Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 16 – Chapter 17
CAP. XVI. Of Wisdom, and Folly.
SOme have been found not onelyonly contented with, but glorying in the name of irreligious, and unhonest: but hardly ever any were willing to bear the note of foolish, or unwise. And even of them, in whom is found some true love of vertue and goodnesse, how few are there, that either indeed do, or would be thought to do any thing, in fauour thereof, which might, in the least degree, impeach the credit of their wisdom, in the eyes of the partiall world? So fain would all be counted, though few, in truth, be wise. The main reason of this seems to be, that whereas the want of wisdom imports impotencie, and inabilitie; Irreligion, and dishonestie are by election, and free choyse. The pride of men, if Gods grace correct it not, makes them more impatient of a want either inward, or outward, arguing them to be weak, and impotent; then of a grosser vice in either, upon their own free election, and choyse of will. And hence it is, that many boast of things done by them for some particular advantage, which they know to be evill, and unlawfull.
It is the first, and a great point of wisdom to know wherein true wisdom stands: specially, seeing that the thing, which God cals wisdom, and which the world cals wisdom, are as different, as Heaven, and Earth; yea as Heaven, and Hell. That cannot but be best, which God so valueth. It is known from the Worlds wisdom, by first, its object: Secondly, the properties which attend it: Thirdly, the School where it is learnt: Fourthly, the end to which it tends. The object is Christ primarily who of God is made unto us wisdom; and in whom are hidden all 1 Gor. 1. Coloss. 2.the treasures thereof, which the Gospel the wisdom of God openeth unto us. He that knows Christ aright in the Gospel, knows both God, and man, and the most gracious, and glorious effects of both united in one. Secondly, The Iames 3.wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easie to be entreated, full of merciemercy, and good fruits, without jangling, and without hypocrisie: The other is clean contrarily qualified: thick, and muddie with lusts, and monstrously compounded, arrogant, self-willing, and selfloving, inexorable, quarrelsom, craftie, and cruell. Thirdly, The wisdom of God is learnt in the School of Christ, and upon the Book of Holy Scriptures: the other hath so many Masters, as there are corrupt either lusts within a man, or customs in the World. Lastly, The wisdom of God teacheth to provide surely for the Spirituall, and Eternall state, though with prejudice to the bodily, and temporall: The other bids, make sure worke for the flesh, and pinch not it, though the Spirituall man speed hardly by it. He that will be wise to God, must be a fool to the World: which yet makes him not a fool in worldly affairs, but skilfull how to order them aright, both for the Spirituall life, and naturall also, as far as it is subordinate unto it.
The high-way to wisdom Divine or humain is to observ and consider the reasons, and causes of things. He that beleevs a thing because God affirms it, shews faith; he that does it because God commands it, obedience: but he that joyns with these the reasons of the Doctrine, or exhortation in the Word gets into his heart the props of wisdom against the storms of temptation both of unbelief, and disobedience. So in humain affairs, he that minds, or remembers things to be thus, or thus, gets skill in the things: but he that observs, and learns the reasons, and causes why they come so to passe, or are so done, he takes the right course to become wise in the matter, of what kind soever.
A wise man is the same, though his outward state be changeable, yea changed from a prosperous to an afflicted, or the contrarie way: els he but hits right at aventure, when he doth well in either of both. His condition is rather happily fitted to him (as the howre once a day comes to the hand of the Clock that stands alwayes still) then he to it, by true wisdom. A wise man will wish the Plutarchmore prosperous state, but fear the more afflicted, and use that which falls, and his wisdom, in it. The Sayler, which wants skill, may misse his course, or drown his Ship in a fair wind; but he needs most skill in a tempest: So is the wisdom of a man most seen in the right guiding of himself, and his affairs in a stresse of trouble, and affliction▪ I have seen it in experience, that many, specially women, and women like men, who have shewed forth much goodnesse in a quiet, and prosperous state of things, if any great storm of tryall have happened to have overtaken them; have, through the want of wisdoms chart, and compasse, lost all, and not onelyonly been altogether uncomfortable, but above measure, burthensom both to others, and themselvs. The Apostle by the work of the wisdom of God knew both how to be abused, and how to abound.Philip. 4.
He that is not wise for himself first, cannot be wise for another, either in bodily, or spirituall things; though he may do him good in both. But that is rather by occasion, or in humour; then upon ground of true wisdom. God, and nature, which teach everie man to love himself most; and his neighbour (truly and heartily) as himself; teach him withall, to use his best wit, and skill, for the promoting of his own welfare. By love of himself I do not mean that ravenous self-love, which ea…s up all love of God, 2 Tim. 3.and of other men, save for a mans self: but that affection of created nature, enclyning everie man to procure his own true welfare, to his power, everie way. The former is rather hatred of a mans self in effect; whatsoever theProv. 29. positive affection be: But now, the question is, what this himself means. Himself is not his worldly riches, nor honour, nor any the like appurtenance; but his Soul, and body in a convenient state, and constitution, to perform good duties, and to obtain true happinesse. He that is wise for this himself, is wise to God, and for other mens true good. But for that other common, and commonly called self love, in which men foolishly mistake, by takeing that for themselvs, which is not: The best that can be wished to such, is, that they have little wit, and lesse authoritie: and that specially considering the deepest wisdom of such vermin is, not to care, how much and in how great things they harm others, so they may benefit themselvs never so little, in comparison; like the thief, that to get the Gold-ring, would eat off the finger upon which it stuck close.
