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This discourse has no date prefixed to it, neither is there anything in the discourse itself, from which the exact or even the proximate date of its delivery can be discovered. The probability is that it was delivered during the summer of 1638; at any rate, it was between the date of the last discourse, end of March or beginning of April—and that of the next, October 21. One sentence in the next discourse may be taken to refer to the time when this was preached: “And then, does not this day, and the last day that I was in this place, and many days since, testify that ye are returning to walk after the Lord?” If so, then a good while—“many days,” intervened between this discourse and the next, which, as has just been said, bears date October 21; so that we are safe in saying it was probably during the summer it was delivered. Like the last, it was preached at St Andrews. At that time, according to Baillie, that city was abandoned by its ordinary ministers, who were violent supporters of Prelacy, and who, since the swearing of the covenant, had entirely deserted their charges. Baillie’s words are—“That towne hes now no ordinare ministers, but are supplied by the Presbytery.”1 This explains why Henderson should have been there so frequently about this time.
This apostle, beloved, in the former chapter, was shewing the grounds of Christian liberty, whereby the children of God are free from the yoke of sin, and also from the yoke of the law. And, then, in the beginning of this chapter, he was earnest with these people that they would stand to that liberty whereunto they were called, and wherewith Christ had made them free, and exhorted them that they would not be entangled in the yoke of bondage again. And then, ye know, after that, he sets down that this exhortation of his, it is both necessary for them, and it is also pertinent. First, it was a necessary exhortation, because the danger was great, if so be that they should render themselves slaves again to the law, and to be circumcised; for then Christ should profit them nothing, but by so doing they made themselves debtors to the whole law. Secondly, he shews them also that this was a pertinent exhortation for them, because these people was near the danger. 1. The danger was great, and so the exhortation was necessary. Therefore, they should stand to their liberty, and not be entangled in the yoke of bondage again; because if they were entangled in it again, Christ should profit them nothing; they should be in danger of the curse of the law, and also be in danger of the loss of the favour of God; and then they were fallen from grace. And, therefore, the apostle himself, he resolves not to wait for the righteousness which is by circumcision, but for the righteousness which is by faith, providing that it be a true and lively faith, not wrought by fantasy but by the Spirit of God. “Because,” says he, “in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision profiteth anything, but faith which worketh by love.” 2. Now, having shewn how necessary this doctrine is, next he shews how pertinent it is also, and so how necessary it is for them. For this people they were in this case; they had once begun well in the way of Christianity; they had continued for a long time in it; but false teachers had come in among them, and stopped them from running into that course. And not only had they stopped them, but they had also driven them back. So that if they will consider what they are doing now, they will find that they are not obeying the truth which they had received of the apostle, nor believing it as they once did.
Now, whereas they might object, and say, we did nothing but what we were persuaded to do, he tells them, “This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you;” that is, it came not of God, for he gave them another persuasion than this. And if they say, What? This is but in a point of ceremony, and so this is but a needless noise to make so much din for nothing; he tells them that although the thing itself seem to be but little to them, yet the danger thereof may be a very great danger. For it may be the ruin of their whole religion, and the ruin of themselves also. “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”
For the more clear taking up of the words, ye shall mark these things in them. 1. There is a representation of their present and of their preceding estate, “ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” 2. There is an answer to two exceptions which they might have made. First objection—We did nothing but what we were persuaded to do. A.—“This persuasion is not of him that calleth you.” Second objection—What, it is but a small matter; and so what needs there to be such din about it? A.—Take heed to yourselves in this also. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
Or, if ye will mark the words more nearly, ye will find that when he has by a comparison set before them their former and their present estate, he uses three reasons or arguments to bring them back to that estate again whence they were fallen. The first is from the present course of their defection, wherein they were going, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” The second is from the author of this defection, wherein they were going, “This persuasion is not of him that calleth you.” That is, it is not from God; and if it be not from God, then consider from whom it is. The third reason is from the danger wherein it brought them, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
And so he would reduce them to a better estate by bringing them to consider what they were once; what they are presently; what they were who persuaded them to it; and what are the dangerous consequences of the estate they are in.
