helpes as they are heavie burdens to the owners as Ezek. 7. 19. The rich man shall cast his silver away and his gold shall be farre off nay the greater his wealth is the greater plague the greater griefe and spoile awaites him as a tree that hath thicke and large boughs every man desires to lop him And how many have wee knowne overthrowne by the finenesse of their garments who if they had had a shorter traine had in likelyhood stood out many yeares longer Remember that Riches have wings under which let the Master hide himselfe a while as Esa. 28. 15. making falshood his refuge and hiding himselfe under vanitie yet with these wings will they fly away like a runnagate servant when his Master hath most need of him Secondly in time of sicknesse they are unprofitable The honourable Garter cannot cure the gowt nor the Chaire of Estate ease the collicke nor a Crowne remove the head-ache Can a man by all his wealth buy a good nights sleepe can it help him to a good stomacke or free him of one shaking or burning fitt of an ague Nay as wormes breed in the softest woods and cankers in the most sappie trees so softnesse idlenesse fulnesse intemperance and effeminate delicacie in the rich procure peculiar and most incurable diseases Thirdly in the day of death they cannot profit Job 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped up riches and God takes away his soule for as they cannot help to life or birth in which case some would give thousands or millions for an heir so they cannot help in life to put off death Doe not Princes fall like others and these gods dye like men Could all the rich mans wealth hold his soule one night no the foole found his life stood not in abundance It is righteousnesse not riches that delivereth the soule from death Prov. 10. 2. Nay at death they bring much bitternesse for it is as great a pang of death to part with wealth as to part with life so as a rich man without better hopes dyeth a double death here And one miserie abides with him that while he leaves his wealth hee carries his sinnes with him occasioned in the getting keeping and disposing of them these lye downe in the dust with him Fourthly after death they profit not they cannot keepe the soule from hell nor ease that torment one moment they cannot keepe corruption from the body open the grave and see if thou canst discerne a difference between the rich and poore tell me if the wormes spare either of both but if the living be wronged by cost about embalming entombing or the like it is but a corpes still no sweeter to God if not sweetned by the embalming and buriall of Christ. Fiftly at the day of judgment the whole world cannot profit a man being then set on a light fire then shall gold and silver and precious stones and common stones be all one the Judge will not be corrupted nor can causes be gilded nor sentence pronounced according to our wealth in goods or lands but according to our graces riches in good workes This will be then the only profitable wealth not gold in our chests but faith and pietie in our consciences shall avayle us and not that we had abundance but that wee were abundant in faithfull dispensing shall be our acceptance Pro. 21. 21. Hee that followeth righteousnesse and mercy shall finde righteousnesse life and glory And now after all this say What profit is it to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule Or what recompence shall a man give for his soule Two meditations arise out of these words 1. The soule of a man is a most precious and invaluable thing seeing all the world gained is not comparable to the losse of one soule Pro. 6. 26. it is called the precious soule or life of man See it farther 4. wayes 1. Consider the soule in it self it is a particle of divine breath not created as bodily things consisting of matter and forme but inspired of God For the soule is neither traduced from the soules of Parents and much lesse generated of any corporall seed or matter but the Lord that spred the heavens and founded the earth formed the spirit of man within him Zech. 12. 