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,ifneed required. 3. That the perlons inand 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 tobe that, which they know they arenot: nor tohave faith only in thew, and not in fubflance , as though they made a thewand pretenceonly ofan affent , to the things they profeiled; their high gifts, knowledge, faith, changeofaffe&ions and converfation,being in their own kind true (as the FaithofDevills is) and yet notwithftanding all this they are inbondage, and at bell, feeke for a righteoufneffe, as it wereby the workesofthe Law, and in the iffue, C hrift proves to themofnone effeer. 4. That among thefeperfons, many are oftentimesendued with excel- lent gifts, lovelyparts, qualifications and abilities, rendring them exceeding ufefull, acceptable, and ferviceable to the ChurchofGod, becoming veffellr inhis houfe, tohold and convey to others, theprecious liquour oftheGofpell, though their nature in themfelves be not changed, they remaining zrood and Stonefrill. 5. Thatmuch ofthe worke,wrought inand upon this fort ofperfons, by the Spirit and word, lies in its own nature in adire& tendency to their relin- quifliment oftheir finnes, and felfe-righteoufneflè,& to a dotingwith God in Chrift, háving a mighty prevalency upon them, tocaufe them to amend their wayes, and to labour afterlife and falvation: fromwhich toApoflatize and fall off, upon the account ofthe tendency mentionedof thefe beginnings, is dangerousand for the moll partpernitious. 6. That perfons under theconvi&ionsand workesofthe Spirit former- ly mentioned, partakers ofthe guifts, light and knowledge fpoken of, with thofeother endowments attending them, are capacitated for thefinneagainfi theHoly Ghoft, or the impardonable Apoftafy fromGod. Thefethings being commonly knowne, and as farreas I know, univerfally granted,Iaffirme,that theperfons mentioned andintendedin thefe places,are fach ashave been now defcribed, andnot the Believers or Saints, 'concerning whom a- lone our contefl is. . Mr Goodwin replyes Se&. 19. Pag.'r83. To the latterexception, whichpretends tofindonly Hypocrites, andnot true Be. lievers,fifaged in bothpelages; we liltewife anfwer, that itgloffeth no whit better, than theformer, ifnotmuchworfe, confdering that theperfons' prefented in the Paidpuffages, are defcribedby fuch charalíers, andfignall excellencies which the Scriptures are wont to appropriate unto Saints, andtrue Believers, andthat when they intendto fhew them in the beffandgreateft oftheir glory: what wefayherein, mill (Ifuppof) be made aboveall 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 theex- preffionsfromPetting them out in any fignall eminency, will appeare from thefe enfuing confiderations. z, There isnomentionofFaith or Believing either in exprefle termes, or intermes ofan equivalent fignificancy in' eitherof the places mentioned. Thereforetrue Believers are not the perfons intended tobe defcribed in there places. Did the Holy Ghoft intend todefcribe Believers,.it is very ftrange that he íhould not call them fo,nor makementionofany tine ofthofeprinciples 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 whichyet are things plainlyand pofitively afferted and defcribed
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