Let us observe here, that it is commendable in the apostle Paul that their estate goes so near his heart as ye see it does. He observes well and narrowly how they profit in grace by the preaching of the gospel, what errors enter in among them, and how great beginnings of ill are begun among them. For there was a necessity laid upon him that he who had the charge of souls, he behoved to do this. He says, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel.” He was separated by Christ for this end, and he separates himself also for it; and thought it enough for him to be about it, and troubled not himself with any civil or worldly business. And, indeed, this is the duty of those who are ministers and are ordained to preach the gospel, not to attend any civil charge in the world, although they might have never so great gain or never so great glory thereby; because they are separated for another charge than anything of the civil estate.2 And, indeed, beside their calling of God to this estate, and beside the commandment of Jesus Christ, and the practice of the apostles, very sense and reason might teach us this much, that no man should trouble himself both with civil and spiritual affairs; for I am sure there is no back so strong but the charge of souls may suffice him very well to put upon it. And I am sure that the spiritual charge is so large, that even without the civil charge also no arm is able to fathom it; so that we may say of it with the apostle, Who is sufficient for these things?
The apostle, in describing the estate of these people, might have expressed it in other terms than are here, but he uses the comparison from a race: and it appears that he has taken the comparison from the games of Olympus, which were much talked of in those times, and from which both divine and human writers used to borrow similitudes and comparisons, to express both the laborious and the renowned way of virtue. And ye will find that the apostle, in all his epistles, delights much in this same allegory or borrowed form of speech, of running a race; to make all Christians who had once begun in the way of religion run still on in this race.
Now, for this Christian race of ours, the breaking off of the race is at the beginning of our calling; the feet whereupon we are to run is faith, working by love; the course whereinto we must run is forgetting those things that are behind, and bending fast towards the mark of the high prize of our calling in God—so we must not look what we have done, but look what we have to do; the mark or score we are to run to, is the end of our life—so we must never cease in running of this race, so long as we are here; and the prize wherefor we run in this race, it is said to be above with Christ, at the right hand of the Father. And that is a greater prize than we can comprehend, even a great and exceeding great weight of glory for the souls of them who run well. And when Christ shall come and descend into the clouds, and the voice of the archangel shall be heard, then they who runs well shall be called to come to the heavenly Jerusalem which is above, there to reign with Christ. Yea, Christ is with them at the very beginning of the race, for he is the author of their faith; and he is with them all the way when they are running; and he is with them at the end of the way, to possess them in the inheritance. And, which should not be omitted here, there are many adversaries in the way, to hinder us from running out that course, that we go not forward in it; some with their horrors and terrors threatening us, and casting in stumbling blocks in our way, whereupon we may fall; and some again casting in their golden apples, to entangle us, and to make us forget what we are doing. And there is none of them all that the apostle takes more notice of than of these, Colossians 2:18, “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up in a fleshly manner.” That is, when men take upon them to be Lord and Jesus, in bringing things into the kirk which he hath not allowed, as these sort of false teachers did. They said, no doubt, they could not be saved except they embraced such ceremonies as these. But in chapter 3, he says, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts;” that is, once strive to get an assurance of the thing ye do, that it is right, and then go forward in the way, having this peace in your hearts.
And when the apostle says this to them, “Ye did run well,” indeed he gives them a very great commendation, for in running well there are these things required. First, if we run well, we must still set our eye on the right mark or prize, even that which the Lord has promised to us; for in hope of that happiness which is to be gotten at the end of the course we must go on. For if so be that we be still seeking the world, profess what we will, we run not well. And therefore in running this race we must not set our hearts on the world, nor must we let the dust of it dim our sights, that we see not what is before us; but let us strive every day while we are running to get a new sight of the prize; and if we can get no more, yet to seek that which Moses got, even to ascend to the top of a mountain, that we may see the promised land afar off. The Papists, they calumniate us very far when they say we have no respect to the recompense of reward, nor look not to that; for indeed we look unto it, and have a respect unto it: and it were a very great fault in us if we did it not. Only there be two things we deny, which they would be at. 1. That it is not the principal and chief thing that we should look unto, to make us run well in this way: but the chief thing that we should look unto is the glory and honour of God, and the advancement of the kingdom of Christ. A loyal servant, when he is running a match, looks most to his master’s honour and credit; and then he is sure of the reward and prize, if he wins it, because he has a good master. 2. We look on the reward not as merited by our deservings, or that it can be merited, but only as freely promised of free grace. We know, if we run well, there is a reward promised to us, but not merited by us.
