\ a Reprobate Mind, approving Evil, rejeding Good, and are fo rcjeted of God, who with-draws his, Spiritual Dews and Or- dinznces, and the corcurrence of his Spirit with them, as unworthy of them. and uſeleſs as to any food Fruit to be produced there, 6 Such are look'd vpon as the Mountains of Gilboa, accurſed,2 Sam. 1. 2x. and to be dealt with by the Owner, as the fruitleſs Fig-tree by Chriit, Matth, 21. 19. MHarh 11,21. So theſe Apoſtates are under the Curſe, 2 Pet. 2. 14. Delivered up Judicially by Chriſt, to blindneſs of Mind, . and hardneſs of Heart, and even to Satan tymicit, as the Unbelieviag 7ews were, John 12. 40, and thoſe A poſtites. T1 Tim. 1.19, 20. c The end of Briars and Thorns 1s
2 bire, they are fo be burnt up by it, and this will be the final we wt Apottates, to be deitroyed by a Chriit whom they have rejeftcd, with eternal Fire, Chap. 10. 27. and 12. 29, Matth. 3, 12. and 25. 4I. 2 Tief]. 1. 7, 8, 9»
g Bur beloved, we are.perſuaded better things of vou d. and things that accompany ſalvation e, though we thus ſneak.
4 ior preventing of the Application of this Diſcourſe unto them- ſelves, the &Apoſtle ſubjoins his Judgment concerning theſe Hebrews in this Veriz, and his reaſon tor it in the next; although we have ipoken of the attainments, ſtates, and ends of Apoſtates, we retlett nt on you by it 3 But, or, notwithſtanding we are perſuaded : whici Word imports not a timple conjefure, for he had the gift of diſcerning of Spirits, and the Holy Ghoſt, who indites 1t, did very well know them, ſo as he was con/went of their good ſtate and con- o1t7090 'n Chrigtianity, and the Spirit teſtified ſo of them by the E- piſtics of theother Apoſtles direQed to them; they were well afſu- red of tins, and certain, not only becauſe they were fuch whom bc Carly loved, B it it were only a good or charitable Opinion in him, but becauſe of their Pelation to him as true Chriſtians, and Members of tne One Eody of Chriſt, and fo they were very dear to him,
x s before, v. 4, 5. even -- the ſaving new $S2ls, not by giving them Lizht only, or but Ly giving them a new Eye of Under-
CI?
Chap.
; their Min
a | | \ : TT 's befter, more « lent, and of another kind than that of Apottatcs, evincec e Such things as have Salvation in them, even the Spiritual wi; which hath Eternal Life in the Root of it, A298. 6, 1c, 1x; x4 17. That Divine Nature which the Apoſtic ſiith was in the tn. Perſons, 1 Pe. 1.1, 2,3, 4,$- and 2 Pet. 1.1, to 4 the ſtate of their Spirits to be a State of Grace, which had <7
in it, ſecured by Promiſes to it, fo 25 they ; Union not to be dittolved,
10 * For + God zs not unrighteo.s f. rs tort + work 2, and labour of love, which vo fiye towards his Name, in that ye hue min Saints, and do miniſter fb.
f Fr introduceth the reaſon of the Apoſtie's form: concerning them, which was the real Gracts of Faith'an God wrought in their Hearts, 4nd ſhown in their Work, which better than all En/ightrings. The Affirmative is Kupiicd, God 5; ; and faithful, and true, in perioranng what he promfetr, not unrighteos ;, the certain Truth is aflerted ir ris Empinatt Pative, COMmpare 2 Theſ}. 1.6, 7. with 1 7eln 1. 9. fi: perform he would be unjuit. £ God always reme. hors all becauſe his Knowledge 1s periect, and he will take noiticu ot! 4 in theſe Febrews manifeſted by their Works, to as tg rc: and reward them {or it, by pertetting his gracious Work 41 7: winch having; promiſed, the Apoſile 1s confident of ttc 009 ol! of them through Grace, Phil, 1. 6. He will never forget 2! of your Faith in his Name, your courasious Profeffi a of ti: coin, Gal. 5.6. Col. 1. 4. 1 Theſſ. 1.3. A Grace of God in them vihich made tneir Souls delizht in him, ſuch as was purely Divine, þ >. n:ng and ending in God, carried out in the labour and exerciſs 0; it to his Glory, fhewing it in all the ſupplies they ;.ive his {a iis Nam to Chriſtians as they are his, 3/ark g. 41. Þ Their labour of |: was evidenced by what they had done, and were doing for Chr:!!. in their ufing all effetual means for ſupplyins, comtortinz, pr. ſerving, and delivering his Members, giving their Gods to tl: and their Lives tor them, 1 7ohn 3. 10. to 18, So the i. ſerts theſe did, Chap. 10. 32, 33, 34. So did Aquila and Priſcilla love Paul, Rom. 16. 3, 4 And this they did ſhew to ſuch is ery Gad's Children, and bore his Name, the preſent ſufferins Cliriflians, who endured Rifling, Plundering, Buſhing, Irapriſonment and Death, for their Faith in Chriſt's Name : Thoſe Brethren who bei; loved 1n and for God, do eviderce to theſe F2brews, That they arc paſſed from Death to Life, 1 Fobn 3. 14.
11 And we defire that every one of you do the lame diligence 7, to the full aſſurance of unto the end &.