WHETHER A SOUND HEART AND AN UNSOUND HEAD CAN CONSIST TOGETHER?
AND VICE VERSA; OR, WHETHER TRUTH AND HOLINESS BE NOT
INSEPARABLE COMPANIONS? by
George Gillespie, Scottish Commissioner
To
the Assembly of Divines At Westminster.
It is one of the greatest
objections against the suppressing and punishing of heresies, errors and
schisms, O, say they, this is a persecuting of those that are godly; this is a
wound to piety, and the power of godliness. I do not deny but there may be, and
is, true piety in many who are somewhat infected with the leaven of false
doctrine, and live in some erroneous opinion. I dare not appropriate the name
of the godly party to those who are free from any of the errors of the times.
Those that are truly godly may in divers things differ in opinion. Every error
is not inconsistent with holiness, yet every error doth pro tanto, and
proportionably retard, hinder, and prejudge holiness; and although the devil
sow his tares among Christ's wheat (I mean in the same persons as well as in
the same church), yet who will say that a field of wheat is nothing the worse
of the tares, for then to what end did the enemy watch an opportunity of that
malicious hostile act, to sow the tares among the wheat? 2. Dangerous and
damnable errors can no otherwise consist with true grace than dangerous and
damnable sins. And this I will hold as a good rule in practical divinity, that
as the want of true piety makes a person (if tempted) apt to be infected with
error, so error of judgment, if continued in, doth not only hinder growing, but
makes a dangerous decreasing and falling short in true piety; or thus, the
stability of the mind and judgment in the faith of the gospel, and in the true
reformed religion, and the stability of the heart in grace and true piety,
stand or fall together, flourish or fade away together, lodge or flit together,
live or die together.
First of all (to make good what I assert), let it be
well observed, that the Scripture finds out the roots of heresies and errors in
the corrupt hearts of men, in some reigning unmortified lust. An unstable heart
makes an unstable head, and a corrupt affection makes a corrupt judgment This
may appear in the general from Gal. 5.20, where heresies are reckoned among the
works of the flesh; Col. 2.18, where a superstitious mind is called a fleshly
mind; 1 Tim. 1.19, where faith is compared to a precious treasure carried in a
ship; a good conscience to the ship that carries it, the loss of the ship is
the loss of the ladening; 2 Tim. 3.6; 2 Thess. x. 11,12; Gal. 6.12; 2 Tim. 4.3;
1 John 2.19. It is therefore a good argument that protestant writers have used
against the Pope's infallibility, The Pope hath been, and may be, impious,
profane, sensual, carnal, proud, covetous; therefore he may dangerously err in
his inditement and decrees. Some have derived the origin of all the popish
errors from ambition and avarice, or (as others), from the cardinals' caps, and
the monks' bellies.
The apostle John reduceth all the cares, courses,
studies, endeavours, opinions or practices of the children of this world, to
one of these three, 1 John 2.16, "the lust of the flesh," peculiarly so called;
uncleanness, wantonness, gluttony, drunkenness; "the lust of the eyes," when
the soul is catched with something from without in the world which tempteth,
such a thing is goodly to the eye, it entereth in upon the soul by the senses,
riches, houses, lands, brave apparel, ornaments, &c; "the pride of life,"
so called, because where pride reigns a man will as soon quit his life as that
thing which his proud spirit loves; he had rather be dead before he get not his
pride satisfied; so that his pride and his life are all one to him, and as it
were things convertible.
You shall find many who have embraced new and
erroneous ways have been led away with the lust of the flesh, Rom. 16.18;
Philip. 3.19; 2 Pet. 2.13,14,18; Num. 25.1-3; 1 Kings 11.1,4,5. It was the
sensual pleasantness of the groves and high places which made the Jews in so
much love with them, that even in the times of reformation, yet the people
still sacrificed in the high places. The lust of the eyes hath drawn away
others from the way of truth, and from the true faith, 2 Pet. 2.3; 1 Tim.
6.9,10; Luke 6.4; Tit. 1.11; 1 Tim. 6.5: these count gain to be godliness, and
have men's persons in admiration for advantage; they will no longer adhere to
the profession of the truth than they may enjoy the world withal, 2 Tim. 4.10.
