magnificent ones noble ones glorious ones wonderful ones O Sirs there are some Saints that are magnificent in grace noble in grace glorious in grace wonderful in grace Now this is certain if grace be the true reason why we love any then the more excellent the more magnificent any are in grace Psal 15.4 the more highly we shall prize them and the more dearly we shall love them and the more abundantly in our hearts we shall honour them Look as grace rises higher and higher in the same person so we shall rise higher and higher in our love to the same person Dan. 9.23 John 21.20 Daniel was greatly beloved and Iohn was singularly beloved and why but because they were more eminently gracious than others were Where there is most grace there God is most honoured and there Christ is most exalted and there the Spirit is best pleased and there Religion is most adorned and there Satan is most dethroned and there the world is most conquered and there sin is most subdued and there duties are most exactly performed and therefore there the gracious soul can't but love best and most There are some that seem to love such and such godly men whose judgments are weak and light little and parts low and grace small who yet look with a squint eye an envious eye upon every Sun that outshines their own upon every ones graces and excellencies that are more sparkling than their own Though pride and envy have received their deaths-wound at the souls first conversion yet they are not quite slain in a believer there is an aptness even in real Saints Luk. 7.16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. to grudge and repine at those gifts graces and excellencies in others that outshine their own John's disciples muttered and murmured because Christ had more followers and admirers than John and that spirit that lived in John's disciples is still alive to this very day This is and this must be for a lamentation Well Sirs look as the fairest day hath its clouds the finest linnen its spots the richest jewels their flaws the sweetest fruits their worms so when many precious Christians are not themselves when they are in an hour of temptation when their corruptions are up and their graces down they may and too often do Num. 11.29 envy and repine at those graces excellencies and abilities that do over-cast cloud Heb. 12.15 darken and outshine their own The best of men are but men at the best and there is still those bitter roots of pride vain-glory self-love envy c. remaining in them that occasions their hearts to rise and swell yea sometimes to cast disgrace upon those excellencies in others that themselves want As that great man that could not write his own name Eusebius speaks of him in his Ecclesiastical Histâ—ry c. and yet called the liberal Arts A publick Poyson and Pestilence This spiritual disease is mostly to be found among Christians that are got into some of the highest forms in Christianity take your ordinary common Christians and they commonly rejoyce most where they see most grace And so do your Christians in a higher form too when they come to themselves and to make up their accounts and have wept over those cursed roots of bitterness that are so apt to be sprouting out Now there is no greater argument that our grace is true and that we do love others for grace sake than our loving them best that have most grace though they have but little of the world A pearl is rich if found on a dunghil though it may glister more when set in a ring of gold so many a poor believer is rich in grace and precious and glorious in the eye of Christ and should be so in ours though like Job he sits upon a dunghil though in the eyes of the world he may seem to glister most when adorned with riches honour and outward pomp If grace be the true reason why we love any person then the more grace that person hath the more we shall love him A godly man loves all that are godly but he loves them most that excel most in the power purity and practise of godliness c. But Sixthly and lastly True love to the Saints is constant 't is permanent John 13.1 15.12 c. 1 Cor. 13.8 Love never faileth Heb. 13.1 Let brotherly love continue 'T is a love like that of Christ's who loved his to the end 1 Joh. 4.16 He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Our love to our brother must not only lodge with us a night and away but we must dwell in brotherly love Look as our love must be sincere without hypocrisie so it must be constant without deficiency that love was never true that is not constant true love like the pulse will still be beating it will still be working and running out to the person beloved true love will not fawn upon a Christian when high and frown upon him when low it will not kiss him upon the throne and kick him upon the dunghil The grounds and causes of their love are constant viz. God's commands their spiritual relations and the truth of grace in their souls and therefore their love can't but be constant Prov. 17.17 Christian friendship makes such a knot that great Alexander cannot cut c. A friend saith Solomon loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity Euripides hit it when he said That a faithful friend in adversity is better than a calm Sea to a weather-beaten Mariner He that truly loves will love in adversity as well as in prosperity