saith our Saviour thou wouldest have asked of me Iohn 4. 10. ther 's the Spirit of prayer and supplication He that knoweth God loveth God and the children of God I Iohn 4. 7. 8. He that knoweth God keepeth his Commandements I Iohn 2. 3. Now I know thee saith Iob to God I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Iob. 42. 5. 6. He that knoweth God is borne of God I Iohn 4. 7. there is love obedience hurnility godly sorrow regeneration I might goe on and instance in every other grace For as feeleing is inseparable to all the Organs of sense the eye sees and feeles the care heares and feeles the palat tastes feeles the nosthrills smell and feele so knowledge is involved in every grace faith knowes and beleives charity knowes and loves patience knowes and suffers temperance knowes and abstaines humility knowes and stoopes repentance knowes and mournes obedience knowes and does confidence knowes and rejoyees hope knowes and expects compassion knowes and pities Yea as there is a power of water in every thing that growes it is fatnesse in the Olive sweetnesse in the Figg cheerefulnesse in the Grape strength in the Oake talenesse in the Cedar rednesse in the Rose whitenesse in the Lilly c. so knowledge is in the hand obedience in the mouth benediction in the knee humility in the eye compassion in the heart charity in the whole body and soule piety Alasse if menhad the true knowledge of Iesus Christ it would disperse and dispell all the blacke clouds of their raigning finnes in a moment as the Sunne doth no sooner shew his face but the darknesse vanisheth or as Caesar did no sooner looke upon his enemies but they were gone Egypt swarmed with Locusts till the west winde came that left not one He cannot delight in sinne nor dote upon the world that knowes Christ savingly § 156. OB. But the objection which as they thinke cannot be answered like the invincible Nauy in 88. is this We see by experience that the strictest livers are seldome the wisest men yea who more vicious then many that know most Answ I am not ignorant that some Fooles have made other Fooles beleeve that none trouble themselves about Religion but the simplest yea the most holy and religious in all ages have beene accounted Fooles and mad men El sha was counted no better by that man of the Sword 2 King 9. 11. in Hosea's time the Prophet was esteemed a foole and the spirituall man mad Hosea 9. 7. yea our Saviour Christ with open mouth was proclaimed mad by his carnall hearers Iohn 10. 20. Mar. 3. 21. and Paul the like by Festus Acts 26. 24. yea all the Apostles were reputed Fooles 1 Cor. 4. 10. and this hath beene the worlds vote ever since the sincere Christian was so reputed in Pliny's time and after in St. Austins time yea Iulian the Pelagian could gibe St. Austin that he had none of the wise Sages nor the learned Senate of Philosophers on his side but onely a company of meane trades-men and handycrafts-men of the vulgar sort that toke part with him whose answer was thou reproachest the weake things of the world which God hath chosen to confound the things which are mighty And is it otherwise now Is not the honest devout orthodox Christian the plain dealing and religious man hee that declares his meaning by his words that cannot or will not lye and desemble shift and flatter temporise and accommodate buy promotion supplant growe rich take bribes he that will rather suffer then do evill ordinarily esteemed an idiot or silly asse yes by all that are craftily wicked as you may heare out of their owne mouths Wisd. 5. 3. to 9. To worldly men Christian wisdome seemes folly saith S. Gregory and well it may for even the wisdome of God is foolishnesse with the world 1 Cor. 1. 18. 23. But shall we therfore take it for grant that they are wisest because they suppose and say they are no for first as he must have a sweet breath that can judge who hath a sweet breath so to judge who is a wise man is onely the office of a wise man Secondly the Lawes of our Land wil not admit a delinquent for a witnesse af-after he is found guilty neither will Irand they stand convicted of folly Sections the 34. 38. 39. 40. 51. 91. 157. 184. 190. But if they will put themselves upon a faire tryall they shall have an equall proceeding or if they will heare the case argued if reason give not sentence on the good mans side let mee suffer as a slanâ—erer Indeed wisdome hath alwayes carried that shew of excellency that not only the good have highly affected it as Salomon who prayed for wisdome and Moses who studied for wisdome and the Queene of Sheba who travelled for wisdome but the very wicked have laboured for it who are ashamed of other vertues so that wisdome is not only justified of her children but also of the children of folly Knowledge is so faire a virgiâ—â— that every cleare eye is in love with her it is a pearle despised of none but Swineâ—O the pleasure that rationall men take in it they that care not for one dramme of goodnesse would yet have a full scale of knowledge though they never mind to do good yet there is no good which they would not know among all the trees of the garden none so pleaseth them as the tree of knowledge As wisdome is excellent above all so it is affected of all as oyle was both of the wise and foolish Virgins it hath beene a mark which every man hath shot at ever since Eve sought to be as wise aâ— her Maker But as an hundred shootes for one that hits the marke some short some over and some aside so an hundred ayme at wisdome for one that lights upon it â—cclesiastes 7. 28. Yea as many thinke themselves good fellowes for one that is a good-fellow indeed so many thinke themselves wisemen for one that is wise indeed Of all sorts of men in the world none repute themselves or are reputed by others wiser then the profound humanist and cunning politician and the yet neither of these may compare with the goâ—ly 〈◊〉 for wisdome and knowledge § 157. FIrst not the humanist for they are not alwayes the wisest which know most as I have proved at large â— 50. 51. I will further confirme it There are a generation of men that mightily thirst after wisdome and knowledge and to get it they are no niggards of their labour for they leave nothing unstudied but themselves they know all parts and places of the created world can discourse of every thing visible and invisible divine humane and mundane whether it bee meant of substances or accidents are ignorant of nothing but the way to heaven are acquainted with all Lawes and customes save the Law of God and customes of Christianity they are strangers no where but in the Court