Secondly, for running well we must run in the right way. The way wherein we should run is plainly set down in the word of God; Christ he is called the way, the truth, and the life. There is a way which leads to the kingdom of God; Christ is that way; and he is the truth that teaches us truly how we should walk into that way. And beside that, if we be dead of ourselves, that we cannot walk into that way, then Christ is life, and there is a life-giving power in him to communicate life to us, whereby to walk into it: and if we be weak, he furnishes us with strength. Our use of this is, whoever they be who draw us anyways from Christ, they draw us out of the right way, and lead us so much wrong.
Thirdly, for our running well: when we have set our eye upon the mark, and are running in the right way, then there are helps requisite for us in this way. It is a rough, troublesome, longsome, wearisome way; wherefore we must be provided for it before we enter in the way. And there is one help that is very necessary for to help us in this way, set down among those pieces of the spiritual armour. Ephesians 6—to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace: therefore we must not go barefooted to this race, because it is a rough and thorny way wherein we are to run. And that we may get shoes on our feet, we must have the knowledge of the gospel; and we must labour also to find this peace of God in the gospel; that so all those stumbling blocks which can be cast into our way may not move us to go back, but all of them may work for our best. Song of Solomon 7:1, Christ says of the kirk, “How beautiful are thy feet with shoes!” and Ezekiel 16:10 the kirk when she is in exile is said to be barefooted, but being set at liberty, she gets shoes on her feet; and being shod with these shoes, they are like Israelites' apparel in the wilderness, they wax not old.
Fourthly, if we will run well into this way, we must lay aside every weight that presses down; every profit and pleasure that may hinder us from running fast must be laid aside. Even that natural and sinning sin of original corruption which is in us, as far as may be, it must be laid aside, because it is a weight that presses down; and we must gird up the loins of our minds from all such things as may hinder us: otherwise we cannot run well.
Fifthly, when we have once begun in this way we must not go back, nor may we remember what is behind, nor what we have done, but always remember what is before us, and so what we have to do; have our eye always toward the mark. And if we will run so, we shall not be disappointed.
And lastly, there is another thing required of them who run in this race. Hebrews 12:1, “We must run with patience the race that is set before us.”
And indeed, all these things are necessary for them who will run this race aright. And so in saying, “Ye did run well,” he says this far to them in effect, they did set their eye upon the right mark; that they did run in the right way to that mark, and so had a great mind to come to it; that they had used helps to help them forward into the way; that they had laid aside every weight that might hinder them to run; that they had resolved not to go back; and that they did run with patience. And so in saying, “Ye did run well,” he gives them a very large commendation; and certainly they are worth it all who run well, and run to the end of this race, and then get the prize that is promised; as the apostle says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course with joy: henceforth is laid up for me a crown of glory.”
But he adds to this, “Who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” He had once planted and confirmed the gospel among them, but there were others who had come in and hindered it. By saying who did hinder you, he brings them to consider two things—1. That they were hindered from going on into that way wherein he had taught them to walk. 2. That there were some who hindered them.