in storms as well as in calms in winter nights as well as in Summer dayes he that sincerely loves the Saints he will love them as well when men frown upon them as when they smile upon them as well when men strike them as when they stroke them as well when men cast them down as when they lift them up as well when men cry Crucifie them crucifie them as when they cry Hosanna Hosanna to them Consalvus a Spanish Bishop and Inquisitor wondred how the Christians had that Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self so indelibly printed in their hearts that no torture could blot it out and make them confess and betray one another or cease from loving one another Hieron I have read of one Ursinus a Christian Physician who being to suffer Martyrdom for the Gospel of Christ began to waver and faint which when Vitalis a holy man saw he stept to him and though he knew it would cost him his life yet he thus comforted and encouraged him saying What have ye been heretofore so industrious to preserve mens bodies and will you now shrink at the saving of your own soul Be couragious fear not c. For which faithful counsel he also was condemned to death and suffered accordingly Ruth 1. A true friend is neither
he takes yet it 's his purpose in his journey to rest there at night or as it is with a man that comes to Church his end is to hear the Word of the Lord yet in every word he hears spoken he hath not the thought of his end upon his spirit but he is there by vertue of his first intention So here though in every particular there be not an intention of spirit to level this or that action to the glory of God yet it is the main drift and habitual scope of a mans spirit that Gods glory may be the end of all his actions Thirdly There is a mediate and there is an immediate eying or looking to the glory of God as when I forbear such or such a sin because God by such a command hath forbidden it or I do such or such a duty because God hath commanded it Now in eying of the command of God I eye the glory of God immediately though not mediately But Fourthly In some particular or special cases I ought actually to eye the glory of God As 1. In some eminent or extraordinary service that I am to do for Christ Or 2. In some special testimony that I am call'd to give for Christ or his Gospel Or 3. In some great thing that I am call'd to suffer for Christ or his Gospel or his interest But Fifthly The more a Christian actually eyes the glory of God in all he does the more 1. He glorifies God 2. The neerer you are the life of heaven and the more you act like the glorious Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect 3. The more will be your joy comfort and peace both in life and death and in the day of your account 4. The more strong will be your confidence and assurance that your spiritual estate is good and that you shall be saved for ever 5. The better you will be able to bear up under all the false hard and sowre censures of this world 6. The more you will be temptation proof 7. The more glorious and weighty will be your crown of glory at last he shall be highest in heaven who has actually aimed most at the glory of God in this lower world And thus you see how you may know whether your obedience is such an obedience as springs from faith or 〈◊〉 Now if upon trial you shall find that your obedience is the obedience of faith then you may safely and groundedly conclude that you have a saving work of God upon your hearts But Fourthly A gracious heart is an uniform heart Ubiquity is a sure evidence of integrity He that is truly good will be good in bad times and in the worst of places Psal 119.112 1 John 3.9 Hosea 6 4. principles of grace and holiness are lasting yea everlasting they are not like the morning cloud nor the early dew A gracious soul will be steddy and fixed in his principles in the worst times in the worst places and under variety of dispensations let times and places be what they will he will not dishonour his God nor blemish his profession nor wound his conscience to preserve his safety or to secure his liberty An upright man is a right man So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jashar is rendred by the Septuagint Judg. 17.6 He is one that will not be bowed or bent by the sinful customs or examples of the times and places where he lives Gen. 6.9 Abraham was righteous in Chaldea and Noah was perfect in his generation though it was the worst in the world and Lot was just in Sodom Job 1. and Job was upright in the Land of Uzz which was a place of much prophaness and superstition and Nehemiah was couragious and zealous in Damasco and Daniel was holy yea eminently and exemplarily holy in Babylon The several generations wherein these holy men lived were wholly devoted to wickedness and superstition and yet these precious gracious souls had wholly devoted themselves to the Lord and his service Psal 119.20 So David My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times Let the times be never so dangerous licentious superstitious idolatrous or erronious yet David's heart was strongly carried forth to Gods judgments that is to his Word for under this title Judgments you are to understand the whole Word of God So there were some in Sardis that were of the same spirit with the worthies last mentioned Rev. 