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THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
OF THE
REV. RICHARD BAXTER.
>
THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
OF
THE REV. RICHARD BAXTER:
A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR,
AND
A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF HIS WRITINGS,
BY THE
REV. WILLIAM ORME,
AUTHOR OF "THE LIFE OF JOHN OWEN, D.D. ; " " BIBEIOTHECA BIBLICA," ETC.
IN TWENTY-THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. XV.
LONDON:
JAMES DUNCAN, 37, PATERNOSTER ROW.
MDCCCXXX.
LONDON :
PRINTED BY MILLS, JOWETT, AND MILLS,
BOLT-COURT, FLEET-STREET.
THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
OF THE
REV. RICHARD BAXTER.
VOLUME XV.
CONTAINING
KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED; COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL
TO ALL YOUNG MEN; A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION; THE
REFORMED LITURGY; MR. BAXTER'S SENSE OF THE
ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND; REASONS
FOR MINISTERS USING THE GREATEST PLAINNESS
# IN THEIR APPLICATIONS TO THEIR PEOPLE ;
DIRECTIONS TO JUSTICES OF PEACE.
VOL. XV.
A
R. liDWAltDS, CRANE COURT, TLEET STREET, LONDON*
CONTENTS
OF
THE FIFTEENTH VOLUME.
KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED.
PAGE
Epistle Dedicatory iii
To the Reader vii
PART I.
FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE.
CHAP. I. The Text opened : What philosophy Paul depres-
seth, and why o,
II. What wisdom and esteem of it are not here con-
demned ij
111. What pretended knowledge is condemned, and
what learning or philosophy it is which Paul
disliked, further opened 5 with thirty reasons 19
IV. What are the certainties which must be known
and held fast, and why, where certainty is dis-
tinctly described 33
V. Of the various degrees of certainty 42
VI. What are the unknown things or uncertainties,
which we must not pretend a certain know-
ledge of, even Scripture truths 47
VII. The first inference : The true reason and use-
fulness of the Christian simplicity, in differ-
encing the covenant and the principles of
religion from the rest of the Holy Scriptures. . 67
VIII. Inference 2. Of the use of catechising 75
IX. Inference 3. The true preservative of puzzled
Christians, from the errors of false teachers,
who draw them to their several parties 76
iv CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAP.X. Inference 4. What is the great plague and di-
vider of the Christian world 84
XI. The common discoveries of men's proud, self-
conceited understanding, and of pretended
knowledge 107
e XII. Of the mischievous effects of this proud pre-
tence of more knowledge than men have. ... 1 13
„...,. XIII. The commodities of a suspended judgment
and humble understanding, which pretendeth
to no more knowledge or certainty than it
hath 1 20
XIV. The aggravations of the sin of prefidence .... 122
XV. Special aggravations of it in students and pastors 126
XVI. Twenty clear proofs of the little knowledge
that is in the world, to move us to a due dis-
trust of our understandings ] 28
a XVII. Inference 5. It is not the dishonour, but the
praise of Christ andhis Apostles, and the Gospel,
that they speak in a plain style and manner,
of the certain necessary things, without the
vanity of school-uncertainty, and unprofitable
notions • • • 139
XVIII. Inference 6. The true and false ways of re-
storing the churches, and healing our divisions,
hence opened and made plain 149
XIX. Of the causes of prefidence or proud pretended
knowledge, in order to the cure 150
XX. Objections answered lO'O
XXI. Directions for the cure 173
PART II.
TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE.
CHAP. I. Knowledge is a means to a higher end, according
to which it is to be estimated 186
...... II. The end of knowledge is to make us lovers of
God, and so to be known of him 191
III. Therefore knowledge is to be sought, valued and
used as it tendeth to our love to God ] 99
IV. Therefore they are the wisest and best knowing
men that love God best ; and not they that
have much unholy knoWledge 202
CONTENTS. v
PAGE
CHAP. V. Inference 1. By what measures to estimate know-
ledge \ . . 206'
VI. Inference 2. To abate our censures and contempt
of the less-learned Christians and churches . . 207
VII. Inference 3. How to judge of the knowledge
necessary to church-communion 209
VIII. Inference 4. The aptness of the teaching of
Christ, to ingenerate the love of God and ho-
liness , 218
IX. Inference 5. What great cause of thankfulness
men have for the constitution of the Christian
religion : and how inexcusable they are that
will not learn so short, and sweet, and safe a
lesson 220
X. Inference 6. How little reason ungodly men have
to be proud of their learning, or any of their
knowledge 223
XI. Inference 7- Why the ungodly world hateth ho-
liness, and not knowledge 225
XII. Inference 8. What is the work of a faithful
preacher, and how it is to be done 228
XII 1. Inference 9. Those that know God so far as to
love him truly, may have comfort, notwith-
standing their remaining ignorance ........ 229
...... XIV. Questions and objections answered 231
Quest. 1 . If so much knowledge will save men
as causeth them to love God, may not hea-
thens be saved who know God to be good,
and therefore may love him ? ibid.
Quest. 2. May not a Papist or heretic love God
and be saved ? 232
Object. III. At least you make ignorant persons
happy that love God, though they know not
their catechism ? 235
Object. IV. How are infants saved that have
neither knowledge nor love? 236*
Object. V. If this hold true, universities, and
most human learning should be cast out as
the Turks and Muscovites do 3 and the Ar-
menians, Abassines, Greeks ; and ignorant
sort of Papists, are the wisest: because
multitudes of other notions must needs di-
vert men's thoughts from God ibid
vi CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAP. XV. Use, Exhort. 1. Deceive not yourselves by over-
valuing an unholy sort of knowledge, or com-
mon gifts 237
XVI. Exhort. 2. Love best those Christians that
love God best, and live in love and peace with
others 244
XVII. Exhort. 3. Pretend not your knowledge
against the love of God or man, or against
the interest of the church and souls '245
XVIII. Exhort. 4. Bend all your studies to a life of
increased and exercised love. How the love
of God must be exercised and increased. The
benefit hereof 250
XIX. Exhort. 5. Place your comfort in health and
sickness in mutual divine love. 1. See that
you love God. How known. Doubts an-
swered 262
XX. 2. But let it be the chief part of your comfort
that you are known of God. What comfort
this affordeth. What frame of soul it be-
speaketh in us in life, and at our death 285
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO ALL
YOUNG MEN.
CHAP. I. Introduction ^y
II. To begin betimes to live to God, is of unspeak-
able importance to yourselves 30O
111. Of what public concernment the quality of
youth is 304
IV. How the case standeth with our youth in matter
of fact 308
V. How sad a case is it that I have described .... 316
VI. The joyful state and blessing of good children,
to themselves and others 326
„ VII. Undeniable reasons for the repentance and
amendment of those that have lived a fleshly
and ungodly life: by way of exhortation. .. . 329
VIII. General directions to the willing 341
CONTENTS. vii
PAGE
CHAP. IX. Additional counsel to young men, who are bred
up to learning and public work, especially to
the sacred ministry, in the universities and
schools 353
X. Counsel to young students in physic 3SO
XI. Counsel to young students of the law in London 383
XII. Counsel to the sons of the nobility and magis-
trates • • • • • 385
XIII. Counsel to parents and tutors of youth 390
XIV. What are men's duties to each other as elder
and younger 391
XV. The conclusion, addressed to ministers 397
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
To the Reader 401
I. What shall befal the churches on earth, till their concord,
by the restitution of their primitive purity, simplicity
and charity 403
II. How that restitution is likely to be made, (if ever,) and
what shall befal them thenceforth unto the end, in that
golden age of love 499
THE REFORMED LITURGY.
The ordinary public worship on the Lords's-day 45 1
The order of celebrating the sacrament, of the body and
blood of Christ 472
The celebration of the sacrament of baptism 484
Of catechising, and the approbation of those that are to be
admitted to the Lord's-supper 492
Of the celebration of matrimony 494
The visitation of the sick, and their communion 497
The order of solemnizing the burial of the dead ibid.
The extraordinary days of humiliation and thanksgiving,
and anniversary festivals 49S
Of prayer and thanksgiving for particular members of the
Church 499
viii CONTENTS.
PAGK
A thanksgiving for the deliverance of women, in child-
bearing 503
Of pastoral discipline, public confession, absolution, and ex-
clusion from the hoi}' communion of the church 504
A form of public admonition to the impenitent 508
A form of confession to be made before the congregation. . 511
A form of prayer for a sinner impenitent, after public ad-
monition • 51 c 2
A form of rejection from the communion of the church . . 514
A form of absolution and reception of the penitent ibid.
A form of thanksgiving, or prayer, for the restored penitent 515
APPENDIX.
A larger Litany, or general prayer, to be used at discretion 517
The Church's praise for our redemption to be used at dis-
cretion 523
MR. BAXTER'S SENSE OF THE ARTICLES OF THE
CHURCH OF ENGLAND : In answer to the scruples
proposed to him by some that were called upon to sub-
scribe them . 528
REASONS FOR MINISTERS USING THE GREATEST
PLAINNESS AND SERIOUSNESS POSSIBLE, in
all their applications to their People 535
DIRECTIONS TO JUSTICES OF PEACE, especially in
Corporations, for the Discharge of their Duty to God. 539
TREATISE
OF
KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE
COMPARED.
IN TWO PARTS:
I. OF FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE.
II. OF TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE.
I. AGAINST HASTY JUDGING, AND FALSE CONCEITS OF KNOW-
LEDGE ; AND FOR NECESSARY SUSPENSION.
IT. THE EXCELLENCY OF DIVINE LOVE, AND THE HAPPINESS
OF BEING KNOWN AND LOVED OF GOD.
WRITTEN AS GREATLY NEEDFUL TO THE SAFETY AND PEACE OF
EVERY CHRISTIAN, AND OF THE CHURCH : THE ONLY CERTAIN
WAY TO ESCAPE FALSE RELIGIONS, HERESIES, SECTS,
AND MALIGNANT PREJUDICES, PERSECUTIONS AND
SINFUL WARS: ALL CAUSED BY FALSELY PRETEN-
DED KNOWLEDGE, AND HASTY JUDGING, BY
PROUD, IGNORANT MEN, WHO KNOW
NOT THEIR IGNORANCE.
By RICHARD BAXTER ;
Who by God's Blessing on long and hard Studies, hath learned to know that lie
knoweth but little, and to suspend his Judgment of Uncertainties, and to take
great, necessary, certain Things, for the food of his Faith and Comforts, and the
measure of his Church Communion.
VOL. XV. 1{
" A wise man feareth and departcth from evil : but the fool rageth and is confident."
Prtov. xiv. 16.
" But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtlety; so your
minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ." 2 Con. xi. 3-
" The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than
men. Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world ? We speak wisdom
among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world." ICoh. i. 25.
20; ii. 6.
" Study to shew thyself approved to God ; a workman that needeth not be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of Truth. But shun profane and vain babblings, for they
will increase unto more ungodliness." 2TiM.ii. 15, 16.
" Cum ista quaeruntur, et ea sicut potest quisque conjectat, non inutiliter exer-
centur ingenia, si adhibeattir disceptantia moderata, et absit error opinantium se
scire quod nesciunt. Quid enim opus est ut hasc et hujusmodi affirmentur, vel
negentur, vel definiantur cum discrimine, quando sine crimine ne&ciantur?"
August. Enchibid. Cap. 59. (De Corporibus Angelorum.)
TO THE
RIGHT WORSHIPFUL
SIR HENRY ASHHURST;
AND THE
LADY DIANA HIS WIFE.
Sir,
Your name is not prefixed to this Treatise, either as accu-
sing you of the sin herein detected, or as praising you for
those virtues which good men are more pleased to possess
and exercise, than to have proclaimed, though they be as
light that is hardly hid : but it is to vent and exercise that
gratitude which loveth not the concealment of such friend-
ship and kindness, as you and your Lady eminently, and
your Relatives and her's, the children of the Lord Paget,
have long obliged me by ; and it is to posterity that I re-
cord your kindness, more than for this age, to which it hath
publicly notified itself, during my public accusations, re-
proaches, sentences, imprisonments, and before and since :
who knoweth you that knoweth not hereof? And it is to
renew the record of that love and honour which I owed to
your deceased father formerly, though too slenderly re-
corded, to be the heir and imitator of whose faith, pietv,
charity, patience, humility, meekness, impartiality, sincerity
and perseverance, is as great an honour and blessing as I
can wish you, next to the conformity to our highest Pattern.
And though he was averse to worldly pomp and grandeur,
and desired that his children should not affect it, yet God
that will honour those that honour him, hath advanced his
children, I believe partly for his sake : but I entreat you all
(and some other of my friends whom God hath raised as a
blessing to their pious and charitable parents and them-
selves) to watch carefully lest the deceitful world and flesh
do turn such blessings into golden fetters, and to be sure to
use them as they would find at last on their account.
And as you are a Member of the present House of Com-
mons, I think the subject of this Treatise is not unnecessary
IV EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
to your consideration and daily care : that when proof, and
notorious and sad experience telleth us what distractions
have befallen Church and State, by men's self-conceited,
erroneous rushing upon sin and falsehood, as if it were cer-
tainly good and true, and how little posterity feareth and
avoideth this confounding vice, though history tell us that
it hath been the deluge that in all ages hath drowned the
peace and welfare of the world; you may be wary, and try
before you venture, in doubtful cases ; especially where the
sacred and civil interest of this and many other lands, doth
probably lie on the determination. Do you think all that
ventured upon the actions and changes, that have tossed up
and down both churches and kingdoms, by divisions, perse-
cutions and wars, had not done better to suspend their judg-
ments, till they could have more certainly determined ? Who
should proceed more cautiously than bishops? And where
rather than in councils? And in what rather than about faith
and public government and order? And had bishops and
councils torn the church, and empires, and kingdoms, as they
have done by aspiring after superiority, and by contentious
writings, and condemning each other, and by contradictory
and erroneous, and persecuting canons; or by raising wars and
deposing princes, ever since four, five, or six hundred years
after Christ, if not sooner, if they had known their ignorance,
and suspended in such dangerous cases till they were sure?
I know you are none of them who dare pretend to a cer-
tain knowledge, that all those oaths, declarations, covenants,
practices imposed by laws and canons on ministers and
people in this land, in the Act of Uniformity, the Corpora-
tion Act, the Vestry Act, the Militia Act, the Five Mile Act
of Banishment, &c. are so good and lawful, as will justify
the execution of them, and the silencing, ejecting, ruining,
and judging to lie from six months to six in the common
jails till they die, two thousand as faithful ministers of
Christ as any nation hath under heaven, unless they forbear
to preach the Gospel to which they are vowed, or venture
their souls on that which they fear to be sins so great as
they are loath to name : when Christ will sentence them to
everlasting punishment, who did not visit, feed, clothe him
in the least of them whom he calls his brethren. Before
men silence conditionally the whole ministry of such a king-
dom, and actually two thousand such, while the wounding,
EPISTLE DEDICATORY. V
dividing consequents may be so easily foreseen, and before
men deliberately and resolutely continue and keep up such
battering engines on pretence of Uniformity and obedience
to men, and before they venture to own this to that Lord
who hath made other terms of Church Unity and Peace, it
nearly concerneth them to think, and think on it a thousand
times : A suspended judgment is here safer than prefidence
and confident rage.
And also they that desire an abolition of Episcopacy,
should a thousand times bethink them first what true and
primitive Episcopacy is, and whether the ' Episcopi Gregis,'
or ' eorum Proesides,' or true Evangelists, or Apostolical
General Bishops, disarmed and duly chosen, be any injury
to the church ? And whether the Jews had not been a na-
tional Christian church under the Twelve Apostles and
Seventy, if they had not rejected Him that would have ga-
thered them as the hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings.
They that cannot deny that Christ settled a superior rank
of ministers, appointing them besides their extraordinaries,
the work of gathering and overseeing many churches, pro-
mising therein to be with them to the end of the world, and
that only Matthias must make up the national number of
such, though Justus had been with Christ as well as he,
must be the provers that this rank and imparity was reversed
by him that did institute it, if they affirm it : and not
without proof charge Christ with seeming levity and muta-
bility, as settling a form of Ministry and Government, which
he would have continue but one age ; much less must they
impose such an unproved affirmation as the terms of Church
Concord.
Woe, woe, woe ! how effectually hath Satan almost un-
done the Christian world, by getting in naughty ministers
and magistrates, where he could not utterly extirpate Chris-
tianity by arms ! thereby making rulers and preachers the
captains of the malignant enemies of seriousness in that re-
ligion which they profess and preach themselves ; and if in
such hypocrisy they convert a soul, they hate him as an ene-
my for believing them; and thereby tempt religious men to
mistake the crime of the naughty preacher, as the fault of
the office, and to oppose the office for the person's sake ;
and so Ministry and Christianity are despised by too many.
VI EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
The shutting of their church doors, and condemning to
scorn and beggary, and gaols, those that were as wise and
faithful as themselves (unless fearing heinous sin made them
worse,) should have been by the persecutors long and deeply
thought on, twenty eight years ago ; and ever since, by
them that believe that Christ will judge them. And so
should all doctrines and practices that tend to unwarranta-
ble separations and divisions by others. Things of this mo-
ment should not be ventured on, nor Papists made both
lords and executioners by our distracted combats with each
other, and the miserable nation and undone church left to
no better a remedy than a ' non putaremus ;' and to hear the
worldly tyrants, and the tempted sufferers accusing each
other, and disputing when the house is burnt, who was in
the fault.
I think he was most faulty that could most easily have
helped it, and would not : but if great and rich men will be
the strength of the factious, as they have most to lose, they
may be the greatest losers.
All this hath been said, to tell you how nearly the doc-
trine of this book, for necessary doubting and a humble un-
derstanding, and for Christian love, and against pretended
knowledge and rash judging, doth concern the duty and
safety of this Nation, Church and State.
My late book of the " English Nonconformity" fully
evinceth this, and more ; but blinding prejudice, worldliness
and faction, give leave to few of the guilty to read it.
I rest your much obliged Servant,
RICHARD BAXTER.
July 31, 1689.
TO THE READER.
Readek,
Upon the review of this book, written long ago, I find, 1.
That it is a subject as necessary now as ever ; experience
telling us that the disease is so far from being cured, that it
is become our public shame and danger, and if the wonder-
ful mercy of God prevent it not, is likely to be the speedy
confusion and ruin of the land. 2. As to the manner of this
writing, I find the effects of the failing of my memory, in the
often repeating of the same things, with little diversifica-
tion : but I will not for that cast it away; considering, 1.
That perhaps often repeating may make the matter the bet-
ter remembered ; and if it do the work intended, no matter
though the Author be not applauded. 2. And men may
think justly that what is often repeated dropped not from the
Author inconsiderately, nor is taken by him to be small
and useless ; but is that digested Truth which he would most
inculcate. 3. And those who blame their weakness who
accuse the Church Liturgy of too much repetition, I sup-
pose will not be much offended with it in our writings,
while thedulness and forgetfulness of many readers maketh
it needful.
R. B.
August 3, 1689.
KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE
COMPARED.
PART I.
OF FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE.
1 CORINTHIANS viii. 2, S.
And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth
nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God,
the same is known of Him.
CHAP. I.
The Scope and Text opened; what Philosophy or worldly Wis-
dom Paul depresseth ; and why.
The calamitous divisions of the Churches of Christ, and
the miscarriages and contentions of too many particular
brethren, having been sad upon my thoughts above forty
years, by this time, without imputation of hastiness and
rash judging, I may take leave to tell the world, what I have
discovered to be the principal cause a , which is falsely PRE-
TENDED KNOWLEDGE, or IGNORANCE of IGNO-
RANCE, or a proud unhumbled understanding, confident
that it knoweth that which it knoweth not. And conse-
quently what must be the cure, if our calamity be here cura-
ble, viz. To know as much as we can ; but withal to know
how little we know, and to take on us to know no more
than we do know, nor to be certain of our uncertainties.
The text which I have chosen to be the ground of my
a Had I been supposed to have written this book to hide my sloth and ignorance,
men would not have neglected my " Methodus Theologian, and Catholic Theology,"
through mere sloth, and saying, that it is too high, and hard for them.
10 FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. [Parti.
discourse, is so plain, notwithstanding some little difficul-
ties, that did not the nature of the disease resist the clearest
remedy, so many good people had never here often read
their sin described, as insensibly as if they read it not.
The chapter hath so much difficulty, as will not stand
with my intended brevity to open it : I refer you to exposi-
tors for that ; whether they were the Nicolaitans, or any
other sort of heretics that the apostle dealeth with, I deter-
mine not. It is plain that they were licentious professors of
Christianity, who thought that it was the ignorance of others,
that made them judge it unlawful to eat things offered to
idols ; and that their own greater knowledge set them above
that scruple. A mixture of Platonic philosophy with Chris-
tianity, made up most -of the primitive heretics, and for
want of a due digestion of each, too much corrupted many
of the Greek doctors of the church. The unlearned sort
of Christians, were so much despised by some of the philo-
sophical heretics, that they were not thought worthy of their
communion ; for as Jude saith, they " separated themselves,
being sensual, having not the Spirit," but more affected
philosophical fancies : which made Paul warn men to take
heed lest any seduced them by vain philosophy ; not using
the name of philosophy, for that solid knowledge of God's
works which is desirable, but for the systems of vain con-
ceits and precepts which the word was then used to signify,
as every sect derived them from their masters. And so the
apostle taketh knowledge in this text ; not for solid know-
ledge indeed, but for Gnosticism or philosophical presump-
tions ; such as even yet most philosophers are guilty of, who
take a multitude of precepts, some useful, some useless,
some true, and some false, and all but notionally, or to lit-
tle purpose, and joining these do call them philosophy.
And Paul tells them, that opinionative and notional know-
ledge (were it true, like the devil's faith) is of no such ex-
cellency as to cause them to shelter their sins under the
confidence and honour of it, and despise unlearned con-
scientious Christians ; for such knowledge by inflation often
destroyeth the possessors, or becomes the fuel of the devilish
sin of pride, when love buildeth up ourselves and others to
salvation. And to conceit that a man is wise because of
such knowledge, and so to overvalue his own understand-
ing, is a certain sign that he is destitute of that knowledge
Chap. 1.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 11
in which true wisdom doth consist ; and knoweth nothing
with a wise and saving knowledge, as every thing should be
known : and indeed a man's excellency is so far from lying in
vain philosophical speculations, that the use of all true
knowledge is but to bring us up to the love of God, as the
highest felicity, to be approved and beloved by God ; and
those unlearned Christians that have the spirit of sanctifica-
tion, without your vain philosophy, have knowledge enough
to bring them to this love of God, which is a thing that
passeth all your knowledge, or rather to be known of God
as his own, and loved by him. For our felicity lieth in re-
ceiving from God, and in his loving us more than in our
loving him ; but both set together, to love God, and so to
be loved of him, are the ultimate end and perfection of man;
and all knowledge is to be estimated but as it tendeth to this.
This being the plain paraphrase of the text, I shall stay
no longer on it, but thence deduce and handle these two
observations.
Doct. I. Falsely pretended knowledge is often pernici-
ous to the possessor, and injurious to the church. And over-
valuing one's own opinions and notions, is a certain mark of
dangerous ignorance.
Doct. II. A man is so far truly wise, as he loveth God,
and consequently is approved or loved by him, and as he
loveth others to their edification.
I. The first is but the same that Solomon thus express-
eth, " Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit ; there is
more hope of a fool than of him." (Prov. xxvi. 12.) And
Paul elsewhere, " Be not wise in your own conceits." (Rom.
xii. 16 ; xi. 25 ; and Prov. xxvi. 5. 16.) For it is certain that
we are all here in great darkness, and it is but little that the
wisest know ; and therefore he that thinks he knoweth
much, is ignorant both of the things which he thinks he
knoweth, and of his ignorance. Therefore " Let no man de-
ceive himself: If any man among you seemeth to be wise in
this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise:''
(1 Cor. iii. 18:) To be "wise in this world," is the same
with that in the words following, "The wisdom of this world
is foolishness with God." And (1 Cor. i. 19—22.) " It is
written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise," &c. " Where
is the wise ? Where is the scribe ? Where is the disputer of
this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this
12 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
world ? For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by
wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require
a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom," &c. So chap.
ii. 4 — 8. " And my speech and my preaching was not with
enticing words (or probable discourses) of men's wisdom, but
in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power, that your faith
should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of
God : Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are per-
fect ; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of
this world that come to naught : But we speak that wisdom
of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God
ordained before the world unto our glory (even Christ the
wisdom of God, chap. i. 24.) which none of the princes of
this world knew. "
In all this, note — 1. That there is a wisdom which Paul
placeth Christianity itself in : — 2. That this is to know God
in Christ objectively, and to be taught of God by Christ and
his Spirit efficiently. — 3. That there is a wisdom which Paul
comparatively vilifieth. — 4. This is called the " wisdom of
this world" (or age). — 5. That most plainly he meaneth by
it, that which then was called learning and philosophy ;
which the Greeks did value, and by which they judged of
the Gospel; which comprehended the methods of all the
sects, Epicureans, Academics, Peripatetics and Stoics ; but
not their true morals, but their physics, and logic, and me-
taphysics ; which Laertius and others tell us how variously
they held. — 6. That Paul doth not absolutely prohibit such
studies, nor yet despise any true knowledge. — 7. But he
vilirieth this philosophy on these accounts. (1.) Because
it was the exercise of a poor, low, insufficient light : they
did but grope after God in the dark, as Acts xvii. 27. (2.)
Because it was mostly taken up with inferior things, of
small concernment comparatively : as things corporeal are
good in themselves, and when sanctified and made subser-
vient to things spiritual ; so the knowledge of physics
is to be esteemed : but as things corporeal yet are objec-
tively the snare and ruin of those that perish, and therefore
the world to be renounced and crucified, as it is our tempta-
tion, an enemy, or competitor with Christ; just so it must
be with natural philosophy. (3.) Because it was greatly
overvalued by the world, as if it had been the only wisdom,
Chap. 1.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 13
when indeed it is of itself but an indifferent thing, or fit but
to make a by-recreation of, till it be made to serve to higher
ends; even as riches, honour and pleasure are overvalued
by worldlings, as if they were the only felicity ; when in
themselves they are but more indifferent things, and prove
beneficial or hurtful as they are used. Therefore Paul was
to take down the pernicious esteem of this kind of philoso-
phy, as preachers now must take down men's esteem of
worldly things, however they are the works and gifts of God.
And as Christ would by his actual poverty and sufferings,
and not by words only, take down the esteem of worldly
wealth and pride ; so Paul by neglecting and forbearing the
use of artificial logic, physics and metaphysics, would depress
their rate. (4.) Because that there was abundance of false-
hood mixed with the truth which the philosophers held ; as
their multitude of different sects fully proves. (5.) Because
the artificial, organical part was made so operous, as that it
drowned real learning instead of promoting it ; and became
but like a game at chess, a device rather to exercise vain,
proud wits by, than to find out useful truth. As to this day
when logic and metaphysics seem much cultivated and re-
formed, yet the variety of methods, the number of notions,
the precariousness of much, the uncertainty of some things,
the falsehood of many, maketh them as fit for boys to play
with in the schools, and to be a wood into which a sophister
may run, to hide his errors, as to be a means of detecting
them. And therefore a knavish cheater will often bind you
strictest to the pedantic part of the rules of disputation, that
when he cannot defend his matter, he may quarrel with your
form and artifice, and lose time by questioning you about
mood and figure. (6.) Because by these operous diversions
the minds of men were so forestalled or taken up, as that
they had not leisure to study great and necessary saving
truth : and if men must be untaught in the doctrines of life,
till they had first learned their logic, physics, and metaphy-
sics, how few would have been saved ! When at this day
so many come from our Universities after several years'
study, raw smatterers in these, and half-witted scholars,
whose learning is fitter to trouble than to edify: and if Scrip-
ture had been written in the terms and method of Aristotle,
how few would have been the better for them ! But great
good must be common.
14 FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. [Part I.
And as Paul on all these accounts sets light by this phi-
losophy, so he calls it, the wisdom of this world : — I. Be-
cause this world was its chief object: — 2. And the creatures
were its only light : — 3. And it led but few to any higher
than worldly ends : — 4. And it was that which worldly men,
that were strangers to heavenly light and holiness, did then
most magnify and use.
Yet as Christ, when he said how hard it was for a rich man
to be saved, did not make riches absolutely unlawful, nor
to have no goodness nor usefulness at all ; but teacheth men,
if they are wise, not to overvalue them, and to be too eager
for them; so is Paul to be interpreted about philosophy, or
the wisdom of this world. (For it is not only craftiness
for worldly ends that he so calls.)
And as God, when he denieth his servants riches and
worldly fulness, doth it not because he taketh it to be loo good
for them, but because it is not good enough, and therefore he
will give them better ; even the heavenly riches, and honour
and delights : even so when Paul comparatively vilifieth
philosophy, it is not as being really a wisdom too high for
Christians, but too low ; nor doth he depress reason, or ex-
tol ignorance; but would lead men to the truest learning,
the highest knowledge and improvement of reason, the only
wisdom, from trifling, pedantic, unprofitable notions, and
ludicrous loss of time and studies.
It is not therefore for want of wisdom that the Scripture
is not written according to the philosophers' art. Though
Erasmus overvalued his grammaticisms, it was not for want
of learning in philosophy, that he so much despised the
philosophical schoolmen! so that speaking of the Bishop of
London, who maligned Dr. Colet, and was a subtle Scotist,
he saith of such; ' That he had known some of them whom
he would not call knaves, but he never knew one of them
whom he could call a Christian.' Vid. Mr. Smith's Life of
Dr. Colet, by Erasmus. A smart charge : I suppose he
meant it of them, rather as Scotists than as bishops.
And therefore the apostle aptly joineth both together,
(1 Cor. i. 26,) " Not many wise men after the the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble are called ;" seeming to equal
worldly wealth and greatness, with worldly wisdom or phi-
losophy, as to the interest of religion and salvation. And
the foolish wits that think he spake against learning, be-
Chap. 1.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 15
cause he had it riot, may as truly say, that he spake against
worldly wealth and greatness because he had it not ; for the
possession, use and knowledge of worldly things, are near of
kin. But they knew not Paul so well as Festus, who thought
him not unlearned, though he thought him mad. Nor was it
the* way of worldly wealth and greatness which he chose.
Doubtless neither Christ, nor Paul, did speak against
any real knowledge, but, (1.) Against nominal, pretended
knowledge, which was set up to divert men from real know-
ledge ; and was full of vanities and falsehoods. (2.) And
against the overvaluing of that learning, which is of little
use, in comparison of the knowledge of great and excellent,
and necessary things. For knowledge is valuable according
to its object and its use.
The knowledge of trifles for trivial ends, is itself a trifle.
The knowledge of things great and necessary for great and
necessary ends, is the great and necessary knowledge. And
therefore how unmeasurably must the knowledge of God and
our eternal happiness, excel the pedantic philosophy of the
Gentiles. However Christians may sanctify and ennoble
this by making it a help to higher knowledge. And there-
fore the Platonists and the Stoics were the noblest philoso-
phers ; because the former studied the highest things, and
the other the necessary means of felicity, amending of men's
hearts and lives.
But in the present text the thing which the apostle re-
prehendeth is, the esteeming of a man's self to be wiser than
he is ; and taking himself to be a wise man because of his
trifling philosophical knowledge. And he would have them
know that till they knew nobler things than those, and were
guided by a nobler light, they were very fools b .
I have looked over Hutten, Vives, Erasmus, Scaliger,
Salmasius, Casaubone, and many other critical grammarians,
and all Gruterus's critical volumes. I have read almost all
b A countryman having sent his son to the University, when he came home asked
him what he had learned. He told him he had learned logic. He asked him what
that logic was, and what he could do with it: and it being supper-time, and the
poor people having but two eggs for supper he told them that he could prove that
those eggs were three : This is one, saith he, and that is two, and one and two are
three. The father gave him the better, and told him that his art was useful, for lie
had thought himself to have gone without his supper, but now, saith he, I will take
one egg, and your mother the other, and take you the third. Such kind of logic the
world hath gloried in as learning.
16 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
the Physics and Metaphysics I could hear of: I have wasted
much of my time among loads of historians, chronologers,
and antiquaries ; I despise none of their learning. All truth
is useful ; mathematics, which I have least of, I find a pretty
manlike sport. But if I had no other kind of knowledge
than these, what were my understanding worth ! what a
dreaming dotard should I be ! Yea, had I also all the codes and
pandects, all Cujacius, Wesenbechius, and their tribe at my
fingers' ends ; and all other volumes of civil, national and
canon laws, with the rest in the Encyclopaedia, what a pup-
pet play would my life be, if I had no more !
I have higher thoughts of the schoolmen, than Erasmus
and our other grammarians had : I much value the method and
sobriety of Aquinas, the subtlety of Scotus and Ockam, the
plainness of Durandus, the solidity of Ariminensis, the pro-
fundity of Bradwardine, the excellent acuteness of many of
their followers ; of Aureolus, Capreolus, Bannes, Alvarez,
Zumel, &c. ; of Mayro, Lychetus, Trombeta, Faber, Meurisse,
Rada, &c. ; of Ruiz, Pennatus, Suarez, Vasquez, &c. ; of
Hurtado, of Albertinus, of Lud. a. Dola, and many others:
but how loath should I be to take such sauce for my food,
and such recreations for my business ! The jingling of too
much and too false philosophy among them, often drowns
the noise of Aaron's bells. I feel myself much better in
Herbert's Temple ; or in a heavenly treatise of faith and love.
And though I do not, with Dr. Colet, distaste Augustine
above the plainer fathers, yet I am more taken with his Con-
fessions, than with his grammatical and scholastic treatises.
And though I know no man whose genius more abhorreth
confusion instead of necessary distinction and method ; yet
I loathe impertinent, useless art, and pretended precepts
and distinctions, which have not a foundation in the matter.
In a word, there is a Divine knowledge, which is part of
man's felicity, as it promoteth love and union, and there is
a solid knowledge of God's word and works, a valuable
grammatical knowledge, and a true philosophy, which none
but ignorant persons will despise. But the vain philosophy,
and pretended wisdom and learning of the world, hath been,
and is, the cheat of souls, the hinderer of wisdom, and a
troubler of the church and world.
Chap. 2.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. J7
CHAP. II.
What Wisdom and Esteem of it, are not here condemned.
The order which 1 shall observe in handling the first doc-
trine shall be this; I. I will tell you negatively what wis-
dom, and esteem of our own wisdom, is not here condemned.
II. What it is that is here condemned. III. What are the
certainties which we must hold fast, and make our religion
of. IV. What degrees of these certainties there are. V.
What are the uncertainties, which we must not pretend to
be certain of; and the unknown things which we must not
pretend to know. VI. What are the mischiefs of falsely
pretended knowledge. VII. What are the degrees or aggra-
vations of this sin. VIII. What are the causes of it. IX.
What are the remedies. X. What are the uses which we
should make of this doctrine.
1. What wisdom, and what esteem of our wisdom is not
here condemned?
Answ. 1. Not any real useful knowledge at all, whilst
every thing keepeth its proper place, tand due esteem, as is
said.
2. That which of itself primarily is of so small use, as
that it falleth under the contempt of the apostles, yet by
accident, through the subtlety of Satan, and the viciousness
of the world, may become to some men in some measure
necessary. And here cometh in the calamity of divines. Of
how little use is it to me in itself to know what is written
in many hundred books; which yet by accident it much
concerneth me to know ! And if God restrain him not,
the devil hath us here at so great an advantage, that he can
make our work almost endless, and hath almost done it al-
ready ; yea, can at any time divert us from the greatest
truth and works, by making another at that time more ne-
cessary.
If he raise up Socinians, our task is increased ; we must
read their books, that we may be able to confute them ; so
must we when he raiseth up Libertines, Familists, Seekers,
Quakers, and such other sects. If he stir up controversies
in the church, about Government, Worship, Ceremonies,
vol. xv. c
18 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
Circumstances, Words, Methods, &c, we must read so much
as to understand all, that we may defend the truth against
them. If Papists will lay the stress of all their controver-
sies on Church History, and the Words of Ancients ; we
must read and understand all, or they will triumph. If
Schoolmen will build their theology on Aristotle, all men
have not the wit with the Iberian legate at the Florentine
Council in Sagyrophilus, to cry against the preacher, ' What
have we to do with Aristotle V But if we cannot deal with
them at their own weapons, they will triumph. If cavillers
will dispute only in mood and figure, we must be able there
to overtop them, or they will insult. If the plica, scurvy
or other new diseases do arise, the physician must know
them all, if he will cure them. And hence it is that we say,
that a lawyer must know the law ; and a physician must
know physic, medicine, &c. But a divine should know
all things that are to be known ; because the diseased world
hath turned pretended knowledge into the great malady,
which must be cured : but is the thing itself of any great
worth ; is it any great honour to know the vanity of philo-
sophical pedantry; and to be able to overdo such gamesters,
any more than to beat one at a game at chess, or for a phy-
sician to know the plague or leprosy?
3. Yet indeed, as all things are sanctified to the holy,
and pure to the pure ; a wise man may and must make great
use of common, inferior kinds of knowledge : especially the
true, grammatical sense of Scripture words, the true precepts
of logic, the certain parts of real physics and pneumatology ;
for God is seen in his works as in a glass : and there to
search after him and behold him, is a noble, pleasant work
and knowledge. And I would that no Israelite may have
need to go down to the Philistines for instruments of this
sort.
4. It is not forbidden to any man to know that measure
of wisdom which he truly hath ; God bindeth us not to err,
nor to call light darkness, or truth error, or to belie our-
selves, or deny his gifts. 1. It is desirable for a man abso-
lutely to know as much as he can, preferring still the great-
est things, and to know that he knoweth them, and not to
be sceptical, and doubt of all. 2. It is a duty for a con-
verted sinner comparatively to know that he is wiser than he
Chap. I.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 19
was in his sinful state, and to give God thanks for it. 3. It
is his duty who groweth in wisdom, and receiveth new ac-
cessions of light, to know that he so groweth, and to give
God thanks, and to welcome each useful truth with joy. 4.
It is the duty of a good and wise man comparatively to know
that he is not as foolish as the ungodly ; nor to think that
every wicked man, or ignorant person whom he should pity
and instruct, is already wiser than he ; every teacher is not
to be so foolish as to think that all his flock are more judi-
cious than himself. In a word, it is not a true estimate of
the thing or of ourselves, that is forbidden us ; but a false.
It is not belying ourselves, nor ingratitude to God, nor a
contradiction, to know a thing, and not to know that I know
it, nor an ignorance of our own minds, which is commanded
us under the pretence of humility ; but it is a proud con-
ceit, that we know what we do not know, that is condemned.
CHAP. III.
II. What Pretended Knowledge is condemned, and what Phi-
losophy and Learning it is that Paul disliked.
More distinctly, 1. It is condemnable for any man to think
himself absolutely or highly wise : because our knowledge
here is so poor, and dark, and low, that compared with our
ignorance it is little : we know not what or how many, or
how great the things are which we do not know ; but in ge-
neral we may know that they are incomparably more and
greater than what we do know .; we know now but as chil-
dren, and darkly, and in a glass or riddle. (1 Cor. xiii. 11, 12.)
In the sense that Christ saith, none is good but God, we may
say that none is wise but God. For a man that must know
(unless he be a very sot) that he knoweth nothing perfectly
in the world ; that he knoweth but little of any worm, or fly,
or pile of grass which he seeth, or of himself, his soul or
body, or any creature ; for this man to assume the title of a
vrise man, is arrogant, unless comparatively understood, when
he is ignorant of ten thousandfold more than he knoweth,
and the predominant part denominateth. The old inquirers
had so much modesty, as to arrogate no higher name than
Philosophers.
20 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
2. It is very condemnable for any man to be proud of
his understanding: while it is so low, and poor, and dark,
and hath still so much matter to abase us. He knoweth not
what a dungeon poor mortals are in, nor what a darkened
thing a sinful mind is, nor what a deplorable state we are in,
so far from the heavenly light, no, nor what it is to be a man
in flesh, who findeth not much more cause of humiliation
than of pride in his understanding. O how much ado have
I to keep up from utter despondency under the conscious-
ness of so great ignorance, which no study, no means, no
time doth overcome. How long, Lord, shall this dungeon be
our dwelling ! and how long shall our foolish souls be loath
to come into the celestial light !
3. It is sinful folly to pretend to know things unrevealed
and impossible to be known. " The secret things belong
unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed
belong to us, and to our children forever, that we do them."
(Deut. xxix. 29.) " For who hath known the mind of the
Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?" (Rom. xi. 34.)
And how many such compose the theology of some, and the
philosophy of more.
4. It is sinful folly to pretend to know that which is im-
possible or unrevealed to him, though it be possible and re-
vealed to others. For as the eye, so the understanding must
have its necessary light, and due constitution and conditions
of the object, and of itself ; or else it cannot understand.
5. It is sinful folly to pretend to certainty of knowledge,
when either the thing is but probable, or at best, we have
but doubtful opinions or conjectures of it, and no true cer-
tainty.
6. It is sinful folly to pretend that we know or receive
any thing by Divine faith (or revelation) when we have it but
by human faith, or probable conjecture from natural evi-
dence. As soon as men are persuaded by a sect, a seducer,
or a selfish priest, to believe what he saith, abundance pre-
sently take such a persuasion for a part of their religion, as
if it were a believing God.
7. It is sinful folly to take on us that we know what we
know not at all ; because we do but know that it is know-
able, and that wise men know it, and as soon as we under-
stand that it should be known, and that wise men conclude
it to be true, therefore to pretend that we know it to be true.
Chap. 3.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 21
8. And it is sinful folly to pretend that we truly know or
apprehend the thing or matter, or incomplex object, merely
because we have got the bare words, and second notions of
it, which are separable from the knowledge of the thing. All
these are false and sinful pretences of knowledge which men
have not.
But because Paul so warneth us to take heed of vain
philosophy, and atheists and infidels deride him for speaking
against the wisdom of the world, as if he spake against learn-
ing, because he had it not; and because the disease which
he attempted to cure, remaineth among scholars to this day,
and instead of a cure, many contemn the physician ; and
dislike Christ himself and the Gospel, as defective of the
learning which they overvalue ; I will once again, and that
more distinctly tell you some few of the faults of our com-
mon learning ; even now that it is cultivated and augmented
in this age, that you may see that Paul did not injuriously
accuse it, or Christ injuriously neglect it c .
I. Natural imperfection layeth the foundation of our
common calamity ; in that it is so long before sense and
reason grow up to a natural maturity, through the unripe-
ness of organs, and want of exercise, that children are ne-
cessitated to learn words before things, and to make these
words the means of their first knowledge, of many of the
things signified ; so that most furnish themselves with a
stock of names and words, before ever they get any true
knowledge of the matter.
II. And then they are exceeding apt to think that this
treasury of words and second notions is true wisdom, and to
mistake it for the knowledge of the thing : even as in reli-
gion we find almost all children and ignorant people, will
learn to say by rote the Creed and Lord's-prayer, and Com-
mandments, and Catechism, and then think that they are not
ignorants, when it is long after, before we can get them to
understand the sense of the words which they can so readily
speak ; yea, though they are plain English words, which
they use for the most part in ordinary discourse.
c M. Antonine, 1. 1, sect. 17. Doth thank God that he made no greater pro-
gress in Rhetoric, Poetry, and such like studies, which might have hindered him
from better things, if he had perceived himself to have profited in them. And (in
fine) quod cum Philosophandi cupiditas incessisset, non in sophistam aliquem incide-
rim, nee tommentariis evolvendis, vel syllogismis resolvendis, vel Meterologicis dis-
eutiendis tempus deses contriverim.
*22 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I,
III. When children come to school, also their masters
teach them as their parents did, or worse; I mean that they
bestow almost all their pains to furnish them with words
and second notions : and so do their tutors too often at the
University. So that by that time they are grown to be
masters of a considerable stock of words, grammatical, logi-
cal, metaphysical, &c, and can set these together in pro-
positions and syllogisms, and have learned memoriter the
theorems or axioms, and some distinctions which are in
common use and reputation, they are ready to pass for Mas-
ters of the Arts, and to set up for themselves, and leave
their tutors, and to teach others the like sort and measure
of learning, which they have thus acquired. Like one that
sets up his trade as soon as he hath gotten a shop full of
tools.
i V. And indeed the memories of young men are strong
and serviceable so many years sooner than their judgments,
that prudent teachers think it meet to take that time to fur-
nish them with words and organical notions, while they are
unmeet to judge of things; even as pious parents must
teach them the words of the catechism, that when they grow
riper, their judgments may work upon that which their me-
mories did before receive. And in this they are in the right
upon two suppositions. 1. That distinguishing things ob-
vious and easily understood from things remote, abstruse and
difficult, they would teach them those of the first sort with
the words, though not the second : and while they make
haste with the languages they would not make too much
haste with the notions and theorems of the arts and sciences.
2. That they still make them know that words as to mat-
ter are but as the dish to the meat, and all this while they
are but preparing for wisdom and true learning, and not
getting or possessing it ; and that unless they will equalize
a parrot and a philosopher, they must know how little they
have attained, and must after learn things, or not pretend to
know any thing indeed. As children learn first to speak
and then learn what to speak of.
V. And the great mischief is, that multitudes of those
notions that are taught us are false, not fitted to the things,
but expressing the conceptions of roving, uncertain, erro-
neous, bewildered minds. Words are the instruments of
communication of thoughts. And when I hear a man speak.
Chap. 1.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 23
I hear, perhaps, what he thinketh of things, but not always
what they are. Our universal notions are the result of our
own comparing things with things. And we are so wofully
defective in such comparings, that our universal notions
must needs be very defective, so that they abound with
error.
VI. And the penury and narrowness of words is a great-
impediment to the due expressing of those poor confused
conceptions which we have ; for a man can think more aptly
and comprehensively than he can speak. And hence it
cometh to pass, that words and universal notions are become
like pictures or hieroglyphics, almost of arbitrary significa-
tion and use, as the speaker pleaseth. And, as a multitude
of school-distinctions tell us, you can know little by the
grammatical use or etymology of the words, what the mean-
ing of them is in a theorem or distinction, till the speaker
tell it you by other words.
VII. And the conceptions of men being as various as
their countenances, the same words in the mouths of several
men, have several significations. So that when tutors read
the same books to their scholars, and teach them the same
notions, it is not the same conceptions always that they
thus communicate.
VIII. And when all is done, ' recipiter ad modum reci-
pients.' It is two to one but the learner receiveth their
notions with a conception somewhat different from them all.
And when he thinks he hath learned what was taught him,
and of his teacher's mind, he is mistaken, and hath received
another apprehension.
IX. And the narrowness of man's mind and thoughts is
such, that usually there must go many partial conceptions
to one thing or object really indivisible: so that few things,
or nothing rather in the world, is known by us with one con-
ception, nor with a simplicity of apprehensions answerable
to the simplicity of the things : and hereby it cometh to
pass that inadequate conceptions make up a great part of
our learning and knowledge. And, yet worse, our words
being narrower than our thoughts, we are fain to multiply
words more than conceptions, so that we must have ten con-
ceptions perhaps of one thing, and twenty words perhaps
for those ten conceptions. And then we grow to imagine
24 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
the things to be as various as our conceptions, yea, and our
words : and so learning is become confused error, and the
great and noble actions of the fantastical world, are a pitiful
confused agitation of phantasms, and, whether fortuitous or
artificial, a congress of atoms, sometimes digladiating, and
sometimes seeming by amicable embraces to compose some
excellent piece of art. And things seem to us to be multi-
plied and ordered as our conceptions of them are. And the
Scotists may yet write as many more treatises ' de formali-
tatibus,' before men will understand indeed what a ' conceptus
formalis' with them is, and whether diverse formalities be
diverse realities, or only ' ejusdem conceptus inadequati.'
But thus learning is become like a puppet-play, or the rais-
ing of the dust.
X. The ' entia rationis' being thus exceeding numerous,
are already confounded with objective realities, and have
compounded our common systems of logic, metaphysics,
and too much of physics : so that students must at first see
through false spectacles, and learn by seducing notions,
and receive abundance of false conceptions, as the way to
wisdom ; and shadows and rubbish must furnish their
minds under the name of truth, though mixed with many
real verities. For young men must have teachers ; they can-
not begin at the foundation, and yet every one learn of him-
self, as if none had ever learned before him : he is like to
have but a slow proficient, that maketh no use of the studies
and experience of any that ever learned before him. And he
that will learn of others, must receive their notions and
words as the means of his information.
XI. And when they grow up to be capable of real wis-
dom, O ! what a labour is it, to cleanse out this rubbish, and
to unlearn all the errors that we have learned, so that it is
much of the happiest progress of extraordinary successful
studies, to find out our old mistakes, and set our concep-
tions in better order one by one : perhaps in one year we
find out and reform some two or three, and in another year
one or two more, and so on. Even as when at my removal
of my library, my servant sets up all my books, and I must
take them half down again to set them in their right places.
XII. And the difficulty of the matter is our great im-
pediment, when we come to study things. For, 1. Their
Chap. 3.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 25
matter, 2. Their composure, 3. Their numbers, 4. Their or-
der and relations, 5. And their action and operation, are
much unknown to us.
XIII. 1. The substance of the spirits is also little known,
as tempteth Sadducees to dream that there are none. The
notion of a spirit to some, through ignorance, is taken to be
merely negative, as if it signified no more, but not corporeal.
The notion of immateriality is lubricious, and he that knoweth
not the true bounds of the signification of materia, knoweth
not what it is to be immaterial. The purest spirit is known
only by many inadequate conceptions : one must answer
the similitude of matter, in fundamental substantiality ; an-
other must be answerable to that of forms of simple ele-
ments ; and another answerable to accidents. And though
nothing be so notorious of spirits as their operations, and
from the acts we know the virtues or powers, yet that these
virtues are not accidents, but the very essential form, and
that they are (in all spirits) one in three, and many other
things concerning their essentiality, are quite overlooked by
the greater part of philosophers ; and those few that open it,
do either with Campanella, lose it again in a wood of mis-
taken, ill-gathered consequences ; or with Lullius drown it in
a multitude of irregular arbitrary notions ; or with Commenius,
give us a little undigested, with the mixture of crudities and
mistakes ; or with our learned Dr. Glisson de vit&Natune, con-
found spirits and bodies, and make those spirits which are the
vital constitutive principle of compounds, to be but the in-
adequate conception of bodies, as if they were all simply
and formally vital of themselves, and for a body to be in-
animate were a contradiction, or impossible. And they that
treat more nobly of spirits (as Mr. Got and many Plato-
nists), do it so immethodically and confusedly, as greatly
disadvantageth the learner.
And yet to treat of bodies without treating of the spirits
that animate or actuate them, is a lame, deluding, unedify-
ing thing. As it is to treat of a kingdom, an army, a school,
without mentioning a king, a captain, or a schoolmaster; or
as to describe a gun, without any mention of gunpowder or
shooting ; or a clock or watch without the poise or spring,
or motion ; or a book, or words without the sense ; and so
of a man without a soul or reason, or a brute without any
lite or sense. I mean when we speak of compound beings,
26 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
and not merely of corporeity in the notion, as abstracted
from all vital moving principles.
XIV. 2. And what the true notion of matter or corpo-
reity itself is, it is but darkly and uncertainly known, how
confidently soever some decantate their moles or quantity,
divisibility or discerptibility, and impenetrability : whether
fire be material, and divisible and impenetrable, and how
far fire and spirits herein differ, and so spirits and bodies,
and how far sensible must enter the definition of 'corpus,' is
not easily known.
XV. 3. Nor do we well know the nature of the simple
corporeal elements; whether they agree only in materi-
ality, quantity, and divisibility, and impenetrability ; and
whether they differ only in magnitude, shape, sight and con-
texture of parts ; or by any essentiating formal virtues, or
both ; or (as Mr. Got thought) by a differencing proper
spirit.
XVI. 4. How little of the Divine artifice is known in the
composition of mixed bodies ! (And we know of no existent
simples in the world, that are not found only in composi-
tions.) All men confess that every plant, every worm, or
fly ; every sensitive, yea, every sensible being, is so little
known to us, as that the unknown part far exceedeth the
known.
XVII. 5. And we are not agreed of late of the number
of the very elements themselves; much less of compounds ;
of which, while we know so few, that which we do know is
the more defectively known ; because (as in knowing of let-
ters and syllables) the knowledge of cne thing is needful to
the true and useful knowledge of another.
XVIII. But the order and relations of things to one an-
other is so wonderfully unsearchable, and innumerably vari-
ous, as quite surpasseth all human understanding. Yea,
though order and relation constitute all morality, poli-
cy, literature, &.c, so that it is as it were that world which
human intellects converse in, and the business of all human
wills and actions, yet few men know so much as what order
and relation is: nay, whether it be any thing or nothing.
And though health and sickness, harmony and discord,
beauty and ugliness, virtue and vice, consist in it, and hea-
ven and hell depend upon it, and law and judgment do make
and determine it : yet is it not easy to know what it is by
Chap. 1.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 27
an universal notion ; nor whether it be truly to be called
any thing at all. We doubt not but order should be a
most observable predicament, in the series of human notions
or ' nominanda ;' but yet I doubt not much but that Gassen-
dus, who would make ' tempus' and ' spatium' two of his
predicaments, doth describe to them that entity which they
have not.
XIX. And though undoubtedly action is a noble predi-
cament, and whatever the Cartesians say, requireth more
causation than ' non agere' doth, yea, is itself. the causation
of the mutations in the world ; yet men scarcely know what
to call it. Some say it is ' res ;' others, it is but ' accidens
rei ;' and others, ' modus rei :' some say, it is ' in passo ;' some
say it is ' in agente ;' some say it is neither, but is 'agentis :'
some say immanent acts are qualities, as Scotus, 8cc.
XX. And which is yet worse, the very name, accident,
mode and quality, are but general, unapt notions not well
understood by any that use them, nor suited meetly to the
severals contained under them. And when we call a thing,
or nothing, a quality, accident or mode, we are little the
wiser, and know not well what we have said. Sure I am
that they are exceedingly ' heterogenea' which Aristotle
compriseth in the very predicament of quality. And Gas-
sendus thought all accidents may be as well called qualities
or modes.
XXI. And which is yet worse, all human language is so
wofully ambiguous, that there is scarcely a word in the
world that hath not many senses ; and the learned world
never came to agreement about the meaning of their com-
mon words, so that ambiguity drowneth all in uncertainty
and confusion.
XXII. And which is yet worse, the certain apprehension
of sense and reason, is commonly by men called learned,
reduced to, and tried by, these dreaming ambiguous names
and universal notions ; and men are drawn to deny their
certain knowledge, because they know not by what univer-
sal term to call it, e. g. I know as far as is useful to me, by
seeing what light is ; but whether it be ' substantia, accidens,
modus/ &c, or what to call it universally, few know ! And
no wonder, for their universal notions are their own works
or ' Entia rationis,' fabricated by the imperfect comparing
of things with things, by ignorant understandings ; but the
28 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
sensibility of objects and the sensitive faculty and the intel-
lect are the works of God. I know much better what light
is by seeing it, than I know what an accident or a quality is.
So I know by feeling what heat is, I know what motion
or action is, I know what pain and pleasure is, I know what
love and hatred is, I know partly what it is to think, to
know, to will, choose and refuse ; but what is the right uni-
versal notion of these, what true definition to give of any one
of them, the most learned man doth not well know; inso-
much, as I dare boldly say, that the vulgar ordinarily know
all these better without definition, than the most learned
man living can know them by definitions alone.
And here I will presume to step aside, to say as in the
ears of our over-doing Separatists, who can take none into
Christian communion, that cannot tell you how they were
converted, or at least give them a fair account or their un-
derstanding all the Articles" of the Faith, in words that are
adapted to the matter: I tell you, 1. That the knowledge of
words, and second notions and definitions, is one thing,
aud the knowledge of matters and things is another. 2.
And it is the knowledge of the things, and not of the words,
that is primarily and absolutely necessary to salvation. 3.
And that many an illiterate, ill-bred person understand
things long before they can utter their understandings in
any intelligible words. 4. And therefore if any man do but
these two things : 1. By yea or nay, do signify to me, that
he understandeth the truth, when I put the matter of nothing
but the baptismal covenant into my questions ; 2. and do mani-
fest serious willingness accordingly, by avoiding evil, and
using God's means ; I dare not, I will not refuse that person
from the communion of the church ; though I would do as
much as the most rigid censurer to bring such up to greater
knowledge.
XXIII. And on the other side, men are made to think
that they know the things because they know the names and
definitions ; and so that they are learned and wise, when
they know little the more by all their learning. For to be able
to talk over all the critical books, and lexicons, and gram-
mars, all the logical notions and definitions, is nothing but
organical knowledge ; like the shoemaker that hath a shop
full of lasts (and that most of them unmeet for any man's
foot), but never made a shoe by any of them. And false and
Chap. 3.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 29
confused and idle names and notions, fill the learned world
with false, confused and vain conceptions, which common
country people escape, so that it costeth many a man twenty
years' study to be made more erroneous than he would
have been, by following an honest trade of life.
XXIV. Nay, our very articles of faith and practice which
salvation lieth on, are commonly tried by these arbitrary
organical notions ; whole loads of school volumes are wit-
nesses of this. Though the schoolmen, where our gramma-
rians deride them as barbarians, have often done well in
fitting words to things, and making the key meet for the
lock : yet old terms and notions and axioms too often go
for current ; and overrule disputes, when they are not un-
derstood, nor are proper or univocal. What work doth
Aristotle make with Actus and Potentia, and the school-
men after him! What abundance of darkness do these two
words contain in all their writings ! And for want of other
words to supply our needs, what abundance of distinctions
of Actus and Potentiee are the Scotists and other schoolmen
fain to use ! What abundance of disputes are kept up by
the ambiguity of the word cause, while it is applied to things
so different, as efficience, constitution and Jinality ! The like
may be said of many more. And then when it cometh to a
dispute of the Divine nature, of the soul, of the most weighty
things ; these confounding notions must overrule the case.
We must not have an argument for the soul's immortality,
but what these notions check or vitiate ; no, nor scarcely for
an attribute of God.
XXV. And it is so hard a thing to bring men to that
self-denial and labour, as at age thoroughly and impartially
to revise their juvenile conceptions, and for them that learned
words before things, to proceed to learn things now as ap-
pearing in their proper evidence ; and to come back and
cancel all their oldjnotions, which were not sound, and to
build up a new frame, that not one of a multitude is ever
master of so much virtue as to attempt it, and go through
with it. Was it not labour enough to study so many years
to know what others say; but they must now undo much of
it, and begin a new and harder labour ? who will do it ?
XXVI. And indeed none but men of extraordinary acute-
ness and love of truth, and self-denial and patience, are fit
to do it. For, 1. The common dullards will fall into the
30 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
ditch when they leave their crutches. And will multiply
sects in philosophy and religion, while they are unable to
see the truth in itself. And indeed this hath made the Pro-
testant churches so liable to the derision and reproach of
their adversaries. And how can it be avoided, while all
must pretend to know and judge, what indeed they are un-
able to understand !
2. Yea, the half-witted men, that think themselves acute
and wise, fall into the same calamity.
3. and the proud will not endure to be thought to err,
when they plague the world with error.
4. And the impatient will not endure so long and diffi-
cult studies.
5. And when all is done, as Seneca saith, they must be
content with a very few approvers, and must bear the scorn
of the ignorant-learned crowd ; who have no way to maintain
the reputation of their own wisdom, orthodoxy and good-
ness, but by calling him proud, or self-conceited, or errone-
ous, that differed! from them by knowing more than they.
And who but the truly self-denying can be at so much cost
and labour for such reproach, when they foreknow that he
that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow?
XXVII. by these means men's minds that should be
taken up with God and his service, are abused and vilified,
and filled with the dust and smoke of vain, and false, and
confused notions. And man's life is spent (as David saith)
in a vain show. And men dream waking with as great in-
dustry, as if they were about a serious work. Alas, how
pitifully are many of the learned world employed.
XXVIII. By this means also men's precious time is lost:
and he that had time little enough to learn and do things
necessary, for the common good, and his own salvation,
doth waste half of it on he knoweth not what. And Satan,
that findeth him more ingenious than to play it away at
cards or dice, or than to drink and revel it away, doth cast
another bait before him, and get him learnedly to dream it
away about unprofitable words and notions.
XXIX. And by this means the practice of goodness is
hindered in the world ; yea, and holy affections quenched.
While these arbitrary notions and speculations, (being man's
own) are his more pleasant game ; and studies and pulpits must
be thus employed, and heart and life thus stolen from God.
Chap. 1.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 31
Yea, it is well if godliness grow not to be taken by such
dreamers, for a low, dull, and unlearned thing ; yea, if they
be not tempted by it to infidelity, and to think (not only the
zealous ministers and Christians, but even) Christ and his
apostles to be unlearned men, below their estimation.
XXX. And by the same means the devilish sin of pride
will be kept up, even among the learned ; yea, and by the
preachers of humility : for what is that in the world (almost)
that men are prouder of, than that learning which consisteth
in such notions and words as are afore-described ? and the
proudest man, 1 think, is the worst.
XXXI. And by this means the sacred chairs and pulpits
will be possessed by such men, whose spirits are most con-
trary to a crucified Christ, and to that cross and doctrine
which they must preach. And when Christ's greatest ene-
mies are the Pastors of his Churches, all things will be or-
dered and managed accordingly ; and the faithful hated and
abused. Though T must add, that it is not this cause alone,
but many more concurring, to constitute a worldly, wicked
mind, which use to procure these effects.
XXXII. And by false and vain learning, contentions
are bred and propagated in the churches. None are instru-
ments so apt, and none have been so successful, as all
Church History recordeth, and the voluminous contentions
of many such learned parties testify.
XXXIII. And this is an increasing malady ; for new
books are yearly written, containing the said arbitrary no-
tions of the several authors. And whereas real and organi-
cal learning should be orderly and conjunctly propagated,
and thmgs studied for themselves, and words for things, the
systems of arts and sciences grow more and more corrupted,
our logics are too full of unapt notions, our metaphysics are
a mere confused mixture of pneumatology and logic ; and
what part hath totally escaped ?
XXXIV. And the number of such books doth grow so
great that they become a great impediment and snare ; and
how many years' precious time must be lost, to know what
men say, and who saith amiss, or how they differ !
XXXV. And the great diversity of writers and sects in-
creaseth the danger and trouble, especially in physics ; by
that time a man hath well studied the several sects, the Epi-
cureans and Somatists, the Cartesians, with the by-parties,
32 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
(Regius, Berigardus, &c.) the Platonists, the Peripatetics,
the Herraetics, Lullius, Patricius, Telesius, Campanella,
White, Digby, Glisson, and other novelists ; and hath read
the most learned improvers of the more current sort of phi-
losophy, (Scheggius, Wendeline, Sennertus, Hoffman, Ho-
norat. Faber, Got, &c.) how much of his life will be thus
spent! And perhaps he will be as far to seek, in all points
saving those common evident certainties, which he might
have learned more cheaply in a shorter time, than he
was before he read them. And will wish that Antonine,
Epictetus, or Plutarch had served instead of the greater
part of them. And will perceive that physics are much
fuller of uncertainties, and more empty of satisfying useful-
ness than morality, and true theology.
XXXVI. By such false methods and notions men are
often led to utter scepticism, and when they have found out
their own errors, they are apt to suspect all the substance
of sciences to be error. And he speeds well that cometh
but with Sanchez to a ' nihil scitur ,' and he better that
cometh but with Cornelius Agrippa, to write vanity and
vexation upon all the sciences: for many come to infidelity
itself, and some to atheism ; and, as Dr. Thomas Jackson
noteth, by such distrust of men and human things, are
tempted into a distrust or unbelief of Christ ; or perhaps
with Hobbes grow to cry down all learning besides their own,
which is worse than the worst that they decry.
XXXVII. And by all this, Princes and States are tempted
to hate learning itself, and banish it as a pernicious thing :
as the case of the Turkish, Muscovian, and some other em-
pires testify.
All this I have said, not to dishonour true learning,
which I would promote with all my power; but to shew the
corruption and vanity of that philosophy and human false
learning, which Paul and the ancient writers did decry ; and
why the Council of Carthage forbad the reading of the Gen-
tiles' books, and reproached Apollinarius, and other here-
tics for their Gentile learning.
Of the great uncertainty of our physics and metaphysics,
almost all the chief authors themselves make free confes-
sions. See Suarez, Metaph. disp. 35, pp. 219. 221. 237 ;
Fromondus de Anim. p. 63 ; Gassendus often ; and who not.
Pious Bonaventure hath written a tract " de Reductione
Chap. 4.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 33
Artium ad Theologiam ;" and another " de non frequen-
tandis quoestionibus ;" " Cornel. Agrippade Vanitate Scien-
tiarum," is well worth the reading beforehand to prevent
men's loss of time.
CHAP. IV.
III. What are the Certainties that must be known and held
fast, and why.
It is none of the apostle's meaning that men should be mere
sceptics : nor am I seconding Sanchez's ' nihil scitur,'
unless you take science for adequate science, or in a tran-
scendent notion, as it signifieth that which is proper to an-
other world, and therefore may be denied of this. He can
neither play the part of a Christian or of a man, who doubts
of all things, and is assuredly confident of nothing.
That our discourse of this may be orderly and edifying,
it is of great use that I first help you rightly to understand
what certainty is. The word is ambiguous, and sometimes
is applied to the object, and sometimes to the act and
agent. The former is called objective certainty ; the latter
subjective certainty. ,
The Objective is either certainty of the thing, or cer-
tainty of evidence, by which the thing is discernible or per-
ceptible to us ; and this either sensible evidence, or rational ;
and the latter is either self-evidence of principles, or de-
rived evidence of consequences.
Subjective certainty is also either considered in the na-
ture of it, or in the degree ; and as to the nature it is either
the senses' certainty, or the intellects'; and this is either of
incomplex objects, or complex: the first is either of sensi-
ble objects, or purely spiritual : the second of principles, or
of conclusions. Of all these there are certainty.
The degrees are these : It being first supposed that no
human apprehension here is absolutely perfect ; and there-
fore all our certainties subjective are imperfect; the word
therefore signifieth not only a perfect apprehension, but it
signifieth ' non falli,' not to be deceived, and such an appre-
hension of the evidence as giveth us a just resolving and
vol. xv. n
34
KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED.
[Parti.
quieting confidence. And so, 1. The due objects of sense,
and, 2. The immediate acts of the soul itself, are certain in
the first and highest degree. I know certainly what I see
clearly, so far as I see it : and I know certainly that I think,
and know, and will. The next degree of certainty is of
rational principles, and the next of consequents.
It is likely in a scheme you will more easily understand it.
CERTAINTY being an ambiguous word, is either,
T. Objective: which is,
'T. Of Being of the Thing ; which is nothing but Physical Verity.
II. Of Evidence; which makes Things Perceptible ; and it is Evidence,
/"li Sensible; f 1. To the External Senses.
V viz. \ 2. To the Internal Senses
viz. (2. JLo the internal senses.
n. Of the ft Quodsint, \
' \ Being of < 2. Quid sint, <
2. Intelligible, < Things, viz. t 3. Qualia sint, i
I.
1
2. Of Complex Verity,
which is
, 1 2.
<■ cl
Things sensed and
imagined ; as colours,
li[*lit, heat, &c.
. The Acts of Intel-
lection and Will.
Of self-evident Principles.
Derivative Evidence of Coll-
usions.
II, Subjective Certainty ; by which I am certain of the Object; Considerable,
1. Of Sense,
f 1. Of the Outward Senses, when they are not de-
g. Of the In
tellect ;
which is,
{
Quod sint.
Quid sint.
Qualia sint.
K
ceivcd.
, Of the Inward Sense and Imagination.
C 1. Sensed and r 1
OfBein«s S imagined. > *
.UtUein s, Of the Acts >,
C of the Soul. t- J *
• Of the Com- fl. Of self-evident Principles,
plex Verities, (_2. Of Conclusions.
N. Qu. Whether there be not a third sort of Certainty both Objective and
Subjective ; viz. Goodness not sensible, Certainty apprehended by the In-
tellectual Soul, not only sub ratione Veri, sed et Boni ? And whether the
Will by its Natural Gust have not a Complacential Perception of it as well
as the Intellect? (Vid. Pemble Vindic. Grot.)
II. In the Degrees of Certainty ; which are the Order following :
f 1. Sense perceiving the Object and itself, is the first perceiver ; and hereof
the surest.
2. Imagination receiving from Sense, hath more requisites to its Certainty.
S. Intellectual about Things sensible, hath yet more requisites to its Cer-
tainty ; viz. 1. That the Object be true; 2. The Evidence sensible;
3. That the Sense be sound, and the Medium and other Conditions of
Sense be just; 4. That the Imagination be not corrupt; 5. That the In-
tellect itself be sound.
4. But Intellection about itself and Volition hath the highest Certainty.
5. We are surer of the Quod, than the Quid and Quale ; as that we Think,
than What and How.
6. We are more certain of self-evident Principles than the Consequences.
V 7. Consequences have various degrees of Evidence and Certainty.
A few propositions may further help your understandings.
Chap. 4.J FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 35
I. All things in the world have their certainty physi-
cal of being ; that is, it is a certainty, or a truth that this
thing is.
II. The thing which is most commonly called objective
certainty, is such a degree of perceptibility or evidence as
may aptly satisfy the doubting intellect.
III. Evidence is called infallible; 1. When he that re-
ceiveth it is never deceived ; and so all truth is infallible
truth ; for he is not deceived who believeth it : 2. Or when
a man cannot err about it. And there is no such evidence
in the world, unless you suppose all things else agreeable.
IV. The perception is called infallible, 1. Either ' quia
non falsa,' because it is not deceived : and so every man is
infallible in every thing which he truly perceiveth : 2, Or
because it cannot or will not err. And so absolute infalli-
bility is proper to God ; but ' secundum quid' in certain
cases, upon certain objects, with certain conditions, all
sound men's senses and intellects are infallible.
V. Certainty of evidence consisteth in such a position of
the thing evident, as maketh it an object perceptible to the
faculty perceiving; to which many conditions are required.
As, 1. That the thing itself have such intrinsic qualifica-
tions, as make it fit to be an object. 2. That it have the
due intrinsic conditions concomitant.
1. To the nature of an object of perception it is neces-
sary, 1. That it be a thing which in its nature is within the
reach of the perceiving faculty ; and not (as spirits are to
sense) so above us, or alien to us, as to be out of the orb of
our perception. 2. That they have a perceptible quantity,
magnitude or degree. 3. That, if it be an incomplex term
and object, and not an universal of the highest notion, it be
hoc aliquid,' and have its proper individuation. 4. That it
have some special distinct conformity to the distinct per-
ceiving faculty. In sum, that it be ' Ens, unum, verum, bo-
num, vel hisce contraria reductive et per accidens cognita.'
2. To the extrinsic conditions, it is necessary, l.That
the object have a due site or position. 2. And a due dis-
tance ; neither too near nor too far off. 3. And that it
have a due medium, fitted to it and the faculty. 4. And
that it have a due abode or stay, and be not like a bullet out
of a gun, imperceptible through the celerity of its motion.
VI. That the perception of sense be certain, it is neces-
36 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
sary, 1. That the organ be sound, in such a measure as that
no prevalent distemper undispose it. 2. That it be not op-
pressed by any disturbing adjunct. 3. That the sensitive
soul do operate on and by these organs ; for else its aliena-
tion will leave the organ useless : as some intense medita-
tions make us not hear the clock. 4. That it be the due
sense and organ which meeteth with the object ; as sounds
with the ear, light with the eye, &c, besides the aforesaid
necessaries.
VII. Common notiticc or principles are not so called, be-
cause men are born with the actual knowledge of them ; but
because they are truths, which man's mind is naturally so
disposed to receive as that upon the first exercises of sense
and reason, some of them are understood, without any other
human teacher.
VIII. Even self-evident principles are not equal, but
some of them are more, and some less evident ; and there-
fore some are sooner, and some later known. And some of
them are more commonly known than others.
IX. The self-evidence of these principles ariseth from
the very nature of the intellect which inclineth to truth, and
the nature of the will which essentially inclineth to good,
and the nature and posture of the objects, which are Truth
and Goodness in the most evident position, compared toge-
ther, or conjunct ; some call it instinct.
X. It is not necessary to the certainty of a principle,
that it be commonly known of all or most. For intellects
have great variety of capacities, excitation, helps, improve-
ments, and even principles have various degrees of evidence,
and appearances to men.
XI. Man's mind is so conscious of its own darkness and
imperfections, that it is distrustful of its own inferences,
unless they be very near and clear. When by a long series
of ergos any thing is far fetched, the mind is afraid there
may be some unperceived error.
XII. He therefore that holdeth a true principle as such,
and at once a false inference which contradicteth it, is to be
supposed to hold the principle first and fastest, and that if
he saw the contradiction he would let go the consequent,
and not the principle.
XIII. He that denieth the certainty of sense, imagina-
tion. ™d intellective perception of things sensed as such,
Chap. 4.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 37
doth make it impossible to have any certainty of science or
faith, about those same objects but by miracle. And there-
fore the Papists denying and renouncing all these (sense,
imagination and intellective perception,) when they say, that
there is no bread or wine in the Sacrament, do make their
pretended contrary faith impossible. For we are men before
we are Christians, and we have sense and intellects before^we
have faith, and as there is no Christianity but on supposition
of humanity, so there is no faith, but on supposition of sense
and understanding. How know you that here is no bread
and wine? Is it because Scripture or Councils say so? How
know you that; by hearing or reading? But how know you
that ever you did hear or read, or see a book or man ; by
sense or no way? If sense be infallible here, why not there?
You will say that sense may be fallible in one case, and not
in others. I answer, either you prove it infallible from na-
ture, even by sense and intellective perception of and by
sense, or else by supernatural revelation. If only by this
revelation, how know you that revelation ? How know you
that ever you heard, read or saw any thing which you call
revelation? If by a former revelation, I ask you the same
question ' in infinitum.' But if you know the certainty of
sense by sense and intellective perception, then where there
is the same evidence and perception, there is the same cer-
tainty. But here is as full evidence and perception as any
other object can have. 1. We see bread and wine. 2. We
taste it. 3. We smell the wine. 4. We hear it poured out.
5. We feel it. 6. We find the effects of it ; it refresheth
and nourisheth as other bread and wine. 7. It doth so by
any other creature as well as by man. 8. It corrupteth. 9. It
becometh true flesh and blood in us, and a part of our bo-
dies; even in the worst: yea, part of the body of a mouse
or dog. 10. It is possible for a mouse or dog to live only
upon consecrated bread and wine. Is his body then nothing
but Christ? 11. In all this perception the objects are not
rare, but commonly exhibited in all ages ; they have all the
conditions that other sensible, evident objects have, as to
sight, magnitude, distance, medium. 12. And it is not one
or two, but all men in the world of the soundest senses, who
sense} and perceive them to be bread and wine. So that
here isas full evidence as the words which you read or hear
can have to ascertain us.
38 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
Object. * But if God deny sense in this case and not in
others, we must believe sense in others and not in this.'
Aiaw . But again I ask you, How you know that God
biddeth or forbiddeth you any thing, if sense be not first to
be believed?
Object. ' But is it not possible for sense to be deceived?
Cannot God do it?'
Anstv. 1. It is possible for sense to be annihilated, and
made no sense ; and it is possible that the faculty, or organ,
or medium, or object be depraved, or want its due conditions,
and so to be deceived. But to retain all these due condi-
tions, and yet to be deceived is a contradiction ; for then it
is not the same thing ; it is not that which we call now for-
mally sense and intellect, or sensation and intellection.
And contradictions are not things for Omnipotency to be
tried about. God can make a man to be no intellectual
creature ; but thereby he maketh him no man : for to be a
man, and not intellectual, is a contradiction. And so it is
to be men, and yet to have no sense nor intellect, that can
truly perceive sensible objects as before qualified : therefore
they unman all the world, on pretext of asserting the power
of God.
2. But suppose that all sense be fallible, and intellection
of things sensible, yet it is the first and only entrance of all
things sensible into the mind or knowledge of man ; and
therefore we must take it as God hath given it us, for we can
have no surer: no sensible thing is in the intellect which
was not first in the eense. Whether my eyes and ears and
taste be fallible or not, I am sure I have no other way to
perceive their objects ; but by them I must take them and
use them as they are. All the words and definitions in the
world will not give any man without sensation, a true con-
ception of a sensible object.
3. Such absurd suppositions therefore are not to be
put, What if God should tell you by his Word, that all the
senses of all men are deceived, in one thing, or in all things ?
would you not believe him? It is not to be supposed that
God will give us all our senses and intellective perception
by them, to be our discerner of things sensible, and then
bid us not believe them, for they are false ; unless he told
us, that all our perceptions are false ; and our whole life is
but deceit. And I further answer, if God tell me so, it must
Chap. 4.J FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 39
be by some word or writing of man or angel, or himself;
and how should I know that word, but by my sense?
But the great answer which seemeth to satisfy Bellar-
mine and the rest, is, that sense is no judge of substances,
but of accidents only ; therefore it is not deceived.
But, 1. It is false, that sense perceiveth not substances :
It is not only colour, quantity, figure, which I see ; nor only
roughness and smoothness which I feel; nor only sweetness
which I taste ; but it is a coloured, extended, figured sub-
stance which I see ; a rough or smooth substance which I
feel, and a sweet substance which I taste : and if the acci-
dent were the only primary object, the substance is the
secondary and certain. Else no one ever saw a man, a tree,
a bird, a plant, the earth, a book, or any substance ; but
only the colour, quantity or figure of them. No man ever
felt or touched or felt a body, but only the accidents of it.
2. And I pray you, tell me how substances come to the
understanding, if they were never in the sense : prove a
substance without sensation as a medium, if you can. Do
you perceive any substances intellectually or not? If not,
why pretend you that there are any? If yea, it must be
either as conclusions, or as intellectual principles, (which
are both logical complex objects, and therefore not sub-
stances) or as the immediate immaterial objects of intellection
(which is only the soul's own acts), or what is by analogy
gathered from them ; or else the objects of sense itself. It
can be none of the former ; therefore it must be the latter :
and how can the understanding find that in sense which was
never there ?
If it be said that it is there but by accidents ; I answer, 1 .
That is false, though said by many : I do as immediately
touch substance as accidents, though not substance without
the accidents. 2. Whether it be there by the meditation of
the accidents, or immediately itself, we are sure that the un-
derstanding no otherwise receiveth it, than as the sense
transmitteth it; we must know material substance as it is
sensed, or not at all.
We see then what a pass this Roman religion bringeth
the world to. That they may be Christians, they must be-
lieve (and swear by the Trent oath) that they are not men ;
and that they may have faith, they must renounce their
senses, and that they may be sure God's word is true, (and
40 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
the church's decrees.) they must be sure that they are sure
of nothing ; and how then are they sure of that? And while
they subvert all the order of nature in the world, they pre-
tend that God can do it, and therefore we are to believe that
he doth it, merely because these doctors can call themselves
the Church, and then can so expound the Scripture. When it
is God's settled order in nature, that a man as an animal shall
have sense to perceive things sensibly by, and as a man shall
have understanding to receive from the imagination and
sense these objects, we must now suppose that God hath
quite overturned the course of nature, either by making sense
no sense, or the object no object, or the medium no fit me-
dium ; and yet this is to be believed by men that have no-
thing but the same senses to tell their understandings that
it is written or spoken, or that there is a man in the world.
Suppose we grant it to be no contradiction, and there-
fore a thing that God can do, no man can question but that
he must do it as a miracle, by altering and overturning na-
ture's course. And shall we feign, 1. Miracles to become
ordinary things, through all the churches in the world, and
every day in the week, or every hour to be done ? 2. And
miracles to be made a standing church ordinance ? 3. And
every one in the church, even all the wicked, and every
mouse that eateth the host, to be partaker of a miracle? 4.
Yea, that every such man and mouse, may all the week long
live on a continued miracle, while accidents without sub-
stance do nourish them, and turn to flesh and blood? 5.
And all this ordinary course of miracles to be wrought at
the will of every priest, be he never so ignorant or wicked a
man ? 6. And yet the same words spoken by the holiest of
the Protestant pastors will not do the miracle. 7. But if a
Papist priest should be unduly ordained, or forge his own
Orders, sobeit the church think him truly ordained, he can
do the miracle. All this must be believed.
And the plague of all is, all men must be burnt as here-
tics, or exterminated, that cannot believe all this, and dis-
believe their senses. And yet worse, all temporal lords must
be dispossessed of their dominions, who will suffer any such
to live therein, and not exterminate them.
An epicure and a sensual infidel, who think man is but of
the same species of brutes, do but unman us, and leave us
the honour of being animals or brutes. But the Papists do
Chap. 4.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 41
not leave us this much, but must reduce us to a lower order,
and teach us to deny our sense itself; and torment and kill
them that will not do it.
And what is it that must persuade us to all this? Why
merely a ' hoc est corpus meum,' as expounded by the
Councils of Lateran and Trent. And is not David's " I am
a worm and no man," (Psal. xxii. 6,) as plain ; yea, and
that in a prophecy of Christ ? Must we believe therefore
that neither David nor Christ was a man, but a worm? Is
not " I am the Vine, and ye are the branches," (John xv. 1,
2,) as plain? Must sense be renounced and ordinary mira-
cles believed for such words as these?
And doth not Paul call it bread (1. Cor. xi.) after conse-
cration three times in the three next verses ? And is not he
as good an expositor of Christ's words as the Council of
Trent ?
And when did God work miracles which were mere ob-
jects of belief against sense? Miracles were done as sensi-
ble things, thereby to confirm faith, and that which no
sense perceived was not taken for a miracle.
To conclude, when the apostle saith, that "flesh and
blood cannot enter into the kingdom of God," (plainly
speaking of them formally as now called, and not as they
signify sin,) and consequently that Christ's body is now
in heaven a spiritual body, and not formally flesh and blood,
yet must the bread and wine be turned into his flesh and
blood on earth, when he hath none in heaven?
And by their doctrine no baker nor vintner is secured,
but that a priest may come into his shop or cellar, and turn
all the bread and wine in it, into Christ's body and blood :
yea, the whole city or garrison may thus be deprived of their
bread and wine, if the priest intend it ; and yet it shall not
be so in the Sacrament itself, if the priest intend it not.
But I have staid too long in this.
XIV. Next to the act of cogitation and volitation itself,
and to the most certain objects of sense, there is nothing in
all the world so certain, that is, so evident to the intellect,
as the being of God : he being that to the mind which the
sun is to the eye, most certainly known, though little of him
be known, and no creature comprehend him.
XV. That God is true, is part of our knowing him to be
perfect, and to be God ; and therefore is most certain.
42 KNOWLKDGK AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
XVI. That man is made by God and for God ; that we
owe him all our love, obedience and praise, that we have all
from him, and should please him in the use of all, with
many such like, are ' notitiae communes,' certain verities,
received by nature, some as principles, and some as such
evident conclusions as are not to be doubted of.
XVII. That the Scripture is the word of God, is a cer-
tain truth, not sensible, nor a natural principle ; but an
evident conclusion drawn from that seal or testimony of the
Spirit, antecedent, concomitant, impressed and consequent ;
which I have often opened in other treatises.
XVIII. That the Scripture is true, is a certain conclu-
sion drawn from the two last-mentioned premises, viz. That
God is true, ' verax,' and that the Scripture is his word.
XIX. Those doctrines or sayings which are parts of
Scripture evidently perceived so to be by sense and intel-
lective perception, are known to be true, by the same cer-
tainty as the Scripture in general is known to be true.
XX. To conclude then, there are two sorts of certain
verities in Theology. 1. Natural principles with their cer-
tain consequents. 2. Scripture in general, with all those
assertions which are certainly known to be parts. And
all the rest are to be numbered with uncertainties, except
prophetical certainty of inspiration, which I pass by.
CHAP. V.
IV. Of the several Degrees of Certainty.
1. As certainty is taken for truth of being, it admitteth of
no degrees : all that is true, is equally true.
2. But certainty of evidence hath various degrees : none
doubteth but there are various degrees of evidence : all the
doubt is whether any but the highest may be called cer-
tainty.
And here let the reader first remember that the question
is but ' de nomine,' of the name, and not the thing. And
next, the evidence is called certain, because it is certifying
aptitudinally. It is apt to certify us.
3. And then the question will be devolved to subjective
Chap. 5.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 43
certainty, whether it have various degrees. For if it have
so, then the evidence must be said to have so, because it is
denominated respectively from the apprehensive certainty.
And here ' de re' it must be taken as agreed, 1. That
certainty is a certain degree of apprehension. 2. That there
are various degrees of apprehension. 3. That no man on
earth hath a perfect intellectual apprehension, at least, of
things moral and spiritual ; for his apprehension, may be
still increased, and those in heaven have more perfect than we.
4. That there are some degrees so low and doubtful, as
are not fit to be called certainty.
5. That even these lowest degrees with the greatest
doubting, are yet often true apprehensions ; and whenever
they are true they are infallible, that is, not deceived : there-
fore this infallibility, which is but, not to be deceived, is
indeed one sort of certainty, which is so denominated rela-
tively from the natural truth or certainty of the object ; but
it is not this sort of certainty which we inquire after.
6. Therefore it followeth that this subjective certainty,
containeth this infallible truth of perception, and addeth a
degree which consisteth in the satisfaction of the mind.
7. But if the mind should be never so confident and sa-
tisfied of a falsehood, this deserveth not the name of cer-
tainty, because it includeth not truth. For it is a certain
perception of truth which we speak of; and confident err-
ing is not certainty of the truth.
8. As therefore the degrees of doubting are variously
overcome, so there must needs be various degrees of cer-
tainty.
9. When doubting is so far overcome, as that the mind
doth find rest and satisfaction in the truth, it may be called
certainty. But when doubting is either prevalent, and so
troublesome as to leave us wavering, it is not called cer-
tainty.
10. It is not the forgetting or neglect of a difficulty or
doubt, nor yet the will's rejecting it, which is properly call-
ed certainty. This quieteth the mind indeed, but not by
the way of ascertaining evidence. Therefore ignorant peo-
ple that stumble upon a truth by chance with confidence,
are not therefore certain of it. And those that take it upon
trust from a priest or their parents, or good people's opinion,
are not therefore certain of it. Nor they that say as some
44 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
Papists, ' Faith hath not evidence, but is a voluntary recep-
tion of the Church's testimony, and meritorious, because it
hath not evidence ; therefore though I see no cogent evi-
dence, I will believe, because it is my duty.' Whether this
man's faith may be saving or no, I will not now dispute ;
but certainly it is no certainty of apprehension. He is not
certain of what he so believeth. This is but to cast away
the doubt or difficulty, and not at all by certainty to over-
come it.
11. When a man hath attained a satisfying degree of
perception, he is capable still of clearer perception. Even
as when in the heating of water, after all the sensible cold is
gone, the water may grow hotter and hotter still. So after
all sensible doubting is gone, the perception may grow
clearer still.
12. But still the objective certainty is the same ; that is,
there is that evidence in the object which is ' in suo genere'
sufficient to notify the thing to a prepared mind.
13. But this sufficiency is a respective proportion; and
therefore, as it respecteth man's mind in common, it sup-
poseth that by due means and helps, and industry, the mind
may be brought certainly to discern this evidence. But if
you denominate the sufficiency of the evidence, from its re-
spect to the present disposition of men's minds, so it is al-
most as various as men's minds are. For ' recipitur ad mo-
dura recipientis ;' and that is a certifying, sufficient evidence
of truth, to one man, which to a thousand others is not so
much as an evidence of probability. Therefore mediate
and immediate sufficiency and certainty of evidence, must
be distinguished.
From all this I may infer, 1. That though God be the
original and end of all verities, and is ever the first ' in ordine
essendi et efficiendi,' and so ' a Jove princapium, in methodo
synthetica ;' yet he is not the 'primum notum,' the first
known, ' in ordine cognoscendi,' nor the beginning ' in me-
thodo inquisitiva' (though in such analytical methods as be-
gin at the ultimate end, he is also the first). Though all
truth and evidence be from God, yet two things are more
evident to man than God is, and but two : viz. The present
objects of sense ; and our own internal acts, of intellective
cogitation and volition. And these being supposed, the
being of God is the third evident certainty in the world.
Chap. 5.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 45
2. If it be no disparagement to God himself, that he is
less certainly known of us, than sensibles, and our internal
acts, ' de esse,' it is then no disparagement to the Scripture,
and supernatural truths, that they are less certainly known ;
seeing they have not so clear evidence as the being of God
hath.
3. The certainty of the Scripture truths is mixed of al-
most all other kinds of certainty conjunct. 1. By sense and
intellective perception of things sensed, the hearers and
seers of Christ and his apostles, knew the words and mira-
cles. 2. By the same sense we know what is written in the
Bible, and in Church History concerning it, and the attest-
ing matters of fact ; and also what our teachers say of it.
3. By certain intellectual inference I know that this history
of the words and fact is true. 4. By intellection of a na-
tural principle I know that God is true. 5. By inference I
know that all his word is true. 6. By sense I know (intel-
lectually receiving it by sense) that this or that is written
in the Bible, and part of that Word. 7. By further inference
therefore I know that it is true. 8. By intuitive knowledge,
I am certain that I have the love of God, and heavenly de-
sires, and a love of holiness, and hatred of sin, &c. 9. By*
certain inference I know that this is the special work of the
Spirit of Christ by his Gospel doctrine. 10. By experience
I find the predictions of this Word fulfilled. 11. Lastly,
By inspiration the prophets and apostles knew it to be of
God. And our certain belief ariseth from divers of these,
and not from any one alone.
4. There are two extremes here to be avoided, and both
held by some, not seeing how they contradict themselves.
I. Of them that say that faith hath no evidence, but the
merit of it lieth in that we believe without evidence. Those
that understand what they say, when they use these words,
mean that things evident to sense, as such, that is, incom-
plex sensible objects are not the objects of faith, "We live
by faith and not by sight." God is not visible : heaven
and its glory, angels and perfected spirits are not visible.
Future events, Christ's coming, the resurrection, judgment,
are not yet visible : it doth not yet appear (that is, to sense)
what we shall be : our life is hid (from our own and others'
senses) with Christ in God. We see not Christ when we
rejoice in him with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.
46 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
(1 Pet. i. 8.) Thus faith is the evidence of things not seen,
or evident to sight. (Heb. xi. 1.) But ignorant persons have
turned all to another sense; as if the objects of faith had
no ascertaining intellectual evidence : when as it is impos-
sible for man's mind to understand and believe any thing
to be true, without perceiving evidence of its truth ; as it is
for the eye to see without light. As Richard Hooker saith
in his Ecclesiastical Polity, ' Let men say what they will,
men can truly believe no further than they perceive evidence.'
It is a natural impossibility; for evidence is nothing but the
perceptibility of the truth : and can we perceive that which
is not perceptible ?
It is true, that evidence from Divine revelation is often
without any evidence ' ex natura rei :' but it may be never-
theless a fuller and more satisfying evidence.
Some say there is evidence of credibility, but not of cer-
tainty. Not of natural certainty indeed. But in Divine re-
velations (though not in human) evidence of credibility is evi-
dence of certainty, because we are certain that God cannot lie.
And to say, I will believe, though without evidence of
truth, is a contradiction or hypocritical self-deceit; for
your will believeth not : and your understanding receivelh
no truth but upon evidence that it is truth. It acteth of it-
self ' per modum naturae,' necessarily further than it is ' sub
imperio voluntatis ;' and the will ruleth it not despotically ;
nor at all ' quoad specificationem,' but only ' quoad exerci-
tium.' All therefore that your will can do (which maketh
faith a moral virtue), is to be free from those vicious habits
and acts in itself which may hinder faith, and to have those
holy dispositions and acts in itself which may help the un-
derstanding to do its proper office, which is to believe evi-
dent truth on the testimony of the revealer, because his tes-
timony is sufficient evidence. The true meaning of a good
Christian, when he saith I will believe, is, I am truly willing
to believe, and a perverse will shall not hinder me, and I
will not think of suggestions to the contrary. But the
meaning of the formal hypocrite when he saith, I will believe,
is, I will cast away all doubtful thoughts out of my mind,
and I will be as careless as if I did believe, or I will believe
the priest or my party, and call it a believing God. Evidence
is an essentiating part of the intellect's act. As there is no
act without an object, so there is no object * sub formali
Chap. 6.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 47
ratione objecti,' without evidence. Even as there is no
sight but of an illustrated object, that is, a visible object.
II. The other extreme (of some of the same men) is, that
yet faith is not true and certain if it have any doubtfulness
with it. Strange ! that these men can only see what is in-
visible ; believe what is inevident as to its truth, that is, in-
credible, but also believe past all doubting, and think that
the weakest true believer doth so too ! Certainly there are
various degrees of faith in the sincere : all have not the
same strength ! Christ rebuketh Peter in his fears, and his
disciples all at other times, for their little faith. " When
Peter's faith failed not, it staggered, which Abraham's did
not : " Lord, increase our faith," and" Lord, I believe, help
my unbelief," were prayers approved by Christ, I will call
a prevalent belief which can lay down life and all this world
for Christ and the hopes of heaven, by the name of certainty,
which hath various degrees. But if they differ ' de nomine/
and will call nothing certainty but the highest degree, they
must needs yet grant that there is true, saving faith, that
reacheth to no certainty in their sense. Yea, no man on
earth then attaineth to such a certainty, because that every
man's faith is imperfect.
To conclude. Though all Scripture in itself (that is in-
deed the true canon) be equally true, yet all is not equally
certain to us, as not having equal evidence that it is God's
word. But of that in the next Chapter of the Uncertainties.
CHAP. VI.
V. What are the unknoion Things, and Uncertainties which v)e
must not pretend a certain knowledge of.
Somewhat of this is said already, Chap. iii. But I am here
to come to more particular instances of it. But because
that an enumeration would be a great volume of itself, I
shall begin with the more general, that I may be excused in
most of the rest ; or mention only some particulars under
them as we go.
I. A very great, if not the far greatest part of that part
of philosophy called Physics, is uncertain (or certainly false)
as it is delivered to us in any methodist that I have yet seen ;
48 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I»
whether Platonists, Peripatetics, Epicureans, (the Stoics
have little, but what Seneca gives us, and Barlaam collecteth,
I know not whence, as making up their ethics, and what in
three or four ethical writers is also brought in on the by,
and what Cicero reporteth of them) or in our novelists, Pa-
tricius, Telesius, Campanella, Thomas White, Digby, Car-
tesius, Gassendus, &c, except those whose modesty causeth
them to say but little, and to avoid the uncertainties ; or
confess them to be uncertainties. To enumerate instances
would be an unseasonable digression. Gassendus is large
in his confessions of uncertainties. I think not his brother
Hobbes, and his second Spinosa worth the naming. Nor
the Paracelsians and Helmontians as giving us a new phi-
losophy, but only as adding to the old. There needs no
other testimony of uncertainty to a man that hath not stu-
died the points himself, than their lamentable difference,
and confutation of each other, in so many things, even in
the great principles of the science.
Yet here no doubt, there are certainties, innumerable cer-
tainties, such as I have before described. We know some-
thing certainly of many things, even of all sensible objects.
But we know nothing perfectly and comprehensively ; not
a worm, not a leaf, not a stone, or a sand, not the pen, ink
or paper which we write with ; not the hand that writeth,
nor the smallest particle of our bodies ; not a hair, or the
least accident. In every thing nearest us, or in the world,
the uncertainties and ' incognita' are far more than that
which we certainly know.
II. If I should enumerate to you the many uncertainties
in our common metaphysics, (yea, about the being of the
science) and our common logic, &c, it would seem unsuit-
able to a theological discourse. And yet it would not be
unuseful, among such theologians as the schoolmen, who
resolve more of their doubts by Aristotle than by the Holy
Scriptures ; doubtless, as Aristotle's predicaments are not
fitted to the kinds of beings, so many of his distributions
and orders, yea, and precepts are arbitrary. And as he left
room and reason for the dissent of such as Taurellus, Car-
penter, Jacchseus, Gorlaeus, Ritchel, and abundance more,
so have they also for men's dissent from them. Even Ra-
mus hath more adversaries than followers. Gassendus goeth
the right way, by suiting ' verba rebus,' if he had hit righter
Chap. 6\] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 40
on the nature of things themselves. Most novel philoso-
phers are fain to make new grammars and new logics, for
words and notions, to fit their new conceptions, as Campa-
nella, and the Paracelsians, Helmontians, (and if you will
name the Behmenists, Rosicrucians, Weigelians, Sec.) Lullius
thought he made the most accurate art of notions ; and he
did indeed attempt to fit words to things : but he hath
missed of a true accomplishment of his design, for want of
a true method of physics in his mind, to fit his words to.
As Cornelius Agrippa, who is one of his chief commenta-
tors, yet freely confesseth in his " lib. de Vanitate Scientia-
rum," which now I think of, I will say no more of this, but
desire the reader to peruse that laudable book, and with it to
read Sanchez's " Nihil Scitur," to see uncertainty detected,
so he will not be led by it too far into scepticism. As also
Mr. Glanvile's " Scepsis Scientifica."
As for the lamentable uncertainties in medicine, the poor
world payeth for it. Anatomy as being by ocular inspec-
tion hath had the best improvement ; and yet what a multi-
tude of uncertainties remain ! Many thousand years have
millions yearly died of fevers, and the medicating them is a
great part of the physician's work ; and yet I know not that
ever I knew the man that certainly knew what a fever is.
I crave the pardon of the masters of this noble art for say-
ing it ; it is by dear experience that I have learned how little
physicians know ; having passed through the trial of above
thirty of them on my own body long ago ; merely induced
by a conceit that they knew more than they did; and most
that I got was but the ruin of my own body, and this ad-
vice to leave to others -.—Highly value those few excellent men,
who have quick and deep conjecturing apprehensions, great read-
ing and greater experience, and sober, careful, deliberating minds,
that had rather do too little than too much : but use them in
a due conjunction with your oivn experience of yourself But
for the rest, how learned soever, whose heads are dull, or temper
precipitant, or apprehensions hasty or superficial, or readino-
small, especially that are young, or of small experience, love
and honour them, but use them as little as you can, and that
only as you will use an honest, ignorant divine, whom you
d See a book written long since this, called " the Samaritan," of excellent use,
by Mr. Jones of Suffolk.
VOL. XV. r
50 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
will gladly hear upon the certain catechistical principles,
but love not to hear him meddle with controversies. So
use these men in common, easy cases, if necessary, and yet
there the less the better, lest they hinder nature that would
cure the disease. If you dislike my counsel, you may be
shortly past blaming it ; for though their successes have
tongues, their miscarriages are mostly silent in the grave.
O how much goeth to make an able physician ! but enough
of such instances.
III. But though errors in politics the world payeth yet
much dearer for, I must not be too bold in talking here.
But I will confess that here the uncertainties are almost all
in the applicatory part, and through the incapacity of the
minds of men : for the truth is, the main principles of po-
licy are part of the Divine law, and of true morality, and in
themselves are plain, and of a satisfying certainty, could
you but get men's heads and hearts into a fitness duly to
consider and receive them.
IV. But to come nearer to our own profession, there is
much uncertainty in those theological conclusions, which
are built on such premises, where any one of these physical,
metaphysical, or logical uncertainties are a part; yea, though
it be couched in the narrowest room, even in one ambiguous
term of art, and scarcely discerned by any but accurate ob-
servers. With great pomp and confidence many proceed to
their ergos, when the detection of the fraud not only of an
uncertain medium, but of one ambiguous syllable, will mar
all. And the conclusion can be no stronger or surer, than
the more weak and doubtful of the premises.
V. When the subject is of small and abstruse parts, far
from the principles and fundamentals of the matter, usually
the conclusions are uncertain. Nature in all matters be-
ginneth with some few great and master parts, like the great
boughs or limbs of the tree, or the great trunks and master
vessels in our bodies ; and from thence spring branches,
which are innumerable and small : and it is so in all sciences,
and in theology itself. The great, essential and chief inte-
gral parts are few, and easily discerned : but two grand im-
pediments hinder us from a certain knowledge in the rest :
one is the great number of particles, where the understand-
ing is lost, and, as they say, seeketh a needle in a bottle of
Chap. 6\] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 51
hay, or a leaf in a wood ; and the other is the littleness of
the thing, which maketh it undiscernible to any but accu-
rate and studious minds. And therefore how much soever
men that trade in little things, may boast of the sublimity
of them, and their own subtlety, their perceptions usually
are accompanied with uncertainty ; though in some cases
an uncertain knowledge, known to be so, is better than
none.
VI. Yea, though the matters themselves may be more
bulky, yet if in knowing and proving them, we must go
through a great number of syllogisms and inferences,
usually the conclusion is very uncertain to us, whatever it
may be to an extraordinary accurate and prepared mind.
For 1. We shall be still jealous (or may be) lest so many
terms and mediums, some of them should be fallacious and
insufficient, and weaken all. And we are so conscious of
our own weakness, and liability to forget, oversee or be
mistaken, that we shall or may still fear lest we have missed
it, and be overseen in something, in so long a course and
series of arguings.
VII. Those parts of history which depend merely on the
credit of men's wisdom and honesty, and are so merely of
human faith, must needs be uncertain. For the conclusion
can be no surer than the premises. All men as such are
liars, that is, untrusty, or such as possibly may deceive. 1.
They may be deceived themselves. 2. And they may de-
ceive others where they are not themselves deceived.
Every man hath some passion, some ignorance, some error,
some selfish interest, and some vice. This age, if we never
had known another instance, is a sad proof of this, that tears
are fitter than words to express it. Most confident re-
porters totally differ about the most notorious matters of
fact. I must not name them, but 1 pity strangers and
posterity. If it come especially to the characterising of
others, how ordinarily do men speak as they are affected?
And they are affected as self-interest and passion leadeth
them ; with Cochlreus, Bolseck, and such others, what
villains were Luther, Zuinglius, Calvin, &c. with their
most faithful acquaintance ; what good and holy men,
saving Luther's animosity ! If the Inquisitors torment
Protestants, or burn them, is it not necessary that they
call them by such odious names as may justify their fact?
52 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
If they banish and silence faithful, holy, able ministers,
they must accuse them of some villanies which may make
them seem worthy of the punishment and unworthy to
preach the Gospel of Christ! What different characters
did Constantius and Valens, and their party on one side,
and Athanasius, and the Orthodox on the other side, give
of one another ! What different characters were given of
Chrysostom ! How differently do Hunnerichus and Genseri-
cus on one side, and Victor Uticensis, and other historians
on the other side, describe the bishops and Christians of
Africa that then suffered ! They were traitors and rebels,
and rogues, and enemies to the king, and heretics to Hunne-
richus : but to others, they were holy, blameless men ; and
those were tyrants and heretics that persecuted them. What
difference between the histories of the orthodox, and that
of Philostorgius, and Sondius ! What different characters
do Eusebius and Eunapius give of Constantine ! And Euna-
pius and Hilary, See. give of Julian. What different charac-
ters are given of Hildebrand on one side, and of the emperors
Henrys on the other side, by the many historians who fol-
lowed the several parts ! How false must a great number
of the historians on one side be ! I know that this doth not
make all human faith and history useless : it hath its degree
of credibility answerable to its use. And a wise man may
much conjecture whom to believe. 1. A man that (like
Thuanus) sheweth modesty and impartiality, even towards
Dissenters. 2. A man that had no notable interest to bias
him. 3. A man that manifesteth other ways true honesty
and conscience. 4. Supposing that he was himself upon
the place, and a competent witness.
But there is little or no credit to be given, 1. To a fac-
tious, furious railer. 2. To one that was a flatterer of great
men, or depended on them for preferment, or lived in fear of
speaking the truth, or that speaketh for the interest of his
riches and honour in the world ; or for his engaged personal
reputation, or that hath espoused the interest of a sector
faction. 3. There is little credit to be given to any knave
and wicked man. He that dare be drunk, and swear, and
curse, and be a fornicator or covetous worldling, dare lie for
his own ends. 4. Nor to the most honest man that taketh
things by rumours, hearsay and uncertain reports, and
knoweth not the things themselves.
Chap. 6.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 53
But how shall strangers and posterity know when they
read a history, whether the writer was an honest man or a
knave ; a man of credit, or an impudent liar? Both may be
equal in confident asserting, and in the plausibility of the
narrative. Mere human belief therefore must be uncertain.
From whence we see the pitiful case of the subjects of
the King of Rome (for so I must rather call him than a
bishop). Why doth a layman believe transubstantiation,
or any other article of their faith ? Because the Church saith
it is God's word. What is the Church that saith so ? It is
a faction of the Pope, perhaps at Lateran, or forty of his
prelates at the Conventicle of Trent. How doth he know
that these men do not lie? Because God promised that
Peter's faith should not fail, and the gates of hell should
not prevail against the church ; and the spirit should lead
the apostles into all truth. But how shall he know that
this Scripture is God's word? And also that it was not a
total failing, rather than a failing in some degree, that Peter
was by that promise freed from ? Or that the Spirit was
promised to these prelates which was promised to the
apostles? Why, because these prelates say so ! And how
know they that they say true? Why, from Scripture, as
before.
But let all the rest go. How knoweth the layman that
ever the Church made such a decree ? That ever the bishops
of that council were lawfully called ? That they truly repre-
sented all Christ's Church on earth ? That this or that
doctrine is the decree of a Council, or the sense of the
Church indeed ? Why, because the priest tells him so*
But how knoweth he that this priest saith true, or a few
more that the man speaketh with? there I leave you: I
can answer no further; but must leave the credit of Scrip-
ture, council, and each particular doctrine, on the credit of
that poor single priest, or the few that are his companions.
The layman knoweth it no otherwise.
Quest. ' But is not the Scripture itself then shaken by
this, seeing the history of the canon and incorruption of
the books, &c, dependeth on the word of man?'
Answ. No; 1. I have elsewhere fully shewed how the
Spirit hath sealed the substance of the Gospel. 2. And
even the matters of fact are not of mere human faith ; for
mere human faith depends on the mere honesty of the
54 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part 1.
reporter : but this historical faith depeiideth partly on God's
attestation, and partly on natural proofs. 1. God did by
miracles attest the reports of the apostles and first Churches.
2. The consent of all history since, that these are the same
writings which the apostles wrote, hath a natural evidence
above bare human faith. For I have elsewhere shewed,
that there is a concurrence of human report, or a consent of
history, which amounteth to a true natural evidence, the
will having its nature and some necessary acts, and nothing"
but necessary ascertaining causes, could cause such con-
currence. Such evidence we have that King James, Queen
Elizabeth, Queen Mary, lived in England : that our statute-
books contain the true laws, which those Kings and Parlia-
ments made whom they are ascribed to. For they could
not possibly rule the land, and overrule all men's interests,
and be pleaded at the bar, &c, without contradiction and
detection of the fraud, if they were forgeries : (though it is
possible that some words in a statute-book may be mis-
printed.) There is in this a physical certainty in the con-
sent of men, and it depends not as human faith, upon the
honesty of the reporter ; but knaves and liars, have so
consented, whose interests and occasions are cross, and so
is it in the case of the history of the Scripture-books :
which were read in all the* churches through the world,
every Lord's-day ; and contenders of various opinion, took
their salvation to be concerned in them.
VIII. Those things must needs be uncertain to any man,
as to a particular faith or knowledge, which are more in
number than he may possibly have a distinct understanding
of; or can examine their evidence whether they be certain
or not. For instance, the Roman Faith containeth all the
doctrinal decrees, and their religion also all the practical
decrees of all the approved General Councils, that is, of so
much as pleased the Pope, such power hath he to make his
own religion. But these General Councils, added to all the
Bible, with all the Apocrypha, are so large, that it is not
possible for most men to know what is in them. So that if
the question be whether this or that doctrine be the word
of God, and the proof of the affirmative is, because it is
decreed by a General Council, this must be uncertain to
almost all men, who cannot tell whether it be so decreed
or no : few priests themselves knowing all that is in those
Chap. 6.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 55
Councils. So that if they knew that all that is in the
Councils is God's word, they know never the more whether
this or that doctrine, e. g. the immaculate conception of the
Virgin Mary, &c. be the word of God. And if a heathen
knew that all that is in the Bible is the word of God, and
knew not a word what is in it, would this make him a
Christian, or saint him?
You may object, ' That most Protestants also know not
all that is in the Scripture.' Ans. True ; nor any one. And
therefore Protestants say not that all that is in the Scripture
is necessary to be known to salvation ; but they take their
religion to have essential parts, and integral parts and
accidents ; and so they know how far each is necessary.
But the Papists deride this distinction, and because all
truths are equally true, they would make men believe that
all are equally fundamental, or essential to Christianity.
But this is only when they dispute against us ; at other
times they say otherwise themselves, when some other
interest leads to it, and so cureth this impudency.
It were worthy the inquiry, whether a Papist take all
the Bible to be God's word, and ' de fide,' or only so much
of it as is contained particularly in the decrees of Councils 1
If the latter, then none of the Scripture was ' de fide,' or to
be particularly believed for above three hundred years,
before the Council of Nice. If the former, then is it as
necessary to salvation to know how old Enoch was, as to
know that Jesus Christ is our Saviour !
IX. Those things must needs be uncertain, which depend
upon such a number of various circumstances as cannot be
certainly known themselves. For instance, the common
rule by which the Popish doctors do determine what parti-
cular knowledge and faith are necessary to salvation, is
that ' so many truths are necessary as are sufficiently pro-
pounded to that person to be known and believed.' But
no man living, learned nor unlearned, can tell what is
necessary to the sufficiency of this proposal. Whether it
be sufficient, if he be told it in his childhood only, and at
what age? or if he be told it but once, or twice, or thrice,
or how often? Whether by a parent or layman that cannot
tell him what is in the Councils ? Or by a priest that never
read the Councils? And whether the variety of natural capa-
cities, bodily temperaments, education and course of life
5t> KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
before, do not make as great variety of proportions to be
necessary to the sufficiency of this proposal? And what
mortal man can truly take the measure of them ? And how
can any man be certain what those points are which are
necessary for him to believe?
X. Those things are uncertain which depend upon an
uncertain author or authority. For instance, the Roman
faith dependeth on the exposition of the Scriptures by the
consent of the Fathers, and on the tradition of the Church,
and the decrees of an authorised Council. And here is in
all this, little but uncertainties.
1. It is utterly uncertain, who are to be taken for Fathers,
and who not. Whether Origen, Tatianus, Arnobius, Lac-
tantius, Tertullian, and many such, be Fathers or not. Whe-
ther such a man asTheophilus Alexandrinus, or Chrysostom
was the Father, when they condemned each other. Whether
such as are justly suspected of heresy, (as Eusebius) or
such as the Romanists have cast suspicions on (as Lucifer
Calaritanus called a heretic, Socrates, Sozomens, falsely
called Navatians, Hilary, Arelatensis condemned by the
Pope Leo, and Claud. Turonens. Rupertus Tuitiens. and
such others). When the ancients renounced each others'
communion, (as Martin did by Ithacius and Idacius and
their Synod,) when they describe one another as stark
knaves, as Socrates doth Theophil. Alexandrin. and Sulpi-
tius Severus, doth Ithacius, which of them were the Fathers.
2. How shall we know certainly which are the true un-
corrupted writings of these Fathers among so many forgeries
and spurious scripts?
3. How shall it be known what exposition the Fathers
consented on, when not one of a multitude, and but few in
all have commented on any considerable parts of the Scrip-
ture, and those few so much often differ ?
4. When in the doctrine of the Trinity itself, Petavius
largely proveth that most of the writers of the three first
centuries after the apostles were unsound, and others con-
fess the same about the Millennium, the corporeity of an-
gels, and of the soul, and divers other things ; doth their
consent bind us to believe them? If not, how shall we
know in what to believe their consent, according to this rule ?
2. And as to the Church, they are utterly disagreed among
themselves, what that Church is which hath this authority.
Chap. 6.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 57
I. Whether the Pope alone. 2. Or the Pope with a Pro-
vincial Council. 3. Or the Pope with a General Council*
4. Or a General Council without the Pope. 5. Or the uni-
versality of pastors. 6. Or the universality of the people
with them.
3. And for a Council. 1. There is no certainty what
number of bishops, and what consent of the comprovincial
clergy is necessary to make them the true representatives
of any church. 2. And more uncertain in what Council the
bishops had such consent. 3. And uncertain whether the
Pope's approbation be necessary. (The great Councils of
Constance and Basil determining the contrary.) 4. And
uncertain which were truly approved. 5. And most certain
that there never was any General Council in the world (un-
less you will call the Apostles a General Council) but only
General Councils of the clergy of one empire, with now and
then a straggling neighbour, even as we have general
assemblies and convocations in this kingdom. And who
can be certain of that faith which dependeth upon all, or
any of these uncertainties ?
XL That must needs be an uncertainty which dependeth
on the unknown thoughts of another man. For instance,
with the Papists, the priest's intention, which is the secret
of his heart, is necessary to the being of baptism, and tran-
substantiation. And so no man can be certain whether he
or any other man be baptized or not. Nor whether it be
bread or Christ's body which he eateth. We confess that
it is necessary to the being of a sacrament, that the minister
do seem or profess to intend it as a sacrament; but if the
reality of his intent be necessary to the being of it, no
man can be certain that he ever had a sacrament.
XII. It is a hard thing to be certain on either side, in
those controversies which have multitudes, and in a manner
equal strength of learned, judicious, well-studied, godly,
impartial men for each part. I deny not but one clear-
headed man may be certain of that which a multitude are
uncertain of, and oppose him in. But it must not be
ordinary men, but some rare illuminated person, that must
get above a probability, unto a certainty, of that which such
a company as aforesaid are of a contrary mind in.
XIII. There is great uncertainty in matters of private
impulse. When a man hath nothing to prove a thing to be
58 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
God's will, but an inward persuasion or impulse in his own
breast ; let it never so vehemently incline him to think it
true, it is hard to be sure of it. For we know not how far
Satan, or our own distempered fantasies may go. And
most by far that pretend to this, do prove deceived. That
which must be certain, must be somewhat equal to prophe-
tical inspiration ; which indeed is its own evidence : but
what that is, no man can formally conceive but he that hath
had it. Therefore we are bid to " try the spirits."
XIV. It is a hard thing to gather certainties of doc-
trinal conclusion from God's providences alone. Providential
changes have their great use, as they are the fulfilling or ex-
ecution of the Word ; but they that will take them instead
of the Scripture, do usually run into such mistakes, as are
rectified to their cost, by some contrary work of Providence
ere long : these times have fully taught us this.
XV. It is hard to gather doctrinal certainties from godly
men's experience alone. Even our experimental philoso-
phers and physicians find, that an experiment that hits often-
times, quite misseth afterwards on other subjects, and they
know not why. A course of effects, may often come from
unknown causes. And it is no rare thing for the common
prejudices, self-conceitedness, or corruption of the weaker
and greater number of good people, which needeth great re-
pentance and a cure, to be mistaken, for the ' communis
sensus lidelium,' the inclination and experience of the godly ;
especially when consent or the honour of their leaders or
themselves hath engaged them in it. In my time, the com-
mon sense of the strictest sort was against long hair, and
taking tobacco, and other such things, which now their
common practice is for. In one country the common con-
sent of the strictest party is for Arminianism : in another
they are zealously against it. In Poland, where the Soci-
nians are for sitting at the sacrament, the godly are gene-
rally against it ; in other places they are for it. In Poland
and Bohemia, where they had holy, humble, persuading
bishops, the generality of the godly were for that Episco-
pacy, as were all the ancient Churches, even the Novatians ;
but in other places it is otherwise. So that it is hard to be
certain of truth or error, good or evil, by the mere consent,
opinion, or experience of any.
XVI. But the last and great instance is, that in the holy
Chap. 6.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 59
Scriptures themselves, there is a great inequality in point of
certainty, yea, many parts of them have great uncertainty ;
even these that follow :
I. Many hundred texts are uncertain, through various
readings in several copies of the original. I will not multi-
ply them on Capellus's opinion ; though Claud. Saravius,
who got the book printed, and other worthy men approve it.
I had rather there were fewer varieties, and therefore had
rather think there are fewer; but these that cannot be de-
nied must not be denied : nor do I think it fit to gather the
discrepancies of every odd copy, and call them various read-
ings. But it is past denial, that the world hath no one an-
cient copy which must be the rule or test of all the rest, and
that very many copies are of such equal credit, as that no
man living can say that this, and not that where they differ,
hath the very words of the Holy Ghost. And that even in the
New Testament alone, the differences or various readings,
of which no man is able to say which is the right, are so
great a number as I am not willing to give every reader an
account of; even those that are gathered by Stephanus and.
Junius, and Brugensis, and Beza ; if you leave out all the
rest in the Appendix to the Polyglot Bible. In all or most
of which we are utterly uncertain which reading is God's
Word.
II. There are many hundred words in the Scripture that
are ambiguous, signifying more things than one ; and the
context in a multitude of places determineth not the proper
sense ; so that you may with equal authority translate them,
either thus or thus: the margin of your Bibles giveth you no
small number of them. It must needs here be uncertain
which of them is the Word of God.
III. There are many hundred texts of Scripture, where
the phrase is general, and may be applied to more particu-
lars than one : in some places the several particulars must
be taken as included in the general. (And where there is
no necessity a general phrase should not be expounded as
if it were particular.) But in a multitude of texts the
general is put for the particular, and must be interpreted
but of one sort, and yet the context giveth us no certain
determination which particular is meant. This is one of
the commonest uncertainties in all the Scriptures. Here it
is God's will that we be uncertain.
60 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
IV. In very many passages of the History of Christ, the
Evangelists set both words and deeds in various orders, one
sets this first, and another sets another first. (As in the or-
der of Christ's three temptations, Matt. iv. and Luke iv.
And many such like.) Though it is apparent that Luke doth
less observe the order than the rest, yet in many of these
cases it is apparent that it was God's will to notify to us the
matter only, and not the order. And it must needs be un-
certain to us, which was the first said or done, and which
was last.
The same is to be said of the time and place of some
speeches of Christ recorded by them.
V. Many of Christ's speeches are recorded by the Evan-
gelists in various words f . Even the Lord's-prayer itself.
(Matt. vi. and Luke xi.) Besides, that Matthew hath the
doxology, which Luke hath not (which Grotius and many
others think came out of the Greek Liturgy into the text).
And even in Christ's sermons on the Mount, and in his last
commission to his disciples. (Matt, xxviii. 18 — 20 ; Mark
xvi.) Now in some of these cases (as of the Lord's-prayer)
it is uncertain whether Christ spake it once or twice :
(though the former is more likely.) In most of them, it is
plain that it was the will of God's Spirit to give us the true
sense of Christ's sayings in various words, and not all the
very words themselves : for the Evangelists that differ do
neither of them speak falsely, and therefore meant not
recite all the very words. If you say that one giveth us the
true words, and another the true sense, we shall never be
certain that this is so, nor which that one is. So that in
such cases, no man can possibly tell which of them were the
very words of Christ.
VI. There are manv texts of the Old Testament recited
in the New, where it is uncertain whether that which the
penman intended was an exposition, or a proof of what he
said, or only an allusion to the phrase of speech ; as if he
should say, ' I may use such words to express my mind, or
the matter by.' As Matt. ii. 23, " He shall be called a Na-
zarene." So verse 16, 17 ; Rom. x. 6 — 8. 18, and others. I
f It is most probable that Christ and the apostles then spake in theChaldee called
Hebiew, and so that the four Gospels are but translations of Christ's words, and so
not the words, but the sense was Christ's : and what wonder then if the traiuslating
Evangelists use divers words
Chap. 6.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 61
know the excellent Junius in his Parallels hath said much,
and more than any other that I know, to prove them all, or
almost all to be expository and probatory citations : but
withal confessing that the generality of ancient and modern
expositors think otherwise, he thereby sheweth a great un-
certainty ; when he himself saith not that he is certain of
it ; and few others thought it probable.
VII. There are many texts cited in the New Testament
Septuagint, where it differeth from the Hebrew: wherein it
is utterly uncertain to us, whether Christ and his apostles
intended to justify absolutely the translation which they
use, or only to make use of it as that which then was known
and used for the sake of the sense which it contained. If
they absolutely justify it, they seem to condemn the He-
brew, so far as it differeth. If not, why do they use it, and
never blame it? It seemeth that Christ would hereby tell
us, that the sense is the gold, and the words but as the
purse ; and we need not be over-curious about them, so we
have the sense. As if I should use the vulgar Latin, or the
Rhemists' translation with the Papist, because he will receive
no other.
VIII. There are many enigmatical and obscure expres-
sions, which a few learned men only can probably conjec-
ture at, and few or none be certain of the full sense. If any
certainly understand much of the prophecies in Daniel and
the Revelations, it must needs be very few : when Calvin
durst not meddle with the latter : and though most of the
famous commentators on the Revelations are such, as have
peculiarly made it their study ; and set their minds upon it
above all other things, and rejoiced in conceit that they had
found out the true sense which others had overseen, (as
men do that seek the philosopher's stone :) yet how few of
all these are there that agree ? And if ten be of nine minds,
eight of them at least are mistaken. Franc, du Jon, the
Lord Napier, Brightman, Dent, Mede, and my godly friend
Mr. Stephens, yet living, (since dead,) with many others
have studied it thus with extraordinary diligence, but with
different successes : and Lyra with other old ones turn all
quite another way. And then come Grotius and Dr. Ham-
mond and contradict both sides, and make it all (saving a
few verses) to have been fulfilled many ages since. And
can the unlearned, or the unstudied part of ministers then,
62 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
with any modesty pretend a certainty, where so many and
such men differ?
I know it is said, Rev. 1.3." Blessed is he that readeth,
and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep
those things which are written therein : but that proveth no
more than 1. That some of it (as ch. 1 — 3.) is plain and
commonly intelligible. 2. That it is a desirable thing to
understand the rest ; and worthy men's endeavour in due
time and rank ; and he that can attain to certainty may be
glad of it.
I pass by the darkness of many types and prophecies of
Christ in the Old Testament, and how little the Jews or the
apostles themselves, till after Christ's resurrection, under-
stood them. With very many other obscurities, which yet
are not written in vain, nay, which make up the true perfec-
tion of the whole.
IX. There are very many proverbial speeches in the
Scripture, which are not to be understood, as the words
properly signify ; but as the sense of those proverbs then
was among the Jews. But disuse hath so totally obliterated
the knowledge of the sense of many of them, that no man
living can certainly understand them.
X. There are many texts, which have words adapted to
the places, the animals, the utensils, the customs, the coins,
the measures, the vegetables, &c. of that place and time,
which are some hard, and some impossible now to be cer-
tainly understood : and therefore such as Bochart, Salmo-
sius, Casaubon, Scaliger, &c. have done well to add new
light to our conjectures; but leaving great uncertainty still.
XI. Because the Jewish law is by Paul plainly said to
be ceased or done away, it remaineth very difficult to be
certain of abundance of passages in the Old Testament,
how far they are obligatory to us. For when they now bind
no otherwise than as the continued law of nature, or as re-
assumed by Christ into his special law, where the latter is
not found, in the former there is often insuperable difficulty.
For most lieth upon the proof of a parity of reason, which
puts us upon trying cases hardly tried, unless we knew
more of the reason of all those laws. (As about vows and
dispensations, Numb, xxx ; about prohibited degrees of mar-
riage, and such like ; which makes divines so much differ
about the obligation of the Judicials, (of which see Junius
Chap. 6.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 6*3
vol. 1. p. 1861, &c. de Polit. Mos. observ.) and about usury,
priesthood, magistrates' power in religion, and many such.
XIII. There are abundance of texts which only open
the substance of the matter in hand to us, and say nothing
about abundance of difficulties of the manner, and many
circumstances, (as the manner of the Divine influx, and the
Spirit's operation on the soul, &c.) And here all that which
is unrevealed must needs be unknown.
XIII. There are many precepts which were local, per-
sonal, particular, and so temporary, and bind not universally
all persons, at all times afterwards : such as the Rhechabites'
precepts from their father, and such as the love-feasts, the
kiss of love, women's veil and long hair, men's being unco-
vered, &c g . Now it is very hard to know in all instances,
whether the precepts were thus temporary or universal and
durable : which makes divines differ about anointing of
the sick, the office of deacons and deaconesses, the power
of bishops, and extent of their dioceses, the eating things
strangled, and blood, (against which Chr. Beckman in his
Exercit. hath abundance of shrewd arguments, though few
are of his mind.) In these cases few reach a certainty, and
none so full a certainty as in plainer things.
XIV. It is very hard to be certain when, and how far
examples of holy men in Scripture bind us : though I have
elsewhere proved that wherever the apostles' practice was
the execution of their commission for settling church orders,
in which Christ promised them the help of his Spirit, their
practice was obligatory. Yet in many instances the obli-
gation of examples is very doubtful : which occasioneth
the controversies about imitating John Baptist's life in the
wilderness, and Anna, and about Lent, and about baptizing
by dipping over head, and about the Lord's-supper, whether
it should be administered to a family, or at evening only, or
after supper or sitting in a private house, &c. And about
washing feet, and many church orders and affairs.
XV. There are many things in Scripture that are spoken
but once or twice, and that but as on the by, and not very
8 It is very hard to be sure what the apostles settled as an universal perpetual
law, in church matters, and what they settled only as suited to that time and place by
the common rule of doing all to edification : I will have mercy and not sacrifice,
being a standing rule, it is hard to plead their use of any rites against common good :
perhaps more is mutable than most think.
64 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
plainly: and we cannot be so certain of any doctrine founded
on these, as on passages frequently and plainly written.
XVI. There are so many seeming differences in Scrip-
ture, especially about numbers, as that if they be reconcile-
able, few or none in the world have yet found out the way.
If we mention them not ourselves, such paltry fellows will
do it, as Bened. Spinosa in his Tractatus Theolog. Polit. I
will not cite any, but desire the learned reader to consider
well of what that learned and godly man, Ludov. Capellus
saith in his critic. Sacr. 1. c. 10. and 1. 6. c. 7, 8 h . (I own
not his supposition of a better Hebrew copy used by the
Sept.) I think an impartial considerer of his instances will
confess, that as God never promised all or any of the scribes
or printers of the Bible any infallible spirit, that they should
never write or print a word falsely, and as it is certain by
the various lections, that many such there have been in
many and most books ; so there is no one scribe that had a
promise above the rest, nor any one Hebrew or Greek copy,
which any man is sure, is absolutely free from such miswri-
tings. For how should we be sure of that one above all the
rest? And I wish the learned reader to consider Bibliander's
Preface to his Hebr. Grammar, and Casaubon's Exercit. 1.
s. 28. and Pellicanus's Preface to his Comment, on the
Bible. Jerom on Mic. 5. 2. is too gross, de Matth. 2.
' Quod Testimonium nee Haebraico nee 70 Interpretibus con-
venire, &c.' Let him read the rest that will, which is harsher ;
he that will not confess miswritings of numbers, and some
names and words heretofore, as well as some misprintings
now, doth but by his pretended certainty tempt men to
question the rest for the sake of that, and injureth^the sa-
cred word.
XVII. We have not the same degree of certainty of the
canonicalness or divineness of every book of Scripture:
though they are all God's word, they have not all the same
evidence that they are so. The New Testament had a fuller
attestation from heaven for its evidence to man, than most
of the Old had. And of the New Testament, it was long be-
fore many churches received the Epistle to the Hebrews, the
second of Peter, Jude, Revelations, Sec. Even in Eusebius's
11 Without approving all that is in it, I wish the reader to peruse Father Simon's
second book, now newly printed in London.
Chap. 6.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 6*5
days, in his Praepar. Evangel, he shewed that they were not
received by all. And of the Old Testament, Moses, and the
Psalms and Prophets have fuller attestation than the rest.
And indeed, as it is probable that the Chronicles were writ-
ten in or after Ezra's time at soonest ; so they do in so many
places differ in numbers from the book of Kings, where all
would agree with the rest of the history, if those numbers
were but reduced to those in the Kings, that if any man
should doubt of the Divine authority of that book, that
thereby he may be less tempted to question any others, I
should not think his error inconsistent with salvation. Put
but that man to prove what he saith, who asserteth that we
have equal evidence of the divinity of the Chronicles, Can-
ticles, Esther, as we have of Moses, the Prophets, the Psalms,
and the New Testament, and you shall quickly find that he
did but pretend an equal degree of certainty, which indeed he
had not. The Papists pretend that they are as certain of the
divinity of the Apocrypha, as we are of the rest. But they
do but pretend a certainty, for interest and custom sake.
XVIII. Though it be held, that certainly the holy wri-
ters had no falsehoods in doctrine or history, but delivered
us the truth alone, yet no one of them delivereth us all the
truth, no not of many particular histories and speeches of
Christ which they mention : and therefore we must set them
all together for the understanding of them: (as in the in-
stance of Christ's appearing and the angel's speeches after
his resurrection.) And when all is done we have not all that
Christ said and did, but all that was necessary to our faith
and salvation. For as Paul citeth Christ, saying, " It is
more honourable to give, than to receive," so John tells us,
" that the world could not contain the books that should be
written," we must take heed therefore how far we go with
negatives, of such unmentioned things.
XIX. Though all that the holy writers have recorded is
true, (and no falsehood in the Scripture, but what is from
the error of scribes and translators,) yet we are not certain
that the writers had not human infirmities in the phrase,
method and manner of expression. It is apparent that their
style, yea their gifts were various, as Paul oft openeth them,
1 Cor. 12, &c. Therefore Paul rather than Barnabas was the
chief speaker. And Apollos was more eloquent than others :
VOL. xv. f
66 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
hence some were of Paul, and some of Apollos, and some of
Cephas : and Paul is put to vindicate his ministerial abilities
to the Corinthians. Therefore though weaker men's gifts put
no sinful imperfection into the Scriptures, yet a human na-
tural imperfection of style, and order might be more in some
than others. It is certain that they were not all perfect in
knowledge and holiness. And how far every sermon which
they preached was free from all that imperfection, (any more
than Peter's carriage, Gal. ii.) we are uncertain. And how
far their writings had a promise of being free from natural
modal imperfections more than their preachings, we know
not fully. And yet God turned this weakness of theirs to
the confirmation of our faith ; shewing us that heavenly
power, and not human wisdom and ability did his work. As
David's sling in conquering Goliah shewed God's power.
And out of the mouths of babes doth God ordain strength,
and the weak things of the world are used to confound the
strong.
XX. Lastly, though all be certainly true which they have
recorded, yet we have not the same degree of certainty, that
no writer erred through lapse of memory in some less mate-
rial passage, as we have that they infallibly delivered us the
Gospel. But this 1 have said so much of already in a small
book called " More Reasons for the Christian Religion,"
that I must now refer you thither for the rest.
Quest. But if there be so many things, either uncertain or
less certain, what is it that we are or may be fully certain of?
Answ. 1. What you are or are not certain of yourself, you
should know if you know yourself, without my telling you.
2. I deny not but you may come to a certainty of all
those things which are never so difficult, that have any as-
certaining evidence, if you live long enough, and study hard
enough, and have extraordinary measure of Divine illumina-
tion : I do not measure others by myself: you may know
that which I know not. God may bless your studies more,
as being better men and fitter for his blessing : he may give
you extraordinary inspirations, or revelations if he please :
I am thankful for my low degree, and confess my ignorance.
