have wee to stand out being so extreamly degenerated If they in the state of innocency when they had wisdome at wil and reason at command found him too hard for them when they fell once to argue the case with him how much more too weake shall wee finde our selves that are as wee are and when our owne flesh is become our Enemy and his cunning Soliciter My brethren be no longer deceived but hearken more to what God speaks in his word lesse to the Tempter for hee will set a faire coulour upon the foulest sinne that ever was committed witnesse his words to Eve when shee eate the forbidden fruite at the price of death eternall Gen. 3. Witnesse the glorious pretences which Hammon made to Ahashuerosh that he might procure that bloody decree against all the Iewes Ester 3. and a thousand more which I could reckon up And so on the contrary what good action can bee so splendent and glorious but hee will bring reasons in appearance to make it not onely faulty but odious witnesse our saviours casting out devills which saith he by the mouthes of the Scribes and Pharisees is done through Belzebub hee will make the people beleeve that either the action is evill or if good not God but himselfe will have the glory of it Matt. 12.24 Yea through Sathans subtilty Christ was made the greatest offender that offended not once in all his life which would make a wise man suspect his owne judgement or the common fame to examin things throughly before they condemne one whom they know no evill by But not to weary you with instances If hee can perswade men as hee hath done millions that they shall doe God good service in putting his prophets to death as Christ himselfe expresly tell us Iohn 16.2 What can hee not perswade them to As what stone so rough but hee can smooth it what stuffe so pittifull but hee can set a glosse upon it for like a Beare hee can lick into fashion the mostmis-shapen and deformed lumpe Or like a Dogge heale any wound hee can reach with his tongue Yea your selves cannot choose but know except you bee starke blinde what golden eloquence he will whisper in your eares what brasen impudence what subtile shifts what quainte querks what cunning conveyances what jugling shuffling and packing hee will use to make any sin feasible like the Hare which if shee dare not trust to her speed she will try the turne And so on the contrary to discourage Gods people in good Neither could concupisence bring forth sin without the consent of reason and reason would never consent so long as the eyes are open Yea if the light of knowledge might freely shine in the soule Sathans suggestions would soon make him ashamed and vanish with all his workes of darknesse Or if temptations might bee but turned about and shewne on both sides his Kingdome would not be so populous wherefore when he sets upon any poore soule he shews the baite hides the hooke Whence it is that Sathan hath more servants to fight for him here below then the Trinity which made us Else how should that bee true which our saviour Christ and his Apostles so often inculcate viz. that the whole World lyeth in wickednesse 1 John 5.19 That the number of those whom Sathan shall deceive is as the sand of the Sea Revel 20.8 and 13.16 Isay 10.22 Rom. 9.27 That the greatest number goe the broade way to destruction and but a few the narrow way which leadeth unto life Matth. 7.13 14. That many are caled viz. by the outward ministery of the word but few chosen Matth. 20.16 and 22.14 sad predictions Oh that we could not apply them but experience shewes that among them that call themselves Christians scarse one of an hundred whose practise is answerable either to the gospell their christian profession or the millions or mercies they have received Yea notwithstanding the Holy ghost tells us in the word and wee heare it dayly That every man shall be judged according to his workes be they good or evill Revel 20.13 and 22.12 And that we shall give an account at the day of judgement for every idle word wee speake Matth. 12.36 And that wee neede no other ground of our last and heaviest doome then ye have not given ye have not visited c. Matth. 25.41 to 46. and that the righteous shall scarsly be saved And that many shall seeke to enter in at the strait gate and shall not be able Luke 13.24 the which scriptures if they bee true what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse as the Apostle speakes 2 Pet. 3.11 And yet most men live as if the Gospell were quite contrary to the rule of the Law as if God were neither to bee feared nor cared for As if they were neither beholding to him nor affraid of him both out of his debt and danger Yea as if there were no God to judge nor Hell to punish nor heaven to reward I cannot think of it without astonishment I remember Cyprian brings in the Devill triumphing over Christ in this manner As for my followers sayth the Devill I never dyed for them as Christ hath done for his I never promised them so great reward as Christ hath done to his and yet I have more followers than hee and they doe more for me than his doe for him Oh that men would duly consider how true this is and amend before the draw-bridge bee taken up but this is the misery and a just plague upon our so much formality and prophanesse under our so much meanes of grace there bee very few men that make not the whole Bible and all the Sermons they heare yea the checks of their owne consciences and the motions of Gods spirit utterly in-effectuall for want of wit and grace to apply the same to themselves whereas if they would rightly and ingenuously apply but one text or two as Matth. 