An Enquiry after a maw ell ate. 7 fuse 2 Pet. r. so He that atreineth to that faith which the A- pofile calleth the faith of Gods eleG,Titus t.r. and receiverh the word of God, as Paul faith the Theflalonians did, arid thence concludeth they were chofen of God, i Thef. I.4, 5. he may attain to much affurance of his eleétion.But though a godlyman is not alike: Becaufe ungó Iinefle is noreprobation lwayes j ynedawith perfeveranee, 2._Befdes, God bath many realons why he doth not reveal Incas reprobation unto them : They would then be outragious in evil, defperate in wickedneffe; there could be no order or government inhumane life : Befides that, the form of Chrifts adminiftration of his kingdome could not be fo as it now is: for Chrift hath bid his Minifters preach the Gofpel to every creature, to whole pari{'hes and towns, and except none : Chrift will not tell his Minifters which be reprobates and which not, that they may preach unto all, and labour to work upon every foul ; and there is none in a parith but the Minifler mutt look upon him as onewbo may be faved : Chrift will not tell his people which be reprobates, that they may look upon every one as one that may be wonne to the faith for any thing they know : Chrift will not tell the reprobates them- felves that they are reprobates , that every one of them may come to the ale of the means;How do they know but that they may finde grace? yea and the Lord doth ferioufly call them; and it is their fault if they obey not. It is Gods infinite mercy, that election, which isfuch a comfortable point, may be reveal. ed to Gods children; and that reprobation, which is fo intole- rable and bitter, is not revealed to the reprobate.Neverthelefie let me adde, That fome particular men have known their own reprobation, as Cain and 7udar, &c. And there be fhrewd f gnes of it: (I do not fpeak it as though I meant to perfwade any man that he is one, but onely that he may take heed of them.) r, Malicing the known truth is a very fhrewd fine: As,when men know that godlineffe is pleating to God,and yet they hate a man for it ; when men know the Minitier is commanded to rebuke fin, and yet they will feite him for fo doing : this is a e- i Shrewd Tigris of it.
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