The very first thing we may observe in these words, is that here is no enquiry concerning _Jehonadab_’s opinions. And yet ’tis certain, he held some which were very uncommon, indeed quite peculiar to himself: and some which had a close influence upon his practice; on which likewise he laid so great a stress, as to intail them upon his children’s children, to their latest posterity. This is evident from the account given by _Jeremiah_, many years after his death. _I took_ Jaazaniah _and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites――and set before them pots full of wine and cups, and said unto them, drink ye wine. But they said, we will drink no wine; for_ Jonadab (or _Jehonadab_) _the son of_ Rechab _our father_ (It would be less ambiguous if the words were placed thus, Jehonadab _our father the son of_ Rechab: out of love and reverence to whom he probably desired his descendents might be called by his name) _commanded us, saying, ye shall drink no wine, neither ye nor your sons for ever. Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents――and we have obeyed and done according to all that_ Jonadab _our father commanded us_, Jer. xxxv. 3‒10.
2. And yet _Jehu_ (although it seems to have been his manner, both in things secular and religious to _drive furiously_) does not concern himself at all with any of these things, but lets _Jehonadab_ abound in his own sense. And neither of them appears to have given the other the least disturbance, touching the opinions which he maintained.
3. ’Tis very possible, that many good men now also may entertain peculiar opinions: and some of them maybe as singular herein, as even ♦_Jehonadab_ was. And ’tis certain, so long as _we know_ but _in part_, that all men will not see all things alike. It is an unavoidable consequence of the present weakness and shortness of human understanding, that several men will be of several minds, in religion as well as in common life. So it has been from the beginning of the world, and so it will be _till the restitution of all things_.
4. Nay farther. Altho’ every man necessarily believes, that every particular opinion which he holds is true (for, to believe any opinion is not true, is the same thing as, not to hold it:) yet can no man be assured, that all his own opinions taken together, are true. Nay, every thinking man is assured, they are not: seeing _Humanum est errare et nescire_. To be ignorant of many things, and to mistake in some, is the necessary condition of humanity. This therefore he is sensible is his own case. He knows in the general, that he himself is mistaken. Altho’ in what particulars he mistakes, he does not, perhaps cannot know.
5. I say, perhaps he cannot know. For who can tell how far invincible ignorance may extend? Or (that comes to the same thing) invincible prejudice: which is so fixt in tender minds, that it is afterwards impossible to tear up what has taken so deep a root. And who can say, unless he knew every circumstance attending it, how far any mistake is culpable? Seeing all guilt must suppose some concurrence of the will: of which he only can judge who searcheth the heart.
6. Every wise man therefore will allow others the same liberty of thinking, which he desires they should allow him: and will no more insist on their embracing his opinions, than he would have them to insist on his embracing theirs. He bears with those who differ from him, and only asks him, with whom he desires to unite in love, that single question, _Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart_?
7. We may, secondly, observe, That here is no enquiry made, concerning _Jehonadab_’s mode of worship: altho’ it is highly probably, there was in this respect also, a very wide difference between them. For we may well believe ♦_Jehonadab_ as well as all his posterity, worshipped God at _Jerusalem_: whereas _Jehu_ did not; he had more regard to state-policy than religion. And therefore altho’ he slew the worshippers of _Baal, and destroyed_ Baal _out of_ Israel: yet _from the_ convenient _sin of_ Jeroboam, the worship of _the golden calves, he departed not_, 2 Kings x. 29.