depart from me you have departed from my ways from my truths from my worship now depart from me ye workers of iniquity Go ye cursed none shall stay you seeing you as the Angels fell from your first estate you shall now receive the condemnation of the Angels you shall fall into Hell with them you fell from your seeming grace you shall now fall from my real mercy into the hands of my justice Apostacy is nothing else but a falling from the arms of God into the hands of the living God and how fearful a thing it is to fall into his hands let Judas let the Divels from Hell speak for it is beyond the imagination and expression of man CHAP. XI SECT I. Vse 1. LEt the first Use of this Point be for caution to you take heed to your selves lest you thus fall away spiritual caution is a special prevention of falling away necessary if ever now to be pressed upon you Now here I shall shew you what you must especially take heed of that ye may stand and not fall away 1. Take heed of unbelief Heb. 3.12 the Apostle tells us that the Jews were excluded from Gods rest because of their unbelief God sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest that was terrible let us take heed therefore lest there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God An evil heart of unbelief it is an Hebraism put for the evil unbelieving heart where the Apostle describeth unbelief by an elegant paranomasia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unbelief is the cause and root of total and final apostacy and departing from God 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. where the Apostle sheweth the cause of that great apostacy which was to be in the Church at the discovery of Antichrist and why Antichristian lies should more prevail with men then the truths of the living God namely their unbelief they received not the truth in love and they believed not the truth What was the cause of the rich young mans departing from Christ but his unbelief he was not perswaded he should have life eternal if he should sell all that he had and give to the poor wherefore he went away sorrowful So Alexander's casting off his faith and a good conscience which is the Ark wherein God lays up this precious Manna was the cause why he proved such an enemy to Paul and became a final and an irrecoverable Apostate Unbelief is the cause also why men in times of trial fall off from God and decline the holy profession of his truth for God hath times of trial of his peoples faith and profession as 1. When a mans worldly advantages and the ways of God are put to the question whether you will forsake Christ and embrace this present world or embrace Christ and forsake the world and that there is a necessity of one unbelief will put a man upon the choice of the world and the rejection of Christ unbelief put Demas upon this choice had he believed the promise of life eternal he would not have embraced this present world no unbelieving heart will follow Christ when worldly advantages fail give them no more loaves they will make no more profession 2. Times of persecution are trying times unbelief makes many a man to fall off and to depart from God in times of Gospel-troubles when Religion is in disgrace and the Professors thereof are troubled When Paul was brought before Nero at his first answer no man stood by him but all men forsook him Those hearers in the Parable of the Sower that are represented by the stony ground they heard the Word gladly made a fair profession for a time but when persecutions and afflictions arose in time of temptation or trial they fell away because they had no root in themselves they were not by faith rooted in Christ they heard the Word gladly but did not mingle the Word with faith Reproaches and persecutions for the Name of Christ are the blustering and stormy winds that drive the Ship of a temporary faith upon the rocks and bring an irrecoverable shipwrack upon it if you do not in such times as these heartily believe and close with Gods promises you will certainly fall Gods way of rewarding his Servants for the present is more by promise then by pay if therefore you will not rest in his word you will fall from his service Unbelief in the heart like the worm in the root of Jonah's gourd will make your Religion wither in a short time Fides est nervus Religionis faith is the sinew of Religion if the sinew shrink Religion will shrink Sampson's strength lay in his locks the whole strength of Religion lieth in the lock of faith if lust or the world cut off that you will as Sampson grow as weak in Religion as other men are SECT II. 2. Take heed of professing Religion for carnal ends either to enrich or advance your selves take heed of following Christ for loaves of crying up Religion as Demetrius and his rabble did Diana for silver shrines take heed of the wicked supposition of corrupt men that gain is godliness that profess godliness for gain-sake because