Chapter VIII
The Uses. We should employ all our wit and reason for God. What need we have that Christ should be made wisdom to us. How useful rational
gifts are in the church. We should not wonder at the springing up of here
sies. We should not harbour nor give them entertainment.
Use 1. If carnal reason in us is thus gained to take sin s part, to be for
it, and helpful to it, let us consider, then, what a great engagement it is on
any of us who have wit and parts, and abilities of mind, to turn to God, that they may not be used against him. If men of wit and learning are not
good, they will have more sinful inventions than other men. Thus a traitor,
if he be witty and politic, proves the most dangerous. Eeason, as it makes you capable of sinning (for beasts, by the want of it, are limited to a few
objects), so it enlargeth affections to sin, and assists to find out means for the accomplishment. Thou who art a cunning, witty sinner, wilt in hell curse thy brain, as well as thy heart, for ruining thee. It was Solomon s wit which undid him ; and knowledge perverteth many men : Isa. xlvii. 10,
* For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness : thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee : and thou hast said
in thine heart, I am, and none else besides me.
Use 2. By this corruption of reason thus perverting men s minds, and
turning their best wisdom into folly, we see how much need we have that Christ should be made wisdom to us, that we may be truly wise to purpose, to all the ends of our salvation. We are naturally fools ; and it is that rea son to which we trust, of which we so much boast, and in which we pride ourselves, which befools us. Would we be cured of this our folly, we must go
fto Christ for instruction, for his being wisdom to us is the only remedy which can help us against the* vain and foolish reasonings of our own hearts.
Use 3. Is reason in men so much depraved, and all its acts turned to a
wrong way and use ? We see, then, how useful in the church of Christ such
gifts are that are rational, and which may encounter with the carnal reason
ings of wicked men ; which reasonings, because they are the strongholds wherein they fortify themselves, there are but two ways of opening the gates upon them, either to break them open, or to pick the locks, and make a new
key to the wards. Now answerably there are two gifts in the church. There are some sons of thunder, who come with a mighty wind, and carry
all before them, and break open the doors of men s hearts ; others they go about to pick the wards, by convincing them, and beating them from their
strongholds. If you would catch rabbits, you find it necessary not only to
lay nets, but to get them out of their holes ; if you would catch fish, you do not only lay nets, but beat with poles, to drive them out of their lurking
places in the banks. Thus to catch men s souls also (as Christ says he
j IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 251
CHAP. VIII.
would make his disciples fishers of men), it is needful not only to use mo
tives and exhortations, but by strength of arguments to drive them out of
those carnal reasonings wherein they conceal and strengthen themselves.
Use 4. We see what need ministers have of the almighty assistance of God in their preaching ; considering that they are to encounter with, and
overthrow, so mighty and potent an enemy as carnal reason is. Christ
told his disciples that they were to bear witness of him when he was absent : John xv. 27,
* And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. They upon it began to be full of sorrow : John
* But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled
xvi. 6, 7,
your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth ; it is expedient for you that I go away
: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I de
part, I will send him unto you. For they thought it an impossible task for
them, poor, ignorant, fishermen, to overturn the world, and to persuade^men that their estates were naught, and to believe in a crucified man absent whom
they saw not. This was a story which the Athenians hooted at as ridiculous ; but for their comfort he tells them that his Spirit should accompany them,
to convince the world of sin, &c. ; to convince, that is, to overcome their car
nal reason, and gainsaying, for so the word signifies ; and this as he brought
it in for the comfort of the apostles, so of all ministers to the end of the
world. It had been folly and madness else for any man to have attempted to be a minister. But such extraordinary help had the apostles from Christ, that it is said men could not resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he
spake : Acts vi. 10, And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the
Spirit by which he spake. As he had wisdom to convince them, so if he had not had the Spirit to have gone with it, they had resisted ; for while we
bring reason only, reason can oppose it. Let us weave our nets never so
close, a cunning wicked man will find holes to get out at ; except the Holy Ghost comes down and stops all. We have need of much wisdom to know men s starting holes, as Saul said concerning David : 1 Sam. xxiii. 22, 23,
* Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt
is, and who hath seen him there : for it is told me that he dealeth very
subtilely. See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will
go with you
: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will
search him throughout all the thousands of Judah. Thus, too, the hearts
of men are very deceitful and cunning, and ministers have need of a great deal of wisdom to search out all their windings and turnings ; and this they can never do, unless the wisdom of the Spirit of God assists them.
