Then & Now · 34 of 44
3. The Learned and the Wise
3. The Learned and the Wise
BY working them to pride themſelves665 in their parts and abilities;666 and ſometimes by drawing them to reſt upon their parts and abilities, & ſometimes by cauſing them to make light and ſlight of thoſe that want their parts667 and abilities, though they excell them in grace and holineſſe; and ſometimes by drawing them to ingage their parts and abilities, in thoſe wayes and things that make againſt the honour of Chriſt, the joy of the ſpirit, the advancement p. 285 of the Goſpel, and the liberty of the Saints, &c.
BY working them to pride themselves516 in their parts and abilities;517 and sometimes by drawing them to rest upon their parts and abilities, and sometimes by causing them to make light and slight of those that want their parts518 and abilities, though they excel them in grace and holiness; and sometimes by drawing them to engage their parts and abilities, in those ways and things that make against the honour of Christ, the joy of the spirit, the advancement of the gospel, and the liberty of the saints, etc‸.
THe firſt Remedy againſt this Device668 of Satan, is, ſeriouſly to conſider, that you have nothing but what you have received; Chriſt being as well the fountaine of common gifts, as of ſaving669 grace. What haſt thou (ſaith the Apoſtle) that thou haſt not received? And if thou haſt received it, why doſt thou glory as though thou hadſt not received it? There are thoſe that would hammer out their owne happineſſe, like the Spider climbing up by the thread of her owne weaving; of all the parts and abilities that be in you, you may well ſay, as the young man did of his Hatchet, Alas Maſter! it was but borrowed; Alas Lord! all I have is but borrowed from that Fountaine that fills all the Veſſel in Heaven, and on Earth, and it overflowes; my gifts are not ſo much mine,670 as thine: Of thine owne have we offered unto thee, ſaid that Princely Prophet, &c.
The first remedy against this device of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that you have nothing but what you have received; Christ being as well the fountain of common gifts, as of saving519 grace. What hast thou (saith the apostle) that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received it, why dost thou glory as though thou hadst not received it? There are those that would hammer out their own happiness, like the spider climbing up by the thread of her own weaving; of all the parts and abilities that be in you, you may well say, as the young man did of his hatchet, Alas master! It was but borrowed; Alas Lord! All I have is but borrowed from that fountain that fills all the vessels in heaven, and on earth, and it overflows; my gifts are not so much mine,520 as thine: Of thine own have we offered unto thee, said that princely prophet, etc‸.
The ſecond Remedy againſt this Device671 of Satan, is, ſolemnly to conſider, that mens leaning and truſting to their own wits, parts, and abilities, have been their utter overthrow, and ruine;672 as you may ſee in Achitophel, and thoſe Preſidents and Princes that engaged againſt Daniel, and in the Scribes and Phariſees; God loves to confute men in their Confidences; he that ſtands upon his parts and abilities, doth but ſtand upon a quick-ſand, that will certainly faile him. There is nothing in the world that provokes God more to with-draw from the ſoul, then this, and how can the ſoul ſtand when his ſtrength is departed from him? Every thing that a man leanes upon, but God, will be a dart that will certainly pierce his heart through and through; ah! how many in theſe dayes have loſt their eſtates? their friends? their lives? their ſouls? by leaning upon their admired parts and abilities? The Saints are deſcribed673 by their leaning upon their beloved the Lord Jeſus; he that leanes onely upon the boſome of Chriſt, lives the higheſt, choyceſt, ſafeſt, and ſweeteſt life; miſeries alwayes lye at that mans doore, that leans upon any thing below the precious boſome of Chriſt. Such a man is moſt in danger, and this is none p. 287 of his leaſt plagues, that he thinks himſelfe ſecure. ‘Tis the greateſt wiſdome in the world, to take the wiſe mans counſell. Truſt in the Lord with all thy674 heart, and leane not to thine owne underſtanding.