3.4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Psal 119.1 2 3. In polluting times pure hearts will keep themselves pure a holy heart will keep himself undefiled even in defiling times Rev. 14.4 These are they which were not defiled with women when others are besmeared all over Dan. 3.17 18 19 20. he will keep his garments white and clean The three Children or rather the three Champions were so highly resolved to keep themselves pure from the abominations of their day that it was neither Nebuchadnezzars musick that would flatter them nor his fiery furnace that could scare them from their God or from their Duty or from their Religion Let the times never so often turn you shall find that he that is really holy he will be holy under every turn no turns shall turn him out of a way of holiness Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger The Lawrel keeps its freshness and greeness in the Winter season a gracious soul is semper idem let the wind Psal 125.1 and the world and the times turn which way they will a gracious soul for the main will still be the same he is like mount Zion which cannot be removed Job 27.5 6. Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me my righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live A gracious heart is in some measure like the heart of God without variableness or shadow of changing That Christian that is not for substance Jam. 1.17 the same that once he was was never what he ought to be A gracious heart is firm and fixt for God and godliness both in prosperity and in adversity take him among the good or among the bad take him in storms or calms in Winter nights or in Summer dayes take him among friends or foes take him at bed or board take him in health or sickness take him in an Ordinance or out of an Ordinance take him in his work or take him at his recreations take him in his commerce or in his converse take him living or take him dying and you shall still find that the byass of his soul is still God-wards Christ-wards Holiness-wards and Heaven-wards A gracious man will stand his ground Josh 24.15 Psal 112.7 Mal. 3.6 The poor Heathen could say that
known in prosperity nor hid in adversity True love is like that of Ruth's to Naomi that of Jonathan's to David permanent and constant Job 6.15 16. Many there be whose love to the Saints is like Job's brooks which in the Winter when men have no need of them overflows with tenders of service and shews of love but when the season is hot and dry the poor thirsty traveller stands in most need of water to refresh him then the brooks are quite dried up They are like the Swallow that will stay by you in the Summer of prosperity but flie from you in the Winter of adversity It is observed by Josephus of the Samaritans Joseph Anti. lib. 11. p. 286. that when ever the Jews affairs prospered they would be their friends and profess much love to them yea they would vaunt of their alliance saying That they were near akin and of the race of Ephraim and Manasses the sons of Joseph But when the Jews were in trouble and affliction and brought to an under then they would not own them Lib. 11. p. 272. Lib. 12. p. 304. Lib. 13. p. 322 323. c. nor have any thing to do with them yea then they would set themselves with all their â—ight against them as the same Historian tells us This age is full of such Samaritans yet certainly such as truly love they will alwayes love such as truly love the people of God they will love them to the end In the primitive times it was very much taken notice of by the very Heathen that in the depth of misery when fathers and mothers forsook their children Christians otherwise strangers stuck closs one to another their love of Religion and one of another proved firmer than that of nature They seem to take away the Sun out of the world said the Orator who take away friendship from the life of man for we do not more need fire and water than constant friendship Though wicked men may pretend great love to the Saints yet their love is not constant Gen. 31.24 29. 33 1 2 3 4 5. Dan. 6. God sometimes indeed over-rules their spirits with a very strong hand as he did Laban's and Esau's or as he over-ruled the spirits of the Lions to preserve Daniel and of the Ravens to feed Elijah but so soon as that over-ruling providence is over they are as they were befoâ—e God for a time gave the Israelites favour in the eyes of the Egyptians but before and after they were their utter enemies But now a gracious soul he loves the Saints at all times his love to them is constant But Fourteenthly That soul that dares not say that he has grace yet can truly say before the Lord that he prizes the least dram of grace above ten thousand thousand worlds certainly that soul has true grace in him Doubtless there are none that can prize grace in their understandings and judgments above all the world Mic. 6.6 7. Phil. 3.18 19. Mat. 19.16 to 25. Psal 2.21 but such as are first taken out of the world by grace There is no man on earth whose heart is void and empty of grace but sets a higher value and price upon his lusts or upon his relations or upon his honours or riches or pleasures or upon this or that worldly enjoyment than he does upon grace or the fountain of grace yea how many thousands are there that set a higher price or value upon a Hound a