84 The Danger ofApoiacy Vol. 1, cumcifion, and obfbrving the Law of Mofes, and thereby perverted the Gofpel of Chrift, asguilty in force degree of Apoftafie from Chrifhanity ; for he calls it, preaching another Gofpel, Gal. r. 7, 8. There be fame that trouble you, anfl would pervert the Gofpel of Cbr : but tho' we, or an Angel from Hea- ven, preach any other Gofpel to you, than that which we bave preached, let him be accurfed. And thofe who were feduced by thefe Teachers, he chargeth them with having in force fort quitted the Gofpel of Chrift, and embraced another Gofpel, Ver. 6. I marvel that ye are fo foon removed from bim that called you into the Grace of Chrtfl; unto another Gofpel. So that they who thus pervert and corrupt the Chriftian Doftrine or Worship, are plainly guilty of a partial Apoftafie from Chriftianity ; and they who quit the Purity of the Chriftian Doftrine andWorship, and go over to the Communion ofthefe who have thus per- verted Chriftianity, are in a molt dangerous State, and in theJudgment ofSt. Paul; are in force fort removed unto another Gofpel. ¡than now proceed in the III. Place, to confider the Heinoufnefs of this Sin. And it will appear to be very Heinous, if we confider, what an affront it is toGod, and how great a contempt of him. When God bath revealed his will to Mankind, and fent no lefs Perfon than bis own Son out of his own Bofom to do it, and hath given fuck Teftimonies to him from Heaven, by figns and wonders, and divers miracles andgifts of the Holy Ghofi; whenhe hath tranfmitted down to us, fo Faithful a Record of this Revelation, and of the Miracleswrought to confirm it in the Books of the Holy Scriptures ; and when we our felves have fo often declared our firmBelief of this Revelation : Yet after all this to fall from it, and deny it, or any part of it, or to embrace Doctrines and Pra&ices plainly contrary to it; this certainly cannot be done without the greateft affront and contempt of the Teftimony of God himfelf; for it is in effeft, and by interpretation; to declare, that either we do not believe what God fays, or that we do not fear what he can do. So Sr. John tells us, I Ep. 5. in He that believeth not God, bath made him a Lyar, becaufe he believeth not the record which Godbath given of his Son. And all along in this Epiftle to the Hebrews, the Apoftle fets himfelf to aggravate this Sin; calling it anEvil Heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God, Ch. 3. i 2. And he frequently calls it fo, xa-r' r? O P, and by way of eminency, as being of all Sins the greateft and molt heinous. Ch. to. 26. If we fin wilfully, after we bave received the knowledge of the Truth. 'That the Apoftle here fpeaks of the Sin of Apoftafie, is plain from the whole fcope of his Difcourfe ; for having exhorted them before, Ver. 23, to hold fall the Pro- feon of their Faith without wavering, not forfaking the affembling of them- felves together, he immediately adds, for if we fin wilfully, after we have re- ceived the knowledge of the Truth ;. that is, if we fall off from Chriftianity, af- ter we have embraced it. And, Ch. 12. I. let us lay afide every weight, and thefin which fo eafily befets us, that is, the great Sin of Apoftafie from Reli- gion, to which they were then fo ftrongly tempted by that fierce Perfecution which attended it ; and therefore he adds, let us run with patience the race which is let before us, that is, let us arm our felves with patience againft the Sufferings we are like to meet with in our Chriftian courfe. To oppofe the Truth, and refift the clear Evidence ofit, is a great Sin, and Men are juftly con- demned for it. John 3. 19. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the World, and men loved darknefs rather than light : But to defert the Truth after we have been convinced of it, to fall offfrom the Profefliion of it, after we have embraced it; is a much greater Sin. Oppofition to the Truth, may proceed in a great meafure from ignorance and prejudice, which is a great ex- tenuation; and therefore St. Paul tells us, that after all his violent Perfecution of Chriftianity, be found Mercy becaufe be did it ignorantly and in unbelief To revolt from the Truth, after we have made Profefliion of ir, after we bave known the way ofrigbteoufnefs, to turn from the holy commandment ; this is the great aggravation. The Apoftle makes wilfulnefs, an ufual ingredient into the Sin of Apoftafie, if we fin wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of the Truth. And
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