Such a one was that Eccebolus, who, under Constantius, seemed to be a precise
Christian, but afterwards, under Julian the apostate, fell away and became a
pagan, yet after all this turned Christian again under the next Christian
emperor.
The pride of life hath corrupted the judgment of others, and
perverted them in the way of religion. It was the love of pre-eminence which
perverted Diotrephes, 1 John 3.9,10. It was pride which made Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram, cry down the magistracy of Moses, and the priesthood of Aaron, and cry
up the whole congregation as holy. It was the love of a crown that made
Jeroboam set up his calves, and make another altar, and other priests, and
erect that independent church of his, which should not go up with their hard
cases to the Sanhedrim at Jerusalem. Henry IV. of France, who was once a
Protestant, changed his religion for the same cause, that he might get a crown;
so did Julian the apostate, once a Christian. Porphyrius forsook the Christians
that he might be the better avenged upon some Christian in Cesarea of Palestine
who had done him a wrong. Yea, there is an innate pride in all men by nature
against Jesus Christ, Psal. 2.3; Luke 19.14; which pride must be mortified, 2
Cor. 10.5.
Secondly, There is a reciprocal influence, as of the will and
affections upon the understanding, so of the understanding upon the will and
affections. The will determines the understanding, quo ad exercitium, but the
understanding determines the will, quo ad specificationem actus; that is, the
will applies the understanding unto, or hindereth it from, the discerning of
good and evil; yet the will itself hath not light in itself, but is guided by
the light of the understanding; wherefore, as the rain makes vapours, and the
vapours make rain, so a bad understanding makes a bad will, and a bad will
makes a bad understanding. If the eye be single the body is full of light,
Matt. 6.22; which makes good what the schoolmen tells us, that bonitas
voluntatis dependet a recta a ratione velut regula, the goodness of the will
depends on right reason as its rule. See Aquinas (q. 2?, quest. 19, art. 3),
and the commentators upon that place. It is to be observed that sometimes the
Scripture speaketh of an error of the judgment concerning the faith as a
fountain and cause of ungodliness, profaneness, Atheism, 2 Tim. 2.16-19; Gal.
5.4; 2 John 9; as, contrariwise, there is a light and knowledge which
preserveth from sin and ungodliness, and leadeth the soul in ways of holiness
and obedience, Psal. 9.10; 119. 33,34; John 17.17. If the knowledge of God, of
his Christ, and of his word, and will, and name, and statutes, preserve us from
sin, and lead us in the ways of obedience, then, by the rule of contraries,
error of judgment in these things will ensnare us in sin and wickedness. For
instance, an error concerning God, whether Father, John 15. 21, Son, 1 Cor.
2.8; 1 John 2.23; 2 John 9, or Holy Ghost, John 14.17.
Thirdly, As the
infection of sin spreadeth itself throughout the whole soul, and all the
faculties and powers thereof, so doth the work of the Spirit of God. We find
light and holiness, 1 Pet. 2.9, joined together like the Urim and Thummim. See
also 1 Thess. 5.23: here is both soul and spirit sanctified; which two are
plainly distinguished, Heb. 4.12. The word of God is so quick and powerful as
that it pierceth even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit. If either
the intellectuals be not sound, or if the vitals and animals be not right, the
word will find it out. A well-meaning pious soul, a good heart and affection,
which perhaps a person may sit down satisfied with, will not excuse a corrupt
mind, an erroneous spirit; neither will a sound and orthodox judgment excuse a
corrupt heart and inordinate affections. Aristotle himself could distinguish
art and knowledge from virtue, because the most excellent intellectuals cannot
make a man so much as morally virtuous, without the practice and exercise of
virtue. Both soul and spirit, both the inferior and superior part of the soul,
must be sanctified. Reason is as the helm, the affections as the sails. Let the
helm be steered never so right, if the wind either blow not at all, or blow
cross in the sails, the ship makes no speed in her way; let the wind blow never
so fair, and fill all the sails, yet if the helm be off its hinges, or be not
rightly steered, the ship may quickly run upon a rock, or run ashore where it
is not safe: so he that hath a sound judgment, without good affections, cannot
move heavenward. He that hath good affections, without a sound judgment, will
make more haste than good speed. Reason is as the rider; affections as a nimble
horse. A man is but in an ill-taking if either this rider mistake his way, or
the horse run away with him out of the way, having no reins to govern him, or
if the horse be lame and cannot ride.
