. where in the first instance of their Conversion it is sayd As many as were ordained to eternall life did believe Absurd 12. Lastly Universall Grace or Universall Redemption was the opinion of that wicked Heretick Pelagius condemned in a Generall Councell held at Malta about the yeare 425. against the Pelagians and Donatists at which Augustine was present and 214. Bishops and at a Counsell in Affrick where all the Provinces came together in the time of Boniface and Celestine Bishops of Rome to condemne Pelagius Prosper in an Epistle which hee writ to Augustine de Reliquiis Pelagianae Haereseos hath these words Hane Pelagianorum definitionem professionemesse Universis hominibus propitiationem quae est in sacramento sanguinis Chriti sine exceptione esse propositam pro Universo humano genere mortuum esse Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum neminem prorsus a Redemptione sanguin●s ejus exceptum etiamsi omnem hanc vitam alienissimam ab eo mente pertranseat that is the Pelagians professe that the propitiation into or by the bloud of Christ without exception is common to all that Christ died for all mankinde and none is excepted although he be all

the Subject to whom the sayd helpe is offered if God have left his Word to lead a man and yet with-holds Reason and faculty from him that hee cannot hear nor use it it cannot bee conceived how hee may bee sayd to have left sufficient meanes to that man The third sort that never had the means of salvation are Barbarians and Pagans that never heard of God or Christ or the Gospel these also cannot be sayd to have sufficient means of salvation because the revelation of Christ and his Gospel is the means and they never had it if it bee objected that the Heathen may have certaine inspirations which may guide them first to Grace and then to Glory then I demand first touching these inspirations that are sayd to bee thus offered and stirred up in the Gentiles are they super-naturall or naturall if supernaturall by what meanes are they wrought for the Word of God they have not and Gods Spirit doth never sufficiently inspire when it doth not sufficiently reveale it selfe to be his Spirit are they naturall arising only from a naturall knowledge then I demand againe whether they bee able to bring him that hath them to Justifying Grace if they be not able they are insufficient if they say they be able then this is Pelagianisme that a man by naturall strength may obtaine the Grace of God Two prodigious Opinions have I read touching this poynt In Whites Way pag. 280. one of the Papists or some of them who say that the very Gentiles knew God and did many things wherein was no sinne and this was sufficient to save them The other of that man of ignorance who wrote the Charge of high Treason against all that deny Universall Redemption there hee saith but God helpe him hee knowes not what he saith that man hath yet liberty and power to escape Condemnation and can doe that which God Commands These Opinions are fitter for Pelagians who say Gratia significat naturam ratione voluntate praeditam that Grace is Nature indued with Reason and Free Will and that per Opera Naturae homo promeretur auxilium gratiae a man may open the window to let Grace come in as besides Pelagians most of the Papists say but they become not us who professe our selves Protestants Yet further to prove that Infants Idiots Infidels never had the meanes of Grace I may say thus that the word of Reconciliation was not preached to all Reconciliation is by faith and faith by the word Ro. 10. 14. Which Word was not nay is not yet preached to all was there not a Partition wall till it was broken downe Did not Christ charge his Disciples not to goe into the way of the Gentiles nor into the Cities of the Samaritans Mat. 10. 5. 6. Look into that Parable of the Woman of Canaan if the Word of God was not the Childrens bread Mat. 15. 24. 26. All the blind Americans many of the barbarous Affricans the savadge Canibals besides the Chinoys so quick-sighted in other things yet had not heard of a Saviour till some few hundred years since nay more our Brethren if they please to prove Universall Vocation may bee yet almost the first to Preach the word of God to a great part of Finmark the Scricfinians Lappians and some Northerne Isles within the Artick Circle among us Europeans then how can they dreame of Universall Vocation Now our Question is not If grace be free but whether this Free grace bee effectually and freely offered to all Yea but the Black-smith in that ugly thing he brought as blacke as himselfe tells us of the Spirit but it was writ by a foul spirit well yet there were 12. Places of Scripture to prove Universall Redemption I think set downe by some simple Brother sure not by Mr. T. for hee applied not one place but