Use 5. We may hence derive a demonstration for the truth of our reli
gion and profession thereof. There is no truth of the gospel, but all the
reason in a man is against it ; and yet we see carnal men are forced to stoop to it. It is contrary to their wills, and contrary to their reasons ; and it is
a question which is strongest in them, and yet they yield. It is an argu ment whereby Paul proves his apostleship, that the weapons of our warfare,
says he, are not carnal, but mighty through God : 2 Cor. x. 4, 5, For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pull
ing down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ. We do not war after the flesh, that is, we do not take in the help of carnal reason, and what may please the
flesh, and draw it in as a party to join with us, as all other false religions do, as Mahometism, which accommodates itself to the dispositions of all sorts, and so allures them ; and as popery also doth, which strokes and pleaseth
252 AN UNREGENERATE MAN S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BOOK V.
corrupt nature ; but the gospel goes clean contrary, and crosseth it, and yet
prevails and conquers where it comes, which is a sign God is with it. There
fore, says Paul, our weapons are mighty through God, which appears in this, that they cast down strongholds ; and so when you shall see a man that is
wise, strong, and hath much to plead and say for his carnal natural estate, that could vie learning and civil righteousness and outward privileges with
the proudest ; when you shall see such an one come and have all his books
(that I may so allude) in the market-place, and make open profession that he was deceived and misled, and that he yields to the power of religion, which the wise of the world account foolishness, it is a mighty demonstra
tion of the truth of the gospel. When a man who had wit and parts, and an
opportunity of rising by them, renounceth them all for Christ, it is a great evidence of the truth and power of religion ; why else doth Paul so often tell
the story of his conversion, how strong he was in the other way, and could have said as much for pharisaism and the Jews religion as the best of them ? He was not a fool in that sect, for he profited in it more than any, and he was strong in his way, for he thought verily he ought to persecute the gos
pel of Christ, and yet God turned him. And this amazed them all ; they knew not what to say to it, that so strong a town as this should yield, and be forced to do so. It half persuaded Agrippa to come in and yield up his
( Too much learning hath made
keys also, and Festus had no put-off but this,
thee mad, says he to Paul. And it was on this account that Paul so
triumphs, where are the disputers of this world with all their reasons ?
1 Cor. i. 20, Where is the wise ? where is the scribe ? where is the dis-
puter of this world ? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world ? And thus did Luther triumph, when he said that that pen should strike off
the pope s triple crown from his head.
Use 6. Let us not be offended if heresies arise, and oppositions against the truth, and those backed strangely too, seeing there are such mighty rea
sonings in their hearts. Some opinions in popery a poor believer would think so gross, that surely nothing could be said for them, as worshipping of images, justification by our own righteousness, and merit of good works ; who that hath a clear eye of faith, and hath seen his estate, could imagine any thing could be found out to colour such gross errors as these ? But
yet read Bellarinine, read the Jesuits, and what fair tales do they tell for
themselves ; that as the Scripture foretold, they have not only delusions, but strong delusions: 2 Thes. ii. 11, And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie ; such delusions as catch not fools and silly women, but the great and the wise of the world ; that
it is foretold by Christ that, if possible, the elect should be deceived : Mat.
xxiv. 24, For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that (if it were possible) they shall
deceive the yery elect, should probabilities be brought. And so likewise semi-
Pelagianism, how strongly is it backed ; popery being but childishness to it ! What armies of places of Scripture cunningly perverted, what reasons, what
harmony is there in the plot of it, what depths, though depths of Satan ? as
: Rev. ii. 24, But unto you I say, and unto the rest in
the apostle says
Thyatira, As many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known
the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will put upon you none other burden.
