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And yet what prevalency this law of sin wrought in and over them, we see. And there is no end of the like examples; they are all set up as buoys to discover unto us the sands, the shelves, the rocks, whereupon they made their ship- wreck, to their hazard, danger, loss, yea, and would have done to their ruin, had not God been pleased in his faith- fulness graciously to prevent it. And this is the first part of this evidence of the power of sin, from its effects.
2. It manifests its power in the habitual declensions from zeal and holiness, from the frames, state and con- dition of obedience and communion with God, whereunto they had attained, which are found in many believers. Promises of growth and improvement are many and pre- cious ; the means excellent and effectual ; the benefits great and unspeakable : yet it often falls out, that instead hereof, decays and declensions are found upon professors, yea, in and upon many of the saints of God. Now whereas this must needs principally and chiefly be from the strength and efficacy of indwelling sin, and is therefore a great evi- dence thereof; I shall first evince the observation itself to be true, namely, that some of the saints themselves do oftentimes so decline from that growth and improvement in faith, grace, and holiness which might justly be expected from them ; and then shew, that the cause of this evil lies in that, that we are treating of. And that it is the cause of total apostacy in unsound professors, shall be after declared. But this is a greater work which we have in hand. The prevailing upon true believers unto a sinful declension and gradual apostacy, requires a putting forth of more strength and efficacy than the prevailing upon unsound profes- sors unto total apostacy. As the wind, which will blow down a dead tree that hath no root to the ground, will scarcely shake or bow a living well-rooted tree. But this it will do. There is mention made in the Scripture of the first ways of David, and they are commended above his latter, 2 Chron. xvii. 3. The last ways even of David were tainted with the power of indwelling sin. Though we have mention only of the actual eruption of sin, yet that uncleanness, and pride which was working in him in his numbering of the people, were certainly rooted in a declension from his first frame. Those rushes did not grow without mire. David
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would not have done so in his younger days, when he fol- lowed God in the wilderness of temptations and trials, full of faith, love, humility, brokenness of heart, zeal, tender affection unto all the ordinances of God, all which were eminent in him. But his strength is impaired by the efficacy and deceitfulness of sin ; his locks cut, and he becomes a prey to vile lusts and temptations. We have a notable in- stance in most of the churches that our Saviour av/akens to the consideration of their condition, in the Revelations. We may single out one of them : many good things were there in the church of Ephesus, chap, ii.2, 3. for which it is greatly commended, but yet it is charged with a decay, a declension, a gradual falling off and apostacy : ver. 4, 5. ' Thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and do thy first works.' There was a decay both inward, in the frame of heart, as to faith and love ; and outward, as to obedience and works, in comparison of what they had for- merly, by the testimony of Christ himself. The same also might be shewed concerning the rest of those churches, only one or two of them excepted. Five of them are charged with decays and declensions. Hence there is mentioned in the Scripture of the ' kindness of youth,' of the * love of es- pousals,' with great commendation, Jer. ii. 2, 3. of our 'first faith,' 1 Tim. v. 12. of 'the beginning of our confidence,' Heb. iii. 14. And cautions are given, that we ' lose not the things that we have wrought,' 2 John 8. But what need we look back or search for instances to confirm the truth of this observation? An habitual declension from first engagements unto God, from first attainments of communion with God, from first strictness in duties of obedience, is ordinary and common amongst professors.
Might we to this purpose take a general view of the profes- sors in these nations, among whom thelot ofthebestof usvvill be found in part or in whole, in somewhat or in all, to fall, we might be plentifully convinced of the truth of this observation. (1.) Is their zeal for God as warm, living, vigorous, effec- tual, solicitous, as it was in their first giving themselves unto God? Or rather, is there not a common, slight, selfish frame of spirit in the room of it come upon most professors ? Iniquity hath abounded, and their love hath waxed cold. \Vas it not of old a burden to their spirits to hear the name, and ways.
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and worship of God blasphemed and profaned ? could they not have said with the psalmist, Psal. cxix. 136. 'Rivers of water run down our eyes because men keep not thy law V Were not their souls solicitous about the interest of Christ in the world, like Eli's about the ark ? Did they not con- tend earnestly for the truth once delivered to the saints, and every parcel of it? especially wherein the grace of God, and the glory of the gospel was especially concerned : did they not labour to judge and condemn the world by a holy and separate conversation? And do now the generality of professors abide in this frame? have they grown, and made improvement in it? or is there not a coldness and indifier- ency grown upon the spirits of many in this thing ? Yea, do not many despise all these things, and look upon their own former zeal as folly ? May we not see many who have formerly been of esteem in ways of profession, become daily a scorn and reproach througli their miscarriages, and that justly to the men of the world? Is it not with them as it was of old with the daughters of Sion, (Isa. iii. 24.) when God judged them for their sins and wantonness ? Hath not the world and self utterly ruined their profession ? and are they not regardless of the things wherein they have for- merly declared a singular concernment? Yea, are not some come, partly on one pretence, partly on another, to an open enmity unto, and hatred of, the ways of God ? they please them no more, but are evil in their eyes. But not to men- tion such open apostates any farther, whose hypocrisy the Lord Jesus Christ will shortly judge; how is it with the best? are not almost all men grown cold and slack as to these things? are they not less concerned in them than formerly ? are they not grown weary, selfish in their reli- gion, and so things be indifferent well at home, scarce care how they go abroad in the world ? At least do they not prefer their ease, credit, safety, secular advantages, before these things ? A frame that Christ abhors, and declares, that those in whom it prevails are none of his. Some indeed seem to retain a good zeal for truth, but wherein they make the fairest appearance, therein will they be found to be most abominable : they cry out against errors, not for truth, but for parties' and interests' sake. Let a man be on their party, and promote their interest, be he never so corrupt in his