124 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [Seh. XLIII.
Doubts smothered make way for atheism or hardness of heart. Therefore, in cases of anxiety, it is good to bring things to an issue. Smoke maketh way for flame.
[3.] In your choice, be not swayed with interests, nor vulgar pre- judices, nor vile affections.
(1.) Not with interests. God puts us to trial, to see if we can love a hated truth. The world is a blinding thing : 2 Cor. iv. 4, ' The god of the world hath Winded the minds of them which believe not.' Why is Satan called ' the god of the world ' ? He throweth the dust of the world in our eyes, and then we cannot see. We easily believe what we readily desire, and are loath to search when we have a mind to hate. Let the weights be never so equal, yet, if the balances be not equal, you can never judge of the weight of anything. When the mind is prepossessed and infected with interests, we are not capable of making a right judgment ; as the water, when it is muddieil, doth not render and represent the face.
(2.) Not with vulgar prejudices, as prepossessions of custom and long tradition, the opinions of holy and learned men, general consent, pretences of a stricter way. Men would fain judge upon slight grounds, without entering into the merits of the cause, to save the pains of study and prayer. This is but to put a fallacy upon yourselves. Some are against novelty, and when the ways of God are revived, they are hardened, they will not change ; as if there were no obstinacy as well as constancy, obstinacy in the bad angels, as well as constancy in the good. Others are swayed by the opinions of godly learned men, whose persons they have in admiration. There is no ij^se dixit in the church but the Lord's. It is observed that the corruptions of the Roman synagogue were occasioned by admiration of some venerable pastors of that church. Paul withstood Peter to the face, Gal. ii. 12, when his credit and example was like to do hurt. Others are swayed by general consent ; but it is dangerous following the multitude ; the world hath been against Christ, when a few only have owned him. Others by pretences of a stricter way : Col. ii. 23, ' Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will- worship- and humility, and neglecting of the body.' This is to be wiser than God, and to judge the law.
(3.) Not by vile affections, pride, passion, envy. Pride, or an over- weening opinion of our own wit and learning : John ix. 40, ' The Pharisees said. Are we blind also ? ' Proud persons, as the great rabbies, will not seem to be in an error. Men choose rather to be wicked than to be accounted weak. >So envy at others, when men can- not be admitted into such places as they affect ; and that puts them upon error and opposition : 1 Cor. iii. 3, ' For whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men ? ' So passion, revenge, and discontent. The devil worketh much upon spleen and anger, when offence is taken, whether justly, or upon supposed occasion, it mattereth not. Many in spite and stomach have turned atheists or heretics. Carnal Ham, when cursed of his father, began the way of atheism.
Observe, secondly, that the reprobate world can never have any true knowledge of God : ' The world hath not known thee.'
VeB. 25 ] SERMONS UPOX JOHN XVII. 125
1. The reprobate world can go as far as nature can go : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned ; ' aV^pwTro? yfrv-^iKO'?, not adpKiKo<i. There are two reasons urged by the apostle — a natural incapacity and a positive enmity. (1.) A natural incapacity. He supposeth a sufficient revelation : ' They are spiritually discerned.' There must be a cognation between the object and the faculty. Spiritual things must be seen by a spiritual light. Sense, which is the light of beasts, cannot trace the workings and flights of reason ; we cannot see a soul or an angel by the light of a candle. So that the object must not only be revealed, but there must be an answerable light in the faculty. There is light enough, but we have not eyes. There needeth not a plainer revelation. David prays, not that God would make a plainer rule, but open his eyes : Ps. cxix. 18, ' Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.' The understanding must be opened, as well as the scriptures : Luke xxiv. 45, ' Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scrip- tures.' (2.) Positive enmity : ' They are foolishness to him.' He looketh upon the things of God and solid piety as frivolous and vain. When Paul came to Athens, they called him babbler : Acts xvii. 18, ' What will this babbler say ?' The same disposition still remaineth in natural men. Though the truths of religion, by long tract of time, and by the consent of many ages, have obtained credit, yet men nauseate spiritual truths and the power of godliness. A stomach ill affected by choler casts up wholesome meats ; so do they scorn strict- ness and the holy ways of God.