CA P. XVII. Heb:6.4,5,6. Heb: to. 3.8,29. Confidered. 428 lours to befeen, which are wont to be ufedin drawing or limning the Portraitures orfhapes ofthole Bea.fLe, as difiinguifhed from creatures of abetter kind. All the lineaments ofthePerfons prefented in thefe tables, before the mention oftheir fall- ing away, become the bellandfairefl faces of theSaints, ( as bath been proved) and are not to befound in any other. rea, thegreatefl and mofl intelligent Belie- ver under heaven, bath no reafon but to de/irepart and fellowflripwith the Hypo- crites here defcribed, in all thofe charallers andproperties which areattributed unto them before their falling away, orfinning wilfully. Anf. i. Thedefigne of the poft1e is not todifcover , or giveany chara- FtersofHypocrites, tomanifeft them to be fuch, but todeclare 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 oftheir condemnation: Neither had any lines ufed toparticularife thofe beafts in their fhape, wherein they differ fromBelievers, beenat all ufefull to the Apoftlespurpofe : 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 trueBelievers , and become them very well, rendering theirfaces beauti- ful!, but whether there be not fomethingelfe, then what is here mentioned, that fhould give them being,as fuch, and life, without which thefe things are little better thanpainting. Nor 3. Is it at all to the purpofe, that Believers may deflre a participation in thefe charallerswith the perlons defcribed , but whether they who have no other charaaers or markes upon themof true Believers, then what are here mentioned, muff neceffarilybe fo accounted, or will of God be foaccepted. Many a Believer may delire the guifts of tholeHypocrites, who havenot one drammeoftheGrace,wherewith he is quickned. So that this firft reafon as pregnant as it feemesofproofe, isonly indeed (welled & puffed up, with wind & vanity. He adds 2. True Believers, are in eflateofhonour, andare Liftedup on high towards the Heavens inwhich refpelf they have from ' whence to fall. But Hypocrites are asneere Hell already as lightly they can be, till they be alluallyfallen into it. From whence then are they capable offallings? men ofeflates mayfaite and breake,but beggers are innofuch 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 tobreake but only when hegets an efl'ate. When he doth this, the begger is broke. Anf. All that here is added, arifes meerely from the ambiguity ofthe word Hypocrites; the perfons that fall, are on all hands fuppofed to have, and enjoy all, that is made mentionofin the Texts infìfted on, fo that they have fo much to fall from, as that thereupon Mr Goodwin thinkes them true Be- lievers. Theyhavealf the heighths to tumble from,whichwebefore menti- oned, and verymany others, that it is no eale tafke todeclare. They fall from the excellencies they have, and not the Hypocri fy, with whichthey are vitiated. From the profefiion of the Faith, with honefty -ofconverfa- tion, 6.c. not from the want ofRoote, of being built on theRocke, fo that this pretended pregnant reafon, is as barren' as the former, to the produltion oftheafl'ertion layd down robe proved by it. Headds 3. It is nopunifhment at all to Hypocrites to beunder no poffibility ofbeing renewed againeby repentance.Nay in cafe theyfhouldfallaroay,it would be a bene- fit andbleffingunto them,to be underan impoifibility o fbeing renewedagain.For ifthis were their cafe it wouldbe impoffiblefor them tobe ever Hypocrites again, and (doubtleffé) it is nogreatjudgment upon any man to be uncapable of fetcha preferment. Anf.
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