The Alm1jl-Chrijliau. D~(covercd. various Sects and Opinions; or elfc after a \\hi le, he falls back a. gain into the filthy convcrfation and worldly pollutions, that he had efcapcd, and ends only in mire and din, and this becaufe he hath not that inCorruprablc feed withi11 him that Ihall never die. Indeed true Grace is of it felflmmortal, but it is from that engagement, that God hath laid 11pon himfelf to pre!erve it in thofc, who are diligent in the ufc of thofe means, by which it may be maintained. But now an unregenerate Man is left wholly to his own Power, to preferve him in that Station in which be fhines : And if the Angels themfelves and Adam fell from their fidt Eftate, merely lhrough the mutability of their own Will. who had power to continue j_n it, how much more certainly the11 will thcfe carnal Profetfors fall from their high pitch, who h<~.ve. lefs Power to in:1blc them to ftand, and greater Power againfr them to call: them down? To aggravate the exceeding great Folly and Apoftacy of thefe elevated break-neck ProfeflOrs, fee that m oft dreadful place, 2 Per. 2. 2r. For it h.,fd been btt~ ter for de m 1M tol1ave l< r.cn-tJ the 1MJ oJrightw11JrjJ than 4trr tht)' have lm(lwn it, to tum from the hoty commandment deli-vered to them. Why, is not the Wrath of God certainly to be revealed againft all thofe, who know not God, and obey not the Gofpel of the Lord J efus l lt is better never to have known the Gofpcl, and never to have gone a !tep in the \vays ot God, than afterwards \.\'i.lfully to difert them and apoftatize from them. Firfr confider, The Fall and Apoftacy of thofe who are great and eminent Profclfors, it carries much of malice and wilfulnefs in it, which is the higheft rank that can be in any Sin. If there be any in the World that commit the unpardonable Sin againft the Holy Gboft, it mufr be thefe Men. There is indeed a great difference between linning willingly and finning wilfully; Prophaoe carnal Men they Sin willingly, but none but thofe who have been forward Profellbrs in the ways of God, and have utterlydcferted thofe ways; none but thofe can fin maliciouOy, and merely becaufc they will provoke a1.1d offend God by their Sins. Now fee what the Apoftle f<~ith of fuch. Heb. 10. 26. for if we fin wilfu!Jy, after we have received the kno1r;lcdge of the truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for fins, but a certain [eArful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, &c. Heb. 6. 4-, S1 6. For it is impojfible -for thofe rohu were once enlightened, and havt tafted of the heavenly Gift, and were made partaAers of the Holy Ghoft, and havetAfled the good Word of God, and the Powers of the ~Vorld t(J t:ome, if they ]hall faU «Wa)' to renew them again unto repentanet, &c. This is the fir!t aggravati~n of their Sin and Mifery. But then Secondly,when elevated and eminent Profeffors fail away they ufnally fall lower than they were before, when they took their firfr rife towards Chrifti.mity and true. Religion; fall in~ away from a Profeffioq, is like the falling down from a fteep Precipice, where they Clll have nothing to ftop them till they come to the very bottom: And it is obferved, that none prove more notorioufly wicked, and more defperate haters and revilers of the ways of God, than Apoftate ProfeiiOrs. _Fir it, God doth judicially give them up to commit all manner ofSin with greedi· ncfs; fee that black Car.1!ogue of the fouleft Sins that can be imagined, Rom, '.from 21. to 30. The Apoftlc fpeaks there concerning the Heathens, but the cafe is parallel with our carnal Profeffors,whodo not like to retainGod in their knowledge,therefor~. GQd gives them over to l'l repr~bate mind to do thofo things that are t10t convenient, &c. The Devil takes poffeffion of fuch Men with ftronger power and force than ever ; (as the unclean fpirit re·entred with feven Spirits worfe than himfelf, Luke. JI. 24.) to fecure that Soul that hath been fo likely to revolt from him, and therefore no wondcr-Chrift faith, the lAjf eft~tte of that Man is worfe than the Jirjf. So that thefe eminent ProfeJTors when they fall away they ufually fall lower than they ever were before their firft rife and motion towards Religion. Unregenerate Perfons not only fall lower, but they feldom return to make a Profeffion of their deferred Religion; it is impoffible to renew fuch ·a one eo repentance again. Now how fhonld thefe fad and dreadful Confiderati~ns, make every one of us to do our utmoft, that we are able to get true and favmg Grace, If we reft any where fhort of it? When the Winds ofTempt1tion tcmpeftuouny beat, and the Floods of Tryal, Affliction, or Perfecution rulh in upon us, we fhall faU, becaufe we have no Foundation, but have built merely upon the Sands. lf you ftand not built upon the corner Stone, you will fall of your fclvco;, yea, that Stone will fall upon you, and grulh and grind you to powder. Nay, you fa. \I offfrom a fteep and fiippery Precipice,wherethere is nothing at all eo ftop,nothing to receive you but Sin Bbbbbbz after 747 ' '
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