2. We must keep our heart awake and attentive unto rts help and relief; and this lies only in Christ Jesus, the captain of our
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YA THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
salvation. After all Peter’s confidence, it was the interposition of Christ alone that preserved him from utter ruin: “I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.” And if any can once prevail so far as to deter men from looking for all spiritual help and relief from Christ, for daily supplies of grace and strength from him alone; from a continual application unto him for directing, assisting, preserving, establishing grace (which they variously attempt),—there is no need to fear but they will easily follow them into whatever else either they, or Satan, or the world shall have a mind to draw them. But in all our discourses we proceed on other principles. We look on Jesus Christ as the spring and fountain of all grace, as him who alone is able to preserve us in faith and obedience, and doth communicate supplies of effectual grace unto believers for that purpose. Unto him, therefore, are we to make our applications continually, by faith and prayer, for our preservation, as we are directed, Heb. iv. 15, 16. It is he alone who can “keep us from the hour of temptation, which is come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth,” Rev. iii, 10. Whosoever, therefore, would be kept from the power of the temptations unto apostasy which every way encompass us, and threaten to bear down all before them, let them keep their hearts continually attentive unto their only help and relief. Those who have not taken in a sense of their danger will see little reason to concern themselves in these directions. But as for such as are affected with the visible ruin of multitudes and their own apparent hazard, from prevailing causes and innumerable occasions thereof,— whose eyes are in any measure opened to see the general inclination that is in the world unto a relinquishment of all the principal con- cerns of the gospel, and by what various ways that inclination is fur- thered, followed, and pursued,—they will not think it unneedful to be minded of a help and refuge whereunto they may betake them- selves and be preserved.
3. Let the heart be kept attentive unto its own frames, its pro- gress or decay in holiness. How secret, and even ofttimes imper- ceptible, the beginnings of spiritual declension are in many, with the reasons and causes thereof, hath been declared in our exposition of Heb, iv. 12, 18, whither the reader is referred. I shall here only offer, that he who, in such a season as that which is passing over us, doth not often call himself unto an account how things stand with him as to the inner man,—what is the state of his spiritual life, whether his faith and love do thrive or decay, whether God or the world gets ground in his affections,—will be exposed unto more dangers than it may be he is readily able to deliver himself from. These things are all of them useful, yea, needful unto the course of our obedience at all times. That which is here intended is, their exercise and dis-
DIRECTIONS TO AVOID APOSTASY. 249
charge with respect unto the evil and danger under consideration.
; When we have done the utmost of our duty, we shall have cause to rejoice in the grace of God if we are preserved and delivered. But if we be found slothful, negligent, and secure, what hopes can we have that we shall withstand the evil that doth on every side beset us?. There is not any way of fraud or force wherein we either are not or may not be assaulted. The secret ways whereby this apostasy puts forth its efficacy are so various as not to be enumerated. The current, furthered by the winds of all sorts of temptations, lies strongly against us. New accessions are made unto it every day. New pre- tences against the truths and holiness of the gospel are sought out and made use of. By some they are secretly undermined, by others openly despised; and the hand of Satan is in all these things. Ifwe should now neglect a watchful care over our own hearts, and a dili- gent attendance unto all means of their preservation in soundness of doctrine and holiness of life, what assurance can we have that we shall finally escape?
Having premised these directions in general, those which ensue must have a particular respect unto some of the especial ways and means whereby this declension hath been carried on and promoted, peculiarly such as the present age and season are most obnoxious unto. And because this discourse is drawn forth to a length beyond my first design, I shall name a few things only, to intimate of what
sort those directions are which might be more largely insisted on; and two only shall be named. Wherefore,—
Thirdly, Take heed of resting in or trusting unto the outward privileges of the church, and a participation of the dispensation of the ordinances of the gospel therein. It is known what various ap- prehensions as to the especial ways of outward solemn worship and the state of the church there are among all sorts of men. But whereas all men do approve of and adhere unto one church-state or other, one way of worship or other, I intend no one more than an- other in particular, but would speak unto all with respect unto that way which themselves do approve and practise. And it was before declared how greatly the world was deluded by a pretence of them. And we may not think to excuse the necessity of watchfulness in this matter, because all the good things of the church and all the ordinances of the gospel were then abused, corrupted, and defiled, whereas we now all of us, in our own apprehensions, enjoy their ad- ministration in purity, according unto the institution of Christ; for they are all of them no less liable to be abused in this kind when duly administered than when most corrupted: yea, in some cases they are more apt so to be, seeing there is a greater appearance of reason why we should place our confidence in them.