A Commentary on 1 Peter 1-3, Exposition of chapter 2 · Exposition of verse 15

A Commentary on 1 Peter 1-3 · Exposition of chapter 2 · Exposition of verse 15

p. 451Verse 15.

For so is the will of God, that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

IN these words is contained the second argument taken from the will of God. God is specially desirous that Christians should doe all the good they can, and in particular should be carefull to obey the Magistrates, because by that meanes,they may confute such ill-minded men as are apt to speake evill of religion: so that the words containe a choyce rule prescribed unto Christians, to be carefully observed.

In which rule consider,

First, the authority of it, So is the will of God!

Secondly, the matter of it, well-doing.

Thirdly, the end, which is the silencing of wicked men.

For.]

This word For seemes to give a reason (not of what went next before in the former verse, but) of the exhortation to Christians as they are subjects, shewing the happy effect of well-doing in generall, and in particular of their submission to Magistrates, and how orderly and profitably their life should be, as they are good subjects and serviceable to the Common-wealth.

For so is the will of God.]

The will of God is diversly accepted in Scriptures: for though God's will indeed bee but one, yet for our infirmities sake it is considered of with distinction: and so it is either personall or essentiall. There is a will of God that is personall, restrained to some of the persons: so the Father wils the obedience and death of the Sonne, and Christ obeyes that will of his Father, Ioh. 6.38, 39, 40. Mat. 26.39, 42. But it is the essentiall will of God here meant: the former is the will of God ad intra; and this the will of God ad extra, as they say in schooles.

The essentiall will of God is taken sometimes for the facultie of willing, sometimes for the act of willing, sometimes for the thing willed, and sometimes for the signe by which that will is declared; as, his Word is his will. So here by his essentiall will, God wils both good and evill. Good is the object of God's will properly, and of it selfe. Evill is the object of the will of God, but onelyonly under some respect of good. Evill is either of punishment, or of sinne. Evill of punishment God wils, and is the Author of, Psal. 115.3. as the just Judge of the world: and punishment of it selfe is a good thing, as it is a worke of justice. Evill of sinne God onelyonly wils to permit, Acts 14.16. but it is not God's willing of evill is here meant.

As the will of God concernes us in matter of good, it may be considered either evangelically or legally. Evangelically his will gives order what shall be done with us: and so he wils the salvation of his Elect, Ephes. 1.11. Ioh. 6.40. Legally his will gives order what shall be done by us: and so hee wils our sanctification in all the rules of it, and in every part, Col. 1.10.

By the will of God in this place then he meanes the Word of God, as it containes the revelation of what God would have done by his servants in the cases specified in this Text.

Many things may be observed out of these words.

Doct. 1. First, we may take notice of the two onelyonly Springs of all things to be knowne in Religion, in these words, viz. God and his will; God and the word of God. God is principium essendi, the Author of their being: p. 452and the will or word of God is principium cognoscendi,the fountaine of the knowledge of them.

Doct. 2. God doth will all that which is to be done by his servants in any part of their obedience, or in any case of their lives: as here the course they are to take either toward the Magistrate, or toward their enemies, God wils it, that is, he doth in himselfe approve, or determine, or appoint, and by his Word he doth warrant and require it. And the same is true of all the well-doings of godly men, God wils them: which I observe for these uses.

Uses. First, it may be a great comfort to a Christian, when hee knowes hee hath done what God would have him to doe: for then hee may bee sure God will not forget his labour, and worke of love and obedience, Heb. 6.8. The Hebrew that signifieth will, signifies pleasure and delight: and when it is given to God, it notes that what he wils he takes pleasure in; as in Esay 62.4. Hophzibah, My will is in her, or, My delight is in him: God takes great delight when we doe his will. Every carefull Christian is his Hophzibah. And besides, if God doe will, we should doe so. God will defend and protect us in our wayes: that may support us against all the crosses or oppositions that may be like to befall us. And that made the Apostles place in every Epistle, that.They were Apostles by the will of God. And so such godly Christians as obey the humane ordinances of men in these times of quarrell and contention, must comfort themselves with this, that Thus was the will of God that they should so obey: and that must support them against the contrary wils of men otherwise minded, how well soever reputed of; and make them bring their owne hearts into obedience to that which God would have them to doe, &c.

Doct. 3. The word of God is the willing of God, and so called here: and God's word may be said to be his will in two respects, either because of the forme, or in respect of the matter. In respect of the forme, it may bee called his will, because it is digested in forme of a Testament; and Christ the Wisdome of God hath set it in such forme, as if it were his last Will and Testament; as in some respects it is: Or else chiefly, because what God doth expresse or require in the Scriptures, is agreeable to the very nature and will of God, he doth in himselfe will it, as well as in his Word promise or require it. Which shewes a great difference betweene the lawes of Princes and the Lawes of God: For many times the lawes of Princes agree not with the natures and hearts of Princes; whereas God's word is alwayes agreeable to God's will: and withall this should the more quicken to obedience, because by conforming our selves to God's word, wee conforme our selves to God's nature. And further, it may comfort us in the hope of strength to be enabled to doe God's will, and what he requires, because he wils what we should doe: For God's will causeth an impression upon the creature, it gives assistance, it will see it done, he will worke our works for us; God's word is a Word of power, it works what it wils, which mens lawes cannot doe. When we know God wils such a thing in his Word to be done, wee should conceive that hee doth not onelyonly shew us by that place what is to be done, but also what assistance we shall have to doe it.

Doct. 4. The will of God is the rule of our actions, what he wils wee must doe, and so it is urged here by the Apostle; and therefore it should teach us to labour to understand what his will is, since all is lost that is not conformed to this rule, Ephes. 5.10. We must get us to the Law and to the Testimonies. For whatsoever is not directed from thence, hath no light in it, Esay 8.20. Secondly, we must goe to God, and pray him to teach us to doe his will, since he hath enrolled it in his Word, Psal. 143.10. Thirdly, if this doctrine were throughly digested, unruly, froward, and wilfull Christians p. 453would make more conscience of their passionate and incorrigible courses. Let them looke to it in time, they must give account to him that so hath prescribed rules by his will, that hee will not admit of courses carried onelyonly by their wils. Fourthly, inferiours must looke to the warrant of their actions: it is not the will of man, but the will of God can justifie them to doe well, 1 Pet. 4.2. Lastly, if his will rule us, then wee must take heed of that fault of making the lawes of our wils the causes of his will, as they doe that thinke God must will to doe nothing with wicked men, unlesse his will bee confined to certaine rules which they conceive in their wils.

