A Caveat to the Standing Christian, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Reaſons why we ſhould take heed of falling away from the profeſſion of godlineſs.
THe Reaſons why we ſhould take heed of falling away from the profeſſion of piety are drawn, 1. From the ſinfulneſs of this ſin. 2. From the diſhonour which is caſt on God. 3. From the judgments following upon it.
Reaſ. 1. From the nature of this ſin; there is that ſinfulneſs in this ſin which is not in other ſins, which will appear in theſe enſuing particulars.
1. It is magis directè deordinativum à Deo, as the Schoolmen ſpeak; every ſin is an averſion and deordination from God to the creature, but this is more directly deordinate, and there is this difference; other ſins are a departing from God in obliq… â lineâ, rather going aſide from God, then going away from him, going in a wrong way, then going in a contrary way; but to fall from God is a going from God in directâ lineâ, going in a contrary way againſt God, turning the back upon God, Chriſt, Holineſs, Heaven, and their faces directly to the world, to their luſts, to hell; like the Moon, after ſhe hath been in conjuction with the Sun, goeth backward till ſhe be in a diametrical oppoſition; or, to uſe that familiar compariſon of ſome Divines, other ſins are like the wandrings and runnings of a dog from his Maſter after every bird, and after every ſheep he ſees in the field, and then returns to follow his Maſter again; but this ſin of falling away from God, is like the dog which goes with his Maſter ſome way from home, and then leaves him and returns back homeward as faſt as he can again: therefore ſee how God complaineth of this ſin, Jerem. 2.13. My people have committed two evils; they have forſaken me, and gone to the creature; he accounts it two great evils; drunkenneſs, adultery, and ſuch like, is but one ſingle iniquity, but to depart from God is double iniquity, 'tis two evils.
2. It is the fundamental breach of the Covenant between God and man, ſo other ſins are not; it is as the ſin of adultery, which is the breach of the Matrimonial Covenant; all other unkind paſſages betwixt man and wife are not breaches of it, but only of their promiſe of love and obedience; but adultery is the divorcing ſin, it breaks the knot which nothing can untie but death: ſo it is here; other ſins are againſt our duty, and the engagement of our obedience to God; but to fall away from God is a rejecting of God, and of Chriſt for our God; you do ipſo facto ſay in effect, that God ſhall not be your God, and Chriſt ſhall not be your husband; and God again replieth, Loammi, Loruchamah, ye are not my people, and I will not be your God, I will not have mercy upon you, Hoſ. 1.6.9.
3. It is diſpoſitivum ad deteriora; when a man is acting this ſin, the Divel hath him on an high pinacle, from whence he tumbleth headlong into any ſin; ſuch a man falls from hypocriſie into open profaneneſs, from open profaneneſs into Atheiſm, from that into oppoſition of all that is of God; as the Oratour ſaid of ſome, à bonis ad mala, à malis ad vitia, à vitiis ad deteriora; ſo theſe men fall from negligence in performances unto a willing neglect, from neglect into wilful contempt, from contempt into hatred, from hatred into oppoſition: Saul was firſt an Apoſtate, then a Perſecuter; Judas firſt an Hypocrite, then a Traitor: What Biſhop Latimer called the ſin of covetouſneſs, we may call this ſin of falling away, viz. ſcalam inferni, a ladder by which men go down ſtep by ſtep to the bottom of perdition and deſtruction.
4. It hath nullum motivum ad poenitentiam, no motive to repentance, 'tis the School-mens phraſe; it ſhuts men up in impenitency and final hardneſs, Heb. 6.6. and the reaſon is, becauſe falling from God is an ejection of the Spirit of grace, and when the Spirit ceaſeth from his operation on the heart of ſuch a man, it is impoſſible then for him to repent; it is ſaid ſo of no ſin but this: a Profeſſor may fall into a groſs moral vice, as into drunkenneſs, and be renewed again by repentance; he may through weakneſs deny Chriſt, as Peter did, and yet be renewed again by repentance: there is no ſin but this, but a man falling into it may be renewed again by repentance.