Section I. One Cause Of Errors Attending A Great Revival Of
Religion, Is Undiscerned Spiritual Pride.
THE first and the worst cause of errors, that prevail in such a state
of things, is spiritual pride. This is the main door by which the devil
comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of
religion. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit, to darken
the mind and mislead the judgment. This is the main handle by which the
devil has hold of religious persons, and the chief source of all the mischief
that he introduces, to clog and hinder a work of God.--This cause of error
is the main spring, or at least the main support, of all the rest. Till
this disease is cured, medicines are in vain applied to heal other diseases.
It is by this that the mind defends itself in other errors, and guards
itself against light, by which it might be corrected and reclaimed. The
spiritually proud man is full of light already, he does not need instruction,
and is ready to despise the offer of it. But, if this disease be healed,
other things are easily rectified. The humble person is like a little
child, he easily receives instruction; he is jealous over himself, sensible
how liable he is to go astray, and therefore, if it be suggested to him
that he does so, he is ready most narrowly and impartially to inquire.
Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil's reach as humility, and
so prepares the mind for true divine light without darkness, and so clears
the eye to look on things as they truly are; Ps. xxv. 9. "The meek
will he guide in judgment. And the meek will he teach his way." Therefore
we should fight, neither with small not with great, but with the king
of Israel. Our first care should be to rectify the heart, and pull the
beam out of our eye, and then we shall see clearly. I know that a
great many things at this day are very injuriously laid to the pride of
those that are zealous in the cause of God. When any person appears, in
any respect, remarkably distinguished in religion from others; if he professes
those spiritual comforts and joys that are greater than ordinary, or appears
distinguishingly zealous in religion; if he exerts himself more than others
in the cause of religion, or seems to be distinguished with success; ten
to one but it will immediately awaken the jealousy of those about him.
They will suspect (whether they have cause or no) that he is very proud
of his goodness, and affects to have it thought that nobody is so good
as he; and all his talk is heard, and all his behaviour beheld, with this
prejudice. Those who are themselves cold and dead, and especially such
as never had any experience of the power of godliness on their own hearts,
are ready to entertain such thoughts of the best Christians; which arises
from a secret enmity against vital and fervent piety. But zealous Christians
should take heed lest this prove a snare to them, and the devil take advantage
from it, to blind their eyes from beholding what there is indeed of this
nature in their hearts, and make them think, because they are charged
with pride wrongfully and from an ill spirit, in many things, that therefore
it is so in every thing. Alas, how much pride have the best of us in our
hearts! It is the worst part of the body of sin and death; the first sin
that ever entered into the universe, and the last that is rooted out:
it is God's most stubborn enemy! The corruption of nature may all
be resolved into two things, pride and worldy-mindedness, the devil and
the beast, or self and the world. These are the two pillars of Dagon's
temple, on which the whole house leans. But the former of these is every
way the worst part of the corruption of nature; it is the first-born son
of the devil, and his image in the heart of man chiefly consists in it.
It is the last thing in as sinner that is overborne by conviction, in
order to conversion; and here is the saint's hardest conflict; the last
thing over which he directly militates against god, and is most contrary
to the Spirit of the Lamb of God. It is most like the devil its father,
in a serpentine deceitfulness and secrecy; it lies deepest, is most active,
and is most ready secretly to mix itself with every thing. And, of
all kinds of pride, spiritual pride is upon many accounts the most hateful,
it is most like the devil; most like the sin he committed in a heaven
of light and glory, where he was exalted high in divine knowledge, honour,
beauty, and happiness. Pride is much more difficult to be discerned than
any other corruption, because its nature very much consists in a person's
having too high a thought of himself. No wonder that he who has too high
a thought of himself, does not know it; for he necessarily thinks that
the opinion of himself was without just grounds, he would therein cease
to have it. Those that are spiritually proud, have a high conceit of these
two things, viz. Their light, and their humility; both which are a strong
prejudice against a discovery of their pride. Being proud of their light,
that makes them not jealous of themselves; he who thinks a clear light
shines around him, is not suspicious of an enemy lurking near him unseen;
and then, being proud of their humility, that makes them least of all
jealous of themselves in that particular, viz. As being under the prevalence
of pride. There are many sins of the heart that are very secret in their
nature, and difficultly discerned. The psalmist says, Psal. xix. 12. "Who
can understand his errors,? Cleanse thou me from secret faults."
