It is a great comfort when a Man is in trouble to call to mind the gifts of God that made him sayth Gregorie in his Moralls For as sweete Oyntment doth not onely delight the Smell but is a speciall remedie against things that smell ill so the remembrance of good things is a comfort to a Man in Euill and Aduersitie sayth Ierome Wherefore to conclude this Point I end with that Exhortation of Saint Paul himselfe 2. Thess 4.18 Comfort your selues one another with these words and the Lord will deliuer you from euery euill worke and will preserue you vnto his heauenly Kingdome to whom be prayse for euer and euer Amen Seeing therefore it is certaine that reprobate persons haue no part in this redemption nor wicked vnbeleeuing impenitent sinners but onely the Elect This serues for to terrifie the vngodly to amaze them to feare themselues as not being in the right way but such as are vnder the Curse in the state of Damnation guiltie of eternall Death such as shall be partakers of the second Death which is a separation both of Soule and Body from God and an adiudging of them to perpetuall torments in Hell where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Which must teach them to turne from their wicked wayes and returne to God from whom they are fallen and labour to vse the meanes of their saluation and to goe out of themselues flying to the Throne of Gods Mercy most humbly beseeching God for pardon and forgiuenesse that so their part may be in this redemption and God may receiue them into his fauour without which repentance they must needs perish Except yee repent Luk. 13.3 yee shall all perish This is that our Sauiour Christ himselfe hath foretold saying He that shall not beleeue shall be damned Those that know not God and obey not his Word shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Againe All those shall be damned 2. Thess 1.9 that beleeue not the truth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Goe to now yee Rich men wicked and prophane weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you You that trust in your vncertaine Riches yee haue no part in the Redemption by Iesus Christ Goe to now ye that will not beleeue you that will not amend nor repent nor leaue your filthie lewd courses little thinke you of the Iudgement Day wherein euery one of you shall rise to giue vp your Accompts where the Booke of Gods Prouidence and the Booke of your owne Consciences shall be layd open before you and there shall you be arraigned at the Barre of Gods Iudgement and being condemned as Guiltie as hauing no part in this Redemption you shall will ye nill ye haue that fearefull Sentence of eternall Death pronounced against you Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire Seeing then that it is proued that onely the Elect are redeemed and they onely saued it doth teach vs to labour to be in the number of the Elect and chosen Seruants of God and not onely to talke of our Election and discourse of it and reason about it as many will doe and that too curiously and more then is reuealed or necessarie to be knowne but to labour to gather vpon sound ground that my part in particular and thy part â—n particular is in this Election that wee may say truely vpon good proofe by euident testimonie and infallible Arguments especially from holy Scripture euery one by himselfe I thanke God from the ground of my Soule I trust I am one whom the Lord hath elected out of that cursed Race of Mankind I am one whom among so many thousands reiected of him my good God hath chosen to obtaine Saluation by Iesus Christ This is that which the Apostle Peter doth so labour in earnestly exhorting all of vs to giue all diligence 2. Pet. 1.10 to make our Calling and Election sure From which words of the Apostle wee are to note that it is no trifling matter or slight businesse no matter of dallying or delaying nor any matter arbitrarie or of indifferencie but a worke that requireth great labour paine and trauell great industrie and diligence a matter of absolute necessitie to make our Election sure Herein consisteth all our hope in this is continued our happinesse and felicitie and by this are we assured of Heauen and Life eternall and that vndoubtedly we shal be saued haue this and haue all and want this and want all Now O biectn whereas this is commonly obiected If I be elected it is no matter how I liue and so of the contrary I answere Answere That where God hath appointed the end there he hath appointed the meanes to attayne to that end the end is Life eternall which none shall euer attayne without the vsing of the true meanes This I proue plaine out of Saint Pauls words God hath chosen vs To