ON '1'0:: G1At the root of the matter is in them. It is so, if love of the world, conformity unto it, negligence in holy du- ties, and coldness in spiritual love be an evidence of such decays. But let none deceive their own souls: wherever there is a saving principle of grace, it will be thrivingand growing unto the end. And if it fall un- der obstructions, and thereby into decays for a season, it will give no rest or quietness unto the soul wherein it is, but will labour continually for a recovery. Peace in a spiritually decaying condition, is a soul- ruining se- curity; better be under- terror on the account of surpri- se] into some sin, than be inpeace under evident decays of spiritual life. And by the way, this comparing of the path of the just unto the morning_light, minds me of what I have seen more than once. That light bath sometimes cheer- fully appeared unto the world, when after a little season, by reason of clouds, tempests, and storms, it bath given place again to darkness, like That of the night; but it bath not so been lost and buried like the evening light; after a while it bath recovered itself unto a great- er lustre than before, manifesting that it increased in it self, whilst it was eclipsed as to us. So path it been with not a few at their first conversion unto God; great darkness and trouble have by the efficacy of temptation, and injections of Satan, possessed their minds; but the grace which they have received being as the morn- ing light, bath after a while disentangled itself, and given evidence, that it was so far from being extin- guished, as that it grewand thrivedunder all those clouds and darkness: for the light of thejust doth in the issue always increase by temptations, as that of the hypocrite is constantly impaired by. them. Again, as it is as the morning light, than which no- thing lath a more assuredprogress; so it is called by our Saviour living water, John iv. 10.: yea, a well ofwater, springing up into everlasting life, ver. 1+. It is an in- deficient spring, not a pool or pond, though never so large, which may be dried up. Many such pools of light, gifts, and profession, have we seen utterly dried up, when they have come into age, or been ensnared by the temptations of the world. And we may see o- thers every day under dangerous decays; their counte- nances are changed, and they have lost that oil which makes the face of a believer to shine, namely, the oil of love, meekness, self -denial, and spirituality of con- terse; and instead thereof there is spread upon them 2 A tr or crrrrs'r. g the fulsome ointment of pride, self love, earthly- niind- edness,. which increased] on them more and more. But where this principle of spiritual life is, it is as the morn- ing light, as an indeficient spring that never fails, nor can do so, until it issue in eternal life, and sundry other ways there arewhereby the same truth is asserted in the scripture. S. There are sundry divine promises given unto be- lievers, that so it shall be, or to secure them of such supplies of grace as shall cause their spiritual life to grow, increase, and flourish unto the end, such as that in the psalm which we have considered: for these pro- mises are the means whereby this spiritual life is origin- ally communicated unto us, and whereby it is preserved in us; by them are we made partakers of this divine na- ture, 2 Pet. i. 4.; and through them it is continued in us. Now promises of this nature, namely, that by the dispensation of the Spirit of Christ, and supplies of his grace, our spiritual life shall flourish, and be made fruit- ful to the end, I shall briefly call over one of them only at present, which is recorded, Isa. xliv. it, 4. Although this promise may have respect unto the gra- cious dealing of God with the people of the Jews after their return from the captivity, yet bath it so only as it was typical of the redemption of the church by Jesus Christ: but it belongs properly to the times of the gos- pel, when the righteous were to flourish; and it is a promise of the new covenant, as is manifest in that it is not only given unto believers, but is also extended unto their seed and offspring, which is an assured signature of new-covenant promises. And here is, (1.) A sup- position of what we are in ourselves, both before and after our conversion unto God, namely, as thirsty, dry, and barren ground. We have nothing' in ourselves, no radical moisture to make us flourishing and fruitful. And as it is before, so it is after conversion, 2 Cor. iii. 5. Being left to ourselves, we should utterly wither and perish. But (2.) IIere is the blessed relief which God in this case hath provided; he will pour the sanctifying. water of his Spirit, and the blessing of his grace upon us. And this'he will so do, as to cause us to spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses. There is nothing of a more eminent and almost visible growth than willows by the water- courses. Such shall be the spiritual growth of believers under the influences of these promises; that is, they stall be fat and flourish ing, and still bring forth fruit. And other promisesof l3
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