44nd having done all tofland: convi6tion, fudden :pangs and flufhing heats of affection may carry out the creature for a while with a goodly appearance of zeal for God, and forwardneffe in Profcilion, but the ftrergth there afford is loon fpent. ?ohm hearers mentioned, yokn 5.35. got fome light and heat by fitting under his burning Miniftery, but how longdid it laft ? were twilling to rejoyce for at feafon. They were very beautiful colours that were drawn on them, but not laid in oyle, and therefore loon wall* offagain. The fool - ifh Virgins made as great a blaze with their lamps, and did ex- pea as good aday when Chrift fhould come, as the wife Virgins, but(alas ?)their lamps are out before he appeared, and as good never a whit as never the better. The flony ground more for- ward then the belt Toile, the feed comes up immediately, as if a crop fhould loon have been reapit, but a few nipping frofts turns its hue, and the day of barveft proves a day of delperate for- row. All thefe inflances, and manymore in Scripture do evince, that nothing fhort of folid grace, and a principle of divine life in the foul will perfevere. How forward foever Formallfis and flighty Pofpfgirpqrs are, to promifc themfelves hopes of reach- ing heaven, they will finde it too long a fiep for their fhort- breathed fouls to attain. The reafons are, Chri (l fuch want a principle ofdivine life to draw ftrength from tg perfevere them in their courfe. That by which the gra- cious (ogle it felf perfeveres is the continual fupply it receives fromChrifl as the arme and foot is kept alive in the body by thole vital fpirits which they receive from, the heart ; I lives (faith Paul) yet rot Is but Chrifi in me ; that is, I live but at Chrifis colt, he holds as my foul, fo my grace in life : Now the carnal rerfon wanting this union, muft needs wafle and con- fume in time. He bath no root ,to (hand on. A carcafe when once it begins to rot, never recovers, but every day grows worfe till it runs all into putrefadion, no falve' or plaifter will do it good : but where there is a principle of life, there when a mem, ber is wounded name fends fupplies offpirits, and helps to work with, the falve for a cure. There is the famedifference between a gracious perfon and an ungracious ; fee themoppofed in this re, keft, Prot). 14,17. The,rigkeosa manfalls [even times a day; 'nkif4411.4 Mgh:Mto hief: that is, in falling C' falls..furg FF;, 4421144 no power to recover himfelf, When Cain
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