An Enquiryafter a manseflate, I) That á man may know his ef}ate, proved. ry fhrewd ligne. Paul perfecuted the truth; but yet, faith he, I obtained mercy, becaufe I did it ignorantly, t Tim r. t 3. inti- mating that if he had done is againft knowledge he had been in danger to have found nomercy. And therefore ye that mock and hate thofe wages whichGod hathcommanded , I befeech you, take heed left ye fin unpardonably. 2. Abtolute apoUafie is a fhrewd ligne too of reprobation Whenmen have been very forward in the profeffion of the truth, and fall totally away and prove miferably profaine, as the Apoille fheweth, Heb. 6.6. 3. Finali impenitency. This is an infallible ligne of reproba- tion, when a man liveth in fin, dieth in fin, and goeth away without repentance, Luke 13. 3. Except ye repent ye fhall all likewife perifh. There be manyofus have stood out long in im- penitency; ict us take heed left if we Ray any longer we fall upon this great evil. I return to the point; A man may come to the knowledge of his own eRate beforeGod. I do not mean, Whether he be in the Rate of elebion or reprobation: but he may know , Whether hebein the Rate of falvation or damnation, that is, Whether he be in the way that leadeth to heaven or hell, Whe- ther he be in filch a cafe that if he die now he (hall be fa- ved or not faired : Every man may thus know in what eRate he is ; Becaute the wordofGod fheweth a man this : As for exam- ple, He that committcthfinne is of the devil. Mark ; the Apoftle telleth us what eRate that man is in that liveth in [inne, in a very bad eftate. So on the contrary; He that loath this hope purgeth himfelfe. Mark ; the Apoftle telleth us what eftate that man is in who purgeth himfelfe ; he is in avery good cu ate, in a Rate of true hope in Chrift. And fo r, Cor- 6. o. the Apo- Rle namech divers who are not in the Rate of falvation but of damnation : if they die in fuch cafe they cannot inherit the kingdome of heaven . So that if a man will but fearch the word, and beleeve that God doth fay true, he may know his cítate 2. Without
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