Christ in Sincerity throughly acquaint themselves with the infinite Hoiness of God and his holy Jealousy yea and that with reference to his own People proceeding therefrom and endeavour to recover their lost Communion with the Holy-Ghost and as apprehensive and sensible of their own Propensity unto Error with the Advantage it receives as to its holding the Mind in Captivity to it from the evil Influences of the Remainders of Self-Love in them and apply themselves in an holy Awe and Dread of God and Reliance upon our Lord Christ for the Teachings of his Spirit to the study and search of the Scriptures taking in the benefit of those Helps and Advantages afforded to them for the distinguishing Truth from Error and all with an holy Resolution to comply with Truth and relinquish Error as the one and the other is discovered to them withall communicating the Light received each unto other with a Spirit of Meekness they would arrive to a greater Vnity of Mind Deus non singulis seorsum largiter Spiritum sed pro gratiae mensura cuique distribuit ut Ecclesiae membra vicissim inter se communicando unitatem foveant Calv. Judgment and Practice and thereby retreive the Glory of the Church with that holy Doctrine 't is built upon now greatly obscured from the Eyes of Men through the sad Diversity of Doctrines Opinions and Practices too visible among Christians In subservency to this blessed End I have in the ensuing Discourse endeavoured to represent Christians to themselves and shew them the danger they are in of taking up and embracing Error and having once embraced it of their tenaciously holding of it under a Notion of Truth not having had a sole respect to Christians of any one Perswasion the things therein offered I hope may be of some Vse unto all For besides the Vse they may be of in those Respects pointed at in the Application espeically considering the Times we are fallen into and the Circumstances we are under to be awakened to an holy Jealousy of themselves and thereupon review their own Principles and Practices with the Scriptures they are bottomed upon will be prejudicial unto none Yet shall I not deny but that I have a peculiar respect to our Opponents in that Controversie relating to the Covenant-Interest and Baptism of the Infant-Seed of Believers that if the Lord will their Minds may be prepared for a serious Attention to and through weighing of what is offered in those few Sheets added in the close to evince that the Covenant of Circumcision is indeed the Covenant of Grace which would they but proceed in the Method before declared so full and demonstrative is the Evidence given thereunto throughout the whole Scriptures sure they could not but comply with and consequently that long Controversy depending between them and us would hasten to a Period it being at least by many and those among the chief on either side agreed that the main Hinge of that Controversy doth turn upon that Covenant Could they prove that that Covenant was the old Covenant it must be granted that the ground we lay to Infants Covenant-Interest and Baptism therein must needs fall and consequently the Claim we bottom thereupon must be acknowledged to be vain So on the other hand were they fully convinced that that Covenant is indeed the Covenant of Grace they must acknowledg our Claim to be just so much some of them have acknowledged See Dr. Winter of Infant Baptism It is possible indeed that some may grant this Covenant to be the Covenant of Grace and yet deny the Covenant-Interest and Baptism of the Infant-Seed of Believers and that upon this Supposition viz. That Infants are not Abraham's Seed But that Plea will soon appear exceeding insignificant seeing that by the Promise its being extended to them they are constituted his Seed Abraham's Seed in their Generations constitutes but one Seed the Text is plain Gen. 17.7 Seed in their Generations in the former part of the Verese is expressed by that single Term Seed in the latter And besides could it be proved which it can never be that they could not according to Scripture-warrant be accounted Abraham's Seed yet so long as the Promise runs to Abraham's Seed in their Generations their Covenant-Interest and Baptism will stand firm Hence to deny them to be Abraham's Seed and on that ground to deny their Covenant-Interest and Baptism will come to all one as to deny their Covenant-Interest and Baptism absolutely without any respect to that Supposition seeing the same Arguments that prove their Covenant-Interest proves them to be Abraham's Seed at least we are no way prejudiced by a denial that they are so And this I add to shew what will be expected from any that shall attempt to invalidate our Claim to their Covenant-Interest and Baptism by that Supposition they must answere all our Arguments and prove them unconcerned in the Covenant from other Topicks otherwise whatsoever they shall say will signifiy nothing unto us But not to detain the Reader any longer any Apology for the Publication of the ensuing Discourses whether in regard of the matters and things treated of in them the season of their coming abroad or their meanness and plainness I conceive is either unnecessary or will be but of little use at least with reference to the end designed Only this may be said The things treated of are weighty the general Design of the former is to convince Christiansof a Possibility that they may