290 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTINO AND KEEPING you, the victory of God's Spirit over the flattering, enticing world in prosperity, is as great and glorious, if not more, than that over the frowning, persecuting world in adversity. And therefore find the one, and you need not fear the other. Though I confess that hypocrites do not fall so visibly and shamefully always in prosperi- ty as in adversity; foithey have more pretenses, advantages, and camal shifts, to hide the shame oftheir. falls. And for that in the parable in Matt. xiii. I pray-you mark one thing. Christ. seems to speak of every several sort of hearers by a gradation, speaking last of those thaC go farthest. The ñrst sort are thecommon, igno- rant, negligent hearers, in whom the word takes no root at all. The second sort are those that give it a slight and shallow rooting, but no deep rooting at all ; these are,they that fall away in tribula- tion. By falling away, is meant the plain deserting Christ or the substance of his cause. These men, fill this falling away, though they professed Christ, and heard the word with joy, yet no doubt did not crucify the flesh and the world, whereby they might have discovered their unsoundness if theywould, beforetribulation came. First, by discerning that the word was not deep rooted; 1. In their judgment and estimation. g. Or in their wills and settled resolu- tion. Secondly ; and by discerning the unmortified lusts of their hearts in the mean time. But it seems the third sort of hearers, likened to the thorny ground, went farther, than these; for here it is only said by Luke, viii. 14, "That they bring no fruit to perfec- tion." However, whether these went farther than the other, or not, it is certain that these also had their trial; and fell in the trial. The deceitfulness of riches overturned these, as the heat of perse- cution overturned the other. So that it is evident that prosperity puts faith to the trial, as well as adversity. But mark the differ- ent manner of their falls kid overthrows. They that are over- thrown by adversity, are said to fall away, that is,to forsake. Christ openly ; but they that fall by prosperity, are not said to fall away ; but only that the " deceitfulness of riches,, and cares of the world, choke the word, so that it becomes unfruitful ;" that is, brings no fruitto perfection. For usually these do not openly forsakeChrist, but continue oft an unfruitful and hypocritical profession ; insomuch that at that very time, when the word is choked and fruitless, yet the blade of profession may be as green as ever, and they may be so much in some duties, and have such golden words, and witty shifts to plead for every covetous practice, and put so fair a gloss on all their actions,that they may keep up the credit ofbeingvery eminent Christians. So that if your grace can carry you well through prosperity, you may be confident of the truth of it. 3:. And then if it be thus proved true and saving, you have cause to be confident that it will hold out in adversity also, and Causeyou to
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