Mr Cottons Clearing Doubts Concerning Predestination, Interpretation 1 · Question (2 of 3)

Mr Cottons Clearing Doubts Concerning Predestination · Interpretation 1 · Question (2 of 3)

p. 79Secondly, Gods leading to repentance, in that place, is attributed to the goodneſſe of God, which is ſhewed in his patience and long-ſuffering; as if it ſignified no more than giving way unto repentance.

Thirdly, take it as rigorouſly as you will, it cannot ſignifie more than God performes by his word, and preaching of the Goſpel: For, can you imagine that God performes more by his workes in leading men unto repentance, than by his word? Now, Gods leading to repentance by his word, is but his admoniſhing them to repent; Acts 17. 30. Now he admoniſheth all men every where to repent. And here-hence it followes not, that God doth will their repentance any otherwiſe then voluntate praecepti, not voluntate propoſiti, or bene-placiti; for if hee did, then muſt hee needs give them the grace of repentance. Yet, I confeſſe, in this voluntas praecepti is included voluntas propoſiti, in ſome ſenſe; which yet nothing ſerves your turne, though ſome equivocation makes it ſeeme plauſible, taking it hand over head in the generall; for it ſignifies withall, that it is the will of Gods good pleaſure that they ought to repent, and it is their duty to repent: But there is much difference between theſe two Propoſitions, Its my good pleaſure that it ſhall be your duty to repent; and, It is my good pleaſure that you ſhall repent, and therefore I will give you the grace of repentance. As for the ſecond place of importance, drawn out of Job 33. verſ. 15, 16, 17. of Gods providence in vouchſafing heavenly dreames and viſions unto the Gentiles, that hee might withdraw them from their ſinnes, and hide their pride, and ſave their ſoules from the pit: This likewiſe, in two reſpects, is nothing p. 80for the purpoſe: For, firſt, this is ſpoken of ſuch a time as wherein there was no partition-wall, as afterwards was erected, between the Jewes and Gentiles; and therefore you doe not well to apply this unto the Gentiles, in diſtinction from the Church of God: for, was not Job, and ſuch like, in thoſe dayes, of the Church of God? doth not God ſend his friends unto him, that hee might ſacrifice for them, God himſelfe promiſing to accept it? Secondly, you are to prove, that God doth intend the repentance of thoſe in whom hee doth not effect repentance: But Elihu, in Job, ſpeaks of God intending the repentance in thoſe in whom hee doth effect repentance; as it appeares, Verſ. 16, & 23, 24, 25. and yet I deny not but God may intend a kind of repentance even in the wicked; to wit, exteriorem vitae emendationem, as Auſtin ſpeaks; and ſo deliver them from judgement temporall, and make alſo their damnation more tolerable. Here you paſſe over from Gods naturall providence to a more gracious providence, but not with a right foot; as when you ſay, that becauſe this light alone did not ſo farre prevaile with the Gentiles, as to bring them to the knowledge of God in Chriſt; Therefore it pleaſed God, in the fulneſſe of time, to ſend the preaching of the Goſpel amongst them: You ſhould have ſaid rather, Becauſe this light alone could not prevaile: but ſo, perhaps, you had much prejudiced your owne Tenet. I ſay, you ſhould have rather ſaid ſo; ſeeing you undertake to give the cauſe of this enterchange of the providence of God: For, to ſay onelyonly, It did not prevaile; is not to alledge any tolerable cauſe thereof; eſpecially, conſidering that you make the blame hereof wholly to lie upon mans wilfulneſſe: for by the ſame reaſon you might introduce a further courſe of Gods more gracious providence to bring men unto repentance, than any hee hath undertaken yet; for even the preaching of the Goſpel, thereby admoniſhing men to repent, doth not prevaile with moſt. There is another incongruity, as when you ſay, This light of nature alone did not prevaile; as if you would imply, that the light of grace alone doth prevaile: which, I preſume, you will confeſſe, is notoriouſly untrue; and that not onelyonly illumination of the mind, but the affection of the heart by the finger of God is neceſſarily required to bring men unto repentance. As for that which followeth therein, I doe moſt willingly and freely concurre with you, acknowledging that God condemnes none p. 81for not beleeving in Chriſt, of whom they had not heard; nor for tranſgreſſing the Law of Moſes, which they had not received; but onelyonly for ſinning againſt the Law of nature, which was written in their hearts: For I verily beleeve, that where there is no Law, there is no tranſgreſſion. But, I preſume, you deliver this onelyonly in reference to men of ripe yeares, and doe not concurre with Arminians, in maintaining that all infants dying in their infancy are ſaved. Thus, from Gods providence concerning the Gentiles, I come unto his providence concerning the Jewes.

2. Of the ſufficiency of outward meanes of grace granted unto the Jewes, to bring them unto repentance, no man makes queſtion: yet ſeeing that among them, all were not precious, but many were found vile enough, and reprobate ſilver, according to that, Rom. 9. 6. All are not Iſrael which are of Iſrael; and that of the Prophet, Eſay 10. 22. Though the number of the children of Iſrael were as the ſand of the ſea, yet but a remnant ſhall be ſaved: and how few were thoſe repreſented by the basket of good figs, Jer. 24. 2. in compariſon to thoſe other naughty figs, which could not be eaten they were ſo evill? That God did intend the ſalvation and repentance of thoſe to whom hee never gave repentance and ſalvation, I hold it as impoſſible for you or any man to prove, as to pull God down from the throne of his omnipotency, or diſrobe him of his immutable perfection: For, unleſſe God continues to intend their repentance and ſalvation, even when they are damned, hee muſt be mutable; and if hee did will and deſire their ſalvation, the reaſon why they failed of ſalvation muſt needs be, becauſe God was not able to procure it. I never met yet with any other then vile ſhifts, to avoyd theſe conſequences, both in Arminius, and others that follow him. But conſider wee your proofes: nay, what proofe doe you bring to prove the point you undertake, namely, that God doth not onelyonly intend their repentance, but that in the firſt place; and yet you cannot deny but that this, which you ſay God intends in the firſt place, never comes to paſſe: whereas the other, which God intends (you confeſſe) though in a latter place, doth come to paſſe. But becauſe I think it were abſurd to conceive, that God intends their repentance whom hee purpoſeth to harden, leſt they ſhould convert, and God ſhould heale them; therefore I am willing to conſider what you bring to the contrary. Your firſt place is out of Deut. 8. 16. Who p. 82fed thee in the wilderneſſe with manna, which thy fathers knew not, to humble thee, and to prove thee, and that hee might doe thee good in thy latter end. That of humbling thee, Junius and Piſcator reads thus, ut affligeret te; belike, partly in reference to that which followeth, and to prove thee; (for as much as temporall humiltation hath more congruity to the proving of them, than ſpirituall; as whereby they humble themſelves, and which followeth the proving of them, rather than goeth before it;) partly in reference to the third Verſe, going before, where it is ſaid more at full, Therefore hee humbled thee, and made thee hungry, and fed thee with manna, which thou kneweſt not, neither did thy fathers know it; that he might teach thee, that man liveth not by bread onelyonly. By which words wee may gather a faire interpretation of that you alledge: If it be ſpoken of humiliation ſpirituall, thus, Hee fed thee with manna to humble thee; that is, to teach thee to humble thy ſelfe: and ſo indeed his providence, providing alike to them all, did equally teach them all to humble themſelves. But did God intend that every one ſhould, de facto, humble himſelfe? why then did hee not give them eyes to ſee, and eares to heare, and an heart to perceive, as Deut. 29. 4. Moſes tells them plainly, ſaying, Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to ſee, and eares to heare, unto this day. I deny not but God did manifeſt, by the courſe of his providence towards them, what hee did require and deſerve at their hands, namely, that they ſhould humble themſelves to walke with the Lord their God; and the phraſe, to humble thee, applyed even to the moſt carnall, may have a faire conſtruction, that thou ſhouldſt be humbled, or, humble thy ſelfe, underſtanding it ex officio; for hereby hee did manifeſt that this was their duty, anſwerable to Gods proceedings with them: and yet futher, conſidering that hee repreſenteth his owne gracious proceedings with them, by the proceedings of an earthly father with his children, Verſe 5. Know therefore in thine heart, that as a man nurtureth his ſonne, ſo the Lord thy God nurtureth thee; no marvell if he expreſſeth his affections and deſires towards them, ſuteable to the deſires and affections of an earthly father, who being not able effectually to procure their amendment, yet deſires it. And this is Gods uſuall courſe, to expreſſe himſelfe in ſuch language, per foreign. But, ſhall wee hereupon take liberty to build doctrines, as touching p. 83the nature of God, as if that which is figuratively uttered were properly delivered? Hee proved them all, I confeſſe, and upon the probation ſome proved good ſilver, and others no better than droſſe; and thereupon hee did good to the one in their latter end, and not unto the other: Neither did hee ever purpoſe, that good in their latter end ſhould redound unto any, but as they ſhould be humbled: wherein, humiliation is made the condition of doing them good, not of Gods purpoſe or intention: And withall, God gave unto thoſe that were truly mortified, that is, truly humbled, hearts to perceive, eyes to ſee, and eares to heare; but hee gave not the like grace unto all. And looke what is ſaid of Gods intention to humble them, the ſame may be ſaid of Gods intention to purge them, according to that Ezek. 24. 13. Becauſe I would have purged thee, and thou waſt not purged, thou ſhalt not bee purged from thy filthineſſe, till I have cauſed my wrath to light upon thee: I would have purged thee, voluntate praecepti, repreſented by the meanes uſed in his word; which failing, hee reſolveth to take another courſe, even by judgements in his works, meaning to goe on in avenging the quarrell of his Covenant, Levit. 26. 25. untill their uncircumciſed hearts were humbled, Levit. 26. 41. purpoſing ſo at length to effect it; as hee profeſſeth, Ezek. 22. 15. ſaying, I will ſcatter thee among the heathen, and diſperſe thee in the countries, and will cauſe thy filthineſſe to ceaſe from thee. Yet this is not ſo much by the power of afflictions, as by the power of his Spirit, Eſay 57. 17. For his wicked covetouſneſſe I was angry with him, and have ſmitten him: I hid me, and was angry; yet hee went away and turned after the way of his heart: I have ſeen his wayes, and I will heal them. But, when theſe ends are not attained, God complaines (you ſay) He had uſed theſe meanes in vaine. Indeed, Jer. 2. 20. hee ſaith, Of old have I broken thy yoke, and burſt thy bonds, and thou ſaidſt, I will no more tranſgreſſe; but, like an harlot, thou runneſt on all high hills, and under every green tree. But this is rather a conviction of their unfaithfulneſſe, in not keeping Covenant with him, than a complaint: But be it a complaint, as ſuch complaints are attributed unto God, like as men complaine when they cannot help; but take heed wee doe not here-hence inferre, that God is like man, not able to prevent croſſe events contrary to his expectation. Neither doth hee there ſay, Hee had uſed theſe p. 84meanes in vaine; for, before hee uſed them, he knew at leaſt (you will not deny it) what would be the iſſue; and no wiſe man, I think, will ſet himſelfe to doe that which hee knowes will prove vaine, in reſpect of the end intended by him. But Jer. 10. 30. the Lord ſaith thus, I have ſmitten your children in vaine, they have received no correction; and this plainly argueth (as you ſay) his firſt and chiefeſt intent was to heale, and not to harden. It is true, upon a ſuperficiall ſcanning of the place, it ſeemeth that God intended to heale them; but of any compariſon made between two ends intended, the one chiefly, the other ſecondarily, not the leaſt glympſe of evidence. But I deny that hee intended healing at all in this caſe; for, if hee did, that being his owne worke, why did hee not heale them? Will you ſay, Becauſe they would not receive inſtruction, but went after the way of their own hearts ſtill? This is a vaine anſwer; for this is no impediment unto God; as I prove firſt by cleare evidence of Scripture, Eſay 57. 17. I have ſmitten him, and yet hee went after the way of his heart; nevertheleſſe mark what followes, I have ſeen his wayes, and I will heal them. Secondly, by cleare demonſtration of reaſon; to heale them, is to bring them to repentance: Now, will you ſay that God is ready to performe this, provided that they doe repent? If they repent already, what need is there of Gods grace to bring them to repentance? and what is it to prerequire repentance on mans part, to this end that God may give them repentance? as if man muſt firſt repent, and then God will give him repentance. But ſome will ſay, What then is the meaning of the Lord, ſaying, I have ſmitten your children in vaine, they have received no correction? I anſwer, we are to conceive Gods corrections to tend to this, according to that of Peter, knowing that the long-ſuffering of the Lord is ſalvation: or, God ſpeakes this, foreign, after the manner of earthly parents, ſeeking their childrens amendment by correction, but not obtaining it. And this being an end of correction in Gods children; in the wicked this end is not obtained. And what difference is there between meanes naturall and meanes morall, but this, meanes naturall have power to effect their ends, meanes morall are to admoniſh morall agents of their duty to doe this or that? and ſo the ends of Gods puniſhment is, that by them wee ſhould learne to amend our lives; as is ſignified in the Collects of our Church. In a word, naturall means tend p. 85to ends that ſhall be thereupon; morall means tend to ends that ſhould be; and each are uſually ſaid to be in vaine, when the end, according to each kind, is not obtained. God ſent his Sonne into the world, not that hee ſhould condemne the world, but that the world ſhould be ſaved by him. Moſt true; for hee ſent his Son into the world, to dye for the world; and to dye for them is to ſave them, and not to condemne them. But, for whom did hee ſend his Sonne into the world, to dye? Surely, for the world of Elect; even for thoſe whom God the Father had given him: Thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that hee ſhould give eternall life to all them that thou haſt given him, Joh. 17. 2. And if wee conſider the world, in diſtinction from thoſe whom God hath given him, hee plainly profeſſeth, that as hee did not pray for them, Joh. 17. 9. ſo hee did not ſanctifie himſelfe for them, Verſe 19. that is, offer himſelfe up upon the Croſſe; as Maldonate acknowledgeth to be the joynt interpretation of all the Fathers whom hee had read: And your ſelfe have but earſt confeſſed, that God did not (Joh. 3. 17.) give the world unto Chriſt, by him of grace to be bought (or brought) unto ſalvation. Undoubtedly, hee ſent not Chriſt into the world at all to procure any mans condemnation: neither doth Chriſt procure any mans condemnation; although infidelity and diſobedience to the word of Chriſt procures the condemnation of many. And I wonder what moved you ſo to ſpeake, as to imply it was Gods intent (though not chiefe intent) to ſend Chriſt into the world to procure the condemnation of any. At length wee are come to the foreign of the point controverted between us, in the words following; If they ſhould plead their condemnation to be unjuſt, for unbeleefe, becauſe they were not able to beleeve, Ver. 18. our Saviour anſwers by a reaſonable prevention, ver. 19. This is their condemnation, viz. the juſt cauſe of their condemnation, that when light came into the world, men loved darkneſſe rather than light; men choſe rather to cleave to their ſinfull eſtates, and wayes of darkneſſe, than to follow the light of the means of grace, which might have brought them on to beleeve in Chriſt. Firſt, let us conſider the Text it ſelfe, then your interpretation and accommodation thereof. Our Saviour doth plainly derive the cauſe of their unbeleefe, or diſapprobation of the Goſpel, ſignified in theſe words, They loved darkneſſe rather than light; I ſay, the p. 86cauſe of this our Saviour referres to their workes of darkneſſe, expreſſed in theſe words, Becauſe their deeds were evill. The full meaning whereof, I take to be this; The workes wherein they delight are evill; that is, workes of darkneſſe; and therefore no marvell if they hate the light, and preferre darkneſſe before it:

