Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
— 1 Timothy 4:1-3
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
— 1 Kings 22:8
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
— 1 Timothy 1:10
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
— 2 Timothy 3:6
And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
— Exodus 32:33
Men Are Exceeding Prone to Bring Their Principles to Agree with Their Lusts, by Jonathan Edwards. April 1738.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. But after their own lusts shall they heave to themselves teachers having itching ears.
— 2 Timothy 4:3
In the two foregoing verses is a very solemn charge that the apostle gives to Timothy. with respect to the work of the ministry that he was called to. I charge thee, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom, preach the word, be instant in season out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. In this charge may be observed a manner of the charge, which is with exceeding solemnity. I charge thee, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the manner of the charge, which is to be very thorough in preaching sound doctrine, preach the word, be in sentences and not a season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. The words of the text come in as a reason why the apostle gives such a solemn charge to Timothy. to be so thorough in preaching sound doctrine. Namely, the time was shortly to come when they would not endure sound doctrine, but after their own loss shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.
We must take notice that this of the Apostle to Timothy was the last epistle that ever he wrote, that is inserted into the canon of the Scriptures. and was written a little before his death, as especially appears by several passages in the last chapter. He there expressly speaks of his death as being near at hand.
Verses 6 to 8. This epistle seems to have been written while Paul was a prisoner under the power of his persecutors. by whom he was soon after martyred. For in the 16th verse he speaks of his appearing the first time before his judge to have his trial for his life. And in the first chapter, at the 8th verse, he speaks of himself as a prisoner. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. So that we are to look upon this epistle as the apostles’ dying charge to Timothy. to whom he had always been as a father.
And therefore we find that he calls him a son, 1 Timothy 1.2 and 2 Timothy 1.2 and 2 Timothy 2.1. Paul was now an aged person. Timothy was comparatively young and so might live a long after the apostle’s death.
And therefore he charges Timothy to be very thorough to preach sound doctrine. and to continue in it after his death, because the Apostle by the Spirit of God foresaw that a little after his death there’d be a great defection from the truth, and there’d be many that would arise that would not endure sound doctrine. The Apostle speaks of the same thing in Acts 20, 29, and 30. For this I know that after my departing shall grievous woes enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own self shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
This is spoken by the apostle to the church of Ephesus, where Timothy now resided, when the apostle wrote this epistle to him. And the Apostle John, that also resided at Ephesus long after the Apostle Paul’s death, speaks of this defection having already come to pass. 1 John 2 verse 18. Little children, it is the last time. And as you have heard, then Antichrist shall come even now, or there are many Antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time.
Then the time was come when they would not endure sound doctrine. That there would soon come such a time wherein multitudes would not endure sound doctrine was a reason why the apostle gives such a solemn charge to Timothy to be very thorough in preaching sound doctrine on two accounts, namely, because there was a more need of it, for the more the truth was likely soon to be opposed, the more the ministers of the gospel had a need to bestir themselves to defend it, and also because there would be the greater temptation of ministers to neglect to preach sound doctrine. For when men won’t endure sound doctrine, but it puts them into a rage to hear it, that is a greater temptation to ministers not to preach such doctrine. And therefore, Timothy had the greater need of such a solemn charge from the apostle to continue to preach it. In the words of the text may be observed two things.
Number one, The behavior of those corrupt persons spoken with respect to good doctrine, namely, that they would not endure it. Not only would they not receive it, but they would not bear it. They would not hear it with any patience. Number two, their behavior with respect to evil doctrine. After their own loss shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears.
In this last part, again, we may observe two things, namely, What sort of doctrinal principles they would seek and embrace, namely, such as were agreeable to their lusts, after their own lusts. The reason why they would not endure sound doctrine was because they were contrary to their lusts, and this is the reason why they sought false doctrine, and because they were agreeable, suited to their lusts, and were pleasing to them. Number two, the eagerness with which they sought and embraced such doctrine is expressed in two things, namely, They’re heaping to themselves teachers. One minister that preached sound doctrine was too much, but they did not care how many teachers they had that preached doctrine agreeable to their lusts. They cannot have enough of them. They heap to themselves a multitude of them. And it’s also expressed by that they’re itching ears. They had an itch after such kinds of doctrine. They are exceedingly fond of them.
