while it is only suggested to the Mind or looked upon as anothers Opinion or Practice the Mind may and ordinarily will with more freedom weigh and examine it but when it is actually closed in with that a Man hath espoused it as his own Opinion or as his own Judgment Self-love will greatly hinder from an impartial and through weighing of and searching into it And besides it is vastly more easie to reject an Error before it is actually imbraced than it is to relinquish it afterwards Error once taken hold of is not easily let go again Error ordinarily is held fast and therefore let us be excited to the greater Wariness and Watchfulness against Error When we see how strangely tenacious Men are of Error let that be the Use we make of it think with our selves how careful should we be that we do not take up any Error instead of Truth Oh! how much Prejudice do some good Men receive by the Mistakes and Errors they have unwarily taken up and imbraced and yet how tenacious are they of them let them be warnings unto us It highly concerns us to be very deliberate before we close in with any Doctrine or Practice especially that differs from those Doctrines and Practices that have been generally received and walked in by true Saints and that throughout all Ages Men's especially good Men's over-hasty taking up and imbracing Doctrines and Practices that are proposed to and pressed upon them under the Notion of Truth without a due use of the necessary means to find out whether they are so or no has been one of the great Causes of the abounding of Errors among Professors Men having once imbraced an Error they too commonly are exceeding tenacious of it and besides Conscience enforceth them not only to be tenacious of it themselves but to promote it among others and hence it is that Errors so much abound as they do and therefore I say let us be wary of imbracing Error instead of Truth And to inforce this together with the foregoing use I would offer two things to Consideration 1. The Evil and Sinfulness of Error and consequently the Provocation it is unto God Few Christians apprehend there is such an Evil in Error as there is and that it is so provoking unto God as indeed it is at least that Error as such and consequently every Error is so evil and displeasing unto God And therefore that we may be more sensible of the Evil and Sinfulness of Error let these four things be considered 1. That Error blots and defaces the Image of God in Man the Image of God in Man is Man's Conformity to and Resemblance of God which respects his Understanding as well as his Will and Affections Hence the Image of God in Man is said to consist in Knowledg as well as in Righteousness and true Holiness Col. 3.10 Eph. 4.24 compared together We are renewed saith Davenant according to the Image of God Cum illustrantur sanctificantur omnes Potentiae Inclinationes Animae nostrae All Error supposes a Defect in Knowledg or is an Effect of Ignorance Ye err not knowing the Scriptures saith our Lord Christ Hence through Error Men come short of the Glory of God as well as through any defect in their Sanctification and all Defects or Blots in the Image of God in his People are sinful and displeasing to him 2. Errordefiles the Nature of Men as well as any moral Evil Error it 's true being in the Understanding it primarily defiles the Understanding but as it proceeds from affected or voluntary Ignorance it defiles the Conscience yea it diffuses a Defilement throughout the whole Soul Hence the Apostle having a peculiar respect to erronious Persons tells us They have their Minds and Consciences defiled Tit. 1.15 3. That as Error it self is a Sin and is usually if not always an occasion of some other Sin either of Omission or Commission so both Error it self and those Sins occasioned by it are lived impenitently in Men humble not themselves for such Sins Now Sin tho it be a Sin of Ignorance especially when that Ignorance is voluntary being lived impenitently in may be greater and more provoking unto God then other Sins are that are of a more heinous Nature in themselves that men through the violence of a Temptation or the strong workings of a particular Lust are over-taken with but are not persisted in 4. Errors break that Unity that ought to be and God delights to see among his People God would have his People to be of one Mind and one Judgment Now Error breaks this Unity whence variety of Evils usually issue And let it be observed that though the difference in Mind and Judgment among Christians will not excuse any in whom those Evils occasioned by or arising from them are found yet they will be eminently charged upon those on whose part the Errors lye But Secondly The other thing I would offer to Consideration is this That by how much the greater the Provision God has made is and the more full the Means he has vouchsafed for our coming to the Knowledg and preservation in Truth are by so much the more sinful and provoking are Errors Now consider what Provision God hath made for and what Means he vouchsafes to us in these Lands 1. He has given us his Word and that in our own Language we may daily read in and converse with it 2. He hath constituted a Ministry raises up Men and furnisheth them with Gifts sutable for that Office and that with reference to our Guidance into and Establishment in the Truth Eph. 4.11 12 13 14. 3. God hath given his Spirit to abide with his Church here upon Earth Joh. 14.16 Hence by Prayer we may obtain his Teachings and that is one of the great ends with reference unto which he is given to and left with the Church Joh. 16.13 Yea God gives his Spirit to dwell in every individual Believer and that with reference to the same end But ye saith the Apostle John speaking unto Saints have an Vnction from the holy One and ye know all things that is all Truth necessary to be known 1 Joh. 2.20 The Apostle speaks of them as tho actually knowing all things The Scripture sometimes speaks of that as true de facto which on many accounts either ought to be or may be so as if he should say such an advantage you have by that Vnction you received from the holy One to know all things that it may well be supposed of and expected from you that you do indeed know all things There can hardly be any Error imbraced by a Believer but it must be through his own Default 4. God works providentially with reference unto our Guidance into and Establishment in the Truth The Providences of God as they are designed for so if wisely observed and well improved would highly conduce to our Guidance into and Establishment in the Truth I will guide thee with mine Eyes
to have 5. And Lastly Self-Love makes Men unwilling to be taken notice of or known by others to be in an Errour they think it will reflect on them and redound to their Shame and how unwilling are Men through this same Self-Love to bear the shame of having taken up and entertained Errour instead of Truth tho to recede from Errour would more redound to their Honour than the embracement of it redounds to their Dishonour To err is Humane willingly to persist in Errour is Diabolical to acknowledg and relinquish Errour upon due Conviction is truly Christian and how much better is it for and how much greater an Honour to a Man by a free owning and relinquishing of an Errour to approve himself a true Christian than by a wilful persisting therein for the concealing his Frailties and Infirmities as a Man to gain the repute of Devillish But to put a Close to this and having declared the marvellous proneness of Man as in this fallen and corrupted Estate unto Errour and his usual tenaciousness of it when embraced with the Causes of the one and the other I shall now according to assistance given make some Improvement of what hath been said There is it is true another Doctrine obvious in our Text but that I shall take in in the Application Several Uses might be made to point at some few of them 1. Hence we may infer That there is no just Reason why any should stumble or be offended at the Christian Doctrine or at Religion on the account of the variety of Errours and Heresies found among the Professours of it those Errours and Heresies proceed not from the Doctrine it self Truth is uniform and consonant to it self not is there any reason why any should impute the abounding of Errours and Heresies among Christians to the Scriptures