Act. 23.1 I have in all good conscience walked before God which 1 Tim. 3.9 is called Act. 24.16 a pure conscience And by our Saviour in the Parable of the seed it s called a good and an honest heart which is expressed by a Religious and honest conversation In this sense it is here taken 3. Holding or Having 3. What is meant by Holding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having is the word but being of the Present Tense it implies a continued Act and so is well rendered by Holding first get it and have it then hold it yea more significantly Tit. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holding fast the faithful word according to doctrine c. 4. The next word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having put away 4. Put away which signifies an act not of ignorance or infirmity but knowingly and willingly to refuse or reject the dictates of conscience repellentes repelling or rejecting the verdict of it The same word is used Act. 7.27 Act. 13.46 Put it from you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the man that quarrelled with Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he thrust him away It imports a kind of violence offered to conscience by walking contrary to it 5. The last word considerable is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Made shipwrack have made shipwrack a Metaphor taken as I said from Mariners or Seafaring men who when the Ship is broken or sunk lose the Merchandize therein contained So that Faith or the Truth of the Gospel is the Merchandize a good Conscience is the Ship Faith is the Jewel a good conscience is the Cabinet Faith is the Treasure a good conscience is the Chest or Treasury If the Ship Cabinet Chest miscarry the Merchandize Iewel Treasure cannot be safe The full sense and sum is this 3. The sum of words If thou O Timothy wilt war a good warfare or fulfill thy Seafare with comfort and commendation Hold fast Faith that is the Truth of the Gospel but especially hold fast a good conscience which is the Ship or Cabinet for that being lost or put away the Faith will be lost inevitably as the sad and lamentable example of some Himeneus and Alexander doth manifest who having put a good conscience away concerning the Faith have made Shipwrack The words being thus explained hold out unto us The Observation made good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrs in locum this observation which I shall deliver in Chrysostomes words upon the place A corrupt and a culpable life breeds a corrupt judgement an unsound heart makes an unsound head if a man put away a good conscience he will soon make Shipwrack of the Faith As the conscience cannot be good unless the Faith be pure so the Faith cannot be safe unless the conscience be good Without knowledge the minde is not good Prov. 19.2 A corrupt judgement makes a corrupt life or conscience and a corrupt conscience will soon corrupt the Faith which was thus we shall make good 1. From Scripture 1. By parallel places of Scripture we have the like in a lesser degree in this very Chapter vers 5 6 7. The end of the commandment is Love out of a pure heart good conscience and faith unfained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which pure heart good conscience c. some having swerved from have turned to vain janglings The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Metaphor taken from Archers who mistake their aime and so miss the mark The meaning is some desiring to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctors or teachers of the Law not levelling or aiming at purity of heart and a good conscience c. they have begun to decline from the Truth being turned to vain janglings What is that Fables and endless or useless genealogies which breeds questions rather then Godly edifying which is by faith vers 4. These vain disputations as they take men off from practical Truths so they do by little and little corrupt the truth To the like purpose the Apostle prescribes this as a preservative of the Faith chap. 3.9 to his Deacons Holding the mystery of the Faith in a pure Conscience Pure faith will not abide but in a pure conscience as the Doves a cleanly creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not abide but in a clean house And on the contrary see 1 Tim. 6.5 these two go together Men of corrupt minds that is conscience destitute or deprived of the truth He had said before vers 3. If any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness In the 4 and 5 verses he gives the reason of that corrupting the Faith partly his pride he is puffed up partly his ignorance acquired perhaps he knoweth nothing but dotes about questions and partly yea chiefly He is a man of a corrupt mind and therefore justly deprived of the knowledge of the truth The very like expression is in 2 Tim. 3.8 speaking of seducers of themselves and others that lead captive simple women he shewes the reason of both They seduce others whom such as have lost or never had a good conscience Simple women laden with sins and led about with divers lusts They are themselves seduced upon the same ground men of corrupt mindes then follows reprobate concerning