1. neither was it created without deliberation of the whole Trinitie Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man in our owne image or likenesse as being the exquisite Master-piece above all other 2. Behold it in the faculties of it and wonder that God should put in such a piece of clay so divine a soule And that not onely in regard of supernaturall qualities of holinesse and righteousnesse in the entire nature of it but also in respect of natural qualities and operations resembling God in his understanding and wisedome it hath a facultie to understand and know Him whom it ought chiefely to love and is almost infinite at least insatiable in seeking knowledge a facultie to will even that which God willeth nor resteth it in any thing of this life nor is contented with any thing below but willeth principally things beyond the sight blessednesse and happinesse and respecteth good estimation after death and so argueth it owne immortalitie as God is immortall a facultie of conscience that stands in awe to sin though none looke on or citeth the person before Gods tribunall as Belshazzar and Felix who trembled It hath likewise all his operations above sense to love GOD feare God beleeve in God embrace Religion meditate on heavenly things with an aptnesse to proceed in the knowledge of God which other inferior creatures cannot doe 3. Behold it in the end of it it was not made for the body but the body for the soule and not onely to be the tabernacle of the soule to dwell in but the instrument of the soule to worke by for the soule tyed to the body cannot put forth his faculties without organs and senses of the body to expresse love and dutie unto God But the primarie and proper end of the divine soule is to live to God in this life and with God in the life to come Fourthly behold it as redecmed by Christ and created again to Gods image What a price did God and Jesus Christ set upon it what more precious than the blood of him that was God The ransome of the soule must be a bove all corruptible things 1 Pet. 1. 18. Also as it is sanctified by the Spirit what can bee comparable to his unmatchable graces no pearles are to be compared to wisdome to precious faith to the feare of God which is a rich treasure And if the hangings bee so precious what may we thinke of the roome Then bee so much the more warie to shunne any thing that may hurt the soule We esteeme our naturall lives precious and therefore are carefull to avoyd whatsoever is prejudiciall to the body
that all true knowledge is from God whence hee is called the God of all grace and 2 Cor. 4. 6. God that commanded light to shine in darkenesse hath shined in our hearts Dan. 2. 20. the God of heaven revealeth secrets And therefore he is called light not onely essentiall in himselfe but by participation Reason 1. Gods way wants a teacher the way of sinne wants none And this teacher must not be man himselfe but God for the naturall man perceives not the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. nor can discerne them no more then a blinde man can judge of colours He walketh in the darke of his owne night and nature and knowes not whither he goeth Ioh. 12. 3. 5. The vayle upon the heart must be removed 〈◊〉 Cor. 3. 16. and the Father must draw or else none can â—ome to the Sonne 2. A naturall man is so farre from helping himselfe out of darknesse that hee increaseth his blindnesse every day and thickens the mist of his minde And were it a bodily darknesse â—s that of Egypt it were lesse dangerous but this is far more desperate That was on the body endangering the outward man this on the soule endangering that In that men desiâ—ed light in this they hate the â—ight and love darkenesse In that they would bee glad of guides in this refuse guides 〈…〉 orne and revile them In that they were afraid and sate still three dayes together here adâ—entrous more forward to lead then a seeing man to follow In that they were sensible of their misery in this they thinke themselves in a good case and in the way to heaven till they find themselves at the gates of hell as the Aramites thought themselves going to Elisha his house till their eyes were open and saw themselves in Samaria in the midst of their enemies So as no way can a naturall man wind himselfe out of his natural darknesse 3. True knowledge hath two things above the reach of nature First a sound Object namely holy things Prov. 9. 10. Now all the strength of Nature is too low and weake to reach them A naturall man may bee wise in naturall things or in civill actions yea wise to doe evil but to doe well in spirituall things hee is without all wisedome For nothing works beyond his ability Secondly it must have a sound Agent it must be wrought by the Spirit it is the inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding Job 32. 8. Flesh and blood reveales it not Mat. 16. nay the holiest men cannot reach it without Gods teaching Esa. 54. 13. they shall be all taught of God and 1 Cor. 2. 12. we have received the spirit of God that we might know the things of God Then if any want wisedome let him aske it of God with David let him goe to God for the opening of his eyes Salomon begged true wisedome and an understanding heart and obtained it of God 1 King 3. 