Sixteen Sermons, Sermon 4
The Third 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.
WHEN I made entrance into theſe W…ds, I propoſed from this Text, Firſt, To ſhew that an honeſt and ſincere Mind, and a hearty Deſire and Endeavour to do the Will of God, is the greateſt Security and beſt Preſervative againſt dangerous Errors and Miſtakes in Matters of Religion.
In the next place, I proceeded to remove an Objection, to which my Diſcourſe upon this Subject might ſeem liable. Some perhaps might ask, Is every good Man then ſecure from all Error and Miſta…e in Ma…ters of Religion? This is a mighty …riviledge i… deed. But do we not find the contrary in experience, that an honeſt Heart, and a weak Head do often meet together? For Anſwer to this, I laid down ſeveral Propoſitions.
By the Laſt of which I ſhew'd, that God hath made abundant Proviſion for our Security from fatal and dangerous Errors in Religion, both by the Infallible Rule of the Holy Scripture, and by ſufficient means of Inſtruction to help us to underſtand this Rule, and by his Infallible Promiſe of aſſiſting us, if with honeſt Minds, and a due Diligence we apply our ſelves to the underſtanding of this Rule, and the uſe of theſe Means. And this, I told you, was in all Reſpects a better Security, and more likely to Conduct us ſafe to Heaven, than any Infallible Church whatſoever; and that for Five Reaſons; Four of which I have already treated of, and now proceed to the Fifth, and laſt, viz.
Becauſe this Proviſion which I have ſhewn God hath made, is both as good a ſecurity againſt Fatal Errors and Miſtakes in Religion, as an Infallible Church could give, if there were One: And it is likewiſe as good a way to prevent and put an end to Controverſies in Religion, ſo far as it is neceſſary they ſhould be prevented, or have an end put to them. And theſe are the two great Reaſons why an Infallible Judge is ſo importunately demanded, and inſiſted upon. I ſhall ſpeak to theſe two Points, diſtinctly, and ſeverally.
Firſt, Becauſe this is as good a ſecurity againſt Fatal Errors and Miſtakes in Religion, as an Infallible Church could give if there were one. For an Infallible Church, if there were ſuch an one upon Earth, could not Infallibly ſecure particular Chriſtians againſt Errors in Faith, any other way, than by the Definition and Declaration of thoſe who are Infallible in that Church. And there are but three that pretend to it; either the Pope, or a Council General, or the Pope and a General Council agreeing in the ſame Definitions. Not the Pope by himſelf, nor the General Council without the Pope; becauſe the Church which pretends to Infallibility, is not agreed, that either of theſe alone is Infallible, and therefore their Definitions can be no certain, much leſs Infallible Foundation of Faith; no, not to that Church which pretends to Infall…bility. So that if there be an Infallible Oracle in that Church, it muſt be the Pope and Council in Conjunction, or the Definition of a Council confirmed by the Pope. Now in that Caſe, either the Council was Infallible in its Definitions, before they had the Pope's Confirmation, or not. If the Council was Infallible in its Definitions, before they had the Pope's Confirmation; then the Council alone and of its ſelf was Infallible (which a great part of the Church of Rome deny) and then it needed not the Pope's Confirmation to make it Infallible: Or elſe a General Council is not Infallible in its Definitions, before they receive the Pope's Confirmation; and then the Pope's Confirmation cannot make it ſo: For that which was not Infallibly Defined by the Council, cannot be made Infallible by the Pope's Confirmation.
But there is another Difficulty yet: It is a Maxim generally receiv'd, and that even in the Roman Church, That the Definitions of a General Council, confirmed by the Pope, are not Obligatory, unleſs they be receiv'd by the Univerſal Church. From whence theſe two great Inconveniencies will unavoidably follow.
I… That no Man is obliged to believe ſuch Definitions, 'till he Certainly know that they are received by the Univerſal Church; which how he ſhould Certainly, much leſs Infallibly know, I cannot underſtand; unleſs he either ſpeak with all the Chriſtians in the World, or the Repreſentatives of all particular Churches return back and meet again in Council, to declare that the Univerſal Church hath received their Definitions; which I think was never yet done.
