VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (34) to Of Wisdom and Innocency. (2)

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (34)

1. He is a Restless Adversary, he never sleeps; Spirits needs no sleep. He is a Peripatetick, He walks about, 1 Pet. 5.8. and how doth he walk? Not as a Pilgrim, but as a Spye; he narrowly observes where he may plant his Pieces of Battery, and make his Assaults with most Advantage against us. Satan is a subtil Engineer; there is no place that can secure us from Satans Assaults and In[gap]des. We find him while we are Praying, Hearing, Meditating. We are sure of his Company, uncertain how we came by it.

2. Satan is a puissant Adversary, he is armed with Power. He is call'd [gap], The strong Man, Luke 11.21. He takes men captive at his pleasure, 2 Tim. 2.26. Who are taken captive by him at his Will. Gr. [gap], who are taken alive by him. It alludes to a Bird that is taken alive in the Snare; thus you see he is the Evil one. The Devils work is to angle for mens Souls; he lays suitable Baits. He allures the ambitious Man with Honour, the covetous Man with Riches, he hooks his Baits with Silver, he allures the lustful Man with Beauty, he tempts Men to Delila's Lap, to keep them from Abraham's Bosom. The Devil glories in the Damnation of Souls; how needful then is this Prayer? Deliver us from Evil.

Lord keep us from the Evil One. Tho' Satan may sollicite us to sin; suffer us not to give Consent. Tho' he may Assault the Castle of our Hearts, yet, let us not deliver up the Keys of the Castle to our mortal Enemy.

3. In this Petition, Deliver us from Evil; we pray to be delivered from the Evil of the World. 'Tis call'd an Evil World, Gal. 1.4. not but that the World (as God made it) is Good; but through our Corruption it becomes Evil, and we had need pray, deliver us from an Evil World.

Quest. In what Sence is it Saeculum malum, an Evil World?

Answ. 1. As it is a defiling World. 'Tis like living in an infectious Air, it requires an high degree of Grace to keep our selves unspotted from the World, Iam. 1.27. 'Tis as hard to live in the World and not be defiled, as to go much in the Sun and not be tanned.

1. The Opinions of the World are defiling, that a little Religion will serve the turn; like Leaf-Gold, it must be spread but thin. That Morality runs parallel with Grace; that to be Zealous, is to be Righteous over-much. That it is better to keep the skin whole, than the Conscience Pure. That the Flesh is rather to be gratified, than mortified. These Opinions of the World are defiling.

2. The Examples of the World are defiling Examples, have a great Force in them to draw us to Evil. —Princeps imperio magnus exemplo major, Princes are Looking-Glasses which we dress our selves by; if they do Evil, we are apt to imitate them. Great Men are Copies we set before us, and usually we write most like the Copy when it is blotted; there's a great Proneness in us to follow the Examples of the World. Therefore God hath put in a Caveat against it, Exod. 23.2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do Evil. How easily are we hurried to sin, when we have the Tide of Natural Corruption, and the wind of Example to carry us. Lot was the worlds Wonder, the Complexion of his Soul kept Pure in Sodoms infectious Air. The River of Peru in America, after it hath run into the main Sea, keeps fresh, and doth not mingle with the salt Waters: To this River might Lot be compared, whose Piety kept fresh in Sodoms salt Water. Bad Examples are catching, Psal. 106.35. They were mingled among the Heathen, and Learned their Works. Had not we need then pray, Lord deliver us from this Evil World? Living in the World is like travelling in a dirty Road.

2. It is an evil World, as it is an insnaring World. The World's full of Snares. Company is a snare, Recreation a snare, Oaths are snares, Riches are golden snares; —Opes irritamenta malorum. The Apostle speaks of the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, 1 Ioh. 2.16. The Lust of the Flesh is Beauty, the Lust of the Eye is Money, the Pride of Life is Honour; these are the natural Mans Trinity. In mundo splendor Opum, Gloriae Majestas, Voluptatum illecebrae ab amore Dei nos abstrahunt. The World is a flattering Enemy; whom it kisses, it oft betrays; it is a silken Halter: the Pleasures of the World like Opium, cast men into the sleep of Security. Lysimachus sold his Crown for a draught of Water; so many part with Heaven for the World. It is an ensnaring World; the King of Armenia was sent Prisoner to Queen Cleopatra in Golden Fetters. Too many are inslaved with the worlds golden Fetters; the World bewitch'd Demas, 2 Tim. 4.10. One of Christs own Apostles was caught with a silver Bait. 'Tis hard to drink the Wine of Prosperity and not be giddy. Thus the World through our innate Corruption is Evil, as it is a Snare, 1 Tim. 6.9. They that will be rich, fall into Temptation and a Snare. If an Angel were to live here, there were no danger of the Worlds insnaring him, because he hath no Principle within to receive the Temptation: but we have a Corrupt Principle that suits with the Temptation, and that makes us always in Danger.

3. It is an evil World, as it is a discouraging World. It casts Scorn and Reproach upon them who live vertuously; what, you will be holier than others? Wiser than your Ancestors? The World deals with the Professors of Religion, as Sanballat did with the Iews when they were building, Nehem. 4.1. He mocked the Jews, and said, What do th[gap]se feeble Jews, will they Fortifie themselves? will they revive the Stones out of the heaps of Rubbish that are burnt? So the wicked

World casts out Squibs of Reproach at the godly, what will ye build for Heaven? What needs all this Cost? What Profit is it to serve the Almighty? Thus the World would pluck off our Chariot-Wheels when we are driving towards Heaven: they are called Cruel Mockings, Heb. 11.36. It requires a great measure of Sanctity to with-stand the Discouragements of the World, to dance among Serpents, to laugh at Reproaches, and bind them as a Crown about our Head.

