220 Mar. 26. Ga1.3.112/2,13 See jer. 1, 5, 6)7, 8)1-2,14. A &x of preciaus Ointment : Or, 2 Chron. 18. 15 23 3130) 31. compared ; yet foon after-he falls into the fame fin again, and joyns himfelf with Abiz.iah King of /frac!, who did very wickedly, 2 Chron. 20. 35,36. and for whichhe is feverely reproved in-verfe-37. Then. Elie- zer the fon of Dodavah of Marelhah,prophe.fied jehofha- phat,layin.g, te:aufe thou hall joyned thy felf with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works,, and the Ships were broken that they were not able-to go to Tarflafla.,Lot was twice overcome with wine, &c. -and AbrahAm,thoughthe father of the-faith- ful, yet falls- once and again into the fame fin, Gen. 12.-I 12513. compared with Chap. .20'1'1 13. Peter falls once and again-into the fame fin, and John twice worfhipped- the Angel, and Sampfin (who is .by:the Spirit of the Lord numbred amongft lhofe Worthies of whom this world was not worthy, Heb. 8.)- fell again and again into the fame-grofs fin, 'as is c-:icent-in the 14, 15, & i6. Chap- ters of the- book of Intiq;:r. And the Church confeffes, that their backflidinobs arc ninny, jer. 14.7.-By all which 'tis molt evidentlthatgood men may fall again and again into the fame fin and no wonder, for though their repentance be never fo fincere and found, yet their graces are but weak, and their mortification but impede& in this life, and therefore 'tis poffible for a gracious foul to fall again and again into the fame fin. if the fire be,not wholly put out, who will think it impoffible, that it lhould catch and burn again and again.? I readily grant, that the Lord bath gracioully-promifedto heal the backtlidings of his people (Hofea 14 4. and fo Jer. 3. 22. Return ye backfliding ,children, and I trill heal your bask- flidings ; behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God.) But I can no where find in all the Scriptures, that God bath engaged himfelf by any particular promife or promifes, that Chrillians truly converted, truly penitent, shall never fall a- gain and again into the fame fins, after their converfion. I cannot find in all the book of -God, where God has engaged himfelf to give fuck firength or power againfl this fin or that, as-that a Chriflian shall be for ever- (in this life) put out of all poifibility of falling again and again into the fame fins. No
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