Doctrine. Men are exceedingly prone to bring their principles to agree with their lusts. By principles here I mean the things they maintain for truths that in any way respects man’s moral state or behavior. The doctrines they maintain are any tenets they hold concerning affairs of religion and the state of the souls of men. There is a vast variety in the principles that are embraced and maintained in the world. There is a great variety in the schemes of doctrines that they hold, or the notions they have of those manners that are especially heads of their faith or belief, and also a great variety in the moral principles that they embrace. There is a vast variety in these respects among those that live under the light of the gospel. Some hold one thing about what it is to be believed and what it is to be done, and others, another.
And every man is ready to conform his principles to his disposition, and there is an exceeding proneness to conform them to their lusts. They are prone to do so in three respects. Number one, they are prone to entertain such principles as are relishing to the natural corrupt habits of their souls. Number two, they are prone to entertain such principles as are relishing to their wicked natural state. Number three, they are prone to entertain such principles as are relishing to their wicked practices.
In the first place, men are prone to entertain such principles as are relishing to the natural corrupt habits of the soul. Indeed, all men’s lusts are natural corrupt habits of their souls. But now I speak of the corrupt habits of the soul, not with respect to those outward practices they could do. but as habits remaining in the soul, and internally influencing of it and governing its notions, apprehensions, and internal working. There are some sorts of principles that are agreeable to those inward natural habits of the soul that suit them, and are pleasing to their lusts and relish, and others that are contrary to them. Men are exceedingly prone to receive such principles as are agreeable to the internal corrupt apprehensions and relish of the hard. Thus, for instance, men’s pride is a corrupt natural habit of the soul, which works in various ways.
One is to make men to have a high conceit of their own understandings. It is what men are naturally prone to, to think that they have ability to see things right or to understand them as they be, and to comprehend and see through things and that their judgments are better than others.
And men are exceedingly prone to conform their principles to such a habit of mind. and therefore they are ready to reject those doctrines that appear very mysterious to them and are such as it is about their reason to comprehend. This is one reason that men are so prone to reject the doctrine of the Trinity. and the doctrine of original sin, and of God’s eternal and absolute decrees and many mysteries of the covenant of grace. And hence there has appeared a great disposition to multitudes in the world, especially of late, to be forming new schemes of doctrine, such as they imagine they can comprehend and see through. and maintain that no other doctrines ought to be received but only those that have no mystery in them.
Though also it is a habit or disposition natural to the souls of men to entertain an high thought of their own strength. And hence, men are so prone to reject such doctrines as teach that men are naturally helpless and dead in trespasses and sins, and can do nothing for themselves. And hence, so many embrace the doctrines of free will, that any man can convert himself if he pleases without any more than common assistance, and slight and despise those schemes of religion that teach the arbitrary and mighty influences of the Spirit of God in men’s hearts. And it is the disposition of soul natural to all men to have an high thought of their own righteousness. And hence they are prone to reject those doctrines that teach man’s absolute dependence on the free and sovereign grace of God and salvation by the righteousness of Christ. And this also is one reason why they are prone to reject those doctrines that teach man’s natural corruption and guilt.
And hence many hold of men’s souls as they come into the world are like a piece of white paper, without any writing upon it, and ready indifferently to receive anything that any please to write upon, so that the soul at first is destitute of either good or evil, and indifferent to either, as much disposed to receive one as the other, and hence also they hold that men are justified and saved for their own virtue and good works. Again, another habit natural to the soul of man is to depend on the external senses, Hence men are prone to reject doctrines that are concerning things that are beyond the reach of the outward senses. Hence is one reason why men are so ready to disbelieve the being of God, because they don’t see him with their bodily eyes. And so it is in regards to heaven and hell, because they never see them, therefore they don’t believe in them. And so it is of the other doctrines of Christianity that concern things spiritual and invisible.