Fourthly, Consider what the Apostle
saith, 2 Tim. 3.16,17. He tells us of four ends and uses of Scripture. The
first two are commonly referred to doctrinals, the last two to practicals. The
Scripture is profitable "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works." If any of these be wanting, a Christian is not
perfect, so much as in the perfection of parts. He is but half a Christian who
is an orthodox believer, if he be not practical also; and he is but half a
Christian who is practical, if he be not an orthodox believer. These ends of
Scripture do not consist nor stand sure one without another.
Fifthly, To be
led into all truth, and preserved from error, is a work of the Spirit of truth;
and this Spirit of truth is the Comforter, and the Spirit of sanctification;
which Spirit the Mediator prayeth the Father to give unto those that are his,
John 14.16,17; 16.13,14; 1 John 2. 27: no promise of being led into all truth
but to those that receive the anointing of the Holy Ghost, Isa. 54.13; Psal.
25.12.
Sixthly, By how much a man falls from the truth, by so much he falls
from grace, and by how much a man falls from grace, by so much he falls from
the truth; for stability in the state of grace dependeth in a manner upon
stability in the truth; for proof whereof mark three ifs. Christ's, John 8.31;
Paul's, Col. 1.23; John's, 1 John 2.34. Again, stability in the truth dependeth
upon stability in grace, for proof whereof make a fourth if, 1 John 2.19. These
scriptural ifs have much in them, and should make us very cautious and heedful,
that we do not so far deceive ourselves, as to divide what God hath joined
together,?a sound head and a sound heart. Chrysostom1 exhorteth his hearers to
join Christian virtues and purity of doctrines together; for, saith he, "It
profits us nothing to be orthodox, if the life be vitiated; as, upon the other
part, an uncorrupt life profiteth nothing without soundness of faith.
Licentiousness of judgment in doctrines will certainly introduce licentiousness
of heart and life" in practicals. Arminius2 himself (although many of his
followers have cried up scepticism in religion) could say that different
doctrines produce in a people a dubitation or hesitation concerning religion,
that this doubting of the truth produceth despairing to find the truth, and
thence follows Atheism and Epicurism; yet when heresies and false doctrines
introduce Atheism and Epicurism, they do but discover those roots of bitterness
which were before in the heart. Therefore, as Christ tells those Jews that
believed on him, if they continue not in his word they are not his disciples
indeed, John 8.21, so the apostle John gives this reason why Simon Magus,
Hymeneus, Alexander, Philetus, Me-nander, Carpocrates, Basilides, Ebion,
Corinthus, and such like, went out, and separated from the church, and from the
profession of the truth, because, saith he, "they were not of us," meaning in
respect of lively faith, true grace and regeneration, therefore they went out
from us, 1 John 2.19; which text John Jerome, in the close of his first book
upon Jeremiah, applies to heretics in this respect,?when they fall away openly
they do but show those very idols of their hearts which, in their inward parts,
they worshipped before.
I will add a seventh reason. Look how the Scripture
distinguisheth the elect from those who are of an ungodly life; in the same
manner it distinguisheth them who are of an erroneous belief, 1 Cor. 11.19. The
Apostle, 2 Thess. 2.10,11, tells us, that those who perish believe a lie, i.e.,
an error pretending to be a truth; but, ver. 13, he gives thanks for the
believing Thessalonians, "Because God had chosen them to salvation, through
sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth:" so that they who
believe not the truth are no more elected than the unsanctified. Our Saviour,
Matt. 24.24, intimateth that it is impossible that the elect should be deceived
by false prophets; that is, in the same sense as he that is born of God doth
not commit sin, 1 John 3.9. Christ characteriseth his true disciples, and
distinguisheth them from others, not only by obedience and a good life, Matt.
