The Christians in Complete Armor, Religious treatise · Introduction 4 · Chapter 5

The Christians in Complete Armor · Religious treatise · Introduction 4 · Chapter 5

p. 208CHAP V. Of the time when, the place where, and the ſubjects whom Satan rules.

Againſt the Rulers of the darkneſſe of this world.

THeſe words contain the third Branch in the Deſcription of our great enemy the devil; and they hold forth the proper ſeat of his Empire, with a threefold boundary; he is not Lord over all, that is, the incommunicable title of God, but a Ruler of the darkneſſe of this world, where the time, place, and ſubjects of his Empire are ſtinted.

1. The time when this Prince hath his rule, In this world, that is, now, not hereafter.

2. The place where he rules, In this world, that is, here below, not in heaven.

3. The ſubjects or perſons whom he rules, not all in this lower world neither: and they are wrap't up in theſe words: The darkneſſe of this world. Firſt, of the firſt boundary.

p. 209SECT.

1The time when he rules: ſo this word (world) may be taken in the text for that little ſpot of time, which (like an inconſiderable parentheſis) is claſp't in on either ſide with vaſt eternity; call'd ſometimes the preſent world. Tit. 2.12Titus 2:12On this ſtage of time this mock-King acts the part of a Prince, but when Chriſt comes to take down this ſcaffold at the end of this world, then he ſhall be degraded, his crown taken off, his ſword broke over his head, and he hiſt off with ſcorne and ſhame; yea, of a Prince become a cloſe priſoner in hell; no more then ſhall he infeſt the Saints, no nor rule the wicked: but he with them, and they with him, ſhall lie under the immediate execution of Gods wrath, for this very end Chriſt hath his Pattent and Commiſſion, which he will not give up, till he ſhall have put down all rule, 1 Cor. 15.24.25.1 Cor 15:241 Cor 15:25then and not till then will he deliver up his Oeconomical Kingdom to his Father, when he ſhall have put down all rule; for he muſt reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. Satan is caſt already, his doom is paſt upon him, as Adams was upon his firſt ſin, but full execution is ſtayed till the end of the world. The devil knows it, it is an Article in his Creed, which made him trembling ask Chriſt why he came to torment him before his time.

Ʋſe 1 Firſt, this brings ill newes to the wicked. Your Prince cannot long ſit in his throne, ſinners at preſent have a merry time of it, if it would hold; they rejoyce, while Chriſts diſciples weep and mourne; they ruffle in their ſilkes, while the Saint goes in his rags. Princes are not more careful to oblige their Courtiers with penſions and preferments, then the devil is to gratifie his followers. He hath his rewards alſo; All this will I give thee; Am not I able to promote thee, ſaith Balak to Balaam? O 'tis ſtrange, (and yet not ſtrange, conſidering the degeneracy of mans nature) to ſee how Satan carries ſinners after him with this golden hook. Let him but preſent ſuch a bait as honour, pelfe or pleaſure, and their hearts skip after it, as a dog would at a cruſt; he makes them ſin for a morſel of bread: O the naughty heart of man loves the wages of unrighteouſneſſe, p. 210(which the devil promiſeth) ſo dearly, that it feares not the dreadful wages which the great God threatens. As ſometimes you ſhall ſee a Spaniel ſo greedy of a bone, that he'll leap into the very river for it, if you throw it thither, and by that time he comes with much ado thither, 'tis ſunk, and he gets nothing but a mouth-full of water for his pains; Thus ſinners will after their deſired pleaſures, honours and profits, ſwimming through the very threatenings of the Word to them, and ſometimes they loſe even what they gaped for here. Thus God kept Balaam, (as Balak told him) from honour, Numb. 24.11. But however they ſpeed here, they are ſure to loſe themſelves everlaſtingly without repentance. They that are reſolved they will have theſe things, are the men that fall into the devils ſnare, and are led into thoſe fooliſh and hurtful luſts, which will drown them in deſtruction and perdition, 1 Tim. 6.9. O poor ſinners! were it not wiſdom before you truck with the devil, to enquire what title he can give you to theſe goodly vanities? will he ſettle them as a free eſtate upon you? can he ſecure your bargain and keep you from ſuits of law? or is he able to put two lives into the purchaſe, that when you die, you may not be left deſtitute in another world? Alas, poor wretches! you ſhall ere long ſee what a cheat he hath put on you, from whom you are like to have nought but Caveat emptor, Let the buyer look to that; yea, this great Prince that is ſo brag, to tell what he will give you, muſt down himſelf: and a ſad Prince muſt needs make a ſad Court; O what howling will there then be of Satan and his vaſſals together! O but, ſaith the ſinner, the pleaſures and honours ſin and Satan offer are preſent, and that which Chriſt promiſeth we muſt ſtay for: This indeed is that which takes moſt. Demas, ſaith Paul, forſook me, having loved this preſent world, 2 Tim. 4.10. 'Tis preſent indeed (ſinners,) for you cannot ſay it will be yours the next moment; your preſent felicity is going, and the Saints (though future,) is coming never to go; and who for a gulpe of pottage, and ſenſual enjoyments at preſent, would part with a reverſion of ſuch a Kingdom? except thou art of his minde, who thought he had nothing, but what he had ſwallowed down his throat.

Haec habeo quae edi, quaeque exaturata libido

—Hauſit.

p. 211which Cicero could ſay, was more fit to be writ on an oxes grave then a mans. Vile wretch, that thinkeſt 'tis not better to deale with God for time, then the devil for ready pay. Tertullian wonders at the folly of the Romanes ambition, who would endure all manner of hardſhip in field and fight, for no other thing but to obtain at laſt the honour to be Conſul, which he calls unius anni volaticum gaudium, a joy that flies away at the years end. But O what deſperate madneſſe is it of ſinners then, not to endure a little hardſhip here, but entaile on themſelves the eternal wrath of God hereafter, for the ſhort feaſt, and running banquet their luſts entertain them here withal: which often is not gaudium unius horae, a joy that laſts an houre.

Ʋſe 2 Secondly, let this encourage thee, O Chriſtian, in thy conflict with Satan, the skirmiſh may be ſharp, but it cannot be long. Let him tempt thee, and his wicked inſtruments trounce thee, 'tis but a little while, and thou ſhalt be rid of both their evill neighbourhoods. The cloud while it drops is rolling over thy head, and then comes faire weather, an eternal Sunſhine of glory. Canſt thou not watch with Chriſt one houre or two? keep the field a few dayes? if yield, thou art undone for ever; perſevere but while the battel is over, and thine enemy ſhall never rally more; bid faith look through the Key-hole of the promiſe, and tell thee what it ſees there laid up for him that overcomes: bid it liſten and tell thee whether it cannot hear the ſhout of thoſe crowned Saints, as of thoſe that are dividing the ſpoile, and receiving the reward of all their ſervices and ſufferings here on earth: and doeſt thou ſtand on the other ſide, afraid to wet thy foot with thoſe ſufferings and temptations, which like a little plaſh of water, run between thee and glory?

SECT. II.

2Secondly, the devils Empire is confined to place as well as time: he is the Ruler of this lower world, not of the heavenly. The higheſt the devil can go is the aire, call'd the Prince thereof, as being the utmoſt marches of his Empire, he hath nothing to do with the upper world. Heaven feares no devil, and therefore p. 212its gates ſtand alwayes open; never durſt this fiend look into that holy place ſince he was firſt expell'd, but rangeth to and fro here below as a vagabond creature, excommunicated the preſence of God, doing what miſchief he can to Saints in their way to heaven; but is not this matter of great joy, that Satan hath no power there, where the Saints happineſſe lies? What haſt thou (Chriſtian) which thou needeſt value that is not there? Thy Chriſt is there, and if thou loveſt him, thy heart alſo, which lives in the boſome of its beloved. Thy friends, and kindred in Chriſt are there, or expected; with whom thou ſhalt have a merry meeting in thy Fathers houſe, notwithſtanding the ſnare on Tabor, the plots of Satan which lie in the way. O friends get a title to that Kingdome, and you are above the flight of this Kite. This made Job a happy man indeed, who when the devil had plundered him to his skin, and worried him almoſt out of that too, could then vouch Chriſt in the face of death and devils to be his Redeemer, whom he ſhould with thoſe eyes, that now ſtood full with briniſh teares, behold, and that for himſelf as his own portion. It is ſad with him indeed, who is robbed of all he is worth at once, but this can never be ſaid of a Saint. The devil took away Jobs purſe, (as I may ſay) which put him into ſome ſtraits, but he had a God in Heaven that put him into ſtock again. Some ſpending money thou haſt at preſent in thy purſe, in the activity of thy faith, the evidence of thy ſon-ſhip, and comfort flowing from the ſame, enlargement in duty and the like, which Satan may for a time diſturb, yea, deprive thee of but he cannot come to the rolls, to blot thy name out of the book of life; he cannot null thy faith, make void thy relation, dry up thy comfort in the Spring, though dam up the ſtream; nor hinder thee a happy iſſue of thy whole war with ſinne, though worſt thee in a private skirmiſh; theſe all are kept in Heaven, among Gods own Crown-Jewels, who is ſaid to keep us by his power through faith unto ſalvation.

SECT. III.

3The third boundary of the devils Principality is in regard of his ſubjects, and they are deſcribed here to be the darkneſſe of p. 213this world, that is, ſuch who are in darkneſſe. This word is uſed ſometimes to expreſſe the deſolate condition of a creature in ſome great diſtreſſe, Iſa 150. He that walks in darkneſſe, and ſees no light; ſometimes to expreſſe the nature of all ſin; ſo, Eph. 5.1. ſin is called the work of darkneſſe; ſometimes the particular ſin of ignorance; often ſet out by the darkneſſe of the night, blindneſſe of the eye, all theſe I conceive may be mean't, but chiefly the latter; for though Satan makes a foule ſtir in the ſoule; that is, in the dark of ſorrow, whether it be from outward croſſes or inward deſertions; yet if the creature be not in the darkneſſe of ſinne at the ſame time, though he may diſturb his peace as an enemy, yet cannot be ſaid to rule as a Prince. Sin only ſets Satan in the Throne; ſo that I ſhall take the words in the two latter Interpretations.

Firſt, for the darkneſſe of ſin in general.

Secondly, for the darkneſſe of ignorance in ſpecial; and the ſenſe will be, that the devils rule is over thoſe that are in a ſtate of ſin and ignorance, not over thoſe who are ſinful or ignorant, ſo he would take hold of Saints as well as others; but over thoſe who are in a ſtate of ſin, which is ſet out by the abſtract, Ruler of the darkneſſe, the more to expreſſe the fulneſſe of the ſin and ignorance that poſſeſſeth Satans ſlaves; and the Notes will be two.

Firſt, Every ſoul in a ſtate of ſin is under the rule of Satan.

Secondly, Ignorance above other ſins enſlaves a ſoul to Satan, and therefore all ſins are ſet out by that which chiefly expreſſeth this, viz. darkneſſe.

Every ſoule in a ſtate of ſin is under the rule of Satan;Doct. 1. under which point theſe two things muſt be enquired.

Firſt, the reaſon why ſin is ſet out by darkneſſe.

