Spiritual refining

Now to become a fool by way of conception in the worlds account, and by our sense and feeling is, when we see our sins, the aggravations of them, the eternal misery accompanying them, and that all this is done by our own madness and folly: Oh what a fool, what a beast is such an one become in his own thoughts! He could even with Nebuchadnezzar forsake the company of men, and hide himself with beasts, because he hath so greatly sinned against God; such a fool must a man become ere he is spiritually wise; and further he is to become a fool, because all the way of believing, of comfort, of duty, of obedience, he must fetch only from directions out of the Scripture. He is such a fool that he knoweth not how to believe, how to go to Christ, what way to take to be justified: Thus every man is to become a fool: But oh what indignation and scorn is in a wise mans breast to become thus annihilated, as it were! yet our Saviour also doth pregnantly confirm this, when he said, Unless a man become as a little child (Lnk. 9. 47.) he cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven. You see then, that of all men in the world, those who have great parts, abilities and deep reaches, have the greatest cause to tremble. Thou art too wise to be godly; Thou art too wise to be a babe of Christs; Thou art too wise to deny thy self, and take up thy cross and follow him. Take heed the devil hath not got thee on a pinnacle, and he will not leave till he hath thrown thee down headlong into hell: Oh then take heed of self-conceit, of boasting in thy own parts, of leaning to thy understanding. There is more hope of the profanest beast and most ungodly wretch that is, then of such an one. Such the Pharisees were, and very few of them ever got any spiritual good by Christ.

Now to become a fool by way of conception in the worlds account, and by our sense and feeling is, when we see our sins, the aggravations of them, the eternal misery accompanying them, and that all this is done by our own madnesse and folly: Oh what a fool, what a beast is such an one become in his own thoughts! He could even with Nebuchadnezzar forsake the company of men, and hide himself with beasts, because he hath so greatly sinned against God; such a fool must a man become ere he is spiritually wise; and further he is to become a fool, because all the way of believing, of comfort, of duty, of obedience, he must fetch onely from directions out of the Scripture. He is such a fool that he knoweth not how to believe, how to go to Christ, what way to take to be justified: Thus every man is to become a fool: But oh what indignation and scorn is in a wise mans brest to become thus annihilated, as it were! yet our Saviour also doth pregnantly confirm this, when he said, Unlesse a man become as a little childe (Lnk. 9. 47.) he cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven. You see then, that of all men in the world, those who have great parts, abilities and deep reaches, have the greatest cause to tremble. Thou art too wise to be godly; Thou art too wise to be a babe of Christs; Thou art too wise to deny thy self, and take up thy crosse and follow him. Take heed the devil hath not got thee on a pinacle, and he will not leave till he hath thrown thee down headlong into hell: Oh then take heed of self-conceit, of boasting in thy own parts, of leaning to thy understanding. There is more hope of the prophanest beast and most ungodly wretch that is, then of such an one. Such the Pharisees were, and very few of them ever got any spiritual good by Christ.