A tendency to desire, form, and maintain systematic views of religion, is deeply rooted in the human heart. A variety of circumstances will account for the prevalence of the same disposition in men of very different tempers, and very different degrees of piety; evincing that the error, dishonorable to God though it be, is by no means confined to those who are living without God in the world.
The operation of this tendency is generally shown in a readiness to limit that which God has not limited—to foreclose the scheme of scripture doctrine—and to assume, not that there is system in scripture, which it would be absurd to deny, but that we have found its center, and become acquainted with the bearings of all its parts. If any think this error all harmless one, let him follow it into some of its practical workings. As we are only acquainted with the things of God through the medium of the written word; of course our notions, not only of practical holiness, but of all and each of the doctrines of the Christian faith, will be correct or incorrect according to our lawful or unlawful use of the oracles of God. This love of system, as is seen by its practical effects around us, will affect, and that perhaps in a nearly equal degree, our notions of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility—of the communion of saints and the general doctrines of Church order and discipline: we shall have an opinion about these things, but it will be only an opinion; and that too one, which is awkwardly and artificially referred to the bible as its origin, rather than really based upon it. Many are awake to the operation of this principle so far as it seems to condemn others rather than themselves. While one is endeavoring to regulate the sense of scripture by canons of his own composing—another is embodying his own systematic notions of a Church, and uniting, or rather professing to unite believers in some way, without either the sanction of God’s word, or the presence of God’s Spirit. And this last attempt will frequently evince its unscriptural character by the adoption of a name. This alone would be enough to condemn many out of their own mouths. They readily protest against being the servants of men— the followers of Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas; but, if it be so, why are they thus called? The name sanctioned in the word of God is one— “Christian.” “If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed.” Indeed the term “saint,” blessed as it is, and fraught with thoughts of comfort and communion to the people of God, is rather a watchword among themselves, than that name whereby they should he known, distinguished, and, if it be for God’s glory, persecuted in the midst of a wicked world. Indeed it is needed for the very testimony of the Church, that she should wear some badge, that the world may know that her character, as of God, and not of the world, should be recognized; while at the same time, her privileges, her high birth, and most glorious destination, are far above out of their sight. What it is to live a life hidden with Christ in God, they cannot understand; but whereas there be that are called gods many, and lords many, the world can understand that they serve one Jesus, and it remains for them to discover, as they may, who this Lord is.
But this tendency to the erection of a system is not confined to the haters of God. And if it be an error to which, at times, God’s children are even chiefly liable, there may be somewhat more of indiscretion in it than deliberate fault; a false humility, and remaining unbelief have precipitated many into what they are pleased to term “the error on the safe tide,” forgetting that in the things of God no error is safe, but all dishonorable to God, and mainly so, if persisted in. But independently of particular mistakes, into which such persons are sure to fall, and difficulties with which they cannot but be embarrassed, the tone of mind thus contracted is also much to be deprecated. A disposition to reconcile everything, to systematize everything too soon, must lead to failure. Like premature ossification in the animal frame, the defect will be diminished powers, stunted growth, and false proportion. In the bible, in the Church, in the dispensations of the whole of God’s providence, there are things to be joined, but God must join them; there are difficulties to be reconciled, but we cannot solve the problem. Inattention to this fact is the secret of that abortive process by which man stepping out of his own line would forestall his maker. A few instances, and those taken from the simplest and most obvious facts will serve instead of many. Alas! that such instances should be so easily found! When man would invent means of reconciling the world unto God, how gross the failure! When man would form a Church, (neither the phrase nor the attempt are without precedent) what is it but the building of Babel? When man would come forth for the instruction of his brethren, with his ponderous commentaries, professing to have scanned the bulk, and exhausted the treasures of scripture, what self-convicted clumsiness of operation. To cite the words of one of these laborers, who has applied to others language perhaps too suitable to them all— “They give you a bucket of water, and then speak as if they had emptied the well.” But, it will be asked, is this to preclude the searching of the scriptures, the hope of the spirit for our guide, nay, the very fulfillment of the promise that He shall guide us? And if the only line for our direction he a thread so exquisitely fine that no eye can see it, why not give up the attempt at once as vain, and regard the scripture as a sealed book.
The preceding remarks, however, are not directed against searching the scriptures, (God forbid,) but against the assuming too soon that we have searched them sufficiently; not against tracing out, as far as God may enable us, all the features of the divine will, but the taking it for granted that there is no more to be learned. If I mistake not, the acknowledgment of the considerations brings much liberty to the soul. We shall thus receive from God, in our ownselves, a practical, and therefore efficient testimony that we are not the servants of men. The very consciousness that there are doctrines, embodied in the most specious systems, held by the most honored servants of the Lord, or by our most valued friends, to which for the Lord’s sake, we never could subscribe, this may secretly, but effectually wean us yet more from human authority, and teach us that lesson, seldom learned but by experience, “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of?”