S s e T. I I I. Fddfe Signs ofGrace. 187 444444t4tIteltatatitAttlteltAttt SERMON XXXII, That a mans leaving thoègro f3 fns hehath laved in is no Signof grace. 2 P E T. 2.20. Forifafter theyhave (Topedthepollutions ofthe world through theknowledge of fefue Chril"t, &c. THis1 Textmaybe called like that place in the Ifraelites travails, Meribab, a place o fftrife andcontention ; The Arminian, Papill, and others confident- ly afferting a total and final apoftafie from true grace, out of this Text. Nullaorationisfuada, nulla argumentorumvia, is required for this Textus per fe lnmt,fay the Remenftrants. But you have the Orthodox as valiantly beating them out ofthis ground: What is the true meaning of the Text will appear upon a brief difcuffion; onely in thegeneral takenotice of the excellency of this Cha- pter wholly (pent in defcribingof falfe Teachers, manifefting their feveral evils of finne, and their feveral evils of pnnifhment, which is fo great that the Apo - ftle 7ude loath almoft tranfcribed his whole Epiltle out of this, with very little addition : Pulchra funebis dicenda, Paid he. For the underftandingofthe words, the Apoftletiled in the precedent verles two excellent fimilitudes, whereuntohe compared falfe teachers;firlt to fountainswithout water;thefe invite thewearied paffengertodrink,bnt when he corneal near he findeth nothing but clayand mud; fofalfeteachers promifefilch excellent and wonderfull truths, that were .never heard Of before, but indeed give noilome filth. a. He compareth them to clouds without raindriven with the lwinde,which denoteth two things, Firfl,Their vain o- ftentation,as thecloud feemeth to bringrainbitt yet emptieth none;and fecondly, their inftabilite, Thyare clouds drivenupand donen a - ^iea ,, that is properly an impetuous turbulent winde; and asloch clouds do both raife great tempefls, and obnubilate the Surine, fodo falle teachers makeheavy florins and troubles in the Church, and withal' hernia theglorious light ofthe Scripture. A third defcri'- ptionis from their affedatii n ofgreatand (welling words. All rumours argue a windy inflammation. in thenext place lie aggravates their condition by the per- mcions and damnableeffeet of their falle dodirines, they do not onely damn themlelves, but draw a troopofothers into hell with them. And this they do in a flie way, they do hredfov, as the Fifherman or the Fowler, fhew the bait, but hide thehook or fnare. Whereupon theApoflle enlargeth himfelf concerning the miferableeftateof the(educed perlons, as well as the feducers, the followers as well as the guides tumble into the pit of dellruelion. The mifery of (educed perfons is aggravated firft in my Text, from the greater curie and wrath that will nowbefall them line their apoflafre, then ifthey had continued in their priftine unbeliefand- Paganifm. So that you have the deceived wretches defcribed by wayof fuppofitión ; Firft, In their formerellate. Secondly, In their fall. Their' former eftate is deciphered in what they have done, and the means B b a where-
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