But spiritual pride is the most secret of all sins. The heart is deceitful
and unsearchable in nothing so much as in this matter; and there is no
sin in the world, that men are so confident in. The very nature of it
is to work self-confidence, and drive away jealousy of any evil of that
kind. There is no sin so much like the devil as this for secrecy and subtlety,
and appearing in a great many shapes undiscerned and unsuspected. It appears
as an angel of light; takes occasion to arise from every thing; it perverts
and abuses every thing, and even the exercises of real grace, and real
humility, as an occasion to exert itself: it is a sin that has, as it
were, many lives; if you kill it, it will live still; if you mortify and
suppress it in one shape, it rises in another; if you think it is all
gone, yet it is there still. There are a great many kinds of it, that
lie in different forms and shapes, one under another, and encompass the
heart like the coats of an onion; if you pull off one, there is another
underneath. We had need therefore to have the greatest watch imaginable
over our hearts with respect to this matter, and to cry most earnestly
to the great searcher of hearts for his help. He that trusts his own heart
is a fool. God's own people should be the more jealous of themselves
with respect to this particular at this day, because the temptations that
many have to this sin are exceeding great. The great and distinguishing
privileges to which God admits many of his saints, and the high honours
he puts on some ministers, are great trials of persons in this respect.
It is true, that great degrees of the spiritual presence of God tends
greatly to mortify pride and corruption; but yet, though in the experience
of such favours there be much to restrain pride one way, there is much
to tempt and provoke it another; and we shall be in great danger thereby,
without great watchfulness and prayerfulness. The angels that fell, while
in heaven had great honours and high privileges, in beholding the face
of God, and viewing his infinite glory, to cause in them exercises of
humility, and to keep them from pride; yet, through want of watchfulness
in them, their great honour and heavenly privilege proved to be to them
an undoing temptation to pride, though they had no principle of pride
in their hearts to expose them. Let no saint therefore, however eminent,
and however near to God, think himself out of danger. He that thinks himself
most out of danger, is indeed most in danger. The apostle Paul, who doubtless
was an eminent a saint as any now, was not out of danger, even just after
he was admitted to see God in the third heavens, 2 Cor. xii. And yet doubtless,
what he saw in heaven of the ineffable glory of the Divine Being, had
a direct tendency to make him appear exceeding little and vile in his
own eyes. Spiritual pride in its own nature is so secret, that it
is not so well discerned by immediate intuition on the thing itself, as
by the effects and fruits of it; some of which I would mention, together
with the contrary fruits of pure Christian humility. Spiritual pride disposes
to speak of other persons' sins, their enmity against God and his people,
the miserable delusion of hypocrites, and their enmity against vital piety,
and the deadness of some saints, with bitterness, or with laughter and
levity, and an air of contempt; whereas pure Christian humility rather
disposes, either to be silent about them, or to speak of them with grief
and pity. Spiritual pride is very apt to suspect others; whereas an humble
saint is most jealous of himself; he is so suspicious of nothing in the
world as he is of his own heart. The spiritually proud person is apt to
find fault with other saints, that they are low in grace; and to be much
in observing how cold and dead they are; and being quick to discern and
take notice of their deficiencies. But the eminently humble Christian
has so much to do at home, and sees so much evil in his own heart, and
is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with other
hearts; he complains most of himself, and complains of his own coldness
and lowness in grace. He is apt to esteem others better than himself,
and is ready to hope that there is nobody but what has more love and thankfulness
to God than he, and cannot bear to think that others should bring forth
no more fruit to God's honour than he. Some who have spiritual pride mixed
with high discoveries and great transports of joy, disposing them in an
earnest manner to talk to others, are apt, in such frames, to be calling
upon other Christians about them, and sharply reproving them for their
being so cold and lifeless. There are others, who in their raptures are
overwhelmed with a sense of their own vileness; and, when they have extraordinary
discoveries of God's glory, are all taken up about their own sinfulness;
and though they also are disposed to speak much and very earnestly, yet
it is very much in blaming themselves, and exhorting fellow-Christians,
but in a charitable and humble manner. Pure Christian humility disposes
a person to take notice of every thing that is good in others, and to
make the best of it, and to diminish their failings; but to gave his eye
chiefly on those things that are bad in himself, and to take much notice
of every thing that aggravates them. In a contrariety to this, it
has been the manner in some places, or at least the manner of some persons
to speak of almost every thing that they see amiss in others, in the most
harsh, severe, and terrible language. It is frequent with them to say
of others' opinions, or conduct, or advice--or of their coldness, their
silence, their caution, their moderation, their prudence, &c.--that
they are from the devil, of from hell; that such a thing is devilish,
or hellish, or cursed, and that such persons are serving the devil, or
the devil is in them, that they are soul-murderers, and the like; so that
the words devil and hell are almost continually in their mouths. And such
kind of language they will commonly use, not only towards wicked men,
but towards them whom they themselves allow to be the true children of
God, and also towards ministers of the gospel and others who are very
much their superiors. And they look upon it as a virtue and high attainment
thus to behave themselves. Oh, say they, we must be plain hearted and
bold for Christ, we must declare war against sin wherever we see it, we
must not mince the matter in the cause of God and when speaking for Christ.