7.12 and 16.26 or the like unto their owne soules as they can unto others being better able to discerne others moates than their owne beames they might be everlastingly happy But this is the gift of God alone and naturall men love their sins better than their soules Objection But you will say what is this to us Wee live unrebukably wee pay every man his owne wee are temperate chaste c. wee goe duely to Church pray in our families make conscience of swearing lying c. Answer But does it flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the Holy ghost 1 Tim. 1.5 Acts 15.9 Is it done in faith and out of right ends as out of love and obedience because God commands the same that hee may bee glorified and others edified thereby Otherwise all your best performances are no better in Gods account then the offering of swins blood or the cutting off of a dogs neck as himselfe shewes Isay
be argued in the Court of thy Conscience say whether thou art guilty or not guilty He that believes the promises of God to be true believes also the commands and threatnings and thereupon feares God and makes conscience of sin otherwise if thou beest as it were a dead man continuing under the burthen of notorious crimes without sorrow or fear or remorse or care of amendment Ephes. 2 1. If thou art of a reprobate judgement touching actions and persons esteeming good evil and evil good if the Devil hath so bewitched thee that thou preferrest Hell to Heaven and blamest those that do otherwise if Ishmael-like thou mockest or Cham-like thou scoffest at the religious or usest bitter jests against them Psal. 1.1 Ephes. 5.4 If thou raisest slanders of them or furtherest them being raised Psal. 4.2 31.18 35.20 As the Red Dragon Rev. 12. cast a floud of water out of his mouth after the Woman when he could not reach her with his clawes verse 15. Or any way opposest them for the opposition of goodnesse gives thee the title of wickednesse which alone is the enemy thereof and shewes that thou art a Souldier of the great Dragon who goes out to make War with that blessed Seed which keep the Commandments of God Rev. 12.17 These or any one of these shew that thou hast neither part nor fellowship in the Christian beliefe that thou art an Infidell yea an Atheist which is a higher degree of infidelity and that thou doest no way differ from an Heathen but onely in the saying of a Pater noster a Creed and it may be the ten Commandments neither hast thou any more of a conscience than fear which fear also arises more from the power of the Magistrate than from the Omnipotency of a God But to make thy selfe confesse this examine thy beliefe by thy life for infidelity is the bitter root of all wickednesse and a lively Faith the true Mother of all goodnesse Indeed if pride swâ—aring prophaning of the Lords Day drunkennesse adultery contempt of Religion and all goodnesse were fruits of Faith then the World were full of Believers but Faith purifieth the Heart Acts 15.9 and worketh by love Gal 5.6 Consumes our natural unnatural corruptions and sanctifieth the whole man thâ—oughout 1 Thes. 5.23 Acts 26.18 So that our Faith to God is seen in our faithfulnesse to men Shew me thy faith by thy workes saith S. Iames that is thy invisible beliefe by thy visible life for the hand is the best Commentary of the heart What a man does I am sure he thinkes not alwayes what he speakes Men may say they believe the Word but certainly they would never speak as they speak thinke as they thinke do as they do if they thought that their thoughts words and deeds should ever come to judgement If men believed that Heaven were so sweet and Hell so intolerable as the word makes them they would be more obedient upon earth the voluptuous would not say with Esau Give me the pottage of pleasure take who will the Birth-right of grace here and glory hereafter the Covetous would not say Take you Heaven let us have money I le clear it by a similitude If a Physician should say unto his Patient here stands a Cordial which if you take will cure you but touch not this other Vial for that is deadly Poyson and he refuseth the Cordial to take the Poyson in this case who can chuse but conclude that either he believed not his Physician or preferred death before life But go on If men but believed