Doct. 5. That the bare signification of Gods will should bee argument enough to perswade a godly Chistian to doe any thing, though it bee to deny himselfe, or to goe a course which is crosse to his owne desires. The knowledge of God's will alone doth compell a godly minde to obey. It is not the Majesty, or the rewards of God, but God's will which alone sufficeth to guide him: which may try the obedience of man by the motives. For onelyonly the sound Christian will obey simply for the commandement sake, and must teach us to sticke to it: the bare will of God must rule us, though there were never so many men contrary-minded.

Use. The use is for triall of hypocrites: the true Christian layes downe all his owne courses, as soone as ever he heares the sound of Gods will.

Doct. 6. The practice of a Christian must be conformed just according to the patterne: so is the will of God; it must be just so as the will of God is: so from the manner as well as from the matter. Which should teach us three things;

First, to walke circumspectly, seeing we must looke so precisely to the manner, as well as to the matter of Gods will, Ephes. 5.15.

Secondly, we must therefore increase in the knowledge of his will, Col. 1.10. for the more things are to be done, or the more exactly God wills us to doe, the more care wee must have to increase our knowledge, and study his will, since all must be just so as he wils to have it.

Thirdly, wee should bee stirred up to pray for our selves, and one for another, seeing it is such a hard thing to live a Christian life, and to please God. Marke with what force of words the Apostle prayed about this point, Heb. 13.20, 21.

Now the God of peace, that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus that great shepherd of the sheepe, through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant,

Make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Iesus Christ, to whom bee glory for ever and ever, Amen.

Quest. But can a Christian be so exact as to answer the patterne, to doe just so as God wils him?

Ans. 1. He may for the substance of the obedience, though not for all the degrees or circumstances.

2. He may doe it in desire: he must set his patterne before him, as that he desires to follow, and strives as well as he can, and is vexed because hee cannot doe it: and with God if we have alwayes done as much as well as we did desire to doe, he accepts the desire for the deed: but it is certaine of the most of us in the most things, that wee have neither done the things right, nor brought the desiring to doe them: and therefore it is just with God, if wee lose what we have wrought.

Doct. 7. That in some cases God would have us take notice of his will in more especiall manner, he hath certaine speciall wils: there are some things that he doth as it were more stand upon than other things: and these speciall p. 454wils of God we must heedfully take notice of: as for instance, 1 Thess. 4. a…out avoyding fornication, this is the will of God, hee meaneth his speciall chiefe will: so about thanksgiving, 1 Thess. 5.18. where the Apostle urgeth the will of God as a thing that God would above many other things have done. Above all things give thanks: for this is the will of God, &c. So our Saviour Christ notes in his owne occasions, an especiall will of God, Ioh. 6. 39▪41. So here God doth in a speciall manner will us to obey Magistrates, and to silence wicked men by well-doing.

Use. The use should be, to teach us to marke what things God doth specially require of us, and to apply our selves to his will, that the Lord may take pleasure in us, & say of each of us as he did of Cyrus, He is the man of my will: which is here explained. Hee is the man that executeth my counsell, Esay 46.11. It was Davids singular glory, that he would doe all Gods will: whatsoever speciall service God had to doe, David was ready to execute it, Acts 13. For herein lyeth the triall of a sound Christian, he doth the will of his heavenly Father, and …ests not in talking of Religion onelyonly, and professing it, Mat. 7.21. Rom. 2.11. 1 Ioh. 2.17. And in particular, in this text we see there be two things that God would faine have us doe to silence wicked men, and stop their mouthes: First, he would have us so to behave our selves, that we keepe out of their danger in respect of the lawes of Magistrates. Secondly, and then to live such a discreet and profitable life, that they may see that we differ from all other sorts of men in the goodnesse of our conversation. If we would doe what might be specially pleasing to God, wee must bee carefull of these two things.

Doct. 8. Lastly, we may here note that the will of God may bee knowne effectually, though it be not knowne distinctly. The Apostle is sure this is the will of God; and yet there is no booke, chapter, nor verse quoted, nor can any particular place be alledged that these precise words doe expresse God's will: but in as much as the meaning is to be found in the scope of many places of Scripture, therefore it may be well so called. The will of God.

Thus of the authority of this rule. The matter of it followes, which is well-doing.

With well-doing. foreign]

The word is not the same with that in the former verse: for here it is a participle of the present time, and notes the continuall custome of well-doing, and gives us to understand, that if ever wee would effectually silence wicked men, wee must bee continually exercised in well-doing. Our good works (though of great excellency) yet worke but a sudden blaze: the effect of them will be quickly ended, or soone put out, and then will wicked men returne to their old course of reproaching, if they be not daily confuted by the still fresh and new fruits of a Christian: wee must bee full of new and good fruits, Iam. 3.17. and never weary of well-doing.

The sense of the word then is this, as if it were rendred thus: This is the will of God, that they are daily exercised in doing good, should put to silence foolish men: for the originall word doth note the person as well as the good done, which affords another doctrine.

Doct. 2. God would have good men that are full of good fruits to enter into the lists against wicked men, to vanquish and silence them; which implyes that God would not have formall Christians or hypocrites to meddle with the quarrell of Religion: for they will spoile all in the end, when their hollownesse and hypocrisie is discovered: they will make foolish men raise and blaspheme worse than before. Such are fit to plead for, and defend Religion, as be manfull and full of good works. And therefore the weaks Christians should not be over-busie and fiery in meddling with wicked men, or p. 455putting themselves forward to defend sincerity, till their works could plead for them: before we set on to be great talkers for Religion, we should provide good store of good works, by which wee might demonstrate the truth and power of godlinesse in us.

