Chap. X. Of HEAVEN. Crofsafcended to Glory. And we l]luft f?llow him, if we defire to be where he is; , to ~he ~~~thi:~~ ~J:~r~~~~b:~~~~frfg~~~~~-'an. Profpemy 1s a more dangerous Enemy Stf'Vior 4rmis lnC~tmbit Luxuria. Juven. For the Spirit is excited by Perils and Difficulties to feek to God for Strength, and ~it!.; vigilant refolute Thoughts unites all its Powers to, oppofe them; but 'tls made, weak arid carelefs by what is grateful to the fenfual InchnatJons. It. keeps clofe t he Sp~t!tual Armour in the open encounter of Dangers that threaten Its rum, ~ut IS~ muc~d to put It off ~y thecarelfes and blandifhments of the World It does not fee Its Enem1es under the d!fguife of a pleafantTemptation. Thus Sin infinuates it fclf,. and by ftealing fieps e;ets into the Throne Witheut obfcrvatlon. A Man ts wounded With a pleafant Temptation, as with the Plague that flies in the dark, and Grace is infenfibl¥ weaken'd. From hence it is, that Adverlicy often reforms the y tciO~s , and l'rofpcnty _corrupts the Vtrtuous. Now Perfeverance muft be of proof agamfi F1re and Water, agamft whatever may terrify or allure tlS from our Duty. . , 5· Saving Perfeverance excludes not all Sms, but total Apoftacy, and final Impemtency, which are fatal and deadly under the New Covenant. If the Rsghteous turmth awaJ ~hO::~~::;~f:~e;:f:efJo~h:nfo;;b';l:~:r; :t/Z~~~1<~Z~~~:):;Js''(h;:nffe 1h:! ~;:n:{z:;n;;;ob; mentioned; in his Trejpafs that be bath trejpajfed, and m his Sm that he htJth finned, he fh~li die, Ezek. 18. 24. If .my jl1aJJ draw back, my So1tl fbaU have no pletJfore in him, faith the Lord, Heb. 1 0. j8. Thefe Threarnings imply, there is a pofli bility of the Saints falling away confidered in themfelves; but not that they are ever totally deferred by the Holy Spint, and left under the mgnmg power of Sm. Tl1e Threatmngs are wended to a· waken their Care, and are Prefer~a~wes of them ~rom Rum, an~ have a fing ul~r Influence on •heir Perfeverance. A vigilant and cautious Fear cfiabhfhes the certamry of their Hope. Indeed from the Reliques of wealmefs and corruption in the Saints, they fometimes a£l:ua!ly fall into prefumptuous Sins, and by rebellious Relapfes \vound Confcience, and let out much of the vital Spirits, their Graces and Comfort~ . But tho the Divine Nature in them is miferably wafted by fuch Sins, ye t 'tis not abohOJ'd. As after the Creation of Light, there was never pure and total Darknefs in the World. Grace doesnotconfifr in a Point, but.iscapab_le of Degrees. !he new Crearure may decline in Beauty and Strength, yet L1fe remam. Between a hvely and a dead Faith, there may be a fainting_ Faith; as in St. Peter, for ~ertainly our Saviour was heard in his Prayer for him, that Ius Faith jbotild not fail in h!S dreadful Temptation. The Saints do nor by a particular fall extinguifh the firfi living Principles of Obedience, Faith and Love ; nor change their !aft end by an enure turmng from God to the World. In 01orr, a Gnglea£l: of Wickedncfs does not reduce them 1nt'? a flare of Unregeneracy: for 't is not the matter of the Sin fingly confidered, but the difpofition of the Sinner that clenominates him. If Grace in the Saints fhoulil utterly perifh, as fameboldly anen, thei r Recovery would be impoflible: For the Apoflle tells us, that if thoje who were enttghtned, and had tafled of the Heaven/7 Gift, that had been under fame common Worktngs and lower Operations of the Spirit, if fuch fall away umverfaUy, and live in a comfe of Srn oppofire to their former illuminations and refolutions, it is impoffib le to renew them by . Repentance_; how ~rec~l~~;~r!h~~l!i;~~or~~~~~ ;r:~~eJ"i~ tf,~~~~~1,e~YR~~e~!~~;i;~'?it,B2;o~~~~~:irte~~ guilty of Adultery and Murder, Sins of fo foul a nature as would di01onour Paganifrn it felf, and made the Enemies of God to blajpheme, was reftored by Repentance. The Gofpel propounds a Remedy, not only for Sins committed before Converfion, but afrer it. If •ny Man jin, we have an Advowe with the Fat/m, ]ifte Chrifl the Righteous. God does not revoke the Adoption, nor reverfe the Ju!1ification of a Believer, but upon fcandalousdiforders, theelle£l:sof Juftification are fufpended with refpe£l: to the new con· traEl:ed Guilt, ~ill there be _fincere and a£l:ual Repentance. He is not difinherited, but his R1ghtto the Kmgdom of Heaven 1s echpfed as to the comfortable fenfe of it, nay fufpended, t11l by Renovatlon be 1S quahfied and made fit for the enJoyment of that pure Inhe· rJtance. For thofc Sins which are a JUfr caufe of excommunicating an Offc::nder from rhe· Church on Earth, would exclude him from the Kingdom of Heaven without Repen· fiJ~c:~px?D; ~~~t~~~ :/~h~(e kf~~;so7;;: ;; ~hf~~ ~r~f~~;/:n~a~~~m~v~~ 1:~~~ Comma"
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