clear and certain light of reason or revelation to conduct us: the doing so is indeed (which is further observable) not only wise in itself, but safe in way of prevention, that we be not seduced by other treacherous guides; it will not only secure us from our own weak judgments, but from the frauds of those who lie in wait to deceive." The simpler sort of men will in effect be always led, not by their own judgment, but by the authority of others; and if they be not fairly guided by those whom God hath constituted and assigned to that end, they will be led by the nose by those who are concerned to seduce them: so reason dictateth that it must be, so experience sheweth it ever to have been; that the people, whenever they have deserted their true guides, have soon been hurried by impostors into most dangerous errors and extravagant follies; being carried about with divers and strange doctrines; being like children, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. It is therefore a great advantage to us, and a great mercy of God, that there are (by God's care) provided for us such helps upon which we may commonly for our guidance in the way to happiness more safely rely, than upon our own judgments, liable to mistake, and than upon the counsel of others, who may be interested to abuse us; very foolish and very ingrateful we are, if we do not highly prize, if we do not willingly embrace this advantage. I further add, that as wisdom may induce, so modesty and humility should dispose us to follow the direction of our guides: Ye younger (saith St. Peter) submit yourselves unto the elder," (that is, ye inferiors to your superiors, ye that are the flock to your pastors), and, subjoineth he immediately, be clothed with humility; signifying, that it is a point of humility to yield that submission: every modest and humble person is apt to distrust his own, and to submit to better judgment; and, Not to lean to our understanding, not to be wise in our own eyes, not to seem to know any thing, not to seem any body to oneself, in humility to prefer others before ourselves, are divine injunctions, chiefly applicable to this case, in reference to our spiritual guides; for if it be pride or culpable immodesty to presume ourselves wiser than any man, what is it then to prefer ourselves in that respect before our teachers; as indeed we do, when without evident reason we disregard, or dissent from their opinion. It is, then, a duty very reasonable, and a very commendable practice, to rely upon the guidance of our pastors in such cases, wherein surer direction faileth, and we cannot otherwise fully satisfy ourselves. Neither in doing so (against some appearances of reason, or with some violence to our private conceits) do we act against our conscience, but rather truly according to it; for conscience (as the word in this case is used) is nothing else but an opinion in practical matters grounded upon the best reason we can discern: if therefore in any case the authority of our guides be a reason outweighing all other reasons apparent, he that in such a case, notwithstanding other arguments less forcible, doth conform his judgment and practice thereto, therein exactly followeth conscience; yea, in doing otherwise, he would thwart and violate his his own conscience, and be self-condemned, adhering to a less probable reason in opposition to one more probable. I do not hereby mean to assert that we are obliged indifferently (with an implicit faith, or blind obedience) to believe all that our teachers say, or to practise all they bid us: for they are men, and therefore subject to error and sin; they may neglect or abuse the advantages they have of knowing better than others; they may sometimes, by infirmity, by negligence, by pravity, fail in performing faithfully their duty toward us; they may be swayed by temper, be led by passion, be corrupted by ambition or avarice, so as thence to embrace and vent bad doctrines: we do see our pastors often dissenting and clashing among themselves, sometimes with themselves, so as to change and retract their own opinions.* * Isa. iii. 12,-O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. * Prov. iii. 5, 7; Rom. xii. 3, 10; Gal. vi. 3; Phil. ii. 3; 1 Cor. viii. 2; 1 Tim. vi. 4. We find the prophets of old complain- ny cases we have competent ability to ing of priests, of pastors, of elders and judge, and means sufficient to attain prophets, who handled the law, yet were knowledge: we are therefore concerned ignorant of God; who erred in vision, to use our eyes, to employ our reason, to and stumbled in judgment; who were embrace and improve the advantages profane, brutish, light, and treacherous vouchsafed us. persons; who polluted the sanctuary, and did violence to the law, and profaned holy things; who handled the law, yet knew not God; from whom the law and counsel did perish; who taught for hire, and divined for money; who themselves departed out of the way, and caused many to stumble, and corrupted the covenant of Levi; who destroyed and scattered the sheep of God's pasture." There were in our Saviour's time guides, of the ferment of