themselves as tho either they were defective in the Revelations of Truth or did by their Darkness render the Knowledg of it unattainable by any There is a full Revelation of Truth made in them and the Knowledg of Truth as contained in them is plain to him that understandeth Neither do those Errours and Heresies proceed from any influence the Doctrine of Christianity hath upon the Minds of Men but they proceed from the Pravity of Man's Nature from Satan and the just Wrath and Displeasure of God against Men. Now there are too many that take up a Profession of Religion that are wholly Flesh in an unregenerate Estate and alas there is too much Flesh too much of that Corruption and Pravity of Nature contracted by the Fall yet remaining in those that are Regenerate and as for those that are wholly Unregenerate they are subject to Satan he worketh effectually in them and as for those that are Regenerate Satan has yet too much Power over them and too many advantages against them and besides God is often provoked by Men to send them strong Delusions The abounding of Errours and Heresies in these Lands wherein we dwell is none of the least Evidences of the Wrath and Displeasure of God against them and Professours in them and from all it is no wonder that Errours and Heresies do so much abound It is to be ascribed to the Grace and Goodness of God that they abound no more Let but Errours and Heresies be resolved into and assigned unto their true and proper Causes and they will be sound to be no just ground of stumbling unto any at the Doctrine of Christ or at Religion professed by Christians 2. Hence we may learn how unmeet and unfit Man as in himself is to be entrusted with Truth in the holding of it forth unto others and yet that is a Trust God has reposed in his Church and consequently in every Member thereof according to their disserent Stations and Capacity therein Hence the Church is said to be the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3.16 and hereby God doth greatly magnify his Church and People but Men no not the best of Men are to be trusted as absolutely considered in themselves and therefore God hath constituted Jesus Christ the Head Shepherd and Bishop of his Church hath entrusted Truth firstly in his Hand and it highly concerns all Christians to walk humbly with and in a continual holy dependance on him to be by him led into and preserved in all Truth that so they may hold it forth unto others otherwise they will fail in the discharge of their Trust they will take up and hold fast Errour instead of Truth 3. Hence we may infer the necessity that Man as in this fallen and depraved Estate lyeth under some extrinsecal Means whereby he may come to the knowledg of be guided into and preserved in the Truth It must be by some Revelation either mediately or immediately from God that Men must come to the knowledg of Truth Man if left to himself not only his natural Inclination unto Errour but the weakness and shallowness of his own Understanding will necessarily subject him to variety of Mistakes and Errours and that in and about those Things the knowledg of which is indispensably necessary to Happiness and Blessedness Man 's own Understanding is no safe Guide for him to follow in the concerns of his Soul and Eternity it will certainly mislead him therefore is that Caution given us by the wisest of Men and he guided by the Spirit of the All-wise God Lean not to thine own Vnderstanding Prov. 3.5 Those that are led by the meer Light of their own Understandings as those who pretend to a Light within in opposition to the Light of the Scriptures or that which is instrumentally communicated by them at best are will infallibly be led into the Pit even the Pit of everlasting Destruction It is only the Light and Truth that is the true Light of God that Light contained in and communicated by the Scriptures that can infallibly lead any of the Sons and Daughters of fallen Adam into his holy Hill scil Heaven Psal 43.4 4. Hence we may infer the Goodness of God to fallen Man in particular to our selves And as the Goodness of God is variously expressed so eminently in the Provision he hath made for our Guidance into and Establishment in the Truth and Preservation from Error What Provision God hath made with the Fulness and Sufficiency thereof shall be taken notice of in the close of this Discourse At present I shall only say that that marvelous proneness unto Errors that is connatural unto all Saints themselves so far as unrenewed not excepted with the strange Influence that it hath on the minds of Men when once imbraced should greatly raise our Esteem of that Provision made fill our Hearts with admiration at the Goodness of God expressed therein and be matter of continual Praise and Thanksgivings unto him Praise ye the Lord Oh Jerusalem praise thy God Oh Zion saith the Psalmist Ps 147.12 and the principal benefit he instances in as calling for Praise is this He sheweth
Abraham but this Covenant was made with Abraham himself and that within 40 Years after the very first Transactions of God with him in a Covenant-way 5. The Scripture in express Terms affirms that the old Covenant was not made with either Abraham Isaac or Jacob. And Lastly The Apostle expresly declares that it was this Covenant mentioned Gen. 17.7 that was confirmed of God in Christ which all must and will confess was the Covenant of Grace Now then having thus demonstrated the Truth of this second Proposition both negatively and positively by so many express Scriptures it seems utterly unnecessary that I should add any thing more in the confirmation of it And the Truth is those that after so much plain Scripture will deny this to be the Covenant of Grace and affirm it to be the old Covenant seem to be Persons rather to be pitied and prayed for as under the highest efficacy of Errro than to be disputed with They will remain Instances to succeeding Generations of Mens tenaciousness of Error when once taken upon and entertained by them Neither can it be judged unreasonable tho I should dismiss them with a like answer with that of Abraham's to Dives They have Moses and Paul they have the Old and New Testament let them hear them But yet that I may give our Opponents full Measure heaped up and running over I shall add one Argument more to prove that that Covenant is the Covenant of Grace and it is this Arg. That Covenant the being under or taking hold of which gave Persons a Membership or a right to Membership in the Jewish Church or the Church of Israel after the Flesh was the Covenant of Grace but it was the Covenant of Circumcision or that Covenant established with Abraham that the being under or taking hold of which gave Persons a Membership or a Right to Membership in that Church therefore that Covenant was the Covenant of Grace The Minor Proposition I judg will meet with no Opposition Mr. C. expresly affirms \That Circumcision was the entrance into and boundary of Communion in the Jewish Church so pag. 12. Hence it will and must necessarily be granted that all that had a Right to Circumcision which all that were under or did take hold of that Covenant had had a Membership or a Right to Membership in that Church and therefore not to spend time in the Proof of that which neither can nor will be denied 't is the Major Proposition that only needs Proof ' That then which I am to prove is this viz. That that Covenant the being under or taking hold of which did give Membership or a Right to Membership in the Jewish Church was the Covenant of Grace And for the Proof of this take these Arguments 1. By the Covenant as under or taking hold of which Persons had a Membership or Right of Membership in the Jewish Church Jesus Christ and they came to have and had a mutual Interest and Propriety in each other but it was by the Covenant of Grace that Jesus Christ and any of the Children of Men came to have or have had a mutual Interest or Propriety in each other therefore that Covenant must needs be the Covenant of Grace For the Major Proposition that is evident past all rational Contradiction by a twofold Consideration 1. That Jesus Christ and all those that had a Membership or Right of Membership in the Jewish Church had a mutual Interest and Propriety in each other This is expresly declared Cant. 2.16 My Beloved is mine and I am his They are the Words of the