Secondly, how every one in ſuch a ſtate appears to be under the devils rule. For the firſt,

1Firſt, ſin may be called darkneſſe, becauſe the ſpring and common cauſe of ſin in man is darkneſſe. The external cauſe Satan, who is the great promoter of it, he is a curſed ſpirit held in chaines of darkneſſe. The internal is the blindneſſe and darkneſſe of the ſoule: we may ſay when any one ſins, he doth he knowes not what, as Chriſt ſaid of his murtherers. Did the creature know the true worth of the ſoul, (which he now ſells p. 214for a ſong,) the glorious amiable nature of God and his holy wayes, the matchleſſe love of God in Chriſt, the poiſonfull nature of ſin, and all theſe not by a ſudden beam darted into the window at a Sermon, and gone again, like a flaſh of lightning, but by an abiding light; this would ſpoile the devils market, and poor creatures would not readily take this toad into their boſomes; ſin goes in a diſguiſe, and ſo is welcome.

Secondly, it is darkneſſe, becauſe it brings darkneſſe into the ſoul, and that naturally and judicially.

Firſt Naturally. There is a noxious quality in ſin offenſive to the underſtanding, which is to the ſoule what the eye and palate are to the body; It diſcernes of things, and diſtinguiſheth true from falſe, as the eye white from black: It tryeth words as the mouth taſteth meats. Now as there are ſome things bad for the ſight, and others bad for the palate vitiating it, ſo that it ſhall not know ſweet from bitter; ſo here ſin beſots the creature, and makes it injudicious, that he who could ſee ſuch a practice abſurd and baſe in others before, when once he hath drunk of this inchanting cup himſelf, (as one that hath for done his underſtanding) is mad of it himſelf, not able now to ſee the evil of it, or uſe his reaſon againſt it. Thus Saul before he had debauch't his conſcience, thinks the Witch worthy of death; but after he had trodden his conſcience hard with other foule ſins, goes to ask counſel of one himſelf.

Again, ſin brings darkneſſe judiciouſly; ſuch have been threatened, whoſe eare God hath been trying to open and inſtruct, and have run out of Gods ſchool into the devils, by rebelling againſt light, that they ſhall die without knowledge, Iob 36.10, 12. What ſhould the candle burn waſt, when the creature hath more minde to play then work?

1Thirdly, Sinne runs into darkneſſe. Impoſtors bring in their damnable Hereſies privily, like thoſe who ſell bad ware, loath to come to the Market, where the Standard tries all; but put it off in ſecret: ſo in moral wickedneſſe, ſinners like beaſts go out in the night for their prey, loath to be ſeen, afraid to come where they ſhould be found out. Nothing more terrible to ſinners then light of truth, John 3.19. becauſe their deeds are evil. Felix was ſo netled with what Paul ſpake, that he could not ſit out the Sermon, but flings away in haſte, and adjourns the hearing of Paul p. 215till a convenient ſeaſon, but he never could finde one. The Sun is not more troubleſome in hot Countreys, then truth is to thoſe who ſit under the powerful preaching of it; and therefore as thoſe ſeldome come abroad in the heat of the day, and when they muſt, have their devices over their heads to skreene them from the Sun; ſo ſinners ſhun as much as may be the preaching of the Word; but if they muſt go to keep in with their relations, or for other carnal advantages, they, if poſſible, will keep off the power of truth, either by ſleeping the Sermon away, or prating it away with any fooliſh imagination which Satan ſends to beare them company and chat with them at ſuch a time: or by chooſing ſuch a coole Preacher to ſit under, whoſe toothleſſe diſcourſe ſhall rather flatter then trouble, rather tickle their fancy then prick their conſciences; and then their ſore eyes can look upon the light. Froreſeentem amant veritatem qui non redarguentem: they dare handle and look on the ſword with delight when in a rich ſcabbard, who would run away to ſee it drawn.

4Fourthly, Sinne is darkneſſe for its uncomfortab'eneſſe, and that in a threefold reſpect.

1Firſt, Darkneſſe is uncomfortable, as it ſhuts out of all imployment. What could the Egyptians do under the plague of darkneſſe but ſit ſtill? and this to an active ſpirit is trouble enough. Thus in a ſtate of ſinne man is an unſerviceable creature, he can do his God no ſervice acceptably, ſpoiles everything he takes in hand, like one running up and down in a ſhop when windows ſhut, doth nothing right. It maybe writ on the grave of every ſinner, who lives and dies in that ſtate, Here lies the man, that never did God an hours work in all his life.

2Secondly, Darkneſſe is uncomfortable in point of enjoyment; be there never ſuch rare pictures in the roome, if dark, who the better? A ſoul in a ſtate of ſinne may poſſeſſe much, but enjoyes nothing: this is a ſore evil, and little thought of. One thought of its ſtate of enmity to God, would drop bitterneſſe into every cup; all he hath ſmells of hell fire, and a man at a rich feaſt would enjoy it ſure but little, if he ſmelt fire, ready to burn his houſe and himſelf in it.

3Thirdly, Darkneſſe fills with terrours, fears in the night are moſt dreadfull; a ſtate of ſin is a ſtate of fear. Men that owe much, have no quiet, but when they are aſleep, and not then neither, p. 216the cares and fears of the day ſink ſo deep, as makes their reſt troubleſome and unquiet in the night. The wicked hath no peace, but when his conſcience ſleeps, and that ſleeps but brokenly, awaking often with ſick fits of terrour: when he hath moſt proſperity, he is ſcared like a flock of birds in a corn-field at every piece going off He eats in fear, and drinks in fear; when afflicted, he expects worſe behinde, and knows not what this cloud may ſpread to, and where it may lay him; whether in hell or not he knows not, and therefore trembles (as one in the dark) not knowing but his next ſtep may be into the pit.

5Fifthly, ſin leads to utter darkneſſe; utter darkneſſe is darkneſſe to the utmoſt. Sin in its full height, and wrath in its full heat together; both univerſal, both eternal. Here's ſome mixture, peace and trouble, paine and eaſe; ſin and thoughts of repenting, ſin and hopes of pardon; there the fire of wrath ſhall burn without ſlacking, and ſin run parallel with torment; hell-birds are no changelings; their torment makes them ſin, and their ſin feeds their torment, both unquenchable, one being fuel to another.

2Secondly, let us ſee how it appears, that ſuch as are under a ſtate of ſin, are under the rule of Satan. Sinners are call'd the children of the devil, 1 John 3.10. and who rules the childe but the Father? they are ſlaves; who rules the ſlave but the Maſter? they are the very manſion-houſe of the devil; where hath a man command, but in his own houſe? I will go to my houſe, Mat. 12.44. As if the devil had ſaid, I have walk't among the Saints of God, to and fro, knocking at this door and that, and none will bid me welcome, I can finde no reſt; well. I know where I may be bold; I'le even go to my own houſe, and there I am ſure to rule the roſte without controul; and when he comes, he findes it empty, ſwept and garniſhed; that is, all ready for his entertainment. Servants make the houſe trim and handſom againſt their Maſter come home, eſpecially when he brings gueſts with him, as here the devil brings ſeven more. Look to the ſinner, there is nothing he is or hath, but the devil hath dominion over it: He rules the whole man, their mindes blinding them. All the ſinners apprehenſion of things are ſhaped by Satan: he looks on ſin with the devils ſpectacles: he reads the Word with the devils comment: he ſees nothing in its native p. 217colours, but is under a continual deluſion. The very wiſdome of a wicked man is ſaid to be devilliſh, James 3.15. foreign, or devil-like, becauſe taught by the devil, and alſo ſuch as the devils is, wiſe only to do evil. He commands their Wills, though not to force them, yet effectually to draw them. His work (ſaith Chriſt) ye will do. You are reſolved on your way, the devil hath got your hearts, and him you will obey: and therefore when Chriſt comes to recover his throne, he findes the ſoule in an uproare, as Epheſus at Pauls Sermon, crying him down, and Diana up. We will not have this man reigne over us, what is the Almighty that we ſhould ſerve him? He rules over all their members, they are call'd weapons of unrighteouſneſs, all at the devils ſervice; as all the armes of a Kingdome, to defend the Prince againſt any that ſhall invade. The head to plot, the hand to act, the feet ſwift to carry the body up and down about his ſervice; He rules over all he hath. Let God come in a poor member, and beſeech him to lend him a penny, or beſtow a morſel to refreſh his craving bowels; and the covetous wretch his hand of charity is withered, that he cannot ſtretch it forth; but let Satan call, and his purſe flies open and heart alſo. Nabal that could not ſpare a few fragments for David and his followers, this churle could make a feaſt like a Prince, to ſatiate his own luſt of gluttony and drunkenneſſe. He commands their time, when God calls to duty, to pray, to hear, no time all the week to be ſpared for that; but if the ſinner hears there is a merry meeting, a knot of good fellows at the Alehouſe; all is thrown aſide to wait on his Lord and Maſter; calling left at ſix and ſevens, yea, wife and children crying, (may be ſtarving) while the wretch is pouring out their very blood, (in waſting their livelihood) at the foot of his luſt. The ſinner is in the bond of iniquity, and being bound he muſt obey. He is ſaid to go after his luſt, as the fool to the ſtocks, Prov. 7.22. The pinion'd malefactour can aſſoon untie his own armes and legs, and ſo run from his Keeper, as he from his luſts. They are ſervants, and their members inſtruments of ſin: even as the Workman takes up his axe and it reſiſts not; ſo doth Satan diſpoſe of them, except God ſaith nay.