9. And the rather ought wee to doe the like because we see in Salomon how God is well-pleased with this petition who suffers not a suit so pleasing to him to goe away unanswered And how can it bee other unto the Lord when in this request wee acknowledge the mournfull darknesse and blindnesse of our own minds the infinite depth and boundlesse Ocean of wisedome and knowledge in him and that we depend on him for knowledge which wee professe a treasure in his custody alone and that in the seeking of sound knowledge wee have an earnest desire to obey and please him And as this is a great meanes of Gods glory so also of our owne good for by this meanes as by a key wee unlocke unto our selves the rich treasury and full store-house of grace and wisdome prayer being the key of heaven Obiect But hath not God decreed unchangeably what to doe whom he will teach whom not so as our prayer or not prayer can never alter his decree Ans. 1. God hath decreed as well how to doe things as what he will doe and therefore Gods decree takes not away prayer but stablisheth it 2. God hath decreed to doe some things immediately by himselfe other things mediately by the creature Immediately by himselfe without the concurrence of the creature he decreed to create Adam Mediately by the concurrence of Adam and Eve hee decreed the being of Cain So for the effecting of many things in matters of regeneration and salvation he hath decreed that his servants shall concurre with him or else the thing shall not bee done as in this instance no prayer no teaching Never therefore seeke knowledge in the meanes without prayer to the Lord whose onely it is to give Thou commest to Church to heare the Word to get thine eyes opened to bee taught in the way of Gods statutes why now failest thou of that thou seekest but because thou seekest it at the mouth 〈◊〉 man and failest in seeking God for blessing Many heare and read a long time but the Word thrives not prospers not lives not in their hearts nor lives they are ignorant not infirmed they are prophane and not reformed And why doth that word which prevailes with others doe them no good but because one prayes for blessing and seekes higher than the Minister the other prayeth not or to no purpose And marke such as having heard the Word run out before prayer for blessing never looke the Word should prosper there ye shall never see a sound worke in such persons on whom is the brand of such prophanenesse as to flye from the face and presence of God Luther professed hee got more knowledge by praier then by all his study And thou shalt never prosper in the Word that neglectest prayer Ministers especially must pray for themselves and their people 1. For themselves as Daniel cap. 2. 17. hee and his fellowes beseeched the God of heaves for grace in those secrets and much more need we for grace to open to us the mysterie of this Kingdome Many good wits which are as laborious in study and reading are not so profitable and marvell that they cannot reach to such a gift as some other The very reason is they study read and meditate but pray not or sleightly and not craving a blessing they have none 2. For the people that God would prosper his Word to them and adde his teaching to theirs 2 King 6 20. Elisha prayed that the Lord would open the eyes of the Syrians that they might see themselves in the midst of their enemies so must Ministers be often on their knees in secret that their people may see themselves in the midst of their hellish enemies and discerne the danger so as to apprehend the meanes of their safety Thus of the first point 2. In the person praying teach mee David a man after Gods owne heart a Prophet a Teacher a Pen-man of Scripture one that had a singular measure of knowledge already yet hee
desires to bee further taught learne that Sound and saving knowledge is an humble knowledge Gods childe thinkes his knowledge to bee ignorance his sight to bee blindnesse not out of basenesse of mind or mistaking the gift but 1. Because no man seeth himselfe so well as he that is in the clearest light and he that hath most wisdome best seeth his owne wants How doth Moses learned to admiration debase himselfe and derogate from himselfe when God calleth him Exod 3. And how doth Agur deject himselfe as not having the understanding of a man in him Prov. 30. 2. whose praier what is it but a mournfull complaint of his owne ignorance 2. True knowledge shewes a man his own imbecillity even after conversion that although he be now light in the Lord yet he shall see he seeth but in part and knoweth but in part because of his owne weake capacity to comprehend the mysteries farre above his reach clouds of corruption left in him obscuring the Sunne-shine of the Word in it selfe cleare enough but wee looke through blacke glasses resistance of will which is but in part renewed obedience being but in part plainly argueth our knowledge so to be Ioh. 7. 