The Righteous Mans Plea to True Happiness, Sermon 1 · Sermon 8
The eighth Sermon.SER. VIII.
PSALME IV.VI.
There be many that ſay, who will ſhew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
WE are ſtill on the point of happines, and wee are upon the laſt thing in that point: viz. the way unto it: The point (that you may remember it) was this,
Doctrine. Thus ſound knowledge and faith, joyned with ſoveraigne feare and love, and both theſe crowned with ſyncere repentance and obedience, guided by the line and light of the true religion, is the only way to true happineſſe.
Wee have paſſed through the explication of the point, and the laſt time we came ſo farre as the application,Exhortation. and in that to the matter of exhortation which by reaſon of the time wee could not then proſecute: wee come now unto it.
There is a double branch of the exhortation, according to which I deſire to goe.
Particular.Firſt, in relation to every one of theſe particulars in the point; to perſwade men to labour to get every one of them:
viz.
1. Sound knowledge.
2. Soveraigne affections.
3. Syncere obedience.
Secondly, I ſhall ſay ſomething in the generall, with relation to all of them; and to the true Religion, which is the mother and the miſtreſſe that muſt teach us all theſe, for they are not to be had any other where; nor no other Schoole can teach us theſe (at leaſt) as they will be available.
To begin then with the particulars, and firſt of the firſt.
Get knowledge.1 Concerning knowledge and faith.
There bee two things in which I ſhall proſecute that exhortation, in which I ſhall ſtirre and raiſe men up to endeavour after knowledge, and that ſound knowledge.
What for the,1 Give me leave, to circumſcribe what manner of knowledge I would have you ſet up for your marke and aime; which you know I did touch in the explication; and will therefore but briefly touch here in the proſecution of it.
2 I ſhall ſuggeſt ſome meanes; in the uſe of which, wee may come to attaine this knowledge.
2 I will propound ſome conſiderations that may whet us on unto it: But all very briefe.
1 For the firſt therefore, what kind of knowledge ſhould a man aime at the getting of? now I ſhall circumſcribe that in theſe three particulars.
1 Your knowledge in regard of the object,Object. Divine. muſt be divine; a divine knowledge: knowledge of God; knowledge of Chriſt; knowledge of the myſteries of grace, and of the covenant betweene God and man; thoſe eſſentiall things that God hath ſignified unto us in his covenant, for our guidance to happineſſe; the knowledge of theſe things eſpecially: I know there is no knowledge in the world but is precious, even the knowledg of the meaneſt things, the knowledge even of the baſeſt things may be of very good uſe: But what is all the knowledge in the world to the knowledge of God, that made the world; and of Chriſt, that redeemed the world? That is the knowledge which doth immediately conduce toward our attaining of happineſſe and ſalvation. Men may ſwell themſelves in vaine conceits of other kinde of literature, and looke big and ſcornfull upon this divine knowledge; but yet one drachm of this, one graine of this, is worth more then all the knowledge in the world: and therefore remember this, that we may not miſtake our ſcope and aime. I doe not interdict any other knowledge ſubordinate in its place and ranck; but I ſet this in the higheſt place and higheſt rancke, the divine knowledge of God, and thoſe things that concerne our happineſſe in God. And this is the ſcope of the exhortation in regard of this, that we would be contented to take a little paines from other things to get this divine knowledge; at leaſt not to ſquander away all our precious time, and parts, buſily in the purſuit of other things that will doe us no good; but take it from them, and beſtow our ſelves, our times and our wits, for the purſuing of divine knowledge, which is the moſt precious of all.
Act.2 In regard of the act: all that I will put you in mind of in regard of that is; that it is not a bare knowledge that I am now recommending unto you,Apprehenſion. which conſiſts in the apprehenſion of divine things: but a knowledge joyned with faith; mixed and tempered with faith: that the underſtanding may not only have ſome apprehenſion of thoſe things in the tenour of them,Aſſent. but in their connexion; ſo that the heart may cloſe with them in giving full aſſent to the truth of them; apprehend the realitie of them, to bee ſuch indeed as have a ground and ſubſiſtence: for it is one thing to apprehend the promiſe of eternall life, and to know what the happineſſe is to be in conjunction with God, to have a glorified bodie, and a glorified ſoule, farre beyond that excellencie that is here: but it is an other thing to apprehend that theſe things are really promiſed, ſhall be really performed by God, and ſo to ſet a mans ſoule to the truth of God by faith; that theſe are not only meere words; but ſuch as indeed ſhall be exhibited to all Gods ſervants: many apprehend theſe things, and underſtand what is meant by them; but yet they have a root of atheiſme in their hearts, ſo that they thinke they are but deviſed things to keepe men in awe, and that there is no realitie in them, to have no ſubſiſtence: it is therefore a knowledge of apprehenſion joyned with a full aſſent of faith reſting on the truth of the things promiſed, but in this place I ſhall uſe the word no further.
