The Kingdom of God Among Men, Tract 1 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
The Sectarian and Fanatical Degeneration.
THe other deviation lies more out of the common rode of the generality of carnal Gospellers, and this is usually stiled Sectarian, whereof the particular by paths are numberless. But let this be noted, that whatsoever way swerves from the main ends of Religion, and the great design of the Gospel, is no other than a Sect or Faction, yea, though it spread so far and wide, as that they who walk therein, do for their huge multitudes presume to appropriate to themselves alone, the Title of the Catholick Church. Wherever the interest of a Party bears sway to the detriment of the universal Church, and the common cause of Godliness, where inventions false or useless are made the necessary Symbols of Religion, there a Sectarian interest bears Sway, and the gaining of the Secular power will not wipe off the blot of such a Party. The name of Sectaries may fit proud usurpers as well as blind zealots. This necessary proviso being made, it remains to speak in this place of the more incoherent, unstable, and ungovernable sort of Sects. The root of the evil in this kind is commonly a heightened fancy, and complexional Zeal bearing Rule instead of Sober judgment, and a more intellectual, Spiritual and pure love. It shall suffice to set down some notable instances, for it were endless to recount them all.
Some have been so far transported with the hatred of Church Tyranny, and persecuting Pride and cruelty, that they mind not the good of Church unity, order and government; and they run so far from implicit faith in the dictates of proud men, that themselves have proudly slighted the Churches directive judgment, and all Pastoral Authority as a thing of no value, and have fiercely impugned it, as opposite to Christian liberty.
Of the like strain are they, that upon pretence of higher attainments and greater Spirituality have rejected external ordinances; as the dispensation of the Word and Sacraments, and the publick Ministery, and Ecclesiastical discipline as low and beggarly rudiments, while they declare themselves hereby to be carnal, and vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds.
Some through abuse and mistake of Divine promises concerning the Spirits Teaching, have forsaken the sure guidance of Gods Law, and betaken themselves to the uncertain intimations of Providence, and the dangerous impulses of their own Spirits, and pretended immediate inspirations, which are for the most part the delusions of an exalted Fancy; and sometimes they have really fallen under Satanical impressions.
Because there is the fleshly wisdom of the carnal mind, that is enmity against God; some have disclaimed reason it self as corrupt and carnal, and in the mean while follow their own wilfull imagination under the pretence of the Light within them, and delight in things irrational and unintelligible, and render themselves uncapable of sound instruction.
A Fanatick fury hath hurried some under pretence of erecting the fift Monarchy, to rend and tear Kingdoms and Nations, to attempt the dissolving of all Government in Church and State; which is indeed the most ready way to subvert Gods Kingdom by the subversion of Christian Magistracy and Ministery, and to dispossess the Gospel of the Territories it hath gained.
Some have proceeded so far in the pretended Reign of the Spirit, as to abrogate the external Frame of the Christian Religion, and to turn the Gospel History into mystical Allegories, yet such as might be conceived and shaped in a vulgar fancy, and are low and despicable things in comparison of the great mystery of Godliness, according to the Historical sense of Scripture.
And which is yet worse, some have been so gross as to turn into an Allegory the great hope of our Christian calling, even the Resurrection of the dead, and the life of the World to come, and so pervert the mysteries of the Gospel into a mysterious Infidelity and Apostacy from Jesus Christ.
Yea, some perverting the high expressions of fellowship with God, and dwelling in God, and being made partakers of the Divine nature and the like, have impiously talked of their begodded condition, and blasphemously intituled the most High and Holy One, to their abominable extravagancies and impurities. And besides all these, some are perpetual Seekers, having no fixed belief in the most important points.
Persons so far inlightened as not to see the necessity of a higher way than the common dead formality, and having some tast of Spiritual things, and thereby raised above the general indifferency, and Luke-warmness unto a kind of strictness, seriousness, and fervour of Spirit in Religion, yet falling short of true Conversion, and especially if they be well conceited of their own gifts and parts and seeming graces, are apt to be carried away with a full gale of fancy into the gulf of these delusions.
