Thus in the latter part of this first Chapter doth he shew them the estate and rebellions and punishment of their heathen Ancestors that the unregenerate man may in that glass see his picture at the length the regenerate humble himself in a thankful horrour over-joyed and wondring to observe himself delivered from such destruction And that all may be secured from the danger of the like miscarriage he sets the whole story of them distinctly before their eyes 1. How the law and light of nature was sufficient to have instructed them into the sight and acknowledgement of God and therefore that they could not pretend want of means to direct them to his worship 2. That they contemn'd and rejected all the helps and guidances that God and nature had afforded them and that therefore 3. God had deserted and given them up unto the pride and luxury and madness of their own hearts all vile affections for this is the force of the illation They abused those instructions which God had printed in the creature to direct them and therefore he will bestow no more pains on them to so little purpose their own reason convinced them there was but one God and yet they could not hold from adoring many and therefore he 'l not be troubled to rein them in any longer for all his ordinary restraints they will needs run riot And for this cause God gave them up to vile affections So that in the Text you may observe the whole state and history of a heathen natural unregenerate life which is a progress or travel from one stage of sinning to another beginning in a contempt of the light of nature and ending in the brink of Hell all vile affections For the discovery of which we shall survey 1. The Law or light of nature what it can do 2. The sin of contemning this law or light both noted in the first words for this cause that is because they did reject that which would have stood them in good stead 3. The effect or punishment of this contempt sottishness leading them stupidly into all vile affections And lastly the inflicter of this punishment and manner of inflicting of it God gave them up and first of the first the law and light of nature what it can do To suppose a man born at large left to the infinite liberty of a creature without any terms or bounds or laws to circumscribe him were to bring a River into a plain and bid it stand on end and yet allow it nothing to sustain it were to set a babe of a day old into the world and bid him shift for a subsistence were to bestow a being on him only that he may lose it and perish before he can ever be said to live If an infant be not bound in and squeez'd and swathed he 'l never thrive in growth or feature but as Hippocrates saith of the Scythians for want of girdles run all out into breadth and ugliness And therefore it cannot agree either with the mercy or goodness of either God or nature to create men without laws or to bestow a being upon any one without a guardian to guide and manage it Thus lest any creature for want of this law any one moment should immediately sin against its creation and no sooner move then be annihilated the same wisdom hath ordered that his very soul should be his Law-giver and so the first minute of its essence should suppose it regular Whence is it that some Atheists in Theophilus ad Auto. which said that all things were made by chance and of their own accord yet affirm'd that when they were made they had a God within them to guide them their own conscience and in sum affirm'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there was no other God in the world Aristotle observes that in the creatures which have no reason phantasie supplies its place and does the Bee as much service to perform the business of its kind as reason doth in the man Thus farther in them whose birth in an uncivilized Countrey hath deprived of any laws to govern them reason supplies their room 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Arius Didymus Reason is naturally a law and hath as soveraign dictates with it pronounceth sentence every minute from the tribunal within as authoritatively as ever the most powerful Solon did in the theatre There is not a thing in the world purely and absolutely good but God and nature within commends and prescribes to our practice and would we but obey their counsels and commands 't were a way to innocence and perfection that even the Pelagians never dreamt of To speak no farther then will be both profitable and beyond exception the perfectest law in the world is not so perfect a rule for our lives as this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Methodius calls it this law of nature born with us is for these things which are subject to its reach Shall I say Scripture it self is in some respect inferior to it I think I shall not prejudice that blessed Volume for though it be as far from the least spot or suspition of imperfection as falshood though it be true perfect and righteous altogether yet doth it not so evidence it self to my dull soul it speaks not so clearly and irrefragably so beyond all contradiction and demur to my Atheistical understanding as that law which God hath written in my heart For there is a double certainty one of Adherence another of Evidence one of faith the other of sense the former is that grounded on Gods Word more infallible because it rests on divine authority the latter more clear because I find it within me by experience The first is given to strengthen the weakness of the second and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. ◠19. A more firm sure word the second given within us to explain the