LIX. Upon these considerations, it is plainly reasonable to fol- SERM. low our guides in all matters wherein we have no other very clear and certain light of reason or revelation to conduct us: the doing so is indeed (which is farther observable) not only wise in itself, but safe in way of prevention, that we be not seduced by other treacherous guides; it will not only secure us from our own weak judgments, but from the frauds of those who lie in wait to deceive. The simpler sort of men Eph. iv. 14. will in effect be always led, not by their own judgment, but by the authority of others; and if they be not fairly guided by those whom God hath constituted and assigned to that end, they will be led by the nose by those who are concerned to seduce them: so reason dictateth that it must be, so experience sheweth it ever to have been; that the people, whenever they have deserted their true guides, have soon been hurried by impostors into most dangerous errors and extravagant follies; being carried about with divers and Heb. xiii. strange doctrines; being like children, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. It is therefore a great advantage to us, and a great mercy of God, that there are (by God's care) provided for us such helps, upon which we may commonly for our guidance in the way to happiness more safely rely, than upon our own judgments, liable to mistake, and than upon the counsel of others, who may be interested to abuse us; very foolish and very ungrateful we are, if we do not highly prize, if we do not willingly embrace this advantage. 9. Eph. iv. 14. I farther add, that as wisdom may induce, so modesty and humility should dispose us to follow the direction of our guides; Ye younger, saith St. Peter, submit yourselves 1 Pet. v. 5, unto the elder, (that is, ye inferiors to your superiors, ye that are the flock to your pastors,) and, subjoineth he immediately, be clothed with humility; signifying, that it is a point of humility to yield that submission; every modest and humble person is apt to distrust his own, and to submit to better judgments; and, Not to lean to our under- Prov. iii. 5, 7. LIX. 3, 10. Gal. vi. 3. SERM. standing, not to be wise in our own eyes, not to seem to know any thing, not to seem any body to oneself, in humility to Rom. xii. prefer others before ourselves, are divine injunctions, chiefly applicable to this case, in reference to our spiritual guides; Phil. ii. 3. for if it be pride or culpable immodesty to presume ourselves 1 Cor. viii. wiser than any man, what is it then to prefer ourselves in 1 Tim. vi. that respect before our teachers; as indeed we do, when without evident reason we disregard, or dissent from their opinion? 2. 4. It is then a duty very reasonable, and a very commendable practice, to rely upon the guidance of our pastors in such cases, wherein surer direction faileth, and we cannot otherwise fully satisfy ourselves. Neither in doing so (against some appearances of reason, or with some violence to our private conceits) do we act against our conscience, but rather truly according to it; for conscience (as the word in this case is used) is nothing else but an opinion in practical matters, grounded upon the best reason we can discern: if therefore in any case the authority of our guides be a reason outweighing all other reasons apparent, he that in such a case, notwithstanding other arguments less forcible, doth conform his judgment and practice thereto, therein exactly followeth conscience; yea, in doing otherwise, he would thwart and violence his own conscience, and be self-condemned, adhering to a less probable reason in opposition to one more probable. I do not hereby mean to assert, that we are obliged indifferently (with an implicit faith, or blind obedience) to believe all that our teachers say, or to practise all they bid us for they are men, and therefore subject to error and sin; they may neglect or abuse the advantages they have of knowing better than others; they may sometimes, by infirmity, by negligence, by pravity, fail in performing faithfully their duty toward us; they may be swayed by temper, be led by passion, be corrupted by ambition or avarice, so as thence to embrace and vent bad doctrines: we do see our pastors often dissenting and clashing among themselves, sometimes with themselves, so SERM. as to change and retract their own opinions c. LIX. Isa. xxviii. xii. 10. 11. We find the prohets of old complaining of priests, of pastors, of elders and prophets, who handled the law, yet (Jer. ii. 8.) were ignorant of God; who erred in vision, and stumbled 7. in judgment; who were profane, brutish, light, and treacher. Jer. x. 21. ous persons; who polluted the sanctuary, and did violence Jer. xxiii. to the law, and profaned holy things; who handled the law, (Jer. xviii. yet knew not God; from whom the law and counsel did pe- 18. v. 31. rish; who taught for hire, and divined for money; who vi 13.). Zeph. iii. 4. themselves departed out of the way, and caused many to Ezek. xxii. stumble, and corrupted the covenant of Levi; who destroyed Mal. i. 6. and scattered the sheep of God's pasture. 