3 In regard of the maine of all,Degree. viz. in regard of the degree or manner: I deſire every one to bee induſtrious after knowledge, divine knowledge eſpecially: and carefull to joyne aſſent of faith to their knowledge, to mix and temper them together; and laſtly to aime at a ſoundneſſe of knowledge, and a ſoundneſſe of believing; that they be ſolid and not ſuperficiall; that they have not meerely flaſhings, or glimmerings of light, like lightning, which doth not guid a man in the way, but rather leadeth a man out of the way: Many men may have a flaſh of knowledge and aſſent, but this is not bottommed, nor grounded, it is not ſolid.
Here you muſt remember theſe three things, wherein I ſhall comprehend all that I aime at in this ſubſtantiall and ſolid knowledge, which I exhort every one to endeavour after.
1 That it be ſo extenſively.
2 That it be ſo intenſively.
3 That it be proportionably.
1 To have it extenſively ſubstantiall and ſolid: not ſome catchings and ſnatchings at ſome things in religion;Extenſively. here to get a ſcrap, and there to get a ſcrap, and in the other place another ſcrap; ſtill ſcraping at a little, like a garment made up of patches: but we muſt labour to know the whole will of God, and all things neceſſary, at leaſt that are abſolutely neceſſary to ſalvation, to be ignorant in none of them; in regard of the neare connexion, and that neceſſary influence that they muſt have in the forming and faſhioning of a right and faithfull receiving of God in Chriſt; which will not be without ſuch a ſolid knowledge as is apprehenſive of all that is neceſſary.
Intenſively.2 It muſt be intenſively ſolid, and ſubſtantiall: not onelyonly to know and give aſſent to all thoſe things that are neceſſary, not meerly catching at one act or ſome peeces of it: but to joyne to this a penetration of knowledge; not onelyonly to have it ſwimming in the braine, but that it penetrate and ſink into the underſtanding, and make a deep impreſſion there: A man may have ſometimes a ſwimming notion in the braine, floating aloft on the top, which never penetrates nor enters in a man, which I deſire we would moſt aime at, not to content our ſelves with a meere ſwimming notion, to licke on the outſide, as it were, as it is in the fable of the Fox; when the Crane invited the Fox to the feaſt, he provided gruell for him in a narrow mouthed veſſell, ſo that he himſelfe could put in his long bill, and ſuck it out, but the Fox could not put in his head, but was faine to licke the outſide, &c. I would not have men to content themſelves with the outſide, to have a little ſuperficiall notion, but the ſolidity of knowledge conſiſts in this, that a man have a reall notion, and apprehenſion which doth enter into his minde, and penetrate it throughly, makes a deep impreſſion that it be received there, and ſuch an impreſſion as may put a tincture on the heart, and affections too; for indeed that is never a perfect dye of knowledge, doth not redound and overflow to the affections, and draw them, leave a tincture on them; and therein indeed is the Criſis of knowledge, when it is ſaving and ſolid, namely then when it is penetrating, when it ſo farre fils the underſtanding, and enters ſo deeply into it; that there is a reſultance to overflow from it on the affections to inflame and draw them, that will give the through dye which is in graine, which will never out, but truly ſave.
3 Let every one endeavour after a proportioble knowledge:Proportionably. proportionable to his parts and meanes; proportionable to the place in which God hath ſet him; and proportionable to the oportunities that God hath given him: where God beſtowes much, he requires much; a leſſer meaſure of knowledge may be ſaving, where God affords a leſſer meaſure of light: In times of ſuperſtition and darkneſſe without all doubt many did get to heaven with a very weake light, yet it was ſuch that made an impreſſion on their hearts; but farre ſhort of that glitteringneſſe of light that is in our times: therefore we ſhould (for this is one branch of the exhortation) labour every one to make his knowledge go hand in hand, in an equipage with the meanes that he enjoyes, with the opportunities he hath afforded him by God; and with the parts he hath to make him capable; they that have more means, let not them content themſelves to have ſo much as ſome have had that lived in times of darkneſſe; they that have parts, and better underſtanding, let them not content themſelves to have ſo much as a poore ignoramus hath; it is not ſufficient for them; (though the thing it ſelfe be ſufficient to ſalvation, and ſo is not neceſſary abſolutely, yet) God requires more of them, becauſe he hath given more to them; God exacts more at their hands, becauſe they have received more at his hands; God requires that they ſhould keepe proportion.
