ZS d YnednS of e,28ro nails and (pear, John zo. zS. They will not believe any thingthat is fpoken for their comfort, till it be made fo ap- parent that they have nothing to fay to the contrary. Ivly Pelf have known Lome, who in their temptations have of-, ten put their comforters to their proofs, to their proteftaa tions, nay to their oathes too, before theywould believe their words of comfort. And in this temptation we (peak of, men are fo llrongly poffeffed with the fear of eternal' rejection from the face of God that theyw11 not eafily without mani felt conviction believe thecontrary. But grounds convincing and fatisfying a Minifter that mainteineth abfolute Reproba- tionbath notsin 'lore. Nothing can he fay that is able to make it appear infallibly and undeniably to the underf$and ing of the tempted, that he is no abfoluteReprobate. All that he ( T) can fay is, Be ofgood comfort : you are a belie ver, a truly repenting inner; therefore no Reprobate. For faith and repentance are infallible f uits of Eleltion, and arguments ofa ftate contrary to what you fear. But this the temptedwill deny : He will fay, that be ie no believer, &c. And how will the Minifler convince hirn that he is ? He mutt prove to him by theoutvvard aas of faith and repentance (for they onelyare apparent tohim) that he dot's repent and believe. But thisproof is not demonfratire, nor Both con- vince; becaufe opera virtutumfmularipo(funt, the external! alts of faith, repentance, or any other grace may be coun- terfeited. The devil may Teem to be an angel of light; wolves may go in fheeps clothing ; Judas may make the world believe by his preaching and following of Chrift, that he is a true Apollle; andSimon Magus, though he remain in the gall ofbitterneffe and bond of iniquity, may be thought by hisreceiving of Baptifmr. to be a true believer : and fo may any hypocrite by force exteriour acts offaith and repen- tance delude the belt difcerner of fpirits among men, and gain the opinion and e'teena of a true penitent and believer. Aaions externally good, or good in appearance, may be evil indeed for want of a good rule, manner, end, or fume other good circutnftances with which an action that is good mutt be clothed ;( For bonum non oritur nifi ex integris :) and fo by good confequence cannot certainly prove theman who doth them tobe a good man, or tohave thegrace offaith,re.. pentance, or any other truly planted in his heart. Which being fo, I fay that a Minifter cannot (V) by the outward aas and fruits offaith and repentance which he leechcome F f z from :: .r
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