A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Part 2 · Chapter 2 – Chapter 13
Chap. 11.
The ſeventh Inference: Why the ungodly world hateth Holineſs, and not Learning.
FRom my very Child-hood, when I was firſt ſenſible of the concernments of mens Souls, I was poſſeſt with ſome admiration, to find that every where the Religious, godly ſort of people, who did but exerciſe a ſerious care of their own and other mens Salvation, were made the wonder and obloquy of the world; Eſpecially of the moſt vitious and flagitious men, ſo that they that profeſſed the ſame Articles of faith, the ſame Commandments of God to be their Law, and the ſame Petitions of the Lords Prayer to be their deſire, and ſo profeſſed the ſame Religion, did every where revile thoſe that did endeavour to live according to that ſame profeſſion, and to ſeem to be in good ſadneſs in what they ſaid. I thought that this was impudent Hypocriſie in the ungodly, worldly ſort of men! To take them for the moſt intolerable perſons in the Land, who are but ſerious in their own Religion, and do but endeavour to perform, what all their Enemies alſo vow'd and promiſed. If religion be bad, and our faith be not true, why do theſe men profeſs it? If it be true and good, why do they hate and revile them that would live in the ſerious practice of it, if they will not practiſe it themſelves? But we muſt not expect Reaſon, when ſin and ſenſuality have made men unreaſonable.
But I muſt profeſs that ſince I obſerved the courſe of the world, and the concord of the Word and Providences of God, I took it for a notable proof of mans fall, and of the verity of the Scripture, and the ſupernatural Original of true Sanctification, to find ſuch an univerſal enmity between the holy and the ſerpentine ſeed, and to find Cain and Abels caſe ſo ordinarily exemplified, and him that is born after the Fleſh to perſecute him that is born after the Spirit. And methinks to this day it is a great and viſible help for the confirmation of our Chriſtian Faith.
But that which is much Remarkable in it is, that nothing elſe in the world (except the Croſſing of mens carnal intereſt) doth meet with any ſuch univerſal enmity. A man may be as learned as he can, and no man hate him for it. If he excel all others, all men will praiſe him and proclaim his excellency: He may be an excellent Linguiſt, an excellent Philoſopher, an excellent Phyſician, an excellent Logician, an excellent Orator, and all commend him. Among Muſicians, Architects, Souldiers, Seamen, and all Arts and Sciences, men value, prefer and praiſe the beſt; Yea even Speculative Theology, ſuch wits as the Schoolmen and thoſe that are called great Divines, are honoured by all, and meet, (as ſuch) with little Enmity, Perſecution or Obloquy in the world. Though I know that even a Galilaeus, a Campanella, and many ſuch have ſuffered by the Roman Inquiſitors, that was not ſo much in enmity to their Speculations or Opinions, as through a fear leſt new Philoſophical notions ſhould unſettle mens minds, and open the way to new opinions in Theology, and ſo prove injurious to the Kingdom and Intereſt of Rome. I know alſo that Demoſthenes, Cicero, Seneca, Lucan, and many other learned men, have died by the hands or power of Tyrants. But that was not for their Learning, but for their oppoſition to thoſe Tyrants Wills and Intereſts. And I know that ſome Religious men have ſuffered for their Sins and Follies, and ſome for their medling too much with ſecular affairs, as the Councellours of Princes, as Functius, Juſtus Jonas, and many others. But yet no Parts, no Excellency, no Skill or Learning is hated commonly, but honoured in the World, no not Theological Learning, ſave only this practical Godlineſs and Religion, and the Principles of it, which only rendereth men amiable to God (through Chriſt) and ſaveth mens Souls. To know and love God, and live as thoſe that know and love him, to ſeek firſt his Kingdom and the Righteouſneſs thereof, to walk circumſpectly, in a holy and heavenly Converſation, and ſtudiouſly to obey the Laws of God, this which muſt ſave us, this which God loveth and the Devil hateth, is hated alſo by all his Children; for the ſame malignity hath the ſame effect.