—Pulchra Lavernae, Da mihi fallere, da juſtum ſanctum que videri.

Noctem peccatis, & fraudibus objice nubem.

But give mee leave to make an honeſt motion: As it becomes us to take notice of this cauſe mentioned here, ſo it becomes us nothing leſſe to take notice of other cauſes mentioned in other places. Now, another cauſe of unbeleefe is mentioned Joh. 5. 44. and that of the ſame generall nature with this, but expreſſed in more ſpeciall manner by our Saviour, thus, How can yee beleeve, which receive honour one of another, and ſeeke not the honour that cometh from God onelyonly? Yet this is not all the cauſe of unbeleefe which the Scripture commends unto us; for the Apoſtle alſo takes notice of Sathans illuſions, in this worke of unbeleefe, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. If our Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt: Whoſe eyes the God of this world hath blinded, &c. And becauſe it is in the power of God to correct this delight wee take in evill workes, and to deliver us from the illuſions of Sathan, if it pleaſe him to ſhew ſuch mercy towards us; and when he doth not, he is ſaid to harden us; The hand of God in this our Saviour takes, notice of, as the cauſe of unbeleefe in man, Joh. 12. 39, 40. Therefore they could not beleeve, becauſe Eſaias ſaith againe, Hee hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they ſhould not ſee with their eyes, and underſtand with their heart, and be converted, and I ſhould heale them. Like as Moſes of old told the Jewes, ſaying, Deut. 29. 2, 3. Yee have ſeen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his ſervants, and unto all his land: The great temptations which thine eyes have ſeen, the ſignes, and thoſe great miracles: Ver. 4. Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to ſee, and eares to heare, unto this day. And this hee doth even then when his purpoſe was to reprove them for their naturall incorrigibleneſſe; for men ſinne never the leſſe obſtinately, becauſe God denyes them grace, but rather ſo much the more obſtinately; becauſe (as Auſtin well ſaith) Libertas ſine gratia non eſt libertas, ſed contumacia: and, conſequently, they are never a whit the leſſe faulty, p. 87though it be not in their power to correct that corruption of their hearts, whence this faultineſſe proceeds. And hereupon the Apoſtle gives way to the ſame objection, in effect, which you propoſe; for, having concluded that God hath mercy on whom hee will, and whom hee will hee hardeneth, hee gives place to ſuch an objection; Thou wilt ſay then, Why doth hee yet complaine? for who hath reſiſted his will? and anſwers it not as our Saviour doth; for our Saviour propoſed no ſuch objection to be anſwered, as you feigne, the Apoſtle doth plainly, and in expreſſe termes. Our Saviour diſcovers the immediate cauſe of unbeleefe, to wit, becauſe their hearts were ſet on evill; as it was ſometimes with the Coloſſians, Col. 1. 21. yet becauſe it was not in their power to change their hearts, but God alone; who will change them, through mercy, in whom hee will; and will not change them in others, but harden them. Hereupon the Apoſtle gives way to an objection, in a matter more ſublime than yours, as before mentioned, and anſwers it in this manner, O man, who art thou that diſputeſt with God? Shall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, Why haſt thou made mee thus? Hath not the Potter power, &c. which is an anſwer to ſuch a queſtion as this, Why doth God complaine of us for that which proceeds from the hardneſſe of our hearts, which God alone can cure, but will not; but rather, by denying us mercy, continues to harden us?

But now, let us conſider the interpretation and accommodation of this place, to the plea deviſed by you: The reaſon, you ſay, why men loved darkneſſe rather than light, is, becauſe men choſe rather to cleave to their ſinfull eſtates, and wayes of darkneſſe, than to follow the light of the meanes of grace, which might have brought them on to beleeve in Chriſt. It is great pity that by our owne phraſiologies wee ſhould raiſe unto our ſelves a miſt, whereby wee ſhould be the more unable to diſcerne the truth of God. Suppoſe the Paraphraſe were both ſound in it ſelfe, and congruous to the Text; yet give way, I pray, to ſuch a queſtion in the ſecond place, What was the reaſon that they choſe rather to cleave to their ſinfull eſtates, and wayes of darkneſſe, than to follow the light of the meanes of grace? If you anſwer any thing but that of our Saviour, Joh. 12. 39. Therefore they could not beleeve, becauſe Eſaias ſaith againe, Hee hath blinded their eyes, and hardned their heart, that they ſhould not ſee with their eyes, nor underſtand p. 88with their heart, and ſhould be converted, and I ſhould heal them; I will not ceaſe to purſue you, untill you come to this; and withall, put you to give a reaſon, why you ſhould not take hold of this anſwer of our Saviour Joh. 12. 39. as of that Joh. 3. 19. eſpecially, conſidering that if a queſtion were moved, Why ſome choſe rather to follow the light of the meanes of grace, than to cleave to their ſinfull eſtates, and wayes of darkneſſe? I doubt not but you would forth with anſwer, Becauſe God had mercy on them, and gave them hearts to know Chriſt, and to beleeve in him, 1 Joh. 5. 20. Phil. 1. 29. And ſeeing God doth not ſhew the like favour to others, to ſhew them the like mercy, which is, in Scripture phraſe, to harden, Rom. 9. 18. and Rom. 11. 7. or, not to give hearts to perceive, and eyes to ſee, and eares to heare, Deut. 29. 4. why ſhould wee not ſay plainly, that whereas the one takes a right way, it is becauſe God ſhewes mercy towards them, to give them ſo much grace; and whereas the other takes not the right, but the wrong way, it is becauſe God hardens them, in denying the like mercy and grace to them? like as our Saviour expreſly ſignifieth alſo, Joh. 8. 47. Hee that is of God heareth Gods words; yee therefore heare them not, becauſe yee are not of God. But if any man ſhall inquire, What then moved our Saviour to give this reaſon why men loved darkneſſe rather than light, to wit, this, becauſe their deeds were evill? I anſwer, hee gives the immediate cauſe why they loved not the light; that is, they had no mind to heare the doctrine of our Saviour: and that was, in reſpect of the convincing nature of it, and therein, like unto light, which makes every thing to appeare and be manifeſt, according to its proper hiew; whereas in darkneſſe all things are confounded; according to that Epheſ. 5. 13.