Of well-doing in it selfe, I have intreated before: onelyonly before I passe from it, me thinkes it is lamentable that our hearts can bee no more fired to the care of it. Oh that we were once brought but to consent from the heart, with confirmed purpose, to set up a course by our lives to win glory to our Religion! We see how faine God would have us doe so: and it would plague wicked men that would faine raile at us: nothing would more confute them. And besides, other Scriptures shew no life aboundeth more with stedfastnesse and contentment than a life fruitfully spent: especially how can wee be still thus carelesse, if wee remember the great recompence of reward in another world? Oh this formality and outward shew, and serving God for fashion! how deeply is it seated in mens manners! It is likely the most of you that heare this doctrine will say it is good, and perhaps some one or two of you will be a little toucht with a kinde of consultation in your selves which way you might doe well: but alas, alas! out and alas! Oh that I could get words to gore your very Soules with smarting paine, that this Doctrine might bee written in your very flesh, for a thousand to one you will goe the most of you away, and not redresse your wayes. Religion shall not bee honoured by you more than before: cursed be that worldly drosse or spirituall security that will thus rob and spoyle your soules, and keepe Religion without her true glosse and bea…ty, and shining glory.

I might here also note, that submission to the ordinances of men is one part of a Christian mans well doing, and a speciall ornament of the sincere profession of religion, because it is the discharge of the duty enjoyned us by God, and so is a part of the obedience due to God himselfe; to keep their ordinances is to obey Gods commandement. Secondly, because such a conscionable submission to mans Lawes, makes the religious works of Christians to be the more unrebukable in the eyes of wicked men, and therefore they are to be warned of their rashnesse that say, that conformity to mens lawes is evill doing, when God sayes it is well doing: they say it is a sinne, God sayes it is a good worke. It is neerer to the truth, and safer to say, that not conforming is a sin, because it is a breach of Gods expresse commandement in the former verse: and therefore also godly Christians, whether Ministers or private persons, that obey the lawes of men simply out of conscience of Gods Commandements, and not for corrupt ends, may comfort themselves, that the good God doth like of what they doe, because it is his will that so they should doe, and he sayes they doe well; though some good men are contraryminded, & out of weaknesse censure them as evill doers. Then it is implyed here that the conscionable conformity of godly Christians shall be rewarded in Heaven; for all well-doing shall be rewarded in Heaven: but submission to humane Ordinances is well-doing, and therefore shall be rewarded in Heaven. Paul is crowned in Heaven for his holding to the Jewish ceremonies▪ to win the Jewes, and further the liberty of his Ministery.

Thus of the matter required. The end followes.

That you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.]

The word here rendred, To put to silence, is diversly accepted, or the force of it is shewed by diverse tearmes in severall Scriptures. Sometimes it is translated, to still a thing that is tumultuous and raging: and so the sea was silenced or made still, Mark 4.39. Sometimes it is translated, To make speechlesse or dumb, so Mat. 22.12. Sometimes, To confute, so as they have not a word to answer, so Mat. 22.34. Sometimes, To muzzle, or tye up the p. 456mouth: so 1 Cor. 9.9. 1 Tim. 5.18. and so it signifies properly: and so well-doing is intended here as a meanes to muzzle the mouths of wicked men.

The word here rendred, Foolish men, signifies properly men without a minde, or men that have not use of their understanding, and so are either naturall fooles, or mad men.

The Doctrines that may be gathered from hence are many: For it may be evidently collected from hence,

Doct. 1. That wicked men doe usually in all places speake evill of godly men, they are prone to it, they doe it usually. The holy Ghost here supposeth it to be done as the usuall course in all ages and conditions of the Christian Church: and no marvell: For it hath been in all ages past the condition of godly men to be evill spoken of and slandered. God, children were as signes and wonders, Esay 8. And whosoever refraineth himselfe from evill maketh himselfe a prey, Esay 59.15. The throats of wicked men are the ordinary burying places for the names of the Righteous, Rom. 3. And this is the more to be heeded, if we mark in Scriptures either persons reproaching, or the persons reproached, or the matter of the reproach, or the manner. For the persons reproaching, we shall read sometimes that men are reproached by such as are of the same Religion with them, Psal. 50.16. Esay 8.18. Cant. 1.6. Yea, sometimes that godly men are reproached by such as are of their owne house and kindred, as Isaak was by Ismael, and Ioseph by his brethren: the parents are against the children, and the children are against the parents: and a mans enemies are those of his owne house. And for the persons reproached we shall finde them to be the most eminent and godly persons; as Iob, cap. 30.1. Moses, Heb. 11.26. David, Psal. 35.15. Ieremiah, c. 18.18 the Apostles, 1 Cor. 4.9, 10, 13. yea, the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe, Heb. 12.3. And for the matter objected, wee shall finde the godly men have beene reproached with the most vile slanders that almost might be. I may spare other testimonies now, seeing Christ himselfe was charged with gluttony, blasphemie, sedition, deceit, diabolicall working, and to have a divell in him: and he supposeth it to be the case of Christians, to be spoken against with all manner of evill-saying, Mat. 5.12. And for the manner two things may be noted:

First, that many times wicked men set themselves to study and invent, without all colour of occasion, mischievous things to reproach godly men withall: thus they devised devices against Ieremiah.

Secondly, that when they have evill reports afoot, they pursue them, and divulge them with all possible forwardnesse and malice: thus the abjects tare Davids name and ceased not, Psal. 35.15. and ill-minded men cease not, till that good men may be every where evill spoken of, Acts 28.

The reason of this strange kinde of ill humour in wicked men is twofold: First, there is their naturall hatred of goodnesse; it is not because of the sin of godly men, but simply because they follow goodnesse. There is a naturall antipathy betweene a good life and a bad man, 1 Iob. 3.13.14.1 Pet. 4.5. Psal. 38.20. Secondly, the other is because it is one of the rules of the divell, To be an accuser of the brethren and good livers: and the works of their father the divell they will doe, Iob. 8.44.

The use is diverse: for,

Uses. First, it should informe men not to thinke it strange when they see such things come to passe: for no other triall in this point of reproach befals godly men, but what hath accompanied the condition of all godly men almost in all ages.

