Answ. 1. If your trial now be considerable, the truth of Grace may be manifested in it, though it be none of the greatest, and though in striving against sin you have not yet resisted unto blood. 2. If you carefully observe your own heart, you may discern whether the spirit and your resolutions be prevalent, by their daily subduing and mortifying the flesh and its lusts. Nay let me tell you, the Victory of Gods Spirit over the flattering, enticing world in prosperity, is as great and glorious, if not more, then that over the frowning, persecuting world in adversity. And therefore find the one, and you need not fear the other. Though I confess that hypocrites do not fall so visibly and shamefully always in prosperity as in adversity: for they have more pretences, advantages and carnal shifts to hide the shame of their falls. And for that in the Parable in Mat. 13. I pray you mark one thing: Christ seems to speak of every several sort of Hearers by a Gradation, speaking last of those ⟨p. 112⟩that go farthest. The first sort are the common, ignorant, negligent Hearers, in whom the word takes no root at all. The second sort are those that give it a slight and shallow rooting, but no deep rooting at all: these are they that fall away in tribulation. By falling away, is meant the plain deserting Christ or the substance of his Cause. These men till this falling away, though they professed Christ, and heard the word with joy, yet no doubt, did not crucify the flesh & the world: whereby they might have discovered their unsoundness if they would, before tribulation came: First, By discerning that the Word was not deep rooted, 1. In their Judgement and Estimation, 2. Or in their Wills and settled Resolution. Secondly, And by discerning the unmortified lusts of their hearts in the mean time. But it seems the third sort of Hearers likened to the thorny ground, went further then these: for here it is only said by Luk. 8.14. that they bring no fruit to perfection: However, whether these went farther then the other, or not, it is certain that these also had their trial and •ell in the trial: The deceitfulness of riches overturned these, as the heat of persecution overturned the other. So that it is evident that prosperity puts faith to the trial, as well as adversity. But mark the different manner of their falls and ⟨p. 113⟩overthrows:
Answ. 1. If your trial now be considerable, the truth of Grace may be manifested in it, though it be none of the greatest, and though in striving against sin you have not yet resisted unto bloud. 2. If you carefully observe your own heart, you may discern whether the spirit and your resolutions be prevalent, by their daily subduing and mortifying the flesh and its lusts. Nay let me tell you, the Victory of Gods Spirit over the flattering, enticing world in prosperity, is as great and glorious, if not more, then that over the frowning, persecuting world in adversity. And therefore finde the one, and you need not fear the other. Though I confess that hypocrites do not fall so visibly and shamefully alwayes in prosperity as in adversity: for they have more pretences, advantages and carnal shifts to hide the shame of their falls. And for that in the Parable in Mat. 13. I pray you mark one thing: Christ seems to speak of every several sort of Hearers by a Gradation, speaking last of those ⟨p. 112⟩that go farthest. The first sort are the common, ignorant, negligent Hearers, in whom the word takes no root at all. The second sort are those that give it a slight and shallow rooting, but no deep rooting at all: these are they that fall away in tribulation. By falling away, is meant the plain deserting Christ or the substance of his Cause. These men till this falling away, though they professed Christ, and heard the word with joy, yet no doubt, did not crucifie the flesh & the world: whereby they might have discovered their unsoundness if they would, before tribulation came: First, By discerning that the Word was not deep rooted, 1. In their Judgement and Estimation, 2. Or in their Wills and setled Resolution. Secondly, And by discerning the unmortified lusts of their hearts in the mean time. But it seems the third sort of Hearers likened to the thorny ground, went further then these: for here it is only said by Luk. 8.14. that they bring no fruit to perfection: However, whether these went farther then the other, or not, it is certain that these also had their trial and •ell in the trial: The deceitfullness of riches overturned these, as the heat of persecution overturned the other. So that it is evident that prosperity puts faith to the trial, as well as adversity. But mark the different manner of their falls and ⟨p. 113⟩overthrowes:
