saith I onely remaine a Prophet of the Lord but Baals Prophets are 450. 1 King 18. 22. and Micha complaines of the multitude of the wicked in his time and small number of the faithfull Micha 7. 2. Behold saith Isai. I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signes and for wonders in Israell Esai 8. 18. so few and rare that they were gazed on as monsters And though the number of the children of Israell be as the sand of the Sea yet but a remnant shall be saved saith the Lord himselfe Esai 10. 22. Rom. 9. 27. Neither hath it beene otherwise since the Gospell the whole City went out to send Christ packing not a Gadarean was found that either dehorted his fellowes or opposed the motion Mat. 8. 34. when Pilate asked what shall be done with Iesus all with one consent cryed crucifie him Math. 27. 22. there was a generall shout for Diana for two howers together great is Diana of the Ephesians not one man tooke Paul's part yea the Iewes tell Paul that his Sect is every where spoken against Acts 28. 22. so that Vox populi is not alwayes Vox Dei yea for the most part it is Vox Diaboli for all bothsmall and great rich and poore free and bond receive the marke of the beast in their foreheads Revel 13. 16. Neither is this the vote of Scripture alone for the very Heathens could see the same to be a truth even by the light of reason Diogenes thought he should doe best when he did least what the common people did And Socrates ever suspected that which past with the most and generall commendations Yea of all the 288. severall opinions which Philosophers held touching the chief good reckoned up by S. Augustin de civitate Dei Lib 19. Cap. 1. never any was so mad as to thinke the way to attaine to it was by doing as the most doe wherefore saith Seneca regard not what the multitude do for number is but an ill signe of a good cause yea it is the best note of the worst way Yea this is so cleare a truth that even common sense may see it for look we upon the whole frame of nature and every creature in the Universe even from the Angels to the least moats or atomes and from substances to accidents this rule holds good that the basest things are ever most plentifull Then like no vice though followed with a throng for Who measures truth by voyces doth it wrong Follow the best not the most and what the example bates of multitude will bee supplyed with magnitude Truth may not bee measured by the pole it is not number but weight that must carry it with God a solid verity in one mouth is worthy to preponderate light falshood in a thousand yea therefore be more temperate and sober that so thou mayest not imitate but rather reprove them and bee more holy because in the midst of a perverse generation so shining as lights in a dark place and follow not the worlds fashion especially in this for this is a fashion that will one day bee wash'd off with fire and brimstone § 49. SEcondly suppose this were the common practise of the greatest richest and noblest men in the Land it would no way serve thee for an excuse nor make thy sin any whit more warrantable I confesse authority of greatnesse doth often corrupt the integrity of goodnesse yea the evill examples of great men doe great harme and ever have done and he that is most eminent hath most followers Augustus a learned Prince filled Rome with Schollers Tiberius filled it with Dissemblers Constantine with Christians lulian with Atheists As other beasts levell their looks at the countenance of the Lion and birds make wing as the Eagle flies so Regis ad arbitrium totus componitur orbis If Saul even kill himself his Armor-bearer will do the like the leaders example is a law to the followers Yea many like Aesops Asse that imitated the fawning Dogg will doe what great ones doe though they make themselves ridiculous by it wee are led by whom we are fed without any respect to him that feeds both them and us A sicke head makes a disordered body a blinde eye endangers all the other members a Rulers unrighteousnesse like a blazing star hath a long taile and drawes a traine of mischiefes after it and is ominous to the whole land wheras piety in a Prince like Aarons oyntment runnes downe to the skirts of his garments Psal. 133. 2. blesseth all his subjects The bad conditions of popular persons are like Iacobs speckled Rods they make the people bring forth their owne party-coloured actions Genesis 30. 38. 39. the ill customes of the eminent are drawn up like some pestilent exhalations and corrupts the aire round about But should their examples be followed because they are great or because they are set by God to rule over us in matters civill politicke and judiciary no for God doth not make every one good whom he hath made great neither makes he difference between the Voble and the rabble either in the dispensing of his gâ—ace or in the tolleration of offenders one is no more priviledged then another for his grace is alike free to both and both the same law bindes all men alike to their good behaviour and the same punishment shall bee inflicted upon all that offend Yea God is so farre from being arespector of persons in the dispensing of his grace that as he hath put downe the mighty from their seates and exalted them of low degree so he hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich hee hath sent empty away Luk. 1. 52. 53. he hath chosen the poore of this world to be rich in faith James 2. 5. yea not many noble are called as Paul speakes but God hath chosen the base things of the world and things that are despised to confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1. 26 27. Neither is this the manner of his donation onely but of his acceptation also for as our Saviour chose rather to bee born in the towne of Bethlehem a meane place of Iudea then in Ierusalem the Metropolitan and most glorious city Mat. 2 1. And as David preserred the approbation of a Maid servant fearing God before Michols a scoffer though shee were Queene 2 Sam. 6. 22. So God esteemes more of vertue clad in raggs then vice in Velvet hee respects a man not for his greatnesse but for his goodnesse not for his birth but for his new birth not for his honour but for his holinesse not for his wealth but for his wisdome with him Ephraim shall bee preferred before Manasses Gen. 48. 14. 19. and Ishaes little sonne before the rest of his brethren 1 Sam. 16 11 12. Adoniah may pretend his eldership but Salomon shal enjoy the kingdom 1 King 2. 15. It is humility that makes us accepted both of God and man whereas the contrary maketh us hated and abhorred of