that God alwayes beholds them they durst not sin No Thiefe was ever so impudent as to steale in the very face of the Judge O God let me see my selfe seen by thee and I shall not dare to offend thee Againe if men believed that there is a place of Darknesse they would fear the workes of Darknesse If Lot's sonnes-in-Law had believed their father when he told them the Citie should suddenly be destroyed with fire and brimstone and that by flying they might escape it they would have obeyed his counsel If the old World had believed that God would indeed and in good earnest bring such a Floud upon them as he threatned they would not have neglected the opportunity of entring the Arke before it was shut up and the windowes of Heaven opened much lesse would they have scofft and flouted at Noah while he was building it so if you did firmely believe what the Scripture speaks of Hell you would need no intreaties to avoid it yea cast but your eyes upon that fiery gulf with a full perswasion of it and sin if you dare You love your selves well enough to avoid a knowne paine wee know that there are Stocks and Bridewells and Goales and Dungeons and Racks and Gibbits for Malefactors and our very feare keeps us innocent were your hearts equally assured of those hellish torments ye could not yee durst not continue in those sinnes for which they are prepared yea if you did truly beleeve a hell there would bee more danger of your dispaire than of your security Yea had you but so much of an historicall faith as to beleeve the Scriptures touching what God hath already inflicted upon sinners as upon the Angells the old world Sodâ—me and Gomorrah Pharoah and the Egyptians Nadab and Abihu Chora Dâ—than and Abyram with their 250 Captaines and many thousands of the Children of Israel together with the whole Nation of the Iewes Hammon and Balaam Saul and Doeg Absolon and Achytophell Ahab and Iesabell Senacherib and Nebucâ—adnezar the two Captaines and their fifties Herod and Iudas Annanias and Saphirah with a world of others Much more if you did beleeve how severely he hath dealt with his owne Children when they sinned against him viz. with Moses Aaron and Eli which were in singular favour with him yea with David a man after his own heart and that after his sin was remitted it were impossible but you woulde feare to offend so Jealous a God for thus you woulde argue If God be so just and severe to his owne children who were so good and gracious how shall I a wicked and ungracious servant that never did him a peece of good service all my dayes looke to be dispensed withall If the godly suffer so many and grievous afflictions here what shall his adversaries suffer in hell If Sampson be thus punished shal the Philistims escape If the righteous shall scarcely be saved were shall the ungodly and sinner appeare as the Scripture speakes 1 Pet. 4.18 For thou canst not Imagine that he will deale after a new and extraordinary way with thee and so breake the Course of his so Just and so long continued proceedings SECT 72. WHerefore dally no longer with your owne soules Are ye Christians in earnest Doe yee beleeve the word or do you not if ye do not ye are worse than the Devill fâ—r the Devills belâ—eve and
tremble they have both faith and feare whereas thou hast neither feare nor faith If you be Christians there is an hell in your Creed if there be an hell How dare you teare Heaven with your blaâ—phemies and bandie the dreadfull Name of God in your impure mouthes by your bloody oâ—thes and execrations How dare you exâ—rcise your saucy wits in prophane sâ—offes at religion and disgrace that blood whereof hereafter you would give a thousand worlds for one drop It is no light or sleight offence to contemne the brethren of the Son of God but thou fightest against the very graces of Gods Spirit where-ever they appeare and notwithstanding thou didst vow in thy baptisme to fight under Christs banner against the world the flâ—sh and the Devill and to continue his faithâ—ull souldier and servant unto thy lives end as good reason since he laid downe his life to redeeme thee and hath ever since protected and provided for thee for a very Dog will fight for his master that feeds him thou contrarily takest part with the world the flesh and the Devill his mortall enemies and takest up armes to fight against Christ. Againe if there be an hell and but a tithe of them Christians who call themselves so what meanes our grinding of faces like edged tooles and our spilling of blood like water What meanes our racking of rents our detention of wages our incredible cruelty to servants our inclosing of Commons ingrossing of commodities our griping exactions with streining the advantages of greatnesse our inequall levies of legal payments our spightfull suites griping usury our bouzing and quaffing our bribery perjury partiallity our sacriledge simonaicall contracts and soule-murther our scurrâ— prophanesse