If the wealthiest life were the best, wisdom were not so much to be desired; considering how many meer Naba…s, and rich fools the World hath. And if the merryest life were the best, it were better to be a fool, then wise. The Fagle continually gnaws the heart of Prometheus: And in much wisdom, is much grief; so as he that encreaseth knowledg, Eccl. 1▪encreaseth sorrow, saith the wise man, out of his own experience: Whereas, on the contrarie, naturall fools (and many artificiall fools also) almost alwayes laugh, and are merrie; as having neither grace to mourn for sin, not wit to be much troubled with crosses. But for all that,Chapt. 2. wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darknesse: yea for that, if there were nothing els: Seeing by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better; whereasChapt. 7. the laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorns under a pot.
There is in truth no greater recreation in the world, then to converse with wise men. Yet many cannot make themselvs merrie, without a fool: though Salomon Cartwrightamongst all the vain delights, which he could devise, or procure, got not a fool to make him merrie with. Such companions of fools might for the most part save that charg, and say that in earnest, which a wise man said for fashion: When at any time I would be merrie with a fool, I Senoca.laugh at my self.
Salomon in his Proverbs uses to call good, and godly men, wise; and wicked persons, fools: partly because there is folly, and madnesse too, in all wickednesse; partly because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, as both making men carefull to learn their duties, and having a promise of direction in the way that they shall Psal. 25.chuse: and partly to free true pietie, and goodnesse from the reproach of folly, and simplenesse cast uponActs 17. Rom. 1. them by worldly-wise men: who, as the Heathen-wise counted the Doctrine of the Gospel foolishnesse, so do these worldly-wise judg all true conscience of it, and obedience unto it to arise from want of wit, and superstitious simplicitie. But say men what they will; the Gospel is the wisdom of God; and the obedience of it, the wisdom Deut. 4.of Gods people, in his sight, and in all theirs, that judg aright: which to neglect, and true happinesse in it, is the madnesse of folly.
We say of some, that they have good wits, if wise men had them in keeping. But as wooden daggers are fitter for some, then those of Iron, and Steel; so a blunt wit is indeed fittest for him, who wants discretion, and wisdom how to use it: without which the sharp is as dangerous, as is the sharp Knife in a Childes hand, or Dagger at a Fools back. And as sharp wits without wisdom are dangerous, so are they pernitious without grace: serving to make men, both more incorrigible, and more inexcusable, and fitter Instruments of the Divel, for mischief: even as the fat soyl unordered brings forth greatest plentie of thorns, and weeds. The Serpent was more subtile then any beast of the Field: Genes. 3.and of him before the rest the Divel made choyse to deceav by: who accordingly so well fitted his turn at the first, as ever since he hath well liked, and much used such subtile, and Serpent-like Instruments for mischievous purposes. But the Serpent, who was more subtile then other beasts, was also cursed by the Lord above all other beasts: and so are those Serpent-like men: for whom how much better were it, if they had been born Ideots, and naturall Fools; then to abuse Gods good gifts of naturall wit, to the dishonour of the giver, as they do?
CAP. XVII. Of Discretion.
DIscretion is a skill enabling a man to improve himself in all his affairs, and whatsoever he is, or hath, to best advantage, according to variable circumstances, and occasions. Sapience, or wisdom stands in bare contemplation of things excellent gathered from principles, and conclusions: Prudence, and discretion are for practise: which if we will distinguish; the latter, discretion, is to be restrained to things fit, or unfit. This discretion is neither wit, nor wisdom, nor learning, nor any Art liberall, or illiberall; but that which shews how to govern them all conveniently, Plutarch& everie other thing with them: like Iphicrates, who was neither legionarie Souldier, nor Archer, nor Targeter, but one that could rule, and use all these.
And of such use is this discretion, in the whole course of our life in regard of the infinite varietie of circumstances, according to which particulars are performed conveniently, or inconveniently; as that we may daily observ men, of lesser meanes for the World as riches, trading, and skill in faculties, and yet doing well in it, yea better by discreet manageing their little; then others, wanting this discretion, with far greater helps, and measure of means otherwise. Yea, even in Divine matters some of lesse knowledg, zeal, diligence, and other generall graces, by the benefit of this particular vertue, are found more serviceable to God, and profitable to men, then others wanting it, though far exceeding them in the former. Discretion is to be preferred before wit, or art, or learning; and onelyonly comes after goodnesse in worth.
As the Serpent-like generation (specially where truth and honestie goes with a scratcht face, and is in disgrace of the times) esteems men square & upright in their courses, for witlesse & silly: so must the more shallow-headed take heed, that they sensure not discreet cariage, and handling of things, for craftie, and unhonest: considering that other men may do that in good, & honest discretion, which they, by defect thereof, could not do but in evill conscience. The same honestie, & sinceritie may continue in a man, though in discretion applying himself diversly, to diuers occasions: as the hand remains the same, whether closed into a fist, or extended Seneca▪abroad, or bended this, or that way, as occasion servs.
Of all enemies this vertue hath none greater, then pride; which deprives men (able otherwise) of much, and fools of all use of discretion: as making them either rash, by which they do not; or so presumptuous in themselvs, as they wil not restrain, and humble their understanding to due consideration of circumstances of conveniencie; in the ordering whereof discretion stands. And hence it is, that proud persons above others, fall into many things uncomely, and inconvenient. On the contrarie, God guides the humble in Ps. 25.this way of discretion, amongst others. Lastly, as the discerning 1 Cor. 12.of Spirits is one of the gifts of Gods Spirit; so are we by prayer to beg at his hands this grace, that we may be enabledPhil. 1. to discern both of persons, and things which differ, so far as concerns us in our places: without which we go but by peradventures, and may do more harm then good, even when we both mean well, and do the thing which is good in it self, if unseasonably.