the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that have lost their judgement concerning the Truth of the Gospel And vers 13. he sayes Evil men and seducers wax worse and worse not onely in life but also in judgement for so it follows deceiving and being deceived 1 Tim. 6.5 Supposing that gain is godliness through covetousness First their life corrupts their judgement and their judgement again corrupts their life It s strange to consider how far a mans judgement may be corrupted by a bad conscience and wicked conversation Take but one place Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God How comes it to pass that a man should be so grosly corrupted in so clear a principle The works of God proclaim a God Rom. 1.19 That which may be known of God c. How come men to think there is no God the reason follows Corrupt are they and become abhominable in their doings c. This is rendred as a reason why the Prophets and Priests corrupted the Law of God Zeph. 3.4 Her Prophets are light and treacherous persons her Priests have polluted the Sanctuary they have done violence to The Law More might be added but these may suffice for instances We shall now manifest it further 2. By Reasons How comes it to pass 2. By Reasons that the corruption of the heart or life hath such influence to corrupt the head or judgement in the plain Truthes of the Gospel Take these 1. Sinful lusts allowed and lived in hinder spiritual light and saving knowledge Lusts are like scales upon the eyes 1. Sinful lusts hinder spiritual light
c. They cannot give any reasonable account I my self have known some that were Zealous Anabaptists and the like who could sufficiently finde Language to cry down a Steeple-house and Tythes and raile at the Ministry who were so farre from speaking the Language of Scripture in pâ—ainest principles that they could not speake reason or sense in their common discourse Little do most men thinke or know what desperate ignorance there is to be found in most ordinary people No marvell if Seducers by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.18 2. Pride if they have gotten any more then ordinary knowledge pride of parts pride of gifts confidence of Spirit nimblenesse of fancy volubility of Tongue c. these puffe up self conceited Novices wâ—th scorn and arrogance that they thinke themselvâ—s abler then their Teachers and wiser then 7 men yea 7 Ministers that are able to render a Reason for what they say or do These young Lapwings runne away with the shell on their head and forget by whom they had their hatching These turn Teachers and Preachers and scorn and disdain those from whom they borrowed their light Nothing so much discovers a light and a vaine head and the Levitie and falsity of their waies as first that pride and scorn manifested to all not of their own way and that railing and reviling of men far better then themselves for wisdome and pietie Truth makes men humble especially to those supposed to be in errour and that meerly out of conscience shewing all meekness to all men for we ourselves were sometime foolish deceived c. Tit. 3.3 But marke St Peters description of those false Teachers who should bring in damnable Heresies 2 Pet. 2.10.12 Presumptuous are they self-willed they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities these speak evil of the things they understand not c. That 's a second Pride 3. Hyprocrisie open or secret corruption of mens hearts doth often betray their heads into errours This is the subject of the following Sermon I must not here Anticipate my own discourse Only let me tell you my owne and others observation It is too well known that many I will not say most of them who have left the old truths for new and the old waies for others are sensibly grown far more loose and remisse in the practicall parts of Religion then they were before they departed from us even some of those who pretend to the purest way of Religion and strictest way of Church Government are become more carelesse of themselves and Famâ—liâ—s in secret and private duties Men and women that once durst not omit reading praying catechizing their families now can neglect all Holding it some of them a profanation for to teach their Chidren any Catechism or forme of Prayer or to speake of Scripture But generally which is observable all the Sests cry down the morality of the Sabbath make every day that is no day a Sabbath can make it a day of recreation or ease and neglect the Assemblies most of them except the Quakers who cry down pride and fashions upon another Monkish designe are as fashionable in their haire and habits as any the most vaine and garist amongst us and call it a part of their Christian Liberty what may be the cause of these Defections in opinion and practise I feare some secret lust or corruption of their hearts which accounted the former strictness and precisenesse of the way of Religion their burden and now is discovered by some Doctrines of Liberty Hence it is that they generally fly and forsake their old Teachers who know their lives and touch their lusts and seek out such as preach novell and high speculations with swelling words of vanity which never stoop so low as to touch their pride and wantonesse Covetousnesse and worldly mindedness c. But these things are more fully prosecuted in the following Sermon and I feare I have held you too long from it I commend it to your Honourable perusall and to the Blessing of God upon all that shall vouchsafe to reade it In him I am Right Honourable Your humble Servant for your furtherance in the truth Daniel Cawdry From my study July 23. 