Discourse of Mental Errors, Part · Section 13 – Section 3
Thirteenth Observation.
There is a remarkable involution or concatenation of Errors, one linking in, and drawing another after it.
Amongst all Erroneous Sects, there is still some foreign, some Helena, for whose sake the war against Truth is commenced; and the other lesser Errors are press'd for the sake and service of this leading darling Error. As we see the whole*foreign R. Ecclesiae subjicienda esse omnia summo judicio & tribunali Ecclesiae, cui praeest Papa, &c. indè conficitur immotas habendas esse traditiones omnes R. Ecclesiae, dogmata omnia, decreta seu Pontificum seu Conciliorum. Fred. Spanhem. Elench. Controv. p. 51. Troop of Indulgences, Bulls, Masses, Pilgrimages, Purgatory, with multitudes more, flow from, and are press'd into the Service of the Pope's Supremacy and Infallibility. So in other Sects, men are forc…d to entertain many other Errors, which in themselves considered, they have no great kindness for; but they are necessitated to entertain them in defence of that great, leading darling Opinion they first espoused.
Those that cry up and trumpet abroad the Soveraign power of Free-will, even without the preventing Grace of God, enabling men to supernatural works, as if the Will alone had escaped all damage by the Fall, and Adam had not sinned in that noble Virgin-faculty. To defend this Idol, which is the foreign, they are forced to oppugn and deny several other great and weighty Truths, as particular eternal Election, the certainty of the Saints Perseverance, the necessity of preventing Grace in Conversion; which Errors are but the outworks raised in defence of that Idol.
So in the Baptismal Controversie, men would never have adventured to deny God's Covenant with Abraham, to be a Covenant of Grace; or to assert the Ceremonial Law, so full of Christ, to be an Adam's Covenant of works; and Circumcision, expresly called the seal of the Righteousness of Faith, to be the condition of Adam's Covenant. Much less would they place all the elect of God in Israel, at one and the same time, under the severest Curse and Rigor of the Law, and under the pure Convenant of Grace, were they not forced into these Errors and Absurdities by dint of Argument, in defence of their darling Opinion.
Fourteenth Observation.
Errors abound most, and spring fastest in the times of the Churches Peace, Liberty, and outward Prosperity under Indulgent Rulers. *Arrius Alexandrinus Haeresin insanam incipit Alexandriae sub annum Domini 324, ut Eusebius Anno Imperii Constantini 15.Arrianism sprang up underConstantine's mild Government.
Christian benevolent Rulers are choice Mercies and Blessings to the Church. Such as rule over men in the fear of God, are to the Church, as well as Civil State, like the light of the morning, when the Sun ariseth, even a morning without Clouds, as the tender Grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain, 2 Sam. 23. 4.
But this as well as other mercies, is liable to abuse; and under the influences of indulgent Governours, Error as well as Truth, springs up, flowers, and seeds. Persecution gives check to the wantonness of mens Opinions, and finds them other and better work to do. Caterpillars and Locusts are swept away by the bitter East-winds, but swarm in Halcyon days, and fall upon every green thing. So that the Church rides in this respect more safely in the stormy Sea, than in the calm Harbour. Peace and Prosperity is apt to cast its Watchmen into a sleep, and whilst they sleep, the envious one soweth Tares, Matth. 13. 25.
'Twas under Constantine's benign Government that Poison was poured out into the Churches. The abuse of such an excellent mercy provokes the Lord to cut it short, and cause the Clouds to gather again after the Rain. We have found it so once and again (alas! that I must say again), in this wanton and foolish Nation. Professors could live quietly together, Converse, Fast, and pray in a Christian manner together under common Calamities and Dangers; differences in Opinion were suspended by consent. But no sooner do we feel a warm Sun-blast of Liberty and Peace, but it revives and heats our dividing Lusts and Corruptions, instead of our Graces. The Sheep of Christ fight with each other, though their furious pushing one at another is known to presage a change of Weather.
Fifteenth Observation.
