Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 38 - A Caution against Bigotry - Sermons on Several Occasions

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38 - A Caution against Bigotry - Sermons on Several Occasions · Philosophy and Faith

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  Speaker 1: A caution against pigotry, and John answered him, saying, Master,
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  Speaker 1: we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and
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  Speaker 1: he followeth not us, And we forbade him, because he
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  Speaker 1: followeth not us. But Jesus said forbid him not. Mark
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  Speaker 1: Chapter nine, verses thirty eight and thirty nine. In the
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  Speaker 1: preceding verses we read that after the twelve have been
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  Speaker 1: disputing which of them should be the greatest, Jesus took
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  Speaker 1: a little child and set him in the midst of them,
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  Speaker 1: and taking him in his arms, said unto them, whosoever
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  Speaker 1: shall receive one of these little children in my name,
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  Speaker 1: receiveth me. And whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me only,
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  Speaker 1: but him that sent me. Then John answered, that is
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  Speaker 1: said with reference to what our Lord had spoken just before. Master,
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  Speaker 1: we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and
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  Speaker 1: we forbad him because he followeth not us. As if
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  Speaker 1: he had said, ought we to have received him, and
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  Speaker 1: receiving him, should we have received thee ought we not,
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  Speaker 1: rather to have forbidden him? Did not we do well? Therein?
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  Speaker 1: But Jesus said forbid him not. The same passage is
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  Speaker 1: recited by Saint Luke and almost in the same words.
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  Speaker 1: But it may be asked, what is this to us?
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  Speaker 1: Seeing no man now cast out devils? Has not the
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  Speaker 1: power of doing this been withdrawn from the church for
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  Speaker 1: twelve or fourteen hundred years? How then, are we concerned
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  Speaker 1: in the case here proposed, or in Our Lord's decision
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  Speaker 1: of it, perhaps more nearly than is commonly imagined, the
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  Speaker 1: case proposed being no uncommon case, that we may reap
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  Speaker 1: our full advantage from it. I design to show first
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  Speaker 1: in what sense men may and do now cast out devils.
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  Speaker 1: Secondly what we may understand by he followed not us.
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  Speaker 1: I shall thirdly explain our Lord's direction, forbid him not,
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  Speaker 1: and conclude with an inference from the whole. I am
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  Speaker 1: in the first place, to show in what sense men
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  Speaker 1: may and do now cast out devils. In order to
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  Speaker 1: have the clearest view of this, we should remember that,
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  Speaker 1: according to the scriptural account, as God dwells and works
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  Speaker 1: in the children of light, so the devil dwells and
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  Speaker 1: works in the children of darkness. As the Holy Spirit
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  Speaker 1: possesses the souls of good men, so the evil spirit
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  Speaker 1: possesses the souls of the wicked. Hence it is that
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  Speaker 1: the apostle terms him the God of this world, from
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  Speaker 1: the uncontrolled power he has over worldly man. Hence our
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  Speaker 1: blessed Lord styles him the Prince of this world, so
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  Speaker 1: absolute is his dominion over it. And hence, Saint John,
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  Speaker 1: we know that we are of God, and all who
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  Speaker 1: are not of God the whole world, and toy Penloi
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  Speaker 1: kate I not lieth in wickedness, but lieth in the
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  Speaker 1: wicked One lives and moves in him, as they who
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  Speaker 1: are not of the world do in God. For the
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  Speaker 1: devil is not to be considered only as a roaring
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  Speaker 1: lion going about seeking whom he may devour, nor barely
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  Speaker 1: as a subtle enemy who cometh unawares upon poor souls
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  Speaker 1: and leads them captive at his will, But as he
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  Speaker 1: who dwelleth in them and walketh in them, who ruleth
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  Speaker 1: the darkness or wickedness of this world of worldly men
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  Speaker 1: and all their dark designs and actions, by keeping possession
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  Speaker 1: of their hearts, setting up his throne there, and bringing
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  Speaker 1: every thought into obedience to himself. Thus the strong one
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  Speaker 1: armed keepeth his house. And if this unclean spirit sometimes
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  Speaker 1: goes out of a man, yet often he returns with
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  Speaker 1: seven spirit. It's worse than himself, and they enter in
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  Speaker 1: and dwell there. Nor can he be idle in his dwelling.
