e will have all saved, and
not all, how can this stand together? be secure then, believe, trust in
him, hope well and be saved. Yea, that's the main matter, how shall I
believe or discern my security from carnal presumption? my faith is weak
and faint, I want those signs and fruits of sanctification, [6794]sorrow
for sin, thirsting for grace, groanings of the spirit, love of Christians
as Christians, avoiding occasion of sin, endeavour of new obedience,
charity, love of God, perseverance. Though these signs be languishing in
thee, and not seated in thine heart, thou must not therefore be dejected or
terrified; the effects of the faith and spirit are not yet so fully felt in
thee; conclude not therefore thou art a reprobate, or doubt of thine
election, because the elect themselves are without them, before their
conversion. Thou mayst in the Lord's good time be converted; some are
called at the eleventh hour. Use, I say, the means of thy conversion,
expect the Lord's leisure, if not yet called, pray thou mayst be, or at
least wish and desire thou. mayst be.

Notwithstanding all this which might be said to this effect, to ease their
afflicted minds, what comfort our best divines can afford in this case,
Zanchius, Beza, &c. This furious curiosity, needless speculation, fruitless
meditation about election, reprobation, free will, grace, such places of
Scripture preposterously conceived, torment still, and crucify the souls of
too many, and set all the world together by the ears. To avoid which
inconveniences, and to settle their distressed minds, to mitigate those
divine aphorisms, (though in another extreme some) our late Arminians have
revived that plausible doctrine of universal grace, which many fathers, our
late Lutheran and modern papists do still maintain, that we have free will
of ourselves, and that grace is common to all that will believe. Some
again, though less orthodoxal, will have a far greater part saved than
shall be damned, (as [6795]Caelius Secundus stiffly maintains in his book,
_De amplitudine regni coelestis_, or some impostor under his name)
_beatorum numerus multo major quam damnatorum._ [6796]He calls that other
tenet of special [6797]"election and reprobation, a prejudicate, envious
and malicious opinion, apt to draw all men to desperation. Many are called,
few chosen," &c. He opposeth some opposite parts of Scripture to it,
"Christ came into the world to save sinners," &c. And four especial
arguments