Secondly, godly men should be the more stirred up to prepare apologies, and in all places where they come, to contend for the truth, and strive together to preserve the reputation of one another, Prov. 12.18.

p. 457Thirdly, godly men should arme themselves and prepare for reproaches, and accordingly stirre up their hearts with comforts out of the word of God, against the time of evill and trials.

Fourthly, they should be made for that reason the more carefull of all their carriage, that they give not occasion to people that are so apt to speake evill of them, as was urged out of verse 12. of this chapter.

Fifthly, all men should looke to their eares, and take heed what and how they heare reports. It is an ill signe of a vicious nature, to be apt to beleeve scandalous reports of godly men, Prov. 17.4. And God will plague men in hell not onelyonly …or making, but for loving lies, though they bee made by other men, Revel. 22.8. And therefore as the North-wind driveth away the raine, so should their angrie countenance drive away the showres of reproach that fall from back-biting tongues, Prov. 25.23.

Thus of the first point.

Doct. 2. It may be hence also noted, that reproaches are to bee avoided as much as lieth in us. God would have us doe all we may to live so, that wee might not be reproached, Psal. 39.8. Phil. 2.15. We must strive to bee unrebukable: And the reasons are, first, because every Christian is not able to beare rep…oaches, when he shall finde himselfe to bee slandered. David shewes himselfe very unquiet when he was slandered, especially in some cases, as divers Psalm…s …hew: and Ieremy fals into desperate extrem…ties about them.Ier. 8.18, 21.Jer 8:18Jer 8:21 Secondly, because reproaches and slanders have diuers ill effect… for they are like swords and razors, and a man should avoid the wounds of …words and razors as much as hee can. Thirdly, and be…des, some kindes of slanders doe keepe many men off from embracing Religion: as the Jewes would not receive Pauls doctrine, because that way was every where ill spoken of. And further, many times in the best mindes, that are perswaded the things objected are untruths, the reproaches leave a kinde of staine, and worke a kinde of suspition, and lessen the estimation of the person traduced. Fourthly, it is to be avoided, because it is so easily diffused: slanders will run strangely. A whole Countrey, yea the whole Kingdome will bee in a short space filled with the slanders: which must needs come to many persons that are destitute of all apology for the innocent. And lastly, the showres of slanders that are cast upon godly men many times are but fore-runners of grievous stormes of perfecution.

And therefore they doe very foolishly that desire to be reproached, and by their indiscretions irritate the tongues of wicked men against them. It is a grosse folly in some Christians, that will of purpose doe things that bee crosse to the course of the world in things indifferent, thereby to proclaime a wilfull opposition to the world.

And therefore also we should be very thankfull to God, when hee gives us any breathing times from reproaches and slanders, by all good meanes to keepe wicked men quiet if it may be.

Doct. 3. It may here be further noted, that it is a hatefull thing to bee an ignorant & foolish man in spirituall things: they are mentioned here with a kinde of grievous scorne. Many reasons make this point evident. For first, the sacrifices offered for the ignorances of the people, shewed them that it was a vile thing to be ignorant, Heb. 9.7. Secondly, the very nature of ignorance shewes it to bee a vile thing; for is it not a hatefull thing to us to bee blinde in our bodies? how much more is it to have the eyes of our mindes out? Thirdly, because it argues that a man hath not the Spirit of God in him; for Gods Spirit is given to men that they might know the things of God: and therefore when a man cannot know the things of God, it is a signe that he wants Gods Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.12, 14. Fourthly, because when God p. 458would of purpose plague a man with a speciall or horrible curse upon his soule, this is it, to give him up to a sottish spirit, Iob. 12.40. with Esay 6.10. Fifthly, it may appeare by the effects of this sottishnesse, when wee respect the sinnes it breeds, or the punishment it brings upon the ignorant persons for sinne. It is certaine that ignorance is the mother of vice and corruption: an ignorant person may quickly make himselfe guilty of a world of sinnes: yea there is no sinne so grossely absurd or abominable, but this kinde of men may commit it, and without sense or care too. The Prophet Isaiah opens the dotage of Idolaters, and shewes the root of it to bee their blockish ignorance, Esay 44.18, 20. As ignorant persons may bee made wilfull Idolaters, and that easily: so may they bee whoremongers, Prov. 7.22. drunkards, &c. yea, they would at some times kill Christ himselfe, if hee come in their way, Luke 23.34.Vide Ephes. 4.17, 18.Eph 4:17Eph 4:18 Wee see into what sinnes ignorant persons fall, into such as whoredome, Sodomitry, buggery, stealing, murther, drunkennesse, swearing, and yet see not their danger, but like brute beasts are senselesse; and for the offences in respect of punishment they are fearefull, whether wee respect this life or another world. In this life their ignorance deprives them of the sight of all those things that have true glory or comfort in them. To live in ignorance is worse for the wicked, than it is for the body to live in a dungeon: besides, all their best works are lost, all they doe is abominable, Hosh. 6.7. Psal. 14.1, 2. and it is in vaine to plead their good mindes and meanings: For without knowledge the minde is not good, Prov. 19.2. and if they were never so zealous, yet they lose their labour, Rom. 10.2. And further, this sottishnesse brings many a curse upon men; yea, when it is generall it brings fearefull publique plagues, Esay 1.3, &c. and 5.13. Hosh. 4.1, 2. and which is worst of all, after all the miseries of this life they must goe downe to hell, they are utterly undone for ever; this is the place of all them that know not God, Iob 18. ult. and Hosh. 4.6.

Uses. The use may be, first, for to shew the lamentable estate of multitudes of Christians that frequent our assemblies, and yet are still extreme sots in regard of spirituall things: they favour nothing but the things of the flesh, and rellish nothing but what flowes from fleshly wisdome. Aske the Labourer of his worke, or the Artificer of matters of trade, or the Husbandman of the fruits of the ground, or the Gentleman of his pleasures or the newes of the world, or the Scholar of humane learning, and you shall have an answer many times to admiration: but aske of Heaven and heavenly things, except a few generall sayings, they can say nothing but froth or errour, they are as blockish as if they had never heard of the Gospell. How many Masters are there in Israel, and yet know not the things that concerne sound regeneration and a true sanctified life! David cals himselfe a beast in respect of the remainders of ignorance in some things, being excellently qualified with true knowledge. Oh how brutish then must these persons account themselves to be! What heart can stand before the serious thoughts of the damnation of multitudes, that now sit with us in the House of God, even for this very sin of ignorance? Hosh. 4.6.

