A64002:1189
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.
As touching the first we acknowledge no such falling away, St John professing of certain Apostates saying, They went 1out from us, but they were not of us; for had they been of us, they had continued with us. As for such as fall into sin, we that maintain absolute election and reprobation, do withal maintain with King James in the conference at Hampton Court, that all such shall arise again by repentance. And therefore there is no reason we should conceive, upon the committing of any such sin, that we are Reprobates; least of all upon so base grounds as here are specified by this Author. Now I come to his proof of this by his three testimonies.
As touching the first we acknowledge no such falling away, St John professing of certaine Apostates saying, They went 1out from us, but they were not of us; for had they beene of us, they had continued with us. As for such as fall into sinne, we that maintaine absolute election and reprobation, doe withall maintaine with King James in the conference at Hampton Court, that all such shall arise againe by repentance. And therfore there is no reason we should conceive, upon the committing of any such sinne, that we are Reprobates; least of all upon so base grounds as here are specified by this Authour. Now I come to his proofe of this by his three testimonies.
1. The first whereof is the testimony of Calvin: whereto I answer first in general, That not one of these Authors here mentioned take any notice of the ground whereupon this Author builds, namely, of the paucity of the elect in comparison to Reprobates, therehence to conclude, That it is an easy matter for the Devil to persuade them that they are Reprobates, if they should have been sure to have received so much from the pen of this Author. More particularly I acknowledge the words of Calvin here alleged, namely, that the Devil doth not assault the believer with a temptation more dangerous: But why doth not this Author go on to tell, what the temptation is which as it were in a breath Calvin sets down thus, Quam dum ipsos suae electionis dubitatione inquietans, simul prava ejus extra viam inquirendae cupitate solicitat. It consists of two parts. The first is disquieting of them with doubting of their election. The second is, his soliciting of them with an ill desire of inquiring about it, after a wrong way. Both these Calvin so compounds, as to make up but one tentation: In the next place, Calvin shows what it is for a man to inquire of his election a wrong way. Extra viam inquirere voco, ubi in abditos divinae sapientiae recessus perrumpere homuncio conatur, & quo intelligat quid de se sit constitutum apud Dei tribunal, ad supremam usque aeternitatem penetrare. To inquire after it out of the way, is, when a vile man endeavoureth to break into the secrets of divine wisdom, and to pierce into the highest eternity, to know what God hath ordained of him there. This he sayeth is for a man to cast himself into a deep, to be swallowed up of a bottomless gulf, and to throw himself into innumerable snares, such as he can never wind himself out off. And to this he sayeth we are very prone; and hereupon comes in the next sentence alleged by this Authour, Rarissimus enim est few there be whose minds are not taken up with this contemplation, Whence doth Salvation come unto thee, but from Gods election? Now what revelation hast thou of thine election? And if these thoughts do once take hold of a man, either in cruel manner it torments miserable man continually, or makes him altogether stand astonished. All this is delivered by Calvin of them who enquire about their election a wrong way;