First. They were hindered from going on into the way. Ay indeed, they were more than hindered; for not only were there some who did stop the way, that they should not go on into it, but did also drive them back again. So that not only are they not running well, but they are driven back again by many steps and degrees: so that here is a great change. Once they did run well, and so they were m a good course, and going forward into it; but now they are driven back, and so they are in a course of defection. Beloved, there are two changes befall people when they are running fast. 1. When some are running on to all excess of riot and headlong to their own destruction, then God comes and stops them in that way, and brings them back; yea, he drives them out of that way, which was the broad way leading them to destruction, and enters them into the strait and narrow way that leads to life everlasting. This indeed is a happy change, and it is the beginning of a glorious change from misery to everlasting happiness. 2. Again, there is another change, which is both a shameful, a sinful, and a miserable change; and that is, when a person or a people are running on becomingly in the way to heaven, and then there are some who rise up and hinder them from running on into that way, yea force them to come back from that degree whereto they have been advanced. And wherever this change is, it is joined also with many other great ills. 1. It is joined with scandal. Ye did once run well, and when ye turn back again, ye meet with others who were following you in the way, and naturally when they see you coming back they are driven back with you. 2. It is joined also with shame. If this be a great infamy for a man to begin to build a tower, and not to build it out, and to intend a war and go on a piece, and then turn back without doing anything, this must be a greater, to be like a reed shaken with every wind; to be like Demas, once to profess Christ, and then to fall from him again and to follow this present world; or to be like Isidorus,3 to have one religion in one king’s time, and another in another king’s time. 3. It is joined with difficulty of reclaiming. For when the evil spirit has been once put out, and gets leave to re-enter, he comes with seven spirits worse than himself; so that the last estate of that man is worse than the first; and so he runs seven times faster back than ever he did. 4. Not only had it been better for him never to have known the way of life, than to have returned with the sow to the puddle, and the dog to the vomit, but there is also a certain ruin appointed for such a man, which he cannot escape.
This indeed is a very ill change, and there are many ills joined with it; and yet those who were called God’s people were very subject to this. It is not thought so great a matter albeit the things of the world should slip from men, or that their bodily health should be impaired; but this is a greater wonder, when people are once entered into a good way, that they should desire to go back. It is strange what the martyr Stephen says of the people of Israel, when they were now come out of Egypt, even while they were in the wilderness, “In their hearts they returned to Egypt again.”4 This is not that their bodies desired to go to it, for they thought themselves well freed of that slavery; and that day that they kept the feast of the golden calf, they rejoiced that they were come out of Egypt, but in their hearts they returned to Egypt. That is, they were acquainted with the idolatry that was there, and when Moses was absent from them, in their hearts thought upon it and loved it, and finding occasion then, they practised that idolatry. And then (Numbers 14:4) they come to that, they would have been at the choosing of a captain to go before them to Egypt: and indeed this was very great ingratitude for them to return in their hearts so soon to Egypt. And the Lord he had spied out a land for them, as it is, Ezekiel 20:6, even the glory of all the lands in the earth, a land that flowed with milk and honey; and yet, Numbers 16:13, they put that commendation upon Egypt, that it flowed with milk and honey. And, Joshua 24:16-25, the people at that time promised readily to serve the Lord and to serve him only; but albeit they did run well then, yet afterwards they were stopped into the way and driven aside; for Elias says to them, 1 Kings 18:21, “Why halt ye thus between two? If the Lord be God, then serve him, and if Baal be God, then serve him.” It is strange they answered readily, when Joshua asked at them to serve God, and to serve him only; but now they are in a doubt who is the Lord, and so answer him not a word. And this was not only to be seen of old among the people of Israel, under the law, but even also among us, in the days of the gospel: for there are evermore some whose hearts are going back to Egypt, and when their hearts have been there a while, then by their mouths and their pens they testify to the world the bad inclination they have to Egypt and to idolatry.5
