The Riches of Gods Love, Part 2 · Treatise · Type of argument 4 · Section 1
SECT. I.
MY Fourth Generall againſt abſolute reprobation is, It is a hinderance of Piety: it ſerveth to diſcourage holineſſe, and encourage prophaneneſſe. It makes Miniſters negligent in Preaching, Praying, and every duty elſe, that tends to the eternall good of their People. It makes people careleſſe alſo of hearing, reading, praying, inſtructing their families, examining their conſciences, faſting and mourning for their ſinnes, and all other godly exerciſes. In a word, it cuts aſuder in my opinion the very ſinewes of religion, and pulls away the ſtrongeſt inducements to an holy life. Therefore it is no true and wholſome doctrine. That it doth ſo, it will appeare theſe two waies that follow. 1. It takes away (Hope) and (Feare) Hope of attaining any good by Godlineſſe; Feare of ſuſtaining any hurt by wickedneſſe: and ſo it takes away two principall props of Religion. This reaſon may be reſolved into two branches. Hope and Feare uphold Godlineſſe: Were it not for theſe it would fall to ruine: by theſe are men ſtrongly led on to vertue, and with-held from vice.
1. Hope doth (excitare) ſtirre men up to beginne, and (corroborare) ſtrengthen in the doing of any good action begunne. By this hope of heaven did our Saviour ſtirre up himſelfe to endure the Croſle and deſpiſe the ſhame Heb. 12 By this he heartned his Diſciples to doe and ſuffer for his ſake Math. 5. 11. Abraham left his Country and kindred at Gods call, becauſe he looked for a Citty whoſe builder and maker was God. Heb. 11. 8, 9, 10. Moſes left all the pleaſures and treaſures of Aegypt, and endured afflictions with the people of God, becauſe he ſaw him that was inviſible v. 27. The Martyrs endured racks, gibbets, Lyons, ſword, fire, with a world of other torments, becauſe they looked for a better reſurrection, v. 35. Paul endeavours alwaies to keep a good conſcience through the hope of a bleſſed reſurrection. Acts 24. 15. All the heroicall acts of active and paſſive obedience, have ſprung from the hope of a weight of glory.
Husbandmen, Souldiers, Merchants, are all whetted on by hope to diligence in their callings, as daily experience ſhewes. Hope (ſaith Aquinas) confert ad operationem, and he proveth it firſt by Scripture 1 Cor. 9. 10. He which Eareth and Threſheth muſt Eare and Threſh in hope: And then by a twofold reaſon. 1. From the Nature of hopes object, Bonum arduum & poſſible, ſome excellent good attainable by induſtry. Exiſtimatio ardut excitat attentionem, hope to get that by paines, which is conceived to be a thing of worth, ſtirres up to paines taking. 2. From the effect of hope, which is delectatio, an inward pleaſure, which the party that lives under hope is affected with by his hope. There is no man which hath an inward contentment and ſatisfaction of heart in the work that he hath to doe, but goes on merrily. The hope of Heaven therefore is a great encouragement to piety.
2. The feare of Hell alſo is a ſtrong curb to hold men in from Wickedneſſe, and therefore (ſaith one) God hath planted in men a feare of vengeance, that by it, as the ſhip by the rudder, the ſoule may be preſently, turn'd aſide from any rocks, or gulfes, or quick-ſands of ſinne, when it is neere them, and ſo may ſteere its courſe another way. For this cauſe, feare of God, and abſtaining from evill, are often joyned together in Scripture Job. 1. 1. Exod. 1. 17. And the want of this feare is made the root of all licentiouſneſſe in ſinning Gen. 20. 11. Nor doth feare only hinder a bad action, but it promotes a good. It hinders a bad action directly, becauſe it is fuga mali, a flying from that evill of miſery, which is annexed to the evill of ſinne; and it promotes a good action accidentally, becauſe men think that they are never ſo ſafe from the miſchiefe which they feare, as when they are exerciſed in ſuch imployments as tend to the getting of a contrary ſtate.
Worke out your ſalvation (ſaith the Apoſtle) with feare and trembling; implying, that the working out of ſalvation goes not on handſomly except the fear of miſſing it be an ingredient to the work.
