A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Part 1 · Chapter 17 – Chapter 18
Chap. 17.
Inference 5. That it is not the diſhonour, but the Praiſe of Chriſt, his Apoſtles and the Goſpel, that they ſpeak in a plain manner of the Certain, Neceſſary things, without the Vonity of School-uncertainties, and feigned unprofitable nations.
Concil. Carth. 4. Can. 16.I Have been my ſelf oft Scandalized at the Fathers of the 4th Carthage Council, who forbad Biſhops the reading of the Heathens Books; and at ſome good old unlearned Chriſtian Biſhops who ſpake to the ſame purpoſe, and oft reproach Apollinaris, Aetius and other Hereticks for their Secular or gentile Learning, Logick, &c. And I wondered that Julian and they ſhould prohibit the ſame thing. But one that is ſo far diſtant from the action, is not a competent Judge of the reaſons of it. Perhaps there were ſome Chriſtian Authors then, who were ſufficient for ſuch literature as was beſt for the Church: Perhaps they ſaw that the danger of reading the Heathens Philoſophy was like to be greater than the benefit: Both becauſe it was them that they lived among, and were to gather the Churches out of, and if they put an honour upon Logick and Philoſophy, they might find it more difficult to draw men from that party which excelled in it, to the belief of the Scriptures which ſeemed to have ſo little of it: And they had ſeen alſo how a mixture of Platonick notions with Chriſtianity, had not only been the Original of many hereſies, but had ſadly blemiſhed many great Doctors of the Churches.
Whatever the cauſe was, it appeareth that in thoſe days it was the deepeſt inſight into the Sacred Scriptures which was reckoned for the moſt ſolid Learning; Philoſophy was ſo confounded by Differences, Sects, Uncertainties, and Falſhoods, that made it the more deſpicable, by how much the leſs pure. And Logick had ſo many precarious Rules and Notions, as made it fitter to wrangle and play with, than to further grave men in their deep and ſerious enquiry in the great things of God, and myſteries of Salvation.
But yet it cannot be denied but that true Learning of the Subſervient Arts and Sciences is of ſo great uſe, to the accompliſhing of mans mind with wiſdom, that it is one of the greateſt offences that ever was taken againſt Chriſt and the holy Scriptures, that ſo little of this Learning is found in them, in compariſon of what is in Plato, Ariſtotle, Demoſthenes, or Cicero. But to remove the danger of this offence, let theſe things following be well conſidered.
I. Every means is to be judged of by its aptitude to its proper uſe and end: Morality is the ſubject and buſineſs of the Scriptures: It is not the work of it to teach men Logick and Philoſophy, any more than to teach them Languages: Who will be offended with Chriſt for not teaching men Latine, Greek, or Hebrew, Architecture, Navigation, or Mechanick Arts? And why ſhould they be more offended with him for not teaching them Aſtronomy, Geometry, Phyſicks, Metaphyſicks, Logick, &c. It was none of his work.
II. Nature is preſuppoſed to Grace; and God in Nature had before given man ſufficient helps to the attainment of ſo much of the knowledge of Nature, as was convenient for him. Philoſophy is the knowledge of Gods works of Creation. It was not this (at leaſt chiefly) that man loſt by his fall: It was from God, and not from the Creature that he turned: And it was to the knowledge of God, rather than of the Creature that he was to be reſtored. What need one be ſent from Heaven to teach men the order and rules of ſpeaking? Or to teach men thoſe Arts and Sciences which they can otherwiſe learn themſelves. As it is preſuppoſed that men have reaſon, ſo that they have among them the common helps and crutches of reaſon.
