Sermons (pages 177–206) – Part 2 (pages 197–206)
in the Things of
Religion,
The P pifts in the time of the Reformation and since
The Deids and Arians in our Day 8.
exceeding blind ness of
Men in things ? f
Religion appears in the endless Difputcs and C(>ntrr> that there have been, and are, among V' tn, about thofe things which concern Religion. Of old the wife Men and Philfophers among the Heathen, were, as it were, infinitely divided amoiig verfies,
ibcmfelves.
Varro, who was one of them, reckons wp
several hundred Opinions that they had about thai ojie
And they Vo\nt,ffherein Man s happiness conftfled. another. But were continually in Disputes one with the Esse s of their Disputes was not any greater U* nion or any better Agreement in theirOpinions.
were as much
The/
divided after they had disputed many
yea much more. Ages, as they were at first So there have long been Disputes in the chriflian World about Opinions and Principles in Religion, There is a vast variety of Sefts and Opinions and Disputes have been carried on, ' .ge after Age. with great warmth, and thousands of Volumes have been And all these Difputci* written one againfl another. have not terminated the Differences that have been, but they subsist (iill as much as ever : yea, they increase and muhiply more and more. In (lead of ending ControverHesby disputing, they dobut increase ihem one Dispute only lays a Foundation for another. And thus the World goes on jangling and coniending,daily writing and printing be-tng,as it were,deluged with controversial Books and all to nopurpofe. V The increase of human Learning don't bring these Controvefies to an KTue, but does really increase and muftiply them as is evident in this learned Age, i)d in our Nation, where Learning has lately been carried to a very great height. There probably never :
Mans natural Blindnejs
was aTimc in ourNation wherein there was JTuch a vast variety of Opinions in Matters of Religion,! as at this
Every now and then, a new Scheme of chingi
broached, and various and contrary Opinions arc mixed and jumbled, divided and subdivided And every new Writer is willing to have the credit of fomc is
liCw Notion.
And after this Manner does this miserable World go on in endless Confusion; like a great Multitude of fool-hardy Persons, who go on in the dark, Humbling and juftling one against another, without perceiving any Remedy for iheir own, or affording any for their Neighbour's Calamity.
Thus I have fliewn how the extreme blindness that pofiches the Hearts of Men is manifelt
what ap-
pears in their Profeflion. I
come now, {lie'>v, how this is manifcfl: in ihofe Thingi
that arc ionn S
by inward Experience, and are viiiblc under the Light of the Gospel.
in Men's Practices I.
This appears in
their being so prone to
be de-
ceived so many Ways,*or being liable to such a multi-
of l cceirs. There arethoufandsof Delufionwhich concern the Affairs of Religion, tha Men commonly are led away with,who yet live under ihe Light of the Gospel.
plicity
in things
They are many ways deceived about GOD. They think him to be an exceeding diverse kind of Being from
what he is.
They think him to be altogether such an one They are deceived about hlsHolin ss,
as themfclves.l
they don't realize it, that he is such a holy Being as he indeed is or that he hates Sin with such an hatre-i ss he declares he does. They arc not convinced ot :
his Truth, or that he certainly
nngs or his Promises.
will fulfil his Threat-
They arc not convinced of luj.
Judicc in punifliingsiii; as ho Joes.
The) t
Ssr.V.
in the Things of Religkn.
They have very wrong Notions of Chrifl.
They
arc nor convinced of his Ability to fave them, or of the Sufficiency of his Sacrifice and Righteousness j noc of his willingness to receive them. They commonly arc fubjcfl to a great many Errors They arc ready to bring their about their Duty. Principles to agree with their Pra61ices, in flcad of bringing their Praftices to their Principles, as they ought to do.
They will
put innumerable false Glofles
the Rules of God's Word, to bend them to a compliiAnd To they " put darkness ancc with their Lusts : for light, and light for darkness j
bitter for fa ect,anft
fwect for bitter."
