Sixteen Sermons, Sermon 2
A SERMON ON JOHN. VII. 17.
If any Man will do his Will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeak of my ſelf.
SINCE there are ſo many different Opinions and Apprehenſions in the World about Matters of Religion, and every Sect and Party does with ſo much confidence pretend that they, and they only, are in the truth; The great difficulty and queſtion is, by what means Men may be ſecured from dangerous Errors and Miſtakes in Religion. For this end ſome have thought it neceſſary that there ſhould be an Infallible Church, in the Communion whereof every Man may be ſecured from the dangers of a wrong Belief. But if ſeems God hath not thought this neceſſary: If he had, he would have revealed this very thing more plainly than any particular Point of Faith whatſoever. He would have told us expreſly, and in the plaineſt terms, that he had appointed an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith, and would likewiſe have told us as plainly who he was, and where we migh… find him, and have recourſe to him upon all occaſions; becauſe the ſincerity of our Faith depending upon him, we could not be ſafe from miſtake in particular Points, without ſo plain and clear a Revelation of this Infallible Judge, that there could be no miſtake about him; nor could there be an end of any other Controverſies in Religion, unleſs this Infallible Judge (both that there is one, and who he is) were out of Controverſie. But neither of theſe are ſo: It is not plain from Scripture that there is an Infallible Judge and Guide in Matters of Faith; much leſs is it plain who he is; and therefore we may certainly conclude, that God hath not thought it neceſſary that there ſhould be an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith, becauſe he hath revealed no ſuch thing to us; and that Biſhop, and that Church who only have arrogated Infallibility to themſelves, have given the greateſt evidence in the World to the contrary; and have been detected, and ſtand convinc'd of the greateſt Errors: And it is in vain for any Man, or Company of Men, to pretend to Infallibility, ſo long as the evidence that they are deceived is much greater and clearer than any proof they can produce for their Infallibility.
If then God hath not provided an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith; there is ſome other way whereby Men may be ſecured againſt dangerous and damnable Errors in Religion, and whereby they may diſcern Truth from Impoſture, and what Doctrines are from God, and what not; and this our Saviour declares to us here in the Text, namely, That an honeſt and ſincere mind, and a hearty deſire to do the Will of God, is the beſt Preſervative againſt fatal Errors and Miſtakes in Matters of Religion; foreign, If any Man deſire to do his Will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeak of my ſelf.
There are two dangerous miſtakes in Religion: To reject any thing which really comes from God; and To receive and entertain any thing as from God, which doth not really come from him.
Firſt, To reject any thing which really comes from God. This miſtake the Jews frequently fell into, when they rejected the true Prophets which God from time to time ſent to them, ſlighting their Meſſage, and perſecuting their Perſons: but they miſcarried moſt fatally and remarkably in their contempt of the true Meſſias, that great Prophet whom they had ſo long expected, and whom God ſent at laſt, to bring Salvation to them; but when he came, they knew him not, nor would receive him, but uſed him with all the deſpite and contempt imaginable, not as a Teacher come from God, but as a Deceiver, and Impoſtor.
Now the danger of rejecting any thing that comes from God, conſiſts in this, that it cannot be done without the higheſt Affront to the Divine Majeſty. To reject a Divine Meſſage, or Revelation, is to oppoſe God, and fight againſt him. So our Saviour tells the Jews, that in deſpiſing him, they deſpiſed him that ſent him.
Secondly, There is alſo another dangerous miſtake on the other hand, in entertaining any thing as a Revelation from God, which is not really from him. And this likewiſe the Jews were frequently guilty of, in receiving the falſe Prophets which ſpake in the name of the Lord, when he had not ſent them. And this is commonly the temper of thoſe who reject the truth, greedily to ſwallow error and deluſion. So our Saviour tells us of the Jews, John 5. 43. I am come in my Fathers name, and ye receive me not; if another ſhall come in his own name, him ye will receive. This Prediction of our Saviour's concerning the Jews, was fully accompliſh'd; for after they had rejected him, who gave ſuch abundant evidence that he was the true Meſſias, and a Teacher ſent from God, they received others, who really came in their own names, and ran after thoſe who pretended to be the Meſſias, and were in great numbers deſtroyed with them. And this is very juſt with God, that thoſe who receive not the truth in the love of it, ſhould be given up to ſtrong deluſions, to believe lies.
No… theſe being the two great dangerous Miſtakes in Religion which Men are liable to, my Work at this time ſhall be to ſhew, how a ſincere deſire and endeavour to do the Will of God, is a ſecurity to Men againſt both thoſe dangers; and it will appear to be ſo, upon theſe two accounts.