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  Speaker 1: Is continually working in these children of disobedience. He works
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  Speaker 1: in them with power, with mighty energy, transforming them into
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  Speaker 1: his own likeness, effacing all the remains the image of God,
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  Speaker 1: and preparing them for every evil word and work. It
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  Speaker 1: is therefore an unquestionable truth that the God and Prince
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  Speaker 1: of this world still possesses all who know not God.
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  Speaker 1: Only the manner wherein he possesses them now differs from
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  Speaker 1: that wherein he did it of old time. Then he
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  Speaker 1: frequently tormented their bodies as well as souls, and that openly,
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  Speaker 1: without any disguise. Now he torments their souls only unless
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  Speaker 1: in some rare cases, and that is covertly as possible.
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  Speaker 1: The reason of this difference is plain. It was then
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  Speaker 1: his aim to drive mankind into superstition. Therefore he wrought
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  Speaker 1: as openly as he could. But it is his aim
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  Speaker 1: to drive us into infidelity. Therefore he works as privately
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  Speaker 1: as he can, for the more secret he is, the
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  Speaker 1: more he prevails. Yet, if we may credit historians, there
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  Speaker 1: are countries even now where he works as openly as aforetime.
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  Speaker 1: But why in savage and barbarous countries only, Why not
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  Speaker 1: in Italy, France or England? For a very plain reason.
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  Speaker 1: He knows his men, and he knows what he hath
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  Speaker 1: to do with each. To Laplanders, he appears bare faced,
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  Speaker 1: because he is to fix them in superstition and gross idolatry.
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  Speaker 1: But with you he is pursuing a different point. He
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  Speaker 1: is to make you idolize yourselves, to make you wiser
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  Speaker 1: in your own eyes than God himself, than all the
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  Speaker 1: oracles of God. Now, in order to do this he
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  Speaker 1: must not appear in his own shape. That would frustrate
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  Speaker 1: his design. No, he uses all his art to make
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  Speaker 1: you deny his being till he has you safe in
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  Speaker 1: his own place. He reigns therefore, although in a different way,
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  Speaker 1: yet is absolute in one land as in the other.
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  Speaker 1: He has the gay Italian infidel in his teeth as
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  Speaker 1: surely as the wild tartar. But he is fast asleep
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  Speaker 1: in the mouth of the lion, who is too wise
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  Speaker 1: to wake him out of sleep. So he only plays
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  Speaker 1: with him for the present, and when he pleases, swallows
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  Speaker 1: him up. The God of this world holds his English
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  Speaker 1: worshipers full as fast as those in Lapland. But it
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  Speaker 1: is not his business to affright them, lest they should
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  Speaker 1: fly to the God of heaven. The Prince of darkness
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  Speaker 1: therefore does not appear. While he rules over these his
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  Speaker 1: willing subjects. The conqueror holds his captive so much the
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  Speaker 1: safer because they imagine themselves at liberty. Thus, the strong,
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  Speaker 1: on armed keepeth his house, and his goods are in peace.
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  Speaker 1: Neither the deayest, no nominal Christian suspects he is there.
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  Speaker 1: So he and they are perfectly at peace with each other.
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  Speaker 1: All this while he works with energy in them. He
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  Speaker 1: blinds the eyes their understandings. The light the glorious Gospel
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  Speaker 1: of Christ cannot shine upon them. He chains their souls
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  Speaker 1: down to earth and hell the chains their own vile affections.
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  Speaker 1: He binds them down to the earth by love of
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  Speaker 1: the world, love of money, of pleasure, of praise, and
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  Speaker 1: by pride, envy, anger, hate, revenge. He causes their souls
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  Speaker 1: to draw nigh unto Hell, acting the more secure and uncontrolled,
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  Speaker 1: because they know not that he acts at all, But
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  Speaker 1: how easily may we know the cause from its effects?
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  Speaker 1: These are sometimes gross and palpable, So they were in
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  Speaker 1: the most refined the Heathen nations go no far than
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  Speaker 1: they admired the virtuous Romans, And you will find these
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  Speaker 1: when at the height their learning and glory, fit filled
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  Speaker 1: with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, deceitful,
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  Speaker 1: proud boasters, disobedient to parents, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.
