Part 31
1. The pernicious tendency of error appears from the influence, which all principles, whether true or false, have on the life and conduct of mankind. That truth has great power and influence upon the human mind, will hardly be denied. Mighty is its force. The powerful influence of divine truth in purifying the affections of the heart, and reforming the life is necessarily implied in these words: _Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth._ These are the words of our Redeemer himself. And they certainly teach us, that Gospel-truths, or the pure and heavenly doctrines of his religion have a tendency to correct the prejudices, to enlighten the minds, to impress the hearts, and to purify the affections of people. If the happy effects of true doctrines, and the true principles of the Gospel were not great--why are they to be preached--why is there so much said about holding fast the form of sound words--of being sound in the faith--of sound doctrines,--of contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints--of abiding in the doctrine of Christ? On the other hand, if the effect of error be not exceedingly pernicious, why should we be so frequently, and solemnly warned against false teachers--false doctrines--false Christs--against making shipwreck of faith and a good Conscience--and against the danger of all delusion? Some affect to believe in the harmlessness of error; and that all opinions and speculations in religion are of little or no consequence. But if error be harmless--I think it will follow that truth is useless. But did not Jesus of Nazareth, come from God on purpose to reveal the truth?----
2ndly. All errors or false principles, respecting religion and morals, lead to evil practices. The greater the error, the greater will be its ill-effect. Small errors, relating to mere circumstances of religion, to names and forms, rites and ceremonies, have a proportionately small influence in producing wrong practice, or corrupting the morals of men. Many speculations, and erroneous opinions are of so inconsiderable a nature, though they have caused much altercation and divisions among professing Christians, as to be totally unworthy of notice. And Christians ought to be ashamed that they ever contended about them. They are not of sufficient consequence in themselves to excite warrantably any alarm in that mind, which has the tenderest and most affectionate regards for truth and religion. There are meats and drinks, indifferent things, in which the kingdom of God does not consist. We need never dispute about these. From those who hold to them, our Charity ought not, in the smallest degree, to be withdrawn. We may have all the ardor of brotherly love towards, and Christian Communion, with, them.--Other errors, again, are of a most alarming nature, and affect the very substance and vitals of Religion. They undermine the foundation, and take away all the beauty and glory of the Gospel. Such the Apostle Peter stiles _damnable heresies._ 2 Pet. ii. 1. _But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false Teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction._ These are errors which are essential--which, pursued in all their natural and necessary consequences, destroy all the foundations of Religion. Errors of this kind have the worst effect on practice. We must strictly guard against them, and do all in our power, in all scripture-ways, to prevent their rise or progress. We must retire from such as hold them. And we cannot, with a safe conscience, wish them _God speed. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the father and the son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds._--
Our practice is more or less influenced by all our religious tenets. Wrong belief leads to wrong conduct. Error in doctrine, invariably and universally, affects the conduct in proportion to its magnitude. To illustrate this, in a few plain instances which cannot be controverted--permit me to ask,--Suppose I imbibe the erroneous opinion that prayer to the God of all grace is not required of man, and is wholly insignificant, will not this lead me to lay aside the practice of it, in all its forms, altogether?--Again, suppose I adopt, as one article of my Creed, that there are no divine Sacramental ordinances in the spiritual religion of Jesus Christ--or stated prayer--or Sabbath-day--or the means of grace are of no use, will not this cause me to disesteem them; and, then, to neglect them in my life entirely?--or further, suppose I receive, as a right opinion in morals, the lawfulness of self-murder, and the lawfulness of violating the truth, when it may be inconvenient for me to adhere strictly to its laws, will any man believe that I shall not, as emergencies arise, act out these corrupt principles? Innumerable other instances, might with equal pertinency, be adduced. These are only adduced as a specimen to prove, beyond all contradiction, that all errors have either a greater or less influence on the conduct of men.