II. It will follow, that the Definitions of a General Council, confirmed by the Pope, are not Infallible, 'till they be received by the Univerſal Church. For if they were Infallible without that, they would be Obligatory without it; becauſe an Infallible Definition, if we know it to be ſo, lays an Obligation to believe it, whether it be receiv'd by the Univerſal Church, or not. And if ſuch Definitions are not Infallible 'till they be received by the Univerſal Church, they cannot become Infallible afterwards; becauſe if the Definitions were not Infallible before, they cannot be received as ſuch by the Univerſal Church, nor by the meer reception of them, be made to be Infallible Definitions, if they were not ſo before.
But if we ſhould paſs over all theſe Difficulties, there is a greater yet behind, and that is, Suppoſing the Definitions of General Councils confirmed by the Pope to be Infallible, particular Chriſtians cannot be ſecured Infallibly from Error without the Knowledge of thoſe Definitions. And there are but two ways imaginable of conveying this Knowledge to them: Either by the living voice of their particular Paſtors, whom they are implicitely to believe in theſe Matters; but particular Paſtors are Fallible (as they themſelves grant) and therefore their words can neither be an Infallible Foundation of Faith, or an Infallible means of conveying it; and it is unreaſonable, they ſay, for Men that own themſelves to be Fallible, to require an implicit Belief to be given to them: Or elſe the Knowledge of the Definitions of Councils muſt be conveyed to particular Chriſtians by Writing; and if ſo, then there will only be an Infallible Rule, but no living Infallible Judge. And if an Infallible Rule will ſerve the turn, we have the Scriptures, which we are ſure are Infallible, and therefore at leaſt as good as any other Rule. But they ſay, that the Definitions of Councils give us an Infallible Interpretation of Scripture, and therefore are of greater advantage to us. But do not the Definitions of Councils ſometimes alſo need Explication, that we may know the certain Senſe of them, without which we cannot know the Doctrines defined? Yes certainly, they need Explication as much as Scripture, if there be any difference about the meaning of them; and there have been, and ſtill are great Differences among thoſe of their own Church about the meaning of them. And if the Explications of General Councils need themſelves to be explain'd, then there is nothing got by them, and we are but where we were before: For Differences about the meaning of the Definitions of General Councils, make as great Difficulties and Uncertainties in Faith, as the Differences about the meaning of Scripture.
Well, but the People have the living voice of their particular Paſtors to explain the Definitions of Councils to them. But this does not help the Matter neither, for theſe two Reaſons.
Firſt, Becauſe particular Paſtors have no Authority to explain the Definitions of General Councils. The Council of Trent hath by expreſs Decree, reſerved to the Pope, and to him only, the Power to explain the Definitions of the Council, if any difference ariſe about the meaning of them. So that if there be any difference about the true ſenſe and meaning of any of the Definitions of the Council, particular Paſtors have no Authority to explain them; and where there is no doubt or difference about the meaning of them, there is no occaſion for the explication of them.
Secondly, But ſuppoſe they had Authority to explain them, this can be no Infallible Security to the People that they explain them right; both becauſe particular Paſtors are fallible; and likewiſe becauſe we ſee in experience, that they differ in their Explications; witneſs the Biſhop of Condom's Expoſition of the Catholick Faith, and of the Definitions of the Council of Trent, which is in many Material Points very different from that of Bellarmine, and many other Famous Doctors of that Church. And which is more, witneſs the many differences betwixt Ambro…ius Catharinus, and Dominicus Aſoto, about the Definitions of that Council, in which they were both preſent, and heard the Debates, and themſelves bore a great part in them. Now if they who were preſent at the framing of the Definitions of that Council, cannot agree about the meaning of them, much leſs can it be expected from thoſe that were abſent.
Secondly, This Proviſion which I have mentioned, is likewiſe as good a way to prevent and put an end to Controverſies in Religion, ſo far as it is neceſſary they ſhould be prevented, or have an end put to them, as any Infallible Church would be, if there were one: And this is another Reaſon why an Infallible Church is ſo much inſiſted upon, that there may be ſome way and means for a final deciſion of Controverſies, which the Scriptures cannot be, becauſe they are only a dead Rule, which can end no Controverſie without a Living Judge ready at hand, to interpret and apply that Rule upon emergent Occaſions.
