The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

Monte decurrens vel•t amnis, imbres Quem super notas aluêre rìpas, Fervet, immensusque ruit profundo Pindarus ore.

And he is thereby plainly possessed of not a few advantages. It is true that when the proof of his opinion by Argument, and the orderly pursuit of it is incumbent on him, (a course of all other wherein • soonest faileth,) the medium he useth, and insisteth on, receiveth not the least contribution of real strength from any dress of words, and Expressions wherewith it is adorned and accompanied: yet it cannot be denied, but that his Allegorical amplifications, illustrations and exaggerations of the things he would insinuate, take great impressions upon the minds of them, who are in any measure entangled with the seeming probabilities, which are painted over his Arguments, by their sophistry, and pretence of Truth. The Apostle giving that Caution to the Colossians that they should take heed, [Greek or Hebrew], manifesteth the prevalence of false reasonings when in Conjunction with Rhetorical persuasions. The great store also of words and expressions, which for all occasions he hath lying by him, are of no little use to him, when being pressed with any Arguments, or testimonies of Scripture, and being not able to evade, he is forced to raise a cloud of them, wherewith after he hath a while darkened the wisdom and Counsel of that, wherewith he hath to do, he insensibly slips out of the cord, wherewith he appeared to have been detained, and triumphs as in a perfect Conquest, when only an unarticulate sound hath been given by his trumpet, but the charge of his Adversaries not once received or repelled. But not any where, doth he more industriously hoist up, and spread the sails of his luxurient Eloquence, then when he aims to render the opinion of his adversaries to be, monstrum •orendum, inform ingens, cui ⟨image 6⟩lumen ademptum, a dark, dismal, uncomfortable, fruitless, death-procuring doctrine; such as it is marvellous, that ever any poor soul should embrace or choose for a Companion or guide, in it's pilgrimage towards heaven. Rolling through this field, his expressions swell over all bounds and limits; metaphors, similitudes, parables, all help on the current: though the streams of it being shallow and wide, a little opposition easily turns it for the most part aside; a noise it makes indeed, with a goodly show and appearance. Herculeâ non mole minor—Agylleus Sed non ille rigor, patriumque in corpore robur.