And the more lamentable is it to observe the unspeakable avertnesse that is in man, that of all sorts, though they be warned, yet some will on still and die without wisdome, Iob 4.20. and which is yet more, in places where men have the meanes plentifully, yet what number doth the god of this world keepe in blindnesse, so as they live and dye very sots, even in those places where they have …ad line upon line, and precept upon precept, and yet the people no more instructed than the childe new weaned from the brest? Esay 28.9. Yea, the more fearefull is the estate of divers, that they doe not onelyonly want knowledge, but they reject it and blaspheme it, as if it were not onelyonly p. 459unnecessary, but hatefull: they love darknesse more than light, and therefore their damnation sleepeth not, Iob. 3.19. Iob 21.14.

But on the other side, so many as have their hearts touched from God, let them bee warned to avoid ignorance as they would avoid the death of their soules; let it be hatefull to them to be babies in understanding, 1 Cor. 14.20. Ephes. 5.16. and learne of Solomon above all things to get understanding, Prov. 4.7. and to that end to pray with David, That God would give him understanding that hee might live, Psal. 119.144. And when men have the light, they should walke in the light: and when God gives the instructions, they should take heed that they be not as the horse or mule, to learne nothing but what they are forced unto; but rather with all diligence and readinesse to wait daily at the gates of wisdome, Psal. 32.8, 9.

But if men be still senselesse and wilfull, then I say to them as the Apostle said, if the hatefulnesse of their ignorance will not appeare; Let him that is ignorant be ignorant still, 1 Cor. 14.38.

Doct. 4. It may bee likewise noted, that in the language of God, unregenerate men are fooles, or rather mad men, men without mindes, Rom. 1.3. Tit. 3.3.

And that this point may be more cleare, I would consider of the signes of a spirituall mad man or foole. And that this point also may bee clea…ed, you must remember, there are two sorts of men are said literally to bee without mindes: the one is naturall fooles, and their disease is called moria: the other is furious mad men, and their disease is called mania: both suffer alienation of minde, they want their mindes or the right use of them: and so there are two sorts of men which spiritually want mindes: some are resembled by fooles, and some by mad men.

A spirituall foole may be knowne especially by two signes; First,Signes of spirituall folly. Prov. 17.16.Prov 17:16 by his mindlesnesse: he hath no thoughts nor words about the kingdome of heaven; he is altogether carelesse and senselesse, he sits still without any regard of it, as some children that are mopish and heed nothing, or some that are sicke of a kinde of melancholy, that will neither speake nor eat; these lose time and will not buy it, Ephes. 5.16. Secondly, by his sottishnesse: this sort differs from the former; for these will talke and bee doing, and many times very busie, but it is without any spirituall sense or discerning, their words and works are all idle and sottish, and crosse to the word of God: and these are discovered by divers signes diversly; as,

First, the wisdome of God seemes foolishnesse to them: let heavenly things be spoken of with never so great wisdome and power of words, yet these sots have one senselesse objection or other, in respect of which they reject all they heare; and being led by their sensuality or their carnall reason, Prov. 23.9.1 Cor. 1. and 2. goe no further; but in these cases thinke they are in their owne conceit wiser than any man that can give a better reason and proofe.

Secondly, they discover it by senslesnesse and incorrigiblenesse, when they are pursued by the hand of God many times round about, Ier. 5.3, 4. Though God should seeme to bring all to the first Chaos, yet they understand not: you cannot heat into their heads the hatred of their sinnes, or the cares of a better life, Ier. 22.20, 21, 22. Isai. 42.27. This Apathy is onelyonly in mad men and fooles, Prov. 17.10, and 27.22.

Thirdly, they discover it by their continuall entertainment of the innumerable enormities of their thoughts, which arising from their heart in the dark, they play withall with as much earnestnesse and attendance, as if they were some needfull and profitable things. This customary daily entertainment of vaine thoughts is a signe of a spirituall sot, Rom. 1.21.

p. 460Fourthly, they discover it by their continuall grasping at shadowes, that is, their doting upon earthly things with strange cares, and paines, and jollity, without any sound endevour to provide for their soules and eternall salvation, Psal. 49.10. Luke 12.16. to 21. Ier. 17.11.

Fifthly, some of them discover their sottishnesse by following the service of idols, which they worship in stead of the living God: this is called brutishnesse, Deut. 32.6, 16, 17. Esay 44.19, 20. O what a number of these sots are there in the world, if the worshippers of idols, of Romish and Paganish idols were summed up!

Sixthly, others discover it by making cleane the outside of the cup and platter, but never regard the filthinesse of the inside: such are they that are only carefull of the shew of their actions before men, while their inside is full of ravening and wickednesse. These our Saviour cals fooles or sots, because hee that made that which is without, made that which is within also, Luk. 11.39, 40.

Seventhly, some of them discover themselves, by suffering themselves to be bu…etted and abused, and yet are content to be used so still: and such are they that will suffer themselves to be abused by false teachers, so they be of their owne humour, though they devoure them in their estates, and bring them into bondage in their mindes, though they take of them, and exalt themselves insolently among them, 2 Cor. 11.19, 20.

Eighthly, they discover it by building the hopes of the salvation of their soules upon most vaine and insufficient grounds: they build on the sands, they trust upon an universall mercy of God and the example of the most, and upon the bare use of Gods ordinances, without any power of faith, or practice in their hearts or lives: and therefore in time of tribulations their hope is as the giving up of the ghost: all is ruined, and their soules are desolate, Mat. 7.26. They will be at no paines to be assured of their salvation and religion, but goe on without any particular regard of their owne way to heaven, Prov. 14.8.