the wisest men many of the wise and the ancient and the learned with Nicodemus are to learne this lesson that except they be borne againe they cannot enter into the kingdome of Heaven Iohn 3. 4 9. and they that give themselves to be so bookish are often times so blockish that they forget God who made them Now as our Saviour said to him which thought he had done all One thing is behind Luk. 18. 22. so may I say to these who thinke they know all one thing is behinde and that is the true knowledge of God of Christ of themselves and how they may be saved and hee which knowes not thus much although I cannot say he is a starke foole yet I may truely say hee is halfe a foole and halfe a wise man as Ona-Centaure was halfe a man and halfe an Asse for all learning and knowledge without this is but as a wodden Diamond in a Lattin ring and others who know lesse and are lesse learned may be more wise It was a true and just reprehension wherewith the High Priest snib'd the Councell as they were set to condemne Christ and a great deale better then hee meant it Ye know nothing at al Iohn 11. 49. hee spake right for if wee know not the Lord Iesus we know nothing at all our knowledge is either nothing or nothing worth What saith Aristotle no more then the knowledge of goodnesse maketh one to be named a good man no more doth the knowledge of wisdome onely cause any person properly to bee called a wise man saving knowledge of the trueth workes a love of the trueth knowne yea it is an uniforme consent of knowledge and action hee onely is wise that is wise for his owne soule he whose conscience pulleth all hee heares and reades to his heart and his heart to God who turneth his knowledg to faith his faith to feeling and all to walke worthy of his Redeemer he that subdues his sensuall desires and appetites to the more noble faculties of reason and understanding and makes that understanding of his serve him by whom it is and doth understand he that subdues his lusts to his will submits his will to reason his reason to faith his faith his reason his will himselfe to the will of God this is practicall experimentall and saving knowledge to which the other is but a bare name or title for what is the notionall sweetnesse of honey to the experimentall tast of it It is one thing to know what riches are and where they be and another thing to be master of them it is not the knowing but the possessing of them that makes rich Faith and Holinesse are the nerves and sinewes yea the soule of saving knowledge the best knowledge is about the best things and the perfection of all knowledge to know God and our selves as being the marrow pith or kernell of Christianity and it is much to know a little in this kinde What said Aristippus to one that boasted how much hee had learned learning consisteth not in the quantity but in the quality not in the greatnesse but in the goodnesse of it Wee know a little gold is of more worth then much drosse a precious stone is a very little thing yet it is preferred before many other stones of greater bulke yea a little Diamond is more worth then a rockie mountaine so one drop of wisdome guided by the feare of God is more worth then all humane learning one sparke of spiritual experimental and saving knowledge is worth a whole flame of secular wisdome and learning one scruple of holinesse one drame of faith one graine of grace is more worth then many pounds of naturall parts But learning and grace do not alwayes keepe company together yea oh Lord how many are there that have a depth of knowledge yet are not soule wise that have a library of Divinity in their heads and not so much as the least catechisme in their consciences No rare thing for men to abound in speculation and be barren in devotion to have full braines and empty hearts clear judgement and defiled affections fluent tongues but lame feet yea you shall heare a flood in the tongue when you cannot see one drop in the life But see how justly they are served they might bee holy and will not therefore though they would bee soule wise yet they shall not the scorner seeketh wisdome but findeth it not Pro. 14. 6. Let them know never so much they are resolved to be never the better and they which are unwilling to obey God thinks unworthy to know § 51. NO wicked man is a wise man for as God is the giver of wisdome so hee reveales himselfe savingly to none but his children the godly First God only is the giver of it For as no man can see the Sunne but by the light of the Sunne so no man doth know the secrets of God but by the revelation of God Mat. 16. 16 17. to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven wee must have hearts eyes and eares sanctified from above Deut. 29. 2 3 4. Ps. 111. 10. Luk. 24. 45. Ioh. 15. 15. Rom 8. 14. 15. No learning nor experience will serve to know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 1. 17. 18. and 3. 