III. The truth is, it is much to be ſuſpected, leſt as an inordinate deſire of Creature-knowledge was a great part of our firſt Parents ſin; ſo it hath accordingly corrupted our nature with an anſwerable vicious inclination thereunto: Not that the thing in it ſelf is evil to know Gods works; but good and deſireable in its place and meaſure: But it is ſuch a good as by inordinacy may become a dangerous evil: Why ſhould we not judge of this deſire of knowing the Creatures, as we do of other Creature-affections? It is lawful and meet to love all Gods Creatures: His works are good, and therefore amiable. And yet I think no man is damned but by the inordinate loving of the Creature, turning his Heart from the love of God. And as our Appetites are lawful and neceſſary in themſelves; and yet Natures pravity conſiſteth much in the prevalency of them againſt reaſon, which is by reaſons infirmity, and the inordinacy of the ſenſitive Appetite; even ſo a deſire to know Gods works, is natural and good; but its inordinateneſs is our pravity and a ſinful Luſt.
Doubtleſs the mind and phantaſie may find a kind of pleaſure in knowing, which is according to the nature and uſe of the thing known. When it is vain or low, and baſe, the pleaſure is vain, and low, and baſe! When the object is enſnaring and diverting from higher things, it doth this principally by delight. Verily this inordinate deſire of Creature-knowledge is a Luſt, a vicious Luſt. I have been guilty of it in ſome meaſure my ſelf ſince I had the uſe of reaſon. I have lived a Life of conſtant pleaſure, gratifying my Intellect and Phantaſie with ſeeking to know as much as I could know: And if I could not ſay truly, that I referred it as a means to the knowledge and love of God, I ſhould ſay that it was all ſin: But becauſe I have loved it too much for it ſelf, and not referred it to God more purely and intirely, I muſt confeſs that it was never blameleſs.
And the corruption of the nobleſt faculty is the worſt: The delights of Eating, Drinking, Venery, are the matter of common Senſuality, when they are inordinately deſired: And is not the inordinate deſire of Creature-knowledge, (if it be deſired from the like principle, and to the like ends) as bad or worſe in ſome reſpects. Conſider,
1. I am ſure that it doth as much take up and pre-poſſeſs the mind, which ſhould be employed on God, and take up thoſe thoughts and affections which ſhould be holy. Tell me why one man ſhould be accounted carnal and ungodly, for delighting to ſee his own Houſes, Fields, Woods, Corn, Rivers, Cattle, &c. rather than another that hath as much delight to peruſe a Map of pleaſant Countreys (ſetting aſide the covetous deſire of having much.) Do we not juſtly account it as unfit a work for the Lords day to be for pleaſure peruſing Maps, as to be for pleaſure viewing the Woods and Fields? Many a poor Student is as long and perilouſly entangled in his thoughts and affections, and kept from God and Heaven, and Holineſs, by deep ſtudy of Languages, Cuſtoms, Countreys, Chronology, Logick, Phyſicks, Mathematicks, Metaphyſicks, Law, &c. as worldlings are by over-minding the World.
2. And it waſteth their precious time as much as other Luſts do. One Senſualiſt ſpendeth his hours in Gaming, Feaſting, Wantonneſs, idle Courtſhip, Hunting, Hawking, Bowling, and other Exceſs of Sports: Another ſpends his precious time in hearing Comedies; and another in reading Play-Books and Romances; and another in reading true and uſeful Hiſtory, and other parts of uſeful Learning: And though the matter of the latter be better than the former, a man may make up the ſame ſenſuality in one as in the other; in reading Mathematicks or Hiſtory, as in reading or beholding, and hearing Comedies.
3. And ſome turn this Learning to as powerful a perverſion of the mind, as others do their ſenſual delights. Many think ſo highly of their Languages and Chronology, and Philoſophy, that ſecretly they are drawn by it to deſpiſe the Goſpel, and to think a holy Life to be but an Employment for Women, & Perſons that live more by Affection than by Judgment: So perniciouſly doth Learning make them Mad.
