Discourse of Mental Errors, Part · Section 6
The Remedies.
The proper way to prevent and remedy this mischief, is not by depriving any Man of his just Liberty, either to read, or judge for himself what God speaks in his Word, and think that way to cure Errors; that were the same thing as to cut off the Head to cure an Headach. Leave that sinful policy with the false Religion. Let those only that know they do evil, be afraid of coming to the light. But the proper course of preventing the mischiefs that come this way, is by labouring to bound and contain Christians within those limits Christ himself hath set unto this liberty which he hath granted them. And these are such as follow:
Limitation I.
Tho' Christ have indulged to the meanest and weakest Christian a liberty to read and judge of the Scriptures for himself; yet he hath neither thereby, nor therewith granted him a liberty publickly to Expound and Preach the Word to others: That's quite another thing.
Every Man that can read the Scriptures, and judge of their sense, is not thereby presently made Christ's Commission-Officer, publickly and authoritatively to Preach and Inculcate the same to others: Two things are requisite to such an employment, viz. Proper Qualifications, 1 Tim. 3. And a solemn Call or designation, Rom. 10. 14, 15. The Ministry is a distinct Office, Acts 20. 17, 28. 1 Thes. 5. 12. and none but qualified and ordained persons can Authoritatively Preach the Word, 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 1 Tim. 5. 22.
Christians may privately edify one another by reading the Scriptures, communicating their sense one to another of them, admonishing, counselling, reproving one another in a private fraternal way, at seasons wherein they interfere not with more publick Duties: But for every one that hath confidence enough (and the ignorant usually are best stock'd with it) to assume a liberty without due Qualification or Call, to Expound and give the Sense of Scriptures, and pour forth his crude and unstudied Notions, as the pure sense and meaning of God's Spirit in the Scriptures; this is what Christ never allowed, and through this Flood-gate Errors have broken in, and overflowed the Church of God, to the great scandal of Religion, and confirmation of Popish Enemies.
Limitation II.
Though there be no part of Scripture shut up or restrained from the knowledg or use of any Christian; yet Jesus Christ hath recommended to Christians of different abilities, the study of some parts of Scripture rather than others, as more proper and agreeable to their Age and Stature in Religion.
Christians are by the Apostle rank'd into three Classes, Fathers, Young-men, and Little Children, 1 Iohn 2. 13. and accordingly the Wisdom of Christ hath directed to that sort of food which is proper to either: For there is in the Word all sorts of Food suitable to all Ages in Christ; there's both Milk for Babes, and strong Meat for grown Christians, Heb. 5. 13, 14. Those that are unskilful in the Word of Righteousnes, should feed upon Milk, that is, the easie, plain, but most nutritive and pleasant practical Doctrines of the Gospel. But strong Meat (saith he) that is, the more abstruse, deep, and mysterious truths, belongeth to them that are of full Age, even those who, by reason of use, have their Senses exercised to discern both good and evil; that is, Truth and Error. To the same purpose he speaks, 1 Cor. 3. 2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it.
Art thou a weak unstudied Christian? a Babe in Christ? Then the easier, and more nutritive Milk of plain Gospel-Doctrine is fitter for thee, and will do thee more good, than the stronger Meat of profound and more mysterious Points; or the Bones of Controversy, which are too hard for thee to deal with.
God hath blessed this Age with great variety of sound and allowed Expositors in our own Language, by the diligent study of which, and prayer for the illumination and guidance of the Spirit, you may not only attain unto the true sense and meaning of the more plain and obvious; but also unto gre…ter knowledg, and clearer insight into the more obscure and controverted parts of Scripture.