19. for as meere sense is uncapeable of the rules of reason so reason is no lesse uncapeable of the things that are supernaturall Yea the true knowledge of the nature and state of the soule must come by his inspiration that gave the substance As the soule is the lamp of the body and reason of the soule and religion of reason and faith of religion so Christ is the light and life of faith 2. God reveales himselfe savingly to none but the godly and such as he knows will improve their knowledge to his glory even as husbandmen will not cast their seed but into fruitfull ground which will returne them a good harvest the secrets of the Lord saith David are revealed to them that feare him and his covenant is to give them understanding Psa. 25. 14. these secrets are hid from the wicked neither hath hee made any such covenant with them the faithfull are like Moses to whom God shewed himselfe Exod. 3. like Simeon that imbraced Christ in his armes Lu. 2. 28 like Iohn the beloved Disciple that leaned an his bosome Ioh. 13. 25. like the three Disciples that went with him up the mount to see his glory Matth. 17. like the Apostles whose understandings he opened Luk 24. 45. and to whom hee expounded all things whereas to unbelievers he speakes all things as it were in Parables Mar. 4. 34. see this in Abrahams example shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do saith God Gen. 18. 17. As if this were an offence in God if he should tell the righteous no more then hee tells the wicked They which love God
saith S. Iohn know God but they which have not this love know not God though they have never so much knowledge besides 1 Iohn 4. 7. Yea suppose a man be not inferiour to Porcius who never forgat any thing he had once read to Pythagoras who kept all things in memory that ever hee heard or saw to Virgil of whom it is reported that if all Sciences were lost they might bee found in him to Bishop Tunstal whom Erasmus called a world of knowledge to Aristotle who was called wisdome it self in the abstract to that Romane Nasica who was called Corculum for his pregnancy of wit that Grecian Democritus Abderita who was also called wisdome it selfe that Britaine Guildas called Guildas the sage that Iew Aben Ezra of whom it was said that if knowledge had put out her candle at his braine shee might light it againe and that his head was a throne of wisdome or that Israelitish Achitophel whose words were held as Oracles to Iosophus Scaliger who was skil'd in thirty languages yet if he want faith holinesse the love of God and the Spirit of God to be his teacher he shall not be able reallyâ— and by his owne experience to know thâ— chiefe points of Christian religion sucâ— as are Faith Repentance Regenerationâ— the love of God the presence of the Spiâ— rit the Remission of sins the effusion oâ— grace the possession of heavenly comforts not what the peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost is nor what the communion of Saints means when every one of these are easie and familiar to the meanest and simplest believer Now will you know the reason the feare of the Lord saith Salomon is the beginning of wisdome Prov. 1. 7. as if the first lesson to be wise were to be holy For as the water ingendereth yce and the yce ageine ingendereth water so knowledge begets righteousnesse and righteousnesse again begetteth knowledge It is between science and conscience as it is betweene the stomack and the head for as in mans body the raw stomack maketh a rheumatick head and the rheumaticke head maketh a raw stomack so science makes our conscience good and conscience makes our science good It is not so much scientia capitis as conscientia cordis that knowes Christ and our selves whence Salomon saith give thine heart to wisdome Pro. 2. 10 and let wisdome enter into thine heart Proverbs 4. 4. Againe if it be ask'd why the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God S. Paul answers he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. and indeed if they be spiritually discerned how should they discerne them that have not the Spirit Now if it be so that men may bee exquisitely wise and incomparably learned in the worlds opinion and yet very fools in the judgement of heaven if not many wise men after the flesh are called but that a great number of them go the wrong way yea if God turnes their wisdome into foolishnesse that abuse their gifts and reveales himselfe savingly to none but such as feare and serve him then is their no safety in following their example or in building our faiths upon their judgements Indeed we are too prone to imitate the learned and to thinke we go safe enough if wee tread in their steps although they tread awry for say wee they know the will of God what hee requires and practise what they thinke will bring them to happinesse especially so much as is absolutely necessary to salvation and they do so and so or else they speake not as they think because they do not as they speake for none live worse then many of them But should this be should we thinke ever the better of error though a thousand of the learned should countenance and maintaine the same no one Micaiah a single Prophet speaking from the Oracles of God is more worthy of credit then 400. Baalites 1 Kin. 22. 6 12 13 14 17 22 23. One Luther a mean man is worthy to bee believed before the Pope and so many legions of his creatures which were throughout Christendom for what hee wanted in abbettors was supplyed in the cause yea did not Paphnuti us a weak scholler shew more wisdome in defending the truth against the whole Councell of Nice then all those great Clarks and learned men to his great renowne and their everlasting shame Did not Pharaoh find more wisdome in Ioseph a poore Hebrew servant and receive more solid advice from him wherby a famine through out the whole world was prevented then hee could in all the Wisemen and Southsayers of Egypt Gen. 41. 