Secondly, he would have them to observe here, who were those who hindered them. Satan, no doubt, he had a hand into this hindrance, and I think the apostle will not altogether excuse themselves to be clean of it; but he lays the blame principally upon false teachers, who did hinder them into their way, when they were begun to run well. Certainly there is no work so exceeding wicked, that has never so sore and so peremptory a curse pronounced by God against it, but there will evermore some wicked spirit be found to attempt and to assay it. It is strange Joshua pronounced a curse against him who should rise up to build Jericho, Joshua 6:26, very peremptorily, “Cursed be he that riseth up to build this city Jericho; he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.” And yet, for all that, in the days of Ahab there was found a son of Belial, Hiel, who attempted to build it: and as particularly as the threatening was pronounced, as particularly was it performed; for he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub.6
Next, he would have them to consider that there was a great odds betwixt him and others who had entered them in the right way, and these who had drawn them off that way again; betwixt them who had brought them to a right course and these who hindered them, when they were right. And so, indeed, there is a great difference between them; and if ye will compare them together in this same epistle, ye will find a threefold difference. 1. The apostle he had his calling of God to this office; but for these false teachers, it is said of them that they came in privately unto it, and thrust themselves into the ministry; and so had not their calling of God. 2. The apostle, being called of God, used no unlawful means to persuade people to obey the truth, but only the preaching of the gospel and the demonstration of the Spirit of God.7 But for those who were false teachers, they bewitched the people to believe lies, and as people use to say, they did cast glaumerie upon their eyes,8 and so beguiled them thus under a fair colour, to make them believe their lies. And when this could not do their turn, to make people follow them, they compelled them, as it is in chapter 5, so that they used both craft and cruelty to compel people follow their ill ways. 3. The apostle he was ready to suffer for the truth which he taught; but these false teachers, they would not suffer, they were not for suffering; and therefore they compelled all they could to follow them. And so, if we will look to their entry to their office, to their discharging thereof when they are entered, and to their sealing of that which they preach, we will see the difference to be clear.
Now, for their running well, which they were wont to do, but now they do it not, the apostle, to bring them to repentance for this, he uses three arguments here. The first is taken from the nature of their present course, compared with their obedience of the truth. Now, obedience to the truth is to run well; and here he says not only they did not run well, but they did not obey the truth. There are human and also divine truths. The gospel it is called the word of truth, as the apostle, writing to the Colossians,9 very deservedly calls it. 1. Because it is the best, the most eminent, and the most excellent of all truths; for albeit we have the knowledge of all other truths, if we have not the knowledge of this truth, we may live in sin all our days and perish in the end: and albeit we have not great and accurate understandings for taking up of other truths, yet if we have the knowledge of this truth alone, it is able to bring us to salvation. 2. It is called the word of truth, because Jesus Christ is the special subject that is contained in it, who is called the truth; and therefore if we learn not to know Christ in the gospel, we learn not the gospel. 3. It is called the word of truth, because there are so many means used to persuade us that it is true; and it has also the testimony of the great Ambassador of the covenant to seal it, the testimony of the apostles, and of many faithful martyrs who has suffered for it. And indeed, we have need of all these to assure us of this truth, because there is a blood relation in us to all other truths, but we are framet10 to believe this truth: and so, many times we make God a liar. It’s true we give him not a lie directly, but in this we give him a lie, when we consider not what he speaks to us out of his word of truth, and obeys it not. More particularly, the apostle aims at one truth here, which is justification by faith, and not by the works of the law; for this is the law of the gospel.11 And therefore, of necessity, these who maintains justification by works, and that there is inherent righteousness in man, that must be a lie: and the apostle, in all his epistles, he proves this, that we are justified by faith only, and not by the works of the law: but these false teachers made them to believe, that they could not be justified without the works of the law. But this will never make us to run well, albeit we have the gospel, if we be not surely grounded in this principal point thereof. The philosopher speaks of this, and he takes his ground only from natural reason; but the Scripture says, obedience is better than sacrifice; for when a man offers sacrifice, he only gives the thing which he has, but when a man gives obedience to any point of God’s truth, he offers himself for the truth, and gives that which he has not of himself. And so it is more sure to be justified by faith, than by the works of the law.