7.17,24; 25.35; John 13. 35, but also by light in the eye of the understanding,
Matt. 6.22,23, with Eph. 1. 17,18; by continuing in his word, John 8.31; by
knowing his voice, and fleeing from a stranger, John 10.4,5. I hope I have
abundantly proved what I undertook; and so I conclude that he said right who
compared truth to the teacher, holiness and righteousness to the ruling elders.
I add: Where heresy is the teacher, ungodliness and unrighteousness are the
ruling elders; a holy heretic is a chimera; and a profane person believing
aright is another.
But here, peradventure, some will think that the great
objection lies, May not a profane person have a sound or orthodox judgment in
all controverted truths? May not a man understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, who yet hath no love, nor true sanctification? 1 Cor. 13.2. May not
a person hold fast the profession of the true faith without wavering, whose
heart, notwithstanding, is not right with God, nor steadfast in his covenant?
First, I answer, Where there is but a form of godliness there is but a form
of knowledge. MorfwoiV is a word nowhere used by the Holy Ghost but in two
places, "A form of knowledge," Rom. 2.20; and "A form of godliness," 2 Tim.
3.5. It is not the true and real form, either of knowledge or godliness, which,
as they have a true matter, so a true form. He saith not morfhn (which had been
the proper word for a true form), but morfwsin, speciem scienti?, speciem
pietatis. If we have respect to the notation of the word, it is a formation or
forming; I may call it a forming without mattering; so that the form of
knowledge more than which an ungodly man hath not, be he never so learned, hath
not the true substance and reality of knowledge. Theophylact saith, some
understand it to be the image and false resemblance of knowledge; so Hesychius
and Suidas understand morfwsiV to be eikwn, an image of a thing.
Secondly,
There is no sinfulness in the will and affections without some error in the
understanding. All lusts which a natural man lives in, are lusts of ignorance,
1 Peter 1.14; the sins of the people are called the errors of the people, Heb.
9.7; and the wicked person is the fool in the Proverbs; the natural man
receives not the things of the Spirit of God; and what is the reason? because
they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2.14; the world cannot receive the Spirit of
truth, because it knoweth him not, John 14.17. The popish doctrines of free
will, of justification by works, of meat, of implicit faith, of believing the
Scriptures, because the church receiveth them (and what marvel that they do so,
whose eyes are not opened to see the sunbeam of divine light in the Scripture
itself, which is spiritually discerned), of the sacraments conferring of grace,
and the like; also the Socinian tenets, that a man is not bound to believe any
article of faith, nor any interpretation of Scripture, except it agree with his
reason; that pastors and ministers of the word have not now any distinguishing
sacred vocation authorizing them to be the ambassadors of Christ, to preach and
minister the sacraments more nor other Christians (which is also maintained by
a late Erastian writer in the Netherlands), these and the like errors professed
and maintained by them, what are they but so many legible commentaries and
manifest interpretations of those corrupt and erroneous principles which are
lurking and secretly seated in the judgments and understandings of natural and
unregenerated persons, as well learned as unlearned? These heretics do but
bring forth to the light of the sun what is hid within the minds of other
unregenerate persons, as in so many dark dungeons. The like I say of the
Arminian doctrine of universal grace, and universal atonement by Christ's
death; and of original sin, that it is not properly sin (which doctrines are
common to many Anabaptists with the Arminians). The like I say also of the
Antinomian doctrines, that Christ hath abolished not only the curse, and
rigour, and compulsion, but the very rule itself of the moral law; so that they
who are under the covenant of grace are not bound to walk by that rule; that
they ought not to repent and mourn for sin; that God doth not afflict them for
sin; that faith, without the evidence of any marks or fruits of sanctification,
doth assure the soul of its interest in Christ; and what is that scientia media
which the Jesuits glory of as a new light, but the very old error of natural
men, which looks upon things contingent as not decreed and determined by the
will of God? And what is the Erastian way which oppugneth suspension from the
Lord's table, excommunication, and all church government,?what is it but a
declaration or manifesto of the proud imaginations of men's corruptions, which
say within themselves, "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their
cords from us: and ye take too much upon you, Moses and Aaron, seeing all the
congregation are holy every one of them, and the Lord is among them." I
conclude this point: Every natural man hath in his heart somewhat of Popery,
somewhat of Socinianism, somewhat of Arminianism, somewhat of Anabaptism,
somewhat of Antinomianism, somewhat of Erastianism (and I cannot but add),
somewhat of Independency too, so far as it pleadeth for more liberty than
Christ hath allowed; and if every man hath a Pope in his belly, as Luther said,
then every man hath an Independent in his belly (for the Pope is the greatest
Independent in the world); and it is natural (I think) to every man to desire
to be judged by no man.