From this cause men are naturally exceeding prone to errors. It is because they are naturally under the power of these evil principles. And some men are given up to what is called in Scripture a reprobate mind, Romans 1, 28, or a mind void of judgment, as it is in the margin. It’s a mind prone to error and an enemy to the truth. The reason why men are so difficultly brought to embrace the truth is because of by reason of the evil habits of their minds.
They disrelish it. As Herod has said, and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. They don’t like the truth. It doesn’t suit their dispositions and relish. They don’t love the light and therefore won’t come to it. Christ often was wanted to say when he revealed some spiritual or mysterious doctrine, he that has ears to hear, let him hear.
But those persons haven’t ears to hear the truth. They haven’t a spiritual unsanctified mind, but a carnal mind. It’s a carnal mind that’s enmity against God, and it’s not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So a carnal mind doesn’t obey the truth, it is not subject to the truth.
A natural man may acknowledge the spiritual mysteries and self-abasing doctrines of the gospel from education or some other cause, but he never is properly reconciled to the truth, for he is naturally an enemy to the truth. Christ is held forth in the great and spiritual doctrines of the gospel as an offense to the natural man.
A stone is stumbling and a rock of offense, 1 Peter 2.8. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Corinthians 2, verse 14. They have not their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. The ways of the Lord, a way of salvation by Christ which is taught in the doctrines of the gospel, appear right to the godly, but are full of stumbling blocks to wicked men.
Hosea 14.9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things, prudent, and he shall know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the judge shall walk in them, but the transgressors shall fall therein.
Thus men are naturally prone to entertain such principles as are relishing to the natural corrupt habits of their souls. Number two, men are naturally very prone to bring their principles to agree with that state of sin that they are in by nature. This men are wont to do in two ways, either by maintaining such principles as tend to represent a state of sin to be less dreadful than it is, or by entertaining such principles as allow them to flatter themselves that they are not in a state of sin. But in a state of salvation, there is a proneness in natural men to embrace such principles as tend to represent a natural state to be less dreadful than it is. Natural men that hear how dreadful a condition the natural condition is, would fain flatter themselves that their state is not so dreadful as they are told.
And this is a source of many false principles. Some flatter themselves that there is no such thing as hell, and thus they believe that, either that there is no future state at all, or if there be, there is no hell. But that though God threatens men with hell, yet it is only to fright them, but never intends to execute them. And if it be so that there is no hell, then a state of sin is no such dreadful state. Others flatter themselves that the torments of hell are not as extreme as they are told of. They can’t realize it that the damned in hell do continually suffer such an exceeding degree of torments as a year. And some persuade themselves that the torments of hell are not eternal, and that God after the wicked have suffered a long time will pity them and even deliver them, so many have openly professed.
If so, this mightily eases the minds of wicked men. Let the torments of hell be never so great, yet if there is an end to them, this is a vast relief to their thoughts. Let misery be continued never so long, yet if at last there be an end, it is nothing to that misery that is without any end. It is attended with absolute and perfect despair. Others, to make a natural condition less dreadful, hold those principles that represents the danger of such persons of hell to be less.
As for instance, many hold that men can get out of this natural condition at any time when they please by their strength. If this be so, it is no measure so dreadful to be in a state of sin as otherwise it is. And others that don’t hold, they can get delivered from a natural condition when they please by their own strength. obliged by his promise to give them such assistance as should be effectual for their deliverance. So it is all one as to the certainty of the event, as if they could do it by their own strength. For if they, when they please, can do so much, then God is obliged to do the rest for them. then they can be delivered when they please. And if so, a natural condition is to know why so dreadful as if their deliverance let them do what they will be dependent on God’s sovereign and arbitrary will and pleasure. If man can get deliverance from the state of sin when they please, this leads exceedingly to make man easy in a perfect neglect of endeavors after deliverance.
Another principle that many entertain whereby a state of sin looks less dreadful is that Though God is not bound, yet ordinarily that it is an easy thing to be converted, that is but a few prayers and a little reading and meditation and seriousness, and the work is done. Number two, natural men are very prone to entertain such principles as will allow them to think that they are already delivered from such a state. and of God into a state of salvation.
