37o The Sublapprzans doctrine taketh lightened, hafted the heavenly gift, been made partakers of the holy Ghoft, tailed the good word of God and thepowers of the world to come; if they fall away, to be re,iewed by re,entance. The graces which the Apoftle here fpeakec of,are not ordina- ry and common, but epeciall and excellent graces, Illumina- tion, Faith, a Rellith of Gods word, and a Taft of heaven; and theperlons fpoken of are apoftates, fuch as are under a poflibility cf falling-away for ever ( for upon a danger not poflible cannot be built a folid exhortation) and confequently reprobates ; and the thing intimated, is that upon apoftates and reprobates are thefeexcellent gifts many times bellovved. The like fpeech we have Heb. t c.26. For if we timewillingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there re- maineth no morefac,ifreeforfince, &c. From whence we may colleta, That men who hnné willingly and unpardonably, may receive the knowledgeof the truth, yea and he fancehfied by the bloud of the Teftament and the Spirit of grace, verf. 29. In the z.Pet.z.zo. They may, faith Peter, efcape the fil- thinelfe of the world; that is, be wafhed from their former fit-Ines by repentance : The unclean f irit maygoout of them, Matth. i z.43. They may receive the word with joy, Matth. ao. And many more excellent graces they may have betides. Now all thefe virtues and graces are not therefore given them that they (F) might abule them, and fo purchafe to them- felves the greater damnation; or that they might do good to others with them, but none to themfelves : but rather that ( as by the former gifts cf nature, fo) by there of grace they may obtein falvation. For if God aim at this in thofe gifts that are farther off, much more in thefe which make thofe that have them (like the young man in the Gofpel) notfame fi.orn the kingdom of heaven. My proof for this I borrow of our Di- vines (G) at the Synod, who in their Suffrage have there two f S¿tjjir, potations : r. fThereare certain internall works preparing a lia it. prig. 4r. manfor ¡unification, which by thepower of the word and Spi- eheJ:z. &p'g. rit are wrought in the hearts of men not yet ¡u(tified ; fuch as 43. tqud are the I¿nowledgeof Gods will, a Senfe of fune, fear ofprs- ffe a inter- nifhment, &c. that is. their firi}, z. Their ftcond polition is na ad con- this, t Thore whom God by his word and ápiritaffelleth after verfionern this manner, thofe he trulyandferio t fly callethand inviteth to prævia, qua: virtute verbi fpiritûfque in taondam juf}ilcatorum cordibus excitantur; qualia funt, notitia voluntatis Divinæ, fenfns peccati, timor pcenx, cogitatio de liberatione, fpes. aliq.ta venìx. t Quos Deus, mediante verbo, per Spiritumfilm in hunt modtun af- ficit, ells ad fidenz couverfioncmque vere & fertà vocat & invitat. cowerfion.
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