and cozenage and yet so cunning they are that they keep themselves out of the reach of the Law Now if men would employ their wisdom and diligence in getting spiritual knowledge as they lay out about the world they might not only be wise for the world but wise to salvation also 2. What though you are simple and unlearned yet God calleth upon such to turn unto him Prov. 1.20 22 23. Wisdom crieth without she uttereth her voyce in the streets c. saying How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fooles hate knowledge turn you at my reproof behold I will poure out my spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you wisdom calleth upon simple ones to leave their simplicity with great affection he seemeth to bewaile mens simplicity and kindly invites them to repentance Gerunt secum noctem suam i.e. non tantum consuetudinem peccandi sed etiam amorem peccati Aust in Psal 5. you have continued too long in your folly and simplicity it is high time now to think of returning to the wayes of wisdome it is a great weaknesse for a man to be simple but to be in love with simplcity is egregious madnesse it is the worst of evills to be in love with folly hearken therefore to wisdomes call give eare to his reproof and turn in to the Lord Jesus Christ who is this wisdome here meant and he hath promised to poure his spirit upon you and to make known his words unto you and then you shall be filled with all true wisdome and spiritual understanding here then 's Gods promise to the simple and unlearned mark what David saith the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Psal 19 7. the Lord not only gives wisdome but subtilty to the simple to the young man knowledge and discretion yong men of all other are most rash and heady and very unteachable yet the Lord gives subtilty to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discretion It was written over Pythagoras School-dore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man ignorant of Geometry enter but the Lord calleth upon ignorant persons upon babes and little children to come to his Schoole and be instructed in the doctrine of the beginning of Christ the simplest that cometh to the Schoole of Christ learneth wisdom at his very first entrance there the entrance of thy words saith David giveth light Psal 119.140 it giveth understanding to the simple 3. Consider that many simple ones have attained to a great measure of knowledge who more simple then babes and little children yet to such John writeth 1 John 2.13 Basil Epist 75. ad Neocaesan I write unto you babes because you have known the Father It did not a little move our Saviour when they forbad little children to be brought unto him and when the chief Priests and Scribes took it ill that the children cryed out after Christ Hosannah thou Son of Dvid he told them it was written Mat. 21.15 1 Sam. 3.7 Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise though young Samuel knew not God when he first called him yet from that time forwards he knew him 2 Chron. 34.3 Josiah began to seek after the God of his Father when he was but young and Paul commendeth Timothy that from a child he had known the holy Scriptures which were able to make him wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 It is the good will and pleasure of our heavenly Father to hide heavenly mysteries from worldly wise men and those that are wise in their own eyes Matth. 11.25 Just Mart. Apol. 2. and to reveal them unto babes and many that have been but children in understanding when they have applyed their hearts to wisdome and enclined their ears their thoughts their desires their affections to wisdome they have attained to a great measure of heavenly knowledge Ruffin Eccles Hist lib. 1. cap. 3. when a Philosopher subtilly disputed against Christ in a great Councell a plain simple man to look to stands up and makes confession of his Faith We believe that Jesus Christ was incarnate c. O Philosopher saith he believest thou this The Philosopher was presently stricken with astonishment and said I could answer the Philosophers with reason but this man speaks so powerfully that I am not able to resist what he saith as it is said of the Libertines that disputed with Stephen Acts 6.10 they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake So even babes and simple ones shall rise up in judgement against many men at the last day when they shall appear before the tribunell of Christ even against those that despised instruction and hated knowledge and set at nought holy counsells when as poor simple and ignorant men have attained to abundance of knowledge therefore let not your simplicity keep you off from seeking after knowledge the Lord now calleth loud in your ears O ye simple ones Psal 94.8 understand O ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will ye be wise Wisdom cries O ye simple ones understand wisdom Prov. 8.10 11. and ye fools be ye of an understanding heart receive my Instruction and not silver and knowledg rather then choyce Gold for wisdom is better then rubies and all desirable things are not to be compared to it Object 2 Object Some will be ready further to object and saye We have lived many yeares some 30 some 40 some 50 some 60 yeares without preaching and without the meanes of knowledge and we find we are well enough and that there is no such great danger in ignorance as you would bear us in hand and we hope we shall do well enough for time to come without troubling our selves to get knowledge Resp 1 Resp Dost thou think that because thou hast as yet found no trouble in an ignorant and sinful way for many years past that thou shalt therefore never meet with any trouble at the last alas thou art much mistaken read one place of Scripture and think seriously of it and the Lord set it home on thy heart and then come and tell me what thou thinkest of such flattering and vain delusions of thy poor soul It shall come to passe that that man when he heareth the words of this curse Deut. 29.19.20 21. that he blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven Deut. 29.19 20 21. and the Lord shall separate him unto evill out of all the Tribes of Israel according to all the curses of
of ignorance I shall discover it in many particulars 1. Without knowledge a man cannot be good An ignorant man cannot be a good man an ignorant man is apt to say I have a good heart and my heart is as good as the best thou art deceived if thou art ignorant thou canst not be good I do not mean of natural goodnesse one towards another but of being good towards God Prov 19.2 The Soul without knowledge is not good saith Salomon it hath not a dram of goodnesse in it i. e. of true goodnesse and if a mans soul be not good his heart is naught Prov. 10.20 an ignorant man is a wicked man and the heart of the wicked is little worth saith the wise man many ignorant people are ready to say what though we be ignorant yet we mean well our heart is as good as the best and we hope that God will accept of our good meanings and intentious But how can men mean well when they know not how to do well Psal 51.6 then is the heart good when a man can say as David Lord thou hast taught or made me to know wisdom in the hidden part Prov. 2.10 or in the secret of my heart when this wisdome entreth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant to thy soul as Salomon speaketh when thy heart is taught of God then it is good A man may have a good nature a good disposition good natural wisdome and knowledge but this is hateful to God if spiritual knowledge be wanting Rom. 8.7 the wisdome of the flesh is enmity to God and it is that which keeps a man off from yielding subjection to the Law of God A man cannot be good in any relation without knowledge A man cannot be a good husband without knowledge Peter exhorts husbands to dwell with their wives 1 Pet 3.7 according to knowledge Knowledge is required of all husbands and of all men before they be husbands because as soon as they have wives they