The recavery of Apoftatizing profeffors very difficult. 629: now have got the power, And to they have loft all their favor and vigor, and are grown formal in their duties , and all their favor is gone , this is faid of filch as have made profefíìon of Religion that have loft their favor forne do fay how are there changed re they were. If felt hove loft his favor , where- SfePrrlti,r om with (hall it be faded ? how avail this be recovered again? fo the place. the meaning is, it is not imporfible, buts it is a rare thing for any one that hath been a forward "Ps:ofeflór of Religion , and hat h had vigor and f}rength; and now is grown flat and cold, it is an itrpoilìble thing alma that fuch a one should be recove- red, it is a rare thing if fuch be recovered. Heb 6.4. For it vs See Dixon on impo lid', thofe who were once enitghted,and have totted of the 6.4. heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghoft, &c. It is a molt dreadful place, yet the Scripture doth not mention' in.words the fin againft the holy Ghoft , but lays it down in a more general way to leave them to a moff dreadful fear to' take heed that they never never fall away ; let fuch take heed how they nourish any corruption, where ahnoft have you any .r=ecovered, any that return after that they are fallen from pro - feflìon of Religion, and why ? it is fo becaufe that when they have had the experience of truth, the truth of God that work on other mens hearts, do no good to them at all , they knew what there truths meant many years ago, but to many it awak- ens their confciences, and airs their hearts , it humbles their' fpirits and calls them down,and caufeth them to fee the dread fulnefs of their natural eftate, butler a formal' profeffor that is fain off from the truth of God , let him know fuch things ; he bath got power over his confcience , there is little efficacy to prevail over it, wherewith shah it be faked when the fait Lath loa his'favour ; it follows of them, It is henceforth good for no thing but to be calf out , that is, an Apoaatizri g profeffor of Religion is an unufeful member in the Church of God or Commonwealth , he is almoft good for nothing ; one that is a forward profeffor of Religion , if lle, be not fruitful, he is not good for any thing ; fair when it bath loft its . favour , there is no more ufe at all for it , as
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=