Discourse of Mental Errors, Part · Section 19 – Section 22
Cause IX.
The last Evil Disposition I shall here take notice of in the Subject, is rash and ignorant ZEAL; a temper preparing the mind both to propagate furiously, and receive easily Erroneous Doctrines and Opinions.
When there is in the Soul more heat than light; when a fervent Spirit is governed by a weak Head, such a temper of Spirit Satan desires, and singles out as fittest for his purpose, especially when the Heart is graceless, as well as the Understanding weak. A blind Horse of an high mettle will carry the Rider into any Pit, and venture over the most dangerous Precipices.
Such were the Superstitious Iewish Zealots: they had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. This foreign blind zeal, St. Paul charges justly upon the Iewish Bigots, Rom. 10. 2. as the proper cause of their dangerous Errors about the great point of Iustification: and surely no man understood the evil of it more than he, who in his unregenerate state was transported by it to the most furious persecution of the Saints, Acts 26. 11. and even to dotage, and extreme fondness upon the Erroneous Traditions of his Fathers, Gal. 1. 14.
Blind Zeal is a Sword in a Mad-man's hand. No Persecutor to a Conscientious one, whose Erroneous Conscience offers up the blood of the Saints to the glory of God, Iob. 16. 2. The blind, but zealous Pharisees would compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte, Matth. 23. 15. as our Modern Pharisees, the Iesuits, have since done, who have mingled themselves with the remotest and most barbarous Nations, to draw them to the Romish Error. Of the same temper were the false Teachers taxed by the Apostle, Gal. 4. 17. they zealously affect you, but not well: yea, they would exclude you (viz. from our Society and Ordinances) that you might affect them.
And as it is the great Instrument by which Satan propagates Errors, so it makes a fit temper in the Souls of the People to receive them. For by this means Error gains the possession of the Affections, without passing a previous and due test by the Understanding, and so gains the Soul by the advantage of a Surprize. Every thing, by how much the more weak and ignoble it is, by so much the more it watcheth upon Surprisals and Advantages. Error cares not to endure the due examination and test of Reason; and therefore seeks to gain by surprisal, what it despairs of ever gaining by a plain and fair tryal.
There be few Errorists in the World of Alexander's mind, who would rather lose the day, than steal the Victory. Hence it comes to pass, that the greatest number of those they lead Captives, are silly Women, as the Apostle speaks, who are the most affectionate, but least judicious Sex.
From this blind Zeal it is, that they cunningly wind their Erroneous Opinions into all their Discourses, where they have any hope to prevail. A rational and modest Contradiction puts them into a flame, it breaks the nearest bonds of Friendship and Society.
Rabshekah in 2 King. 18. would not treat with Hezekiah's Counsellors of State, but with the common People upon the Wall: and Error cares not to treat with sound Reason, able to sift it through the Scripture-search, but with the Affections; as well knowing, it is in vain to make war in Reason's Territories, without first gaining a party among the Affections.
The Remedies.
The best Defensatives against Erroneous Contagions in this case, are to be found in the following Particulars.
Defensative I.
Reflect seriously and sadly upon the manifold Mischiefs occasioned everywhere, and in all Ages of the World, by rash Zeal.
Revolve Church-histories, and you shall find, that scarce any cruel Persecution hath flamed in the World, which hath not been kindled by blind Zeal. Turn over all the Records, both of Pagan and Popish Persecutions, and you shall still find these two Observations confirmed and verified.
First, That ignorant Zeal hath kindled the fires of Persecution; and secondly, That the more zealous any have been for the ways of Error and Falshood, still the more implacably fierce and cruel they have been to the sincere Servants of God. None like a Superstitious Devoto to manage the Devil's work of Persecution throughly, and to purpose. They'l rush violently and head-long into the blood of their dearest Relations, or most eminent Saints, to whose sides the Devil sets this sharp Spur. Superstitious Zeal draws all the strength and power of the Soul into that one Design; and wo to him that stands in the way of such a man, if God interpose not betwixt him and the stroke. It was a rational wish of him that said, Liberet me Deus ab homine unius tantùm negotii, God deliver me from a man of one only Design.
Now consider, Reader, if thy judgment be weak, and thy affections warm, how much thou liest exposed, not only to Errors which may ruine thy self, but also to Tongue and Hand-persecution, wherein Satan may manage thy zeal for the injury or ruine of those that are better than thy self: And withal consider, how many dreadful threatnings are found in Scripture against the instruments of Persecution, so employed and managed by Satan.