difficulties and obscurities of the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 16. we saw it with our eyes so that Scriptures being conceived into words and sentences are subject either not to be understood or amiss and may either be doubted of by the ignorant or perverted by the malicious You have learnt so many words without book and say them minutely by heart and yet not either understand or observe what you are about but this unwritten law which no pen but that of nature hath engraven is in our understandings not in words but sence and therefore I cannot avoid the intimations 't is impossible either to deny or doubt of it it being written as legible in the tables of our hearts as the print of humanity in our foreheads The commands of either Scripture or Emperour may be either unknown or out of our heads when any casual opportunity shall bid us make use of them but this law of the mind is at home for ever and either by intimation or loud voice either whispers or proclaims its commands to us be it never
brethren what they can claim by that grand Character love of Friends those of the same perswasion those that have obliged them they have natures leave and so are resolved to have Christs to hate pursue to death whom they can phancy their Enemies And I wish some were but thus of Agrippa's Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so near being Christians as nature it self would advance them that gratitude honour to Parents natural affection were not become malignant qualities disclaim'd as conscientiously as obedience and justice and honouring of betters Others again so devoted to Moses's Law the Old Testament Spirit that whatever they find practised there they have sufficient authority to transcribe And 't is observable that they which think themselves little concerned in Old Testament Duties which have a long time past for unregenerate morality that faith hath perfectly out-dated are yet zealous Assertors of the Old Testament Spirit all their pleas for the present resistance fetch'd from them yea and confest by some that this liberty was hidden by God in the first ages of the Christian Church but now revealed we cannot hear where yet but in the Old Testament and from thence a whole CIX Psalm full of Curses against God's Enemies and theirs and generally those pass for synonymous terms the special devotion they are exercised in and if ever they come within their reach no more mercy for them than for so many of the seven nations in rooting out of which a great part of their Religion consists I wish there were not another Prodigy also abroad under the name of the Old Testament Spirit the opinion of the necessity of Sacrifice real bloody Sacrifice even such as was but seldom heard of among Indians and Scythians themselves such sacrifices of which the Cannibal Cyclops Feasts may seem to have been but attendants furnished with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that come from such savage Altars sacrificing of Men of Christians of Protestants as good as any in the World to expiate for the bloud shed by Papists in Queen Mary's days and some Prophets ready to avow that without such Sacrifice there is no remission no averting of judgments from the Land What is this but like the Pharisees To build and garnish the Sepulchres of the Prophets and say That if they had lived in their Fathers days they would never have partaken of the blood of the Prophets and yet go on to fill up the measure of their Fathers the very men to whom Christ directs thee O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest in the present tense a happy turn if but the Progeny of those Murtherers and what can then remain but the Behold your house is left unto you desolate irreversible destruction upon the Land A third sort there is again that have so confined the Gospel to Promises and a fourth so perswaded that the Unum necessarium is to be of right perswasions in Religion i. e. of those that every such Man is of for he that did not think his own the truest would sure be of them no longer that betwixt those two popular deceits that of the Fiduciary and this of the Solifidian the Gospel spirit is not conceived to consist in doing any thing and so still those practical Graces Humility Meekness Mercifulness Peaceableness and Christian Patience are very handsomly superseded that one Moses's Rod called Faith is turned Serpent and hath devoured all these for rods of the Magicians and so still you see Men sufficiently armed and fortified against the Gospel-Spirit All that is now left us is not to exhort but weep in secret not to dispute but pray for it that God will at last give us eyes to discern this treasure put into our hands by Christ which would yet like a whole Navy and Fleet of Plate be able to recover the fortune and reputation of this bankrupt Island fix this floting Delos to restore this broken shipwrackt Vessel to harbour and safety this whole Kingdom to peace again Peace seasonable instant peace the only remedy on earth to keep this whole Land from being perfect Vastation perfect Africk of nothing but wild and Monster and the Gospel-Spirit that Christ came to Preach and exemplifie and plant among men the only way imaginable to restore that peace Lord that it might at length break forth among as the want of it is certainly the Author of all the miseries we suffer under and that brings me to the third and last particular That this ignorance of the Gospel-Spirit is apt to betray Christians to unsafe unjustifiable enterprizes You that would have fire from Heaven do it upon this one ignorance You know not