Church speaking of her self in a collective Notion as the Spouse of Christ Now whether we take this Song of Solomon's as a Prophetical History or an Historical Prophesy and so apply the several Passages passing between Christ and his Church to different periods of Time or take it as applicable in the whole of it to the Church indefinitely in all periods of Time we must necessarily understand the Jewish Church or Church under the first Testament consisting of the natural Posterity of Abraham speaking here unto Christ under the notion of a single Person as his Spouse Some that take this Song as a Prophetical History understand this as spoken by the Spouse in Nehemiah's time however the Church under the First-Testament-Administration cannot be excluded Now saith she My Beloved is mine and I am his Here was a mutual Interest and Propriety that Christ and that Church had one in the other and what the Church here speaks of this mutual Interest and Propriety that Jesus Christ and she had in each other may be spoken of or by every particular Member So that whosoever by being under or taking hold of the Covenant were Members of the Jewish Church Christ and they had a mutual Interest and Propriety in each other Christ was theirs and they were his Whosoever were indeed and in truth under or had indeed and in truth taken hold of the Covenant Christ and they had a mutual Interest and Propriety in each other in Foro Dei so whosoever were visibly under or did visibly take hold of the Covenant Christ and they had a mutual Interest and Propriety in each other in Foro Ecclesiae 2. That it was by that Covenant as under or as taking hold of which Persons had a Membership or a Right of Membership in the Jewish Church that Christ and they came to have a mutual Interest and Propriety in each other This is evident seeing it must be by some Covenant that Jesus Christ and the Jewish Church collectively taken and consequently the particular Members of it came to have that mutual Interest and Propriety in each other and what Covenant can it possibly be imagined to be but that as under or taking hold of which they came to be a Church or to have a Membership therein So that the Major Proposition stands firm 2. For the Minor viz. That it was by the Covenant of Grace that Jesus Christ and they came to have a mutual Interest and Propriety in each other This is so plain throughout the Scriptures that it 's hardly to be supposed it should be gainsaid by any that own the Scriptures to be of Divine Original It must either be by the old Covenant or the Covenant of Grace but it could not be by the old Covenant and that for a double Reason 1. Because the very Design of the old Covenant was only to lead Men unto Christ It was as the Apostle expresly declares Gal. 3.24 A Schoolmaster to bring Men unto Christ By it none ever had nor could have an Interest and Propriety in him 2. Because could Christ and Men come to have had a mutual Interest and Propriety in each other by the Law or by the old Covenant the Covenant of Grace had been unnecessary So much the Apostle plainly implies Heb. 8. v. 7. compared with 10. Hence it must necessarily be by the Covenant of Grace Now both the Propositions being true
Transgressions your Rebellions and more gross Evils but he will not forgive your Sins your Errors or Mistakes and Miscarriages arising from them tho of an inferiour Nature I say had but Christians these Words always sounding in their Ears with a due sense of their Importance upon their Hearts as Jerome had his Surge veni in Judicium which added to the former would make them more efficacious they would be more wary of imbracing any Error and more ready to relinquish it when detected than too commonly they are Christians do not study and labour to acquaint themselves with the infinite Holiness and Jealousy of God get and keep a due sense thereof upon their Hearts as they ought to doe To study and weigh Doctrines and Practices whether only proposed or actually embraced with a right Apprehension of the infinite Holiness and Jealousy of God in the Mind and a due sense of the one and the other upon the Heart would prevent the Embracement of many Errors when proposed and produce the Relinquishment of others when actually taken up and embraced And here let me warn all to take heed of judging of the Holiness and Jealousy of God respective to his own People in especiall respective to themselves by sense 'T is not safe judging of any of the Attributes and Perfections of God by sense which yet Christians are too apt to do and hence not sensibly feeling or discerning of any of the Effects of them in and upon or with reference to themselves they either entertain Mistakes about or else have not a due Sense of what they have the right Notion of upon their Hearts Our Hearts are too commonly affected with what we know of God according as it is verified in sutable Effects upon or with reference to our selves when as God may and often doth manifest and verify his Attributes in Effects that are very secret and hidden at least that fall not in nor correspond with our Expectations or Suppositions and when they are so they are sometimes of most dreadful Consequence unto Men. Thus God may exert and verify his holy Jealousy in suffering Men to fall into and tenaciously hold an Error the Embracement and holding of which is of very dangerous Consequence to them when yet they perceive it not and therefore let us judg of the Holiness and Jealousy of God not by Sense but by Faith according to the Revelations he hath made thereof in his Word and answerably search the Scriptures weigh all Doctrines and Practices whether only proposed or actually embraced with a due Sence holy Awe and Dread of the Holiness and Jealousy of God upon our Hearts 2. The low Enjoyment that Christians generally have of the Communion of the Spirit 'T is one of the glorious Priviledges that our Lord Christ hath purchased and still intercedes for on the behalf of his People and 't is prayed for by the Apostle primarily on the behalf of the Corinthians and secundarily of all Saints 2 Cor. 13.14 yet it is not attained unto and enjoyed but in a lower degree by most of those in whose Hearts he habitually dwells whereby the Life of Grace is maintained in them Christians through their Carnality and Sensuality want of acting their Faith on Jesus Christ for the Spirit and holy Dependance on him for this Communion or through one Miscarriage or another greatly deprive themselves of this Priviledg And pardon me tho I say not to exempt any it is well if those who unadvisedly decry the Jewish Church as a Carnal Church are not themselves found not much exceeding them in Spirituality at least so many of them in most Ages as might justly give to the whole the Denomination of a Spiritual Church Alas we are all too carnal This is certain the more Spiritual any are the more of this Communion of the Spirit they have and the more of this Communion they have the greater is their Security from Error and answerably ordinarily the more free they are from it One of the great Ends of our Lord Christ in purchasing and leaving the Spirit with his Church was its Guidance into and Establishment in all Truth Had we but the Communion of the Spirit in that Fulness attainable even in this Life no sooner should we turn to the Right hand or to the Left but we should as the Prophet speaks hear a Word and that made effectual behind us saying This is the Way walk in it He would not only effectually restrain those corrupt Principles within inclining us to Error and causing our tenacious holding thereof and actuate that Principle of Love to Truth and Self-Denial wrought in Regeneration but would enlighten our Minds in and subdue our Heats unto an Embracement of Truth and consequently to a ready Relinquishment of Error how contrary unto self soever the one and the other may be 3. Christians ignorance of and unacquaintedness with themselves in especial as to their Proclivity unto Error and excess of Self-Love with the various Influences it hath upon their Minds may be assigned as another Cause concurring to the Evils before mentioned Error ex eo est homini quod sibi est incognitus They see not nor are sensible of these Evils in themselves and hence neither apply themselves to that vigorous Mortification of them nor so diligently watch against their