Some think that reason and natural light is abundantly sufficient for the direction of life ; but certainly nothing is more necessary to us for that end than the written word ; for though the remains of natural light have their place and use in directing us about natural and earthly things, yet they are utterly insufficient to guide us in spiritual and heavenly things, 1 Cor. ii. 14. " The natural man re- " ceiveth not the things of God," &c. Eph. v. 8. " Once were " ye darkness, viv be (pug sv kv^iu, now are ye light in the Lord ;'"' i. e. by a beam of heavenly light shining from the Spirit of Christ through the written word, into your minds or understandings.
It is the written word which shines upon the path of our duty, Psal. cxix. 105. The scriptures of the Old and New Testament do jointly make the solid foundation of a Christiari'*s faith. Hence, Eph. ii. 20. we are said to be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. We are bound therefore to honour Old- Testament scriptures as well as New, they being part of the Divine canon ; and must not scruple to admit them as sufficient and au- thentic proofs for the confirmation of truths, and refutation of errors. Christ referred the people to them, John v. 39. and Paul preached and disputed from them. Acts xxvi. 22.
Observ. 3. Unto the attainment of Divine Joiowledge out of the scriptures^ some things are naturally, yet less princijmlly re- quisite in the subject; and something absolutely and principally necessary.
The natural qualifications desirable in the subject are clearness of apprehension, solidity of judgment, and fidelity of retention. These are desirable requisites to make the understanding susceptible of knowledge ; but the irradiation of the mind, by the Spirit of God, is principally necessar}^, John xvi. 13. " He shall guide you into all *• truth :" The clearest and most comfortable light he giveth to men is in the way of sanctification, called the teachings of the anointing, 1 John ii. 27.
When this spiritual sanctifying light shines upon a mind, naturally enriched and qualified with the three fore-mentioned requisites, that mind excels others in the riches of knowledge. And yet the teach- ings of the Spirit, in the way of sanctification, do very much supply and recompense the defects and weaknesses of the fore-mentioned qualifications. Whence two things are highly remarkable :
1. That men of great abilities of nature, clear apprehensions in natural things, strong judgments and tenacious memories, do not only frequently fall into gross errors and damnable heresies them-
THE CAUSES AND CURES OF MENTAL ERRORS. 42^
Selves, but become Heresiarchs, or heads of erroneous factions, drawino- multitudes into the same sin and misery with themselves ; as Arius, Socinus, Pelagius, Bellarmine, and multitudes of others have done.
And secondly, It is no less remarkable, that men of weaker parts, but babes in comparison, through the sanctification and direction of the Spirit, for which they have humbly waited at his feet in prayer, have not only been directed and guided by him into the truth, but so confirmed and fixed therein, that they have been kept sound in their judgments in times of abounding errors; and firm in their adherence to it in days of fiercest persecution. How men of excel- lent natural parts have been blinded, and men of weak natural parts illuminated ; see 1 Cor. i. 26, 27. Mat, xi. 25.
Observ. 4. Among the manifold impediments to the obtaining of true knowledge^ and settling the mind in the truth and faith of the gospel^ these three are of special remark and consideration; viz. ignorance^ curiosity^ and error.
Ignorance slights it, or despairs of attaining it. Truth falls into contempt among the ignorant, from sluggishness and apprehension of the difficulties that lie in the way to it, Prov. xxiv. 7. Wisdom is too high for a fool. Curiosity runs beside or beyond it. This pride and wantonness of the mind puffs it up with a vain conceit, that it is not only able to penetrate the deepest mysteries revealed in the scriptures, but even unrevealed secrets also ; Col. ii. 18. *' Intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed " up by his fleshly mind.'' But error militates directly against it, contradicts and opposeth truth, especially when an error is main- tained by pride against inward convictions, or means of better information. It is bad to maintain an error for want of light ; but abundantly worse to maintain it against light. This is such an affront to the Spirit of God as he usually punishes with penal ignorance, and gives them up to a spirit of error.
Observ. 5. Error is binding upon the conscience as well as truth ; and altogether as much^ and sometimes more influential upon the affections and passions as truth is :
For it presents not itself to the soul in its own name and nature as error ; but in the name and dress of truth, and under that no- tion binds the conscience, and vigorously influences the passions and affections; and then being more indulgent to lust than truth is, it is, for that, so much the more embraced and hugged by the
430 A BLOW AT THE ROOT ; OR,
deceived soul, Acts xxii. 4, 5. The heat that error puts the soui into differs from religious zeal, as a feverish doth from a natural heat ; which is not indeed so benign and agreeable, but much more fervent and scorching. A mind under the power of error is restless and impatient to propagate its errors to others, and these heats prey upon, and eat up the vital spirits and powers of religion.
Observ. 6. It is excecdmg difficult to get out error, xvhen once it is imbibed, and hath rooted itself by an open profession.