But methinks this ſhould teach all conſidering men to perceive what Knowledge it is that is beſt, and moſt deſirable to all that love their happineſs. Sure this ſort of Learning, Wit and Art, which the Devil and the malignant World do no more diſpraiſe, oppoſe and perſecute, (though as it is ſanctified to higher ends it be good, yet) of it ſelf is comparatively no very excellent and amiable thing. I know Satan laboureth to keep out Learning it ſelf (that is truly ſuch) from the world, becauſe he is the Prince and Promoter of darkneſs, and the Enemy of all uſeful light: And lower Knowledge is ſome help to higher, and ſpeculative Theology may prepare for practical; and the moſt groſs and brutiſh ignorance beſt ſerveth the Devils deſigns and turn. And even in Heathen Rome the Arts prepared men for the Goſpel; and Learning in the Church Reformers hath ever been a great help and furtherance of Reformation. But yet if you ſtop in Learning and Speculation, and take it as for it ſelf alone, and not as a means to holineſs of Heart and Life, it is as nothing. It is Paul's expreſs reſolution of the caſe, that if we have all Knowledge without this holy Love, we are nothing, but as ſounding Braſs or a tinkling Cymbal, 1 Cor. 13.
But ſurely there is ſome ſpecial excellency in this holy knowledge, and Love, and Obedience, which the Devil and the malignant World ſo hate, in high and low, in rich and poor, in Kindred, Neighbours, Strangers, or any, where they meet with it. It is not for nothing. This is the Image of God; this is it that is contrary to their carnal Minds, and to their fleſhly Luſts, and ſinful Pleaſures. This tells them what they muſt be and do (or be undone for ever) which they cannot abide to be or do.
Let us therefore be ſomewhat the wiſer for this diſcovery of the mind of the Devil and all his Inſtruments: I will love and honour all Natural, Artificial, acquired Excellencies, in Philology, Philoſophy, and the reſt: As theſe expoſe not men to the Worlds Obloquy, ſo neither unto mine or any ſober mans. In their low places they are good, and may be uſed to a greater good. But let that holy knowledge and love be mine, which God moſt loveth, and the World moſt hateth, and coſteth us deareſt upon Earth, but hath the bleſſed end of a Heavenly Reward.
Chap. XII.
The eighth Inference: What is the work of a faithful Preacher, and how it is to be done.
IF that Knowledge which kindleth in us the Love of God, be the only ſaving Knowledge, then this is it that Miniſters muſt principally preach up and promote. Could we make all our hearers never ſo learned, that will not ſave their Souls: But if we could make them holy, and kindle in them the love of God and goodneſs, they ſhould certainly be ſaved. The holy practical Preacher therefore is the beſt Preacher, becauſe the holy practical Chriſtian is the beſt and only true Chriſtian. We work under Chriſt, and therefore muſt carry on the ſame work on Souls which Chriſt came into the World to carry on. All our Sermons muſt be fitted to change mens Hearts, from Carnal into Spiritual, and to kindle in them the love of God. When this is well done, they have learnt what we were ſent to teach them; and when this is perfect, they are in Heaven.
Thoſe Preachers that are Enemies to the godlieſt of the people, and would make their Hearers take them all for Hypocrites, that go any further than obedience to their Paſtors, in Church-forms and Orders, Obſervances and Ceremonies, and a civil Life, are the great Enemies of Chriſt, his Spirit, his Goſpel and the Peoples Souls; and the Eminent Servants of the Devil, in his malignant War againſt them all. All that Knowledge, and all thoſe Formalities, which are ſet up inſtead of divine Love and holy Living, are but ſo many cheats, to deceive poor Souls till time be paſt, and their convictions come to late.