both While Saul was little in his owne eyes God made him head over the Tribes of Israell and gaue him his Spirit but when he abused his place and gifts God took both from him and gave them to David whom Saul least respected of all his subjects 1 Sam. 15. 17. 28. and 16. 14. The best Nobility is the Nobility of faith and the best Genealogie the Genealogy of good works The blessed Virgin was more blessed in being the child of her Saviour then in being his mother the onely true greatnesse is to bee great in the sight of the Lord as Iohn Baptist was Luke 1. 15. which if we bee it is no great matter how the world esteemes of us and he that is regenerate is greater and more noble than the proudest that oppose them for the righteous saith Salomon is more worthy then his neighbour Prov. 12. 26. and better is the poore that walketh in his uprightnesse then he that perverteth his wayes though he be rich Prov. 28. 6. The Bereans are reputed by the Holy Ghost more noble men then they of Thessalonica because they received the word withall readinesse and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so which Paul preached Act. 17. 11. Whence it is that David thought it not so happy for him to be a King in his owne house as a doore keeper in Gods house that Salomon in the book of his repentance prefers the title of Ecclesiastes that is a soule reconciled to the Church beforethe title of the King of Ierusalem That Theodosius the Emperor preferred the title of Membrum Ecclesiae before that of Caput Imperii professing that he had rather be a Saint and no King then a King and no Saint And that godly Constantine rejoyced more in being the servant of Christ then in being Emperor of the whole world And good reason for they were but poore Câ—sars poore Alexanders poore Tamerlanes that wone so many victories and lost the best whereas our adoption makes us at once both great rich and safe as for greatnes we are alied so high that we dare call God Father our Saviour Brother c. for riches we have heaven it selfe which is made sure to us for our patrimony and for fafety we think it no presumption to trust to a guard of Angels see that yeed spise not one of these little ones saith our Saviour for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 18. 10. And thus wee see hee is great that is good and hee noble that is all glorious within Psal. 45. 13. and that it is no measuring men by the depth of the purse for servants are oftentimes set on horseback while Princes walke on foote Wherefore our estimation of others must bee led by their inward worth which is not alterable by time nor diminishable with externall conditions and for our selves it matters not if with Gideon wee are dream't to bee but barley Cakes when we know withall that our rowling down the hill of outward esteeme shall breake the tents of Midian it matters not how base we be thought so we may be victorious Iudge 7. 13. 14. But suppose God did make a difference between rich and poore great and small noble and ignoble yet still greatnesse nobility and riches would be but a deceitful guide or rule to walke by for the Kings of the earth band themselves and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ Psalme 2. 2. and in 1 King 20. 26. we read of no lesse then 32 Kings in a cluster which were every one drunke and elsewhere that a thousand of the chiefe Princes of Israel committed fornication and were all destroyed for their labour in one day Numb 25. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 8. Yea of twenty Kings of Iudah which the Scripture mentions we read of but six that were godly and of eighteene Kings of Israel all but two are branded by the Holy Ghost for wicked and yet this nation was Gods peculiar and chosen people out of all the world And lastly when the Rulers sate in Councell against Christ none spake for him but Nichodemus Ioh. 7. 50. 51. All which shewes that it is neither a good nor a safe way to imitat other mens examples be they never so rich never so great Or if we avoid not their sinnes wee shall not escape their plagues if we sinne together we shall be sure to perish together as when those three and twenty thousand Israelites committed fornication after the example of their chiefe Princes they were every one destroyed both leaders and followers Num. 25. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 8. And as when those other Cities followed Sodoms lust they were all consumed with Sodoms fire Iud. 7. Onely there shall be this difference as the errors of the eminent are eminent errors and the more noble the person the more notorious the corruption for great Persons like the great lights of Heaven the most conspicuous planets if they be eclipsed all the Almanacks of all nations write of it whereas the small Scarres of the Galaxy are not heeded all the country runnes to a Beakon on fire no body regards to see a shrub flaming in a valley whereby sinne in them is not onely sinnne but subornatione quae in Vulgaribus nugae in Magnatibus blasphemia so these great offenders shall meete with great punishments and as their fault is according to the condition of their place so shall the nature and proportion of their retribution be § 50. 