The Drunkards Character, Section 156
§ 156.
OB.Ob. That the strictest lovers, are …eldome the …sest men …swered. But the objection, which as they thinke cannot be answered, like the invincible Nauy in 88. is this. We see by experience, that the strictest livers are seldome the wisest men; yea, who more vicious, then many that know most?
Answ: I am not ignorant, that some Fooles have made other Fooles beleeve, that none trouble themselves about Religion, but the simplest; yea, the most holy and religious, in all ages, have beene accounted Fooles and mad men, El sha was counted no better, by that man of the Sword, 2 King. 9. 11. in Hosea's time, the Prophet was esteemed a foole, and the spirituall man mad, Hosea, 9. 7. yea, our Saviour Christ, with open mouth, was proclaimed mad, by his carnall hearers Iohn, 10. 20. Mar. 3. 21. and Paul the like, by Festus, Acts, 26. 24. yea, all the Apostles were reputed Fooles, 1 Cor. 4. 10. and this hath beene the worlds vote ever since; the sincere Christian was so reputed in Pliny's time, and after in St. Austins time, yea, Iulian the Pelagian could gibe St. Austin, that he had none of the wise Sages, nor the learned Senate of Philosophers on his side, but onelyonly a company of meane trades-men and handycrafts-men, of the vulgar sort, that toke part with him; whose answer was, thou reproachest the weake things of the world, which God hath chosen, to confound the things which are mighty.
And is it otherwise now? Is not the honest, devout, orthodox Christian, the plain dealing and religious man, hee that declares his meaning by his words, that cannot, or will not lye, and desemble, shift, and flatter, temporise, and accommodate, buy promotion, supplant, growe rich, take bribes; he that will rather suffer then do evill, ordinarily esteemed an idiot, or silly asse? yes, by all that are craftily wicked, as you may heare out of their owne mouths, Wisd. 5. 3. to 9.
To worldly men Christian wisdome seemes folly, saith S. Gregory; and well it may, for even the wisdome of God is foolishnesse with the world, 1 Cor. 1. 18. 23.
But shall we therfore take it for grant,Worldly men count wisdome felly, and folly wisdo…e. that they are wisest, because they suppose and say they are? no, for first, as he must have a sweet breath, that can judge who hath a sweet breath: so to judge who is a wise man, is onelyonly the office of a wise man.
Secondly, the Lawes of our Land, wil not admit a delinquent for a witnesse, afafter he is found guilty; neither will Irand they stand convicted of folly, Sections the 34. 38. 39. 40. 51. 91. 157. 184. 190. But if they will put themselves upon a faire tryall, they shall have an equall proceeding; or if they will heare the case argued, if reason give not sentence on the good mans side, let mee suffer as a slan…erer.
Indeed, wisdome hath alwayes carried that shew of excellency, that not only the good have highly affected it, as Salomon, who prayed for wisdome; and Moses, who studied for wisdome; and the Queene of Sheba, who travelled for wisdome: but the very wicked have laboured for it, who are ashamed of other vertues: so that wisdome is not only justified of her children, but also of the children of folly.
Knowledge is so faire a virgi…, that every cleare eye is in love with her; it is a pearle, despised of none, but Swine…O the pleasure that rationall men take in it! they that care not for one dramme of goodnesse, would yet have a full scale of knowledge, though they never mind to do good, yet there is no good which they would not know; among all the trees of the garden, none so pleaseth them, as the tree of knowledge. As wisdome is excellent above all, so it is affected of all: as oyle was both of the wise and foolish Virgins; it hath beene a mark, which every man hath shot at, ever since Eve sought to be as wise a… her Maker. But as an hundred shootes, for one that hits the marke, some short, some over, and some aside: so an hundred ayme at wisdome, for one that lights upon it, …cclesiastes 7. 28. Yea, as many thinke themselves good fellowes, for one that is a good-fellow indeed; so many thinke themselves wisemen, for one that is wise indeed.
Of all sorts of men in the world, none repute themselves, or are reputed by others wiser, then the profound humanist, and cunning politician; and the yet neither of these, may compare with the go…ly … for wisdome and knowledge.