I confeſs that ignorance is the calamity of our times, and people periſh for lack of Knowledge: And that the Heart be without Knowledge it is not good: And lamentable ignorance is too viſible in a great degree, among the religious ſort themſelves; as their manifold differences and errours too openly proclaim: And therefore to Build up men in Knowledge, is much of the Miniſterial work. But what Knowledge muſt it be? Not dead Opinions, or uneffectual Notions, or ſuch Knowledge as tendeth but to teach men to talk, and make them paſs for men of parts: But it is the Knowledge of God and our Redeemer, the Knowledge of Chriſt Crucified, by which we Crucifie the Fleſh with all its Affections and Luſts: And by which the World is Crucified to us, and we to it. If the Goſpel be hid it is hid to them that are loſt in whom the God of this World hath blinded their Eyes; when there is no truth and mercy, and knowledge of God in the Land, no wonder if ſuch a Land be clad in mourning. When men have not ſo much Knowledge of the evil of ſin, and their own ſin and miſery, and of the need and worth of Chriſt, of the truth of Gods Word, of the vanity of the World, of the greatneſs, wiſdom and goodneſs of God, and of certain, moſt deſirable Glory of Heaven, as ſhall humble their Souls, and turn them from the World to God, and abſolutely deliver them up to Chriſt, and mortifie fleſhly Luſts, and overcome temptations, and renew them unto the Love of God and goodneſs, and ſet their Hearts and Hopes on Heaven. This is the ignorance that is mens damnation: And the contrary effectual Knowledge is it which ſaveth Souls.
Chap. XIII.
The ninth Inference: Thoſe that Know God ſo far as to Love him above all, may have comfort notwithſtanding their remaining ignorance.
A Great number of upright hearted Chriſtians, who Love God ſincerely, and obey him faithfully, are yet under ſo great want of further knowledge, as is indeed a great diſhonour to them, and a hinderance of them in their duty and comfort, and to many a great diſcouragement: And O that we knew how to cure this imperfection, that Ignorance might not feed ſo many Errours, and cauſe ſo many fractions and diſturbances in the Church, and ſo many ſinful miſcarriages in its members!
But yet we muſt conclude that the perſon that hath knowledge enough to renew his Soul to the Love of God, ſhall be loved by him, and ſhall never periſh, and therefore may have juſt comfort under all the imperfections of his knowledge. More wiſdom might make him a better and more uſeful Chriſtian: But while he is a Chriſtian indeed, he may rejoyce in God. I blame not ſuch for complaining of the dulneſs of their Underſtandings, the badneſs of their Memories, their little profiting by the means of Grace: I ſhould blame them if they did not complain of theſe: And I think their caſe far more dangerous to the Church and to themſelves, who have as much ignorance and know it not, but proudly glory in the wiſdom which they have not. But many a thouſand Chriſtians, that have little of the Notional and Organical part of Knowledge, have powerful apprehenſions of the Power, Wiſdom and Love of God, and of the great Mercy of Redemption, and of the Evil of Sin, the Worth of Holineſs, and the Certainty and Weight of the Heavenly Glory: And by how much theſe men love God and Holineſs more than the more Learned that have leſs Grace; by ſo much they are more beloved of God, and accounted wiſer by the God of wiſdom; and therefore may rejoice in the greatneſs of their felicity. I would have none ſo weak as to under-value any real uſeful Learning: But if Phariſees will cry out againſt unlearned, godly Chriſtians, [Theſe people know not the Law and are accurſed;] Remember the Thankſgiving of your Lord, I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them to Babes. And as the (reputed) fooliſhneſs of God (that is, of Gods Evangelical Myſteries) will ſhortly prove wiſer, than all the reputed wiſdom of men; ſo he that hath wiſdom enough to love God and be ſaved, ſhall quickly be in that World of light, where he ſhall know more than all the Doctors and ſubtile diſputers upon Earth, and more (in a moment) than all the Books of men can teach him, or all their Authors did ever (here) know. Jer. 9.23, 24. Thus ſaith the Lord, Let not the wiſe man glory in his wiſdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he underſtandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exerciſe loving kindneſs and righteouſneſs in the Earth: For in theſe things do I delight, ſaith the Lord.