if godliness brings no gain in according to expectation such a Professor will fall from Religion to follow after gain Doubtless Judas proposed gain as the end of his Discipleship so when he saw Christ would not enrich him then he would betray Christ and the Pharisees should the Scripture noteth this of him who when he was angry at Mary because of the ointment which she bestowed on Christ pretending it was better that it had been given to the poor not that he regarded the poor but because he had the bag It is conceived by Interpreters that the forward man that said to Christ Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest Math. 8.19 20. when he hears Christs answer The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head that he forsook Christ if Christ hath no preferment for him then he will have no regard of his service Such men think not that God is an heart-searching God who if he seeth carnal ends and worldly lusts cherished in the heart and covered over with a religious mantle will in time uncase such Hypocrites pluck off their mask of godliness and discover their base ends and lusts unto the world to their shame Foolish worldlings ye mistake Christ in proposing great things to your selves in serving him because he plainly tells you of losses hatred persecution and poverty he sheweth you all the contempt of the world it is the Divels way to present to us the glory of the world He that takes up the profession of Religion with love to it will stand to it whatever become of it he will leave worldly riches to cleave to poor truth as Musculus that forsook great preferments at Lutzelstein Abbey to become a
Apostle saith of such that they tread under foot the Son of God Heb. 10.29 a sin beyond the sin of Judas who betrayed him beyond the sin of Pilate who condemned him beyond the sin of the Souldiers who crucified and pierced him beyond the sin of the Jews who mocked him they offered not such contempt to him as to tread him under their feet The phrase alludeth to our custom things which we detest and abhor we cast them under our feet and trample upon them thus these men cast away Christ as if he were the off-scouring of the world When Pompey's Souldiers made a mutiny against him for restraining them from going to a certain place they desired to go to and were resolved to go in spite of him when no perswasions could prevail but go they would he laid himself down on the ground speaking thus unto them If ye will go then tread on me your Emperour and General So Christ saith to backsliders will ye go away from me then tread on me your Saviour trample on this body of mine that was broken for you reject the blood of the Covenant as an unholy thing and do despite to the Spirit of grace that is offer injurious rebellions against his motion on your hearts against his holy gifts and workings such men do interpretatively say to the Spirit of grace Let me alone I am joyned to the world and I will be joyned let me alone move no more upon the face of my heart depart and take thy gifts with thee for I will have my will I will fulfill my lusts 3. They bring an ill report on Christianity it self on Religion on all the Ordinances as if there were no goodness in Religion no pleasantness in the ways of God no excellency or efficacy in his Ordinances and by this their falling off harden the hearts of men against the ways of God against Religion and the Professors of it Hoord Serm. in Eph. 4.30 The Hebrews call the Winter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is a reproach either actively to the earth as if it had no fructifying power in it and to the other Seasons of the Year as if they were all like to the Winter or passively to it self because it is a time by reason of the sad face of it the cessation of the fruitfulness of the earth leaves blossoms and comeliness of trees and of the warmth of the Sun that is evil spoken of It is a name that befits a backsliding Christian he is a reproach to the Ordinances of God as if they had no quickening and fructifying virtue in them he is a reproach to all his Society as if all Christians were like himself and he is a great stumbling-block to others many in Hell take their damnation upon it that the falling off of a Professor from the ways of God was the stumbling-stone at which they stumbled and fell into Hell Math. 18.7 Wo to the man by whom the offence cometh The greatest offence that falls out in the world is the falling away from the profession it is a scandal with a witness it is scandalum magnatum of God of Saints of the Gospel of godliness Wo to the world because of offences 1. Because their falling away is the great stumbling-block that rock of offence at which the world of wicked men stumble and fall eternally into destruction they make men doubt whether that way of profession which they took up be a good and safe way or not hereupon many grow resolute to continue in their wicked and ungodly