Now they who brought ill conſciences along with them, no marvell if they were quickly weary of our Saviours company: A pregnant example whereof wee have Joh. 8. 7. For when our Saviour ſaid unto them who brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, Let him that is among you without ſinne caſt the firſt ſtone at her. Ver. 9. When they heard this, being accuſed by their owne conſcience, they went out one by one, beginning at the eldeſt, even to the laſt. So that, indeed, the reaſon given by our Saviour Joh. 3. 19. is not ſo much a reaſon why they beleeved not, as why they liked not to heare him. Many did endure the hearing of him, p. 89yet were not brought to beleeve in him. Auſtin ſometimes propoſed ſuch a queſtion as this; Why doe not men doe this or that? As for example, Why doe they not facere quod juſtum eſt? and hee anſwers, Quia nolunt. But if you aske mee, Quare nolunt? Imus in longum, ſaith Auſtin. Yet, ſine prejudicio diligentioris inquiſitionis, hee takes upon him to anſwer it thus, Vel quia latet, vel quia non delectat. But marke what hee brings in upon the back of this; Sed ut innoteſcat quod latebat, & ſuave fiat quod minime delectabat, gratia Dei eſt quae hominum adjuvat voluntates. But the face of your diſcourſe tends to this, as if you were of opinion, that every naturall man hath ſo ſufficient grace, as to chooſe to follow the light of the meanes of grace, rather than to cleave to his ſinfull eſtate, and wayes of darkneſſe: and that not onelyonly if hee will, for if hee will, the greateſt part of the worke is done already; but that his will is indifferently of it ſelf inclinable to the one as well as to the other: which is ſo dangerous an opinion, and ſo oppoſite to the doctrine of Gods word, repreſenting the miſerable corruption of mans heart, and the peculiar power of Gods regenerating grace, that you are loath to breake out in plaine termes to profeſſe as much. Laſtly, whereas you ſay, The light of the meanes of grace, had it been followed, might have brought them to beleeve in Chriſt; You will not ſay, upon the following hereof they had been brought, but they might have beene brought to beleeve. By following the light of the meanes of grace, I underſtand a continuing to heare the word of God: Now, it is well knowne that many, nay moſt, in all probability, though they continue all their dayes to be hearers; yet, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes of ſome, ſo may wee ſay of them, They are ever learning, and never come to the knowledge, at leaſt to any ſaving knowledge, of the truth. On the contrary, Saul perſecuting the Church of God, even in the way, marching furiouſly, Jehu like, againſt the Profeſſors of the Goſpel, it pleaſed God to call him, and convert him. Wee know, ſaith Auſtin, that God hath converted the wills of men, not onelyonly averſas à verae ſide, ſed & adverſas verae ſidei. So that even oppoſition to grace God can cure, if it pleaſe him; and regenerate a man to bring him to faith and repentance, if it pleaſe him; and if hee doth not, certainly the reaſons can be no other, then becauſe hee will not; and that to his owne glorious ends, which is reaſon enough for the p. 90Creator to doe what hee will; his wiſedome in referring all to congruous ends, being his juſtice; as Aquinas acknowledgeth. Chriſt was willing and earneſt to gather Jeruſalem under his wings; and no marvell, hee was bound to doe all hee could, as the Miniſter of Circumciſion, to ſave his brethren; for hee was made under the Law, and was bound to love not onelyonly his brethren, but his enemies alſo, as well as wee are bound to ſhew the like love to all: But to inferre here-hence, that therefore it was the will of God to have healed and ſaved that part of Jeruſalem that would not, is a liberty which affection to a cauſe may take, but no reaſon doth juſtifie it. Like as our Saviour in his miniſtery, ſo the Prophets in theirs, deſired to doe as much good as they could to all: but here-hence it followeth not, that it was the will of God to convert all whom the Prophets deſired to convert. And as our Saviour by his teares, ſo the Prophets by their teares, did manifeſt their deſire to bring them to repentance, Jer. 13. 17.Jer 13:17to doe the uttermoſt of their power to bring them hereunto: but will you inferre here-hence, that God alſo did deſire to bring them to repentance? As for the phraſe of carrying thoughts of peace towards them, that is generall, and therefore ambiguous; and to what ſpecialty you doe referre it, I know not: Yet, according to the Scripture ſenſe thereof, it is nothing correſpondent to your opinion. For Gods thoughts of peace, in Scripture phraſe, towards his people, conſiſt not onelyonly in affording meanes, but in making them effectuall alſo to the procuring of ſuch a gracious diſpoſition in his people, as to make them fit for the mercies which God hath reſolved to conferre upon them; as Jer. 29. 10. But thus ſaith the Lord, That after ſeventy years be accompliſhed at Babel, I will viſit you, and performe my good promiſe towards you, and cauſe you to returne to this place. Verſe 11. For I know the thoughts that I have thought towards you, ſaith the Lord, even the thoughts of peace, and not of trouble, to give you an end, and your hope. Verſe 12. Then ſhall yee cry unto mee, and yee ſhall goe and pray unto me, and I will heare you. Ver. 13. And yee ſhall ſeek me, and find me, becauſe yee ſhall ſeek me with all your heart. Ver. 14. And I will be found of you, ſaith the Lord, and I will turne your captivity. And as for the former phraſe, in ſaying, It was the will of God to have healed them: In proportion to the place now alledged out of Jeremy, it may be p. 91granted, that God would have healed them; to wit, in caſe they would have converted unto God with all their heart, and with all their ſoule; as our Saviour ſignifies, Joh. 12. 40. and that out of Eſay 6. and like as God himſelfe expreſly profeſſeth, Deut. 4. 29. If from thence thou ſhalt ſeek the Lord thy God, thou ſhalt find him, if thou ſeek him with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoule. But is it, thinke you, in any unregenerate mans power to ſeek God with all their heart, and with all their ſoule? I thinke this is no more in the power of a man unregenerate, than it is in his power to love the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his ſoule: Now this is expreſly attributed to the circumciſion of the heart wrought by God, Deut. 30. 6. When you adde, that the will of God is, the world of unbeleevers ſhall not be ſhut out from Chriſt, if they ſhut not out themſelves through unbeleefe: This aſſertion of yours is ſuch as no man, that I know, denyes: And it is as true of the Elect as of the Reprobate; namely, that they ſhould be utterly ſhut out of Chriſt, if they ſhould ſhut out themſelves by ſmall unbeleefe; for, undoubtedly, the word of God is true, that ſaith, Whoſoever beleeveth, ſhall be ſaved; whoſoever beleeveth not, ſhall be damned. But leſt we ſhould ſeeme to be pleaſed with our owne errors, let us ſpeake diſtinctly, and keep our ſelves from confuſion: To be ſhut out of Chriſt, is, to be ſhut off from ſome benefit that is to be obtained by Chriſt. Now, if wee ſpeake of the benefit of forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and of ſalvation; the truth is plaine and diſtinct, that no man is bereaved of ſalvation and forgiveneſs of ſinnes by Chriſt, but through unbeleefe; and whoſoever beleeveth not, is excluded from pardon and ſalvation by Chriſt. But is there no other benefit wee obtaine by Chriſt, beſides forgiveneſſe of ſinnes and ſalvation? What thinke you of the gift of faith and repentance? are not thoſe ſpirituall bleſſings which wee obtaine in Chriſt, and for Chriſts ſake? Epheſ. 1. 3. If it be ſo, I pray conſider, Is it handſome to ſay, that none is ſhut off from the gift of faith, but through unbeleefe? Certainly, unbeleefe is no tolerable cauſe why God ſhould deny them the gift of faith, ſeeing all are in anbeleefe till God beſtowes upon them the gift of faith; neither can it be expected a man ſhould beleeve, till God gives him the gift of faith, if ſo be faith be indeed the gift of God, and not the work of mans free-will without any gift of God. As for your diſcourſe, though p. 92it tends to a concluſion, which, rightly underſtood, no man denyes in one ſenſe; nor will any wiſe man affirme in another ſenſe: I thinke fit to conſider that alſo. The Spirit, you ſay, convinceth the world of ſinne, becauſe they beleeved not in Chriſt; but the Spirit of God moveth to nothing, but what hee knoweth to be according to the will of God. Let all this be granted; yet nothing followeth here-hence but that it was the will of God that the world ſhould be convinced of ſinne, in not beleeving in Chriſt; which no intelligent man will deny. But yet, by your leave, it is no good conſequence to inferre here-hence, that, therefore it is the will of God that the world of unbeleevers ſhall not be ſhut out from Chriſt, if they ſhut not out themſelves by unbeleefe. Therefore, we grant both the antecedent and the conſequent: yet, by the way, as touching that which you affirme, that God ſent his Spirit to convince the world of ſinne, becauſe they beleeve not in Chriſt; this is a truth, wee confeſſe; but, perhaps, wee may be to ſeeke of the right accommodation hereof: for, where is the world convinced of ſinne, in not beleeving in Chriſt? or, to whom? I grant, to all beleevers the world of unbeleevers is by the Spirit of God convinced of ſinne, in not beleeving in Chriſt; but are they convinced hereof to themſelves, and in their owne conſciences? I grant this alſo, as often as it pleaſeth God to convert them by the power of his Spirit; then they are convicted of the ſinfull nature of their owne unbeleefe: Yet be it granted, that an unbeleever continuing in unbeleefe may be, and is, ſometimes convicted of the ſinfull nature of his unbeleefe; becauſe the Apoſtle ſaith of an heretique, that hee is foreign ▪ yet, that is not till after one and another admonition: nevertheleſſe, this makes nothing for you, unleſſe you maintain that Gods Spirit convicts them alſo of this, that it is in their power to beleeve; which power of beleeving you ſeeme to attribute to a man unregenerate, though you are loath to ſpeake plainly, in expreſſing ſo much. And you ſeem to intimate ſuch an Argument as this; They ſinne in not beleeving; therefore it is in their power to beleeve: But you may as well inferre, that wee ſinne in not keeping Gods Law; therefore it is in our power to keep it. Or, if you diſpute thus, The world is convicted of ſinne in not beleeving; therefore they have power to beleeve: You may as well diſpute thus; The regenerate are convicted that they ſinne, in that their fleſh luſteth p. 93againſt the Spirit; therefore it is in their power to keep the fleſh from luſting againſt the Spirit.