Use 7. We may from hence see the mighty wisdom of Jesus Christ, who knows all these reasonings, and will fully silence and confute them all at last,
which all the learning, all the wit this world hath, could never do ; still it is
: John vi. 61, When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth
said of Christ that he knew their reasonings
CilAP. VIII.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 253
this offend you ? Luke v. 22, But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts ? How did he nonplus the pharisees when he was here on earth, that they would ask him no more questions
! The enemies of the gospel think to outface us, and to outreason us, and think they have the victory, but at the latter day he will come on purpose to convince all the] world, Jude 14, 15. He will then at once cut asunder all controversies, and easily decide them, and dis cover the secret intents and reasonings of the heart. Then he will answer
all men s cavils and objections against his ways and his children, whose lives
they thought to be madness and folly. Then he will convince them that
their estates were naught, that they are justly damned, which now they will not acknowledge, and he will then send them to hell convinced, and will so
silence them that they shall not have a word to say ; and though they now
cavil at the word, yet then they shall have nothing to reply against him, but
shall be struck perfectly dumb : Mat. xxii. 12, And he saith unto him, Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment ? And he was speechless. And then Christ will deal by reason with them, and not with power only, and therefore their judgment is called but rendering a reason : 1 Peter iv. 5, Who shall give account to him that is ready to
judge the quick and the dead. It is in the original. Wicked men now think
strange at the saints, as seeing no reason for what they do, and are strength ened in their own ways, thinking reason to be on their side, therefore they shall have a reason at last sufficient to answer all theirs : Isa. xli. 21,
* Produce your cause, saith the Lord ; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the king of Jacob. Job xxxviii. 3, Gird up now thy loins like a man ; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Use 8. Is to search into your hearts, to find out this unbelief, which is the
ground and bottom of all corruption in you. When you look on your lives, you see gross sins committed ; when you look into your hearts, you find
strong lusts up and warring in your members ; and it is well you see them, and find any contesting against them. But how durst these lusts be so bold, unless they were secretly backed and encouraged by the supreme power, viz. the atheistical principles in the heart, which* are the abettors of them. Therefore dig, and search still into your hearts, and resolve all into their
first principles, and you will find it true that atheism and unbelief are at the bottom. And this know, the more you see this experimentally true, the more you grow in grace. To see that lusts are sins is not ordinary, but to
see these springs and abettors of all lusts is a degree further. And also take notice of the deceitfulness of your hearts, which lies in this, that there should be so much seemingly in it for these principles, and yet the contrary do all. So now every stud in this building must become new; these main foundations must be laid new, viz. to believe that God is, that he is merci
ful, that he is all-sufficient, that his promises are true, all things must be come new. Nature brings not one stud that is able to bear the weight of a
godly life ; none of the old will serve, and he only is converted to God whc
experimentally hath learnt over the articles of our Christian profession.
Use 9. Let us be humbled for this atheism and unbelief which by nature
is in alKof our hearts. Of all corruptions what can be greater? Therefore it
* Take heed, brethren, lest
is called the evil heart of unbelief: Heb. iii. 12,
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Of all traitors we account Jesuits the worst, because they deny the
king s supremacy, and indeed the very opinion is treason, and therefore the
law is against them for their very profession. Now, Titus i. 16, They pro fess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and
254 AN UNREGENERATE MAN S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BOOK V.
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Such is unbelief that denies God,, so that unbelief in effect says there is no God, or, at least, denies his just and royal titles. Now, indeed, although you profess not so much with your mouth, but come to church and profess all we would have
you, yet this in your hearts do shew, as there are church papists and
Jesuits, so there are church atheists. I find that for the atheism in men s
hearts, God expresseth himself most provoked and weary of the sons of men.
So, Mai. ii. 17, Ye have wearied the Lord with your words ; yet ye say, Wherein have we weaned him ? When ye say, Every one that doth evil
is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? You have wearied me, saith the Lord, and ye say, Wherein have we wearied him ? Why, says he, search your hearts and you shall find, for you say, Where is the God of judgment ? So your words have been stout against me ; you say, It is in vain to serve the Lord ; that
is, you believe not that there is a God who is the rewarder of him that seeks him. So also Isa. vii., when Ahaz would not trust God, and take a sign and
promise of him, what says the prophet ? ver. 13, It is a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also ? It tires out his patience exceedingly. It is called speaking against him : Ps. Ixxviii. 19, Yea, they spake against God : they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness ? Use 10. You may hereby see how little nature brings to the great work of
grace, and what a distance is between the one estate and the other, for if we
believe not the first principles as we should, but must have a new principle to apprehend them with ere we come to God, then there is an infinite inca
pacity of the work of grace ; for if you go to teach men any science, if they deny the first principles, there is no hope, contra negantem principia non
est disputandum. Now we deal with hearts that secretly do deny the principles on which all our motives and persuasions to holiness are grounded, and so rooted by denying them, that, till by a new work of faith they appre hend them, we shall never work upon them.