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  Speaker 1: The strongest parts of this description are confirmed by one
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  Speaker 1: who some may think a more unexceptionable witness, I mean
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  Speaker 1: their brother Heathen dion Cassius, who observes that before Caesar's
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  Speaker 1: returned from Gaul, not only gluttony and lewdness of every
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  Speaker 1: kind were open and bear faced. Not only falsehood, injustice
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  Speaker 1: and unmercifulness abounded in public courts as well as private families,
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  Speaker 1: but most outrageous robberies, rapin and murders were so frequent
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  Speaker 1: in all parts of Rome that few men went out
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  Speaker 1: of doors without making their wills, as not knowing if
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  Speaker 1: they should return alive. As gross and palpable are the
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  Speaker 1: works of the devil among many, if not all, the modern Heathens.
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  Speaker 1: The natural religion of the Creeks, Cherokees, Chickasaws, and all
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  Speaker 1: other Indians bordering in our southern settlements, not of a
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  Speaker 1: few single men, but of entire nations, is to torture
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  Speaker 1: all the prisoners from morning till night till length they
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  Speaker 1: roast them to death upon the slightest undesigned provocation, to
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  Speaker 1: come behind and shoot any of their own countrymen. Yea,
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  Speaker 1: it's a common thing among them. For the son, if
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  Speaker 1: he thinks his father lives too long, to knock out
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  Speaker 1: his brains, and for mother, if she is tired of
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  Speaker 1: her children, to fasten stones about their necks and throw
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  Speaker 1: three or four of them into the river, one after another.
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  Speaker 1: It were to be wished that none but Heathens had
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  Speaker 1: practiced such gross palpable works the devil, But we dare
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  Speaker 1: not say so, even in cruelty and bloodshed. How little
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  Speaker 1: have the Christians come behind them? And not the Spaniards
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  Speaker 1: or Portuguese alone, butchering thousands in South America, not the
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  Speaker 1: Dutch only in the East Indies, or the French in
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  Speaker 1: North America, following the Spaniards step by step. Our own
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  Speaker 1: countrymen too have wanton in blood, and exterminated whole nations,
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  Speaker 1: plainly proving thereby what spirit it is that dwells and
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  Speaker 1: works in the children of disobedience. These monsters might almost
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  Speaker 1: make us overlook the works the devil that are wrought
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  Speaker 1: in our own country. But alas we cannot open our
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  Speaker 1: eyes even here without seeing them on every side, is
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  Speaker 1: it a small proof of His power? The common swearers, drunkards, hormongers, adulterers, thieves, robbers, sodomites,
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  Speaker 1: murderers are still found in every part of our land.
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  Speaker 1: How triumphant does the Prince of this world reign in
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  Speaker 1: all these children of disobedience? He less openly, but no
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  Speaker 1: less effectually works in dissemblers, tale bearers, liars, slanderers, and
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  Speaker 1: oppressors and extortioners, and the perjured, the cellar of his friend,
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  Speaker 1: his honor, his conscience, his country. And yet these may
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  Speaker 1: talk of religion or conscience, still of honor, virtue, and
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  Speaker 1: public spirit, But they can no more deceive Satan than
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  Speaker 1: they can God. He likewise knows those that are His,
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  Speaker 1: and a great multitude they are, out of every nation
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  Speaker 1: and people of whom He has full possession at this day.
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  Speaker 1: If you consider this you cannot but see in what
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  Speaker 1: sense men may now also cast out devils, Yea, And
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  Speaker 1: every minister of Christ does cast them out, if his
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  Speaker 1: lords work prosper in his hand. By the power of
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  Speaker 1: God attending his word, he brings these sinners to repentance,
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  Speaker 1: an entire inward as well as outward, change from all
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  Speaker 1: evil to all good. And this is in a sound sense,
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  Speaker 1: to cast out devils out of the souls wherein they
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  Speaker 1: had hitherto dwelt. The strong one can no longer keep
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  Speaker 1: his wad house. A stronger than he is come upon him,
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  Speaker 1: and hath cast him out, and taken possession for himself,
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  Speaker 1: and made it an habitation of God through his spirit.