what end to liue as wee list no sayth S. Paul but that we should vse the meanes studying true pietie and holynesse Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world to this end that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue This teacheth vs to liue in a continuall course of glorifying of God both in Body and Soule for wee are not our owne but wee are Christs 1. Cor. 6.20 Ye are not your owne for ye are bought with a price namely the bloud of Christ Therefore glorifie your heauenly Father both in Soule and Body for they are both his This is the end of our Redemption and deliuerance from our spirituall enemies Luke 1.74 75. That wee should serue God without seruile feare all the dayes of our liues in righteousnesse and holinesse before him Vprightly For the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men that is all sorts of men hath appeared teaching vs that wee should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly that is in regard of our selues Righteously in regard oâ— our neighbour Godly in regard of God himselfe Titus 2.11 12. For Christ Iesus he is our Sauiour who gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe Zealous of good Workes Tit. 2.14 His bloud which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God Heb. 9.14 doth purge our Conscience from dead workes to serue â—he liuing God 1. Pet. 2.6 Wee are a people set at libertie that we should shew forth the vertue of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his maruellous light Of all the workes of Mercie â—his chiefely ought to bee remembred for it is the chiefest worke that God euer shewed to Man And if any thing will this will stay vs and keepe vs from â—he contagion of Sinne. And as it is true that none are redeemed I meanâ— none can approue
things of nothing that he is carefull of vs and for vs whether we be afflicted in the flesh or in the spirit and that he is more mindfull of our deliuerance then we our selues can be Here haue wee then a singular promise and consolation as if he should say the rodde of the wicked grieueth you but be of good comfort my people and patiently endure it for I will not suffer the tentation so farre to preuayle ouer you that your confidence and trust in me shall vtterly fayle you stormes and tempests shall arise and your dangers shall seeme so great as though the waues should presently swallow you vp but I will not suffer you to perish I will bridle their rage and make an end of the rodde of the wicked If Sathan and your owne Conscience doe accuse you as most wicked and vnrighteous yet will I not leaue you destitute of my righteousnesse Thus doe Tentations teach vs the true vse and meaning of the first Commandement the which none without Afflictions and Tentations shall rightly know or vnderstand Hereby the Prophet will teach vs that our Afflictions are but short and endures but a while The rodde of the wicked shall not lye for euer vpon the backe of the righteous The time of our trouble in holy Scripture is called sometime a Day of Triall and sometimes an Houre of Tentation As our Sauiour said to the three Disciples Mat. 26.40 Can yee not watch with mee one houre so may he say to vs all as oft as wee faint vnder trouble Can ye not suffer with me one houre It was the comfort that Athanasius gaue to the Church in his time that Iulian should be but a stormie little Cloud that would quickly passe by And it is certainely true both of the troubles and of all the instruments thereof Let vs waite a while on our God with patience and wee shall see them no more Therefore seeing the vse of afflictions and sorrowes of the godly is but for a time to exercise their faith and patience and therefore cannot be perpetuall for when the tryall is ouer the burthen must bee remooued The time of Winter is bitter and barren and cold through Frosts and Stormes but besides that it is profitable for the Earth and Plants to kill Weedes and Wormes and to mellow and rot the Ground it is a forerunner of a pleasant spring and a fruitfull haruest such is the state of the godly often here Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse sometimes departs further off and leaues the beleeuer in a wintrous estate laid open to many stormes and sad showers but besides that all this winter prepares the soyle and kils the weeds and vermine of the soule it goes before an happie spring and haruest which wil bring in fruits of righteousnesse to those that are exercised I goe away for a while and ye shall be sorrowfull but I will come againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioy shall none take away Here is then first of all a notable ground of patience in