Ryle - The Falibility of Ministers

8/12/2019 Ryle - The Falibility of Ministers

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Chapter 6 - The Fallibility of Ministers

But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstoo him to the face, because he was to

be blame! For before that certain came from "ames, he i eat with the #entiles$ butwhen they were come, he withrew an separate himself, fearin% them which were

of the circumcision! An the other "ews issemble li&ewise with him' insomuch that

Barnabas also was carrie away with their issimulation! But when I saw that they

wal&e not upri%htly accorin% to the truth of the %ospel, I sai unto Peter before

them all, If thou, bein% a "ew, li(est after the manner of #entiles, an not as o the

"ews, why compellest thou the #entiles to li(e as o the "ews) *+e who are "ews by

nature, an not sinners of the #entiles, &nowin% that a man is not ustifie by the

wor&s of the law, but by the faith of "esus Christ, e(en we ha(e belie(e in "esus

Christ, that we mi%ht be ustifie by the faith of Christ, an not by the wor&s of thelaw$ for by the wor&s of the law shall no flesh be ustifie .#alatians /$00-061

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3a(e we e(er consiere what the apostle Peter once i at Antioch) It is a

4uestion that eser(es serious consieration!

+hat the Apostle Peter i at Romewe are often tol, althou%h we ha(e harly a

ot of authentic information about it! 5oman Catholic writers furnish us with many

stories about this! e%ens, traitions, an fables aboun on the subect! Butunhappily for these writers, 7cripture is utterly silent upon the point! There is nothin%

in 7cripture to show that the Apostle Peter e(er was at 5ome at all

But what i the Apostle Peter o at Antioch) This is the point to which I want to

irect attention! This is the subect from the passa%e from the 8pistle to the #alatians,

which heas this paper! 9n this point, at any rate, the 7cripture spea&s early an

unmista&ably!

The si: (erses of the passa%es before us are stri&in% on many accounts! They are

stri&in%, if we consier the event whichthey escribe$ here is one Apostle rebu&in%another; - They are stri&in%, when we consier who the two menare$ Paul, the

youn%er, rebu&es Peter the eler; - They are stri&in%, when we remar& the occasion$

this was no %larin% fault, no fla%rant sin, at first si%ht, that Peter ha committe;


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written for our learnin%, an we shall o well to ta&e hee to their contents!

There are three %reat lessons from Antioch, which I thin& we ou%ht to learn from

this passa%e!

I! Thefirstlesson is, thatgreat ministers may make great mistakes.

II! Thesecondis, that to keep the truth of Christ in His Church is even more

important than to keep peace!

III! The thirdis, that there is no doctrine about which we ought to be so jealous

as justification by faith without the deeds of the law!

I! The first %reat lesson we learn from Antioch is, thatgreat ministers may make

great mistakes! +hat clearer proof can we ha(e than that which is set before us in this place) Peter,

without oubt, was one of the %reatest in the company of the Apostles! 3e was an ol

isciple! 3e was a isciple who ha ha peculiar a(anta%es an pri(ile%es! 3e ha

been a constant companion of the or "esus! 3e ha hear the or preach, seen the

or wor& miracles, enoye the benefit of the or=s pri(ate teachin%, been

numbere amon% the or>s intimate friens, an %one out an come in with 3im all

the time 3e ministere upon earth! 3e was the Apostle to whom the &eys of the

&in%om of hea(en were %i(en, an by whose han those &eys were first use! 3e

was the first who opene the oor of faith to the "ews, by preachin% to them on the

ay of Pentecost! 3e was the first who opene the oor of faith to the #entiles, by%oin% to the house of Cornelius, an recei(in% him into the Church! 3e was the first to

rise up in the Council of the fifteenth of Acts, an say, *+hy tempt ye #o, to put a

yo&e upon the nec& of the isciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to

bear)> An yet here this (ery Peter, this same Apostle, plainly falls into a %reat

mista&e! The Apostle Paul tells us, *I withstoo him to the face,> 3e tells us *that he

was to be blame!> 3e says *he feare them of the circumcision!> 3e says of him an

his companions, that *they wal&e not upri%htly accorin% to the truth of the #ospel!>

3e spea&s of their *issimulation!> 3e tells us that by this issimulation e(en

Barnabas, his ol companion in missionary labors, *was carrie away!>

+hat a stri&in% fact this is! This is 7imon Peter; This is the thir %reat error of

his, which the 3oly #host has thou%ht fit to recor; 9nce we fin him tryin% to &eep

bac& our or, as far as he coul, from the %reat wor& of the cross, an se(erely

rebu&e! Then we fin him enyin% the or three times, an with an oath! 3ere

a%ain we fin him enan%erin% the leain% truth of Christ>s #ospel! 7urely we may

say, *or, what is man)> The Church of 5ome boasts that the Apostle Peter is her

founer an first Bishop! Be it so$ %rant it for a moment! et us only remember, that

of all the Apostles there is not one, e:ceptin%, of course, "uas Iscariot, of whom we

ha(e so many proofs that he was afallibleman! ?pon her own showin% the Church of

5ome was foune by the most fallible of the Apostles! But it is all meant to teach us that e(en the Apostles themsel(es, when not writin%


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uner the inspiration of the 3oly #host, were at times liable to err! It is meant to teach

us that the best men are wea& an fallible so lon% as they are in the boy! ?nless the

%race of #o hols them up, any one of them may %o astray at any time! It is (ery

humblin%, but it is (ery true! True Christians are con(erte, ustifie, an sanctifie!