26. Ezek. vii. 26. Jer. xxiii. * Mat. xvi. 6, 12. There were in our Saviour's time guides,* of the fer- Mic. iii. 11. ment of whose doctrine good people were bid to beware; who Mal. ii. 8,9. transgressed and defeated the commandment of God by their 11. xii. 10. traditions; who did take away the key of knowledge, so that they would not enter themselves into the kingdom of Luke xii. 1. heaven, nor would suffer others to enter; blind guides, who 6. both themselves did fall, and drew others into the ditch of Luke xi.52. noxious error and wicked practice: the followers of which guides did in vain worship God, observing for doctrine the Matt. xv. 9. precepts of men. There have not since the primitive times of the Gospel wanted those who (indulging to ambition, avarice, curiosity, faction, and other bad affections) have depraved and debased religion with noxious errors and idle superstitions; such as St. Bernard describeth, &c. We are, in matters of such infinite concernment to our eternal welfare, in wisdom and duty obliged not wholly without farther heed or care to trust the diligence and integrity of others, but to consider and look about us, using our own reason, judgment, and discretion, so far as we are capable; we cannot in such a case be blamed for too much circumspection and caution. We are not wholly blind, not void of reason, not desti Is. iii 12. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. Matt. xv. 2, Matt. xv. 14. Vid. Apol. Eccl. Ang. SERM. tute of fit helps; in many cases we have competent ability LIX. to judge, and means sufficient to attain knowledge: we are therefore concerned to use our eyes, to employ our reason, to embrace and improve the advantages vouchsafed us. We are accountable personally for all our actions, as agreeable or cross to reason; if we are mistaken by our own default, or misled by the ill guidance of others, we Ezek.iii. 18. shall however deeply suffer for it, and die in our iniquity; the ignorance or error of our guides will not wholly excuse us from guilt, or exempt us from punishment; it is fit therefore that we should be allowed, as to the sum of the matter, to judge and choose for ourselves: for if our salvation were wholly placed in the hands of others, so that we could not but in case of their error or default miscarry, our ruin would be inevitable, and consequently not just: we should perish without blame, if we were bound, as a blind and brutish herd, to follow others. We, in order to our practice, (which must be regulated by faith and knowledge,) and toward preparing ourselves for our grand account, are obliged to get a knowledge and Rom. xii. 2. persuasion concerning our duty; to prove (or search and Eph. v. 10. examine) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God; for ignorance, if anywise by our endeavour vinciLuke xii. ble, will not secure us: He that, saith our Lord and Judge, knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes; (few; not in themselves, but comparatively to those which shall be inflicted on them who transgress against knowledge and conscience.) 48. 7. Col. ii. 7. We are bound to study truth, to improve our minds in the knowledge and love of it, to be firmly persuaded of it in a rational way; so that we be not easily shaken, or seduced from it. The Apostles do charge it upon us as our duty and 2 Cor. viii. concernment, that we abound in faith and knowledge; that we be rooted and built up in Christ, and stablished in 1 Cor. xv. the faith, so as to be stedfast, and unmovcable, not to be 2 Thess. ii. soon shaken in mind, or troubled; to grow up and increase 58. 2. Col. i. 10. 2 Pet. iii. 18. ii. 2. Eph. iv, 15. Heb. v. 12. 1 Cor. i. 5. in all divine knowledge; that the word of God should dwell SERM richly in us in all wisdom; that we should be filled with LIX. all knowledge, so as to be able to teach and admonish one Col. iii. 16. another; that our love should abound more and more in Rom.xv. 14. knowledge and all judgment, that we may approve things Phil. i. 9, excellent, (or scan things different ;) that we be enriched 10. in all the word, (that is, in all the doctrine of the Gospel,) and in all knowledge; that we be filled in the knowledge Col. i. 9. of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that we should not be unwise, but understanding what the Eph. v. 17. will of the Lord is; that we should be perfect and complete Col. iv. 12. in all the will of God, (that is, first in the knowledge of it, then in compliance with it ;) that in understanding we 1 Cor. xiv. should not be children, but perfect men. 20. Heb. v. 12. 15. 4. 18. We are likewise by them commanded to take heed of Matt. vii. false prophets; to try the spirits whether they are of God; to see that no man deceive us; to look that no man spoil us Matt. xxiv. by vain deceit; to try all things, and hold fast that which Eph. v. 6. is good; which precepts imply, that we should be furnished Col. ii. 8, with a good faculty of judgment, and competent knowledge 1 Thess. v. in the principal matters of Christian doctrine, concerning both 21. the mysteries of faith and rules of practice. Our Lord himself and his Apostles did not upon other terms than of rational consideration and discussion, exact credit and obedience to their words; they did not insist barely upon their own authority, but exhorted their disciples to examine strictly, and judge faithfully concerning the truth and reasonableness of their doctrine: Search the Scriptures, for they tes- John v. 39. tify of me; If I do not the works of my Father, believe me John x. 37, not; but if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: 24. xii. 48. so our Lord appealed to their reason, proceeding upon grounds of Scripture and common sense; and, I speak as to wise men, 1 Cor. x. 15. judge ye what I say; so St. Paul addressed his discourse to his disciples; otherwise we should be incapable to observe them. We are also bound to defer the principal regard to God's wisdom and will, so as, without reservation or exception, to embrace whatever he doth say, to obey what he positively doth command, whatever authority doth M B 38. xv 22, |