Thirdly,1 Though first men do but only leave God, forsake the thing that is good, yet at length they grow to such a ripeness in sin as they cast it off with abomination; and that's a great deal worse: Merely to neglect that which is good is an evil, but to cast off that which is good by way of abomination, Oh then the sin of a people is grown to an height, then they are near to Judgment indeed, when they cast it off; thus men who heretofore have been very forward in the profession ⟨p. 13⟩of Religion, and seem to love and delight in the thing that is good, but by degrees their hearts were drawn from the ways of God, now they cannot bear the sight of those things to be presented, nor bear the hearing of those things, their hearts rise against any that they see practice them, they now shut their eyes, and stop their ears, and with violence repel the Truth; according to those in Jer. 44. 16. As for the Word of the Lord that thou hast spoken to us, we will not hear thee. 2Oh! are there not some that heretofore have thought they have received much sweetness in the ways of God, and now not only left them, but their hearts rise against them, and if any thing be spoken for them, shut their eyes and ears and cast it off and even abominate such? Let such take heed that God cast not them off for ever. 1 Chron. 28. 9. (it is a speech of David to his son Solomon) If thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever: How much more if thou dost cast off the thing that is good. Oh! my brethren, let us take heed of casting off the thing that is good; we may pass over many Truths that it may be God hath convinced us off, but let us take heed of casting off any Truth, for then we are ripe to Judgment, then the Lord may justly cast us off for ever.
Thirdly,1 Though first men do but only leave God, forsake the thing that is good, yet at length they grow to such a ripeness in sin as they cast it off with abomination; and that's a great deal worse: Meerly to neglect that which is good is an evil, but to cast off that which is good by way of abomination, Oh then the sin of a people is grown to an height, then they are neer to Judgment indeed, when they cast it off; thus men who heretofore have been very forward in the profession ⟨p. 13⟩of Religion, and seem to love and delight in the thing that is good, but by degrees their hearts were drawn from the waies of God, now they cannot bear the sight of those things to be presented, nor bear the hearing of those things, their hearts rise against any that they see practice them, they now shut their eyes, and stop their ears, and with violence repel the Truth; according to those in Jer. 44. 16. As for the Word of the Lord that thou hast spoken to us, we will not hear thee. 2Oh! are there not some that heretofore have thought they have received much sweetness in the waies of God, and now not only left them, but their hearts rise against them, and if any thing be spoken for them, shut their eyes and ears and cast it off and even abominate such? Let such take heed that God cast not them off for ever. 1 Chron. 28. 9. (it is a speech of David to his son Solomon) If thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever: How much more if thou dost cast off the thing that is good. Oh! my brethren, let us take heed of casting off the thing that is good; we may pass over many Truths that it may be God hath convinced us off, but let us take heed of casting off any Truth, for then we are ripe to Judgment, then the Lord may justly cast us off for ever.
- 1Obs. 3.
- 2Backsliders from what they have found good in.
