There is good use to be made of terrors, good use to be made of comforts. But comforts are not fit to terrify, nor can terrors be of use for consolation. And truly our Church of England in her articles of religion, artic. 17, teacheth us that the godly consideration of Predestination & our election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant, & unspeakable comforts to godly persons & such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, & their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and Heavenly things; As well because it doth greatly establish & confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed ⟨p. 4⟩through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: But that for curious & carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods predestination, is a most dangerous down fall, whereby •he divill doth thrust them into desperation, or into recklessness of most unclean living, no less perilous then desperation. And I remember to have read in the History of the Council of Trent, that the first opinion there mentioned concerning predestination, which was the opinion of the Swinglians, as there it is reported, as it is mystical & hidden, keeping the mind humble and relying on God, without confidence in it self, knowing the deformity of of sin and the excellency of divine grace (which undoubtedly are excellent uses for edification in an eminent degree) so the second opinion (contrary to the former) was plausible and popular cherishing humane presumption and making a great show; & it pleased more the preaching friars, then the understanding Divines. And the courtiers thought it probable, as, consonant to politic reason: •t was maintained by the Bishop of Bi•on•o, and the Bishop of Salpi showed himself very partial. The defenders of this, using humane reasons, prevailed against the others, but coming to the testimonies of scripture, they were manifestly overcome. But to return, I had thought the written word of God had principally concerned believers, and tended to the edification of the body of Christ; according to that we read Eph. 4.11, 12.
There is good use to be made of terrors, good use to be made of comforts. But comforts are not fitt to terrifie, nor can terrors be of use for consolation. And truly our Church of England in her articles of religion, artic. 17, teacheth us that the godly consideration of Predestination & our election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant, & vnspeakeable cōforts to godly persons & such as feele in thēselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the fleshe, & their earthly members, and drawing up their minde to high and Heavenly thinges; As well because it doth greatly establish & confirme their faith of aeternall salvation to be enjoyed ⟨p. 4⟩through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: But that for curious & carnall persōs, lacking the Spirite of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods praedestination, is a most dangerous downe fall, wherby •he divill doth thrust them into desperation, or into ••chlesnes of most vncleane living, no lesse perilous then desperation. And I r•member to have read in the History of the Councell of Trent, that the first opinion there mentioned concerning praedestination, whith was the opinion of the Swinglians, as there it is reported, as it is mysticall & hidden, keeping the minde humble and relying on God, without confidence in it selfe, knowing the deformitie of of sinne and the excellency of divine grace (which vndoubtedly are excellent uses for aedification in an eminent d•gree) so the second opinion (contrary to the former) was plausible and popular cherishing humane praesumption and making a great shewe; & it pleased more the preaching fryars, then the vnderstanding Divines. And the courtiours thought it p•obable, as, consonant to polit•que reason: •t was maynteyned by the Bishop of Bi•on•o, and the Bishop of Salpi shewed himselfe very partiall. The defenders of this, vsing humane reasons, praevayled against the others, but comming to the testimonies of scripture, they were manyfestly overcome. But to returne, I had thought the written word of God had principally concerned believers, and tended to the aedification of the body of Christ; according to that we reade Eph. 4.11, 12.