are charged to shew their knowledge Husbands must set up the worship of God and the exercises of piety in their dwellings Josh 24.15 Deut. 6.7 by instructing their wives and children in the things of God and by talking and discoursing of Gods Word upon all occasions as also by praying together Jer. 10.25 Eph. 6 4. that so they may keep off the curse of God from them which shall fall upon them that know him not and the families that call not upon his Name A man cannot be a good Parent without knowledg Parents are required to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord how canst thou instruct thy children while thou thy self art ignorant of God and his word a man cannot be a good Master nor a good Christian without knowledge God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. saith the Apostle the first thing that God created in the world was light and the first thing he creates in the soul of the new creature is spiritual light and knowledge so then unlesse we have the light of heavenly knowledge in our hearts we cannot be good 2. Without knowledge we cannot do good Psal 36.3 Desinit adhibere intelligentiam ad benè faciendum Junius Cadallehaskil lehetib Hebr. Noluit intelligere ut benè ageret Hieron David makes it an indelible Character of a wicked man to refuse knowledge he hath left off to understand and to do good Geneva he ceaseth to use his understanding to do well Junius he would not understand that he might do well saith Hierom upon Psal 36.3 under the Law God rejected the blind sacrifices shewing how he contemneth blindnesse and ignorance in all those that will serve him Malach. 1.8 A good intention cannot make a good action if knowledge be wanting it is but a blind offering though done in obedience to Gods command As it is will-worship when things are done which are not commanded and men think by them to do God good service so likewise when men do Gods commands for sinister respects not knowing the force and ground of the command 1. Without knowledge a man cannot repent how can a man turn from sin unlesse he know the nature and danger of sin how can he turn to the Lord unlesse he know him When Israel turneth to the Lord Hos 8.3 he shall cry to the Lord My God we know thee saith the Prophet Hosea If you urge an ignorant man to turn from his sin and turn to the Lord he will answer as Pharaoh Who is the Lord I know not the Lord neither will I let my beloved lusts go how can a man repent till his conscience be touched and how can conscience accuse him without knowledge Knowledge is the effect of a good conscience and a good conscience like an haughty spirit scorneth to lie in the hovel of ignorance 2. A man cannot pray to the Lord without knowledge Ignoti nulla cupido Rom. 3.10 Joh. 4.10 3 Cor. 14.15 Alsted Theolog. Catechet there is none that understandeth that seeketh after God saith the Apostle If thou knewest saith Christ to the woman of Samaria thou wouldst have asked c. A man may say a prayer or read a prayer without true knowledge and the Lord regard them not but he cannot pray with the heart nor pray spiritually without true knowledge that prayer is right which is done in the spirit and with understanding Scientèr or at qui novit quem orat quid pro quo 3. VVithout knowledge a man cannot â—raise God for any mercy Psal 17.7 Sing ye praises with understanding saith the Psalmist therefore the Saints do honour God most with their praises and confessions because they know more of God and his goodnesse then others and can report higher things of him VVicked and ignorant men speak of God onely by hear-say but they that know him by intimate acquaintance and experience as the Queen of Sheba knew more of Salomons wisdome by his mouth then by his fame he that hath the most inward communion with God is able to render the more abundant praises to him 4. VVithout knowledge a man cannot be zealous for God and his glory there is a blind zeal like that of Popish votaries Phil. 3.6 there may be a zeal of God where there is no knowledge of God as the Apostle Paul speaks of himself before his conversion that he persecuted the Church out of zeal the like he speaks of his Countrey-men the Jews that they have a zeal of God Rom. 10.2 Zelus absque scientia quà vehementâ—ùs irruit eò graviùs corruit Bernard but not according to knowledge It is good saith the Apostle alwayes to be zealously affected in a good matter Gal. 4.18 Now wisdome and knowledge are good guides to zeal to keep it within compasse that it
all wisdom and spiritual understanding where this treasure is wanting the soule is beggerly and bankrupt base in Gods sight as he saith of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 Thou sayest thou art rich and encreased with goods and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked A blind and ignorant soul August Serm. 16. in Matth. is a poor miserable and beggerly soul When thou buyest a Farm thou buyest a good one saith a Father when thou marriest a wife thou chusest a good one when thou desirect children thou desirest good ones and when thou hast all these riches thou art but poor inter tot dona amongst so many gifts aud malus inter tot bona evill among so many good things if thou wantest the riches of true knowledge men may welter upon their Gold like Heliogabalus as Lampridius and Herodian report of him and yet for spiritual knowledge have hearts like stones and heads like beetles and be beggers in the midst of their abundance destitute of all heavenly riches Prov. 3.14 of riches towards God The merchandise of wisdom is better then the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof then fine Gold Merchants that trade for silver and gold bring in much profit but the merchandise of wisdom is better and more profitable My fruit is better then Gold yea then much fine gold saith wisdome It brings in peace of conscience it filleth the heart with unspeakable joy Prov. 8.16 it comforts the soul in the greatest distresse this is the fruit that groweth upon the tree of Knowledge 3. 1 Tim. 6.20 Haec scientiarum nobilissima scientia nobilissimorum It far transcendeth all other kind of knowledge other knowledge compared with this knowledge is but as the Apostle saith Science falsely so called what will it avail a man with the Grammarian to be able to speak write purely and use elegant phrases in his words if he want the knowledge of God to direct him to live purely and holily for want whereof he committeth many solaecismes and absurdities in his works and actions what comfort can it afford a man to have been a fine Rhetorician and eloquent Oratour and having used many pleasing words to men if in the mean time he want a light within him to shew him how to do those things that are pleasing to God what will it help the Musitian to have had a tunable tongue with an untunable heart what will it pofit the Logician to be able to dispute subtilly if he be gravelled and set Non-plus in the Devills sophistry what will it help the Lawyer to be able to prescribe to others the rules of equity and himself to live in the practice of all iniquity what good will it do to the Geometrician to know the measure and compasse of the whole earth and not to know and consider that himself must shortly return to the earth what will it advantage the Astronomer to have his eyes lifted up to heaven if he be ignorant of the God of heaven and his heart be groveling upon the earth what will it help the Arithmetician to be cunning and skilfull in numeration addition substraction multiplication division and all the severall branches of that Science Psal 90.12 if in the mean time he forget Moses numeration and never pray unto God to teach him to number his dayes and to apply his heart unto wisdom or Zacheus division in restoring what he had ill gotten to the right owners and disposing of what he had to spare of what he had well gotten to the poor and needy members of Christ what is a man profited with the Physician to know the state and constitution of other mens bodies