And to make any distinction in persons, or to speak the more tenderly,
because that which is amiss is seen in a superior, they look upon as very
mean for a follower of Christ when speaking in the cause of his Master.
What a strange device of the devil is here, to overthrow all Christian
meekness and gentleness, and even all show and appearance of it, and to
defile the mouths of the children of God, and to introduce the language
of common sailors among the followers of Christ, under a cloak of high
sanctity and zeal, and boldness for Christ! And it is a remarkable instance
of the weakness of the human mind, and how much too cunning the devil
is for us! The grand defence of this way of talking is, That they
say no more than what is true; they only speak the truth without mincing
the matter; and that true Christians who have a great sight of the evil
of sin, and acquaintance with their own hearts, know it to be true, and
therefore will not be offended to hear such harsh expressions concerning
them and their sins. It is only (say they) hypocrites, or cold and dead
Christians, that are provoked and feel their enmity rise on such an occasion.
But it is a grand mistake to think that we may commonly use all such language
as represents the worst of each other, according to strict truth. It is
really true, that every kind of sin, and every degree of it, is devilish
and from hell, and is cursed, hellish, and condemned or damned. And if
persons had a full sight of their hearts, they would think no terms too
bad for them; they would look like beasts, like serpents, and like devils
to themselves; they would be at a loss for language to express what they
see in themselves. But shall a child therefore, from time to time, use
such language concerning an excellent and eminently holy father or mother,
as, That the devil is in them; that they have such and such devilish,
cursed dispositions; that they commit every day hundreds of hellish, damned
acts; and that they are cursed dogs, hell-hounds, and devils? And shall
the meanest of the people be justified, in commonly using such language
concerning the most excellent magistrates, or the most eminent ministers?
I hope nobody has gone to this height. But the same pretences of boldness,
plain-heartedness, and declared war against sin, will as well justify
these things as the others. If we proceed in such a manner, on such principles
as these, what a face will be introduced upon the church of Christ, the
little beloved flock of that gentle Shepherd the Lamb of God! What a sound
shall we bring into the house of God, into the family of his dear little
children! How far off shall we soon banish that lovely appearance of humility,
sweetness, gentleness, mutual honour, benevolence, complacence, and an
esteem of others above themselves, which ought to clothe the children
of God all over! Not but that Christians should watch over one another,
and in any wise reprove one another, and do it plainly and faithfully;
but it does not thence follow that dear brethren in the family of God,
in rebuking one another, should use worse language than Michael the archangel
durst use when rebuking the devil himself. Christians who are but
fellow-worms, ought at least to treat one another with as much humility
and gentleness as Christ, who is infinitely above them treats them. But
how did Christ treat his disciples when they were so cold towards him,
and so regardless of him, at the time when his soul was exceeding sorrowful
even unto death--and he in a dismal agony was crying and sweating blood
for them--and they would not watch with him and allow him the comfort
of their company one hour in his great distress, though he once and again
desired it of them? One would think that then was a proper time, if ever,
to have reproved them for a devilish, hellish, cursed, and damned slothfulness
and deadness. But after what manner does Christ reprove them? Behold his
astonishing gentleness! Says he, What, could ye not watch with me one
hour? The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And how did
he treat Peter when he was ashamed of his Master, while he was made a
mocking stock and a spitting stock for him? Why, he looked upon him with
a look of love, and melted his heart. And though we read that Christ once
turned, and said unto Peter, on a certain occasion, Get thee behind me,
Satan; and this may seem like an instance of harshness and severity in
reproving Peter; yet I humbly conceive that this is by many taken wrong
, and that this is indeed no instance of Christ's severity in his treatment
of Peter, but on the contrary, of his wonderful gentleness and grace,
distinguishing between Peter and the devil in him, not laying the blame
of what Peter had then said, or imputing it to him, but to the devil that
influenced him. Christ saw the devil then present, secretly influencing
Peter to do the part of a tempter to his Master; and therefore Christ
turned him about to Peter, in whom the devil then was, and spake to the
devil, and rebuked him. Thus the grace of Christ does not behold iniquity
in his people, imputes not what is amiss in them to them, but to sin that
dwells in them, and to Satan that influences them. Spiritual pride
often disposes persons to singularity in external appearance, to affect
a singular way of speaking, to use a different sort of dialect from others,
or to be singular in voice, countenance, or behaviour. But he that is
an eminently humble Christian, though he will be firm to his duty, however