They are li(in% members of Christ, belo(e chilren of #o, an heirs of eternal life!They are elect, chosen, calle, an &ept unto sal(ation! They ha(e the 7pirit! But they

are not infallible!

+ill not ran& an i%nity confer infallibility) @o$ they will not; It matters

nothin% what a man is calle! 3e may be a Car, an 8mperor, a in%, a Prince! 3e

may be a Pope or a Carinal, an Archbishop or a Bishop, a ean or an Archeacon, a

Priest or eacon! 3e is still afallible man! @either the crown, nor the iaem, nor the

annointin% oil, nor the mitre, nor the imposition of hans, can pre(ent a man ma&in%

mista&es!

+ill not numbers confer infallibility) @o$ they will not;


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3ooper isturbe the Church of 8n%lan by o(er scrupulosity about (estments! The

Puritans, in after times, enounce toleration as Abaon an Apollyon! +esley an

Toplay, last century, abuse each other in most shameful lan%ua%e! Ir(in%, in our

own ay, %a(e way to the elusion of spea&in% in un&nown ton%ues! All these thin%s

spea& with a lou (oice! They all lift up a beacon to the Church of Christ! They allsay, *Cease ye from man'> D *Call no man master'> D *Call no man father upon earth'>

D *et no man %lory in man'> D *3e that %lorieth, let him %lory in the or!= They all

cry,No infallibility!

The lesson is one that we all nee! +e are all naturally incline to lean upon man

whom we can see, rather than upon #o whom we cannot see! +e naturally lo(e to

lean upon the ministers of the (isible Church, rather than upon the or "esus Christ,

the %reat 7hepher an Bishop an 3i%h Priest, who is in(isible! +e nee to be

continually warne an set upon our %uar!

I see this tenency to lean on man e(erywhere! I &now no branch of theProtestant Church of Christ which oes not re4uire to be cautione upon the point! It

is a snare, for e:ample, to the 8n%lish 8piscopalian to ma&e iols of Bishop Pearson

an =the "uicious 3oo&er!= It is a snare to the 7cotch Presbyterian to pin his faith on

"ohn no:, the Co(enanters, an r! Chalmers! It is a snare to the Methoists in our

ay to worship the memory of "ohn +esley! It is a snare to the Inepenent to see no

fault in any opinion of 9wen an ori%e! It is a snare to the Baptist to e:a%%erate

the wisom of #ill, an Fuller, an 5obert 3all! All these are snares, an into these

snares how many fall;

+e all naturally lo(e to ha(e a pope of our own! +e are far too reay to thin&,

that because some %reat minister or some learne man says a thin%, - or because ourown minister, whom we lo(e, says a thin%, - it must be ri%ht, without e:aminin%

whether it is in 7cripture or not! Most men isli&e the trouble of thin&in% for

themsel(es! They li&e followin% a leaer! They are li&e sheep, - when one %oes o(er

the %ap all the rest follow! 3ere at Antioch e(en Barnabas was carrie away! +e can

well fancy that %oo man sayin%, *An ol Apostle, li&e Peter, surely cannot be wron%!

Followin% him, I cannot err!>

An now let us see what practical lessons we may learn from this part of our

subect!

.a1 For one thin%, let us learn not to put implicit confience in any man=s opinion,

merely because he lived many hundred years ago! Peter was a man who li(e in the

time of Christ 3imself, an yet he coul err!

There are many who tal& much in the present ay about *the (oice of the

primiti(e Church!> They woul ha(e us belie(e that those who li(e nearest the time

of the Apostles, must of course &now more about truth than we can! There is no

founation for any such opinion! It is a fact, that the most ancient writers in the

Church of Christ are often at (ariance with one another! It is a fact that they often

chan%e their own mins, an retracte their own former opinions! It is a fact that

they often wrote foolish an wea& thin%s, an often showe %reat i%norance in their

e:planations of 7cripture! It is (ain to e:pect to fin them free from mista&es!nfallibility is not to be found in the early fathers but in the "ible!


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.b1 For another thin%, let us learn not to put implicit confience in any man>s

opinion, merely because of his office as a minister! Peter was one of the (ery chiefest

Apostles, an yet he coul err!

