:the Parable of the rip_enc:fs : But_if it_f«lls.on ~th~~gr~und, (eed is fown there, but it ~rings furrh Bnars,rhough lt dnnks !n ram, us mg_h to curfing,H:k·6·7,8. Look as 1t w.o~s with Stl!li,G•dhadf~r[~tktnhzm,_t Sa!'f.I6,I4;"3:anda Spmt ?f.Sat~n came upon him, yet when Davsd pl~ye!d Witk hts Harp, It Jiltlled the fpmt mhim, & :~ffecled him much; it did not call outl ~he fpi.ric, fuf when l;Je had E!one pbying, rho e>Vil fpirir ume again-upon him. So 'tis at this day,a rr.an is forfa\>en of the Spirit ofGod,_ and: haunted with an evi1 fpirit of pride, world, paffion, lufi,Libeninifm; a man prays, hears, and is made much better ; tis !l"illed, no~ caH out ; for after rhis a man returns to his old fpirit again, and in ame he cannon be CijUieted with preaching" nor praying, no more rhcn h~could ~"Yith his harping. 3. When a man is fo fallen, as that he returns nor in the feafon of rilil'l"' : .L()I)k as 'ris with Trees in- Winter-time, their leaves, their blowths, rbcir trufr, ·their beauty is gone : Is it then dry and b.uren, and qui>e wirhered, ~nd cwrfed? Onewoutd think fo foHheprefeilr, but 'ris not fo, becaufe tbe feafon of fruit and leaves is not now; ili in Spring and Summer it iliould be fo, then you might well fufpe61: it. Thus Jer. 8. 5•7,8. yenhey faid they werewife,and they had Law anci OrdinanreHmongrhem: True, yenheydidnorknow their feafon, hence fell with an everlafling backfliding. Hence P[11l.I.3, 4:,5. Th'l art likt the tree piM!ted b; the ri.vers fide which be.rrs in feafon-. Wh~tt,ttnd when u this fell[on? · l cannorrell you the fe..Con of every man, bat I will !new you rhe ufual feafons of many men. . 1 I, When· Jofus <:lirill the Sun of tighEeoufnefs draws excl:leditl'g neer urrco rhe foul, and that ro the rc¥ivin$ of others, If m. 55.6. but thy hem never~ whir the better, noryer muchrrouble<~-it is fo bad. When Peter falls, a look recovers him; when Ephefus falls from her firfllove, to remember fr•m when,e fhe is f4llen , is enough to rdlore her ro her lQYe again. When the Difciples fell af• rer Chrifls death,yer when he arofeand opened the Scripture, rh0ir hearrs burned within them• . But thou hall had Jefus Chrifl opening rhe riche~ of his grace from heaven, and rhou hall heard a voice, but not feen rhe fight, rhe glory ef rhe Lord in this thy day; and this thou hall done though the Sun bath come ro · his full height fometime : This is rhy feafon ; Gofpel, and Chrifl, and promifes, arearown common to you, &c. & it waswithrhepo!fe!fed nnn., Mnt.I7.15. Thi'Devil tllk,es him oft, and cafts himinto thewater ana fire, but if·when he come to Ch<ill he have no help, rhe Lord be merciful to him rhen : So you have been oo!fe!fed and fallen, but when. the Lord Jefus comes he calls them our ; b~o~t if rhe Lord fpeaks, enlighrens, and cometh faying; Remember me whom thou haH abufed, my wetlocks, my watery eyes, and my forrmvful hem which thou haf.t broken, here is all my love, and rhis prevail~ nor, bur thou neither 'rife!! nor defirefl the Lord to raife rhee: This is fad. In rhe da-y of Jubilee, be a fervant rben for ever,ifyour oldmafter IHII pleaferh you; efFeci~lly when all means are ufed; when rbe lafl of acourfe of Phy(1ck is rake$l, and is ineffectual. z. When the Lo~d is ready ro depart from the foul. Somtime Saints do nor melt at love, bur the Lord departs, now this recovers them. As a man rhar hath a f:iend, though they ~ow weary of their com~:any, an? they begi~ ro carry away divers rhino-s, yer .when rhey come to take the1r leave mdeed, now they recover, and they c;nnor part now. LikeJofoph ;:md his Brerhren,tl:lcy can neither ofthem parr. Nicodemm and Jofephcannorconrain, burcleavecoCbritl, when mo!l forfaken. D..vid,when God hides his face, is troubled, Pfal.3o·7· •ris with S.1inrs as with lick folks, when their licknefs and fores coT.e to their heighr, now rheybreak and recover, HPf.5:I5· Bur ifGods departing from rhee makes rhee 'more vile, it makes thee apoflarize from him. ·'Tis certain thou hadf.t never life then. Thi< is a Sau!J brand, I Sllm.:~8. He forfakes the Lord, and goes ro a Witch. Never faw you yet a Gmious heart, b11t the Lord made extremity fetch
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