The ſecond branch of this Reaſon is, That by the abſolute decree Feare and hope are taken away. For hope is properly exerciſed about Bonum futurum & poſſibile haberi, ſome good thing that may be obtained, not a good thing that muſt be obtained of neceſſity: and the object of feare is malum poſſibile vitari, an evill that may be eſcaped. For metus eſt fuga mali, feare is a flying from evill, and therefore ſuppoſeth that the evill is avoydable; for no man will fly from an evill that cannot be prevented, but will yeild himſelfe up to it, as Caeſar did to the murtherers in the Senate houſe. Now by this decree Heaven and Hell are not objecta poſſibilia, but neceſſaria. Heaven ſhall unavoydably be obtained, by thoſe that are elected, and Hell muſt as certainly be endured, by thoſe that in Gods eternall purpoſe are rejected. For men have no power to alter their eternall ſtates: all men by this decree, are precisely determined ad unum, to one ſtate, to neceſſary ſalvation, or neceſſary damnation, without any power or liberty to chooſe whether.
And from hence the concluſion is cleere, that the abſolute decree, takes away the chiefeſt inducements to holineſſe, and determents from wickedneſſe, and conſequently hinders a Godly life exceedingly.
TWISSE. Conſideration.
TRavailers report of the Territory of Venice, that the farther they goe into it, the ſtronger and ſtronger they find it. But ſuch is not the condition of this Authors diſcourſe; for the farther I wade into it, the weaker and weaker it appeares. And to this I anſwer firſt in generall, That our Brittaine Divines make anſwer to the like crimination made againſt our Doctrine upon the 5. Article p. 168. according to the Engliſh tranſlation of it; ſaying, Both Gods truth, and mans experience, eaſily wipe off this aſperſion. For this Chriſtian perſwaſion of perſeverance and ſalvation, not only in reſpect of its own nature, but alſo according to the very event in the Church, doth by Gods bleſſing produce a quite contrary effect. Firſt in reſpect of the thing it ſelfe. The certainty of the end doth not take away, but eſtabliſh the uſe of the meanes. And the ſame holy men, who upon ſure grounds promiſe unto themſelves, both conſtancy in the way of this Pilgrimage, and fruition of God in their everlaſting home, know alſo that theſe are not obtained without performance of the duties of holineſſe, and the avoydance of contrary vices: And therefore they turne not their backs from theſe meanes, but induſtriouſly embrace and proſecute them. 1 Iohn 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope in himſelfe, purifyeth himſelfe, even as he is pure. Eſay 38. 5. When Hezechiah had received that promiſe from God of an addition of fifteen years to his life, he did not therefore neglect the uſe of medicines or meat, but, that this promiſed event might be brought into act, he applyed for the cure of his body, the plaiſter which was preſcribed unto him by the Prophet. The Apoſtle doth altogether reiect this conſequence of carnall ſecurity imputed to this Doctrine, and that with a kind of indignation Rom. 6. 1. Shall we continue in ſinne that grace may abound? God forbid. How ſhall we which are dead to ſinne, live any longer therein? As if S. Paul would intimate unto us, not only the incongruity, but alſo the impoſſibility of ſuch a ſequel. 2. As touching the event; true it is, that any the moſt wholſome truth of God, may be perverted by the abuſe of men. But upon this doctrine, we cannot acknowledge that there groweth any ſuch inconvenience, no not de facto, that is, in the event it ſelfe. Let us take a view of the reformed Churches, in which this confidence of perſeverance and inviolable adoption is believed and maintained. Doe we find that thereupon the bridle is let looſe unto ryot? That piety is trampled downe? We give thankes unto God through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that amongſt ours (who enjoy this full perſwaſion of ſpirituall comfort, and are confident that there is an inheritance which cannot be loſt, laid up for them in Heaven) there is not found leſſe care of Godlineſſe, nor leſſe endeavour (ſo farre forth as mans infirmity will ſuffer) to live an unblameable life, then is to be found among any ſort of theſe, who pinne their perſeverance on their own free will, and will not grant it to flow from any foregoing election of God. This may ſuffice for anſwer to the generality of the crimination.