See here the deplored condition of every one in a ſtate of ſin.Ʋſe. He is under the rule of Satan, and government of hell, What p. 218tongue can utter, what heart can conceive the miſery of this ſtate? It was a diſmal day which Chriſt foretold, Matth. 24. When the abomination of deſolation ſhould be ſeen, ſtanding in the Holy place; then (ſaith Chriſt) let him that is in Judea flee into the mountains. But what was that to this? they were but men, though abominable; theſe devils. They did but ſtand in the material Temple, & defile and deface that: but theſe diſplay their banners in the ſoules of men, pollute that throne, which is more glorious then the material heaven it ſelf, made for God alone to ſit in. They exerciſed their cruelties at furtheſt on the bodies of men, killing and torturing them: here the precious ſoules of men are deſtroyed. When David would curſe to purpoſe the enemies of God, he prayes, that Satan may be at their right hand. 'Tis ſtrange ſinners ſhould no more tremble at this, who ſhould they ſee but their ſwine, or a beaſt bewitch't and poſſeſt of the devil run headlong into the ſea, would cry out as half undone: and is not one foul more worth then all theſe? what a plague is it to have Satan poſſeſſe thy heart and ſpirit, hurrying thee in the fury of thy luſts to perdition? O poor man! what a ſad change haſt thou made? Thou who wouldeſt not ſit under the meek and peaceful Government of God thy rightful Lord, art paid for thy rebellion againſt him, in the cruelty of this Tyrant who writes all his Lawes in the blood of his ſubjects, and why will you ſit any longer, (O ſinners) under the ſhadow of this Bramble, from whom you can expect nothing but eternal fire, to come at laſt and devoure you? Behold, Chriſt is in the field, ſent of God to recover his right, and your liberty. His royal Standard is pitch't in the Goſpel, and Proclamation made, that if any poor ſinners, weary of the devils Government, and heavy laden with the miſerable chaines of his ſpiritual bondage, (ſo as theſe irons of his ſins enter into his very ſoule to afflict it with the ſenfe of them) ſhall thus come, and repair to Chriſt: he ſhall have protection from Gods juſtice, the devils wrath, and ſins dominion; In a word,Mat. 11.28. I….11.10.Matt 11:28 he ſhall have reſt, and that glorious. Uſually when a people have been ground with the oppreſſion of ſome bloody Tyrant, they are apt enough to long for a change, and to liſten to any overture that gives them hope of liberty, though reached by the hand of a ſtranger, who may prove as bad as the other, yet bondage is ſo grievous, that people deſire to change, (as p. 219ſick men their beds) though they finde little eaſe thereby. Why then ſhould deliverance be unwelcome to you, ſinners? Deliverance brought not by a ſtranger whom you need feare, what his deſigne is upon you; but your near Kinſman in blood, who cannot mean you ill, but he muſt firſt hate his own fleſh;Heb. 2.14, 15.Heb 2:14Heb 2:15 and whoever did that? To be ſure not he, who though he took part of our fleſh, that he might have the right of being our Redeemer: yet would have no kindred with us in the ſinfulneſſe of our nature. And 'tis ſin that makes us cruel, yea, to our own fleſh.Heb. 4.15.Heb 4:15 What can you expect from him but pure mercy, who is himſelf pure? They are the mercies of the wicked which are cruel. Believe it (Sirs) Chriſt counts it his honour, that he is a King of a willing people, and not of ſlaves. He comes to make you free, not to bring you into bondage; to make you Kings, not vaſſals. None give Chriſt an evil word, but thoſe who never were his ſubjects. Enquire but of thoſe who have tried both Satans ſervice and Chriſts; they are beſt able to reſolve you what they are. You ſee when a ſoul comes over from Satans quarters unto Chriſt, and has but once the experience of that ſweetneſſe which is in his ſervice, there is no getting him back to his old drudgery, as they ſay of thoſe, who come out of the North, (which is cold and poor) they like the warme South ſo well, they ſeldome or never go back more. What more dreadful to a gracious ſoul then to be delivered into the hands of Satan? or fall under the power of his luſts? It would chooſe rather to leap into a burning furnace, then be commanded by them. This is the great requeſt a childe of God makes, that he would rather whip him in his houſe, then turne him out of it to become a prey to Satan. O ſinners, did you know (which you cannot till you come over to Chriſt and embrace him as your Lord & Saviour) what the priviledges of Chriſts ſervants are, & what gentle uſage Saints have at Chriſts hands, you would ſay thoſe were the only happy men in the world, which ſtand continually before him. His lawes are writ, not with his ſubjects blood, (as Satans are) but with his own. All his commands are acts of grace;Phil. 1.29.Phil 1:29 'tis a favour to be employed about them. To you 'tis given to believe, yea, to ſuffer. Such an honour the Saints eſteem it to do any thing he commands, that they count God rewards them for one piece of ſervice, if he enables them for another. This I had, (ſaith David) becauſe I p. 220kept thy Precepts, Pſal. 119.56. what was the great reward he got? ſee, v. 55. I have remembred thy Name, O Lord, in the night, and kept thy Law; then followes, This I had: He got more ſtrength and skill to keep the Law for the future, by his obedience paſt, and was he not well paid (think you for his pains? There's fruit even in holineſſe, the Chriſtian hath in hand, which he eats while he is at work, that may ſtay his ſtomack until the full reward comes, which is eternal life, Rom. 6.22. Jeſus Chriſt is a Prince that loves to ſee his people thrive, and grow rich under his Government. This is he whom ſinners are ſo afraid of, that when he ſets open their priſon, and bids them come forth, they chooſe rather to bore their eares to the devils poſt, then enjoy this bleſſed liberty. It is no wonder that ſome of the Saints have indeed) when tortured, not accepted deliverance, Heb. 11.3.Heb 11:3that they might obtain a better reſurrection. But what a riddle is this, that forlorne ſoules bound with the chaines of their luſts, and the irreſiſtible decree of God for their damnation, (if they believe not on the Lord Jeſus,) ſhould, as they are driving to execution, refuſe deliverance? This may ſet heaven and earth on wondring. Surely, dying in their ſins, they cannot hope for a better reſurrection then they have a death. I am afraid rather, that they do not firmly believe they ſhall have any reſurrection; and then no wonder they make ſo light of Chriſts offer, who think themſelves ſafe, when once earth't in this burrough of the grave. But let ſinners know, 'tis not the grave can hold them, when the day of Aſſize comes, and the Judge calls for the priſoners to the bar. The grave was never intended to be a Sanctuary to deſend ſinners from the hand of juſtice, but a cloſe Priſon to ſecure them againſt the day of trial, that they may be forth-coming. Then ſinners ſhall be digg'd out of their burroughs, and dragg'd out of their holes to anſwer their contempt of Chriſt and his grace. O how will you be aſtoniſh't to ſee him become your Judge, whom you now refuſe to be your King? to heare that Goſpel witneſſe againſt you for your damnation, which at the ſame time ſhall acquit others for their ſalvation? what think you to do, ſinners, in that day? wilt thou cry and ſhream for mercy at Chriſts hands? Alas, when the ſentence is paſt, thy face will immediately be covered: condemned priſoners are not allowed to ſpeak: teares p. 221then are unprofitable, when no place left for repentance, either in Chriſts heart or thine own. Or meaneſt thou to apply thy ſelf to thy old Lord, in whoſe ſervice thou haſt undone thy ſoule, and cry to him, as ſhe to Ahab, Help, O King: Alas, thine eye ſhall ſee him in the ſame condemnation with thy ſelf. Hadſt thou not better now renounce the devils rule, while thou mayeſt be received into Chriſts Government? poure out thy tears and cries now for mercy and grace when they are to be had, then to ſave them for another world to no purpoſe?

Queſt. But poſſibly, thou wilt ſay, How may I that am a home-borne ſlave to ſin, yea, who have lived ſo many yeares under his curſed rule, get out of his dominion and power, and be tranſlated into the Kingdom of Chriſt?

Anſw. The difficulty of this great work lies not in prevailing with Chriſt to receive thee for his ſubject, who refuſeth none that in truth of heart deſire to come under his ſhadow. It doth not ſtand with his deſigne to reject any ſuch. Do Phyſicians uſe to chide their Patients away? Lawyers their Clients? or Generals diſcourage thoſe who fall off from the enemy, and come to their ſide? ſurely no. When David was in the field, 'tis ſaid, 1 Sam. 22.2. Every one that was in diſtreſſe, in debt, or in diſcontent gathered themſelves to him, and he became a Captain over them. And ſo will Chriſt be to every one that is truly diſcontented with Satans Government, and upon an inward diſlike thereof repairs to him. But the maine buſineſſe will be to take thee off from thy engagements to thy luſts and Satan, till which be done, Chriſt will not own thee as a ſubject, but look on thee as a Spy. It fares with ſinners as with ſervants. There may be fallings out between them and their Maſters, and high words paſſe between them, that you would think they would take up their pack and be gone in all haſte: but the fray is ſoon over, and by next morning all is forgot, and the ſervants are as hard at their work as ever. O how oft are ſinners taking their leave of their luſts, and giving warning to their old Maſters, they will repent and reform, and what not? but in a few dayes they have repented of their repentance, and deformed their reformings, which ſhewes they were drunk with ſome paſſion, when they thought or ſpake this; and no wonder they reverſe all when they come to their true temper. Now becauſe Satan has many policies, by which p. 222he uſeth to keep his hold of ſinners; I ſhall diſcover ſome of them, which if thou canſt withſtand, it will be no hard matter to bring thee out of his power and rule.

1Firſt, Satan doth his utmoſt, that ſinners may not have any ſerious thoughts of the miſerable ſtate they are in, while under his rule; or heare any thing from others, which might the leaſt unſettle their mindes from his ſervice. Conſideration (he knowes) is the firſt ſtep to repentance: He that doth not conſider his wayes what they are, and whither they lead him, is not like to change them in haſte. Iſrael ſtirr'd not, while Moſes came, and had ſome diſcourſe with them about their woful ſlavery, and the gracious thoughts of God towards them; and then they begin to deſire to be gone. Pharaoh ſoon bethought him what conſequence might follow upon this, and cunningly labours to prevent by doubling their task: Ye are idle, ye are idle, therefore ye ſay, Let us go, and do ſacrifice to the Lord. Go thorefore and work, Exod. 5.17, 18. As if he had ſaid, Have you ſo much ſpare time to think of gadding into the wilderneſſe, and have you your ſeditious Conventicles, (Moſes and you) to lay your plots together? I'le break the knot, give them more work, ſcatter them all over the land to gather ſtraw, that they may not meet to entice one anothers hearts from my ſervice. Thus Satan is very jealous of the ſinner, afraid every Chriſtian that ſpeaks to him, or Ordinance he hears ſhould inveigle him. By his good-will he ſhould come at neither, no, nor have a thought of heaven or hell from one end of the week to the other, and that he may have as few as may be, he keeps him full-handed with work. The ſinner grindes, and he is filling the hopper, that the Mill may not ſtand ſtill. He is with the ſinner as ſoone as he wakes, and fills his wretched heart with ſome wicked thoughts, which as a morning draught may keep him from the infection of any favour of good, that may be breathed on him by others in the day-time. All the day long he watcheth him, as the Maſter would do his man, that he feares will run away. And at night he like a careful Jayler locks him up again in his chamber with more bolts and fetters upon him, not ſuffering him to ſleep as he lies on his bed, till he hath done ſome miſchief. Ah, poor wretch! was ever ſlave ſo look't to?Luke 15.Luke 15 as long as the devil can keep thee thus, thou art his own ſure enough. The Prodigal came to himſelfe, p. 223before he came to his Father. He conſidered with himſelf what a ſtarving condition he was in, his huskes were poor meat, and yet he had not enough of them neither, and how eaſily he might mend his commons, if he had but grace to go home and humble himſelf to his Father. Now and not till now he goes: Reſolve thus poor ſinner to ſit down and conſider what thy ſtate is, and what it might be, if thou wouldeſt but change the bondage of Satan for the ſweet Government of Jeſus Chriſt. Firſt, ask thy ſoule, whether the devil can, after thou haſt worne out thy miſerable life herein his drudg'ry, prefer thee to a happy ſtate in the other world, or ſo much as ſecure thee from a ſtate of torment and wo? If he cannot, whether there be not one Ieſus Chriſt, who is able and willing to do it? and if ſo, whether it be not bloody cruelty to thy precious ſoul, to ſtay any longer under the ſhadow of this bramble, when thou mayeſt make ſo bleſſed a change? A few of theſe thoughts abidingly laid home to thy ſoule, (may God ſtriking in with them) ſhake the foundations of the devils priſon, and make thee haſte as faſt from him, as one out of a houſe on fire about his eares.

