( 439) an Elea man perifh : It is impofsible but that David an Adul- terer and murderer fhould perifh, if death find him impenitent. But Gods providence and mercy eafily loofeth this knot, by fee- ing that no Ele&man dye in that Pate , in which he fhould be fhut out of heaven according to any Ordination of Gods will.] 5, In the fpace between the contracting of guilt by grievous fin, and the renewed a& of Faith and Repentance,filch a (inner ftandeth by his own Merit to bedamned , but by Chrifts merits and Gods firme purpofe, to be Abfolved : but not aftu- ally Abfolved, before by excited Faith and Repentance, he have obtained pardon.] Of the Merit of damnation for fuch a fin, there can be no que- !lion, Gal. 5.21. Yet under fuch Guilt the Condition of Be- lievers and wicked men is not the fame. fo Believers the blood of Chrift is like anAntidote prepared, and fet dole by, which as their Faith awaketh, they may ufe for the overcoming of this deadly poyfon. But to unbelievers, there is wanting this internal Principle, towit, Faith, without which the Remed., is as it were, fet far of, and cannot be made their own , and athally apply- ed.----Hence God bath appointed this order, that the Acts of Repentance fhall go before the benefit of Pardon. Prat. 32. 3. I made known to thee my tin, andhid not my unrighteoufnefs ; I faid I=will confefs to the Lord my unrighteoufnefs,and thou for- gaveft the iniquity of my fin. And ezek.t8.z7 .When the wicked turneth from his wickednefs,which hewrought,he fbal make alive his own foul. If therefore any would know the very moment in which a man is a&ually abfolved from the guilt contracted by grieveous fin; Cyprian feems to thew it clearly in there words : When I fee thee fighing before God, I doubt not but the Spirit of God is breathing on thee (or helping): when I fee thee weep- ing, I perceive him pardoning ] The like lloarine of the Synod; fee Ad.de Art. 5.M. 3,4,5,6,7,8. ( In all this it appeareth that they take holynefs and fincere obedience as anabfolutely neceffaryCondition of continuingor not lofing our Rateof J uftification and Salvation. And that as great fins.doaftually faring guilt of death , and make uncapable of falvation till we return by Repentance, fo if God fhould per- mit us totally to fall from Sanctification, we fhould thereby. fall alto ,
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