HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST AS THE TRUTH, WHEN ERROR PREVAILETH, AND THE
SPIRIT OF ERROR CARRIETH MANY AWAY.
There is a time when the spirit of error is going abroad, and truth is
questioned, and many are led away with delusions. For Satan can change
himself into an angel of light, and make many great and fairlike
pretensions to holiness, and under that pretext usher in untruths, and
gain the consent of many unto them; so that in such a time of temptation
many are stolen off their feet, and made to depart from the right ways
of God, and to embrace error and delusions instead of truth. Now the
question is, how a poor believer shall make use of Christ, who is the
truth, for keeping him steadfast in the truth, in such a day of trial,
and from embracing of error, how plausible soever it may appear. For
satisfaction to this we shall propose these few things:
1. In such a time, when a spirit of error is let loose and rageth, and
carrieth several away, it were good for all who would be kept straight
and honest, to be walking in fear. It is not good to despise such a sly
and subtle enemy, especially in the hour and power of darkness. Then all
are called to be on their guard, and to stand upon their watch-tower,
and to be jealous of their corrupt hearts, that are ready enough of
their own accord to drink in error, and to receive the temptation at any
time; and much more then.
2. They should not think that their knowledge and ability to dispute for
truth, will keep them steadfast, if there be not more; for if the
temptation grow, they may come to reason and dispute themselves out of
all their former knowledge and skill. The father of lies is a cunning
sophister, and knoweth, how to shake their grounds and cast all loose.
3. They should renew their covenant grips of Christ, and make sure that
main business, viz. their peace and union with God in Christ, and their
accepting of Christ for their head and husband. They would labour to
have the foundation sure, and to be united unto the chief corner-stone,
that so blow the storm as it will, they may ride safely; and that hereby
they may have access to Christ with boldness, in their difficulty, and
may with confidence seek light from him in the hour of darkness.
4. To the end they may be kept more watchful and circumspect, they
should remember, that it is a dishonourable thing to Christ, for them to
step aside, in the least matter of truth; the denying of the least point
of truth is a consequential denying of him who is the truth; and to
loose a foot in the matters of truth is very dangerous; for who can tell
when they who once slip a foot shall recover it again? And who can tell
how many, and how dreadful errors they may drink in, who have once
opened the door to a small error? Therefore they should beware of
tampering in this matter, and to admit any error, upon the account that
it is a small and inconsiderable one. There may be an unseen
concatenation betwixt one error and another, and betwixt a small one and
a greater one, so as if the little one be admitted and received, the
greater shall follow; and it may be feared that if they once dally with
error, and make a gap in their consciences, that God will give them up
to judicial blindness, that, ere all be done, they shall embrace that
opinion which sometime they seemed to hate as death.
5. They should eye the promises suiting that cause; viz. the promises of
God's guiding "the blind by a way which they know not: of making
darkness light before them, and crooked things straight," Isa. xlii. 16;
and of "guiding continually," Isa. lviii. 11; see also Isa. xlix. 10.;
lvii. 18.; and they would act faith on these and the like promises, as
now made sure by Jesus.
6. Particularly, they should fix their eye upon that principal promise,
of the Spirit of truth, to guide into all truth, John xvi. 13.
7. With singleness of heart they should depend on Christ, and wait for
light from him, and beware of prejudice at the truth; with singleness of
heart they should lie open to his instructions, and to the influences of
his light and direction, and receive in the beams of his divine light;
and thus go about duties, viz. prayer, conference, preaching, reading,
&c. with an eye fixed on him, and with a soul open to him, and free of
all sinful pre-engagement and love to error.
8. With singleness of heart, they should give up their souls to Christ,
as the truth, that he would write the truth in their souls, and frame
their souls unto the truth, and unto that truth which is most
questioned, and by which they are most in hazard to be drawn away; and
urge and press him by prayer and supplication to do the duty of a head,
a husband, guide and commander, &c. unto them; and that he would be a
light unto them in that day of darkness, and not suffer them to
dishonour him or prove scandalous to others; by departing from the truth
and embracing error. A serious single-hearted dealing with him upon the
grounds of the covenant promises and his relations and engagements,
might prove steadable in this case, if accompanied with a lying open to
the influences of truth and to the light of information which he is
pleased to send by the Spirit of truth.