Hawk a Horse a Harlot a good Trade a fair Estate a rich inheritance yea upon the very toyes and trifles of this world than they do upon God or Christ or grace 'T was never yet known in the world that ever God sent such a man to hell who prized grace above heaven it self who had rather have grace and holiness without heaven than heaven it self without grace and holiness Fifteenthly That soul that dares not say that his condition is good yet can say in truth of heart before the Lord that he would not change his condition with the vain carnal formal and prophane men of the world for ten thousand worlds that man is certainly for heaven and heaven is certainly for that man we may be very highly and groundedly confident that God will never cast that man to hell among devils and damned spirits at the great day who in his day of life would not chuse to be in the condition of the men of the world for as many worlds as there be men in the world Look as none meet in heaven but such as are like to like in their renewed natures principles and practises so none meet in hell but such as are like to like in their old natures Deut. 22.10 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17 18. principles and practises That God that would not suffer an Ox to be yoked with an Ass in this world nor a Believer with an Infidel will never suffer such to be yoked with devils and damned reprobates in that lower world who would not to gain many worlds be willingly yoked with wicked men in this world certainly they shall never be a Christians companions in that other world whose society and company and whose wickedness and baseness have been a grief a torment a hell to him in this world Psal 119.53 136. Jer. 9.1 2. Ezek. 9.4 6. 2 Pet. 2.7 8. When Mrs. Katherine Brettergh was upon her dying bed and most grievously assaulted by temptations in the midst of her sore conflicts this was no small support and comfort to her That surely God would not send her to hell to live for ever among such wicked persons whose company and whose sin was a burden to her in this world c. But Sixteenthly James 3.2 Eccles 7.20 Prov. 20.7 Joh. 1.1 8. That soul that dares not say that he does not sin For in many things we offend all and there is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not and who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin And if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us yet can say in uprightness before the Lord that he would not willingly resolutely maliciously wilfully wickedly and hab tually sin against the Lord to gain a world that soul that don 't nor won't through grace assisting Psal 119.1 3. 1 John 3.9 allow himself or indulge himself in a course of sin or in a trade of 〈◊〉 in the common practise of any known sin that soul is certainly a gracious soul Rom. 7.15 The evil that I do I allow not 'T is one thing for a man to sin 't is an other thing for a man to allow himself in sin 't is one thing for a godly man to step into a sin Psal 139 24. and 't is another thing to keep the road of sin Search me and try me and see if there be any way of wickedness in me or as the
his pride his hardness his obdurateness his envy his malice his hatred c. but he cryes out take away the judgment take away the judgment take away the frogs take away the lice take away the caterpillars c. But under all these dreadful and amazing judgments that he was under such a word as this never fell from his lips take away my sin O Lord take away my sins thy judgments do terrifie me but my sins will damn me and therefore what ever becomes of my life kingdom and crown take away my sins and save my soul David saw sin to be a greater evil than flying before his enemies or than famine or pestilence was and therefore he desires rather to be rid of his sins than to be rid of the punishment that was due to his sin but Pharaoh saw no such evil in sin and therefore he cryes out take away the plague take away the plague And Job upon the dunghil cryes out I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men Job Job 7.20 does not cry out O I have lost all my substance I am bereaved of all my children I am set as naked upon the dunghil as ever I was born my friends reproach me my wife tempts me to curse my God which is ten thousand times worse than to curse my self Satan persecutes me and God has not only forsaken me but is also become a severe enemy to me c. Job cryes out of his sin and not of his sufferings a deep sense of his sins swallows up as it were all sense of his sufferings And so that great Apostle Paul does not cry out O wretched man that I am that bonds attend me in every place and that I have neither house nor home to go to and that I am despised scorned reproached and persecuted and that I am accounted factious seditious rebellious erronious and that I am lookt upon as the off-scouring of the world c. O no but he cryes out of his sin O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7.23 24. So the Prophet Micah I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned Micah 7.9 Though of all burdens the indignation of the Lord be the greatest burden yet divine indignation is but a light burden in comparison of sin A gracious soul can better stand under the burden of God's indignation for sin than it can stand under the burden of sin it