is a means of Defpair. It Zleadeth into leaveth in stetliptation. And therefore can be no doftrine of Gods word : For that is cuxyyti>,eov,good news, to men,a ftorehoufeof tweet confa- lacions for us inour tut'btdis 6' lucid is iatervallis, inour belt and worn conditions and changes. There things arewritten, faith the Apofile, that by patience and comfort of the Scr-i ptures we might have hope : implying that therefore was the word written and left to the Church, that by the comforts comprifed in it chofe poore fouls that look toward heaven might never want in any changes or chances of this mortali life a fvveet gale of hope to refrefh them and to carry on their 'hipfull merrilytovvard the haven. I. Firfi, this doctrine (B ) leadeth men into temptations, and into fuch a one too as is as (harp and dangerous as any the Tempter bath. The devil caneafily perfwade a man that maketh abfolute Reprobation a part of his creed, that he is one of thole abfolute reprobates: becaufe there are farre more abfolute reprobates, even a hundred for one, then abfolute chofen ones; andman bath a great deal more reafon to think that he is one of the molt then one of the feweft, oneof the huge multitude of inevitable caftawayes then one of that lit- tle flock for whomGod hath precifely prepared a kingdome. Such a man is not onely capable of but framed and fafbion- ed by his opinion for this fuggeflion. Which is a very fore (C) one, if we may believe Calvine, l3ucer and Zanchius. Calvine teileth us, n that the devil cannot affault a believer with a temptationmore dangerous. And a little after he faith, that it is fomuch the deadlier, by how much commoner it is then any other. ° So ordinary is this temptation , that he which is at all times free from it, is a rare man (we are to conceive that he fpeaketh of chofe who hold abfolute Re- probation :) and fo dangerous it is, that if it get ftrength, he which is under it is either miferably tormented or migh- tily aponifhed. And a little after he faith again, P He that will not wrack his foul, mull avoid this rock. Bucer allo hath a paf'age like to this ; q This doubt, whether we be predefli- 445 Rom. *S*4 n Caly. be ¡tg. t. 3. c. 24.. feL4. Nulla tenta- tionevel graviús vel periculofiùs fidelesper- cellir Satan. o Rariflimus eft cujus non inter- dum animus bac cogita- tione feria- tur, Linde tibi falos nifi ex Dei eleEìionec eletionis porrò quai tibi revelatio g ux fi apud quempiam femel invaluit, aut diris tormentis miferum perpetuò excrnctat, aut reddit penitus attonitum. p Ergò naufragium fi timemus, folicitè ab hoc fco- pulo cavendum, in quern nunquam fine exilio impingitur. q Bucer. in 8. ad Rom. q. de Prad. lit caput omnis noxix tentationis, repellenda eft hæc qua f}io, Sumúfne prædeftinati. Nam qui de hoc dubitar, nec vocatum fc nec jufìificatumette crede- gepoterit, hoc eft, requit elfe Chtiftianus. nate
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