17. And the understanding is not yet so captivated nor the affections so pure but that they would shape the Word to themselves not themselves to it hence they see themselves as the man Mark 8. â—3 restored to sight but at first saw men walking like trees they are not stone-blinde as before but have now a weake and indistinct sight so as Christ must follow his owne worke againe and again put his hands on them so as their sight growes stil clearer but never perfect till they come to see God as hee is the case of the Beleever being the case of Paul in his Conversion being strucke blinde his sight was restored by the falling off of the skales before his eies These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 skales of false conceits and naturall opinions are long in falling off our eyes even from our conversion till our dissolution 3. Sound knowledge is humble because of the excellent object of it which is two-fold first the statutes of God the matters of God which are deepe and high mysteries farre beyond the reach of highest capacities there are mountaines as well as vallies gulfes for Elephants to swimme as wel as shollow fords for Lambes to wade there are the depths of Predestination Incarnation Trinity and the like in which the Angels may pose their understandings Secondly God himselfe whom wee must know in Iesus Christ the nearer whom wee come the more humble we will be Moses as familiar as hee was with God yet comming neare unto him cast himselfe on his face and professed that hee was but dust and ashes A man by beholding the Sunne discernes the weakenesse of his eye so here 4. Sound knowledge is humble given onely to the humble and in such a measure as they may bee kept humble still For the Lord in great wisdom gives not knowledge either in kinde or measure to puffe us up but in his dispensation preventeth the Laodicean pride of our hearts knowing how hardly we could guide any perfection here Againe he deales with us as Parents with children under age and gives us knowledge in the measure of children and not of strong men Paul himselfe knew as a childe and in part 1 Cor. 13 and the best must know they have but inchoation of grace here and must grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ. Besides God gives such a measure of grace here as may stand with an holy covetousnesse of wisdome and such a desire after it as is insatiable that we might search the Scriptures with those noble Bereans as for silver and gold and know the price of wisedome to bee farre better Lastly that wee might not rest in this darke and petty Schoole on earth but long and desire that happy estate of heaven where is understanding without error knowledge without ignorance wisdome without folly This made Paul cast his eye beyond the present and set his affection upon that perfect which was behinde 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. Nâ—w we know in part but when that perfect is come then that which is in part shall be abolished Now we see as in a glasse but then we shall see face to face And withall it will make us prize Iesus Christ and flye unto him in whom we recover perfection of knowledge being made to us of God wisedome as well as righteousnesse Hence then the best men that know most must see they want much wisedome and much knowledge Let mee see a man gotten beyond David in found knowledge of God and himselfe and yet in this Psalme he can make no end of this desire and let this serve to beat down the idle conceit of knowledge if David who was of extraordinary knowledge and grace saw such darkenesse in himselfe and wanted so much of Gods teaching what doe we what may wee shall any man content himselfe with his measure attained as needing no more shall Davids measure humble him and shall thy measure make thee swell Consider the Apostles checke to the Corinthians 1 Epist. 8. 2. If any man thinke hee knoweth any thing let him know he knoweth nothing as hee ought to know And cast thine eyes upon the best examples in Scripture see the errours of Saints both in iudgement as Peter Gal. 2. 