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…

Mark I pray the nature of grace here shaped thus, sufficient by their good Husbandry (to wit, by the good Husbandry of the hearers) to convert them. Now wherein doth this conversion consist? Surely in believing, for of unbelief they are convicted by the Gospel, as many as contemn or neglect it: and hence he infers, that it was sufficient to convert them, which must be by the Antithesis, to bring them to faith, provided that they (that is the hearers) play the good husbands in the using of it; But what is it to play the good husbands? These and such like Phrasiologies, are the usual skulking courses of the Arminians, like the ink which the Fish Saepia casts forth, that she may thereby the better hide her self, and escape from the hands of the Fisher. But certainly it must be some work or other to be performed by the hearer, whereby he shall be brought to faith: therefore I say, it is either the work of Faith it self, or some other work preceding it: not of faith it self, for faith it self, cannot in reason be said to be a work, whereby a man is brought to faith. Secondly, herehence it followeth, that Mans good husbandry, being here distinguished from the work of Faith it self, the act of Faith is hereby made the work of mans will, not of Gods grace: if some work preceding faith, whereupon faith is wrought by grace, it followeth that the grace of faith, is given according to mans works: this is the foul issue of their tenet, making faith either not at all the work ⟨p. 197⟩of God, or if wrought by God, to be wrought according to mans work. And thus they shape the grace of God, conferring faith, not only towards Reprobates, but also towards the elect. Now observe I beseech you, how our Britain Divines do purposely reject this Doctrine in the Synod of Dort art. 3. in their third Thesis, of those which are rejected by them. The Thesis which they reject is, positis omnibus gratiae operationibus quibus Deus ad efficiendam hanc conversionem utitur, voluntatem hominis relinqui in aequilibrio: velitne credere vel non credere convertete se ad Deum vel non convertere. All the operations of grace supposed, the will of man is left in an even balance, whether he will believe or no, whether he will convert himself to God or no: this is the very opinion of this Author, against which our worthy Divines dispute there in this manner.

Marke I pray the nature of grace here shaped thus, sufficient by their good Husbandry (to wit, by the good Husbandry of the hearers) to convert them. Now wherein doth this conversion consist? Surely in believing, for of unbeliefe they are convicted by the Gospell, as many as contemne or neglect it: and hence he inferres, that it was sufficient to convert them, which must be by the Antithesis, to bring them to faith, provided that they (that is the hearers) play the good husbands in the using of it; But what is it to play the good husbands? These and such like Phrasiologies, are the usuall sculking courses of the Arminians, like the inke which the Fish Saepia casts forth, that she may thereby the better hide her selfe, and escape from the hands of the Fisher. But certainly it must be some worke or other to be performed by the hearer, whereby he shall be brought to faith: therefore I say, it is either the worke of Faith it selfe, or some other worke preceding it: not of faith it selfe, for faith it selfe, cannot in reason be said to be a worke, whereby a man is brought to faith. Secondly, herehence it followeth, that Mans good husbandry, being here distinguished from the worke of Faith it selfe, the act of Faith is hereby made the work of mans will, not of Gods grace: if some work preceding faith, whereupon faith is wrought by grace, it followeth that the grace of faith, is given according to mans works: this is the foule issue of their tenet, making faith either not at all the worke