A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

Yet all this cannot excuse, either the Heretics, or Sectaries themselves, or these who connive at them, for that which Christ saith in genere of scandals, is true in specie of Heresies, it must needs be that Heresies come, but woe be to him by whom they come, I add, and woe also to him who doth not according to his place and calling, endeavour the extirpation of them. The Text which I now speak to, 1 Cor: 11. 17. hath not reference to the will of Gods commandment, which is the rule of our duty, but to the will of Gods decree, or the secret counsel of his will. 'Tis Gods purpose to permit Heresies, and to over rule them for this end; that his graces in his children may the more shine forth, and that even Heresies (contrary to the intentions of Satan and Heretics) may make manifest who are approved, scilicet quos non potuerint depravare, saith Tertullian, opening this Scripture. De praescr: adv: haer: to wit (saith he) such as Heresies could not pervert and deprave, no other are the approved ones.

Yet all this cannot excuse, either the Hereticks, or Sectaries themselves, or these who connive at them, for that which Christ saith in genere of scandals, is true in specie of Heresies, it must needs be that Heresies come, but woe be to him by whom they come, I adde, and woe also to him who doth not according to his place and calling, endevour the extirpation of them. The Text which I now speak to, 1 Cor: 11. 17. hath not reference to the will of Gods commandement, which is the rule of our duty, but to the will of Gods decree, or the secret counsell of his will. 'Tis Gods purpose to permit Heresies, and to over rule them for this end; that his graces in his children may the more shine forth, and that even Heresies (contrarie to the intentions of Sathan and Hereticks) may make manifest who are approved, scilicet quos non potuerint depravare, saith Tertullian, opening this Scripture. De praescr: adv: haer: to wit (saith he) such as Heresies could not pervert and deprave, no other are the approved ones.

But there are two things may be here objected: 1. May not one chosen and justified, and regenerate be drawn away, and infected with Heresy through the flight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive? If so, then Heresies, do not make manifest who are approved. who not. 2 May not many who are not approved of God be preserved from the infections of Heresies; Yea, be forward in resisting and opposing them? If so, then preservation from, and resisting of Heresies cannot make manifest that one is approved of God. These objections are no more against me, then against the Text of Scripture. To the first, I answer, a regenerate person may be tempted and drawn over to Heresy, as he may be tempted and drawn over to other great sins. Heresy doth no otherwise consist with the state of grace in any