The riches of Gods love unto the vessells of mercy, consistent with his absolute hatred or reprobation of the vessells of wrath, or, An answer unto a book entituled, Gods love unto mankind ... in two bookes, the first being a refutation of the said booke, as it was presented in manuscript by Mr Hord unto Sir Nath. Rich., the second being an examination of certain passages inserted into M. Hords discourse (formerly answered) by an author that conceales his name, but was supposed to be Mr Mason ... / by ... William Twisse ... ; whereunto are annexed two tractates of the same author in answer unto D.H. ... ; together with a vindication of D. Twisse from the exceptions of Mr John Goodwin in his Redemption redeemed, by Henry Jeanes ...

Tempted.

God hath a double call, outward by his word, inward by the irresistible work of his spirit; with this he doth not call every man to believe, but a very few only, whom he hath infallibly, and inevi∣tably, ordained to eternall life, and therefore by the outward call, which I enjoy among many o∣thers, I cannot be assured of Gods good will and meaning, that I shall believe, repent, and be saved.

CONSIDERATION.

Our Doctrine teacheth not that God calls every one by his Word, that is an Ar∣minian interjection. But the outward call belongs to many more then are chosen, as our Saviour sayth, many are called but few are chosen; Indeed he gives faith and repen∣tance to a very few, which no Arminian denyes; only the Question is, Whether God gives faith and repentance to whom he will, or according to mens works. We saytis to whom he will, proceeding herein according to the meere pleasure of his will; and not according to mens workes; which to affirme is manifest Pelagianisme, and publikely condemned many hundred yeares agoe. It is true, if thou dost not believe, Gods Word doth not assure thee that he will make thee believe; that were to assure thee of thine election before thy vocation; a most unreasonable thing to be expected. But God by his word assures thee, that tis his meaning that without faith thou shalt not be saved. Yet there is no cause thou shouldest think thy selfe a Reprobate; for this was the con∣dition of every one of Gods elect before their calling. It may be thou maist have expe∣rience of the same power of divine grace, to bring thee to faith also, and to repentance; therefore seeing Gods Word is the only meanes to worke faith, waite daily at his Gates and give attendance at the posts of his doores; and doe not prescribe unto him, or say with * 1.1 Joram, Shall I wait upon the Lord any longer? though it be longere he calls thee, yet it may goe never a whit the worse with thee for that, for sometimes it falleth out that the last are first, and the first last: and the commendation that Austin makes, of the Theef's faith upon the Crosse, is remarkeable, De orig, animae, lib. 1. cap. 9. Tanto pondere

appensum est, tantum{que} valuit ap ud eum qui haec novit appendere, quod confessus est dominum cruci∣fixum, quantum si fuisset pro Domino crucifixus. Tunc enim fides ejus de ligno floruit, quando dis∣cipulorum marcuit, nisi cujus mortis terrore marcuerunt ejus resurrectione reviresceret. Illi enim despe∣raverunt de moriente, ille speravit in commorientem. Refugerunt illi authorem vitae, rogavit ille consortem poenae. Doluerunt illi tanquam homines mortem, credidit ille regnaturum esse post mortem, Deseruerunt illi sponsorem salutis, honoravit ille socium crucis. Inventa est in eo mensura Mar∣tyris, qui tunc in Christum credidit, quando defecerunt, qui futuri erant Martyres.

