Mr. Bolton's last and learned work of the four last things death, judgement, hell,…Mr. Boltons last and learned worke of the foure last things death, iudgement, hell,…

3. Come into his family, examine the estate of his house, you shall find all things in good order, every affair marshalled and disposed for the best advantage, a provident fore-cast, and present provision of things necessary for their bodies: Every one busy in their several employments, and careful in the works of their calling: but search also into the estate of their souls, what heavenly food is ministered for their spiritual life, how the Sabbath is sanctified among them, how it stands with them for household-instructions and family exercises, &c. And (GOD knows) in that regard, that way there is no providence at all, no care, no conscience about any such matters.

3. Come into his family, examine the estate of his house, you shall find all things in good order, every affaire marshalled and disposed for the best advantage, a provident fore-cast, and present provision of things necessary for their bodies: Every one busie in their severall imployments, and carefull in the workes of their calling: but search also into the estate of their soules, what heavenly food is ministred for their spirituall life, how the Sabbath is sanctified among them, how it stands with them for houshold-instructions and familyexercises, &c. And (GOD knowes) in that regard, that way there is no providence at all, no care, no conscience about any such matters.

Walk also amongst his husbandry: you shall find his arable carefully dunged, tilled and sown: his pastures well mounded, banked and trenched; his trees pruned, his gardens weeded, his cattle ⟨p. 206⟩watchfully tended: but inquire into the spiritual husbandry at home in his own conscience, and you shall find his heart over-grown with sin, as the wildest wast with thistles and briars: no fence to keep the Devil out of his soul, many noisome lusts growing thick and rank, like so many nettles and brambles to be cut down and cast into the fire; so that his silliest lamb and poorest pig is in a thousand times more happy ease, then himself the owner, and well were he if his last end might be like theirs, that is, that his immortal soul might dye with his body: but that cannot be; except in the mean time he repent, and renounce his carnal reason, he must be destroyed with an everlasting perdition, from the presence of GOD, and from the glory of His power.

Walke also amongst his husbandry: you shall find his arable carefully dunged, tilled and sowne: his pastures well mounded, bankt and trencht; his trees pruned, his gardens weeded, his cattell ⟨p. 206⟩watchfully tended: but inquire into the spirituall husbandry at home in his owne conscience, and you shall find his heart over-growne with sinne, as the wildest wast with thistles and briars: no fence to keepe the Devill out of his soule, many noysome lusts growing thick and ranke, like so many nettles and brambles to be cut downe and cast into the fire; so that his silliest lambe and poorest pig is in a thousand times more happie ease, then himselfe the owner, and well were he if his last end might be like theirs, that is, that his immortall soule might dye with his body: but that cannot be; except in the meane time he repent, and renounce his carnall reason, hee must be destroyed with an everlasting perdition, from the presence of GOD, and from the glory of His power.

4. Consider His care and affection towards His children; you shall find that to be all earth: for whereas perhaps with farrelesse toil and travail, by the mercies of GOD, by teaching them the fear of GOD, instructing them in the ways of godliness, restraining them from profaneness, and profaning the Sabbath, by his own example of piety and godly conversation, he might plant grace in their hearts, and provide a crown of glory for their heads hereafter: yet (wretched man) he doth not only wickedly neglect these means of everlasting comfort: but with too much worldliness, variety of vexations (and perhaps for his very wickedness that way, if there were nothing else) with the great danger of his own soul; he heaps up for them those hoards, ⟨p. 207⟩that will hereafter heap coals of vengeance on their heads; and purchases and provides for them those green pastures of a prosperous state in this world wherein they are fatted for the same slaughter, and through which they profanely pass into the pit of the same endless destruction with himself.

4. Consider His care and affection towards His children; you shall finde that to be all earth: for whereas perhaps with farrelesse toyle and travaile, by the mercies of GOD, by teaching them the feare of GOD, instructing them in the wayes of godlinesse, restraining them from prophanenesse, and prophaning the Sabbath, by his owne example of piety and godly conversation, he might plant grace in their hearts, and provide a crowne of glory for their heads hereafter: yet (wretched man) he doth not onely wickedly neglect these meanes of everlasting comfort: but with too much worldlinesse, variety of vexations (and perhaps for his very wickednesse that way, if there were nothing else) with the great danger of his owne soule; he heapes up for them those hoards, ⟨p. 207⟩that will hereafter heape coales of vengeance on their heads; and purchases and provides for them those greene pastures of a prosperous state in this world wherein they are fatted for the same slaughter, and thorow which they prophanely passe into the pit of the same endlesse destruction with himselfe.