It is mainly so from hence it comes to pass that there is such a vast number of false principles men hold about conversion and a state of grace, and what is required in order to be pardoned of sin and obtain acceptance with God. Thus some maintain that Christ died for all and that there is actually a universal redemption of all mankind. that the curse that mankind was exposed to by Adam is brought off by Christ for all the children of Adam. So that all men as they are born come into the world in a state of salvation and never get into a state of condemnation unless it be by gross sins. And some hold that though men are born under corruption and guilt, yet that all baptized persons are regenerated in their baptism and so are brought into a state of salvation. and that all such persons, unless they fall from the grace received in baptism, shall be saved. And if they fall into gross sins and live a long time and never saw wicked practices, yet they hold that if they at any time reform and live a better life, that brings them into a state of salvation again.
And by this means, men easily persuade themselves that they are in a state of salvation. The notion that a very great part of those in the world that at this day are called Christians Talk about conversion is nothing but this, namely, that he that before lived a vicious life considers himself and amends his life and leaves off former vicious courses and lives in the practice of moral duties. Those that have nothing but morality are prone to flatter themselves that morality is grace and will save them. And others that have only common illuminations, they persuade themselves into a notion of a conversion agreeable to their own experiences. Multitudes of natural men that have only had some slight and a lesser insignificant religious affections that will stand them in no stead another day yet brings their principles to agree with their experience and so make themselves easy. Some that after their supposed conversion and a little time lose all and return to be just as they were before. And there is no abiding change.
They bring their principles to agree with their state. And it is their principle that all that a man must look at is the first work, and that therefore let it be as it will with them now and ever since they are well allowed because they were so and so as they supposed once. Some that live in the practice of gross sins, they so conform their principles to their circumstances as to bring them to be such as will allow their being godly notwithstanding. It is the principle that some maintain that a man may continue to commit gross sins, and between whiles repent and then commit them again, and so continue all his life. Men greatly differ about the signs of godliness. They chiefly insist upon and commonly will have such signs as are most agreeable to their own state. The Pharisees of old were persons that were of this sort, that we are speaking of under this head.
They brought their principles to agree with their state. They generally were men and their principles were agreeable to their state in this respect, for they held that an external compliance with the law of God was all that was required. They held that a man must not kill nor commit adultery, but did not condemn inward malice and lust. They were strict in observance of the ceremonial law and traditions of men, and it was their principle that godliness consisted in these things.
Number three, men are very prone to bring their principles to agree with their practices in that of three ways, namely, either by entertaining such principles as shall justify their past practices, or such as tend to uphold them in the practices that they are now going on in, or such as allow those acts and practices that are inclined or they are tempted to. Men are ready to entertain, for example, such principles as shall justify their past practices.
There is a natural disposition in them, and they have committed wickedness to justify and vindicate it, both to their own consciences and others. They are disposed to justify past wickednesses to their own consciences to make things quite within. If they condemn their own actions and practices, they could not rest so easy. They find it so far as their consciences at any time condemn them and tell them that they have done wickedly and to provoke God and expose themselves to a thrash by such and such things that they have done.
Their minds are disquieted, and therefore men can try ways to justify what they have done to keep their minds easy and quiet. And more especially, men are prone to justify what they have done before men If there are practicers of acts that are known because of those things, they have done her unlawful, and are so accounted there to their just shame and reproach, and amends condemning themselves before others for their past acts or practices, there is an appearance of taking shame to themselves, and humbling themselves, as it were, making themselves lower than those that they confess to. which a proud heart of man is very averse to. And because there is such a disposition of men to vindicate those past wicked practices, therefore they are prone to such principles as tend to justify them. Number two, they are prone to entertain such principles as allow of those sins that they are now going on in. Men are commonly exceeding loathe to part with their sins. If they are testified against and they are exhorted to part with them, Then they hold them all and will not let them go.
Job 20, 12, and 13. Wickedness is sweet in his mouth. He hides it under his tongue. He spares it and forsakes it not, but keeps it still within his mouth. Some are exceeding loath to part with their sins by reason of the sinful pleasures they have in them. and others for the profit. Some are enslaved to a lust by a habit rooted and made strong by long custom. Being accustomed to do evil, they can’t learn to do good. And therefore, instead of leaving their sin, they set themselves to plead for it and bring their principles to agree with it.