There are two principles in the heart at once, that there is a God, and that there is none ; and accordingly there are differing conclusions and
effects, and that according to that interest and place they have in the heart : the one is rooted in corrupt nature, namely, that there is no God, and there
fore you see all actions swayed by it ; the other, viz. that there is a God, is
put in to give warning as a prophet, and to make them without excuse, and
is weak, and hath no power, stroke, nor authority in the heart, which listens not to it, it endeavours to extinguish it. So as if a man come to be con
verted, a new principle of faith must be wrought to apprehend these things strongly and powerfully, so as to prevail against and overcome the contrary, or else the heart is never changed.
Use 11. Are there any here troubled with thoughts of atheism, with
objections against the truth of Scripture, and of our religion ? Wonder not
at it : think not therefore your case desperate, or such as no man s is, for I
tell you all men by nature are atheists, and that doth but discover itself in
thy haste which lies hid in all men s hearts. For every sin a man commits
ariseth from such a principle, and they discover it in their works, but in thee it discovers itself in thy thoughts. To thee this devil of atheism takes a shape and appears to affright thee, but in other men this devil rules and
reigns in their hearts and lives. He only appears not to them, that is all the difference.
Others profess there is a God, and find no doubts in them, but shew they believe it not in their lives. Thou professest thou canst not believe there is a God in thy thoughts, yet look to thy course, and thou shewest that thou
CHAP. VIII.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 255
believest there is one (for usually the devil troubles none with those thoughts but such as have true faith wrought), for dost thou not walk fearful of sin, or of omitting of any duty ? Art thou not careful to come to every ordi nance ? Why, if thy heart did not secretly believe there were a God, and
strongly too, these considerations would not come from thee ; and therefore
let such look to their lives and practices, and not to the inward exercises of
their spirits.
Use 12. If the heart be thus possessed with atheism and unbelief, take heed of admitting doubts, and suffering them to lie unanswered in the heart, for they secretly weaken faith, and back and strengthen the other party. Men s hearts are apt to gather doubts from the dispensation of things in the
world, that all falls alike to all, that the wicked prosper. David had well
nigh his faith struck up with this objection : Ps. Ixxiii. 2, 3, But as for me, my feet were almost gone
: my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. But make known such doubts, and get answers to them, for in suffering them to har bour in the heart you conceal Jesuits that deny the king s supremacy.
Use 13. We may see what need there is of coming often where God is known, into the assembly of the saints, where he is spoken of, worshipped, and served, for God appears in the generation of the just, in their lives, speeches, and in his ordinances, so that if an unbeliever comes in he is con vinced God is among them : 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25,
* But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of
all, he is judged of all : and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest ; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God
is in you of a truth. Let us pray often, and meditate often, and renew
acquaintance with God, for all these leave deep impressions of a God upon the mind behind them. Let us observe his providence in the world, and
see, and study his wisdom, power, &c. For all these are means to strengthen in us the principles which are contrary to atheism and unbelief.
Use 14. If any of you be free from such thoughts, bless God ; for such are in thy heart God might hold thee to thy catechism, to thy ABC, all thy days, that when thou shouldst be taken up with thinking how to serve and
please him, and how to make it sure that he is thine, that so thou mayest be going on to perfection, God might exercise thee and suffer thee to be posed and nonplussed, and to stumble at the principles, whether there be a God or no ; so he doth deal in many a soul ; and believe it, there is matter enough in thee for this.
Use 15. Wonder not if men in time of trial forsake the truth, and that
they are such children, tossed to and fro with every wind of error, willing to embrace every opinion, and assent not to wholesome words. Consider they assent not in deed and in truth to the first principles ; and if they be not riveted into them, how should they stick to the truth, whenas all truth hangs on them ?
250 AX UNBEGENEBA.TE MAN S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BOOK VI.