Chapter 6 - The Fallibility of Ministers

But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstoo him to the face, because he was to be blame ! For before that certain came from "ames, he i eat with the #entiles$ but when they were come, he with rew an separate himself, fearin% them which were of the circumcision! An the other "ews issemble li&ewise with him' insomuch that Barnabas also was carrie away with their issimulation! But when I saw that they wal&e not upri%htly accor in% to the truth of the %ospel, I sai unto Peter before them all, If thou, bein% a "ew, li(est after the manner of #entiles, an not as o the "ews, why compellest thou the #entiles to li(e as o the "ews) *+e who are "ews by nature, an not sinners of the #entiles, &nowin% that a man is not ,ustifie by the wor&s of the law, but by the faith of "esus Christ, e(en we ha(e belie(e in "esus Christ, that we mi%ht be ,ustifie by the faith of Christ, an not by the wor&s of the law$ for by the wor&s of the law shall no flesh be ,ustifie - .#alatians /$00-061 222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222

3a(e we e(er consi ere what the apostle Peter once i at Antioch) It is a 4uestion that eser(es serious consi eration! +hat the Apostle Peter i at Rome we are often tol , althou%h we ha(e har ly a ,ot of authentic information about it! 5oman Catholic writers furnish us with many stories about this! 6e%en s, tra itions, an fables aboun on the sub,ect! But unhappily for these writers, 7cripture is utterly silent upon the point! There is nothin% in 7cripture to show that the Apostle Peter e(er was at 5ome at all But what i the Apostle Peter o at Antioch) This is the point to which I want to irect attention! This is the sub,ect from the passa%e from the 8pistle to the #alatians, which hea s this paper! 9n this point, at any rate, the 7cripture spea&s early an unmista&ably! The si: (erses of the passa%es before us are stri&in% on many accounts! They are stri&in%, if we consi er the event which they escribe$ here is one Apostle rebu&in% another; - They are stri&in%, when we consi er who the two men are$ Paul, the youn%er, rebu&es Peter the el er; - They are stri&in%, when we remar& the occasion$ this was no %larin% fault, no fla%rant sin, at first si%ht, that Peter ha committe ; <et the Apostle Paul says, =I withstoo him to the face, because he was to be blame != 3e oes more than this$ - he repro(es Peter publicly for his error before all the Church at Antioch! 3e %oes e(en further$ - he writes an account of the matter, which is now rea in two hun re lan%ua%es all o(er the worl ! It is my firm con(iction that the 3oly #host means us to ta&e particular notice of this passa%e of 7cripture! If Christianity ha been an in(ention of man, these thin%s woul ne(er ha(e been recor e ! An impostor, li&e Mahomet, woul ha(e hushe up the ifference between two Apostles! The 7pirit of truth has cause these (erses to be

written for our learnin%, an we shall o well to ta&e hee to their contents! There are three %reat lessons from Antioch, which I thin& we ou%ht to learn from this passa%e!
I!

The first lesson is, that great ministers may make great mistakes.

II! The second is, that to keep the truth of Christ in His Church is even more important than to keep peace! III! The third is, that there is no doctrine about which we ought to be so jealous as justification by faith without the deeds of the law! I! The first %reat lesson we learn from Antioch is, that great ministers may make great mistakes! +hat clearer proof can we ha(e than that which is set before us in this place) Peter, without oubt, was one of the %reatest in the company of the Apostles! 3e was an ol isciple! 3e was a isciple who ha ha peculiar a (anta%es an pri(ile%es! 3e ha been a constant companion of the 6or "esus! 3e ha hear the 6or preach, seen the 6or wor& miracles, en,oye the benefit of the 6or =s pri(ate teachin%, been numbere amon% the 6or >s intimate frien s, an %one out an come in with 3im all the time 3e ministere upon earth! 3e was the Apostle to whom the &eys of the &in% om of hea(en were %i(en, an by whose han those &eys were first use ! 3e was the first who opene the oor of faith to the "ews, by preachin% to them on the ay of Pentecost! 3e was the first who opene the oor of faith to the #entiles, by %oin% to the house of Cornelius, an recei(in% him into the Church! 3e was the first to rise up in the Council of the fifteenth of Acts, an say, *+hy tempt ye #o , to put a yo&e upon the nec& of the isciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear)> An yet here this (ery Peter, this same Apostle, plainly falls into a %reat mista&e! The Apostle Paul tells us, *I withstoo him to the face,> 3e tells us *that he was to be blame !> 3e says *he feare them of the circumcision!> 3e says of him an his companions, that *they wal&e not upri%htly accor in% to the truth of the #ospel!> 3e spea&s of their * issimulation!> 3e tells us that by this issimulation e(en Barnabas, his ol companion in missionary labors, *was carrie away!> +hat a stri&in% fact this is! This is 7imon Peter; This is the thir %reat error of his, which the 3oly #host has thou%ht fit to recor ; 9nce we fin him tryin% to &eep bac& our 6or , as far as he coul , from the %reat wor& of the cross, an se(erely rebu&e ! Then we fin him enyin% the 6or three times, an with an oath! 3ere a%ain we fin him en an%erin% the lea in% truth of Christ>s #ospel! 7urely we may say, *6or , what is man)> The Church of 5ome boasts that the Apostle Peter is her foun er an first Bishop! Be it so$ %rant it for a moment! 6et us only remember, that of all the Apostles there is not one, e:ceptin%, of course, "u as Iscariot, of whom we ha(e so many proofs that he was a fallible man! ?pon her own showin% the Church of 5ome was foun e by the most fallible of the Apostles! But it is all meant to teach us that e(en the Apostles themsel(es, when not writin%