3dly. False principles in religion excite and nourish evil tempers of heart. Doctrines which are contrary to the Gospel, and are not according to godliness have an influence on the heart, as well as life. They corrupt the mind. Nay, they pollute and vitiate it. They create evil desires and vile affections, envy, prejudice, wrath, evil speaking, censoriousness, bitterness. They destroy the sweet and benevolent exercises, in which our happiness consists. As heavenly truths, the pure doctrines of Christianity, sweeten and purify the heart, and make men meek, kind, tender-hearted--benevolent, and friendly to man, so false principles or wrong religious tenets, excite evil affections, and poison the soul with malice and impurity. By their fruits on the heart, as well as conduct are we to know doctrines, as well as Teachers. _Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit: neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them._--Characters and doctrines are to be known by their _fruits._ False doctrines always tend to corrupt the heart.
4thly. False doctrines or errors have a pernicious influence upon the morals of society at large, even upon the manners of those people, where they rise up and prevail, though they do not imbibe them. Loose and unimproving discourse flows from wrong and loose principles. Such discourse falls in with the evil propensities of the natural heart, is listened to with eagerness, and retained as an amusement even by persons who detest the principles. _Evil communications corrupt good manners._ They always had, and always will have this effect. The _tongue_ which speaks evil of Virtue and the pure doctrines of the Gospel, and which advocates the cause of vice, is doing untold mischief to society and the public morals.--Much more extensive is the mischief produced by the _pen,_ which is employed to recommend, to colour over, and spread Vice and error, infidelity and immorality. Happy for society, happy for the world, would it have been if the learned had never devoted genius, science, and talents to the cause of Vice! But error as well as truth, Vice as well as Virtue will have advocates to plead in their defence. And where, either by wrong-principled men, or erroneous writings, errors are spread, the people are corrupted in their morals. All false principles, more or less, injure society, where they obtain and have an ill-effect upon the manners of such as are spectators of them, or reside in the midst of them. This is the natural tendency of errors, in doctrine and practice. And this effect will take place, unless individuals, or the people at large, have such an abhorrence of them, as shall be an effectual antidote.
When errors arise and spread, the Christian may, and ought to be grieved, but he ought not to despond; or distrust the love and kindness of God to his true people and the true Religion. Especially ought he not to mingle resentment with his concern for the cause of truth, _For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God._ For wise and holy ends, error is permitted to spring up, and prevail. But it can go no farther than a wise and Sovereign God sees meet. He can say to it, hitherto shall thy proud waves come and no farther. And he will stay it, in such a manner, and such ways, and at such times, as seem best to him. We may rest in these words of our Saviour, _Every plant which our heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up._ It was a wise advice of a learned man, Gamaliel--_If this work and counsel be not of God, it will come to nought._ Error and delusion must at last die away. But truth shall obtain an eternal victory.----
Having finished what was proposed, it only remains to improve what hath been offered, for your direction and assistance in practice.--
And _first_--We should examine all our principles by the word of God. The true principles of religion are to be taken thence. And they are, in their great foundation, easily to be learned. All men of common capacity may know them, if they will be honest and upright in their search. The reason, why there have been so many divisions and errors, or false doctrines, is because men have left the holy scriptures, and gleaned strange doctrines, from other sources. The word of God must be our supreme and only standard. If we make any thing a rule above it, we wholly depart from it, and get our religion from another source. And respecting the true principles of religion, I venture to say, all real Christians, of whatever denomination, are perfectly agreed in them--in the absolutely essential doctrines, I mean, and are much more agreed in every thing material, than they themselves either clearly apprehend, or are willing to confess.