Errors in the tender bud and first spring of them, are comparatively shy and modest, to what they prove afterwards, when they have spread and rooted themselves into the minds of multitudes, and think it time to set up and justle for themselves in the World*Eunomius haeresin suam (communicato Consilio cum Eudoxio) aliquamdiù occultè & intricatè ac perplexè sparsit; tandem animo sumpto, quae haereticè sentiret, in coetibus publicis palam ostendit. Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 29.
They usually begin in modest Scruples, conscientious Doubts and Queries. But having once gotten many Abetters, and amongst them some that have subtilty and ability to plead and dispute their Cause, they ruffle it out at another rate; glory in their numbers, piety and ability of their Party; boast and glory in the conceited Victories they have atchieved over their Opposers. The Masque drops off its face, and it appears with a brow of Brass, becomes insolent and turbulent both in Church and State. Of which it is easie to give many pregnant instances, in the Arians of old, and more recent Errors, which I shall not at present be concerned with, lest I exasperate, whilst I seek to heal the Wound.
*The Donatists in Augustin's time madestly moved, that men might …ot be compel…'d to live holy. Coacta & in vita pietas, they mention'd it with deslike; but when grown in power, facti insolentes vim Orthodoxis inferebant, insomuch that Dulcitius the Tribune was feign to defend the orthodox against them with an Army.Should a man hear the Sermons, or private Discourses of Errorists, whilst the Design is but forming and projecting, he should meet with little to raise his jealousie. They speak in Generals, and guard their Discourses with politick Reserves. You shall not see, tho you see to see, the tendency of their Discourses. Hence the Apostle saith, 2 per. 2. 1. foreign, They shall privily (or covertly) bring in damnable Heresies: As the Boy in Plutarch, being asked by a Stranger, what is that you carry so closely under your Cloak? wittily answered, You may well know that I intend you shall not know it, by my so carrying it.
Sixteenth Observation.
Nothing gives more countenance and increase to Error, than a weak and feeble defence of the Truth against it.*Quidam verò non satìs coelestibus literis eruditi, cùm veritatis accusatoribus respondere non possent, objicientibus, vel impossibile, vel incongruens esse, ut Deus in uterum se mulieris includeret, &c. quae omnia cùm neque ingenio, neque doctrinâ defendere ac refutare possent (nec enim vim rationèmque penitùs pervidebant) depravati sunt ab itinere recto, & coelestes literas corrupêrunt, ut novam sibi doctrinam sine ullâ radice ac stabilitate componerent. Lactan. lib. 4. cap. 30. De Haeresibus.
The strength of Error lieth much in the weakness of the Advocates and Defendants of Truth. Every Friend of Truth is not fit to make a Champion for it. Many love it, and pray for it, that cannot defend and dispute for it. I can dye for the Truth (said the Martyr) but I cannot dispute for it. Zuinglius blamed Carolostadius for undertaking the Controversie of that Age, because (said he) non habuit satìs humerorum, his shoulders were too weak for the burthen.
It can be said of few, as Cicero speaks of one, Nullam unquàm in disputationibus rem defendit, quam non probârit; nullum oppugnavit, quem non everterit; He undertook no Cause in disputation, which he could not defend; he opposed no Adversary, but could overthrow him. He is a rare and happy Disputant, who can clear and carry every point of Truth, of which he undertakes the defence. 'Twere happy for the Church, if the abilities and prudence of all her Friends were commensurate and equal to their love and Zeal. Every little foyl, every weak or impertinent Answer of a Friend to Truth, is quickly turned into a weapon to wound in the deeper.
Seventeenth Observation.
Errors of Iudgment are not cured by compulsion and external force, but by rational conviction, and proper spiritual Remedies.
Bodily sufferings rather spread than cure intellectual Errors. I deny not but fundamental Heresies breaking forth into open Blasphemies against God, and Seditions in the Civil State, ought to be restrained. 'Tis no way fit men should be permitted to go up and down the World with Plague-sores running upon them. Nor do I understand why men should be more cautious to preserve their Bodies than their Souls. But I speak here of such Errors as may consist with the foundations of the Christian Faith, and are not destructive to Civil Government. They take the ready way to spread and perpetuate them, that think to root them out of the World by such improper and unwarrantable means as external force and violence. The Wind never causes and Earth-quake, till it be pent in, and restrained from motion.
