fooles and worshipped gods that were not able to wipe off the dust from their owne faces How many Papists that are great clarkes and wise men maintaine a thousand absurd and ridiculous Tenents yea such brainesicke Positions that never any old woman or sicke person doted worse To nominate two of two hundred Iohn Baptist with them hath so many heads that they cannot tell which is the right God made him but one Herod left him none they as if he were another Hydra have furnished him with a great many Christs crosse is so multiplied with them that the same which one ordinary man might beare if the peeces were gathered together would now build a Pinnace of a hundred Tunne yet they will tell us that every shiver came by revelation and hath done miracles but this appeares to me the greatest miracle that any man should beleeve them yea is not their folly and blindnesse such as to maintaine those things for truth which the Holy Ghost plainely calls the Doctrine of Devills 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2. And justly are they forsaken of their reason who have abandoned God yea most just is it that they who want grace should want wit too If Idolaters will needs set up a false god for the true is it not equall that the true God should given them over to the false and because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore saith the Apostle God sendeth them strong delusions that they might believe lyes that all they might be damned which beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes. 2. 10. 11. 12. God giveth to every man a stocke of knowledge more or lesse to occupy withall and to him which useth the same well viz. to his glory and profit of himselfe and others he giveth more as to the Servant which used his Talents wel hee doubled them which makes the Holy Ghost frequent in these and the like expressions If any will doe Gods will hee shall understand the Doctrine whether it be of God or no Ioh. 7. 17. A good understanding have all they which keepe the Commandements Psal. 111. 10. The Spirituall man understandeth all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. to a man that is good in his sight God giveth knowledge and wisdome Eccles. 2. 26. wicked men understand not judgment but they that seeke the Lord understand all things Pro. 28. 5. But as for him which useth it not much more if he abuseth his knowledge to his owne hurt and Gods dishonour as too many doe he taketh from him even that which he had formerly given him as he tooke away the odd Talent from the servant which had but one and did not use the same Luk. 19. 24. That this is Gods manner of dealing you may see Mat. 21. 43. Gen. 4. 11. Acts 26. 18. Isaiah 29. 14. and 44. 25. and 6. 9. 10. Dan. 2. 19. 23. Iob 5. 13. 14. Ioh. 9. 39. and 12. 37. 40. Rom. 1. 28. Eph. 4. 18. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 20. 2 Thes. 2. 10. 11. 12. Hee is not more the author of light in Goshen then of blacke darkenesse in Aegypt hee doth not more open the heart of Lydia then harden the spirit and make obstinate the heart of Sihon King of Hesbon Deut. 2. 30. If there be a Mordecay growing into favour with him there is also an Haman growing out of favour As Eliah's spirit is doubled upon Elisha so the good Spirit departed from Saul As the Gentiles became beleevers so the Iewes became Infidells As Saul became an Apostle so Iudas became an Apostate As Iohn groweth in the spirit so Ioash decayeth in the spirit 2 Chro. 24. 17. c. As Zacheus turneth from the world so Demas turneth to the world and God is no lesse the permitter of the one then the cause of the other if we consider him as a righteous Iudge punishing one sinne with another by way of retaliation Hereupon when Christ meets with good Nathaniell a true Israelite in whom there was no guile he saith unto him beleevest thou because I saw thee under the Figg-tree thou shalt see greater things then these Iohn 1. 50. whereas to the obstinate Iewes he saith by hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand and seeing yee shall see and not perceive Math. 13. 14. Even like Hazar that had the Well before her but could not see the water Gen. 21. 19. make the heart of this people fat make their eares heavy and shut their eyes least c. Isaiah 6. 10. which words with the former examples are written for our learning and warning for was the Talent thinke we onely taken from him in the Gospell Did none lose the spirit but Saul Have none their hearts hardened for their obstinacy but Pharaoh Doe none grow out of favour with him but Haman doe none become Infidels besides the Iewes None prove Apostates but Iudas Have none their eyes darkened and their hearts hardened for their sinnes but the Gentiles O yes the idle servant was but a type of many that should have their Talents taken away Saul was but a type of many that should lose the spirit Sampson was but a type of many that should lose their strength the Gentiles were but a type of many Christians which should have their minds darkened and their hearts hardened whom God should give up to a reprobate minde c. It 's true this is not meant of naturall or speculative knowledge wherein the wicked have as large a share as the godly but of spirituall experimentall and saving knowledg which is supernaturall and descendeth from above Iames 3. 17. And keepeth a man from every evill way Pro. 2. 12. Wherein the wicked have no part with the Godly the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2 14. Now God esteemes none wise that are not so in this latter sense yea naturall and worldly wisdome without this is meere foolishnesse in Gods account 1 Cor. 1. 20. and 3. 19. and no lesse then twelve times infatuated by the wisdome of God in one Chapter 1 Corinthians 1. 2. Whence it is that the Scribes and Pharisies who were matchlesse for their knowledge and learning and that in the Scriptures Gods Oracles which will make a man wise or nothing are called by our Saviour who could not be deceived foure times in one Chapter blind and twice fooles Math. 23. and Baalam who had such a propheticall knowledge that scarce ever any of the holyest Prophets had so cleare a Revelation of the Messiah to come is called by the Holy Ghost foole 2 Peter 2. 16. and good reason for though he was a Seer hee could not see the way to Heaven and the same may be said of Iâ—das who knew asmuch as the wisest naturall man for if he had beene wise he would not have taught others the way to Heaven and goâ— himselfe the direct way to Hell Alasse the greatest Clarkes and they that know most are not always
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