They are fubje l to Deceits and Delusions abouE They imagine that there the Things of this World. Happiness and Satisfaction to be found in the Proto be had fits and Pleasures and Honors, which are is
They believe ail the deluding Flatteries and And they will hold that Promises of a vain World. Deceit and grand Dclufion, That these Things are the higheflgood and will a£l accordingly will choose And they will hold these things for their Portion. here.
and praclife upon that Error, That these thin;?'', arc ot Jong Continuance, and are robe depended upon. They arc greatly deceived about the things of another World. They undervalue that heavenly Glory that is promifcd to the Saints and are not much ler-* rified with what they hear of the Damnation of Hell : they can't realize it, that the Torments of it are so dreadful as they hear and are very ready to imagine that they are not eternal, but will some time or other have an end. ;
They are deceived about the State of good Men. They think tbey are not happy, but live a nielnnchoiy Life. And ihey are deceived about the Wickec , They envy the Srr te of many of them, as accountinij.
them
Man's
ihcm well off
" They call the proud happy, * and
Wcis the covetous,
whom .God
ihcy
g<cat
Heal
more
after
mcnts as they have, of he codly.
tiran
after
Ibch as
Hrivc
licn
Katural Bundnefs
abhors." t
luch
Enjoy
arc the Pur-
They arc (ubje< to a ihoufand Deceits and Dclufiabout ihomfelvos. They think ihcmfclves wife, when they are Fools. They are dcteived about their ownHe irts they ihii k ihcm much better ib.anthey be. on-:
'J'hey think they see many good rhings in themfclvcs,
when indeed there is nothing good there. They ippear lovely in their own' Eyes, uhen ihcy are nothing but Lumps of Filthincls, and their Huaits arc hke the inflde of a Grave, full of dead iMens Bones and rotten Flcfh, andcrawlingWorms, and all unclcan-
Or rather, the inward Vault of Hell, that is an and every soul Spirit. Thofe
ness.
Habitation of Devils
things in their Hearts are highly cHecrned by them, .which are an Abomiration in the Sight of God.
Men are very prone to be deceived about ihcirown State
to think themselves something. vihcn 'hey are
nothing; and ro fuppofc ihcmlclves "rich and incrcafcd
when ihcy and blind, naked." Thry arc greatly deceived about the Prmciplcs they a l f, cm. They think they arc fjnccrc .<5ooc-'i,
and to have need of nothing;
are wrcieiicd, and miserable,
and poor,
that. in which there is noSincerity.
71icy think they
doihofc; things from lovetoGod.vvhich they do only sn.na
J<?vetothemfe!ves. They call meerfpeculativcornatu-
Knowledge, (pirirua Knowledge and purconfcicncc I'vGracc and a lervile.for a child-like fear and comjTion Atteftions, that are only from natural Principles, nnd have ;iO abiding cftb S , for high Discoveries, and eminent actings of Grace. Yea, 'lis coirimon -with Men to call their viciouc Difpofiiions by the Name of some Vcrtiic. Th.-'y call their Anger and jalico, r.i I
zc'd
iMal.
iii.
ThiKgs of Religiofj.
in the
zeal for the righteous Caufc, 6r zeal
Good.
for the publiclc
They call their Covetcufnefs, frugality.
They arc vaflly deceived about their own RighteThey think their Affections and Peforman-
oufnefs.
ces lovely to God, which indeed are to him as a menThey think their Tears and Refor-
flruous Cloth.
mations and Prayers, sufficient to make Atonement for their Sins ; when indeed if all the Angels in Heaven
should offer themselves in Sacrifice to God, it would not be fufbcient to atone for one of their Sins. They think their Prayers and Works, and religious Doings, a sufficient Price to purchase God's Favour and eccr-nal
Glory
when they, as they perform them, do no-
thing but merit Hell.
They are greatly
deceived
about their Strength.'
they are able to mend their own Hearts whcix and work some good Principles in themselves they can do no more towards it,ihan a deadcorpfe does
They think
They vainly flatter towards railing it ielf to Life, ihemfclves, they are able to come to Chriil They are greatly deceived about theflability of their own Hetirrs. They foolishly think their own Inten* lions & Resolutions of v/hat good they will do hereafter,so be depended on when indeed there is no depcnThey are greatly dance at all to be had on them. They think that deceived about their Opportunities. the long Continuance of their Oppoitunity is to be depended on, and th:it, to Morro'A is to be boaff ed of; v/hen indeed there is the utmost uncertainty of it. They flatter themselves that they shall have a better Opportunity to feck Salvation hereafter, than they ha:vc now when there is no probability of it, but a very ;
great tmprobabiliiy.
They are greatly deceived about thqir own ACliom and Pra< iccs.
Their own Faults
from, their Eyes.
or-e
strangely liid
They Tivc in i-onny Ways tlmt arc
ery Vrnbecominq Chrifvians, but y.:t
cm riOt ro
Ser. VL
Mans natural Blir.dticfs
11 fcrftble
Thofe evil Ways of theirs, which
are very plain ro others, arc hid from them.