un er the inspiration of the 3oly #host, were at times liable to err! It is meant to teach us that the best men are wea& an fallible so lon% as they are in the bo y! ?nless the %race of #o hol s them up, any one of them may %o astray at any time! It is (ery humblin%, but it is (ery true! True Christians are con(erte , ,ustifie , an sanctifie ! They are li(in% members of Christ, belo(e chil ren of #o , an heirs of eternal life! They are elect, chosen, calle , an &ept unto sal(ation! They ha(e the 7pirit! But they are not infallible! +ill not ran& an i%nity confer infallibility) @o$ they will not; It matters nothin% what a man is calle ! 3e may be a CAar, an 8mperor, a Bin%, a Prince! 3e may be a Pope or a Car inal, an Archbishop or a Bishop, a Cean or an Arch eacon, a Priest or Ceacon! 3e is still a fallible man! @either the crown, nor the ia em, nor the annointin% oil, nor the mitre, nor the imposition of han s, can pre(ent a man ma&in% mista&es! +ill not numbers confer infallibility) @o$ they will not; <ou may %ather to%ether princes by the score, an bishops by the hun re ' but, when %athere to%ether, they are still liable to err! <ou may call them a council, or a syno , or an assembly, or a conference, or what you please! It matters nothin%! Their conclusions are still the conclusions of fallible men! Their collecti(e wis om is still capable of ma&in% enormous mista&es! +ell says the twenty-first Article of the Church of 8n%lan , *#eneral councils may err, an sometimes ha(e erre , e(en in thin%s pertainin% unto #o !> The e:ample of the Apostle Peter at Antioch is one that oes not stan alone! It is only a parallel of many a case that we fin written for our learnin% in 3oly 7cripture! Co we not remember Abraham, the father of the faithful, followin% the a (ice of 7arah, an ta&in% 3a%ar for a wife) Co we not remember Aaron, the first hi%h priest, listenin% to the chil ren of Israel, an ma&in% a %ol en calf) Co we not remember @athan the prophet tellin% Ca(i to buil a temple) Co we not remember 7olomon, the wisest of men, allowin% his wi(es to buil $ their hi%h places) Co we not remember Asa, the %oo &in% of "u ah, see&in% not to the 6or , but to the physicians) Co we not remember "ehosaphat, the %oo &in%, %oin% own to help wic&e Ahab) Co we not remember 3eAe&iah, the %oo &in%, recei(in% the ambassa ors of Babylon) Co we not remember "osiah, the last of "u ah>s %oo &in%s, %oin% forth to fi%ht with Pharaoh) Co we not remember "ames an "ohn, wantin% fire to come own from hea(en) These thin%s eser(e to be remembere ! They were not written without cause! They cry alou , No infallibility! An who oes not see, when he rea s the history of the Church of Christ, repeate proofs that the best of men can err) The early fathers were Aealous accor in% to their &nowle %e, an rea y to ie for Christ! But many of them countenance mon&ery, an nearly all sowe the see s of many superstitions! - The 5eformers were honore instruments in the han of #o for re(i(in% the cause of truth on earth! <et har ly one of them can be name who i not ma&e some %reat mista&e! Martin 6uther hel pertinaciously the octrine of consubstantiation! Melancthon was often timi an un eci e ! Cal(in permitte 7er(etus to be burne ! Cranmer recante an fell away for a time from his first faith! "ewell subscribe to Popish octrines for fear of eath!

3ooper isturbe the Church of 8n%lan by o(er scrupulosity about (estments! The Puritans, in after times, enounce toleration as Aba on an Apollyon! +esley an Topla y, last century, abuse each other in most shameful lan%ua%e! Ir(in%, in our own ay, %a(e way to the elusion of spea&in% in un&nown ton%ues! All these thin%s spea& with a lou (oice! They all lift up a beacon to the Church of Christ! They all say, *Cease ye from man'> D *Call no man master'> D *Call no man father upon earth'> D *6et no man %lory in man'> D *3e that %lorieth, let him %lory in the 6or != They all cry, No infallibility! The lesson is one that we all nee ! +e are all naturally incline to lean upon man whom we can see, rather than upon #o whom we cannot see! +e naturally lo(e to lean upon the ministers of the (isible Church, rather than upon the 6or "esus Christ, the %reat 7hepher an Bishop an 3i%h Priest, who is in(isible! +e nee to be continually warne an set upon our %uar ! I see this ten ency to lean on man e(erywhere! I &now no branch of the Protestant Church of Christ which oes not re4uire to be cautione upon the point! It is a snare, for e:ample, to the 8n%lish 8piscopalian to ma&e i ols of Bishop Pearson an =the "u icious 3oo&er!= It is a snare to the 7cotch Presbyterian to pin his faith on "ohn Bno:, the Co(enanters, an Cr! Chalmers! It is a snare to the Metho ists in our ay to worship the memory of "ohn +esley! It is a snare to the In epen ent to see no fault in any opinion of 9wen an Co ri %e! It is a snare to the Baptist to e:a%%erate the wis om of #ill, an Fuller, an 5obert 3all! All these are snares, an into these snares how many fall; +e all naturally lo(e to ha(e a pope of our own! +e are far too rea y to thin&, that because some %reat minister or some learne man says a thin%, - or because our own minister, whom we lo(e, says a thin%, - it must be ri%ht, without e:aminin% whether it is in 7cripture or not! Most men isli&e the trouble of thin&in% for themsel(es! They li&e followin% a lea er! They are li&e sheep, - when one %oes o(er the %ap all the rest follow! 3ere at Antioch e(en Barnabas was carrie away! +e can well fancy that %oo man sayin%, *An ol Apostle, li&e Peter, surely cannot be wron%! Followin% him, I cannot err!> An now let us see what practical lessons we may learn from this part of our sub,ect! .a1 For one thin%, let us learn not to put implicit confi ence in any man=s opinion, merely because he lived many hundred years ago! Peter was a man who li(e in the time of Christ 3imself, an yet he coul err! There are many who tal& much in the present ay about *the (oice of the primiti(e Church!> They woul ha(e us belie(e that those who li(e nearest the time of the Apostles, must of course &now more about truth than we can! There is no foun ation for any such opinion! It is a fact, that the most ancient writers in the Church of Christ are often at (ariance with one another! It is a fact that they often chan%e their own min s, an retracte their own former opinions! It is a fact that they often wrote foolish an wea& thin%s, an often showe %reat i%norance in their e:planations of 7cripture! It is (ain to e:pect to fin them free from mista&es! nfallibility is not to be found in the early fathers! but in the "ible!

