Concerning Mans Natural Proneness to Error, Title page 1 – Errata
ΕΝΕ'ΡΓΕΙΑ ΠΛΑ'ΝΗΣ.
Or a brief DISCOURSE Concerning Man's natural proneneſs to, and tenaciouſneſs of Errour.
Whereunto is added Some Arguments to prove, that that Covenant entred with Abraham, Gen. 17.7. is the Covenant of Grace.
By J. Whiſton, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
I have laid the Foundation, and another buildeth thereon; but let every Man take heed how he buildeth thereupon:
1 Cor. 3.10.
Nemo ſibi tantum errat, ſed alieni Erroris Cauſa, & Autor eſt.
Sen. de vit. beat.
Nimis perversè ſeipſum amat qui alios vult errare, ut Error ſuus lateat.
Aug.
LONDON; Printed by J.D. for Jonathan Robinſon, at the Golden-Lyon in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1682.
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
THat there is a Time coming, viz. When the Fulneſs of the Gentiles ſhall be come in, and the Deliverer come out of Sion, and hath turned Ungodlineſs from Jacob; when all the Diverſities of Doctrines ſhall ceaſe, and the Doctrine of the Goſpel be taught in its Perfection, Purity and Simplicity; thereupon through the more plentiful pourings forth of the Spirit, a perfect Ʋ nty of Mind, Judgment and Practice, in eſpecial in the Worſhip of God among Saints, and that no ſmall part of the Glory and Happineſs of the Church ſhall conſiſt therein, theſe Scriptures (with divers others of a like import) do fully declare,Hic Fluvius eſt uberrima Doctrina Chriſti; Bright. in loco. Rev. 22.1. Zeph. 3.9. Zech. 14.9. Ʋnto which State, when the Church is arrived, ſhe ſhall receive that Approbatory and Commendatory Eulogium from Chriſt's own Mouth, Cant. 6.8. My Dove, my Undefiled is but One, ſhe is the only One of her Mother, ſhe is the chief of her that bear her; Then the Daughters ſhall ſee her, and bleſs her; the Queens and Concubines ſhall behold her, and praiſe her: Then ſhall ſhe be Ephziba, the King ſhall greatly delight in her Beauty: Then ſhall ſhe be called Beulah, as viſibly appearing in her Marriage-Ʋnion with Chriſt. But alas! how far doth the Church at preſent fall ſhort of this Glory and Happineſs? What Diverſity of Doctrines? what Variety of Opinions and Practices ariſing therefrom are there? Surely for the Diviſions of Rouben [of Zion], there are, and cannot but be great Thoughts (and thoſe ſorrowful ones too) of Heart, in all that are true and legitimate Children.
Neither in theſe preſent Diverſities of Doctrine, Judgments and Practices found in the Church, (ſome of which muſt neceſſarily be erronious, if not heretical) leſs matter of Sorrow and Grief then her future Ʋnity is matter of Joy and Rejoycing. And therefore let all that wiſh well unto Zion ſay, For Zion's ſake will I not hold my Peace; for Jeruſalem's ſake will I not reſt, till the Righteouſneſs thereof go forth a Brightneſs, and the Salvation thereof as a burning Lamp; that there may be one Lord, and his Name one throughout all the Earth. 'Tis indeed no wonder that Errours and Hereſies do abound among thoſe who only have the Form, but want the Power of Godlineſs; eſpecially thoſe whom God (as an effect of his Wrath and Diſpleaſure) hath ſent ſtrong Deluſions; and conſequently while there are ſuch in the Churches of Chriſt, and mingled with his Saints, that there are Errors and Hereſies in and among them. There muſt be Hereſies (ſaith the Apoſtle, ſpeaking to the Church at Corinth) among you, that foreign. Thoſe that are allowed and approved, viz. by Chriſt, may be manifeſt, 1 Cor. 11.19. But that there ſhould be ſuch an abounding of Errors, and theſe ſome of them bordering upon and coming very nigh unto Hereſies, not only among, but in, and tenaciouſly held by thoſe who have the ſame Faith in, and Love to our Lord Chriſt, and for whom he hath made ſuch Proviſion for their Knowledg of, and Guidance into Truth as he hath done, is a like matter of Admiration as of Lamentation, whence this ſhould come to paſs is worthy of our moſt ſerious Inquiry. Some Satisfaction whereunto may be received from the former of the enſuing Diſcourſes; but yet a further Inquiry may ariſe, with an eſpecial reſpect unto thoſe we now ſpeak of (at leaſt ſome of them) viz. ſuch, who not only have the old Man crucified, and thereby the Body of Sin deſtroyed, in common with all other Saints, but do walk in a peculiar exactneſs of Obedience to the whole Will of Chriſt, ſo far as known by them: and conſequently who cannot be ſuppoſed to be left of God, nor given up to the Power of Satan, to be ſeduced and influenced by him to the imbracement, or tenacious holding of Errour, eſpecially ſuch who have competent Parts and Abilities, rendring them capable of diſcerning between Truth and Error.