The second remedy against this device of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that men’s leaning and trusting to their own wits, parts, and abilities, have been their utter overthrow, and ruin;521 as you may see in Ahithophel, and those presidents and princes that engaged against Daniel, and in the scribes and Pharisees; God loves to confute men in their confidences; he that stands upon his parts and abilities, doth but stand upon a quick-sand, that will certainly fail him. There is nothing in the world that provokes God more to with-draw from the soul, than this, and how can the soul stand when his strength is departed from him? Every thing that a man leans upon, but God, will be a dart that will certainly pierce his heart through and through; ah! how many in these days have lost their estates? Their friends? Their lives? Their souls? By leaning upon their admired parts and abilities? The saints are described522 by their leaning upon their beloved the Lord Jesus; he that leans only upon the bosom of Christ, lives the highest, choicest, safest, and sweetest life; miseries always lie at that man’s door, that leans upon any thing below the precious bosom of Christ. Such a man is most in danger, and this is none of his least plagues, that he thinks himself secure. ’Tis the greatest wisdom in the world, to take the wise man’s counsel. Trust in the Lord with all thy523 heart, and lean not to thine own understanding.
The third Remedy againſt this Device675 of Satan, is to conſider, that you doe not tranſcend others, more in parts and abilities, then they doe you in676 grace and holineſſe, there may be, and often is great parts and abilities where there is but little grace, yea no grace; and there may be, and often is, a great deale of grace, where there is but weak parts and abilities; you may be higher then others in gifts of knowledge, utterance, learning, &c. and thoſe very ſouls may be higher then you in their communion with God, in their delighting677 in God, in their dependance upon God, in their affections to God, and in their humble, holy, and unblamable walking before God; Is it folly and madneſſe in a man, to make light and ſlight of another, becauſe he is not ſo rich in lead, or iron, as he, when he is a thouſand thouſand times richer in ſilver and in gold, in Jewels, and in Pearls, then he? And is it not madneſſe and folly with a witneſſe, in thoſe that have greater parts and abilities then others, p. 288 to ſlight them upon that account, when that thoſe very perſons, that they make light and ſlight of, have a thouſand times more grace then they? And yet ah! how doth this evill ſpirit prevaile in the world? ‘Twas the ſad complaint of Auſtin in his time, The unlearned (ſaid678 he) riſe up, and take Heaven by violence, and we with all our learning are thruſt down to hell; ‘tis ſad to ſee, how many of the Rabbies of theſe times, doe make an Idol of their parts and abilities; and with what an eye of pride, ſcorne, and contempt doe they looke upon thoſe that want their parts, and that doe not worſhip the idoll that they have ſet up in their own hearts. Paul who was the great Doctor of the Gentiles, did wonderfully tranſcend in all parts and abilities, the Doctors and Rabbies of our times, and yet ah! how humbly, how tenderly, how ſweetly doth he carry himſelfe towards the meaneſt and the679 weakeſt; To the weake I became as weake, that I might win the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all meanes ſave ſome. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burne not? Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no fleſh while the World ſtandeth, leaſt I make my brother to offend. But ah! how little of this ſweet ſpirit is to be found p. 289 in the Doctors of our age, who look ſowrely, & ſpeak bitterly againſt thoſe that doe not ſee as they ſee, nor cannot ſpeak as they ſpeak. Sirs, the ſpirit of680 the Lord (even in deſpiſed Saints) will be too hard for you, and his appearances in them, in theſe latter dayes, will be ſo full of ſpirituall beauty and glory, as that they will darken that, that you are too apt to count and call your glory; the ſpirit of the Lord will not ſuffer his choyceſt jewell grace, to be alwayes buried under the ſtraw, and ſtubble of parts and gifts.
- 675. 3 Remedie. [dropped from the edition]
- 676. Judas and the Scribes & Phariſees, had great parts, but no grace, the Diſciples had grace, but weak parts.
- 677. Luke 11. 1. Mark 8. 31, 32, 33. Luke 24. 19. to 28.
- 678. Surgeant indocti & rapiunt coelum & nos cum doctrinis noſtris detrudimur in gehennā.
- 679. 1 Cor 9. 22. 2 Cor. 11. 29.
- 680. Iſa. 60. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.
