Chap. 34. Az Expofition upon the Book of ] o E. Verf.27., 7o 5 fefaed to you in the difpenfation of the word, if youdoe not obe- dientiallydole with ir, youneglea todole with God himfelfe, and while you turn from it, you turn fromGod himfelfe. Thus the Apollle fpeakes concerning back- fliders (2Prt: z. zo, 2 r.) Ifafter they have efcaped Ile pollutions of the world , through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour fefus Chrrfl they are apple en- tangled-therein andovercome, the latter end is worfo with them then thebeginning. For it had been better for them not to have kTowne the way ofGod, then after they have k oowne it , to turn from the holy commandement delivered unto them; fe that, a turning from the CommandementofGod, is a turning fromGodhimfelfe ; He turneth back from the holy commanding God, who turneth back from the holy commandement of God, and he turneth back from the God of the promife, who turneth back from the promife of God. Fifthly , Note. c/fs it is exceedingfinfull to turn backfrom God, fo they who doe f,grow every day more and morefinfttl. If a man be once upon a courfe of back-fliding and Apoflati- a ng from the commands and promifes of God, he will find him- f:lfe worfe and worfe day after day;for t}ill the further fromGod any man goeth, the more vaine he groweth ; and the more doth luti get a hand over him. As unbeliefe is the roote of Apoflacy f:omGod, fo Apofiacyencreafeth all thatwwickedneSfe which is in man. As the caufe of all evill, whetherof punishment or of fin, isour departure and turning fromGod ; fo the very nature of fin is a turning fromGod ; and therefore the more we turne from God, the more finfull and the fuller of fin we are. As the neerer we come to God, the more holy and fpirituall and heavenly we are ( whilewe with open face as in aglaffe ( faith the Apoftle, 2 Cor: 3. a i .) Behold the gloryofGod (that is; while we draw neere tohim in his holy ordinances ) we arechanged into thefame image,that is,we become more like toGod) fo the morewe keep at adifiance fromGod,the more unlike we are to him,that is,the snore unholy we are. And asperfons unconverted, or in anunho- ly flare, are wholly alienated from the life of God , and cannot endure to comeneere him fo it is in a degree by any of our withdrawings or turnings from him : we are made more unholy, Xxxx and
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