2. From the Comedy I come to the Tragedy, I meane the story of Spira. Sleidan saith of him, that Incredibili ardore caepit complecti puriorem doctrinam: & cum indies magis magis{que} proficeret, non domi tantum apud amicos quid sentiret de singulis dogmatis, verum etiam passim apud omnes explicabat. Tidings hereof coming to the Popes Legat then at Venice John Casa Arch-Bishop of Beneventum, he convents Spira, who confesseth his errour before him, intreats pardon, and promiseth obedience for time to come. The Le∣gat not contented with this, commands him to goe home, and publiquely to revoke his errour. Sleidan writes no more here of but this, Accipit ille conditionem, & licet etiam tum inciperet ipsum paenitere facti, tamen urgentibus amicis, qui non ipsius modo, sed conjugis etiam & liberorum & facultatum ipsius spem totam in eo positam dicerent, obtemperavit. Osiander writes that pessimo consilio obsecutus, abnegando veritatem caelestem perrexit, eam{que} publice ut haeresin blasphemavit & abjuravit. The distresse of conscience which overtooke him hereup∣on is notorious, the issue whereof was to end his woefull dayes more woefully in despaire. But nothing more strange then his discourses and meditations in the midst of this his desperate condition. As for the particulars following, 1: Touching the greatnesse of his sinne, and that he was taken off from that by the example of Peter, I find no such thing neither in Sleidan, nor Osiander, nor in Goulartius; but rather in this latter, who makes the largest relation thereof taken out of the discourse of one Henry Scringer, a learned Lawyer who was then at Padua, who did see, and many times talke with this poore Spira; I find that which makes to the contrary, namely, that the sinne which he laid to his owne charge was the sinne against the Holy Ghost. And no example I trust neither of Peter, nor any other was sufficient to take him off from despaire in such a case. 2. And as for the discourse here suggested of his absolute reprobation, which he opposed against their comforts ministred unto him, no menti∣on thereof, neither in Sleidan, nor in Osiander; nay Osiander writes that he was wish'd to revoke doctrinam Lutheranam, and this was it which he did (as he sayeth) blaspheme as an heresy, and abjure. Goulartius indeed relates how he conceived himselfe to be reprobated of God, as justly he might in case he judged himselfe to have sinned a∣gainst the Holy Ghost; And as for that which is here set down in Latin, of him that is a Reprobate, namely, that necessario condemnabitur, though his sins be small & few, & that nihil interest multa an pauca, magna an parva sint; quando nec Dei misericordia, nec Christi sanguis quicquam ad eos pertinet. Neither Sleidan, nor Osiander nor Goulartius makes any mention of it. And therefore I wonder not that he neither followeth Sleidan, nor Osiander much lesse that he followes not Goulartius. He cites Caelius secundus and Calvin as his Au∣thours, and some others that wrot thereof to their friends, but names them not; as neither where it is that Caelius secundus makes mention of it, or in what booke of Calvin it is found. I imagined it might be in his Epistles; I have spent some houres in search∣ing therein from the yeare 1545 to the yeare 1663, and can find nothing concerning it. Now Goulartius wrote since Caelius secundus, and Calvin and Sleidan, and his relation is large; and it semes he inquired in to it somewhat better then they that went before him. And thus he relates it out of the discourse of Henry Scringer a Lawyer of Padua, who saw Spira at that time, and divers times spake with him.

In a small towne of the territory of Padua called Civitelle there was a Learned Lawyer, and advocat, a wise and very rich, man and an honourable father of a fa∣mily, called Francis Spira, who having sayd and done divers things against his consci∣ence, to maintaine himselfe and his charge, (observe by the way he delivers the cause only in generall concealing the speciality, it being so strang a testimony and evi∣dence against the Romish Religion) being returned to his house, he could never rest an houre, not a minut, nor have any ease of his continuall anguish: And even from that night he was so terrified and had such horrour of his actions, as he held himselfe for lost. For (as he himselfe did afterward confesse) he did set plainely before his eyes, all the torments, all the paines of the damned, and in his soule did heare the fearfull sentences, being drawne before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ (a fearfull

example to all Apostates;) The next day and so following he was not seene to re∣sume any courage, but his spirits were strangely troubled, and the terrour tooke from him all rest and appetite. This accident was so greivous to his friends, as some repented them much that they had beene the cause of so great an inconvenience, by their intreaties. Others, thinking it did proceed from some cholerick or melancholy humour, were of opinion to send him to Padova to be Physicked by the Learned Phy∣sitians, revived by honorable company, and setled by the coference of Learned men there, to some of which he was well knowne. His Wife and Children with some of his familiar friends did accompany him, and he was lodged in one of the chiefe hou∣ses. Frisimilega Bellocat and Crassus (famous Physitians) did visit him, and give him Physicke with singular affection: and soone found that he was little sicke in body, but grievously in mind, for in all other things he discoursed gravely, and constanstly, so as none of his familiar friends could discerne that the quicknesse of his discourse was any thing impaired. Continuing still in his weaknesse, many were much trou∣bled, and dayly his Chamber was full of People; some curious to see and heare, o∣thers were desirous to draw him to hope in the mercies of God; I was present at ma∣ny of his speeches, with some men of honour and Learning. To deliver that which I could observe, I began first to note his age and his fashion. He was about 50 yeares old, free from the violent passions of youth, and from the coldnesse of old age. Nothing came out of his mouth, that was light or foolishly spoken: or that might discover any doting in him; although he did dayly discourse of grave and important matters with the Learned, and that some did propound unto him high questions e∣specially in Divinity.

