The peril of the times displayed. Or The danger of mens taking up with…

2. We may here see a satisfying reason why some that have been Eminent Professors, do afterwards prove fearful Apostates. That there have been some that have so done, we have awful instances left on Scripture Record: and we need look no farther for examples of this kind, than those three who were ⟨p. 69⟩mentioned under the former head, who in their time, were renowned for their profession, highly advanced in the Church of God, and were accounted of by the best men they conversed with, and yet are left upon register for their horrible-falls, and as awful instances of Gods amazing Judgments. Ecclesiastical History also affords us plenty of such examples in every Age of it. Now men may be apt to be amazed and wonder at it, and enquire how it comes to be so? and some have made misimprovement of these instances, and endeavoured to establish from them, the false Doctrine of the total Apostasy of the Saints, and to undermine the precious Doctrine of Perseverance. But the truth in hand will direct us to a fair account of this matter, and render it a thing that needs not to be so much admired at. It is a certain truth, that none who have had the least spark of saving grace in them, did ever utterly lose it again. They have indeed fallen far, when it hath pleased God to leave them to themselves, that he might try them, and let them know what is in them, and that it is by Grace that they stand: ⟨p. 70⟩Such remarks are made upon David, Solomon, Peter, and others. But such woeful Apostasies as we are now considering of, are not a falling from true Grace, but a discovery that they never had it. […] observation of the Apostle is to be made upon all such, 1 Joh. 2.19. they went out from us, because they were not of us: for, if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest: and indeed, it is that which is to be expected, b•th in the nature of the thing, and in the righteous judgment of God. If men take up an high profession, and engage themselves in all the formalities of it, without a sound principle within, or a root of saving Grace in the heart, they build upon the sand without a foundation, and it is not to be counted a strange thing, if a Storm of Temptation maketh that, specious house to fall.