e C H A P.I. Epiftle to the Theffalonians. V E R. 3. himfelfe. Compare the carriage of Pauls gratulation here, with that in the former Epifhe : Coolely me thinkes, in comparifon,it there runs ; wegine thankes to God : Here, as if he had had fotne Reueiation of their finceritie, wee ought alwayes togiue thanker : with life and vigour, mee kettles, it comes off. The reafon, I thinke, is ; that he faw fornething in them, that might forme his charitie to more then halfe certaintie : that is,if I miflake not, the encreafe, the abundant encreafe of their faith and charitie. Certainly its no fmall token of finceritie in grace, that its faene to encreafe, to encreafe towards excelj'e. See Rom. t. 17. `Pfal. 84.7. Theygoe from (lrength to flrength, Iohn 15. a. are purged to bring forth more fruit : fo doe they, ac- cording to their months, Ezek 47,12, more, in their age, `Pfal.9 2.14. Let lefuitescluaree whether faith may be increafed in peccatore: For my part, I amhalfe of the opinion, that no Caftaway hath other faith then Diuels, meerely acquifite. Infufons I would faine haue peculiar to Gods chofen : Growth, more then to Dwarfes :I allow to no Reprobate in any Grace, that but lookes towards Saltation : except perhaps fuch as ofthofe Ephemeri Plinie fpeakes of, whole birth and ápn, and Gray-head taw neuer more then one Sunfet. But, in faith and charitie to grow towards excel- fiue,paft queflion, is the prerogative of Gods chofen.Yea, euen they haue their pawfes, their declinations; yet fuch as occaíon their greater growth in Grace. It (hall behoue vs to examine our owne hearts, and to fee, what progrefre we haue made in fanelitie fence our fiat conuerfion. Tis difcomfortable Paul noteth in Hebrewes, yet would God it were not our flate,to e Rieke flillin Prin- ciples: more to be trembled at, that we haue,many,leftour firfl loue, e4poc. 2.4. We may not be peremptory to condemne all of infin- ceritie, whom thefe things befall : Howbeit, their fate is difcomfortable,and fuch as may breed their iufl iealoufie. As many as delire to make calling and eleEtion lure, f Let themgrow in grace, and in the acknowledging of our 71 4 Lord 7 e 2.Pst.3.18.
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