3. But I have told you before what certainties we have.
1. We«are certain of things sensible. 2. And of our elicite
and imperate acts. 3. And of natural principles. 4. And
Chap. 7.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 67
of clear inferences thence. 5. And of the truth of all the
certain Holy Scriptures, which are evidently the Word of
God. 6. And particularly therein of the plain historical
parts. 7. And of all which is the main design and scope of
the text in any book or chapter. 8. And of all that which
is purposely and often repeated, and not only obscurely once
spoken on the by. 9. Therefore we may be certain of all
that is necessary to salvation : of every article in the Creed ;
of every petition in the Lord's-prayer, and every necessary
common duty: we may be certain of the truth and sense of
all the covenant of grace concerning the Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, his relation to us, and our relation and duty to
him, and of the benefits of the covenant, of the necessity
and nature of faith, repentance, hope, love, obedience, pa-
tience, &c. It is tedious to recite all ; in a word, all that is
of common necessity, and all (how small soever) which is
plainly revealed and expressed. 10. And you may be cer-
tain of the fulfilling of much of this holy word already by
sufficient history and experience.
CHAP. VII.
Inference I . The true Reason and Usefulness of the Christian
Simplicity, in differencing the Covenant, and Principles of
Religion, from the rest of the Holy Scriptures.
It hath ever been the use of the church of God, to catechise
men before they were baptized ; and therein to teach them
the true meaning of the Baptismal Covenant, by opening to
them the Creed, the Lord's-prayer, and the Decalogue : and
when they understood this covenant they were admitted
(upon consent) by baptism into the church, and accounted
Christians and members of Christ, without staying to teach
them any other part of the Bible, no not so much as the sa-
crament of the Lord's-supper. ' (Though indeed the opening
of baptism was the opening of the life of that ; because it
is the same covenant which is solemnized in both.)
1 As Antonine saith, (in greater darkness) 1. 2. s. 5. of«5 5TwJ oXtya. iotU,
Sec. Vide quam pauca sint, quae siquis tenuerit, prosperam ac divinam propemodum
vitam degere detur: siquidem et dii ipsi nihil amplius exigent ab eo, qui ista
observavcrit.
68 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
By doing thus, the church notoriously declared that
they took not all the Scripture to be equally necessary to be
understood ; but that the Covenant of Grace, and the Cate-
chism explaining it, is the Gospel itself, that is, the essence
of it, and of the Christian religion, and that all the rest of
the Scriptures contain but partly the integrals, and partly
the accidents of that religion. He is the wisest man that
knoweth most and best ; and every man should know as
much of the Scriptures as he can. But if you knew all the
rest, without this (the covenant of grace, and its explication)
it would not make you Christians, or save you. But if you
know this truly, without all the rest, it will.
The whole Scripture is of great use and benefit to the
church. It is like the body of a man ; which hath its head,
and heart, and stomach, &c. ; and hath also fingers, and
toes, and flesh ; yea nails and hair. And yet the brain and
heart itself fare the better for the rest, and would not be so
well seated separate from them : though a man be a man
that loseth even a leg or arm. So is it here. But it is the
covenant that is our Christianity, and the duly baptized are
Christians, whatever else they do not understand. These are
the things that all must know, and daily live upon.
The Creed is but the exposition of the three articles of
the Baptismal Covenant. ' I believe in God, the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost.' Though the Jews that had been bred up
to a preparing knowledge, were quickly baptized by the
apostles upon their conversion, (Acts ii,) yet no man can
imagine, that either the apostles, or other ministers, did use
to admit the ignorant Gentiles into the covenant of God, with-
out opening the meaning of it to them ; or baptize them as
Christians, without teaching them what Christianity is.
Therefore reason, and the whole church's subsequent cus-
tom assure us, that the apostles used to expound the three
great articles to their catechumens ; and thence it is called
the Apostles' Creed.
Marcus, bishop of Ephesus, told them in the Florentine
Council, (as you may see Sgyropilus,) ' That we have none
of the Apostles' Creed,' and Vossius de Symbolis, besides
many others, hath many arguments to prove, that this so
called was not formally made by the apostles. Bishop
Usher hath opened the changes that have been in it.
Sandford and Parker have largely * de descensu,' shewed
Chap. 7.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. (>9
how it came in as an exposition of the baptismal articles.
Others stiffly maintain that the apostles made it ; but the
case seemeth plain. The apostles used to call the baptized
to the profession of the same articles, (which Paul hath in
1 Cor. xv. 1 — 3, &c.) and varied not the matter. All this
was but more particularly to profess faith in God the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. Two or three further expository
articles are put into the Creed since : otherwise it is the
same which the apostles used ; not in the very syllables or
forms of words, but in the same sense; and the words indeed
being left free, but seldom much altered, because of the
danger of altering the matter. Of all the most ancient
writers, not one repeateth the Creed in the same words that
we have it ; nor any two of them, in the same with one
another. Irenaeus once, Tertullian twice hath it ; all in
various words, but the same sense. That of Marcellus in
Epiphanius, cometh nearest ours called the Apostles', and
is almost it. Afterward, in Ruffinus and others, we have
more of it. Yet no doubt but the Western Churches, at
least, used it with little variation still. The Nicene Creed
is called by some ancients the Apostles' Creed too : and
both were so ; for both are the same in sense and substance :
for it is not the very words that are truly fathered on the
apostles.
About three hundred years ago, Mr. Ashwell having pub-
lished a book for the necessity and honour of the Creed, I
wrote in the postcript to my " Reformed Pastor," edit. 2nd,
a corrective of some passages, in which he seemeth to say
too much for it, or at least to depress the Scripture too
much in comparison of it. But long experience now telleth
me that I have more need to acquaint men with the reasons
and necessity of the Creed ; seeing I find a great part of
ignorant religious people much to slight the use of it, and
say ' it is not Scripture, but the work of man :' especially
taking offence at the harsh translation of that article, He
descended into hell; which, from the beginning, it is likely
was not in. It is the kernel of the Scripture, and it is that
for which the rest of the Scripture is given us, even to afford
us sufficient help to understand and consent to the covenant
of grace ; that our belief, our desires, and our practice may
be conformed principally to these summaries. It is not
70 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
every child, or woman, that could have gathered the essen-
tial articles by themselves out of the whole Scripture, if it
had not been done to their hands : nor that could have
rightly methodised the rule of our desires, or gathered the
just heads of natural duty ; if Christ had not done the first
in the Lord's-prayer, and God the second in the Decalogue.
Object. ' But I believe these only, because the matter of
the Creed, and the words also of the other two are in the
Scripture, and not on any other authority.'
Answ. If you speak of the authority of the author, which
giveth them their truth, it is neither Scripture nor tradition ;
but God, for whose authority we must believe both Scripture
and them.
But if you speak of the authority of the deliverers, and
the evidence of the delivery ; be it known to you, 1. That
the Creed, Lord's-prayer, Decalogue, and the baptismal
covenant, have been delivered down to the church from the
apostles by a distinct tradition, besides the Scripture tradi-
tion : even to all the Christians one by one, that were bap-
tized, and admitted to the Lord's-table, and to every parti-
cular church. So that there was not a Christian or church,
that was not even constituted by them.
2. Be it known to you, that the church was long in pos-
session of them, before it had the Scriptures of the New
Testament. It is supposed to be about eight years after
Christ's ascension, before Matthew wrote the first book of
the New Testament ; and near the year of our Lord, one
hundred, before the Revelation was written. And do you
think that there were no Christians or churches all that
while ? Or that there was no baptism ? Or no profession of
the Christian faith in distinct articles ? No knowledge of
the Lord's-prayer and Commandments? No Gospel daily
preached and practised ? What did the church assemblies,
think you, do all those years? No doubt, those that had
inspiration, used it by extraordinary gifts. But that was
not all : those that had not, did preach the substance of the
Christian religion, contained in these forms ; and did pray,
and praise God, and celebrate the Lord's-supper ; provoking
one another to love, and to good works.
3. Be it known to vou, that these three summaries come
to us with fuller evidence of certain tradition from God,
Chap. 7.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 71
than the rest of the Holy Scriptures. Though they are
equally true, they are not equally evident to us. And this
I thus prove: 1. The body of the Scriptures were delivered
but one way ; but the Covenant, Greed, Lord's-prayer, and
Decalogue, are delivered two ways. They are in the Scrip-
ture, and so have all the evidence of tradition which the
Scriptures have : and they were, besides that, delivered to
the memories of all Christians. If you say, that the Creed
is not in the Scripture ; or that the Scripture is not altered
as it is : I answer, 1. That it is in the Scripture, as to the
matter signified in as plain words, even of the same signifi-
cation. 2. There is no alteration made, but a small addi-
tion, which is no disparagement to it ; because the ancient
substance is still known, and the additions are not new-
made things, but taken out of Scripture. And yet if any
heretic should deny that God is wise and good, and just
and merciful ; it were no dishonour to the Creed, nor weak-
ening of its certainty, to have these attributes yet added to it.
2. These summaries, as is said, were far more ancient
than the rest of the New Testament, as written and known,
and used Ion? before them.
3. These summaries being in every Christian's mind and
memory, were faster held than the rest of the Scriptures :
therefore parents could and did teach them more to their
children. You never read that the catechisers of the people
did teach them all the Bible, nor equally ask them, who
Jared, or Mehaleel, or Lamech was, as they did who Christ
was. Nor put every history into the Catechism, but only
the historical articles of the Creed.
4. Therefore it was far easier to preserve the purity of
these summaries, than of the whole body of the Scriptures ;
for that which is in every man's memory, cannot be altered
without a multitude of reprovers : which makes the Greeks
since Photius keep such a stir about ' Filioque' as to think
that the Latins have changed religion, and deserved to be
separated from, for changing that word. But no wonder
that many hundred various readings are crept into the
Bible, and whole verses and histories (as that of the adul-
terous woman,) are out in some, that are in others. For it
is harder to keep such a volume incorrupt, than a few words.
Though writing, as such, is a surer way than memory,
and the whole Bible could never have been preserved by
72 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
memory : yet a few words might, especially when they had
those words in writings also.
5. Add to this, that the Catechistical Summaries afore-
said, were more frequently repeated to the people, at least
every Lord's-day. Whereas, in the reading of the Scriptures,
one passage will be read but seldom, perhaps once or twice
in a year : and so a corruption not so easily observed.
6. And if among an hundred copies of the Scripture, ten
or twenty only should by the carelessness of the scribes
be corrupted ; all the rest who saw not these copies, would
not know it, and so they might fall into the hands of pos-
terity, when many of the sounder might be lost.
7. And lastly. The danger of depravation hath no
end ; for in every age the Scripture must be written over
anew, for every church and person that would use it. And
who that knoweth what writing is, could expect that one
copy could be written without errors ; and that the second
should not add to the errors of the first, as printers now do,
who print by faulty copies. And though this danger is
much less since printing came up, that is but lately. And
the mischiefs of wars and heretical tyrants, burning the
copies, hath been some disadvantage to us.
Object. ' Thus you seem to weaken the certain incorrup-
tion of the Scriptures.'
Answ. No such thing : I do but tell you the case truly as
it is. The wonderful providence of God, and care of
Christians, hath so preserved them, that there is nothing
corrupted, which should make one article of faith the more
doubtful. I assert no more depravation in them, than all
confess ; but only tell you how it came to pass, and tell you
the greater certainty that we have of the essentials of reli-
gion, than of the rest. And, whereas every man of brains
confesseth, that many hundred words in Scripture by variety
of copies are uncertain ; I only say, that it is not so in the
essentials. And I do not wonder that Virgil, Ovid, Horace,
Cicero, &c. have not suffered such depravations. For, 1.
It is not so easy for a scribe's error to pass unseen ' in
oratione ligata,' as ' in oratione soluta;' in verse as in prose^
2. And Cicero, with the rest, was almost only in the hands
of learned men ; whereas the Scriptures were in the hands of
all the vulgar, women and children. 3. And the copies of
these authors were comparatively but few : whereas every
Chap. 7.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 73
one almost got copies of the Scripture, that was able. And
it is most likely that some depravation should be found
among ten thousand copies than among a hundred.
So that I have proved to you, that the Creed, Lord's-
prayer, Commandments, and Covenant of Baptism, are not
to be believed only because they are in the Scripture ; but
also because they have been delivered to us by tradition,
and so we have them from two hands, as it were, or ways of
conveyance; and the rest of the Scriptures but one, for the
most part.
I will say yet more, because it is true and needful. If
any live among Papists, that keep the Scripture from the
people ; or among the poor Greeks, Armenians, or Abas-
sines, where the people neither have Bibles commonly, nor
can read ; or if any among us that cannot read, know not
what is in the Bible ; yea, if through the fault of the priest,
any should be kept from knowing that ever there was a Bi-
ble in the world : yet if those persons by tradition receive
the Baptismal Covenant, the Creed, Lord's-prayer, and Com-
mandments, as God's Word ; and truly believe, and love
and practise them ; those persons shall be saved ; for they
have Christ's promise for it : and the very Covenant itself is
the gift of Christ, and life to consenters. Whereas, he that
knoweth all the Scripture, can be saved only by consenting
to, and performing this same Covenant : but having greater
helps to understand it, and so to believe it and consent ; he
hath a great advantage of them that have not the Scripture ;
and so the Scripture is an unspeakable mercy to the Church.
And it is so far from being too little, without the supple-
ment of the Papists' Traditions and Councils, as that the
hundredth part of it, as to the bulk of words, is not abso-
lutely itself necessary to salvation.
Yet I say more : if a man that hath the Scripture, should
doubt of some books of it, whether they be the word of God,
(as of Ruth, Judges, Joshua, Chronicles, 8cc.) ; yea, if he
doubted of all the Old Testament, and much of the New ;
yet if he believe so much as containeth all the Covenant of
Grace, and the aforesaid summaries, though he sin, and lose
much of his helps, yet he may and will be saved, if he sin-
cerely receive but this much. The reason is before given.
Though no man can believe any thing truly, who believeth
not all that he knoweth to be God's word ; yet a man may
74 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
doubt, whether one thing be God's word, who doubteth not
of another, by several occasions.
And here you see the reason, why a particular or explicit
belief of all the Scripture itself was never required of all
that are baptized, nor of all, or any man that entered into
the ministry. For the wisest doctor in the world doth not
attain so high. For no man hath a particular, explicit be-
lief of that which he doth not understand. For it is the mat-
ter or sense that we believe : and we must first know what
that sense is, before we can believe it to be true. And no
man in the world understandeth all the Scripture.
Yea, more, it is too much to require as necessary to his
ministry, a subscription in general, that he implicitly be-
lieveth all that is in the Bible which you shew him. For, J.
Many faults may be in the translation, if it be a translation.
2. Many errors may be in the copy, as aforesaid.
Nay, such a subscription should not, as absolutely ne-
cessary, be required of him as to all the real Word of God.
For if the man by error should doubt whether Job, or the
Chronicles, or Esther were canonical, and none of the rest,
I would not be he that should therefore forbid him to preach
Christ's Gospel. I am sure the ancient Church imposed no
such terms on their pastors, when part of the New Testa-
ment was so long doubted of; and when some were chosen
bishops before they were baptized ; and when Synesius was
chosen a bishop before he believed the Resurrection. I
would not have silenced Luther, Althamer, or others that
questioned the Epistle of James.
What then shall we say of the Roman insolence, which
thinketh not all the Scripture big enough, but ministers
must also subscribe to many additions of their own, yea,
and swear to traditions and the expositions of the Fathers,
and take whole volumes of Councils for their religion? No
wonder if such men do tear the churches of Christ in pieces.
1. By this time, I hope, you see to what use Baptism,
and the Summaries of Religion are. 2. And of how great
use Catechising is. 3. And that Christianity hath its essen-
tial parts. 4. And how plain and simple a thing true Chris-
tianity is, which constituteth the Church of Christ; and
how few things, as to knowledge, are necessary to make a
man a Christian, or to salvation. Multitudes of opinions
have been the means of turning pastors and people from the
Chap. 8.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 75
holy and diligent improvement of these few truths in our
practice ; where we have much to do, which might take up
all our minds and time.
CHAP. VIII.
Inference 2. Of the Use of Catechising.
Though it be spoken to in what is said, I would have you
more distinctly here note the use of Catechising.
1. It collecteth those few things out of many, which the
ignorant could not themselves collect. 2. It collecteth those
necessary things which all must know and believe that will
be saved. 3. It containeth those great practical things
which we have daily use for, and must still live upon, which
are as bread and drink for our food. Other things may be
well added ; the more the better, which God hath revealed.
But our life, our comfort, and our hope, are in these. 4. And
it giveth us the true method or order of holy truths; which
is a great advantage to understand them. Not but the things
themselves have the same orderly respect to one another in
the Scripture, but they are not delivered in the same order
of words.
Therefore, 1. Catechisms should be very skilfully and
carefully made. The true fundamental Catechism is nothing
else but the Baptismal Sacramental Covenant, the Creed,
the Lord's-prayer, and the Commandments, the summaries
of our belief, desires and practice. And our secondary Ca-
techism must be nothing else but the plain expositions of
these : The first is a Divine Catechism : The second is a
Ministerial Expository Catechism. And here, 1. O that
ministers would be wiser at last, than to put their superflui-
ties, their controversies and private opinions into their Ca-
techisms, and would fit them to the true end, and not to the
interest of their several sects ! But the Roman Trent Cate-
chism (and many more of theirs) must needs be defiled with
their trash, and every sect else must put their singularities
into their Catechisms ; so hard is it for the aged, decrepit
body of the diseased church, for want of a better concoction
of the common essentials of Christianity, to be free from
76 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
these heaps of unconcocted crudities, and excrementitious
superfluities, and the many maladies bred thereby.
I deny not but a useful controversy may be opened by
way of Question and Answer : but pretend it not then to be
what it is not, milk for babes. " Him that is weak in the
faith receive, but not to doubtful disputations." (Rom. xiv.
1.) The servant of the Lord must be apt to teach, but must
not strive.
2. And it is not commonly believed how great skill is
needful to make a Catechism, that the method may be true,
and that it may neither be too long for the memory, nor too
short for the understanding ; for my part, it is the hardest
work save one (which is the full methodising and explaining
the whole body of divinity,) that ever I put my hand to ;
and when all is done, I cannot satisfy myself in it.
II. Why is not Catechising more used both by pastors
and parents? I mean not the bare words unexplained with-
out the sense, nor the sense in a mere rambling way without
a form of words ; but the words explained 1 ". O how much
fruit would poor souls and all the church receive by the
faithful performance of this work, would God but cure the
profaneness and sloth of unfaithful pastors and parents
which should do it. But I have said so much of this in my
" Reformed Pastor," that I may well forbear more here.
CHAP. IX.
Inference 3. The True Preservative of Puzzled Christians,
from the Errors of False Teachers, who vehemently solicit
them to their several Parties.
It is the common outcry of the world, ' How shall we know
which side to be on ? And who is in the right among so
many, who all with confidence pretend to be in the right?'
Answ. Your preservative is obvious and easy ; but men
usually bestow more labour and cost for error and hell, than
for truth and heaven. Pretend not to faith or knowledge be-
fore you have it, and you are the more safe. Suspend
k Since this I have published a book called the " Catechising of Households."
Chap. 9.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 77
your judgments till you have true evidence to establish them.
1. It is only Christians that I am now instructing; and if
you are Christians, you have already received the essentials
of Christianity, even the Baptismal Covenant, the Creed,
the Lord's- prayer, and Decalogue. And I need not tell you,
that moreover you must receive all those truths in nature
and Scripture, which are so plain, that all these dissenting
sects of Christians are agreed in them. And when you have
all these, and faithfully love and practise them, you are sure
to be saved, if you do not afterward receive some contrary
doctrine which destroyeth them. Mark then which is the
safe religion. As sure as the Gospel is true, he that is meet
for baptism before God, is meet for pardon of sin ; and he
that truly consenteth to the Baptismal Covenant, and so doth
dedicate himself to God, is made a member of Christ, and is
justified, and an heir of heaven. Your Church Catechism
saith truly of all such, that in baptism each one is made a
'member of Christ, a child of God, and an heir of heaven.*
So that as sure as the Gospel is truly, every true baptized
Christian, whose love and life doth answer that faith, shall
certainly be saved.
Ask all parties, and few of them but impudent designers
can deny this. Well then, the Baptismal Covenant ex-
pounded in the Creed, Lord's-prayer and Commandments is
your Christian Religion. As a Christian you may and shall
be saved : that a true Christian is saved, all confess. But
whether a Papist be saved, is questioned by the Protestants ;
and so is the salvation of many other sects by others. You
are safe then if you take in nothing to endanger you. And
is it not wisdom then to take heed how you go further, and
on what grounds, lest you overrun your safe religion ?
Object. 'But then I must not be a Protestant; for the
Papists say, that they cannot be saved.'
Answ. A Protestant is either one that holdeth to the an-
cient, simple Christianity without the Papists' manifold ad-
ditions ; or one that positively also renounceth and opposeth
those additions. In the first sense, a Protestant and a mere
Christian is all one ; and so to say, that a Protestant cannot
be saved, is to say, that a Christian as such cannot be saved.
If it be the mere name of a Protestant that the Papist ac-
counteth damnable, tell him that you will not stick with him
78 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
for the name : you are contented with the old name of Chris-
tian alone.
But Protestantism in the second sense is not your reli-
gion, but the defensative of your religion ; as flying from
the plague is not my humanity or life, but a means to pre-
serve it. And so Protestants are of many sizes : some
oppose some points, and some others ; some more, some less,
which the Papists have brought in : and yet they are not of
so many religions.
But whoever condemneth you, if Christ save you, he doth
but condemn himself as uncharitable. Christianity is cer-
tainly a state of salvation ; but whether Popery be, or whe-
ther the Greek opinions be, or whether this or that differ-
ence and singularity stand with salvation, is the doubt. Cast
not yourself then needlessly into doubt and danger.
Object. ' But then you will have us be still but infants,
and to learn no more than our Catechisms, and not to learn
and believe all that God hath revealed in his Word.'
Answ. No such matter. This is the sum of what I advise
you to.
1. Hold fast to your simple Christianity as the certain
terms of salvation : 2. Receive nothing that is against it :
3. Learn as much more as ever you can : 4. But take not
men's words, nor their plausible talk for certifying evidence ;
and do not think if you believe a priest, that this is believing
God; nor if his reasons seem plausible to you, and you are
of his opinion, that this is Divine knowledge. If you do in-
cline to one man's opinion more than another, tell him that
you incline to his opinion, but tell him that you take not
this for Divine knowledge, or any part of your religion. If
you will needs believe one side rather than another, about
Church history, or the matters of their parties' interest, tell
them, I believe you as fallible men ; but this is none of my
divine faith or religion. To learn to know, is to learn
scientifical evidence, and not to learn what is another man's
opinions, nor whether they are probable or not; much less
to read a Council's decrees, or the propositions of a dis-
puting system, and then for the men's sake to say, this is
orthodox : nor yet because it hath a taking aspect. To learn
of a priest to believe God, is one thing ; and to believe him,
or his Party, Church, or Council, is another thing. Learn
Chap. 9.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 79
to know as much as you can ; and especially to know what
God hath revealed to be believed : and learn to believe God
as much as you can: and believe all your teachers, and all
other men as far as they are credible in that case, with such
a human belief as fallible men may justly require. And
where contenders do consent, suspect them the less. But
where they give one another the lie in matters of fact, try
both their evidences of credibility before you trust them, and
then trust them not beyond that' evidence.
But still difference your divine faith and religion fromyour
opinion and human faith ; and let men solicit you never so
long, take not on you to know or believe till you do ; that is,
not beyond the evidence. I do but persuade you against
presumption and hypocrisy. Shall I say, suspend till
you have true evidence, and you are safe ! Why if
you do not, you will know never the more, nor have ever
the more Divine faith : for I can mean no more than
suspend your presumptions, and do not foolishly or
hypocritically take on you to know what you do not, or to
have a faith which you have not. If you can know truly,
do it with fidelity, and be true to the truth, whoever offer it,
or whatever it cost you. But suspend your profession or
hasty opinions and conceits of what you know not.
Object. ' But every side almost tells me that I am damned
if I do not believe as they do.'
Answ. By that you may see that they are all deceived, at
least save one (which ever it be) while they differ, and yet
condemn each other. 2. Thereby they do but give you the
greater cause to suspect them, for by this shall all men
know Christ's disciples, if they love one another. Right
Christians are not many masters, as knowing that them-
selves shall have the greater condemnation else ; for in many
things we offend all. And the wisdom which hath envy and
strife, is not from above, but from beneath, and is earthly,
sensual and devilish, introducing confusion and every evil
work, (James iii. 1 ; 15, 16.) Christ's disciples judge not,
lest they be judged.
3. By this you miy see that unless you can be of all
men's minds, you must be damned by the censures of many.
And if you can bear it from all the sects save one, why not
from that one also ?
4. But I pray yot ask these damning sectaries, * is it
80 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. Part I.
believing your word, and being of your opinion that will
save me ? Or must I also know by scientific evidence that
you say true, and that God himself hath said what you say :
if he say that believing" him and his party, (though he call
it the Church) is enough to save you, you have then less
reason to believe him : for unless he can undertake himself
to save you, he cannot undertake that believing him shall
save you ? If he say, ' God hath promised to save you if you
believe me,' believe that when he hath proved it to you.
But if it be knowledge and Divine faith which he saith
must save you, it is not your believing his word or opinion
that will help you to that. I would tell such a man, ' help
me to knowledge and faith, by cogent or certifying evidence,
and I will learn and thank you with all my heart.' But till
I have it, it is but mocking myself and you to say that I
have it.
Object. ' But the Papists herein differ from all other sects :
for they will say, that if I believe the Church concerning
Divine Revelations, and take ail for Divine Revelation which
the Church saith is so, and so believe it, then 1 have a Divine
faith.'
Answ. 1. And is this to you a certifying evidence that in-
deed God revealed it, because their Church saith so? If their
Church agree with Greeks, Armenians, Syrians, Coptics,
Abassines, Protestants, and all other Christian churches,
then it will be no part of the contest in question ; and it is
a stronger foundation of the two, to believe it, because nil
say it, than because they say it. But if they differ from the
rest, know their proof that their Church can tell God's mind,
and not the rest of the Christian world. And that about a
third part of the Christians in the world have such a promise
which all the rest have not. 2. Andliow doth their Church
know that it is God's word ? Is it by ar.y certifying evidence,
or by prophetical inspiration? If by evidence, let it be pro-
duced. Is it not revealed to others as well as to them ? Must
not we have a faith of the same kind as the Church hath? If
so, we must believe by the same evidence as that Church
believeth. And what is that? It is not their own words:
doth a Pope believe himself only? or a Council believe
themselves only? Or hath God said, You shall be saved if
you will believe yourselves, and belie/e that I have said all
that you say I have said V Where isthere such a promise ?
Chap. 9.] FALSELY PKETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 81
But if Pope and Council be not saved for believing them-
selves, how shall I know that I shall be saved for believing
them, and that one kind of faith saveth me, and another them.
I ask it of each particular bishop in that Council, is he
saved for believing himself or the rest? If no man be saved
for believing himself, why should another be saved for be-
lieving him? And the faith of the Council is but the faith
of the individual members set together.
Object. ' But they are saved for believing themselves as
consenters, and not singly.'
Atisw. All consenters know nothing as consenters, but
what they know as individuals. And what is the evidence
by which they know, and are brought to consent? Must
not that evidence convince us also ?
Object. ' But the present Church are saved for believing
not themselves but the former Church.'
Answ. Then so must we : it is not the present Church
then that I must believe by a saving faith : but why then was
the last age saved, and so the former? and so on to the first?
Is any thing more evident than that all men must be saved
for believing God, and that his word must be known to be
his word by the same evidence, by one man and another ?
And that evidence I have proved in several treatises to be
another kind of thing than the decree of a Pope, and his
Council.
But if it be not evidence, but prophetical inspiration and
revelation by which the Council or Church knoweth God's
word, I will believe them when by miracles or otherwise they
prove themselves to be true prophets ; till then I shall take
them for fanatics, and hear them as 1 do the Quakers.
Should I here stay to bid you ask them, as before, how
you shall be sure that their Council was truly General, and
more authentic and infallible than the second at Ephesus,
or that at Ariminum, or that at Constance and Basil, &c.
And whether the more general dissent of all the other Chris-
tians from them be not of as great authority as they that are
the smaller part? And how you shall be sure of that? And
also how but on the word of a priest you can know all that
the Church hath determined? with abundance such ques-
tions, of the meaning of each Council, the ambiguity of
words, the error of printers, the forgery of publishers, &c.
VOL. XV. G
82 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
I should help you to see, that saying as a priest saith, is not
knowing the thing, nor believing God.
Stop therefore till you have evidence : follow no party
as a party in the dark : or if probability incline you more
to them than to others, call not this Certainty, Religion, Di-
vine Faith. Thus your faith will be faith indeed, and you will
escape all that would corrupt and frustrate it. The business
is great. God requireth you to refuse no light: but withal
he chargeth you to believe no falsehood, nor put darkness
for light : much less to father men's lies, or errors, or con-
ceits on God, and to lay your salvation on it, that they are
all God's word. How dreadful a thing is this if it prove
false ! Is it not blaspheming God 1 ?
No man in his wits then but a partial designer can look
that you should make haste, or go any further than you have
assuring or convincing evidence. If you know that any
sect doth err, you need no preservative: if you do not, tell
them, ' I am ignorant of this matter, I will learn as fast as I
can ; not neglecting greater matters ; and I will be neither
for you, nor against you, further than I can know.'
And as to the former objection, of being still infants, I
further answer, that as feigned knowledge is no knowledge,
so manhood consisteth not in being of many uncertain opi-
nions ; no not so much in knowing many little controverted
things, as in getting a clearer, more affecting, powerful,
practical knowledge and belief of our Christianity, and the
great and sure things which we know already ; and in love
and obedience practising of them. He is the strongest
Christian who loveth God best, and hath most holiness ;
and he knoweth God better than any others do.
By this much you may see that the world is full of coun-
terfeit faith, and knowledge, and religion ; even fancy and
belief of men, and their own opinions, which go under these
names. One turneth an Anabaptist, and another a Separa-
tist, and another an Antinomian, and another a Pelagian
and another a Papist, when if you try them you shall find
that they neither understand what they turn to, nor what
they are against : they do but turn to his side, who hath the
1 Fathering errors on God, and saying that he saith what he never said, and for-
bad or commanded what he doth not, is the most direct breach of the third com-
mandment. To father lies on God, is the taking of his name in vain.
Chap. 9.J FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 83
best advantage to persuade them, either by insinuating into
their affections, or by plausible reasonings ; they talk for
one doctrine, and against another, when they understand nei-
ther; much less discern true evidence of their truth. And
as for the Papists, what wonder is it, when their religion is
to believe as the Church believeth? And what the Church
believeth, they know not but by believing a priest : and then
though they know not what the Church believeth, some say
they are Catholics ; and others, that this implicit faith is
that in the virtue of which all the explicit must proceed.
And if God may but be allowed to be equal herein with their
Church, and so that all may be saved who implicitly believe
that all that he saith is true, though they know not what he
saith at all, then I think few infidels would perish that be-
lieve there is a God.
Reader, I advise thee therefore as thou lovest thy soul,
1. Not to neglect or delay any true knowledge that thou canst
attain. 2. But not to be rash and hasty in judging. 3. Nor
to take shows and men's opinions, or any thing below a certi-
fying or notifying evidence of truth, to make up thy Christian
faith and knowledge. 4. And till thou see such certain evi-
dence, suspend, and tell them that solicit thee, that thou un-
derstandest not the matter, and that thou art neither for them
nor against them ; but wilt yield as soon as truth doth cer-
tainly appear to thee.
If an Anabaptist persuade thee, yield to him as soon as
thou art sure that God would not have believers' children
now to be infant-members of his Church, as well as they
were before Christ's coming ; and that the infants of believing
Jews were cut off from their church-state; and that there is
any way besides baptism appointed by Christ, for the solemn
initiating of church-members with the rest, which in my
Treatise of Baptism I have produced.
If thou art solicited to renounce communion with other
Churches of Christ as unlawful, either because they use the
Common Prayer and Ceremonies, or because that ministers
are faulty (if tolerable) or the people undisciplined ; before
thou venture thy soul upon an uncharitable and dividing
principle make sure first that Christ hath commanded it.
Try whether thou art sure that Christ sinned by communi-
cating ordinarily with the Jewish Church and Synagogues,
when the corruption of priests, people and worshipjwas
84 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
so much worse than ours ? Or whether that be a sin to us,
which (in the general) Christ did then. And whether Paul's
compliance, and his precept, (Rom. xiv. and xv.) was an
error : and Peter's separation (Gal. ii.) was not rather to be
blamed. With much more the like. Are you sure that not-
withstanding all this, God would have you avoid communion
with the churches that in such forms and orders differ from
you ?
So if a Papist solicit you, yield to him as soon as you are
certain that the Church is the body or Church of the Pope,
and that none are Christians that are not subject to him,
and that therefore three or two parts of all the Christian
world are unchristianed ; and that when the Roman emperor
made patriarchs in his own dominion only, and there only
called General Councils, all the world must now take such
as the Church's heads, and must be their subjects : when
you can be sure that all the senses of all the sound men in
the world, are by a constant miracle deceived, in taking the
consecrated bread and wine, to be bread and wine indeed,
and that it is none ; and that the bread only without the cup
must be used, though Christ's command be equal for both :
when you are certain, truly certain of these and many other
such things, then turn Papist. If you do it sooner, you be-
tray your souls by pretending to know and believe God's
words, when you do but believe and embody with a faction.
CHAP. X.
Inference 4. What is the great Plague and Divider of the
Christian World.
Falsely pretended knowledge and faith are the
great plague and dividers of the Christian world.
I. As the number of articles and opinions, and precepts,
what abundance of things go with many for certain truth of
which no mortal man hath any certainty ! And abundance
which some rare wits may know, must go for evident cer-
tainties to all. It is not only our philosophy books, nor
only our philosophical schoolmen's books, which are guilty
of this. There is some modesty in their Videtur's : and in-
deed if they would not pretend to certainty, but profess only
Chap. 10.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 85
to write for the sport and exercise of wit, without condemn-
ing those that differ from them, a man might fetch many a
pleasant vagary, if not an over subtle Cajetan (who so often
feigneth notions and distinctions), yet in Scotus, Ockam,
Ariminensis,with abundance of their disciples, and in Thomas
and many of his learned followers. But their successors
can hardly forbear hereticating one another. How many
such a wound hath poor Durandus suffered ! from many for
his doctrine of Concourse ; and by others for his pretty de-
vice to save the credit of our senses ; (that there is still the
matter of bread, but not the form, as being informed by the
soul of Christ, as digested bread in us is turned to flesh ;)
which, saith Bellarmine, is an heresy, but Durandus no he-
retic, because he was ready to be taught of the Church.
But no where do these stinging hornets so swarm as in
the Councils and the Canon Law : so that saith the preface
to the Reformation Legum Ecclesiast. Edward VI. (John.
Fox,) ' In quo ipso jure, neque ullum modum tenet illius
impudentia, quin leges legibus; decreta decretis, ac iis in-
super decretalia, aliis alia, atque item alia accumulet, nee
ullam pene statuit cumulandi finem, donee tandem suis
Clementinis, Sixtinis, Intra et Extravagantibus, Constitu-
tionibus Provincialibus et Synodalibus, Paleis, Glossulis,
Sententiis, Capitulis, Summariis, Rescriptis, Breviculis,
Casibuslongis etbrevibus, acinfinitisRhapsodiis adeoorbem
confarcinavit, ut Atlas mons quo sustineri ccelum dicitur,
huic si imponeretur oneri, vix ferendo sufficeret.' Which
made these two kings, Henry VIII. and Edward VI. ap-
point that Compendium of Ecclesiastical Laws as their own.
King Henry first abolishing the Pope's Laws (whatever some
say to the contrary), his words being, ' Hujus Potestatem
huic cum divino munere sublatam esse manifestum est, ut
quid superesset, quo non plane fractam illius Vim esse con-
staret, Leges omnes decreta atque instituta, quae ab authore
Episcopo Romano profecta sunt Prorsus abroganda censui-
mus.'
Is it possible that all the clergy and nobles of the Roman
kingdom can be so ignorant of their own and other men's
ignorance, as to take all the decrees of the huge volumes of
their Councils for certain truths ? Either they were certain
in their evidence of truth, before they decree them, or not :
if they were so, 1. How came the debates in the Councils
Hi) KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
about them to be so hard, and so many to be dissenters as
in many of them there were- I know where Arians or other
heretics make up much of the Council, it is no wonder ; but
are the certainties of faith so uncertain to Catholic bishops,
that a great part of them know not certain truths, till the
majority of votes have told them they are certain? Have
the poor dissenting bishops in Council nothing of certainty
on which their own and all the poor people's faith and sal-
vation must depend, but only this, that they are over-voted ?
As if the dissenters in the Council of Trent should say, 'We
thought beforehand the contrary had been true ; but now
the Italian bishops being so numerous as to over-vote us,
we will lay our own and all men's salvation on it, that we
were deceived, though we have no other reason to think so.'
O noble faith and certainty ! It is possible one or two or
three poor silly prelates may turn the scales and make up a
majority, though as learned men Jansenius, Cusanus or
Gerson were on the other side. And if the Jansenists' Arti-
cles were condemned or Cusanus' antipapal doctrine, lib.
de Concordia, or Gerson's for the Supremacy of Councils
and de Auferibilitate Papse, they must presently believe
that they were certainly deceived.
But what is become then of the contrary evidence which
appeared before to these dissenters? As suppose it were
in the Council of Basil about the immaculate conception of
Mary ; or the question whether the authority of the Pope
or Council be greatest, decided there, and at Constance,
and whereof at Trent the emperor and the French were of
one opinion, and the Pope of another : was it evidently true
before, which is made false after by a majority of votes ?
2. And if all these decreed things were evident truths
before the said decrees, why have we not those antecedent
evidences presented to us, to convince us ?
3. But if they were not evident truths before, what made
those prelates conclude them for truths ? Did they know
them to be such without evidence ? This is grosser than a
presumptuous man's believing that he shall be saved be-
cause he believeth it; or their doctrine that teach men to
believe the thing is true (that Christ did for them,) that there-
by they may make it true ; as if the object must come after
the act. For then these prelates do decree that to be true,
which before was false (for ' ex natura rei,' one party had
Chap. 10.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 87
evidence of its falsehood), that so they might make it true,
by decreeing that it is so.
A man might lawfully have believed his own and other
men's senses, that bread is bread, till the Council at Lateran
sub Innoc. 3. decreed transubstantiation. And O what a
change did that Council make ! All Christ's miracles were
not comparable to it, if its decrees be true. From that day
to this, we must renounce sense, and yet believe ; we must
believe that by constant miracles all Christians' senses are
deceived : and so that this is the difference between Chris-
tians, infidels, and heathens, that our religion deceiveth
all men's senses, (even heathens and all, if they see our Sa-
crament,) and their religion deceiveth no man's senses, saith
the grave author of the History of the Trent Council, (Ed.
Engl. p. 473,) a better mystery was never found, than to use
religion to make men insensible.
And what is the Omnipotent power that doth this ? Such
a Convention as that of Trent, while with our Worcester
Pate, and Olaus Magnus, they made up a great while
two-and-forty things called Bishops ; and after such a pack
of beardless boys, and ignorant fellows, created by, and en-
slaved to the Pope, as Dudithius Quinqueccles. one of the
Council describeth to the emperor ; and which Bishop
Jewel, in his letter to Sign. Scipio, saith, he took for no
Council, called by no just authority, 8cc, where were
neither the patriarchs of Constantinople, Alexandria, or
Antioch, nor Abassines, nor Grsecians, Armenians, Persians,
Egyptians, Moors, Syrians, Indians, nor Muscovites, nor
Protestants, pp. 143, 144. For, saith he after, p. 489, *Now-
a-days (merciful God!) the intent or scope of Councils is
not to discover truth, or to confute falsehood : for these lat-
ter ages, this hath been the only endeavour of the Popes,
to establish the Roman Tyranny ; to set wars on foot, to set
Christian princes together by the ears, to raise money -,
to be cast into some few bellies for gluttony and lust : and
this hath been the only cause or course of Councils for some
ages last past.' So here.
And can the vote of a few such fellows oblige all the
world to renounce all their senses, who were never obliged
to it before ?
And all this consisteth in pretended faith and
knowledge, when men must take on them to know what
88 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
they do not know, and make decrees and canons, and doc-
trines suited to their conjectures, or rather to their carnal
interests, and then most injuriously father them on God, on
Christ and the Apostles.
II. And as the number of forgeries and inventions de-
tecteth this public plague, so doth the number of persons
that are guilty of it. How many such superfluities the
Abassines™ (in their oft baptizings, and other trifles) and
the Armenians, Syrians, Georgians, Jacobites, Maronites,
the Russians, 8cc. are guilty of, the describers of their rights
and religion tell us. Some would have the state of the
Church in Gregory Ist's. days to be the model of our Reforma-
tion : (that Pope whom authors usually call the last of the
good ones, and the first of the bad ones :) But is there
either necessity or certainty in all the superfluities which the
Churches then had, and which that great prelate's writings
themselves contain? Or were there not abundance of such
things then used as indifferent (of which see Socrates and
Sozomen in the chapters of Easter,) and must all their indif-
ferents be now made necessary to the Church's concord and
communion? and all their uncertainties become certainties
to us? Some will have the present Greek Church to be the
standard ; but alas, poor men, how many of these uncertain-
ties, crudities and superfluities are cherished among them
by the unavoidable ignorance which is caused by their op-
pressions? To say no more of Rome. O that the Reformed
Churches themselves had been more innocent. But how
few of them unite on the terms of simple Christianity and
certainties ? Had not Luther after all his zeal for Reforma-
tion, retained some of this leaven, he could better have en-
dured the dissent of Zuinglius, Carolostadius and Oecolam-
padius about the Sacrament. And if his followers had not
m And yet saith Zaga-Zabo in Dainnian a Goes, p. 226. Nee Patriarcha nee
Episcopi nostri, per se, nee in Conciliis putant aut opinantur ullasleges se condere
posse, quibus ad vnortale peccatum obligari quis posset. And p. 231. Indignum
est peregrinos Christianos tam acriter et hostiliter reprehendi ut ego de hac re (de
delectu ciborum) et de aliis, quae raiuime ad fidem veram spectabantreprehensusfui;
sed multo consultius, fuerit, hujusraodi Christianos homines sive Graecos, sive Arrae-
nos sive ^Ethiopes , sive ex quavis Septem Christianarum Eeclesiarum in charitate et
Christi aruplexibus sustinere, et eos sine contumeliis perraittere, inter alios fratres
Christianos vivere ac versari ; quoniam omnes filii baptismi suraus, et de vera fide
uimmmiter sentimus. Nee est eausa cur tain acriter de ceremoniis disceptetur nisi
ut unusquisque suas observet, sine odio et infectatione aliorum, nee corainerciis Eccle-
ji* ob id excludendus, est, &c. Learn of a ceremonious Abassine.
Chap. 10.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 89
kept up the same superfluities, they had never so torn the
Churches by their animosities, nor resisted and wearied
peaceable Melanchthon, nor frustrated so many Conventions
and Treatises for Concord, as they have done. Bucer had
not been so censured ; agreement had not been made so im-
possible : all Dury's travels had not been made so ineffec-
tual. Schlusselbergius had not found so many heresies
to fill up his catalogue with ; nor Calovius so much matter
for his virulent pen ; nor so many equalled Calvinism with
Turcism : nor had Calixtus had such scornful satires written
against him; nor the great peace-makers, Lud. Crocius,
Bergii, Martinius, Camero, Amyraldus, Testardus,Capellus,
Placseus Davenant, Ward, Hall, and now Le Blanc, had so
little acceptance and success. Had it not been for this
spreading plague, (the over-valuing of our own understand-
ings, and the accounting our crude conceits for certainties) all
these Church wars had been prevented or soon ended : all
those excellent endeavours for peace had been more success-
ful, and we had all been one.
Had it not been for this, neither Arminians nor anti-
Arminians had ever so bitterly contended, nor so sharply
censured one another, nor written so many confident con-
demning volumes against each other, which in wise men's
eyes do more condemn the authors ; and self-conceit, or
pretended knowledge should have been the title of
them all. How far I am able to prove that almost all their
bitter and zealous contentions are about uncertainties, and
words, the reader may perceive in my preface to the Gro-
tian Religion, and if God will, I shall more fully manifest to
the world 11 . The synod of Dort had not had so great a work
of it, nor the Breme and Britain Divines so difficult a task,
to bring and hold them to that moderation of expressions
which very laudably they have done : one of the noblest
successful attempts for peace, though little noted, which
these ages have made.
In a word, almost all the contentions of divines, the sects
and factions, the unreconciled feuds, the differences in
religion which have been the harvest of the devil and his
emissaries in the world, have come from pretended knowledge
and taking uncertainties for certain truths.
I will not meddle with the particular impositions of
n Since done in " Catholic Theology."
90 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part. J.
princes and prelates ; not so much as with the German
interim: nor the oaths which in some places they take to
their synodical decrees ; much less will I meddle at all with
any impositions, oaths, subscriptions, declarations, or usages
of the kingdom where I live. As the law forbiddeth me to
contradict them, so 1 do not at all here examine or touch
them, but wholly pass them by ; which I tell the reader once
for all, that he may know how to interpret all that I say.
Nor is it the error of rulers that I primarily detect, but of
human corrupted nature, and all sorts of men: though where
such an error prevaileth, alas, it is of far sadder consequence
in a public person, a magistrate, or a pastor, that presumeth
to the hurt of public societies, than of a private man, who
erreth almost to himself alone.
I profess to thee, reader, that (next to God's so much
deserting so great a part of this world) there is nothing
under the sun, of all the affairs of mankind, that hath so
taken up my thoughts with mixtures of indignation, wonder,
pity and solicitude for a cure, as this one vice ; a proud or
unhumbled understanding, by which men live in
pretended knowledge and faith, to the deceit of
themselves and others, the bitter censuring and persecuting
of Dissenters, yea of their modest suspending brethren, tear
churches and kingdoms, and will give no peace, nor hopes
of peace to themselves, their neighbours, or the world !
Lord ! Is there no remedy, no hope from thee, though there
is none from man?
1. Among divines themselves, that should not only have
knowledge enough to know their own ignorance, but to
guide the people of God into the ways of truth, and love,
and peace ; O how lamentably doth this vice prevail ! To
avoid all offence, I will not here at all touch on the case of
any that are supposed to have a hand in any of the suffer-
ings of me, and others of my mind ; or of any that in points
of conformity differ from me : remember that I meddle not
with them at all. But even those that do no way differ
among themselves as sect f and sect, or at least, that at all
pretend to principles of forbearance, gentleness and peace,
yet are woefully sick of this disease.
And yet that I may wrong none, J will premise this pub-
lic declaration to the world, that in the country where I
lived, God in great mercy cast my lot among a company of
Chap. 10.J FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 91
so humble, peaceable, faithful ministers and people, as free
from this vice as any that ever I knew in the world ; who,
as they kept up full concord among themselves, without the
least disagreement that I remember, and kept out sects and
heresies from the people; so their converse was the joy of
my life, and the remembrance of it will be sweet to me while
I live ; and especially the great success of our labours, and
the quiet and concord of our several flocks, which was pro-
moted by the pastors' humility and concord. Though we
kept up constant disputations, none of them ever turned to
spleen, or displeasure, or discord among us.
And I add, in thankfulness to God, that I am now ac-
quainted with many ministers in and about London, of
greatest note, and labour, and patience, and success, who
are of the same spirit, humble and peaceable, and no con-
fident troublers of the churches with their censoriousness,
and high esteem of their own opinions : who trade only in
the simple truths of Christianity, and love a Christian as a
Christian, and join not with backbiters nor factious, self-
conceited men, but study only to win souls to Christ, and
to live according to the doctrine which they preach : and
both the former and these, have these ten ° years since they
were ejected, continued their humility and peaceableness,
fearing Cod and honouring the king.
And I further add, that those private Christians with
whom I most converse, are many of them of the same strain,
suspecting their own understandings, and speaking evil of
no man so forwardly as of themselves.
So that in these ministers and people of my most inti-
mate acquaintance, experience convinceth me, that this
grand disease of corrupted nature is curable ; and that God
hath a people in the world, that have learned of Christ to be
meek and lowly, who have the wisdom from above, which is
first pure, and then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, and the fruit of mercy is sown
in peace of these peacemakers. I see in them a true confor-
mity to Christ, and a grand difference between them and
the furious, fiery pretenders to more wisdom ; and the two
sorts of wise men and wisdom excellently described by James
chap. iii. I have seen in two sorts of religious people among
us, most happily exemplified before our eyes. God hath a
Now it is above twenty-two years that they have been ejected, 1684.
92 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part. I.
people that truly honour him in the world. But O that they
were more ! And O that they were more perfect ! Alas !
what a number are there that are otherwise !
Even among divines this plague is most pernicious, as be-
ing of most public influence. Take him that never had a na-
tural acuteness of wit, nor is capable of judging of difticult
points, if he be but of long standing, and grey hairs, and can
preach well to the people, and have studied long ; he is not
only confident of his fitness to judge of that which he never
understood, but his reputation of wisdom, must be kept up
among the people by his supercilious talking against what
he understandeth not p . Yea, if he be one that never mace-
rated his flesh with the difficult and long studies of the
matter, without which hard points will never be well digested
and distinctly understood ; yet, if he be a doctor, and have
lived long in a reputation for wisdom, his ignorant, flashy
conjectures, and hasty, superficial apprehensions, must
needs go for the more excellent knowledge. And if you
put him to make good any of his contradictions to the truth,
his magisterial contempt, or his uncivil wrath, and unman-
nerly interruptions of you in your talk, must go for reason :
and if he cannot resist the strength of your evidence, he
cannot bear the hearing of it ; but like a scold, rather than
a scholar, taketh your words out of your mouth before you
come to the end ; as if he said, ' Hold your tongue, and
hear me who am wiser : I came to teach, and not to hear/
If you tell him how uncivil it is, not patiently to hear you
to the end, he thinks you wrong him, and are too bold to
pretend to a liberty to speak without interruption : or he
will tell you that you ' are too long : he cannot remember all
at once.' If you reply that the sense of the former part of a
speech usually depends much on the latter part, and he can-
not have your sense till he have all ; and that he must
not answer, before he understandeth you ; and that if his
memory fail, he should take notes ; and that to have un-
interrupted turns of speaking, is necessary in the order of
all sober conferences, without which they will be but noise
and strife ; he will let you know that he came not to hear,
or keep any laws of order or civility, but to have a combat
with you for the reputation of wisdom or orthodoxy : and
P Yea, now it is also young, ignorant novices that are sick of the same feverish
temerity.
Chap. 10.] FALSELY PKETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 93
what he wants in reason and evidence, he will make up in
ignorant confidence and reviling, and call you by some ill
name or other, that shall go for a confutation.
But yet this is not the usual way : it is too great a ha-
zard to the reputation of their wisdom, to cast it on a dis-
pute. The common way is, never to speak to the person
himself; but if any one cross their conceits, or become the
object of their envy, they backbite him among those that
reverence their wisdom ; and when they are sure that he is
far enough out of hearing, they tell their credulous followers,
' O such a man holdeth unsound or dangerous opinions !
Take heed how you hear him or read his writings ; this or
that heresy they savour of;' when the poor man knoweth
not what he talketh of. And if any one have the wit to say
to him, ' Sir, he is neither so sottish, nor so proud as to be
incapable of instruction ; if you are so much wiser than he,
why do you not teach him?' he will excuse his omission and
commission together with a further calumny, and say,
'These erroneous persons will hear no reason : it is in vain.'
If he be asked, ' Sir, did you ever try V it is likely he must
confess that he did not, unless some magisterial rebuke once
went for evidence of truth. If the hearers, (which is rare)
have so much Christian wit and honesty, as to say, ' Sir,
ministers above all men must be no backbiters, nor unjust :
You know it is unlawful for us to judge another man, till
we hear him speak for himself. If you would have us know
whether he or you be in the right, let us hear you both to-
gether :' his answer would be like Cardinal Turnon at the
conference at Poisie, and as the Papists' ordinarily is, 'It
is dangerous letting heretics speak to the people, and it
agreeth not with our zeal for God, to hear such odious
things uttered against the truth.'
In a word, there are more that have the spirit of a pope
in the world, than one, even among them that cry out
against Popery ; and that would be fain to be taken for the
dictators of the world, whom none must dissent from, much
less contradict. And there are more idolaters than heathens,
who would have their ignorant understandings to be instead
of God, the uncontrolled director of all about them.
But if these men have not any confidence in their self-
sufficiency, if they can but embody in a society of their
minds, or gather into a synod, he must needs go for a proud
94 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
and arrogant schismatic at least, that will set any reason and
evidence of truth, against their magisterial ignorance, when
it is the major vote.
The very truth is, the great Benefactor of the World hath
not been pleased to dispense his benefits equally, but with
marvellous disparity. As he is the God of nature, he hath
been pleased to give a natural capacity for judiciousness
and acuteness in difficult speculations but to few. And as
he is the Lord of all, he hath not given men equal education,
nor advantages for such extraordinary knowledge : nor have
all that have leisure and capacity, self-denial and patience
enough for so long and difficult studies. But the devil and
ourselves have given to all men pride enough, to desire to
be thought to be wiser and better than we are ; and he that
cannot be equal with the wisest and best, would be thought to
be so : and while all men must needs seem wise, while few
are so indeed, you may easily see what must thence follow.
2. And it is not divines only, but all ranks of people,
who are sick of this disease. The most unlearned, ignorant
people, the silliest women, if they will not for shame say
that they are wiser than their teachers in general, yet when
it cometh to particular cases, they take themselves to be al-
ways in the right : and O how confident are they of it ! And
who more peremptory and bold in their judgments, than
those that least know what they say ? It is hard to meet
with a person above eighteen or twenty years of age, that is
not notably tainted with this malady.
And it is not only these great mischiefs in matters of
religion which spring from self-conceitedness ; but even in
our common converse, it is the cause of disorder, ruin and
destruction: for it is the common vice of blinded nature,
and it is rare to meet with one that is not notably guilty of
it, when they are past the state of professed learners.
1. It is ordinary for self-conceited persons to ruin their
own estates, and healths, and lives. When they are rashly
making ill bargains, or undertaking things which they un-
derstand not, they rush on till they find their error too late ;
and their poverty, prisons or ruined families, must declare
their sin : for they have not humility enough to seek coun-
sel in time, nor to take it when it is offered them. What
great numbers have I heard begging relief from others, un-
der the confession of this sin ! And far more, even the
Chap. 10.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 95
most of men and women, overthrow their health, and lose
their lives by it. Experience doth not suffice to teach them
what is hurtful to their bodies ; and as they know not, so
you cannot convince them that they know not. Most per-
sons by the excess in quantity of food, do suffocate nature,
and lay the foundation of future maladies : and most of
the diseases that kill men untimely, are but the effects of
former gluttony or excess. But as long as they feel not
any present hurt, no man can persuade them but their
fulness is for their health, as well as for their pleasure. They
will laugh, perhaps, at those that tell them what they do,
and what diseases they are preparing for. Let physicians,
if they be so honest, tell them, ' It is the perfection of the
nutritive juices, the blood and nervous oil, which are the
causes of health in man. Perfect concoction causeth that
perfection. Nature cannot perfectly concoct too much, or
that which is of too hard digestion. While you feel no harm,
your blood groweth dispirited, and being but half concocted,
and half blood, doth perform its office accordingly by the
halves ; till crudities are heaped up, and obstructions fixed,
and a dunghill of excrements, or the dispirited humours are
ready to take in any disease, which a small occasion offereth ;
either agues, fevers, coughs, consumptions, pleurisies, drop-
sies, cholics and windiness, headachs, convulsions, See, or
till the inflammations or other tumours of the inward parts,
or the torment of the stone in the reins or bladder, do sharply
tell men what they have been doing. A clean body and
perfect concoction, which are procured by temperance and
bodily labours, which suscitate the spirits, and purify the
blood, are the proper means which God in the course of na-
ture hath appointed, for a long and healthful life.'
This is all true, and the reason is evident; and yet this
talk will be but despised and derided by the most ; and they
will say, ' I have so long eaten what I loved, and lived by
no such rules as these, and I have found no harm by it.'
Yea, if excess have brought diseases on them, if abstinence
do but make them more to feel them, they will rather im-
pute their illness to the remedy, than to the proper cause :
and so they do about the quality as well as the quantity.
Self-conceitedness maketh men incurable. Many an one
have I known that daily lived in that fulness which I saw
would shortly quench the vital spirits ; and fain I would
96 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
have saved their lives, but I was not able to make them
willing. Had I seen another assault them, I could have
done somewhat for them ; but when I foresaw their death, I
couM not save them from themselves. They still said, they
found their measures of eating and drinking between meals
refresh them, and they were the worse if they forbore it ;
and they would not believe me against both appetite, rea-
son and experience. And thus have I seen abundance of
my acquaintance wilfully hasten to the grave ; and all
through an unhumbled, self-conceited understanding, which
would not be brought to suspect itself, and know its error.
2. And O how often have I seen the dearest friends thus
kill their friends ; even mothers kill their dearest children,
and too often their husbands, kindred, servants and neigh-
bours, by their self-conceit, and confidence in their igno-
rance and error ! Alas, what abundance empty their own
houses, gratify covetous landlords, and set their lands by
lives, and bring their dearest relations to untimely ends,
and a wise man knoweth not how to hinder them! How
often and often have I heard ignorant women confidently
persuade even their own children to eat as long as they have
an appetite, and so they have vitiated their blood and hu-
mours in their childhood, that their lives have been either
soon ended, or ever after miserable by diseases ! How often
have I heard them persuade sick or weak, diseased persons,
to eat, eat, eat, and take what they have a mind to, when,
unless they would poison them, or cut their throats, they
could scarcely more certainly dispatch them ! How often
have these good women been persuading myself, that eating
and drinking more would make me better, and that it is ab-
stinence that causeth all my illness, (when excess in my
childhood causeth it :) as if every wise woman that doth but
know me, knew better what is good for me, than myself, af-
ter threescore years experience, or than all the physicians
in the city ! And had I obeyed them, how many years ago
had I been dead!
How ordinary is it for such self-conceited women to ob-
trude their skill and medicines on their sick neighbours,
with the greatest confidence, when they know not what they
do ! Yea, upon their husbands and children ! One can
scarcely come about sick persons, but one woman or other
is persuading them to take that, or do that which is likely
Chap. JO.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 97
to kill them. Many and many, when they have brought
their children to the grave, have nothing to say but ' I thought
this or that had been best for them.'
But you will say, ' They do it in love ; they mean no
harm.' I answer, so false teachers deceive souls in love.
But are you content yourselves to be killed by love? If I
must be killed, I had rather an enemy did it than a friend ;
I would not have such have the guilt or grief. Love will
not save men's lives, if you give them that which tends to
kill them.
But you will say, ' We can be no wiser than we are : if
we do the best we can, what can we do more?'
I answer, I would have you not think yourselves wiser
than you are: I would write over this word five hundred
times, if that would cure you. About matters of diet and
medicines, and health, this is it that I would have you do to
save you from killing yourselves and your relations; 1.
Pretend not to know upon the report of such as yourselves,
or in matters that are difficult and beyond your skill ; or
where you have not had long consideration and experience.
Meddle with no medicining, but what in common easy cases,
the common judgment of physicians, and common experience
have taught you.
2. If you have not money to pay physicians and apothe-
caries, tell them so, and desire them to give you their coun-
sel freely, and take not on you to know more than they that
have studied and practised it all the riper part of their
lives.
3. Suspect your understandings, and consider how much
there may be unknown to you, in the secresy and variety of
diseases, difference of temperatures, and the like, which
may make that hurtful which you conceit is good. There-
fore do nothing rashly, and in self-conceited confidence, but
upon the best advice ask the physician whether your medi-
cines and rules are safe.
4. And be sure that you do rather too little than too
much. What abundance are there, especially in the small-
pox and fevers, that would have escaped, if women, (yea,
and physicians) would have let them alone, that die because
that nature had not leave to cure them, being disturbed by
mistaken usages or medicines. Diseases are so various and
VOL. XV. H
98 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part 1.
secret, and remedies so uncertain, that the wisest man alive,
that hath studied and practised it almost all his riper days
(were it an hundred years), must confess that physic is a
hard, a dark, uncertain work, and ordinary cases, much more
extraordinary, have somewhat in them which doth surpass
his skill : and how then come so many medicining women to
know more than they?
But you will say, ' We see that many miscarry by physi-
cians, and they speed worst that use them most.'
I answer. But would they not yet speed worse, if they
used you as much ? If they are too ignorant, how came you
to be wiser? If you are, teach them your skill.
But I must add, that even physicians' guilt of the sin
which I am reproving, doth cost many hundred persons their
lives, as well as yours. Even too many physicians, who
have need of many days' inquiry and observations, truly
to discover a disease, do kill men by rash and hasty judging,
(I talk not of the cheating sort, that take on them to know
all by the urine alone, but of honester and wiser men.) It
is most certain that old Celsus saith, that a physician is not
able faithfully to do his office, for very many patients : a
few will take up all his time. But they that gape most after
money, must venture upon a short sight, and a few words,
and presently resolve before they know, and write down
their directions while they are ignorant of one half; which
if they knew, would change their counsels! And such is
man's body and its diseases, that the oversight and igno-
rance of one thing among twenty, is likely enough to be the
patient's death. And how wise, expedient and vigilant
must he be, that will commit no such killing oversight !
And as too many medicine a man whom they know not,
and an unknown disease, for want of just deliberation; so
too many venture upon uncertain and untried medicines, or
rashly give that to one in another case, which hath profited
others. In a word, even rash physicians have cause to fear
lest by prehdence and hasty judging, more should die by
their mistakes than do by murderers, that I say not by
soldiers in the world : and lest their dearest friend should
speed worse by them, than their greatest enemies. For as
seamen and soldiers do boldly follow the trade, when they
find that in several voyages and battles they have escaped ;
Chap. JO.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 99
but yet most or very many of tbem are drowned or killed at
the last ; so he that is tampering overmuch with medicines,
may escape well and boast of the success awhile : but at last
one bloodletting, one vomit, one purge or other medicine
may miscarry by a small mistake or accident, and he is
gone ! And there are some persons so civil, that if a rash or
unexperienced physician be their kinsman, friend, or neigh-
bour, they will not go to an abler man, lest they be ac-
counted unfriendly, and disoblige him ; and if such escape
long with their lives, they may thank God's mercy, and not
their own wisdom. Soldiers kill enemies, and unskilful,
rash physicians kill their friends !
But you will say, ' They do their best, and they can do
no more.' I answer as before, 1. Let them not think that
they know what they do not know : but sufficiently suspect
their own understandings. 2. Let them not go beyond their
knowledge : How little of our kind of physic did the old
physicians (Hippocrates, Galen, Celsus, &c.) give? Do not
too much. 3. Venture not rashly without full search, deli-
beration, counsel and experience. O how many die by
hasty judging, and rash mistakes! Physicians must par-
don my free speaking, or endure it; for I conceive it neces-
sary. It hath not been the least part of the calamity of my
life to see my friends and other worthy persons killed by
the ignorance or hastiness of physicians : I greatly reve-
rence and honour those few that are men of clear, searching,
judicious heads ; of great reading, especially of other men's
experiences; of great and long experience of their own; of
present sagacity and ready memory to use their own expe-
riments ; of conscience and caution to suspect, and know
before they hastily judge and practise. I would I could say
that such are not too few. But I must say to the people,
as you love your lives take heed of all the rest: a highway
robber you may avoid or resist with greater probability of
safety, than such men. How few are they that are killed by
thieves or in duels, in comparison of those that are killed
by physicians ; especially confident young men that ac-
count themselves wits, and think they may hit on such phi-
losophical principles as will better secure both their practice
and reputation than old physicians' doctrine and expe-
rience could do ! Confident young men of unhumbled un-
derstandings, presently trust their undigested thoughts, and
100 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I*-
rashly use their poor, short experiments, and tiust to their
new conceptions of the reasons of all operations ; and then
they take all others for mere empyrics in comparison of
them: and when all is done, their pretended reason for want
of full experience and judgment to improve it, doth but en-
able them to talk and boast, and not to heal ; and when they
have killed men, they can justify it, and prove that they did
it rationally, or rather that it was something else, and not
their error that was the cause. They are wits and men of
rare inventions ; and therefore are not such fools as to con-
fess the fact. How often have I seen men of great worth,
such as few in an age arise to, who havino- a high esteem of
an injudicious, unexperienced physician, have sealed their
erroneous kindness with their blood ! How often have I
seen worthy persons destroyed by a pernicious medicine,
contrary to what the nature of the disease required, who
without a physician might have done well ! Such sorrows
now upon me, make me the more plain and copious in the
case. And yet, alas, I see no hope of amendment probable !
For, 1. Many hundred ministers being forbidden to preach
the Gospel, and cast out of all their livelihood, for not promis-
ing, asserting, swearing, and doing all that is required of
them ; many of these think that necessity alloweth them to
turn physicians, which they venture on upon seven years'
study ; when seven, and seven, and seven, is not enough,
though advantaged by the help of other men's experiments.
2. And others rush on practice in their youth, partly be-
cause they have not yet knowledge enough to discern un-
certainties and difficulties in the art, or to see what is further
necessary to be known : and partly, because they think that
seeing skill must be got by experience, use must help them
to that experience ; and all men must have a beginning. 3.
And when they do their best, they say, God requireth no
more. 4. And they hope if they kill one, they cure many.
But O that they had the sobriety to consider, 1. That the
physician is but one man ; and will his maintenance or live-
lihood excuse him for killing many ? 2. That even one
man's life is more precious than one man's maintenance, or
fuller supply, is it not honester to beg your bread ? 3.
That killing men by virtue of your trade without danger to
you, doth but hinder your repentance, but not so much
extenuate your sin as many think : which is aggravated
Chap. 10.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 101
in that you kill your friends that trust you, and not enemies
that oppose you or avoid you. 4. Your experience must
not be got by killing men, but by accompanying experienced
physicians till you are fit to practise : and if you cannot stay
so long for want of maintenance, beg rather than kill men,
or betake you to some other trade.
But if you be too proud or confident to take such counsel,
I still advise all that love their lives, that they choose not a
physician under forty years old at least, and if it may be,
not under sixty, unless it be for some little disease or remedy,
which hath no danger, and where they can do no harm, if
they do no good : old men may be ignorant, but young-
men must needs be so for want of experience, though some
few rare persons are sooner ripe than others.
And whereas they say that they ' cure more than they
kill;' 1 wish that I had reason to believe them: I suppose
that if more of their patients did not live than die, they would
soon lose their practice : but it is likely the far greatest part
of those that live, would have lived without them, and per-
haps have been sooner and easier cured, if nature had not
by them been disturbed.
And what calling is there in which hasty judging and con-
ceits of more knowledge than men have, doth make great
confusion and disappointment? If a fool that rageth and is
confident, be a pilot, woe to the poor seamen and passengers
in the ship. If such a one be a commander in an army, his
own and other men's blood or captivity, must cure his con-
fidence, and stay his rage. For such will learn at no cheaper
a rate. How often hear we such workmen, carpenters, ma-
sons, &c, raging confident that their way is right, and their
work well done, till the ruin of it confute and shame them !
If this disease take hold of governors, who will not stay
to hear all parties, and know the truth, but take up reports
on trust, from those that please or flatter them, or judge
presently before impartial trial, and hearing all, woe to the
land that is* so governed ! The wisest and the best man
must have due information and time, patience and con-
sideration to receive it, or else he may do as David between
Mephibosheth and Ziba, and cannot be just.
What an odious thing is a partial, blind, rash, hasty and
impatient judge, that cannot hear, think and know before
he judgeth ! Such the old Christians had to do with among
102 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
their persecutors, who knew not what they held, or what
they were, and yet could judge them, and cruelly execute
them. And such were Tacitus and other old historians, that
from common prejudice spake words of contempt or re-
proach of them. The Christians were glad when they had a
Trajan, an Antonine, an Alexander Severus, Sec. to speak
to, that had reason and sobriety to hear their cause. Among
the Papists, the old reformers and martyrs took him for a
very commendable judge or magistrate, that would but allow
them a patient hearing, and give them leave to speak for
themselves. Truth and godliness have so much evidence, and
such a testimony for themselves in the conscience of man-
kind, as that the devil could never get them so odiously
thought of, and so hardly used in the world, but only by
keeping them unknown, which is much by expelling and
silencing their defenders, (who speed well sometimes if an
Obadiah hide them by fifties in a cave,) and by tempting
their judges to hear but some superficial narrative of their
cause, and to have but a ' glimpse of the outside as in tran-
situ,' and to see only theback parts of it, yea but the clothing;
which is commonly such as are made by its enemies; good
merPand causes are too often brought to them, and set out by
them, as Christ with his scarlet robe, his reed and crown of
thorns, and then they say, " Behold the man ! " and when
they have cried out, " Blasphemy, and an enemy to Csesar!"
they write over his cross in scorn, " The King of the Jews."
Cain had not patience to hear his own brother, and weigh
the case; no not after that God had admonished him: but he
must first hate and murder, and afterwards consider why,
when it is too late. Judas must know his Master's inno-
cency, and what he had done, in despair to hang himself.
And so wise Ahithophel cometh to his end. If David would
have pondered his usage of Uriah as much in time as he did
when Nathan had awakened his reason, O what had he pre-
vented ! If Paul had weighed before, the case of Christians,
as he did when Christ did stop his rage, he had not incurred
the guilt of persecution, and the martyrs' blood : but he tells
us that he was exceedingly mad against them : and it is
madness indeed to venture on cruelty and persecution, and
not stay first to understand the cause, and consider why, and
what is likely to be the end.
How ordinary in the world are the most excellent men on
Chap. 10.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 103
earth, for wisdom and holiness, such as Ignatitus, Cyprian,
and the rest of the ancient martyrs ; and such as Athanasius,
Chrysostom, Sec, reviled and used as if they were the basest
rogues on earth, laid in gaols, banished, silenced, murdered;
and all this by men that know not what they are, and have
no true understanding of their cause ! Men of whom the
world was not worthy, wandered up and down in dens, and
caves, and suffered joyfully the spoiling of their goods, yea
and death itself, (Heb. xi.) from men that judged before
they knew! Many a great man and judge that hath con-
demned Christ's ministers as heretics, false teachers, unwor-
thy to preach the Gospel, have been such as understand not
their baptism, creed or catechism, and have need of many
years' teaching to make them know truly but. those principles
that every child should know. There needs no great learn-
ing, wisdom, sobriety or honesty to teach them to cry out,
' You are a rogue, a seducer, a heretic, a schismatic, disobe-
dient, seditious ; or, Away with such a fellow from the earth ;
it is not fit that he should live; (Acts xxii.22. and xxi.26;)
or, Away with him, crucify him, give us Barabbas ; or to say,
We have found this man a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedi-
tion, a leader of a sect, that teacheth contrary to the decrees
of Caesar, &c.' But patience, till the cause were fully tried,
and all things heard and equally weighed, would prevent
most of this !
I know that ignorance and weakness of judgment is the
common calamity of mankind ; and there is no hope of curing
us by unity in high degrees of knowledge. And though
teachers are and must be a great stay to ignorant learners,
yet, alas, how can they tell which are the wisest teachers,
and whom to choose ? When all pretend to wisdom, and no
man can judge of that which he neither hath nor knoweth ;
and even the Roman sect, who pretend most to infallibility,
have so exceeded all men in their error, as to make it a part
of religion, necessary to our possessions, communion, domi-
nion, and salvation, to maintain the falsehood of God's
natural revelations to the senses of all sound men in the
world. How shall one that would learn philosophy know in
this age, what sect to follow, or what guide to choose? Hence
is our calamity ; and the remedy will be but imperfect till
the time of perfection come. ,
But yet we are not remediless. 1. If men would but well
i04 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
lay in, hold fast, love, and faithfully improve the few neces-
sary essential principles: 2. If they would make them a
rule in trying what is built upon them; and receive nothing
that certainly contradicteth them: 3. If they would stay,
think and try, till their thoughts are well digested, and all is
heard, before they take in doubtful things : 4. If they will
carry themselves as humble learners to those whose wisdom
is conspicuous by its proper light, especially the concordant
pastors of the Churches : 5. And if they will not quarrel with
truth for every difficulty which they understandnot,buthum-
bly, as learners, suspect their own wit, till their teachers have
helped them in a leisurely and faithful trial ; by such means
the mischief of error and rashness might be much avoided.
In common matters, necessity and undeniable experience
doth somewhat rebuke and restrain this vice. If children
should set their wits against their parents, or scholars pre-
sently dispute with their masters, nature and the rod would
rebuke their pride and folly. If they that never used a
trade, should presently take themselves to be as wise as the
longest practisers, who would be apprentices? And if an
unskilful musician, painter, poet, or other such like, shall be
confident that he is as good at his work as any, standers-by
will not easily cherish his folly, as being not blinded by his
self-love. A good workman shall have most praise and
practice. Buyers will convince the ignorant boasters, by
forsaking such men's shops: as it is with self-conceited,
ignorant writers, who are restrained by the people, that will
not buy and read their books. And usually good and bad
judges, magistrates, lawyers, soldiers, pilots, artificers, are
discerned by most that are capable of judging ; because,
1. These are matters where the common sense of mankind
doth render them somewhat capable of judging, and save
them from deceit. 2. And here is not usually such deep
and long plots and endeavours to deceive, as in matters of
speculation, and especially religion and policy there is. And
the devil is not so concerned and industrious to deceive men
in matters of so low importance. 4. And if one be deceived,
many are ready to rectify him. 5. And men's interest here
is better understood in bodily matters, and they are not so
willing to be deceived. A poor man can easily discern
between a charitable man and an uncharitable ; between a
merciful and an oppressing landlord. We discern between,
Chap. 10.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 105
diligent and slothful servants ; but in matters that are above
our reach, which we must take on trust, and know not whom
to trust, the difficulty is greater : where the errors and haste
of either party will breed mischief, but much more of both.
If the physician, or other undertaker be confident in his
error, and precipitant, he will impose ruin on men's health,
as I have said : and if the patient be self-conceited and rash
in his choice, he is likely to suffer for it; but when both
physician and patient are so, what hope of escape! And
especially when through the great imperfection of man's
understanding, not one of a multitude is clear and skilful in
things that are beyond the reach of sense: and if one man,
after great experience, come to be wiser than the rest, the
hearer knoweth it not, and he must cast out his notions
among as many assailing warriors, as there are ignorant
self-conceited hearers present, and that is usually as there
are persons. And when every one hath poured out his con-
fidence against it, and perhaps reproached the author as
erroneous, because he will know more than they, and will
not reverence their known mistakes; alas! how shall the
person that we would instruct (be it for health or soul), be
able to know which of all these to trust as wisest?
But the saddest work is that forementioned, in churches,
kingdoms, families and souls. I must expect that opening
the crime will exasperate the guilty : but what remedy ?
1. Should I largely open what work this maketh in families,
I have too much matter for the complaint. If the wife differ
from the husband, she seemeth always in the right : if the
servant differ from the master, and the child from the parent,
if a little past infancy, they are always in the right : what is
the contention in families, and in all the world, but who
shall have his way and will ? If they are of several parties
in religion, or if any be against religion itself; if they be
foolish, erroneous, or live in any sin, that can without utter
impudence be defended, still they are able to make it good :
and except children at school, or others that professedly go
to be taught, whom can we meet with so ignorant or mista-
ken, that will not still think, when even superiors differ from
them and reprove them, that they are in the right?
2. And what mischiefs doth it cause in churches ! When
the Papal tyrannical part are so confident that they are in
the right^ that when they silence preachers, and imprison
106 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
and burn Christians, they think it not their duty so much as
to hear what they have to say for themselves. Or if they
hear a few words, they have not the patience to hear all, or
impartially to try the cause : but they are so full of them-
selves and overwise, that it must seem without any more ado a
crime to dissent from them, or contradict them. And thus
proud self-conceitedness smiteth the shepherds, scattereth
the flocks, and will allow the Church of Christ no unity or
peace. And the popular crowd are usually or often as self-
conceited in their way ; and if they never so unreasonably
oppose their teachers, how hard it is to make them know or
once suspect that they are mistaken ! O what mutinies in
Christ's armies, what schisms, what confusions, what scan-
dals, what persecutions in the Church, what false accusa-
tions, what groundless censures, do proud self-conceited
understandings cause !
But scarcely any where is it more lamentably seen than
among injudicious, unexperienced ministers! What work is
made in the Christian world, by sect against sect, and party
against party, in cases of controversy, by most men's bold
and confident judging of what they never truly studied, tried
or understood ! Papists against Protestants, Protestants
against Papists, Lutherans (or Arminians) and Calvinists,
&.c. usually charge one another by bare hearsay, or by a few
sentences or scraps collected out of their writings by their
adversaries ; contrary to the very scope of the whole dis-
course or context. And men cannot have leisure to peruse
the books, and to know before they judge. And then they
think that seeing their reverend doctors have so reported
their adversaries before them, it is arrogance or injury to
think that they knew not what they said, or else belied them.
And on such supposition the false judging doth go on. Of
all the pulpits that often trouble the people with invectives
against this side or that, especially in the controversies of
Predestination, Grace, and Freewill, how few do we hear
that know what they talk against!
Yea, those young or unstudied men, who might easily be
conscious how little they know, are ready to oppose and
contemn the most ancient studied divines ; when if ever they
would be wise men, they should continue scholars to such,
even while they are teachers of the people.
1 will not presume to open the calamities of the world,
Chap. II.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 107
for want of rulers truly knowing their subjects' case, but
judging hastily by the reports of adversaries : but that re-
bellions ordinarily hence arise I may boldly say. When sub-
jects that know not the reasons of their ruler's actions, are
so overwise as to make themselves judges of that which
concerneth them not : and how few be they that think not
themselves wiser than all their guides and governors!
And lastly, by this sin it is that the wisdom of the wisest
is as lost to the world : for let a man know never so much
more than others, after the longest, hardest studies, the self-
uonceitedness of the ignorant riseth up against it, or maketh
them incapable of receiving it, so that he can do little good
to others.
I conclude again, that this is the plague and misery of
mankind, and the cause of all sin and shame and ruin, — that
ignorant, unhumbled understandings will be still judging
rashly before they have thoroughly tried the case, and will
not suspend till they are capable of judging, nor be convin-
ced that they know not what they know not, but be confident
in their first or ungrounded apprehensions.
CHAP. XI.
The Signs and common Discoveries of a proud, self-conceited
Understanding, and of pretended Knowledge.
By such effects as these, the most of men do show their guilt
of overvaluing their own apprehensions.
1. When they will be confident of things that are quite
above their understandings, or else which they never tho-
roughly studied. Some are confident of that which no man
knowetli ; and most are confident of that which I think they
are unlikely to be certain of themselves, without miraculous
inspiration, which they give us no reason to believe that they
have. Tilings that cannot ordinarily be known, 1. Without
the preparation of many other sciences, 2. or without reading
many books, 3. or without reading or hearing what is said
against it, 4. or at least without long or serious studies ;
we have abundance that will talk most peremptorily of them,
upon the trust of their teachers or party, without any of
this necessary means of knowledge.
108 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
2. The hastiness of men's conclusions discovereth this
presumption and self-conceit. When at the first hearing or
reading, or after a few thoughts they are as confident, as if
they had grown old in studies ; the best understandings must
have long time to discern the evidence of things difficult,
and a longer time to try that evidence by comparing it with
what is brought against it : and yet a longer time to digest
truths into that order and clearness of apprehension, which
is necessary to distinct and solid knowledge, when without
all this ado, most at the first lay hold of that which cometh in
their way : and there they stick, at least till a more esteemed
teacher or party tell them somewhat that is contrary to it.
It is but few of our first apprehensions that are sound, and
need not reformation ; but none that are well-digested, and
need not much consideration to perfect them.
3. Is it not a plain discovery of a presumptuous under-
standing, when men will confidently conclude of things,
which their own tongues are forced to confess that they do
not understand? I mean not only so as to give an accurate
definition of them, but really not to know what it is they
talk of. Many a zealous Anabaptist I have known, that
knoweth not what baptism is. And many a one that hath
disputed confidently for or against freewill, that knew not
at all what freewill is. And many a one that hath disputed
about the Lord's-supper, and separated from almost all
churches for want of sufficient strictness in it, and especially
for giving it to the ignorant; who, upon examination, have
not known the true nature of a sacrament, nor of the sacred
covenant which it sealeth. Many a one forsaketh most
churches as no churches, that they may be of a right con-
stituted church, who know not what a church is. What
abundance will talk against an Arminian, a Calvinist, a Pre-
latist, a Presbyterian, an Independent ; that really know not
what any of them are ? Like a gentleman, the other day, that
after long talk of the Presbyterians, being urged to tell what
a Presbyterian was, could tell no more, but that he was one
that is not so merry and sociable as other men, but stricter
against sports, or taking a cup. And if I should tell you
how few that can judge the controversies about predestina-
tion, do know what they talk of it, were easy to evince it.
4. May I not discern their prefidence, when men that
hold contraries, five men of five inconsistent opinions, are
Chap. 11.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 109
yet every one confident that his own is right? When at best
it is but one that can be right? When six men confidently
expound a text in the Revelation six ways. When five men
are so confident of five several ways of Church-government,
that they embody themselves into several policies or parties
to enjoy them. Is not here self-conceitedness in all, at least
save one?
5. When men themselves by turning from opinion to
opinion, shall confess their opinion was false ; and yet made
a religion of it, while they held it ; was not this a presump-
tuous understanding? When a man shall be one year of one
sect, and another of another, and yet always confident that
he is in the right.
6. When men that are known to be ignorant in other
parts of religion, shall yet in some one opinion which they
have espoused, seem to themselves much wiser than their
teachers, and make nothing of the judgments of those that
have studied it many a year, is not this a presuming mind ?
Take the ablest divine that ever you knew living, suppose
him to be Jewel, Andrews, Usher, Davenant, Calvin, Cha-
mier, Camero, Amesius, Gataker, See. Let him be one that
all learned men admire, whose judgment is sent for from
several kingdoms; who hath spent a long life in hard and
very successful studies, every boy and silly woman, every
ignorant vicious clown, that differeth from him in any point.,
shall slight all the wisdom of this man, as if in comparison
of himself he were a fool. Let it come but to the point of
anabaptistry, separation, antinomianism, yea, the grossest
opinions of the Quakers, and what senseless fellow is not
much wiser than all these divines! And they will pity him
as a poor, carnal, ignorant person, which hath not the teach-
ing of God which they have. Yea, let him but seek to draw
a sensualist from his voluptuousness, this poor sot doth pre-
sently take himself to be the wiser man, and can prove all
his gaming, his idleness, his wantonness, his precious time
wasted in plays and long feastings, his gluttony, his tippling,
his prodigal wastefulness to be all lawful things, whatever
the learned pastor say.
But why do not such men suspect their understandings,
and consider with themselves, what likelihood is there, that
men as holy as I, that have studied it all their days, should
not be wiser than I, that never searched as they have done ?
110 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
Doth not God say, " He that seeketh, shall find j" and wis-
dom must be laboriously searched for, as a hidden treasure?
And doth not God use to give his blessing, on supposition
of men's faithful endeavours?
7. Is it not palpable pride, when a few men, no wiser nor
better than others, can easily believe that all the rest of the
Christian world, the most learned, godly, and concordant
Christians, are all deceived, ignorant souls ; and they
and their few adherents only are in the right, in some
doubtful controversies, wherein they have no advantage
above others, either for capacity or grace ? I know, that
when the world is drowned in wickedness, we must not
imitate them, be they never so many, nor " follow a multi-
tude to do evil ;" and I know that the certain truth of
the Gospel must be held fast, though most of the world be
infidels : and that when the Arians were the most, they
were not therefore the lightest. And that even among
Christians, carnal interests use to breed and keep up such
corruptions, as must not for the number of the vicious be
approved. But when those that truly fear God, and seek
the truth, and faithfully serve him as self-denyingly as any
others, shall agree in any part of holy doctrine or worship ;
for a few among them to raise up in a conceit of their own
understandings, and separate from them as they separate
from the world ; and this upon less study than many of the
rest have used to find out the truth ; I am sure, none but a
proud person will do this ; without great jealousy of his own
understanding, and great fear of erring, and without long
and serious search and deliberation at least.
8. Is it not pride of understanding, when we see men
confident upon inconsiderable reasons ? When they bring-
nothing that should move a man of any competent under-
standing ; and syet they build as boldly on this sand, as if
they built upon a rock ?
9. And when they slight the strongest and clearest argu-
ments of another; and in their prefidence disdain them, be-
fore they understand them, as not worthy of consideration,
and as silly things ?
10. When they obtrude all their conceits magisterially
upon others, and expect that all men presently be of their
mind, and say as they do. When they value men just as
they agree with, or disagree from their opinion ; and all are
Chap. 11.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE, ill
dear to them, that hold with them; and all are slighted, that
think they err. When a man, that without chewing, pre-
sently swalloweth their conceits, is taken for a sounder man,
than he that will take nothing as sure, till evidence prove it
to him: is not this notorious pride of understanding? And
O how common is this imposing pride, even in them that
cry out against it, and condemn it: they that will vilify one
party, as imposing all their own conceptions, even in words,
and forms, and ceremonies, on the Churches of Christ, will
yet themselves be rigid imposers : no man shall be of their
communion, nor judged meet for the holy Sacrament, who
cometh not to their opinions in many of their singularities ;
nay, worse, that will not abstain from communion with other
churches, whom their presumption separateth from.
11. And do not those people most value their own un-
derstandings, who choose teachers to please them, and not
to teach them ; and hear them as judges, or censurers, and
not as learners ? How ordinary is this ? If they be to choose
a pastor ; they will rather have the most injudicious man,
who thinks as they think, than the wisest man that is able
to teach them better, If they hear any thing which agreeth
not with their former conceits, they go away magisterially
censuring the preacher ; he taught unsound doctrine, dan-
gerous things ; and neither understand him, nor endeavour
to learn. I have seldom preached in strange congregations,
nor seldom written on any subject, but among many learners,
some such hearers and readers I have had, that neither have
understanding enough to teach, nor humility enough to
know it, and to learn : but they go away prating among their
companions of what they never understood ; and if it fall
out that I know of it, and answer them, they have nothing
to say, but a ' putaram,' or ' non putaram ;' I thought you
had meant thus or thus, contrary to what I spoke ; or I noted
not this or that word, which the sense depended on. Do
but say as they would have you, and you are an excellent
man ! But if you tell them more than they knew, if it de-
tect any error or ignorance which they had before ; they
condemn your teaching, instead of learning of you. Poor
souls ! if you are wise enough already, what need you a
teacher? If you are not, why will you not learn? If you
were wiser than he, why did you choose or take him for your
teacher? If you are not, why will you not learn of him ?
112 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
12. The deep and cruel censures which they pass against
Dissenters, doth shew their self-conceitedness. None more
censorious than raw, unexperienced persons, not only igno-
rant preachers, but women and boys. How readily and
boldly, without any fear of God, doth one seek to make his
brother odious as a schismatic and a fanatic, and worse than
words can describe him ; and another to reproach others as
antichristian and carnal, whom he never understood ! No-
thing but pride could make men so ready and bold, and fear-
less in their most foolish censures.
13. And it further sheweth their proud presumption,
when they dare do all this upon bare rumours and hearsay,
and ungrounded suspicions. Were they not proud and pre-
sumptuous, they would think, alas, my understanding is not
so clear and sure, nor my charity so safe and strong, as that
I should in reason venture to condemn my brother, upon
uncertain rumours, and such slight reports ! Have I heard
him speak for himself? oris it charity or common justice to
condemn a man unheard? What, though they are godly men
that report it ? So was David, that committed adultery and
murder, and hastily received a lie against Mephibosheth ;
and perhaps many of those Corinthians, against whose false
censures, Paul was put so largely to vindicate himself.
14. Yea, when they dare proceed to vend these false re-
ports and censures upon hearsay, to the destruction of the
charity of those that hear them ; and so entangle them all
in sin. As if it were not enough to quench their own love
to their brother by false surmises, but they must quench as
many others also as they can.
15. Yea, when they dare venture so far as to unchurch
many churches, yea, most in the world, and degrade most
ministers, if not unchristian most Christians, or at least
themselves withdraw from the communion of such churches,
and all for something which they never understood ; about
a doctrine, a form, a circumstance, where self-opinion or
self-interest draweth them to all this bold adventure.
To say nothing of condemnations of whole churches and
countries, the tyrannical, proud impositions, the cruel per-
secutions, which the Papal faction hath been guilty of by
this vice ; judge now whether it be not too common a case
to be guilty of an unhumbled understanding, and of pre-
tended knowledge ?
Chap. 12.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 113
Object. ' If it be so, is it not best to do as the Papists,
and keep men from reading the Scriptures, or meddling with
divine things which they cannot master, any further than to
believe what the Church believeth.'
Artsw. 1. It is best no doubt, to teach men to know the
difference between teachers and learners, and to keep in a
humble, learning state, and in that state to grow as much in
knowledge as they can ; but not to cast away knowledge,
for fear of overvaluing it, nor renounce their reason, for fear
of error : no more than to put out their eyes for fear of mis-
taking by them, or choosing madness lest they abuse their
wits : else we might wish to be brutes, because abused rea-
son is the cause of all the errors and mischiefs in the world.
2. The Popish clergy who give this council for the blind-
ing of the vulgar, are worse themselves ; and by their proud
contendings, censures and cruelties, shew more self-con-
ceitedness than the vulgar do.
3. The truth is, the cause is the common frailty of man,
and the common pravity of corrupted nature ; and it is to
be found in persons of all ranks, religions and conditions ;
of which more after in due place.
CHAP. XII.
VI. Of the mischievous Effects of this proud Pretence to more
Knowledge than men have.
If the mischiefs of this sin had not been very great, I had
not chosen this subject to treat of.
1. It is no small mischief to involve men's souls in the
guilt of the sins which I named in the last chapter, as the
discovery of this vice. Sure all those disorders, censures,
slanders, and presumptions, should not seem small in the
eyes of any man that feareth God, and loveth holiness, and
hateth sin.
2. Pretended knowledge wasteth men some time in get-
ting it, and much more in abusing it: all the time that you
study for it, preach for it, write for it, is sinfully lost and
cast away.
3. It kindleth a corrupt and sinful zeal ; such as James
VOL. XV. I
114 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
describeth, (James iii. 1. 15,) which is envious and striving,
and is but earthly, sensual and devilish : a zeal against love,
and against good works, and against the interest of our bro-
ther, and against the peace and concord of the Church ; a
hurting, burning, devouring, excommunicating, persecuting
zeal. And a fever in the body is not so pernicious as such
a sinful zeal in the soul. Such a zeal the Jews had, as Paul
bears them witness. (Rom. xi. 1.) Such a zeal, alas ! is so
common among persecuting Papists on one side, and censo-
rious Sectaries and Separatists on the other, that we must
all bear the sad effects of it: and self-conceited knowledge
is the fuel of this zeal, as James iii. fullv manifesteth.
4. This pretended knowledge is the fixing of false opinions
in the minds of men, by which the truth is most powerfully
kept out. A child will not wrangle against his teacher, and
therefore will learn ; but these overwise fools do presently
set their wits against what you say to keep out knowledge.
You must beat down the garrison of his pride, before you
come within hearing to instruct him : he is with more diffi-
culty untaught the errors which he hath received, than an
unprejudiced man is taught to understand most excellent
truths.
5. By this, the gifts of the most wise and excellent teach-
ers are half lost : it is full bottles that are cast into these
seas of knowledge, which have no room for more, but come
out as they went in. If an Augustine, or an Aquinas, or
Scotus were among them, yea, a Peter or Paul, what can he
put into these persons that are full of their own conceits
already ? " Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there
is more hope of a fool than of him."
6. Yea, they are usually the perverters of the souls of
others. Before they can come to themselves, and know
that they were mistaken, what pains have they taken to
make others of their own erroneous minds, whom they are
not able afterward to undeceive again ?
7. It is a vice that blemisheth many excellent qualifica-
tions. To hear of a man that valueth his own judgment but
according to its worth, and pretendeth to know but so much
as he knoweth indeed, is no shame to him ; though know-
ledge is a thing fitter to be used than boasted of: but if a
man know never so much, and can never so well express it,
Chap. 12.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 115
if he think that he is wiser than he is, and excelleth others
more than indeed he doth, and overvalueth that knowledge
which he hath, it is a shame which his greatest parts cannot
excuse or hide.
8. It exposeth a man to base and shameful mutability.
He that will be hasty and confident in his apprehensions, is
so often mistaken, that he must as often change his mind,
and recant, or do much worse. I know that it cannot be ex-
pected, that any man should have as sound apprehensions
in his youth, as in his age, and that the wisest should not
have need of mutations for the better, and retractions of
some youthful errors; and he that changeth not, and re-
tracteth nothing, it seems is in his childish ignorance and error
still : but when natural frailty exposeth us all to much of
this disgrace, we should not expose ourselves to so much
more. A hasty judger, or prefident man, must be a very
weathercock, or be defiled with a leprosy of error. Whereas
if men would but be humble, and modest, and self-suspi-
cious, and suspend their presumption, and not take on them
to know before they know indeed, how safely might they
walk, and how seldom would they need to change their
minds, or either stick in the sink of error, or make many
shameful retractations !
9. Prefidence and false judging engageth a man in a very
life of sin. For when falsehood goeth for truth with him,
it will infect his affections, and pollute his conversation :
and all that he doth in the obedience and prosecution of
that error will be sin. Yea, the greatest sin that he can but
think no sin may be committed ; as was the persecution of
Christ and Christians, by the Jews and Paul, and others
like them ; and the Papists' bloodiness for their religion
throughout Christendom.
10. It disturbeth the peace of all societies. This is the
vice that disquieteth families : every one is wisest in his
own eyes : the servant thinketh his own way better than his
master's. What are all the contentions between husband
and wife, or any in the family, but that in all their differ-
ences, every one thinketh himself to be in the right ? His
own opinion is right, his own words and ways are right ;
and when every one is wise and just, and every one is in the
right, the effects are such as if no one were wise or in the
right.
116 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
And in civil societies, seditions, rebellions, oppressions,
tyranny, and all confusions come from this, that men pretend
to be sure of what they are not. Rulers take up with false
reports from idle, malicious whisperers and accusers against
their inferiors, and have not the justice and patience to sus-
pend their judgments, till they have searched out the matter,
and fully heard men speak for themselves. Subjects make
themselves judges of the secrets of government, and of the
councils and actions of their rulers, of which they have no
certain notice, but venture to conclude upon deceitful sus-
picions. And the contentions and factions amongst nobles
and other subjects, come from misunderstandings, through
hasty and ungrounded judgings. But the most woful effects
are in the churches ; where, alas, whilst every pastor will be
wiser than another, and the people wiser than all their pas-
tors, and every sect and party much wiser than all that dif-
fer from them, their divisions, their separations, their alien-
ations, and bitter censurings of each other, their obtruding
their own opinions, and rules and ceremonies upon each
other, their bitter envying, strife, and persecutions of each
other, do make sober standers-by to ask as Paul, " Is there
not a wise man among you?" O happy the world, happy
kingdoms, but most happy the Churches of Christ, if we
could possibly bring men but to know their ignorance ! If
the pastors themselves were not prefident and presumptuous
overvaluers of their own apprehensions ! and if the people
knew how little they know ! but now, alas, men rage against
each other in their dreams, and few of them have the grace
to awake before death, and find to repentance, that they
were themselves in error.
Hear me, with that remnant of meekness and humility
which thou hast left, thou confident, bitter, censorious man!
Why must that man needs be taken for a heretic, a schis-
matic, a refractory, stubborn, self-willed person, an anti-
christian, carnal, formal man, who is not of thy opinion in
point of a controversy, of a form, of an order, of a circum-
stance, or subscription, or such like? It is possible it may
be so ! and it is possible thou mayest be more so thyself.
But hast thou so patiently heard all that he hath to say, and
so clearly discerned the truth on thy own side, and that this
truth is made so evident to him as that nothing but wilful
obstinacy can resist it, as will warrant all thy censures and
Chap. 12.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 117
contempt? oris it not an overvaluing of thy own under-
standing, which makes thee so easily condemn all as unsuf-
ferable that differ from it? Hath not pride made thy silly
wit to be as an idol, to which all must bow down on pain of
the heat of thy displeasure ? Do not some of those men
whom thou so magisterially condemnest, study as hard and
as impartially as thyself? Do they not pray as hard for
God's assistance ? Have they not the same books, and as
good teachers? Do they not live as well, and shew as much
tenderness of conscience, and fear of erring and sinning as
thyself? Why then art thou so hasty in condemning them
that are as fair for the reputation of wisdom as thou art?
But suppose them mistaken, hast thou tried that they
are unwilling to be instructed ? It may be you have
wrangled with them by disputes, which have but engaged
each other to defend his own opinion : but call them to
thee in love, and tell them, you are ignorant, and I am wise :
I will teach you what you know not, and open to them all
the evidence which causeth your own confident apprehen-
sions. Wish them to study it, and hear patiently what they
have to say ; and I am persuaded that many or most sober
men that differ from you, will not refuse thus to become as
your scholars, so far as to consider all that you have to offer
to convince them, and thankfully receive as much of the
truth as they can discern.
But, alas, no men rage so much against others as erro-
neous and blind, as the blind and erroneous ; and no men
so furiously brand others with the marks of obstinacy, fac-
tiousness and schism, as the obstinate, factious and schis-
matical. The prouder the obtruder of his own conceits is,
the more he condemneth all dissenters as proud, for pre-
suming to differ from such as he ! and all for want of a hum-
ble mind.
11. Moreover it is this pretended knowledge which is
the cause of all our false reformations. Men are so over-
wise, that they presently see a beam in their brother's eye,
which is but a mote ; and they magnify all the imperfec-
tions of others, pastors and churches, into mountains of
iniquity. Every mis-expression or disorder, or inconve-
nient phrase in a prayer, or a sermon, or a book, is an odious,
damning, intolerable evil. O ! say such, what idolaters are
they that use a form of prayer, which God did not command !
118 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
What large consciences have they that can join with a pa-
rish church ; that can communicate kneeling, and among
bad men, or those whose conversion is not tried ! What
abundance of intolerable evils do such men rind in the words,
and forms, and orders, and circumstances of other men's
worship, which God mercifully accepteth through Christ,
taking all these but for such pardonable imperfections as he
mercifully beareth with in all. And then the reformation
must be presently answerable to the apprehension of the
evil.
Yea, sometimes the very injudicious sort of zealous peo-
ple make the cry of the greatness of this or that corruption,
how antichristian and intolerable it is : and then the refor-
mation must satisfy this vulgar error, and answer the cry
and expectation of the people.
I would here give instances of abundance of mis-reform-
ings, which all need a reformation, both in doctrine, disci-
pline and worship, but that I reserve it for another treatise,
if I live to finish it, and can get it printed, called, " Over-
doing is Undoing."
12. Lastly, this vice of pretended certainty and know-
ledge hath set up several false terms of Christian unity and
peace, and by them hath done more to hinder the church's
peace and unity than most devices ever did, which Satan
ever contrived to that end. By this church- tearing vice,
abundance of falsehoods, and abundance of things uncer-
tain, and abundance of things unnecessary, have been made
so necessary to the union and communion of the churches
and their members, as that thereby the Christian world hath
been ground to powder by the names and false pretences of
unity and peace. Just as if a wise statesman would advise
his Majesty, that none may be his subjects that are not of
one age, one stature, one complexion, and one disposition,
that so he might have subjects more perfectly concordant
than all the princes on earth besides ; and so might be the
most glorious defender of unity and peace. But how must
this be done ? Why, command them all to be of your mind ;
but that prevaileth not, and yet it is undone. Why then
they are obstinate, self-willed persons. Well, but yet it is
undone : Why, lay fines and penalties upon them. Well,
but yet it is undone : all the hypocrites that had no reli-
gion, are of the religion which is uppermost ; and the rest
Chap. 12.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 119
are uncured. Why, require more bricks of them, and let
them have no straw, and tell them that their religion is their
idleness, stubbornness and pride, and let your little ringer
be heavier than your father's loins. But hearken, young-
counsellors, Jeroboam will have the advantage of all this,
and still the sore will be unhealed. Why then banish them,
and hang them that obey not, till there be none left that are
not of one mind. But, sir, I pray you, who shall do it ;
and who shall that one man be that shall be left to be all
the kingdom ? You are not such a fool as to be ignorant,
that no two men will agree in all things, nor be perfectly of
the same complexion. If there must be one king, and but
one subject, I pray you who shall that one subject be? I
hope not he that counselleth it ; ' Neque enim lex justior
ulla est, quam necis artifices arte perire sua.' But hark
you, sir, shall that one man have a wife or not ? If not, the
kingdom will die with him : if yea, I dare prognosticate he
and his wife will not be in all things of a mind. If they be,
take me for a mistaken man.
By this vice of pretended knowledge and certainty, it is,
that the Papacy hath been made the centre of the unity of
the universal church. Unity we must have, God forbid
else : there is no maintaining Christianity without it. But
the pope must be ' Principium Unitatis: and will all Chris-
tians certainly unite in the pope ? Well, and patriarchs
must be the pillars of unity : but was it so to the unity of
the first churches ? or is it certain that all Christians will
unite in patriarchs? But further, all the mass of Gregory
the too great, and all the legends in his dialogues, or at least
all the doctrines and ceremonies which he received, and the
form of government in his time, must be made necessary to
church-union. Say you so? But it was not all necessary
in the apostles' times, nor in Cyprian's times, no nor in Gre-
gory's own times ; much of those things being used arbi-
trarily : and what was made necessary by canons of General
Councils in the empire, mark it, was never thereby made ne-
cessary in all the rest of the churches. And are you sure
that mere Christians will take all these for certain truths ?
Why, if they will not, burn and banish them. This is, as
Tertullian saith, ' solitudinem facere et pacem vocare.' But
hark, sir, this way hath been tried too long in vain : mil-
lions of Albigenses and Waldenses are said by historians to
120 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
be killed in France, Savoy, Italy, Germany, &,c. The French
massacre killed about thirty on forty thousand. The Irish
massacre in that little island killed about two hundred thou-
sand. But were they not stronger after all these cruelties
than before ? Alas, sir, all your labour is lost, and your
party is taken for a blood-thirsty generation, and human
nature which abhorreth the blood-thirsty, ever after breed-
eth enemies to your way. This is the effect of false princi-
ples, and terms of unity and peace, contrived by proud, self-
conceited men, that think the world should take their dic-
tates for a supreme law, and obey them as the directive
deities of mankind.
If all this be not enough to tell you what proud, pre-
tended certainty is, read over the histories of the ages past,
and you shall find it written in ink, in tears, in blood, in
mutations, in subversions of the empires and kingdoms of
the world, in the most odious and doleful contentions of
prelates, lacerations of churches, and desolations of the
earth. And yet have we not experience enough to teach us !
CHAP. XIII.
The Advantages of a Suspended Judgment, and Humble Un-
derstanding, ivhich pretendeth to no more Knowledge or Cer-
tainty than it hath.
The advantages of a humble mind, which pretendeth not to
be certain till he is certain, you may gather by contraries
from the twelve forementioned mischiefs of prefidence ;
which to avoid prolixity, I leave to your collection.
Moreover I add: 1. Such a humble, suspended mind
doth not cheat itself with seeming to have a knowledge, a
divine faith, a religion when it hath none. It doth not live
on air and dreams, nor feed on shadows, nor is puffed up
with a tympanite of vain conceits, instead of true, substan-
tial wisdom.
2. He is not [prepossessed against the truth, but hath
room for knowledge, and having the teachableness of a
child, he shall receive instruction, and grow in true know-
ledge, when the proud and inflated wits, being full of no-
thing, are sent empty away.
Chap. 13.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 121
3. He entangleth not himself in a seeming necessity of
making good all that he hath once received and entertained.
He hath not so many bastards of his own brain to maintain,
as the prefident, hasty judgers have: which saveth him much
sinful study and strife.
4. He is not liable to so much shame of mutability : he
that fixeth not till he feel firm ground, nor buildeth till he
feel a rock, need not pull down, and repent so oft as rash
presumers.
5. Unless the world be bedlam 'mad in proud obtrudings
of their own conceits, methinks such a wary, humble man
should offend but few, and better keep both his own and the
church's peace than others. Can persecutors for shame
hang and burn men for mere ignorance, who are willing to
learn, and will thankfully from any man receive informa-
tion ? What if in Queen Mary's days the poor men and
women had told my Lords of Winchester and London, 'We
are not persons of so good understandings as to know what
a spiritual body is, as Paul describeth it, 1 Cor. xv. And
seeing most say that the sun itself is a body, and not a
spirit. And late philosophers say, that light is a substance,
or body, which yet from the sun in a moment diffuseth it-
self through all the surface of the earth and air, we know
not how far locality, limitations, extension, impenetrability,
divisibility, &c. belong to the body of Christ, and conse-
quently how far it may be really present; we can say nothing,
but that we know not.' Would my good Lord Bishops have
burnt them for 'I know not?' Perhaps they would have
said, ' You must believe the church.' But which is the
church, my Lord ? ' Why, it is the pope and a general
council.' But, alas, my Lord, I have never seen or heard
either pope or council. ' Why, but we have, and you must
believe us.' Must we believe you, my Lords, to be infalli-
ble ; or only as we do other men that may deceive and be
deceived ? Is any infallible besides the pope and his coun-
cil ? Truly, my Lords, we are ignorant people, and we
know not what the pope and councils have said ; and we
are uncertain whether you report them truly, and uncertain
whether they are fallible or not; but we are willing to hear
any thing which may make us wiser. Would their Lord-
ships have burnt such modest persons ?
Suppose in a church where men are put to profess or
122 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. Part I.
subscribe to, or against the opinions of Freewill, or Repro-
bation, or Predetermination, or such like, a humble man
should say, these are things above my understanding ; I
cannotreach to know what Freewill is, nor whether all causes
natural and free be predetermined by Divine premotion, &c.
I can say neither it is so, nor it is not ; they are above my
reach ; would they silence and cast out such an humble per-
son, and forbid him to preach the Gospel of Christ? Perhaps
they would : but there are not so many hardened to such
inhumanity, as there are men that would deal sharply with
one that is as confident as they are on the other side. And
those few that were thus silenced, would have the more
peace, that they had procured it not by self-conceited sin-
gularities; and the silencers of them would be the more
ashamed before all sober persons that shall hear it. Other
instances I pass by.
CHAP. XIV.
VII. The Aggravation of this Sin of Prejidence.
Though there be so much evil in this sin of Presumption,
as I have noted, yet it is not in all alike culpable or un-
happy, butdifTereth in both respects, as I shall tell you.
I. For culpability is worst in these sorts and cases fol-
lowing :
1. It is a great sin in those who have least reason to
think highly of their own understandings, and greatest rea-
son to distrust themselves : As, 1. In those that are young
and unexperienced, and must be miraculously wise, if they
are wiser than old experienced persons (' cseteris paribus').
2. In the unlearned or half-learned, who have had but little
time or helps for study, or at least have made but little use
of them. 3. In duller wits, and persons that in other matters
are known to be no wiser than others. 4. In those that take
up their prefidence upon the slightest grounds, as bare sur-
mises and reports from others that were uncertain. 5. In
those that have been oft deceived already, and should by
their sad experience have been brought to humble self-sus-
picion.
2. And it is an aggravated sin in those whose place and
Chap. J4.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 123
condition obligeth them to learn from others. As for the
wife to be self-conceited of all her apprehensions against
her husband, unless he be a fool : For the servant to set his
wit against his master, where he should obey him: For
children to think that their wits are brighter than their
parents or masters ; and apprentices and learners to think
that they know more than their teachers : And for the igno-
rant people to censure over-hastily the doctrine and practice
of their pastors, as if they were wiser than they: perhaps
they are : But it must be some rare person who is fit to be a
teacher himself, or the teacher some sot that hath intruded
into the office ; or else it must be a wonder : for God usually
giveth men knowledge according to the time, and means,,
and pains that they have had to get it, and not by miraculous
infusions without means. Doth not the Apostle expressly
tell you this, Heb. v. 11, 12, " When for the time you ought
to have been teachers, &c." Men should be wise according
to the time and means of wisdom which they have had.
3. It is the greater crime when men will seem wisest in
other men's matters and concernments. When the subject
will know best what belongeth to a king or governor ; and
the people will know best how the pastor should teach them,
and when he faileth, and whom he should recerve into the
Church, or exclude; when the servant will know best his
master's duty, and every man his neighbour's, and least his
own.
4. It is the greater crime when men will be the judges
of their own understandings, and think highly of them in
cases where they should be tried by others. As if an empy-
ric, or woman do think that they know better how to cure a
disease than the ablest physicians ; why do they not offer
themselves to the trial, and before them make good their
skill by reason? If an inexperienced young student think
himself able to be a physician, he is not to be the judge,but
must be tried and judged by physicians : If a self-conceited
professor, or a young student think himself fit for the ministry,
he must not presently contrive how to get in, and how to shift
off examination, but freely offer himself to be tried by able,
godly ministers, and then by the ordainers, who are to judge-
But when such persons can think themselves sufficient if no
body else do, or if but a few ignorant persons do, they are
124 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
unfit to judge, this proves their pride and presumption to be
a great and heinous sin.
5. And it is yet more heinously aggravated, when to keep
up the reputation of their own understandings, they use to
depress and vilify the wiser, even those whom they never
knew: As he that aftecteth to be a preacher, and dare not
pass the examination, hath no way to hide his shame, but 1.
By crying down the learning which he wanteth, as a human,
carnal thing : and, 2. By reproaching those that should judge
of him, and ordain him, as poor carnal persons, who under-
stand not the things of the Spirit as he doth, and as proud,
self-seeking men, that will approve of none but those that
flatter them, and are of their way. Some such there may be;
but surely all are not such. Why do you not desire the
judgment of the wisest and most impatial men, but take up
with the applause of unlearned persons that are of your own
mind and way, and magnify you for humouring them ?
So you shall hear empyrics and she-physicians, vilify
doctors of physic, as men that have less knowledge than
they, and are so proud, and covetous, and dishonest, that
there is no trusting them. When pretended knowledge must
have so base a cloak, it is the greater sin.
6. And it is the more heinous sin when they venture to
do heinous mischief by it : As a Papist, a Quaker, or a
Separatist will in his confidence, be a perverter of others,
and a condemner of the just, and a defamer of those that are
against him, and a troubler of the church and the world.
He that in his self-conceitedness dare resist the wisest, and
his teachers and rulers, and set countries on fire, is wickedly
presumptuous.
So in the practice of physic, when people will be self-
conceited, when the lives of others lie upon it: and a silly
fellow or woman will venture to let blood, to give this or
that, who know neither the disease nor proper cure.
7. It is therefore a heinous sin in rulers, who must judge
for the life and death of others, or for the peace or misery of
thousands about them. I mean pastors, and commanders in
armies and navies, and other governors on whom the public
welfare of the church, or army or navy, or country doth de-
pend. O how wise should that person be, whose errors may
cost thousands so dear as their destruction ! Or if their
Cliap. 14.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 125
understandings be not extraordinary, how cautious should
they be in judging; upon hearing the wisest, and hearing-
dissenters, and not only flatterers or consenters : and hear-
ing men of several minds, and hearing all witnesses and
evidence, and hearing every man speak for himself: and
after all considering thoroughly of it: especially of laws and
wars, and impositions in religion, where thousands of con-
sciences, say what you can, will expect satisfaction. When
a woman called to Antigonus to hear her cause, and to do
her justice, he told her that he could not have leisure; she
answered, you should not have Avhile to be king then :
whereupon he heard her, and did her right. Had it been to
an inferior judge, she had spoken reason.
8. Lastly, pretended certainty is the greater sin when it
is falsely fathered on God. But the Pope and Council dare
pretend, that God hath promised them infallibility, and God
hath certified them that the consecrated bread is no bread,
and that our senses are all deceived ; and God hath made the
Pope the universal ruler of the world or church, and made
him and his council the only judges, by which all men must
know what is the word of God. So, when fanatics will pre-
tend, that by revelation, visions, or inspirations of the Spirit,
God hath assured them that this or that is the meaning of
a text which they understand not, or the truth in such
or such a controversy. Alas ! among two many well-mean-
ing persons, God is pretended for a multitude of sinful errors;
and they that preach false doctrine will do it, as the old pro-
phet spake to the young, as from the Lord : and they that
rail at godliness, and they that censure, backbite, cast out or
persecute their brethren, will do it as Rabshakeh ; " Hath
not God sent me," &c. Men will not make any snares for
the church, or their brethren's consciences, but in the name
of God : They will not divide the church, nor cast out in-
fants, nor refuse communion with their brethren, but in the
name of God. One man saith, ' God forbiddeth him all
book-prayers, or all imposed forms of prayer:' And another
saith, ' God forbiddeth him all but such.' And all belie God,
and add this heinous abuse of his holy word and name unto
their sin.
126 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part. J.
CHAP. XV.
Some special Aggravations more of this Sin, in Students, and
Pastors, which should deter them from pretended Knowledge
or Prejidence.
To such, I will suppose, that to name the evils may suffice,
on ray part, without sharp amplifications. Though I have
spoken to you first in what is said, I will briefly add,
1. That this sin will make slothful students. Few study
hard, who are quickly confident of their first conceptions.
2. While you study, it keepeth out knowledge: you are
too full of yourselves, to receive easily from others.
3. It is the common parent of error and heresy. Igno-
rance is the mother, and Pride the father of them all : and
prefidence and pretended knowledge, is but proud ignorance
in another name.
4. What a life of precious time will you waste in follow-
ing the erroneous thoughts of your bewildered minds.
5. As food altereth the temperament of the body while it
nourisheth, so the very temperament of your minds, and
wills, and affections, will become vain, and frothy, and sha-
dowy, or malignant and perverse, according to the quality
of your error.
6. It is the common parent of superstition : it defileth
God's worship with human inventions, with duties and sins
of our own making. All such men's dreams will seem to
them to be the laws of God.
7. It will entail a corrupt education of youth upon us,
and consequently a corrupt degenerate kind of learning, and
so a degenerate ministry on the churches. When youths
are possessed with abundance of uncertainties, under the
name of learning and religion, it will grow the custom to
teach, and talk, and live accordingly : do I say, it will do ?
If the schoolmen's error in this, deserve but half as much as
Faber, Valla, Hutten, Erasmus, charge upon them; you
should hear and take warning : not to avoid the most accu-
rate knowledge by the hardest studies, but to avoid pre-
tending that you know what you do not.
8. And you will make vain strife and contention about
vanity, your very trade and business, when you come abroad
Chap. 15.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 127
in the world. They that make uncertainties or errors to be
their studies and honourable learning, must keep up the ho-
nour of it by living as they learned, and talking vainly for
the vanities of their minds.
9. And you are likely hereby to become the chief in-
struments of Satan, to trouble the church either with here-
sies, schisms, or persecutions.
10. And truly it should much turn your hearts against
it, to know that it is a continual habit or exercise of pride.
And pride, the devil's sin, is one of the most heinous and
odious to God. If you hate any sin, you should hate pride.
And it is one of the worst sorts of pride too. As nature
hath three principles, active power, intellect and will, and
man three excellencies, greatness, wisdom and goodness ;
so pride hath these three great objects : men are proud that
they are greater, or wiser, or better than others : that is, they
think themselves greater, or wiser or better than they are ;
and they would have others think so too. As for pride of
beauty, or clothing, or such like corporeal things and ap-
purtenances ; it is the vice of children, and the more shal-
low and foolish sort of women. But greater things make up
a greater sort of pride. O what a number of all ranks and
ages do live in this great sin of pride of wisdom, or an over-
valued understanding, who never feel or lament it.
11. Moreover, your prefidence prepareth you for scepti-
cism, or doubting the most certain necessary truths : like
some of our sectaries, who have been falsely confident of so
many religions, till at last they doubt of all religion. He that
finds that he was deceived while he was an Anabaptist, and
deceived when he was a Separatist, and deceived while he
was an Antinomian or Libertine, and deceived when he was a
Quaker ; is prepared to think also that he was deceived when
he was a Christian, and when he believed the immortality of
the soul, and the life to come. When you have found your
understandings oft deceive you, you will grow so distrustful
of them, as hardly ever to^believe them when it is most ne-
cessary. He that often lieth, will hardly be believed when
he speaketh truth. And all this cometh from believing your
first and slight apprehensions too easily, and too soon, and
so filling up your minds with lies, which when they are dis-
covered, make the truth to be suspected. Like some fanci-
ful, lustful youths, who hastily grow fond of some unsuitable,
128 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Fait I.
unlovely person, and when they know them, cannot so much
as allow them the conjugal affection which they are bound to.
12. Lastly, consider what a shame it is to your under-
standings, and how it contradicteth your pretence of know-
ledge. For, how little knoweth that man, who knoweth not
his own ignorance ! How can it be thought that you are
likely to know great matters at a distance, the profundities,
sublimities, and subtleties of sciences, who know not yet
how little you know.
CHAP, XVI.
Proofs of the little Knotoledge that is in the World, to move us
to a due Distrust of our Understandings.
If you think this sin of a proud understanding, and pre-
tended knowledge, doth need for the cure of a fuller disco-
very of its vanity, I know not how to do it more convincingly,
than by showing you how little true knowledge is in the
world, and consequently that all mankind have cause to
think meanly of their understandings.
I. The great imperfection of the sciences, is a plain dis-
covery of it : when mankind hath had above five thousand
years already to have grown to more perfection ; yet how
much is still dark, and controverted ! And how much un-
known in comparison of what we know ! But above all,
though nothing is perfectly known which is not methodically
known ; yet how few have a true methodical knowledge! He
that seeth but some parcels of truth, or seeth them but con-
fusedly, or in a false method, not agreeable to the things,
doth know but little, because he knoweth not the place, and
order, and respects of truths to one another, and consequently
neither their composition, harmony, strength or use. Like
a philosopher that knew nothing but elements, and not mixed
bodies, or animate beings: or like an anatomist that is but
an atomist, and can say no more of the body of a man, but
that it is made up of atoms, or at most can only enumerate
the similar parts : or like a man that knoweth no more of his
clock and watch, but as the pieces of it lie on a heap, or at
best, setteth some one part out of its place, which disableth
the whole engine : or like one that knoweth the chessmen
Chap. !(>.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 129
only as they are in the bag, or at best in some disorder.
Who will make me so happy as to show me one true scheme
of physics, of metaphysics, of logic, yea of theology, which
I cannot presently prove guilty of such mistake, confusion,
disorder, as tendeth to great error in the subsequent parts.
I know of no small number that have been offered to the
world, but never saw one that satisfied my understanding.
And I think I scarcely know any thing to purpose, till I can
draw a true scheme of it, and set each compounding notion
in its place.
II. And the great diversity and contrariety of opinions,
of notions and of methods, proveth that our knowledge in-
deed is yet but small. How many methods of logic have
we ! how many hypotheses in physics, yea, how many con-
tentious volumes written against one another, in philosophy
and theology itself! What loads of ' Videturs' in the school-
men ! How many sects and opinions in religion ! Physicians
agree not about men's lives. Lawyers agree not about men's
estates; no nor about the very fundamental laws. If there
be a civil war, where both sides appeal to the law, there will
be lawyers on both sides. And doth not this prove that we
know but little!
III. But men's rage and confidence in these contrarieties
doth discover it yet more. Read their contentious writings
of philosophy and theology ; observe their usage of one an-
other, what contempt, what reproach, what cruelties they
can proceed to ! The Papist silenceth and burnetii the Pro-
testant; the Lutheran silenceth and revileth the Calvinist;
the Calvinist sharply judgeth the Arminians, and so round :
and may I not judge that this wisest part of the world is low
in knowledge, when not the vulgar only, but the leaders and
doctors are so commonly mistaken in their greatest zeal !
And that Solomon erred not in saying, " The fool rageth,
and is confident."
IV. If our knowledge were not very low, the long expe-
rience of the world would have long ago reconciled our con-
troversies. The strivings and distractions about them, both
in philosophy, politics and theology, have torn churches,
and raised wars, and set kingdoms on fire, and should in
reason be to us as a bone out of joint, which by the pain
should force us all to seek for a cure : and surely in so
VOL. XV. K
130 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
many thousand years, many remedies have been tried : the
issues of such disingenuous-ingenious wars, do furnish
men with such experience as should teach them the cure.
And yet after so many years' war of wits, to be so witless as
to find no end, no remedy, no peace, doth shew that the wit
of man is not such a thing to be proud of.
V. The great mutability of our apprehensions doth shew
that they are not many things that we are certain of. Do
we not feel in ourselves how new thoughts and new reasons
are ready to breed new conjectures in us, and that looketh
doubtful to us, upon further thoughts, of which long before
we had no doubt. Besides the multitudes that change their
very religion, every studious person so oft changeth his con-
ceptions, as may testify the shallowness of our minds.
VI. The general barbarity of the world, the few coun-
tries that have polite learning, or true civility, or Christia-
nity, do tell us that knowledge in the world is low : when
besides the vast unknow regions of the world, all that are of
late discovery in the West Indies, or elsewhere, are found to
be so rude and barbarous ; some little differing from subtle
brutes : when the vast regions of Africa, of Tartary, and
other parts of Asia, are no wiser to this day. When the Ro-
man Eastern empire so easily parted with Christianity, and
is turned so much to barbarous ignorance ; this sheweth
what we are ; for these men are all born as capable as we.
VII. Especially the sottish opinions, which the Heathen
and Mahometan world do generally entertain, do tell us how
dark a creature man is. That four parts of the whole world
(if not much more, that is unknown) should receive all the
sottish opinions as they do, both against the light of nature,
knowing so little of God, and by such vain conceits of their
prophets and petty deities : that above the fifth part of the
known world, should receive, and so long and quietly retain,
so sottish an opinion as Mahometanism is, and build upon
it the hopes of their salvation."* If the Greek Church can be
corrupted into so gross a foolery, why may not the Latin,
and the English, if they had the same temptations ? O what
a sad proof is here of human folly!
VIII. But in the Latin Church (be it spoken without
any comparing Mahometanism with Christianity) the won-
der is still greater, and the discovery of the fallaciousness of
Chap. I G.J FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 131
man's understanstanding is yet more clear : were there no
proof of it, but the very being of Popery in the world, and
the reception of it by such and so many, it affordeth the
strongest temptation that ever I thought of in the world, to
the brutist, to question whether instinct advance not brutes
above man! The brutes distrust not their right disposed
senses ; but the Papists not only distrust them, but renounce
them : bread is no bread, and wine is no wine with them, all
men's senses are deceived that think otherwise: it is neces-
sary to salvation to believe that God's natural revelations to
sense here are false, and not to be believed. Every man that
will be saved must believe that bread is no bread, that quan-
tity, locality, colour, weight, figure, are the quantity, loca-
lity, colour, weight, figure, of nothing : and God worketh
grand miracles by every priest, as frequently as he conse-
crateth in the mass : and if any man refuse to swear to this
renunciation of human sense, and the truth of these miracles,
he must be no priest, but a combustible heretic. And if any
temporal lord refuse to exterminate all those from their do-
minions, who will believe their senses, and not think it ne-
cessary to renounce them as deceived, he must be excom-
municated and dispossessed himself, his subjects absolved
from their oaths and allegiance, and his dominions given to
another: and this is their very religion, being the decree of
a great General Council, questioned indeed by some few Pro-
testants, but not at all by them, but largely vindicated : La-
ter, sub. Innoc. 3. Can. 1. 3. The sum is, no man that will
not renounce not only his humanity, but his animality, must
be suffered to live in any one's dominions, and he that will
suffer men in his dominions, must be himself turned out!
this is plain truth : and yet this is the religion of popes and
emperors, and kings, of lords and counsellors, of prelates and
doctors, universities, churches and famous kingdoms : and
such as men, all these wise men dare lay their salvation upon;
and dare massacre men by thousands and hundred thousands
upon, and burn their neighbours to ashes upon ; and what
greater confidence of certainty can be expressed ! And yet
shall men be proud of wit? O what is man ! How dark, how
sottish and mad a thing ! All these great princes, doctors,
cardinals, universities and kingdoms, are born with natures
as capacious as ours. They are in other things as wise:
they pity us as heretics, because we will not cease to be men :
132 KNOWLEDGE ATVD LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
The infidel thatdenieth man's reason and immortality, would
but level us with the brutes, and allow us the preeminence
among them in subtlety : but all these Papists forswear or
renounce that sense which is common to brutes with us, and
sentence us either below the brutes, or unto hell. Pretend
no more, poor man, to great knowledge. As the sight of a
grave and a rotten carcase may humble the fool that is proud
of beauty, so the thought of the Popish, Mahometan and
Heathen world, may humble him that is proud of his under-
standing. I tell thee, man, thou art capable of that mad-
ness as to believe that an ox or an onion is a God ; or to
believe that a bit of bread is God ; yea more, to believe as
necessary to salvation, that thy own and all men's senses
about their proper objects are deceived, and the bread which
thou seest and eatest is no bread ; yea though it be three
times in the three next verses (1 Cor. xi.) called bread after
consecration by an inspired expositor of Christ's words.
IX. Moreover the poverty of man's understanding ap-
peareth by the great time and labour that must be bestowed
for knowledge. We must be learning as soon as we have
the use of reason, and all our life must be bestowed in it. I
know by experience, knowledge will not be got without
long, hard and patient studies. O what abundance of books
must we read ! What abundance of deep meditations must
we use ! What help of teachers do we need ! And when
all is done, how little do we obtain ! Is this an intellect to
be proud of?
X. And it is observable how every man slighteth an •
other's reasons, while he would have all to magnify his own.
All the arguments that in disputation are used against him,
how frivolous and foolish are they ! All the books that are
written against him, are little better than nonsense, or he-
resy, or blasphemy : contempt is answer enough to most that
is said against them. And yet the men in other men's eyes,
are perhaps wiser and better than themselves. Most men
are fools in the judgments of others! Whatever side or
party you are of, there are many parties against you, who all
pity your ignorance, and judge you silly, deceived souls. So
that if one man be to be believed of another, and if the most
of mankind be not deceived, we are all poor, silly, cheated
souls : but if most be deceived, mankind is a very deceiva-
ble creature. How know I that I must believe you, when
Chap. 16.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 133
you befool twenty other sects, any more than I should be-
lieve those twenty sects, when they as confidently befool
you ; if no other evidence turn the scales ?
XI. And verily I think that the wars and contentions,
and distractions of the kingdoms of the world, do shew us
that man is a pitiful, silly, deceivable thing. I am not at
all so sharp against wars and soldiers as Erasmus was ; but
I should think that if men were wise, they might keep their
peace, and save the lives of thousands, which must be dearly
answered for. Were all the princes of Christendom, as wise
as proud wits conceit themselves to be, how easy were it for
them to agree among themselves, and equally to distribute
the charge of two or three armies, which might quickly
shake in pieces the Turk's dominion, and recover Constan-
tinople, and free the Greek church from their captivity.
XII. And what need we more than every days' miscar-
riages to tell us of our folly ! Do we not miss it in one de-
gree or other in almost all that we take in hand ! Hence
cometh the ruin of estates, the ill education of children, the
dissentions among neighbours and in families. Parents
have scarce wit enough to breed and teach a child ; nor
husbands and wives to live together according to their rela-
tions ; nor masters to teach their servants. If I write a
book, how many can find folly and error in it : and I as ea-
sily in theirs. If I preach, how many faults can the silliest
woman find in it : and I as many perhaps in other men's.
Do we live in such weakness, and shall we not know it ?
XIII. And the uncurableness of ancient errors is no
small evidence of our folly. If our ancestors have but been
deceived before us, though their error be never so palpable,
we plead their venerable antiquity, for an honour to their
ignorance and mistakes. The wisdom of wise ancestors al-
most dieth with them ; but the errors of the mistaken must
be successive, lest they be dishonoured. We will deny rea-
son, and deny Scripture, and deny sense, for fear of being
wiser for our souls, than some of our forefathers were.
XIV. The self-destroying courses of mankind, one would
think, should be enough to evince man's folly. Who al-
most suffer but by themselves ! Few sicknesses befal us
which folly brings not on us by excess of eating or drinking,
or by sloth, or some unwise neglect. Few ruins of estates
but by our own folly ! Few calamities and relations but by
134 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
ourselves ! What churches distracted and ruined, but by
the pastors and children of the church themselves ! What
kingdom ruined without its own procurement. It need not
be said. ' Quos perdere vult Jupiter hos dementat ;' it is
enough to say, ' Insaniam eorum non curat :' If he cure not
our madness, we shall certainly destroy ourselves. Whose
hands kindled all the flames that have wasted the glory,
wealth and peace of England in state and church, except
our own ? Were they foreign enemies that did it, and still
keep open our wounds, or is it ourselves ? And yet are we
wise men ?
XV. But the greatest evidence in all the world of the
madness of mankind, is the obstinate self-destruction of all
the ungodly. Consider but 1. The weight of the case : 2.
The plainness of the case : 3. The means used to undeceive
them : 4. And yet the number of the madly erroneous ; and
then bethink you what man's understanding is.
1. It is their souls and everlasting hopes that are cast
away ! It is no less than heaven and endless happiness
which they reject: it is no better than hell and endless mi-
sery which they run into ; and are these men in their wits ?
2. It is themselves that do all this ; neither man nor de-
vils else could do it: they do it for nothing. What have
the w r retches for their salvation ? a few cups of drink, a filthy
whore, a little preferment or provision for a corruptible
flesh, which must shortly lie and rot in darkness ; the ap-
plause and breath of flatterers as silly as themselves ! O
profane persons, worse than Esau, who will sell their birth-
right for so poor a morsel ! Come, see the madness of man-
kind ! It is a doubt to them whether God or a filthy lust
should be more loved and obeyed ! It is a doubt with them
whether heaven or earth be better worth their labour !
Whether eternity or an inch of time; whether a soul or a
perishing body should be more cared for ! Are these wise
men? Did I say, It is a doubt? Yea, their choice and
practice sheweth that at the present they are resolved : va-
nity, and shadows, and dreams are preferred ; heaven is neg-
lected ; " They are lovers of pleasure more than of God :"
they set less than a feather in the balance against more than
all the world, and they choose the first, and neglect the
latter. This is the wise world !
3. And all this they do against common reason, against
Chap. 10.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 135
daily teaching of appointed pastors, against the j udgment of
the most learned and wise men in the world : against the
express word of God ; against the obligation of daily mer-
cies; against the warnings of many afflictions; against the
experience of all the world, who pronounce all this vanity
which they sell their souls for ; even while men die daily
before their eyes, and they are certain that they must shortly
die themselves ; while they walk over the churchyard, and
tread on the graves of those that went before them ; yet will
they take no warning, but neglect God and their souls, and
sin on to the very death.
4. And this is not the case only of here and there one ;
we need not go to Bedlam to seek them. Alas ! in how
much more honoured and splendid habitations and condi-
tions may they be found ! In what reverend and honoura-
ble garbs ! And in how great numbers throughout the
world ! And these are not only sots and idiots, that never
were told of better things ; but those that would be ac-
counted witty, or men of learning and venerable aspect and
esteem. But this is a subject that we use to preach on to
the people ; it being easy, by a multitude of arguments, to
prove the madness of all ungodly persons. And is this no-
thing to humble us, who were naturally like them, and who,
so far as we are sinners, are, alas ! too like them still ?
XVI. And the fewness of wise men in all professions,
doth tell us how rare true wisdom is. Among men whose
wisdom lieth in speculation, where the effects of it do not
openly difference it much from prefidence, the difference is
not commonly discerned : a prating speculator goeth for a
wise man ; but in practicals the difference appeareth by the
effects. All men see, that among physicians and lawyers,
those that are excellent are few. And even among the
godly preachers of the Gospel, O that it were more easy and
common, to meet with men suited to the majesty, mystery,
greatness, necessity and holiness of their works ; that speak
to God, and from God, like divines indeed, and have the true
frame of sound theology ready in their heads and hearts ;
and that in public and private speak to sinners, as beseem-
etli those that believe that they and we are at the door of
eternity, and that we speak, and they hear for the life of
souls, and that are uncertain whether ever they shall speak
again. Alas! Lord, thy treasure is not only in earthen ves-
130 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
sels, but how ordinarily in polluted vessels, and how com-
mon are empty, sounding vessels, or such as have dirt or air
instead of holy treasure!
And as for philosophers and judicious speculators in di-
vinity, do I need to say, that the number is too small? Of
" such as are able judiciously to resolve a difficulty, to answer
cases of conscience, to defend the truth, to stop the mouths
of all gainsayers, and to teach holy doctrine clearly and in
true method, without confusion, or running into any ex-
tremes ? We bless God, this land, and the other reformed
churches have had a laudable degree of this mercy : the Lord
restore it to them and us, and continue the comfortable mea-
sure that we possess.
XVII. And it is a notorious discovery of the common
ignorance, that a wise man is so hardly known. Men that
have not wisdom to imitate them, have not wit enough to
value them ; so that as Seneca saith, ' He that will have the
pleasure of wisdom, must be content with it for itself, with-
out applause : two or three approvers must suffice him.' The
blind know not who hath the best eyesight. Swine trample
upon pearls. Nay, it is well if, when they have increased
knowledge, they increase not sorrow ; and become not the
mark of envy and hatred, and of the venom of malignant
tongues and hands, yea, and that merely for their knowledge
sake. All the learning of Socrates, Demosthenes, Cicero,
Seneca, Lucan, and many more ; and all the learning and
piety of Cyprian, and all the martyrs of those ages ; of
Boetius, of the African bishops that perished by Hunneri-
chus ; of Peter Ramus, Marlorate, Cranmer, Ridley, Phil-
pot, Bradford, and abundance such, could not keep them
from a cruel death. All the excellency of Greg. Nazianzen,
Chrysostom, and many others, could not keep them from
suffering by orthodox bishops ; no nor all the holiness and
miracles of Martin. Insomuch that Nazianzen leaveth it to
his people as a mark of the man whom he would have them
value and choose when he was dead. 'This one thing I re-
quire, that he be one of those that are envied, not pitied by
others; who obey not all men in all things; but for the
love of truth in some things incurreth men's offence. ' And
of himself he professeth, that, ' Though most thought other-
wise than he did, that this was nothing to him who cared
only for the truth, as that which must condemn him or ab-
Chap. 16.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 137
solve him, and make him happy or miserable. But what
other men thought was nothing to him, any more than what
another dreameth.' Orat. 27. p. 468. And therefore he saith,
Orat. 26. p. 443. 'As for me, I am a small and poor pastor,
and to speak sparingly, not yet grateful, and accepted with
other pastors, which whether it be done by right judgment
and reason, or by malevolence of mind, and study of con-
tention, I know not.' And Orat. 32. p. 523. ' I am tired,
while I fight both with speech and envy, with enemies, and
with those that are our own. Those strike at the breast,
and obtain not their desire : for an open enemy is easily
taken heed of; but these come behind my back and are
more troublesome.'
Such obloquy had Jerom, such had Augustine himself,
and who knoweth not that envy is virtue's shadow? And
what talk I of others, when all godly men are hated by the
world, and the apostles and Christ himself were used as they
were ; and Christ saith, " Which of the prophets did not
your fathers kill and persecute ?" (Matt, xxiii.) If hating,
persecuting, slandering, silencing, killing men that know
more than the rest, be a sign of wisdom, the world hath been
wise since Cain's age until this.
Even a Galilseus, a Savonarola, a Campanella, &c. shall
feel it if they will be wiser than the rest : so that Solomon's
warning, (Eccles. vii. 16,) concerneth them that will save
their skin ; " Be not righteous overmuch, neither make thy-
self over-wise : why wilt thou destroy thyself?" But again I
may prognosticate with Anthisthenes in Laert. * Then cities
are perishing, when they are not wise enough to know the
good from the bad.' And with Cicero, Rhet. 1. 'That
man's safety is desperate whose ears are shut against the
truth, so that even from a friend he cannot hear it.'
XVIII. And this leadeth me to the next discovery. How
rare wisdom is in the world, in that the wisest men and most
learned teachers have so small success. How few are much
the wiser for them ! If they praise them, they will not learn
of them, till they reach to their degree. Men may delight
in the sweetness of truth themselves ; but it is a feast where
few will strive for part with them. A very few men that
have first sprung up in obscure times have had great suc-
cess : so had Origen at Alexandria, and Chrysostom at Con-
stantinople, but with bitter sauce. Pythagoras, Plato and
138 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
Aristotle at Athens, and Augustine at Hippo, had the most
that history maketh mention of, with Demosthenes and Ci-
cero in oratory ; Melanchthon at Wirtemburgh, with Lu-
ther, and Zuinglius in Helvetia, and Calvin at Geneva pre-
vailed much : and now and then an age hath been fruitful of
learned, wise and godly men : and when we are ready to ex-
pect, that each of these should have a multitude of scholars
like themselves, suddenly all declineth, and ignorance and
sensuality get uppermost again. And all this is because
that all men are born ignorant and sensual ; but no man at-
taineth to any excellency of wisdom, without so long and
laborious studies, as the flesh will give leave to few men to
perform. So that he that hath most laboriously searched
for knowledge all his days, knoweth not how to make others
partakers of it ; no not his own children of whom he hath
the education : unless it be here and there one Scaliger, one
Paraeus, one Tossanus, one Trelcatius, one Vossius, &c.
How few excellent men do leave one excellent son behind
them! O what would a wise man give, that he could but
bequeath all his wisdom to others when he dieth !
XIX. And it is evident that great knowledge is more
rare than prefidence, in that the hardest students, and most
knowing men, complain more than others of difficulties and
ignorance : when certainly other men have more cause. They
that study a little, know little, and think they know much :
they that study very hard, but not to maturity, oft become
sceptics, and think nothing certain. But they that follow
it till they have digested their studies, do find a certainty
in Xhe great and necessary things, but confess their igno-
rance in abundance of things which the presumptuous are
confident in. I will not leave this out, to escape the carp-
ing of those that will say, that by this character I proclaim
myself one of the wisest, as long as it is but the confession
of my ignorance which is their occasion. But I will say as
Augustin to Jerom, Epist. 29. ' Adversus eos qui sibi viden-
tur scire quod nesciunt, hoc tutiores sumus, quod hanc ig-
norantiam nostram non ignoramus.'
XX. Lastly, every man's nature, in the midst of his pride,
is conscious of the fallibility and frailty of his own under-
standing. And thence it is that men are so fearful in great
matters of being overreached. And wherever any conclu-
sion dependeth upon a contexture of many proofs, or on any
Chap. 17.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. !3S>
long, operous work of reason, men have a natural con-
sciousness of the uncertainty of it. Yea, though our doc-
trines of the immortality of our own souls, and of the life of
retribution after this, and the truth of the Gospel, have so
much evidence as they have, yet a lively, certain faith is the
more rare and difficult, because men are so conscious of the
fallibility of their own understandings, that about things un-
seen and unsensible, they are still apt to doubt, whether
they be not deceived in their apprehensions of the evidence.
By these twenty instances it is too plain that there is
little solid wisdom in the world; that wise men are few, and
those few are but a little wise. And should not this suffice
to make all men, but especially the unlearned, half-learned,
the young, and unexperienced, to abate their ungrounded
confidence and to have humble and suspicious thoughts of
their own apprehensions.
CHAP. XVII.
Inference 5. That it is not the Dishonour, but the Praise of'
Christ, his Apostles and the Gospel, that they speak in a plain
manner of the Certain Necessary Things, without the Vanity
of School-Uncertainties, and feigned unprofitable Notions ?
I have been myself often scandalized at the Fathers of the
fourth Carthage Council m , who forbid bishops the reading
of the heathen books ; and at some good old unlearned
Christian bishops, who spake to the same purpose, and often
reproach Apollinaris, iEtius and other heretics for their se-
cular or Gentile learning, logic, &c. And I wondered that
Julian and they should prohibit the same thing. But one
that is so far distant from the action, is not a competent
judge of the reasons of it. Perhaps there were some Chris-
tian authors then, who were sufficient for such literature as
was best for the Church : perhaps they saw that the danger
of reading the heathens' philosophy was like to be greater
than the benefit : both because it was them that they lived
among, and were to gather the churches out of; and if they
put an honour upon logic and philosophy, they might find
m Concil. Carlh. 4, Can. 16-
140 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
it more difficult to draw men from that party which excelled
in it, to the belief of the Scriptures which seemed to have
so little of it : and they had seen also how a mixture of Pla-
tonic notions with Christianity, had not only been the origi-
nal of many heresies, but had sadly blemished many great
doctors of the churches.
Whatever the cause was, it appeareth that in those days
it was the deepest insight into the sacred Scriptures which
was reckoned for the most solid learning ; philosophy was
so confounded by differences, sects, uncertainties and false-
hoods, that made it the more dispicable, by how much the
less pure. And logic had so many precarious rules and no-
tions, as made it fitter to wrangle and play with, than to
further grave men in their deep and serious inquiry in the
great things of God, and mysteries of salvation.
But yet it cannot be denied but that true learning of the
subservient arts and sciences is of so great use to the accom-
plishing of man's mind with wisdom, that it is one of the
greatest offences that ever was taken against Christ and the
holy Scriptures, that so little of this learning is found in
them, in comparison of what in Plato, Aristotle, Demost-
henes, or Cicero. But to remove the danger of this offence,
let these things following be well considered :
I. Every means is to be judged of by its aptitude to its
proper use and end : morality is the subject and business
of the Scriptures : it is not the work of it to teach men logic
and philosophy, any more than to teach them languages :
Who will be offended with Christ for not teaching men Latin,
Greek, or Hebrew, Architecture, Navigation, or Mechanic
Arts ? And why should they be more offended with him for
not teaching them Astronomy, Geometry, Physics, Meta-
physics, Logic, &c. It was none of his work.
II. Nature is presupposed to grace ; and God in nature
have before given man sufficient helps to the attainment of
so much of the knowledge of nature, as was convenient for
him. Philosophy is the knowledge of God's works of crea-
tion. It was not this (at least chiefly) that man lost by his
fall : it was from God, and not from the creature that he
turned : and it was to the knowledge of God, rather than of
the creature, that he was to be restored. What need one be
sent from heaven to teach men the order and rules of speak-
ing? or to teach men those arts and sciences which they
Chap. 17.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 141
can otherwise learn themselves. As it is presupposed that
men have reason, so that they have among them the common
helps and crutches of reason.
III. The truth is, it is much to be suspected, lest as an
inordinate desire of creature-knowledge was a great part of
our first parents' sin, so it hath accordingly corrupted our
nature with an answerable vicious inclination thereunto :
not that the thing in itself is evil to know God's works ; but
good and desirable in its place and measure : but it is such
a good as by inordinacy may become a dangerous evil:
why should we not judge of this desire of knowing the crea-
tures, as we do of other creature-affections ? It is lawful
and meet to love all God's creatures : his works are good,
and therefore amiable. And yet I think no man is damned
but by the inordinate loving of the creature, turning his
heart from the love of God. And as our appetites are law-
ful and necessary in themselves, and yet nature's pravity
consisteth much in the prevalency of them against reason,
which is by reason's infirmity, and the inordinacy of the sen-
sitive appetite ; even so a desire to know God's works, is
natural and good ; but its inordinateness is our pravity, and
a sinful lust.
Doubtless the mind and fantasy may find a kind of
pleasure in knowing, which is according to the nature and
use of the thing known. When it is vain, or low, and base,
the pleasure is vain, and low, and base : when the object is
ensnaring and diverting from higher things, it doth this
principally by delight. Verily this inordinate desire of
creature-knowledge is a lust, a vicious lust. I have been
guilty of it in some measure myself, since I had the use of
reason : 1 have lived a life of constant pleasure, gratifying
my intellect and fantasy with seeking to know as much
as I could know: and if I could not say truly, that I re-
ferred it as a means to the knowledge and love of God, I
should say that it was all sin : but because I have loved it
too much for itself, and not referred it to God more purely
and entirely, I must confess that it was never blameless.
And the corruption of the noblest faculty is the worst :
the delights of eating, drinking, venery, are the matter of
common sensuality, when they are inordinately desired :
and is not the inordinate desire of creature-knowledge, (if it
142 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
be desired from the like principle, and to the like ends) as
bad or worse in some i*espects? Consider,
1. I am sure that it doth as much take up and prepossess
the mind, which should be employed on God, and take up
those thoughts and affections which should be holy. Tell
me why one man should be accounted carnal and ungodly,
for delighting to see his own houses, fields, woods, corn,
rivers, cattle, inc., rather than another that hath as much de-
light to peruse a map of pleasant countries, setting aside the
covetous desire of having much. Do we not justly ac-
count it as unfit a work for the Lord's-day to be for pleasure
perusing maps, as to be for pleasure viewing the woods and
fields ? many a poor student is as long and perilously en-
tangled in his thoughts and affections, and kept from God
and heaven, and holiness, by deep study of languages, cus-
toms, countries, chronology, logic, physics, mathematics,
metaphysics, laws, Sec, as worldlings are by overminding
the world.
2. And it wasteth their precious time as much as other
lusts do. One sensualist spendeth his hours in gaming,
feasting, wantonness, idle courtship, hunting, hawking,
bowling, and other excess of sports : another spends his
precious time in hearing comedies ; and another in reading
play-books and romances ; and another in reading true and
useful history, and other parts of useful learning : and though
the matter of the latter be better than the former, a man may
make up the same sensuality in one as in the other ; in read-
ing mathematics or history, as in reading, or beholding, and
hearing comedies.
3. And some turn this learning to as powerful a perver-
sion of the mind, as others do their sensual delights. Many
think so highly of their languages and chronology, and phi-
losophy, that secretly they are drawn by it to despise the
Gospel, and to think a holy life to be but an employment for
women, and persons that live more by affection than by
judgment: so perniciously doth learning make them mad.
4. And abundance make it the fuel of their pride, and
think that they are excellent persons, because they have got
some ornaments of the mind : as vain women are proud of
fine clothes instead of real comeliness and worth. I will
not dishonour some famous writer by naming them here,
Chap. 17.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 143
lest I seem to take down their due praise; but in general I
may say, that it is more than one, of our late famous philo-
logical and grammatical critics, who openly shew so much
pride of their kind of worldly knowledge, as may warn hum-
ble men to fear such temptations, and to see that this learn-
ing may be made a snare.
5. And the worst of all is, that while such learned men
think highly of themselves for that, they are kept from the
knowledge and sense of their sinful corruption and misery,
and feel not the need of a Saviour and a Sanctifier ; they cry
not for grace ; they seek not after God and everlasting hap-
piness ; they neglect a holy, heavenly life ; they take up
some easy formalities and words to make up an image of re-
ligion on ; and then they think that (in their unhumbled, un-
sanctified state) they have as good right to be esteemed
godly, as any other ; and if any question it, they are ac-
counted proud, self-conceited fanatics, who appropriate
the reputation of holiness to themselves : and to question a
learned formalist's sincerity, (as Martin and Sulpitius Severus
did Ithacius his, and his fellow bishops) is to expose him-
self to the censure of proud hypocrisy. Yea, no man is so
fit for the church preferment and honour, and to be the
governor of all religious persons and affairs, as one of these
unsanctified, learned men is in his own eyes : from whence
it is that the state of the churches is low in the East and
West (the Roman I mean), because those that have truly no
religion must dispose of religion, and the Churches of Christ
must be instructed and ruled by his real enemies ; and those
that hate godliness at the heart, must be the teachers of
godliness, and the chief managers of the sacred work.
Lay all this together, and think whether our inordinate
desire of common learning, which is the knowledge of the
creature, be not the fruit of Adam's sin.
And if it prove so, consider how far it was the work of
Christ to cure it. Sure he was sent to destroy the works of
the devil (not learning, but this inordinate desire of it). And
he was to mortify it in the same way as he mortified other
sinful lusts. Therefore as he mortified venereous and all
sensual lusts, by holy examples, and by condemning them,
and calling men off from them to spiritual delights ; and as
he mortified the worldliness in men, by living himself a life
of poverty and inferiority in the world, and calling men off
144 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part. I.
from the love of the world, to the love of God and glory:
even so no wonder if he mortified in men the inordinate de-
sire of greater knowledge, by calling them up to higher
things, and shewing them the vanity of this alone. And as
he saith, " Love not the world, or the things that are in the
world : If any man love the world, the love of the Father is
not in him.' (1 John ii. 15.) When yet the ordinate love of
the world is lawful: and as he saith, (John vi. 27.) " Labour
not for the meat that perisheth," when he meaneth, labour
not for it inordinately : even so no wonder if Christ omit
this common philosophy, and if Paul bid them take heed
that none deceive them by vain philosophy, when it is the
inordinacy only which they condemn.
If you ask me, when this desire of common learning is
inordinate? I answer, 1. When it is desired most for the fan-
tastical, sensual or intellectual delight of knowing; or from
the overvaluing of the thing known: not but a delight in
knowledge as such is good and lawful, but not as our chief
end. 2. When it is desired as a step to serve a proud as-
piring mind, that we may be magnified as learned men :
or to serve any worldly, covetous design. 3. When it is
not duly subordinate and subservient to the love of God,
and to his service, and the common good : If God be not
first intended, and all our studies and learning desired purely
as a means to God, that is as a means to know him, and to
love him, and to please him, and praise him, and to do him
service in the world, and enjoy him for ever, but be desired for
itself or carnal ends, it is a carnal lust. 4. When it hath a
greater measure of our time and affection, and industry com-
paratively than its due ; and the study of higher things is
put behind it, or neglected by it, at least in a great degree.
5. When it cometh not in due order, but is taken first, and
in the hours and place which higher things should have.
In a word ; God, and our duty to him, and the common
good, and our salvation, are the great and necessary things,
in comparison of which, all other things are vain : As riches
and pleasure with its appetite may be used holily, as God's
mercies, to raise us into spiritual delights, and to serve him
the better ourselves, and to be helpful to others : And for
these ends they are given us, and may be sought and used;
when yet, as they are the fuel of lust, they are the snares of
Satan, the mammon, the god of this world, the damnation of
Chap. 17.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 145
souls ; so is it with the knowledge of the creature; sancti-
fied and made serviceable to God and holiness it is of great
utility ; but out of its place it is poison and perdition.
Yea, as appetite and sensual delight is necessary, while
we are in a body in which the soul must operate and receive :
even so is some knowledge of creatures and common things
(called learning) of necessity, as a means to better. And
while we see, as in a glass, we must not castaway the glass,
nor neglect it, though it be but a help to see the species.
I conclude then, 1. That it is hard to say that any man
can know too much, except it be 1. Matter of temptation.
2. And of penal knowledge, raising terrors, and tormenting
the soul. In these two cases we may know too much; and
I fear some men's knowledge is much of the first sort. But
so far am I from dissuading any from true knowledge, or
studies to attain it, that I think ignorance is the mother, as
pride is the father of all heresies, and almost all sins: and
that the lazy student shall never be wise, though one may
take his years in the university, the greatness of his library,
or the titles which he hath obtained, instead of wisdom ; and
another as slothful, may boast that the Spirit hath saved him
the labour of long and hard studies ; for my part I shall ac-
count both sorts as they are, and leave them to be admired
by such as themselves : and verily they have their reward.
He that will be wise, must spare no pains, and be diverted
by no worldly things, but take wisdom for his welfare here,
and the getting and using it for all his work. Never was sloth-
ful, or impatient, or presumptious person wise.
2. God hath not made and set before us all his works in
vain : " Great and wonderful are all his works, sought out of
them that have pleasure therein :" (Psalm cxi :) the image
of his power, wisdom, and goodness is imprinted on them all.
Who can look up to the sun, and moon, and stars ; to the
vast and numerous globes above us; to this earth, and all
its furniture and inhabitants, and not see the footsteps of the
great and wise, and good Creator, and be edified and made
more holy; that doth not use the eye of sense alone, while
he winketh with the eye of reason ? Our Redeemer came to
recover us to the knowledge, love and obedience of our
Creator, and by faith to lead us up to the love of God, and
to sanctify us to our Maker's praise and service. Far was it
VOL. XV. L
146 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
from his design to call us from studying the works of crea-
tion ; which he prepareth us better to understand and use :
nor would he deprive reason of its spectacles, but help us to
better than we had before. Man's wit and tongue are apt
to be so irregular, that we have need of the rules of true
logic to keep them to order, and save them from deceit.
Too little true logic and philosophy is much of their unhap-
piness who think they have enough to deserve veneration
and applause.
3. But all this is dreaming, insignificant, incoherent
nonsense, deliration, worse than children's chat (as it trou-
bleth the world more), if God be not the beginning, guide,
and end of it, and if we know not how to please him and be
saved ; and if all learning be not directly or indirectly a
learning to know God and life eternal : when conscience is
awakened all things are as dreams, and signify nothing in
comparison of God and life eternal, to be obtained by Christ.
When men come to die, the most learned die in his mind,
and further than it is divine and holy and felicitating, they
cry out of all their fame and learning, " Vanity of vanities, all
is vanity." Though learning be the most splendid of all
vanities : fear God and keep his commandments, is the end
of true learning, and the whole learning of man. Of writing
many books there is no end ; and much reading is a weari-
ness to the flesh ; and he that increaseth knowledge con-
tracteth envy and contradiction, and increaseth sorrow : but
sanctified learning maketh a man indeed ; so it be true, and
not false pretended learning.
4. Therefore the industry of a man's study, the most of
his time, the zeal of his soul, must be laid out on God, and
the great and endless concernments of his own and others
souls; and learning must be desired, esteemed, sought and
used, according to its usefulness to these high and glorious
ends: Then it is the lower part of wisdom; which all that
want it must esteem, and honour, and desire; else it is a
dream and folly, which leaveth the awakened soul in shame.
But I have been too long on this.
IV. Consider next, that as this lower sort of learning is
presupposed by Christ as true, and the desire of it cured as
it is a lust; so plainness and intelligibleness were altogether
necessary to his ends ; what came he on earth to do, but
Chap. 17.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 147
to reconcile us to God, and make known his kingdom,
and his love to sinners? To procure us pardon and a spirit
of vivification, illumination, and sanctification ? And the
word that must be the means of this must be fitted to its
end, and be intelligible to the unlearned ; or else he should
have been the Saviour of a few learned men only, and not of
the world. Kings and parliaments write their laws in a style
suitable to the matter : and so do men draw up their cove-
nants : and princes their pardons, and physicians their bills
and directions : And none of these useth to write a grammar
or logic instead of their proper work, nor to fill their writings
with ludicrous, logical tricks, and toys. He that is but to
tell men how to be saved from sin and hell, and brought to
heaven, and live so here that he may live with God and
angels for ever, must speak in plainness and in good earnest.
V. And consider that the Scripture is not void of so
much logic and philosophy as is suitable to its design. In
a well-fleshed body the distinction and compagination of the
parts are hid, which in an ugly skeleton are discerned. So
the Scripture is a body of essentials, integrals and acci-
dentals of religion, and every unstudied fellow cannot ana-
tomise it : but it hath its real and excellent method, for all
that it is hid to the unskilful. There is a method of Scrip-
ture Theology, which is the most accurate that ever the
world knew in morality. I have drawn up the body of theology
into schemes. In which I doubt not but I have shewn, that
the method of theology contained in the Holy Scriptures,
is more accurate than any logical author doth prescribe :
and the Lord's-prayer and decalogue especially will prove
this, when truly opened : and the doctrine of the Trinity,
and the Baptismal Covenant, is the foundation of all true
method of physics, and morality in the world. What if a
novice cannot anatomise Cicero or Demosthenes, doth it
follow that they are immethodical? Brandmiller and Flac-
cher upon the Scripture text, and Steph. Tzegedine, Soh-
nius, Gomarus, Dudley, Fenner, and many others upon the
body of theology have gone far in opening the Scripture
method. But more may be yet done.
VI. Consider also that the Eternal Wisdom, Word, and
Son of God our Redeemer, is the fountain and giver of all
knowledge : nature to be restored, and grace to restore it,
are in his hands. He is that true light that lighteneth every
148 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
one that cometh into the world: The light of nature and
arts, and sciences are from his Spirit and teaching, as well
as the Gospel. Whether Clemens Alexandrinus, and some
other ancients were in the right or not, when they taught
that philosophy is one way by which men come to salvation,
it is certain that they are in the right, that say it is now the
gift of Christ: And that as the light which goeth before
sun-rising (yea which in the night is reflected from the
moon,) is from the sun, as well as its more glorious beams ;
so the knowledge of Socrates, Plato, Zeno, Cirero, Antonine,
Epictetus, Seneca, Plutarch, were from the wisdom and
word of God, the Redeemer of the world, even by a lower
gift of his Spirit, as well as the Gospel and higher illumina-
tion : and shall Christ be thought void of what he giveth
so many in the world ?
VII. Lastly, let it be considered above all, that the grand
difference between the teaching of Christ and other men, is
that he teacheth effectively (as God spake when he created,
and as he said to Lazarus, Arise :) He giveth wisdom by
giving the Holy Ghost : All other teachers speak but to the
ears; but he only speaketh to the heart: were it not for
this he would have no church. — I should never have else
believed in him myself, nor would any other, seriously and
savingly. Aristotle and Plato speak but words, but Christ
speaketh life and light and love, in all countries, through
all ages to this day. This above all is his witness in the
world. He will not do his work on souls, by ludicrous en-
ticing words of the pedantic wisdom of the world ; but by
illuminating minds, and changing hearts and lives by his
effectual operations on the heart. God used no more rheto-
ric nor logic than a philosopher, when he said only " Let
there be light," but he used more power. Indeed the first
chapter of Genesis (though abused by ignorants and cabal-
ists) hath more true philosophy in it than the presumptuous
will understand, (as my worthy friend Mr. Samuel Gott lately
gone to God, hath manifested in his excellent Philosophy ;
excepting the style, and some few presumptions.) But
operations are the glorious oratory of God, and his wisdom
shineth in his works, and in things beseeming the heavenly
Majesty; and not in childish laces, and toys of wit.
Let us therefore cease quarrelling, and learn wisdom of
God, instead of teaching and reprehending him. Let us
Chap. 18.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 149
magnify the mercy and wisdom of our Redeemer, who hath
brought life and immortality to light, and certified us of the
matters of the world above, as beseemed a messenger sent
from God ; and hath taught us, according to the matter,
and our capacity, and not with trifling, childish notions.
CHAP. XVIII.
Inference 6. The true and false Ways of restoring the
Churches, and healing our Divisions, hence opened and
made plain.
Having opened to you our disease, it is easy, were not the
disease itself against it, to discern the cure. Pretended know-
ledge hath corrupted and divided the Christian world. There-
fore it must be certain verities, which must restore us,
and unite us. And these must be things plain and ne-
cessary, and such as God hath designed to this very use ;
or else they will never do the work. One would think that
it should be enough to satisfy men of this, 1. To read the
Scripture. 2. To peruse the terms of concord in the primi-
tive church. 3. To peruse the sad histories of the church's
discord and divisions, and the causes. 4. To peruse the state
of the world at this day, and to make use of universal expe-
rience. 5. To know what a Christian is, what Baptism is,
and what a Church is. 6. To know what man is ; and that
they themselves, and the churches are but men. But penal
and sinful infatuation, hath many ages been upon the minds
of those in the Christian world, who were most concerned in
the cure; and our sin is our misery, as, I think, to the
damned it will be the chief part of their hell.
But this subject is so great and needful, and that which
the wounds and blood of the Christian world do cry for a
skilful cure of; that I will not thrust it into this corner, but
design to write a treatise of it by itself, as a second part
of this n .
This book is since printed with some alteration, and called "The True and Only
Way of the Concord of the Churches."
IfiO KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
CHAP. XIX.
VIII. Of the Causes of this Disease of Prefidence, or proud
Pretended Knowledge, in order to the Cure.
The cure of prefidence and pretended knowledge, could it
be wrought, would be the cure of souls, families, churches,
and kingdoms. But alas, how low are our hopes ! Yet that
may be done on some, which will not be done on all or most.
And to know the causes, and oppugn them, is the chief part
of the cure, so far as may be hoped for.
I. The first and grand cause is the very nature of igno-
rance itself; which many ways disableth men, from know-
ing that which should abate their groundless confidence.
For, 1 . An ignorant man knoweth but little parcels and scraps
of things ; and all the rest is unknown to him : therefore
he fixeth upon that little which he knoweth ; and having no
knowledge of the rest, he cannot regulate his narrow appre-
hensions by any conceptions of them. And all things visi-
ble to us (not light itself excepted, which, as seen by us, is
fire incorporated in air ;) being compounds ; the very nature
or being of them is not known, where any constitutive part
is unknown. And in all compounds, each part hath such
relation and usefulness to others, that one part which seemeth
known, is itself but half-known, for want of the knowledge
of others. Such a kind of knowledge is theirs, that know-
ing only what they see, do take a clock or watch to be only
the index moving by the hours, being ignorant of all the ca-
sual parts within : or that know nd more of a tree, or other
plant, than the magnitude, site, colour, odour, &c. Or that
take a man to be only a body, without a soul ; or the body,
be only the skin and parts, discerned by the eye in converse.
Now that which such persons do sensibly apprehend,
they are confident of, because that nature teacheth them to
trust their senses ; but not knowing the rest, their little par-
tial conceptions are lame, defective, and deceitful. For most
will hence rashly conclude of the negative, that there is no
more, because they know no more. But if any be more wise
and modest, yet do they want the conception of the unknown
parts, to make the rest to be true knowledge, or to tell them
what is yet unknown : and such use to turn a judicial rule
Chap. 19.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 151
into a physical ; that ' non apparere et non esse,' are to them
all one.
2. And an ignorant man doth not know what conceptions
other men have of the same things which he is ignorant of:
so that he neither knoweth the thing intelligible, (what it is)
nor yet the act of knowing it, which he never had : but, as a
man born blind hath no formal conception, either of sight,
or of light, or visible objects ; so is it here.
3. Nor hath he usually a true knowledge of his own ig-
norance ; how imperfect his understanding is, and how much
to be suspected, as liable to mistake : though in some sen-
sible matters, it is easy to convince men of a total ignorance ;
yet when they know any thing, it is hard to convince them
what more is to be known, and to keep them from false and
hasty conclusions. A man that cannot read at all, is easily
convinced that he cannot read : but he that can read a little,
is apt to think that he readeth rightly, when he doth not. A
man that never heard of physic, is easily convinced that he
hath no skill in it : but if he have read, heard of, and tried a
few medicines ; he is apt to grow conceited, and venture
men's lives upon his skill. A man that never saw building,
navigation, or any art or manufacture, is easily convinced
that he is ignorant of it : but if he have got some smatter-
ing knowledge, he is ready to think that it is more than it
is, because he knoweth not what he wants.
And to err, and know that a man erreth, (at the same time,
about the same thing,) is a contradiction : for he that erreth,
judgeth a falsehood to be a truth : but to know that so to
judge is to err, is certainly not so to judge; for 'intellectus
vultverum;' that is, truth is the object which it is naturally in-
clined to. The same light which discovereth error, cureth it :
and that light which discovereth the thing itself, is it that must
convince me that I before erred about it, by misapprehensions.
4. And an ignorant man doth not so much as know the
difficulties of the case, and what may be said on the other
side : what contrary evidence convinceth others, or what
weight there is in the objections, which are, or may be
brought against him. So that all men being naturally igno-
rant, and little being known for much that is unknown, even
to the wisest; alas, the temptation to error and false confi-
dence is so strong, that few escape it.
II. Another cause of it is, the radical master sin of pride :
152 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
an unhumbled mind, never well acquainted with its own dark
and erroneous condition, and its great need of natural and
supernatural helps. I find it hard to convince men of this ;
but the forementioned effects do certainly prove it. The
vice is born with us at the very heart. It is the devil's
image : he that is not naturally proud, is not a son of Adam.
It liveth first, and dieth last: and there is nothing that man
is apter to be proud of, than his reason, which is his huma-
nity, and next to that of his goodness, and of his greatness.
Men perceive not this in themselves, because they know not
what pride is, while it ruleth in them. They think that it
is only some womanish or childish extrinsical ostentation,
(boasting) or perking up above others in garb and place, or
peacock-like looking upon their own train, or setting it up
for others to look on. But pride is (as I said before) an over-
valuing ourselves, and a desire that others should overvalue
us : and how few be there that be not tickled, when their wis-
dom is applauded, and nettled when it is accounted small : it is
hard to bear to be accounted and reported a fool, or a person
of little wit. Many a man spendeth all the studies of his life,
more for a fame of learning than for learning itself; what is
pride if this be not? What grosser pride, than for a woman or
unexperienced lad, to scorn and despise the oldest and hardest
students in divinity, as dark souls in comparison of them •
The Quakers in their shops, when I go along London streets,
say, ' Alas, poor man, thou art yet in darkness :' they have
oft come into the congregation, (when I had liberty to preach
Christ's Gospel) and cried out against me as a deceiver of the
people. They have followed me home, crying out in the
streets, ' The day of the Lord is coming, when thou siialt
perish as a deceiver.' They have stood in the market-place,
and under my window, year after year, crying out to the
people, ' Take heed of your priests, they deceive your souls :'
And if they saw any one wear a lace or neat clothing, they
cried to me, 'These are the fruit of thy ministry.' If they
spake to me with the greatest ignorance or nonsense, it was
with as much fury and rage, as if a bloody heart had appeared
in their faces ; so that though I never hurt, or occasioned
the hurt of one of them, that I know of, their truculent coun-
tenances told me what they would have done had I been in
their power : (this was in 1656, 57, 58, 59.) And yet they
were poorly clothed : (some of them went through the streets
Chap. 19.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 153
stark naked), and cried out over and over all the year, ' Woe
to the proud !' Wonderful ! wonderful ! O the blindness of
a corrupted mind! that these poor souls did not perceive
their superlative pride. How highly did these people think
of their own wisdom and holiness, while they cried down
laces, points, and cuffs !
And when did I ever know either a true church-tyrant, or
a true sectarian separating humourist, which were not both
notorious proud over-valuers of their own conceits. To
which those that bowed not must be persecuted as unruly
schismatics by the one sort, and excommunicated, separated
from, and damned as ungodly, carnal or antichristian by
the other sort ?
Several ways doth pride cause pretended knowledge.
1. By thinking that our understandings are so good as that
without great study we can know truth from falsehood ; and
so making us venture to judge of things at the first hearing
or reading ; which we cannot be capable of judging of under
long and diligent studies ; because ' recipitur ad modum reci-
pients. ' Therefore it is that when a man by great success in
studies hath made things as plain as words can make them,
so that you would think that all students should presently
be wise at easy rates by the light which he hath set up to
them, they are half as long in learning for all that, as if he
had never given them such a help. And therefore it is, that
we cannot leave our learning to posterity; because still the
stop is in the receiver's incapacity. And he cannot be ca-
pable of the plainest precepts, but by much time and study.
2. Pride maketh men hasty in concluding, because they
are not humbled to a just suspicion of their own apprehen-
sions. And men stay not to prove and try things before
they judge.
3. Pride maketh men insensible how much they are ig-
norant of, in all their knowledge.
4. And it causeth men to slight the reasons and judgments
of other men, by which they might learn, or at least might
be taught to judge considerately, and suspend their own.
If overvaluing a man's own apprehensions be pride (as
it is), then certainly pride is one of the commonest sins in
the world, and particularly among men professing godliness,
who upon every poor surmise or report are condemning
those, that do not throughly know, and in every petty con-
154 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
troversy, they are all still in the right, though of never so
many minds.
III. Another cause of pretended knowledge is the want
of a truly tender conscience : which should make men fear,
lest they should err, lest they should deserve the curse of
putting " light for darkness, and darkness for light ; evil for
good, and good for evil :" (Isa. v. 20 :) and should make
them afraid lest they should defile their minds, resist the
truth, blaspheme God or dishonour him, by fathering errors
on him, and lest they should prove snares to men's souls, and
a scandal and trouble to the Church of God. A tender con-
science would not have espoused such opinions under one
or two or many years deliberation, which an Antinomian, or
other sectary will take up in a few days, (if they were true.)
0,saith the tender conscience, what if I should err, and prove
a snare to souls, and a scandal and dishonour to the Church
of God! &c.
IV. Another cause of pretended knowledge is a blind
zeal for knowledge and godliness in the general, while men
know not what it is they are zealous of. They think it is a
necessary part of sincerity to receive the truth speedily with-
out delay : and therefore they take a present concluding, for
a true receiving it. And he that soonest taketh up that
which is offered him, probably as a part of godliness, is taken
for the most resolved downright convert. Which is true in
case of evident truths, where it is the will that by vice sus-
pendeth the mind. But not in dark and doubtful cases.
V. Another cause is, an inordinate trust in man : when
some admire the learned too much, and some the religious,
and some this or that particular person, and therefore build
too confidently on their words : some on great men, some on
the multitude, but most on men of fame for great learning,
or great piety. A credit is to be given by every learner to
his teacher : but the confounding this with our belief of God,
and making it a part of our religion, and not trusting man
as man only, that is, a fallible wight, doth cause this vice of
pretended knowledge, to pass with millions for divine faith.
Especially when men embody themselves into a sect, as the
only orthodox or godly party, or as the only true church (as
the Papists do) ; then i t emboldeneth them to believe any thing,
which their sect or church believeth. For they think that
this is the church's faith, which cannot err, or is the safest:
Chap. 19.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 155
and that God would not let so many good men err. And
thus they that should be made their teachers, and the helpers
of their faith, becoming the lords of it, and almost their gods.
VI. And it much increaseth their sin, that men are not
sufficiently acquainted with the original and additional cor-
ruption of man's nature, anc know not how blind all man-
kind are. Alas, man is a dark creature ! what error may he
not hold. What villany may he not do ; yea and maintain !
Truly said David, " All men are liars." Pitifully do many
expound this, as an effect of his unbelief and passion, be-
cause he saith, " I said in ny haste ;" when it is no more
than Paul saith ; " Let God be true, and every man a liar."
(Rom. iii.) And than Solomon and Isaiah say, "All men are
vanity :" and Jeremiah, " Cursed be he that trusteth in man :"
all men are untrusty in a great degree ! Weak, false, and
bad. And his haste was either as Dr. Hammond transla-
ted it, his flight, or else that his trial and distress made him
more passionately sensible of the vanity or untrustiness of
man, than he was at other times. For vanity and a lie to
the Hebrews were words of the same importance, signifying
deceivableness and untrustiness. And indeed among man-
kind there is so great a degree of impotency, selfishness,
timorousness, ignorance, error, and viciousness, as that few
wicked men are to be believed, where there is any strong
temptation to lying. And the devil is seldom unprovided
of temptations : and abundance of hypocrites are as un-
trusty as open wicked men : and abundance of sincere godly
persons, especially women, have loose tongues, and hasty
passions, and a stretching conscience, but especially injudi-
cious heads, so that frequently they know not truth from
falsehood, nor have the tenderness of conscience to be silent
till they know : so that if one say it, another will say it, till
a hundred say it, and then it goeth for current truth.
Good men's overmuch credulity oi one another hath
filled the church with lies and fables. Kany of the Papist's
superstitions, purgatory, praying to sainis and angels, pray-
ing for the dead, &c. were bred by this credulity. It is so
visible in Venerable Bede, Gregory the fist, yea before them
in Sulpitius Severns of Martins Life, anl abundance more,
that to help up Christianity among tht Pagans, they laid
hold of any old woman's or ignorant mat's dreams, and vi-
sions, and stories of pretended miracles aid revelations, that
156 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part. J.
it made even Melchior Canus cry out of the shameful, ridi-
culous filth, that hence had filled their legends. Even Ba-
ronius upon trial, retaineth no small number of them, and
with his brethren the Oratorians, on their prophesying days,
told them to the people. I am ashamed, thatl recited one
out of him, before my treatise of " Crucifying the^World,"
though I did it not, as persuacing auy that it was true: for
I quickly saw, that Sophronius on whom he fathered it, was
none of the reporters^of it, that book^being spurious, and
none of Sophronius's work.
Indeed I know of such impudent false history lately
printed, of matters of public fact in these times, yea, divers
concerning my own words and actions, by persons that are
far from contemptible, that strangers and posterity will
scarce believe, that human nature could be guilty of it in
the open light. And I know it to be so customary a thing,
for the zealots professing the fear of God, on one side and
the other, to receive and rashly tell about lies of one an-
other, that I confess I am grown to take little heed of what
such say, in such a case ; unless the report continue a year
uncontrolled ! For it is common for them to tell those things
as unquestionable, which a few months prove false : and yet
never to manifest any repentance, but to go on with the
like ; one month disproving what the former hatched and
vended.
And indeed the very wisest and best of men are guilty
of so much ignorance, temerity, suspiciousness of other's
partiality, &c. that we must believe them (though far sooner
than others, yet) still with a reserve to change our minds, if
we find them mistaken, and still on supposition that they
are fallible persons, and that all men are liars.
VII. Another gieat cause of pretended false knowledge
and confidence is tie unhappy prejudices which our minds
contract even in oir childhood, before we have time, and
wit, and conscienci to try things by true deliberation. Chil-
dren and youth mist receive much upon trust, or else they
can learn nothing: but then they have not wit to propor-
tion their appreheisions to the evidence, whether of credi-
bility or certainty : and so fame and tradition, and educa-
tion and the counry's vote, do become the ordinary parents
of many lies ; anc folly maketh us to fasten so fearlessly in
our first appreheisions, that they keep open the door to
Chap. 19.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 157
abundance more falsehoods; and it must be clear teachers,
or great, impartial studies, of a self-denying mind, with a
great blessing of God, that must deliver us from prejudice,
and undeceive us. And therefore all the world seeth, that
almost all men are of the religion of their country or their
parents, be it never so absurd ; though with the Mahome-
tans they believe the nonsense of a very sot, (once reading
a quarter of whose Alcoran one would think should cure a
man of common reason, of any inclination to his belief.)
And among the Japonians, even the eloquent Bonzii believe
in Amida and Xaca ; to mention the belief of the Chinese,
the people of Pegu, Siam, and many other such ; yea, the
Americans, the Brasilians, Lappians, &c. that correspond
with devils would be a sad instance of the unhappiness of
men's first apprehensions and education. And what doth
the aforesaid instance of Popery come short herein, which
tells us how prejudice, and education, and company can make
men deny all men's common sense, and believe common, un-
seen miracles, pretended in the stead?
VIII. Another cause is the mistaking of the nature of
the duty of submitting our judgment to our superiors and
teachers, especially to the multitude, or the church, or anti-
quity. No doubt but much reverence and a human belief,
is due to the judgment of our teachers credibly made known.
But this is another thing quite different, 1. From knowing
by evidence. 2. And from believing God; (of which, be-
fore and after).
IX. Another cause is base slothfulness, which makes
men take up with the judgment of those in most reputation
for power, wisdom, or number, to save them the labour of
searching after the scientific evidence of things ; or the
certain evidence of Divine revelations.
X. Another frequent cause is, an appearance of some-
thing in the truth, which frighteneth men from it ; either for
want of a clear, methodical, advantageous representation;
or by some difficult objection, or some miscarriage in the
utterance, carriage or life of them that seem most zealous
for it : such little things deceive dark man : and when he is
turned from the truth, he thinks that the contrary error may
be embraced without fear.
XI. Another great cause of confidence in false conceits,
is the bias of some personal interest prevailing with a cor-
158 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. Part 1.
rupted will, and the mixture of sense and passion in the
judgment. For, as interested men hardly believe what
seemeth against them, and easily believe that which they
would have to be true ; so sense and passion (or affections)
usually so bear down reason, that they think it their right
to possess the throne. Not but that sense is the only dis-
cerner of its own sensible object as such, (and reason by
sense as it is intelligible) : but that is not the matter in
hand. But the sensualist force th his reason to call that
best for him, which his sense is most delighted with, and
that worst which most offendeth sense. The drunkard will
easily judge that his drinking is good for him, and the glut-
ton that his pleasant meats are lawful, and the time-waster
that his plays are lawful, and the fornicator, the wrathful
revenger, &c, that their lusts and passions are lawful, be-
cause they think that they have feeling on their side. It is
hard to carry an upright judgment against sense and passion.
XII. Sometimes a strong, deluded imagination, maketh
men exceeding confident in error ; some by melancholy,
and some by a natural weakness of reason, and strength of
fantasy ; and some by misapprehensions in religion, grow
to think that every strong conceit which doth but come in
suddenly, at reading, or hearing, or thinking on such a text,
or in time of earnest prayer, especially if it deeply affect
themselves, is certainly some suggestion or inspiration of
God's Spirit. And hence many errors have troubled poor
souls and the church of God, which afterwards they have,
themselves retracted. Hence is the confidence of some is:-
norant Christians in expounding difficult Scripture pro-
phecies ; and the boldness of others in expounding dark
providences ; and also in foretelling by their own surmises,
things to come.
XIII. And not a few run into this mischief in some ex-
tremes, by seeing others run into error on the other side.
Some are so offended at the credulity of the weak, that they
will grow confident against plain certainties themselves. As,
because there are many feigned miracles, apparitions, pos-
sessions and witchcrafts in the world, divulged by the in-
credulity of the injudicious ; therefore they will more
foolishly be confident that there are no such things at all.
And because they see some weak persons impute more of
their opinions, performances, and affections to God's Spirit,
Chap. 19.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 159
than they ought ; therefore they grow mad against the true
operations of the Spirit, and confident that there is no such
thing. Some deride praying by the Spirit, and preaching
by the Spirit, and living by the Spirit; when as they might
as well deride understanding, willing, working, by a reason-
able soul ; no holy thing being holily done without God's
Spirit, any more than any act of life and reason without the
soul. And they may, on the same grounds, deride all that
live not after the flesh, and that are Christians, (Rom. viii.
5 — 9. 13,) or that love God, or that seek salvation. Yea,
some run so far from spiritual fanaticisms, that they deny
the very being of spirits ; and many confidently set up a
dead image of true religion, in bitter hatred and opposition
of all that hath life and serious holiness : so mad are some
made, by seeing some feverish persons dote.
XIV. Another cause, is, conversing only with those of
our own mind, and side, and interest ; and not seeking fa-
miliar, loving acquaintance with those that differ from us :
whereby men deprive themselves of hearing half that is to
be heard, and of knowing much that is to be known. And
their proud vice hardeneth them in this way, to say, ' I have
read, and I have heard enough of them ; I know all that
they can say.' And if a man soberly speak to them, their
vices of pride, presumption and passion, will scarce patiently
bear him to go on without interruption to the end ; but the
wizard saith, ' I know already what you will say, and you are
tedious ; and do you think that so wise a man as I, hath no-
thing to do but hear such a fool as you talk V Thus proud
men are ordinarily so full of themselves, that they can scarcely
endure to hear, or at least learn any thing from others, nor
restrain their violent list to speak, so long as either just in-
formation, or human civility requireth.
XV. Another cause, is, malignity and want of Christian
love ; whereby men are brought, if not to a hatred, yet to a
proud contempt of others, who are not of their mind, and
side, and way. O they are all — as foolish and bad as any
one hath list to call them ; and he that raileth at them most
ingeniously and impudently, giveth them but their due.
And will a man, full of himself and his own, be moved from
his presumptions, by any thing that such a hated or scorned
people can say ? Nay, will he not be hardened in his self-
conceit, because it is such as these that contradict him ?
160 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
Many such causes of this vice there be ; but pride and
ignorance are the proper parents of it, whatever else be the
nurse or friend.
CHAP. XX.
Objections Answered.
I easily foresee, that besides the aforesaid impediments,
all these following Objections will hinder the cure of false
pretended knowledge, and self-conceitedness, and false be-
lief, if they be not answered.
Object. I. 'You move men to an impossibility: to see
without light ; and for an erring man to believe that he err-
eth. He that hath not light to see the truth, hath not light
to see his ignorance of it. This is no more, than to persuade
all men to be wise, and not to err ; which you may do long
enough to little purpose.'
Answ. It is impossible indeed for an erring man, while
such, to know that he erreth : but it is not impossible 1.
For an ignorant man to know that he is ignorant; (nor for
a man without light or sight, to know that he seeth not ;
though he cannot see that he seeth not). For though
nescience be nothing ; and nothing is not properly and di-
rectly an object of our knowledge, no more than of our
sight : yet as we see the limited quantity of substances,
and so know little from big, by concluding that it hath no
more quantity than we see ; so we know our own knowledge,
both as to object and act, and we know the degree of it, and
to what it doth extend : and so can conclude, IJtnow no
more. And though nescience be nothing, yet this proposi-
tion, ' I know no more,' is not nothing. And so nothing is
usually said to be known reductively ; but indeed it is not
properly known at all ; but this proposition, ' de nihilo,' is
known, which is something. (I will not here meddle with
the question, whether God know nonentities.)
2. To think, and to know, are not all one : for I may
think that I may know ; that is, I study to know. Now I
can know that I study, or think ; and I can perceive, that
my studies reach not what I desire to reach, but fall short
of satisfaction : and so as in the body, though emptiness be
Chap. 21.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 101
nothing, and therefore not felt as nothing ; yet a hungry
man feeleth it in the consequents, by accident ; that is, feel-
eth that by which he knoweth that he is empty : and so it
is with a student as to knowledge.
3. And a man that hath so much experience, as we all
have of the stated darkness of our understandings, and fre-
quent errors ; may well know, that this understanding is to
be suspected, and so blind a guide not over-confidently and
rashly to be trusted.
4. And a man that knoweth the danger of error, may
know that it is a thing: that it should fear : and fear should
make him cautelous.
5. And though an erring man, while such, cannot know
that he erreth ; yet, by the aforesaid means, he may cease
to err, and know that he hath erred.
6. And lastly, It is a shame for a man to be unacquainted
with himself, and especially with his understanding, and not
to know the measure of his knowledge itself.
Object. II. ' You talk like a Cartesian, that must have all
that would know, suppose first that they know nothing, no
not that he feeleth and liveth.'
Answ. No such matter. Some things we know necessa-
rily, and cannot choose but know : for the intellect is not
free of itself, hut only as 'quoad exercitium actus,' it is
' sub imperio voluntatis.' And it is vain to bid men not to
know what they cannot choose but know. And it is as vain
to tell them that they must suppose, (falsely,) that they
know not what they know, as a means to know : for igno-
rance is no means to knowledge, but knowledge is. One
act of knowledge being necessary to more, and therefore
not to be denied. I have told you before what certain-
ties are, which must be known, and never forsaken.
Object. III. ' But your discourse plainly tendeth to draw
men to scepticism, and to doubt of all things.'
Answ. 1. I tell you, I describe to you many certainties
not to be doubted of. 2. And it is indeed your prefidence
that tendeth to scepticism, as is shewed : for men that be-
lieve hastily and falsely, find themselves so often deceived,
that at last they begin to doubt of all things : it is scepti-
cism which I prevent. 3. But I confess to you, that I am
less afraid of scepticism in the world, than ever I was ; as
vol. xv. M
162 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
finding corrupt nature so universally disposed the contrary
way. As when I first saw the books of Jacob Behmen, and
some such others, 1 adventured to prognosticate, that the
Church would never be much endangered by that sect, or
any other which a man cannot understand and join in, with-
out great study and acuteness ; because few men will be at
so much labour; even so 1 say of scepticism; here and
there a hard, impatient, half-knowing student, may turn
sceptic; but never any great number. For pride and igno-
rance, and other causes of self-conceitedness are born in all
men ; and every man that apprehendeth any thing, is natu-
rally apt to be too confident of his apprehensions ; and few
will have the humility to suspect themselves, or the patience
and diligence to find out difficulties. I must say in my ex-
perience, that except the congregation which I long in-
structed, and some few such, I meet with few women, boys,
or unlearned men, when they are past eighteen or twenty
years old, but they are in conceit wiser than I, and are still
in the right, and I am in the wrong, in things natural, civil,
religious, or almost any thing we talk of, if I say not as they
say : and it is so hard to abate their confidence, or convince
them, that I have half ceased to endeavour it, but let every
one believe and say what he will, so it be not to the disho-
nour of God, the wrong of others, and the hazard of his
salvation : for I take it for granted beforehand, that con-
tradiction more often causeth strife than instruction ; and
when they take not themselves for scholars, they seldom
learn much of any but themselves : and their own thoughts
and experience must teach them that in many years which
from an experienced man they might have more cheaply
learned in a few days.
Object. IV. ' You speak against taking things on trust,
and so would keep children from believing and learning of
their parents and masters, and from growing wise.'
Answ. I often tell you that human faith is a necessary help
to divine faith ; but it must not be mistaken for divine faith.
Men are to be believed as fallible men ; but in some things
with diffidence, and in some things with confidence, and in
some things, (where it is not the speaker's credit that we
rely on but a concurrence of testimonies, which make up a
natural certainty,) belief and knowledge go together, and
the thing is sure. But man is not God.
Chap. 20.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 103
Object. V. ' May not a man more safely and confidently
believe by the Church's faith, than his own ? That is, take
that for more certain which all men believe, than that which
I think I see a divine word for myself?'
Answ. This is a Popish objection thus confusedly and
fallaciously often made. 1. Properly, no man can believe
by any faith but his own, any more than understand with
any understanding but his own. But the meaning being,
that we may better trust to the Church's judgment, that this
or that is God's word, than to our own persuasion that it is
God's word, from the evidence of the revelation. I further
answer. 2. That the Church's judgment is one part of our
subordinate motive ; and therefore not to be put in competi-
tion with that divine evidence which it is always put in con-
junction with. And the Church's teaching, is the means of
my coming to know the true evidences of Divinity in the
Word. And the Church's real holiness caused by that
Word, is one of the evidences themselves, and not the least.
Now to put the question, whether I must know the Scrip-
ture to be God's Word because I discern the evidences of
its divinity, or rather because the Church teacheth me that
it is God's Word, or because the Church saith it is God's
Word, or because the Church is sanctified by it, are all vain
questions; setting things conjunct and co-ordinate as op-
posite. 1. By the Church's judgment or belief, I am moved
to a high reverence of God's Word,, by a very high human
faith, supposing it credible that it may be God's Word in-
deed. 2. Next by the Church's (or minister's) teaching,
the evidences of its divinity are made known to me. 3. The
effect of it, in the Church's holiness, is one of these evi-
dences. 4. And by that and all other evidences I know that
it is God's Word. 5. And therefore I believe it to be true.
This is the true order and resolution of our faith.
3. But because the Popish method is, barely to believe
the Scripture to be God's Word, because a Pope and his
Council judgeth so, I add, 1. That we have even of that hu-
man sort of testimony far more than such. For theirs is the
testimony of a self-exalting sect of Christians, about the
third part of the Christian world : but we have also the tes-
timony of them and of all other Christians; and in most or
much of the matter of fact, (that the Scriptures were deli-
164 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
vered down from the apostles) the testimony of some hea-
thens and abundance of heretics. 2. And with these we have
the evidences of its divinity themselves. 3. But if we had
their Church's (or Pope and Council's) decrees for it alone,
we should take it but for a human, fallible testimony.
For, 1. They cannot plead God's word here as the proof
of their infallibility : for it is the supposed question, what is
God's word, which (they say) cannot be known but by their
infallible judgment. 2. And they cannot plead number ;
for, 1. The Mahometans are more than the Christians in the
world : Brierwood reckoneth that they are six parts of thirty,
and we but five. And yet not therefore infallible nor cre-
dible. 2. And the heathens are more than the Mahometans
and Christians (being four-sixth parts of the world), and yet
not infallible. But of this I have the last week wrote a book
of the "Certainty of Christianity without Popery;" and
heretofore my " Safe Religion," and others.
Object. VI. 'At least this way of believing and knowing-
things by proper evidences of truth, will loosen the common
sort of Christians, (even the godly) from their faith and reli-
gion : for whereas now they go quietly on without doubting,
as receiving the Scriptures from the Church or their teachers
as the Word of God, when they fall on searching after proofs,
they will be in danger of being overcome by difficulties, and
filled with doubts, if not apostatizing to infidelity, or turn-
ing Papists.'
Answ. Either these persons have already the knowledge
of certain evidence of the divinity of the Scripture, or Chris-
tianity, or they have none. If they have any, the way of
studying it more will not take it from them, but increase it :
else you dishonour Christianity to think that he that know-
eth it to be of God, will think otherwise if he do but better
try it. Upon search he will not know less, but more.
But if he have no such certainty already, 2. 1 further an-
swer, that I take away from him none of that human belief
which he had before : if the belief of his parents, teachers,
or the Church only, did satisfy him before, which was but a
strong probability, I leave with him the same help and pro-
bability, and only persuade him to add more and surer argu-
ments. And therefore that should not weaken but confirm
his faith.
Chap. 20.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 165
Object. ' But you tell him that the Church's or his teach-
er's judgment or word is uncertain, and that sets him on
doubting.'
Answ. 1. I tell him of all the strength and credibility
that is in it, which I would have him make use of. 2. And
it not alone, but by his teacher's help that I would have him
seek for that certainty. 3. But if he did take that testimony
for certain which was not certain ; if he took man for God,
or took his teachers, or Pope, for inspired prophets, and a
human testimony for divine, do you think that this error
should be cherished or cured ? I think that God nor man
have no true need of a lie in this case : and that lies seldom
further man's salvation; and that though they do some job
of present service the next way, at the end we shall find
that they did more harm than good. And that to say the
contrary, and that men will cease to be Christians unless
they be kept to it by deceit, is the way to downright infi-
delity.
And yet that you may see how much more than ordinary
I favour the weaknesses of such, I will here answer a great
question.
Quest. ' Whether a man can have a true saving faith, who
believeth the Gospel or Scripture to be God's Word, and
Christ to be the Saviour of the world, upon reasons or grounds
not sure nor cogent and concluding; yea, possibly not true,
for the most part.'
Answ. He that readeth Mr. Pink's excellent Sermons,
and many other such divines, will find them thus describing
the faith of hypocrites, (that they conclude have no true
saving faith,) that they believe in Christ, but on the same or
like reasons as a Turk may believe in Mahomet ; that is, be-
cause the most, the greatest, the most learned and the best,
and all the country are of their minds, and in that way their
parents did educate them in. For my part, I easily confess,
]. That such a belief which buildeth on unsound grounds, is
wanting proportionably in its own soundness. 2. And that
it should not be rested in. 3. Much less cherished against
all counsels that would cure it. 4. And that though uncer-
tain reasons are, 1. The first. 2. And the most prevailing
with him afterwards, yet every true believer discerneth some
intrinsic signs of divinity at least as probable in the Word
itself. But yet supposing that wrong motives be his chief,
166 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
and that he discerneth not that in the Word itself which
most prevaileth with him, I am of opinion that, 1. If the end
of such a believer be sound, (the reducing of the soul to
God, and attainment of glory, and the perfect love of God.)
2. And if that man unfeignedly believe all that is God's Word
to be true. 3. And if he believe all the substance of the
Gospel to be God's Word, though by an unsound and non-
concluding medium as his chief. 4. And if he by this belief
be brought himself to the actual love of God as God ; this
unsound believer is sound in the essentials of Christianity,
and shall be saved.
The Objection is, ' An uncertain, yea, deceived belief up-
on false suppositions, is no true belief, and therefore cannot
save.'
I answer, There is a double truth in such a belief: 1.
That all God's Word is true. 2. That this Gospel is God's
Word, and Christ is the Messiah.
You will say, that ' there can be no more, no surer, no
better in the conclusion, than is in the weaker of the pre-
mises °.' I answer, I grant it. And all that will follow is, that
the conclusion is not necessary from these premises ; and
that the believer was mistaken in the reason of his inference,
and that he concluded a truth upon an unsound medium : I
grant all this, and consequently that his faith hath some un-
soundness or diseasedness in it. But for all this, I see not
but such a believer may be saved : 1. Because Christ's pro-
mise is, that whoever " believeth in him shall not perish,
but have everlasting life," without excepting such as are
drawn to it by non-cogent arguments. And he that will put
in an exception against the covenant of grace, must prove
it, or be injurious to Christ, to his Gospel, and to men's
souls.
2. Because by experience I find, that it is but a small
part of serious, godly Christians, who believe the Scriptures
upon cogent evidence, (or at least many do not :) but abun-
dance take it upon trust from godly preachers or parents,
and go on without much examining of their grounds ; and
are not able to bring a cogent proof of the divinity of the
Scriptures, when they are called to it. And I am not will-
ing to conclude so great a part of humble, upright Chris-
° Of which see Smiglecius Logics and Albertinus in his Philosoplt. Disputat. at
large.
Chap. 20.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 167
tians, to damnation, as know not Buch reasons for their faith
as would hold good in strict disputation. Not that our
charity must bend the Scripture to it. But that Scripture
commanded such charity ; and it no where condemneth any
man that believet.i upon uncogent reasons. For he that
doth so, may yet firmly trust on Jesus Christ, and firmly be-
lieve that the Gospel is true, as being the very Word of God,
and may take heaven for his portion, and love God, as God,
and therefore may be saved. Though yet I think it impos-
sible that any man should truly believe the Scriptures, and
not perceive in them some characters of Divinity, which as
an intrinsical evidence much encourage and induce him to
believe them : and though this secret gust and perception
be not the medium that he useth in arguing, or be not the
chief, yet it may have an effectual force with his soul to
hold him close to Christ. But if you suppose the man to
have no spiritual sight and taste of a difference between
God's Word and a common book, then he cannot be sup-
posed to be a sound believer.
As a man that hath one ingredient in his medicine which
is effectual, may be cured, though in the composition the
main bulk be vanities ; or as a doctor that hath many insuf-
ficient sureties, may do well if he have one sufficient one,
though he more trust the rest ; or as a man's cause may go
for him in judgment that hath one or two good witnesses,
and twenty bad ones which he put more trust in ; and as he
truly proveth his position, who bringeth one sound argu-
ment for it, tand twenty bad ones : so I think that the com-
mon way of the illiterate in believing ,is, first to believe
God's Word to be his Word by human faith ; and after upon
trial to find a spiritual light and goodness in the Word itself,
and by both together to believe that it is God's Word. And
the worse reasons may be the more powerful with him, and
yet not destroy the sincerity of his faith.
Nor doth this make his faith merely human : for the
question now is not, why he believeth God's Word to be
true, and trusteth on it: for that is, because it is God's Word
(discerned by him so to be); but he that by an insufficient
medium (at least with a better, though less understood), doth
take it to be God's, may yet by a divine faith believe it, be-
cause he judgeth it his Word.
If a man should counterfeit himself an angel from heaven,
lf)8 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
and come in some splendid, deceitful appearance in the
night to an heathen, and tell him that he is sent from God
to bring him this Bible as his certain Word ; and if the man
receive it, and believe it on his credit to the death, and by
that believing it be brought to see an excellency and credi-
bility, and taste a spiritual sweetness in it, and be brought
by it (as he may be) to holiness and the love of God, that
man shall be saved, though I cannot say that the intrinsic
evidence of the Word alone would have prevailed with him
without that false belief of a deceiver : when it is once be-
come a sanctifying belief, then there is no doubt but the
man hath better evidence than the uncertain word of man :
he hath the witness in himself. And it is not a glorifying
faith, till it be a sanctifying faith. But the question is,
what soundness of reason or proof that this is God's Word,
is necessary to make it a sanctifying faith ; at least, as most
prevalent and trusted in?
By this you may know what I judge of the faith of ho-
nest, illiterate Papists, and of illiterate Protestants, for there
are a great number of them, who live in love and obedience
to God.
And yet to speak both more concisely and distinctly, I.
I may believe by historical tradition all that matter of fact,
which those that saw Christ's and the apostles' miracles, and
heard their words, did know by sense ; and those that saw
not, believed on the credit of the reporters. II. And yet I
may know by reason, through God's help, that these mira-
cles, and this Scripture impress and efficacy are God's at-
testation ; and none but God could do it. And of this all
believers have some perception in various degrees. III.
And then we know it to be true, because it is sealed by those
attestations, and is the Word of God.
Object. VII. ' But would you have men take the matter
of fact for uncertain (that this is a true Bible and copy, and
was given the Church by the apostles, &c.) and so not pre-
tend to be certain of them.'
Anstv. I have often said, and elsewhere largely proved,
that as, 1. A human faith of highest probability prepareth
the way ; so, 2. These things are known by an historical
evidence, which hath a proper certainty above mere human
faith : for human faith resteth on men's veracity or fidelity,
which is uncertain : but there is a history (such as that there is
Chap. 20.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 109
such a city as Rome, Venice, &c.) which is evident by a
surer ground than men's fidelity ; even from such a con-
currence of consenters and circumstances, as will prove a
forgery impossible.
Object. VIII. ' You seem to favour the Popish doctrine
of ignorance, while you would have all our knowledge con-
fined to a few plain and easy things, and persuade men to
doubt all the rest.'
Answ. 1. I persuade no man to doubt of that which he is
certain of, but not to lie, and say he is certain when he is
not. 2. I am so far from encouraging ignorance, that it is
ignorance of your ignorance which I reprove : I would have
all men know us much as possibly they can of all that God
hath revealed. And if the self-conceited knew more, they
would doubt more ; and as they grow wiser, will grow less
confident in uncertainties. It is not knowing, but false
pretending to know, that I am against. Do you think that
a thousand self-conceited men and women do really know
ever the more for saying they know, or crying down that
ignorance, doubting and uncertainty which they have them-
selves. How many a one (yea preachers) have cried down
the Popish doctrine of uncertainty of salvation, who had no
certainty of their own; but their neighbours thought by their
lives were certainly in the way to hell.
Object. IX. ' But you would have men resist the Spirit
that convinceth them, and make so long a work in doubting,
and questioning, and proving everything, as that Christians
will come but to a little knowledge in your way.'
Ansiv. They will have the more knowledge, and not the
less for trying. Peremptory confidence is not knowledge,
the next way here is farthest about. Receive all evidence
from God and man, from the Word and Spirit, with all the
desire, and all the delight, and all the speed that you possi-
bly can: Study earnestly; learn willingly ; resist no light;
neglect no truth. But what is all this to foolish conceit
that you know what you do not? What is this to the hasty
believing of falsehoods, or uncertainties, and troubling the
church and world with self-conceit and dreams ? I remem-
ber two or three of my old acquaintance, who suddenly
received from a seducer the opinion of perfection, that we
might be perfectly sinless in this life: And because I denied
it they carried it as if I had pleaded for sin against perfec-
170 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
tion ; and they presently took themselves to be perfect and
sinless, because they had got the opinion that some are such.
I told them that I desired perfection as well as they, and
that I was far from hindering or dissuading any from
perfection ; but wished them to let us see that they are so
indeed, and never to sin more in thought, word or deed :
And ere long they forsook all religion, and by drunkenness,
fornication and licentiousness, shewed us their perfection.
So here, it is not a conceit that men have faith and know-
ledge, and quickly saying, I believe ; or turning to the priest
or party that persuadeth them, which maketh them ever the
wiser men, or true believers.
Object. X. ' But that may seem certain to another which
seemeth uncertain or false to you : therefore every man must
go according to his own light.'
Answ. 1. Nothing is certain which is not true: if that
seem true to you which is false, this is your error : and is
every man, or any man bound to err, and believe a false-
hood ? Being is before knowing : If it be not true, you may
think it to be so, (which is that which I would cure ;) but
you cannot know it to be so; much less to be certain of it.
2. If it be certain to you, it is evidently true ; and if so, hold
it fast, and spare not : It is not any man's certainty, but
error, which I oppose.
Object. XL ' But if we must write or utter nothing but
certainties, you would have but a small library.'
Answ. 1. The world might well spare a great many un-
certain writings. 2. But I say not that you must think, say
or write nothing but certainties: there is a lawful, and in some
cases, necessary exercise of our understandings about proba-
bilities and possibilities. The husbandman when he plough-
eth and soweth is not certain of an increase. 1 . But call not
that certain which is not. 2. And be not as vehement and
peremptory in it as if it were a certainty. 3. And separate
your certainties and probabilities asunder, that confusion
fill not your minds with error.
Object. XII. ' While you persuade us to be so diffident of
men's reports, and to suspend our belief of what men say,
you speak against the laws of converse.
Answ. I persuade you not to deny any man such a belief
as is his due : but give him no more. If a man profess him-
self a Christian, and say that he sincerely believeth in Christ,
Chap. 20.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 171
and consenteth to his covenant, though you may perceive
no ascertaining evidence that he saith true, yet you must
believe him, because he is the only opener of his own mind,
and the laws of God and human converse require it. But
what is this believing him? Not taking it for a certain truth,
but taking it for a thing probable, which may be true for
aught you know, and which you must hope is true; and this
in different degrees, according to the different degrees of
the person's credibility.
If you hear men confidently report any news in these
times, when half that we hear oft proveth false, you may be-
lieve the reporter as a fallible person, that is, believe that he
doth not wilfully lie, and so not uncivilly contradict him ;
and yet suspend your belief of the thing itself, and whether
he took it up rashly on uncertain rumours.
But if you hear a man speak evil of another behind his
back, when the thing is not notorious and certain other ways,
the law of justice and charity obligeth you not to believe
him, but to suspend your belief till you hear both sides, or
have surer proof; yea, and to suspend, not with an indiffer-
ency, but with a hope that it is not true which he speaketh.
Object. XIII. ' But then I shall be as uncharitable in judg-
ing the reporter (who perhaps is a godly man) to be a liar and
slanderer, as I should be in believing that the other is guilty.'
Answ. 1. I say not that you are to conclude that cer-
tainly he lieth, and that it is false, but to suspend your be-
lief, and to hope that it is false. 2. He that maketh himself
the accuser of another man behind his back, in a way of
talk, doth expose himself to that disadvantage, and maketh
it our duty to begin our charitable opinion on the side of
him that is accused, and rather to hope that he is innocent
(' caeteris paribus') than the accuser. For God forbiddeth
backbiting and slandering, and biddeth us to speak evil of no
man. And he that in our hearing backbiteth and speaketh
evil, how godly otherwise soever, without a clear necessary
cause, doth forfeit our charity and belief, more than a man
can do whom we do not see or hear. For if I was bound to
judge him innocent before this backbiting, I am bound so to
judge him still. Therefore I do but continue that good
opinion of my neighbour which I was bound to : And that I
must suspect the backbiter of a lie, is the consequent of his
own act, and wrong of himself. For I cannot believe con-
172 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Parti.
traries : and it is not his backbiting that will disoblige me
from my former duty, of judging the other innocent. So
that it is the reporter that casteth away the reputation of
his own veracity.
Object. XIV. ' When you have written all this against
pretended knowledge, who is more guilty than yourself?
Who so oppresseth his reader with distinctions ? Are all
your large writings evident certainties? Even those con-
troversies in which you have so many adversaries V
Answ. I put in this objection, because I have a book
called " Methodus Theologian," which I know will occasion
such thoughts in many readers. But, 1. It is one thing to
assert uncertainties, and another thing to anatomise, and
distinctly, and methodically explain to certain truth. In all
my large writings, if you find that I call any thing certain
which is uncertain, that is, which I give not ascertaining
evidence of, acquaint me with the particulars, and I shall
retract them.
2. I never persuaded any man to write or say no more
than all men certainly know, already, no not all learned
divines; for then how should we receive edification? Sub-
jective certainty is as various as men's intellects, where no
two are of a size. And objective certainty must be tried by
the evidence, and not by other men's consenting to it. Nor
must a major vote of dissenters go for a proof of objective
uncertainty : For Heathens are more than the rest of the
world ; and Mahometans more than Christians ; and Papists
more than Protestants ; and the ungodly more than the
godly ; and yet this is no proof of our own, or the things un-
certainty.
3. Part of my writings are against uncertainties ; and to
deliver the Church from false opinions that go for certain-
ties ; and these are they that have most contradicters : and
may I not write against false and uncertain opinions which
religion is corrupted with, and defend the ancient simplicity,
without being guilty of the introduction of uncertainties
myself.
4. I deny not but I have many things that are uncertain ;
but then I acknowledge them uncertain ; and treat of them
but as they are.
5. Lastly, If really my writings are guilty of that which
I here reprehend, false pretended knowledge, the sin is never
Chap. 21.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 173
the better for that, nor my accusation of it, ever the less true,
nor your duty to avoid it ever the less. Think what you will
of me, so you will but think rightly of sin and duty. If I go
contary to my doctrine, and you can prove it, take warning
by me, and do not you the like.
CHAP. XXI.
IX. Directions for the Cure of Pretended Knowledge, or Self-
conceit.
The cure of this plague of prefidence or pretended know-
ledge is it which all the rest is written for ; and must now
be the last in execution as it was the first in my intention p .
And could men be persuaded to this following course it
might be done: but nature's vicious inclination to the vice,
and the commonness and strength of temptations to it, do
make me expect to prevail but with a few.
Direct. I. Labour to understand the true nature and
principles of certainty before opened. False measures will
make you judge certainties to be falsehoods or uncertain,
and falsehoods to be certain truths. And when you know
the conditions of certainty, try all things by them accurately ;
and if any would by art, persuade you of the uncertainty of
nature's just perceptions, by sense or intellect, remember
that be they what they will, you have no better or surer :
they are such as our Creator hath given you to trust to for
your use, even for the ends of life.
Direct. II. Discern the helps of knowledge from know-
ledge or certainty itself. Believing your teachers as men,
and believing historians according to their credibility, and
reverencing the judgment of seniors, and of the church, are
all preparative helps to certainty : and human faith is such
as to Divine faith. But do not therefore think that it is the
same : nor give men that prerogative of infallibility which
belongeth to God, or to inspired prophets, who prove their
word by God's attestation. The belief of logicians is need-
ful to your understanding logic, and logic is a great help to
p Because I must not often repeat the same things, I must refer the reader to what
I have more fully said of this in twenty-seven directions for certainty of knowledge in
my Christian Directory, Part iii.chap.7.
174 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
your certain discerning of physical and metaphysical and
moral verities. And yet many rules of your logic may be
uncertain, and you must not take the helps of your know-
ledge for evidence itself.
Some think that nothing is known till we have second
notions for it, or can define it: when things sensible are
better known by sensing them, and usually second notions
deceive men and make them doubt of what they better ap-
prehended without them.
Be very suspicious of all words or terms; 1. As ambi-
guous, as almost all are : and therefore he that cannot dis-
tinguish them must needs err by confusion. 2. Lest you
take the names for things, most disputes using to carry con-
troversies ' de nomine ' as if they were ' de re,' or slide from
this into that.
Direct. III. Therefore also trust not too far to the ar-
tificial forms of argument, without, or instead of the evi-
dence of the truth of the thing itself. For there are many
things supposed to the infallibility of your art, which may
not themselves be infallibly true : and man's wit is con-
scious of its own fallibility ; and therefore is doubtful lest
it should be deceived in its collections and ratiocinations ;
especially when the engine hath many tacklings, and the
chain many links, we are still in doubt lest some one should
break : but the evidence of the thing in its own reality,
which is not wholly laid on the form of an artificial argu-
ment, which is of great use, doth satisfy more.
Direct. IV. Take truths in order ; the principles first,
and the rest in their true exurgence and dependance upon
them : and take nothing to be well known which is not
known, not only in a method but in a method clearly suita-
ble to the things. As words and notions, so rules and me-
thods must be fetched from the things, and fitted to the
things, or they are vain. Sense and intellect must first per-
ceive the things themselves, and be your first tutors in so-
matology and pneumatology ; and then these must do much
in making your logic. The foot must be the measure of the
shoe. And remember that you have but a half, fallacious
knowledge, till you know the true place, and order, and
respects of the thing, as well as the nature and quality of it
in itself; and till you can draw up a true scheme of the
things which you know : it is dreams that are incoherent.
Chap. 21.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 175
Direct. V. Let the great radical verities have your
greatest confidence, and not only so, but the most of your
thoughts, and estimation, and time ; and proportionably
let the lesser things have but that share of your esteem, and
time, and studies which they deserve ; which comparatively
will be little. And make them the test of what is further
offered to you : and believe nothing which is certainly con-
trary to them. Argue always • a. notioribus/ and reduce not
certainties to uncertainties, but contrarily.
Direct. VI. Keep all your perceptions distinct accord-
ing to the distinction of their natures. Let both your books
and your intellects be like an apothecary's shop, where there
are different boxes with different titles for different things.
Let sensible perceptions be by themselves : and the intellec-
tive perception of things sensate be by themselves : and the
intellective perception of its own and the will's acts be by
themselves : and the collection of the nature of spirits and
intellective agents thence, be by themselves : and the know-
ledge of principles, physical and moral, be by themselves :
and the certainty of conclusions be ranked according to the
variety of their degrees. The confusion of these different
things causeth so confused a kind of knowledge, as is next
to no knowledge, and more fit to trouble than to satisfy.
Direct. VII. Look to all things, or as many as is possi-
ble. When half is unknown, the other half is not half
known. ' Respicere ad omnia' is proper to God : ' Respi-
cere ad plurima ' is necessary to the competent wisdom of
a man : to be of a narrow mind and prospect, is the property
of the ignorant and erroneous. He that seeth only a hand
or foot knoweth not what a man is by it : and he that seeth
only a word knoweth not by that what a sentence is. God's
works are all one. I know not what we shall see in Com-
menius's Pansophy, which they say is yet to see the light;
how far he hath reduced all sciences to one. But I little
doubt but they may and should be all reduced to two, which
are as the soul and body that yet make up one man, though
not one nature, viz. 1. The ontological or real part, dis-
tinguished into that of substances and of modes, where mo-
rality cometh in, &c. 2. The organical part, which fitteth
words and notions to things. And I am sure that as the
knowledge of one thing or of many, much conduceth to fur-
ther knowledge ; so the ignorance of one thing conduceth to
176 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
ignorance and error about others. It is here as in the know-
ledge of a clock or watch, or musical instrument. Know all
or you know little, and next to none. No man is a fitjudge
of church affairs, who hath not the state of the world in
some good measure in his eye ; else he will be like most
sectaries, who judge, and talk, and live, as if the world were
no bigger than their synagogues or sects. He must have all
the Scripture in his eye, and all the body of divinity, and all
the world in his eye ; and God himself, who is more than all,
who will not, by a narrow mind be cheated into a multitude
of errors. There are abundance of truths unknown to you
which, were they known, would rectify your other errors.
Direct. VIII. Conclude not hastily of negatives. You
may more easily know, that you do what you do know, than
know what it is that you do not know. It doth not follow
that there is no more, because you know no more. St. John
tells you, that if all that Christ did should be written, the
world could not contain the books : you cannot therefore
conclude from what is recorded, that he said and did no
more than is recorded : though I am sure against popery, by
my sense and intellect, that there is real bread and wine in
the sacrament, I am not sure by sense that there is no spiri-
tual body of Christ : the negative must be otherwise proved.
I am sure by my five senses (as they are commonly distin-
guished and numbered) that there are existent all the sensi-
ble qualities, which are their objects : but whether the world
may not have more sensible qualities, suited to many other
sort of senses, which we have no conception, notion or name
of, is a thing that no mortal man can know.
You hear many things, and know many things by another
man, which make his cause seem bad : but do you know how
many more things may be existent unknown to you, which
if you knew would change your judgment?
Allow still room and supposition for abundance of un-
known things, which may come hereafter to your know-
ledge, and make things seem to you quite other than they do.
How can you possibly know how much more may be un-
known to you ? If I have a servant that stayeth much longer
than I expected, I may conjecture that he could have no bu-
siness to stay him, but his negligence ; but there may be many
accidents to cause it, which I cannot judge of till I hear
him speak.
Chap. 21.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 177
Direct. IX. Be sure that you suspect your first appre-
hensions of things; and take few conceptions (conclusive)
for certain, that are not digested. Fasten not over-tenaci-
ously upon opinions, in the beginning, at the first hearing :
take it for granted, that your first conceptions of things must
alter, either as to the truth, or the evidence, or the order, or
the degree. Few men are so happy in youth, as to receive
at first such right impressions, which need not after be much
altered. When we are children, we know as children ; but
when we become men, childish things are done away. Where
we change not our judgment of the matter, yet we come to
have very different apprehensions of it. I would not have
boys to be mere sceptics ; for they must be godly, and Chris-
tians. But I would have them leave room for increase of
knowledge, and not be too peremptory with their juvenile
conceptions, but suppose that a further light will give them
another prospect of the same things.
Direct. X. Choose such teachers, if possible, as have
themselves attained the things you seek ; even that most
substantial wisdom which leadeth to salvation. For how else
shall they teach others, what they have not learned them-
selves ! O the difference between teachers and teachers ! be-
tween a rash, flashy, unexperienced, proud wit ; and clear-
headed, well-studied, much-experienced, godly men ! Happy
is he that hath such a teacher, that is long exercised in the
ways of truth, and holiness, and peace ; and hath a heart to
value him.
Direct. XI. *Value truth for goodness, and goodness above
truth ; and estimate all truths and knowledge by their use-
fulness to higher ends. That is good as a means, which
doth good. There is nothing besides God that is simply
good, in, of, and for itself; all else is only good derivatively
from God the efficient, and as a means to God the final cause.
As a pound of gold more enricheth than many loads of dirt ;
so a little knowledge of great and necessary matters, maketh
one wiser, than a great deal of pedantic, toyish learning.
No man hath time and capacity for all things : he is but a
proud fool, that would seem to know all, and deny his igno-
rance in many things. Even he that with Alstedius, &c. can
write an Encyclopaedia, is still unacquainted with abundance
that is intelligible. For my own part, I humbly thank God,
VOL. XV. N
178 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
that by placing my dwelling still as in the church-yard, he
hath led me to choose still the studies which I thought were
fittest for a man, that is posting to another world. He that
must needs be ignorant of many things, should choose to
omit those which he can best spare. Distinguish well be-
tween studying and knowing for use, and for lust : for the
true ends of knowledge, and for the bare delight of knowing.
One thing is necessary, (Luke x. 42,) and all others, but as
they are necessary to that one ; mortify the lust of useless
knowledge, as well as other lusts of flesh and fantasy.
Dying men commonly call it vanity. Remember what a deal
of precious time it wasteth ; and from how many greater and
more necessary things it doth divert the mind ; and with
what wind it puffs men up ; as is aforesaid. How justly did
the rude Tartarians think the great libraries, and multitudes
of doctors and idle priests, among the Chinese to be a foolery ;
and call them away from their books to arms, as Palafox
tells us ; when all their learning was to so little purpose as it
was, and led them to no more high and necessary things 1
Direct. XII. Yet because many smaller parts of know-
ledge are necessary to kingdoms, academies and churches,
which are not necessary, nor greatly valuable to individual
persons ; let some few particular persons be bred up to an
eminency in those studies, and let not the generality of stu-
dents waste their time therein. There is scarcely any part of
knowledge so small and useless, but it is necessary to great
societies, that some be masters of it, which yet the genera-
lity may well spare. And all are to be valued and honoured
according to their several excellencies. But yet I cannot
have to study as long as Politian how Virgil should be spelt ;
nor to decide the quarrels between Phil. Pareus and Gruter,
nor to digest all his grammatical collections, nor to read all
over abundance of books, which I allow house-room to. Nor
to learn all the languages and arts which I could wish to
know, if I could know them without neglecting greater
things. But yet the excellent professors of them all I honour.
Direct. XIII. Above all, value, digest, and seriously live
upon the most great and necessary certain truths. O that we
knew what work, inward and outward, the great truths of
salvation call for from us all ! If you do not faithfully value
and improve these, you prepare for delusion : you forget
Chap. 21.] FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 179
your premises and principles : God may justly leave you in
the dark, and give you up to believe a lie. Did you live ac-
cording to the importance of certain principles, your lives
would be filled with fruit, and business, and delight, and all
this great : so that you would have little mind or leisure for
little and unnecessary things. It is the neglect of things
necessary, which fills the world with the trouble of things
unnecessary.
Direct. XIV. Study hard, and search diligently anddeeply,
and that with unwearied patience and delight. Unpleasant
studies tire and seldom prosper. Slight running thoughts
accomplish little. If any man think that the Spirit is given
to save us the labour of hard and long studies, Solomon hath
spent so many chapters in calling them to dig, search, cry,
labour, wait for wisdom, that if that will not undeceive them,
I cannot: they may as well say, that God's blessing is to
save the husbandman the labour of ploughing and sowing :
and that the Spirit is given to save men the labour of learn-
ing to read the Bible, or to hear it, or think of it, or to pray
to God. Whereas the Spirit is given us to provoke and
enable us to study hard, and read, and hear, and pray hard,
and to prosper us herein.
And as vain are our idle lads, that think their that natural
wits, or their abode and degrees in the Unversities, will serve
the turn instead of hard studies ! And so they come out
almost as ignorant, and yet more proud than they went thi-
ther, to be plagues in all countries where they come, to teach
others by example the idleness and sensuality which they
learned themselves; and being ignorant, yet the honour of their
functions must be maintained, and therefore their ignorance
must be hid, which yet themselves do weekly make ostenta-
tion of in the pulpit, where they should be shining lights ;
and when their own tongues have proclaimed it, those of
understanding that observe and loathe it, must be maligned
and railed at for knowing how little their teachers know.
Nothing without long and hard studies furnisheth the
mind with such a stock of truth, as may be called real wis-
dom. " That God is the rewarder of them that diligently
seek him," (and not of the lazy neglecters of him) is the
second principle in religion. (Heb. xi. 6.) They that cannot
be at this labour, must be content to know but little, and
not take on them to know much. For they are not able to
180 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
discern truth from falsehood : but while they sleep the tares
are sowed : or while they open the door, all crowd in that
can come first; and they cannot make a just separation.
Ignorant persons will swarm with errors, and he that erreth
will think that he is in the right: and if he think that it is
a divine and necessary truth which he embraceth, how zea-
lously may he pursue it !
Direct. XV. Take heed of the bias of carnal interest,
and of the disturbing passions, which selfish partiality will
be apt to raise. Men may verily think, that they sincerely
love the truth, when the secret power of a carnal interest,
their honour, their profit or pleasure, is it that turneth about
their judgment, and furnisheth them with arguments, and
whets their wits, and maketh them passionately confident,
and they are not aware of it. Is your worldly interest on
that side that your opinion is for? Though that prove it
not false, it proveth that you should be very suspicious of
yourselves.
Direct. XVI. Keep up unfeigned fervent love to others,
even as to yourselves. And then you will not contemn their
persons and their arguments, beyond certain cause. You
will not turn to passionate contentions, and reproaches of
them when you differ ; and the reverence of your elders,
teachers, superiors, will make you more ready to suspect
yourselves than them. Most of our self-conceited pretend-
ers to knowledge, have lost their love and reverence of dis-
senters, and are bold despisers of the persons, reasons and
writings of all that contradict their error. And most that
venture to cast the churches into flames, and their brethren
into silence and sufferings, that they may plant their own
opinions, are great despisers of those that they afflict, and
either hate them, or would make them hateful, lest they
should be thought to be unjust in using them like hateful
persons. " Love that thinketh not evil of others, is not apt
to vaunt itself." (1 Cor. xiii.)
Direct. XVII. Reverence the Church of God, but give
not up your understandings absolutely to any men ; but
take heed of taking any church, sect, or party, instead of the
infallible God. With the Universal Church, you must em-
body and hold concord : it is certain, that it erreth not from
the essentials of Christianity : otherwise the Church were
no Church, no Christians, and could not be saved. If a Pa-
Chap. 21.J FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE. 181
pist say, 'and which is this Church V I answer him, it is
the universality of Christians, or all that hold these essen-
tials ; and when I say, that this Church cannot fall from
these essentials, I do but'say, it cannot cease to be a Church :
the Church is constituted of, and known by the essentials of
faith ; and not the essentials of faith constituted by the
Church, nor so known by it; though it be known by it as
the teacher of it.
He that deserteth the Christian universality, in deed
though not in words, and cleaveth too close to any sect,
whether Papal or any other, will be carried down the stream
by that sect, and will fill his understanding with all their
errors and uncertainties, and confound them with the cer-
tain truths of God, to make up a mixed religion with ; and
the reverence of his party, church or sect, will blind his
mind, and make him think all this his duty.
Direct. XVIII. Fear error and ungrounded confidence.
Consider all the mischiefs of it, which the world hath long
felt, and the churches in the East and West are distracted
by unto this day ; and which I have opened to you before.
He that feareth not a sin and mischief, is most unlikely to
escape it. A tender conscience cannot be bold and rash,
where the interest of God, the church, and his own and
others' souls is so much concerned. When you are invited
to turn Papist, or Quaker, or Anabaptist, or Antinomian, or
Separatist, think, what if it should prove an error; and as
great an error as many godly, learned men affirm it to be ?
Alas, what a gulf should 1 plunge my soul in ! What injury
should I do the truth ! What wrong to souls ! And shall I
rashly venture on such a danger, any more than I would do
on fornication, drunkenness, or other sin ? And doth not
the sad example of this age, as well as all former ages, warn
you to be fearful of what you entertain ? O what promising,
what hopeful, what confident persons, have dreadfully mis-
carried, and when they once began to roll down the hill,
have not stopped till some of them arrived at infidelity and
profaneness, and others involved us in confusions ! And yet
shall we not fear, but rage and be confident?
And to see on the other side, what darkness and delu-
sion hath fallen upon thousands of the Papal clergy, and
what their error hath cost the world, should make those
that are that way inclined also fear.
182 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part. 1.
Direct. XIX. Above all pray and labour for a truly
humble mind, that is well acquainted with its own defects ;
and fear and fly from a proud, overvaluing of your own un-
derstanding. Be thankful for any knowledge that you have,
but take heed of thinking it greater than it is. The devil's
sin, and the imitation of Adam, are not the way to have the
illumination of God's Spirit. It is not more usual with God
to bring low those that are proud of greatness, than to leave
to folly, deceit and error, those that are proud of wisdom ;
and to leave to sin and wickedness, those that are proud of
goodness. A proud understanding cannot be brought to
suspect itself, but is confident of its first undigested appre-
hensions : it either feeleth no need of the Spirit's light, but
despiseth it as a fancy ; or else it groweth conceited, that
all its conceptions are of the Spirit, and is proud of that
Spirit which he hath not. Nothing maketh this peremptory
confidence in false conceits so common, as pride of a know-
ledge which men have not. Would the Lord but humble
these persons thoroughly, they would think, alas ! ' What a
dark, deceitful mind have 1 ! how unfit to despise the judg-
ment of them that have laboured for knowledge far more
than I have done, and how unfit to be confident against such
as know much more than I?'
But so deep and common is this pride, that they that go
in rags, and they that think themselves unworthy to live,
and are ready to despair in the sense of sin, do yet ordina-
rily so overvalue their own apprehensions, that even these
will stiffly hold their vain and unpeaceable opinions, and
stiffly reject the judgment and arguments of the wisest and
best that will not be as envious as they.
Direct. XX. Lastly, Keep in a childlike, teachable,
learning resolution, with a sober and suspended judgment,
where you have not sure evidence to turn the scales. When
Christ saith, " Except ye be converted and become as little
children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of hea-
ven :" (Matt, xviii. 3 :) as he hath respect to the humility
of children in general (and their inception of anew life), so
in special he seemeth to respect them [as disciples : Set
children to school and their business is to hear and learn
all day ; they set not their wits against their masters, and
do not wrangle and strive against him, and say, it is not so;
we know better than you. But so abominably is human na-
Chap. 21.] FALSELY PIIETENDKD KNOWLEDGE. 183
ture corrupted by this intellectual pride, that when once lads
are big enough to be from under a tutor, commonly, instead
of learning of others, they are of a teaching humour, and
had rather speak two hours than hear one ; and set then-
wits to contradict what they should learn, and to conquer
those that would instruct them ; and to shew themselves
wiser than to learn to be more wise ; and we can scarcely
talk with man or woman, but is the wisest in the company,
and most hardly convinced of an error.
But two things here I earnestly advise you : 1. That you
spend more time in learning than in disputing : n^t but that
disputing in its season is necessary to defend the truth ;
but usually it engageth men's wits in an eager opposition
against others, and so against the truth which they should
receive ; and it goeth more according to the ability of the
disputants, than the merits of the cause. And he that is
worsted is so galled at the disgrace, that he hateth the truth
the more for his sake that hath dishonoured him : and there-
fore Paul speaketh so often against such disputing, and saith
that the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle,
and apt to teach, and in meekness instruct opposers.
I would ordinarily, if any man have a mind to wrangle
with me, tell him ; ' If you know more of these things than
I, if you will be my teacher, I shall thankfully hear and learn,'
and desire him to open his judgment to me in its fullest evi-
dence : and I would weigh it as the time and case required ;
and if I were fully satisfied against it, I would crave leave
to tell him the reasons of my dissent, and crave his patient
audience to the end. And when we well understood each
other's mind and reasons, I would crave leave then to end
in peace; unless the safety of others required a dispute to
defend the truth.
2. And my special repeated counsel is, that you suspend
your judgment till you have cogent evidence to determine it.
Be no further of either side than you know they are in the
right ; cast not yourself into other men's opinions hastily,
upon slight reasons at a blind adventure. If you see not a
certainty, judge it not certain. If you see but a probability,
judge it but probable. " Prove all things, and hold fast
that which is good." (1 Thess. v.) The Bereans are com-
mended for searching the Scripture, and seeing whether the
things were so which Paul had spoken. (Acts xvii.) Truth
184 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part I.
feareth not the light. It is like gold, that loseth nothing by
the fire. Darkness is its greatest enemy and dishonour.
Therefore look before you leap : you are bid, " Believe not
every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God."
(1 John ii.) Stand still till you know that the ground is
safe which you are to tread on. When poisoners are as com-
mon as physicians, you will take heed what you take. It is
safer when once you have the essentials of Christianity, to
take too little than too much : for you are sure to be saved
if you are mere true Christians ; but how far Popery, Anti-
nomianism, &c, may corrupt your Christianity is a contro-
versy. Wish them that urge you, to forbear their haste in a
matter of everlasting consequence : these are not matters to
be rashly done. And as long as you are uncertain, profess
yourselves uncertain ; and if they will condemn you for your
ignorance when you are willing to know the truth, so will
not God. But when you are certain, resolve in the strength
of God, and hold fast whatever it cost you, even to the
death, and never fear being losers by God, by his truth, or
by fidelity in your duty.
185
PART II.
OF TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE
1. CAUSING OUR LOVE TO GOD.
II. THEREBY QUALIFYING US FOR HIS LOVE.
1 CORINTHIANS viii. 3.
But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
CHAP. 1.
Knowledge is to be estimated more by the End it tendeth to,
than by itself.
Having done with that epidemical, mortal disease, self-
conceitedness, or prefidence, or over-hasty judging,
and pretending to know that which we know not, which I
more desire than hope to cure ; I have left but little room
for the nobler part of my subject, True Saving Knowledge,
because the handling of it was not my principal design.
The meaning of the text I gave you before. The true
paraphrase of it is as followeth : As if Paul had said : ' You
overvalue your barren notions, and think that by them you
are wise ; whereas knowledge is a means to a higher end ;
and is to be esteemed of as it attaineth that end ; and that
end is to make us lovers of God, that so we may be known
with love by him ; for to love God and be beloved by him is
man's felicity and ultimate end ; and therefore that which
we must seek after and live for in the world; and he is to be
accounted the wisest man that loveth God most ; when un-
sanctified notions and speculations will prove but folly.'
This being the true meaning of the text, I shall briefly
speak of it by parts, as it containeth these several doctrines
or propositions.
JJoct. I. Knowledge is a means to a higher end, ac-
cording to which it is to be estimated.
186 KNOAVLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
Doct. II. The end of knowledge is to make us lovers of
God, and so to be known with love by him.
Doct. III. Therefore knowledge is to be valued, sought
and used, as it tendeth to this holy blessed end.
Doct. IV. And therefore those are to be accounted the
wisest or best-knowing men, that love God most ; and not
those that are stored with unholy knowledge.
For the first of these, that ' Knowledge is a means to a
higher end,' I shall first open it, and then prove it.
I. Aquinas and some other schoolmen make the vision
or knowledge of God, to be the highest part of man's felicity :
and I deny not but that the three faculties of man's soul, vi-
tal activity, intellect and will, as the image of the Divine
Trinity, have a kind of inseparability and co-equality. And
therefore each of their perfections and perfect receptions
from God, and operations on God, is the ultimate end of
man : but yet they are distinguishable, though not divisible ;
and there is such an order among them, as that one may in
some respects be called the incepter and another the per-
fecter of human operations ; and so the acts of one be called
a means to the acts of the other. And thus though the
vision or knowledge of God be one inadequate conception,
if not a part of our ultimate end ; yet the love of God, and
living to God, are also other conceptions or parts of it: yea,
and the more completive, perfect parts, which we call ' finis
ultimate ultimus.'
II. The proof shall be fetched, 1. From the order and
use of the faculties of the soul. 2. From the objects. 3.
From the constitution of the acts. 4. From express Scrip-
ture.
I. It is evident to our internal perception ; 1. That the
understanding is but the guide of the will, and its acts but
mediate to determine the will : as the eye is to lead the ap-
petitive and executive faculties, by presenting to them their
proper objects. To know is but an initial introductory act.
Yea, 2. It is evident that the soul is not satisfied with
bare knowing, if no delight or complacency follow : for
what is that which we call satisfaction, but the complacency
of the will? Suppose a man to have no effect upon his will,
no pleasure, no contentation in his knowledge, and what
felicity or desirable good to him would there be, in all the
knowledge in the world? Yea, when I name either good or
Chap. 1.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 187
desirable every one knoweth that I name an object of the
will. Therefore if you stop at bare intellection, it is not to
be called good or desirable as to the intellect, these being
not proper intellectual objects: though remotely I confess
they are ; that is, that which is called good, amiable and
desirable primarily as the proper object of the will, must be
discerned to be such by the understanding : when yet the
formal notion of the intellects' object, is but " quid intelligi-
bile,' which materially is ' Ens, Unum, Verum, Bonum :' But
goodness is the formal notion of the object of the will, and
not only the material.
If any say that I seem here to take part with Epicurus,
and Cicero's Torquatus, who erred by placing the chief ex-
cellency of virtue in the pleasure of it; and consequently
making any thing more excellent which is more pleasant,
though it be sin itself; I answer, He that will decide that
great controversy, must distinguish, 1. Between sensitive
pleasure, and the complacency of the will. 2. Between that
which is good only to me, and that which is good to others,
and that which is good in relation to the supreme and final
will of God. 3. Between the exterior and the interior acts
of virtue, and then you shall see Cicero and Torquatus easily
reconciled, thus : —
1. It is certain that goodness and the will are so essen-
tially" related to each other, that they must each enter the
other's definition. To be ' bonum' is to be ' volibile ;' and
to will is ever ' velle bonum.'
2. It is certain that God's will is the original and end of
all created good, which hath its essence in relation to his will.
And therefore if it were possible for virtue to be unpleasant
or pernicious to the possessor, it would be good as it is
suited and related to the will of God.
3. Therefore it cannot be said, that virtue as virtue is
better than virtue as it pleaseth God : but it is most certain
that virtue as virtue is pleasing to God, (as to the objective
aptitude,) and that virtue as pleasing to God, and conse-
quently as virtue, is better than virtue, as it is pleasant to
the possessor.
4. And it is certain that virtue, as it is profitable, and
justly pleasing to mankind, to the church, to kingdoms, to
public societies or multitudes, is better than as it is pleasing
188 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part. II.
unto one. Because the good of many is better than of one.
5. And it is certain that virtue, as itpleaseththe rational
will, is better than as it pleaseth the mere sensitive appetite,
which it seldom doth : and therefore sensuality hath no ad-
vantage hence.
6. And virtue as it profiteth, though at present it occa-
sion sorrow or disobedience in its consequents, is better
than that which at the present only pleaseth, and quickly
vanisheth. But that profit lieth in this, that it prepareth
for everlasting, or more durable pleasure. And a long plea-
sure attained by present sorrow, is better than a momentary
pleasure ; which is another difference between sensual sinful,
and spiritual durable delights,
7. And to end all this controversy between us and
Epicurus, it is notorious, that the internal vital acts of true
virtue, are nothing else radically but pleasure itself: for it
is radically and summarily nothing but the love of God and
goodness : and love in its properest notion is nothing but
the complacency of the will. To say, I love it, is but to say,
it pleaseth me; unless when you speak of either sensual
appetite and delight, or love as conjunct with some other
act or passion. And (though Occum here stretch it a little
too far) it is certain that the external act of man hath no
virtue in it that is moral, but secondary, and derived from
the will, even as far as it is voluntary. So that the inform-
ing root of virtue is will, love or complacency ; which Austin
useth to call delectation, asserting what I now assert. So
that the question now is, Whether virtue, which is nothing
but complacency in good, be better as complacency or as
virtue ; that is, under one name or another ? or whether it be
better as virtue, or as virtue? as complacency, or as com-
placency ?
If you think I make Cicero and the old philosophers fools,
by feigning them to agitate such a question ; I answer, 1.
If they do so, it is not my doing, but their own. 2. But I
think Cicero meant not so foolishly,but understood Epicurus
only of sensual pleasure, and not of rational. 3. Or at least,
of private pleasure of a single person, as opposite to the
utility and pleasure of multitudes. 4. And whether he had
so much Theology as to remember that which is it that
resolveth the whole doubt, I know not, viz. that virtue as
Chap. 1.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 189
virtue is objectively pleasing to the will of God : and as
pleasing to God, it is better than as pleasing to me, and all
the world.
So that notwithstanding this objection, thus fully an-
swered, the acts of the intellect merely as such, without their
respect to some will, either of God or man, are not so much
as formally amiable, desirable or good.
3. 1 further add, that the acts of the intellect may be
forced, involuntary, displeasing, and both morally and pe-
nally evil. A man may by God be forbidden to search after,
and to know some things ; and to know them (as voluntarily
done) may be his sin. And all know that a man may be
necessitated to know many things ; and that knowledge may
torment him : As to know dangers, losses, enmities, injuries,
future evils; especially sins by an accusing conscience, and
God's displeasure : and devils and damned souls have such
knowledge.
Object. ' All this is true of some knowledge, but not of
the knowledge of God or goodness.'
Answ. 1. It is granted then that knowledge, as such, is
not sufficient to be man's felicity, or final act. 2. And as to
the object, I easily grant that the true knowledge of God is
the initial part of man's felicity : but that is much, because
it ever inferreth that love or complacency of the will, which
is the more completive part. 3. But there is a knowledge
even of God, which being separated from love, is sin and
misery. As the devils and damned that believe, and tremble,
and hate, and suffer, are not without all knowledge of God.
So much for the first proof, fetched from the order of the
faculties of the soul.
II. The second proof is fetched from the objects: it is not
mere intelligibility that blesseth a man, but goodness, which
as such is the formal object of the will, though the material
object of the understanding. It is a pleasant thing for the
eyes to behold the sun : and as pleasant, it is good ; and also
as useful to further pleasure of ourselves or others. Nothing
maketh a man good or happy, but as it is good. Therefore
the goodness of God, (his transcendent perfection by which
he is first essentially good in himself, and amiable to him-
self, and then good and amiable to us all) is the ultimately
ultimate object of man's soul, to which his intelligibility is
supposed.
190 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Pait II.
III. The third proof is from the constitution of these
several acts : knowledge being but an introductive act, sup-
poseth not love, as to its essence, though it produce it as an
effect: but love includeth knowledge in it; as the number
of two includeth one, when one doth not include two. There-
fore both together must needs be more perfect than one
alone.
IV. The fourth proof is from express Scripture ; I will
only cite some plain ones which need no tedious comment.
1. For love it is said, " We have known and believed the
love that God hath to us : God is love, and he that dwelleth
in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our
love made perfect, (or in this the love with us is perfected)
that we have boldness in the day of judgment : because as
he is, so are we, in this world : there is no fear in love, but
perfect love casteth out fear. He that feareth is not made
perfect in love." (1 John iv. 16 — 18.) So that love is the
perfection of man.
1 Cor. xii. 31; xiii. 2., &c. " Yet shew I unto you a
more excellent way: though I understand all mysteries, and
all knowledge, and have not charity, I am nothing. — Charity
never faileth. 13. The greatest of these is charity."
Rom. viii. 35. " Who shall separate us from the love
of God," &c.
Rom. xiii. 10. " Love is the fulfilling of the law."
Rom. v. 5. " The love of God is poured out on our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us."
Gal. v. 6. *' Faith which worketh by love."
Matt. xxii. 37. " The first and great commandment is,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart," &c.
Luke x. 27 ; Deut. x.12 ; xi. 1.13. 22; xix. 9; xiii. 3;
xxx. 6. 16. 20; Josh. xxii. 5; xxiii. 11; Psal. v. 11;
xxxi. 23; lxix.36; cxix. 165; cxliv 20. Jam. i. 12: "He
shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised
to them that love him." So. ii. 5.
Prov. viii. 17. " I love them that love me."
See John xiv. 21 ; xvi. 27; 1 John iv. 19 ; John xxi. 15 —
17 ; 1 John iii. 22 ; Heb. xi. 6., &c.
And of knowledge it is said, (John xiii. 17.) " If ye
know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
See James ii. 14. to the end; John xv. 24. " But now
they have both seen and hated, both me and my Father."
Chap. 2.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 191
Luke xii. 47. Knowing God's will, and not doing it,
prepareth men for many stripes. See Rom ii. And as bar-
ren knowledge is oft made the aggravation of sin, so true
knowledge is usually made the cause or means of love and
obedience, 1 John iv. 8. " He that loveth not, knoweth not
God." 2 Pet. i. 2. " Grace and peace be multiplied to you,
through the knowledge of God," 2 Pet. ii. 20, and many
such like.
I conclude therefore that the knowledge of creatures is
not desirable ultimately for itself, but as it leadeth up the
soul to God. And the knowledge of God, though desirable
ultimately for itself, yet not as the perfect, but the initial
part of our ultimate act or end, and as the means or cause of
that love of God, which is the more perfect part of that ulti-
mate perfection.
CHAP. II.
The End of Knowledge is to make ws Lovers of God, and so to
be knotvnwith Love by Him.
This is the second doctrine contained in the meaning of the
text: where is included, 1. That all knowledge of creatures,
called learning, must be valued and used but as a means to
the knowledge and love of God : which is most evident in
that the whole creation is the work of God, bearing the
image or impress of his perfections, to reveal him to the in-
tellectual creature, and to be the means of provoking us to
his love, and helping us in his service. To deny this there-
fore is to subvert the use of the whole creation, and to set
up God's works as an useless shadow, or as an idol in his
place.
2. It is included as was before proved, that all our
knowledge of God himself, is given us to kindle in us the
love of God. It is the bellows to blow up this holy fire. If
it do not this, it is unsound and dead. If it do this, it hath
attained its end ; which is much of the meaning of James in
that chap. ii. which prejudice hindereth many from under-
standing.
3. This love of God hath its degrees and effects. Know-
ledge first kindleth but some weak initial act of love; which
192 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
through mixtures of fear, and of carnal affections, is hardly
known to be sincere by him that hath it. But afterwards
it produceth both stronger acts, and the Holy Ghost still
working as the principal cause, infuseth or operateth a radi-
cated habit. So that this holy love becometh like a nature
in the soul, even a Divine nature, and it becometh in a sort
natural to us to love God and goodness, though not as the
brutish nature, which is exercised by necessity, and without
reason. And this new nature of holy love, is called the new
creature and the Holy Ghost dwelling in us, and the Spirit
of adoption ; and is our new-name, the ivhite-stone, the vritness
in ourselves that Christ is the Saviour, and that we are the
regenerate children of God, the pledge, the earnest, the first-
fruits, and the foretaste of life eternal.
And all the works of a Christian are so far truly holy, as
they are the effects of holy love : for 1. Holy love is but a
holy will ; and the will is the man, in point of morality.
2. And the love of God is our final act upon the final object ;
and all other gracious acts are some way means subservient
to this end : and the end is it that informeth all the means,
they being such only as are adapted to the end.
And in this sense it is true which is said in the schools,
(though many Protestants misunderstanding it, have contra-
dicted it) that love is the form of all other graces : that is, it is
the heart of the new creature ; or it is that by which the man
is morally to be reputed and denominated : and it is the
final grace which animateth or informeth the rest as means.
And thus it is true, that when you will prove any grace
to be sincere and saving, or any evidence certain, you must
prove it to participate of the love of God and goodness, or
you have failed and said nothing. Yea, you must prove it
to be conjunct with predominant love, which setteth God
above all creatures. And if you will prove any good work
to be acceptable to God, prayer, praise, alms, justice, &c,
you must prove that it cometh from this predominant love.
For it is so far and no further acceptable to God.
And their ignorance is but to be pitied, who tell you that
this is to make our love of God to be instead of Christ to
us, or to set up an acceptable righteousness or merit in our-
selves : for we dream not that our love of God was a sacri-
fice for our sins, and the expiatory atonement and satisfac-
tion to justice, nor that merit which procured us love itself, or
Chap. 2.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 193
purchased us the Holy Ghost. Our meaning is that good-
ness is the only proper object of love : and God loveth his
essential goodness first, and created goodness next : and our
moral goodness which is his image is holy love, produced by
and joined with holy wisdom and vitality. And so though
God love us in Christ, or as related to him, it is as holy
members of him ; and not that he loveth complacentially
the haters of God for their relation to Christ, without res-
pect to any goodness in themselves. And to say that Christ
maketh us acceptable and amiable to God, is all one as to
say that he procureth us the pardon of sin, and the gift of
the Holy Ghost, and maketh us holy lovers of God : or that
he is indeed our Saviour. He that commendeth health as
wrought by his physician, doth not set health instead of the
physician ; Christ is the physician ; the Holy Ghost or holy
love in us, is our health : to procure and give us the Holy
Ghost, is Christ's office. He pardoneth our sin when he
pardoneth the punishment : the privation of the Holy Ghost
and his operations is our principal punishment : and there-
fore not all, but the principal part of our pardon lieth in the
giving us the Holy Ghost.
But some will say, ' That if God love nothing but good-
ness, and love us no further than we are good, how then did
he love us first, and while we were his enemies ? Are not
Election, Creation, Redemption and Conversion, acts of
love? And is not our love, the fruit of his love?'
Answ. Thus names not opened by confounding heads, are
made the matter of a thousand controversies. As our love
is nothing but our will, so the word love is taken strictly
and properly, or largely and less properly. A man's will is
considered as efficient or as final : as it respecteth a future
effect, or a present exigent good. And so God's will as it
is final, and respecteth things existent, either 1. ' In esse
cognito.' 2. or 'in esse reali,' is called complacence, and
only complacence is love in the strict and properest sense.
But God's will as efficient of good, may in a laxer sense be
called love. God's will is the fountain or efficient cause of all
good, natural and moral in the world. And so you may call
God's causing or making good, by the name of love, if you
please ; remembering that it is but the name that is ques-
tioned : but his complacency in good foreseen, or existent,
vol. xv. o
194 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
is strictly called his love. And so still God loveth nothing
in either sense but good. For 1. He causeth nothing but
good. 2. And he is pleased in nothing but good as good.
Quest. ' But how then doth God love his enemies?'
Ansiv. 1. He maketh us men, which may be called one
act of efficient love : and he redeemeth them ; and he giveth
them all the good things which they possess ; and he sanc-
tifieth some, and maketh them lovers of him, that is, holy.
And thus he willeth their good, while they are nothing or
evil ; which is called benevolence, and love efficient.
2. And he hath true love of complacency in them, 1. As
they have the good of human nature. 2. And thereby are
capable of grace, and all the love and service which after they
may perform. 3. And as they are related to Christ as his
redeemed ones. 4. And as by relation they are those that
God foreknoweth will love and serve him here, and in the
perfections of eternal glory. There is all this good in some
enemies of God, to be the matter of his complacency. And
beyond their goodness he hath no complacency in them.
3. And to clear up all this, still remember that though
man's will is changed by or upon the various objects, yet so
is not the will of God. And therefore all these words sig-
nify no variety or change in God ; but only how his simple
immutable essential will is variously related to and denomi-
nated from the connotation of effects and objects.
4. Also it must be noted, as included in the text, that
God loveth all that truly love him ; for to be known of him,
here meaneth to be known with approbation and love as his
peculiar people. As Psal. i. 6, it is said, " The Lord knoweth
the way of the righteous ;" and so oft : and of the wicked,
(Matt. xxv. 12.) " Depart from me, I know you not." God
owneth with love all those that love him, What parts, what
quality, what degree soever men are of, whatever difference
else there be among them, if they are true lovers of God,
they are certainly approved and beloved by him. This be-
ing the very heart and essence of the new creature, and the
Divine nature in us, must needs prove that man to be amia-
ble to God that hath it. Other things are true marks of a child
of God, only so far as they participate of love : but love is the
primary proper character, which proveth us adopted directly
of itself.
Chap. 2.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 195
And here you may resolve the question that seemeth so
difficult to many : whether when the Scripture either by des-
cribing the godly, or by promising, doth mention some one
grace or duty, as the character of a saint, or the condition
of salvation, it be to be understood with a ' ceeteris paribus,'
if other graces and duties concur, as supposing them sepa-
rable ? or absolutely, as supposing that one mark infallible,
because it never separated from the rest ?
Answ. The new man hath, 1. Its essential parts; and
2. Its integrals ; and 3. Its accidents. The essentials are
ever infallible marks, and are inseparable from each other:
any one of them will prove us holy, and will prove the pre-
sence the rest. These essentials are an united trinity of
graces, holy life, light and love, where each one hath the com-
mon essence of holiness, which is their objective termination
upon God ; and each is linked by participation to another.
Holy vitality is vital activity towards God in mind, will, and
practice, holy light is that knowledge and belief which kind-
leth love, and causeth a holy life. Holy love is that com-
placency of will in God and goodness, which is kindled by
holy life and light, and operateth in holy practice. Any one
of these thus described, where love is the heart of all, is an
infallible mark of holiness. But all other graces and duties
which are but the integrals of holiness, are in all characters
and promises to be understood with a ' cseteris paribus ;'
that is, supposing them to be animated with holy love, and
caused by holy life and light (knowledgeand belief).
And that God doth most certainly love all that love him,
besides the forementioned proofs from Scripture is further
evident.
1. The love of God and goodness is the Divine nature:
and God cannot but love his own nature in us : it is his
image, which, as in its several degrees, he loveth for him-
self, and next to himself.
2. The love of God is the rectitude of man's soul, its
soundness, health and beauty : and God loveth the rectitude
of his creatures.
3. The love of God is the final,-perfect operation of the
soul ; even that end which it was created and redeemed for,
and God loveth to have his works attain their end, and to
see them in their perfection.
196 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. Part II.
4. The love of God is the goodness of the soul itself :
and goodness is amiableness, and must needs be loved by
him that is goodness and perfection himself.
5. The love of God is our uniting adhesion to him: and
God that first draweth up the soul to this union, will not
himself reject us, and avoid it.
G. Love is a pregnant, powerful, pleasing grace : it de-
livereth up ourselves, and all that we have to God: it de-
lighteth in duty: it conquereth difficulties: it contemneth
competitors, and trampleth on temptations : it accounteth
nothing too much, nor too dear for God. Love is the soul's
nature, appetite and ' pondus,' according to which it will or-
dinarily act. A man's love, is his will, his heart, himself:
and if God have our love, he hath ourselves, and our all : so
that Godcannotbutlove thesoulthattruly lovethhim as God.
But here are some doubts to be resolved.
Quest. I. • What if the same soul have love and sin mixed;
or sincere love in a degree that is sinfully defective, and so
is consistent with something of its contrary ; God must hate
that sin ; how then can he love that soul V
Ansic. Remember still that diversity is only in us, and not
in God : therefore God's will is related and denominated
towards us, just as its object is. All that is good in us God
loveth : all that is evil in us he hateth. Where goodness is
predominant, there God's love is predominant, or greatest,
from this relation and connotation. Where sin is predominant,
God's aversation, displicency or hatred is the chief: and we
may well expect that the effects be answerable.
Object. ' But we are beloved as elect before conversion.'
Answ. That was answered before. That is, God from
eternity purposed to make us good, and amiable, and happy ;
if you will call that (as you may) his love.
Object. * But we are beloved in Christ, for his righteous-
ness and o-oodness, and not for our own.'
Answ. The latter is false : the former is thus true : for
the merits of Christ's righteousness, and goodness, God will
pardon our sins, and make us good, holy and happy ; and
will love us as the holy members of his Son ; that is, both
as related to him, and as holy.
Object. ' But if God must needs love sincere imperfect
lovers of him as such, with a predominant love, (which will
not damn them ;) then sin might have been pardoned with-
Chap. 2.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 197
out Christ's death, and the sinner be loved without his
righteousness, if he had but sincerely loved God.'
Ansiv. The supposition is false, that a sinner could have
loved God without pardon and the Spirit, purchased by the
death and righteousness of Christ. God perfectly loveth the
perfected souls in glory, for their own holy perfection, but
they never attained it, but by Christ. And God loveth us
here, according to the measure of our love to him: but no man
can thus love him, till his sin be pardoned ; for which he was
deprived of the Spirit, which must kindle love. And imper-
fect love is ever joined with imperfect pardon, (whatever
some falsely say to the contrary ;) I mean that love, which
is sinfully imperfect.
Quest. 2. 'Doth not God's loving us make us happy?
And if so, it must make us holy. And then none that he
loveth will fall away from him : whereas the fallen angels
and Adam loved him, and yet fell from him : how then were
they beloved by him?'
Answ. I before told you that God's will (or love) is first
efficient, causing good, and then final, being pleased in the
good that is caused. God's efficient will or love, doth so
far make men holy and happy as they are such, even effici-
ently : but God's will, or love, as it is our ' causa finalis,'
and the terminating object of our love, and is pleased in us,
and approveth us, is not the efficient cause of our holiness
and happiness ; but the objective and perfect constitutive
cause. Now you must further note, that God's benevolent
efficient will, or love, doth give men various degrees of ho-
liness. To Adam in innocency he gave but such a degree,
and upon such terms, as he could lose and cast away ; which
he did. But to the blessed in glory, he giveth that which
they shall never lose. These degrees are from God's efficient
love, or will; which, therefore, causeth some to persevere,
when it left Adam to himself, to stand or fall. But it is not
God's final love of complacency, as such, that causeth our
perseverance : for Adam had this love, as long as he loved
God, and stood ; and he after lost it : so that it is not that
final complacency, which is the ' terminus' of our holiness,
and constitutive cause of our happiness, which alone will
secure the perpetuity of either of them.
Object. ' Thus you make God mutable in his love, as
loving Adam more before his fall, than after.'
198 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
Answ. I told you, loving, and not loving the creature,
are no changes in God, but in the creature. It is man that
is mutable, and not God. It is only the relation of God's
will to the creature, as varying in itself, and the extrinsic
denomination, by connotation of a changed object, which is
changed as to God. As the sun is not changed when you wink
and when you open your eyes ; nor a pillar changed when
your motion sets it sometimes on your right hand, and some-
times on your left.
5. Lastly, it must be noted, as included in the text
' That our own loving God, is not the only or total notion of
our end, perfection, or felicity ; but to be known and loved
by God, is the other part which must be taken in, to make
up the total notion of our end.'
In our love, God is considered as the object : but in God's
complacential love to us, he is considered as active, and his
love as an act, and man as the object: but yet not as an ob-
ject of efficiency, but of approbation, and a pleased will or de-
light. Here then the great difficulty is, in resolving which of
these is the highest perfective notion of man's felicity; per-
fection, or ultimate end ; our love to God, or God's love to us.
Answ. It is mutual love and union which is the true and
complete notion of our end ; and to compare God's love and
ours as the parts, and tell which is the final principal part or
notion, is not easy, nor absolutely necessary. But I cunceive,
1. That our love to God is objectively, or as to the ob-
ject of it, infinitely more excellent than God's love to us, as
to the object: which is but to say, that God is infinitely
better than man. God loveth man who is a worm : but we
love God who is perfect goodness.
2. God's love to us, as to the agent and the act ' ex parte
agentis,' is infinitely more excellent than our love to him:
for it is God's essential will, which loveth us ; and it is the
will of a worm that loveth God.
3. That man's felicity, as such, is not the chief notion of
his ultimate end : but he must love God as God, better than
his own felicity as such, or better than God as our felicity.
4. That man's true ultimate end, containeth these five
inadequate conceptions. l.The lowest notion or part of it,
is, our own holiness and felicity. 2. The next notion of it,
is, the perfection of the church and universe, to which we
contribute, and which we must value above our own ; inclu-
Chap. 3.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 199
ding the glory of Christ's humanity. 3. The third notion,
is, the glory or lustre of God's perfections, as they shine
forth in us and all his perfected glorious works. 4. The
fourth notion is, God's own essential goodness, as the object
of our knowledge, love, and praise. 5. The fifth and highest
notion is, the active love or complacency of God's fulfilled
will, in us, and in the whole creation. So that the pleasing
of God's will, is the highest notion of man's ultimate end :
though all these five are necessarily contained in it.
CHAP. III.
Doct. 3. Therefore Knowledge is to be valued, sought, and used,
as it tendeth to our Love of God.
This third doctrine is much of the scope of the text: all
means are for their end : so far as knowledge is a means of
love, it must needs hence have the measure of its worth, and
we the motives of our desires of it, and the direction for our
using of it.
1. All knowledge that kindleth not the love of God in
us, is so narrow and small that it deserveth not indeed the
name of knowledge ; for the necessary things that such a
person is ignorant of, are a thousand times more or greater,
than that little which he knoweth : for, (1.) What is it that
he is ignorant of?
1. He hath no sound and real knowledge of God. For
if he knew God truly, he could not but love him : goodness
is so naturally the object of the will, that if men well knew
the infinite Good, they must needs love him : however there
is a partial knowledge that is separable from sincere love.
2. He that knoweth not and loveth not God, neither
knoweth nor loveth any creature truly and effectually either
as it is of God, or through him, or to him; either as it beareth
the impress of the glorious efficient, or as it is ordered to its
end by the most wise director, or as it is a means to lead up
souls to God, or to glorify and please him, no nor to make
man truly happy. And can he be said indeed to know any
creature that knoweth it not in any of these respects, that
knoweth neither its original, order or use? Doth a dog or a
goose know a book of philosophy, because he looketh on it,
200 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
and seeth the bulk ? Doth he know a clock or watch, who
knoweth no more of it, but that it hath such parts and shapes,
made of iron and brass? It is most evident that an unholy
personknowethnothing: thatis, no one being, thoughhemay
know ' aliquid de re aliqua,' something of some being: for
he that knoweth not the nature, order or use and end of a
being, but only ' secundum quid,' or some accidents of it, or
to have a general knowledge that it is a substance, or a some-
thing, he knoweth not what. As an Epicurean can call all
things compacted atoms, or matter and motion. An ungodly
man is just like one that studieth the art of a scrivener or
printer, to make the letters, and place them by art, but never
learned to read or know the signification of the letters which
he maketh or composeth.
Or if any may be said to have a speculative knowledge
of all this in the creature (the nature, order and use), yet he
is without the true practical knowledge, which is it that only
is knowledge indeed, and of use and benefit to man; for to
be able to speak or write a true proposition about God or the
creature, is not properly to know God or the creature, but
to know names and words concerning them : it is but a logi-
cal knowledge of notions, and not the knowledge of the
thing itself, to be able to say and know that this or that con-
cerning it, is true or false. Nothing more deceiveth man-
kind, both in point of learning and of religion, and salvation,
than mistaking the organical or logical knowledge of second
notions, words, propositions, inferences and methods, for the
real knowledge of the things themselves ; and thinking that
they know a thing, because they know what to say of it.
He knoweth not a country, who is only able by the map or
hearsay to describe it. He knoweth not motion, light, heat,
cold, sweet, bitter, that knoweth no more than to give a true
definition of it. And as this is true of things sensible, which
must themselves be perceived first by sense, so is it of things
spiritual, which must themselves be perceived first by intel-
lection, and not only the notions and definitions of them.
He that doth not intuitively, or by internal immediate per-
ception, know what it is to understand, to remember, to will
and nill, to love and hate, and consequently to be able to do'
these acts, doth not know what a man is, or what a reasonable
soul is, and what an intellectual Spirit is, though he could
(were it possible) without these, learn the definition of a
Chap. 3.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 201
man, a soul, a spirit. A definition or world of art spoken by
a parrot or a madman, proveth not that he knoweth the thing.
Practical objects are not truly known without a practical
knowledge of them. He knoweth not what meat is, that
knoweth not that it must be eaten, and how to eat it: he
only knoweth his clothing that knoweth how to put it on. He
only knoweth a pen, a gun, or other instrument, that know-
eth how to use it. Now the ungodly, not knowing how any
creature signifieth the Divine perfections, nor how by it to
ascend to the knowledge and love of God, do indeed know
nothing with a proper, formal knowledge.
(2.) And what is it that such men know, or seem to know,
which may be compared with their ignorance? To give
them their due praise, they know how to eat as well as a
dog, though not so subtlely as an ox or sheep, that can dis-
tinguish grass before he taste it. He can tell how to drink,
though not by so constant a temperance as a beast. He
can speak better than a parrot : he can build him a house as
apt for his use, as a swallow or other birds can do for theirs.
He can lay up for the time to come, more subtlely than a
fox, or ant, though nothing so orderly, and by wonderful
self-conficiency as the bees : he can look upwards, and see
the birds that soar and fly in the air, though he cannot imi-
tate them : he can look into the surface of the waters, and
artificially pass over them in ships, though he cannot live
in them, or glide through them as the fish : he can master
those that are weaker than himself, as the great dogs do the
little ones, and carry away the bone from them all : he can
glory in his strength, though it be less than a horse's, an
ox's, an elephant's, or a whale's. He can kill and eat his
fellow animals, as well as a pike among the fishes, a kite
among the birds, or a wolf or a dog among the beasts : he
can more craftily than the fox entrap and ensnare them (the
fishes, birds and beasts) ; yea, as artificially as a spider
doth the flies, to make up what he wants, of the hawk, or
dog for swift pursuit, or of the lion for rapacious strength.
He can sing ; and so can the linnet, the owsel, the lark and
nightingale : he can make his bed as soft as the birds their
nests, or as other creatures that love their ease ; he can
generate and breed up his offspring, though not with that
constancy of affection, and accurateness of skill and in-
dustry, as a hen her chickens, or most other animals do their
202 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED, [Part II.
young. Yea, he can live in society, families, common-
wealths, though much more disorderly, contentiously, and
to the disturbance, if not destruction of each other, than
pigeons in their dove-house, or the flight of stares, or larks,
or lapwings, or the flocks of sheep, and less accurately than
the bees do in their hive.
All this and more, we can speak of the praises of the
knowledge or wisdom of an ungodly man that never learned
to know or love his God, nor any thing truly worthy of a
man : and is all this worthy the name of knowledge ? Their
character could not be more fitly given than here it is by the
apostle : " They know nothing as they ought to know." But
of this more next.
CHAP, IV.
Doct. 4. And therefore those are to be accounted the wisest and
best knowing Men, that love God most ; and not those that
are stored with unholy knmvledge.
This fourth doctrine, is also a discernible part of the mean-
ing of the apostle in the text. His purpose is to humble
those that judge themselves wise for that which is no wis-
dom, but useless, ludicrous notions and self-conceitedness :
and to shew men wherein true wisdom doth consist. Many
thousands there are that heartily love God, and are devoted
to him, and live to his service in the world, who never read
lo°ic, physics, metaphysics or mathematics; nor laid in that
stock of artificial notions, which are the glory and utensils
of the learned world. And yet that these are truly and hap-
pily wise and knowing, the apostle judgeth, and I thus fur-
ther prove.
1. Because they know the things themselves, and not
only the names and definitions of them : as he that knoweth
food by eating it, the military art, or navigation by expe-
rience, or a country by travelling or dwelling in it. Others
lick the outside of the glass, but taste not the sweet that is
within.
2. Because they know the greatest and most excellent
things : God is infinitely greater and better than the crea-
Chap. 4.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. £03
lures : and heaven incomparably better than the riches and
pleasures of this earth. To know how to build a city, or a
navy, and how to govern an army or a kingdom, is more
than to know how to pick sticks or straws, or to dress and
undress us. Understanding is valuable by the dignity of
its objects ; therefore how much doth the wisdom of a holy
soul excel all the craft and learning of the ungodly ? Let
not the rich man glory in his riches But let him that
glorieth glory in this, that he knoweth God ; if he so know
him as to love him.
3. Because they know the most necessary things, and
the most profitable. They know how to be good, and how
to do their duty, and how to attain their end, and how to
please God, and how to escape damnation, and how to be
happy in everlasting joy and glory. And I think he is wise,
that is wise enough to be happy, and to attain all that the
soul of man can well desire.
But who will desire the wisdom that maketh a man never
the better; and that will not save his soul from hell? What
soul in hell doth think that wisdom brought him thither? It
were a thousand times better, not to know how to speak or
go, to dress or undress us, than not to know how to be holy
and happy, and to escape sin and everlasting misery.
4. A holy soul understandeth that which his understand-
ing was made for ; and for which he hath his life, and time,
and teaching ; which is but to be good, and love God and
goodness, and to do good. And wisdom, as is before proved,
as all other means, is to be estimated by its end.
But an ungodly man knoweth not that which he was
made for. He is like a knife that cannot cut ; a ship that
will not endure the water; a house that is not fit to dwell in.
What is a man's wit worth, but for its proper end ? If man
was made but to eat, and drink, and play, and sleep, and
build, and plant, and stir awhile about the earth, and have
his will over others, and his fleshly pleasure, and then die,
then the ungodly may be called wise ; but if he be made to
prepare for another world, and to know, and love, and
live to God, they are then worse than bedlams, and more
dangerously beside themselves.
5. A holy soul knowing God the beginning and end,
knoweth all things; because he knoweth them, 1. In the
chief excellency of their natures, as they bear the impress
204 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part. II.
of God ; 2. And in their order as governed by him ; 3. And
in. their usefulness as tending to him : though neither they,
nor any others, be well acquainted with their material part,
which the philosopher thinketh that he knoweth best. Who
think you best knoweth what money is? He that know-
eth the king's impress, and the value, and what it is good
for, and how to get and use it ? or he that can only tell you,
whether it be copper or silver, or gold, (not knowing well
what any of these are,) and knoweth nothing of the impress,
or value, or use? I tell you, the humble, holy person, that
seeth God in all, and knoweth all things to be of him, and
by him, and to him, and loveth him in and for all, and serveth
him by all, is the best philosopher, and hath the greatest,
most excellent and profitable knowledge. In comparison
of which, the unholy learning of the world, is well called
foolishness with God. (For 1 believe not that paraphraser
who would persuade us, that it is but the fanatic conceits
and pretensions of the Gnostics, that the apostle here and
elsewhere speaketh of. But I rest satisfied, that it is pri-
marily the unholy arts and sciences of the philosophical
heathens ; and secondarily the Platonic heretics' pretensions
to extraordinary wisdom, because of their speculations about
angels, spirits, and other invisible and mysterious things,
which they thought were peculiarly opened unto them.)