CAUTIONS AND DIRECTIONS.
For further clearing of this matter, we shall hint at some cautions and
further directions useful here: such as,
1. They should beware of thinking that God should come to them with
light and instruction in an extraordinary manner, and reveal the truth
of the question controverted somewhat immediately: for this were a
manifest tempting and limiting of the Holy One of Israel. We must be
satisfied with the means of instruction which he hath provided, and run
to the law and to the testimony. We have the Scriptures, which are able
to make the man of God perfect and "thoroughly furnished unto all good
works," 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17; and to "make wise unto salvation," ver. 15.
There must we see light; and there must we wait for the breathings of
his Spirit with life, and coming with light to clear up truth to us: for
they are the scriptures of truth, Dan. x. 21; and the law of the Lord,
which is "perfect, converting the soul;" and the commandment of the
Lord, that is pure, "enlightening the eyes," Psalm xix. 7, 8. We have
the ministry which God hath also appointed for this end, to make known
unto us his mind; there must we wait for him and his light. Thus must we
wait at the posts of wisdom's doors; and wait for the king of light in
his own way wherein he hath appointed us to wait for him. And if he
think good to come another way more immediate, let him always be
welcome; but let not us limit him nor prescribe ways to him, but follow
his directions.
2. When any thing is borne in upon their spirit as a truth to be
received, or as an error to be rejected, more immediately, they should
beware of admitting of every such thing without trial and examination;
for we are expressly forbidden to believe every spirit, and commanded to
try them whether they are of God or not, 1 John iv. 1. The Lord will not
take it ill that even his own immediate motions and revelations be tried
and examined by the word; because the word is given us for this end, to
be our test and standard of truth. The way of immediate revelation is
not the ordinary way now of God's manifesting his mind to his people. He
hath now chosen another way, and given us a more sure word of prophesy
than was, "even a voice from heaven," as Peter saith, 2 Pet. i. 18, 19.
It is commended in the Bereans, Acts xvii. 11, who upon this account
were "more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the
word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily,
whether those things were so." Even Paul's words, though he was an
authorised and an infallible apostle of Christ's, are here put to the
touch-stone of the word. "Many false prophets may go out, and deceive
many, and speak great swelling words of vanity," 1 John iv. 1; 2 Pet.
ii. 18; and the devil can transchange himself into an angel of light, 2
Cor. xi. 14; and though an angel out of heaven should preach any other
thing than what is in the written word, we ought not to receive his
doctrine, but to reject it, and to account him accursed, Gal. i. 8. So
that the written word must be much studied by us; and by it must we try
all motions, all doctrines, all inspirations, all revelations, and all
manifestations.
3. Much more, they should beware of thinking that the dictates of their
conscience obligeth them, so as that always they must of necessity
follow the same. Conscience, being God's deputy in the soul, is to be
followed no further than it speaketh for God and according to truth. An
erring conscience, though it bind so far as that he who doth contrary to
the dictates thereof sinneth against God, in that, knowing no other than
that the dictates of conscience are right and consonant to the mind of
God, yet dare counteract the same, and thus formally rebel against God's
authority; yet it doth not oblige us to believe and to do what it
asserteth to be truth and duty. It will not then be enough for them to
say, my conscience and the light within me speaketh so, and instructeth
me so; for that light may be darkness, and error, and delusion, and so
no rule for them to walk by. "To the law and to the testimony," and if
their conscience, mind, and light within them "speak not according to
this word, it is because there is no light in them," Isa. viii. 20. I
grant, as I said, they cannot without sin counteract the dictates even
of an erring conscience, because they know no better but that these
dictates are according to truth; and thus an erring conscience is a most
dangerous thing, and bringeth people under a great dilemma, that whether
they follow it or not, they sin; and there is no other remedy here, but
to lay by the erring conscience, and get a conscience rightly informed
by the word; putting it in Christ's hand to be better formed and
informed, that so it may do its office better. This then should be
especially guarded against, for if once they lay down this for a
principle, that whatever their conscience and mind, or inward light (as
some call it) dictate, must be followed, there is no delusion, how
false, how abominable soever it be, but they may be at length in hazard
to be drawn away with; and so the rule that they will walk by be nothing
in effect but the spirit of lies and of delusion, and the motions and
dictates of him who is the father of lies, that is, the devil.