4. And abundance make it the Fuel of their pride, and think that they are excellent Perſons, becauſe they have got ſome Ornaments of the mind; as vain Women are proud of fine clothes inſtead of real comelineſs and worth. I will not diſhonour ſome famous Writers by naming them here, leſt I ſeem to take down their due praiſe. But in general I may ſay, that it is more than one, of our late famous Philological and Grammatical Criticks, who openly ſhew ſo much pride of their kind of wordy knowledge, as may warn humble men to fear ſuch temptations, and to ſee that this Learning may be made a ſnare.
5. And the worſt of all is, that while ſuch Learned men think highly of themſelves for that, they are kept from the knowledge and ſenſe of their ſinful corruption and miſery, and feel not the need of a Saviour and a Sanctifier; they cry not for Grace; they ſeek not after God and everlaſting happineſs; they neglect a holy heavenly Life: They take up ſome eaſie formalities and words to make up an Image of Religion of; and then they think that (in their unhumbled, unſanctified ſtate) they have as good right to be eſteemed godly, as any other, and if any queſtion it, they are accounted proud, ſelf-conceited Phanaticks, who appropriate the reputation of holineſs to themſelves: And to queſtion a Learned Formaliſts ſincerity, (as Martin and Sulpitius Severus did Ithacius his, and his Fellow Biſhops) is to expoſe himſelf to the cenſure of proud Hypocriſie. Yea, no man is ſo fit for Church preferment and honour, and to be the Governor of all the Religious Perſons and Affairs, as one of theſe unſanctified Learned men is in his own Eyes; from whence it is, that the ſtate of the Churches is ſo low in the Eaſt and Weſt (the Roman I mean) becauſe thoſe that have truly no Religion muſt diſpoſe of Religion, and the Churches of Chriſt muſt be inſtructed and ruled by his real Enemies; and thoſe that hate godlineſs at the heart, muſt be the Teachers of godlineſs, and the chief managers of the ſacred work.
Lay all this together, and think whether our inordinate deſire of common Learning, which is the knowledge of the Creature, be not the fruit of Adams Sin.
And if it prove ſo, conſider how far it was the work of Chriſt to cure it. Sure he was ſent to deſtroy the works of the Devil (Not Learning, but this Inordinate deſire of it.) And he was to mortify it in the ſame way, as he mortified other ſinful luſts. Therefore as he mortified venereous and all ſenſual Luſts, by holy example, and by condemning them, and calling men off them to ſpiritual delights; And as he mortified Worldlineſs in men, by living himſelf a life of Poverty and Inferiority in the World, and calling men off from the Love of the World, to the Love of God and Glory; Even ſo no wonder if he mortified in men, the inordinate deſire of greater knowledge, by calling them up to higher things, and ſhewing them the vanity of this alone. And as he ſaith, Love not the World, nor the things that are in the World; If any man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. When yet the ordinate love of the World is lawful: And as he ſaith, John 6.27. Labour not for the meat that periſheth, when he meaneth, Labour not for it inordinately: Even ſo no wonder if Chriſt omit this common Philoſophy, and if Paul bid them take heed that none deceive them by vain Philoſophy, when it is the Inordinacy only which they condemn.
If you ask me, when this deſire of common Learning is inordinate? I anſwer 1. When it's deſired moſt for the phantaſtical, ſenſual or intellectual Delight of Knowing! or from the overvaluing of the thing known? Not but a delight in knowledge as ſuch is good and lawful, but not as our Chief End. 2. When it is deſired as a ſtep to ſerve a proud aſpiring mind, that we may be magnified as Learned men: or to ſerve any Worldly Covetous deſign. 3. When it is not duely ſubordinate and ſubſervient to the Love of God,☞ and to his Service, and the Common good: If God be not firſt Intended, and all our Studies and Learning deſired purely as a means to God, that is, as a means to know him, and to love him, and to pleaſe him, and praiſe him, and do him ſervice in the World, and enjoy him for ever, but be deſired for it ſelf or Carnal Ends, it is a Carnal luſt. 4. When it hath a greater meaſure of our Time and affection and Induſtry comparatively than its due; and the ſtudy of higher things is put behind it, or neglected by it, at leaſt in a great degree. 5. When it cometh not in due order, but is taken firſt and in the hours and place which higher things ſhould have.