GOD out of the abundance of His own goodness, and compassionate consideration of our weakness hath allotted and allowed unto us six days for our own business, and reserved but one to be consecrated in special manner, as glorious unto Him; and yet wretched men, they must needs clip the LORDS coin, encroach upon His sanctified time, and unthankfully and accursedly spend those holy hours in which they should treasure up knowledge and comfort against that fearful day, in idleness, worldliness, and profane pastimes, whereby besides the particular curse upon their own souls, they many times ⟨p. 208⟩draw many miseries and plagues upon the place where they live. This reason is carnal indeed, this wisdom is earthly with a witness.

GOD out of the abundance of His owne goodnesse, and compassionate consideration of our weakenesse hath allotted and allowed unto us six dayes for our owne businesse, and reserved but one to be consecrated in speciall manner, as glorious unto Him; and yet wretched men, they must needs clip the LORDS coyne, encroach upon His sanctified time, and unthankfully and accursedly spend those holy houres in which they should treasure up knowledge and comfort against that fearefull day, in idlenesse, worldinesse, and prophane pastimes, whereby besides the particular curse upon their owne soules, they many times ⟨p. 208⟩draw many miseries and plagues upon the place where they live. This reason is carnall indeed, this wisdome is earthly with a witnesse.

6. Add another out of Luke 12. 39, 40.

Thus you see worldly wisdom in all that consultation and carriages inclines unto the earth, provides ever with greatest care for the world, and savours rankly of flesh and blood.

Thus you see worldly wisdome in all that consultation and cariages inclines unto the earth, provides ever with greatest care for the world, and savours rankly of flesh and bloud.

3. It is also sensual: for, it doth senslesly prefer the pleasures of sense and pleasing the appetite, before the peace of conscience and sense of GODS favour. It provides a thousand times better for a body of earth, which must shortly upon an unavoidable necessity, feed the worms, and turn to dust; than for a precious immortal foul, the immediate issue of GODS almightiness, and which can never possibly die: It doth with greater sweetness and hold-fast, relish, apprehend and enjoy the furious delights of some bosom-sin, which it hath in present pursuit, taste and possession, than spiritual graces, GODS favour, joy in that blessed Spirit, and a crown of life hereafter; for which it hath GODS Word and Promise, if it would be wise to salvation. In a word: it doth so highly prefer a few bitter-sweet pleasures for an inch of time in this vale of tears, before unmixed and immeasurable joys through all eternity in the glorious mansions of heaven: Is not this wisdom strangely nailed and glued unto sense, and stupidly senseless in spiritual things, that though many times fore-told and fore-warned by the Ministry of the Word, yet will needs for the ⟨p. 209⟩temporary satisfaction of its carnal, covetous, or ambitious humour, with filthy vexing, transitory pelf, with vanity, dung, nothing, run wilfully and headlong upon easeless, endless, and remediless torments in the world to come? And that which is the just curse and plague of worldly wisdom, (this spiritual madness commonly called) it is confident that it doth wisely, and takes the best way, and thereupon becomes incorrigible and obstinate: For there is more hope of a fool, than of him that is wise in his own conceit, Prov. 26. 22. And, Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar, yet will not his foolishness depart from him, Prov. 27. 22. How fearful then is his case, that to his worldly wisdom joins confidence in his ways? But the day will come that he'll see and bewail the vanity of his wisdom, and the truth of his folly, and that with bitter grief and horrible anguish even in hell fire, as it is notably set down in the book of Wisdom, Cap. 5.

3. It is also sensuall: for, it doth senslesly preferre the pleasures of sense and pleasing the appetite, before the peace of conscience and sense of GODS favour. It provides a thousand times better for a body of earth, which must shortly upon an unavoidable necessity, feed the wormes, and turne to dust; than for a precious immortall foule, the immediate issue of GODS almightinesse, and which can never possibly die: It doth with greater sweetnesse and hold-fast, relish, apprehend and enjoy the furious delights of some bosome-sinne, which it hath in present pursuit, taste and possession, than spirituall graces, GODS favour, joy in that blessed Spirit, and a crowne of life hereafter; for which it hath GODS Word and Promise, if it would be wise to salvation. In a word: it doth so highly preferre a few bitter-sweet pleasures for an inch of time in this vale of teares, before unmixed and immeasurable joyes thorow all eternity in the glorious mansions of heaven: Is not this wisdome strangely nailed and glued unto sense, and stupidly senslesse in spirituall things, that though many times fore-told and fore-warned by the Ministry of the Word, yet will needs for the

But the word which here in James is rendered sensual, is the same which is used, 1 Corinth. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things, &c. [Greek or Hebrew].