1655. A late Great SHIPWRACK OF FAITH Occasioned by the VVrack of Conscience 1 TIM 1.19 Which good Conscience some having put away concerning the Faith have made shipwrack AS the life of a Christian man in generall 1. The coherence in regard of the miseries of it So the life of a Man of God a Minister in speciall is compared to a wayfare to a warrefare to a Sea-fare To a wayfare and so the Minister is called a Guide Rom. 2.19 a Guide of the blinde To a warrefare and here he is called a Captaine or Leader Heb. 13.17 obey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Leaders To a Seafare in the metaphor of the text and then he may be called the Pilot of the ship the Church 2 Tim. 2.5 The Apostle makes use of two of these Metaphors in the former and this present verse there he bids him Warre a good warrefare as a chief Commander according to the prophesies which went before upon him Here he bids him as a Pilot take heed of a Shipwrack by the example of others that have miscarryed and prescribes the meanes for both Holding faith and a good conscience c. 2. The explication of the words to Faith taken For the explication of the words we shall enquire 1. What is meant here by Faith Faith is taken either Objectively for the Doctrine of Faith quam credimus which we do beleeve or Subjectively for the habit of Faith and that 1. 1. Objectively 2. Subjectively for the habit 1. Actively 2. Passively for Fidelity Actively Quâ credimus Deo whereby we beleeve in God 2. Passively Ob quam creditur nobis for which others believe and trust us that is Fidelity or faithfulness and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken Gal. 5.22 The fruits of the Spirit are Love and Faith where it is taken not for justifying faith but for fidelity and faithfulness to others It is taken here in the first sense objectively for the Doctrine of Faith or Truth of the Gospel as the parrallel place manifests 2 Tim. 2.18 1 Tim. 6.21 Tit. 1.9 Faithful word speaking of Hymeneus one of the Apostates there and Philetus he sayes They have erred concerning the Truth as here they are said To have made shipwrack concerning the Faith 2. Good conscience two wayes 1. Of Tranquility 2. Of Integrity 2. What is meant by good conscience Conscience is nothing but a reflect Act of the soul upon it self applying Science or knowledge to a mans self and so approving or disproving accusing or excusing The goodness of the conscience is either the goodness of Tranquility a peaceable conscience or the goodness of integrity or sincerity a practical conscience walking according to its knowledge So Paul speaks
the light that betrayes him 2. Yea more then this he loves darkness vers 19. because his deeds are evil 3. But more then this he not onely grows strange to the light and loves darkness but hates the light as our Saviour there speaks When Jehoshaphat would needs enquire if there were never a Prophet of the Lord to consult with Yes sayes Ahab there is a fellow one Michaiah but I hate him for he never prophesies good to me but evil Ahab was resolved upon his own project to go against Ramoth Gilead and he fears honest Michiaah will cross him in it therefore he not onely avoids but hates him So deal resolved sinners with the light of the word first grow strange to it neglect to read or hear it and after come to hate it He that loves his lusts cannot love the word that reproves them but least the word should correct him he will correct indeed corrupt the word Hence comes it that men Having itching ears after their own lusts they get themselves an heap of teachers 2 Tim. 4.3 suitable to their lusts so the words may be read If a man will prophesie of wine and strong drink he shall be a Prophet for the people Mich. 2.11 That is they being given to voluptuousness love and like and seek out Prophets good fellows like themselves that will indulge them in such courses And they say to their teachers as the messengers sent for Michaiah said to him 2 King 22.13 All the Prophets speak good unto the King with one mouth let thy word I pray thee be like the word of one of them and speak good So these kind of men enquire the judgement of their Ministers concerning some doubtful practice usury gaming fashions c. and they tell them such and such allow it I pray let your word be as one of them And mark the issue If but one or a few men agree with them they shall be believed against thousands that condemne the practise As Tertullian said of the persecutors of the Christians They believe accusations which are not proved nor do they desire to try them Credunt quae non probantur nec quaerunt ne non probantur Apol. least they should not be proved So is it here they easily believe what they would fain have to be true and what they like not