A spirituall foole then is discovered, first, by his mindlesnesse; secondly, by his uncapablenesse and contempt of heavenly doctrine; thirdly,by his incorrigiblenesse; fourthly, by the vanity of his thoughts; fifthly, by his dotages about earthly things; sixthly, by his idolatry; seventhly,by his hypocriticall tricks; eighthly, by suffering the injuries of false teachers; and lastly, by the vaine grounds of his hope and faith.

The spirituall mad man followes to be described: and so these sorts of men following are convicted of madnesse in the Scripture;

Signes of spirituall madnesse.First, the Atheist. He is a man void of reason that denies principles: and such an one is he that faith in his heart, There is no God, as hee that denies the providence of God, Psal. 14.1. and 94.8.

Secondly, the swearer. The fooles or mad men blaspheme Gods name, Psal. 74▪18. Hee were a mad man that would daily raile at the King to his face; and such are blasphemers.

Thirdly, the persecuter. The Apostle speaking of men that resist the truth, as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moses, saith, that their madnesse shall bee manifested to all men: so that he particularly cals tesisting of the truth madnesse, 2 Tim. 3.9.

Fourthly, the idle person. Hee is a mad man that will eat his owne flesh: but such a one is the slothfull person, because hee brings poverty upon himselfe like an armed man, or else destroyes the health of his body by his lazinesse, or brings misery upon his wife and children, or because his soule is eaten up with rust, and the canker of his negligence, Eccles. 4.5.

Fifthly, the wilfull offender. Hee is a mad man, that when hee heares of some imminent danger, yet will not avoid it; such a one is every grosse offender, that hearing of the judgements God will bring upon him for such sinnes, p. 461or perceiving that the wrath of God is broken out upon others for the like offences, yet will madly goe on without feare. The prudent man feareth and departeth from evill, but he is a foole or mad man that rageth and is confident, Prov. 14.16. Ierem. 5.21, 22.

Sixthly, the senslesse pra…er. We discerne him to be a mad man, that talking continually faulters in his words, and utters sentences that are unperfect without sense or coherence: such persons in religion are those prating fooles Salomon speakes of, that are full of words, and void of sound judgement: as the legs of the lame are not equall, so is a parable in a fooles mouth. As you discerne a lame man by this, that his legs are one longer than another, so you may discover a spirituall mad man by his discourse about the high points of religion, for his words agree not together, his sentences are senselesse and unequall. A foole hath no delight to get sound understanding in these things, and yet is wonderfull forward to utter his minde, though hee discover nothing but his ignorance and folly, Prov. 18.2. and 26.7.

Seventhly, the Epicure or voluptuous person. He is a mad man, that is never merry but when hee hath done some mischiefe: and such are all they that make a sport of sinne, Prov. 10.23. and 14.9. and 15.22.

Eightly, the railer. He is a mad man that will goe up and down a Towne or a Citie, and set fire on the houses of other men as he goes: and therefore is the railer called a foole, because in his lips there is a burning fire: hee devoures the reputation of good men every where where he comes. The Apostle Iames cals it, The fire of hell, Iam. 2. Prov. 16.27. Iude 10. And thus he is a mad man that hateth other men for doing good, as the Pharisees did Christ for healing on the Sabbath-day; for wh…ch they were said to bee mad, Luke 6.11.

Ninthly, the Apostate or backslider in Religion. Thus the Galatians were bewitched with madnesse, that had begun in the Spirit and would end in the flesh; that had forsaken the glorious ornaments and priviledges of the Gospel, so trust upon beggerly rudiments, that for…ooke the pretious merits of Christs righteousnesse, to trust to the stained clouts of their owne unrighteousnesse, Gal. 3.1, 3.

Tenthly, the unthankfull and injurious person. Hee is a mad man that will strike his friend that provoketh him not: and so are all Nabals: their folly is with them that use their friends as Nabal did David, 1 Sam. 25.25.

Eleventhly, the contentious person. He is a mad man that layeth snares to catch himselfe,and will speake things that force strokes upon himselfe: so is every unquiet, intemperate busie-body. A fooles lips, saith Salomon, enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fooles mouth is his destruction, & his lips are the snare of his soule, Pro. 18.6,7. Eccl. 10.12. Pro. 14.3.

Twelfthly, the implacable person. Such men as are so furious, there is no appeasing of them, but they are like a Beare robbed of her welps, Prov. 17.12. They are mad men that will heare no reason. A stone is heavie, and sand is weightie, but a fooles wrath is heavier than them both, Prov. 27.3.

Thirteenthly, all men that abuse their prosperity to the greater liberty of sinne and injury. They are mad men that cannot be ruled, unlesse they bee kept fasting. A man distracted, if you let him have his belly filled, will trouble the whole house: so a wicked man, if hee enjoy prosperity and successe, will disquiet the whole towne where he lives. There are foure things, saith Salomon, disquiet the earth, and one of them is a foole with his belly filled, that is, a wicked man when he prospers and hath what he will, Prov. 30.22.

Uses. The use of all may be, first, to shew the misery of all unregenerate men, that live in a continuall phrenzie, or de…ect of all spirituall understanding. It is a wofull judgement to have our reason taken from us in naturall p. 462things; but much more in spirituall: for upon this ground it manifestly followes,

1. That they lose all the benefit of spirituall instruction: all the Ordinances of God, during the time of this folly or madnesse, are meerely in vaine to them. Their phrenzie makes them not onelyonly to want sense, but withall to despise all Gods counsels, Prov. 1.7.

2. That they shame themselves in all their dealings: for when a foole walketh by the way, he saith to every one that he is a foole, Eccles. 10.3. And thus they will undoe themselves soule and body, if they hold on. A mad man if he governe his estate will soone ruine it, Iob 5.3.

3. That they live shut up from all the sound comforts of life, as fooles and mad men: they are shut up in darknesse, Eccles. 2.14. God useth them as we use mad men: for though he let them goe up and downe the world, and so they have a larger roome to walke in than ordinarily our mad men have, yet God hath chained them (though insensibly): the world is but a house of darknesse to their mindes: the saving light and all the fruits of it are withheld from them.