_Secondly,_ let us feel the need of continually watching, lest we go off from the pure principles of the Gospel. We see others, in one age and another, and in one place and another, renouncing the right ways of the Lord--denying the great doctrines and ordinances of Christ. And we behold men changing their principles after long professed, for errors and delusion.--Let us ever be upon our guard against the danger of going off from the doctrine of Christ. _Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines._--
_Thirdly,_ if we have imbibed errors, let us hence be persuaded to lose no time in recovering ourselves from the snare. Others, after having adopted great errors, have seen their folly--have mourned over their obstinacy, stubbornness, and prejudices:--have recanted:--and returned to the truth. Let us, if we have been carried away with divers and strange doctrines--HASTEN to relinquish them, and recover ourselves from them, before it be too late. Soon our days on earth will be ended, and it will be too late to rectify any mistakes.--
_Fourthly_--Let us add constant humble prayer for divine grace to keep us from backsliding--from instability--from all delusion--and false doctrines. Odious is the character of the _backslider._ The unstable man cannot excel. Fervently--constantly, should we look to the God of all wisdom and grace to keep us from dishonouring him, and the truth, by backsliding, and error;--that he would be pleased to open our eyes to see the truth, and our ears to hear it:--that he would confirm us in goodness:--establish us in the faith:--and hope of the Gospel, that we may not only be stedfast and unmoveable, but abound more and more in the work of the Lord--be perfect in every good word and work--and thus be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The pernicious tendency of ERROR, especially in religion, is described by a writer of some eminence in the literary world--in the following allegorical representation, which I shall take the liberty to insert here for the reader's benefit, in a note. The allegory is that _the demon of error_ undertook to conduct a traveller over _the Ocean of doubts into the land of confidence,_ and was by a magic power called forth from the earth by the _genius of probability._--Not waiting for a reply, he, the _genius of probability,_ stamped three times on the ground, and called forth the _demon of Error,_ a gloomy fiend of the servants of Arimanes. The yawning earth gave up the reluctant savage, who seemed unable to bear the light of day. His stature was enormous, his colour black and hideous, his aspect betrayed a thousand varying passions, and he spread forth pinions that were fitted for the most rapid flight. The traveller, at first, was shocked at the spectre; but, finding him obedient to superior power, he assumed his former tranquility.
"I have called you to duty," (cries the genius to the demon,) "to bear on your back a son of mortality, over _the Ocean of doubts into the land of confidence._ I expect you will perform your commission with punctuality. And as for you," (continued the genius, addressing the traveller,) "when once I have bound this fillet round your eyes, let no voice of persuasion, nor threats, the most terrifying, persuade you to unbind it, in order to look round: keep the fillet fast; look not at the Ocean below, and you may certainly expect to arrive at a region of pleasure."
Thus saying, and the traveller's eyes being covered, the demon muttering curses, raised him on his back, and instantly upborne by his strong pinions, directed his flight among the clouds. Neither the loudest thunder, nor the most angry tempest, could persuade the traveller to unbind his eyes. The demon directed his flight downwards, and skimmed the surface of the Ocean: a thousand voices, some with loud invective, others in the sarcastic tones of contempt, vainly endeavoured to persuade him to look round; but he still continued to keep his eyes covered, and would, in all probability, have arrived at the happy land, had not flattery effected what other means could not perform. For now he heard himself welcomed on every side to the promised land, and an universal shout of joy was sent forth at his safe arrival; the wearied traveller desirous of seeing the long wished for country at length pulled the fillet from his eyes, and ventured to look round him. But he had unloosed the band too soon; he was not yet above the half way over. The demon was still hovering in the air, and had produced those sounds only in order to deceive, was now freed from his commission; wherefore, throwing the astonished traveller from his back, the unhappy youth fell headlong into the subjacent Ocean of doubt, from whence he was never after seen to rise.----
DISCOURSE XXI.
The general excellency of the Christian Religion.