Certainly, Reader, it were better for thee to stand with thy naked breast before the mouth of a discharging Cannon, than that thy Soul should stand under this guilt, before such a Scripture-threatning as that, Psal. 7. 13. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his Arrows against the persecutors. And none more likely to become such, than those of thine own temper and complexion; especially if grace be wanting in the heart, whilst Zeal for erroneous Principles eats up the Affections.
Second Defensative.
Consider what mischief zeal for an Error will do thine own Soul, as well as others.
It will wholly ingross thy time, thoughts and strength; so that if there be any gracious principle in thee, it shall not be able to thrive and prosper: For look, as a Fever takes off the natural appetite from Food, so will erroneous Zeal take off thy Spiritual Appetite from Meditation, Prayer, Heart-examination, and all other the most necessary and nourishing Duties of Religion, by reason whereof thy grace must languish.
When thy Soul, with David's, should be filled and feasted, as with marrow and fatness, by delightful meditations of God upon thy Bed, thou wilt be rolling in thy mind thy barren and insipid notions, which yield no food or spiritual strength to thy Soul; thou wilt lye musing how to dissolve the Arguments and Objections against thine Errors, when thou shouldst rather be employed in solving the just and weighty Objections that lye against thy sincerity and interest in Christ, which were time far better improved.
Third Defensative.
Consider how baneful this inordinate zeal hath been to Christian Society, lamentably defacing, and almost dissolving it every where, to the unspeakable detriment of the Churches.
We read, Mal. 3. 16. of a blessed time, when they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a Book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name. Oh happy time! Halcion days! I, my self, remember the time, when the Zeal of the Saints spent it self in provoking one another to Love and Good Works, in joint and fervent Prayer, in inward, experimental, and edifying Communion; my Soul hath them still in remembrance, and is cast down within me: For alas! alas! how do I see every where Christian Communion turned into vain janglings? Churches and Families into meer Cock-pits? Mens Discoursings falling as naturally into contentions about trifles, as they were wont to do into Heavenly and Experimental Subjects, to the unspeakable disgrace and damage of Religion?
Fourth Defensative.
That Opinion is justly to be suspected for erroneous, which comes in at the Postern-door of the Affections; and not openly and fairly ar the right Gate of an enlightned and well-satisfied judgment. 'Tis a Thief that cometh in at the backdoor, at least strongly to be suspected for one. Truth Courts the Mistriss, makes its first and fair Addresses to the Understanding. Error bribes the Handmaid, and labours first to win the Affections, that by their influence it may corrupt the Judgment.
And thus you see, besides the innocent Occasion, viz. God's Permission of Errors in the World, for the tryal of his people, Nine proper Causes of Errors found in the evil dispositions of the minds of Men, which prepare them to receive erroneous Doctrines and Impressions, viz.
1. A wrangling humour at the pretended Obscurity of Scripture.
2. The Abuse of that Christian Liberty purchased by Christ.
3. Slothfulness in searching the whole Word of God.
4. Fickleness and Instability of Judgment.
5. Eagerness after Anodines to ease a distressed Conscience.
6. An easy Credulity in following the Judgments and Examples of others.
7. Vain Curiosity, and prying into unrevealed Secrets.
8. The Pride and Arrogancy of Human Reason.
9. Blind Zeal, which spurs on the Soul, and runs it upon dangerous precipices.
We next come to consider the principal Impulsive Cause, by which Errors are propagated and disseminated in the World.
Cause X.
Come we next in the proper order, to consider the Principal Impulsive Cause of Errors; which is SATAN working upon the predisposed matter he finds in the corrupt Nature of Man.*Quae quidem res abundè docet diram esse Diaboli malitiam: qui victus, at que prostratus à Christo, nihilominus ausus est ejus verbum ac totam religionis formam, tetris opinionibus ac blasphemiis conspurcare, lacerare, & propemodum evertere. Ut autem portenta hujus maligni spiritùs in conspectu sint & quasi primae scaturigines plurimarum haeresium, quae postea, veluti aliis in se receptis rivis mirum in modum excreverunt, &c. Hist. Magdeb. Cent. 1. Lib. 2. Cap. 5. p. 368. The Centurists speaking of the strange and sudden growth of Errors and Heresies, immediately after the planting of the Gospel by Christ, and the Apostles, ascribe it to Satan.
