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…

Shall not God the Father deal with his own Son according to the exigency of his merits, whether it be that they are so meritorious in their own nature; or by the constitution of God; either merely, or jointly with the dignity of their nature, in reference to the dignity of the person who performed them, as being not only man but God, even the eternal Son of God one & the same God with his Father, Blessed for ever. Now it can be made good that all sins of all men are fully satisfied for, by the death of Christ, & that Christ hath merited in better manner Everlasting Life for all & every one, then they could have done for themselves, although they had passed the whole course of their lives, as free from sin as the very elect Angels; this I confess is a comfortable doctrine with a witness; though God leave men to themselves and to the power of their own free wills to do what they list. And I see no reason, but that in the midst of all Riot and excess, they may be as confident of their Salvation, as if they had all faith; as of certain Lutherans it is written, as I saw in a letter of an English Divine written from Rome. I make no question but their answer will be, that albeit Christ hath thus satisfied for all sins of all and every one, and merited Eternal Life for all and every one, yet the benefit of his merits and satisfaction by Gods Ordinance shall redound to none, but such as believe, and repent, and persevere therein unto death. And what comfort can herehence arise to an afflicted soul, unless she do believe and repent? If she do believe and repent, our Doctrine gives assurance to such of their election, the Arminian doth not. Here I presume they will say, that every one may believe if he will, repent if he will; and may they not as well say, that every soul afflicted with despair, may leave of to despair if they will, and consequently leave of to be afflicted if they will? And I confess this way of consolation hath a very short cut, if the afflicted soul would hearken unto them. Especially considering that I do not find, that in these their discourses they take any notice of any sin to hinder this, no not so much as of the sin against the Holy Ghost, or of that sin which St John calleth a sin unto death.

Shall not God the Father deale with his owne Sonne according to the exigency of his merits, whether it be that they are so meritorious in their owne nature; or by the constitution of God; either meerely, or joyntly with the dignity of their nature, in reference to the dignity of the person who performed them, as being not only man but God, even the eternall Son of God one & the same God with his Father, Blessed for ever. Now it can be made good that all sins of all men are fully satisfied for, by the death of Christ, & that Christ hath merited in better manner Everlasting Life for all & every one, then they could have done for themselves, although they had passed the whole course of their lives, as free from sinne as the very elect Angells; this I confesse is a comfortable doctrine with a witnesse; though God leave men to themselves and to the power of their owne free wills to doe what they list. And I see noe reason, but that in the midst of all Ryot and excesse, they may be as confident of their Salvation, as if they had all faith; as of certaine Lutherans it is written, as I saw in a letter of an English Divine writen from Rome. I make no question but their answer will be, that albeit Christ hath thus satisfied for all sinnes of all and every one, and merited Eternall Life for all and every one, yet the benefit of his merits and satisfaction by Gods Ordinance shall redound to none, but such as believe, and repent, and persevere therein unto death. And what comfort can herehence arise to an afflicted soule, unlesse she doe believe and repent? If she doe believe and repent, our Doctrine gives assurance to such of their election, the Arminian doth not. Here I presume they will say, that every one may believe if he will, repent if he will; and may they not as well say, that every soule afflicted with despaire, may leave of to despaire if they will, and consequently leave of to be afflicted if they will? And I confesse this way of consolation hath a very short cut, if the afflicted soul would harken unto them. Especially considering that I doe not find, that in these their discourses they take any notice of any sinne to hinder this, no not so much as of the sinne against the Holy Ghost, or of that sinne which St John calleth a sinne unto death.