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'this preſent world and is departed unto Theſſalonica.' Look we pray you in this place, to that that is moſt like to be your temptation.viz the luſt of the things of the world, if ye will prove ſtedfaſt in the cauſe that ye have owned, and therefore we would ſtudy to have our hearts looſed from theſe things that will make you ſtumble in a ſtormy day.
Stumbling 5. Another ſort of ſtumbling that we would beware of, is the ſtumbling of Baruch, Jer. xlv. 3.2 when he and Jeremiah were like to be put to death, for the cauſe that they were engaged unto, he fainted and was afraid; 'Wo is me,' ſays he 'for the Lord has added grief to my ſorrow, I fainted in my ſighing, and I find no reſt.' We would take heed that we faint not, neither be of a fearful heart, own the cauſe of God, and intereſt of Jeſus Chriſt. Yea, that carnal fear carries Peter ſo far as to deny his Lord and Maſter.
Stumbling 6. We would beware of the ſtumbling of Judas, who, when he got the thing he would have been at, by the following of Jeſus Chriſt, he reſolves to betray his Maſter. Look that diſappointments in following the cauſe of Chriſt, make you not turn treacherous unto it.
And laſtly, We would beware of the ſtumbling of the men of Judah, Jer. xliv. Jeremiah would have had them ſtaying in the land of Judah, and they would not, but would go down to the land of Egypt. And they tell him, 'It was better with us when we burnt incenſe to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and ſaw no evil.' We would take heed that nothing make us to call in question the cauſe of God that we have beeen engaged in.
Uſe 3: A third uſe, if it be ſo, that tempeſts and ſtorms are like to blow, then we would be careful to prepare for them.
