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 ...

CONSIDERATION.

He proceeds very judiciously I confesse, by way of gradation from the Apocry∣phall, to the Canonicall; but at once he makes use both of corruptor stilus, and adulter sensus. The very words of the Apostle he corrupts; for the Apostle no where saith that God would have all to be saved, that God would have none to perish; 'tis 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 who will have all to be saved in the one; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not willing any to perish in the o∣ther. Men would doe many things that they cannot; it is not so with God. And if it be not adulter sensus, to apply this to all and every one, here is comfort indeed with a witnesse; For if God will save every one; and withall can save them, where∣of there is no doubt to be made, then there are no Reprobates at all; every one is predestinate to salvation by the will, that is, by the decree of God; And who hath re∣sisted his will, saith S. Paul. And will he not have all & every one to believe & repent? If not, then seeing he will have all to be saved, it follows that God, wil have all men to be saved, whether they believe or no, repent or no; But if he will have all to believe & repent, by that will whereby he will have all to be saved; seeing God can give all men faith and repentance; what followes but that all and every one shall believe and repent, & be saved, and consequently, there are no Reprobates at all? But I know full well what their interpretation of this is, namely, that God is ready to give faith and repentance unto all, to wit, in case they will; but doth not God give the very will to believe and repent? Yes in case they will. Take this comfort then into thy bosome, and make the best use of it to perswade thee that thou art no cast-away; For if thou believest and repentest, all is safe, thou hast as good assurance of thy salvation as Gods word can give thee. And though faith

and repentance be the gift of God, yet this comforter doth assure thee, that if thou wilt believe thou shalt believe, if thou wilt repent thou shalt repent. For God doth not give the grace of faith and repentance, according to the meere pleasure of his own will, but according to mens workes; for albeit the Apostle saith, God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth; yet that is not to be understood of vocation, but rather of justification. And let it not startle thee, that justification in Scripture phrase, is opposed to condemnation, and not to obduration, but to thy comfort be it spoken, it must be opposed to obduration here; least otherwise faith and repentance should not be given according to mens workes, but according to the meere pleasure of God; which is a very uncomfortable doctrine. But be thou assu∣red, that if thou wilt believe and repent, thou shalt believe and repent, such is Gods grace; and though it be as true, I confesse, on the other side, that if thou wilt not be∣lieve and repent, thou shalt not believe and repent; yet that is not to be accounted Gods grace, least so we should say, that Gods grace is as active to evill, as it is un∣to good. So that hereby thou maist still perceive, that all thy comfort de∣pends on this, that the grace of faith and repentance is given according to mens works.