Now the Enquiry is, Whence it ſhould come to paſs that ſuch as theſe ſhould yet take up and embrace Errors, (yea, and that ſome that are very plain and palpably ſo) and having once taken up and embraced them, ſhould be ſo tenacious of them, as ſometimes they are found to be. Can it be ſuppoſed, that that corrupt Principle or Inclination unto Error connatural unto Men, as fallen, ſhould retain and keep up its vigor and ſtrength, ſo as to have any conſiderable Influence upon ſuch Men's Embracement of Error? or can they be ſuppoſed to be ſo far under the power of Self-Love, as by that to be rendered ſo tenacious of it, when embraced by them? Can theſe particular Luſts retain their Force and Vigor, when all other Luſts are in a good meaſure mortified and ſubdued?
For Satisfaction hereunto, I ſhall not at preſent inſiſt on the low degree of Mortification, that the Generality of ſincere Chriſtians do attain unto, and conſequently the Strength that inherent Luſt (tho greatly enervated and weakened by renewing Grace) yet retains in them; nor the variety of Biaſſes that good Men may lye under to particular Errours; nor yet the Soveraign Pleaſure of God in concealing particular Truths from ſome of his choiceſt Serevants. There are three things that have no little Intereſt in ſuch Men's embracing and tenacious holding of Error. We may call them the deficient Cauſes of thoſe Evils.
1. Either ſome Error or Miſtake about God, as dwelling in Jeſus Chriſt, or the want of preſerving in their Hearts a continual due ſenſe of what is known of him. The foreign, the firſt Error, making way for all others, oftentimes reſpects God himſelf: even thoſe who do truly know, and are known of God, yet may and do greatly err and miſtake about him, and in eſpecial as to our preſent purpoſe about his Holineſs and Jealouſy proceeding therefrom, reſpective to his own People; or, ſuppoſe they are right in their Notions, yet they do not preſerve an abiding due ſenſe of what they know of him upon their Hearts. Had but Chriſtians thoſe awakening words of Joſhua, Joſh. 24.19. Ye cannot ſerve the Lord; for he is an holy God: he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your Tranſgreſſions, nor your Sins. Not only he will not forgive your Tranſgreſſions, your Rebellions and more groſs Evils, but he will not forgive your Sins; your Errors or Miſtakes, and Miſcarriages ariſing from them, tho of an inferiour Nature. I ſay, had but Chriſtians theſe Words always ſounding in their Ears, with a due ſenſe of their Importance upon their Hearts, as Jerome had his, Surge & veni in Judicium; which added to the former, would make them more efficacious, they would be more wary of imbracing any Error, and more ready to relinquiſh it when detected, than too commonly they are. Chriſtians do not ſtudy and labour to acquaint themſelves with the infinite Holineſs and Jealouſy of God, get and keep a due ſenſe thereof upon their Hearts, as they ought to doe. To ſtudy and weigh Doctrines and Practices, whether only propoſed, or actually embraced, with a right Apprehenſion of the infinite Holineſs and Jealouſy of God in the Mind, and a due ſenſe of the one and the other upon the Heart, would prevent the Embracement of many Errors when propoſed, and produce the Relinquiſhment of others, when actually taken up and embraced.
And here let me warn all to take heed of judging of the Holineſs and Jealouſy of God, reſpective to his own People, in eſpeciall reſpective to themſelves, by ſenſe. 'Tis not ſafe judging of any of the Attributes and Perfections of God by ſenſe, which yet Chriſtians are too apt to do: and hence not ſenſibly feeling or diſcerning of any of the Effects of them, in and upon, or with reference to themſelves, they either entertain Miſtakes about, or elſe have not a due Senſe of what they have the right Notion of, upon their Hearts. Our Hearts are too commonly affected with what we know of God, according as it is verified in ſutable Effects upon, or with reference to our ſelves; when as God may and often doth manifeſt and verify his Attributes in Effects that are very ſecret and hidden, at leaſt that fall not in, nor correſpond with our Expectations or Suppoſitions; and when they are ſo, they are ſometimes of moſt dreadful Conſequence unto Men. Thus God may exert and verify his holy Jealouſy in ſuffering Men to fall into, and tenaciouſly hold an Error, the Embracement and holding of which is of very dangerous Conſequence to them, when yet they perceive it not: and therefore let us judg of the Holineſs and Jealouſy of God not by Senſe, but by Faith, according to the Revelations he hath made thereof in his Word: and anſwerably ſearch the Scriptures, weigh all Doctrines and Practices, whether only propoſed, or actually embraced, with a due Sence, holy Awe and Dread of the Holineſs and Jealouſy of God upon our Hearts.
2. The low Enjoyment that Chriſtians generally have of the Communion of the Spirit. 'Tis one of the glorious Priviledges that our Lord Chriſt hath purchaſed, and ſtill intercedes for, on the behalf of his People; and 'tis prayed for by the Apoſtle primarily on the behalf of the Corinthians, and ſecundarily of all Saints; 2 Cor. 13.14. yet it is not attained unto and enjoyed, but in a lower degree, by moſt of thoſe in whoſe Hearts he habitually dwells, whereby the Life of Grace is maintained in them. Chriſtians through their Carnality and Senſuality, want of acting their Faith on Jeſus Chriſt for the Spirit, and holy Dependance on him for this Communion, or through one Miſcarriage or another, greatly deprive themſelves of this Priviledg. And pardon me, tho I ſay (not to exempt any) it is well if thoſe who unadviſedly decry the Jewiſh Church as a Carnal Church, are not themſelves found not much exceeding them in Spirituality, at leaſt ſo many of them in moſt Ages, as might juſtly give to the whole the Denomination of a Spiritual Church. Alas! we are all too carnal. This is certain, the more Spiritual any are, the more of this Communion of the Spirit they have; and the more of this Communion they have, the greater is their Security from Error, and anſwerably ordinarily the more free they are from it. One of the great Ends of our Lord Chriſt in purchaſing and leaving the Spirit with his Church, was its Guidance into, and Eſtabliſhment in all Truth. Had we but the Communion of the Spirit in that Fulneſs attainable even in this Life, no ſooner ſhould we turn to the Right hand or to the Left, but we ſhould (as the Prophet ſpeaks) hear a Word (and that made effectual) behind us, ſaying, This is the Way, walk in it. He would not only effectually reſtrain thoſe corrupt Principles within, inclining us to Error, and cauſing our tenacious holding thereof, and actuate that Principle of Love to Truth, and Self-Denial wrought in Regeneration, but would enlighten our Minds in, and ſubdue our Heats unto an Embracement of Truth, and conſequently to a ready Relinquiſhment of Error, how contrary unto ſelf ſoever the one and the other may be.
3. Chriſtians ignorance of, and unacquaintedneſs with themſelves, in eſpecial as to their Proclivity unto Error, and exceſs of Self-Love, with the various Influences it hath upon their Minds, may be aſſigned as another Cauſe concurring to the Evils before mentioned, Error ex eo eſt homini quod ſibi eſt incognitus. They ſee not, nor are ſenſible of theſe Evils in themſelves, and hence neither apply themſelves to that vigorous Mortification of them, nor ſo diligently watch againſt their Production of the evil Effects under conſideration as they ought to do. And this may be added, that many, if not moſt Chriſtians, ſeem leſs apprehenſive of their danger, in reſpect of theſe Evils, than of moſt others that original Concupiſcence manifeſts it ſelf in. The former of them is not ſo uſually taken notice of, and inſiſted upon by thoſe who have laboured in the Diſcovery of the dreadful Corruption and Depravation of human Nature through the Fall of Man, as moſt other Evils flowing therefrom are. Hence Chriſtians generally are not ſo apprehenſive of the Infection of their Natures with this Evil, nor of the Evil and Sinfulneſs of it, as they are of others; neither do the inward workings of theſe Evils, make ſuch ſenſible Impreſſions upon the Mind, as the Workings of many others do; yea, as the former carries an Appearance of the Fruit of the Spirit, whence many take a ſtrong Inclination after new Notions and ſtrange Doctrines to be the Efforts of Love unto Truth; ſo the latter ſhrouds it ſelf under the Notion of an inſeparable Adjunct, or eſſential Property of humane Nature. Did but Chriſtians know and conſider their own Propenſity unto Error, and were more apprehenſive of the Influence Self-Love may have upon them, they would be more cautious of what Doctrines they embrace, and more jealous over themſelves, leſt it ſhould be Error that they have embraced inſtead of Truth, and conſequently more willing to attend to Light offered unto them. Hence it would be of ſingular Ʋſe unto Chriſtians to hearken to that Advice, tho given by an Heathen, foreign. This I ſhall ſay, would but all that love our Lord Chriſt in Sincerity, throughly acquaint themſelves with the infinite Hoineſs of God, and his holy Jealouſy; yea, and that with reference to his own People proceeding therefrom, and endeavour to recover their loſt Communion with the Holy-Ghoſt, and as apprehenſive and ſenſible of their own Propenſity unto Error, with the Advantage it receives as to its holding the Mind in Captivity to it, from the evil Influences of the Remainders of Self-Love in them; and apply themſelves in an holy Awe and Dread of God, and Reliance upon our Lord Chriſt for the Teachings of his Spirit, to the ſtudy and ſearch of the Scriptures, taking in the benefit of thoſe Helps and Advantages afforded to them for the diſtinguiſhing Truth from Error, and all with an holy Reſolution to comply with Truth, and relinquiſh Error, as the one and the other is diſcovered to them; withall, communicating the Light received each unto other with a Spirit of Meekneſs; they would arrive to a greater Ʋnity of Mind,Deus non ſingulis ſeorſum largiter Spiritum ſed pro gratiae menſura cui que diſtribuit, ut Eccleſiae membra viciſſim inter ſe communicando unitatem foveant. Calv. Judgment and Practice, and thereby retreive the Glory of the Church with that holy Doctrine 'tis built upon, now greatly obſcured from the Eyes of Men through the ſad Diverſity of Doctrines, Opinions, and Practices too viſible among Chriſtians. In ſubſervency to this bleſſed End, I have in the enſuing Diſcourſe endeavoured to repreſent Chriſtians to themſelves, and ſhew them the danger they are in of taking up and embracing Error; and having once embraced it, of their tenaciouſly holding of it under a Notion of Truth; not having had a ſole reſpect to Chriſtians of any one Perſwaſion, the things therein offered (I hope) may be of ſome Ʋſe unto all. For beſides the Ʋſe they may be of in thoſe Reſpects pointed at in the Application, eſpeically conſidering the Times we are fallen into, and the Circumſtances we are under, to be awakened to an holy Jealouſy of themſelves, and thereupon review their own Principles and Practices with the Scriptures they are bottomed upon, will be prejudicial unto none. Yet ſhall I not deny but that I have a peculiar reſpect to our Opponents in that Controverſie relating to the Covenant-Intereſt and Baptiſm of the Infant-Seed of Believers, that (if the Lord will) their Minds may be prepared for a ſerious Attention to, and through weighing of what is offered in thoſe few Sheets added in the cloſe, to evince that the Covenant of Circumciſion is indeed the Covenant of Grace; which would they but proceed in the Method before declared (ſo full and demonſtrative is the Evidence given thereunto throughout the whole Scriptures) ſure they could not but comply with, and conſequently that long Controverſy depending between them and us would haſten to a Period, it being at leaſt by many, and thoſe among the chief on either ſide, agreed, that the main Hinge of that Controverſy doth turn upon that Covenant. Could they prove that that Covenant was the old Covenant, it muſt be granted, that the ground we lay to Infants Covenant-Intereſt and Baptiſm therein muſt needs fall, and conſequently the Claim we bottom thereupon muſt be acknowledged to be vain: So, on the other hand, were they fully convinced that that Covenant is indeed the Covenant of Grace, they muſt acknowledg our Claim to be juſt: ſo much ſome of them have acknowledged. See Dr. Winter of Infant Baptiſm.
It is poſſible indeed that ſome may grant this Covenant to be the Covenant of Grace, and yet deny the Covenant-Intereſt and Baptiſm of the Infant-Seed of Believers, and that upon this Suppoſition, viz. That Infants are not Abraham's Seed: But that Plea will ſoon appear exceeding inſignificant, ſeeing that by the Promiſe its being extended to them, they are conſtituted his Seed. Abraham's Seed in their Generations, conſtitutes but one Seed; the Text is plain Gen. 17.7. Seed in their Generations, in the former part of the Vereſe, is expreſſed by that ſingle Term [Seed] in the latter. And beſides, could it be proved (which it can never be) that they could not according to Scripture-warrant, be accounted Abraham's Seed; yet ſo long as the Promiſe runs to Abraham's Seed in their Generations, their Covenant-Intereſt and Baptiſm will ſtand firm. Hence to deny them to be Abraham's Seed, and on that ground to deny their Covenant-Intereſt and Baptiſm, will come to all one, as to deny their Covenant-Intereſt and Baptiſm abſolutely without any reſpect to that Suppoſition; ſeeing the ſame Arguments that prove their Covenant-Intereſt, proves them to be Abraham's Seed, at leaſt we are no way prejudiced by a denial that they are ſo. And this I add, to ſhew what will be expected from any that ſhall attempt to invalidate our Claim to their Covenant-Intereſt and Baptiſm, by that Suppoſition they muſt anſwere all our Arguments, and prove them unconcerned in the Covenant from other Topicks; otherwiſe whatſoever they ſhall ſay will ſignifiy nothing unto us.
But not to detain the Reader any longer, any Apology for the Publication of the enſuing Diſcourſes, whether in regard of the matters and things treated of in them, the ſeaſon of their coming abroad, or their meanneſs and plainneſs, I conceive is either unneceſſary, or will be but of little uſe, at leaſt with reference to the end deſigned.
Only this may be ſaid, The things treated of are weighty; the general Deſign of the former is to convince Chriſtiansof a Poſſibility, that they may take hold of, and hold faſt Deceit and Error under a Notion of Truth, yea, that they are prone ſo to do, and this not only in matters of Faith and Religious Obſervance, but in matters of Practice in the ordinary courſe of their Lives and Converſations, and that to the ſubjecting themſelves to Divine Diſpleaſure, and thoſe Judgments that ſeem impendent, thereby to awaken them to an holy Jealouſy, leſt they ſhould have ſo done. The deſign of the latter, is to eſtabliſh and ſecure one of thoſe great Truths included in the Faith once delivered to the Saints, wherein their Comfort is not a little concerned. And ſurely the nature and import of theſe Deſigns, ſecures their Purſuance from a charge of Ʋnſeaſonableneſs, be the Times or State of Affairs what they will; yea, the Evil of the Days, with the Circumſtances we are under, makes it more eſpecially neceſſary; yet did I know of any thing extant of the ſame Import with the former of theſe Diſcourſes, it had probably been as an untimely Birth that ſees not the Sun. As for their meanneſs and plainneſs, I ſhall only ſay, that as to the former, it is but an Abſtract of ſome few Sermons preached to a plain Congregation, who rather deſire that their Souls ſhould be fed with the ſincere Milk of the Word, than their Fancies gratified with the words of Man's Wiſdom: and poſſibly the Sence may ſometimes ſeem ſomewhat obſcure, and the Sentence leſs coherent, through the Abbreviations made, than otherwiſe they would have been. And beſides, I have had all along conſiderable reſpect to the preſent Times: they ſeem to direct that Injunction, Exod. 33.5. given to the People of Iſrael, to our ſelves; and 'tis applicable to Parents with reference to their Children,Libri quaſi liberi. the Fruit of their Bodies, as well as to themſelves; and it may not unfitly be applied to Authors, with reference to their Books, the Fruit of their Minds. Hence I have been ſo far from ſearching after what might (at leaſt to ſome) ſeem ornamental, that I have again and again laid aſide what was in my hand. And as for the latter, it deſigned the Eſtabliſhment of a particular Truth, required Scripture-Evidence with ſolid Solutions of the Objections and Argumentations it was attached by (wherein the Reader (I hope) will find it not wanting) rather than Rhetorical Flouriſhes or humane Authorities, which might have been multiplied in great abundance, it having had from firſt to laſt the Suffrage of almoſt the whole Ʋniverſal Church. Neither am I out of hope, but that for the future our Opponents themſelves will be of the ſame Mind and Judgment, at leaſt that the Author, whoſe Diſcourſe occaſioned theſe few Sheets, will be ſo; having this hope concerning him, thta however, through one means or another, his Ʋnderſtanding hath been blaſſed and bribed to a taking hold of Deceit, yet the tenderneſs of his Conſcience will not admit of a Defilement through the tenacious holding of it. And the Truth is, the Miſtake on his part is ſo palpable, and the oppoſite Truth ſo evident and plain throughout the whole Scriptures, that it is pitty it ſhould be eſpouſed, at leaſt tenaciouſly held by any but thoſe among whom it had its Riſe, viz. thoſe whom God hath ſent ſtrong Deluſions.
I ſhall only add, That to me there is ſo great a Probability, to ſay no more, that the Vials of the Wrath of God are pouring, yea, are far poured out upon the Antichriſtian Kingdom, and conſequently that the Witneſſes are on the riſing hand, that I cannot but hope the day is now haſtening when the Sp…it ſhall be more plentifully poured forth from on high, as the iſſue whereof, all Conteſts of this nature ſhall ceaſe; all ſincere Saints being by him led into all Truth, and all that love and make a Lie, having their Place without. In the mean time, let Brotherly Love continue, with mutual Endeavours to ſubſerve each other in the Knowledg of, and Eſtabliſhment in the Truth, and ſo edify one another in Faith and Holineſs, that we may be all found of our Lord Chriſt (who is one's as well as anothers,) in Peace, without Spot and blameleſs.
Reader, Thine in the Service of the Goſpel; J. Whiſton.
ERRATA.
PAge 4. in the Margent, read foreign, lin. 22, add before Gen. 48. P. 18. l. 23. r. that. P. 21. l. 24. but the period after Chriſt. P. 22. l. 12. r. of. P. 30. l. 5. r. commends. P. 33. l. 30. r. and. P. 52. f. 48. r. 10. P. 55. l. 34. r. that. P. 56. l. 24. blot out from, P. 57. l. 23 r. word in the Verb. P. 58. l. 18. r. Cauſet. P. 57. l 24. r. unaccountable. P. 63. l. 27. put the? after Guilt. P. 66. l. 21. r. end. P. 70. l. 31. r. poſſeſſion. P. 86. l. 28. r. prize. P. 100. l. 3. r. came. P. 131. l. 13. r. were. P. 111. l. 6. put the Period after Covenant. l. 18. r. convey. P. 115. l. 8. r. Jew. P. 120. l. 14. dele as. l. 21. dele that. P. 126. l. 29. dele thus. P. 131. l. 27. add of the condition. P. 134. l. 30. r. is. P. 137. l. 35. r. Charran. P. 143. l. 12. r. were. P. 146. l. 15. dele the.