How ſhall wee attaine to it.2 This being premiſed, now let me add concerning the other thing, viz. How ſhall we attaine to this knowledge: ſuppoſe we be willing and deſirous of it (as nothing indeed is more deſireable then knowledge, to be a knowing creature, a rationall creature, an underſtanding creature; it is pabulum anima, the food of the ſoule, a ſoule, that is a reaſonable ſoule, is as much nouriſhed and refreſhed with reaſonable things, with knowledge and other intellectuals, as the body, that is a body, is nouriſhed with corporeall ſuſtinance) but ſuppoſe now we deſire this, how ſhall we attaine it?
This is a large compaſſe to go through the full of it, I ſhall therefore point out briefly ſome few wayes.
Two things in generall I ſhall onelyonly ſpeake,Preparatives. which are as two preparatives for all things: and then I ſhall add two or three of the maine helps that are perfective in this kind, if we would attain to knowledge, ſound knowledge, and above all and eſpecially in divine things, that which we confine our ſpeech unto.
There are two preparatives that are exceeding advantagious this way, to fit the ſoule to ſtand in a good poſture, to make it capacious of this divine knowledge.
1 A humble ſpirit: Humility.humility is a very fit quality to make the ſoule of a man capable of getting knowledge: for as it was the ſaying of the Moraliſt, which is of more large extent, but yet holds a truth here; there is nothing hinders growth in knowledge more then a humour and ſwelling of pride: when a man is proud in his owne opinion, in conceit and apprehenſion of his owne wiſdome; he is uncapable of learning any thing; he lets ſlip the meanes and opportunities which otherwiſe he might have, onelyonly upon a vaine conceit that he is wiſe enough already: And therefore as they uſe to obſerve the ground on which the Peacocke uſeth to ſit, is ordinarily noted to be even by that occaſion made exceeding barren: I am ſure it is ſo here (the Peacocke being an Embleme of pride) And there is a double reaſon for it, why he is made uncapable of knowledge. There is a morall reaſon of it.
1 He doth by his priding of himſelfe, alienate God from him, nay and provoke God, ſo that God hath no delight to communicate himſelfe to him, for God deſpiſeth the proud, and giveth grace and knowledge to the humble, and the ſecrets of the Lord are with thoſe that feare him: he will communicate himſelfe to the humble ſpirit; and he will withdraw himſelfe from the proud ſpirit; he ſils the humble ſpirit with knowledge, but thoſe that are wiſe in their owne conceits, he ſends them away empty.
2 There is a naturall cauſe of it: it hinders a man from uſing any means, or from profiting by any meanes; it hinders a man from receiving any thing that is dropt into him: a proud man is a naturall barre or hinderance to his owne knowledge, or from receiving any knowledge: and therefore, as I have ſometime noted in another caſe, which is appliable here; you know, in a diſh, there is an inſide of it which is hollow, and an outſide which is convex; now if you would powre any thing in it, you muſt not powre it on the outſide which is convex, for that convex ſuperficies, by reaſon of its convexity, can hold nothing, but all runs over: But if you powre any thing in the inſide, it will hold juſt according to its proportion, as you can powre in; the humble ſpirit is like the concave and hollow of the diſh, that is empty by reaſon of his humility, and ſo is capacious of any thing which God in the uſe of the meanes ſhall be pleaſed to powre in it, it hath emptineſſe, and can hold it: but now the proud ſpirit is like the convex ſuperficies, and every thing is but ſpilt that is powred on it; for there is no hollowneſſe, no concave, no capaciouſneſſe to hold it. And as it is in the familiar ſimilitude of the mountaines and the valleyes; the raine fals on the mountaines, and makes it nothing fruitfull, becauſe all the raine by reaſon of the proclivity, and the height of the mountaine, ſlips and ſlides down from the mountaine, and the mountaine ſhelves it off (as it were) from its ſelfe: and not onelyonly caſts off the raine, but it ſelfe alſo (at leaſt the beſt of it ſelfe) with the raine; and ſo much more fattens the lower grounds, ſo that the valleyes have not onelyonly the fruitfulneſſe that comes by the raine, but alſo that which comes by the ſoile which fals on them from the hils by the raine: And truly it is the valley, the lowly ſpirit that is made capable of any thing; but the lofty ſpirit drives all from it ſelfe, and ſo makes it ſelfe uncapable to receive any thing, and unfit to attaine any thing: And therefore if we would get knowledge, attaine to this firſt ſtep in the ladder that reacheth to happineſſe, we muſt take heed of pride: the proud lofty ſpirit is not in the way to attaine knowledge, nor in any way to profit by the meanes which might be good for that purpoſe; but the humble ſpirit that findes an emptineſſe in it ſelfe, an hungering and thirſting after knowledge, ſuch a ſpirit is fitteſt to gaine by all advantages and all opportunities, and ſo conſequently to attaine to knowledge: So that this is the firſt qualification to attaine knowledge, humility.