The third remedy against this device of Satan, is to consider, that you do not transcend others, more in parts and abilities, than they do you in524 grace and holiness, there may be, and often is great parts and abilities where there is but little grace, yea no grace; and there may be, and often is, a great deal of grace, where there is but weak parts and abilities; you may be higher than others in gifts of knowledge, utterance, learning, etc‸. And those very souls may be higher than you in their communion with God, in their delighting525 in God, in their dependence upon God, in their affections to God, and in their humble, holy, and unblamable walking before God; Is it folly and madness in a man, to make light and slight of another, because he is not so rich in lead, or iron, as he, when he is a thousand thousand times richer in silver and in gold, in jewels, and in pearls, than he? And is it not madness and folly with a witness, in those that have greater parts and abilities than others, to slight them upon that account, when that those very persons, that they make light and slight of, have a thousand times more grace than they? And yet ah! how doth this evil spirit prevail in the world? ’Twas the sad complaint of Augustine in his time, The unlearned (said526 he) rise up, and take heaven by violence, and we with all our learning are thrust down to hell; ’tis sad to see, how many of the rabbis of these times, do make an idol of their parts and abilities; and with what an eye of pride, scorn, and contempt do they look upon those that want their parts, and that do not worship the idol that they have set up in their own hearts. Paul who was the great doctor of the Gentiles, did wonderfully transcend in all parts and abilities, the doctors and rabbis of our times, and yet ah! how humbly, how tenderly, how sweetly doth he carry himself towards the meanest and the527 weakest; To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the World standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. But ah! how little of this sweet spirit is to be found in the doctors of our age, who look sourly, and speak bitterly against those that do not see as they see, nor cannot speak as they speak. Sirs, the spirit of528 the Lord (even in despised saints) will be too hard for you, and his appearances in them, in these latter days, will be so full of spiritual beauty and glory, as that they will darken that, that you are too apt to count and call your glory; the spirit of the Lord will not suffer his choicest jewel grace, to be always buried under the straw, and stubble of parts and gifts.
- 524. Judas and the Scribes and Pharisees, had great parts, but no grace, the Disciples had grace, but weak parts.
- 525. Luke 11:‸1. Mark 8:‸31, 32, 33. Luke 24:‸19‸ to 28.
- 526. Surgunt indocti & rapiunt coelum and nos cum doctrinis nostris detrudimur in gehennam.
- 527. 1 Cor 9:‸22. 2 Cor‸ 11:‸29.
- 528. Isa‸ 60:‸13, 14, 15, 16, 17.
The fourth Remedy againſt this Device681 of Satan, is, to conſider, that there682 is no ſuch way for men to have their gifts and parts blaſted, and withered, as to pride themſelves in them, as to reſt upon them, as to make light and ſlight of thoſe that want them, as to engage them againſt thoſe perſons, wayes, and things that Jeſus Chriſt hath ſet his heart upon. Ah! how hath God blaſted, and withered the parts and abilities of many among us, that have once been famous ſhining lights, how is their ſun darkned, and their glory clouded? How683 is the ſword of the Lord upon their arme, and upon their right eye? How is their arm clean dried up, and their right eye utterly darkned? as the Prophet ſpeaks. This is p. 290 matter of humiliation and lamentation; many precious diſcerning Saints doe ſee this, and in ſecret mourn for it; and oh! that they were kindly ſenſible of Gods withdrawing from them, that they may repent, keep humble, and carry it ſweetly towards Gods Jewels, and lean only upon the Lord, and not upon their parts and underſtanding, that ſo the Lord may delight to viſit them wth his grace, at ſuch a rate, as that their faces may ſhine more gloriouſly then ever, and they may be more ſerviceable to the honour of Chriſt, and the faith of the Saints, then formerly they have been, &c.
The fourth remedy against this device of Satan, is, to consider, that there529 is no such way for men to have their gifts and parts blasted, and withered, as to pride themselves in them, as to rest upon them, as to make light and slight of those that want them, as to engage them against those persons, ways, and things that Jesus Christ hath set his heart upon. Ah! how hath God blasted, and withered the parts and abilities of many among us, that have once been famous shining lights, how is their sun darkened, and their glory clouded? How530 is the sword of the Lord upon their arm, and upon their right eye? How is their arm clean dried up, and their right eye utterly darkened? As the prophet speaks. This is matter of humiliation and lamentation; many precious discerning saints do see this, and in secret mourn for it; and oh! that they were kindly sensible of God’s withdrawing from them, that they may repent, keep humble, and carry it sweetly towards God’s jewels, and lean only upon the Lord, and not upon their parts and understanding, that so the Lord may delight to visit them with his grace, at such a rate, as that their faces may shine more gloriously than ever, and they may be more serviceable to the honour of Christ, and the faith of the saints, than formerly they have been, etc‸.