and yet be ignorant how it fares with and what shall become of his own poor soul In a word if we were so well read in histories and had such firm and sure memories as that we could discourse of the affaires of all forreign and farre Countries as Turkie Persia the East and West Indies c. and in the meane time be strangers at home not knowing how things go in that Microcosme or little world of our selves it would but little profit us what if we could describe as in a Map or Table the warres of the Trojans Grecians Romans Turks and Persians and in the mean time be ignorant that we have a politick powerful mighty and malicious Adversary to encounter with our selves as Peter tells us 1 Pet. 5.8 yea that he useth treachery and treason against us being in league with our owne flesh which he stirreth up to rebell against the good motions of the spirit and make us yeeld our selves to be his Slaves and Vassals Beloved all these knowledges in their kind are good and commendable and good ornaments to those that have attained them and may be means to fit and furnish men to be more serviceable to Church and common-wealth but they must all be subordinate and stoop to this most excellent knowledge the knowledge of God in Christ Compare this excellent knowledge with other knowledges contained in the writings of Philosophers and other humane authours Chrysost Homil. 4. in 1 Cor. ◠Vitrea argumenta quae subtilitate lucen◠vanitate franguntur August and you will find it so far to excell and exceed them all as heaven doth the earth for their discourses and disputations be but like spiders webs many times so subtill as we scarce conceive the reason of them yet withall so light as they yield no comfort or content when we do conceive it and as Austin saith their arguments are glassy which shine with subtilty and are broken with vanity They discourse of knowledge and dispute thereof and yet still remain blind and ignorant as Bats or Beetles in respect of the main and chief knowledge the knowledge of God and Christ 1 Cor. 2.2 Paul determined to know nothing else save Jesus Christ and him crucified These men discourse and dispute of happiness and yet remain themselves most miserable being so far from enjoying it as few or none of them ever truly knew what it was they talk of the truth but many of them are liars they talk of vertue and yet remain most vitious briefly we may say of all their speculations and curious Arts and Sciences without the saving knowledge of God in Christ which none of them ever attained unto by the Moon-light of nature that it was but docta quaedam ignorantia Scientia optima non solùm quae doctiores sed quae meliores homines efficit Bernard a kind of learned ignorance or ignorant kind of knowledge as Austin calleth it at least nothing worth in comparison of this heavenly knowledge for as Bernard hath noted that is the best knowledge not onely which makes men more learned but better and more holy All riches in comparison of this is but drosse and rubbish all wisdom in comparison of this
raiseth a drooping spirit Ignorance of God and of his Word ignorance of our selves also is the cause of much trouble of spirit when we are ignorant of our own estate and of our grounds of comfort It is the great design of the Devil to blind our eyes in soul-troubles that we may not see the Well of Comfort that runneth by us as poor Hagar that was ready to perish for thirst had not eyes to see the Fountain by her Now true knowledge leades the soul to the Promises to the waters of Comfort to the breasts of Consolation where he may suck and be abundantly satisfied Psalm 97.11 Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart when grosse darknesse covereth other people light is risen to their souls The light of the righteous rejoyceth Prov. 13.9 when the lampe of the wicked is put out The knowledge of God in a saving way bringeth three grounds of comfort to the soul that hath it 1. It comforteth the soul to consider how many Wise and Learned men are blinded by the god of this World that God hath hid Heavenly Mysteries from the wise and prudent of the World and hath revealed them to poor babes and to such a poor ignorant creature as he was 2. It comforteth it to consider what darknesse it hath sometime lived in and that now the Lord hath called it out of darknesse into his marvellous light Oh! saith such a soul God hath done as great a work upon my heart as he did when he commanded light to shine out of darknesse Choshec panai Tehom in the beginning of the World my heart was like the earth at that time when there was nothing but Tohu and Bohu upon it Gen. 1.2 and darknesse was upon the face of the Deep and then did the Lord make light of it It is with Gods people before he openeth their eyes as it was with Abraham the Lord sent on him a most fearful darknesse even then Gen. 15.12 when he was ready to communicate a most comfortable light unto him The Lord strook Paul with blindnesse even then when he came to open his eyes 3. This further comforteth such a soul in that God shining into it hath given it the light of the knowledge of the glory of God Act. 9. 2 Cor. 4.6 in Jesus Christ glorious things are now revealed to the soul the soul seeth that now which it never saw before and they clearly see that which others cannot know nor discern It is light in Goshen where the Israelites are when there is no light in Egypt men in the same City in the same Congregation in the same Seat in the same Family sit in darknesse and cannot see when others in the same places do clearly behold the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ Now if this light of the godly be so glorious and comfortable in this World what shall it be in the World to come when God and the Lambe shall be their immediate light here God enlightens us by candle-light but there the glorious Sun of Righteousnesse himself will be our everlasting light here our light may be darkened and eclipsed but there shall be an eternal light without all darknesse there shall be no night there 5. Knowledge is useful to resolve all doubts and difficulties which arise in our souls this makes a man of a full and firm resolution a man is happy when he can say This I know to be the mind of God and in this will I live and die this is the truth of God and from this I will not be moved Ignorantiae duae pessimae filiae falsitas dubietas Ignorance is the mother of two filthy daughters the first daughter of Ignorance is called dubiety or doubtfulnesse which is a continual wavering in opinion a knowing man hath a fixt spirit and settled judgement but an ignorant man is a double-minded man though he be never so resolute and wilful in his opinions The other daughter of Ignorance is falsity or errour which setleth a man upon an unsound basis he that is void of reason will not be convinced by truth or reason when there were divers opinions in the World concerning Christ who he should be some said he was John Baptist some Elias Math. 16.14 others Jeremias or one of the Prophets this variety of opinions sprang from ignorance Some said he was Elias propter zelum amorem veritatis for his zeal and love of the truth for as Elias could not endure to have Gods worship mingled with idolatry no more could Christ as appears Joh. 2. by his punishing and casting out of those that bought and sold in the Temple others said he was Jeremias propter patientiam in adversis being like a lambe before the shearer not opening his mouth however he was abused and others said he was John Baptist for his boldnesse in reproving sin and this opinion for the most part went current and the reason why it was more favoured and followed than the rest Divines observe to be because a great man was Author of it as you may see Math. 14 2. for when Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus he said unto his servant this is John the Baptist he is risen from the dead and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him and then no matter whether it be true or false if Herod be the Author of it for if Abimelech cut boughes from trees Jud. 9.49 to set the Tower in Sichem on fire all the people will do so by his example Here you may see the dangerousnesse of ignorance causing such various and erroneous opinions concerning Christ their ignorance of Christ made way to the entertainment of the Pythagorean opinion of the transmigration of souls into other mens bodies which occasioned all these errours so grossely ignorant were even the better sort of people in Christs time in a main fundamental point of Religion as viz. Whether he were the Messiah or no Now on the other side knowledge resolves all doubts though others doubted who Christ was yet Peter freely and clearly confesseth him he doth not stay till a Council might be called and the question determined among the Jews but knowing who Christ was like the fore-man of a Jury he brings in the verdict of himself and his followers saying as Matthew tells us to our Saviour Math. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God A man that hath clear eyes in his head can discern the light if it be shewed him but blindnesse makes a man uncapable of seeing light offered to him knowledge resolves a man and setleth his judgement without knowledge a man cannot in divers cases discern truth from errour as in the body of man eyes are given to distinguish of colours ears to distinguish of sounds pallats to distinguish of tastes so is knowledge very useful to distinguish of Doctrines that are tendered to us that with David
we may chuse the way of truth and avoid the rocks of errour 2 Pet. 3.17 18. growing in the knowledge of Christ preserves a man from being carried away with the errour of the wicked 6. Knowledge is useful to adorn the soul knowledge is the soul 's greatest ornament wisdom especially heavenly wisdom makes a mans face to shine saith the Wise man Eccles 8.1 it putteth such a luster upon a man as out-shineth all the Diadems of the greatest Princes of the World Prov. 1.9 It is an ornament of grace to the head and chains about the neck Persons of Renown for wisdom were wont to wear chains of Gold about their necks Gen. 41.39 42. in token of honour done to them for their wisdom for that cause Pharaoh put a Golden chain about the neck of Joseph and the like did King Belshazzar unto Daniel Dan 5.29 who was so Renowned for his wisdom that in those dayes none were esteemed wiser than he therefore the Lord upbraideth the Prince of Tyrus Ezek. 28.3 that was pufft up with the conceit of wisdom Behold thou art wiser than Daniel that is thou thinkest thy self wiser than Daniel there is no secret they can hide from thee How amiable was Solomon for his wisdom when the Queen of Sheba came from a far Country to hear it and when she had seen it said 1 Kings 10.8 Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom now those that are filled with heavenly wisdom and knowledge they wear more beautiful and glorious ornaments than all the golden Chains in the World As a clear quick and piercing eye is a great beauty and ornament of the face of man so a clear apprehension a sharpe inspection and a sound judgement in the things of God is the highest and most becoming ornament of a Christian soul 7. Knowledge fits a man for high and eminent Employments the best and wisest men are to be chosen to the highest places thus upon the Tree that Nebuchadnezzar saw the birds are upon the boughes the beasts below at the root that is in a kingdom and common-wealth men of worth and wisdom are to be placed above in Authority to bear Rule and others of meaner reach are to hold meaner places and to be ruled and kept in obedience and subjection for Solomon tells us where and when it is otherwise there is a great confusion Prov. 26.8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling so is he that gives honour to a fool the ordinary Translation is As he that putteth a stone or a precious stone in a heap of stones so is he that giveth glory to a fool The vulgar Latine is Sicut qui mittit lapidem in Acervum Mercurii ita qui tribuit honorem inspienti As he that putteth a stone to an heap of Mercury c. Lyra expounds it two wayes and the first methinks very much strained telling us that it 's a metaphor taken from such as cast accompts whereof Mercury was the God among the superstitious Gentiles now as in casting of accomps wherein they anciently used little stones the same stone sometimes lay for a penny and sometime for many pounds and yet the value was the same his place being altered So many times a fool by favour and friendship is exalted and advanced to high place much beyond his desert Another exposition he gives us saying that as he that putteth a stone to an heap of mercury that is to build him a Temple and so set up idolatry so is he that conferreth honour upon a fool He confesseth also that the words in the Original tongue may have another sense thus ut qui mittit lapidem in palmam fundae as he that patteth a stone into the hand of a sling so is he that gives honour to a fool And so reads Junius and Tremellius ut qui applicat lapidem Balistae ita qui praebet stolido honorem and the Hebrew word Margemah coming of Ragam lapidare or lapidibus obruere to strike or kill with stones as Pagnine tells us will bear both and signifieth either an heap of stones or a sling to hurle stones with and taking the words in the last sense Solomons meaning may be this As he that putteth a stone in a sling and hurleth it forceth it upward violently which would and should of it self go downward naturally so he that advanceeth a fool to honour committeth a soloecisme in nature setting him above in authority to rule others whose proper place is to be beneath in subjection to be ruled of others Knowing and understanding men are fittest for places of rule and government therefore Pharaoh advanced Joseph to high honour Forasmuch saith he as there is none so discreet and wise as thou art thou shalt be over my house and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled Genes 41.39 40. And now before I give directions to get knowledge I must remove divers objections thrown in my way or rather in their own way by ignoraut wretches for many sottish people are apt to frame many objections against their getting of knowledge Object 1. Many poor soules are apt to object and say I am simple and ignorant and am not book-learned I cannot read and I am blockish dull of apprehension and the like how then can I understand the knowledge of the Lord or the mind of God revealed in his Word Resp It is a very bad thing not to be book-learned as you say c. but there are three things in answer to this objection of ignorant men that say they cannot understand 1. Poor soules they say they cannot get this knowlege but the reason is because they will not now that they will not get holy knowledge is evident although they cannot learn the knowledge of God they can learn other things that are evill and vain fast enough My people is foâ—lish they have not known me saith the Lord they are sottish children they have no understanding what altogether voyd of understanding no Terem 4.22 they are wise to dâ—e evill but to do good they have no knowledge now this proceedeth from the evill frame and corruption of their hearts the wisdome of the flesh assisteth them in doing the works of the flesh and in counter-working the working of the Spirit and our Saviour saith Luke 16.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro â—â— that the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light they are not absolutely more wise and sagacious then the children of light in every respect but wiser in their kind of wisdom and in some respect wiser for the world and for worldly advantages they can order all their outward affaires with much discretion they have strange inventions to hook in a good bargain they observe the fittest times of taking in and putting off commodities to the most advantage they are given to oppression engrossings fraud