cousoning in bargaines breaking of promises perfidious underminings pride luxury wantonnesse contempt of Gods Messengers neglect of his Ordinances violation of his dayes c When if the Word of God be true we need no other ground of our last and heaviest doom than ye have not given ye have not visited c. Mat. 25.41 to 46 Certainely if the tythe of us be Christians which call our selvrs so there are abundance of Christians in hell For what eyes can but runne over to see for the most part what lives men leade There was a woman much spoken of in some parts of this Land that lived in a professed doubt of the Dâ—ity yea even after Illumination and Repentance she could hardly be comforted she often protested that the vicious and offencive life of a great learned man in the Towne where she dwelt did occasion those damned doubts in her minde And we reade that Linacre reading upon the New Testament the fifâ—h sixth and seaventh Chapters of Saint Matthews Gospell and comparing those rules with Christians lives hee threw downe the booke and burst forth into this protestation Either this is not God's Gospell or we are not Christians Let any man looke upon the lives of most men and then say whether the argument be not without all exceptions Or let any compare Christians that live now under Christian Governours with those that lived formerly under Heathan Persecutors and it will force them to confesse the same Athenagoras told the Emperor in the Primitive times that there was not one of the Christians evill manured unlesse it were such as dissembled themselves Christians for some by and sinister ends And Tertullian saith of the Christians in his time non aliunde noscibiles quam de emendatione vitiorum And Chrisostome speaketh of many in his daies whose lives were angelicall they so walked up to their principles It is the abstract of Religion to imitate him whom we worship neither are we worthy to be called Christians except wee be like him in workes Wee are not like Christ except we doe whatsoever God commands and suffer whatsoever he inflicts Now we are naught at doing but when it comes to suffering we are gone it is the happinesse of these cold times that wee are not put to the hot fire for tryall of our faith and love if the Wheele should turne which the mercy of God forbid how many would turne from Christ rather than burne for him Alasse the greatest number are like Orbilius the Grammarian who not onely forgot the Letters of his Book but even his own name for they not only forget what is written in Christ's Gospell but they forget also that they are Christians can be of any religioÌ„ for a need which shewes their hearts are truely of none True Gods seede is sowne but the Devills fruit comes up and like the Iewes we bring Christ Vinegar when he thirsts for Wine But what a shame What a prodigy is this We are bound to praise GOD above any Nation whatsoever for what Nation under Heaven inâ—oyes so much light or so many blessings as we above any creature for all the creatures were ordained for our sakes and yet Heaven Earth and Sea all the Elements all the Creatures obey the Word of God onely men for whom they were all made ingratefully rebell against it The which as it mightily aggravates our unthankfulnesse so when time comes it will gall our Consciences to death Yea when we shall consider that Christ hath removed so many evils from us and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought or imagination and that our recompence of his love hath been onely to do that which he hates and hate those whom he loves it will make us speechlesse like him in the Gospel who wanted his wedding Garment as neither expecting mercy nor daring to aske it for know this that thy own Conscience will once sting thee like an Adder to thinke what Christ hath given and what he would have forgiven thee if thou would'st but have repented to thinke how often thou hast been invited to Heaven how easily thou mightest have escaped Hell how often Christ by his Embassadours offered thee remission of sinnes and the Kingdom of Heaven freely if thou wouldest but believe and repent and how easily thou mightest have obtained mercy in those dayes how near thou wast many times to have repented and yet didst suffer the Devil and the World to keep thee still impenitent and how the day of mercy is then past and will never dawn again For the same Devil that now shuts your eyes and labours to keep you blinde during the presumption of your Life will open them in the desperation that shall wait on you at death or in Hell as it fared with the rich man who when he was in Hell lift up his eyes to Heaven but never before Luke 16.23 Those scorching flames opened them to purpose sinne shuts up mens eyes but punishment opens them Satan seldome lets us see our folly till we be plunged into some deep extremity but then he writes it in capital Letters and pines it on our foreheads like one riding to the Pillory especially on our death-beds hee shewes us all our sinnes in