said they were plaine Places and so left it simply to beleeve now to these I need not answer for they were barely named and nothing concluded neyther Syllogisme nor sence but left simply as the Letter sayd yet in answer to them and the like places I say thus There are severall interpretations of such places as say God will have all to bee saved the chiefe whereof are these foure that follow 1. God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth in that he makes us to wish and desire this our selves by stirring us up to seeke and pray for salvation because the Will that God workes in us is said to bee Gods Will 2. Where the Scriptures say God will have all to be saved by the word all such only are meant who are saved by restraining the Universall signe to the Elect alone that is all who are saved are all saved only by vertue of the Will of God as a Schoole-Master may be said to teach all the children in a Towne when hee only teaches all that are taught 3. God by the signification of his Will revealed in his Word would all men to bee saved in as much as hee offers to all men either the Doctrine of the Gospell or some other signe whereby hee invites them to salvation and this Exposition denies that there is any Will of good pleasure or absolute Will in God referred and determined to the salvation of all but onely to the Means propounded which of themselves are sufficient and able to lead men to salvation thereby he carries himselfe as one that hath a purpose to save all They call this Will of God Voluntas Signi not Beneplaciti the Will of the Signe but not his absolute Will which first may not be fulfilled and yet the last his absolute Will is alwayes fulfilled 4. God would have all to be saved that is he saveth some in all Estates and Degrees of men not singula generum but genera singulorum of all sorts some not every singular person of all sorts whether they be rich or poore old or young Jewes Greekes Barbarians God saves some of every Condition so Christ is sayd to have Redeemed some out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation Rev. 5. 9. to have healed every Disease that is every kinde of Disease Mat. 4. 23. This and the second distinction I thinke the best to be applyed to such places of Scripture where it is said God will have all to be saved Againe I say that by the word all wee must understand all that believe by him all that believe are justified Acts 13. 39. all that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11. 28. He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish John 3. 16. the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the Promise by the Faith of Christ should be given to them that believe Gal. 3. 22. I might inferre but all and every one believes not therefore Christ died not for All and every one It is apparent that the word All is oftentimes used for Many as Rom. 5. 18. 19. Augustin in

house may hee not take them in and refuse to afford me that favour and for no other Reason but because he will not If I should say Sir shew mee a Reason wherefore you reject mee may he not answer it is because he will not accept me must there needs be a quarrell or hee may not So heere must there needs be infidelity evill Workes Originall sinne or some other ill condition in me or else God may not do with his owne as he lift sure none will say so against themselves then how can they suppose it so of God The Master whose Scholers we may nay wee must be Mat. 20. 15. said it was lawfull for him to doe with his owne as hee lifted and may not God have the same leave as that Parable seems to prove Stat pro ratione voluntas is most proper to Almighty God Reprobation by it selfe considered is no punishment therefore it supposeth no fault the name signifieth no more but not to allow of sola voluntas decretum beneplacitum propositum Dei all or any of these cannot stand with the fore-sight of Faith or Infidelity good or evill Workes Indeed God foresees all sinnes Originall and Actuall it were Atheisme to deny it but that any sin Originall or Actuall ought to goe before the first Act of God called Reprobation I utterly deny let them call Faith Infidelity good and evill Workes but Objects Motives Reasons Circumstances considerable in Gods Decree yet if they looke into their Logicke it will let them see that the least of Causes Causa sine quâ non is yet a Cause and God if hee regard any thing but his owne Will in Election or Reprobation must goe extrase to say as they say to salve the Justice of God that he could not Elect without looking on man in massa Corrupta and yet that he did not consider it as any Reason of his Decree is without Reason I know my wise Adversaries the Black-smith or whosoever sent abroad that bable Object against these things and so do the Papists because