2.36 er he 'Parable of the --,---- ------------------------------'------------------ Ufe 4· 06jef1. Anfiv. SECT. VI. HEnce fee how far they fall Lhort of faving Grace, that ferve the lo:d by firsandHarts, andwhofehems follow after rheLord,and makemuchof the Lord only in good moods. Dying pangs are not eternal grace> ; Withering Grace is flouri!hing and profperous wickednefs. If rhe Spirit of Gr;Ke in the Saints be of an eternal, conHam nature ; that is not the Spirit ofGrace which accompanies falvarion, which is alive ro day, bur de.1d ro morrow, which a man is full of tQ day, burquiteempry of to morrow. Hence the Prophet criesour, Hof. 6 ·4,5· Oh Ephraim what frail 1 do ? What more means can I ufe forthy gooa ? Why, do We nor gee good by means ? Yes , bur thy goodntjfe is lib.§ the morning dew, foon lickrup by the Sun, a11d lik! tt cloHd whichpaj]tthmMy, which promifeth much, bur is fcmered again. The Lord knows noE whar to do wirh fuch men; yet how many be there offuch, rbat like JonM Gourd, fpring up for a rime, and then die the next day, ai1d they comforuhelnfelves under the fhadow thereof. That take rhem in their Moon, they are as good as you can IViili, more than men, but our of ir, they are bruit beaHs, not men. Whatever is in a godly man, thelikenefs and fimilitudeofit is for atime in an Hypocrit<?. Would yon have earn eH prayer for ablelling ?look u~on E fall\ he feel:! for it with tearJ, and . mourns for it for a time. Would you bavef0llowing the means, and th~r the moll powerfulandfearching, and joy irtit alfo? S(le John 5·35· whatwenttheJ•Ht into the wilderneJfe to fel? a Profhtt, a. burning anct fhining light, and reJoyced rherein for a feafon. Would you h~ve hazarding Lifefor Pnul and Minifiry of the Gofpel? Alexander did thus fora ume. Would you have people enter into CoV\'!nanrwithGod? Loobtpon the Jfradim, DtNt.l9· with p.I6. 1 "'-"owthfit after thy d(ath this peuplewill go a wl:~rint,- Would you have rhankfulne!Te? P fa!. Io6.q. Theyfang hispraife, theJ fo911 forgllt the Lord. And rhefe AffeCtions ,1re for a rime lhonger than the Saints, like land-floods; and becaufe they be vio• lemand £1rong, obey !aft not long. BU!i however,.it argues a wrercredfalfer.em, Pfal. 78.37. Their hearts wm not tight, bec:aufe not Jledfaft in his CMJenam. But IVhar man is rbae but changeth ? What body fo hcalrhful, that is found alw,1y in the f..1me temper? Do noc t\·e Saints find their hearts foon cold, their joy J:i:Jon quencht, their alfeetions foon fpem? Tllis therefOre will difcourage thom. I anfwer to it tiVo waies, Firf.t, They fomerimes deny the conHancy of Grace, where conftamlyit is, (fortheSfititofGraceinus islikelife, for•tis eternal life. It '9 ~·er aetir:gor remaining in rhefoul) and this rheydo by relli:mofmany miltakes. As I. They think r:he Grace of God in them perifhetb, when the atlce1ferh. Wbere1s a man may be weary ofacli<Jnsoflife,wbere life rellaif!eth, a~ infick: rren. Aman may hlve a rich rreafil!'e alway wirh. ftim, yet nor alway fpend ir. There is a gr,1cious frarre of hemwhich the lord regards chie!ly, which is before rhe atl:,& hence may be without ir. The wheel d:xh not run fhat it may be round, · bur it is made round that it may run. Hence when the ace of running celfeth, the frame whereby its fit ro run again, remaincth ;And this is the Sfed ofGod, I John l·9· ~ .M.my think the aB: of grace ce.1feth, when it cloth 110t aB: alway upon the fame olJjetl: ; as fome tbin1·, becaufe they have not' rhe fen,ce of God~ love alway, all J gr.Ke is loH, when it may be there is fence of corruption at that rime; fometime God gives vitl:ory ov~r temrmiotl, it rifeth ag'in : Now the foul chinks the very act .of grace ceaferh, when yet its 11ow wmi11g ag.1iaH the temptation ; fo!!lenme
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