them in part or in whole, as to the matter of them, or the manner of their performance, those in whom they do so, will have cause to say, " We were almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly," Prov. v. 14. Hence is the caution of our apostle, ch. iii. 13. " And, brethren, be not weary in well-doing," Gal. vi. 9. A patient continuance in an even constant course of well-doing, in a due observance of all gospelduties, will be burdensome and grievous unto you; but faint not, if you intend to come to the blessed end of your course in peace with God. Now, weariness in duty discovers itself by impairing it, in the intenseness of our spirits, or constancy of its performance. Where there is a decay in either of these, weariness is at the root, and after weariness ensues contempt, Mal. i. 13. And whatever interpretation men may put upon this frame, God calls it a being "weary of himself," Isa. xliii. 22. which is the next step to forsaking of him. Wherever therefore this begins to discover itself in the soul, nothing can relieve it but a vigorous shaking off all appearances of it, by a warm constant application of the mind to those duties, whose neglect it would introduce.

2. Of waiting to receive any particular good, or special merey from God in his ways. God is a good and gracious master. He entertains none in his service, but he gives them in hand that which is an abundant recompence for all the duties he will require of them. "In keeping of his commands, there is a great reward," Psal. xix. 11. Every part of his work carries its own wages along with it. Those who serve him, never want enough to make them rejoice when they fall into manifold temptations, and to glory in tribulations, which are the worst things that do or can befal them on his account. But moreover, besides the pledges that he gives them in hand, they have also many great and precious promises, whereby they are justly rais ed up to the expectation of other and greater things than at present they do enjoy. Whatever mercy or grace, by any or all the promises of God they have been made partakers of, there is still more in them all, nay in every one of them, than they can here come to the actual enjoyment of. Yet are all these things theirs, and they have a right unto them. This makes waiting on God so excellent a grace, so necessary a duty. Now, sometimes this hath respect unto some mercy, that a man may in an especial manner stand in need of. Here he would have his faith expedited, his expectation satisfied, and his waiting have an end put unto it. If he fail herein, it maketh his heart sick. But here lieth the great trial of faith. He that believeth, that is, truly and sincerely, he will not make haste; that is, he will abide in this duty, and not limit the Holy One as to times and seasons. If those who are called hereunto grow weary of it,

they are in the high road to apostasy. Consolation, light and joy, do not come in through the administration of the ordinances, answerably to the measures they have themselves given unto, or taken of things; strength against a temptation or corruption is not yet received, upon prayer or supplication; they are weary of waiting, and so give over. This will end in absolute apostasy, if not timely prevented. See the cautions of our apostle in this matter, ch. vi. 11, 12. and ch. x. 35, 36.

3. Weariness of troubles and persecutions is of the same tendency. It opens a door to apostasy. They are for the most part the portion of believers in this world. Nor have they cause to complain of their lot. They are told of it beforehand. Had they been allured on unto faith and profession, with hopes and expectations of peace and prosperity in this world, and were afterwards surprised with the cross, they might have some reason to complain. But the matter is quite otherwise. Our Saviour hath told us all plainly, that if we will not take up the cross, we must let him alone. If, saith he, you will fol low me, you must take up the cross; yea, fathers, mothers, houses, lands and possessions, if called for, and probably they will be called for, must all go, or be foregone, for my sake and the gospel. If you like not these terms, you may let them and me alone. So our apostle assures us, that they who will "live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution," 2 Tim. iii. 12. There is a kind of profession that may escape well enough in the world, such as men shall have no disadvantage by in this life, nor advantage by in that which is to come. But that profession which causeth men to live godly in Christ Jesus, will, for the most part, be attended with persecution. And this are we all forewarned of. But so foolish are we generally, as that when these things befal us, we are apt to be surprised, as if some strange thing, something foreign to our condition, had seized on us, as the apostle Peter intimates, 1 Pet. iv. 12. And if men, by their natural courage, their spirit to sustain infirmities, can hold out the first brunt of them, yet when they begin to return and to be prolonged, to follow one upon another, and no way of deliverance or of ending them be in view; they are apt to be weary, and cast about like men in a storm, how they may give over their intended voyage, and retreat into some harbour, where they may be in peace and safety. Omission of provoking duties, or compliance with pleasing ways, in such a condition, begin to be considered as a means of relief. And this with many is an entrance into apostasy, Matt. xiii. 21. And this is confirmed as by testimonies of the Scripture, so by instances and examples in all ages of the church. This therefore our apostle, in an especial manner, treats with these Hebrews about, plainly declaring that if they grew weary of their trou

bles, they would quickly fail in their profession, ch. vi. 11, 12. and multiplies both reasons and examples to encourage them to the contrary, ch. x. xi. xii. For when men begin to wax weary of troubles and persecutions, and to make their own carnal reasonings, affections and desires, to be the measure of their suffering, or what it is meet for them to undergo upon the account of the gospel, they will quickly decline from it. Now, because this is the common way and means whereby men are wrought to decays in their profession, and insensibly unto apostasy, it may not be amiss to subjoin some few considerations, which may help to relieve our spirits under their troubles, and to preserve them from fainting, or being weary. As,

1. What is it that these troubles do or can deprive us of, whatever their continuance be? Is it of heaven, of everlasting rest, of peace with God, of communion with Christ, of the love and honour of saints and angels? These things are secured utterly out of their reach, and they cannot for one moment interrupt our interest in them. This is Paul's consideration, Rom. viii. 38, 39. And had we a due valuation of these things, what may outwardly befal us in this world on their account, would seem very light unto us, and easy to be born, 2 Cor. iv. 15-18,

