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APOSTASY FROM THE HOLINESS OF THE GOSPEL. 159
as that they shall despise every thing that is tendered unto convic-
- tion.
_ This is the FIRST way whereby men fall away from the gospel, —
namely, from the mystery and doctrine of it as it is the object of our
faith; wherein they do what in them lies “to crucify the Son of God afresh, and to put him to an open shame.”
CHAPTER VIII.
Apostasy from the holiness of the gospel; the occasion and cause of it—Of that which is gradual, on the pretence of somewhat else in its room.
THERE is, SECONDLY, a falling away from the gospel with respect unto the holiness of its precepts, which are to be the matter, as they are the rule, of our obedience. And this also is of a nature no less perilous, and attended with consequents and effects no less danger- ous, than the former, and doth no less than that expose the Son of God to open shame: yea, an apostasy from the holiness of the gos- pel is, on many accounts, more dreadful and dangerous than a partial apostasy from its truth; for as it is more spreading and catholic than that is, and of less observation or esteem, so it is usually more irre- coverable, most men under it being greatly hardened through the
-deceitfulness of sin. Besides, commonness hath taken off the sense
of its evil and danger. If there be an error broached against the doctrine of the gospel, it is odds but some or other will take notice of it, confute it, and warn all men of the danger wherewith it is at- tended; but let the whole world, as it were, lie in evil, let the generality of mankind drown themselves in lusts and pleasures, let the lives and conversations of men be as contrary to the rule of the gospel as darkness is to light, so they make no disorder in this or that way of outward worship, and be either good Catholics or good Protestants, or any thing else of that kind, he shall scarcely escape the censure of peevishness and severity (it may be of self-conceited- ness and hypocrisy) who shall reflect any great blame on these things. And yet, notwithstanding this partiality in judgment or practice with respect. unto these evils, it is generally acknowledged that it is possible that men may please God and be accepted with him, not- withstanding many mistakes, errors, and misconceptions of their minds about spiritual things: but that any one should ever come unto the enjoyment of him who lives and dies impenitently in any sin, against the rule and tenor of that holiness which the gospel re-
quireth, I know as yet none that pleadeth; for, once to pretend that
men may live in, and habitually act any known sin, without striving
*
160 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
against it, labouring for repentance, and endeavouring its mortifica-
tion, is all one as avowedly to attempt the overthrow of Christian
religion. Wherefore, on these and sundry other considerations, this latter sort of apostasy from the holiness of the gospel is at least as perilous, as much to be opposed and contended against, as that which is from the mystery and doctrine of it, and that whereof the gene- rality of men are more earnestly to be warned, as the evil whereunto they are more obnoxious than to the other. And we do conjoin both these together, not only as those which are of the same tendency, and do alike both ruin the souls of men and put the Lord Christ to open shame, but also as those concerning which we are forewarned that they shall enter and come into the world together in the “ latter times.”. And whatever sense the “latter times” mentioned in the Scripture may be taken in, either those of the world and of religion in general, or of the particular churches whereunto men may belong, they are unquestionably come upon us; whose danger and duty, there- fore, are declared in these pre-admonitions. Wherefore of the first _ our apostle speaketh, 1 Tim. iv. 1, “ The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” I doubt not but this prediction had its signal accomplishment in the Papacy, and am well
persuaded that the Holy Ghost had respect in particular unto those —
principles and practices which a learned person of this nation hath laid open, under the title of “The Apostasy of the Latter Times.”* But we find also, by woful experience, and that renewed almost every day, that it hath respect unto us also and the times wherein we live.
The entrance and coming of that kind of apostasy which we have now designed to treat of is in like manner foretold, 2 Tim. iii. 1-5.
The sum of what the apostle there instructeth us is, That in these —
“Jatter times,’ under an outward profession of the gospel, men should give up themselves unto the pursuit of the vlest lusts and the practice of the most abominable sins. And we fear this prediction is in like manner fulfilled.
Now, although these things are evil and dangerous, both in their own nature and tendency, especially as they come together and make their joint attempt against the honour of Christ and the salvation of the professors of the gospel, yet this prediction of them and pre- admonition concerning them may be of advantage unto them that are sincere and upright, if duly improved. For,—