Satan, who feels more of this in himself than any other creature in the world, and knows how ready poor ignorant, but distressed sinners are to catch at any thing that looks like ease or comfort, and being jealous what these troubles of conscience may issue into, pre- pares for them such erroneous doctrines and opinions, under the names of anodines and quieting recipes, by swallowing of which they feel some present ease ; but their disease is thereby made so much the more incurable.
* It is upon this account he hath found such vent in the world for his penances, pilgrimages, and indulgences among the Papists. But seeing this ware will not go off among the reformed and more enlightened professors of Christianity, he changeth his hand, and fitteth other doses under other names to quiet sick and distressed souls, before ever their frights of conscience come to settle into true
• Mr. Gataker, in his book against Saltraarsh, p. 27. tells us of one that had takea ill courses, and being under much trouble of ininH, could not be quiet till he turned Papist, and had been shrievcd and absolved by a priest,
458 A BLOW AT THE ROOT ; OR,
repentance and faith in the blood of Christ, by dressing up, and presenting to them such opinions as these, viz.
That they may boldly apply to themselves all the promises of pardon and peace, without any respect at all to repentance or faith in themselves ; that it is not at all needful, nay, that it is illegal and sinful to have any respect to these things, forasmuch as their sins were pardoned, and they justified from eternity; and that the co- venant of grace is in all respects absolute, and is made to sinners as sinners, without any regard to their faith or repentance ; and what- ever sins there be in them, God sees them not *.
To such a charm of troubles as this, how earnestly doth the ear of a distressed conscience listen ? how greedily doth it suck in such pleasing words ? Are all sins that are pardoned, pardoned before they are committed? and. Does the covenant of grace require nei- ther repentance nor faith antecedently to the application of the pro- mises ? How groundless then are all my fears and troubles ? This, like a dose of opium, quiets, or rather stupifies the raging consci- ence; for, even an error in judgment, till it be detected and disco- vered to be so, quiets and comforts the heart as well as principles of truth ; but whenever the fallacy shall be detected, whether here or hereafter, the anguish of conscience must be increased, or (which is worse) left desperate.
To prevent and cure this mistake and error in the soul, by which it is fitted and prepared to catch any erroneous principle (which is but plausible) for its present relief and ease, I shall desire my read- er seriously to ponder and consider the following queries upon this case.
Query 1. Whether by the vote pf the whole rational world, a good trouble be not better than a false peace ? Present ease is de- sirable, but eternal safety is much more so : and if these two can- not consist under the present circumstances of the soul. Whether it be not better to endure for a time those painful pangs, than feel more acute and eternal ones, by quieting conscience with false re- medies before the time ?
It is bad to lie tossing a few days under a laborious fever ; but far worse to have that fever turned into a lethargy, or fatal apo- plexy. Erroneous principles may rid the soul of its present pain and eternal hopes and safety together. Acute pains are better than a senseless stupidity. Though the present rage of conscience be
* Salrmavsh, in the title-page of liisbook called Free-grace, shews you the sovereign virtue of Antinomian principles, to quiet troubles of conscience of twelve years growth.
THE CAUSES AND CURE OF MENTAL ERRORS. 459
not a right and kindly conviction, yet it may lead to it, and termi- nate in faith and union with Christ at last, if Satan do not this way practise upon it, and quench it before its time.
Query 2. Bethink yourselves seriously, whether troubles so quiet- ed and laid asleep, will not revive and turn again upon thee with a double force as soon as the virtue of the drug (I mean the crrro- neous principle) hath spent itself?
The efficacy of truth is eternal, and will maintain the peace it gives for ever ; but all delusions must vanish, and the troubles which they dammed up for a time, break out with a greater force. Satan employs two sorts of witches, some to torment the bodies of men with grievous pain and anguish : but then he hath his white witches at hand to relieve and ease them. And have these poor wretches any great cause, think you, to boast of the cure, who are eased of their pains at the price of their souls?
Much like unto this, are the cures of inward troubles by erro- neous principles. I lament the case of blinded Papists, who by pilgrimages and offerings to the shrines of titular saints, attempt the cure of a lesser sin by committing a greater ; is it because there is not a God in Israel, who is able in due season to pacify conscience with proper and durable gospel-remedies, that we suffer our trou- bles thus to precipitate us into the snares of Satan, for the sake of present ease ?
Query 3. Read the scriptures, and enquire. Whether God's people, who have lain long under sharp inward terrors, have not at last found settlement and inward peace, by those very methods which the principles that quiet you do utterly exclude !
If you will fetch your peace from a groundless notion, that your sins were pardoned, and your persons justified from all eternity, and therefore you may apply boldly and confidently to yourselves the choicest promises and privileges in the gospel, without any re- gard to faith or repentance wrought by the Spirit in your souls. I am sure holy David took another course for the settlement of his conscience, Psal. li. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. And it hath been the constant practice of the saints in all ages, to clear their title to the righ- teousness of Christ wrought without them, by the works of his Spirit wrought within them.
Cause 6. The next evil temper in the subject, preparing and dis- posing it for error, is an easy CREDULITY, or sequacious hu- mour in men, rendering them apt to receive things upon trust from others, withont due and thorough examination of the grounds and reasons of them themselves.
This is a disposition fitted to receive any impression seducers please to make upon them ; they are said to deceive the hearts of the simple, ar.axwi/, i. e. credulous, but well-meaning people that
460 A BLOW AT THE ROOT ; OR,