From the generality he deſcends to ſpecialties. And in the firſt place he urgeth, It takes away hope and feare. He beginnes with hope, and enlargeth himſelfe in the commendation thereof out of Scripture, By this hope of Heaven, did our Saviour stirre up himſelfe to endure the croſſe, and deſpiſe the ſhame. Heb. 12. He could not alleadge a more pregnant paſſage to cut his own throat, and mortify the vigour of his argument; For in this place it depends upon ſuch a notion of hope, as ſignifies only a poſſibility of obtaining a future good, and not a neceſſity of obtaining it, as afterwards himſelfe accommodates it, and ſo he will have the hope which here he inſiſts upon, ſuch as is mixed with feare; as if our Saviour were in doubt of obtaining a Crowne of glory. By this he heartned his Diſciples to ſuffer for his ſake. Math. 5. 12. Rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in heaven. Here alſo we have no hope mixed with fear, whereupon he heartens them; but the very aſſurance of faith grounded upon Chriſts promiſe, and what greater aſſurance then this? The like promiſe for aſſurance of faith is made Math. 10. 32. And indeed hope in the Scripture phraſe (though in theſe places there is no mention thereof) is but an expectation of enjoying that whereof we have a certain aſſurance by Faith. The object of faith being Verbum rei, of hope, res verbi, as Luther is ſaid to diſtinguiſh them. Such is the hope ſignified by our looking for the Saviour Phil. 3. 20. For therefore we look for him, becauſe we are perſwaded by the aſſurance of faith, that he ſhall come, and that as a Saviour unto us, as there 'tis expreſſed in theſe words, Who ſhall change our vile bodies, and make them like to his glorious body. Such is the hope mentioned, Col. 1. 5. as grounded upon their true knowledge of the grace of Chriſt v. 6. And upon their Faith v. 4. For upon believing we rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and glorious, 1 Pet. 1. And this joy is in hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5. 2. Of the ſame nature is that hope Tit. 2. 13. So Abrahams looking for a City whoſe builder and maker is God. Heb. 11. 8, 9, 10. But was not this hope of his grounded upon aſſurance of faith to enjoy it? So Moſes his ſeeing of him that was inviſible, was by the eye of faith. And the ſcope of that whole Chapter, is for the commendation of faith; a faith therefore they had of a better reſurrection, and the certainty hereof, was the certainty of faith. Now let every ſober reader judge, which of our doctrines doth more tend to the juſtifying of a certainty of ſalvation, the Arminians or ours.
That which followeth of the Husbandmen, Merchants, Souldiers, is farre of another nature; their hopes of their ends have no ground of faith: many times it comes to paſſe, that ſpem mentita ſeges, & though aliquis pendens in cruce vota facit, yet moſt commonly it proves but a vaine hope. Merchants many times prove bankrupts; and Souldiers when they are moſt erected with hope of victory, doe ſometimes moſt ſhamefully take the foyle: What a proud meſſage did Benhadab ſend to Ahab 1 King. 20. 10. The Gods doe ſo to mee, and more alſo, if the duſt of Samaria be enough to all the people that follow mee, for every man an handfull. But Ahab anſwered him ſaying. Let not him that girdeth his harneſſe boaſt himſelfe as he that putteth it off. At the battle of Lipſich upon Tillies defeating of the Duke of Saxony, word hereof was diſpatched with poſt haſt to the Emperour, together with ſome of the Dukes Enſignes, and ſcoffes upon the Duke himſelfe; they were confident of beating Sweden and that ſo all Germany ſhould be theirs; but herein that old Lad reckoned before his hoſt; the ſame Poſt brought heavy newes to Vienna at length, of a great diſcomfiture to the Imperialiſts, and of the victorious Army of the King of Sweden. Yet a hope not only upon weake, but ſometimes upon very vaine grounds, ſtirres up the ſpirit; how much more upon certain grounds of good ſucceſſe, as that of the Apoſtle Rom. 6. Sinne ſhall not have the dominion over you, for yee are not under the Law but under grace, therefore let not ſinne raigne over you, as much as to ſay, Play the men, fight valiantly the Lords battailes againſt ſinne and Satan, for yee ſhall have the victory in the end.