Doting about questions that engender strife, and not edifi-
cation, and to increase to more ungodliness, is the true de-
scription of unholy learning.
6. The lovers of God are wise for perpetuity : they see
before them: they know what is to come; even as far as to
eternity. They know what will be best at last, and what will
be valued, and serve our turn in the hour of our extremity :
they judge of things, as all will judge of them ; and as they
shall constantly judge of them for ever. But others are wise
but for a few hours, or a present job : they see not before
them : they are preparing for repentance. They are shame-
fully mutable in their judgments; magnifying those plea-
sures, wealth and honours to-day, which they vilify and cry
out against at death and to eternity ! A pang of sickness,
the sight of a grave, the sentence of death, the awakening of
conscience, can change their judgments, and make them
speak in other language, and confess a thousand times over
that they were fools : and if they come to any thing like
Chap. 5.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 205
wisdom, it is too late, when time is past, and hope is gone.
But the godly know the day of their visitation, and are wise
in time ; as knowing the season of all duties, and the duties
of every season. And as some schoolmen say, that all things
are known to the glorified, ' in speculo Trinitatis ;' so 1 may
say, that all things are morally and savingly known, to him
that knoweth and loveth God, as the efficient, Governor and
End of all.
Yet, to avoid mistakes and cavils, remember, that I take
no true knowledge as contemptible. And when I truly say
that he knoweth nothing as he ought to know, that doth
not know and love his God, and is not wise to his duty and
salvation; yet if this fundamental knowledge be presup-
posed, we should build all other useful knowledge on it, to
the utmost of our capacity : and from this one stock, may
spring and spread a thousand branches, which may all bear
fruit. I would put no limits to a Christian's desires and
endeavours to know, but that he desire only to know useful
and revealed things. Every degree of knowledge tendeth
to more : and every known truth befriendeth others ; and
like fire, tendeth to the spreading of our knowledge, to all
neighbour truths that are intelligible. And the want of ac-
quaintance with some one truth among an hundred, may
hinder us from knowing rightly most of the rest ; or may
breed an hundred errors in us. As the absence of one wheel
or particle in a watch, or the ignorance of it, may put
all the rest into an useless disorder. What if I say that
wisdom lieth more in knowing the things that belong to sal-
vation, to public good, to life, health, and solid comfort,
than in knowing how to sing, or play on the lute, or to speak
or carry ourselves with commendable decency, &c. It doth
not follow that all these are of no worth at all ; and that in
their places these little matters may not be allowed and de-
sired : for even hair and nails are appurtenances of a man,
which a wise man would not be without ; though they are
small matters in comparison of the animal, vital and nobler
parts. And indeed he that can see God in all things, and hath
all this sanctified by the love of God, should above all men
value each particle of knowledge, of which so holy an use
may be made ; as we value every grain of gold.
206 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
CHAP. V.
Inference 1. By what Measures to estimate Men's Knowledge.
From hence then we may learn howto value the understand-
ings of ourselves and others : that is good which doth good.
Would God but give me one beam more of the heavenly
light, and a little clearer knowledge of himself, how joyfully
could I exchange a thousand lower notions for it ! I feel not
myself at all miserable, for want of knowing the number and
order of the stars, the nature of the meteors, the causes of
the ebbing and flowing of the sea, with many hundred other
questions in physics, metaphysics, mathematics : nor do I
feel it any great addition to my happiness, when I think I
know somewhat of such things which others know not.
But I feel it is my misery to be ignorant of God, and igno-
rant of my state and duty, and ignorant of the world where
I must live for ever. This is the dungeon where my wretched
soul doth lie in captivity night and day, groaning and cry-
ing out, O when shall I know more of God ! and more of
the celestial habitations, and more of that which I was
made to know! O when shall I be delivered from this
darkness and captivity ! Had I not one beam that pierceth
through this lantern of flesh, this dungeon were a hell,
even the outer darkness. I find books that help me to
names, and notions ; but O for that Spirit that must give
me light to know the things, the spiritual, great and
excellent things, which these names import ! O how igno-
rant am I of those same things, which I can truly and
methodically speak and write of! O that God would have
mercy on my dark understanding, that I be not as a clock,
to tell others that which itself understandeth not ! O how
gladly would I consent to be a fool in all common arts and
sciences, if I might but be ever the wiser in the knowledge
of God ! Did I know better him by whom I live, who up-
holdeth all things, before whom my soul must shortly ap-
pear ; whose favour is my life ; whom I hope to love and
praise for ever ; what were all other things to me ? O for
one beam more of his light ! for one taste of his love ! for
one clear conception of the heavenly glory ! I should then
scarcely have leisure, to think of a thousand inferior specu-
lations, which are now magnified and agitated in the world.
Chap. 6.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 207
But much more miserable do I find myself, for want of
more love to the blessed God, who is love itself. O happy
exchange! did I part with all the pleasures of the world, for one
flame, one spark more of the love of God ! I hate not myself
for my ignorance in the common arts and sciences ; but my
God knoweth, that I even abhor and loathe myself, because
I love and delight in him no more ! O what a hell is this
dead and disaffected heart ! O what a foretaste of heaven
would it be, could I but feel the fervours of Divine love !
Well may that be called the firstfruits of heaven, and the
Divine nature and life, which so uniteth souls to God, and
causeth them to live in the pleasures of his goodness. I
dare not beg hard for more common knowledge : but my
soul melteth with grief for want of love ; and forceth out
tears, and sighs, and cries ; O when will heaven take ac-
quaintance with my heart, and shine into it, and warm and
revive it, that I may truly experience the delightful life of
holy love ! I cannot think them loathsome and unlovely,
that are unlearned, and want the ornaments of art. But I
abhor and curse those hateful sins, which have raised the
clouds, and shut the windows, and hindered me from the
more lively knowledge, and love of God. Would God but
number me with his zealous lovers, I would presume to say,
that he had made me wise, and initially happy. But, alas !
such high and excellent things will not be gotten with a
lazy wish, nor will holy love dwell with iniquity in unholy
and defiled souls.
But if wisdom were justified of none but her children,
how confidently durst I call myself a son of wisdom ? For
all my reason is fully satisfied, that the learned, ungodly
doctors are mere fools, and the lovers of God are only wise :
and O that my lot may be with such, however I be esteemed
by the dreaming world !
CHAP. VI.
Inference 2. To abate our Censures and Contempt of the less
learned Christians and Churches upon Earth.
I must confess that ignorance is the great enemy of holi-
ness in the world ; and the prince of darkness, in his king-
208 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
dom of darkness, oppugneth the light, and promoteth the
works of darkness by it : and it is found that where vision
ceaseth, the people perish, even for lack of knowledge : and
the most ignorant countries are the most ungodly. But I
must recant some former apprehensions : I have thought the
Armenians, the Syrians, the Georgians, the Coptics, the
Abassines, the Greeks, more miserable for want of polite
literature, than now I judge them. Though I contemn it
not as the Turks do, and the Muscovites ; yet I perceive
that had men but the knowledge of the holy Scriptures, yea,
of the summaries of true religion, they might be good and
happy men, without much more. If there be but some few
among them, skilled in all the learning of the world, and ex-
pert in using the adversaries' weapons against themselves,
as champions of the truth, the rest might do well with the
bare knowledge of God, and a crucified Christ. It is the
malice of assaulting enemies, that maketh all other learning
needful in some for our defence. But the new creature
liveth not on such food, but on the bread of life, and living
waters, and the sincere milk of the sacred Word.
The old Albigenses and Waldenses in Piedmont, and
other countries, did many ages keep up the life and comfort of
true religion, even through-murders and unparalleled cruel-
ties of the worldly learned church ; when they had little of
the arts and common sciences. But necessary knowledge
was propagated by the industry of parents and pastors:
their children could say over their catechisms, and could
give account of the principles of religion, and recite many
practical parts of Scripture : and they had much love
and righteousness, and little division or contention among
them ; which made the moderate emperor Maximilian pro-
fess to Crato, that he thought the Picards of all men on
earth were most like the apostolic, primitive churches.
And Brocardus, who dwelt among them in Judea, tells
us that the Christians there that by the Papists are ac-
counted heretics, (as Nestorians or Eutychians,) were indeed
good, harmless, simple men, and lived in piety, and mortify-
ing austerities, even beyond the very religious sort (the
monks and friars) of the church of Rome, and shamed the
wickedness of our learned part of the world.
And though there be sad mixtures of such superstitions
and traditions, as ignorance useth to breed and cherish, yet
Chap. 7.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE; 209
the great devotion and strictness of many of the Abassines,
Armenians, and other of those ruder sort of Christians, is
predicated by many historians and travellers. And who
knoweth but there may be among their vulgar, more love to
God and heaven, and holiness, than among the contentious,
learned nations, where the pastors strive who shall be the
greatest, and preach up that doctrine and practice which is
conformable to their own wills and worldly interests; and
where the people, by the oppositions of their leaders, are
drawn into several sides and factions, which, as armies, mili-
tate against each other. Is not the love of God like to be
least, where contentions and controversies divert the people's
minds from God and necessary saving truths ? and where
men least love one another ; and where mutual hatred,
cruelty and persecution proclaim them much void of that
love which is the Christian badge?
I will not cease praying for the further illumination and
reformation of those churches : but I will repent of my hard
thoughts of the providence of God, as if he had cast them
almost off, and had few holy souls among them. For ought
I know they may be better than most of Europe.
And the like I say of many unlearned Christians among
ourselves. We know not what love to God and goodness
doth dwell in many that we have a very mean esteem of.
The breathings of poor souls towards God by Christ, and
their desires after greater holiness, is known to God that
kindleth it in them, but not to us.
CHAP. VII.
Inference 3. By what Measures to judge of the Knowledge
necessary to Church Communion.
I know that there are some that would make Christ two
churches; one political and congregate, as they phrase it,
and the other regenerate : or one visible and the other invi-
sible : and accordingly they say, that professed faith is the
qualification of a member of the church-congregate ; and
obedience to the Pope, say the Papists, and real love is the
qualification of the church-regenerate.
VOL. XV. p
210 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
But as there is but one catholic church of Christ, so is
there but one faith, and one baptism, by which men are stated
as members in that church. But as heart-consent and
tongue-consent are two things, but the latter required only
as the expression and profession of the former : so heait-
consenters and tongue- consenters should be the same men ;
as body and soul make not two men, but one. But if the
tongue speak that consent which is not in the heart, that
person is an hypocrite ; and is but analogically or equivo-
cally called a Christian or member of Christ : and such
among the sincere are not a distinct church or society, (if
they were, they should be called the hypocritical church,
and not the political or congregate church.) But they are
as traitors in an army, or as stricken ears in a corn-tield.
But the true church being one, is considered as consenting
with the heart and with the tongue : as a corn-field hath
straw, chaff and grain; and as a man hath soul and body. So
that it is the same church that is visible by baptism and
profession, and invisible by heart-consent or sincerity.
But it is the same thing, and not divers, that is in the
hearts of the sincere, and that is to be professed by the
tongue : even that voluntary practical faith which is des-
cribed in baptism, and no other. The same faith which is
accepted to salvation in the sincere and invisible members
of the church, as they are called, must be professed by all
that will, at age, be visible members.
And the knowledge and belief required in baptism is so
much as prevaileth with the person to give up himself to
God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as his reconciled
Creator, his Saviour and Sanctifier. And he that hath so
much knowledge as will do this, hath as much as is necessary
to his reception into the church.
Doubtless he that is capable of baptism, is capable of
church membership ; and he that is capable of church-mem-
bership, is capable ' de jure,' as to right, of so much church
communion as he is capable of by real aptitude : An infant
is not naturally capable of the actions of the adult; nor half-
witted persons of the receptions and performances of the
judicious ; some cannot understand a sermon, or prayer, or
praise, the twentieth part so well as others can do, and so
cannot receive and do beyond their understanding. Some
Chap. 7. J TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 2JI
may not so well understand the nature of the Lord's-supper,
as to be really fit at present to receive it: and some may be
unfit through some extraordinary doubts, opinions, or lapses ;
but still ' de jure' a church member hath right to so much
church communion as their real qualifications make them
capable of. For that right is part of the definition of a
church member ; and to be made a church member is the
work of baptism.
And here we must consider of the reason why God would
have baptism to be the profession of that faith which maketh
us Christians: Sometimes we are called believers, and said
to be justified by faith, as if it were faith alone that were
our Christianity ; and yet when it cometh to church-entrance,
and to the solemn profession of our faith, and reception of
a sealed and delivered pardon, we must do more than profess
that we believe with the understanding; we must give up
ourselves absolutely by a vow and covenant, to God the
Father, Son and Holy Ghost, renouncing the flesh, the
world, and the devil ; which is the act of a resolved will : and
to will is rationally to love and choose. By which Christ
telleth us, that (as words of knowledge in Scripture usually
imply affection, so) the faith that he means and requireth to
our justification, is not a mere assent or act of intellection ;
but it is also the will's consent, and a practical affiance: as
a man believing the skill and fidelity of a physician, doth
desire, will or choose him for his physician, and practically
trust him, or cast himself upon his fidelity and care for cure.
Therefore Christ joineth both together, " He that believeth
and is baptized, shall be saved;" (Mark xvi. 16;) not prin-
cipally intending the washing of the flesh, but the answer
of a good conscience, as Peter expoundeth it : that is, he
that so believeth as by hearty consent to devote and give up
himself openly and absolutely, and presently to God the
Father, Son and Holy Ghost, shall be saved.
And so the apostle saith, (Eph. iv. 4, 5.) There is one
baptism, as part of the uniting bond of Christians : That is,
there is one solemn covenant between God and man, in which
we profess our faith, and give up ourselves to God the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost, and are stated in a gracious relation to
him and one another.
And thus it is that baptism is reckoned, (Heb. vi,) among
the principles ; and that the ancient doctors unanimously con-
212 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
elude, that baptism washeth away all sin, and certainly puts
us into a present state of life ; that is, the delivering up our-
selves sincerely to God in the baptismal covenant, is the con-
dition of our right to the benefits of that covenant from God.
From all which it is plain, that the head is but the guide
of the heart, and that God looketh more to the heart than
to the head, and to the head for the heart : and that we are
not Christians indeed, till Christ have our hearts indeed ; nor
Christians by profession, till by baptismal covenant and
profession we deliver up the heart to Christ. Now so far as
consent and will may be called love, so far even love is es-
sential to our Christianity, and to this faith, which is required
to our baptism and justification : and no other faith is Chris-
tianity, nor will justify us.
But to them that are here stalled with the great difficulty,
how love is that grace of the Holy Ghost which is promised
to believers, in the covenant, as consequent, if it go before
it in the covenanters ; I answer at present, that they must
distinguish between, 1. Love to Christ, as a Saviour of our-
selves, proceeding principally from the just love of ourselves,
and our salvation : and love to God above ourselves, for his
own infinite goodness, as our ultimate end: 2. Between the
act of love, and a habit : 3. Between that spark of love
which consisteth in the said consent, and is contained in true
faith ; and that flame of love which itself carrieth the name,
as being the most eminent operation of the soul. And if
hereupon they cannot answer this question themselves, I
must refer them to the Appendix of the third chapter of my
" Christian Directory," in which I have largely opened this
case, with as much exactness as I could reach unto.
All that remaineth very difficult then as to our judging
of the knowledge of men to be admitted to Christian church-
communion, is but, what knowledge is necessary in the adult
unto their lawful baptism : And to that I say, so much as is
necessary to an understanding consent to the baptismal
covenant, or to an hearty giving up themselves to God the
Father, Son and Holy Ghost. And here we must know that
the same covenanting words being comprehensive, are un-
derstood in different degrees, according to man's different
capacities, even of true believers : insomuch that I do not
think that any two men in the world, have in all notions and
degrees just the same understanding of them. And there-
Chap. 7.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 213
fore it is not the same distinctness and clearness of under-
standing which we must expect in all, which is found in
some, or which is desirable. When one man nameth GOD,
he hath an orderly conception of his several attributes (in
which yet all men are defective, and most divines themselves
are culpably ignorant) : when another man conceiveth but
of fewer of them, and that disorderly : and these must
not be accounted Atheists, or denied to believe in the same
God, or refused baptism ; nor is it several gods that men so
differently believe in.
I. He that knoweth God to be a most perfect Spirit, most
powerful, wise and good; the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
the Creator of the world; our Owner, Governor, and most
amiable Lover, Benefactor and End: I think, knoweth as much
of God, as is of necessity to baptism and church-communion.
II. He that knoweth that Jesus Christ is God and man,
the Redeemer of the sinful world, and the Mediator between
God and man ; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost in the
Virgin Mary, fulfilled all righteousness, was crucified as a
sacrifice for man's sin ; and being dead and buried, rose
again, and ascended into heaven; and is the Teacher, King,
and Intercessor of his Church ; and hath made the new
covenant, and giveth the Holy Ghost to sanctify believers,
and pardoneth their sins; and will raise our bodies at last,
and judge the world in righteousness according to his Gos-
pel, and will give everlasting happiness to the sanctified : I
think, knoweth as much of Christ, as is necessary to baptism
and church-communion.
III. He that knoweth, that the Holy Ghost is God, pro-
ceeding from the Father and the Son, the Sanctifier of souls,
by holy Life, and Light, and Love; by the holy Gospel, of
which he is the inditer, and the seal : I think, knoweth all
that is necessary unto baptism, concerning the Holy Ghost.
IV. And as to the act of knowing this Trinity of objects,
there is a great difference between, 1. Knowing the notions,
or words, and the matter. 2. Between an orderly, clear, and
a dark and more confused knowledge. 3. And between apt
significant words, and such as any way notify a necessary
true conception of the mind. 4. Between such a knowledge
as maketh a man willing, and consent to give up himself to
this Trinity in covenant, and that which prevaileth not for
such consent. And so,
214 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
1. It is true, that we know not the heart immediately :
and therefore must judge by words and deeds : but yet it is
the knowledge of the things, as is aforesaid, that is neces-
sary to salvation ; because it is the love of the things that is
chiefly necessary. By what words to express that love or
knowledge, is not of equal necessity in itself.
2. There being no man, whose conceptions of God, Christ,
the Holy Ghost, the Covenant, &c. are not guilty of darkness
and disorder ; a great degree of darkness and disorder of
conceptions, may consist with true grace in those of the
lowest rank of Christians.
3. The second notions and conceptions of things, (and
so of God our Redeemer, and Sanctifier,) as they are ' verba
mentis ' in the mind itself, are but logical, artificial organs ;
and are not of that necessity to salvation, as the conception
of the matter or incomplex objects.
4. Many a man in his studies, findeth that he hath oft a
general and true knowledge of things in themselves, before
he can put names and notions on them, and set those in due
order, and long before he can find fit words to express his
mental notions by ; which must cost him much study after-
wards. And as children are long learning to speak, and by
degrees come to speak orderly, and composedly, and aptly,
(mostly not till many years use hath taught them :) So the
expressive ability is as much matter of art, and got by use, in
men at age : and they must be taught yet as children to
speak of any thing, new and strange, and which they learned
not before. As we see in learning arithmetic, geometry, and
all the arts and sciences. Even so men, how holy internally
soever, must by study and use, by the help of God's Spirit,
learn how to speak of holy things, in prayer, in conference,
in answering such as ask an account of their faith and know-
ledge : and hypocrites, that are bred up in the use of such
things, can speak excellently in prayer, conference, or
preaching ; when true Christians at first, that never used
them, nor were bred up where they heard them used, cannot
tell you intelligibly what is in their minds ; but are like men,
that are yet to learn the very language in which they are to
talk. I know this by true experience of myself, and many
others that I have examined.
5. Therefore, I say again, if men cannot aptly answer me,
of the very essentials of religion, but speak that which in its
Chap. 7.] TRUE SANING KNOWLEDGE. 215
proper sense is heresy, or unsound and false : yet if when I
open the questions to them myself, and put the article of faith
into the question, and ask them e. g. Do you believe that
there is but one God? or, are there many ? Doth God know
all things, or not? Is he our owner, or not? Doth he rule us
by a law, or not, &c? If they, by yea or nay, do speak the
truth, and profess to believe it ; I will not reject them for
lack of knowledge, if the rest concur. I meet with few
censorious professors, (to say nothing of the teachers,) that
will not answer me with some nonsense or falseness or inep-
titude, or gross confusion, or defectiveness, if I examine
them of the foregoing notions of the very baptismal covenant :
As, What is a spirit ? What doth the word God signify ?
What is power in God ? What knowledge ? What will ?
What goodness? What holiness? What is a person in the
Trinity ? Wliat is the difference between the three persons?
How is God our end? Had Christ his human soul from the
Virgin, or only his flesh ? Had he his manhood from man,
if not his soul, which is the chief essential part? What is the
union of the Divine and human nature ? Wherein different
from the union of God and saints, or every creature? With
an hundred such. In which I must bear with ignorant false
answers from eminent professors, that separate from others
as too ignorant for their communion : And why then must I
not bear with more in those that are new beginners, and have
not had their time and helps?
6. But if a man can speak never so well, and profess
never so confident a belief; if he consent not to the cove-
nant and vow of baptism, to give up himself presently and
absolutely to Christ ; I must reject that man from the com-
munion of the church. But if these two things do but con-
cur in any, 1 . The aforesaid signification of a tolerable know-
ledge and belief, by yea or nay, (dost thou believe in God,
&c. as the ancient churches used to ask the baptized.) 2.
And a ready professed consent to be engaged by that holy
vow and covenant to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
I will not deny baptism to such, if adult, nor after church
communion to them, if they are already in the covenant.
And all this is because that the will is the man ; and if
any man truly love Jesus Christ, he is a true believer in
Christ ; and if any man love God, the same is known and
loved of him, and hath so much knowledge as will save his
216 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
soul. I confess in private catechising and conference, I
have met with some ancient women that have long lived as
godly persons, in constant affectionate use of means, and an
honest godly life, and been of good repute in the church
where they lived, who yet have spoken downright heresy to
me, through ignorance, in answering some questions about
Jesus Christ : but I durst not therefore suspend their com-
munion, nor condemn their former communion : for as soon
as I told them better, they have yielded, and I could not
perceive whether it was from gross ignorance, or from un-
readiness of notions, or from the want of memory, or what,
that they spake amiss before. So that I shall be very loath
to reject one from communion, that sheweth a love of God,
and Jesus Christ, and holiness, by diligent use of means,
and an upright life.
7. And he that will impartially be ruled by the Holy
Scriptures, will be of the same mind. For no one was ever
taken to be a church-member at age, without so full a con-
sent, as was willingly expressed by devotedness to God in
the solemn covenant : the Jews by the sign of circumcision,
and the Christians by baptism ; and both by covenanting
with God were initiated ; and consent is love. But the arti-
cles and objective degrees of knowledge and belief have
greatly varied. The Jews were to know and profess more
than the Gentiles; and the Jews since the Egyptian deliver-
ance, more than before ; and John baptized upon a shorter
profession than the apostles did ; and the apostles till
Christ's resurrection, believed not many great articles of our
faith, not knowing that Christ must die, and be an expiatory
sacrifice for sin, and sin to be pardoned by his blood ; nor
that he was to rise again, and send the Holy Ghost for the
work which he was sent for, &c. And Acts xix. there were
disciples that had not heard that there was a Holy Ghost
(I confidently think, twice baptized).
And if we mark how the apostles baptized, with what
orders for it they received from Christ, it will confirm my
conclusion. For Christ could have given a particular creed,
and profession of faith, if he had pleased ; but he taketh up
with the general three articles, of believing the Father, Son
and Holy Ghost, (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20,) lest any should cast
out his weak ones, for want of distinctness of knowledge
and belief. And he maketh the covenant-consent in bap-
Chap. 7.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 217
tism the necessary thing, as the end and measure of their
knowledge. He that hath knowledge enough to cause him
to thirst, may come and drink of the waters of life. (Rev.
xxii. 17.) And he that hungereth and thirsteth after righ-
teousness shall be satisfied ; and he that cometh to Christ,
he will in no wise cast out.
And the Apostles baptized so many thousands in a short
time, that they could not examine each person about a more
particular knowledge and belief ; (Acts ii. &c.;) nor do we
read in Scripture of such particular large professions, as go
much beyond the words of baptism. And though, no doubt,
they did endeavour to make the ignorant understand what
they professed and did, and so had some larger creed, yet.
was it not all so large, as the short creed called the Apostles'
now is ; several of its articles having been long since added.
I have spoken all this, not only to ministers, who have
the keys of admission, but especially for the religious per-
sons' sakes, who are too much inclined to place godliness in
words and ability to speak well, in prayer or conference, or
answering questions, and that make a more distinct know-
ledge and profession necessary than God hath made : yea, if
all the articles of the creed are professed, when the under-
standing of them is not clear and distinct, they deride it,
and say, a parrot may be taught as much ; and they separate
from those pastors and churches, that receive such to their
communion. Many do this of a godly zeal, lest ignorance
and formality be encouraged, and the godly and ungodly
not sufficiently distinguished : but their zeal is not accord-
ing to knowledge, nor to the holy rule ; and they little
know how much pride often lurketh unobserved, in such
desires to be publicly differenced from others, as below us,
and unmeet for our communion : and less know they how
much they injure and displease our gracious Lord, who took
little children in his arms, and despiseth not the weak,
and carrieth the lambs, and refuseth no one any further than
they refuse him.
I tell you, if you see but true love and willingness in a
diligent, reformed, pious and righteous life, there is, cer-
tainly there is, saving knowledge and faith within ; and if
words do not satisfactorily express it, you are to think that
it is not for want of the thing itself, but for want of use and
exercise, and for want of well studied notions, or for want of
218 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
natural parts, education or art to enable them to act that
part aright. But if God know the meaning of Abba, Father,
and of the groans of the Spirit, in his beloved infants, I will
not be one that shall condemn and reject a lover of God and
Christ and holiness, for want of distinct particular know-
ledge, or of words to utter it aright.
CHAP. VIII.
Inference 4. The aptness of the Teaching of Christ, to ingene-
rate the Love of God and Holiness.
If love be the end and perfection of our knowledge, then
hence we may perceive, that no teacher that ever appeared
in the world, was so fit for the ingenerating of true saving
knowledge as Jesus Christ; for none ever so promoted the
love of God.
1. It was he only that rendered God apparently lovely
to sinful man, by reconciling us to God, and rendering him
apparently propitious to his enemies, pardoning sin, and
tendering salvation freely to them that were the sons of
death. Self-love will not give men leave to love aright a
God that will damn them, though deservedly for sin. But
it is Christ that hath made atonement, and is the propitia-
tion for our sins, and proclaimeth God's love, even to the re-
bellious : which is more effectually to kindle holy love in us,
than all thel precepts of naturalists without this could ever
have been. His cross, and his wounds and blood were the
powerful sermons, to preach God's winning love to sinners.
2. And the benefits are so many and so great which he
hath purchased and revealed to man, that they are abundant
fuel for the flames of love. We are set by Christ in the way
of mercy, in the household of God, under the eye and special
influence of his love ; all our sins pardoned, our everlasting
punishment remitted, our souls renewed, our wounded con-
sciences healed, our enemies conquered, our fears removed,
our wants supplied, our bodies, and all that is ours under
the protection of Almighty Love ; and we are secured by
promise, that all our sufferings shall work together for our
good. And what will cause love, if all this will not? When
we perceive with what love the Father hath loved us, that ol
Chap. 8.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. *219
enemies we should be made the sons of God, and of con-
demned sinners we should be made the heirs of endless
glory, and this so freely, and by so strange a means, we may
conclude that this is the doctrine of love, which is taught
us from heaven by Love itself.
3. And especially this work of love is promoted, by open-
ing the kingdom of heaven to the foresight of our faith ;
and shewing us what we shall enjoy for ever; and assuring
us of the fruition of our Creator's everlasting love ; yea, by
making us foreknow that heaven consisteth in perfect, mu-
tual, endless love. This will both of itself, draw up our hearts
and engage all our reason and endeavours, in beginning that
work which we must do for ever, and to learn on earth to
love in heaven.
4. And besides all these objective helps, Christ giveth
to believers the Spirit of love, and maketh it become as a
nature in us ; which no other teacher in the world could do.
Others can speak reason to cur ears, but it is Christ that
sendeth the warming beams of holy love into our hearts.
If the love of God and holiness were no better than com-
mon philosophical speculations, then Aristotle, or Plato, or
such other masters of names and notions, might compare
with Christ and his apostles, and Athens with the primitive
church ; and the schoolmen might be thought the best im-
provers of theology. But if thousands of dreaming dis-
puters wrangle the world into misery, and themselves into
hell, and are ingenious artificers of their own damnation; if
the love of God and goodness be the healthful constitution
of the soul, its natural content and pleasure, the business
and end of life, and all its helps and blessings, the solder
of just societies, the union of man with God in Christ, and
with all the blessed ; and the foretaste and firstfruits of
endless glory ; then Christ the Messenger of love, the Teacher
of love, the Giver of love, the Lord and commander of love,
is the best promoter of knowledge in the world. And as
Nicodemus knew that he was a teacher come from God, be-
cause no man could do such works unless God were with
him ; so may we conclude the same, because no man could
so reveal, so cause, and communicate love, the holy love of
God and goodness, unless the God of love had sent him.
Love is the very end and work of Christ, and of his Word
and Spirit.
220 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Pail II.
CHAP. IX.
Inference 5. What great Cause Men have to be thankful to
God for the Constitution of the Christian Religion : and how
inexcusable they are that will not learn so short and sweet ,
and safe a Lesson.
So excellent and every way suitable to our case is the reli-
gion taught and instituted by Christ, as should render it
very acceptable to mankind. And that on several accounts.
1. The brevity and plainness of Christian precepts,
greatly accommodateth the necessity of mankind. I say
his necessity, lest you think it but his sloth. ' Ars longa,
vita brevis,' is the true and sad complaint of students. Had
our salvation been laid upon our learning a body of true
philosophy, how desperate, would our case have been! For,
1. Man's great intellectual weakness : 2. His want of leisure,
would not have allowed him a knowledge that requireth a
subtle wit and tedious studies.
1. Most men have wits of the duller sort: such quick-
ness, subtlety and solidity as is necessary to great and diffi-
cult studies, are very rare: so rare, as that few such are
found even among the preachers of the Gospel : of a multi-
tude who by hard studies, and honest hearts, are fit to
preach the doctrine of salvation, scarcely one or two are
found of so fine and exact a wit as to be fit judiciously to
manage the curious controversies of the schools. What
a case then had mankind been in, if none could have been
wise and happy indeed, but these few of extraordinary capa-
city ! The most public and common good is the best. God
is more merciful than to confine salvation to subtlety of wit:
nor indeed is it a thing itself so pleasing to him as a holy,
heavenly heart and life.
2. And we have bodies that must have provision and
employment : we have families and kindred that must be
maintained : we live in neighbourhoods and public societies,
which call for much duty, and take up much time. And our
sufferings and crosses will take up some thoughts. Were it
but poverty alone, how much of our time will it alienate
from contemplation ! Whilst great necessities call for great
care, and continual labour ; can our common, poor labourers,
Chap. 9.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 22 1
(especially husbandmen) have leisure to inform their minds
with philosophy or curious speculations ?
Nay, we see by experience, that the more subtle and
most vacant wits, that wholly addict themselves to philoso-
phy, can bring it to no considerable certainty and consis-
tency to this day, except in the few rudiments or common
principles that all are agreed in. Insomuch that those do
now take themselves to be the chief or only wits, who are
pulling down that which through so many ages, from the
beginning of the world, hath with so great wit and study
been concluded on before them ; and are now themselves no
higher than new experimenters, who are beginning all anew
again, to try whether they can retrieve the errors of man-
kind, and make any thing of that which they think the world
hath been so long unacquainted with: and they are yet but
beginning at the skin or superficies of the world, and are
got no further with all their wit, than matter and motion,
with figure, site, contexture, &,c. But if they could live as
long as Methuselah, it is hoped they might come to know
that besides matter and motion, there are essential virtues
called substantial forms, or active natures, and that there is
a ' vis motiva,' which is the cause of motion, and a ' virtus
intellectiva,' and wisdom, which is the cause of the order of
motion, and a vital will and love, which is the perfection
and end of all : in a word, they may live to know that there is
such a thing in the world as life, and such a thing as active
nature, and such a thing as sense and soul, besides corporeal
matter and motion, and consequently that man is indeed
man. But, alas ! they must die sooner, perhaps before they
attain so far, and their successors must begin all anew again,
as if none of all these great attempts had been made by their
predecessors, and so, by their method, we shall never reach
deeper than the skin, nor learn more than our ABC. And
would we have such a task made necessary to the common
salvation, even for all the poor and vulgar wits, which is so
much too hard for our most subtle students ?
2. And Christianity is as suitable to us, in the benefit
and sweetness of it. What a happy religion is it that em-
ployeth men in nothing but receiving good to themselves,
and in doing good to themselves and others. Whose work
is only the receiving and improving of God's mercies, and
loving and delighting in all that is good, rejoicing in the
222 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
taste of God's love on earth, and in the hopes of perfect
felicity, love and joy for ever. Is not this a sweeter life
than tiresome, unprofitable speculations?
O then, how inexcusable are our contemners of religion,
that live in wilful ignorance and ungodliness, and think this
easy and sweet religion to be a tedious and intolerable
thing ! What impudent calumniators and blasphemers are
they of Christ and holiness, who deride and revile this sweet
and easy way to life, as if it were a slavery and an irksome
toil, unnecessary to our salvation, and unfit for a freeman, or
at least a gentleman, (or a servant of the flesh and world)
to practise. If Christ had set you such a task as Aristotle
or Plato did to their disciples ; so many notions, and so
many curiosities to learn : if he had written for you as many
books as Chrysippus did; if he had made necessary to your
salvation, all the arbitrary notions of Lullius, and all the
fanatic conceits of Campaneila, and all the dreaming hypo-
theses of Cartesius, and all the astronomical and cosmogra-
phical difficulties of Ptolomy, Tycho-Brache, Copernicus
and Galileeus, and all the chronological difficulties handled
by Eusebius, Scaliger, Functius, Capellus, Petavius, &c.
And all the curiosities in philosophy and theology of Caje-
tan, Scotus, Ockam, Gabriel, &c. Then you might have
had some excuse for your aversation: but to accuse and re-
fuse, and reproach so compendious, so easy, so sweet, so
necessary a doctrine and religion, as that which is brought
and taught by Christ; this is an ingratitude that hath no
excuse, unless sensuality and malignant enmity may pass
for an excuse.
Doth Christ deliver you from the maze of imaginary cu-
riosities, and from the burdens of worldly wisdom, called
philosophy, and of Pharisaical traditions, and Jewish ceremo-
nies, and make you a light burden, an easy yoke, and com-
mandments that are not grievous ; and after all this, must
he be requited with rejection and reproach, and your bur-
dens and snares be taken for more tolerable than your deli-
verance? You make a double forfeiture of salvation, who
are so unwilling to be saved.
Be thankful, O Christians, to your heavenly Master, for
tracing you out so plain and sweet a way. Be thankful that
he hath cut short those tiresome studies, by which your
taskmasters would confound you, under pretence of making
Chap. 10.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 223
you like gods, in some more subtle and sublime speculations
than vulgar wits can reach. Now all that are willing may
be religious, and be saved : it is not confined to men of
learning. The way is so sweet, as sheweth it suitable to the
end. It is but believe God's love and promises of salvation
by Christ, till you are filled with love and its delights, and
live in the pleasures of gratitude and holiness, and in the
joyful hopes of endless glory ! and is not this an easy yoke ?
Saith our heavenly poet Mr. G. Herbert in his poem called
" Divinity."
As men for fear the stars should sleep and nod,
And trip at night, have spheres supply 'd ;
As if a star were duller than a clod,
Which knows his way without a guide :
Just so the other heaven they also serve,
Divinity's transcendent sky,
Which with the edge of wit they cut and carve,
Reason triumphs, and faith lies by,
But all his doctrine which he taught and gave,
Was clear as heav'n from whence it came ;
At least those beams of truth which only save,
Surpass in brightness any flame :
Love God, and love your neighbours, watch and pray,
Do as you would be done unto.
O dark instructions! even as dark as day !
Who can these Gordian knots undo 3
CHAP. X.
Inference 6. How little Reason ungodly men have to be proud
of their Learning, or of any sort of Knowledge or Wisdom
whatsoever.
As the ancient Gnostics, being puffed up with their corrupt
Platonic speculations, looked down with contempt upon or-
dinary Christians, as silly ignorants in comparison of them,
and yet had not wisdom enough to preserve them from the
lusts and pollutions of the world ; even so is it with abun-
dance of the worldly clergy and ungodly scholars in this
age. They think their learning setteth them many degrees
above the vulgar, and giveth them right to be reverenced as
the oracles or rabbies of the world ; when yet, poor souls !
they have not learned, by all their reading, studies and dis-
224 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
putings to love God and holiness better than the riches and
preferments of the world. And some of them not better than
a cup of strong drink, or than the brutish pleasures of sense
and flesh. It is a pitiful thing to see the pulpit made a stage
for the ostentation of this self-shaming, self-condemning
pride and folly : for a man under pretence of serving God,
and helping other men to heaven, to make it his errand to
tell the hearers, that he is a very wise and learned man, who
hath not wit enough to choose a holy, humble life, nor to
make sure of heaven, or to save his soul ; nor perhaps to
keep out of the tavern or alehouse the next week, nor the
same day to forbear the venting of his worldly, carnal mind :
What is such learning but a game of imagination, in which
the fantasy sports itself with names and notions ; or worse,
the materials which are used in the service of sin, the fuel
of pride, the blinder and deceiver of such as were too igno-
rant before, being a mere shadow and name of knowledge ?
What good will it do a man tormented with the gout, or
stone, or by miserable poverty, to know the names of vari-
ous herbs, or to read the titles of the apothecaries' boxes, or
to read on a sign-post, 'Here is a good ordinary.' And
what good will it do a carnal, unsanctified soul that must be
in hell for ever, to know the Hebrew roots or points, or to
discourse of " Cartesius's Materia Subtilis," and " Globuli
iEtherei," Sec. Or of " Epicurus and Gassendus' Atoms," or
to look on the planets in Galileus' glasses, while he casteth
away all his hopes of heaven, by his unbelief, and his pre-
ferring the pleasures of the flesh ? Will it comfort a man that
is cast out of God's presence, and condemned to utter dark-
ness, to remember that he was once a good mathematician,
or logician, or musician, or that he had wit to get riches and
preferments in the world, and to climb up to the height of
honour and dominion? It is a pitiful thing to hear a man
boast of his wit, while he is madly rejecting the only felicity,
forsaking God, esteeming vanity, and damning his soul : the
Lord deliver us from such wit and learning ! Is it not enough
to refuse heaven, and choose hell (in the certain causes) to
lose the only day of their hopes, and in the midst of light,
to be incomparably worse than mad, but they must needs be
accounted wise and learned, in all this self-destroying folly?
As if (like the physician who boasted that he killed men ac-
cording to the rules of art) it were the height of their ambi-
Chap. 11.} TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 225
tion to go learnedly to hell, and with reverend gravity and
wit, to live here like brutes, and hereafter with devils for
evermore.
CHAP. XL
Inference 7. Why the ungodly World hateth Holiness, and
not Learning.
From ray very childhood, when I was first sensible of the
concernments of men's souls, I was possessed with some ad-
miration, to find that every where the religious, godly sort
of people, who did but exercise a serious care of their own
and other men's salvation, were made the wonder and oblo-
quy of the world ; especially of the most vicious and flagiti-
ous men ; so that they that professed the same articles of
faith, the same commandments of God to be their law, and
the same petitions of the Lord's-prayer to be their desire,
and so professed the same religion, did every where revile
those that did endeavour to live according to that same pro-
fession, and to seem to be in good sadness in what they
said. I thought that this was impudent hypocrisy in the
ungodly, worldly sort of men ! To take them for the most
intolerable persons in the land, who are but serious in their
own religion, and do but endeavour to perform what all their
enemies also vowed and promised. If religion be bad, and
our faith be not true, why do these men profess it? If it be
true and good, why do they hate and revile them that would
live in the serious practice of it, if they will not practise it
themselves? But we must nut expect reason, when sin and
sensuality have made men unreasonable.
But I must profess that since I observed the course of
the world, and the concord of the word and providences of
God, I took it for a notable proof of man's fall, and of the
verity of the Scripture, and the supernatural original of true
sanctification, to find such an universal enmity between the
holy and the serpentine seed, and to find Cain and Abel's
case so ordinarily exemplified, and him that is born after the
flesh to persecute him that is born after the Spirit. And
VOL. XV. Q
226 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
me thinks to this day it is a great and visible help for the
confirmation of our Christian faith.
But that which is much remarkable in it is, that nothing
else in the world, except the crossing of men's carnal interest,
doth meet with any such universal enmity. A man may be
as learned as he can, and no man hate him for it. If he ex-
cel all others, all men will praise him and proclaim his excel-
lency : he may be an excellent linguist, an excellent philo-
sopher, an excellent physician, an excellent logician, an ex-
cellent orator, and all commend him. Among musicians,
architects, soldiers, seamen, and all arts and sciences, men
value, prefer and praise the best ; yea, even speculative theo-
logy, such wits as the schoolmen and those that are called
great divines are honoured by all, and meet, as such, but with
little enmity, persecution or obloquy in the world. Though
I know that even a Galilseus, a Campanella, and many such
have suffered by the Roman inquisitors, that was not so
much in enmity to their speculations or opinions, as through
a fear lest new philosophical notions should unsettle men's
minds and open the way to new opinions in theology, and
so prove injurious to the kingdom and interest of Rome. I
know also that Demosthenes, Cicero, Seneca, Lucan, and
many other learned men, have died by the hands or power of
tyrants. But that was not for their learning, but for their
opposition to those tyrants' wills and interests. And I know
that some religious men have suffered for their sins and fol-
lies, and some for their meddling too much with secular af-
fairs, as the counsellors of princes, as Functius, Justus Jo-
nas, and many others. But yet no parts, no excellency, no
skill or learning is hated commonly, but honoured in the
world, no not theological learning, save only this practical
godliness and religion, and the principles of it, which only
rendereth men amiable to God, through Christ, and saveth
men's souls. To know and love God, and live as those that
know and love him, to seek first his kingdom and the righte-
ousness thereof, to walk circumspectly, in a holy and hea-
venly conversation, and studiously to obey the laws of God,
this which must save us, this which God loveth and the de-
vil hateth, is hated also by all his children ; for the same
malignity hath the same effect.
But methinks this should teach all considering men to
Chap. 11.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 'til
perceive what knowledge it is that is best, and most desira-
ble to all that love their happiness. Surely this sort of learn-
ing, wit and art, which the devil and the malignant world do
no more dispraise, oppose and persecute, (though as it is
sanctified to higher ends it be good, yet) of itself is com-
paratively no very excellent and amiable thing. I know Sa-
tan laboureth to keep out learning itself (that is truly such)
from the world, because he is the prince and promoter of
darkness, and the enemy of all useful light: and lower know-
ledge is some help to higher, and speculative theology may
prepare for practical ; and the most gross and brutish igno-
rance best serveth the devil's designs and turn. And even in
heathen Rome the arts prepared men for the Gospel; and
learning in the church-reformers hath ever been a great help
and furtherance of reformation. But yet if you stop in learn-
ing and speculation, and take it as for itself alone, and not
as a means to holiness of heart and life, it is as nothing. It
is Paul's express resolution of the case, that if "we have all
knowledge without this holy love, we are nothing," but as
"sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal," (1 Cor. xiii.)
But surely there is some special excellency in this holy
knowledge, and love, and obedience, which the devil and
the malignant world so hate, in high and low, in rich and
poor, in kindred, neighbours, strangers, or any, where they
meet with it. It is not for nothing. This is the image of
God; this is it that is contrary to their carnal minds, and to
their fleshly lusts, and sinful pleasures. This tells them
what they must be and do, or be undone for ever, which they
cannot abide to be or do.
Let us therefore be somewhat the wiser for this discovery
of the mind of the devil and all his instruments. I will love
and honour all natural, artificial, acquired excellencies in
philology, philosophy and the rest : as these expose not
men to the world's obloquy, so neither unto mine or any so-
ber man's. In their low places they are good and may be
used to a greater good. But let that holy knowledge and
love be mine, which God most loveth, and the world most
hateth, and costeth us dearest upon earth, but hath the
blessed end of a heavenly reward.
228 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
CHAP. XII.
Inference 8. What is the Work of a Faithful Preacher,
and how it is to be done.
If that knowledge which kindleth in us the love of God, be
the only saving knowledge, then this is it that ministers
must principally preach up and promote. Could we make
all our hearers never so learned, that will not save their souls ;
but if we could make them holy, and kindle in them the
love of God and goodness, they should certainly be saved.
The holy, practical preacher therefore is the best preacher,
because the holy, practical Christian is the best and onlv
true Christian. We work under Christ, and therefore must
carry on the same work on souls which Christ came into the
world to carry on. All our sermons must be fitted to change
men's hearts, from carnal into spiritual, and to kindle in
them the love of God. When this is well done, they have
learned what we were sent to teach them ; and when this is
perfect, they are in heaven.
Those preachers that are enemies to the^most godly of
the people, and would make their hearers take them all for hy-
pocrites, that go any further than obedience to their pastors,
in church-forms and orders, observances and ceremonies,
and a civil life, are the great enemies of Christ, his Spirit,
his Gospel, and the people's souls ; and the eminent ser-
vants of the devil, in his malignant war against them all.
All that knowledge, and all those formalities, which are set
up instead of Divine Love and holy living, are but so many
cheats, to deceive poor souls till time be past, and their con-
victions come too late.
I confess that ignorance is the calamity of our times,
and people perish for lack of knowledge : and that the heart
be without knowledge it is not good : and lamentable igno-
rance is too visible in a great degree, among the religious
sort themselves ; as their manifold differences and errors too
openly proclaim : and therefore to build up men in know-
ledge, is much of the ministerial work. But what knowledge
must it be ? Not dead opinions, or ineffectual notions, or
such knowledge as tendeth but to teach men to talk, and
make them pass for men of parts; but it is the knowledge
Chap. 13.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. "22.9
of God and our Redeemer, the knowledge of Christ cruci-
fied, by which we crucify the flesh with all its affections and
lusts : and by which the world is crucified to us, and we to
it. If the Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in
whom the God of this world hath blinded their eyes. When
there is no truth and mercy, and knowledge of God in the
land, no wonder if such a land be clad in mourning. When
men have not so much knowledge of the evil of sin, and their
own sin and misery, and of the need and worth of Christ, of
the truth of God's Word, of the vanity of the world, of the
greatness, wisdom and goodness of God, and of the certain,
most desirable glory of heaven, as shall humble their souls,
and turn them from the world to God, and absolutely deliver
them up to Christ, and mortify fleshly lusts, and overcome
temptations, and renew them unto the love of God and good-
ness, and set their hearts and hopes on heaven : This is the
ignorance that is men's damnation ; and the contrary effec-
tual knowledge is it which saveth souls.
CHAP. XIII.
Inference 9. Those that know God so Jar as to Love him
above all, may have Comfort, notwithstanding their remain-
ing Ignorance.
A great number of upright-hearted Christians, who love
God sincerely, and obey him faithfully, are yet under so
great want of further knowledge, as is indeed a great dis-
honour to them, and a hindrance of them in their duty and
comfort, and to many a great discouragement. And O that
we knew how to cure this imperfection, that ignorance
might not feed so many errors, and cause so many factions
and disturbances in the church, and so many sinful miscar-
riages in its members !
But yet we must conclude that the person that hath
knowledge enough to renew his soul to the love of God,
shall be loved by him, and shall never perish, and therefore
may have just comfort under all the imperfections of his
knowledge. More wisdom might make him a better and
more useful Christian ; but while he is a Christian indeed,
he may rejoice in God. I blame not such for complaining
'230 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
of ihe dullness of their understandings, the badness of their
memories, their little profiting by the means of grace : I
should blame them if they did not complain of these : and
I think their case far more dangerous to the church and to
themselves, who have as much ignorance and know it not,
but proudly glory in the wisdom which they have not. But
many a thousand Christians, that have little of the notional
and organical part of knowledge, have powerful apprehen-
sions of the power, wisdom and love of God, and of the
great mercy of redemption, and of the evil of sin, the worth
of holiness, and the certainty and weight of the heavenly
glory : and by how much these men love God and holiness
more than the more learned that have less grace, by so much
they are more beloved of God, and accounted wiser by the
God of wisdom; and therefore may rejoice in the greatness
of their felicity. I would have none so weak as to under-
value any real useful learning ; but if Pharisees will cry out
against unlearned, godly Christians, *' These people know
not the law and are accursed ;" remember the thanksgiving
of your Lord, " I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and pru-
dent, and hast revealed them to babes." And as the (reputed)
foolishness of God, that is, of God's evangelical mysteries,
will shortly prove wiser than all the reputed wisdom of men ;
so he that hath wisdom enough to love God and be saved,
shall quickly be in that world of light, where he shall know
more than all the doctors and subtle disputers upon earth ;
and more, in a moment, than all the books of men can teach
him, or all their authors did ever here know. " Thus saith
the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither
let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man
glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in this,
That he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord,
which exercise loving-kindness and righteousness in the
earth : for in these things do I delight, saith the Lord."
(Jer. ix. 23, 24.)
Chap. 14.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 231
CHAP. XIV.
Questions and Objections answered.
Quest. 1. ' If so much knowledge will save a man, as help-
eth him to love God as God, may not heathens or infidels
at least be saved ? For they know that there is one God
who is infinitely good and perfect, and more amiable than
all the world, and the great Benefactor of man, and of the
whole creation : so that there is no goodness but what is in
him, or from him, and through him, and finally to him : and
man's will is made to love apprehended good, and followeth
the last practical act of the intellect, at least where there
is no competitor, but ' omnimoda ratio boni.' And all men
know that God is not only best in himself, but good, yea,
best to them, because that all they have is from him : and
they have daily experience of pardoning grace contrary to
their demerit. It seemeth therefore that they may love
God as God.'
Answ. 1. To cause a man to love God as God, there is
necessary both objective revelation of God's amiableness,
and such subjective grace which consisteth in a right dis-
position of the soul. 2. Objective Revelation is considered
as sufficient either to a well-disposed, or to an ill-disposed
soul. 3. This right disposition consisteth both in the abate-
ment of men's inclinations to contrary, sensual objects, and
in the inclining them to that which is divine and spiritual.
And now I answer,
1. It cannot be denied, but that so much of God's amiable-
ness or goodness is revealed to infidels that have not the
Gospel, by the means mentioned in the Objection, as is suf-
ficient to bring men under an obligation to love God as
God, and to leave them inexcusable that do not.
2. Therefore, to such, the impossibility is not physical,
but moral.
3. And there is in that objective Revelation, so much
sufficiency, as that if the soul itself were sanctified and well
disposed, it might love God upon such revelation : which
Amyraldus hath largely proved.
4. But to an unholy and undisposed soul, no objective
232 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
Revelation is sufficient without the Spirit's help and opera-
tions.
5. Only the Spirit of Christ the Mediator, as given by
and from him, doth thus operate on souls, as savingly to re-
new them.
6. Whether ever the Spirit of Christ doth thus operate
on any that hear not of Christ's incarnation, must be known
either by the Scripture or by experience a . By the Scrip-
ture I am not able to prove the universal negative, though
it is easy to prove sanctification incomparably more common
in the church, than on those without, if any there have it.
The case of infants, and of the churches, and the world be-
fore Christ's incarnation, must here come into considera-
tion. 2. And by experience no man can prove the nega-
tive ; because no man hath experience what is in the hearts
of all the persons in the world.
Quest. 2. 'May a Papist or a heretic by his knowledge
be a lover of God as God ?'
Answ. What is said to the former Question is here to be
reviewed. And further, 1. A Papist and such heretic as
positively holdeth all the essentials of Christianity, and
seeth not the opposition of his false opinions hereto, and
holdeth Christianity more practically than those false opi-
nions, may be saved in that state, for he is a lover of God :
but no other Papists or heretics can be saved but by a true
conversion. 2. There is a sufficiency in the doctrine of
Christianity which they hold, to save them, as to objective
sufficiency. And that God giveth not subjective grace of
sanctification to any such, notwithstanding their errors, is a
thing that no man can prove, nor any sober, charitable
Christian easily believe : and experience of the piety of
many maketh it utterly improbable, though we know not
certainly the heart of another.
There are many murmurings against me in this city, be-
hind my back : for never one man of them to my remem-
brance to this day, did ever use any charitable endeavour to
my face, to convince me of my supposed error ; as one that
holds that a Papist may be saved, yea, that we are not cer-
tain that none in the world are saved besides Christians ;
1 Of all this, I have discoursed more largely in my " Catholic Theology," and
the annexed Eoitome.
Chap. 14.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 233
and the Sectaries whisper me to one another to be like Ori-
gen, a person in these dangerous opinions, forsaken of God,
in comparison of them. What really I assert about these
questions, I have here briefly hinted ; but more largely
opened in my " Catholic Theology:" but I will confess that
1 find no inclination in my soul, to desire that their doctrine
may prove true, who hide the glorified love of God, and
would contract his mercy and man's salvation into so narrow
a room, as to make it hardly discernible by man, and the
church to be next to no church, and a Saviour to save so
very few, as seem scarce considerable among the rest that
are left remediless. And who would make us believe that
the way appointed to bring men to the love of God, is, to
believe that he hath elected that particular person, and left
almost all the world (many scores or hundreds to one) unre-
deemed, and without any promise or possibility of salva-
tion. I am sure that the Covenant of Innocency is ceased,
and I am sure that all the world was brought under a law of
Grace, made after the fall to Adam and Noah : and that this
law is still in force, to those that have not the more perfect
edition in the Gospel. And that Christ came not to bring
the world that never hear of him nor can do, into a worse
condition than Jews and Gentiles were in before : nor hath
he repealed that law of grace, which he before made them ;
nor hath God changed that gracious name which he pro-
claimed even to Moses. (Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.) And I am
sure that Abraham, the father of the faithful, conjectured
once, even when God told him that Sodom was ripe for des-
truction, that yet there might be fifty righteous persons in
it ; by which we may conjecture, what he thought of all the
world b . And I know " that in every nation he that feareth
God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him ;" and
that " he that cometh to God, must believe that God is, and
that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him ;"
and therefore without faith none can please God: and that
men shall be judged by that same law, which they were un-
der and obliged by, whatever it be. And they that have
sinned under the law of Moses, shall be judged by it; and
they that sinned without that law shall be judged with-
out it. And I know that God is love itself, and infinitely
h Read Mai. i. 14. with all the old translations in the Polyglot Bible, and con-
sider it.
234 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
good ; and will shew us his goodness in such glorious effects
to all eternity, as shall satisfy us and fill us with joyful
praise. And as for the Papists, I know that they are se-
duced by a worldly clergy, and that by consequence many
of the errors in that church do subvert the fundamentals ;
and so do many errors of the Antinomians and others among
us, that are taken for religious persons ; yea, and as noto-
riously as any doctrines of the Popish councils do. But I
know that as a logical faith or orthodoxy, which consist-
eth in holding right notions and words, deceiveth thou-
sands that have no sound belief of the things themselves ex-
pressed by these words ; so also logical errors about words,
notions and sentences, may in unskilful men consist with a
sound belief of the things which must necessarily be be-
lieved. And that Christ and grace may be thankfully re-
ceived by many that have false names and notions, and say-
ings about Christ and grace. And I know the great power
of education and converse, and what advantage an opinion
hath even with the upright, which is commonly extolled by
learned, godly, religious men, especially if by almost all.
Therefore I make no doubt but God hath many among the
Papists, and the Antinomians, to name no others, who are
truly godly, though they logically or notionally hold such
errors, as if practically held would be their damnation, and
if the consequents were known and held : much more when
thousands of the common people hold not the errors of the
church which they abide in. And it shall not be my way of
persuading my own soul, or others to love God, by first
persuading them that he loveth but few besides them.
And when such have narrowed God's love and mercy to all
save their own party, and made themselves easily believe
that he will damn the rest of the world, even such as are as
desirous to please God as they are, they have but prepared
a snare for their own consciences ; which may perhaps when
it is awakened as easily believe that he will damn them-
selves. Let us give " all diligence to make our own calling
and election sure," and leave others to the righteous God,
to whose judgment they and we must stand or fall. " Who
art thou that judgest another's servant?"
As the Covenant of Peculiarity was made only with the
Israelites, though the Common Law of Grace, made to Adam
and Noah, was in force to other nations of the world ; so the
Chap. 14.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 235
more excellent Covenant of Peculiarity is, since Christ's in-
carnation, made only with the Christian church, though the
aforesaid Common Law of Grace be not repealed to all others :
nor can it be said that they sin not against a law of grace,
or mercy leading to repentance.
And as the Covenant of Peculiarity was not repealed to
the ten tribes, (though the benefits were much forfeited by
their violation ;) but God had still thousands among them
in Elias's time, that bowed not the knee to Baal, and such
as Obadiah to hide the prophets ; though yet the Jews were
the more orthodox : Even so though the Reformed Churches
as the two tribes, stick closer to the truth, the kingdoms
where Popery prevailed have yet many thousands that God
will save ; and, notwithstanding their errors and corrupt ad-
ditions, they have the same articles of faith and baptismal
covenant as we. And if any man think himself the wiser or
the happier man than I, for holding the contrary, and think-
ing so many are hated of God more than I do, (and conse-
quently rendering him less lovely to them ;) I envy not such
the honour nor comfort of their wisdom.
Object. III. ' You will thus confirm our ignorant people
in their presumption, that tell professors of godliness, I love
God above all, and my neighbour as myself: though I do
not know, and talk, and pray so much as you do.'
Answ. Either they do so love God and man, or they do
not. If they do they are good and happy men, though you
call them ignorant : yea, he is far from being an ignorant
man, that knoweth God and Christ, and heaven and holi-
ness so well, as to be unfeignedly in love with them. But
if he do not, what say I to his encouragement in presump-
tion ! But you must take another course to cure him, than
by calling him to a barren sort of knowledge. You must
shew him, that the love of God is an operative principle ;
and where it is will have dominion, and be highest in the
soul ; and that telling God that we love him, while we love
not his law, his service, or his children ; yea, while we love
our appetite, our wealth, our credit, and every beastly lust
above him ; and while we cannot abide much to think or
hear talk of him ; this is but odious hopocrisy, which de-
ceiveth the sinner, and maketh him more abominable to
God.
But if really you see a poor neighbour, whom you count
23b" KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
ignorant, live as one that loveth God and goodness ; take
heed, that you proudly despise not Christ's little ones, but
love and cherish those sparks that are kindled and loved by
Christ. The least are called by Christ his brethren, and
their interest made as his own. (Matt, xxv.) And the least
have their angels, which see the face of God in heaven.
Object. IV. ' How then are infants saved, that neither
have knowledge nor love ?'
Ansiv. 1. While they have no wills of their own, which
are capable of holy duties, they are as members of their pa-
rents, whose wills are theirs ; or who know God, and love
him, for themselves and their infants. As the hand and
foot doth not know and love God in itself; and yet is holy,
in that it is the hand or foot of one that doth know and
love him.
2. Sanctified infants have that grace which is the seed
of holy love, though they have not yet the act nor proper
habit of love. I call it a seed, because it is a holy disposi-
tion of the soul ; by which it is (not only physically, as all
are, but) morally able to love God, when they come to the
use of reason, or at least mediately to do that which shall
conduce to holy love.
3. And in this state being loved of God, and known of
him as the children of his grace and promise ; they are
happy in his love to them : for he will give their natures
their due capacity, in his way, which we are not yet fit to
be fully acquainted with ; and he will fill up that capacity
with his love and glory.
Object. V. ' If this hold, away with universities, and all
our volumes and studies of physics, mathematics and other
sciences ; for they must needs divert our thoughts from the
love of God ! And then Turks, Muscovites, and other con-
temners of learning are in the right.'
Answ. There is a right and a wrong use of all these, as
there is of arts and business of the world. One man so fol-
loweth his trade and worldly business, as to divert, distract,
or corrupt his mind, and drown all holy thoughts and love,
and leave no due place for holy diligence. And another
man so followeth his calling, as that heaven hath still his
heart and hope, and his labour is made but part of his obe-
dience to God, and his way to life eternal ; and all is sancti-
fied by holy principles, end and manner. And so it is about
Chap. 15.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 237
common learning, sciences or arts. And I have proved to
you, that among too many called great scholars in the
world, many books, and much reading and acquaintance
with all the arts of speaking, with grammar, logic, oratory,
metaphysics, physics, history, laws, &c. is but one of Sa-
tan's last and subtlest means of wasting precious time, de-
ceiving souls, and keeping such persons from pursuing the
ends of their excellent wit, and of life itself, that would not
have been cheated, diverted and undone, by the grosser way
of brutish pleasures : but holy souls have a sanctified use
of all their common knowledge, making it serve their high
and holy ends. But O that some learned men would in
time, as well understand the difference between common
learning (which serveth fancy, pride, or worldly hopes ;)
and the love of God and a heavenly life ; as they must know
it when they come to die !
CHAP. XV.
Use, Exhort. 1. Not to deceive ourselves by overvaluing a dead
or an unholy Knowledge.
It grieveth my soul to observe how powerfully, and how
commonly Satan still playeth his first deceiving game, of
calling off man from love, trust, and obedience, to an en-
snaring and troublesome, or unprofitable sort of knowledge.
And how the lust of knowing carrieth away many unsus-
pected to misery, who escape the most dishonourable sort
of lust! And especially, what abundance in several ways
take notional knowledge, which is but an art of thinking
and talking, for real knowledge ; which is our acquaintance
with God and grace ; and which changeth the soul into the
image of him that we seek and know ; and filleth us with
love, and trust, and joy. t
Two sorts are especially here guilty.
I. The learned students before described :
II. The superficial sort of people accounted religious.
I. I have already shewed how pitiful a thing it is, that
so many academical wits, and so many preachers, (to say
nothing of the grossly proud, tyrannical and worldly clergy;)
do spend so many years in studies, that are used but in the
238 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
service of the flesh, to their own condemnation ; and never
bend their minds to kindle in themselves the love of God,
nor a heavenly desire or hope, nor to live in the comfortable
prospect of glory. How many -preach up that love and ho-
liness, (as the trade that they must live by) which they ne-
ver fervently preached to themselves, nor practised sincerely
one hour in their lives ! How many use to preach funeral
sermons, and bury the dead, that are unprepared for death
themselves, and hardened in their security and unholy state,
by those sights, those studies, those words, which should
awaken and convince them, and which they plead themselves
for the conviction of their hearers ! O miserable scholars !
Miserable preachers ! Miserable doctors and prelates, who
study and preach to their own condemnation ; and have not
knowledge enough to teach them to love God, nor to set
more by the heavenly glory, than this world ; but by spiri-
tual words, do both hide and cherish a fleshly and a worldly
mind ! You will find at death, that all your learning was
but a dream, and one of the vanities that entangle fools ;
and you will die as sadly as the unlearned, and be beaten
with more stripes, than they that knew not their master's
will.
1. Unholy knowledge is but a carcase, a shadow, the
activity of a vain mind, or a means without the end, and un-
fit to attain it. A map is not a kingdom, nor doth it much
enrich the owner. The names of meats and drinks will not
nourish you : and to know names and notions, giveth you
no title to the things so named. You may as well think to
be saved for being good musicians, physicians or astrono-
mers, as for being learned divines, if your knowledge cause
not holy love : it may help others to heaven, but it will be
but vanity to you ; and you will be as " sounding brass, or a
tinkling cymbal." (1 Cor. xiii. 1.) You glory in a lifeless pic-
ture of wisdom ; and hell may shortly tell you, that you had
better have chosen any thing , to play the fool with, than
with the notions and words of wisdom mortified.
2. Nay, such profanation of holy things is a heinous sin.
Who is more like the devil than he that knoweth most, and
loveth God least? To know that you should love and seek
God most, and not to do it, is wilfully to despise him in the
open light. As the privation of God's love is the chief part
of hell, so the privation of our love to God is the chief part
Chap. 15.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 239
of ungodliness or sin ; yea, and much of hell itself. Know-
ledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. Unholy knowledge
is a powerful instrument of Satan's service ; in the service
of pride, and ambition, and heresy, one learned and witty,
ungodly man will merit more of the devil by mischieving
mankind, than any of the common, unlearned sort : and
none are so likely impenitently to glory in this sin. They
will be proud of such adorned fetters ; that they can sin
philosophically, and metaphysically, in Greek and Hebrew,
and with logical subtlety, or oratorical fluency, prove against
unlearned men, that they do well in damning their own
souls, and that God and heaven are not worthy of their
chief love and diligence ; such men will offend God more
judiciously than the ignorant, and will more discreetly and
honourably fool away their hopes of heaven, and more suc-
cessfully deceive the simple. Their wisdom, like Ahitho-
phel's, will serve turn to bring them to destroy themselves :
and is it any wonder if this be foolishness with God 1
(1 Cor. iii. 19.)
The understanding of a man is a faculty unfit to be
abused and prostituted to the slavery of the flesh. The
abuse of the senses is bad, but of the understanding worse ;
because it is a nobler faculty. When they that " knew God,
glorified him not as God, but became vain in their imagina-
tion, their foolish heart was darkened, and professing them-
selves wise (philosophers or Gnostics) they became fools ;"
(Rom. i. 21.28;) "and as they did not like to retain God
in their knowledge, God gave them up to vile affections."
And yet many are proud of this mortal tympanite, as if it
were a sound and healthful constitution ; and think they
have the surest right to heaven for neglecting it knowingly,
and going learnedly in the way to hell.
3. You lose the chief delight of knowledge. O that you
knew what a holy quietness and peace, what solid pleasure
that knowledge bringeth, which kindleth and cherisheth
holy love, and leadeth the soul to communion with God ;
and how much sweeter it is to have a powerful and experi-
mental knowledge, than your trifling dreams ! The most
learned of you all have but the husks or shells of knowledge ;
and what great sweetness is in shells, when the poorest,
holy, experienced Christian hath the kernel, which is far
more pleasant ! O try a more serious, practical religion,
240 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
and I dare assure you, it will afford you a more solid kind of
nourishment and delight. The pleasure of the speculative
divine in knowing, is but like the pleasure of a mathema-
tician or other speculator of nature; yea, below that of the
moral philosopher : it is but like my pleasure in reading a
book of travels or geography; in comparison of the true,
practical Christian's ; which is like their pleasure that live
in those countries, and possess the lands and houses which
I read of.
4. Nay, yet worse, this -unholy knowledge doth often
make men the devil's most powerful and mischievous in-
struments : for though Christ oft also so overrule the hearts
of men, and the course of the world, as to make the know-
ledge and gifts of bad men serviceable to his church (as
wicked soldiers oft fight in a good cause, and save the
lives of better men), yet a worldly mind is more likely to
follow the way of worldly interest; and it is but seldom
that worldly interest doth suit with, and serve the in-
terest of truth and holiness, but more commonly is its
greatest adversary : therefore most usually it must be ex-
pected that such worldly men should be adversaries to the
same truth and holiness which their worldly interest is
averse to. And hence hath arisen that proud, worldly and
tyrannical clergy, which hath set up and maintained the Ro-
man kingdom, under the name of the Holy Catholic Church ;
and which hath by their Pope and pretended General Coun-
cils, usurped a legislative and executive power over the
whole Christian world, and made great numbers of laws
without authority, and contrary to the laws of Christ ; mul-
tiplying schisms on pretence of suppressing them, and mak-
ing so many things necessary to the concord of Christians,
as hath made such concord become impossible; presump-
tuously voting other men to be heretics, while their own er-
rors are of as odious a kind ; yea, when holy truth is some-
times branded by them as heresy. And when they cannot
carry the judgments, consciences and wills of all men along
in obedience to their tyrannical pride, lust and interest, they
stir up princes and states to serve them by the sword, and
murder and persecute their own subjects, and raise bloody
wars against their neighbours, to force them to obey these
proud seducers. Yea, and if kings and states be wiser than
thus to be made their hangmen or bloody executioners, to
Chap. 15.] true saving knowledge. 241
the ruin of their best subjects, and their own everlasting in-
famy and damnation, they stir up the foolish part of the sub-
jects against such rulers, and in a word, they will give the
world no peace : so that I am past all doubt that the ten
heathen persecutions so much cried out of, was but a small
matter as against the Christian's blood, in comparison of
what hath been done by this tyrannical clergy : and the
cruellest magistrates still seem to come short of them in
cruelty, and seldom are very bloody or persecuting, but when
a worldly or proud clergy stirs them up to it. And all the
heresies that ever sprang up in the church, do seem to have
done less harm on one side, than by pretences of unity, or-
der and government, they have done on the other. O how
unspeakably great have been, and still are the church's suf-
ferings, by a proud and worldly clergy, and by men's abuse'
of pretended learning and authority !
5. I will add yet one more considerable mischief; that
is, that your unholiness and carnal minds for all your learn-
ing, corrupteth your judgments, and greatly hindereth you
from receiving many excellent truths, and inclineth you to
many mortal errors. To instance in some particulars.
1. About the attributes and government of God. A bad
man is inclined to doubt of God's particular providence, his
holy truth and justice, and to think God is such an one as
he would have him to be. Whereas they that have the love
of God and goodness, have his attributes, as it were, written
on their hearts ; that he is good, and wise, and holy, and
just, and true, they know by an experimental, certain know-
ledge, which is to them like nature and life itself. (John
xvii. 3 ; Hos. ii. 20 ; Psal. xxxiv. 8, 8cc.)
2. The very truth of the Gospel and mystery of redemp-
tion is far more hardly believed by a man that never felt his
need of Christ, nor ever had the operations of that Spirit on
his soul, which are its seal, than by them that have the wit-
ness in themselves, and have found Christ actually save them
from their sins : who are regenerated by this holy seed, and
nourished by this milk. (1 John v. 10—12; 1 Pet. i. 22,
23 ; ii. 2.)
3. Yea, the very truth of our soul's immortality, and the
life and glory to come, is far more hardly believed by them,
who feel no inclination to such a future glory ; but only a
VOL. XV. R
242 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part If.
propensity to this present life, and the interests and plea-
sures of it, than by them that have a treasure, a home, a
heart, and a conversation in heaven, and that long for nearer
communion with God, and that have the earnest and first-
fruits of heaven within them. (Matt, vi.20, 21 ; Phil.iii.20,
21 ; Col. iv, 1—4; Rom. viii. 17—20.)
4. The evil of sin in general, and consequently what is
sin in particular, is less known by a man that loveth it, and
would not have it to be sin, than by one that hateth it, and
loveth God and holiness above all : they that love the Lord
hate evil. (1 Cor. ii. 14; John ix. 40.)
5. Most controversies about the nature of grace, are
more hardly understood by them that have it not, than by
them that have it as a new nature in them. And conse-
quently what kind of persons are to be well thought of, as
the children of God. The Pharisees were strict, and yet
haters of Christ and Christians. Many preach and write
for godliness, that yet when it cometh to a particular judg-
ment, deride the godly as hypocrites or superstitious.
6. In cases about the worship of God, a carnal mind,
how learned soever, is apt to relish most an outside, carnal,
ceremonious way, and to be all for a dead formality, or else
for a proud ostentation of their own wits, opinions and
parts, or some odd singularity that sets them up to be ad-
mired as some extraordinary persons, or teacheth their own
consciences so to flatter them : when a spiritual man is for
worshipping God (though with all decent externals, yet) in
spirit and in truth ; and in the most understanding, sincere
and humble manner, and yet with the greatest joy and praise.
(Rom. viii. 16, 26, 8cc.)
7. Especially in the work of self-judging, how hard a
work have the most learned that are ungodly, truly to know
themselves ; when learning doth but help their pride to
blind them ! And yet none so apt to say as the Pharisees,
(John ix. 10,) " Are we blind also?" and to hate those that
honour them not, as erroneously as they do themselves : and
therefore Augustine so lamenteth the misery of the clergy,
and saith that the unlearned take heaven by violence, when
the learned are thrust down to hell with all their learning !
Who are prouder and more self-ignorant hypocrites in the
world (expecting that all should bow to them and reverence
Chap. 15.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. <24.J
them, and cry them up as wise and excellent men,) than the
unholy, vvorldy, fleshly clergy ?
8. And in every case that themselves are much concerned
in, their learning will not keep them from the most blind in-
justice. Let the case be but such as their honour, or pro-
fit, or relations and friends are much concerned in, and they
presently take all right to be on their side ; and all these to
be honest men that are for them, and all those to be wicked
hypocrites, heretics, schismatics, factious, or liars, that are
against, them ; and dare print to the world that most noto-
rious truths in matters of fact are lies, and lies are truths,
and corrupt all history where they are but concerned : so
that experience hath taught me to give little credit to any
history written by men, in whom I can perceive this double
character, 1. That they are worldly and unconscionable:
2. And concerned by a personal interest; especially when
they revile their adversaries. And money, friends or ho-
nour will make any cause true and just with them, and can
confute all evidences of truth and innocency. Learned
judges are too often corrupt.
9. And in cases of great temptation, how insufficient is
learning to repel the tempter, when it is easily done by the
holy love of God and goodness ! How easily is a man's
judgment tempted to think well of that which he loveth, and
ill of that which his heart is against?
Many such instances I might give you, but these fully
shew the misery and folly of ungodly scholars, that are but
blinded by dead notions, and words of art, to think they
know something, when they know nothing as they ought to
know ; and to hate truth and goodness, and speak evil of
the things they know not, while for want of holy love, these
tinkling cymbals do but deceive themselves, and ascertain
their own damnation.
II. I should next have said as much of the vanity and
snare of the knowledge of such Gnostics, as in an overvalu-
ing of their own religious skill and gifts, cry out as the Pha-
risees, " This people that know not the law are cursed.''
But what is said is applicable to them.
244 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
CHAP. XVI.
Exhort. 2. Love best the Christians that have most Love to
God and Man.
If God love those most that have most love, and not those
that have most barren knowledge ; then so must we, even
all that take God's wisdom as infallible : of whom can we
know better, whom to love and value, than of him that is
wisdom and love itself? There is more savoury worth in
the experience, affections and heavenly tendency of holy
souls, than in all the subtleties of learned wits. When a
man cometh to die, who savoureth not more wisdom in the
sacred Scripture, and in holy treatises, than in all Aristotle's
learned works ? And who had not then rather hear the talk
and prayers of a holy person, than the most accurate logic
and mathematics ? Alas ! what are these but trifles to a
dying man ! And what they will be to a dying man, they
should be much to us all our life ; unless we would never be
wise till it is too late.
And among men seeming religious, it is not the religious
wrangler or disputer, nor the zealous reviler of his brethren,
that can hotly cry down on one side, ' These men are here-
tical ;' or on the other. ' These are antichristian,' that are
the lovely persons : not they that on one side cry out, ' Away
with these from the ministry and church as disobedient to
us :' or on the other, ' Away with these from our commu-
nion as not holy enough to join with us.' It is not they
that proudly persecute to prove their zeal, nor they that
proudly separate from others to prove it; but it is they that
live in the love of God and man, that are beloved of God
and man. Nature teacheth all men to love those that love
them. And the Divine nature teacheth us to love those
much more that love God and goodness. Though love be
an act of obedience as commanded, yet hath it a nature also
above mere obedience ; and bare commanding will not cause
it. No man loveth God or man, only because he is com-
manded so to do ; but because he perceiveth them to be
good and amiable. And the most loving are the most
lovely, so be it their love be rightly guided. Doth it not
kindle love in you to others, more, to hear their breathings
Chap. 17.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 245
after God, and grace, and glory, and to see them loving and
kind to all, and delighting to do all the good they can, and
covering tenderly the infirmities of others, and practising
1 Cor. xiii, and living at peace among themselves, and as
much as is possible with all men, and loving their enemies,
and blessing those that curse them, and patiently bearing,
and forgiving wrongs ; than to come into one congregation
and hear a priest teach the people to hate their brethren as
schismatics or heretics; or in another, and hear a man teach
his followers to hate others asantichristian or ceremonious?
Or to hear silly men and women talk against things that are
quite beyond their reach, and shaking the head to talk
against Dissenters, and say, ' Such an one is an erroneous or
dangerous man, take heed of hearing him ! Such an one is
for or against reprobation, free-will, universal redemption,
man's power, and such like, which they little understand.'
In a word, the proudly tyrannical, and the proudly schis-
matical, with all their pretence of learning on one side, or
of the Spirit and holiness, and gifts on the other, are no whit
so amiable as the single-hearted, honest, peaceable Chris-
tian, who preacheth love, and prayeth love, and liveth, and
breatheth, and practiseth love. Paul saith, that all the law
is fulfilled in love ; and fulfilling is more than knowing it.
And Christ himself did not in vain sum up all the com-
mandments in the love of God and man ; nor in vain ask
Peter thrice, " Lovest thou me ?" nor in vain so often charge
it on them, as his new, that is his last commandment, that they
love one another ! Nor doth his beloved apostle John in vain
so earnestly write for love.
CHAP. XVII.
Exhort. 3. Plead not against Love or Works of' Love, upon
Pretence of a Cross Interest of Learning, Knowledge, Gifts,
Church-order, Discipline, fyc. or any other Thing.
If Love be that which is most amiable in us to the God of
Love, then as nothing in the world can excuse him that is
without it, nor render him lovely indeed to God and man,
so nothing must be made a pretence against it : and no pre-
240' KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
tence will excuse that man, or that society that is against it.
Even corrections and severities, when they must be used,
must come from love, and be wholly ordered to the ends and
interest of love. And when necessity calls for destructive
executions, which tend not to the good of him that is exe-
cuted, yet must they tend to the good of the community or
of many, and come from a greater love than is due to one,
or else that which otherwise would be laudable j ustice, is but
cruelty : for the punishment of offenders is good and just,
because tending to the common good, ' Debentur Reipub-
licee,' the community have 'jus,' a right to them as a means
to their good : so that it is love that is the amiableness of
justice itself.
If any think that God's justice is a cross instance; let
him consider, 1. That though the most public or common
good be our end next the ultimate, yet the true ultimate end
of all things, is God himself: and the love of God is the
highest love : and God's justice is not without that love of
himself, and tendeth to that good which he is capable of re-
ceiving 5 which is but the fulfilling or complacency of his
own will, which is, but improperly, called his receiving. 2.
And we little know how many in another world, or in the
renewed earth, are to be profited by his justice on the
damned, as angels and men are, by his justice onthedevils.
1. LOVE is the life of religion, and of the soul, and of
the church : and what can be a just pretence for any to des-
troy or oppose the very life of religion, the life of souls, and
the life of the church of Christ ? Physic, blood-letting and
dismembering may be used for life; but to take away life,
except necessarily for a good that is better than that life, is
murder. And what is it that is better than the life of reli-
gion, in all matters of religion? Or than the life of the
church, in all church-affairs ? Or than the life of men's
souls, in all matters of soul-concernment?
2. LOVE is the great command and summary of all the
law : and what can be a just pretence for breaking the great-
est command, yea, and the whole law ?
3. LOVE is God's image ; and he that dwelleth in love,
dwelleth in God, who is LOVE, and God in him : and what
can be a pretence sufficient for destroying the image of God,
which is called by his name ?
4. There is nothing in man that God himself loveth better
Chap. 17.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 247
than our love : and therefore nothing that as better can be
set against it.
And yet, alas, what enmity is used in the world against
the Love of God and man ! and many things alleged as pre-
tences to justify it ! Let us consider of some few of them.
1. The great tyrants of the world, such as in several ages
have been the plagues of their own and neighbour-nations,
care not what havoc they make of religion, and of men's lives,
by bloody wars, and cruel persecutions i Destroying many
thousands, and undoing far more thousands of the country-
families where their armies come ; and sacrificing the lives
of the best of their subjects by butcheries or flames! And
what is the pretence for all this? Perhaps they would be
lords of more of the world, and would have larger kingdoms,
or more honour. Perhaps some prince hath spoken a hard
word of them, or done them some wrong. Perhaps some
subjects believe not, as they bid them believe ; or forbear
not to worship God, in a manner which they forbid them.
Perhaps Daniel will not give over praying for a time; or the
apostles will not give over preaching; or the three confes-
sors will not fall down to the golden image ; and so Nebu-
chadnezzar or the other rulers seem despised : and their
wills and honour are an interest that with them seemeth to
warrant all this. But how long will it seem so ? 1 had ra-
ther any friend of mine had the sins of a thief or drunkard, or
the most infamous sinner among us to answer for, than the
sins of a bloody Alexander, Caesar or Tamerlane.
2. The Roman clergy set up inquisitions, force men by
cruelties to submit to their church-keys, whose very nature
is to be used without force ; and they silence, yea, torment
the faithful ministers of Christ, and have murdered thou-
sands of his faithful people, raised rebellions against princes,
and wars in kingdoms : and taught men to hate God's ser-
vants, as heretics, schismatics, rebels, factious, and what
not/ And what pretence must justify all this? Why, the
interest of the pope and clergy : called in ignorance, or craft,
by the name of the Holy Church, Religion, Unity, and such
other honourable names ! But must their church live on
blood, and holy blood ; and be built or preserved by the
destruction of Christ's church? Must their doctrine be
kept up, by silencing faithful ministers ; and their worship
by destroying or undoing the true worshippers of Christ?
248 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVti COMPARED. [Part II.
Are all these precious things which die with love, no better
than to be sacrificed to the clergy's pride and worldly lusts?
3. Among many schismatics and sectaries, that are not
miscalled so, but are such indeed ; their discipline consisteth
in separating from most other Christians, as too bad (and
that is, too unlovely) to be of their communion ; and their
preaching is much to make those seem bad, (that is, un-
lovely) that are not of their way. And their worship is much
such as relisheth of the same envy and strife, to add afflic-
tion or reproaches to their brethren ; or to draw the people
from the love of others unto them : And their ordinary talk
is backbiting others for things that they understand not ;
and reporting any lie that is brought them ; and telling the
hearers something of this minister, or that person, or the
other that is unlovely ; as if Satan had hired them to preach
down love, and prate and pray down love; and all this in
the name of Christ. And the third chapter of James is
harder than Hebrew to them; they do not understand it;
but though they tear it not out of the Bible, they leave it
out of the law in their hearts, as much as the Papists leave
the second commandment out of their books. And it is one
of the marks of a good man among them, to talk against
other parties, and make others odious, to set up them. And
what are the pretences for all this ? Why, Truth and Ho-
liness. 1. Others have not the truth which they have. And
2. Others are not against the same doctrines and ceremo-
nies, and bishops, and church-orders, and ways of worship,
which they are against ; and therefore are ungodly, anti-
christian, or men of no religion.
But Truth seldom dwelleth with the enemies of love and
peace. They that are strangers and enemies to it, indeed,
do often cry it up, and cry down those as enemies to it, that
possess it. The wisdom that hath bitter envying and heart-
strife, is from beneath, and is earthly, sensual and devilish.
I admonish all that care for their salvation, that they set up
nothing upon love-killing terms. If you are Christ's disci-
ples, you are taught of God to love each other, you are
taught it as Christ's last and great commandment ; you are
taught it by the wonderful example of his life ; and espe-
cially (John xiii. 14,) by his washing his disciples' feet. You
are taught it by the Holy Ghost's uniting the hearts of the
disciples, and making them by charity to live as in commu-
Chap. 17.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 249
nity. (Acts iii ; iv.) You are taught it by the effective ope-
ration of the Spirit on your own hearts : the new nature that
is in you, inclineth you to it. And will you now pretend
the necessity of your own interest, reputation, your canons,
and things indifferent; your little church-orders of your own
making, yea, or the positive institutions of Christ himself,
as to the present exercise, against this love? Hath Christ
commanded you any thing before it, except the love of God ?
You say, if such and such men be suffered, this and that
disorder and inconvenience will follow : but is it a greater
thing than love that you would maintain ? Is it a greater
evil than the destruction of love, that you would avoid? Did
not Christ prefer mercy before Sabbath-rest, and before the
avoiding familiarity with sinners ? Pretend nothing against
love, that is not better than love !
Object. ' But what is this to the love of God, which the
text speaketh of?'
Answ. As God is here seen as in a glass, so is he loved.
He that loveth not his brother whom he seeth daily, how
shall he love God, whom he never saw? He that saith he
loveth God, and hateth his brother, is a liar ! What you do
to his brethren you do as to Christ. If you can find as full
a promise of salvation to those that observe your canons,
ceremonies, orders, or are of your opinion and sect, as I can
shew you for them that love Christ and his servants, then
prefer the former before love.
I know that the love and good of church and state and
of many must be preferred before the love and good of few.
But take heed of their hypocrisy that make these also incon-
sistent when they are not ; and make public good and peace
a mere pretence for their persecutions on one side, or their
schisms on the other. Love is so amiable to nature itself,
that few of its enemies oppose it but under pretence of its
own interest and name : it is as in love to the church and to
men's souls that the Inquisition hath murdered so many,
and the laws ' de hereticis comburendis' have been made
and executed. But this burning, hanging, tormenting, and
undoing kind of love, needeth very clear proof to make good
its name and pretences, before impartial men will take it for
love indeed. Whatever good you seem to do, by the detri-
ment of love to God and man, you will find it will not bear
your charges.
250 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
CHAP. XVIII.
Exhort. 4. Bend all your Studies and Labours to the Exercise
and Increase of Love, both of God and Man, and all good
Works.
The greatest, best and sweetest work should have the great-
est diligence. This great commandment must be obeyed
with the greatest care. The work of love must be the work
of our whole life: if you cannot learn to pray and preach, no
nor to follow a worldly trade, without, study and much exer-
cise, how think you to be proficients in the love of God
without them? Do this well, and all is done. O happy
souls that are habituated and daily exercised in tills work :
whose new nature, and life and study, and business, is holy
love.
1 . How Divine, how high and noble is this life ; to live
in a humble friendship with God and all his holy ones ! All
animals naturally love their like, and converse according to
their love : and men as men have as much sociable love to
men as the love of sin and inordinate self-love will allow
them : and they that truly love God and holiness and saints,
do shew that they have some connatural suitableness to
these excellent objects of their love. Nothing more aptly
denominateth any man divine and holy, than divine and
holy love. How else should souls have communion with
God? His common influx all creatures receive: in him
all live, and move, and have their being; but when his love
kindleth in us a reflecting love, this is felicity itself. Yea
it is much nobler than our felicity; for though our felicity
consist in loving God, and being beloved of him, yet it is a
far more excellent thing, by reason that God is the object
of our love, than by reason that it is our felicity: God's
interest advanceth it more than ours : And though they are
not separable, yet being distinguishable, we should love God
far more as God, and perfect goodness in himself, than as he
or this love is our own felicity.
2. This life of love is the true improvement of all God's
doctrines, ordinances, mercies, afflictions, and other provi-
dences whatsoever ! For the use of them all is to lead us up
to holy love, and to help us in the daily exercise of it. What
Chap. 18.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 251
is the Bible else written for, but to teach us to love and to
exercise the fruits of love? What came Christ from heaven
for, but to demonstrate and reveal God's love and loveliness
to man, by reconciling us to God, and freely pardoning all
our sins, and promising us both grace and glory, to shew
us those motives which should kindle love, and to shew ns
that God is most suitable and worthy of our love, and to fill
us with the Spirit of love, which may give us that which he
commandeth us. What is it that we read books for, and
hear sermons for, but to kindle and exercise holy love?
What join we for in the sacred worship of the assemblies,
but that in an united flame of holy love, we might all mount
up in praise to Jehovah? What is the Lord's-day separated
to, but the tidings of love, the sufferings, victories, and
triumphs of our Saviour's love, the tastes and prospects of
God's love to us, and the lively and joyful exercise of ours
to him, and to each other? What use are the sacraments of,
but that being entertained at the most wonderful feast of
love, we should taste its sweetness, and pour out the grate-
ful sense of it in holy thanksgiving and praise, and the exer-
cise of uniting love to one another? W r hat are church
societies or combination for, but the loving communion of
saints? which the primitive Christians expressed by selling
all, and living in a community of love, and steadfastly con-
tinuing in the apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, and break-
ing of bread and prayer? What are all God's mercies for
but that as by love-tokens we should taste that he is love
and good, and should by that taste be inclined to returns of
love? Nay, what are civil societies, but loving communions,
if used according to their natures ? Did they not love each
other, so many bees would never hive and work together,
nor so many pigeons dwell peaceably in one dove-house,
nor fly together in so great flocks. What is the whole
Christian faith for, but the doctrine of holy love believed,
for the kindling and exercise of our love? What is faith
itself but the bellows of love? What is the excellency of
all good works, and gifts and endowments, but to be the
exercises of love to God and man, and the incentives of our
brethren's love ? Without love all these are dead carcases,
and as nothing, and without it we ourselves are as nothing;
yea though we give all that we have to the poor, or give
our bodies like martyrs to be burnt, or could speak with the
252 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Pai't. 1J.
tongue (the orthodoxy and elegancy) of angels, we were but
" as sounding brass, and as a tinkling cymbal." James knew
what he said, when he said that " Faith without works is
dead," because without love it is dead, which those works
are but the body or the fruit of.
3. This life of love is the perfection of man's faculties as
to their intended end and use. As all the operations of the
lower faculties, vegetative and sensitive, are subordinate to
the use and operations of the intellectual part, which is the
higher, so all the acts of the intellect itself, are butsubservient
and dirigent to the will, or love and practice. The understand-
ing is but the eye by which the soul seeth what to love and
choose or refuse, and what to do or to avoid. Love is the
highest act of our highest faculty ; and complacency in the
highest infinite good, is the highest of all the acts of love
This is the state of the soul in its ripeness and mellow sweet-
ness, when it is delightful, embracing its most desired ob-
ject, and is blessed in the fruition of its ultimate end. All
other graces and duties are servants unto this. They are
the parts indeed of the same new creature, but the hands and
feet are not the heart.
4. For love is the very foretaste of heaven; the beginning
of that felicity which shall there be perfect. In heaven all
saints shall be as one ; and all united to their glorious Head,
as he is united to the Father, disparities allowed. (John xvii.
24.) And what more uniteth souls than love? Heaven is a
state of joyful complacence; and what is that but perfect
love ? The heavenly work is perfect obedience and praise :
and what are these but the actions and breath of love ?
5. Therefore they that live this life of love, are fitter to
die, and readier for heaven, than any others. Belief is a
foresight of it; but love is a foretaste: the firstfruits, and
our earnest and pledge. He that loveth God, and Christ,
and angels, and saints, and perfect holiness, and divine
praise, is ready for heaven, as the infant in the womb
is ready for birth, at the fulness of his time : But other
Christians, whose love is true, but little to their fears, and
damped by darkness, and too much love of the body and
this world, do go as it were by untimely birth to heaven;
and those in whom the love of the body is predominant,
come not thither, in that state at all. The God of grace and
glory will meet, that soul with his felicitating embracements,
Chap. IB.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 253
who panteth and breatheth after him by love : and as love is a
kind of union with the heavenly society, the angels who love
us better than we love them, will be ready to convey such souls
to God. As the living dwell not in the graves among the
dead, and the dead are buried from among the living, so holy
souls, who have this life of love, cannot be among the misera-
ble in hell, nor the dead in sin among the blessed.
6. Therefore this life of holy love doth strengthen our
belief itself. Strong reasons that are brought for the im-
mortality of souls, and the future glory, are usually lost upon
unsanctified hearers, yea with the doctors themselves that
use them : When they have persuaded others that there is
a heaven for believers, and that by arguments in themselves
unanswerable, they have not persuaded their own hearts ; but
the predominant love of flesh and earth doth bias their un-
derstandings, and maketh them think that they can con-
fute themselves. Their gust and inclination prevaileth
against belief: and therefore the greatest scholars are not
always the strongest believers. But holy love, when it is
the habit of the soul, as it naturally ascendeth, so it easily
believeth that God, that glory to which it doth ascend. The
gust and experience of such a soul assureth it that it was
made for communion with God, and that even in this life
such communion is obtained in some degree ; and therefore
it easily believeth that it is redeemed for it, and that it shall
perfectly enjoy it in heaven for ever. Though glory be here
but seminally in grace, and this world be but as the womb
of that better world for which we hope, yet the life that is in
the embryo and seed, is a confirming argument of the per-
fection which they tend to. O that men knew what holy
love doth signify and foretell As the seed or embryo of a
man becometh not a beast or serpent; so he that hath the
habitual love of God, and heaven, and holiness is not capa-
ble of hell, no more than the lovers of worldliness and sen-
suality are capable of present communion with God, and of
his glory. God doth not draw men's hearts to himself, nor
kindle heavenly desires in them in vain. He that hath the
Spirit of Christ, hath the witness in himself, that Christ and
his promises of life are true. (1 John v. 10 — 12.) And what
is this Spirit but the habit of divine and heavenly love, and
its concomitants? May I but feel my soul inflamed with
the fervent love of the heavenly perfection, surely it will do
254 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
more to put me quite out of doubt of the certainty of that
blessed state, than all arguments without that love can do,
7. And holy love will be the surest evidence of our sin-
cerity ; which many old writers meant, that called if, ' The
form of faith and other graces :' as means, as means, are in-
formed by their aptitudinal respect unto the end ; so love,
as it is the final act upon God the final object, thus informeth
all subordinate graces and duties as they are means. And
as all morality is subjected in the will as the proper primary
seat, and is in the intellect, executive power, and senses
only by participation, so far as their acts are imperate by
will ; so love and volition being really the same thing, it
may accordingly be said, that nothing is any further accept-
able to God, than it is good ; and nothing is morally good
any further than it is voluntary or willed ; and to be willed
(as good, as end, or as means) and to be loved, are words
that signify the same. No preaching, praying, fasting, &c,
no fear of punishment, no belief of the truth, &c, will prove
us sincere and justified, any further than we can prove, that
all this either cometh from, or is accompanied with love,
that is., with a consenting will. " With the heart man be-
lieveth unto righteousness." (Rom. x.) And, " If thou be-
lieve with all thy heart, thou mayest be baptized," saith
Philip to the Eunuch. (Acts viii.) " My son, give me thy
heart," is Wisdom's invitation. All is nothing without the
heart, that is, without willingness or love. They that love
most are more surely forgiven, and have most holiness or
grace, how unskilful soever they may be in their expressions.
The sealing Spirit of Adoption is the Spirit of love, and the
Abba, Father, and the unexpressed groans of filial love are
understood and acceptable to God. A loving desire after
God and holiness, is a better evidence than the most taking
tongue, or largest knowledge.
8. This life of holy love will make all our religion and
obedience easy to us ; it will give us an alacrity to the per-
formance, and a pleasure in the practice of it ; and so our
obedience will be hearty, willing, and universal. Who is
averse to that which he loveth, unless for something in it
which he hateth? All men go willingly and readily to that
which they truly love. Therefore it is said that the law is
not made for a righteous man ; that is, a man that loveth
piety, temperance and justice, and their several works, so
Chap. 18.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 255
far hath no need of threatening laws and penalties to con-
strain him to it : and he that hateth sin, so far hath no need
of legal penalties to restrain him from it. Thus the law is
said to be " written in our hearts ;" not as it is merely in our
knowledge and memory, but as the matter commanded is
truly loved by us, and the sin forbidden truly hated. Even
our horses will carry us cheerfully that way which they love
to go, and go heavily where they go against their wills.
Win men's love, and the life, and lips, and all (according to
power) will follow it.
9. And such persons therefore are most likely to perse-
vere : men go unweariedly, if they be but able, where they
go with love. Especially such a love which groweth stronger
as it draweth nearer the state of perfection which it loveth ;
and groweth by daily renewed experiences and mercies, as
rivers grow bigger as they draw nearer to the sea. We
easily hold on in that we love; but that which men loathe,
and their hearts are against, they are quickly weary of: and
the weary person will easily be persuaded to lie down. The
root or apostacy is already in those persons, who love not
the end which they pretend to seek, nor the work which they
pretend to do.
10. Lastly, holy love is a pregnant, spreading, fruitful
grace : it kindleth a desire to do good to others, and to draw
men to love the same God, and heaven, and holiness which
we love. It made God's Word to be to Jeremiah as a " burn-
ing fire shut up in his bones, he was weary of forbearing."
(Jer. xx. 9.) As a fire kindleth fire, and is the active princi-
ple of vegetation, as I suppose, so love kindleth love, and is
a kind of generative principle of grace. God's love is the
first cause ; but man's love maketh them meet instruments
of God's love : for love will be often praising the God and
holiness which is loved ; and earnestly desireth that all
others may love and praise the same. The soul is not in-
deed converted, till its love is won to God and goodness : a
man may be terrified into some austerities, superstitions, or
reformations, but he is not further holy than his heart is
won. And as every thing that generateth is apt to produce
its like, so is love, and the words and works of love. And
as love is the heart of holiness, so must it be of all fruitful
preaching and conversation ; whatever the words or actions
are, they are likely no farther to win souls, than they de-
25t) KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. Part II.
monstrate the love of God, and of holiness, and of the
hearers or spectators. As among amorous and vain persons,
strong love, appearing, though by a look or word, doth kin-
dle the like more than all compliments that are known to be
but feigned and affected words ; so usually souls are won to
God, as by the preacher's words and works of love, the
love and loveliness of God in Christ, are more fully made
known.
Quest. ' But how should we reach this excellent life of
holy love, which doth so far excel all knowledge ?'
Answ. I have said so much of this in the first part of my
" Christian Directory," and other writings, that I must heie
say but little of it, lest I be overmuch guilty of repetitions.
Briefly,
Direct. 1. Believe God's goodness to be equal to his
greatness. God's three great primary attributes are coequal,
viz. his power, his wisdom, and his goodness : and then look
up to the heavens, and think how great and powerful is that
God that made and continueth such a frame, as that sun,
and those stars, and those glorious unmeasurable regions
where they are : think what a world of creatures God main*
taineth in life, on this lower orb of earth, both in the seas,
and on the land. And then think, O what is the goodness
which is equal to all this power !
Direct. 2. ' Consider how communicative this Infinite
Goodness is : why else is he called LOVE itself?' Why else
made he all the world ? and why did he make the sun so
glorious ? why else did he animate and beautify the uni-
verse, with the life and ornaments of created goodness ? All
his works shine by the splendour of that excellency which
he hath put upon them ; all are not equal, but all are good,
and their inequality belongeth to the goodness of the uni-
verse. The communicative nature with which God hath en-
dowed all active beings, (and the most noble most) is an
impress of the infinite communicative LOVE. Fire would
communicate its light, heat and motion, to all passive ob-
jects which are capable of receiving it : how pregnant and
fertile is the very earth with plants, flowers and fruits of
wonderful variety, usefulness and beauty ! what plant is not
natured to the propagation of its kind, yea, to a plenteous
multiplication ? How many seeds, which are virtual plants,
doth each of them bring forth at once ; and yet the same
Chap. 18.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 257
plant, with all its offspring, perhaps liveth many years for
further multiplication: so that did not the far greater part
of seeds yearly perish, there must be very many such earths
to receive and propagate them : this earth hath not room for
the hundredth part : To shew us that the active natures even
of vegetatives, do quite exceed in their pregnant communi-
cative activity, the receptive capacity of all passive matter ;
which teacheth us to observe that all created patients are
inconceivably too narrow to receive such communicative in-
fluences, as Infinite pregnant LOVE can communicate, were
there subjects to receive them.
It is wonderful to observe in all sorts of animals, the
same multiplying communicative inclination ; and what use
the God of nature maketh even of sensual LOVE to all gene-
ration ! Uniting and communicative LOVE is in all creatures
the incentive principle of procreation. And what a multitude
of young ones will some one creature procreate, especially
fishes to admiration ! so that if other fishes, with men and
other creatures, did not devour them, all the waters on earth
could not contain them.
Yea, our moral communicativeness also hath the same
indication : He that knoweth much, would fain have others
know the same ; secret knowledge kept to ourselves only
hath its excellent use ; but it satisfieth not the mind, 'nisi
te scire hoc sciat alter,' unless others know that you have
such knowledge, and unless you can make them know what
you know .\Holy souls therefore have a fervent, but a regular
desire, and endeavour by commumicative teaching to make
others wise: but proud, heretical persons, that overvalue
their conceits, have an irregular, fornicating lust of teach-
ing, and adulterously invade the charge of others, presuming
that none can do it so wisely and so well as they. Men
" will compass sea and land to make a proselyte ;" and tares
and weeds are as much inclined to propagation as the wheat.
There is a marvellous desire in the nature of man, to make
others of their own opinion ; and when it is governed by
God's laws, it is greatly beneficial to the world.
And even in affections, as well as knowledge, it is so :
we would have others love those that we love, and hate what
we hate. Though where, by the insufficiency of the narrow
creature, men must lose and want that themselves, which
vol. xv. s
•258 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
they communicate to others, selfishness forbiddeth such
communication.
And doubtless all the creatures in their several ranks,
have some such impresses from the Creator, by which his
transcendent perfections may be somewhat observed. That
God is now so communicative as to give all creatures in the
world, whatever being, motion, life, order, beauty, harmony,
reason, grace, glory, any of them possess, is past all ques-
tion to considering, sober reason. Which tempted Aristotle
to think that the world was eternal, and some Christians to
think that though this present heaven and earth were cre-
ated, as in Genesis i. is said, yet that from eternity some in-
tellectual world at least, if not also corporeal, did flow from
the Creator as an eternal effect of an eternal cause ; or an
eternal accident of the Deity : because they could not re-
ceive it, that a God so unspeakably communicative now
(who hath made the sun to be an emblem of his communi-
cativeness), should from all eternity be solitary and not
communicative, when yet to all eternity he will be so. But
these are questions which incapable mortals were far better
let alone than meddle with, unless we desire rather to be
lost than to be blessed in the abyss of eternity, and the
thoughts of Infinite pregnant LOVE.
But it is so natural for man and every animal to love
that love and goodness which is beneficent, (not only to us,
but to all) rather than a mere self-love, that doth no good
to others, that it must needs conduce much to our love of
God, to consider that " he is good to all, and his mercy is
over all his works ;" and that as there is no light in the air but
from the sun, so there is no goodness but from God in all
the world, who is more to the creation than the sun is to this
lower world. And a sun that lighteth all the earth, is much
more precious than my candle : a Nile which watereth the
land of Egypt, is more precious than a private well ; it is
the excellency of kings and public persons, that if they are
good, they are good to many : and O what innumerable ani-
mals in sea and land, besides the far greater worlds of no-
bler wights do continually love ! Study this Universal, Infi-
nite Love.
Direct. 3. Especially study Divine love and goodness in
the face of our Redeemer Jesus Christ, and all the grace
Chap. 18.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 259
which he hath purchased and conferreth. As we may see
that magnitude of the stars in a telescope, which without it
no eye can discern ; so may we see that glory of the love of
God by the Gospel of Jesus, which all common natural helps
are insufficient to discover to such minds as ours. Love is
the great attribute which Christ came principally to mani-
fest, as was aforesaid. (John iii. 16; 1 John iii. 1, &c.)
And love is the great lesson which he came to teach us ;
and love is the new nature which by his Spirit he giveth us.
And love is the great duty, which by law and gospel he re-
quireth of us. Love hath wrought its miracles in Christ to
the posing of the understandings of men and angels. There
we may see God in the nearest condescending unity witli
man: in Christ we may see the Divine wisdom and word
incorporate in such flesh as ours, conceived in a virgin by
the power of the Spirit of Love ; by which Spirit this incor-
porate Word did live, preach, converse familiarly with man;
work miracles, heal diseases, suffer reproachful calumnies
and death ; rising, triumphing, ascending, interceding,
sending the embassies of love to the world, calling home the
greatest sinners unto God, reconciling enemies, and making
them the adopted sons of God, forgiving all sin to penitent
believers, quickening dead souls, illuminating the blind, and
sanctifying the wicked by the Spirit of life, and light, and
love ; and making it his office, his work, his delight and glory,
to rescue the miserable captives of the devil, and to make
heirs of heaven of those that were condemned to hell, and
had forsaken life in forsaking God. As this is shining, burn-
ing love, so it is approaching and self-applying love ; which
cometh so near us, in ways and benefits so necessary to us,
and so exceeding congruous to our case, as that it is easier
for us to perceive and feel it, than we can do things of
greater distance. The clearer the eye of faith is, by which
we look into this mysterious glass, the more the wonders of
love will be perceived in it. He never knew Christ, nor un-
derstood the Gospel, that wondered not at redeeming, saving
love ; nor did he ever learn of Christ indeed, that hath not
learned the lesson, work and life of love.
Direct. 4. Keep as full records as you can of the parti-
cular mercies of God to yourselves ; and frequently peruse
them, and plead them with your frozen hearts.
These are not the chief reasons of Christian love ; be-
260 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
cause we are such poor inconsiderable worms, that to do
good to one of us, is a far smaller matter, than many things
else that we have to think of for that end. But yet when
love doth choose a particular person for its object, and there
bestow its obliging gifts, it helpeth that person far more
than others to returns of thankfulness and love : it is that
place, that glass which the sun doth shine upon, doth reflect
its beams, rather than those that are shut up in darkness.
Self-love may and must be regulated and sanctified, to the
furthering of higher love. It is not unmeet to say with Da-
vid, (Psal. cxvi. 1,) " I love the Lord, because he hath heard
the voice of my supplication." We should say as heartily,
I love the Lord because he hath prospered, recovered, com-
forted my neighbour : but this is not all so easy as the other.
And where God by personal application maketh our greatest
duty easy, we should use his helps.
Object. ' But if it be selfishness as some tell us, to love
one that loveth us, better than another of equal worth, who
doth not love us, is it not selfishness to love God on so low
an account as loving us? God may say well, " I love those
that love me," (Prov. viii. 17,) because to love him is
highest virtue, but to love us is as inconsiderable as we are.
Answ. 1. You may love another the more for loving you,
on several accounts. 1. As it is a duty which God require th
him to perform (but so you must love him equally for loving
others also). 2. As he rendereth himself more congruous
and obliging to you, by choosing you for the special object
of his love, by which he taketh the advantage of your natu-
ral self-love, to make your love to him both due and easy,
as it is said of the reflection of the sun-beams before.
2. But two things you must take heed of, 1. That you
undervalue not your neighbour's good, but love another
for loving your neighbours also, and doing them good ; and
he that arriveth at that impartial unity as to make the small-
est difference between his neighbour and himself, doth seem
to me to be arrived at the state that is most like theirs that
are one in heaven. 2. And you must not over-love any
man by a fond partiality for his love to you; as if that made
a bad man good, or fitter for your love : they that can love
the worst that love them, and cannot love the best that
set light by them (deservedly, or upon mistake), do shew
that self-love overcometh the love of God. But God can-
Chap. 18.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. *26l
not be loved too much, though he may be loved too selfishly
and carnally. His greatest amiableness is his essential good-
ness and infinite perfection : the next is his glory shining in
the universe, and so in the heavenly society, especially
Christ and all his holy ones ; and so in the public blessings
of the world, and all societies. And next his goodness to
yourselves, not only as parts of the said societies, but as
persons, whose natures are formed by God himself, to a ca-
pacity of receiving and reflecting love.
Who findeth not by experience that God is most loved,
when we are most sensible of his former love to us, in the
thankful review of all his mercies, and most assured or per-
suaded of his future love in our salvation? Therefore make
the renewed commemoration of God's mercies, the incentives
of your love.
Direct. 5. ' But yet could you get a greater union and
communion not only with saints as saints, but with mankind
as men, it would greatly help you in your love to God : for
when you love your neighbours as yourselves, you would
love God for your neighbour's mercies, as well as for your
own. And if you feel that God's love and special mercies
to one person, even yourselves, can do so much in causing
your love, what would your love amount to, if thousand
thousands of persons to whom God sheweth mercy, were
every one to you as yourselves, and all their mercies as your
own ? Thus graces mutually help each other. We love man,
because we love God ; and we love God the more for our
love to man.
Direct. 6. Especially dwell by faith in heaven where love
is perfect, and there you will learn more of the work of love.
To think believingly that mutual love is heaven itself, and
that this is our union with God, and Christ, and all the holy
ones, and that love will be an everlasting employment, plea-
sure and felicity, this will breed in us a desire to begin that
happy life on earth. And as he that heareth excellent mu-
sic will long to draw near, and join in the concert or the
pleasure; so he that by faith doth dwell much in heaven,
and hear how angels and blessed souls do there praise God
in the highest fervours of rejoicing love, will be inclined to
imitate them, and long to partake of their felicity.
Direct. 7. Exercise that measure of love which you have
in the constant praises of the God of love. For exercise ex-
26*2 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part. II.
citeth, and naturally tendeth to increase, and praise is the
duty in which pure love to God above ourselves and all,
even as good and perfect in himself, is exercised. As love
is the highest grace, or inward duty ; so is praise the highest
outward duty, when God is praised both by tongue and life.
And as soul and body make one man, of whose existence
generation is the cause ; so love and praise, of mouth and
works, do make one saint, who is regenerated such by be-
lieving in the Redeemer, who hath power to give the Spirit of
holiness to whom he pleaseth. But of this more afterwards.
Di?'ect. 8. Exercise your love to man, especially to saints,
in doing them all the good you can ; and that for what of
God is in them. For as this is the fruit of the love of God,
and the evidence of it ; so doth it tend to the increase of its
cause : partly as it is an exercise of it, and partly as it is a
duty which God hath promised to reward. As it is the Spi-
rit of Christ, even of adoption, which worketh both the love
of our Father, and our brethren in us ; so God will bless
those that exercise love, especially at the dearest rates, and
with the fullest devotedness of all to God, with the larger
measures of the same Spirit.
CHAP. XIX.
Exhort. 5. Place your Comforts in Health and Sickness in
Mutual Divine love. 2. See that you sincerely love God.
How knotvn ? Doubts answered.
It is of the greatest importance to all mankind, to know
what is best for them, and in what they should place and
seek their comforts : to place them most with the proud, in
the applauding thoughts or words of others, that magnify
them for their wit, their beauty, their wealth, or their pomp
and power in the world, is to choose somewhat less than a
shadow for felicity, and to live on the air, even an uncon-
stant air. And will such a life be long or happy? Should
not a man in misery rather take it for a stinging, deriding
mockery or abuse, to be honoured and praised for that which
he hath not, or for that which is his snare, or consisteth with
his calamity ? Would not a malefactor at the gallows take
it for his reproach to hear an oration of his happiness ? Will
Chap. 19.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 263
it comfort them in hell to be praised on earth? This com-
mon reason may easily call, an empty vanity.
To place our comforts in the delights of sensuality, had
somewhat a fairer show of reason, if reason were made for no-
thing better; andif these were the noblesortof pleasures that
advanced man above the brutes ; and if they would continue
for ever, and the end of such mirth were not heaviness and
repentance, and they did not deprave and deceive men's souls,
and leave behind them disappointment and a sting. But he
is unworthy the honour and pleasures of humanity, who pre-
ferreth the pleasures of a beast, when he may have better.
To place our comforts in those riches which do but serve
this sensuality with provisions, and leave posterity in as vain
and dangerous a state as their progenitors were, is but the
foresaid folly aggravated.
To place them in domination, and having our wills on
others, and being able to do hurt, and exercise revenge, is
but to account the devils happier than men, and to desire to
be as the wolf among the sheep, or as the kite among the
chickens, or as the great dogs among the little ones.
To place them in much knowledge of arts and sciences,
as they concern only the interests of the body in this life ;
or as knowledge is but the delight of the natural fantasy or
mind, doth seem a little finer, and sublime, and manly; but
it is of the same nature and vanity as the rest. For all know-
ledge is for the guidance of the will and practice ; and there-
fore mere knowing matters that tend to pride, sensuality,
wealth, or domination, is less than the enjoyment of sensual
pleasures in the things themselves. And the contemplation
of superior creatures, which hath no other end than the de-
light of knowing, is but a more refined sort of vanity, and
like the mind's activity in a dream.
But whether it be the knowledge or the love of God,
that man should place his highest felicity in, is become
among the schoolmen and some other divines, a controversy
that seemeth somewhat hard. But indeed to a considering
man, the seeming difficulty may be easily overcome : the
understanding and will and executive activity, are not seve-
ral souls, but several faculties of one soul ; and their objects
and order of operation easily tell us, which is the first, and
which the last which tendeth to the other as its end, and
which object is the most delightful and most felicitating to
264 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
the man, viz. That truth is for goodness, and that good as
good is the amiable, delectable and felicitating object; and
therefore that the intellect is the guide of the will, and faith
and knowledge are for love and its delight. And yet that
man's felicity is in both, and not one alone, as one faculty
alone is not the whole soul, though it be the whole soul that
acteth upon that faculty. Therefore the latter schoolmen
have many of them well confuted Aquinas in this point.
And it is of great importance to our Christian practice.
As the desire of more knowledge first corrupted our nature,
so corrupted nature, is much more easily drawn to seek after
knowledge than after love. Many men are bookish that
cannot endure to be saints : many men spend their lives in
the studies of nature and theology, and delight to find in-
crease of knowledge, who are strangers to the sanctifying,
uniting, delightful exercise of holy love. Appetite is the
' pondus' or first spring of our moral actions, yea and of our
natural, though the sense and intellect intromit or illuminate
the object. And the first act of natural appetite, sensitive
and intellectual, is necessitated. And accordingly the appe-
tite as pleased is as much the end of our acts and objects,
as the appetite as desiring is the beginning : even as (' si
parvis magna,' &c.) God's will as efficient is the absolutely
first cause, and his will as done and pleased is the ultimate
end of all things. It is love by which man cleaveth unto
God as good, and as our ultimate end. Love ever supposeth
knowledge ; and is its end and perfection. Neither alone,
but both together are man's highest state ; knowledge as
discerning what is to be loved, and love as our uniting and
delighting adherence to it.
1. Labour therefore with all your industry, to know
God that you may love him ; it is that love that must be
your comforting grace, both by signification, and by its
proper effective exercise. 1. True love will prove that your
knowledge and faith are true and saving, which you will
never be sure of, without the evidence of this and the con-
sequent effects. If your expressive art or gifts be never so
low, so that you scarcely know what to say to God or man,
yet if you so far know God as sincerely to love him, it is
certainly true saving knowledge, and that which is the be-
ginning of eternal life. Knowledge, belief, repentance, hu-
mility meekness, patience, zeal, diligence, &c. are so far and
Chap. 19.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 265
no further sure marks of salvation, as they cause or prove
true love to God and man, predominant. It is a hard thing
any otherwise to know whether our knowledge, repentance,
patience, zeal, or any of the rest be any better than what an
unjustified person may attain: But if you can find that they
cause or come from, or accompany a sincere love of God,
you may be sure that they all partake of sincerity, and are
certain signs of a justified soul. It is hard to know what
sins for number, or nature, or magnitude, are such as may
or may not consist with a state of saving grace. He that
considereth of the sins of Lot, David, Solomon, and Peter,
will find the case exceeding difficult : But this much is sure,
that so much sin may consist with a justified state, as may
consist with sincere love to God and goodness. While a
man truly loveth God above all, his sin may cause correction
but not damnation ; unless it could extinguish or overcome
this love. Some question whether that the sin of Lot or
David, for the present stood with j ustification : If it excussed
not predominant habitual love, it intercepteth not justifi-
cation : If we could tell whether any or many heathens that
hear not of Christ, have the true love of God and holiness,
we might know whether they are saved.
The reason is, because that the will is the man in God's
account ; and as voluntariness is essential to sin, so a holy
will doth prove a holy person. God hath the heart of him
that loveth him. He that loveth him would fain please him,
glorify him, and enjoy him: and he that loveth holiness
would fain live a holy life.
Therefore it is that divines say here, that desire of grace
is a certain sign of grace, because it is an act of will and
love. And it is true, if that desire be greater or more power-
ful than our averseness, and than our desire after contrary
things, that so it may put us on our necessary duty, and
overcome the lusts and temptations which oppose them :
though cold wishes which are conquered by greater unwil-
lingness and prevailing lusts, will never save men.
2. And as love is our more comforting evidence, so it is
our most comforting exercise. Those acts of religion which
come short of this, come short of the proper life and sweet-
ness of true religion. They are but either lightnings in the
brain that have no heat ; or a feverish zeal, which destroy-
ed! or troubleth, but doth not perform the acts of life ; or else
266 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
even where love is true, but little, and oppressed by fears,
and grief and]trouble ; it is like fire in green wood, or like
young green fruits, which is not come to mellow ripeness.
Love of vanity is disappointing, unsatisfactory and torment-
ing : most of the calamities of this life proceed from creature-
love. The greatest tormentor in this world, is the inordinate
love of life; and the next, is the love of pleasures and ac-
commodations of life : which cause so much care to get and
keep, and so much fear of losing, and grief for our losses,
especially fear of dying; that were it not for this, our lives
would be much easier to us (as they are to the fearless sort
of brutes). And the next tormenting affection is the love
of children, which prepareth men for all the calamity that
followeth their miscarriages in soul and body : their unna-
tural ingratitude, their lewdness and debauchery, and pro-
digality, their folly and impiety would nothing so much tor-
ment us, were they no more loved than other men. And our
dearest friends do usually cost us much dearer than our
sharpest enemies. But the love of God and satisfying
everlasting good, is our very life, our pleasure, our heaven
on earth. As it is purest and highest, above all other be-
cause of the object, so is it yet more pleasant and content-
ing ; because it includeth the hopes of more, even of those
greater delights of heavenly, everlasting love, which, as a
pledge and earnest, it doth presignify. As in nature, con-
ception and the stirring of the child in the womb, do signify
that same life is begun, which must shortly appear and be
exercised in the open world; so the stirrings of holy love
and desires towards God, do signify the beginning of the
heavenly life.
Humility and patience, and diligent obedience, do com-
fort us by way of evidence, and as removing many hindrances
of our comfort; and somewhat further, they go. But faith,
hope, and love, do comfort us by way of direct efficiency :
faith seeth the matter of our joy ; love first tasteth it, so far
as to stir up desires after it ; then hope giveth some pleasure
to us in expecting it. And lastly complacential love delight-
fully embraceth it, and is our very joy itself, and is that
blessed union with God and holy souls, the amiable objects
of true love, which is our felicity itself. To work out our
comforts by the view of evidences and signs, is a necessary
thing indeed: but it requireth a considerate search, by an
Chap. 19.J TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 267
understanding and composed mind ; and it is often much
hindered and interrupted by men's ignorance of themselves,
and weakness of grace, and darkness or smallness of evi-
dence, and divers passions, especially fear ; (which in some
is so tyrannical, that it will not suffer them to believe or
feel any thing that is comfortable.) But love taketh in the
sweetness of that good which is its object, by a nearer and
effectual way, even by immediate taste : As we feel in the
exercise of our love to a dear friend, or any thing that is
amiable and enjoyed.
The readiest and surest way, therefore, to a contented
and comfortable life, is, (to keep clear indeed our evidence,
especially sincere obedience, but) especially to bend all our
studies and religious endeavours, to the kindling and exer-
cise of holy love ; and to avoid all (though it may come on
religious pretence of humiliation or fear,) which tendeth to
quench or hinder it.
I. In health and prosperity, as you live upon God's love,
be sure that you do not atheistically overlook it, but take all
as from it, and savouring of it. The hand of Divine love
perfumeth each mercy with the pleasant odour of itself,
which it reacheth to us : every bit that we eat is a love-
token; and every hour or minute that we live : all our health,
wealth, friends and peace are the streams which still flow
from the spring of unexhausted love. Love shineth upon us
by the sun ; love maketh our land fruitful, our cattle useful,
our habitations convenient for us, our garments warm, our
food pleasant and nourishing : Lovekeepeth us from a thou-
sand unknown dangers night and day; it giveth us the com-
forts of our callings, our company, our books, our lawful
recreations : it blesseth means of knowledge to our under-
standings, and means of holiness to our will, and means of
health and strength to our bodies. Mercies are sanctified
to us, when we taste God's love in them, and love him- for
them, and are led up by them to himself; and so love him
ultimately for himself, even for his infinite essential good-
ness. As God is the efficient life of our mercies, and all the
world (without his love, could never give us what we have ;
so is God's love the objective life of all our mercies, and love
them but as such, if we love not in them the love that giveth
them.
II. And even in adversity, and pain, and sickness, whilst
268 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
God's love is unchanged, and is but changing the way of
doing good, our thoughts of it should be unchanged also.
We must not think that the sun is lost when it is set, or
clouded : we live by its influence in the night, though we see
not its light, unless as reflected from the moon. Our mothers
brought us into the world in sorrow; and yet they justly
accounted it a mercy that we were born: our lives are spent
in the midst of sorrows, and yet it is a mercy that we live ;
and though we die by dolour, all is still mercy to believers,
which faith perceiveth contrary to sense. And here is the
greatest and final victory which faith obtaineth against the
flesh, to believe even the ruin of it to be for our oood. Even
Antonine the emperor could say, that it was the same good
God, who is the cause of our birth and of our death ; one as
well as the other is his work, and therefore good : it was not
a tyrant that made us, and it is not a tyrant that dissolveth
us. And that is the best man, and the best will, which is
most pleased with the will of God, because it is his will.
Yet just self-love is here a true coadjutor of our joy ; for it
is the will of God, that the justified be glorified : and Infinite
Love is saving us, when it seemeth to destroy us.
To live upon the comforts of Divine love in sickness, and
when death approacheth ; is a sign that it is not the welfare
of the body that we most esteem; and that we rejoice not
in God only as the preserver and prosperer of our flesh, but
for himself and the blessings of immortality.
It is a mercy indeed, which a dying man must with
thankfulness acknowledge, if God have given him a clear
understanding of the excellent mysteries of salvation. Know-
ledge, as it kindleth and promoteth love, is a precious gift
of grace, and is with pleasure exercised, and may with plea-
sure be acknowledged. But all other knowledge is like the
vanities of this world, which approaching death doth take
down our esteem of, and causeth us to number it with other
forsaking and forsaken things. All the unsanctified learn-
ing and knowledge in the world, will afford no solid peace
at death ; but rather aggravate nature's sorrows, to think
that this also must be left. But love and its comforts, if not
hindered by ignorance or some strong temptation, do then
shew their immortal nature: and even here we feel the words
of the apostle verified, of the vanishing nature of knowledge,
and the perpetuity of holy love ; whilst all our learning and
Chap. 19.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 269
knowledge will not give so much comfort to a dying man, as
one act of true love to God, and holiness kindled in us by
the communion of his love. Make it therefore the work of
your religion and the work of your whole lives, to possess
your minds with the liveliest sense of the infinite goodness
and amiableness of God, and hereby to live in the constant
exercise of love.
III. And though some men hinder love, by an over-fear-
ful questioning whether they have it, or not; and spend
their time in doubting and complaining that they have it
not, which they should spend in exciting and exercising it ;
yet reason requireth us to take heed lest a carnal mind de-
ceive us with any counterfeits of holy love. Of which I
having written more in my " Christian Directory," I shall
here give you but these brief instructions following.
It is here of grand importance, I. To have a true concep-
tion of God as he must be loved. II. And then to know prac-
tically how it is that love must be exercised towards him.
I. GOD must be conceived at once, both 1. As in his
essence. 2. And as in his relations to the world, and to
ourselves. 3. And as in his works. And those that will
separate these, and while they fix only on one of them, leave
out the other, do not indeed love God as God, and as he
must be loved.
1. To think in general, that there is an Infinite Eternal
Spirit of Life, Light and Love ; and not to think of him as
related to the world as its Creator, Preserver, and Governor ;
nor as related to us and to mankind as our Owner, Ruler and
Benefactor ; is not to think of him as a God to us, or to any
but himself: and a love thus exercised, cannot be true
saving love.
2. And because his relations to us result from his works,
either which he hath done already, or which he will do here-
after ; therefore without the knowledge of his works, and
their goodness, we cannot truly know and love God in his
relations to us.
3. And yet when we know his works, we know but the
medium, or that in which he himself is made known to us :
and if by them we come not to know him, and to love him
in his perfect essence ; it is not God that we know and love.
And if we knew him only as related to us and the world, (as
thathe is our Creator, Owner, Mover, Ruler and Benefactor ;)
270 KNOWLEDGE AM) LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
and yet know not what he is in his essence, that is thus re-
lated ; (viz. that he is the Perfect, First Being, Life, Wis-
dom and Love ;) this were not truly to know and love him
as he is God. These conceptions therefore must be conjunct.
God is nothere known to us, but by the revelation of his
works and word ; nor can we conceive of him, but by the simi-
litude of some of his works. Not that we must think that he is
just such as they, or picture him like a creature; for he is in-
finitely above them all : but yet it is certain that he hath made
some impressions of his perfections upon his works ; and on
some of them so clear, as that they are called his image.
Nothing is known to us, but either, 1. By sense immedi-
ately perceiving things external, and representing them to the
fantasy and intellect. Or, 2. By the intellect's own conceiving
of other things by the similitude of things sensed. 3. Or by im-
mediate internal intuition or sensation of the acts of the soul in
itself. 4. Or by reason's collection of the nature of other things,
from the similitude and effect of such perceived operations.
I. By the external senses we perceive all external sensed
things, and we imagine and know them as so perceived.
II. By the intellection of these, we conceive of other
things as like them ; forming universal conceptions, and ap-
plying them to such individuals as are beyond the reach of
our senses. (As we think of men, trees, beasts, fishes, &c,
in the Indies, as like those which we have seen ; and of
sounds there, as like those which we have heard ; and of
the taste of fruits, by the similitude of such as we have
tasted, 8cc.)
III. How sense itself, intellection itself, volition itself,
and internal affections are perceived, is no small contro-
versy among philosophers. That we do perceive them, by
the great wisdom end goodness of our Creator, we are sure ;
but how we do it, we can scarcely describe; as knowing it
better by the experience of that perception itself, than by a
knowledge of the causes, and nature of the acts. It is most
commonly said, that the intellect knoweth its own acts by
reflection, or, as Ockham, by intuition : and that it knoweth
what sense is, and what volition, by some species or image
of them in the fantasy which it beholdeth. But such words
give no man a true knowledge of the thing inquired of, un-
less withal he read the solution experimentally in his own
soul. I know not what the meaning of a reflect act is : is it
Chap. 19.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 271
the same act which is called direct and reflect? and doth
the intellect know, that it knoweth by the very same act, by
which it knoweth other things ? If so, why is it called re-
flect ; and what is that reflection ? But the contrary is com-
monly said, that divers objects make divers acts ; and there-
fore to know e.g. that this is paper, and to know that I know
this, are two acts, and the latter is a reflecting of the former.
But the former act is gone, and nothing in the instant that
it is done ; and therefore is in itself no intelligible object of
a reflecting act: But, as remembered, it may be known; or
rather, that remembering is knowing what is past, by a mar-
vellous retention of some impress of it, which no man can
well comprehend, so as to give an account of it. And why
may not the same memory, which retaineth the unexpressi-
ble record of an act past an hour or many years ago, be also
the book where the intellect readeth its own act as past im-
mediately in the foregoing instance ? But surely this is not
the first knowing that we know. Before the act of memory,
the intellect immediately perceiveth its own particular acts ;
and so doth the sense. By one and the same act, we see,
and perceive that we see ; and by one and the same act, I
think, we know, and know that we know ; and this by a
consciousness or internal sense, which is the immediate act
of the essence of the faculty : and choose whether you will
say that such two objects may constitute one act; or whe-
ther you will say, that the latter (the act itself) is not pro-
perly to be called an object. For the various senses of the
word object, must be considered in the decision of that.
Man's soul is God's image: when God knoweth himself and
his own knowledge, and when he willeth or loveth himself
and his own will or love ; here we must either say, that him-
self, his knowledge and will, is not properly to be called an
object; or else that the object and the act are purely the
same, without the least real difference ; but we name them
differently, as inadequate conceptions of one being: and
why may it not be so in a lower sort in the soul that is God's
image? that is, that the understanding's most internal act,
viz. the knowing or perceiving when it knoweth any thing
that it knoweth. It is not really compounded of an act and
an object (as the knowledge of distinct objects is); but that
either its act is not properly to be called its object, or that
272 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED, [Part II.
act and object are not two things, but two inadequate con-
ceptions of one thing.
And how doth the soul perceive its own volitions ? To
say that volitions, which are acts of the intellectual soul,
must be sensate, and so make a species on the fantasy, as
sensate things do, and be known only in that species, is to
bring down the higher faculty, and subordinate it to the
lower, that it may be intelligible ; while it is certain that we
shall never here perfectly understand the solution of these
difficulties, is it not pardonable, among other men's con-
jectures, to say, that the noble faculty of sense (because
brutes have it) is usually too basely described by philoso-
phers? And that intellection and volition in the rational
soul are a superior, eminent sort of sensation, transcending
that of brutes ; and that ' intelligere et velle' are 'eminenter
sentire ;' and that the intellect doth by understanding other
things eminently see or sense, and so understand that it un-
derstandeth: and that the will doth by willing feel that it
willeth : when I consult my experience, I must either say
thus, or else that intellection and volition so immediately
ever move the internal sense, that they are known by us
only as acts compounded with that sense.
But I am gone too far before I was aware.
IV. The soul thus knowing or feeling its own acts, doth
in the next place rationally gather, 1. That it hath power to
perform them, and is a substance so empowered. 2. That
there are other such substances with the like acts. 3. And
there is one prime transcendent substance, which is the
cause of all the rest which hath infinitely nobler acts than
ours.
And thus sense and reason concur to our knowledge of
God, by shewing us, and perceiving that image in which by
similitude we must know him. The fiery, ethereal or solar
nature is (at least) the similitude of spirits : and by conde-
scending similitude, God in Scripture is called LIGHT, and
the FATHER of LIGHTS, in whom is no darkness, allow-
ing and inviting us to think of his glory by the similitude of
the sun or light. But intellectual spirits are the highest
nature known to us, and these we know intimately by most
near perception ; by the similitude of these therefore we
must conceive of God.
Cliap. 19. j TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 273
A soul is a self-moving life or vital substance, actuating
the body to which it is united. God is super-eminently
essential life, perfect in himself, as living infinitely and
eternally, and giving being to all that is, and motion to all
that moveth, and life to all thatliveth.
A reasonable soul is essentially an understanding power :
and God is super-eminently an infinite understanding, know-
ing himself and all things perfectly.
A reasonable soul is essentially a rational appetite or
will, necessarily loving himself, and all that is apprehended
every way, and congruously good. God is super-eminently
an infinite will or love, necessarily loving himself; and his
own image, which yet he freely made by communicative
love.
All things that were made by this Infinite Goodness, were
made good and very good. All his works of creation and
providence (however misconceived of by sinners) are still very
good. All the good of the whole creation is as the heat of
this Infinite, Eternal Fire of Love. And having made the
world good, in the good of nature, and the good of order,
and the good of mutual love, he doth by his continual influx
maintain and perfect it. His power moveth, his wisdom
governeth,and his love felicitateth. And man he moveth as
man, he ruleth him by moral laws as man ; and he is his
perfect lover, and perfect amiable object and end. As our
Creator making us in this natural capacity and relation ; as
our Redeemer restoring and advancing us to blessed union
with himself; and as our Sanctifier and Glorifier preparing
us for, and bringing us to celestial perfection. And thus
must God be conceived of that we may love him: and false
and defective conceptions of him are the great impediments
of our love : and we love him so little, (much) because we
so little know him : and therefore it is not the true know-
ledge of God, which Paul here maketh a competitor with
love.
II. And as we know God by ascending from his works
and image, in the same order must our love ascend. The
first acts of it will be towards God in his works, and the
next will be towards God in his relation to us, and the
highest towards God as essentially perfect and amiable in
himself.
vol. xv. T
274 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
I will therefore now apply this to the soul that feareth
lest he love not God, because he perceiveth not himself
either to know or love him immediately in the perfection of
his essence.
