Numb.

fufe to give any thing, or if he gives fomething, why may he not give what he pleases alfo? He may give fpecial grace to one, and that which is not fo to another: he may open Baalams eyes, and open Lydia's heart; he may give some but a taste, and Acts 16. caufe fome to eat abundantly. He may fuffer fome to fall away, and Cant. 5. 1. keep others by his power, through faith unto falvation.

24.3.

14.

Heb. 6.

2. Befides, Gods withdrawing, to wit, of those common workings, if they were withdrawn without a caufe given (which yet I queftion) yet why may they not be withdrawn from thefe, as well as from his own peculiar ones. He knows but little, that doth not know that God oft times hides his face from his own, and alfo withdraws from them the light and great influences of the Holy Ghoft and turns them over at leaft in their own apprehensions to the ungodly, and to fallen Angels for their Chastisement,or Tryal, or Inftruction, &c.

:

3. And why may not God, fince thefe Rebels had fuch working with them, as that their minds, by their under

understandings, their will and affe ctions, by their judgment and confciences were fomewhat taken and allured, caufe a withdrawing of these for tryal, and to fee if they would cry after him to return.

But we will let these things pafs, and call you again to a remembrance of what is in hand: we are now fhewing that there be them that name the name of Chrift, that yet depart not from iniquity, and in fhewing the caufe of their not fo doing, one was for that the Gofpel came to them in word only; and the other was for that though it came to others in power, yet not in power, or in that power, that effectually keepeth fome to falvation. Upon this fecond reafon I now am, and am fhewing how it comes to pass that they that are under the power of the things that we have afore difcourfed fhould notwithstanding that return to their vomit again. One cause of this declension, going back to iniquity I have just now touched upon, and we have fome more behind.

Secondly,

2 Pet. 1.9.

Secondly, "Therefore fuch perfons upon the withdrawing of thofe influences that at prefent are mighty upon them, do forthwith forget, both what they had, and what work it made upon them. Straightway they forget what manner of men they were: 'Tis faid of Ifrael they fang his praifes, they foon forgot his word. So thefe they forget. 1. They forget what light and what conviction they had.

2. They forget what forrow for fin they had.

A

3. They forget what taftes of Chrift and his word they had. 4. They forget what joy and comfort they had.

5. They forget how fair for heaven they were.

6. And they forget how cleanfed once they were.

They have forgotten that they were purged from their old fins. Now forgetfulness makes things that are paft, as nothings; and if fo, then it can lay no obligations upon the mind to ingage it to the delight of them, and to the injoying of them, no not in the thoughts of them, as if they

0342

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were

were remembred by us. getfulness is a very dangerous thing;

it makes preaching vain, profeffion 1 Cor. 15. vain, faith vain and all to no pur- 1, 2. pofe. Such profeffion is but a dream, and the profeffors but as dreamers; all vanishes in the morning. This made Paul fo caution the Corinthi ans, that they forgot not the preaching, and the Author to the Hebrews, fo earnestly call them, in their backfliding, back to the remembrance of former days, and to the recolle cting of what it was that then had Heb. 10. ma e them to willingly indure their 82, 33, great fight of affliction.

Forgetfulness, fay,makes things,nothings; It makes us as if things had never been; and fo takes a way from the foul one great means of stay fupport and incouragement, when choice David was dejected, the remembrance of the Hill Hermon was his ftay: when he was to go out against Goliah, the remembrance of the Lyon and the Bear was his fupport: fo when thofe that have had the power of the things of God upon them, can think of this; when they are withdrawn, it will, even

the

Revel. 21.

2, 3.

the thinking of it will have fome kind of operation upon the foul. And therefore you fhall find that the recovering of a backflider, ufually begins at the remembrance of former things. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy firft works.

'Tis marvelous to fee how fome men are captivated with this forgetfulness. Those that fometimes have prayed,cryed, groaned,and fighed for eternal life: Those that fome. times thought no pains too much,no way too far, no hazzards too great to run for eternal life; those who fometimes were captivated with the word, and with the comforts and joy thereof,and that, had it been poffible, Gal. 4.14. could have pulled out their eyes, and have given them to a Gospel Minifter, fo dear, and fweet were the good tidings which they brought to

15.

fuch.

I fay 'tis marvelous to fee how fuch men are captivated with the for getfulness of this. They are as if they never had been them men; they are, as if they never had had fuch things; or as if they had never had thought