This is a point on which men ha(e continually %one astray! It is the roc& on which

the early Church struc&! Men soon too& up the sayin%, *o nothin% contrary to themin of the Bishop!> But what are bishops, priests, an eacons ) +hat are the best of

ministers but men, - ust, ashes, an clay, - men of li&e passions with oursel(es, men

e:pose to temptations, men liable to wea&nesses an infirmities) +hat saith the

7cripture, *+ho is Paul an who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye belie(e, e(en

as the or %a(e to e(ery man)> .0 Corinthians E$1 Bishops ha(e often ri(en the

truth into the wilerness, an ecree that to be true which was false! The %reatest

errors ha(e been be%un by ministers! 3ophni an Phinehas, the sons of the 3i%h-

priest, mae reli%ion to be abhorre by the chilren of Israel! Annas an Caiaphas,

thou%h in the irect line of escent from Aaron, crucifie the or! Arius, that %reatheresiarch, was a minister! It is absur to suppose that oraine men cannot %o

wron%! +e shoul follow them so far as they teach accorin% to the Bible, but no

further! +e shoul belie(e them so lon% as they can say, *Thus it is written,> D *thus

saith the or'> but further than this we are not to %o!nfallibility is not to be found in

ordained men but in the "ible!

.c1 For another thin%, let us learn not to place implicit confience in any man>s

opinion, merely because of his learning! Peter was a man who ha miraculous %ifts,

an coul spea& with ton%ues, an yet he coul err!

This is a point a%ain on which many %o wron%! This is the roc& on which men

struc& in the mile a%es! Men loo&e on Thomas A4uinas, an uns 7cotus, anPeter ombar, an many of their companions, as almost inspire! They %a(e epithets

to some of them in to&en of their amiration! They tal&e of *the irrefra%able> octor,

*the seraphic> octor, *the incomparable> octor, - an seeme to thin& that whate(er

these octors sai must be true; But what is the most learne of men, if he be not

tau%ht by the 3oly #host) +hat is the most learne of all i(ines but a mere fallible

chil of Aam at his (ery best) Gast &nowle%e of boo&s an %reat i%norance of

#o>s truth may %o sie by sie! They ha(e one so, they may o so, an they will o

so in all times! I will en%a%e to say that the two (olumes of 5obert M>Cheyne>s

Memoirs an 7ermons, ha(e one more positi(e %oo to the souls of men, than any

one folio that 9ri%en or Cyprian e(er wrote! I oubt not that the one (olume of

*Pil%rim>s Pro%ress,> - written by a man who &new harly any boo& but his Bible, an

was i%norant of #ree& an atin, - will pro(e in the last ay to ha(e one more for the

benefit of the worl, than all the wor&s of the schoolmen put to%ether! earnin% is a

%ift that ou%ht not to be espise! It is an e(il ay when boo&s are not (alue in the

Church! But it is amain% to obser(e how (ast a man>s intellectual attainments may

be, an yet how little he may &now of the %race of #o! I ha(e no oubt the

Authorities of 9:for in the last century, &new more of 3ebrew, #ree&, an atin,

than +esley, +hitefiel, Berri%e, or Genn! But they &new little of the #ospel of

Christ!nfallibility is not to be found among learned men but in the "ible!.1 For another thin%, let us ta&e care that we o not place implicit confience on


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our own minister#s opinion, howe(er %oly he may be! Peter was a man of mi%hty

%race, an yet he coul err!

D *Be at peace amon%

yoursel(es'> D *Min the same thin%s'> D *The ser(ant of #o must not stri(e'> D

*There is one boy an there is one 7pirit, e(en as ye are calle in one hope of your

callin%, one or, one faith, one baptism!> 3e was the Apostle who sai, *I become all

thin%s to all men, that by all means I may sa(e some!> .5omans 0/$06' 0

Thessalonians $0E' Philippians E$06' 8phesians H$' 0 Corinthians $//1


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of peace!

7t! Paul>s e:ample is one we shall o well to remember in the present ay! Many

people will put up with anythin% in reli%ion, if they may only ha(e a 4uiet life! They

ha(e a morbi rea of what they call *contro(ersy!> They are fille with a morbi

fear of what they style, in a (a%ue way, *party spirit,> thou%h they ne(er efine clearlywhat party spirit is! They are possesse with a morbi esire to &eep the peace, an

ma&e all thin%s smooth an pleasant, e(en thou%h it be at the e:pense of truth! 7o

lon% as they ha(e outwar calm, smoothness, stillness, an orer, they seem content to

%i(e up e(erythin% else! I belie(e they woul ha(e thou%ht with Ahab that 8liah was

a troubler of Israel, an woul ha(e helpe the princes of "uah when they put

"eremiah in prison, to stop his mouth! I ha(e no oubt that many of these men of

whom I spea&, woul ha(e thou%ht that Paul at Antioch was a (ery impruent man,

an that he went too far;

I belie(e this is all wron%! +e ha(e no ri%ht to e:pect anythin% but the pure#ospel of Christ, unmi:e an unaulterate, - the same #ospel that was tau%ht by

the Apostles, - to o %oo to the souls of men! I belie(e that to maintain this pure truth

in the Church men shoul be reay to ma&e any sacrifice, to haar peace, to ris&

issension, an run the chance of i(ision! %hey should no more tolerate false

doctrine than they would tolerate sin! They shoul withstan any ain% to or ta&in%

away from the simple messa%e of the #ospel of Christ!

