4.  In all this business believers should carry singly with an eye to God’s glory; and should not be acted with self-ends, or drawn by carnal and selfish motives.  They should not desire stability and through-bearing to be seen of men, or to gain applause and praise of men; lest God be provoked to leave them to themselves, and they at length come off with discredit, as did Peter.  Therefore they should strive against these carnal motions of the heart, and labour for spirituality, singleness of heart, and truth in the inward parts, which the Lord desireth, Psalm li. 6.

CHAPTER XVI.

HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST AS THE TRUTH, WHEN ERROR PREVAILETH, AND THE SPIRIT OF ERROR CARRIETH MANY AWAY.

There is a time when the spirit of error is going abroad, and truth is questioned, and many are led away with delusions.  For Satan can change himself into an angel of light, and make many great and fairlike pretensions to holiness, and under that pretext usher in untruths, and gain the consent of many unto them; so that in such a time of temptation many are stolen off their feet, and made to depart from the right ways of God, and to embrace error and delusions instead of truth.  Now the question is, how a poor believer shall make use of Christ, who is the truth, for keeping him steadfast in the truth, in such a day of trial, and from embracing of error, how plausible soever it may appear.  For satisfaction to this we shall propose these few things: 

1.  In such a time, when a spirit of error is let loose and rageth, and carrieth several away, it were good for all who would be kept straight and honest, to be walking in fear.  It is not good to despise such a sly and subtle enemy, especially in the hour and power of darkness.  Then all are called to be on their guard, and to stand upon their watch-tower, and to be jealous of their corrupt hearts, that are ready enough of their own accord to drink in error, and to receive the temptation at any time; and much more then.

2.  They should not think that their knowledge and ability to dispute for truth, will keep them steadfast, if there be not more; for if the temptation grow, they may come to reason and dispute themselves out of all their former knowledge and skill.  The father of lies is a cunning sophister, and knoweth, how to shake their grounds and cast all loose.

3.  They should renew their covenant grips of Christ, and make sure that main business, viz. their peace and union with God in Christ, and their accepting of Christ for their head and husband.  They would labour to have the foundation sure, and to be united unto the chief corner-stone, that so blow the storm as it will, they may ride safely; and that hereby they may have access to Christ with boldness, in their difficulty, and may with confidence seek light from him in the hour of darkness.