and it will make him even to tremble to think of the greatnesse thereof and then he will stand like a man amazed and wonder he should escape so iminent a danger so all the while thou walkest in darknesse thou knowest not where thou goest nor whither thou art going An ignorant sinner is every moment ready to drop into the infernal pit Judg 20.34 and when he is near to destruction yet like the Benjamites he knoweth not that evil is near him But if ever the Lord open his eyes by the light of his word and spirit then he will stand amazed and wonder at the goodnesse of God towards him he will then tremble to think of the danger he hath escaped therefore the Apostle calleth the light of grace marvellous â—ight because when God brings a man out of the dungeon of darknesse into the true light 1 Pet. 2.9 every thing is then to the poor soul very marvellous and full of admiration 4. thou sayest thou art not sensible of any danger in an ignorant estate no marâ—el for thou art dead and dead men are senselesse men the dead know nothing Paul tells us Ephes 4.18 that those that have their understanding darkened are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them there is no life in the soul without knowledge spiritual knowledge is as it were the seed of true life in the soul and it maintaineth the life thereof and as the body is dead without the soul so the soul is dead without saving knowledge therefore being spiritually dead thou must needs be insensible of thy danger and so thou thinkest thou art in a good estate but hear O thou dead and sottish soul what the Lord saith unto thee this day Ephes 9.14 out of his word Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light he doth not say Christ shall give thee life but Christ shall give thee light i. e. the light of knowledge if thou wilt awake from thy pleasing sleep and slumber Let me beseech you then if you love your souls labour to know God betimes even in your youth that is a commendable youth that is old in grace and savoureth of the wisdom of the Ancient of dayes happy is he whom Gods effectual grace saluteth at his Cradle whose spirit is Gods candle to discern youthful lusts and vanities so as to avoid them If we know God when we are young we shall not be strangers to him when we are old see thou that thy lampe be ready whensoever the Bridegroom passeth by thee make not that the task of thy Age which should be the practise of thy whole life you know by experience that a ship the longer it leakes the harder it is to be emptied an house the longer it goes to decay the worse it is to repair a nail the further it is driven in the harder it is to draw out again and can we perswade our selves that the trembling joynts the dazeled eyes the fainting heart and failing legs of a decrepit and indisciplinable old age is able to repair the many ruines which so many years ignorance have brought upon us Are there not twelve hours in the day saith our Saviour If any man walk in the day he stumbleth not John 11.9 10. because he seeth the light of this World but if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him It is no wisdom to defer to get the knowledge of God Non semper manet in foro pater-familias August Greg. serm 1. de sanctis till old age cometh which usually brings with it a bedroll of follies to repent of no wisdom to post off this knowledge to the last hour the Lord of the Vineyard is not alwayes in the Market to set thee a work saith Austin and no marvel saith another Father if that man at the last gaspe forget himself who in all his life neglected to remember God Object 3 Others are ready further to object We have neither time nor leisure to get knowledge one saith I am in great trading and have a great many servants and much businesse in my hands to look after And another saith I have a great charge of children at home to look to and provide for and I cannot go abroad nor spare any time â—o get knowledge I live altogether by my abour I can spare no time for such occasions Resp 1 It is not multiplicity of businesse nor weightinesse of affairs that can excuse any mans ignorance and therefore those that are in the highest places and have the management of the greatest affairs are charged to know the Lord and to study his Word Who hath greater affairs than a King yet even Kings are commanded to know the Lord thus David chargeth Solomon his son now entering upon the Regal Dignity And thou Solomon my son 1 Chron. 28.9 know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind Kings and great Personages are to take care of Religion and Gods Service which they cannot do without the knowledge of the Lord therefore God charged Moses that the King that should rule his people after him should take a copy of his Law Deut. 17.18 191 and write it in a Book and keep it by him and read therein all the dayes of his life that he might learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of that Law and his Statutes to do them So God commandeth Joshua the Captain and General of the Armies of Israel The Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein Josh 1.8 for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good successe And according to the direction of God to Moses Samuel upon the election of Saul their first King 1 Sam. 10.25 having declared to the people the manner of the Kingdom wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord where no doubt the King might repair to it or have a copy taken out of it for his private instruction Herein doubtlesse Jehojada the Priest 2 Kings 12.2 instructed King Jehoash this Book surely had lien neglected by the space of 57 years viz. the time of Manasses and Amnon the Father and Grandfather of King Josiah for in his time we read that Helkias the High-Priest told Saphan the Scribe That he had found the Book of the Law which he took and read first by himself and afterwards before the King whose heart melted at the hearing of it 2 Reg. 22.8 9.10 11 because his Predecessours had neglected the Law and not hearkened to the words of that Book to do it Thus you see it is not weighty affairs that must hinder men from the knowledge of the Lord. Therefore
as the Fable moraliâ—eth doth more esteem of a barley corn then of a pretious pearl knowing the profit of the one not the rich value of the other So blind and ignorant people do lightly esteem of Gods glorious and wonderful works preferring the dirty commodities of this dung-hill world before the footsteps of Gods Majesty imprinted in his works thereby exceedingly dishonouring the Lord himself And let me adde hereunto that ignorance makes a man lightly to esteem of God himself and of his word An ignorant man is ready to passe by a King without any reverence done unto him and the Country Peasant we know doth trample many a wholesome herb under his feet which the skilfull Apothecary doth gather up and make good account of because he is ignorant of the vertues and medicinable uses thereof which the Apothecary knoweth knowledge is a necessary precedent to a reverent and high estimation of God and his word for to know the excellency of any thing is a good preparative to a due esteem thereof 10. Ignorance is an inlet into all errours It is a fruitfull mother of errour Praeteritae veniam dabit ignorautia culpae Ovid. Epist 19. An ignorant man is apt to be carried away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with vain and empty words The Papists who would perswade the people they may be ignorant and a little or no knowledge is required of them give great occasion to us to suspect as if they meant to make a prey of them by seducing them with grosse errours for then saith Chrysostome thieves go to stealing when they have first puâ— out the candle and in dark shops men use to utter their base and refuse wares It was ignorance of the doctrine of regeneration and of the Scriptures that made Nicodemus conceive that carnally that our Saviour spake spiritually Joh. 3.3 4. It was ignorance of the Scriptures that made the Sadduces make a mock and scoffe at the resurrection and afterwards to propound their question about a woman that had many Husbands Whose wifâ— she should be in the resurrection Matth. 