ObieWant takenfrom teifimoniesofScrlpture,asafìwered; 69 t theymayallo fall awayandperifh ; but a faithful' man may be blotted outofthebooke oflife ; and therefore afaithful' manmay fall away and perifh. The affumption or fecond partofthis reafonwhich wee denie asfalfe, they indeuour to prooue : firf},bythe petition ofvliofes, for,fay they, hee requireth to beblotted out of thebooke oflife ; and there- forehemight beblottedout. Towhich I anfwere : firfi,that Molesrequeit is notabfolute,but tobe vnderf}ood with this condition,ifit wouldftandwith-Gods will,and ifheeappro- uedofhispetition. Secondly, though it had been abfolute, yet it followed' not that becaufe he requefied this, therefore itmight come topaffe ; fceingGod(as appeareth in theverfe following) difallowethand refufeth togrant hisrequeft,fay- ing : whofoeuer hathfinnedagainftme, l tk+illput bim out ofmy booke. Yea,will the tempter fay, but though cillofescouldnot çç.Sell 2. be blotted out,yet it appearethbyGodsanfwere that (inners P»lm. 69.28. may,for hee faith, that heewill blot out him that finneth a- ofthebooke gaina him: and this his obiedionhewill further prooue out of l,fe,and oftheprayer ofDattid, Pfalm.69.28. Let them beput out ofwhat it is to b thebooke oflife,&c. I anfwere,that thefe phrafesofwriting anrdMelted in-abooke;andblottingoutofit,aremetaphorical! andbor- rowed fromthe pra Life ofmen,andare vfedin the fcriptures, that the things thereby fignified maybe madeplaine andea- fie to our capacitie and vnderf}anding. Neither muff wee imagine that Godhath abooke fortohelpe hismemorie, or that he wrireth orblotteth out;foral things paa,prefent, and tocome are in his fight. But hee is laidto write men in the bookeoflife, either when 'hee eleEeth them in his ferret counfel, or when he executeth this decreeby receiuing them intohiscouenant, and enrolling them in the number ofhis Church and family; which is alto done twowales: the firfl is proper to the faithfull, who indeede and truthare within the couenant,and are true membersofthe inuifibleChurch: the other common to the titularie Chriftian, whoprofeffeth and . efteemeth himfelfe to be in the number ofthofewho are in thecouenant of grace, and ele6ìed to euerlafiinglife,and is foallo reputed by others, becaufe he is amember of thevi- Y a fibie
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