Beſides, when men quench the motions of the Spirit, and perſecute Anſw.the Miniſters of the word, how can they be ſaid, in ſo doing, to reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt, if the Holy Ghoſt went not about ſuch a worke, as to bring them to Chriſt, and to life by him? Could they be ſaid to reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt, if the workes of the Holy Ghoſt had never ſtriven with them to worke this worke in them? Thus then you ſee, thoſe three that beare witneſſe in heaven, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt, they all from heaven beare witneſſe of this point in hand, concerning the truth hereof: The Father, by the end of the creation of his workes and providence; the Sonne, by his end of enlightening the world, and of his coming into it to dye for it; the Holy Ghoſt, by his inward wreſtling in the hearts of men, doe all of them really proclaime, that it is the will and good pleaſure of God, as to ſave the Elect, not according to their owne workes, but his grace; ſo likewiſe to ſave the world of mankind, if their workes hinder not his good will towards them. Thus you ſee alſo a ſweet harmony between the Purpoſe, and the Covenant or Promiſe, and the Providence of God: This Purpoſe willeth life unto the world, upon the condition of their obedience and repentance: the Promiſe, in the Covenant of Workes, offereth life unto them likewiſe upon the ſame condition: the Providence of God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, provideth and applieth ſeverall meanes of life unto the world, upon the ſame tearmes. And there is in every godly man, renewed after the Image of God, a juſt concord betwixt his Purpoſe, his Covenant or Promiſe, and his Performance: So is there here the like in God. You may read what Gods purpoſe is toward the world, by his Covenant made with the world; and you may ſee both what his Covenant with them, and purpoſe of them is, by his performance and axecution of them both, in his actuall providence, in the fulneſſe of time. If you ask how God may be ſaid to purpoſe any thing that is not effectually accompliſhed? I anſwer, the act of Gods will, which hee is pleaſed to put forth, is alwayes accompliſhed: There is no good thing poſſible to be, though it never come to paſſe, (as that all men ſhould in all things obey the word of God) but God paſſeth upon it ſome act of his will; hee at leaſt approveth it to be good, and good it is, though it never come to paſſe: This act is not diſappointed; for p. 94as hee will prove it, ſo likewiſe doth hee approve it. Doth God command this or that good duty to be done, which is not done? Yet that act of his will which hee puts forth is done: as hee willed to command it, ſo hee did command it. Doth God purpoſe to give life to the world upon condition of obedience, and accordingly give means to help them to the performance of this obedience, ſo farre as it is meet for them to doe? Surely God performeth it on his part, although men performe it not on their part: their ſalvation is indeed diſappointed, but not Gods will; who never willed to give ſalvation to them, but upon that condition.

The motions of the Spirit which are quenched, are godly motions, in the way of admonition, perſwaſion, exhortation; and they Examin.are quenched not onelyonly in the men of the world, but too often in the children of God; the fleſh too often prevailing in their luſtings againſt the ſpirit, whereby are quenched for a time the motions of the Spirit; that is, the regenerate part luſting againſt the fleſh; and conſequently, the motions alſo of the Spirit of God admoniſhing and inviting unto good, either by the hearing of the word, or by the obſervation of Gods works. This worke of morall motion and invitation is wrought ſometimes with a purpoſe to worke obedience conformable thereunto; ſometimes with no ſuch purpoſe; as often as God doth not make them effectuall to the working of obedience, whether in the unregenerate or regenerate, for even theſe ſometimes (yea, too oft) erre from Gods wayes, and have their hearts hardened againſt his feare: for, if God had a purpoſe to make them effectuall, who ſhould hinder him? Who hath reſiſted his will? cui nullum humanum reſiſt it arbitrium (ſaith Auſtin;) for, ex nolentibus volentes facit. Undoubtedly, morall invitations, if they be not yeelded unto, are juſtly ſaid to be reſiſted, to what end ſoever they be made, whether to convert them, or to leave them without excuſe; even ſuch an excuſe as Auſtin ſpeaks of, when hee ſaith, Dicere ſolet humana ſuporbia, Si ſciſſem, feciſſem. I ſee no reaſon why you ſhould deny the Elect to be ſaved according to their workes; our Saviour doth manifeſt, Mat. 25. that they are ſo: Come yee bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdome prepared for you, &c. For I was an hungred, and you fed mee, &c. and can it be denyed, but that God rewardeth every man according to his workes? I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the p. 952 Tim. 4.2 Tim 4faith, ſaith Paul; Henceforth there is laid up for mee a crown of righteouſneſſe. God is not unrighteous, to forget the labour of 1 Theſ. 1.1 Thess 1your love, &c. Looke to your ſelves, ſaith John, that wee may not loſe the things that wee have done, but wee may receive a full reward. Piſcator, a preciſe Divine, ſpareth not to profeſſe, that fides is cauſa ſalutis: They are not, I confeſſe, cauſa meritoria, as ſinne is cauſa damnationis; but they are cauſae diſpoſitivae, according to the Apoſtles phraſe, God hath made us meet partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Neither doe I ſee any reaſon why you ſhould oppoſe grace and good workes, in the point of ſalvation, howſoever they are oppoſed in the point of juſtification: The place you point unto for proofe, treats not of the ſalvation of glory, but of the ſalvation of grace, conſiſting in effectuall 2 Tim. 1 9.2 Tim 1:9calling; as the Text it ſelfe manifeſteth. Had you ſpoken plainly, as you might, and as ſometimes you doe, even in this Section, more than once; as when you ſay, Gods Purpoſe willeth life to the world, upon the condition of their obedience and repentance, it would manifeſtly appeare, that there was no reaſon to diſtinguiſh the Elect from the Reprobate, in this Purpoſe of God, ſeeing it equally paſſeth upon them both. For, undoubtedly, Gods Purpoſe is not to give the Elect life, but upon condition of their obedience and repentance. And likewiſe, his Purpoſe was to condemne all, one as well as another, upon the condition of their diſobedience and unrepentance. But, had you dealt thus plainly, then you would be driven to acknowledge another decree, which alone puts the difference between the Elect and the Reprobate; and that is, the decree of God to ſhew mercy, in giving the grace of obedience and repentance unto the one; and of hardening, in denying the grace of obedience and repentance unto the other. But this plaine-dealing had utterly marred the ſtate of your preſent diſcourſe, in this particular. Yet, to touch ſomething by the way; How, I pray, doth God the Father, by the end of the Creation of his workes and Providence, beare witneſſe to this Point, that it is the will and good pleaſure of God to ſave the Elect, not according to their owne workes, but his grace? Secondly, if God the Sonne died for the whole world, Reprobate and Elect, how doth this teſtifie that onelyonly a few, called the Elect, ſhould be ſaved by Gods grace? Is there any greater grace than the grace of Redemption by the bloud of Chriſt, which is both of a ſatisfactory p. 96nature for all ſinne, and of a meritorious nature to purchaſe all grace and all glory? And ſhall not God deale with Chriſt according to the exigence of his merits and ſatisfactions? whether they were meritorious and ſatisfactory ſo farre of their owne nature, or by the conſtitution of God, all is one. Laſt of all, as touching the motions of the Spirit, if they are no other then morall invitations, they tend to no other end then to bring all men alike unto ſalvation, in caſe they are obeyed; and to expoſe all alike unto condemnation, in caſe they are diſobeyed. If wee ſpeake of other motions making the former effectuall unto obedience and repentance, theſe being found onelyonly in the Elect, are documents of Gods will and purpoſe to ſave them to whom they are granted; and as manifeſt a document, that Gods will and purpoſe is not to ſave them to whom they are denyed.

As for the harmony you ſpeake of, between Gods Purpoſe and Covenant, herein is your error two-fold: Firſt, in that you apply this wholly to the world, to Reprobates; whereas it concernes, as I have ſhewed, the Elect as well as the Reprobate; the reaſon whereof is, becauſe it reſpects onelyonly the collating of ſalvation, and inflicting of condemnation, which have their courſe upon condition. But there is another worke of Gods Providence, concerning the giving or denying of grace for performing the condition of life: And this worke is not performed upon any condition, but meerly according to the good pleaſure of God, in ſhewing mercy to whom hee will, and hardening whom he will. And, the Purpoſe of God for the execution of theſe is clearly abſolute, without all colour of condition. And whereas you conceive this Purpoſe of God, thus abſolute, concernes onelyonly the Elect, that is your ſecond error: For, God doth not more abſolutely grant the gift of obedience and repentance unto his Elect, than hee doth deny it unto Reprobates; as I doubt not but will be made clearly to appeare, if you ſhould come to a Collation hereabout. But I doe not thinke you have any purpoſe to deale upon this, but carry your ſelfe in a way of your owne, not exactly conſidered, wherein confuſion, of things that are to be diſtinguiſhed, doth afford you the beſt ſervice. As for the third, which this harmony you ſpeake of comprehends, to wit, the Providence of God, I left that out, becauſe you ſhape to your ſelfe ſuch a Providence of God, as whereby God did provide for all men, in all ages, ſufficient p. 97meanes of grace, to bring them to obedience and repentance: which ſeemes to be the opinion of the Author who wrote the two bookes De vocatione Gentium. For the juſtification of which conceit, though Arminians now-adayes relye much upon that Author, in this particular, I freely confeſſe, I know no reaſon, nor colour of reaſon. As for the compariſon you make between a godly regenerate man and God, you might as well have ſhaped it betweene many an honeſt heathen man and God. But you conſider not a moſt momentous difference; man purpoſeth to doe things upon conditions, the performance or not performance whereof he is not able to fore-ſee, much leſſe able to diſpoſe of efficacy to performe the condition to whom hee will, and to deny it to whom hee will; all which is incident unto God, and caſts us neceſſarily upon the acknowledgement of an abſolute Purpoſe in God to performe this, as hee thinkes good; which is not to be found in man. Againe, you conceive this Purpoſe and Covenant of God to be made onelyonly with the world, who will never performe it: Man enters upon no ſuch Purpoſes and Covenants; but rather ſuch, the conditions whereof are as ſoon performed as not performed. And I wonder you ſhould ſwallow this compariſon, as exact, not conſidering the foule diſproportion that is found therein between God and man: But affection to our owne opinion, I confeſſe, is apt to abuſe us, and make us take notice onelyonly of that which makes for us, not of that which makes much more againſt us.