This obedience to the truth, it leads us to three necessary duties. 1. To hear the truth, and so to get the knowledge of it. 2. We must have a persuasion thereof, that it is true, and so faith to believe it. 3. When we know it and believe it, then we must go on in the practice of it. These three cannot be well separated; for any to know and to practise a thing, and not to be persuaded of it by faith, that is a sin: to believe a thing that we know not, nor practise not, that is a brutish thing. And, therefore, this is a sure way for every Christian, first, to know a thing; secondly, to be persuaded of the truth of it; thirdly, to practise it. It’s true, indeed, the judgment of weighty matters belongs chiefly to these who are most inspired by the Spirit of God; but the judgment of discerning things belongs to every particular Christian. This is not, neither, to make every man a judge of weighty and public matters; but every man ought to be judge of things for himself, and ought to be persuaded of them before he practise them.12
We see here that we should obey this truth: there is an absolute obedience required to this truth. There is no absolute obedience required to no other truth, but only to this. All other truths are inferior to this, and they are limited to the truth of God’s word. And, therefore, whenever the truth of God, to whom all sovereignty, majesty, and power belongs, and the commandment of men comes in competition together, we must then say, as the apostle said, we ought rather to obey God than man. And when this is done, it must not be called disobedience to superiors; but it is obedience to them, because it is obedience to God, who is above them.13 And, if we be put to suffering for this, then we suffer for Christ and his truth: and, therefore, the apostle says to servants, if they suffer anything of their masters innocently and patiently, they suffer it for Christ. So that, if men’s commandments be contrary to God, we must in that case submit ourselves patiently to God, and suffer ere we obey them.
II. The second argument the apostle uses is from an objection they might allege. The objection is this. We do nothing but what we are persuaded to do. But he answers—That persuasion is not a true persuasion. It seems, indeed, that they had a persuasion for that which they did; but it was not well grounded, it was not from God. There is a threefold persuasion spoken of in Scripture. 1. There is a infallible and certain persuasion, and that is called a persuasion of faith, whereof the apostle speaks, Romans 8:38-39, “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.” And this persuasion has with it a full assurance of understanding, whereby we know things to be; a full assurance of faith, to believe them; and a full assurance, to wait for the things promised; and a full assurance of certainty to get them. And the more that a man have of this persuasion, he is the more holy and the more humble in himself. 2. There is a persuasion of charity, as the apostle says, “We are persuaded better things of you.”14 Here there is no infallible persuasion, but only according to the Word of God, and a charitable construction of men’s outward actions. 3. There is a persuasion of fantasy, which is the persuasion spoken of here. And therefore, the apostle he expresses it not by such a word in the first language as he does the other two, but by a baser word: by a word that signifies, men who are led by their own wilfulness, and with a fantasy of things; men who live only upon opinions, and not upon solid truths. This, beloved, has been a common thing ever from the beginning; men presuming that they have been persuaded of a thing, when their persuasion has not been from God: and the apostle, in this epistle, tells us that it is so with many. And the Papists they have this persuasion; they say they are persuaded they do right, and yet their persuasion is not of God but a fantasy, because it is not from the truth of God. And the people of Israel, when they worshipped the golden calf in the wilderness, they thought they worshipped Jehovah, and Aaron proclaimed it a day for Jehovah; and yet the martyr Stephen he calls it idolatry. And Micah, when he made his gods, and got a Levite in his house to be his priest, he thought he could not go wrong then; and yet he was far wrong. And our Saviour says to his apostles, “The time shall come, when they who kill you shall think that they do God good service;” and yet, judge ye if the killing of the apostles was either good service or could be acceptable to God. And think ye not, but these who did burn the martyrs thought that they were persuaded that they did right? And yet it was but a fantasy, it was not from God. Certainly this is a thing that should be taken heed unto, that we believe not false persuasions; especially when they would persuade us to error and to idolatry.
“Is not of him that calleth you.” Before, he said to them, “Who did hinder you?” and now he says, “This persuasion is not of him that calleth you.”
