Yet Medina professeth that God, as Lord of life and death, hath power to inflict any pain on any creature be he never so innocent, and this he delivers ex concordi omnium Theologorum Sententia. And indeed, no reason can define those bounds & limits of pain and sorrow, either as touching intension, or duration, within which, in the execution of pain, God must consist, & beyond which he cannot proceed incolumi justitia. And will th•s Author deny that by the sin of one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin hath spread it self over all, even over those that did not sin after the similitude of Adams transgression, that is, over Infants? Is this the fruit of God his making us after his own image, that hereupon we should circumscribe and limit the execution of his power over us in comparison with others, and that only by rules devised by flesh and blood? And if he doth execute no other then a lawful power, can he be justly censured of cruelty? But seeing he ordains no man to damnation but for sin, and that to the manifestation of his justice, which is his glory; is he less good, or wise or just in this? The scripture plainly teacheth us that God made all things for himself, even the wicked against the day of evil, 1and shall we suspend our judgements, as touching our adherence unto this divine and sacred truth, until such time as we have made trial how this doctrine will relish with infidels? What if they are destitute of certain graces, and that it was Gods will never to bestow any such grace upon them. What disparagement (I say) is this to Gods goodness, wisdom, or justice, in damning men for sin voluntarily and freely committed by them? Or, is his meaning that God doth damn them for being destitute of such certain graces? ⟨p. 45⟩Why did he not speak it out plainly? Was he ashamed expressly to deliver so shameful an untruth? would he rather have the propitious Reader, to apprehend by […] way a belief of that which he was ashamed to utter? What divine of ours was ever known to affirm, that God doth damn a man, because God doth not regenerate him, or for the want of regeneration? God damns no man but for sin, and that actual, most freely committed by him, in case he live to the committing of sins actual. It is true, that all are born children of wrath, by virtue of that sin, which we all sinned in Adam;
Yet Medina professeth that God, as Lord of life and death, hath power to inflict any payne on any creature be he never so innocent, and this he delivers ex concordi omnium Theologorum Sententia. And indeed, no reason can define those boundes & limits of payne and sorrowe, eyther as touching intension, or duration, within which, in the execution of payne, God must consist, & beyond which he cannot proceede incolumi justitia. And will th•s Author deny that by the sinne of one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sinne hath spread it selfe over all, even over those that did not sinne after the similitude of Adams transgression, that is, over Infants? Is this the fruite of God his making us after his owne image, that herupon we shoulde circumscribe and l•mit the execution of his power over us in comparison with others, and that only by rules devised by fleshe and blood? And if he doth execute no other then a lawfull power, can he be justly censured of crueltie? But seing he ordeynes no man to damnation but for sinne, and that to the manifestation of his justice, which is his glory; is he lesse good, or wise or just in this? The scripture playnely teacheth us that God made all thinges for himselfe, even the wicked against the day of evill, 1and shall we suspende our judgements, as touching our adherence unto this divine and sacred truth, untill such time as we have made triall how this doctrine will relish with infidells? What if they are destitute of certaine graces, and that it was Gods will never to bestow any such grace upon them. What disparagement (I say) is this to Gods goodnesse, wisedome, or justice, in damning men for sinne voluntarily and freely committed by them? Or, is his meaning that God doth damne them for being destitute of such certeyne graces? ⟨p. 45⟩Why did he not speake it out plainly? Was he ashamed expressely to deliver so shamefull an untruth? would he rather have the propitious Reader, to apprehend by 〈…〉 way a beliefe of that which he was ashamed to utter? What divine of ours was ever knowne to affirm, that God doth damne a man, because God doth not regenerate him, or for the want of regeneration? God damnes no man but for sinne, and that actuall, most freely committed by him, in case he live to the committing of sinnes actuall. It is true, that all are born children of wrath, by vertue of that sinne, which we all sinned in Adam;
- 1Prov. 16.4