But the word which here in Iames is rendred sensuall, is the same which is used, 1 Corinth. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things, &c. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.

So that worldly wisdom is in that sense natural: that it can neither relish nor receive the things of the spirit: it cannot possibly conceive and comprehend the immediate means and mysteries of salvation: let a man otherwise be never so fair and comely in body, never so proportionable, personable, or goodly to look upon, and in the eye of others, yet if himself want eyes (the ⟨p. 210⟩instruments of light, he cannot possibly behold and gaze upon with delight the goodliness and glory of this great frame of the world about him: he cannot see the brightness of the Sun, the beauty of the earth, and the delightsome variety of the creatures: so a worldly-wise man, though he be never so graceful for his other parts, never so admirable to carnal eyes, or mightily magnify dby his flatterers or favourites: yet wanting the saving sight of GODs sanctifying Spirit, and the eye of spiritual understanding, is stark blind in spiritual matters, and cannot possibly behold the rich paradise of the kingdom of grace, the secrets of sanctification, and the incomparable glory and excellency of Christianity. This wisdom of the flesh serves the worldling (like the Ostrich wings) to make him to out▪ run others upon the earth and in earthly things; but can help him never a whit towards heaven: nay, is rather like a heavy millstone about his neck, to make him sink deeper into the bottomless pit of hell.

So that worldly wisdome is in that sense naturall: that it can neither relish nor receive the things of the spirit: it cannot possibly conceive and comprehend the immediate meanes and mysteries of salvation: let a man otherwise be never so faire and comely in body, never so proportionable, personable, or goodly to look upon, and in the eye of others, yet if himselfe want eyes (the ⟨p. 210⟩instruments of light, he cannot possibly behold and gaze upon with delight the goodlinesse and glory of this great frame of the world about him: he cannot see the brightnesse of the Sun, the beauty of the earth, and the delightsome variety of the creatures: so a worldly-wise man, though he be never so gracefull for his other parts, never so admirable to carnall eyes, or mightily magnifi dby his flatterers or favourites: yet wanting the saving sight of GODs sanctifying Spirit, and the eye of spirituall understanding, is starke blind in spirituall matters, and cannot possibly behold the rich paradise of the kingdome of grace, the secrets of sanctification, and the incomparable glory and excellency of Christianity. This wisdome of the flesh serves the worldling (like the Ostrich wings) to make him to out run others upon the earth and in earthly things; but can helpe him never a whit towards heaven: nay, is rather like a heavy millstone about his necke, to make him sinke deeper into the bottomlesse pit of hell.

The reason why these great politicians and jolly wise men of the world (as they are called) for all their depths and devices, with all their wit and windings, cannot understand one tittle of the things of GOD, is, because this spiritual knowledge is hid from them, for so saith our Saviour CHRIST, Mat. 11. 25. I give thee thanks O Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding, and hast revealed them unto babes. And this reason our Saviour rendereth why he spake to worldlings ⟨p. 211⟩in parables, and to his Disciples plainly, because to these it was given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it was not given. And indeed it is just with GOD, that,

The reason why these great politicians and jolly wise men of the world (as they are called) for all their depths and devices, with all their wit and windings, cannot understand one tittle of the things of GOD, is, because this spirituall knowledge is hid from them, for so saith our Saviour CHRIST, Mat. 11. 25. I give thee thankes O Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding, and hast revealed them unto babes. And this reason our Saviour rendreth why he spake to worldlings ⟨p. 211⟩in parables, and to his Disciples plainely, because to these it was given to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven, but to them it was not given. And indeed it is just with GOD, that,

1. Sith they (when the glorious sun of the Word of life shines surely upon their faces, do wilfully shut their eyes against it, that He should strike them stark blind, so that for matters of salvation they should grope even at noon-day, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and stumbleth in the darkest night.

1. Sith they (when the glorious sun of the Word of life shines surely upon their faces, do wilfully shut their eyes against it, that He should strike them starke blind, so that for matters of salvation they should grope even at noone-day, as the blind gropeth in darknesse, and stumbleth in the darkest night.

