480 / 504
C
A
r.XVil.
Heb.
6.
4,
f,
6.
lieb.
It).
18,29.
what
perfons intended
.
426 tion.
This
alto might
be
eafily
evinced by innumerable inflames and
ex-
amples from
theScripture,if
need required.
3.
That
the perlons
in
and upon
whom this
work
is
wrought,
cannot be
laid
to
be
hypocrites
in
the molt proper
fence
of
that
word
:
that.
is
,
fuch
as
counterfeit
and pretend
themfelves
to
be
that,
which they know
they are
not:
nor to
have faith only
in
thew,
and not
in
fubflance
, as
though they made
a
thew
and pretence
only
ofan
affent
,
to
the
things they profeiled;
their
high
gifts,
knowledge, faith, change
of
affe&ions
and converfation,being
in
their
own kind
true
(as
the Faith
of
Devills
is)
and yet notwithftanding
all
this
they are
in
bondage, and
at
bell,
feeke for
a
righteoufneffe,
as
it
were
by
the
workes
of
the
Law, and in
the
iffue,
C hrift proves
to
them
of
none
effeer.
4.
That
among thefe
perfons, many
are oftentimesendued
with
excel-
lent
gifts, lovely
parts,
qualifications
and abilities, rendring them exceeding
ufefull, acceptable, and ferviceable
to
the Church
of
God,
becoming
veffellr
in
his
houfe,
to
hold and
convey
to others, the
precious liquour
of
the
Gofpell,
though their nature
in themfelves
be not changed, they
remaining
zrood
and
Stone
frill.
5.
That
much
of
the worke,wrought
in
and
upon this fort
of
perfons, by
the
Spirit
and word,
lies in
its own
nature
in
a
dire& tendency
to
their relin-
quifliment
of
their
finnes,
and
felfe-righteoufneflè,&
to
a
doting
with God
in
Chrift, háving
a
mighty prevalency upon them,
to
caufe them
to
amend
their
wayes,
and to labour after
life
and
falvation: from
which
to
Apoflatize and
fall
off,
upon the account
of
the tendency mentioned
of
thefe beginnings, is
dangerous
and
for the moll part
pernitious.
6.
That
perfons
under
the
convi
&ions
and workes
of
the
Spirit
former-
ly mentioned, partakers
of
the
guifts, light and knowledge fpoken
of,
with
thofe
other
endowments
attending them,
are capacitated
for
the
finne
againfi
the
Holy
Ghoft,
or
the impardonable
Apoftafy from
God.
Thefe
things being commonly knowne,
and
as
farre
as
I
know, univerfally
granted,I
affirme,that
the
perfons mentioned
andintended
in
thefe places,are
fach
as
have
been
now
defcribed,
and
not the
Believers or
Saints,
'concerning
whom
a-
lone
our
contefl
is.
.
Mr
Goodwin
replyes
Se&.
19.
Pag.'r83.
To
the
latter
exception, which
pretends
to
findonly
Hypocrites,
and
not true Be.
lievers,
fifaged
in
both
pelages;
we
liltewife anfwer,
that
itgloffeth
no
whit better,
than
the
former,
if
not
muchworfe,
confdering that
the
perfons'
prefented in the
Paid
puffages,
are defcribed
by
fuch charalíers, andfignall
excellencies which
the
Scriptures are
wont to appropriate unto
Saints,
and
true
Believers,
andthat
when
they
intend
to fhew them
in the
beff
and
greateft
of
their
glory: what
we
fay
herein,
mill
(I
fuppof)
be
made above
all
gainefaying, by
inflancing particulars.
flnf
That
this
ismofl remote from
truth,
and
that
there
is
not
here
any one difcriminating Chara&er
of
true
Believers,
fo
farre are
the
ex-
preffionsfrom
Petting
them
out
in any fignall eminency, will
appeare
from
thefe
enfuing confiderations.
z,
There
is
no
mention
of
Faith
or
Believing
either
in exprefle termes,
or
in
termes
of
an
equivalent
fignificancy
in'
either
of
the
places mentioned.
Thereforetrue
Believers
are not
the
perfons
intended
to
be defcribed
in
there
places.
Did
the
Holy Ghoft
intend
to
defcribe
Believers,.it
is
very ftrange
that
he
íhould
not
call them
fo,nor makemention
of
any tine
of
thofe
principles in
them,
from whence, and whereby they are
fuch.
Wherefore
I fay,
2.
There
is
not
any
thing
afcribed
here
to
the
perfons fpoken
of, which
belongs peculiarly
to true
Believers,
as
fuch, or
that
conftitutes
them to be
fuch,
and
which
yet are
things
plainly
and
pofitively afferted and
defcribed