take hold of and hold fast Deceit and Error under a Notion of Truth yea that they are prone so to do and this not only in matters of Faith and Religious Observance but in matters of Practice in the ordinary course of their Lives and Conversations and that to the subjecting themselves to Divine Displeasure and those Judgments that seem impendent thereby to awaken them to an holy Jealousy lest they should have so done The design of the latter is to establish and secure one of those great Truths included in the Faith once delivered to the Saints wherein their Comfort is not a little concerned And surely the nature and import of these Designs secures their Pursuance from a charge of Vnseasonableness be the Times or State of Affairs what they will yea the Evil of the Days with the Circumstances we are under makes it more especially necessary yet did I know of any thing extant of the same Import with the former of these Discourses it had probably been as an untimely Birth that sees not the Sun As for their meanness and plainness I shall only say that as to the former it is but an Abstract of some few Sermons preached to a plain Congregation who rather desire that their Souls should be fed with the sincere Milk of the Word than their Fancies gratified with the words of Man's Wisdom and possibly the Sence may sometimes seem somewhat obscure and the Sentence less coherent through the Abbreviations made than otherwise
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
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
embrace it Hence Mens proneness to Errour so fully appearing in that Instance of the Galatians I may and answerably shall with more brevity pass over the other Instances designed more especially to illustrate and set forth the strangeness of Mens tenaciousness of Errour when taken up and embraced by them It is not unworthy our Observation that the Holy Ghost speaks of Men as holding Errour or Deceit in their right Hand Isa 44.20 Truth is too often held as in the left Hand but a Lye in the Right which implies Mens tenaciousness of it What we would do most surely and effectually we do it with our right Hand therefore Deborah commands Jael that She put her Hand to the Nails her right Hand to the Workmens Hammer Judg. 5.26 implying her purpose to make sure work of it So it is one of the Royal Titles of God that He saves with his right Hand them that trust in him Psal 17.7 He is the Saviour of all Men yea he saves Man and Beast as the Psalmist speaks but he saves others so to speak with his left Hand but he saves those that Trust in him with his right Hand i. e. he saves them effectually So when the Holy Ghost speaks of Men as having Errour Deceit or a Lye in their right Hand it strongly implies their tenaciousness of it But to come to our Instance and to pass by the various Errours held by the Jews as concerning the Person Office and Works of the Messiaeh c. which how tenaciously they have hitherto held and yet do hold is obvious unto all that know any thing of them I shall only single out this Errour viz. That they being the seed of Abraham could not be cast off from being the People of God nor disinherited of the Promises made to Abraham with reference to his Seed without a failure on Gods part in keeping Covenant and making good his Promises This was the Errour they had taken up and how strangely tenacious they hitherto have and still do hold it When this Errour was first taken up and entertained by them is hard to determine but it seems plainly to have prevailed in Ezekiel's time hence say they Ezek. 33.24 Abraham was one and he inherited the Land but we are many the Land is given us for Inheritance Whether they say this as reflecting upon the Faithfulness of God in suffering so many of them to be carried away Captive into Babylon as then there were or as promising to themselves who yet were in the Land a Continuance therein with the speedy return of those that were carried away I shall not determine however they seem to have reference to that Promise Gen. 17.8 made unto Abraham and his Seed The Gift made by that Promise with others of the same Import they seem plainly to have an Eye unto and having the Land given them by that Promise they suppose they could not be disinherited of it without a failure on God's part But whenever this Errour was taken up by them it sufficiently appears by the variety of Endeavours successfully used for their Conviction they were ever after most strangely tenacious of it Which that we may the more plainly see let us consider both the Persons endeavouring their Conviction as also the Way and Manner how they did endeavour it 1. For the Persons endeavouring their Conviction and these were more especially these four 1. The Prophet Ezekiel 2. John Baptist 3. Our Lord Christ 4. The Apostle Paul Now both Ezekiel and John Baptist the former by all of them universally the latter by the major part of them were acknowledged to be Prophets sent from God Hence Ezekiel's Prophecy was put and always hath been and still is by the Jews as well as Christians in the Reckoning among those Books or Writings that are of Divine Inspiration And as for John Baptist when our Lord Christ demands of the Chief Priests and Elders Whether his Baptism was from Heaven or of Men they durst not deny it to be from Heaven and that for this very Reason as themselves declare Because all Men held