3 BUt thirdly suppose most of the Learned and greatest Shcollers in the land were given to this vice which notwithstanding is a vanity to conceive yet all were one this could be no excuse for thee For first not many wise men after the slesh are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise that no flesh should rejoyce in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 26. 27. 29. yea the preaching of Christ cracified was foolishnesse to the wise Sages of the world 1 Cor. 1. 23. It pleaseth God for the most part to hide the mysteries of salvation from the wise and learned and reveale them unto babes Math 11. 25. Luk. 10. 21. yea the saving knowledge of Christ is hid to all that are lost 2 Cor. 4. 3. But if once men abuse their knowledge and learning to Gods dishonour and comply with Sathan and the world against the Church then he taketh that knowledge which once they had from them as he tooke heate from the fire when it would burne his children Dan. 3. 27. I will destroy the tokens of the Southsayers and make them that conjecture fooles I will turne the wisemen backward and make their knowledgefoolishnesse saith the Lord Isa. 44. 25. he taketh the wise in their craftinesse and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish Iob. 5. 13. As how many wise and learned men among the Gentiles have turned
saith our Saviour thou wouldest have asked of me Iohn 4. 10. ther 's the Spirit of prayer and supplication He that knoweth God loveth God and the children of God I Iohn 4. 7. 8. He that knoweth God keepeth his Commandements I Iohn 2. 3. Now I know thee saith Iob to God I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Iob. 42. 5. 6. He that knoweth God is borne of God I Iohn 4. 7. there is love obedience hurnility godly sorrow regeneration I might goe on and instance in every other grace For as feeleing is inseparable to all the Organs of sense the eye sees and feeles the care heares and feeles the palat tastes feeles the nosthrills smell and feele so knowledge is involved in every grace faith knowes and beleives charity knowes and loves patience knowes and suffers temperance knowes and abstaines humility knowes and stoopes repentance knowes and mournes obedience knowes and does confidence knowes and rejoyees hope knowes and expects compassion knowes and pities Yea as there is a power of water in every thing that growes it is fatnesse in the Olive sweetnesse in the Figg cheerefulnesse in the Grape strength in the Oake talenesse in the Cedar rednesse in the Rose whitenesse in the Lilly c. so knowledge is in the hand obedience in the mouth benediction in the knee humility in the eye compassion in the heart charity in the whole body and soule piety Alasse if menhad the true knowledge of Iesus Christ it would disperse and dispell all the blacke clouds of their raigning finnes in a moment as the Sunne doth no sooner shew his face but the darknesse vanisheth or as Caesar did no sooner looke upon his enemies but they were gone Egypt swarmed with Locusts till the west winde came that left not one He cannot delight in sinne nor dote upon the world that knowes Christ savingly § 156. OB. But the objection which as they thinke cannot be answered like the invincible Nauy in 88. is this We see by experience that the strictest livers are seldome the wisest men yea who more vicious then many that know most Answ I am not ignorant that some Fooles have made other Fooles beleeve that none trouble themselves about Religion but the simplest yea the most holy and religious in all ages have beene accounted Fooles and mad men El sha was counted no better by that man of the Sword 2 King 9. 11. in Hosea's time the Prophet was esteemed a foole and the spirituall man mad Hosea 9. 7. yea our Saviour Christ with open mouth was proclaimed mad by his carnall hearers Iohn 10. 20. Mar. 3. 21. and Paul the like by Festus Acts 26. 24. yea all the Apostles were reputed Fooles 1 Cor. 4. 10. and this hath beene the worlds vote ever since the sincere Christian was so reputed in Pliny's time and after in St. Austins time yea Iulian the Pelagian could gibe St. Austin that he had none of the wise Sages nor the learned Senate of Philosophers on his side but onely a company of meane trades-men and handycrafts-men of the vulgar sort that toke part with him whose answer was thou reproachest the weake things of the world which God hath chosen to confound the things which are mighty And is it otherwise now Is not the honest devout orthodox Christian the plain dealing and religious man hee that declares his meaning by his words that cannot or will not lye and desemble shift and flatter temporise and accommodate buy promotion supplant growe rich take bribes he that will rather suffer then do evill ordinarily esteemed an idiot or silly asse yes by all that are craftily wicked as you may heare out of their owne mouths Wisd. 5. 3. to 9. To worldly men Christian wisdome seemes folly saith S. Gregory and well it may for even the wisdome of God is foolishnesse with the world 1 Cor. 1. 18. 23. But shall we therfore take it for grant that they are wisest because they suppose and say they are no for first as he must have a sweet breath that can judge who hath a sweet breath so to judge who is a wise man is onely the office of a wise man Secondly the Lawes of our Land wil not admit a delinquent for a witnesse af-after he is found guilty neither will Irand they stand convicted of folly Sections the 34. 38. 39. 40. 51. 91. 157. 184. 