For the truth>s sa&e, our or "esus Christ enounce the Pharisees, thou%h they

sat in Moses> seat, an were the appointe an authorie teachers of men! =+oe unto

you, 7cribes an Pharisees, hypocrites,= 3e says, ei%ht times o(er, in the twenty-thir

chapter of Matthew! An who shall are to breathe a suspicion that our or waswron%)

For the truth>s sa&e, Paul withstoo an blame Peter, thou%h a brother! +here

was the use of unity when pure octrine was %one) An who shall are to say he was

wron%)

For the truth=s sa&e, Athanasius stoo out a%ainst the worl to maintain the pure

octrine about the i(inity of Christ, an wa%e a contro(ersy with the %reat maority

of the professin% Church! An who shall are to say he was wron%)

For the truth>s sa&e, uther bro&e the unity of the Church in which he was born,

enounce the Pope an all his ways, an lai the founation of a new teachin%! An

who shall are to say that uther was wron%)

For the truth>s sa&e, Cranmer, 5iley, an atimer, the 8n%lish 5eformers,

counsele 3enry GIII an 8war GI to separate from 5ome, an to ris& the

conse4uences of i(ision! An who shall are to say that they were wron%)

For the truth=s sa&e, +hitefiel an +esley, a hunre years a%o, enounce the

mere barren moral preachin% of the cler%y of their ay, an went out into the

hi%hways an byways to sa(e souls, &nowin% well that they woul be cast out from

the Church=s communion! An who shall are to say that they were wron%)


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"esus Christ$ *Thin& not that I came to sen peace upon earth! I came not to sen

peace, but a swor!> .Matthew 0J$EH1 et us remember the praise 3e %i(es to one of

the Churches in the 5e(elation$ *Thou canst not bear them who are e(il! Thou hast

trie them which say they are Apostles, an are not, an hast foun them liars!>

.5e(elation /$/1 et us remember the blame 3e casts upon another$ =Thou sufferestthat woman "eebel to teach!= .5e(elation /$/J1 @e(er let us be %uilty of sacrificin%

any portion of truth upon the altar of peace! et us rather be li&e the "ews, who, if

they foun any manuscript copy of the 9l Testament 7criptures incorrect in a sin%le

letter, burne the whole copy, rather than run the ris& of losin% one ot or tittle of the

+or of #o! et us be content with nothin% short of the whole #ospel of Christ!

In what way are we to ma&e practical use of the %eneral principles which I ha(e

ust lai own) I will %i(e my reaers one simple piece of a(ice! I belie(e it is a(ice

which eser(es serious consieration!

I warn then e(ery one who lo(es his soul, to be very jealous as to the preachinghe regularly hears and the place of worship he regularly attends.3e who

eliberately settles own uner any ministry which is positi(ely unsoun is a (ery

unwise man! I will ne(er hesitate to spea& my min on this point! I &now well that

many thin& it a shoc&in% thin% for a man to forsa&e his parish church! I cannot see

with the eyes of such people! I raw a wie istinction between teachin% which is

defectivean teachin% which is thorou%hlyfalse, - between teachin% which errs on the

ne%ati(e sie an teachin% which is positi(ely unscriptural! But I o belie(e, if false

octrine is unmista&ably preache in a parish church, a parishioner who lo(es his soul

is 4uite ri%ht in not %oin% to that parish church! To hear unscriptural teachin% fifty-

two 7unays in e(ery year is a serious thin%! It is a continual roppin% of stow poisoninto the min! I thin& it almost impossible for a man willfully to submit himself to it,

an not ta&e harm! I see in the @ew Testament we are plainly tol to *pro(e all

thin%s,> an *hol fast that which is %oo!> .0 Thessalonians $/01 I see in the Boo& of

Pro(erbs that we are commane to *cease to hear the instruction which causeth to err

from the paths of &nowle%e!> .Pro(erbs 0$/K1 If these wors o not ustify a man in

ceasin% to worship at a church, if positi(ely false octrine is preache in it, I &now not

what wors can!

oes any one mean to tell us that to atten the parish church is absolutely neeful

to an 8n%lishman>s sal(ation)2

2 L@ote from the Publishers! The ne:t few pa%es ha(e immeiate reference to a

Church of 8n%lan conte:t! The principle 5yle e:pouns, howe(er, may profitably be

applie to @onconformists, namely that enominational loyalty must ne(er ta&e

preceence o(er loyalty to the truth!

If there is such a one, let him spea& out, an %i(e us his name! - oes any one

mean to tell us that %oin% to the parish church will sa(e any man=s soul, if he ies

uncon(erte an i%norant of Christ) If there is such a one, let him spea& out, an %i(e

us his name! - oes any one mean to tell us that %oin% to the parish church will teach

a man anythin% about Christ, or con(ersion, or faith, or repentance, if these subects

are harly e(er name in the parish church, an ne(er properly e:plaine) If there issuch a one, let him spea& out, an %i(e us his name! - oes any one mean to say that a


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man who repents, belie(es in Christ, is con(erte an holy, will lose his soul, because

he has forsa&en his parish church an learne his reli%ion elsewhere) If there is such a

one, let him spea& out, an %i(e us his name! - For my part I abhor such monstrous

an e:tra(a%ant ieas! I see not a ot of founation for them in the +or of #o! I

trust that the number of those who eliberately hol them is e:ceein%ly small!There are not a few parishes in 8n%lan where the reli%ious teachin% is little

better than Popery! 9u%ht the laity of such parishes to sit still, be content, an ta&e it

4uietly) They ou%ht not! An why) Because, li&e 7t! Paul, they ou%ht to prefer truth

to peace!