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
lookes through three paire of eyes what we see or heare being passionately transported either by love oranger wee neither see nor heare it as it is The object which we love seemeth much more faire unto us and that much fowler which we loath Yea even Zaleuchus-like will make a man put out one of his owne eyes that so he may see his friends vertues not see his crimes Hath not his affection rob'd him of his judgement whâ—â—hinkes better of a filthy strumpet then of his own chast wife yea surely if hee did not looke through the false spectacles of his flesh it could not be But anger especially robs a man of his judgement and lifts reason out of her seate which makes these beastly sensuall swilbowles so partial in judging between themselves and the godly As for example indeed the Scriptures afford not mamy examples of it in them which were drunkards for drunkennesse was then as rare as now it is common but what is true of all the Serpents seed must needs be true of Sathans peculiar ones How did anger rob Haman of his judgement who thought Mordecae's not bowing the knee to him a more heynous offence then his owne murthering of thousands And Iezabel of hers who thought it a greater sinne in Elâ—ah to kill Baals Prophets then in her selfe to slay all the Prophets of the Lord And the Phariâ—is of theirs who could see more unlawfulnes in the Disciples plucking a few eares of corne and the Palsieâ— mans carrying his bed on the Sabbath then in their own devouring of widowes houses and could better afford themselves to murther Christ then others to believe in him yea they could better afford themselves to be the greatest of sinners then our Saviour to be in company with sinners And lastly Ahab who thought Eliah troubled Israel more in doing the wil of the Lord then himselfe in provoking the Lord above all the Kings of Israel which were before him which is the case of our drunkards they censure more deeply our fearing of God then their owne blaspheming of him and thinke it a more heinous offence for us to be sober then for themselves to be drunke What then are their censures of us when wee do offend Yea if mens passions and affections did not make them strangely partiall how could they suffer their faithfull and painfull Minister who lies ledger for the great King of Heaven and Earth to feed upon Crusts and spinne out twenty or forty Marks a yeare into a thread as long as his life yea murmure at his great meanes and boast of their large contribution and complaine he keeps no hospitality though indeed even books would require ten pounds of the money I speak not of their blockish stupidity who think none live more idly then Schollers when yet themselves being undeserving Attorneys or silly Tradesmen who doe little else but stand in their Shops or ungodly Ale-house-keepers whose whole life is but a vicissitude of filling and emptying will get and spend one hundred two hunderd three hundred pounds per Annum a peece and yet complaine of a hard world surely they think Ministers can preach without study as the Apostles did or live by miracle as Iohn Baptist did who was in his diet habit and carriage indeed a miracle 3. Another reason is as these drunkards can see us but not themselves without a glasse so they looke to us not to themselves it faring with them as it did with the â—airies called Lamiae who made use of their eyes when they went abroad but put them in a box when they came home and they have much the more quiet for so doing a wicked mans conscience being like a bad wife that wil either bee gadding abroad or scoulding at home In surveying their owne evill actions they are beetle eyed or like him Iohn the 9. who had never a seeing eye or at least like Polyphemus who had onely one eye but in spying ours they have the eyes of a Basiliske and are as quick sighted as Argos who had his head compassed with an hundred eyes yea as Lynceus who as Varro speakes could see through a wall or if they have two seeing eyes yet like the purblind they see double or like those women of Scythia called Bithiae they have two sights in each eye for if they looke upon our actions it is with an evill eye judging of us by what wee should bee if upon their owne it is with a tender eye and so judge by what they are in their owne opinion and the judgement of sense And to mend the matter Sathan like our cunning men presents unto them spirituall things in a false glasse stamping his own image on Gods silver and Gods Image on his owne drosse and so comes their often mistake in censuring Neither are their memories lesse partiall for in remembring our faults they are like Clement the sixth who never forgat any thing he had once learned but touching their own they resemble Claudius the Emperor who presently forgat whatsoever he did or spake Now put all together and tel me whether it fares not with drunkards as it did with Pentheus in Euripides his Bacchus who supposed he saw two Sunnes two Thebes every thing double when his braine alone was troubled § 92. SEcondly if wee refuse to participate with them in their sinne it shall goe hard but they will make us partake with them of their shame as if Ioseph will not commit adultery with his Mistris shee will accuse him for an adulterer and make him worse thought of then her selfe Innocency is no shelter against evil tongues malice never regards how true any accusation is but how spitefull The baggage World desireth nothing more then to scarre the face that is fairer then shee and it is Sathans policie because report both makes jealousies where there are none and increaseth those that there are to abuse our eares in hearing our tongues in speaking and our hearts in believing lies to disable us from discerning the truth Yea this of slander like a â—uge and mighty Polypheme hath done such service to the uncircumcised that examples therof in Scripture are like moates in the Sun as whom have wee mentioned therein without mention of some false accusation Naboth was a blasphemer upon record and proved so by affidavit Eliah was a troubler of Israel Ieremiah an enemy to the State Susanna a Whore Iohn Baptist had a Divell Paul was a polluter of the Temple Stephen was a destroyer of the Law all the Disciples sectaries subverters of the State c. Acts 28. 21. Yea Christ himselfe was a Wine-bibber a seducer of the people a Beelzebub and what not And the same divell who spake in Iezabel and those wicked ones of old now speaks in our debauched drunkards and deboyshed swearers who resembling the Divell Rev. 12. 10. Iob 1. 7 9 11. will charge a man if hee bee not for their turne with many things as the Iewes did Paul Acts 24.