8 9 11. and in practise as David and tell mee whether the best had not need be still taught in the statutes Againe examine thy knowledge and the soundnesse of it by this note if it be humble For there is a notable difference betweene the godly and wicked in regard of their knowledge 1. The wicked man is proud and boasteth of that hee hath not the Pharisee of a key of knowledge an ordinary man of as much knowledge as the Minister or as much as he needeth whereas the godly man being humble scarce acknowledgeth the treasure that he hath 2. Whereas the wicked man having a slight measure of knowledge gives up the means and rests in that measure the godly what measure soever they have still follow God in the meanes even for that they have as if they had it not David being well taught prayeth to be taught more 3. Whereas a wicked man having a small measure of knowledge referres it to himselfe as gotten by his owne meanes or industry and for his own ends as also fwels in himselfe and despiseth others and will be knowne to have somthing above others the godly still flyes to the same grace that first gave it and referres it to the praise of the giver and yeeldeth to all other though not in gifts yet in his mind and affection Thus the true knowledge of Christ as the truth is in Christ teacheth to be like Christ who is meeke and humble Whence must follow 1. That a boasting
out-weig 〈…〉 silver and gold and are in much more request as Diamonds Ruâ—ies and Pearles True yet these are but the shining dust of the earth but wisdome faith 〈…〉 e is better than all pearles be their price never so great Obiect But some things a man may desire above all these â—s life liberty health honor c. Ans. In verse 15. All things thou canst desire are not to bee compared to wisdome The second reason is from the â—ffects shewing what wisdome bestowes and brings with her 〈◊〉 Riches in her left hand 〈◊〉 Length of dayes in her right 〈◊〉 Honour advancement and prosperity 4 Life the sweetest of all Shee is a tree of life 〈…〉 o them that lay â—old on her And so he concluds as he began â—h blessed is hee that retaineth 〈…〉 er We see now what reason the godly have and on what just grounds they most eagerly desire with David to be taught 〈◊〉 the way of Gods statutes The Vse is three fold 1. Of incitation 2. Of reprehension 3. Of examinatiâ—n 1. It serves to incite us to thâ— holy and earnest desire after th 〈…〉 word of God without whi 〈…〉 no man can have any comfort 〈◊〉 any sound grace For first as light was the fir 〈…〉 thing in the Creation so the fi 〈…〉 word of this second Creation i 〈…〉 Fiat lux let there be the lig 〈…〉 of heavenly knowledge a 〈…〉 as the word of God let light i 〈…〉 to all his worke which befo 〈…〉 was a confused Chaos and 〈◊〉 things rolled up in blacke darknesse so till this word of G 〈…〉 let light into the soule t 〈…〉 who le man lyes in a confusion 〈◊〉 blacke darknesse without a 〈…〉 light of direction or conso 〈…〉 on You know no babe is bor 〈…〉 alive into the world but it cryes for the milke and breast and if it doe not it is still-borne So the new-borne babe in grace cryes after the sincere milke of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. and without this thou art not borne of God Nor the friend of Christ no acquaintance or kindred of his no Christian but in name unlesse with an hungring heart thou heare the Word and keepe it And an ignorant heart is not only a gracelesse heart but destitute of desire of grace it cannot aske grace Ioh. 4. 10 hadst thou knowne thou wouldest have asked Secondly consider the comelinesse and seemelinesse of sound knowledge in him that professeth himselfe to be the Lords Prov. 4. 9. Salomon calls it a comely ornament and grace for the head and a chaine for the necke yea and a crowne of glory And what else makes a mans face to shine but wisdome whereas what an unseemely thing is ignorance of Gods statutes to a man either as a man or as a Christian 1. As a man God having given a man a minde and reasonable soule beyond a beast whereby he hath enabled him to conceive of heaven and heavenly things and hath elevated him with a particle of Divine nature for this very end that hee should rise above the beasts in high contemplations of Divine things and in the knowledge and obedience of the minde and will of his Creator how unseemely is it that that Divine minde should bee taken up with base transitory and sinfull things that a man should thus degenerate and fall backe to a brutish condition forgetting he hath a reasonable soule which David rates in himselfe whose ignorance or inconsideratenesse in one point of Gods providence and administration makes him as a beast before God 2. As a Christian man yet much more unseemely for a Christian professeth himselfe to be a Citizen of heaven heaven to be his Countrey God to be his King his Word and Statutes to be his Charter now is it not absurd and unseemly that a man should be ignorant of the fashions lawes and customes of his owne Countrey A Christian professeth himselfe a childe of