8. to 32 Did not Nebuchadnezzar finde more depth in Daniel a poore captive Iew then he could in all the wise men of Babylon Daniel 2. and 4 yes and the reason is one eye having sight is better then a thousand blind eyes and one poore crucified thief being converted had a clearer eye then all the lews Rulers Scribes and Pharisies who being naturall and wicked condemned and crucified JESUS CHRIST In the Councell of Trent there was of 270. Prelates 187. chose out of Italy and of the rest the Pope who was himselfe Moderator and his creatures excluded and tooke in whom themselves would and none else what marvaile then if they concluded what they listed Yea how many Schollers in all ages of the world have resembled Trajan who was endued with great knowledge and other singular vertues but defaced them all by hating Christianity and opposing the power of godlinesse How many are so farre from doing good that they doe great hurt with their gifts and not seldom the more gifts they have the more harme they do For as the best soyle commonly yeelds the worst aire so without grace there is nothing more pestilent then a deepe wit Wit and learning well used are like the golden earerings and bracelets of the Israelites abused like the same gold cast into a molten Idoll then which nothing more abominable No such prey for the Devill as a good wit unsanctified great wits oft times mislead not only the owners but many followers besides as how many shall once wish they had been born dullards when they shall finde their wit and learning to have barred them out of heaven And let them looke to it for as in respect of others their offence is greater for better many Israelites commit adultery or idolatry then one David or Salomon The least moate that flies in the Sun or between our eyes and the light seemes a greater substance then it is and the more learned the person the more notorious the corruption as the freshest sommers day will soonest taint those things which will putrifie so in respect of themselves their sinne is and their punishment shall bee greater for the more glorious the Angels excellency the more damnable their apostacie If the light become darknesse how great is that darknesse If Achitophel prove a villaine how mischievous is his villany Putrified
God not his conscience came into any regard with him but the people as what will the world say if I should not yeeld to it every man vvill laugh at me c. Oh the foolish aymes of ambition even the misconceits of the points of honour have cost millions of soules this is one notable meanes to fill Hell lothnesse to displease and certainly there must needs be something in it that the fearefull are placed by the Holy Ghost in the fore-front of the damned crue vvhich shall have their part in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Revel 21. 8. wherefore think of it it is a damnable plausibility so to regard the vaine approbation or censure of the beholders as in the meane time to neglect the allowance or judgment of God A good heart will rather fall out with all the world then with his maker then with his conscience It is an ill modesty that hinders a man in the way to blisse or that suffers another to outgoe him like some travelling Jade that hearing another Horse come after stands still till he overtakes him True love to and knowledge of Christ will think him worth following through fire and water but goe thy way and save thy selfe to thy losse gaine the worlds fauour and loose God's escape derision and meet w th confusion and I wil tell thee whom thou are like thou are like some decayed Gentlemen who because descended from an ancient house will not so disparage themselves as to serve or work but which is more for their honour forsooth take a purse and so while they seek to shun disrepute among fooles purchase infamy and loose their lives and how it will fare with thee in the end Christ Iesus will bee ashamed of thee at the latter day who art now ashamed for his sake to beare a few scoffs and reproaches from the world Mat. 10 32 33 39. For in this case whosoever shall seek to save his credit yea his life shall loose it and his soule too but whosoever shall loose his credit life and all for goodnesse and conscience sake hee shall save it as our Saviour witnesseth Luk. 17. 33. Lastly touching evill company expect to heare more in the reasons of breaking off society with our vicious consorts § 69. THus what hathbeene spoken proves them much worse then beasts but this is a small evill with them this is but to worke out their owne damnations their chiefe delight is to infect others the Serpents speciall venome wherewith these his elves be intoxicated is to make others more beasts then themselves Indeed this is not the drunkards case alone for it fares even so with all wicked men Wherefore give me leave yea let me take it a little to stirre the earth about the roots of this Science If it be a digression to tell you of other tempters pardon it if impertinent though I hope not passe on to Section the 75. Wicked men as they are all the seed of the same old Serpent Gen 3. 15. and children of the devill Iohn 8. 44. so they resemble the divill and imitate him in all things so farre as corporall creatures can possibly do spirituall substances but principally in tempting to sinne and drawing to perdition and ever have done since the Divell their father taught them the way For even as Sathan himselfe had no sooner sinned but immediately as ever since he laid the plot to draw our first Parents and in them all their posterity into sinne with him Gen. 3. 