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  Speaker 1: Here then the energy of Satan ends, the Son of
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  Speaker 1: God destroys the work of the devil. The understanding of
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  Speaker 1: the sinner is now enlightened, his heart sweetly drawn to God,
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  Speaker 1: his desires are refined, his affections purified, and being filled
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  Speaker 1: with the Holy Ghost, he grows in grace. Tlea is
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  Speaker 1: not only wholly in heart, but in alle manner of conversation.
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  Speaker 1: All this is indeed the work of God. It is
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  Speaker 1: God alone who it can cast out Satan. That he
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  Speaker 1: is generally pleased to do this by man as an
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  Speaker 1: instrument in his hand, who is then said to cast
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  Speaker 1: out devils in his name by his power and authority.
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  Speaker 1: And he sends whom he will send upon this great work,
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  Speaker 1: but usually such as a man would never have thought of,
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  Speaker 1: for his ways are not as our ways, neither his
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  Speaker 1: thoughts as our thoughts. Accordingly, he chooses the weak to
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  Speaker 1: confound the mighty, the foolish to confound the wise, for
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  Speaker 1: this plain reason, that he may secure the glory to himself,
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  Speaker 1: that no flesh may glory in his sight. But shall
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  Speaker 1: we not forbid one who thus casteth out devils if
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  Speaker 1: he followeth not us. This, it seems, was both the
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  Speaker 1: judgment and practice of the Apostle, till he referred the
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  Speaker 1: case to his master. We forbade him saith he because
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  Speaker 1: he followeth not us, which he supposed to be a
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  Speaker 1: very sufficient reason. What we may understand by this expression
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  Speaker 1: he followeth not us is the next point to be considered.
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  Speaker 1: The lowest circumstance we can understand thereby is he has
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  Speaker 1: no outward connection with us. We do not labor in
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  Speaker 1: conjunction with each other. He is not our fellow helper.
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  Speaker 1: In the Gospel. And indeed, whensoever our Lord is pleased
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  Speaker 1: to send many laborers into his harvest, they cannot all
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  Speaker 1: act in subordination to or connection with each other. Nay,
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  Speaker 1: they cannot be personal acquaintance with nor be so much
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  Speaker 1: as known to one another. Many there will necessarily be,
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  Speaker 1: in different parts the harvest, so far from having any
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  Speaker 1: mutual intercourse, that they will be as absolute strangers to
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  Speaker 1: each other as if they had lived in different ages.
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  Speaker 1: And concerning any of these whom we know not, we
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  Speaker 1: may doubtless say he followeth not us. A second meaning
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  Speaker 1: of this expression may be he is not of our party.
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  Speaker 1: It has long been matter of melancholy consideration to all
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  Speaker 1: who pray for the peace of Jerusalem that so many
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  Speaker 1: several parties are still subsisting among those who are all
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  Speaker 1: styled Christians. This has been particularly observable in our own
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  Speaker 1: Countrymen who have been continually to dividing from each other
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  Speaker 1: upon points of no moment, and many times such as
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  Speaker 1: religion had no concern in the most trifling circumstances, have
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  Speaker 1: given rise to different parties which have continued from many generations.
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  Speaker 1: And each of these would be ready to object to
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  Speaker 1: one who was on the other side, he followeth not us.
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  Speaker 1: The expression may mean thirdly, he differs from us in
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  Speaker 1: our religious opinions. There was a time when all Christians
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  Speaker 1: were of one mind as well as of one heart.
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  Speaker 1: So great grace was upon them all when they were
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  Speaker 1: first filled with the Holy Ghost. But how short a
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  Speaker 1: space did this blessing continue? How soon was that unanimity lost,
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  Speaker 1: and difference of opinion sprang up again, even in the
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  Speaker 1: Church of Christ, And that not ahenominal but in real Christians, nay,
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  Speaker 1: in the very chief of them, the apostles themselves. Nor
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  Speaker 1: does it appear that the difference which then began was
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  Speaker 1: ever entirely removed. We do not find that even those
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  Speaker 1: pillars in the Temple of God, so long as there
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  Speaker 1: remained upon the earth, were ever brought to think alike,
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  Speaker 1: to be of one mind, particularly with regard to the
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  Speaker 1: ceremonial law. It is therefore no way surprising that infinite
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  Speaker 1: varieties of opinion should now be found in the Christian Church.