22.23 our Saviour tells them that ignorancâ— was the cause of this their errour ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God verse 29. An ignorant man is a prey for every impostour and deceiver as Sampson was for the Philistines when his eyes were out Psal 95.10 If the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch together It is a people saith God that do erre in their hearts and the reason is given they have not known my wayes An ignorant man is the very map of change and like children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine being not well grounded an ignorant man like a child is apt to be taken with every new fangle soon growing weary of every thing The most learned are subject to errour for at the best they know but in part and do frequently erre because not wholly sanctified knowledg then is most necessary that we may be able to try doctrines that are brought to us Prov. 28.11 and to discern the spirits whether they be of God or no the rich man is wise in his own conceit but the poor that hath understanding can try him saith Solomon Lastly An ignorant man is every moment liable to Gods wrath and vengeance They have not known my wayes saith the Lord therefore I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Psal 95. ult Powre out thy wrath upon the Heathen Jer. 10.25 that have not known thee c. saith the Prophet Jeremy the like hath David Psalm 79.6 Put all those together and you may clearly see the danger of the sin of ignorance that we may be stirred up to labour after the true knowledg of God in Jesus Christ The case of ignorant men then is much to be pitied lamented for if their case be to be lamented who through corporall blindnesse run into innumerable mischiefs and at last fall into a deep gulf without hope of recovery much more are they to be pitied who through spirituall blindnesse plunge themselves into far greater evills for the present and at last fall into the pit of everlasting destruction without recovery Do you not pitty blind men when you see them go out of the way or stumble at every block or fall into every pit or ditch or be misled by every false guide or exposed to the injury of every vile and malicious person how much more then should we sadly lament the case of those who are ignorant lying under the punishment of spiritual blindnesse which is greater then bodily blindnesse beyond all comparison and much more desperate 2 The second thing by way of motive to this duty of getting knowledge is the great worth Prov. 4.7 Phil. 3.8 benefit and excellency of knowledge Get wisdom saith Solomon for wisdom is the principal thing we read of the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. And here consider 1. Knowledg is the principal thing wherein the image of God consisteth Col. 3.10 the new man is said to be renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him it is not our substance that is Gods image but true knowledge knowledge makes a man like unto God this the Devill knew well enough when he tempted our first Parents to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evill Gen. 3.5 telling them that God knew that in the day they eat thereof their eyes should be opened and they should be as Gods knowing good and evill Ignorance makes a man like the bruit beasts that perish but knowledge is the renewing of the image of God upon the soule Pythagoras engraved in a stone with his own hand these words setting it before his Academy He that knoweth not in his measure what he ought to know scil in divine things is but a beast among men he that knoweth what is simply needfull and no more is a man among men but he that knoweth according to the helps vouchsafed him of God what may well be known and so far as to direct himself and others aright in the way to true happinesse Exod. 4. is a God among men Thus the Lord tells Moses he should be to his brother Aaron instead of God 2. Knowledge is a most enriching thing Col. 2.2 3. Vnicum bonum scientia unicum malum ignorantia we read of the riches of the full assurance of understanding and of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge this makes a man rich to God there is one that is dives sibi rich to himself there is another that is dives Deo rich unto God he that hath onely outward treasures is rich to himself but he that hath the treasures of wisdom and knowledge is rich in God God never chargeth us to be rich in worldly things but to be rich in knowledg Col. 1.6 to be filled with the knowledg of his will in
eye is clear and quick-sighted the body is well guided so where the understanding and reason and judgement is rightly informed there the soule is well ordered otherwise there is nothing but disorder and confusion True knowledg will direct thy choyce to forsake the bad and follow the good to leave earthly things Eccles 9.15 Eccles 10.6 and cleave to heavenly Wisdome is profitable to direct saith Solomon even as light directeth him in his way the knowledge of God in a saving way will make thee not to place happinesse in pleasing thy humour with the ancient Philosophers but it will make thee content with Paul to give over all to gain Christ Prov. 19.22 true knowledge guideth the tongue understanding is a well-spring of life to him that hath it the heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips that is as if he had said whereas a fooles heart is upon the tip of his tongue to vent and utter whatever he knoweth at all adventures a wise mans tongue is ordered and guided by his heart to keep and observe a decorum both in speech and silence And concerning actions Solomon bringeth in wisdom speaking thus in her own person saying Prov. 8.19 20. My fruit is better then Gold yea then fine Gold and my revenue then choyce Silver and then addeth a reason saying I lead in the way of righteousnesse and in the midst of the paths of judgement Now on the other side if thine eye be evill thy whole body is full of darknesse as a man that hath an ill sight a pearl in his eye or is pur-blind is oftentimes nay evermore deceived in his choyce and misseth his mark So he that hath his understanding darkned and dazzeled wanteth a right judgement to guide him in the worship and service of God the corruption of his own heart and proud flesh the sleights and suggestions of Satan and the evill examples of others with whom he liveth being as Gregory Nazianzen saith interposed between the eye of his mind and the light of the Gospel as a thick cloud or the shadow of the body of the earth between our eyes and the light of the Sun Now where this evill eye is there is nothing but darknesse and the fruits of it amazednesse horrour and confusion where understanding is wanting the whole life must be nothing but disorder knowledge in the soule is as a King in his Realm the head to the body the eye in the head a Pilot in a ship yea in a word as the Sun to the world now what truer mirrour of misery then a Realme without a King or Governour or whose King is a child not so much in years as in discretion as Rehoboam was and what can that body do that hath an head blind without eyes or that is still distempered fit for nothing but sleep what can be expected to become of a ship whose Pilot and guide is still stark drunk neither knowing nor caring how to guide her at Sea nor bring her to shore and what greater darknesse is there in the greater world then when the Sun the eye thereof hath run his race and is gone to rest untill his rising again as great disorder discomfort and confusion is there in a man without knowledge and spitituall understanding nay farre greater unlesse Jesus Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse arise in it and shine upon it by the beames of his grace and favour 2. Knowledge is usefull to strengthen a man a knowing man is a strong man Eccles 7.19 a fool is a weak man wisdome