I. Becauſe he who ſincerely deſires and endeavours to do the Will of God, is hereby better qualified and diſpoſed to make a right Judgment of Spiritual and Divine things.
II. Becauſe God's Providence is more eſpecially concerned to ſecure ſuch Perſons from dangerous Errors and Miſtakes in things which concern their Eternal Salvation. Theſe ſhall be the two Heads of my following Diſcourſe.
Firſt, Becauſe he who ſincerely deſires and endeavours to do the Will of God, is hereby better qualified and diſpoſed to make a right Judgment of Spiritual and Divine Things, and that for theſe two Reaſons.
I. Becauſe ſuch a Perſon hath a truer notion of God, and Divine Things.
II. Becauſe he is more impartial in his ſearch and enquiry after Truth.
Firſt, Becauſe ſuch a Perſon hath a truer notion of God, and Divine Things. No Man is ſo likely to have clear and true apprehenſions of God, as a good Man, becauſe he hath tranſcribed the Divine perfections in his own mind, and is himſelf in ſome meaſure and degree what God is. And for this Reaſon it is, that the Scripture ſo often lays the foundation of all Divine Knowledge in the practice of Religion. Job 28. 28. The fear of the Lord, that is Wiſdom, and to depart from Evil, is Underſtanding; and Pſal. 111. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wiſdom (that is) the Principle and Foundation of it; a good underſtanding have all they that do his Commandments: Whereas the Vices and Luſts of Men darken their Reaſon, and diſtort their Underſtandings, and fill the Mind with groſs and ſenſual apprehenſions of Things, and thereby render Men unfit to diſcern thoſe Truths which are of a Spiritual Nature and tendency, and altogether indiſpoſed to receive them. For tho' the Vices of Men be properly ſeated in their Wills, and do not poſſeſs their Underſtandings; yet they have a bad influence upon them, as Fumes and Vapours from the Stomach are wont to affect the Head.
Nothing indeed is more natural to the Mind and Underſtanding of Men, than the knowledge of God; but we may abuſe our Faculties, and render them unfit for the diſcerning even of their proper Objects.
When Men by wicked Practices have rendred themſelves unlike to God, they will not love to retain the knowlenge of him in their Minds, but will become vain in their imaginations concerning him. What Clouds and Miſts are to the Bodily Eye, that the Luſts and Corruptions of Men are to the Underſtanding; they hinder it from a clear perception of Heavenly Things; the pure in Heart, they are beſt qualified for the ſight of God.
Now according as a Man's Notions of God are, ſuch will be his apprehenſions of Religion. All Religion is either Natural, or Revealed: Natural Religion conſiſts in the belief of a God, and in right conceptions and apprehenſions concerning him, and in a due reverence and obſervance of him, and in a ready and chearful obedience to thoſe Laws which he hath imprinted upon our Nature; and the Sum of our Obedience conſiſts in our conformity to God, and an endeavour to be like him. For, ſuppoſing God to have made no external Revelation of his Mind to us, we have no other way to know his Will, but by conſidering his Nature, and our own; and if ſo, then he that reſembles God moſt, is like to underſtand him beſt, becauſe he finds thoſe perfections in ſome meaſure in himſelf, which he contemplates in the Divine Nature; and nothing gives a Man ſo ſure a notion of things, as practice and experience: Every good Man is in ſome degree partaker of a Divine Nature, and feels that in himſelf, which he conceives to be in God: So that this Man does experience what others do but talk of; he ſees the Image of God in himſelf, and is able to diſcourſe of him from an inward ſenſe and feeling of his Excellency, and Perfections.
