753 / 772
ObieMiens
againf
perfeuerance taken
fromex4rpfer,aMff7
27
twofold
choife
or ele6tion, the
firfl
to
an
office
or
fun
&lion:
the other to
eternall faluation.
Now
we
are
not
to vnder-
fland
this
place
of
this
latter
ele6tion,
of
which here
is
no
fpeech
:
but
of
the former,
namely,
that God
had
eleted
and
chofen
him, amongft
all
the
people to be the King
ofif
rael,as
all
the
circumflances
ofthe
place
plainely (hew.
But
it
is
further
faid,
that
the fpirit
ofthe
Lord departed
from
Saul;
and
therefore San/
both
had
Gods
fpirit, and
alto
loft it.
I anfwere,
that
by the
fpirit
of
the
Lord
we are
here
to
vnderfland the gifts
of
the fpirit,as
it
is
vfuall in
the Scrip-
tures;
not
his
fan&ifying
and
fauing graces which are
proper
to the
elect,
but
thofe morall,
ciuill
and ordinarie gifts,
which
are
common
to
them with the vnregenerate;
name
-
ly,the
fpirit
ofprophecie,
wifdome, fortitude
and
gouerne-
ment,w'ith which
Sail
was
formerly
indued,when
as
he was
chofen
to bee
King
ofifrael,
and
not
the fpirit
of
adoption,
and regeneration,
which
he neuer
had.
And thus the holie
Ghoít
expoundeth
himfelfe
:
i.Sam.10.6.9.
and
chap./
1.6.
The
fourth
example
alleaged
is
of
Dauid,from
which they
thus conclude
:
Dauidloft
his
faith,
and
fo
for
a
time,
fell from
the
Gate
of
grace
:
Dattid was elect and regenerate
:
Therefore
Tome
ele& and
regenerate,
may lofe
their
faith,
and
fall
from the
f
}ate
ofgrace.
I
anfwere,
that
the propofition
is
molt
falfe; for
howfoe-
uer
Dauids
faith
was
(haken, yet
it
was
not
ouerthrowne;
though it loll
his
former
vigour
and
ftrength
for
a
time,.fo
as
he had not
that
fenfible
aífuranceof Gods
fauour, nor that
comfort
and ioy in the
holy
Gholl,
as
he
was
wont to
haue
in
time pail,
yet the feede
of
faith
and
Gods
grace remained
in
him;
howfoeuer it
was afleepe,
as
it were,
or
brought
in-
to
a
deadly
fwoune
for
a
vhile,yet
it
was
not quite
dead,but
awaknedagaineby
the preaching
of
Nathan,
and reuiued
when
vpon
his vnfained
repentance,
hee was
reaf
ured
of
Gods
loue and the remiflion
of
his finne.
Yeabut,fay they,
the,yrelireni
may
further
be confirmed
by
this reafon
:
pro
p
hex-A
a
a
4
He
Exod.
18.3.
Iudg.
and
3.
24.,
l.Satn.o.6.9.
and
i
i 6
4.
SO.
q..
The example
of
Dacrìd.