Ingenuity of ſpirit.2 Another preparative is ingenuity of ſpirit; that is an excellent preparing qualification to attaine knowledge, and profiting by the meanes of knowledge: A man that is of an ingenuous ſpirit will interpret what I meane by that; though at the firſt thoſe that are not learned underſtand it not; yet that all may, I comprehend in it theſe two things.
1 A man muſt be free from partiality and prejudice.
2 And a man muſt be full of an eſtimacie, and good opinion, and good affection toward knowledge.
And ſuch ingenuity of ſpirit prepares a man exceedingly for thriving by the meanes of knowledge, and ſo for attaining the thing it ſelfe.
Freedome from partiality and prejudice.1 For the former freedome from prejudice and partiality; that is neceſſary, for if a man be partially-minded, it will hinder him in profiting by the meanes of knowledge: as for example; ſuch partiality whereby one eſteemes of men, and ſo that he diſeſteeme all others; perhaps this man may get a little by that man whom he doth eſteeme, but looſe a great deale for it by reaſon of his partiality: and why? becauſe he cannot alway heare one, he therefore never comes to heare any other: and if he doth, his partiality choakes the benefit: And ſo for prejudice, to come with a prejudicate opinion to the hearing of any man, or the reading of any thing, to have the mind poſſeſſed and anticipated with prejudice, it will hinder a man from attaining to that knowledge which otherwiſe he might gaine by that man, or that thing: As if a man now have a fault in his eyes, it will hinder him from ſeeing any thing which is before his eyes; or ſuppoſe they be muffled, or hudwinked (although he hath a power of ſeeing, yet being hudwinkt) he cannot ſee: A man blindfolds himſelfe with prejudice from ſeeing that which he might ſee: And therefore if we would get knowledge, and thrive by thoſe meanes that tend that way; a man ſhould lay this preparation of an ingenuous ſpirit, being free from prejudice: gold is gold where ever you finde it; and truth is truth from whomſoever I take it; If a blinde man give me gold, it is gold; and where ever I finde it, (although in the dunghill) yet the pearle hath his price ſtill: and ſo by whatſoever meanes the thing is conveighed to me (if I be not partially minded) the thing doth not looſe the worth, or the uſe: It is daintineſſe of ſpirit, that a man will not receive knowledge except he may chuſe the party by whom, or the meanes by which he may receive it: A man muſt therefore be free from partiality in this caſe; a hungry ſtomacke will never refuſe meat becauſe it is in an earthen diſh; a cloyed ſtomacke indeed is ſquemiſh; but yet I ſay, if a man be put on it, and hungry, he will not refuſe a good meſſe, becauſe it is not in a golden diſh, or a ſilver diſh, &c. That is the firſt thing therefore in this preparative, ingenuitie of ſpirit, by being free from partialitie, and prejudice.
Full of,There is yet (as I ſaid) an other thing in this ingenuitie of ſpirit, as the minde ſhould bee free from theſe things, ſo it ſhould be full of another thing,Eſtimation. Affection. viz. eſtemacie, and good affection of knowledge: a man muſt come to the uſe of the meanes by which we may get knowledge with a good opinion and eſtimation of the excellencie of knowledge: it was the Orators expreſſion, if a man bee foreign he ſhall in time bee foreign, if a man have a good opinion and eſtimation of knowledge, and ſo that his affections are ſtrongly bent towards it, it is ſtrange what a man may doe, his good affection towards it, and good eſtimation of it, will worke out thoſe difficulties, and overcome thoſe dangers, that may hinder his attaining to it. They tell of that great Orator of Athens, the Prince of faculfaculties, Socrates, that hee had as many difficulties and impediments to hinder him from attaining to eloquence as ever any had; hee could not ſo much as ſpeake plaine the firſt letter of his art, hee could not pronounce it, having a defect in his tongue; yet hee had ſo high an opinion of eloquence, that in the ſtrength thereof he went through all thoſe difficulties, that he became the greateſt in that facultie: And this is that which Salomon intends, in Proverbs ….1. where hee deſcribes wiſdome to keepe an open houſe, that ſo men may come to eſteeme wiſdome, and to have an high account of it, to love and affect it; and preſcribes that as a ſoveraigne way for the attaining and getting of it: theſe are the preparatives.
2 Now for the perfections,Perfection. that will come in upon theſe, as the maine and principall things, (for thoſe be not expreſſed here, but as the firſt tincture to give the farther dye, but to prepare the thing for it, to prepare the minde for knowledge) but the maine and principall things for the gaining of knowledge are three; which I will mention, and but mention them.
If a man have therefore,
1. Conſcience.
2. Diligence.
3. Prudence
Theſe are the three maine things, that may,Be conſcientious. and doe advance knowledge, by any, yea by all the meanes of knowledge.