they will hardly believe This then is a fourth reason Sinful lusts corrupt the Affections and the Affections corrupt the judgement 5. Sinful lusts do stupifie 5. They silence or stupifie the Conscience by corrupting the truth conscience or silence the clamor of it by corrupting the Truth Hence you hear of some That have made a Covenant with death and with hell are they at agreement Isa 28.15 that is have silenced their fears of death and hell by some lying and false perswasions of peace notwithstanding their sinful practises as the Prophet intimates in the following words For we have made lies our refuge and under falshood have we covered our selves There is in sinful practises a sting of terror and horror of guilt till this be either taken out by repentance and pardon or at least stupified and laid asleep the soul cannot quietly enjoy the pleasure of sinning This cannot well be done in a knowing Christian but by corrupting the Faith Resolved they are not to disease or disquiet conscience by so much as questioning the lawfulness of their practise As the Athenians having shamefully lost Salamis a Town of their jurisdiction made a Law that no man should once name Salamis Aquinas upon 1 Tim. 6. applies it to usurers and such like Many unlawful things sayes he are forbidden by sound doctrine which men are unwilling to forsake and so they find out a new doctrine where they may have some hope to be saved in these courses We need not go far for an instance Hymeneus one of the Apostates mentioned in the text together with Philetus corrupted the Faith in a prime Article of it the Resurrection of the dead 2 Tim. 2.17 18. Their word will eat as a canker of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus who concerning the truth have erred saying that the Resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some What was the reason of this corrupting the Faith I will give it you in the words of a judicious Interpreter upon the place Because they could not bear an accusing conscience and the torment thereof they undertake to defend their vices and least they should be vexed with the terror of future judgement they deny any providence and perswade themselves that these things are false which the true Faith and Religion declare concerning the immortality of the soul the Resurrection of the body and the last judgement If their practises will not agree with the word they constrain the word to agree with their practise That 's a fifth Reason 6. The Just judgement of God 6. Lastly It is the just judgement of God upon such sinners when men for the maintenance and allowance of their own lusts will not see the light of truth they shall not see it That he as Austin well who knowing what is right would not do it at length should come to be ignorant what is right we have instances enough both in Jews Gentiles and Christians In Jews Psal 81.8 c. Hear O my people and I will testifie unto thee if thou wilt hearken unto me c. But my people would not hearken unto my voice and Israel would none of me vers 11. What followed So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsels Let them follow their own Imaginations corrupting the truth of God by their corrupt lives and practises In Gentiles Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness How or wherein doth this wrath appear See vers 21 22. Because that when they knew God and glorified him not as God c. they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened And vers 24. God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own heart c. even to most unnatural lusts not fit to be named vers 26 27. And for this cause God gave them up to a reprobate minde to do things which are not convenient vers 28. In Christians we have it threatned 2 Thess 2.10 11. abundantly made good upon the followers of Antichrist of whom he sayes Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness And thus we have finished the Doctrinal part of our discourse
Thess 2.5 popularity at the heart which may incline the judgement to some plausible and advantageous errors of the times Look well there to our consciences there may lodge in them some deceivable lust which may deceive our judgement into error Mark how Paul searches and sifts his heart The testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you wards 2 Cor. 1.12 And again chap. 4.2 Having renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God That 's one 2. The Apostle gives this charge to Timothy 2. They by parts and place are able to do much good or hurt not so much as a Christian or private man as a preacher of the Gospel his place and parts called for more vigilance to get and keep a good conscience Great parts of learning and eminence of place as a leader in warfare or a Pilot in Seafare if the heart be unsound may enable men to do the more hurt by propagating by defending and colouring over errors with a shew of truth The greatest Hereticks have been very learned subtile men able to dispute their errors and so to subvert the Faith of others So we noted above That the Heterodox Teachers were acute disputers 1 Tim. 6.4 5. And elsewhere he sayes As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses by their inchantments imitating the miracles of Moses so do these seducers resist the truth men of corupt minds reprobate concerning the faith 2 Tim. 3.8 Simon Magus by the opinion of his parts and greatness drew multitudes of people after him Act. 8.9 10. Hence the Apostle gives that caution Col. 2.8 Beware least any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men 3. Thâ—y if bad anderring may carry many with them to hell 3. Ministers of all others had need to look to their hearts and heads because if they mislead themselves they are able by their Authority and favour with the people to mislead many with them into hell They are called Guides Leaders Pilots as we said at first if those miscarry they carry with them thousands into destruction The Scribes and Pharisees made many proselytes making them two fold more the children of hell then themselves Those two men named after the text Hymeneus and Alexander as also Philetus 2 Tim. 2.17 18. who had made shipwrack of the Faith Their word did eat like a canker saying that the resurrection was past already and overthrew the faith of some Those Cretian seducers subverted whole houses Tit. 1.11 The venerable esteem of many seeming Saint like Hereticks of old carryed many thousands with them into Heresie And so they do now their followers having their persons in admiration for their seeming holiness have gone after them blindfold as not thinking it possible that such pious men coul err or lead others into errors The leaders of my people cause them to err and they that are lead of them are destroyed was once a complaint and may be our caution The words are rendred by Tremelius thus Doctores populi mei Isa 9.16 sunt seductores The leaders of my people are seducers But in the Original the words are more emphatical They that bless my people are seducers See Isa 3.12 and they that are blessed by them are destroyed They by their flatteries pronounced the people blessed in their erroneous and destroying wayes notwithstanding the threats of ruin to them by the true Prophets of God and when they thought themselves blessed in a blessed state they and their Prophets were swallowed up in a common destruction Wo to the seduced but tiwice and twenty times wo to the seducer he that brings in damnable errors to deceive and destroy others he brings upon himself swift destruction His fire shall be so much hotter in hell as he hath more disciples after him as so many faggots to incense the flame Let Ministers then look well to the Faith to keep it sound and if they will keep and hold the Faith above all keepings keep a good conscience 3. A word of direction to all and I have done 3. Directions to preserve from this shipwrack How we may preserve our selves from the Apostasie of the times and prevent this common shipwrack of the Faith There are as hath been hinted three things that do betray men into error in these times ignorance pride and hypocrisie the contrary to these are the preservatives of the Faith knowledge humility sincerity of each a word and but a word 1. Sound and well grounded knowledge of the truth 1. A skillful Pilot sound knowledge An ignorant and unskillful Pilot will easily endanger the ship You heard before who they are that are commonly the prey of seducers unlearned and unstable souls sayes Saint Peter 2 Pet. 3.16 therefore unstable because unlearned They are children says Paul that are carryed away with every winde of doctrine Eph. 4.14 and simple women that are led captive by seducers 2 Tim. 3.6 untaught unprincipled people never catechized in the fundamentals of Religion Hence that of the Apostle Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome and Col. 2.2 He prayes for them that their hearts may be comforted or strengthened unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ A superficial notional knowledge is easily shaken it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full assurance of understanding that comes to an acknowledgement of the Mystery of God not the hystory only an ignorant soul among seducers is like a ship at Sea without a skilfull Pilote 2. Knowledge alone is not sufficient knowledge puffs up 2. Store of Ballast true humility sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.1 But there must be the Grace of Humility as ballast to poise the ship It 's pride you heard that carries men into error pride of parts of gifts c. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble The meek will he guid in judgement the meek will he teach his way Psal 25.9 It is not more ordinary then just with God to give proud men over to their self-delusions He delights to bâ—fool those who are wise in their own eyes They set their wisdom against Gods and he sets his wisdom against them and blinds them with their own wisdome Whatever parts or gifts or abilites men have let them labor the more to be humble and lye low He that in a blustring wind lyes on the ground is safe whereas he that sets himself upon the house top or on a pinnacle is in danger to be blown down and to break his neck In a word a man of much knowledge without Humility is like a ship at Sea with full sails but without ballast every gust of wind is ready to overturn it or run it upon a rock 3. A stronge Anchor sincerity 3. Sincerity is the chief that secures all unrighteousness of heart that 's the good conscience in the text is like the Anchor to a ship that stayes it in a storm So the Psalmist prayed Let uprightness and integrity preserve me Psal 25.21 the reason is added for I wait on thee When the truth is much obscured by Hereticks that he cannot see his way there 's a promise Vnto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness Psal 112.4 God hath promised all blessings to the upright See Psal 25.12 Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose they are his delight Prov. 11.20 The high way of the upright is to depart from evil he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul Prov. 16.17 He that walketh in his upuprightness feareth the Lord but he that is perverse in his wayes dispiseth him Prov. 14.2 And how just is it with God to despise that man that feareth not God but is perverse and hypocritical in his wayes of all men God hates an hypocrite and will one time or other uncase him Hence it is observable that many weake Christians for knowledge but sincere and upright in heart persevere and outstand all the errors of the times when many of great knowledge and learning and parts but open or secret hypocrites do Apostate from the truth Above all then get a sincere and upright heart to walk up to your knowledge that will keep both the Faith and your selves I shall allude to the Apostles words 1 Cor. 13. vers ult There are these three preservatives of â—he Faith knowledge humility sincerity but the chiefest of these is sincerity This is that good conscience in the text made good by sound and saving knowledge much bettered by humility and preserved in both those by sincerity Let it be it every one of our prayer Oh let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed Psal 119. vers 80. And Oh that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes then shall not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandements vers 5 6. And I shall conclude with my prayer too Do good O Lord to those that are good and to them that are upright in their hearts As for such as turn aside unto their crooked wayes the Lord will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity but peace shall be upon Israel Amen FINIS
like a webb or cataract as they call it that covers the sight of the eye of the soul And therefore the Apostle makes repentance which is the removal of those lusts the way to saving knowledge 2 Tim. 2.25 If at any time God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth It was well said of a Divine of ours that Repentance is the Ministers best Comment upon his text and the hearers best Comment upon the Sermon So 2 Cor. 3.16 speaking of the Jews When their heart shall be turned to the Lord by true repentance the vail of ignorance and blindness shall be taken away Hence are those promises of knowledge made to the Godly Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant and before that vers 9. The meek will he guide in judgement and the meek will he teach his way And verse 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose So Solomon Eccles 2.26 To him that is good in his sight God giveth wisdom and knowledge And our Saviour himself See Joh. 8.31 32. Joh. 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whither I speak of my self If a man resolve to hold the truth unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 2 Tim. 2.6 7. not letting it break out in his practice God will not do that man the honor to let him know the truth we our selves would not impart our skill to such Schollars as we know would not make use of it It was as Chrysostome well observes a strange thing that David so wise a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Tom. 1. pag. 697. and a Prophet should go about to hide his sin not onely from men but prehaps from God too He gives the reason of it Though he was a Prophet yet lust had blinded his eyes and darkned his understanding That 's the first 2. They put out Natural and Artificial light 2. Sinful lusts put out natural and artificial light All sin is of an infatuating and darkening nature it either finds or makes men fools It is not for nothing that sinners are so often called fools and sin folly by Solomon and others or that sins are called by the name of ignorances Heb. 9.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the errors or ignorances of the people They are mutual causes one of another many if not most sins are caused from ignorance Father forgive them they know not what they do and much ignorance is procured from sin Nemo malus nisi stultus enim saperet bonus esse mallet Salv. If men were not foolish they would never venture to sin and if some did not sin so much they should be wiser then they are no man sayes Salvian is evil but a fool for if he were wise he would be good Sins are called darkness and works of darkness because as they proceed from so they end in darkness inward darkness of the mind and outter darkness of death and hell without repentance As the crude and cold darkness of the night thickens the clouds and those clouds thickned increase the darkness of the night So the ignorance of men casts them into lusts and those lusts blind their reason and judgement See it in the Gentiles Rom. 1.21 22. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened professing themselves to be wise they became fools Grosse fools against the very light of nature as appears in the next verse They changed the glory of God the incorruptible into an image made like corruptible man and to birds and four footed beasts and creeping things So the Apostle of some others Eph. 4.18 Having their understanding darkened How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the hardness of their hearts An hard and callous humor grow over their eyes by customary sinning as it follows Being past feeling they gave themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness Our own experience may afford us examples of this kind too many Men of excellent parts of Nature Art Learning besotted and befooled in their Judgements and given over to as vile errors as lusts well therefore called deceitful lusts Eph. 4 2◠or lusts of deceit because they seduce and deceive their owners 3. Sinful lusts if they do not put out the light of reason 3. They corrupt Reason and turn it against the Truth yet they corrupt and bribe it and imploy the strength of it to defend themselves and oppose the truth See that place 1 Tim. 6.4 If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words c. He is puffed up and dotes so we read it the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is sick and as sick stomacks desire unwholsome food so a sin-sick soul cannot endure sound doctrine as he speaks of others 2 Tim. 4.3 but studious how to plead for his own lusts and errors So the Apostle adds Whence cometh envy strife c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perverse disputings and wranglings of men of corrupt minds So corrupt that they esteem gain to be godliness How comes this to pass Why they dispute and distinguish themselves into these groses opinions So that lusts not onely corrupt reason but turn the edge of it against the truth to maintain gainful errors and practices study new distinctions and new niceties to qualifie the grossest obsurdities We could hardly believe this did we not see it in experience The Church of Rome first plotted a Religion full of superstitious formalities to uphold their own lusts pride ambition covetousness voluptuousness and then set their best wits on work to maintain it with nice distinctions and Scholastical speculations deceiving their followers so long that at last they deceived themselves and believed their own delusions to be truths So it hath been I fear with some of the Arminian and Socinian party who the better to maintain their own lusts have patronized with much subtilty those Pleagian doctrines of Vniversal Redemption Freewill c. And divers practices formerly condemned by all Divines or the most as usury c. are now studied and upheld by soft distinctions and tender qualifications c. 4. They corrupt the Affections 4. Sinful lusts allowed c. corrupt the affections and they corrupted corrupt the judgement All judgement we use to say is lost when the Affections are trusted with the Resolutions of the case From hence the affections corrupted proceeds First a strangeness to the light He that evil does and loves to do it comes not to the light least his deeds should be reproved Joh. 3.20 or discovered to be evil He that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Can a thief or deceiver love or like
That a corrupt heart makes a corrupt head An unsound heart makes an unsound judgement Let us now proceed to the Application 5. Application Use 1. To shew the Depravation of our Nature 1. Take notice of the miserable and lamentable Depravation of our nature since our first Father affected too much knowledge to be like God knowing good and evil We are now our own worst enemies and our corruptions begins at our selves It is a question yet no great question Whither Adams understanding or his affections were first corrupted This is certain that both wayes now we are subject to corruption Sometimes the head corrupts the heart A corrupt judgement corrupts the affections Without sound knowledge the minde is not good Prov. 19.2 Sometimes the heart affections or conscience corrupt the judgement As it is in nature there is a mutual influx or influence of the head upon the stomack by distillations of ill humors and of the stomack upon the head by ascension of ill somes or vapors and both wayes the health of the body is endangered So is it in the soul a corrupt head or an ill principled judgement corrupts the heart and life evil doctrines as evil words corrupt good manners like Gangrens that eat and fret away the vitals of Religion and the power of Godliness The Apostle was speaking of some that were infected with this cursed principle That there should be no resurrection What influence would this doctrine have upon the heart and life See vers 32. Let us eat and drink for to morrow we dye and there an end of us and all Be not deceived sayes he evil communications evil doctrinal