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…

Whereas he saith that many of this (our) opinion are Godly men but that is no thanks to their opinion that they are so. I answer, that neither do we give the glory of our Godliness to our good opinion, nor have cause to thank it therefore; but we give God the Glory both of leading us into this truth amongst many others, and for that Godliness that is in us also. For we acknowledge that God is able to convict our consciences of that trueth hereof, and yet refuse to lead us thereby into any Holiness at all. Yet let every sober man judge who are in a fairer way to true Holiness, or who are more likely to be in the state of true Holiness, they that oppose the grace of God in working our wills to faith and repentance, or they that acknowledge it. They who maintain that God of the mere pleasure of his will, regenerates us, endueth us with the spirit of faith and repentance; or they who maintain that God doth not give faith and repentance to whom he will. Neither is it the meaning of St Paul where he sayeth God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth; but rather where he finds an absolute disposition or work in one, which he finds not in an other. Again consider I pray indifferently, who are more likely to be partakers of Gods grace; they who truly magnify it as the Author of their faith and repentance and of every good work performed by them, and that in a preventing manner; or they that pretend to make Gods grace to be the Author of their faith and repentance and every good work only by giving them power to believe, if they will (which we are able to prove both by the judgment of Austin and by clear reason to be mere nature and not grace) and accordingly exhorting them to believe, and last of all concurring with them to the producing of the act of faith in them in case they will; And seeing grace proves effectual only by this subsequent manner of operation; whether they do not plainly mock God in making him the Author of grace, seeing in respect of this effectual operation they might as well make him the Author of every sinful act as of every gracious act, For it is agreed on all hands that God concurs as well to every sinful act as any gracious act. Whereas he saith, The true and natural genius of our Tenet is to breed sloth, and to drown men in carnal security, and to countenance carnal liberty.

Whereas he sayth that many of this (our) opinion are Godly men but that is no thankes to their opinion that they are so. I answer, that neither doe we give the glory of our Godlinesse to our good opinion, nor have cause to thanke it therefore; but we give God the Glory both of leading us into this truth amongst many others, and for that Godlinesse that is in us also. For we acknowledge that God is able to convict our consciences of that trueth hereof, and yet refuse to lead us thereby into any Holinesse at all. Yet let every sober man judge who are in a fairer way to true Holinesse, or who are more likely to be in the state of true Holinesse, they that oppose the grace of God in working our wills to faith and repentance, or they that acknowledge it. They who maintaine that God of the meere pleasure of his will, regenerates us, endueth us with the spirit of faith and repentance; or they who maintaine that God doth not give faith and repentance to whom he will. Neither is it the meaning of St Paul where he sayeth God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth; but rather where he findes an absolute disposition or worke in one, which he finds not in an other. Againe consider I pray indifferently, who are more likely to be partakers of Gods grace; they who truly magnifie it as the Author of their faith and repentance and of every good worke performed by them, and that in a preventing manner; or they that pretend to make Gods grace to be the Author of their faith and repentance and every good worke only by giving them power to believe, if they will (which we are able to prove both by the judgment of Austin and by cleare reason to be meere nature and not grace) and accordingly exhorting them to believe, and last of all concurring with them to the producing of the act of faith in them in case they will; And seeing grace proves effectuall only by this subsequent manner of operation; whether they doe not plainely mocke God in making him the Author of grace, seing in respect of this effectuall operation they might as well make him the Author of every sinfull act as of every gratious act, For it is agreed on all hands that God concurres as well to every sinfull act as any gratious act. Whereas he sayth, The true and naturall genius of our Tenet is to breed sloth, and to drowne men in carnall security, and to countenance carnall libertie.