2. Consider the sad consequence of erring. There are damnable errors and heresies, 2 Peter ii. 1. Vice is not only destructive and damnable to the soul, but error. Now eternal damnation and salva- tion are no small matters. A man cannot please God in a false belief, how laudable so ever his life be ; and they cannot put the fault u])on others, that they are misled by them ; for ' if the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch ; ' not only the blind guide, but the blind follower.
3. If we light upon a good way without search and choice, it is but a happy mistake when we have not sufficient evidence. You may have the advantage ground, by chance may light upon a better way, and it is God's jJrovidence you are born there where it may be so. A Turk hath the same ground for his respect to Mahomet that many have for their owning of Christ ; it is that religion he was born and bred in. This will not be counted faith, but simple credulity : ' The simple believeth every word.' It is almost as dangerous to love a truth ignorantly as to broach an error knowingly. Temere creditur, &c., saitli Tertullian — that is believed in vain which is believed without the grounds whereupon it is propounded. The faith of Christians should not be conjectural or traditional. If a man should not have reasons to sway his choice, he will never be able to check temptations even in practical things. If men have not received religion upon true grounds, and, as Cyprian saith, when they do not look into the reason of these things, and when the Christian religion is represented to them without evidence and certainty, they have but a probable faith, that is always weak against temptation, either against lusts within or errors and seductions without ; therefore we had need look to the grounds of these thinffs.
Ver. 30.] SERMONS uroN rsALM ex IX. ■ 295
4. The profit is exceeding great, for truth will have a greater force upon the heart when we see the grounds and reasons of it. We are exposed here in this lower world to great difficulties and temptations. Now, when we do not lay up the supreme truths of religion with certainty and assurance, alas ! these temptations will prevail over us and carry us away. Atheism lies at the root ; therefore are there such doubtings in the heart in point of comfort, such defects in the life and conversation, because truth was never soundly laid in the soul, it was not chosen. If we were soundly settled in the belief of the unity of the divine essence, and the verity of salvation by Christ, and the divine authority of the scriptures, and the certainty of the promises therein, certainly we would be more firmly engaged to God ; comfort would sooner follow us, and we would have better success in the heavenly life. If the fire were well kindled, it would of itself break out into a flame. If we did believe, indeed, that Jesus the Son of God hath done so much for us, and had this firmly settled in our hearts, this would be a real ground of comfort and constancy : 2 Peter iii. 17, ' Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.' It is put in opposition to one that stands by the steadfastness of another ; he might be carried away by the error of the wicked. No ; but he must have somewhat to say to engage his own heart, otherwise he is led thereby with every fond suggestion and simple credulity, and easily abused. But when men have chosen and are well fixed, they are not easily shaken. "When men take up religion upon trust, without a satisfying argument, they are like light chaff, carried through the whole compass of the winds ; as mariners dispose of several winds which blow in the corners of the world into a circle and compass (the apostle's word alludes to that), ' We are carried all round the points of the compass,' Eph. iv. 14. When the chain of consent is broken, they are in continual danger to be seduced ; and the greatest adversaries of truth are "able to use such reasons as have in them great probability to captivate the affections of a weak understanding, by their sophistical arguments and insinuating persuasions.
Pi'op. 5. After this inquiry into the grounds and reasons of the way of truth, then we must resolve and choose it, ' I have chosen the way of truth,' as the way wherein we are to walk : Jer. vi. 16, ' Ask where is the good way, and walk therein, and then ye shall find rest for your souls.' You must not only so understand and form your opinions aright, not only see what is the good way, but ivalk therein ; keep that w^ay which you find to be the way of truth, renouncing all others. We should not lie under a floating uncertainty or sceptical irresolution, as tliose that keep themselves in a wary reservation, that are ' ever learn- ing, but never come to the knowledge of the truth,' 2 Tim. iii. 7 — eTrlyvoocriv aX7]6eia<i, the word is, they do not come to ' the acknowledg- ment of the truth;' always examining, but never resolve. You are to ' prove all things,^ but not in order to unsettlement, but settlement, 1 Thes. V. 21. , Consider, inquire, where is God's presence most? where is the Son like to be glorified, and souls better to be satisfied, and built up in the faith of Jesus Christ ? and resolve and siick there. Pro}:). G. That no religion will be found fit to be chosen upon sound