There are not a few parishes in 8n%lan where the reli%ious teachin% is little

better than morality! The istincti(e octrines of Christianity are ne(er clearly

proclaime! Plato, or 7eneca, or Confucius, or 7ocinus, coul ha(e tau%ht almost as

much! 9u%ht the laity in such parishes to sit still, be content, an ta&e it 4uietly) They

ou%ht not! An why) Because, li&e 7t! Paul, they ou%ht to prefer truth to peace!I am usin% stron% lan%ua%e in ealin% with this part of my subect$ I &now it! - I

am trenchin% on elicate %roun$ I &now it! - I am hanlin% matters which are

%enerally let alone, an passe o(er in silence$ I &now it! - I say what I say from a

sense of uty to the Church of which I am a minister! I belie(e the state of the times,

an the position of the laity in some parts of 8n%lan, re4uire plain spea&in%! 7ouls

are perishin%, in many parishes, in i%norance! 3onest members of the Church of

8n%lan, in many istricts, are is%uste an perple:e! This is no time for smooth

wors! I am not i%norant of those ma%ic e:pressions, *the parochial system, orer,

i(ision, schism, unity, contro(ersy,> an the li&e! I &now the crampin%, silencin%

influence which they seem to e:ercise on some mins! I too ha(e consiere thosee:pressions calmly an eliberately, an on each of them I am prepare to spea& my

min!

.a1 Theparochial systemof 8n%lan is an amirable thin% in theory! et it only

be well aministere, an wor&e by truly spiritual ministers, an it is calculate to

confer the %reatest blessin%s on the nation! But it is useless to e:pect attachment to the

parish church, when the minister of the parish is i%norant of the #ospel or a lo(er of

the worl! In such a case we must ne(er be surprise if men forsa&e their parish

church, an see& truth where(er truth is to be foun! If the parochial minister oes not

preach the #ospel an li(e the #ospel, the conitions on which he claims the attention

of his parishioners are (irtually (iolate, an his claim to be hear is at an en! It is

absur to e:pect the hea of a family to enan%er the souls of his chilren, as well as

his own, for the sa&e of *parochial orer!> There is no mention of parishes in the Bible,

an we ha(e no ri%ht to re4uire men to li(e an ie in i%norance, in orer that they

may be able to say at last, =I always attene my parish church!=

.b1&ivisions and separationsare most obectionable in reli%ion! They wea&en

the cause of true Christianity! They %i(e occasion to the enemies of all %oliness to

blaspheme! But before we blame people for them, we must be careful that we lay the

blame where it is deserved! False octrine an heresy are e(en worse than schism! If

people separate themsel(es from teachin% which is positi(ely false an unscriptural,they ou%ht to be praise rather than repro(e! In such cases separation is a (irtue an


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not a sin! It is easy to ma&e sneerin% remar&s about *itchin% ears,> an *lo(e of

e:citement'> but it is not so easy to con(ince a plain reaer of the Bible that it is his

uty to hear false octrine e(ery 7unay, when by a little e:ertion he can hear truth!

The ol sayin% must ne(er be for%otten, *3e is the schismatic who causes the schism!>

.c1 'nity (uiet and order amon% professin% Christians are mi%hty blessin%s!They %i(e stren%th, beauty, an efficiency to the cause of Christ! But e(en %ol may

be bou%ht too ear! ?nity which is obtaine by the sacrifice of truth is worth nothin%!

It is not the unity which pleases #o! The Church of 5ome boasts louly of a unity

which oes not eser(e the name! It is unity which is obtaine by ta&in% away the

Bible from the people, by %a%%in% pri(ate> u%ment, by encoura%in% i%norance, by

forbiin% men to thin& for themsel(es! i&e the e:terminatin% warriors of ol, the

Church of 5ome *ma&es a solitue an calls it peace!> There is 4uiet an stillness

enou%h in the %ra(e, but it is not the 4uiet of health, but of eath! It was the false

prophets who crie *Peace,> when there was no peace!.1 Controversyin reli%ion is a hateful thin%! It is har enou%h to fi%ht the e(il,

the worl an the flesh, without pri(ate ifferences in our own camp! But there is one

thin% which is e(en worse than contro(ersy, an that is false octrine tolerate,

allowe, an permitte without protest or molestation! It was contro(ersy that won the

battle of Protestant 5eformation! If the (iews that some men hol were correct, it is

plain we ne(er ou%ht to ha(e ha any 5eformation at all; For the sa&e of peace, we

ou%ht to ha(e %one on worshippin% the Gir%in, an bowin% own to ima%es an relics

to this (ery ay; Away with such triflin%; There are times when contro(ersy is not

only a uty but a benefit! #i(e me the mi%hty thunerstorm rather than the pestilential

malaria! The one wal&s in ar&ness an poisons us in silence, an we are ne(er safe!The other fri%htens an alarms for a little season! But it is soon o(er, an it clears the

air! It is a plain 7criptural uty to *conten earnestly for the faith once eli(ere to the

saints!> ."ue E1

I am 4uite aware that the thin%s I ha(e sai are e:ceein%ly istasteful to many

mins! I belie(e many are content with teachin% which is not the whole truth, an

fancy it will be *all the same> in the en! I am sorry for them! I am con(ince that

nothin% but the whole truth is li&ely, as a %eneral rule, to o %oo to souls! I am

satisfie that those who willfully put up with anythin% short of the whole truth, will

fin at last that their souls ha(e recei(e much ama%e! Three thin%s there are which

men ne(er ou%ht to trifle with, - a little poison, a little false octrine, an a little sin!