A man that is conſcientious, hee waits on the meanes of knowledge, that hee may come to know, not becauſe he would know for curioſitie, but that hee may know in conſcience, that hee may bee able to direct his owne wayes, and increaſe his owne parts, that ſo, hee may bee a meanes to edifie others, and advance Gods glorie: he that conſcientiouſly deſires his knowledge for the true ſcope and end of knowledge; which is to doe himſelfe and others good, hee is the beſt qualified man for the attaining of knowledge; and hee may moſt confidently expect Gods bleſſing on it; for God will beſtow, and multiply his talents on thoſe, who will conſcientiouſly imploy them; as you have it in the Parable.
Be diligent.2 And againe (for I muſt but touch things now) diligence is another maine thing: there is no thing in the world that will bee attained to without labour, Dii labore omnia vendunt, wee muſt purchaſe all by labour, for, foreign, & foreign,foreign where there is an excellency, there is a great difficultie; pearles are not ſo eaſily purchaſed; there muſt bee a great deale of digging and delving to finde gold and ſilver, and a great deale of refining of it after it is found: and ſo it is for knowledge; if a man will bee willing to ſave his labour, he muſt not looke to have the thing he longs for, and which we ſpeake of: hee muſt not thinke to lye gaping with his mouth open, ſnorting and ſleeping, and thinke that knowledg will drop into his mouth, in ſuch a negligent and lazie poſture, it is an unreaſonable thing to thinke it: wee muſt doe our endeavour, uſe our diligence if we will have it: To give but a touch of this in ſome things.
Allow time for it.1 Be diligent thus farre, to allow time for it: there is a time for every thing, and every thing muſt have a time; if we will allow no time for ſearching after knowledge of divine things (for of that we ſpeake) never afford our ſelves time, never but grudge at every ſcrap of time, and thinke all is loſt that is ſpent that way, as he ſaid, foreign, wherefore is this loſt, when ſhe powred out her ointment on our Saviours feet: if we thus thinke, it is no wonder if wee doe not attaine to knowledge: we can beſtowe any time on the world, and on worldly things, and not grudge at it, but grumble at every houre and minute, and thinke all is loſt, at leaſt too long, that wee beſtow for getting knowledge; but theſe cannot ſtand together, for there muſt bee time allowed to every thing; and if wee will not bee content to allow time, wee muſt not, nay, cannot hope to attaine any thing.
2 Imploy your parts: Imploy your parts.wee muſt imploy and uſe thoſe parts that we have, and ſet them a worke if wee would attaine this knowledge: if men will uſe their beſt gifts, and ſtretch them at the higheſt ſtraine for other things, and never bend his gifts and uſe his wits in ſearching into divine things, ſearching in the Word of God, and waiting on the ordinances of God, it is no wonder if we miſſe of this divine knowledge: I ſay, if a man doe not imploy his parts, and put out his ſtrength of wit and memorie ſetting them a worke for the gaining of, and attaining to knowledge, it can never be that ever he ſhould have it. We muſt therefore imploy our parts, that is another thing.
3 We muſt bee diligent not only in allowing time, and in uſing our parts this way:Improve the meanes. but alſo in labouring to thrive by all the meanes and opportunities that wee have: The foole hath a precious price in his hand, but knowes not how to uſe it: if wee let ſlip ſo many golden opportunities that we have, letting them to runne like water beſides the Mill, driving no trade of knowledge with them, making no uſe of them, for that purpoſe, we may ſoone looſe all the benefit of thoſe meanes wee have: it is admirable to thinke, how under the dropping of the pipe a man ſhould be drie, how that under the continuall meanes of grace, a man may continue in deepe ignorance: it is admirable I ſay to thinke that it ſhould bee ſo, but yet if a man doe not allow time, nor imploy his parts, nor make uſe of the meanes both publike and private, that God hath beſtowed on us, it will bee ſo: I ſay, if a man make no uſe of theſe meanes that hee hath publikely, which are now ſo rich, and ſo plentifull, that Mannah fals daily about our Tents as it were, that if a man would but vouchſafe to ſtep out of his doore, and carrie his Omer in his hand,Publike. hee may fill it every day: but if men will not vouchſafe the gathering of it, never attend on the poſts of the doores of wiſdome, never make uſe of the meanes of grace that God offereth, but will bee as childiſh, and as fooliſh, as thoſe that goe to the Market, they goe there for ſome buſineſſe, but when they come there (like fooles) they goe ſee this gay thing, and the other gaudie thing, and ſo forget utterly their arrand, and goe home againe without it: if men and woemen, I ſay, will doe ſo, (as I feare too many doe) come to Gods Houſe to ſee and to bee ſeene, to ſee this gew-gaw, and the other gay thing, this womans dreſſe, and the other womans faſhion; to prattle with this partie, and gape and looke on the other, and ſo let all fall beſides them, without minding what they heare, either to know or remember it: they may have excellent meanes, but yet they will never make any advantage of them. A man therefore that would thrive and increaſe in knowledge, muſt make precious account and uſe of the meanes; hee muſt reſolve thus much at leaſt to lay up ſome thing out of every opportunitie that hee hath; to keepe a ſtocke of knowledge, and adde little to little; hee muſt labour to learne ſomething this day; and ſomething the next day, and ſo to treaſure up ſomething out of all opportunities at leaſt.