In a word; God, and our duty to him, and the common good, and our Salvation, are the great and neceſſary things, in compariſon of which, all other things are vain: As Riches, and Pleaſure, with its Appetite, may be uſed Holily, as God's mercies, to raiſe us unto ſpiritual delights, and to ſerve him the better our ſelves, and to be helpful to others: And for theſe ends they are given us, and may be ſought and uſed; when yet, as they are the fuel of Luſt, they are the ſnares of Satan, the Mammon, the God of this World, the damnation of Souls: So is it with the knowledge of the creature; ſanctified and made ſerviceable to God and Holineſs, it is of great utility; but out of its place it is poiſon and perdition.
Yea, as Appetite and Senſual Delight is Neceſſary, while we are in a body in which the Soul muſt operate and receive: Even ſo is ſome knowledge of Creatures and common things (called Learning) of Neceſſity, as a means to better. And while we ſee, as in a glaſs, we muſt not caſt away the glaſs, nor neglect it, though it be but a help to ſee the ſpecies.
I conclude then, 1. That it is hard to ſay that any man can know too much, except it be, 1. Matter of Temptation: 2. And of penal Knowledge, raiſing terrours, and tormenting the Soul. In theſe two caſes we may know too much; And I fear ſome mens knowledge is much of the firſt ſort. But ſo far am I from diſſwading any from true knowledge, or ſtudies to attain it, that I think Ignorance is the Mother, as Pride is the Father of all hereſies, and almoſt all ſins: And that the lazy ſtudent ſhall never be wiſe, though one may take his years in the Univerſity, the greatneſs of his Library, or the titles which he hath obtained, inſtead of Wiſdom; and another as ſlothful, may boaſt that the Spirit hath ſaved him the labour of long and hard ſtudies; for my part I ſhall account both ſorts as they are, and leave them to be admired by ſuch as themſelves: And verily they have their reward. He that will be wiſe, muſt ſpare no pains, and be diverted by no worldly things, but take wiſdom for his welfare here, and the getting and uſing it for all his work. Never was ſlothful, or impatient, or preſumptuous perſon wiſe.
2. God hath not made and ſet before us his works in vain:Pſal. 111, Great and wonderful are all his works, ſought out of them that have pleaſure therein: The Image of his Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs is imprinted on them all. Who can look up to the Sun and Moon and Stars; to the vaſt and numerous Globes above us; to this Earth and all its furniture and inhabitants, and not ſee the footſteps of the Great and Wiſe, and Good Creator, and be edified and made more holy; that doth not uſe the Eye of ſenſe alone, while he winketh with the eye of reaſon? Our Redeemer came to recover us to the Knowledge, Love and Obedience, of our Creator, and by Faith to lead us up to the love of God, and to ſanctifie us to our Makers praiſe and Service. Far was it from his deſign to call us from ſtudying the works of Creation; which he prepareth us better to underſtand and uſe: Nor would he deprive Reaſon of its Spectacles, but help us to better, than we had before. Mans wit and Tongue are apt to be ſo irregular, that we have need of the Rules of true Logick to keep them to order, and ſave them from deceit. Too little true Logick and Philoſophy is much of their unhappineſs who think they have enough, to deſerve veneration and applauſe.
3. But all this is dreaming, inſignificant, incoherent nonſence, deliration, worſe than Childrens chat (as it troubleth the world more) if God be not the Beginning, Guide, and End of it, and if we know not how to pleaſe him and be ſaved; And if all Learning be not directly or indirectly a Learning to know God and life eternal: When Conſcience is awakened all things are as dreams and ſignify nothing in compariſon of God and Life eternal, to be obtained by Chriſt. When men come to die, the moſt Learned die in this mind. And further than it is Divine and Holy and Felicitating, they cry out of all their Fame and Learning, Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity. Though Learning be the moſt ſplendid of all Vanities: Fear God and Keep his Commandments, is the end of true Learning, and the whole Learning of Man. Of writing many Books there is no end; and much reading is a wearineſs to the fleſh, and he that increaſeth Knowledge Contracteth Envy and Contradiction, and increaſeth ſorrow: But ſanctified Learning maketh a man indeed; ſo it be true, and not falſe pretended Learning.