.b1 For another thin%, let us learn not to put implicit confi ence in any man>s opinion, merely because of his office as a minister! Peter was one of the (ery chiefest Apostles, an yet he coul err! This is a point on which men ha(e continually %one astray! It is the roc& on which the early Church struc&! Men soon too& up the sayin%, *Co nothin% contrary to the min of the Bishop!> But what are bishops, priests, an eacons ) +hat are the best of ministers but men, - ust, ashes, an clay, - men of li&e passions with oursel(es, men e:pose to temptations, men liable to wea&nesses an infirmities) +hat saith the 7cripture, *+ho is Paul an who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye belie(e , e(en as the 6or %a(e to e(ery man)> .0 Corinthians E$F1 Bishops ha(e often ri(en the truth into the wil erness, an ecree that to be true which was false! The %reatest errors ha(e been be%un by ministers! 3ophni an Phinehas, the sons of the 3i%hpriest, ma e reli%ion to be abhorre by the chil ren of Israel! Annas an Caiaphas, thou%h in the irect line of escent from Aaron, crucifie the 6or ! Arius, that %reat heresiarch, was a minister! It is absur to suppose that or aine men cannot %o wron%! +e shoul follow them so far as they teach accor in% to the Bible, but no further! +e shoul belie(e them so lon% as they can say, *Thus it is written,> D *thus saith the 6or '> but further than this we are not to %o! nfallibility is not to be found in ordained men! but in the "ible! .c1 For another thin%, let us learn not to place implicit confi ence in any man>s opinion, merely because of his learning! Peter was a man who ha miraculous %ifts, an coul spea& with ton%ues, an yet he coul err! This is a point a%ain on which many %o wron%! This is the roc& on which men struc& in the mi le a%es! Men loo&e on Thomas A4uinas, an Cuns 7cotus, an Peter 6ombar , an many of their companions, as almost inspire ! They %a(e epithets to some of them in to&en of their a miration! They tal&e of *the irrefra%able> octor, *the seraphic> octor, *the incomparable> octor, - an seeme to thin& that whate(er these octors sai must be true; But what is the most learne of men, if he be not tau%ht by the 3oly #host) +hat is the most learne of all i(ines but a mere fallible chil of A am at his (ery best) Gast &nowle %e of boo&s an %reat i%norance of #o >s truth may %o si e by si e! They ha(e one so, they may o so, an they will o so in all times! I will en%a%e to say that the two (olumes of 5obert M>Cheyne>s Memoirs an 7ermons, ha(e one more positi(e %oo to the souls of men, than any one folio that 9ri%en or Cyprian e(er wrote! I oubt not that the one (olume of *Pil%rim>s Pro%ress,> - written by a man who &new har ly any boo& but his Bible, an was i%norant of #ree& an 6atin, - will pro(e in the last ay to ha(e one more for the benefit of the worl , than all the wor&s of the schoolmen put to%ether! 6earnin% is a %ift that ou%ht not to be espise ! It is an e(il ay when boo&s are not (alue in the Church! But it is amaAin% to obser(e how (ast a man>s intellectual attainments may be, an yet how little he may &now of the %race of #o ! I ha(e no oubt the Authorities of 9:for in the last century, &new more of 3ebrew, #ree&, an 6atin, than +esley, +hitefiel , Berri %e, or Genn! But they &new little of the #ospel of Christ! nfallibility is not to be found among learned men! but in the "ible! . 1 For another thin%, let us ta&e care that we o not place implicit confi ence on

our own minister#s opinion, howe(er %o ly he may be! Peter was a man of mi%hty %race, an yet he coul err! <our minister may be a man of #o in ee , an worthy of all honor for his preachin% an practice' but o not ma&e a pope of him! Co not place his wor si e by si e with the +or of #o ! Co not spoil him by flattery! Co not let him suppose he can ma&e no mista&es! Co not lean your whole wei%ht on his opinion, or you may fin to your cost that he can err! It is written of "oash, Bin% of "u ah, that he * i that which was ri%ht in the si%ht of the 6or all the ays of "ehoia a the priest!> ./ Chronicles /H$/1 "ehoia a ie , an then ie the reli%ion of "oash! "ust so your minister may ie, an then your reli%ion may ie too' - may chan%e, an your reli%ion may chan%e' - may %o away, an your reli%ion may %o! 9h, be not satisfie with a reli%ion built upon man; Be not content with sayin%, *I ha(e hope, because my own minister has tol me such an such thin%s!> 7ee& to be able to say, =I ha(e hope, because I fin it thus an thus written in the +or of #o != If your peace is to be soli , you must %o yourself to the fountain of all truth! If your comforts are to be lastin%, you must (isit the well of life yourself, an raw fresh water for your own soul! Ministers may epart from the faith! The (isible Church may be bro&en up! But he who has the +or of #o written in his heart, has a foun ation beneath his feet which will ne(er fail him! 3onor your minister as a faithful ambassa or of Christ! 8steem him (ery hi%hly in lo(e for his wor&=s sa&e! But ne(er for%et that infallibility is not to be found in godly ministers! but in the "ible. The thin%s I ha(e mentione are worth rememberin%! 6et us bear them in min , an we shall ha(e learne one lesson from Antioch! II! I now pass on to the secon lesson that we learn from Antioch! That lesson is, that to keep $ospel truth in the Church is of even greater importance than to keep peace. I suppose no man &new better the (alue of peace an unity than the Apostle Paul! 3e was the Apostle who wrote to the Corinthians about charity! 3e was the Apostle who sai , *Be of the same min one towar another'> D *Be at peace amon% yoursel(es'> D *Min the same thin%s'> D *The ser(ant of #o must not stri(e'> D *There is one bo y an there is one 7pirit, e(en as ye are calle in one hope of your callin%, one 6or , one faith, one baptism!> 3e was the Apostle who sai , *I become all thin%s to all men, that by all means I may sa(e some!> .5omans 0/$06' 0 Thessalonians F$0E' Philippians E$06' 8phesians H$F' 0 Corinthians I$//1 <et see how he acts here; 3e withstan s Peter to the face! 3e publicly rebu&es him! 3e runs the ris& of all the conse4uences that mi%ht follow! 3e ta&es the chance of e(erythin% that mi%ht be sai by the enemies of the Church at Antioch! Abo(e all, he writes it own for a perpetual memorial, that it ne(er mi%ht be for%otten, - that, where(er the #ospel is preache throu%hout the worl , this public rebu&e of an errin% Apostle mi%ht be &nown an rea of all men! @ow, why i he o this) Because he rea e false octrine, - because he &new that a little lea(en lea(eneth the whole lump, - because he woul teach us that we ou%ht to conten for the truth ,ealously, an to fear the loss of truth more than the loss

