Chap. t z. about Apoflacie, orFalling away. Secondly, fin grieves the holy Spirit of God : and we know that all the quickeningof a Chnftian confilis in thegracious alfiflance of Gods Spirit : fo that if he withdraw and fufpend his actions we can do nothing of our felves. Hence,Eph 4. 31. Grieve not the holy Spirit ofGod, c'c. And i 'I het 5.18,19. It quencheth the Spirit. hirdly, it puts a molt bitter hard task upon the foul to go through, which caufethher reluecancy : For fuch a man muff humble himfelf gteatly before God, muff renew his repentance with bitter remorfe for his fins : mutt come to a reckolaine, for it. This made David fo loth to call himfelf to account when he had finned with I art.. fktba. Fourthly, it defiles the confcience, till it be again purged by the blood of Chrill, lieb. 9. 14. It knocks off a mans fingers from laying holdof the Pro miles, which are the things by which men live, Ifa. 38. 16. It makes the confcience fay, the Promifes do'not belong to me : For God is an holy God,. and his Promifes are holy, and there is no medling with them without holi- nefle. Fifthly, fin dorh either utterlydeftroy, or mightily weakenall ouraffurance of welcome to God : and therefore it muff needs dead the heart in all duties/: as a childe when he bath committed force great fault, is afraid to come into his Fathers pretence, as we fee in ¡onah,andDavid. ueff. what are the particularfins, which caufe this deadneffe and backfli- ding? Anfv. Firft, the niggardlineßë of Gods children in his fervice : when they will do no more then they mutt needs do : whereas a quickned heart will rather fuperabound then be wanting : As often inScripture the duty is commanded, but not the quantity, as_ howoften, and hew longwe should pray, meditate, give aimes, &c. now a Chriltian in fuch cafes will rather overdo, then underdo: as Philemon v. 21. I know thou wilt do more then I ask. So 2 (or. 8. 3. Secondly. negle&of our fpiritual watch ; This caufed deadneffe in the Church of Sardis, Rev. 3.1,2. Such lieopen to the t entations ofSatan. Hence 1 a Pet. 5. â. So we fee in Eve, Noah, Lot, David, c.:;--c. Hence Paul, 1 Cor. 2. 3. I a'as amongfl you withmuch fcare. Thirdly, contemn; our felves with a low kinde of Religion, that will never attain to any quickening : whereas Religion is an high thing, Pròv. 1 ç. 24. It, an high calling, Phil. 3. 14. So we fee in Jehofapha t, z Citron. 57. 6. We (faith the Apottle) have our convcrfatfon in Heaven, Phil. 3. vo. Fourthly, vanity of mens mindes is another caufe of great deadneffe. Hence David prays againtt it, Tfal.119.37. when a man gives way ro vain thoughts, vain fpeeches, vain expence of time. Fifthly, evil examples is another caufe : when we live amongft dead and de_ dining Chriflians, and think all well if we be not worfe then they. Sixthly, covetoufneffe and wordlineffe : whereas whilewe keep off our affe- &ions from the world we are full of life : But when we dote upon the world, it layes bolts ,and fetters upon our foules, as we fee in Demas, and i Tim. 6. so. See how heartleflc thofe hearers were from thiscaufe, Ez,ek, 3 3.31. Hence Eph. 5. 3. Let not covetoufneffe be once named amongfl you, &c. Seventhly, idleneffe and fpiritual floth, when men let their mindes go as a (hip without a Pilot : See the danger of idleneffe. Prov. 19. 15. fo when we :do not lay forth our talents, and improve our gifts and graces. Eighthly. contenting our felves withwhat we have attained to, and not growing, and going on towards perfe&ion, as Heb.6.1. where there is truth of gracethere will begrowth, 1Pet. z.z. and fo we are exhorted to it, z Pet. 3.18. 0 3 Queft. off II: Iv. II. IV. V. vr. VII. VIII. Ed
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