‘Again: this inate and yet uncured enmity unto things spiritual and heavenly becomes a cause and means of apostasy from the truths of the gospel, by filling the hearts of men with a love of sin, and their lives with the fruits of it in wicked works; for men are _ “alienated and enemies in their mind,” in or “ by wicked works,”
Col. i. 21. The enmity which isin their minds doth operate and manifest itself in wicked works. And the alienation wherewith this enmity is accompanied is from the “life of God:” Eph. iv. 18, “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God;” that is, from the spiritual, heavenly life of faith and holiness, which God requireth, and whereof he is the end and object. Of this life the truths of the gospel are the spring, rule, and measure. See Acts v. 20; Eph. iv. 20,21. Wherefore, when men are “alienated from the life _ of God,’ and through the love of sin are given up unto wicked works, ; they cannot but secretly dislike and hate that truth, that spiritual and heavenly doctrine, which is the spring and rule of holiness, and
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96 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
whereby both the love of sin and the fruits of it in wicked works are everlastingly condemned. Let, then, men pretend and profess what they please, whilst this enmity is in them as a predominant principle of sin and wicked conversation, they are practically and really ene- mies unto the gospel itself; and where any persons are so, it is easily imaginable how ready and prone they will be to part with it on any occasion, for none will retain that in their minds which is useless to them, and troublesome unto their principal inclinations, any longer than they have a fair opportunity to part with it. That this frame of mind is an effectual obstruction unto the due receiving of the gospel, our Saviour expressly declares: John i. 19, 20, “ This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved ‘darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” Wherever the power of sin abideth, and men are engaged in the practice of it, so as that their deeds are evil, they will not receive the light of the gospel,—that is, in its own nature and power, and for its proper ends; and when they are, by conviction or any other means, wrought unto a compli- ance with it, yet they do it but partially and hypocritically, nor can do it otherwise whilst their deeds are evil. So was it with them who are said to believe in Christ. Being some way convinced of the truth of his doctrine, yet would they not confess him, because “ they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God,” John xii. 42,43. By the reigning power of this one sin of ambitious hypocrigy most of them were kept off from any assent unto the gospel; as our Saviour speaks unto them, “ How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” John v. 44. With the residue, who were not able wholly to withstand their convictions, it prevailed so far as that they should not receive it sincerely, but partially and hypocritically. Now, that which so effectually keeps the most from giving any admission at all unto the gospel, and which suffers none to receive it in a due manner, will easily prevail, where it abides in its power, unto a total relinquish- ment of it when occasion is offered.
Seeing, therefore, that all those whose deeds are evil, who through the enmity that is in their minds do give up themselves in their lives unto wicked works, are really alienated from the truths of the gospel, they are and will be ready at all times for a defection from them; for being kept under the dominion of sin, they have no real benefit by them, but. rather find them inconsistent with their prin- cipal interests and chiefest joys.
Hence is that description which the apostle giveth of those who were evangelically converted unto God: Rom. vi. 17, 18, “God be
ENMITY A CAUSE OF APOSTASY. 97
thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you, Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness,” There is no obedience from the heart unto the gospel, no possibility of being cast into the mould of the doctrine delivered in it, unless we be made free from the service of sin. _ We may therefore, without scruple, fix [on] this as one principal ‘means and cause of that apostasy from the truth of the gospel which hath been in the world, and which is yet deplorably progressive. Men who love sin and live in sin, whose works are wicked and whose deeds are evil, are all of them in their hearts alienated from the spiritual, holy doctrines of the gospel, and will undoubtedly, on any occasion of temptation or trial, fall away from the profession of them.
What reason have we to hope or judge that drunkards, swearers, unclean persons, covetous, proud, ambitious, boasters, vain, sensualists, and the like enemies of the cross of Christ, should adhere unto the truth with any constancy if a trial should befall them? “Look dili- gently,” saith the apostle, “lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright,’ Heb. xu.15,16. Esau’s birthright was his right unto and interest in the promise of the gospel made unto Abraham. _This he, being a pro- fane person, when he was pressed with a little hunger, parted withal for one morsel of meat. And if others, saith the apostle, are like him, profane persons, fornicators, or such as live in any course of sin, ‘if a temptation befall them, and their lusts call to be satisfied, they will for morsels of bread, for the smallest earthly advantages, part with their interest in and profession of the gospel. So he tells us of them who, having put away a good conscience, did make ship- wreck of the faith, 1 Tim.i.19. After men have debauched their consciences by living in sin, they may for a while speed on their voyage with full sails of profession; but if a storm come, if a trial befall them, if they meet with a rock or shelf in their way, they quickly make shipwreck of the faith, and lose that, whatever else they labour to preserve.