Production of the evil Effects under consideration as they ought to do And this may be added that many if not most Christians seem less apprehensive of their danger in respect of these Evils than of most others that original Concupiscence manifests it self in The former of them is not so usually taken notice of and insisted upon by those who have laboured in the Discovery of the dreadful Corruption and Depravation of human Nature through the Fall of Man as most other Evils flowing therefrom are Hence Christians generally are not so apprehensive of the Infection of their Natures with this Evil nor of the Evil and Sinfulness of it as they are of others neither do the inward workings of these Evils make such sensible Impressions upon the Mind as the Workings of many others do yea as the former carries an Appearance of the Fruit of the Spirit whence many take a strong Inclination after new Notions and strange Doctrines to be the Efforts of Love unto Truth so the latter shrouds it self under the Notion of an inseparable Adjunct or essential Property of humane Nature Did but Christians know and consider their own Propensity unto Error and were more apprehensive of the Influence Self-Love may have upon them they would be more cautious of what Doctrines they embrace and more jealous over themselves lest it should be Error that they have embraced instead of Truth and consequently more willing to attend to Light offered unto them Hence it would be of singular Vse unto Christians to hearken to that Advice tho given by an Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This I shall say would but all that love our Lord
they would have been And besides I have had all along considerable respect to the present Times they seem to direct that Injunction Exod. 33.5 given to the People of Israel to our selves and 't is applicable to Parents with reference to their Children Libri quasi liberi the Fruit of their Bodies as well as to themselves and it may not unfitly be applied to Authors with reference to their Books the Fruit of their Minds Hence I have been so far from searching after what might at least to some seem ornamental that I have again and again laid aside what was in my hand And as for the latter it designed the Establishment of a particular Truth required Scripture-Evidence with solid Solutions of the Objections and Argumentations it was attached by wherein the Reader I hope will find it not wanting rather than Rhetorical Flourishes or humane Authorities which might have been multiplied in great abundance it having had from first to last the Suffrage of almost the whole Vniversal Church Neither am I out of hope but that for the future our Opponents themselves will be of the same Mind and Judgment at least that the Author whose Discourse occasioned these few Sheets will be so having this hope concerning him thta however through one means or another his Vnderstanding hath been blassed and bribed to a taking hold of Deceit yet the tenderness of his Conscience will not admit of a Defilement through the tenacious holding of it And the Truth is the Mistake on his part is so palpable and the opposite Truth so evident and plain throughout the whole Scriptures that it is pitty it should be espoused at least tenaciously held by any but those among whom it had its Rise viz. those whom God hath sent strong Delusions I shall only add That to me there is so great a Probability to say no more that the Vials of the Wrath of God are pouring yea are far poured out upon the Antichristian Kingdom and consequently that the Witnesses are on the rising hand that I cannot but hope the day is now hastening when the Spâ—â—it shall be more plentifully poured forth from on high as the issue whereof all Contests of this nature shall cease all sincere Saints being by him led into all Truth and all that love and make a Lie having their Place without In the mean time let Brotherly Love continue with mutual Endeavours to subserve each other in the Knowledg of and Establishment in the Truth and so edify one another in Faith and Holiness that we may be all found of our Lord Christ who is one's as well as anothers in Peace without Spot and blameless Reader Thine in the Service of the Gospel J. Whiston ERRATA PAge 4. in the Margent read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lin 22 add before Gen. 48. P. 18. l. 23. r. that P. 21. l. 24. but the period after Christ P. 22. l. 12. r. of P. 30. l. 5. r. commends P. 33. l. 30. r. and. P. 52. f. 48. r. 10. P. 55. l. 34. r. that P. 56. l. 24. blot out from P. 57. l. 23 r. word in the Verb. P. 58. l. 18. r. Causet P. 57. l 24. r. unaccountable P. 63. l. 27. put the after Guilt P. 66. l. 21. r. end P. 70. l. 31. r. possession P. 86. l. 28. r. prize P. 100. l. 3. r. came P. 131. l. 13. r. were P. 111. l. 6. put the Period after Covenant l. 18. r. convey P. 115. l. 8. r. Jew P. 120. l. 14. dele as l. 21. dele that P. 126. l. 29. dele thus P. 131. l. 27. add of the condition P. 134. l. 30. r. is P. 137. l. 35. r. Charran P. 143. l. 12. r. were P. 146. l. 15. dele the. JER 8.5 They hold fast Deceit they refuse to return THat God hath con-created with or implanted in the natures of the very Brutes certain Qualities or Powers whence they both can and do act in a subserviency to their own Welfare and Well-beings and that both negatively and positively and that he hath not dealt worse with Man yea that he hath dealt better with him hath taught him more than the Beasts of the Field and made him wiser than the Fowls of Heaven is obvious both to Reason Sense and Experience and is often taken notice of and improved by the Pen-men of the Scriptures and among the rest by our Propheet and that for this end and purpose viz. that he might the more effectually convince the Jews of their Folly and Stupidity as well as Impiety in refusing notwithstanding all the means used to bring them thereunto to return unto God from whom they had at that time sorely backslidden the Qualities and Powers of the brute Creatures with their way of acting therefrom with reference to their own Good he takes notice of in the ensuing Context thus ver 7 The Stork in the Heavens knoweth his appointed pointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming As these Creatures have a natural Sagacity or Instinct whereby they know what Countries or Places at this or that time are most commodious for them so they act answerably in continuing in or removing from them but saith the Prophet My People know not the Judgment of the Lord. The endowments of Men and how they improve them in matters relating to the Welfare of the Body or outward Man the Prophet or rather the Lord by the Prophet takes notice of in the Verse immediately preceding our Text Shall they fall and not arise shall he turn away and not return that is will a Man being fallen to the Ground or in the Mire not arise again Surely no. Men may fall but they will not lie and perish they will immediately arise again Shall he a change of the Person but not of the Sence turn away and not return that is will a Man being gone out of his right Path not return Men tho they may through one means or another turn or be turned out of their right Path yet will upon the discovery thereof return again Now the Consideration hereof the Prophet improves for the End before mentioned viz. to convince the Jews of their Folly and Stupidity as well as Impiety in persisting in their Backslidings notwithstanidng the discoveries made and dreadful Judgments denounced against them upon the Account thereof Hence he puts this admiring as well as upbraiding Question in the foregoing part of the Verse wherein our Text lies Why then is this Poople of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual Back-sliding Implying that they fell short in that common Wisdom and Prudence that Nature it self hath furnished all Men with Men when fallen will arise again when turned out of the way will return but it was otherwise with this People they were fallen yet would not arise they were turned out of the way yet would not return they were backslidden from God and his Ways and yet would not Repent and Return unto him