2ly. Satan hath his inſtruments to oppoſe the meſſengers and overtures, 2which God ſends by them to bring the ſinner out of Satans rule. When Moſes comes to deliver Iſrael out of the Egyptian bondage, up ſtart Iannes and Iambres to reſiſt him. When Paul preacheth to the Deputy, the devil hath his Chaplain at Court to hinder him: Elymas, one that was full of all ſubtilty and miſchief. Some or other (to be ſure) he will finde, when God is parlying with a ſinner, and perſwading him to come over to Chriſt, that ſhall labour to clog the work. Either carnal friends, theſe he ſends to plead his cauſe, or old companions in wickedneſſe, theſe beſtir them, one while labouring to jeer him out of his new way, or if that take not, by turning their old love into bitter wrath againſt him for playing the Apoſtate, and leaving him ſo. Or if yet he will not be ſtopt in his way, then he hath his daubing Preachers, (ſtill like Iobs meſſengers the laſt the worſt) who with their ſoul-flattering, or rather murdering doctrine ſhall go about to heal his wound ſlightly. Now as ever you deſire to get out of Satans bondage, have a care of all theſe, harden thy ſelf againſt the entreaties of carnal friends and relations. Reſolve, that if thy children ſhould hang about thy p. 224knees to keep thee from Chriſt, thou wilt throw them away. If thy father and mother ſhould lie proſtrate at thy foot, rather then not go to Chriſt, to go over their very backs to him. Never can we part with their love upon ſuch advantageous termes as theſe. And for thy brethren in iniquity, I hope thou doeſt not mean to ſtay while thou haſt their good will, then even ask the devils alſo. Heaven is but little worth if thou haſt not a heart to deſpiſe a little ſhame, and beare a few frumps from prophane Iſhmaels for thy hopes of it. Let them ſpit on thy face, Chriſt will wipe it off; let them laugh ſo thou winneſt. If they follow not thy example before they die, the ſhame will be their own; God himſelf ſhall ſpit it on their face before men and Angels, and then kick them into hell. And laſtly, ſcape but the ſnare of thoſe flatterers, who uſe their tongues only to lick ſinners conſciences whole with their placentia's ſoothing doctrine, and thou art faire for a Chriſt; ask not counſel of them, they may go about to give you eaſe, but all thoſe ſtitches with which they ſowe up thy wounds, muſt be ripp't open, or thou dieſt for it.

3Thirdly, Satan labours to while off the ſinner with delayes. Floating, flitting thoughts of repenting he feares not, he can give ſinners leave to talk what they will do; ſo he can beg time, and by his Art keep ſuch thoughts from coming to a head, and ripening into a preſent reſolution; few are in hell but thought of repenting; but Satan ſo handled the matter, that they could never pitch upon the time in earneſt when to do it. If ever thou meaneſt to get out of his clutches, flie out of his doors, and run for thy life, whereever this warning findes thee ſtay not, though in the midſt of thy joyes, with which thy luſts entertain thee: As the paper which came to Brentius, (from that Senatour his dear friend) took him at ſupper with his wife and children, and bade him flee citò, citiùs, citiſſimè; which he did, leaving his dear company and ſweet cheere; ſo do thou or elſe thou mayeſt repent thy ſtay when 'tis too late. A viſion charged the wiſe men to go back another way, and not ſo much as ſee Herod, though he had charged them otherwiſe. O go not back, drunkard, to thy good fellows; adulterer to thy Queanes; covetous wretch, to thy uſury and unlawful gaine: turne another way, and gratifie not the devil a moment. The command ſaith, now repent; p. 225the Imperative hath no future tenſe. God ſaith, To day, while it is to day: The devil ſaith, To morrow; which wilt thou obey, God or him? Thou ſayeſt, thou meaneſt at laſt to do it, then why not now? Wilt thou ſtand with God for a day or two, huckle with him for a penny? Heaven is not ſuch a hard pennyworth, but thou mayeſt come up to his termes: And which is the morrow thou meaneſt? thou haſt but a day in thy life for ought thou knoweſt, where then canſt thou find a morrow for repentance? but ſhouldeſt thou have as many dayes to come is Methuſelah lived, yet know, ſin is hereditary, and ſuch ſort of diſeaſes grow more upon us with our years. 'Tis with long accuſtomed ſinners, as with thoſe who have ſate long under a Government, they rather like to be as they are, (though but ill on it) then think of a change, or like thoſe who in a journey have gone out of their way all the day, will rather take any new way, overhedge and ditch, then think of going ſo far back to be ſet right.

Fourthly, Satan labours to comprimiſe the buſineſſe, and bring it to a compoſition between him and Chriſt: when conſcience will not be pacified, then Satan for quiets ſake will yield to ſomething, as Pharaoh with Moſes: after much ado he is willing they ſhould go, Exod. 8.28. And Pharaoh ſaid, I will let you go, that you may ſacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderneſſe. But then comes in his caution, only you ſhall not go very farre away. Thus Satan will yield the ſinner may pray, and heare the Word, and make a goodly Profeſſion, ſo he doth not go very far, but that he may have him again at night. If God hath the mattins, he looks for the vigils, and thus he is content the day ſhould be divided. Doth conſcience preſſe a reformation and change of the ſinners courſe, rather then faile, he'll grant that alſo: yet as Pharaoh when he yielded they ſhould go, he meant their little ones ſhould ſtay behinde as a pledge for thoſe that went, Exod. 10.11. So Satan muſt have ſome one ſin that muſt be ſpared, and no matter though it be a little one. Now if ever you would get out of the devils rule, make no compoſition with him. Chriſt will be King or no King. Not a hoofe muſt be left behinde, or any thing which may make an errand for thee afterwards to return. Take therefore thy everlaſting farewel of every ſin, as to p. 226the ſincere and fixt purpoſe of thy heart, or thou doeſt nothing. Paul joynes his faith and his purpoſe togethes, 2 Tim. 3.10. not the one without the other. At the promulgation of the Law in Sinai, God did, as it were, give Iſrael the oath of Allegiance to him; then he told them what law he would rule them by, and they gave their conſent: this was the eſpouſal which God puts them in minde of, Jerem. 2. in which they were ſolemnly married together, as King and ſubjects. Now mark, before God would do this, he will have them out of Egypt. They could not obey his lawes, and Pharaoh's idolatrous cuſtomes alſo, and therefore he will have them out, before he ſolemnly eſpouſeth them to be a Nation peculiarly his. Thou muſt be a widow before Chriſt marry thee, he will not lie by the ſide of anothers wife. O that it were come to this! then the match would ſoon be made between Chriſt and thee. Let me ask thee, poor ſoul, haſt thou ſeriouſly conſidered who Chriſt is, and what his ſweet Government is? and couldeſt thou finde in thy heart (out of an inward abhorrency of ſin and Satan, and a liking to Chriſt) to renounce ſin and Satan, and chooſe Chriſt for thy Lord? Doth thy ſoule ſay as Rebecca, I will go, if I could tell how to get to him. But alas, I am here a poore priſoner, I cannot ſhake off my fetters, and ſet my ſelf at liberty to come unto Chriſt. Well, poor ſoul, canſt thou groan heartily under thy bondage? then for thy comfort know, thy deliverance is at the door; he that heard the cry of Iſrael in Egypt, will hear thine alſo, yea, come and ſave thee out of the hands of thy luſts. He will not, as ſome, who entangle thy affections by making love to thee, and then give over the ſuit, and come at thee no more. If Chriſt has won thy heart, he'll be true to thee, and be at all the coſt to bring thee out of thy priſon-houſe alſo, yea, take the paines to come for thee himſelfe, and bring with him theſe wedding-garments in which he will carry thee from thy priſon to his Fathers houſe with joy, where thou ſhalt live not only as a ſubject under his Law, but as a Bride in the boſome of his love, and what can be added to thy happineſſe more? when thy Prince is thy husband, and that ſuch a Prince to whom all other are vaſſals, even the Prince of the world himſelf; and yet ſo gracious, that his Majeſty hinders not his familiar converſe with thee a poor creature, but addes to p. 227the condeſcent thereof, therefore God chooſeth to mixe names of greatneſſe and relation together; the one to ſweeten the other: Thy Maker is thy husband, thy Redeemer the Holy One of Iſrael. The God of the whole earth ſhall he be called, Iſa. 54.5. And to uſher in thoſe promiſes with titles of greateſt dread and terrour to the creature, that hold forth the greateſt condeſcenſions of love; How can God ſtoop lower then to come and dwell with a poor humble ſoule? which is more, then if he had ſaid ſuch a one ſhould dwell with him; for a beggar to live at Court is not ſo much as the King to dwell with him in this cottage. Yet this promiſe is uſher'd in with the moſt magnificent titles; Thus ſaith the high and lofty one, that inhabits eternity, whoſe Name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble ſpirit, Iſa. 57.15. and why ſuch titles? but to take away the feares, which his Saints are prone to take up from them. Will the high and lofty One, (ſaith the humble ſoule) look on me a poor worme? will the Holy God come near ſuch an unclean creature, (ſaith the contrite one?) Iſaiah himſelf cried he was undone at the ſight of God, and this attribute proclaim'd before him, Iſa. 6. Now God prefixeth theſe, that the creature may know his Majeſty and holineſſe, which ſeems ſo terrible to us, are no prejudice to his love; yea, ſo gracious a Prince is thy husband, that he delights rather his Saints ſhould call him by names of love, then ſtate. Thou ſhalt call me Iſhi, and ſhalt no more call me Baali, Hoſ. 2.16. that is, my Husband, not my Lord.

SECT. IV.

The ſecond point follows.Doct. 2. Ignorance above other ſins enſlaves a ſoule to Satan, a knowing man may be his ſlave, but an ignorant one can be no other. Knowledge doth not make the heart good, but it is impoſſible that without knowledge it ſhould be good. There are ſome ſins which an ignorant perſon cannot commit, there are more which he cannot but commit: Knowledge is the Key, Luke 11.52. Chriſt the door, John 15. Chriſt opens Heaven, Knowledge opens Chriſt. In three particulars the Point will appear more fully.

p. 228Firſt, ignorance opens a doore for ſinne to enter.

Secondly, as ignorance lets ſin in, ſo it locks it up in the ſoule, and the ſoule in it.

Thirdly, as it locks it up, ſo it ſhuts all meanes of help out.

1Firſt, Ignorance opens the door for Satan to enter in with his troops of luſts; where the watch is blinde, the City is ſoon taken: an ignorant man ſins, and like drunken Lot, he knowes not when the tempter comes, nor when he goes: he is like a man that walks in his ſleep, knowes not where he is, nor what he does. Father, forgive them, (ſaid Chriſt) they know not what they do. The Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 15. having reproved the ſenſuality of ſome, verſe 32. who made the conſideration of death, by which others are awed from ſinne, a provocative to ſinne, Let us eat and drink for to morrow we ſhall die, he gives an account of this abſurd reaſoning; All have not the knowledge of God. An ignorant perſon is a man in ſhape, and a beaſt in heart. There is no knowledge in the land, ſaith the Prophet, Hoſea 4.2: and ſee what a regiment followes this blinde Captain, ſwearing; lying, killing, ſtealing, and what not? We reade, 2 Tim. 3.5. of ſome laden with ſins; here are trees full of bitter fruit, and what dung ſhall we finde at the root, that makes them ſo fruitfull but ignorance? ſilly women, and ſuch who never come to the knowledge of the truth.

2Secondly, ignorance as it lets ſin in, ſo it locks it up, and the ſoule in it, ſuch a one lies in Satans inner dungeon, where no light of conviction comes, darkneſſe inclines to ſleep, a blinde minde and a drowſie conſcience go together. When the ſtorme aroſe, the mariners who were awake fell a praying to their God; but the ſleeper feares nothing. Ignorance layes the ſoule aſleep under the hatches of ſtupidity. God hath planted in the beaſt a natural feare of that which threatens hurt to it. Go to thruſt a beaſt into a pit, and it hangs back, nature ſhewes its abhorrency. Man being of a nobler nature, and ſubject to more dangers, God hath ſet a double guard on him, as a natural feare of danger, ſo a natural ſhame that covers the face at the doing of any unworthy action. Now an ignorant man hath ſlipt from both theſe his Keepers: he ſins and bluſheth not, becauſe he knowes not his guilt: he wants that Magiſtrate within, which ſhould put him to ſhame; neither is he afraid, becauſe he knowes not his danger; p. 229and therefore he playes with his ſin; as the childe with the waves, that by and by will ſwallow him up. Conſcience is Gods alarm to call the ſinner up; It doth not alwayes ring in his eare that hath knowledge, being uſually ſet by God to go off at ſome ſpecial houre; when God is ſpeaking in an Ordinance, or ſtriking in a Providence; but in an ignorant ſoule, this is ſilent. The Clock cannot go when the weights are taken off; Conſcience is only a witneſſe to what it knows.

