A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Part 1 · Chapter 2
Chap. 2.
What wiſdom and eſteem of it, are not here condemned.
THE order which I ſhall obſerve in handling the firſt Doctrine ſhall be this; I. I will tell you Negatively what wiſdom, and eſteem of our own wiſdom, is not here condemned. II. What it is that is here condemned. III. What are the certainties, which we muſt hold faſt, and make our Religion of. IV. What degrees of theſe certainties there are. V. What are the uncertainties, which we muſt not pretend to be certain of; and the unknown things which we muſt not pretend to know. VI. What are the miſchiefs of falſly-pretended knowledg. VII. What are the degrees or aggravations of this ſin. VIII. What are the cauſes of it. IX. What are the remedies. X. What are the uſes which we ſhould make of this Doctrine.
I. What wiſdom, and what eſteem of our wiſdom is not here condemned?
Anſ. 1. Not any real uſeful knowledg at all, whilſt every thing keepeth its proper place, and due eſteem, (as is ſaid.)
2. That which of it ſelf primarily is of ſo ſmall uſe, as that it falleth under the contempt of the Apoſtles, yet by accident, through the ſubtilty of Satan, and the viciouſneſs of the World, may become to ſome men in ſome meaſure neceſſary. And here cometh in the calamity of Divines. Of how little uſe is it to me in it ſelf to know what is written in many a hundred Books, which yet by accident, it much concerneth me to know? And if God reſtrain him not, the Devil hath us here at ſo great an advantage, that he can make our work almoſt endleſs, and hath almoſt done it already; yea can at any time divert us from greateſt Truth and Works, by making another at that time more neceſſary.
If he raiſe up Socinians, our task is increaſed; we muſt read their Books, that we may be able to confute them: ſo muſt we when he raiſeth up Libertines, Familiſts, Seekers, Quakers, and ſuch other Sects. If he ſtir up controverſies in the Church, about Government, Worſhip, Ceremonies, Circumſtances, Words, Methods, &c we muſt read ſo much as to underſtand all, that we may defend the truth againſt them. If Papiſts will lay the ſtreſs of all their controverſies on Church Hiſtory, and the words of Ancients, we muſt read and underſtand all, or they will triumph. If School-men will build their Theology on Ariſtotle, all men have not the wit with the Iberian Legate at the Florentine Council in Sagyrophilus, to cry againſt the Preacher, What have we to do with Ariſtotle? But if we cannot deal with them at their own weapons, they will triumph. If Cavillers will diſpute only in mood and figure, we muſt be able there to over-top them, or they will inſult. If the Plica, Pox, Scurvey or other new diſeaſes do ariſe, the Phyſician muſt know them all, if he will cure them. And hence it is that we ſay, that a Lawyer muſt know the Law, and a Phyſician muſt know Phyſicks and Medicine, &c. But a Divine ſhould know all things that are to be known: becauſe the diſeaſed world hath turned pretended knowledg into the great malady, which muſt be cured: but is the thing it ſelf of any great worth? Is it any great honour to know the vanity of Philoſophical Pedantry? And to be able to overdo ſuch gameſters, any more than to beat one at a game at Cheſs, or for a Phyſician to know the Pox or Leproſie?
3. Yet indeed, as all things are ſanctified to the holy, and pure to the pure, a wiſe man may and muſt make great uſe of common inferiour kinds of knowledge: eſpecially the true Grammatical ſenſe of Scripture words, the true precepts of Logick, the certain parts of real Phyſicks and Pneumatology: For God is ſeen in his Works as in a Glaſs; and there to ſearch after him and behold him, is a noble pleaſant Work and Knowledg. And I would that no Iſraelite may have need to go down to the Philiſtines for inſtruments of this ſort.
4. It is not forbidden to any man to know that meaſure of wiſdom which he truly hath; God bindeth us not to err, nor to call Light Darkneſs, or Truth Error, or to belie our ſelves, or deny his gifts. 1. It is deſireable for a man abſolutely to know as much as he can, preferring ſtill the greateſt things, and to know that he knoweth them, and not to be ſceptical, and doubt of all. 2. It is a duty for a converted ſinner comparatively to know that he is wiſer than he was in his ſinful ſtate, and to give God thanks for it. 3. It is his duty who groweth in wiſdom, and receiveth new acceſſions of Light, to know that he ſo groweth, and to give God thanks, and to welcome each uſeful truth with joy. 4. It is the duty of a good and wiſe man comparatively to know that he is not as fooliſh as the ungodly, nor to think that every wicked man, or ignorant perſon whom he ſhould pity and inſtruct is already wiſer than he; every Teacher is not to be ſo fooliſh as to think that all his flock are more judicious than himſelf. In a word, it is not a true eſtimate of the thing or of our ſelves, that is forbidden us; but a falſe: It is not belying our ſelves, nor ingratitude to God, nor a contradiction (to know a thing, and not to know that I know it) nor an ignorance of our own minds, which is commanded us under the pretence of humility; But it is a Proud conceit, that we know what we do not know that is condemned.