1. Do you truly love the image of God on the soul of
man ; that is a heavenly life, and light, and love? Do you
not only from bare conviction commend, but truly love a
soul devoted to God, full of his love, and living in obedi-
ence to his laws, and doing good to others according to his
power? This is to love God in his image? God is infinite
power, wisdom and goodness, or love: to love true wisdom
and goodness as such, is to love God in his works.
Especially with these two qualifications ; 1. Do you love
to have wisdom and goodness, and love as universal as is
possible? Do you long to have families, cities, kingdoms,
and all the world, made truly holy, wise, and united in love
to one another? The most universal wisdom and goodness
is most like to God ; and to love this is to love God in his
image.
2. Do you love wisdom and goodness in yourselves, and
not in others only ? Do you long to be most like to God
in your capacity, and more near him and united to him?
that is, do you long to know him, and his will more clearly,
and to enjoy a holy communion with him, and his holy ones
in the fullest mutual love, (loving and being beloved) and to
delight your souls in his joyful praises, in the communion
of saints? This is certainly the love of God. Our union is
by love : he that would be united to God and his saints in
Jesus Christ, that would fain know him more, and love him
better, and praise and obey him joyfully in perfection, doth
undoubtedly love him.
And here I would earnestly caution you against two
common deceits of men by counterfeit love. I. Some think
that they love God savingly, because they love him as the
God of nature, and cause of all the natural being, order and
goodness which is in the whole frame of heaven and earth ;
this is to love somewhat of God, or to love him 'secundum
quid,' in one respect: but if they love him not also as he is
the Wise and Holy, and Righteous Ruler of mankind, and
as he requireth us to be holy, and would make us holy, and
love not to please his governing will, they love him not as
Chap. 19.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 27-5
God with a saving love. I have elsewhere mentioned the
saying of Adrian (after Pope) in his Quodlib. that an un-
holy person may not only love God, as he is the glorious
cause of the world and natural good, but may rather choose
to be himself annihilated, and be no man, than that there
should be no God, were it a thing that could be made the
matter of his choice: and indeed I dare not say that every
man is holy, who had rather be annihilated than one king-
dom should be annihilated, when many heathens would die
to save their country or their prince; much less dare I say
that all shall be saved that had rather be annihilated than
there should be no world, or be no God : but, saith the
aforesaid schoolman, it is the love of God as our Holy Go-
vernor, and a love of his holy will, and of our conformity
thereto, that is saving love.
II. And I fear that no small number do deceive them-
selves in thinking that they love holiness, as the image of
God in themselves and others, when they understand not
truly what holiness is, but take something for it that is not
it. Holiness is this uniting love to God and man, and a de-
sire of more perfect union! To love holiness, is to love this
love itself; to love all of God that is in the world, and to
desire that all men may be united in holy love to God and
one another, and live in his praise, and the obedience of his
will. But I fear too many take up some opinions that are
stricter than other men's, and .call some things sin which
others do not, and get a high esteem of some particular
church order, and form or manner of worshipping God, which
is not the essence or holiness, and then they take themselves
for a holy people, and other men for profane and loose, and
so they love their own societies, for this which they mistake
for holiness ; and instead of that uniting love which is holi-
ness indeed, they grow into a factious enmity to others, re-
proaching them and rejoicing in their hurt, as taking them
for the enemies of God.
2. And as God must be loved in his image on his ser-
vants, so must he in his image on his Word. Do you love
the holy laws of God, as they express that holy wisdom
and love, which is his perfection ? Do you love them as they
would rule the world in holiness, and bring mankind to true
wisdom and mutual love? Do you love this Word as it
would make you wise and holy ; and therefore love it most
276 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
when you use it most, in reading, hearing, meditation and
practice. Surely to love the wisdom and holiness of God's
laws and promises, is to love God in his image there im-
printed, even in that glass where he hath purposely shewed
us that of himself which we must love.
3. But no where is God's image so refulgent to us, as in
his Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ: in him therefore must
God be loved : though we never saw him, yet what he was,
even the holy Son of God, separate from sinners, the Gospel
doth make known to us : as also what wondrous love he
hath manifested to lost mankind : in him are all the trea-
sures of wisdom and goodness : both an example, and a doc-
trine, and a law of wisdom, holiness and peace, he hath
given to the world : In this Gospel faith seeth him, yea,
seeth him as now glorified in heaven, and made Head over
all things to the Church ; the King of Love, the great High
Priest of Love, the Teacher of Love, and the express Image
of the Father's person: Are the thoughts of this glorious
image of God now pleasing to you, and is the wisdom, ho-
liness, and love of Christ now amiable to you in believing?
If so, you love God in his blessed Son. And as he that
hath seen the Son hath seen the Father, so he that loveth
the Son, loveth the Father also.
4. Yet further, the glory of God will shine most clearly
in the celestial glorified Church, containing Christ and all
the blessed angels and saints, who shall forever see the glory
of God, and love, obey and praise him, in perfect unity, har-
mony and fervency ! You see not this heavenly society and
glory, but the Gospel revealeth it, and faith believeth it :
doth not this blessed society, and their holy work seem to
you the most lovely in all the world? Is it not pleasing to
you to think in what perfect joy and concord they love and
magnify God, without all sinful ignorance, disaffection, dull-
ness, discord, or any other culpable imperfection? I ask not
only, whether your opinion will make you say that this so-
ciety and state is best; but whether you do not so really
esteem it as that it hath the pleasing desires of your souls ?
Would you not fain be one of them, and be united to them,
and join in their perfect love and praise? If so, this is to
love God in that most glorious appearance where he will
shew forth himself to man to be beloved.
But here true believers may be stopped with doubting, be-
Chap. 19.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 277
cause they are unwilling to die, and till we die this glory is
not seen. But it is one thing to love heaven and God there
manifested ; and another thing to love death which standeth
in the way. Nature teacheth us to loathe death as death,
and to desire, if it might be, that this cup might pass by us.
Though faith make it less dreadful, because of the blessed
state that followeth : but he that loveth not blood-letting, or
physic, may love health. It is not death, but God and the
heavenly perfection in glory which we are called to love.
What if you could come to this glory without dying, as
Enoch and Ellas did, would you not be willing to go thither?
5. And he that loveth God in all these his appearances
to man, in his works and image on his saints, in the wisdom,
holiness and goodness of his word, in the wisdom, love and
holiness of his Son, and in the perfection of his glory in
the heavenly society, doth certainly also love him in the
highest respect, even as he is himself that blessed Essence,
that perfect Greatness, Wisdom and Goodness, or Life, Light
and Love which is the beginning and end of all things, and
the most amiable object of all illuminated minds, and of
every sanctified will, and of all our harmonious praise for
ever. For whatever become of that dispute, whether we
shall see God's essence in itself, as distinct from all created
glory, (the word seeing being here ambiguous) it is sure
that we can even now have abstracting thoughts of the
essence of God as distinct from all creatures, and our know-
ledge of him then will be far more perfect.
It should be more pleasant to every believer to think that
God is; even that such a perfect glorious being is existent:
as if we heard of one man in another land, whom we were
never likely to see, who in wisdom, love, and all perfections
excelled all men that ever were in the world, the thoughts
of that man would be pleasing to us, and we should love
him because he is amiable in his excellency. And so doth
the holy soul when it thinketh of the infinite amiableness
of God.
6. But the highest love of the soul to God, is in taking
in all his amiableness together, and when we think of him as
related to ourselves, as our Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier
and Glorifier, and as related to all his Church, and to all the
world, as the cause and end of all that is amiable; and
when we think of all those amiable works which these rela-
278 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
tions do respect, his creation and conservation of the whole
world, his redemption of mankind, his sanctifying and glo-
rifying of all his chosen ones, his wonderful mercies to our-
selves for soul and body, his mercies to his Church on earth,
his inconceivable mercies to the glorified Church in heaven,
the glory of Christ, angels, and men, and their perfect know-
ledge, love, and joyful praises, and then think what that God
is in himself that doth all this : this complexion of considera-
tions causeth the fullest love to God. And though unlearned
persons cannot speak or think of all these distinctly and
clearly, as the Scripture doth express them, yet all this is truly
the object of their love, though with confusion of their appre-
hensions of it.
But I have not yet done, nor indeed come up to the point
of trial. It is not every kind or degree of love to God in these
respects that will prove to be saving. He is mad that thinks
there is no God : and he that believeth that there is a God,
doth believe that he is most powerful, wise and good, and
therefore must needs have some kind of love to him. And
I find that there are a sort of Deists or Infidels now spring-
ing up among us, who are confident, ' That all, or almost all
men shall be saved, because, say they, all men do love God.
It is not possible, say they, that a man can believe God to
be God, that is, to be the best, and to be Love itself, and the
cause of all that is good and amiable in heaven and earth,
and yet not love him : the will is not so contrary to the un-
derstanding, nor can be.' And say the same men, * he that
loveth his neighbour, loveth God ; for it is for his goodness
that he loveth his neighbour, and that goodness is God's
goodness appearing in man : he that loveth sun, and moon,
and stars, meat, and drink, and pleasure, loveth God, for all
this is God's goodness in his works; and out of his works
he is unknown to us : and therefore, they say, that all men
love God, and all men shall be saved ; or at least, all that love
their neighbours ; for God by us is no otherwise to be loved.
For answer to these men, 1. It is false that God is no
otherwise to be loved than as in our neighbour : I have told
you before, undeniably, of several other respects or appear-
ances of God, in which he is to be loved : and he that is not
known to us as separate from all creatures, is yet known to
us as distinct from all creatures, and is, and must be so loved
by us : else we are idolaters if we suppose the creatures to
Chap. 19.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 279
be God themselves, and love and honour them as God : even
those philosophers that took God for the inseparable soul of
the world, yet distinguished him from the world, which they
thought he animated, and indeed doth more than animate.
2. And it is false that every one loveth God who loveth
his neighbour, or his meat, drink, and fleshly pleasure, or
any accommodations of his sense. For nature causeth all
men to love life, and self, and pleasure for themselves : and
these are beloved even by atheists that believe not that there
is a God ! and consequently such men love their neighbours
not for God, but for themselves, either because they are like
them, or because they please them, or serve their interest,
or delight them by society and converse, as birds and beasts
do love each other that think not of a God. And if all
should be saved that so love one another, or that love their
own pleasure, and that which serveth it, not only all wicked
men, but most brute creatures should be saved. If you say,
they shall not be damned, it is true, because they are not
moral agents, capable of salvation or damnation, nor capa-
ble of moral government and obedience ; and therefore even
the creatures that kill one another are not damned for it :
but certainly as man is capable of salvation or damnation,
so is he of somewhat more as the means or way, than brutes
are capable of, and he is saved or damned for somewhat
which brutes never do. Many a thousand love the pleasure
of their sense, and all things and persons which promote it,
that never think of God, or love him. And it is not enough
to say that even this natural good is of God, and therefore
it is God in it which they love ; for it will only follow that it
is something made and given by God which they love, while
they leave out God himself. That God is essentially in all
things good and pleasant which they love, doth not prove
that it is God which they love, while their thoughts and
affections do not include him.
3. But suppose it were so, that to love the creature were
to love God, is not then the hating of the creature the ha-
ting of God? If those same men that love meat and drink,
and sensual delight, and love their neighbours for the sake
of these, or for themselves, as a dog doth love his master,
do also hate the holiness of God's servants, and the holiness
and justice of his word and government, and that holiness
and order of heart and life which he commandeth them,
280 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Pai't II.
do not these men hate God in hating these? And that they
hate them, their obstinate aversation showeth, when no rea-
son, no mercy, no means, can reconcile their hearts and
lives thereto.
4. I therefore ask the infidel objector, whether he shall
be saved that loveth God in one respect, and hateth him in
another? That loveth him as he causeth the sun to shine,
the rain to fall, the grass to grow, and giveth life and prospe-
rity to the world, but hateth him as he is the author of those
laws, and duties, and that holy government, by which he
would bring them to a voluntary right order, and make them
holy, and fit for glory, and would use them in his holy ser-
vice, and restrain them from their inordinate lusts and wills?
How can love prepare or fit any man for that which he ha-
teth or doth not love : if the love of fleshly interest and plea-
sure prepare or fit them to seek that, and to enjoy it (the
little time that it will endure), how should this love make
them fit for heaven, for a life of holiness with God and saints?
It is this that they love not, and will not love, (for if they
truly loved it they should have it;) yea, it is this that they
hate, and will not accept or be persuaded to. And what a
fond conceit then is it to think that they shall have heaven
that never loved it, no nor the small beginnings here of the
heavenly nature and life, and all because they loved the plea-
sures of the flesh on earth, and loved God and their neigh-
bours for promoting it?
5. Yea, I would ask the infidel, whether God will save
men for rebelling against him? Their love to their flesh and
to the creature, as it is inordinate, and taketh God's place,
and shutteth out the love of holiness and heaven, is their
great sin and idolatry ; and shall this be called a saving-
love of God ? What gross self-deceit hath sensuality taught
these men !
6. I grant them therefore that all men that believe that
there is a God, do love somewhat of God, or 'secundum quid,'
or in some partial respect have some kind of love to God.
But it is not a love to that of God, which must save, felici-
tate and glorify souls : meat and drink, and fleshly sports
do not this ; but heavenly glory, wisdom, holiness and love
to God, and man for God, and this they love not, and there-
fore never shall enjoy : nay, that of God which should save
and felicitate them they hate, and hated holiness is none of
Chap. 19.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 281
theirs, nor ever can be, till they are changed. And so much
to the infidel's objection.
7. I add therefore in the last place to help men in the
trial of their love to God, that their love must have these
two qualifications.
1. They must love that of God which maketh man happy,
and is indeed the end of his nature, and sanctification ; and
that is, not only the comforts of this transitory natural life
and flesh, but the fore-described union and communion with
God, in perfect knowledge, love and praise. 2. This love
to God must be predominant, and prevail against the power
of alluring objects, which Satan would use to turn our
hearts from him, and to keep out holy heavenly love. Damn-
ing sin consisteth in loving somewhat that is good and lovely,
and that is of God ; but it is not simply in loving it, but in
loving it inordinately, instead of God or greater things, and
out of its due time and rank, and measure, and so to hinder
that love which is our holiness and happiness. Moral good
consisteth not in mere entity, but in order ; and disorderly
love even of real good is sinful love.
Therefore when all is said, the old mark which I have
many and many times repeated, is it that must try the sin-
cerity of your love ; viz. ' If 1. in the esteem of a believing
mind. 2. And in the choice and adherence of a resolved
will. 3. And in the careful, serious endeavours of your lives,
you prefer the knowing, loving, obeying and joyful praising
of God, begun here and perfected in glory, as the benefit of
our redemption by Christ, before all the interests of this
fleshly life, the pleasures, profits, and honours of this world ;
that is, before the pleasures of sin and sensuality for this
transitory season. Or, in Christ's words, (Matt. vi. 33,) If
you SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTE-
OUSNESS, and trust him to superadd all other things.' This
is that love of God and goodness which must save us : and
he that loveth God even in these high respects, a little, and
loveth his fleshly pleasure so much more, as that he will not
consent to the regulating of his lusts, but will rather venture
or let go his salvation than his sins, hath no true saving love
to God.
Object. * There is scarce any fornicator, drunkard, glut-
ton, swearer, or other rash and sensual sinner, but believeth
that God is better than the creature, and that it were better
282 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part LI.
for him to live to God in love and holiness, than to live in
sinful pleasures : and therefore though he live in sin against
this knowledge, it seemeth that with the rational will he
loveth God and goodness best, because hejudgeth them best.'
Ahsw. 1. It is one thing, what the judgment saith, and
another thing how it saith it. A speculative judgment may
drowsily say, that God and holiness are best, when yet it
saith it but as a dreaming opinion, which prevaileth not
with the will to choose them, having at the same time so
strong an apprehension of the pleasures of sin as carrieth
away the will and practice.
2. It is one thing therefore to love God under the notion
of being best, and another thing to love him best. For the
will can cross such a notion of the understanding ; at least
by an omission, as appeareth by the sin of Adam, which be-
gan in the will (or else had been necessitated). The same
understanding which sluggishly saith God or holiness is
better, yet may more clearly and vehemently say ' lust is
pleasant, or pleasure of the flesh is good,' and being here-
in seconded with the strong apprehensions of sense and fan-
tasy, the will may follow this simple judgment, and neglect
the comparate.
3. It is one thing for the understanding to say, that God
is more amiable to one that hath a heart to love him, and a
suitable disposition ; and another thing to say, he is now
more amiable to me : those can say the first, that cannot
truly say the latter, and therefore love not God as best, and
above all.
4. It is one thing for the understanding sometimes under
conviction to say, God and holiness are best for me, and I
ough-t to love then* best, and then to lay by the exercise or
this judgment in the ordinary course of life, (though it be
not contradicted) and to live in the continual apprehension
of the goodness of sensual pleasure : and another thing to
keep the judgment that God and holiness are best, in ordi-
nary exercise. For the will doth not always follow the judg-
ment that we had before, but that which we have at present ;
and that which we exercise not, we have not at that time in
act : and it is not a mere power or habit of knowledge which
ruleth the will, but the present act. Many a man is said to
know that which he doth not think of, when indeed he doth
not know it at that time, but only would know it if he
Chap. 19.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 283
thought of it: as a man in his sleep is said to know what he
knew when awake, when indeed he knoweth it not actually
till he be awake.
Object. ' But true grace is rather to be judged by the
habit, than by the present acts.'
Answ. By the habit of the will it is, that is, by habitual
love, for that will command the most frequent acts : but
I propose it to the consideration of the judicious, whether
an ordinary habit of drowsy knowledge, or belief that God
and holiness are best, may not be ordinarily kept out of act,
and consist with a prevailing habit of sensuality or love of
forbidden pleasure in the will, and with a privation of preva-
lent habitual love to God and holiness. I suppose with
most such sinners this is the true case : the understanding-
said lately, It is best for thee to love God, and live to him,
and deny thy lust: and it oft forgetteth this, while it still
saith with sense, that fleshly pleasure is desirable : and at
other times it saith, Though God be best, thou mayest ven-
ture at the present on this pleasure ; and so lets loose the
corrupted will, reserving a purpose to repent hereafter, as
apprehending most strongly at the present, that just now
sensual delight may be chosen, though holiness will be best
hereafter.
Object. ' But if a habit will not prove that we sincerely
love and prefer God, how shall any man know that he loveth
and preferreth him, when the best oft sin ; and in the act of
sin God is not actually preferred.'
Answ. 1. I told you that a habit of true love will prove
sincerity, though not a habit of true opinion or belief, which
is not brought into lively and ordinary act: ineffectual faith
may be habitual. Yea, such an ineffectual counterfeit half
love, which I before described to you, may be habitual, and
yet neither act nor habit saving.
2. The sins of godly men are not prevalent absolutely
against the being, operation or effects of the love of God
and holiness ; for even when they sin, these live, and are
predominant in all other things, and in the main bent and
course of life ; but only they prevail against some degree of
holy love, perhaps both in the act and habit, for such sins
are not ungodliness, but imperfection of godliness, and the
effects of that imperfection.
3. When godly men fall into a great extraordinary sin, it
284 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
is not to be expected that they should comfortably discern
the sincerity of their love to God either by that sin, or in
that sin; but they may discern it, 1. By the course of a
godly life, where the prevalency of the habit appeareth in
the power and stream of acts ; and 2. By their repentance
for, and abhorring and forsaking of that sin, which stopped and
darkened their love to God. And these two together, viz.
a resolved course of living unto God, and repentance and
hatred of every sin which is against it, and especially of
greater sin, will shew the sincerity and power of holy love.
Object. ' But then one that sinneth daily, e. g. by pas-
sion, or too much love to the world, or creatures, and by
omissions, &c, shall never be sure that he sincerely loveth
God, because this is a course of sin, and he cannot have such
assurance till he forsake it.'
Answ. One that ordinarily committeth gross and wilful
sin ; that is, such sin as he had rather keep than leave, and
as he would leave if he were but sincerely willing, hath no
predominant love of Ged ; at least in act ; and therefore can
have no assurance of it: but one that is ordinarily guilty of
mere infirmities may at the same time know that the love of
God doth rule both in his heart and life. The passion of
fear or of anger, or of sorrow may be inordinate, and yet
God loved best, because the will hath so weak a power over
them, that a man that is guilty of them may truly say, I
would fain be delivered from them. And some inordinate
love of life, health, wealth, friends, honour, may stand with
a more prevailing love of God, and the prevalency be well
perceived. But what greater actual sins (as Noah's or Lot's
drunkenness, David's adultery and murder, Peter's denial
of Christ) are or are not consistent with true love to God,
is a case that I have elsewhere largely handled, and is un-
meet for a short decision here.
Object. ' But when I feel my heart, desires and delights
all cold to God and holiness, and too hot after fleshly, worldly
things, may I not conclude that I love these better?'
Answ. Sensible near things may have much more of the
passionate part of our love, our desires and delights, and yet
not be best loved by us. For God and things spiritual being
out of the reach of sense, are not so apt or likely to move our
sense and passion immediately to and by themselves. As I
said before, that is best loved, which hath, 1. The highest
Chap. 20.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 285
esteem of the understanding. 2. The most resolved preva-
lent choice of the will. 3. And the most faithful endeavours
of our life.
And many a Christian mistaketh his affection to the
thing itself, because of his strangeness to the place and to
the change that death will make. If the weakest Christian
could have without dying, the clear knowledge of God, the
communion of faith and love by his Spirit ; could he love
God but as much as he would love him, and answerably
taste his love, in every prayer, in every promise, in every
sacrament, in every mercy ; could his soul keep a continual
sabbath of delight in God, and in his saints and holy wor-
ship, this seemeth to him more desirable and pleasing than
all the treasures of the world. And he that desireth this
communion with God, desireth heaven in reality, though he
fear the change that death will make, because of the weak-
ness of faith, and our strangeness to the state of separated
souls.
CHAP. XX.
The Second Part of the Exhortation ; Rest in this, that you are
known with Love to God.
2. To be known of God here signifieth to be approved
and loved of him, and consequently that all our concerns are
perfectly known to him and regarded by him.
This is the full and final comfort of a believer. Our
knowledge and love of God, in which we are agents, are, 1.
The evidence that we are known with love to God, and so
our comfort (as is said) by way of evidence. 2. And they
are our comfort in their very exercise. But the chief part
of our comfort is from God, not only as the object of our
love, but as the lover of us and all his saints, even in our
passive receiving of the blessed effects of his love for ever :
when a Christian therefore hath any discerning of his inter-
est in this love of God, by finding that he loveth God and
goodness, here he must finally anchor his soul, and quietlv
rest in all temptations, difficulties and tribulations.
1 . Our enemies know us not, but judge of us by blinding
interest, and the bias of their false opinions, and by an easy
286 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
belief of false report, or by their own ungrounded suspicions:
and therefore we are odious to thern, and abused, slandered
and persecuted by them. But God knoweth us, and will
justify our righteousness, and bring all our innocency into
light, and stop the mouth of all iniquity.
2. Strangers know us not, but receive such characters of
us as are brought to them with the greatest advantage : and
even good men may think and speak evil of us (as Bernard
and others of the Waldenses, and many fathers of many
godly men that were called heretics, and many called here-
tics of such fathers). But to us it is a small thing to be
judged of man, that is not our final judge and knoweth not
our cause, and is ready to be judged with us ; we have one
that judgeth us and them, even the omniscient God, who
knoweth every circumstance of our cause.
3. Our very friends know us not : no not they that dwell
with us: in some things they judge us better than we are,
and in some things worse : for they know not our hearts ;
and interests and cross dispositions may deceive them; and
even our bosom friends may slander us and think they speak
the truth.
And when they entirely love us, their love may hurt us,
while they know not what is for our good : but God knoweth
us perfectly, and knoweth how to counsel us, conduct us,
and dispose of us : he seeth the inwards and the outwards,
the onwards and the upwards of our case, which our dearest
friends are utter strangers to.
4. We know not ourselves thoroughly, nor our own con-
cerns : we oft take ourselves to be better or worse than in-
deed we are: we are oft mistaken in our own hearts, and our
own actions, and in our interest : we oft take that to be good
for us that is bad, and that to be bad which is good and
necessary. We long for that which would undo us, and fear
and fly from that which would save us: we oft rejoice when we
are going to the slaughter, or are at least in greatest danger ;
and we lament and cry when God is saving us, because we
know not what he is doing. Paul saith, " I know nothing
by myself, yet I judge not my ownself:" That is, though I
have a good conscience, yet that is not my final judge: it
must go with me as God judgeth of me, and not as others or
myself.
Chap. 20.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 287
Is it not then an unspeakable comfort in all these cases,
that we are known of God ?
Desiring to know inordinately for ourselves, was our first
sin; and this sin is our danger, and our constant trouble:
but to be to God as a child to his father, who taketh care to
love him and obey him, and in all things trusteth his father's
love, as knowing that he careth for him, this is our duty, our
interest, and our only peace.
Remember then with comfort, O my soul, 1. Thy Father
knoweth what it is fittest for thee to do. His precepts are
wise, and j list, and good : thou knowest not but by his word.
Love therefore, and submit to all his laws : the strictest of
them are for thy good : Thy Guide, and not thou, must lead
the way ; go not before him, nor without him ; nor stay be-
hind him : in this night and wilderness if thou have not his
light and presence, how forlorn, erroneous and comfortless
wilt thou be? He knoweth thy heart, and knoweth thy
enemies, temptations and dangers, and therefore best know-
eth how to guide thee, and what to put into his laws and into
thy duty.
2. He knowethwhat place, what state of life, of health, of
wealth, of friends is best for thee. None of these are known
to thee : He knoweth whether ease or pain be best: the flesh
is no fit judge, nor an ignorant mind : that is best which
will prove best at last; which He that foreknoweth all events
knoweth. That therefore is best which Infinite Wisdom and
Love doth choose. Ease and pain will have their end : it is
the end that must teach us how to estimate them : and who
but God can foretel thee of the end ?
He knoweth whether liberty or imprisonment be best :
Liberty is a prison, if sin prevail, and God be not there. A
prison is a palace, if God by his love will dwell there with
us. There is no thraldom but sin and God's displeasure;
and no true liberty but his love.
3. He knoweth whether honour or dishonour be best for
thee : If the esteem of men may facilitate their reception of
the saving truth of God which is preached to them, God
will procure it, if he have work to do by it ; if not, how little
is it to be regarded ! What doth it add to me to be highly
esteemed or applauded by men, who are hasting to the dust,
where their thoughts of me and all the world are at an end?
When T see the skulls of the dead, who perhaps once knew
288 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
me, how little doth it now concern me what thoughts of me
were once within that skull? And as for the immortal soul,
if it be in the world of light, it judgeth as God judgeth by
his light : if in hell, I have no more cause to be troubled at
their malice than at the devil's ; and I have little cause to
rejoice that those damned souls did once applaud me.
O miserable men, that have no better than the hypocrites'
reward, to be seen and honoured of men! God's approba-
tion is the felicitating honour ! He will own all in me that is
his own, and all that he owneth is everlastingly honoured.
" The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous;" (Psal. i. 6;)
for it is his way : the way which he prescribed them, and in
which he did conduct them. Good and evil are now so mixed
in me, that it is hard for me fully to discern them : but the
all-seeing God doth discern them, and will separate them.
4. Thy heavenly Father knoweth whether it be best for
thee to abound or want: and with what measure of worldly
things it is fittest for thee to be intrusted. Abundance hath
abundant snares, and cares, and troubling employments
which divert our thoughts from things of real and perpetual
worth : provision is desirable according to its usefulness to
our work and end : It is far better to need little and have
little, than to have much, and need it all ; for it cannot be
got, or kept, or used, without some troublesome and hurt-
ful effects of its vanity and vexation. Let the foolish de-
sire to be tired and burdened with provision, and lose the
prize by turning their helps into a snare, and miss of the end
by overloving the way : my Father knoweth what I want,
and he is always able to supply me with a word : it doth not
impoverish him to maintain all the world. His store is not
diminished by communication. "The Lord is my Shep-
herd, what then can I need?" (Psal. xxiii. 1.) How often
have I found that he careth for me, and that it is better to
be at his finding and provision, than to have been my own
carver, and to have cared for myself! Blessed be my boun-
teous Father who hath brought me so near to the end of my
race, with very little care for provision in my way, and with
lesser want : necessaries I never wanted, and superfluities
are not wanted. Blessed be that wise and gracious Lord
that hath not given me up to greedy desires, nor ensnared
and burdened me with needless plenty. How safe, how
easy and comfortable a life is it, to live in the family of such
Chap. 20.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 28^
a Father, and with a thankful carelessness to trust his will,
and take that portion as best which he provideth for us !
and into what misery do foolish prodigals run, who had
rather have their portion in their own hand than in their
father's !
5. Thy heavenly Father knoweth with what kind and
measure of trials and temptations it is fit that thou shouldest
be exercised : it is his work to permit, and bound, and order
them : it is thy work to beg his grace to overcome them, and
watchfully and constantly to make resistance, and in trial
to approve thy faithfulness to God : " Blessed are they that
endure temptations ; for when they are tried they shall re-
ceive the crown of life." (James i.) If he will try thee by
bodily pain and sickness, he can make it turn to the health
of thy soul : perhaps thy diseases have prevented some mor-
tal soul-diseases which thou didst not fear. If he will try
thee by men's malice, injury or persecution, he knoweth how
to turn it to thy good ; and in season to bring thee out of
trouble : he will teach thee by other men's wickedness to
know what grace hath cured or prevented in thyself; and to
know the need of trusting in God alone, and appealing to
his desirable judgment : he that biddeth thee when thou art
reviled, and persecuted, and loaded with false reports for
righteousness sake, to rejoice and be exceeding glad, because
of the great reward in heaven, can easily give thee what he
doth command, and make thy sufferings a help to this ex-
ceeding joy.
If he will try thee by Satan's molesting temptations, and
suffer him to buffet thee, or break thy peace by melancholy
disquietments and vexatious thoughts, from which he hath
hitherto kept thee free, he doth but tell thee from how much
greater evil he hath delivered thee, and make thy fears of
hell a means to prevent it, and call thee to thy Saviour to
seek for safety and peace in him.
If it please him to permit the malicious tempter to urge
thy thoughts to blasphemy, or other dreadful sin (as it ordi-
narily falleth out with the melancholy), it telleth thee from
what malice grace preserveth thee, and what Satan would do
were he let loose : it calleth thee to remember that thy Sa-
viour himself was tempted by Satan to as great sin as ever
thou wast, even to worship the devil himself; and that he
vol. xv. u
290 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. Part II.
suffered him to carry about his body from place to place,
which he never did by thee : it tells thee therefore that it is
not sin to be tempted to sin, but to consent ; and that Sa-
tan's sin is not laid to our charge : and though our corrup-
tion is such, as that we seldom are tempted, but some cul-
pable blot is left behind in us, for we cannot say as Christ,
that Satan hath nothing in us ; yet no sin is less dangerous
to man's damnation, than the melancholy thoughts which
such horrid vexatious temptations cause ; both because the
person being distempered by a disease, is not a volunteer in
what he doth ; and also because he is so far from loving and
desiring such kind of sin, that it is the very burden of his
life ; they make him weary of himself, and he daily groaneth
to be delivered from them. And it is certain that love is the
damning malignity of sin ; and that there is no more sin
than there is will ; and that no sin shall damn men which
they had rather leave than keep ; and therefore forgiveness
is joined to repentance : drunkards, fornicators, worldlings,
ambitious men, love their sin : but a poor, melancholy soul
that is tempted to ill thoughts, or to despair, or terror, or to
excessive griefs, is far from loving such a state. The case
of such is sad at present : but O how much sadder is the
case of them that are lovers of pleasure more than of God,
and prosper and delight in sin.
6. God knoweth how long it is best for me to live. Leave
then the determination of the time to him ; all men come
into the world on the condition of going out again : die we
must, and is it not fitter that God choose the time than we?
"Were it left to our wills how long we should live on earth, alas,
how long should many of us be kept out of heaven, by our own
desires! And too many would stay here till misery made them
impatient of living. But our lives are his gift, and in his hand,
who knoweth the use of them, and knoweth how to proportion
them to that use ; which is the most just measure of them. He
chose the time and place of my birth, and he chooseth best :
why should I not willingly leave to his choice also, the time,
and place, and manner of my departure. I am known of him ;
and my concerns are not despised by him. He knoweth me as
his own, and as his own he hath used me, and as his own he
will receive me. " The Lord knoweth the days of the up-
right, and their inheritance shall be for ever." (Psal. xxxvii.
Chap. 20.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 291
18.) And if he bring me to death through long and painful
sickness, he knoweth why, and all shall end in my salvation.
" He knoweth the way that is with me, and when he hath
tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job xxiii. 10.) He
forsaketh us not in sickness or in death. " Like as a father
pitieth his children, the Lord pitieth them that fear him; for
he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust :
as for man his days are as grass ; as a flower of the field, so
he flourisheth : for the wind passeth over it, and it is not,
and the place thereof shall know it no more : but the mercy
of the Lord is from everlasting- to everlasting to them that
fear him." If the ox should not know his owner, nor the
ass his master's crib, the owner will know his own and seek
them. That we understand and know the Lord, is matter of
greater joy and glorying, than all other wisdom or riches in
the world. (Jer. ix. 24.) But that he knoweth us in life and
death, on earth and in heaven, is the top of our rejoicing.
" The Lord is good, and strength in the day of trouble ; and
he knoweth them that trust in him." (Nah. i. 7.) Sickness
may so change my flesh that even my neighbours shall not
know me ; and death will make the change so great, that
even my friends will be unwilling to see such an unpleasing,
loathsome spectacle: but while I am carried by them to the
place of darkness, that I may not be an annoyance to the
living, I shall be there in the sight of God, and my bones
and dust shall be owned by him, and none of them forgotten
or lost.
7. It may be that under the temptations of Satan, or in
the languishing weakness or distempers of my flesh, I may
doubt of the love of God, and think that he hath withdrawn
his mercy from me ; or at least may be unmeet to taste the
sweetness of his love, or to meditate on his truth and mer-
cies : but God will not lose his knowledge of me, nor turn
away his mercy from me. " The foundation of God standeth
sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his ;
and let him that nameth the name of Christ depart from ini-
quity." (2 Tim. ii. 19.) He can call me his child, when I
doubt whether I can call him Father: he doubteth not of
his right to me, nor of his graces in me, when I doubt of my
sincerity and part in him. " Known unto God are all his
works." (Acts xv. 18.) What meaneth Paul thus to describe
a state of grace, (Gal. iv. 9,) " Now after ye have known
292 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
God, or rather are known of God?" but to notify to us, that
though our knowledge of God be his grace in us, and our
evidence of his love, and the beginning of life eternal, (John
xvii. 3,) yet that we are loved and known of him is the first
and last, the foundation and the perfection of our security
and felicity. He knoweth his sheep, and none shall take
them out of his hand. When I cannot through pain or dis-
temper remember him, or not with renewed joy or pleasure,
he will remember me, and delight to do me good, and to be
my salvation.
8. And though the belief of the unseen world be the
principle by which I conquer this, yet are my conceptions
of it lamentably dark : a soul in flesh, which acteth as the
form of a body, is not furnished with such images, helps, or
light, by which it can have clear conceptions of the state
and operations of separated souls : but I am known of God,
when my knowledge of him is dark and small : and he
knoweth whither it is that he will take me, and what my
state and work shall be ! He that is preparing a place forme
with himself, is well acquainted with it and me : all souls
are his ; and therefore all are known to him : He that is now
the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as being living with
him while they are dead to us, will receive my departing
soul to them, and to himself, to be with Christ, which he
hath instructed me to commend into his hands, and to de-
sire him to receive. He that is now making us living stones
for the New Jerusalem, and his heavenly Temple, doth know
where every one of us shall be placed. And his knowledge
must now be my satisfaction and my peace. Let unbe-
lievers say, " How doth God know?" (Psal. lxxiii. 11.) But
shall I doubt whether he that made the sun, be Father of
Lights, and whether he know his dwelling, and his continued
works? Be still, O my soul, and know that he is God,
(Psal. xl. 10,) and when he hath guided thee by his counsel,
he will take thee to glory ; and in his light thou shalt have
light : and though now it appear not, to sight, but to faith
only, what we shall be, yet we know that we shall see him as
he is, and we shall appear with him in glory.
And to be known of God, undoubtedly includeth his
practical love, which secureth our salvation and all that
tendeth thereunto. It is not meant of such a knowledge
only as he hath of all things, or of such as he hath of the
Chap. 20.] TRUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. 293
ungodly. And why should it be hard to thee, O my soul,
to be persuaded of the love of God ?
Is it strange that he should love thee who is Essential
Infinite Love : any more than the sun should shine upon
thee, which shineth upon all capable, recipient objects,
though not upon the incapable, which through interposing
thing's cannot receive it? To believe that Satan or wicked
men, or deadly enemies should love me, is hard : but to be-
lieve that the God of Love doth love me, should in reason
be much easier than to believe that my father or mother, or
dearest friend in the world doth love me : if I do not make
and continue myself incapable of his complacence by my
wilful continued refusing of his grace, it is not possible that
I should be deprived of it. (Prov. viii. 17.) " I love them
that love me." (Psal. cxlvi. 8.) "The Lord loveth the
righteous." (John xvi. 27.)
2. Why should it be hard to thee to believe that He
loveth thee, who doth good so universally to the world, and
by his love doth preserve the whole creation, and give all
creatures all the good which they possess? When his mercy
is over all his works, and his goodness is equal to his wis-
dom and his power, and all the world is beautified by it,
shall I not easily believe that it will extend to me? ''The
Lord is good to all." (Psal. cxlv. 9 ; Luke xviii. 19.) None
is good (essentially, absolutely, and transcendently,) but he
alone. "The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord."
(Psal. xxxiii. 5.) " The goodness of God endureth continu-
ally." (Psal. lii. 1.) " He is good and doth good." (Psal. cxix.
68.) And shall I not expect good from so good a God, the
cause of all the good that is in the world ?
3. Why should I not believe that He will love me, who
so far loved the world, yea, his enemies, as to give his only
begotten Son, " that whosoever believeth in him, should not
perish, but have everlasting life?" (John iii. 16.) Having
given me so precious a gift as his Son, will he think any
thing too good to give me ? (Rom. viii. 32.) Yea, still he
followeth his enemies with his mercies, not leaving himself
without witness to them ; but filling their hearts with food
and gladness, and causing his sun to shine on them, and his
rain to fall on them, and by his goodness leading them to
repentance.
4. Why should I not easily believe his love, which he
•294 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED. [Part II.
hath sealed by that certain gift of love, the Spirit of Christ,
which he hath given ? " The giving of the Holy Ghost, is the
shedding abroad of his love upon the heart," (Rom. 5.) I
had never known, desired, loved, or served him sincerely,
but by that Spirit: and will he deny his name, his mark,
his seal, his pledge, and earnest of eternal life? Could I ever
have^truly loved him, his word, his ways and servants, but
by the reflection of his love? Shall I question whether he
love those whom he hath caused to love him? When our
love is the surest gift and token of his love; shall I think
that I can love him more than he loveth me ; or be more
willing to serve him than he is willing and ready to reward his
servants?" (Heb.xi. 6; 1 John iii. 24; iv. 13.)
5. Shall I not easily hope for good from Him, who hath
made such a covenant of grace with me in Christ? Who
giveth me what his Son hath purchased, who accepteth me
in his most beloved, as a member of his Son? Who hath
bid me ask, and I shall have? And hath made to godliness,
the promise of this life, and that to come ; and will with-
hold no good thing from them that walk uprightly ? Will
not such a Gospel, such a covenant, such promises of love,
secure me that he loveth me, while I consent unto his cove-
nant terms?
6. Shall I not easily believe that he will love me, who
hath loved me while I was his enemy, and called me home
when I went astray, and mercifully received me when I re-
turned? Who hath given me a life full of precious mercies,
and so many experiences of his love as I have had. Who
hath so often signified his love to my conscience ; so often
heard my prayers in distress, and hath made all my life, not-
withstanding my sins, a continual wonder of his mercies. O
unthankful soul, if all this will not persuade thee of the love
of him that gave it! I that can do little good to any one, yet
have abundance of friends and hearers, who very easily be-
lieve that I would do them good, were it in my power; and
never fear that I should do them harm. And shall it be
harder to me to think well of Infinite Love and Goodness,
than for my neighbours to trust me, and think well of such a
wretch as I ? What abundance of love-tokens have I yet to
show, which were sent me from heaven, to persuade me of
my Father's love and care !
7. Shall I not easily believe and trust His love, who hath
Chap. 20.] TKUE SAVING KNOWLEDGE. £95
promised me eternal glory with his Son, and with all his
holy ones in heaven ! Who hath given me there a great In-
tercessor, to prepare heaven for me, and me for it ; and there
appeareth for me before God. Who hath already brought
many millions of blessed souls to that glory, who were once
as bad and low as I am. And who hath given me already
the seal, the pledge, the earnest and the firstfruits of that
felicity !
Therefore, O my soul, if men will not know thee, if thou
were hated of all men for the cause of Christ and righteous-
ness ; if thine uprightness be imputed to thee as an odious
crime; if thou be judged by the blind malignant world, ac-
cording to its gall and interest; if friends misunderstand
thee ; if faction, and every evil cause which thou disownest,
do revile thee, and rise up against thee ; it is enough, it is
absolutely enough, that thou art known of God. God is all ;
and all is nothing that is against him, or without him. If
God be for thee, who shall be against thee? How long hath
he kept thee safe in the midst of dangers ; and given thee
peace in the midst of furious rage and wars ? He hath known
how to bring thee out of trouble, and to give thee tolerable
ease ; while thou hast carried about thee night and day the
usual causes of continual torment ! " His lovingkindness is
better than life," (Psal. lxiii. 3.) but thou hast had a long
unexpected life, through his loving kindness. " In his fa-
vour is life," (Psal. xxx,) and life thou hast had by and with
his favour. Notwithstanding thy sin, while thou canst truly
say thou lovest him ; he hath promised, " that all shall work
together for thy good," (Rom. viii. 28,) and he hath long-
made good that promise. Only ask thyself again and again,
as Christ did Peter, whether indeed thou love him? And
then take his love as thy full, and sure, and everlasting por-
tion, which will never fail thee, though flesh and heart do
fail : " For thou shalt dwell in God, and God in thee for
evermore." Amen. (1 John iv. 12. 15, 16.)
END OF KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE COMPARED
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL
TO ALL
YOUNG MEN:
ESPECIALLY,
I. LONDON-APPRENTICES 3
II. STUDENTS OF DIVINITY, PHYSIC AND LAW ;
Jill. THE SONS OF MAGISTRATES AND RICH MEN,
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL
TO ALL
YOUNG MEN
CHAP, I.
Introduction.
There is no man that ever understood the interest of man-
kind, of families, cities, kingdoms, churches, and of Jesus
Christ the King and Saviour, but he must needs know that the
right instruction, education, and sanctification of youth, is
of unspeakable consequence to them all. In the place where
God most blessed my labours, (at Kidderminster, in Wor-
cestershire,) my first and greatest success was upon the
youth. And (which was a marvellous way of Divine mercy,)
when God had touched the hearts of young men and girls
with a love of goodness, and delightful obedience to the
truth, the parents and grandfathers who had grown old in
an ignorant worldly state, did many of them fall into a liking
and love of piety, induced by the love of their children,
whom they perceived to be made by it much wiser and better,
and more dutiful to them. And God, by his unexpected
disposing providence, having now twenty years placed me
in and near London, where, in a variety of places and con-
ditions, (sometimes under restraint by men, and some-
times at more liberty,) I have preached but as to strangers,
in other men's pulpits as I could, and not to any special
flock of mine, I have been less capable of judging of my
success. But by much experience I have been made more
sensible of the necessity of warning and instructing youth
than I was before. The sad reports of fame have taught it
to me : the sad complaints of mournful parents have taught
it me ; the sad observation of the wilful impenitence of some
300 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
of my acquaintances tells it me: the many score (if not
hundred) bills that have been publicly put up to me to pray
for wicked and obstinate children, have told it me ; and by
the grace of God, the penitent confessions, lamentations, and
restitutions of many converts have more particularly ac-
quainted me with their case. Which moved me on my
Thursday's lecture awhile to design, the first of every month,
to speak to youth and those that educate them.
And though I have already loaded the world with books,
finding that God seems to be about ending my life and
labours, I am urged in my mind by the greatness of the case
to add yet this Epistle to the younger sort. Which shall con-
tain I. The important case of youth. II. How it stands with
them in matter of fact. III. What are the causes of their sin
and dangerous degeneracy. IV. How great a blessing wise
and godly youth are to themselves and others. V. How great
a plague and calamity the ungodly are. VI. What great
reason ungodly, sensual youth have, presently to repent and
turn to God. VII. Directions to them how to do it. VIII.
And some directions to parents about their education. And
all must be with the brevity of an epistle.
CHAP. II.
To begin betimes to live to God, is of unspeakable importance to
yourselves.
For, 1. You were betimes solemnly dedicated to God, as
your God, your Father, your Saviour, and your Sanctifier,
by your baptismal vow. And as that was a great mercy, it
obliged you to great duty : you were capable in infancy of
that holy dedication and relation ; and your parents were
presently obliged, as to dedicate you to God, so to educate
you for God : and as soon as you are capable of perfor-
mance, the vow is upon yourselves to do it. If your child-
hood is not presently obliged to holiness, according to your
natural capacity, no doubt your vow and baptism should
have been also delayed. Little think many that talk against
Anabaptists, how they condemn themselves by the sacred
name of Christians, while they by perfidious sacrilege deny
God that which they vowed to him.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 301
2. All your time and life is given you by God, for one
end and use ; and all is little enough ; and will you alienate
the very beginning, and be rebels so soon ?
3. The youngest have not assurance of life for a day, or
an hour. Thousands go out of the world in youth. Alas,
the flesh of young men is corruptible, liable to hundreds of
diseases, as well as that of old men. How quickly may a
vein break, and cold seize on your head and lungs, and turn
to an incurable consumption ! How quickly may a fever, a
pleurisy, an imposthume, or one of a thousand accidents,
turn your bodies to corruption ! And O that I knew how
to make you sensible how dreadful a thing it is to die in an
unholy state, and in the guilt of any unpardoned sin ! An
unsanctified soul, that hath lived here but to the flesh and
the world, will be but fuel for the fire of hell, and the wrath-
ful justice of the most holy God. And though in the course
of undisturbed nature, young men may live longer than the
old, yet nature hath so many disturbances and crosses, that
our lives are still like a candle in a broken lantern, which
a blast of wind may soon blow out. To tell you that you
are not certain in an unsanctified state to be one day or hour
more out of hell, will, I expect, not move you so much as
the weight of the case deserveth, because mere possibility of
the greatest hurt doth not affect men when they think there
is no probability of it. You have long been well, and long
you hope to be so : but did you think how many hundred
veins, arteries and nerves, must be kept constantly in order,
and all the blood and humours in due temper ; and how the
stopping of one vein, or distemper of the blood, may quickly
end you ; it would rather teach you to admire the merciful
providence of God, that such a body should be kept alive
one year.
4. But were you sure to live to maturity of age, alas,
how quickly will it come ! What haste makes time ! How
fast do days and years roll on. Methinks it is but as a few
days, since I was playing with my schoolfellows, who am
now in the sixty-sixth year of my age : had I no service
done for God that I could now look back upon, I should
seem as if I had not lived. A thousand years, and one
hour, are all one (that is, nothing) when they are past. And
every year, day and hour of your lives, hath its proper work :
And how will you answer for it ? Every day offereth you
302 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
more and more mercies ; and will you despise and lose
them ? If you were heirs to land, or had an annuity, which
amounted but to a hundred pounds a year, and you were
every day to receive a proportionable part of it, or lose it ;
would you lose it through neglect, and say, ' I will begin to
receive it when I am old ?' Poor labourers will work hard
all the day, that at night they may have their wages : and
will you contemptuously lose your every-day mercies, your
communion with God, your daily blessings and his grace,
which you should daily beg and may daily receive ?
5. Either you will repent and live to God, or not ; if not
you are undone for ever. O how much less miserable is a
dog, or a toad, than such a sinner ! But if God will shew
you so great mercy, O how will it grieve you to think of
the precious time of youth which you madly cast away in
sin ! Then you will think, ' O what knowledge, what holi-
ness might I then have gotten ! What a comfortable life
might I have lived ! O what days and years of mercy did I
cast away for nothing !' Yea, when God hath given you the
pardon of your sin, the taste of his love, and the hopes of
heaven, it will wound your hearts to think that you should
so long, so unthankfully, so heinously offend so good a God,
neglect so merciful a Saviour, and trample upon Infinite Di-
vine love, for the love of so base a fleshly pleasure, — that
ever you should be so bad, as to find more pleasure in
sinning than in living unto God.
6. And be it known to you, if God in mercy convert and
save you, yet the bitter fruit of your youthful folly may fol-
low you in this world to the grave. God may forgive the
pains of hell to a penitent sinner, and not forgive the tem-
poral chastisement to his flesh. If you waste your estate
in youth, you may be poor at age. If you marry a wicked
wife, you may feel it till death, notwithstanding your repent-
ance. If by drinking, gluttony, idleness, or filthy lust, you
contract ^any incurable diseases in youth, repentance may
not cure them till death. All this might have been easily
prevented, if you had but had foreseeing wisdom. Beggary,
prisons, shame, consumptions, dropsies, stone, gout, &c,
which make the lives of many miserable, are usually caused
by youthful sins.
7. If ever you think to be men of any great wisdom, and
usefulness in the world to yourselves or others, your prepa-
COiMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 303
rations must be made in youth. Great wisdom is not gotten
in a little time. Who ever was an able lawyer, physician,
or philosopher, without long and hard study? If you will
not learn in the grammar-schools in your childhood, you
will be unfit for the University at riper age ; and if, when
you should be doctors, you are to learn to spell and read,
your shame will tell you that you should have sooner begun.
O that you well knew how much of the safety, fruitfulness
and comfort of all your after-life, dependeth on the prepa-
rations of your youth, on the wisdom and the grace which
you should then obtain ! as men's after-trading doth depend
on their apprenticeship.
8. O what a dreadful danger is it, lest your youthful sin
become remediless, and custom harden you, and deceivers
blind you, and God forsake you for your wilful resistance
of his grace ! God may convert old hardened sinners : but
how ordinarily do we find, that age doth but answer the
preparations of youth, and the vessel ever after savoureth of
the liquor which first thoroughly tainted it ! And men are
but such as they learned to be and to do at first. If you
will be perfidious breakers of your baptismal vows, it is just
with God to leave you to yourselves, to a deluded under-
standing, to think evil good, and good evil, to a seared con-
science, and a hardened heart, and, as " past feeling, to work
uncleanness with greediness," (Ephes. iv. 19,) and to fight
against grace and your own salvation, till death and hell
convince you of your madness. O sport not with the jus-
tice of a sin-hating God ! Play not with sin, and with the
unquenchable fire ! To forsake God, is the way to be for-
saken of him. And what is a forsaken soul, but a miserable
slave of Satan !
9. Yea, did you but know of what moment it is to pre-
vent all the heinous sins that else you will commit, you
would make haste to repent, though you were sure to be for-
given. Forgiveness maketh not sin to be no sin, or to be
no evil, no shame or grief to the soul that hath committed it.
You will cry out, ' O that I had never known it !' To look
back on such an ill-spent life, will be no pleasant thought. Re-
pentance, though a healing work, is bitter ; yea, ofttimes ex-
ceedingly bitter : make not work for it, if you love your peace.
10. Is it a small thing to you, that you are all this while
doing hurt to others, by drawing them to sin, and plunging
304 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
them into that dangerous guilt which can no way be par-
doned but by the blood of Christ, upon true conversion?
When they have joined with you in lust and fleshly pleasure,
it is not in your power to turn them, that they may join with
you in sound repentance ; and if not, they must lie in hell
for ever. Can you, then, make a sport of your own and
other men's damnation?
But this leadeth me to the second point. I have shewed
you of what vast concernment it is to yourselves to be-
gin betimes a holy life. I will next shew you of what con-
cernment it is TO OTHERS.
CHAP. III.
Of what public concernment the quality of youth is.
1 . The welfare of the world is of far greater worth than that
of any single person ; and he hath put off humanity who
doth not more earnestly desire it. If this world consisted
but of one generation, then to make that generation wise and
good would be enough to make it a happy world. But it is
not so. In heaven, and in the future glorious kingdom,
" there is neither marrying, nor giving in marriage, but they
are as the angels," in a fixed everlasting state, and one con-
tinued generation maketh up the New Jerusalem : being once
holy and happy, they are so for ever. But here it is not so :
one generation cometh, and another goeth : if the father be
as wise as Solomon, the son may be as foolish as Rehoboam.
O what a great work it is to make a man truly wise and
good! How many years' study doth it usually require! What
wisdom and diligence in teachers ! What teachableness and
diligence in learners; and especially the grace of God ! And
when all is done, the man quickly dieth, and obtaineth his
ends in another world. But his children are born as igno-
rant, and perhaps as bad, as he was born : he can neither
leave them his knowledge, nor his grace. They must have
all the same teaching, and labour, and blessing as he had,
to bring them to the same attainments. The mercy and co-
venant of God taketh them into his church, where they have
great advantages and helps, and promiseth them more for
their relation to a faithful parent, if he or they do make no
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 305
forfeiture of it. But as their nature is the same with others,
so their actual wisdom must come by God's blessing on the
use of the same means, which are necessary to the children
of the worst men. A Christian's child is born with no more
knowledge than a heathen's, and must have as much labour
and study to make him wise.
2. It is certain then, that the welfare of this world lieth
on a good succession of the several generations; and that all
the endeavours of one generation, with God's greatest bless-
ing on them, will not serve for the ages following. All must
begin anew, and be done over again, or all will be as though
undone to the next age. And it is not the least blessing
on the faithful, that their faith and godliness dispose them
to have a care for posterity, and to devote their children
wholly to God, as well as themselves, and to educate them
in his fear. If nature had not taught birds and beasts to
feed their young, as well as to generate them, their kind
would be soon extinct. O what a blessed world were it, if
the blessings of men famous for wisdom and godliness were
entailed on all that should spring from them ! and if this
were the common case !
3. But the doleful miseries of the world have come from
the degenerating of good men's posterity. Adam hath his
Cain, and Noah his Ham, and David his Absalom ; Solomon,
Hezekiah, and Josiah, left not their like behind them. The
present state of the Eastern churches, is a dreadful instance.
What places on earth were more honourable for faith and
piety, than Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Constantinople,
Ephesus, Philadelphia, and the rest of those great and noble
countries? and these also strengthened with the most power-
ful Christian empire that ever was on earth. And now they
are places of barbarism, tyranny, and foolish Mahometanism,
where the name of Christ is made a scorn, and the few
that keep up that sacred profession, are, by tyranny, kept
in so great ignorance, that (alas !) the vices of most of them
dishonour their profession, as much as the persecutions of
their enemies do. O what a doleful difference is there be-
tween that great part of the world now, and what it was
fourteen hundred or one thousand years ago !
And alas ! were it not for the name of a pompous Chris-
tian church, how plain an instance would Rome be of the
vol. xv. x
306 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
same degeneracy ! and some countries that received the
blessing of Reformation, have revolted into the darkness of
popery. What a change was in England by Queen Mary's
reign ! And how many particular cities and towns are grown
ignorant and malignant, which in former times were famous
for religion ! The Lord grant it may never be the case of
London ! Yea, how many persons of honourable and great
families have so far degenerated from the famous wisdom
and piety of their grandfathers, yea, and fathers, as to hate
that which their parents loved, and persecute those their an-
cestors honoured ! The names of many great men stand ho-
noured in history for their holiness to God, and for their
service to their several countries, whose posterity are the
men from whom we are in danger. Alas ! in how few such
houses hath piety kept any long succession ! Yea, some take
their fathers' virtues to be so much their dishonour, that
they turn malignant persecutors, to free themselves from the
supposed reproach of their relations. Yea, some preachers
of the Gospel, devoted to God by pious parents, become re-
vilers of their own parents, and despisers of their piety, as
the effect of factious ignorance.
4. And on the other side, when piety hath successively,
as a river, kept its course, what a blessing hath it proved !
(But how rare is that !) And when children have proved bet-
ter than their parents, it hath been the beginning of welfare
to the places where they lived. How marvellously did the
Reformation prevail in Germany in Luther's time, when God
brought out of Popish monasteries many excellent instru-
ments of his service ; and princes became wise and pious,
whose parents had been blind or impious ! Godliness or
wickedness, welfare or calamity, follow the changes and
quality of posterity.
Men live so short a time, that the work of educating
youth aright is one half of the great business of man's life.
He that hath a plantation of oaks, may work at other em-
ployment for twenty generations : but he that planteth gar-
dens and orchards with plants that live but a little time,
must be still planting, watering, and defending them.
5. Among the ancient sages of the world, the Greeks and
Romans, and much more among the Israelites, the care of
posterity and of the public welfare was the great thing which
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. .'307
differenced the virtuous and laudable, from those of a base,
selfish, and sensual disposition. He was the bravest citizen
of Rome that did most love, and best serve his country.
And he was the saint among the Jews, who most loved Sion,
and the security and succession of its holy and peaceable
posterity. And the Christian faith, hope, and interest, do
lead us in this respect to a much higher pitch, and to a
greater zeal for public good, in following Him that whipped
out profaners from the temple, — even a zeal of God's house
which eateth us up. It teacheth us, by the cross, most
effectually to deny ourselves, and to think nothing too dear
to part with to edify the church of God ; nor any labour or
suffering too great for the common good. It teacheth us to
pray for the 'hallowing of God's name, the coming of his
kingdom, and the doing of his will on earth, as it is done in
heaven,' before we pray for our daily bread, or any other per-
sonal interest of our own. Therefore the families of Chris-
tians should be as so many schools or churches, to train up
a succession of persons meet for the great communicative
works to which God calleth all believers, in their several
measures : it is eminently teachers, but it is also all others
in their several ranks, who must be " the salt of the earth,
and the lights of the world." Indeed the Spirit of Holiness
is so eminently the Spirit of love to God and man, that it
inclineth every sanctified person to a communicative zeal,
to make others wise and good and happy.
6. God in great mercy hath planted, yet more deeply and
fixedly, the natural love of parents to their children, that it
might be in them a spring of all this duty ; so that though
fleshly vice may make men mistake their children's good, as
most ungodly men do their own, and think it consisteth in
that in which it doth not ; yet still the general desire of their
children's welfare, as well as of their own, is deeply rooted,
and will work for their welfare, as soon as they well know
wherein it doth consist. And God hath not given them this
love, only for the good of the individual children, but much
more for the commonwealth and church ; that, as many sticks
make one fire, and many exercised soldiers one army, so
many well-educated children may make up one peaceable
and holy society.
7. And accordingly it is much to be observed, that God
hath not given children a natural love and submissiveness to
308 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
parents, only for the personal benefit of their provision, and
other helps ; but especially that hereby they may be teach-
able and obedient to those instructions of their parents by
which they may become blessings to their generations, and
may conjunctly make up wise and holy societies, families,
churches and commonwealths. For these ends it is, that
God hath bound you, as to reverence your masters, tutors
and pastors, so especially both to reverence and love your
parents, that you may be the more capable of their neces-
sary instruction and advice.
8. Yea, the great strictness of God, in condemning po-
lygamy, adultery and fornication, seemeth to be especially
for the securing of the good education of children, for their
souls and for the public good. For it is notorious, that con-
fusion in marriages and generation would many ways tend to
the depraving of human education, while mothers had not
the necessary encouragement to perform their part. The
younger would be awhile esteemed, and afterwards be cast
off and made most miserable, and families would be like
wandering beggars, or like exposed orphans ; disorder and
confusion would deprive children of much of their necessary
helps, and barbarousness and brutishness would corrupt
mankind.
By all this it is most evident, that the great means of the
welfare of the world must be the faithful and holy endeavours
of parents, and the willing teachableness and obedience of
children, that they may escape the snares of folly and fleshly
lusts, and may betimes get that wisdom and love of good-
ness which make them fit to be blessings to the places where
they live.
CHAP. IV.
How the case standeth with our Youth in matter of fact.
1. Through the great mercy of God, many families are sa-
cred nurseries for the church and the kingdom ; and many
parents have great comfort in the grace of God appearing in
their children. From their early childhood many are of
humble, obedient dispositions, and have a love to knowledge,
and a love to the Word of God and to those that are good
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 309
and virtuous persons. They have inward convictions of the
evil of sin, and a fear of sinning, and a great dislike of wicked
persons, and a great love and reverend obedience to their
parents ; and when they grow up, they diligently learn in
private and in public : they increase in their love to the
Scriptures and good books, and to godly teachers and godly
company ; and God saveth them from temptations, worldly
deceits, and fleshly lusts ; and they live to God, are bless-
ings to the land, the joy of their friends, and exemplary and
useful to those with whom they converse.
2. But all, even religious parents, have not the like bless-
ing in their children. (1.) Some of them, though religious
otherwise, are lamentably careless of the duty which at bap-
tism they promised to perform in the education of their chil-
dren, and do but superficially and formally instruct them,
are too faulty as to the example which they should give them,
and seem to think that God must bless them because they
are theirs, and because they are baptized, while they neglect
their promised endeavours. (2.) And some children when
they grow up, and are bound to resist temptations, and to
use God's appointed means for their own good, do wilfully
resist God's grace, and run into temptations and neglect,
wretchedly betray themselves, and forfeit the mercies which
they needed.
3. In all my observation, God hath most blessed the
children of those parents who have educated them as fol-
loweth : (1.) Those that have been particularly sensible what
they promised for them in the baptismal vow, and made con-
science of performing it. (2.) Those that have had more care
of their souls than of their outward wealth. (3.) Those that
have been most careful to teach them the depravity of cor-
rupted nature by original sin, and to humble them and teach
them the need of a Saviour, and of his renewing as well as
his pardoning grace, and to tell them about the work of the
Spirit of sanctiflcation, and teach them above all to look to
the inward state of their souls. (4.) Those that have most
seriously reminded them of death, judgment, and the life to
come. (5.) Those that have always spoken of God with the
greatest reverence, affection and delight. (6.) Those that
have most wisely laboured to make all the knowledge and
practice of religion pleasant unto them, by the suitableness
of doctrines and duties to their capacity. (7.) Those that
310 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
have most disgraced sin to them, especially base and fleshly
pleasures. (8.) Those that have kept them from the baits of
sensuality, not gratifying their appetites in meats and drink,
to bring them to an unruly habit ; but used them to a habit
of temperance, and neglect of appetite. (9.) Those that have
most disgraced worldliness and pride to them, used them to
low things in apparel and possession, told them how the
proud are hateful to God, set before them the example of a
crucified Christ, and opened to them the doctrine of morti-
fication, and self-denial, and the great necessity of true hu-
mility. (10.) Those have been most watchful to know their
children's particular inclinations and temptations, and to
apply answerable remedies, and not carelessly leave them to
themselves. (11.) Those that have been most careful to
keep them from ill company, especially, — of wicked youths,
of their own growth and neighbourhood, — and of tempt-
ing women. (12.) Those that have most wisely used them
to the meetest public teachers, and have helped them to
remember and understand what they hear, especially the
fundamental truths in the catechism. (13.) Those that have
most wisely engaged them into the familiarity and frequent
converse of some suitable, godly, exemplary companions.
(14.) Those that have most conscionably spent the Lord's-
days in public and in their families. (15.) Those that have
done all this, as with reverend gravity, so especially with
tender endearing love to their children ; convincing them
that it is all done for their own good ; and that do not by
imprudent weaknesses, ignorance, passions, or scandal, frus-
trate their own endeavours. (16.) Those that use not their
children as mere patients, only to hear what their parents say ;
but to engage them to constant endeavours of their own, for
their own good ; especially in the reading of Scripture, and
the most suitable books, and meditating on them, and daily
personal prayer to God. (17.) Lastly, those that pray most
heartily and believingly for God's grace and his blessing on
their endeavours.— Such men's children are usually blessed.
4. But it is no wonder, where such means are neglected,
(much more when parents are ungodly, fleshly, worldly per-
sons, and perhaps enemies to a holy life,) if the children of
such are ignorant, deluded, ungodly, and drowned in fleshly
lnsts. And alas ! it is the multitude of such, and their sad
conditions, which is the occasion of my writing this Epistle.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 311
5. (1.) We see to our grief, that many children are of a
stupid and unteachable disposition, and almost incapable of
instruction, who yet can as quickly learn to talk of common
matters as other persons, and can as easily learn a trade, or
how to do any ordinary business. And though some incon-
siderate persons overlook the causality of the more imme-
diate parents' sins, in such judgments on their children, as
if it were only Adam's sin that hurt them, I have elsewhere
proved, that this is their great and dangerous mistake. As
David's child died for the father's sin, the children of glut-
tons, drunkards, fornicators, oft contract such bodily dis-
tempers as greatly tend to stupify or further vitiate the mind.
And their souls may have sad additions to the common
human depravity.
(2.) Accordingly many children have more violent pas-
sions, and carnal desires, than others, which run them into
wicked ways impetuously, as if they were almost brutes that
had no reason or power to resist. And all words and cor-
rections are to them of little force, but they are as blocks,
that, when you have said and done what you can, go away
as if they had not heard you.
(3.) And some have cross and crooked natures, addicted
to that which is naught, and the more, by how much the
more you contradict them: Froward and obstinate, as if it
were a desirable victory to them to overcome their parents,
and escape all that would make them wise and good : dogged,
sour, proud, self-willed, and utterly disobedient.
(4.) And too many have so great an enmity and averse-
ness to all that is holy, spiritual and heavenly, that they are
weary to hear you talk of it ; and you persuade them to
learn, to read, to pray, to meditate or consider, as you per-
suade a sick man to the meat which he doth loathe, or a
man to dwell with those that he hateth. They have no appe-
tite to such things, no pleasure in them; when you have
said all of God, and Christ, and glory, they believe it not,
or they savour it not : they are things above their reach and
love, yea, things against their carnal minds. You tire them
worse than if you talked in a strange language to them, —
such enmity is in the heart of corrupted man to God and
Heaven, till the Grace of the Great Reconciler overcome it
by a new Life, and Light, and Love.
(5.) And when custom is added to all these vicious dis-
312 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
positions, alas, what slaves and drudges of Satan doth it
make them! For instance,
(1.) Some are so corrupted with the love of sport, that
gaming or stage-plays, or one such foolery or another,
becometh so pleasant to them, that they can understand or
believe nothing that is said against it by God or man; their
diseased fantasy hath so conquered reason, that they cannot
restrain themselves ; but in their callings and in religious
exercises they are weary, and long to be at their sports, and
must be gone ; neither God, nor Holiness, nor the joys of
heaven are half so sweet to their thoughts as these are . For
they have that mark of misery,— (2 Tim. iii. 4.) " They are
lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God."
The same I say of sinful mirth, and the company which
doth cherish it. Little do they believe Solomon: (Eccles.
vii. 2—4.) " It is better to go to the House of Mourning,
than to go to the House of Feasting : for that is the end of
all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is-
better than laughter : for by the sadness of the countenance
the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the
house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of
mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for
a man to hear the song of fools : for as the crackling of
thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of fools."
It is true, that mirth is very desirable to nature : and God
is not against it, but much more for it than sinners will be-
lieve. But it is a rational mirth which beseemeth a rational
creature, and such as he can justify, and as will make him
better, and tends to felicity and everlasting mirth ; and not
the causeless mirth of madmen, who set their house on fire
and then laugh and sing over it; nor like the mirth of a
drunken man, whose shame exposeth him to pity or derision ;
nor any such mirth as leadeth a man from God to sin, and
keepeth him from the way of manlike and everlasting joy,
and prepareth for the greatest sorrows.
(2.) There are some so enslaved to their appetites, that
their reason hath no power to rule them ; but, like brutes,
they must needs have what the belly and throat desire. And
if they be the children of the rich, (who have always full and
pleasant food,) constant fleshpleasing or true gluttony is
taken for no sin : and, like swine, they do but live to eat,
whereas they should but eat to live, and cheerfully serve God.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 313
But it is never so dangerous as when it turne*h to the
love of drink. The pleasing of the throat, and the pleasing
of the brain by mirth, going together, do so much corrupt
the appetite and fantasy, that their thoughts run after it, and
reason hath no power to shut their mouths, nor keep them
from the house of sin. Some sin against an accusing con-
science, and under their convictions and terrors do drink on ;
which yet they could forbear, if they knew there were poison
in the cup. Some are more miserable, and have sinned
themselves into searedness of conscience and past feeling,
and perhaps into infidelity and a blinded mind, persuading
them that there is no great harm or danger in the sin, and
that it is but some precise people that make so great a matter
of it. And some, that have purposes to forsake the sin
when the appetite stirs, forget it all ; and when company
enticeth, and when they see the cup, they have no power to
forbear. O what a pitiful sight it is to see men in the flower
of youth and strength, when they should most rejoice in
God and holiness, to be still thirsty after a fobidden pleasure,
and hasting to the tavern or alehouse, as a bird to the snare
of the fowler, and sweetly and greedily swallowing the poison-
ous cup which God forbiddeth ! And that false repentance
to which conscience and experience force them sometimes,
is forgotten next day when the temptation is renewed : yea,
the throat-madness, and the merry and belly-devils are within
them a continual temptation, which the miserable slaves
cannot resist.
(3.) And these beastly, fleshly sins do usually make
them weary of their callings, and of any honest labour : the
devil hath by this time got possession of their thoughts, by
the bias of delight and sinful lust; and they are thinking of
meat or drink, or play, or merry company, when they should
be diligently at work : and so idleness becomes the nursery
of temptation, and of all other vices, as well as a constant sin
of omission and loss of hasty, precious time. And custom
increaseth the habit, and maketh them good for nothing, and
like dead men to all for which life is given them, and only
alive to prepare by sin for endless misery.
(4.) And usually pride also takes its part, to make the
sin of Sodom in them complete. (Ezek. xvi. 49.) " Pride,
fulness, and idleness." They that must be in their jovial
company, must not seem despicable among them, but must
314 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
be in the mode and fashion, whatever it cost. When they
make themselves odious in the sight of God, and the pity of
all wise men, and a terror to themselves, yet they must be
somebody to their sottish companions, especially of the
female sex ; lest the image of the devil, and his victory over
them should not be perfect, if pride were left out, how un-
reasonable soever.
(5.) And by this time they have (usually here amongst
the rich and idle,) a further step towards hell to go, and yet
a deep gulf to fall into j fleshly lust next entangleth them in
converse with women, and thence into filthy fornication.
The devil will seldom lose a soul for want of a temptation :
either he will provide them one abroad, among their lewd
companions, or at home some daughter or servant of the
house, where they can oft get opportunity. And if they
have sinned once, they are usually like the bird that is
fast in the lime-twigs : conscience may struggle, but lust
holds them fast, and the devil saith, ' If once may be par-
doned, why not twice, and if twice, why not thrice V (Prov.
xii. 2] — 23.) " And so they go on as the ox to the slaughter,
and a fool to the correction of the stocks, and know not
that it is for their lives." (Prov. v. 12—14.) " Till they
mourn at last (perhaps) when flesh and body are consumed,
and say, how have I hated instruction, and my heart despised
reproof, and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor
inclined my ears to them that instructed me! I was almost
in all evil," &c. And it is well for the wretches if this
repentance be true and in time, that though the flesh be
destroyed, the spirit may be saved: for Solomon saith,
(Prov, ii. 18, 19.) " Her house inclineth to death, and her
paths to the dead : none that go unto her return again, nei-
ther take they hold of the path of life."
God, I doubt not, recovereth some, but the case is dan-
gerous. For though age and sickness cure lust, usually
before that time the conscience is seared and debauched, and
" they being past feeling, work uncleanness with greedi-
ness," and, forsaking God, are so forsaken by him that all
other sin, sensuality, and enmity against a holy life, prevail
against them, and the unclean devil lets in many more.
Most debauched drunkards, gluttons, and fornicators, are so
enslaved to Satan, that they think, say, and do what he would
have them, and become the enemies and persecutors of
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 315
those that are against their sin ; and the blinded Sodomites
go on to grope for the door of Lot, as one that reproveth
them, till the flames of justice stop the rage.
(6.) And when all these sins have enslaved sensual youths,
they must have money to maintain them ; and if they have
it not of their own, and be not the sons of great men, who will
maintain them in the service of the flesh, they must steal to
get it, which usually is either by thievish borrowing which
they cannot pay, or by robbing their parents or masters.
If all the masters in London knew what thieves the vices
of their apprentices are, for their own sakes they would take
greater care to watch over them, and keep them from ill
company, drunkenness and plays, and would teach them to
seek pleasure in good books, good company, and serving God.
I had not known it myself if the confessions and restitution
of many penitent converts had not made me know it. I
thank God that he recovereth any, yea, so many ; but I must
tell foolish youth, that repentance itself, especially when it
must have restitution, is so bitter, that they would prevent
that need of it, if they had but the use of reason and fore-
sight. O what heart-tearing confessions and sad letters
have I had from many young apprentices in this city ! Much
ado to escape utter despair they had, when conscience was
awakened to remember all their sin and danger ! And when
they knew that they must restore (if possible) all that ever
they had obtained by deceiving or robbing their masters or
any others, O what difficulties hath it put them to, both as
to the shame of confession and the actual restitution ! Some
have not money ; and to go and confess the sin and debt, and
promise to pay it if ever they are able, seemeth hard, but
must be done. Some have rough masters, that will disgrace
them when they confess it. Some have parents that paid
dear to put them out as apprentices, and would be inclined
to cast them ofFif they knew their case. Some marry after,
and it will grieve their wives to know what they have been,
and how much they must restore. Wisdom might have
prevented this ; but if the thorn be got into the conscience
it must come out, and if the poison be swallowed it must
come up, what gripes soever the vomit cost. There is no
playing with hell-fire, nor jesting with the justice of the most
holy God. One penitent review of fleshly lust and sinful
pleasure, of falsehood and deceit, (though wholesome, if true
316 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
and timely,) will turn it all into gall and wormwood : ' For
the end of sinful mirth is sorrow.'
(7.) And too many there be who escape the gross and dis-
graceful part of the foresaid sensuality and unrighteousness,
that yet do but choose another idol, and set themselves
wholly to rise in the world; and riches, preferment, and
honour have almost all their hearts and care. They have no
delight in God and holiness ; nor doth the state of their
souls, or the thought of their everlasting state, affect them
in any measure according to its unspeakable weight, nor so
much as these shadows which they pursue. When great
travellers that have seen much of the world, and old and
dying men that have had all that it can do, are forced by
experience to call all vanity and vexation, unexperienced
youth that are taken up with the hopes of long prosperity,
and provision for all that the flesh desireth, have other
thoughts of it, and will not know that it is deceitful vanity
till it hath deceived them of their chief hope and treasure.
And when they have overtaken the shadow which they pur-
sue so greedily, they find it (what others have done before
them,) the sweeter the more dangerous, and the parting will
be the more bitter. Whereas had they sought first God's
kingdom and its righteousness, and had six days laboured
in obedience to God, and referred all corporal blessings to
spiritual uses and everlasting ends, taking them as from
God to serve him by them, they might then have had enough
as an overplus to their satisfying treasure.
CHAP. V.
How sad a Case it is that I have described.
I h av e told you the very lamentable case of too many young
men, especially rich men's sons, and apprentices in this
city : I told you before of what concern the state of youth
is to themselves and others. From thence (and, alas! from
sad experience,) it is easy to gather the dolefulness of the
case of those that are drowned in fleshly lust, and have
sinned themselves into the guilt and danger which I have
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 317
described. But I will name some parts of the misery more
particularly again.
Review the second chapter, and think what a doleful
case this is to yourselves.
1. Do you not know that you are not beasts, but men
who have reason given them to know, and love, and serve
their Maker ? And how sad is it to see a man forget all this,
and wilfully brutify himself! Were the poets' fictions true
of men turned into trees, and birds, and beasts, how small
were the misery in comparison of yours ! It is no sin in
brutes to lust, or to eat and drink too much. They have
not reason to restrain and rule them ; but lest they should
kill themselves by excess, God hath made reasonable man
their governor, and moderateth their appetite in the temper
of their natures. But for a reasonable creature to subject
himself to fleshly appetite, and wilfully degrade his soul to
the rank of brutes, is worse than if he had been made with
the body and the unreasonableness of brutes. Are you capa-
ble of no better things than these ?
2. And what an odious thing is it, — when God hath
chosen you out of the world to be members of his visible
church, and given you the great privilege of early entrance
into his holy covenant, and washed you in the laver of visi-
ble regeneration, and you are vowed to Christ, renouncing
the lusts of the flesh, of the world and the devil, that you
might follow a crucified Christ in the way of holiness to
everlasting life, — that you should so soon prove false, per-
fidious traitors and rebels against him that is your only
hope, and, by wickedness and covenant-breaking, make
your sin greater than that of Infidels, Turks and Heathens,
who never were taken into the church and covenant of
Christ, nor ever broke the vows which you have broken,
nor so cast away the mercies which you had received !
3. And what a doleful case is it, that so much of your
minds, of your love and delight, which were all made for
God, should be so misemployed, even in your strength,
when they should be most vigorous ; and all worse than
cast away on filth and folly! If your souls be more worth
than your money, it is more folly and loss to misemploy and
abuse your souls, your reason, love, and your delight, than
to abuse or cast away your money. And what a traitor or
murderer deserveth, that would give his money to hire one
318 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
to kill the king, or his neighbour, I suppose you know ; and
what deserveth he that will use, not only his money, but
himself, his soul, his thoughts, his love, his desire and plea-
sure against the most glorious God that made him ? That
you cannot hurt him, is no thanks to you while you break
his laws, and deny him your love and duty, and love more
that one thing which alone he hateth, and to which he will
never be reconciled.
4. And how doleful a case is it, that all the care, and
love, and labour of your parents, masters, and teachers
should be lost upon you ! God hath made all this their
great duty for your good ; and will you despise God and
them, and wilfully for nothing reject them all? Shall all the
pain of a child-bearing mother, and all her trouble to breed
you up, and all the care of your parents to provide for you,
be but to breed up a slave for the flesh, the world, and the
devil, and a firebrand for hell ? Shall the prayers of godly
parents for you, and their teaching and counselling of you,
and all their desire and care for your salvation, be despised
by you, and all forgotten and cast away for a swinish lust?
5. And how doleful a case is it, that so much of so short
a life should be lost, and a thousand times worse than lost,
— even turned into sin, to prepare for misery, when (alas !)
the longest life is little enough for our important work and
quickly gone, and the reckoning and Judge are hard at
hand ! All the wealth, wit, or power in the world, cannot
bring or buy you back one hour of all that precious time
which you now so basely cast away. O how glad would
you be ere long of a little of it, on the terms on which you
. now have it, when you lie dying, and perceive that your
souls are unready to appear before a righteous God ! Then
1 O for one year more of precious time !' O that you knew
how to call again the time which you castaway on sin ! You
will then perceive with a terrified conscience, that time was
not so little worth as you once thought it, nor was it given
you for so base a work. Yea, if God in mercy bring you
hereafter to true conversion, O how will it wound your hearts
to think how much of your youth was madly cast away,
while your God, your souls, and your everlasting hopes,
were all neglected and despised !
6. And, alas, if you should be cut off in that unholy,
miserable state, no heart on earth can sufficiently bewail
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 319
your case ! How many thousands die young, that promised
themselves longer pleasure in sin, and repentance after it!
O foolish sinners ! Cannot you so long borrow the use of
your reason, as to think seriously whither you must go next?
Do you never think when the small-pox or a fever hath
taken away one of your companions, whither it is that his
soul is gone ? Have you your wit for nothing but to taste
the sweetness of drink or lust, which is as pleasant to a dog
or swine as to you ? O, little do you know what it is to
die ! what it is for a soul to leave the body, and enter into
an endless world, to come to judgment for all his sin, and
all his ill-spent days and hours, and for choosing the plea-
sures of a swine before heaven and the pleasures of a saint !
Little know you what it is for devils presently to take away
to hell a wretched soul which they have long deceived. I
tell you, the thought of appearing before God, and Christ,
and angels in another world, and entering on an endless
state, is so dreadful, even to many that have spent their
lives in holy preparation, and are indeed in a safe condition,
that they have much ado to overcome the terror of death.
Even some of God's own faithful servants are almost over-
whelmed, when they think of so great a change : and though
the belief of God's love and the heavenly glory do support
them, and should make them long to be with Christ, yet,
(alas!) faith is weak, and the change is great beyond our
comprehension, and therefore feared. O then in what a
case is a wicked, unpardoned, unprepared wretch, when his
guilty soul must be torn from his body, and dragged in ter-
ror to hear its doom, and so to the dreadful execution! Sin-
ners ! is this a light matter to you? Doth it not concern
you? Are you not here mortal? Do you not know what
flesh is, and what a grave is ? And are not your abused
souls immortal ? Are you so mad as to forget this, or so
bad as not to believe it? Will your not believing it, make
void the justice and the law of God, and save you from that
hell from which only believing could have saved you? Will
not the fire burn you, or the sea drown you, if you can but
run into it drunk or winking ? Is feeling, remediless feel-
ing easier than believing God in time? Alas ! what should
your believing friends do to save you ? They see by faith
whither you are posting. They foresee your terror and your
undone case; and fain, if possible, they would prevent it:
320 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
but they cannot do it without you. If you will not consent
and help yourselves, it is not the holiest or wisest friends in
the world that can help you. They would pull you out of
the fire in fear, and out of the mouth of the roaring lion, but
you will not be delivered ! They call and cry to you, ' O
fear God, and turn to him while there is hope ;' and you
will not let conscience and reason be awakened. But those
that go asleep to hell, will be past sleeping there for ever.
O run not madly into the everlasting fire !
7. And indeed your sleepy security and presumption do
make your case more dangerous in itself, and more pitiful
to all that know it. O what a sight is it to see a man go
merry and laughing towards damnation, and make a jest of
his own undoing ! to see him at the brink of hell, and will
not believe it! like a madman boasting of his wit, or a
drunken man of his sobriety; or as the swine is delighted,
when the butcher is shaving his throat to cut it ; or as the
fatted lambs are skipping in the pasture, that to-morrow
must be killed and eaten ; or as the bird sits singing when
the gun is levelled to kill him ; or as the greedy fish run
striving which shall catch the bait, that must presently be
snatched out of their element, and lie dying on the bank !
But because I touched much of this in the second chap-
ter, I will pass by the rest of your own concerns, and a little
further consider how sad the case of such wretched youths
is also unto others.
8. And if parents be wise and godly, and understand
such children's case, what a grief must it needs be to their
hearts to think that they have begotten and bred up a child
for sin and hell, and cannot make him willing to prevent it !
to see their counsel set at naught, their teaching lost, their
tears despised, and an obstinate lad seem wiser to himself
than all his teachers, even when he is swallowing the devil's
bait, and cruelly murdering his own soul ! ' Ah !' thinks a
believing father and mother, ' have I brought thee into the
world for this ? Hath all my tender, natural love so sad an
issue ? Is this the fruit of all my sorrows, my care and
kindness, to see the child of my bowels, whom I dedicated
in baptism to Christ, — to make himself the child of the de-
vil, the slave of the flesh and the world, the enemy of God
and holiness, and his own destroyer ? and all this wilfully,
obstinately, and against all the counsel and means that I
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 321
can use! Alas! must I breed up a child to become an
enemy to the Church of God into which he was baptized,
and a soldier for Satan against Christ? Must I breed up a
child for hell, and see him miserable for ever, and cannot
persuade him to be willing to be saved V O what a heart-
breaking must this be to those whom nature and grace have
taught to love them with tenderness, even as themselves !
9. But if they be wicked parents, and as bad as them-
selves, the misery is far greater, though they yet feel it not :
for,
(1.) As the thief on the cross said to his companion,
"Thou art in the same condemnation, and we suffer justly ;
for we receive the due reward of our deeds," (Luke xxiii.
40, 41,) wicked parents, and wicked children are in the
same gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. They sinned
together, and they must suffer for ever together, if true faith
and conversion do not prevent it.
(2.) It is their wickedness which was much of the cause
of their children's sin and misery ; and their own deep guilt
will be more to them than their children's suffering. God
and conscience will say to them ere long, ' O cruel parents,
that had no mercy on your children or yourselves ! What
did nature teach you to love more than yourselves and your
children? and would you wilfully and obstinately be the
ruin of both? You would not have done as the mad idola-
ters, that offered their children in fire to Moloch : And will
you offer them by sin to Satan and hell? Had a serpent
stung them, or a bear devoured them, they had done but ac-
cording to their nature : but was it natural in you to further
their damnation ? This was work too bloody for a cannibal,
too cruel for an enemy, fitter for a devil than for a father or
mother. As your child had from you his vicious nature, it
was your part to have endeavoured to effect his sanctifica-
tion and recovery. You should have taught him betimes
to know the corruption of his nature, and to seek and beg
the grace of Christ ; to know his God, his duty, the evil of
sin, the danger of temptations, and his everlasting hopes
and fears. You should have taught him to know what man
hath done against himself, by disobeying and departing from
his God, and what Jesus Christ hath done for his redemp-
tion, and what he himself must do to be saved. You should
VOL. XV. Y
322 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
have taught him early how to live and how to die, what to
seek and what to shun. You should have given him the ex-
ample of a holy and heavenly mind and life. You should
have watched over him for his safety, and unweariedly in-
structed him for his salvation. But you led him the way to
despise God's word, to set light by Christ, and holiness, and
heaven, to hate instruction and reproof, to spend the Lord's-
day in idleness or worldly vanity, to seek first the world and
the prosperity of the body, and to glut the flesh with sinful
pleasure. What wonder if a serpent breed a serpent, and
quickly teach him to hiss and sting, and if swine teach their
young to feed on dung and wallow in the mire? This is part of
the fruit of your worldliness,fieshliness, ungodliness, and neg-
lect of your own salvation and your child's. Now he is as you
are, a slave of sin and an heir of hell. Was it this for which you
vowed him to God in baptism? was it to serve the flesh, the
world, and the devil, against our God, our Saviour, and our
Sanctifier? or did the mistake of the liturgy deceive you,
to think that it was not you, but the godfathers, that were
bound by charge and vow to bring him up in the faith and
fear of God, and teach him all that a Christian should know
for his soul's health ? Was it not you whom God bound to
do all this ? The sin and misery of your child now is so far
your curse, as you are guilty of it, and will add to your
misery for ever.' — Such are the sorrows that wicked parents
and wicked children do prepare and heap on one another.
Such miseries will come ; but woe to those by whom they
come ! it had been good for that man that he had never been
born.
10. And it is no small grief to faithful ministers, to see
their labour so much lost : and to see so much evil among
their flocks, and such sad prognostics of worse to come. He
is no true minister of Christ (as to his own acceptance and
salvation,) whose heart is not set on the winning, and sanc-
tifying, and saving of souls. For what else do we study,
preach, live, long, or suffer in our work? All faithful teachers
can say with Paul, that they " are willing to spend and be
spent for them/' and " now we live if ye stand fast in the
Lord." (2 Cor. xii. 15 ; 1 Thess. iii. 8.) He told them,
" weeping, of those that were enemies to the cross of Christ,
whose God was their belly, who gloried in their shame, and
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 323
minded earthly things," instead of a conversation in heaven.
(Phil. iii. 18, 19.) When God hath blessed us with the com-
fortable enj oy men t'of many ancient, holy Christians, who are
the beauty and honour of the assemblies, and death calls
home one of them after another to Christ, and the rest are
ready to depart, alas ! must a seed of serpents come after
them ? Must those take their places to our grief and shame,
who are bred up to the world and flesh, in drunkenness, for-
nication, and enmity to God and to a holy life ? O what a
woful change is this !
If any be likely to be the stain and plague of the church,
it is such as these : If we preach holy truth to them, lust
cannot love it. If we tell them of God's word, the fleshly
mind doth not savour it, nor can be subject to it. (Rom.
viii. 5 — 7.) If we reprove them sharply, they smart and hate
us. If we call them to confession and repentance, their
pride and carnality cannot bear it. If we excommunicate
them for impenitency, as Christ requireth, or but deny them
the sacrament as unmeet, they rage against us as our fiercest
enemies. If we neglect discipline, and admit swine to the
communion of saints, we harden and deceive them, and
flatter them in their sin, pollute the church, and endanger
our souls by displeasing the Chief Pastor. What then shall
we do with these self-murdering, ungodly men ?
Many of them have so much reverence of a sacrament,
or so little regard of it, that they never seek it, but keep
away themselves. Perhaps they are afraid lest they eat and
drink damnation to themselves, by the profanation of holy
things. But do they think that it is safe to be out of the
church and communion of saints, because it is dangerous
to abuse it? Are infidels safe because false-hearted Chris-
tians perish? What! if breaking your vows and covenant
be damnable, is it not so to be out of the holy covenant?
What ! if God be a consuming fire to those that draw near
him in unrepented heinous sin, is it therefore wise or safe to
avoid him ? Neither those that come not to him, nor those
that come in their hypocrisy and reigning sin, shall be saved.
And yet, what to do with these self-suspenders, we know
not. Are they still members of the churches, or are they
not ? If they are, we are bound to call them to repentance
for forsaking the communion of saints in Christ's com-
manded ordnance. If they are not, we should make it
f*24 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
known, that Christians and no Christians may not be con-
founded, and they themselves may understand their case.
And neither of these can they endure ; but for dwelling in
the parish, and hearing the liturgy and sermons, they must
still pass for church-members, lest discipline should exas-
perate and further lose them. This is that discipline which
is thought worthy the honour of episcopal dignity and re-
venues, and is supposed to make the Church of England the
best in the world, by the same men that would rage, were
discipline exercised on them ; and they must either be ad-
mitted to the sacrament in a life of fornication, drunkenness,
sensuality and profaneness, without any open confession,
repentance and reformation, or else must pass for church-
members without any exercise of discipline, while they shun
the sacramental communion of the church. Such work
doth wickedness make among us !
11. Indeed these are the men that are the trouble of fa-
milies, neighbours, and of good magistrates, the shame of
bad ones, and the great danger of the land. All the foreign
enemies against whom we talk so much, and whom we fear,
are not so hurtful and dangerous to us as these, — these that
spring out of your own bowels ; these that are bred up with
care, and tenderness, and cost in your houses ; these that
should succeed godly ancestors in wisdom and well-doing,
and be their glory. Who plot against us but homebred
sinners ? Who shew greater hatred to the good, and per-
secute them more? Who are more malignant enemies of
godliness, scorners of a holy life, hinderers of the word of
God, and patrons of profaneness, and of ministers and peo-
ple that are of the same mind ? If England be undone, (as
the Eastern churches, and many of the Western are un-
done,) it will be by your own carnal, ungodly posterity.
He that is once a slave to Satan and his fleshly lust, is
ready, for preferment or reward, to be a slave to the lust of
any other. He that is false to his God and Saviour, after
his baptismal vows, is not likely to be true to his country or
his king, if he have but the bait of a strong temptation : and
he that will sell his soul, his God and heaven, for any for-
bidden gratifications of his appetite, will not stick to betray
church or state, or his dearest friend, for provision to satisfy
theselusts. Canyouexpectthathe should loveanymanbetter
than himself? A wicked, fleshly, worldly man is a soil in
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 325
which Satan may sow the seeds of any sort of actual sin, and
is fuel dried or tinder for the sparks of hell to kindle in.
Will he suffer much for God or his country, who will sell
heaven for nothing ? An evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
If he hath the heart of an Achan, a Gehazi, an Ahithophel,
no wonder if he hath their actions and their reward. If he
be a thief and bear the bag, no wonder if Judas sell his master.
12. And these wretches, if they live, are likely to be a
plague to their own posterity : woe to the woman that hath
such a husband ! And how are the children likely to be
bred, that have such a father ? Doth not God threaten pu-
nishment to the third and fourth generation of them that
hate him, and to visit the iniquity of the fathers on the chil-
dren ? Were not the children of the old world drowned,
and those of Sodom and Gomorrah burned, and Achan's
stoned, and Dathan's and Abiram's swallowed up, and Ge-
hazi's struck with leprosy, &c. for their fathers' sins ? And
were not the children of the Amalekites all destroyed, and
the posterity of the infidel Jews forsaken, the curse coming
on them and on their children ? And as their children are
likely to speed the worse for the sins of such parents, so are
such parents likely to be requited by their children. As
you shamed and grieved the hearts of your parents, so may
your children do by you. And by that time, it is probable,
if grace convert you not, though you have no hatred to your
own sins, worldly interest may make you dislike those of
your children. Their lust and appetite do not tempt and
deceive you, as your own did. Perhaps when they shame
your family, debauch themselves with drink and other crimes,
and consume the estates for which you sold your souls, you
may perceive that sin is an evil and destructive thing; es-
pecially when they proceed to despise and abuse your per-
sons, to desire your death, and to be weary of you. Sooner
or later you shall know much better what sin is.
,326 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
CHAP. VI.
The joyful State and Blessing of good Children, to themselves
and others.
From what is said in the second and fifth chapters, it is
easy to gather how joyful a case to themselves, and what a
blessing to parents and others, it is when children betimes
are sober, wise, godly and obedient. The difference doth
most appear when they arrive at mature age, and when they
come to bring forth to themselves and others the fruits of
their dispositions. Their end, and the life to come, will
shew the greatest difference : but yet, even here, and that
betimes, the difference is very great.
1. First, As to themselves : How blessed a state is it to
be quickly delivered from the danger of damnation, and
God's displeasure, that they need not lie down and rise in
fear lest they be in hell whenever death removeth them from
the body ! Can one too soon be out of so dreadful a state?
Can one who is in a house on fire, or who has fallen into the
sea, make too much haste to be delivered? If a man deep
in debt be restless till it be paid, and glad when it is dis-
charged ; if a man in danger of sickness, or of a condemning
sentence from the judge, be glad when the fear of death is
over; how glad should you be to be safe from the great dan-
ger of damnation ? And till you are sanctified by grace,
you are far from safety.
2. And if a man's sickness, pain or distraction be a ca-
lamity, the cure of which brings ease and joy ; how much
more ease and joy may it bring, to be cured of all the grie-
vous maladies of reigning sin? Sanctification will cure
your minds of spiritual blindness and madness, that is, of
damnable ignorance, unbelief and error. It will cure your
affections of idolatrous, distracting and carnal love; of the
itch of fleshly desires or lusts, of the fever of revengeful
passions, and malignant hatred to goodness and good men,
of self-vexing envy and malice against others, of the greedy
worm of covetousness, and the drunken desire of ambitious
and imperious minds. It will cure your wills of their fleshly
servitude and bias, and of that mortal backwardness to God
and holy things, and that sluggish dulness and loathness to
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 327
choose and do what you are convinced must be done. It
will make good things easy and pleasant to you ; so that
you will no more think you have need to beg mirth from the
devil or to steal it from sin, — as if God, grace and glory had
none for you. But it will be so easy to you to love and to
find pleasure in the Bible and good books, in good company
and good discourse, in spiritual meditations and thoughts,
in holy sermons, prayers, and church-communion and sacra-
ments, even in Christ, in God, and the forethoughts of hea-
ven, that you will be sorry and ashamed to think that ever
you forsook such joys for fleshly pleasure, and defiled your
souls with filthy and forbidden things. Is not the feverish and
dropsical thirst after drink, wealth and honour, better cured,
than pleased to the sinner's death? And is not a lazy back-
wardness to duty, better cured by spiritual health, than
pleased with idleness and sleep ?
3. You certainly cannot too soon attain the delights of
faith, hope and love, of holy knowledge and communion
with God and saints. You cannot too soon have the great
blessing of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost ;
and live night and day in peace of conscience, — in assurance
that all your sins are pardoned, and that you are the adopted
sons of God and heirs of heaven, sealed by his Spirit, ac-
cepted in your prayers, welcome to God through Christ, and
that when you die you shall be with him. Can you make
too great haste from the folly and filth of sin, and the danger
of hell, into so safe and good a state as this ?
4. It will be a great comfort to you thus to find, on ar-
riving at age and the use of your reason, that your baptismal
blessings ceased not with your infancy by your own rejec-
tion, but that you are now by your own consent in the bond
of God's covenant, and have a right to all the blessings of
it, which the sacrament of Christ's body and blood will con-
firm ; as you had your entrance by your parents' consent
and accepted dedication : for the covenant of grace is our
certain charter for grace and glory.
5. Is it not a joy to you to be the joy of your parents,
and to find them love you not only as their children, but as
God's ? Love maketh it sweet to us to please, and to be
beloved by those whom we love. If it be not your grief to
grieve your parents, and your pleasure to please them, you
love them not, but are void of natural affection.
328 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
6. O what a mercy will you find it, when you come to
age and business in the world! (1.) That you come with a
clear conscience, not clogged, terrified and shamed with the
sins of your youth. (2.) And that you come not utterly un-
furnished with the knowledge, righteousness and virtue, of
which you must make use in every condition, all your lives;
when others are like those lads who will go to the Universi-
ties before they can so much as read or write. To live in a
family of your own, and to trade and converse in the world,
and especially to go to church, to hear, to pray, to commu-
nicate, to pray in private, to meditate, in a word, to live or
die like a Christian or a man, and yet without the furniture
of wisdom, faith, and serious godliness, — is more impossible
and unwise than to go to sea without provision, or to war
without arms, or to become a priest without book or under-
standing.
7. Secondly. And you that are young men, can scarcely
conceive what a joy a wise and godly child is to his wise
and godly parents ! Read but Prov. x. 1 ; xiii. 1 ; xvii. 2.
25; xix. 13. 26; xxii.ll; xxiii. 15. 19. 24. &c. The prayers
and instructions of your parents are comfortable to them,
when they see the happy fruit and answer. They fear not
God's judgments upon their houses, as they would do if you
were Cains, or Hams, or Absaloms: they labour comfortably.,
and comfortably leave you their estates at death, when they
see that they do not get and leave it for those that will serve
the devil with it, and consume it on their lusts ; but who
will use it for God, for the Gospel, and their salvation. If
you fall sick and die before them, they can rejoice that you
are gone to Christ ; and they need not mourn as David for
Absalom, that you go to hell. If you overlive them, they
leave the world the more easily, when they leave as it were
part of themselves here behind them, who will carry on the
work of God for which they lived, and will be blessings to
the world when they are gone.
8. Thirdly. O what a mercy is it to church and state,
to have our posterity to prove better than we have been,
and do God more service than we have done, and take warn-
ing bv our faults to avoid the like ! Solomon tells us of one
poor wise man that saved a city : and God would have spared
Sodom, had there been but ten righteous persons in it.
Wherever yet I lived, a few persons have proved the great
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 329
blessings of the place, — to be teachers, guides and exem-
plary to others, as the little leaven that leaveneth the lump,
and as the stomach, the liver, and other nutritive parts are
to the body. Blessed is that church, that city, that country,
that kingdom, which hath a wise, just and holy people ! The
nearest good and evil are the greatest : our estates are not
so near us as wives and children, nor they so near us as our
bodies, nor they so much to us as our souls. It is more to
a person, house, or country, what they are, than what they
have, or what others do for them or against them.
It is these that are God's children as well as ours, who
are the blessing so often mentioned in the Scripture, who
will, as the Rechabites, obey their father's wholesome coun-
sels, rather than their lusts and carnal companions, and God
before all : — " Who walk not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the
scornful. But their delight is in the law of the Lord, and in
that law they meditate day and night." (Psal. i.) " Lo, such
children are an heritage of the Lord ; such fruit of the womb
is his reward. They are as arrows in the hand of a mighty
man. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.
They shall not be ashamed ; but they shall speak with the
enemies in the gate." (Psal. cxxvii. 3 — 5.) Were it not for
wise and godly children to succeed us, religion, peace, and
all public good, would be but as we frail mortals are, — like
the grass or flowers of a few days' or years' continuance ;
and the difference between a church and no church, between
a kingdom of Christians and of Infidels, would be but like
the difference between our waking and our sleeping time, so
short as would make it the less considerable.
CHAP. VII.
Undeniable Reasons for the Repentance and speedy Amendment
of those that have lived a fleshly and ungodly Life : by
way of Exhortation.
1. And now the commands of God, the love of my country
and the church, the love of piety, true prosperity and peace,
and the love of mankind, even of your own souls and bo-
330 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
dies, do all command me to become once more an earnest
suitor to the youth of this land, especially of London, who
have hitherto miscarried, and lived a fleshly, sinful life.
Thousands such as you are dead in sin, and past our warn-
ing, and past all hope and help for ever. Thousands that
laughed at judgment and damnation, are now feeling that
which they would not believe. By the great mercy of God
it is not yet the case of you who read these words ; but how
soon it may be, if you are yet unsanctihed, you little know.
O that you knew what a mercy it is to be yet alive, and,
after so many sins and dangers, to have one to warn you,
and offer you salvation, and to be yet in possibility, and in
a state of hope ! In the name of Christ I most earnestly
entreat you, a little while try to use your reason, and use it
seriously in retired and sober consideration, till you have
first well perused the whole course of your lives, and remem-
bered what you have done and how, till you have thought
what you have got or lost by sinning, and why you did it,
and whether it was justifiable reason which led you to it,
and such as you will stand to in your sober thoughts, yea,
such as you will stand to before God at last. Consider se-
riously what comes next, and whither you are going, and
whether your life have fitted you for your journey's end, and
how your ways will be reviewed ere long, and how they will
appear to you, and taste at death, judgment, and in the world
to come. Hold on and think soberly a little while, what is
in your hearts, and what is their condition, what you most
love, and what you hate, and whether God or sinful pleasure
be dearer and more delightful to you, and how you stand
affected and related to the world to which you are very near.
Surely reason would be reason if you would but use it ;
surely light would come in, if you would not shut the win-
dows, and draw the curtains on you, and rather choose to
sleep in darkness. Is there nothing within you that grudg-
eth at your folly, and threateneth you for being wilfully be-
side yourselves? If you would but spend one half hour in
a day, or a week, in sober thinking whither you are going,
what you have done, what you are, and what you must
shortly see and be ; how could you choose but be deeply
offended with yourselves, for living like men quite void of
understanding, against your God, againstyourselves, against
all the ends and obligations of life, and this for nothing ?
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 331
But, it may be, the distinctness of your consideration
may make it the more effectual : and if I put my motives by
way of questions, will you consider them till you have well
answered them all ?
1. Are you not fully convinced, that there is a God of
infinite power, knowledge and goodness, who is the perfect
governor of all the world ? God forbid that any of you should
be so bad and so mad, as seriously to doubt of this, which
the devils believe, while they would draw you to unbelief.
To doubt of a perfect governing God, is to wink and doubt
whether there be a sun, to stop your ears against the noto-
rious testimony of heaven and earth, and every creature. You
may next doubt whether there be any thing, if you doubt of
God. For atoms and shadows are hardly perceived with
more certainty, than the earth, the heavens, and sun.
2. If you believe that there is a governing God, do you
not believe that he hath governing laws or notifications of
his will, and that we owe this God more full, more absolute
and exact obedience than can be due to any prince on earth,
and greater love than to our dearest friend, He being infi-
nitely good and love itself? Can you owe more to your
flesh, or to any, than to your God that made you men, by
whom you have life, and health, and time, and all the good
that ever you received ? Can you give him too much love
and obedience ? Or can you think that you need to fear
being losers by him, and that your faithful duty should be
in vain?
3. Is it God that needeth you, or you that need him ?
Can you give him any thing that he wants, or do you want
what he hath to give ? Can you live an hour without him ?
Or be kept without him from pain, misery or death ? Is it
not for your own need, and your own good, that he requireth
your service ? Do you know what his service is ? It is
thankfully to receive his greatest gifts, to take his medicines
to save your souls, and to feast on his prepared comforts.
He calls you to far better and more needful obedience for
yourselves, than when you command your child to take his
meat, to wear his clothes, or, when he is sick, to take a ne-
cessary remedy. And is such obedience to be refused ?
4. Hath not nature taught you to love yourselves ?
Surely you cannot be willing to be damned, nor be iadiffe-
332 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
rent whether you go to heaven or hell ! And can you be-
lieve, that God would set you on that which would do you
hurt, and that the devil is your friend and would save you
from him? Can you believe that to please your throat and
lust, till death snatch away your souls to judgment, is more
for your own good than to live here in holiness and the love
of God, and hereafter to live for ever in glory ? Do you
think you have lived as if you truly loved yourselves, or as
self-destroyers ? All the devils in hell, or enemies on earth,
could never have done so much against you, as, by your sen-
suality, ungodliness and sloth, you have done against your-
selves. O poor sinner, as ever thou wouldst have mercy
from God in thy extremity, be entreated to shew some mercy
on thyself !
5. Hath not nature deeply taught all the world, to make
a oreat difference between virtue and vice, between moral
good and evil? If the good and bad do not greatly differ,
what makes all mankind, even the sons of pride, to be impa-
tient of being called or accounted bad, and to love to be
accounted wise and good ? How tenderly do most men bear
a reproof, or to hear what they do amiss ? To be called ' a
wicked man, a liar, a perjured man, a knave,' how ill is it
taken by all mankind ? This certainly proveth that the con-
science of the great difference between the good and the
bad, is a common natural notice. And will not God make
a greater difference, who better knoweth it than man?
6. If God had only commanded you duty, even a holy,
righteous, and sober life, and forbidden you the contrary,
and had only bidden you to seek everlasting happiness, and
made you no promise of it, should you not in reason seek it
cheerfully in hope ? Our folly leadeth us to do much in
vain ; but God setteth no man on any vain employment. If
he do but bid you to resist temptation, mortify lust, learn
his word, to pray to him, and to praise him, you may be
sure it is not to your loss. Of a reward you may be sure, if
you know not what it will be. Yea, if he set you upon the
hardest work, or to pass the greatest danger, to serve him
at the dearest rate, or lose your estate for him, and life
itself, what reason can there be for fear of being losers by
obeying God? Yea, the dearest service hath the greatest
reward. But when he hath moreover ascertained your reward
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 333
by a promise, a covenant sworn and sealed by his miracles,
by Christ's blood, by his sacraments, and by his Spirit, if
yet you will be ungodly because you cannot trust him,
you have no excuse.
7. Do you know the difference between a man and a
brute? Brutes have no capacity to think of a God, a Sa-
viour, and a life to come, to know God's law, study obedi-
ence, and to fear hell and sin. Brutes have no reason to
rule their appetites and lusts, nor any hope or joy in fore-
seen glory. But man is made capable of all this : and can
you think God maketh such noble faculties in vain? Or
should we live like the brutes that have no such faculties ?
8. Do you not certainly know, that you must die ? All
the world cannothinder it : you must die. And is it not
near, as well as sure ? How swift is time ! O how quickly
shall we all be at the end of our race and warfare ! And
where then is the pleasure of pride, of appetite and lust?
Neither the dismal carcase, nor the dust or bones retain or
taste it : and (alas !) the unconverted soul must pay for it for
ever. Can you think that so short a brutish pleasure, that
hath so sure and sad an end, is worthy of your incurring the
grieving of your friends, the offending of God, the hazard of
your souls, the loss of heaven, and the suffering of God's
justice in hell for ever? O foolish sinners! I beseech you
think in time how mad a bargain you are making. O what
an exchange ! for a filthy lust or fleshly pleasure, to sell a
God, a Saviour, a Comforter, a soul, a heaven, and all your
hopes !
9. If the devil or deceivers should make you doubt whe-
ther there be any judgment and life to come, should not the
mere possibility and probability of such a day and such a
life be far more regarded by you than all fleshly pleasure,
which is certainly short and base? Did you ever hear a man
so mad as to say, ' I am sure there is no heaven or hell for
souls?' But you are sure that your flesh must rot in a dark
grave ; you are sure that death will quickly put an end to all
that this world can afford you. House and land, and all
that now deceive poor worldlings, will be nothing to you,
(no more than if you had never seen them,) save the terrible
reckoning that the soul must make. Sport and mirth, meat
and drink, and filthy lusts, are all ready to leave you to the
final sentence of your Judge. And is not even an uncertain
334 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
hope of heaven more worth than certain transitory vanity ?
Is not an uncertain hell to be more feared and avoided, than
the forsaking of these certain trifles and deceits? Much
more when God hath so certainly revealed to us the life to
come !
10. Is it a wise and reasonable expectation, that the
righteous God should give that man everlasting glory who
will not leave his whores, his drunkenness, or the basest
vanity, for all his love and for all his mercies, for the sake
of Christ or for the hopes of all this glory ? Heaven is the
greatest reward of holiness, and of the diligent and patient
seekers of it : heaven is the greatest gift of the great love of
God : and can you believe that he will give it to the slaves
of the devil, and to contemning wilful rebels ? May not you
next think, that the devils may be saved? If you say that
" God is merciful," it is most true ; and this will be the
unconverted man's damnation, — that he would for a base lust
offend so merciful a God, and sell everlasting mercy for
nothing, and abuse so much mercy all his life. Abused and
refused mercy will be the fuel to feed the flames of hell, and
torment the conscience of the impenitent for ever. Doth
not God know his own mercy better than you do ? Can he
not be merciful, and yet be holy and just? Is the king un-
merciful, if he make use of jails and gallows for malefactors?
It is mercy to the land to destroy such as would destroy
others. The bosom of Eternal Love is not a place for any
but the holy. The heavenly paradise is not like Mahomet's,
— a place of lust and sensual delights. You blaspheme the
most just and holy God, if you make him seem indifferent to
the holy and the unholy, to his faithful servants and to the
despisers of his grace.
11. If there were any possibility, that unsanctified souls
should be sanctified and saved in another world, is it not a
madness to cast everlasting life on so great an uncertainty
or improbability, when we have life, and time, and helps to
make our salvation sure? God hath called you to " give all
diligence to make it sure." (2 Peter i. 10.) He hath made
infallible promises of it to sanctified believers : he calleth
you to examine and judge yourselves. (2 Cor. xiii. 5.) And
do you know the difference between certainty and un-
certainty in so great a case? O none can now sufficiently
conceive what a difference there is, between a soul that is
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 335
going out of the body with a joyful assurance that Christ
will presently receive him, and a soul that, in the guilt of
sin, must say, ' I am going to an endless life, and know not
but it may be an endless misery ! I am here now, and know
not but I maybe presently with devils that here deceived me.'
Just fear of passing presently to hell-fire, is a dreadful case,
to be avoided above all earthly sufferings. (Luke xii. 4 ;
xiv. 33.) Much more when God's threatenings to the impeni-
tent are most sure.
12. Do you think in your hearts that you have more
pleasure, sound content and peace, with your whores, and in
your sports, drink, or riches, than true believers have in God
and Christ, in a holy life and the hopes of everlasting glory?
Judge but by the cause ; is not the love of that God who is
the Lord of life, and death, and all things ; and is not the
pleasure of pleasing him, and the sense of pardon and mercy
through Christ, and the firm expectation of endless joy by
a promise of God sealed by his Son, by his sacraments, and
Spirit ; — I say, is not all this, matter more worthy to rejoice
a soul, than money, and meat, and drink, and lust? Have
not you those secret gripes of conscience, when you think
how short the sport will be, and that for all these things you
must come to judgment, — which much abateth the pleasure
of your sin? Had you spent that time in seeking first the
kingdom of God and its righteousness, and in honest, obedi-
ent labouring in your callings, you need not have looked
back on it with the gripes of an accusing conscience. If
you see a true believer sorrowful, it is not for serving and
obeying God, or for being holy and hating sin; but for serv-
ing God no better, and hating sin no more.
13. Have you not often secret wishes in your hearts, that
you were in the case of those persons whom you judge to be
of the most holy and heavenly hearts and conversations ? Do
you not think they are in a far safer and better case than you?
Unless you are forsaken to blindness of mind, it is certainly
so. Doth not this shew that you choose and follow that
which is worse, when your consciences tell you it is worse,
and refuse that which your consciences tell you is best?
But it is not such sluggish wishes that will serve: to lie still
and live idle, and to wish yourselves as rich as the industri-
ous, is not the way to make you so.
14. At least, if you have no such wishes now, do you not
336 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
think that you shall wish it at death or judgment ? Do not
your consciences now tell you that you shall shortly wish,
* O that I had hated sinful pleasure! O that I had spent
my short life in obeying and trusting God !' Will you not
say with Balaam, " Let me die the death of the righteous,
and let my last end be like his?" O that I were in the case
of those that mortified the flesh, and lived to God, and laid
not up their treasure on earth, but in heaven? And why do
you not now choose what you know you shall hereafter
deeply wish that you had chosen?
15. I take it for granted, that your merry, sensual, and
worldly tempters and companions deride all this, and per-
suade you to despise it, as if it were but needless, melan-
choly, and troublesome talk. But tell me, do you think in
conscience that what they give you is sound reason, and
such as should satisfy a sober man, who careth what be-
comes of his soul for ever? If it be, I make a motion to
you. Bring any of them to me, or to any such man, and in
your hearing let the case be soberly debated. I will hear
all that they can say against a holy, sober life, and for the
world and their fleshly pleasure, and you shall hear what I
can say on the contrary : and then do but use the reason of
a man and judge as you shall see the cause. As Elias said
to the Israelites, " Why halt you between two opinions? If
the Lord be God follow him ; if Baal be God, follow him." If
money, preferment, drink, or lust be best, take it: But if God,
heaven, Christ, faith, hope, and holiness be best, at your
peril refuse them not, and halt no longer. I suppose you
sometimes think of the case, or else you are dead in sin : [I
pray you, then, tell me, or tell yourselves, Which cause
seemethbest upon the deepest thoughts and consideration?
But if you will take the laughter or scorns of ignorant sots,
instead of reason, and instead of sober consideration, you
are well worthy of the damnation which you so wilfully
choose.
16. But if you think highly of their wit or learning, who
sin as you, and who encourage and deceive you, I pray you
answer these two questions.
(1.) On which side is Christ, and his prophets and apos-
tles? For which side doth the Scripture speak ? Which
way went all the saints whose names are now honoured ?
Were they for the fleshly or the spiritual life ? Were they
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 337
for the love of pleasures more than for the love of God?
Doth Christ from heaven teach you an earthly or a heavenly
choice and life? Did he come to cherish sin, or to destroy
it and save us from it? You can make no doubt of this, if
ever you read or heard the Bible. And
(2.) Which do you think were the wiser and better men,
and worthy to be believed and followed — Christ, and all his
apostles and saints, that ever were in the world, to this day,
— or the drunkards, whoremongers and worldlings, who de-
ride the doctrine sent from heaven? If there be a heaven, is
drunkenness or sobriety more likely to be the way to it?
But if indeed you will take the mocks of a swinish sot to be
wiser than God, than Christ, than prophets and apostles,
and all that ever went to heaven, and their jeers to be more
credible than all God's word, what can a man say, with any
hope, to convince such wretches?
17. I further ask you, Have you not some secret pur-
poses hereafter to repent? If not, (alas!) how far are you
from it, and how forlorn is your case ! But if you have, con-
science is a witness against you, that you choose and live
in that case and course which you know is worst. Were it
not worst, you need not purpose to repent of it. And will
you wilfully choose known evil, when the very nature of
man's will is to love good ?
18. If you believe that the faithful are in a happier case
than you, tell me, What hindereth yet but that you may be
like them, and may yet be happy as well as they? Hath
God put any exception against you in his Word ? Are not
mercy and salvation proclaimed and offered to you, as
freely as to them? Did any thing make you so bad as you
are, but your own choice and doing? And can any thino-
yet hinder you from pardon and salvation, if you yourselves
were but truly willing? What, if your parents were bad,
and bred you up amiss! God hath told you, in Ezek. xviii.
and xxxiii, that if you will but do your own part yet, and
take warning and avoid the sin of your parents and give up
yourselves unfeignedly to him, he will save you, whatever
your parents were. What, if princes, or lords, or learned
men should be your tempters, by words or example !
None of them can force you to one sin. God is greater and
wiser than they, and more to be believed and obeyed ; and
vol. xv. z
338 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
your salvation is not in the power of any of them. What,
if your old companions tempt you! They can but tempt
you ; they cannot constrain you to any evil. All the de-
vils in hell, or men on earth, cannot damn you ; no, nor
make you sinners, if you do it not your ownselves. Refuse
not Christ, and he will not refuse you. And when he is
willing, if you be but willing, — truly willing to be saved
from sin and misery, and to have Christ, grace, and glory in
the use of the means which God hath appointed you, — nei-
ther earth nor hell can hinder your salvation. Who, but
yourselves, now keep you from forsaking the company, the
house, or the baits which have deceived you? Who, but
yourselves, keep you from lamenting your sin and flying to
Christ, from begging mercy and giving yourselves to God?
If you think that serious Christians are the happiest persons
in the world, refuse not to be such yourselves. It will be
your own doing, your own wilful obstinacy, if you perish.
But of this I have already said more in my " Call to the
Unconverted."
19. Dare you deliberately resolve or bargain to take your
fleshly pleasures for your part, instead of all your hopes of
heaven? I hope none of you are yet so mad. I think it is
but few (if any) of the witches that make so express a bar-
gain with the devil. If they did, O how they would tremble
when they see their glass almost run out, and death at hand !
If you dare not make such a bargain in plain words, O do
not do the same in the choice of your hearts, and in the
practice of your lives, deceiving yourselves by thinking that
you do it not, when you do. It is God (and not you) that
maketh the conditions of salvation and damnation. If you
choose that life which, God hath told us, is the condition of
damnation, and if you finally refuse that life which God hath
made the condition of salvation, it will in effect be all the
same as to choose damnation and to refuse salvation. He
that chooseth deadly poison, or refuseth his necessary food,
in effect chooseth death, and refuseth life. God hath said,
" If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if, by the Spirit, ye
mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live." (Rom. viii.)
Christ tells you, that, unless you are born again and con-
verted, you cannot enter into his kingdom; (John iii. 3, 5;
Matt, xviii. 3 ;) and that "without holiness none shall see
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 339
God." Refuse these and choose the world and sinful plea-
sures, and you refuse salvation, and shall have no better
than you choose. What you judge best, choose resolvedly;
and do not cheat yourselves.
20. Have you no natural love to your parents, or your
country? O what inhuman cruelty it is, to break the hearts
of those from whom you had your being, and who were ten-
der of you when you could not help yourselves ! Doubtless,
one reason why God hath put so strong a love in parents to
their children, and made your birth and breeding so costly
to your mother, and made the milk which is formed in her
own body to be the first nourishment of your lives, is, to
oblige you to answerable love and obedience. And if, after
all this, you prove worse than brutes, and become the grief
of the souls of those who thus bred, and loved, and nourished
you, do you think God will not at last make this far sadder
to you, than ever it was to them? If cruelty to an enemy
(much more to a stranger, to a neighbour, to a friend !) be so
hateful to the God of love that it goeth not unrevenged, O
what will unnatural cruelty to parents bring upon you ! Yea,
even in this life, as honouring father and mother hath a spe-
cial promise of prosperity and long life, so dishonouring and
grieving parents is usually punished with some notable ca-
lamity, as a forerunner of the great revenge hereaftex - .
You cannot but perceive that such as live in sensuality,
lust, and wickedness, are the great troublers of church and
state. God himself hath said it, "There is no peace to the
wicked." (Isa. xlviii. 22.) " For the wicked are like the trou-
bled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and
dirt: there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. The
way of peace they knew not; there is no judgment in their
goings ; they have made them crooked paths ; whosoever
goeth therein shall not know peace." (Isa. lix. 8.) They give
no peace to others, and God will deny peace to themselves.
Yea, the nature of their own sin denieth it to them, as bro-
ken bones and griping sickness deny ease to the body. And
can you think that you shall become the shame of the church
and the troublers of the land, and that God will not trou-
ble you for it? If you will be enemies of God and of your
country, you will prove the sorest enemies to yourselves.
Who is the gainer by all this ? No one in the world ; un-
less you will call it the ' devil's gain/ to have his malicious,
340 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
cruel will fulfilled. And surely to please the devil and a
fleshly lust, fancy or appetite, can never compensate all your
losses, nor comfort you under the sufferings which you wil-
fully bring upon yourselves.
Young men, the reason I thus deal with you by way of
question is, that I may, if possible, engage your own thoughts
in answering them. For I find most are aptest to learn of
themselves : and indeed, without yourselves and your own
serious thoughts, we cannot help you to true understanding.
He that readeth the wisest lecture to boys or men who take
no heed to what is said, yea, or who will not make it their
own study to understand and remember, doth but cast away
his labour. It is a hard thing to save any man from himself;
but there is no saving any man without himself; without his
own consent and labour. If you will but now take these
twenty questions into your serious thoughts in secret, and
consider them till you can give them such an answer as rea-
son should allow, and as you will stand to before God when
the mouth of all iniquity shall be stopped, I should not
doubt but you will reap the benefit.
O what should a man do, who pitieth blind and wilful
sinners, to make them willing and desirous of their own re-
covery ! At this point all stops. And must it stop at this?
Are you not willing? And will you not so much as consider
the reasons that should make you willing, when heaven or
hell must be the consequence? O what a thing is a blind
mind, and a dead and hardened heart ! What a befooling
thing is fleshly lust! O what need had mankind of a Savi-
our ! And what need have all of a Sanctifier, and of his holy
word, and of all the holy means of grace !
Poor sinners ! O let not the counsel and tears of your
teachers be brought in as witnesses against you to your con-
demnation ! O add not this to all their griefs, that their
counsel and their sorrows must sink you the more deeply
into hell ! Alas, it were sadness enough to them to see that
it is all vain ! Let not this counsel of mine to you be rejected
to the increase of your guilt and misery : if it do you no
good, it will leave you worse. Were I present with you, I
should not think it too much, would that prevail, to kneel
down to you, and beg that you would but well consider your
own case and ways, and think before of what will follow,
and that you would study a wise and satisfactory answer to
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 341
the questions put to you till you are resolved. Your case is
not desperate ; mercy is yet offered to you ; the day of grace
is not yet past ; God is not unwilling to receive you ; Christ is
not unwilling to be your Saviour, if you consent. No diffi-
culty in the world maketh us afraid of your damnation, but
your own foolish choice and your wicked wills. Our care
is neither to make God merciful, to make Christ's merits
and sacrifice sufficient, nor to get God to promise you par-
don if you repent and come to him by Christ : all this is
done already. But that which is undone, is, to make you
considerate and truly willing, and to live as those that in-
deed are willing to let go the poisonous pleasures of sin, to
take God and heaven for your hope and portion, and to be
saved and ruled by Christ and sanctified by his Spirit, and
to receive his daily help and mercies to this end, in the use
of his appointed means; and, without this, you are undone
for ever. And is there any hurt in all this ? If there were, is
it worse than the filth of sin, and the plagues that follow
here and for ever? Worthy is he to hear at last, " Depart
from me, thou worker of iniquity," and to be thrust away
from the hopes of heaven, who, after all that can be said and
done, chooseth sin as more desirable than this God, this Sa-
viour, this Sanctifier, and this glory.
CHAP. VIII.
General Directions to the willing.
Though the blindness and obstinacy of fleshly sinners too
often frustrate great endeavours, yet we may well hope that
the prayers and tears of parents, and the calls of God, may
prevail with many ; and I may hope, that some that have
read what is before written, will say, * We are willing to
hear and learn that we may be saved : tell us what it is that
we must do.' And on that hope, I shall give such miscar-
rying youth some general advice, as well as some counsel
about their particular cases, and all as briefly as I am able.
O that the Lord would make you who read this, to be truly
willing to practise these ten directions following ! How
happy may you yet be !
1. Set your understandings seriously and diligently to
34*2 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
the work for which they are made, and consider well what
is your interest and your duty, till you come to a fixed re-
solution as to what is for your good, and what is for your
hurt, and what that good or hurt will be.
Should it be a hard thing to persuade a man in his wits
to love himself, and to think what is good or hurtful to him-
self, especially for everlasting? Why are you men, if you
will live like dogs ? What do you with understandings, if
you will not use them? For what will you use them, if not
for your own good and to avoid misery? What good will
you desire, if not everlasting joy and glory? And what hurt
will you avoid, if not hell-fire ? Have you reason, and can you
live as if these were not worth the thinking on? Will you bes-
tow your thoughts all the day and year upon you know not
what nor why, and not one hour soberly think of such impor-
tant things as these? O sirs ! will you go out of the world be-
fore you well think whither you must go? Will you appear
before the Judge of souls, to give up your great account be-
fore you think of it, and how it must be done ? Is he wor-
thy of the help of grace, that will not use his natural rea-
son ? I beg it of you, as ever you care what becomes of you
for ever, that you will some time alone set yourselves for one
hour seriously to think, who made you, and why; what you
owe him ; how much you depend on him ; what you have
done against him ; how you have spent your time ; in what
case your souls are ; what Christ hath done for you ; and
what he is or would be to you ; whether you are sanctified
and forgiven ; what God's Spirit must do for you ; and what
you must be and do, if you will be saved ; and if it be other-
wise, whither it is that you must go.
2. Therefore I next advise and entreat you, that you live
not as at a great distance from eternity, foolishly flattering
yourselves with the deceitful promises of long life : and
were it sure to be an hundred years, remember how quickly
and certainly they will end. Oh ! time is nothing ! there-
fore think of nothing in this world as separated from the
world to come. Whatever you are doing, or saying, or
thinking, the boat is hastening to the gulf. You are post-
ing to death and judgment : which way soever you go, by
wealth or poverty, health or sickness, busy or idle, single or
married, you are going still to the grave and to eternity.
Judge then of every thing as it tendeth to that end : and
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 343
think of nothing as not related, as a means, to the near and
everlasting end. O choose and do what reason and con-
science tell you, that you will at last earnestly wish you had
chosen and done ! When you are tempted to be prayerless
and averse to good, or to run to lust or sinful pleasure, ask
yourselves seriously, ' How will this look in the final review?
What shall I think of this at last ? Will it be my comfort,
or my torment V O judge now as you will judge at last.
3. My third counsel is, If your consciences tell you that
you have foolishly sinned against God and your salvation,
make not light of it; but, presently and openly, go to your
parents or masters and penitently confess your sinful life
generally, and your known and open sins in particular. But
such secret sins as wronged not them and will blast your
reputation, you are not bound to confess openly, unless
the ease or future direction of your doubtful and troubled
consciences require it. But when your vicious fleshly life
is known, excuse it not, hide not the evil by lies or extenua-
tion. When you have wronged your parents or masters by
disobedience, and by robbing them of part of your time and
service, if not also of their money or goods, go to them with
sorrow and shame, and confess how foolishly you have
served the flesh, to the injury of them, and to the offending
of God, and to the unspeakable hurt of your own souls. La-
ment your sin, ask them forgiveness, entreat their prayers,
and their careful government of you for the time to come,
and sincerely promise reformation and obedience.
Yea, if you have had familiar companions in your sin,
go to them, and tell them, ' God and reason have convinced
me of my sinful folly, who have for brutish and fleshly plea-
sure wilfully broken the laws of my Creator and Redeemer,
and, for nothing, undone and lost my soul, if Christ do not
recover me by sound repentance. O how madly have we
despised our salvation! How easily might we have known,
had we but searched and considered the word of God, that
we were displeasing God, undoing ourselves, and making-
work for future sorrows ! Should I, when I know this and
when I know that I am going to death and judgment, yet
obstinately go on and be a hardened rebel against Christ
and grace, what can I expect but to be forsaken of God and
lost for ever? O therefore, as we have sinned together, let
us repent together ! You have been a snare to inu, and I to
.344 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
you. We have been agents of the devil, to draw each other
to sin and misery : certainly all this must sooner or later be
repented of. O let us join together in sorrow, reformation,
and a holy and obedient life. If you will not consent, I here
declare to you before God, (for I know that he seeth and
heareth me,) that I will be your companion in sin no more.
I beg pardon for tempting you. I resolve by God's grace to
prefer my salvation, and my obedience to God, before a base
and beastly pleasure. Whatever you say against it, I will
never more forsake my salvation to follow you, nor ever take
you to be wiser than God, or better friends to me than my
Saviour ; neither will I consider your words more to be
regarded than God's word, nor a merry cup or vanity,
to be better than heaven, nor temperance and holiness to be
worse than hell. If you will not be undeceived with me, I
will pray for you ; but I renounce your sinful company, and
my warning will be a witness against you to your confusion.'
Hesitate not at the scorn of fools, nor at the shame of
such repentance and confession : it may profit others. But,
however, it is no more than, in hope, you owe them whom
you have wronged and endangered by sin. And it will lay
some new obligation on yourselves to amend, by doing what
you have so professed : and surely conscience and shame
will somewhat the more hinder you from ever more joining
with them in the sin which you have so bewailed and re-
nounced. Think not this too much, for there is no jesting
with God, and with everlasting joy or misery.
4. My next counsel is, Presently, understandingly, and
considerately, renew the covenant which you made in bap-
tism with God your Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.
Consider whether to be a Christian is not necessary to
your salvation ; and then consider what it is to be a Chris-
tian, and whether it be not a far higher thing, than merely
to take that name upon you, be of that party, to join with
the right church, and to have the bare words and picture of
believers; and then consider whether God will be mocked
with shows and ceremonies, dead formalities, and false pro-
fessions ; and whether the lifeless carcase or image of Chris-
tianity will be taken by God instead of the life and power
of it, and will ever save a soul. Yea, consider whether a
false, counterfeit Christian, bred up under Christian instruc-
tions and examples, does not make your guilt far greater.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 345
and your case more miserable than Americans or Indians
who never heard what you have heard. When perhaps you
have spoken against hypocrites yourselves, consider whether
there be any more notorious hypocrites than such as you,
who say you are Christians, and yet live to the flesh in the
odious sins which Christ abhorreth. Think what a dreadful
thing it is, to profess a religion which condemneth you, and
to repeat that creed which you believe not, and those peti-
tions in the LordVprayer which you desire not, and those
commandments which you break and which will condemn
you! — To rebel against God, while you say you believe in
him; to despise Christ's government, while you say you
trust him for salvation ; to ask for his grace, when you would
not have it to sanctify you and to save you from sin ; to
beg mercy of God, and to reject this mercy, and to have no
mercy on yourselves ! O think what a doleful case it is to
see distracted sinners such hypocrites, playing with such
contradictions so near God's bar and in his sight ; and to
make no better use of prayers and the name of Christians,
and the profession of the truth, than to give the devil more
matter to accuse you, and conscience to torment you, and a
righteous God to say to you at last, ' Out of thy own mouth
will I judge thee, thou wicked rebel ! Didst thou not con-
fess, that Jesus was the Christ, and that thou didst believe
the Gospel and the life to come? and yet thou didst live in
the wilful disobeying of Christ and the Gospel, and the base
contempt of God and thy salvation.'
And who have considered the sad case of hypocrites,
that call themselves Christians to their own condemna-
tion when they are none such, then think seriously what the
covenant was which was made for you in your baptism, and
which you have taken on you to own. Think what it is de-
votedly to trust to God as your reconciled Father, and de-
votedly to trust to Christ as your Saviour, your great Teacher,
Governor, and Mediator with the Father ; what it is devot-
edly to trust the Holy Spirit to illuminate, sanctify and
quicken you in a holy life, and to strengthen and comfort
you against all your trials and while you are under them.