sorowes The rod of the wicked shall not lye for euer vpon the backe of the righteous And seeing God hath set the time how long they shall last and shall not exceed the appointed time This should alwayes learne vs patience yea hee hath not onely set a time of duration but also of exchanging thy sorrowes into ioy Art thou in any trouble or vnder any molestation of Satan Are wicked men vnder reproch scandall hatred persecution c it is a storme too violent to last long nay it shall bee changed into a calme into a faire and comfortable season Suppose thou bee in the Night of disgrace blacked and darkened by wicked ones as Dauid was Suppose thou haue things layd to thy charge that thou neuer knewest and art forced to repay that which thou neuer tookest yet wait still the good time after thou hast endured a little scowring all the soyle will tend to thy brightnesse and the time comes that God will make thy innocencie to breake out as the light Art thou sicke in thy Soule or pained in thy Bodie and seest no way but present Death wait the time and thou shalt meete not onely with perfect cure but perfect health also onely see thou makest Christ thy Physician God had appointed a time of Abrahams tryall for three dayes but the third day turned his sorrow into ioy in which hee had the comfort both of his sonne and his owne obedience Ionas had his appointed time of sorrow in the belly of Hell in the bottome of the Sea when hee was cast out of sight but at the end of three dayes hee was cast on the dry ground and his sorrowes and feares were turned into ioy and prayses The Theefe on the Crosse was euen in the hands of death his paines and sorrowes encreasing as hee felt his life decreasing how did our blessed Sauiour comfort him and support him with patience but with this assurance that the end was comming and a time appointed which should instantly turne that shame and sorrow into glorie and ioy This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Lazarus was not onely in the hands but in the House of Death foure dayes yet a time was appointed euen the fourth day wherein the bands of Death were to be loosed and hee restored to his former life And thus shall it be with all the Disciples of Christ whose troubles shall not last alwayes the longest they can last is but for this life and while they doe last they haue the comfort of both those Petitions of Christ first That the Father would keepe them in the World and secondly that after they be safely passed through the World and the troubles and disgrace of it They may be where himselfe is Iohn 17.24 to behold his glory This serues to comfort the godly in their troubles that they shall be preserued in them and from them The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against them First Sathan the red Dragon may create them trouble so that they shall want no molestation that hee can procure them but hee cannot hinder their deliuerance nor without leaue hinder their peace no nor touch an haire of their head Secondly the wicked of the World will see they want no tryals or vexation but on the contrary God will see they shall not want seasonable deliuerance hee will not leaue him in his hand And although such is their inbred malice that they would neuer take off their Rods from the backes of the godly yet God will not suffer the Rod of the vngodly alway to lye on the lot of the righteous Thirdly Psal 37.8 if their owne sinnes beset them hard and so dismay them as though they should neuer get freedome And this is the strongest band of all which tyeth them to trouble and all other troubles were but a play so that the heart were perswaded of the pardon of Sinne as the Saints in sicknesse of Conscience
haue heard of the Patience of Iob and haue seene the End which the Lord made and that the Lord is very mercifull and full of pittie Hee that shall set himselfe to consider in his mind how poore Ioseph was handled and sold of his Brethren and how refusing to consent to the shamefull request of his Mistresse hee was cast into Prison and kept there two yeeres surely a man would take pittie on him as on a miserable person But let vs see the accomplishment of the Worke of God Let vs consider him by this meanes exalted to the Gouernment of all the Kingdome of Egypt and then wee shall count him happie aboue all If wee behold Iesus Christ mocked scourged crowned with Thornes crucified betweene two Theeues who would not be offended that the Prince of Glory and Sauiour of the World should be so handled But let vs behold him risen againe ascended into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of God aboue all Principalities and Power and wee will admire