A _scholar_, pitying the blindness and folly of those who live to themselves in the cares and pleasures of this vain life, thinks himself to have escaped the pollutions of the world, because he is day after day, dividing, dissecting, and mending church opinions, fixing heresies here, schisms there; forgetting all the while, that _carnal self-will_ and _natural reason_ have the doing of all that is done by this learned zeal, and are as busy and active in him, as in the _reasoning_ infidel, or _projecting_ worldling. For where _this is wholly denied_, there nothing can be called heresy, or wickedness, but the want of loving God with our whole heart, and our neighbour as ourselves: nor any thing be called life or salvation, but the Spirit and power of Christ manifesting itself in us. But where the _natural man_ is become great in religious learning, there the greater the scholar, the more firmly will he be fixed in their religion, whose _God is their belly_.
*Hence may be seen, the great and like blindness both of Infidels and Christians; the one in trusting to their own reason, dwelling in its own logical conclusions; the other in trusting to their own reason, dwelling in learned opinions about scripture words and phrases, and doctrines built upon them. “For as soon as it is known, that _God is all in all_, that in him we _live and move_ and _have our being_; that we can have nothing _separately_, or out of him, but every thing in him; that we have no being, or degree of being but in him; that he can give us nothing as our good, but himself, nor any degree of salvation from our fallen nature, but in such degree, as he again communicates something more of himself to us: as soon as this is known, then it is known with the utmost evidence, that to put a religious trust in our own reason, whether confined to itself, or working in doctrines about scripture words, has the nature of that same idolatry, that puts a religious trust in the _sun_, a departed _saint_, or a graven _image_.” And as _image-worship_ has often boasted of its divine power, because of the wonders of zeal and devotion, that have been raised thereby in thousands, and ten thousands of its followers; so it is no marvel, if _opinion-worship_ should often have, and boast of the same effects.
What poor divinity-knowledge comes from great _scholars_, and great _readers_, may be sufficiently seen from the two following quotations in a _late dissertation on enthusiasm_; the one is taken from Dr. _Warburton_’s sermons, the other from a _pastoral letter_ of Mr. _Stinstra_, a preacher amongst the _Mennonists of Friesland_. That from Dr. Warburton, stands thus: “By them (that is, by the writings of the New Testament) the prophetic promise of our Saviour, that the _Comforter_ should abide for ever; was _eminently_ fulfilled. For tho’ his ordinary influence _occasionally_ assists the faithful, yet his _constant abode_ and _supreme illumination_ is in the sacred scriptures.¹” Dr. _Warburton_’s doctrine is this, that the inspired books of the New Testament, is that _Comforter_, or _Spirit_ of _truth_, which is meant by Christ’s being _always_ with his church.――Let us put the Doctor’s doctrine into the letter of the text, which will best shew how true, or false it is.
¹ Dissertation, page 10.
*Our Lord saith, _it is expedient for you that I go away_, or _the Comforter will not come_: that is, it is expedient for you, that I leave off teaching you in words, that sound only into your _outward ears_, that you may have the _same words_ in writing, for your _outward eyes_ to look upon; for if I do not depart from this vocal way of teaching you, the Comforter will not come, that is, ye will not have the comfort of _my words written on paper_. But if I go away, I will send written books, which shall lead you into such a _truth of words_, as ye could not have, whilst they were only spoken from my mouth; but being written on paper, they will be my _spiritual, heavenly, constant abode_ with you.
Christ saith further; _I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now: howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, for he shall receive of mine_, and _shall shew it unto you_: that is, though ye cannot be sufficiently instructed from my words at present, yet when they shall hereafter come to you in written books, they will give you a knowledge of all truth, for they shall not speak of themselves, but shall receive words from me, and shew them unto you.