c. It were too sad and too long a task to trace every of our evils home to the original every of the fiends amongst us to the mansion in the place of darkness peculiar to it If I should it would be found too true what Du Plesse is affirmed to have said to Languet as the reason why he would not write the story of the Civil Wars of France That if he were careful to observe the causes and honest to report them 〈◊〉 must hound the Fox to a Kennel which it was not willing to acknowledge drive such an action to the Brothel-house that came speciously and pretendedly out of a Church Find that to be in truth the animosity of a rival that took upon it to be the quarrel for Religion or as in Polybius oft the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a thing very distant from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the colour from the cause In the mean it will not be a peculiar mark of odium on the embroylers of this present State and Church to lay it at their doors which I am confident never failed to own the like effects in all other Christian States the Ignorance i. e. in the Scripture phrase Not Practising of those Christian Rules which the Gospel-spirit presents us with I might tire you but with the names of those effects that flow constantly from this Ignorance such are usurping the Power that belongs not to us which Humility would certainly disclaim such resisting the Powers under which we are placed by God to which Meekness would never be provoked such the judging and censuring mens thoughts and intentions any further than their actions enforce most unreconcileable with the forgiving part of mercifulness such the doing any kind of evil that the greatest or publickest good may come designing of Rapine or Blood to the sanctifiedst end which S. Paul and Peaceableness would never endure such Impatience of the Cross shaking a Kingdom to get it off from our own shoulders and put it on other men diametrally opposite to the suffering and patience of a Christian To retire from this Common to the Inclosure and to go no farther than the Text suggests to me To call fire from Heaven upon Samaritans is here acknowledged the effect of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the want of knowledge or consideration of
find faith upon the earth And then immediately verse 9. he spake another parable to certain that trusted in themselves where this speech in the midst when the Son of man comes c. stands there by it self like the Pharisee in my Text seorsim apart as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or intercalary day between two moneths which neither of them will own or more truly like one of Democritus his atomes the casual concurrence of which he accounted the principle and cause of all things That we may not think so vulgarly of Scripture as to dream that any tittle of it came by resultance or casually into the world that any speech dropt from his mouth unobserved that spake as man never spake both in respect of the matter of his speeches and the weight and secret energie of all accidents attending them it will appear on consideration that this speech of his which seems an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a supernumerary superfluous one is indeed the head of the corner and ground of the whole parable or at least a fair hint or occasion of delivering it at that time Not to trouble you with its influence on the parable going before concerning perseverance in prayer to which it is as an Isthmus or fibula to joyn it to what follows but to bring our eyes home to my present subject After the consideration of the prodigious defect of faith in this decrepit last age of the world in persons who made the greatest pretences to it and had arriv'd unto assurance and security in themselves he presently arraigns the Pharisee the highest instance of this confidence and brings his righteousness to the bar sub hac formâ There is like to be toward the second coming of Christ his particular visitation of the Jews and then its parallel his final coming to judgment such a specious pompous shew and yet such a small pittance of true faith in the world that as it is grown much less than a grain of mustard-seed it shall not be found when it is sought there will be such gyantly shadows and pigmy substances so much and yet so little faith that no Hieroglyphick can sufficiently express it but an Egyptian temple gorgeously over-laid inhabited within by Crocodiles and Cats and carcasses instead of gods or an apple of Sodom that shews well till it be handled a painted Sepulchre or a specious nothing or which is the contraction and Tachygraphy of all these a Pharisee at his prayers And thereupon Christ spake the parable verse 9. there were two men went up into the temple to pray the one a Pharisee c. verse 10. Concerning the true nature of faith mistaken extremely now adays by those which pretend most to it expuls'd almost out of mens brains as well as hearts so that now it is scarce to be found upon earth either in our lives or almost in our books there might be framed a seasonable complaint in this place were I not already otherwise imbarked By some prepossessions and prejudices infus'd into us as soon as we can conn a Catechism of that making it comes to pass that many men live and die resolved that faith is nothing but the assurance of the merits of Christ applied to every man particularly and consequently of his salvation that I must first be sure of Heaven or else I am not capable of it confident of my salvation or else necessarily damned Cornelius Agrippa being initiated in natural magick