as the chiefe Iewes told Paul in his time Acts 28.22 And that so soone as men become religious and conscionable they are made a by-word of the people Iob 17.6 A song of the drunkards Psal. 69.12 And generally hated of all Math. 10.22 Answer Know yee not saith St. Iames that the Amity of the World is the Enmity of God And that whosoever will be a friend of the World maketh himâ—elfe the enemy of God James 4.4 A wicked man saith Solomon is abomination to the just and be that is upright in his way is abomination to the wicked Pro. 29.27 There is a naturall Enmity and a spirituall Antipathy betweene the men of the World and the Children of God whence it is that the holy Ghost who can give most congruous Names to Natures useth in the Scripture Gods Dictionary not only to call wicked men Adders Alpes Cockatrices Serpents Dragons Lyons Tygers c. Psal. 10.9 74.13 80.13 140.3 Esay 14.29 Dan. 7. Zeph. 3. Math. 23.33 which are the mortallest Enemies to mankind that live but most frequently Wolves and the godly Sheep Behold saith our Saviour to his Apostles I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves Mat. 10.16 between whom there is a strange contrariety and antipathy living and dead as both Naturalists and Lutinists observe It is an everlasting rule of the Apostles He that is borne after the Flesh will persecute him that is borne after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evill but because hee is so much better then himselfe 1. Iohn 3.12 because his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion Wis. 2.15 for therefore speak they evill of you because yee will no longer run with them to the same excess of ryot 1. Pet. 4.4 SECT 2. Quest. BVt are not many discouraged and others beaten off from being Religious through the daily scoffes and reproaches which in every place the Godly meet withall for refusing to do as others do with whom they are conversant Answ. Yea millions there being no such rub in the way to Heaven as that generall contempt which the Devill and the World have cast upon Religion and the practisers of Piety which makes our Saviour pronounce that man blessed that is not offended in him Math. 11.6 For hereby it is growne to that that men feare nothing more then to have a name that they feare God and are more ashamed to be holy then prophane because holiness is worse intreated then prophaneness with Peter we are apt to deny our Religion when we come in company with Christs Enemies and with David to dissemble our Faith when we are amongst Philistims Like those white-livered Rulers Iohn 12.42 who loved the praise of men more than the praise of God we choose to conceale our knowledge of and love to Christ lest we should be mockt have so many frownes and frumps and censures and scoffes be branded with that odious and stigmaticall name of an Hypocrite c. True with Nicodemus we owe God some good will but we dare not shew it because of this we would please him yet so as we might not displease others nor our selves Like the young man in the Gospell we will follow Christ so Christ propound no other conditions then what we like of but what will be the issue our Saviour saith expresly That he will be ashamed of such at the latter day who are now ashamed for his sake to beare a few scoffes and reproaches from the World Mark 8.38 A sad saying for all such which considered seriously would alter the case with many as it fared with Vstbazanes an old Noble man and a Christian that had been Sapores the King of Persias Governour in his minority Who when Sapores raised a great persecution against the Christians was so terrified that he left off the profession But sitting at the Court Gate when Simion an aged holy Bishop was led to Prison and rising up to salute him the good Bishop frowned upon him and turned away his face with indignation as being loth to look upon a man that had denied the faith whereupon Vsthazanes fell a weeping went into his Chamber put of his Courtly Garments and brake out into these words Ah! how shall I apeare before God and my Saviour whom I have denied when Simion a man will not indure to look upon me If he frown how will God behold me when I come before his Tribunall c. For this Phisick so wrought with him that he recovered not only health but such spirituall strength that he went boldly to the King profest himselfe a Christian and dyed a Martyr gloriously SECT 3. BVt secondly it so forestaleth such as are without with Prejudice against goodness and circumspect walking that they resolve never to be Religious so long as they live As how many not only stumble at Christ the living and chief corner stone elect of God and precious but quite fall as at a Rock of offence yea â—tterly disallow of the things that are excellent only through the contempt which is cast upon Religion 1 Pet. 2.7.8 What such mens thoughts are we may heare from the damned in Hell