4. It is an evil World, as it is a deadning World. It dulls and deadneth the Affections to Heavenly Objects. The World cools Holy Motions, like a Damp in a silver Mine which puts out the Light; Earthly things choke the Seed of the Word. A man intangled in the World, is so taken up about secular Concerns, that he can no more mind the things above, than the earth can ascend, or the Elephant fly in the Air. And, even such as have Grace in them; yet, when their Affections are belimed with the Earth, they find themselves much indisposed to Meditation and Prayer, 'tis like swimming with a Stone about the Neck.

5. 'Tis an evil World, as it is a maligning World. It doth disgust and hate the people of God, Iohn 15.19. Because ye are not of the World, therefore the World hateth you. Hatred is [gap], (as Aristotle saith) against the whole Kind. Hamans hatred was against the Seed of the whole Iews. When you can find a Serpent without a Sting, or a Leopard without Spots, then you may expect to find a wicked World without Hatred. the White that is shot at is Piety, Psal. 38.20. They are mine Adversaries, because I follow the thing that Good is. The World pretends to hate the Godly for something else, but the ground of the Quarrel is Holiness. The Worlds Hatred is Implacable; Anger may be reconciled, Hatred cannot. You may as well reconcile Heaven and Hell as the two Seeds. If the World hated Christ, no wonder it hates us, Iohn 15.18. The World hated me before it hated you Why should any hate Christ? This Blessed Dove had no Gall, this Rose of Sharon did send forth a most sweet Perfume; but this shews the worlds Baseness, it is a Christ-hating and a Saint-eating World. Had not we need pray, Deliver us from this evil World?

6. It is an evil World, as it is a Deceitful World.

First. There is Deceit in dealing, Hos. 12.7. He is a Merchant, the Balances of Deceit are in his Hand. The Hebrew word Rimmah in Pyhil, signifies both to deceive and to oppress. He who dares use Deceit will not spare to oppress.

Secondly, There is Deceit in Friendship, Prov. 20.6. But a faithful Man who can find? —Trita frequens

que via est per amici fallere Nomen.— Some use too much Courtship in Friendship: they are like Trumpets which make a great noise, but within they are hollow. Some can flatter and hate, commend and censure. Mel in Ore, Fel in Corde. Dissembled Love is worse than Hatred.

Thirdly, There is Deceit in Riches, Mat. 13.22. [gap], The Deceitfulness of Riches. The World makes us believe it will satisfie our Desires, and it doth but encrease them; it makes us believe it will stay with us, and it takes wings, Prov. 23.5.

7. It is an Evil World, as it is a disquieting World. 'Tis full of Trouble, Iohn 16.33. The World is like a Bee-hive, when we have tasted a little Hony, we have been stung with a thousand Bees. St. Basil was of opinion, that before the Fall, the Rose did grow without prickles; but now, every sweet flower of our Life hath its prickles. There are many things cause disquiet; loss of Friends, Law-Suits, Crosses in Estate: Relations are not without their Troubles. Some are troubled that they want Children, others troubled that they have Children; the World is a vexing Vanity. If a man be poor, he is despised by the

Rich; if he be rich, he is envied by the poor. If we do not find it an insnaring World, we shall find it an afflicting World; it hath more in it to mean us than tempt us. The World is a Sea, where we are tossed upon the surging Waves of Sorrow, and often in danger of Shipwrack; the World is a Wilderderness, full of fiery Serpents. [What storms of Persecution are raised against the Righteous? 2 Tim. 3.12.] The wicked are Briars, Micah 7.4. where Christ's sheep lose some of their Golden Fleece. Then had not we need pray, Lord deliver us from being hurt by this Evil World? Why should we Love the World? Tho' we are commanded to love our Enemies, yet this Enemy we must not love, 1 Iohn 2.15. Love not the World.

I have been all this while opening the first Sence of this Petition, Liber a nos à malo, Deliver us from Evil; we pray to be delivered from Sin in general, and to be delivered from Evil under this three-fold Notion, from the Evil of our Heart, from the Evil of Satan, from the Evil of the World; ere I leave this, let me insert a Caution.

Caution. Not that our abstaining from, or forbearing the external Acts of Sin is sufficient to intitle us to Salvation; but when we pray, Deliver us from Evil, there is more implyed in it▪ namely, that we make a progress in Holiness. Being divorced from sin is not enough, unless we are espoused to Vertue; therefore in Scripture, these two are joyn'd, Psal. 34.14. Depart from Evil, and do Good. Rom 12.9. And Isa. 1.16. Cease to do Evil Learn to do well. 2 Cor. 7.1. Let us cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness. Leaving sin is not enough, unless we embrace Righteousness. Virtutis est magis honesta agere quàm non Turpia, as it is in the Body, it is not enough that the Disease be stop'd, but it must grow in health. So it is in the Soul; it is not enough Acts of sin be forborn, (which is the stopping a Disease) but it must be healthy, that is, grow in Holiness.

Vse, Which reproves those who labour only to suppress the Outward Acts of sin, but do not press on to Holiness. They cease from doing Evil, but do not learn to do well; their Religion lies only in Negatives. They glory in this, that they are given to no Vice, none can charge them with any foul Miscarriages, Luke 18.11. God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are; Extortioners, Vnjust, Adulterers. This is not enough; you must advance a step further in solid Piety. It is not enough, that a field be not sown with Tares or Hemlock; but it must be sown with good Seed. Consider two things.

