only to serve his owne turne, and then cares not what becomes of the maine condi∣tion of the story, which indeed is most remarkable: I have but touched upon it in former passages, but here I shall insist upon it more at large; and the rather, because it is here proposed not more unfaithfully then impiously, to deface or out-face the precious truth of God concerning his absolutenesse in making whom he will a ves∣sell of wrath. But first I must dispatch my answer to the Antegredients of those two parts. And let it be remembred what formerly I have delivered, that still he confounds reprobation from grace, with reprobation from glory; as if we main∣tained the absolutenesse of the one, as well as we do maintain the absolutenesse of the other; which is most untrue. For albeit, we maintaine that God hath decreed abso∣lutely to bestow grace upon some, (which are Gods elect,) and absolutely to deny grace unto others, (whom we account Reprobates here upon,) not conditionally; for if grace were ordayned to be bestowed conditionally, to wit, upon condition of some worke performed by man; then should grace be bestowed according unto workes, which in the phrase of the Ancients is all one, with saying, that grace is bestowed ac∣cording unto merits. And this was condemned above 1200 yeares agoe in the Sy∣nod of Palestine, & Pelagius driven to subscribe unto it, lest otherwise himselfe had bin excommunicated. But we, doe not maintain that God hath ordayned that damnati∣on shall be absolutely inflicted on any but only conditionally, to wit, in case they dye in sin. Yet it became this Authors wisdom to confound them, least distinguishing them as they ought to be distinguished, & carrying himselfe fairly in opposing the absolute∣nes of reprobation there alone, where alone it is maintained by his adversaries, to wit, in the particular of reprobation from grace, he should at first dash manifest himselfe to maintain, that grace is bestowed not according to the good pleasure of God, but according to the workes of men; and that upon this ground it is, that he buildeth the comfortable condition of his doctrine, concerning predestination, which indeed makes no difference in Gods proceedings between the elect and reprobate, but re∣spects them all alike; For their power to believe and repent is their grace universall, which they say is given to all alike. So exciting grace in the ministry of the Word is equally made to all that heare it, whether elect or reprobate. And these are the kinds of grace prevenient: Then as for grace subsequent, that consists only in Gods concurrence unto the act of faith and repentance which depends meerely upon mans will (in their opinion) and God is as ready to concurre to the working of it as well in one as in another, in case man will. On the other side it would appeare that our doctrine is censured as uncomfortable, only because it teacheth man for the obtaining of true comfort to depend meerely upon the grace of God, and not upon his owne free-will.
Againe, observe how that like as Gregory observes that the same spirit of Antichrist might be found in them that are farre distant in time, so an Arminian spirit savoreth the same things one with an other, and perhaps at unawars, though they in whom it is found be much distant in place. Vossius in his last booke of his History of the Pelagian heresy sayth, That our Divines doe aleadge that place of St Paul against their adversaries in the poynt of predestination, as the head of Medusa; a place indeed that clearely justifies Gods absolutenesse both in predestination and reprobation: And this Authour sayeth that our doctrine on the same poynt is like to Gorgons head: Now the Learned well know that Gorgon and Medusas head have no difference. Now whether our doctrine be so uncomfortable as this Authour objects, it will appeare when we come to examine the paroxysme and fit of temptation, especially the kind of it being such, as this Authour out of his fruitfull invention hath made choyce of to represent, as able to elude the strongest arguments of comfort, and they applyed with as much art and cunning as canne be; supposing that of this art and cunning also, he hath given plentifull testimony in the succeeding dialogue; which is a very remarkeable passage of this Authours sufficiency, especially comming out of his owne mouth; Of the integrity whereof there seemes no cause to doubt, considering that Arminian in∣genuity and modesty whereunto he hath lately arrived.
He further addes as much weight to his former assertions as words can, which though they be but wind, yet with some, who Camelion like live by the ayre, may prove very weighty, saying, that this doctrine of ours is incompatable with any word of comfort (which is very much, though a word and any word be very little) that can be ministred to a distressed soule in this temptation. Now it is very likely that in his dialogue