singular--going in the way that leads to heaven alone, though all the
world forsake him--yet he delights not in singularity for singularity's
sake. He does not affect to set up himself to be viewed and observed as
one distinguished, as desiring to be accounted better than others--despising
their company, or conformity to them--but on the contrary is disposed
to become all things to all men, to yield to others, and conform to them
and please them, in every thing but sin. Spiritual pride commonly occasions
a certain stiffness and inflexibility in persons, in their own judgement
and their own ways; whereas the eminently humble person, though he be
inflexible in his duty, and in these things wherein God's honour is concerned;
and with regard to temptation to those things he apprehends to be sinful,
though in never so small a degree, he is not at all of a yielding spirit,
but is like a brazen wall; yet in other things he is of a pliable disposition,
not disposed to set up his own opinion, or his own will; he is ready to
pay deference to others' opinions, loves to comply with their inclinations,
and has a heart that is tender and flexible, like a little child. Spiritual
pride disposes persons to affect separation, to stand at a distance from
others, as being better than they; and loves the show and appearance of
the distinction. But, on the contrary, the eminently humble Christian
is ready to look upon himself as not worthy that others should be united
to him--to think himself more brutish than any man, and worthy of the
society of God's children.--And though he will not be a companion with
one that is visibly Christ's enemy--but delights most in the company of
lively Christians, choosing such for his companions, and will be most
intimate with them, not delighting to spend much time in the company of
those who seem to relish no conversation but about worldly things--yet
he does not love the appearance of an open separation from visible Christians,
as being a kind of distinct company from them who are on visible company
of those who seem to relish no conversation but about worldly things--yet
he does not love the appearance of an open separation from visible Christians,
as being a kind of distinct company from them who are one visible company
with him by Christ's appointment; and will as much as possible shun all
appearances of a superiority, or distinguishing himself as better than
others. His universal benevolence delights in the appearance of union
with his fellow-creatures, and will maintain it as much as he possibly
can without giving open countenance to iniquity, or wounding his own soul.
And herein he follows the example of his meek and lowly Redeemer, who
did not keep up such a separation and distance as the Pharisees, but freely
ate with publicans and sinners, that he might win them. The eminently
humble Christian is as it were clothed with lowliness, mildness, meekness,
gentleness of spirit and behaviour, and with a soft, sweet, condescending,
winning air and deportment; these things are just like garments to him,
he is clothed all over with them. 1 Pet. v. 5. "And be clothed with
humility." Col. iii. 12. "Put on therefore, as the elect of
God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, long-suffering." Pure Christian humility has no such thing
as roughness, or contempt, or fierceness, or bitterness in its nature;
it makes a person like a little child, harmless and innocent, that none
need to be afraid of; or like a lamb, destitute of all bitterness, wrath,
anger, and clamour; agreeable to Eph. Iv. 31. With such a spirit as this
ought especially zealous ministers of the gospel to be clothed, and those
that God is pleased to employ as instruments in his hands of promoting
his work. They ought indeed to be thorough in preaching the word of God,
without mincing the matter at all; in handling the sword of the Spirit,
as the ministers of the Lord of hosts, they ought not to be mild and gentle;
they are not to be gentle and moderate in searching and awakening the
conscience, but should be sons of thunder. The word of God, which is in
itself sharper than any two-edged sword, ought not to be sheathed by its
ministers, but so used that its sharp edges may have their full effect,
even to the dividing asunder soul and spirit, joints and marrow. Yet they
should do it without judging particular persons, leaving it to conscience
and the Spirit of God to make the particular application. But all their
conversation should savour of nothing but lowliness and good-will, love
and pity to all mankind; so that such a spirit should be like a sweet
odour diffused around them wherever they go. They should be like lions
to guilty consciences, but like lambs to men's persons. This would have
no tendency to prevent the awakening of men's consciences, but on the
contrary would have a very great tendency to awaken them. It would make
way for the sharp sword to enter; it would remove the obstacles, and make
a naked breast for the arrow.--Yea, the amiable Christ-like conversation
of such ministers in itself, would terrify the consciences of men, as
well as their terrible preaching; both would co-operate to subdue the
hard, and bring down the proud heart. If there had been constantly and
universally observable such a behaviour as this in itinerant preachers,
it would have terrified the consciences of sinners ten times as much as
all the invectives and the censorious talk there has been concerning particular
persons, for their opposition, hypocrisy, delusion, Pharisaism, &c.