4. Such as pretend to walk so much by conscience, should take heed that
they take not that for the dictate of conscience, which really is but
the dictates of their own humours, inclinations, pre-occupied minds, and
biassed wills. When conscience speaketh, it groundeth on the authority
of God, whether truly or falsely, and proposeth such a thing to be done,
or to be refrained from, merely because God commandeth that, and
forbiddeth this, though sometimes it mistaketh. But though the dictates
of men's humours, inclinations, pre-occupied judgments, and wills, may
pretend God's authority for what they say, yet really some carnal
respect, selfish end, and the like, lieth at the bottom, and is the
chief spring of that motion. And also the dictates of humour and biassed
wills are usually more violent and fierce than the dictates of
conscience; for wanting the authority of God to back their assertions
and prescriptions, they must make up that with an addition of
preternatural force and strength. Hence, such as are purely led by
conscience, are pliable, humble, and ready to hear and receive
information; whereas, others are headstrong and pertinacious, unwilling
to receive instruction, or to hear any thing contrary to their minds,
lest their conscience, receiving more light, speak with a higher voice
against their inclinations and former ways, and so create more trouble
to them; while, as now they enjoy more quiet within, so long as the cry
of their self-will and biassed judgments is so loud, that they cannot
well hear the still and low voice of conscience.
5. They should labour for much self-denial and sincerity; and to be free
from the snares and power of selfish ends, as credit, a name, and
applause, or what of that kind, that may be like "the fear of man that
bringeth a snare," Prov. xxix. 25; for that will be like a gift that
blindeth the eyes of the wise, Exod. xxiii. 8. Love to carry on a party,
or a design to be seen or accounted somebody, to maintain their credit
and reputation, lest they be accounted changelings and the like, will
prove very dangerous in this case; for these may forcibly carry the soul
away, to embrace one error after another, and one error to strengthen
and confirm another, that it is hard to know where or when they shall
stand. And these, by respects, may so forcibly drive the soul forward,
that he shall neither hear the voice of conscience within, nor any
instruction from without.
6. They should study the word of truth without prejudice and any sinful
pre-engagement, lest they be made thereby to wire-draw and wrest the
word to their own destruction, as some of whom Peter speaketh, 2 Pet.
iii. 16. It is a dangerous thing to study the word with a prejudicate
opinion; and to bow or wire-draw the word and make it speak what we
would have it speak, for the confirmation of our opinions and
sentiments. For this is but to mock God and his law, and to say, let his
law speak what it will, I will maintain this opinion, and so make the
word speak as we would have it, or else lay it by. This is to walk by
some other rule than the word, and to make the word serve our lusts and
confirm our errors, than which a greater indignity cannot be done to the
Spirit of truth speaking in the word.
7. In reading and studying of the word there should be much single
dependence on the Spirit for light; waiting for clearness from him whom
Christ hath promised to lead us into all truth. An earnest wrestling
with him for his assistance, enlightening the mind with divine light to
understand the truth, and inclining the soul to a ready embracing and
receiving of the truth declared in the word.
8. Though one place of scripture be enough to confirm any point of
truth, and ground sufficient for us to believe what is there said, there
being nothing in scripture but what is truth; yet, in such a time of
abounding errors, and when many are going abroad speaking perverse
things to lead the simple away, it were spiritual wisdom to be comparing
scripture with scripture, and not be lightly embracing whatever may seem
probable, and fairly deducible from some one passage or other of
scripture, but to be comparing that with other passages and see what
concord there is; for this is certain, whatever point contradicteth
other clear and manifest testimonies of scripture cannot be true;
however a cunning sophister may make it seem very probably to flow out
of such or such a passage of scripture. The testimony of the Spirit is
uniform, and free from all contradictions; and therefore we must see, if
such an assertion, that some would draw from such a passage, agree with
other plain passages, and if not, be sure that is not the meaning of the
place. When the devil did wrest and abuse that passage of truth, Ps.