sent them not neither have I commanded them neither spake unto them they prophesy unto you a false Vision and Divination and a thing of nought and the Deceit of their Heart Where we have the same Word Deceit in the latter part of the Verse is the same with Lies and a false Vision in the former part These false Prophets under a pretence of revealing the Will of God to them had preached Lyes or Deceits As for instance that they having the Temple of the Lord among them they must necessarily have his Presence with and his Providence watching over them Hence is that Boasting Jer. 7.4 The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these The false Prophets having cunningly pretended themselves true Prophets teach such false Doctrine This takes with their corrupt Inclinations and they greedily ebrace it and having embraced it hold it fast and will by n means be brought to relinquish it whereupon they refused to Return The Word we translate to Refuse hath again its Emphasis it signifieth not barely to Refuse but to Refuse with a certain Loathing or Abhorrency It is proper saith Mr. Caryl to the nauseating of the Stomack at the sight of some filthy thing We have it used of Naboth's refusing to sell Ahab his Vineyard 1 Kings 21.15 And with what vehemency he refused it the third Verse declares The Seventy translate it in Prov. 1.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They would not hear So these Jews here they refused to Return nay they would not so much as hear of Returning The very calling them to Return as it were turned their Stomacks against the true Prophets It notes the strange Efficacy of Errour their Minds were so bewitched with it that they could hardly give the true Prophets the Hearing they loathed to hear to think of Returning They refused to Return to be Converted saith Junius The Sence lies plain they would neither change their Minds in respect of the Deceit they had taken up and entertained nor return from their Sins or sinful Practices unto God and his Ways The Words being opened there are three Doctrines lie obvious in them I. That Sin in Practice is ordinarily the fruit of some Errour or Deceit in the Vnderstanding This I shall but touch upon in transitu Only let it be observed That Errour or Deceit I take here and so shall do in the ensuing Discourse in the largest Sence viz. For any Notion Apprehension or Reasoning that the Mind of Man is incident unto and they are innumerable that disagrees with or is contrary unto that System of Divine Truth contained in the Scriptures Now I say that all Sin is ordinarily the Fruit of some Errour some false Notion Mistake or Misapprehension in the Understandin A deceived Heart hath turned him aside saith God of an Idolater Isa 44.20 The same may be said of Sinners in general A deceived Heart hath turned them aside Hence Sins in the general are called Errours Psal 19.12 Who can understand his Errours that is his Sins So the High-Priest is said to offer that Blood which he carried into the Holiest of all for himself and for the Errours of the People Heb. 9.7 that is the Sins of the People Hence whereas we read Job 5.24 Thou shalt visit thy Habitation and shalt ot sin the Hebrew is and some Margents read it And shalt not Err. As sinning is the erring or deviating from the right Rule so all Sin ordinarily is the Fruit of some Errour or Deceit in the Understanding This holds true of Sins of Omission as well as of Commission and is eminently true of the Sins that are found with the People of God I mean it of such Sins as they live and allow themselves in and that there are found such Sins with them and that both of Omission and Commission cannot be denied but they do not they indeed cannot live or allow themselves in any known Sin 1 John 3.6 Whosoever abideth in him viz. Jesus Christ sinneth not i. e. He lives not in any way of nor allows himself in the least known Sin What Sins he lives or allows himself in they are the Fruit of some Errour or Deceit that the Understanding hath taken up and etertained It may be said A deceived Heart hath turned him aside All Sins whether found with the Men of the World or with the Saints are ordinarily the Fruit of some Errour or Deceit in their Understandings I say they are ordinarily so because I shall not determine that Question An necesse sit errare eum qui peccat in eo quod peccat But this will be found true odinarily where Men are turned aside into any way of Sin yea or into any particular Sin that it 's a deoeived Heart hath turned them aside And this may be further added That as all Sin is ordinarily the Fruit of some Errour so all Errour is ordinarily productive of some Sin either by way of Omission or of Commission As Errour it self is a Sin so it and Sin are Correlates the former as the Root the latter as the Fruit. Where there is Errour as the Root there will be some Sin as the Fruit and where there is Sin as the Fruit it may be concluded that there is Errour as the Root within But this is not that which I intend to insist upon Vse Let this Exhort Believers yea all in General to be jealous of their Understandings Believers they may and too often do allow themselves in such Sins as are greatly displeasing to our Lord Christ and yet perceive it not and the reason is because a deceived Heart hath turned them aside Their Practice 't is true corresponds with the Light of their Understandings but there is too much Darkness mingled with that Light and that they discern not For we shall find that sincere Christians too often are not so jealous of their Understandings as they should be They are careful that their Practice comes up to and is commensurate with their Knowledg but suspect not that Deceit which in the State of Imperfection they are incident unto From hence are these various Evils which are found amongst Professors one is really Covetous another Proud another Voluptuous and another lives in the open neglect of the commands of Jesus Christ and yet probably their Consciences check them not and the Reason is There is some Deceit some Errour in the Understanding by means whereof Conscience discerns not those Evils and the great Reason of this is that they are not sufficiently jealous of their own Understandings nor suspect themselves to lie under any Deceit And therefore as we ought to hold our Integrity with the like stedfastness that Job did and according to his Resolution Job 27.6 nor give any occasion to our own Hearts to reproach us so we ought to exercise an holy jealousy over our Hearts left any Deceit lodging in them they should turn us aside into Ways or Actions for which our Lord
Christ may and probably will if not condemn yet sharply reprove and correct us But of this more hereafter II. That not only the Men of the World but even the People of God themselves may yea are prone to take up and embrace Errour instead of Truth and having taken it up they too commonly are exceeding tenacious of it In the Prosecution of this Doctrine tho I shall have a peculiar respect to Men's Tenaciousness of Errour when embraced by them yet I shall speak somewhat to their Propensity to take it up and embrace it instead of Truth And answerably I shall do these three things First Offer somewhat for the Illustration and Confirmation of it Secondly Shew whence it is that so it is And Thirdly Make some Application For the First And thus the Doctrine may be abundantly proved from various Considerations But to mention some few of them As 1. From the Consideration of the Nature and Quality of Errours that are taken up and tenaciously held by some Men. 2. The slight Ground Men will take up Errours upon with the strange shifts they will use for their own Defence and Justification in their holding of them 3. Their apparent Dissonancy from yea as to some direct Contrariety to plain and express Scripture 4. The utter inconsistency of the Embracement and holding such Errours with Men's own Interests and that both internal and external and consequently their want of any rational Inducements to do the one or the other 5. Men's obstinate refusal of the Means offered for their Information and Conviction These things with others of a like Nature plainly shew how strangely prone Men are to take up and embrace Errour instead of Truth and tenaciously to hold it when once taken up and embraced by them But designing Brevity I shall not insist upon these things but only Illustrate and Confirm what is affirmed by way of Instance and I shall confine my self to these two or three only premissing this That what the Scripture