3Thirdly, ignorance ſhuts out the means of recovery. Friends and Miniſters, yea, Chriſt himſelf ſtands without, and cannot help the creature, as ſuch threatenings and promiſes, all of no uſe; he feares not the one, he deſires not the other, becauſe he knows neither: Heaven-way cannot be found in the dark, and therefore the firſt thing God doth, is to ſpring in with a light, and let the creature know where he is, and what the way is to get out of his priſon-houſe, without which all attempts to eſcape are in vain. There is ſome ſhimmering light in all, Non dantur purae tenebrae, I think, is good Divinity as well as Philoſophy: and this night-light may diſcover many ſins, produce inward prickings of conſcience for them, yea, ſtir up the creature to ſtep aſide, rather then drown in ſuch broad waters. There are ſome ſins ſo cruel and coſtly, that the moſt proſtrate ſoul may in time be weary of their ſervice for low ends: but what will all this come to, if the creature be not acquainted with Chriſt the true way to God, faith and repentance the only way to Chriſt? ſuch a one after all this buſle, in ſtead of making an eſcape from Satan, will run full into his mouth another way. There are ſome wayes, which at firſt ſeem right to the traveller; yet winde about ſo inſenſibly, that when a man hath gone far, and thinks himſelf near home, he is carried back to the place from whence he ſet forth. This will befall every ſoule ignorant of Chriſt, and the way of life through him; after many yeares travel, as they think, towards heaven by their good meanings, blinde devotions and reformation, when they ſhall expect to be within ſight of heaven, they ſhall finde themſelves even where they were at firſt, as very ſlaves to Satan as ever.

Ʋſe 1 This ſpeaks to you that are Parents, ſee what need you have of inſtructing your children, and training them up betimes in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Till theſe p. 230chaines of darkneſſe be knockt off their mindes, there is no poſſibility of getting them out of the devils priſon; he hath no ſuch tame ſlave as the ignorant ſoul: ſuch a one goes before Satan (as the ſilly ſheep before the butcher) and knows not who he is, nor whither he carries him; and can you ſee the devil driving your children to the ſhambles and not labour to reſcue them out of his hands? Bloody parents you are, that can thus harden your bowells againſt your own fleſh. Now the more to provoke you to your duty, take theſe conſiderations.

1. Your relation obligeth you to take care of their precious ſoules. 'Tis the ſoul is the child rather then the body: and therefore in Scripture put for the whole man. Abraham and Lot went forth with all the ſouls they had gotton in Haran, Gen. 12. ſo All the ſouls that came with Jacob into Egypt, that is, all the perſons. The body is but the ſheath; and if one ſhould leave his ſword with you to be kept ſafely for him, would you throw away the blade, and onelyonly preſerve the ſcabbard? And yet parents do commonly judge of their care and love to their children by their providing for the outward man, by their breeding, that teaching them how to live like men (as they ſay) when they are dead and gone, and comport themſelves to their civil place and rank in the world, Theſe things indeed are commendable, but is not the moſt weighty buſineſſe of all forgotten in the meane time, while no endeavour is uſed that they may live as Chriſtians, and know how to carry themſelves in duty to God and man as ſuch? and can they do this without the knowledge of the holy rule they are to walk by? I am ſure David knew no means effectual without this, and therefore propounds the queſtion, Wherewithal ſhall a young man cleanſe his way? and he reſolves it in the next words, By taking heed thereto according to thy word, Pſal. 119.9. And how ſhall they compare their way and the Word together, if not inſtructed? our children are not borne with Bibles in their heads or hearts. And who ought to be the inſtructer if not the parent? yea, who will do it with ſuch natural affection? As I have heard ſometimes a mother ſay in other reſpects, Who can take ſuch pains with my childe, and be ſo careful as my ſelf that am its Mother? Bloody parents then they are who acquaint not their p. 231children with God or his Word; what do they but put them under a neceſſity of periſhing, if God ſtirre not up ſome to ſhew more mercy then themſelves to them. Is it any wonder to hear that ſhip to be ſunk, or daſht upon the rock, which was put to ſea without card or compaſſe? no more is it, they ſhould ingulph themſelves in ſin and perdition, that are thruſt forth into the world (which is a ſea of temptation) without the knowledge of God or their duty to him. In the fear of God think of it parents: your children have ſouls, and theſe God ſet you to watch over; It will be a poor account at the laſt day, if you can only ſay, Lord, here are my children. I bred them compleat Gentlemen, left them rich and wealthy. The ruſt of that ſilver you left them will witneſſe your folly and ſinne, that you would do ſo much for that which ruſts, and nothing for the enriching their mindes with the knowledge of God, which would have endured for ever; happy if you had left them leſſe money and more knowledge.

2. Conſider it hath ever been the Saints practice to inſtruct and teach their children the way of God. David we finde dropping inſtruction into his ſonne Solomon, 1 Chron. 28.9. Know thou the God of thy Father, and ſerve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde. Though a King, he did not put it off to his Chaplins, but whetted it on him with his own lips. Neither was his Queen Bathſheba forgetful of her duty, her gracious counſel is upon record, Prov. 31. and that ſhe may do it with the more ſeriouſneſſe and ſolemnity, we finde her ſtirring up her motherly bowels, to let her ſonne ſee, that ſhe fetcht her words deep, even from her heart. What my ſon! and what the ſonne of my womb! and what the ſonne of my vows? Ver. 2. Indeed that counſel is moſt like to go to the heart, which comes from thence. Parents know not what impreſſion ſuch melting expreſſions of their love mingled with their inſtructions leave on their children. God bids draw forth our ſouls to the hungry, that is more then draw our purſe, which may be done, and the heart hard and churliſh. Thus we ſhould draw forth our ſouls with our inſtructions. What need I tell of Timothy's Mother and Grandmother who acquainted him with the Scripture from his youth? And truly I think, that man calls in queſtion his own Saintſhip, that takes no care to acquaint his p. 232childe with God, and the way that leads to him. I have known ſome, that though prophane themſelves, have been very ſolicitous, their children ſhould have good education; but never knew I a Saint that was regardleſſe whether his childe knew God or not.

3. It is an act of great unrighteouſneſſe not to inſtruct our children. We read of ſome that hold the truth in unrighteouſneſſe: among others thoſe Parents do it, that lock up the knowledge of theſe ſaving truths from their children, which God hath imparted to themſelves. There is a double unrighteouſneſſe in it.

Firſt they are unrighteous to their children, who may lay as much claime to their care of inſtructing them, as to their labour and induſtry in laying up a temporal eſtate for them. If he ſhould do unrighteouſly with his childe, that ſhould not endeavour to provide for his outward maintenance, or having gathered an eſtate, ſhould lock it up, and deny his childe neceſſaries, then much more he that lives in ignorance of God, whereby he renders himſelf incapable of providing for his childes ſoul; but moſt of all, he that having gather'd a ſtock of knowledge, yet hides it from his childe.

Secondly, they are unrighteous to God.

Firſt, in that they keep that talent in their own hands which was given to be paid out to their children. When God reveal'd himſelf to Abraham, he had reſpect to Abraham's children, and therefore we finde God promiſing himſelf this at Abraham's hands, upon which he imparts his minde to him concerning his purpoſe of deſtroying Sodom; Shall I hide from Abraham (ſaith God) that thing Which I do? I know that he will command his children, and his houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord, Gen. 18.17, 19. The Church began at firſt in a family, and was preſerv'd by the godly care of Parents in inſtructing their children and houſhold in the truths of God, whereby the knowledge of God was tranſmitted from generation to generation; and though now the Church is not confined to ſuch ſtrait limits, yet every private family is as a little nurſery to the Church; if the nurſery be not carefully planted, the Orchard will ſoon decay. O could you be willing, Chriſtians, that your children when you are laid in the duſt, ſhould be turn'd into the degenerate plant of a ſtrange vine; p. 233and prove a generation that do not know God? Atheiſme needs not be planted, you do enough to make your children ſuch, if you do not endeavour to plant Religion in their mindes. The very neglect of the Gardner to ſowe and dreſſe his garden, gives advantage enough to the weeds to come up. This is the difference between Religion and Atheiſme, Religion doth not grow without planting, but will die even where it is planted without watering. Atheiſme, irreligion, and profaneneſſe are weeds will grow without ſetting, but they will not die without plucking up, all care and means little enough to ſtub them up. And therefore you that are Parents, and do not teach your children, deale the more unrighteouſly with God, becauſe you neglect the beſt ſeaſon in their whole life for planting in them the knowledge of God, and plucking up the contrary weeds of atheiſme and irreligion. Young weeds come up with moſt eaſe, ſimple ignorance in youth becomes wilful ignorance, yea, impudence in age, you will not inſtruct them when young, and they will ſcorne their Miniſters ſhould when they are old.

2Secondly, you deale unrighteouſly with God, that traine not up your children in the knowledge of God, becauſe your children, if you be Chriſtian Parents are Gods children; they ſtand in a foederal relation to him, which the children of others do not; and ſhall Gods children be nurtured with the devils education? Ignorance is that which he blindes the mindes of the children of diſobedience withal. Shall Godschildren have no better breeding? The children of a Jew God made account were borne to him; Thy ſons and daughters whom thou haſt borne to me, Ezek. 16.20. God had by the Covenant which he made with that people, married them unto himſelf, and therefore as the wife bears her children to her husband, (they are his children) ſo God calls the children of the Jews his, and complains of it as an horrible wickedneſſe in them, that they ſhould not bring them up as his: but offer them up to Molech, They have ſlain my children, (ſaith God) v. 21. And are not the children of a Chriſtian his children as well as the Jewes were? hath God recall'd or altered the firſt Covenant, and cut off the entaile; and dareſt thou ſlay not only thy children, but the Lords alſo? and is not ignorance that bloody knife that doth it? p. 234My people are deſtroyed for lack of knowledge, Hoſea 4.6. Do you not tremble to offer them not to Molech, but the devil, whom before you had given up to God, when you brought them to that ſolemn ordinance of Baptiſme, and there deſired before God and man that they might become Covenant-ſervants to the Lord? and haſt thou bound them to him, and never teach them, either who their Lord and Maſter is, or what their duty is as his ſervants? of thy own mouth God will condemn thee.

