482 / 504
CA
P.
XVII.
Heb:6.4,5,6.
Heb:
to.
3.8,29.
Confidered.
428
lours
to
be
feen,
which are wont
to
be
ufed
in
drawing or
limning
the Portraitures
or
fhapes
of
thole
Bea.fLe,
as
difiinguifhed
from
creatures
of
a
better
kind. All the
lineaments
ofthe
Perfons prefented
in
thefe
tables,
before the
mention
of
their fall-
ing
away,
become
the
bell
and
fairefl faces
of
the
Saints,
(
as
bath
been
proved)
and
are not to
be
found in
any
other.
rea,
the
greatefl and
mofl
intelligent
Belie-
ver
under heaven,
bath
no
reafon but
to
de/ire
part and
fellowflrip
with
the
Hypo-
crites
here
defcribed,
in all
thofe
charallers and
properties which are
attributed
unto
them
before
their falling
away, or
finning
wilfully.
Anf.
i.
The
defigne
of the
poft1e
is
not
to
difcover
,
or
give
any
chara-
Fters
of
Hypocrites,
to
manifeft
them
to
be
fuch,
but
to
declare the
excellencies
that
are, or
may be
found in them , from
the
enjoyment
of
all
which-
they
may decline,
and
thine againit
the
mercy and grace
ofthem, to
the aggrava-
tion
of
their condemnation: Neither
had
any lines ufed
to
particularife thofe
beafts
in
their
fhape,
wherein
they differ from
Believers,
been
at
all ufefull
to
the
Apoftles
purpofe
:
his
ayme being only
to
draw
thofe wherein they are
like them, and conformeable
to
them.
Neither
2.
Is
it
queftioned whether thefe things here mentioned,
may
be found
in
true
Believers
, and become them very well, rendering their
faces beauti-
ful!,
but
whether there be
not
fomething
elfe,
then what
is
here mentioned,
that
fhould give
them being,as
fuch,
and
life,
without
which
thefe things are
little better
than
painting.
Nor
3.
Is
it
at
all
to the purpofe, that
Believers may deflre a
participation
in
thefe
charallers
with the
perlons defcribed ,
but
whether
they who have no
other charaaers or
markes upon them
of
true
Believers,
then what are here
mentioned, muff
neceffarily
be
fo
accounted, or
will
of
God be foaccepted.
Many
a Believer
may delire
the
guifts
of
thole
Hypocrites, who have
not
one dramme
of
the
Grace,wherewith
he
is
quickned.
So
that
this
firft
reafon as
pregnant
as
it feemes
ofproofe,
is
only
indeed
(welled & puffed up, with
wind
& vanity. He adds
2. True
Believers, are
in
eflate
of
honour,
and
are
Lifted
up on
high towards
the Heavens
in
which refpelf
they
have from
'
whence to
fall.
But
Hypocrites
are
as
neere Hell
already as lightly
they
can
be,
till
they
be
allually
fallen
into
it.
From
whence
then
are they capable
of
fallings?
men
of
eflates
may
faite
and breake,but
beggers are
in
no
fuch
danger. IfHypocrites
fall
away,
it
mull
be
from
their
Hypo
-
crify,but
this
is
rather
it
riling than
a
fall.
A Begger
cannot
be
fetid
to
breake but
only when he
gets an
efl'ate.
When
he
doth
this,
the
begger
is
broke.
Anf. All
that
here
is
added,
arifes meerely from the
ambiguity
of
the
word
Hypocrites;
the
perfons
that
fall,
are
on
all
hands
fuppofed
to have, and
enjoy all,
that
is
made mention
of
in
the Texts
infìfted
on,
fo
that
they have
fo much
to
fall
from,
as
that
thereupon Mr
Goodwin
thinkes them
true
Be-
lievers.
They
have
alf
the
heighths
to
tumble
from,which
we
before menti-
oned, and
very
many others,
that it
is
no
eale
tafke
to
declare.
They
fall
from
the
excellencies
they have,
and not the
Hypocri
fy,
with whichthey
are
vitiated. From
the
profefiion
of
the
Faith, with
honefty
-of
converfa-
tion,
6.c.
not
from
the want
of
Roote, of
being
built
on
the
Rocke,
fo
that
this pretended pregnant reafon,
is
as barren'
as
the former, to the produltion
of
the
afl'ertion
layd down
ro
be proved
by it. He
adds
3.
It
is no
punifhment
at all
to Hypocrites to
be
under
no poffibility
of
being
renewed againe
by
repentance.
Nay
in
cafe they
fhould
fall
aroay,it would
be a
bene-
fit
and
bleffing
unto
them,to
be
under
an
impoifibility
o
f
being renewed
again.
For
ifthis
were
their
cafe
it
would
be
impoffible
for
them
to
be
ever Hypocrites again,
and
(doubtleffé)
it
is
no
greatjudgment
upon any
man to
be
uncapable
of
fetch
a
preferment.
Anf.