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  Speaker 1: A very probable consequence of this is that whenever we
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  Speaker 1: see any casting out devils, he will be one that
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  Speaker 1: in this sense followeth not us, that is not of
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  Speaker 1: our opinion. Is scarce to be imagined he will be
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  Speaker 1: of our mind in all points, even of religion. He
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  Speaker 1: may very probably think in a different manner from us,
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  Speaker 1: even on several subjects of importance, such as the nature
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  Speaker 1: and use of the moral law, the eternal decrees of God,
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  Speaker 1: the sufficiency and efficacy of His grace, and the perseverance
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  Speaker 1: of His children. He may differ from us. Fourthly, not
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  Speaker 1: only in opinion, but likewise in some point of practice.
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  Speaker 1: He may not approve of that manner of worshiping God
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  Speaker 1: which is practiced in our congregation, and may judge that
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  Speaker 1: to be more profitable for his soul, which took its
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  Speaker 1: rise from Calvin or Martin Luther. He may have many
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  Speaker 1: objections to that liturgy which we approve of, beyond all others,
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  Speaker 1: many doubts concerning that form of church government, which we esteem,
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  Speaker 1: both apostolical and scriptural. Perhaps he may go farther from
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  Speaker 1: as Yet, he may, from a principle of conscience, refrain
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  Speaker 1: from several of those which we believe to be the
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  Speaker 1: ordinances of Christ. Or if we both agree that they
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  Speaker 1: are ordained of God, there may still remain a difference
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  Speaker 1: between us, either as to the manner of administering these
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  Speaker 1: ordinances or the persons to whom they should be administered. Now,
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  Speaker 1: the unavoidable consequence of any of these differences will be
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  Speaker 1: that he who thus differs from us must separate himself,
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  Speaker 1: with regard to those points, from our society. In this respect.
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  Speaker 1: Therefore he followeth not us. He is not, as we
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  Speaker 1: phrase it, of our church, but in a far stronger sense,
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  Speaker 1: he followeth not us, who is not only of a
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  Speaker 1: different church, but of such a church as we account
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  Speaker 1: to be in many respects anti scriptural and anti Christian.
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  Speaker 1: A church which we believe to be utterly false and
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  Speaker 1: erroneous in her doctrines, as well as very dangerously wrong
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  Speaker 1: in her practice, guilty of gross superstition, as well as idolatry.
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  Speaker 1: A church that has added many articles to the faith
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  Speaker 1: which was once delivered to the saints. It has dropped
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  Speaker 1: one whole commandment of God and made void several of
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  Speaker 1: the rest by her traditions, and that, pretending the highest
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  Speaker 1: veneration for and strictest conformity to the ancient Church, has
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  Speaker 1: nevertheless brought in numberless innovations without any warrant, either from
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  Speaker 1: antiquity or scripture. Now most certainly he followeth not us,
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  Speaker 1: who stands at so great a distance from us. And
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  Speaker 1: yet there may still be a wider difference than this.
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  Speaker 1: He who differs from us in judgment or practiced may
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  Speaker 1: possibly stand at a greater distance from us in affection
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  Speaker 1: than in judgment. And this, indeed is a very natural
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  Speaker 1: and the very common effect of the other. The differences
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  Speaker 1: which begin in points of opinion seldom terminate there. They
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  Speaker 1: generally spread into the affections, and then separate chief friends,
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  Speaker 1: or any animosity so deep and irreconcilable as those that
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  Speaker 1: spring from disagreement in religion. For this cause, the bitterest
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  Speaker 1: enemies of a man are those of his own household.