And not onelyonly this for the publike;Private: but a man muſt labour to doe ſomething in private; hee muſt bee content likewiſe to uſe ſome diligence in private. I doe not ſpeake now of a Scholaſticall, much leſſe of a Monaſticall ſequeſtring of a mans ſelfe, leaving all other imployments, and ſo make the plow ſtand ſtill in all other trades, to drive on this: I know there is a difference of perſons, and imployments, and conditions in the Church of God, and in the Common-wealth, and there is a uſe, and we have need of all theſe: but yet there is one generall trade that every one ſhould drive, viz. the trade for heaven, and ſo for matter of divine knowledge, to get skill and to furniſh himſelfe with it; it is a thing (I ſay) that generally belongs to all, bee they of what trade, or profeſſion they will: they muſt if ever they will looke to come to happineſſe, if they bee of God, and would enjoy God, and bee indeed Chriſtians, they muſt looke after theſe things that tend and conduce this way, that is a generall thing that belongs to all. And therfore I conceive this is one of the maine impediments, why men who live under the meanes both publike and private, and yet alaſſe, die of poore eſtates, and leave but little that appeareth of any ſtocke, or advantage that they have made under theſe meanes of knowledge; I ſay one of the maine reaſons is, not onelyonly becauſe they doe neglect to attend the publike, or if they attend it, it is for ſome other end and purpoſe, not with a minde to grow and increaſe in the knowledge and grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, to increaſe and adde to their ſtocke of knowledge, but as the ſaying is, In parabola Ovis Capras quarunt: i. e. come for ſome other end: but it is not onelyonly the neglect of the publike, I ſay, for ſuppoſe a man doe attend on it, and bend his eares to goe along diligently to heare and underſtand the thing that a man heares, and ſo to advantage himſelfe in knowledge, labouring alſo to revit and faſten in his memorie thoſe things hee heares and underſtands, that they ſlip not out, locking up all thoſe doores that might let it out, as his eyes from gazing up and downe, and his eares from liſtning to other matters, and ſo ſtopping as it were, all the chincks, that his memorie may hold and keepe it faſt: yet I ſay for all this, (I would have you marke it) if men will doe nothing at all in private, being gone out of the Houſe of God in publike, never meditate on that which hee hath heard; never chew the cud as it were; never rowle that ſweet bit hee had in his mouth, never chafe it by private meditation, ſo as to make a full impreſſion on his underſtanding, and ſo more ſtrongly locking it up in his memorie: if a man, I ſay, will take no paines in private, it is impoſſible that hee who comes out of buſineſſe up to the eares (as wee ſay) thicke and threefold, and as ſoone as ever hee goeth out, plungeth himſelfe up head and eares in the ſame buſineſſe againe, and will give no reſt for to ruminate on, and digeſt what he hath heard, it is I ſay, impoſſible hee ſhould adde any thing to his knowledge: a man muſt therefore bee ſo diligent for to attaine knowledge, as to adde ſome private meanes to the publike, and not bee like a childe alwayes, to eate no more then is put into his mouth with a ſpoone, from the mouths and hands of them whoſe lips ſhould preſerve knowledge; but himſelfe muſt feed at home, and ſpend ſome time, imploy his parts in ſome ſort, according to his condition and vocation, (ſo much as hee can well beſtow) to increaſe his knowledge: for otherwiſe if men doe not adde ſome private diligence, it is impoſſible that a meere houre ſpent here ſhould doe him much good, (if any at all) eſpecially when hee comes full into the Church, and ſlips out preſently falling on his old thoughts, and ſo goe on in them, never remembring, nor underſtanding any thing: ſo that all that was ſpoken to him in the Church is like prints made in water, as you know, a man may draw a thouſand prints in the water, but as ſoon as over the finger is off, all is out: So wee may draw prints on men here in publike, but as ſoone as ever they are gone (unleſſe they adde private meditation) there is no more footſteps, or ſignes of it, then is of prints on the water; and ſo in this reſpect, there is no impreſſion made at all, and therefore no advantage of knowledge.
There is another thing alſo beſides this: as they that would have knowledge, muſt have conſcience to deſire it for the true end, which is to doe themſelves good, and ſteere their owne courſe aright; as alſo to advance Gods glorie, labouring by their knowledge to doe good to others, and ſo are in a good capacitie of knowledge: And adde to this, they muſt have diligence; which is another good capacitie for the attaining of knowledge, for the hand of the diligent maketh rich, and even in this kind of riches too.