It’s a thing lawful and what there is no hurt in. The wise men asserted it to be a very common thing for men to justify evil practices. They went on in Proverbs 21 too. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, and so chapter 16 too, all the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes. Number three. They are prone to bring their principles to agree with those future evil actions or practices that they are attempted to. It is common with men when they are attempted to commit any sin to conform their principles to the practice, and to plead before their own consciences, this is no sin. Application. Number one, use may be of instruction.
Hence, we may learn the many causes of such a vast variety of false opinions and principles in the world. Why, there are so few to believe the truth. It arises from this disposition that men have to conform their principles to their lusts by bringing them to suit to corrupt relish and to agree with the state that they are in. and the wicked practices they are guilty of or inclined to. All the erroneous principles and opinions in the world have their original very much from this source.
This is the source of heathenism, and the cause why men fall off from the worship of the true God to worship idols, because the true God was an holy God, contrary to their lusts. and those false gods were more agreeable to their corrupt dispositions. This the apostle observes when speaking of the sins of the heathen world.
In that forementioned place in the first chapter of Romans 1, 28, and hence arose those frequent fallings away of the Israelites to idolatry, they forsook the true God, the God of their fathers, for gods that were more agreeable to their lusts, this appears in Psalm 81, 9 to 12, There shall no strange God be in thee.
Neither shalt thou worship any strange God. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own harsh lust, and walked in their own councils.
And hence it is in Mohammedism, and Judaism, and potpourri, And all the innumerable heresies and false doctrines that prevail in that part of the world, that enjoy the light of the gospel, take their rise. And hence is there such an aptness of men to listen to false teachers and to forsake the truth. And hence are there so very few to hold the doctrines of the gospel as Christ delivered them.
The reason is those doctrines have nothing in them to favor men’s lusts, but are altogether opposite to them. and utterly irreconcilable with them. There never was nor ever can be any reconciliation made between the truth and the lust of men’s hearts. The truth doesn’t at all gratify the corrupt relish of the heart, but is opposite to it. It doesn’t at all flatter men in a state of sin, but shows the dreadfulness of such a state. It doesn’t in any wise allow or tolerate the wicked practices. but utterly condemns them and denounces God’s wrath against them.
Hence, there is a natural enmity in the hearts of men against the truth. They love not the light, neither come they to the light. The doctrines of the gospel are all holy doctrines. They are doctrines according to God in 1 Timothy 6, 3. Therefore, it doesn’t at all suit with men’s wickedness, either of heart or life.
Hence we may learn the reason why there is so much sin committed in places of clear light. The second use is a warning to all to take heed to themselves that they be not in this way deceived. Let all be by this doctrine warned that they aren’t led away by disposition to conform their principles to their practices. And to the same consider one that the truth is the same.
Let men’s lusts and inclinations be what they will. Truth is one and is invariable. and won’t alter to suit to men’s corrupt relish or wicked state or inclinations. Truth is, as it were, a straight line that will never bend. It won’t bend in the least degree to suit with the lust of men. The doctrines and principles that are taught in the Bible are always and in all places the same. If the truth was as variable as men’s opinions are, it would be a mere nose of wax that molds into all shapes that suit men’s inclinations. But it is not so.
Secondly, consider the great danger of having your principles conform to your lusts. Today to have such principles put good for evil and evil for good. But see the woe that is denounced against such in Isaiah 5 verse 20. They who bring their principles to agree with their lust, the eye of the soul by which it sees is evil, and the light that is in them is darkness. But there is no darkness that is more dreadful than that which is light turned into darkness, Matthew 6, verses 22 and 23. Those doctrines in religion that are agreeable to the corrupt habits and relish of the heart are dangerous doctrines, such as were awakened in the former part of the day.
