An humble inquiry into the rules of the Word of God, concerning the qualifications…

he speaks of them as having once walked and lived in Lusts, but having now put off the old Man with his Deeds, and put on the new Man, which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of Him that created him.—In the first Epistle to the Members of the Church of Thessalonica, in Words annexed to his Salutation, Chap. i. He declares what Kind of Visibility there was of their Election of God, in the Appearance there had been of true and saving Conversion, and their consequent holy Life, ver. 3,—7. And in the Beginning of the second Epistle he speaks of their Faith and Love greatly increasing; and in ver. 7, expresses his Confidence of meeting them in eternal Rest, when the Lord Jesus Christ should be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels. And in Chap. ii. 13. He gives Thanks to God, that from the Beginning he had chosen them to Salvation.—In the […] to the Christian Hebrews, tho' the Apostle speaks of some that once belonged to their Churches, but had apostatized and proved themselves Hypocrites; yet concerning the rest that remained in good Standing, he says, Chap. vi. 9. I am persuaded better Things of you, and Things that accompany Salvation. (Where we may again note, his being thus persuaded evidently implies a positive Judgment.) And in Chap. xii. 22. &c. He speaks of them as visibly belonging to the glorious Society of Heaven. And in Chap. xiii. 5, 6. He speaks of them as those who may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper.—The Apostle James, writing to the Christians of the twelve Tribes which were scattered abroad, speaks of them as regenerated Persons (meaning, as I observed before, those which were in good Standing) Chap. l. 18. Of his own Will begat he us by the Word ⟨p. 63⟩of Truth, that we should be a Kind of first Fruits of his Creatures,—The Apostle Peter writing to the Jewish Christians, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (large Countries, and therefore they must in the whole be supposed to be a great Multitude of People) to all these the Apostle in the Inscription or Direction of his first Epistle, gives the Title of Elect, according to the Foreknowledge of God the Father, through' Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience, & Sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ. And in the Verse next following, speaks of them as regenerated or begotten again to a lively Hope, to an Inheritance incorruptible &c.

he speaks of them as having once walked and lived in Lusts, but having now put off the old Man with his Deeds, and put on the new Man, which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of Him that created him.—In the first Epistle to the Members of the Church of Thessalonica, in Words annex'd to his Salutation, Chap. i. He declares what Kind of Visibility there was of their Election of God, in the Appearance there had been of true and saving Conversion, and their consequent holy Life, ver. 3,—7. And in the Beginning of the second Epistle he speaks of their Faith and Love greatly increasing; and in ver. 7, expresses his Confidence of meeting them in eternal Rest, when the Lord Jesus Christ should be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels. And in Chap. ii. 13. He gives Thanks to God, that from the Beginning he had chosen them to Salvation.—In the to the Christian Hebrews, tho' the Apostle speaks of some that once belonged to their Churches, but had apostatized and proved themselves Hypocrites; yet concerning the rest that remain'd in good Standing, he says, Chap. vi. 9. I am perswaded better Things of you, and Things that accompany Salvation. (Where we may again note, his being thus perswaded evidently implies a positive Judgment.) And in Chap. xii. 22. &c. He speaks of them as visibly belonging to the glorious Society of Heaven. And in Chap. xiii. 5, 6. He speaks of them as those who may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper.—The Apostle James, writing to the Christians of the twelve Tribes which were scattered abroad, speaks of them as regenerated Persons (meaning, as I observed before, those which were in good Standing) Chap. l. 18. Of his own Will begat he us by the Word