and prayse the Worke of God Hee that neuer saw a Haruest seeing the Plough-man taking much paines to tyll the Earth to spread it with Dung and after to cast faire Wheat into the Field so tylled hee would thinke that this Man were mad and that a Child were to be whipt that should doe such a thing But seeing the Haruest hee would change his minde and acknowledge that the Husbandman had done an excellent Worke. Now this is the time to Tyll to Dung and to Sowe the Haruest shall follow Let vs not change the course of the Season neyther let vs separate them the one from the other but let vs ioyne the time of the Death with the day of the Resurrection and let vs assure our selues as wee haue it in the Psalme that hauing sowed in teares wee shall reape with ioy Hee that had seene poore Lazarus full of sores Luke 16.9 at the Gate of the Rich man and the Rich man at the Table in all Delights and Pleasures hee would not haue chosen to be Lazarus but the Rich man but if tarrying a while hee saw the Soule of Lazarus carried straight by the Angels into Heauen and the Rich mans Soule goe to Hell hee would change his minde and would desire to be Lazarus Let vs then derest the glistering state of cursed Riches and let vs account of the poore and afflicted Condition of the Lazarusses of our Time wayting to bee carryed vp into euerlasting glorie The wicked haue nothing in Heauen nor wee in the World Blessed is the man saith Dauid whom the Lord instructeth by the power of his Spirit and by the Doctrine of his Law to haue contentment and rest in the time of aduersitie while the Graue is digged for the vngodly for the end of his felicitie Not to feare death Yea if we were called to suffer Death for the Name of Christ what other thing is this Death but after a long Conflict the day of Victorie the Birth of a blessed Soule after a great Trauell the Hauen desired after so furious Tempests the end of a dangerous and troublesome Voyage the healing of all Wounds and Sicknesses the deliuerance from all feare and terror the accomplishment of our Sanctification the gate of Heauen the entrance into Paradise the taking possession of the Inheritance of the Father the Day of our Marriage with the Lambe and the enioying of our Desires Who is then among vs who feeling with Saint Paul the Bondage of sinne would not crye out with him Alas wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this Body of Death And feeling the good that Death bringeth vnto vs will not also say with him I desire to bee dissolued Rom. 7.24 and to bee with Christ If Death vvherewith God threatened our first Parents is a feeling of the Wrath of God in the Soule and in the Body because of Sinne wee may well say that Death and Life are two Twinnes vnited and knit together vntill the separation of the Soule and Body and this separation which is commonly called Death is rather the deadly stroke of Death the Body being then exempt from paine and the Soule from vice and corruption wayting vntill the rest of Death bee swallowed vp in Victorie at the day of the Resurrection First therefore it is to be considered that there is no Creature more enemie vnto Man nor more able to hurt then the Deuill and indeed he is called the Enemie the Murtherer 1. Pet. 5.8 and the roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure but the Historie of Iob sheweth plainely that God holdeth him bridled so as hee can attempt nothing nor goe eyther forward or backward more then God will permit him And this which is more hee hath not power to enter so much as into the Swine vvithout the leaue of Christ What is this then that we should feare Men Are not they also vnder the prouidence power and gouernment of God It is God said Hannah 1. Sam. 2.3 the Mother of Samuel who weigheth their Enterprises so as they cannot passe one Ounce of the Weight ordayned of God It is hee that killeth and maketh aliue againe which bringeth downe to the Pit and lifteth vp againe hee maketh poore and maketh rich hee abaseth and exalteth Psal 115.3 It is hee alone as Dauid sayth which doth whatsoeuer hee will Now wee doubt not but hee will doe that which hee hath promised vs yea and that hee hath taken vpon him to make vs happie If then the Doctrine of the Prouidence of God importeth that hee hath not onely ordayned in his eternall Councell the end and issue of his Worke which is his Glorie and the Saluation of his Elect but also the fit meanes according to his infinite VVisdome and requisite for execution and accomplishment of it Let vs be assured that there is no creature that can let or alter his VVill as Saint Paul sayth Rom. 8.30 If God be for vs who shall be against vs Let vs also be