whose doctrine good people were bid to beware; who transgressed and defeated the commandment of God by their traditions: who did take away the key of knowledge, so that they would not enter themselves into the kingdom of heaven, nor would suffer others to enter: blind guides," who both themselves did fall, and drew others into the ditch of noxious error and wicked practice the followers of which guides did in vain worship God, observing for doctrine the precepts of men." There have not since the primitive times of the gospel wanted those who (indulging to ambition, avarice, curiosity, faction, and other bad affections) have depraved and abased religion with noxious errors and idle superstitions; such as St. Bernard describeth, &c. We are, in matters of such infinite concernment to our eternal welfare, in wisdom and duty obliged not wholly without further heed or care to trust the diligence and integrity of others, but to consider and look about us, using our own reason, judgment, and discretion, so far as we are capable; we cannot in such a case be blamed for too much circumspection and caution. We are not wholly blind, not void of reason, not destitute of fit helps; in ma (Jer. ii. 8;) Isa. xxviii. 7; Jer. x. 21; xii. 10; xxiii. 11; (xviii. 18; v. 31; vi, 13;) Zeph. iii. 4; Ezek. xxii. 26; Mal. i. 6; Ezek. vii. 26; Mic. iii. 11; Mal. ii. 8, 9; Jer. xxiii. 11; xii. 10. Matt. xvi. 6, 12; Luke xii. 1; 2, 6; Luke xi. 52. Matt. xv. 14. • Vide Apol. Ecc). Ang. Matt. xv. Matt. xv. 9. We are accountable personally for all our actions, as agreeable or cross to reason; if we are mistaken by our own default, or misled by the ill guidance of others, we shall however deeply suffer for it, and die in our iniquity: the ignorance or error of our guides will not wholly excuse us from guilt, or exempt us from punishment; it is fit, therefore, that we should be allowed, as to the sum of the matter, to judge and choose for ourselves: for if our salvation were wholly placed in the hands of others, so that we could not but in case of their error or default miscarry, our ruin would be inevitable, and consequently not just: we should perish without blame, if we were bound, as a blind and brutish herd, to follow others. We, in order to our practice (which must be regulated by faith and knowledge), and toward preparing ourselves for our grand account, are obliged to get a knowledge and persuasion concerning our duty; to prove (or search and examine) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God: for ignorance, if any wise by our endeavour vincible, will not secure us: He that (saith our Lord and Judge) knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes (few; not in themselves, but comparatively to those which shall be inflicted on them who transgress against knowledge and conscience.) We are bound to study truth, to improve our minds in the knowledge and love of it, to be firmly persuaded of it in a rational way; so that we be not easily shaken, or seduced from it. The apostles do charge it upon us as our duty and concernment, that we abound in faith and knowledge; that we be rooted and built up in Christ, and stablished in the faith, so as to be steadfast, and unmoveable, not to be soon shaken in mind, or troubled; to grow up and in d Ezek. iii. 18. Rom. xii. 2; Eph. v. 10. what I say; so St. Paul addressed his discourse to his disciples; otherwise we should be urcapable to observe them. We are also bound to defer the principal regard to God's wisdom and will, so crease in all divine knowledge; that the word of God should dwell richly in us in all wisdom; that we should be filled with all knowledge, so as to be able to teach and admonish one another; that our love should abound more and more in knowl-as, without reservation or exception, to edge, and all judgment, that we may approve things excellent (or scan things different) that we be enriched in all the word (that is, in all the doctrine of the gospel), and in all knowledge; that we be filled in the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that we should not be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is; that we should be perfect and complete in all the will of God (that is, first in the knowledge of it, then in compliance with it;) that in understanding we should not be children, but perfect men.' We are likewise by them commanded to take heed of false prophets; to try the spirits whether they are of God; to see that no man deceive us; to look that no man spoil us by vain deceit; to try all things, and hold fast that which is good; which precepts imply, that we should be furnished with a good faculty of judgment, and competent knowledge in the principal matters of Christian doctrine, concerning both the mysteries of faith and the rules of practice. Our Lord himself and his apostles did not upon other terms than of rational consideration and discussion exact credit and obedience to their words; they did not insist barely upon their own authority, but exhorted their disciples to examine strictly, and judge faithfully concerning the truth and reasonableness of their doctrine: Search the