As for the Objection here inſerted, in the Anſwer whereunto, you trouble your ſelfe not a little, you might well have ſpared your paines, and anſwered in briefe, that though it were very ſtrange that any thing ſhould not be accompliſhed which God doth will abſolutely; yet, ſurely, it is nothing ſtrange, that that ſhould not be accompliſhed which God doth will to come to paſſe onelyonly upon a condition; for, the condition failing, there is no reaſon why wee ſhould expect the accompliſhment thereof. And ſuch is the will of God which here you propoſe concerning the world, namely, in willing that they ſhall be ſaved, on condition of their obedience and repentance; damned, in caſe of their diſobedience and impenitency. Yet, it is not amiſſe to conſider what you let fall in your Anſwer, to an Objection very needleſſe, and which no wiſe man, amongſt them who are adverſe to you in this opinion, would p. 98frame; That act of Gods will (you ſay) which it pleaſeth God to put forth, is alwayes accompliſhed: I demand then, as touching this will of God whereby hee wills life to the world upon their obedience and repentance, whether it be accompliſhed or no? If it be, then it is accompliſhed in their condemnation; for, certainly, it is not accompliſhed in their ſalvation. And to this effect, I preſume, tends your anſwer in the next Section. That which followes, when you ſay, There is no good thing poſſible to be, though it never come to paſſe, (as that all men in all things ſhould obey the word of God) but that God paſſeth upon it ſome act of his will; This, I ſay, is nothing to the purpoſe; and that for two reaſons: Firſt, becauſe it proceeds of morall good; whereas the object foreign riſing from the conſideration of God willing ſalvation to the world, upon their obedience and repentance, had not its courſe of good morall, which is mans duty; but of ſome good naturall, which he ſhould receive by way of reward. Secondly, accompliſhment of a thing willed, conſiſts not in the approving of it, but in bringing of it to paſſe; as all men know, by common notion. When as you ſay, as touching Bonum, that God as hee will prove it, ſo hee doth approve it; as if approving of it were for the preſent, and proving of it were for the time to come, is ſo wilde an expreſſion, that I cannot comprehend it. Wee uſe by proving a thing, to approve it as good; and not firſt approve it, and then prove it. As little to the purpoſe is that which followeth, as when you ſay, When God commands a duty, his will of command is accompliſhed: But, whereas God is ſaid to will the thing that hee commands, here ariſeth a queſtion, how that can be ſaid to be willed by God, which moſt commonly is not accompliſhed? For, albeit the will of command is accompliſhed, by the commanding of this or that, yet Gods will of the thing commanded ſeemes not to be accompliſhed, unleſſe the thing willed by God be ſometimes brought to paſſe. The truth is, your opinion ſeemes to be, That God not onelyonly willeth the ſalvation of the world, upon the condition of their repentance, (for that is no more to will their ſalvation, than their damnation) but that God willeth and deſireth their ſalvation abſolutely, in as much as hee willeth and deſireth their repentance. I confeſſe you doe not in expreſſe termes profeſſe as much; namely, that God willeth and deſireth the repentance of Reprobates; yet hitherto you ſeeme to tend, in this diſcourſe of yours, though concerning p. 99this you ſay no more than this, That God gives meanes to help them to the performance of this obedience, ſo farre as is meet for him: which while you profeſſe, I doubt you underſtand not your owne meaning; and therefore no marvell if others doe not underſtand it: For, how farre he doth help them, you expreſſe in a very uncertaine manner; which is rather to conceale, than to diſcover and expreſſe your meaning. But I will endeavour to bolt it out. Theſe meanes you ſpeake of are either morall onelyonly, conſiſting in inſtructing them wherein this obedience doth conſiſt, and urging them by perſwaſion thereunto; or, in affording, beſides this, ſome efficacious operation of Gods Spirit, to worke them to this obedience. Now, this latter cannot be your meaning; for if this were afforded them, their obedience, certainly, would be wrought: but the world, of whom you ſpeake, doe never perform this obedience. Now, in granting the other, there is not ſo much evidence of Gods will that they ſhall performe this obedience, as by the denying of this wee have evidence, that his will is not that they ſhall performe this obedience. Againe, in reſpect of meanes morall, can any be ſaved without the meanes of true faith and true repentance? I thinke you will not ſay they can: Then conſider, have all men ſufficient inſtruction unto the performance of true faith and true repentance? How will you be able to make this good? Hand over head, you ſay, God gives meanes to help them to the performance of this obedience, ſo farre as is meet for him to doe: yet, I am perſwaded, you are not able to make this good, taking it according to the confuſe generality wherein you expreſſe it. For, is it not meet for God to afford any Nation or particular perſons his word and Goſpel, as well as it is meet for him to afford it us? Nay, is it not as meet for God to afford any other perſon both the outward meanes, and the inward efficacious operation of his holy Spirit, to worke them unto faith and true repentance, as well as by theſe meanes hee hath been pleaſed to worke us hereunto? This meetneſſe, what is it but that which Schoolmen call, Juſtitia condecentiae, and which they profeſſe doth accompany every action of God? So that had God afforded the ſame grace to others which hee hath afforded unto us, hee had carried himſelfe therein meetly, that is, juſtly, juſtitia condecentiae. Againe, had hee denyed the ſame grace to us which hee hath denyed unto others, he had herein alſo carried himſelfe meetly, or p. 100decently, that is, juſtly, juſtitia condecentiae. I am ſorry to obſerve from ſuch good mens pens ſuch illuſions to have their courſe, to the obſcuring of the grace of God, and his ſoveraignty of diſpenſing it to whom hee will. This very ayre I find breathed forth in the writings of others, and it ſeemes to mee very probable, that they have derived it from hence.

Beſides, to cleare this point more fully, the will of God towards Anſw.the world is put forth in a disjunct axiome; viz. either to give life unto the world, upon the condition of their obedience; or to inflict death, upon the condition of their diſobedience. Now, as in a disjunct axiome the whole proportion is true, if either part be true; ſo the will put forth in a disjunct axiome is alwayes accompliſhed, if either act be accompliſhed.

But if it be objected, how may it appeare this will of God to give life to the world, upon condition of their obedience, is ſerious and not pretended; ſince if hee would hee is able to give them ſuch hearts as would cauſe them to obey him?

I anſwer; That God willeth it ſeriouſly, appeares manifeſtly by the declaration of his will already mentioned; viz. his Oath, his Covenant, yea, and the workes of each Perſon in the Trinity, tending to this end, to give life to the world: all which it were blaſphemy to thinke they were not done ſeriouſly. Doth the living God ſweare, and not ſweare in earneſt? God forbid. Doth God enter into Covenant with his creature, and intend no performance of promiſe according to his Covenant? farre be it from the juſt and holy God to doe it, and from us to imagine it. Shall we think each Perſon in the Trinity ſlighteth the worke of the ſalvation of mankind, becauſe mankind ſlighteth to worke out their ſalvation with the Trinity?

But, beſides the declaration of Gods will, thus ſeriouſly expreſſed, I produce the teares of our Saviour over Jeruſalem, lamenting their careleſſe neglect of the day of their peace: which argued, not onelyonly in Christ as man, a ſerious compaſſion of their affected ignorance and miſery; but alſo, as God, a tender conſideration of their peace, and of providing the meanes for it. Moreover, what ſhall wee thinke of thoſe paſſionate exclamations? Oh, that there were in this people an heart to feare mee, and to keep my commandements alwayes, that it may goe well with them, and with their children for ever! Oh, that they were wiſe, that they p. 101underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end! Oh, that my people had hearkened unto mee, and that Iſrael had walked in my wayes! I ſhould ſoon have ſubdued their enemies, and turned my hand againſt their adverſaries. Do not all theſe ſpeeches expreſſe an earneſt and ſerious affection in God, as concerning the converſion and ſalvation of this people, whereof ſundry died in their ſinnes? It is true, God might have given them ſuch hearts as to have feared and obeyed him; which though hee did not, yet his will that they had ſuch hearts was ſerious ſtill. To cleare it by a compariſon: The father of the family hath both his ſon and ſervant dangerouſly ſick of the ſtone; to heale them both, the father uſeth ſundry medicines, even all that art preſcribeth, except cutting: when hee ſeeth no other remedy, he perſwades them both to ſuffer cutting, to ſave their lives: they both refuſe it; yet his ſonne hee taketh, and bindeth him hand and foot, and cauſeth him to endure it, and ſo ſaveth his life. His ſervant alſo hee urgeth with many vehement inducements, to ſubmit himſelfe to the ſame remedy; but if a ſervant obſtinately refuſe, hee will not alwayes ſtrive with him, nor enforce him to ſuch breaking and renting of his body. But yet, did not his Maſter ſeriouſly deſire his healing and life, though hee did not proceed to the cutting aſunder of his fleſh, which hee ſaw his ſervant would not abide to heare of? So in this caſe, both the elect and men of this world are dangerouſly ſicke of a ſtony heart; to heale both ſorts the Lord uſeth ſundry meanes; promiſes, judgements, threatnings, and mercies: when all faile, hee perſwades them to breake their hearts and the ſtone thereof, with cutting and wounding of their conſciences: when they refuſe, hee draweth them both; the one with his almighty power, the other with the cords of man, (viz. ſuch as are reſiſtible) to this cutting and wounding, that their ſoules might live: and the elect are brought to yeeld; and the men of this world break all cords aſunder, and caſt away ſuch bonds from them. Shall we now ſay, God did not ſeriouſly deſire the healing of ſuch mens hearts, becauſe hee procured not to bind them with ſtrong cords, to breake them with ſuch woundings as they will not abide to heare of? Thus having laid downe the grounds of my judgement touching the firſt Point, That there is a will and purpoſe in God for to reward the world as well with life, upon condition of obedience; as p. 102with death, upon condition of diſobedience; I come now to the grounds of the ſecond Point.

You proceed in clearing a difficulty deviſed and ſhaped without Examin.all ground; as if any ſober man would find it ſtrange, that a conditionate will of God ſhould not be accompliſhed as often as the condition failes. And to this purpoſe you make uſe of the nature of a disjunct axiome. All-along I ſavour others that have graſed here, yet have not reſted themſelves contented with this, but proceeded further to more erroneous opinions.

A ſecond objection you propoſe, in the ſecond place, the ſolution whereof you ſeeme to travell with, much more than of the former: and yet the objection is altogether as cauſeleſſe, and without all juſt ground, as the former. I have now been ſomething more than ordinarily converſant in theſe Controverſies, for the ſpace of ſeventeen yeares; I never yet met with any of our Divines, or any other, that made any queſtion whether Gods will, being granted to paſſe on any object, were ſerious yea or no: I ſhould thinke, there is no intelligent man living that makes any doubt of this; but puts it rather out of all queſtion, that whatſoever God wills, hee wills it ſeriouſly. I confeſſe, the Arminians doe uſually obtrude ſome ſuch things on our Divines, yet not altogether ſuch; for they doe not obtrude upon us, as if wee ſaid, God doth not will ſeriouſly that which hee willeth; but rather, that hee doth not ſeriouſly exhort and admoniſh all thoſe whom hee doth admoniſh to beleeve and repent: as if hee made ſhew onelyonly of deſiring their obedience and ſalvation, when indeed hee doth not. Yet, you ſeeme to ſweat not a little in debellating this man of ſtraw. Upon theſe termes I might eaſily diſpatch my ſelfe of all further trouble, in examining your elaborate Anſwer to ſo cauſeleſſe an Objection: but I will not; for it may be you inſperſe ſomething by the way of oppoſition to that which you doe profeſſe; which is this, That God doth not at all will the obedience and repentance of any but thoſe who are his Elect. And I would not pretermit any evidence you bring to countenance your cauſe, in oppoſition to our Tenent, unanſwered. That Gods Oath, or Covenant, or the workes of any Perſon in the Trinity tends to the end by you mentioned, namely, to give life to the world; is utterly untrue. Likewiſe, it is utterly untrue, that you p. 103have hitherunto proved any ſuch thing; For, that which you here deliver as Gods end in giving life, is propoſed ſimply and abſolutely; but that which hitherunto you have endeavoured to prove, is onelyonly this, that Gods will was to give the world life conditionally: to wit, upon their obedience and repentance: and that, as, in the laſt place coming to the point, you have expreſſed it in a disjunct axiome, thus, To give life to the creature, upon his obedieace; or to inflict death upon his diſobedience: Now let any ſober man judge, whether in this caſe the will of God be more to give life, than to inflict death; more paſſing upon the ſalvation of the creature, than upon his eternall condemnation? Could you prove, that God doth will at all the ſalvation of any other ſave his Elect, I would forthwith grant hee wills it ſeriouſly: I ſhould thinke it no leſſe than blaſphemy to thinke, that God doth either will, or ſweare, or covenant, or doe that which hee doth, not ſeriouſly; as blaſphemy conſiſts in attributing that to God which doth not become him. I nothing doubt but that if all and every one ſhould beleeve and repent, all and every one ſhould be ſaved: and none other thing hitherto have you ſo much as adventured to prove, in this particular whereupon now we are. But then, it behoves you to look unto it, on the other ſide, how you cleare your ſelfe from blaſphemy in the ſame kind, while you maintain that God doth will the ſalvation of thoſe which ſhall never be ſaved: which not in my judgement only, but in the judgement of Auſtin, of old, doth mainly trench upon Gods omnipotency; for, if hee would ſave them, but doth not, hee is hindered and reſiſted by ſomewhat; and, conſequently, his will is not omnipotent, nor irreſiſtible. And more than this, here-hence it will follow, that either God continues ſtill to will their ſalvation, even after they are damned, or elſe God is changed. And if theſe be not blaſphemies, and foule ones too, I know not what is blaſphemy. I know not what you meane by, ſlighting the ſalvation of mankind; but, ſure I am, it is your own opinion, that in caſe man ſlights the working out of his ſalvation, God is ſo farre from willing his ſalvation, that hee hath unretractably decreed his everlaſting condemnation. As for the ſalvation of mankind, this being an indefinite ſpeech, wee are ready with your ſelfe to maintaine, that God hath peremptorily decreed (to wit) the ſalvation of his Elect; and it is not faire to make uſe of indefinite ſpeeches, the truth whereof p. 104is confeſſed on all hands, by prejudice of an indefinite truth to draw your Readers to the embracing of your definite Tenet, which is void of truth. And can it be denyed by you, that God from everlaſting hath decreed the condemnation of them, whoſe ſalvation you would not have us thinke he ſlighteth?

