oppofethnot Gods Mercy. 277 and have their torments increafed if they believe not. There things being fo, (I think) I may conclude with the words (P ) of Pofper ; x He whichfaith that God would not hiveall men tobePaved, but a certainfet number ofpredeftinateperfons one- ly, he fpeakethmore harfhly then he_Iberia! the height ofGods unfearchablegrace. Nay, he fpeaketh that which cannot {land with his infinite graceand mercy, efpecially to the tonnesof men. Nor doth that give .,ne fatisfa&ion which is ufüally anfwer- ed, namely, that Godby this abfolute decree doth fullymani- fefl his juliceand his mercy too, his juílice toward Re- probates, his mercy toward the Elea; and that it is neceflary his decrees fbould fo be ordered as that both there may be clearlydccla:red by a. hem. For,'. Gods mercy is revealed to be richmere;!, abundae, long-fufering, furmounting juftice, and beyondu derftanding. Now fuch a mercy Pet forth with fuch titles, clothedwith luck properties, is no wayes manifefted by this decree. z. Neither is Gods pure and fpotlefíè Juftice Pet forth by it, as I now come to Phew : This beingmy third ar- gument drawn from Gods Attributes againfl abfolute Re- probation. Whether abfolute Reprobation waft Gods Mercie. V -I 7Hat the Authour difcourfeth in generali concerning Gods Mercie confidered abfolutely, comparatively, in its na- turalneffe, in the amplitudeof f its object, &c. is tono great purpofe, unleffe upon fuch an- tecedents this conclufion will certainly fol- low, Therefore Predestination and Repro- bation cannot be ab(olute asofGods free- will , but mull n:'eds proceed according to his previfion ofmens future ads and defer- vings. The weakneffe ofthere confecinents fliall in particular be chewed hereaf.er, S 3 when Sent. fupet 8.c. Gall.Qut dicit quòd non omnes homilies Ve- lit Deus fal- vos fieri, fed certum nu- merum præ- deftinato- rum, duriús loquitur quàm loqué- dum eft de altitudine infcrutabilis gratiæ Dei.
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