And as for Revealed Religion, the only deſign of that is, to revive and improve the Natural Notions which we have of God; and all our Reaſonings about Divine Revelation, are neceſſarily gathered by our Natural Notions of Religion: And therefore he that ſincerely endeavours to do the will of God, is not apt to be impoſed upon by the vain and confident pretences of Divine Revelation; but if any Doctrine be propoſed to him, which pretends to come from God, he meaſures it by thoſe ſteady and ſure Notions which he hath of the Divine Nature and Per…ections, and by thoſe he will eaſily diſcern whether it be worthy of God, or not, and likely to proceeed from him: He will conſider the nature and tendency of it, and whether it be (as the Apoſtle expreſſes it) a Doctrine according to Godlineſs, ſuch as is agreeable to the Divine Nature and Perfections, and tends to make us like to God: If it be not, tho' an Angel from Heaven ſhould bring it, he will not receive it: If it be, he will not reject it upon every idle pretence, and frivolous exception that prejudiced and ill minded Men may make againſt it; but after he is ſatiſfied of the reaſonableneſs and purity of the Doctrine, he will accept of ſuch evidence and confirmation of it, as is fit for God to give to his own Revelations; and if the Perſon that brings it, hath the atteſtation of Miracles (which is neceſſary in caſe it be a new Doctrine) and if he carry on no Earthly Intereſt and Deſign by it, but does by his Life and Actions make it evident that he aims at the glory of God, and the good of Men, in this caſe, a good Man, whoſe mind is free from paſſion and prejudice, will eaſily aſſent, that this Man's Doctrine is of God, and that he does not ſpeak of himſelf. This was the Evidence which our Saviour offered to the Jews, in vindication of himſelf, and his Doctrine, Joh. 7. 18. He that ſpeaketh of himſelf, ſeeketh his own glory: but he that ſeeketh his glory that ſent him, the ſame is true, and no unrighteouſneſs is in him; as if he had ſaid, hereby may you diſtinguiſh one that really comes from God, from an Impoſtor: If any Man ſeek his own glory, you may conclude that God hath not ſent him, but whatever he pretends, that he ſpeaks of himſelf; but he who by his Life, and the courſe of his Actions demonſtrates that he ſeeks the honour of God, and not any intereſt and advantage of his own, the ſame is true, and there is no unrighteouſneſs in him; that is, no falſehood or deſign to deceive (for ſo the word foreign does ſometimes ſignifie); you may conclude ſuch an one to be no Deceiver, or Impoſtor. And if any Man ſincerely deſires and endeavours to do the will of God, he may by ſuch Marks and Characters as theſe, judge of any Doctrine that pretends to be from God, whether it be ſo or not. This is the firſt Reaſon; becauſe he that ſincerely deſires and endeavours to do the will of God, hath the trueſt notion of God, and of Divine Things.
Secondly, Such a Perſon is more impartial in his ſearch and enquiry after Truth, and therefore more likely to find it, and to diſcern it from Error. He that hath an honeſt mind, and ſincerely endeavours to do the will of God, is not apt to be ſwayed and biaſſed by any Intereſt or Luſt: for his great Intereſt is to pleaſe God, and he makes all his other Intereſts and concernments to ſtoop and yield to that. But if a Man be governed by any earthly Intereſt or Deſign, he will meaſure all things by that, and is not at liberty to entertain any thing that croſſes it, and to judge equally of any Doctrine that is oppoſite to his Intereſt. This our Saviour gives for a Reaſon, why the great Rabbies and Teachers among the Jews did not believe and embrace his Doctrine, John 5. 44. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another? If Men have any other deſign in Religigion than to pleaſe God, and to advance his Honour and Glory in the World, no wonder if they be apt to reject the moſt Divine Truths; becauſe theſe are Calculated, not to approve us to Men, but to God.
And as Vain-Glory, and a deſire of the Applauſe of Men; ſo likewiſe doth every other Luſt make a Man partial in his Judgment of things, and clap a falſe Biaſs upon his Underſtanding, which carries it off from Truth, and makes it to lean towards that ſide of the Queſtion which is moſt favourable to the Intereſt of his Luſts. A vicious Man is not willing to entertain thoſe Truths which would croſs and check him in his courſe: He hath made the Truth his Enemy, and therefore he thinks himſelf concern'd to oppoſe it, and riſe up againſt it: The light of it offends him, and therefore he ſhuts his Eyes that he may not ſee it. Thoſe holy and pure Doctrines, which are from God, reprove the Luſts of Men, and diſcover the Deformity of them; and therefore no wonder if bad Men be ſo hard to be reconciled to them. This account our Saviour likewiſe gives of the fierce Enmity of the Jews to him, and his Doctrine, Jo…. 3. 19, 20. Light is come into the World, and Men loved darkneſs rather than light, becauſe their deeds were evil; for every one that doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, leſt his deeds ſhould be reproved.
The vicious Inclinations of Men are a dead weight upon their Underſtandings, and able to draw down the Scales againſt the cleareſt Truths: For tho' it be abſolutely in no Man's power to believe, or to diſ-believe what he will; yet Men's Lives have many times a great influence upon their Underſtandings, to make Aſſent eaſie, or difficult; and as we are forward to believe what we have a mind to, ſo are we very backward and ſlow in yielding our Aſſent to any thing that croſſeth our Inclinations. Men that allow themſelves in ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, will not eaſily believe thoſe Doctrines, which charge Men ſo ſtrictly with all manner of Holineſs, and Purity.
