( 239 ) ally in this Condition, or too neer it,and in poffibility of it : And yet he fuppofeth themRecoverable, as appeareth by his exhorta- tions, and many particular paffages in the Epiflle. a. Seeing it is not the fin againft the holy Ghia, no man can give a reafon why the Elea, before true Converfion, though after convictions and common profeffion, may not fall into it as well as others. The fin is not uncurable nor unpardonable : Nor bath God made any Promife that none of his Elea than fall into it. 2. Nay the rea- fonof the Apoitle plainly ffieweth that all the Jews that expe- fted Juffification by the Law, and not by Chat, ( which was the cafe of the unconverted, at leaft of many ) , were in the fame condition, evenDebtors to do thewhole Law, and Chrifc ofnone effea to them, and profited them nothing. The Text feems fo plain,that it is not eafie todifcern what may be objected : But we may conjecture they will fay : Obj. 1. It was infaro Confcientia only,or in their own feeling that Chrift was of none effect to them, and not before God. Anfro. The con- trary is plain in theText, lit is a greater matter then a mifap- prehenfionof Confcience, or an ignorance of the felicity which they hadRight to, that the Apoitle fpeaks of as the whole E- piffle thews. 2. He faith exprefly, that they are debtor; to do the Whole Law ; So that it is matter of Debt, and not meer matter ofknowledge,conceit or fenfe,that he fpeaks of. 3. He faith plain ly, that air& profiteth themnothing, and is become ofnone ef- fed to them : But furely if they had then Right to falvation,and were pardoned, juilified, abfolved from all guilt of death, then Chrift did profit them very much; though they wanted the know ledge of all this. Obj. But the Apofiles words remit be underftood with fome limitation : for if Chrift profit them nothing, then they cannot have Repentance and Faith from him and fo cannot be recovered. Anfve. i . It is plainly to he underftood, as to the fub- Jed in hand : that as to Juftification, Remit-lion of fin, and dif- charging from the Debt of the Law, he is yet of none erica to them, and profiteth them nothing. 2. Though he have fatisfied Gods juffice for them, and intend in time their infallible conver- fion, by giving themFaith and Repentance, yet thefe are in him felf, and have, made no change on them,and therefore Chrift is yet of none effete to them, and profiteth them nothing either as to Sanaification, or Justification and Abfolution,
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