The feare of Hell is a curbe to hold men in from wickedneſſe I willingly confeſſe, but the knowledge hereof is not naturall, but by revelation divine, which to carnall men who live by fight is of little force: Witneſſe the ſtory of the Welch-man who robbing an honeſt man upon the high way, and being told by him, that he ſhould anſwer for it at the day of judgement, ſaiſt thou me ſo (quoth the thiefe) and wilt thou truſt me till that day, then give me thy cloake too. We finde by experience, the moſt uncleane perſon, if he meets with never ſo beautifull a piece, yet if he knowes ſhee hath the Poxe; the feare of infection will be of more power to reſtraine him then the feare of Hell. Yet God by his word workes in men, (even in carnall men) as a taſt of the ſweetneſſe of Heaven, ſo of the bitterneſſe of Hell; the one to erect with hope, the other to awe with feare: and in both reſpects they may be ſaid (in my judgement) to have a taſt of the powers of the World to come. And like as the Law was added becauſe of tranſgreſſion, that is, to reſtraine tranſgreſſion, as ſome expound it: ſo likewiſe the repreſentation of Gods wrath and jealouſy, may in the ſanctions thereof have good force in this. And in the Godly alſo I make no queſtion, but it is of good uſe; though the love of God, hath in great meaſure overcome that ſervile feare; yet as their faith is not ſo perfect, as to be voyd of all doubting, ſo neither is their hope ſo perfect, as to be free from all mixture of feare: But the chaſt feare, the filiall feare, feare of diſpleaſing God who hath been ſo gracious unto them, is that feare which is predominant in ſuch. And even feare of Gods fatherly chaſtiſements in this world, is an hedge of thornes keeping them within the goodneſſe of the Lord, and farre more forcible then the feare of Hell fire to the carnall Goſpeller. And this Author doth carry himſelfe very unlearnedly in confounding their differences, and diſcourſing of the feare of God without diſtinction; As if the feare of of God in Job. 1. 1. were the feare of Hell, and the feare of the Midwives Exod. 1. 17. As if there were no difference between ſervile feare, and a filiall feare. Saint Paul was ſo confident of his ſalvation, that he profeſſeth his perſwaſion, That neither death, nor life, nor Angells, nor Principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, ſhould be able to ſeparate him from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus. Rom. 8. 38. Yet 2 Cor. 5. 11. Knowing therefore (ſaith he) the feare of the Lord we perſwade men. Gen. 20. 11. Abraham ſaid, The feare of God is not in this place, therefore they will kill me for my Wifes ſake. But doth this Author carry himſelfe as it becomes a Divine, to take the feare of God, whereſoever he meets with it, for no other feare then the feare of Hell. Certainly the feare of God is as a fountaine of life to avoyd the ſnares of death. Yet I preſume though our Saviour was nothing affected with the feare of hell, yet was he never a whit the leſſe forward to all holy coverſation; Nor Paul neither, though he profeſſeth, I know whom I have truſted &c. The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke, and preſerve me to his heavenly Kingdome.
That feare and trembling Phil. 2. 13. is not feare of hell, but humility, ſtanding in oppoſition to preſumption of a mans own ſtrength; as appears by the reaſon, wherewith the Apoſtle enforceth that exhortation of his, To worke out our ſalvation with feare and trembling: for ſaith he, God it is that worketh in you both the will and the deed, according to his good pleaſure. And if the working out of our ſalvation goes not on handſomely, except the feare of miſsing it, be an ingredient to the worke, as this Author diſcourſeth; then it ſeemes his feare of miſſing makes him goe on more handſomely, in working out his ſalvation, then either Paul the Apoſtle, or our Saviour did: for I no where find that our Saviour feared the miſſing of it; no nor Paul neither, after his converſion; though he knew full well, that conſcionable carriage in his vocation, was a neceſſary meanes, without which he could not obtaine it; and therefore profeſſeth, that he did beat downe his body, and bring it in ſubjection, leaſt Preaching unto others himſelfe ſhould become a caſt away.