1. If this be the best Certificate you have to shew, that you are not guilty of gross Sins, God makes no Account of you. A piece of Brass tho' it be not so bad as Clay, yet not being so good as Silver, it will not pass for currant Coyn. So tho' you are not grosly prophane, yet not being of the right Mettal, wanting the stamp of Holiness, you will never pass currant in Heaven.

2. A Man may abstain from Evil, yet he may go to Hell for not doing good, Mat 3.10. Every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire. Why were the foolish Virgins shut out? They had done no hurt, they had not broke their Lamps; Yea but their fault was, there was no goodness in them, they had no Oyl in their Lamps. Oh! therefore let us not content our selves in being free from gross Acts of Sin, but let us launch forth further in Holiness. Let us cleanse our selves from all Pollution perfecting Holiness.

Secondly, Deliver us from Evil; that is, from Temporal Evil; we pray that God will either prevent temporal Evils, or deliver us out of them.

1. We pray that God will prevent Temporal Evils; That he will be our Screen to stand betwen us and Danger, Psal. 7.1. Save me from them that persecute me. We may lawfully pray against the Plots of the wicked, that they may prove abortive. That tho' they have a design upon us, they may not have their desire upon us, Psal. 141.9. Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me.

2. We pray, that God will deliver us out of Temporal Evils. That he will remove his Judgments from us, whether Famine, Sword, Pestilence, Psal. 39.10. Remove thy Stroke away from me. Yet with this Caution.

Caution. We may pray to be delivered from Temporal Evils, only so far as God sees it good for us. We may pray to be delivered from the Evil of Sin absolutely, but we must pray to be delivered from Temporal Evils conditionally, so far as God sees it fitting for us, and may stand with his Glory.

Vse. In all the Troubles that lie upon us, let us look up to God for Ease and Succour; Deliver us from Evil, Isa. 8.19. Should not a people seek unto their God? To blame then are the Papists, who knock at the wrong door. When they are in any Trouble, they pray to the Saints to deliver them. When they are in danger of Shipwrack, they pray to St. Nicholas; when they are in the fit of a Fever, they pray to St. Petronelle; when they are in Travel, they pray to St. Margaret. How unlawful it is to invocate Saints in Prayer, I will prove from one Scripture, Rom. 10.14. How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? We may pray to none but such as we may believe in, but we ought not to believe in any Saint, therefore we may not pray to him. The Papists have in their Ladies Psalter directed their Prayers for Deliverance to the Virgin Mary. Deliver me O Lady, Benedicta Domina, in manibus tuis reposita est nostra salus; O thou blessed Lady, in thy hands our Salvation is laid up. But Abraham is ignorant of us, Isa. 63.16. The Saints and Virgin Mary are ignorant of us.

To pray to Saints is Idolatry advanced to Blasphemy. Our Saviour hath taught us better, in all our Distresses to pray to God for a Cure, Deliver us from Evil.—He only knows what our Troubles are, and can give us help from Trouble; he only that laid the Burden on can take it off. David went to God, Psal. 25.17. O bring thou me out of my Distresses. God can with a word heal, Psal. 107.20. He sent forth his Word and healed them. He delivered the three Children out of the fiery Furnace, Ioseph out of Prison, Daniel out of the Lions Den. This proves him to be God, because none can deliver as he doth, Dan. 3.29. There is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Let us then in all our Straits and Exigencies seek to God, and say, Deliver us from Evil.

Of Wisdom and Innocency. (1)

Matth. 10.16.

Be ye therefore wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves.

THE Apostle saith, All Scripture is of Divine inspiration, 2 Tim. 3.16. God's Word is compared to a Lamp, for its enlightning quality, Psal. 119.105. and to Silver refined, for its enriching quality, Psal. 12.6. Among other parts of Sacred Writ, this in the Text, is not the least; Be ye wise as Serpents, and innocent as Doves. This is the Speech of our Blessed Saviour. His Lips were a Tree of Life which fed many. His Works were Miracles, his Words were Oracles, and deserve to be engraven upon our hearts, as with the point of a Diamond.

This is a golden Sentence; Be ye wise as Serpents, and innocent as Doves. Our Lord Jesus, in this Chapter,

First, Gives his Apostles their Commission.

Secondly, Foretells their Danger.

Thirdly, Gives them several Instructions.

I. Christ gives his Apostles their Commission. Before they went abroad to preach, Christ ordains them, vers. 5. These Twelve Iesus sent forth. Those who exercise in the Ministerial Function, must have a Lawful Call. Hebr. 5.4. No Man takes this Honour to himself, but he who is called of God. Christ gave not only the Apostles and Prophets a Call to their Office, (who were extraordinary Ministers;) but even Pastors and Teachers, Ephes. 4.11.

Quest. But if one have Gifts, is not this sufficient to the Ministerial Office?

Answ. No: As Grace is not sufficient to make a Minister, so neither Gifts; therefore it is observable, that the Scripture puts a difference between Gifting and Sending. Rom. 10.15. How shall they Preach, unless they be Sent? If Gifts were enough to constitute a Minister, the Apostle should have said, How shall they Preach unless they be Gifted? But he saith, unless they be Sent: Which denotes a lawful Call, or Investiture into the Office. The Attorney that pleads at the Barr may have as good Gifts as the Judge that sits upon the Bench; but he must have a lawful Commission before he sit as Judge. If it be thus in Matters Civil, then much more in Church-Matters, which are of an higher Concern. Those therefore who usurp the Work of the Ministry without being solemnly set apart for it, discover more Pride than Zeal; and they can expect no Blessing. Ier. 23.32. I sent them not, nor commanded them, therefore they shall not profit this People, saith the Lord. So much for the First; the Apostles Commission they received: These Twelve Iesus sent forth.

