CA p. I. ß: 36. Aview offume Enemies ofSts Per (everance.. 22 of thatduty, which in the Nameand Authority ofGod, it is to accòmplifh:: and in all thefe, is dayly enticing, and feducing the heart toFolly, conceiving ram.i.,a,15. & bringing forth finne. 3. Thirdly, ItsPower; the Apofilecalls it a Law, a Law in his members, a Law offinne, Róm.7. 21,23.Such a Law as Fights, makes ware, and leads cap- tive fellingus under finne: not fufferingus to doe the good we would,forceing us to the evill we wouldnot, drawing us off from that we delight in., bring- ing us under bondageto that which we abhorre 5 apowerful!, unmerciful!, cruell Tyrant it is: oh! wretchedmen thatwe are, verf. 24. There is no Saint of Gód,but in the inwardman doth hate finne, everyfinne more then Hell it felfe, knowing the world ofevills, that attend the leali rime; vet is there not one ofthem, butthis powerful!Tyrant bath compelled and forced to fo ma- ny, as havemade them a burthen to their own Soules. 4. Fourthly: Its Cunning, craft, andPolicy. It is called in Scripture the OldMan, not from the wealtneffe of its Ilrength , but from theflrengthóf its Heb.3.i3. Craft:Takeheed,faith the Apofile, leaftany ofyou behardened by thedeceit- fulneffe offinne. There is abundanceof deceitfulneffein it; being ready, fit, and prompt tobeguile: lying inwayt for advantages, furni(hed for all op- portunities, and ready to clofe with every temptation; yea the wayes of it are fo large&various,its Wiles and Methodsfordeceiving fo innumerable;its fruitfulnefle in conceiving and bringing forth offinne fo abundant , its ad- vantages and opportunities fo many, that it is like the way of et Serpent upona Hone, there is no tracing or finding of it out. A feriousconfiderationof the oppofition made unto our Perfeverance , by . this one Enemy, whichhath fo much ability, and is fo refileffe in itswarfare, never quiet conquering nor conquered, which can be kept out of none of our Councells, excluded from noneofour a&ings, is abundantly fufficient to evince,that it is not want,orweakneffeofEnemicr,which puttethBelieversout of danger offalling away: 5.36. But all thisperhapswill be granted: Enemies theyhave enough , and thofe much more diligent andpowerful! every one ofthem, then all wehave fpo- kenofthat now defcribed, amouinteth unto: but the meaner of Pre,fervation, whichGod affords the Saints, is that whichputs them almoft out ofGun- (hot, and givesthem that Golden fecurity mentioned, whichcometh not (in adminifiring confolation)one fieppebehind that which arifeth from the Do- Etrineofabfolute.Perfeverance; Let then thisbe a little confidered, and per- haps it will allay thiswhole contefi. Is it then, that fuch is the Grace that is befiowedUpon them, in refpe&ofthe Principle whence it is bellowed, (the e- ternall Love ofGod) and theway whereby it isfor them procured (theBlood- (bedding and Interceflion ofChrifî) with the nature of it, (being the feed of God, which abideth and withereth not) and that fuch feemes to be the na- ture ofinfufedHabits, that they arenot removed, -lst*t by the power, and immediate band ofhim, by whom they are beet-owed? Is it from hence, that theirAffurance and fecurityBoth arife? Alas, all this is but a fi&ion : there is no Faith that is the fruit ofElellion,Chrifi purchafed it not for any by hiS Death: InfufedHabits arenot: the Grace that'perifheth, and' that , that abid- eth arethe fame: thefe things arebut pretences. Is it then, that God hath purpofed from Eternity, tocontinue Confiant in his Love towards them, ne- ver toLeave them nor Forfaite them? Nay but of all things Imaginable, this is the greatefl Abomination,whichifthe Scriptures didany whereAfrme,it were fufficient to malte arational confderingman, to ectteüion their Authority. What then,hath the LordPromifed togive themfuch continued fupplyesofhis Spirit &Grace in JefusChrifi,as that they (hall be fupported againft all Gto-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=