easy to depart from him. We should therefore be on our guard,
1. Against any departure from him —
[While men are yielding to temptation, and turning aside from the ways of God, they cherish a hope that they may still preserve their interest in his favour, though they be not studious to do his will. But a departure of any kind, whether from the faith or practice of Christianity, is nothing less than a departure from God himself, even from him who is the only source of life and happiness. We cannot therefore be too much on our guard against any secret declensions, which are so dishonourable to him whom we profess to love, and so destructive of our present and eternal welfare.]
2. Against that unbelief from whence all declen- sions arise —
[As faith is that which brings us to God, and keeps us steadfast in our adherence to him, so unbelief separates us from him, and, in proportion as it is harboured, invariably alienates us from the life of God. Whatever be the more immediate object of that unbelief, whether we attempt to lower the strictness of God's precepts, or question the veracity of his promises or threatenings, it proceeds equally from " an evil heart," and brings with it the same pernicious conse- quences : it is a root of bitterness, which, if it be permitted to spring up, will cause every devout affection to wither and decay. We must therefore labour to eradicate it, if we would not eat for ever its bitter fruits.]
That his caution may have its due effect, the Apostle prescribes,
II. The means of improving it —
Sin is of a deceitful and hardening nature —
[When " a backslider in heart" commits a sin, many thoughts will arise in his mind to palliate the evil, and to make him think that it will not be attended with any im- portant consequences. Soon he begins to doubt whether the thing be evil at all ; and, ere long, to jvistify it from the pecu- liarity of his circumstances. At first he felt some remorse ; but presently his conscience becomes less tender, till at last it is altogether seared and callous; so that, notwithstanding he be miserably departed from God, he is regardless of his loss, and insensible of his danger. Who that has ever noticed the workings of his own heart, has not found what a bewitch- ing and besotting thing sin is ? yea, who has not often seen reason to bewail its deceitful, hardening effects?]