It is not neceſſary that all Controverſies in Religion ſhould either be prevented, or decided: This the Church which pretends to be Infallible, cannot pretend to have done; becauſe there are manifold Controverſies, even in the Church of Rome her ſelf, concerning Matters of Religion, which ſtill remain undecided; and in their Commentaries upon Scripture, many Differences about the ſenſe of ſeveral Texts, concerning which ſhe hath not thought fit to give an Infallible Interpretation. And where their Popes, and ſeveral of their General Councils have thought fit to meddle with Scripture, they have applyed and interpreted Texts more improperly and abſurdly, than even their private Doctors. And which is more, in Differences about Points of Faith, which are pretended on both ſides to be fundamental, this Church hath not thought fit to put an end to them by her Infallible Deciſion, after two hundred years brangling about them. For inſtance, in that fierce and long Difference about the Immaculate Conception of the Bleſſed Virgin, which on both ſides is pretended to be an Article of Faith, and for which, contrary Revelations of their Canonized Saints are ſo frequently pretended; and yet neither Pope, nor General Council, have thought fit to exert their Infallibility for the deciſion of this Controverſie. So that if their Church had this Talent of Infallibility ever committed to them, they have with the ſlothful Servant, laid it up in a Napkin; and according to our Saviour's Rule, have long ſince forfeited it, for not making uſe of it.
And whereas it is pretended, that the Scripture is but a dead R…l…, which can end no Controverſies without a Living Judge ready at hand, to interpret and apply that Rule upon emergent Occaſions; the ſame Objection lies againſt them, unleſs a General Council, which is their Living Judge were always ſitting. For the D…finitions of their Councils in Writing are liable to the ſame, and greater Objections, than the Written Rule of the Scriptures.
The Summ of all is this. In Differences about leſſer Matters, mutual Charity and Forbearance will ſecure the Peace of the Church, tho' the Differences remain undecided; and in greater Matters, an Infallible Rule ſearched into with an honeſt Mind, and due Diligence, and with the help of good Inſtruction, is more likely to extinguiſh and put an end to ſuch Differences, than any Infallible Judge, if there were one; becauſe an humble and honeſt Mind is more likely to yield to Reaſon, than a perverſe and cavilling Temper is to ſubmit to the Sentence of an Infallible Judge, unleſs it were back'd with an Inquiſition. The Church of Rome ſuppoſeth her ſelf Infallible, and yet notwithſtanding that, ſhe finds that ſome queſtion and deny her Infallibility, and then her Sentence ſignifies nothing. And of thoſe who own it, many diſpute the ſenſe and meaning of her Sentence; and whether they deny the Infallibility of her Sentence, or diſpute the Senſe of it, in neither of theſe Caſes will it prove effectual to the deciding of any Difference.
But after all this Proviſion which we pretend God hath made for honeſt and ſincere Minds, Do we not ſee that Men fall into dangerous and damnable Errors, who yet cannot, without great Uncharitableneſs, be ſuppoſed not to be ſincerely deſirous to know the Truth, and to do the Will of God?
To this I ſhall briefly return theſe Two Things.
I. That the ſame Errors are not equally damnable to all. The innocent and (humanly ſpeaking) almoſt invincible Prejudices of Education in ſome Perſons, even againſt a Fundamental Truth; the different Capacities of Men, and the different Means of Conviction afforded to them; the greater and leſſer degrees of Obſtinacy, and a faulty Will in oppoſing the Truths propoſed to them; all theſe, and perhaps ſeveral other Conſiderations beſides, may make a great difference in the guilt of Mens Errors, and the danger of them.