We fooles thought their lives madness c. Wisd. 5.3.4 And experience shewes that they will hate a man to the death though he have nothing to condemne him but his being holy Yea where Satan hath once set this his porter of Prejudice though Christ himselfe were on earth that soule would stumble and be offended at his very best actions as we see in the Scribes and Pharisees who made an evill construction of whatsoever he did or spake For when he wrought Miracles he was a Sorcerer When he cast out Devils it was by the power of Devils When he reproved sinners he was a seducer When he received sinners he was their favourer When he healed the sick he was a breaker of the Sabbath c. Iohn 8. Nor can the highest eloquence of the best Preacher ever reclaime such For first words are vagabonds where the admonâ—shed hath an evill opinion of the Admonisher Secondly they are resolved against yeelding Thirdly let them be convinc't by strength of argument the thought of those things presently passes away like the sound of a Bell that is rung O this is a difficult Devill to be cast out even like that which we read of Math. 17.16 For as all the Disciples could not cast out that Devill no more can all the Preachers this for the Cure of prejudice alone in one man is more then to cure the seaven deadly sins as the Papists tearme them in another Nay if I may speak it with reverence what meanes can God use that shall be able to convert such an one The nine plagues shall not prevaile with Pharaoh the graves opening the dead arising the vayle of the Temple renting the light of the Sun fayling the Centurion confessing c. will do no good upon the
and twenty Governours of Daniel Dan. 6.11 and the Caldeans of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego Dan. 3.10 to 30. Daniel of all Darius his servants was so bold as to pray three times a day not in contempt of the King of Babilons decree but in zeale and obedience to the God of Heavens command the Governours â—â—ranging at it accuse him and say this Daniel which is of the captivity regardeth not thee O King nor the Decree which thou hast signed but doth so and so wherfore command we pray thee that he be cast into the Lyons den for no decree nor statute which the King establisheth may be altered Dan. 6. Again what disorder is this that I heare of you saith Nebuchadnezzer to Shadrach Meshech and Abednego will you not serve my Gods nor worship the golden Image that I have set up Dan. 3.14 who answered no be it knowne unto thee O King wee are not carefull to answer thee in this matter they were all as stiffe as if they had eaten a stake and they could not bow to an Idoll as the godly have been in all ages not being able to wheele with the times Yea they that truely fear God are usually as immoveable as the Sun in its course because they thinke and speak and live by rule and not by example and hold themselves as fast tyed as if they had the oath given them which the 〈…〉 solemnly presented to their Judges 〈◊〉 to swâ—rve from tâ—eir consciences whâ—â—â—â—mmand soever they should 〈…〉 themselves to the contrary 〈…〉 strictnesse is a great eyesore 〈…〉 men who hate singularity almost as they doe sanctity which makes them so cry it down And no marvell for these men and so all Protestants at large so scorne to be singular that they will conform to any Religion the State shall establish yea should they be commanded to worship a Calfe with the Israelites Exod. 32.4 or a golden Image with the Chaldeans Dan. 3.7 They would instantly doe it as the times of Queene Mary witnesse Good honest men let them injoy their communities peace and plenty any Religion shall serve their turne They are as indifferent as Doctor Kitching who being Abbot was first the Popes sworne Servant then an halfe Papist King Henry having cast off the Pope a Protestant under Edward the sixt a downe right Papist with Queene Marie And a Parliament Protestant againe when hee tooke the Oath of Supremasy under Queene Elizabeth Of whose faith I take most Protestants at large to be For let them hear of a change in Religion it shall never a whit trouble them What cares a stupified worldling for the removall of our Candlestick What is it to him if the superstition and blindnesse of Popery did over-shadow the Land and turne day into night It is nothing to him if he can but see to get money Light or darknesse Scripture or tradition the King or the Pope Christ or Antichrist are all one to him to heare a Sermon or see a Masse he likes them both alike Perhaps they may thinke better of themselves and untill they be put to it resolve stoutly but a temporaries Religion and flashes are but like Conduites running with wine at the coronation that will not hold or like a land flood that seemes to be a great Sea but comes to nothing Now these are the men if you observe them that cry out so against singularity which imputation together with their extolling the meane is a cunning