To prevent 'Backfliiling. GarriCon is not free from danger, that hath an enemy alwayes lodge.d within,: Our enemi.es arc in the houfe with us: They lye down and rife up with us; and are as near Us a~ our fie(l, and pones; we (ln never be where they are not, nor .leave them behind us_whi~h.cr(oevet: we go, or whatever y.'f Mu,- 1 rJ· 1 ~· do. No marvel if Brother be againfl Brother, and the Father againfi the Son; when we are fomuch Mu~ 1 ' to. 21 ' againfi our fclves? And are we yet fec\ije ~ 9· 11 • g, And the number of the Jnaresthat are Hill heforc.~s, and of the fubtile: millitiO~:'S enc. mies of our fouls, may eafily convince: us that we are wholly free frvm danger. How fubtilc and diligent is the Devil? How much do his ferva~ts imitate l}im? Every creature or per~on_ that ~e. have: to do with, and every common mercy whtch we rccCive, hatb matter of danger m H, whtch calleth us to fear and watch. . y I2• 9· Pt:tfcvcrance is nothing elfc but our continuance in the gra~e which we received : And this grace con(iileth in A[J as wel.l as in Habit : And the fhbit i§ for ACtion, and the Act is it that increafcth and continueth the habit: And the Fear of God, '*ud rhebdiefofhis threarrrtngs, and repentance, and watchfulnefs, and diligent obedience, are a great part of. this gi-ace : And the AlJs are our1, performed by our felves, by the helps of God : God cloth not Brlieve, and Repent, and Obty in us, bur caufeth 114 our fdvu to do it. Therefore to grow cold, and fecure~ and fintul, upon pretence that we are fure to perfevere, this is to ctafe per[fvtriHg,. and t0 [<~U away, becau_fe we are fort to perfevere, and not to f aD away: which is a meer ~onuadiel'ion.. . . . .. 1· 1 3. IC· Latlly, Bethink you well what is the meantng of all thefeTexts of Scripture, and the Reafon 1hat the Holy Gholl doth fpeak to us in this 11]anner! Col. I· 21, 22, 23• And you--hatb he reconciled---to prefent you boly---if ye continue in the faith grounde/J and fltt!cd, and; be not moved away from the hopeuf the Gojpel--John 15• 4· Abide in mr, and I iuyou: 6. If a man abide not in me, he Uc,;}f forth as a branch and withered---7. If ye abide in mr, and my .,ordt abide in you, ye jhaU a</t what ye wiU-Heb. 4• 1. Let U< thmfore fear, left a promife be· ing left us Rf entring into his reft, any of you fhould [etm tg come j1H:rt of it. Jude 2 1• Keepyo•r[tlve1 in the Lovr of God. 1 Cor. 10· 4> 5> 12· 1hey draH~ of that jpiritual roc/t that f oUowrd them, and thJt roc/t "'a' Chrijl: But "'ith many of them Gud was not wrYpleafid : Wherefore ltt him that thini(ph he j!andctb tales heed ltj! he f•U : Rom. 11· 20, 21· Be not high-minded, but f.-r: For if God jpaced not the Hiltural brancheJ, taJte heed left he !pare not thee. Gal. 5· 4· Te dre r~uen from grtJce- / Manh. 10· 22· He t/Jat enduretb to the end jhaU be favcd : Ma<th. 24· 13• Hcb. 3· 6, 14• Whnfi buu{< ar.e we, if we hold faft tht confidence andrejnycing of hope firlt$unto thtend. For wt are p!lrt~Jt.er~,;f Chrijl, if we hold the beginning of our confidente j!edfajl unto the end. Hcb. 4· I I• Let Ut labour therefore to enter intu that Rejl, lrjl any man f aUafttr the fame example of unbclief. Rev. 2· 2 5• Hold. f aft tiU I ~omr. 26. And he that overcometh and 'k$tpttb mywords unto the enrJ, tohim wiU I give f owtr Dvtr 1he Natiuns--Rcv. 3· 2, 3• & 2· 4• 9· 14, Take heed therefore of that Doctrine which telleth you, thatjinJto come art aU pardoned to yott brfore .they are commiited, and that you are JuRiiied from them, and thar it is unlawful to be afraid of falling away, bccaufe it is impoffible, (re. For no fin is pardoned before it is committed, ( though the Remedy be provided ) ; For it is then no fin : And you are Juflified from no fin, any. further than it is pardoned ; Suppofe God either to decree, or but ro fore·k,.nolf' <he freell mo{l contingent act, and there will be a Logical impnf!ibility in orser of Confiquence , that it lhould be otherwife than he fo dccreeth or forefccth: But rhat inferrerh no naturszl impoffibility in the thing it felf: For God doth not Decree or {lffefee <hat fuch a mans fall lhall be Imp•ffible, but only 110 nfutHrum. • · . ~·. 1 5• Dirclt. 4• In aJpecial mannrr tak._e heed of the company and doUrine of deceivcrt; ye11, though Direl1. 4• they flem maji Rtligioui mm, .z;:d art themf'tlvu firji dectived, andr think.. thty are in the right: And ta~ heed of [lllling in~o a dividing party,_whick feparate~h from rhe ge~t~.Jiity of the truly wife and Ephef.,... t 4• godly people. For thiS hath been an ordmary mtroduchon to backfltdmg : Falfe doctrine harh a • rhrfi, f, io, migh<y power on the heart? And he that can feparate one of the lhecp from rhe reil of the !lock, haifi. 'J· a fairadvanrage tocarryhimaway. SreRpm. J6. r6, 17· . ~· 16. Direct. 5· Be very watchful againft the fin ofPride : tjpeciaUy pride of gifts, or ~nowledgt, ,. Dirta. 5• bolineji,wbich{ome call [piritual Pride ;For God is engaged to call down the proud, Prov. r6. 1 8. Pridt goeob btfore dejlroUwn, and an haughty jpirit before a faU. Satan alfaul~ed our firfi Parents by that way that he feiJ himjiif; and his fuccefs encourageth him to try the fame way with their poflerity ; And alas, how grea!ly hath he fucceeded through all ages of the world till now. 9· 17· Direct. 6. Tales heed of a divided hypocritical heart, whi<h ntvcr was firmly rt[ lv<d fer Dlrelf. 6. God, upon expe8atzon of the worfl, and upon terms of felj-deHyal : nor wat ever weU I!JO{ed from tht Love of this prtftnt world, nor firmly bt/i,ved the life tucome: For it is no wonderthat he fallethfrom grace, who never had any grace hut common, which never renewed his foul. le is no wonder that fal[e heartc:d friends forfake us, when their intcrefi rcquirech it; Nor that the feed which nevet had depth of earth, do bring fonh no fruit, but what will wither when .perfecution Chall arife ; or that L k 6 which is fawn among thorns be choaked, Matth. I3· Sit down and count what it will cojf you to be u e 1!~2 3 j. Chri{\ians, and receive not Chrift upon mijiakes, or with referves. ' ~· <8. Direel. 7· 1~1k,e heed left the world or any thing in it flea/ again into your htarlf, anJ fie m Dire{/. 7! too [weet to y!)u. Jf your fncnds, or dwellings, or lands and wealth, or honours begin to grow too ~leafant, and be over-loved, your thoughts will prefently be carryed after them, and turn.. ed away from God, and all holy affe&iog will be damped and decay, and grace will tall imo a con[urnptton. It is the L we of money thlt ische root of all evil ; and rhc love of ihi• Lll I l world
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