2. I will briefly relate same speeches they had with him. During his abode at Padua and I will not forget that he declared with a setled judgment, that he did see the eternall vengeance of God prepared against the sinne, that he had committed: (This was the true cause of his dispaire, and not an ungrounded conceit of his reprobati∣on; but the conscience of his sinne cast him upon this, and made him conceive he was a Reprobate.) For that he did find in him selfe that those things which God had given to others to rejoyce their spirits, all conspired against him in despite of his horrible forfeit: (I doubt the phrase here in the originall was not well understood by the Traslatour;) For although, said he, that God for a great blessing had promised to ma∣ny holy men a goodly issue, and a great number of children, in whose love and o∣bedience they may repose their age; yet in the midst of his miseries, The hands and faces of his Children were as horrible unto him as the hangmans (and indeed for the good of his children he renounced Gods truth for meere temporall respects.) It can∣not well be expressed what griefe & vexation he seemed to receive when his children brought him meat, forcing him to eat, and threatning him when he refused it. He confessed his children did their dutyes, and yet he tooke it in ill part, saying, that he did not acknowledge God any more for his father, but did feare him as his adver∣sary armed with judgment. For he had been three weeks in this apprehension, when he spake these things, without eating or drinking, but what they forced him unto, the which he received with great difficulty, resisting with all his power, and spitting out that which they forced him to take. Some of the Assistants were of opinion to make him afraid, to make him the more apt to receive food, first for the soule, then for the body; asking him if he did not feare greater and sharper torments after this life then those he then felt. He confessed that he expected farre more sharpe, and had already horror of them: yet he desired nothing more then to be cast head∣long in to them, that he might not feare other more grevious torments. They asked him againe if he thought his sinne so foule as it could not be pardoned through the bounty and infinite mercy of God? His answer was, that he had sinned against the Holy Ghost, which was so great a sinne, as is called a sinne unto death; that is to say, subject to the eternall vengeance of God, and to the paines of Hell: (now judge I pray whether the example of Peter was sufficient to take him off from desperation; for will any say that Peter in denying his Master sinned against the Holy Ghost;) whereof (to wit, the sinne against the Holy Ghost) this poore wretch discoursed amply, learnedly, and too subtilly against him selfe: Learned and Godly men, which did assist him, omit∣ted no testimonies that might assure a wounded conscience that God is mercifull, gen∣tle and ready to pardon. But all this could not divert him from this opinion, neither could they draw any other thing from him, then that he desired much that

he might returne to some hope of pardon. But it fares with me (saith he) as with criminall persons, shut up in close prisons, and fettered hand and foot. Sometimes they are saluted by their friends passing by, who advise them to breake Prison, and to deceive their guards if they can. Such Prisoners would gladly follow their coun∣sell, but it is a vaine desire: Even so is mine, said he.

3. As for the Scriptures which were cited to him, touching the love and affecti∣on of God the Father, by reason of his Sonne Jesus Christ, he did avow them; ad∣ding, that they belonged only to them, whom Jesus Christ did repute his brethren, and his members; but as for him, he had renounced that love, and willingly reje∣cted brotherly alliance, neither was ignorant in how great tranquillity of mind they might be, who had once embraced the promises of salvation, and did wrest them continually therein. For confirmation whereof, this his sad disaster (said he) was propounded for an example before all mens eyes: that if they were wise they should not hold it light, nor happened by any chance, but to learne by his ruine, how dangerous it is, to fall any thing from that which belongs to the great glory of the Sonne of God: Adding that it was a slippery, and very dangerous passage, yea most fearfull to him that stood not carefully on his Guard. More∣over forasmuch as such evident examples, of the vengeance of Almighty God did seldome appeare to the eyes of men, they deserved to be the more carefully re∣garded. That amongst a great number of Reprobates in the World, his calamity was not singular; but his only punishment and ruine did satisfy God, a just Judge to admonish all others to have a care of themselves. He added withall, that therein he did acknowledge the severity of Gods judgement, who had chosen him to make him a spectacle, rather then any other, and to admonish all by one mans mouth, to abstaine from all iniquity; confessing withall, that there was no reproach or punishment, which he had not deserved, by reason of his foule offence. After he had discoursed thus sincerely and gravely of the justice Divine, he said they should not take it strange, this his long speech touching the true reason of the will of God: for that oftentimes God doth wrest out of the mouthes of Repro∣bates, most assured testimonies of his Majesty, his justice, and his fearfull venge∣ance. How strangely doth he plead for Gods justice against himselfe as a Re∣probate? when our Arminians are like to blaspheame that justice of God against Spira, which Spira justifies against himselfe, using a long discourse upon this sen∣tence, and desirous to shew the greatnesse of Gods judgements. There are some (saith he) who have all things so wishfully, as they live in all delights, who not∣withstanding are registred for perdition, whereof Jesus Christ propounds an ex∣ample in the rich man. Luc. 16. That God doth often propound to mankind an hope of reward to draw them to the right beliefe of his holy will, and oft∣times withdrawes them from impieties, by fearfull and prodigious signes. And yet as impiety is naturall to men, they make not their profit of such instructi∣ons, and think not that it concernes them: but impute it to any other thing, rather then to the wisdome of God, to feare and reverence him: Hereupon he made a bitter invective against a certain Philosopher, whom he had known a∣bove twenty years before, for that his Morosoph had been so impudent to deliver in his lessons, yea to write it, and publish it in Print, that all the Mira∣cles that Christ had done upon the earth, might well be done by a man that were skilfull in the knowledge of naturall things. It were hard to represent the ad∣miration wherewith they were surprized, and with what compassion they were moved, that came to visit him, for the discourses which they heard come from his mouth. Every man laboured to reduce this poore man, to some hope of his salvation. Among others there was one, a Reverend man for his holinesse of life, who departed not from the Patients bed, it was the Bishop of Capod' Istria in the Ve∣netians Territory; (This was Vergerius, who afterwards renounced Popery, and became a Protestant:) He ceased not to exhort Spira, and ceased not by many te∣stimonies of the holy Scriptures, to divert him from that apprehension; Adding that he did not think his spirit was altogether voyd and destitute, of some good and heavenly inspirations, seeing he spake so holily and devoutly of the excellency of Christian Religion.