his heavenly father and his fathers house to be his house and is it not unseemely a man should neither know his father nor his fathers name nor pleasure nor how to demeane himselfe in his fathers house A Christian professeth heaven to bee his home and inheritance and the Word the deeds of that Inheritance without which he hath noâ— title to one foot in heaven how unseemely and unreasonable were it for him to cast away the deeds of his land to breake off the seales to bee wilfully ignorant of the clauses that convay such an estate unto him and his So of the second Motive Thirdly consider the delight and pleasure in the Statutes of God which are full of sweet ravishments to such as attaine them and should quicken us to the taste and feeding on them In other things we see what paines men will take to compasse their pleasure Now as ignorance is most uncomfortable fitly therefore compared to darknesse to blindnesse to falling into a pit and to lying in a blacke and stinking dungeon So knowledge and wisdome which is compared to light and the bright shining of the Sunne Prov. 4. is most delightful to the soule as the light to the eye 1. In it selfe because knowledge is the proper worke of understanding and the highest part of man and as a man naturally delighteth in the knowledge of naturall things so an enlightned minde in the knowledge of Divine and spirituall 2. And especially in respect of the Object which is spirituall things This made Salomon say Prov. 3. 17. all the wayes of wisdome are wayes of pleasure For what man unlesse he have an infinite distemper in his soule would not be ravished to know in some measure those infinite perfections of our heavenly Father whereto we are commanded to strive yea to see in some sort the unsearchable depths of Gods wisedome and knowledge and to apprehend in some measure the bottomlesse mystery of mans redemption and salvation Was it not an admirable delight when Moses stood upon the top of mount Nebo and viewed all that land of Promise yet Moses must see it not enjoy it see it a farre off but not come neare it he must dye there and goe no further But for a man to stand here on Mount Sion the Church of God and view all the promised Canaan that heavenly Ierusalem with all her towers and enjoy them together with all the pleasures at the right hand of God can the knowledge of any thing bee so delightful to an heavenly mind The taste of the Word in this one particular maketh it exceed the sweetnesse of the honey and the honey-combe if a David taste it This of the third Motive Fourthly consider the way wherein we are to walke the way of Gods Statutes the properties whereof are such as may allure us into it for 1. It is the old way which wee must enquire of Jer. 6. 16. beaten by the feet of ancient Beleevers and Patriarkes all the Prophets and Apostles
good of the receiver Come hastily without all this knowledge and offer the sacrifice of fooles Eccles. 5. 1. 3. Can God heare thee praying who rejectest his Word Prov. 28. 9. Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer is abominable Besides prayer is a seeking of God and canst thou find him whom thou seekest while thou runnest from him who seeketh thee But we have callings to follow and families to maintaine and cannot spare an houre in a week-day to heare a Sermon I say as Salomon Eccles. 7. 20. it is good to lay hold upon this but withdraw not thy hand from that worldly businesse must be followed but never so as to be worldlings and this is when the whole time is ingrossed to prophane or worldly uses and none set apart for holy or the one thing necessary Againe to feed the body men can allot two houres in a day but not one in a weeke to feed the soule as if bread that perisheth were to bee preferred before that which endureth to eternall life or the soule were to be lesse regarded than the body And can these men spend foure five or moe howres at cards dice bowles vaine Enterludes to the destruction of much time with themselves and not one howre in a weeke for their instruction Can some of them watch whole nights and dayes at Satans suit and the service of sinne and not possibly watch one howre with Christ in the day yea in many dayes Cannot they sit up one halfe howre later or rise one halfe howre sooner to redeeme one howre for their everlasting good or will they find it profitable to winne the whole world with the losse of their soules Lastly how have we heard not a few such carelesse men rate themselves on their death-beds with horrible terrors in their consciences that so wretchedly they stopt their eares at so many calls of God and neglected the hearing of so many Sermons and too late wish that they might heare but one Sermon more and now all their hunger and thirst after the world onely enlargeth their hearts sorrow and can no way ease it Others say they are not book-learned and cannot attain this knowledge But thou oughtest to be book-learned God hath given thee both a booke and Teachers and wisdome is easie to him that will understand and she invites thee into her Schoole calling the simple to be wise in heart Pro. 8. 