scriptures, for they testify of me; If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; but if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works so our Lord appealed to their reason, proceeding upon grounds of scripture and common sense: and, I speak as to wise men, judge ye embrace whatever he doth say, to obey what he positively doth command, whatever authority doth contradict his word, or cross his command: in such cases we may remonstrate with the apostles, If it be just before God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye; and, We ought to obey God rather than men : we may denounce with St. Paul, If an angel from heaven preach any other gospel, let him be accursed." We are obliged always to act with faith (that is, with a persuasion concerning the lawfulness of what we do ;) for whatever is not of faith is sin: we should never condemn ourselves in what we try or embrace. These things considered, we may, and it much behoveth us, reserving due respect to our guides, with humility and modesty to weigh and scan their dictates and their orders; lest by them unawares we be drawn into error or sin; like the ingenuous Bereans, who did úruzgireir us youqas, search and examine the scriptures, if those things were so." Our guides are but the helpers," they are not lords of our faith; the apostles themselves were not. We may, and are bound, if they tell us things evidently repugnant to God's word, or to sound reason and common sense, to dissent from them; if they impose on us things evidently contrary to God's law, to forbear compliance with them; we may in such cases appeal ad legem et testimonium; we must not admit a non obstante to God's law.* If other arguments, weighed in the balance of honest and impartial reason, with cautious and industrious consideration, do overpoise the authority of our guides; let us in God's name adhere to them, and follow our own judgments; it would be a violation of our conscience, a prevarication toward our own souls, wardly to oppose them, or to slight their and a rebellion against God, to do other- judgment; for doing thus doth tend, as to wise when against our own mind, so the disgrace of their persons, so to the carefully informed, we follow the dic- disparagement of their office, to an obtates of others, we like fools rashly ad-structing the efficacy of their ministry, to venture and prostitute our souls. This proceeding is nowise inconsistent with what we delivered before; for this due wariness in examining, this reservation in assenting, this exception in practice, in some cases, wherein the matter hath evidence, and we a faculty to judge, doth nowise hinder but that we should defer much regard to the judgment of our guides; that we should, in those cases wherein no light discovereth itself out shining their authority, rely upon it; that where our eyes will not serve clearly to direct us, we should use theirs; where our reason faileth to satisfy us, we should acquiesce in theirs; that we should regard their judgments so far, that no petty scruple emerging, no faint semblance of reason, should prevail upon us to dissent from their doctrine, to reject their advice, to disobey their injunctions. the infringement of order and peace in the church for when the inconsiderate people shall see their teachers distrusted and disrespected; when they perceive their doctrine may be challenged and opposed by plausible discourses; then will they hardly trust them, or comply with them in matters most certain and necessary; than which disposition in the people there cannot happen any thing more prejudicial or baneful to the church. But let thus much serve for the obedience due to the doctrine of our guides; let us consider that which we owe to them in reference to their conversation and practice. The following their practice may well be referred to this precept; for that their practice is a kind of living doctrine, a visible law, or rule of action; and because indeed the notion of a guide primarily doth imply example; that he which is guided should respect the guide as a precedent, being concerned to walk after his footsteps. In fine, let us remember, that the mouth of truth, which bids us to beware of the bad doctrine of those who sat in Moses's chair, did also charge us to observe all they taught and enjoined; that is, all Most of the reasons, which urge defenot certainly repugnant to the divine law.rence to their judgment in teaching, do In effect, if we discost from the advices in proportion infer obligation to follow of our sober teachers, appointed for us their example (which indeed is the most by God, we shall in the end have occa- easy and clear way of instruction to vulsion to bewail with him in the Proverbs: gar capacity; carrying with it also most How have I hated instruction, and my efficacious encouragement and exciteheart despised reproof; and have not ment to practice ;) they are obliged, and obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor in- it is expected from them, to live with esclined mine ear to them that instructed pecial regularity, circumspection, and strictness of conversation; they are by God's grace especially disposed and en me!r To these things I shall only add one rule, which we may well suppose com-abled to do so; and many common adprised in the precept we treat upon; which is, that at least we forbear openly to dissent from our guides, or to contradict their doctrine; except only, if it be not so false (which never, or rarely, can happen among us) as to subvert the foundations of faith, or practice of holiness. If we cannot be internally convinced by their discourses, if their authority cannot sway with us against the prevalence of other reasons, yet may we spare out 9 Matt. xv. 14; xxiii. 