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  Speaker 1: For this the father rises against his own children, and
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  Speaker 1: the children against the father, and perhaps persecute each other
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  Speaker 1: even to the death, thinking all the time they are
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  Speaker 1: doing God's service. It is therefore nothing more than we
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  Speaker 1: may expect if those who differ from us, either in
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  Speaker 1: religious opinions or practice, soon contract a sharpness, ee a
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  Speaker 1: bitterness towards us, if they are more and more prejudiced
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  Speaker 1: against us, till they conceive as ill an opinion of
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  Speaker 1: our persons as of our principles, an almost necessary consequence
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  Speaker 1: of this will be they will speak in the same
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  Speaker 1: manner as they think of us. They will set themselves
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  Speaker 1: in opposition to us, and as far as they are able,
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  Speaker 1: hinder our work. Seeing it does not appear to them
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  Speaker 1: to be the work of God, but either of man
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  Speaker 1: or of the devil. He that thinks, speaks and acts
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  Speaker 1: in such a manner as this, in the highest sense,
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  Speaker 1: followeth not us. I do not indeed conceive that the
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  Speaker 1: person of whom the Apostle speaks in the text, although
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: we have no particular account of him, either in the
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: context or in any other part of Holy writ, went
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: so far as this. We have no ground to suppose
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: that there was any material difference between him and the Apostles,
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: much less that he had any prejudice, either against them
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: or their master. It seems we may gather thus much
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: from our Lord's own words, which immediately follow the text.
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: There is no man which shall do a miracle in
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. But
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: I purposely put the case in the strongest light, heading
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: all the circumstances which can well be conceived, that being
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: forewarned of the temptation in its full strength, we may
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: in no case yield to it and fight against God.
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: Suppose then a man have no intercourse with us, Suppose
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: he be not of our party. Suppose he separate from
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: our church yea, and widely differ from us, both in judgment,
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: practice and affection. Yet, if we see even this man
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: casting out devils, Jesus saith forbid him not this important
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: direction of our Lord. I am in the third place
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: to explain, if we see this man casting out devils.
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: But it is well if in such a case we
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: would believe even what we saw with our own eyes,
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: if we did not give the lie to our own senses,
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: he must be little acquainted with human nature, who does
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: not immediately perceive how extremely unready we should be to
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: believe that any man does cast out devils who followeth
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: not us in all or most of the senses above recited.
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: I had almost said in any of them, seeing we
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: may easily learn even from what passes in our own
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: breasthts how unwilling men are to allow anything good in
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: those who do not, in all things agree with themselves.
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: But what is a sufficient reasonable proof that a man does,
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: in the sense above cast out devils? The answer is easy,
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: is there full proof, one that a person before us
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: was a gross open sinner, two that he is not
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: so now that he has broke off his sins and
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: lives a Christian life, And three that this change was
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: wrought by his hearing this man preach. If these three
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: points be plain and undeniable, then you have sufficient reasonable proof,
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: such as you cannot resist without wilful sin, that this
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: man casts out devils. Then forbid him not. Beware how
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: you attempt to hinder him, either by your authority or
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: arguments or persuasions. Do not, in any wise strive to
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: prevent his using all the power which God has given him.
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: If you have authority with him, do not use that
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: authority to stop the work of God. Do not furnish
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: him with reasons why he ought not any more to
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: speak in the name of Jesus. Satan will not fail
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: to supply him with these. If you do not second
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: him therein persuade him not to depart from the work.
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: If he should give place to the devil and you,
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: many souls might perish in their iniquity, But their blood
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: would God require at your hands. But what if he
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: be only a layman who casts out devil? Ought I
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: not to forbid him? Then is the fact allowed? Is
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: there reasonable proof that this man has or does cast
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: out devils? If there is forbid him? Not? No, not
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: of the peril of your soul. Shall not God work
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: by whom he will work. No man can do these
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: works unless God is with him, unless God hath sent
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: him for this very thing. But if God hath sent him,
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: will you call him back? Will you forbid him to go?
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: But I do not know that he is sent of God?
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: Now herein is a marvelous thing. May any of the
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: seals of his mission say any whom he hath brought
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: from Satan to God? That ye know not whence this
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: man is? And behold yeth open mine eyes. If this
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: man were not of God, he could do nothing. If
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: you doubt the fact, send for the parents the man,
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: Send for his brethren, friend's acquaintance. If you cannot doubt this,
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: If you must needs acknowledge that a notable miracle hath
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: been wrought, then with what conscience? With what face can
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: you charge him whom God hath sent? Not to speak
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: any more in his name? I allow that it is
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: highly expedient whoever preaches in his name should have an
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: outward as well as an inward call. But that it
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: is absolutely necessary, I deny, nay, is not the scripture express.
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: is called of God, as was Erin Hebrew five four.