We may see here that where any give obedience to the truth, that obedience it is only from God; but where obedience is not given to the truth, that comes not of God, who calleth them to obey the truth. And he uses this as a sufficient for all the rest of their defections. They obeyed not the truth; and this was because that which they did was not of God’s direction. For, if it can be said that there is no warrant from the truth of God for that which we do, it is enough to convict us that it is wrong. If any error were never so gross, and had never so many arguments against it, yet this is sufficient to confute the error thereof, that it is not commanded in the Word of God. As it is said to Nadab and Abihu, they offered up strange fire to the Lord which he commanded them not; and to the children of Israel the Lord says—“Ye caused your children to pass through the fire to Moloch,” and joins not, “which I forbad you to do,” but “which I commanded you not.” So that whatever we do in God’s worship, it is either written in God’s word, or else we have no persuasion for it: or if we think we have a persuasion, yet it is nothing else but a presumption, if it be not written in God’s Word.15
He uses a word here of the present time, “Is not of him that calleth you.” But it may include both the bygone and also the present time: and so, for them to look to their first calling, and he who then called them and is also yet calling them; and if they will look to those who are now persuading them, they will find the difference to be great between them. As if he said, he that once called you, in his great patience and mercy, and spared you then, he is renewing his call toward you again (as, indeed, he was at this same time calling them by this letter); and, therefore, it were best for you to return from your backsliding, and come home again to him, albeit ye have slidden back. Beloved, the Lord’s calling of us, and continuing the means of our salvation with us, is not a good ground to say that there is no backsliding in such a part; but that is only a ground of the Lord’s patience, who continues these with us when we are sliding back from him. And, indeed, it is very ill constructed by them who make that a ground that he will not correct the people with whom he continues these tokens of his presence, which are only the tokens of his patience: and if that be continued, then he will strike in anger.
III. Now, only a word of the third branch of the text, which is taken from the danger that might ensue upon these things. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” This is a proverbial speech of leaven. The nature of leaven is well enough known: Pliny has made a large description of this leaven, but we will not stay upon this now; for it is an ordinary thing among all writers. Only this, ye will find it often mentioned in Scripture; and I would have you to take heed to this, how many sorts of evil leaven there are, and how far the world are given to be soured with them.
There is the leaven of error and heresy; and our Saviour says to his disciples, Matthew 16:6, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” Luke 12:1, he says, “Beware of the leaven of hypocrisy.” There is also the leaven of the Sadducees;16 and the apostle, writing to the Corinthians,17 speaks of the leaven of malice and envy. And there is also a leaven of policy, and that is in holding out the true religion from being embraced, for some politic ends: as the Jews, they would not receive Christ, nor believe in him, for fear that then the Romans should come upon them, and take their kingdom from them.18 And, certainly, there is no man who will consider rightly but he may see all these leavens to be in the world even now; and so may wonder how the Lord should be so patient, and not bring sudden and sore destruction upon the world. And, indeed, it would not fail to come upon the world, were it not for the seasoning of God’s children that is among them; for as far as the world is soured by this ill leaven, as far are God’s children made savoury by the sweet leaven of Jesus Christ in the gospel.
Now he speaks here of a little leaven in matters of religion. This is our great fault, we evermore either excuse things that we do, and think them nothing; or otherwise we extenuate them and think them less than they are. They say in a manner, What needs all this din in so little a matter? This is not fundamental, and so what is the matter of the practice thereof? It’s true, indeed, there are some things in religion not fundamental, but ofttimes this is ill applied also; for at the first we will think that to be but a little matter, which in end will turn to a pest and great infection: even as the apostle says here, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” They thought that to be but a small matter, which the apostle calls a great matter.
We must not only take heed not to change anything that is fundamental, but we must also take heed that we obey nothing, which is not warranted by God himself in the matters of his worship: and so we should labour for knowledge in them. For ignorance in these things brings not only condemnation upon us, but it brings also obstinacy; for if we knew God’s will perfectly in these, we would not do the least jot besides that. And indeed, if the servants of God who lived of old were living now, they would be thought very precise. When Moses was permitted by Pharaoh to take the whole people with him, and all that they had, and only to leave the cattle behind them, his answer was, that he would not leave one hoof behind him; he would leave nothing there that might make the people’s hearts turn back to Egypt again. And Mordecai, when the sentence of death was given out against himself and all the Jews, he would not do so much as to bow his knee to Haman, albeit that might save all their lives: and yet that was not a fundamental thing. And Daniel, when the decree was given out that none should ask anything but only from Darius for so long, yet because he was used to pray with his windows open, he would not do so much as to close his windows, when he prayed to God, to save himself, And the apostle would not dispense with wicked men, no, not for an hour; and he commands us not only to abstain from ill, but he commands us to abstain from all appearance of evil.