strengthneth the wise more then ten mighty men that are in the City saith Solomon it will more support and strengthen a man then many great friends in Court or City it will strengthen a man in great straits Friends may faile a man and oftentimes do faile him but true wisdome doth not faile a man in the greatest straits it leadeth a man through the greatest difficulties and supports him under them to this purpose the Apostle prayeth that the Colossians might be filled with the knowledge of Gods will Colos 1.9 10 11. in all wisdome and spirituall understanding and increase in the knowledge of God that they might be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse Wisdome strengthens us rightly to use our spiritual armour both defensive and offensive as it is best for us and appointed to us When a great King besieged a little City and built great bulwarks against it there was found in it a poore wise man and he by his wisdome delivered the City then said I wisdom is better then strength Eccles 9.14 15 16. and verse 18. he addeth Wisdome is better then weapons of warre the Devill is like this great King that cometh against and besiegeth the little City of the soule buildeth great bulwarks against it but a poor Christian by wisdom delivereth his soule a man that knoweth his own weaknesse and wants that knoweth the necessity of grace that knoweth Jesus Christ to be the Fountain of wisdome and strength he goeth out of himselfe to Jesus Christ making use of the vertue of his death and resurrection to overcome all temptations unto sin 3. Knowledge doth exceedingly encourage a man and hearten him against all discouragements when a man knoweth God knoweth his service and knoweth what God requireth at his hands this doth exceedingly encourage a man upon the performance of his duty Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.12 I am not ashamed of my sufferings for the preaching of the Gospel and giveth this reason for I know whom I have believed and he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day When a man knoweth the will of God and walketh according to the light he hath received when a man knoweth the promises and his own interest in them this doth mightily encourage a man under sufferings when once we have gotten understanding of Christ and the Promises and Priviledges by him the heart is full of courage he knoweth then let God cast him into what state or condition he will that it shall go well with him this will make a man couragious in death it self What though I die yet saith he with Job Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and in that he liveth he liveth for my good he is my life Col. 3.4 who is the life My life is bound up in him who is the Fountain of Life Joh. 14.19 and because he liveth I shall live also 4. Knowledge is sweet and comfortable Eccles 11.7 light is sweet and it is a comfortable thing for a man with his eyes to behold the light of the Sun So when an ignorant soul is enlightened with the true knowledge of God and his wayes this is very comfortable What a comfort is it to come out of the dark dungeon of ignorance into Gods marvelous light the light of knowledge
Credere se sapientem primus ad stultitiam gradus proximus est profiterâ— Petrar de remed utriusque fortunae and have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledg of the holy or know the knowledge of the holy according to the Hebrew have you any sparke of this knowledge in you have mean thoughts thereof The first step to folly is for a man to believe himself to be wise the second step is to professe himself to be so saith a Wise man If thou wert truly wise thou wouldest not think or say so of thy self Agur was a man full of heavenly wisdom and yet he saith Surely I am more brutish than any man c. It were very well if there were as many knowing men in the World as there are professors of wisdom and knowledge the wiser any man is the more he understandeth his want of true wisdom and knowledge he doth not boast of it but more and more breaths after it if thou wilt be wise do not think thy self to be so Object 1 Oh! but I am accounted and esteemed by others to be a wise and knowing man Resp It is not thy tongue nor the voices of others that have made thee wise but the thing it self do not rest upon the vulgar opinion concerning thy self the common people do use to account wise men to be mad men and mad men to be wise taking false things for true and true for false there is nothing more remote from vertue and from the truth many times than the opinion of the vulgar people are very apt to rely upon other mens opinions concerning themselves Wilt thou know whether thou art wise turn thine eyes backward remember how often thou hast gone astray how often thy feet have stumbled quot dolenda quot pudenda quot paenitenda commiseris how many things thou hast committed that are to be lamented that thou art to be ashamed of that thou hast cause to repent of and then call thy self a wise man if thou darest Object 2 But I have gotten much knowledge and am able to discourse knowingly and wisely and therefore I know that I am wise Resp It is one thing to speak wisely it is another thing to live wisely Aluid est sapienter loqui aliud sapienter vivere It is one thing to be accounted another thing to be a truly wise man The Romans do pronounce Lolius and Cato for wise men and Grecia when it flourished is said to have had seven wise men now these men did not assume this title to themselves but possessed it being given to them by the erring people and there was but one Epicurus that was wise in his own judgement and he was the veriest fool of all and those wise men before mentioned 1 Cor. 1.21 notwithstanding all their wisdom were ignorant of God for so saith the Apostle the world by wisdom knew not God Direct 2 Labour to find out the cause of thy ignorance It is not enough to find out a Disease but also to find out the cause thereof is most requisite examine thy self how thou camest to be thus spiritually blind the blind man in the Gospel could tell that he was borne blind This I know saith he Joh. 9. that once I was blind enquire then being once sensible of thy blindnesse why thou dost continue in thy blindnesse Surely the main cause is because thou hast not all this while gone to the Physitian for eye-salve to cure thy blindnesse Jesus Christ is the great Physitian of Souls and he would have cured thy blindnesse if thou wouldest have gone unto him Direct 3 Go to Jesus Christ and beg of him this eye-salve beg of him that he will annoint thine eyes with eye-salve Revel 3.18 Nisi sit intus Spiritus qui doceat nil valet doctoris lingua August Cathedram in Coelis habet qui corda docet Hominis est monere sed solius Dei corda movere Macarius that thou mayest see Physitians say this eye-salve is an ointment to purge away all filth and fluxes and ophthalmies out of the eyes that they may clearly see pray to him to make the scales of ignorance fall from thine eyes buy of him this eye-salve as he adviseth Laodicea by buying we can understand nothing but begging for what price can we pay to procure this rich purchase Seeing therefore we are in our selves either stone-blind the light of grace being quite extinguished or at the least blear-eyed the light of nature being eclipsed and obscured so that we cannot know the things that behoove us and belong to our peace Have we not then great reason to sue to Jesus Christ the Heavenly Chirurgeon for the true eye-salve viz. the enlightning of his Spirit and therefore it is called an Vnction from the Holy One 1 Joh. 2.20 whereby we know all things If your eyes are annointed with this eye-salve your knowledge will be more clear than other mens you will see most clearly into Divine Mysteries like a man that seeth at noon-day your knowledge of God likewise will be more sure and more experimental you will see the creatures emptinesse Christs fulnesse sins misery and graces excellency you will know how Christ was formed in you and how you have conceived him in your heart you will know the powerful and influential workings of the Spirit upon your souls Gal. 4.19 You will then have such a distinct knowledge of Gods Promises Job 32.8 as to be able with comfort to apply them to your own sowls The inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding then shall the eyes of the blind see out of darknesse Esay 29.18 The blind world walkes in the darke shadow of death and is not acquainted with this Heavenly light Pray to the Lord with David Lord open mine eyes Psal 119.18 that I may see the wonderous things out of thy Law pray as Paul doth for the Colossians that your knowledge may abound in all wisdom Col. 1.9 pray to God likewise to open the Scriptures to you as well as your understandings for the Gospel is a Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and Generations but is now made manifest to his Saints saith the Apostle It is sacrum secretum as Lyra a holy secret or sublime arcanum as Calvin Rom. 16.25 Ephes 1.9 Eph. 3 9 Col. 2.2 3. 