8. Together with the light and doctrine of the gospel, or the preaching of it, there is an administration of the Spirit, to convince men. of sin, righteousness, and judgment. This God hath promised, Isa. lix. 21, and this the Lord Christ doth effect wherever the word is orderly dispensed according unto his mind and will, John xvi. 7-11. Hereby are men wrought upon unto a profession of this holiness, and expression of it in outward duties; for all that religion which hath any thing of truth and reality in it in the world is an effect of the word and Spirit of Christ. Multitudes in all ages have hereby been made really holy, and many yet continue so to be.
1 See vol. iii. books iv. and y.—Ep.
APOSTASY FROM THE HOLINESS OF THE GOSPEL. 163
These (as we believe) shall never fall utterly from it, but shall”be
preserved by the power of God through faith unto salvation. But
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_ yet such as these also may decay as unto degrees in holiness and
the fruitfulness of it; and in every such decay there is a partial apostasy and much dishonour unto Jesus Christ; nor doth any man know in that condition but that in the issue, as to his particular, it may be total, and destructive to his soul. Thus was it with those
churches and persons whom our Lord Jesus Christ chargeth to have
lost their first faith and love, whom he admonisheth to remember whence they are fallen, and to repent. And it is principally for the sake of these, that Christ and the gospel be not dishonoured by them nor their eternal concernments hazarded, and those who, in the use of means, are in a thriving progress towards the same condition, that the ensuing cautions and warnings are prepared. And others there are who are brought only unto a profession of this holiness in inward convictions and outward duties; and although they are not yet arrived unto a full possession of its power and conformity unto its rule, yet are they in the way of attaining thereunto. Such as these may, on various occasions, first decay in their profession and duties, and afterward utterly fall from them into the open service of sm and the world.
Thus also it is with churches. At their first planting, they were set in a pure and holy state as to the doctrine, professed holiness, and worship of the gospel. They were all planted noble vines, wholly of a right seed, however they turn afterwards “ into the degenerate plant of a strange vine.” They may lose of this order and beauty, part with truth, decay in holiness, and the faithful city thereby be- come a harlot. How this hath come to pass; how thereby Chris- tianity hath lost its glory, power, and efficacy in the world; how that
blessing which it brought along with it unto the nations is lost and
forfeited, and by what means,—shall in some principal instances be
‘declared.
4, Where this holiness is professed, and the power of it evidenced in its fruits, there, and then alone, is Christ glorified and honoured in the world. It is true, there are other things that belong unto that revenue of glory which our Lord and King requireth of us,— such are the profession of the truth and observance of the worship of the gospel,—but if these things are disjoined and separated (as they may be) from holy obedience, they no way advance the glory of Christ. But where churches and persons professing the gospel are changed and renewed into the image of God; where their hearts are purified within, and their lives made fruitful without; where they are universally under the conduct of a spirit of peace, love, meek- ness, benignity, self-denial, heavenly-mindedness, and are fruitful in
164 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
good works,—in which things and others of an alike nature this holi- ness doth consist,—there do they make a due representation of the gospel and its Author in the world; then do they evidence the power, purity, and efficacy of his doctrine and grace, whereby he is glorified. Herein doth he “see of the travail of his soul and is satisfied;” this is “ his portion and the lot of his inheritance” in this world. But where it is otherwise, where men, where churches, are called by his name, and, under a profession of his authority and expectation of mercy and eternal blessedness from him, do come short of this holi- ness, and walk in paths contrary unto it, there is the holy Son of
God “ crucified afresh, and put to an open shame.” j
These things being premised, way is made for the due considera- tion of what was before proposed; for whereas there is an open, shameful, manifest apostasy from the holiness of the gospel among the most who are called Christians at this day in the world, it is worth our while to inquire a little into the reasons or causes of it, and the means whereby a stop may be put unto it, or at least parti- cular persons may be preserved from the guilt of it, and the judg- ments wherein it will issue. If any shall think that there is not such an apostasy in the world, but that the face of things in Europe and among ourselves doth make a due representation of the gospel, and that those things which we hear of and see continually amongst the generality of Christians are the true and genuine effects of the doctrine and principles of our religion, I shall no way contend with them, so as that they will but a little stand out of our way, and not hinder us in our progress.