they will not seeme to play the Fooles without Reason that by this it followes the Freedome of mans Will must perish Gods Glory is obscured saith Mr. T. if he punish necessitated wickednesses The Papists and Pelagians are of this Opinion then a Murtherer saith Pighius when he killeth a man may be excused because he hath executed the Decree of God then all care diligence and endeavour is taken away if our Thoughts Words Deeds be determined of God to such I may answer or aske this Question Can they doe any thing that God hath not decreed They are almost Atheists that say they can then it followes they can doe nothing but it is decreed Let Pet. Mart. answer for me part 3. pa. 6. I wonder saith he speaking of these and other Objections of Pighius that any Divine could let such an old Wifes Talecome out of his mouth Can Judas be excused of his wicked treason against our Saviour because he heard the Lord fore-tell his mischievous designe John 13. 21. So then it is a simple nay it is a sinfull thing to excuse any sinne by the eternall or absolute Decree of God it is his owne Will not the Will of God that the mischiefe-munger or the murtherer regards he cannot doe otherwise nay but aske himselfe and hee 'l say he will not Such as maintaine Gods absolute Decree hold necessity infallibilitatis not coactionis they say that God determines mans Will and yet it is Free as I shewed before and followes the dictate of its owne Intellect to reason thus God hath eternally fore-seene Judas his impenitency therefore decreed him to eternall damnation therefore Judas shal infallibly continue impenitent and at length be damned is a true inference but this God hath eternally fore-seene Judas his impenitency therefore Judas shall by coaction or compulsion of his Will be made unalterably impenitent and so be damned is a false Conclusion The Agent is yet as free as if God had not foreseene the absolute will of God to worke faith repentance c. in Peter maketh not these actions compulsory but maketh the agent most free for it giveth him that spirit of which the Apostle sayth ubi spiritus ibi libertas true and perfect liberty and Gods Spirit goe both together and e contra non-Election denieth men that Grace which would effectually and infallibly make them produce good Actions but it depriveth them not of their owne naturall freedome neither doth it compell them to evill actions Divina Voluntas non tollit potentiam ad oppositum God hath determined to permit men to faile in attaining eternall life but he is not Authour of their sinnes whereby they incur eternall death In good Actions the Freedome of men Elected is not vaine though the End be determined because God hath determined together with the End that by their free Actions they shall attaine it and in bad their Freedome is not vaine because thereby their Consciences are convinced of their guilt and Gods Justice cleared in their damnation Reprobation and the permission thereto annexed importeth not a witholding of Grace necessary for the avoyding of sinne so permitted much lesse a necessitation of Sinners to their severall sinnes but a witholding of all Grace which would de facto be effectuall to the avoyding of sinne so that sinne flowes not from this 〈◊〉 and Permission as an Effect from the Cause but 〈◊〉 Consequence from the Antecedent necessitate infallibilitatis as the Sunne witholding his Beames causeth not darknesse yet darknesse is a Consequent Neither doth this Preterition or Reprobation imply a substraction of any Graces or helpes obtained but a non-Donation of such Graces without which God foresaw that Reprobates out of their own Free-Will would infallibly perish in their sins Deo Reprobante non irrogatur aliquid quo homo fit deterior sed tantùm non irrogatur quo fiat melior man is not made worser but he is not made better by this Act of Preterition or Reprobation Nay there is not only a bare permissive but there is also an energeticall and operative Will in God conjoyned with the permissive Will and this operative or energeticall Will of God is apparent in these six Circumstances 1. God eternally decreeth and accordingly when sinfull Actions are committed giveth the sinner power and use of Understanding and Free Will without which he could not sinne 2. God thereby eternally decreed to concurre and doth concurre ad materialem actum peccati to the sinne as it is an Action 3. God decreed the Circumstances or Occasions good as from God whereupon he saw the sinner would make evill use and sinne 4. God decreed to deny the Meanes that he knew would have prevented such sinnes and offered onely such as he knew the sinner would abuse to the committing of sinne 5. God limiteth and ordereth their sinnes so that they breake forth in no other measure at no other time upon no other persons then