II. Christ foretells their Danger, ver. 16. Behold I send you forth as Sheep in the midst of Wolves. The Apostles were going about a glorious Work, but an hazardous Work; they would meet with Enemies fierce and savage, like Wolves. As all that will live godly in Christ, shall meet with Sufferings; so commonly Christ's Ambassadors encounter the deepest Trials. Most of the Apostles died by the hands of Tyrants. Peter was crucified with his head downwards. Luke the Evangelist was executed on an Olive-Tree. Iohn was cast by Domitian into a Vessel of scalding Oyl. Maximinus the Emperor (as Eusebius relates) gave charge to his Officers to put none to death, but [gap]; the Governors and Pastors of the Church. The Ministers are Christ's Antesignani, his Ensign-bearers to carry his Colours; therefore they are most shot at: They hold forth his Truth: Phil. 1.17. I am set for the defence of the Gospel. The Greek Word [gap], alludes to a Soldier that is

set in the Forefront of the Battel, and hath all the Bullets flying about his Ears. The Minister's Work is to part between Men and their Sins; and this causeth opposition. When Paul preached against Diana, all the City was in an uproar, Acts 19. This may stir up Prayer for Christ's Ministers, that they may be able to withstand the Assaults of the Enemy, 2 Thes. 3.2.

III. Christ gives the Apostles their Instructions; whereof this was one in the Text; Be ye wise as Serpents, and innocent as Doves. 1. The Exhortation: Be ye wise. 2. The Simile, as Serpents. 3. The Qualification of this Wisdom; a Wisdom mixt with Innocency; Harmless as Doves.

This Vnion of the Dove and the Serpent, is hard to find. Mat. 24.45. Who then is a wise and faithful Servant? On which Place, saith St. Chrysostom, It is an hard matter to find one faithful and wise. Faithful, there is the Dove; Wise, there is the Serpent. 'Tis hard to find both: If one would seek for a faithful Man, questionless he may find many; if for a wise Man, he may find many; but if he seek for one both wise and faithful, this is rara avis, hard to find: yet, it is possible, though not common. Moses, a man learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians, Acts 7.22. There was the Wisdom of the Serpent: And the meekest man alive, Numb. 12.3. Now the Man Moses was very meek above all the men upon the face of the Earth; there was the Innocency of the Dove. Daniel was an excellent person, Dan. 5.14. Excellent Wisdom is found in thee; there was the Prudence of the Serpent: And, Dan. 6.4. The Presidents and Princes [gap]ought to find occasion against Daniel; but they could find no occasion or fault: Behold here the innocency of the Dove. Look on St. Paul, Acts 23.6. When Paul perceived that the one part were Sadduces, and the other Pharisees, he cried out, I am a Pharisee; By which Speech Paul got all the Pharisees on his side: Here was the Wisdom of the Serpent. And, ver. 1. I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day: Here was the innocency of the Dove. How amiable is this, the Vnion of the Dove and the Serpent? The Scripture joins these two together, Meekness of Wisdom, Jam. 3.13. Wisdom, there is the Serpent; Meekness, there is the Dove. This beautifies a Christian, when he hath the Serpen[gap] 's Eye in the Dove's Head. We must have Innocency with our Wisdom, else our Wisdom is but Craftiness; and we must have Wisdom with our Innocency, else our Innocency is but Weakness. We must have the Innocency of the Dove, that we may not circumvent others; and we must have the Wisdom of the Serpent, that others may not circumvent us. We must have the Innocency of the Dove, that we may not betray the Truth; and the Wisdom of the Serpent, that we may not betray our selves. In short, Religion without Policy, is too weak to be safe: Policy without Religion, is too subtil to be good. When Wisdom and Innocency, like Castor and Pollux, appear together, they presage the Soul's Happiness.

Doct. 3. That Christians must be both wise and innocent.

I begin with the first, Wise: Be ye wise as Serpents.

1. I shall speak concerning Wisdom in general. Solomon saith, Wisdom is the principal thing, Prov. 4.7. 'Tis better than Riches, Prov. 31.14. Happy is the Man that findeth Wisdom▪ for the Merchandise of it is better than the Merchandise of Silver. If the Mountains were Pearl, if every sand of the Sea were a Diamond, it were not comparable to Wisdom. Without Wisdom a person is like a Ship without a Pilot, in danger to split upon Rocks. Iob sets forth the Encomium and Praise of Wisdom, Iob. 28.13, 18. The Price of Wisdom is above Rubies. The Ruby is a precious Stone, transparent, of a red fiery colour. It is reported of one of the Kings of India, that he wore a Ruby of that bigness and splendor, that he might be seen by it in the dark: But Wisdom cast[gap] a more sparkling colour than the Ruby; it makes us shine as Angels. No Chain of Pearl you wear, doth so adorn you as Wisdom. Wisdom consists chiefly in three things.

• 1. Knowl[gap]dge to discern.

• 2. Skill to judge.

• 3. Activity to prosecute.

1. Knowledge to discern wherein Happiness lies.

2. Skill to judge what will be the fittest Means to conduce to it.

3. Activity to prosecute those things which will certainly accomplish that End. So much for Wisdom in general.

More particularly: Wisdom is variously distinguished. 'Tis either Natural, or Moral, or Theological.

