2 Thef.2.10.-Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be faved. V.11. For this caufe God shall fend them strong delafions, that they should believe a lie. V.12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighte onfnesse. Rev.2.14. I have a few things against thee,becaufe thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam, whe taught Balak to cast a stumbling black before the children of Ifrael, to eat things facrificed to Idols, and to commit fornication. V.15. So haft thou alfo them that hold the Do Etrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. V.20. I have a few things against thee, because thon fuffereft that woman Fezebel, which calleth her felf a Propheteffe, to teach and to feduce my fervants to commit fornication, and to eat things facrificed unto Idols.

2 Pet.3.17. Te therefore beloved, feeing ye know thefe things before, beware left ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked, fall from your omn stedfastneffe.

V.18. But grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Fefus Chrift. Jude v.24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to prefent you faultleß before the prefence of his Glory with exceeding joy. V.25. To the only wife God our Saviour be Glory and Majefty, Dominion and Power, now and

ever. Amen.

I

I have now dispatched the second Particular, The things thou art to watch againft. I come now to the third, the thing thou must watch for.

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Thirdly, Watch for, and take all fit opportunities to glorifie God, and to do good. This to be like our bleffed Lord and Saviour, who went about doing good, and made every place (where he came) the better for him, How much good may a feafonable word dropt for God, do? A fin wifely reproved, and difcountenanced; a good hint well improved, fome good counsel seafonably given, of how much advantage to the foules of others may these things prove? This is to be on Gods fide, and true to his party. We fay, A wife man makes more opportunities than he finds, but a fool neglect etb thofe he has: It should be our real defign in all companies, either to do good, or to receive good; And this will turn to a comfortable account in the day of recompences.

I come now to the Motives, to quicken thee to this great and neceffary duty of continuall watchfulneffe.

First, Confider how naturally we are all prone to be fecure and careleffe; and want of watchFulneffe betraies us to most of the fins, we fall into.

Secondly, Confider the vigilancy of the tempter. Shall he be fo watchful to deftroy us, and

fhall

shall not we be watchful to keep our felves from his malice?

devour.

1 Pet.5.8. Befober, be vigilant, because your ad verfary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, fecking whom he may Eph.6.11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to ftand against the wiles of the devil.

Thirdly, Confider the neceffity of perfeverance, whereunto, a concurrence of our care, and diligence is required.

Whofo endureth to the end, faith our Saviour, Matth.10.22. he and he only shall be faved. Let us all run with patience, faies the Apostle, the race that is fet before us,Heb.12.1. Now in worldly races none gaineth the prize, but he that getteth first to the goal; but in the fpiritual race,not only he that cometh firft, but whofo holdeth out to the laft, he is fure to win and obtain the prize. Be faithful to the death, and I will give thee the Crown of life, faies our Saviour, Rev,2.10. 'Tis to no purpose therefore for a man to do well for a fpurt,and then to give over,& break off that good courfe he was entred into; for 'tis perfeverance in well doing, that carrieth away the Crows, 'Tis true, Gods called and fanctified people are preferved and kept in their fate of Grace and Holiness by the power of God; by their clofe union with Fefus Chrift; by vertue of his merits and constant

interceffion for them; and alfo by a continued influence from the Spirit, maintaining the effence, life and feed of Grace in them; fo that they shall neither totally nor finally fall away. Yet obferve thefe four things. 1. Seeming Grace may be lost ; Take from him that which he hath, Mat.25.28. In Lake 'cis, Take from him, that which he feemeth to have, Chap.8.v.18. Blazing Comets, and Meteors are foon spent, and fall from Heaven, while true Stars keep their Orbe and Station 2. The common work of the Spirit may fail: Such as is fpoken of Heb.6.4,5. viz. Illumination, external reformation, temporary Faith, a flight taft of the comforts of the Gospel, a weak glance upon the Glory of Heaven, which may poffibly ftir up fuch a wifh as was in Balaam, O that I might die the death of the righteous; Nay further, there may be a partaking of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, ie. of abilities for holy duties, (though not of his renewing Graces) And yet fuch plenty of bloffoms as here are, may fomtimes be without fruit. 3. True Grace may fuffer a fhrewd decay; the leaves may fail, though there may remain fome life in the root: We read in Scripture of a decay both of Faith, Love, and obedience. Some left their firft Faith, 1 Tim.5.12. Others left their first Love, Rev.2.4. And as for obedience, we read of the first waies of David, as diftinguished from his latter, 2 Chron. 27.3. because David in his latter time fell into

fcandalous

fcandalous fins. In temptations, Gods children may be forely fhaken: Their heel may be bruifed as Chrifts was, though their head be not crushed. The operations of Grace may be obftructed for a time; and yet a feed remain, as in the cafe of David. 4. True Grace, if left to us, would foon be loft. Adam fhewed a fad example of this in innocency: But the best is, our fecurity lies in Gods power and promises, and our union with Chrift (as was faid before) not in our own ftrength. Chrift hath a charge to keep the Saints fafe, and to conduct them safe to everlasting Glory, John 10.28, 1 give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, &c. V.29. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand, I and my Father are one. God and Christ are engaged in the keeping of them. But obferve it, Those whom God causes to perfevere, he makes to perfevere in the use of meanes, as 'twas in their cafe. As 27.31. All fball come to land, but except ye abide in the fhip, ye cannot be fafe.No believer is fo fure of his continuance in a ftate of Grace, as that he needeth not be very wary, and watchful, and jealous over himself, 1 Cor.10.12. Let him that standeth, take heed left he fall. There is a fear of cauti on, as well as a fear of diffidence and distrust, 'tis good to weaken and abate the fecurity of our flesh, though not our confidence in Christ. Our

Saviour