This is the way which the Devil hath always uſed to blind the eyes of Men, that the light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſt might not ſhine into them. And certainly the moſt effectual way to keep Men in Infidelity, is to debauch them in their Lives; therefore the Apoſtle gives this as the reaſon of the Infidelity of Men in the laſt times, 2 Theſ. 2. 12. They believed not the Truth, but had pleaſure in Unrighteouſneſs. When Men once abandon themſelves to lewd and vicious practices, Infidelity becomes their Intereſt; becauſe they have no other way to defend and excuſe a wicked Life, but by denying the Truth which oppoſeth it, and finds fault with it.
That Man only ſtands fair for the entertainment of Truth, who is under the Dominion of no Vice, or Luſt; becauſe he hath nothing to corrupt or bribe him, to ſeduce him, or draw him aſide in his enquiry after Truth; he hath no intereſt but to find the Truth, and follow it: He is enquiring after the way to Heaven, and Eternal Happineſs, and he hath the indifferency of a Traveller, which is not inclined to go this way rather than another; for his concernment is to find out the right way, and to walk in it: Such an indifferency of Mind hath every good Man, who ſincerely deſires to do the will of God; he ſtands ready to receive Truth, when ſufficient Evidence is offered to convince him of it; becauſe he hath no manner of concernment that the contrary Propoſition ſhould be true. As in Mathematicks, a Man is ready to give his Aſſent to any Propoſition, that is ſufficiently demonſtrated to him, becauſe he hath no inclination or affection to one ſide of the Queſtion more than to the other; all his deſign and concernment is to find out the Truth, on which ſide ſoever it lies; and he is like to find it, becauſe he is ſo indifferent, and impartial. But if a Man be biaſs'd by any Luſt, and addicted to any vicious Practice, he is then an intereſted Perſon, and concerned to be partial in his Judgment of Things, and is under a great temptation to Infidelity, when the Truths of God are propoſed to him; becauſe whatever the Evidence for them be, he cannot but be unwilling to own the truth of that Doctrine, which is ſo contrary to his Inclination and Intereſt. If the Affections and Intereſts of Me… were as deeply concerned, and as ſenſibly touched in the truth of Mathematical Propoſitions, as they are in the Principles of Morality, and Religion, we ſhould find, that when a Propoſition ſtood in their way, and lay croſs to their Intereſt, tho' it were never ſo clearly demonſtrated, yet they would raiſe a duſt about it, and make a thouſand cavils, and fence even againſt the evidence of a Demonſtration; they would palliate their Error with all the Skill and Art they could and tho' the abſurdity of it were never ſo great and palpable, yet they would hold it faſt againſt all Senſe and Reaſon, and face down Mankind in the obſtinate defence of it; for we have no reaſon to doubt, but that they who in Matters of Religion will believe directly contrary to what they ſee, would if they had the ſame intereſt and paſſions to ſway them in the caſe, believe contrary to the cleareſt Mathematical Demonſtration; for where there is an obſtinate Reſolution not to be convinc'd, all the Reaſon and Evidence in the World ſignifies nothing.
Whereas he that is biaſſed by no Paſſion or Intereſt, but hath an honeſt Mind, and is ſincerely deſirous to do the Will of God, ſo far as he knows it, is likely to judge very impartially concerning any Doctrines that are propoſed to him: For if there be not good Evidence that they are from God, he hath no reaſon to deceive himſelf, in giving credit to them; and if there be good Evidence that they are Divine, he hath no intereſt or inclination to reject them; for it being his great deſign to do the will of God, he is glad of all opportunities to come to the knowledge of it, that he may do it.
Thus you ſee how a ſincere deſire and endeavour to obey the Will of God, does ſecure Men againſt fatal Errors and Miſtakes in Matters of Religion; becauſe ſuch Perſons are hereby better diſpoſed to make a right Judgment of Divine Things, both becauſe they have truer and ſurer notions of God and Religion, and are more impartial in their ſearch and enquiry after Truth. This is the firſt Account.