self which hath kindled that indignation c. Thirdly Godly sorrow is a great sorrow 't is a superlative sorrow 't is a sad and serious sorrow a sincere mourning is a deep mourning it springs from serious and deep apprehensions of the great anger and deep displeasure of God and of the woful nature demerit burden bitterness vileness and filthiness of sin c. The blessed Scripture seems to make godly sorrow a superlative sorrow calling it a great mourning like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo and a bitterness as one is in for his first-born Zech. 12.10 11. And so the Church My bowels are troubled within me mine heart is turned within me for I have grievously reâ—elled Lamen 1.20 And David watered his couch with his tears Psal 6.6 And Mary Magdalen wept much as Well as she loved much Luke 7. And Peter went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26. ult Clement observes that all the time that Peter lived after this great fall he would every night when he heard the cock crow fall upon his knees and weep bitterly Hosea 7.14 Look as shallow brooks make the greatest noise so hypocrites and formalists may howl and roar and cry and make more noise than the true penitent but yet the sorrow of a true penitent is more inward secret solid still and deep As you know the deepest Rivers run most silently and make least noise so the deepest sorrow makes least noise The mourning of repenting souls Ezek. 7.16 Isa 51.20 Isa 59.11 under the apprehensions of their sins is like the mourning of Doves but the mourning of wicked men under the apprehension of their sins is like the bellowing of Bulls and roaring of Bears Fourthly A sincere mourning is an extensive mourning 't is an universal mourning Godly sorrow and grief extends it self not only to some sins but to all sins great and small Look as a holy heart hates all sin so a holy heart mourns over all sin that it sees and knows to be sin God hates one sin as well as another and he has forbid one sin as well as another and he has revealed his wrath from heaven against one sin as well as another and he is provoked by one sin as well as another and Christ is crucified by one sin as well as another and the Spirit is grieved as well by one sin as by another and the Gospel is reproached by one sin as well as another and the conscience is wounded by one sin as well as another and Satan is gratified by one sin as well as another and wicked mens mouths are opened by one sin as well as another and young comers on in Religion are stumbled grieved and offended by one sin as well as another and the soul is endangered by one sin as well as another An unsound heart may mourn for great sins that make great wounds in his conscience and credit and that leave a great blot upon his name or that waste or rot his body or destroy his estate or that expose him to publick scorn and shame c. Prov. 5 8-14 but for sins of omission for wandring thoughts idle words deadness coldness slightness in religious duties and services unbelief secret pride self-confidence and a thousand more such gnats as these he can swallow without any remorse But now godly sorrow is of a general extent it mourns as well for small sins as for great Davids heart smote him as well for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment as it did for killing of Uriah with the sword A gracious soul weeps over many sins that none can charge upon him but God and his own conscience Psal 19.12 O cleanse thou me from secret faults Yea let me say that godly sorrow and grief extends not only to a man 's own sins but also to the sins of others as well as his own Ezek. 9.4 5. And this you may see also in David Psal 119.53 136 158. And in Jeremiah Jer. 9.1 2 3. And in Paul Phil. 3.18 And in Lot 2 Pet. 2.7 8. And if you please to turn to my Treatise on Holiness you may see seven special arguments for this their practise Page 139 to pag. 145. and therefore a touch in this place may suffice Fifthly Godly sorrow is a lasting sorrow 't is a durable sorrow as long as a Christian continues sinning he can't but continue mourning David's sins were alwayes before him Psal 51.3 though his Absalom nor his Bathsheba were not
do well to be angry even unto death And that is very considerable that Job speaks concerning his friends Job 19.3 These ten times have ye reproached me yet are ye not ashamed It is a sin to reproach any man it is a greater to reproach a godly man but yet greater to reproach a godly man under sad and sore afflictions but yet greatest of all to reproach a godly man under his sufferings often frequently yet saith Job These ten times have ye reproached me and yet Job's friends were not only godly but eminently godly By this sad instance 't is evident that gracious men yea that men eminently gracious may fall into the same sin again and again yea ten times that is often Though Christ told his disciples that his kingdom was not of this world John 18.36 Mat. 18.1 2 3 4. Mark 9 34. Luke 9.46 22.24 26. yet at three several times their pride and ambitious humour put them upon striving for preheminence and worldly greatness King Jehoshaphat though he was a godly man yet he joyns affinity with that non such wicked Ahab for which he was smartly reproved by the Prophet 2 Chron. 