Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

Secondly, The Spirit is a free gift, because the Spirit ¹is a free Agent, that is, it works freely of himself: Now reason is the free Agent of the outward man: but it is the Spirit that gives reason. Therefore the Spirit must be most free:

1. 12.

Thirdly, The Spirit is a free gift by his carriage towards ¹them that he will save, he might have chosen the elder, and not the younger, That is he might have chosen Esau and not Jacob: or if he would have chosen the younger, Then he might have brought him first out of the womb; but he will not, because he is most free in his choice; he will have Jacob, and cast off Esau: and so he might have chosen honourable and Noble men to have both preached the Gospel, and to be saved by the Gospel: he might have chosen them only for salvation, but he will not; The poor, they shall receive the Gospel. That ⟨p. 114⟩is he will make choice of them for salvation: he might as well have chosen Simon Magus, as Simon Peter: but he will not, therefore he is free.

Thirdly, The Spirit is a free gift by his carriage towards ¹them that he will save, he might have chosen the elder, and not the younger, That is he might have chosen Esau and not Iacob: or if he would have chosen the younger, Then he might have brought him first out of the womb; but he will not, because he is most free in his choice; he will have Iacob, and cast off Esau: and so he might have chosen honourable and Noble men to have both preached the Gospel, and to be saved by the Gospel: he might have chosen them onely for salvation, but he will not; The poor, they shall receive the Gospel. That ⟨p. 114⟩