4. That they are in great danger to dye of their phrenzie, and to perish for lack of wisdome, Prov. 22.23. Iob 36.12.

And therefore in the second place this may serve for instruction unto unregenerate men to apply their hearts to wisdome, and imbrace the counsell of God that offers them knowledge and grace, as is urged in many places, as Prov. 1.20, 24. and 8.5. and 9.4. and the rather, because if they bee willfull and reject knowledge, God may be provoked to forsake them for ever, Prov. 1.24. and 28.31. and 26.10, Iob 5.3.

Thirdly, it shewes the wonderfull mercy of God in saving sinners: for what were we all by nature, but a generation of fooles and mad men? And therefore it shewes the riches of his mercy, and the freenesse of it: the riches, in that he glorifies such unworthy creatures; and the freenesse of it, in that they are utterly disabled for deserving any thing at his hands. For what can fooles and mad men doe, that they should merit any thing at Gods hands?

Fourthly, it should teach godly men, both with patience to beare their wrongs seeing they are distracted, and with discretion to avoid them, and to have as little to doe with them as may be: For what should the sonnes of God doe with the sonnes of Belial? And if they abuse them in words, to learne not to answer a foole in his folly, Prov. 26.4.

Fifthly, all this description of folly and madnesse may strike some kinde of amazement and sorrow into the hearts of godly men. For, as they are unregenerate in part, there are left some dregs of this phrenzie and folly here in them. And hence it is that we finde in Scripture folly charged upon them. It is true, that sometimes they are said to be fooles by the world for things they doe wisely in; and so the Apostles were fooles for Christs sake, 1 Cor. 4.10. and Paul ironically cals himselfe a foole, 2 Cor. 11.1. Sometimes they are called fooles, not because they are so, but because that they doe hate some kinde of likenesse to folly, 2 Cor. 11.17. but yet withall it is true, that seriously godly men are said to bee abased in themselves for very folly and madnesse which they see in themselves, and so wee shall finde every godly man called beasts by themselves, and sometimes by God himselfe: and so it is folly and madnesse in any,

Wherein godly men sometimes shew folly.1. To hate reproofe, Proverbs 12.1. It is there said to be a brutish thing.

2. To bee censurers of their friends rashly: so Iobs friends are charged with folly, Iob 42.8.

3. To be pertinacious in defending their i…oc…ncy, striving to make p. 463them…elves seeme juster than they are: this was Iobs madnesse, cap. 42.3. and 34.35.

4. To neglect knowledge, and to be carelesse to use the meanes for instruction, and the understanding of holy things, Pro. 30.2.3. This made Agur say, that he was more brutish than any man, and that he had not the understanding of a man in him. So much of ignorance as is left in us, so much of folly and madnesse is in us.

5. To fret and be unadvisedly angry and froward: for anger rests in the bosome of fooles only, Eccles. 7.10. Pro. 24.29. Teasty and hasty persons not only have folly, but exalt it.

6. To be indiscreet in words, or insufficient to speake with God or men, as becomes the matter, or to carry our selves indiscreetly: this made David loath himselfe so, Psal. 38.5.

7. To be vexed and impatient, and full of fretting in adversity. Godly men play many mad trickes this way; one while fretting at the prosperity of their adversaries, and another while murmuring in their hearts at their owne condition, or plotting courses how to conforme themselves to the world, and so to report of their repentance. This made David call himselfe a beast, Psal. 73.3, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22.

8. After one hath had experience of Gods gracious providence, and protection of God, to fall to trust upon outward things. Thus it was madnesse in David, after so many trials of Gods power, for him to stand about to number the people, and to rest upon the strength and multitude of his subjects, 2 Sam, 24.10.

9. To be slow of heart to beleeve and treasure up the promises of God, and the proofes of Scripture, that should comfort us, and warrant the …th of our salvation in Christ, Luke 24.25.

10. To speake proudly or wickedly, and with provocation to others, especially to wicked men, or if they themselves be wicked men, Pro. 30.32, 33.

11. All dotages about earthly things are in a great degree madnesse. For godly men, that are heires of the promises, and of the kingdome of heaven, to yeeld themselves over to the inticements and lusts after worldly things, is marvellous folly and madnesse, especially in them who have tasted and known better things, to neglect their glory, which is their soules, (for so David calleth his soule Psal. 3…. ult.) and to serve the sensuall desires of their flesh is miserable folly.

12. All sinfull courses are foolish courses, and to deale sinfully is to deale madly, Psal. 69.5.

The last use of this doctrine may be to shew the vanity and insufficiency of all humane wit and learning, and morall indowments, in comparison of heavenly and spirituall knowledge and understanding. For if all unregeneratemen be foolish men, then it will follow that a man may bee a great wise man in this world, and indued with all the ornaments of humane learning, &c. and yet at the …ame time in Gods fight be accounted but as a naturall foole or a mad man, in respect of his want of the true wisdome from above, to discerne things that are excellent, that is, spirituall things.

Thus of the fourth doctrine.

Doct. 5. It is a hard taske to overcome and cure ignorance: Ignorant men, especially those that are bent against godlinesse, are wonderfully unteachable; God himselfe is faine here to devise a strange way to silence them. Salomon observed, that these men are wiser than any man that can give a reason. And if a foole be brayed in a mortar, yet his folly will not depart from him: and a reproofe will enter more into a wise man, than 100. stripes into a foole: yea it is here to be noted, that it is hard to silence them from their reproaches and follies.

p. 464The reasons are,

Why it is so hard to cure ignorance, and silence ignorant men.First, because it is naturall to them to be hatefull, and hating others: and it is a hard task to overcome a naturall disposition in man, Titus 3.3.

Secondly, because the unregenerate minde of man is full of objections, and the Divell suffers many heads of purpose: he prompts them, and supplies them with cavils.

Thirdly, because many with-hold the truth in unrighteousnesse, they doe willingly misprison the truth, they desire not information, they love darknesse and lies, and therefore are loth to have what might satisfie them, and resist the power of the truth, and willingly strive to neglect doctrine in publike, and Apologies in private.