190. But if they will put themselves upon a faire tryall they shall have an equall proceeding or if they will heare the case argued if reason give not sentence on the good mans side let mee suffer as a slanâ—erer Indeed wisdome hath alwayes carried that shew of excellency that not only the good have highly affected it as Salomon who prayed for wisdome and Moses who studied for wisdome and the Queene of Sheba who travelled for wisdome but the very wicked have laboured for it who are ashamed of other vertues so that wisdome is not only justified of her children but also of the children of folly Knowledge is so faire a virgiâ—â— that every cleare eye is in love with her it is a pearle despised of none but Swineâ—O the pleasure that rationall men take in it they that care not for one dramme of goodnesse would yet have a full scale of knowledge though they never mind to do good yet there is no good which they would not know among all the trees of the garden none so pleaseth them as the tree of knowledge As wisdome is excellent above all so it is affected of all as oyle was both of the wise and foolish Virgins it hath beene a mark which every man hath shot at ever since Eve sought to be as wise aâ— her Maker But as an hundred shootes for one that hits the marke some short some over and some aside so an hundred ayme at wisdome for one that lights upon it â—cclesiastes 7. 28. Yea as many thinke themselves good fellowes for one that is a good-fellow indeed so many thinke themselves wisemen for one that is wise indeed Of all sorts of men in the world none repute themselves or are reputed by others wiser then the profound humanist and cunning politician and the yet neither of these may compare with the goâ—ly 〈◊〉 for wisdome and knowledge § 157. FIrst not the humanist for they are not alwayes the wisest which know most as I have proved at large â— 50. 51. I will further confirme it There are a generation of men that mightily thirst after wisdome and knowledge and to get it they are no niggards of their labour for they leave nothing unstudied but themselves they know all parts and places of the created world can discourse of every thing visible and invisible divine humane and mundane whether it bee meant of substances or accidents are ignorant of nothing but the way to heaven are acquainted with all Lawes and customes save the Law of God and customes of Christianity they are strangers no where but in the Court
had his share before and they forgot what was formerly spoken you shall have one for very pure love and want of other expression weep in his fellowes bosome another sit kissing of his companion not without some short sentence nothing to the purpose a third setting his mouth on the racke with laughter wise were the man that could tell at what a 4th swaggering and swearing because the wine was brought him no sooner a fifth for I passe him that sits there in a corner nodding and slavering falls down upon his marrowbones in devotion to Bacchus and up with the pot hand smooth after which every one that is awake sings his song seasoning the same with many a goodly belch then one in stead of a harpe takes a knife and a quart pot with which he will make fine musick in his conceit another in his song commends his mistris another the goodnesse of the wine another being better skilled in prose than meeter relates all the passages betwixt him and his wife at home for wine descending causeth words still to ascend another tells how many quarts he and so many more dranke at such a ing another begins to argue of Religion and matters of State another brags of his lying with such a woman into whose company hee could never yet bee admitted another boasts how he jeered such a Puritan for the drink having bitten him hee runnes like a mad Dog up and down snapping at every body and many a good man may say with David I became a song of the drunkards another falls a riming all in Satyre against the rest that are absent and will not drinke and perhaps steeps his jest in his own laughter which being lik'd and laught at they all fall a riming then each one in his order must play the Poet out of the inspiration of Bacchus only for Sibylla like they never yeeld any Oracle except they are first possest with a fury and the Muses may goe hang for any roome they have here their Library is a large roome ranked ful of pots and canns of all sorts Now although the wisest of them cannot make two true verses in his mothers tougue in three houres yea although they bee the veriest lack-latins and the most unalphabeticall raggabashaes that ever lived for I never heard of above one good Poet they had and hee was starved to death for telling truth out of season yet notwithstanding for stand well they cannot they will one with a cole another with a candle fill all the walls and â—eelings with Epithalamiums Elegies and Epitaphs which done are expounded to the rest of the company if any be awake to heare it your eares would blister to read them though it would doe a deafe maâ—s heart good to heare them or a blind mans to see them § 37. ANd yet poore soules they thinke themselves wiser then Salomon for being bribed with self-conceite what can not they doe what doe they not know what will they not say yea it is a wrong to their reputation to be ignorant of any thing and yet they know not this one thing that they know nothing as it is hard to tell whether pride or ignorance beares the greatest sway It is incident to a weake mind to overvalue it selfe the Gentiles professed themselves to bee wise even when they became fooles Romans 1. 22. â—â—e Prince of Tyrus would bee reputed wiser then Daniel Ezâ—ch 28. 3. when indeed he was of all fooles the greatest v. 6 9. and S. Paul tels us that they which never knew what wisdome meant yet named themselves Philosophers Col. 2. 