I am 4uite aware that when a man e:presses such opinions as those I ha(e ust

brou%ht forwar, there are many reay to say, *3e is no Churchman!> I hear such

accusations unmo(e! The ay of u%ment will show who were the true friens of

the Church of 8n%lan an who were not! I ha(e learne in the last thirty-two years

that if a cler%yman leas a 4uiet life, lets alone the uncon(erte part of the worl, an

preaches so as to offen none an eify none, he will be calle by many *a %oo

Churchman!> An I ha(e also learne that if a man stuies the Articles an 3omilies,

labors continually for the con(ersion of souls, aheres closely to the %reat principles

of the 5eformation, bears a faithful testimony a%ainst Popery, an preaches as "ewellan atimer use to preach, he will probably be thou%ht a firebran an *troubler of


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Israel,> an calle no Churchman at all; But I can see plainly that they are not the best

Churchmen who tal& most louly about Churchmanship! I remember that none crie

*Treason> so louly as Athaliah! ./ in%s 00$0H1 not merely *Belie(e on the or "esus

Christ,> but *Belie(e on the or "esus Christ, an be circumcise, an &eep the

ceremonies of the law!>

7uch conuct as this the Apostle Paul woul not enure for a moment! @othin% so

mo(e him as the iea of ain% anythin% to the #ospel of Christ! *I withstoo him,>

he says, *to the face!> 3e not only rebu&e him, but he recore the whole transaction

fully, when by inspiration of the 7pirit he wrote the 8pistle to the #alatians!

I in(ite special attention to this point! I as& men to obser(e the remar&able

ealousy which the Apostle Paul shows about this octrine, an to consier the point

about which such a stir was mae! et us mar& in this passa%e of 7cripture the

immense importance of ustification by faith without the ees of the law! et us learn

here what mi%hty reasons the 5eformers of the Church of 8n%lan ha for callin% it,

in our ele(enth Article, *a most wholesome octrine an (ery full of comfort!>

.a1 This is the octrine which is essentially necessary to our own personal comfort!

@o man on earth is a real chil of #o, an a sa(e soul, till he sees an recei(es

sal(ation by faith in Christ "esus! @o man will e(er ha(e soli peace an true

assurance, until he embraces with all his heart the octrine that *we are accounteri%hteous before #o for the merit of our or "esus Christ, by faith, an not for our


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own wor&s an eser(in%s!> 9ne reason, I belie(e, why so many professors in this ay

are tosse to an fro, enoy little comfort, an feel little peace, is their i%norance on

this point! They o not see clearly ustification by faith without the ees of the law!

.b1 This is the octrine which the great enemy of souls hates and labors to

overthrow! 3e &nows that it turne the worl upsie own at the first be%innin% ofthe #ospel, in the ays of the Apostles! 3e &nows that it turne the worl upsie

own a%ain at the time of the 5eformation! 3e is therefore always temptin% men to

reect it! 3e is always tryin% to seuce Churches an ministers to eny or obscure its

truth! @o woner that the Council of Trent irecte its chief attac& a%ainst this

octrine, an pronounce it accurse an heretical! @o woner that many who thin&

themsel(es learne in these ays enounce the octrine as theolo%ical ar%on, an say

that all *earnest-mine people> are ustifie by Christ, whether they ha(e faith or not;

The plain truth is that the octrine is all %all an wormwoo to uncon(erte hearts! It

ust meets the wants of the awa&ene soul! But the prou unhumble man who &nowsnot his own sin, an sees not his own wea&ness, cannot recei(e its truth!

.c1 This is the octrine, the absence of which accounts for half the errors of the

Roman Catholic Church! The be%innin% of half the unscriptural octrines of Popery

may be trace up to reection of ustification by faith! @o 5omish teacher, if he is

faithful to his Church, can say to an an:ious sinner, *Belie(e on the or "esus Christ

an thou shalt be sa(e!> 3e cannot o it without aitions an e:planations, which

completely estroy the %oo news! 3e are not %i(e the #ospel meicine, without

ain% somethin% which estroys its efficacy, an neutralies its power! Pur%atory,

penance, priestly absolution, the intercession of saints, the worship of the Gir%in, an

many other manmae ser(ices of popery, all sprin% from this source! They are allrotten props to support weary consciences! But they are renere necessary by the

enial of ustification by faith!