assured that whatsoeuer happeneth vnto vs it is the way whereby hee hath ordayned to leade vs to Life and euerlasting Glorie c. Secondly The end of our regeneration is that there may appeare in our Life an holy melodie and consent betweene the Righteousnesse of God and our Obedience Yee haue vnderstood here before that the desire of the heart to consecrate your selues to God is a marke of your election and adoption but see yee that this desire may shew it selfe by the workes of Godlinesse and Charitie If you make profession that yee know Christ know yee him according to the Doctrine of Saint Paul that yee haue not knowne him as yee ought if yee mortifie not the Old Man and put on the New walking in righteousnesse and true holinesse God hath drawne you out of the power of Darknesse and hath transported you into the Kingdome of his beloued Sonne Walke yee then as the Children of Light renounce this cursed
them downe to hell and deliuered them into chaynes of darkenesse to be reserued vnto Iudgement Secondly his iudgements on men Remember Lots wife Luk. 17.32 and how hee spared not the olde world 2. Pet. 2.5 bringing in a Floud vpon the world of the vngodly how hee turned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an ouerthrow and all to make them an example vnto those that after should liue vngodly Euen so the Lord knoweth how to reserue the vniust vnto the day of Iudgement to be punished 2. Pet. 2.9 10. chiefely those that walke after the flesh in the lust of vncleanenesse and despise gouernement c. Thus when Pharaoh hardened his heart against God Psal 136. the Lord caused the Red Sea to ouerthrow him 1 Sam. 15. When Saul grew rebellious and disobedient the Lord reiects him Acts 12.23 When Herod waxeth proud the Lord caused the very woormes to deuoure him When Caine played the vile hypocrites part the Lord makes him of a Prince Gen. 4. a Vagabond and a runagate vpon the face of the earth Mat. 27. When Iudas playes the hypocrite and prooues a villainous Traytor the Lord suffers him to despayre and make away himselfe When Ananias and Saphira lye vnto the holy Ghost Acts 5. they are both smitten with present death Thus if wee will seriously remember Gods iudgements for such and such sinnes euery forewarning will be a good forearming of our selues against all the sinnes of wicked and vngodly men The consideration whereof should moue vs to hasten our repentance not to liue in sinne any longer but to walke circumspectly in this present world Ephes 5.15 16. and redeeme the time because the dayes are so euill and to cease from sinne by the example of our Sauiour Christ and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world 1. Pet. 4.1 and to shun the paths of the wicked Iam. 1.27 not communicating with them in their sinnes Reuel 18.4 least wee be partakers with them in their plagues We must take heede Ioh. 5.14 and sinne no more lest worse things happen to vs. We mvst preserue our selues from sinne and watch lest that day come vpon vs vnawares and so finding vs vnprepared wee perish in our sinnes for looke how the day of death leaueth vs so shall the day of iudgement finde vs. As Salomon speaketh Eccles 1.3 Looke how the tree falleth so it lyeth This is a dutie indeede both befitting the times wherein wee liue as also best beseeming not onely our Christian Profession but an holy conuersation also which appeares in nothing more than in ceasing to doe euill and rising vp to newnesse of life and therefore as being the onely and principall duetie required Paul perswadeth it chiefely saying Phil. 1.28 Onely let your conuersation bee as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ Now wee cannot adorne the Gospell more then by preseruing our selues from the wayes of sinne and keeping our selues in the wayes of God neyther can we disgrace the Gospell more than by forsaking the wayes of God and liuing in our sinnes Verse 6. Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler the snare is broken and wee are escaped THe Prophet amplifieth yet further by a third similitude the great perils and dangers of the faithfull being in the hands of their enemies as a bird that is taken in the snare is in the hands of the Fowler and yet notwithstanding they escape by the mightie power of God Euery tentation is a snare whether it be of the flesh or of the spirit persecutions torments imprisonment slander diseases and infirmities of the body bee snares which as they are permitted of God to exercise and strengthen our faith so by the malice of Sathan they are wrought to afflict and vexe Man that hee may bring them to infideltie and desperation and so into the snares of eternall death from