Use. My brethren, these are falling times, let us labour to remove our iniquities beforehand, and then if we fall we shall fall soft and not hard. If we fall in our iniquities we shall fall hard; but if our iniquities be removed by faith and repentance, though we should fall in these times, yet we shall fall into the bosom of our Father and into the arms of Jesus Christ. How much better is it seeing that men are like to fall, ⟨p. 399⟩to take such a course before their fall cometh, that when they do fall they may fall soft, fall into the bosom of their Father and into the arms of Jesus Christ, and not fall in their iniquity; And if we fall thus, if our fall be not in our iniquity, but in the cause of God, and rather for our grace than for our iniquity, then we may be of more use in our fall than we were in our standing. As it is with the Corn,1 the Corn that falls into the ground doth fructify, and is of more use when it is fallen than it was when it was in the granary;2 And so many godly men, many young ones that are fallen within these two or three years, (but God knows it hath not been in or for their iniquity, but in the Cause of God and in the exercise of their graces) they are fallen, but they are fallen into the arms of God, and into the bosom of Christ, and they are as fruitful in their fall as they were in their standing, for no question but there is much fruit to be reaped from their falls, and God hath a plentiful harvest for England that will come out of their falls.
Use. My brethren, these are falling times, let us labor to remove our iniquities beforehand, and then if we fall we shall fall soft and not hard. If we fall in our iniquities we shall fall hard; but if our iniquities be removed by faith and repentance, though we should fall in these times, yet we shall fall into the bosom of our Father and into the arms of Jesus Christ. How much better is it seeing that men are like to fal, ⟨p. 399⟩to take such a course before their fall cometh, that when they do fall they may fall soft, fall into the bosom of their Father and into the arms of Jesus Christ, and not fall in their iniquity; And if we fall thus, if our fall be not in our iniquity, but in the cause of God, and rather for our grace than for our iniquity, then we may be of more use in our fall than we were in our standing. As it is with the Corn,1 the Corn that falls into the ground doth fructifie, and is of more use when it is fallen than it was when it was in the granary;2 And so many godly men, many young ones that are fallen within these two or three yeers, (but God knows it hath not been in or for their iniquity, but in the Cause of God and in the exercise of their graces) they are fallen, but they are fallen into the arms of God, and into the bosom of Christ, and they are as fruitful in their fall as they were in their standing, for no question but there is much fruit to be reaped from their falls, and God hath a plentiful harvest for England that will come out of their falls.
- 1simile
- 2Young men fallen in this war.