3 So in the next place, there is another thing which is of extraordinary importance, and a very large Spheare and compaſſe, yea, ſo large that I doe not dare to enter into it, and that is prudence: Prudence▪It may ſeeme a ſtrange thing (but yet you know it is ordinary in all other things) ſome men will goe as farre with a little, as ſome others with ten times as much; and all is by reaſon of prudent managing: a man may perhaps beſtow more time, and uſe more diligence for getting knowledge then another, and yet never attaine as much as hee, in reſpect of his naturall parts: but ſuppoſe an equalitie, not onelyonly in the qualification of parts, but alſo in the parts of nature (for ſome men by reaſon of their naturall abilities may attaine more knowledge in an houre, than others in a weeke, by reaſon of their dulneſſe of minde, and weakneſſe of memorie) but ſet them I ſay at equall; and you ſhall ſee that a man that hath prudence, prudently to order that little time which hee ſpends to attaine to knowledge, with a wiſe carriage and good diſcretion, to make choiſe of thoſe wayes and that meanes, by which he may moſt thrive and advantage himſelfe in knowledge, this prudent ordering of his time and paines, may bee, and is as much, and of as great importance as a great deale of buſineſſe; a man may be as buſie as others, and yet gaine nothing, by reaſon that hee wants prudence: Remember this therefore, if wee would attaine to knowledge, wee muſt labour for prudence, prudently to make choiſe of what wee heare, and what wee read, to make choiſe of thoſe that will moſt increaſe and direct our knowledge: and not to ſquander away and ſpend our time in ſearching after thoſe things, which when wee have ſound, wee ſhall make no great advantage by them, though we have even ſuck'd and ſquezed out all the good which was in them: I ſay, therefore we ſhould make choiſe of thoſe things that doe conduce moſt, and are more neere of kind, and moſt cloſe to our end and ſcope, and will moſt really advance us, to the advantaging in, and gaining of, and attaining to divine knowledge; which is the thing I intend and which you muſt aime at, as being the firſt ſtep to your happineſſe.
There bee ſo many particulars that would come in here, that I ſhall not enter into any of them.
And therefore in a word, thoſe qualifications before being ſuppoſed, viz. that a man bee thus prepared with humilitie and ingenuitie of ſpirit: and will put himſelfe on it, with a conſcience to aime at Gods glory and his own ſpirituall good, the true end of knowledge: and not to abuſe his knowledge, to get skill, like a mad man, to cut his owne throate, or like a curious man to hurle and tumble every thing he comes by, to quarrell and jangle in diſputes and reaſonings, maintaining contradictions; but to doe himſelfe and other good, if a man be thus conſcientious in regard of his end in ſeeking after knowledge, and to this add diligence and prudence in uſing of the means to attaine knowledge: theſe are the maine things to fit us and enable us for the having and gaining of knowledge; and that ſhall ſuffice for that ſecond thing that I now aime at in the generall.
3 Let me adde but a word concerning the third thing in this firſt particular; and that is,Wherfore conſider to propound ſome few conſiderations (and meerely to mention them) which may a little whet us on to the proſecution of this courſe, for the gaining of, and attaining to this divine knowledge, in the way of happineſſe.
I ſhall onelyonly propound two things in generall, which I draw
1 From the conſideration of the thing it ſelfe.
2 From the conſideration of the times.
The thing it ſelfe, knowledge;The thing it ſelfe, which is though there were no other argument, yet there is much in this, to ſet us on the proſecution of it: for it is,
1 A ſpeciall ornament, and a very rich jewell;A ſpeciall ornament. farre better then Rubies: Some that have a jewell and are in rich robes, think they have enough, and are ready to deſpiſe thoſe that are in their rags, and have not a jewell (as they have) in their boſome, but this is a childiſh thing: However knowledge is ſuch a jewell, and knowledge of thoſe things, of divine things, as (however it be eſteemed of by carnall men) it is a reall advancement of our natures, it is to excell in that which is moſt excellent, it is to make us excell in that, by which a man excels all other creatures; for what is the difference betweene man and other creatures, but onelyonly that (although there be many other creatures ſtronger and ſwiftner then man, yet) man is a knowing creature, an intellectuall creature; and this is an excellency, even a ſpeciall one, that in an eſpeciall manner advanceth man above all other creatures; nay this divine knowledge advanceth men above men, one man above another: a little of God, a little glimpſe of him, nay every (though the leaſt) touch and reliſh of the knowledge of God is more precious then all the ſecret and hidden arts in the world: it excels all the wiſdome in the world, and is of more neare concernment: it is a ſpeciall ornament.