4. Therefore the induſtry of a mans ſtudy, the moſt of his time, the Zeal of his Soul, muſt be laid out on God, and the great and endleſs concernments of his own and others Souls; And Learning muſt be Deſired, Eſteemed, Sought and Uſed, according to its uſefulneſs to theſe high and glorious Ends: Then it is the lower part of wiſdom: Which all that want it muſt eſteem and honour, and deſire: Elſe it is a dream and folly, which leaveth the awakened Soul in ſhame. But I have been too long on this.
IV. Conſider next, that as this lower ſort of Learning is preſuppoſed by Chriſt as true, and the deſire of it Cured as it is a luſt; ſo Plainneſs and Intelligibleneſs were altogether neceſſary to his ends; what came he on Earth to do, but to reconcile us to God, and make known his Kingdom, and his Love to ſinners: To procure us pardon and a Spirit of Vivification, Illumination, and Sanctification? And the word that muſt be the means of this muſt be fitted to its end, and be intelligible to the unlearned; or elſe he ſhould have been the Saviour of a few Learned men only, and not of the World. Kings and Parliaments write their Laws in a ſtile ſuitable to the matter: And ſo do men draw up their Covenants; and Princes their Pardons, and Phyſicians their Bills and Directions: And none of theſe uſeth to write a Grammar or Logick inſtead of their proper work, nor to fill their writings, with Ludicrous, Logical Tricks, and Toys. He that is but to tell men how to be ſaved from ſin and Hell, and brought to Heaven, and live ſo here that he may live with God and Angels for ever, muſt ſpeak in plainneſs and in good earneſt.
V. And conſider that the Scripture is not void of ſo much Logick and Philoſophy as is ſuitable to its deſign. In a well fleſht body the diſtinction and compagination of the parts are hid, which in an ugly Sceleton are diſcerned. So the Scripture is a Body of Eſſentials, Integrals and Accidentals of Religion, and every unſtudied fellow cannot anatomize it: But it hath its real and excellent Method, for all that it is hid to the unskilful. There is a Method of Scripture Theology, which is the moſt accurate that ever the World knew in Morality. I have drawn up the Body of Theology into Schemes. In which I doubt not but I have ſhewn, that the Method of Theology contained in the holy Scriptures, is more accurate than any Logical Author doth preſcribe: And the Lords Prayer and Decalogue, eſpecially will prove this, when truly opened: And the Doctrine of of the Trinity and the Baptiſmal Covenant, is the Foundation of all true method of Phyſicks, and Morality in the World. What if a novice cannot Anatomize Cicero or Demoſthenes, doth it follow that they are immethodical? Brand-miller and Flaccher upon the Scripture Text, and Steph. Tzegedine, Sohnius, Gomarus, Dudley Fenner, and many others upon the Body of Theology have gone far in opening the Scripture Method. But more may be yet done.
VI. Conſider alſo that the Eternal Wiſdom, Word and Son of God our Redeemer, is the Fountain and giver of all Knowledge: Nature to be reſtored, and Grace to reſtore it, are in his hands. He is that true Light that lighteneth every one that cometh into the World: The Light of Nature and Arts, and Sciences are from his Spirit and Teaching, as well as the Goſpel. Whether Clemens Alexandrinus and ſome other Ancients were in the right or not, when they taught that Philoſophy is one way by which men come to Salvation, it is certain that they are in the right, that ſay it is now the gift of Chriſt: And that as the Light which goeth before Sun-riſing (yea which in the night is reflected from the Moon,) is from the Sun, as well as its more glorious Beams; So the Knowledge of Socrates, Plato, Zeno, Cicero, Antonine, Epictetus, Seneca, Plutarch, were from the Wiſdom and Word of God, the Redeemer of the World even by a lower gift of his Spirit, as well as the Goſpel and higher illumination: And ſhall Chriſt be thought void, of what he giveth to ſo many in the World?