4Fourthly, conſider you who are Parents, that by not inſtructing your children, you entitle your ſelves to all the ſins they ſhall commit to their death. We may ſin by a proxy, and make anothers fact our own. Thou haſt (ſaith God by Nathan to David concerning Ʋriah,) ſlaine him with the ſword of the children of Ammon, 2 Sam. 12.9. So thou mayeſt pierce Chriſt, and ſlay him over and over with the bloody ſword of thy wicked children▪ if thou beeſt not the more careful to train them up in the feare of God: There might be ſomething ſaid for that Heathen, who when the Scholar abuſed him, fell upon the Maſter and ſtruck him. Indeed 'tis poſſible he might be in the moſt fault. When the childe breaks the Sabbath, it is his ſin; but more the fathers, if he never taught him what the command of God was. And if the Parent be acceſſary to the ſin of the childe, it will be hard for him to eſcape a Partnerſhip, yea, a Precedency in the puniſhment. O what a ſad greeting will ſuch have of their children at the great day! will they not then accuſe you to be the murderers of their precious ſoules, and lay their blood at your door, curſing you to your face that taught them no better? But grant, that by the interpoſition of thy timely repentance, thou ſecureſt thy ſoule from the judgement of that day; yet God can ſcourge thee here for the neglect of thy duty to them. How oft do we ſee children become heavy croſſes to ſuch Parents? It is juſt that they ſhould not know their duty to thee, who didſt not teach them their duty to God; or if thou ſhouldeſt not live ſo long to ſee this, yet ſure thou canſt not but go in ſorrow to thy grave, to leave children behind thee that are on their way to hell. Some think, that Lots lingring ſo long in Sodom, was his loathneſſe to leave his ſons in law behinde him, to periſh in the flames. No doubt (good man) it p. 235was very grievous to him, and this might make him ſtay pleading with them, till the Angel pull'd him away. And certainly nothing makes holy Parents more loath to be gone out of this Sodomitical world, then a deſire to ſee their children out of the reach of that fire, (before they go) that God will rain upon the heads of ſinners. You know not how ſoon the meſſenger may come to pluck you hence; do your beſt while you are among them to win them home to God.

Ʋſe. 2 To the Miniſters of the Goſpel. Let this ſtir up your bowels of compaſſion towards thoſe many ignorant ſoules in your reſpective Congregations, who know not the right hand from the left. This, this is the great deſtroyer of the countrey, which Miniſters ſhould come forth againſt with all their care and ſtrength. More are ſwept to hell with this plague of ſpiritual darkneſſe then any other. Where the light of knowledge and conviction is, there commonly is a ſenſe and pain that accompanies the ſinner when he doth evil, which forceth ſome now and then to enquire for a Phyſician, and come in the diſtreſſe of their ſpirits to their Miniſter or others for counſel, but the ignorant ſoul feels no ſuch ſmart; if the Miniſter ſtay till he ſends for him to inſtruct him, he may ſooner hear the bell go for him, then any meſſenger come for him; you muſt ſeek them out, and not expect that they will come to you. Theſe are a ſort of people that are afraid more of their remedy, then their diſeaſe, and ſtudy more to hide their ignorance, then how they may have it cured, which ſhould make us pity them the more, becauſe they can pity themſelves ſo little. I confeſſe, it is no ſmall unhappineſſe to ſome of us, who have to do with a multitude, that we have neither time nor ſtrength to make our addreſſes to every particular perſon in our Congregations, and attend on them as their needs require, and yet cannot well ſatisfie our conſciences otherwiſe. But let us look to it, that though we cannot do to the height of what we would, we be not found wanting in what we may. Let not the difficulty of our Province make us like ſome, who when they ſee they have more work upon their hands then they can well diſpatch, grow ſick of it, and ſit down out of a lazy deſpondency, and do juſt nothing. He that hath a great houſe running to ruine, and but a ſmall purſe; 'tis better for him to repair now a little, and then a little p. 236then let all fall down, becauſe he cannot do it all at once. Many Miniſters may complain of their Predeceſſours, that they left them their people more out of repair then their houſes, and this makes the work great indeed. As the Jewes, who were to revive the ſtones out of the heaps of rubbiſh, before they could build the wall, yet it went up, becauſe the people had a minde to work. Nehem. 4. O if once our hearts were but fill'd with zeal for God, and compaſſion to our peoples ſouls, we would up and be doing, though we could but lay a brick a day, and God would be with us. May be you who finde a people rude and ſottiſhly ignorant, like ſtones in the quarry, and trees unfell'd, ſhall not bring the work to ſuch perfection in your dayes as you deſire; yet as David did for Solomon, thou mayeſt by thy paines in teaching and inſtructing them, prepare materials for another who ſhall rear the Temple. Its very ordinary for one Miniſter to enter into the labours of another; to reap thoſe by a work of Converſion, in whom a former Miniſter hath caſt the ſeed of knowledge and conviction: And when God comes to reckon with his Workmen, the Plough-man and Sower ſhall have his penny, as well as the Harveſt-man and Reaper. O its a bleſſed thing to be (as Job ſaith he was,) eyes to the blinde, much more to blinde ſoules; ſuch are the Miniſters. God himſelf calls Pastours after his own heart, that feed his people with knowledge and understanding, Jer. 3.15. But wo to thoſe that are acceſſary to their peoples ignorance. Now a Miniſter may be acceſſary to the ignorance of his people,

1Firſt, by his own ignorance. Knowledge is ſo fundamental to the work and calling of a Miniſter, that he cannot be one without it. Becauſe thou haſt rejected knowledge, I will alſo reject thee, that thou ſhalt be no Prieſt to me: ſeeing thou haſt forgotten the Law of thy God, I will alſo forget thy children, Hoſ. 4.6. The want of knowledge in a Miniſter is ſuch a defect, as cannot be ſupplied by any thing elſe; be he never ſo meek, patient, bountiful, unblameable, if he hath not skill to divide the Word aright, he is not cut out for a Miniſter. Every thing is good, as its good for the end it is appointed to; a knife, though it had a haft of diamonds, yet if it will not cut 'tis no knife. A bell, if not ſound, is no bell. The great work of a Miniſter is to teach others, his lips are to preſerve knowledge, he ſhould be as p. 237converſant in the things of God, as others in their particular trades. Miniſters are called Lights; if the light then be darkneſſe, how great is the darkneſſe of that people like to be? I know theſe ſtars in Chriſts hands are not all of the ſame magnitude; there is a greater glory of gifts and graces ſhines in ſome then others; yet ſo much light is neceſſary to every Miniſter, as was in the ſtar the wiſe men ſaw at Chriſts birth, to be able out of the Word to direct ſinners the ſafe and true way to Chriſt and ſalvation. O Sirs, it is a ſad way of getting a living by killing of men, as ſome unskilful Phyſicians do; but much more to get a temporal livelihood by ruining ſouls, through our ignorance. He is a cruel man to the poor Paſſengers, who will undertake to be Pilot, when he never ſo much as learn't his Compaſſe.

2Secondly, by his negligence. Its all one if the Nurſe hath no milk in her breaſts, or having, drawes it not forth to her childe. There is a wo to the Idol-ſhepherd, Zech. 11. ſuch as have mouthes, but ſpeak not; lips, but not to feed the people with knowledge. It ſhall be the peoples ſin, if they feed not when bread is before them, but wo to us if we give them not meat in due ſeaſon. O Sirs, what ſhall we ſay to our Lord that truſts us, if thoſe abilities which he hath given us as market-money to buy bread for our people, be found wrapt up in a napkin of ſloth? if that time wherein we ſhould have been teaching and inſtructing them, ſhall appear to be waſted in our pleaſures, or employed about our carnal profits. That ſervant ſhall have but a ſad welcome of his Maſter when he comes home, that ſhall be found out of the way with the Key, and the family ſtarving in the mean time for want of proviſion.

3Thirdly, by his unedifying preaching, when he preacheth unſound doctrine, which doth not perfect the underſtanding, but corrupt it. Better he did leave them in ſimple ignorance, then colour their mindes with a falſe die; or when that he preacheth is frothy and flaſhy, no more fit to feed their ſoules, then husks the Prodigals belly, which when they know they are little the wiſer for their ſoules good. Or when his diſcourſes are ſo high flown, that the poor people ſtand gazing, as thoſe who have loſt the ſight of their Preacher, and at the end of the Sermon cannot tell what he would have. Or thoſe who preach only truths, p. 230that are for the higher forme of Profeſſours, who have their ſenſes well exerciſed, excellent may be for the building up three or foure eminent Saints in the Congregation; but in the mean time, the weak ones in the family, (who ſhould indeed chiefly be thought on, becauſe leaſt able to guide themſelves, or carve for themſelves) theſe are forgotten. He ſure is an unwiſe builder, that makes a Scaffold as high as Pauls ſteeple, when his work is at the bottom, and he is to lay the foundation, whereas the Scaffold ſhould riſe as the building goes up. So Paul advanceth in his doctrine, as his hearers do in knowledge; Heb. 6.1. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt, let us go on unto perfection. Let us. It is well indeed when the people can keep pace with the Preacher, To preach truths and notions above the hearers capacity, is like a Nurſe, that ſhould go to feed the childe with a ſpoon too big to go into its mouth. We may by ſuch preaching pleaſe our ſelves, and ſome of higher attainments, but what ſhall poor ignorant ones do in the mean time. He is the faithful ſteward that conſiders both. The Preacher is (as Paul ſaith of himſelf) a debt or both to the Greek and to the Barbarian, to the wiſe and to the unwiſe, Rom. 1.14. to prepare truths ſuitable to the degree of his hearers. Let the wiſe have their portion, but let them be patient to ſee the weaker in the family ſerved alſo.

4Fourthly, a Miniſter may be acceſſary to the ignorance of his people, when through the ſcandal of his life he prejudiced his doctrine, as a Cook, who by his naſtineſs makes others afraid to eat what comes out of his foule fingers; Or when through his ſupercilious carriage, his poor people dare not come to him. He that will do any good in the Miniſters calling, muſt be as careful as the Fiſher, that he doth nothing to ſcare ſoules away from him, but all to allure and invite, that they may be toll'd within the compaſſe of his net.

