Ver, 1 t. the 17th Chapter of St. j OH N. 13t twine about us, and to hinder our growth towards Heaven : To difintangle our felves, there mull be a great deal of care. So, 2 Tim. 2. 2 r, If a Man therefore purge himfilf from theft', be flaall he a lrefel unto Honour r From thefe ; From what ? In a great Houfe there are. Veffels of Gold, and Veffels of Earth ; Come to Honour, and Lome to DiC- honour ; there are carnal Seducers, that are apt to pervert us by ttheir Inticement and Example. As black Pots leave their foil upon chore that touch them ; fo bare Perron% and carnal Hereticks, infe& us with their finful Pollutions. By Convert we are tainted unawares : as Antinomian Dollrines make the Children of God lets aria; tho they do not pervert their judgment; yet they weaken their care and flridnefs. Nature is more fufceptible of Evil, than of Good. We eafily catch a Sicknefs, but we do not get Health from one another : Ears of Corn do not catch and hang upon Men, but Thorns do. Phil. 2. I 5. We live in the midfi of a crooked and pervti fe Generation, that are as Briars and Thorns, very catching. . 4. The Things of this World. The World is the Valley of Snares, and fo to the Children Of God, it often proveth the valley of Sorrows. Frequency of Convene maketh the Snare mote eafily to infinuate. It is hard to be much converfant in any Matter, and not to receive Come tin&ure from it. There Things, Honours, Pleafures; Profits, they are accuflomed Objects, they are bred up with us ; we mutt of necefiìty be converfant with Meats and Dritaks, and worldly Subftance, and infenfibly they leave a taint upon the Soul, efpecially where we have them at full. Worldly Profpe- rity, is a great Snare to the Saints ; and things ate better preferved in Brine, than Ho= ny. How loon is the Soul corrupted ? The warm Sun-thine maketh the Weeds grow, as well as the Flowers. I obferve great Alterations in David's Spirit; in Adverlity he fpared his Enemy, when he found Sad in the Cave; in Profpetity, he killed his Ser- vant, when he plotted Vrialls Death ; when he threatned Nabal in Atlli &ion, he bore with Shimei. God's Children have a better Country, when they have the World's belt Advantages. Some Fruits are not natural in England 9 tho the. Weather be good, they do not agree with the Soil. 2dly, Why God permitteth them to be in the World ; he might have taken them tei himfelf, and glorify them as loon as fanítify them ; or elfe have gathered them info tome irland, frtne oblcure Angle and Corner of the World, out of harms way. But I Anlwer, that Both not fuit with Cod's Dilpenfations. John s7. 15. I pray ,iò/ that thou mauldfl take them ant of the World, bat that thou fhouldfl keep them from the Evil. The Lord hath fome Ends to be accomplilhed ; He can at firlt Converlon make us perfect and glorified Saints, it is his Wifdom to take a time : As Abfalons was not to fee the King's Face prefently, fo we mull wait our Time. t. For his own Glory. The Sweetnefs and Power of Grace is more difcovered in this worldly Eftate. It is more wonder to maintain a Candle in a Bucket of Water, than in a Lanthorn, or a Spark in the midit of the Sea. God's Pamir is made pet :fig In Wealtnefs; 2 Cor. 12. 9. That is, it is more glorioufly difcovered. Excellent things fuffer a kind of Imperfeûion, till there be an occalan to difcover them ; therefore the Apofile would glory in Infirmities, as they occafioned a greater Exercife of the Divine Grace: In this worldly Elate, Grace is difcovered not only by its Operation, but by Conquefl and Viitory ; not only as it worketh, buras it fighteth ; t John 4.4, g. Té are of God, little Children, and have overcome them, becaufe greater tr he that is in you, than he that is in the World: They are of the World, therefore fpeak they of the World, and the World heareth them. There is a Spirit that worketh in the Saints, and a Spirit that . worketh in the World ; there two are conflilting, the World is the Lifts, and place of Bane!, but Satan is beaten in his own Territory : Stronger it be that is in you, than he that is in the World. The Saints may be molelled, but not overcome. Still God bath his Eleít, and Chrifl his Members ; though Satan hath fo many Faflors and Agents for his Kingdom. Look as Ifrael was Lent into Egypt, that God's Power might be made known : For this castle have I raifed thee tip, fir to _them in thee my power, and that my Name may be declared throughout all the Earth, faith God to Pharaoh, Exod. g. Id. Sci we are in the World, that his Power may be known. We had trilled many wonder- ful Paffages of Providence if Ifrael had not been in Egypt. God will have us take' may Experiences of the Sweetnefs and Power of Grace along with us to Heaven. As Travellers at Night talk of the foul way, and the Dangers of the Journey ; fo in Heaven we fhall difcourfe of the Praifes of our Redeemer, and his wife and powetful Conduh . God would have us take there frequent Experiences of Grace along with us. Rrr2 2. To
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