Initiall lineament.2 And it is an effectuall lineament of all grace and goodneſſe, the very doore by which all enters into us; the very ground-worke that muſt bee laid before wee bee capable of any goodneſſe, there can be no grace or goodneſſe wrought in us, no nor acceptance of us by God, without this: no ſervice we do can pleaſe him, except it be a reaſonable ſervice, tendered out of knowledge, and according to knowledge; knowledge is an introduction into the ſtate of grace and all goodneſſe: the very firſt conveyance of all the good and excellency we can have. In the creation of the world the very firſt thing that was created was light, God ſaid, let there bee light: and in our regeneration, which is as a new creation, the firſt thing is illumination; for Chriſt is ſet up to be a light to the Gentiles: The Philoſophers obſerve that lumen is vehiculum influentiae; the influence of the light begets things, as it begets the flower in the face of the field; and the pearle in the boſome of the earth, it is all by the influence of the heaven, and all thoſe influences are conveighed by light: and ſo all thoſe precious ornaments of grace which adorne a man: the foundation of all renovation comes from illumination, from knowledge.
3 It is the perpetuall regiment of our life;Perpetuall Regiment. that alſo depends on our knowledge; and the more u nderſtanding, and the more knowledge wee have; the more we are advanced in that kinde, and the more we are furniſhed with it, the fitter we are to carrie our ſelves in every ſtation; it is a very neceſſary thing for the regiment of our life.
2 It is an effectuall inſtrument to beget all other things in us: we are reaſonable men,Effectuall Inſtrument. and the beſt faculty we have, is underſtanding and knowledge; for, as the ſaying is, mens cujuſque is his quiſque: and the knowledge of divine things is the moſt effectuall way to worke in us the love of divine things, and obedience to divine things, &c. Knowledge is the mother by which all theſe are begotten and borne; they all are derived from knowledge; God makes uſe of knowledge to worke all theſe in us.
2 If we do conſider in the ſecond place the times, if there were no other argument,Times, there is abundance enough from the times; theſe are times of wiſdome, and times of knowledge;Of the Goſpell and it will be a ſhame, nay a very fearefull thing to be ſo farre from all excellencies in religion, that a man is not come in the way, hath not yet the beginning of Religion, hath not attained to a good meaſure of knowledge: It is a monſtrous thing to ſee ſuch ſtarvelings and ſuch dwarfes in Gods family, that God himſelfe doth feed with his owne hand, that his plants ſhould not grow, it is ſtrange: God himſelfe continually, day after day, weeke after weeke, Sabbath after Sabbath, time after time, doth vouchſafe us the light and meanes of knowledge, and hold it out continually to us, it is a wofull and dolefull thing, that wee ſhould not in all this time attaine to knowledge.
1 We were borne, and live now under the times of the Goſpell, which is infinitely advanced for matter of light and knowledge beyond the times of the Law: All was in darke ſentences then, in riddles as it were, all was veiled then, Moſes was veiled then; and there was but a little to be knowne clearely then in matters of religion; then was that ſaying true, & latet, & lucet, there was a little light, but it was hidden, and it had many coverings that kept men from the cleare ſight of the myſtery of grace: But now God hath clearely revealed his face in the Goſpell, and theſe are the times, theſe (I ſay) are times of the Goſpell.
2 Nay more particularly, theſe are times of the Reformation, Of Reformation.of the reforming and renewing of knowledge, which doth infinitely ſurpaſſe thoſe times that were under the Goſpell too, but in ſuperſtition; when the ſmoake of the bottomleſſe pit, inſtead of light to guide mens eyes, offended mens eyes, put out their eyes, as it were; we have the happineſſe to live in Goſhen, where it is light, whereas it was all darkneſſe over the land in the times of that Egyptian darkneſſe: And therefore let every man think what an account and reckoning he will have for living in thoſe times, wherein he hath ſo much meanes, and ſo many opportunities, and to be found to be ſo bad an husband, as to have laid up no ſtocke of knowledge; that comes not onelyonly ſhort in other excellencies, but in this which is an infinite ſhame, and will be an infinite bitterneſſe in the end: and which would, at leaſt ſhould make a mans heart to ake, nay bleed, to thinke that any in theſe times ſhould ſit in darkneſſe, and be without knowledge: which notwithſtanding I feare not only many poore ſoules that are as yet without, want, but even many that are full of knowledge otherwiſe, not giving their mindes to this kinde of knowledge, having an undervaluing eſteeme of it, and no affections to it: And I doubt that many that are otherwiſe in gay garbs, and great places, and it may be of excellent parts, and excellent indowments, yet are to ſeeke and come ſhort of this knowledge; and it is a very ſad thing to thinke of it: And therefore let us conſider what hath beene ſaid, and ſet our ſelves to advance and increaſe our knowledge, according to the meanes and opportunities which we have.