principles corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 The judgement thus corrupted corrupts the heart and life And contrarily a corrupt heart or life corrupts the head some evil practises sophisticate the judgement and both wayes the health and salvation of the soul is hazarded Use 2. To manifest the Reason of the prevalence of of errors at all times 2. We may cease to wonder for we see the reason why seducers prevail so much upon people and why the Church in all times hath been pestered with so much error and false opinions The hearts and lives of men corrupt their heads and judgements Not to look too far back into the Primitive times see it of latter dayes in the prevalence of Popery upon the world The Apostle foretold it should come to pass in the last dayes 1 Tim. 4.1 The spirit speaketh evidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall give heed no errors and doctrines of divels which speak lies through hypocrisie What 's the occasion of it Having their consciences seared with an hote iron Their consciences were scorched and seared with grose sins and then they corrupted the faith to heal them whole again So 2 Thess 2.10 Because they received not the love of the truth therefore God sent them strong delusion that they should believe a lye vers 12. They believed not the truth Why because they had pleasure in unrighteousness We wondered of late times to see so many not simple people onely but learned Clerks and Rabbies to turn Pâ—pists Arminians Cosin-germanes of Papists we needed not if we had considered that their hearts were gone to Rome before and now their heads followed after Were they well examined many of them it would be found they first put away a good conscience before they made shipwrack of the Faith their hearts betrayed their heads Many of them were it s known they were covetous ambitious voluptuous and Popery hath baits of all sorts to catch them that great Harlot and mother of fornications hath a golden cup full of preferments profits pleasures and this made mens heads drunk and giddy to embrace the grossest errors obsurdities for truths Look upon these present times and see what defection from the Faith there is and what sad Apostacy from the old received Truths is to be found amongst us and that not of the common ignorant multitude though they are a daily prâ—y to seducers but of old professors who had not onely knowledge in the word as they thought but also a form of godliness in the worst times Our Church of England I mean the professing party in it seemed to me not long ago as a fair great looking glass wherein was represented one onely Image a sweet unanimity and uniformity in judgement and affections But now Oh pitty it s like the same glass broken into many pieces and every one presenting a several Image in so many sects and factions almost as men What may be the matter Truely I think mens hearts have betrayed their heads They had a form and but a form of Godliness denying the power thereof allowing themselves in some open or secret corruption and now justly delivered over to self-pleasing and self-deceiving errors Have you not seen in Summer time upon a tree an Apple or a Pear red and yellow-ripe afore all its fellows Come next morning and you find it on the ground What was the matter Why there was a worm as opening you find at the Core which sucking up all the moysture hastaned the outward ripening and drew away that very sap that should have preserved it on the tree So is it with many professors that in outward shews outrun many times sincere and honest hearted Coristians making a more glorious shew of knowledge and practise then other of their neighbors the stony ground brought forth fruit immediately the good ground with patience but there 's a worme of some lust within that eats out the heart of Religion hypocrisie hastening on to ripeness of profession and then they fall off from the Faith to error It were easie to instance in almost all the present errors and heterodoxe opinions of the times they are oftentimes entertained upon this very ground because they comply with and favor some open or secret lust The Apostle speaking of some novel opinions of those Primitive times so early they began calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profane as well as vain bablings 2 Tim. 2.16 and sayes they grow to more ungodliness Mark it they suppose and finde profane and ungodly hearts and make them more profane and ungodly hearts that intertain them Do we not see the open looseness of many formerly professing hypocrites as the event discovers Do we not wonder at such and such zealous professors turned not onely erroneous in their judgements but loose and far more licentious in their lives since they fell to these new opinions Take but some few instances of taking opinions which in their very nature are suitable to some mens corruptions I told you heretofore of Hymeneus and Philetus who fell into a gross error Saying that the Resurrection was past already 2 Tim. 2.17 18. And the doctrine took exceedingly Whose words fretted like a Gangrene and overturned and subverted the faith of some And have not we the same errors revived now of