2. What is it that they fall upon and can reach unto? It may be they may deprive us of our riches, our liberty, our outward ease and accommodations, our reputation in the world. But what perishing trifles are these, compared to the eternal concerns of our immortal souls? It may be they may reach this flesh, these carcases that are every day crumbling into dust. And shall we faint or wax weary on their account? Suppose we should, to spare them, turn aside to some crooked paths wherein we suppose we may find security, God can send diseases after us that shall irrecoverably bring on us all those evils, which by our sins we have sought to avoid. He can give a commission to a disease, to make the softest bed a severe prison, and fill our loins and bones with such pains, as men cannot inflict on us, and keep us alive under them. And for death itself, the height, complement and end of temporary trouble, how many ways hath he to cast us into the jaws of it, and that in a more terrible manner than we need fear from the children of men; and shall we, to preserve a perishing life, which it may be within a few days, a fever or a feather may deprive us of, startle at the troubles which on the account of Christ and the gospel we may undergo, and thereby forfeit all the consolations of God which are able to sweeten every condition unto us? This consideration is proposed unto us by Jesus Christ himself, Matt. x. 28.

3. Whereunto, in the wisdom and grace of God, do these things tend, if managed aright in us, and by us? There is no

thing that the Scripture doth more abound in, than in giving us assurance that all the evils which we do, or may undergo, upon the account of Christ and his gospel, shall all work effectually towards our unspeakable spiritual advantage; see Rom. v. 1--4.

4. For whom or whose sake do we, or are we to undergo the troubles mentioned? A man of honesty and good nature, will endure much for a parent, a child, a friend; yea, the apostle tells us, that for "a good man one would even dare to die," Rom. v. 7. But who is it whom we are to suffer for? Is it not he who is infinitely more than all these, in himself and to us? Consider his own excellency, consider his love to us, consider the effects of the one, and the fruits of the other, whereof we are, and hope to be made partakers; and it will be granted that he is worthy of our all, and ten thousand times more, if it were in our power. Besides, he calls us not to any thing but what he went before us in; and went before us in many things wherein he calls not us to follow him, for he underwent them that we might escape them. He died that we might live, and was made a curse, that the blessing might come upon us. Let us not then be so foolish, so unthankful, so brutish, as to think any trouble too great or too long to be undergone for him. This our apostle at large expresseth, Phil. iii. 7-10.

5. What is the end of these trials and troubles, which we are so ready to faint and despond under? Eternal rest and glory do attend them; see 2 Thess. i. 7. 2 Cor. iv. 17. Rev. vii. 13, 14.

These, and the like considerations, being pleaded in the mind and soul, may be a means to preserve them from fainting under troubles, that do or may befal men on the account of the profession of the gospel, which is apt to dispose them unto backslidings.

There are sundry means that may be improved to prevent the entrances of the decays insisted on; amongst all which none so proper as that here mentioned by our apostle, and which is comprised in our next proposition. For,

Obs. IX. A due and holy consideration at all times of the all-seeing eye of Jesus Christ, is a great preservative against backslidings or declensions in profession. This is the end for which the mention of it is here introduced by the apostle. It was not in his way, nor was it any part of his design, to treat absolutely about the omniscience of Christ. Nothing could be more foreign to his present discourse. But he speaks of it on purpose as an effectual means to awe and preserve their souls from the evil that he dehorted them from, and warned them of. And the consideration of it is so on many accounts. For,

First, If we retain this in remembrance, that all the most

secret beginnings of spiritual declensions in us, are continually under his eye, it will influence us unto watchful care and diligence. Some, with Sardis, are ready to please themselves, whilst they keep up such a profession as others with whom they walk do approve of, or cannot blame. Others, with Laodicea, think all is well, whilst they approve themselves, and have no troublesome accusations rising up against their peace in their own consciences, when it may be their consciences themselves are debauched, bribed or secure. For many regard not lesser things, which others neither observe to their disreputation, nor themselves are affected with to their disquiet. And hereby are they insensibly betrayed into apostasy, while one neglect follows another, and one evil is added to another, until a breach be made upon them, great like the sea, that cannot be healed. Herein then lies a great preservative against this ruining danger. Let the soul consider constantly, that the eye of Christ, with whom principally, and upon the matter solely, in these things he hath to do, and to whom an account of all must be one day given, is upon him; and it cannot but keep him jealous over himself, lest there should any defiling root of bitterness spring up in him. To him ought we in all things to approve ourselves, and this we cannot do without a continual jealousy and constant watchfulness over our hearts, that nothing be found there that may displease him; and whatever is there, it is all open and naked unto him. And,

Secondly, The Lord Christ doth not behold or look on the evils that are, or may be, in the hearts of professors, as one unconcerned in them, by a mere intuition of them; but as one that is deeply concerned in them, and as it were troubled at them. For by these things is his good Spirit grieved and vexed, and great reproach is cast upon his name. When the mis

carriages of professors break out so far as that the world takes notice of them, it rejoiceth in them, and triumpheth over that truth and those ways, which by them are professed. And when other believers or professors observe them, they are grieved and deeply afflicted in their minds. And who knows not, that even the consideration of these things is of great use to prevail with sincere professors, unto watchfulness over their ways and walkings; namely, lest the name of God should be evil spoken of by reason of them, or the spirits of the servants of Christ be grieved by them. How often doth David declare, that he would take heed to his ways because of his enemies or observers, those that watch for his halting, and would improve their observation of it to the dishonour of his profession. And on the other side, he prays that none which feared God might be ashamed on his account, or troubled at his failings; and therefore did he labour in all things to preserve his integrity, and keep himself from