The Sum of Christian Religion

Answer. This reason is a fallacy deceiving by the ambiguity of the word Wish. For in the Major proposition it is taken, as it useth properly to signify: in the Minor, not so. God is said to wish, by a figure of speech, called Anthropopathy, making God to be affected after the order of men; and therefore the kind of affirmation is divers in the Major, and in the Minor. But God is said to wish, in two respects. First, In respect of his commanding and inviting. Secondly, In respect of his love towards his creatures, and in respect of the torment of them that perish, but not in respect of the execution of his justice. Reply. 1. He that inviteth others, & is delighted with their well doing, it followeth thereof, that their well doing is in their own power, & not in his who inviteth them. But God inviteth us, and is delighted with our well doing: Therefore it is in our selves to do well. Answer. We deny the Minor; because it is not enough, that God inviteth us: but our will also to do well must be adjoined, which we cannot have but from god only. God therefore doth wish our conversion, and doth invite all unto it, that is, he requireth obedience towards his law of all, he liketh it in all, and for the love which he beareth unto his creature he wisheth nothing more, than that all perform it, and all be saved: but yet a will to perform it, they only have, whom god doth regenerate by his spirit. Deutronom. 29.2. Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes: yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear unto this day. ⟨p. 167⟩Reply. 2. He that commandeth things unpossible to be done is unjust. GOD commandeth such obedience, as is unpossible to be done. Therefore he is unjust. Answer. The Major is to be distinguished. He is unjust that commandeth things unpossible, except himself first gave an ability to perform those things which he commanded: and Secondly, except he, who is commanded to perform them, hath lost that ability through his own fault: Lastly, except there be some other ends and uses of the commandments besides his obedience, who is commanded. But God had made man such a one as was able to perform that obedience, which he requireth of him.

Answere. This reason is a fallacie deceiuing by the ambiguitie of the word Wish. For in the Maior proposition it is taken, as it vseth properly to signifie: in the Minor, not so. God is saide to wish, by a figure of speache, called Anthropopathie, making God to be affected after the order of men; and therefore the kinde of affirmation is diuers in the Maior, and in the Minor. But God is said to wish, in two respectes. First, In respect of his commaunding and inuiting. Secondly, In respect of his loue towardes his creatures, and in respect of the torment of them that perish, but not in respect of the execution of his iustice. Replie. 1. He that inuiteth others, & is delighted with their wel doing, it foloweth thereof, that their wel dooing is in their owne power, & not in his who inuiteth them. But God inuiteth vs, and is delighted with our well dooing: Therefore it is in our selues to doe vvell. Aunswere. Wee denie the Minor; because it is not inough, that God inuiteth vs: but our will also to doe well must bee adioyned, which wee cannot haue but from god onely. God therefore doth wish our conuersion, and doth inuite all vnto it, that is, hee requireth obedience towardes his lawe of all, hee liketh it in all, and for the loue which hee beareth vnto his creature hee wisheth nothing more, than that all performe it, and all bee saued: but yet a will to performe it, they onely haue, whom god doth regenerate by his spirite. Deutronom. 29.2. Yee haue seene all that the Lord did before your eies: yet the Lorde hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue, and eies to see, and eares to heare vnto this daie.