October 18, 2009

William Levitt (fl.1652) on the Will of God

Object. How can God be said to will the salvation of all, according to 1 Tim. 2. 4. if he have elected some only, and rejected others?

Answ. 1. Although it cannot be properly said that God hath two Wills, as in reference to himself, or in himself, his Will being entire; yet forasmuch as part of his Will is revealed, and part kept secret, according to our capacities, we may say there is a revealed and a secret Will of God, or a declaring and a decreeing Will of God; now the tender of grace being universal, all men ought in point of duty to wait upon God in his Ordinances, he affording like means to the reprobate as to the elect, he may well be said to Will the salvation of all: Hence are the ungodly left without excuse; for although the decreeing will of God cannot be resisted, yet his declaring will is resisted every day by every sin we commit.
William Levitt, The Glorious Truth of Redemption by Jesus Christ, Rescued out of the Hands of Unrighteousness (London, Printed for the Author, 1652), 16.

I can't find Levitt's dates yet, but it is clear from this brief treatise that he was a high Calvinist seeking to refute Arminianism and other errors.

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