Yeajthofc
very thin s.wl ich tluy ihemfeives account greatfaults lnothcT9, yet they will juhify ihemfeives in. Thofd thine;'? for wliich they will be very angry with others, yet iliey at the f me time do ihemfelvcs.and often limc
much higher Degree, and never once
in a
think of it.
While they arc zealous to pull the Mote out of their Brother's Eye, ihcy
know not that a Beam is in their
ovvn iiye.
Thofe Sins that they commit, which they arc fendb!e
arc Sins, yet
they arc wofully deceived about.
They call great Sins, little ones
Imr.ginaiions, find out many Excufcs,
Guilt very small
their
which make the
while the many heinous Aggravati-
ons are hid from their Eyes. They are greatly deceived about themselves, when
They cfteem who are inThey are greatly
they compare themselves with others.
thcrhfelvcs better than their Neighbours,
deed much better than themselves.
deceived about themselves, when they compaic them-
GOD.
selves with
They are very insensible of the God and them, and a6l in
differenc* there is between
many things as if they thought themselves his Equals yea, as if they thought themselves above him.
manifold are the Deceits and Dclufions that
Thus
Men fall
The defperan Blindness tlyt is natural to Men,
appears in their being so ignorant that are (b clear and plain.
and blind in things
Thus if wc confider how
and how dreadful Sin against him mufl how much Sin we arc guilty of, and of what Importance it* is that his infinite Majefly Hiould l>e vindicated how plain is it, that Man's Righteousness is infufiicicni And yet how greatly wilL\Icn confide iu How will ihcy a (bribe more to it,than can be afcriit great
be, and
bcd CDthc Righteoulncls of any,
or all of the sinless h the Things of Religion,
SeR. VI.
and glorious Angels of Heaven.
So, what can be more
plain in it self, than that cternalThings are of infinitely
And yet,
greater Importance than temporal things ?
Men of
hard is
thoroughly
How plain is
that eternal Mifcry in Hell is infinite-
convince
And yet how few
ly to be dreaded ?
thoroughly convinced of this Life is uncertain
appear to be
How plain
is ir,
that
and yet how much oiherwife do
mofttmen think How plain is it, that if is the higjiell Prudence in Matters of infinite Concern to improve 1
firll
Opportunity, without truQing
but yet how few are convinced of this ?
another :
How reafo-
nable is it, considering that God is a wife and just Being, to suppose that there shall be a future State of Rewards and Punishments, wherein every Man shall re-
ceive according to his Works ?
And yet, bow
does
seem like a Dream to mofl Men, What can be in it self more plain and manlfef], and, easily to be known by us, if it were not for a flrange this
Blindness,
than
We to our felvcs, who are always,
with our selves, never absent from ourselves; always in our own View, as it were, before our own Eyes?
Who have Opportunity to look into our own Hearts and ke all tbac pastes there. And yet what is there that Men are more ignorant of, than they are of themselves ? There arc many vitious Practices, the unjawfahiefs of which is very plain the Sins are gross, and contrary not only to the Word of God, but to the Light of Nature and yet Men will often times plead there is no harm in such Sins : such as many Afts of and manyAc>s of Fraud, Injuflicd gross Uncleanness Deceiifulnefs and and many others that might be j ;
nientroned.
There is no one thing whatfoevcr more
plain
manifefl, and more dcmonflrable, than the Being cf a
GOD. It is mmifeft in our selves, in our own Bodies and Souls, and in vcry thing about us wherc-ever we
turn
Mans natural BUndnc/s
Ser.V.
turn our Eye, whether to Heaven, or to the Eaitli, And yet how prone is the Heart the Air or ihe Seas. of Man to call the Being of God into qucftion ? So inclined is (he Heart of Man to Biindncfs and Dclufion, that it is prone to Atheism it (elf.
The greatness of the blindness of the Heart of :j. !Man appcas in that so little a thing will deceive him, and confound his Judgment of things. A little felfjntcrcfl or only the Bait of some fliort Gratification of a fcnfual Appetite or a liictle Hiring of Passion, will blind Mens Eyes, and make them argue and judge xnoft rirangcly and pcrverfely. and draw up the most ;
such, as if they were indifferent, they would see to be moll unrcafonablc. The Devil finds cafy Work with Men, to deceive them a ihoufand Ways which is an Argument of the great weakncfs Asa little Child, thai is and blindness of our Minds.
absurd Conclusions
weak in Understanding, is very easily deceived. 4.
