Autokatakrisis, or, Self-condemnation,: exemplified in Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Barlee, and Mr. Hickman. With occasional reflexions on Mr Calvin, Mr Beza, Mr Zuinglius, Mr Piscator, Mr Rivet, and Mr Rollock: but more especially on Doctor Twisse, and Master Hobbs; against whom, God's purity and his præscience ... with the sincere intention and the general extent of the death of Christ, are finally cleared and made good; and the adversaries absurdities ... are proved against them undeniably, out of their own hand-writings. With an additional advertisement of Mr Baxter's late book entituled The Groatian religion discovered, &c. By Thomas Pierce rector of Brington in Northampon-shire.

Sect. 19.

* 1.1 M.W. now proceeds to undertake a new Objection which he doth not cite from any part of my writings, or any mans else; but it seems it is such as he thought he could an∣swer, and 'tis briefly this:

God hates all sin, and therefore can have no hand at all either in willing or effecting of i••; for no man will have any hand in doing what he hates, p. 28.]

First, I observe he doth not deny what is objected, in so much as he owns it to be his Doctrine, that God hath a hand in willing and effecting what he hates. Secondly, I observe that he doth not answer the Objection, but onely puts [Answ.] before his words, which are partly an Eva∣sion or Tergiversation, and partly a Grant of the thing ob∣jected. The Evasion is thus, [Though he hates it, yet he permits it.] And why is he said to permit sin, which he hates, rather then to permit righteousness, which he loves, but be∣cause he hath not any hand in the former, as he hath in the later? And what an Argumentator must he be thought, who goes to prove that God doth will and work s••n, by saying, he permits it? that is in effect, because he neither wills, nor works it? His reason is worse, which is taken from Gods getting glory by sin, ibid. for God gets nothing by any mans righteousness (if we speak exactly) much less by his sins. Or if we may say by a Figure, that God gets glory by our thanksgivings, yet sure by our blasphemies he gets nothing but dishonour. Because God takes occasion of doing good, upon our doing evil, (which good conduceth to his glory) it seems Mr. W. is of opinion, that God gets glory by the evil: then which I cannot imagine a more in∣tolerable mistake.* 1.2 He who concludes he is a vessel of absolute election, and that he cannot fall totally or finally from Grace, may corrupt himself strangely by such a maxime, as that sin makes for. Gods glory, or that God

may get himself glory by it; and be apt to plead, upon his committing of adultery or incest, that he did not do it as 'twas forbidden by the word (which is* 1.3 improperly called the will of God, say they,) but as God did secretly will it, as it made for Gods glory, or to the end that God might get himself some glory by it. He did it not out of lust, or as a sin, but to procreate a Saint, and increase the num∣ber of the godly, and withal to glorifie that discriminating mercy, which could not be exercised in the pardoning of such sins, if they were not committed by them in whom they are capable of being pardoned, that is to say, by the Elect. I put this Case, to fright men out of those pre∣misses, from which (if God restrain them not) they have been known by experience to draw such horrible conclusi∣ons. And had I not been able to give examples, I should not have thought this method needful. Mr. W. tells us plain enough, (both p. 26. and here too) that so far as sin makes for Gods glory, God may both**** 1.4 will, and * work it, and have a hand in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 effecting, or * working of it. And though sin be in it self evil, yet it may have some respect of * good. As for that which he calls a true Rule, and what he hath out of Austin against himself, I will not exagi∣tate his unhappinesse therein, (as I must also forbear to do it in many other particulars,) meerly for fear I should be endless.

Notes

• * 1.1

  God hath no hand in w l∣ling or effecting what he hates.
• * 1.2

  A case put to shew the dan∣ger of Mr. W's Doctrine.
• * 1.3

  This is the Doctrine of Dr. Twisse & others, parti∣cularly own∣ed by Mr. W. p. 47.
• **** 1.4

  Note that all are his own ex∣pressions, ••.26, & 28. which must be com∣pared: to which pur∣pose, look on what I h••ve said sect. 14. of this Chapter.