“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” This comes to pass three ways.
1. Because of the connection that is between error; for once receive and embrace that which is thought but a little error, it will soon make way for more. Even as the Articles of our Creeds, they are so linked together as if it were a chain, so that if ye break but one link of the chain, all the rest will soon fall sundry; or like pearls put upon a thread, loose but the knot of the thread and let the end go loose, and incontinent they will all fall off. So, indeed, it is with errors. If we receive but one, and open the port to it, there is a multitude at the back thereof; so that if the first be not withstood, it holds the way open for all the rest, and they come in. As is evident in the point of freewill; once admit free-will in the kirk, and then follows, that there is no election of the free grace of God; that there is no certainty of our election; it admits universality of election, a resistance by us of the strongest working of the grace of God, no perseverance in whatever estate we be here. And in like manner, in the point of justification by inherent righteousness; once admit that, and it presupposes preparation to be in us for justification, a perfection of good works, meriting by good works, denying of the certainty of faith, and so denying the work of God. And this is evident to be true also in the matters of the government of the kirk.
2. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Because when error is once begun, it swells always and grows greater. Whereas at the first it will be but like unto a pickle of seed, in a short time it will become like a tall cedar. For what were all this thick wood of errors at first, that are in the Romish Kirk now, but only like small seeds? But now they are grown to such a height that they cannot be gotten taken order with.
3. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” This comes by the infection of error. When error once begins, it eats up as a cancer; it is like Saint Anthone’s fire, it begins first in a little thing; but at last it overspreads all. A little spark of fire, if it be not quenched, is not only able to burn a whole lodging, but to burn a whole city. Even so is a little error able to infect many; and so this is true which the apostle says, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” That is, if ye receive and keep this which now ye count but small, then your whole religion will be infected next, and all will be corrupt. And, indeed, this is a great mischief that a kirk which was once glorious should become as Egypt; that the Israel of God should become like Sodom; that the people of God should become like no people; that thus they should procure his spiritual presence to depart from them, when they once depart from him; that he should plague them thus, first with spiritual judgments, and then pour out temporal judgments upon them also. And, therefore, it is good for us to learn to discern between that which is sound indeed in the matters of religion, and that which is corrupt, that we may know what is leaven indeed, and eschew that. Now we will not know leaven by a look: but taste it, and then ye will know it: and for that end, we should labour to have our right taste. And when we have found out anything by our taste to be sour in the matters of God’s house, then keep out that, as we would keep out a botch, or as we would keep Saint Anthone’s fire off us; and when any sour thing is entered, let us strive to cast it out, so soon as we perceive it to be sour. Even as the Israelites were commanded, before they did eat the passover, to purge all leaven out of their houses during these days they were eating, so should we labour all our days, so far as we can, to purge and to hold out this leaven. For at the beginning, if it could be known then (as indeed sometimes the Lord will show it to his own at the very first), then it might be easily held out; but when all are departed from God, and all are infected with it, it is harder to get it out: yet so soon as the Lord let us see it, let us delay no longer, but purge out what old leaven is in, and keep out what is not yet entered, and would be in.
This is for the interpretation of this text; I leave the application thereof to yourselves: for the text it is the tree, the interpretation is the fruit that grows upon the tree, the application thereof is the hand whereby the fruit is plucked off the tree. And, therefore, I leave it to each one of you, who has heard me, to put up your hand and pull down the branch, pluck off the fruit that is meetest for you, and eat of it. And especially remember of the text, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you, etc.” The Lord save us from a distraction of this sort, for Jesus Christ’s sake. To whom, etc.