1. A Natural Wisdom: Which is seen in finding out the Arcana Naturae, the Secrets of Nature. Aristotle was by some of the Ancients called an Eagle fallen from the Clouds, because he was of such raised Intellectuals, and had so profound an insight into the Causes of Things. This Natural Wisdom is adorning; but it is not sufficient to Salvation. St. Hierom brings in Aristotle with his Syllogisms, and Tully with his Rhetorick, crying out in Hell.

2. A Moral Wisdom: Which consists in two Things; Malum respuendo, Bonum elegendo: Moral Wisdom lies in the rejection of those things which are prejudicial, and the election of those things which are beneficial. This is called PRVDENCE. Knowledge without Prudence may do hurt: Many a man's Wit hath undone him for want of Wisdom.

3. A Theological, or Sacred Wisdom: which is our knowing of God: who is the supream and sovereign Good. Greece was counted the Eye of the World, for Wisdom, and Athens the Eye of Greece; but neither of them knew God. Acts 17.23. I found an Altar with this Inscription, [gap]; To the unknown God. To know God, in whom is both Verum & Bonum, Truth and Goodness, is the Master-piece of Wisdom. 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Solomon my Son, know thou the God of thy Father. And this knowledge of God is through Christ. Christ is the Glass in which the Face of God is seen, Col. 1.15. And then we know God aright, when we know him not only with a knowledge of Speculation, but Appropriation. Psal. 48.14. This God is OVR God. This knowledge of God is the most sublime Wisdom; therefore 'tis called [gap]; Wisdom from above, Jam. 3.17.

But to come nearer to the Text, and speak of the Wisdom of the Serpent: Be ye wise as Serpents.

Quest. But must we in every thing be like the Serpent?

Answ. No. Our Saviour meant not that in every thing we should imitate the Serpent. I shall shew you,

• 1. Wherein we should not be like the Serpent.

• 2. Wherein we should be like the Serpent.

I. Wherein we should not be like the Serpent.

1. The Serpent eats Dust. Isa. 65.25. Dust shall be the Serpent's Meat: It was a Curse upo[gap] the Serpent. Thus we should not be like the Serpent, to feed immoderately on earthly Things. It is absurd for him that hath an heaven-born Soul capable of Communion with God and Angels, to eat greedily the Serpent's Meat: A Christian hath better Food to feed on; the heavenly Manna, the precious Promises, the Body and Blood of Christ. 'Tis counted a Miracle to find a Diamond in a Gold-Mine; and it is as great a Miracle to find Christ, the Pearl of Price, in an earthly heart. The Lapwing wears a little Coronet on its head, yet feeds on dung. To have a Crown of Profession on the head, yet feed inordinately on these dunghil-Comforts, is unworthy of a Christian. What a poor contemptible thing is the World? It cannot fill the Heart: If Satan should take a Christian up to the top of the Pinacle, and shew him all the Kingdoms and Glory of the World, what could he shew him, but a [gap], a Shew, a pleasant Delusion? There is a lawful Vse God allows of these outward things; but the Sin is in the Excess. The Bee may suck a little Honey from the Leaf; but put it in a Barrel of Honey, and it is drown'd. The wicked are thus characterized, Ephes. 3.19. They mind earthly things. They are like Saul, hid among the Stuff. We should be as Eagles flying aloft towards Heaven, not as Serpents, creeping on the Earth, and licking the Dust.

2. The Serpent is deceitful. The Serpent useth many Shifts, and glides so cunningly, that we cannot trace him. This was one of those four things which wise Agur could not find out, the way of a Serpent upon a Rock, Prov. 30.19. 'Tis a deceitful Creature: We should not in this sence be like the Serpent, for deceitfulness. Naturally we too much resemble the Serpent for Fraud and Collusion▪ Ier. 17.9. The Heart is deceitful above all things.

1. Deceit towards Man: 1. To dissemble Friendship; to cover Malice with pretences of Love; to commend and censure; to flatter and hate; a Iudas-Kiss, and a Ioab's Sword; Mel in ore, Fel in corde. 2. To dissemble Honesty; to pretend just dealing, yet use false Weights.

2. Deceit towards God. To draw nigh to God with the Lips, and the Heart is far from him; to serve God, and seek ourselves; to pretend to love God, and yet be in league with Sin; we should not in this sence be like the Serpent, deceitful, and given to Sh[gap]fts. O be upright! Be what you seem to be: God loves Plainness of Heart, Psal. 51.6. The plainer the Diamond is, the more it sparkles: The plainer the Heart is, the more it sparkles in God's Eye. What a Commendation did Christ

give Nathanael, Ioh. 1.47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no Guile.

3. The Serpent casts the Coat, but another new Coat comes in the room; in this we should not be like the Serpent, to cast the Coat, to cast off one Sin, and another Sin as bad come in the room. The Drunkard leaves his Drunkenness, because it impairs his Health, his Credit, his Purse, and falls to the Sin of Cozenage: The Prodigal leaves his Prodigality, and turns Usurer: This is as if one Disease should leave a Man, and he should fall into another as bad. His Ague leaves him, and he falls into a Consumption. O be not like the Serpent, that casts one Coat and another comes. This is like him in the Gospel, that had one Devil go out of him, and seven worse Spirits came in the Room, Matth. 12.45.

