Obs. 2 Secondly, Whatsoever places have been heretofore, yet when they grow corrupt in Gods worship they lose their honour. Rome heretofore hath been a famous Church, as in Rom. 1. Use. we find that the faith of Rome was spread abroad throughout the world, and so they will yet plead for the glory of Rome, because once it was famous. But it is no matter what it hath been, what is it now? suppose it hath been the seat of Peter, what is it now? If once they are corrupt in themselves they lose the honour of what once they had. Oh let us take heed unto our selves in this. It is true, England 1hath also been a famous place for Religion, and Travellers that have come hither have blessed themselves, and blessed God for seeing what they have done, they never saw so much of God as in England: But if we shall corrupt our ways and grow to be Idolaters and superstitious we may by Gods just judgment be made at infamous and vile as any people upon the face of the earth. And so it is true of particular persons, of persons that heretofore have had much honour among the Saints, have been men of admirable parts and have been useful to the Church, it may be temptation prevails so much with them, I have had such a name, I have done such and such things, I now may be quiet, I cannot but be esteemed of for what I have done. But let a man in his younger time or afterward do never so worthily in the Church of God or Commonwealth, if he decline afterward he loseth all his honour both with God and men, and may be as unsavoury salt, and spurned out and trodden under foot of men; As Gilgal and Beth-aven though honoured before, yet now the people are charged not to come to them. Some men one would have blest themselves before to be in their company in their families, but now grown ⟨p. 189⟩so loose, so sapless in their spirits, so carnal, so malignant, so superstitious, so vain,2 that it is dangerous now to come into their company, so that now we may even hear a voice from God calling to us, go not into such a mans company, as here, go not to Gilgal. Thus you have these words opened unto you and what the mind of God is in them. Come not to to Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven. It follows.
Obs. 2 Secondly, Whatsoever places have been heretofore, yet when they grow corrupt in Gods worship they lose their honor. Rome heretofore hath been a famous Church, as in Rom. 1. Use. we find that the faith of Rome was spread abroad thoroughout the world, and so they will yet plead for the glory of Rome, because once it was famous. But it is no matter what it hath been, what is it now? suppose it hath been the seat of Peter, what is it now? If once they are corrupt in themselves they lose the honor of what once they had. Oh let us take heed unto our selves in this. It is true, England 1hath also been a famous place for Religion, and Travellers that have come hither have blessed themselves, and blessed God for seeing what they have done, they never saw so much of God as in England: But if we shall corrupt our waies and grow to be Idolaters and superstitious we may by Gods just judgment be made at infamous and vile as any people upon the face of the earth. And so it is true of particular persons, of persons that heretofore have had much honor among the Saints, have been men of admirable parts and have been useful to the Church, it may be temptation prevails so much with them, I have had such a name, I have done such and such things, I now may be quiet, I cannot but be esteemed of for what I have done. But let a man in his younger time or afterward do never so worthily in the Church of God or Commonwealth, if he decline afterward he loseth all his honor both with God and men, and may be as unsavory salt, and spurned out and troden under foot of men; As Gilgal and Beth-aven though honored before, yet now the people are charged not to come to them. Some men one would have blest themselves before to be in their company in their families, but now grown ⟨p. 189⟩so loose, so sapless in their spirits, so carnal, so malignant, so superstitious, so vain,2 that it is dangerous now to come into their company, so that now we may even hear a voice from God calling to us, go not into such a mans company, as here, go not to Gilgal. Thus you have these words opened unto you and what the mind of God is in them. Come not to to Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven. It follows.
- 1England.
- 2Note
