Of EleEfion. ~ ACfr, or other, i11ward or Otltward: In mward; !\.s in Lttj/111gs againlt BooK IV, that fin that outwardly prevails ; and fo a [ervi11g in the mind the Law of God ~is kept up, whtlft in the mean time, with the Flejh; they fervt tht L aw of ji11: And outwardly; though he do withal fall into an outward 11egleCf of fome good works, and duties aUo, and to an i11ward remiffnefs i11 {}tl, yet he con– tinues ft ill in the outw~rd exercife of other ~ood duties, and that not wholly in Hypocrific;that is,fuch asin unregeneracy and not wholly for felf ends,but out of aprinciple of Ltte rem01nmg, though fo faint , ~nd low in adivny, as tHat he hath not ftrength enough to perform all and every good work : Which is the cafe of a Man become weak in bodily Life ; he can , and doth exert fome Ads of Life, when yet he is not enabled to do fome other; much lefs every Ad of Life with vigour, And thofe , ~hich {uch _a Chriftian doth, may be called Aflious of Life, though that Ltfe IS not Vtgorous enough to exercife all; and therefore muft not be accounted wholly , or altog_ether Hypocrijie : For though that Lite in him prevails not to do all, through decay ot'Ureng!h, or lamenefs, or weaknefs in ones Members; as that word in Revel. ~· 2. im– ports, jlrengthrn that wh1ch rtmai11s : And it infinuates withal, the want of jlirri11g up that f/rength was the caufe why their works were not full; (as the word in the Greek there is;) not full in the fight of God; And ihews that they ceafe not eo do any good works: But asthere was a principle of L1je re– m•i~ting, though re,,dy to dye, fothere were fome Adions of Life exercifed by them; but t11ey were not full, or extenfive enough: And what fuch a Chriili– an doth, hath iome Life ihewn in it; and fo far alfo it is acceptable to God, though with a blame-worthinef. that he negleds any. This was Solomon's cafe, during the time of his declination, and variation of the Compafs , he continued in the "orihip and Ordinances of God notwithftanding, and he grew not into an utter prophanefs ofSpirit, to call off all. Nor did V avid, his Father, whilft yet his Mouth was ihut up to holy difcourfe, and his wonted fervent defires to turn others to God, grew flaccid , and were CC!>oled in him; which caufed him-to pray, Pfal. 5 I . I 5• 0 Lord, open Tbou my lips, mid my mouth jhall jhew forth thy prmfe: And again , Verf. I 2, I~· R eflore Ulllo me tht joy of thy Salv11tion, a11dupholdme witb thy fru Spn·1t: Thm wiltl teach trat~[greffors thy ways, a11d ji11ners jh.o/1 6tco11verted tmtoTbu: And Gods promife here is to revive, and reftore fuch unto every good work again; and unto a Life, and wonted Spiritual vigour,uoto,and in the pradice of them. 2, As for that other Scripture, to the He6rert~s, 1 ~.2r. Make you perfefl in e– ver)•good work, to do his w1ll, working in yo11 that which is wett.pleajing in hu fight, through Jefits Chrifl, to whom 6t glory for ever mid ever. Amm. r. This is certain, that the matter of that Prayer, or thing prayed for, and the Materials of the cafe.s in Rev.~· do fully Anfwer one the other: The matter prayed for Anfwers by way of fupply unto that defed fpecilied in the cafes : The matter of thofe cafes is, a blame-worthy lmptrjel1w11,or [alli11g /bort in Good works, of what they ought, and formerly had done: And the matteror thingprayed for, the Hebrews, is to perfed thofe that had been called, in everygoodwor!t.: I have tJot found thy -.vorks perfel1 , fays Chriil; [peaking it even to many of them, that had been truly called in that Church : Aod the words of the prayer her~;>oppofitely are,that God wouldperfellthtm in everygood work._: That is, in what thofe in the Revelation were wanting: that is , fill up in all forts of good works, and known duties that which any of them were wanting in: Moreover iaJ that cafe, Rev. ~. 2. there is thi.s claufe added by Chriil:, that he ha~ not found their works perfed [afore God] , ~ which aggravation [afore God ]1mpomnot only that God faw, and rook notice of their failures, negleds, and wilful omiiJ'ions in the ftrid Holinefs of Good works; but therewith had conceived a high difpleafure againft them for it , umill tht' jhoutdrtpent; as tis there, that is, until! they ihould fit up again, ( asthe word implies) and make the circle of their former en1" wal– l<ing, according to their knowledge, compleat, orbicular, and entirely round, and perfed again; without fuch gaps and vacancies: And oppofitely anfwer– ing hereunto mHeb. 1 ~· 2I. there is this addition, that God would work in them
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