Davenant - Houston-Packer Collection BT810 .D38 1641

with mans debruelion. poore little entitative good, which is all the good thedamned do enjoy in hell. This (X) fophifticall evafion therefore and all others of the like fort notwithflanding, I doubt not but I may fafely fay, that the unavoidable damnation of fo many millions cannot be abfolutcly and antecedently intended by God without the grearefl: injuftice and crueltie, which may in no wife be im- puted to God. ' Plutarch Cpeaking of the Pagans, who to pa- cifie the anger of their Gods did facrifice to themmen and women, faith, It had been much better with Diagoras and his fellows to denie the being of a God, then confeflìng a God to think he delighteth in the bloud of men. Howmuch rather may we fly, It were better to be an Athcif{ and denie God, then ro believe or report him to be a (r) devourer ofthe fouls ofmen The like argument is preffed by Eulebiusagainft thole cruel and mercdlcffe Gods of the Pagans ; b Dcubtle/fe, fiith he, if there were any fvotftep or ..ark ofgoodnef je in them, for which they m-ght deferve to be called good, they wouldbe difplfed to dogo,d,anddcfirms to fave all men, they would love juflice , and take a care of men. And being- fad), 1-ow could they delight in their flaughter ? &c. Yea, he condludeth that they were ` Devil or evilfpirits, andnot Gods or goodfptrits; utique cùm Because if they weregood, they would dogood; whercuf the a bengn f enignos ac which are evil ufe to do hurt. I will therefore Phut up my fit ft fa1t omui- reafon with the Ipeeéh of Prolper; d God is the Creatour in um cupidos, deedof all men, but yet of no manfor this end, that he might tun, zero a- be damned: The realm why we are created is one ; andwhy maltom fit` we are damned, another. ntímque flu^ diofos ac de- fenfores effe oporteret, dre.c ibid. e. t ç. pag.t 53. Non bonos fed malos fi:iffe da mo- nes, ve' hie ipsá ratione confici exiftimo : Qitcquid bonum eft, prode{fe bole t; no- cere ve' ò contrarium. dP7ó/p. rd Obi t. Vincent. re!p. 3. Omnium quidem hominem Deus creatoreft: fed nemo ab co ideocreatus eft ut perirec; quia alia eft caufa na fcendi, alia pereundi. + a Plut. De luperff. prope finuni. b Eufeb. de p7æpzi.Zt. lib. 4. cap. :6. p,g. 161. E- dit.Gracol. Enimvero, fi boni vetli- glum in jis ell= effet, quamobrem bonorum ap- pellariorem jure forti- rentur, cos an Anfiver to the firrf Inconvenience inferred 'upon the decree of abfo-. late Predt°litnation and _Reprobation. A Bfolute Reprobation is (in the true .fenfe of S. Auguftine and his follow- F 2 ers)

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