6 It is said that the Devils dispossessed thought not so highly of themselves, but they1 could be content, and desired to be cast into a heard of swine: so that this is the estate of this vile fiend, that so he may be in some, neither dog nor hog is misliked of him, he refuseth not the very she, but he will have it. It is far otherwise with our Saviour Christ, he will not communicate, nor have communicated his holiness and his sacrifice to such souls, as have not cleansed themselves from the corruption of nature as swine, or from corruption of custom as dogs: he himself denies his precious things to such vile creatures, Matth 7. 5. Therefore if Christ deny these things, who dares grant them? For as in the beginning of his works, he separated the light from darkness, and in the end shall separate the sheep from the goats; so will he have us to make a separation between his Saints, and swine: and therefore he hath not only charged his Ministers, who are in office next to him, to take order for the separation of the precious from the vile, but also every particular man, according to the measure of his calling. But in our common course we offend, as not giving where we should give, so by giving where we should not give; as by not casting where we should cast, so by not casting to them we should cast. Indeed in particular to judge of a man to be a swine, or a dog, as Paul did Hymeneus, Philetus, and the Copper-smith, we cannot. If we see evident signs of a scorner, of a fool, that is, of one utterly destitute of the grace of God, of a reviler of the word, of one covered with the leprosy of sin, and pleasing himself in the wallow of his filth: when he is thus, that is, while he is such a one, that whatsoever is bestowed on him is lost, we must stay the casting of pearls, or giving of precious things to such, until the Lord by the touch of his finger hath turned him, until (I say) the Lord hath taken order for a way to be made for the applying of that which wisely is to be administered. But if we neglect to give precious things, when and where we should give them, and then after give when & where we should not, by rebuking a man in his rage, we should rather drive into a further blaspheming, than take away his former sin.
6 It is said that the Diuels dispossessed thought not so highly of themselues, but they1 could be content, and desired to be cast into a heard of swine: so that this is the estate of this vile fiend, that so he may be in some, neither dogge nor hogge is misliked of him, he refuseth not the very she, but he will haue it. It is farre otherwise with our Sauiour Christ, he will not communicate, nor haue communicated his holinesse and his sacrifice to such soules, as haue not clensed themselues from the corruptiō of nature as swine, or from corruption of custome as dogges: hee himselfe denies his pretious things to such vile creatures, Matth 7. 5. Therefore if Christ denie these things, who dares graunt them? For as in the beginning of his workes, he separated the light from darknes, and in the end shall separate the sheepe from the goates; so will hee haue vs to make a separation betweene his Saints, and swine: and therefore he hath not onely charged his Ministers, who are in office next to him, to take order for the separation of the pretious from the vile, but also euery particular man, according to the measure of his calling. But in our common course we offend, as not giuing where wee should giue, so by giuing where wee should not giue; as by not casting where wee should cast, so by not casting to them wee should cast. Indeede in particular to iudge of a man to be a swine, or a dogge, as Paul did Hymeneus, Philetus, and the Copper-smith, we cannot. If we see euident signes of a scorner, of a foole, that is, of one vtterly destitute of the grace of God, of a reuiler of the word, of one couered with the leprosie of sinne, and pleasing himselfe in the wallow of his filth: when hee is thus, that is, while he is such a one, that whatsoeuer is bestowed on him is lost, we must stay the casting of pearles, or giuing of pretious things to such, vntill the Lord by the touch of his finger hath turned him, vntill (I say) the Lord hath taken order for a way to bee made for the applying of that which wisely is to be administred. But if we neglect to giue pretious things, when and where we should giue them, and then after giue when & where wee should not, by rebuking a man in his rage, wee should rather driue into a further blaspheming, than take away his former sinne.
- 1Discretion necessary in discipline.Discretion necessarie in discipline.