4. The Serpent is a Venomous Creature, 'tis full of Poison, Deut. 32.24. In this be not like the Serpent. 'Tis said of Wicked Men, their Poison is like the Poison of a Serpent, Psal. 58.4. What is this Poison? it is the Poison of Malice: Malice is the Devil's Picture. Lust makes Men brutish, and Malice makes them Devilish: [gap], Chrys. Malice carries in it its own punishment: A malicious Man to hurt another will injure himself. Quintillian speaks of one who had a a Garden of Flowers, and he poisoned his Flowers, that his Neighbours Bees sucking from them might be poisoned and die. Oh be not venomous like the Serpent. Malice is Mental Murder, you may kill a Man and never touch him. 1 Ioh. 3.15. Whosoever hates his Brother is a Murderer. Malice spoils all your good Duties; the malicious Man defiles his Prayers, poisons the Sacramental Cup; he eats and drinks his own Damnation. I have read of one who lived in Malice, and being asked, how he could say the Lords Prayer? He answered, I leave out those Words, As we forgive them that Trespass against us. But St. Austin brings in God replying thus to him, because thou dost not say my Prayer, therefore I will not hear Thine. The malicious Man is not like to enjoy either Earth or Heaven; not the Earth, for the Meek shall inherit the Earth, Matth. 5.4. Nor is he like to enjoy Heaven, for God will beautifie the Meek with Salvation, Psal. 149.4. So that the malicious Man is cut off both from Earth and Heaven.

5. The Serpent is given to Hissing: So 'tis said of the Basilisk. In this be not like the Serpent, to hiss out Reproaches and Invectives against the Saints and People of God. Thy are the Seed of the Serpent that hiss at Godliness. The Lord will one Day reckon with Men for all their hard Speeches, Iude 15. Lucian was such an one who did hiss out and scoff against Religion, and as a just Judgment of God, he was afterwards torn in pieces by Dogs.

Of Wisdom and Innocency. (2)

6. The Serpent Stops her Ear. It is an obstinate Deafness. Psal. 58.4. They are as the Deaf Adder which stoppeth her Ear. In this be not like the Serpent, obstinately to stop your Ears to the Voice of God's Word. While God calls you to repent of Sin, be not as the Basilisk, to stop your Ear, Zach. 7.11. They refused to hearken, and stopp'd their Ears, that they might not hear: the Word denounceth threatnings against Sin; but many instead of being like the Publican, smiting on their Breast, they are as Deaf Adders stopping their Ears: If you shut your Ear against God's Word, take heed God doth not shut Heaven against you: If God crys to you to repent, and you will not hear; when you cry for Mercy, God will not hear. Zach. 7.13. As he cryed and they would not hear, so they cryed and I would not hear, saith the Lord of Hosts.

7. The Serpent casts her Coat, but keeps her Sting: In this sence be not like the Serpent, to cast off the outward Acts of Sin, and keep the Love of Sin. He whose Heart is in Love with any Sin, is an Hypocrite. 1. A Man may forbear Sin, yet retain the Love of it: He may forbear the act of gross Sin, Formidine Poenae, for fear of Hell; as a Man may forbear a Dish he loves for fear it should bring his Disease upon him; the Stone or Gout. 2. A Man may forsake Sin, yet keep the Love of Sin; he may forsake Sin, either out of Policy or Necessity. 1. Policy, Vice will impair his Health, eclipse his Credit; therefore out of Policy he will forsake it: Or, 2. Necessity. Perhaps he can follow the Trade of Sin no longer; the Adulterer is grown old, the Prodigal poor; either the Purse fails, or the Strength. Thus a Man may refrain the Act of Sin, yet retain the Love of Sin: This is like the Serpent, which casts her Coat, but keeps her Sting. Oh! take heed of this; herein be not like the Serpent; remember that saying of Hierom, Gravius est peccatum diligere quam perpetrare: 'Tis worse to love Sin than to commit it: A Man may commit Sin through a Tentation, or out of Ignorance, and when he knows it to be a Sin he is sorry for it; but he that loves Sin, his Will is in the Sin, and that aggravates it, and is like the Dye which makes the Wool of a Crimson Colour.

8. Serpents are chased away with sweet perfumes, the perfume of Harts-Horn, or the sweet odour of the Styrax drives the Serpent away. In this be not like the Serpent, to be driven away with the sweet perfumes of Holiness. Carnal Hearts are for Things only which delight the Senses, they will discourse of News or Traffick; here they are in their Element; but let a Man bring with him the sweet perfume of Religious discourse, let him talk of Christ, or living by Faith, this spiritual perfume drives them away: Oh, be not in this like the Serpent! How do you think to live with the Saints in Heaven, that cannot endure their Company here? You hate the sweet savour of their Oyntments, the fragrant perfume of their Graces?

9. The Serpent (as is noted of the Stellio, a kind of Serpent) he doth no sooner cast his skin but he eats it up again. In this be not like the Serpent, to forsake Sin and then take it up again. 2 Pet. 2.22. It is happened according to the Proverb, the Dog is returned to his own Vomit again; such were Demas and Iulian. Many after a Divorce, espouse their Sins again; as if one's Ague should leave him a while, and then come again: The Devil seemed to be cast out, but comes the second Time, and the end of that Man is worse than his beginning, Luk. 11.24. because his Sin is greater; he sins knowingly and wilfully, and his Damnation will be greater.

10. Serpents are great Lovers of Wine. Pliny, who writes of Natural History, saith, if Serpents come where Wine is, they drink insatiably: In this be not like the Serpent; though the Scripture allows the use of Wine, 1 Tim. 5.23. yet it forbids the excess, Eph. 5.18. Be not drunk with Wine, wherein is excess; be not like the Serpents in this, Lovers of Wine. Because this Sin of Drunkenness doth so abound in this Age, I shall enlarge something more on this Head. 'Tis said of the Old World, They eat, they drank, till the Flood came, Luk. 17.27. Drinking is not a Sin; but the meaning is, they drank to intemperance, they disordered themselves with Drink, and God let them have Liquor enough; first they were drowned in Wine, and then in Water.