xci. 11. "He shall give his angels charge concerning thee," &c, and from
thence would infer, that Christ might cast himself down, Matt. iv. 6,
Christ shews that this inference was bad, because it did not agree with
other divine testimonies, particularly not with that, Deut. vi. 16,
"Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." And thereby he teacheth us to
take this course in times of temptation, and so compare spiritual things
with spiritual, as Paul speaketh, 1 Cor. ii. 13. Especially they should
beware of expounding clear scriptures by such as are more dark and
mysterious; see 2 Pet. iii. 16. It is always safer to explain darker
passages by such as are more clear.
9. Let them guard against an humour of new-fangledness, nauseating old
and solid truths, and seeking after something new, having ears itching
after new doctrines, yea, or new modes and dresses of old truths. For
this is provoking to God, and proveth dangerous; for such turn away
their ears from the truth, and are turned into fables, as Paul telleth
us, 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4. "For the time will come," saith he, "when they will
not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their
ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." This savoureth of
a spirit of levity and inconstancy, which is dangerous.
10. They should labour to have no prejudice at the truth, but receive it
in the love of it; lest, for that cause, God give them up to strong
delusions, to believe lies, and to be led with the deceivableness of
unrighteousness, as we see, 2 Thess. ii. 10-12, "And. with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they
received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved; and for
this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe
a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had
pleasure in unrighteousness."
11. So should they beware of stifling the truth, of making it a
prisoner, and detaining it in unrighteousness, like those spoken of,
Rom. i. 18. "For which cause God them up to uncleanness and vile
affections, and they became vain in their imaginations, and their
foolish heart was darkened, yea, professing themselves to be wise, they
became fools," ver. 21, &c. They should let truth have free liberty and
power in the soul; and should yield up themselves to be ruled and guided
by it; and not torture with it, lay chains upon it, or fetter it, and
keep it as a prisoner that can do nothing.
12. For this cause, they should hold fast the truth which they have
learned, and have been taught by the Spirit out of the word. When Paul
would guard and fortify Timothy against seducers, that crept into
houses, leading captive silly women, &c., among other directions gave
him this, 2 Tim. iii. 14, 15, "But continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast
learned; and that from a child thou hast known the Scriptures, which are
able to make thee wise unto salvation," &c. So he would have the
Colossians walking in Christ, rooted and built up in him, and stablished
in the faith as they had been taught, Col. ii. 6, 7.
13. Especially they would be holding the groundwork fast,--faith in
Christ. It were good in such a time of erring from the way of truth, to
be gripping Christ faster, and cleaving to him by faith, and living by
faith in him. This is to hold the foundation fast; and then let the
tempest of error blow as it will, they will ride at a sure anchor, and
be safe, because fixed upon the Rock of Ages; and further, living near
Christ in such a dangerous day, would be a noble preservative from the
infection of error. The soul that is dwelling in Christ and gripping to
him daily by faith, and acting love on him, dwelleth in light, will
discover error sooner than another, because living under the rays of the
Sun of Righteousness, which discovereth error.
14. They should labour to learn the truth, as it is in Jesus; and the
truths which they have heard of him, and have been taught by him, as the
truth is in him, will abide, when other truths that have been learned
but of men, and heard of men, and as it was in the preaching of men, and
in books, shall soon evanish in a day of trial. This is to learn Christ,
as the apostle speaketh, Eph. iv. 20, 21, "But ye have not so learned
Christ, if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as
the truth is in Jesus." When we learn the truth, as it is in Jesus, it
bringeth us always to him, and hath a tendency to fix our hearts on him,
and is a piece of the bond that bindeth us to him and his way: we
receive it then as a piece of his doctrine, which we must own, and stand
unto. O if we learned all our divinity thus, we would be more constant
and steadfast in it than we are!
15. When controversies arise, and they know not which side to
choose--both seemeth to them to be alike well founded on the word--they
should exercise their spiritual sagacity, and set their gift of
discerning a work, to see which of the two tendeth most to promote piety
and godliness, and the kingdom of Christ, and so see which of the two is
the truth, "which is after godliness," as the apostle speaketh, Tit. i.
