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…

3 And well they might hold that God's judgments were not just on sinners, if they were held by any absolute necessity under the power of their sins. We say that nothing hath either existence, or continuance, by absolute necessity, save God alone. But I guess this Author calls that necessity absolute, which flows from God's absolute decree. Now if he will have God's decrees to be conditional, it stands him upon to prove it, not boldly suppose it. Especially seeing Aquinas hath professed that never any man was so mad as to say that there is any cause of God's predestination, as touching the act of God's predestinating; and that there can be no cause hereof he proves because there can be no cause of God's will, as touching the act of God willing, as formerly he had proved. And Doctor Jackson in his book of providence confesseth that the distinction of God's will, into a will antecedent, and a will consequent, is not to be understood as touching the act of God willing; but as touching the things willed. And accordingly, seeing reprobation in it's kind is the will of God, as well as predestination in it's kind; it followeth, that as there can be no cause of the will of God, as touching the act of God willing; no cause of predestination, as touching the act of God predestinating; so neither can there be any cause of Reprobation, as touching the act of God reprobating. And look how mad a thing it is for any man to maintain that there is some cause of predestination, as touching the act of God predestinating. So as mad a thing it must be every way to avouch that there is a cause of Reprobation, as touching the act of God reprobating. And truly the Apostle St. Paul plainly manifests that upon what ground he proves, that Election is not of good works (namely because before Jacob or Esau were borne, or had done good or evil, it was said, The elder shall serve the younger) upon the same ground we may be bold to conclude, that Reprobation is not of evil works. And the same reason manifests that faith and infidelity are excluded from being the causes, the one of Election, the other of Reprobation; as well as good and evil works. And both Piscator by evidence of Scripture, and Bradwardine by evidence of reason have demonstrated, that no will of God is conditional, which is to be understood, as touching the act of God willing.

3 And well they might hold that God's judgments were not just on sinners, if they were held by any absolute necessity under the power of their sins. We say that nothing hath either existence, or continuance, by absolute necessity, save God alone. But I guesse this Authour calls that necessity absolute, which flowes from God's absolute decree. Now if he will have God's decrees to be conditionall, it stands him upon to prove it, not boldly suppose it. Especially seeing Aquinas hath professed that never any man was so mad as to say that there is any cause of God's predestination, as touching the act of God's predestinating; and that there can be no cause hereof he proves because there can be no cause of God's will, as touching the act of God willing, as formerly he had proved. And Doctor Iackson in his booke of providence confesseth that the distinction of God's will, into a will antecedent, and a will consequent, is not to be understood as touching the act of God willing; but as touching the things willed. And accordingly, seeing reprobation in it's kind is the will of God, as well as predestination in it's kind; it followeth, that as there can be no cause of the will of God, as touching the act of God willing; no cause of predestination, as touching the act of God predestinating; so neither can there be any cause of Reprobation, as touching the act of God reprobating. And looke how mad a thing it is for any man to maintaine that there is some cause of predestination, as touching the act of God predestinating. So as mad a thing it must be every way to avouch that there is a cause of Reprobation, as touching the act of God reprobating. And truely the Apostle St. Paul plainly manifests that upon what ground he proves, that Election is not of good works (namely because before Iacob or Esau were borne, or had done good or evill, it was said, The elder shall serve the younger) upon the same ground we may be bold to conclude, that Reprobation is not of evill workes. And the same reason manifests that faith and infidelity are excluded from being the causes, the one of Election, the other of Reprobation; as well as good and evill workes. And both Piscator by evidence of Scripture, and Bradwardine by evidence of reason have demonstrated, that no will of God is conditionall, which is to be understood, as touching the act of God willing.