Tis our natural tendency to harden the heart in pride and self-dependence and forever to prevent that saving humiliation that is absolutely necessary. And so for natural men to bring their principles to agree with their state of sin and misery is a thing attended with the utmost danger. For how can men be more unlikely ever to be delivered out of a natural condition than when they have established themselves in it by their principles? when by the principles that they hold they are already in a good estate, and therefore have no need to seek a better one, or when their principles are such that represent their condition not to be very dreadful, though they are in a natural condition. And so when men embrace such principles as justify them in wicked practices, it tends to their eternal ruin.
They’re pleading that such and such wicked practices are lawful, wherein they shut their eyes against light and industriously blinded delude themselves. It won’t save them from eternal condemnation for their wickedness, Proverbs 14, 12. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. The prophet Hosea observes that the children of Israel did this, Hosea 13, 9. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself. But however they pleaded that there was no iniquity in their corrupt practices, yet see what was the end of it. Verse 14, I will be thy destruction. Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
Persons that are industrious to blind their own minds, and subtle to find out arguments to still and satisfy their consciences and wicked practices, dare all the while, as it were, plotting against themselves, and cunning to make sure of their own ruin.
They do, as it were, hide themselves and use subtle stratagems that lie in ambush against themselves. to catch and ensnare and undo themselves, as one mortal enemy does against another. The devil is very subtle to deceive and delude them and to draw them along, that at last he may destroy them. Those that are subtle to find out arguments to justify themselves in wicked courses do, as it were, play the devil unto themselves. For they act just with themselves as the devil does with them. They lie in wait against themselves. They lay snares for themselves and use all their art and cunning to make the snare strong and persuade themselves into it. They are cunning to entice themselves along into their own ruin.
They have something within them that seeks their happiness, namely reason and conscience. Those now and then rise up and tell them that it is not best for them to commit such and such practices. for they are ways that will prove their ruin, their paths that lead to hell. Then they oppose these. They rise up against them and stop their mouths and hearken only to the voice of their lusts that are enticing them to hell.
Therefore, let all persons be warned to take heed of entangling themselves in so dreadful a snare as to conforming their principles to their lusts. Let none labor to bring their promises to suit with the proud and carnal relish of their soul, and take heed that you don’t establish yourself in a damnable state and condition by an evil principle, nor encourage yourself in any wicked practices. Let none this way flatter themselves in any way of fraud and injustice or doing to others as they would not that they should do to them. Let none flatter themselves by their living in any way of malice or revenge. Let young people take heed from inns that they don’t flatter themselves in the ways of uncleanness and vile practices in the dark, pleading with themselves that they are lawful and that there is no hurt in it. If they do, their saddest pleas won’t save them from eternal ruin by those practices. But there is danger that when they die, their bones will be full of the sin of their youth.
Job 20 verse 11. And to these ends attend the following directions. Number one, strictly examine yourself whether you hitherfore have done thus and whether you don’t do it now. Number two, when you hear instructions from God’s words, don’t consult your lust to know whether you shall embrace those instructions or not.
Doctrine concerning the state of a converted man. Signs, duty, reproof, sin. Number three, be thorough to practice what you do know to be your duty. That is the way to know more and to be further enlightened concerning your duty and of the mind and will of God. If God sees that you improve what light you have, well, that will be the way to have further light given. He that is faithful in a few things shall have many things.
Christ says that if a man will do his will, he should know of his doctrine, whether it be of God, John 7, 17. Number four, seek to have all your lusts mortified. For by what has been said, it appears that those are the things that are your bane. These are the devils that deceive and destroy you.
We read of the deceitfulness of sin in Hebrews 3.13. Labor therefore to kill those enemies that are so deceitful. Oppose them with all of your might.
Number five, maintain a constant jealous eye over your own heart. You have heard formally how deceitful the heart is. He that trusts his own heart is a fool. Number six. Pray earnestly to God to undertake to instruct you and guide your feet in the way of truth. What has been said may show you your great need of it. You have heard how exceeding prone man is to be deceived.
You need to know the truth, but how few know it. How many are deceived and how small is the number of them that embrace the truth. whose principles are right concerning both the things of God concerning their own state and concerning their own practices. Therefore, seek to him who knows and is never deceived.
James 1.5, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God.
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