John as a Prophet Mat. 21.25 26. and probably themselves were convinced that he was so And as for both our Lord Christ and the Apostle Paul tho they denied the former to be the Messiah and the latter to have received his Doctrine from Heaven yet what Evidence they had of the Truth of both the History of the New Testament fully declares Indeed it may seem that one main reason of their denying Jesus Christ to be the Messiah and the Apostle to have received his Doctrine from Heaven was their opposing and endeavouring to convince them of that Errour as appears from that John 8. from ver 33. to 46. compared with Acts 13.38 39 40 and ver 50. Rather than they would let go this Errour they would reject both our Lord Christ and his Apostles how plain and convincing soever the Evidence given of the ones being the true Messiah and the others being inspired of God himself was But 2. For the Way and Manner of their respective endeavouring the Jews Conviction of this Errour They did not indeed all proceed in the same Way and after the same Manner but take what was said by them all in pursuance of this Design and it was sufficient for their Conviction had they been only Teachers among them and not either extraordinary Prophets or immediately sent from God and inspired by him as they were 1. For Ezekiel As he only endeavoured to convince them of the Vanity and Unreasonableness of expecting the good of Promises in particular that of Canaan upon the meer account of their Relation to Abraham as his Seed while themselves were Apostatized from God so far as then they were so he onlyappeals to their own Reason and Consciences thus Ezek. 33.25 26. If you saith he do thus and thus sin thus and thus against God shall ye possess the Land as if he should say be you your selves your own Judges can you imagine that while you are Apostatized from God and live in Ways of Sin against him that you should have the Promises made good unto you your own Reason and Consciences may they be but attended unto will convince you of the vanity and unreasonableness of such expectations and by thus appealing to their own Reasons and Consciences as to the vanity and unreasonableness of this their expectation he doth implicitely assert the like vanity and unreasonableness of their expecting that God should continue to be their God and owning them to be his People in case of their total and absolute Apostacy from him Seeing tho it 's possible that the Condition of some particular Promise may not be performed as consequently the good promised forfeited when yet the Covenant in the general is not broken yet if Men by failing in the Condition of a particular Promise do forfeit the Good promised then by failing in the Condition of the Covenant in an absolute Sense they would
as well as any other Sin The Understanding of Man stands averse from God and whatever is from him Rom. 8.7 and is strongly inclined to whatever bears a contrariety to him And hence it is that through the Connaturalness of Errour unto Men that it is after a sort sweet unto them even as Truth is to a renewed Mind Hence Henesy is reckoned up amongst the Works of the Flesh Gal. 5.20 And hence as the Apostle James speaks of Envy the Flesh lusteth to it the like may be said of Errour the Flesh lusteth to it Whence that Combate or Conflict between the Flesh and the Spirit in regenerate persons is between Truth and Errour as well as between any other Vice and Vertue or Grace that lie in a direct Opposition one unto the other And from this Connaturalness of Errour unto the Minds of Men we may observe these two things 1. That Man naturally inclines to Errour from the very Womb. Hence it is expressed as one Effect of Original Sin that all Men are gone aside Psal 14. compared with Rom. 3. and that from the very Womb as the Psalmist tells us Psal 58.3 Now Men are said to be gone aside not only in respect of their outward Ways and Actions but in respect of the internal Acts of their Souls their Understandings are gone aside or deviated from Truth to Errour as well as their Wills and Affections are gone aside or turned from God unto the World Hence Errour always anticipates Truth unless prevented by supernatural Illuminations or some Instructions from without 2. That the Mind of Man as corrupted naturally or if left to its own natural Inclination embraces Errour and rejects Truth qua talis My meaning is not that the Mind doth embrace Errour Quemadmodum Terra quae propter peccatum maledictaepst multo feracius fert spinas Tribulos etiam sine Culturâ quam Triticum c. Sic Terra Carnis nostrae multo capacior aest impiae Doctrinae quam piae quia natura sumus impti mali c. or reject Truth as known to be so but it embraceth Errour and rejects Truth meerly from that Suitableness and Agreeableness that is between it as corrupted and Errour and the Unsuitableness and Disagreement that is between it and Truth Hence Men embrace Errours and reject Truth tho there be no rational inducement so to do That is a remarkable Passage of our Lord Christ John 8.45 Because I tell you the Truth ye believe me not The very Design of our Lord Christ is to shew the Reason of the Jews rejecting his Doctrine and that was the unsuitableness and unagreeableness of it to their corrupted Natures Hence he tells them in ver 47. that they heard not the World because they were not of God that is they were not born of God they were not