records either of the proneness of any particular Person to embrace Errour instead of Truth or of their Tenaciousness of it when embraced that is not to be understood as tho those Evils were peculiar and proper to those particular Persons but they declare the Case of Men in general as in this depraved and corrupted State respective unto Errour These Instances shew the Nature and Property of Men in general how prone and propense they are unto Errour both to take it up and embrace it instead of Truth and how tenacious usually they are of it when taken up and embraced by them This being premised I shall first instance in the Galatians and they are a strange Instance in special of the proneness of Men yea of such as are truly Regenerate for so undoubtedly many of them were to take up and embrace Errour instead of Truth The Apostle speaks to them on this Account as tho they had been bewitched Gal. 3.1 O Foolish Galatians who bath bewtiched you that you should not obey the Truth c. he had a respect to their strange Infatuation in relinquishing the Truth and their embracing Errour in the stead of it they seemed rather to be bewitched than by ordinary Means and in an ordinary Way to be drawn thereunto It is of no great Concern to know what kind of Witch-craft the Apostle hath reference unto whether that performed by the Eye that performed by uttering hard uncouth and unintelligible Words or that however performed whereby things are represented to the Eye in Forms Shapes or Appearances quite differing from what properly are their own He mighthave reference to any of these kinds of Witchcrafts according to the different derivation of the Word used by him But be the Witchcraft of what kind it will such was their Infatuation that he speaks to them as tho bewtiched And the strangeness of their Infatuation will appear if we consider these three things 1. The Difference between the Truth relinquished on the one hand and the Errour or Errours take it as a single or complicated Errour on the other hand taken up and embraced by them 2. By the Consideration of sundry things peculiarly remarkable in their Case which even according to Principles of Reason should have been engaging unto them to a stedfast Adherence unto the Truth 3. The Consideration of the suddenness and easiness of the false Teachers bringing them over to relinquish the Truth and to embrace the contrary Errour To touch upon these three things a little distinctly yet with what brevity I may 1. Let us consider the Difference between the Truth they had relinquished and the Errour they had embraced The Truth relinquished is contained in the Doctrine of the Gospel preached by the true Apostles the Errour they embraced was contained in the Doctrine of the false Teachers Now let us a little compare these different Doctrines the one with the other As for the Doctrine of the Gospel It is as the Apostle tell us a Doctrine worthy of all Acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 It is a Doctrine of such Excellency Worth and Benefit unto Men that it puts a Beauty upon the very Feet of the Publishers of it Isa 52.7 In brief we may take this summary Account of it That it is a Doctrine revealing and offering unto all in general and assuring to all those in particular that sincerely Believe Embrace and Practise according to it full and compleat Justification Peace with God and Adoption with suitable Affections and Actings from God the in-dwelling Presence of the Spirit with perfect Sanctification gradually to be wrought by him and at last an Eternal Weight of Glory And all this from the meer Grace Mercy and Love of God through the alone Mediation of Jesus Christ This was the Doctrine which the Galatians had formerly embraced but now relinquished And we may rationally conclude that upon their embracement of it they had tasted of the blessed Effects thereof in the Peace of their Consciences with unspeakable Joy and the Comforts flowing therefrom Hence in part was that Blessedness they gloried in Gal. 4.15 How welcome must such a Doctrine needs be to poor Sinners awakened to a Sense of their Sin and Misery by reason of it According to the Principles of Reason such a Doctrine with the Blessedness enjoyed upon their embracement of it should have so commended it self to their Understandings Wills and Affections as that any Doctrine inconsistent with or contrary unto it should have been rejected with the greatest Abhorrency 2. Let us consider what the Doctrine of the false Teachers was And here it may be observed that their Doctrine did not lie in an absolute and total Contrariety to the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine of the Gospel was only perverted by it Gal. 1.6 7. These false Aposiles did not deny the necessary of Faith in Christ nor did they deny it to be the Duty of his Disciples to obey all his Comands nor did they so far as we read
him and it is more Pleasure to him to conquer Men by Deceit than by meer Force as Men proud of their Wit or Policy take more Pleasure in conquering their Enemies by their Wiles and Stratagems than by open Force so it is with Satan Hereby he doth not only gratifie that Lust of love to Soveraignty and Dominion but also that Lust of Pride he gratifies a double Lust thereby I might Instance in his Malice Revenge and the like but I shall contract 3. It is from his Enmity against God Satan acts in a way of the greatest Enmity against God that it is possible for a Creature to do and he knows that Errour and Deceit in the Minds of Men is highly displeasing and hateful unto him on what account it is so may be shown afterwards at present I only say Satan knows that it is so Hence out of meer Enmity unto him were there no other Motive inducing him thereunto he would endeavour to promote Errour to the utmost of his Power among Men. 4. It is from his desire more and more to corrupt deprave and viciate the Natures of Men and he knows Errour doth so Lastly It is because Errour disposes Men to Sin And it doth so three ways 1. By defiling and depraving their Natures We may suppose that our first Parents entertaining that Errour viz. That eating of the forbidden Fruit they should be like unto God knowing Good and Evil had their Natures corrupted and thereby be come disposed to the actual transgression of that Prohibition 2. According to the Nature and Quality of the Errour it takes off that Restraint that the Light of the opposite Truth laid upon the Lusts corrupt Affections and Passions of Men. 3. Errour it self leads and carries out Men to Sin Men through the Errour of their Understandings often think that to be lawful possibly a Duty which indeed is a Sin yea a very great and heinous Sin as in Paul's Case before his Conversion Acts 26.9 See also John 16.2 So sometimes they think that is sinful which is not only lawful but an important Duty Peter before he was instructed by that Vision seems to have thought it to have been unlawful to go into or converse with the Gentiles tho to preach the Gospel to them so Acts 28. Hence the Jews sorbid the Apostles to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles that they might be saved 1 Thess 2.16 Men often through some Errour sin out of Conscience Conscience it self through the Errour of the Understanding becomes a Patron of Sin and that both of Omission and Commission 4. Errour sometimes provokes God to give up Men to the Lusts of their own Hearts and to the Power of Satan all those Evils and Abominations found amongst the Gentiles are said to be a just recompence of their Errour Rom. 1.27 Now Satan endeavouring with all his might to promote Sin amongst Men his Kingdom consisting therein endeavours to promote Errour as subservient and introductory thereunto These are some of the Reasons why Satan so industriously endeavours to promote Errour amongst Men and from that advantage he has against Men yea good Men Partly through that access he has as a Spiritual Being to their Souls and partly through that Darkness Corruption and natural proneness unto Errour he finds in them he too often prevails From whence Men yea good Men more easily entertain and more tenaciously hold Errour than they would do from the meer Pravity and Corruption of their own Natures But III. Many Men's Proneness to and answerably their actual embracement and tenaciousness of Errour may and must be ascribed