Thirdly, When an unregenerate or unsanctified
person holds fast the profession of the faith, take heed it be not because he
is not yet tempted, nor put to it in that thing which is the idol of his heart.
Let him be brought to this, either to quit the truth and the faith, or to quit
what is dearest to him in the world, and see what he will do in that case. His
fruit is but such as grows upon the stony ground, but stay till the sun of
persecution arise and scorch him.
I have the more fully and strongly
asserted the inconsistency of heresy and holiness, as likewise of sound
believing and profane living; and have showed the joint fading or flourishing
of true grace and true holiness, that this being demonstrated and laid down for
a sure principle, may lead us to many practical and useful conclusions and
corollaries, which I will only here point at.
First, It cuts off the
exception of those who cry out against the censuring, suppressing, and
punishing of heretics by the Christian magistrate, as if this were a
persecuting of piety or pious persons, when it is indeed a suppressing of a
work of the flesh, for heresy is no other, Gal. 5.20, and of that which is
either the cause or effect, either the usher or page of some impiety.
Secondly, It confuteth that most pernicious and cursed opinion, that if a
man live well, he may be saved in any religion or any faith. Socinus3 did hold
that all, whether Lutherans, or Calvinists, or Anabaptists, or Arians, so that
they may live well, shall be saved (as hath been observed). He was a follower
of Mahomet, for Mahomet having compiled his Alcoran partly out of the Jewish
and partly out of the Christian tenets, and made it an hotch-potch out of both,
that he might conciliate favour unto it among both, he held that every one who
lives well, whether Jew or Christian, shall be saved. He that holds a man may
be saved, whatever he believe, may, with as much truth, hold that a man may be
saved whatever he do, or however he believe.
Thirdly, It stoppeth the
mouths of heretics and sectaries, who call themselves the godly party. Arius,
Photinus, Socinus, Arminius, and generally the chief heresiarchs which ever
rose up in the church, have been cried up by their followers for men of
extraordinary piety, as well as parts. All are not sheep that comes in sheep's
clothing. A false prophet is a wolf in sheep's clothing, Matt. 7.15; but it is
added, "Ye shall know them by their fruits." Mark "by their fruits," not by
their green leaves nor fair flourishes. Let them pretend what they will, we
must believe the word of the Lord, that one of the marks of those who are
approved, is to hold fast gospel truths against heresies, 1 Cor. 11.19; and by
the rule of contraries, those infected with heresy are made manifest not to be
approved. If that which I have formerly asserted and cleared from Scripture be
a truth, as most certainly it is, then it is no truth, but a most dangerous and
grace-destroying doctrine4 which some hold, viz., that it is to be much
questioned whether any opinions or heresies (as they are called) be absolutely
inconsistent with believing in Jesus Christ (and so damnable, that is,
accompanied with eternal damnation), but only that which is formally
contradiction to such a believing. This writer (who is one of the fomenters of
the scepticism of this time) makes much question whether any error or heresy be
damnable which doth not formally contradict this proposition, "That whosoever
believes in Jesus Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life;" but I
have showed elsewhere that heresies, denying the Godhead of Jesus Christ, are
accompanied with damnation; and no marvel, for whosoever believeth in Christ,
and yet believeth not him to be eternal God, doth but believe in a creature,
and no creature can redeem us from hell, nor satisfy infinite justice; so are
the heresies concerning justification (which hold that something besides
Christ's righteousness, whether our faith or works, is imputed to us to
justification) damnable if continued in, Gal. 5.4; that if, by damnable
heresies, we mean such errors as are of dangerous consequence, and, in this
respect, justly and deeply condemnable or censurable by men, many who hold and
publicly maintain damnable heresies, in this sense, may have, yea, and some (as
far as men are able to discern, de facto) have true grace and goodness. If he
mean that such have true grace and goodness in that sense as David, during the
time of his continuing in the sin of adultery, or Peter during the time of his
denying Christ, had true grace and goodness; that is, that such do not totally