life rather then to receive that faith or walk by those rules of life which such backsliders make professiâ—n of Salvian in his time doth often aggravate the sins of Christians on this very ground It cannot be said saith he of the Gentiles Non potest dici de Gentibâ—â— Evangelia legunt impudici sunt Apostolos audiunt inebriantur Christum sequuntur rapiunt vitam improbam agunt probam Legem se habere dicunt In nobis igitur Christus patitur opprobrium in nobis patitur Lex Christiana maledictum Vide Christianos quid agunt evidenter potest de ipso Christo sciri quid loceat Salvian lib. 4. p. 139. they read the Gospels and are unchast they hear the Apostles and are drunk they follow Christ and plunder they lead a wicked life and have a good Law as they say but it may be said of us well what of this he tells us In us therefore doth Christ suffer reproach in us doth the Christian Law endure some disgrace for they say of us Lo what manner of men they be that worship Christ it is false that they have a good Law as they say they have for if they learned good things they would undoubtedly be good persons such is the Sect as are the Sectators and Followers of it And a little after he brings in the Pagans thus speaking Look upon the Christians see what they do and by that you may easily know what their Christ teacheth But why do they charge us Christians and our God thus he answereth Why only for their sakes who are called Christians but are not who by their flagitious and filthy lives do defame the Christian name By these speeches we may collect how ill the bad lives of Christians made Pagans judge of the way of Christianity and consequently what a blemish the evil conversation of Professors may occasionally cast upon their profession though never so pure and glorious in it self But wo to the man by whom these offences come 2. Because not only the guilt of his own falling away but the damnation of others will lye upon him also as a milstone to sink him down to the bottom of Hell Vide Heylin's Geograph of America I have read a story of Hathvey an Indian Nobleman who by the cruelties and insolencies of the Spaniards of which his miserable Country had woful experience was so much prejudiced against the Christian Religion Barthol Cass Narrat Region Ind. that he refused to be baptized They perswaded him by many arguments to become a Christian He demanded first what place was appointed after this life for such as were baptized answer was made Heaven and its joys secondly what place they that were not baptized should go unto it was answered to Hell and its torments thirdly he asked which of these places was appointed for the Spaniards answer being made that Heaven was he resolved against his intended Baptism protesting that he had rather go to Hell with the unbaptized then to Heaven with so cruel a people Whosoever sinneth greatly saith Salvian Salvian without the offence of others doth purchase damnation only to himself but he that causeth others to blaspheme casteth very many together with himself into destruction Wicked men have little cause to scoff at such men and at Religion for their sakes because their falls are a wo to them also CHAP. X. Reas 3. IN respect of your selves
you ought to take heed of falling away in divers respects 1. All the good that ever you did in your lives will prove lost labour if you fall away all your fastings prayings hearing of Sermons humiliations all your zeal and forwardness all your righteousness shall be forgotten as if you had never done any holy duty or service at all Ezek. 18.24 for as it is said of a backslider returning home again ver 22. that all his transgressions which he had before committed shall not be mentioned so when a Professor turneth away from his righteousness all his former righteousness shall not be remembred God will look on that man as if he had never prayed nor done any good duty at all 2. If you fall away all the good you have done shall be an aggravation of your destruction of your torments in Hell all thy prayers all thy fastings c. shall be as so many piles of wood to encrease the fire of Hell all the Sermons thou hast heard shall heat Hell seven times hotter for thee then others thy profession lifted thee up to Heaven it shall then cast thee down to the lowest Hell Tell me O ye tormenting Divels ye that are the keepers of Gods house of eternal correction and vengeance hath not the Judge of all the world expressed in his Warranâ— that when as the petty drunkards and other profane persons are to be lashed but with whips only that you shall lash Judas and Demas with scorpions 3. If you fall away God will never take any pleasure in you more It is no less then treason for a Subject to withdraw his allegiance from his Prince and become a servant to his Enemy and it is high treason against Christ to fall from him and become a servant to his Enemy it makes God to abhor him If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 