8. Yea they hold all the world dunces besides themselves and will sweare they are shallow fellowes that doe not drinke sack Tell them that Pythagoras drank nothing but water that Demosthenes that great Orator never drank wine they will say it cannot be it is impossible for they have as high an esteeme of wine about making wise as the Stoicks had of their doctrine about making holy who were of opinion that whosoever received the same if in the morning hee were wicked in the evening hee should become a very good man and hence it is that according to the custome of Duchmen and ancient Persians they never make bargaines nor consult of any great matters but in the midst of their cups when halfe drunke Neither will any wonder at this their conceit that considers these two things First what the nature of Wine is for wine as Plato wel observes being immoderately taken makes them which drinke it thinke themselves wise and their discourse unanswerable and so it is by reason of their obstinacy hereupon their speech is much though little to the purpose and what ever the question be the truth is on their side all is spoken in print that is spoken by them though their phrase the apparell of their minds hath a rash outside and fustian lynings which would make them hold their peace if they but heard themselves with my eares as Xenocrates the Philosopher told one that was a great babler yea all the Drunkards Geese are Swanns and all their vertues tenne foote long as for faults they have none for poore soules they see neither their slips nor wants Secondly a Drunkard with the sluggard in the Proverbs is wiser in his owne coâ—ceit then seven men that can render a reason because he speakes so much and heares so little They that talke so much to others seldome speake with themselves enough and then for want of acquaintance with their owne bosomes they may well be mistaken and present a foole to the people while they thinke themselves wise Alasse if they have once read but the Fayry Queene the Arcadia and Montaigne his essayes I dare not say the booke of statutes or the Chronicles or can but breake a jeast as many of them are like Sarmantus a gentleman of Rome whowas famous only for his scoffing then they conceit of themselves as Menecrates the Physitian did who though not worthy to be Aesculapius his Apothecaries boy would needs be Iupiter and opinion you know is all in all every thing wee light upon is as we apprehend it opinion makes women faire and men lovely opinion makes men wise valiant rich nay any thing § 38 BUt are they so wise because they thinke themselves so No no more then Simon Magus was great because he called himselfe a great man for what ever they thinke by the rule of Scripture every Drunkard is a foole Pro. 20. 1. and experience shewes that the greatest bowsers are the greatest Buzzards in the world that they have most leaden conceits dull understandings drossie wits grosse and muddy affections for either they are of so meane breeding that they are ignorant of any other entertainment or of such slow conceit as they are not company one for another without excessive draughts to quicken them Or thirdly so abundantly talkative that they prove themselves fooles the other way for even their much babling
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
Devill be the father lust the mother consent the midwife sinne the child and death the portion yet all is like to miscarry if custome become not an indulgent nurse to breede up the â—ame till it come to an habit Sathan first twines certaine small threads together of seeming profit pleasure c. and so makes a little cord of vanity therewith to draw us unto him and afterwards composeth of such lesser cords twisted together that cart-rope or cable custome of iniquity and therewith he seekes to bind men fast unto him for starting for when â—inne by custome and long practice is growne to an habit this is sinne in perfection or the perfection of sinne because custome in sinne brings hardnesse of heart hardnesse of heart impenitency and impenitency damnation Yet this by the way is to be noted and remembred that men of yeares liveing in the Church are not simply condemned for their particular sinnes but for their continuance and residence in them sinnes committed make men worthy of damnation but liveing and abiding in them without repentance is that which brings damnation upon them such as live within the precincts of the Church shall be condemned for the very want of true faith and repentance § 125. SIxthly thy judgment shall not onely be increased according to thy sinnes but God will therefore adjudge thee to so much the fâ—rer and severer condemnation by how much thy meanes of repentance hath beene greater If I had not come and spâ—ken unto them saith our Saviour they should not have â—ad 〈◊〉 but now have they no cloake for their sinne Iohn 15. 22. Ordinary disobedience in the time of grace and wilfull neglect of Gods call in the abundance of meanes is a great deale more damnable then the commission of sinne in the dayes of ignorance and blindnesse when the like meanes are wanting Those Gentiles the Ninivites were more righteous then the Iewes in that they repented at the voice of one Prophet yea and that with one Sermon whereas the Iewes refused and resisted all the Prophets which God sent among them but the Iewes who resisted our Saviour Christ's doctrine and put him to death were more righteous then such as amongst us are scoffers at Religion and Antipodes to the power of grace they were never convinced that he was the Messias sent from God to redeeme the world as all or almost all are that call themselves Christians because they professe themselves members of Christ and Protestants in token that they are ready