2. Sith they depend on their own policy, depths, and turning devices, GOD justly turns them loose to follow the swing of their carnal reason; and suffers them to lie and delight themselves in the sensual mists, and self-conceited fooleries and vanities of their own natural wisdom: while the Moon looks directly upon the Sun, from whom she borrows her light, she is bright and beautiful, but if she once turn aside, and be left to her self, she loses all her glory, and enjoys but only a shadow of light which is her own: so while men with humility and teachableness turn their faces toward the Sun of righteousness, CHRIST JESUS, and those Stars which he holds in his right hand, the faithful Ministers, to receive from them illumination in heavenly things, and instruction in the ways of GOD, GOD doth graciously vouchsafe unto them the glorious light of saving knowledge: but when they turn their backs upon Him, betake themselves to their own plots and projects, devices and policies, and ⟨p. 212⟩seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD: then they are justly left to the darksome giddiness of their carnal reason, and walk towards fearfulness and horror, thorough the windings and turnings of their worldly wisdom.

2. Sith they depend on their owne policy, depths, and turning devices, GOD justly turnes them loose to follow the swing of their carnall reason; and suffers them to lie and delight themselves in the sensualmists, and self-conceipted fooleries and vanities of their own naturall wisdome: while the Moone lookes directly upon the Sun, from whom she borrowes her light, she is bright and beautifull, but if she once turne aside, and be left to her selfe, she loses all her glory, and enjoyes but onely a shadow of light which is her owne: so while men with humility and teachablenesse turne their faces toward the Sun of righteousnesse, CHRIST IESVS, and those Starres which he holds in his right hand, the faithfull Ministers, to receive from them illumination in heavenly things, and instruction in the wayes of GOD, GOD doth graciously vouchsafe unto them the glorious light of saving knowledge: but when they turne their backs upon Him, betake themselves to their owne plots and projects, devices and policies, and ⟨p. 212⟩seeke deepe to hide their counsell from the LORD: then they are justly left to the darksome giddinesse of their carnall reason, and walke towards fearefulnesse and horrour, thorough the windings and turnings of their worldly wisdome.

3. Because they are proud of their earthly policy, the LORD will not give them prudence in heavenly matters: because they are wise in their own conceits, they are justly given over to follow the deceitfulness of their own hearts: with an imperious disdainfulness, they scorn the simplicity of the Saints, and therefore they are justly blinded, to think the ways of their salvation foolishness.

3. Because they are proud of their earthly policy, the LORD will not give them prudence in heavenly matters: because they are wise in their own conceipts, they are justly given over to follow the deceitfulnesse of their owne hearts: with an imperious disdainfulnesse, they scorne the simplicity of the Saints, and therefore they are justly blinded, to thinke the wayes of their salvation foolishnesse.

4. Worldly men make an Idol of their wisdom: both in respect that they wholly repose themselves upon it, for their provision and protection, and because they secretly desire to be admired and adored for it, as men of extraordinary endowments, and oracles of discretion and policy: and it may be, that they are so by their favourites and flatterers: but they must give GOD His Word, and good men leave to censure them truly and justly to be the notoriousest fools upon earth, because they are infants and idiots in the matters and mysteries of salvation. Now I say, because they make an idol of their wisdom, GOD and this earthly Dagon cannot possibly dwell together in one soul, but in his just judgement suffers them with such doting devotion, self conceit to sacrifice unto it, that they want both understanding and hearts to do him any acceptable service.

4. Worldly men make an Idoll of their wisdome: both in respect that they wholly repose themselves upon it, for their provision and protection, and because they secretly desire to be admired and adored for it, as men of extraordinary endowments, and oracles of discretion and policy: and it may be, that they are so by their favourites and flatterers: but they must give GOD His Word, and good men leave to censure them truly and justly to be the notoriousest fooles upon earth, because they are infants and ideots in the matters and mysteries of salvation. Now I say, because they make an idoll of their wisdome, GOD and this earthly Dagon cannot possibly dwell together in one soule, but in his just judgement suffers them with such doting devotion, selfconceipt to sacrifice unto it, that they want both understanding and hearts to do him any acceptable service.

This natural and sensual wisdom being thus hoodwinked from all heavenly light by GODs just judgement, and by the pride, prejudice, wilfulness, selfness of the owner doth proportion and measure all its conceits and considerations of Religion and religious men by the unsound and sensual principles of our corrupt nature, and by the false scantling of carnal reason.

This naturall and sensuall wisdome being thus hoodwinked from al heavenly light by GODs just judgement, and by the pride, prejudice, wilfulnesse, selfenesse of the owner doth proportion and measure all its conceipts and considerations of Religion and religious men by the unsound and sensuall principles of our corrupt nature, and by the false scantling of carnall reason.