VII. Laſtly, Let it be conſidered above all that the grand difference between the teaching of Chriſt and other men, is that he teacheth effectively (as God ſpake when he Created, and as he ſaid to Lazarus, Ariſe.) He giveth wiſdom by giving the Holy Ghoſt: All other Teachers ſpeak but to the Ears; but he only ſpeaketh to the Heart: Were it not for this he would have no Church.— I ſhould never have elſe believed in him my ſelf, nor would any other, ſeriouſly and ſavingly. Ariſtotle and Plato ſpeak but words, but Chriſt ſpeaketh LIFE and LIGHT, and LOVE, in all Countreys, through all Ages to this day. This above all is his witneſs in the World. He will not do his work on Souls, by ludicrous enticing words of the Pedantick wiſdom of the World; but by illuminating Minds, and changing Hearts and Lives by his effectual operations on the Heart. God uſed not more Rhetorick nor Logick than a Philoſopher, when he ſaid only [Let there be Light,] but he uſed more Power. Indeed the firſt Chapter of Geneſis (though abuſed by Ignorants and Cabaliſts) hath more true Philoſophy in it than the preſumptuous will underſtand, (as my worthy Friend Mr. Samuel Gott lately gone to God, hath manifeſted in his excellent Philoſophy, (excepting the ſtyle and ſome few preſumptions.) But operations are the glorious Oratory of God, and his wiſdom ſhineth in his works, and in things beſeeming the Heavenly Majeſty, and not in childiſh Laces and Toys of Wit.
Let us therefore ceaſe quarrelling, and learn wiſdom of God, inſtead of teaching and reprehending him. Let us magnifie the mercy and wiſdom of our Redeemer, who hath brought Life and Immortality to light, and certified us of the matters of the World above, as beſeemed a Meſſenger ſent from God; and hath taught us according to the matter and our capacity, and not with trifling childiſh notions.
Chap. XVIII.
Inference VI. The true and falſe ways of reſtoring the Churches, and healing our Diviſions, hence opened and made plain.
HAving opened to you our Diſeaſe, it is eaſie, were not the Diſeaſe it ſelf againſt it, to diſcern the Cure. Pretended knowledge hath corrupted and divided the Chriſtian World. Therefore it muſt be CERTAIN VERITIES which muſt Reſtore us, and Unite us. And theſe muſt be Things PLAIN and NECESSARY, and ſuch as God hath deſigned to this very uſe, or elſe they will never do the work. One would think that it ſhould be enough to ſatiſfie men of this, 1. To read Scripture. 2. To peruſe the terms of Concord in the Primitive Church. 3. To peruſe the ſad Hiſtories of the Churches Diſcord and Diviſions, and the Cauſes. 4. To peruſe the ſtate of the World at this day, and make uſe of Univerſal Experience. 5. To know what a Chriſtian is, what Baptiſm is, and what a Church is. 6. To know what Man is, and that they themſelves, and the Churches are but Men. But penal and ſinful Infatuation hath many Ages been upon the minds of thoſe in the Chriſtian World, who were moſt concerned in the Cure, and our ſin is our miſery, as I think, to the damned it will be the chief part of their Hell.
But this ſubject is ſo great and needful, and that which the Wounds and Blood of the Chriſtian World do cry for a skilful Cure of, that I will not thruſt it into this corner, but deſign to write a Treatiſe of it by it ſelf, as a ſecond part of this.
This Book is ſince Printed with ſome Alteration, and called, The true and Only way of the Concord of the Churches.