Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 162
§ 162.
They may be ca…ed ſubtile, perſons, but not wiſe men, exce…t we take …he greateſt ſolly, for the greateſt wiſdome.IF you would know what to judge of them, and how to call them; they are properly ſubtile perſons, as the Holy Ghoſt ſtiles Ionadab, who gave that wicked and crafty counſell to Amnon, 2 Sam. 13.3.5. and the woman of Tekoa 2 Sam. 14.2. and Elimas Acts 13.10. being rarely gifted to deceive, and more crafty and wily then is uſuall; but not wiſe men, or if it may be termed wiſdome, (as ſometimes the Scripture terms it wiſdom) in an holy deriſion, as, Ge. 3.22. is to be underſtood: or elſe calling it wiſdom, becauſe worldly men deeme it ſo, as in another place, it calls preaching, the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, becauſe wicked men eſteeme preaching but fooliſhneſſe: and as Chriſt calls the Phariſies, juſt, becauſe they juſtified themſelves, Luke 15.7. or thirdly, meaning by wiſdome, the wiſdome of the fleſh, or of the world, and that is as much, as if it ſhould ſay in other words, fooliſhneſſe; for the wiſdome of the world is fooliſhneſſe with God, ſaith Paul, as the wiſdome of God is fooliſhneſſe with the world, 1 Cor. 2.14. I am ſure, to be wiſe to evill, is an evil wiſdom, or rather wiſdome backward: for, where as God ſaith, if any man will bee wiſe, let him become a foole, that hee may bee wiſe: theſe, on the contrary, become wiſe, that they may bee fooles; they ſtudie the dangerous art of ſelfe-Sophiſtry, to the end, that they may bee wily to beguile themſelves, and to plot ſelfe-Treaſon, then which there is no greater, when the betrayer and betrayed ſpell but one man.
There is, yea, this is a kind of wiſdome, which is more contrary to wiſdome then ignorance: and indeed, whence proceeds the ſubtileſt folly, but from the ſubtilest wiſdome? For as from the extreameſt friendſhips, proceeds the extreameſt enmities; and from the ſoundeſt healths, the mortalleſt diſeaſes: ſo from the rareſt and quickeſt agitations of our mindes, enſue the moſt diſtempered and outragious frenzies; there wants but half a pegs turn, to paſſe from the one to the other. In madmens actions we ſee how fitly folly ſuiteth, and meetes with the ſtrongeſt operations of our mindes; who knowes not how unperceivable the neighbourhood is, betweene folly and the livelieſt elevations of theſe wits; yea, their crafty wiſdome, the occaſion of their folly, thy w…ſdome and thy knowledge, ſaith Iſaiah, they have cauſed the… to rebell, Iſaiah 47.10. and what is rebellion but folly? as Iob 28.28. Proverbs 9.10.12. and 11.3. Deut. 4.6. Hoſea 14.9. Iames 3.13.17. 2 Tim. 3.15. and other the like places ſhew.
If then (to uſe our Saviours words) the light that is in them be darkneſse, how great is that darkneſſe? Matth. 6.23. If their wiſdome and knowledge be ignorance; how great is that ignorance? yea, how inconceivably great is the folly of that ignorance? ſurely in my judgment it is ſuch, that if the Law admit any to be beg'd for fooles, theſe are the fitteſt; and I cannot but wonder to ſee, how the moſt are miſtaken in them: but being thus diſcouered, I hope it will appeare, that as love and luſt are not both one; ſo a cunning man, and a wiſe man are not both one Wee have ſeene ſome that could packe the cards, and yet cannot play well.And even ſuch fooles are the voluptious.
Now as I have ſhewen theſe two ſorts of men their folly; ſo it were as eaſie to ſhew, that the voluptuous are fooles alſo; though, of all men, they are the wiſeſt in their owne conceits, becauſe they live the merrieſt and freelieſt of all others.
Yea, I could make it plaine to them, that the very worſt thing in religion, even the reproach of Chriſt, is better then the beſt pleaſure, that is in the ſweeteſt ſinne; for ſo it was to Moſes, a man of a right eſteeme: and that one day in the courts of God, viz. his holy Temple, is better then a thouſand elſewhere; for ſo it was to David, a man of a refined and reformed judgement: yea, S. Paul, a ſanctified man, after hee was rapt up into the third heaven, reckoned ſo meanly of the things below, that he could hardly find forth a compariſon for them homely enough. Philipians 3.8. It is true, carnall men think that if they once embrace religion, farewel all joy and delight: but they only think ſo, it is not ſo, for a good conſcience, when it is at the worſt; is even filled with joy, Act. 5.41. 2 Cor. 1.5. thus it fared with Steven, Act. 7.55.56. and thoſe diſciples, Chapter 13.52. yea, a good conſcience made Peter more merry, under ſtripes, then Caiaphas upon the Judgement ſeat; and Paul happier in his chaine of iron, then Agrippa in his chain of gold. Neither have Gods children a leſſe portion of outward bleſſings, then the wicked, when God knowes the ſame good for them. Abraham was as rich as any of our Aldermen; David as valiant as any of our Gentlemen; Salomon as wiſe in humane skill, as any of our deepeſt Naturians; Suſanna as faire, as any of our painted peeces, &c.
But I feare mee Egypt hath beene ſo teadious to you already that you aske for Goſhen; though, indeed, you have beene all this while in the light, that you have look'd upon darkneſſe; for darknes could never be ſeene by it ſelf, but by the light.
Beſides, I have ſearch'd and rubd enough this ſore, only the plaiſter is wanting; wherefore I will winde up this objection, with a few helpes to, or meanes of true wiſdome, and ſaving knowledge; that ſo each one may bee able to underſtand the Scriptures, and what qualifications God requireth in ſuch, to whom he will ſhew mercy: and ſo much the rather, becauſe the worke of regeneration begins at illumination; a man deſires not, that he doth not know, ſaith Chryſoſtome, neither are unknowne evils feared.