We neither find, nor can imagine, That those Church or State Exorcists should ever be able to effect their end, who think to confine all the Spirits of Error within the Circle of a severe Uniformity. Fires, Prisons, Pillories, Stigmatizings, &c. are the Popish Topicks to confute Errors. 'Tis highly remarkable, that the World long ago consented for the avoiding of dissenting judgment, to enslave themselves and their Posterity to the most fatal and destructive Heresie that ever it groaned under.
'Tis a rational and proper Observation long since made by Lactantius, Quis mihi imponat necessitatem credendi, quod nolim, vel non credendi, quod velim? Who can force me to believe what I will not, or not to believe what I will? The rational and gentle Spirit of the Gospel is the only proper and effectual method to cure the Diseases of the Mind.
Eighteenth Observation.
Erroneous Doctrines producing Divisions and fierce Contentions amongst Christians, prove a fatal Stumbling-block to the World; fix their Prejudices, and obstruct their conversion to Christ.*Many Enemies to Christianity flockt to the Nicene Synod, odio Christianorum, propter abolitam Gentilium superstitionem, ut haberent in quos illuderent. Say the Centurists.
They dissolve the lovely union of the Saints, and thereby scare off the World from coming into the Church. This is evidently implied in that Prayer of Christ, Iohn 17. That all his People might be one, that the World might believe the Father had sent him. There is indeed no just cause for any to take offence at the Christian Reformed Religion, because so many Errors and Heresies spring up among the Professors of it, and divide them into so many Sects and Parties: for in all this we find no more than what was predicted from the beginning, 1 Cor. 11. 18, 19. I hear there be divisions among you, and I partly believe it: for there must be also Heresies among you, &c. And again, Acts 20. 30. Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them.*Ante omnia, scire nos convenit, & ipsum, & legatos ejus praedixisse, quòd plurimae Sectae, & Haereses deberent existere, quae concordiam sancti corporis rumperent: ac mo…isse, ut summâ prudentiâ caveremus, ne quando in laqueos & fraudes illius adversarii nostri cum quo nos Deus Iuctari voluit, incideremus. Lactan. lib. 4. cap. 30.
The very same things strongly confirm the Christian Religion, which wicked men improve to the reproach and prejudice of it. When Celsus objected to the Christians the variety and contrariety of their Opinions; saying, Were we willing to turn Christians, we know not of what Party to be, seeing you all pretend to Christ, and yet differ so much from one another. Tertullian, the Christian Apologist, made him this wise and pertinent Reply, Haereses non dolemus venisse, quia novimus esse praedictas. We are not troubled that Heresies are come, seeing it was predicted that they must come. These things destroy not the credibility of the Christian Religion, but increase and confirm it, by evidencing to the World the truth and certainty of Christ's Predictions (which were quite beyond all human foresight) that as soon as his Doctrine should be propagated, and a Church raised by it, Errors and Heresies should spring up among them for the tryal of their Faith and Constancy.
Nevertheless, this no way excuses the sinfulness of Errors and Divisions in the Church. Christ's Prediction neither infuses, nor excuses the Evil predicted by him: for what he elsewhere speaks of Scandals, is as true in this case of Errors. These things must come to pass, but wo be to that man by whom they come.
Ninteenth Observation.
How specious and taking soever the pretences of Error be, and how long soever they maintain themselves in esteem among men, they are sure to end in the loss and shame of their Authors and Abetters at last.*Post foedum Arii obirum, quamplurimos ex iis, qui ab Ario priùs decepti fuerant, ad sanitatem rediisse, scribit Athanasius, ad Serapion…m▪
Truth is a Rock, the waves of Error that dash against, evermore return in froth and foam: yea, they foam out their own shame, saith the Apostle, Iud. 13. What Tacitus spake of crafty Counsels, I may as truly apply to crafty Errors, Consilia callida primâ specie laeta, tractatu dura, eventu tristia: They are pleasant in their beginnings, difficult in their management, and sad in their event and issue.
