Obs. 2. Observe again, blockish and stupid men are most bold in reproacliing. A fool's wrath falleth very heavy, because it falleth with all its weight, there being nothing to restrain and stop it : Prov. xxvii. 3, ' A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.' When the mind is void of judgment, it is more overcome and carried out in the way of a naughty passion. Usually we find it, the weakest spirits are most violent, there being nothing of judgment to counterbalance affection; men are all flame and rage. Liquors, when they run low and are upon the dregs, they grow more tart and sour ; so it is usually with the dregs of men, for when they are weak and run in low parts, their opposition is most troublesome. What ado in the ministry have we with young heady professors, that have more heat than light ! and how troublesome are those wild sectaries, that have only knowledge enough to prate a little against the undoubted ordinances of Jesus Christ ! for there being nothing of knowledge and civility to restrain them, they easily give vent to the excesses of their passion, by clamour and evil- speaking.
Obs. 3. From the second part of the charge, observe, that men of corrupt minds are usually sensual, and sensual men are usually men of corrupt minds ; an unsound heart is best sheltered under unsound doctrine, and carnal delights blunt and weaken the edge and intension of the mind, so that they are very liable to mistakes. Tlierefore, on the one side, we should labour to keep the mind right and sound in
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the faith ; fish stink first at the head ; when the jntigment is poisoned, the taint is soon conveyed to the affections. On the other side, ' add to your knowledge temperance,' 2 Peter i. 6. The apostle joineth these, because many times men of the greatest parts are overcome by appe- tite ; and some say that temper of body which is fit for wit and scholarsliip is much inclined this way. Solomon, so famous for wis- dom and knowledge, was enticed by women. Oh ! let not fleshy lusts betray you. That is the best knowledge that endeth in temperance, or begets a holy moderation in the use of sensual pleasure ; if we can- not govern our affections, we ' know nothing as we ought to know ;' nay, otherwise, your knowledge will be corrupted by your affections : many errors take their rise and beginning from evil manners and filthy lusts.
Obs. 4. Observe again, that wicked men, left to themselves, do but abuse and corrupt that natural goodness and knowledge which they have in them. Natural abilities are soon depraved with evil habits. He that had but one talent is called a ' wicked and slothful servant,' Mat. XXV. 26 ; slothful for not growing better, and ivicked for growing worse. Naturally we are blind, and we cannot endure to be en- lightened, 2 Peter iii. 5. Yea, rather, we put the finger in nature's eye, and then there cometh on judicial blindness, Rom. i. 28 ; we suffer lusts to blow out the candle of reason, and then we are justly- left to the power of vile affections. Certainly they do not flatter us that say there is a power in nature as to conversion and turning to God. We are so far from improving ourselves, that we ' corrupt our- selves in what we know naturally,' and suffer brutish lusts to blind the mind and harden the heart.
Obs. 5, Once more observe, sin where it reigneth turneth a man into a brute beast : Ps. xlix. 12, ' Man being in honour, abideth not ; he is like the beasts that perish:' the meaning is, he abode not in the honour of his creation ; hence compared to wolves for their cruelty, dogs for their filthiness, to horses and mules for the rage of lust, to a wild ass's colt for wildness and dulness of understanding ; see Jer. v. 8, Ezek. XX. 23, Job xi. 12, Ptev. xxii. 15. You may see here to wdiat sin will bring you ; with Nebuchadnezzar we outgrow the heart of a man ; what he did through that deep melancholy that fell upon him by God's judgment, Dan. iv. 32, we do spiritually. If we had the head of a horse, or the face of a swine, or tlie hoofs of an ass, how should we be looked upon as monsters : but to have the hearts of the beasts is worse ; to be like them in the inward man is more monstrous in the sight of God. Consider this, sin maketh a beast of you ; nay, it maketh you worse than the beasts : ' The ass knoweth his owner,' &c., Isa. i. 3 ; they are serviceable to their benefactors, but thou art a rebel against God that made thee, and hath kept thee all thy days. The sluggard is put to school to the ant, Prov, vi. The beasts know their stint and measure ; a horse or a dog will not be drunk, &c. Shall I speak one word more ? Sin doth not only make a beast of you, but a devil of you : John vi. 70, ' One of you is a devil ;' the devils said, ' What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of David ?' and wicked men, ' What is the Almighty ? depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.'