1. 4. 5. so according to this president the wicked in all ages have followed his example and trod in his steps whose image they beare and whose members they are For thus it fared with Eve who was no sooner tempted to break God's Law in eating the forbidden fruit but she becomes a tempter and draws her husband into the same sinne Thus with Cham who when he had discovered and scoft at his Fathers nakednesse laboured to bring his brethren into the same disobedience Tuus with the elder of Lot's daughters who when shee had made her Father drunk on purpose to commit incest with him the next care shee tooke was to make her younger sister doe the like And thus it fares with all notorious sinners of all sorts as with thieves and murtherers who before they goe to rob and kill call their Mates and say come with us c. Pro. 1. 10 11. Idolaters Deut. 13. 6. False Prophets Ezâ—k 44. 12. Persecutors of the godly Act. 2. 217. 28. and 23 12. â— 16. Covetous wretches Act. 19. 24. 25. Adulterers c. Ge. 39. 7. Wicked men being like so many corns of Powder for as every corne of Powder flies off and fires his fellow so fares it with them all that are viciously bent seek after followers and it is thought the greatest evill to be evill alone § 70. ANd as all kinds of sinners are very industrious to tempt so are they very politicke in their generation to use such meanes as is most likely to prevaile For as all Fishes are not taken one way but some with a net some with a dart or dragg others with a hooke nor with one baite but every fish with that baite which is agreeable to their nature and kind for the wise Fisher baites his hooke according to the appetite of the Fish so Sathan by these his substitutes doth most subtilely seduce every man according to the bent and streame of his own nature and inclinary disposition For as Iupiter transformed himselfe into the shape of Amphitryo to embrace Alcmena into the forme of a Swan to enjoy Leda into a Bul to beguile Iâ— into a shower of gold to winne Danäe or as Neptune changed himselfe into an Heyfer a Ramme a Flood a Dolphin onely for the love of those hee lusted after or as Cataline in Rome gate all the Gentlemen into his faction by feeding their humors pleasing the covetous with gold the glutton with belly cheere and dainties the ambitious with hope of honour and preferment and the like or as S. Paul became all things to all men that hee might winne the more 1 Cor. 9. 22. so doth Sathan and his â—mps become all things to all men that they may pervert and seduce the more To which purpose and for their greater advantage they mark how every man is inclined as what hee loves what hee hateth what hee feares what hee wants c. and when they have the measure of a mans foote then they will fit him yea let any man aske what he will it shall goe hard but he that offered the whole world to our Saviour will accommodate his humour As for example Some Danäe will not be won to play the whore unlesse her lover appeare in a shower of Gold hee hath that way by meanes of such an instrument for her Some Naaman will not bow in the house of Rimmon crouch at a Masse but for his masters favour he hath that way
for him Another will not betray or embrew his hands in innocent blood without large promises of great matters he hath that way for him as promises though they are the cheapest things men can part withall are yet the strongest inchantments these bee the strong lines of Rome whereby she catcheth so many promises whereof she is as liberall as ever was Antigonus who was called Antigonus Doson and let such Asses have no other Provender but promises Indeed some are so cunning that they will do more for a small present benefit then for the promise of a ten-fold value Sathan is faine to stop their mouths with ready money wherfore Gehazi shall have the Talents Achan the golden wedge c. O that men were so warie as to say timeo Danaos dona ferentes Or is there a Bathsheba so chast an Vriah so sober that the one will not be won to pollute the marriage bed nor the other be made drunke except they are solicited by a King he hath that way for them for even Kings are at his command and ready to doe him service in the businesse of tempting and it 's hard to refuse pledging where a King begins a health to his subject for temptation is then stronger when it proceeds from a mighty instrument the requests of great ones are commands their very sutes imperative How many sober and religious Vriahs have beene wrought to excesse by this meanes How many Bathshebahs and Iane Shores have thus been won to pollute both a royal and matrimonial bed the very countenance of authority is authority enough with many Againe is none so fit as the wife to tempt the husband why then Adam shall be tempted by Eve Ahab by Iesabel Iob by his wife Indeed a seducer dares not shew himselfe in a noted good mans company in his owne colours yea vice stands abasht at the glorious Majesty of a soule well confirmed in goodnes as Catoe's presence stopt the evill practises of the Romane brutish Floralia wherefore in some cases hee either conceales himselfe or playes the Hypocrite by appearing in the garments and habit of vertue As for example Is there a holy man of God that will not vary a haires breadth from what his Maker commands Sathan hath another Prophet to seduce him by pretending that an Angell spake unto him by the word of the Lord saying thus and thus 1 King 13. 18. Or is none so likely as Peter to prevaile with Christ why then Peter shall take upon him the devils office and in a great deale of love tempt his owne Lord and Master Mat. 16. 22. 