Private Judgment # 6

Private Judgment # 6

II. And now let me speak of the duty and necessity of keeping firm hold upon God's truth.

The words of the Apostle on this subject are pithy and forcible. "Hold fast," he says, "that which is good." It is as if he said to us, "When you have found the truth for yourself, and when you are satisfied that it is Christ's truth - that truth which the Scriptures set forth - then get a firm hold upon it, grasp it, keep it in your heart, never let it go."

Paul speaks as one who knew what the hearts of all Christians are. He knew that our grasp of the gospel, at our best, is very cold - that our love soon waxes feeble - that our faith soon wavers - that our zeal soon flags - that humility with Christ's truth often brings with it a species of contempt - that, like Israel, we are apt to be discouraged by the length of our journey - and, like Peter, we are not ready to "watch and pray." All this Paul remembered, and, like a faithful watchman, he cries by the Holy Spirit, "Hold fast that which is good!"

He speaks as if he foresaw by the Spirit that the good tidings of the Gospel would soon be corrupted, spoiled, and plucked away from the Church at Thessalonica. He speaks as one who foresaw that satan and all his agents labor hard to cast down Christ's truth. He writes as though he would forewarn men of this danger, and he cries, "Hold fast that which is good."

The advice is always needed - needed as long as the world stands. There is a tendency to decay in the very best of human institutions. The best visible Church of Christ is not free from a liability to degenerate. It is made up of fallible men. There is always in it a tendency to leave its first love. We see the leaven of evil creeping into many a church, even in the Apostle's time. There were evils in the Corinthian Church, evils in the Ephesian Church, evils in the Galatian Church. All these things are meant to be beacons in these latter times. All show the great necessity laid upon the Church to remember the Apostle's words: "Hold fast that which is good."

Many churches of Christ since then, have fallen away for the lack of remembering this principle. Their ministers and members forgot that satan is always laboring to bring in false doctrine. They forgot that he can transform himself into an angel of light; that he can make darkness appear to be light - and falsehood appear to be truth. If he cannot destroy Christianity, he ever tries to spoil it. if he cannot prevent the form of godliness, he endeavors to rob Churches of the power. No Church is ever safe that forgets these things, and does not bear in mind the Apostle's injunction, "Hold fast that which is good."

If ever there was a time in the world when Churches were put upon their trial, whether they would hold fast the truth or not - that time is the present time, and those Churches are the Protestant Churches of our own land. Popery, that old enemy of our nation, is coming in upon us in this day like a flood. We are assaulted by open enemies without, and betrayed continually by false friends within. The number of Roman Catholic churches, and chapels, and schools, and convents and monasteries, is continually increasing around us. Month after month brings tidings of some new defection from the ranks of the Church of England, to the ranks of the Church of Rome. Already the clergy of the Church of Rome are using great swelling words about things to come, and boasting that, sooner or later, England shall once more be brought back to the orbit of the Catholic church. Surely now or never, we ought all of us to awake, and "Hold fast that which is good."

If we love the open Bible - if we love the preaching of the gospel - if we love the privilege of reading that Bible, no man hindering us; and the opportunity of hearing that Gospel, no man forbidding us - if we love civil liberty - if we love religious liberty - if these things are precious to our souls, we must make up our minds to "hold fast," lest by and by we lose all.

If we mean to "hold fast" - then every parish, every congregation, every Christian man, and woman, must do their part in contending for the truth. Each one of us should work, and pray, and labor as if the preservation of the pure Gospel depended upon himself or herself, and upon no one else at all. We must all work. Every living soul has a sphere of influence. Let him see to it that he fills it. Every living soul can throw some weight into the scale of the Gospel. let him see to it that he cast it in. Let every one know his own individual responsibility in this matter, and all, by God's help, will be well.

~J. C. Ryle~

(continued with # 7)

Private Judgment # 5

Private Judgment # 5

I might easily show that the divisions of Protestants are exceedingly exaggerated, and that most of them are upon points of minor importance. I might show that, with all the "varieties of Protestantism," as men call them, there is still a vast amount of fundamental unity and substantial agreement among Protestants. No man can read the "Harmony of Protestant Confessions" without seeing that.

But grant for a moment that private judgment had led to divisions, and brought about varieties. I say that these divisions and varieties are but a drop of water when compared with the torrent of abominations that have arisen from the Church of Rome's practice of disallowing private judgment altogether! Place the evils in two scales - the evils that have arisen from private judgement, and those that have arisen from no man being allowed to think for himself. Weigh the evils one against another, and I have no doubt as to which will be the greatest!

Give me Protestant divisions, certainly - rather than Popish unity, with the fruit that it beings forth! Give me Protestant variations - rather than Romish ignorance, Romish superstition, Romish darkness, and Romish idolatry. Let the two systems be tried by their fruits - the sysemt that says, "Prove all things", and the system that says, "Dare to have no opinion of your own" - let them be tried by their fruits in the hearts, in the intellects, in the lives, in all the ways of men - and I have no doubt as to the result.