These things in general have rather stupified sinners' consciences; they
take them up, and make use of them as a shield, wherewith to defend themselves
from the sharp arrows of the word that are shot by these preachers. The
enemies of the present work have been glad of these things with all their
hearts.--Many of the most bitter of them are probably such as in the beginning
of this work had their consciences something galled and terrified with
it; but these errors of awakening preachers are the things they chiefly
make use of as plaisters to heal the sore that was made in their consciences.
Spiritual pride takes great notice of opposition and injuries that are
received, and is apt to be often speaking of them, and to be much in taking
notice of their aggravations, either with an air of bitterness or contempt.
Whereas pure and unmixed Christian humility, disposes a person rather
to be like his blessed Lord, when reviled, dumb, not opening his mouth,
but committing himself in silence to him that judgeth righteously. The
eminently humble Christian, the more clamorous and furious the world is
against him, the more silent and still will he be; unless it be in his
closet, and there he will not be still.--Our blessed Lord Jesus seems
never to have been so silent as when the world compassed him round, reproaching,
buffeting, and spitting on him, with loud and virulent outcries, and horrid
cruelties. There has been a great deal too much talk of late, among many
of the true and zealous friends of religion, about opposition and persecution.
It becomes the followers of the Lamb of God, when the world is in an uproar
about the, and full of clamour against them, not to raise another noise
to answer it, but to be still and quiet. It is not beautiful, at such
time, to have pulpits and conversation ring with the sound of persecution,
persecution, or with abundant talk about Pharisees, carnal persecutors,
and the seed of the serpent.--Meekness and quietness among God's people,
when opposed and reviled, would be the surest way to have God remarkably
to appear for their defence. It is particularly observed of Moses, on
occasion of Aaron and Miriam envying him, and rising up in opposition
against him, that he "was very meek, above all men upon the face
of the earth," Num. xii. 3. Doubtless because he remarkably showed
his meekness on that occasion, being wholly silent under the abuse. And
how remarkable is the account the follows of God's being as it were suddenly
roused to appear for his vindication! What high honour did he put upon
Moses! And how sever were his rebukes of his opposers! The story is very
remarkable, and worthy every one's observation. Nothing is so effectual
to bring God down from heaven in the defence of his people, as their patience
and meekness under sufferings. When Christ "girds his sword upon
his thigh, with his glory and majesty, and in his majesty rides prosperously,
his right hand teaching him terrible things, it is because of truth, and
MEEKNESS, and righteousness," Psal. xlv. 3,4. "God will cause
judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth shall fear and be still, and
God will arise to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth," Psal.
lxxvi. 8,9. "He will lift up the meek, and cast the wicked down to
the ground," Psal. cxlvii. 6. "He will reprove with equity for
the meek of the earth, and will smite the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips will he slay the wicked," Isa. xi.
4. The great commendation that Christ gives the church of Philadelphia
is, "Thou hast kept the word of my patience," Rev. iii. 10.