The husband may bear much with the froward humours of his wife while she is chast and sincere but if she withdraw from him and follow after other Lovers he cannot endure it God takes no delight either in the persons or services of Apostates whatsoever duties are done by them in their declining estate the Lord abhorreth he takes delight in his Spouse that keeps close to him Cant. 2.14 O my Dove saith he let me see thy countenance sweet is thy voice and thy face is comely but God heareth not the prayers regardeth not the services of such sinners as these are if any be performed by them 4. A spiritual curse from God commonly seizeth on Apostates which as the waters of jealousie under the Law given to suspected women made their bellies to rot so this curse upon Apostates will make their gifts parts seeming graces to rot an Apostate like Nebuchadnezzars image degenerateth from an head of gold and breast of silver into feet of iron and clay when a man keeps close to God he blesseth that little that he hath and it encreaseth into a great stock but when a man departs from God he is like a sieve that can hold no water or like a golden cup with an hole in the bottom as the tree which our Saviour cursed for having no fruit when he came to seek some from it dried up immediately from the top to the roots so a spiritual rottenness doth immediately and insensibly spread over their parts and gifts and spiritual abilities How can it be otherwise for the Spirit of God which gives life to all ceaseth from his common workings in them when the soul leaves the body it hastens to putrefaction presently so doth a Christian wither and decay when the Spirit of God leaveth him That curse which David wished to the mountains of Gilboa on which Saul and Jonathan were slain falls upon backsliders Ye mountains of Gilboa let no rain nor dew fail upon you so God saith of such as fall away from him let not the dew of my Word fall upon thy heart any more hear thou but never understand my Word more He that goes from Jerusalem to Jericho shall surely fall among Thieves and lose his raiment and be wounded Grace is like the leaves of a tree when they fall off from the tree winter cometh on immediately See what backsliders are termed in Scripture they are called degenerate Plants and strange Vines Jerem. 2.21 Reprobate silver shall men call them Jerem. 6.30 they are like land-floods that run violently and spend their strength as quickly and soon dry up Job 6.15 they are compared to Summer-fruits that soon putrifie Amos 8.1 2. our Saviour compareth them to shallow-rooted corn that soon withereth for want of depth of earth Math. 13.20 they are called empty vines bringing forth fruit to themselves Hos 10.1 Hâ—w woful was the hand of God upon Spira and Latomus of Lovain whose minds being fiâ—led with divine terrours unto their end cryed out that they were damned and rejected of God because that against their conscience they had fallen from the truths of the Gospel 5. Because of Gods dreadful exemplary revenge which sometimes he executeth upon such as fall away from him filling their consciences with horrour and their souls with final despair of mercy time was when they had some flashy comforts in duty but this spring is now dried up from them the Spirit of God is departed from them and an evil spirit from the Lord is fallen upon them as it did on Saul tormenting them with horrour and possessing them with dreadful apprehensions of inevitable and intolerable damnation Who can conceive what Boanerges what sons of thunder their consciences become within their bosoms continually crying out upon them Oh wretched creature what hast thou done whom hast thou forsaken what hast thou cast off thy God thy Lord hast thou forsaken the fountain of living waters hast thou forsaken him who is the God of peace the God of comfort of happiness of all goodness I must tell thee God hath forsaken thee and he will say to thee Receive within thy self the determinate sentence of damnation which the Court of Heaven hath irrevocably passed upon thee Moreover God sometimes executeth some outward remarkable judgment upon revolters Lot's wife had been in Egypt and not poisoned with the superstitions of Egypt lived in Sodom and not polluted with the sins of Sodom she was delivered from the errours of Vr delivered from the captivity of the five Kings and at last delivered from perishing with the Cities of the Plain yet after all this she forsook her own mercy and perisheth in the sin of defection therefore saith our Saviour Remember Lot's wife Luke 17.32 6. However the present dealings of God are with backsliders yet in the end they shall certainly fall into everlasting destruction from the glorious presence of that God whose gracious presence they despised in this life God will then punish their departure from him with a departure he will then say to them seeing ye have departed from me ye shall