II. When all is done, the Matter muſt be left to God, who only know…th the Hearts of all the Children of Men. We cannot ſee into the Hearts of Men, nor know all their Circumſtances, and how they may have provoked God to forſake them, and give them up to Error and Deluſion, becauſe they would not receive the truth in the love of it, that they might be ſaved. And as on the one hand God will conſider all Mens Circumſtances, and the Diſadvantages they were under for coming to the knowledge of the Truth, and make allowance to Men for their invincible Errors, and forgive them upon a general Repentance: So on the other hand, he who ſees the inſincerity of Men, and that the Errors of their Underſtandings did proce…d from groſs Faults of their Lives, will deal with them accordingly. But if Men be honeſt and ſincere, God, who hath ſaid, if any Man will do his Will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine, will certainly be as good as his word.
It now remains only to draw ſome Inferences from this Diſcourſe, and they ſhall be theſe three.
Firſt, From this Text, and what hath been Diſcourſed upon it, we may infer how ſlender and ill-grounded the pretence of the Church of Rome to Infallibility is; whether they place it in the Pope, or in a General Council, or in both. The laſt is the moſt general Opinion; and yet it is hard to underſtand how Infallibility can reſult from the Pope's Confirmation of a General Council, when neither the Council was Infallible in framing its Definitions, nor the Pope in Confirming them. If the Council were Infallible in framing them; then they needed no Confirmation: If they were not; then Infallibility is only in the Pope that confirms them, and then it is the Pope only that is Infallible. But no Man that reads theſe words of our Saviour, if any Man will do his will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine, would ever imagine that the Biſhop of Rome (whoever he ſhall happen to be) were ſecured from all fatal Errors in Matters of Faith, much leſs that he were Endowed with an Infallible Spirit, in Judging what Doctrines are from God, and what not: For it cannot be denied, but that many of their Popes have been notoriouſly Wicked and Vicious in their Lives: Nay Bellarmine himſelf acknowledgeth, that for a Succeſſion of Fifty Popes together, there was not one Pious and Virtuous Man that ſate in that Chair; and ſome of their Popes have been Condemned and Depoſed for Hereſie; and yet after all this, the Pope, and the governing part of that Church, would bear the World in hand that he is Infallible. But if this Saying of our Saviour be true, that if any Man will do his will, he ſhall know of his Doctrine, whether it be of God; then every honeſt Man that ſincerely deſires to do the Will of God, hath a fairer pretence to Infallibility, and a clearer Text for it, than is to be found in the whole Bible for the Infallibility of the Biſhop of Rome. What would the Church of Rome give, that the…e were but as expreſs a Text in Scripture for the Infallibility of their Popes, as this is for the ſecurity of every good Man, in his Judgment of Doctrines (which makes Infallibility needleſs)? What an unſufferable Noiſe, and what endleſs Triumphs would they make upon it, if it had been any where ſaid in the Bible, That if any Man be Biſhop of Rome, and ſit in St. Peter's Chair, he ſhall know of my Doctrine whether it be of God? Had there been but ſuch a Text as this, we ſhould never have been troubled with their impertinent citation of Texts, and their remote and blind Inferences from Paſce Oves, and ſuper hanc Petram; Feed my Sheep; and upon this Rock will I build my Church; to prove the Pope's Infallibility. And yet no Man of Senſe or Reaſon ever extended the Text I am ſpeaking to, ſo far as to attempt to prove from it the Infallibility of every good Man; but only his ſecurity from …atal Errors and Miſtakes in Religion. The largeſt Promiſes that are made in Scripture of ſecurity from Error and Miſtake about Divine Things, are made to good Men, who ſincerely deſire to do the Will of God. And if this be ſo, we muſt conclude ſeveral Popes to have been the furtheſt from Infallibility of any Men in the World. And indeed there is not a more compendious way to perſwade Men that the Chriſtian Religion is a Fable, than to ſet up a Lewd and Vicious Man for the Oracle of it.