Ʋſe. 3 Is the ignorant ſoul ſuch a ſlave to Satan? Let this ſtirre you up that are ignorant from your ſeats of ſloth, whereon like the blinde Egyptians you ſit in darkneſſe, ſpeedily come out of this darkneſſe, or reſolve to go down to utter darkneſſe. The covering of Hamans face did tell him, that he ſhould not ſtay in the Kings preſence. If thou liveſt in ignorance, it ſhews thou art p. 231in Gods black bill; he puts this cover before their eyes in wrath, whom he means to turne off into hell, 2 Cor. 4. If our Goſpel be hid, it is to thoſe that periſh. In one place ſinners are threatened, they ſhall die without knowledge; in another place,Job 36.Job 36 they ſhall die in their ſinnes, John 8. He indeed that dies without knowledge, dies in his ſinnes: and what more fearful doome can the great God paſſe upon a creature then this? better die in a priſon, die in a ditch, then die in ones ſinnes. It thou die in thy ſinnes, thou ſhalt riſe in thy ſinnes: as thou falleſt aſleep in the duſt, ſo thou awakeſt in the morning of the reſurrection; if an ignorant Chriſtleſſe wretch, as ſuch thou ſhalt be araigned and judged. That God whom now ſinners bid depart from them, will then be worth their acquaintance (themſelves being Judges;) but alas! then he will throw their own words in their teeth, and bid them depart from him, he deſires not the knowledge of them. O ſinners, you ſhall ſee at laſt, God can better be without your company in heaven, then you could without his knowledge on earth: Yet, yet 'tis day, draw your curtains, and behold Chriſt ſhining upon your face with Goſpel-light; hear wiſdome crying in the ſtreets, and Chriſt piping under your window in the voice of his Spirit and Meſſengers,Prov. 1.21, 22, 23.Prov 1:21Prov 1:22Prov 1:23 How long will ye ſimple ones love ſimplicity, and fools hate knowledge? Turne you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, and make known my words unto you. What can you ſay (ſinners) for your ſottiſh ignorance? Where is your cloak for this ſinne? the time hath been when the Word of the Lord was precious, and there was no open viſion, not a Bible to be found in town or Countrey; when the tree of knowledge was forbidden fruit, and none might taſte thereof without licence from the Pope; happy he that could get a leaf or two of the Teſtament into a corner, afraid to tell the wife of his boſome. O how ſweet were theſe waters, when they were forced to ſteal them? but you have the Word, or may in your houſes; you have thoſe that open them every Sabbath in your Aſſemblies, many of you at leaſt have the offers of your Miniſters to take any paines with you in private, paſſionately beſeeching you to pitie your ſouls, and receive inſtruction: yea, 'tis the lamentation they generally take up, you will not come unto them that you may receive light. How long may a poor Miniſter ſit in his ſtudy, before any of the ignorant ſort will p. 240come upon ſuch an errand? Lawyers have their Clients, and Phyſicians their Patients: theſe are ſought after, and call'd up at midnight for counſel: but alas! the ſoule, which is more worth then raiment and body too, that is neglected, and the Miniſter ſeldom thought on, till both theſe be ſent away. Perhaps when the Phyſician gives them over for dead, then we muſt come and cloſe up thoſe eyes with comfort, which were never opened to ſee Chriſt in his truth, or be counted cruel, becauſe we will not ſprinkle them with this holy water, and anoint them for the Kingdome of Heaven, though they know not a ſtep of the way which leads to it. Ah, poor wretches! what comfort would you have us ſpeak to thoſe, to whom God himſelf ſpeaks terrour? Is heaven ours to give to whom we pleaſe? or is it in our power to alter the lawes of the moſt High, and ſave thoſe whom he condemns? Do you not remember the curſe that is to fall upon his head, that maketh the blinde to wander out of the way? Deut. 27.18. what curſe then would be our portion, if we ſhould confirm ſuch blinde ſoules, that are quite out of the way to heaven, encouraging you to go on and expect to reach heaven at laſt, when God knows your feet ſtand in thoſe paths that lead to eternal death? No, 'tis written, we cannot, and God will not reverſe it; you may reade your very names among thoſe damned ſoules which Chriſt comes in flaming fire to take vengeance on, who the Apoſtle tells us are ſuch, that know not God, and obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Theſ. 1.8. And therefore in the feare of God, let this provoke you, of what age or ſexe, rank or condition ſoever in the world, to labour for the ſaving knowledge of God in Chriſt, whom to know is life eternal. Are you young? Enquire after God betimes, while your parts are freſh, and memory ſtrong, before the throng of worldly cares divert you, or luſts of youth debauch you. The feet of thoſe luſts which have buried millions of others in perdition, ſtand ready to carry you the ſame way, if preventing grace come not and deliver you out of their hands, by ſeaſoning your mindes with the knowledge of God. This morning-draught may prevent thy being infected with the ill ſavours thou mayeſt receive from the corrupt examples of others. Nay, how long thy ſtay may be in the world thou knoweſt not, ſee whether thou canſt not finde graves of thy length in p. 241the burial place; and if thou ſhouldeſt die ignorant of God and his Law, what would then become of thee? The ſmall bruſh and the old logs, young ſinners, and thoſe that are withered with age meet and burn together. Or if thou ſhouldeſt ſtay a while longer here, may be becauſe thou wilt not learn now, God will not teach thee then: Or if thou ſhouldeſt in thy old age get acquaintance with God, yet 'tis ſad to be ſowing thy ſeed, when thou ſhouldeſt be reaping thy ſheaves, learning to know God, when thou mighteſt be comforting thy ſelf from the old acquaintance thou haſt enjoyed with him. Are you old and ignorant? Alas, poor creatures! your life in the ſocket, and this candle of the Lord not ſet up and lighted in your underſtanding? your body bowing to the duſt, and nature tolling the paſſing bell, as it were, and you (like one going into the dark) know not whither death will lead you or leave you. 'Tis like the infirmities of age, make you wiſh your bones were even laid at reſt in the grave: but if you ſhould dye in this condition, your poor ſoules would even wiſh they were here again with their old burdens on their back; aches and diſeaſes of old age are grievous, but damned ſoules would thank God, if he would bleſſe them with ſuch a heaven, as to lie in theſe paines to eſcape the torments of the other: O bethink you before you go hence; the leſſe time you have, the more diligence you muſt uſe to gain knowledge; we need not be earneſt, (one would think) to bid the poor priſoner learne his book, that cannot reade, when he knows he ſhall be hang'd if he read not his neck-verſe. 'Tis not indeed the bare knowing the truths of the Goſpel, ſaves; but the groſſe ignorance of them to be ſure will damn ſoules. Are you poor? It is not your poverty is your ſin or miſery, but your ignorance where the true treaſure lies. Were you Gods poor, rich in knowledge and faith, you were happy, Eccleſ. 4.13. Better is a poor and wiſe childe, then a fooliſh King, who will no more be admoniſh't; yea, ſo happy, that did the Princes of the world underſtand themſelves aright, they would wiſh themſelves in your clothes, how ragged ſoever they are, rather then be in their own robes; there are better making for you in heaven which you ſhall put on, when theirs ſhall be pull'd off to their ſhame: It will not then trouble you that you were, while in the world, poor; but it will torment them that they were ſo rich and p. 242great, and ſo poore to God and beggarly in their ſoules.

Are you rich? Labour for the knowledge of the moſt high. Solomon had more of the worlds treaſure then a thouſand of you have, and yet we finde him hard at prayer, tugging with God for knowledge, 1 Chron. 1.10. All theſe outward enjoyments are but vaginae bonorum, as afflictions are vaginae malorum. I am afraid many men think themſelves priviledged by their worldly greatneſſe from this duty, as if God were bound to ſave them, becauſe rich. Alas, Sirs, there are not ſo many of you like to come there. I muſt confeſſe, it would make one tremble to think what a ſmall number thoſe among the great ones that ſhall be ſaved, are ſummed up into. Not many great, not many rich; Why ſo few ſaved? Becauſe ſo few have ſaving knowledge. O the Atheiſme, the ignorance, the ſottiſh barbariſme that is to be found even in thoſe that the world applaud, and even worſhip becauſe of their lands and eſtates, who yet are not able to give any account of their faith? A poore leather-coat Chriſtian will ſhame and catechize a hundred of them. If heaven were to be purchaſed with houſe and lands, then theſe would carry it away from the poore Diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt, they have their hundreds and thouſands ly by them for a purchaſe alwayes, but this money is not currant in heavens exchange. This is life eternall, to know thee, and Jeſus Chriſt, whom thou haſt ſent.

Queſt. But how may an ignorant ſoule attaine to knowledge?

Anſw. Firſt, Be deeply affected with the ignorance. Some are blind, as La…dicea, and know it not. Rev. 3.17. As Ignorance blinds the minde, ſo pride is a blind before their ignorance, that they know it not. Theſe have ſuch a high opinion of themſelves, that they take it ill any ſhould ſuſpect them as ſuch; theſe of all men are moſt out of the way, to knowledge they are too good to learne of man as they think, and too bad to be taught of God. The gate into Chriſts Schoole is low, and theſe cannot ſtoop. The Maſter himſelfe is ſo humble and lowly, that he will not teach a proud Scholar. Therefore firſt become a foole in thy owne eye. A wiſer man then thy ſelfe hath confeſſed as much, Prov. 30.2, 3. I am more brutiſh then any man, and have not the underſtanding of a man. I neither learned wiſdome, nor have the knowledge of the Holy. When thou art come to thy ſelfe to owne and bluſh at the brutiſh ignorance of thy minde, thou art fit to p. 243be admitted into Chriſts School. If they be aſhamed, then ſhew them the patterne of the houſe, Ezek. 43.10.

2Secondly, be faithful with that little knowledge thou haſt. Art thou convinced this is a ſinne, and that is a duty? Follow the light cloſe, you know not what this little may grow to; We uſe to ſet up our children with a little ſtock at firſt, and as they uſe it, ſo we adde. The Kingdome of God comes of ſmall beginnings. God complains of Iſrael, they were brutiſh in their knowledge, Jer. 10.14. he doth not ſay brutiſh in their ignorance, had they ſinned becauſe they did not know better, this would have excuſed à tanto, but they did that which was brutiſh and unreaſonable, as their worſhiping graven images notwithſtanding they knew to the contrary. That man ſhall not excel in knowledge who proſtitutes it to ſinne, Job 36.12. If they obey not, they ſhall periſh by the ſword, and ſhall die without knowledge. A candle pent up cloſe in a dark lanthorn, ſwailes out apace: and ſo doth light ſhut up in the conſcience, and not ſuffered to come forth in the converſation. Thoſe Heathens that are charged for holding the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, Rom. 1.18. the next news you hear of them is, that they became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart was darkned, ver. 21.

3Thirdly, ply the throne of grace. Bene oraſſe eſt bene studuiſſe; he is the beſt ſtudent in divinity, that ſtudies moſt upon his knee. Knowledge is a divine gift, all light is from heaven. God is the Father of light, and prayer puts the ſoule under the pupillage of God. If any one lack wiſdom, let him ask it of God. This is more then naked knowledge, wiſdome how to uſe it. Study may make one a great Scholar in the Scriptures, but prayer makes a wiſe Chriſtian, as it obtains ſanctified knowledge, without which it is no perfect gift, but foreign, a gift and no gift. Pray then with an humble boldneſſe, God gives it to all that ask, and that foreign, candidly, liberally; not like proud man who will rather put one to ſhame who is weak for his ignorance, then take the paines to teach him. Thy petition is very pleaſing to God. Remember how Solomon ſped upon the like occaſion, and promiſe thy ſelf the ſame ſucceſſe. Chriſts School is a free School; he denies none that come to him, ſo they will ſubmit to the orders of the p. 244School; and though all have not an anſwer in the ſame degree of knowledge (it is not needful that all ſhould be Solomons in knowledge, except all were to be Solomons in place) yet the meaneſt diſciple that Chriſt ſends forth ſhall be furniſhed with ſaving knowledge, enough to fit him for his admittance into heavens Academy. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and after bring me to glory.

Fourthly, thou muſt beſtow ſome time for thy diligent ſearch after truth. Truth lies deep, and muſt be digged for. Since man was turned out of Paradiſe he can do nothing without labour, except ſinne (this follows his hand indeed) but this treaſure of knowledge calls for ſpade and Mattock. We are bid ſearch the Scripture, and Dan. 12.4. Many ſhall runne to and fro, and knowledge ſhall be encreaſed; a Metaphor from Merchants, who beſtirre themſelves to get an eſtate, runne to and fro, firſt in one land, then in another, where-ever they hear of any thing to be got, thither they poſt, though to the ends of the earth: Thus muſt the ſoul runne from one duty to another, one while read, and anon meditate of what he hath read, then pray over his meditations, and aske counſel after all. What is the meaning of this, and how underſtand you that? Non ſchola Epicuri fecit magnos viros ſed contubernium. There is more light got ſometimes by a ſhort conference with the Preacher, then by his whole Sermon. Be ſure thou compaſſe all the means for knowledge within the walk of thy endeavour. In this thy ſearch for knowledge obſerve three things.