of peace! 7t! Paul>s e:ample is one we shall o well to remember in the present ay! Many people will put up with anythin% in reli%ion, if they may only ha(e a 4uiet life! They ha(e a morbi rea of what they call *contro(ersy!> They are fille with a morbi fear of what they style, in a (a%ue way, *party spirit,> thou%h they ne(er efine clearly what party spirit is! They are possesse with a morbi esire to &eep the peace, an ma&e all thin%s smooth an pleasant, e(en thou%h it be at the e:pense of truth! 7o lon% as they ha(e outwar calm, smoothness, stillness, an or er, they seem content to %i(e up e(erythin% else! I belie(e they woul ha(e thou%ht with Ahab that 8li,ah was a troubler of Israel, an woul ha(e helpe the princes of "u ah when they put "eremiah in prison, to stop his mouth! I ha(e no oubt that many of these men of whom I spea&, woul ha(e thou%ht that Paul at Antioch was a (ery impru ent man, an that he went too far; I belie(e this is all wron%! +e ha(e no ri%ht to e:pect anythin% but the pure #ospel of Christ, unmi:e an una ulterate , - the same #ospel that was tau%ht by the Apostles, - to o %oo to the souls of men! I belie(e that to maintain this pure truth in the Church men shoul be rea y to ma&e any sacrifice, to haAar peace, to ris& issension, an run the chance of i(ision! %hey should no more tolerate false doctrine than they would tolerate sin! They shoul withstan any a in% to or ta&in% away from the simple messa%e of the #ospel of Christ! For the truth>s sa&e, our 6or "esus Christ enounce the Pharisees, thou%h they sat in Moses> seat, an were the appointe an authoriAe teachers of men! =+oe unto you, 7cribes an Pharisees, hypocrites,= 3e says, ei%ht times o(er, in the twenty-thir chapter of Matthew! An who shall are to breathe a suspicion that our 6or was wron%) For the truth>s sa&e, Paul withstoo an blame Peter, thou%h a brother! +here was the use of unity when pure octrine was %one) An who shall are to say he was wron%) For the truth=s sa&e, Athanasius stoo out a%ainst the worl to maintain the pure octrine about the i(inity of Christ, an wa%e a contro(ersy with the %reat ma,ority of the professin% Church! An who shall are to say he was wron%) For the truth>s sa&e, 6uther bro&e the unity of the Church in which he was born, enounce the Pope an all his ways, an lai the foun ation of a new teachin%! An who shall are to say that 6uther was wron%) For the truth>s sa&e, Cranmer, 5i ley, an 6atimer, the 8n%lish 5eformers, counsele 3enry GIII an 8 war GI to separate from 5ome, an to ris& the conse4uences of i(ision! An who shall are to say that they were wron%) For the truth=s sa&e, +hitefiel an +esley, a hun re years a%o, enounce the mere barren moral preachin% of the cler%y of their ay, an went out into the hi%hways an byways to sa(e souls, &nowin% well that they woul be cast out from the Church=s communion! An who shall are to say that they were wron%) <es; peace without truth is a false peace' it is the (ery peace of the e(il! ?nity without the #ospel is a worthless unity' it is the (ery unity of hell! 6et us ne(er be ensnare by those who spea& &in ly of it! 6et us remember the wor s of our 6or

"esus Christ$ *Thin& not that I came to sen peace upon earth! I came not to sen peace, but a swor !> .Matthew 0J$EH1 6et us remember the praise 3e %i(es to one of the Churches in the 5e(elation$ *Thou canst not bear them who are e(il! Thou hast trie them which say they are Apostles, an are not, an hast foun them liars!> .5e(elation /$/1 6et us remember the blame 3e casts upon another$ =Thou sufferest that woman "eAebel to teach!= .5e(elation /$/J1 @e(er let us be %uilty of sacrificin% any portion of truth upon the altar of peace! 6et us rather be li&e the "ews, who, if they foun any manuscript copy of the 9l Testament 7criptures incorrect in a sin%le letter, burne the whole copy, rather than run the ris& of losin% one ,ot or tittle of the +or of #o ! 6et us be content with nothin% short of the whole #ospel of Christ! In what way are we to ma&e practical use of the %eneral principles which I ha(e ,ust lai own) I will %i(e my rea ers one simple piece of a (ice! I belie(e it is a (ice which eser(es serious consi eration! I warn then e(ery one who lo(es his soul, to be very jealous as to the preaching he regularly hears! and the place of worship he regularly attends. 3e who eliberately settles own un er any ministry which is positi(ely unsoun is a (ery unwise man! I will ne(er hesitate to spea& my min on this point! I &now well that many thin& it a shoc&in% thin% for a man to forsa&e his parish church! I cannot see with the eyes of such people! I raw a wi e istinction between teachin% which is defective an teachin% which is thorou%hly false, - between teachin% which errs on the ne%ati(e si e an teachin% which is positi(ely unscriptural! But I o belie(e, if false octrine is unmista&ably preache in a parish church, a parishioner who lo(es his soul is 4uite ri%ht in not %oin% to that parish church! To hear unscriptural teachin% fiftytwo 7un ays in e(ery year is a serious thin%! It is a continual roppin% of stow poison into the min ! I thin& it almost impossible for a man willfully to submit himself to it, an not ta&e harm! I see in the @ew Testament we are plainly tol to *pro(e all thin%s,> an *hol fast that which is %oo !> .0 Thessalonians F$/01 I see in the Boo& of Pro(erbs that we are comman e to *cease to hear the instruction which causeth to err from the paths of &nowle %e!> .Pro(erbs 0I$/K1 If these wor s o not ,ustify a man in ceasin% to worship at a church, if positi(ely false octrine is preache in it, I &now not what wor s can! Coes any one mean to tell us that to atten the parish church is absolutely nee ful to an 8n%lishman>s sal(ation)2 2 L@ote from the Publishers! The ne:t few pa%es ha(e imme iate reference to a Church of 8n%lan conte:t! The principle 5yle e:poun s, howe(er, may profitably be applie to @onconformists, namely that enominational loyalty must ne(er ta&e prece ence o(er loyalty to the truth!M If there is such a one, let him spea& out, an %i(e us his name! - Coes any one mean to tell us that %oin% to the parish church will sa(e any man=s soul, if he ies uncon(erte an i%norant of Christ) If there is such a one, let him spea& out, an %i(e us his name! - Coes any one mean to tell us that %oin% to the parish church will teach a man anythin% about Christ, or con(ersion, or faith, or repentance, if these sub,ects are har ly e(er name in the parish church, an ne(er properly e:plaine ) If there is such a one, let him spea& out, an %i(e us his name! - Coes any one mean to say that a