And we may see what reward he promises her, in the preceding verse, "Behold,
I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and
are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship at thy
feet, and to know that I have loved thee." And thus it is that we
might expect to have Christ appear for us, if under all the reproaches
we are loaded with, we behaved ourselves with a lamb-like meekness and
gentleness. But if our spirits are raised, and we are vehement and noisy
with our complaints under colour of Christian zeal, this will be to take
upon us our own defence, and God will leave it with us, to vindicate our
cause as well as we can; yea, if we go on in a way of bitterness, and
high censuring, it will be the way to have him rebuke us, and put us to
shame before our enemies. Here some may be ready to say, "It
is not in our own cause that we are thus vehement, but it is in the cause
of God, and the apostle directed the primitive Christians to contend earnestly
for the faith once delivered to the saints." But how was it that
the primitive Christians contended earnestly for the faith? They defended
the truth with arguments and a holy conversation, but yet gave their reasons
with meekness and fear. They contended earnestly for the faith, by fighting
violently against their own unbelief, and the corruptions of their hearts:
yea, they resisted unto blood striving against sin; but the blood that
was shed in this earnest strife, was their own blood, and not the blood
of their enemies. It was in the cause of God that Peter was so fierce,
and drew his sword, and began to smite with it; but Christ bids him put
up his sword again, telling him that they that take the sword shall perish
by the sword; and, while Peter wounds, Christ heals. They contend the
most violently, and are the greatest conquerors in a time of persecution,
who bear it with the greatest meekness and patience. Great humility improves
even the reflections and reproaches of enemies, to put upon serious self-examination,
whether or no there be not some just cause; whether or no there be not
some just cause; whether they have not in some respect given occasion
to the enemy to speak reproachfully. Whereas spiritual pride improves
such reflections to make them the more bold and confident, and to go the
greater lengths in that for which they are found fault with. I desire
it may be considered, whether there has been nothing amiss of late among
the true friends of vital piety in this respect; and whether the words
of David, when reviled by Michal, have not been misinterpreted and misapplied
to justify them in it, when he said, "I will be yet more vile, and
will be base in mine own sight." The import of his words is, that
he would humble himself yet more before God, being sensible that he was
far from being sufficiently abased; and he signifies this to Michal, that
he longed to be yet lower, and had designed already to abase himself more
in his behaviour.--Not that he would got the greater length, to show his
regardlessness of her revilings; that would be to exalt himself, and not
to abase himself as more vile in his own sight. Another effect of
spiritual pride is a certain unsuitable and self-confident boldness before
God and men. Thus some, in their great rejoicings before God, have not
paid a sufficient regard to that rule in Psal. ii. 11. They have not rejoiced
with a reverential trembling, in a proper sense of the awful majesty of
God, and the awful distance between him and them. And there has also been
an improper boldness before men, that has been encouraged and defended,
by a misapplication of that scripture. Prov. xxix. 25. "The fear
of man bringeth a snare." As though it became all persons, high and
low, men, women, and children, in all religious conversation, wholly to
divest themselves of all manner of shamefacedness, modesty, or reverence
towards man; which is a great error, and quite contrary to Scripture.
There is a fear of reverence that is due to some men, Rom. xiii. 7. "Fear
to whom fear, honour to whom honour." And there is a fear of modesty
and shamefacedness in inferiors towards superiors, which is amiable, and
required by Christian rules, 1 Pet. iii. 2. "While they behold your
chaste conversation coupled with fear;" and 1 Tim. ii. 9. "In
like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with
shamefacedness and sobriety." The apostle means that this virtue
shall have place, not only in civil communication, but also in spiritual
communication, and in our religious concerns and behaviour, as is evident
by what follows, ver. 11, 12. "Let the women learn in silence, with
all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority
over the man, but to be in silence." Not that I would hence infer
that women's mouths should be shut up from Christian conversation; but
all that I mean from it at this time is, that modesty, or shamefacedness,
and reverence towards men, ought to have some place, even in our religious
communication one with another. The same is also evident by 1 Pet. iii.
15. "Be ready always to five an answer to every man that asketh you
a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." It
is well if that very fear and shamefacedness, which the apostle recommends,
have not sometimes been condemned, under the name of a cursed fear of
man. It is beautiful for persons, when they are at prayer as the
mouth of others, to make God only their fear and their dread, and to be
wholly forgetful of men present, who, let them be great or small, are
nothing in the presence of the great God. And it is beautiful for a minister,
when he speaks in the name of the Lord of hosts, to be bold, and to put
off all fear of men. And it is beautiful in private Christians, though