Paracelsus in mineral extractions Plato full of his Idea's will let nothing be done without the Pythagoreans brought up with numbers perpetually in their ears and the Physicians poring daily upon the temperaments of the body the one will define the soul an harmony the other a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philoponus And so are many amongst us that take up fancies upon trust for truths never laying any contrary proposals to heart come at last to account this assurance as a principle without which they can do nothing the very soul that must animate all their obedience which is otherwise but a carcass or heathen vertue in a word the only thing by which we are justified or saved The confutation of this popular error I leave to some grave learned tongue that may enforce it on you with some authority for I conceive not any greater hindrance of Christian obedience and godly practice among us than this for as long as we are content with this assurance as sufficient stock to set up for Heaven there is like to be but little faith upon the earth Faith if it be truly so is like Christ himself when he was Emmanuel God upon the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incarnate faith cut out and squared into limbs and lineaments not only a spiritual invisible faith but even flesh and blood to be seen and felt organiz'd for action 't is to speak and breath and walk and run the ways of Gods Commandments An assent not only to the promises of the Gospel but uniformly to the whole word of God commands and threats as well as promises And this not in the brain or surface of the soul as the Romanist seats it but in the heart as regent of the hand and tongue in the concurrence of all the affections Where it is not only a working faith an obeying faith but even a work even obedience it self not only a victorious faith but even victory it self 1 Jo. 5. 4. This is our victory even our faith to part with this as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is our only business is sure an unreasonable Thesis Any faith but this is a faith in the clouds or in the air the upper region of the soul the brain or at most but a piece of the heart a magical faith a piece of sorcery and conjuring that will teach men to remove mountains only by thinking they are able but will never be taken by Christ for this faith upon the earth if it do walk here it is but as a Ghost 't is even pity but it were laid Let me beseech you meekly but if this would not prevail I would conjure you all in this behalf the silly weak Christian to fly from this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and call for some light of their lawful pastors to find out the deceit and the more knowing illuminate Christian to examine sincerely and impartially by feeling and handling it throughly whether there be any true substance in it or no. The Pharisee looking upon himself superficially thought he had gone on on very good grounds very unquestionable terms that he was possest of a very fair estate he brought in an inventory of a many precious works I fast I tithe c. verse 12. hath no other Liturgies but thanksgivings no other sacrifice to bring into the temple but Eucharistical and yet how foully the man was mistaken God I thank c. The first thing I shall
an infinite discourse to present unto you the like proceedings through all ages the continual marriages the Combinations and never any divorce betwixt Learning and Religion The Fathers before mentioned are large in drawing it down to our hands in tables of collateral descent throughout all generations and I hope the present state of the World will sufficiently avouch it For what is all the beggarly skill of the Arabians in Physicks and the Mathematicks all the Cabalisms of the Jews in sum all the rather folly than wisdom that either Asia or Africa pretend to what hath all the world beside that dare look a Christian in the face I doubt not but this corner of Europe where we live may challenge and put to shame nay upbraid the ignorance of the learnedst Mahometan and be able to afford some Champions which shall grapple with the tallest gyant with the proudest son of Anak that Italy can boast of I will hope and pray and again dare to hope that as all Europe hath not more moderation and purity of Religion than this Kingdom so it never had a more learned Clergy never more incouragement for learning from religion never more advantages to religion from learning But all this while we hover in the air we keep upon the wing and talk only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at large and in Thesi we must descend lower to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hypothesis here where heed is to be taken to the Pharisee to the Doctor in my Text. The Disciples were but Fishermen and Mechanicks illiterate enough and yet a word of theirs shall more sway mine assent and rule my faith than the proudest dictates out of Moses chair And thus indeed are we now adayes ready to repose as much trust in the Shop as in the Schools and rely more on the authority of one lay-professor than the sagest Elders in theirs or our Israel Learning is accounted but an ostentatious complement of young scholars that will never bring the Pastor or his flock the nearer to the way toward Heaven But to recal our judgments to a milder temper we are to learn from Clemens that although the Wisdom of God and Doctrine of the Gospel be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able to maintain and fence and authorize it self yet even Philosophy and secular learning is of use nay necessity to