An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

Thirdly, There is a turning back from God, proper to all unregenerate persons, whether they be such as are civilly honest and possibly such as do not decline the outside of that religion wherein they were borne and bred; or such as are flagitious in their lives and ways, scorning to own religion, and being even ashamed of the ways of God. These may be said to turn back from God, because they have many calls to God, and are invited to come unto him; which yet they either neglect and mind not at all, or refuse and reject, and so thrust away God from them; and when the light comes, they love darkness rather then light, because their deeds are evil (Joh: 3.19.) Such were they of whom Job spake (Chap: 21.14.) They say to God depart from us: he doth not intend it of Apostates in a strict notion, who once made profession of godliness; but he speaks of common and profane persons, who have no mind at all to obey or walk with God, but ⟨p. 702⟩mind only the fulfilling of their lusts, or the affairs of this present life; and so their whole life is nothing else but a turning from God.¹ Thus the vulgar translation renders the text with a good significancy, though not with a clearness to the Hebrew; who have purposely turned from God; distinguishing them from those who through daily Infirmity turn from God, as the best of his people do; whereas, these sin willingly, yea wilfully and resolvedly against God. I conceive, the words of Elihu in this text are to be understood of turning from God in this third sense; For he is not here speaking of those who were eminent professors before, and did Apostatize; much less of those that turn from God by daily failings in duty, or some neglect of duty; but he is speaking of such, whose whole course of life is as a continued turning from God, themselves never having been wrought upon by the grace of conversion, or savingly turned to him. This third sort of turners back from God are most proper to the present text, though such also are within the reach and compass of it, who do wickedly after they have made fair pretensions to the best things. This is the reason why God striketh the mighty to destruction; They have turned back from God. The reason being thus explicit and express, teacheth us,

Thirdly, There is a turning back from God, proper to all unregenerate persons, whether they be such as are civilly honest and possibly such as doe not decline the outside of that religion wherein they were borne and bred; or such as are flagitious in their lives and wayes, scorning to own religion, and being even ashamed of the wayes of God. These may be sayd to turn back from God, because they have many calls to God, and are invited to come unto him; which yet they either neglect and mind not at all, or refuse and reject, and so thrust away God from them; and when the light comes, they love darkness rather then light, because their deeds are evill (Joh: 3.19.) Such were they of whom Job spake (Chap: 21.14.) They say to God depart from us: he doth not intend it of Apostates in a strict notion, who once made profession of godliness; but he speakes of common and prophane persons, who have no mind at all to obey or walk with God, but