fall away from true grace, but have the seed of God abiding in them, then he
pleadeth no better than as if one should say the sin of adultery, the sin of
denying of Christ, are not damnable sins, at least, not inconsistent with true
grace and goodness. But if he will yield that errors of dangerous consequence,
which are justly and deeply condemnable, are inconsistent with true grace and
goodness in the same sense as gross sins are inconsistent therewith; that is,
that gross and condemnable errors are inconsistent with the soul's growing,
thriving, prospering, and flourishing,?yea, with any lively acting and putting
forth of true grace,?yea, that gross errors do greatly and dangerously impair,
abate, diminish, weaken, wound, hurt, and blast true grace and goodness, and do
extremely grieve, and, in a great measure, quench the Spirit of grace,?then he
must also grant that to bear with or wink at gross errors, is to bear with or
wink at such things as are extremely prejudicial, obstructive, and impeditive
to true grace and goodness.
Fourthly, It is but an ignorant mistake, and a
dangerous soul-deceiving, presumption, for a profane loose liver, or for a
close, unmortified, and rotten-hearted hypocrite, to think or promise that he
will stand fast in the faith, and hold fast the truth without wavering.
Whosoever maketh shipwreck of a good conscience cannot but make shipwreck of
faith too. He that is overcome of a sin may be overcome of an error too, when
he is tempted in that which is the idol of his heart; therefore let him who
would have light from Christ awake from his sins, Eph. 5.14. He that hath not
pious affections, and thinks his orthodox judgment will make him steadfast in
the faith, is as great a fool as he that thinks to ride without a horse, or a
captain that thinks to fight the enemy without soldiers, or a mariner that
thinks to make out his voyage when his ship wants sails.
Fifthly, They that
would have church censures put forth only upon heretics, apostates, or such as
are unsound in the faith, but not upon profane livers in the church (which was
the error of Erastus, and, before him, of the princes and states of Germany, in
the Hundred Grievances; the original of which error, so far as I can find, was
from the darkness of Popery; for there was an opinion that the Pope might be
deposed for heresy, but not for a scandalous life; which opinion ?neus Sylvius,
de Gestis Concilii Basil., lib. 1, confuteth); they also, upon the other hand,
that would have the censure of excommunication put forth upon loose and
scandalous livers within the church, but not for those things which the
reformed churches call heresies; so Grotius, Annot. on Luke 6.22, and divers
Arminians, divers also of the sectaries in England; these, I say, both of the
one and of the other opinion, do but separate those things which ought not,
cannot be separated.
Sixthly, There is cause to set apart days of fasting
and prayers, when heresies and errors abound, as well as when profaneness and
gross wickedness aboundeth in the lives of the people. Christ doth, in five of
his epistles to the churches of Asia (to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira,
Philadelphia), take notice of false teachers, sects, and erroneous doctrines,
commending the zeal in Ephesus against them, blaming those in Pergamos and
Thyatira for tolerating such amongst them, encouraging those in Smyrna and
Philadelphia, by expressing his displeasure against those sects. No mention of
loose and scandalous livers, distinguished from the sects, in those churches.
Either there were such scandalous livers in those churches at that time, or
not. If there were, then observe, Christ mentions not them, but the false
teachers and sectaries; for although both are condemnable, yet he takes special
notice of scandals in doctrine and profession, as being matters of the highest
treason against him, and the most provoking sins in a church; as being also the
more deceitful and secret poison, honeyed over with plausible pretences, and
therefore the more needing a discovery. If there were no such scandalous and
profane livers in these churches, then note, that Christ will have a great
controversy against a church which hath false doctrines and pernicious sects in
it, although there were never a scandalous person more in it. There is
therefore cause to fast and pray, for which Christ makes a matter of
controversy against his churches. If we have prayed away Popery, Prelacy, the
old superstitious ceremonies, the malignant armies, &c., O let us cry
mightily for this also! See if we can pray away heresies and pernicious
doctrines, sects and schisms.