Consider what it is to take the flesh, the world, and the de-
vil, (as they are against this holy life and heavenly hope,)
for your enemies, and to enlist yourselves under Christ, in
avowed war to the death against them. Think how you
346 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
have perfidiously broken this covenant, on which all the
hope of your salvation lieth. And then, if you dare not ut-
terly renounce all that hope, presently and resolvedly renew
this covenant. Lament your violation of it to God : do it,
not only in a passion, but upon serious consideration make
that choice and resolution which you dare stand to at a dy-
ing hour, and on which you may believe that God for Christ's
sake, will accept you, and forgive you. O think what a
mercy it is to have a Saviour, who, after all your heiuous
sins, will bring you reconciled as sons to God, for the merits
of his sacrifice and righteousness, and by his powerful in-
tercession ; and will send from heaven the Spirit of God in-
to your hearts, to renew those blind, dead, carnal minds to
God's holy image ; and will dwell in you and carry on your
sanctification to the end ! Thankfully and joyfully accept
this covenant and grace, and again give up yourselves to
God, your Father, Saviour, and Sanctifier ! but be sure that
you do it absolutely, without deceitful exceptions and re
serves ; and that you do it resolvedly, and not only in a
frightened mood ; and yet that you do it as in the strength
of the grace of Christ, not trusting the steadfastness of your
own deceitful, mutable hearts. When you can truly say,
that you unfeignedly consent, and renew this covenant in
your hearts, then go the next opportunity to the sacrament
of the Lord's-supper, and there penitently and faithfully re-
new it openly in the solemn way that Christ hath appointed
you ; thankfully profess your trust in Christ, and receive a
sealed pardon of your sins, and a title to everlasting life ;
and settle your conversation in the communion of saints, as
you hope to live with such for ever.
5. Henceforward set yourselves, as the true scholars of
Christ, to learn his doctrine ; as his true subjects, to know
his laws ; as those that trust their souls into his hand, to
understand and firmly believe his promises for this life and
for that which is to come ; and as the blessed man, " to de-
light in the law of the Lord, and meditate in it day and
night." (Psal. i. 2, 3.) As you were wont to steal some
hours from God and your masters, to go to the house of sin
and death, so now get such hours as you lawfully can from
your other employments and diversions, but especially on
the Lord's-day ; get alone, beg mercy and grace from God,
and set yourselves to read the Bible, and with it some cate-
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 347
chisms, and some sound and serious treatises of divinity
which are the most suitable to your state.
It is young men who have miscarried, and who, being
convinced, are willing to turn to God, whom I am now di-
recting. And therefore supposing that you will ask me what
books I would recommend to you, I will answer you ac-
cordingly, supposing still that you prefer the Bible.
(1.) For the full resolving of your hearts to a sound re-
pentance and a holy life, read Joseph Alleine's book of
" Conversion," Richard Alleine's " Vindication of Godliness/'
and their book of " Covenanting with God," and " The Be-
liever's Victory over the World," Mr. Whateley's "New
Birth •" and some of the old sermons of Repentance, such as
Mr. Stock's, Mr. Perkins', Mr. Dikes's, and Mr. Marbury's;
Bunny's " Correction of Parson's Book for Resolution,"
John Rogers's " Doctrine of Faith," and William Fenner's
books ; Samuel Smith " On the first and the fifty-first
Psalms," and his " Great Assize," and on " The Eunuch's
Conversion;" Bifield's " Marrow," Mr. Howe's "Blessed-
ness of the Righteous," and of " Delighting in God."
And if you would have any of mine, read the " Call to
the Unconverted," or the " Treatise of Conversion," and
the " Directions for a Sound Conversion," and " Now or
Never," and " A Saint or a Brute," or which of all these
God's providence shall afford you.
(2.) If you would have help to try your hearts lest they
be deceived, read Alleine's foresaid " Book of the Covenant,"
and Pinkes's " Trial of Sincere Love to Christ." Many
books of marks are extant, Bifield's, Rogers's, Harsnet's,
Berries's, ike, and Mr. Chishull and Mr. Mead of being
" Almost Christians." If you would have any of mine, read
the " Right Method for Peace of Conscience," and " Di-
rections for Weak Christians," in which are to be found the
characters of the false, the weak, and the strong.
(3.) For the daily government of heart and life, read the
"Practice of Piety," Scudder's "Daily Walk," Mr. Reyner's
" Directions," (three excellent books,) and Mr. Corbet's
small " Private Thoughts." And if you would have any of
mine, read my " Family Book," and "The Divine Life, the
Life of Faith, or the Saint's Rest," and, for those that can
great ones, " Christian Directory."
348 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
(4.) And it will not be unuseful to read some profitable
history, especially the Lives of exemplary persons, and the
funeral sermons which characterize them. I have prefaced
to two, which are eminently worth your reading, and most
true, — both young men, — that is, " John Janeway's Life,"
and " Joseph Alleine's Life and Christian Letters ;** and I
have given you the true exemplary characters (in their fu-
neral sermons) of Mr. Ashhurst, (an excellent pattern for ap-
prentices and tradesmen,) Mr. Stubs, Mr. Corbet, Mr. Wads-
worth, and of Mrs. Baker. Read Mr. Samuel Clark's "Lives,"
his " Martyrology," and his " Mirror," Dr. Beard's " Ex-
amples," or " Fox's Book of Martyrs." Some Church-his-
tory, the History of the Reformation from Popery, and the
history of our own country, will be useful.
(5.) As you grow up to more judgment, you may read
methodical sums of divinity, especially Ames's " Marrow,"
and his " Cases of Conscience," (which are translated into
English,) and Commentaries on the Scriptures by various
excellent authors.
Great store of all sorts of good books (through the great
mercy of God) are common among us : he that cannot buy,
may borrow.
But take heed that you lose not your time in reading ro-
mances, play-books, vain jests, seducing or reviling disputes,
or needless controversies.
This course of reading Scripture and good books will be
many ways to your great advantage.
(1.) It will, above all other ways, increase your knowledge.
(2.) It will help your resolutions and holy affections, and
direct your lives.
(3.) It will make your lives pleasant. The knowledge,
the usefulness, and the variety to be found in these works,
will be a continual recreation to you, unless you are utterly
besotted or debauched.
(4.) The pleasure of this will turn you from your filthy,
fleshly pleasure. You will have no need to go for delight
to a play-house, a drinking-house, or to beastly lusts.
(5.) It will keep you from the sinful loss of time, by
idleness or unprofitable employment or pastimes. You will
cast away cards and dice, when you find the sweetness of
useful learning.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 349
But be sure that you choose the most useful and neces-
sary subjects, and that you seek knowledge for the love of
holiness and obedience.
6. The sixth part of my advice is, forsake ill company ;
and converse with such as will be helps to your knowledge,
holiness, and obedience, and not such as will draw you to
sin and misery.
You have found by sad experience what power ill com-
pany hath on fools ; with such persons a merry tale, a laugh,
a jest, a scorn, a merry cup, and a bad example and persua-
sion, do more than reason, or God's authority, or the love
of their souls. A physician may go among the sick and
mad to cure them ; and a wise man that seeth these will pity
them, and hate sin the more. But what do you do there,
where you have already caught the infection of their disease ?
The mind of a man is known much by the company which he
chooseth ; and if you choose ill, no wonder if you speed ill.
" He that walketh with wise men shall be wise ; but a com-
panion of fools shall be destroyed." (Prov. xiii. 20.) " Who-
so keepeth the law is a wise son, but he that is a companion
of riotous men shall shame his father." (Prov. xxviii. 7.) Da-
vid saith " I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and
of them that keep thy precepts." (Psalm cxix. 63.) "I
have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dis-.
semblers, I have hated the congregation of evil-doers, and
will not sit with the wicked." (Psalm xxvi. 4, 5.) " Depart
from me, ye evil-doers, for I will keep the commandments of
my God." (Psalm cxix. 115.)
7. Especially be sure that you run not wilfully upon
temptation, but keep as far from every tempting bait and
object as you can. Fire and gunpowder, or fire and straw
must be kept at a sufficient distance. No man is long safe
at the very brink of danger, especially if it be his own choice,
and more especially if it be a sin to which his nature is much
inclined. No wise man will trust corrupted nature very far,
especially where he hath often fallen already. The best man
that is, should live in fear when an enticing bait of sin is
near him. If David, who prayed, " Turn away mine eyes
from beholding vanity," had better practised it, O what a
heinous sin had he escaped ! Had he " made a covenant with
his eyes," as Job did, what wounds had he prevented ! The
feast that you see not, the cup that is a mile ofF, the person
350 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
that is far distant, the words which you hear not, are not
those of which you are most in danger. But when tempt-
ing meat and drink are before you, and the tempting person
hath secret familiarity with you, and tempting or provoking
words are at your ears, then (alas !) many have need of more
grace, resolution, and mortification than they have.
If you knew well what sin is, and what is the conse-
quence, you would be more watchful and resolved against
temptations than against thieves, fire, or the places infected
by the plague.
8. Make it the chief study of your lives to understand
what man's everlasting hope is, to get a lively well-settled
belief of it, to bring your souls to take it joyfully for your
true felicity and end, and thence daily to fetch the powerful
motives of your duty and your patience, and your content-
ing comfort in life and at your death.
(1.) The end is the life of all the means. If heavenly
blessedness be not the chief end for which you live, hope,
and labour in the world, your whole lives will be but carnal,
vain, and the way to misery : for the means can be no better
than the end. God, that is the beginning, is also our
end; we are made and governed by him and for him. Hea-
venly glory is the sight of his glory, and the everlasting per-
fection and pleasure of joyful mutual love.
But we are not the noblest creatures, next to God in ex-
cellency and desert, yea, we are sinners who have deserved
to be cast out from his love. And therefore, as in the way
we must come to him by a Saviour, so as the blessed end
we must enjoy him by a Mediator. And to see God's glory
in Christ, and the heavenly Jerusalem, the blessed society
of saints and angels, continually flaming in love, joy and
praises to the most holy God, — this, this is the felicity for
which we labour, suffer, and hope.
(2.) And O how great and how needful a work it is, to
search, study, and pray for so firm a belief of this unseen
glory, as may so resolve, engage, and comfort us in some
good measure, as if we had seen it with these eyes ! O what
men would one hour's being in heaven make us, or one clear
sight of it ! Faith hath a greater work to do than a dream-
ing or dead opinion can perform. If it be first not well-
grounded and well-exercised upon God's love, promise and
glory from day to day, you will find cause sadly to lament
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. .351
the weakness of it. For this use you have great need of the
help of such books, as open clearly the evident proofs of the
Christian verity, which I have briefly done in the beginning
of the second part of my " Life of Faith," and more largely
in two other books, viz. " The Unreasonableness of Infide-
lity," and " The Reasons of the Christian Religion." A firm
belief of the world to come, is that which must make us
serious Christians, and overcome the snares of worldly vanity.
Your faith being well settled, set yourselves daily to use
it, and live by it: dwell in the joyful hopes of the heavenly
glory. What' is a man that liveth not in the use of reason?
And you must know that you have as daily use for your
faith, as for your reason. Without reason, you can neither
safely eat nor drink ; nor converse with men as a man, but
as a bedlamite ; nor do any business that concerneth you ; and
therefore you must live by your reason. And without faith
you can neither please God, nor obtain salvation, — no, nor use
your reason for any thing higher than to serve your appetites
and purvey for the flesh ; and therefore must " live by faith,'
or live like beasts and worse than beasts, and cannot other-
wise live to God, or in the hopes of blessedness hereafter.
O consider that the difference between living chiefly upon
and for an earthly and fleshly felicity, or a heavenly one, is
the great difference between the holy and the unholy, and is
the foregoer of the difference between those in heaven and
those in hell.
9. Still remember that the great means of all the good
that here or hereafter you can expect, is the great Media-
tor, the great Teacher, Ruler, and Intercessor for
his people ; and therefore, out of him you can do nothing.
All duty that you offer to God, must be by his mediation ;
and so must all mercy which you receive from God. " To
come to God by him, who is the way, the truth and the life,"
must be your daily work of faith. His blood must wash you
from all past sin, and from the guilt of daily failings and in-
firmities. None but he can effectually teach you to know
God and yourselves, your duty and your everlasting hopes.
None but he can render your persons, praises and actions
acceptable to God ; because you are sinners, and unmeet
for God's acceptance without a Mediator. " All power in
heaven and earth is given to him," and your lives and souls
are at his will. It is he that must judge you, and with whom
352 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
you hope to live in glory. Therefore you must so " live by
the faith of the Son of God, who hath loved you and given
himself for you," that you may say it is he that liveth in you.
(Gal. ii. 20, 21.) This is the fountain from whence you must
daily fetch your strength and comfort.
10. And still remember that it is by the operation of the
Holy Spirit that the Father and the Son do sanctify souls,
and regenerate and breed them up for glory. It is by the
Holy Ghost that God dwelleth in us by love, and Christ
dwelleth in us by faith. Therefore see that you rest not in
corrupted nature, and trust not to yourselves or to the flesh.
Your souls are dead to God and holiness, and your duties
dead, till the Spirit of Christ do quicken them. You
are blind to God and mad in sin, till the Spirit illuminate
you, and give you understanding. You are like enemies,
out of love with God, with heaven and holiness, till this
Spirit reconcile and sanctify your wills. You will have no
manlike, spiritual and holy pleasure, till the Holy Spirit
renew your hearts, and make them fit to delight in God.
O that men knew the great necessity of the illuminating,
quickening, sanctifying and comforting influence of the
Spirit of God, how far would they be from deriding it, as
some profane ones do ! By this Holy Spirit the sacred
records were written ; and by the miracles of Christ and
his apostles, and by the evangelists and prophets, they were
sealed and delivered to the churches. By this Spirit, the
orders and government of the church were settled ; and by
Him we are enlightened to understand the Scriptures and
are inclined to love them, and delightfully to believe and
obey them. Study therefore obediently these writings of the
Holy Ghost, and confidently trust them. O be not found
among the resisters or the neglecters of the Spirit's help and
motions, when proud self-confidence or fleshly lust do rise
against them.
Christ's bodily presence is taken from the earth; he pro-
mised, instead of it, (which was but in one place at once,)
to send his Spirit, which is to the soul more than the sun's
light to the eye, and can shine in all the world at once.
This is his agent on earth, by whom (in teachers and learn-
ers) he carrieth on his saving work. This is his advocate,
who pleadeth his cause effectually against unbelief, fleshly
lusts, and worldly wisdom. This is the " well of living
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 353
water, springing up in us to everlasting life;" the name, the
mark of God on souls ; the Divine regenerator, the author
of God's holy image ; and the Divine nature, even Divine
life, and light and love ; the conqueror of the world and flesh,
the strengthener of the weak, the confirmer of the wavering,
the comforter of the sad, and the pledge, earnest and first-
fruits of everlasting life. O therefore pray earnestly for the
Spirit of grace, carefully obey him, and joyfully praise God,
in the sense of his holy encouragement and help !
CHAP. IX.
Additional Counsel to Young Men, who are bred up to Learning,
and public work, especially to the Sacred Ministry, in the
Universities and Schools.
1. It was the case of the London apprentices, who are
nearest me, and with whom I have oft to do, which first
provoked me to this work ; it was their case therefore which
was chief in my intention. But had I as near an opportunity
to be a counsellor to others, there are three sorts whom I
should have preferred, for the sake of the church and king-
dom, to which they are of greater signification : —
(1.) Those in the schools and universities, who are bred
up for the sacred ministry.
(2.) Those in schools, colleges, and in the inns of court,
who are bred up the knowledge of the law.
(3.) The sons of noblemen, knights and others, that are
bred up for some places in the government of the kingdom,
according to their several ranks. And of these it is first to
whom I shall most freely speak.
2. Audi first I shall mention the importance of their case,
and secondly the danger that they are in of miscarrying, and
what they should do to escape it.
3. And indeed their condition, as they prove good or bad,
is of unspeakable importance.
(1.) To the church and to the souls of men.
(2.) To the peace of the kingdom.
(3.) To themselves. And,
(4.) To their parents, above the common case of others.
VOL. XV. A A
354 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
4. (1.) Of how great importance the quality of the clergy
is to the church and to men's salvation, many thousands
have found to their joy and happiness; and, I fear, many
more thousands have found to their sorrow and destruction.
And then of what importance the quality of scholars and
young candidates is to the soundness of the clergy, I
need not many words to make men of reason and experience
know.
5. (2.) God who hath instituted the sacred office, and
by his Spirit qualifieth men for the work, doth usually
work according to the fitness of their work and their quali-
fications. As he doth the works of nature according to the
fitness of natural second causes, (giving more light by the
sun, than by a star or candle, &c.) so he doth the works of
morality, according to the fitness of moral causes. Holiness
is the true morality, and usually wrought by holy means.
And though it be so supernatural in several respects, (as it
is wrought by the supernatural revelation or doctrine, or a
supernatural teacher Christ, by the operation of the Holy
Ghost a supernatural agent, commonly called * infusion/
and ' raising the soul to God' — a supernatural object, and to
a better state than that of corrupted nature,) though holiness
be thus supernatural, yet we are natural recipients and agents,
and it is our natural faculties which grace reneweth, and,
when thus renewed, they learn to exercise the acts of holi-
ness. God worketh on us according to our nature, and by
causes suited to our capacities and to the work. As he
useth not to give men the knowledge of languages, philoso-
phy or any art, by the teaching of the ignorant and unskilful,
so much as by learned and skilful teachers, we must say the
same of our teachers of sacred truth ; and though grace be
the gift of the Holy Ghost, experience constraineth all sorts
of Christians almost to acknowledge what I here assert.
Why else do they so earnestly contend, that they may live
under the teachers which they count the best ? Will heretics
teach men the truth as well as the orthodox ? Why then is
there such a stir made against heretics in the world ? And
why are the clergy so eager to silence such as preach down
that which they approve? Will Papists choose Protestant
teachers, or will Protestants choose Papists ?
And as men are unfit to teach others that which they
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 355
know not themselves, so unbelieving and unholy men are
far less lit to persuade the hearers to faith and holiness,
than believing, holy teachers are. Though some of them
may be furnished with the same notions and words which
serious, godly teachers use, yet usually, even in that, they
are greatly wanting ; because they have not so thoroughly
studied saving truth, nor perceived its evidence, nor set
their hearts upon it, nor deeply received and retained it.
For serious affection quickeneth the mind to serious consi-
deration, and causeth men speedily and deeply to receive
that truth which others receive but slowly, superficially, or
not "at all. How eagerly and prosperously do men study
that which they strongly love ! And how hardly do they
learn that in which they have no delight, much more that
which they hate, and against which their very natures rise
in opposition !
But if a hypocrite should have good notions and words,
yet he will be usually greatly wanting in that serious delivery
which is ordinarily needful to make the hearers serious
Christians. That which cometh not from the heart of the
speaker, seldom reacheth the heart of the hearer. As light
causeth light, so heat causeth heat ; and the dead are unfit
to generate life. The arrow will not go far or deep, if both
the bow and arm that shoot it be not strong ; constant ex-
perience telleth us undeniably of the different success of the
reading or saying of a pulpit-lesson, as of a dull or a mere
affected speech, and of the judicious and serious explica-
tion and application of well-chosen matter which the expe-
rienced speaker well understandeth, and which he uttereth
from the feeling of his soul. Neither the love of a benefice
nor the love of applause will make a man preach in that
manner, as the love of God, the lively belief of heaven and
hell, and the desire of saving souls will do. The means will
be chosen and used, and the work done, agreeably to the
principle and the end.
But if a stage hypocrite should learn the knack or art of
preaching, with affected fervency and seeming zeal, yet art
and paint will not reach the power and beauty of nature.
Usually affectation bewrayeth itself; and, when it is dis-
cerned, the hypocrisy is loathed. And it faileth ordinarily,
in point of constancy : " Will the hypocrite pray always?"
356 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
(Jobxxvii. 10.) Art will not hold out like nature: when
the motives of gain (which is their godliness) cease, the plea-
sures of applause, which are the means, will likewise cease.
Yea, it usually turneth to a malignant reviling of the serious
piety which they counterfeited before, or. of the persons
whose applause they did affect. For where the hypocrisy
of the preacher is discovered by his contradictory and self-
condemning words or life, and the people accordingly judge
of him as he is, his proud heart cannot bear it, but he turn-
eth a malicious reproacher of these whose applause he
sought, — thinking, by disgracing them, to defend his own
esteem, by making their censure of him to seem incredible
or contemptible.
And if the hypocrite should hold on his stage-affectation
with plausible art, yet it will not reach to an answerable dis-
charge of the rest of his ministerial work. It is from men
that he expecteth his reward ; and it is in the sight of men,
on the public stage, that he appeareth in his -borrowed glory.
But in his family, his conversation, or in his ministerial duty
to men in private, he answereth not his public show. He
will not set himself to instruct and win the ignorant and im-
penitent, zealously to save men from their sins, and to raise
men's earthly minds to heaven, by praying with them, by
heavenly discourse, and by a holy conversation ; nor will
such a person be at much cost or labour to do good.
6. But (alas !) the far greatest part of bad, unexperienced
clergymen do prove so hurtful to the church, that they have
not so much as the hypocrite's seeming zeal and holiness
with which to cloak their sin or to profit their people. The
sad case of the Christian world proclaimeth this ; not only in
the Southern and Eastern churches, Abassia, Egypt, Syria,
Armenia, the Greeks, Muscovites, &c. ; nor only the Papist
priests in the West ; but too great a number in the Reformed
churches. And it is more lamentable than wonderful : for
there goeth so much to the general planting of a worthy,
faithful ministry, that it is the great mercy of God that such
are not more rare.
(1.) If they have not natural capacity, there is not matter
for art and ordinary grace to elevate.
(2.) If this capacity be not improved by diligent and
long study, (which most of them will not undergo,) it is no
wonder if it be useless, or much worse.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 357
(3.) If it be not directed by a sound and skilful teacher,
but fall into the hands of an erroneous or bad guide, you may
conjecture what the fruits will be.
(4.) If good parts and studies be not kept from the mis-
chievous enmity of a worldly mind and fleshly lusts, how
easily are they corrupted, and turned against their use and
end, to the great hurt of the church, and of themselves !
(5.) If those that choose prelates or church-governors,
should be either of corrupted judgments, wicked hearts, or
vicious lives, how probable is it that they will choose such
as themselves, or, at least, such as will not much cross their
lusts !
(6.) If such worldly and wicked prelates be the or-
dainers, examiners, judges, and institutors of the inferior
clergy, or be their rulers, it is easy to know what sort of men
they will introduce and countenance, and what sort they will
silence and discourage.
(7.) If lay-patrons have the choice of parish pastors, and
if most or many of them should be such as Christ tells us
the rich most usually are, — a worldly and sensual sort of
men, or such as have no lively sense of heavenly things, —
we may easily conjecture what men such patrons are likely
to present.
(8.) If the people, as anciently, have any where the choice,
when most of them are bad, what men will they choose ? Or if
they have not the choice, yet they are so considerable that
their consent or dissent, their love or hatred, will sway much
with those that live much among them. But I must after-
wards say more concerning these impediments.
7. And as all these impediments are likely to make
worthy pastors to be rare, so it is certain that the naughti-
ness of such as are here described is likely to make them ex-
ceedingly hurtful, which is easily gathered from
(1.) What they will be.
(2.) What they will do.
(3.) In what manner they will do it. — In all which, the
effects may be probably foreseen.
And, Fiest, It is supposed (i.) that they will be worldly-
minded men, who will take gain for godliness, accounting
that to be the better cause ; and they will judge those to be
the best persons who most befriend their worldly interest.
They will love the fleece, more than the safety of the flock ;
358 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
and their benefices, more than the benefit of the people's
souls ; they will serve their bellies more than Christ ; (Phil,
iii. 18; Rom. xvi. 17 ;) and being lovers of the world, they
will be real enemies to God. " The love of money (in them)
will be the root of all evil." As Achan and Gehazi, they
will think they have reason for what they do ; and, if tempted,
will with Judas betray their Master.
(n.) And their fleshly desires will have little restraints,
except what one sin doth put upon another, or what God's
controlling providence may give them. Their reputation
may make them avoid that which would be their disgrace.
But, secretly, they will serve their appetites, and fleshly
lusts. For they will neither have God's effectual grace, nor
much tenderness of conscience to restrain them.
(in.) And pride will be their very nature. Esteem and
applause will be taken for their due, and will seem almost
as necessary to them as the air, and as water to a fish. Am-
bition will be their complexion, and will actuate their
thoughts. — All these vices will so corrupt their judgments,
that there will want little more than worldly interest and
temptations to turn them to any heresy or ill design.
(iv.) It is much to be feared, that their profanation of
holy things will make them worse and more impenitent than
other men ; partly by the righteous judgment of God in for-
saking them ; and partly, by the hardening of their own
hearts, by their long abuse of that truth which should have
sanctified them. For when they have imprisoned it in un-
righteousness, and long played, as hypocrites, with that
which they preached and professed to believe, custom will
so harden them that their knowledge will have little power
on their hearts.
Secondly. And no wonder if the fruit be like the tree.
These vices will not be idle ; neither will they bring forth
holy or just effects.
(1.) It is likely, such persons will make it the chief care
of their minds to get that which they most love ; and that
they will study preferment, which is the clergyman's nearest
way to wealth.
(2.) And then they must be flatterers of those that can
prefer them ; or, at least, must not seriously call them to re-
pentance, or tell them of their sin.
(3.) In all differences, of what consequence soever, they
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 359
will usually pass their judgment on the side of such as can
prefer or can hurt them.
(4.) In religious controversies they will usually be on the
side that is for their worldly interest, be it right or wrong.
(5.) They will harden great men in their sins, by flatter-
ing them.
(6.) They will harden the profane, by pleasing them
in their ignorance and ungodliness, to get them on their
side.
(7.) They will be enemies to serious and religious peo-
ple, because they discern the vice and hypocrisy which these
worldly men would conceal ; and because they honour such
as fear the Lord, while vile persons are contemned in their
eyes. (Psal. xv. 4.)
(8.) They will turn their preaching against such, partly
to vent their malignant spleen, and partly to overcome them
as their enemies. With this view, they will describe their
serious piety as • faction, self-opinion and hypocrisy,' will
raise jealousies against them in the minds of rulers, will in-
crease the rage and malignity of the rabble, and will exte-
nuate the sin and danger of the most ungodly sort who take
their own part.
(9.) They will shame their office and profession by base
mutability, turning with the time and tide as temptations
from their worldly interest lead them.
(10.) They will, by their making light of godliness, and
by the scandal or unholiness of their own conversation,
make the vulgar believe that godliness is either a cheat, or
a matter of mere words and outward observances ; that it
only signifies to be of the religion of their rulers, and that it
is a thing to keep men in some awe and order in a worldly life.
(11.) Their ignorance often makes them unfit for hard
controversies ; and yet their pride and malignity will make
them forward to talk of what they do not understand, and
from thence to take an occasion to revile those whom they
dislike ; and, speaking evil of what they never knew, they
will make up their want of knowledge with outward titles,
pretended authority, confident affirmation, censorious re-
proach, and violently oppressing by power the gainsayers.
(12.) If any man's conscience be awakened, loudly call-
ing him to true repentance, they will either tell him 'it is
needless, melancholy trouble/ and give him an opiate of
360 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN,
some flattering, false comfort, or they will preach him asleep
again with unsuitable things, or by a cold, dull and formal
method of managing holy things.
9. Thirdly. Such are too often the plagues of the
church and state, as well as injurious to individual souls.
(1.) Their ignorance or scandalous ambition, their cove-
to usness and other sins, do render them so contemptible in
the eyes of many, that it tends likewise to bring into con-
tempt the church and all religion. When nobles, gentle-
men, and the common people think basely of the ministry,
the church, and religion for their sakes, how sad is the case
of such a people ! The Gospel is half taken away from a
nation when it is taken out of their esteem and brought un-
der their reproach and scorn. A scorned clergy will pre-
pare for the scorning of religion ; and an ignorant, a worldly,
ambitious, fleshly, and scandalous clergy, will be a scorned
clergy with too many. Erasmus much disgraced the Ger-
man Protestants, when he described some of them as having
a bottle of wine at their girdle, and his translation of the
New Testament in their hands, ready to dispute for it with
blows. So do several others, that tell the world how many
of the Lutheran ministers are given to excess of drink, and
to unpeaceable reviling of Dissenters. And the same Eras-
mus much depreciated either bishops or Scotists, when,
speaking of the Scotist bishop of London who was Dr..
Collet's adversary, he said, * I have known some such whom
I would not call knaves, but I never knew one whom I could
call a Christian.' Not only drunkenness and brutish sins,
but factiousness, envy, unpeaceableness, contentiousness,
and especially a proud and worldly mind, will be, in most
men's eyes, more ugly in a minister than in others. For
where there is a double dedication to God, that which is com-
mon will seem unclean ; and when there should be a double
holiness, sin will appear to be double sin.
(2.) And indeed a carnal, worldly clergy are oft the most
powerful and obstinate hinderers of the peace and quietness
of church and state.
(i.) By fitting themselves to the humours of those in
whose power their preferments are, be it never so much to
the injury of men's souls, bodies or estates, or against the
public good and safety ! Or else, leading the people into
error, for popular applause.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 361
(if.) By a domineering humour in matters of religion;
taking themselves to be lawgivers to others ; and taking
their wits and wills to be uncontrollable ; laying heaven and
hell upon their own inventions or conceits, and on the con-
troversies which they endlessly make, but do not under-
stand ; and hereticating or anathematizing such as take them
not for oracles, or Rabbies that must not be gainsayed.
(in.) By corrupting tne Christian religion and the
church, in departing from the Christian simplicity and pu-
rity ; and forming their doctrine, worship, and government,
according to their own carnal minds and worldly interest.
(iv.) And then militating against the best men that con-
tradict them or stoop not to them, though it be to the dis-
traction and division of the churches. And usually they are
the hardest to be brought to peace and reconciliation, and
do most against whenever it is attempted by peace-makers,
who pity the woful case of such a self-disturbing people.
10. All this hath been so long manifested to the sad
experience of mankind, in most ages of the Christian world,
that it is not to be denied or concealed. And should we
use the honour of the church and clergy as a pretence for
the denying or the hiding of such grievous sins, it would
but make us partakers of their guilt, displease the most holy
God, who will have sin shamed, in whomsoever it may be
found, and will harden others who are ready to imitate
them. The Holy Scriptures open and shame the sins even
of Adam, Noah, Lot, David, Solomon, Peter, and of God's
chosen people the Jews : and this was not a faulty un-
covering of their nakedness, but a necessary disgrace of sin,
a manifestation of the holiness and justice of God, and a
warning to others that we should not sin with such examples
before our eyes. (1 Cor. x. 6 — 8.)
I have written the History of the Bishops and Councils of
former ages, in which, with their virtues, I have opened their
miscarriages. Some blame it, as if it were uncovering their
nakedness. Yet I have said nothing but what is openly pro-
claimed of them long ago, by their own greatest flatterers ;
and it was Christ himself that said, " Remember Lot's wife."
The pit into which so many have fallen must be uncovered ;
and God and holiness must be honoured, rather than those
that dishonour them by sin. Sin, confessed and forsaken,
is not so dangerous, as sin denied and extenuated. He that
362 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
hideth it, shall not prosper. " Sin is a reproach to any
people." (Prov. xiv. 34 ; vi. 33.) Even God that for-
giveth it to the penitent, will shame it, — to keep others from
committing it. He that minceth or hideth it, tempteth
others to imitate it.
Alas ! what work have a worldly, proud, and ignorant
clergy made in most Christian nations, these thirteen hun-
dred years ! Athanasius, Chrysostom, Isidore-Pelusiota,
&c. but especially, excellent Gregory Nazianzene have told
it us, even of their flourishing times, more plainly than I
now intend to do : — They have loved this present world ;
some set themselves, by venting new and odd opinions, to
draw ..disciples after them for applause; some furiously
hereticating those that differed from them by ambiguous
words, and making themselves lords of the faith of others,
and their ignorant dictates the oracles of the church; striv-
ing who should be thought wisest and best, but especially
who should be greatest, as if Christ had never judged in that
controversy ; flattering emperors and princes, till they got
wealth and power by them, and then overtopping them, and
troubling the world by rebellious and bloody wars; tearing
the churches in pieces, on pretence of union, killing and
burning men on pretence of faith and charity, and cursing
from Christ his faithful servants, on pretence of using the
keys of Christ's kingdom ; setting up themselves and a
worldly kingdom, on pretence of the spiritual government
of Christ ; making merchandise of souls, on pretence of
feeding and ruling them ; cherishing the people in ignorance,
sloth, and carnality, that they might be more obedient to
their tyranny, and less capable of opposing it ; hating and
destroying the most conscionable Christians, as heretics, or
schismatics, because they are the greatest enemies to their
sin, and desirous of reformation ; provoking princes to be-
come the bloody persecutors of such, for the upholding of
their worldly state and dignity; yea, making them their lie-
tors or executioners, to destroy such as they condemn.
Such work as this hath destroyed the Greek or Eastern
churches, and set up Turkish tyranny by dividing Christians,
weakening, and ruining the emperors, making religion a
mere image of lifeless formality and ceremony, and a power-
less dying thing. Such a clergy have darkened and lamentably
brought low the Christian churches in Muscovy, Armenia,
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 363
Georgia, Mongrelia, Syria, and Abassia, have extirpated
them in Nubia, and brought them to what they are in Italy,
Poland, Hungary, Spain France, and most of Germany :
such a clergy have brought Ireland from the laudable state
in which it was in the days of Malachias, as Bernard des-
cribed it, into the barbarous and brutish ignorance and
bloody inhumanity at which it is now arrived ; they had the
chief hand in the murder of two hundred thousand persons
in the late rebellious insurrection. Such a clergy had a
chief hand in the civil wars in England in the reign of Wil-
liam Rufus, King Stephen, Henry the Third, King John, &c,
— the subject of Pryn's History of the Treasons of Prelates.
And (alas !) such a corrupt sort of ministers keep up the
division of the German Protestants, under the name of
Lutherans and Calvinists, about consubstantiation, church-
images, and doctrines of predestination not understood.
And had the Low Countries ever had the stirs between
Remonstrants and Contra-remonstrants, or England and
Scotland ever had the miserable contentions, wars and
cruelties between the former episcopal parties and the
Laudians, or between them and the Presbyterians and Inde-
pendents, and all the silencings, and woful contentions and
schisms that have thence followed, if the vices of the clergy
had not been the cause? And had we continued in this case
these last twenty years, silencing, reviling, and prosecuting
about two thousand conscionable preachers, and writing and
preaching still for the purpose of executing the laws against
them, the prosecuted people flying from such a clergy as
from ravening wolves, and some censuring the innocent with
the guilty, — could all this have been done by a wise, holy,
and peaceable clergy, that served God in self-denial, and
knew what it was to seek the good of the church and of
souls? When we yet continue under the same distractions
and convulsions, and all cry out that a flood of misery is
breaking in on the land and likely to overwhelm us all, still
it is the clergy who cannot or will not be reconciled, but
animate rulers and people against each other, and cannot or
will not find the way of peace. Yea, every thing would soon
be healed, in all probability, could the nation but procure
the clergy to consent. Certainly there is some grievous
disease in ourselves, which is likely to prove mortal to such
a kingdom, and that while so many pray and strive for peace.
304 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
Those men that have no more skill or will to heal the wounds
and to stop the blood of a fainting church and state, nor
will by any reason or humble importunity be entreated to
consent to the cheap and necessary cure, no, nor to hold
their hands from continued tearing of us, do tell all the
world that they are sadly wanting in fitness for their sacred
office, and that this unfitness is likely to cost an endangered
nation dear.
Woe, woe, woe, to that church that hath hypocrites, un-
godly, unexperienced, proud, worldly, fleshly, unskilful, un-
faithful and malignant pastors, and that hath wolves instead
of shepherds ! Woe to the land that hath such ! Woe to
the prince and states that have and follow such counsellors,
and to the souls that are subverted by them ! Alas ! from a
bad clergy have sprung the greatest calamities of the
churches, in all places to this very day.
11. But will such men's sins prove less woful to them-
selves than others ?
No. (1.) It is the sin and guilt itself which is the great-
est evil.
(2.) They aggravate their sin and guilt by a perfidious
violating of a double vow, — their baptismal vow of Chris-
tianity, — and their ordination vow to be faithful ministers of
Christ.
(3.) They aggravate their guilt by their nearness to God
in their office and works, as Aaron's two sons that were
struck dead. (Lev. x. 2, 3.) " For God will be sanctified in
them that come nigh him, and before all the people will he
be glorified." The examples of the Bethshemites, Uzza, and
Uzziah, the bad priests and false prophets of old, are terrible.
(4.) And it greatly addeth to the guilt, to do all this or
much of it as in the name of God, or bv his commission.
This is a dreadful taking of God's name in vain, for which he
will not hold them guiltless. To pretend, that it is by God's
command that they set up that which he abhorreth ; that
they corrupt his doctrine, worship, or church-order, that they
set up their own wills and sinful laws instead of and against
his laws, that they tear his church by proud impositions and
wicked anathemas, and interdicts of whole kingdoms, ex-
communicating and deposing kings, absolving men from
their oaths of allegiance, tormenting and murdering godly
men as heretics, silencing faithful ministers, smiting the
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 365
shepherds and scattering the flocks, and then reviling them
as schismatics, — and all this to uphold a worldly kingdom
of their own, and keep up their pride, domination and self-
will, and to have riches as provision for their fleshly lusts ;
— I say, to do all this as in the name of Christ, with a ' sic
dicit Dominus', (" thus saith the Lord,") and as for the
church, for truth, and for souls, is a most heinous aggrava-
tion.
(5.) Indeed, while a poor blind clergyman, has his trade,
for applause and gain, doth study and preach that word of
God, which is against him, how dreadful is it to think how
all that he doth and saith is self-condemnation, that out of
his own mouth he must be judged, and that all the woes
which he pronounceth against hypocrites and impenitent,
carnal and worldly men, his own tongue pronounceth against
himself.
12. And when Satan hath once got such instruments,
how great an advantage hath he for success against them-
selves, against the flock, and against the church and cause
of Christ, above what he might expect by other servants !
(1.) They are far more hardly brought to repentance than
others.
(i.) Because they have, by wit and study, bended that
doctrine to defend their sin which should be used to bring
them to repentance.
(u.) Because their aggravated sin against light doth most
forfeit that help of grace which should work repentance in
them.
(m.) And because, being taken for wise and learned men,
for preachers of truth, teachers of others, and reprovers of
errors, their reputation is much concerned in it, and their
unhurabled souls, which look that all others should assent
and consent to their prescripts, will hardly be brought to
confess sin and error ; but will sooner (as Papists,) plead
infallibility, or will conclude, as some councils have done,
that a layman must not accuse a clergyman, be he never so
bad. Repentance is hard to all men of carnal interest, but
to few more than to an unhumbled clergyman.
And (2.) Whoever accuseth or reproveth them of sin,
will be represented as an enemy to the church, a dishonourer
of his ghostly fathers, and one that openeth their nakedness
which he should cover. And so their ulcers are as a ' noli
360 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
me tangere,' (" touch me not,") and fret as a gangrene un-
remedied.
(3.) Their place, office, titles, and learning, with many,
will give to sin great reputation and advantage. If a drunk-
ard in the alehouse deride godly men as heretics, schisma-
tics, hypocrites, or Puritans, sober men will not much re-
gard it ; but they think they owe more belief and reverence
to a learned and reverend preacher in the pulpit, even when
he preacheth against preaching and against those that prac-
tise what he teacheth them at other times. O how much of
this work hath Satan done in the world by corrupting sacred
offices, and by getting his servants into rule and
MINISTRY, TO DO HIS WORK AS FOR CHRIST and his
church, and by his authority and in his name ! The natural
enmity between us and the serpent dissuadeth him from
speaking or sending to us in his own name. Should one say
in the pulpit, Thus saith the devil, Hate Christ's servants ;
silence his ministers, call serious godliness hypocrisy,(which
is the contrary to hypocrisy,) I should not much fear his
success with any. But if he be a lying spirit in the mouth of
Ahab's prophets, and can get a prophet to smite Micaiah
for pretending to more of the Spirit than he had ; or if he
can get men in the sacred office to say, " Thus saith the
Lord," when they speak for sin or against the Lord, this is
the devil's prosperous way.
13. I have told you what plagues bad clergymen will be,
and still have been, to themselves, to the souls of men, and
to the public state of churches and kingdoms ; and, were it
not lest my writing should be too large, I should tell you
what blessings on the contrary able and faithful ministers are.
Briefly, (1.) Christ maketh them the chief instruments for
the propagating of his truth and kingdom in the world, for
the gathering of churches, and for preserving and defending
contradicted truth. " They are the lights of the world, and
the salt of the earth." All Christians are bound to teach or
help each other in charity ; but Christ's ministers are set in
his church, (as parent's in families,) to do it by office. They
must therefore be qualified above others for it, must be
wholly dedicated to it, and attend continually on it ; as a
physician differeth from all neighbours, who may help you
in your sores or sickness as they can, so do the pastors of
the church differ from private helpers of your souls. The
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 367
Scripture is preserved and delivered down by the private
means of all the faithful, but, eminently, by the public office
of the pastors. It maybe expounded and applied privately
by any able Christian, but the pastors do it, eminently, by
office ; and to them especially (though to all Christians com-
monly,) are committed the oracles of God. " The priest's
lips must preserve knowledge, and men should inquire of the
law at his mouth ; for he is the messenger of the Lord of
Hosts." (Mai. ii. 7.) Never yet was the Gospel well propa-
gated or continued in any country in the world, but by the
means of the ministers of Christ. O what difference hath
there been in their successes, as they differed in ability,
piety and diligence ! How great an honour is it to be such
blessed instruments of building up the house of God, and
propagating the Gospel and the kingdom of Christ, and the
Christian faith and godliness in the world !
(2.) Thus God useth them as his special instruments for
the convincing, and converting, for the edifying, comforting
and having of souls. Others may be blest herein ; but the
special blessing goeth along with those that are specially
obliged to the work, — who are parents in families, and
pastors in the church. O how many thousand souls in hea-
ven will for ever rejoice in the effects of the labours of
faithful ministers, and will bless God for them. And what
an honour, what a comfort is it to have a hand in such a
work ! " He that converteth a sinner from the error of his
way, doth save a soul from death and covereth a multitude
of sins." (James v. 20.)
(3.) And in this they are co-workers with Jesus Christ,
the great Saviour of souls ; and with the Holy Spirit, the
Regenerator and Sanctifier. Yea, Christ doth very much
of the' work of his salvation by them : When he ascended on
high he gave gifts to men, for the edifying of his body, till
they all come to a perfect man; (Eph. iv.6 — 16.) and " when
the Chief Shepherd shall appear, they shall receive a crown
of glory that fadeth not away ;" (1 Pet. v. 4;) and shall hear
" Well done, good and faithful servants." Hence are the
streams of consolation that make glad the city of God, and
that daily refresh many thousands of precious souls. For
" how shall men believe without a preacher ? And how
shall they preach unless they be sent," (qualified, obliged
and authorised by Christ)? (Rom. x.)
368 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
(4.) In a word, churches, states and Christian kingdoms
are chiefly blessed and preserved by the labour of the faithful
part of the ministry : For, (i.) If we have the rare blessing of
a wise, holy and loving magistracy, it is usually by the suc-
cess of the labours of the ministry, (n.) There is no better
means to bring the subjects to the conscionable performance
of their duty to superiors, (in.) And, by the blessing of
their labour, the sins of a nation are prevented or healed,
which would else bring down God's heavy judgments, (iv.)
They teach people to live in love and peace with one an-
other ; to abhor contention, cruelty, oppression, injury and
revenge ; and all of them to do their several duties to pro-
mote the common good, (v.) When the ignorant, slothful
and scandalous sort of bad ministers betray souls and would
bring the ministry and religion into contempt, it is a wise
and holy ministry that counter-worketh them by labouring
while others are idle, by doing that wisely which others do
foolishly, and shewing in their lives the power of that truth
which others disgrace, and the reality of that holiness, love,
justice, peace and concord, which others would banish out
of the world by making it seem but a name or image, (vi.)
When proud men tear the church by the engines of their
domineering wits and wills, these humble pastors, as the ser-
vants of all, will labour to heal it, by Christian meekness
and condescension. When malignant priests seek to
strengthen themselves by the multitude of the ungodly, and
to bring serious piety (which doth molest them,) into con-
tempt, these faithful pastors open the just disgrace of sin,
and the great necessity and honour of holiness, endeavour-
ing that vile persons may be contemned, and that those may
be honoured that fear the Lord, (Psal. xv. 14,) and distin-
guishing the precious from the vile, the righteous from the
wicked, him that sweareth from him that feareth an oath,
and him that serveth God from him that serveth him not,
God saith, They are as his mouth. (Jer. xv. 19 ; Mai. iii.
17,18; Eccles. ix. 2.)
To ,be short, as an ignorant, worldly, carnal, proud, un-
holy sort of prelates and priests, are and have been the great
plague of the churches these thirteen hundred years at least,
so the skilful, holy, humble, faithful, laborious, patient mi-
nisters of Christ, have been and still are the great blessings
of the world ; — for saving souls ; promoting knowledge,
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 309
faith, holiness, love and peace ; opposing error, pride, op-
pression, worldliness, sensuality and contention ; diverting
God's judgments by faith and prayer; forsaking all for
Christ ; patiently suffering for well-doing ; by doctrine and
example teaching men to difference the Creator from the
creature, holiness from sin, heaven from earth, the soul from
the body, the spirit from the flesh, and helping men to pre-
pare, by a mortified heart and a heavenly life, for a comfort-
able death and endless happiness. Of such vast importance
is it to the world whether the clergy be good or bad, skilful
or unskilful, holy or worldly ; and he is not a true Christian
that is insensible of the difference, or that thinks it small.
Now, do I need to say any more, to shew young men de-
signed for the ministry of what importance it is that they be
well prepared and qualified for it ? God can and sometimes
doth turn wolves into faithful shepherds, can convert those
who, being unconverted, undertake the work that should
convert others, and can give wisdom and grace to ignorant
and graceless preachers of wisdom and grace. But this is
not ordinarily to be expected. For as youth are trained up
and disposed, they commonly prove when they come to age.
Their first notions lie deepest, and make way for their like,
and resist all that is contrary, be it never so true and good
and necessary. Experience tells this to all the world, —
those who in youth are trained in heathenism, Mahome-
tanism, Popery, or any distinct sect of Christians, com-
monly continue such ; especially if they live among those
who are for it, and who make it their interest in reputation
or wealth. If the rulers and times should be but erroneous,
heretical or malignant in enmity to truth and to serious ho-
liness, (alas !) how hard is it for ill-taught youth, to resist
the stream! How hard is it to unteach them the errors
which they first learned ! A vomit may easily bring up that
which was but lately eaten ; but the yellow and the green
humours that lie deep, must cost heart-gripes before they
will be cast up. False opinions, as well as truths, are usually
linked together ; and the chain is neither easily cast off nor
broken. They that have received errors, have received the
defensatives of those errors : these are like the shell-fish
that carry their house about them. They have studied what
to say for their errors, but not what can be said against
vol. xv. B B
370 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
them ; or, which is worse, by a slight and false considera-
tion of the arguments for the truth, they have disabled those
arguments from doing them any good.
And if they had ever such true notions in their memo-
ries, if they come not in power on their hearts, and do not
make them new, spiritual and holy men, these will not mas-
ter fleshly lusts, overcome ambitious and worldly inclina-
tions, nor make men fit to propagate that faith and holiness
which they never possessed.
It is now that you must get those eminent qualifications
of knowledge and holiness which you must hereafter use.
And how will you use that which you have not?
Yet proud hearts, how empty soever, will be desirous of
esteem and reputation, and will hardly bear vilifying, con-
tempt or disregard. Though some few prudent hearers will
encourage such young men as they think are hopeful, yet
most men will judge of things and persons as they find
them. The ignorant, dry and lifeless orations of inexpe-
rienced and carnal preachers, will not be magnified by such
as know what judgment and holy seriousness that place and
sacred work require. Few will much praise or feed on un-
savoury or insipid food, merely to flatter and please the
cook. And then when you find that you are slighted for
your slight and unskilful work, your stomachs will rise
against those that slight you, and so by selfishness you will
turn malignant, and will become enemies to those that you
consider enemies to you, because they are not contented
with your unholy trifling. All your enmity will turn against
yourself, and will be like that of Satan against the members
of Christ, — which is but his own self-tormenting.
15. Secondly. — The case being so important, I shall
briefly conjoin your danger and your remedy, beseeching you
(as you have any care for your souls, your country, the
church of God, or any thing which faith or reason should
regard,) that you will soberly weigh the counsel that I give
you.
The first of your dangers which I shall mention, lieth in
a too hasty resolving for the sacred ministry. Pious and
prudent desires and purposes I would not discourage. But
two sorts of parents in this prove greatly injurious to the
church : First. Worldly men, that send their sons to the
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 371
universities in order to their worldly maintenance and pre-
ferment, looking at the ministry merely as a profession or
trade by which they may be able to live : Secondly. Many
honest and godly parents ignorantly think it a good work to
design their children to the ministry, and call it ' devoting
them to God,' without duly considering whether they are
likely to be fit for it or not. And when they have been some
years at the university, they think a parsonage or vicarage
is their due, ordained they must be, — what else have they
studied for? It is too late now to change their purposes,
when they have been at seven years' cost and labour to pre-
pare for the ministry. They are too old and too proud to
go apprentices or servants. Husbandmen they cannot be.
They are used to an idler kind of life than that. To be
lawyers will cost them more time and study than they can
now afford, having lost so much ; and there are more already
than can have practice. Physicians are already so many
that the younger sort know not how to live, though they
would, for money, venture on their neighbours' lives, to their
greater danger than I am willing to express. So that there
is no way left but for a benefice, to become church-mounte-
banks and quacks, and undertake the pastoral care of souls,
before they well know what souls are, what they are made
for, whither they are going, or how they must be conducted
and prepared for their endless state. And it seems to some
to be the glory of a nation, to have many thousand such lads
at the universities, (more than there be cures or churches in
the land,) all expecting that their friends should procure
them benefices. They must be very ignorant and wicked
indeed that cannot find some ministers so bad as to certify,
that they are sober and of good lives, and some patrons so
bad as to like such as they are, and, for favour or somewhat
worse, to present them ; and some bishop's chaplain bad
enough to be favourable in examining them, and then some
bishop bad enough to ordain and institute them. And by
the time nine thousand such youths have got benefices,
alas ! in what a case will the churches and the poor people's
souls be !
16. (1.) And what remedy is therefor this? That which
1 have now to propose is, first to tell you, ' Who they be
that should be devoted to the ministry ;' and, next, 'What
both your parents and you should do.'
372 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNCx MEN.
The work is so high, and requireth such qualifications,
and miscarrying in it is of such dreadful consequence, that
no youth should be resolvedly devoted to the ministry, who
hath not all these following endowments :
(i.) He must have a good natural wit and capacity. It
should be somewhat above the ordinary degree ; but it must
be of the better rank of ordinary wits, for grace supposeth
nature, and, by sanctifying it, turns it the right way ; but
grace doth not use to make wise teachers of natural drones
or weak-headed lads, who have not wit enough to learn.
How many and how great things have they to learn and
teach !
(n.) They must have some competent readiness of speech,
to utter the knowledge which they have got. One that can-
not readily speak his mind in common things, is not likely
to come to that ready utterance which will be necessary to
a preacher.
(in.) He must be one that is so far hopeful for godliness,
as to be captivated by no gross sin ; and as to have a love,
not only to learning, but to religion, to the word of God, to
good company, prayer, and good books ; and a settled dis-
like of the things, words and persons, that are against these.
(2.) He must also shew some sense of the concerns of
his soul, and some regard for the life to come, and that his
conscience is under some effectual convictions of the evil of
sin, and the goodness and necessity of a godly life. The
youth that hath not these three qualifications, should not
be intended or devoted to the ministry. To devote an inca-
pable or an ungodly person to such a holy state and work,
is worse than of old to have offered to God the unclean,
which he abhorred, for a sacrifice. To design a graceless
lad for the ministry, on pretence of hoping that he may have
grace hereafter, is a presumptuous profanation, and worse
than to design a coward to be a soldier, a wicked, unsuitable
person to be a husband or wife, in hopes that they may be
fit hereafter.
17. Therefore if your parents have been so unwise as to
devote that to God which was unfit for his acceptance, it
concerneth you quickly to look better to yourselves, and
not to run into the consuming fire. You should be consci-
ous of your own condition. If you may know, that you
want, (1.) A competency of natural capacity and ingenuity j
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 373
(2.) Or of ready speech ; (3.) Or of serious piety, love to god-
liness, and heart-devotedness to God, — do not meddle with
that calling which requireth all these.
18. ' But,' you may say, 'What shall we do? We have
gone so far in this calling that we are fit for nothing else.'
You are less fit for the ministry than for any thing. That
which requireth the highest qualifications, will most shame
and condemn you if you possess them not. If you are not
fit for physic or law, be some great man's servant ; if not
that, it is better that you turn to the basest trade or the most
laborious employment, than that you run into the sad case
of Hophni and Phinehas, or that of Nadab and Abihu, to
the utter undoing of yourselves and the loss and danger of
many others! But if your unfitness be not in your disabi-
lity but in your ungodliness, whether you be ministers
or not, you will be for ever miserable unless you consider
well the great things that should change your hearts and
lives, and unless you turn unfeignedly to God ; and when
that is done, I am no discourager of you. But I believe it
is far better to be a cobler or a chimney-sweeper, or even to
beg your bread, than to be an ungodly clergyman, with the
greatest preferments, riches and applause.
19. * But,' parents may say, ' If we devote none to the
ministry till godliness appear in them, how few will be so
devoted ! Children seldom show much savour of religion,
and some that seem young saints prove old devils.'
(1.) At the present time we have so many supernumera-
ries, that we need not fear a want of number.
(2.) Children cannot be expected to show that under-
standing in religion which men must have. But if they
show not a love to it, a conscience regardful of God's au-
thority and of the life to come, and a dislike of ungodliness
and sin, you have no reason to presume that they will be fit
for the ministry. If they had never been baptized, you
ought not to baptize them in such a state. They must cre-
dibly profess faith and repentance before they can be adult
Christians, and so dedicated to God in baptism, much more
before they are dedicated to him as the guides of the Chris-
tian churches.
(3.) And as you can judge but according to probabili-
ties, if they prove bad after a probable profession, it will not
374 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
be charged upon you. But we all know that a hopeful
youth is a great preparation to an honest age.
20. (2.) My next advice to you is, abhor sloth and idle-
ness. When you are at country schools, your masters
drive you on by fear. But when you are in the universities
and at a riper age, you are more trusted with yourselves;
then all the diligence which fear constrained, will be laid
aside, and if you be not carried on with constant pleasure
and love of knowledge, the flesh will prefer its ease, and un-
willingness and weariness will proceed with so slow a pace,
as will bring you to no high degree of wisdom. And when
you have spent your appointed time, and are void of that
which you should have attained, your emptiness and igno-
rance will presently appear when you are called out to the
use of that knowledge which you have not. It is not your
canonical habit, nor seven or seventeen years spent in the
university, nor the title of Master of Arts, Bachelor of Di-
vinity, or Doctor, no, nor that of Bishop, which will pass
with men in their right wits, instead of knowledge, diligence,
humility, patience and charity ; nor which, without these,
will do the work to which you are devoted. And then when
you find that other men discern that weakness and badness
which you are loath to know yourselves, it will be likely to
exasperate you into diabolical malignity. Believe it, the
high and needful accomplishments of a true divine are not
easily or speedily attained.
21. (3.) My next warning is, fear and fly from sensua-
lity, from fleshly lusts, and all the baits and temptations
that may endanger you by drawing you into them.
Sense and appetite are born with us ; they are inordinate
in our corrupted nature, and the reason and will, which
should resist and rule them, are weakened and depraved.
Poor labouring countrymen are not in such danger in this as
you are. Your bodies are not tired and tamed with labours,
nor your thoughts taken up with wants and cares. While
your bodies are at ease, and your studies are arbitrary, fleshly
lust and appetite have time and room to solicit your fanta-
sies, and incline you to interrupt your studies, and to think
of the matters of sensual delight, either with what to please
your appetite in eating, or of strong drinks or wine that also
exhilarate, or of some needless or hurtful pastime called re-
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 375
creation such as cards, dice, gaming, 8tc. or to think of women
and filthy lusts, or to read romances, play-books or other
corrupting vanities. Far more idle scholars are strongly
haunted with temptations to self-pollution and other filthy
lusts, than the poor and afflicted sort of men.
If these should prevail, (alas !) you are undone ; they
will offend God, expel his grace, will either wound or sear
your conscience, destroy all spiritual affections and delights,
and turn down your hearts from heaven and holiness to filth
and folly ; — and beasts will be unfit for the pleasures or for
the work of saints.
22. Away therefore from idleness ! Pamper not the flesh
with fulness or delights, and abhor all time-wasting and
needless recreations. Away from the baits of fleshly lust !
Be no more indifferent and unresolved about this, than you
would be about drinking poison, leaping into a coal-pit, or
wilfully going among murderers or thieves. Presume not
on your own strength : he is safest that is furthest from the
danger. Gunpowder must not stand near the fire.
23. (4.) Be sure to make a prudent choice of your com-
panions, especially of your bosom friends.
It is supposed that a man loveth the company which he
chooseth, though not that upon which he is cast through
constraint. Love and familiarity will give them great ad-
vantage over you. If they be wise, they will teach you wis-
dom ; if they be holy and spiritual, they will be drawing you
towards God, and settling you in the resolved hatred of sin
and love of holiness. But if they be worldly and ambitious,
they will be filling your heads with ambitious and worldly
projects ; if they be ungodly hypocrites, that have but the
dead image and name of Christians, they will be opposing or
deriding serious godliness,. and pleading for the carcase and
formalities of piety as better than serious and spiritual de-
votion : and if they be hardened malignants, they will be
trying to make you such as they are by lies, revilings, or
plausible cavils against the things and persons that are spi-
ritually contrary to their fleshly minds and interests. And
while you hear not what can be said on the other side, (if
God preserve you not) it will possess your mind with false
thoughts of God's servants, and with scorn or contempt of
such as you hear falsely described. As Papists think of Pro-
testants as heretics, so you will take serious godliness for
376 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
fanatical self-conceit, and will think the best of Christians as
you do of Quakers or others — that are mad with fear or pride.
Wise and religious companions and bosom friends are an
unspeakable blessing ; but the merciful providence of God
doth usually choose them for us, yet so as that we must usually
be also faithful choosers for ourselves. Ill company is a dan-
gerous snare ; and God often trieth us, by casting us into places
where such company is. But if we do not choose or love it,
God will provide us with an antidote ; and we may converse
with him, even in the presence of the ungodly ; and he will
teach us, by the experience of their folly and sin, to dislike
it more than if we had never seen it.
24. (5.) Especially be most careful in the choice of your
tutors and instructors.
Though it be first the part of your parents to choose them
for you, it is yours to do your best in this matter to save
yourselves, if your parents by ignorance or malignity do
choose amiss. And the rulers that allow not men to choose
their own pastors, yet hitherto allow the parents or the sons
to choose their own tutors and domestic instructors.
But this is the grand danger and misery of mankind, that
the ignorant know not what teachers to choose. Yea, the
more they need the help of the best, the less they know who
those are ; but I will tell you as far as you are capable of
discerning.
(l.) Usually the common report of men that are sober
and impartial, commendeth worthy men above others ; for
knowledge and goodness are like light, which is a self-dis-
covering thing.
(n.) Choose not a teacher that preferreth human wis-
dom before divine, but one that maketh it his business to ex-
pound the Scripture, and teach you what is the will of God,
and how to please him and be saved.
(in.) Choose not one that is of a worldly and ambitious
mind, and will teach you that which conduceth to get pre-
ferment and worldly wealth, and not that which besthelpeth
you to heaven.
(iv.) Choose not one that is factious and uncharitable,
violent for a party, either because it is uppermost, or because
it standeth for some odd opinion or causeless singularity ;
but one that is of a Christian, catholic charity, that loveth a
godly man as such, even as he loveth himself, and is for
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 377
wronging no one, but doing good to all, and maintaining
unity and peace.
25. (6.) Watch, with great fear, against pride, ambition,
and worldly ends, in your own hearts and lives.
The roots of these mortal sins are born in us, and lie very
deep ; and they not only live, but damnably reign, where
they are little discerned, bewailed, or suspected ; but woe to
him that is conquered by them ! "Ye cannot serve God
and mammon. The love of the world is enmity to God. If
any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
Paul spake, weeping, of some persons " whose God was
their belly, who gloried in their shame, who minded earthly
things, being enemies to the cross of Christ, when their con-
versation should have been in heaven." (Phil. iii. 18 — 20.)
A surprise in passion, even of an ugly sin, is less dangerous
than such a habit of worldliness and pride. And (alas !)
how many that have escaped the temptations of sloth and
sensuality, have been flattered and overcome by this ! Those
who have had better wits than others, and acquired more
learning, have thought now that preferment is their due.
And if they fall into times (which have not been rare,) when
the malignity of church or state-governors hath made it the
way to preferment to declaim against some truth, or against
the most religious men who are opposed to a carnal, sinful
interest, to revile God's best servants, to cry up some notion
or error of their own, and to magnify the worst men that
promote their worldly ends and hopes, (alas !) how doth this
stream usually carry down the most pregnant wits into the
gulf of perdition!
Yea, some, that seemed very humble and mortified while
they had no great temptation, when wealth and honour have
been set before them, have lost virtue and wit before they
were well aware. Worldly interest hath secretly bribed and
biased the understandings of such people, to take the greatest
truth for error, duty for sin, and error for truth, and sin for
duty. They have talked, preached, and written for it, and
seem to believe that they are indeed in the right ; and can-
not discern that they are perverted by interest, when an im-
partial stander-by may easily see the bias by the current of
their course. If you be servants of the flesh and of the
world, woe to you when your masters turn you off, and you
must receive your wages !
378 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
26. (7.) Above all, therefore, choose like real Christians,
and take God and heaven for your hope, your all.
If you do not so, you are not real Christians, nor stand
to your baptismal covenant ; and if you be here fixed, by the
grace of God, and by your sober consideration and belief,
you will then know what to choose and what to do. You
will be taught to refer all worldly things to spiritual and
heavenly ends and uses, to count all things as loss and dung
for Christ, and "to choose the one thing needful, which
shall never be taken from you," even that which will guide
you in just and safe ways, saving you from the greatest evil,
and giving your minds continual peace, even that which
passeth understanding, and which will be best at last when
sinners are forsaken.
27. (8.) My next counsel, therefore, is for the order of
your studies ; begin with your catechism and practical di-
vinity, to settle your own souls in a safe condition for life or
death. Deal not so foolishly as to waste many years in in-
ferior arts and sciences, before you have studied how to
please God and to be saved. I unfeignedly thank God, that,
by sickness and his grace, he called me early to learn how
to die, and therefore to learn what I must be and how to
live, and that he thereby drew me to study the sacred Scrip-
tures, and abundance of practical, spiritual books in Eng-
lish, till I had somewhat settled the resolution and the peace
of my own soul, before I had gone far in human learning. I
then found more leisure and capacity to take in subservient
knowledge in its proper time and place. And, indeed, I
had lost most of my studies of philosophy and of difficult
controversies in theology, if I had fallen on them too young,
before I came to due capacity ; and so I should have been
prepossessed with crude or unsound notions, for they would
have kept out that which required a riper judgment to
receive it. Such books as I before commended to the
apprentices, contain the essentials of religion, plainly, affec-
tionately, and practically delivered, in a manner tending to
deep impression, renovation of the soul and spiritual expe-
rience, without which you will be but " like sounding brass
or a tinkling cymbal." The art of theology without the
power, (which consists in a holy life, and light and love,)
is the art of forming a hypocrite.
Yet before you come to lay exact systems of theology in
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 379
due method in your minds, much help of subservient arts
and sciences is necessary. However, a council of ancient
bishops once forbad the reading of Gentile books.
28. (9.) I next advise you, thoroughly to study the evi-
dences and nature of the Christian faith, but not to hasten
too soon and over-confidently on hard controversies, as if
your judgment of them at maturity must have no change;
but still suppose, that greater light, by longer study, may
cause in you much different thoughts of such difficulties.
29. (10.) And lastly, I advise you, that you begin not
the exercise of your ministry too boldly, before public, great,
or judicious auditories. Overmuch confidence signifieth
pride and ignorance of your imperfection, of the greatness
of the work, and of the dreadfulness of the Most Holy Ma-
jesty. But (if you can) at first settle a competent time in
the house with some ancient experienced pastor, who hath
some small country chapel, and who needs your help. And,
(i.) There you may learn as well as teach, and learn by
his practice that which you must practise ; which, in a great
house as a chaplain, you will hardly do, but must in that
case cast yourself into a far different mould.
(n.) By preaching some years to a small, ignorant people
where you fear not critical judgments, you will get boldness
of speech, and freedom of utterance, without that servile
study of words, and without learning your written notes
without book, which will be tiresome, time-wasting, and
lifeless. When freedom and use have brought you to a
habit of ready speaking about great and necessary things,
and when acquaintance with ignorant country people has
taught you to understand their case, you will have a better
preparation for more public places, (when you are clearly
called to them,) than you were ever likely to get either in
universities, among scholars, or in great men's houses.
Compassion to the church that is plagued with bad mi-
nisters, and that undergoes exceedingly great loss by weak
ministers, and the sense of the grand importance of the
qualifications of pastors in reference to the happiness or
misery of souls and kingdoms, have drawn me to say more
than I first intended to young students who have determined
to enter into the ministry. With the other two sorts, there-
fore, I shall be very brief.
Yet I add one earnest warning to you, and to all young
380 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
men, — know that one of the most common and pernicious
maladies of mankind, is, an unhumbled understanding,
rashly confident of its own apprehensions, through false and
hasty judging and prefidence, — the brat of ignorance and
pride. Of a multitude of persons differing, how few are not
obstinately confident that they are in the right! — even lads
that are past twenty years of age ! O dread this vice, and
suspect your understanding. Be humble ; take time, and
try, and hear, before you judge. Labour for knowledge ;
but take not upon you to be sure where you are not, but
doubt and continue to try till you are sure.
CHAP. X.
Counsel to young Students in Physic.
Supposing what is said to others equally to concern you, I
briefly add,
1. Make not the getting of money, and your own worldly
prosperity, so much your end, as the doing good in the
world, by the preservation of men's health and lives, and the
pleasing of God thereby. Selfish, low ends shew a selfish
mind, that liveth not to God or for the public good.
2. Undertake not the practice of physic without all these
qualifications.
(1.) A special sagacity, or a naturally searching and
conjecturing judgment. For almost all your work lieth in
the dark, and is chiefly managed by conjecture.
(2.) Much reading, especially of such of your prede-
cessors as have been great observers, that you may know
what hath been the experience of all ages and of those emi-
nent men who lived before you.
(3.) The experience of other men's practice. If possible,
therefore, stay some time first in the house with some emi-
nent practitioner, whose practice you may see, whose coun-
sel you may hear, and from whose experience you may
derive instruction.
3. Begin with plain and easy cases, and meddle only
with the safe and harmless remedies. Think not yourselves
physicians indeed, till you have yourselves got considerable
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. )j81
experience : there is no satisfactory trusting to other men's
experience alone.
4. In cases too hard for you, send your patients to abler
physicians, and prefer not your own reputation or gain be-
fore their lives.
5. Study simples thoroughly, especially the most power-
ful ; and affect not such compositions, as, by the mixture of
the less powerful, do frustrate the ingredients which would
else be more effectual.
6. Forget not the poverty of many patients, who have
not money to pay large and chargeable bills to an apothe-
cary, nor to give large fees to a physician. Multitudes
neglect physic and venture without it, because physicians
require so much, and are so much for the gain of their apo-
thecaries that they have it not to pay.
7. Take heed of self-conceitedness, rash confidence, and
too hasty judging. Most of your work is hard ; many things,
about which you do not think, may occasion your mistake.
Causes and diseases have marvellous diversities. Most that
are quick judges, and suddenly confident that all their first
apprehensions are true, do prove but proud, self-ignorant
fools, and kill more by ignorance and temerity, than high-
way robbers or designing murderers do. Though the grave
may hide your mistakes, they are known to God.
8. Give not too much physic ; nor give it too often or
without need; neither venture on things dangerous. Man's
life is precious ; and nature is the chief physician, which art
must but help. The body is tender and easily distempered ;
therefore, rather do too little than too much. Frequent tam-
pering usually kills at last ; as he that daily washeth a glass,
at last breaketh it ; and as seamen are bold, because they
have often escaped ; (but many, if not most, are drowned at
?ast ;) and as soldiers that have often escaped are bold to
venture, but are killed at last : — It is usually so with them
that often take physic, except from a very cautious and skil-
ful man. Therefore, were I a woman, I would not marry a
physician, lest his nearness of relation to me and his kind-
ness should cause him to be often tampering with me, till a
mistake should kill me. All your neighbours may mistake
your disease without your hurt, but the mistake of your
physician may be present death to you.
332 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
9. Direct men first as faithful friends, to the things
which may prevent the need of physic, such as,
(1.) A temperate and wholesome diet, avoiding fulness
and hurtful things.
(2.) Sufficient labour to suscitate natural heat, keep
pure the humours, and expel excrements ; teaching them
likewise to avoid idleness.
(3.) To keep warm, and avoid occasions of cold, espe-
cially cold drink, cold places, and cold clothing, either
when persons are hot, or when nature needeth help in winter.
(4.) Content and quietness of mind, and cheerful con-
versation.
(5.) Direct them to such familiar remedies at home, in
their drinks and diet, as are suitable to their distempers,
and for their preservation, and to such as are safe and harm-
less. Put them not to a needless dependance on your fre-
quent help ; neither play upon the fears of weak women in
making them miserable by administering needless medicines,
and thus making them like tenants to you, to pay you a
constant rent for keeping them quiet.
10. Give them that need it, good counsel for their souls;
and flatter thein not with false hopes of life, when it tendeth
to hinder their preparations for death. They and you are
hasting to such a great change as requireth great and care-
ful forethoughts. It is sad for them to go out of the world,
and not at all to know whither they are going, or what will
be their next habitation ; but much more dreadful is it, to
be in a state of certain misery in this life, and liable to all
the untried and indescribable wrath of God in the world of
spirits. Those who will not send for a divine, will frequently
hear a physician ; and to warn poor sinners of their danger,
exhorting them to flee from the wrath to come, — is not a
work unbeseeming your profession, but such as Christian
faith and charity bespeak.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 383
CHAP. XL
Counsel to Young Students of the Law in London.
God hath made much use of honest lawyers, as the instru-
ments of our safety and of the just and orderly government
of the land.
They are not bred up in mere idleness and luxury, (as
too many are of higher birth,) but in such diligent study as
improveth their understandings, and keepeth them from that
debauchery which idleness and fulness cherish.
Their studies and callings make it their interest as to
know, so also to maintain the laws ; and that is, to maintain
propriety, just liberty and order, and so to preserve justice
and the common peace except in countries that have perni-
cious laws. Injustice in judges and lawyers is like heresy,
ungodliness and persecution in pastors of the church — di-
rectly contrary to their very calling and profession; but it
is more easily and commonly seen and hated, because it is
against the well-known interest of mankind. Shame, there-
fore, and the common hatred of the unjust, are in this case
great restraints of evil.
But notwithstanding all this, bad men will do badly, and
turn even the rules of justice to oppression, to serve the
wills and lusts of those who can promote them, that by them
they may serve their own. On this account, therefore, it is of
great importance to the common good, as well as for their
own benefit, that young men who study the law, may prove
wise and honest.
1. And here, first, I warn all such youths, to take heed of
the sins of sensuality. Alas ! London doth so abound with
temptations, that, without grace and wise resolution, you
are unsafe. There are so many sensual, proud, and ungodly
young men ready to entice you ; so many play-houses, ta-
verns and filthy houses to entertain you; that if you go with-
out grace and wit, the flesh and the devil will soon precipi-
tate you into the slavery of brutish flesh. Then you forfeit
God's favour and protection; and he may leave you to more
sin and misery, or to grow up to be the servants of oppres-
sion, the enemies of piety, and the plagues of the common-
wealth.
384 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
2. Study hard ; for idleness never yet made good lawyers,
nor very useful men.
3. Abhor and avoid ill company, especially of two sorts:
(1.) Those who would entice you to the aforesaid places
and practices of voluptuousness, &c.
(2.) Those that being themselves deceived would deceive
you, against religion and your salvation. It is too well
known that such persons in London are not rare, though the
danger by them is not known enough. Even those that are
so unchristian and inhuman as to prate against the Chris-
tian faith, against the truth, authority or sufficiency of the
sacred Scriptures, the life to come, and against the immor-
tality of the soul, if not also against the government and
providence of God, will yet talk as confidently as if they
were in their wits, yea, and as though they were the greatest
wits among us. For my part, I could never yet get one
man of them soberly to join with me in a fair disquisition
of the truth, and to follow it on till we came to see the just
conclusion. Most commonly they will fly from me, and re-
fuse disputes, or will turn all to some rambling rant or jest,
or, when the truths of religion are stated, they are gone, and
will proceed no further and come no more.
Young unfurnished heads are unfit to dispute with the
devil, or with any such of his messengers. A pest-house is
not more dangerous to you than companions of this descrip-
tion. But if they have perplexed you, desire some well-
studied minister of Christ either to meet them, or to resolve
your doubts. If you will read what I have written on that
subject, you may find enough to resolve your mind, if it be
justly received, viz. in my " Reasons for the Christian Reli-
gion," my "Unreasonableness of Infidelity," in my " Life of
Faith," and in " More Reasons for the Christian Religion."
Avoid also the snares of those that would draw you into
uncharitable factions, and, on a pretence of right religion, to
hate, censure, or fly from all that are not just of their sect
and way; especially the proud faction of church-tyrants,
who, under a pretence of order and piety, would set up a
lifeless image of formality, and would burn, banish, silence,
or persecute all that are not for domination, usurpation and
worldly interest.
4. Let not rising and riches be the chief end of your stu-
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 385
dies, but to serve God in the just service of your king and
country, to promote justice, and to do good in the world.
5. Live in the familiarity of the most useful men of your
profession, that is, the wisest and the most conscionable ;
and choose those pastors, for your best helpers in religion,
who keep the most closely to God's word, and warp not after
any dangerous singularities, worldly preferments, or un-
peaceable and teasing impositions on their brethren ; and
who live as they preach, — in love, peace and holiness, — as
men that set their hearts and hopes on future blessedness,
and that labour for the edification and concord of the church,
and the saving of men's souls.
CHAP. XII.
Counsel to the Sons of the Nobility and of Magistrates.
Though men of your rank are furthest out of the hearing
of such persons as me, and are usually the greatest con-
temners of our counsel, yet that will not excuse us from due
compassion to the land of our nativity, from love and pity to
yourselves, nor from any probable ministerial attempt to do
you good.
Your dangers are much greater than those of other men ;
or else Christ had never so often told us, how hard it is for
rich men to be saved ; and how few such escape the idola-
trous damning love of the world, and become sincere belie-
vers and followers of a crucified Saviour. Luke xii ; xvi. &c.
1. One part of your great danger is, that you are com-
monly bred up among the baits of sensuality. It is not for
nothing that " fulness of bread " is made one of the sins of
Sodom, (Ezek. xvi. 49,) and that he who afterwards lay in the
flames of hell, is described as being " richly clothed and
faring sumptuously every day." Not that all rich clothes,
or sumptuous, seasonable feasting, is a sin ; but that both
these usually signify sensuality and cherish it. It is the
sure brand of the ungodly, to be " lovers of pleasure more
than of God." They that but seldom come where tempting
plenty is of delicious meats and drinks, are too often over-
come. But they that are bred up where plenty of both these
vol. xv. c c
386 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MM.
is daily before them, are in greater danger lest their table and
their drink become a snare.
Feast not therefore without fear, remember that flesh-
pleasing sensuality is as damnable in the rich as in the poor ;
and that the greatest wealth will not allow you to take any
more for quantity or quality, than is consistent with tempe-
rance, and than truly tendeth to fit you for your duty. Your
riches are given you in trust as God's stewards, that with
them you may be enabled to serve your country, relieve the
poor and promote good uses ; but not for the purpose of
serving your fleshly lusts, nor to be abused to excess or for
cherishing sin. To be sober and temperate, is the interest
of your own souls and bodies, and, under your great temp-
tations, it is the more laudable.
2. Another of your dangers is, the ill examples of too
many persons of your rank. You are apt to think that their
wealth, pomp and power make them more imitable than
others, as being more honourable. And if they wallow in
drunkenness or filthy lust, or talk profanely, you may think
that such sins are the less disgraceful. i
But can you dream that they are the less dangerous and
damnable? Will God fear them or spare them? Must
they not dre and be judged as well as the lowest ? Is it not
an aggravation of their sin, that it is done by men who had
the greatest mercies, and who were put in trust and honour
purposely to suppress sin in the world ? As their places
signify more than others, so do their sins ; and accordingly
shall they be punished. Doth the quondam wealth, honour
or pleasures of a Dives, a Pharaoh, an Ahab, a Herod, a
Pilate, a Nero, ease a lost and tormented soul ?
3. Another of your temptations will be pride, and over-
valuing of yourselves, on account of wealth and worldly ho-
nour. But this is so foolish a sin, and against such noto-
riously humbling evidence, that, as it is the devil's image,
it is nature's shame. Is not your flesh as corruptible as a
beggar's ? Do you not think what is within that skin ; and
how a leprosy, or the small-pox would make you look ; and
how you must shortly leave all your glory, and your bodies
become unpleasant spectacles ? Do you not think what it
is to lie rotting in a grave and to turn to earth ? Do you not
know how much more loathsome a thing all the vice and un-
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 387
holiness of your souls is ; and what it is to have to do with
a holy God, and to be near to judgment and an endless state?
He is mad in sin, whom such considerations will not humble.
4. Another of your dangers is from flatterers, who will be
pleasing and praising you, but who will never tell you of that
which should humble you and awake you to a sense of your
everlasting concerns. But in this respect none are so dan-
gerous as a flattering clergy, who, being themselves carnal
worldlings, would serve that flesh which is their master, by
your favour and beneficence. Ahab had such prophets,
who said, "Go and prosper;" in whose mouths the devil
was a lying spirit. How many sincere men have been un-
done by such!
Remember then what it is to be a sinful man, and what
need you have of vigilant friends and pastors, that will deal
faithfully with you, as if it were on your death-bed : and en-
courage such, and abhor worldly flatterers. Your souls have
need of as strong physic, and as plain dealing as the souls of
the poorest men ; bear it, therefore, and thankfully accept it.
5. One of your greatest dangers here will be, that your
own fleshly minds and this worldly sort of men (especially
if they be of the clergy,) will be drawing you to false and
contemptuous thoughts of serious godliness, and of serious
godly men. Whereas, if you be not such yourselves, you
are undone for ever ; and all your flatterers, your big names,
wealth and honour will neither save you, nor ease your pains
in hell. As ever you believe that there is a God, believe
that you owe him the utmost reverence, obedience and love,
which your faculties can perform. And as ever you care
what becomes of you for ever, pay him this great due, and
hate all that would divert you ; and, much more, all those
diabolical suggestions which would draw you to think that
to be a needless thing which must be your life and your all.
6. But, above all, I beseech you, fear and watch, lest you-
be drawn to espouse any thing, as your interest, which is
against the interest and command of Christ, and against his
kingdom, or the good of his church or of the commonwealth.
As the devil first undid the world, by making deceived Eve
believe, that God's command was against her interest ; so
doth he to this day, but with none so much as with nobles
and rich men. God hath commanded you nothing but what
is for your own good, nor forbidden you any thing but what
^88 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
is for your own hurt and that of others. He needs not you,
or any one ; you must allow him to be God, and, therefore,
to be wiser and better than you, and to know better what is
best and fittest for you and others. But Satan will slander
to you God's laws, ways and servants ; for he is in favour of
your continued enmity and separation from God, and there-
fore would draw you to believe that God and his ways are
enemies to you, and against your pleasure, honour, domina-
tion, commodity, or ease. O how many princes and great
men have been utterly undone, by believing the flesh, the
devil and his ministers, when they plead that Christianity
is against their power, honour or other interests ; that the
Scripture is too precise, and that conscience, obeying God
before them, is against their power and prerogative; and
thus have they set themselves as enemies to keep under con-
science and serious godliness, lest obedience to their wills
should be thereby hindered.
Yea, how many also so dote as to think that the interest
of head, heart, stomach and members, of rulers and subjects,
stand not in union, but in contrariety and victory against
each other! Woe to the land that hath such rulers, and to
the poor tenants that have such landlords ! But, much more,
woe to such selfish oppressors, that had rather be feared than
loved, and take it for their honour to be free and able to do
mischief, and to destroy those whose common welfare should
be more pleasant to them than their own ; and to them,
especially, that take serious godliness and godly men to be
against them, and therefore bend their wit and power to
suppress them; as if they said, as those in Luke xix. 27,
" We will not have this man to reign over us !" Such per-
sons Christ will destroy as his unthankful enemies, and
" will break them with his iron rod, and dash in pieces as a
potter's vessel." (Psalm ii.)
7. If you love yourselves and the common good, get
good men about you. Read the fifteenth, sixteenth, and one
hundred and first Psalms. Especially procure faithful teach-
ers, and godly friends, servants and companions. Read
much the histories of the lives of wise and godly men, such
as King Edward the Sixth, and Lord Harrington. Young
men, imitate such excellent persons as Scripture and other
history justly commend to your imitation. It will be pro-
fitable to read the lives of worthy men, such as are gathered
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 389
by Mr. Clark, Dr. Fuller, Thuanus, Beza, the lives of the
Martyrs, and of such Christian princes as Constantine,
Theodosius, &c. ; the Emperor Maximilian the Second,
John Frederick of Saxony, Philip Prince of Hessia, and
Louis the Pious of France. Read also the lives of such
Heathens as Titus, Trajan, Adrian, but especially Aurelius
Antonius and Alexander Severus; of such lawyers, philo-
sophers, physicians, but especially such divines as Melchior
Adamus hath recorded in his four volumes ; and of such
Bishops as Cyprian, Nazianzen, Ambrose, Augustine, Basil,
Chrysostom, our Usher, and such others.
8. Live not in idleness, — as the sons of rich men too
often do ; for that will rust and corrupt your minds, and
cherish besotting and damning lusts, and will render you
worthless and useless in the world, and consequently the
greatest plagues of your country, to which you should be the
greatest helps and blessings. Make as much conscience of
improving your hours, as if you were the poorest men: you
have the highest wages, and ought to do most work for God.
Let holy and useful studies take up your time one part of
the day, doing good to others another part, and necessary
refreshment and exercise another. He in whose hands are
all your times, has allowed you no part for any thing unpro-
fitable, much less for any thing that is hurtful.
O what a blessing to the world are wise and godly magis-
trates ; and what a curse are the foolish and ungodly !
9. Remember that the grand design of the devil and of
all deceivers, is, to delude and corrupt the rulers of the peo-
ple, knowing to which ever way they turn how much signi-
ficance they carry with them by their laws, power and exam-
ples. Remember likewise how sad it will be to be judged
as a persecutor or a captain of iniquity. You must there-
fore have a greater self-suspicion than others, and a greater
fear of seduction and sin ; and you must watch more care-
fully against wicked counsel and example, but especially
against the temptations of your own flesh and corrupted
nature, and of your wealth and situation in society.
390 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
CHAP. XIII.
Counsel to Parents and Tutors of Youth.
Should I now instruct parents and teachers in what on
their parts is necessary to their great duty, and to the good
of youth, it would be more than all I have already written.
But that is not my intention in the present work ; you may
see much of it done in my " Christian Directory." Yet because
so much labour is required at the hands of parents and
teachers, and such responsibility lies upon them, I beseech
all such persons that read these lines, to remember,
1. How near their relation to their children is ; and that
for a parent to betray their souls to sin and hell, by neglect
or by ill means, seems more inexcusable cruelty than for the
devil, that is a known enemy, to do it.
2. Consider how very much their welfare is entrusted to
your care. You have the teaching of them before the minis-
ters, have them always nearer with you, and have greater
power over them. O that you knew what holy instructions,
heavenly excitations, and good example God requireth of
you for their good and how much of the hopes of the church
and world lie on the holy skill and fidelity of parents, in the
right education of youth !
3. O feed not their sinful desires and lusts ; accustom
them not to pride, to idleness, to too much fulness or pleas-
ing of the appetite ; but teach them the reasons why they
ought to exercise the virtues of temperance and mortifica-
tion, and shew them the sin and mischief of all sensuality.
4. Yet use them with tender and fatherly love, making
them perceive that the abstaining from these evils, is for
their own good. Cherish their profitable delights; study
how to make all good delightful to them, and encourage
them by sparing rewards and prudent commendations. Tell
them of the wisdom and goodness of God's word, and let
them read the lives of holy men.
5. Choose them such callings, habitations and relations
as will make most for the common good, and for the advan-
tage of their souls: and not those that will be most subser-
vient to the covetousness, pride or slothfulness of their na-
ture.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 391
b\ Know their particular inclinations, corruptions and
temptations, and accordingly keep and restrain them with
the greatest vigilance, watching against these dangers as
you would do against death.
7. Settle them under wise and godly pastors, and in the
familiar company of godly persons, especially those of their
own age and usual converse.
8. Keep them as much as possible from temptations at
home and abroad, especially those that tend to sensuality,
and to impiety or corrupting their judgments against religion.
Thrust them not beyond sea or elsewhere in an unfortified
state of mind among deceivers, as some cruelly do for the
sake of a mere ornament.
9. Remember how you dedicated them to Christ in bap-
tism, and what was promised to be done, and what renounced
on their parts, and what you bound yourselves to do.
10. Remember likewise how much the happiness or mi
sery of the church of Christ and of the kingdoms of the
world, doth lie on the right or wrong education of youth, by
the parents, much niore than by our universities or
SCHOOLS.
11. Remember thatyour own comfortor sorrow in them,
lieth chiefly on your own duty or neglect. If they prove to
be wicked persons and the plagues of the world, and you be
the cause, it may tear your own hearts. But what a joy is
it to be the means of their salvation, and of their public ser-
vice in the world !
12. Disgrace sin to them, and commend holiness by
word and practice. Be yourselves what you would have
them to be ; and pray daily for them and for yourselves.
The Lord bless this counsel to them and to you !
CHAP. XIV.
What are Men's Duties to each other as Elder and Younger.
1. It is most clear in Scripture and reason that there are
many special duties, which the elder and the younger, as
such, owe to each other. The elder are bound,
(1.) To be wiser than the younger, as having had longer
•i92 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN,
lime for acquiring knowledge, and so to be their instructors
in their several places.
(2.) Especially, to deliver down to them the Sacred
Scriptures which they have received, and the memorials of
God's works done for his church in former days, which were
committed to them by their fathers.
(3.) And to go before them in the example of a holy and
heavenly life. Job xxxii. 4 ; viii. 8 ; Heb. v. 14 ; Tit. ii.
2, 3 ; 1 John ii. 13, 14 ; Judges vi. 13 ; Psalm xliv. 1 ;
lxxviii. 3. 5; Deut. i. 21; Exod. xii. 26; Deut. xi. 19;
Jos. iv. 6. 21, 22 ; Joel i. 3.
2. Nature and Scripture tell us that the younger owe much
duty to the elder, which is thus summed up, " Ye Younger,
submit yourselves to the Elder." (1 Peter v. 5.) This sub-
mission includeth, especially a reverence to their judgments,
preferring them before their own; and a reasonable suppo-
sition that ordinarily the elder are wiser than they, and there-
fore living towards their elders in a humble and learning
disposition, not proudly setting their own unfurnished wits
against the greater experience of their elders, without very
evident and extraordinary reasons. For the understanding
of which, note,
3. (1.) It is certain that mere age doth not make men
wise or good : none are more sottishly and incurably igno-
rant than those who are both aged and ignorant, and few are
so bad as old and obstinate sinners. For they grow worse
in deceiving and in being deceived, abuse God's mercy yet
more and more, and are going still further from him, as the
faithful are growing better and approach nearer to him every
day.
(2.) It is also certain that God greatly blesseth some
young men's understandings, and maketh them wiser than
the aged and their teachers.
(3.) ' A youth of this description is not bound to think
that he knoweth not what he doth actually know; nor must
he believe that every old man is wiser than he;' — all this we
grant.
4. But though, " Better is a poor and a wise child, than
an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished,"
(Eccles. iv. 13,) yet, (1.) It is certain that knowledge cometh
much by experience. Long experience is far more powerful
than that which is short ; and time and converse are neces-
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 393
sary to it. Naturally or ordinarily, long learning and use
increase knowledge. Do not all take it for granted, that,
usually, the boys who have been many years at school, are
better scholars than those who are only beginners ? It is
the same in all other acquisitions. Therefore the elders in
former ages were commonly the rulers of the people in the
church and the commonwealth ; from which circumstance
pastors and rulers are called elders : and if they were not
ordinarily the wisest, why did not God make the children
the ordinary teachers and rulers of their parents, instead of
parents being the teachers of their own children ? Old men
may be ignorant and erroneous, as well as wicked ; but
young men cannot be ripe in wisdom without a miracle. We
are not, therefore, now to suppose unusual things to be
usual. Ordinarily, youth is ignorant and raw ; their con-
ceptions undigested, not well fixed or improved : it is but
few things that they know ; and their ignorance of the rest,
maketh them liable to many errors. " For the time, ye
ought to have been teachers ;" (Heb. v. 11, 12. ;) fitness to
teach supposeth time ; the young cannot digest strong meats.
A novice must not be a bishop ; the reason may seem
strange, — " Lest he be lifted up with pride, and fall into the
condemnation of the devil." (1 Tim. iii. 6.) One would
think youth should be most humble, as being conscious of
defectiveness. But because the ignorant know not that
more is to be known than ever they attained, therefore they
know not their own ignorance.
(2.) And this proud ignorance is so odious a sin, and the
nurse of so many more, and so great an enemy to wisdom
and all good, that it is no wonder it is the way to " the con-
demnation of the devil."
5. Therefore though young men should not receive any
falsehood, heresy, or ill example from the aged, yet they
should still remember, that, ' caeteris paribus,' (other cir-
cumstances being alike) age hath the great advantage for
knowledge, and youth must live in a humble and teachable
sense of ignorance ; other men's abuse of time, and aged
folly, will not prove them miraculously wise. The aged are
always the wisest if their improvement bear any equal pro-
portion to their time, their helps, and opportunities.
6. It is so odious a sin for lads and young students to be
394 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
self-conceited and unleachable, and to set up their appre-
hensions with ungrounded confidence against their elders,
that all should be fearful of that guilt, and ought to enter-
tain such humble thoughts of their own understandings, as
to be jealous of their conceptions. For all the following
vices make up their self-conceited prefidence :
(1.) It is both great ignorance of the darkness of
men's understandings, and great ignorance of themselves, —
to be ignorant that they are ignorant, — and to think they are
sure of that which they know not.
(2.) It is an odious sort of pride, to over-value an ig-
norant understanding, and to be proudly confident of that
which they have not.
(3.) It is folly, to think that truth can be known with-
out sufficient time and trial, and contrary to the world's
continual experience.
(4.) It is as absurd and inhuman a subverting of the
order of the world, for lads to set up their wits by
groundless self-conceitedness against their elders, as for
subjects to set their wills against rulers.
(5.) It is a continual unrighteousness; for there is a
justice required in our common private judging, as well as
in the public adjudications and awards of judges. All should
be heard and tried before we venture peremptorily to judge.
(6.) It is a nest of continual error in the mind, which is
the soul's deformity, and contrary to nature's love of truth.
7. It hath also abundance of mischievous effects.
(1.) Itkeepeth out that truth or knowledge which should
be received. It obstinately resisteth necessary teaching,
whereas the most willing entertainment is little enough to
get true knowledge, even by slow degrees. As God giveth
birds an instinct to feed their young, so the young ones by
instinct hunger and open their mouths. But if they abhor-
red their meat and were to be crammed, they would com-
monly perish. The knowledge which such conceited per-
sons get, must be from themselves, — in their own thinking
and observation only ; whereas their minds are yet unfur-
nished with those truths that must let in more. Daily ob-
jects will occasion error or confusion in their minds that are
unprepared to improve them ; their own lusts will pervert
them, and one error will draw in more ; whereas the assist-
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN. 39&
ance of those who, by long and successful study, have rightly
ordered and digested their conceptions, might be an exceed-
ing great help to willing learners.
(2.) Such young persons by pride do forfeit the grace of
God, which he giveth to the humble, while " he resisteth the
proud ;" and they are often gven up to the self-conceitedness
which they so strenuously defend, till their own counsels and
ways be their utter confusion.
(3.) The devil hath advantage to set upon and even to
possess such proud minds, prepared for him by their igno-
rance. He then becomes their teacher, and leads them to
almost whatever he wills, against the truth and the Church,
against themselves and against God.
(4.) Self-conceit and hasty confidence make them con-
tinual liars, even while they rage for what they say as being
actually true : for being themselves usually mistaken for
want of patient trial, they say what they think, and are not
to be much believed even when speaking in their utmost
prefidence.
8. But some one will say, ' Seeing many old men are ig-
norant and erroneous, and some young men have sounder
understandings than their elders, how shall I know when I
am guilty of pride, self-conceit, prefidence, and refusing to
bow to the judgment of others?'
Anstv. You will know this by the following marks :
(1.) When you rashly neglect the judgment and counsel
of those who have had as good helps and parts as you, and
far longer time and experience, without so much as hearing
what they have to say, or taking time to try the cause ac-
cording to its weight, especially if they be those from whom
nature or the ties of relationship oblige you to learn.
(2.) When you more easily suspect such persons than
your own understandings.
(3.) When your confidence of your understandings is so
unproportionable to your time and studies, that you must
suppose you know by a miracle, or by some rare capacity
and wit, — as if you had acquired more wisdom in a few
years than the rest of mankind obtain in many.
(4.) When you judge suddenly before you take time to
think, and when you may know that you never heard what
may be said against you.
(5.) When you talk the most, in a bold asserting or a
396 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
teaching way, — as if you were oracles to be heard and re-
verenced ; and not in a humble inquiring way, with that ne-
cessary doubting which beseemeth learners. " Except ye
become as little children" in teachable humility, you are not
fit for the school of Christ. (Matt, xviii. 3.) Even he that
is a teacher, conscious of his remaining ignorance, must be a
learner still, and not think himself above it, nor set himself
to dispute against all that he understands not, but must
continue humbly to search and try.
(C.) When those reasons of your own seem good and co-
gent which are sufficiently confuted, (yet you cannot see it,)
or which men of the most approved learning and fitness to
form a judgment do consider to be but folly ; and when other
men's soundest reasons seem light to you, because you judge
by a proud and selfish understanding, being confident and
tenacious of all that is your own, and contemning that which
is against you.
(7.) When you can too easily, without certain and co-
gent reason, dissent from the judgment, not only of those
whose light and integrity have by self manifestation convin-
ced the world, but also from the generality of such as are
commonly known to be the wise, the godly and impartial ;
yea, perhaps, when you proceed so far as to differ from all
the Church of Christ.
(8.) When the greatest number of the wisest men that
know you, think you not so wise as you think yourselves to
be, nor your reason so good ; but they pity your self-con-
ceitedness, — and yet this brings you not to suspect and try.
(9.) When you are hardly and rarely brought to a hum-
ble confession of your errors, but in all debates, whatever
the cause may be, you seem still to be in the right; and
when you have once said any thing, you will stand to it, and
justify untruths, or extenuate and excuse them.
(10.) When you too much affect the esteem of wisdom,
and love to have your judgments made a rule to others, and
are unfit for true subjection.
(11.) In a word, when, instead of being "swift to hear,
slow to speak, and slow to wrath," you are swift to speak
and dictate, slow to hear and learn, and swift to wrathful
censure of those who dissent from you. — These are strong
signs of pride, self-conceit, great confidence, and unbend-
ing stubbornness in judging.
COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNO MEN. 397
9. So common and hurtful is this sin in mankind, that
you should still be duly fearful of it. Error, I fear, taketh
up the greater portion of the thoughts of men ; most per-
sons are rather deceived than in the right ; man's mind in
the flesh, is in great darkness ; and, therefore, proud igno-
rance is a monstrous and pernicious vice. Most of the
confusions and miseries of the world, of kingdoms, churches,
and societies, come from it. Yea, though it seems most con-
trary to scepticism, it tendeth at last to infidelity or atheism.
For when experience hath convinced such conceited per-
sons, that their most confident rage was but a mistake, they
turn themselves to think that there is nothing certain, and
begin to deny the greatest truths. It is by this one sin of
proud self-conceitedness in false thoughts, that kingdoms,
particular churches, and the world itself, through obstinacy,
seem remediless ; and the wisest men that would gladly at-
tempt to cure them, can do no good except on themselves
and a few others.
10. But this sin is no where more misplaced or unnatu-
ral, than in children against the counsel of their parents,
and scholars against that of their tutors, and ignorant per-
sons against the common consent of the most able and godly
pastors. What an odious thing is it to see an ignorant lad
run against all his father's words, and think that he is wiser
than his parents, and always in the right ! and to hear igno-
rant persons magisterially judge and despise their wise and
faithful teachers, before they are capable to understand them,
or the matter about which they talk ! O how happily
might parents, pastors, and wise men, promote knowledge
and goodness in the world, were it not for this selfish confi-
dence, which shuts the door against their necessary helps !
CHAP. XV.
The Conclusion, addressed to Ministers.
There is another sort of helpers, on whom the welfare of
youth much depends; — even the ministers of Christ. But I
presume not here to teach them. In my " Reformed Pas-
tor," 1 have spoken somewhat freely when I had leave. I
cannot expect that those who silence me, should hear me ;
398 COMPASSIONATE COUNSEL TO YOUNG MEN.
nor will I think that able and faithful ministers need my
counsel. But all that I will now say, is, humbly to entreat
those who take no great pains with the young persons in
their parishes, and who will not be admonished by such as
me, to read the works of Martin Bucer, who had so great
a hand in counselling our Reformers in framing the Liturgy,
especially his book " de Regno Dei, his Censure of the
Liturgy," — of Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination and Dis-
cipline, and his vehement pressing of the necessity of Con-
gregational Discipline, of denying the sacrament to the
unmeet, and of keeping baptized youths among the Catechu-
mens, till at a proper age they come to true understanding
of the covenant, which they made and must renew, and till
they give credible signs of real godliness by a godly life.
He also shews what mischievous effects ensue from confirm-
ing them and admitting them to the Lord's-supper, on their
barely saying the words of the Catechism, the Creeds, the
Lord's-prayer, and the Decalogue, without tried understand-
ing and serious piety ; — what a wrong is thus done to the
Christian church and religion, by confounding and corrupt-
ing our communion for want of parish discipline and dis-
tinctions; — and what little good all canons or laws for
reformation or religious duty will do, if the ministry be igno-
rant, worldly and ungodly, and if the churches be not taught
and guided by able, godly, humble, self-denying and loving
pastors.
Read him diligently, I beseech you, for he was no vio-
lent man, and his books here mentioned were purposely
written for King Edward, and for the Bishops and the
Church of England, and were by them kindly accepted.
His burnt bones were honourably vindicated by the public
praise, and his memory was by many in Cambridge solemnly
commended to posterity. Let, I beseech you, his counsel
in these books be revived, and let true reformation be tried
by their light. I hope those who will not hear me, or such
as I am, will hear that great and moderate reformer. And if
you will add the reading of old Salvian, and of Nic. Cle-
mangis, it may do you good, by exciting you to do good to
others, and thus effectually promoting the ends of this ad-
vice TO YOUTH.
March 25, 1681.
FIRST,
WHAT SHALL BEFAL THE CHURCHES ON EARTH, TILL THEIR
CONCORD, BY THE RESTITUTION OF THEIR PRIMITIVE
PURITY, SIMPLICITY AND CHARITY:
SECONDLY,
HOW THAT RESTITUTION IS LIKELY TO BE MADE, (IF EVER,) AND
WHAT SHALL BEFAL THEM THENCEFORTH UNTO THE
END, IN THAT GOLDEN AGE OF LOVE.
WRITTEN BY
RICHARD BAXTER;
WHEN BY THE KINo's COMMISSION, WE (iN VAIN) TREATED FOR CONCORD,
1661.
AND NOW PUBLISHED, NOT TO INSTRUCT THE PROUD, THAT SCORN
TO LEARN ; NOR TO MAKE THEM WISE, WHO WILL NOT BE
MADE WISE : BUT TO INSTRUCT THE SONS OF LOVE AND
PEACE, IN THEIR DUTIES AND EXPECTATIONS.
TO TELL POSTERITY, THAT
THE THINGS WHICH BEFAL THEM WERE FORETOLD }
AND THAT THE EVIL MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED, AND BLESSED
PEACE ON EARTH ATTAINED, IF MEN HAD BEEN BUT WILLING J
AND HAD NOT SHUT THEIR EYES, AND HARDENED
THEIR HEARTS AGAINST THE BEAMS OF
LIGHT AND LOVE.
rV
LO THE READER.
Reader,
It is many years, since this Prognostication was written,
(1661, except the thirteen last lines); but it was cast by, lest
it should offend the guilty. But the author now thinketh,
that the monitory usefulness, may overweigh the inconveni-
ences of men's displeasure; at least, to posterity, if not for
the present age ; of which he is taking his farewel*'. His
suppositions are such as cannot be denied : viz.
1. Eccles. i. 9. " The thing that hath been, is that
which shall be ; and that which is done, is that which shall
be done: and there is no new thing under the sun."
2. The same causes, with the same circumstances, will
have the same effects on recipients, equally disposed.
3. ' Operari sequitur esse:' as natures are, so they act;
except where overpowered.
4. The appetite, sensitive and rational, is the principle of
motion ; and what any love, they will desire and seek.
5. Therefore, interest will turn the affairs of the world ;
and he that can best understand all interests, will be the best
moral prognosticator; so far as men are causes of the events.
6. The pleasing of God, and the happiness of their own
and others' souls, being the interest of true believers ; and
temporal life, pleasure, and prosperity, being the seeming
and esteemed interest of unbelievers cross interests, will
carry them contrary ways.
7. Contraries, when near and militant, will be trouble-
some to each other, and seek each others' destruction or
debilitation.
* This Tract was first printed in 1680. Editor.
VOL. XV. D D
CCCC11 TO THE READER.
8. The senses and experience of all men, in all ages, are
to be believed about their proper objects.
9. Men of activity, power, and great numbers, will have
advantage for observance and success, above those that are
modest, obscure, and few.
10. Yet men will still be men ; and the rational nature
will yield some friendly aspect towards the truth.
11. Those that are ignorant, and misled by passion, and
carried down the stream, by men of malignity or faction,
may come to themselves, when affliction, experience, and
considerateness have had time to work ; and may repent,
and undo somewhat that they have done.
12. As sense will be sense, when faith hath done its best;
so faith will be faith, when flesh or sense hath done its worst.
13. Men that fix on a heavenly, everlasting interest, will
not be temporisers, and changed by the worldly mens' wills
or cruelties.
14. When all men have tired themselves with their con-
trivances and stirs, moderation and peace must be the quiet
state.
15. When all worldly wisdom hath done its utmost, and
mens' endeavours are wringed with the greatest expecta-
tions ; God will be God, and blast what he nilleth; and will
overrule all things, to the accomplishment of his most blessed
will. Amen.
On these suppositions it is, that the following Prognos-
tications are founded ; which I must admonish the reader,
not to mistake for historical narratives : but, I exhort him
to know what hath been, and what is, if he would know what
will be; and to make sure of everlasting rest with Christ,
when he must leave a sinful, restless world.
MORAL PROGNOSTICATION
OF WHAT MUST BE EXPECTED
IN THE CHURCHES OF CHRISTENDOM,
TILL THE
GOLDEN AGE RETURNS;
on, TILL
THE TIME OF TRUE REFORMATION AND UNITY.
1. Mankind will be born in a state of infancy and nescience,
that is, without actual knowledge.
2. Yea, with a nature that hath the innate dispositions
to sloth, and to diverting pleasures and business ; and more
than so, to an averseness from those principles which are
needful to sanctification, and heavenly wisdom. The carnal
mind will have an enmity against God, and will not mind
the things of the Spirit, nor be subject to God's law. (Rom.
viii. 5—8.)
3. Sound learning, or wisdom, in things of so high a na-
ture, as are the matters of Salvation, will not be attained
without hard study, earnest prayer, and humble submis-
sion to instructions ; and all this a long time patiently en-
dured, or rather willingly, and delightfully performed.
4. And if the seeds of wisdom be not born with us, in a
capacious disposition of understanding ; but contrarily a na-
tural unapprehensiveness blocks up the way ; even time and
labour, will never (without a miracle) bring any to any great
eminency of understanding.
5. And they that have both capacity, and an industrious
disposition, must have also sound, and able, and diligent
teachers; or at least escape the hands of seducers, and of
partial, factious guides.
404 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
6. There are few born with good natural capacities, much
less with a special dispositive acuteness ; and few that will
be at the pains and patience, which the getting of wisdom
doth require ; and few that will have the happiness of sound
and diligent teachers ; but fewest of all that will have a con-
currence of all these three.
7. Therefore there will be but few very wise men in the
world ; ignorance will be common, wisdom will be rare.
8. Therefore error or false opinions will be common.
For unless men never think of the things of which they are
ignorant, or judge nothing of them one way or other, they
are sure to err, so far as they judge in ignorance. But when
things of greatest moment are represented as true or false, to
be believed or rejected, the most ignorant mind is naturally
inclined to pass its judgment or opinion of them one way or
other ; and to apprehend them according to the light he
standeth in, and to think of them as he is disposed. So that
ignorance and error will concur.
9. He that erreth, doth think that he is in the right, and
erreth not : for to err, and to know that he erreth in judg-
ment, is a contradiction, and impossible. (However in words
and deeds a man may err, and know that he erreth.)
10. He that knoweth not, and that erreth, perceiveth not
that evidence of truth, which should make him receive it,
and which maketh other men receive it ; and therefore know-
eth not that indeed another is in the right, or seeth any more
than he.
1 1 . Especially when every man is a stranger to another's
mind and soul, as to any immediate inspection : and there-
fore knoweth not another's knowledge, nor the convincing
reasons of his judgment.
12. As no man is moved against his own errors, by the
reasons which he knoweth not ; so pride, self-love and par-
tiality thence arising, incline all men naturally to be over-
valuers of their own understandings, and so over-confident
of all their own conceptions, and over-stiff in defending all
their errors. As pride and selfishness are the firstborn of
Satan, and the root of all positive evil in man's soul j so a
man is more naturally proud of that which is the honour of
a man, which is his understanding and goodness, than of
that which is common to a beast, as strength, beauty, orna-
ments, &c. Therefore pride of understanding and good-
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 405
uess oft live, when sordid apparel telleth you that childish
pride of ornaments is dead. And this pride maketh it very
difficult, to the most ignorant and erroneous, to know their
ignorance and error, or so much as to suspect their own un-
derstandings.
13. He that seeth but few things, seeth not much to
make him doubt, and seeth not the difficulties which should
check his confidence and stiffness in his way.
14. He that seeth many things, and that clearly knoweth
much ; especially, if he see them in their order, and respects
to one another, and leaveth out no one substantial part
which is needful to open the signification of the rest.
15. He that seeth many things disorderly, and con-
fusedly, and not in due method, and leaveth out some sub-
stantial parts, and hath not a digested knowledge, doth know
much, and err much, and may make a bustle in the world of
ignorants, as if he were an excellent, learned man ; but hath
little of the inward delight, or of the power and benefits of
knowledge.
16. He that seeth many things but darkly, confusedly,
and not in the true place and method, cannot reconcile
truths among themselves ; but is like a boy with a pair of
tarrying irons, or like one that hath his clock or watch all
in pieces, and knoweth not how to set them together. And
therefore, is inclined to be a sceptic.
17. This sort of sceptics, differ much from humble Chris-
tians ; and have oft as high thoughts of their understand-
ings, as any others : for they lay the cause upon the diffi-
culties in the objects, rather than on themselves : unless,
when they incline to brutishness or Sadducism, and take
man's understanding to be incapable of true knowledge, and
so lay the blame on human nature as such, that is, on the
Creator.
18. Few hope so much as to see the difficulty of things,
and make them doubt, or sceptical. But far fewer know,
so much as to resolve their doubts and difficulties : there-
fore, though (as Bishop Jewel saith of faithful Pastors) I
say not that there will be few Cardinals, few Bishops, few
Doctors, few Deans, few Jesuits, few Friars, (there will be
enow of these,) yet there will be few wise, judicious Divines,
and Pastors, even in the best and happiest countries.
19. Seeing he that knoweth not, or that erreth, knoweth
AOC) A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
not that another knoweth, or is in the right, when he is in
the wrong ; therefore he knoweth not whose judgment to ho-
nour and submit to, if he should suspect or be driven from
his own : and therefore is not so happy, as to be able to
choose the fittest teacher for himself.
20. In this darkness therefore he either carnally casteth
himself on the highest and most honoured in the world,
where he hath the most advantages for worldly ends ; or he
followeth the fame of the time and country where he is, or he
falleth in with the major vote of that party, whatsoever it be,
which his understanding doth most esteem and honour ; or
else with some person that hath most advantage on him.
21. If any of these happen to be in the right, he will be
also in the right materially, and may seem an orthodox,
peaceable and praiseworthy man : but where they are in the
wrong, he is contented with the reputation of being in the
right, and of the good opinion of those whom he concurreth
with ; who flatter and applaud each other in the dark.
22. When wise men are but few, they can be but in few
places ; and therefore will be absent from most of the peo-
ple, high or low, that need instruction. Besides, that their
studiousness inclineth them, like Jerom, to be more re-
tired than others, that know less.
23. This confidence in an erring mind, is not only the
case of the Teachers, as well as of the Flocks ; but is usually
more fortified in them than in others : for they think that
the honour of learning and wisdom, is due to their place, and
calling, and name, and standing in the Universities ; how
empty soever they be themselves. And they take it for a
double dishonour (as it is) for a Teacher to be accounted
ignorant; and an injury to their work and office, and to the
people's souls, that must by their honour be prepared to pro-
fit by them ; and therefore, they smart more impatiently
under any detection of their ignorance, than the common
people do.
24. It is not mere honesty and godliness, that will suf-
fice to save Ministers or people from this ignorance, injudi-
ciousness and error ; there having ever been among the very
godly Ministers, a few judicious men, that are fit to investi-
gate a difficult truth, or to defend it against a subtle adver-
sary, or to see the system of theological verities in their pro-
per method, harmony and beauty.
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 407
25. Morality hath innumerable difficulties as well as
School divinity : because that moral good and evil, are or-
dinarily such by preponderating accidents ; (actions as ac-
tions, being neither ; but only of physical consideration).
And the work of a true Casuist is to compare so many ac-
cidents, and to discern in the comparison which preponde-
rated, that it requireth both an acute and a large, capa-
cious, far-seeing wit, to make a man a true resolver of cases
of conscience. And consequently to be a judicious Pastor,
that shall not lead the people into errors.
26. As few Teachers have natural capacity for exactness,
and a willingness and patience for long, laborious studies ;
so many by their pastoral oversight of souls, and many by
the wants of their families (especially in times of persecu-
tion, when ail their public maintenance is gone, and they
must live, with their families, on the charity of people, per-
haps poor and persecuted as well as they) are hindered from
those studies, which else they would undergo.
27. It is few that grow to much exactness of judgment
without much writing (for themselves or others) : for study,
which is to be exactly ordered and expressed by {.he pen, is
usually (at last) the exactest study : as the Lord Bacon
saith, ' Much reading maketh a man full; much conference
maketh a man ready ; and much writing maketh a man ex-
act.' There are few Cameros, men of clear judgment, and
abhorring to write. And there are few Divines compara-
tively that have opportunity to write much.
28. They that err in Divinity, do think their falsehoods
to be God's truth ; and so will honour that which he hates,
with the pretence of his authority and name.
29. Therefore they will call up their own, and other men's
zeal, to defend those falsehoods as for God, and think that
in so doing they do God service.
30. And the interest of their own place, and honour, and
ends, will secretly insinuate when they discern it not, and
will increase their zeal against opposers.
31. Therefore, seeing they are usually many, and wise
men but few, they will expect that number should give the
precedency to their opinions, and will call those proud, or
heretical that gainsay them, and labour to defame them, as
self-conceited, opinionative men.
32. Therefore too many godly Ministers will be great
408 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
opposers of many of those truths of God, which they know
not, and which they err about, and will help on the service
of Satan in the world ; and will be the authors of factions and
contentions in the churches ; whilst too many are "proud,
knowing nothing" (in those matters when they think they
are most orthodox) " but doting about questions, and strifes
of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railing, evil surmis-
ings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds (in this)
and destitute of the truth." (ITim. vi. 4, 5.)
33. And if many good men will erroneously stand up
against that truth which any man wiser than themselves
maketh known, the worldly, and malicious, that have a
manifold enmity against it, will be ready to strengthen them
by their concurrence, and to join in the opposition.
34. Not they that are wisest at a distance, but they that
are nearest the people, and are always with them, are
most likely to prevail to make disciples of them, and bring
them to their mind : so great an advantage it is, to talk
daily and confidently to ignorant souls, when there is none
to talk against them, and to make their folly known.
35. Especially if the same men can get interest in their
esteem as well as nearness, and make themselves esteemed
the best or wisest men.
36. Therefore Jesuitical, worldly Clergymen, will always
get about great men, and insinuate into nobles, and will
still defame them that are wise and good, that they may
seem odious, and themselves seem excellent, and so may
carry it by deceitful shows.
37. And they will do their best, to procure all wise and
good men, that are against their interest, to be banished
from the palaces of princes and nobles, where they are;
lest their presence should confute their slanderers, and they
should be as " burning and shining lights," that carry their
witness with them, where they come: and also to bring
them under public stigmatizing censures, and sufferings ; that
their names may be infamous and odious in the world.
38. And heretical Pastors will play a lower game, and
creep into the houses of silly people, prepared by ignorance,
and soul-disturbers to receive their heresies.
39. Between these two sorts of naughty Pastors (the
worldly and the heretical), and also the multitude of
weak, erroneous, honest Teachers, the soundest and wor-
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 409
thiest will be so few, that far most of/the people (high and
low) are like to live under the influences and advantages of
erring men ; and, therefore, themselves to be an erring
people.
40. In that measure, that men are carnal ; their own car-
nal interest will rule them. And both the worldly and
heretical Clergy, are ruled by carnal interests, though
not the same materially. And the more honest, erring Mi-
nisters, are swayed by their interests too much ; insomuch,
that on this account, it was no overvaluing of Timothy, or
wrong to the other Pastors, that it should plainly be said by
Paul, " For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care
fo ryour state. For all seek their own, not the things which
are Jesus Christ's." (Phil. ii. 21, 22.) " Of your ownselves
shall men arise, and speak perverse things, to draw away
disciples after them." (Acts xx. 30.) Besides the grievous
wolves which would not spare the flocks.
41. The interest then of the worldly Clergy, will con-
sist in pleasing the great ones of the world ; for lordships,
and worldly wealth, and honour, and to be made the rulers
of their brethren, and to have their wills : And the interest
of heretics will be to have many to be of their own opinion
to admire them : and the interest of upright Ministers, will
be to please God, and propagate the Gospel, increase the
Church, and save men's souls. Yet so that they have a su-
bordinate interest, for food and raiment, and families, and
necessary reputation, which they are too apt to overvalue.
42. Therefore, it will be the great trade of the worldly
Clergy, to please and flatter the Rulers of the world, and by
all artificial insinuations, and by their friends, to work them-
selves into their favour, and by scorns and calumnies, to
work out all other that are against their interest.
43. And it will be the trade of heretics, to insinuate into
the more ductile people, especially as Ministers of Truth and
Righteousness, that have somewhat more excellent in know-
ledge or holiness, than the faithful Ministers of Christ.
44. And it will be the work of faithful Ministers, to
save men's souls. But with such various degrees of self-
denial or selfishness, as they have various degrees of wisdom
and holiness.
45. Many great and piously disposed Princes, like Con-
stantine, will think that to honour and advance the Clergy,
410 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
into worldly power and wealth, is to honour God and the
Christian Religion: and great munificence is fit for their
own greatness.
46. And because such honour and wealth cannot possi-
bly be bestowed on all ; it must make a great disparity, and
set some as lords over the rest.
47. And the unavoidable weakness, passions, and divi-
sions of the Clergy, will make Rulers think, that there is a
necessity ; that besides the Civil Government, there should
be some of their own office, to rule the rest, and to keep
them in order, obedience, and peace.
48. Ambition and covetousness, will abuse this munifi-
cence of Princes : and whilst that any church-preferments
are so great (beyond the degree of a mere encouraging sub-
sistence), as to be a strong bait to tempt the desires of a
proud and worldly mind, the most proud and worldly that
are within the reach of hope, will be the seekers, by them-
selves, and by their friends.
49. Mortified, humble, heavenly men, will either never
seek them, or with no great eagerness ; their appetite being
less, and their restraints much greater.
50. Therefore they that have the keenest appetites to
church-grandeur and preferments, and are the eager seekers,
are most likely to find.
51. Therefore the lovers of wealth and honour, are more
likely still to be the lords among the Clergy ; except in
such marvellous happy times, when wise and pious Princes,
call the more worthy that seek it not, and reject these thirsty
seekers.
52. The greatest lovers of worldly wealth and honour,
are the worst men. (1 Johnii. 15 ; James iv. 4, &c.)
53. Therefore, except in such times as aforesaid, the
worst men will be still the rich and powerful in the Clergy,
for the most part, or at least, the worldly that are very bad.
54. These carnal minds are enmity to God, and cannot
be subject to his law. And the friendship of the world is
enmity to God. And the honour and wealth of these worldly
men, will be taken by them for their interest : and they will
set themselves to defend it, against all that would endan-
ger it.
55. The doctrine and practice of humility, mortification,
contempt of the world, forsaking all, taking up the cross,
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 411
Sec, is so much of the Christian Religion, that however the
worldly Clergy may formally preach it, their minds'and in-
terests are at enmity to it.
56. Such men will make Church- canons according to
their interests and minds.
57. And they will judge of Ministers and people, accord-
ing to their interest and mind ; who is sound, and who is
erroneous ; who is honest, and who is bad ; who is worthy
of favour, and who is worthy of all the reproaches that can
be devised against him.
58. The humble, mortified Ministers and people, that are
seriously the servants of a Crucified Christ, and place their
hopes, and portion in another world, have a holy disposition,
contrary to this worldly, carnal mind ; and their manner of
preaching, will be of a different relish, and the tenor of
their lives, of a contrary course.
59. The generality of the best people in the Christian
Churches will perceive the difference between the worldly
and the heavenly manner of preaching, and of living, and
will love and honour the latter, far above the former ; be-
cause their new nature suiteth with things spiritual, and
fitteth them to relish them.
60. The worst of vicious and worldly men will disrelish
the spiritual manner of preaching and living, and will join
with the worldly Clergy against it.
61. The worldly Clergy being hypocrites, as to Chris-
tianity and godliness (like Judas that loved the bag better
than Christ), they will make themselves a Religion, consist-
ing of the mere corpse and dead image of the true Religion •
of set words, and actions, and formalities, and orders, which
in themselves are (many, at least, if not all) good ; but the
life they will not endure.
62. This image of true Religion, or corpse of godliness,
they will dress up with many additional flowers out of their
own gardens, some tolerable, and some corrupting : that so
they may have something which both their own consciences
and the world may take to be honourable Religion ; lest
known ungodliness should terrify conscience within, and
shame them in the world without.
63. This image of Religion, so dressed up, will suit their
carnal auditors and people too, to the same ends ; and there-
fore will become their uniting interest.
412 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
64. That which is but a weed among these flowers, the
more heavenly Ministers and people will dislike, and much
more dislike the loathsome face of death (or lifelessness) in
their Religion.
65. These differences of mind and practice, will engage
both parties in some kind of opposition to each other. The
worldly Clergy or hypocrites, will have heart-risings against
the Ministers and people that think meanly of them, and will
take it for their interest to bring them down : for enmity is
hardly restrained from exercise. And Cain will be wroth,
that Abel's sacrifice is better accepted than his own.
66. The better Ministers, will be apt through passion, to
speak too dishonourably of the other: and the rash, and
younger sort, and the heretical hypocrites that fall in with
them, will take it for part of a godly zeal to speak against
them to the people, in such words as Christ used of the
Scribes and Pharisees.
67. Hereupon the exasperations of each party, will be
increased more and more ; and the powerful, worldly Clergy,
will think it their interest, to devise some new impositions,
which they know the other cannot yield to, to work them out.
68. Whether they be oaths, subscriptions, words or actions,
which they believe to be against God's word, the spiritual,
and upright part of the Clergy and people, will not perform
them ; resolving to obey God, rather than man.
69. Hereupon the worldly part will take the advantage,
and call them disobedient, stubborn, proud, schismatical,
self-opinionated, disturbers of the public peace and order,
" pestilent fellows, and movers of sedition among the people,"
that will let nothing be quiet, but " turn the world upside-
down:" (Acts xxiv. 5, 6:) and will endeavour to bring them
to such sufferings, as men really guilty of such crimes deserve.
70. And because the suffering, and dissenting party of
Ministers, when silenced, will leave many vacancies in the
Churches they will be fain to fill them with men, how empty
and unworthy soever, that are of their own spirit, and will
be true to their interests.
71. The exasperation of their sufferings, will make many,
otherwise sober Ministers, too impatient, and to give their
tongues leave to take down the honour of the Clergy, whom
they suffer by more than beseemeth men of humility, cha-
rity, and patience.
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION'. 413
72. When the people, that most esteem their faithful
Ministers, are deprived of their labours, by the prohibitions
of the rest, and themselves also afflicted with them ; it will
stir up in them an inordinate, unwarrantable, passionate
zeal ; which will corrupt their very prayers, and make them
speak unseemly things, and pray for the downfal of that
Clergy, which they take to be the enemies of God, and god-
liness. And they will think that to speak easily or chari-
tably of such men, as dare forbid Christ's Ministers to preach
his Gospel, and by notorious sacrilege, alienate the persons,
and gifts that were consecrated solemnly to God ; is but to
be lukewarm, and indifferent between God and the devil.
73. And when they take them as enemies to religion, and
to themselves, the younger and rasher sort of Ministers ; but
much more the people, will grow into a suspicion of all that
they see their afflicters stand for : they will dislike not only
their faults ; but many harmless things, yea many laudable
customs which they use ; and will grow into some supersti-
tion in opposition to them, making new sins in the manner
of worship, which God never forbad or made to be sins ; and
taking up new duties, which God never made duties; yea
ready to forsake some old and wholesome doctrines, because
their afflicters own them; and to take up some new, unsound
doctrines, and expositions of God's word, because they are
inclined by opinion, and passion conjoined, to go as far as
may be from such men, whom they think so bad of.
74. And the vulgar people that have but little sense of
religion (that are not by the aforesaid interest, united to the
afflicting Clergy), having a reverence to the worth of those
that are afflicted, and an experience of the rawness, and dif-
fering lives of many that possess their rooms, will grow to
compassionate the afflicted, and to think that they are in-
jured themselves, and so to think hardly of the causers of
all this.
75. Hereupon the powerful Clergy, will increase their
accusations against the party that is against them, and de-
clare to the world in print and from the pulpits, their igno-
rance, unpeaceableness, unruliness, giddiness, false opinions
and conceits about the manner of worship, and how unsuf-
ferable a sort of men they are.
76. By this time the devil will have done the radical part
of his work ; which is to destroy much of Christian love to
414 A MOHAL PROGNOSTICATION.
one another, and make them take each other for unlovely,
odious persons : the one part, for persecuting enemies of
godliness, and hypocrites, and Pharisees : the other for pe-
vish, seditious, turbulent, unruly sectaries. And on these
suppositions, all their after characters, affections and prac-
tices towards each other will proceed.
77. By this enmity and opposition against each other,
both parties will increase in wrath, and somewhat in num-
bers. The worldly afflicting Clergy will multiply not only
such as are disaffected to them, but downright fanatics, and
sectaries that will run as far from them as they can, into
contrary extremes. For when they are once brought into a
distaste of the old hive, the bees will hardly gather into one
new one ; but will divide into several swarms and hives. As
every man's zeal is more against the afflicting party ; so he
will go further from them : some to be Separatists, some
Anabaptists, some Antinomians, some Seekers, some Qua-
kers, and some to they know not what themselves.
78. For the women, and apprentices, and novices in Chris-
tianity, that have more passion than judgment, will abun-
dance of them quite overrun, even their own afflicted Teachers,
and will forsake them, if they will not overrun their own
judgments, in forsaking those that do afflict them.
79. And many hypocrites that have no sound religion ;
but ignorance, pride, and uncharitableness, will thrust in
among them, in these discontents ; or spring up in the nur-
series of these briars of passion, and will bring in new doc-
trines, and new ways of worship, and make themselves
preachers, and the heads of sects : by reason of whom, the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
80. And many unstable persons seeing this, will dread
and loathe so giddy a sort of men, and will turn Papists,
upon the persuasions of them that tell them, that there is no
true unity nor consistency, but at Rome ; and that all must
thus turn giddy at last, that are not fixed in the papal head.
And thus they that fly too far from the Common-Prayer-
Book, will drive men to the mass, and the afflicters will make
sectaries and the sectaries will make Papists.
81. When the violent Clergy, instead of a fatherly go-
vernment of the flocks, have driven the people into passions,
distempers, and uncharitable disaffections to themselves, and
have also been the great cause of multiplied heresies, and
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 415
sects by the same means, instead of being humbled and pe-
nitent for their sin, they will be hardened, and justify all
their violences, by the giddiness and miscarriages of those
sectaries, which they themselves have made.
82. And when they publish the faults of such, for the
justification of their own violence, they will draw thousands
into an approbation of their courses, (to think that such a
turbulent people can never be too hardly called or used) and
consequently into a participation of their guilt.
83. By all this, the Dissenters will be still more alienated
from them ; and many will aggravate the crime of the Mi-
nisters that conform to their impositions, and obey them ;
and for the sake of a few that afflict them, they will condemn
many laudable conforming Ministers, that never consented
to it; but could heartily wish, that it were otherwise.
84. And the younger, and more indiscreet, passionate
sort, will frequently reproach such, as unconscionable tem-
porizers, that will do any thing for worldly ends, and that
as hypocrites for a fleshly interest, concur with the cor-
rupters, and afflicters of the godly.
85. These censures and reproaches will provoke those
conforming Ministers, who are not masters of their passions,
nor conquerors of their pride, to think as badly of the cen-
surers, as their afflicters do, and to join with them in the dis-
playing of all enormities, and promoting their further suffer-
ings, and publishing the folly and turbulency of their spirits,
with spleen and partiality.
86. By these kind of speeches, preachings, and writings,
multitudes of the debauched will be hardened in their sin
against all religion : for when they observe that it is the
same party of men, who are thus reproached, that are the
strictest reprovers of their lewdness, their fornications, tip-
pling, gaming, luxuries, and ungodliness ; they will think it
is no great matter, what such a defamed, giddy sort of people
say, and that really they are worse themselves.
87. Each party of these adversaries, will characterize the
adverse party as hypocrites : the passionate sufferers, will
call the afflicters, Hypocrites, and Pharisees, that have no re-
ligion, but a formal show of outside ceremonies and words,
and that tithe mint, and cummin, and wash the outside,
while within they are full of persecuting cruelty, and are
wolves in sheep's clothing, loving the uppermost seats, and
416 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
great titles, and ceremonious phylacteries, whilst they are
enemies to the preaching of the Gospel ol" Christ, and get re-
venues to themselves, and devour not only the houses, but
the peace and lives of others, under pretence of long litur-
gies ; and that devour the living saints, while they keep
holy days, and build monuments for the dead ones, whom
their fathers murdered, 8cc. And the powerful Clergy, will
call the others Hypocrites, and labour to show that the Pha-
risees' character belongeth to them, and that their pretences
of strictness in religion, and their long praying and preach-
ing, is but a cloak to cover their disobedience, and covet-
ousness, and secret sins ; and that their hearts, and inside,
is as bad as others, and that their fervency in devotion, is
but an hypocritical, affected, whining, and canting; and
that they are worse, than the lesser religious sort of people;
because they are more unpeaceable, and disobedient, and
add hypocrisy to their sin.
88. The ignorant, worldlings, drunkards, and ungodly
despisers of holiness and heaven, being in all countries most
contradicted in their way, by this stricter sort of men, and
hearing them in pulpit, and press so branded for hypocrites,
will joyfully unite themselves with the censurers ; and so
they will make up as one party, in crying down the precise
hypocrites ; and usually make some name to call them by,
as their brand of common ignominy : and they will live the
more quietly in all their sins, and think they shall be saved,
as soon as the precisest, that make more show, but have no
more sincerity, but more hypocrisy than themselves.
89. The suffering party, seeing the ungodly, and the con-
forming afflicters of them thus united, and made one party
in opposition to them, will increase their hard thoughts of
the adverse Clergy, and take them for downright profane, and
the leading enemies of godliness in the world, that will be
captains in the devil's army, and lead on all the most un-
godly- against serious godliness, for their worldly ends.
90. And the young and indifferent sort of people, in all
countries, that were engaged in neither part, being but
strangers to religion, and to the differences, will be ready to
judge of the cause by the persons : and seeing so many of
the dignified advanced Clergy, and the more sensual sort of
the people on one side, and so many men of strict lives on the
other, that suffer also for their religion, and hearing too that
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 417
it is some name of preciseness, that they are reproached by,
will think them to be the better side ; and so the title of the
godly will grow by degrees, to be almost appropriated to
their party, and the title of profane and persecutors to the
other.
91. All this while the nonconforming Ministers, will be
somewhat differently affected, according to the different de-
grees of their judiciousness, experience, and self-denial.
Some of them will think these passions of the people
needful, to check the fierceness of the afflicters (which doth
but exasperate it) ; and therefore, will let them alone,
though they will not encourage them.
Some of the younger or more injudicious hot-brained sort
will put them on, and make them believe, that all commu-
nion with any conforming Ministers or their Parish Churches
is unlawful, and their forms of worship, are sinful and anti-
christian ; and that they are all temporizers, and betrayers
of truth and purity, that communicate or assemble with
them.