In any case, let us not be moved by the specious argument, that it is humility to disallow private judgment and to have no opinion of our own, that it is the part of a true Christian not to think for himself!

I tell men boldly that such humility is a false humility - a humility that does not deserve that blessed name. Call it rather laziness, ldleness, and sloth, it makes a man strip himself of all his responsibility, and throw the whole burden of his soul into the hands of the minister and the Church. It gives a man a mere vicarious religion, a religion by which he places his conscience and all his spiritual concerns under the care of others. He need not trouble himself! He need no longer think for himself! He has embarked in a safe ship, and placed his soul under a safe pilot, and will get to Heaven!

Oh, let us beware of supposing that this deserves the name of humility! It is refusing to exercise the gift that God has given us. It is refusing to employ the sword of the Spirit which God has forged for the use of our hand. Blessed be God, our forefathers did not act upon such principles! Had they done so, we would never have had the Reformation. Had they done so, we might have been bowing down to the image of the Virgin Mary as this moment, or praying to the departed saints, or having a service performed in Latin. From such humility, may the good Lord evder deliver us!

As long as we live, let us resolve that we will read for ourselves, think for ourselves, judge of the Bible for ourselves, in the great matters of our souls. Let us dare to have an opinion of our own. Let us never be ashamed of saying, "I think that this is right, because I find it in the Bible" and "I think that this is wrong, because I do not find it in the Bible." "Let us prove all things," and prove them by the Word of God.

As long as we live, let us beware of the blindfold system, which many commend in the present day - the system of following the leader, and having no opinion of our own - the system which practically says, "Only keep to your Church, only receive the Sacraments, only believe what the ordained ministers are set over you tell you - and then all shall be well." I warn men that this will not do. If we are content with this kind of religion, we are imperiling our immortal souls. Let the Bible, and not any Church upon earth, or any minister upon earth, be our rule of faith. "Prove all things" by the Word of God.

Above all, as long as we live, let us habitually look forward to the great day of judgment. Let us think of the solemn account which every one of us will have to give in that day before the judgment seat of Christ. We shall not be judged by Churches. We shall not be judged by whole congregations. We shall be judged individually, each by himself. What shall it profit us in that day to say, "Lord, Lord, I believed everything the Church told me! I received and believed everything ordained ministers set before me. I thought that whatever the Church and the ministers said must be right."

What shall it profit us to say this, if we have held some deadly error? Surely, the voice of Him who sits upon the throne will reply, "You had the Scriptures. You had a book plain and easy to him who will read it and search in a child-like spirit. Why did you not use the Word of God when it was given to you? You had a reasonable soul given you to understand that Bible. Why did you not prove all things, and thus keep celar of error?" If we refuse to exercise our private judgment - then let us think of that solemn day, and beware!

~J. C. Ryle~

(continued with # 6)

Private Judgment # 4

Private Judgment # 4

And just as it has been in science, so also it has been in the history of the Christian religion. The martyrs who stood alone in their day, and shed that blood which has been the seed of Christ's Gospel throughout the world - the Reformers, who, one after another, rose up in their might to enter the lists with the Church of Rome - all did what they did, suffered what they suffered, proclaimed what they proclaimed - simply because they exercised their private judgment about what was Christ's truth.

Private judgment made the Vallenses, the Albigenses, and the Lollards, count not their lives dear to them, rather than believe the doctrines of the Church of Rome.

Private judgment made Wickliffe search the Bible in our own land, denounce the Romish friars, and all their impostures, translate the Scriptures into the vulgar tongue, and become "the morning star" of the Reformation.

Private judgment made Luther examine Tetzel's abominable system of indulgences by the light of the Word. Private judgment led him on, step by step, from on thing to another; guided by the same light, until at length the gulf between him and Rome was a gulf that could not be passed, and the Pope's power in Germany was completely broken.

Private judgment made our own English Reformers examine for themselves, and inquire for themselves, as to the true nature of that corrupt system under which they had been born and brought up. Private judgment made them cast off the abominations of Popery, and circulate the Bible among the laity. Private judgment made them draw from the Bible our Articles, compile our Prayer book, and constitute the Church of England as it is. They broke the fetters of tradition, and dared to think for themselves. They refused to take for granted Rome's pretensions and assertions. They examined them all by the Bible - and because they would not abide the examination, they broke with Rome altogether.

All the blessings of Protestantism, all that we are enjoying at this very day - we owe to the right exercise of private judgment. Surely if we do not honor private judgment, we are thankless and ungrateful indeed!

Let us not be moved by the common argument, that the right of private judgment is liable to be abused - that private judgment has done great harm, and should be avoided as a dangerous thing. Never was there a more miserable argument! Never was there one which, when thrashed, proves so full of chaff!

Private judgment has been abused! I would like the objector to tell me what good gift of God has not been abused? What high principle can be named that has not been employed for the very worst of purposes?