19.2 And Jehu went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord. Now though this gracious Prince was thus reproved and saved even by a miracle of mercy 2 Chron. 18.1 2 3 30 31. compared yet soon after he falls into the same sin again and joyns himself with Ahaziah King of Israel who did very wickedly 2 Chron. 20.35 36. and for which he is severely reproved in verse 37. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavan of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying because thou hast joyned thy self with Ahaziah the Lord hath broken thy works and the Ships were broken that they were not able to go to Tarshish Let was twice overcome with wine c. and Abraham though the father of the faithful yet falls once and again into the same sin Gen. 12.11 12 Mat. 26. Gal. 2.11 12 13 13. compared with Chap. 20 1 2 3 4 13. Peter falls once and again into the same sin and John twice worshipped the Angel and Sampson who is by the Spirit of the Lord numbred amongst those Worthies of whom this world was not worthy Heb. 11.32 33 38. fell again and again into the same gross sin as is evident in the 14 15 16. Chapters of the book of Judges And the Church confesses that their backslidings are many Jer. 14.7 By all which 't is most evident that good men may fall again and again into the same sin and no wonder for though their repentance be never so sincere and sound yet their graces are but weak and their mortification but imperfect in this life and therefore 't is possible for a gracious soul to fall again and again into the same sin if the fire be not wholly put out who will think it impossible that it should catch and burn again and again I readily grant that the Lord hath graciously promised to heal the backslidings of his people Hosea 14.4 and so Jer. 3.22 See Jer. 3.1 4 5 6 7 8 12 14. Return ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God But I can no where find in all the Scriptures that God hath engaged himself by any particular promise or promises that Christians truly converted truly penitent shall never fall again and again into the same sins after their conversion I cannot find in all the book of God where God has engaged himself to give such strength or power against this sin or that as that a Christian shall be for ever in this life put out of all possibility of falling again and again into the same sins No person on earth can shew such a promise that when a Christian has been thus or thus troubled grieved humbled or melted for his sins that then God will assuredly preserve him from ever falling into the same sins again The sight of such a promise under God's own hand would be as life from the dead to all real Christians who fear nothing more than the sin of backsliding Certainly there is no such power or infinite vertue in the greatest horrors or terrors troubles or sorrows that the soul can be under for sin nor in the fullest sweetest or choicest discoveries of God's rich grace and free love to the soul as for ever to fence and secure the soul from relapsing into the same sin again and again Though grace be a glorious creature yet 't is but a creature grace is but a created habit that may be prevailed against by Satans temptations and by the strong secret and subtile workings of sin in our hearts But this must be carefully minded and remembred that though the Saints may and do sometimes relapse yet they do not relapse in such a manner as wicked men do relapse For First They do not relapse voluntarily but involuntarily Involuntary relapses are when the resolution and full bent of the heart is against sin when the soul strives with all its might against sin by sighs and groans by prayers and tears and yet by some invincible weakness is forced to fall back into sin again because there is not spiritual strength enough to overcome Secondly They do not relapse out of choice as wicked men do Isa 66.3 Thirdly They don't relapse out of any delight that they take in relapsing witness their sad complaints their great lamentations and their bitter mournings over their relapses Relapses into diseases and relapses into sins are more troublesom and dangerous than they are any wayes delightful to all that are in their wits Fourthly They don't relapse out of any setled purpose or resolution of heart to relapse as wicked men do Jer. 2.25 All the relapses of a Saint are against the setled bent byass and resolution of his soul Fifthly They don't relapse out of any love or longing to relapse as wicked men do who long and love to return to the flesh-pots of Egypt Sixthly They don't relapse into enormities as wicked men do for 't is not usual with God to leave his people frequently to relapse into enormities for by his spirit and grace by his smiles and frowns by his word and rod he doth commonly preserve his people from a common a frequent relapsing into enormities into gross wickednesses The common and ordinary relapses of the people of God are relapses into infirmities as idle words passion hastiness rashness vain thoughts c. and these God pardons in course but the common and ordinary relapses of wicked men are relapses into enormities into gross impieties Seventhly They don't relapse habitually constantly as wicked men do their relapses are transient not permanent they are not of course A Sheep may fall into the mire but a swine wallows in the mire c. But secondly