defeat the treacheries and sophisms and stratagems of the Adversary And although the truth of Scripture be the bread we live on the main staff and stay of our subsistence yet this exoterical learning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Sophronius calls them this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Schools must be served in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as cates and dainties to make up the banquet nay they are not only for superfluity but solid and material uses 'T was a custome of old saith Dionysius Halic to build cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never far from some hill or mountain that beside the natural strength the hold from the foundation they may receive some security and safeguard from so stout and tall a neighbour thus will it stand us upon so to build our faith upon a rock that we may also have some shelter near us to fence and fortifie our fabrick when the wind or tempest shall arise Had not Peter indeed and the rest at Christs call left their ignorance with their nets and trades had they not been made scholars as well as Disciples all trades promiscuously might justly have challenged and invaded the pulpit and no man denyed to preach that was able to believe But you are to know that their calling was an inspiration they were furnish't with gifts as well as graces and whatever other learning they wanted sure I am they were the greatest Linguists in the world Yea the power and convincing force of argument which the heathen observed in Peter made them get the Oracles to proclaim that he had learnt Magick from his Master To drive the whole business to an issue in brief take it in some few propositions 1. There is not so great a dependence betwixt learning and religion in particular persons as we have observed to be in Ages and Countries so that though plenty of knowledge be a symptom or judiciary sign that that Church where it flourishes is the true Church of God yet it is no necessary argument that that man where it in special resides is the sincerest Christian for upon these terms is the wisest man the scribe the disputer of the world the loudest braggers of Jews or Grecians are found guilty of spiritual ignorance 1 Cor. i. as the last part of our discourse shall make evident 2. Matters of Faith are not Ultimò resolubilia in principia rationis therefore not to be resolved any farther than the Scriptures they are not to beg authority from any other science for this is the true Metaphysicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mistress and commandress of all other knowledges which must perpetually do their homage to it as servants always to attend and confirm its proposals never to contradict it as Aristotle hath it Met. 2. 2. 3. Though Faith depend not upon reason though it subsist entirely upon its own bottom and is then most purely Faith when it relies not on reason and adheres wholly to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods word yet doth the concurrence and agreement and evidence of reason add much to the clearness and beauty and splendor of it takes away all fears and jealousies and suspicious surmisings out of the understanding and bestows a resolution and constancy on it For Faith though in respect of its ground Gods word it be most infallible yet in its own nature is as the Philosopher defines it a kind of opinion and in our humane frailty subject to demurs and doubts and panick terrors for fear it be false grounded and therefore Aristotle faith of it that it differs from knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a sickly man or a strong 't is very weak and aguish subject to sweats and colds and hourly distempers whereas the evidence and assurance of sense and reason added to it bestows a full health and strength upon it an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect state that it shall never be forced or frighted out of In brief where reason gives its suffrage it unvails faith and to adherence super-adds evidence and teaches us to feel and touch and handle what before we did believe to gripe and hold and even possess what before we apprehended and these are believers in a manner elevated above an earthly condition initiated to the state which is all vision where every thing is beheld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked and display'd as the entrals of a creature cut down the back or with open face beholding as in a glass 2 Cor. iii. 28. 4. There be some difficulties in Religion at which an illiterate understanding will be struck in a
important documents of the Text our righteousness and faith may exceed that of the Pharisees Mat. v. 20. our preaching and walking may be like that of Christs in power and as having authority and not as the Scribes Mat. vii 29. and we not content with a floating knowledge in the brain do press and sink it down into our inferiour faculties our senses and affections till it arise in a full harvest of fruitful diligently working faith It was Zenophanes his phansie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that God was all eyes and all ears but breathed not there was no use of that in him and so is it with us who are always exercising our knowledge powers to see and hear what e're is possible but for any breath of life in us any motion of the spirit we have no use of it it is not worth valuing or taking notice of nothing so vulgar and contemptible in them that have it nothing of which we examine our selves so slightly of which we are so easily mistaken so willingly deceived and nothing that we will be content