276 The twelfth Sign PART III. already. Nor can they ever fall away fo, as habitually to be more engaged in other Things, than in the Bufinefs of Religion ; or fo that it fhould become their Way and Manner to ferve fomething elfe more than God ; or fo as ftatedly to ceafe to ferve God, with fuch Earneft- nefs and Diligence, as í}i11 to be habitually devotedand given up to the Bufinefs of Religion. Unlefs thofe Words of Chrift can fall to the Ground, Ye cannot ferve two Mailers, and thofe of the Apoftle, He that will be a Friend of the World, is the Enemy of God ; and unlefs a Saint can change his God, and yet be a true Saint. Nor can a true Saint ever fall away fo, that it fhall come to this, that ordinarily there fhall be no remarkable Difference in his Walk and. Behaviour fnce his Converfion, from what was before. They that are truly converted are newMen,newCreatures ; new,not only within,but without ; they are fanEtified throughout, in Spirit, Soul and Body ; old Things are pafs'd away, all Things are become new ; they have newHearts, and new Eves, new Ears, new Tongues, new Hands, new Feet ; i. e. a new Converfation and Practice ; and they walk in Newnefs of Life, and continue to do fo to the End of Life. And they that fall away, and ceafe vifibly to do fo, 'ti3 a Sign they never were rifen with Chrift. * And efpecially when Men's Opinion of their being con- verted, and fo in a fafe Efate, is the very Caufe of their coming to `his, it is a molt evident Sign of their Hypocrify. And that, whe- ther cc Hence we learn what Verdi& to pars and give in, concerning thofe Men that decay and fall offfrom the Lord. They ne- " ver had Oil in the Veflel ; never had a Dram of Grace in c their Heart. Thus r John 2. 19. If they had been ofus, " they would no Doubt have continued with us. It feems they were fuch Men, which were fo eminent and excellent, as that there were no Brands nor Marks upon them, to give Notice EG to the Churches, that they were mark'd out for Apoftacy ; ac but were only difcovered to be unfound, by their Apoftacy; ,,t and this was Argument good enough." Shepard's Parable, Part I. p. 226. a cc When a Man's Riling is the Caufe of his Fall, or feals a Man cc up in his Fall, or at leaf the Caufe through his Corruption. " Ex. Gr. Time was, a Man lived a. loofe, carelefs, carnal " Life; by the Miniftry of fome Word, or Reading. of fome Book, or Speaking with fome Friend, he comes to be con- ,' vinced of his N'Iifery and woful Condition, and fees no Good " norGrace inhimfelf ; he bath been even hitherto deceived: At laft he comes to get fome Light, fome Tafte, fome Sorrows, ,ss Come Heart to ufe the Meansa fome Comfort and Mercy and Hope
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