And having doneall to ft and. 389 ck he prayes, and prayes again more earneftly, Lie 22* 44. Secondly, his counfel and command. He told 'Peter, that Satan had begg'd leave to have them to lift them. But withal he comforts him (who was to be hardeft put to it) with this,Erat I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not. Sure our Savi. otir by this provifion made for him and the reft, means to fave them a labour that they need not watch or pray. No fuch matter : after this,as you may fee, v. 4o. He calls them up to duty, Pray thait ye enter not into temptation. Chrifts praying for them was to firengthen their faith, when they fhould them- felves pray for the fame mercy ; not to nourifh their [loth that they needed not to pray. Chrifts prayers in Heaven for his Saints are all heard already : but the returne of them is re- ferved to be enclofed in the anfwerGod fends to their own pray- ers ;The Chrifliancannot in faith expea to receive the mercies Chrift prayes for in Heaven, fo long as he lives in the negled of his duty on earth. They ftand ready againft he fhall call for them by the prayer of faith, and if they be not worth fending, this rneffenger to Heaven, truly they are worth little. Thirdly, confider, that although the Chriftian be fecured from a total and final apoftafy, yet he may fall fadly to the bruifing of his confcience, enfeebling his grace,and reproach of the Go-- fpel, which lure are enough to keep the Chriftian upon his watch; and themore,becaufe ordinarily theSaints back-flidings, begin in their diaries. As it is with tradefmen in the world, they firft grow careleffe of their bufineffe,often out of theirfhop, and then they go behinde-hand in their eftates: So here, firft- remiffe in a duty, and then fa"I into a decay of their graces and commas, yea, fomerirnes into wayes that are fcandalous. ftuffe lofeth its gloffe before it weares: The Chriftian, th luftie of his grace in the lively exercife of duty, and then the firength of it, Secondly, take heed of abufing this doarineunto a liberty to fin; Ilia we fin becaufe grate abounds? grow loofe, becaufe we hsve God faft bound ,n his prornife ? God forbid,none but a De- vil would teach us this Logick. It was great height of fin thofe wretcheijwes came to, who couid quaffe and caroufe it while death look% in upon them at the windows ; Let so eat and drink for to morrow ve PR They, dikovercd their Advil= . p d d 3 there
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