1 CORINTHIANS xii. 31.
_But covet earnestly the best gifts; yet show I unto you a more excellent way._
In the Church of Corinth there was much contention about the various miraculous gifts of the HOLY SPIRIT, which, in the first ages of Christianity, were conferred for the general benefit of the common cause of our Salvation. Without them, small would have been the success of the Apostles. Their wonderful success depended not upon the efficacy of human means, but is to be chiefly attributed to these miraculous gifts. _And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following._ These gifts, called the baptism of the holy Ghost, were necessary to rouse the attention of a thoughtless generation, to satisfy the Jew that the promised Messiah, one greater than Moses, was come, and that mighty works showed forth themselves in him, to convince the Gentile that the Idol-Gods of the nations were a vanity and a lie. They were also necessary to put men of leisure and science upon a full and free enquiry into the merits and worth of that Religion, which was introduced to the world and supported by evidences of so extraordinary a nature.--The persons, as would be rational to suppose, who possessed these miraculous powers, such as the gift of tongues--of healing--of prophesy--and discernment of spirits, were considered in a high and honourable light, in a light bordering upon veneration. By their own brethren they were greatly respected, and among their heathen neighbours: of course, would be viewed as almost divine. Whatever is preternatural calls forth attention and wonder. The distinction, which these gifts conferred, became in the Corinthian Church a matter of envy. In this Chapter, which is closed with our text, the Apostle takes up, and largely discusses the subject of the miraculous gifts of the spirit. He allows them to _covet,_ earnestly to desire and seek these gifts, not as an occasion of boasting and pride, but that thereby they might be the instruments of more successfully spreading the truth and glory of the Gospel. But he would have them by no means forget that, excellent as these gifts were, there was something still more excellent, to which he would most affectionately recall and fix their attention:--which far exceeded all external gifts however splendid, and that was their spirit of Charity or Christian benevolence, which is the essence of all pure and undefiled Religion. _But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way._
_This more excellent way,_ which he above all recommends to them, is that of Charity, or real holy benevolent affection, and which, in the next Chapter, he discusses and illustrates, in a manner equally beautiful and sublime.----Instead of calling the attention of the audience to the particular excellencies of the divine principle of holy benevolent affection, Charity, I shall attempt to state at large the GENERAL EXCELLENCY of the Christian religion. And for this, the words selected for present meditation, lay a proper foundation. Charity indeed, as but now mentioned, is _that more excellent way_ intended by the Apostle, and of which he speaks in the following terms.--_Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling Cymbal._ But since Charity which, here doth not mean beneficence to the poor, but the true love of God and man, or holy benevolent affection, is the sum and essence of true Christianity, we may naturally pass to consider the GENERAL EXCELLENCY OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, or to show, in a number of important respects, how excellent a way the Gospel is, which it is proposed to do, in the four following discourses.
To all the real friends of Zion, of rational religion, this must be of all themes one of the most pleasing. Whoever loves either his Maker or Redeemer, must feel a satisfaction, greater than words can describe, to hear the honours of that religion unfolded, which the supreme Being hath so clearly revealed, which a Saviour died to establish, and upon which his own hopes of eternal felicity must be founded.--If any subject, therefore, in the extensive science of theology, be able to awaken and fix the attention of a congregation, it must be the one now to be considered. After all that can be said by me, or even by the most eloquent tongue, or written by the ablest pen, in praise of that Religion which we enjoy, the one half of its praises will be still untold. With much propriety may the words of the Queen of Sheba, expressive of her well-founded admiration, after she had leisurely surveyed the grandeur and glory of Solomon, and been an ear-witness of his wisdom, be applied to the subject of the GENERAL EXCELLENCY OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.--_And she said to the king, it was a true report that I heard in mine own Land of thy acts and of thy wisdom; howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes have seen it; and behold the one half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom._--Thrice happy are those who know the excellency of the Christian Religion, not merely from speculation, but from feeling its temper, and practising its duties.--May divine grace enable me to speak upon this great subject in such a manner, that when you have heard its glories, you may be so delighted with it, as to be resolved in your own minds, that you will never for the future neglect it, whatever else may be neglected.--I have an inexpressible solicitude, lest so important a subject should be debated by the imperfect manner, in which it will be illustrated.--