.1 This is the octrine which is absolutely essential to a minister*s success

among his people! 9bscurity on this point spoils all! Absence of clear statements

about ustification will pre(ent the utmost eal oin% %oo! There may be much that is

pleasin% an nice in a minister=s sermons, much about Christ an sacramental union

with 3im, - much about self-enial, - much about humility, - much about charity! But

all this will profit little, if his trumpet %i(es an uncertain soun about ustification by

faith without the ees of the law!

.e1 This is the octrine which is absolutely essential to the prosperity of a Church!

@o Church is really in a healthy state, in which this octrine is not prominently

brou%ht forwar! A Church may ha(e %oo forms an re%ularly oraine ministers,

an the 7acraments properly aministere, but a Church will not see con(ersion of

souls %oin% on uner its pulpits, when this octrine is not plainly preache! Its schools

may be foun in e(ery parish! Its ecclesiastical builin%s may stri&e the eye all o(er

the lan! But there will be no blessin% from #o on that Church, unless ustification

by faith is proclaime from its pulpits! 7ooner or later its canlestic& will be ta&en

away!

+hy ha(e the Churches of Africa an the 8ast fallen to their present state) - 3athey not bishops) They ha! - 3a they not forms an litur%ies ) They ha! - 3a they


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not synos an councils) They ha! - But they cast away the octrine of ustification

by faith! They lost si%ht of that mi%hty truth, an so they fell!

+hy i our own Church o so little in the last century, an why i the

Inepenents, an Methoists, an Baptists o so much more) - +as it that their

system was better than ours) @o! - +as it that our Church was not so well aapte tomeet the wants of lost souls) @o! D But their ministers preache ustification by faith,

an our ministers, in too many cases, i not preach the octrine at all!

+hy o so many 8n%lish people %o to issentin% chapels in the present ay) +hy

o we so often see a spleni #othic parish church as empty of worshippers as a barn

in "uly, an a little plain bric& builin%, calle a Meetin% 3ouse, fille to suffocation)

Is it that people in %eneral ha(e any abstract isli&e to 8piscopacy, the Prayer-boo&,

the surplice, an the establishment) @ot at all; The simple reason is, in the (ast

maority of cases, that people o not li&e preachin% in which ustification by faith is

not fully proclaime! +hen they cannot hear it in the parish church they will see& itelsewhere! @o oubt there are e:ceptions! @o oubt there are places where a lon%

course of ne%lect has thorou%hly is%uste people with the Church of 8n%lan, so that

they will not e(en hear truth from its ministers! But I belie(e, as a %eneral rule, when

the parish church is empty an the meetin%-house full, it will be foun on in4uiry that

there is a cause!

If these thin%s be so, the Apostle Paul mi%ht well be ealous for the truth, an

withstan Peter to the face! 3e mi%ht well maintain that anythin% ou%ht to be

sacrifice, rather than enan%er the octrine of ustification in the Church of Christ!

3e saw with a prophetical eye comin% thin%s! 3e left us all an e:ample that we shoul

o well to follow! +hate(er we tolerate, let us ne(er allow any inury to be one tothat blesse octrine, - that we are ustifie by faith without the ees of the law!

et us always beware of any teachin% which either irectly or inirectly obscures

ustification by faith! All reli%ious systems which put anythin% between the hea(y

laen sinner an "esus Christ the 7a(ior, e:cept simple faith, are an%erous an

unscriptural! All systems which ma&e out faith to be anythin% complicate, anythin%

but a simple, chilli&e epenence, - the han which recei(es the soul>s meicine

from the physician, - are unsafe an poisonous systems! All systems which cast

iscreit on the simple Protestant octrine which bro&e the power of 5ome, carry

about with them a pla%ue-spot, an are an%erous to souls!

Baptism is a sacrament oraine by Christ 3imself, an to be use with re(erence

an respect by all professin% Christians! +hen it is use ri%htly, worthily an with

faith, it is capable of bein% the instrument of mi%hty blessin%s to the soul! But when

people are tau%ht that allwho are baptie are as a matter of course born a%ain, an

that allbaptie persons shoul be aresse as *chilren of #o,> I belie(e their

souls are in %reat an%er! 7uch teachin% about baptism appears to me to o(erthrow the

octrine of ustification by faith! They only are chilren of #o who ha(e faith in

Christ "esus! An all men ha(e not faith!

The or>s 7upper is a sacrament oraine by Christ 3imself, an intene for the

eification an refreshment of true belie(ers! But when people are tau%ht that allpersons ou%ht to come to the or>s table, whether they ha(e faith or not' an that all


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ali&e recei(e Christ=s boy an bloo who recei(e the brea an wine, I belie(e their

souls are in %reat an%er! 7uch teachin% appears to me to ar&en the octrine of

ustification by faith! @o man eats Christ>s boy an rin&s Christ>s bloo e:cept the

ustifie man! An none are ustifie until they belie(e!

Membership of the Church of 8n%lan is a %reat pri(ile%e! @o (isible Church onearth, in my opinion, offers so many a(anta%es to its members, when ri%htly

aministere! But when people are tau%ht that because they are members of the

Church, they are as a matter of course members of Christ, I belie(e their souls are in

%reat an%er! 7uch teachin% appears to me to o(erthrow the octrine of ustification by

faith! They only are oine to Christ who belie(e! An all men o not belie(e!