1; they must look which of the two is the doctrine which is according to
godliness, I Tim. vi. 3. That is the truth which is Christ's, and which
should be owned and embraced, viz. which floweth from a spirit of
godliness, and tendeth to promove godliness, and suiteth with the true
principles of godliness, even gospel godliness, wrought according to the
tenor of the covenant of grace; that is, by the strength of the Spirit
of Jesus, dwelling and working in us, and not according to the tenor of
the covenant of works, that is, wrought by our own strength, &c.
16. Yet withal they should take heed that they mistake not here; for
they may look upon some ways and doctrines as having a greater tendency
to promove godliness than others; which indeed have not, but only seem
so. They should therefore consider well what is the way of godliness
laid down in the noble device of the gospel, which is the way that only
glorifieth God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and see what suiteth most
with that, according to the word, and not what seemeth most suitable to
godliness in their apprehension. The word is the best judge and test of
true godliness; and in the word we have the only safest mean of true
godliness held forth: therefore we should see what doctrine tendeth most
to promote godliness according to the way held forth in the word, and
choose that.
17. They should guard against pride and self-conceit, as thinking they
are wise enough, and understanding enough in those matters, and so need
not take a lesson of any. This may be of great prejudice; for "it is the
meek that God guideth in judgment; and to the meek will he teach his
way," Psalm xxv. 9. Therefore it were good for his people in such a day,
to be meek and humble, willing and ready to learn of any person, how
mean soever, that can teach the ways of God. The Lord may bless a word
spoken by a private person, when he will not bless the word spoken by a
minister; for his blessings are free. And it is not good to despise any
mean. Apollos, though instructed in the way of the Lord, mighty in the
Scriptures, fervent in spirit, and teaching diligently the things of the
Lord, Acts xviii. 24, 25, yet was content to learn of Aquila, and of his
wife Priscilla, when they expounded unto him the way of God more
perfectly, ver. 26.
18. In such a time, it is not unsafe to look to such as have been
eminent in the ways of God, and lie near to him; for it is probable they
may know much of the mind of God in those questioned matters. Hence we
find the apostle putting Timothy and others to this duty in a time when
false teachers were going abroad, saying, 2 Tim. iii. 10, "but thou hast
fully known my doctrine, manner of life;" and 1 Cor. iv. 16, "wherefore
I beseech you to be followers of me;" and 1 Cor. xi. 1; and again, Phil.
iii. 17, "brethren, be followers together of me." All which say, that
though we should call no man Rabbi, as hanging our faith absolutely on
him, yet in such a time of prevailing error and of false teachers going
abroad, some respect should be had to such as have found grace of the
Lord to be faithful in times of trial, and have maintained truth, and
stood for it, in times of persecution, and have with singleness of heart
followed the Lord; it not being ordinary with God to leave such as in
sincerity seek him, and desire to follow his way in truth and
uprightness, and to give the revelation of his mind and the
manifestation of his Spirit to others, who have not gone through such
trials.
19. They should also at such a time be much in the sincere practice of
uncontroverted duties, and in putting uncontroverted and unquestionable
and unquestioned truths into practice; and this may prove a notable mean
to keep them right: for then are they in God's way, and so the devil
hath not that advantage of them that he hath of others who are out of
the way of duty. David understood more than the ancients, because he
kept God's precepts, Psal. cxix. 100.
20. It were good and suitable at such a time, to be much in the fear of
God, remembering what an one he is, and how hazardous it is to sin
against him, by drinking in the least point of error. The promise is
made to such, Psalm xxv. 12, "What man is he that feareth the Lord, him
shall he teach in the way that he shall choose."
21. Finally, at such a time they should be much in communion with Jesus,
lying near him; much in prayer to him, studying his relations, offices,
furniture, readiness to help with light and counsel; and they should
draw near to him with humility, boldness, faith, confidence, love,
tenderness, and sincerity; and then they shall not find that he shall
fail them, or disappoint them.
Enough of this. I proceed therefore to another case, which is: