Concerning Mans Natural Proneness to Error, Tract 1 · Section 1
I. That Sin in Practice is ordinarily the fruit of ſome Errour or Deceit in the Ʋnderſtanding.
This I ſhall but touch upon in tranſitu. Only let it be obſerved, That Errour or Deceit I take here, and ſo ſhall do in the enſuing Diſcourſe, in the largeſt Sence, viz. For any Notion, Apprehenſion or Reaſoning, that the Mind of Man is incident unto, (and they are innumerable;) that diſagrees with, or is contrary unto that Syſtem of Divine Truth, contained in the Scriptures.
Now I ſay, that all Sin is ordinarily the Fruit of ſome Errour, ſome falſe Notion, Miſtake or Miſapprehenſion in the Underſtandin. A deceived Heart hath turned him aſide, ſaith God of an Idolater, Iſa. 44.20. The ſame may be ſaid of Sinners in general, A deceived Heart hath turned them aſide. Hence Sins in the general are called Errours, Pſal. 19.12. Who can underſtand his Errours? that is, his Sins. So the High-Prieſt is ſaid to offer that Blood, which he carried into the Holieſt of all, for himſelf, and for the Errours of the People, Heb. 9.7. that is, the Sins of the People. Hence, whereas we read, Job 5.24. Thou ſhalt viſit thy Habitation, and ſhalt ot ſin: the Hebrew is, and ſome Margents read it, And ſhalt not Err. As ſinning is the erring or deviating from the right Rule; ſo all Sin ordinarily is the Fruit of ſome Errour, or Deceit in the Underſtanding. This holds true of Sins of Omiſſion, as well as of Commiſſion, and is eminently true, of the Sins that are found with the People of God; I mean it of ſuch Sins, as they live and allow themſelves in: and that there are found ſuch Sins with them, and that both of Omiſſion and Commiſſion, cannot be denied, but they do not, they indeed cannot live, or allow themſelves in any known Sin. 1 John 3.6. Whoſoever abideth in him (viz. Jeſus Chriſt) ſinneth not. i. e. He lives not in any way of, nor allows himſelf in the leaſt known Sin. What Sins he lives or allows himſelf in, they are the Fruit of ſome Errour or Deceit, that the Underſtanding hath taken up and etertained. It may be ſaid, A deceived Heart hath turned him aſide. All Sins, whether found with the Men of the World, or with the Saints, are ordinarily the Fruit of ſome Errour or Deceit in their Underſtandings: I ſay, they are ordinarily ſo, becauſe I ſhall not determine that Queſtion, An neceſſe ſit errare eum qui peccat in eo quod peccat. But this will be found true odinarily, where Men are turned aſide into any way of Sin, yea or into any particular Sin, that it's a deoeived Heart hath turned them aſide. And this may be further added, That as all Sin is ordinarily the Fruit of ſome Errour, ſo all Errour is ordinarily productive of ſome Sin, either by way of Omiſſion or of Commiſſion. As Errour it ſelf is a Sin, ſo it and Sin are Correlates; the former as the Root, the latter as the Fruit. Where there is Errour as the Root, there will be ſome Sin as the Fruit; and where there is Sin as the Fruit, it may be concluded that there is Errour as the Root within. But this is not that which I intend to inſiſt upon.
Ʋſe. Let this Exhort Believers, (yea all in General) to be jealous of their Underſtandings. Believers they may, and too often do allow themſelves in ſuch Sins, as are greatly diſpleaſing to our Lord Chriſt, and yet perceive it not; and the reaſon is, becauſe, a deceived Heart hath turned them aſide. Their Practice, 'tis true, correſponds with the Light of their Underſtandings, but there is too much Darkneſs mingled with that Light, and that they diſcern not: For we ſhall find that ſincere Chriſtians, too often are not ſo jealous of their Underſtandings, as they ſhould be. They are careful that their Practice comes up to, and is commenſurate with their Knowledg, but ſuſpect not that Deceit (which in the State of Imperfection) they are incident unto.
From hence are theſe various Evils, which are found amongſt Profeſſors: one is really Covetous, another Proud, another Voluptuous, and another lives in the open neglect of the commands of Jeſus Chriſt; and yet probably their Conſciences check them not: and the Reaſon is, There is ſome Deceit, ſome Errour in the Underſtanding, by means whereof Conſcience diſcerns not thoſe Evils; and the great Reaſon of this is, that they are not ſufficiently jealous of their own Underſtandings, nor ſuſpect themſelves to lie under any Deceit.
And therefore, as we ought to hold our Integrity, with the like ſtedfaſtneſs that Job did, and according to his Reſolution, Job 27.6. nor give any occaſion to our own Hearts to reproach us; ſo we ought to exerciſe an holy jealouſy over our Hearts, left any Deceit lodging in them, they ſhould turn us aſide into Ways or Actions, for which our Lord Chriſt may, and probably will, if not condemn, yet ſharply reprove and correct us. But of this more hereafter.