Our Saviours teares not onelyonly argued in him a ſerious compaſſion, as man, but a ſerious deſire alſo of their ſalvation; and whom hee wept over, out of that love hee owed unto them (being made under the Law) hee was bound to deſire their ſalvation, as wee are bound to deſire the ſalvation of all thoſe to whom we are ſent; though this deſire on all hands ought to have courſe (and that by the very Law of God) with ſubmiſſion to his will: But, that it argued in him, as God, a will or deſire to ſave them, your modeſty would not permit you to expreſſe; although the face of your Tenet is as manifeſtly ſet towards this marke, as ever our Saviours face was ſet towards Jeruſalem. As for the conſideration of their peace, which you attribute unto him, were it extant, it were impoſſible but as God hee ſhould conſider it; were it to come to paſſe, it were no leſſe impoſſible but hee ſhould purpoſe it and effect it: but ſeeing it was never to come to paſſe, hee could no otherwiſe conſider it then as a thing poſſible, but ſuch as ſhould never come to paſſe; and it was equally impoſſible, as the former, that hee ſhould not ſo conſider it. But I doe eaſily imagine what you meane, though you are very loath to ſpeake it out; (which, to deale plainly with you, is nothing faire) ſave that I am verily perſwaded it proceeds not out of any ill mind in you, but partly out of feare (by ſpeaking plainly) to give offence to good men; and partly out of ſome conſcientiouſneſſe of your inability to juſtifie it: namely, that Chriſt, as God, did conſider it as a thing poſſible, with a tender affection deſiring it. And indeed, otherwiſe the word tender added to conſideration, attributed to God, comes in very incongruouſly; for, in proper ſpeech, to conſider a thing tenderly, is to conſider a thing paſſionately; which is incident to man, but not to God. As for the other object which you make of Gods conſideration, namely, the providing of means for their peace; this is brought in too too unſeaſonably; for the time thereof was at this time out of ſeaſon, as our Saviour himſelfe ſignifieth when hee ſaith, But now they are hid from thine eyes: And were it never ſo ſeaſonable, yet were it little or nothing p. 105to the purpoſe; for what outward meanes ſoever he affords them, yet if hee afford them not the efficacious operation of his holy ſpirit, it is a manifeſt document, that his purpoſe is to glorifie himſelfe in their everlaſting condemnation, rather than in their ſalvation. But whereas hitherto you have but prevaricuted, pleading for that which no man denyes, namely, that Gods purpoſe towards them is but in a disjunct manner, either for ſalvation if they obey, or for condemnation in caſe they diſobey; or, onelyonly in a conditionate manner willing life unto them, and that, upon ſuch a condition as hee well knowes will never be performed by them; all-along concealing your opinion, and ſparing to deale plainly, in an open profeſſion thereof: Now, at length, you are come to broach it; and that is, not onelyonly that God wills either their ſalvation or condemnation, according as they ſhall be found to repent or not repent; or, that hee wills life unto them, upon condition of their obedience and repentance; giving hitherto not the leaſt inckling of your meaning to be this, that hee wills alſo and deſires their obedience and repentance. Now you take heart to open this myſtery of your meaning alſo, namely, that there is in God an earneſt and ſerious affection, as concerning the converſion and ſalvation of the world, which never are, nor ſhall be ſaved: Yet here alſo you give cauſe to complain, that you walk not with a right foot, ſparing to expreſſe your meaning home; for you apply it onelyonly to the people of Iſrael, which is an indefinite terme, and may be applied to the Elect; concerning whom, there is no queſtion of Gods earneſt and ſerious affection concerning their ſalvation: All are not Iſrael, that are of Iſrael (ſaith the Apoſtle;) So that Iſrael are Gods choſen, in the Apoſtles phraſe: And there is an univerſitas electorum, yea, and mundus electorum too; as the Author of the bookes De vocatione Gentium obſerveth. Againe, that which, in the places alledged by you, is applied to Iſrael onelyonly, you, by your Tenet, doe, and muſt extend to all that are not elect, to the very Turks and Saracens of theſe dayes, though you have no ſuch exclamations to ſerve your turne withall, to prove Gods earneſt and ſerious affection concerning their ſalvation, though this be the moſt colourable Argument which you have to ſtand you in ſtead, in this particular. But, why ſhould a ſlight and colourable interpretation of holy Scripture caſt you, or any ſober man, upon ſuch an opinion, the abſurdity whereof p. 106is evident by the light of nature? For, doth not God know full well that, notwithſtanding all the meanes which hee uſeth to bring them to obedience, they will ſtill continue in the hardneſſe of their heart? Doth hee not alſo know full well, that hee could give them ſuch a grace as ſhould break the hardneſſe of their heart, and make them humble and obedient, with upright hearts? And withall, hath hee not reſolved to deny them this grace, which he knew full well would prove effectuall to their converſion, and to grant them only ſuch a grace as hee knew would prove ineffectuall? Now, in this caſe, let every ſober Reader judge, whether God hath any affection to all (much leſſe earneſt) unto their ſalvation; and whether hee meaneth not rather to gloriſie himſelfe in their utter condemnation? To pretermit here my former Arguments, as namely, That this ſerious and earneſt affection, concerning their ſalvation, muſt ſtill continue, even after they are damned, or elſe God is mutable. And, that if God doth earneſtly deſire their obedience and repentance, that they might be ſaved; in caſe they doe not obey and repent, it followeth, that God is not able to effect it. But nevertheleſſe I am willing to conſider the ſtrength of your Argument: it is grounded upon a certaine Scripture phraſe, Oh that there were in this people an heart to fear me! Oh that they were wiſe! Oh that my people had hearkened unto mee! &c. Is it not great pity that good men, and good Divines, ſhould be carried away into odde opinions, upon the ſlight conſideration of a phraſe? The Hebrew phraſe runnes thus, Quis dubis ut cor eorum ſit hujuſmodi (i. e. ità diſpoſitum) illis, ut timeant me omnibus diebus vitae ſuae? This is, Quis praeſtabit? Who ſhall give, or effect, that ſuch an heart were in them, that they might feare mee all their dayes? Now, I pray, conſider; if this were ſpoken properly, might wee not anſwer God according to his owne language, and ſay, O Lord, doeſt thou aske who ſhall give or make good unto them ſuch an heart? why who ſhould doe ſuch a worke as this but thy ſelfe? for thou haſt made the heart, and thou alone canſt change it; we cannot change an haire of our head, much leſſe our heart: and thou in thy Covenant of grace haſt undertaken this, even to be our Lord and God, to ſanctifie us; and to this purpoſe thou haſt given us thy Sabbath, as a figne that thou the Lord doeſt ſanctifie us: to this and thou haſt given us thy word, which is that truth of thine, p. 107according unto godlineſſe, which alone can ſanctifie us: and thou haſt promiſed to circumciſe our hearts, and the hearts of our children, that they ſhall love the Lord our God with all our hearts; and as to love thee, ſo to feare thee alſo; and that, all our dayes: and to this purpoſe, to put thy feare in our hearts, that wee ſhall never depart from thee; yea, and to put thy ſpirit within us, and to cauſe us to walke in thy ſtatutes, and in thy judgements, and to doe them. And, ſurely, if God deſires ſuch an heart to be in us, hee will not falſe to give us ſuch an heart; ſeeing hee alone is able to worke ſuch an heart in us. Therefore I conclude, this is not to be underſtood properly, but figuratively: And you may as well inferre out of that of the Pſalmiſt, The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his eares are open unto their prayers, that God hath eyes and eares, in proper ſpeech; as out of ſuch places as theſe to conclude, that humane ineffectuall deſires and wiſhes and velleities are found in God. If God transferre upon himſelfe the members of our bodies, in a figure of ſpeech called foreign, why may hee not as well transferre upon himſelfe, by the ſame figure of ſpeech, the deſires and affections of our minds? eſpecially, conſidering that God hath made us apt to be moved and wrought upon by ſuch paſſionate expreſſions; and it is Gods uſuall courſe to worke in all things agreeably to their natures. And I make no queſtion but ſuch expreſſions are uſually prevalent with true Iſraelites, with Gods owne people; not ſo much by the force of a paſſionate expreſſion, which is accommodated to the condition of mans nature, as chiefly by the operation of Gods Spirit, whoſe ſword the Word of God is.

