Now, the apostasy that is in the world from gospel holiness, or evangelical obedience, is of two kinds; for some fall from it as for- mally such, and others as to the matter of it. Of the first sort are they who would advance another kind of obedience, a course of an- — other sort of duties, or the same as to the substance of them, but as proceeding from other principles and carried on by other motives than what it requireth, in the stead thereof. Thus it is with many in the world. They pretend unto a strictness in some duties, and a multiplication of others, at least unto a great appearance thereof; but it is hard for any one to discover how that which they do be- longeth to evangelical holiness, if its nature depend on evangelical principles and ends. Others fall from it openly and visibly, into a sinful, worldly, flagitious course of life. This is that apostasy which the Christian world groans under at this day, and which, as it is to be feared, will bring the judgments of God upon it. The very pro- fession of piety is much lost, yea, much derided, amongst many. Duties of holiness, strictness of conversation, communication unto edification, are not only neglected, but scorned. It is in many places
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_@ lost labour to seek for Christianity among Christians; and the _ degeneracy seems to be increasing every day. It is the latter of these which I principally intend, as that which is of most universal concernment. But the former also, though under many specious pretences, being of no less pernicious event unto many, must not be wholly passed by. I shall therefore first give some instances of men’s declension from the holy ways of gospel obedience into paths of pretended duties of their own finding out, and add those reasons of their dislike of the good old way which give them occasion go to do.
I. The first and most signal instance of this kind is given us by the Romanists. None boast more than they of holiness,—that is, of their church, making its sanctity a note of its truth. But because the wicked and flagitious lives, not only of the body of the people among them, but of many of their chief rulers and guides, is openly manifest, in the defence of their confident claim, as that alone which will give countenance unto it, they betake themselves unto their votaries, or those who dedicate themselves by vow unto more strict exercises in religion than others attain or are obliged unto; and this sort of people have obtained alone the name and reputation of Religious among them. What is their way and manner of life, what the devotion wherein they spend their hours, what the duties they oblige themselves unto in great variety, and the manner wherein they perform them, I shall take for granted, and pass by as generally known. Many have already discovered the vanity, superstition, and hypocrisy, of the whole outward course wherein they are generally engaged; though they neither do nor ought to judge of the hearts, minds, and state of individuals, unless where by their deeds they manifest themselves. I shall only evince that what at best they pretend unto (though boasted of not only to be all, but more than God requireth of them) is not that holiness or obedience which is prescribed unto us in the gospel, but somewhat substituted in the room of it, and, consequently, in opposition unto it. And,—
1. It hath not that evidence of spiritual freedom and liberty which gospel holiness, in all the duties of it, is accompanied withal. The first effect of the truth upon our minds is to “ make us free,” John viii. 32. It is the principle of all holiness, and enlargeth the mind and spirit unto it, whence it is called “ The holiness of truth,” Eph. iv. 24. So, “ Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,” 2 Cor. iii. 17. Men are naturally the “servants of sin,” willingly giving up themselves unto the fulfilling of its lusts and commands, and are only “ free from righteousness.” But where the Holy Spirit worketh with the word of truth, men are made “ free from sin, and become servants to God, having their fruit unto holiness,” Rom. vi. 20, 22. So it is said-of all believers that they “have not received the spirit
166 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby they cry, Abba, Father,” Rom. viii 15; not “the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,” 2 Tim. i. 7. The mean- ing of all these and the like testimonies is, that God by his grace enlargeth, makes free and ready, the hearts of believers unto all gos- pel obedience, so as that they shall walk in it, and perform all the duties of it, willingly, cheerfully, freely, without that fear and dread which is an effect of the power of the law. They are not in a scrupu- lous bondage unto outward duties and the manner of their perform- ance, but do all things with delight and freedom. They have by the Spirit of adoption, as the reverential fear of children, so their gracious inclination unto obedience. But in that exercise of devotion, and multiplied outward duties of religion, which the Romanists boast of as their especial sanctity, there are great evidences of a servile bond- age or slavish frame of spirit; for they are forced to bind them- selves, and to be bound unto it, by especial vows, in whose observation they no more act as their own guardians, or as those who are “ sui juris,” but are under the coercive discipline of others, and outward punishment in case of failure. And those who are so servants of men in religious duties are not God’s freemen, nor have they Christ for their Lord in that case who have another. The foundation of all these duties, and which alone obligeth them unto their perform- ance, are vows nowhere required by God or our Lord Christ in the gospel; and the principal regard which any have in their strict attendance unto them is the obedience which they owe unto the superintendents of those vows. It is easy to apprehend how incon- sistent this way is with that spiritual freedom and liberty of mind which inseparably accompanieth true gospel holiness, Besides, the opinion of merit, which not only goeth along with them, but also animates them in all these services, makes them servile in all they do; for they cannot but know that every thing in'merit must not only be tried by the touchstone of sincerity, but weighed in the bal- ance to the utmost scruple, to find out what it amounts or comes unto. And this is perfectly destructive of that liberty in obedience which the gospel requireth. So also is that tormenting persuasion which they are under the power of,—namely, That they have no grounds of confidence or assurance that either they are accepted with God here, or shall come to the blessed enjoyment of him here- after. Hence, in all duties, they must of necessity be acted with a “ spirit of fear,” and not “of power and of a sound mind.”