A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Part 1 · Chapter 14
Chap. 14.
The Aggravations of this ſin of Prefidence.
THough there be ſo much evil in this ſin of Preſumption as I have noted, yet is it not in all alike culpable or unhappy: But differeth in both reſpects as I ſhall tell you.
I. For culpability it is worſt in theſe ſorts and caſes following.
1. It is a great ſin in thoſe who have leaſt reaſon to think highly of their own underſtandings, and greateſt reaſon to diſtruſt themſelves: As. 1. In thoſe that are young and unexperienced, and muſt be miraculouſly wiſe, if they are wiſer than old experienced perſons (caeteris paribus.) 2. In the unlearned or half-learned who have had but little time or helps for ſtudy, or at leaſt have made but little uſe of them. 3. In duller wits, and perſons that in other matters are known to be no wiſer than others. 4. In thoſe that take up their prefidence upon the ſlighteſt grounds, as bare ſurmiſes, and reports from others that were uncertain. 5. In thoſe that have been oft deceived already, and ſhould by their ſad experience have been brought to humble ſelf-ſuſpicion.
2. And it is an aggravated ſin in thoſe whoſe place and condition obligeth them to learn from others. As for the Wife to be ſelf-con…eited of all her apprehenſions againſt her Husband (unleſs he be a fool:) For the Servant to ſet his wit againſt his Maſters; where he ſhould obey him. For Children to think that their wits are righter than their Parents or Maſters, and Apprentices and Learners to think that they know more than their teachers: And for the ignorant people to cenſure over-haſtily the Doctrine and Practice of their Paſtors, as if they were wiſer than they: Perhaps they are. But it muſt be ſome rare perſon who is fit to be a Teacher himſelf, or the Teacher ſome ſot that hath intruded into the Office, or elſe it muſt be a wonder. For God uſually giveth men Knowledge according to the Time, and Means, and Pains that they have had to get it, and not by miraculous infuſions without means. Doth not the Apoſtle expreſly tell you this, Heb. 5.11, 12. When for the Time you ought to have been Teachers, &c. Men ſhould be wiſe according to Time and Means of Wiſdom, which they have had.
3. It is the greater crime when men will ſeem wiſeſt in other mens matters and concernments. When the Subject will know beſt what belongeth to a King or Governor, and the people will know beſt how the Paſtor ſhould teach them, and when he faileth, and whom he ſhould receive into the Church or exclude. When the Servant will know beſt his Maſters duty, and every man his Neighbours, and leaſt his own.
4. It is the greater crime when men will be the Judges of their own underſtandings, and think highly of them in caſes where they ſhould be tryed by others. As if an Empyrick, or Woman do think that they know better how to cure a diſeaſe than the ableſt Phyſicians; why do they not offer themſelves to the Tryal, and before them make good their Skill by reaſon? If an unexperienced young ſtudent think himſelf able to be a Phyſician, he is not to be Judge, but muſt be Tryed and Judged by Phyſicians: If a ſelf-conceited Profeſſor, or a young Student think himſelf fit for the Miniſtry, he muſt not preſently contrive how to get in, and how to ſhift off Examination, but freely offer himſelf to be tried by able Godly Miniſters, and then by the ordainers, who are to judge. But when ſuch Perſons can think themſelves ſufficient if no body elſe do, or if but a few ignorant perſons do, that are unfit to judge, this proves their Pride and Preſumption to be a great and heinous ſin.
5. And it is yet more heinouſly aggravated, when to keep up the reputation of their own underſtandings, they uſe to depreſs and vilify the wiſer, even thoſe whom they never knew: As he that affecteth to be a Preacher and dare not paſs the Examination, hath no way to hide his ſhame, but 1. By crying down the Learning which he wanteth, as a humane carnal thing. And 2. By reproaching thoſe that ſhould judge of him and ordain him, as poor carnal perſons who underſtand not the things of the Spirit as he doth, and as proud ſelf-ſeeking men, that will approve of none but thoſe that flatter them, and are of their way. Some ſuch there may be: But ſure all are not ſuch. Why do you not deſire the Judgment of the wiſeſt moſt impartial men, but take up with the applauſe of unlearned perſons that are of your own mind and way, and magnify you for humouring them?
So you ſhall hear Empyricks and She-Phyſicians vilify Doctors of Phyſick, as men that have leſs knowledge than they, and are ſo Proud and Covetous and Diſhoneſt, that there is no truſting them. When Pretended Knowledge muſt have ſo baſe a Cloak, it is the greater ſin.
6. And it is the heinouſer ſin when they venture to do heinous miſchief by it: As a Papiſt, a Quaker, or a Separatiſt will in his confidence, be a perverter of others, and a Condemner of the Juſt, and a defamer of thoſe that are againſt him, and a troubler of the Church and World. He that in his ſelf-conceitedneſs dare reſiſt the wiſeſt, and his Teachers, and Rulers, and ſet Countries on Fire, is wickedly preſumptuous.
So in the practice of Phyſick, when people will be ſelf-conceited, when the Lives of others lie upon it, and a ſilly Fellow or Woman will venture to purge, to let blood, to give this or that, who know neither the diſeaſe nor proper cure.
7. It is therefore a heinous ſin in Rulers, who muſt judge for the life and death of others, or for the peace or miſery of thouſands about them. I mean Paſtors and Commanders in Armies, and Navies, and other Governours on whom the publick welfare of the Church, or Army, or Navy, or Countrey doth depend. O how wiſe ſhould that perſon be, whoſe errours may coſt thouſands, ſo dear as their deſtruction! Or if their underſtandings be not extraordinary how cautelous ſhould they be in judging; upon hearing the wiſeſt, and hearing diſſenters, and not only Flatterers or Conſenters; and hearing men of ſeveral minds, and hearing all Witneſſes, and Evidence, and hearing every man ſpeak for himſelf: and after all conſidering throughly of it: Specially of Laws and Wars, and Impoſitions in Religion, where thouſands of Conſcience, ſay what you can, will expect Satisfaction. When a Woman called to Antigonus to hear her cauſe and do her Juſtice, he told her that he could not have leiſure: She anſwered, you ſhould not have while to be King then: Whereupon he heard her, and did her right. Had it been to an inferior Judge ſhe had ſpoken reaſon.
8. Laſtly, Pretended Certainty is the greater ſin when it is falſly fathered on God. But the Pope and Council dare pretend that God hath promiſed them Infallibility, and God hath certified them that the conſecrated Bread is no Bread, and that our ſenſes are all deceived; and God hath made the Pope the univerſal Ruler of the World or Church, and made him and his Council the only Judges by which all men muſt know what is the word of God. So when Fanaticks will pretend that by Revelation, Viſions or Inſpirations of the Spirit, God hath aſſured them that this or that is the meaning of a Text which they underſtand not, or the truth in ſuch or ſuch a controverſy. Alas among too many well meaning perſons, God is pretended for a multitude of ſinful errors; And they that preach falſe Doctrine, will do it as the old Prophet ſpake to the young, as from the Lord: And they that rail at godlineſs and they that cenſure, backbite, caſt out or perſecute their Brethren, will do it as Rabſhakeh; Hath not God ſent me, &c. Men will not make any ſnares for the Church or their Brethrens Conſciences, but in the name of God: They will not divide the Church, nor caſt out Infants, nor refuſe Communion with their Brethren, but in the name of God. One man ſaith, God forbiddeth him all Book Prayers, or all Impoſed Forms of Prayer. And another ſaith, God forbiddeth him all but ſuch. And all bely God, and add this heinous abuſe of his holy word and name unto their ſin.