6:to Motives agaiuft IJ3ackjliding. nc[r, 111 the jHdgrmntt of the great day, Jud. 6. And (hall they emifc you into thtir own c d n ..Hiun ? on tm~ §. 2 1. J, lt wa; tbc·lin of our firfl Parents Ad.zm and Evt, to revolt from God and Iofe th · h lit:dS. And is there a~y fin that we fho~~ld more cartfutly av0id than thac wh1ch an rhc wor~~rha~h fll rnuch tutf~rcd by. Every ?ne of the Cre:uurcs th.At you look on, and ever~ plin and mifery you feel, doth mmd you of that fm, and and call eo you tn tJkc heed by the W4.rlllnl)Ot your tirH P.uems that you fuffcr not your hcarrs to be drawn from God. , 9· 4;:2• 3· h is a p.lrt of Hdl that you a..,rc chooling upon earth: Dcpatt from mc,ye cutfed, is the fcntcnce on the damned: M:~cth. 25. 4 1. CC 7· 23· And will y:m danm yrmr ji:lvcr by dlpJr!in fj Qod, a:1d dut when he calleth you and obligtth you ro him. To be fepar:tttd from God is 01~e ~~; thc mi{ery of 1he dJmnld• §. 2)·. 4· You arc duwil"g back .reward thecafe that you were in in the dayes of your uncon. vcw:d lt.HL. AnJ what a fbtc of d.n!mc(c:~ and folly and ddulion :md tin and mifery was rh 11 it wtr<: good or rokrable> why turncd you from it? ·and why .did you !0 lament it ? and w~t. cl id )'Ou lo carnef\ly cry Out for deliv:rancc ? But if it were as bad as you then app;ehcndcd i~ to ~t'. w!1Y do you agam turn towards H? Wou!? ~ou be again in the cafe. you were ? would you penfh 111 tt ? or would you have all thofc: hcart·breakmgs and tcrrours to pa{s through again? May I not fay to you as Paul to the G1latians? 0 foolifh fmncrf! RJhfl h.Jtb bewitched you l tha.t y(}u are fo f.•on t:trmd baci(} who have fetn that of fin and of Godand of Cbrijl and of Hcavw and of HeU as )'0u havcdone? G.J/·3· 1> 2,3,4· 9· 24. S· Yea, it is a far more doltful {f.Jte that you arc drawing towards, than rhat which you were jn before. For the guilt of an Apojfatt is much greater than if he had never known the trurh. And hi.s recovery is more difficult, and of fmaller hope: Bec~ufe he is twice dead and pluck.! up by the root 1 Jud. 12. 2 Per. 2· 20, 21, 22· For if after they b.Jvt c{capid tlu [IOUutions oftbe world, thr 8 u,h the k._norvJul.~e ~f tbe Lord aNd SaviMr Je[us Cbrijf, they are again entangled thcrei,z and overcume, /he later md Uworfe with thrm th.Jn the beginning: For it had been better for them not to have ~now" tbt way of righteou{;te[s, tba;t after they hqve k._nown it, to turn (Tom thehuly Commandment deli·vercd unto tbcm : But it is happened wtto them dccording to the true prvverb : 1he Dog is turmd 19 his own v:mzit agJift, a'td the Sow that WM w.:zjhedt9 her wallowing in tbe mire; Hcb. 10. 26, 27. For if we fin wi/fttUy (by Apofhcy) after tb.Jt we b.Jve received tbe k.!towledge 1{ the mub, tr ..ere remaineth no more j:Jcrifice fur fim, but a certain fearful look,jng for of judgement, and fiery indignation which jhuU d~vom the adveddrirs. l know this fptaketh only of toralapeltacy from Cbriil:; (luch being worthy off..r forer pnnifhment than bcthat de[pifid MojiJ Law, v. 28, 29·) But it is a terrible thing to draw toJPardt [o defpc:rate a flare. A h.sbilis eaficr introduced upon a neg..tion than a privation; in him that never had it, than in him that hath totally lofi ir. · · §. 2 5· 6. what abundmce of Experience do you fin againfi in your Backlliding ' You have had experience of the evil of ji11, and ot the[mart of repentance, and of the dcceitfulncfs of all thac can be f•id for !inning; and of the goodntfi of Ged, and of the fafety and lwcetnels of Religion : And will you iin againll fo great experience? If your horfe fall once into a quickfand, he will fcarce be forced into it again. And will you be lefs wife? 9· 26. 7· What abundance of promifot and Coven,mts which you hilve made to Gad, do you violate in your backfliding? HowGfi:en in your fears, and dangt:rs, and ficknetfes, at Sacraments and dayes of humiliation, have you bound your (elves afrelh to God ! And will you forget all thcfc, and fin againll rhem ? §. 27· 8. By what multitudes of mercies hathGod obliged you? merci<S before your repentance, and mercits that drew you to repent, and mercres fince ? How mercifully harh he kept you out of Hell? How mercifully hath he born with you in all your fins ? :~.nd maintained you while you proMic.~· s.6:i• voked him ? and pa~doned all that you have done ag~iofi him (if you were rruly penitent h:· licvers) ! How mewfully hath he taught you, and fantftficd you, and comforted you; and plentJ. fvlly provided for you ? And yet do you forf•kc him, and return to folly ? For which of all his mercies is ir, that you thus unworthily requite him ? Can you remember how he hath dealt with you, and not be alhamed of your backllidings. Doth it not melt your heart to look back on his Love, and to think of your ungrateful deahng? . , . ~- 2 8. 9· Nay what a multitude of prr[ent mcrcia doll "thou run a~•y from ? Doth not thy Confcie:ncc reil thee that it is fofer and beuer for thee to be true to Chnll, than ro return to fin? wilt thou take thy leave of thy God and thy Redeemer and thy Comforter ? wilt thou quit thy title to pardon and protection and all the promifes of gnce ? wilt thou bid farewell to all the comforts of a Saint? Doll thou not tremble to thmk of. fuch a day >Thou forfakell all thefe when thou forfakell God. ~· 29• 10. Yea look._ btfort thee man, and confider what greater things are promifc:d thee, than ·ycnhou ever didll enjoy? Chrill isconducting thee to eternal happimfs, iu theftght of God. And wilt thou forlake thy Guide, and break away from htm, and qutt all thy hopes of everlafitng life> 9· 30· I I· Confider for what it i< that thou art about to run fo great a hazard , rs it not for fome worldly gain or honour; or fome flelhly plellure, fport or eole > And hjft rhou not known Jong agoc what all thcfe are ? What have they done for rhcc ? or what w!ll they ever do ? ~an any thing in the world be more cauflefs and unreafonablc, than thy forfakmg God, a.nd turnrng back from the way of holinefs: Will the world or fin give more for thee th•n · God wtll ?. or be bettt'r
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=