1Here we may take up a sad lamentation, in respect of the many Apostate Professors of our days. Never was this spiritual falling sickness more rise. O how many are sick of it at present, and not a few fallen asleep by it? These times of war and confusion have not made so many broken Merchants as broken Professors; where is the Congregation that cannot show some who have out-lived their Profession? not unlike the silkworm, which (they say) after all her spinning, works her self out of her bottom, and becomes at last a common fly. Are there not many, whose forwardness in Religion we have stood gazing on with admiration, as the disciples on the Temple, ready to say one to another as they to Christ, See what manner of stones these are? what polished gifts and shining graces are here? and now not one stone left upon another. O did you ever think, that they who went in so goodly array towards heaven in communion with you, would after that face about, and run over to the devils side, turn Blasphemers, Worldlings and Atheists, as some have done? O what a sad change is here! It had been ⟨p. 377⟩better for them, not to have known the way of righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them, 2 Pet. 2.21. Better never to have walked a step towards heaven, then to put such a scorn and reproach upon the ways of God. Comparationem videtur egisse qui utrumquo cognoverit, & judicato pronunciûsse eum meliorem, cujus se rursu• esse maluerit. Tertul. de poenit. Such a one who hath known both what a service Satan's is, and what Gods is, then to revolt from God to the devil, seems to have compared one with the other, and as the result of his mature thoughts, to pronounce the devils which he chooseth better then Gods which he leaveth. And how is it possible that any can sin upon a higher guilt, and go to hell under a greater load of wrath? These are they which God loathes. He that hates putting away disdains much more to be himself thus put away. If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him, Heb. 10.38. The Apostate is said to tread upon the Son of God, Heb. 10.29. as if he were no better then the dirt under his feet. Well, he shall have treading for treading, God himself will set his foot upon him, Psal. 119.118. Thou hast trodden down all that err from thy statutes, and who (think you) will be weary soonest?
1Here we may take up a sad lamentation, in respect of the many Apostate Professours of our dayes. Never was this spiritual falling sicknesse more rise. O how many are sick of it at present, and not a few fallen asleep by it? These times of warre and confusion have not made so many broken Merchants as broken Professours; where is the Congregation that cannot shew some who have out-lived their Profession? not unlike the silkworm, which (they say) after all her spinning, works her selfe out of her bottome, and becomes at last a common flie. Are there not many, whose forwardnesse in Religion we have stood gazing on with admiration, as the disciples on the Temple, ready to say one to another as they to Christ, See what manner of stones these are? what polished gifts and shining graces are here? and now not one stone left upon another. O did you ever think, that they who went in so goodly array towards heaven in communion with you, would after that face about, and run over to the devils side, turn Blasphemers, Worldlings and Atheists, as some have done? O what a sad change is here! It had been ⟨p. 377⟩better for them, not to have known the way of righteousnesse, then after they have known it, to turne from the holy Commandment delivered unto them, 2 Pet. 2.21. Better never to have walk't a step towards heaven, then to put such a scorn and reproach upon the wayes of God. Comparationem videtur egisse qui utrumquo cognoverit, & judicato pronunciûsse eum meliorem, cujus se rursu• esse maluerit. Tertul. de poenit. Such a one who hath known both what a service Satans is, and what Gods is, then to revolt from God to the devil, seems to have compared one with the other, and as the result of his mature thoughts, to pronounce the devils which he chooseth better then Gods which he leaveth. And how is it possible that any can sin upon a higher guilt, and go to hell under a greater load of wrath? These are they which God loaths. He that hates putting away disdains much more to be himself thus put away. If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him, Heb. 10.38. The Apostate is said to tread upon the Son of God, Heb. 10.29. as if he were no better then the dirt under his feet. Well, he shall have treading for treading, God himself will set his foot upon him, Psal. 119.118. Thou hast troden down all that erre from thy statutes, and who (think you) will be weary soonest?
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