Edward Reynolds (1599–1676) on God’s General and Special Love

Insomuch that even in God himself (to whom these passions are but by an anthropopathy attributed) that more general love of his providence and preservation (which is common to all his creatures) is (if I may so speak) of a lower degree (though not in respect of any intention or remission in his will, but only the effects thereof towards the things themselves) than that more special love of adoption, which he extendeth only to those, whom he vouchsafeth to make one in him, who was ‘unigenitus’ and ‘dilectus’ from everlasting.

Edward Reynolds, “Treatise on the Passions and Faculties of the Soul,” in The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Edward Reynods, D.D. (London: Printed for B. Holdsworth, 1826), 6:45. Also in Edward Reynolds, A Treatise of the Passions and Faculties of the Soul of Man (London: Printed by Robert Bostock, 1656), 56.

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Note that Reynolds, a Westminster divine, connects God's general love with His "providence and preservation" that is "common to all his creatures." Biblically, and historically among all mainstream Calvinists, God's providential bounties that extend to all men are indicative of God's common, general or beneficent love.

Edward Reynolds (1599–1676) on Restraining and Renewing Grace

For clearing this Exception we must know that there are other causes besides the power and kingdom of the spirit of Christ, which may work a partial abstinence in some sins, and conformity in some duties.

First, the Power of a general restraining Grace, which I suppose is meant in Gods with-holding Abimelech from touching Sarah. As there are general Gifts of the Spirit in regard of illumination, so likewise in order to conversation and practice. It is said that Christ beholding the young man, Loved him, and that even when he was under the reign of Covetousness. He had nothing from himself worthy of love, therefore something, though more general, it was which the spirit had wrought in him. Suppose we his ingenuity, morality, care of Salvation, or the like. As Abraham gave portions to Ishmael, but the inheritance to Isaac: so doth the Lord on the children of the flesh and of the bond woman bestow common gifts, but the Inheritance and Adoption is for the Saints, his choicest Jewels are for the King’s Daughter. There is great difference betwixt Restraining and Renewing Grace; the one only charms and chains up sin, the other crucifies and weakens it, whereby the vigor of it is not withheld only, but abated: the one turns the motions and stream of the heart to another channel, the other keeps it in bounds only, though still it run its natural course; the one is contrary to the Reign, the other only to the Rage of sin. And now these graces being so differing, needs must the abstaining from sins, or amendment of life according as it riseth from one or other, be likewise exceeding different.

Edward Reynolds, Three Treatises: Of the Vanity of the Creature. The Sinfulness of Sin. The Life of Christ. (London: Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, and are to be sold by Henry Curteyne, 1631), 288. Also in “The Sinfulness of Sin,” in The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Edward Reynolds, D.D., 6 vols. (Ligonier, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1992), 1:267–268.

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Edward Reynolds (1599–1676) on the Lord's Salvation Begging and Suing for Acceptance

3. In that the Lord doth send forth the gospel of Christ out of Sion into the world, we may further observe, that the gospel is a message and an invitation from heaven unto men. For to that end was it sent, that thereby men might be invited and persuaded to salvation. The Lord sendeth his Son up and down, carrieth him from place to place; he is set forth before men's eyes, he comes, and stands, and calls, and knocks at their doors, and beseecheth them to be reconciled. He setteth his word before us, at our doors, and in our mouths and ears. He hath not erected any standing sanctuary or city of refuge for men to fly for their salvations unto, but hath appointed ambassadors to carry this treasure unto men's houses where he inviteth them, and entreateth them, and requireth them, and commandeth them, and compelleth them to come unto his feast of mercy. And this must needs be an unsearchable riches of grace, for mercy, pardon, preferment, life, and salvation to go a begging, and sue for acceptance; and very unsearchable likewise must needs be the love of sin, and madness of folly in wicked men, to trample upon such pearls, and to neglect so great salvation when it is tendered unto them. Oh what a heavy charge will it be for men at the last day, to have the mercy of God, the humility of Christ, the entreaties of his Spirit, the proclamations of pardon, the approaches of salvation, the days, the years, the ages of peace, the ministers of the word, the book of God, and the great mystery of godliness, to rise up in judgment, and to testify against their souls!

Edward Reynolds, An Explication of the Hundred and Tenth Psalm (London: The Religious Tract Society, 1837), 197.

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Other men within the Augustinian tradition who use the metaphor of God begging are the following:

Augustine, Hugh Latimer (Early English Reformer), Samuel Rutherford (Westminster divine), Thomas Manton (Puritan), Jeremiah Burroughs (Westminster divine), John Trapp (Puritan), Sydrach Simpson (Westminster divine), Joseph Caryl (Westminster divine), Robert Harris (Westminster divine), Theophilus Gale (Puritan), William Gearing (Puritan), Richard Baxter (Puritan), Isaac Ambrose (Puritan), Stephen Charnock (Puritan), John Richardson (Puritan), John Flavel (Puritan), Thomas Watson (Puritan), Thomas Case (Puritan), George Newton (Puritan), Nathaniel Vincent (Puritan), Richard Sibbes (Puritan), Anthony Palmer (Puritan), John Shower (Puritan), John Collinges (Puritan), William Gurnall (Puritan), Andrew Gray (Puritan), George Swinnock (Puritan), Ralph Venning (Puritan), Daniel Burgess (Puritan), Samuel Willard, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, Solomon Stoddard, Samuel Davies, Ralph Erskine, Charles Spurgeon, Thomas Chalmers, Walter Chantry, Erroll Hulse, John MacArthur and Fred Zaspel.