the which snares but by the speciall grace of God there is no way to escape therefore saith Salomon Pro. 3.26 The Lord shall bee for thy confidence hee shall support and sustaine thy hope he shall encourage and establish thy heart and shall keepe thy foote from taking because it is an olde custome for the wicked to lay snares and spreade nets for the feet of the godly and as common a thing as for Fowlers and Hunters to set snares and traps for birds and beasts therefore the Lord doth graciously deliuer his from being taken in the same and when he himselfe doth lay his nets and his ginnes for the vngodly he will most prouidently take order that his owne be not intangled therein The like Allegory is vsed by the Prophet for the same purpose Psal 91.3 Surely hee shall deliuer thee from the snare of the Fowler and from the noysome pestilence True godlinesse will endure great tontations True godlinesse endureth great tentations euen as trees well rooted abides the blastes of strong windes and gold that is fine abides the tryall of fire Many wayes was Dauid tempted and among the rest the wicked by troupes and multitudes combinde themselues against him yet did he not forsake the Lawe of the Lord. Hereby may wee discerne a sanctified crosse from a cursed The crosse which makes thee better then thou wast how sharpe soeuer it bee if it worke a correction in thee thou mayst bee sure it is a blessing It is commonly in the mouths of many when they are in trouble we must thanke God for his correction But alas how can that be called a correction which corrects thee not if thou bee not corrected with Dauid thou hast matter of griefe in thy trouble but none of Ioy and so canst not say with Dauid Psal 119. it is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted Affliction in it one nature is euill being a punishment of sinne but the Lord who changed the bitter waters of Marah and made them sweete vnto Israell hath also changed to his children the nature of the crosse that not onely they find comfort in it but most happy effects are wrought in them by it And this being a prerogatiue of Gods children namely that euill shall be turned to their good as good to euill to the wicked be be not dismayed in afflictions but comfort thy selfe in the Lord thy God and in this that the prsent affliction tendeth vnto and endeth in good because it brings foorth the fruites of vnfeigned righteousnesse 3. things we see in trouble better then in prosperitie In trouble we see three things better then in prosperity First how prouident mercifull true the Lord is Secondly how weake miserable our selues are Thirdly how false and changeable the world is besides all these it is an effâ—ctuall meanes whereby the Lord beates downe the pride of nature and humbles for our sins Hagar was prowde and blinde in Abrahams house but in the wildernesse shee is
can confesse But Sinne shall slay the vngodly Psal 34.24 As for the righteous the promise is though they fall they are not cast off Not that their sinne doth not deserue they should but because the Lord puts vnder his hand and reneweth his grace to rayse them to repentance Moreouer wee are here admonished of the great danger that followeth these Afflictions and Tentations which they that through impatience forsake the Word and Faith doe fall into Therefore the Lord here sheweth himselfe so carefull for his people lest they should fall into this danger for their state which haue once forsaken the Word is much more perillous then it was before and into such as our Sauiour Christ pronounceth in the Gospell doe enter seuen Spirits much more wicked then the first Luk. 11.26 Wee must therefore patiently suffer and perseuere in all Tentations and rather abide all extremities then once shrinke from the Word of Life lest wee bee possessed with seuen Spirits more wicked then the first And moreouer wee must assuredly trust as wee are taught in this Verse that so long as wee haue a desire and a purpose so to doe the Lord will neuer forsake vs or suffer vs to fall into this impietie For heere haue wee a manifest promise and a liuely description of the Lords singular care and prouidence ouer vs namely that hee is mindfull of the end of our tentations and afflictions so that wee onely continue constant and patient vnto the end And if that Heathen Poet sayd Endure and reserue your selues for more happie things Virgil. how much more should Christians diligently stirre vp themselues with mutuall exhortations to patience and perseuerance whether they outwardly suffer in things pertayning to the Bodie and to this present Life or inwardly in Conscience For wee haue a God which euen in Death in Hell