Fourthly, because they incourage one another in an evill way, they observe that the great men of the world, and many that are in reputation for wisedome and learning, are scorners as well as they: yea it mightily confirmes them, to heare many times in the very pulpits showers of reproaches, which ambitious and malicious temporizers poure out to strengthen the hands of the wicked, and discourage the hearts of the righteous: they thinke they may revile securely, because they heare that way every where evill spoken of: that cause and language is the cause and language of the multitude.

Fifthly, because many ignorant persons, when they are confuted, yet are so foolish that they will wilfully persist in their objections, upon this pretence, that though they cannot reply against the answer, yet they thinke if such and such were there, that have more experience and learning, they would confirme and make good what they say.

Sixthly, because malice hath no eares, they hate the truth and godly men, and therefore are utterly unwilling to abate any thing of the disgraces of the truth, or godly persons. If it be not as they say, yet their malice would faine have it so; and if it may disgrace the godly, they care not whether it be true or no.

Seventhly, because many times God gives them over to such a reprobate sense, that through custome, and evill thoughts, and evill surmises, they think verily they doe not much amisse to oppose and hate such persons. This was the case of such as reviled and persecuted the Apostles, they thought they did God good service, as Christ prophesied of them.

The Uses of this doctrine follow.

Uses. First therefore we should not wonder if we see this daily come to passe, that men of all sorts should reproach… the good way of God so unjustly, so foolishly, so pertinaciously.

Secondly, it shewes that godly men had need to be circumspect, and to watch their words and workes with all exactnesse; and that they which will confute ignorant men must strive to be very able and throughly furnished with wisedome of words, and abundance of good works.

Thirdly, it shewes that ignorant persons are in a lamentable case, that are so inwrapped in the snares and cords of their owne folly, that so willingly and wilfully run towards the gates of death and ruine, that are so hardly cured of this spirituall blindnesse.

Fourthly, it imports that study, self-will'd, perverse Christians, that cannot be diverted, or advised, are to be reckoned in the rank of these fooles, what shew soever they make of a better estate.

Fifthly, it doth comfortably import, that when one is teachable, and hates reproaching, and will doe or say nothing against the truth, and is not pleased with his ignorance, but judgeth himselfe for it, and useth the meanes to get the knowledge and love of the truth, that such a person is escaped from the congregation of these fooles, and is in some measure enlightned with true wisdome from above.

p. 465Sixthly, it may warn all that love their owne soules, hereafter to take heed, and with care to avoid wilfulnesse and self-conceitednesse. Let men take heed they be not wise in themselves, but strive to frame themselves to be true workers of wisdome, and withall to take heed of a multitude of words: hee that cannot be silent, cannot be wise of godly.

And thus of the fifth doctrine.

Doct. 6. Sixthly, we may here note, that wel-doing is the best way to confure wicked and unreasonable men. A sound and fruitfull life is the likeliest and surest way to still them: if any thing will doe it, it is the best way for divers reasons.

1. Because we see here it is a course of Gods chusing, and he saith, it will even muzzle them, and binde up their mouthes, and he will give successe to the obedience of his owne commandements.

2. Because by a conversation full of good workes we doe not only confute them our selves, but we make others able to answer for us in all places.

3. Because if a man undertake to answer them by words, he is in danger to be provoked to speake unadvisedly, and so many prove like those fools whom he reproves, Pro. 26.5.

4. Because the naturall conscience of the wicked is as it were feared to take notice of a good conversation, and will struggle and resist within the wicked man, so as he cannot so securely vent his reproaches.

5. Because it is a way that brings most peace and comfort to ones owne heart. If he deale with them by words, his heart may afterwards smite him for some absurdity or other he hath committed: whereas he is safe that fights against them by his good workes.

6. Because it is the surest way of revenge, to overcome their evill with goodnesse, especially if thou canst get but the advantages to doe good to them that reproach thee Rom. 12.18, 19.

Use. The sound consideration of this truth should subdue in us that overeager desire of answering such as wrong us by bitter words, or workes of revenge; yea it should compell upon us a consultation, whether it be best to deale with them at all by words. Gods way is by works; and thou must get a great deale of temperance and wisedome if thou think thy selfe able to confute them throughly by words. It is true also, that in some cases we may resort to the Magistrate to punish them that abuse us: but yet still this counsell of God, that bids us silence them by well-doing, should intimate, that other courses must be used, with much caution, and without rashnesse or confidence in them.

Secondly, this may reprove that unquietnesse and impatience which is found in some Christians, when they are reproached and wronged: they are much vexed at the indignities offered to them, & think it strange that wicked men should not cease traducing of their names; whereas perhaps, if they examine themselves, they may finde that they have not used the meanes to still them, they have not muzzled these dogs, and therefore no wonder if they bark and bite too: and muzz'ed we see here they will not be, but by their good works. And therefore if they be barren and unfruitfull, they must take notice of the fault in themselves.

There are other things that may be noted out of these words: but I will only touch them; as,

Doct. 7. That onelyonly foolish men doe reproach godly men. Such as revile and censure many, are usually either openly carnall men, as they were drunkards that reproached David, and abjects, Psal. 35.15. and 69.13. They were either fooles, or the children of fooles, but viler they were than the earth, that had Iob in derision, cap. 30.1,8. men that ranne into excesse of riot, as the p. 466Apostle writeth, 1 Pet. 4.5. or else hypocrites, that have nothing in them but words and empty shewes. Or if at any time there bee a sinne found in godly men, it is in such as are but babes, and looke like carnall men, and have a great deale of their naturall folly and madnesse unsubdued in them, 1 Cor. 3.1, 2, 3. But for the most part it is a fault found onelyonly in wicked men.

Doct. 8. That it is a great paine to a wicked man to be restrained from reproaches. Hee is as much vexed when hee cannot or dare not speake evill of godly men, as a dog or an oxe is when he is muzzled.

Doct. 9. That the good life of godly men may silence wicked men, and yet not make them leave their wickednesse. He doth not say, that by well-doing they may win ignorant and foolish men. It is true, that sometimes a good conversation may win them, as 1 Pet. 3.1, 2. and before verse …2. yet ordinarily they will doe wickedly, even in the land of uprightnesse, Esay 26.10.