Edward Reynolds (1599–1676) on God Beseeching

Here's a quote from vol. 1 of his Works:

Eighthly, The evil doth not reach to men only, but the scandal and indignity overspreads the Gospel; a great part of the life of sin is drawn from the several respects it hath to God's acknowledged will. When we sin not only against the law of nature in our hearts, but against the written law; not only against the truth, but against the mercy and spirit of God too; this must be an heavy aggravation. O what a Hell must it be to a soul in Hell to recount, 'So many sabbaths God reached forth his Word unto me, so many sermons he knocked at my door, and beseeched me to be reconciled; he wooed me in his Word; allured me by his promises; expected me in much patience; enriched me with the liberty of his own precious oracles; reached forth his blood to wash me; poured forth his tears over me; but against all this I have stopped the ear, and pulled away the shoulder, and hardened the heart, and received all this grace in vain; and notwithstanding all the rain which fell upon me, continued barren still. God might have cut me off in the womb, and made me there a brand of Hell, as I was, by nature, a child of wrath: he might have brought me forth into the world out of the pale of his visible church, or into a corrupted synagogue, or into a place full of ignorance, atheism, and profaneness; but he hath cast my lot into a beautiful place, and given me a goodly heritage: and now he requires nothing of me, but to do justly, and work righteousness, and walk humbly before God; and I requite evil for good, to the hurt of mine own soul.'

Edward Reynolds, "The Sinfulness of Sin," The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Edward Reynolds (Ligonier: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1992), 1:207–208.

This volume is also available to download and search online here:

Edward Reynolds on "The Sinfulness of Sin," in The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Edward Reynolds, Lord Bishop of Norwich (London: Printed for B. Holdsworth, 1826), 1:207–208.

Here is a quote from volume 5 of his Works:

2. To take heed that the labour of your ministers for your souls be not, by your carelessness, all in vain. Do not with our sermons, which cost us so hard labour, as David did with the water of the well of Bethlehem,—spill them on the ground, and let them cry from thence, like the blood of Abel against you. So long as he keeps to his commission, and deliver the counsel of God, you cannot despise the work of your minister, but you do therewithal despise the blood of your Saviour. If your souls be dear in their eyes, should they he vile in your own? Will you, by your wickedness, turn the prayers of your pastors into curses, their sermons into a savour of death, and their tears into the blood of your own souls? Shall they beg mercy for you, and will you reject it! Shall they tender grace unto you, and will you resist it? Shall they open for you the door of life, and will you shut it against yourselves? Shall Christ by them beseech you, and will you, by your impenitency, refuse him? Is it not a reasonable request, though you will not love your ministers, yet not to hate nor destroy yourselves? Must he teach, and you not learn? Must he open his lips, and you shut your ears? Are sermons preached to be praised only, and not obeyed? Must he reprove sin in you, and will you reprove God in him? Shall he take up the weapons of God to withstand sin? and will you take up the weapons of lust to withstand God? Is it good to kick against the pricks? Will God's word be impune despised? Can his law be put to flight? where it doth not persuade, can it not curse? Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? Shall the minister in the name of God, forewarn us of the wrath to come, and shall we belie the Lord, and say, It is not he? Shall we bless, where God curseth? and promise peace, where God proclaimeth war? Shall we sell ourselves to sin, and make a covenant with hell and death, as if we could sin securely, and choose whether we would perish or no? Will not the Lord make us know at the last, whose word shall stand, his or ours? Oh that the love of Christ might constrain us, and his goodness lead us unto repentance, that, when Christ doth beseech us, we would be persuaded not to deny him! Did Satan die for us? did the world or the flesh ever redeem us? were they scourged, or mocked, or crucified to save us? Oh that Christ should be persuaded to die for us, and we should give him his blood back again, and choose rather to die ourselves. Consider what I say; and the Lord give you understanding in all things.

Edward Reynolds, "Sermon XXV: The Pastoral Office," in The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Edward Reynolds, Lord Bishop of Norwich (London: Printed for B. Holdsworth, 1826), 5:407–408.

Volume 6 is HERE.

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A Presbyterian by conviction, he nonetheless wanted to maintain the unity of the national church, and argued for a milder form of episcopacy that would accommodate Presbyterian beliefs. He wrote out his convictions in A Sermon Touching the Peace & Edification of the Church (1638).

In 1643, he was appointed to serve as a divine at the Westminster Assembly. Though he spoke little, Reynolds played a major role in committee work on behalf of the assembly. He was the only divine who was a member of all three major committees for the Confession of Faith: the large committee of nineteen, with four later additions, appointed to set parameters; the drafting committee of seven for the first composition; and the committee of three, with four later additions, for proofing and final editing. More than anyone else, Reynolds provided continuity throughout the twenty-seven months it took to write the Confession. William Barker concludes, "It is ironic, however, that the one who seems to have contributed most of the Presbyterian doctrinal confession was the only Westminster divine to become a bishop after the Restoration and one of only four who were active in the Assembly who conformed" (Puritan Profiles, p. 180).

Joel R. Beeke & Randall J. Pederson, Meet the Puritans: With a Guide to Modern Reprints (Grand Rapids: RHB, 2006), 496–497.