+hene(er we hear teachin% which obscures or contraicts ustification by faith,

we may be sure there is a screw loose somewhere! +e shoul watch a%ainst such

teachin%, an be upon our %uar! 9nce let a man %et wron% about ustification, an he

will bi a lon% farewell to comfort, to peace, to li(ely hope, to anythin% li&e assurancein his Christianity! An error here is a worm at the root!

.01 In conclusion, let me first of all as& e(ery one who reas this paper, to arm

himself with a thorou%h knowledge of the written +ord of $od! ?nless we o this we

are at the mercy of any false teacher! +e shall not see throu%h the mista&es of an

errin% Peter! +e shall not be able to imitate the faithfulness of a coura%eous Paul! An

i%norant laity will always be the bane of a Church! A Bible-reain% laity may sa(e a

Church from ruin! et us rea the Bible re%ularly, aily, an with fer(ent prayer, an

become familiar with its contents! et us recei(e nothin%, belie(e nothin%, follow

nothin%, which is not in the Bible, nor can be pro(e by the Bible! et our rule offaith, our touchstone of all teachin%, be the written +or of #o!

./1 In the ne:t place, let me recommen e(ery member of the Church of 8n%lan

to ma&e himself ac4uainte with the %hirty,nine Articles of his own Church! They are

to be foun at the en of most Prayer-boo&s! They will abunantly repay an attenti(e

reain%! They are the true stanar by which Churchmanship is to be trie, ne:t to the

Bible! They are the test by which Churchmen shoul pro(e the teachin% of their

ministers, if they want to &now whether it is *Church teachin%> or not! I eeply

lament the i%norance of systematic Christianity which pre(ails amon% many who

atten the ser(ices of the Church of 8n%lan! It woul be well if such boo&s as

Archbishop ?sher>s *Boy of i(inity> were more &nown an stuie than they are! If

ean @owell>s Catechism ha e(er been formally accreite as a formulary of the

Church of 8n%lan, many of the heresies of the last twenty years coul ne(er ha(e

li(e for a ay! But unhappily many persons really &now no more about the true

octrines of their own communion, than the heathen or Mahometans! It is useless to

e:pect the laity of the Church of 8n%lan to be ealous for the maintenance of true

octrine, unless they &now what their own Church has efine true octrine to be!

.E1 In the ne:t place, let me entreat all who rea this paper to be always ready to

contend for the faith of Christ, if neeful! I recommen no one to foster a

contro(ersial spirit! I want no man to be li&e #oliath, %oin% up an own, sayin%,*#i(e me a man to fi%ht with!> Always feein% upon contro(ersy is poor wor& inee!


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It is li&e feein% upon bones! But I o say that no lo(e of false peace shoul

pre(ent us stri(in% ealously a%ainst false octrine, an see&in% to promote true

octrine where(er we possibly can! True #ospel in the pulpit, true #ospel in e(ery

5eli%ious 7ociety we support, true #ospel in the boo&s we rea, true #ospel in the

friens we &eep company with, - let this be our aim, an ne(er let us be ashame to letmen see that it is so!

.H1 In the ne:t place, let me entreat all who rea this paper to keep a jealous watch

over their own heartsin these contro(ersial times! There is much nee of this caution!

In the heat of the battle we are apt to for%et our own inner man! Gictory in ar%ument is

not always (ictory o(er the worl or (ictory o(er the e(il! et the mee&ness of 7t!

Peter in ta&in% a reproof, be as much our e:ample as the bolness of 7t! Paul in

repro(in%! 3appy is the Christian who can call the person who rebu&es him faithfully,

a *belo(e brother!> ./ Peter E$01 et us stri(e to be holy in all manner of

con(ersation, an not least in our tempers! et us labor to maintain an uninterruptecommunion with the Father an with the 7on, an to &eep up constant habits of

pri(ate prayer an Bible-reain%! Thus we shall be arme for the battle of life, an

ha(e the swor of the 7pirit well fitte to our han when the ay of temptation comes!

.1 In the last place, let me entreat all members of the Church of 8n%lan who

&now what real prayin% is, to pray daily for the Church to which they belong! et us

pray that the 3oly 7pirit may be poure out upon it, an that its canlestic& may not

be ta&en away! et us pray for those parishes in which the #ospel is now not

preache, that the ar&ness may pass away, an the true li%ht shine in them! et as

pray for those ministers who now neither &now nor preach the truth, that #o may

ta&e away the (eil from their hearts, an show them a more e:cellent way! @othin% isimpossible! The Apostle Paul was once a persecutin% Pharisee' uther was once an

unenli%htene mon&' Bishop atimer was once a bi%ote Papist' Thomas 7cott was

once thorou%hly oppose to e(an%elical truth! @othin%, I repeat, is impossible! The

7pirit can ma&e cler%ymen preach that #ospel which they now labor to estroy! et us

therefore be instant in prayer!

I commen the matters containe in this paper to serious attention! et us poner

them well in our hearts! et us carry them out in our aily practice! et us o this, an

we shall ha(e learne somethin% from the story of 7t! Peter at Antioch!

Ryle - The Falibility of Ministers

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