I doubt not but Gods will is ſerious, what way or courſe ſoever it takes; but you are very adventurous upon your Readers credulity, in endeavouring to perſwade him, that God willeth ſuch a gracious heart in them, in whom hee means not to worke; conſidering, as I preſume your ſelfe beleeve (although this diſcourſe of yours makes mee not a little to ſtagger in this mine apprehenſion) that God alone is able to worke ſuch an heart in any: yet you labour to expedite a facile way unto our faith, or credulity rather, to take hold of your Propoſition by a familiar compariſon; A father (you ſay) perſwades both his ſonne and his ſervant to be cut, both being dangerouſly ſicke of the ſtone; but when perſwaſions will not ſerve with his ſonne, hee taketh him and bindeth him p. 108hand and foot, and cauſeth him to endure it: The ſervant hee continueth to perſwade to endure the like courſe of cure, but proceedeth no further. In this caſe, you ſay, the Maſter doth ſeriouſly deſire the healing and life of his ſervant, though he did not proceed to the cutting aſunder of his fleſh: I grant all this; but I wonder not a little that your ſelfe doe not obſerve the incongruity in this compariſon, which on no ſide is ſutable; for the ſonne, in this caſe, is made to be cut againſt his will, that hee may be healed; but God forceth no man to converſion and repentance againſt his will, that hee may be healed; for, indeed, voluntas non poteſt cogi, at leaſt in reſpect of actus eliciti, wherein conſiſts repentance and converſion. On the other ſide, the ſervant is no more willing to be cut than the ſon, for it is not in the power of man to change the will either of ſervant or of ſonne; but this is in Gods power, and with an omnipotent facility, as Auſtin ſpeakes, Omnipotenti facilitate convertit, & ex nolentibus volentes facit: Now, put the caſe that the Maſter ſhould know, that of all the meanes hee could uſe to make his ſervant willing to endure the cutting, none but one would prevaile with him, and that one would prevaile with him to make him willing; ſhould the Maſter uſe all other meanes, which hee well knew would prove ineffectuall, and purpoſely forbeare the other, which hee well knew would prove prevalent? In this caſe, ſpeake freely, I pray, whether this man did ſeriouſly and earneſtly deſire the cutting and healing of his ſervant, and not rather the contrary? To put the caſe home unto you; you know what admonition David upon his death-bed gave to Solomon concerning Shimei, Thou ſhalt not count him innocent, for thou art a wiſe man, and knoweſt what thou oughteſt to doe unto him; and thou ſhalt cauſe his hoare head to goe downe to the grave with bloud: yet withall, Solomon muſt have a care of David his fathers oath; for when Shimei came to meet David at Jordan, David ſware unto him by the Lord, ſaying, I will not ſlay thee with the ſword: Now while Solomon meditated on ſome courſe to take with Shimei, ſuppoſe God ſhould reveale unto him, ſaying, If thou propoſeſt ſuch a condition unto him, to wit, of building him an houſe in Jeruſalem, and to ſtay there, and not paſſe over the brook Kidron, hee will tranſgreſſe; but if thou propoſeſt any other like condition, hee will obſerve it: and hereupon Solomon ſhould be moved to propoſe this conditon, which hee p. 109knew Shimei would tranſgreſſe; judge, I pray, whether this courſe propoſed to Shimei were an evidence of Solomons earneſt and ſerious affection, concerning the ſaving of Shimei's life; and not rather concerning his deſtruction? In like ſort, when God perſwades many by his Miniſters to make them new hearts and new ſpirits, and himſelfe alone, by the power of his Spirit, is able to take the ſtony heart out of their bowels, and give them an heart of fleſh; when he reſolves to afford this grace unto ſome, but not unto others; let every one judge hereby, whether God can be ſaid earneſtly to deſire the changing of their hearts, when hee reſolves to forbeare that courſe which alone can change them? No, no, this diſcourſe favoureth ſtrongly of a conceit, that it is in the power of an unregenerate man to change his owne heart, and of an heart of ſtone to change it into an heart of fleſh: And in this caſe, I confeſſe, it were very probable that God ſhould earneſtly deſire it; provided that any ineffectuall and changeable deſires were incident unto God.

That when God putteth forth the ſecond act of poſitive retribution, Anſw.viz. the rejection of the world, or decree of their condemnation, God doth behold and conſider the world, eſpecially men of riper yeares, not in maſſa primitus corrupta, nor as newly fallen in Adam; but as voluntarily falling off, by ſome act of careleſſe and wilfull diſobedience. To prove this, I need not produce other reaſons then what I have formerly alledged in the fone-going Point; for when God did expreſſe, by his oath, his will and good pleaſure to be, not for the death, but life and converſion of ſinners, was it not after the fall of Adam, and all his poſterity in him? then, notwithſtanding the preſuppoſall of the fall, God had not yet rejected the creature; but, as hee there declareth himſelfe, ſtill retaineth and reſerveth thoughts of peace towards them, even a deſire of their converſion unto life.

Againe, with whom did the Lord enter into a Covenant of life and death, upon condition of obedience and diſobedience? was it not with Adam onelyonly, and his poſterity in his loynes, in the ſtate of innocency, by the law written in their heart? Was it not alſo after Adams fall renewed to all his poſterity, both Jewes and Gentiles? Then, yet God had not caſt them away in the fall, though the fall had juſtly deſerved it; but expecteth yet further to ſee how they will yet keep this renewed Covenant with him, before hee p. 110caſt them off as Reprobates: Even Cain himſelfe, the eldeſt ſonne of Reprobation, is after the fall offered acceptance of Gods hand if hee doe well. Moreover, is it not after the fall that the Father, by his workes of creation and providence, judgements and mercies, &c. the Sonne by his enlightening the world, by his death and miniſtery of his ſervants; and the Holy Ghoſt by his calling and knocking at the hearts of the wicked, doe all ſtrive with men, even to this very end, to turne them to the Lord, that iniquity may not be their deſtruction? If therefore all the Perſons in the Trinity doe provide ſeverall helpfull meanes for the converſion and ſalvation of the world; of the world, I ſay, now after the fall lying in wickedneſſe, ſurely God did not then upon the fall reprobate the world unto eternall condemnation and perdition. If you ſay, God might well reprobate the world unto condemnation upon the fall, and yet ſtill after the fall uſ… meanes for their converſion and ſalvation; becauſe thoſe meanes doe but further aggravate their condemnation: I anſwer, theſe doe indeed further aggravate their condemnation, but it is but by accident onelyonly, by their neglect and abuſe of them; but the proper end which God himſelfe, of himſelfe, aimes at in the uſe of theſe meanes, himſelfe plainly expreſſeth it to be, not the aggravation or procurement of their condemnation, but the reſtoring of them to ſalvation and life; as hath been before declared. So then, to draw all to an head, the ſumme of this firſt reaſon is, If God after the fall doe retaine a will and purpoſe to reſtore life to the world upon an equall condition, then hee did not upon the fall, or upon the onelyonly conſideration of the fall, reject the world of the ungodly unto their utter perdition. But, you ſee, God retaineth after the fall an holy will and purpoſe of reſtoring life unto the world upon an equall condition, as appeareth by his Oath, by his Covenant, and by his Workes; therefore the concluſion, which is the point in hand, is evident.