they are women and even children, to be bold in professing the faith of
Christ, in the practice of all religion, and in owning God's in the work
of his power and grace, without any fear of men; though they should be
reproached as fools and madmen, frowned upon by great men, and cast off
by parents and all the world. But for private Christians, women and others,
to instruct, rebuke, and exhort, with a like sort of boldness as becomes
a minister when preaching, is not beautiful. Some have been bold in things
that have really been errors; and have gloried in their boldness in practising
them, though odd and irregular. And those who have gone the greatest lengths
in these things that have really been errors; and have gloried in their
boldness in practising them, though odd and irregular. And those who have
gone the greatest lengths in these things, have been by some most highly
esteemed, as appearing bold for the Lord Jesus Christ, and fully on his
side; while others who have professed to be godly, and who have condemned
such things, have been spoken of as enemies of the cross of Christ, or
at least very cold and dead; and thus many, that of themselves were not
inclined to such practices, have by this means been driven on, being ashamed
to be behind, and accounted poor soldiers for Christ. Another effect
of spiritual pride is to make the subject of it assuming. It oftentimes
makes it natural to persons so to act and speak, as though in a special
manner it belonged to them to be taken notice of and much regarded. It
is very natural to a person that is much under the influence of spiritual
pride, to take all the respect that is paid him. If others show a disposition
to submit to him, and yield him the deference of a preceptor, he is open
to it, and freely admits it; yea, it is natural for him to expect such
treatment, and to take much notice if he fails of it, and to have an ill
opinion of others that do not pay him that which he looks upon as his
prerogative.--He is apt to think that it belongs to him to speak, and
to clothe himself with a judicial and dogmatical air in conversation,
and to take it upon him, as what belongs to him, to give forth his sentence,
and to determine and decide. Whereas pure Christian humility vaunteth
not itself, doth not behave itself unseemly, and is apt to prefer others
in honour. One under the influence of spiritual pride is more apt to instruct
others, than to inquire for himself, and naturally puts on the airs of
a master. Whereas one that is full of pure humility, naturally has on
the air of a disciple; his voice is, "What shall I do? What shall
I do that I may live more to God's honour? What shall I do with this wicked
heart?" He is ready to receive instruction from any body, agreeable
to Jam. I. 19. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak." The eminently humble Christian thinks
he wants help from every body, whereas he that is spiritually proud thinks
that every body wants his help. Christian humility, under a sense of others'
misery, entreats and beseeches; but spiritual pride affects to command
and warn with authority. There ought to be the utmost watchfulness against
all such appearances of spiritual pride, in all that profess to have been
the subjects of this work, and especially in the promoters of it, but
above all in itinerant preachers. The most eminent gifts, and highest
tokens of God's favour and blessing, will not excuse them.--Alas! What
is man at his best estate! What is the most highly-favoured Christian,
or the most eminent and successful minister, that he should now think
he is sufficient for something, and somebody to be regarded; and that
he should go forth, and act among his fellow-creatures as if he were wise,
and strong, and good! Ministers who have been the principal instruments
of carrying on this glorious revival of religion, and whom God has made
use of to bring up his people as it were out of Egypt, should take heed,
that they do not provoke God, as Moses did, by assuming too much to themselves,
and by their intemperate zeal to shut them out from seeing the good things
that God is going to do for this church in this world. The fruits of Moses's
unbelief, which provoked God to shut him out of Canaan, and not to suffer
him to partake of those great things God was about to do for Israel, were
chiefly these two things:--First, His mingling bitterness with his zeal.
He had a great zeal for God, and he could not bear to see the intolerable
stiffneckedness of the people, that they did not acknowledge the work
of God, and he could not bear to see the intolerable stiffneckedness of
the people, that they did not acknowledge the work of God, and were not
convinced by all his wonders that they had seen. But human passion was
mingled with his zeal, Psal. cvi. 32,33. "They angered him also at
the waters of strife; so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his
lips." Hear now, ye rebels, says he, with bitterness of language.--Secondly,
He behaved himself, and spake with an assuming air. He assumed too much
to himself; Hear now, ye rebels, must we fetch water out of this rock?
Spiritual pride wrought in Moses at that time. His temptations to it were
very great; for he had had great discoveries of God, and had been privileged
with intimate and sweet communion with him, and God had made him the instrument
of great good to his church. But though he was so humble a person, and,
by God's own testimony, meek above all men upon the face of the whole
earth, yet his temptations were too strong for him. Which surely should
make our young ministers, that have of late been highly favoured, and
have had great success, exceeding careful, and distrustful of themselves.
Alas! How far are we from having the strength of holy, meek, aged Moses!