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: Numberless times has his text been quoted on the occasion
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: as containing the very strength of the cause. But surely
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: never was so unhappy a quotation. For First, Erin was
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: not called to preach at all. He was called to
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: offer gifts and sacrifices for sin. That was his peculiar employment. Secondly,
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: these men do not offer sacrifice at all, but only preach,
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: which Erin did not. Therefore, it is not possible to
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: find one text in all the Bible which is more
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: wide to the point than this. But what was the
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: practice of the Apostolic age? You may easily see in
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: the Acts the Apostles. In the eighth chapter we read
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: there was a great persecution against the Church which was
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles verse one. Therefore,
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: verse four. Now were all these outwardly called to preach,
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: No man in his senses can think so. Here, then,
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: is an undeniable proof. What was the practice the Apostolic age?
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: Here you see not one but a multitude of lay preachers,
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: men that were only sent of God. Indeed, so far
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: is the practice the Apostolic age from inclining us to
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: think it was unlawful for a man to preach before
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: he was ordained, that we have reason to think it
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: was an accounted necessary in the practice in the direction
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: the apostle Paul was to prove a man before he
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: was ordained at all, Let these the deacons, says he
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: first be proved, Then let them use the office of
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: a deacon. First Timothy three ten proved, how by setting
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: them to construe a sentence of Greek and asking them
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: a few commonplace questions, how amazing proof of a minister
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: of Christ. Nay, but by making a clear, open trial,
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: as is still done by most of the Protestant churches
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: of Europe, not only whether their lives be wholly and unblameable,
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: but whether they have such gifts as are absolutely and
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: indispensably necessary in order to edify the Church of Christ.
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: But what for a man has these and has brought
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: sinners to repentance, and yet the bishop will not ordain him.
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: Then the bishop does forbid him to cast out devils.
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: But I dare not forbid him. I have published my
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: reasons to all the world, Yet it is still insist
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: that I ought to do it. You who insist upon it,
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: answer those reasons. I know not that any have done
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: this yet, or even made an attempt of doing it.
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: Only some have spoken to them. Is very weak and trifling,
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: And this was prune enough, for it is far easier
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: to despise, at least seem to despise an argument, than
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: to answer it. Yet till this is done, I must say,
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: when I have reasonable proof that any man does cast
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: out devils, whatever others do, I dare not forbid him,
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: lest I be found even to fight against God. And
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: whosoever thou art that fearest God forbid him not either
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: directly or indirectly. There are many ways of doing this.
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: You indirectly forbid him. If you either wholly deny or despise,
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: and make little account of the work which God has
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: wrought by his hands. You indirectly forbid him when you
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: discourage him in his work, by drawing him into disputes
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: concerning it, by raising objections against it, or frightening him
• 29:05
  Speaker 1: with consequences which very possibly will never be. You forbid
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: him when you show any unkindness toward him, either in
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: language or behavior. And much more, when you speak of
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: him to others, either in an unkind or contemptuous manner.
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: When you endeavor to represent him to any either in
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: an odious or despicable light, you are forbidding him. All
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: the time you are speaking evil of him, or making
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: no account of his labors. Oh forbid him not in
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: any of these ways, nor by forbidding others. Do hear
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: him by discouraging sinners from hearing that word which is
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: able to save their souls. Yea, if you would observe
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: our Lord's direction in its full meaning and extent, then
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: remember his word. He that is not of us is
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: against us. And he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: He that gathereth not men into the Kingdom of God
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: assuredly scatters them from it. For there can be no
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: neuter in this war. Every one is either on God's
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: side or on Satan's. Are you on God's side? Then
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: you will not only not forbid any man that casts
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: out devils, but you will labor to the uttermost of
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: your power to forward him in the work. You will
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: readily acknowledge the work of God and confess the greatness
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: of it. You will remove all difficulties and objections, as
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: far as may be out of his way. You will
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: strengthen his hands by speaking honorably of him before all men,
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: and avowing the things which you have seen and heard.
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: You will encourage others to attend upon his word, to
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: hear him whom God hath sent. And you will omit
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: no actual proof of tender love which God gives you
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: an opportunity of showing him. If we willingly fail in
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: any of these points, if we either directly or indirectly
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: forbid him because he followeth not us, then we are bigots.