man who repents, belie(es in Christ, is con(erte an holy, will lose his soul, because he has forsa&en his parish church an learne his reli%ion elsewhere) If there is such a one, let him spea& out, an %i(e us his name! - For my part I abhor such monstrous an e:tra(a%ant i eas! I see not a ,ot of foun ation for them in the +or of #o ! I trust that the number of those who eliberately hol them is e:cee in%ly small! There are not a few parishes in 8n%lan where the reli%ious teachin% is little better than Popery! 9u%ht the laity of such parishes to sit still, be content, an ta&e it 4uietly) They ou%ht not! An why) Because, li&e 7t! Paul, they ou%ht to prefer truth to peace! There are not a few parishes in 8n%lan where the reli%ious teachin% is little better than morality! The istincti(e octrines of Christianity are ne(er clearly proclaime ! Plato, or 7eneca, or Confucius, or 7ocinus, coul ha(e tau%ht almost as much! 9u%ht the laity in such parishes to sit still, be content, an ta&e it 4uietly) They ou%ht not! An why) Because, li&e 7t! Paul, they ou%ht to prefer truth to peace! I am usin% stron% lan%ua%e in ealin% with this part of my sub,ect$ I &now it! - I am trenchin% on elicate %roun $ I &now it! - I am han lin% matters which are %enerally let alone, an passe o(er in silence$ I &now it! - I say what I say from a sense of uty to the Church of which I am a minister! I belie(e the state of the times, an the position of the laity in some parts of 8n%lan , re4uire plain spea&in%! 7ouls are perishin%, in many parishes, in i%norance! 3onest members of the Church of 8n%lan , in many istricts, are is%uste an perple:e ! This is no time for smooth wor s! I am not i%norant of those ma%ic e:pressions, *the parochial system, or er, i(ision, schism, unity, contro(ersy,> an the li&e! I &now the crampin%, silencin% influence which they seem to e:ercise on some min s! I too ha(e consi ere those e:pressions calmly an eliberately, an on each of them I am prepare to spea& my min ! .a1 The parochial system of 8n%lan is an a mirable thin% in theory! 6et it only be well a ministere , an wor&e by truly spiritual ministers, an it is calculate to confer the %reatest blessin%s on the nation! But it is useless to e:pect attachment to the parish church, when the minister of the parish is i%norant of the #ospel or a lo(er of the worl ! In such a case we must ne(er be surprise if men forsa&e their parish church, an see& truth where(er truth is to be foun ! If the parochial minister oes not preach the #ospel an li(e the #ospel, the con itions on which he claims the attention of his parishioners are (irtually (iolate , an his claim to be hear is at an en ! It is absur to e:pect the hea of a family to en an%er the souls of his chil ren, as well as his own, for the sa&e of *parochial or er!> There is no mention of parishes in the Bible, an we ha(e no ri%ht to re4uire men to li(e an ie in i%norance, in or er that they may be able to say at last, =I always atten e my parish church!= .b1 &ivisions and separations are most ob,ectionable in reli%ion! They wea&en the cause of true Christianity! They %i(e occasion to the enemies of all %o liness to blaspheme! But before we blame people for them, we must be careful that we lay the blame where it is deserved! False octrine an heresy are e(en worse than schism! If people separate themsel(es from teachin% which is positi(ely false an unscriptural, they ou%ht to be praise rather than repro(e ! In such cases separation is a (irtue an