And a tincture of this contagion, though in a lower degree, may sease on some, who stand in the true grace of God, being deceived by a shew of purity and Spirituality, and peradventure lying under the disadvantage of some insnaring occasions, which work upon the remainder of pride, levity, curiosity, and other corruptions, which the present imperfect State leaves in the hearts of real Christians. And some of these may sooner fall into absurd opinions, than many that receive not the truth in love, who may easily abide among the Orthodox, either because they do not concern themselves in Religious inquiries, or because they are held by worldly advantages which stand on truths side.
The fancy is sooner filled with notions and the affections thereby raised, than the judgment is well informed and the heart established in grace. Hence proceed a sickliness in the Souls appetite, a satiety of plain Saving truths, and of sound wholsom Preaching, a desire of novelty, Self-conceitedness, pragmatical confidence, rash censures, partiality in hearing the Word, a lessening of the Pastoral Authority, incroachments upon the Pastors Office, dividing principles and practices, and innumerable, inconveniences. Moreover, well meaning People associated in a stricter profession, are apt to be sequacious of some leading persons among them, and some will follow the rest for company. And the high pretensions and heightened confidence of Enthusiasts, is a kind of Enchantment to bewitch those that unwarrantably approach to near them, especially such as are predisposed by temper or complexion towards Enthusiasm.
In these things men forsake the Law and the Testimony to walk by false Lights, and to follow blind Guides. The Holy Ghost bids us trie the Spirits, and hath given us an infallible rule of Tryal, and leaves us not to any unaccountable impulse or impression. The whole Tenor of Evangelical Doctrine shews that the Christian Spirit is both pure and peaceable, that it doth not divide, break and scatter a Christian people, but unites, heals and settles them, that it doth not overturn Churches and civil States, nor inflame Rulers against subjects, nor subjects against Rulers, nor dissolve Magistracy and Ministery; but that it turns the hearts of the Fathers to the Children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the Just; and conciliates the minds of Magistrates, and Ministers and People of all degrees in righteousness and peace, which is the right and sure way of erecting Gods Kingdom. It doth not cancel reason, but maintain its interest in Religion, as being under the power of God, and the great prop and proof of the Christian Faith. It is a Spirit of judgment, and soberness, and suppresseth the wild Dominion of the unruly imagination. It doth not turn men from humanity and civil behaviour, unto a surly and cynical pride, and Fanatick melancholy and austerity; but it disposeth them to all the duties of human life, and civil Converse.
But there must be Heresies, and it is impossible but that offences should come. Where the light of the Gospel is broken forth, Sectarianism and Fanaticism is the Devils After-Game. So it sprung up in Germany upon the birth of Protestantism, so it sprung up in the Primitive Church upon the birth of Christianity, in the Gnosticks, and such like Sectaries, and so it continues in our times. These irregularities and extravagancies are a great dammage, and reproach to a serious, zealous and strict profession, and it is a stone of stumbling before many.
Nevertheless the greatest and most dangerous Degeneration from the Sound state of Religion lies not this way. The conceptions and motions of Fanaticism, having a kind of Spiritual strain though in a delusion, take not with the greater number whether of high or low degree, the learned or unlearned sort. And in case it seases on a greater multitude, it may trouble and unsettle a State, but it can never settle it self; and if it domineer a while, its Tyranny cannot hold, because it hath no foundation, and it can never obtain to be a national Religion, because it is inconsistent with the stability of civil Government. Its greatest mischief to a State is, that it may serve the designs of others to work out a more lasting misery. For which cause, the Romish Emissaries under a vizor have overacted this wild Spirit, that by its confusion and Anarchy, they might make way to introduce their own Tyranny. But the more extensive, dangerous, and lasting depravation of Christianity lies on the same side with Popery, which is formidable indeed being founded in power and policy and suted to worldly interests, and to which mens innate propensions do generally more incline them. For that their fancies and affections are inveagled with its outward wealth and glory, and their consciences laid a sleep by its loose principles and lifeless forme of devotion.