discouragement but it is the Devils Sophistry for the meane of vertue is between two kindes not betweene two degrees it is a meane grace that loves a meane degree of grace Yet this is the onely staffe with which the World beates all that are better then themselves What will you be singular Or are you wiser then all Or what is this but want of discretion And to speake truth that which worldly men call discretion eates up all true wisedome Their discretion and moderate stayednesse devoures all true honesty and goodnesse But shall Lot leave his righteousnesse for such an imputation of singularity Or shall he not depart Sodom because the whole City thinkes it better to stay there still Shall Noah leave building the Arke and so himselfe and his whole houshould perish because all the World else thinkes him haire-brained Or must the name of a Puritan dishearten us from the service of God No but as Saint Paul said in his Apollogy Acts 24.14 after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers so wee in this case After the way which prophane men call Puritanisme let my soule desire to serve Iesus Christ. SECT 54. Ob. I Grant will the more moderate worldling say in such cases wherein the word of God is expresse singularity is not lawfull onely but laudable But which makes my spleene rise they will not conforme to things indifferent Answ. A seduced heart deceives thee in so saying why else doest thou cast the same aspersions upon such as are conformable But admit they onely are thornes in thine Eyes doest thou well to hate al that are not of thy own judgement or that have tenderer consciences then thy selfe No for honest and good men may differ in opinion not only in things triviall but in matters of great moment provided they agree in the fundamental articles of the Catholique faith and yet may and ought to continue brotherly love and communion as members of the same mysticall body as many examples witnesse both of eminent Christians and Fathers of the Church as also our Saviours words who speaking of the fundamentall poynts penneth the league thus He that is not with us is against us but oâ— poynts not fundamentall thus He thaâ— is not against us is with us Whereaâ— these differ from thee if thou beest a true Protestant as thou wouldest bee thought to be in nothing materiall for there is a vast difference between another discipline and another doctrine and they little differ that agree in matter Only their consciences are not so large as thine and thou thinkest those things indifferent which they cannot assent unto though they take more paines to satisfie and informe themselves then thou doest But admit they be things of an indifferent nature even actions of indifferency when once they are felt to trench upon the conscience lay deep obligations upon the soul even whiles they are most slighted by carelesse hearts there being no lesse difference in consciences then stomacks of which some will digest the hardest meats and turne over substances not in their nature edible whiles others surfeite of the lightest food and complaine even of dainties And indeed every gracious heart is in some measure scrupulous and findes more safety in feare then in presumption And certainely in cases of a doubtfull and questionable nature it is ever good to take the surest side and which draws neerest to probability Many things are of so questionable a
where they bee and another thing to bee master of them It is not the knowing but the possessing of them that makes rich What saith one No more then the knowledge of goodnesse maketh one to be named a good man no more doth the knowledge of wisdome only cause any person properly to bee called a wiseman And certainly that wisdome and learning is little worth which nothing profits the owner of it either to vertue or happinesse These things if ye know happy are yee if yee doe them Iohn 13.17 So that he is the best Scholer that learnes of Christ obedience humility c. He the best Arithmetician that can adde grace to grace He the best learned that knows how to be saved Yea all the Arts in the world are Artlesse Arts to this But alas Naturall men are so farre from being thus learned that not one of them doth really and by his owne experience know the chiefe Points of Christian Religion such as are Faith Repentance Regeneration the Love of God the Presence of the Spirit the Remission of sinnes the Effusion of Grace the Possession of heavenly Comforts he knows not what the peace of Conscience and joy in the holy Ghost is nor what the communion of Saints means he knows not what it is to have a certaine and experimentall feeling with a continuall proofe of Gods favour in the whole passage of a mans life and practise c. Prov. 24.7 when every of these are easie and familiar to the meanest and simplest beleever SECT 63. Object BUt the Word of God in divers places calls worldly men wise men yea ascribes the greatest wisdome and knowledge to the