5z 4. Anfwered. ;. Anfweeod. Ephefianr,Chap. I. VE Il, 4 theforbidden tree hedid threaten,ergo,he did decree, Arminius diftinc- tionofperemptory decree, and not peremptory, would not helpe any thing ; indeed this prefuppofeth,thatthefignifying will of Godmay not any whit differ from his fecret will, which he keepeth within himfelfe, which is amolt palpable falfe-hood. Such who are bound tobeleeve their falvation, when the decreeof God is not that they should befaved, fuchare bound tobeleeve a lye. I deny the confequence ; for the truth of my faith dependerh not ona conformity with Gods fecretwill within himfelfe, but with that which he hath revealed untome : While I beleeve according to that he revea- leth, I cannot beleeve a lye, though the thing I beleeve, agree not with thatwhich God withinhimfelfehath purpofed.To illuftrate the anfwer: . braham did verily beleeve that hewas to offer up his Sonne with- out any exception ; for he did fu(taine his faith in thinking that God could raite him from the dead , not thinking God would repeale hiscommand ; yet L4brabom beleeved not alye, .becaufe he beleeved according to that which was revealed unto him. But then you will fay, God may bid us beleeve this, or that, as ifit were his will, when he knoweth it not to bee his will within himfelfe Doubtleffe, he may to prove us, as he did .4braharn, whether we will addreffe our felves confcionably to obey him, or carelcflyout ofwilfulneffe difobey hiscommandements. As thegoodneffeof the creatureis not in doing what God withinhis fecret will bath appointed ; fo the truth of the creature ftandeth not alwaies in beleevingwhat he within himfelfe hath determined. To the fecond part I anfwer, that God doth not bindeany direétly and immediatly to beleeve falvation, but in a certaine order, in which they cannot but beleeve them truely : for he bindeth men firft tobeleeve on Chrift unto falvation ; and then being now in Chrift, tobeleevethat he loved them, gave himfelfe for them, did elee them, will fave them; and none can truely beleeve on Chrift to falvation, but infallibly be- leeveth all thefe other. Ideny that Gods love to life, and wrath executing death, maynot (land together : to love fo as a&ually by his influence to execute life, cannot (land with wrath executing death, to kill and quicken aétually God cannot at once : but to love to life, fo as tochoofe Come perlons to be brought to life, through certaine meanes, this ftandeth well with wrath to death for the prefent; and God would never have given nor called Chrift to fuffer death for us now in finne and death, had he notthus loved us. Looke as God may bodily infliâ death on him whom he fo farre loveth, that he meaneth to give him lifeby railing him from the dead, by his almighty power; fo is it here : He may yeeld him dead to his juftice, whom he fo loveth to life, that he will by meanes predeflinated bring them from death to life. The confequence of the firft propofition is denied. Ifhe mutt have fome generals before he choofe particular perlons : Thenhehath thus ; I will cheofc thefe, if'they beleeve : it is inough thatwee conceive fome
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