the Holy Ghost. Th.at soul tliat liatli turned his l^ack upon Gotland his truth, and the ways of well-doing, because of discouragements, is now upon the borders of that sin, that if God leave him but a little, he may fall into, and then he shall never rise again; which speaks out the dangerous nature of it.
[4.] And to shut uj) all, judge of the dangerous nature and evil of apostasy by this, that it renders all a man's former righteousness, doings, and sufferings invalid and lost : Ezek. xviii. 24, ' If a man for- sake his righteousness, shall he live ?' ' No,' saith God, ' he shall die' — ay, die with a witness : ' in his iniquity which he hath committed he shall die, and his righteousness shall be mentioned no more.' There shall be no more talk — This was a gallant man for God, and this man stood bravely up for his peo})le and his ways, and for the liberty of the nation, suitable to the trust reposed in him. There shall be no mention of this if a man play the apostate. There shall be no plead- ing— This was once a worthy man, and stood gloriously to it. But now he is turned an apostate : he is turned away from God and his ways. All his righteousness, all his former actings and doings and sufferings shall be lost, and they shall never go to the grave with him, nor follow him to thejudgmcnt-seat of Christ: his aposta.sy shall followhini indeed, but for his former works of piety, they are all lost. As a soldier when he forsakes his colours and runs to the enemy, all his former good service is lost and buried in oblivion ; so men that profess love to God and his people, and at last meet with difficulties and play the apos- tate, this their apostasy renders all their former service lost.
Thus much by way of motive to move you, Eight Honourable, and all you that hear me this day, to hold on in the ways of well-doing, notwithstanding all the afflictions and discouragements that you may meet with in the ways of well-doing.
I shall now lay down a few directions. I shall be brief in them, and so draw towards a close.
1. First, Right Honourable, if you would hold on in the w%ays of well-doing, notwithstanding all discouragements and afflictions, in which you must exjiect to have your share as well as others, and haply the greatest, therefore it stands you the more u})on to consider of those things that may be of use to bear up your spirits bravely, to carry you through all the trials and troubles you may meet with. To that pur- pose,
(1.) There are some things that you must carefully decline.
(2.) There are other things that you must carefully practise.
If you will hold on in the ways of well-doing against all oppositions, and notwithstanding all the afflictions and troubles that you may meet with, then,
[1.] First, Take heed of unbelief. There is nothing in the world that doth more damp the heart, that ties the tongue, tliat binds the hands, that puts fetters on the feet, that puts out the eyes, than un- belief Unbelief, it blinds the eyes, it ties a man's hands, and causeth a sad and fearful dam]) to fall upon his heart. It renders the man utterly inifit to walk in the ways of God, especially when there is a lion in the way, and when the storm begins to rise : Heb. iii. 13, 'Take heed lest there be found in anv one of vou an evil heart of unbelief, to
Ps. XLIV. 18.] PROGRESS OF THE UPRIGHT. 355
depart from the living God.' Unbelief will cany a man to apostasy. It hath been the great reason of many men's apostasy and backsliding from God and his ways, and that trust the nation hath put in them, that they could not hang on God and trust in God by faith ; but un- belief was prevalent, and hath carried them from God and all just ways. Therefore take heed of unbelief.
[2.] Secondly, If you would hold on in the ways of well-doing, not- withstanding all the discouragements you may meet with, take heed of an inordinate love to the things of this life. This made Judas play and Demas play the apostate, and Spira play the apostate. ' Demas hath forsaken us' to embrace this present world. He looked upon the world in its pomp, beauty, and glory ; and his heart falls off from God and his ways. I remember it is storied of Henry the Fourth of France asking the Duke of Alva whether he had seen the eclipses ; he an- swered, he had so much business to do on earth, that he had no time to look up to heaven. A man whose heart is engaged to the love of the world, will find so much to do in the world, that, with that wicked duke, he will have no time to look up to heaven for strength, to walk in heavenly and holy ways against opposition. It was a good saying of Augustine, Certe non amant illi Christum qui aliquid phisquam Christum amant, Surely they do not love Christ who love anytliing more than Christ. If your hearts are pitched more upon the world, and are engaged more to it than to Christ, you will never be able to hold on in the ways of well-doing.
[3.] Thirdly, If you would hold on in the ways of well-doing, take heed of consulting luith flesh and blood : take heed of listening and hearkening to carnal reason and carnal counsel ; that is that that hath turned many a man out of the ways of God. When Paul was brought in to Christ — Gal. i. 14-16, ' When it pleased God, that separated me from my mother's womb, to call me by his grace,' as to send me to preach the gospel among the heathen, 'immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood.' If he had consulted with flesh and blood, he might have made several objections to have kept him off"; 'but I consulted not with flesh and blood : ' flesh would have told him that the work was too high, too hard, too dangerous for him. ' Oh but,' saith he, ' I con- sulted not with flesh and blood.'
[4.] Lastly, If you would hold on, notwithstanding all discourage- ments that may befall you, then take heed of Judging of the ivays of God, and of the luays of ivell-doing , by the opinion that ivicked men have of them. Alas ! wicked men are blind, and see not the beauty and loveli- ness that is in the ways of God. Wicked men are malicious against the ways of God, and ill-will will never suffer them to speak well of them.
But again. If you would walk in the ways of well-doing against all discouragements, then as you must labour carefully to decline all those things, so you must labour to put in practice these things : —
[1.] Frequently and solemnly cast up ivhat you have gained by walkiiig in the ivays of God. Frequently and solemnly cast up your accounts, and see what you have gained by walking in the ways of God. Look over that power against corruptions, that strength to withstand temptations, that power to rejoice in afflictions, that you have gained
356 god's delight in the [Ps. XLIV. 18.