not a sin! It is easy to ma&e sneerin% remar&s about *itchin% ears,> an *lo(e of e:citement'> but it is not so easy to con(ince a plain rea er of the Bible that it is his uty to hear false octrine e(ery 7un ay, when by a little e:ertion he can hear truth! The ol sayin% must ne(er be for%otten, *3e is the schismatic who causes the schism!> .c1 'nity! (uiet! and order amon% professin% Christians are mi%hty blessin%s! They %i(e stren%th, beauty, an efficiency to the cause of Christ! But e(en %ol may be bou%ht too ear! ?nity which is obtaine by the sacrifice of truth is worth nothin%! It is not the unity which pleases #o ! The Church of 5ome boasts lou ly of a unity which oes not eser(e the name! It is unity which is obtaine by ta&in% away the Bible from the people, by %a%%in% pri(ate> ,u %ment, by encoura%in% i%norance, by forbi in% men to thin& for themsel(es! 6i&e the e:terminatin% warriors of ol , the Church of 5ome *ma&es a solitu e an calls it peace!> There is 4uiet an stillness enou%h in the %ra(e, but it is not the 4uiet of health, but of eath! It was the false prophets who crie *Peace,> when there was no peace! . 1 Controversy in reli%ion is a hateful thin%! It is har enou%h to fi%ht the e(il, the worl an the flesh, without pri(ate ifferences in our own camp! But there is one thin% which is e(en worse than contro(ersy, an that is false octrine tolerate , allowe , an permitte without protest or molestation! It was contro(ersy that won the battle of Protestant 5eformation! If the (iews that some men hol were correct, it is plain we ne(er ou%ht to ha(e ha any 5eformation at all; For the sa&e of peace, we ou%ht to ha(e %one on worshippin% the Gir%in, an bowin% own to ima%es an relics to this (ery ay; Away with such triflin%; There are times when contro(ersy is not only a uty but a benefit! #i(e me the mi%hty thun erstorm rather than the pestilential malaria! The one wal&s in ar&ness an poisons us in silence, an we are ne(er safe! The other fri%htens an alarms for a little season! But it is soon o(er, an it clears the air! It is a plain 7criptural uty to *conten earnestly for the faith once eli(ere to the saints!> ."u e E1 I am 4uite aware that the thin%s I ha(e sai are e:cee in%ly istasteful to many min s! I belie(e many are content with teachin% which is not the whole truth, an fancy it will be *all the same> in the en ! I am sorry for them! I am con(ince that nothin% but the whole truth is li&ely, as a %eneral rule, to o %oo to souls! I am satisfie that those who willfully put up with anythin% short of the whole truth, will fin at last that their souls ha(e recei(e much ama%e! Three thin%s there are which men ne(er ou%ht to trifle with, - a little poison, a little false octrine, an a little sin! I am 4uite aware that when a man e:presses such opinions as those I ha(e ,ust brou%ht forwar , there are many rea y to say, *3e is no Churchman!> I hear such accusations unmo(e ! The ay of ,u %ment will show who were the true frien s of the Church of 8n%lan an who were not! I ha(e learne in the last thirty-two years that if a cler%yman lea s a 4uiet life, lets alone the uncon(erte part of the worl , an preaches so as to offen none an e ify none, he will be calle by many *a %oo Churchman!> An I ha(e also learne that if a man stu ies the Articles an 3omilies, labors continually for the con(ersion of souls, a heres closely to the %reat principles of the 5eformation, bears a faithful testimony a%ainst Popery, an preaches as "ewell an 6atimer use to preach, he will probably be thou%ht a firebran an *troubler of

Israel,> an calle no Churchman at all; But I can see plainly that they are not the best Churchmen who tal& most lou ly about Churchmanship! I remember that none crie *Treason> so lou ly as Athaliah! ./ Bin%s 00$0H1 <et she was a traitor herself! I ha(e obser(e that many who once tal&e most about Churchmanship ha(e en e by forsa&in% the Church of 8n%lan , an %oin% o(er to 5ome! 6et men say what they will! %hey are the truest friends of the Church of )ngland who labor most for the preservation of truth! I lay these thin%s before the rea ers of this paper, an in(ite their serious attention to them! I char%e them ne(er to for%et that truth is of more importance to a Church than peace! I as& them to be rea y to carry out the principles I ha(e lai own, an to conten Aealously, if nee s be, for the truth! If we o this, we shall ha(e learne somethin% from Antioch! III! But I pass on to the thir lesson from Antioch! That lesson is, that there is no doctrine about which we ought to be so jealous as justification by faith without the deeds of the law! The proof of this lesson stan s out most prominently in the passa%e of 7cripture which hea s this paper! +hat one article of the faith ha the Apostle Peter enie at Antioch) @one! - +hat octrine ha he publicly preache which was false) @one! +hat, then, ha he one) 3e ha one this! After once &eepin% company with the belie(in% #entiles as =fellow-heirs an parta&ers of the promise of Christ in the #ospel= .8phesians E$61, he su enly became shy of them an with rew himself! 3e seeme to thin& they were less holy an acceptable to #o than the circumcise "ews! 3e seeme to imply, that the belie(in% #entiles were in a lower state than they who ha &ept the ceremonies of the law of Moses! 3e seeme , in a wor , to a somethin% to simple faith as nee ful to %i(e man an interest in "esus Christ! 3e seeme to reply to the 4uestion, *+hat shall I o to be sa(e )> not merely *Belie(e on the 6or "esus Christ,> but *Belie(e on the 6or "esus Christ, an be circumcise , an &eep the ceremonies of the law!> 7uch con uct as this the Apostle Paul woul not en ure for a moment! @othin% so mo(e him as the i ea of a in% anythin% to the #ospel of Christ! *I withstoo him,> he says, *to the face!> 3e not only rebu&e him, but he recor e the whole transaction fully, when by inspiration of the 7pirit he wrote the 8pistle to the #alatians! I in(ite special attention to this point! I as& men to obser(e the remar&able ,ealousy which the Apostle Paul shows about this octrine, an to consi er the point about which such a stir was ma e! 6et us mar& in this passa%e of 7cripture the immense importance of ,ustification by faith without the ee s of the law! 6et us learn here what mi%hty reasons the 5eformers of the Church of 8n%lan ha for callin% it, in our ele(enth Article, *a most wholesome octrine an (ery full of comfort!> .a1 This is the octrine which is essentially necessary to our own personal comfort! @o man on earth is a real chil of #o , an a sa(e soul, till he sees an recei(es sal(ation by faith in Christ "esus! @o man will e(er ha(e soli peace an true assurance, until he embraces with all his heart the octrine that *we are accounte ri%hteous before #o for the merit of our 6or "esus Christ, by faith, an not for our