to protest against and resist all such as are professed enemies to and opposers of Christs Gospell As for the Heathen Philosophers who knew not God in Christ they are more righteous then wicked Christians beyond compare for they beleeved as Pagans but lived as Christians wheras such beleeve as Christians but live like Pagans yea many of them would have beene ashamed to speake that which many of these are not ashamed to doe and though we are unworthy to be called Christians if we professe him in name and be not like him in workes yet the most part of men amongst us proclaime to the world that they have never thought whether they are going to Heaven or Hell There be many professed Christians but few imitaters of Christ we have so much science and so little conscience so much knowledge and so little practise that to thinke of it would move wonder to astonishment had not our Lord told us that even amongst those that heare the Gospell three parts of the good seede falls upon bad ground The common Protestant is of Baalam's Religion that would dye the death of the righteous but no more Ioshua's resolution I and my house will serve the Lord is growne quite out of credit with the world and there are more banquerupts in Religion then of all other professions but let men take heede least by their disobedience they lose their second Paradise as our originall Parents did their first If we are commanded to exceede Scribes and Pharisees in our righteousnesse then those that come short of the Ethnick Pagans what torments shall they suffer Ierusalem is said to justifie Sodom yet were the Sodomites in Hell now if we justifie Hierusalem sure we shall lye lower in Hell then either the Sodomites or the Iewes for we are so much the worse by how much we might have beene better § 126. BUt see how many wayes God hath called thee how many meanes he hath used that he might winne thee to repentance First the holy Scriptures are as it were an Epistle sent unto thee from Heaven and written by God himselfe to invite and call thee to repentance and therein Christ himselfe no lesse saith unto thee from Heaven when thou art drinking swearing mocking scoffing deriding enuying hateing opposing and persecuting any that beleeve in him then once he did to Saul why persecutest thou me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kicke against the prickes for whatsoever the Spirit speaketh generally or specially in the Word is the voice of the whole Trinity and intended particularly to thee and to me and to every man single his case being the same What dost thou looke for Caine or Iudas to come out of Hell to warne thee it is sufficient their sinne and punishment is written for thy learning But this is not all for though he calls chiefely by his Word yet he doth not call onely by it for never any thing happened unto thee in thy whole life whether thou receivest benefits or punishments hearedst threatnings exhortations or promises from any his Embassadors of the Ministery but all whether faire meanes or foule have beene sent from God to invite and call thee to faith and repentance He even therefore threatens Hell saith St. Chrysostome that he may not punish thee by the same All Gods blessings are like so many suters woing thee to repentance yea they put on even the formes of Clyents and petition thee for repentance his afflictions are Embassadors sent to treat with thee about a league which cannot be had without repentance all the creatures of God ordained for thy use are so many silent Sermons so many trumpets that summon thee to repentance in briefe wherefore doth the Spirit of grace knock at the dore of thine heart with such infinite checks and holy motions but that he would come in and he will not come in till repentance hath swept the house Why wast thou not with thy harlot like Zimry in the armes of Cozby smitten in the act of thy Adultery Why was not thy soule and hers sent coupled to the fire of torment as your bodies were undevided in the flame of uncleannesse While thy mouth is opened to sweare and blaspheme why is it not instantly fild with fire and brimstone When thou art dead drunke why art thou suffered to wake againe alive but this God waites as in the Parable of the Fig tree Luk. 13. another and another yeare to try
might be had for money or the Divell who presumed that this bait would even catch the Son of God yet the wise and religious can conceive no reason why it should bee so doted upon as it is especially since riches can no more put off the Gout or asswage griefe or thrust out cares or purchase grace or suspend death or prevent hell or bribe the divell then a Satten sleeve can heale a broken Arme. They think it the best purchase that ever was in the world to buy him who bought them in comparison of whom all things are drosse and dung as S. Paul speaks Philip. 3. 8. for if we once have him wee have all things If saith Paul God hath given us his own Sonne how shall he not with him give us all things also Rom. 8. 32. and againe 1 Corinth 3. All things are yours whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come even all are yours and you are Christs and Christ Gods v. 21. 22. 23. And indeed if God give the substantive Christ we may be sure he wil likewise afford the adjective things necessary for this life Matth. 6. 33. so that the godly man is only rich the servant of Christ is Lord of all § 161. ANd thus you have the wisdome of humanists and Politicians decyphered together with the wisdome of Gods people you see the difference betweene them and therein as I suppose that the former are none of the wisest and that the later viz. the vvisest politician upon earth the most ample and cunning Machevilian that lives be he a doctor in that deep reaching faculty is a starke foole in six main particulars ergo not so vvise as the godly man nor so vvise as the vvorld reputes him or he himselfe Yea he is vvorse then a foole for saith Saint Augustine If the Holy Ghost tearmes him a foole that only laid up his owne goods Luke 12. 