and in the middest of all our Sinnes can saue and deliuer vs. A Christian therefore must bee readily prepared not onely with strength to stand against the enemy but with stedfast purpose also to continue vnto the end For he runneth not in such a race wherein there is any end of his course during this life but he runneth as it were in a circle in the which hee must haue a continuall recourse thither where he first began Our course and race is as it were in a circle which hath no end therefore our Sauiour Christ saith He that continueth to the end he shall be saued We must not be then discouraged by the importunitie of our enemy or ouercome with tediousnesse and long continuance but wee must fight not onely against the power and subtiltie of our enemie but also against our owne weaknesse and wearinesse for as in them who wrastle with any equall strength sometimes the one is aboue and sometimes the other till at length one bee ouercome So is it in this combat in the Christian somtimes the power of nature othertimes the power of grace preuailing but this comfort we haue that at the length grace shall preuaile and the power of corrupt nature shall bee captiued vnder the obedience of Christ Hence we learne that it is not enough for a man or woman to begin well or to take some liking of religion as to reuerence Gods Ministers to desire to heare them to ioyne with the people of God in prayer to bring forth some good fruit in outward reformatioÌ„ of life c. vnlesse he perseuere persist and go on vnto the end He that endures to the end shal be saued Mat. 24.13 Reu. 2.10 And be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life If a righteous man leaue his righteousnes c. he that puts his hand to the Lords plough Eze. 18.24 Luke 2.21 and looketh back is not worthy of the kingdome of heauen Againe It had beene better for them that they had neuer knowne the wayes of godlinesse then afterwards to fall away 2. Pet. 2.21 And therefore in the Scriptures such as haue had some beginning and after fallen away are noted to haue bene exceeding wicked men as we see in Iudas Math. 27. First a Preacher and an Apostle a man well esteemed that had excellent gifts to preach pray and cast out Diuels afterward an hypocrite a theefe a traytor a reprobate Herod had many things in him at first reuerenced Iohn Baptist heard him gladly did many things at his request yet afterwards a bloody persecuter Demas once a sound professour as it seemed and one that was deere vnto Paul but afterwards left his profession and fell in loue with the world c. and therefore it is a speciall dutie required of euery Christian to continue stedfast Be thou faithfull vnto the end 〈◊〉 2.26 and I will giue thee a Crowne of life Hence we see that it is a dangerous thing to reuolt and goe backward in matters of religion to lose our first loue It is a fearefull signe of a reprobate and cast away when men slacke hand and slip necke out of chollar grow carelesse in the seruice and worship of God for a man to grow there is some hope though hee doe but creepe in religion but for a man to goe backeward or to stand at a stay is dangerous for it is certaine Not to go forward in Gods matters is to goe backeward not to increase is to decrease not to grow better is to waxe worse it is a hard matter to make a good beginning Wee are not easily brought to set one foote forward in the waies of godlinesse but then to trip while we are in our iourney and to waxe weary of wel doing This is a fearefull sinne Let this admonish vs all Mat. 24.13 as wee doe loue our owne soules to labour for constancie and perseuerance that we may hold out vnto the end that our workes may bee more at last then at first Râ—â— â— that we be sure to dig so deepe that we lay the foundation of our faith vpon the rocke Christ and for want of this godly care and circumspection â—forehand many haue at the first giuen their names to Christ who afterwards when they were to take vp the Crosse of Christ haue gone out and turned their backes vpon Christ Saul began well but afterwards he waxed worse and in the end became an open persecutour Ioash behaued himselfe vprightly of the Lord. But after his death he fell into Idolatrie What did it profit Lots Wife to goe out of Sodome insomuch as afterward she looked backe and was turned into a pillar of Salt So then wee see here that it is not enough to begin well neither is it enough to proceede well It is required of vs to perseuer well and to continue in a constant and setled course euen to the end So that if wee looke to partake of eternall life and happinesse for euer with God Reu. 2.10 We must be constant in the profession of his truth in all