450 / 504
C.XVII.
bhp:
z.
tg. Explain'd
and
vindicated.
394
well
with
the
Apo
files,
and
thole
Chriflian
focietyes
with
which
they
Conforted;
There
wasfomething not
a
it
ought
to
have
been,
either in Dolirine,or
manners,
or both, which
minifired an
occafon
to thefe men to breake communion
with there,
and
to
leave them.
Anf.
Firft
The
intendment
of
the
Apoftle
in
the
Context,
is
evidently
to
4.41. caution
Believers
againft
feducers,
acquainting them alto,
with the fweet
and
gracious
provifion,
that
God had made
for their prefervation,
in the
abiding;
teaching, anointing, bellowed
on
them :
In
the
verfe
under
prefent confiders
tion,
be
gives
them
a
defcription
of
the
perlons
that
did
feduce
them,
in
re-
fpe&
of
their
present Rate
and
condition',
They
were Apoftates; who though
they had
fometimes made profeffion
ofthe
Faith, yet
indeed were never true
Believers,
nor had
any fellowfhip with Jefus Ch rift,
as
he and the
Saints
had,
which alto they had abundantly manifefted
by
their
open
Apoftacy,
and en-
fuing
oppoution to theDoctrine
of
the
Gofpell, and the
eternal! Life
manife-
fted
therein.
Secondly,
That
any Chriftians whatfoever
,
from the
confìderation
of
theft
feducers falling away did
entertaine
any
fufpicion
that
all things were
not
well
in
that
fociety
of
which
the
Apoftle
fpeakes(not with the
Apoftles,which
were all
dead,
himfelfe only
excepted,
when John
wrote
this Epiftle)
either
as
to
Do&rine
or
manners,
fo
fuppofing
them
to
take part
with
the
Apoftates,
in
their departure,
is
afurmize whereunto
there
is
not
any
thing (in the leaft)
contributed
in
the Text, or Context, nor
any
thing
like
to
it,
being
a
meere
invention
of
our
Author, found
outto
ferve this
turne,
and
confidently
with-
out
any
indu
&ion
looking
that
way;
or attempt
of
proof;
impofed upon his
credulous
Reader;
if
men may affume
to
themfelves
a
liberty
of
creating
oc
calions
of
words, difcourfes
or
expreffions
in
the
Scripture, no manner
ofway
infinuated, nor fuggefted therein, they
may wreft
it
to
what they pleafe, and
confirme
whatever
they have
a
mind unto.
4.42-
This
falfe
foundation
being laid
he
proceeds
to
build upon
it,and
fititably
thereunto.feignes
the
Apoftle
to
fpeake
what never entred into
his
heart, and
unto that,whereo
,
he
had
no
occafion
adminiftred.
To
this
<faith
he)
the
Apo
file anfwereth partly
by
Conceffion,
partly
by
Excepti-
on;
Firfi
by Conceffion,
in
thofè words
[they
went out
from
us]
which
march-Woe'
not
fo
much import
their utter
declining or
fort
king
the
Apoflles
communion,
as
the advantage
oropportunity which
they
had,to gaine credit
andrefpelf,both
to
the
Dollrine, and
Perfons, among
profefforrrs
of
Chriflianity in
the World;
In
as much
as
they came
forth
from
the
Apo !es
themfelves as
men
tent
and
cot zißioned
by
them
to
teach;
The
floe
phrafeis
ufed
in this
fence
,
and with
Me
fame
import
where
the
Apo
filer write
thus
to
the Brethren
of
the Gentiles ,
Aels
15.
24. For
as
much
as
we
have heard,
that
certain
that
went out
from
us have troubledyou,
with
words
fubvertingyour foules,
faying
you
mull
be
circumczfedand
keep
the
Law,
to
whom
we
gave
no
fuch
commandement;
So
that
in this
claufe
[they
went
out
from
us]
the
Apo
file
grants; Firfi, 7hat
thole
Antichrffian
teachers
hadin
-.
deed
fdr:a
time held
communion
with them; And
Secondly, That,
hereby they
had
the greater opportunity,of
doing
harme
in
the
World,
by
their falfe
Doelrines
But
Secondly.
He
Anfwers
farther
by
way
of
Exception
(but
they
were
not
of
Sr)
while
fl
yet
they converfed
with us,
they were
not
men
of
the
fame
fpirit
used
principles
with
us;
we
walled in the profefion
of
the
Gofpell,
with
tingle
and
upright hearts,. not
aiming
at
any
feculargreatneffe,or.worldly
accommodations
in
one
kind
or other;,
thefemen
loved this prefentWorld
,and
when they
found
the famplicityof
the Go.
fpell,
wouldnot accommodate them
to
their
minds
,
they braké
with us,
and
with
the
truth
of
the
Gofpellitfelfeat
once.
0.
43,
Anf
Firft, I fuppofe
tis
evident
(at
the
firft
view)
that
this new
glofe
of.
the