The judicious, and experienced, and most patient, and
self-denying sort, will themselves abstain from all that is
sin; and as far as it is in their choice and power, will join
with the churches that worship God most agreeably to his
word and will ; but so, as that they will not be loud in their
complaints, nor busy to draw men to their opinions in con-
trovertible points, nor will unchurch and condemn all the
Churches that have something which they dislike as sinful ;
nor will renounce the communion of all faulty Churches, lest
they renounce the communion of all in the world, and teach
all others to renounce theirs : but they will sometimes com-
municate with the more faulty Churches, to shew that they
unchurch them not (so they be not forced in it to any sin) ;
though usually they will prefer the purest : yea, ordinarily
they will join with the more faulty, when they can have no
better, or when the public good requireth it. They will
never prefer the interest of their nonconforming party, be-
fore the interest of Christianity, or the public good : They
will so defend lesser truths, as not to neglect or disadvantage
the greater, which all are agreed in ; they will so preserve
their own innocency, as not to stir up other men's passions,
nor to make factions or divisions by their difference. They
vol. xv. E E
418 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
will so dislike the pride and vvorldliness of others, and their
injuries against God and godliness, as not to speak evil of
dignities, nor to cherish in the people's minds, any disho-
nourable, injurious thoughts of their kings, or any in autho-
rity over them : they will labour to allay the passions of the
people, and to rebuke their censorious, and too sharp lan-
guage, and to keep up all due charity, to those by whom
they suffer ; but especially loyalty to their kings and rulers,
and peaceableness as to their countries. They will teach
them to distinguish between the cruel that are masters of the
game, and all the rest that have no hand in it ; and at least
not to separate from all the rest, for the sake of a few : If
they will go as far as Martin (in Sulpitius Severus) to avoid
all communion with Ithacius and Idacius, and the Councils
of Bishops, that prosecuted the Priscillianists, to the scandal
of godliness itself: yet not for their sakes to avoid all others,
that never consented to it : nor with Gildas, to say of all
the bad Ministers, that he was not ' Eximius Christianus,'
that would call them Ministers, or Pastors, rather than trai-
tors. They will persuade the people to discern between
good and evil, and not to run into extremes, nor to dislike
all that their afflicters hold or use ; nor to call things lawful,
by the name of sin, and anti-christianity, nor to suffer their
passions to blind their judgments, to make superstitiously
new sin and ditties, in opposition to their adversaries : nor to
disgrace their understandings and the truth, by errors, fac-
tions, revilings, or miscarriages ; nor to run into sects, nor
to divide Christ's house and kingdom, while they pretend
to be his zealous servants : they will persuade the people to
patience, and moderation, and peace, and to " speak evil of
no man," nor by word or deed, to revenge themselves ; much
less to resist the authority that is set over them by God; but
to imitate their Saviour, and quietly suffer, and being reviled
not to revile again; but to love their enemies, and bless
their cursers.
92. The more sober sort of the people, will be ruled by
these counsels, and will do much to quiet the rest. But the
heretical part, with their own passions, will exasperate many
novices and injudicious persons, to account this course and
counsel aforesaid, to be but the effect of lukewarmness and
carnal compliance with sin, and a halting between two
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION'. 4W
opinions, and a participation in the sin of persecutors, and
malignant enemies of godliness : and they will believe that
whoever joineth with the Parish Churches, in their way, is
guilty of encouraging them in sin, and of false worship.
93. Hereupon they will defame the nonconforming Mi-
nisters last described, as men of no zeal, neither flesh nor
fish ; and perhaps as men that would save their skin, and
shift themselves out of sufferings, and betray the truth. And
when such Ministers, acquaint them with their unsound
principles and passions, they will say of them that they
speak bitterly of the godly, and join with the persecutors in
reproaching them.
94. And they will carry about among themselves, many
false reports and slanders against them; partly because pas-
sion taketh off charity, and tenderness of conscience ; and
partly because an opinionative model, and siding religious-
ness, hath ever more followers, and a quicker zeal, than true
holiness ; and partly because they will think that human
converse obligeth them to believe the reports, which those
that are accounted good men utter; and partly because that
they will think, that the upholding of their cause (which
they think is God's) doth need the suppression of these men's
credit, and reputation that are against it.
95. But the greater part of the honest nonconformist
Ministers, will dislike the headiness, and rashness of the
novices, and the sectaries; and will approve of the aforesaid
moderate ways. But their opportunities, and dispositions
of expressing it, will be various. Some of them will do it
freely, whatever be thought of it ; and some of them that
have impatient auditors, will think that it is no duty to at-
tempt that which will not be endured, and that it is better
to do what good they can, than none. And some will think,
that seeing the worldly Clergy forbid them to preach the
Gospel of salvation, they are not bound to keep up any of
their reputation or interest, as long as they have themselves
no hand in the extremes, and passions of the people. And
some that have wives and children, and nothing but the
people's charity to find them food and raiment, being turned
out of all public maintenance by their amicters, and prose-
cuted still with continued violence, will think that it is not
their duty, to beg their bread from door to door; nor to turn
their families to be kept on the alms of the parish, by losing-
420 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
<
the affection of those people, whose charity only they can
expect relief from : and therefore, they will think that ne-
cessity, and preservation of their families' lives and health,
will better excuse their silence, when they defend not those
that would destroy them, against the overmuch opposition
of the people ; than the command of their afflicters will ex-
cuse their silence, if they neglect to preach the Christian
faith. And some will think, that finding themselves hated
and hunted by one party ; if they lose the affection of the
other also, they shall have none to do their office with, nor
to do any good to ; and that they shall but leave the people
whom they displease, to follow those passionate leaders,
that will tempt them to more dangerous extremities, against
the peace of Christian societies.
But the most judicious and resolved Ministers, that live
not on the favour or maintenance of the people, or are quite
above all worldly interest, will behave themselves wisely,
moderately, and yet resolvedly ; and will do nothing, that
shall distaste sober and wise men, nor yet despise the souls
of the most impotent or indiscreet ; but by solid principles,
endeavour to build them upon solid grounds ; and to use
them with the tenderness, as nurses should do their crying
children. But yet they will not cherish their sin, under the
pretence of profiting their souls ; nor, by silence, be guilty
of their blood ; nor so much as connive at those dangerous
extremes, that seem to serve some present exigence and job ;
but threaten future ruin to the churches, and dishonour to
the Christian cause. And therefore, they resolve not to neg-
lect the duties of charity to the bitterest of their persecutors :
and the rather, because it will prove in the end, a charity to
the Church, and to the souls of the passionate, whose charity
they labour to keep alive. And silence at sin, is contrary
to their trust and office : and they will not be guilty of that
carnal wisdom, which would do evil that good may come by
it ; or that dare not seek to cure the principles of uncharita-
bleness, divisions, or extremities in the people, for fear of
losing advantages of doing them good ; or that dare not dis-
own unlawful schisms and separations, for fear of encourag-
ing those malignants, that call lawful practices by that
name. They will do God's work (though with prudence,
and not destructive rashness, yet) with fidelity and self-de-
nial. And they will lay at Christ's feet, not only their in-
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 421
terest in the favour of superiors; and their peace, and safety,
and liberty, and estates, and lives, which are exposed to ma-
lignant cruelty, among the Cainites of the world; but also
all the good thoughts, and words, and favour of the religious
sort of people, yea, and Pastors too. And they will look
more to the interest of the whole Church, than of a narrow
party ; and of posterity, than of the present time : as know-
ing, that at long running, it is only truth that will stand
uppermost; when malignant violence, and sectarian passions
are both run out of breath. And therefore, in simplicity,
and godly sincerity, they will have their conversations in
the world ; and not in fleshly wisdom, or selfish blinding-
passions or factions. Let all men use them how they will,
or judge or call them what they will ; they will not therefore
be false to God and to-their consciences. And seeing it is
their office to govern and teach the people, they will not be
governed by the favour of the most censorious, ignorant or
proud ; but will guide them as faithful teachers, till they are
deserted by them, and disabled. But the sober, ancient,
wise and experienced, will always cleave to them, and for-
sake the giddy and sectarian way.
96. In the heat of these extremities, the most peaceable
and sober part, both of the Conformists and Nonconformists,
will be in best esteem with the grave and sober people ; but
in the greatest strait, with both the extremes.
97. The godly and peaceable Conformists, will get the
love of the sober, by their holy doctrine and lives : but they
will be despised by the sectaries, because they conform ;
and they will be suspected by the proud and persecuting
Clergy, as leaning to the Dissenters, and strengthening them
by their favour ; because these Ministers will, in all their
parishes, more love and honour the godly Nonconformists,
than the irreligious, ignorant, worldly, dead-hearted multi-
tude, or the malignant enemies of godliness.
98. Hereupon these Conformists being taken for the
chief upholders of the Nonconformists, will be under con-
tinual jealousies and rebukes. And perhaps, new points of
Conformity shall be devised, to be imposed on them, which
it is known their consciences are against; that so they may
be forced also to be Nonconformists : because secret enemies
are more dangerous than open foes.
422 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
99. These Conformists being thus troubled, will feel also
the stirring of passion in themselves; and by the injury,
will be tempted to think more hardly of their afflicters than
before : and so will part of them turn downright Noncon-
formists ; and the other part will live in displeasure, till they
see an opportunity to shew it. And these are the likeliest
to cross and weaken the worldly, persecuting Clergy, of any
men.
100. And as for the moderate Nonconformists, that un-
derstand what they do, and why, and seek the reconciling of
all Dissenters ; they will also be loved and honoured by the
sober, grave and experienced Christians : but both extremes
will be against them. The Sectaries will say, as before,
that they are lukewarm, and carnal, selfish, complying men.
The proud, imposing Clergy will say, that it is they that have
drawn the people into these extremes ; and then complain of
them that they cannot rule them. And they will tell them,
That till they conform themselves, their moderation doth
but strengthen the Nonconformists, and keep up the repu-
tation of sobriety among them. And the nearer they come
to Conformity, the more dangerous they are, as being more
able to supplant it. And thus the moderate and reconcilers,
will be as the wedge that is pressed by both sides, in the
cleft of church-divisions : and no side liketh them, because
they are not given up to the factious passions or interest of
either.
101. Only those will, in all these extremities and divi-
sions, keep their integrity ; who are, 1. Wise. 2. Humble
and self-denying. 3. Charitable, and principled with a spi-
rit of love. 4. And do take the favour of God, and heaven
alone for their hope and portion, whatever becometh of them
in the world. But the worldly persecuting, and the sec-
tarian party, will be both constituted by these contrary prin-
ciples ; 1. Ignorance and error. 2. Pride of their own un-
derstandings; every one thinking that all are intolerable
that are not of their mind and way. 3. Uncharitableness,
malice or want of love to others as to themselves. 4. And
overvaluing their worldly accommodations, honours and es-
tates.
102. Hereupon the instruments of a foolish shepherd, will
still be used to the greater scattering of the flocks. And
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 423
because none are so able to dispute against them as the mo-
derate, therefore they will be taken for their most dangerous
adversaries : and when they are greatly inclined to the heal-
ing of these wounds, the violent and lordly will not suffer
them ; but will pour oil upon the flames, which moderate
men would quench. And, as if they were blindfolding and
scourging Christ again, they will follow the people with af-
flicting wounds ; and then charge the moderate Ministers
with their discontents ; and charge them to reduce them to
peace and conformity. And if they cannot get them to love
and honour those that are still scourging them with scor-
pions, the scourgers will lay the blame on these Ministers,
and say, it is all long of them that the people love not those
that wound them. And they that cry out most for peace
will not endure it, nor give the peacemakers leave to do any
thing that will accomplish it : nor will keep the spur out of
the people's sides, whilst they look that others (spurred more
sharply) should hold the reins ; which yet at the same time
they take out of their hands, and forbid them to hold, by
forbidding them to preach the Gospel. So that it will be
the sum of their expectations, ' Perform not the office of
Pastors, nor preach the Gospel of peace and piety to the peo-
ple any more : but yet, without preaching to them, see that
you teach them all to love and honour us, while we silence
you, and afflict them ; or else we will account you intolera-
ble, seditious schismatics, and use you as such.'
103. In some kingdoms or countries, it will be thought,
that the people will be brought to no obedience to the lordly
Pastors, till their most able or moderate Ministers are kept
from them, by banishment, imprisonment or confinement:
which will accordingly be done.
104. When the Ministers are banished or removed, that
restrained the people's passions, the people will make
preachers of themselves ; even such as are suited to their
minds.
105. Where Papists or heretics are shut out by laws, they
will secretly contribute the utmost of their endeavours, to
make the sufferings of Dissenting Protestants, as grievous as
possibly they can ; that in despite of them, their own neces-
sities may compel them to cry out for liberty ; till they pro-
cure a common toleration for all, and open the door for
Papists and heretics, as well as for themselves.
424 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
106. " Surely, oppression will make wise men mad."
(Eccles. vii. 7.)
107. Madmen will speak madly, and do madly.
108. They that speak and do madly, will be thought
meetest for Bedlam, and for chains.
109. When the Ministers are banished or removed, and
the people left to their passions, and their own-made guides
and teachers ; passionate women, and boys, and unsettled
novices, will run into unwarrantable words and deeds ; and
will think those means lawful, which seem to promise them
deliverance, though they be such as God forbiddeth.
110. The seditions and miscarriages of some few will be
imputed to the innocent.
111. For the sake of such miscarriages, in some king-
doms, the sword will be drawn against them, and the blood
of many will be shed.
112. Hereupon the misguided, passionate youth, being
by the proud Clergy deprived of the presence of that Mi-
nistry that should moderate them, are likely enough to think
rebellion and resisting of authority, a lawful means for their
own preservation : and will plead the law of nature and ne-
cessity for their justification.
113. If any of the sober, wise, experienced Pastors be
left among them, that would restrain them from unlawful
ways, and persuade them to patient Buffering; they will be
taken for complying betrayers of religion, and of the peo-
ple's lives ; that would have them tamely surrender their
throats to butchery.
As in a parenthesis, I will give them some instances for
this prognostic.
(1.) The great Lord Du Plessis (one of the most excellent
noblemen that ever the earth bore, that is known to us by
any history,) being against the holding of an Assembly of the
French Churches, against the king's prohibition, was rejected
by the Assembly, as complying with the courtiers, (because
they said, the king had before promised, or granted them
that Assembly) ; but the refusing of his counsel, cost the
blood of many thousand Protestants, and the loss of all their
garrisons and powers, and that lowness of the Protestant
interest there that we see at this day.
(2.) The great divine, Peter De Moulin, was also against
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 425
ft
the Rochellers' proceedings against the king's prohibitions
(and so were some chief Protestant Nobles) : but he was re-
jected by his own party, who paid for it, by the blood of
thousands, and their ruin.
(3.) Ilatelyread ofaking of France, thathearing that the
Protestants made verses and pasquels against the mass and
processions of the Papists, made a severe law to prohibit it.
When they durst not break that law, their indiscreet zeal
carried them to make certain ridiculous pictures of the mass-
priests and the processions ; which moderate Ministers
would have dissuaded them from, but were accounted tem-
porizers and lukewarm : by which the king being exaspe-
rated, shut up the Protestant churches, took away their
liberties, and it cost many thousand men their lives. And the
question was, Whether God had commanded such jeers and
scorns, and pictures, to be made at so dear a rate, as the root-
ing out of the Churches, and religion, and the people's lives.
(4.) Great Camero (one of the most judicious Divines in
the world) was in Montabon, when it stood out in arms
against the king (accounted formerly impregnable) : He
was against their resistance, and persuaded them to submit.
The people of his own religion reviled him as a traitor : one
of the soldiers threatened to run him through: In a Scottish
passion he unbuttoned his doublet, and cried, ' Feri miser/
Strike varlet, or do thy worst ; and in the heat, striving to
get his own goods out of the city, fell into a fever and died.
The city was taken, and the rest of the holds through the
kingdom after it, to the great fall of all the Protestants, and
the loss of many thousand lives.
114. Where the devil can bring differences to extremities
of violence, the issues are not hard to be conjecturally fore-
seen ; but are such as my Prognostics shall no further meddle
with, than to foretel you, that both sides are preparing for the
increase of their fury and extremities, and at last for repen-
tance, or ruinous calamities, if they do, as I have described.
115. Carnal and discontented Statesmen, and Politicians,
will set in on both sides, to blow the coals, and draw on
feuds for their own ends, and head the discontented people
to their ruin.
116. But in those countries, where the difference never
426 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
coineth to such disorders, there will be a war bred, and kept
up in the people's hearts ; and neighbours will be against
neighbours, as Guelphes and Gibellines.
117. When kingdoms are thus weakened by intestine
discontents, it will increase the hopes and plots of foreign
enemies, and make them think that one party (that suffer)
will be backward to their own defence, as thinking they can
be no worse (which is the hopes of the Turks in Hungary).
118. It will be a great injury, and grief, and danger to
Christian Kings and States, to have their kingdoms and
commonwealths thus weakened, and the cordial love, and
assistance of their subjects made so loose and so uncertain.
119. And it will be a continual vexation to wise and
peaceable Princes, to govern such divided, discontented
people; but to rule a united, loving, concordant, peaceable
people, will be their delight and joy.
120. A worldly, covetous, proud, domineering, malig-
nant, lazy Clergy, will, in most Christian nations, be the great
plague of the world, and troublers of Princes, and dividers
of Churches; who, for the interest of their grandeur, and
their wilk, will not give the sober, and peaceable, and godly
Ministers, or people, leave to serve God quietly, and live in
peace. And the impatient, self-conceited sectarian spirit,
which, like gunpowder, takes fire upon such injuries, is the
secondary divider of the Churches, and hinderer of Christian
love and peace ; and by their mutual enmity and abuses,
they will drive each other so far into the extremity of aver-
sion and opposition, that they will but make each other
mad ; and then, like madmen, run and quarrel, while sober
men stand by and pity them ; but can help neither the one
party, nor the other, nor preserve their own, or the public
peace.
121. The grand endeavour of the worldly Clergy, will
be (in most kingdoms of the world) to engage Princes on
their side, and to borrow their sword, to do their work with,
against gainsayers : for they have no confidence in the power
of the Keys ; but will despise them secretly in their hearts,
as leaden, uneffectual weapons, while they make it the glory
of their Order, that the power of the Keys is theirs.
122. If Princes suppress disorders by the sword, the
said Clergy will ascribe the honour of it to themselves ; and
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 427
say, it was their order, that kept up so much order in the
Churches : and when they have put Princes to that trouble,
will assume to themselves the praise.
123. The devil will set in, and do his utmost, to make
both Rulers and people believe, that all this confusion is
long of the Christian Religion, and the strict principles of
the sacred Scriptures ; and so to make men cast off all Re-
ligion, and take Christianity to be contrary to their natural
and civil interests.
124. And the Papists will every where persuade high
and low, that all this cometh by meddling so much with the
Scriptures, and busying the common people with Religion ;
and leaving every man to be a discerning judge of truth and
duty, instead of trusting implicitly in the judgment of their
Church : and so they would tempt Princes tamely to sur-
render half their government (that is, in all matters of Reli-
gion) to the Pope ; and persuade the people to resign their
reason or humanity to him ; (that he who is so far off may
rule it all over the world, by his missionaries and agents, who
must live upon the prey ;) and then he knoweth that he shall
have both swords, and be the Universal King.
125. To this end, they will strive to make some Rulers
as bad as they would have them, to do their work, and to
make the rest thought worse of than they are, that they may
have a fair pretence for their treasons and usurpations ;
which was the case of all the writers, that plead for Pope
Gregory the Seventh, against the German Emperors ; who
took that advantage, to settle the Cardinal's power of elec-
tions ; and, in a Council at Rome, to declare the Pope to be
above the Emperor, and to have power to depose him : and
as bad was done in the General Council, at Lateran, under
Innocent the Third. Can. 2, 3.
126. Concerning Princes, I shall give you no Prognos-
tics but Christ's ; that it will " be as hard for a rich man to
enter into heaven, as for a camel to go through a needle's
eye :" And therefore, you may know what men the rich will
be, in most countries of the world.
127. And the rich will be the Rulers of the world; and
it is meet it should be so : not that men should rule because
they are rich, but they that rule should be rich ; and not
exposed to contempt, by a vulgar garb and state.
128. But some wise and good Princes and Magistrates
428 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
God will raise up, to keep the interest of truth and justice,
from sinking in barbarousness, and diabolical wickedness.
129. And where Princes and Magistrates are bad, they
will seldom do so much hurt as good, or prove very cruel,
where the worldly and corrupt Clergy do not animate and
instigate them : their reason, their interest, and their expe-
rience will lead them, by manlike usage, to seek the people's
love and quietness, and their kingdom's unity and strength.
But bloody persecutions (such as that of the Waldenses,
Piedmont lately, France, Ireland, Queen Mary's, &c.,) are
ordinarily the effects of Clergy interest and zeal.
130. The grand design of the devil, through the world,
will be to corrupt the two great Ordinances of God, Magis-
tracy and Ministry ; and turn them both against Christ,
who giveth them their power. The instances of his success,
are most notorious in the Turkish empire, and the Papal
kingdom, called by them, the Catholic Church : which
Campanella, de Regno Dei, doth labour to prove, by all
the Prophecies cited by the Millenarians, or Fifth Monarchy-
men, to be the true universal kingdom of Christ; in which,
by his Vicar the Pope, he shall reign over all the kings
and kingdoms of the earth.
A
PROGNOSTICATION
OF
THE CHANGES
THAT WILL BE IN
CHRISTENDOM in the GOLDEN AGE,
AND
TIME OF TRUE REFORMATION AND UNITY.
1. Because it is made part of our prayers, " Thy will be
done on earth, as it is in heaven ;" and, " we look for a new
heaven, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness :"
I hope their opinion is not true, who think that the earth
shall still grow more and more like to hell, till the general
conflagration turn it into hell, and make it the proper seat of
the damned. Yet, lest this should prove true, I will place
my chief hopes in heaven; remembering who said, "Sell
all, and follow me, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ;"
(and not on earth.) But supposing that ever the world will
come to full reformation and concord, (of which I am uncer-
tain, but do not despair of,) I proceed to my Prognostics of
the way.
2. God will stir up some happy King, or Governor, in
some country of Christendom, endowed with wisdom and
consideration; who shall discern the true nature of Godliness
and Christianity, and the necessity and excellency of seri-
ous Religion ; and shall see what is the corruption and hin-
drance of it in the world : and shall place his honour and
felicity in pleasing God, and doing good, and attaining ever-
lasting happiness: and shall subject all worldly respects
unto these high and glorious ends. And shall know, that
wisdom, and godliness, and justice, leave the most precious
name on earth, and prepare for the most glorious reward in
heaven : in comparison of which, all fleshly pomp and plea-
sure is dross and dung, and worthy of nothing but contempt.
430 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
3. This Prince shall have a discerning mind, to know
wise men from foolish, good from bad; and among the Mi-
nisters of Christ, to discern the judicious, spiritual, heavenly,
sober, charitable, and peaceable sort, from self-seeking,
worldly men ; that make but a trade of the Ministry, and
strive not so much for heaven, and the people's salvation, as
they do for worldly honours, power, and wealth. And he
shall discern how such do trouble the Churches, and the
world, and cause divisions, and stir up violence, for their
own worldly interests and ends.
4. He will take the counsel neither of worldlings, nor true
fanatics, and dividing persons ; but of the learned, godly,
self-denying, sober, peaceable Divines ; with his grave and
reverend senators, judges, and counsellors ; that know what is
reason and justice, and what belongeth to the public good, as
well as to the true interest of the Church, and of men's souls.
5. He will know those men, whom he is concerned to
use, and to judge of, as far as may be, by personal acquaint-
ance and observation ; and not by the partial reports of ad-
versaries, behind their backs : and so he will neither be de-
ceived in his instruments, nor disappointed by them.
6. He will call together the wise, peace-making persons;
and with the strictest charge, commit to them the endeavours
of reconciling and uniting the several parties ; by drawing
their differences into the narrowest compass, and stating
them more correctly, than passionate men do ; and by per-
suading them to love and peace, and to all such abatements
and forbearances, as are necessary. And his own prudent
oversight and authority (like Constantine's at Nice), will
facilitate the success.
7. He, and his people will inquire, what terms of concord
are meet, not only for some one corner or country, but for
all the Christian world ; that when he hath found it out, he and
his kingdom may be a pattern to all Christendom, and the
spring and leaven of an universal concord of all Christians.
8. Therefore, he will inquire of Vincent. Lerinensis, Ca-
tholic Terms of Quod 1. Ab omnibus. 2. Ubique. 3. Sem-
per, receptum est.
(1.) What all Christians are agreed in, as Christians,
in the essentials of their religion.
(2.) What all Christians did agree on, in the apostles'
time, which was the time of greatest light, love, and purity.
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 431
(3.) What all Christians, in all kingdoms of the world,
since then, to this day, in the midst of all their other dif-
ferences, have been, and still are agreed in, as their religion.
For he will see, that there is no hope of agreeing the dis-
agreeing world (at least, in many an age), by changing men's
judgments from what they are, and bringing them all in con-
troverted things, to the mind of some party; nor to agree
them on any terms, in which they do not really agree. But
that their concord must be founded in that, which they are
indeed all agreed in : leaving the superfluities or additions of
each party, out of the agreement.
9. The peace-makers will then find, that the Christian
religion is contained in three forms.
(1.) In the Sacramental-covenant with God the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, as the briefest formula.
(2.) In the Creed, Lord's-prayer, and Decalogue; as the
summaries of the Credenda, Appetenda, and Agenda mat-
ters of faith, will (or desire), and practice, as the larger form.
(3.) In that Canon of Scripture, which all the Churches
receive, as the largest form or continent.
And that he who is understandingly, a sacramental co-
venanter with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, was ever
taken for a visible Christian. And therefore, baptism was
called our Christening ; and the baptized taken for Chris-
tians, before they knew the controversies of this Church, or
that : and that the competent, explicit understanding of the
Creed, the Lord's-prayer, and Decalogue, was ever taken for
a competent understanding of the sacramental-covenant, and
more. And that he that implicitly receiveth the commonly
received Canonical Scripture, as God's Word (though he un-
derstand no more than as followeth), and that explicitly un-
derstandeth the Creed, Lord's-prayer, and Decalogue, and
receiveth them, and consenteth to the sacramental-covenant,
always was accounted, and is still to be accounted a Chris-
tian. On these terms therefore, the peace-makers will re-
solve to endeavour the union of the Churches.
10. Therefore, they will pare off, and cast away (as the
greatest enemy to unity), all those unnecessary controversies,
or things doubtful, which Christians (yea, or divines), were
never agreed in, and which never were the happy and suc-
cessful means or terms of any extensive concord ; and which
have long been tried, to be the great occasions of all the scru-
432 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
pies, and contentions, and divisions, and woeful consequents
in the Churches. And they will once more say," it seemeth
GOOD TOTHE HOLY GHOST, AND TO US, TO LAY UPON YOU
NOGREATER BURDEN, THAN THESE NECESSARY THINGS."
(Acts xv. 28.) All Christians shall in general, receive the
canonical Scripture as God's Word j and more particularly,
the Creed, Lord's-prayer, and Decalogue, as the summary of
necessaries ; and shall profess, with competent understand-
ing of it, their consent to the sacramental-covenant; and
vow, and devote themselves therein to God. And this shall
be all the title, which they shall be forced to show, for their
visible, church-communion. And though a higher measure
of the understanding of the same principles and rules, shall
be required in teachers, than in the flock ; and accordingly,
the ordainers shall try their understandings, together with
their utterance and ministerial readiness of parts : yet shall
the teachers themselves, be (ordinarily) forced to no other
subscriptions, professions, or oaths (besides their civil alle-
giance), than to assent and consent to all aforesaid ; and to
promise Ministerial fidelity in their places. All Councils,
called General or Provincial, canons, decretals, articles, for-
mulas, rubrics, &c. shall be reserved to their proper use ;
but be no more used for ensnaring and dividing subscrip-
tions, professions, or oaths ; or made the engines to tear the
Churches.
11. When all those superfluities, and foot-balls of con-
tention, are cast out of the way, the power of the Keys, or
pastoral government, shall come to be better known and
exercised, and the primitive discipline set up ; which took
place before Cyril of Alexandria took up the sword, and
pride swelled the Bishops into a secular state, and way of
rule. Then it shall be Church-government, to see that the
people be duly taken into the sacramental-covenant, and learn
the Creed, Lord's-prayer, and Decalogue ; and be instructed
in the Word of God, and live together in sobriety, righte-
ousness, and godliness. And the Pastors shall leave secu-
lar matters to the Magistrates ; and be no more troubled,
nor corrupted by their use of any forcing power : their go-
vernment shall be a paternal, authoritative exercise of instruc-
tion, and of love, and no more : like that of a tutor to his
pupils, a physician in his hospital, aphilosopher in his school,
(supposing a Divine commission and rule). The Church it-
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 433
self, shall be all their courts, (supposing the Magistrates)
and the people the witnesses ; and the present incumbent
Pastors, be the judges, without excommunicating and absol-
ving Lay-chancellors, Surrogates, Commissaries, or Officials.
And all the materials of contention being now gone, they
shall have nothing to do in these courts, but to try, whether
the people have learned, and understand their catechisms, and
consent to God's covenant, and communicate in his worship,
with the Church; and when any are accused of wicked
living, contrary to sobriety righteousness, and godliness, to
try, whether these accusations be well proved : and if so, to
persuade the offenders to repent ; and by plain Scripture-ar-
guments, to convince them of the sin; and with tears, or
fatherly tenderness and love, to melt them into remorse, and
bring them to confess, and forsake the sin. And if this can-
not be done at once, to try again and again; and pray for
their repentance. And, when there is no other remedy, ' To
declare such a one openly incapable of Church-communion;
and to require the Church, to avoid communion with him,
and him to forbear intruding into their communion: and to
bind him over by a Ministerial denunciation of God's displea-
sure (as against the impenitent), to answer it at thebar of God
himself; as one that is under his wrath, till he do repent.'
And this is the utmost of the Pastoral power, that shall then
be used, (supposing private admonitions :) and this only, in
that Church or Congregation wherein the sinner had before
his communion ; and not at a distance, nor in other Churches,
or parts of the world, where the Pastor hath no charge. Yea,
this much shall not be exercised irregularly, and at random,
to the injury of the flock ; but under the rules and remedies
afterward here expressed.
12. The primitive Church-form shall be restored: and as
(where there are Christians enough) no Churches shall be too
small, so none shall be greater for number or distance, than to
be one true particular Church; that is, 'a Society of Christians
united as Pastor and people, for personal communion and as-
sistance in God's public worship, and holy living : that is,
so many as may have this personal communion, if not all at
once, yet 'per vices,' as oft as is fit for them to meet with the
Church (which all in a family, cannot usually do at once).
So that, ' Ignatius's Church-mark shall be restored, 'To
VOL. XV. F F
434 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
every Church there is one altar, and one Bishop, with his Fel-
low-presbyters and Deacons.' And there shall no more be
a hundred, or six hundred, or a thousand altars to one Bi-
shop, 'primi gradus,' and in one Church of the first form,
called aparticular Church: nor shall all the particular Churches
be un-churched, for want of true Bishops; nor all their Pas-
tors degraded into a new order of teaching-ministers, that
have no power of Pastoral-government: nor the true Disci-
pline of the Churches, be made a mere impossible thing;
whilst it is to be exercised by one Bishop only, over many
hundred congregations ; which do every one of them, afford
full work for a present Bishop. Nor shall the Bishop's office
be thought so little holy, anymore than preaching, and sa-
cramental-administrations, as to be performable by a lay-de-
legate, or any one that is not really a Bishop. But the peo-
ple shall know them, that are " over them in the Lord, which
labour among them, and admonish them ; and shall esteem
them very highly in love ; for their work sake ; and shall be
at peace among themselves." (1 Thess. v. 12, 13.) Such Bi-
shops as Dr. Hammond in his Annotations describeth; that
had but one Church, and preached, baptized, catechised,
visited the sick, took care of the poor, administered the
Lord's-supper, guided every congregation as at present in
public worship ; and privately instructed and watched over
all the flocks, shall be in every Church that can obtain such.
13. Where the Churches are so great as to need (as most
will do), and so happy as to obtain, many faithful Presbyters
or Pastors, whether they shall live together in a single col-
lege-life, or married, and at a distance ; and whether one as
the chief, or Bishop, shall be president, and have a negative
voice, or all be equal in a concordant guidance of the flocks,
shall be left to the choice and liberty of the several Churches,
by mutual consent of Pastors, and People, and Magistrates,
to do and vary, as their several states and exigences shall
require : and shall neither be called antichristian or odious
tyranny on the one side, nor made of necessity to the Church's
communion, or peace, on the other, as long as the true Pasto-
ral or Episcopal office is exercised in every particular Church.
14. Neither Magistrates nor other Bishops, shall make
the Bishops or Pastors' sermons, and prayers for him ; but
leave it as the work of the speaker's office, to word his own
sermons and prayers ; and to choose a set form or no set
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 435
form, the same or various, as the case requireth : yet so as
to be responsible (as after) for all abuses and mal-adminis-
trations, and not suffered to deprave God's worship, by con-
fusion or hurtful errors, or passionate and perverse expres-
sions : but to be assisted, and directed to use his office in the
most edifying ways, by such kind of helps, as his personal
weaknesses shall require. And where set forms are used,
none shall quarrel with them as unlawful.
15. None of the people shall have the high privileges of
Church-communion, and sacraments bestowed on them,
against their wills: no more than a man impenitent and un-
willing, shall be ministerially absolved from the guilt of sin.
For every sacramental administration, whether of baptism,
or of the body and blood of Christ, is as full an act of Mi-
nisterial absolution as any Pastor can perform : and what he
doth to particular persons upon their penitence after a lapse,
that the Pastor doth to the whole Church at the Lord's-supper.
And as consent is made by Christ, the condition of pardon
and covenant benefits, which no non-consenter hath a title
to ; so therefore professed consent is necessary to the sacra-
mental collation or investiture : and those that are but con-
strained by the apparent danger of a fine or gaols, are not to
be accounted voluntary consenters by the Church ; when the
Lord of the Church will account none for consenters, that
will not forsake all, and endure fines and gaols, rather than
to be deprived of the benefits of mystical and visible Church-
communion. The Magistrate therefore will wisely, and mo-
derately, bring all the people to hear that which is neces-
sary to their good ; but will not by penalties, force the un-
willing to receive either absolutions or communion with the
Church, in its special privileges. But if the baptized refuse
Church-communion afterwards, they lamentably punish them-
selves ; and if it be found meet to declare them excommu-
nicate, it will be a terrible penalty, sufficient to its proper use.
16. The Magistrate will not imprison, harm, confiscate,
banish, or otherwise punish any of his subjects, ' eo nomine,'
because they are excommunicate : for that is to punish his
body, because his soul is punished. Nor will he hearken to
those unbelieving Clergymen, that cry up the power of the
Keys as their office ; and when they have done, scorn it as
an ineffectual shadow of power, which will do nothing with-
out the Magistrate's force. But he will himself hear, and
436 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
judge before he punish, and not be debased to be the Cler-
gy's executioner, to punish before he have tried the cause :
because Clergymen's pride and passions, may else engage
him to be the instrument of their vices and revenge. Yea,
as he that seeth a man punished in one court, will be the
more dilatory to bring him to punishment in another, for
the same crime ; so the Magistrate that seeth a man excom-
municated for his fault, will rather delay his civil force
against that man, to see what effect his excommunication
will have: because the conjunction of the sword against
the excommunicate as such, doth corrupt Christ's ordinance,
and make the fruit of it utterly undiscernible, so that no one
can see whether ever it did any thing at all, or whether all
was done by the fear of the sword. And verily, a faithful
Minister, that seeth a sinner come to confession of his fault,
but when he must else lie in goal and be undone, will be
loath to take that man for a true penitent. And to force
Pastors to absolve or give the sacrament to every one that
had rather take it, than lie in gaol and be undone, is to set up
such new terms of Church-communion, which Christ will
give men little thanks for. Church-communion is only a
privilege due to volunteers and penitents. But yet the Ma-
gistrate may punish men with fines or other penalties for the
same faults, for which they are excommunicate, having tried
and judged them in his own court : but not ' quarterus' ex-
communicate, but according to the nature of the crime.
17. The schools of learning, and academies, shall not
educate youth either in idleness, luxury, or hypocritical
formality ; but under learned, pious tutors, in learning
sobriety and piety; from whence they shall not over-hastily
leap into the Pastoral office.
18. None under thirty years of age (at what time Christ
himself entered on his public works) shall take a Pastoral
charge, except in case of mere necessity of the Church, no
not on pretence of extraordinary fitness : but till then shall
employ themselves as learners, catechists, schoolmasters,
or probationers. Nor shall they meddle in the pulpits with
matters of such controversies, as the Church is in danger to
be troubled with.
19. Ministers shall all be commanded by the Magistrate,
and advised by the neighbour Pastors, to forbear all unne-
cessary controversies in the pulpits $ and to teach the peo-
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 437
pie the foresaid substantiate, the Covenant of Grace, the
Creed, Lord's-prayer, and Decalogue, the duties of faith,
love, repentance, and obedience : and shall reserve their
subtle and curious speculations for schools and theological
writings ; and so the Christian people shall be bred up in
the primitive, plain simplicity of doctrine and religion; and
their brains shall not be heated, and racked with those new-
coined phrases and subtleties, which will but distemper
them into a proud, contentious, wrangling disease : but will
not be truly understood by them, when all is done. And so
when it is the people's work, to hear only (usually) the
doctrine of the catechism, and simple old Christianity, and
to talk of no other; 1. Their time will be employed in pro-
moting faith, repentance, love and obedience, which was
wont to be spent in vain janglings and strife of words. And,
2. Religion will be an easier thing; and consequently, will
be more common, (as cheap food and raiment is every one's
pennyworth :) and Ministers may hope to bring the gene-
rality of their people, to be savingly and practically religi-
ous : whereas the fine-spun religion of novelists, and wrang-
lers, that pretend new light and increase of knowledge, doth
not only dwindle into a cobweb of no use, or life, or power;
but must be confined to a few, that can have leisure to learn
to talk in new phrases, and will but become the matter of
ignorant men's pride and ostentation ; and make them think,
that they only are the religious people ; and all that cannot
talk as they, are profane, and not to be admitted to their
communion. When as the apostolic, primitive, plain reli-
gion, without the laces, and whimsies, that dreamers have
since introduced, would make men humble, holy, heavenly,
obedient, meek, and patient; and spare men the loss of a
great deal of time.
20. The maintenance of the Ministry shall neither be so
poor, as to discourage men from devoting their children to
the office, or disable them from a total addictedness to their
proper work, by any distracting wants or cares ; nor yet
wholly disable them from works of charity : nor yet so great,
as may be a strong bait to proud, covetous, worldly-minded
men, to intrude into the Ministry for fleshly ends. It shall
be so much, as that the burden of their calling may not be
increased by want : but yet not so much, but that self-denial
shall be exercised by all that undertake the Ministry ; and of
438 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
the two, the burden of the Ministerial 'labours, with its pro-
per sufferings, shall to flesh and blood, seem to preponderate
the worldly advantage. So greatly needful is it to the
Church, that all Ministers be self-denying men ; that valuing
things spiritually can practise humility, mortification, and
contempt of the world, as well as preach it.
21. There shall be a treble-lock upon the door of the
Ministry :
(1.) Whether they are fit to be Ministers in general, the
Ordainers shall judge.
(2.) Whether they are fit to be the Pastors of this, or that
particular Church ; the Members of the Church shall so far
judge, as that none shall become their Pastors without their
own consent.
(3.) Whether they be fit for theMagistrate's countenance,
maintenance, and protection, the Magistrate himself shall
judge.
And therefore, all three shall severally try, and approve
each Pastor : yet so, that the two first only be taken, as ne-
cessary to the office itself; and the third only, to the main-
tenance and encouragement, or defence of the officer. And
though sometimes, this may occasion disagreements and
delays, for a time ; yet ordinarily, the securing of a faithful
Ministry, and other good effects, will countervail many such
inconveniences.
22. No one Church, shall have the government of another
Church : and the secular differences of Metropolitans, Patri-
archs, &c. which was set up in one empire, upon secular
accounts, and from secular reasons, shall all cease. And
no differences shall be made necessary among them, which
Christ hath not made necessary. But Christian Princes
shall take warning by the Greek and Latin Churches, and by
all the calamities and ruins, which have been caused in the
Christian world ; by Bishops striving who should be the
greatest, when Christ decided the controversy long ago,
Luke xxii.
23. As Christians hold personal, Christian communion,
in their several particular Churches ; so Churches hold a
communion of Churches, by necessary correspondencies and
associations : not making a major vote of Bishops in Synods,
to have a proper government over the minor part; but that
by counsel and concord, that may help and strengthen one
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 439
another; and secure the common interest of Christianity. And
that he that is a member of one Church, may be received of
the rest; and he that is cast out of one, may not be received
by the rest, unless he be wronged. So that, it shall not be
one Politic Church ; but a Communion of Churches.
24. The means of this communion shall be,
(1.) By messengers.
(2.) By letters and certificates communicatory.
(3.) By synods.
25. These synods shall, as to a few neighbour Churches,
be ordinary and stated : and the meetings of Ministers in
them, shall be improved ;
(1.) To the directing and counselling of one another, in
matters doubtful; especially of discipline.
(2.) To edify each other by conference, prayer, and
disputations.
(3.) That the younger may be educated under the grave
advice and counsels of the elder.
(4.) That the concord of themselves, and the Churches
under them; may be preserved.
But if they would grow imperious, tyrannical, heretical,
or contentious, the Magistrate shall hinder their stated,
ordinary meetings ; that it be not accounted a thing simply
necessary, nor used to the disturbance of the Church or
State. And all provincial, national, and larger Councils,
shall be held by the Magistrate's consent*
26. He that taketh himself to be wrongfully excommuni-
cated in one Church, shall have a treble remedy :
(1.) To have his cause heard by the associated Pastors
of the neighbour Churches ; though not as rulers of the
Bishop, or Pastor of that particular Church ; yet as coun-
sellors, and such whose judgment bindeth to concord in
lawful things.
(2.) To be admitted by another Church, if it appear
that he is wronged. And,
(3.) To appeal to the Magistrate, as the preserver of
justice and order, in all societies.
27. The Magistrate shall appoint some of the most grave,
and wise, and godly, and moderate of the Ministers, to have
a general inspection over many Churches ; and to see, that
they be well taught and ordered, and that Pastors and peo-
ple do their duty : who shall therefore oft visit them, and
440 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION'.
shall instruct and exhort the younger Ministers ; and with
the countenance of the Magistrate, and their own seniority
and ability, shall rebuke the slothful and faulty Ministers ;
and persuade them to diligence and fidelity : but shall exer-
cise no outward force by the sword : nor any excommuni-
cation by themselves alone, or otherwise than in the aforesaid
regular way.
28. All Ordinations shall be performed, (except in case
of necessity) either in the Assembly of the Associated Pas-
tors, with their President ; or in the vacant Church, by some
of them, appointed by the rest : or by the General Visitor,
last mentioned, with a competent number of Assistants.
But still, an Ordination to the Ministry in general, shall not
be taken to be formally the same, as the affixing him to this
or that Church in particular : nor more than the licensing of
a physician, is the same with the affixing him to a particu-
lar hospital.
29. A catalogue shall be drawn up, of some of the
greatest verities, which are not expressly found in the Creed,
Lord's-prayer, or Decalogue; which, as the Articles of Con-
fession, of the Associated Churches of the nation, shall
serve for these three uses : —
(1.) To satisfy all foreign Churches, against any accu-
sation, that they are orthodox.
(2.) To examine the knowledge of such as are admitted
to the Ministry by : (but not to be subscribed, unless only as
to a general acknowledgment of the soundness of their doc-
trine ; without saying that, 'There is nothing faulty in them/)
(3.) To be a rule of restraint to Ministers, in their preach-
ing; that none be allowed publicly, after admonition, to
preach against any doctrine contained in them.
30. The usurped, ecclesiastical power of Bishops, and
Presbyteries, and Councils, (which were coercive, or imi-
tated secular courts, or bound the Magistrate to execute
their decrees) being cast out, and all Pastors restained from
playing the Bishops in other Churches, out of their own
charge ; the Magistrate shall exercise all coercive, Church-
government himself; and no more trust the sword directly,
or indirectly, in the hands of the Clergy, who have long
used it so unhappily, to the disturbance of the Christian
world, and the shedding of so much innocent blood. Where
it may be had, there shall be a Church-justice, or Magis
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 441
tvate, in every considerable parish; who, being present,
shall himself hear how Ministers preach, and behave them-
selves among their people. And all Ministers and Churches
shall be responsible to the Magistrate, for all abuses, and
mal-administration. If any Minister preach or pray sedi-
tiously, abusively, factiously, railingly, against tolerable
Dissenters, to the destroying of Christian love and unity, or
heretically, to the danger of the people's souls ; or shall ex-
ercise tyranny over the people, or live a vicious life ; or be
negligent in his office of teaching, worship, or discipline, or
otherwise grossly misbehave himself : he shall be responsible
both (as aforesaid) to the Associated Pastors and Visitor, (or
Archbishop,) and also to the Magistrate ; who shall rebuke
and correct him, according to the measure of his offence.
And it shall appear, that the Magistrate is sufficient for all
coercive, Church-government, without all the Clergy's usur-
pations ; which uphold the Roman and other tyrannical so-
cieties.
3 1 . The question, ' Who shall be j udge of heresy, schism,
or church-sins?' shall be thus decided.
(1.) The Bishops or Pastors of the particular Churches,
shall be the judges ; who is to be denied communion in
their Churches as heretics, schismatics, 8tc.
(2.) The Associated Churches shall be judges, (in their
Synods, or by other correspondence,) who is to be com-
monly denied communion in all their Churches ; and what
Pastors and Churches shall have the ' Dextram Commu-
nionis,' and who not.
(3.) The Magistrate shall be the only judge, who is to be
punished for heresy or schism, Sec, with fines, or any out-
ward, corporal penalty. And no one shall usurp the other's
right.
32. The Magistrate shall silence all Preachers that, after
due admonition, so grossly misbehave themselves in doc-
trine, worship, or conversation, as to be the plagues of the
Churches, and to do apparently more hurt than good. But
as to all worthy and able Ministers, if they commit any
fault, they shall be punished as other subjects, only with
such penalties as shall not by silencing or restraint, be a
punishment to the innocent people's souls, nor hinder the
preaching of the Gospel of Salvation : even as if the com-
mon bakers, brewers, butchers, carpenters, perform their
442 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
work perniciously, (poisoning their beer, bread, and meat,)
they shall be forbid the trade : but for other faults, they
shall be so punished, that the people be not left without
bread, beer, meat, houses, for their faults.
33. If any heretics (as Arians, Socinians, &c.) would
creep into the Ministry, there shall not be new forms of
subscription made to keep them out (which it is likely, with
their vicious consciences, would be ineffectual, and would
open a gap to the old Church-tyrannies and divisions) ; nor
an uncertain evil be ineffectually resisted by a certain
greater mischief. But while he keepeth his error to himself,
he is no heretic as to the Church (' non apparere' being-
equal to 'non esse') : and when he venteth his heresy, he is
responsible all the ways aforesaid, and may be by the Ma-
gistrate punished for his crime, and by the Churches be
branded as none of their communion ; which is the regular
way of reforming crimes, viz. By judgment and execution,
and not by making new rules and laws, as fast as men break
the old : as though laws couid be made, which no man can
break.
34. The Magistrate shall countenance or tolerate no sin
or error, so far as he can cure it by just remedies, which
will not do more harm than good : but he shall unwillingly
tolerate many tolerable errors and faults ; because it is not
in his power to remedy them, but by such means. But,
(1.) The sound and concordant Ministry only shall have
his countenance and maintenance.
(2.) Smaller errors and disorder shall be best cured by
irentle rebukes, and discountenance, and denial of mainte-
nance ; together with the disgrace that will be cast upon them,
bv the judgment and dissent of all the united, concordant
Ministers and Churches (which together will do more and
better, than exasperating cruelties will do).
(3.) The publishing of pernicious principles shall be
restrained more severely.
But though men maybe restrained from venting pernici-
ous falsehoods, they cannot be constrained to believe the
truth (we are not so happy) ; nor shall they be constrained
to lie, and say that they believe it when they do not.
35. All matters of quarrels, division and cruel usage of
each other, being thus cut off and gone ; bitterness, and re-
vengeful thoughts will cease, and love will revive in all
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 443
men's breasts, and unity, and peace will follow of its own
accord. And if any heretical or contentious sect arise, the
hearts of all united people will so rise against them, that
desertion and shame will quickly kill them.
36. Then will the hearts of the people cleave to their
Pastors : and they will be no more put on the great difficul-
ties of loving the Bishops that hurt them, or of loving them
in gaols ; but it will be as easy to love them, when they
feel the love to their souls in the labours and kindness of
their Pastors, as to love their dearest and nearest friends.
And then love will open the people's ears to the Teachers
doctrine, and it will do them good : and then the labours
and lives of faithful Ministers will be sweet and easy, when
the love, and the unity, and faithfulness of the people, is
their daily encouragement. O how good, and how happy
will it be for Pastors and people, thus to live in love and
unity ! It will not only remind us of Aaron's perfume, but of
the Spirit of Love that dwelt in our Redeemer, and which
he promised should be his seal and mark upon all his true
disciples! yea, and of the celestial society, and life of per-
fect love.
37. Then shall neighbours exercise their charity, for the
help of the ignorant about them, without the suspicions of
venting heresies, or sedition, or encroaching on the Pastor's
office. And neighbours, when they come together, shall
not take praying together, or holy conference, or singing
God's praise, or reading good books, or repeating their
Teachers' sermons, or counselling each other, to be a bad
or dangerous work : but the ignorant, that cannot spend the
Lord's-day in holy exercises at home (because they cannot
read or remember much), shall join with the families of their
more understanding neighbours, who can help them ; (as
they met Acts xii. 12, for prayer ; and as neighbour-fami-
lies were to join in eating the Passover, with the family that
had not enough to eat it :) for love and unity shall end
these jealousies. And all shall be done under the guidance
and oversight of their Pastors ; and not in enmity of oppo-
sition to them, or to the concordant Church-assemblies.
And, O what helps and comfort will this be to all faithful
Pastors, when all the work lieth not on them alone ! but
every one sets his hand to build, in his proper place ! a.nd
444 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
when they that converse together all the week, are second-
ing that which lie more seldom teacheth them in public.
38. The younger sort of Ministers, that are now bred up
in Vulcan's forge, shall be then trained up under grave and
peaceable men ; where uniting, and peace-making princi-
ples, shall be the rudiments of their literature.
39. And the younger sort of the people shall be no more
tempted into envious heats against their afflicters ; nor into
contentious sects, because of controversies: but shall be
fed with the milk of peaceable principles, and be educated
in the love of Love itself. And the names of sects, and
Church-divisions, and proud pretendings, shall, by use, be
made as disgraceful, as now the names of swearing, drunken-
ness, and whoredom are.
40. And, O how dear! how amiable! how honourable
will their Governors be, to such a people ! (especially that
blessed Prince, that shall first perform this work !) How
heartily will they pray for them, plead for them, and fight
for them! and, how freely will they contribute any thing in
their power, to their aid! and how impatient will they be
against every word that would dishonour them ! How blessed
will the people be under such a Prince ! and, how sweet and
easy will the life of that Prince be, that is to govern such a
people !
Grant, O Lord, that this great honour and
COMFORT MAY FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE KING OF
ENGLAND, before all others in the world !
Kings will then see, that it is their interest, their honour, and
their greatest happiness on earth, to be the wise, pious,
righteous Governors, of a wise, pious, just, united people ;
that love them so much, that still they would fain serve them
better than they are able.
41. The ignorant, vulgar and ruder sort, observing this
amiable concord, and all the blessed fruits thereof, will ad-
mire religion, and fall in love with it : and multitudes that
shall be saved, will be daily added to the seriously religious,
and the house of Christ will be filled with guests.
42. Hereupon the scandalous and flagitious lives of com-
mon Protestants will be much cured : for the number of the
flagitious will grow small, and crimes will be under common
disgrace. Besides that, they will be punished by the Ma-
gistrate : so that gross sin will be a marvel.
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 445
43. The books of plain doctrine and holy living, with the
pacificatory treatises of Reconcilers, will then be most in
esteem and use ; which now are so disrelished by turbu-
lent, discontented, siding persons. And abundance of con-
troversial writings, about Church-government, Liturgies, Ce-
remonies, and many other matters, will be forgotten and cast
aside as useless things : for the swords shall be made into
ploughshares and pruning-hooks.
44. The happy example of that happy Prince and Country,
that shall begin and first accomplish this work, will be famous
through all the Protestant Churches ; and will inflame such
desires of imitation in them all, and be such a ready direc-
tion in the way, that it will greatly expedite their answerable
reformation. And the famous felicity of that Prince, in the
reformation and concord of his subjects, will kindle in the
hearts of other Protestant princes and states, an earnest de-
sire of the same felicity. And so, as upon the invention of
printing, and of guns, the world was presently possessed of
guns and of printed books, that never before attained any
such thing : so here, they that see the happiness of one king-
dom brought about, and see how it was done, will have mat-
ter enough before their eyes, both to excite their desires and
guide their endeavours in the means to bring all this to pass.
45. The Protestant kingdoms and states, being thus re-
formed, and united in themselves, will be inflamed with an
earnest desire of the good of all other Churches, and of all
the world : and therefore, as Divines have held something
called General Councils for the union of all those Churches ;
so these Princes will by their agents hold Assemblies for
maintaining correspondency, to the carrying on of the com-
mon good of the world, by the advantage of their united
counsels and strength : and then no enemy can stand long
before them. For they that love and serve them zealously
at home, will venture their lives for them zealously abroad,
if there be cause.
46. The excellent and successful use of the Magistrate's
government of the Churches in their dominions, will quite
shame all the usurping claims of the Pope and General Coun-
cils, and their mongrel Ecclesiastic Courts, and all the train
of artifices and offices, by which their government of the
world is managed. And the world, and especially Princes,
will plainly see how much they were abused by their usur-
446 A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
pations, and that there is no need of pope or cardinal, nor
any of those officers or acts at all ; but that these are the
mere contrivances of carnal policy, to keep up an earthly
kingdom under the name of the Catholic Church. And also
the purity and unity of the Reformed Churches, where the
vulgar have more religion and union than their monasteries,
will dazzle the eyes of the Popish princes, states and people ;
and when they see better, and especially the happiness of
the Princes, they will forsake the usurper that had captivated
them by fraud, and will assume their freedom and felicity ;
and so the Roman Church-kingdom will fall.
47. The deluded Mahometans seeing the unity and glory
of Christendom, as they were before kept from Christ by the
wicked lives and the divisions of Christians (thinking that
we are far worse than they), so now they will be brought to
admire and honour the Christian name, and fear the power
of the Christian Princes. And one part of them will turn
Christians ; and the rest, even the Turkish Power, the Chris-
tian's force, by the power of God, will easily break. And
so the Eastern Churches will be delivered and reformed, and
the Mahometans come into the faith of Christ.
48. The poor scattered Jews also, when they see the
glory and concord of Christians, will be convinced that
Christ is indeed the true Messias : and being converted per-
haps, shall by the Christian powers be some of them re-es-
tablished in their own land : but not to their ancient pecu-
liarity, or policy and law.
49. And then the Christian zeal will work to the conver-
sion of the poor idolatrous Heathen world ; and part of them
will yield to reason and faith, and the rest by just victories
be subdued. And so the kingdoms of the world will become
the kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ; and the Gospel
shall be preached in all the world.
50. And when the kingdom of Grace is perfected, and hath
had its time, the kingdom of Glory shall appear, upon the
glorious appearing of Christ our King ; and the dead shall
arise, and they that have overcome, shall reign with Christ,
and sit with him upon the throne, even as he overcame, and
is set down with the Father on his throne. Amen I Even
so, come Lord Jesus !
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION. 447
" Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which
shall believe on me through their word ; that they all may
be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee ; that they
also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have
given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. I in
them, and Thou in me ; that they may be made perfect in
one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me,
and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me ; Father, I will
that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where
I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given
me." John xvii. 20—24.
Object. ' But if this world should ever become so happy,
it would be more amiable, and so be a greater snare to our
affections, and make us willing to stay from heaven.'
Answ. No amiableness or pleasantness, stealeth the heart
from God, or keepeth it from heaven, but that which hideth
the glory and goodness of God and heaven from our minds,
or corrupteth and diverteth the will and affections by some
inconsistency or contrariety ; but the spiritual excellency
of the Reformed Concordant Church on earth, will so much
more clearly represent heaven to our conceptions, and give
our hearts so pleasant a foretaste of it, that above all things
it will excite our desires of that fuller glory, and call us most
powerfully to a heavenly mind and life : as the firstfruits and
earnest do make us desire the harvest, and the full possession.
And as now those that live in the most heavenly society, and
under the most excellent helps and means, have usually more
heavenly minds and lives, than they that in more tempting
and distracting company never enjoy such heavenly beams.
CONSECTARY.
All the Romish dreams of Church-union arise from igno-
rance of the true state and interest of the Church, and the
true and necessary terms of union.
And all the plots also of the moderating Papists, that
talk of a Political Church Catholic, having a visible consti-
tutive or governing Head ; whether monarchical (the pope) ;
or aristocratical, or democratical (the patriarchs, or a Gene-
ral Council): and that talk of universal laws of this church,
made by such a universal head, besides the universal laws of
44tf A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION.
Christ ; and falsely feign the Councils called General, in a
particular empire, called or ruled by one emperor only, in
his own dominions, to have been universal, as to all the Ca-
tholic Churches on earth ; and that feign these Councils to
have been infallible, which so often erred, and crossed each
other : and that set the world upon the undeterminable con-
troversy, ' Which were true General Councils ;' and * How
many we must receive and conform to : whether only four,
or six, or eight ; and till what age.' And that would per-
suade the Christian world, that whatever diversity of canons,
customs, or church-laws, or ceremonies, are allowed among
them, it must all be done or held by this same authority of
the Pope or Council, or both : to which (though foreign)
Kings and Bishops must all be subject; and from which,
they must receive their Christianity ; and by which all their
reformations must be tried : and that none must be taken as
Catholics, nor any Churches tolerated, that hold not such a
factious union, under such an usurping head, personal or col-
lective: but as Tertullian speaketh, rather than endure such
wiser and better societies ; * Solitudinem facerent, et voca-
rentpacein;' and as a worldly clergy, whose church and
kingdom is only of and in this world, would banish from it
all (save a lifeless image) which hath any kin to heaven ; and
suffers none to live in this world among them but themselves.
I say, all this is, 1 . From ignorance of the true nature of the
Christian Religion, Church-state and Terms of Unity and Con-
cord ; which I have lately opened in a book, entitled, " The
True and only Terms of the Concord of all the Churches."
2. And from contention about ambiguous words, and
self-conceitedness in their controversies, ignorantly thence
raised ; which I have sought to end in a book, called, " Ca-
tholic Theology."
3. And from vicious passions and partiality ; which I
have sought to heal in a book, called, "The Cure of Church-
Divisions."
All written long since the writing; of this foregoing- Proa - -
nostication.
END OF THE MORAL PROGNOSTICATION-
THK
REFORMED LITURGY.
VOL. XY. G G
rn i.
2&tfovmeti Uttttvgg*
o.
THE ORDINARY PUBLIC WORSHIP
ON THE
LORDS-DAY.
The Congregation being reverently composed, let the Minister
Jirst crave God's assistance and acceptance of the Worship,
to be performed in these or the like words.
Internal, incomprehensible, and invisible God, * Tim. 1. 1:
infinite in power, wisdom and goodness, dwelling,- in ^! al- 14 ^ - 5
the light which no man can approach, where thousand 1 Tim. 6; 16."
thousands minister unto thee, and ten thousand times Dan - & i°-
ten thousand stand before thee, yet dwelling with p 3 ', 5 ^'. 15 '
the humble and contrite, and taking pleasure in thy Heb. 10. 19,20.
people: Thou hast consecrated for us a new and Tsa - 55. 6. Psai.
living way, that with boldness we may enter into the ^' f'\ l \ a ''
holiest, by the blood of Jesus, and hast bid us seek sg.'^Jer. ' s»'.
thee while thou mayest be found : We come to thee 40. Heb.12. 23.
at thy call, and worship at thy footstool. Behold jj^vj! 3 '
us in thy tender mercies. Despise us not, though Zech. 12.10.
unworthy. Thou art greatly to be feared in the as- Il °m. 8. 26.
sembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of g a 'j s es3 \ 16 ' im
all that are about thee. Put thy fear into our hearts, Matt!'i5. is.
that with reverence we may serve thee ; sanctify us, John 4. 23, 24.
that thou mayest be sanctified of us, when we draw * Thes -. 2 - 13 «
nigh thee. Give us the spirit of 'grace and suppli- Mark 4.' 12.'
cation to help our infirmities, that our prayers may Pllil - i- 29.
be faithful, fervent, and effectual. Let the desire of £™[;/y ;4,2,> '
our souls be to thee : let us draw near thee with our John 6. J 45.
hearts, and not only with our lips, and worship thee, Heb.4. 22. 13.
who art a spirit, in spirit and truth. Let thy word p C ? r *- 10 ; 4 * t] '
be spoken and heard by us as the word of God : Give 106. 46- 9. i± •
us attentive, hearing ears, and opened, believing, un- 10 ^- 3; 51. 15';
derstanding hearts, that we may no more refuse thy jj 9 ' h l4 Jo
calls, nor disregard thy merciful, outstretched hand,
nor slight thy counsels and reproofs ; but be more
ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools. Put
452 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
thy laws into our hearts, and write them in our minds,
and let us be all taught of God. Let thy word be un-
to us quick and powerful; a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart ; mighty to pull down strong-
holds, casting down imaginations and reasonings,
and every high thing that advanceth itself against
the knowledge of God ; and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ : Let us
magnify thee with thanksgiving, and triumph in thy
praise. Let us rejoice in thy salvation, and glory in
thy holy name. Open thou our lips, O Lord, and
let our mouths shew forth thy praise. And let the
words of our mouths, and the meditation of our
hearts be acceptable in thy sight, through Jesus
Christ our Lord and only Saviour. Amen.
Or thus, when Brevity is necessary.
isa. 66. i. U Eternal, almighty, and most gracious God,
Psal * 111 *„ 9 ' heaven is thy throne, and earth is thy footstool, holy
Psal! 2 i*03?20. an{ * reverend is thy name; thou art praised by the
Heb. i. 6. heavenly hosts, and in the congregation of thy saints
Psal. 149. i. on earth, and wilt be sanctified in all that come
f"' 1 , ; 3 ^ nio-h unto thee. We are sinful and unworthy dust,
2Tim. 2.5. but being invited by thee, are bold, through our
Dan. 9. 18. blessed Mediator to present ourselves and our sup-
Jtom.8/2fi plications before thee. Receive us graciously, help
lieh. 12. as. us by thy Spirit; let thy fear be upon us : let thy
2 i hes. 2. io. word come unto us in power, and be received in love,
isl. i.i9. 2Cor with attentive, reverent, and obedient minds. Make
2. 16. James 5.' it to us the savour of life unto life. Cause us to be
16. Psai.63. 5. fervent in prayer, and joyful in thy praises, and to
p sa ° r ' 8 4* !*'. serve thee this day without distraction, that we may
73. 28. find that a day in thy courts is better than a thou-
sand, and that it is good for us to draw near to God ;
through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Next, let one of the Creeds be read by the Minister, saying,
In the profession of this Christian Faith we are
here assembled.
I believe in God the Father, &c.
I believe in one God, &c.
And sometimes Athanasius" Creed.
The Ten Commandments.
God spake these words, and said, he.
CONFESSION AND PRAYER. 453
For the right informing and affecting the People, and mov-
ing them to a penitent believing Confession, some of these
Sentences may be read.
VJod created man in his image. Gen. 1.27.
By one man sin entered into the world, and death r „,. 5. \%
by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory R om 5 23
of God.
God so loved the world, that he gave his only be- John 3. ie.
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should
not perish, but have everlasting life.
He that believeth on him shall not be condemned, 13.
but he that believeth not, is condemned already, be-
cause he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come 19.
into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doth evil hateth the light, nei- -20.
ther cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Gal. 3. 13.
law, being made a curse for us.
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, J° ll » 3. 5.
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that f>.
which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Verily, I say unto you, Except ye be converted, Matt. 18. 3.
and become as little children, ye shall not enter into
the kingdom of heaven.
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, Ezek. 33. 11.
I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; but
that the wicked turn from his way and live : Turn
ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die,
O house of Israel.
I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the Luke 15. 10.
angels of God, over a sinner that repenteth.
I will arise and go to my father, and say unto is, 19.
him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and be-
fore thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy
son.
The Confession of Sin, and Prayer for Pardon and Sanc-
tification.
vJ most holy, righteous, and gracious God, who Psal 5 5 Rsm
hatest all the workers of iniquity, and hast appointed o. g3.Ephes. 1.
45-1 TILE REFORMED LITURGY.
6. 12. John 4. death to be the wages of sin, but yet for the glory of
E "ii^"* 3 25 ' ^ merc y liast sent tn y ^on to be tne Saviour of the
Luke 24. 47. world, and hast promised forgiveness of sin through
Acts 5. 37. his blood, to all that believe in him, and by true re-
TVov. 28. 13. pentance turn unto thee, and that whosoever confes-
Pev.3.17.Psal. r . .' . :
51.5. Eph. 2.3. seth and iorsaketh his sin, saall have mercy; wecon-
Isa. 48.8. fess that we are vile and miserable sinners, being
lsa.53.6. conceived in sin; bv nature children of wrath, and
Psalm 100. 3. r "li i \n n l
i Cor. 6.20. transgressors from the womb. All we like sheep
2 Cor. 8.5. have gone astray, and turned every one to his own
iCofc^o.si.; W ay. Thou madest us, and not we ourselves. Thou
lThes. 4. i. boughtest us with a price and we are not our own,
l John 3. 22. therefore we should have wholly given up ourselves
R °™- -• ~3- unto thee, and have glorified thee with our souls
Phil. 2.21. and bodies as being thine. Whatever we did should
Luke is. 14. have been done to thy glory, and to please thee, in
Rom. 15. l. tne obeying of thy will. But we have displeased
Rom. 7.12. an d dishonoured thee, and turned from thee, exalt-
Dan. 9. 9, io. ing, seeking, and pleasing ourselves. Thou art the
Tit. 1.7.10. King of all the world, and thy laws are holy, just,
is ' 14 •' 4. *20. and good. But we have denied thee our due subjec-
Psal. 78. 7.22. tion and obedience, being unruly and self-willed,
Isa. 51. 7, 8. niindino- the things of the flesh, and making provi-
Luke 12. 4, 5. • r ** L t < i , i t *i l
Psal. ioo. 5. Sl0n * or its lusts: we have staggered at thy word
l John 4. 16. through unbelief, and have not fully placed our trust
Psal. 16. 5. ^ an( j hope i n thee. We have rather feared man that
Psai.37.4.iJon. ^ s dust, an d can but kill the body, than thee, that
2. 15. 2 Tim. 5. canst destroy both soul and body in hell. Thou art
7. John 6. 27. infinitely good, and love itself, yet have we not fully
LukelO.21,22. , i ,* J r ,.■ i l *u *1 n
Matt. 25.26. taken tnee for our portion, nor loved thee with all
Rom. 12. n. our heart, and soul, and might, nor made thee our
Eph. 6. n, p, f u }} desire and delight. But we have inordinately
2Tim.i.*8 8 Eph. loved ourselves, and the world, and the things of
5. 15. Rom. 12. the world, and lived by sense when we should have
i.i9.Actsii.23. ii ve d by faith, and cared and laboured for the food
Lukei.7i.Heb. tnat perisheth, when we should have laboured for the
i2.28.Psai. in. one thing needful, and that which endureth to ever-
9.2.Tim.2.i9. lasting life; we have been slothful servants, yield-
29l2.Revi1.10.' m g t0 temptations, ashamed of our duty, losing our
Jtom. is. 7. precious time ; when we should have been fervent in
Tit. 3. 1. spirit, serving the Lord, cleaving to thee with full
39-Y.12? * 29 " resolution, redeeming the time, and with diligence
1 Cor. 10. 24. making sure our calling and election. We have not
Ephes. 4.2. 32. with due holiness and reverence drawn near|hee,
i2?i4.Gd.6io! an ^ use d thy holy name, thy worship and thy day :
Psal. 19. 12. 13. we have dishonoured and disobeyed our superiors,
Rom, 2. 4. Psal. an d neglected our inferiors. We have been guiltv
CONFESSION AND PRAYER. 455
of not loving our neighbours as ourselves, and not J^^jJjJ '.h
doing to others, as we would they should do to us; 37! 42. Luke 12.'
but have sought our own against their welfare, not 35, 36. 40.
forbearing, and forgiving, not loving our enemies, as ^°^^' 4 6 fj 10 '
we ought, not following peace, nor studying to do 8. 1. Acts 13.26.
good to all according to our power. We have sin- Rev. 22. 17.
ned secretly and openly, in thought, word, and deed, Jjjj^^"' 1 *'
ignorantly and presumptuously, in passion, and upon Heb. 2. 3- Psai.
deliberation, against thy precepts, promises, and 11 9. 60. John
threats ; against thy mercies and thy judgments, im- IJi'^Atsf'^'
der thy patience and in thy sight, against our con- a jim. 3. 8.
sciences, our purposes, and our covenants ; when we Luke 15. 18.
were hastening to death and judgment, for which, p^" 1 ^ 16 - 38 -
through all our lives we should have prepared ; thou Eph. 5.6. ban.
hast commended thy wonderful love towards us in 9. 7,8.Psal. 51.
giving thy Son to die for sinners, to reconcile us to hg^'p 4 )' V
thee while we were enemies ; and all things being y.ii.Lev.26.25'.
made ready, thou hast sent thy messengers to invite Rev.i.5.Johni.
us to come in, preaching to us the glad tidings of sal- ^* E P h - *■ 6 -
vation, and freely offering us pardon and life in Je- g aI> 3 13 { s ^
sus Christ, but we have made light of it, and neg- 53.5. Psai. 85.4.
lected this great salvation, and made excuses or too ^"i; , ^ cl „ s A 1 ;
1 1 1 b 1 1 • T3 1 1 • Ul J 18.Ezek.20.43.
long delays; undervaluing our Redeemer, his blood pj. al 51 _ ir<
and merits, his offered grace and endless glory, re- Ezek. 36- 26.
iecting his holy doctrine and example, resisting his Gal. 4. 6.2.
a : • -jT j j to 1 • J r»T 1 2Cor.6.i6.Jer.
Spirit, ministers and word. W e have sinned, U Lord, l3 i3.E2ek.11.
against thee, and against our own souls, and are not 20. Psai.119.i8.
worthy to be called thy children : we have deserved Ephes. 3. 18.
everlasting wrath ; to us belongeth confusion, but E p h! ifis*
mercy and forgiveness to thee. Have mercy upon R om . 2. 18.
us, O God, according to the multitude of thy mer- 2 Tim. 2. 20.
cies. Heal our souls that have sinned against thee, J a ' 1 i y l ,0 t*
. -11 tt- 1 & om - 5. o. ; 8.
and enter not into j uagment with thy servants, iiide 35. 39. j er . 32.
thy face from our sins, and blot out all our iniqui- 40. Matt. 6. 3.
ties. Cast us not away from thy presence, and g ^ 3, j' p^| u
avenge not upon us the quarrel of thy covenant. 3' 20. Col. 3. 5.
Wash us in the blood of the Lamb of" God, who Gal. 6. 14.
taketh away the sin of the world. Accept us in j^"^ 1 7'
thy beloved Son, who was made a curse for us, and 1 cor. 4.
was wounded for our transgressions, that we might 1 Pet. 3. 11.
be healed by his stripes. Turn us, O God of our sal- YcV^' It
vation, and cause thy face to shine upon us. Give iPet.4'2. '
us repentance unto life : cause us to loathe ourselves Col. 1. 10.
for all the evils that we have committed. Give us fJ^jAg'
that broken contrite spirit which thou wilt not des- p sa i. 40 . $\
pise. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew Psai. 1. 2.
a right spirit within us. Take out of us the old and • *■ 12 -
456 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
i Pet. 1.14,15. stony heart, and give us a new and tender heart,
Eph«.4..2?*38 ^ ve us tne S P irit of tn Y Son, and De our God, and
James '5. 17. let us be thy people. Enlighten our understandings
Psal. 15. 4. to know the wonderful things of thy law, the dimen-
PhiTiA'o! 5 ' sions of th y love in Christ » tlle mysteries of thy
Titus 2. 14. kingdom, and the riches of the glory of thy inheri-
Matt. 5. 44. tance in the saints, and that we may approve the
Luke 21." i9.' tnm g s tnat are excellent, and may escape the snares
Mark 8. 34." of the devil, and may hate every false way. Shed
Heb. ii. 26. abroad thy love in our hearts by thy Holy Spirit,
ReT/icf'ii. ano - cause us so t0 l° ve thee, that nothing may se-
parate us from thy love. Put thy fear into our
hearts, that we may never depart from thee. Cause
us to seek first thy kingdom, and its righteousness,
and (as those that are risen with Christ) to seek the
things that are above, and to lay up a treasure in
heaven, and let our hearts and conversations be
there ; mortify our earthly inclinations and desires.
Crucify the world to us, and us unto the world by
the cross of Christ. Cause us to live by faith, and
look at the things that are unseen ; and use the world,
as not over-using it, seeing the fashion of it passeth
away ; striving to enter in at the straight gate, and
running so as to obtain; let us no longer live the
rest of our time to the lust of men, but the will of
God, studying in all things to please thee, and to be
accepted of thee : let us not seek our own wills, but
the will of him that called us ; yea, let us delight to
do thy will, O God, let our delight be in thy law,
and let us meditate therein day and night; cause us
to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live
soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present
world, as obedient children, not fashioning ourselves,
to the former lusts of our ignorance ; but as he that
hath called us is holy, let us be holy in all manner of
conversation. Cause us toloveoneanotherwith apure
heart, forbearing and forgiving one another, if any
have a quarrel against another, even as Christ forgave
us. Give us the wisdom which is first pure, and then
peaceable. In our eyes let a vile person be con-
temned, but let us honour them that fear the Lord.
Cause us to walk circumspectly without offence, and
to be zealous of good works, to love our enemies, and
not to give place to wrath ; and in patience to possess
our souls. Help us to deny ourselves, and take up
our cross, and follow Christ; esteeming his reproach
to be greater riches than the treasures of the world,
CONFESSION AND PRAYER. 457
that having suffered with him, we may also be glo-
rified with him. Though we must be tempted, help
us to overcome, and be faithful unto the death, and
then let us receive that crown of life, through the
merits and intercession of Christ Jesus our Lord and
only Saviour, in whose comprehensive words we
sum up our requests, saying as he hath taught us,
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy
name. Thy kingdom come, &c.
Or thus, when Brevity is necessary.
\J most great, most just and gracious God, thou Hab. 1.13.
. - • Tude 15 Luke
art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, thou con- 13> 3 M a rki6.
demnest the ungodly, impenitent, and unbelievers; 16. Psal. 51. 5.
but hast promised mercy through Jesus Christ to all Eph. 2.3. Rom.
that repent and believe in him, we confess that we M at f.s8.' 19:
were conceived in sin, and are by nature children of Ecd2.i.Deut.
wrath. And have all sinned and come short of the ' 1.1. Col. 1. 10.
glory of God. In our baptism thou tookest us into Genu's. 22.
the bond of the holy covenant, but we remembered 2 Cor. 5.7.
not our Creator in the days of our youth, with the Phil.3.20.Rom.
r ji juj- ui 1,1 12. 11. Deut.6.
fear, and love, and obedience which we owed thee : 5 E h 2 3#
not pleasing, and glorifying thee in all things, nor Rom. 8. 7.
walking with thee, by faith in an heavenly conversa- Exodi 2 °* 4. 7.
tion, nor serving thee fervently with all our might : 2 'p et ' # </' 9> °
but fulfilled the desires of the flesh, and of the carnal Rom. 13. 8, 9.
mind. We have neglected and abused thy holy wor- Mat.712.Mark
ship, thy holy name, and thy holy day. We have Lu ke lo.^ifi
dishonoured our superiors, and neglected our infe- Rom. 5. 8. Luke
riors : we have dealt uniustly and uncharitably, with 24, 4 7' Rom - 3>
1 i 1 25 Mat 22 4 5
our neighbours, not loving them as ourselves, nor He ' b< g g< A ' ct "
doing to others as we would they should do to us; 7.5i.Prov.i.23.
we have not sought first thy kingdom and righteous- Jam - 4 - 7 - J Pet -
ness and been contented with our daily bread, but p' sal ' 19< j 2 \ 5 \
have been careful and troubled about many things, isa.59.i2.Psal.
neglecting the one thing necessary. Thou hast re- 103 - 11C) -; 50 «
vealed thy wonderful love to us in Christ, and offered p S ai.52.8.Epi].'
us pardon and salvation in him : but we made light 1. 12, 13. Psal.
of it, and neglected so great salvation, and resisted 71 - 5 -"> 78 « 7 «
thy Spirit, word and ministers, and turned not at thy 2 c * or ^ 18 j
reproof: we have run into temptations ; and the sin 1. 19. John 1.7.
which we should have hated, we have committed in Gal. 4. 6.
thy sight, both secretly and openly, ignorantly and pj^fsf 3 '
carelessly, rashly and presumptuously, against thy Deut. 30. 6.
precepts, thy promises, and threats, thy mercies and Psalm 31 - J 6-
thy judgments; our transgressions are multiplied be- 1 x| 1 t p S .' 1> j 0>
fore thee, and our sins testify against us ; if thou Tit. 2. 14.
458 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
deal with us as we deserve, thou wilt cast us away
from thy presence into hell, where the worm never
dieth,and the fire is notquenched. But in thy mercy,
thy Son, and thy promises is our hope. Have mercy
upon us most merciful Father. Be reconciled to us,
and let the blood of Jesus Christ cleanse us from all
our sins. Take us for thy children, and give us the
Spirit of thy Son. Sanctify us wholly, shed abroad
thy love in our hearts and cause us to love thee with
all our hearts. O make thy face to shine upon thy
servants ; save us from our sins, and from the wrath
to come ; make us a peculiar people to thee, zealous
of good works, that we may please thee, and show
forth thy praise. Help us to redeem the time, and
Col. 1. 10. gi ve al l diligence to make our calling and election
i Pet. 2 9. sure. Give us things necessary for thy service, and
Ephes, 5. 16. k ee p us from sinful discontent and cares. And see-
Matt. 6.H. m g a1 ^ these things must be dissolved, let us consi-
lTim. 6. 4. der what manner of persons we ought to be, in all
Heb. is. 5. holy conversation and godliness. Help us to watch
a Pet- 3. ii.' against temptations, and resist and overcome the
Matt. 26. 41. flesh, the devil, and the world ; and being delivered
James 4. 6. out f t i ie hand of all our enemies, let us serve thee
1 John" s. 7 4, :•>. without fear, in holiness and righteousness before
Rev. 2. i7.'; thee all the days of our life. Guide us by thy coun-
2 Pet. 2. 19. gg^ an( j a f ter receive us into thy glory, through Jesus
Psal 73. 24*. Christ our only Saviour. Amen.
[Here use the Lord's Prayer as before.]
For the strengthening of Faith, and raising the Penitent, some
of these Sentences of the Gospel may be here read.
Hear what the Lord saith to the Absolution and
Comfort of Penitent Believers.
1 Chvon. 30. 9. 1 he Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and
will not turn away his face from you, if ye return
unto him.
l Jotm 2 2. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Fa-
ther, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the pro-
pitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also
for the sins of the whole world.
Acts 13. 58,39. Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that
though this man is preached to you the forgiveness
of sins, and by him, all that believe are justified from
all things, from which they could not be justified by
a the law of Moses.
ABSOLUTION Off PENITENTS. 459
Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, &«*• 5. 20, 21.
that as sin reigned unto death, even so might grace
reign through righteousness, unto eternal life, through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we Uoim 1.7,8,9.
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin. If
we say, that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sin,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy Matt, u, 28, 29,
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon 30 -
you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in
heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For
my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life Rev. 22.17.
freely.
All that the Father hath given me, shall come to John 6. 27.
me, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast
out.
1 will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and Hcb. 8. 12.
their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.
Hear also what you must be, and do for the time to
come, if you would be saved.
IN ow if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is Rom. 8.9.
none of his.
If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old 2 c or . 5 il7 .
things are passed away, behold all things are become
new !
There is no condemnation to them that are in Roni 8 lr
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh, do mind 5.
the things of the flesh ; but they that are after the
Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spi- 6)
ritually minded is life and peace.
For the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is 7.
not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 8.
For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if is.
through the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body,
ye shall live.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which Gal. a. 19.
are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lascivi-
Gal. 5. 20.
21.
22.
23.
14.
4(j0 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
ousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emu-
lations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like, of
the which I tell you before, as I have told you in time
past, that they which do such things, shall not inherit
the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
24* temperance ; against such there is no law. And they
that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts.
Rom. 13. 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting
and drunkenness : not in chambering and wanton-
ness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the
flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof.
1 John 2. 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in
the world, if any man love the world, the love of the
16. Father is not in him. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Matt. 7. 13. Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the
gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruc-
tion, and many there be that go in thereat. Because
straight is the gate, and narrow is the path that lead-
eth unto life, and few there be that find it.
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath
appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should livesoberly,
and righteously, and godly, in this present world,
looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious ap-
pearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus
Christ. Who gave himself for us, that he might re-
deem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a
peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Psal. 1. 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the coun-
sel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his de-
light is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth
he meditate day and night.
5 . The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor
sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Htb. 12.28. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot
be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve
29. God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear, for,
our God is a consuming fire.
2 Pet. 3. l. Seeing then that these things shall be dissolved,
14.
Tit. 2. 11.
12.
13.
14.
2.
PSALMS, LESSONS AND SERMON. 461
what manner of persons ought ye to be, in all holy
conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting 2 Pet. 3. 12.
to the coming of the day of God.
Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, i Cor. 15. 58.
immovable, always abounding in the work of the
Lord, for as much as ye know, that your labour is
not in vain in the Lord.
Then may be said the ninety-fifth or the hundredth Psalm,
or the eighty-fourth.
And next the Psalms in order for the day ; and next shall Luke 4. 16, 17,
be read a chapter of the Old Testament, such as the Minister
findeth most seasonable ; or with the liberty expressed in the
admonition before the second book of Homilies.
After which may be sung a Psalm, or the Te Deum said, Ac,s 1S - 27 >
then shall be read a chapter of the New Testament, and then
the Prayer for the King and Magistrates. And after that,
the sixty -seventh, or ninety -eighth, or some other Psalm,
may be sung or said, or the Benedictus, or Magnificat. And
the same order to be observed at the Evening tvorship, if time
allow it.
NNeh.e. 4, 6; 9.
ext after the Psalm the Minister shall (in the pulpit) 2,3, 4,5,6.
first reverently, prudently, and fervently pray, according 10 - 33. Acis 12.
to the state and necessities of the Church, and those espe- * 2, j i'T*. 4 " 5 '
cially that are present, and according to the subject that 16# 13 * 16 '
he is to preach on. And after Prayer, he shall preach i Tim. 2. 8.
upon some text of Holy Scripture suiting his matter to l Cor. 14.15,16.
the necessities of the hearers, and the manner of delivery ^ u ^ e *■ 16 > 18 -
to their quality and benefit. Always speaking from faith 2Q e 7%%^^
and holy experience in himself, with plainness and perspi- 4.1, 2' Acts 4.20'.
cuity, with reverence and gravity, with convincing evidence 2 Cor. 4. 13.
and authority, with prudence, caution, faithfulness, and im- J°hn 16. 29.
partiality, with tender love and melting compassion, with * J • 2 - 7 > 1 ^*
fervent zeal, and persuading importunity, and with fre- ^.\^ jj a « 'vf*
quency and unwearied patience, waiting on God for the 45.Mark 12.12!
success. After Sermon he shall pray for a blessing on the 13, 17. Eph. 6,
word of instruction and exhortation, which was delivered 5 19 > 20. Jude 22,
and in his Prayers (before or after Sermon) ordinarily he | 3 ™. Acts 18- 25 -
shall pray for the conversion of Heathens, Jews, and other t T j' m ' g *l 25 '
infidels ; the subversion of idolatry, infidelity, Mahometan- Acts 20.36.Ps'al.
ism, heresy, papal tyranny and superstition, schism and 2. Rev. 11. 15.
profaneness, and for the free progress of the Gospel, and 1 Tim - 2. 1,2,3.
the increase of faith and godliness, the honouring of God's ? T hes 'J?; *' 2 '
name, the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ, and the CJ \ ^ R e v!'i8.
obedience of his saints through the nations of the earth. 19. Matt. 6.9-
And in special for these nations 5 for the King's Majesty, 9. 37, 38.
and the rest of the Royal Family, for the Lords of his 1 Tim. 2.3. Eph.
Majesty's Council, the Judges and other Magistrates of the | j^'X .«^ 5 '
land, for the Pastors of the Church, and all Congregations j s am- d'.W
committed to their care and government. Always taking 2 Cor. 4. 5.
462 T H F - u E ' ° R M E L) LlT u K G Y •
Phil. 1. 15, lti. heed that no mixtures of imprudent, disorderly expressions,
James 3. 1, 15, f private discontent and passion, of unreverent, disobe-
16, 17. L*Ke9. dient, seditious, or factious intimations, tending to corrupt,
2 Got °10. 8.~ ant * not to e ^ify the people's minds, do turn either prayer
Psal. 92. 1- or preaching into sin. And ordinarily in Church-commu-
Rev. 1. 10. nion, especially on the Lord's-day (which is purposely se-
Acts 20. r. parated for the joyful commemoration of the blessed work
p i iiR °^ man s redemption), a considerable proportion of the
i Cor. 4.1 2. public worship must consist of thanksgiving and praises
1 Tim. 3.5-, to God, especially for Jesus Christ, and his benefits ; still
3. 15. leaving it to the Minister's discretion to abbreviate some
2 Tun. 2. 2, 15. p ar t s of worship, when he seeth it needful to be longer on
Arts l zQ. 7> 9. _»i „.
some other.
The Sermon and Prayer being ended, let the Minister dis-
miss the Congregation with a benediction, in these or the like
words.
Luke ii. 28. Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and
keep it.
Numb. 6. 24-, The Lord bless you, and keep you ; the Lord make
25, 26. his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you ;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and
give you peace.
3 Cor, is. 14'. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy
Ghost, be with vou all. Amen.
Except there be a Communion in the Sacrament of the
Lord's-supper to be celebrated, or any further Worship to be
performed, and then the Minister may delay the Benediction
till the End.
And because, when there is leisure, the Prayers of the
Church should be as full as the Rule and our Necessities re-
quire ; let the following General Prayer be used, when the
Minister findeth it convenient, instead of the Litany and Col-
lects.
Here are also adjoined a Thanksgiving for Christ and
his benefits, and a Hymn to be used at the discretion of
the Minister, either after Sermon, or at the Communion,
or on other Days.
A Prayer for the King, the Royal Family, and Magistrates.
Prov. 8. 15. Almighty God, by whom Kings reign, and Princes
Heb.'2.'9?' decree justice, who rulest in all the kingdoms of
Psal! 65. ii ; men, and givest them to whomsoever thou wilt, who
93
60,
59
3. 14; 65. 4; ^y t \ X y S p ec i a ] Providence hast set over us thy ser-
?! l- Th6 3 ' vant, Charles, our King; crown him with thy bless-
THE GENERAL PKAYEU. 463
ings,and satisfy him with thy goodness. Save him T*3- 46. i*
by thy right hand, and defend him against such *}£• .'[*'„'
as rise up against him; prolong his life in peace 1 Kings 1. 3.71
and righteousness, grant him the spirit of wisdom p« Josh. 1. 8.
and counsel, the spirit of holiness, and the fear ^SaVi/ir
of the Lord, that he may know how to go in and p S ui. 15. 4 ,
out before this great people over whom thou hast 101. 6. Pro*.
set him. Let not thy law depart out of his mind, H D 'o 5 " T fJ T «*
_ - -."' -j. * • 1 1 * 1 J Hill. T 1 * i $
or mouth, but let him meditate in it day and night. 8. Rev. 21. 5;
Make him as an angel of God to discern between Zech. 8. 13. Isa.
ojood and evil, that in his eyes a vile person may be %°\l 5 ' «"???
contemned, but he may honour them that rear the 23. 3. j „n 7.
Lord, that his eyes may be upon the faithful of the 27. 2 Ctatofi.
land, that they may dwell with him, and they that are J* ^^'""isf'
perfect in the way serve him ; remove the wicked \ > \ t 3. Rev.
from before him, that his throne may be established 11. 18. Psai.68.
in righteousness, and grant that under him we may j^^* £ 19
lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and
honesty. And when he hath finished his course on
earth, let him inherit a crown of righteousness, and
reign with Christ for ever. Bless the Queen Mo-
ther, the illustrious Prince, James, Duke of York,
and the rest of the Royal Family, endue them with
thy Holy Spirit, enrich them with thy heavenly
Grace, and make them blessings in their generation.
Endue the Lords of his Majesty's Council, and all
the Nobility, the Judges, and all the Magistrates of
the land with wisdom from above, that they may
rule as in thy fear, and judge righteous judg-
ment, and may take heed what they do, as judging
not for man, but for the Lord, that justice may
run down as water, and righteousness as a mighty
stream \ let all his Majesty's subjects duly submit
to him and obey him, not only for wrath, but for
conscience sake : let all his kingdoms be the king-
doms of the Lord, and of his Son Christ, that God
may dwell amongst us, and that it may be said of
them, The Lord bless thee, O habitation of Justice,
and mountain of Holiness ; for thine, O Father,
with the Son and Holy Ghost, is the kingdom, and
power, and glory for ever. Amen.
The General Prayer.
O most holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, Father, Matt. 28. 19.
Son, and Holy Ghost, Three Persons, and One God, J ?!"**^
our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctiner, our Lord, our j. 17. Mai. 2.
•J64 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
10. Heb. i. 2, Governor and Father, hear us, and have mercy upon
1 8 PsaVS." us ' miserable sinners.
28. iCor! 12! O Lord our Saviour, God and man ! who, having
4— 6. Psal. 103. assumed our nature, by thy sufferings, and death,
Act 7^9 tV b' anc * b UI "i a l> was t made a ransom to take away the
2. 14.9. iCor! sins of the world ; who being raised from the dead,
15.4. iTim.3. ascended and glorified, art made head over all things
v \° li i\'o 2 % t0 tne Church, which thou gatherest, justifiest,
Rom. 8. 30'. 33, sanctifiest, rulest, and preservest, and which at thy
■24. Eph. 5. 1. coming thou wilt raise and judge to endless glory.
iThes. 4.16.17. We beseech thee to hear us, miserable sinners, make
2Tim.i.5.Rom. sure to us our calling and election, our unfeigned
5.1,2.10. 2Cor. faith and repentance ; that being justified, and made
6.18. Gal. 4. 6. tne sons f God, we may have peace with him, as
our reconciled God and Father.
1 Pet.1.2. Rom. Let thy holy Spirit sanctify us, and dwell in us,
8.n.Mat.a.34. an( j cause us to deny ourselves, and to give up our-
t Cor 8 5 . Ox
1 Cor. 6. 19. 20" selves entirely to thee, as being not our own, but
Rev.4.11. John thine.
12.28. Matt. 5. As the vvorld was created for thy glory, let thy
27' 28^2 Tim. 3.' name be glorified throughout the world; let self-
2. Matt. 7. 22. love, and pride, and vain-glory be destroyed, cause
Gal. 5. 26; 2. us to | ove thee, fear thee, and trust in thee with all
our hearts, and to live to thee.
Psal. 2- 47.7. Let a ^ ^ e eart -h subject themselves to thee, their
Rev. 11. 15. King. Let the kingdoms of the world become the
2Tim. 2. 26. kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ. Let the
Rom. 11. 25. atheists, idolaters, Mahometans, Jews, and other in-
Matt. 9. 38; fidels, and ungodly people, be converted. Send
24. 14. ^ forth meet labourers into the harvest, and let the
Rev."'. 3. i9 2 ' Gospel be preached throughout all theworld. Pre-
3. 10. serve and bless them in thy work. Sustain in pa-
Luke 18. 7. tience, and seasonably deliver the Churches that
Eph'. 4?s' 5?is. are oppressed by idolators, infidels, Mahometans,
15,16. Titus 3. or other enemies, or by the Roman Papal usurpa-
10. 2 Cor. 2. 17. tions.
Rom!i4i°i5. Unite all Christians in Jesus Christ, the true and
1. 3 John 9. only universal Head, in the true Christian and Ca-
Rom. 1. 31. tholic Faith and Love; cast out heresies and cor-
Psai e 77. 5 io. ruptions, heal divisions, let the strong receive the
Phil. 2. 3. weak, and bear their infirmities ; restrain the spirit
Psai.i4.Eph.2. of pride and cruelty, and let nothing be done in
2-4! 1 S.' 6.' strife > or vain-glory.
9. 2'fhes. 2.10. Keep us from atheism, idolatry, and rebellion
Rom. 8. 24. against thee ; from infidelity, ungodliness and sen-
Issf's^so' 1 2 ' suality ; from security, presumption and despair.
Psal. ii9.97.27. Let us delight to please thee, and let thy Word be
THE GEN E It A L P R A V E U . 4M8S
the rule of our faith and lives ; let us love it, and
understand it, and meditate in it day and night.
Let us not corrupt or neglect thy worship ; nor ]yj a , t> 13 9
take thy holy name in vain, keep us from bias- Exod. 20.4.7,8.
phemy, perjury, profane swearing, lying, contempt 5*" k /.}fV* S j'
of thy ordinances, and from false, unworthy, and 5. i;,'6'.E*ek.'s»
unreverent thoughts and speeches of God, or holy 26.Nei1.13. 1?.
things ; and from the neglect and profanation of thv £ ev ' 1 ' 10 '„ ,
l,~l 1 l * Prov.21.1.Psal.
holy day. 2.10-12.
Put it into the hearts of the Kings and Rulers of Isa. 49. 23.
the world to submit to Christ, and rule for him as 2 Chro "- l9, e *
nursing fathers to his church: and save them from 1 Tim. 6.9.*
thetemptationsthatwoulddrownthemin sensuality; Matt. 21.44.
or would break them upon Christ as a rock of offence, I oh , n li; 48-
by engaging them against his holy doctrine, ways,
and servants.
Have mercy on thy servant Charles, our king, ^ Yun. 2> 2-
protect his person, illuminate and sanctify him by Psal. 59. 1.
thy Spirit, that above all things he may seek thine f Ch >; on - *• 10 ;
honour, the increase of faith, and holy obedience 13 ] Rom^is. 3
to thy laws ; and may govern us as thy minister, 4. 1 Pet. 2. 14.
appointed by thee for the terror of evil doers, and lTim -~- 2.
the praise of them that do well, that under him we
may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness
and honesty.
Have mercy upon all the Royal Family, upon Psal.72.1. Pro*,
the Lords of the Council, and all the Nobility, the 8 - 16 - E^'-^-
Judges, and other Magistrates of these lands. Let j s ' a ' j ^ 9 23>
them fear thee, and be ensamples of piety and Psal. 15. 4.
temperance, haters of injustice, covetousness, and
pride, and defenders of the innocent : in their eyes
let a vile person be contemned, but let them honour
them that fear the Lord.
Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, and Rom. is, 1,2.5.
not resist; let them obey the king, and all in authori- 1 Tim - 2 - 2 -
ty, not only for wrath, but for conscience sake. \ q^s e^'
Give all the churches able, holy, faithful pastors, Jer. 3. 15.
that may soundly and diligently preach thy word, and 2 Tun. 4. 2.
guide the flocks in ways of holiness and peace, over- j a ° lies 3 ^' '
seeing and ruling them not by constraint, but wil- Ezek. 34.
lingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; not ' p et.5.i— 4.
as being lords over thy heritage, but the servants of g/'gV 20 ' ^'
all, and ensamples to the flock ; that when the chief
Pastor shall appear, they may receive the crown of
glory.
Let the people know those that are over them in Hd). 13.7, 17.
vol. xv. 11 h
466 THL REFORMED LITURGY.
iThes.5.12,15. the Lord, and labour among; them, preaching to them
l Tim. 5, 1?. t ^ e worc j f God ; let them highly esteem them in
love for their works sake, account them worthy of
double honour, and obey them in the Lord.
Eph.6. i. Let parents bring up their children in holy nur-
Ecel. 12. t. ture, that they may remember their Creator in the
xo .20. 12. days f their youth, and let children, love, honour
5.25. 22- 1 Pet. and obey them. Let husbands love their wives, and
3. 7.1 Col. 4.1; guide them in knowledge and holiness ; and let wives
' "' " J| " ' love and obey their husbands. Let masters rule
their servants in thy fear, and servants obey their
masters in the Lord,
i John 3. 15. Keep us from murders and violence, and injurious
Luke 3. 14. passionate words and actions.
29 °lv 'Matt°5 K ee P us from fornication and all uncleanness,from
22! Matt. 5. 27. chambering and wantonness, from lustful thoughts
28. 1 Cor. 6. 9. and filthy communications, and all unchaste beha-
fnhV^I 3 ;, viour.
Lph. 5. 3,4. 12. -^ c ,. . ,,
Eph.4. vs. Keep us from stealing or wronging our neighbour
iThes. 4.6. in his property, from perverting justice, from false
iiTs^'o ^l° V ' witnessing and deceit, from slandering backbiting,
Psal/15.3. ' uncharitable censuring or other wrong to the repu-
Matt.7.12. tation of our neighbours.
m^'I^'^q' Keep us from coveting any thing that is our neigh-
Matt. 7. 12. ' bours. Let us love our neighbours as ourselves, and
Matt. 25.40. do to others as we would they should do to us.
1 Pet. 1. 22. Cause us to love Christ in his members with a
pure and fervent love, and to love our enemies, and
do good to all, as we are able; but especially to the
household of faith.
Matt. 5. 44. Give us our necessary sustentation and provision
Gal. 6. 10^. f or thy service and contentedness therewith ; bless
iTna.6.8. our labours, and the fruits of the earth in their sea-
Deut. 28. 3, 4. son, and give us such temperate weather as tendeth
Psai. 112 ; 128. hereunto. Deliver us and all thy servants from such
Deut. 11. 14. • i j" iu ' j ; i
Phil. 2.27.' sickness, wants, and other distresses, as may unsea-
Rom. 13. 13, sonably take us off thy service. Keep us from glut-
tu'] 1 "' 11 ' ton y anc * drunkenness, slothfulness, unlawful gain,
and from making provision for the flesh to satisfy
its lusts,
l John 2. i, 2. When we sin, restore us by true repentance and
Gai.G.i.Jam.5. faith in Christ: let us loathe ourselves for our trans-
E^'h. i.6 e *7?' 9 ' g ressions 5 forgive them all and accept us in thy
Heh. 7. 25. w r ell beloved Son ; save us from the curse and pun-
Matt. 6. 12. 14, ishment which they deserve, and teach us heartily
IS ' 5 44 r> • i • ,
Luke 23 34 to » or g lve others ; convert our enemies, persecutors
Matt. 26. 41. and slanderers, and forgive them.
PSALMS, THAXKSGI VI\(i. 4(57
Cause us to watch against temptations, to resist J;i">.4.?.i John
and overcome the flesh, the devil and the world ; and j^f L ^
by no allurements of pleasure, profit or honour, to Gal. 5. n.
be drawn from thee to sin, let us patiently suffer c 1Jo . lm |- 1(i - l ^-
with Christ that we may reign with him. rShj tf.
Deliver us and all thy people from the enmity and i p e t. 5. 8.
rage of Satan and all his wicked instruments; and p sn}- 140.1,2,3.
preserve us to thy heavenly kingdom. \ T V"' 4 ' Ir
For thou only art the universal King; all power Matt. 'g. is.
is thine in heaven and earth : of thee, and through Iiom - it 36.
thee, and to thee are all things, and the glory shall
be thine for ever. Amen.
Concerning the Psalms for public use.
We desire that instead of the imperfect version of the
Psalms in metre now in use, Mr. William Barton s Version,
and that perused and approved by the Church of Scotland
there in use (being the best that we have seen) may be received
and corrected by some skilful men, and both allowed (for
grateful variety) to be printed together on several columns or
pages, and publicly used ; at least until a better than either of
them shall be made.
A Thanksgiving for Christ, and his gracious Benefits. Psa). 119. log.
M Epll. 1. 6.
ost glorious God, accept, through thy beloved Psai. 116. 17.
Son, though from the hands of sinners, of thanksgiv- 2 Cor. 9. 15.
,• P.-, i ui 1 1 • ,, Psal. lor. 22.
ing, which thy unspeakable love and mercies, as well 2 Cor> 1 3
as thy command, do bind us to offer up unto thee. Ps. 86, 15.
Thou art the father of mercies, and the God of all Exoci - 33. 6, 7.
i. rnr • li: i c Isa. 43. 7. Rev.
consolation, full 01 compassion, gracious, long-sur- 4 ij/(j en> u
fering, plenteous in goodness and truth, keeping 27. Psa. 8.5, 6.
mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgres- Deut.31.16;
sion and sin. For thy glory thou didst create us 4 "^p ga | ^* 10
after thine image; thou madest us a little lower Hos. 13. 4.
than the angels, and crownedst us with glorv and Gen - 4 - 4 *
u J „• • 4.\ ? V., John 3. 16.
honour, giving us dominion over the works or thy Heb Q 16
hands, and putting all these things under our feet. John 1.14.
And when we forsook thee, and broke thy covenant, e p\\- 3 - 8 -
and rebelled against thee, and corrupted ourselves, , p™ - ! ^'
and turned our glory into shame ; thou didst not Heb. 2. is.
leave us in the hands of death, nor cast us out into Matt -4. 10.
utter desperation ; but thou didst so love the sinful x Peter 8 2 9 22.
world, as to give thy Son to be our Saviour. He Matt. 4. 10.
took not upon him the nature of angels, but of man. * J ° hn *■ 9 *
the Word was made flesh and dwelt among ^> Heb. 12.2*. Rev.
This is the unsearchable mystery of love which the 3. 18. Psa.32,1!
angels desire to pry into, lie was tempted, that he l Pcter 2. 23.
408
THE REFORMED LITURGY.
^ b ^ 2 - 10 T- sa " m ight succour them that are tempted, and conquered
16. 1 Cor.io!s". *" ne tempter, that had conquered us; he became poor
Heb. 2. 14. that was Lord of all; to make us rich. He did not
Gal. 3. is. g j n kyj. fulfilled a n rio-hteousness, to save us from
Matt. 11. 28. • u i. tt j i if r
Rev. 22. i4. our unn ghteousness. He made himselr ot no repu-
Eph. i. 22. Psa. tation, but was reviled, scorned and spit upon, en-
2.8. Phil. 2.9. during the cross, and despising the shame to cover
Johns. 22. Heb. our shame, and to bring us unto glory, thou laidst
8. 6. 2 Pet. i.4. upon him the iniquity of us all. He was bruised
i John 5. ii anc i wounded for our transgressions, that we might
2Pet.l.i9.Psa. u i i , , , • . • f T ,. lr &
119. i3o. Eph. " e healed by his stripes. He gave nimselr a ransom
2. 20. 2 Cor. 5. for us, and died for our sins, and rose again for our
1 »' 20 ' A ™ 2 £' j ustification. We thank thee for his death that sav-
3— 6. 2Tim.2? etn us f rom death, and that he bore the curse to
25. Eph. 4. redeem us from the curse, and for his life which open-
18. John 12. 40. ed to us the way to life. Thou hast given him to be
Paal.8i.iiig. nea d over all things to the Church, and hast given
John 5. 4. Luke the heathen to be his inheritance, and given him a
* 9 - 27 - l Pet - name above every name, and given all power and judg-
2i.Heb.°i2 25 men t un to him. We thank thee for the new and better
Ezek. 33. ii. covenant, for thy great and precious promises ; that
Prov.i. 22,23. thou hast given us eternal life in Christ. That we
16 14 ] " c s have the clear and sure revelation of thy will in the
l John 4. 19. holy Scriptures. That thou foundest thy Church upon
Rom. io 20. apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being
Rom! 5 i 2 Acts tMe nea ^ corner-stone. And hast committed to thy
ii. 18. Rom. 8. Ministers the word of reconciliation, that as ambas-
14—17. sadors speaking in the stead of Christ, they might
4. P 6'Eph 2 a " beseech us to be reconciled unto thee. We thank
19. i Peter i. thee that by them thou hast opened our eyes, and
3_ 6 - turned us from darkness unto light, and from the
tt^'q'io' power of Satan unto God. We were sometimes
Heb.4. 16. tooiish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts
Psai. 50. 15. and pleasures, taken captive by Satan at his will :
M It" 'i\ 8 i° ^ u ^ tn y merc y saved us by the washing of regenera-
Psal. 89. 7; ' tion, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Thou might-
28.6; 31.22; est justly have left us to the blindness of our minds,
86. io. an( j to ^ijg hardness of our hearts, to seared con-
sciences, to be past feeling, to our own hearts lusts to
walk in our own counsels, and to work uncleanness
with greediness, when we so oft refused to come to
Christ that we might have life, and would not have
him to reign over us. But thy patience waited on
us in our sin ; and all the day long didst thou
stretch forth thy hand to a disobedient and gain-
saying people. When we turned from thee, thou call-
edst after us, to turn and live : thou drewest us to
THANKSGIVING. <IW
thy Son, and openedst our hearts to attend to thy
call : thou lovedst us first, and was found of them
that sought thee not. Thou hast pardoned our great
and manifold transgressions, andjustified us by faith
in Christ, and given us repentance unto life: thou
hast adopted us to be thy sons, and joint heirs with
Christ; and made us his members, and given us
his Spirit ; we are no more strangers but fellow
citizens with the saints, and of thy household ;
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who of his abundant mercy hath begotten
us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incor-
ruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in
heaven for us. Thou keepest us by thy mighty power
through faith unto salvation : ready at last to be
revealed, though (when they are needful) we must
for a season be in heaviness under tribulations ; thou
hast promised, that all things shall work together
for our good ; in all our straits thou grantest us ac-
cess to "the throne of grace, bidding us call upon
thee, in the time of trouble, and promising to deli-
ver us, that we may glorify thee, every where we
have leave to lift up unto thee holy hands, espe-
cially in the house of prayer, aud the assembly
of the saints. Thou hast heard the voice of our sup-
plications when we have cried unto thee; great is
thy mercy towards us. O Lord thou hast delivered
our souls from the lowest hell; thou hast sent forth
from heaven thy mercy and truth ; and saved us from
the reproach of him that would swallow us up: thou
art our hiding place : in the secrets of thy presence
thou preservest us from trouble, from the pride of
men, and from the strife of tongues. Thou dost p sa i. 57.3;
compass us about with songs of deliverance. O love^i-so; 32. 7;
the Lord all ye his saints ! for the Lord preserveth fjg 3 ^ 30# 5#
the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud Hab. 3.2.
doer. He dealeth not with us after our sins, his ^a'- 32. 6;
anger is but for a moment, but in his favour is life. *{£'*' 1*05 ; s .
Inliis wrath he remembereth mercy : all thy paths, 8 9. 15';
O Lord, are mercy and truth to such as keep thy
covenant. We come into thy house in the mul-
titude of thy mercies ; O give thanks unto the Lord
for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. ,6 -
Glory ye in his holy name, let the hearts of them
rejoice that seek him. Blesed are the people that
know the joyful sound : they shall walk, O Lord, in
470 THE JtEFOKMED LITURGY.
Psal. 84.4; the light of thy countenance. In thy name they
90. i4-, 73. 24; shall rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness
Rev" \i?tl ant * f avour shall they be exalted ; blessed are they
that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising
thee. O satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we
may rejoice and be glad in thee all our days. Guide
us by thy counsel, and afterwards receive us unto
thy glory ; where with all the blessed host of hea-
ven, we may behold, admire, and perfectly and joy-
fully praise thee, our most glorious Creator, Re-
deemer and Sanctifier, for ever and for ever. Amen.
The Hymn.
The First Part.
Psai. 103. l, 2. Bless the Lord, O my soul ! and all that is within
me bless his holy name ; bless the Lord, O my soul,
3, 4. and forget not all his benefits : who forgiveth all
thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases ; who
12. redeemed thy life from destruction, and crowneth
thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies. As
far as the Easr is from the West, so far hath he re-
moved our transgressions from us ; behold what
l John 3. l. love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should
be called the sons of God ; because thy lovingkind-
ness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Psal. 63. 3. 4; Thus will I bless thee while 1 live, I will lift up my
73 25. hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as
26, 27. with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise
thee with joyful lips. Whom have I in heaven but
thee, and there is none on earth that I desire be-
23. sides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God
is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
For, to all that are far from thee shall perish, but
Psal. 94. 19. it is good for me to draw near to God. I am con-
tinually with thee. Thou hast holden me by my
right hand, in the multitude of my thoughts within
PsaJ. 73. 24. me, thy comforts delight my soul. Thou shalt
guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive
me to glory.
The Second Part.
Psal. 36. 7, 8. .Oow excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God,
9. therefore do the sons of men put their trust under
the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly
satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou
HYMNS. 471
shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy plea-
sures, for with thee is the fountain of life. In thy
light we shall see light; therefore my heart is glad,
and my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in
hope. Thou wilt shew me the path of life. In thy Psal. 16. «.>. it.
presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are
pleasures for evermore. Surely goodness and mercy Psal - 23 - 6 -
shall follow me all the days of my life ; and I shall p sa l. 36. to.
dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. O con-
tinue thy lovingkindness to them that know thee,
and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. To Psal. so. 12.
the end that my glory may sing praise unto thee,
and not be silent, O Lord my God, I give thanks to
thee for ever.
The Third Fart.
(jlory to God in the highest: on earth peace, Luke '2. u.
goodwill towards men! Praise ye the Lord, sing-
to the Lord a new song; his praise is in the con- p sa i. j 4 y. 1%4)
gregation of saints. For the Lord taketh pleasure in 5,6.
his people, he will beautify the meek with salva-
tion. Let the saints be joyful in glory. Let the Psal - \*$- i0 -
high praises of God be in their mouths. All thy
works praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints shall bless
thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy king-
dom, and talk of thy power : to make known to the
sons of men thy mighty acts, and the glorious ma-
jesty of thy kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlast-
ing kingdom, and thy dominion is through all gene-
rations. The elders and saints about thy throne, Rev - 4 - 8 - n -
rest not day nor night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy,
Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to
come. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory,
and honour, and power; for thou hast created all Rev. 15.3.1.
things, and for thy pleasure they are and were cre-
ated. They sing unto thee the song of Moses, and Rev. 5. 12.
of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy
works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy
ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, iy -
G Lord, and glorify thy name ; for thou only art holy : p
for all nations shall come and worship before thee,
for thy judgments are made manifest. Worthy is i0 .
the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength, and honour and glory.
For thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood,
and made us kings and priests to God.
472
THE REFORMED LITURGY.
The Fourth Part.
vl that men would praise the Lord for his good-
Sd 22. ' ~ ' ness » anc ^ f° r ms wonderful works to the children of
men ! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thank s-
Psal. ve. 2. gi vni g> an d declare his works with rejoicing. Sino-
unto the Lord, bless his name, shew forth his salva-
Psal. 29. 2. tion from day to day. Worship the Lord in the beauty
Psal. 96. 9. n. of holiness, fear before him all the earth. Let the
is- heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad before the
Lord ; for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the
Psal. 103.20. earth. With righteousness shall he judge the world,
and the people with equity. Bless the Lord ye his
angels that excel in strength, that do his command-
ments, hearkening to the voice of his word. Bless
ye the Lord all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that
22. do his pleasure ; bless the Lord, all his works in all
places of his dominions. Bless the Lord, O my
soul ; my mouth shall speak the praises of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and
Psal. 145. 8i. ever * ^ et ever y thing that hath breath praise the
Psal. 1.50.6. Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
The Order of Celebrating the Sacrament of
the Body and Blood of Christ.
This, or the like Explicate of the Nature, Use, and Bene-
fits of tliis Sacrament, may be used at the Discretion of
the Minister, when he seelh it needful to the Instruction
of the Communicants.
1 hat you may discern the Lord's body, and un-
derstand the nature, use, and benefits of this sa-
crament: you must know that God created man in
his own image, to know, and love, and serve his
Maker ; that man fell under the guilt of sin and
condemnation, and left his holy fitness for the work
for which he was created. That hereupon the
wonderful love and wisdom of God provided us a
remedy in our Redeemer, to the end he might not
lose the glory of his creation, that he might pardon
and save us upon terms ; securing the honour of
his justice, and attaining the ends of his law and
government, and recover us to his love and service,
by appearing to the world, in the greatest demon-
THE LORDS SUPPER. 473
strations of goodness, love, and mercy. By the
greatest miracle of condescension, he first promised,
and then gave his only Son, the Eternal Word, to
take man's nature into personal union with his God-
head ; that being God and man, he might be a fit
Mediator between God and man, to restore us, and
reconcile us to himself. Thus Jesus Christ, con-
ceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin
Mary, became the second Adam, the Physician and
Saviour of undone sinners, the Captain of our sal-
vation, to be the glorious king and head of all that
are sanctified and saved. He revealed the holiness,
the goodness, and the love of God, by the perfect
holiness, goodness, and love of his blessed person,
doctrine, and conversation, and by suffering for us
all the afflictions of this life, and at last the cursed
death of the cross, as a sacrifice and ransom for us.
That all this might be effectual to our recovery, he
made for us a new and better covenant, and preached
it himself, undertaking the pardon, justification,
and sanctification of all that by unfeigned faith do
take him for their Saviour, repenting of their sins,
and consenting to be sanctified by his Word and
Spirit (by which also he inviteth and draweth men
to himself, and giveth them to believe) : into this
blessed, pardoning, saving covenant, we are first
solemnly entered by baptism. And when Christ
was ready to leave the world, and to give up him-
self a sacrifice for us, and intercede and exercise the
fulness of his kingly power, and the Church's
Head ; and by his grace to draw men to himself,
and prepare them for his glory ; he did himself in-
stitute this sacrament of his body and blood at his
last supper, to be a continued representation and
remembrance of his death, and therein of his own
and his Father's love until his coming, appointing
his Ministers, by the preaching of the Gospel, and
administration of these sacraments, to be his agents
without, and his Spirit within, effectually to com-
municate his grace.
. [The Lord's-supper then is an holy sacrament in-
stituted by Christ, wherein bread and wine being-
first by consecration made sacramentally, or repre-
sentatively, the body and blood of Christ, are used
by breaking and pouring out to represent, and com-
memorate, the sacrifice of Christ's body and blood,
upon the cross once offered up to God for sin; and
474 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
are given in the name of Christ unto the Church, to
signify and solemnize the renewal of his holy co-
venant with them, and giving of himself unto them,
to expiate their sins by his sacrifice, and sanctify
them further by his Spirit, and confirm their right
to everlasting life: and they are received, eaten,
and drunk by the Church, to profess that they wil-
lingly receive Christ himself to the ends aforesaid
(their justification, sanctification, and glorification),
and to signify and solemnize the renewal of their
covenant with him, and their holy communion with
him, and with one another.]
It being the renewing of a mutual covenant that is
here solemnized as we commemorate Christ's sacri-
fice, and receive him and his saving benefits ; so we
offer and deliver to him ourselves, as his redeemed,
sanctified people, to be a living acceptable sacri-
fice, thankfully and obediently to live unto his
praise.
Before the receiving of his holy Sacrament, we.
must examine ourselves, and come preparedly : in
the receiving of it, we must exercise holy affections
suited to the work ; and after the receiving ot it,
we must, by consideration of it, endeavour to revive
the same affections, and perform our covenant
there renewed.
The holy qualifications to be before provided, and
in receiving exercised, and after receiving, are these.
1. A true belief of the articles of the Christian
faith concerning Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
the person, offices, works, sufferings, and bene-
fits of Christ. 2. The sense of our sinful and un-
done condition, as in ourselves, and of our need of
Christ : so as humbly to loathe ourselves for our
transgressions, with the sense of our present weak-
nesses to be strengthened, and sins to be forgiven.
3. A true desire after Christ for pardon, and spiri-
tual nourishment and salvation. 4. A thankful
sense of the wonderful love of God, declared in our
redemption, and in the present offers of Christ, and
life. 5. The exercise of holy love and joy in the
sense of this unspeakable love, (if these two be not
felt before we come, yet in, and after the Sacrament)
we must strive to exercise them. 6. A love to one
another, and foro-iving; wrongs to one another, with
a desire after the communion of saints. 7. The giv-
ing up ourselves in covenant to God, with resolution
THE LOUD S SUPPER.
or renewed obedience. 8. A patient hope for the
coming of Christ himself, and of the everlasting
kingdom, where we shall be perfectly united in him,
and glorified with him.
Those only are to be invited to the Lord's table,
and to come, that truly repent and believe, and un-
feigned ly consent to the terms of the covenant
(though all are not to be invited thus to believe and
repent* and so to come). But those are to be ad-
mitted, by the pastors, if they come, who, having
the use of reason to understand what they do, and
examine themselves, have made a personal profes-
sion of faith, repentance, and obedience ; and are
members of the Church, and not justly for heresy
or scandalous sin, removed from its present com-
munion.
The benefit of the Sacrament is not to be judged
of only by present experience and feeling, but by
faith. God having appointed us to use it, and pro-
mised his blessing, we may and must believe, that
he will make good his promise; and whatever we
feel at present, that we sincerely wait not on him in
vain.
The Exhortation.
You are invited hither, dear brethren, to be guests
at this holy table, by the Lord's command, to re-
ceive the greatest mercy, and to perform the greatest
duty. On Christ's part, all things are made ready.
The feast is prepared for you, even for you that by
sin have deserved to be cast out of the presence of
the Lord ; for you that have so oft neglected and
abused mercy. A feast of the body and blood of
Christ, free to you, but dear to him. You were lost,
and in the way to be lost for ever, when by the
greatest miracle of condescending love, he sought
and saved you. You were dead in sin, condemned
by the law, the slaves of Satan; there wanted no-
thing but the executing stroke of justice to have
sent you into endless misery; when our dear Re-
deemer pitied you in your blood, and shed his own
to wash and heal you. He suffered that was offended,
that the offender might not suffer. He cried out on
the cross, " My God, my God, why hast thou for-
saken me," that we who had deserved it, might not
be everlastingly forsaken. He died, that we might
475
476 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
live. O how would the mercy of redemption have
affected you, if you had first lain one year, or month,
or day in hell ! Had you but seen your dying Lord,
or seen the damned in their misery, how do you
think you should have valued the salvation that is
now revealed and tendered to you? See here Christ
dying in this holy representation. Behold the sa-
crificed Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of
the world ! It is his will to be thus frequently cru-
cified before your eyes. O how should we be co-
vered with shame, and loathe ourselves, that have
both procured the death of Christ by sin, and sin-
ned against it ! And how should we all be filled
with joy, that have such mysteries of mercy opened,
and so great salvation freely offered to us ! O
hate sin, O love this Saviour: see that you come
not hither without a desire to be more holy, nor
with a purpose to go on in wilful sin. Be not de-
ceived, God is not mocked ; but if you heartily re-
pent, and consent to the covenant, come and wel-
come ; we have commission from Christ to tell you,
that you are welcome. Let no trembling, contrite
soul draw back, that is willing to be Christ's upon
his covenant-terms, but believe that Christ is much
more willing to be yours. He was first willing, and
therefore died for you, and made the covenant of
grace, and sent to invite and importune you to con-
sent, and stayed for you so long, and gave you your
repentance, your willingness and desire. Question
not then his willingness, if you are willing. It is
Satan and unbelief that would have you question it,
to the injury both of Christ and you. Come near,
observe, believe, and wonder at the riches of his
love and grace : for he hath himself invited you to
see and taste, that you may wonder. You are sin-
ners, but he inviteth you to receive a renewed, sealed
pardon of your sins, and to give you more of his
Spirit to overcome them. See here his broken body
and his blood, the testimonies of his willingness.
Thus hath he sealed the covenant, which pardoneth
all your sins, and secureth you of your reconciliation
with God, and your adoption, and your right to
everlasting blessedness. Deny not your consent,
but heartily give up yourselves to Christ, and then
doubt not but your scarlet, crimson sins shall be
made as white as wool or snow. Object not the
number or greatness of them against his grace: there
the lord's supper. 477
is none too great for him to pardon to penitent be-
lievers. Great sins shall bring great glory to his
blood and grace. But strive you then for great
loathing of your sins, and greater love to such a God,
and greater thanks to such a Saviour. Unfeignedly
say, I am willing Lord to be wholly thine, and then
believingly take Christ, and pardon, and life, as
given you by his own appointment in the sealed co-
venant. And remember that he is coming. He is
coming with thousands of his mighty angels, to exe-
cute judgment on the ungodly, but to be glorified
in his saints, and admired in all that do believe.
And then we shall have greater things than these.
Then shall you see all the promises fulfilled, which
now are sealed to you, on which he causeth you to
trust. Revive now your love to one another, and
forgive those that have wronged you, and delight in
the communion of the saints : and then you shall be
admitted into the Church triumphant, where with
perfect saints you shall perfectly rejoice, and love
and praise the Lord for ever. Receive now a cru-
cified Christ here represented, and be contented to
take up your cross, and follow him. And then you
shall reign with a glorified Christ, in the blessed vi-
sion and fruition of that God, to whom by Christ,
you are now reconciled. Let faith and love be
working upon these things, while you are at this
holy table.
Then shall the Minister use this, or the like Prayer.
IVIost holy God, we are as stubble before thee, the Mai. 4. 1. Heb.
consuming; fire. How shall we stand before thv ho- 12 - 29 - x Sam -
liness, for we are a sinful people, laden with iniquity, j' a ,' 4 £ute"
that have gone backward and provoked the Hoiy 19. 10. Eph. 2.
One of Israel, when we were lost, thy Son did seek 5 - Luke l5 - 32 -
and save us, when we were dead in sin, thou madest c ^j °'^ j' er '
us alive. Thou sawest us polluted in our blood, 6. 28. Deut. 4.
and saidst unto us, Live. In that time of love thou 23 - Dent. 6. 5,
coveredst our nakedness, and enteredst into a cove- p'^ jqq 2 ^ 4
nant with us, and we became thine own. Thou didst Heb. 12. 25!
deliver us from the power of darkness, and translate Deu J- 9< * 2 ;
us into the kingdom of thy dear Son; and gavest ijohnalTs.' 2 "
us remission of sin, through his blood. But we are Epb. 2. 2. Gal.
grievous revolters, we have forgotten the covenant off- 24 - Matt - 22 -
the Lord our God : we were engaged to love thee with 42 "_ M ' alt " ^ '
all our hearts, and to hate iniquity, and serve thee 30. Rom. 2. 23.
478 THE KKFOIOIF.D LITURGY.
i Cor. 10. 31. diligently, and thankfully to set forth thy praise. But
Lnke8. i&\ we nave d e P art ed from thee, and corrupted ourselves
Matt. 24. 15. by self-love, and by loving the world, and the things
Psal. l. 2. that are in the world, and have fulfilled the desires of
Sf-i* '/"/' the flesh* which we should have crucified. We have
i Cor. ii. 27, neglected our duty to thee, and to our neighbour, and
28. Isa. 64. 7. the necessary care of our own salvation. We have
2°42?45 46? ^ een un P rontaD le servants, and have hid thy talents,
47. l Co/, ii'. and have dishonoured thee, whom in all things we
29. Mai. 1.7. should have pleased and glorified. We have been
ii' Psal'. so. 1 *}! ne g%ent in hearing and reading thy holy word, and
Gen. 4. 16. in meditating and conferring of it, in public and
Psal. 51. ii. private prayer, and thanksgiving, and in our prepa-
M^un^nf- rat i° n to this holy Sacrament, in the examining of
7.23. ourselves, and repenting of our sins, and stirring up
Mai. 1. 10. our hearts to a believing and thankful receiving of
t Pe ^ 2 i/? 4 ' thy grace, and to love and ioyfulness, in our com-
Isa. 5j. 10. J ~ -ii i , J i -.tt i
Psal. 51. i. munion with thee and with one another. We have
Rev. i. 5. not duly discerned the Lord's body, but have pro-
^ek- 1 ^ 2 ^ faned thy holy name and ordinance, as if the table
Heb. 8. 12. of the Lord had been contemptible. And when thou
Ezek. 33. ii. hast spoken peace to us, we returned again to folly.
Psai 35 t' ^ e ^ ave deserved, O Lord, to be cast out of thy
John 6. 37. presence, and to be forsaken, as Ave have forsaken
Hos. 14. 2. thee, and to hear our confusion, Depart from me, I
^Ihn'T't'b. 5 -'! ! tnow y° u not > y e workers of iniquity. Thou mayest
14. J u stly tell us, thou hast no pleasure in us, nor wilt
Eph. 3. 18, 19. receive an offering at our hand. But with thee
Matt'' 15 8 27 there is abundant mercy. And our advocate Jesus
John 6. 35. 5i. Christ the righteous, is the propitiation for our sins :
who bare them in his body on the cross, and made
himself an offering for them, that he might put them
away by the sacrifice of himself: have mercy upon
us, and wash us in his blood, clothe us with his
righteousness, take away our iniquities, and let them
not be our ruin, forgive them and remember them
no more : O thou that delightest not in the death of
sinners, heal our backslidings, love us freely, and
say unto our souls, that thou art our salvation. Thou
wilt in no wise cast out them that come unto thee,
receive us graciously to the feast thou hast prepared
for us, cause us to hunger and thirst after Christ and
his righteousness, that we may be satisfied. Let
his flesh and blood be to us meat and drink indeed:
and his Spirit be in us, a well of living water, spring-
ing up to everlasting life. Give us to know thy
love in Christ, which pnsseth knowledge. Though
THE LORD S SUPPER.
47.0
we have not seen him, let ns love him : and though Psal. 85. 8.
now we see him not, yet believing let us rejoice with *££• *• 3°-
joy unspeakable, and full of glory; though we are Col. 3.5.
unworthy of the crumbs that fall from thy table, Epfr. 3. 16.
yet feed us with the bread of life, and speak and PsaK 119 ' 17a '
seal up peace to our sinful, wounded souls. Soften
our hearts that are hardened by the deceitfulness of
sin : mortify the flesh, and strengthen us with might
in the inner man ; that we may live and glorify
thy grace, through Jesus Christ our only Saviour.
Amen.
Here let the Bread be brought to the Minister, and received
by him, and set upon the Table, and then the Wine in like
manner (or if they be set there before), however let him
bless them, praying in these or the like words.
Almighty God, thou are the creator and the Psal. 100. 3,
Rev. 4. 11.
17.
Lord of all things. Thou art the Sovereign Majesty { T *' m t
whom we have offended ; thou art our most loving p sa |. $ lm '£
and merciful Father, who hast given thy Son to re- Deut. 32. 6.
concile us to thyself, who hath ratified the New Vj 01 '" 3 ' 1,
_. ■, A c r^ -ii- L John 3. 16.
Testament and Covenant qi Crrace with his most Luke 22.20.
precious blood ; and hath instituted this holy Sacra- Heb. 9.17.
ment to be celebrated in remembrance of him till Luke 22, 19-
his coming. Sanctify these thy creatures of bread
and wine, which according to thy institution and
command, we set apart to this holy use, that they
may be sacramentally, the body and blood of thy
Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Then (or immediately before this Prayer) let the Minister
read the words of the Institution, saying,
Hear what the apostle Paul saith, " For I have lCor , ( J u '^
received of the Lord, that which also I deliver
unto you ; that the Lord Jesus, the same night in
which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he
had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat,
this is my body which is broken for you : this do in
remembrance of me. After the same manner also
he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This
cup is the New Testament in my blood, this do ye,
as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me ; for as
often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do
shew the Lord's death till he come."
480 THE RF FORMED LITURGY.
Then let the Minister say,
1 his bread and wine being set apart, and conse-
crated to this holy use by God's appointment, are
now no common bread and wine, but sacramentally
the body and blood of Christ.
Then let him thus pray.
Acts 7. 59, 60. IVlosT merciful Saviour, as thou hast loved us to
&i&LnkeSt!t! tne death » and suffered for our sins, the just for the
19,20. iCor.il." unjust, and hast instituted this holy Sacrament to
26. Heb. 7. 26. be used in remembrance of thee till thy coming ;
Jio; 2 6."63. hn we beseecn tllee » °y thine intercession with the Fa-
Rom. 8.9. li. ther, through the sacrifice of thy body and blood,
Heb.2.17. Col. gi ve us tne pardon of our sins, and thy quickening
27.1viau°26.26. S P irit » without which the flesh will profit us no-
Heb. 10.12! ' thing. Reconcile us to the Father ; nourish us as
John 1. 29. thy members to everlasting life. Amen.
Then let the Minister take the Bread, and break it in the
sight of the People, saying,
1 he body of Christ was broken for us, and offered
once for all to sanctify us : Behold the sacrificed
Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the
world.
In like manner let him take the Cup, and pour out the Wine
in the sight of the Congregation, saying,
W e were redeemed with the precious blood of
Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish, and without
spot.
Then let him thus pray :
Matt. 28.19. IVlosT Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and
John 15.26. the Son, by whom Christ was conceived, by whom
2Pe* ill tne P ro phets and apostles were inspired, and the
Acts 20.' 23.' ministers of Christ are qualified and called, that
Rom. 8. 9. dwellest and workest in all the members of Christ,
lPet.'is.'i^'g wnom tnou sanctifiest to the image, and for the
9. John 14. 16. service of their Head, and comfortest them that they
Eph. 1.17, 18. ma y s hew forth his praise: illuminate us, that by
i??t 2 «t* 2i* faith we may see him that is here represented to us.
L,zek. 36. 26. _ . J . . , , r ' o
Zech. 12. 10. Soften our hearts, and humble us tor our sins, feanc-
Rom. 8. 5. tify and quicken us, that we may relish the spiritual
^ m 6 - 5 ?~ 57, food, and feed on it to our nourishment and growth
Cant.' 1.' 4." in grace. Shed abroad the love of God upon our
THE LORD'S SUPPER. IBI
hearts, and draw them out in love to him. Fill us Eph. 5. 18. 20.
with thankfulness and holy joy, and with love to 1 ^'^ / 4 ' 9 *
one another; comfort us by witnessing that we are Rom. 8. 16.
the children of God. Confirm us for new obedience, i Cor. 1. 8.
Be the earnest of our inheritance, and seal us up to p "
everlasting life. Amen.
Then let the Minister deliver the Bread thus consecrated and.
broken to the Communicants, first taking and eating it
himself as one of them, when he hath said,
1 ake ye, eat ye, This is the body of Christ which i Cor. 11.21.
is broken for you, do this in remembrance of him.
In like manner he shall deliver them the Cup, first drinking
of it himself, when he hath said,
1 his cup is the New Testament in Christ's blood, Mat. 26. 27, 28.
[or Christ's blood of the New Testament,] which is 1 Cor - «• °* b >
shed for you for the remission of sins, drink ye all
of it in remembrance of him.
Let it be left to the Minister's choice, whether he will
consecrate the bread and wine together, and break the
bread, and pour out the wine immediately ; or whether
he will consecrate and pour out the wine, when the
Communicants have eaten the bread. If he do the lat-
ter, he must use the foregoing Prayers and expressions
twice accordingly, and let it be left to his discretion,
whether he will use any words at the breaking of the
bread, and pouring out the wine, or not ; and if the
Minister choose to pray but once, at the consecration,
commemoration and delivery ; let him pray as follow-
eth, or to this sense :
-Almighty God, thou art the Creator and the Lord
of all. Thou art the Sovereign Majesty whom we
have offended. Thou art our Merciful Father, who
hast given us thy Son to reconcile us to thyself;
who hath ratified the New Testament and Covenant
of Grace with his most precious blood, and hath in-
stituted this holy Sacrament to be celebrated in me-
morial of him, till his coming. Sanctify these thy
creatures of bread and wine, which according to thy
will, we set apart to this holy use, that they may be
sacramentally, the body and blood of thy Son Jesus
Christ. And through his sacrifice and intercession,
give us the pardon of all our sins, and be reconciled
vol. xv. 1 1
48*2 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
to us, and nourish us by the body and blood of
Christ to everlasting life. And to that end, give us
thy quickening Spirit to shew Christ to our believ-
ing souls, that is here represented to our senses.
