102 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
any may be interested in these efficacious means of eternal salvation, —namely, by confession, penances, and alms,—are possible, yea, easy to persons who never intend to leave their sins. Of this sort are the most of those visibly who every day fall off to the Roman church. And it were to be desired that the wickedness of men did not give grounds of fearing additions to their number; for if there be no as- surance of the constancy of men in the profession of the truth, unless their souls and lives are transformed into the image of it (as there is not), certainly those ways wherein men are furiously engaged in the pursuit of their lusts must needs be perilous, and may, without the especial help of divine grace, bring forth a fatal defection.
CHAPTER V..
Darkness and ignorance another cause of apostasy.
II. Tue second spring or cause of defection from the gospel in any kind, is that spiritual darkness and ignorance which abides in the minds of men under the profession of the truth.
The gospel may fall under a double consideration: First, Of the things themselves that are contained, revealed, and proposed there- in;—these are the material objects of our faith. Secondly, With respect unto the doctrinal way of their declaration. With respect unto the first, there is a spiritual darkness on the minds of all men by nature, so as that they cannot discern them in their own native form and beauty. With respect unto the latter, men are said to be ignorant, namely, when they do not ina due manner understand and comprehend the doctrines of the gospel, and so perish for want of knowledge. These things being of a distinct consideration, and of different influence into this pernicious event, the first shall be first spoken unto. :
1. That there is such a spiritual darkness on the minds of men by nature, and wherein their depravation by sin doth principally consist, is fully testified in the Scripture, as I have at large else- where evinced." Hence all men grant, so far as I know, that there is need of spiritual illumination to enable us to discern spiritual things in a due manner, though all are not agreed in the nature and causes of that illumination. But to deny the thing itself is to deny the gospel, and to make the promises of God of none effect. Now, where illumination is needful, there darkness is to be removed; for the end of the bringing in of light is to dispel darkness. Wherefore, such a depravation of the minds of men in spiritual darkness must
1 See the previous volume of his works, page 244.—Ep.
IGNORANCE A CAUSE OF APOSTASY. 103
be acknowledged, or the gift and grace of God in illumination must _ be rejected; and they by whom it is done do by their own blind-
__ hess give new evidence unto the truth which they do oppose, there
__ being no more certain demonstration of the power of darkness in any _ than for them to affirm that they stand in no need of light to be communicated unto them by the effectual operation of the Spirit of God. As to the nature of this illumination I shall not here dis- pute, but take it at present for granted that it is an act of His power who of old “commanded light to shine out of darkness, shin- ing in our hearts, to give us the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ,” 2 Cor. iv. 6.
There is a glory and beauty in those spiritual things which are the subjects of the truths of the gospel. There is in them the wis- dom of God, “the wisdom of God in a mystery,” 1 Cor. ii. 6, 7, yea, “the manifold wisdom of God,” Eph. iii. 10; the glory of the Lord, which is represented unto believers in the glass of the gospel, 2 Cor. ui. 18, or “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” chap. iv. 6; _ —things expressly beyond discovery by the use of any means what- ever merely natural, 1 Cor. ii. 9,10. Even the philosophers of old contended that there was a beauty in all truth, which would engage the minds and affections of men unto it were they able to discern it; and if they saw and granted this in things natural and moral, which are earthly and exposed unto the common reason of mankind, how much more must it be granted of the truth of things heavenly, spiri- * tual, and divine! See John iii. 12. In brief, whatever there is of divine glory or excellency in the divine nature itself, in any or all of its holy properties, in the great and most glorious effect of them in the person and grace of Christ, in the renovation of our nature into the image of God, in the divine life of faith and obedience, _ it is proposed unto us in the truths of the gospel.
2. Whatever doctrinal proposition may be made of these things unto the minds of men, yet the things themselves cannot be com- prehended nor spiritually discerned without the illumination of the Holy Ghost before mentioned. Hence it follows that men may be instructed in the doctrines of truth, yet, continuing under the power of natural darkness, not discern the things themselves in their own spiritual nature and glory, nor have any experience of their power and efficacy. This all the prayers of holy men in the Scripture for spiritual light and instruction, all the promises of God savingly to enlighten the minds of men, and the descriptions given of that work of his grace whereby he doth effect it, do undeniably evince. One consideration will be sufficient unto our purpose. Whosoever hath a spiritual view and knowledge of these things, his mind will be, and is, certainly Changed and transformed into the image of them. So