23. In a word as he tempted the high Priests those arch-Hypocrites by love of glory and as the high Priests with money tempted Iudas to betray his Master and destroy himselfe so he tempts every man by that way and meanes vvhich he knovveth most prevalent vvith the party tempted § 71. INdeed Sathan is not so lavish as to hurle away either cost or labour when it may be spared wherefore seeing the rudeâ—multitude so brutish and ignorant that they will be cheated and guld with any thing he takes advantage from their darkned soules and to deceive them knowing he needs doe no more onely foules and smeares the beautifull face of vertue with the blacke soote of those vices which seeme to have some affinity with them as by traducing each Grace thus conscience of sinne in the Devills language is called precise nicenesse and puritanisme zeale madnesse faith and confidence presumption syncerity hypocrisie patience puâ—illanimity humility basenesse of minde wisdome craft c. And on the other side painting vices ugly face with the faire colours of vertue and so present her not in her owne proper colours but guilded over with some shewes of holinesse that it may the more easily wind and insinuate it selfe into mens affections calling lust love enuy emulation pride magnanimity sloth warinesse covetousnesse good husbandry drunkennesse good fellowship ignorance innocencie pestilent heresie profound knowledge and deepe learning Revel 2. 24. worldlinesse wisdome and policy rashnesse fortitude c. as for every severall Jemme that vertue hath vice hath a counterfeit stone where with she gulls the ignorant and there is no precept nor command of God but the Devill commands the contrary he is ever gaine-saying what God saith Gen. 2. 17. and 3. 4. 5. And this is enough for hereby their poore blind hearts are so deceived with that shadow of resemblance which vice carrieth of vertue that they embrace and receive grosse vices insteed of glorious vertues and yet thinke themselves as well and that they shall speede as well as the best And least one should mistrust another he hath his cleargy to speake for him and is never without false Prophets which are ready to daube over sinne with untempered Morter such as for handfulls of barley and peeces of bread will sowe pillowes under each arme-hole prophesie out of their owne hearts and pretend a lying divination such as shall preach unto them Peace Peace and tell them that despise the Lord though they walke after the stubbornnesse of their own hearts no evill shall come upon them yea such as shall even slay the soules of them that should not dye and give life to the soules that should not live with lyes make the hearts of the righteous sad whom the Lord hath not made sad and strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not turne from his wicked way by promising him life Eze. 13. Ier. 23. 13. to 22. so shutting Heaven when they should open it and opening it when they should shut it And thus are millions deceived for nothing sooner wins flesh and blood then a Doctrine which tends to licentiousnesse Indeed most men are so greedy either of profit or pleasure that Sathan needs no helpe from others for he can no sooner cast out his Angle amongst them but immediatly like the soules in Lucian about Charons boate or Coleminers about a line when the candles burning blew tells the dampe commeth they will fasten upon the bayte As let Ieraboam onely set up Calves in Dan and Bethel the people are downe on their knees yea all like beasts in heards will goe a lowing after them Yea were there no harlot no drunken associate to solicite no Devill to doe his office wicked men would beget destruction on themselves If Sathan should not feede them with temptations they would tempt him for them and snatch their owne bane in which case Sathan onely suggests the thought or sayes the word and it is done As if he appoint them to lye they willy if he command them to deceive they will deceive if he bid them slander they will slander and that as falsely as he if he perswades them to revenge to persecute c. they will doe it as spitefully and as fully as he could doe them himselfe and so of every sinne if he but say to any of his servants let there be an oath straight
Gods Spirit threatens will prove the crop they will reape for God is true and all flesh is a lyer § 144. BUt God sets forth himselfe to bee incomparably gracious mercifull long-suffering abundant in goodnes c. Ezo 34. 6. and is acknowledged to bee so by David Psalm 86. 5. by Ioel Chap. 2. 13. by Ionah Chap. 4. 22. by Micha Chap. 7 18. and in many other places It is very true for it is a part of his title Exodus 34. 6. hee is mercy in the abstract 1 Iohn 4. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 10. rich and abundant in mercy Ephesians 2. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 3. 19. his love is without height or depth or length or breath or any dimensions even passing knowledge Ephes. 3. 18. yea the Scripture advanceth God's mercy above his justice Psa. 36. 5. to 12. not in it's essence for God in all his Attributes is infinitely good and one is not greater then another but in it's expressions and manifestations It is said of mercy that it Pleaseth him Micha 7. 18. whereas justice is called his strange worke Esay 28. 21. Lamentation 3. 33. that he is slow to anger but abundant in goodnesse Exedus 34. 6. hee bestowes mercyes every day inflicts judgements but now and then sparingly and after a long time of forbearance when there is no remedy 2 Chron. 36. 15. Esay 65. 2. that he visiteth the iniquities of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation onely whereas hee shewes mercy to thousands Exodus 20. 5. 6 so that by how much three or foure come short of a thousand so much doth his justice come short of his mercy in the exercise of it Againe that his love to his people outstrips a Father's love to his sonne Matth. 