Let him soften our hearts, and humble us for our
sins, and cause us to feed on Christ by faith. Let
him shed abroad thy love upon our hearts, and draw
them on in love to thee, and fill us with holy joy and
thankfulness, and fervent love to one another, let
him comfort us by witnessing that we are thy chil-
dren, and confirm us for new obedience, and be the
earnest of our inheritance, and seal us up to life
everlasting, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and
Saviour. Amen.
Let it be left to the Minister's discretion, whether to de-
liver the bread and wine to the people (at the table) only
in general, each one taking it, and applying it to them-
selves ; or to deliver it in general to so many as are in
each particular form ; or to put it into every person's
hand : as also at what season to take the contribution
for the poor. And let none of the people be forced to
sit, stand, or kneel, in the act of receiving, whose judg-
ment is against it.
The Participation being ended, let the Minister pray thus,
or to this sense.
Rora. 1. 4. "V/f
i Cor. 1.24. IVJost glorious God, how wonderful is thy power,
Eph. s. 10. anc j w i s dom, thy holiness and justice, thy love and
Rom. 3. 22. 26. • ,, • J , c ■, J .. i_ .i
'lit. 3. 4. Rom. merc y in tnis vvor k ot our redemption, by the incar-
5.6. Acts4. 12. nation, life, death, resurrection, intercession, and
j^ 11 ;' dominion of thy Son! No power, or wisdom in
Rev. 5. 12 13- neaven or eal 'th, could have delivered us but thine.
9. 10. Rom. 5. The angels desire to pry into this mystery, the hea-
20. t Pet. 1. 19. venly host do celebrate it with praises, saying, Glory
Rev. 3.2i '22 '^ e to ^°^ in tne n 'S nest ? on earth peace; good-
4. Rom. 8.' 38, will towards men. The whole creation shall pro-
39. Heb. 10. 23. claim thy praises. Blessing, honour, glory, and
Hebt 9. 15. power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne,
Eph. 4. 30. and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Worthy is
Luke 7. 47. the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and ho-
l John 4.' li. "our, and glory, for he hath redeemed us to God by
Ezek.9. is, 14. his blood, and made us kings and priests unto our
Psai. 44. 17. God. Where sin abounded, grace hath abounded
CoLs g 1 ^ much more. And hast thou indeed forgiven us so
Phil. 3*. 18— 21. great a debt, by so precious a ransom ? Wilt thou
the lord's supper. 483
indeed give us to reign with Christ in glory, and see Psal - 143 ' 10 -
thy face, and love thee, and be beloved of thee for JJJ; j"^' 133>
ever? Yea, Lord, thou hast forgiven us, and thou -z Cor. 5. 16.
wilt glorify us, for thou art faithful that hast pro- *jp h - l - n -
raised. With the blood of thy Son, with the Sacra- fcou'uii
ment, and with thy Spirit, thou hast sealed up to us Psal. 119.5.'
these precious promises. And shall we not love Luke 22 - 31.
thee, that hast thus loved us ? Shall we not love ejKii 8 .' 10 '
thy servants, and forgive our neighbours their little Rom. 16. 20.
debt ? After all this shall we again forsake thee, and i Cor - 6 - 20 -
deal falsely in thy covenant? God forbid ! O set
our affections on the things above, where Christ
sitteth at thy right hand/ Let us no more mind
earthly things, but let our conversation be in heaven,
from whence we expect our Saviour to come and
change us into the likeness of his glory. Teach us
to do thy will, O God, and to follow him, who is the
author of eternal salvation, to all them that do obey
him. Order our steps by thy word, and let not any
iniquity have dominion over us. Let us not hence-
forth live unto ourselves, but unto him who died for
us and rose again. Let us have no fellowship with
the unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them. R ° m - 12 - *•
And let our light so shine before men, that they may Jtoau&fJ 1 "
glorify thee. In simplicity, and godly sincerity,
and not in fleshly wisdom, let us have our conversa-
tion in the world. O that our ways were so directed
that we might keep thy statutes ! Though Satan will
be desirous again to sift us, and seek as a roaring
lion to devour, strengthen us to stand against his
wiles, and shortly bruise him under our feet. Ac-
cept us, O Lord, who resign ourselves unto thee,
as thine own ; and with our thanks and praise, pre-
sent ourselves a living sacrifice to be acceptable
through Christ, useful for thine honour ; being made
free from sin, and become thy servants, let us have
our fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Next add this, or some such Exhortation, if there be time.
-Dear brethren, we have been here feasted with the
Son of God at his table, upon his flesh and blood,
in preparation for the feast of endless glory. You
have seen here represented, what sin deserveth,
what Christ suffered, what wonderful love the God
of infinite goodness hath expressed to us. You have
484 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
had communion with the saints, you have renewed
your covenant of faith, and thankful obedience un-
to Christ; you have received his renewed covenant
of pardon, grace and glory unto you. O carry hence
the lively sense of these great and excellent things
upon your hearts : you came not only to receive the
mercy of an hour only, but that which may spring up
to endless joy : you came not only to do the duty of
an hour, but to promise that which you must per-
form while you live on earth. Remember daily, es-
pecially when temptations to unbelief, and sinful
heaviness assault you, what pledges of love you here
received ; remember daily, especially when the flesh,
the devil, or the world, would draw your hearts again
from God, and temptations to sin are laid before
you, what bonds God and your own consent have
laid upon you. If you are penitent believers, you
are now forgiven, and washed in the blood of Christ.
O go your way, and sin no more. No more through
wilfulness, and strive against your sins of weakness.
Wallow no more in the mire, and return not to your
vomit. Let the exceeding love of Christ constrain
you, having such promises, to cleanse yourselves
from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting ho-
liness in the fear of God: and as a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar peo-
ple, to be zealous of good works, and shew forth the
praises of him that hath called you.
Next sing part of the Hymn in metre, or some other Jit Psalm
of praise, (as the Twenty -third, One Hundred and Six-
teenth, One Hundred and Third, or One Hundredth, &;c.)
And conclude with this or the like Blessing :
IN ow the God of peace, which brought again from
the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd
of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant, make you perfect in every good work, to
do his will, working in you that which is well-pleas-
ing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be
glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism.
JLjet no Minister, that is therein unsatisfied, be
forced against his judgment, to baptize the child of
BAPTISM.
485
open atheists, idolaters, or infidels, or that are un-
baptized themselves, or of such as do not competently
understand the essentials of Christianity, (what it is
to be a Christian,) and the essentials of Baptism,
nor of such as never since they were baptized, did
personally own their baptismal covenant, by a cre-
dible profession of faith and obedience, received and
approved by some Pastor of the Church, as before
Confirmation is required, and in his Majesty's De-
claration. Nor yet the child of parents justly ex-
communicate, or that live in any notorious, scanda-
lous sin, or have lately committed such a sin, (as if
the child be gotten in adultery or fornication,) and
being justly convicted of it, refuseth penitently to
confess it, and promise reformation. But if either of
the parents be duly qualified, and present the child
to be baptized, (or another for them in case they
cannot be present), the child is to be received unto
Baptism.
And if both the natural parents are infidels, ex-
communicate, or otherwise unqualified, yet if any
become the pro-parents and owners of the child, and
undertake to educate it in the faith of Christ, and
fear of God, and so present it to be baptized, let it
be done by a Minister whose judgment doth ap-
prove it, but let no Minister be forced to it against
his judgment. Let the parents or owners come to
the Minister at some convenient time the week be-
fore, and acquaint him when they intend to offer
their child to Baptism, and give an account of their
foresaid capacity, and receive his further ministerial
assistance for the fuller understanding of the use
and benefits of the sacrament, and their own duty.
The font is to be placed to the greatest conveniency
of the Minister and people. The child or children
being there presented, the Minister may begin with
this or the like speech directed to the parent, or pa-
rents that present it.
I hat you may perform this service to God with
understanding, you must know, that God having
made man in his own image, to love and serve him,
our first parents wilfully corrupted themselves by
sin, and became the children of death, and the cap-
tives of Satan, who had overcome them by his temp-
tation : and as by one man sin entered into the
48{j THE REFORMED LITURGY.
world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all,
for that all have sinned, and came short of the glory
of God. We are conceived in sin, and are by nature
children of wrath ; for who can bring a clean thing-
out of an unclean. By the offence of one, judgment
came upon all men to condemnation. But the infi-
nite wisdom and love of the Father hath sent his
Son to be the Saviour of the world. The Word was
made flesh, and dwelt on earth, and overcame the
devil and the world ; fulfilled all righteousness, and
suffered for our sins upon the cross, and rose again,
and reigneth in glory, and will come again, and
judge the world in righteousness. In him God hath
made and offered to the world a covenant of grace,
and in it the pardon of sin to all true penitent be-
lievers, and power to be the sons of God and heirs
of heaven. This covenant is extended to the seed
also of the faithful, to give them the benefits suitable
to their age, the parents dedicating them unto God,
and entering them into the covenant, and so God in
Christ, will be their God, and number them with his
people.
This covenant is to be solemnly entered into by
baptism (which is an holy sacrament instituted by
Christ, in which a person professing the Christian
faith (or the infant of such) is baptized in water into
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in
signification and solemnization of the holy covenant,
in which, as a penitent believer, (or the seed of such)
he giveth up himself (or is by the parent given up)
to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, from
henceforth (or from the time of natural capacity) to
believe in, love and fear this blessed Trinity, against
the flesh, the devil and the world ; and this espe-
cially on the account of redemption : and is solemnly
entered a visible member of Christ and his Church,
a child of God, and an heir of heaven. How great
now is the mercy, and how great the duty that is
before you? Is it a small mercy for this child to be
accepted into the covenant of God, and washed from
its original sin in the blood of Christ, which is sig-
nified and sealed by this sacramental washing in
water, to be accepted as a member of Christ and of
his Church, where he vouchsafeth his protection and
provision, and the means and Spirit of grace, and the
renewed pardon of sin upon repentance, and for you
,to see this happiness of your child? The duty on
BAPTISM.
your part, is, first to see that you are stedfast in the
faith and covenant of Christ, that you perish not
yourself, and that your child is indeed the child of
a believer; and then you are believingly and thank-
fully to dedicate your child to God, and to enter
it into the covenant in which you stand. And you
must know, that your faith and consent, and dedi-
cation will suffice for your children no longer than
till they come to age themselves; and then they must
own their baptismal covenant, and personally renew
it, and consent, and give up themselves to God, or
else they will not be owned by Christ. You must
therefore acquaint them with the doctrine of the
Gospel as they grow up, and with the covenant now
made, and bring them up in the fear of the Lord.
And when they are actually penitent believers, they
must present themselves to the Pastors of the
Church, to be approved and received into the com-
munion of the adult believers.
If the persons be before well instructed in the nature of
Baptism, and time require brevity, the Minister may
omit the first part of this Speech, and begin at the
description of Baptism, or after it. If there be need of
satisfying the people of the duty of baptizing infants,
the Minister may here do it : otherwise let the questions
here immediately follow.
The Minister shall here say to the Parent, and the Parent
answer as follow eth.
i-T being the faithful and their seed to whom the
promises are made; and no man will sincerely dedi-
cate his child to that God that he believeth not in
himself; I therefore require you to make profession
of your own faith.
Quest. Do you believe in God the Father Almigh-
ty, &c.
Answ. All this I do unfeignedly believe.
Quest. Do you repent of your sins, and renounce
the flesh, the devil, and the world, and consent to
the covenant of grace, giving up yourself to God the
Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as your Creator and
reconciled Father, your Redeemer and your Sancti-
fier?
Answ. I do.
[Or thus rather, if the Parent be fit to utter his
own faith.]
487
488 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
Quest. Do you remain stedfast in the covenant
which you made in Baptism yourself?
Answ. Repenting of my sins, I do renounce the
flesh, the devil, and the world, and I give up myself
to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, my Crea-
tor and reconciled Father, my Redeemer and my
Sanctifier.]
Quest. Do you present and dedicate this child
unto God, to be baptized into this faith, and so-
lemnly engaged in this covenant unto God the Fa-
ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, against the flesh, the
devil, and the world?
Answ. It is my desire, (or) I do present, and dedi-
cate him for this end.
Quest. Do you here solemnly promise, that if God
continue it with you till it be capable of instruc-
tions, you will faithfully endeavour to acquaint this
child with the covenant in which he was here by
you engaged, and to instruct and exhort him to per-
form this covenant, as ever he looks for the bless-
ings of it, or to escape the curses and wrath of God ;
that is, that he renounce the flesh, the world, and
the devil : and live not after them : and that he be-
lieve in this one God, in three persons, the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, his Creator, Redeemer and
Sanctifier. That he resign himself to him as his
absolute owner, and obey him as his Supreme Go-
vernor, and love him as his most gracious Father,
hoping to enjoy him as his felicity in endless glory?
Answ. I will faithfully endeavour it.
Quest. Will you to this end faithfully endeavour
to cause him to learn the articles of the Christian
faith, the Lord's-prayer, and the ten Commandments,
and to read or hear the holy Scriptures, and to at-
tend on the public preaching of God's word? Will
you endeavour by your own teaching and example,
and restraint, to keep him from wickedness, and
train him up in a holy life?
Answ. I will faithfully endeavour it by the help
of God.
Then let the Minister pray thus, or to this sense.
Rom. 5.12. most merciful Father, by the first Adam sin en-
Eph. 2. 3. John tered into the world, and death by sin, and we are
3. 16. Gcr. a n by nature children of wrath ; but thou hast given
Heb. p"o6. '"' thy only Son, to be the Seed of the woman, the Sa-
Rev.i.i5- viourof the world, the Captain of our salvation, to
BAPTISM) 489
nut away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and to wash Rom. 5 10.
us in his blood, and reconcile us unto thee, and to Jg to u b 8
renew us by the Holy Ghost, and to bruise Satan 6. Matt. 28. 1 9,
under our feet : in him thou hast established the 20. Gen. 17.
covenant of grace, and hast appointed this holy go sr ■nJhe'"
sacrament of Baptism for our solemn entrance into 3, '4. Tit. 3. 5.
the bonds of the covenant, and stating us in the 1 Cor - 12.12.
blessings of it, which thou extendest to the faithful ^acttJ^J"
and their seed. We dedicate and offer this child to Mutt. 23 37*
thee, to be received into thy covenant and church. Deut.30. 10,11,
We beseech thee to accept him as a member of thy JI'j^ 1 ^ 13 '
Son, and wash him in his blood from the guilt of 12, 13. Rev.'i.
sin, as the flesh is washed by this water. Be recon- 5. Eph. 5. 26.
ciled to him, and take him for thy child, renew hi'&jjVais*!: h
to the image of thy Son, make him a fellow citizen 2 . 19; 3. 15.
with the saints, and one of thy household. Protect Zech. 9. 11.15,
him and provide for him as thy own, and finally pre- * 6 - 1 P f t ' 1 ^' 7 '
serve him to thy heavenly kingdom, through Jesus
Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Then the Minister shall ask of the Parent the name of the
Child to be baptized, and naming him, shall either dip
him under the water, or else pour the water upon his
face, if he cannot be safely or conveniently dipt, and
shall use these words without alteration.
I Baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
And he shall thus declare.
1 his child is now received by Christ's appointment
into his Church, and solemnly entered into the holy
covenant, and engaged, if he lives to the use of reason,
to rise with Christ to newness of life, as being buried
with him by baptism, and to bear his cross, and con-
fess Christ crucified, and faithfully to fight under his
banner against the flesh, the devil, and the world,
and to continue his faithful soldier and servant to
the death, that he may receive the crown of life.
Then he shall give thanks and pray.
We thank thee, most merciful Father, that when J^'Ag 2, 18, ,
we had broken the law, and were condemned by it, x j^; 5 \ u
thou hadst given us a Saviour, and life in him, and Acts 2. 39.
hast extended thy covenant of grace to believers, and i ?'" 1 . 2 ** 2 ' 13,
. 1 , • i it-' 1 ■! 1 , rssLl. 44. 3. 4.
to their seed, and hast now received this child into 2Coi .. 8 . 5 .
thy covenant and church, as a member of Christ by PmI.119.91.
490 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
Epb.5. 24. this sacrament of regeneration. We beseech thee,
T) Iat t*io 20' * et n ' m g row U P * n holiness ; and when he comes to
21 ,1 1.22-— 30. years of discretion, let thy Spirit reveal unto him
Psal. 16.5; 27. the mysteries of the Gospel, and the riches of thy
4. Tit. 1. 2; 2. j e J Jesus Christ ; and cause him to renew and
1 John 2.5,6.17. perform the covenant that he hath now made, and to
Gal. 5. 14. resign himself, and all that he hath, entirely unto
P^Tsi' ^ t ^ iee k* s Lord, to be subject and obedient to thee his
James 1! 14. Governor and to love thee his Father with all his
Luke 1.71. heart, and soul, and might, and adhere unto thee,
1 Cor. 10. 16. an( j delight in thee as the portion of his soul, desir-
1 John 1.7.. , » f . ,
2 Cor. 6. 14. ing and hoping to enjoy thee in everlasting glory.
1 Pet. 1. 2. Save him from the lusts and allurements of the flesh,
Juke^s tne tem P tatlons of the devil, and the baits of plea-
Heb. 2.10'. sure, profit and honour of the world, and from all
Rev. 2. 10. the corruptions of his own heart, and all the hurtful
violence of his enemies. Keep him in communion
with the saints, in the love and use of thy word and
worship. Let him deny himself, and take up his
cross and follow Christ the Captain of his salvation,
and be faithful unto the death, and then receive the
crown of life, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Then use this Exhortation or the like to the Parents.
You that have devoted this child to God, and en-
gaged it in covenant to him, must be thankful for so
great a mercy to the child, and must be faithful in
performing what you have promised on your parts,
in instructing and educating this child in the faith
and fear of God, that he may own and perform the
covenant now made, and receive all the blessings
which God hath promised. Hear what God hath
Epb. 6. 4. made your duty, " Fathers provoke not your children
to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and ad-
Pmv. 22. 6. monition of the Lord." " Train up a child in the
way he should go, and when he is old he will not de-
Prov.29. 15. part from it." " The rod and reproof give wisdom,
but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to
Dcut. 6. 5, 6, 7. shame." " Thou shaltlove the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might ;
and these words which I command thee this day,
shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt teach them
diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of
them when thou sittest in the house, and when thou
walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and
Josk. 21. 1 J- when thou risest up." Joshua saith, " As for me and
my house we will serve the Lord." And Paul saith
BAPTISM. 491
of Timothy, " From a child thou hast known the * Tim. 3. 15.
holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ
Jesus."
Then say to the People thus, or to this sense.
lou have heard beloved, how great a dignity we
were advanced to in our baptism, to how great duty
we are all engaged. O search and try, whether you
have kept or broken the covenant which you made,
and have lived according to the dignity of your
calling. And if any of you be atheists, unbelievers,
or ungodly, and love not God above all, and neglect
Christ and his salvation, and are yet unsanctified,
and live after the flesh, the devil, and the world;
which you here renounced ; as you love your souls,
bewail your perfidious covenant-breaking with God.
Trust not the water of baptism alone: if you are j t, 3. 5, 6.
not " born again of the Spirit also, you cannot enter
into the kingdom of God." Baptism will not save 1 p e t. 3. 21.
you, if you have not the answer of a good conscience
unto God. " If any man have not the Spirit of Rom. 8- 9.
Christ, the same is none of his." Much less those
wretches that hate sanctification, and despise and
scorn a holy life, when they were by baptism engaged
to the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier ; can you think to
be saved by the covenant which you keep not? O no !
Your perfidiousness aggravateth your sin and misery.
" When thou vowest a vow to God, defer not to pay Eccl. 5,4, 5.
it, for he hath no pleasure in fools : pay that which
thou hast vowed ; better it is that thou shouldest
not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not
pay." O bless the Lord, that it is a covenant of
such grace which is tendered to you. That upon
true repentance and conversion, even your covenant-
breaking shall be forgiven; and therefore penitently
cast down yourselves before the Lord, and believ-
ingly cast yourselves on Christ, and yield to the
teachings, and sanctifying operations of the Holy
Ghost. Yet know the day of your visitation, and
forsake the flesh, the devil, and the world, and turn
to God with all your hearts, and give up yourselves
entirely to your Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier,
and he will have mercy upon you, and will abun-
dantly pardon you. But if you still live after the
flesh, you shall die : and if you continue to neglect
this great salvation, there reniaineth no more saeri-
492 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
fice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for of judg-
ment, and fire, which shall devour the adversaries.
Let no children be privately baptized, nor any
Minister forced to baptize them any where, besides
in the public assembly, unless upon some special
weighty cause. If there be occasion for baptizing
the adult, let the Minister accordingly suit his ex-
pressions.
Of Catechising, and the Approbation of those
that are to be admitted to the Lord's Supper.
ueeing none can be saved at years of discretion,
that do not actually believe, and personally give up
themselves in covenant to God the Father, Son and
Holy Ghost ; therefore as parents must do their
parts, so Ministers must catechise the ignorant, and
diligently labour to cause them both to learn the
form of wholesome words, (even the Lord's-prayer
and the ten Commandments, and some brief, yet
full and sound catechism,) and to understand the
meaning of them, and to engage their hearts into
the love of God, and a holy obedience to his laws.
To this end, let the Minister, either every Lord's-
day, before the Evening Prayers, or at some con-
venient hour, or on some other day of the week, as
oft as he can, examine publicly such as are not ad-
mitted to the Lord's-supper, and take an acconnt
of their learning, and understanding the Creed, the
ten Commandments, the Lord's-prayer and the
Catechism. And let him by questioning and ex-
plication, help them to understand them ; and let
such of the several families of the parish come in
their turns, when they are called by the Minister to
be thus catechised. Also let the Minister either go
to their houses, or rather appoint the persons afore-
said in their courses at a certain hour and place, (in
the church or any other fit place,) to come to him
for personal instructions, where he may confer with
those that are unmeet to be catechised publicly, or
unwilling to submit to it, and there with humble,
prudent, serious instruction and exhortation, let
him endeavour to acquaint them with the substance
of Christian faith and duty, and to help them to
make sure their calling and election, and to pre-
THE CATECHISM. 493
pare for death and judgment, and exhort them to
love, and to good works, and warn them lest they
be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. But
let him not in public or private meddle with im-
pertinencies, or spend the time about smaller mat-
ters, or singular opinions, nor sift people to know
things unfit or unnecessary to be disclosed, nor
meddle with matters that do not concern him as a
Minister, to inquire after ; but help them to learn,
and understand, and practise the Christian religion
expressed in the catechism.
The Catechism.
i-JET none be admitted by the Minister to the sa- See the Ru *
crament of the Lord's-supper, till they have at cn ; sm ° nd Q on .
years of discretion understood the meaning of their firmation in the
Baptismal covenant, and with their own mouths, Comm ° n Pra y"
and their own consent openly before the Church, Majesty's ''De-
ratified and confirmed, and also promised, that by clarationconcer-
the grace of God, they will evermore endeavour n . in S Ecciesias-
themselves faithfully to observe and keep such tlca
things as by their mouth and confession they have
assented to ; and so being instructed in the Chris-
tian religion, do openly make a credible profession
of their own faith, and promise to be obedient to
the will of God.
A profession is credible, when it is made under-
standing^, seriously, voluntarily, deliberately, aud
not nullified by contradiction in word or deed.
And that profession is incredible, that is made igno-
rantly, ludicrously, forcedly, rashly, or that is nul-
lified by verbal or practical contradiction. And it
must be practice first, that must make words credi-
ble, when the person by perfidiousness hath forfeit-
ed his credit. It is not private persons only, but
the Pastors of the Church that must approve of this
profession. Therefore, before any are admitted to
the Lord's-supper, they shall give a good account of
their knowledge, faith, and Christian conversation
conformable thereunto, unto the Pastors of their
respective congregations, or else shall produce a
certificate, that they have been approved or admit-
ted to the Lord's-supper in another congregation,
of which they were members, and that by an allow-
ed Minister, upon such approved profession as
aforesaid.
If the person be able and willing, let him before
4^4 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
the congregation give the aforesaid account at large,
of his knowledge, faith and obedience : but if
through backwardness, or disability for public
speech, he shall refuse it, let him make the same
profession privately to the Minister, and own it in
the assembly, when the Minister shall declare it,
and ask him whether he owns it: but unless it be
in case of some extraordinary natural imperfec-
tion, and disability of utterance, let him at least
openly recite the Creed, and profess his consent to
the covenant with God the Father, Son, and Holv
Ghost. J
Let the Minister of every parish keep a double
register ; one of the names ofall that are there bap-
tized ; another of the names of all that are approved
upon their foresaid credible profession, and so ad-
mitted into the number of communicants, or that
have a certificate of such approbation, regularly
elsewhere performed.
And if confirmation be continued, let his Majes-
ty's Declaration be observed, requiring, 'That con-
firmation be rightly and solemnly performed, by
the information, and with the consent of the Minis-
ter of the place.'
Let no Minister be enforced to admit any himself
to the Lord's-supper, who hath been clancularly
and irregularly approved.
Those that after this approbation, prove scanda-
lous offenders, shall not by the Minister be suffered
to partake of the Lord's-table, until they have open-
ly declared themselves to have truly repented, and
amended their former naughty lives.
Of the Celebration of Matrimony.
■Defore the solemnizing of marriage between any
persons, their purpose of marriage shall be pub-
lished by the Minister, three several Lord's-days in
the congregation, at the place or places of their
most usual abode respectively. And of this publi-
cation, the Minister who is to join them in marriage,
shall have sufficient testimony, before he proceed
to solemnize the marriage ; the parents' consent
being first sufficiently made known.
At the, celebration, the Minister shall either by a
M ATRIMO N Y . 495
sermon, or other exhortation, open to them the in-
stitution, ends, and use of marriage, with the con-
jugal duties which they are faithfully to perform to
each other. And then shall demand of them whe-
ther it be their desire and purpose to be joined to-
gether in the bond of the marriage-covenant, and
if they answer affirmatively, he shall say to them,
1 require and charge you, as you will answer at
the dreadful day of judgment (when the secrets of
all hearts shall be disclosed) that if either of you
do know any impediment by pre-contract or other-
wise, why you may not lawfully be joined together
in marriage, you discover it, and proceed not.
If no impediment be discovered by them or others, he
shall proceed to pray.
Most merciful Father, who hast ordained mar- Geu. g. 18; 1.
r. iii j r 1.1 c ™ 28. Mai. 2. 15.
nage for mutual help, and lor the increase ot man- 2Cor>7> 14<9>
kind with a legitimate issue, and of the church with Heb. 13.4.
a holy seed, and for prevention of uncleanness ; Lukei. 6. ^
bless thy own ordinance to these persons, that en- Mal.Vis, 16.°'
tering this state of marriage in thy fear, they may p S al. 127.3.
there entirely devote themselves unto thee, and be M at 19. 13, i|.
faithful in all conjugal affections and duties unto E 2'.i 6 ' .8.'
each other, [and if thou bless them with children] p rov . no. 7.
Tr , , . let them be devoted unto thee, Eph.6. 4.
If thcv be young, it may .. , ,. 1 Pet. 3. 1. 7.
be said, Bless them with and accepted as thine own MTim3ill;5i
children, and let them be and blessed with thy grace, 13, 14. 1 Cor. 7.
devoted, &c. and educated in thy fear. Sub- 5. 29. Gen.^2.
due those corruptions that would make their lives Heb. laW.
unholy or uncomfortable, and deliver them from i Cor. 7. 29.
temptations to impiety, worldliness, unquietness, Luke 12. 40.
discontent or disaffection to each other, or to any ^ e ^\g[ 7 '.
unfaithfulness, to thee or to each other ; make them John 17. 24.
meet helps to each other in thy fear, and in the law-
ful management of the affairs of this world. Let
them not hinder, but provoke one another to love
and to good works ; and foreseeing the day of their
separation by death, let them spend their days in an
holy preparation, and live here together as the heirs
of life that must rejoice at the great marriage day of
the Lamb, and live for ever with Christ and all the
holy angels and saints in the presence of thy glory.
Amen.
496 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
The woman if she be under Parents or Governors, being by
one of them, or some deputed by them, given to be mar-
ried, the man with his right hand shall take the woman
by the right hand and shall say,
1 A. do take thee B. to be my married wife, and
do promise and covenant in the presence of God,
and before this congregation, to be a loving and
faithful husband to thee, till God shall separate us
by death.
Then the woman shall take the man by the right hand, with
her right hand, and say,
I B. do take thee A. to be my married husband,
and I do promise and covenant in the presence of
God, and before this congregation, to be a loving,
obedient, and faithful wife unto thee, till God shall
separate us by death.
Then let the Minister say,
These two persons, A. and B. being lawfully mar-
ried according to God's ordinance, I do pronounce
them husband and wife. And those whom God
hath conjoined, let no man put asunder.
Next he may read the duty of Husbands and Wives out of
Eph. v. 2. Col. iv. 2. 1 Pet. 3. and Psalm exxviii, or
some other pertinent Psalm may be said or sung : and let
the Minister exhort them to their several duties, and then
pray :
Gen. 28.3. iVlosT merciful Father, let thy blessings rest upon
Tit. l. 15. these persons, now joined in lawful marriage; sanc-
l Cor 10. 3*1. *ify tnem an d their conversations, their family, es-
l Thes. 3. 12. tates, and affairs, unto thy glory. Furnish them
Eph. 5. 25. with love to thee and to each other, with meekness,
RonV^fi! 13 P at i ence > an d contentedness. Let them not live
Gd. 6. 's. unto the flesh, but unto the Spirit, that of the Spi-
rit they may reap everlasting life, through Jesus
Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Then let him conclude with a Benediction.
vJod Almighty, the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanc-
tifier, bless you in your souls and bodies, families,
and affairs, and preserve you to his heavenly king-
dom. Amen.
VI SIT. OF THE SICK. BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 497
The Visitation of the Sick, and their
Communion.
1 he Visitation of the Sick being a private duty,
and no part of the public Liturgy of the Church,
and the case of the sick being so exceeding various,
as to soul and body ; and it being requisite that mi-
nisters be able to suit their exhortations and prayers
to the condition of the sick, but the words of such
exhortations and prayers be left to their prudence.
So urgent is the necessity of the sick, and so sea-
sonable and advantageous the opportunity, that mi-
nisters may not negligently over-pass them, but in
love and tenderness instruct them according to their
several conditions ; endeavouring the conversion of
the ungodly, the strengthening of the weak, and
comforting such as need consolation, directing them
how to improve their afflictions, and helping them
to be sensible of the evil of sin, the negligences and
miscarriages of their lives, the vanity of the world,
their necessity of a Saviour, the sufficiency of Christ,
the certainty and excellency of the everlasting glory ;
exhorting them to repentance and to faith in Christ,
and to set their affections on the things above ; and
(if they are penitent believers) comfortably to hope
for the kingdom which God hath promised to them
that love him, committing their souls to their Re-
deemer, and quietly resting in the will, and love,
and promises of God ; resolving if God shall reco-
ver them to health, to redeem the time, and live the
rest of their lives unto his glory. And being wil-
ling, if it be their appointed time, to depart and be
with Christ: and they must be exhorted to forgive
such as have wronged them, and to be reconciled to
those with whom they have been at variance, and to
make a pious, just, and charitable disposal of their
worldly estates.
The Order of Solemnizing the Burial of the
Dead.
It is agreeable to nature and religion, that the bu-
rial of Christians be solemnly and decently per-
formed. As to the cases, Whether the corpse shall
vol. xv. K K
'L98 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
be carried first into the church, that is to be buried
in the church-yard ; and whether it shall be buried
before the sermon, reading, or prayer, or after, or in
the midst of the reading, or whether any prayer shall
be made at the grave, for the living; let no Chris-
tians uncharitably judge one another about these
things. Let no people keep up groundless usages,
that being suspicious grieve their minister and offend
their brethren. Let no minister that scrupleth the
satisfying of people's ungrounded desires in such
things, be forced to do it against his conscience ;
and \bt ministers that do use any of these customs
or ceremonies, have liberty, when they suspect that
the people desire them upon some error, to profess
against that error, and teach the people better.
Whether the minister come with the company
that brings the corpse from the house, or whether
he meet them, or receive them at the burial place,
is to be left to his own discretion. But while he
is with them, let him gravely discourse of man's
mortality, and the useful truths and duties thence
to be inferred : and either at the grave, or in the
reading place, or pulpit, by way of sermon, accord-
ing to his discretion. Let him (at least if it be de-
sired) instruct and exhort the people concerning
death, and the life to come, and their necessary pre-
paration ; seeing the spectacle of mortality, and the
season of mourning, do tend to prepare men for a
sober, considerate entertainment of such instruc-
tions : and he may read such Scriptures as may mind
them of death, resurrection, and eternal life, as
1 Cor. 15, or from verse 10, to the end, and Job i. 21.
and xix. 25, 26, 27. John xi. 25, 26. and v. 28, 29.
And his prayer shall be suited to the occasion.
Whenever the rain, snow, or coldness of the sea-
son, make it unhealthful to the minister or people
to stand out of doors, at least then let the reading,
exhortation, and prayers, be used within the church.
Of Extraordinary Days of Humiliation and
Thanksgiving, and Anniversary Festivals.
VV hen great afflictions lie upon the Church, or
any special part or members of it, or when any great
sins have been committed anions; them, it is meet
ANNIVERSARY FESTIVALS. 4RQ
that in public, by fasting and prayer, we humble
ourselves before the Lord, for the averting of his dis-
pleasure ; and on such occasions it is the pastor's
duty to confess his own, and the people's sins, with
penitence, and tenderness of heart, and by his doc-
trine and exhortation, to endeavour effectually to
bring the people to the sight and sense of their sin,
and the deserts of it, and to a firm resolution of better
obedience for the time to come, being importunate
with God in prayer for pardon and renewed grace.
Upon the receipt of great and extraordinary mer-
cies, the Church (having opportunity) is to assem-
ble for public thanksgiving unto God, and the mi-
nister to stir up the people to a lively sense of the
greatness of those mercies, and joyfully to celebrate
the praises of God, the author of them. And it is
not unmeet on these days to express our joy in
feasting and outward signs of mirth, provided they
be used moderately, spiritually, and inoffensively,
and not to gratify our sensual desires, and that we
relieve the poor in their necessities (which also on
days of humiliation and other seasons, we must not
forget). The occasions of such days of humiliation
and thanksgiving being so various, as cannot be
well suited by any standing forms, the minister is to
apply himself to the respective duties, suitable to
the particular occasions.
Though it be not unlawful or unmeet to keep an-
niversary commemoration by festivals, of some great
and notable mercies to the Church or State, the me-
mory whereof should be transmitted to posterity,;
nor to give any persons their due honour who have
been the instruments thereof: yet because the fes-
tivals of the Church's institution now observed, are
much abused, and many sober godly persons, mi-
nisters, and others, are unsatisfied of the lawfulness
of the celebrating them as holidays, let the abuse
be restrained ; and let not the religious observation
of those days by public worship, be forced upon
any that are thus unsatisfied, provided they for-
bear all offensive behaviour thereupon.
Of Prayer and Thanksgiving for particular
Members of the Church.
JlJesides the petitions that are put up for all in
such distresses, in the General prayer, it is meet that
500 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
persons in dangerous sickness, or other great afflic-
tion of body or mind ; and women that are near the
time of child-bearing, when they desire it, shall be
particularly recommended to God in the public
prayers of the Church. Because all the members
constitute one body, and must have the same care
one for another, as suffering all with one that suf-
fereth, and rejoicing all with one that is honoured,
And the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous,
especially of the whole congregation, availeth much
with God. But because diseases, distresses, and
grief of mind, are so various that no forms that are
particular can suit them all ; and because every mi-
nister should be able to suit his prayers to such va-
rious necessities of the people : we desire, that it
may be left to his discretion to pray for such ac-
cording to their several cases, before or after ser-
mon. But we desire that except in case of sudden
necessity, they may send in their bills of request to
him, the night before, that he may consider of their
cases, and may publish only such, and in such ex-
pressions, as in prudence he shall judge meet for
the ears of the assembly.
In the more ordinary cases of persons in sickness,
danger, and distress, and that are delivered from
them ; these following prayers may be used, or such
like.
A Prayer for the Sick, that is in hopes of Recovery.
Kami. 6.32. 23. lVl OST merciful Father, though our sin doth find us
llm. 3.22." out » an d we are justly afflicted for our transgres-
Ezra9. 13. sions, yet are we not consumed in thy wrath ; but
thou punishest us less than our iniquities do de-
lam, s. 32, 33. serve ; though thou causest grief, yet wilt thou
have compassion according to the multitude of thy
mercies, for thou dost not willingly afflict and grieve
Isa. 57. 15— 17. the children of men : thou revivest the spirit of the
Psal. 25.18. humble, and the heart of the contrite ones, for thou
wilt not contend for ever, neither wilt thou be al-
ways wroth, for the spirit would fail before thee, and
Psal. 6. i. the soul which thou hast made. Look down in ten-
9 * der mercy on the affliction of this thy servant; O
Lord, rebuke him not in thy wrath ; neither chasten
Psal. g. 2, 3. 5. him in thy hot displeasure. All his desire is before
thee, and his groaning is not hid from thee ; have
PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS. 501
mercy upon him, O Lord, for he is weak. O Lord p sa i. 78. 39.
heal him, whose bones and soul is vexed. In death
there is no remembrance of thee. In the grave who
shall give thee thanks? Remember that we are but Job is. 25.
flesh, a wind that passeth away and cometh not
again : wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro, and
wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? Remember not Psal. 25. 7. i8 t
the iniquities of his youth, or his transgressions : " 6 - J
look upon his affliction, and his pain, and lorgive Psa]- 119 . ir5
all his sins. Though the sorrows of death do com- Luke 4. 39.
pass him about, yet if it be for thy glory and his Jj^J^Jj.
good, recover him, and let him live and praise thy Job i<>. '& '
name. Rebuke his sickness, direct unto such means Psal. 139. is.
as thou wilt bless. In the time of his trouble we Jjjf- f^ ^ .
call upon thee, do thou deliver him, and let him glo- ' 6r . '
rify thee; however shew him the sin that doth of-
fend thee, let him search and try his ways, and con-
fess and turn from his iniquity, and let it be good
for him that he was afflicted. Let this be the fruit i sa . g7 . 9 .
of it to purge and take away his sin, that being chas- i Cor. n. 32.
tened of the Lord, he may not be condemned with ^.wl— 27.
the world. And though chastisement for the pre- '3^
sent seemeth not to be joyous, but grievous, yet af- Psal. 30. 5.
terwards let it yield the peaceable fruit of righte- 1 ^'^- 6 ' 7 -
ousness to this thy servant, that is exercised therein.
In the meantime, O Lord, be thou his portion, who
art good to the soul that seeketh thee, and waiteth
for thee. Let him patiently and silently bear thy
yoke, let him hope and quietly wait for thy salva-
tion: considering that thou wilt not cast off for Psal. 11 6. 9.
ever: that thy anger is but for a moment, but in thy Psal gof, '^
favour is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but 2 <jor. i. 9';
joy cometh in the morning: and that whom thou 4.16.
lovest, thou chastenest, and scourgest every son 5 * 8 '
whom thou receivest ; and that if he endure chasten-
ing, thou dealest with him as a son. If he be re- Heb. 10. .38.
covered, let him devote himself entirely to thy
glory : that when thou hast put off his sackcloth
and mourning, and girded him with gladness, he 2 Cor. 14. is.
may speak thy praise, and give thee thanks. If he
receive the sentence of death in himself, let it cause
him to trust in thee that raisest the dead, knowing n.
that as thou didst raise up the Lord Jesus, thou
wilt raise him up also by Jesus : therefore suffer not Phil. 3. 9.
his hope to faint: but though his outward man pe-
rish, yet let his inner man be renewed from day to
day: and let him live by faith, and look at the things 1 Cor. 10. 1.1.
002
Heb. 2. 14.
1 Cor. 15. 55.
Horn. 3. 37.
Co). 3. 1.
John 20. 17
14. 23
17.26
17. 24.
Phil. 1.2.
Psal. 16. 11.
THE KKFOKMKD LITURGY.
which are not seen, ever at the exceeding, eternal
weight of glory. Let him be found in Christ, not
having his own righteousness, but that which is of
God by faith. Restrain the tempter, and deliver
thy servant from the sinful fears of death, by Christ,
who, through death, destroyed the devil that had
the power of death ; that he may find that death
hath lost his sting, and triumph over it by faith in
him, through whom we are made more than con-
querors. That, by faith and love, his soul may now
ascend with Christ, that ascended unto his Father
and our Father, and to his God and our God, and is
gone to prepare a place for us, and hath promised,
that where he is, there his servants shall be also :
that they may behold the glory which thou hast
given him. Magnify thyself in his body, whether
by life or death, and safely bring him into thy glo-
rious presence, where is fulness of joy, and everlast-
ing pleasures, through Jesus Christ our Life and
Righteousness. Amen.
A Prayer for Women drawing near the time of Child-
1 Tim. 2. 14
Gen. 3. 16.
1 Tim. 2. 15
Psal. 46. 1.
Tsa. 37. 3.
John 16. 12.
Deut. 28. 4
bearing.
JVlosT merciful Father, who hast justly sentenced
woman, that was first in the transgression, to great
and multiplied sorrows, and particularly in sorrow
to bring forth children; yet grantest preservation
and relief, for the propagation of mankind. Be
• merciful to this thy servant, be near her with thy
i Sam. 2; i'. 2s! present help, in the needful time of trouble, and
though in travail she hath sorrow, give her strength
to bring forth. Being delivered, let her remember
no more the anguish, for joy that a child is born in-
to the world. Bless her in the fruit of her body,
and being safely delivered, let her return thee hearty
thanks, and devote it and the rest of her life to thy
service, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
A Thanksgiving for those that are restored, from Danger-
ous Sickness.
Psal. 30. 2; 3. ** E thank thee, O most gracious God, that thou
4; 66.20; has heard us when we cried unto thee, for thy ser-
30.3,103. vant j n jjj s weakness and distress, that thou hast
Isa. 38. io. 12. not turned away our prayer nor thy mercy from
Jer. 26. 3. i3. him : we cried to thee, and thou hast delivered and
Psal. 103. 5. healed him, thou hast brought him from the grave,
F () 11 W O M E \ J \ C H 1 L D-B EAK1 X G .
503
thou hast kept him alive, that he should not go Isa. 38. n.
down into the pit, thou hast forgiven his iniquity, Psal '.^f" l3 >'.
and healed his diseases, thou hast redeemed his life io&s**-
from destruction, and hast crowned him with loving- 52. 6.7
kindness and tender mercies, thou hast not deprived £**• ~ ( ]<
him of the residue of his years, thou hast repented 34! 19';
thee of the evil : his age is not departed ; thou hast 73. 19.23.
renewed his youth, and given him to see man, with
the inhabitants of the world ; and to see the good-
ness of the Lord, in the land of the living. Day
and night thy hand was heavy upon him, but thou
hast turned away thy wrath, and hast forgiven the
iniquity of his sin; for this every one that is godly Psal. 60. 11 ;
shall pray unto thee in a time of trouble ; thou art „ , 4 . 6 ' 1 * ...
, . ,f J , , „ ' , , Psal. 116. 1. 12.
a hiding-place, thou preservest us from trouble: 18.13,14.
when our flesh and our heart faileth us, thou art the Isa. 38. 20.
strength of our heart, and our portion for ever; ia-£ \l' £'■»&*
deed, Lord, thou art good unto thine Israel ; even ] Can i. 30.
to such as are clean of heart; many are the afflic-
tions of the righteous, but thou deliverest them out
of all ; though all the day long they be afflicted,
and chastened every morning, yet are they con-
tinually with thee; thou holdest them by thy right
hand, thou art a present help in trouble, when all
the help of man is vain. Let thy servant love thee,
because thou hast heard his voice and supplication,
let him offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving;
and pay his vows to the Most High ; and take the
cup of salvation, and call upon thee all his days :
let him be wholly devoted to thy praise, and glorify
thee in soul and body, as being thine, and seasona-
bly depart in peace unto thy glory : through Jesus
Christ, our Life and Righteousness. Amen.
A Thanksgiving for the Deliverance of
Women, in Child-hearing.
W e return thee thanks, most gracious God, that Psal. 34. 3, 4.
thou hast heard our prayers for this thy handmaid ; R ^ v- 1 - 18 -
j u i. u 1. ' l i " j*. *• i'U ■* 1 Sam. 2. 6.
and hast been her help in the time or her necessity, Psa | 113> 9 .
and delivered her from her fears and sorrows : death 127. 3;
and life are in thy power, thou killest and thou 42 A 4 '.
makest alive, thou bringest down to the grave, and 115. 9' 20.
thou bringest up; thou makest the barren to keep 14.
house, and to be a joyful mother of children. We
thank thee, that thou hast given thy servant to see
504 T H E H E FOR U E D LITURGY.
Psai. 19. the fruit of her womb, and that thou hast brought
Deut. 28. 8. her again to thy holy assembly, to go with the mul-
titude to thy house, and worship thee with the voice
of joy and praise, that she may enter into thy gates
with thanksgiving, and into thy courts with praise,
and we may all be thankful to thee on her behalf,
and speak good of thy name. Thou- art good, O
Isa. ii. 3. Lord, to all, and thy tender mercies are over all thy
S'lu;!' ,4 ' works; tnou preservest them that love thee; thou
Isa. 83. io. raisest up them that are bowed down ; thou fulfillest
Mai. 2. 15. the desire of them that fear thee, thou also dost hear
Eph.'e!^ 4 ' ^eir CY y> an d save them, command thy blessing yet
Deut. 6. 6. upon thy servant and her offspring ; let her not for-
Prov. 6.33. get thee and thy mercies, but let her devote the
Z°di 1I20 21. ^ e vvn ich t^ 011 h ast given her to thy service, and
Psai. 9i.4.' educate her offspring, as a holy seed, in the nurture
l John 2. 15. and admonition of the Lord, and as thou hast said,
iCor. 3 7.3i! 29, that th ^ curse is in the ho "se of the wicked, but
30. Psai. 23.3J thou blessest the habitation of the just ; let her and
4. e. Jude 24. her house serve thee, and let holiness to the Lord
be written upon all wherewith thou blessest her; let
her make thee her refuge and habitation ; give her
the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in
thy sight is of great price, let her not love the world,
nor mind earthly things, but use the world as not
abusing of it : seeing the time is short, and the
fashion of this world passeth away : restore her
soul, and lead her in the paths of righteousness;
though she must walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, let her fear no evil; let thy good-
ness and mercy follow her all the days of her life,
and let her dwell for ever in thy glorious presence,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
If the Child be dead, those passages which imply its
living- must be omitted, and if the Woman be such as the
Church hath cause to judge ungodly, the Thanksgiving
must be in words more agreeable to her condition, if any
be used.
Of Pastoral Discipline, Public Confession,
Absolution, and Exclusion from the Holy
Communion of the Church.
i. he recital of the curses are said in the Book of
Common Prayer, to be instead of the godly Discipline
PASTORAL DISCIPLINE. »505
of the primitive church, till it can be restored
again, which is much to be wished, which is the
putting of notorious sinners to open penitence: His
Majesty's declaration concerning ecclesiastical af-
fairs, determineth that all public diligence be used
for the instruction and reformation of scandalous
offenders, whom the Minister shall not suffer to
partake of the Lord's-table, until they have openly
declared themselves to have truly repented and
amended their former naughty lives, provided there
be place for due appeals to superior powers.
And the law of Christ commandeth, that if thy
brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his
faults between him and thee alone, if he shall hear
thee, thou hast gained thy brother, but if he will
not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more,
that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every
word may be established, and if he shall neglect to
hear them, tell it unto the Church, but if he shall
neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as
an heathen man, or as a publican. And it is the Matt - 18 - 15—
office of the Pastors, of the several congregations, 17 '
not only to teach the people in general, and guide
them in the celebration of the public worship, but
also to oversee them, and watch over each member
of their flock particularly, to preserve them from
errors, heresies, divisions, and other sins, defending
the Truth, confuting gainsayers and seducers, in-
structing the ignorant, exciting the negligent, en-
couraging the despondent, comforting the afflicted,
confirming the weak, rebuking and admonishing
the disorderly and scandalous, and directing all ac-
cording to their needs in the matters of their salva-
tion ; and the people in such needs should have
ordinary recourse to them, as the officers of Christ,
for guidance, and resolution of their doubts, and
for assistance in making their salvation sure ; and
in proving, maintaining, or restoring the peace of
their consciences, and spiritual comfort.
If therefore any member of the Church be a scan-
dalous sinner, and the crime be either notorious or
fully proved, let the Pastor admonish him, and set
before him the particular command of God which
he transgresseth, the supreme authority of God
which he despiseth, the promises and mercies which
he treadeth under foot, and the curse and dreadful
condemnation, which he draweth upon himself, let
5<K> TIIL REFORMED LITURGY.
this be done with great compassion and tender love
to the offender's soul, and with gravity, reverent
and serious importunity, as beseemeth men em-
ployed on the behalf of God, for the saving of a
soul ; and yet with judgment, and cautelous pru-
dence, not taking that for sin which is no sin, nor
that for a gross and scandalous sin, which is but an
ordinary human frailty ; not dealing as unreverently
with a superior as with an inferior; not making that
public which should be concealed; nor reproving
before others when it should be done more secretly,
nor unreasonably speaking to those who through
drink or passion are incapable of the benefit ; nor
yet offending by bashfulness, or the fear of man, or
lukewarmness, negligence, or slighting over great
offences, on the other extreme.
Prudence also requireth them to be cautelous of
overmeddling, where the Magistrate's honour, or
concernment, or the Church's unity, or peace, or the
reputation of others, or the interest of their ministry
requireth them to forbear.
These cautions observed, if the scandalous offen-
der continue impenitent, or unreformed, after due
admonitions and patience, let the Pastor in the con-
gregation when he is present rebuke him before all,
that the Church may sufficiently disown the crime,
and others may see the odiousness and danger of
the sin. But let this also be with the love and pru-
dence, before mentioned.
If the offender in obstinacy will not be there, the
Pastor may open the crime before the congregation :
and present or absent (in case he remain impenitent),
if the case will bear so long a delay, it is convenient,
that the Pastor publicly pray for his conviction and
repentance, that he may be saved.
And this he may do one, or two, or three, or more
days, as the nature of the case, and prudence shall
direct him.
If during these means for his recovery (after the
proof of the crime) there be a Communion of the
Church in the Lord's-supper, let the Pastor require
him to forbear, and not suffer him to partake- of the
Lord's-table.
If yet the offender remain impenitent, let the
Pastor openly declare him unmeet for the Commu-
nion of the Church, and require him to abstain from
it, and require the Church to avoid communion with
PASTORAL DISCIPLINE. 507
him. And let him bind him by the denunciations
of the threatening of God, against the impenitent.
But before this is done, let no necessary consulta-
tion, with other Pastors, or concurrence of the
Church be neglected: and after let there be place
for due appeals, and let Ministers consent to give
account when they are accused of maladministra-
tion.
But if after private admonition (while the offence
is such, as requireth not public confession) the sin-
ner be penitent, let the Minister privately apply to
his consolation the promises of the Gospel, with
such cautelous prudence, as is most suitable to his
condition.
And if lie repent not till after public admonition,
or that the scandal be so great and notorious, as
that a public confession is necessary, let him, at a
seasonable time appointed by the Pastor, with re-
morse of conscience, and true contrition, confess
his sin before the congregation, and heartily lament
it, and clear the honour of his Christian profession
which he had stained, and crave the prayers of the
Church to God for pardon, and reconciliation through
Christ, and also crave the Ministerial absolution
and restoration to the communion of the Church,
and profess his resolution to do so no more; but to
live in new obedience to God, desiring also their
prayers for corroborating and preserving grace.
It is only a credible professsion of repentance,
that is to be accepted by the Church.
The foregoing cautions must be carefully observed
in such confessions, that they be not made to the
injuring of the Magistrate, or of the Church, or of
the reputation of others, or of the life, estate, or
liberty of the offender, or to any other shame than
is necessary to the manifesting of his repentance,
and the clearing of his profession, and the righting
of any that he hath wronged, and the honour and
preservation of the Church.
When he hath made a credible profession of re-
pentance, it is the Pastor's duty, ministerially to de-
clare him pardoned by Christ, but in conditional
terms. [If his repentance be sincere.] And to ab-
solve him from the censure of non-communion with
the Church, if he was under such a censure before
his penitence, and to declare him meet for their com-
munion, and to encourage him to come and require
508 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
the Church to entertain him into their communion
with gladness, and not upbraid him with his fall,
but rejoice in his recovery, and endeavour his con-
firmation and preservation for the time to come :
and it is his duty accordingly to admit him to com-
munion, and theirs to have loving communion with
him : all which the penitent person, must believingly,
lovingly, and joyfully receive. But if any by noto-
rious perfidiousness, or frequent covenant-breaking
have forfeited the credit of their words, or have long
continued in the sin which they do confess, so that
their forsaking it hath no proof ; the Church then
must have testimony of the actual reformation of
such as these, before they may take their professions
and promises as credible ; yet here the difference
of persons and offences is so great ; that this is to
be much left to the prudence of Pastors that are
present, and acquainted with the persons and cir-
cumstances of the case. In the transacting of all
this, these following forms, to be varied as the variety
of cases do require, may be made use of.
A ! Form (if Public Admonition to the Impenitent.
The sin may be. A.. B. you are convict of a gross and scandalous sin,
nameu ana ag- u nave been admonished and entreated to repent.
gravatedwhenit^. . „ . . . I
is convenient. Hie promises or mercies to the penitent, and the
threatenings of God against the impenitent, have
not been concealed from you ; we have waited in
hope of your repentance, as having compassion on
your soul, and desiring your salvation; but we must
say with grief, you have hitherto disappointed us ;
we are certain from the word of God, that you must
be penitent, if ever you will be pardoned, and that
except you repent, you shall everlastingly perish.
Juki- 13. ^ - r ^° ac q uani t you publicly with this, and yet here to
Acts5. si.' offer you mercy from the Lord, is the next duty laid
Luke lg. 47. upon us for your recovery. O ! blame us not if, know-
ing the terrors of the Lord, we thus persuade you,
and are loath to leave you in the power of Satan,
and loath to see you cast out into perdition, and that
your blood should be required at our hands, as not
having discharged our duty to prevent it.
Be it known unto you therefore, that it is the God
of heaven and earth, the great, the jealous, and the
terrible God, whose laws you have broken, and
ADMONITION TO THE IMPENITENT. 500
whose authority you despise ; you refuse his govern-
ment, who is coming with ten thousands of his saints,
to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all
that are ungodly of their ungodly deeds and
speeches, who hath told us that " evil shall not dwell
with him." " The foolish shall not stand in his sight." Jude 14, 15.
" He hateth all workers of iniquity." " The ungodly ^ sa !' 5 - ***'
i u i • j , -° i J "sal. 1.5,6.
snail not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the
congregation of the righteous." " God hath not Psal 10 13
his laws in vain. Though the wicked contemn God,
and say in their hearts, he will not require it." " Yet
their damnation slumbereth not, they are reserved
to the day of judgment, to be punished." " And 2Pet. 2.3,9.
he seeth that their day is coming." If men cut off 1>sal « 37 '- 13>
the lives of those that break their laws, will God be
outfaced by the pride, and stubbornness of sin-
ners? He will not; you shall know he will not ;
he threateneth not in jest. " Who hath hardened job 9. 4.
himself against him and hath prospered?" ". Are you Psal. l. 4.
not as chaff and stubble, and is not our God a con- Heb°i2 4 *29
suming fire?" " If briars and thorns be set against Isa. W. 4.
him in battle, will he not go through them, and burn
them up together?" " Can your heart endure, or Eaek. 22. 14.
your hands be strong in the day when God shall deal
with you ? It is the Lord that hath spoken it, and he
will do it." What will you do, when you must bear
with the pains of hell from God, that now, can scarce
endure to be thus openly and plainly warned of it :
if we to please you should be silent and betray you,
do you think the God of heaven, will fear or flatter
you to please a worm. " Do you provoke the Lord l Cor. 10. 22.
to jealousy, are you stronger than he ?" O manlHeb. 9. 7.
for your soul's sake, let not Satan abuse your un-
derstanding, and sin befool you, must you not die? Matt l0# 26
And doth not judgment follow, when all secrets
shall be opened, and God will no more entreat you
to confess. " Behold the Judge standeth at the James 5. 9.
door." Will sin go then with you for as light a
matter as it doth now? Will you then deny it, or
will you stand to all the reasonings, or excuses, by
which you would now extenuate or cover it? Will
you defend it as your friend? and be angry with
Ministers and reprovers as your enemies. Or will
you not mourn at last (with weeping and gnashing
of teeth) and say ; " How have I hated instruction, Prov.5.11— is.
and my heart despised reproof? and have not obeyed
the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to Matt. 13.42.50.
510 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
Deut. 32. 29. them that instructed me." " O that you were wise'
that you understood this, and that you would con-
Prov. 23. 13. s ider your latter end." Believe God's wrath before
you feel it : be convinced by the word and servants
of the Lord, before you are confounded by the dread-
fulness of his Majesty ; yet there is hope, but shortly
there will be none, if you neglect it; yet " if you
confess and forsake your sins, you shall have mercy,
Prov. t"J. i. but if you cover them, you shall not prosper. And if
being oft reproved, you harden your neck, you shall
suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
Gal. 6.7. " Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever
you sow, that shall you also reap." O man ! You
know not what it is to deal with an offended and
revenging God. Nor what it is to hear Christ say,
Matt.r. 23; " Depart from me ye workers of iniquity ; I never
25. 41. knew you, depart from me ye wicked into everlast-
ing fire." You know not what it is to be shut out
of heaven, and concluded under utter desperation,
and in hell to look back upon this obstinate impe-
nitence; and rejecting of the mercy that would have
saved you ; and there to have conscience telling you
for ever, what it is that you have done ; did you not
know what this is, could you think a penitent con-
fessing and forsaking your sin to be a condition too
hard for the preventing of such a doleful state ? O
no ! You know not what, a case you are casting your
immortal soul into. The Lord give you repentance,
that you may never know it by experience. To pre-
vent this, is our business with you : we delight not
to displease or shame you. But God hath told us,
James 5. 20. " That if any do err from the truth, and one convert
him, let him know that he which converteth a sinner
from the error of his way, shall save a soul from
death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." I do there-
fore by the command, and in the name of Jesus
Christ, require and beseech you, that you do without
any more delay, confess your sins and heartily be-
wail them; and beg pardon of them, and resolve and
i John l. ?. 9 ; promise by the help of God to do so no more. And
2.1, 2. iji ess q 0( j t| la t y OU have. an advocate with the Fa-
ther, Jesus Christ the righteous, whose blood will
cleanse you from your sins; if you penitently con-
fess them, and that mercy may be yet had on so
easy terms. If you had any sense of your sin and
misery, or any sense of the dishonour done to. God,
or of the wrong that you have done to others, and of
A FORM OF CONFESSION. " « r )11
the usefulness of your penitent confession, and
amendment, to the reparation of all these, you would
cast yourself in the dust, in shame and grief before
the Lord, and before the Church : "To day therefore, Psai. 95.8. is ;
if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart, lest 8L 11 > 12 -
God forsake you, and give you over unto your own
heart's lust, to walk in your own counsels, and re-
solve in his wrath, you shall never enter into his
rest." And then God and this congregation, will be Luke 24. 4. 7.
witnesses that you were warned; and your blood will gfgL 18 ' 30 '
be upon your own head. But if in penitent confes-
sion, you fly to Christ, and loathe yourself for your
iniquities, and heartily forsake them, 1 have authority
to promise you free forgiveness, and that your ini-
quity shall not be your ruin.
1
A Form of Confession, to he made before the
Congregation.
I do confess before God, and this congregation, Josh. 7. 19.
that I have greatly sinned. * I have offended, pjj'jj.'i
; :„ t . . . , and dishonoured God, wronged Exod. 10. 16.
* Here the sin must be „. , , , , ° Cn . „
named and aggravated, the Church, and the SOUls ot Gal. 1. 13.
when by the Pastor it is others, I have deserved to be Gen 416
judged requisite. forsaken of the Lord, and cast p sa i! 51. 11.
out of his presence and communion of saints, into Matt. 27. 5.
desperation, and remediless misery in hell : I am no -^Jfoii**.'
more worthy to be called thy son, or to have a p sa l.38. 18.4;
name or place anions; thy servants. I do here de- 40. 12.
clare mine iniquity, and am sorry for my sins; they % Tna t [ lm
are gone over my head as a heavy burden, they are Heb. 9. 26,
too heavy for me, they take hold upon me, I am Luke 19. 10.
ashamed, as unworthy to look up towards heaven, ^J" \° 6 '
but my hope is in the blood and grace of Christ, p sa i. 31. 2, 1,9.
who made his life a sacrifice for sin, and came to Heb. 8. 12.
seek and save that which was lost; whose grace g S . al j^"}J'. 27 '
aboundeth, where sin hath abounded: the Lord be 51.10.12. '
merciful to me a sinner : I humbly beg of the con- 2 Cor. 2. 7, 10.
gregation that they will earnestly pray, that God Jjark 8 is.sr.
will wash me thoroughly, from mine iniquity, and p sa i. 73. 1. 1*5.
cleanse me from my sins, that he will forgive them, Eccies. 8. 12.
and blot them out, and hide his face from them, and Jj^JJ f Jf^
remember them no more, that he will not cast me paal.5. 5. '
away from his presence, nor forsake me as I have 1 Johns. 4.
forsaken him, nor deal with me according to my a,b,:l
deserts : but that he will create in me a clean heart,
512 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
and renew a right spirit in me, and grant me the
joy of his salvation; and I beg pardon of the Church,
and all that I have wronged ; and resolve by the
grace of God to do so no more ; but to walk more
watchfully as before the Lord, and I desire all that
are ungodly, that they think never the worse of the
laws, or ways, or servants of the Lord for my mis-
l Cor. 10. ii, doings; for if I had been ruled by God, and by his
i2.2Sam. ii.2. servants, I had never done as I have done! There
Matt.26.4i.75.i s nothing in religion that befriendeth sin, there is no-
Heb. 12. 23. thing so contrary to it , as God and his holy laws, which
lfi C 97 9 25 ^ s h° u ld have obeyed. Rather let all take warning
aChron. 25.16. D Y rne, and avoid temptations, and live not carelessly,
Eph. 3. 16. and hearken not to the inclinations, or reasonings of
John 5. 14. t j ie fl es } 1} nor trust their weak and sinful hearts, but
live in godly fear and watchfulness, and keep under
the flesh, and keep close to God, and hearken to the
faithful counsel of his servants, and I entreat your
prayers to God, that I may be strengthened by his
grace, that I may sin thus no more, lest worse be-
fal me.
A Form of Prayer for a Sinner impenitent,
after Public Admonition.
IVlosT gracious God, according to thy command
2 Cor. 5. ii. we nave warned this sinner, and told him of thy
Matt. 3. 7. threatenings, and foretold him of thy certain terri-
ble judgments, that he might fly from the wrath to
come, but alas, we perceive not that he repenteth or
Prov. 29. l. relenteth, but hardeneth his heart against reproof;
l Cor. io. 22. as *f ne were aD ^ e to contend with thee, and over-
come thy power ; O let us prevail with thee for
Luke 23 24 S race > that we may prevail with him for penitent
confession and reformation; O pity a miserable sin-
ner ! so miserable, as that he layeth not to heart his
Acts 8. 22 23 ; m i ser y» nor pitieth himself. O save him from the
gall of bitterness, and from the bonds of his ini-
1 u ^y : S' ve nun repentance unto life, that he may
recover himself out of the snare of the devil, who is
sTim. 2.25 26. ta ken captive by him at his will. Give him not up
to a blind mind, to a seared conscience, a heart that
is past feeling, nor to walk in his own counsels, and
John n.4o. after his own lusts ; let him no longer despise the
riches of thy goodness, and forbearance, and long-
lTim. 4. c. suffering, nor with a hardened, impenitent heart,
A PRAYEK FOi: A\ IM-PENITENT SINNER. 515
treasure up wrath, against the day of wrath and re-
velation of thy righteous judgment, who wilt render
to every man according to his deeds, even to them Eph. 4. 19.
that are contentious and obey not the truth, but Psal - si. 12.
obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tri- Rom,2,4;5,6-
bulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that
doeth evil. Let him be sure that the judgment of 8,9.
God is according to truth against them that commit 2, 3.
such things, and let him not think in his impeni-
tency to escape thy judgment. O suffer him not, when Deut. 20. 19—
heheareth the threatening^ of thy word, to bless him- 2 l -
self in his heart, and say, i shall have peace, though I
walk in the imaginations of my heart, and add sin to
sin, lest thy anger and jealousy smoke against him,
and thou wilt net spare him, but blot out his name Mark 9. 24.
from under heaven, and all thy curses lie upon him,
and thou separate him to evil, even to the worm that Matf - L 21 -
dieth not, and to the fire that is not quenched. O Deut ' 9 ' ir *
save him from his sins, from his impenitency, and
the pride and stubbornness of his heart : O save him
from the everlasting flames, and from thy wrath, 2 Cor. 6. ?.
which he is the more in danger of, because he feeleth Luke 19. 41. 42.
not, and feareth not his danger ; let him know how Prov - 28 j u -
hard it is for him to kick against the pricks, and 1^45. 9'
how woful to strive against his Maker; lay him at
thy footstool in sackcloth and ashes, in tears and
lamentation, crying out, Woe unto me that I have Joel 2. 1—5.
sinned, and humbling his soul in true contrition, and Lam - 5 - i6 -
loathing himself, and begging thy pardoning and
healing grace, and begging the prayers and commu- p sa l.5i.
nion of thy Church, and resolving to sin wilfully no James 5. 20.
more, but to live before thee in uprightness and obe- Luke32 - 10 -
dience all his days : O let us prevail with thee for
the conversion of this impenitent sinner, and so for Gal.<5. 1.
the saving of his soul from death, and the hiding
and pardoning of his sins : that he that is lost may
be found, and he that is dead may be alive, and the r,,ut« «,
s or heaven, and we thy unworthy servants
here on earth may rejoice at his repenting, let us Ezek.ss.14.i6.
see him restored by thy grace that we may joyfully
receive him into our communion, and thou mayest
receive him at last into thy heavenly kingdom, and 2 Tim. 2. 26.
Satan may be disappointed of his prey ; for thy
mercy sake, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only
Saviour. Amen.
VOL. XV. L L
514 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
A Form of Rejection from the Communion of
the Church.
Luke 19.27. Jesus Christ, the King and Lawgiver of the Church,
Mk. 4. 2. hath commanded, that, If a brother trespass against
att.18.1 , • ug ^ we g Q an( j te jj kina his fault between him and us
alone, and if he will not hear us, we shall then take
1 Cor. 5. 11. with us, one or two more, that in the mouth of two
or three witnesses, every word may be established ;
Tit. 3. io. an( j if ne s hall neglect to hear them, that he tell it to
..,_the Church, and if he neglect to hear the Church,
17 that he be to us as a heathen man, and a publican.
2 Thes. 3. 6. And that we keep no company ; if any that is called
a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idola-
14, 15. j. ev> or a ra ii erj or a drunkard, or an extortioner,
i Cor. H.5. with such a one, no not to eat. And that we with-
2 Sam. 12. 14. draw ourselves from every brother that walketh dis-
orderly, and note him, and have no company with
2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. him, that he may be ashamed. According to these
Acts 8. 24. laws of Christ, we have admonished this offending
2 Tim. 2. 25. brother, who hath greatly sinned against God, and
grieved and injured the Church, we have earnestly
26. prayed, and patiently waited for his repentance, but
we have not prevailed. But after all, he continueth
impenitent, and will not be persuaded to confess and
i Cor. 5. 13. forsake his sin : we do therefore according to these
laws of Christ, declare him unmeet for the commu-
Matt. 18. is. n io n °f the Church, and reject him from it ; requir-
ing him to forbear it, and requiring you to avoid
him, and we leave him bound to the judgment of
the Lord, unless his true repentance shall prevent it.
A Form of Absolution, and Reception of the
Penitent.
2 Sam. 12.13. 1 hough you have greatly sinned against the Lord,
and against his Church, and your own soul, yet see-
2 Chron. 33. i n g y 0U humble yourself before him, and penitently
fly to Christ for mercy, resolving to do so no more:
12, 13. hear now the glad tidings of salvation, which I am
Rom. io. 15. commanded to declare unto you. If any man sin,
l John 2. l, 2. we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins.
FORM OF ABSOLUTION AWD THANKSGIVING. 515
If we confess our sins, he is faithful, to forgive us 1 Jol ' n *• *
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him Isa. 55. 6, 7.
while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him
return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon
him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Pl ' ov * 28- 1:? "
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but who-
so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Gal. 6. l.
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, restore Matt - 18, 8 -
such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering
thyself lest thou also be tempted. According to this
word of grace, [■* I do loose the
* This must be omitted bonds here laid upon you, and Luke 15.
if the person was not tirst • • , ,i o c nr 7 in
rejected. receive you again into the com- J£"j£* £
munion of the Church,] requir- 8 . 8.
ing to receive you, and not upbraid you with your Luke 15.25. 27.
sin, but rejoice in your recovery. And I do declare ^f'^'J 1 '
to you the pardon of all your sins in the blood of 1 Co' r .9.25— 27.
Christ, if your repentance be sincere. And I ex-
hort and charge you, that you believinply and thank- p l a '' 14L 5 -
Y • J J oJ i> Pgt, 2. 22
fully accept this great, unspeakable mercy, and that "
you watch more carefully for the time to come, and
avoid temptations, and subdue the flesh, and accept
reproofs, and see that you return not to your vomit,
or to wallow again in the mire, when you are washed ;
but obey the Spirit and keep close to God in the
means of your preservation.
A Form of Thanksgiving, or Prayer, for the
Restored Penitent,
vJ most merciful Father, we thank thee, that thou Rom. 3.25.
hast brought us under so gracious a covenant, as 1 John 1.9; 2.1,
not only to pardon the sins of our unregenerate state; 2>
but also upon our penitent confession, and return,
to cleanse us, from all our unrighteousness, and par- Psal.23; 103.3.
don our falls by the blood of Christ, and to restore
our souls, and lead us again in the paths of righte-
ousness, and command thy servants to receive us.
We thank thee that thou hast thus restored this thy Malt - 9- 2 -
servant, giving him repentance and remission of sin.
[* And returning him to the commu- Rom ' 5> 1 3 *
IflfSTS* ™ n ° f *y I".] We beseech^, ,
jected. thee comfort him, with the believing
apprehensions of thy forgiveness and
516
THE REFORMED LITURGY.
i Pet. 5. io. reconciliation through Jesus Christ. Restore unto
him the joy of thy salvation, and uphold him by
Acts ii. 23. thy free Spirit ; stablish, strengthen, settle him, that
with full purpose of heart he may cleave unto thee,
and now thou hast spoken peace to him he may
not return again to folly; as he nameth the name
sTim*" °^ Christ, let him depart from iniquity, and never
more dishonour thee, thy Church or truth, nor his
19 - h Q1 y profession, but save him from temptation. Let
him watch and stand fast, and sin no more, lest worse
befal him. Let him not receive this grace in vain,
Rom. 2. 23. nor { uvn [^ [ n i wantonness, nor continue in sin, that
grace may abound. But let his old man be cruci- A
Matt. 6. 13. fted with Christ, and the body of sin be destroyed ;
that henceforth he may no more serve sin, remem-
i Cor. 16. 13. bering what fruit he had in those things, whereof
he is now ashamed, and that the end and wages of
sin is death, and let us all take warning by the falls
of others, and be not highminded but fear; and
John 5. 14. i et \ yvra t } lat thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall. Let us watch and pray that we enter not into
temptation, remembering that the flesh is weak. And
our adversary the devil walketh about seeking whom
Jude 4. j ie ma y devour. And let none of us hate our brother
in our hearts, but in any wise rebuke our neighbour,
and not suffer sin upon him, and confirm us unto
the end, that we may be blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with thee, O Father !
and thy Holy Spirit, be kingdom, and power, and
glory for ever. Amen.
317
APPENDIX
Matt. 28. 19.
lJohn5.7.
1 Cor. 8. 4. 6.
lTim. 1. 17.
A larger Litany, or General Prayer, to be rsai.i39.r- 9-,
14.7.4. Isa.40
17. Neh. 9.
Rev. 4. 8 ; 15.
used at Discretion. M' 7 '^^'
17. Neh. 9.
Onev. *. a ; i
most holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, Father, Ezek. 18. 4.
Son, and Holy Ghost, three persons and one God, ^q'qq'1^ 7 9
infinite in power, wisdom and goodness, our Crea- Mai'. 2.10.
tor, Redeemer, andSanctifier ; our Owner, Governor, Deut 32. 6. .
and Father ; hear our prayers, and have mercy upon ^" t K s e 7 U 3 " 9 2 ' 60
us, miserable sinners. H e b. g. n*.
O Lord our Saviour, whose incarnation, nativity, Phil. 2. 7—9.
subjection, fasting, temptation, poverty-, reproaches, ^c ^ *£•
agony, and bloody sweat, scourging, desertion, cru- t> Coi '. 8 \ 9. '
clfying, death, and burial, were all undergone to Matt. 12. 24.
take away the sins of the world: who being risen, M u a k t f | 7 |g' 28
ascended, and glorified, art the great Priest, and S0- Mark 14. '
Prophet, and King of thy universal Church, foroO; 15.34.
which thou makest intercession, which thou dost *Cor. 15. 3,4.
gather, teach, and guide by thy Spirit, Word, and Heb.i!3;'2.9 ;
Ministers, which thou dost justify and wilt glorify 3. 1 ; 4. 14. "
with thyself, who wilt come again, and raise the ^ cts 3 - 1 2, 23,
dead, and judge the world in righteousness ; we be- Iohn ' t l 2 .'s2.
seech thee hear us, miserable sinners : cast us not Matt. 28. 19,
out that come unto thee : make sure to us our calling |°- J Co ' '• * 2 -
and election, our unfeigned faith and repentance, that 2 7. John 1*7. 4'.
being justified, and made the sons of God, we may iThes. 4. 14—
have peace with him as our reconciled God and* 6, J°hu5. 22.
„ . ' Acts 17. 31.
rather. John 6. 37.
Let our hearts be right with thee our God, and 2 Peter 1. 10.
steadfast in thy covenant, cause us to deny our- lTim - 1- 5 -
selves, and give up ourselves entirely unto thee, our j^J, x * ^
Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, as being not our Rom. 5. 10.
own, but thine. l%\l 6 £*'
Let thy holy Spirit dwell in us, and sanctify us Mat ; <8 ' 34 ;
throughout, that we may be new creatures, and holy iCor. 8. 5.'
as thou art holy ; let it be in us the spirit of adop- 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20.
tion, and supplication, and the seal and earnest of 1 Thes 8 '^ 9 23.
our glorious inheritance, and let us know that we 1 Cor. 5. 17.
are thine, and thou abidest in us by the Spirit which • Pet - 1. 16.
,, , ' • ./i Rom. 8. 15.
thou hast given us. zech ,„ 10
518
THE REFORMED LITURGY.
Eph. i. 13,14. As thy name, O Lord, is holy, and thy glory co-
1 John 3. 24. ,i ,i f u i . ,, J ' , , J J?, , J •,,
Luke 1.49. vereth the heavens, so let the earth be filled with
Hab. i. 3. thy praises : Let our souls ever magnify thee, O
Luke 1.46. Lord! and our tongues extol thee. Let us speak of
145.V— 8. Vi tne g Ior i°us honour of thy Majesty, of thy great-
12, &c; 2i. ' ness, thy power, thy glorious kingdom, thy wisdom,
holiness, truth and righteousness, thy goodness,
thy mercy, and thy wondrous works ! Let all flesh
bless thy holy name.
Isa. 26. 8. Let the desire of our souls be to thy name : cause us
ich lVao 2 *! to * ove tnee > w i tn a ^ our hearts, to fear thee, trust in
Psal.4. 5; 63. thee, and to delight in thee, and be satisfied in thee as
5. iCor. io.3i. our portion,and whatever we do to do it to thy glory.
Phil""' 3 *?i Keep us from inordinate self-love, from pride, and
Rsni. r 2. 23, 24. vainglory, and self-seeking, and from dishonouring
Matt. 5. i6. thee, thy word, or service in the world.
28 vz ' ^ et t ' le wor ^ acknowledge thee, the Universal
Rev. ii. is. King. Give thy Son the heathen for his inheri-
lTim. 2. i. 4. tance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his
hn \l,' g| ; possession: Let the kingdoms of the world become
Phil. 2.7-0. ii. his kingdoms: Convert the atheistical, idolatrous, in-
fidel, Mahometan, and ungodly nations of the earth,
that every knee may bow to Christ, and every tongue
confess him the King of kings, and Lord of lords,
to the glory of God the Father.
Mati.24. 14. Let the word of thy kingdom and salvation be
aThes.3.i. preached to all the world, let it have free course
tIT-19% 3 ' anc * k e glorified; and by the power of thy Spirit
Matt. 9. 38. convert many unto Christ, and let him be thy sal-
Eph. 6. 19. vation to the ends of the earth. Send forth more
iThes 2 ' 'i*6 labourers into the harvest, which is great, and fit
them for so great a work ; and deliver them from
unreasonable and wicked men, that (to fill up their
, sins) forbid them to speak to the people, that they
might be saved.
Luke is.?. Deliver the Churches that are oppressed by idola-
Matt. io. 16. ters, Mahometans, or other infidels and enemies.
iPet. i'iB'S. ^ lve a H thy servants prudence, patience, and inno-
14.17; 4. 15, cency, that, suffering as Christians, and not as evil
16. 19. ^ doers, they may not be ashamed, but may glorify
Matt 5.11.12 ^ee, and wait for thy salvation, committing the
keeping of their souls unto thee, in hope of a re-
ward in heaven.
Psal.ii9. 134. Deliver the Church from the Roman papal usur-
Matt. 15.9.13. pations and corruptions, dispel the deceits of here-
Tohn'ofi'o. 19 ' ° s * es > an0 - fal se worship, by the light of thy prevail-
Lukc 22.25.26. ing Truth ; unite all Christians in Christ Jesus, the
A LARGER LITANY, OR GENERAL PRAYER 519
true and only Universal Head : that by the true 2 Peter 2.
Christian, catholic faith and love, they may grow Jud . e
up in him, and may keep the unity of the Spirit in Epkilis 16 -
the bond of peace ; the strong receiving and bear- 3. 5. Rom. 14.
ing the infirmities of the weak ; heal the divisions 1 > l5< \-
that are among believers ; let nothing be done fc^/ia,
through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of Phil. 2. 3.
mind; let each esteem other better than himself, John 13. 35.
and let all men know that we are Christ's disciples, jj^ %\^'
by our fervent love to one another. Heb.' 11. 6.
Let us be heartily and entirely thy subjects, be- E P h - 2. 2,3.
lievingthat thou art just, and the re warder of them RomTsfis 2 '
that diligently seek thee. Keep us from atheism, Psal. 19. 13.
idolatry, and disobedience ; from infidelity, ungod- Rom - 8 - 24.
liness, and sensuality ; from security, presumption, HebV^io
and despair. p sa ]. 40. 8*
Let us study to please thee in all things : Let thy Isa - 8 - 20.
law be written in our hearts, and let us delight to ^Thr^s^ih
do thy will; let our faith and lives be ruled by thy 2 Thes. 2. 10.
word, which is able to make us wise unto salvation; Jolm 5. 39.
let us love it, search it, and understand it, and nie-p^fl 45,
ditate in it day and night. Rom. 15. 1, 2.
Let us not please ourselves or other men against Ga1, *• 10 -
thee, nor be led by the wisdom or desires of theg^or'i 12
world and flesh, nor regard lying vanities, nor Rom.Vis*
through carelessness, rashness, or presumption, of- John 2. 8.
fend thee. l l"*^r 1 *'
ah • iiiii ii Rom. 2.16.
As all nations must be judged by thee, let them Micah4. 2.
be ruled by thy laws, and not make them void by Matt. 15. 3.6.
men's traditions, nor worship thee in vain, teaching ^eut'si
for doctrine the commandments of men. But what-
ever thou commandest, let them take heed to do ;
let them add nothing thereto, nor take ought there-
from.
Let us not take thy holy name in vain, but use it Exod.20. 7.
in truth and reverence. Keep us from all blasphemy, ^ sa1, 89 - 7 *
perjury, profane swearing, from lying before the Matt. 15'. 19.
God of Truth, and from contempt and forgetfulness James 5. 12.
of thy presence, from false, unworthy, unreverent ? ev " 22 ; 12 *
thoughts or speeches of God, and holy things, and Acts 5.3* 8. 20.
from neglecting or abusing thy holy word and wor- Mai. 1.6, 7. 12;
ship. "• 2 - 7 ~ 9 -
Help us to keep holy thy day, in remembrance of Rev. 1.10.
the blessed work of our redemption, and reverently A ^ s20, J*
to attend thee in public worship ; and obediently Iia 5^ ^ "
to receive thy word, and fervently to call upon thy Heb. 10. 25.
name ; and to delight ourselves in thanksgiving and x Cor - 14,
520 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
Acts 3. 42. 46. joyful praises to thy holiness in the communion of
Psai. 98, &c; thy saints; and let us carefully see that our house-
i5 9 £sod°20 io'. h°lds, an d all within our gates do serve thee, and
i Tim. 2. 2. not abuse thy holy day.
Psal. 2. Jer. 5. Have mercy on the Kings and Rulers of the earth,
^ 6 ' 25 Luke 18, that they may escape the temptations of worldly
l Cor. l. 26. greatness, honours and prosperity, which would
Luke 21. 12. captivate them to the flesh, and draw their hearts
Ezra I 'll'&c ^ rom thee, thy laws and ways, and would engage
Rom. 13. 2. 4. them against thee, and thy servants; and as they
lsa.49. 23. are thy ministers, and magistracy is thine ordi-
" - nance, sanctify and dispose them to be nursing fa-
thers to thy Church, to own thy interest, and rule
for thee.
Lam. 4. 20. Especially have mercy on thy servant Charles,
lKings3.i9.il. our ting : illuminate and sanctify him by thy holy
1 Sam. io. 9. Spirit, that above all things he may seek thy glory,
sKings 18.3,4.6. the increase of faith and obedience to thy laws, and
Rom. 13-4,5. ma y ru i e us as being thy minister for good, not to
be a terror to good works, but to evil ; that under
him we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and honesty.
Psal. 72. l. Have mercy upon all the Royal Family, the Lords
Prov. 8. 16. of the Council, and all the Nobility, the Judges,
Jobt'o 18 ' 17 ' a "d Magistrates of these lands. Cause them to fear
Tsa. 17.' 23. thee, and to be eminent in sobriety, righteousness,
Luke 1.51— 53. and godliness, to protect the innocent, and be a ter-
ror to the wicked, hating injustice, covetousness
and pride.
Rom. is. l. 6. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers,
iPet. 2. 13. and not resist. Let them obey the King, and all
that are in authority under him, not only for wrath,
but for conscience sake, as knowing that they rule
by thee, and for thee.
2 Cor. 3. 6. Give all the Churches able, holy, faithful Pastors,
1 Tim. 5. 17. and cause them laboriously to preach, and rightly to
Ter""'. i*5 15 ' divide the word of truth, to feed thy people with
2 Tim. 4. 2; ». knowledge, and lead them in the way of faith and
22; i.i3. love, of holiness and peace, and to watch for their
iPeterSi— 4 S0l d s as those that must give account; overseeing
' and ruling them, not by constraint, but willingly,
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, not as be-
ing lords over thy heritage, but as the servants of
all, and ensamples to the flock : that when the chief
Pastor shall appear, they may receive a crown of
glory.
Let the congregations know those that have the
A LARGER LITANY, OR GENERAL PRAYER. 521
ruling of them, and are over them in the Lord, that n'hcss. 5.11.
labour among them, preaching to them the word of H iK 13 - 17 -
God. Let them submissively, and obediently hear,
and esteem them very highly in love for their works'
sake, and account them worthy of double honour.
Let parents bring up their children in the nurture Eph. 6. 4.
and admonition of the Lord, diligently teaching
them thy word, talking of it when they are in their Deut. 6.6.7.
house, and when they walk by the way, when they
lie down, and when they rise up, that they may Ecdes. 12. t.
know their Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, in
the days of their youth : and cause children to hear, Eph. 6. 1—3.
love, honour, and obey their parents, that they may
have the blessing of thine especial promise unto
such.
Let husbands love their wives, and prudently Eph. 5. 25. 22.
guide them in knowledge and holiness : and let p Pet< 3 ' 1 ' 7-
wives love, honour, and obey their husbands, as
meet helpers to them.
Let masters rule their servants in holiness and Eph. 6. 9. 5.
mercy, remembering they have a Master in heaven,
and let servants reverently, singly, and willingly,
be obedient, and do service to their masters as to
the Lord, from him expecting their reward.
Keep us from murder, violence, and all injury to 1 j hn 3. 15.
our neighbour's life or health, from malice, cursing, Luke 3. 14.
reviling, and unadvised anger: let us not resist evil f Ia °|' J'lg 39
with evil, but forbear one another, and not give R om . 12. 17."
place to wrath.
Keep us from adultery, fornication, and all un- Eph. 4. 2.
cleanness, and the occasions and appearances there- Rom- 12. 19.
of. Let us take care as becometh saints, that they 1 Cor.^fg" 28 *
be not immodestly named among us, and that no Rom. 13. is.
corrupt communication proceed out of our mouths. 1 Thess. 5. 22.
Keep us from chambering and wantonness, from ipJ'pt^
lustful thoughts, and all immodest attire, behaviour, job 31. 1.
looks and actions.
Keep us from theft and oppression, and any way Eph.4.28.
wronging our neighbour in his property and estate. Psal - 62 - '0;
Keep us from false witness-bearing, lying and de- j Thess ] 4 ] g ,
ceiving ; from slandering, backbiting, unjust, un- p r ov. 19.5;
charitable censuring or reproaching, from all per- *?• 17 ; 10, ioi
verting of justice, and wronging the reputation of Psal \£ £. ■'
our neighbour, and from all consent or desire of 82. 2.
such wrongs. p ev,1 L 17 '
Keep us from envy, and from coveting any thing G X 5 . 21. 26.
Mat. 5- 44—46
Gal. 6. 10
522 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
Exod. so. 17. that is our neighbour's, to his wrong, and from
Mattes 39- see king our own, or drawing to ourselves, to the in-
7.12.' j ur y of his welfare ; but let us love our neighbours
as ourselves, and do to others as we would they
should do to us.
Matt. 15. 40. Teach us to love Christ and his holy image in his
i Pet. J«jM^ members, with a dear and special love, and to love
our enemies, and pray for them that hate and per-
secute us, and to do good to all as we are able, but
especially to them of the household of faith.
Psai. 39. 9. Cause us with patience to submit to all the dis-
Matt. 26.30. posals of thy will, and wait thy end, and to love the
jTm ^f&ii. demonstrations of thy holiness and justice, though
2 Kings 20. 19. grievous to the flesh, and keep us from impatient
Mai. 3. is, 14. murmurings, and discontent, and arrogant reason-
ing against thy will.
Luke n. 13. Give us our daily bread, our necessary sustenta-
Deut. 28. 45. tioii and provision for thy service, and let us use it
Luke 1*2 ' 2oi *° r tnee » aR d not to satisfy the flesh ; let us depend
Eph. 5. 16. ' on thee, and trust thee for it in the lawful use of the
John 9. 4. means ; and bless thou our labours, and give us the
fruits of the earth in season, and such temperate
weather as tendeth thereunto.
Deut.28.6.8, Deliver us and all thy servants from such wants,
T>ri o 07 distresses, griefs, and sickness, as will unseasonably
Psal. 102. 24. take us off thy service, and from untimely death:
Luke 12. 20. and teach us to value and redeem our time, and
f? h 'q' I 6 ' work while it is day.
Rom. Vs. is. Keep us from gluttony, drunkenness, and all in-
i Cor. 9.25. temperance; from sloth and idleness, from inordi-
i T i im ' 5 9Q 6 ' l3 ' nate desires of pleasures or abundance, but having
Prov. 21. 17; f°°d and raiment, let us be therewith contented.
23. 4.' Of thy abundant mercy, through the sacrifice and
i Tim. 6. 8,9. m erits of thy Son according to thy promise, forgive
Psal.5l.l. i, * , to p *u j a *u
i John 1.2. us a ^ our sins > ano - save us trom thy deserved wrath
Heb.8. 12. and condemnation. Remember not, O Lord, our
Dan. 9. 6. 16. offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; but
Psal. si. 16 • though our iniquities testify against us, spare us
oi. ii, 12. 19. and save us for thy mercy sake ! O let not our sin
Rom. 8. l. deprive us of thy Spirit, or of access unto thee, or
15 * !'.'.' ' communion with thee, or of thy favour or comfort,
Rom. 12. 19. or the light of thy countenance, or of everlasting-
Luke 6. 28.29 ; \\fe
Acts 7. 60. ' Cause us to forgive from our hearts, the injuries
done against us, as we expect to be forgiven by thee
the greatest debt. Keep us from all revengeful de-
THE CHURCH'S PRAISE FOR REDEMPTION. 523
sires and attempts. And do thou convert and par-
don our enemies, slanderers, oppressors, persecutors,
and others that have done us wrong.
Keep us from running upon temptations, suffer Matt. 26. 41.
not the tempter by subtlety or importunity to cor- pJJJJj^J' J
rupt our judgments, wills, affections, or conversa- jbbs'i.'i.
tions. Cause us to maintain a diligent and constant Matt. 12. 36.
watch over our thoughts and hearts, our senses and "^iin '0%.
appetites, our words and actions; and as faithful ij hn 2. 13 ;
soldiers by the conduct and strength of the Captain 5.4.
of our salvation, with the whole armour of God, to ^ m 8 ;, 1 g"
resist and overcome the world, the devil, and the ~
flesh unto the end.
Save us from the temptations of prosperity and Prov.30. 8,9.
adversity, let us not be drawn from thee to sin by I^q'^' 16 '
the pleasures, profits, or honours of the world ; Mat. 13. 21,22 ;'
strengthen us for sufferings, let us not forsake thee, 8.24.
or fall in time of trial. Help us to deny ourselves, A om- 8l I8>
and take up our cross and follow Christ, accounting
the sufferings of this present time, unworthy to be
compared with the glory to be revealed.
Deliver us from the enmity and rage of Satan and Matt. 6. 13.
his instruments, and give not up thy servants, tneir ^"'140.1— 3 •
souls or bodies, their peace or liberties, estates or 3^3 ; 17.2.12'.
names, to their malicious wills: but save us and 1 Tim. 4. 18.
preserve us to thy heavenly kingdom.
We ask all this of thee, O Lord ! for thou art the iTim. 1. 17.
universal King, holy and just, to whom it be- JjJ j^ 45 ^ 7,
longeth in righteousness to judge the world, and p^i, 72.4.13.
save thy people : all power is thine to execute wrath Jude 14, 15.
upon thine enemies, and to deliver and glorify thy p^jj ^j *" 10,
flock ; and none is able to resist thee : Of thee, and 147 5/
through thee, and to thee, are all things, and the Job 9. 4.
glory shall be thine, for ever. Amen. Ron) - 1U 36 '
The Church's Praise for our Redemption, to
he used at Discretion.
Our souls do magnify thee, O Lord! our spirits Luke ± 4(j>
rejoice in God our Saviour, who remembered us in Psal. 136. 23.
our low and lost estates, for his mercy endureth for ^J-^ 1 *
ever. By one man sin entered into the world, and R s d m 3 \ i3 ".
death by sin : we kept not the covenant of God, and 5. 18.
refused to walk in his law: for all have sinned and J^ 1 -^ - 70,
come short of the glory of God, and judgment came
524 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
Luke l. 35. upon all men to condemnation. But blessed be the
Matt. i. 21. Lord God of Israel, that hath visited and redeemed
e - ' ' his people, and hath raised up a mighty salvation
for us in the house of his servant David : as he spake
by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been
since the world began : A virgin hath conceived and
brought forth: the Holy Ghost did come upon her;
the power of the Highest did overshadow her, there-
fore the holy One that is born of her, is called, the
Son of God : his name is called Jesus, for he saveth
his people from their sins : To us is born a Saviour,
Col. 1. 15. which Is Christ the Lord : he is the image of the in-
16, 17. visible God, the firstborn of every creature; for by
him all things were created that are in heaven and
in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or do-
minions, or principalities or powers, all things were
created by him and for him, and. he is before all
things, and by him all things do consist. He is the
' " power of God and the wisdom of God ; the true
light that lightelh every man that cometh into the
world: The Word was made flesh and dwelt among
us, and men beheld his glory as the glory of the
Col. i. is. on iy begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth ;
Gal. 4. 4. for it p ] ease( j tne Father that in him should all
fulness dwell. When the fulness of time was come,
God sent his Son made of a woman, made under the
Matt. 17.5. law, to redeem them that are under the law. This
Heb. 7. 26. is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well-
l Pet. 2. 22; 23. pleased. For such a high-priest became us, who is
24 - holy* harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, he
did no sin, neither was there any guile found in his
mouth, when he was reviled, he reviled not again,
leaving us an example : who his ownself bare our
Isa. 53. 5. 6. sins in his own body on the tree : for God laid on
Rom. 5. 6. him the iniquity of us all, and by his stripes we are
healed. When we were without strength, in Mue
l Pet. s. is. time Christ died for the ungodly, the just for the un-
l John 4. 4. j ust : in this' was manifest the love of God towards us,
that God sent his only begotten Son into the world,
Heb 2 14 15 tnat we m i& nt live by him, Forasmuch as the chil-
dren were partakers of flesh and blood, he himself
likewise took part with them that he might destroy
through death, him that had the power of death,
that is the devil ; and might deliver them, who
through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject
Col. 2. 15. to bondage. Having spoiled principalities and
powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing
THE CHURCH'S PRAISE FOR REDEMPTION. 525
over them in his cross. He was buried, and rose * Cor « 1 5- *•
again the third day according to the Scriptures, for
God raised him, having loosed the pains of death, Acts 2.24.
because it was not possible that he should be holden 2 Tim - *> 10 -
of it, he hath abolished death, and brought life and
immortality to light by the Gospel. O death ! where 1 Cor. 15. 55.
is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? Matt. 28. 18.
All power is given him in heaven and earth ; when
he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and
gave gifts to men : And he gave some apostles, and ^ p \ u 4# 8_ig.
some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pas-
tors, and some teachers, for the perfection of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God to a perfect man ; he is set at God's right hand Eph. 1.20— S3,
in the celestials, far above all principalities, and
powers, and might, and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this world, but in that to
come. God hath put all things under his feet, and gave
him to be head over all things to the Church, which
is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Without controversy great is the mystery of god- 1 Tim * 3 - 16,
liness : God manifested in the flesh, justified in the
spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, be-
lieved on in the world, received up into glory. This
is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and 1 John 5. 11.
this life is in his Son : he that hath the Son hath
life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life.
He was in the world, and the world was made John 1. 10, 11.
by him, and the world knew him not ; he came to
his own and his own received him not. This is the j j ul 3 19>
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and
men loved darkness rather than light, because their
deeds are evil. But as many as receive him, to j h n 1. i&
them gives he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe in his name. There is Ro m> 8. 1.
therefore now no condemnation to them which are
in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but Psai. 103. 3.
after the Spirit. He forgiveth our iniquities, and Heb - 8 - 12 -
will remember our sins no more. Who shall lay any
thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that jus-
tifieth; who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that
died ; yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at
the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. Who gave himself for us, that he might re- Tit g 1 * 1< {£ '
deem us from all iniquity and purify to himself a Rom. 8.9
526 THE REFORMED LITURGY.
peculiar people, zealous of good works. If any man
have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of
2 Tim. 2. 19. his. He that nameth the name of Christ must de-
Psal 66. 18. P ar *" f rom iniquity. If we regard iniquity in our
1 Cor. 6. n. hearts, God will not hear our prayers. But we are
washed, we are sanctified, we are justified in the
name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us, by the wash-
Tit. 3. 5. ^ n 8" °f regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Rom. 5. 1.2.5. And being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we
have access by faith into this grace wherein we
stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God ; and
hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost
10> which is given us. For if when we were enemies
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,
Rom. 8. 32. much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by
his life. He that spared not his own Son, but gave
him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? He that is gone to prepare
' ' n ' ' a place for us, will come again and receive us to
John 17. 24'. himself, that where he is, there we may be also. It
is his will that they that the Father hath given him
be with him where he is, that they may behold the
John 14. 19. glory that is given him. Because he liveth we shall
live also ; For we are dead, and our life is hid with
Christ in God : When Christ who is our life shall
appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory ;
2 Thes. i. io. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and
lo be admired in all them that do believe. Then
Mai. 3. 18. shall men discern between the righteous and the
wicked, between those that serve God, and those
Matt. 13. 34. that serve him not, Then shall the righteous shine
Matt 15*91 f° rtn as tne sun i Q tne kingdom of their Father.
Rev.*3. 12. He that overcometh shall inherit all things. He shall
enter into the joy of his Lord. He shall be a pillar
21 in the temple of God, and shall go out no more.
Christ will grant him to sit with him in his throne,
even as he overcame and is set down with his Fa-
Zeph. 3 17. ^ ner * n his throne, he will rejoice over us with joy,
Rev. 21.2. he will rest in his love: Then in the holy city, the
new Jerusalem, prepared as a bride adorned for her
3. husband, where the tabernacle of God will be with
men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be
his people, and God himself shall be with them, their
THE CHURCH'S PRAISEFORREDHMPTIOX. 527
God, and shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev - 21 « 4 -
and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, no
crying, nor pain, for the former things are passed 23 -
away. And the city needeth not the sun, or the
moon to shine in it, for the glory of God doth lighten Rev - 22 - 3 - 4 -
it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. The throne of
God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants
shall serve him, and shall see his face, who is the
blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and iTim. 6. 15.
Lord of lords : Of him, through him, and to him, are Rom. 11. 36.
all things : To whom be glory for ever. Amen.
END OF THE REFORMED LITURGY.
528
Mr. BAXTER'S
SENSE OF THE ARTICLES
OF THE
CHURCH OF ENGLAND :
IN ANSWER TO THE SCRUPLES PROPOSED TO HIM BY SOME
THAT WERE CALLED UPON TO SUBSCRIBE THEM.
I take not this form of words, called The Articles of the
Church of England, to be essential to the said church ; nor
any thing in them to be essential to the Christian religion,
which was not so from its beginning, and in the first ages
of Christianity, yea, and in every following age : nor do I
take such form or matter to be instead of the Scripture and
the ancient Creeds, a necessary rule of Divine faith, or ne-
cessary to the being of ministry, membership, and commu-
nion in the Church of England : But that they were, subor-
dinate to the Scriptures and the said creeds, a laudable pro-
fession of this church at the Reformation ; that they misex-
pounded not the Divine rule by any heresy, thereby to pro-
mote our communion with other reformed churches, and
to guide novices at home in the exposition of the said rule :
far be it from us to be of a religion and church which is of
no older date than the said Articles or Common Prayer.
But holding, with excellent Augustine, that ' contra ratio-
nem nemo sobrius, et contra Scripturam nemo Christianus,'
so also that ' contra ecclesiam nemo pacificus ;' (the church
still being supposed to be for reason and Scripture, sober
and Christian;) and wishing that God's own word were
taken for the sufficient terms of our consent and concord in
order to union and communion, and knowing that the ambi-
guity of words, and our common imperfection in the art of
speaking, do leave an uncertainty in the sense of most hu-
ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND'. 529
man writings till explained, and yet supposing that the
authors of these Articles meant them orthodoxly, that I may
not seem needlessly scrupulous, I subscribe them, and that
I may not be unconscionably rash in subscribing, I here
tell all whom it may concern, how I understand the words
which I subscribe.
Art. 11. A Sacrifice for all the sin of man, original and
actual.} Though 'omnibus' be also in the Latin, all is left
out in King James's edition. I suppose they meant not,
' for any man's final predominant impenitence, infidelity,
atheism or unholiness ;' but for all sorts of sin, on condition
of faith and repentance, actually pardoning them to penitent
believers.
Art. in. He went down into hell.} That is, into hades,
the state of separated souls : of which see Archbishop
Usher's Answer to the Jesuits.
Art. iv. Took again his body with flesh and bones, and all
things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith
he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth, fyc.~\
That is, he sitteth in heaven with the same body glori-
fied, which was flesh and bones on earth, and catachresti-
cally is by some so called, now it is a celestial, incorrupti-
ble, spiritual, glorious body ; but indeed is not now the
same thing which we call formally flesh, bones, or blood,
nor will admit of the same definition. For, 1. The Scrip-
ture saith plainly, that " flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God." (1 Cor. xv. 50.) " There is a natural body,
and there is a spiritual body." (ver. 43,44.) The context
sheweth that it is not moral sinful corruption that is called
flesh and blood here, but that natural corruptibility which
flesh and blood hath. See Hammond on the text.
Christ's body will not be worse than ours, (but ours
made like to his, Phil. iii. 20.) But ours shall not be flesh,
blood, and bones.
2. When there is not the same form or definition, there
is not to be the same proper formal denomination : but no
sober philosopher or physician ever gave such a definition
of flesh, blood, or bones as will truly agree with Christ's glo-
rified body : the name therefore can be but equivocal.
3. There is a symmetry in God's works, Christ being in
his glorified humanity advanced above angels in power, is
vol. xv. M M
530 mr. Baxter's sense of the
not below them in natural perfection : his spiritual, celestial
body is congruous to his soul; and all the angels obey and
worship him. When we are the children of the resurrection,
we shall be equal to the angels, and neither marry nor die ;
and so not have bodies of mortal constitution. I dare not
say that the sun or light is a more glorious body than
Christ's ; nor encourage those disputers that ask how many
feet long and broad his body is, or the place that contain-
eth it.
4. I dare not incur the guilt of contradicting two Gen-
eral Councils in a matter of faith, when they anathematize
the Dissenters, and agree therein, though disagreeing in
other things, and pleading the tradition of the Fathers, and
the Scripture.
The seventh General Council at C. P. under Const. Co-
pion. condemning image-worship, saith, (as Binnius trans-
lated! it,) p. 378. Defin. 7. * Siquis non confessus fuerit
Dominum nostrum Jesurn Christum post assumptionem an-
imate rationalis et intellectualis carnis, simul sedere cum
Deo et Patre, atque ita quoque rursus venturum cum Pater-
na Maj estate, judicaturuni vivos et mortuos, non amplius
quidem carnem, neque incorporeum tamen, ut videatur ab
iis a. quibus compunctus est, et maneat Deus extra crassitu-
dinem carnis, anathema.'
To which saith the second Nicene (their adversaries) by
Epiphanius, 'Hue usque rectesentiunt etPatrum traditioni-
bus consentientise dicunt.'
5. The long church-divisions, which have for 1300 years
followed the rash determinations about some dark invisible
things, maketh me more inclined to suspend, than rashly to
affirm, in doubtful cases, especially about God, and Jesus
Christ.
6. It is not the perfection of glorified humanity to be
flesh and bones.
7. I cannot say, that earth (as flesh and bones are) dwells
in ethereal regions.
Art. vi. Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to
solvation^ I consent : therefore if the ministry, sacraments,
and church-communion be necessary to salvation, the
Scripture containeth all necessary to them.
Ibid. In the name of the holy Scriptures we understand
ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 531
those, canonical books of the Old and Neiv Testament, of whose
authority tvas never any doubt in the church.']
Expos. Not excluding the epistle to the Hebrews; James;
2 Peter; Jude; 2 and 3 John; Revelation, which divers
churches long doubted of.
Art. vii. The civil precepts thereof (the law given from
God by Moses) ought not of necessity to be received in any
commonwealth.']
Expos. ' Civilia sunt praecepta quse dantur ad regendas
civitates (seu societates civiles)' God's laws are the supreme
civil laws; man's laws are but by-laws (such as Corporations
make under the laws of the land), about things mutable, left
undetermined by God, and subordinate to his laws. God
hath two sorts of civil laws : First, such as are universal or
common to all Christian nations at least: as, that there shall
be rulers and subjects; that rulers obey and promote the
laws of God and the kingdom of Christ, and do nothing
against them; that they seek the common good, and rule in
righteousness, and be a terror to evil works, and encourage
piety and virtue and peace ; that they restrain blasphemy,
perjury, profaneness, murder, adultery, theft, false witness,
and false judging, &c. These civil laws bind all nations, as
the law of nature ; and all Christian nations, as the law of
Christ : but not as the laws of Moses promulgate to the
Jews. 2. But there are also particular civil laws that were
proper to the Jews' commonwealth in specie : I suppose the
article meaneth these, and includeth the former in the word
moral laws though indeed they be the most eminent civil
laws.
Art. viii. The three Creeds, viz, Nice Creed, Athanasius''
Creed, and that commonly called the Apostles' Creed, ought
thoroughly to be received and believed, (omnino.]
Expos. Rightly understood: viz. 1. That by Godof God,
very God of very God, be not meant two Gods : 2. Nor the
damnatory clauses taken for part of Athanasius' Creed,
though they be part of the Liturgy assented and consented to.
Art. ix. This infection of nature doth remain even in them
that are regenerate.]
Expos. That is, in a mortified, subdued degree, but not
predominant, or unpardoned.
Art. x. We have no povier (nihil valemus), viz. Our
natural powers or faculties are not sufficient without grace.
532 mr. Baxter's sense of the
Art. xi. We are accounted righteous before God only
for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and not
for our own ivorks or deservings: icherefore that we are justified
ty faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, 6;c.~\
Expos. Though he that doth righteousness is righteous,
and the Scripture throughout and frequently mentioneth an
inherent personal righteousness necessary to salvation, yet
this is no universal righteousness, nor such as will justify us
according to the law of innocency or works; but is merely
subordinate to the merit and efficacy of the sacrifice and
righteousness of Christ, which only merit for us as a
price, our faith being only the requisite (yet given) moral
qualification for the reception of the free gift of pardon,
justification and adoption, and hath not the least part of the
office or honour of Christ ; yet are Christ's words true, " that
by men's words they shall be justified or condemned : and all
men shall be judged according to their works :" and James
truly saith, " that by works a man is justified, and not by
faith only :" not by works of perfection or of Moses' law,
nor any that as a price or commutation do make the reward
to be of debt, and not of grace ; but by a practical faith or
Christianity : such acts as faith itself is, and prove our be-
lief to be such as Christ hath promised justification and sal-
vation to ; such as by justifying belief to be sincere, do
justify the person against the charge of infidelity, hypocrisy,
impenitence and ungodliness, Christianity is that faith which.
Paul opposeth to works.
Art. xii. Good ivorks spring out necessarily of a true and
lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may as evi-
dently be known as a tree discerned by the fruit.']
Expos. 1. It is a hypothetical necessity, that is here
meant, consistent with freedom. 2. And a truth of evi-
dence, and not an equal degree.
Art. xtii. Works done before the grace of Christ and the
inspiration of the Spirit, are not pleasant to God; forasmuch as
they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ : neither do they make
men meet to receive grace, or as the schools say, deserve grace of
congruity, yea, rather they have the nature of sin.]
Expos. 1. No good is done before all common grace.
2. Preparatory grace usually goeth before special grace ;
and those that resist it, are farther from the kingdom of
God, than that they have it. And to him that hath (by im-
ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 533
provement) shall be given : and in every nation, he that
feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him.
Believing that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them
that diligently seek him, is better than nothing, and than
mere sin.
Art. xiv. Voluntary tvorks, besides, over and above God's
Commandments, which they callivorks of supererogation, cannot
be taught without arrogancy and iniquity. ~\
Expos. I suppose they meant not that voluntary canons,
impositions, oaths, and church-offices are so bad.
Art. xvi. Expos. I suppose this article meaneth only
the unpardoned sin against the Holy Ghost, and of a total
departure from common grace, and some degree of habit and
act from special grace ; but determineth not the contro-
versy, whether any totally and finally fall from such an un-
confirmed grace as else would save.
Art. xviii. They are to be had accursed that presume to
say, that evert/ man shall be saved by the laio or sect which he
professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to
that law and the light of nature. For holy Scripture doth set out
to us only the name of Jesus Christ whereby men must be saved.'}
Expos. Some sects contradict the light of nature : they
worship devils, and offer their children in sacrifice to them,
and murder the just : this will save none. But if the mean-
ing be to curse all that hope that some are saved, who never
heard of the name of Christ, and that his Spirit and grace
go farther than the knowledge of his name, I will not curse
such. All were not accursed that hoped well of Socrates,
Antonine, Alexander Severus, Cicero, Epictetus, Plutarch,
&c. There is no name ; that is, no other Messiah to be saved
by but Christ. But, 1. God judgeth men by no other law,
but that which they were under: and the law of grace made
to fallen mankind in Adam and Noah, was not repealed by
the Jews' peculiarity. 2. God had more people than the
Jews and Proselytes of old. 3. The old Jews knew less of
Christ than his apostles before his resurrection. 4. The
apostles then believed not his dying for our sins, his resur-
rection, ascension, heavenly intercession, &c. 5. It is no
Christianity now that believeth not these. If I durst curse
all the world who now believe no more than the old Jews and
the apostles then did, yet durst I not curse all Christians
that hope better of them.
534 ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
Art. xxin. Those we ought to judge lawfully called and
sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men, who have
public authority given them in the congregation^ to call arid send
Ministers into the Lord's vineyard.]
Expos. Given them, that is, by Christ in his Scripture
institution, and by those that Christ authoriseth under him.
Art. xxv. Sacraments be certain sure witnesses and effec-
tual signs of grace, and God's good ivill, #c]
Expos. They signify what God offereth : they invest the
true believing receiver in the right of pardon, adoption, and
salvation. They are morally operative signs of exciting and
increasing inherent grace in believers.
Art. xxvi. Nor is the effect of Christ's ordinances taken
away by their (Ministers' ) ivickedness.~]
Expos. Sacraments are not void, because a bad man ad-
ministered them ; but prayer, and preaching, and example,
are usually more effectual from able, godly men, than from
the ignorant and wicked. The blind man could say, " God
heareth not sinners; but if any be a worshipper of God, and
do his will, him he heareth." (Psal. 1.) To the wicked
saith God, " What hast thou to do to take my covenant into
thy mouth," &c. It is a sin to prefer a bad man before a
better. And it is dangerous to encourage men in daily sin,
who usurp the sacred office of bishops or pastors, having
neither the qualifications essentially necessary thereto, nor
that which is essentially necessary to a call.
The excepted articles, and those that need no exposition,
I pass by. If I have hit on the true meaning, I subscribe
my assent: and I thank God that this National Church hath
doctrine so sound, and pity them that write, preach, or prac-
tise contrary to the articles which they subscribe, and ac-
cuse them that refuse subscribing them ; and take them for
sinners, who take them not for their pastors, because that
their wickedness nulleth not their sacramental administra-
tions.
o35
REASONS
FOR MINISTERS USING THE GREATEST PLAINNESS
AND SERIOUSNESS POSSIBLE,
IN ALL. THEIR
APPLICATIONS TO THEIR PEOPLE.
1 o shew the reasonableness that all Ministers should deal
thus faithfully, and plainly with such as are under their
Ministry, I will lay open somewhat of the case before you,
and then judge reasonably of it as you are men. The eter-
nal God delighting in the wonderful diversity of his crea-
tures, hath made man of a middle nature, between brutes and
angels, giving him vital power, reason and freewill. He
hath placed him in this world, as for a race or warfare; re-
solving that as he behaveth himself it shall go with him in
another world for ever: For though his body be dust, and
must to dust return, his soul is from above, and liveth in
blessedness or misery for ever. By sin we have all for-
feited our light to heaven : but Eternal love hath given us a
Redeemer, who is God and man, who as our surety became
a sacrifice for our sins, and by his merits hath purchased a
conditional grant of free forgiveness, and of renewing grace,
and endless glory. And being ascended into heaven, pos-
sesseth it in our nature, and intexcedeth for us, being now
as Redeemer, Lord of all. He hath appointed the Ministerial
office, that men might be his messengers to men, to acquaint
them with his grace, and with the glory which he prepareth
for them, that they may truly believe it, soberly think of it,
duly value it, heartily choose it, and diligently seek it, and
live and die in the joyful expectation of it. And as our
souls converse not with our neighbours immediately, but in
and by our bodies in which they work ; so the Spirit of
Christ doth not ordinarily work on men's souls without any
means, but by his word and works which his Ministers must
declare. Man is not now put upon satisfying God's justice,
or purchasing his salvation by a price. Christ hath done
these, and made a free gift of grace and glory to all that will
but accept it. Under God's grace men's everlasting salvation
now lieth on their own wills ; no men or devils can damn or
530 REASONS FOR MINISTERS USING
undo any one soul, but by his own consent to the cause of hiy
damnation. No men or devils can keep our souls from the hea-
venly glory, but by tempting him to refuse it, undervalue and
neglect it, and prefer the pleasures of sin before it, and by
keeping him from loving, desiring and seeking it : for every
one shall certainly have it who had rather be a holy Christian
on earth, and live in perfect love and joy with God in heaven
for ever, than for his filthy pleasure to enjoy the prosperity
of this world. To acquaint men with this, is our ministerial
office ; we are charged to set before them the great salvation
which Christ hath procured, and importunately to beseech
them to mind it, believe it, and accept it, that it may be
theirs for ever : we believe God, and therefore we speak to
men as he hath commanded us : we entreat them in his
name, to turn from sinful enmity and folly, and to be recon-
ciled to God, and be wise for their salvation : we tell them
but what God's word sent from heaven, telleth us and them,
that holiness is the love of God and goodness, and the
hatred of sin ; that the pure in heart are blessed, for they
shall see God. But without holiness none can see him : We
tell them from God, that heaven is won or lost on earth ;
and that none shall have it but such as hence learn to love a
holy and heavenly life ; and that the dislike of holiness is
the forfeiture of happiness, and the beginning, or forerunner
of hell : We assure them, that God will never say, Depart
from me, ye workers of iniquity, if they do not first by ini-
quity depart from God ; and that God will not damn them,
except they damn themselves, by the obstinate final refusing
and resisting of his mercy. We entreat men therefore but
to live as men should do thatlove them themselves, and that
are not indifferent whether they live in heaven or hell for
ever. We entreat them not to be worse to themselves, than
the devil and all their enemies are, who cannot make them
commit one sin against their wills : and yet after all this
warning, entreaty, and importunity, there are thousands,
and ten thousands that will not be persuaded, nor regard the
warning given them from God ; some will not believe but
that a man dies like a dog; and what wonder if such live
like dogs! And some will not believe but that they may
be saved without regenerating grace and holiness, though
Christ's own mouth hath protested the contrary, and told us
verily that it cannot be. (John iii. 3. 15. 18, 19; Matt, xviii.
PLAINNESS WITH THEIR PEOPLE. 537
3; Heb. xii. 14; Rom. viii. 6— 9. 13, &c.) Multitudes will
not be brought to understand what we say; but when we
talk of redemption, sanctification, and salvation, they hear
us as if we spake Greek or Hebrew to them, and under
teaching, grow old in sottish, grossest ignorance ; multitudes-
are taken up with the love of prosperity, and the love of this
deceiving world : multitudes are carried away with aspiring
ambition and foolish pride; and more with the love of fleshly
pleasures, and satisfying their appetites and lusts. Many
poor people (who every where are the most) are so oppressed
with want, and wearied with their daily labour, and taken
up with cares to pay their rents and debts, and maintain
their families, that they think it excusable in them if they
little mind the pleasing of God, and saving of their souls ;
supposing that they have no leisure for it, and God re-
quireth it not at their hands. And the same most servants
think, who have time little enough for their master's work.
Multitudes have such dead and hardened hearts, that, when
we tell them that they must shortly be in heaven or hell, as
they are here prepared, we speak almost as to blocks, or men
asleep: they feel not what we say, as if they did not hear us.
We are bid cry aloud, and tell them of their sin and danger,
and yet we cannot get them to regard and feel ; God saith,
" Awake thou that sleepest, and Christ shall give thee light ;"
and yet we cannot get them to awake, nor hear us like men
that have the use of reason, and love themselves. Alas, how
many thousands are there whom we could never persuade to
consider with deep and serious thoughts, what will become
of their souls, when they are dead, nor seek to be resolved
of it from the infallible Word of God !
Sirs, this, this is the case of multitudes of our neigh-
bours ; and what would you have a Minister to do in such a
case ? Should we flatter and smooth them up in an unholy
life, what thanks would they give us for this ere long, when
they find themselves in hell?
Would you have us stand by in silence, and look on,
while Satan thus leadeth thousands to perdition ? Would
you have us let them quietly go to hell, for fear of displeas-
ing them or others, or seeming to be unmannerly or uncivil
with them? Would you have us whisper to men that must
be awakened or undone for ever, whom thunder and light-
ning will not awake?
538 REASONS FOR MINISTERS USING PLAINNESS.
Alas, we see men dying daily, and we are dying our-
selves, and daily look when we speak our last, and when
they hear their last, even all that ever they shall hear more
for their salvation : We see how time doth pass away ! much
is lost already, the rest is short, and utterly uncertain : and
the ignorance, unbelief, hardheartedness, fleshliness, world-
liness, pride, malignity and unholiness of sinners, are deep-
rooted, strong and damnable evils. We see men when they
are convinced, that they must repent or perish, putting it oft'
from day to day ; when they are certainly to be gone ere long,
and never certain of one more hour: and, alas, a long life is
little enough for a willing, awakened, serious Christian to
work out his salvation, and make his calling and election sure.
Sirs, tell us as Christians, or at least as men, what faith,
and reason, and human love command us to do in such a
case ? Shall we forbear, or speak to them in formality as on
a stage, as if we were players, and not preachers, and would
persude them not to believe what we say, should we let
them alone, be damned, and take it for our excuse, that they
or others were unwilling of our labours? Shall we pretend
charity, and hope that they have already enough to save
them, while we see not so much as knowledge, or any love
to holiness, nor forsaking of mortal sin, nor any serious care
of their salvation? Is it the office of charity to further men's
delusions and damnation ? If we believed not another life
ourselves, and that there is a God who will reward them,
and only them, that diligently seek him, (Heb. xi. 6',) we
would quickly renounce this ungrateful ministry and work ;
we would wish that all the preachers in the world were
silenced, and that the people would better use their tithes
than to maintain such troublers of the world. But God hath
shined into our minds with the heavenly convincing light. He
hath given us the first fruits and pledge of glory : We believe
a heaven and a hell, and the absolute necessity of a holy and
heavenly mind and life ; and we know why we do believe it.
Here we have, upon our sober consideration, laid up all our
hopes and comforts ; and what should we persuade our
neighbours to choose, but that which God hath taught us to
choose ourselves? And woe to him that ever he was born,
that maketh not this choice, and taketh not the heavenly
for his portion.
RICHARD BAXTER.
December 18, 1676.
539
DIRECTIONS TO JUSTICES OF PEACE,
ESPECIALLY IN
CORPORATIONS,
FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THEIR DUTY TO GOD.
Written at the request of a Magistrate, and published for the
use of others that need it, by Richard Baxter; impelled by
the love of God and Men, to become their submissive Monitor.
I shall suppose that you begin with God, in public hear-
ino- his Word for your direction, and by fasting and prayer,
to beg his blessing on your endeavours ; and I must suppose,
that you are resolved to do God's will when you know it.
Yet be very jealous of your own heart, lest there be any
latent reserves ; for in this is your greatest danger. Read
Jer. xlii. 1 — 5, with Jer. xliii. 1 — 4.
Direct. 1. Remember the original and nature of autho-
rity : It is a beam from the sovereign authority of God ; it
can have no lower spring ; as there can be no being but
from God's being. (Rom. xiii. 1, 2. 4. 6.) You are all God's
officers. The sense of this will teach you, 1. Whose work
you have to do, and to abhor the doctrine that would make
you so human, as to have nothing to do in matters of reli-
gion, or of soul-concernment. 2. And whose will you must
consult. 3. And to take heed of abusing so divine a thing,
by negligence or misemployment. 4. And to use your au-
thority reverently and religiously, and not carelessly as a
common thing. As ministers must speak with reverence,
because they are God's messengers, so must you rule with
pious reverence, as being God's officers. 5. Nor must others
be suffered to despise your authority, because it is of God,
and necessary to the common good. 6. And this will teach
you to look to God, for protection, approbation, encourage-
ment, and reward.
Direct. 2. Be sure that it be not self but God, that is
your ultimate end, and next to that, the public good. Let
the pleasing and honouring God, and the benefit of men, be
540 DIRECTIONS TO JUSTICES OF PEACE.
the very thing that you intend and seek ; and not any car-
nal content in your own exaltation, or power, or honour.
If you do the best works for self, and not for God, you de-
base them and lose them ; and make them sins, and serve
yourselves, and not God in them ; and your reward will be
accordingly. Be exceeding jealous of your hearts in this;
for selfishness is deep rooted, and it is the common cause of
men's perdition, and the sin that overturneth the govern-
ments of the earth, and destroyeth the governors. Look
not at sin only as a troubler of the nation, and wrong to
men, but as an offence to God, and a cause of damnation.
Do all your work with respect to God and everlasting life.
It is the Pope's device to make men believe, that magistrates
have nothing to do but for men's bodies, and temporal af-
fairs, except as executioners of his decrees ! If that were
generally believed, how base would the magistracy seem in
comparison of the ministry, to all men that believe a life
to come? They that count all dung for Christ, would be
tempted to count the magistrate no better, if his office no
more respected Christ and salvation, than some imagine.
(2 Chron. xix. 6; Prov. viii. 15, 16; Matt, xxviii. 18; John
ix. 11; Rom.xii. 6. 4; xi. 36 ; 1 Cor. x.31.)
Direct. 3. That your ends and actions may be right, re-
member the labour, the difficulties, and danger of your place,
and that the honour is but the clothing of your office, and
as sugar to tice down that labour and suffering, which is
bitter to your flesh. Look upon greatness and government
as that which in patience you must submit to undergo, when
it is for God and the common good, but not as a thing that
a wise man should be ambitious of. He is unlikely to rule
for God, that proudly seeks the power for himself.
Direct, 4. Forget not the two great summaries of your
work : to encourage good, and be a terror and avenger to
the evil. (Rom. xiii.) And therefore be not the same to
persons that are not the same ; but be a lamb to the lambs,
and a lion to the wolves. (Psal. xviii. 25, 26.) God that is
no respecter of persons, is yet the greatest distinguisher of
persons. Many actions and accusations may come before
you, which are indited by mere malignant enmity against the
fear of God ; and if the enemies of a holy life can find but
magistrates that will tit their turns, they will make your
power but an engine to do the devil's work ; and will never
DIRECTIONS TO JUSTICES OF PEACE. 541
want pretences and covers for their malice : See Dan. vi. 5.
The godly and sober you must put in your bosom, and ho-
nour them that fear the Lord, or else you are no Christians.
(Psal. xv. 4 ; 1 John iii. 14.) But a vile person you must
contemn, and the wicked you must cast out as dross. (Psal.
xv. 4 ; Prov. xxv. 4 ; Psal. cxix. 119.) A ruler that is him-
self ungodly, and distasteth holiness, will make but a chur-
lish nursing father to the Church. (Isa. xlix.23.)
Direct. 5. Never make the law an instrument of evil :
set not the letter against the sense ; interpret not the sense
to be against the end. As the sense is the law, so the end
informs the means, and is above it. The law of the land
may restrain you from doing some good, that the law of God
commandeth to the sovereign rulers, but it cannot warrant
you to do any evil. There is no power but from God, and
God gives none against himself. (Rom. xiii. 4.)
Direct. 6. See that you be such yourselves, as you
would have others be. Be examples of holiness, temperance
and righteousness to all the people. 1. Let your practice
commend a holy life, and all God's ordinances, public and
private to them. Order your families, as they should do
theirs. As ministers must preach by their lives, so you must
govern by your lives. If you neglect holy worship, despise
discipline, or have profane and prayerless families, the
people take it for a licence to be profane. 2. Avoid the
sins which you would have them avoid ; especially be as
little as may be in alehouses, or unlawful sports. Honour
godliness, and disgrace all sin, by your daily speeches and
examples. If you will disobey God and the laws, how can
you expect obedience yourselves?
Direct. 7. Set yourselves to do good with all your skill,
and care, and industry. Have no restriction, but disability.
Study it and make it your daily work to do all the good
you can : you have an office to discharge, and not a work on
the by to do. Abhor the principles and spirit, that entice
magistrates to shift off all the displeasing and troublesome
work, and to do no more than is thrust upon them ; and
they know not how with honour to avoid. If you know of
unlicensed or abusive alehouses, or other wickedness that
calls for redress ; stay not till you are urged, and conviction
is offered you ; but make inquiry, and procure them con-
victed, and think it not below you, or too much to seek
542 DIRECTIONS TO JUSTICES OF PEACE.
after vice, and do all that you are able to suppress it. If
the law of the land oblige you not to this, God's law doth,
by which you shall be judged. 1. Is not sin God's enemy ?
2. Have you not taken up arms against it by a double
engagement, as Christians, and as magistrates? 3. Doth it
not bring down judgments, and is it not the fire in our thatch,
and the plague of the commonwealth ? 4. Did it not kill the
Lord Jesus? 5. Doth it not damn men to the everlasting-
misery ? 6. Is it not fearful to draw on your own heads,
the guilt of a thousand oaths, and of the drunkenness and
other abominations which you connive at? 7. Your power
is one of God's talents, of which he will require the im-
provement. 8. If your offices be good and necessary to the
commonwealth, then make the best of them. If vou do
little in them, you teach men to esteem them little worth.
9. Every man is bound to do all the good he can in his place,
and therefore so are you. 10. If negligent and scandalous
ministers must be cast out, what must be done with negli-
gent and scandalous magistrates? If you make your office
more consistent with sin than ours, you so far vilify it. If
magistrates were but dealt with, as ministers be, by the se-
questring act, what work would be made? 11. Can a man
do too much for such a God, such a reward, such an end,
and in such a cause ? You have more from God than others,
in honour and greatness, and therefore you should be more
diligent than others. (Luke xii. 48.) 12. When you have
done your best, you shall find that sin will be too hard for
you, and the devil too cunning for you. Sin is so strong,
its friends so many and violent, its enemies so few, despised,
discouraged and weak ; and their impediments so very many
and great, that when you have all done your best, it will be
too little. Never were there stricter laws and endeavours,
and yet drunkenness and wickedness rage in our streets,
as if it were to scorn or dare the magistrate ; and many ho-
nest people are so tired in the costly and fruitless prose-
cution, that they are tempted to sit down, and meddle no
more, and to entertain unworthy thoughts of magistracy
(Deut. xiii. 14.) If there were but a fame of a seducing
idolater, they were to inquire and make search, and ask di-
ligently whether it were true or not. See what work Nehe-
niiah made with the Sabbath-breakers. (Neh. xiii.) Job
saith, (xxix. 16.) " I was a father to the poor, and the cause
DIRECTIONS TO JUSTICES OF PEACE. 543
which I knew not, I searched out." And if in wrongs against
men you must search, much more when against God. And
if magistrates be not bound to search after sin, no body is:
for why should poor private men do it more than you?
Read Psal. ci.
Direct. 8. Think not of a conscionable discharge of your
duty, without many temptations to take you off. See there-
fore that you be fortified with self-denial and resolution :
those that smart by you will complain, scarce a sinner but
will have a friend to solicit you for his impunity : your own
selfishness will be tempting you to be partial to your friends,
to gentlemen, and such as may do you a pleasure, or
a displeasure. If you cannot deny both self and all for
Christ, you cannot be true to him. (Luke xiv. 26. 33.) Be
at a point with all the world, as one that is resolved that
God must be pleased, if all be displeased. You are captains
in Christ's army against sin and Satan, and therefore must
excel in courage. (Josh. i. 7 ; 1 Chron. xxii. 12; xxviii. 10.
20; 2 Chron. xv. 7 ; xix. 6, 7.) He that cannot deny his
friend, or self, will deny God. See 1 Sam. ii. 29,30. Pity
more the nation and men's souls, than the body of a sinner ;
see Prov. xix. 18. and xxiii. 13, 14. If punishment will
do the sinner no good, it will restrain many others, and so is
a due to the commonwealth.
Direct. 9. Remember still that your opportunity will
be short, both of office and life ; and therefore be up and
doing, lest you give a dreadful account of your stewardship;
as an unprofitable servant that hath borne the sword in vain,
and only rubbed out the time in sitting in the seat, and wear-
ing the clothes of a magistrate: Keep you a daily reckon-
ing with yourself; and call yourself to an account: what good
have you done this day, this week, with your power? And la-
ment it if any opportunity hath been lost. (Rom. iii. 6. 4.)
Direct. 10. Be especially careful to suppress unnecessary
abusive alehouses, for there is the devil's shop ; where drunk-
enness, dissention, ribaldry, whoredom, swearing, cursing,
mocking at godliness, and a world of wickedness is com-
mitted. O, how much is God abused in alehouses in one
day ! And hitherto they have stood as in despite of all that
we can do. If constables be not driven on, and clerks be
not watched, and profane gentlemen that uphold sin well
checked ; and if honest men be not much encouraged against.
544 DIRECTIONS TO JUSTICES OF PEACE.
the malice of the ungodly, that count them but busy, trou-
blesome fellows, for seeking to suppress this and other sins,
(Gen. xix. 9,) wickedness will still reign, and the laws be as
ciphers to the ruin of souls and families, the guilt and shame
of negligent magistrates, the grief of the upright, and the
reproach and danger of the commonweal th.
Direct. 11. Defraud not the poor, of any thing that the
law hath made their due. If the mulcts of unlicensed and
abusive ale-sellers, and of swearers, drunkards, &c. be their
due, how dare you deprive them of it? 1 doubt at judgment,
abundance of magistrates will have so many pounds to an-
swer for, of which the poor have been defrauded, that the
sums charged on highway robbers, will come far short of
theirs. Usurp not a power that is not given you, to dispense
with the laws, which you are bound to obey and execute.
Direct. 12. Let zeal and prudence go together. Hearken
not to the impious that would destroy your zeal, and plunge
you into mortal guilt, on pretence of prudence and modera-
tion : nor yet to any that would draw you to rash, imprudent
actions, on pretences of piety or zeal. In cases where your
duty lies plain before you, go through with it, whatever it
cost you : but in cases that are too hard for you, if it be a
law difficulty, consult with the skilful in the law, (lest the /
malicious take advantage of your mistakes:) and if it be a
doubt about the laws of God, advise with some judiciou.s
ministers of Christ, whose office it is to teach you, and rule
by God's word, as it is yours to command and rule them by
the sword. It is never well, but where magistrates and mi-
nisters go together, each knowing his proper place and work ;
(Mai. n. 6. 7; Deut. xvii. 8, 9. 12; 1 Cor. iv. 1; 1 Thess.
v. 12; Heb. xiii. 7. 17.24.)
" When the righteous are in authority, the people re-
joice : but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."
(Prov. xxix. 2.)
October 20, 1657.
END OF THE FIFTEENTH VOLUME.
R. EDWARDS, CRANE COURT, FLEET STREET, LONDON.
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