The temptation at this day is exceeding great to both those errors that
Moses was guilty of. There is great temptation to bitterness and corrupt
passion with zeal; for there is so much unreasonable opposition made against
this glorious work of God, and so much stiff-neckedness manifested in
multitudes of this generation, notwithstanding all the great and wonderful
works in which God has passed before them, that it greatly tends to provoke
the spirits of such as have the interest of this work at heart, so as
to move them to speak unadvisedly with their lips. And there is also great
temptation to an assuming behaviour in some persons. When a minister is
greatly succeeded from time to time, and so draws the eyes of the multitude
upon him, when he sees himself followed, resorted to as an oracle--and
people ready to adore him, and as it were to offer sacrifice to him, and
as it were to offer sacrifice to him, as it was with Paul and Barnabas
at Lystra--it is almost impossible for a man to avoid taking upon him
the airs of a master, or some extraordinary person; a man had need to
have a great stock of humility, and much divine assistance, to resist
the temptation. But the greater our dangers are, the more ought to be
our watchfulness, prayerfulness, and diffidence, lest we bring ourselves
into mischief. Fishermen who have been very successful, having caught
a great many fish, had need to be careful that they do not at length begin
to burn incense to their net. And we should take warning by Gideon, who
after God had highly favoured and exalted him, and made him the instrument
of working a wonderful deliverance for his people, at length made a god
of the spoils of his enemies, which became a snare to him and to his house,
so as to prove the ruin of his family. All young ministers, in this
day of bringing up the ark of God, should take warning by the example
of a young Levite in Israel, Uzza the son of Abinadab. He seemed to have
a real concern for the ark of God, and to be zealous and engaged in his
mind on that joyful occasion of bringing it up. God made him an instrument
to bring the ark out of its long-continued obscurity in Kirjath-jearim,
and he was succeeded to bring it a considerable way towards mount Zion;
but for his want of humility, reverence, and circumspection, and assuming
or taking too much upon him, God broke forth upon him, and smote him for
his error, so that he never lived to see and partake of the great joy
of his church on occasion of the carrying up the ark into mount Zion,
and the great blessings of heaven upon Israel consequent upon it. Ministers
employed to carry on this work, have been chiefly of the younger sort,
who have doubtless (as Uzza had) a real concern for the ark; and it is
evident that they are much animated and engaged in their minds (as he
was) in this joyful day of bringing up the ark.--They are afraid what
will become of the ark under the conduct of its ministers: they see it
shakes, and they are afraid these blundering oxen will throw it. Some
of them, it is to be feared, have been over-officious on this occasion,
have assumed too much to themselves, and have been bold to put forth their
hand to take hold of the ark, as though they were the only fit and worthy
persons to defend it. If young ministers had great humility, without a
corrupt mixture, it would dispose them especially to treat aged ministers
with respect and reverence, as their fathers, notwithstanding that a sovereign
God may have given themselves greater assistance and success, 1 Pet. v.
5. "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder; yea,
all of you be subject one to another; and be clothed with humility; for
God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." Lev. xix.
32. "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face
of the old man, and fear they God; I am the Lord." As spiritual
pride disposes persons to assume much to themselves, so it also disposes
them to treat others with neglect. On the contrary, pure Christian humility
disposes persons to honour all men, agreeable to that rule, 1 Pet. ii.
17. There has been in some, who I believe are true friends of religion,
too great appearance of this fruit of spiritual pride, in their treatment
of those whom they looked upon to be carnal men; and particularly in refusing
to enter into any discourse or reasoning with them. Indeed to spend a
great deal of time in jangling and warm debates about religion, is not
the way to propagate, but to hinder it; and some are so dreadfully set
against this work, that it is a dismal task to dispute with them; all
that one can say is utterly in vain. I have found it so by experience.
To enter into disputes about religion, at some times, is quite unseasonable;
particularly in meetings for religious conference, or exercises of worship.
But yet we ought to be very careful that we do not refuse to discourse
with men, with any appearance of a supercilious neglect, as though we
counted them not worthy to be regarded; on the contrary, we should condescend
to carnal men, as Christ has condescended to us, to bear with our unteachableness
and stupidity.--He still follows us with instructions, line upon line,
and precept upon precept, saying, Come, let us reason together; setting
light before us, and using all manner of arguments with us, and waiting
upon such dull scholars, as it were hoping that we should receive light.
We should be ready with meekness and calmness, without hot disputing,
to give our reasons, why we think this work is the work of God, to carnal
men when they ask us, and not turn them by as not worthy to be talked
with; as the apostle directed the primitive Christians to be ready to
give a reason of the Christian faith and hope to the enemies of Christianity,
1 Pet. iii. 15. "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that
asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear."
And we ought not to condemn all reasoning about things of religion under
the name of carnal reason. For my part, I desire no better than that those
who oppose this work should fairly submit to have the cause betwixt us
tried by strict reasoning. One qualification that the Scripture speaks
of once and again, as requisite in a minister, is, that he should be (didartikos)
apt to teach, 1 Tim. iii. 2. And the apostle seems to explain what he
means by it, in 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25. Or at least there expresses one thing
that he intends by it, viz. That a minister should be ready, meekly to
condescend to and instruct opposers; "And the servant apt to teach,
patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God
peradventure will give them repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth." |