Secondly, Another Reaſon why they who ſincerely deſire to do the Will of God, have a great ſecurity in diſcerning Truth from Error, is, becauſe the Providence of God is more eſpecially concerned to preſerve ſuch Perſons from dangerous Errors and Miſtakes in Things which concern their Eternal Salvation. When Men are of a teachable Temper, God loves to reveal himſelf and his Truth to them; and ſuch is an humble and obedient frame of Mind. Pſal. 25. 9. The meek will he guide in Judgment; the meek will he teach his way. The proper diſpoſition of a Scholar, is to be willing to learn; and that which in Religion we are to learn, is what is the good and acceptable will of God, that we may do it; for Practice is the end of Knowledge. If you know theſe things (ſays our Bleſſed Lord) happy are ye if ye do them. It is neceſſary to know the will of God; but we are happy only in the doing of it: and if any Man be deſirous to do the Will of God, his Goodneſs is ſuch, that he will take effectual care to ſecure ſuch an one againſt dangerous and fatal Errors. He that hath an honeſt Mind, and would do the will of God, if he knew it, God will not ſuffer him to remain ignorant of it, or to be miſtaken about it, in any neceſſary Points of Faith, or Practice.
St. Paul is a wonderful Inſtance of the Goodneſs of God in this kind. He was undoubtedly a Man of a very honeſt Mind; he had entertained the Jewiſh Religion, as revealed by God, and been bred in it; and out of a blind reverence and belief of his Teachers, who rejected Chriſt and his Doctrine, he likewiſe oppoſed and perſecuted them with a mighty Zeal, and an honeſt intention, being verily perſwaded (as he himſelf tells us) that he ought to do what he did, againſt the Name of Jeſus of Nazareth; he was under a great prejudice upon account of his Education, and according to the heat of his natural Temper, tranſported with great Paſſion: But becauſe he did what he did, ignorantly, and in unbelief; God was pleaſed to ſhew mercy to him, and in a miraculous manner to convince him of the Truth of that Religion which he perſecuted. He was ſincerely deſirous to do the will of God, and therefore God would rather work a Miracle for his Converſion, than ſuffer him to go on in ſo fatal a Miſtake concerning the Chriſtian Religion.
And as the Providence of God doth concern it ſelf to ſecure good Men from dangerous Errors and Miſtakes in Matters of Religion; ſo by a juſt Judgment he gives up thoſe who allow themſelves in vicious practices, to Error, and Infidelity. And this is the meaning of that paſſage of the Prophet Eſa. Ch. 6. 10. ſo often cited by our Saviour, and applied to the Jews, of making the heart of that People fat, and their Ears heavy, and cloſing their Eyes, leſt they ſhould Underſtand, and be Converted. So again, Iſa. 66. 3, 4. God threatens the People of Iſrael, That becauſe they were wicked and abominable in their Lives, he would abandon them, and give them over to a Spirit of Deluſion; they have choſen their own ways, and their Soul delighteth in their Abominations; I alſo will chuſe their deluſions. God is ſaid to chuſe thoſe things for us, which he permits us to fall into: So Rom. 1. 28. God is ſaid to give over the abominable Heathen to a Reprobate Mind. As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over foreign, to an Injudicious and Undiſcerning Mind. When Men abandon themſelves to Wickedneſs and Impiety, God withdraws his Grace from them; and by his ſecret and juſt Judgment they are deprived of the Faculty of diſcerning between Truth and Error, between Good and Evil. 2 Theſ. 2. 10, 11, 12. It is ſaid, that the Man of Sin ſhould come with all deceiveableneſs of Unrighteouſneſs in them that periſh, becauſe they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be Saved: And that for this Cauſe, God would ſend them ſtrong deluſion, that they ſhould believe a Lye; that they all might be Damned, who believed not the Truth, but had pleaſure in Unrighteouſneſs. And it is juſt with God, that Men of Vicious Inclinations and Practices ſhould be expoſed to the Cheat of the groſſeſt and vileſt Impoſtors. God's Providence is concerned for Men of honeſt Minds, and ſincere Intentions: But if Men take pleaſure in Unrighteouſneſs, God takes no further care of them, but delivers them up to their own hearts Luſts, to be ſeduced into all thoſe Errors, into which their own vain Imaginations, and their fooliſh hearts are apt to lead them.
Thus have I endeavoured, as briefly as I could, to ſhew that an honeſt Mind, that ſincerely deſires and endeavours to do the Will of God, is the beſt ſecurity againſt fatal Errors and Miſtakes in Matters of Religion; both becauſe it diſpoſeth a Man to make a true Judgment of Divine Things, and becauſe the Providence of God is more eſpecially concerned for the ſecurity of ſuch Perſons.
There remains …an Objection to be anſwered, to which this Diſcourſe may ſeem liable; but this, together with the Inferences which may be made from this Diſcourſe, I ſhall referr to another opportunity.