702 Chap. 34. An Expofition upon the Bokof J o u Verf. 27. mind only the fullfilling of their lulls, or the affayres of this pre- lent lite ; and fo their whole life is nothing elfe but a turning from ki pal? d God. Thus the vulgar tranflation renders the text with a good tnaJtria recef- fignificancy, though not with aclearnefs to the Hebrew;whohave forum. ab eo ur o el turned "18°1116° p p fy from god ; di(linguifhiug them from thole who peccanter ea through dayly Infirmity turnfromGod, as the bell of his people terra mama. do; ,whereas, thefe fin willingly,yea wilfullyand refolvedly againfl Aquin: God. I conceive, the words of Dam in this text are to be under - flood of turnin4 fromGod in this third fence ; For he is not here fpeaking of thole whowere eminent profeffors before, and did Apoflatize; much lets of chofe that turn fromGod by dayly fail- ings in duty, or Cone negleaof duty; but he is fpeaking of fuch, whole whole courfe of life is as a continued turning from God, themfelves never having been wrought upon by the grace of con- verfion, or favingly turned to him. This third fort of turners back fromGod are moll proper to the prefent text , though fuch allo are within the reach and compaffe of ir, who doe wickedly after they have made faire pretenfions to the bell things. This is the reafonwhy God flriketh the mighty to deftruóèion ; Theyhave turned back 'rem Cod. The reafon being thus explicite and ex- preffe, teacheth us, Firfl. God never punifheth any man without sage. GodBoth not alwayes fhew the caufe why he punifheth this or that than, but he never punifheth any man without caufe ; ifhe firiketh, 'cis becaufe men turn back from him, either by a plain apollacy from what they once profeifed, or by anotorious courfe of impiety, refuting fo much as toown his wayes or make profefli- on. God ele6teth force, and paffech by others without refpeó to any thing in them ; Jacob have I loved, and Una have I hated; God loath mercy onwhom he will have mercy (Rom: 9. r 3, I thus, I fay, Gód elecieth us without refpedl to anygood in s but God never flrikethor punifheth us, but with refpe& toCome evill in us or done by us Secondly, Note. It is the duty of all men tofollow after qod. TofollowGod inhis way,and topropofe God as our end, con- taine
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