may be faid of your fear that you de cline in Grace, and go backward rather than forward. It may be, you now see and difcern more of the Revoltings and Backflidings of your evil heart than heretofore you did; did; and out of the great defire you have to grow better,

you are jealous of your felf, and afraid that you grow worse.

3. 'Tis the ufual courfe of God's Providence when he is about to bestow more Grace, to lay the Foundation thereof in a deeper fenfe of the want of Grace. For hereby he ftirs up in Men more earnest Defires after Grace, fo that they pray for it more Fervently and Conftantly, and Apply themselves to the use of all other Means for Attaining it with more Diligence and Serioufnefs.

Hitherto of trufting in God for fubduing Corruption, and for Increase of Grace and Spiritual Strength.

2. Let us truft in God for Strength and Ability to ferve him, and do our Duty in our Refpective Places and Stations. For Encouraging and Strengthning your trust in God for his Affiftance, Confider,

1. That God never calls a Man to any Imployment or Service, he never puts him upon any Business, but he furnifheth him with Ability in fome meafure to undergo it. To ingage a Man in Imployment and put him upon Service, and then to deny him that Affiftance which is Abfolutely neceffary for the performance of it, is neither Confiftent with the Wisdom, nor with the Goodness, nor with the Faithfulness of God. Wife Men will not put others upon Imployment which they know them to be unable to go through with : and good Men, yea, fuch as have but any thing of good Nature,will not deny their Affiftance to those whom they have ingaged in any Undertaking; much less will they be wanting to them and fail them when they have promised them their best Affiftance. This were fuch Falfehood and Treachery, as no Honest Man, no Man that deferves to be trusted would be guilty of. Far be it from us therefore to have fuch Unworthy and Dishonourable thoughts of God.

2. Confider that God many times enables weak Men, that seemed to have fmall Abilities for the due performance of what is Incumbent on them; I fay he enables

enables them to discharge the Duties of their Imployment beyond all expectation. And this,

1. That his own Power may be fo much the more. Confpicuous, and the Glory thereof be fo much the more Exalted and Magnified, when out of the mouths of babes and fucklings he ordaineth ftrength, as the Pfalmift fpeaks, Pfalm 8. 2.

2. That he may hereby incourage weak Inftruments to ferve him when he calls them thereunto, and puts them upon it. But this Affiftance may they especially expect who are ingaged in Services in which the Honour of God is more Immediately and more Eminently concerned. But they who may warrantably expect the Prefence, Affiftance, and Bleffing of God in their Undertakings, must be Careful.

1. That they have a call to the Imployment which they Undertake, and Ingage themselves in. If they put themselves upon Service without a call thereunto, they may not expect God's Prefence with them, and Affiftance, upon the account of any Promise that he hath made, for he hath no where made any Gg 4 fuch

fuch Promise but to thofe only whom he Imploys, and fets at Work.

2. They must serve God faithfully in that Service which he Imploys them in, they must feek his Glory, they must Sincerely and in Singleness of heart defign it, and aim at it in what they do.

3. They must Earneftly and Conftantly implore his Grace,and beg his Affistance in what they undertake.

4. They must thankfully acknowledge him in whatever Affiftance they have, and in whatever Succeffes their Endeavours are attended with; and give him all the Glory of it. If thus they enter upon their Imployment and if thus they Endeavour to ferve God in the managing of it, they have all Reafon to expect and make fure account of his Gracious Prefence and Affistance. And yet however they may not think to enjoy it always alike. God never intended fo to oblige himself by any Promife, but that he is still at liberty fometimes to withdraw from his Servants,or to Abate and Sufpend the Influences of his Gracious. Prefence, as to his own Wisdom seems beft. And this he doth,

1. To make them the more fenfible

of their continual need of his help, and

of

of the Abfolute neceffity of their conftant dependance on him for it. If it fhould be always alike with them, they would then be ready to think that they did all they do by their own Strength, and that they were not beholding to the Affiftance of the Grace of God for it.

2. God fometimes withdraws from them, and deprives them of that Divine Help and Affistance which at other times they have had Experience of, that he may thereby Correct and Chaften them for their Sloth and Carelesness, for their Coldness, Slacknefs, and Inconftancy in Prayer for his Affiftance, for their neglecting to Stir up, to Exercise and make ule of the Grace which they have Received, and for their affuming to themfelves the Glory of what God hath wrought in them and by them, and not rendring to him thofe Humble and Thankful Acknowledgments that are due to his name for it. In a word, if they were more Careful, Confcientious, and Conftant in the performance of these and other particulars of their Duty, they might then hope to enjoy his Gracious Prefence and Affistance in a more Constant and Eminent way. God moftly withdraws from them because they firft