wicked Answ. It s true but in what sense Doe ye not perceive that God either speaks it in a holy derision as Gen. 3.22 is to be understood Or else hee speakes it in the person of the wicked calling it wisdome because worldly men deem it so as in another place he calls preaching the foolishnes of preaching because the wicked esteem preaching but foolishnesse and as Christ calls the Pharisees just because they justified themselves Luke 15.7 Or thirdly he meanes the wisdome of the flesh or of the world and that is as much as if he had said in other words foolishnesse for the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse with God and no lesse then twelve times infatuated by the wisdome of God in one Chapter 1 Cor. 2. But to make it more plain that no naturall man is a wise man we must know that there is a speculative knowledge in the brain common to hypocrites with Gods children Heb. 6.4 And there is a spirituall and heavenly wisdom a practicall experimentall and saving knowledge in the heart which keepes a man from every evill way Prov. 2.12 peculiar to the godly alone Ephes. 4.8 and 5.8 The naturall man saith Paul perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him but the spirituall who have the mind of Christ understand all things even the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 15 16. And again We speake the wisdome of God in a mystery even the hid wisdome which none of the princes of this world have knowne 1 Cor. 2.7 8. See 1 Thess. 5.4 5. Whence it is that naturall men are said to be in darknesse Ephes. 5.8 Matth. 4.16 whereas the regenerate are called Children of the light and of the day 1 Thâ—ss 5.4 5. Luke 1.79 Which comparison is very emphaticall For as the Soule is the lamp of the body and 〈◊〉 Reason of the Soule and Religion of Reason and Faith of Religion so Christ is the light and life of faith Whence it followes that as meere sense is uncapable of the rules of reason so reason is no lesse uncapable of the things which are supernaturall And as to speake is only proper to men so to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven is onely proper to beleevers Sense is a meere beasts reason a meere mans Divine knowledge is onely the Christians Now if it be askt Why a naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Saint Paul in the place before quoted answers He cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 For if they be spiritually discerned how should they discern them that have not the Spirit For as no man can see the Sun but by the light of the Sun so no man can know the secrets of God but by the revelation of God 1 Cor. 12.8 Mat. 16.17 To know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven wee must have hearts eyes and eares sanctified from above Deut. 29.2 3 4. Psal. 111.10 Luk. 24.45 Iohn 15.15 Rom 8.14 15. Neither is spiritual and â—â—avenly wisdome the fruit of time and study as the naturall is It is not eloquence nor Logicall demonstrations that can make us capable of it We cannot attaine to supernaturall and celestiall knowledge by any naturall and terrestriall meanes No learning nor experience will serve to know that great mystery of godlinesse and hid wisdome spoken of 1 Cor. 2.6 7 8 10 c. to know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge c. Ephes. 1.17 18. and 3.19 Because this wisdome descendeth from above Iames 3.17 SECT 64. 2 SEcondly As none can attaine to this precious grace of saving knowledge except it be given them from above so it is a jewell of such worth that God gives it to none but his children the godly and such as hee knows wil improve their knowledge to his glory The servant saith Christ meaning the ungodly man knoweth not his masters will but I have called you friends speaking to his Apostles and in them to all that are converted for all things that I have heard of my Father have I made knowne unto you John 15.15 Surely saith Solomon to a man that is good in his sight God giveth wisdome and knowledge Eccles. 2.26 Intimating that he doth not so to the evill man The Wise that is the godly saith Daniel shall understand but none of the wicked shall have understanding Dan. 12.10 A scorner seeketh wisdome and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that wil understand Pro. 14.6 that is to him that will be bettered by his understanding Wicked men understand not judgement but they that seeke the Lord understand all things Prov. 28.5 and 3.32 They which observe the Commandments have a good understanding saith David Psal. 111.10 the rest have an ill understanding and a vain an understanding like that of the Scribes and Pharisees which was enough to condemn them but not to save them Such as are delivered up to councells and brought before Rulers and Kings in defence of the Gospell are straitly charged by our Saviour neither to premeditate or take thought before hand how or what to answer because the holy Ghost shall teach them in that