6 f AnEngniryafter a mans elate, dy ? howmuch more incuring the ficknei3e of the foul ? Now from the text it felt withou: any cutting up of the words,we may gather fouc propoftions : r. That there is anelate that every man is in,either an efiate of grace,or an elate of fin. a.That this late may be known. 3. That every man fhould be willing to have his efface exa- mined, that it may beknown whether it be good or no. 4. That a man cannever have true comfort till it be known that he is in a good &fate. I. For the firlf, That there is an elate that every one is in, either of grace or fin; Se this in Simon Magri,' : I perceive,faith S. Peter, thouart in thegall ofbitterneffe and in the bond of ini- quity. See; he telleth himwhat efface he was in, viz, a very bad elate, in a defperate and damnable condition. In this late of fin and tniíéry are all they that arenot renewed by Chril Jefus, And for the other fee an example, Rom. 16.7. Salute Rufus chafen in the Lord: the text there telleth us what elate he was in, a very good &fate; He was a man in Chriff , a choife man, that is, a man in the late of' grace and falvation. In this elate are all they that are called and faneîiied and made new crea- tures unto God. Everyman is in one of the two elates; there is no middleelate which is neither the one nor the other , but inone ofthefe two areall the wholeworld, The reafon is, r. From everlaling the world wasdivided onely into two ranks,either Eledf or Reprobates, 2. Here in this life theworld is divided onely into two com- panies, either godly or ungodly, 3. At the day of judgment the Lord will divise the whole world onely into two forts, either Sheepor Goats. II, For the fecond propolii ion, This elate may be known : Eíß}ecially every man may come to the knowledge of his own elatebefore God. I do not fay that every man may know whether he be elet`f or reprobare : yet this I fay too That a godly foul may know that it is eleEted to life. The Apolle ex- horteth all that are godly to givediligence to mate their eleaion Pure, 1. Ob- ferva. Afts 8. 2.3 Zorn. 16,7 Matth. y5. 32. 2. Prop. Efe&ion may be known.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=