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…

I perceive in how slippery an argument I exercise my self, too much exposed to the calumny of adversaries, and too apt to incur the dislike of good men; whereas in all my labour I aim at nothing else, then according to my power to explicate the mystery of Divine providence governing all things after a wonderful manner; And to dissemble nothing, but represent all difficulties that do occur, that both my adversaries may have at hand what to impugn; Our Divines wherein to take pains, either by way of explication of what yet remains obscure; or by confirmation of what they shall find to be sound yet unsufficiently proved. Now that Digression of mine being so large, I wonder not a little that no one particular thereof is here called to an account by this Divine. And so may others too when they shall consider against whom this man's stomach works most. For he cannot be ignorant of my answer to M. Hoard his proselyte, if not therein to himself. Again, the exception here in the last place taken against our doctrine of permission, is exactly the same with Arminius his exception against Mr. Perkins in dealing upon the third crimination, which there I have answered at large, and that in such manner, that I willingly profess, I was utterly to seek at this time, of what I had there delivered; so that upon my consulting the place, the things I there met with, seemed new unto me, in discovering many ways the inconsequence of Arminius his discourse, which yet is the very same with this of Mr. Mason's. Yet he hath not replied upon any one line of all that I delivered there, though they are above 600 in the second Edition of that book. But it may be he takes that for no better then an idle discourse (yet an answer it is to this very exception of his) & 'tis enough for him to convince the justness of that exception made by Arminius, by sound argument. And what is that but a rule given by him, upon his own credit, without indication of the least authority to confirm it; And though on the contrary I have divers and sundry ways manifested the falseness thereof: well I am not resolved to suffer him to pass unanswered, how idle soever his discourse may appear to be. Four distinctions of ours he proposeth to invade; not one of them is pretermitted by Arminius in his answer unto Perkins, nor any part of that his answer pretermitted by me.

I perceive in how slippery an argument I exercise my selfe, too much exposed to the calumny of adversaries, and too apt to incurre the dislike of good men; whereas in all my labour I aime at nothing else, then according to my power to explicate the mystery of Divine providence governing all things after a wonderfull manner; And to dissemble nothing, but represent all difficulties that doe occurre, that both my adversaries may have at hand what to impugne; Our Divines wherein to take paines, either by way of explication of what yet remaines obscure; or by confirmation of what they shall find to be sound yet unsufficiently proved. Now that Digression of mine being so large, I wonder not a little that no one particular thereof is here called to an account by this Divine. And so may others too when they shall consider against whom this man's stomach workes most. For he cannot be ignorant of my answer to M. Hoord his proselyte, if not therein to himselfe. Againe, the exception here in the last place taken against our doctrine of permission, is exactly the same with Arminius his exception against Mr. Perkins in dealing upon the third crimination, which there I have answered at large, and that in such manner, that I willingly professe, I was utterly to seek at this time, of what I had there delivered; so that upon my consulting the place, the things I there met with, seemed new unto me, in discovering many waies the inconsequence of Arminius his discourse, which yet is the very same with this of Mr. Mason's. Yet he hath not replied upon any one line of all that I delivered there, though they are above 600 in the second Edition of that book. But it may be he takes that for noe better then an idle discourse (yet an answer it is to this very exception of his) & 'tis enough for him to convince the justnesse of that exception made by Arminius, by sound argument. And what is that but a rule given by him, upon his own credit, without indication of the least authority to confirme it; And though on the contrary I have divers and sundry waies manifested the falsenes thereof: well I am not resolved to suffer him to passe unanswered, how idle soever his discourse may appeare to be. Foure distinctions of ours he proposeth to invade; not one of them is pretermitted by Arminius in his answer unto Perkins, nor any part of that his answer pretermitted by me.