Firstj God's suspending wonted influences and aids of grace from them. They were not wont to do so. They never did so afterwards. They would not have done so now, had there been influences of power, zeal, and love from heaven upon them. But how then should Christ have borne the heat and burden of the day ? How should he tread the wine-press alone ? How should his sorrows have been extreme, unmixed, succourless (as it behoved them to be) if they had stuck faithfully to him in his troubles ? No, no, it must not be ; Christ must not have the least relief or comfort from any crea- ture ; and therefore, that he might be left alone, to grapple hand to hand with the wrath of God, and of men ; the Lord for a time
* They thought, either that he was not the Christ, as they had hitherto believed, be- cause he could not defend himself from his enemies, or that it was not advisable, fw his sake, to expose themselves to the hazard of death. Pareus.
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with-holds his encouraging, strengthening influences from them ; and then, like Samson when he had lost his locks, they were weak as other men.
" Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might," saith the apostle, Eph. vi. 10. If that be with-held, our resolutions and purposes melt away before a temptation, as snow before the sun.
Secondly, As God permitted it, and with-held usual aid from them ; so the efficacy of that temptation was great, yea, much greater than ordinary. As they were weaker than they were used to be, so the temptation was stronger than any they had yet met withal. It is called, Luke xxii. 53. " Their hour and the power " of darkness." A sifting, winnowing hour, ver. 46. O it was a black and cloudy day. Never had the disciples met with such a whirlwind, such a furious storm before. The devil desired but to have the winnowing of them in that day, and so would have sifted and winnowed them, that their faith had utterly failed, had not Christ secured it by his prayer for them. So that it was an extraordinary trial that was upon them.
Thirdly and lastly, That which concurred to their shameful re- lapse, as a special cause of it, was the remaining corruptions that were in their hearts yet unmortified. Their knowledge was but little, and their faith not much. Upon the account of their weakness in grace, they were called little ones in the text. And as their graces were weak, so their corruptions were strong. Their unbelief, and carnal fears grew powerfully upon them.
Do not censure them, reader, in thy thoughts, nor despise them for this their weakness. Neither say in thy heart, Had I been there as they were, I would never have done as they did. They thought as little of doing what they did, as you, or any of the saints do ; and as much did their souls detest and abhor it : but here thou may est see, whither a soul that fears God may be carried, if his corruptions be irritated by strong temptations, and God with- holds usual influences.
Fourthly and lastly, Let us view the issue of this sad apostasy of theirs. And you shall find it ended far better than it began. Though these sheep were scattered for a time, yet the Lord made good his promise, in turning his hand upon these little ones, to gather them. The morning was over-cast, but the evening was clear.
Peter repents of his perfidious denial of Christ, and never denied him more. All the rest likewise returned to Christ, and never forsook him any more. He that was afraid at the voice of a dam- sel, afterwards feared not the frowns of the mighty. And they that durst not own Christ now, afterwards confessed him openly be-
350 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. XXVIII,
fore councils, and rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for his sake, Acts v. 41. They that were now as timorous as hares, and started at every sound, afterward became as bold as lions, and feared not any danger, but sealed their confession of Christ with their blood. For though, at this time, they forsook him, it was not voluntarily, but by surprisal. Though they forsook him, they still loved him ; though they fled from him, there still remained a gracious principle in them ; the root of the matter was still in them, which recovered them again.
To conclude: Though they forsook Christ, yet Christ never forsook them : he loved them still ; '-Go tell the disciples, and tell " Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee," Mark xvi. 7. q. d. Let them not think that I so remember their unkindness, as to own them no more : No, I love them still.
The use of this is contained in the following inferences."
Inf. 1. Did the disciples forsake Christ, though they had such strong persuasions and resolutions never to do it ? Then we see, That self-confidence is a sin too incident to the best of men. They little thought their hearts would have proved so base and deceitful, as they found them to be when they were tried. " Though all " men forsake thee (saith Peter) yet will not I." Good man, he resolved honestly, but he knew not what a feather he should be in the wind of temptation, if God once left him to his own fears.
Little reason have the best of saints to depend upon their inhe- rent grace, let their stock be as large as it will. The angels left to themselves, quickly left their own habitations, Jude 6. Upon which, * one well observes, That the best of created perfections, are of themselves defectible. Every excellency without the prop of divine preservation, is but a weight which tends to a fall. The angels in their innocencv, were but frail, without God's sustenta- tion ; even grace itself is but a creature, and therefore purely de- pendent. It is not from its being and nature, but from the as- sistance of something without it, that it is kept from annihilation. What becomes of the stream, if the fountain supply it not ? What continuance hath the reflection in the glass, if the man that looks into it, turn away his face ? The constant supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, are the food and fuel of all our graces. The best men will shew themselves but men if God leave them. He who hath set them up, must also keep them. It is safer to be humble with one talent, than proud with ten ; yea, better to be an humble worm, than a proud angel. Adam had more advantage to main- tain his station than any of you. For though he were left to the liberty of his own mutable and self-determining will ; and though
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he was created upright, and had no inherent corruption to endanger him, yet he fell.