Nay, I will go farther yet; That there are no other Promiſes made in Scripture, of Direction, or Aſſiſtance, or Security from Miſtake, to any Church; but the ſame are made in as full and expreſs Terms to every good Man that ſincerely deſires to know the Truth, and to practiſe it. Is it promis'd to the Church, or to the Paſtors of it, I will be with you always? And hath not our Saviour promiſed the ſame to every one that is obedient to his word? John 14. 23. If a Man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. And does not the Apoſtle apply the ſame Promiſe to every good Chriſtian, Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee? For where is the difference between theſe Expreſſions? I will be with you, and I will make my abode with him? I will be with you always, and I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee? Is it promiſed to the Church, that the Spirit ſhall lead her into all Truth? and is not the ſame Promiſe made to every good Man? John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: And he that loveth me, ſhall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifeſt my ſelf to him; that is, God will reveal his Will to thoſe that love him, and keep his Commandments. Hath God promiſed to build his Church upon a Rock? And doth not our Saviour uſe the ſame Metaphor concerning every Man that doth the Will of God? Mat. 7. 24. Whoſoever heareth theſe Sayings of mine, and doth them, is like a Wiſe Man that built his Houſe upon a Rock. So that if to be built upon a Rock ſignifies Infallibility, it belongs to every good Man, who ſincerely practiſeth what he knows, as much as to any Church.
When Men are enabled by God to work Miracles for the confirmation of the Doctrines which they deliver, there is great Reaſon to believe that they are Infallibly aſſiſted in the delivery of thoſe Doctrines: But without this, 'tis the vaineſt thing in the World, for any Perſon or Church to pretend to it; becauſe they offer no Evidence …it to ſatisfie any Man, that they are ſo aſſiſted: And I do not hear that the Pope, among all his Priviledges, does pretend to the Power of Miracles.
Secondly, From hence likewiſe we may infer the great Reaſon of Error and Infidelity in the World. If any Man be an Infidel, it is not the fault of his Underſtanding, but of his Will; it is not becauſe there is not ſufficient Evidence that the Chriſtian Religion is from God, but becauſe Mens Intereſts and Luſts make them partial and incompetent Judges of Matters of Religion. The Evidence of the Chriſtian Religion is ſuch, as recommends it to every Man's Reaſon and Conſcience; ſo that (as St. Paul argues) if the Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt; In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, leſt the Light of the Glorious Goſpel of Chriſt, who is the Image of God, ſhould ſhine unto them, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4.
If Men did but ſtand indifferent for the entertainment of Truth, and were not ſwayed by the intereſt of any Luſt or Paſſion, I am confident that no Man that hath the Goſpel fairly propoſed to him, would continue an Infidel. If Men did but truly live up to the Principles of Natural Religion, they would eaſily be convinc'd, that the Chriſtian Religion, which is ſo ſuitable thereto, is from God.
Thirdly, and Laſtly, What hath been ſaid, is a great Argument and Encouragement to Obedience, and Holineſs of Life. Do we deſire not to be miſtaken about the Mind of God? Let us heartily endeavour to do his Will. If we would not be ſeduced by the Error of the Wicked; let us take heed of their Vicious Practices. The beſt way certainly to preſerve a right Judgment in Matters of Religion, is to take great care of a good Life. God's Goodneſs is ſuch, that he will not ſuffer any Man's Judgment to be betrayed into a Damnable Error, without ſome Vice and Fault of his Will. The Principles of Natural Religion are born with us, and imprinted upon our Minds, ſo that no Man can be ignorant of them, nor need to be miſtaken about them; and as for thoſe Revelations which God hath made of himſelf to the World, he hath been pleaſed to accompany them with ſo much Evidence, that an honeſt and ſincere Mind may eaſily diſcern them from Error, and Impoſture. So our Saviour hath aſſured us, That if any Man deſire to do his Will; he ſhall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God.
On the other hand, if we ſee any oppoſe the clear Truth, or to depart from it, and to embrace groſs Errors and Deluſions, we may almoſt certainly conclude that there is ſome Worldly Intereſt or Luſt at the bottom of it. So our Saviour has likewiſe told us, that the Reaſon why Men love Darkneſs rather than Light, is, becauſe their Deeds are Evil; and every one that doth Evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light, leſt his Deeds ſhould be reproved. I will Conclude this whole Diſcourſe with St. Peter's Exhortation, the 2d of Pet. 3. 17, 18. Ye therefore, Beloved, ſeeing ye know theſe Things before, beware, leſt ye alſo being led away with the Error of the Wicked, fall from your own ſtedfaſtneſs. But grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt: To him be Glory, both now, and for ever.
Amen.