5. and pronounceth those blessed that watch daily at hee gates vers 34. But I am so crossed in the Ministery that I cannot endure it nor will heare such and such Know 1. All the frowardnesse is in thy selfe there is no frowardnesse in the Word Prov. 8. 8. 2. Crosse thy sinne and the Word will not crosse thee but if thou wilt rather crosse the Word than thy sinne thank thy selfe God and his Word will meet with thee as in Ahabs case Now we come to the use of Examination whether God hath taught us in his way or no. The notes of tryall are three First a continuall strife to remove all the hinderers of saving knowledge for light ever fighteth against darknesse And the lets to be removed are 1. Originall corruption a chiefe part of which is darknesse of understanding Labour in mortifying naturall corruption which as a blacke cloud hinders the shine of this Sunne 2. Hardnesse of heart Heb. 3. 10. They erred in heart and have not knowne my wayes and vers 12. Take heed of an evill and unbeleeving heart to depart from the living God The light of the Sunne may shine on the outside of a stone but cannot get within it while unbroken 3. Satanicall temptation the god of the world blindeth Infidels that the light of grace should not shine upon them whom we must therefore resist stedfast in the faith No marvell if Satan can blind the wicked seeing he can raise a cloud of dust to trouble the sight of the godly themselves and let them see every thing in a false glasse all to hide the light of Gods countenance from them 4. Actuall sinnes the nature of all which is to increase ignorance and blind the minde yet further Of these some keepe out knowledge some drive 〈◊〉 out Of the former sort are covetousnesse resembled by choking thornes Luk. 8. and Ezek 33. 32. they heare but jest for their hearts goe after covetousnesse and wrath envy hypocrisie with the like which must be laid aside or there is no growing by the Word 1 Pet 2. 1 2. Of the latter sort are the foule sinnes of flesh as whoredome drunkennesse intemperancy which besot men and diminish even naturall knowledge see Hos. 4. 11. 5. The pleasure of sinne as Eve in tempting and Adam in attempting the sinne the very sight and beauty of the Apple dazelled the cleare knowledge of innocency And as the sinne of the Sodomites smote them with blindnesse of body that they could not finde the doore so doth it much more the soule of the sinner that he cannot find Christ who is the doore of life 6. Custome of sinne the pleasure of which hath begot an habit this keeps and holds under the dominion of the Prince of darknesse and the Lord will not put his precious liquor into so nasty vessels but gives them up ordinarily to reprobate sense Rom. 1. 28. Now as nature teacheth us to fight for all these so grace leadeth us into the field against them for till they be in part subdued there is no possibility of saving knowledge no more then of Sun-shine at midnight This is the first tryall The second is this As all that indisposition must be removed so there must be a disposition wrought in the party whom God teacheth in his way which where it is the Lord hath begunne to teach that man Quest. Wherein stands the disposition to saving Knowledge Ans. 1. In humility God teacheth the humble in his way and he that must receive the Kingdome must be as a little child Esa. 28. 9. whom shall I teach or make to understand not conceited persons who make Divinity onely a matter of discourse or fill their braines and speech with vaine questions and idle speculations or such as come to sit as Iudges or Critickes on their Ministers gifts but such as are weaned from the milke or drawne from the breasts It was a proud and prophane speech of Hermolaus Barbanis and Angelus Politianus that by reading the Bible they forgat Latin 2. A soft and tender heart A sure signe that God hath spoken to it For none can reach the heart to change it but onely that Doctor whose chaire is in heaven He onely can write in the Tables of the heart Ier. 31. 33. 3. A crossing of humane wisdome which nature teacheth not Selfe-deniall is a note of a Disciple For who can frame the affections to hold and fasten on such a doctrine as crosseth nature mortifieth lusts depriveth of deare