3. Prov. v. 12, 13. vantages they have of doing so (a more perfect knowledge of things, firmness of principles, and clearness of notions; a deeper tincture, and more savoury relish of truth, attained by continual meditation thereon; consequently a purity of mind and affection, a retirement from the world and its temptation, freedom from distraction of worldly care and the encumbrances of business, with the like.) They are often charged to be exemplary in conversation, as we before shewed, and that involveth a correspondent obligation to follow them. They must, like St. John Baptist, be burning and shining lights; stars in God's right hand; lights of the world; whose light should shine before men, that men may see their good works; and by their light direct their steps. They are proposed as copies, which signifies that we must in our practice transcribe them. Among those vices he placeth self-love in the van, as the capital and leading vice; intimating thereby, that it is of all in its nature most heinous, or in its influence most noxious.* This indeed is of all vices the most common, so deeply radicated in our nature, and so generally overspreading the world, that no man thoroughly is exempted from it, most men are greatly tainted with it, some are wholly possessed and We are often directly commanded to imitate them; v minεìobe the lour, whose faith imitate ye (that is, their faith-acted by it: this is the root from which ful perseverance in the doctrine and practice of Christianity), saith the apostle in this chapter. all other vices do grow, and without which hardly any sin could subsist; the chief vices especially have an obvious and evident dependance thereon. Their conversation is safely imitable in all cases wherein no better rule appear- All impiety doth involve a loving oureth, and when it doth not appear discord-selves in undue manner and measure; so ant from God's law and the dictates of that we set ourselves in our esteem and sound reason; for supposing that discord-affection before God; we prefer our own ance, we cease to be obliged to follow them; as when our Lord prescribeth in respect to the Pharises: Whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not after their works; for they say and do not. conceits to his judgment and advice; we raise our pleasure above his will and authority; we bandy forces with him, and are like the profane Belshazzar, of whom it is said, Thou hast lifted up thyself against (or above) the Lord of heaven." It is indeed easier for them to speak From hence particularly, by a maniwell than to do well; their doctrine, fest extraction, are derived those chief therefore, is more commonly a sure guide and common vices, pride, ambition, enthan their practice; yet when there want-vy, avarice, intemperance, injustice, uneth a clearer guidance of doctrine, their practice may pass for instructive, and a probable argument or warrant of action. SERMON LX. OF SELF-LOVE IN GENERAL. charitableness, peevishness, stubbornness, discontent, and impatience. For We overvalue ourselves, our qualities and endowments, our powers and abili ties, our fortunes and external advantages; hence are we so proud, that is, so lofty in our conceits, and fastuous in our demeanour. We would be the only men, or most 2 TIM. iii. 2. For men shall be lovers considerable in the world; hence are we of themselves. ST. PAUL, in this place, out of a prophetical spirit instructing or warning his disciple Timothy concerning difficult times,* or the calamitous state of things which should ensue, induced upon the world, as it useth to happen, by a general prevalency of vicious dispositions and practices among men, doth thence take occasion, by a specification of their vices, to characterize the persons who should concur to produce that hard state. * Καιροὶ χαλεποὶ ἐνστήσονται. ambitious, hence continually with unsatiable greediness we do affect and strive to procure increase of reputation, of power, of dignity. We would engross to ourselves all sorts of good things in highest degree; hence enviously we become jealous of the worth and virtue, we grudge and repine at the prosperity of others; as if they defalked somewhat from our excellency, or did eclipse the brightness of our fortune. We desire to be not only full in our enjoyment, but free and absolute in our dō Hæc omnia mala ab eo velut fonte manantia, quod primum posuit, seipsos amantes. John v. 35; Rev. xvi. 20; Matt. v. 14, 16. August. in Joh. Tract. 123. Matt. xxiii. 3. Dan. v. 23. |