Doct. 4 Nebuchadnezzars fall was great when he was stripped 1of his Empire, and in steed of ruling men was turned into the wilderness to live amongst beasts, to eat and drink with the wild asses, and that for seven years together: this was a marvellous great fall, yet not comparable to theirs, that of professors become profane persons. For whereas Nebuchadnezzar went from men to beasts, they go from godly men to wicked Atheists, that are worse then beasts, yea to the company of devils, and of all the damned spirits. And whereas Nebuchadnezzar had a stump left in the ground, which after seven years should sprout forth again, and so he should return to a better estate then he enjoyed before; those that are revolts and backsliders, have no stump at all left in the ground, but are unrecoverable: For if we sin willingly 2after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for of judgement, & of a violent fire, which shall devour the adversaries. Nothing doth so provoke the vengeance of God against men, as this wretched apostasy doth. For a man to fall from riches to poverty, from promotion to debasement, &c. ⟨p. 77⟩it is a matter of nothing; God loves him never the worse: but to fall from profession to profaneness; from God to the Devil; from heaven to hell; from life to death; this is a lamentable thing indeed. David did not sustain the fall of his house, but had only some tiles, and a part of the roof blown off: yet was that a greater loss than if he had been deprived of his kingdom: neither would that have so rent his soul, and crushed3 his bones, and ground his heart to powder, as the committing of those offensive evils did: nay, if he had been set upon a steep rock with a millstone about his neck, and from thence had been cast headlong into the sea, it had been but a trifle in comparison of the other. Oh then how fearful must their case be that do utterly forsake the living God? If his deadness and hardness of heart, and inability to do duties to God and men, were more bitter then the most violent death unto him; if I say, the very decay in grace did bring with it such torture; what must they expect either in this world, or in that which is to come, or both, who do not only in part, but wholly lose that taste of good things which once they had?
Doct. 4 Nebuchadnezzars fal was great when he was stript 1of his Empire, and in steed of ruling men was turned into the wildernesse to liue amongst beasts, to eate and drinke with the wilde asses, and that for seauen yeares together: this was a marueilous great fall, yet not comparable to theirs, that of professours become profane persons. For whereas Nebuchadnezzar went from men to beasts, they go from godly men to wicked Atheists, that are worse then beasts, yea to the company of diuels, and of all the damned spirits. And whereas Nebucadnezzar had a stumpe left in the ground, which after seauen yeares should sproute foorth againe, and so he should returne to a better estate then he enioyed before; those that are reuolts and backesliders, haue no stumpe at all left in the ground, but are vnrecouerable: For if we sinne willingly 2after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne, but a fearefull looking for of iudgement, & of a violent fire, which shal deuoure the aduersaries. Nothing doth so prouoke the vengeance of God against men, as this wretched apostacie doth. For a man to fall from riches to pouertie, from promotion to debasement, &c. ⟨p. 77⟩it is a matter of nothing; God loues him neuer the worse: but to fall from profession to prophanenesse; from God to the Diuell; from heauen to hell; from life to death; this is a lamentable thing indeede. Dauid did not sustaine the fall of his house, but had onely some tiles, and a part of the roofe blowne off: yet was that a greater losse than if he had bene depriued of his kingdome: neither would that haue so rent his soule, and crusht3 his bones, and grownd his heart to powder, as the committing of those offensiue euils did: nay, if he had bene set vpon a steepe rocke with a milstone about his necke, and from thence had bene cast headlong into the sea, it had bene but a trifle in comparison of the other. Oh then how fearefull must their case be that do vtterly forsake the liuing God? If his deadnesse and hardnesse of heart, and inabilitie to do duties to God and men, were more bitter then the most violent death vnto him; if I say, the very decay in grace did bring with it such torture; what must they expect either in this world, or in that which is to come, or both, who do not onely in part, but wholly lose that taste of good things which once they had?
- 1Apostasy is a most grievous sin.Apostacy is a most grieuous sinne.
- 2Heb. 10. 26. 27.
- 3Psal. 51.