18. 20. find out a name for him that takes away other mens Yet by the way mistake me not I am farre from advising thee to trust them ever the more for their simplicity I would rather wish thee to beware them for though the Divell makes fooles of them yet withall he makes them wise enough to make fooles of us and though they be but one eyed with Gorgon yet have they also iron talons and though with the Osprey a ravenous bird they have one flat hand to stroake yet have they another with clawes which wil cruelly gripe yea though they have the faces and tongues of men yet they have the talons of Gryffons full of rapine cruelty and oppression But you will tell me that the world is of another Judgement I answer So shall we if we looke upon them sidewayes as most men doe like as Apelles pictured Antigonus making shew only of that halfe of his face which was perfect but hiding the other side wherein he was blind and deformed then we shall take them for wise men and so be mistaken I confesse the one speak Latine Greek and Hebrew the other Statutes History and Husbandry well enough to make their neighbours think them wise men but the truth is they seeme wiser then they are as we use to say of the Spanyards whereas the godly like the French are wiser then they seeme as thus they are wise men in foolish things and foolish men in wise things sharp eyed as Eagles in the things of the earth but as blind as Beetles in the matters of heaven and may be compared to Bats Night-crowes Owles and Cats which can see better in the darke then in the light their wisdome is like that of Moles which will dig under ground with great dexterity but are blind when they come into the Sunne or Cats especially the later sort that are onely gifted to catch Mice being in every thing else the simpliest creatures that live or the fish Polypus which is a most stupid and foolish fish yet useth great skill in taking of other fishes yea these are directly like witches and that in foure particulars First a witch is rarely pregnant in doing that which is evill 2. a witch neither can nor will doe good 3. a witch will sell her soule to the divel that shee may a little excell others in mischiefe 4. both they and these are indeed blind and in darknesse as having their beginning from Sathan the Prince of darknesse and their end in hell which is the pit of darknes for as they and witches do the same worke so they shall have the same wages because they are wise to evill their wisdome shall have but an evill end Againe if innocency be acknowledged meere simplicity then none are so simple as the religious for as it seemes their ignorance will not suffer them to doe evill Yea as Plistonax the Sonne of Pausanias when an Orator of Athens said the Lacedaemonians were unlearned and ignorant answered thou sayest true for we only of all the Grecians have learned none of thine ill conditions so may I say to these the godly of all others have learnt none of your Atheisticall practises But let the Holy Ghost determine that knowes better how to judge then any and then he is most wise that is most holy for goodnesse in the Scripture is tearmed wisdome and vice folly sinners and fooles Synomina Prov. 1. 7. In the dialect of the wise man it is plaine that the greatest sinner is the greatest foole and David thinkes there is no foole to the Atheist Psa. 53. 1. whose wayes utter his foolishnesse Ps. 49. 13. And though worldly men call the simple fooles yet God calls the crafty fooles Ieremiah 8. 9. Luke 12. 18. 20 Mat. 6. 23. and of all Atheists which seeme wise there bee no such fooles in the world as they which love money better then themselves To conclude the feare of the Lord is wisdome and to depart from evill is understanding Iob 28. 28. and hee that is truly wise thinks that to be wisdome and folly which God thinks so § 162. IF you would know what to judge of them and how to call them they are properly subtile persons as the Holy Ghost stiles Ionadab who gave that wicked and crafty counsell to Amnon 2 Sam. 13. 3. 5. and the woman of Tekoa 2 Sam. 14. 2. and Elimas Acts 13. 10. being rarely gifted to deceive and more crafty and wily then is usuall but not wise men or if it may be termed wisdome as sometimes the Scripture terms it wisdom in an holy derision as Ge. 3. 22. is to be understood or else calling it wisdom because worldly men deeme it so as in another place it calls preaching the foolishnesse of preaching because wicked men esteeme preaching but foolishnesse and as Christ calls the Pharisies just because they justified themselves Luke 15. 7. or thirdly meaning by wisdome the wisdome of the flesh or of the world and that