1Firſt, the end thou propoſeſt that it be pure and holy, not meerly to know, as ſome do, who labour for knowledge, as many for eſtates, and when they have got it look on their notions, as they on their bags of money, but have not a heart to uſe their knowledge for their own or others good; this is a ſore evil. Speculative knowledge like Rachel is faire, but barren. Not to be known and admired by others for thy ſtature in knowledge above thy Brethren, verily it is too baſe an end to aime at in ſeeking knowledge, eſpecially ſuch as is the knowledge of God and Chriſt. To ſee a Heathen ſtudy for knowledge in Philoſophy, and then carry all his labour to this market, and think himſelf rewarded with obtaining the name for a wiſe man, is though baſe, yet more tolerable: but for one that knows God, p. 245and what it is to enjoy him, for ſuch a one to content himſelf with a blaſt or two of ſorry mans vain breath, this is folly with a witneſſe, look thou flieſt higher in thy end then ſo. Labour for knowledge that thou mayeſt fear God whom thou knoweſt, thus David, Pſal. 119.33. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy ſtatutes, and I ſhall keep it unto the end. The Word of God is called a light unto our feet, not to our tongues meerly to talk of, but feet to walk by; Endeavour for it, not that thou may'ſt ſpread thy own name, but celebrate Gods As David promiſeth, when he underſtands the precepts of God, then he will talk of his wondrous works, he will trumpet the fame of them, and thereby awaken others to enquire after God.

2Secondly, when thy end is right ſet, then thou muſt be conſtant in thy endeavour after it. The myſteries of Chriſt are not learnt in a day. Then ſhall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, Hoſ. 6.3. Some are in a good mood (may be) and they will look into the Bible, and read a chapter or two, and away they go for a week, and never practiſe it more; like ſome boyes if at School one day truant all the week after: is it any wonder ſuch thrive not in knowledge? It is a good ſpeech of Bernard, Tantum diſtat studium à lectione, quantum amicitia ab hoſpitio, ſocialis affectio à fortuit â ſalutatione. The ſtudy of the Word, and the reading of it differs as much, as the friendſhip of ſuch who every day converſe lovingly together, doth from the acquaintance one hath with a ſtranger at an Inne, or whom he ſalutes as he paſſeth by in the ſtreet. If you will get knowledge indeed, you muſt not onelyonly ſalute the Word now and then, but walk with it, and enter into daily converſe with it. The three men (who were indeed Angels) that ſtood by Abraham, as he ſat at his Tent-door, were reſerved, and ſtrange, till Abraham invited them into his Tent, and entertain'd them friendly; and then Chriſt who was one among them (as appears by the Name Jehovah given him in ſeveral verſes, and alſo by what he promiſed he would do for Sarah, ver. 10. not what God would do, which if a created Angel he would) begins to diſcover himſelf to Abraham, and reveale his ſecrets to him. That ſoul above others ſhall be acquainted with the ſecrets of God in his Word, that doth not ſlightly read the Word, and as it were complement with it, at his tent-doore, p. 246but deſires more intimacy with it, and therefore entertaines it within his ſoul by frequent meditating of it. David compares the Word for ſweetneſſe to the honey and the honey-combe. Indeed it is ſo full, that at firſt reading ſome ſweetneſſe will now and then drop from it, but he that doth not preſſe it by meditation, leaves the moſt behinde.

3Thirdly, Be ſure thou takeſt the right order and method. Arts and Sciences have their rudiments, and alſo their more abſtruſe and deep notions; and ſure the right end to begin at, is firſt to learn the principles: he (we ſay) is not like to make a good Scholar in the Univerſity, that never was good Grammar-Scholar. And they cannot be ſolid Chriſtians, that are not inſtructed in the grounds of Chriſtianity. The want of this is the cauſe why many are ſo unſtedfaſt. Firſt, of this way and then of that, blown like glaſſes into any ſhape, as falſe Teachers pleaſe to breath. Alas, they have no center to draw their lines from; think it no diſgrace you who have runne into error, and loſt your ſelves in the labyrinths of deep points (which now are the great diſcourſe of the weakeſt profeſſors) to be ſet back to learn the firſt principles of the Oracles of God better; too many are as Tertullian ſaith in another caſe, pudoris magìs memores quàm ſalutis, more tender of their reputation then their ſalvation, who are more aſhamed to be thought ignorant, then careful to have it cured.

5Fifthly, If thou wouldſt attain to divine knowledge, wait on the Miniſtery of the Word. As for thoſe who neglect this, and come not where the Word is Preacht, they do like one that ſhould turn his back on the Sunne that he may ſee it; if thou wouldſt know God, come where he hath appointed thee to learn. Indeed, where the meanes is not, God hath extraordinary wayes, as a Father if no School in Town, will teach his childe at home, but if there be a publick School, thither he ſends him: God maketh manifeſt (ſaith Paul) the ſavour of his knowledge by us in every place, 2 Cor. 2.14. Let men talk of the Spirit what they pleaſe. He will at laſt be found a quencher of the Spirit, that is, a deſpiſer of Prophecy; they both ſtand cloſe together, 1 Theſ. 5.19, 20. Quench not the Spirit. Deſpiſe not Propheſying. But it is not enough, to ſit under the meanes; Wofull experience teacheth us this, there are ſome no Sun will tan, they keep their old p. 247complexion under the moſt ſhining and burning light of the Word preached, as ignorant and prophane as thoſe that never ſaw Goſpel-day; and therefore if thou wilt receive any ſpirituall advantage by the Word, take heed how thou heareſt.

Firſt, Look thou beeſt a wakefull hearer. Is it any wonder he ſhould go away from the Sermon no wiſer then he came, that ſleeps the greateſt part of it away, or heares betwixt ſleeping and waking? It muſt be in a dreame ſure, if God reveales any thing of his mind to him. So indeed God did to the Fathers of old, but it was not as they prophanely ſlept under an Ordinance. O take heed of ſuch irreverence. He that compoſeth himſelfe to ſleep (as ſome do) at ſuch a time, or he that is not humbled for it, and that deeply; both of them betray a baſe and low eſteeme they have of the Ordinance. Surely thou thinkeſt but meanly of what is delivered, if it will not keep thee awake, yea, of God himſelfe, whoſe meſſage it is. See how thou art reproved by the awfull carriage of a Heathen, and that a King. Ehud did but ſay to Eglon, I have a meſſage from God unto thee, And he aroſe out of his ſeate, Judge 3.20. And thou clapeſt downe on thy ſeat to ſleep; O how dareſt thou put ſuch an affront upon the great God? How oft did you fall aſleep at dinner, or telling your money? And is not the Word of God worth more then theſe? I ſhould wonder if ſuch Sermon-ſleepers do dreame of any thing but hell-fire. 'Tis dangerous you know to fall aſleep with a candle burning by our ſide; ſome have been ſo burnt in their beds; but more dangerous to ſleep while the candle of the Word is ſhining ſo neare us. What if you ſhould ſinke downe dead like Eatychus? here is no Paul to raiſe you as he had; and that you ſhall not, where is your ſecurity?

Secondly, Thou muſt be an attentive hearer. He that is awake, but wanders with his eye or heart, what doth he but ſleep with his eyes open? It were as good the ſervants ſhould be aſleep in his bed, as when up, not to minde his Maſters buſineſſe. When God intends a ſoul good by the Word, he drawes ſuch a one to liſten and hearken heedfully to what is delivered; as we ſee in Lydia, who ('tis ſaid) attended unto the things which were ſpoken of Paul. And thoſe, Luke 1948. The people were attentive to heare him. They did hang on him as you ſhall ſee Bees on ſome ſweet flower, or as young birds on the bills of their p. 248dammes as they feed them; that is, the ſoul which ſhall get light and life by the Word. Heare ye children, and attend to know underſtanding, Prov. 4.1. Labour therefore in hearing the Word to fixe thy quickſilver-minde, and ſet thy ſelfe to heare, as 'tis ſaid Jehoſaphat did to pray; and that thou maieſt, before thou goeſt, get thy heart into ſome deep ſenſe of thy ſpirituall wants, eſpecially of thy ignorance of the things of God, and thy deplored condition by reaſon of it; till the heart be toucht, the minde will not be fixt. Therefore you may obſerve, 'tis ſaid, God open'd the heart of Lydia, that ſhe attended, Acts 16.14. The Minde goes of the Wils errand; we ſpend our thoughts upon what our hearts propoſe. If the heart hath no ſenſe of its ignorance, or no deſires after God, no wonder ſuch a one liſtens not what the Preacher ſaith; his heart ſends his mind another way. They ſit before thee as my people (ſaith God) but their heart goeth after their covetouſneſſe; They do not come out of ſuch an intent or deſire to heare for any good to their ſoules, then they would apply themſelves wholly to the work; no, it is their covetouſneſſe hath their hearts; and therefore as ſome idle ſervant, when he hath waited on his Maſter; brought him to his pew, then he goes out to his good fellowes at the Alehouſe, and comes no more till Sermon be almoſt done: ſo do the thoughts of moſt when they go to the Ordinance, they ſlip out in the ſtreet, market or ſhop, you may finde them any where but about the duty before them, and all becauſe theſe have their hearts more then God and his Word.

Thirdly, Thou muſt be a retentive hearer, without this the worke will ever be to begin againe. Truths to a forgetfull hearer are as a ſeale ſet on water, the impreſſion laſts no longer then the ſeale is on; the Sermon once done, and all is undone; be therefore very carefull to faſten what thou heareſt on thy memory; which that thou maieſt do,

1Firſt, receive the truth in the love of it, An affectionate hearer will not be a forgetfull hearer. Love helpes the memory; Can a woman forget her childe, or a maide her ornaments, or a bride her attire? No, they love them too well: Were the truths of God thus precious to thee, thou wouldeſt with David, think of them day and night. Even when the Chriſtian through weakneſſe of memory cannot remember the very words p. 249he heares, to repeate them; yee then he keeps the power and ſavour of them in his ſpirit; as when ſugar is diſſolved in wine, you cannot ſee it, but you may taſte it; when meat is eaten and digeſted, it is not to be found as it was received, but the man is cheered and ſtrengthened by it, more able to walke and work then before, by which you may know it is not loſt: ſo you may taſte the truths the Chriſtian heard in his ſpirit, ſee them in his life. Perhaps if you aske him what the particulars were the Miniſter had about faith, mortification, repentance, and the like, he cannot tell you; yet this you may finde, his heart is more broken for ſin, more enabled to rely on the promiſes, and now weaned from the world. As that good woman anſwered one, that coming from Sermon, ask't her what ſhe remembred of the Sermon? ſaid, ſhe could not at preſent recal much, but ſhe heard that which ſhould make her reforme ſome things as ſoon as ſhe came home.

2Secondly, meditate on what thou heareſt; by this David got more wiſdome then his teachers. Obſerve what truth, what Scripture is cleared to thee in the Sermon more then before, take ſome time in ſecret to converſe with it, and make it thereby familiar to thy underſtanding. Meditation to the Sermon is what the harrow is to the ſeed, it covers thoſe truths, which elſe might have been pickt or waſht away. I am afraid there are many proofs turned down at a Sermon, that are hardly turned up, and lookt on any more, when the Sermon is done; and if ſo, you make others believe you are greater traders for your ſouls, then you are indeed; as if one ſhould come to a ſhop and lay by a great deal of rich ware, and when he hath done, goes away, and never calls for it. O take heed of ſuch doings. The hypocrite cheats himſelf worſt at laſt.

3Thirdly, diſcharge thy memory of what is ſinful. We wipe our table-book, and deface what is there ſcribled, before we can write new. There is ſuch a contrariety betwixt the truths of God and all that is frothy and ſinful, that one puts out the other; if you would retain the one, you muſt let the other go.