5. Consider that there 1s an apostasy which is irrecoverable, and it will end in eternal ruin. This is that which we are taught in this context, according unto the exposition before given of it. No man in this world can be, by the rule of the gospel, in an unsalvable condition,—that is, be concluded under an unavoidable destruction by any known rule of the revealed will of God,—unless it be an apos- tate. There are also several sorts and degrees of apostasy that may have several causes and effects, and so various events. Great sur- prisals, strong temptations, negligence in watching against the deceit- fulness of sin, may produce temporary abnegations of Christ and the
230 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
gospel, woful declensions from the due observation of his commands, with wandering into foolish opinions, and yet persons may be recover- ed from them all, and brought by repentance unto salvation. Signal instances of this grace and patience in God might be given. And this is sufficient to render the despair of them causeless who are ever awakened in this world [in] time enough to endeavour a deliverance from any sin, or course of sinning, provoking and destructive; for when any man is by any means called to have any thing to do with God about his eternal concernments, God doth not allow him to be the absolutely sovereign judge of himself, which would usurp his preroga- tive and put the sinner in the place of God. He that despairs says, “JT am in the stead of God to myself in this matter. There is neither goodness, nor grace, nor mercy in him, but what I can comprehend.” And this evil God hath obviated in signal instances of the recovery of great apostates. But yet withal there is, as we have showed, an apostasy that is irrecoverable; and hereof God permits many ex- amples in this world, to put an awe not only on bold and presump- tuous, but also on careless and negligent sinners: for whereas our apostle doth expressly twice mind the Hebrews of this severity of God against apostates, in this place and in chap. x. 26, 27, in the one he doth it with respect unto unprofitableness under the means of grace, and in the other with respect unto a negligence in attending unto the administration of gospel ordinances. Now, whereas any men may be overtaken with the beginning of decays and declensions from the holiness and worship of the gospel, all which have a tendency in their own nature unto this irrecoverable apostasy, ought they not to be continually jealous over themselves, lest they should pass the bounds God hath fixed unto his patience and grace? Ought we not to be careful about every sin or omission of duty that hath a tendency unto this doleful issue? For this very end, that we may be warned to take heed of the beginning of apostasy, doth the apostle in this place declare the end of it. The reader may, if he please (to help him herein), consult our discourses on chap. iv. 3.’ It is not an easy task to stop a course in backsliding when once it is entered into. And I shall close this warning with naming two directions unto this purpose :—(1.) Take heed of a course in any sin. Though every sin doth not immediately tend unto final apostasy, yet a course in any sin continued doth so. (2.) Take heed of touching on such especial sins as have a peculiar tendency thereunto; and of what nature they are hath been declared.
6. Our last consideration of this kind shall be taken from the na- ture and guilt of this sin, wherever it be found, with the severity of God against it; and we may look upon it as it is total, such as that
See the author’s Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews.—Ep.
OS
DANGERS FROM THE PREVAILING APOSTASY. 231
supposed by the apostle, Heb, vi. 4-6. The exposition we have given of the words will warrant us to conclude that total apostasy from the gospel once professed is a greater sin, and of a more heinous nature, than that of the Jews in crucifying the Lord Christ in the days of his flesh. This was sufficiently proved in the exposition of the words. It remains only that we do briefly inquire what doth concur unto such a total apostasy, whereby the truth of the exposi- tion and the necessity of the warnings given will be made yet more evident. And though I shall speak with especial respect unto total apostasy from all profession, yet are the things that shall be spoken to be found, in their degree and measure, in all those who are guilty of that partial defection which we have described. There are, there- fore, always found in this great offence the things ensuing :—
(1.) The loss of all taste of any goodness or excellency in the gospel, in the truth or state of its profession and worship. ‘There is no man who hath ever made a profession of the gospel in earnest, beyond pretence and custom, but he hath found some kind of taste, relish, or sweetness, in the things of it. They “taste of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.” Hither in the things themselves, or in the manner of their dispensation, or of the duties of worship enjoined therein, they have found somewhat that hath given their minds and consciences some satisfaction. A man cannot go into a pleasant garden in the spring but he will smell some savour from the flowers, though he gather not one of them. A man cannot take meat savoury and well condited into his mouth but he will taste the relish of it, though he have no mind nor appe- tite to eat it; nor can any man walk in the sun but he will have some impressions from its heat. It is so, it can be no otherwise, with them who live under the preaching of the gospel and make profession of its doctrine. More or less it will insinuate itself into their minds with a taste of its excellency and goodness. This in the case considered is lost in the first place; and generally it comes to pass by a love of sin and the pleasures of the world. When this hath filled and possessed the soul, all its senses grow dead unto spiritual things, it hath no faculty or ability to taste any relish in them, yea, it loathes and abhors them as contrary to what it hath immersed itself in or given up itself unto. This usually is lost in the first place. Such persons find nothing any longer in Christ or the gospel for which they should either delight in them or desire them. And it seems to be thus with so many in the world who once gave hopes of better things, that the consideration of it is dreadful.