Book lV. 473 0Ja!l never totally and finally fall away, yet they m1y fall foully and fearfully; ' \hey may lofe that ftrength and vigour, that frnfe and feeling which fometimes they had ; they may draw fo nigh to the grave, as tlut both by themfelves .and others they may be accounted amongtt them that go down to the pit, free among the dead, .as Heman Pf,l. rs >· f1ith of himfelf. The Apoftle faith fomething that might even ftartle Chn!bans; he tells of 1ome who have bem once mlightened ( by tbr Word) and have tafted of thehea- Hcb. 6•. 4 s,6. venty gift ( fome fbllJCs of inward joy and peace) ~nd were made partaktrt of the holy Choft ( the common gifts a-nd graces of 1he Spirit) and have tafted the good Word of Cod (have found fome relilh in the fweet and faving Promifes of the Gofpel) and the powers of the world to co·ne (have bad fome ravifl, ing apprehenlions of the joyes and glory in Heaven ) and yer fall away (by a total apo!lacy) Chriftians! how far goes this? I know it is faid only of fuch who have a name to live, and no more; but furely it gives a warning to us all that we come not nigh the verge, the brink of the grave; ~gain, lrt us not give way ro any one fin. fo as to live in it, or to cOminuein it. · 2. tet us evidence our refurre<'tion ; Chrifl being raifed, he fr1ewed himfelf alive by many intallible proofs; fo let us evider.ce our vivification by many infallible proofs; ( i. ) Let"' prid up our felucs rmto Cod~ M 1hoje thAt are alive frotn the dead; let us Rom. 6. , 3 , walk as men of another world . If ye be rifen with Chrijl feek_ the things which are (!ol, 3• '· abiJ'l)e, where Chrift jitteth on 1hc ri"zhr hand of Cod; let us ferve God in holinefs and riglmoufnefs all the d•yes of our life ; furely this is the end for which we are delivered out of the hands of our enemies, fin, death, and hell. Ye JYere fometimes dar/eyefs lfh. )• i, (during your abode in thegrave of !in) bm now_ (being rifen) ye are light in the Lord, walk_therefore ao childrm of light. Walk] ( i.) beilir your felves in the works of God; Arife, jhine, for thy light i, come, and the glory of the Lord u ri{cn upon thee. Ifai.6o. r. When God doth let the SQn of Righteoufnefs arife, it is fir we fhould be about the bulinefs of our fouls. We fee that the night is dedicated to rdl, and therefore God that doth order all things fweetl y, he draws a curtain of darknefs about us, as which is friendly to reft; like a Nurfe, that when ll1e will have her little one !leep, !he cafts a cloath overthe face, and hides the light every way; but when this natural Sun arifetb, then men go our to their work: fo muft we, though in the darknefs of the night we fnorted in Iin, yet now wemuft beftir our felves, feeing the Sun of the fpiritual world is rifen over us. And yet when all is done, let us not think that our vivification in this life will be wholly perfect : as it is with our mortification, in the befl, it is bur an imperfect work. fo it is with our vivification; it is only gradual, and never perfected till grace be fwal~ !owed up of glory. Only let us ever be in the ufe of the means, and let us endeavour a further renovation of the new man, adding one gr:;ce to another, Tofait~ vertue, to , Pet. ,, 1 , 6 , vert/le kpowledge, to k_nowledge temperance, to temperance par.ence, to patcence godli- 1\0tll, 7 , ,. nefs, &c. till weperfeEl holinefs in the fear of Cod, till we fhine with thofe Saints ingloty at perfect day. - Th~s far we. have look§d on Jef"' as our ref"' in his refumction, and during the t!me of hrsabode on eart~. ~ur next work ~s to look_ on !efM carrying on the great work of our falvauon m his afcen!ion mto Heaven • and in his fdfiou at God 's right hand; and inhismiffion of the holy Spirit. ' · , - LOOK-
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