A64002:1047
The riches of Gods love unto the vessels of mercy, consistent with his absolute…The riches of Gods love unto the vessells of mercy, consistent with his absolute…
The riches of Gods love unto the vessels of mercy, consistent with his absolute hatred or reprobation of the vessels of wrath, or, An answer unto a book entitled, Gods love unto mankind ... in two books, the first being a refutation of the said book, as it was presented in manuscript by Mr Hord unto Sir Nath. Rich., the second being an examination of certain passages inserted into M. Hord's discourse (formerly answered) by an author that conceals his name, but was supposed to be Mr Mason ... / by ... William Twice ... ; whereunto are annexed two tractates of the same author in answer unto D.H. ... ; together with a vindication of D. Twice from the exceptions of Mr John Goodwin in his Redemption redeemed, by Henry Jeans ...The riches of Gods love unto the vessells of mercy, consistent with his absolute hatred or reprobation of the vessells of wrath, or, An answer unto a book entituled, Gods love unto mankind ... in two bookes, the first being a refutation of the said booke, as it was presented in manuscript by Mr Hord unto Sir Nath. Rich., the second being an examination of certain passages inserted into M. Hords discourse (formerly answered) by an author that conceales his name, but was supposed to be Mr Mason ... / by ... William Twisse ... ; whereunto are annexed two tractates of the same author in answer unto D.H. ... ; together with a vindication of D. Twisse from the exceptions of Mr John Goodwin in his Redemption redeemed, by Henry Jeanes ...
Oxford: printed by L.L. and H.H. for Tho. Robinson, 1653
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Suppose not one shall be condemned for want of faith, but only left to be judged by the covenant of works, who seeth not but that the same plea hath place here as well as in the former case, and God may be as well challenged for injustice, in condemning men for breach of the law, who have no power to keep the law? And who sees not how ready this Author is to justify this plea, and consequently acknowledge that every man hath power to keep the law; and so to bring us back again to the covenant of works, or to confound the covenant of grace with the covenant of works: which indeed is their course throughout. For they maintain that every man hath universal grace for the enlivening of their wills, whereby they are enabled to will any spiritual good whereto they shall be excited, and who doubts but obedience to the law, and that in all perfection, is a spiritual good: again they maintain that they can believe if they will, and so accordingly do any good thing that they will: and indeed were not the will in fault, I know no natural power defective in the performance of any good, that a man hath a will unto: this I can show under the hands of one of them, in a manuscript sent unto me. And I have good reason to conceive there are more hands in it than one. Thirdly consider, dost thou complain thou hadst no power to believe, but I pray thee tell me, hast thou any will to believe? If thou neither hast, nor ever hadst any will to believe, what a shameful and unreasonable thing is it to complain that thou hast no power to believe? Saint Paul had a most gracious will, but he found in himself no power to do that he would, but what is 1the issue of this complaint? To fly to the face of God? Nothing less! but to confess his own wretchedness, and flee unto God in this manner, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? And receiving a gracious answer concerning this, concludes with 2thanks, I thank my God through my Lord Jesus Christ: if I have a will to believe, to repent, I have no cause to complain, but to run rather unto God with thanks for this, and pray him to give that power, which I find wanting in me. And indeed (as I may add in the fourth place) this impotency of believing, and infidelity, the fruit of natural corruption common to all, is merely a moral impotency, and the very ground of it is, the corruption of the will:
Suppose not one shall be condemned for want of faith, but only left to be judged by the covenant of workes, who seeth not but that the same plea hath place here as well as in the former case, and God may be as well chalenged for injustice, in condemning men for breach of the law, who have no power to keepe the law? And who sees not how ready this Author is to justifye this plea, and consequently acknowledge that every man hath power to keepe the law; and so to bring us back againe to the covenant of works, or to confound the covenant of grace with the covenant of works: which indeed is their course throughout. For they maintaine that every man hath universall grace for the enlivening of their wills, whereby they are inabled to will any spirituall good whereto they shall be excited, and who doubts but obedience to the law, and that in all perfection, is a spirituall good: againe they maintaine that they can believe if they will, and so accordingly doe any good thing that they will: and indeed were not the will in fault, I know no naturall power defective in the performance of any good, that a man hath a will unto: this I can shew under the hands of one of them, in a manuscript sent unto me. And I have good reason to conceive there are more hands in it than one. Thirdly consider, dost thou complaine thou hadst no power to believe, but I pray thee tell me, hast thou any will to believe? If thou neither hast, nor ever hadst any will to believe, what a shamefull and unreasonable thing is it to complaine that thou hast no power to believe? Saint Paul had a most gratious will, but he found in himselfe no power to doe that he would, but what is