Partakers of the Divine Nature as Peter speaks There is an unsuitableness yea a contrariety between divine Truth and an unregenerated Nature Hence as the Will and Affections reject practical Truth so the Understanding rejects speculative Truth and that meerly because it is Truth as he said Non amo te c. So Men reject Truth when they can give no reason for their so doing only they find their Minds averse unto it And from hence it is sometimes that the clearer Discoveries there are of Truth the more the Minds of Men are averse unto and hardened against it 3. There is some Lust gratified by Errour There is hardly any if any Errour at all but the embracement of it is a gratification of some Lust either of the Flesh or of the Mind as the Apostle distinguishes Eph. 2.3 Truth lies in a direct Opposition to all the Lusts corrupt Affections and Passions of Men insomuch that in case a Man had an exact and perfect System of Truth in his Understanding there could no Lust or corrupt Affection stir within him but it would immediately meet with a check from that Light of Truth in the Understanding and were the Understanding but throughly sanctified and by sanctifying Grace with the concurring Efficacy of the Spirit enabled to guide and rule the whole Man as it ought and at the first Creation was appointed to do they would thereby be effectually curbed and restrained Hence is that of the Apostle Eph. 4.20 21. where having in the foregoing Verse spoken of the corrupt Manners of the Gentiles he immediately subjoins But ye have not so learned Christ that is you have not either been instructed by the Doctrine or guided by the Practice of Christ to lead such Lives as they do neither the Doctrine nor Example of Christ teacheth you to live as they do fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind no as if he should say both the Doctrine and Example of Christ instruct and guide you to a quite different Life even a Life of Holiness and Righteousness Now mark how he proceeds If so be ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus c. that is if you have savingly learned the Truths contained in his Doctrine and exemplified in his Practice you will not live as do the Gentiles that Light of Truth held forth in the Doctrine and illustrated in the Life and Practice of Jesus Christ will curb restrain and effectually keep you from such a Life as they live Whence it appears that as the Truth lies in a direct Opposition to all the Lusts Affections and Passions that are found either in the Flesh or in the Minds of Men so when it is learned and understood in a saving manner all those Lusts and corrupt Affections are curbed and restrained that is they are so according to the measure and degree in which that Light of Truth is received and sanctified unto Men. Hence again is that Petition of our Lord Christ on the behalf of his Disciples Sanctify them through thy Truth John 17.17 Now as the Truth lies in such a direct Opposition to the Lusts and Corruptions of Men so there is no Errour but it hath a compliance with some Lust either in the Flesh or in the Mind and by the embracement of it that a curb or restraint laid upon such a Lust by the opposite Truth is taken off and consequently that Lust is gratified for then is Lust gratified when the Restraints it before lay under from the Light of Truth in the Understanding are taken off and it acts freely without any controul from Conscience To clear up this only in two Instances 1. Let us see it in that Errour entertained and taken up by the Galatians What it was we have already seen Now that Errour had an apt compliance with that Lust of Pride connatural unto all Men as corrupted and depraved through the Fall Man naturally through the Pride of his Heart would fain be his own Saviour at least would have a joint Interest with Christ in purchasing and procuring his own Justification and Salvation He would have somewhat
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
send unto them Errour cloathed with an Efficacy to the captivating their Minds to the embracement and tenacious holding of it But it may be urged How can it be said that God puts into or sends unto Men the Efficacy of Errour To that in brief I answer It implies four things 1. God's withdrawment of that common concourse of his Spirit vouchsafed ordinarily unto Men whereby there is a Restraint laid upon that corrupt Inclination unto Errour then it doth not work so effectually as otherwise it would do And 2. Hereupon Men are left to the full energy or workings of that corrupt Inclination that corrupt Inclination exerts and puts forth it self according to the degree in which that forementioned Restraint is taken off And this corrupt Inclination expresseth it self two ways 1. In an inward Desire after or Appetite so to speak unto Errour before it be suggested or presented to the Mind This the Apostle expresseth by a metaphorical Term. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Itching 2 Tim. 4.3 The time shall come saith he when Men shall have itching Ears the meaning is Men shall have a strong Inclination to or Desire after new Doctrine or after corrupt and unsound Doctrines that may please and gratify their Lusts 2. This corrupt Inclination when and so far as that forementioned Restraint is taken off expresseth it self in an eager or greedy catching at and embracement of Errour when suggested or presented unto the Mind whence as the Apostle speaks of the Gentiles being left of God They gave up themselves to Lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness Eph. 4.18 19. So when God takes off the common Restraint of his Spirit from that corrupt Inclination unto Errour that is seated in the Understandings of Men will work with a mighty Efficacy so as that Men are carried out to the embracement of it with greediness and having embraced will hold it fast 3. That God doth so order and dispose of things in a providential way as that Errour or false Doctrines shall be brought unto Men. There must be Errour saith the Apostle that the sound may be made manifest 4. And Lastly God gives them up to Satan and Satan works to the furtherance and promotion of Men's embracement and tenacious holding of Errour two ways 1. By working upon that corrupt Inclination and Propensity in the Understanding unto Errour and hereby Men given up unto the Power of Satan come to have as the Apostle speaks a Spirit of Errour as the Spirit of God infuseth into Believers a Spirit of Truth so Satan infuseth into Men a Spirit of Errour Hence we read of a Spirit of Errour and a Spirit of Truth 1 John 4.6 Every Man is actuated beyond the ordinary working of his own natural Inclinations whether in a gracious or sinful way by a supernatural Agent Believers are actuated by the Spirit of God wicked Men by Satan 2. Satan concurs and joins in with Errour when externally presented to the Mind whereby it comes to have a mighty Efficacy in it to the captivating Men to the embracement of it as it is said of the Word of God 1 Thess 2.13 where we have the same Words used in that Verb it worketh effectually in them that believe When the Word of God is accompanied and cloathed with the Power of the Spirit it has a mighty Efficacy in it and that as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 10.4 5. To the pulling down of strong Holds casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and to the bringing into Captivity every thought in obedience unto Christ So when Errour or any false Doctrine is accompanied and cloathed with the Power of Satan it hath a mighty Efficacy in it even to the pulling down strong holds or whatever riseth up in the Soul in opposition to it and to the captivating the Understandings of Men to the embracement of it Now when there is the concurrence of these four things then God may be said to have put into Men the Efficacy of Errour or sent unto Men effectual Errour only this may be added as a Close that God may and does put into or send unto Men the Efficacy of Errour or effectual Errour in various degrees but in respect of the Subjects of the Antichristian Kingdom or the Favourers of and Adherers to the Man of Sin God has put into or sent unto them the Efficacy of Errour or effectual Errour if not in the highest degree simply and absolutely possible yet in a very high degree he hath sent them strong Delusions so that in respect of them there is the concurrence of all these Cases and that working at a very high rate they have the same Pravity of Nature in common with all Men. Satan endeavours to promote Errour among them and as an addition unto all God has sent unto them strong Delusions he hath in a very great measure withdrawn that common concourse of his Spirit which is ordinarily vouchsafed unto other Men whereupon that natural Propensity unto Errour deeply rooted in Human Nature exerts it self with great force and violence they are given up in a very great measure unto Satan's Power The Coming and we may add the Continuance of the Man of Sin is said to be according to the working 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the effectual working of Satan Satan has a very great Power over all wicked Men. The same Word is used to set forth his working in them that is used to set forth the working of the Spirit of God in Believers but of all Men Satan has a peculiar Power over the Men of that Combination and answerably works at a very strange rate of Efficacy in them they want not Men to divulge Errours amongst them they are given up to Satan to concur with Errour and heighten its Efficacy and that from the severity of Divine Wrath against them And from all it is that such absurd ridiculous and damnable Errours are taken up and tenaciously held by them And according as there is a Concurrence of these three Causes Men do and will have a Propensity eagerly to catch at and embrace Errour and having embraced it will tenaciously hold it And hence as strange absurd and damnable Errours and Heresies are taken up and held with a like strange tenaciousness by some who yet stile themselves Protestants as those taken up and held in the Antichristian Kingdom Yea I may add that from the same Causes tho working in a lower way sometimes very strange and palpable Errours who not damnable Heresies are embraced and held with an unrecountable tenaciousness by those concerning whom there is ground of hope they shall only lose their work through the revelation made of it by that Fire by which themselves shall be saved but let that suffice for the three Causes whereunto both Men's proneness to and tenaciousness of Errour may and must be in common ascribed But Fourthly There is yet another Cause that may be assigned in
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
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