We deny that by the abſolute decree maintained by us, hope and feare are taken away; and we prove it by an invincible argument. For undoubtedly the decree of Chriſts ſalvation, was abſolute, yet did not this take away either hope or feare: for it is recorded of him, That for the hope that was ſet before him, he deſpiſed the ſhame, and alſo, that he was heard in that which he feared: though ſinfull feare, and ſlaviſh feare, was farre from him, as farre as hell from heaven. The object of Chriſtian hope is not only a good thing poſſible to be had, but certainly to be had. For we read of foreign. Heb. 6. A full aſſurance of hope, were it of a thing uncertaine, how indecent were it for the Apoſtle to compare it to an Anchor 1 Iohn 3. 3. He that hath this hope purgeth himſelfe as he is pure. Was this a wavering hope, grounded upon an uncertain apprehenſion? Marke the verſe immediately preceding, and conſider whether it doth not enforce the contrary. Now are we the ſonnes of God, but yet it is not made manifeſt what we ſhall be: And we know (marke his aſſurance well) that when he ſhall be made manifeſt, we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is. The deſcription of feare, is anſwerable to the deſcription of hope. we were wont to define the one by the expectation, appropinquantis boni, the other by the expectation imminentis mali. Yet it is true the object of the one is ſuch a good, as in its own nature is poſſible to be obtained, and of the other, is ſuch an evill as is poſſible to be avoyded. But like as eternall life is not attainable without faith and repentance; ſo neither is damnation avoydable, but by faith and repentance. And we willingly grant that both eternall life is attainable, and damnation avoydable by faith and repentance, yet undoubtedly the unpreventable nature of an evill, doth no way hinder a mans feare, unleſſe he knowes it to be unpreventable. Neither doth the knowledge of the unpreventable nature thereof hinder feare, but improveth it rather, in as much as in ſuch a caſe, there is no place for any hope to qualify the feare. And this is farther apparent by the example of the Devills, of whom Saint Iames ſaith That they believe and tremble, ſurely they doe not tremble the leſſe, becauſe their torment is unpreventable by the appoyntment of of God: yet doe they not give themſelves up to their ſorrowes, but cryed out to our Saviour, What have we to doe with thee thou Jeſus the Sonne of God, art thou come to torment us before our time: Caeſars caſe was not the caſe of feare, for feare is the apprehenſion of an evill before it come; but Caeſar was ſo farre from fearing, that though he were forewarned to take heed of the Ides of March (as I remember) leaſt they proved fatall to him, was ſo far from apprehending any feare thereupon, that going that day to the Senate Houſe, and meeting by the way with him who had given him that warning, he called him by his name, and to ſhew his fearleſſe condition ſayd, The Ides of March are come; true Sr quoth the other, but they are not yet paſt. The mortall wound in the Senate Houſe was given him before he feared it; for of thirty and odde wounds there received, it is written that every one of them was mortall. His heroicall ſpirit bare him out nevertheleſſe (not againſt the feare, for that was now out of ſeaſon, but) againſt the ſenſe of mortall paine, in ſuch ſort, as not to commit any indecent thing, in dying under the hands of ſo many Aſſaſſinates either in word or deed; for not a word of diſtemper, was uttered by him, only to Brutus his neere Kinſman, and deare unto him, when he came upon him in like manner as the reſt, he ſaid foreign, and took care to gather his garments in ſuch ſort about ut honeſte caderet. Heaven and hell are ordained by God as the portion, of the righteous the one, of the wicked the other. I hope this Author will not deny but that Heaven (according to his phraſe) was unavoydably obtained by our Saviour, yet this nothing hindred his hope, but rather confirmed it by caſting out of feare. And the hope of Chriſt is the firſt thing this Author inſtanceth in, while he amplifies the nature of hope; but in his large expatiation thereon, according to his courſe he ſpent ſo much time, that he might well forget it, before he come to the accommodation of it unto his Argument. And indeed hope in Scripture phraſe, is the looking for of Chriſt, and the glory he brings with him; and what a ſenſeleſſe thing is it to conceive, that the more ſure we are of bleſſedneſſe, the leſſe we ſhould expect and look for the enjoyment of it? Doth not our Saviour bid his Diſciples Luke 10. 20. not to rejoyce in this, that Devills are ſubdued unto them, but rather to rejoyce in this, that their names are written in heaven. Now let any ſober man judge, whether this joy ſhall be of force to expectorate our hope, and not rather to confirme and increaſe it. As for Hell, I know none are aſſured thereof, as of their due portion, but the Devills, yet they feare and tremble never a whit the leſſe for that. But men while they live on earth, not one of them in particular that I know are, or have any juſt ground to be aſſured of their damnation. For albeit faith in Chriſt may well be an aſſurance of mans election; yet nothing but finall perſeverance in infidelity or impenitency, can be a juſt aſſurance to any man of his damnation. As for the eternall ſtates of men, they are not exiſtent, but only in Gods intention, and conſequently to alter their eternall ſtates, is to alter Gods intentions. Now what Arminian of theſe daies, that is of any learning and judgement, dares boldly affirme, that it is in the power of the creature to alter Gods intentions. In like ſort with what ſobriety can any man deny, that every man is determined either to ſalvation or damnation, the preſcience of God being ſufficient hereunto; and we acknowledge that none is ordained by God to be damned, but for finall perſeverance in ſinne unrepented of: none to be ſaved of ripe yeares, but by way of reward for his faith, obedience, repentance. As for power and liberty to chooſe either, let that be firſt rightly ſtated: Moſes Deut. 30. 19. (or the Lord rather by him) profeſſeth that he hath ſet before them life and death; and exhorts them to chooſe life, the meaning whereof is to chooſe that, the conſequent whereunto is life; now that was obedience unto the lawes and holy ordinances of God. Now as touching the power and liberty, to chooſe this, we ſay,
1. That this power was given to all in Adam, and we have all loſt it in him through ſinne: for we all ſinned in him, as the Apoſtle in expreſſe tearmes profeſſeth Rom. 5. 12.