7. 11. and a Mothers too Esay 49. 15. for he is the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. as being himself most mercifull and the author of mercy and compassion in others In fine he is so mercifull that the Kingly Prophet repeates it over six and twenty times together in one Psalm that his mercy endures for ever Psal. 136. But what makes this for thee except thou repentestâ— Indeed let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous his owne imaginations and returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgive saith Esay Chap. 55. 7. and that we should not doubt of this he redoubles the promise Ezekiel 18. and confirmes the same with an oath Chapter 33. 11. Yea he is more ready to shew mercy upon our repentance then we are to beg it as appeares in that example of the Prodigal son Luk. 15 20. Do but repent and God will pardon thee bee thy sinnes never so many and innumerable for multitude never so heynous for quality and magnitude for repentance is alwayes blest with forgivnes yea sinnes upon repentance are so remitted as if they had never been committed I have put way thy transgressions as a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist Esay 44. 22. and what by corruption hath beene done by repentance is undone as abundance of examples wiâ—â—esse He pardoned David's adâ—ltery Salomon's idolatry Peter's apostacie Paul did not only deny Christ but persecuted him yet hee obtained mercy upon his repâ—â—tance Yea amongst the worst of Gods enemies some are singled out for mercy witnesse 〈◊〉 Mary Magdaâ—en the Thiefe c. many of the lewes did not only deny Christ the Holy one and the Just but crucified him yet were they pricâ—ed in heart at Peter's Sermon gladly received the word and were baptized Ast. 2. 41. And a very Gentile being circumcised was to be admitted to all priviledges and prerogatives concerning matters of faith and Gods worship as well as the children of Israel Gen. 17. 13. But on the other side unlesse we repent and amend our lives we shall all perish as Christ himselfe affirmes Luk. 13. 3. 5. § 145. FOr though mercy rejoyceth against justice Iames 2. 13. yet it deâ—troyeth not Gods justice though hee is a boundlesse Ocean flowing with mercy yet he doth not overflow he is just as well as mercifull yea saith Bernard Mercy and Truth are the two feet of God by which he walketh in all his wayes his mercy is a just mercy and his justice is a mercifull justice he is infinite in both hee is just even to those humble soules that shall be saved and he will be merciful while presumptuous sinners go to hell and therefore in his word hee hath equally promised all blessings unto those which keepe his Commandements and threatned all manner of judgments to those which break them with their severall extreames according to the measure and degree of every sin Deut. 28 Neither is salvation more promised to the godly then eternall death and destruction is threatned to the wicked and as Christ is a Saviour so Moses is an accuser Iohn 5. 45. Alasse though to all repentant sinners he is a most mercifull God yet to wilfull and impenitent sinners hee is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. Deut. 4. 24. doth not the Apostle say that neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor buggerers nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners to which number S. Iohn Revelation 21. 8. addeth the fearefull and unbeliveing and murtherers and sorcerers and all lyers shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Corinth 6. 9. 10. Galathians 5. 21. but shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And doth he not likewise affirme that all they shall be damned which believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnes 2 Thes. 2 12. doth not the Lord say Ier. 16. 13. that he will have no mercy for such as are desperately wicked And again Deut. 29. 19. 20. that if any man blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart that he mill not be mercifull to him c. Doth not our Saviour himself say that the gate of heaven is so strait that few find it Mat. 7. 13. 14. and will hee not at his comming to judgement as well say unto the disobedient Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angels as to the obedient Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome c. Yes they are his owne words Matth. 25. 34. 41. and S. Iames saith that he shal have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Iames. 2. 13. In fine he that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life but he that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3. 36. For as mercy in the second Commandement is entailed only to believers and to those which love God and keepe his Commandements so God at the last day will reward every
withall more then he expected so deales Sathan and the world with a poore soule The divill is like a late Emperor of Turkie who married his owne daughter to a Basha on the one day and then after a night pleasure sent for his head the next morning for here he is a tempter hereafter a tormenter And herein Christs servâ—nts and the divels differ this life is our hell and their heaven the next shall be their hell and our heaven Psal. 17. 14. Matth. 5. 4. Luke 6. 21. Iohn 16. 