744 The Almoft~C:hrifiian DifCovered. Fourthly, Another Ground whence it is that forward Profelfors many t ime~ fall {bort of true Chriftianity; it may be when they are already gouen f1r, ·then the Devil efpecially doth all he can to hinder them; when they have gone far to~'ards Grace and C_hriftianity, then he unites all his For~e and Subtilty to ftop thetu from p~oceedmg further, left th.e~ get from under hn power and jurifdiCHon; he knows 1f they once become qhnfbans, they are then almoft out of his reach· and therefore whatever Luft.be Jn the Soul, he \~i!l then efpccially ftir it up; whatfow ever rcferve of ~emptau~ns there be, he wtll then fend them upon the Soul : For none are more afiaulted With Horrouts and multiplied Temptations, than thofe who make a great progrcfs towai'ds the Ways of God, and are near to the Borders of true Chriftianity ; bccaufe then the Devil fufp..::c1s that he fhall lofe them and that they are even revolting from him. When they begin to move toward~ Hea\'en, and labour after true Grace and Holinefs, the Devil fees that ordinJry Temptatio_ns are not th'cn fufficicnt to fecure them; that thofe Lufts that before hampered and captivated them at his pleafure, will not now fo ealily prevail· for he finds them too rcfolute, too rough, and untraCtable to deal with ; he b~gins then to fear to what a Rebellion this may grow, and therefore he fets Upon them with all his Power, way-lays them with all Ambufhments, circumvents them with all his Wiles and Stratagems; and though thefe be only Armies and Mufters of Shadows, which a Man might break through without any danger, would he but arm himfelf with noble and undaunted Refolutions; yet with thcfe the Devil atfaults and tlfldermines them_, and that inceffantly, and doth at laft ftop them in their courfe towards Grace, If not beat rh cm back again to their former courfc of Prophanenefs. Luke I 1. 24, 25. When the unclean Spirit is gone out qf a ;llan he walketh th1ough dry plnces, f eek.irtg reft, and finding none, he faith, I will return to /nine houfe JPhence I come out, and wlm1 he comtth, he finduh if fivept tmd garnijhed. V. 26. Thengqeth he, and taketh {even other Spirits m'ore 1vicked than himfet[, and they enter in . and dwell there, and the lafr ftate of that Man is worfo than the firft, i, e, When Men Men have caft out unclean, grofs Lufts by an external Santlifi.cation, that the ne.. vil fcems to be diilodged, when he feeks to return again to his ancient feat and poJfellion, he finds the Heart fwept and garnifued ; fwept from the filth of Common Sins, and garni!l1ed wi th common Graces, as its Ornaments; fo that there feems no rewadmillion or re-entrance of this' unclean Spirit; and then he goes and takes to himfclf feven other Spirits worfe than himfelf, that is, as I conceive1 ftro nger Temptations, and more prevailing Lufts, and by them he enters, and dwells there, and defiles that clean-fwept houfc, and not only keeps the Sinner from being better, but, makes his latter end worfe than his beginning. · Fifthly, When Men have gone far towards Chriftianity, natural Confcier.cc then leaves them, and ceafeth to excite and provoke them to a further proficiency. Confcimce is the Spur that quickens wicked 1\·ten to make that progrefs which they make. Now when it hath brought them paft common Sins to known and common Duties, then it leaves them , and urgcth them no further, and fo they fit down far fhort of true Grace and Chriftianity, which they endeavoured after. Well then, let me fay to fuch Men, as St. Paul to the Galatians, chap. 5· 7· You did run well; who hindered yotl? Was it the difficulty of Religion, or the ftrength of Temptation, the Flatters and Al!urements of the World, the Violence and Rage of your own Lufi:s? But might you not neverthelefs have armed your felves with perempcorx Refolutions ? Might you not undauntedly and vi{torioufly have broke through all thefe? Were you not able when you ftood frill, or when you gave back as frighted and terrified at thefe things, to make one ftcp~ and another ftep ftill forwards? Could you not proceed frill further, and prefs onwards through all tbefe? Yes, you might have gone much further if you would; you might have made a further progrefs, though all Hl]ll had armed it felf againft you; therefore if you Perifh, there will be and C!!.Ufe rcafon to blame your felvcs; you canonlycharge your Damnation on your own wilful fioth and negligence. This may fuffice for an Anfwer to the Third General; Whence it is that Pro· ..J' feffors that have gone far towards Chriitianiry, yet fall fhort o~ Grace, and of "'- being true Chriftians ; They were too nice to encounter DHJiculues; they were apt and forward to thiok well of themfelves; they were too faint·hearted to cope
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