Strength may become tyranny - when it is employed by the stronger to coerce the weaker; yet strength is a blessing when properly employed.

Liberty may become licentiousness - when every man does that which is right in his own eyes, without regarding the rights and feelings of others; yet liberty, rightly used, is a mighty blessing.

Because many things may be used improperly - are we therefore to give them up altogether? Because opium is used improperly by some - is it not to be used as medicine on any occasion at all? Because money may be used improperly - is all money to be cast into the sea? You cannot have good in this world, without evil. You cannot have private judgment without some abusing it, and turning it to bad account.

But private judgment, people say, has done more harm than good! What harm has private judgment done, I would like to know, in matters of religion - compared to the harm that has been done by the neglect of it? Some are fond of telling us that among Protestants who allow private judgment, there are divisions, and that in the Church of Rome, where private judgment is forbidden, there are no divisions. I might easily show such objectors that Romish unity is far more seeming than real. Bishop Hall, in his book called, "The Peace of Rome," numbers up no less than three hundred differences of opinion existing in the Romish Church.

~J. C. Ryle~

(continued with # 5)

Private Judgment # 3

Private Judgment # 3

Suppose that, in fear of private judgment, we resolve to believe whatever the Church believes. Where is our security against error? The Church is not infallible. There was a time when almost the whole of Christendom embraced the Arian heresy, and did not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be equal with the Father in all things. There was a time, before the Reformation, when the darkness over the face of Europe was a darkness that might be felt.

The General Councils of the Church are not infallible. When the whole Church is gathered together in a General Council, what does our twenty-first Article say? "They may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God. Therefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation, have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be proven that they be taken out of Holy Scripture."

The particular branches of the Church are not infallible. Any one of them may err. Many of them have fallen foully, or have been swept away. Where is the Church of Ephesus at this day? Where is the Church of Sardis at the present time? Where is Augustine's Church of Hippo in Africa? Where is Cyprian's Church of Carthage? They are all gone! Not a vestige of any of them is left! Shall we then be content to err - merely because the Church errs? Will our company be any excuse for our error? Will our erring in company with the Church remove our responsibility for our own souls? Surely it is a thousand times better for a man to stand alone and be saved - than to err in company with the Church, and be lost! It is better to "prove all things" - and go to Heaven; than to say, "I dare not think for myself" - and go to hell!

But suppose that, to cut matters short, we resolve to believe whatever our minister believes. Once more I ask - where is our security against error? Ministers are not infallible, any more than Churches. All of them have not the Spirit of God. The very best of them are only men. Call them Bishops, Priests, Deacons, or whatever names you please - they are all earthen vessels. I speak not merely of Popes, who have promulgated awful superstitions, and led abominable lives. I would rather point to the very best of Protestants and say, "Beware of looking upon them as infallible - beware of thinking of any man (whoever he may be) - that he cannot err." Luther held consubstantiation - that was a mighty error. Calvin, the Geneva Reformer, advised the burning of Servetus - that was a mighty error. Crammer and Ridley urged the putting of Hooper into prison because of some trifling dispute about vestments - that was a mighty error. Whitgift persecuted the Puritans - that was a mighty error. Wesley and Toplady in the last century quarreled fiercely about Calvinism - that was a mighty error.

All these things are warnings, if we will only take them. All say, "Cease from trusting in man!" All show us that if a man's religion hangs on ministers, whoever they may be, and not on the Word of God - it hangs on a broken reed. Let us never make our ministers into Popes. Let us follow them so far as they follow Christ - but not a hair's breath further! Let us believer whatever they can show us out of the Bible, but not a single word more. If we neglect the duty of private judgment, we may find, to our cost, the truth of what Whitby says: "The best overseers do sometimes make oversights." We may live to experience the truth of what the Lord said about the Pharisees: "If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." (Matthew 15:14). We may be very sure no man is safe against error, unless he acts on Paul's injunction - unless he "proves all things" by the Word of God.

I have said that it is impossible to overrate the evils that may arise from neglecting to exercise private judgment. I will go further, and say that it is impossible to overrate the blessings which private judgment has conferred both on the world and on the Church.

I ask my readers, then, to remember that the greatest discoveries in science and in philosophy, beyond all controversy, have arisen from the use of private judgment. To this we owe the discovery of Galileo, that the earth went round the sun,. To this we owe Harvey's discovery of the circulation of the blood. To this we owe Jenner's discovery of vaccination. To this we owe printing press, the steam engine, the power loom, the electric telegraph, railways and gas. For all these discoveries we are indebted to men to dared to think for themselves. They were not content with the beaten path of those who had gone before. They made experiments for themselves. They proclaimed new systems, and invited men to examine them, and test their truth. They heard the clamor of prejudiced lovers of old traditions without flinching. And they prospered and succeeded in what they did. We see it now. And we who live in the nineteenth century are reaping the fruit of their use of private judgment.

~J. C. Ryle~

(continued with # 4)