from passion and affection touching either party and as our eyes could not aright judge of colours except they were void of all colours nor our tongues discerne of tastes unlesse freed from tasts so no man can jndge aright of passions except his mind be altogether free from passions Wherefore bee not so much led by lust passion or affection as by reason Wee know appetite in a burning Feavor will call for cold drink even to the overthrow of our lives if reason gainsay it not But as they that would see more sharply and certainly shut one eye so doe thou let the eyes or windowes of thy affections bee shut to the allurements of the world and the flesh least they draw thee from the right line of obedience yea shut to humane reason also least it make thee mistake and swerve from faiths injunctions And then if thou canst but bring thy flesh with it's lusts a little asleep while thy soule is waking thou hast entred â—hrough the gate into the porch of this heavenly Palace But he that will doe this must shunne all dispute with Sathan of which else where Secondly he must get an humble conceit of his owne wisdome The first step to knowledge is to know our owne ignorance we must become fooles in our owne judgements before we can be truly wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. And indeed the opinion of our knowing enough is one of the greatest causes of our knowing so little for what we presume to have attained we seeke not after Humble eyes are most capable of high mysteries he will teach the humble his way saith David Psal. 25. 9. yea the first lesson of a Christian is humility Matth. 11. 29. Pro. 1. 7. and he that hath not learnt the first lesson is not fit to take out a new One would thinke that a worldly wise man might most easily also make a wise Christian but St. Paul saith no except first he becomes a foole that is acknowledge his cleare light and wisdome which he hath so magnified for clearenesse to be blindnesse and ignorance he cannot be wise in this case 1 Cor. 3. 18. Yea saith St. Cyprian it is as much lost labour to preach unto a man the things of God before he be humbled with the sight of hiâ— wants as to offer light to a blind man to speake to a deafe man or to labour to make a brute beast wise Pride is a great let to true wisdome for God resisteth the proâ—d aâ—d onely gives grace to the humble Iames 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. hence it comes to passe that few proud wits are reformed I am come unto judgement into this world saith our Saviour to the Pharisees that they which see not might see and that they which â—ee meaning in their owne opinion might be made blind Ioh. 9. 39. which was the reason he propounded his woes to the Pharisees and his Doctrines to the people An heart full of Pride is like a vessell full of aire this selfe-opinion must be blowne out of us before saving knowledge will be powred into us Humility is the knees of the soule and to that posture only the Lamb will open the booke Christ will know none but the humble and none but humble soules truly know Christ. Now this grace of humility is obtained by taking a serious view of our wants the Peacock's pride is abated when she peâ—ceives the blacknesse of her legs and feete Now suppose we know never so much yet that which we doe knovv is farre lesse then â—hat which we are ignorant of and the more we know the more we knovv vve vvant at all both vvise and holy â—en have felt and confest yea this vvas the judgement of the vvisest even amongst the Heathen 〈◊〉 being demanded vvhy the Oracle of Delphoâ— should pronounce him the vvisest man of Greece made ansvver I know nothing but this that I knoâ— nothing neither can there be any thing in me to â—â—rifie the Oracle eâ—cept this that I am not wise and know it whereas others are not wise and know it not and to be ignorant and knovv it not is by farre the greater ignorance So the renovvned Orator Cicero even bevvayled his own emptinesse I would quoth he I could light on the truth as easily as I can 〈◊〉 fasehood a negative knovvledge vvas the greatest knovvledge he vvould acknovvledge in himselfe He is wise that can truly see and acknowledge his ignorance he is ignorant that thinkes himselfe wise I 'le cleare it by a similitude being here below we thinke one Iland great but the whole earth unmeasurably if we were above in the firmament with these eyes the whole earth were it equally enlightned would seeme as little to us as now the least Starre in the firmament seemes to us upon earth and indeed how few Stars are so little as it even such is the naturall mans mistake in judging of and comparing what he hath with what he wants naturall wisdome with spirituall and Heavenly Wherefore if thou perceivest not more strength and wisdome to be in the weaknesse and foolishnesse of Gods truth 1 Cor. 1. 25. which therefore only seemes weaknesse and foolishnesse because the strength and wisdome of it is not perceived by the fleshly eye then in the strength and wisdome of the profoundest Naturian and if thou beleivest not the godly to be most wise doe not blame them for foolishnesse but thy selfe for blindnesse and desire the Lord as Elisha did for his servant to open thine eyes Thus as by mortification and dying unto sinne we come to vivification and living unto grace or as by dying the death of nature we obtaine the life of glory so by becomming a foole a man may attaine to wisdome Wherefore get humility and thou hast mounted another step toward wisdome entred a second roome of this Palace § 164. THirdly let him get faith For as without faith no man can please God so without faith no man can know God Faith doth clearely behold those things which are hid both from the eye of sense and the eye of reason I am come into the world saith our Saviour that whosoever beleeveth in me should not sit in darknesse Iohn 12. 46. Reason and faith are the two eyes of the soule Reason discernes naturall objects faith spirituall and supernaturall We may fee farre with our bodily eye sense farther with the minds eye reason but farther with the soules eye Faith then with both Yea the rationall doth not so farre exceede the sensuall as the spirituall exceeds the rationall and though reason and humane learning is as oyle to the Lampe of our understandings which makes them burne clearer yea so doubles the sight of our minds as Menander speakes that there is as much difference betweene the learned and unlearned as there is betweene man and beast yet Faith and illumination of the spirit adds to the sight of our minds as a Prospective glasse adds to the corporall sight Matth. 16. 17. Christ is