desires of saving souls’ (p. 87). Personal assurance was deemed to be essential and those who denied it were accused of Arminianism, yet preachers strove to undermine it, for fear of laxity creeping in. Robert Baillie prescribed ‘a diligent effort “to make our personall Election sure” ’ (p. 99). On the one hand, divine grace is irresistible, but on the other the preacher demands effort from the...