Seventhly, We must turn away from and avoid
the fellowship of false teachers, and the spreaders of dangerous doctrines, not
only that we may be steadfast in the truth, but that our hearts may be
established with grace; for there are such reasons given in Scripture for
avoiding the company of that kind of men as highly concern piety: Avoid them,
because they serve not Christ, but their own bellies, Rom. 16.18; from such
turn away, because they are men of corrupt minds, supposing gain to be
godliness; and their disputings breed envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1 Tim. 6.4,5; receive them not into your houses who bring not the doctrine of
Christ, because such have not God, 2 John 9,10,11.
Eighthly, Let no man
think that opinions are free more than practices, or that a man runs no hazard
of his salvation by erroneous and heretical opinions. Error of judgment, as
well as wickedness of practice, may bring death and destruction upon the soul,
James 5.19,20; 2 Pet. 2.1; 3.16; Gal. 2.21. Heretics, as well as murderers and
drunkards, are there excluded from the kingdom of heaven.
Ninthly, If thou
wouldest keep thy head from erring, be sure to keep thy heart from erring:
Psal. 95.10, "It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not
known my ways." As thou desirest not to be a backslider in the profession of
the true faith, be not a backslider in heart, Prov. 14.14. If thou wouldest be
preserved from erroneous opinions, pray for the mortification of thy
corruptions, Gal. 5.20, with 24.
Tenthly, If thou wouldest be firm and
stable in the truth, thou must not only have grace in the heart, but be
established in grace, Heb. 13.9, "Be not carried about with divers and strange
doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart (he saith not have grace, but)
be established (bebaiousqai) in grace." He that is not established in the
present truth, i.e., in the truth of the times, proves himself (or otherwise
makes himself) to be unstable in grace. If abebhloV be abebaioV, if he that is
no profane one be yet an unstable one, what doth it profit? It is plainly
intimated to us, 1 Pet. 5.8,9, that such as are not steadfast in the faith do
not resist Satan, but are devoured by him; and, 2 Pet. 1.12, the Apostle thinks
it not enough that Christians be established in the present truth, if they be
not also growing in grace, and making sure their calling and election, and
adding one grace to another; "Wherefore (saith he) I will not be negligent to
put you always in remembrance of these things (to wit, which belong to the
establishing of the heart in grace), though ye know them, and be established in
the present truth."
Now, that the heart may be established in grace (and so
also in the truth), let us endeavour to walk always as under the eye of God,
Psalm 16.8; Heb. 11.27; to improve the promises, and rest upon Christ for
stability of heart, 1 Cor. 1.8; for he is our wisdom and sanctification, as
well as righteousness and redemption, ver. 30. Let us entertain the Spirit of
grace, and not grieve him, nor quench him; for by the Spirit of the Lord are we
upholden, stablished, strengthened, Psal. 51.11,12; Eph. 3.16.
Eleventhly,
When it comes to a time of trial, and to the sifting of the whole house of
Israel, as corn is sifted in a sieve, Amos 9.9, they only are made manifest to
be approved in whom there is both sanctification of the Spirit and belief of
the truth, both true piety and sound judgment: if either of these be found
wanting, be sure the other is wanting too, whatever show there may be to the
contrary. There is a text, 1 Cor. 11.19, worthy to be much and often thought
upon in these days, "For there must be heresies (or sects) among you, that they
which are approved may be made manifest among you;" of which text more anon.
Now, then, forasmuch as the church is sometimes tried by heresies, sometimes by
persecutions, sometimes by both, sometimes by other temptations, and, for our
part, we know not what further trials we must endure before this work be at an
end, or before we go off the stage, as we desire to hold out in a time of
trial, let us hold fast truth and holiness together, and cast away from us
whatsoever maketh us to offend, whether it be the right eye of an erroneous
opinion, or the right hand of a sinful will, or the right foot of a carnal
affection.