to the Wrath and Displeasure of God against them Errours are often sore Judgments they are the Effects of the Wrath and Displeasure of God against Men there are its true variety of Errours Mistakes and Misapprehensions dissonant from and contrary to that System of Truth contained in the Scriptures found with the best of Men which are consistent with the special Love and Favour of God but for more gross Errours there is usually a peculiar hand of God in them they are ordinarily the Effects of his Displeasure if not vindictive Wrath against Men. And I fear it will at last be found that many of those Errours taken up and embraced by Professors in this Age which possibly may be made but light of and reckoned amongst the Inâ—rmities of Saints will yet be found the dreadful Effects of Divine Displeasure if not vindictive Wrath and tho it is certain God never gives his own People up to Errour as an Effect of his vindictive Wrath and Justice yet he may do it as an Effect of his sore Displeasure God may punish Sin with Sin and consequently Sin with Errour in his own People Hence Men yea let me say good Men may take their embracement of such a Doctrine or Tenet and their taking up and walking in such a Practice as an Effect of the special Love and Favour of God to them they may think he hath favoured them with the knowledg of that Truth which is hid from others when as what they conceit Truth may be a â—â—ry gross Errour and consequently their embrancement of it may be an Effect of the Anger or Displeasure of God against them the Consideration whereof should cause us to walk with a holy Fear and Trembling and excite to a more full and diligent Enquiry Whether we have not embraced Errour instead of Truth This is certain Errour is frequently an Effect of Divine Wrath and Displeasure The Apostle expresly resolves the Errours in the Antichristian Kingdom unto this Cause in that forecited 2 Thess 2.11 and when there is the superaddition of this Cause to the two former when there is not only the Pravity of Man 's own Nature and the ordinary Energy or working of Satan but the Wrath or Displeasure of God is out against Men and that expressed this way viz. with reference to their embracement and holding of Errour it must necessarily be that they will be strongly inclined to and strangely tenacious of it when embraced by them Hence it is that all manner of Errours do so abound in and are so tenaciously held by the Subjects of that Kingdom God saith the Apostle shall send them strong Delusions the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be translated two ways either God shall put into them the Efficacy of Errour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then we are to take Errour subjectively for that natural Inclination and Propensity unto Errours contracted by the Fall and the meaning is God shall put into them an erroneous Inclination that hath an Efficacy in it or he shall put an Efficacy into that erroneous Inclination connatural unto Men. Or 2. God shall send unto them the Efficacy of Errour that is effectual Errour and so we are to take Errour objectively viz. for any false Doctrine or corrupt Tenet whether respecting matters of Faith or matters of Practice God shall
his Word unto Jacob and his Statutes and Judgments unto Israel ver 19. These things I do but point at The use I would at present rather improve the Doctrine unto is 1. To awaken all to a due Jealousy over themselves lest they should have taken up Error instead of Truth and Reader whoever thou art look not on thy self as unconcerned in this use What hath been said either of Man in general or of good Men in special is applicable unto every individual Man or Woman according to their respective States and Conditions Others are a Glass wherein we may see our selves Prov. 27.19 therefore we should every one be jealous of our selves the want of this proves the ruine of many and is highly prejudicial unto most men naturally are apt to be over-confident of themselves Hence the Scripture gives us such frequent warnings of it thus in those Passages Prov. 28.26 He that trusteth in his own Heart that is his own Vnderstanding is a Fool. 1 Cor. 8.2 If any Man thinketh he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing as he ought to know Gal. 6.3 If a Man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing he deceiveth himself 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Once again Luke 8.18 Whomsoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some translate thinketh he hath These with other Passages of a like Import plainly both intimate that Men are marvelous apt to over-act their Confidence with reference to themselves and also warn all to take heed of it and our present Doctrine may be sufficient to awaken us all to a holy Jealousie over our selves But for the further pursuance of this Use it may be observed that the Errors Deceits and Falshoods that Men are subject to too often take up and tenaciously hold are of two sorts or are reducible to two general Heads 1. Such as respect Truth as contained in and revealed by the Scriptures 2. Such as respect Men themselves whether the inward state frame and acts of their own Souls or their external Ways and Actions respective unto Truth as contained in the Scriptures In respect of the former Men's Understandings may be said to deceive them In respect of the latter they may be said to deceive their own Understandings Hence as some are turned aside by a deceived Heart so we hear of others who think themselves to be something when they are nothing A holy Jealousy over themselves lest they should have taken up and answerably do hold of the one or the other of these kinds of Errors under a notion of Truth both highly concerns and greatly becomes all the fallen Sons and Daughters of Adam Let us exercise this Jealousy over our selves and that 1. Lest we should have taken up any Error or Deceit respecting Truth as contained and revealed in the Scriptures be jealous lest our Understandings should have deceived us and thereupon we have taken up such Notions or Sentiments under a notion of Truth which indeed are and will at last be found to be meer Mistakes Errors and Deceits utterly dissonant therefrom and that 1. In regard of the main and fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel such as relate unto God unto Jesus Christ or the way of Salvation by him or those indispensible Duties of Faith and Holiness Errors and Deceits in and about these Doctrines are more common among Professors of Christianity than most Men are aware of or are willing to believe This is certain that the bare Profession or Enjoyment of the most apt and effectual external means whether the Word written or the Ministry thereof or any other Advantage subservient to their Knowledg of and Guidance into Truth secures no Man from Soulâ—uining Errors and Mistakes in and about these Doctrines The Apostle James saw it necessary to warn Professors of Errors about the Nature of God Jam. 1.16 17. He supposes that they might charge their Sin upon him who being the Father of Lights and immutably so from everlasting to everlasting is and can only be the Author of that which is good So the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians tho it were to their shame That all Men have not the Knowledg of God 1 Cor. 15.34 Now all defects in Knowledg supposes somewhat of Error and if Men may err about God much more about Jesus Christ the Mediator the true Knowledg of whom flows purely from supernatural Revelation and is no way aided by the Light of Nature as the Knowledg of God absolutely considered is and what Mistakes the Galatians tho Professors of the Gospel were fallen into about the way of Salvation by Christ hath been already taken notice of Let us then not be over confident of our selves as though out of danger of having a Lie in our right Hand respective to these Doctrines and it may be added that not only the darkness of our Understandings and our proneness unto Error but the Importance of a right understanding of these things makes a holy Jealousie over our selves highly necessary To have a Lie in the right Hand in matters wherein the Soul and its eternal Welfare and Welbeing is so nearly concerned is very dreadful To have taken up any False Notions Errors or Mistakes about these Doctrines is always