2. The power that we have loſt in Adam, is no naturall power, but a morall power like unto that whereof the Lord ſpeaketh by the Prophet Jeremy. Jere. 13. 23. Can a Blackamore change his skinne? Or the Leopard his ſpotts? No more can you doe good, that are accuſtomed to evill. Nor will any ſober man judge that ſuch an impotency as this doth make a man excuſable? In the like ſort our Saviour unto the Jewes: Iohn. 5. 44. How can yee believe that receive Honour one of another, and ſeek not the Honour that comes of God only? So that this impotency is meerly morall, ariſing from the corruption of their wills. Had a man a will to believe to repent, but withall had no power to believe and repent though he would, here indeed were a juſt cauſe of excuſe: but all the fault hereof is in the will of man. This our Britaine Divines at the Synod of Dort upon the 3. and 4. Articles of the ſecond Poſition expreſſe in this manner. The nature of man being by voluntary Apoſtacy habitually turned from God the creatour, it runs to the creature, with an unbridled appetite, and in a luſtfull and baſe manner commits fornication with it, being always deſirous to ſet her heart and reſt on thoſe things which ought only to be uſed on the by, and to attempt and accompliſh things forbidden. What marvell then if ſuch a will be the bondſlave to the Devill. The will without charity is nothing but a vitious deſire, inordinata cupiditas. Aug: Retract. 1. 5. 3. Yet the ſame Auſtin profeſſeth Lib. 1. de Gen. cont: Manich: cap. 3. credere poſſunt & ab amore viſibilium rerum & temporalium, ſe ad ejus praecepta ſervanda convertere ſi velint. And ad Marcel. De ſpiritu & littra. proves at large that fides in voluntate eſt. Only it is the grace of God to prepare the will, ut velit, and ſo to encreaſe with Retract. lib. 1. c. 10.the gift of charity ut poſſit, ſo that there is a great deale of difference between poſſe ſi velit, and poſse ſimpliciter, in Auſtins judgment poſse ſi velit is leſſe then velle, but poſſe ſimpliciter, is more then velle. 4. Laſtly what meanes this Author to diſcourſe thus hand overhead of power and liberty to chooſe whether as if (whatſoever they pretend) their true meaning were, that man hath power to believe and repent without grace. For as for power to believe and repent through Gods grace no man denyes. Why then doth he not try his ſtrength on this point which indeed is the criticall point of theſe controverſies, and wherein it will clearly appeare, whether they differ one iot from the Pelagians. For the queſtion between the Pelagians, and the Catholiques in Auſtins dayes was not about the poſſibility of willing or doing that which is good, but only about the act of willing and doing: And herein they granted inſtruction and exhortation requiſite. All the queſtion was about the working of his will, to will and doe that which is good, as appeares by Auſtin in his booke De gratia Chriſti contra Pelag: & Caeleſti: cap. 6. And repeated againe towards the end, coming to an iſſue of the buſineſſe, after he had diſcovered much concerning Ambroſe his opinieon thereabouts.
But whatſoever his premiſes be, in his concluſion he commonly ſpeakes it home, as herein ſaying, It is cleare that the abſolute decree, takes away the cheifeſt inducements to holineſſe, and determents from wickedneſſe, to wit, becauſe it takes away hope and feare; whence it followeth, that ſeeing Chriſt had hope of heaven, he was not abſolutely deſtinated unto glory. And ſeeing the Devills are ſaid to believe and tremble, therefore certainly their damnation is yet preventable, although there is yet this maine difference between reprobate men on earth, and Devills, that though the Devills are aſſured of their reprobation, yet no man either is, or can by any ordinary way be aſſured of his reprobation. I conclude thus, This his Diſcourſe tends mainly againſt all certainty of Salvation: whence it followes, that either he had no certainty of his ſalvation while he was with us, or if he had, it ſtands him upon now to profeſſe that he hath utterly loſt it.