Chap. 23 . ._4n Ex. ffti n Rpm the Bookof I OB. Vert I I. 399 have been ftrong tempnations upon us to caufeus todecline from thy wayes, but through grace we have kept our ground, and re- mained conftant in thy Covenant,yea though thou haftfore broken to in the place ofdragons, andcovered us with the fbadow ofdeath. As, many,yea molt acheSaints have improved under the croffe, fo therehave been fame who either through their prefent unbe- ieefe, or forgetfulnes of the exhortation which (as the Apoftle faith,Heb.IZ, 5.) eakethunte them as unto children, have had their faintings anddeclinings under it. Fifthly, Others decline through profperity, and worldly injoyments ; when they grow rich in temporalls, they grow poorer in fpiritualls.As their outward man encreafeth,fo their in- ner man decayeth,Se as they flourifh in the flefh, fo they wither in fpirit. Hence holy ,Qgur prayed (Pro. 3.o. 8,9 ) giveme not 'Poverty, left ¡6e peére andffeale,and take the name ofGod in vain, (that would be a fad declining)give me net richer , left 1 be full anddeny thee, and fay who is the Lord? That's a ladder declining then the former.povertie endangers grace much,but riches more. To be rich or great in the world, is a great temptation; Food con- venient is the moti lìxreet and molt untemptationleffe condition. As hypocrites fall quite off fromGod when theycome on much in the world ; fo the fìicere may be much hindred in their way. And as many godlymen havedeclined through their owne pro fperiue, fo fome have declined,or at leaft have been ingreat dan- ger ofdeclining by the profperity ofothers. Davidwas ready to decline fromGod, when he law the profperitie ofungodly men. (P/aí.73.2.) .l1 for me my feete were almoftgone, my Reps had well nigh flip't, when 1 raw thep'o/peritie of the wicked. David was alm+,ít donane, when he taw the wicked up. Their Banding had almoft green him a fall ; Myft=ps ( faith he) badwell nigh fl pt; now ifit put David,a maneminent in godlineffe to hard to it tokeep his handing (all the grace in his heart, and affiitiance fromGod could force hold himup) how muchmore may they who come far {lionof`David, decline by feeing the profperity ofwicked men? are not they ready to conclude, furelywe fhall thrive, and doe well enough, thoughwe doe as others doe, who donot trouble themelves in a ftri&nes about matters ofreligion as we have done, Verily (as it followes at the 13. verle) we have citanfed our heart in vaine, and íeafhed our hands in innocency. If
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