own wor&s an eser(in%s!> 9ne reason, I belie(e, why so many professors in this ay are tosse to an fro, en,oy little comfort, an feel little peace, is their i%norance on this point! They o not see clearly ,ustification by faith without the ee s of the law! .b1 This is the octrine which the great enemy of souls hates! and labors to overthrow! 3e &nows that it turne the worl upsi e own at the first be%innin% of the #ospel, in the ays of the Apostles! 3e &nows that it turne the worl upsi e own a%ain at the time of the 5eformation! 3e is therefore always temptin% men to re,ect it! 3e is always tryin% to se uce Churches an ministers to eny or obscure its truth! @o won er that the Council of Trent irecte its chief attac& a%ainst this octrine, an pronounce it accurse an heretical! @o won er that many who thin& themsel(es learne in these ays enounce the octrine as theolo%ical ,ar%on, an say that all *earnest-min e people> are ,ustifie by Christ, whether they ha(e faith or not; The plain truth is that the octrine is all %all an wormwoo to uncon(erte hearts! It ,ust meets the wants of the awa&ene soul! But the prou unhumble man who &nows not his own sin, an sees not his own wea&ness, cannot recei(e its truth! .c1 This is the octrine, the absence of which accounts for half the errors of the Roman Catholic Church! The be%innin% of half the unscriptural octrines of Popery may be trace up to re,ection of ,ustification by faith! @o 5omish teacher, if he is faithful to his Church, can say to an an:ious sinner, *Belie(e on the 6or "esus Christ an thou shalt be sa(e !> 3e cannot o it without a itions an e:planations, which completely estroy the %oo news! 3e are not %i(e the #ospel me icine, without a in% somethin% which estroys its efficacy, an neutraliAes its power! Pur%atory, penance, priestly absolution, the intercession of saints, the worship of the Gir%in, an many other manma e ser(ices of popery, all sprin% from this source! They are all rotten props to support weary consciences! But they are ren ere necessary by the enial of ,ustification by faith! . 1 This is the octrine which is absolutely essential to a minister*s success among his people! 9bscurity on this point spoils all! Absence of clear statements about ,ustification will pre(ent the utmost Aeal oin% %oo ! There may be much that is pleasin% an nice in a minister=s sermons, much about Christ an sacramental union with 3im, - much about self- enial, - much about humility, - much about charity! But all this will profit little, if his trumpet %i(es an uncertain soun about ,ustification by faith without the ee s of the law! .e1 This is the octrine which is absolutely essential to the prosperity of a Church! @o Church is really in a healthy state, in which this octrine is not prominently brou%ht forwar ! A Church may ha(e %oo forms an re%ularly or aine ministers, an the 7acraments properly a ministere , but a Church will not see con(ersion of souls %oin% on un er its pulpits, when this octrine is not plainly preache ! Its schools may be foun in e(ery parish! Its ecclesiastical buil in%s may stri&e the eye all o(er the lan ! But there will be no blessin% from #o on that Church, unless ,ustification by faith is proclaime from its pulpits! 7ooner or later its can lestic& will be ta&en away! +hy ha(e the Churches of Africa an the 8ast fallen to their present state) - 3a they not bishops) They ha ! - 3a they not forms an litur%ies ) They ha ! - 3a they

not syno s an councils) They ha ! - But they cast away the octrine of ,ustification by faith! They lost si%ht of that mi%hty truth, an so they fell! +hy i our own Church o so little in the last century, an why i the In epen ents, an Metho ists, an Baptists o so much more) - +as it that their system was better than ours) @o! - +as it that our Church was not so well a apte to meet the wants of lost souls) @o! D But their ministers preache ,ustification by faith, an our ministers, in too many cases, i not preach the octrine at all! +hy o so many 8n%lish people %o to issentin% chapels in the present ay) +hy o we so often see a splen i #othic parish church as empty of worshippers as a barn in "uly, an a little plain bric& buil in%, calle a Meetin% 3ouse, fille to suffocation) Is it that people in %eneral ha(e any abstract isli&e to 8piscopacy, the Prayer-boo&, the surplice, an the establishment) @ot at all; The simple reason is, in the (ast ma,ority of cases, that people o not li&e preachin% in which ,ustification by faith is not fully proclaime ! +hen they cannot hear it in the parish church they will see& it elsewhere! @o oubt there are e:ceptions! @o oubt there are places where a lon% course of ne%lect has thorou%hly is%uste people with the Church of 8n%lan , so that they will not e(en hear truth from its ministers! But I belie(e, as a %eneral rule, when the parish church is empty an the meetin%-house full, it will be foun on in4uiry that there is a cause! If these thin%s be so, the Apostle Paul mi%ht well be ,ealous for the truth, an withstan Peter to the face! 3e mi%ht well maintain that anythin% ou%ht to be sacrifice , rather than en an%er the octrine of ,ustification in the Church of Christ! 3e saw with a prophetical eye comin% thin%s! 3e left us all an e:ample that we shoul o well to follow! +hate(er we tolerate, let us ne(er allow any in,ury to be one to that blesse octrine, - that we are ,ustifie by faith without the ee s of the law! 6et us always beware of any teachin% which either irectly or in irectly obscures ,ustification by faith! All reli%ious systems which put anythin% between the hea(y la en sinner an "esus Christ the 7a(ior, e:cept simple faith, are an%erous an unscriptural! All systems which ma&e out faith to be anythin% complicate , anythin% but a simple, chil li&e epen ence, - the han which recei(es the soul>s me icine from the physician, - are unsafe an poisonous systems! All systems which cast iscre it on the simple Protestant octrine which bro&e the power of 5ome, carry about with them a pla%ue-spot, an are an%erous to souls! Baptism is a sacrament or aine by Christ 3imself, an to be use with re(erence an respect by all professin% Christians! +hen it is use ri%htly, worthily an with faith, it is capable of bein% the instrument of mi%hty blessin%s to the soul! But when people are tau%ht that all who are baptiAe are as a matter of course born a%ain, an that all baptiAe persons shoul be a resse as *chil ren of #o ,> I belie(e their souls are in %reat an%er! 7uch teachin% about baptism appears to me to o(erthrow the octrine of ,ustification by faith! They only are chil ren of #o who ha(e faith in Christ "esus! An all men ha(e not faith! The 6or >s 7upper is a sacrament or aine by Christ 3imself, an inten e for the e ification an refreshment of true belie(ers! But when people are tau%ht that all persons ou%ht to come to the 6or >s table, whether they ha(e faith or not' an that all