20. Indeed our outward afflictions here are so sweented with inward consolation that this world may rather bee called our purgatory for a Christian here in respect of his manifold troubles and sweet consolation in christ seemes half in hell and halfe in heaven as Petrus Tenorius Archbishop of Toledo caused King Salomon to be painted upon the walles of his Chappell after he had a long time considered the waighty reasons on each side whether he were damned or saved or as the Papists feigned Erasmus to be for that he was halfe a Protestant halfe a Roman Catholike but this inward consolation is hidden to the world Fourthly the divell and his instruments can so delude the fancy and judgement of a naturall man that as he sees nothing desireable in a religious life so hee shall give no credit to nor believe any thing that the godly shall affirme As for example Let us tell one whom they have converst withall how sweet a religious life is and how farre the light of God's countenance the peace of conscience and joy in the Holy ghost doth surpasse all earthly felicity he will not believe there is any such thing because it transcends his conceite as a poore labouring man in the country said to his neighbour he believed not there was any such sum as a thousand pounds of money though rich men talked so much of it they will believe no more then what comes within the compasse of their five senses for they are all the Articles of their faith But they are ill discoverers that think there is no land when they can see nothing but Sea Yea viewing the godly but with natures eye they thinke both God and nature envies them of all others and that most men are deluded with a poysonous lye in making only the vertuous happy But in case we say with Steâ—en that we see Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of God these blind wizards are ready to throw stones at us for confessing what wee see or for seeing what is hid from them Againe let them see a man carefull to avoid the ginnes and snares of Sathan which are laid in every place to take his soule they will judge and call him a scrupulous fellow for watching against that which they neither see nor feare as wonder is the daughter of ignorance Indeed as country men will rather believe the reports of travellers then go to see it so they will believe these things rather then be troubled or much trouble themselves about them Againe let God by his Embassadors offer them the Kingdome of heaven upon faire and easie tearmes they will none of it yea they will slight it as the golden Indies was offered to diverse Princes and they vilipended it because they never saw it yet the wealth was worth their labour that undertooke it and so in al other cases worldly hearts especially being thus deluded can see nothing in actions of zeale but folly and madnesse untill we be borne againe we are like Nicodemus who knew not what it was to be borne againe Iohn 3. Untill we become zealous our selves wee are like Festus who thought zeale madnesse Act. 26. untill wee bee humble our selves wee are lie Michal who mocked David for his humility and thought him a foole for dancing before the Arke 2 Samuel 6. 16 yea it was true then and it is true now and it will be true alwayes which S. Paul observeth 1 Cor. 1. 18. that to such as shal perish or are for the present in a perishing condition religion shall seeme foolishnes piety hath no relish to a brutish mans palate but distastfull and indeed how should they like the food which they never tasted or bee in love with the party of whom they have not the least knowledg For as to speake is only proper to men so to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven is only proper to believers Sense is a meere beasts reason a meere mans divine knowledge is only the Christians § 181. FIfthly the World and the Divell can so forestall mens judgements with prejudice against Gods people and goodnes that they shall resolve never to be religious so long as they live as how many by reason of that generall contempt which the divels instruments cast upon religion are both hindred from good and hardened in evill to their owne ruine and destruction 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. Yea this makes them become more impudent stupid and insensible then Salomâ—n's drunkard for as touching admonition they are like the deafe Adder tell them what God saith in his word they will stop the eare with the tongue by ingrossing all the talke neither is it the highest eloquence of the best Preacher can make him fit for heaven for they resolve against yeeld ng and words are vagabonds where the perswader hath an evill opinion of the perswader Oh this is a difficult devill to bee cast out even like that we reade of Mat. 17. 16. for as all the Disciples could not cast out that Divell no more can all the Preachers this yea certainly where Sathan hath once set this his porter of prejud ce though Christ himselfe were on earth that soule would never admit him take no good from him no not so much as think well of him as we see in the Scribes and Pharisies who made an ill construction of whatsoever he did or spake for when he wrought miracles he was a Sorcerer when he cast out divels it was by the power of divels when he reproved sinners he was a seducer when hee received sinners he was their favourer when he healed the sick he was a breaker of the Sabbath c. And even so it fares with these men for as an ill stomacke turnes all it receives into ill humours or as the Spider converts every thing she eates and the Viper every thing shee touches into poyson so they whatsoever they heare or see in the godly In fine as Beggers with Scumea make their owne flesh raw so these with prejudice make their owne eyes blind whereby it fares directly with such an one as it doth with the Serpent Regulus no charming can charme him for prejudice like the goddesse Adrasteia or Sorceres rather takes memory wit and grace from all that entertaine it and leaves them in Pyrrhon's condition who would not believe what his eyes saw and his eares heard Sixthly they have a great advantage of Gods servants in this when they have