The v/ofulncfs of the blindness that poihftcs the
Hearts of Men
naturally,
appears
being
in their
naturally totally ignorant of that in God, which ihey had most need to know ; viz. the glory and excellency
of his Nature. Tho' our Faculties which we have abovc the Beads were chiefly given us, that wc migh.t know this and tho' it be that v.'ithout the knowlegc of vyhich, all other Knowledge will signify nothing to us; ;
r.nd
our Facuhics are as capable ot it, as of any other
Knowledge whatfoevcr
and that which is as plainly and abundantly manifcqed as any thing whatsoever innumerable Ways, both in the Word anJWorks of God as yet all Men naturally arc tr tally ignorant of iiiis jr.noranr, as one born blind is of Colours. Ndtnral Men of the greatest Abilities and Learning, are as ignorant of it, as the wcakcfl and the mofl unlearned yea, as ignorant as the vcrySiocks and Stones for ihey ice, and can see nothing ar a',!' of ir. ;
/« the Thhigs of
Religiom
It appears,in that they are i blind in thofe same;
Things in religious Matters, which they are sufficiently sensible of in other Matters.
In temporal things they
are very sensible that it is a point of Prudence to improve ll e firii Opportunity in things of great Impotiance.. JBut in Matters of Religion, w.hich are of infinitely the greatefl Impoitancc, they h.ive not this difccrning.
]n temporal Matters they are sensible ir is a great folly long to delay and put o ] when Life is in danger, and But in the Concerns of iheir all depends upon that. So in the, Souls, they are insensible of this Truth. Concerns of this World they are sensible it is Prudence to emto improve times of special Advantage They are fer4 brace a good offer when made them fible that things of long Continuance are of greater. Importance, than thofe of short Durarion Yei in religious Concerns, none of these Things arc fcnfibly
In temporal things they are sufficiently fen-
discerned.
fible, that 'tis a point
of Prudence to lay
after, in Summer to lay up for
Winter
after they are dead
their Familiei,
up for hereto lay up for
but Men do not
generally discern the Prudence, in making a Frovifion for a future State
proper In Matters of Imporr
tance in this World, they are sensible of the wisdom of taking thorough care
to be on fu re Grounds.
But in
they see nothing of this Our Saviour observed this to be the Cafe with the Jews when he was upon Earth. ' Ye Hypocrites, yc can discern the face of the Skie, and of the Earth : but
their Soul's Concerns,
how is it that ye do not discern this time . "| 6.
The dcfperate blindness that naturally pofltfles
the Hearts of Men under the Gospel, appears in their
remaining so stupidly insensible and deceived, under so great Means of
]n[tru6tion and Convidion. If they were brought up under heathcanifh Darkness, it would
f Luk
xii.
Mans raiural Bl'mdr.efs
Shr. IV.
not be so full a Dcmonflraiion of it j but thus ihcy remain, ibo' under the clcarcft Light, und«r the glorious Light of the Gofpei, where they enjoy God's own Inflru(51ions in his Word, in a great fulness&: plainness. and
liave thcEvidcnce and Truth of things set before them from time to time in the plaincfl manner. They have the A rgumcnts of God'sBcing & Perfectionof anothcrWorld Are told how eternal things are of greater Importance than temporal Of what Impor-
How mnch
tcncc it is lo efcapc eternal Misery.
worth while to take Pains
for heavenly Glory
How vain thejr ownrighreoufhefs U
But yet
And they have not only great Means of Inftru(5tion in God's Word, but also in Providence. They have xhc Evideiices of the fl crtncfs aud uncertainty of Life.
He (eeth that v/ife Men die, likcwife the fool and the brutifnpcrfon perish, and leave their Wealth to o-
Yet "their inward thought is, that theirhoufcs
thers."
stall continue for ever,
and their dwelling Places to all
They call their Lands after tlieir own Nevertheless Man being in Honor, abideth
Generations :
Names. rot
He is like the Beafls that perifb.
This their
way is their folly yet their Pcflcrity approve their layings.** They find iheWorld is vain unfatisfsif ory. They find the great inflability and treachery of xbeir own Hearts; and how their own good Intentions :
and Resolutions arc not to be depended on They ofren find by Experience, their Attempts to make them
But yet Such abundant Evidence is there, both in what ap-
better fail
pears in the open Profcltion of Men is
found
in their inward
Experience,
and also by what
and is evident in
their Praflice, of the extreme and bruiifli Ignorance and blindncfs, which naturally pclTeircs their Hearts.