There is no Sin which doth more deface God's Image than Drunkenness, it disguiseth a Person, and doth even unman him; Drunkenness makes him have the Throat of a Fish, the Belly of a Swine, and the Head of an Ass; Drunkenness is the Shame of Nature, the Extinguisher of Reason, the Shipwrack of Chastity, and the Murder of Conscience; Drunkenness is hurtful for the Body: The Cup kills more than the Cannon; it causeth Dropsies, Catarrhs, Apoplexies; Drunkenness fills the Eyes with Fire and the Legs with Water, and turns the Body into an Hospital; but the greatest hurt is that it doth to the Soul. Excess of Wine breeds the Worm of Conscience. The Drunkard is seldom reclaimed by repentance; and the ground of it is, partly, because by this Sin the Senses are so inchanted, Reason so impaired, and Lust so inflamed; and, partly, it is judicial, the Drunkard being so besotted with this Sin, God saith of him as of Ephraim, Hos. 4.17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone; so this Man is joyned to his Cups, let him alone, let him drown himself in Liquor till he scorch himself in Fire. How many Woes hath God pronounced against this Sin, Isa. 28.1. Woe to the Drunkards of Ephraim! Joel 1.5. Howl ye Drinkers of Wine! Drunkenness excludes a Person from Heaven. 1 Cor. 6.10. Drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of God: A Man cannot go to Heaven reeling. King Solomon makes an oration full of Invectives against this Sin, Prov. 23.29. Who hath Woe? Who hath Contentions? Who hath Babling? Who hath redness of Eyes? they that tarry long at the Wine. Who hath Contentions? Drink when abused breeds Quarrels, it causeth Duels. Who hath Babling? When one is in Drink, his Tongue runs, he will reveal any Secrets of his Friend. Who hath redness of Eyes? Redness of Eyes comes sometimes from Weeping, but too often from drinking; And what is the Issue? verse 32. at last the Wine bites like a Serpent, and stingeth like an Adder. The Wine smiles in the Glass, but stings in the Conscience. Drunkenness is a Sin against all the Ten Commandments.

1. Drunkenness casts off the true God: Hos. 4.11. Wine takes away the Heart: It takes the Heart off from God.

2. It makes the Belly a God, Phil. 3.19. To this the Drunkard pours Drink-Offerings; there's a breach of the Second Commandment.

3. The Drunkard in his Cups takes God's Name in Vain by his Oaths.

4. The Drunkard makes no difference of Days; he is seldom sober on a Sabbath; he on that Day worships Bacchus.

5. The Drunkard Honours neither his Natural Father, nor the Magistrate his Civil Father; he will be intemperate, though the Laws of the Land forbid it.

6. The Drunkard commits Murder. Alexander killed his Friend Clitus when he was Drunk, for whom he would have given half his Kingdom when he was Sober.

7. The Drunkard's Wine provokes Lust. Austin calls Wine, Fomentum libidinis, the Inflamer of Lust. Nunquam ego ebrium castum putavi, I never did believe a drunken Man to be chast, saith St. Hierom.

8. The Drunkard is a Thief; he spends that Money upon his drunken Lust, which should have been given to charitable Uses; so he robs the Poor.

9. The Drunkard is a Slanderer; he cares not, when he is on the Ale Bench, how he doth defame and belye others; when he hath taken his full Cups, he is now fit to take a false Oath.

10. The Drunkard Sins against the Tenth Commandment; for he Covets to get another's Estate, by Circumvention and Extortion, that he may be the better able to follow his drunken Trade. Thus he Sins against all the Ten Commandments.

If this Sin of Drunkenness be not reformed, I pray God the Sword be not made Drunk with Blood. And whereas some will go to shift off this Sin from themselves that they are no Drunkards, because they have not drunk away their Reason and Senses; they are not so far gone in drink that they cannot go: He is a Drunkard in the Scripture-sence, who is mighty to drink Wine, Isa. 5.22. He is a Drunkard (saith Solomon) that tarries long at the Wine, Prov. 23.30. He who sits at it from Morning to Night, that drinks away his precious Time, though he doth not drink away his Reason, he is a Drunkard that drinks more than doth him good, and that though he be not himself drunk, yet he makes another drunk: Hab. 2.15. Woe to him that gives his Neighbour drink, that puttest thy Bottle to him and makest him drunk. Oh! I beseech you be not in this like the Serpent, Lovers of Wine. This I fear is one cause why the Word Preached doth so little good on many in this City, they drink away Sermons, they do as the hunted Deer when it is wounded, runs to the Water and drinks; so when they have been at a Sermon, and the Arrow of Reproof hath wounded their Conscience, they run presently and drink away those Convictions; they steep the Sermon in Wine. The Tavern-Bell doth more hurt, than the Sermon Bell doth good. Thus you have seen wherein we should not be like Serpents.

II. Wherein we should be like the Serpent, and that is in Prudence and Wisdom: Be ye Wise as Serpents. The Serpent is a most prudent Creature, therefore the Devil made use of the Serpent to deceive our First Parents, because it was such a subtile Creature: Gen. 3.1. The Serpent was more subtile than any Beast of the Field. There is a Natural Wisdom and Subtilty in every part of the Serpent, and we should labour to imitate them, and be Wise as Serpents.

