. i,;;tiMl ia Igo Chap. T 7. Of Integraty, andPerfeverance, &c. Corn. r. we are like to the Dog that returns tohis Vomit , and to theSow that was walhed,to L'et.u.xo. s. her wallowing in the Mire, our former wafhing wasin vain. Under the Law, if any Nazarites did feparate themfelves by a Vow , and devote themfelves more fpecial- 1\inniu66, ly to Gods fervice, if they did touch any dead Body, though it were upon the laft day oftheir feparation, they were tobegin all their days anew; for all that was done before was counted as nothing. Thiswas aFigure , the truthwhereof we read in Ezekiel. If the righteous Man forfake his righteoufnefs, and commit the abomina- tions ofthe wicked, mac. Look whenfoever he gives over his righteoufnefs, then, e- ven then at that hour, all he bath done formely, (hall be forgotten, it (hall be, as if he had not done a righteous deed. Therefore if we will not lofe the fruit of our former labours , we muff look toour perfeverance. Nay farther, not only Chrit, and we fhall lofe our pains , but a worfe thing will happen to us; for when the e- vil fpirit is cart out , if he come again , and find the Houfe fwept and garnifhed, but empty, he will not only enter again , but he will bring withhim (even fpirits more worfe than himfelf, and then the end of that Man will be worfe than the beginning, his eflate is much worfe, even in a manner without hope of recovery. 4. The laft, and which may be made ufeof by theChildren of Grace, is intuitus mcreedis. The reward which God purpofes to beftow on us, (hall not be a reward for days or years, but it theft be an endiefs reward for ever and ever : and furely (as the Pdilofopher faith ) our labour ought to be proportionable to the price ofour labour, feeing God rewards us not as Hirelings, but beftows the Inheritance upon us for ever , which is the rewardof Sons , we fhould not labour as Hirelings , fora year, or a certain time , but quandia vivimws, as longas we live ; our obedience muff endure pandits nos , as tong as we are, as the reward w4 bepandits ilk, as long as he (hall be ; we muff ferve him in at-env nofiro, inou ternrty , feeing he rewards us eterno fuo, with his eternity. The figns of Perfeverance. The fign of other Graces is Perfeverance, ofwhich we cannot be certain a priori Perfeverance it Pelf is a figs a pofferidri of our happy elate, and therefore the Heathen could fay , Ante obitamneme fapremagaefanerafalix effe yoteft, no Man can be happy beforehis death , nor can we pronounce of any Man what he is, till it ap- pear whether he perfevere or no. Perfeverance it felf is a fpecial note of a true J°j"'r °° Chriflian, it is the note whichChrift gives, which infallibly diftinguifhes the true Profeffor from an Hypocrite. Thofegratia gratis data ( which the Schools diftin- guifh from Paving Grace, called gratiagratam faciens) may thine in an Hypocrite, as well as a true Chriftian , he may have as good natural parts , make as glorious a profeffion, ufe as much diligence (it may be more) in Gods fervice, as thebelt; but asChriftfaith, -when the Woolfcomes, then there'sa difference feen, between the true Shepheard, and the Hireling : the one lays downhis life for theSheep,while the other betakes himfelf to flight; fo when perfecution or tryal comes, then the Hypocrite falls away, whilft the true Profeffor perfeveres, andholdsout. This per- feverance fhews whether a Man be begotten with mortal, or immortal Seed; the mortal Seed may move a hearer for the prefent , but the immortal Seed continues with him, and works perfeverauce in him. Thus a Man may judge whether hefear God, or only the judgement, when he is humbled under a judgement, ifhe fear God for himfelf, the fear wilt continue; if it be only for the judgement, it will vanifh. when the judgement is over, as we fee in Pharaoh. But though we have no certain notes of perfeverance, yet there arecome pro- bable marks and figns , whereby we may judge of the tikelyhoodof our conti- nuance. s. The firft is, ifwe feel adelire in our felves with the Apoflle, to prefs toward the mark , not lookingback , but going forward ; ifweeonfider not how long we Phil.;.tç: have already continued , nor flatter our felvesofour lives paff , but bend our whole' fludy and endeavour how we may go on, and hold out; for as St. Augafine faith, f dixifli,fufficit, defecifti, if we once fay, we have done enough, we are then fillers back. Saint Gregory obferves upon that of7acobs Ladder, that the Angels afeended toGen'E.rs, and defcended, but noneflood Rill; whichhe applies to the lifeofa Chriftian , who muff never ftand ítill , and gives thee this reafon. 9aando define efe melior , incipis effe gleterior, when we leave beingbetter,' we begin to be worfe. For our nature is ti
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