Suppose a man have union with Christ, yet his Errors are but so much Hay, Wood, Straw, Stubble built, or rather endeavoured to be built upon a foundation of Gold: this the fiery tryal burns up; the Author of them suffers loss; and though himself may be saved, yet so as by fire, 1 Cor. 3. 12, 13, 14, 15. the meaning is, he makes a narrow escape. As a man that leaps out of an House on fire, from a Window or Battlement, with great difficulty saves his life; just so Errorists shall be glad to quit their Erroneous Opinions, which they have taken so much pains to build, and draw others into: and then, oh what a shame must it be for a good man to think, how many days and nights have I worse than wasted, to defend and propagate an Error, which might have been employed in a closer study of Christ and mine own heart! Keckerman relates a Story of a vocal Statue, which was thirty years a making by a cunning Artist, …eck. Phys. p. 16. Albertus magnus.which by the motion of its Tongue with little Wheels, Wires, &c. could articulate the sound, and pronounce an entire Sentence. This Statue saluting Aquinas, surprized him, and at one stroke he utterly destroyed the curious Machin, which exceedingly troubled the fond Owner of it, and made him say with much concernment, Vno ict… opus trigint a annorum destruxisti, thou hast at one stroke destroyed the study and labour of thirty years.
Beside, What shame and trouble must it be to the zealous Promoters of Errors, not only to cast away so vainly and unprofitably their own time and strength, which is bad enough: but also to ensnare and allure the Souls of others into the same, or worse mischief? for though God may save and recover you, those that have been misled by you may perish.
Twentieth Observation.
If ever Errors be cured, and the Peace and Vnity of the Church established, men must be convinced of, and acquainted with the Occasions and Causes both within and without themselves, from whence their Errors do proceed; and must both know and apply the proper Rules and Remedies for the prevention or cure of them.
There is much difference betwixt an Occasion, and a proper Cause; these two are heedfully to be distinguished. Critical and exact Historians, as Polybius and Tacitus, distinguish betwixt the foreign, and the foreign, the beginning Occasions, and the real Causes of a War; and so we ought in this case of Errors carefully to distinguish them. The most excellent and innocent things in the World, such as the Scriptures of Truth, the Liberty of Christians, the Tranquility and Peace of the Church (as you will hear anon) may, by the Subtilty of Satan working in conjunction with the Corruptions of mens hearts, become the Occasions, but can never be the proper culpable Causes of Errors.
Accordingly having made the twenty Remarks upon the Nature and Growth of Errors (which cannot so well be brought within the following Rules of method) I shall in the next place proceed in the discovery both of the mere Occasion, as also of the proper culpable Causes of Errors, together with the proper Preventives and most effectual Remedies placed together in the following order.
The Occasion.
The holy God, who is a God of Truth,DIVINE PERMISSION. Deut. 32. 4. and hateth Errors, Rev. 2. 6. the God of Order, and hates Confusions and Schisms in his Church, 1 Cor. 14. 33. is yet pleased to permit Errors and Heresies to arise, without whose permission they could never spring. And this he doth for the tryal of his Peoples Faith and Constancy, and for a spiritual punishment upon some men for the abuse of his known Truths; and by the permission of these Evils he advanceth his own Glory, and the good of his Church and People. Augustine answers that Question, Why doth not God, since he hates Errors, sweep them out of the World? Because (saith he) it is an act of greater power to bring good out of evil, than not to suffer Evils to be at all.
Satan's Design in Errors is to cloud and darken God's Name and precious Truths; to destroy the Beauty, Strength, and Order of the Church. But God's ends in permitting and sending Errors, are (1.) to plague and punish men for their abuse of Light, 2 Thess. 2. 11. For this cause God shall send them strong Delusions, &c. (2.) To prove and try the Sincerity and Constancy of our hearts, Deut. 13. 1, 3. I Cor. 11. 19. And lastly, By these things the Saints are awakened to a more diligent search of the Scriptures, which are the more critically read and examined upon the tryal of Spirits and Doctrines by them, 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits; And Rev. 2. 2. Thou hast tried them, that say they are Apostles, &c.
The Prevention.
Though Heresies and Errors must (for the Reasons assigned) break forth into the World, and God will turn them eventually into his own glory, and the benefit of his Church: yet it is a dreadful judgment to be delivered over to a spirit Error, to eb the Authors and Abetters of them; this is a judicial stroke of God: and as ever we hope to escape, and stand clear out of the way of it, let us carefully shun these three following Causes and Provocations thereof.
