ti-iith is on the will, the more fixed in the judgment. Let a thing be never so excellent, yet if a man can make little or no use thereof, it is little worth to him, and may easily be got from him. Thus many rare libraries have been parted with by rude soldiers, into whose hands they have fallen, for little more than their covers were worth, which would by some, that could have improved them, have been kept as the richest prize. And verily it fares with truth according as they are into whose hands it falls ; if it lights upon one that falls to work with it and draws out the strength and sweetness of it, this man holds it so much faster in his judgment by how much more operative it is on his heart : but if it meets with one that finds no divine efficacy it hath to humble, comfort, sanctify him, it may soon be turned out of doors, and put to seek for a new host ; such may for a time dance about that light, which a while after themselves will blow out. When I hear of a man that once held original sin and the universal pollution of man's natm-e to be a truth, but now denies it, I cannot but fear he did either never lay it so close his heart as to abase and humble himself kindly for it ; or that he grew weary of the work, and by sloth and negligence lost the efficacy of that truth in his heart before he lost the truth itself in his judgment. I might instance in many other particulars, wherein professors in these testing times have slid from their old principles. Singing of psalms hath been a duty owned and practised by many who now have laid it down, and it were a question worth the asking of them, whether formerly they never enjoyed sweet com- numion with God in that duty as well as others ? Whether their hearts did never dance and leap up to God with heavenly affections while they sung with their lips ? And verily I should think it strange to hear a godly person deny this. Well, if ever thou didst. Christian, meet with God at this door of the tabernacle, for I cannot yet think it otherwise, let me ask thee again whether thy heart did not grow common, cold, and formal in the duty before thou durst cast off the duty ? 1 John ii. 23, 24. And if so, which I am very ready to believe, I desire such in the fear of God to consider these four questions.
First, Whether they may not fear that they are in an error ; and that this darkness is befallen their judgments as a punishment for their negligence and slightness of spirit in performing the duty, when they did not question the lawfulness of it?
Secondly, Whether it were not better they laboured to recover the first live- liness of their affections in the duty, which would soon bring them again acquainted with that sweetness and joy they of old found in it, than to cast it off upon so weak evidence as they who ban say most bring in against it ?
Thirdly, Whether such as neglect one duty are likely to thrive by any other, and keep up the savour of them fresh in their souls ?
Fourthly, Whether, if God should suffer them to decline in their affections to any other ordinance, which he forbid, if it be his will, it were not as easy for Satan to gather together arguments enough to make them scruple, and in time cast off that also as well as this ? And that there is reason for such a question these times will tell us ; wherein every ordinance hath had its timi to be ques- tioned, yea, disowned, some by one, some by another; one will not sing; an- other will not have his child baptized ; a third will not have any water baptism, nor supper neither; a fourth bungs up his ear too from all hearing of the word, and would have us expect an immediate teaching. Thus, when once ordinances and truths become dead to us, through our miscarriage under them, we can be willing, how beautiful soever they were once in our eye, yea, call to have them buried out of our sight. These things sadly laid to heart, will give you reason to think, though this direction be placed last in order of my discourse, yet it should not find neither the last nor the least place, among all the other named, in your Christian care and practice.
CHAPTER IV.
WHEREIN IS CONTAINED THE SECOND WAY OF HAVING OUR LOINS GIRT WITH TRUTH, VIZ., SO AS TO MAKE A FREE AND BOLD PROFESSION OF IT, AND WHY THIS IS OUR DUTY: AND A SHORT EXHORTATION TO IT.
The second way that truth is assaulted is by force and violence ; the devil pierceth the fox's skin of seducers with the lion'sskin of persecutors. The bloodiest tragedies
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