prejudicial frequently destructive to the Souls of Men the loss of which is an Evil unknowable by Men any otherwise than by the actual feeling and experience of it and consequently only known by Devils and Men partaking with them in the same Misery 2. In regard of Doctrines with the Practices depending on them that are of an inferiour Nature Errors in and about which are consistent with a saving State Thus all those Doctrines and Practices controverted among those who have the like precious Faith viz. The Faith of God's Elect and who love our Lord Christ in sincerity and some such there are It is to admiration how confident some Men are of having Truth on their side and how tenacious thereupon they are of their own Opinions and Perswasions and how immovable or obstinately they persist in the Practices whereinto they are led by them Who yet have evidently taken up and imbraced Errors instead of Truth Whence would but such Men be perswaded of the darkness and weakness of their own Understandings with their proneness to Error arising from the Causes afore assigned and thereupon allow themselves the exercise of a due Jealousie over themselves and laying aside all Prejudices and Anticipations would sedately review their Notions and Sentiments duly improving that Light offered for the discovery of their Errors they might easily come to see it is Error not Truth they have embraced and are so tenacious of Now certainly what hath been said concerning Man's proneness to Error with the Causes thereof is sufficient to work in all Men a Jealousie over themselves and excite them to a review of their Principles and Practices especially
turned aside into Sin they should see their Sin and answerably apply themselves to them c. And while those Duties are neglected they do indeed however they may flatter themselves lie open to Divine Judgments Now let the Consideration of what hath been said awaken us to this holy Jealousie and answerably make a through and impartial Inquiry into our Ways and Actions But this ungrounded Confidence acted by Men with reference to themselves will prove their ruine and it 's no small Evidence of the Generality of Men's over-acting their Confidence with reference to themselves that so few Cases of Conscience are brought to them whose Lips ought to preserve Knowledg It is a plain Argument People trust too much to their own Understandings were there that Tenderness of Conscience in Professors that becomes Christians accompanied with a holy Jealousie of their own Understandings as more frequent and fervent Requests would be put up unto God that he would teach them what they see not so more Cases of Conscience would be put unto Men and more Industry would be used to find out what is the good and acceptable Will of God and wherein they fail in the doing of it and by means of all Men might and would know both the Plagues of their own Hearts and Evils of their Lives which being found out repented of and reformed they would be safe what Evils or Calamities soever are coming whereby though thousands should fall by their sides and ten thousands at their Right-hand yet it should not come nigh unto them See Psal 93.7 8. But 2. Let us be awakened to a holy Jealousie over our selves lest we should have taken up and imbraced any Error or Deceit respecting our selves It is possible that a Man that hath a clear and distinct Knowledg of the Doctrine of Regeneration and is able to give an exact Description of it to shew wherein it doth consist and what a frame and disposition of Heart is produced by it may have his own Heart wrought to such a Frame as bears so great a likeness to the Frame of Heart produced by Regeneration that he may conclude himself to be truly regenerate when yet indeed and in truth he is not so Now such a Frame of Heart deceives a Man's own Understanding He thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing he is deluded by the Counterfeit of what he hath a true Notion of in his Mind So a Man may put forth such Acts and perform such Actions as carry so great an Appearance of being true Grace and truly gracious as that the he has a notional Knowledg of the nature of Grace and all the Requisites to truly gracious Actions yet is himself deceived by them he supposes them to be in reality what they carry an Appearance of when indeed they are but the Counterfeits thereof A good Nature may be so polished by Education and Industry with the superaddition of some common Gifts and Operations of the Spirit that it may seem to be truly renewed and its Productions may look so much like the Fruits of the Spirit that a Man tho he has a clear Notion of that Change made by the renovation of the Spirit and of the Fruits of the Spirit flowing therefrom yet verily thinks himself to be renewed and to bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit when indeed it is otherwise Thus in respect of those Divines usually call close or secret Hypocrites a Man may be an Hypocrite and yet not know it himself the Shews and Appearances of Grace and Godliness deceive Men's own Understandings It is often found that Men of great Knowledg and Orthodox Judgments are yet deceived in their own Acts and Actions every Orthodox Divine is not a sound Christian Let us then be awakened to a Jealousie over our selves it 's dreadful to have Lamps in our Hands with a considence of having Oil in them till the time to obtain it is over But to hasten Let the Consideration of Men's proneness to Error awaken us all to a holy Jealousie over our selves lest we should have taken up Error instead of Truth and that as Error and Deceits respect Truth as contained in the Scriptures or as it respects our selves and answerably make a through Inquiry whether indeed we have not so done And if any shall say Seeing there is such a Proneness in Man unto Error and consequently all Men are in danger to mistake and take up Error instead of Truth then it is possible we may lie under some Error or Deceit after the utmost Inquiry we can make In answer It must be granted that it is possible it may be so let me therefore advise to three things 1. Labour to interest Jesus Christ in the Care of our Souls Labour to get under his Care that the prevention of our Ruine or any Damage we may sustain by Errors may be his Concern as well as our own But you will say How shall we do that Answ 1. By committing our selves to him as the Shepherd and Bishop of Souls The Poor committeth himself to the Lord Psal 10.14 by humble Supplication that he will undertake the Work for us See the Psalmist Psal 139. ult 2. Be not satisfied without the Approbation of God himself Content not our selves without the sealings of the Spirit nor without his bearing Witness with our Consciences to the Sincerity Uprightness and Acceptableness of our Ways and Actions unto him Take not up with any thing short of what the Apostle had attained unto a Cor. 1.12 3. Take the Comfort of what Grounds of hope we have that through the free Grace of God we are delivered from Errors and Deceits yet maintaining a holy Jealousie over our selves lest it should be otherwise and answerably be still making a more full and through search whether we are not deceived and have not taken up Errour instead of Truth 2. Another Use I would more especially make of the Doctrine is to caution all against Errour for the future Take heed our own Understandings do not deceive us and lead us into Errour be very wary we are not imposed upon either by Satan or Men. Our own Understandings are not only dark and weak subject to variety of Mistakes and False-reasonings but there is an Inclination and strange Proclivity unto Error connatural unto them and Satan is continually endeavouring to deceive us and Men have their Slights and cunning Craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive Eph. 4.14 Hence great Care and Diligence is indispensably necessary unto our Preservation from Error Hence all Notions and Sentiments arising up in or suggested to our Minds as well as all Doctrines or Practices proposed to and pressed upon us by Men ought to be carefully weighed and duly examined before they are imbraced and complied with and let it be remembred that any Notion Doctrine or Practice may be weighed and examined with more Impartiality and Sincerity before it be imbraced and actually closed with then it can after