ali&e recei(e Christ=s bo y an bloo who recei(e the brea an wine, I belie(e their souls are in %reat an%er! 7uch teachin% appears to me to ar&en the octrine of ,ustification by faith! @o man eats Christ>s bo y an rin&s Christ>s bloo e:cept the ,ustifie man! An none are ,ustifie until they belie(e! Membership of the Church of 8n%lan is a %reat pri(ile%e! @o (isible Church on earth, in my opinion, offers so many a (anta%es to its members, when ri%htly a ministere ! But when people are tau%ht that because they are members of the Church, they are as a matter of course members of Christ, I belie(e their souls are in %reat an%er! 7uch teachin% appears to me to o(erthrow the octrine of ,ustification by faith! They only are ,oine to Christ who belie(e! An all men o not belie(e! +hene(er we hear teachin% which obscures or contra icts ,ustification by faith, we may be sure there is a screw loose somewhere! +e shoul watch a%ainst such teachin%, an be upon our %uar ! 9nce let a man %et wron% about ,ustification, an he will bi a lon% farewell to comfort, to peace, to li(ely hope, to anythin% li&e assurance in his Christianity! An error here is a worm at the root! .01 In conclusion, let me first of all as& e(ery one who rea s this paper, to arm himself with a thorou%h knowledge of the written +ord of $od! ?nless we o this we are at the mercy of any false teacher! +e shall not see throu%h the mista&es of an errin% Peter! +e shall not be able to imitate the faithfulness of a coura%eous Paul! An i%norant laity will always be the bane of a Church! A Bible-rea in% laity may sa(e a Church from ruin! 6et us rea the Bible re%ularly, aily, an with fer(ent prayer, an become familiar with its contents! 6et us recei(e nothin%, belie(e nothin%, follow nothin%, which is not in the Bible, nor can be pro(e by the Bible! 6et our rule of faith, our touchstone of all teachin%, be the written +or of #o ! ./1 In the ne:t place, let me recommen e(ery member of the Church of 8n%lan to ma&e himself ac4uainte with the %hirty,nine Articles of his own Church! They are to be foun at the en of most Prayer-boo&s! They will abun antly repay an attenti(e rea in%! They are the true stan ar by which Churchmanship is to be trie , ne:t to the Bible! They are the test by which Churchmen shoul pro(e the teachin% of their ministers, if they want to &now whether it is *Church teachin%> or not! I eeply lament the i%norance of systematic Christianity which pre(ails amon% many who atten the ser(ices of the Church of 8n%lan ! It woul be well if such boo&s as Archbishop ?sher>s *Bo y of Ci(inity> were more &nown an stu ie than they are! If Cean @owell>s Catechism ha e(er been formally accre ite as a formulary of the Church of 8n%lan , many of the heresies of the last twenty years coul ne(er ha(e li(e for a ay! But unhappily many persons really &now no more about the true octrines of their own communion, than the heathen or Mahometans! It is useless to e:pect the laity of the Church of 8n%lan to be Aealous for the maintenance of true octrine, unless they &now what their own Church has efine true octrine to be! .E1 In the ne:t place, let me entreat all who rea this paper to be always ready to contend for the faith of Christ, if nee ful! I recommen no one to foster a contro(ersial spirit! I want no man to be li&e #oliath, %oin% up an own, sayin%, *#i(e me a man to fi%ht with!> Always fee in% upon contro(ersy is poor wor& in ee !

It is li&e fee in% upon bones! But I o say that no lo(e of false peace shoul pre(ent us stri(in% ,ealously a%ainst false octrine, an see&in% to promote true octrine where(er we possibly can! True #ospel in the pulpit, true #ospel in e(ery 5eli%ious 7ociety we support, true #ospel in the boo&s we rea , true #ospel in the frien s we &eep company with, - let this be our aim, an ne(er let us be ashame to let men see that it is so! .H1 In the ne:t place, let me entreat all who rea this paper to keep a jealous watch over their own hearts in these contro(ersial times! There is much nee of this caution! In the heat of the battle we are apt to for%et our own inner man! Gictory in ar%ument is not always (ictory o(er the worl or (ictory o(er the e(il! 6et the mee&ness of 7t! Peter in ta&in% a reproof, be as much our e:ample as the bol ness of 7t! Paul in repro(in%! 3appy is the Christian who can call the person who rebu&es him faithfully, a *belo(e brother!> ./ Peter E$0F1 6et us stri(e to be holy in all manner of con(ersation, an not least in our tempers! 6et us labor to maintain an uninterrupte communion with the Father an with the 7on, an to &eep up constant habits of pri(ate prayer an Bible-rea in%! Thus we shall be arme for the battle of life, an ha(e the swor of the 7pirit well fitte to our han when the ay of temptation comes! .F1 In the last place, let me entreat all members of the Church of 8n%lan who &now what real prayin% is, to pray daily for the Church to which they belong! 6et us pray that the 3oly 7pirit may be poure out upon it, an that its can lestic& may not be ta&en away! 6et us pray for those parishes in which the #ospel is now not preache , that the ar&ness may pass away, an the true li%ht shine in them! 6et as pray for those ministers who now neither &now nor preach the truth, that #o may ta&e away the (eil from their hearts, an show them a more e:cellent way! @othin% is impossible! The Apostle Paul was once a persecutin% Pharisee' 6uther was once an unenli%htene mon&' Bishop 6atimer was once a bi%ote Papist' Thomas 7cott was once thorou%hly oppose to e(an%elical truth! @othin%, I repeat, is impossible! The 7pirit can ma&e cler%ymen preach that #ospel which they now labor to estroy! 6et us therefore be instant in prayer! I commen the matters containe in this paper to serious attention! 6et us pon er them well in our hearts! 6et us carry them out in our aily practice! 6et us o this, an we shall ha(e learne somethin% from the story of 7t! Peter at Antioch!