First, The Serpent hath a subtilty in his Eye, he hath a singular sharpness of sight; therefore among the Gracians, [gap], a Serpent's Eye, was a Proverbial Speech for one of a quick Vnderstanding; in this we should be like the Serpent. Get the Serpent's Eye, have a quick in-sight into the Mysteries of the Christian Religion. Knowledge is the Beauty and Ornament of a Christian, Prov. 14.18. The Prudent are Crowned with Knowledge. Get the Serpent's Eye; be divinely illuminated. Faith without Knowledge is Presumption: Zeal without Knowledge is Passion: Prov. 19.2. without Knowledge the Mind is not good: For one to say he hath a good Heart who hath no Knowledge, is as if one should say he hath a good Eye when he hath no sight; in this be like the Serpent of a quick Understanding.

Secondly, The Serpent hath a Prudence and Subtilty in his Ear; the Serpent will not be deluded with the Voice of the Charmer, but stops its Ear: In this we must be Wise as Serpents, stop our Ears to false Teachers, who are the Devil's Charmers.

1. We must stop our Ears to Arminian Teachers, who place the chief Power in the Will, as if that were the Helm that turns about the Soul in Conversion. 1 Cor. 4.7. Who maketh thee to differ from another? Ego me ipsum discerno, said Grevinchovius, I have made my self to differ. Be as the Serpent, stop your Ears to such Doctrine.

2. We must stop our Ears to Socinian Teachers, who raze the Foundation of all Religion, and deny Christ's Divinity. This the Apostle calls a damnable Heresie, 2 Pet. 2.

3. We must stop our Ears to Popish Teachers, who teach Merit, Indulgencies, Transubstantiation, who teach that the Pope is the Head of the Church. Christ is called the Head of the Church, Eph. 5.23. For the Pope to be Head is to make the Church Monstrous, to have two Heads. Popish Teachers teach the People Nonsense and Blasphemy; they cause the People to Pray without Understanding,

to Obey without Reason, to Believe without Sence; it is a damnable Religion; therefore worshiping the Beast, and drinking the Cup of God's Indignation are put together, Rev. 14.9. Oh! in this be Wise as Serpents, stop your Ear to the charming of false Teachers. God hath given his People this Wisdom to stop their Ears to Hereticks: Ioh. 10.5. A Stranger will they not follow, but flee from him.

3. The Serpent hath a chief care to defend his Head; a blow there is deadly; so in this we should be Wise as Serpents; our chief care should be to defend our head from Error. The Plague in the Head is worst. Loose Principles breed loose Practices. If the Head be tainted with Erroneous Opinions, That Believers are free a Lege Morali, That there is no Resurrection, That we may do Evil that Good may come of it; What Sin will not this lead to, or keep your Head? Error is a Spiritual Gangrene, 2 Tim. 2.17. which spreads, and if not presently cured, is Mortal. Heresies destroy the Doctrine of Faith, they rend the Mantle of the Churches Peace, and eat out the Heart of Religion. The Gnosticks, as Epiphanius observes, did not only pervert the Judgments of their Proselytes, but brought them at last to Corporeal Uncleanness. Error damns as well as Vice. Vice is like killing with a Pistol, and Error like killing with Poison. O be wise as Serpents, defend your Head. Be ye Wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves.

Our Saviour Christ here commends to us the Wisdom of the Serpent, and the Innocency of the Dove. The Elect are call'd wise Virgins, Mat. 25.4. Virgins, there is the Dove: Wise, there is the Serpent. We must have Innocency with our Wisdom, else our Wisdom is but Craftiness; and we must have Wisdom with our Innocency, else our Innocency is but Weakness. We must have the Innocency of the Dove, that we may not circumvent others; and we must have the Wisdom of the Serpent, that others may not circumvent us.

Doctr. Christians must be both wise and innocent.

This Union of the Dove and the Serpent, is Hard to find, but, it is possible: Moses was learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians, Acts 7.22. There was the Prudence of the Serpent; and he was meek above all the Men upon the face of the Earth, Numb. 12.3. There was the Innocency of the Dove. But the most famous instance of Wisdom and Innocency, was in our Saviour; When the Iews came to him with an insnaring Question, Mark 12.14. Is it lawful to give Tribute to Caesar, or not? Christ answers wisely, v. 17. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. Deny not Caesar his Civil Right, nor God his Religious Worship: Let your Loyalty be mixed with Piety; here he shew'd the Wisdom of the Serpent. And would you see Christ's Innocency? 1 Pet. 2.22. There was no guile found in his mouth; who when he was reviled, reviled not again. He opened his Mouth in praying for his Enemies, but not in reviling them. Behold here the Innocency of the Dove.

Two Things I am to speak of; the Serpent, and the Dove.

I. The Serpent.

Quest. Wherein should we be like the Serpent?

Answ. In Prudence and Sagacity; Be ye wise as Serpents. The Serpent is the most prudent Creature; therefore the Devil made use of the Serpent to deceive our first Parents, Gen. 3.1. The Serpent was more subtil than any Beast of the Field. There's a natural Wisdom and Subtilty in every part of the Serpent; and herein we should endeavour to imitate him. Be wise as Serpents.

1. The Serpent hath a subtilty in his Eye; he hath a singular sharpness of sight: therefore among the Grecians, [gap], a Serpent's Eye, was a Proverbial Speech for one of a quick understanding. In this we should be like the Serpent, have a quick in-sight into the Mysteries of the Gospel. Get the Serpent's Eye. Prov. 10, 14. Wise men lay up knowledge. Faith without Knowledge is Presumption; Zeal without Knowledge is Frenzy.