6.8 T!Je Sigm of aVecli11ing State, or of great Weaknefs. Loveth it more, and wiChcth it were lawful, and there were no danger by it. 6. And then he rh· k. h himfelf concerned ro prove it !J.w_lul,__ to qlliet _co~fcience, that it may not rormC"nt him ; and 1 ;hc::_ fore he gladly hcarerh what the JUil•.liers of htS hn can fay for it; and he mlketh himfclf believcth the Rea{{ms are of weight. 7· And then he finneth without rcmorfe. ac 9· I3· 2· So in mens backjliding from the praCtice of Religion: r. The Heart is alienated and u _ difpoh.d as aton::faid. 2. And then tilt Life of the duty doth decay , and it dwindlcth towards n dead Form~lity: Lik~ a body in a ~oofumption,th~ vivi_d c?mplexion,and Htength,:in'd activity dcciy~ 3· Next thts he can freq~ently omlt a duty, c:fpcctally m fecret where: nO man knowerh it: rill b 'degrees ~e gr9w more tddome~n it. 4· All this he takcth for a pudoned intirtniry, Which con~ fi!\<th With a llatc or ~race,. and therefore he is little troubled about it. 5· NcKt this he Jofeth all the life and com(ort ot Rehg10n ; ar:d m!lft:th n~ any duty when he hath omitted it ; but is glad tha~ he fcJperh it, ::md when it is at an end, as an Oxe is when he is out of the yoke. 6. Nexc he brgmn_et"h to hearktn to them that fpeak againll fo much ado in Religion 1 as il it were a nec:dltfs unprohu?1e thin~. 7:·And if God fotfJke him, he next rc~enteth. ot his fOrmer diligence, and ferdcrh htmfdf Ct!llcr m a dead courfe of fuch cullomary hp~fcrvtce asdorh coJt him nothing or elfe in utter wmldCinef<and ungodlinefs, and.pcthaps at la!l in malignity an\! pcrfecution. ' 9· r4. Ill. Though the Sig111 or SynrptomtJ of declining may be gathered from what is faid al. 1Tim.1.J9. .ready, I fl1all add Come more. r. You are declining when you groW boldtr wi1h fin, or with the OCCJtions of it, and tempt-ations to it, than you werf in your more Watchful ftate, 2. When you S~~nsofdcc!i- mJke a fmJll matter of thofc inward corrup1ions and infirmities, which once fcemed grievous eo mng. you, andalmoft intollc1'able. 3· When you fettle in a courfc ofProfetlion or Rclrgioufnefs, that pur– teth your fldh to little con:, in labour, reproa'h or fuffi:ring from the ungodly; but leave out the hJrd and cofily p1rt, and {rem to be very Religious in the reil:. 4· When you are quiet and 'ontcnt– eJ in the !..1.ily cufiomary u[e ofOrdinances, though you find no}lrotit, or in,rcafein grace by it, or communion with G<!ld. 5· \Vhen you grow flrange to God and Jefus Chril\, and have little converfc wirh him in rhe Spirit; and your thoughts of him are few, and cold, and lifclcfs, and your Religion lyerh all in conveding with good men, and go')d Books, and outw•rd duties. 6. When you grow !'ethCh~rs of your hearts, and tt~ng(rS to them, a-nd find little work ·about them from day to day; either in trying them, or w.zrching them, or ftirring them up, or mortifying their corruptions ; but your bufinc:fs in Rdi~ion is moll abroad, and in outward exercifu. 7· Yea, though your own bi:trJS lnd dt~,ticJ 'be mltch of .your care and thoughts, you are on the lofing hand if the Wonders of Love and Grace in Chrill havc not I'HM"t of your thoughts ; or if you fc:t not your felvcs more ro the llu 4 dy ofa Cruci·fied and Gloritied Chrill, than of your own dil\cmp<red hearts. 8. All is not well with you when fpiritua'l helps and adva:nta~t'S are lcfs relilhed and valued; and you grow more indifferem to the Sermons, and Prayers, and Sacraments whkh once you could not live wichout: And ufe them · but as hue Duties for ncceffiry, and not as Means with any great hupe of benefit and focccfs. 9· When you grow too regardful of the eye 'of man, and too regardlefs of the eye of God; and are much more careful-about the wordnmd outfide of your Prayers and difcoutics, than the Spirit and inward part and manner of them; and drefs your [elves accurately when you appear abroad, asrhofe · that would feem very good to men, but go at home in the fordidfl gub of a cold and cudcfs hem and life. ro. When you grow hotteH about f9me Controverted fmlllcr matters in Religion., or fiudi– ous of the inrtrdl of fome private opinion and puty which you have chofen, ,more than of I he intc 4 rc!l of the common Truihsand Caufc of Chrif!. I I. When in joyning with others you rclli!h more the finenefs of the fpeeoh, than the Spirit, and weight, and excellency of the matteJ : and are im– pati.cnt of hearing of the who\[omell truths, if the tpe1ker tnlni;cn any perfon.t.l infirmity in the delivery of them: And ate weary and tired, if you be not drawn on w.ith novelty, variery, or ele– gancy of fpeech. 12· When you grow more in<liffcrent for your company, and fc:t lcfs by rhe corn· pany of ferious godly Chriflians than you did, and arc almo!l as well plcafcd wirh common compa· ny and difcourfe. 13· When you grow more impltient of reproof for tin, and love not to be told of any thing in you rhat is amifs; but love thof< ben rhat highliell applaud you. I4· When the rc· newing of your Repentance is grown a lifeldS curfory work: When in preparation for the Lords Day, or S.lcrament, or other occalions, you call your fdves to no confidenble accollnt, or make no greater a matter of the fins which you tind on your account, than if you were alttlofi reconciled to them. 1 5· When you grow more uncharitable and cen[orious to brethren lhat diffc.:r from you in tolerable points ; and lefs ttnder of the names or welfare ofothers, and love not your neighbour as your fdves, and do not as you would be done by. t6. When you grow Iefs cornpaffionatc to the ungodly world, and lcfs regardful of the common intmfl of the Univ<rfal Church, and of ]efus Chril\ throughout the earth, and grow more narrow private·fpirited , and contine your care to your fclves, or to your p•rty. 17· when the hopes of Heaven and rhc Love of God cannot content you, but you are rhhfiy after f0me worldly contentment, and grow eager in your dcfires, and the t 1Cor.'7·3T· wOJld groweth rnorefwcetto,you, and more amiable in your eyes. 18 When fcnfe, and appetite, and fldhly plcafure is grown more powerful with you, and you make a great matter of them, and cannot deny them, without a great deal ·of {hiving and reg·ret, as if you ha<:l done fame great exploit, ifyou live not like a beafi. 19· When you are more proud and inipJ.tienr; and ~re lcfs able to bear difcfiecm, and flighting, and injuries frommen, or poverty, or fuff.:rings for Chnll; and make a greater mattu of your loffes, or croJfc:s, or wrongs, than bef<.'tmcth one tha~ is deaQ to r'he !l:fh and to the world. 20. Laflly, When you had rather dwell on Euth th>n be m H«vcn; and are more
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