(1.) Want of love to the Truth, which God hath made to shine about us in the means, or into us by actual illumination under the means of knowledge. 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11. Because they received not the love of Truth, God gave them up to strong Delusions. They are justly plagued with Error that slight Truth. False Doctrines are fit Plagues for false Hearts.
(2.) Beware of Pride and Wantonness of Mind. 'Tis not so much the Weakness as the Wantonness of the Mind, which provokes God to inflict this Judgment. None likelier to make Seducers than Boasters, Iude 16. Arrius gloried that God had revealed some things to him, which were hidden from the Apostles themselves. Simon Magus boasted himself to be the mighty Power of God. The erroneous Pharisees loved the praises of Men. When the Papist reproached Luther that he affected to have his Disciples called Lutherans, he replyed, Non sic, ô fatue, non sic; oro ut nomen meum taceatur: he disdain'd that the Children of Christ should be called by so vile a name as his.
(3.) Beware you neglect not Prayer, to be kept sound in your Judgments, and guided by the Spirit into all Truth, Psal. 119. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander, or err, from thy Commandments. This do, and you are safe from such a judicial Tradition.
The First Cause.
We shall next speak of the Causes of Error found in the evil Dispositions of the Subjects, which prepare and incline them to receive Erroneous Doctrine and Opinions, and even catch at the Occasions and least Sparkles of Temptation, as dry Tinder: and amongst these is found,
(1.) A perverse wrangling Humour at the pretended OBSCURITY of the Scriptures. The Romish Party snatch at this Occasion, and make it the proper Cause, when indeed it is but a pickt Occasion, of the Errors and Mistakes among men. They tell us the Scriptures are so difficult, obscure, and perplext, that if private men will trust to them as their only Guide, they will inevitably run into Errors, and their only relief is to give up their Souls to the conduct of their Church; whereas indeed the true Cause of Error is not so much in the Obscurity of the Word, as in the corruption of the mind, 1 Tim. 6. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8.
We do acknowledge there are in the Scriptures, foreign, some things hard to be understood▪ 2 Pet. 3. 16. the sublime and mysterious nature of the matter rendering it so: and some things hard to be interpreted from the manner of expression; as indeed all mystical parts of Scripture and Prophetical predictions are, and ought to be delivered. The Spirit of God this way designedly casts a veil over them, till the proper season of their revelation and accomplishment be come. Besides (as the Learned Glassius observes) in Paul's style there are found some peculiar words and forms of speech, which ordinary Rules of Grammar take no notice, nor give any parallel Examples of: as to be buried with Christ; to be baptized into his death; to which I may add, to be circumcised in him, &c. There are also multitude of words found in Scripture of various and vastly different Significations: and accordingly there is a diversity, and sometimes a contrariety of senses given of them by Expositors; which to an Humourist or quarrelsome Wit gives an occasion to vent his Errors with a plausible appearance of Scripture-consent. And indeed Tertullian saith, Non periclitor dicere ipsas Scripturas ità dispositas esse, ut materiam subministrarent Haereticis. The Scriptures are so disposed, that Hereticks may pick Occasions; and those that will not be satisfied, may be hardened. See Mark 4. 11, 12.
But all this notwithstanding, the great and necessary things to our Salvation are so perspicuously and plainly revealed in the Scriptures, that even Babes in Christ do apprehend and understand them, Matth. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 1. 27, 28, 29. And though there be difficulties in other points more remote from the foundation; yet the Spirit of God is not to be accused, but rather his Wisdom to be admired herein. For (1.) this serves to excite our most intense study and diligence, which by this difficulty is made necessary, Prov. 2. 3, 4, 5. the very Prophets, yea the very Angels search into these things, 1 Pet. 1. 11, 12. (2.) Hereby a standing Ministry in the Church is made necessary, Nehem. 8. 8. Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13. So that to pretend Obscurity of Scripture to be the culpable cause of Error, when indeed the fault is in our selves; this is too much like our Father Adam, which would implicitly accuse God, to exc…se himself; he laid it upon the Woman which God gave him, and we upon the Scriptures which God hath given us.