Anstotelicum Christianismum procitderunt, who went to the philosopher's forge to shape a Christianity. What is this, but to carry gold to be weighed in the chandler's scales, and to look for the sun by the light of the moon? A modern divine saith, 'Most heresies have sprung either from pride, ignorance, or the sophistvv of reason.' The last of which seems to be the rock on whic'.i Paul observes some to have split ; ' some professing have erred concerning the faith,' 1 Tim. vi. 21, and, therefore, so affectionately exhorts Timothy to keep off this dangerous shore, and steer his course by the word, ver. 20 : * O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust,' &c. ; for this which is here com- mitted to him, I take for ' the form of sound words' he exhorts him to hold fast in the Second Epistle, chap. i. 13.
Object. But we see heretics quote Scripture for their most prodigious errors, and draw this sword for their defence, as well as the orthodox : how then is it such a powerful instrument against error? ulns. What will not men of subtle heads, con-upt hearts, and bold faces, dare to do for carrying on their wicked party, when once they have espoused an error or any sinful way ? Korah and his ungodly company dare give out that the Lord is among them, and they have as much to do with the priesthood as Aaron himself, on whom the holy oil was poured, Numb. xvi. 13. And Zedekiah, that arch flatterer, fears not to father his lie on the God of truth himself, 1 Kings xxii. 11 : 'He made him horns of iron, and said. Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shall push the Syrians until thou hast consumed them ;' whereas, God never spoke such a word. It is no f marvel, then, to see any lay their bastard-brats at God's door, and cry, they have Scripture on their side. By this impudence, they may abuse credulous souls } into a belief of what they say, as a cheater may pick the purses of ignorant people, by shewing them something like the king's broad seal, which was his own forgery ; yea, God may suffer them to seduce others of more raised parts and understanding, as a just judgment on them for rebelling against the light of their own conscience : as Pharaoh, by the false miracles of the magicians, was set far- ther from complying with Moses : and those of the antichristian faction, 2 Thess. ii. 10, 11, who, ' because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, for this cause God sends them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie.' But sincere souls, that search humbly for truth, and have no other design in their inquiry after it, but that they may know the will of God, and obey it, they shall find, upon their faithful prayers to God, a light most clear, shining from the Scrijjture to guide them safe from those pitfalls of fatal errors into which others fall, towards whom the dark side of this cloud stands : ' The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments,' Psa. cxi. 10. 'i'he fox, when hard put to it, will ^ fall in subtly with the dogs, and hunt with them as one of their company, but then his strong scent, which he cannot leave behind him, betrays him. Thus heretics, to shelter their errors, will crowd them in among Scripture truths, and by ) their false glosses make them seem to be of their company, but they cannot so perfume their rotten opinions, but their rank scent and savour will be smelt, and / discerned by those who have their senses exercised. A heretic can reap no advantage by an appeal to the Scripture. What Christ saith in another case, Matt. xxvi. 52, ' All they that take the sword shall perish by the sword,' is most true of all heretics ; they are confounded and confuted by that very sword of the word which they lift up to defend themselves.
CHAPTER XV.
OUR THIRD ENEMY, MADE UP OF AN ARMY OF CORRUPTIONS AND LUSTS WITHIN, AND THE POWER OF THIS SWORD OF THE SPIRIT TO CONQUER THEM.
Thirdly, Our own lusts are the next adversary we have to grapple with. Thus the farther we go the worse enemy we meet. These are more formidable than both the former ; partly because they are within us, men of our own house, lusts of our own bosom, which rise up against us ; and partly because they hold correspondence with a foreign foe, the devil himself, who, as he beat a man at first with his own rib, so he continues to do us the worst mischief with our own flesh. The fire of our lusts is ours, but the flame commonly is his, because his temp- tations are the bellows that blow it up. And when such a fire meets with such
582 AND THE SWOKD OF THE SPIRIT.