1 Tim. 3.16 1. In which places it is said sometime to be hidden in God because it was kept close in his secret purpose and eternal counsell 2. Sometimes hidden in Christ because he was the Store-house in which was laid up all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledg all those Treasures that concerned our eternal happinesse and salvation Col. 2.3 as also because he was the meritorious cause of it 3. Sometimes hidden in the Word because that is the Fountain wherein it is contained whence the knowledge thereof is derived and conveyed to us 4. Hidden from the Gentiles for the space of
to bring others unto Christ now with the very reversion of this Feast not only the needy on earth but the very Angels in heaven were made merry Luke 15.7 But I dare not strain it thus farre with Stella It was a great Feast saith Calvin not so much for the multitude of guests as for the variety of cheer which doubtlesse he being of ability would provide to manifest his love and duty by way of thankfulnesse to Christ that had entertained him into his service as the manner is of servants inviting their Masters to this Feast he inviteth many of his old companions labouring to draw them also unto Christ So David first professeth that he will praise the Lord himself saying I will alwayes give thanks unto the Lord his praise shall be in my mouth continually Psal 34.1.3 Cant. 1.3 and then presently he addeth praise ye the Lord with me let us magnify his name together So the Spouse in the Canticles promiseth that if Christ would draw her she would procure company to go with her True Christians are not like Rayles but like Partriges that fly in companies together This was prophesied that it should be the disposition of those that should be brought in by the Gospel into the Christian Church one should provoke and call upon another come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord Isa 2.3 Zech. 8.21 and they that dwell in one City shall go to another saying up let us go and pray before the Lord of Hosts Joh. 7.38 These are the rivers of water that flow out from the belly of a true believer Psal 66.16 Come ye hearken to me saith David and I will tell you what God hath done for my soule Therefore let everyone that hath knowledg communicate it to others labour thou according to thy calling according to the measure of knowledg which thou hast received to work upon others by advice and counsel by entreaty and perswasion to bring them to the saving knowledge of God and his ways Art thou a Magistrate thou must labour to reclaim men from the works of darknesse Art thou a Minister thou must feed the flock 1 Pet 5.1 2 taking the oversight thereof thou must feed them with the bread of knowledg and of understanding thou must make it thy work to winne soules and to turn the people from the wayes of folly and ignorance Art thou a husband thou must dwell with thy wife as a man of knowledge husbands must instruct their wives with the knowledge of God Art thou a Master of a family thou art to instruct thy children and servants at home and bring them out to wisdomes gates to Gods Ordinances abroad that so if it may be thou mayest bring them to the knowledge of God that they may be saved The Apostle exhorts Parents to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Fathers Eph. 6.4 provoke not your children too much by tyrannizing over them Inutilis est animadversio ubi silent verba saeviunt verbera Marlorat and immoderately exercising your authority over them using all correction and no instruction being silent in words yet being more sharp and severe many times then there is just cause whereby the discipline is spoyled but bring them up in the instruction and admonition of the Lord teach them how to carry themselves towards God in the duties of his service and in civility and courtesie towards men in the common affaires and dealings of the world so shall they keep a good conscience before God and get themselves credit before men Now as Parents must not use too much severity and austerity so neither must they use too much lenity whereupon as many mischiefs and inconveniences ensue as upon the former for as it is said of the Ape that she having but two young ones kills one of them with over-much kindnesse so some fond and foolish parents if they do not kill yet they spill their children by too much cockering them where of we have an example in old Eli towards his sonnes 1 Sam. 2.23 24 25. 1 Reg. 1.6 and in David who was to blame too both towards Adonijah and Absalom He that desireth a good crop of corn must not only sow good seed but also weed it and use other good husbandry about it and he that desireth his son may prove a good man and a profitable member in the Church and Common-wealth must procure him a good Tutour and must himself be continually dropping good and wholesome instructions and directions upon him for the soul of a child is as Aristotle saith tanquà m abrasa tabula as a smooth table or like a piece of wax apt and fit for any impression Thus have the godly done from time to time and so it seemeth Adam instructed his sonnes concerning the worship of God else what should move them to offer sacrifice Genes 4. Thus did Abraham God himself giving this testimony of him I know Abraham Gen. 18.19 that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do judgement and justice that the Lord may bring upon A braham that which he hath spoken of him thus also Isaack Jacob and the rest of the godly Patriarchs and we may very well suppose that they would never have suffered themselves to be circumcised had they not been formerly instructed in the law of the Lord and made acquainted that it was the Lords will and pleasure So Joshua I and my house saith he will serve the Lord. Solomon was taught by his Father David Prov. 4.4 and by his Mother Prov. 31. 2 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 3.15 Timothies Faith was derived from his Grandmother and Mother and it is said of him that from a child he knew the holy Scriptures Every Master of a Family hath charge over the soules of his children and servants this God commanded the old Israelites these words which I command thee this day Deut. 6.6 7. shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when theu walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up thus doth King David charge his sonne Solomon telling him that he was going the way of all flesh take heed to the charge of the Lord thy God and walk in his wayes and keep his Statutes and Commandements and Judgements and Testimonies pressing him with many words of the same signification that he might the rather remember the substance of his charge 1 Reg. 2.2 he addeth a reason that thou mayest prosper in all thou doest Josephus saith that the children of the Jews knew how many letters were in the Old Testament and that they could recite them as readily as their owne names Joseph lib. 2. cont Appian Chrysoft Homil. de Anna Samueli tducationi and in every thing