Satan is a Lyar from the beginning,When Swinkfeld sent his Books to Luther, he told the Messenger, the Devil was the Author of them; and the Lord rebuke thee Satan, was the Answer he returned to them. and abode not in the Truth: He hates it with a deadly hatred, and all the Children and Friends of Truth. And this hatred he manifesteth sometimes by raising furious storms of persecution against the sincere Professors of it, Rev. 3. 10. and sometimes by Clouds of Heresies and Errors, with design to darken it. In the former he acts as a roaring Lyon; in the latter as a subtil Serpent, 2 Cor. 11. …. I fear lest as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty; so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
He is exceeding skilful and dexterous in citing and wresting the Scriptures to serve his vile designs and purposes; and as impudently daring, as he is crafty and cunning; as appears in the History of Christ's temptation in the desart, Matt. 4. 6. where he cites one part of that promise, Psal. 91. 11. and suppresseth the rest; shows the encouragement, viz. He shall give his Angels charge over thee; but clips off the limitation of it, viz. to keep thee in all thy ways: In viis, non in praecipitiis, In our lawful ways, not in rash and dangerous precipices; as Bernard well glosseth.
And 'tis worth observation, that he introduceth multitudes of Errors into the World, under the unsuspected notions of admirable Prophylacticks, and approved Preservatives from all mischiefs and dangers from himself. Under this notion, he hath neatly and covertly slided into the World, Holy-water, Crossings, Reliques of Saints, and almost innumerable other superstitious Rites.
Erroneous Teachers are the Ministers of Satan, however they transform themselves into Ministers of Righteousness, 2 Cor. 11. 15. and the subtil dangerous Errors they broach, are fitly stiled by the Spirit of God, foreign, the depths of Satan, Rev. 2. 24. The corrupt Teachers, the Gnosticks, &c. called them Depths, i. e. great mysteries, high and marvellous attainments in knowledg; but the Spirit of God fits a very proper Epithete to them, They are Satanical depths, and Mysteries of Iniquity. Now the level and design of Satan herein is double:
First, He aims at the ruin and damnation of those that vent and propagate them; upon which account the Apostle calls them foreign, 2 Pet. 2. 1. destructive, or (as we render it) damnable Heresies. And because God will preserve the Souls of his own from this mortal Contagion, therefore,
Secondly, He endeavours by lesser Errors to busy the minds, and check the growth of Grace in the Souls of the Saints, by employing them about things so foreign to true godliness, and the power thereof, Heb. 13. 9.
The Remedies.
The Rules for prevention and recovery, are these that follow:
Rule I.
Pray earnestly for a thorow change of the state and temper of thy Soul, by sound Conversion and Regeneration.
Conversion turns us from darkness to light; and from the power of Satan to God, Acts 26. 18. They are his own slaves and vassals that are taken captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 16. A Sanctified heart is a Soveraign defensative against Erroneous Doctrines; it furnishes the Soul with spiritual eyes, judicious ears, and a distinguishing taste, by which it may discern both good and evil, truth and error, Heb. 5. 14. yea, it puts the Soul at once under the conduct of the Spirit, and protection of the Promise, Ioh. 16. 13. and though this doth not secure a Man from all lesser mistakes, yet it effectually secures him from greater ones, which are inconsistent with Christ and Salvation.
Rule II.
Acquaint your selves with the wiles and methods of Satan, and be not ignorant of his devices, 2 Cor. 2. 11.
When once you understand the wash and paint with which he sets off the ugly face of Error, you will not easily be enamoured with it. Pretences of Devotion upon one side, and of Purity, Zeal, and Reformation upon the other▪ though they be pleasant sounds to both ears, yet the wary Soul will examine, before it receive and admit Doctrinal Points under these gilded Titles. Those that have made their Observations upon the stratagems of Satan, will heedfully observe both the tendency of Doctrines, and the Lives of their Teachers; and if they find looseness, pride, wantonness in them, it is not a glorious title, or magnificent name that shall charm them. They know Satan can transform himself into an Angel of Light; and no wonder if his Ministers also be transformed into Ministers of Righteousness, 2 Cor. 11. 14, 15.
Rule III.
Resign your Minds and Judgments in fervent Prayer to the Government of Christ, and Conduct of the Spirit; and in all your addresses to God, pray that he would keep them chast and pure, and not suffer Satan to commit a rape upon them. Plead with God that part of Christ's Prayer, Iohn 17. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Rule IV.
Live in the conscientious and constant practice of all those Truths and Duties God hath already manifested to you.
This will bring you under that blessed Promise of Christ, Iohn 7. 17. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. Satan's greatest successes are amongst idle, notional, and vain Professors; not humble, serious, and practical Christians.