Chap. 31. An Expofition upon the Boeke of J o B. Verf. 3. 320 nifhment) but they (hall be ftrangers to God alto. As they have not owned him in his wayes, the wayes ofholines, fo he will not owne them in their wayes, thewayes ofwickednes. Hence note. Alienation or eflrangement fromGod, ie the war(I of all punifh- ments. God is the chicle Good, there is none good but Grid , there- fore alienation from himmull needs be the greateft evil!. Who can (hew us any good, if God (hew us none ? There is a twofold eftrangement or Alienation fromGod. Firft, Active, when men alienate or eftrarge themfelves from God ; For as all men are ftrangers fromGod bynature ( Eph.4. r8.) Having their underflandings darkxed, being alienated from the life ofGod, through the ignorance that io in them, becaufe ofthe bit:1.1614e of their minds ( the heart ofa natural! man goeth off fromGod, and the thoughts ofGod, heedoth not like to thinke ofGod, or, as the Apoft';e fpeakes ( Rout. r. a8.) to retaine god in his knowledge t now as all men are thus alienated from God in the {toteof nature)fo many are much morealienated from him by tinfoil practices ; man grows more a ftranger to God by re- newed ads of fin, then he is by the finfulines of his old conditi- on ; andefpecially by asof uncleanenes, againft which lob pro- feffed (y r.) and by as ofunrighteoulneffe, againft which he profeffeth ( v. t. ) they that delireunion with the creature fin- fully, eyther by as ofwantonnes or ofin)uftice, (hail find their Fmpurihcrnines hearts going further off from communion with God. Thus 'cis a re divinx laidofSolomon (r Kings r r. 4.) It came to pare when Solomon (good ángens was old, that his wives turned sway his heart after other gods, and Tog; foelns efl his heart was notperfebt with theLord his God ar was the heart of Q9 foelorispre- `David his Father. His wives,that is, the ill counfel or example liarablmanatc. ofhis wives, and his inordinate affection to his wives eftranged him fromGod ; that worfhip and fervice which bee owed and fhould have given toGod, hee gave to Idolls. As that loft tur- ned him away, fo any luft turnes man away, yea takes manaway fromGod ; as the Prophet fpeakes (Hof. 4. r a.) Whoredome and wine, and newwine, take away the heart, that is, they make a man heart-leffe fpirit-leffe to any thing that is good, much more to any pure communion with God himfelfe. And as thefe takea. way
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