Serm.4. incenfiffent witsOvate ? 73 confuming the bottle of the hypocrite-Apollate with the timber thereof, andthe flonesthereof,and dreadfully' affrighting his truly Religious neigh- bour who trembled) at Gods Word. The Novatians or Cathari abufed this place of old , to (hut the Chxrch-doors and gate of grace,upon fuch as had fallen after their pro- fctl;on of ( hri(Iianity. And many poor fouls and troubled confciences have as often quiteFerverted,or mifunderflood it to the (huttingup the gate of heaven,and door of hope againfl themfelves, after their bitterly bewailed falls or flips : but both unjuflly. But as Jofephs Interpretation once of the fame nights dream, when rightly applyed, did rid the Butler, out of his mil-apprehended fears, Gen.4o: and only left the more fecure Baker under that execution which the other apprehended,buc himfelf never dreamt of, fo neither this,norany other Scripture (peaks a word of terrour to any ¡'n-troubled foul, that trembles at Gods threats. But all the Prophets Propheticgood with one content to thefe, and myword (hall be likeone of theirs. It was indeed oncea joyful fight which 7acob beheld at Bethel, Gen. 2ß.i 2. A ladder whofe foot flood on theearth and the top reached toheaven, and s 4ngels afcending anddefcending upon it. But herewe fee a Ladder woofe top fpires toward heaven, but the foot refieth in hell,where(feeming)Angels of light afcend,or fuchnew Orange Gods afcend(asthe Witch oncefaw out of the earth) but black Apoflate S,zg r3Q Angels delcend, Intrat e ngeltu, Exit demon. I am to fpeak of the Cafe of Relapfes, and my Text is the fairefl glafs todifcover fo foul a fight that I know. Here we have the rife and fall, the firfl and the lafl, the better and worfe part of an Apoflate-hypocrite defcribed. s. The former, his Rife, hisfirfi and Better part fet out in five Par- ticulars. i. Enlightning. 2. Tailing the heavenlygift, as of force com- mon faith, or repentance, or the like. 3. Partaking of the Holy Ghofl ( which is not to be underilood of the falOifyinggraces of the Holy Ghofl, but the common, or extraordinarygifts, as o£ Tongues, &c. of the fanc`tifying Spirit.) 4.7afling tbc goad wordof God. 5. And thepowers of the life to come. Had they had to rhtfe"five Reps twoother more, fin- k at the bottom of the Ladder, and perfeverarce at the top, they had Hfaith not been fafe. or mteoCc rov- 2. The latter, his fall, his fall and worfe parr, is let out in fourr,but z- Things. .77S04117«4ut ctttx a. His fall is a break-neck, fatal down-fall. They fall awa,i It is not ettificism male an ordinary flip, or Rumble, but adown - right, nor fair fall, but ajaw oï)u t.Par L given in loc.
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