I marvell what you meane to call Gods decree of condemnation his act of retribution; retribution being an act temporall and Examin.tranſient, the decree of God is an act immanent and eternall: And therefore it is not ſo handſomely ſaid to be the putting forth of an act, for ſo much as it is immanent and not tranſient. 'Tis manifeſt, I confeſſe, that ſin is alwayes precedent to the retribution of puniſhment; as it is without controverſie, that ſinne neither is nor can be antecedent to Gods decree, ſinne being temporall, p. 111but all Gods decrees eternall. And I have found it by experience to be an uſuall courſe with our Adverſaries, to confound condemnation with the decree of condemnation. And Junius himſelfe, very incongruouſly, in my judgement, calls this decree, Praedamnatio; to make the fairer place, as I gueſſe, for ſins praecedencie thereunto, at leaſt in conſideration: But no neceſſity urgeth us to any ſuch courſe; and wee may well maintaine, that God in this decree of condemnation hath alwayes the conſideration of that ſinne for which hee purpoſeth to damne them; for, undoubtedly, hee decrees to condemne no man but for ſinne. It is impoſſible it ſhould be otherwiſe; condemnation, in the notion thereof, formally including ſinne. But I like not your expreſſions in the diſtinction you make, ſaying, God conſiders men in this ſinne, not as newly fallen in Adam, but as voluntarily falling off (you mean long after) by ſome act of careleſſe and wilfull diſobedience. When God made this decree, they were not newly (that is, a little before) fallen in Adam; for that fall in Adam was temporall, but the decrees of God are eternall: And to conſider as newly fallen, when as yet they were not, much leſſe were they fallen, is not ſo much to conſider, as to erre or feigne. But like as God decreed to ſuffer all to fall in Adam, and many alſo to continue both therein, and in bringing forth the bitter fruits thereof even untill death; ſo he purpoſed to condemne them for thoſe ſinnes: but take heed you doe not make an order of prius and poſterius between theſe decrees; leſt either you make the decree of condemnation precedent to the decree of permiſſion of thoſe ſinnes for which they ſhall be condemned, which will be directly contradictory to your Tenet here; or, making Gods decree of permitting ſuch ſinnes for which they ſhall be condemned precedent to his decree of condemnation, (whereunto you doe encline unawares) which will caſt you upon miſerable inconveniences, and that by your owne rule already delivered; for if the decree of permitting ſinne be firſt in intention, then, by the rules received by you, it ſhould be laſt in execution; that is, men ſhould be condemned for ſinne, before they be permitted to ſinne: But the conjunction of theſe decrees into one, as in the ſame moment of nature and reaſon, will both prevent this inconvenience, and alſo juſtifie Gods decree of condemnation, to proceed upon the conſideration of thoſe ſinnes for which hee purpoſeth to condemne them. But then there is p. 112another point of great moment, which in like manner muſt be accorded unto, though you ſeeme to be little aware of it, (though, I willingly confeſſe, this over-ſight is very generall) namely, that God decreeth the ſalvation of none of ripe yeares, but upon, or with a joynt conſideration of their faith, repentance, and good workes. For, let us firſt make the decrees of ſalvation and condemnation matches: As for example, Reprobation, as it is accounted the decree of condemnation, is a decree of puniſhing with everlaſting death. Now, if you will match Election unto this, as it is the decree of ſalvation, it muſt be conceived as a decree of rewarding with everlaſting life. Now let any man judge, whether this decree muſt not as neceſſarily be conjoyned with the conſideration of faith, repentance, and good works, in men of ripe years; as the decree of condemnation, or of puniſhing with everlaſting death, muſt be conjoyned with the conſideration of thoſe ſinnes for which God purpoſeth to puniſh them. And I will further demonſtrate it thus: Like as the decree of permitting ſome men to ſinne, and to continue therein to the end, and Gods decree of condemning for ſinne, are joynt decrees, neither afore nor after other; and conſequently, the decree of condemning for ſinne muſt neceſſarily be conjoyned with the conſideration of ſinne: In like ſort, Gods decree of giving ſome faith, repentance, and good workes, and his decree of rewarding them with everlaſting life, are joynt decrees, neither of them afore or after other; and conſequently, Gods decree of ſaving them, and rewarding them with everlaſting life, is joyned with the conſideration of their faith, repentance, and good workes. Now that theſe are joynt decrees I prove thus: Firſt, the decree of ſalvation cannot precede the decree of giving faith and repentance; for if it ſhould, then ſalvation were the end of faith and repentance; but ſalvation is not the end, as I prove thus: The end is ſuch as doth neceſſarily beſpeake the meanes tending thereunto; but ſalvation doth not neceſſarily beſpeake faith and repentance tending thereunto: for, God intending the ſalvation of Angels, brought it to paſſe without faith and repentance; as likewiſe, the ſalvation of many an infant hee brings to paſſe without faith and repentance. Secondly, the end of Gods actions can be nothing but himſelfe, and his owne glory; and therefore ſalvation it ſelfe muſt have for end the glory of God. Now, examine what glory of God is manifeſted in mans p. 113ſalvation, and it will forth with appeare upon due examination, that the glory of God manifeſted in mans ſalvation, is ſuch as whereunto not ſalvation only doth tend, but diverſe other things joyntly concurring with ſalvation thereunto. As for example, Gods glory manifeſted on the elect, is in the higheſt degree of grace, but in the way of merciemercy mixt with juſtice: This requires permiſſion of ſin, the ſending of Chriſt to make ſatisfaction for ſinne, faith and repentance, (for Gods juſtice is ſeen partly in conferring ſalvation by way of reward) and laſt of all ſalvation. Out of all theſe reſults the glory of God in doing good to his creature in the higheſt degree of grace, proceeding in the way of merciemercy mixt with juſtice. Thirdly, if God gave faith and repentance to this end, to bring his elect unto ſalvation, as to the end thereof, then, by juſt proportion of reaſon, God ſhould deny the gift of faith and repentance unto others; that is, to permit them finally to perſevere in their ſinners, thereby to procure their condemnation as the end thereof: which you will not affirme, neither can it with any ſobrietie be affirmed. In the next place I will ſhew, that neither can the decree of giving faith and repentance, precede the decree of ſalvation; for if it ſhould, then ſhould faith & repentance be the laſt in execution; to wit, if it were firſt in intention, and conſequently men ſhould firſt be ſaved, and afterwards have faith and repentance granted unto them. Thus I have ſhewed my readineſſe to concurre with you in opinion in this particular; and that upon other grounds than yours: and whoſe grounds are more ſound, yours or mine, I am content to remit it to the judgement of any indifferent Reader. As for your reaſon here mentioned, repeating onelyonly what you have formerly delivered, as touching the will and good pleaſure of God, not for the death, but for the life, not onelyonly of the elect, but of all others alſo; the vanitie of this aſſertion of yours, I thinke I have ſufficiently diſcovered. And I wonder you ſhould carry it thus, not of the death, but of the life; when moſt an end you have carried it onelyonly thus hitherunto; that Gods willing their life, is onelyonly upon condition of their obedience and repentance, not otherwiſe: Or, in a disjunct axiome, thus, Either of life in caſe they repent, or of death in caſe they did not repent; and what ſhould move you to call this a willing to give them life, and not to inflict death? Why ſhould you not rather call it a will to inflict death, and not to give life; conſidering that God was p. 114reſolved to deny them ſuch grace, as would effectually bring them to obedience and repentance; and to grant them only ſuch a grace, as he fore-knew full well, would never bring them to obedience and repentance? 1. Cain was of the familie of Adam, to whom the promiſe was made concerning the ſeed of the woman, that he ſhould break the ſerpents head; and although Cain was offered acceptance upon his repentance, yet it followeth not that all were offered the ſame acceptance, even thoſe that never received any tidings or promiſe concerning the Meſſiah. And the Apoſtle plainly ſignifies, that the Gentiles were not admoniſhed to repent untill Chriſt was preached unto them, Act. 17. 30. But ſuppoſe it were ſo, yet this hinders nothing at all the precedencie of the decree of condemnation, unto the decree of giving ſuch a Covenant and permitting them to diſpiſe it. For, becauſe God purpoſed to damne them for ſuch a ſinne, therefore hee might decree to give them ſuch a Covenant, and permit them, or expoſe them, (by leaving them deſtitute of his grace) to the deſpiſing of it: Not that I doe approve of any ſuch conceit, as before I have manifeſted; but to ſhew how ſhort your diſcourſe falls of making good that which you undertake to prove. And I am much deceived, if you miſtake not their tenet, who make reprobation to proceed upon the conſideration of the corrupt maſle in Adam: For, undoubtedly, their meaning hereupon is not to maintaine that God did purpoſe to condemne all reprobates only for the ſin of Adam, or for originall ſinne drawne from him: this were a very mad conceit. But ſuppoſing that by Adams fall an impotency of doing that which is good is come upon all; as it is free for God to give grace to whom he will, and ſo to bring them to ſalvation, the purpoſe whereof is called Gods election; ſo is it enough for God to deny grace to whom he will, and thereby to expoſe them to condemnation: the purpoſe whereof in God, is that which wee call Reprobation; which, as Aquinas ſaith, Includit voluntatem permittendi peccatum, & damnationem inferendi pro peccato. Now of this generall impotency of doing good, which cleaves unto all ſince the fall of Adam, you take no notice at all, though herein conſiſts the very foreign of theſe controverſies but carry your ſelfe throughout in ſuch manner, as if, notwithſtanding that ſhipwracke of grace, which all humane ſoules made in Adam, it were ſtill as much in mans power to obey God, as it was before; or as p. 115much in mans power to riſe by repentance now after he is fallen, as it was in his power to ſtand in his integrity, and in obedience unto God before he was fallen. Put the caſe all were true that you deliver in the next place, namely, that God the Father, Sonne and Holy Ghoſt proceed in the way of admonition and exhortation to turne themſelves to the Lord, that iniquitie might not be their ruine; yet this hinders not but that the decree of condemnation might be precedent to Gods decree of taking ſuch a courſe, and permitting them to reſiſt it. For, upon a purpoſe to condemne them for ſuch a ſinne, he might thereupon reſolve to expoſe them to ſuch a ſinne: And if God ſhould firſt decree to permit ſuch a ſinne, and then decree to condemne them for it, the permiſſion of this ſinne being firſt in intention, ſhould by your owne rule be laſt in execution; that is, firſt men ſhould be condemned for ſuch a ſin, and afterwards they ſhould be ſuffered to commit it: Not that I maintaine any ſuch order, but onelyonly to repreſent the weakneſſe of your diſcourſe, approaching ſhrewdly to ſuch a diſorderly conſtitution of Gods decrees, and nothing at all preventing the moſt harſh tenet that can be deviſed. Againe, this that here you deliver, were it granted you, yet doth it nothing hinder the corrupt maſſe in Adam, to be the object of Gods decree of condemnation. For, albeit God the Father, and God the Sonne faile not of performing all this you ſpeak of, yet if by reaſon of the generall impotency which is come on all, they are nothing able to obey theſe motions of Gods ſpirit, and withall God purpoſeth to deny them a further grace to make them to obey; ſhall not this be ſufficient to expoſe them to condemnation, even for this ſinne of reſiſting the motions of Gods ſpirit? But now let us conſider your diſcourſe it ſelfe, and what weight it carrieth, which onelyonly makes a ſhew of much, but comes to nothing in the end. Firſt you pleaſe your ſelfe in deviſing diſtinct workes, applyed to the diſtinct perſons in the Trinitie, without all ground in my judgement: Wee commonly ſay, Opera Trinitatis ad extra ſunt indiviſibilia. Were not the Sonne and the Holy Ghoſt as active in the creation, and are ſtill in the workes of providence, as the Father? How Chriſt enlightned the world by his death is a myſtery to me; his doctrine I confeſſe did, and much more the doctrine of his Apoſtles: But in this miniſterie of Chriſts ſervants, were not the Father and the Holy Ghoſt as operative as the Sonne? As for the p. 116knocking of the ſpirit at mens hearts, you nothing diſtinguiſh it, for ought I found hitherto, from the miniſterie of Chriſts ſervants in admoniſhing and exhorting; which worke is yet the Fathers and the Sonnes aſwell as the Spirits. But whereas you ſay, all this is done for this very end, To turne them to the Lord, that iniquitie might not be their deſtruction; I pray you obſerve your owne words well: all the operations you ſpecifie are drawn from theſe two heads, Inſtruction and Admonition to turn to the Lord; and the end of all this, you ſay, is to turne to the Lord. Put theſe together, that you may behold the ſobrietie of this diſcourſe. God exhorts them to turne to the Lord, to this end, to turne them to the Lord: As much as to ſay, God exhorts them to turne to the Lord, to this end, that in caſe they obey his voice, and turne to the Lord which is their part, then God will performe his part alſo, and turne them to the Lord. But what need, I pray, of Gods worke in turning them to the Lord, after they have performed their part ſo well as to turne themſelves to the Lord? Againe, if God hath a purpoſe to turne them to the Lord, why doth he not? Is it becauſe they refuſe to performe ſome act, upon the performance whereof God would turne them to himſelf? Now I would gladly know what act that is, which God expects to be performed, that ſo he might turne them to the Lord. I am verily perſwaded your ſelfe are not willing to be put to deſigne this: Is it the very act of turning to the Lord, or leſſe, or more? If the very act of turning to the Lord, you fall upon a manifeſt abſurditie before ſpecified: if leſſe then turning to the Lord, then 'tis leſſe than a good act; and ſhall God reward that which is leſſe then a good act with converſion unto him? What is it to conferre grace according to the workes of nature, if this be not? Yet I would faine know what this act is? Leaſt of all will you ſay, 'tis more than turning to the Lord, for that ſhould ſuppoſe converſion unto the Lord already wrought; and conſequently, no need that God ſhould turne them to the Lord, which ſuppoſeth that they were not before turned to the Lord at all. The providing of ſeverall helpfull meanes for the ſalvation of the world after the fall, doth nothing hinder Gods reprobating of the world upon the fall unto eternall condemnation and perdition. For if hee purpoſe to deny them grace to obey theſe meanes, this ſhall bee ſufficient to expoſe them to condemnation, even for the deſpiſing p. 117of thoſe meanes of grace which God purpoſeth to provide for them; and accordingly the objection here propoſed is ſound. And whereas you anſwere, that theſe meanes doe aggravate their condemnation by accident onelyonly; to wit, through their neglect and abuſe of them: I anſwere, that this their neglect and abuſe doth by neceſſary conſequence follow upon Gods purpoſe to deny them effectuall grace for the uſing of thoſe meanes aright: like as upon Gods purpoſe to harden Pharaohs heart, that hee ſhould not let Iſrael goe, it followed by neceſſary conſequence, that Pharaoh, through the hardneſſe of his heart, would not let Iſrael goe. But that Gods end is (as you ſay) the reſtoring of men to ſalvation and life; as if God did will and purpoſe any ſuch thing, is utterly untrue, and nothing proved by you hitherto, but rather flatly contradictorie to that you have moſt an end delivered; partly in making Gods will of their ſalvation to be onelyonly in a disjunct …, and partly of a conditionate …, which is no more to will their ſalvation, than their damnation, in caſe they were indifferent to performe either condition. But in caſe they be found unable to performe the condition of life, and moſt prone to performe the condition of death, God meaning not to give them ſuch a grace as alone can relieve them, it is (manifeſtly) an evidence, that God wills their condemnation, and nothing at all their ſalvation. Not to mention any other arguments againſt this conceit; the one drawn from Gods omnipotency, the other from his immutab litie.