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…

2. Consider we the reason he gives for so shameful an assertion, as touching the alterable condition of Gods decrees, or as touching the ends of men, as yet undetermined by God, In vain, saith he, is freedom in the actions, if the end which they drive at, be determined. Here, First, we have a wild phrase Freedom in actions. For by freedom we understand an active power of working after a certain manner, which power is found in the will, not in the actions. Secondly, a bare avouching that unless God as yet hath left the ends of men living undetermined, or in case he hath determined them, unless these determinations of his be alterable, Freedom of Will is given in vain; as much as to say, unless we admit of such monstrous assertions, the freedom of mans Will is in vain. But we say this consequence is most untrue, and we give our reason for it. For whether salvation or damnation be the ends he meaneth, no creature is capable of either, but only creatures rational; and the one being bestowed by way of reward, and the other inflicted by way of punishment, each of these presupposeth freedom of Will in the parties thus proceeded with: Or whether the ends are the manifestation of Gods vindicative and remunerative justice, for the same reason now specified, each of these doth necessarily bespeak freedom of Will in them, who after either way are made useless on whom the glory of God is to be manifested. When he addes saying Omnis actio is propter sinem. This altogether concerns the ends intended, and proposed by the author of the action, nothing concerns the ends proposed by another. And the ends of a man proposed by himself, are either supreme or intermediate, still every action deliberate (for so alone it holds) tends to one end or other, which man himself intends. The supreme end of every one is his chief good; but as touching that wherein this consists, all do not agree. Some place it in wealth, some in pleasure, some in honour, some in virtuous life. By the light of Grace we are taught, that as we are creatures, our end, which we should propose unto our selves, is the glorifying of God our Creator, though there were neither reward nor punishment.

2. Consider we the reason he gives for so shamefull an assertion, as touching the alterable condition of Gods decrees, or as touching the ends of men, as yet undetermined by God, In vaine, saith he, is freedome in the actions, if the end which they drive at, be determined. Here, First, we have a wild phrase Freedome in actions. For by freedome we understand an active power of working after a certain manner, which power is found in the will, not in the actions. Secondly, a bare avouching that unlesse God as yet hath left the ends of men living undetermined, or in case he hath determined them, unlesse these determinations of his be alterable, Freedome of Will is given in vaine; as much as to say, unlesse we admit of such monstrous assertions, the freedome of mans Will is in vaine. But we say this consequence is most untrue, and we give our reason for it. For whether salvation or damnation be the ends he meaneth, no creature is capable of either, but only creatures rationall; and the one being bestowed by way of reward, and the other inflicted by way of punishment, each of these presupposeth freedome of Will in the parties thus proceeded with: Or whether the ends are the manifestation of Gods vindicative and remunerative justice, for the same reason now specified, each of these doth necessarily bespeak freedome of Will in them, who after either way are made uselesse on whom the glory of God is to be manifested. When he addes saying Omnis actio is propter sinem. This altogether concernes the ends intended, and proposed by the author of the action, nothing concernes the ends proposed by another. And the ends of a man proposed by himselfe, are either supreame or intermediate, still every action deliberate (for so alone it holds) tends to one end or other, which man himselfe intends. The supream end of every one is his chief good; but as touching that wherein this consists, all doe not agree. Some place it in wealth, some in pleasure, some in honour, some in virtuous life. By the light of Grace we are taught, that as we are creatures, our end, which we should propose unto our selves, is the glorifying of God our Creator, though there were neither reward nor punishment.