r q 1188 Chap,' 7. Of Integrity, andPerfeverance, &c. Com.I, cud ofour life ; becaufe he runs fwiftly to no purpofe , that gives over before he Fzek.rs.s4. comes to the Goal. It is God by the Prophet that faith, when a righteous Man turneth from his righteoufnefs, &c. all the righteoufnefs that he hath done , fhall not bementioned. Mae.24a 3. 2. In regard ofthe benefit that comes byit. He that continueth to the end fhall ZP4.g.,29. be faved, faith our Saviour. Upon which St.Bernard, Non qui inceperit, fed quiper- reveveravit ufque ad finem, hicfalvuserit , nbt he that beginneth, but he that perfe_ vereth to the end, this is the Man that (hall be faved. rfay 7.9. 3. Again, as it is with Faith, our firft Covenant is, nifi credideritis non flabilieminir Ron,. 1.22. if ye will not believe., ye thrill not be eftablithed : fo in this , if thou continue not, thou (halt be cut off. Upon this perfevering or difcontinuieg ftandeth the getting or forfeiture ofall : behold the goodnefs of God to thee , if thou continue, other- wife thou fhalt be cut off. 4. In the reafon andLaws ofMan, it is a point in all contraEts, that nihilprafappo_ nitureffeaElnm, donecaliquidreflat agendum , nothing is faid to bedone , while any taing remains to be done. As in a Building, a Houfe is notfaid to be finithed , until the laß Stone be laid, and the Building covered. Mat. 442. That which is here commanded,isperfeverance,fet down in Matthew, 24. 13. and 2'5.5. in many other places : metaphorically it is called , watching till the Bridegroom 26'43' come, and fo the contrary, viz. falling away, or defeEtion, is called fleeping in the Parable of the Virgins , 7,ar.t,v .tni s ;ssOae, , they all Ilumbred and flept : and in the next Chapter it is reproved without a Parable in the Difciples , that they could not watch with Chrift one hour , they could not perfevere , the heavinefs of their Eyes , fhewed the heavinefs of their Souls, and made them unfit in the du- ties then required. Perfeverance is dißinguifbed from Patience, thus: the objedt of Patience being triftitia erucio, the furrow ofthe Crofs, and of the other tedium diarnitatis, the wearinefs of continuance. It is called Perfeverance in regard of the length o(time and the tcdioufnefs which accompanieth it, which muff be overcome. And there. fore in regard ofthe neceffityof it, we are to take the Apofiles Caveat, Take heed 1 eb. ;.12,13 left there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day. And this hodie St. Prom calls quoridie, when we have done this day, it is not blotted out, but when the morrow comes, there is hodie ftill, and fo every day is hodie, as long at we live, ufque admortem. t. That which is forbidden, is in the firft rule of extent [excels] To continue Lay S' " wilfully in an evil courfe. There are fome that can rife up early in the morning 39 that they may follow ftrong Drink, and continue till night, till the Wine enflame them. And as the Wife man faith, Tarry longat the Wine till they have red Eyes, yea,and red Faces too. , And as it is in the Drunkard, fo in the Glutton , who con- tinues till his skin is ready to break ; and the Adulterer as long as his Loynslai; the contentiousMan as long as his Purfe laws. St. Augnfline faith upon that place [?udeu feflinoevitJ Petreu dormis tit & non dormit 7udas,fedfeflinavit ? doll Chow fleep Peter, and dothyudas make haft ? and St. ?coome faith, Infeelix populau Dei, qui tantam perwerantiamnon habet inbono, quantum improbi inmalo; O unhappy People of God, which have not as great perfeverancein good, as the wicked in evil. 2. The fecond is in defect, and it is an extream, more rife and ufual now a days o Inconâancy in good. The Romans were fo glorious profefi'ors , as that St. Paul 5tom.r. s. faid of them, I thank my God, through Jefas Chriít, for you all , that your Faith is publilhed through all the World. Yet, when he was at Rome, at his appearing be- z Tim.4.6. foreNero, hecomplained , No Man ftood with me, but all Men forfook me. And this is the cuftome Of thofe that want perfeverance ; for a while they are hot and zealous, but afterwards they forfake Saint Paul, and may juftly be refembled to Dan. 2.3'1, Neburbadnez.znrs Image, whofe Head was Gold, but the Feet wereClay, they begin in Gold, but end in Dirt. Certainly there's none fo bad in theWorld, but hath his beginning in fume good ; for God is the light that lightens every one that cometh into the World: there's not the worft of Men, but is enlighened in part; fometimes he feemeth good, and . then falleth back ; and thefe revolters are oftwo forts. t. For VY
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