4. Although the sick man knew ful well that these admonitions proceeded

from a sincere and true heart; yet for that he had diverse times rejected them, he be∣gan to frowne, saying to the Bishop, you believe, as I think, that I doe willingly nourish this obstinacy in my mind, and that I take delight in this vehement passion of despaire: If you be of that opinion, you are deceived: I will tell you, to the end you may know my resolution, that if I could be perswaded that the judgement of God, might by any meanes be changed or mitigated for mee, it should not grieve me to be tormented ten thousand yeares, with the sharpest paines of hell, so as I might have any hope of rest after this long sufferance. But even in that whereby you doe exhort me to gather any hope, I see all meanes of health and pardon taken from me. For if the testimonies of holy Scripture have any authority (as they have) doe you thinke that Jesus Christ hath said in vaine, that he which hath renounced him be∣fore men, he will renounce him before his heavenly father? Doe you not see that it concernes me, and that it is as it were, particularly verified in my person? What shall become of him, whom the Sonne hath disavowed before his Father, when as you say, we must hope for no salvation but in Jesus Christ. Thereupon he did ex∣pound certain passages of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, and of the second Catholique Epistle of Saint Peter, out of which he drew terrible conclusions against himselfe. Wee cannot believe with what gravity and vehemency, his words were delivered, neither was there ever heard man pleading better for himselfe, then Spira did then against himselfe. He did alleadge notable things of Gods justice, detesting his fore∣passed life; admonishing all that were about him, very earnestly, not to think that Christian life was a light thing, and easily discharged. That it doth not consist on∣ly in having the head Baptised, in reading certaine verses and texts of the Gospell, and to be termed an honest man, but it was needfull to live as the word of truth doth command him. Thereupon he repeated a Text out of Saint Peter, exhorting us to shew through holinesse of life, certain signes of the love of God towards us, and of the confidence we should have in him: He said moreover, that he had known many who after they had tasted the sweetnesse of true felicity, suffered themselves so to be carried away, as they had no longer care to performe that which belonged to a child of God.

5. He protested that he had sometimes imagined, that his sinnes had been hid∣den, and that he could not be punished, for that Christ had made satisfaction for them: but then he knew too late, that those things belonged only to the elect, and chosen of God, betwixt whose sinnes, and the celestiall Throne, Jesus Christ sets his precious bloud, and the dignity of his obedience, as a veile and shadow to co∣ver them, and doth plant them against the Divine vengeance, as an high and strong Rampart, that sinners repenting them, might not be opprest, nor drowned with the deluge and overflowings of their offences and sinnes. As for himselfe, seeing that he had renounced our Saviour Jesus Christ (here was the true burthen of his sorrow∣full heart) he had, as one should say, overthrowne this strong Rampart with his own hands, so that after this ruine, and overflowing the deluge of waters of this ven∣geance, had covered and swallowed up his soule. One of his most familiar friends said unto him, that he did hold the cause of this his great torment, proceeded from abundance of Melancholy humours, that did so trouble his braine. Spira remem∣bring that he had many times refuted that opinion, and seeing they were to begin againe, said unto the other; You may think what you please, but God in truth hath troubled my spirit, and deprived me of judgement; seeing it is impossible for me to have any hope of my salvation. Having continued in such and the like speeches, during his abode at Padua, they carried him back, to his own house at Civitelle, where he dyed in this despaire.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2 King: 6.