to have so small a measure of A little of it soon tires us out 't is too thin aery diet for us to live upon we cannot hold out long on it like the Israelites soon satiated with their bread from Heaven nothing comparable to their old food that Nilus yielded them Numb xi 5. We remember the fish that we did eat in Egypt but now our soul is dryed away there is nothing but this Manna before our eyes as if that were not worth the gathering Pythagoras could say that if any one were to be chosen to pray for the people to be made a Priest he must be a vertuous man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Iamblicus because the Gods would take more heed to his words and again that many things might be permitted the people which should be interdicted Preachers It was the confirmation of his precepts by his life and practice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that made Italy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Country his School and all that ever heard him his Disciples Nothing will give such authority to our doctrine or set such a value on our calling as a religious conversation He that takes such a journey as that into Holy Orders must go on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his 15. Symbolum must not return to his former sins as well as trade saith lamblicus the falling into one of our youthful vices is truly a disordering of our selves and a kind of plucking our hands from the plow A Physician saith Hippocrates must have colour and be in flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a good promising healthy complexion and then men will guess him a man of skill otherwise the patient will bid the Physician heal himself and having by his ill look a prejudice against his Physick his phansie will much hinder its working You need no application He again will tell you that the profession suffers not so much by any thing as by rash censures and unworthy professors In brief our very knowledge will be set at nought and our gifts scoffed at if our lives do not demonstrate that we are Christians as well as Scholars No man will be much more godly for hearing Seneca talk of providence nor be affected with bare words unless he see them armed and backt with power of him that utters them Consider but this one thing and withal that my doctrine is become a proverb and he is a proud man that can first draw it upon a Scholar his learning and his clergy make him never the more religious O let our whole care and carriage and the dearest of our endeavours strive and prevail to cross the proverb and stop the mouth of the rashest declamer That Comedy of Aristophanes took best which was all spent in laughing at Socrates and in him involved and abused the whole condition of learning though through Alcibiades his faction it miscarried and mist its applause once or twice yet when men were left to their humour 't was admired and cried up extremely Learning hath still some honourable favourers which keep others in awe with their countenance but otherwise nothing more agreeable to the people then Comedies or Satyrs or Sarcasms dealt out against the Universities let us be sure that we act no parts in them our selves nor perform them before they are acted Let us endeavour that theirs may be only pronunciations a story of our faults as presented in a scene but never truly grounded in any of our actions One wo we are secure and safe from Wo be to you when all men shall speak well of you we have many good friends that will not â—et this curse light on us O let us deliver our selves from that catalogue of woes which were all denounced against the Pharisees for many vices all contained in this accomplisht piece Ye say but do not Mat. xxiii 4. And seeing all our intellectual excellencies cannot allure or bribe or wooe Gods spirit to overshadow us and conceive Christ and bring forth true and saving faith in us let all the rest of our studies be ordered in a new course let us change both our method and our Tutor and having hitherto learnt God from our selves let us be better advised and learn our selves from God Let us all study all learning from the spring or fountain and make him our instructer who is the only Author worth our understanding and admit of no interpreter on him but himself The knowledge of God shall be our vision in heaven O let it be our speculation on earth Let it fill every conceit or phansie that we at any time adventure on It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last work in which all the promises all our possible designs are accomplished O let us in part anticipate that final revelation of him lest so sudden and so full a brightness of glory be too excellent for the eyes of a Saint and labour to comprehend here where the whole comfort of our life is what we shall then possess And if all the stretches and cracking and torturing of our souls will prevail the dissolving of all our spirits nay the sighing out of our last breath will do any thing let us joyn all this even that God hath given us in this last real service to our selves and expire whilst we are about it in praying and beseeching and importuning and offering violence to that blessed spirit that he will fully enlighten and enflame us here with zeal as well as knowledge that he will fill us with his grace here and accomplish us with his glory hereafter Now to him that hath elected us hath created us and redeemed us c. The XI Sermon Matth. X. 15. It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment then for that City THE whole new Covenant consists of these two words Christ and Faith Christ