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: This is the inference I draw from what has been said.
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: The term bigotry. I fear, as frequently as it is used,
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: as almost as little understood as enthusiasm. It is too
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: strong an attachment to, or fondness for our own party, opinion, church,
• 31:22
  Speaker 1: and religion. Therefore, he is a bigot who is so
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: fond of any of these things so strongly attached to
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: them as to forbid any who casts out devils because
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: he differs from himself in any or all these particulars?
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: Do you beware of this? Take care one that you
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: do not convict yourself of bigotry by your unreadiness to
• 31:45
  Speaker 1: believe that any man does cast out devils who differs
• 31:47
  Speaker 1: from you. And if you are clear thus far, if
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: you acknowledge the fact, then examine yourself. Two? Am I
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: not convicted of bigotry in this in forbidding him? Directly
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: or indirect Do I not directly forbid him on this ground?
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: Because he is not of my party, because he does
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: not fall in with my opinions? Or because he does
• 32:08
  Speaker 1: not worship God according to that scheme of religion which
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: I have received from my father's Examine yourselves? Do I
• 32:17
  Speaker 1: not indirectly at least forbid him on any of these grounds?
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: Am I not sorry that God should thus own and
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: bless a man that holds such erroneous opinions? Do I
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: not discourage him because he is not of my church?
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: By disputing with him concerning it, by raising objections, and
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: by perplexing his mind with distant consequences? Do I show
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: no anger, contempt, or unkindness of any sort, either in
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: my words or actions. Do I not mention behind his
• 32:45
  Speaker 1: back his real or supposed faults. His defects are infirmities.
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: Do not I hinder sinners from hearing his word? If
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: you do any of these things, you are a bigot.
• 32:56
  Speaker 1: To this day, search me, o, Lord, and prove me,
• 33:01
  Speaker 1: try out my reins and my heart. Look well, if
• 33:05
  Speaker 1: there be any way of bigotry in me, and lead
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: me in the way everlasting, in order to examine ourselves thoroughly.
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: Let the case be proposed in the strongest manner. What
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: if I were to see a papist, an Arian, a
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: Sucinian casting out devils? If I did, I could not
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: forbid even him without convicting myself of bigotry. Yea, If
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: it could be supposed that I should see a Jew,
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: a Deist, or a Turk doing the same, or I
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: to forbid him, either directly or indirectly, I should be
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: no better than a bigot. Still, Oh, stand clear of this,
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: but be not content with not forbidding any that casts
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: out devils. Tis well to go thus far, But do
• 33:50
  Speaker 1: not stop here. If you will avoid all bigotry, go
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: on in every instance of this kind, whatever the instrument,
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: be acknowledged the thinginger of God, and not only acknowledge,
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: but rejoice in his work and praise his name with
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: thanksgiving and encourage whomsoever God is pleased to employ to
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: give himself wholly up thereto speak well of him wheresoever
• 34:14
  Speaker 1: you are, defend his character and his mission and large,
• 34:17
  Speaker 1: as far as you can his fear of action, show
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: him all kindness and word and deed, and cease not
• 34:23
  Speaker 1: to cry to God in his behalf, that he may
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: save both himself and them that hear him. I need
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: add but one caution. Think not the bigotry of another
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: has any excuse for your own. It is not impossible
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: that one who casts out devils himself may yet forbid
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: you so to do. You may observe. This is the
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: very case mentioned in the text The Apostles forbade another
• 34:52
  Speaker 1: to do what they did themselves. But beware of retorting.
• 34:57
  Speaker 1: Tis not your part to return evil for evil another's.
• 35:01
  Speaker 1: Not Observing the direction of our Lord is no reason
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: why you should neglect it. Nay, but let him of
• 35:07
  Speaker 1: all the bigotry to himself, if he forbid you, do
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: not you forbid him. Rather labor and watch and pray,
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: the more to confirm your love toward him. If he
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: speak all manner of evil, of you, speak all manner
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: of good, that is true of him. Imitate herein that
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: glorious saying of a great man, Oh that he had
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: always breathe the same spirit. Let Luther call me a
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: hundred devils, I will still reverence him as a messenger
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: of God. End of Section thirty eight.