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38 - A Caution against Bigotry - Sermons on Several Occasions · Sacred Texts Archive

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 Has not the power of doing this been withdrawn from the church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