many geo int'briIIianitie: 27 made in Chrifl lefus,yetfo that he cannot apply them tohimfelfe,in this thing r the elect and the reprobatediffcr.The reprc+bate;ddeneralyiva conftsfedrhaner d Luk, 8.1 beleeueth that ChriflisaSauiour offomemen : and he neither can, nor def- teth to corne to the particular applying ofChrifl. The eleírt beleeueth;, that Chrift isa Sauiourofhimparticularlie. The reprobatesfaithmay perifh in this life,but thefaithof the elect} cannot. The reprobate may be perfwaded of the mercyand goodnefl'eofGod towardshim for the prefent time in thewhich he feeleth it : thedea isnot onely perfwadedofthemerciesheprefently enioyeth, s but alfo he isperfwadedofhis eternall eleaion before the foundaLion of the world , and ofhis euerlafling life, whichyet hedothnot enjoy :Yea c IfGodeIefs'r3..r ". wottldcorforQndhim,andhofaronothingbatprefent death, andhellfire: yet fuch is his nature, that flilhe wouldbeleeue; for faith and hope arenot `rounded' vpon fenfe andfeeling ; but are theeuidence ofthofe thingcswhich wereneuer yet feeneor felt,Thelife of faithfull is hid inChrifl, as the tap in the root of the tree : their life is not in fenfe and feeling but in hoping and belecuirg:. which oftentimes are contrary to mansfente and feeling. XIX. After that hee'oath receiued a generali , and atcmporall faith in Gods hea- uenlie ward,&his aloft merciful promifes ofeuerlailing life contained therm, by thepower ofthe fpirit ofGod, fhecommeth to hatsea raft in his heart ofthe f*eb.6.4 fn-eetnesofGods mercies,and a reioycing in confiderationof the elec`lion,(P- Mat'r8'21.. doption,ius :fication,anclfanc`iifi,3táonofGods children. But what is this taf}e? I expreffe it thus,after the meaningofGods word. Suppofea banquetprepa- red,in whichare many fweet, andplcafant,and dainty meats. At thisbanquet, . fach asare thebidden guefls,theymull be let downe,they feethe meates, they tafle thern,theychawe them in their rnouthes,they digefl them , they are nou- rifhed , fedand ftrengthened bythem : they which arenot bidden to thisfeafl, may fee the meats,handle rhem,andrafleofthem, to feelehow good they are ; but they mull not cate andfeed ofthem. The firít referable theelet;-t, which truly eate,digeft, andare nourifhedby Chrifl vnto cuerlaftinglife,becaufethey haue great aboundanceofthe vitali heateofGods holie fpirite inthem, and do feele fení blichis grace andvertue in them, to ítrengthen them&guide them. The fecond fort trulie referable the reprobates ; which neuer in trueth enioy Chrrf-t,or anieofhis benefits appertaining to faluation: butonly fee them, and haue intheir heartsavanifhing,but no certaineor found feeling ofthem; fo- that they may bechanged,and ftrengthened,andguided thereby. Tovie ano- ther fimilitudc. The reprobates haueno morefeeling ,and cnioyingof Chrift and his benefïtes,then thofe men haue oftheSunne, which fee onelica glim- mering ofhis light at thedawning oftheday; before itrifeth. g Contrariwife, thecleól,theyhaue the day- ftarre,euen the Sun ofrighteouf effe,Iefirs Chrill, g ri l ingit their hearts; thedyf e rirg froman high do doví f :t thews, theglorie o f ri'ukf)2 i Goddothrifevponthem: they haue their eiesnnnointedwiththeoyntmcnto the Sbirit,which is the trite Hefßlrte, and doeplainely behold the Sonne ofrihte, Ffa.,6°. s oufieffe;, 1
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